| In the last article we learned about researching your | | | | you will be able to get across your message in your |
| markets and the importance of keywords and finding | | | | own personal style and market to your audience how |
| the right products at the right time for the right | | | | you choose. The more targeted your message, the |
| customers. Let us just re-cap on the importance of | | | | more targeted traffic you will get, and the higher your |
| research. | | | | ranking will be. You will also appear to be more |
| It Comes Down to Research and Using The Right | | | | professional and you will be able to build on your topic |
| Keywords | | | | or industry and therefore diversify to a bigger |
| Researching your market is the most important part of | | | | audience, thus the ability to earn a residual income |
| an affiliate marketing campaign. You will never get | | | | from internet marketing down the line. It is easy and |
| your business up and running unless you spend time | | | | quick to build a website and the rewards you will reap |
| conducting comprehensive research and analysis of | | | | from having your own space will be vast. There are |
| your market or topic. Your campaign will be based on | | | | many free website builders and editors so it is worth |
| a set of keywords. When you conduct a search on | | | | investing some time in creating your own space. If you |
| Google, MSN or Yahoo, for instance, the words you | | | | join an affiliate marketing program you will likely be able |
| type into the search box are the 'keywords' and | | | | to take advantage of free web building materials and |
| 'phrases'. The affiliate will need to find the most | | | | even free web hosting, and running a website is |
| relevant with the most search results or demands but | | | | inexpensive. The most important aspect about building |
| low supply or low number of search results, because | | | | your website is that you should have quality content |
| this is your competition. This is where you need to | | | | and your website must be relevant to your industry or |
| utilise keyword research tools, and there are free and | | | | topic. Relevance is key. Search engines such as |
| paid ones for you to use. Before deciding on the topic | | | | Google are very particular about quality content and |
| you want to market, take a step back and always try | | | | relevance, and so they should be, they are the |
| to choose a topic that you have some knowledge or | | | | absolute experts in achieving quality, targeted |
| experience about. It should at least be a topic that you | | | | audiences and their audience is growing targeted |
| are interested in or are passionate about. Also, try to | | | | audiences! |
| find keywords that get approximately 350 searches | | | | Use Social Media Marketing |
| per month. This is a good place to start. And it is | | | | The introduction of social media sites such as Twitter, |
| important to keep the number of competing web | | | | Facebook and MySpace has resulted in an |
| pages low. The lower the number the easier it will be | | | | ever-growing marketing capability. Use your social |
| for you to achieve a rank for that keyword. | | | | network sites to enhance your campaign and drive |
| Setting up a website was also covered and the | | | | traffic to your website. Social Bookmarking is another |
| importance of investing in relevant content was | | | | way to get your site noticed. Sites such as Digg.com, |
| covered. We now need to market our business and | | | | Del.i.cio.us and YouTube can greatly benefit your |
| decide on suitable techniques. We have already | | | | marketing efforts as they are totally free and can get |
| chosen the right keywords, high traffic and low | | | | huge amounts of traffic to your site. It is possible for |
| competition keywords and can work to dominate this | | | | your marketing offer to 'go viral' as more and more |
| method. It is best to get to grips with each strategy | | | | visitors are reached using these sites, and most of us |
| and achieving results before moving on to the next. | | | | are already investing considerable amounts of time |
| This will make us less likely to fail. It is very important to | | | | and effort enhancing our social sites, so use these to |
| get our audience to our web pages where they can | | | | take your business to the next level. However, there is |
| be converted to sales. | | | | a drawback in that these sites are extremely |
| Market Your Business Using The Right Strategies | | | | competitive and it can be difficult to target specifically |
| Deciding on marketing techniques can often be | | | | due to the mass of traffic these sites generate. There |
| determined by budget and resources. There are | | | | is also the danger that your site can be linked to spam |
| hundreds of methods, both paid and free. Free | | | | and the best way to avoid this is to ensure that you |
| marketing methods do take more effort and time than | | | | provide quality, unique content, ensure that your |
| paid techniques such as advertising, but promoting | | | | keyword density is not too high and strive to maintain |
| products through free mediums is possible. | | | | your reputation as an authority on your subject using |
| Paid-techniques do achieve results, but we will explore | | | | different techniques. If you get it right though, you have |
| the free techniques first. Once you have mastered | | | | the ability to generate huge amounts of traffic, so |
| these techniques, then you can move onto | | | | work to ensure that your offer is always fresh, current |
| paid-marketing strategies. | | | | and that you can provide content that customers will |
| Write Articles To Drive Traffic To Your Pages | | | | want to know about. |
| Article Marketing is a valuable and free way to | | | | Link Yourself To An Affiliate Program |
| promote products, affiliate programs, our website and | | | | It is possible to tap into this lucrative business of affiliate |
| just about anything. This is a free marketing technique | | | | marketing either by setting up for yourself, or joining an |
| to get traffic to your email marketing campaigns and | | | | affiliate marketing program. It is so important to choose |
| your website. By writing articles and submitting them | | | | the right program. There are many programs to |
| for distribution in the market you will achieve credibility. | | | | choose from and you will be able to decide the best |
| You will need to write relevant content and also unique | | | | one for you. Before you decide though, you must |
| content. Every article contains a resource box or bio | | | | consider what the program is offering, whether you |
| box and by-line, including the author's contact details. | | | | are happy to put your name to their offer and |
| Writing good articles will provide you with credibility in | | | | consider where the program offers an incentive |
| your industry or topic and articles achieve backlinks. It | | | | initiative. Some programs pay generous incentives and |
| is not as sustainable as PPC but you can get prime | | | | provide you with a unique marketing offer. You are |
| listings on Google for free using article marketing. The | | | | able to earn considerable amounts just promoting such |
| only drawback is is that it takes time and effort. | | | | programs. See the resource box for information on a |
| Firstly, you will need to research those keywords and | | | | unique program that provides all the training, resources, |
| base your article on these as a phrase. You will be | | | | tools and support and mentoring to assist you in |
| adopting the article sites search engine ranking | | | | achieving maximum potential. Feel free to use this |
| meaning that you could get listed on the first page of | | | | program offer as a model comparison when |
| Google within days. Submitting your articles to the best | | | | considering a program that is right for you. Visit the |
| article directories such as EzineArticles provides | | | | website below to find out about unique programs. |
| credibility in itself, as this directory will only accept the | | | | Pay For It With Pay-Per-Click - PPC |
| best quality content, and will increase your chances of | | | | This is the paid-form of Search Engine Marketing. It is |
| popularity, so this site is your best bet. | | | | advertising on search engines and their networks |
| Quality Content Attracts Quality Traffic | | | | where advertisers pay only when a user clicks on an |
| When writing articles, content is absolutely imperative | | | | ad to visit the advertisers web page. This form of |
| as your articles will not be optimised for the search | | | | advertising is a very reliable way to make money |
| engines otherwise. Apart from this, the search engines | | | | because you are able to constantly drive traffic to |
| also take into account the popularity of your site, if the | | | | your website. Advertisers bid on keywords that are |
| sites linking to your article are relevant to your article | | | | related to the specific market. This method also |
| and that your keyword density is too high it is marked | | | | achieves high traffic and quality targeted audiences. |
| as spam by the search engines. If you bookmark your | | | | You must, however, make sure that you keep your |
| articles on social networks like and you will quickly be | | | | advertising costs/expenses below your intended |
| creating back links to your site. You can research how | | | | revenue. The benefit of this type of marketing is that |
| to write articles as there is very much information | | | | once you have set up a profitable campaign, it remains |
| online, and also regarding search engine optimisation. | | | | profitable and traffic can be predicted and the |
| Follow these simple guidelines when writing articles. | | | | conversion remains stable. You need to make yourself |
| Your article should be between 500-700 words and | | | | aware of several aspects such as research, creating |
| the title, headline and first paragraph should contain | | | | a campaign, creating a website or landing page and |
| your keyword phrase. The content should be relevant | | | | how to analyse, test and track your campaigns. |
| to the keyword phrase and it should include 'call to | | | | AdWords is Google's flagship advertising medium, but |
| action' phrases to break the text where possible. Make | | | | if using this method, you must ensure that you start by |
| sure that there is not another the same on that | | | | setting yourself a budget. You will need to create a |
| directory on the first page of Google; this is imperative | | | | Google AdWords account as Google has 74% of the |
| or else you have wasted your time. Make sure that | | | | market share. Yahoo has 16% of the market share |
| you start with an introduction, your product should be | | | | and Microsoft Adcentre has 6%. Google AdWords |
| promoted in the body and the summary should include | | | | achieves instant results but you must ensure that you |
| your thoughts about the product. Your links, contact | | | | use target-specific keywords for a niche market. |
| details and business details should only be included in | | | | Ensure that you understand how to research |
| the resource box. Make sure you follow editorial | | | | keywords and utilise them. |
| guidelines and those for using HTML tags (unlike my | | | | Opt-In With E-mail Marketing And Build Your E-mail |
| first articles!) | | | | Lists |
| Give Something Back With Product Reviews | | | | This is also known as opt-in marketing, it is a long-term |
| Another form of this marketing is to write product | | | | technique and involves the collection of e-mail |
| reviews. Your customers will benefit from an unbiased, | | | | addresses or other information in exchange for |
| quality review which will help them to make their | | | | something, such as signing up for a newsletter or tips. |
| decision to purchase. When writing reviews, it is | | | | This form of marketing enables you to form a |
| always a good idea to include a product ranking and | | | | long-term relationship with customers, which in turn, is a |
| make your comparisons as clear as possible through | | | | possibility to increasing your sales potential with these |
| the use of lists and rank rating using a 'star rating' | | | | customers as trust builds between you. It works by |
| comparison. Reviews will also give you immense | | | | the affiliate asking customers to join a mailing list in |
| credibility, particularly if they include technical information | | | | return for something. The customer agrees and then |
| for such related products. | | | | provides the affiliate with their details including e-mail |
| Search Those Engines - Do It For Free - Use SEO To | | | | address. The affiliate has then been given permission |
| Drive Your Business | | | | to offer information and so e-mail them with marketing |
| Search Engine Marketing is one of the most powerful | | | | promotions. You now have a very valuable customer |
| marketing techniques. Google, Yahoo and MSN are | | | | and one that you can submit your promotions to. But, |
| high-traffic search engines and they will bring a | | | | remember, this customer is valuable and therefore it is |
| phenomenal amount of traffic to your website and so | | | | imperative that you provide something in return for this |
| your promotions. This traffic is specifically targeted and | | | | customer allowing you to have their contact details.It is |
| so this audience is already looking for the product you | | | | not then necessary to manage your e-mail mailing list |
| are offering. You are thus, getting the audience at the | | | | manually, and you are able to use the services of an |
| right stage; the audience has already decided that they | | | | autoresponder, such as Aweber.com, to provide the |
| require the product, they just need to purchase it. This | | | | turnkey service for you. An autoresponder is a |
| is quality traffic and there are two types of Search | | | | computer program that automatically answers e-mails |
| Engine marketing; Search Engine Optimisation, which is | | | | for you. They are used as e-mail marketing tools and |
| free and Pay Per Click which is paid. Let's start with | | | | they provide information to the respective customer |
| SEO. This method of marketing will achieve top | | | | then follow-up at intervals determined by yourself. |
| ranking for your pages and the higher your ranking, the | | | | They are incorporated into electronic mailing list |
| more traffic you will get and so you will maximize your | | | | software to confirm subscriptions, posts and other list |
| profits. SEO is an art-form, in that search engines such | | | | activities. The reason why e-mail marketing is so |
| as Google run on an algorithm which is determined by | | | | effective is because you contact the customer once |
| a quality score. This algorithm is constantly revised by | | | | and have contact forever, it can be applied to any |
| Google, and this makes it very difficult to achieve top | | | | niche and it is totally automated. You are able to build |
| ranking without having to constantly refine your efforts. | | | | an extremely effective campaign, fully automated, |
| The first rule would be to get your keyword phrase in | | | | requiring minimal input and achieving the desired results. |
| your URL or sub domain, title tag and headings as well | | | | Opt-In marketing will allow you to establish contact with |
| as the first paragraph of your copy. However, if you | | | | your customer and enable you to market to that |
| overdo it, your keyword density could mean that you | | | | customer at the right time. Remember, not all |
| are banned in the search engines as you are likely to | | | | customers who come to your website will want to |
| be listed as spam, so there is a fine line to tread here. | | | | buy the product; they might simply be browsing. You |
| You should also aim to achieve as many backlinks as | | | | will also be able to cross-promote products of a similar |
| possible and always remember that Google loves | | | | nature through this method of marketing, thereby |
| unique and quality content, and will reward you for | | | | increasing your sales potential. |
| providing the same. Google will also rank you on the | | | | Now that we have explored some of the marketing |
| sites that are linking to yours, particularly if they are | | | | techniques available to you, we need to look at |
| relevant in content to your site, and if these sites linking | | | | tracking your marketing efforts and the importance of |
| to yours have a high page ranking, then this will | | | | analyzing your marketing methods and successes and |
| maximise your page ranking. | | | | failures. The next article, Track and Test Your |
| Landing On the Right Page | | | | Marketing Efforts, will cover this to streamline your |
| It is very important to have your own website or | | | | business and cut the techniques that are not working |
| landing page from which you can underpin your key | | | | for you. |
| message. Users will be able to reach you here, and | | | | |