"10 Quick Ways to Promote Your Website"

Think fast! If I asked you to quickly name ten things you could do to promote your website, what would you say? If you're like most online entrepreneurs thinking off the top of your head, you wouldn't make it past two or three. Allow me to help; here are ten quickie tips to get the word out on your site.

1) Publish an Ezine: The only way to collect email addresses of your website visitors and build your own opt-in list is with your own ezine. If you're not publishing, I strongly suggest you start and add a sign up box in the upper right hand corner of every page of your site. To learn more about ezines visit http://www.ezineuniversity.com/

2) Use P.P.C: That's "Pay Per Click," for all you newbies out there. If you're not using Google and Yahoo you need to open an account today. By bidding into the top three positions you'll enjoy mass exposure on many of the other top search engines.

To keep costs down, use two and three word phrases and try to stay away from the most popular ones. http://www.wordtracker.com/ can help.

To learn more about pay per clicks go to:
http://payperclicksearchengines.com/

or http://www.payperclickresearch.com/

3) Swap Links: You've heard it before but it bears repeating: find other related sites and swap links with them. Not only will it give you a slight boost with the search engines, but it will also enhance your site for your guests by giving them more related resources to explore.

Check out http://linkpartners.com/

4) Buy Ezine Ads: Ezine Advertising is popular because it works. Look for top spots and solo ads for best response rates. Check out: http://www.lifestylespub.com/

5) Swap Ezine Ads: If you publish an ezine, and you should, find other publishers to swap ads with for some free advertising. Make sure these publications appeal to your target market.

Take a look at: http://www.swapezineads.com/

6) Discussion Boards: Participating in online discussion boards and posting helpful resources with a good signature line is a great way to increase your traffic. My personal favorite is
http://ablake.net/forum/

7) Write Articles: Write short articles such as this one and distribute them to article lists and other ezine publishers for possible inclusion in their ezines. Try to keep them short under 500 words. Submit them to http://www.ezinearticles.com/

8) Press Releases: Try to come up with a news angle for your site and compose a press release and submit it to the media. If just one person picks up your story you can get a large amount of traffic.

Check out:
http://tinyurl.com/4obb

9) Promotional Products: Have pens, pencils, notepads and other promotional items printed up with your url and give them away. Try http://epromos.com/

Get URL plates for your car at:
http://www.mcpromotions.com/adURL/

10) Affiliate Program: If you sell a product consider starting your own affiliate program where others sell for you and you pay them a commission. Check out: http://www.clickbank.com/

Contrary to popular belief, if you build it they will *not come* -- at least, not without promotional effort on your end. Do it daily and before long you'll see an upswing in your traffic and hopefully a little more cash in your pocket.

Overview of the new Google Adwords Interface.

New Adwords Interface in Beta

Google is testing a new web interface for their Adwords program. The new interface is according to Google, "faster, clearer, and more intuitive. Which makes it easier to find your most important keywords across ad groups and edit your account quickly".

As of right now they are still testing and making changes based on the feedback they receive. There is no change to ranking with this update.

New Features Include: Graphs, roll up tabs on every page, in-line editing, new network tab.

Right now it's still in beta but you can switch back and forth between the old and new interface if you'd like to take her for a spin. To check it out go to - http://www.google.com/adwords/newinterface/index.html

"The Fast-Track to Using Google Adwords"

Remember back when Al Gore allegedly said he "invented the Internet?" Well, he didn't, it was Google. Alright, I'm kidding, but sometimes it does appear that way. Google has consistently launched one killer application after another, and they weren't playing around when they entered into the pay-per-click arena with their "Adwords" program. Adwords is one of the largest online advertising networks, reaching more than 80% of all Internet users.

So how does it work? You choose keywords/phrases that are related to your products/services, write the text ads that will be shown when someone performs a search for your keywords, set a daily budget and the cost you want to pay every time someone clicks on your ad (C.P.C), and you're ready to run. There is no activation fee and no minimum monthly spend amount.

Ads are called "sponsored links", and appear along with search results on Google, as well as other affiliated search engines and "content sites" in the Google Network. This type of keyword based advertising will help you to reach a highly targeted audience quickly and easily.

Not only can you run text ads, but also image/animated ads - even video. If you're a beginner at pay-per-click marketing, I would suggest you start out with text ads. You'll need to "learn to walk" before you run.

So what does a text ad look like? It consists of a 25 character headline, a description that is 2 lines of no more than 35 characters, and what's called a "display url". This url can reflect any domain you like because when it is clicked upon, the browser will take them to your "destination url". This is set up behind the scenes and does not appear in the ad itself.

A 3 line text ad might sound like a lot of room, but it's not. You've got a small area to make a huge impact on the searcher and make them want to click. Don't underestimate the power of a well written ad. If you don't know a lot about how to write "good copy", I suggest you study up. You'll want to include what's referred to as a "call to action" somewhere in the description. You'll also want to include your keywords if possible in your title and ad copy so they will appear in a bold font when your ad is displayed. For help see: http://www.google.com/adwords/learningcenter/text/18779.html

You also need to send them to the page that's most relevant to your ad copy. This page is called a "landing page", and you'll want to make sure it converts. A conversion happens when the visitor performs the action you intended. For example, signs up for your newsletter, buys your product, etc. With Adwords conversion tracking you'll be given a snippet of code to paste on your web page wherever any conversion takes place. For example, your thank you page. This allows you to track how well your pages are converting. You can also use Google Analytics. For more see -http://www.google.com/analytics/

Now that landing page load time is being factored into "quality score", you'll also want to pay attention to your page's load time. Quicker is better. For more information on this topic see.... http://tinyurl.com/4bsyaq

Now, let's talk about keywords. The biggest mistake most people make is choosing single keywords. You're much better off with two and three word combinations. For example if you sell dog food, instead of targeting a generic term like "dogs", you'd be better off selecting "dog food". Remember, these keywords will be responsible for triggering your ads to appear, so do your homework and choose wisely. Targeting the wrong keywords can be a very expensive lesson.

For help in choosing keywords use Google's tool located at- https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

When setting up your keywords, you'll also need to choose what's called a "match type". Here are your options:

1) Broad Match: The default setting. Searchers can
enter your keywords in any order and your ads
appear. Not the best option for targeted traffic.

2) Phrase Match: Your keywords must appear in
the exact order for your ads to appear. This is
more targeted than Broad Match.

3) Exact Match: This is the most targeted option.
The searcher must type in your key-phrase
exactly for your ads to appear.

4) Negative Match: You choose words you don't
want your ads to appear for when searched upon. For
example, typing in the word “-free” would stop your ads
from appearing if someone typed that word before
your key-phrase.

So who decides which ads will appear at the top? This is called "ad rank". Ads with the highest ad rank will appear at the top. Here's the formula, at least at this time as it's always open to change. Ad Rank=C.P.C. (cost per click) X Quality Score To understand this formula you'll need to know what factors go into "quality score".

Quality Score is determined by :

1) How relevant the keywords and ad copy
are to the search query.

2) "The historical Click-through rate of the
ad, and of the matched keyword on Google".

3) It also includes your account history,
which looks at the click through rate of
your keywords and ads.

4) Landing page load time.

And, according to Google "other relevant factors". One tip to increase your ad rank is to increase your cost per click, and improve your ad copy and keywords in order to increase your quality score.

Ad ranking is determined slightly differently for the search network compared to the content network. For the content network it looks like this:

Ad Rank= Content Bid X Quality Score

What is the difference between the Content Network and Search Network? Good question. I thought you'd never ask. This is another option you'll have to decide upon when setting up your account. If you choose "search sites", your ads are displayed on search results pages only. Google's search network consists of: AOL, Netscape, Earthlink, Compuserve, AT&T, Worldnet, Ask.com, Shopping.com, Froogle and of course Google itself.

If you choose for your ads to appear in the "content network", this includes community websites, online publications and other information based sites that choose to display Adwords ads. Partners in the content network include sites such as: Google's Gmail, About, Lycos, NYTimes.com, Infospace, Reed Business, HowStuffWorks, Business.com, Food Network, HGTV, MarthaStewart.com and many other content based websites.

Ads are targeted to the content of the individual pages. You'll also have some control over where your ads appear and don't appear with what's called "placement targeting". You can actually pick and choose from websites you'd like your ads to appear on, or not to appear on. For more on placement targeting see http://tinyurl.com/5zwfy9 You can opt in to both search and content networks, or just one.

At this point you're probably thinking this is a lot to learn. And you're right - it is, but there are plenty of online resources to help you such as: Adwords Help Center http://www.adwords.google.com/support/

Adwords blog
http://adwords.blogspot.com/

Google is a powerful Internet giant and makes for a mighty advertising partner. Make sure you harness some of that muscle, and you too can become an Internet force to be reckoned with.

"What's New in Social Media?"

A lot like the fashion industry things come in and out online too. The hottest thing right now is "Social Network Marketing". This involves using sites like Facebook, Myspace, Digg, Reddit, and other types of social sites to softly promote your site or brand. Check out this video which covers the latest happenings with social media.

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The Right and Wrong Way to use Twitter

An interesting video that covers what you should and should not be doing on Twitter. Watch it now and share your thoughts by leaving comments below.

More WebProNews Videos

Twitter Handbooks and Guides- Just For You

Everyone and their dog is talking about Twitter lately. There's even a rumor running around the net that Google may purchase them. I could see something like that happening. Anything that's good seems to end up in Google's hands. If it did happen I'm sure they would only take a great service and make it better. But like I said right now it's just a rumor.

Anyway, if you use Twitter, and you should, you may need some guidance getting started. You know, learning the ins and outs of what you should and shouldn't do. This website is loaded with helpful Twitter guides and handbooks that will teach you how to use Twitter more effectively. So what are you waiting for? Twit yourself right over there and then start becoming the Twitter Rock Star you were always meant to be. Go to http://www.bookmarket.com/twitter-guide.htm

Pipl

Ever have the urge to look up an old friend? Sure, you can do a search on Google. I've done it with my own name, but you'll get a lot of irrelevant results. Well, if you've been looking for a way to do research on people check out Pipl.com . It's the most comprehensive people search on the web. Just enter a name and city and state and Pipl goes out searching the four corners of the Internet. I received some really great results, even found a friend of mines wish list on Amazon. Bookmark this one. You never know when it will come in handy.

"Social Network Marketing: Advertising to Facebook Users"

In the "old days", if you wanted to meet someone, you had to get dressed up and drive to a public place. Not anymore. The Internet has changed all of that with the popularity of social networking sites. Two of the biggest are MySpace and Facebook.

Basically, a social network website allows you to register, display photos and some personal information, then you can invite others to become "your friends". You can meet thousands of people right from the comfort of your living room. How great is that?

Facebook has an audience of over 100 million people with over 24 million active users. The majority of visitors to the site are between the ages of 18 to 34. Next to MySpace, it is the second largest social networking site online. If you'd like to advertise on Facebook and reach this young, highly targeted audience, now you can.

When setting up your ads, you can choose to target people by age, location, gender, interests, education and more. For example, you could choose to target 26 year old women who are interested in men and are single in the U.S. When making your audience selections, you'll be shown the number of users who fit your chosen profile that will see your ad. Facebook ads are displayed in the side column of almost all pages. There may be up to three ads appearing on each page.

You can also choose to buy ads on a CPC (cost per click) basis, or CPM (cost per thousand) impressions. The title of your ad can be up to 25 characters and the body text up to 135 characters in total. A small image can also be uploaded, but must fit inside a 110X80 box ad format. You are also asked to select keywords that relate to your ads.

If you decide to advertise on a CPM basis, the minimum budget you can set is $1.00 per day, with a minimum per one thousand impression bid of only $.10. They will give you bid suggestions, but you are free to set it to your needs.

If advertising on a pay-per-click basis, again, the minimum daily budget you can set is $1.00, with the minimum cost per click being one penny. Again, suggested bid amounts are given. You can set your ad to run continuously or only during specified times.

Facebook makes it easy to track your progress with downloadable Excel reports. It's easy to see how well your ads are performing at a glance.

There are three different types of reports:

1) "Responder Profiles"- This information is gleaned
from users profiles, and will tell you what types of
common interests people have who are clicking on
your ads.

2) "Responder Demographics"- This report tells you
the sex, age and geographic location of those clicking
on your ads.

3) "Advertising Performance"- Detailed reports which
show you impressions, click-throughs, etc. This report
can be broken down by month, week or time of day.

As part of their advertising program, you'll automatically be subscribed to Facebook's newsletter which will keep you up to date on news, updates and tips for best ad practices.

Social network marketing is an effective way to reach a highly targeted audience, and shouldn't be forgotten when putting together a well rounded marketing plan. If you haven't considered this type of advertising in the past, now's a good time to take another look. Social networks continue to grow in popularity as millions of people continue to flock to this type of website daily.

For more information see: http://www.new.facebook.com/advertising/

To receive a hundred credits to advertise on Facebook, check out this site at http://www.tinyurl.com/3h2fk0

Advertise in Your Twitter Posts

Twitter is all the rage. It's everywhere you turn online and everyone seems to be talking about it and how to use it and cool add ons to extend its capabilities. If you use Twitter I'm sure you're hit over the head daily with these cool tools. I collect em like candy So it was just a matter of time before someone figured out how to bring advertising to Twitter.

With Adjix you use their link shortening service which creates a new link that you use in your Twitter posts but when someone clicks on the link the page they visit has a text ad across the top. It's small and not bothersome at all. You can choose specific types of ads or all.

Adjix also recently created a new ad format that allows you to embed ads at the end of your tweets. "Payment is based on the number of followers that a Twitter user has and how much an advertiser is willing to pay for an embedded ad." For an example of what these ads look like visit this link http://adjix.com/5grg

For more information visit the link above.

The Free PLR Giveaway- Round 6- Don't miss this!

It's time once again boys and girls for the Free PLR Giveway, Round 6.Now there are a lot of give-aways online but this one is special.

Each product will come with Unrestricted PLR Rights - you can do ANYTHING YOU LIKE with them! (read the terms of use that comes with each) "Because of the extremely high value of the PLR resources, and the extremely high demand for them, most partners WILL NOT be leaving their gifts there beyond the event dates, so be sure to grab all of your free gifts today". If you know what you’re doing you can get a lot of mileage out of these babies.

http://www.beachbums.biz/cgi-bin/x.cgi?a=r&id=435&aid=10475&p=2

Hey, Where’s everybody going? We want some private label rights too!