10 Profoundly Effective Steps to Internet Marketing Success |  | Visited: 2177 |
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| | by David Jackson
January 25, 2010 |
Over the years, I've read thousands and thousands of marketing articles, both
online and off. But to this point, I have never read any article that was what I
considered to be 100% idiot-proof - meaning even a dunce, moron, or complete
idiot couldn't screw up the process.
So I decided to write such an article. And if you read and judiciously apply
the ridiculously simple, but profoundly effective and proven success steps
presented in this article, I am 100% convinced beyond any shadow of doubt that
anyone can absolutely, positively make money with Internet Marketing.
Why am I so confident in these steps? Because these are the exact same steps
I've used to build nearly 100 profitable websites of my own, in a very short
period of time. Here are the steps:
1. Brainstorm Your Domain Name
This is an important process, so don't rush it. Even if it takes you weeks or
even months to come up with a domain name you're satisfied with. Take as much
time as you need. Your domain name is that important.
I'm a firm believer in creating generic domain names that utilize your
primary keywords. For example, NewyorkCityHotels.com or NapaValleyWines.com.
Having a generic domain name serves two crucial purposes:
First, it will attract a more targeted audience to your website. A targeted
audience will give you a much higher conversion ratio - allowing you to make
maximum use of the traffic you receive.
Second, generic domain names that utilize your primary keywords will help
with your search ranking. While SEO experts have opposing viewpoints whether or
not this actually helps, based on my own personal experience, I can tell you
that it does.
By the way, because of the astronomical number of domains on the Internet,
you may have to get a little creative in order to utilize your primary keywords
in your domain name.
For example, if your first choice, NewYorkCityHotels.com is already taken,
try playing around with different variations of your keywords.
For instance, try this variation, HotelsinNewYorkCity.com...or this one,
CityofNewYorkHotels.com. Also, don't be afraid to use hyphens in your domain
name. Using this technique allows me to utilize my primary keywords 100% of the
time.
It also allows me to use the much preferred .com domain. You should try to
use .com domains whenever possible, because most people will automatically put a
.com on the end of a domain when they type it into a search engine. This puts
you in prime position to pick up traffic from domains in your category that
utilize extensions other than .com.
2. Register Your Domain Name, and Forget It
After you decide on a domain name, don't build your website right away.
Register your domain name, and forget it.
Why? Because in my opinion, you should never build a website without having a
plan to promote, as well as monetize your website. Develop a well-thought-out
marketing plan going forward, then when you build your website, you can hit the
ground running.
3. Develop Your Marketing Plan
I'm a member of several small business forums, and without fail, the two
questions that get asked most often are:
"How do I promote my website?" or, "How do I get free traffic to my website?"
Those two basic questions get asked every single day.
That's why it's so important to develop a marketing plan in advance. You need
to know the answer to those questions, before you build your website. You can't
get to your destination, if you don't know know where you want to go.
4. Your Budget Determines Your Marketing Plan
If you have thousands of dollars to work with, then you have many more
options when it comes to promoting your website. For example, you can buy ads in
offline publication, as well as online publications.
A word of advice: Unless you are an experienced marketer with extremely deep
pockets, stay away from pay-per-click advertising. PPC advertising will eat up
your advertising budget quicker than Usain Bolt breaks world records.
In reality, most people coming online don't have thousands of dollars to work
with. In fact, most people coming online have little or no money at all.
But that's the beauty of the Internet. Even if you are broke, you can still
promote your website effectively, if you know what you're doing.
For example, you can participate in social media networking, and promote your
website via mega-popular sites such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and
a host of other social media websites.
Other free and highly effective promotion methods include article marketing,
forum posting, guest blogging, RSS feeds, volunteering your expertise on
Question & Answer sites like AllExperts.com and more.
5. Learn How to Implement Your Marketing Plan
Effectively
Starting a business - any business without having even basic marketing skills
is downright foolish. Competency in marketing is the most important business
skill that you can have.
If you become proficient in the art of marketing, it will allow you to become
profitable that much quicker. And there won't be anything that you can't
accomplish.
Some of the greatest sales and marketing books ever written are located right
under your nose, at your local library - and they're free. Do yourself a favor
and study the classics. Many of the marketing techniques being used today are
based on sound marketing principles established many decades ago.
A few of my favorite marketing books include The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan
Kennedy, Advertising Secrets of the Written Word by Joe Sugarman, Breakthrough
Advertising by Eugene Schwartz, Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples,
Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy, Magic Words That Bring You Riches by Ted
Nicholas and How to Write a Good Advertisement by Victor O. Schwab.
If you can't find these books at your local library, you can pick them up for
just a few dollars on Amazon.
6. Apply What You
Learn
It's not enough to just read the classics, you have to apply what you learn.
Otherwise, what's the point? That means reading the books more than once -
several times if necessary.
Actually, you should read the books as many times as it takes for the
information to sink in and become second nature to you.
You should also take copious notes, and practice writing ads over and over
and over again. You should give yourself regular written exams on the
information in the books, and each time you test yourself, your goal should be
to score 100%.
Sounds like hard work, doesn't it? It is. The question is how hard are you
willing to work to get what you want?
7. Monetize Your Website
There are a number of ways that you can monetize your website - from selling
advertising on your site to affiliate programs. My preferred method is affiliate
programs.
Why? Because affiliate programs are completely hands-off for you. No billing,
no inventory, no hassles. You simply choose from among the thousands of
affiliate programs available on the Internet, select your program of interest,
and promote the living daylights out of it. Then take your checks to the
bank...that's it.
8. Take Your Income to the Next Level
Once you start making $50 per month with affiliate programs, build another
website, and start promoting another affiliate program. And when that website
starts making $50, build another website and another and another.
Why? Because if you have 10 websites making $50 per month, that's a monthly
income of $500. And therein lies the secret to making money on the Internet.
Why beat yourself up trying to make hundreds - or even thousands of dollars
with a single website? Take the path of least resistance. Build a bunch of
websites that make just $50 per month. If you can build fifty websites in a
year, that's a monthly income of $2500, or $30,000 a year.
Does your current job pay that much? And the beauty of this method is you can
keep giving yourself a raise. If you build another fifty websites the following
year, you just doubled your income to $5,000 per month.
And if you can build another fifty websites the following year, you just
tripled your income to $7500 per month.
The key to making this method work is building simple, low-maintenance
websites. Just add content once or twice a month, and forget about them.
Think it can't be done? Think again. I'm doing it, and so are thousands of
other smart and resourceful entrepreneurs.
9. What About Content?
The key to having a website that other websites want to link to is having
quality, content that is relevant to the overall theme of your website. You can
either produce the content yourself, import it from somewhere else, or a
combination of both.
If you elect to import your content from somewhere else, you can either use
free content from article directories like EzineArticles, or you can purchase
PLR articles, which I don't recommmend.
Why? Because hundreds of other people purchased the exact same PLR package as
you. So those articles have to be completely rewritten, which is a
time-consuming process.
Whichever way you choose to go, just remember, it's important to have lots
and lots of relevant content on your website.
How much content? The more the better. After all, the more content you have
on your website, the more often your visitors will return to read that
content.
10. Build Your Website
Okay, now that you've properly laid the foundation for success, it's time to
build your website. The type of website you build will again depend on the
amount of money you have to play around with.
I have a bunch of websites that I paid absolutely nothing for. And I have
websites that I paid hundreds of dollars for. My recommendation: If you don't
have to spend money on a website, don't.
Nowadays, it's not necessary to spend a lot of money to get a decent looking
website.
But whatever you do, be sure to purchase your own domain name. You definitely
don't want the name Blogspot, WordPress or Homestead in your domain name. It
just looks amateurish.
I buy most of my domains through NetworkSolutions.com, because I've been
using them for years, and I'm comfortable with them. Their domains cost a lot
more, but they more than make up for it with great customer service.
That's something you just can't put a price on. That being said, I've also
purchased $10 domain names from GoDaddy without any problems.
One last thing, don't beat your brains out worrying about SEO. Just make sure
your primary keywords appear in your title tag, and you'll be just fine.
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