Tag Archives: life

Your Story Contest – Win a Free Pass to the S&S Spring Summit

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If you’re still trying to get a ticket to the 2010 Search & Social Spring Summit, you must act fast! We’ve had contests going on all this week to give you a chance for a free pass: VIP package , Twitter and Youtube . Here’s another contest for you to enter! We want to know how you got into Internet Marketing. Was it through a friend? Was it a news article that captured your attention?  How about a random opportunity? Make it as interesting as possible. It can be either long or short. You can check out Dave Snyder’s story here . Here’s my story: In 2004, I opened up a Myspace and Facebook account. I pushed FB to the side when it stopped being a “private reunion club” for college students and I went full swing with MS. I was a Myspace nut — pimpin’ out my profile and trying to get 50,000+ comments. I wanted to beat Tila Tequila. I failed. Well, a few years later, MS became loaded with spammers and I went back to FB. I played around with FB for a while. I was constantly writing on people’s walls, posting up pictures and giving out “presents.” It started to suck when I found out people were not adding me to their top friends list nor did I see myself in some of their photos. My jealousy took the best of me. It was so childish, I know. So during my last semester at the University of South Florida, Tampa, I ended ties with FB. I didn’t want it to consume my time anymore nor did I want to feel the abandonment. I was saying goodbye to all social media. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Gerontology in the Summer of ’07 and ended up landing a finance job in Corporate America with Wells Fargo Financial. How boring!!! I needed something to keep me alive so I tried singing in a MoTown/Classic Rock band. It never took off so I quit. At the same time I took up a fun part-time job with Creative Loafing, Tampa, a local alternative newspaper. I worked in their marketing department on the Street Team. It was a blast! Check out my coverage on Superbowl XLIII . Since the economy wasn’t doing so well (and it still isn’t!), things didn’t work out with Wells Fargo. With my successful failure at Monster and YahooHotJobs to find a potential employer, I tried my luck with Craigslist. Lo and behold…Search & Social! I had a meeting with Loren at a nearby Starbucks. I was told that this was just an intern job doing PR. Even though I had debt racking up from not having a full-time job, I wanted to get into PR so I said yes to it. So guess what, I showed my face to FB again. And then I started a marriage with Twitter. I even started a blog for the Tampa girls at Search & Social called SEOtini . Dave and Loren have taught me a lot about SEO, linkbuilding, social media and online marketing. I was so against it, but social media is a big part of my life now. That’s my story. Now go make yours! Leave your internet marketing autobiography in the comments section after this post. Comments may not always be posted immediately due to moderation and our spam filters BUT we will approve them once we see them pending. All stories need to be submitted by April 8, 2010. The winner of this contest will receive an all-access pass for the eight speaker sessions, networking with experts and businesses from across the country, casino night and calypso night, and breakfast, lunch and dinner on both days of the conference. Check out the SEO Tools guide at Search Engine Journal . Your Story Contest – Win a Free Pass to the S&S Spring

An Unconventional Way to Choose Hosting

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Choosing a hosting provider can be a big hassle. The first time I started paying for hosting was close to ten years ago and since then I have gone through a lot of hosts. And to tell you the truth, up until this year, I just picked the cheapest I could find with the features I needed. I had already gone through learning SEO to make money online and then PHP to make the SEO more effective. I did not want to have to learn one more thing that was better left to someone else. But this year, Google came one step closer to providing the type of search engine results people want. And they don’t want your slow as molasses website. I know I don’t. You get about a two count and then I am back at Google looking for the next result. I still have the habit beat into me during phone modem times of opening two or three results in new tabs and letting the quickest one win. So the people at Google decided why not make that part of their ranking algorithm. And I decided, time to look at hosting again. Hosting can be your weakest link when it comes to the load time of your website. I have seen a lot of emphasis placed on shrinking images, tidying CSS and javascript and compressing web files when the fact of the matter is that you are only shaving milliseconds doing this and every little bit does help, but when the load time of a web page is in the multiple seconds, you are just wasting your time. You need to look at optimizing Apache, PHP and MySql. It is the only place you are going to shave whole seconds off. I have seen 3-5 seconds shaved off the load time of a WordPress page with just a few MySql tweaks and PHP caching. Once you can load a web page in one or two seconds, then is the time you starting compressing files and images. I now can say I have developed sites on shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated hosting and I even played around a bit with cloud servers, but I don’t categorize hosting providers that way. I have a different method. If you are a hosting company and your company does not fall under one of these categories, I am sorry I did not list your type. I just have run into another category personally. The Unlimited Domains and Email Addresses

Interview with Geno Prussakov, Outstanding Affiliate Marketing Expert

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I love Twitter for putting me into contact with really outstanding people (well, since I don’t have time for conferences, Twitter is my major source of valuable contacts). Today I am happy to feature the interview with one of the marketers who has always been someone I’ve looked up to. Geno Prussakov is a well-known affiliate marketing expert,  author and contributor to 3 books (including his bestselling “A Practical Guide to Affiliate Marketing”) and a number of industry’s magazines and journals, international speaker (most frequently appearing at  Affiliate Summits ),  blogger , educator, and award-winning affiliate program manager. 1. Please tell us a few words about yourself. What brought you to the affiliate marketing? I was born and raised in Eastern Europe — in the southwest of the former Soviet Union, now a country of its own, Moldova. I lived there until the age of 21, which was when I travelled abroad for the first time. The first Western country I travelled to was England. I studied psychology, psychology, modern and classical languages at the University of Oxford, while completing the Master’s leg of my 5-year linguistics degree in Moldova. It was a fun time of travelling between two countries, and studying at two universities at the same time. After that I travelled to the U.S. where I studied counseling psychology for two years. After that, I went to Cambridge (yes, back to England) to get my Master’s degree in international relations. At the same time I started my first online business, a Russian gifts and collectibles store. After playing with paid search marketing, banner advertising, and other available types of advertising/marketing I discovered affiliate marketing, and started my first affiliate program. It was initially run on an in-house platform, but in 2004 I moved it to ShareASale (an affiliate network I’ve worked with for over 6 years already). As that affiliate program developed, I was approached by another merchant who asked me if I would manage their affiliate program too. I agreed. In 2006 I bade RussianLegacy.com farewell, and turned into a full-time online marketing consultant and affiliate program manager. In 2007 I published my very first book (must of which was based on my own affiliate program management experience), “ A Practical Guide to Affiliate Marketing “ . To date it is one of the bestselling affiliate marketing books out there… At present time I am actively involved in the affiliate marketing industry, working on a doctorate degree along the way. 2. I remember I first got to know you from Abestweb forum. It was like three or four years ago. You were on each and every thread helping people with your answers. Can describe the place? Are you still active there? ABestWeb.com is by far the largest and most active affiliate marketing forum out there. It brings together affiliate marketers operating across the whole spectrum of the industry: affiliates/publishers, merchants/advertisers, affiliate network reps and owners, in-house and outsourced affiliate program managers, representatives of other vendors and agencies that work in the affiliate marketing channel. It’s a busy place, and one that affiliate marketers trust, and come there to voice out their questions, concerns, and share ideas. Many people that I now call friends were met by me through ABW. At this time I am not as active in that forum as I used to be (too much going on in my life, and I must prioritize), but devote more time to research, blogging, and my writing efforts. 3. When did you start blogging and why? I wrote my very first blog post on November 18, 2007. Yes, I came to the world of blogging much later than most online marketers out there. Initially, I blogged to keep affiliates posted on the news about the affiliate programs I managed at that time. With time, and especially after starting my doctorate studies in early 2008, the topics of blog posts changed from broadcasting the news to writing on the practical topics (and issues) that all affiliate marketers can relate to (e.g.: marketing methods to use and “how-tos”, best practices for affiliate program managers to adhere to, digital marketing statistics, mobile commerce and marketing, etc). Today I am a firm believer that any blogger who wants to be really successful at it should forget about broadcasting. It worked a few years back, but no longer. You can’t take any more from the online space than what you yourself have contributed. 4. Which niches (in your experience) are more profitable when it comes to make money being an affiliate? This is a very popular question, and naturally so. My answer to affiliates is always twofold: (i) focus on the niche of (a) your passion and (b) knowledge/expertise, and (ii) pick your partners carefully. While the first point is self-explanatory (don’t pretend you know something that you really don’t — it’ll show), by the second one I mean partnering with affiliate networks and advertisers that have a solid reputation and track record in the industry. It is also crucial to underscore that “profitable niches” should never be measured by the commission levels that are being paid by advertiser/merchant. Always look at the broader picture. Remember to look at such metrics as conversion, average order value, reversal rate, cookie life. For example, hosting companies have historically had high commission payouts (anywhere from $50 to $150 a sale, with select ones paying as much as $300-400/sale). Sounds attractive, doesn’t? Well, hold your horses before you spend all of your money on those paid search ads, or advertising on other types of properties! Hosting affiliate programs are also known to have some of the highest reversal rates in affiliate marketing history. While many affiliate networks will not disclose this piece of information to you, it is not unusual for a hosting company to reverse between 50% and 80% of all affiliate transactions… Do your due diligence before you dive into any niche. And once you’ve made up your mind to focus on something, take it easy, building up on previous successes, and avoiding previously-made mistakes. 5. You’ve been in the affiliate marketing for ages. Do you consider yourself a pioneer? How did the affiliate marketing evolve since you first got into it? I came into affiliate marketing some 7 years ago, whereas the industry itself is some 14-15 years old already. I wouldn’t call myself a pioneer of the  industry ; maybe one of the pioneers in systematizing the knowledge, and bridging the gap between traditional management science, principles of leadership and affiliate program management. These are the areas that I’ve been closely working in for the past few years, making parallels and translations (must be my linguistic background moving me) between theories and theorems of traditional business contexts and digital marketing industry. Much has changed since I’ve originally gotten into this industry. Google has become smarter, online consumers have gotten shaper and pickier, Social Media evolved, mobile marketing is quickly gaining power, FTC and federal governments around the world have acknowledged digital marketing (and affiliate marketing in particular) as an integral part of strategies that businesses now use, affiliate marketing professional organizations have evolved… I see all of these as positive trends. We’re getting more organized, while the market is pointing us towards the path of ongoing education and improvement; and this means we’re growing. 6. Social media changed the world of SEO dramatically. Is it the same with affiliate marketing? How do you leverage social media? Yes, social media is definitely changing the world of affiliate marketing too. Numerous affiliates are actively utilizing Twitter, Facebook and other platforms to engage consumers. The ones that are using more creative approaches succeed. Be it something as basic as a Facebook game or comparison shopping app, or as advanced as a social shopping network, affiliates that develop something that really adds value leverage any new trend better than the rest of the crowd. 7. Do you remember the best (affiliate marketing related) advice someone has ever given to you? The best advice I have ever received, and one that I keep on going back to (on a daily basis) comes from a quote that belongs to Henri-Frédéric Amiel, a Swiss poet and philosopher. I have it hanging over my desk. Amiel wrote: “Work while you have the light. You are responsible for the talent that has been entrusted to you.” Any time laziness, which I believe to be one of the most widely-spread obstacles, comes through, I re-read these lines. Talent doesn’t have to be of worldwide significance. Do what you do best, and do it passionately and self-sacrificingly. It’ll pay off. 8. What are the best places for the newbie to learn affiliate marketing? Forums (like the  www.ABestWeb.com that we’ve mentioned), blogs (on a daily basis I personally read  www.ReveNews.com ,   www.AffiliateTip.com ,  www.AffiliateAdvocacy.com ,  www.AffBook.com , and follow a number of other industry-specific blogs), podcasts (most of affiliate marketing ones can be found at  www.GeekCast.fm) , and certainly books and resources on other related fields. Affiliate marketing — especially when it comes to the marketing part — does  not exist separately from the rest of digital marketing. It is closely intertwined with search marketing, web development, web analytics and CRO (conversion rate optimization), and is dependent on all the online marketing trends that shape the broader digital market (including mobile). Therefore, you want to be constantly learning, implementing, testing, perfecting, and never give up (even when you burn yourself). Check out the SEO Tools guide at Search Engine Journal . Interview with Geno Prussakov, Outstanding Affiliate Marketing

Anatomy of A (Successful) Tweet

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Ever wondered what makes a good tweet?  Let’s break it down. But first….there are many different reasons to tweet, therefore there are many different kinds of tweets.   Twitter can serve many purposes so before you get started you want to consider all the ways you can use Twitter and determine which ones you want to use now. Let’s do a quick recap for beginners and then we’ll get into the real meat of it all. You can use Twitter for: Personal reasons: For dating, to find friends with similar interests or to keep tabs on the current “chatter” about a topic that interests you.  The possibilities are endless. Customer Service: You can create a company account and let people know that they can send questions or concerns and you will respond via Twitter instead of by email.  You can update customers on upcoming news or events (sales, problems, news, product recalls, etc).  You can monitor your brand and deal with any reputation issues. Public Relations: Develop relationships with media reps, reporters and bloggers. Growing your business: Drive traffic to your website, build relationships, make special offers, promote content.  You can use Twitter to establish yourself as a credible leader in your industry. So what kind of tweets do people most commonly send? Retweet (RT): Retweeting (like forwarding) someone else’s tweet. Thought/Observation/Opinion: Personal commentary tweet. What you’re reading: People will often tweet what they are currently reading online and will share the link to the content. What you’re watching: Sharing a video you have watched online (include link). Events/Plans: Share information on upcoming events or plans. Promotional: A sales message. Content promotion: Promoting content that you have written (include a link to it). Conversations : @Replies or DMs (direct messages). Quotes: People like to share motivational quotes. Twitter is about sharing news and information – first and foremost you should be yourself. Conversational tweets, what you’re watching or reading or sharing quotes are all expressions of yourself.  Communicate in a way that is authentic to who you are.  Just a few tips – Watch the foul language! Most people don’t mind an occasional well placed “choice word” for emphasis but it becomes old quickly and is disrespectful. Don’t use too many abbreviations or jargon people won’t understand.  Communication only works if people understand what you are trying to say. Don’t use Twitter as your personal rant fest.  We all vent a little and sharing information about a company that has wronged you is helpful to other consumers but Twitter is not a place to bemoan everything that is wrong in your life. Review your Twitter profile page regularly – is what you are saying and how you are saying it interesting for people?  Would you want to follow yourself? Tweeting for business growth is a different animal.  It becomes more important to craft a message that will do the intended job.  It’s copywriting in 140 characters or less and it’s not always easy. Especially for those of us that tend to be very verbose! Content promotion: So let’s say your goal is to promote new content – either an article or a Blog post you’ve written. First and foremost you want to identify the hook of the content.  What does it offer?  Why should people want to read your content? Once you’ve identified that, you want to write a compelling sentence that will make people feel like they not only want to read the content but like they have to – they will be missing something if they don’t check it out.  Here are some samples… Top 3 things u must know BEFORE u buy a kite. Check it out now. Shortened URL here Why most kites DON’T fly (it’s not what u think!) Shortened URL here Secrets for catching air w/ your kite! Fun for all! Shortened URL here Let’s look at why these are good tweets. They are short, to the point, compelling and tell people exactly what they will learn when they read your content.  For anyone interested in kite flying, they will probably want to check it out. Some things to remember… Everyone loves lists, so “Top X” lists do very well on article directories and tend to spread virally. People are looking for solutions to a problem – identifying the problem (many kites don’t actually fly) and then letting people know there is a twist – it’s not what they are thinking, makes them even more likely to check it out. People always want to be “in the know” – no one wants to miss out.  Promise to share a secret and people want to hear it.  (Just make sure you actually deliver in the content). Always use a URL shortening service that allows you to track the clicks so you can see what tweets actually get you the clicks and then you can model future tweets after the successful ones.  I like BudURL.com as a URL shortening/tracking service. So those were good tweets, but how can we make them better?  Let’s take a look: Top 3 things u must know BEFORE u buy a kite. Check it out now. Shortened URL here  Plz RT Why most kites don’t fly (it’s not what u think!) Shortened URL here Plz RT Secrets for catching air w/ your kite! Fun for all! Shortened URL here Plz RT By simply requesting people to RT your content, you will get a lot more retweets.  Sometimes we forget the basics and it is often as simple as “ask and you shall receive”.  Consistently when I include a “Plz RT” request, I get many more RTs. Now let’s talk about a sales/promotional tweet. These tweets are not only dependant on the content of the tweet but also on what comes before and after the tweet.  What do I mean? If you’ve tweeted nothing but sales pitches and aren’t offering any tips, news or information, people are less likely to follow you for very long.  You need to make sure you aren’t just promoting your agenda but are tweeting useful, helpful information and then you can mix in your special offers and promotional tweets. So assuming you are doing that, let’s look at what makes a good sales/promotional tweet: You need to offer something people are going to want (ex: save money, save time, learn this, get a free report, free gift with purchase). Creating urgency helps – so mention a limited time offer or deadline for them to check it out. Today only! Off- season sale. 20% off all swimsuits. Shortened URL. Plz RT This is specific, to the point, offers them a benefit and isn’t obnoxious. Now, imagine seeing: SUPER sale MUST BUY TODAY great SAVINGS Don’t Miss Out! Fabulous Deals.  – Most people aren’t going to respond, it’s too hype filled, it’s obnoxious and it doesn’t offer any real information about what the special offer is. If I see this more than once from someone, I will usually unfollow them.  (I forgive them one time and figure they were just trying new things out and learning) Another good example: Free Report if u check out my website. Shortened URL. Plz RT – Not too salesy, tells them what they get and what they have to do and doesn’t SCREAM at people. Let’s recap the components of a successful tweet: It has a clear benefit stated (ex: you will learn this, get this, know this etc after reading the content or taking advantage of the offer) It includes a shortened URL with tracking It has compelling text that entices but doesn’t scream at people It has a clear description of the topic or special offer It includes a request for RT It’s short enough to be Retweeted It is authentic and useful It uses keywords (a compelling tweet that uses a keyword could land you a click from real time search results) But NEVER stuff with keywords.  When writing tweets, just consider using phrases that are related to your product or service that people may be searching for. A lot of people search TweetScan and other sites for people that are tweeting about certain topics so using a common or popular phrase in your industry may also get you found and get you some new followers.  It is worth repeating: never stuff your tweets with keywords It is relevant to the topic your audience is likely following you for (In other words, don’t promote yourself as a dentist and then send all these offers for your shoe shining business.  Sure, we all retweet other people’s tweets and we all have special things we want to offer from time to time that may not relate to the core topic we usually tweet about, but just remember people follow you for a reason and most often it’s because they are interested in the core topic that you tweet about.  Sometimes it’s an interesting tweet that just caught their attention so they follow but most often people are looking to follow someone that tweets about a topic they are interested in.) My goal is to keep Twitter a place that interests us, benefits us and to prevent it from turning into a sleazy message board for every sales offer under the sun.  Keeping Twitter real, one tweet at a time. Jennifer Horowitz is the Director of Marketing for www.EcomBuffet.com. Since 1998 Jennifer’s expertise in marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has helped clients increase revenue. Jennifer has been published in many SEO and marketing publications.  Jennifer Horowitz is the author of Twitter Quickstart Success Training System, Blogging For Dollars, Optimization Step By Step: 2010 and more.  For the whole scoop, visit http://www.ecombuffet.com .  You can follow Jennifer on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ecombuffet     Like This Post? You'll LOVE These Related Tutorials from SEJ : Twitter Success: You Gotta Show