Saturday, December 17, 2005
One Stop Web Support Newsletter #19 Coming December 18
I've decided to move up my next newsletter from its regularly scheduled December 25 release to December 18. Why? Anybody out there planning to spend December 25 reading newsletters? I thought not.
This one features the following articles:
http://www.onestopwebsupport.com/newsletter-signup.htm
Jeff
I've decided to move up my next newsletter from its regularly scheduled December 25 release to December 18. Why? Anybody out there planning to spend December 25 reading newsletters? I thought not.
This one features the following articles:
- How to Build a Steady Stream of Targeted Traffic to Your Site With a Marketing Budget of $0
- Review of Perry Marshall's Definitive Guide to Google AdWords
- Review of Insider Secrets of an eBay Millionaire
- Special guest article from Joe Robson - Copywriting Tips the Pros Use
- Success quote by Malcolm S. Forbes
http://www.onestopwebsupport.com/newsletter-signup.htm
Jeff
Friday, December 16, 2005
A Christmas Present That Could Change a Life
I just got word that Ken Evoy of SiteSell! fame has decided to make Christmas giving a little more interesting for entrepreneurial types. Rather than rehash here what I just wrote on my site, I invite you to find out about it in the article I just wrote about a very special Christmas opportunity.
Jeff
I just got word that Ken Evoy of SiteSell! fame has decided to make Christmas giving a little more interesting for entrepreneurial types. Rather than rehash here what I just wrote on my site, I invite you to find out about it in the article I just wrote about a very special Christmas opportunity.
Jeff
Thursday, December 15, 2005
A (Slightly) New Look
The housekeeping on One Stop Web Support continues with some changes I've been wanting to make to the weblog template for a while. I've dumped some of the sidebar links in favor of adding a top navbar to tie the blog more closely to its mother website, and listed the product reviews in the sidebar so they're accessible from the blog as well as from the pages of the website.
My Google AdSense experiment continues. I was just about to dump AdSense from the weblog because of some problems with irrelevant or embarassing ads, but after a little more experimentation with them I found enough improvement in relevancy to give them another look-see.
So now it's off to some upgrades of some key pages on the website.
Jeff
The housekeeping on One Stop Web Support continues with some changes I've been wanting to make to the weblog template for a while. I've dumped some of the sidebar links in favor of adding a top navbar to tie the blog more closely to its mother website, and listed the product reviews in the sidebar so they're accessible from the blog as well as from the pages of the website.
My Google AdSense experiment continues. I was just about to dump AdSense from the weblog because of some problems with irrelevant or embarassing ads, but after a little more experimentation with them I found enough improvement in relevancy to give them another look-see.
So now it's off to some upgrades of some key pages on the website.
Jeff
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Article Marketing Efforts a Success!
I just did a quick check of the results of my article marketing efforts and was quite pleased. Articles that I submitted some time ago are each showing up in hundreds of search engine results.
Even the articles that I've done nothing more than list on the MyArticleAnnouncer web space that comes with Article Announcer article submission software are already showing up in search engine results on a smaller scale.
And I've seen over double the traffic and double the sales that I had before I started promoting my site by syndicating articles on other sites. Overall, I'd say this promotion technique is a winner.
Jeff
I just did a quick check of the results of my article marketing efforts and was quite pleased. Articles that I submitted some time ago are each showing up in hundreds of search engine results.
Even the articles that I've done nothing more than list on the MyArticleAnnouncer web space that comes with Article Announcer article submission software are already showing up in search engine results on a smaller scale.
And I've seen over double the traffic and double the sales that I had before I started promoting my site by syndicating articles on other sites. Overall, I'd say this promotion technique is a winner.
Jeff
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Marketing and Marine Boot Camp
My son, Ben, is home after successfully completing Marine boot camp. His graduation last Friday was quite an event. Recruits go through three months of the most grueling training—mental, physical, and emotional—you can imagine.
Not everybody makes it. Nearly 20% of the recruits who started with Ben got put back into another unit either because of injury or to redo training they hadn't passed the first time.
But those that make it through have changed. And they have a deep sense of pride in what they've accomplished. They've been pushed beyond what they ever thought they were capable of and have come out the other side stronger and more confident.
Now, Marine boot camp might not seem like it has much to do with marketing, but there are some significant similarities. No, we don't generally find ourselves tested physically by our choice to run our own business online. But we do get tested mentally and emotionally—and, for that matter, financially.
And just as a recruit cannot succeed without being changed by the obstacles they overcome, you cannot succeed online without being changed, as a person, by the obstacles that your business faces. Let me repeat that: you cannot succeed online without being changed, as a person, by the obstacles that your business faces.
So many new business owners start out with the same erroneous idea: "I'll put up a website or auction a few products and the money will start pouring in."
The vast majority launch their business with the expectation that everything will automatically fall into place. Then they find that it's not as easy as they expected, and they throw in the towel.
But those who succeed wrestle those obstacles. They deal with things they never expected. And they find that they must change their whole approach to business from focusing on trying to manipulate people into buying to focusing on finding the needs that others desperately want filled and then filling them.
Just as no recruit can become a Marine without becoming more than what he or she went into boot camp as, no business owner can succeed without experiencing a fundamental change in the way he or she views business, life, and themselves.
Are you up to the challenge?
Jeff
My son, Ben, is home after successfully completing Marine boot camp. His graduation last Friday was quite an event. Recruits go through three months of the most grueling training—mental, physical, and emotional—you can imagine.
Not everybody makes it. Nearly 20% of the recruits who started with Ben got put back into another unit either because of injury or to redo training they hadn't passed the first time.
But those that make it through have changed. And they have a deep sense of pride in what they've accomplished. They've been pushed beyond what they ever thought they were capable of and have come out the other side stronger and more confident.
Now, Marine boot camp might not seem like it has much to do with marketing, but there are some significant similarities. No, we don't generally find ourselves tested physically by our choice to run our own business online. But we do get tested mentally and emotionally—and, for that matter, financially.
And just as a recruit cannot succeed without being changed by the obstacles they overcome, you cannot succeed online without being changed, as a person, by the obstacles that your business faces. Let me repeat that: you cannot succeed online without being changed, as a person, by the obstacles that your business faces.
So many new business owners start out with the same erroneous idea: "I'll put up a website or auction a few products and the money will start pouring in."
The vast majority launch their business with the expectation that everything will automatically fall into place. Then they find that it's not as easy as they expected, and they throw in the towel.
But those who succeed wrestle those obstacles. They deal with things they never expected. And they find that they must change their whole approach to business from focusing on trying to manipulate people into buying to focusing on finding the needs that others desperately want filled and then filling them.
Just as no recruit can become a Marine without becoming more than what he or she went into boot camp as, no business owner can succeed without experiencing a fundamental change in the way he or she views business, life, and themselves.
Are you up to the challenge?
Jeff
Monday, December 12, 2005
What Business Is All About
I helped a client (and a friend) today with his busiest day of the year. I processed orders from the Web, from the phone, and from the fax nonstop. There were times I simply left the phone ring while I caught up with the orders that were rapidly getting out of control.
And I felt good to think that I was playing a role in helping so many people find a gift that would surprise and thrill their loved ones on Christmas morning.
A couple of years ago, one of the production people at that company summed it up beautifully as we all took a break after the last shipment that could arrive in time for Christmas had gone out. "Do you realize how many thousands of people we've just helped have a happier Christmas?" he exclaimed.
And this is something that is not unique to Christmastime sales. Making people happy is an essential part of business year-round.
Think about it. If you're not bringing people something they find valuable, you have no business. You have no sales. It is the needs and the dreams that we fulfill for our customers that drive our businesses.
That's why it's necessary in forming a business to look beyond simply finding a product that we'd like others to buy and look at our customers' needs and problems to find something that THEY want and need to buy. For in making them happy is where we find the reason for our businesses to exist.
Jeff
I helped a client (and a friend) today with his busiest day of the year. I processed orders from the Web, from the phone, and from the fax nonstop. There were times I simply left the phone ring while I caught up with the orders that were rapidly getting out of control.
And I felt good to think that I was playing a role in helping so many people find a gift that would surprise and thrill their loved ones on Christmas morning.
A couple of years ago, one of the production people at that company summed it up beautifully as we all took a break after the last shipment that could arrive in time for Christmas had gone out. "Do you realize how many thousands of people we've just helped have a happier Christmas?" he exclaimed.
And this is something that is not unique to Christmastime sales. Making people happy is an essential part of business year-round.
Think about it. If you're not bringing people something they find valuable, you have no business. You have no sales. It is the needs and the dreams that we fulfill for our customers that drive our businesses.
That's why it's necessary in forming a business to look beyond simply finding a product that we'd like others to buy and look at our customers' needs and problems to find something that THEY want and need to buy. For in making them happy is where we find the reason for our businesses to exist.
Jeff
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Finding Site Information With SearchIt! Free Research Tool
The SearchIt! free search tool consists of a window with two dropdown boxes and two text boxes. In the two dropdown boxes, you select the type of search you want to do. In the two text boxes, you select the search criteria (such as keywords or URLs) you want to use.
Rather than repeat the introductory info about SearchIt! that I shared previously, I suggest that you see the October 2nd blog for this information. Or simply realize that it is important to click all the links and read all the instructions that SearchIt! tells you to do.
You'll find SearchIt! A LOT easier and more valuable to use if you do that.
Using SearchIt!
Last week we started covering some site research tools, starting with various ways to determine the popularity of your site or that of a competitor. This week we'll look at ways to find vital statistics about a site, including info such as contact information or whether your site is on any spammer blacklists.
In the Step 1 dropdown box, scroll down under Site Research and select Vital Statistics.
Click the dropdown box for Step 2: Select Search Type. You'll see the following options.
WhoIs and Background Info
This option shows you a ton of information about your domain or that of a competitor. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
The intro page talks mainly about how a SiteBuildIt! site includes the domain name for free. Click the link at the bottom of the intro page to see your results.
Your results show you a thumbnail of the home page of the site as well as the page title and other metadata, the site's Alexa rank, technical data about the site, and contact information (at the bottom of the page).
Site Profile
This option shows you additional info about the site you search. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Click the link at the bottom of the page to see your results.
Your results show you contact information for the site. The right hand column supposedly offers unbiased ratings of how trustworthy the business is and reviews of the site. I've always been skeptical of the third-party company that provides this rating. It's hard to trust the rating provided by a company that is notorious for packing spyware into the browser bar they urge you to install and that sets up their ranking system so that the only way for most sites to attain a decent ranking on their "Trust Gauge" is to purchase membership in their validation service.
Frankly, the only data I would trust on this search option is the contact information, and you can find that on the WhoIs Background Info option.
DNS/IP Lookup
This option identifies the IP address of the site you search. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Then again, you can get this same information with the WhoIs and Background Info option. The only advantage this option has is that if you're looking only for the IP address and nothing more, this option doesn't provide all of the additional info about the site.
Spam Status Report
This option is very useful to quickly check whether your site or a competitor's has gotten onto any spam blacklists. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Read the intro page carefully. It has some excellent resources not only for understanding what your results mean and for avoiding getting onto spam blacklists. Then click the link at the bottom of the page to see your results.
Click the links on the report page to see if your site is listed with the reporting groups listed.
Detailed Spam Status Report
This option is a more detailed, but much more confusing way to check whether your site or a competitor's has gotten onto any spam blacklists. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
If you haven't read the intro page for the Spam Status Report already, read the intro page carefully. It has some excellent resources not only for understanding what your results mean and for avoiding getting onto spam blacklists. Then click the link at the bottom of the page to see your results.
The results are geared more for people who are very active in anti-spam groups rather than for people who are new to anti-spam initiatives. Look for the site's name and see how many MX records it says you have. On the same line, it will identify your IP address. A few lines lower on the page it will identify how many sites list your IP address.
Don't get worried if it says you appear on a couple of lists. EVERYBODY appears on some list. The only reason to get concerned about clearing your name is if you appear on dozens of lists. In that case, you want to find out which sites list you and contact them about removing you from their list.
openRBL Spam Status Report
This option is also confusing. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
The intro page is basically the same as described for the previous two options. Read it if you haven't already read the others and click the link at the bottom ofthe page to see your results.
I've never really gotten any useful info from this option. Most of it is accessible through other options on this page.
Free E-mail Domain Lookup
This option lets you check whether an email you received came from a free email provider. This can be useful if you are concerned that an order from that email address could be fraudulent.
Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Click the link at the bottom of the intro page and your results will identify whether the domain is from a free email server or not.
Next week
This Sunday, we looked at ways to find vital statistics about a site, including info such as contact information or whether your site is on any spammer blacklists. Next week we'll see how SearchIt! can help you find related sites for joint ventures or link exchanges.
All in all, SearchIt! can find you lots of valuable information. The main thing to remember is to READ THE DIRECTIONS. With as many tools packed into this one interface, you're not going to take one look at it and intuitively understand how to use every one of them. But the directions they give are easy, and they do more than just tell you how to use each tool; they also throw in tips on how to use the results you receive to make your site more successful.
SearchIt! is one of these free tools that really produces value for you. I recommend that you check it out and make it a part of your web marketing arsenal.
Jeff
The SearchIt! free search tool consists of a window with two dropdown boxes and two text boxes. In the two dropdown boxes, you select the type of search you want to do. In the two text boxes, you select the search criteria (such as keywords or URLs) you want to use.
Rather than repeat the introductory info about SearchIt! that I shared previously, I suggest that you see the October 2nd blog for this information. Or simply realize that it is important to click all the links and read all the instructions that SearchIt! tells you to do.
You'll find SearchIt! A LOT easier and more valuable to use if you do that.
Using SearchIt!
Last week we started covering some site research tools, starting with various ways to determine the popularity of your site or that of a competitor. This week we'll look at ways to find vital statistics about a site, including info such as contact information or whether your site is on any spammer blacklists.
In the Step 1 dropdown box, scroll down under Site Research and select Vital Statistics.
Click the dropdown box for Step 2: Select Search Type. You'll see the following options.
- WhoIs and Background Info
- Site Profile
- DNS/IP Lookup
- Spam Status Report
- Detailed Spam Status Report
- openRBL Spam Status Report
- Free E-mail Domain Lookup
WhoIs and Background Info
This option shows you a ton of information about your domain or that of a competitor. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
The intro page talks mainly about how a SiteBuildIt! site includes the domain name for free. Click the link at the bottom of the intro page to see your results.
Your results show you a thumbnail of the home page of the site as well as the page title and other metadata, the site's Alexa rank, technical data about the site, and contact information (at the bottom of the page).
Site Profile
This option shows you additional info about the site you search. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Click the link at the bottom of the page to see your results.
Your results show you contact information for the site. The right hand column supposedly offers unbiased ratings of how trustworthy the business is and reviews of the site. I've always been skeptical of the third-party company that provides this rating. It's hard to trust the rating provided by a company that is notorious for packing spyware into the browser bar they urge you to install and that sets up their ranking system so that the only way for most sites to attain a decent ranking on their "Trust Gauge" is to purchase membership in their validation service.
Frankly, the only data I would trust on this search option is the contact information, and you can find that on the WhoIs Background Info option.
DNS/IP Lookup
This option identifies the IP address of the site you search. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Then again, you can get this same information with the WhoIs and Background Info option. The only advantage this option has is that if you're looking only for the IP address and nothing more, this option doesn't provide all of the additional info about the site.
Spam Status Report
This option is very useful to quickly check whether your site or a competitor's has gotten onto any spam blacklists. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Read the intro page carefully. It has some excellent resources not only for understanding what your results mean and for avoiding getting onto spam blacklists. Then click the link at the bottom of the page to see your results.
Click the links on the report page to see if your site is listed with the reporting groups listed.
Detailed Spam Status Report
This option is a more detailed, but much more confusing way to check whether your site or a competitor's has gotten onto any spam blacklists. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
If you haven't read the intro page for the Spam Status Report already, read the intro page carefully. It has some excellent resources not only for understanding what your results mean and for avoiding getting onto spam blacklists. Then click the link at the bottom of the page to see your results.
The results are geared more for people who are very active in anti-spam groups rather than for people who are new to anti-spam initiatives. Look for the site's name and see how many MX records it says you have. On the same line, it will identify your IP address. A few lines lower on the page it will identify how many sites list your IP address.
Don't get worried if it says you appear on a couple of lists. EVERYBODY appears on some list. The only reason to get concerned about clearing your name is if you appear on dozens of lists. In that case, you want to find out which sites list you and contact them about removing you from their list.
openRBL Spam Status Report
This option is also confusing. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
The intro page is basically the same as described for the previous two options. Read it if you haven't already read the others and click the link at the bottom ofthe page to see your results.
I've never really gotten any useful info from this option. Most of it is accessible through other options on this page.
Free E-mail Domain Lookup
This option lets you check whether an email you received came from a free email provider. This can be useful if you are concerned that an order from that email address could be fraudulent.
Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Click the link at the bottom of the intro page and your results will identify whether the domain is from a free email server or not.
Next week
This Sunday, we looked at ways to find vital statistics about a site, including info such as contact information or whether your site is on any spammer blacklists. Next week we'll see how SearchIt! can help you find related sites for joint ventures or link exchanges.
All in all, SearchIt! can find you lots of valuable information. The main thing to remember is to READ THE DIRECTIONS. With as many tools packed into this one interface, you're not going to take one look at it and intuitively understand how to use every one of them. But the directions they give are easy, and they do more than just tell you how to use each tool; they also throw in tips on how to use the results you receive to make your site more successful.
SearchIt! is one of these free tools that really produces value for you. I recommend that you check it out and make it a part of your web marketing arsenal.
Jeff
© 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Jeff Baas, One Stop Web Support
