Archive for March, 2006
Google GeoAds, The Experiment Continues
Posted by Jeffrey Perren, AC Magazine in Affiliate Classroom Magazine, Affiliate Marketing, Niches, PPC Saturday, 25 March 2006 18:09 No Comments
In one way, Google is one giant experiment. Sure, it’s an established business, whose revenues are predicted to climb to over $12 billion by end of 2007.
But, bringing sites and eyes together is what Google does… and no one – not even Google – has yet determined the best way to do that.
(It took television quite a few years to develop to its current format, too.)
But the gorilla of search and PPC advertising, whatever you think of it, has one huge thing going for it. It never ceases to experiment with new products, techniques, and ideas – while continuing what it does really well: serving ads with search.
The latest incarnation is the addition of graphical ads to Google Local. Type in a search of, say “booksellers nyc”, as Shimon Sandler did recently, and you might see more than you’re used to.
There’ll be the usual several little red balloons. But, if you’re in some group defined by criteria known only to Google, you’ll see something extra: a postage stamp-sized graphic touting, for example, Barnes & Noble.
Why Google has for so long resisted adding small graphics is something of a mystery. All things considered it can’t take noticeably longer to load the page. And Yahoo! has had something like this for quite some time.
But whatever its former reasons, the genie left the bottle briefly, for some wishers. Odds are, it won’t stay in long now.
Readers of Affiliate Classroom don’t need to be told what this means. No one knows for sure anyway. After all, it’s one giant experiment.
Underground Online Seminar – Anik Reporting…
Posted by Anik Singal in Affiliate Classroom Events and Products, Affiliate Marketing Saturday, 25 March 2006 00:35 No Comments
“Wow”
For those of you who don’t know, I am at Yanik’s Underground Online Seminar this weekend. The whole weekend actually started for me on Wednesday when I spoke at a pre-event that Russell Brunson held.
Well, today, bright and early at 8 AM (yes, I was 20 minutes late), we got started. Yanik introduced us to the LONG line of speakers and boy does he have some real “doozies” – I have barely heard of anyone who is speaking here, but all seem to be making boat loads.
So far, I’ve had a chance to rub shoulders with Mike Filsaime, Air’n Manohan, Jeff Johnson, Josh Anderson, Russell Brunson, Yanik (of course), Marlon Sanders, Jeff Mulligan, the list just goes on…
My honest opinion – of all the speakers who spoke today, Air’n was the best (he went first) – his topic was on some crucial laws of internet marketing – now I can’t tell you more, or else Yanik and the other agents will assassinate me!
I’m sure many of you are wondering, “Is the event worth it Anik?”
Well, I’ll let you judge for yourself:
1. I have a potential JV in the works with Air’n now (and not just yeaa…JV JV JV – but something serious worth LOTS)
2. Russell and I brainstormed (alot) and I found out some of the things he does to sell high ticket items
3. I met Marlon (if you havn’t yet, that ALONE may be worth $2,000 – the guy is nuts!)
4. I got to re-connect with Jeff Johnson (on the coaching club) – he’s going to help me with my new site…(one of them)
5. Josh Anderson and I did some great brainstorming about Affiliate Classroom
…umm and this is just end of Day #1!!
So, what do you think, is it worth it so far?
I’ll talk more about the actual content and presentations tomorrow (once I’ve seen more).
Until then, this is Anik, reporting from the Affiliate Classroom blog…
Web 2.0 Reaching Critical Mass in 2006?
Posted by Jeffrey Perren, AC Magazine in Affiliate Classroom Magazine, Affiliate Marketing, Web 2.0 Marketing Friday, 24 March 2006 15:17 No Comments
Over the coming months, we’ll be discussing Web 2.0 as the software � and the wider web-cultural phenomenon � matures.
Web 2.0 is, of course, many things to many people, but in general it revolves around taking the Internet to the next level. Creating software, services, and sites that replace or extend traditional alternatives.
Desktop software will, in some cases, give way to wholly web-based options. (Writely, AjaxWrite, OfficeLive, etc)
Social networks will expand, evolve, and be replaced with kinds not even yet forseen. (Flickr, MySpace, Yahoo! Answers, et al.)
Even TV and newspapers will continue to ‘evolve or die’ as online takes a larger percentage of the individual’s time.
Best of all, from the affiliate marketer’s perspective, Web 2.0 will get increasingly monetized. Techies aren’t the only creative innovators around, and where there’s eyeballs online money making opportunities are not far behind.
This is one case where more is more.
Google Base Items Revealed in SERPs
Posted by Jeffrey Perren, AC Magazine in Affiliate Classroom Magazine, Affiliate Marketing, SEO Thursday, 23 March 2006 19:13 No Comments
Several recent Google offerings are apparently converging. Search Engine Watch editor, Barry Schwartz, recently reported seeing Google Base results show up in SERPs. And with a Local Search twist.
Adding Google Base items to organic results is bound to result in some controversy, but it’s a natural extension of the technique of using geographic info to provide users with more of what they’re looking for.
Some, such as WebProNews.com author Jim Hedger, are even predicting that the day of purely keyword driven search is drawing to a close.
While it’s too early to draw any hard and fast conclusions, it’s safe to say that folding demographic and user behavior information into the algorithm has clearly arrived. Considering that many continue to research online but purchase offline, the trend will undoubtedly continue. (See comScore study results here.)
As we’ve said before, there are obviously opportunities out there for affiliate marketers who can incorporate Local Search hungry elements into their sites. And the better you know your customers, the more elements you can include that appeal to their specific interests.
That’s a combination that can’t help but yield dollars.
Lyris and Return Path Agree With AC: Email Marketing Works
Posted by Jeffrey Perren, AC Magazine in Affiliate Marketing, E-mail Marketing Wednesday, 22 March 2006 16:26 1 Comment
Just in case you were � and we wouldn’t blame you � skeptical about the claims in our latest issue of AC Magazine, here’s more data to back up our belief in the continuing value of email marketing.
A recent Lyris study found that: “Half of U.S. Internet users regularly purchase from opt-in commercial e-mails, and 44 percent buy from online ads on a regular basis.” (DM News, Mar 22, 2006.)
According to a Return Path survey of those who measure their campaigns, 40% of the respondents say email garners their highest ROI. Search comes in a distant, but still respectable, second at 28 percent.
Revenue per campaign is the most watched success metric, used by nearly 40%. (35% don’t set success goals. A marketing no-no. What you don’t measure, you can’t judge.)
Between 50% and 70% say they vary response elements in email. These folks are doing it right. Change, test, and measure. Change the subject line for one group, alter the anchor text in the body for another. Measure the open and clickthrough rates.
Nearly 50% segment their email list, with the result that they see the best results. (They’re doing it right! Segmentation consists of dividing a list of addresses by some criteria: income, region, past purchase history. The idea is to hit them with messages and offers of some particular interest to THEM.)
Email marketing works… for those who do it right. And how is that? Read our March issue and find out.
(Some more great tips can be found in Christopher Knight’s Email Segmentation 101. Get 11 ways to segment your email lists here.)
