Are You Cuil? - Pronounced "cool," this new search engine has set a lofty goal of becoming the next Google. The best part is its creators are almost all former Google employees.
HP MS Cashback Toolbar to Grab Shoppers from Google and You? - The new HP Microsoft Live Cashback Toolbar has raised a few eyebrows around the industry, and rightfully so. Read on to find out why it's something to keep an eye on.
Google Rolls Out Knol - The Google monster takes on another nook of the internet by launching its very own online encyclopedia/article site.
The Deceptively Simple Steps to Persuasive Writing That Works - Find out the simplest and most effective secret to persuasive writing.
What’s the Real Benefit ... Read More →
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
at
4:47 pm
Posted by
Sarah Holland, AC Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
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6:40 am
Posted by
AC Editorial Team
Backlinks from authority sites not only mean better search engine placement, but super-high quality traffic. But how do you get published on authority sites? Follow these 7 steps to getting your articles published on authority sites.
1 - Search Google (and other engines) for your keywords. Authority sites will typically show up on the first two pages of results. Note down all the sites from which you’d like to get links, including the contact information of the webmaster. You’ll probably want to keep track of this in a spreadsheet.
2 - Determine the type of article each site prefers. Do they publish articles, news reports, reviews? Do they offer free white papers, case studies, or special reports? Do they have an opt-in exchange with industry ezines or newsletters? Your goal is to decide what types of copy they can use - so you can provide the copy in exchange for a link!
3 - Tailor your topics and titles to the sites. Once you have a good idea of what will appeal to the webmaster, come up with at least three focused, unique, and keyword... Read More →
Monday, July 28, 2008
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1:13 pm
Posted by
AC Editorial Team
The traffic and backlink opportunities that come from writing articles can go beyond submitting to article directories. Let's say you're writing articles to establish your expertise in a tiny niche, such as technical knowledge of enterprise level software. The typical how-to article for an article directory is written for a more general audience, and probably won't get you much traffic - or business.
But that doesn't mean you can't do article marketing. All you need to do is adjust your strategy from getting mass traffic to getting highly targeted, specialized traffic by:
1 - Writing the RIGHT type of article for your niche. 2 - Targeted both authority sites and article directories to get the maximum coverage.Your goal is not to get your articles syndicated on thousands of mass market sites. Instead, you want to get links from high traffic, high PR sites that will turn YOUR site into an authority site in no time. Let’s look at this strategy in more detail. First, think carefully about the type of article that will ... Read More →
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
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5:40 pm
Posted by
Sarah Holland, AC Staff Writer
Affiliate Voice - A different take on the creation of an Affiliate Marketing Industry Association that hopes to work in tandem with the recently formed Performance Marketing Alliance.
New York Senate Votes to Repeal Amazon Tax - Find out the latest on the vote to repeal the Amazon Tax and what New York affiliates can to do take pro active political action.
Guide To Networking at Affiliate Summit 2008 East - Affiliate Summit is coming up in just a few weeks! Check out this guide to networking before you go.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
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11:31 am
Posted by
AC Editorial Team
One of the least appreciated benefits of articles is also one of the most obvious: articles send people, not just search engine spiders, to your site. So incoming links are not the only benefits you get from article marketing. These human elements are also at work when you submit articles to directories...
1 - Qualified traffic. Individuals who read and enjoy your articles will often send traffic your way, via reviews or creating links you didn't need to ask for. Those are targeted visitors pre-disposed to consider your products and services.
2 - Reputation. Well researched, well written articles show off your expertise and inspire confidence in your visitors. That draws the kind of traffic that's interested in what you have to say - and sell.
3 - Word of mouth. Automation helps, but the best source of the best kind of traffic is a recommendation from someone who likes your stuff. Articles help get the word out about wha... Read More →
Monday, July 21, 2008
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10:32 am
Posted by
AC Editorial Team
One of the best link building tactics - and the favorite of many affiliate marketers today - is submitting articles authored or owned by you to article directories. When experts on SEO advise new site owners to acquire natural incoming links, look to article directories to give you those first links easily.
1 - Links are one-way. Some SEO experts believe that search engines downplay reciprocal links in their results calculations. While reciprocal links can still be valuable, they don't count as much as one-way links to your site. Article directories give you a one-way link.
2 - Links are guaranteed. If you've never asked a webmaster for a link before, it can feel a bit intimidating. But when you submit articles to directories, you know you won't get turned down. Seeing those backlinks show up in the SERPs is a nice confidence booster, especially if your site is brand new. As long as your articles are of good quality, they will also send you tar... Read More →
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
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7:47 pm
Posted by
Sarah Holland, AC Staff Writer
A Good Start to Optimizing Your Site for Google Search - Find out the best ways to optimize your site for Google search - straight from the horse's mouth!
5 Copywriting Keys to Landing Page Credibility - A lesson in copywriting credibility based on the importance of scent, transparency, specificity, proof, and readability.
The Psychology of Landing Pages - Don't pass up these 4 great tips on creating great landing pages, and how to make your site work for you.
Google Sheds Light on Factors Influencing Search Engine Rankings ... Read More →
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
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5:13 pm
Posted by
Evelyn Grazini, AC Student and Staff Writer
In my previous post, I mentioned that I went to a live seminar with the intention of meeting two Super Affiliates. I'm betting you're wondering if I had any success. So I thought I'd write again to let you know that I DID meet Anik and Rosalind, and it really wasn't that hard at all.
Meeting Anik was the easiest. I had been a member of the Affiliate Classroom for some time so I was getting mailings from the classroom, and would also always read the blog posts.
Anik made a blog post saying that he was going to be at the seminar, and students could meet him there if they were going to the event. So before I left I made sure to email him and let him know that I was going to be there and that I wanted to meet him in person. That way we were both aware of each other, and it was pretty easy to "run into" each other at the seminar.
So I tracked him down on the last day and we had a nice chat. I even got a great tip on something that I could use i... Read More →
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
at
12:45 am
Posted by
Evelyn Grazini, AC Student and Staff Writer
I never used to be able to attend live affiliate marketing events. For one thing because I had a full time job, but secondly because I'm a little shy around other people and networking has never been my real strong point.
But after I quit my job to do affiliate marketing full-time, I decided to attend an event while I still had some spending money left; hoping to gain enough inside information to give me a quick start.
I think I paid about $1,500 for the seminar, and another $1,000 for airfare, hotel and food. I had no idea what I was going to do when I got to the event. I just knew that I would learn a lot and hopefully be able to meet some interesting people. Maybe even a super affiliate or two.
In fact, I made up my mind to meet Anik Singal - because I was a new member of the Affiliate Classroom at that time, and also Rosalind Gardner - because I wanted to meet a very successful female affiliate marketer.
So, I made up my mind that in order to meet as many people as possible, as easily as possible, I would sit in one spot in the morning,... Read More →
Thursday, July 10, 2008
at
6:50 pm
Posted by
Evelyn Grazini, AC Student and Staff Writer
Google just did affiliate marketers a HUGE favor! It's one that they once claimed they would never do, but now it's done.
I found out when I did a keyword search using Google's External Keyword Tool and noticed that the keyword result was no longer a rating of 1-5. Now it's returning results that show search numbers!
That's right, instead of just showing you those "green bars" - which only gave you an idea of relative search volume - you now get to see search numbers based on Google's database.
Whatever your reason to search keywords - AdWords PPC, SEO, article marketing, blog marketing - getting real Google search counts for those keywords is a very welcome development.
In fact, the only people who probably don't think this is great news are the people who have developed fee-based keyword search tools. Because now, at long last, we can get up-to-the-minute search volume information ... Read More →
