Archive for July, 2009

Beginners Guide to an Optimized Web Page

Posted by Matt McWilliams in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Web Design on July 31st, 2009

Great post by Stoney deGeyter on how to construct an optimized web page yesterday.? It is a very basic overview, but might serve as a reminder about the little things for you.? Or if you are just getting started or have hired someone to do your design and don’t know much about optimizing your site, you can at least check their work.

Now I am totally convicted that I have not been using alt tags

optimized web page, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Web Design, web page optimization

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Bing SEO Optimization a Must Now

Posted by Matt McWilliams in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Web Design on July 30th, 2009

Now that Yahoo Search will be powered by Bing, optimizing your SEO for Bing is an absolute must.

Once the actual integration is complete and Bing if officially powering Yahoo Search, Google will likely still hold about 70% of the market in search, but it will be hard for affiliates and other advertisers to ignore 30% of the market, especially with Bing continuing to pick up momentum and Microsoft pledging $5 Billion-plus to search.

I previously posted about SEO for Bing earlier this month but I thought I would add a few more tips for optimizing your site for Bing.? Just how different is SEO for Bing than SEO for Google?

First, Bing seems to give a lot more value to the domain name within a site’s URL than Google.? So learnstuff.com/guitar-lessons has an advantage over learnstuff.com/guitar for the term “guitar lessons.”? While this is true for Google, it appears to be much more true with Bing.

Secondly, they value metatags much more than Google.? So, while you thought this was an outdated and unimportant aspect of site design and SEO, you may be wrong.? So get to work on those title tags!? Keyword density in the title seems to be very important.

Third, while Google has always considered inbound links of the utmost importance, Bing seems to not as much.? Google has made that their trademark practically and as far as I am concerned, it has worked pretty well so far.

Lastly (for now at least), content is king with Bing (hey I rhymed!) more so than Google.? Keyword density (wow, remember when that was critical to Google?) seems to be important to Bing, with some experts saying that a 6-8% density is ideal, compared to 2-4% with Google.

As for some of the other features of Bing, it is yet to be determined if they will appear on the new Yahoo Search, so we will just have to wait and see.

bing, optimization, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), yahoo

2 Comments

Protect Your Copy - Prevent Others from Framing Your Site

Posted by Matt McWilliams in Affiliate Tips, Web Design on July 30th, 2009

My friend Andy posted a comment yesterday suggesting one way to prevent copycats from stealing your content.

He has apparently been the victim of numerous sites framing his sites without his permission.? But he discovered a great piece of code that he added to the header of his sites and blogs that prevents this.

According to Andy, it kills the frame and takes the site visitor to the top level domain (yours).? It totally prevents spammers and copycats from framing your site and it serves as a useful redirect if you are getting some traffic from Bing or Google images.

Great tip Andy!? I will be posting more tips on how to protect yourself, your copy, and your hard work soon.

2 Comments

Follow-Up to Don?t Copy - Be Original

Posted by Matt McWilliams in Affiliate Tips, Pay Per Click (PPC), Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Web Design on July 29th, 2009

Yesterday I posted an article entitled “Don’t Copy - Be Original” and in less than 15 hours, the comments have been rolling in.

In one comment Vinny O’Hare made an excellent point about how to protect yourself from being copied.? He says to set up a Google Alert for specific phrases of unique content that likely can only be found on your site.

So let’s say you have a sentence on your home page that reads: “Have you dreamed for years about learning the guitar?” This is not likely to be an exact phrase that someone else would think up on their own and if someone else is using that exact phrase, you will receive a Google Alert about it.? You can then check out their site and see if they are copying you.? Perhaps they just happened to think of that phrase themselves and are not copying you, but perhaps they are.

I will be writing more about how to protect yourself from copycats in the coming days and also what actions you can take.

Thanks Vinny for the great suggestion!

4 Comments

Don’t Copy - Be Original

Posted by Matt McWilliams in Affiliate Tips, Pay Per Click (PPC), Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Web Design on July 28th, 2009

This should probably go without saying, but one of the absolute worst things you can do as an affiliate is to copy someone else?s site.

Recently, I had to terminate an affiliate for doing just this. In fact, this affiliate was so blatant, his site even used the original site?s name in the copy and the about us page said he was the other person. Utterly blatant stealing!

It is this simple?we do not tolerate affiliates blatantly copying what other affiliates (or merchants) are doing.

There are a myriad of reasons why you should not do this. Among them:

1. It is unethical?need I continue? OK I will.
2. Your site will be punished. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but before too long, your site will be banned by Google and other search engines for duplicate content. This will apply to both Pay Per Click and Search Engine Optimization.
3. Your commissions will probably be reversed and you will be kicked out of any program managed by a reputable affiliate manager.
4. You might get sued. In fact, count on this.

Seriously, how would you feel if you devoted days of your life to designing a site, writing the copy, and then some nitwit copies everything you do, spending maybe one hour and trying to steal your hard work?

Be original. Design your own graphics or use some stock art at the very least. Write your own copy.

It is fine to observe what others are doing and get some ideas from them, but copying their text word for word and literally stealing their images is a big no-no.

18 Comments

We are not Dropping NC Affiliates

Posted by Matt McWilliams in Affiliate Marketing News, Legacy News on July 28th, 2009

As I posted recently on ABestWeb, we are not dropping NC affiliates because of the #advertisingtax!

Just a reminder

advertising tax, affiliate tax, internet tax, north carolina

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Bing to Power Yahoo Search

Posted by Matt McWilliams in Affiliate Marketing News, Pay Per Click (PPC), Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on July 27th, 2009

Will Bing soon?be powering Yahoo Search and allowing the two to finally close the gap with the almight Google?

Adage is reporting that the two companies may be close to a deal that would have Bing paying hundreds of millions of dollars to Yahoo for the right to power their natural and paid search.

Microsoft says they are willing to spend a ton of money on search and Yahoo is probably fearing they cannot keep up with the $5+ billion that Microsoft is willing to spend?on search.

The effect that this might have on affiliates doing PPC is yet to be determined, if it even happens.

But it should be very interesting to see.? Stay tuned!

bing, microsoft, Pay Per Click (PPC), yahoo search

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Optimizing PPC Landing Pages to Increase Conversions

Posted by Matt McWilliams in Pay Per Click (PPC), Web Design on July 26th, 2009

Amber over at PPC Hero wrote a great post a week ago with ten ways to optimize PPC landing pages to increase conversions.

Some of them, for me at least, were no-brainers, but it seems that the more time I spend in the world of online marketing, the more I forget the basics, so they are a great reminder.

These tips can help improve your Quality Score with AdWords as well as bump conversions.? She admits that most of them are somewhat specific to lead generation, but I feel they are applicable to retail as well.

I am listing them here but I do recommend checking out her full post.

Call to Action Buttons - Draw attention to where you want them to click.
Minimal Navigation - Don’t let them get distracted.
Keep the good stuff above the fold - You have 5 seconds so your important stuff better be visible quick.
Scanable copy - Forget that you are the expert.? Use language your visitors can understand.
Image quality - simply put, don’t use cheesy images…please!
Quick Load - Fast loading = High Quality Score.? Google says so themselves.? Also, you have 5 seconds (see #3).? Do you want them spending that on waiting for the page to load?
Use Dynamic Headlines - Track how they got to your site and then use those keywords.
Use the Keywords in your copy - yes, this is part of the SEO starter kit, but it applies to PPC as well. Keywords in copy = High Quality Score.
Short Contact Form - Doesn’t really apply to retail except for maybe email captures.
Feng Shui Tonight - Get rid of clutter.? What’s your one point?? Forget all of your other ones!

Sweet article Amber!? Everyone go read it here.

landing pages, Pay Per Click (PPC), ppc conversions

2 Comments

A Couple Shares Their Testimonials

Posted by Matt McWilliams in Fun Stuff, Legacy News on July 25th, 2009

Recently we received a few emails from a couple in the United Kingdom that has purchased our guitar, piano, drums, and even our Learn and Master Painting course that comes out in August.? They received a preview/unfinished version of the painting course.? Here is what they had to say:

It was with great interest that I bought the ‘learn and Master Painting’ programme. Painting is always something I wanted to do but thought it would be something I never did because I never had painting classes and at this stage of my life finding a painting class isn’t an option. I was concerned however how I would fare with a DVD based learning course because there is no interaction between the teacher and myself - or so I thought.
From the start your programme has greatly impressed me. The teacher is marvelous and explains everything clearly and concisely. She also breaks everything down so simply that I had no problem following her. I found that there is plenty of time for me to follow instructions without having to lag behind.
All through the series I’ve seen how it has been planned methodicaly and I really liked how it is all broken down into stages and steps which I have to master before moving on to the next stage.
Obviously once the actual painting began it was a far more interesting course to study but I’m glad I spent so long getting to know how my studio should be laid out and how to create my palette and the different consistencies of paint first.
I would definitely recommend this course to any of my friends interested in developing their creativity. It is a stress free relaxing experience which will be truly enjoyed by all and it is very competently run by an excellent instructor.
I especially enjoyed learning all of the Brushwork Teqniques and how to do them. The instructions were really clear and ample practise time was given during the session. I also liked the way I’ve been encouraged to experiment and find my own unique style of painting. This course has given me the fundamentals neccesary to start, perfect and complete my own painting.
I couldn’t have asked for a better painting course to suit me and i’ve found the whole experience a truely enjoyable one!
Many Thanks

That is from the wife.? Then the husband sent in his own note of thanks.

I just wanted to express my deep gratitude for the work you’ve been doing with Legacy Learning. I’ve previously purchased your guitar, piano and drums courses and have enjoyed each one immensely (I finished the piano one earlier this week!). Your instructors are all brilliantly chosen, and they are each clearly passionate about their chosen instrument (or paintbrush!), which cannot but carry over into their teaching. You are truly “teaching men to fish”! My wife is really looking forward to starting this course for real in the near future, and I’m sure it will be an enriching experience for her.

Thanks Simon and Nechoma.? You are the reason we do this.? Bringing Personal Dreams Within Reach…

learn and master painting, testimonial, testimonials

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More About Our Painting Course

Posted by Matt McWilliams in Legacy News on July 24th, 2009

Yesterday I posted about our Learn and Master Painting course that will be launching sometime in August.

One thing that I failed to mention was that the painting course, and future courses, will have a Homeschool /?Student version from day one.

The Homeschool / Student versions of guitar and piano have been immensely popular for homeschoolers and non-homeschoolers alike.?So naturally it only made sense to include them on all future courses.

Also, and this is even bigger news, we will be selling a painting supplies kit?separately.?This kit will save the customer a considerable amount of money, as we are able to get the supplies in bulk and package them together.? Also, it is another item that you can sell!

We will be uploading all of the creatives about 2-3 days before the launch date.? Hopefully, we will have this date set firm very, very soon!

Here is what the spread of the Painting course looks like:

learn and master painting, painting course

2 Comments

Coming Next Month: Learn and Master Painting

Posted by Matt McWilliams in Legacy News on July 23rd, 2009

Learn and Master Painting has finished shooting, editing, writing, and is now at press. Soon, it will be ready for shipping!

We still do not have a firm official launch date, but it will be sometime in the month of August.

We shipping a few introductory courses a few months ago and already the feedback is astounding! Here is what people are saying already:

Learn and Master Painting is a stress free, relaxing experience to be truly enjoyed by everyone who goes through the course, and it is very competently run by an excellent instructor. I couldn’t have asked for a better painting course to suit me and I?ve found the whole experience a truly enjoyable one!

-Nechoma Schwab

Instructions are clear, precise, and relevant and the steps to a completed painting are small enough to remember. The ease of use, particularly using baby oil to clean brushes, and the wonderful effects created have made me want to do something I NEVER thought I would want to do - paint with oils.

-Doreen Davis

I’ve been trying to paint with oils off and on for sixty years. The first few lessons of this course told me exactly what I’ve been doing wrong. After all those years, I’m finally going to learn to paint. I’ve already recommended the course to friends without seeing the rest of the DVDs.

-Elsie Bolack

Gayle is a gem! As a complete beginner, I now feel I have the basics to achieve my goals as an artist. She is thorough and does an excellent job explaining the basics yet still reveals the secrets of achieving the skill of an advanced painter. I will be going through this course more than once! There is so much here to learn and she is the perfect teacher.

-Melanie Cryar

Each lesson of Learn and Master Painting was my favorite. If you want to learn to oil paint this is the course for you. We’ve watched other artists instructional courses on TV and most of them skip over the basics and jump right into difficult painting leaving the student lost and frustrated. But Gayle patiently and thoroughly takes you through every step from arranging your studio to caring for your equipment properly so that you can acquire a skill that you will enjoy for a lifetime.

-Martina Davis

Here are some creative previews:

learn and master painting, painting course, testimonials

1 Comment

What Now in North Carolina?

Posted by Matt McWilliams in Affiliate Marketing News on July 22nd, 2009

Rich Owings is not giving up on the #advertisingtax in North Carolina.? While things look bad and it seems that the legislators are coming close to an agreement on passing the tax, he posted yesterday “What can still be done?”

He lists the seven members of House and Senate Finance Committees that need to be contacted…today…right now!

Visit Rich’s blog for the list of the members and how to contact them, along with his key points to ask them.

advertising tax, affiliate tax, internet tax, north carolina (nc)

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PPC Copywriting Tips and Mistakes

Posted by Matt McWilliams in Affiliate Tips, Pay Per Click (PPC) on July 22nd, 2009

Econsultancy recently published a great post chock full of PPC ad writing tips and some examples of how to screw it up.

Here are some of the highlights below along with my ideas specific to affiliates.? You can read the full post here.

First of all, read the rules.? Google, Yahoo, and Bing are not hiding their rules from you, so read them…and follow them.? Here are their rules:

Google - Yahoo - Bing

Headlines

Be simple and relevant - easy enough
Use the keywords that were searched
Use Dynamic Keyword Inclusion.? Google has great advice on this here.? Basically this is where you match what was searched automatically with your headline.

Body Text

Give them a call-to-action.? “Buy,” “Order,” “Act Now.”
Use “Power Words,” such as “Amazing,” “Unique,” “Award-Winning.”
Brag! Now is not the time to be modest.
Less is more…sometimes. Experiment with NOT using all 35 characters (or whatever the limit is for that search engine).
Change your ads to match the sales of the merchant.? If we are running a sale, mention it in the ad.? Guess what?? WE ARE RUNNING A SALE NOW!

Everything Else

Experiment with different display URLs.
Be short with the display URL.
Spell-check…use it!
TEST!

Yeah, it’s pretty elementary, but sometimes we need these reminders nonetheless.

ad copy, adwords, copywriting, keyword inclusion, Pay Per Click (PPC)

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Facebook Advertising Adds New Features

Posted by Matt McWilliams in Affiliate Marketing News, Viral Marketing/Social Media on July 21st, 2009

Are you advertising with Facebook?? If not, it may be worth checking out.

Earlier this month, I was listening to the audio sessions from Affiliate Summit West and one of the best sessions was about Facebook advertising.

Recently, Facebook has upped the ante and really improved their targeting features. In fact, in many ways, you can do more with Facebook than any of?the big three search engines.

Just in the last few weeks, they have turned on time scheduling (AKA dayparting), ad editing, connection targeting, multiple country targeting, HTML reporting, and birthday targeting.

With Facebook?now, you can literally choose the exact time, in 5 minute increments, for your ads to start.? They have been testing this for a period of time and it seems?to have worked.? While it is not perfect dayparting just yet (right now you can only choose a date range and time period, so if you want want to run them every day from 9:00AM - 3:00PM, you have to redo it for each day), it is better than the alternative of nothing.

When should we expect real, all out dayparting?? According to Facebook, it is in the works and will be available within the next few months.

Ad editing has made it a?lot easier within Facebook to create new ads based on your current ones.? There are now links available under the ad preview for “Edit?Ad” and “Create a Similar Ad.”? Nice!

Connection Targeting allows advertisers to target specific connections such as members of your groups, people who attend your events, anyone who uses your applications, and fans of your pages.

Multiple Country Targeting allows advertisers to display their ad to users in multiple countries with a single campaign.? The limit is currently at 25 countries.

HTML reports are new as well. ?Now, when you run a report, you can choose a date range and view the report in pretty HTML

Have you ever want to offer something to someone on their birthday?? Facebook has a powerful targeting feature now that allows advertisers to target users on their birthdays.? It is literally as easy as checking a box that says?”Target people on their birthdays.”