Marketing Through Content
The key is to use content. The problem is that just any content won’t do the job; in that case it is important for marketers to create their own content. Content marketing is about revealing the credibility of your brand through customer focused information, with an authentic and trusted voice. It’s an opportunity to use creative thinking, rather than a big budget, to get better results than traditional marketing methods.
Here are some tips:
1. There are 15.9 billion searches run every month and a small percentage are customers looking for you and your competitors, so you need to start with search. Look at your market opportunity and try understanding how many searches, keywords and keyword phrases are related to what you do.
2. Target your content. Your content needs to be targeted to areas that align directly with your brand; where sufficient demand for your content will make content marketing worthwhile.
3. Think holistically about your budget. How mush do you spend today per customer, and what is your average marketing spend? Content-based programs can help lower cost/customer acquisition because fewer people are doing it and competition, at this time, is less intense. Shift some budget dollars from SEM and other acquisition marketing efforts to content marketing, this will delivers results with an improved cost structure.
4. Create lots of content at a low cost or do it your self for free. Search engines weigh recency heavily when organizing content. There is always fresh content at the top of search results pages, so lots of posts on a topic will capture more customers than a competitor with less posts.
5. You don’t need to do this alone. Engage dozens of writers, achieving top search engine placement, and establishing content creation costs to make content marketing make sense requires specialized knowledge and training. Try to find a partner and make them put their money where their mouth is on the numbers they promise.
Just remember, that quality makes a difference. Not only does Google continually try to put more emphasis on quality with algorithm updates, but it also goes a long way when you’re talking about reputation, and obviously you don’t want to do something that will hurt your brand. If you can walk the line of delivering content that people are searching for, and giving them content that stands out, there are lots of benefits to be had.
Domain Name Suggestions
By Sharon Housley
Innovative, memorable, and compelling domain names are becoming more and more difficult to come up with. The following tools can help webmasters find great domain names for their online businesses….
Domain Name Soup
Domain Name Soup is a free domain name generator that helps you find available domain names in your niche. http://www.domainnamesoup.com/
Bust A Name
Bust A Name is a free tool that lets you quickly check domain name availability. The Bust A Name domain search engine combines the keywords that are entered and tells webmasters what combinations are available. http://www.bustaname.com/
Domain Suggestion Tool
Domain Suggestion Tool uses name-spinning and semantic technology to come up with unique domain name options for webmasters. http://domain-suggestions.domaintools.com/
Dot-o-mator
Dot-o-mator can be used to create domain name suggestions. Simply enter keywords in the box on the left, and then choose different endings, or enter your own ending. Click the button to see what combinations are available. http://www.dotomator.com/
Domain Exposer
Domain Exposer is a tool that helps webmasters find available domain names. Combining keywords with common words to create a new domain name, the Domain Exposer tool checks the domain name availability for all of the created suggestions. http://www.domainexposer.com/
Domain Typer
Domain Typer uses a domain name generator to create easy-to-remember domain names. Domain Typer randomly generates .com domains, and lists their availability. http://www.domaintyper.com/
DomainsBot
DomainsBot includes domain suggestions, name-spinning, a complete searchable index of expired and expiring domain names, as well as a list of all domains available for sale. http://www.domainsbot.com/
Name Boy
Name Boy generates domain names based on keywords you enter, and it also allows you to instantly register domains that you locate. http://www.nameboy.com/
Make Words
Make Words creates random phonetic names. Make Words is a random domain name idea generator. The Make Words website includes keyword collections, and synonyms to assist webmasters in finding the perfect domain name. http://www.makewords.com/
Name Tumbler
Name Tumbler allows webmasters to enter keywords, and then the Name Tumbler tool combines those keywords with their database. It allows you to select keyword placement, and optionally whether you want a hyphenated domain or not. http://www.nametumbler.com/
Snap It Now
Snap It Now generates domain names that are based on keywords and categories. You can optionally include hyphens to find a great domain that meets your needs. http://www.snapitnow.com/
Domain Pigeon
Domain Pigeon lists available domain names, as well as Twitter names, which you can register as you find one you like. http://www.domainpigeon.com/
Coming up with a great domain name can be a struggle, even for the most creative entrepreneur. The above tools will assist in your domain search.
About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll audio recording and editing software.
Buy, Sell, And Value A Website
Buy, Sell, And Value A Website
By Sharon Housley
So, you’ve built an empire on the Internet, and now it’s time to move on. Well OK, maybe its not a full-blown empire, but it has taken substantial blood, sweat and tears to create, and you want to make sure you get a reasonable amount of money for all your efforts. Determining the value of a website can be tricky, because a number of factors can play a role. Factors involved in determining the resale value of a website include…
1. Traffic Volume
The volume of organic web traffic that comes to a website influences the value of that website. Organic web traffic refers to any traffic that is not the result of advertising.
2. Ranking For A Critical Phrase
How a website ranks for critical or popular keyword search phrases can also play a role in the value of a website. Ranking high in Google’s organic search results for important, relevant, or popular phrases can influence the value of a website.
3. Volume Of Backlinks
The number of websites that link *to* the website in question can influence the amount that the website is worth. The number of incoming links, and the quality of those links, can both impact the value of the website.
4. PageRank
The PageRank (also referred to as PR) can be an indication of how Google views the website. A high PageRank indicates that a website is trusted by Google. PageRank may influence how much a buyer is willing to spend on a website.
5. AlexaRank
Alexa’s ranking can be manipulated easier than some of the other factors. Nonetheless, a high Alexa ranking can show historic changes in a website, and can play a role in determining a website’s value.
6. Established Revenue
Any revenue that a website generates can clearly show a website’s earning potential. Naturally, the higher the earning potential of a website, the more its value will be.
7. Web Logs
The website’s logs can be extremely useful in determining the site’s value. Web logs not only reveal the volume of traffic that the website receives, but they can also show some other very important statistical information … which you may not want shared! So a word of caution is in order — be careful when deciding which details you wish to disclose to potential buyers.
8. Domain Name
A “good” or short domain name can also influence a website’s resale value. Shorter domain names are becoming more and more scarce, and a short, catchy domain name may help to increase a website’s value.
9. Age
The age and history of the domain can influence a website’s value. An older domain is typically more valuable than a newer one. However, if an older website had historically ranked well but no longer does, that could have the opposite effect and could negatively impact the value of a website.
10. Technology
The technology behind the website can also influence the site’s value. If the website is database-driven and dynamic, and the technology that supports the website is included as part of the sale, that may also impact the value of the website.
Determining the value of a website can be complicated and confusing. Ultimately, a website is only worth whatever the highest bidder is willing to pay. But providing the details above during the negotiation process may help close the deal and make the sale.
About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll audio recording and editing software.
