Top 5 Reccomendations To Do When Launching A Website

After you have your brilliant idea and are bringing it to the web, there are some critical factors that your website must feature to help you, the search engines and the visitors.
1) Analytics Tracking – It doesn’t matter if you have Google Analytics, Omniture or any other tracking tool. You want to understand where your visitors are coming from, and what actions they are taking when they are on your website.
2) HTML Site Map – This is an HTML page that simply lists all the pages on your website. This helps the search engines know about all of the pages on your site including the URLs that may not be discovered when the bots spider your site.
3) Keyword Research – Make sure you are adding the words people are searching for on the correct pages of your website. Keyword research will help you understand what search phrases are likely to bring the visitors who will take action on your website.
4) Test multiple browsers – Not all visitors will be using one browser. Make sure your website is seen how you want it to in all browsers possible.
5) Monitor errors – Run spider simulators on your website. This will tell you what information is wrong, what links are broken, and notify you of any issues the search engines may have.

3 Easy Steps To Get Your Blog Noticed

So you created a blog, created some posts and you are wondering how people will find it? Well there are a few ways to get your blog noticed.

1. Find some popular blogs in your niche and comment on some blog posts. The blog owner usually reads blog comments and will most likely check out your site because they notice a new reader commenting. Of course, make sure you include your blog URL when leaving a comment.

2. Submit your blog to popular blog directories. There are many blog directories out there, but make sure you submit to quality sites with at least a page rank of 3.

Some blog directories to consider are:
http://blogs.botw.org/
http://www.bloggeries.com/
http://www.delightfulblogs.com/

The sites above all have certain requirements they look for so make sure you read them and meet them before submitting, otherwise you may get rejected.

3. Participate in social networks and forums that are related to your blog content. Start and participate in discussions and link to your blog in your profile or signature (if you are using a forum). That way, when people are reading your informative and useful responses, they will be inclined to read more about you and what you have to say.

That’s a starting point and I think all three are definitely doable if you are serious about getting your blog out there. Happy blogging! ☺

All About Wikis

You may not have heard of Jimmy Wales, but you've certainly heard of his brainchild - Wikipedia. This website is one of the power houses of "social media" websites - where the community determines the content and polices itself. It operates to this day as a non-profit, taking no advertising dollars and run on a shoe-string budget.

What you may not be familiar with is Wales' other project - Wikia. Wikia is a for profit advertiser sponsored website with over 5 million pageviews per month. It's basically a wiki platform, that allows anyone to make a wiki of their own - for free - and some of the wikis on it are massive.

Have a look at the video interview of Jimmy Wales to learn more about this "side project" and better understand how wikis work.

Free and Easy Back Up Solution

Backing up files is one of those things you don't always think about until it is too late. Lately we've been looking for the ideal situation for Ten Golden Rules.

But, if you're just a computer owner who wants to back up your personal files, I've got a tip for a free and easy way to do it.

For any files you want to store, use one of your web-based email accounts to send it to another. So, let's say you have a Gmail and a Yahoo account. Upload the file using your Gmail account and then send it to your Yahoo account. Now you've got the document in three places: on your machine, in your Gmail sent items and in your Yahoo inbox. And since Yahoo has unlimited storage, there is plenty of room.

I hope this simple and free solution helps.

More Work for Google Advertisers

If you are advertising in Google AdWords, you may have a new task at hand. A recent policy change now in effect by Google is disallowing multiple display URL domains within a single ad group. If you currently advertise multiple domains in a single ad group, you will have to go in and change your ads.

This policy change only applies to ad groups that display different domain names. Different subdomains and domain extensions are still acceptable. For example, if you have an ad group with the following display urls:

www.tengoldenrules.com
marketing.tengoldenrules.com
tengoldenrules.com/marketing

You will not have a problem because all of the above urls have the same root domain (tengoldenrules.com).

However, if you have an ad group with display urls like these:

www.tengoldenrules.com
www.10goldenrules.com
www.tengoldendeals.com

The ads are no longer accepted by Google because the root domain differs in each.

Fixing your ads to comply with this new policy could be a large, arduous process, especially if you have a large scale account. The easiest way to find out which of your ad groups cause an issue, you can contact your Google rep or call 1-888-246-6453 and they will be able to tell you exactly which ad groups you need to change.

A Thousand Tiny Raindrops

When people first get into Internet marketing, they dream of doing something big and that's as it should be. Your dreams are everything! But a question I get asked sometimes is, "What's the one 'Big' thing I can do to earn money online?"

In my experience, the answer to that question is that there isn't one big thing, but there are lots and lots of little things. And if you do these consistently and do them well, you will be a success. That's how it's been for me.

An analogy that I think fits is that of raindrops gradually filling a bucket, a well, a lake or even a sea. It wasn't one 'giant' drop and it didn't happen all at once. It's the same way with building your online business. In promoting GDI, I use two other programs as well (TrafficWave and Affiliate Funnel). To do this correctly involves paying attention to details on a regular basis and doing a lot of little things consistently and persistently - and doing them right.

My Free '30-Day Success System' explains it all. Once you understand it, once it really 'clicks', you will see that there isn't a magic potion that you can drink and become immediately successful. It takes work, and this involves doing all the little things that most people cannot, will not and won't do. That's why most who attempt this business will fail. That's why they thirst beside an empty well.

Adding content to your blog? That's a raindrop. Pinging your blog? Another drop. Giving meaningful, personal attention to every prospect and team member? More drops. Creating back-links to your sites, leaving business cards everywhere you go, commenting in forums, discovering new & creative ways to advertise, paying it forward, showing others how to duplicate your methods, etc. - hundreds and thousands of 'rain drops'. That's the great thing about this business. There's always something more that you can DO, but you have to be in motion. You have got to move.

Are you starting to understand? You can't just do one 'big thing' and expect to get rich with online promotions. You have to do a lot of little things all the time. But that's how a mighty river begins; with a thousand little tributaries all feeding into it.

Do the right things, do them right and do them on a regular basis. Most important of all, never quit. Never, never quit!

I'll see you at the top...

Google's search refinement operators

Neurologists estimate that people use only 1% of their mental capacity. With that said, it is not a surprise to see that the majority of search queries are quite basic and the power of google search engine for most of us remains undiscovered.

So I am going to give you some search operators that I find quite interesting and useful so that you can spend less time searching and more time learning.

Below are some other great ways to query google and get nuggets of information that will make your search quest easier:

marketing filetype:pdf - will return pdf documents about marketing. You can do the same for swf, word docs, excel files, etc.
cache:www.tengoldenrules.com - display google's cashed version of a webpage
related:www.tengoldenrules.com - List web pages that are similar or related to that URL
marketing site:www.tengoldenrules.com - Search for information on marketing from a particular website
online marketing 2004..2006 - Search for online marketing articles between 2004 and 2006 (remember to put the two dots in the middle of the numbers!)
online marketing services OR tutorial - will return results for online marketing services or online marketing tutorial
"online marketing services" - will return pages with that exact phrase
define:marketing - definitions of the word marketing
allinanchor:marketing - "Marketing" must appear in anchor text of links to the page
allinanchor:online marketing sites - Search for pages that are called online marketing sites by others
Florida agency inanchor:online marketing - Search for pages on Florida agency for which links to the page say they are "online marketing"

The list goes on and you will find more on my next post!

Get Your Business Listed For Twitter

So you’re a small business owner and you’ve heard about Twitter, but you’re not sure how to get your business found? One great way to get your company found is by listing it with Twibbs.com. This free service will allow your company to be found, show the tweets you have put out, and monitor the tweets about your company.

Same goes for those who are looking to see if their favorite company is on Twitter. You can search by brand name and then simply follow them. This has become a great first step to contact the company instead of going through their customer service phone lines.

Color & Marketing for Your Website

Recently one of our clients embarked on a website redesign with us consulting for them. During our first meeting with the website designer, I was fascinated to hear about the science behind choosing a color scheme for the website.

As Internet Marketers, we don't always think about the minutia of design criteria, but the designer had it covered. Through a few questions, he was able to help the client gel his ideas of what he wanted his website to convey and achieve. The end result was an established color palette meant to inspire trust and caring. As a personal injury attorney in the highly competitive New York area, this was an important message to the client.

When you're considering a website redesign or even overall brand and identity creation, get familiar with the science of color - learning how to create an instant impact through color and design. Since you've got about 4 seconds to make a lasting impression on your website visitors, it's a very important exercise. Check out the Color Matters website for more information and to get started in the right direction.

Track What The Internet Says About Your Business

As more and more people realize how powerful the internet really is and how it can impact a person and even a business, we should all be aware of what is being said on the internet. Businesses especially should be aware of this because it can really affect them in the long run. With that said, not only should you keep tabs of what is being said about your company name through Google Alerts, there are other tools that you can use as well.

Social media search tool, WhosTalkin allows you to search conversations that surround the topics that you specify. The website appears to look like a search engine, but once you type in a query, it will list any sites that mention the keyword you typed. It not only looks for blog or website mentions, but video and photos as well. This is probably good site to bookmark and check periodically.

Another site called SocialMention is similar to WhosTalkin but offers RSS (and supposedly email alerts, although I didn't see any option), similar to what Google Alerts does. The site aggregates results from numerous websites such as Twitter, Delicious, Digg, and Google Blog Search, as well as YouTube all in one place.

Yotify is somewhat different to the other two sites in that it can track news headlines, job listings, deals on things you want to buy and even airline tickets. You just need to specify if you want an email alert, or just view the information from the website, a specific keyword and from what source you want tracking from.

Action Idea

'This month, read a biography of someone you admire who has overcome great hurdles to become successful. When you learn what many of them had to endure, you are less overwhelmed by the obstacles you face. Every hardship you face has been endured and conquered by someone before you.'

~Denis Waitley

Exciting News New Book to launch April 5th "Connect! Marketing in the Social Media Era"

We are very excited to share early news about a new book called "Connect! Marketing in the Social Media Era" that our CEO Jay Berkowitz wrote a passage for.

The project, organized by Jeff Caswell, features 100 Authors with 400 words each with all proceeds to Susan G. Komen breast cancer research!

You can see the SlideShare here to learn more about this exciting project.

Bill Gates 11 Golden Rules

Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things students did not and will not learn in school.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Pay-Per-Click Tip: Getting the most out of your ad space

Pay-per-click for search is some of the most targeted online advertising available. The problem with advertising on a search network, such as Google, is getting your message across in a very limited space. Pay-per-click ads, when served on search engine results pages, usually only provide you with 25 characters of headline space and about 70 characters of ad copy space.

Advertisers always want to get their entire sales pitch out there, and could not imagine fitting it in such a small space. Forget about sales pitches and view the ad not as a selling stage, but as a pre-qualifier for your sales funnel. Sell the visitor on the landing page, not in the ad. By pre-qualifying visitors, those who do click on your ad will be more likely to complete an action on your site. This will reduce your acquisition cost.

The golden question then becomes, “How do I effectively use the ad space?” Well, you should try to include the following items in your ads:

· A value proposition (i.e. “Free Consultation” or “Save 25%”)

· An endorsement from a third party (i.e. “A+ Rating in Better Business Bureau”)

· A call to action (i.e. “Sign Up” or “Buy Now”)

Once you get the type of visitor you are looking for from the ads, you can give them a detailed sales pitch on the landing page.

Another way to fit important information in your ad is to use symbols and abbreviations. For example, using the "&" instead of the word "and" saves you two characters.

You are DEFINITELY smarter than I am

As a fellow Internet Marketer, I understand how TOUGH it is to earn money online.

I spent 12 months desperately trying to find a way to make it work. I tried all the usual affiliate marketing schemes, Clickbank, Adsense, paid surveys, etc. and became disappointed and depressed by the whole experience. I wasted over $2000 and I was quickly spiraling into depression. When one day it came to me.

It finally 'clicked', and I realized what I was doing wrong - and I'm not even as smart as you are.

Now I run my whole online business with a laptop and wireless card. All I do is check emails. That's it. That beats 10 hour days stressed and goggle eyed. It beats working for a boss (I savor the day I told him 'I quit'). And what's more, watching that money pour in is more exciting than any job I've ever had before. Well, I can't really justify calling it a job, I only work 10 minutes a day :)

I'm not here to boast though. I just want to give you a little of my life to show dreams can come true. The Internet can bring money and freedom to people like us. And you can have it too, with this one simple trick.

#######################
Do you want to know the secret?
#######################

Would you believe me if I told you it will take 30 minutes to set up? You are about to learn how easy it is done. And, you will not have to pay a cent for it. People are now joining my team daily and here is why.

I will give you the whole of my business system: my web pages, software tools, ad copy, leads lists, and most importantly, my secret 'set and forget' trick. Every tool you will ever need to make $1000s - completely FREE. Why? Because for every $1000 you make, I will make $1000 too...

How can you be so sure? Because it has been tested repeatedly, by all the previous visitors to this page who took this once in a lifetime opportunity and are now leaving their day jobs after only 30 minutes effort, period.

Within the next 15 seconds you will discover something so simple and effective that you will kick yourself for not thinking of it. My secret trick takes minutes to set up. If you choose to, you do not have to do anything else, ever!

This is: NOT some worthless ebooks. NOT loads of marketing and emailing for little return. NOT another Clickbank/Adwords plan. NOT another Adsense site. NOT hundreds of hours more effort. NOT a scam to get you to a 'One-time-offer' page.

############
Here's the 'trick'
############

My secret to online success is using three(3) programs in unison that work flawlessly TOGETHER. In fact, you could even use my 3-program system to promote anything else!

Here's why this works: I make it FREE to set up and use for 30 days. If don't believe in it or if you don't believe in me, just quit and we'll part friends. Your out-of-pocket cost? ZERO.
The trick is that I'm not selling it to you, I'm giving it away. I give you a free 30-day trial period and you receive exactly what I use everyday!

You will be given $100.00 of Yahoo! Advertising, $50.00 Google Advertising & 5000 free 'Leads' daily. That advertising will gain you at least 6 sign-ups. Each of those sign-ups will make use of more free advertising and leads, and so on. Because everyone makes use of Yahoo's $100.00 and Google's $50.00 credit it is effectively being transformed into 'GDI' service payments and legitimate monthly incomes for you and everyone else in your team.

##########################
Simple hey! And it works, flawlessly.
##########################

6 Sign-ups? That's not much. How can I get a substantial monthly income from that? Let me explain a little...

A company called Global Domains International (GDI) has taken the Web hosting industry by storm. They have exclusive rights to the .ws domain, and it is becoming widely accepted as the international 'website' domain. Yahoo, Intel, AT&T and Cisco, amongst many others, have .ws domains. GDI is a solid and respectable 500 Inc. company.

You will get $1.00 every month, for every referral to GDI. The beauty is, that goes 5 Levels Deep. So if you only manage to refer 4 people in your first month. And those 4 people refer only 4 people, and so on (down to 5 levels)...

Your monthly income from then on will be: $1364.00

Getting 4 referrals is easy. My target for everyone - and consistently proven using the 'secret trick' alone - is 6 sign-ups. That could give you a monthly income of: $9330.00
And you don't have to stop there! Use the income calculator to see what's possible with just a little more effort. (You'll be introduced to that shortly)

##########################
How can I be sure this is not a scam?
##########################

I am not asking you for money or any of your personal details. You will only ever need to provide personal details to Google, Yahoo and GDI. All well established and widely respected global companies. You are simply leveraging the services those companies have to offer, to build an income for yourself very easily.

###########################
How can you be certain this will work?
###########################

Most folks give up on GDI because they struggle to find an effective way to get referrals. I am certain you will be successful because the $100.00 in Yahoo! and $50.00 in Google advertising will get you at least 6 sign-ups. That's proven. But I go further than that and give you every successful technique I have, you also get a '1 Hour Millionaire Guide' and regular email tips - giving you 100s of other ways to pull those dollars in.

It gets even better too...

GDI will give you a $100.00 bonus for every 5 paid referrals within each week - you can get that bonus with your Yahoo and Google advertising, no problem. So you effectively get paid double: $20 for each referral, and then all your residual monthly payments too!

Can you see why this is such an incredible trick? You will be paid to build a monthly income for yourself, AND as promised it really will only take you 30 minutes to set up.

I know this sounds too good to be true. But it works because as a TEAM we are repeatedly and legitimate using free Yahoo and Google advertising. Which gets transformed into monthly incomes for everyone who takes up this simple risk-free opportunity.

Unlike most 'opportunities' on the Internet, this is genuine, safe, and easy to set up - you have nothing to loose by trying it for 30-Days FREE, and thousands of dollars to gain! Are you excited yet? I was dancing on the ceiling when I first put this in place. It is no joke when I say this will change your life in 30 minutes.

But you need to act now, before the market changes, business on the Internet moves fast and we don't know what's around the next corner. Don't live by regrets, take the next FREE step and you'll never look back.

######################
Want to know more about GDI?
######################

Watch the movie, and check out the 1459 testimonials. (Yes, that's how successful this is.)

To summarise. You will receive my complete 3-Program business system, FREE for 30-days:

* $100.00 Yahoo! Search Marketing credit * My proven Yahoo! Ad Copy and Keywords

* $50.00 Google Adwords credit * 5000 business opportunity leads every day, forever
* BONUS: $95.00 MORE Pay Per Click Advertising on Bidvertiser, Ask and MIVA
* Step-by-step instruction to put the 'trick' in place over the course of 30 days.
* An additional '1 Hour Millionaire' guide, to tripling your income easily
* All of my best performing leads lists and traffic sources * WebCEO award winning Search Engine Optimization software
* Directory Submitter full software package * Article Submitter full software package
* GDI Gold Rush Team VIP Email list - tips, updates and $100s more free Pay Per Click credit
* BONUS: 'The Science of Getting Rich' eBook. The classic that formed the basis for 'The Secret'

So what are you waiting for? It's FREE to get started!

Fill out the little form in the upper right-hand corner and click 'submit'.

Are you the victim of program hop-scotch?

I've done it. You've done it. We've all done it.

Hopping from one program to the next, from one 'opportunity' to another; each time, expecting THIS time it will be different. We don't need coaching and we don't need motivation. We just need something - anything - that works, right?

Of course we do.

'Program hop-scotch' happens because just about everyone fails with direct and/or MLM marketing - both online and offline. The number one reason this happens is because we don't know what to do.

Ever had this problem with your referrals?

If they knew what to do, they'd do it. They just don't know what to do (and yes, sometimes the companies do SUCK). They've also wasted far too much money. The 'learning curve' can be expensive!

This is why I offer my FREE 30-Day success system. For 30 days, I will tell you what to do - and I will tell you for free. If you don't like it after 30 days, then quit and we'll part friends. But you won't spend any money and you won't wonder what to do.

Do you want to change your life? Then no more program hop-scotch. If you use my FREE system, then I can promise you two things: 1) You will finally be able to establish a real online business that's duplicatable. 2) If you fail again, then you'll know why.

Netbooks: Redefining Portability

Netbooks are a smaller, lighter, less expensive alternative to laptop and desktop computers. While there are some limitations with respect to running certain applications and memory storage, these computers are great for students, children, the elderly and business travelers. 

The typical netbook costs under $400, weighs about 3 pounds and has a 9 inch screen. This kind of portability and affordability makes netbooks ideal for students looking for a less expensive computer to take to class, parents looking for a kid-friendly computer, elderly people wanting to stay connected, and busy professionals who don't want to lug around a heavy laptop between business meetings. 

Netbooks offer wireless access to the internet and support web-based applications. Online applications allow word processing, database and email programs to run without installing software. There is typically 1 GB of memory and no CD drive, so users often rely on USB and external hard drives for storage. 

With the growing popularity of smart phones, netbooks have become an instant success and outsold iPhones in 2008. 

The recession has also helped the sale of netbooks. These mini-computers were listed in Forbes' "Top 10 Things We're Still Buying" for their affordability and broad appeal. 

Fun With YouTube Annotations

YouTube annotations is probably something that you may have noticed on YouTube videos lately, but never knew they were actually called 'annotations.' YouTube annotations are a new way to add interaction to your videos by using speech bubbles, background information about the video in the form of a text box, links to other YouTube videos or channels, or highlighting a certain part of a video containing text.

Every video on YouTube is able to utilize this feature, and when you are signed into your YouTube account, viewing your own video, you may see an edit feature on the lower left hand side, as well as in the Video Owner Options, called 'Annotations.'

Below is a great example of a video using Annotations. It's pretty neat how even over the internet, through video, you can perform magic tricks.



Here is another video on how to actually use YouTube annotations in your videos.

Learn more about adding YouTube annotations, and include a few on your YouTube video. It will definitely make an impact.

The Problem With Testimonials (and the solution!)

So you've got a website and some very happy visitors. You figure it's a good idea to include testimonials from your visitors on your website. You're certainly in good company, as many websites feature testimonials of all kinds - and many experts believe they increase credibility and therefore conversions or sales. So it's a good idea, for what it's worth - but they may not be worth much if they're not BELIEVED.

There are lots of suggestions for how to make your testimonials believable. I found this top ten list. But, where is the REAL credibility?

Try authenticating your testimonials. Just like authenticating your website secure server certificate, you can authenticate the source and truthfulness of your testimonials. The AuthenticatedTestimonials.com service offers to verify the person credited with each of your testimonials and provides a "trusted" seal for you to display along with the testimonial.

If testimonials are a major part of your marketing mix, it's worth checking out.

Your Blog: Before & After

Here's a tip for the day:

If you made a blog some time ago, you might want to think about updating the look and feel, as well as considering additional content and features. Blog platforms have become more robust, and the number of templates and features available have expanded.

We recently undertook a "blog beautification" project for one of our clients, as they became more active with their blogging.

With a few waves of the "beautification wand", the blog went from this:


To (a much improved) this:



We also added content feeds with top headlines relevant to the blog topic, as well as a blog roll and enhanced links.

The brand is enhanced, the client is overjoyed, and it took very little time to do. Well worth the effort.

Recession Depression Prescription

There is so much negative press about the economy it can cause a personal down spiral unless you shake off the doom and gloom and get rocking and rolling.

I know. I spent the first couple days of 2009 in a state of complete paralysis worrying about what would happen this year. Once I turned my head around, I found out that its much more fun and productive to be moving forward despite any obstacles that might be in your way.

I launched myself out of the negative mental state with the following tools. If you are suffering from "The World is Coming to an End" blues, here is my prescription:


1. Do not, under any circumstances watch the news, listen to news on radio or read the business section of the newspaper. Skip it. It's bad, it'll be bad the next time you look too.

2. Take in some positive attitude. I recently discovered a GREAT podcast called Morning Coach . JB Glossinger does a brief uplifting podcast every morning (make sure you listen to JB other people do the show too, but try 1 of JB's recordings first). This podcast is also FREE on iTunes

3. Do something nice for someone else. Call a friend who is unemployed just to cheer them up. Give $1 to the guy at the side of the road.

4. Attend a Seminar or listen to Anthony Robbins tapes. I know, its corny, but Robbins is the best motivator in the world. I went to his seminar, I walked on fire the first night and after that the seminar really took off.

5. Read the new copy of Fast Company Magazine (March 2009) featuring the World's 50 Most innovative Companies. In the Letter From the Editor Robert Safian promises "You won't find Bernie Madoff, or talk of the great depression, unemployment statistics or the word 'bailout'...It's not that we have our heads in the sand. We know how challenging the business environment is. In fact, that's exactly why we tried to make this issue as upeat and busting with potential as possible. Only creativity and aggressive innovation will fuel a turnaround.

6. Exercise. Nothing beats the blues like a good sweat. See the sunrise. Watch a sunset.

I don't have my head in the sand, there are negative influences in the external environment. If you can manage your internal environment I hope you can take on a positive attitude as I did.

Free Survey For Your Website Courtesy of Avinash Kaushik

What is working? What is not working? Well, guessing is not exactly what you should be doing. Let your website visitors tell you what they think and want.

Avinash Kaushik and iPerceptions created 4Q, a free survey that enables you to ask the most important questions to your visitors:

-How satisfied are my visitors?
-What are my visitors at my website to do?
-Are they completing what they set out to do?
-If not, why not?
-If yes, what did they like best about the online experience?

Not only this tool is free (how you like that for a bailout?), but you will get real-time and complete access to the results.

Now you do not have any more excuses for not digging into what should you have a long time ago. Go to 4Q and begin using your visitors feedback to convert them into customers by giving them what they want and not what you think they want.

Google Maps About To Overtake MapQuest

Although MapQuest is still the leader in the online map space, Google Maps is getting closer and closer to overtaking the market share. Back in January 2008, Google Maps held just over 20% of the market share while MapQuest held strong at over 50%. By February 7 of 2009, however, Google upped its market share to 36%, while MapQuest dropped to 39%. With the two applications now almost neck and neck, MapQuest has been adding new features in an attempt to regain its foothold. With Google maps blended so well in search results, it is not likely that MapQuest will be able to hold on much longer.

What does this mean for internet marketing? Get those local business ads up in AdWords and register your company in Google’s Local Business Center.

Google Content Network - Is It Really A Bust?

I talk to a lot of clients who mention the Google Content Network for their PPC campaigns. While many online marketing professionals are dismissive of this channel, I have found some very effective uses, especially given the enhanced targeting ability that Google provides with the Placement Targeting feature. I was reminded of this recently when viewing a case study of a Levi's and Nike co-advertising campaign.

Google Placement Targeting in their Content Network allowed these two major brands to target extraordinarily nichey websites frequented by young male "sneaker heads", with rabid interest in their special edition t-shirt and jeans collection. Because of this highly targeted campaign, the inventory of 2,300 sets sold out in less than one minute - all with a miniscule budget.

So, next time you're wondering what you can do with the Google Content Network, think again. Then, think a bit harder. For many clients, it's a goldmine just waiting to be explored.

Hilarious version of the Ten Golden Rules of Internet Marketing from I Wear Your Shirt.com

When we heard about a new social marketing promotion and website launching called I Wear Your Shirt we had to sign up for a day, and February 10th was ours!

Jason Sadler, wore our shirt and produced this hilarious YouTube video:



He also did a live chat on UStream, blogged, a bunch of Twitters and posted some photos on Flickr. Plus we wrote a search engine optimized press release.

We had a 75% increase in web traffic and the results keep coming through the wonder of social media links! If you'd like an innovative type of marketing for your product, act fast, the year is almost sold out. Not bad for $41.

There are no new fundementals

Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals.

There are no new fundamentals. You've got to be a little suspicious of someone who says, "I've got a new fundamental." That's like someone inviting you to tour a factory where they are manufacturing antiques.

Some things you have to do every day. Eating seven apples on Saturday night instead of one a day just isn't going to get the job done.

Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day; while failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day. It is the accumulative weight of our disciplines and our judgments that leads us to either fortune or failure.

~Written by Jim Rohn

GDI Gold Rush, Explained

My 30-day Success System revolves around the affiliate program of Global Domains International (GDI). More specifically, it employs the tools and concepts of the GDI Gold Rush Team. The team concept is critical to both getting signups fast and to building a strong & lasting business that will continue to grow and flourish every month for the rest of your life.

Many have heard of GDI and many have tried it with no success. It's my belief that those same people will fail at anything else that they try as well. What I've learned (the hard way) is that when you fail with an online program, it's because you didn't know what to do, or you did know and you didn't do it.

The income potential with GDI is truly staggering, and this is no fly-by-night company. They're not going anywhere and their checks don't bounce. The key to tapping into the awesome earning potential as a GDI affiliate is to have the right set of tools and to know what to do with them - starting Day One.


This is what Team Gold Rush has to offer: 30-Day FREE trial package with no obligations. This includes lots and lots of tools, tips and tricks you've probably never thought of. Most importantly, it includes an action plan so that you know what to do. This is critical.

I take the GDI Gold Rush concept one step further by sending you an e-mail every day, for 30 days, that gives you even more tips and information on what, how and why I do what I do to grow my business every single month.

If you tried GDI and failed, you won't fail this time. Come on back in. If you are ready (truly ready) to launch a real online business that can quickly grow to replace your job, then either click on the banner to the right, or fill out the form and click submit. Either way, you will begin a journey that I began before you. But unlike me, you will have a mountain of resources to aid you on the very first day, and my experience (and that of many others) to guide you every step of the way.

You have absolutely nothing to lose and you won't fail again. I won't let you.

~Rusty

Market your programs with Social Networking

Social networking is huge. Did you know that some social networking sites are businesses in themselves? Yuwie.com and DirectMatches.com are two fine examples. Sure, there are lots of spammers, but (if used correctly) these sites can get you some referrals.

They can also become their own income streams as well if your downlines are large enough. Can you ever have too many income streams? Of course not.

Why not set up your profile today?

http://www.DirectMatches.com/rustyshelton

and...

http://r.yuwie.com/rshelton/

Ever had a Hot Dog Taco?

Sometimes, unusual food combos can unexpectedly create a tasty snack or meal.
In the music world, singers and musicians from different backgrounds sometimes combine their talents with surprising results.

Similarly, two or more businesses can join forces to produce a combination that's greater than the sum of its parts.

If you want to succeed at Internet Marketing, you need a system. The one that I use involves three separate programs, used in combination. You may have heard of one or more of them. You may be using and promoting more than one of them already. But it is the combination of these 3 that makes my system work. And you know what? You can try my system FREE for 30 days. And why not?

I will share my methods and tools with you - every day - for 30 days, FREE. And much of what I share with you can be used to promote any other program that you are a part of!

You've got nothing to lose, and you just might find that my methods can unexpectedly create the genuine online business that you've been craving.

~Rusty L. Shelton

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Hot Dog Taco Recipe Ingredients:

8 Corn Tortillas
8 Wieners or Beef Frank Hot Dogs
Vegetable Oil
2 cups Lettuce shredded
1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
Salsa
Sour Cream
-------------------------------------------------

Recipe Instructions:

1. Slice hot dogs in fourths lengthwise. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Heat hot dogs until browned, about 4 minutes. Set aside.

2. Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in large pan to 365 degrees F. Fill each tortilla with 4 hot dog slices. Fry in oil until crispy and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Drain on paper towel lined surface. Fill with lettuce, cheese, salsa and sour cream. Serve immediately.

Enjoy this delicious hot dog tacos Mexican recipe!

Social Networking That Pays

Unless you live on a desert island or in a cave with Osama Bin Laden (and probably not even then) you have heard of Facebook and My Space; the two most popular social networking sites on the web. Such places allow you to create a website within a website and interact with others on a global scale.

I have to admit that it took awhile for me to check out these websites at first. Being in my 40’s, I have seen many new technologies and methods of communication appear in my time. It seems like I resisted every one. Cassette tapes from 8-tracks - I resisted the change. CD’s from cassettes - I resisted it. Microwave ovens - I resisted using those. Cell phones - didn’t see the need for them. And yes, I even resisted the Internet; going online much later than my friends and family. Since then, I’ve resisted learning presentation methods such as PowerPoint and, of all things, I’ve resisted online business and online business marketing.
That is, until now.

Of course, anyone born in the 80’s and 90’s was probably raised on computers, electronic games, cell phones and the Internet. It’s for this reason that I tended to avoid social networking sites in the past. I just assumed that they were for kids. How wrong I was.

Today, there are networking sites of all kinds, including blogs, forums, discussion boards and the like. For better or worse, they represent the future of human interaction. They are also a tremendous opportunity and new frontier for business people to network and promote goods and services. Most businesses have at least some online components; advertising at the very least. But I have become convinced that many business people are not taking full advantage of what the Internet has to offer. For example, I spend a lot of time these days using social networking sites designed primarily for those involved with MLM. In fact, the creation of profiles there is a business in itself (naturally).

No matter what your business is (whether it’s selling knowledge, products or services), social networking sites can be a superb way to let the buying public know what you have to offer. I guess I’m a slow learner because it took me a long time to go from chatting and blogging as a hobby to using these forums for business. Now when I’m on the Internet, interacting with others, I make certain that the activity furthers my business goals in some way, and I suggest that others do the same. As long as you’re sitting in front of the computer anyway, you might as well be doing something that pays, right?

Social networking, in the right forums, can be of immense value as you strive to develop, grow and promote your MLM business and build relationships over time. If you haven’t tried them, please do. In time, you will find that it was a very good idea and the perfect way to communicate with those of like mind who aren't your friends and family. However, it must be done properly. Of particular importance when promoting your MLM business, you must learn to remember the following when structuring your networking page profile:

* This is a people business. Don't get carried away with automation software. Build relationships and the sales will follow. Give personal attention when interacting with others via your networking sites. Be there for them... personally.

* 'Help' ~ the key word is 'help'. That's what your recruits want more than anything else and a well-tailored profile can have quite a bit of that built in. Newcomers don't know what to do and they need to trust that you will help them. Give away a freebie - something genuinely useful and/or inspirational. Linking to a free e-book is a good example.

* Your prospects (i.e. visitors to your profile site) buy you and not any company or product list. That's why the image that your profile projects is so vital. If they buy you, then they'll be open to the offer. They've got to believe that you will help and show them what to do. The subtle irony is that,at the end of the day, your MLM networking profile isn't about you. It's about the wants and desires of anyone who links to it. Be a servant.

* Many of your prospects have the equivalent of a 'fear of heights' when it comes to taking action and being in motion. In your profile, talk less about your company and its products and more about how you will help them do what you do - the way you do it.

* Avoid clutter in your profile layout. Don't over communicate. Keep it clear and simple. Tailor it to people who can work a program in their spare time. Most visitors to your profile site have full-time jobs and full-time responsibilities in their lives. Don't use your profile to barrage them with information. Keep your message crisp and targeted.

* Last but not least, be patient. You need to be as patient with this type of promotional effort as you are with any other. Let it take a little time and don't give up if you're not a millionaire by next week. The way I network online, I share freely everything that I do - both what works and what doesn't. Be open, be genuine and be willing to share your knowledge and experience with others and I promise that you will do just fine.

Just starting out with Internet Marketing?

I remember how it was when I first started. It was such an overwhelming crush of information that I very quickly became totally lost and discouraged. It was bad.

Whatever you're doing, I've tried it or some variation of it in the past. I work hard and have a back-ground in advertising and promotion. Doesn't matter. Didn't help. I've probably tried what you are doing and it - Did. Not. Work. Your online business probably doesn't work because you can't get enough traffic to your site. That's it - end of story. That's the deal.

I really don't want to sound negative (I hate that), but since few people succeed when trying out Internet marketing, it's a safe guess that anyone new to the business and reading this is struggling. By the way, if you are enjoying success, then congratulations. You've got my admiration and respect. In fact, it's my hope that you will comment here as that is the point of this blog.

In the end, it's all about the traffic. You know that by now, right? Traffic is the HOLY GRAIL of online sales. It's the pot at the end of the internet rainbow. In this crazy business, you make money or you make no money. By the way, it has to be a lot of traffic and it has to be every day - some of it 'new eyes', but also repeat visitors.


Picture this: A man hunched over his computer, his butt never leaving his seat (hours on end, GLUED there), ignoring everyone, ignoring the world, cursing a lot, frantically 'surfing', reading e-mails, down-loading 'report' after 'report'. All of it on a never-ending learning curve that leads down one rabbit hole after another. (That was me)

Sound familiar, hmmm?

I'm betting it does since that's the story of virtually everyone who attempts to market anything online. Nothing works. Nothing. I was as frustrated (and humiliated) as everyone else. I admit it! I think that I came to fit the clinical definition of insane.

And then, I got some help.


In the end, that's what made the difference. I've come to believe that those who fail at online business do so for one or a combination of the following reasons:

A) They're too impatient. 30 days can seem like an ETERNITY to someone expecting instant results, and too many people have been conditioned to expect just that. Fast, easy money on the Internet doesn't exist.

B) They don't know what to do. If they knew what to do, they'd do it. But for lack of step-by-step instructions, they fail. They need sincere help without being 'sold' anything. They need it for FREE too. Really and truly free.

C) They're lazy and/or afraid - pretty much in that order.


I created this blog to show others what I've learned and how they can create the very same business that I have built. There's a subscription form to the right that will deliver a Free, 30-Day e-course on what I do, how I do it and the three programs that I use in combination to achieve it. What I share with you is honest and realistic. You might already be trying to bring new members into one or more of those three programs already. That's great, so much the better!

So if you have patience, and you're not lazy and afraid (smile), then it's information you're looking for. That's what I've got for you, so check it out and put your feedback on this blog!

~Rusty