Professional Search Engine Optimization with PHP: A Developer’s Guide to SEO
Maybe you’re a great programmer or IT professional, but marketing isn’t your thing. Or perhaps you’re a tech-savvy search engine marketer who wants a peek under the hood of a search engine optimized web site. Search engine marketing is a field where technology and marketing are both critical and interdependent, because small changes in the implementation of a web site can make you or break you in search engine rankings. Furthermore, the fusion of technology and marketing know-how can create web site features that attract more visitors.
The mission of this book is to help web developers create web sites that rank well with the major search engines, and to teach search engine marketers how to use technology to their advantage. We assert that neither marketing nor IT can exist in a vacuum, and it is essential that they not see themselves as opposing forces in an organization. They must work together. This book aims to educate both sides in that regard.
Internet Market Selection
The advent of the Internet has made this world an almost borderless world. In the context of enterprise, the Internet is becoming more and more important to many companies and organizations around the globe. It has greatly expanded the market and enhanced the market reach of businesses, be they small businesses or multinational corporations, to the extent that whatever market segments they can’t reach previously, they can now do so to a large extent.
In the context of Internet Marketing, my central message to business owners is that in order for you to have the competitive advantage, you’ll need to effectively identify and attempt to satisfy the genuine needs and wants of specifically defined target markets, and that you’ll have to do so more effectively than your competitors. Your ability to do so will have a positive profound impact on your business.
What Is An Internet Market?
There’re many definitions of the term “market”; it all depends on the context in which it is used. The way I look at “market” is that it consists of people and/or organizations that have needs to be satisfied, have the purchasing power or money, and are willing to spend the money on whatever you have to offer. It generally implies a demand for a product or service, whatever context in which it is used.
From the marketing standpoint, a market consists of your existing customers as well as potential customers.
Why Internet Market-Orientation?
You should realise, as a business owner, that in order to effectively relate your product and/or service offerings to the needs of the marketplace, you should be market-oriented as opposed to product-oriented. What I mean by market-orientation is that you look at the marketplace through the media of marketing research and sales forecasting.
Market-orientation therefore makes it impossible, with the exception of a few special circumstances, to treat the market as a mass of homogeneous potential customers, as the overall market consists of many diverse sub-markets and groups, each with sufficient similarities to be treated as separate markets by themselves.
Furthermore, within each of these sub-markets or groups, there’re further divisions or sectors. For a product category (e.g., computers), your focus should be on those sectors within the sub-markets or groups which are most commercially attractive to you for a given product form (e.g., the desktop market or the laptop market), rather than be concerned with the whole population of potential customers for that product category.
This is common sense as you’re in business to make profits.
Identifying these sub-markets or groups would allow you to more effectively position your product and/or service offerings, your internet marketing communications, your pricing policy, and the rest of the 7 marketing mix elements.
The result is more satisfied customers and increased profits.
About the Author
Copyright 2004 by Larry Lim, MarketingSphere
Larry Lim is a practising marketing strategist and tactician who dishes out highly effective marketing strategies and tactics that will enable you to successfully start and grow your business on the Internet.
His Internet Marketing Strategy website is jam-packed with internet marketing secrets and softwares that will skyrocket your sales, and shoot your profits through the roof.
To read more of Larry Lim’s articles, visit http://www.articlesphere.com
Author: Larry Lim
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Sponsored by: Social Bookmarking Tool
Viral Marketing: The Smart Strategy
Viral marketing is a marketing strategy for a product or service whereby its users feel encouraged to pass along the marketing message. Viral marketing is dependent on pass-along rate, and so it follows that if large number of people pass along something to large number of recipients, who in turn repeat the same cycle, the whole phenomenon takes the shape of viral marketing.
That job is In relation to today’s e-world, the concept of viral marketing takes its cue from phenomenal success of Hotmail in late nineties. Between July, 1996 when it was launched and Feb 1999, Hotmail grew at an astounding rate of a million users every month to reach 30 million members in just 2-1/2 years.
Venture capitalist Jurvetson, who funded Hotmail was to later compare addiction to Hotmail with the virus that causes sneezing, for he learned that each sneeze released 2 million particles.
While Hotmail’s was a very successful viral marketing, a recent example of viral marketing is Gmail. Both are free email services, but the path to success is different from one another. Let us examine how viral marketing worked for them. Viral Marketing – Hotmail
Before Hotmail there was no concept of virtual mailbox. Emails were received and stored in mailbox that would reside on computer hard-disk. It was inconvenient because it ate away disk-space. Hotmail changed the scenario. Since it was free, people rushed in to sign for Hotmail, thus beginning a prolonged spell of viral marketing.
To be a hotmail member soon became an addiction. Even small-time email users queued in. As time wore on, owning Hotmail account became ultimate recognition of having ‘arrived’ on the internet. Such an absolute co-option wasn’t witnessed before, such was the power of Hotmail’s viral marketing.Viral Marketing – Gmail
In sharp contrast, Gmail adopted a different viral marketing strategy. Debuting in April 2004, Google started sending limited invitations to likely users, each of whom would thereafter invite more users, thereby initiating chains of viral marketing.
Gmail’s viral marketing is succeeding not only because there is a clamor to own a Gmail account. Remember there are many free email services out there. But none comes close to Gmail. Here you have gigantic virtual storage space (2-1/2 gigabytes) and a string of top-class free add-ons like online chat, calendar, auto-save, conversation views, search mail and so on. Viral Marketing – Necessary ingredients
What are essential constituents of successful viral marketing? Studying Hotmail and Gmail, here are some emerging points for would-be adopters of viral marketing strategy:1. Free valuable product or service is a powerful incentive for interested viewers. If you have access to one which you can afford to offer free (e-books for example), your viral marketing will get a boost. Whatever you offer free, it must translate to immediate tangible or intangible benefit(s), so people will get attracted in no time. While so doing, earn revenue from selling ads or selling some other product or service.2. To be effective in viral marketing, ensure your offer’s easy availability. It has to transmit effortlessly, capped with simple yet addictive message.3. Watch out what goes. Both Hotmail and Gmail succeeded as viral marketing strategy because there existed need for them. Similarly the concept of blogging expanded fast because people wanted their own place on web. 4. Viral marketing requires you have ability to scale up facility to keep pace with demand. If there is a sudden surge in demand and your resource is unable to cater, your viral marketing stops immediately.5. Make use of existing communication network for viral marketing. For example, if your service concerns medical advice, consider placing your message at places frequented by medical personnel.6. Take advantage of others’ resources to spread your viral marketing. Suppose you are an expert writer, think of placing your articles in other newsletters and web publications. Affiliate programs routinely insert ads in highly visible related websites.
In conclusion, it is important to bear in mind that typical viral marketing plans have certain ‘shelf-life’, beyond which the advantage tapers off. Timely actions and a perfect rhythm among your moves form the bedrock of successful viral marketing.
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Author: Joshua Mabilia
Article Source: EzineArticles.comSponsored by: Lighting Lamps
The High Cost of Not Having an Online Marketing Strategy
B2B and industrial companies are slow to embrace online marketing. It’s a curious reluctance given that online marketing is performance-driven, pays for itself, and consistently delivers new, qualified business that can mean dramatic increases in sales and growth.
So, why are some companies sometimes reticent about using online marketing when the benefits in terms of exposure and revenue are so substantial? We thought we’d seek out those with the answers.
Direct From the Source
We talked to CEOs and Marketing Managers of companies that have embraced online marketing. These industry leaders are quick to confirm that Internet marketing more than pays for itself. In addition, in a short period of time online marketing has become a critical, indispensable channel for generating customer awareness and sales directly enhancing the bottom line.
The message from industry insiders clear: The risk involved with online marketing is small. The rewards are infinite.
We asked a number of your B2B colleagues what it would have cost them to delay embracing the power of online marketing. This is what they had to say.
Lost Business
Experts agree that online search has become the primary source of information for those making B2B buying decisions. Most business consumers first turn to a search engine during the investigation phase of their buying process, and just about all of them will use the Internet at some point during the decision-making process. That’s right. Nearly all of them.
That’s a staggering fact, and those who have taken advantage of online marketing know this trend is some of the best news in decades for companies willing to exploit the new ways businesses do business.
The reliance on search in the buying process means your company has never had a better opportunity to reach and capture new business. But it also means that every day you wait means business lost to your competitors.
Online Marketing Pays for Itself
Industry pros understand the bottom line and the need for measurable returns on any investment, especially when it comes to spends for advertising and marketing. They also understand that online marketing is one of the few methods guaranteed to pay for itself.
Online marketing, specifically paid placement and search engine optimization, have a proven track record in giving companies the highest returns of any vehicle in their marketing mix.
In addition, online marketing is a low-risk proposition because it’s based on performance. You pay only if a potential customer clicks on your ad. Utilizing that system, the cost of acquiring a customer is dramatically reduced.
Those in the know insist online marketing generates 20-50% of the qualified sales leads in industries that have traditionally relied on sales prospecting, word-of-mouth and trade shows.
The numbers don’t lie. What is your company waiting for?
Competition
Everyone wants a competitive advantage, but even tried and tested methods can’t keep pace with the monumental strides being made with online marketing.
With online marketing, you can fend off your competitors and dominate niche markets. The Internet creates a level playing field where businesses of all sizes can compete. Anyone can stake a position as a leader. What would it be worth to your company to be in that position?
And here’s another insight we heard from B2B pros. One of the unique benefits of the Internet is that is affords smaller businesses the chance to appear bigger than they are. Online, a three-person operation can look slicker than an international conglomerate. You can turn this to your advantage with a minimal investment of time and money. Indextree can show you the way.
So, why is it important to dive into the world of online marketing now? The hard fact we hear from B2Bs is that once a company entrenches itself in a certain arena online, it’s hard to dislodge it. At the moment, in most industries, search rankings and market dominance aren’t set yet. They will be, and it will cost you more down the road to accomplish what you can accomplish now with far fewer resources.
As in most areas of business, in the realm of online marketing, it pays to act decisively..
Online Buyers are Ready to Buy
Those who have reaped the rewards of online marketing will attest to the fact that customers who research and compare products and services online are much more predisposed to buying. It’s just the nature of the medium. Much of your job of selling is done by the time someone reaches your Web site.
In the world of online marketing, your customer is already looking for your product. They’re actively looking to do business with someone. That someone should be you.
New competitors
It’s not something you like to think about, but they’re out there, and they’re after your business. New players are entering your market every day, and they’re capturing your market share.
The tools we’re talking about are a double-edged sword. If you don’t capitalize on the benefits of online marketing, do you think your competitors will hesitate to do so? Aggressive, upstart companies are pulling out all the stops, exploiting economies of scale and using online marketing to extend their reach.
Don’t just wait and watch while these companies erode the fiscal health of your company. Can you really afford to have these competitors encroach on what you’ve fought so hard to build? It’s time to reclaim what’s yours, and online marketing is the answer.
Commoditization
Trust us, we don’t just throw around big words because it makes us feel smart. The Internet has given customers an unprecedented ability to shop and compare, often reducing the buying decision to price alone. But this “commoditization” of products doesn’t do your company justice, and your bottom line may already be suffering because of it.
What’s the answer to the problem of commoditization? How do you distinguish yourself? How do you communicate your differentiating qualities to potential customers?
Online marketing provides an excellent vehicle for branding and also allows you to capture potential customers earlier in the buying process.
Quality business interactions are more than just a price point. Be heard. Stand out. Reap the windfall.
Build Buyer Awareness and Drive Traffic
Here’s the ugly truth. Many manufacturers and distributors don’t do a great job with their Web sites. We hear this time and time again not only from the CEOs and Marketing Managers, but also from consumers.
Site visitors are often frustrated by poor online marketing practices. In fact, studies show two-thirds of B2B site visitors complain they don’t find what they are looking for, and almost half never return to the site as a result. Now, we’re not saying yours is one of those sites. But are you sure you’re turning Web site traffic into sales consistently? What impression are you giving potential customers when they visit your site? Are your customers telling other potential customers how professional and easy-to-use your site is?
Online marketing has a lot more to do than simply having a visually appealing Web site. It’s more than simply buying keywords and hoping they’ll bring you more business. Buying unqualified leads from unknown sources is often like putting your money into a kiln.
Effective online marketing requires knowledge, strategy, implementation, monitoring, and follow-through. Those are the skills and qualities we pride ourselves on at Indextree.
The High Cost of Waiting on the Sidelines
As you read this, there’s a good chance your competitors are working on their online marketing strategies. It’s even possible they’re making inroads into capturing key customer segments you may never be able to recapture.
Is business good right now? Sure. Is it great? Could be better. With an effective online marketing strategy, it could be great.
So, what’s it costing you to wait?
Take it from those who have seen the benefits of online marketing firsthand. Standing on the sidelines has never been so costly.
By Lawrence Johnson, the CEO of Indextree, Inc.
Indextree helps manufacturers and distributors dominate their markets by designing and implementing winning lead management, online marketing, search engine optimization and pay per click strategies. Call 1.800.670.9950 to speak to an Indextree Online Marketing Expert.
Author: Lawrence Johnson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Sponsored by: Blog Tutorials
Top 7 Internet Marketing Sites for 2005
Are you confused by what really works when marketing your business online?
I know the feeling. There are literally thousands of sites out there that either promise to teach you how to effectively market online or tell you that they have the magic formula.
However, there are some tried and true methods of internet marketing that actually work and never go out of style.
These seven sites will teach you how to market, and many of the resources they offer are absolutely free.
Internet Marketing Trainer – http://www.internetmarketingtrainer.com – For my money, and in my opinion, Malaysian marketer Richard Quek is one of the best. His ebook “Exposed!” is the internet marketing bible in that it will teach you all of the marketing methods you can use online, and it gives you all of the resources to set up a successful marketing campaign, most of them free. This ebook is so good that I keep a copy of it on my desk for reference.
His Internet Marketing Trainer site is no different. You’ll find some valuable freebies here to help you market online, and the newsletter is excellent.
Teach Me Marketing – http://www.teachmemarketing.com – Owned by marketing extraordinaire, Jimmy D. Brown, you’ll get over $197 worth of materials to teach you how to market. Jimmy has, and is, one of my favorite marketing gurus because not only will he show you what to do, he will teach you how to do it. Most of the marketing materials I own, I bought from him because they are excellent.
I’ve been deeply influenced by his style of writing, and I’ve found that readers really appreciate it when you explain how to do things in plain language without talking down to them. Excellent.
Boaze Publishing – http://www.boazepublishing.biz – Run by master list builder Steven Boaze (his list is currently over 200,000 strong), you’ll get a newsletter three times a week with some of the best commentary and articles on marketing online. He also offers you an extensive collection of ebooks, as well as his ecourses, absolutely free. His methods are tried and tested, and he gives you his best information and recommendations, all for free.
GuruPal – http://www.gurupal.com – Created by Anthony and Derek Tomei, this site gives you the opportunity to rub elbows with some of the top internet marketers online. If you want to learn how to market, learn from those who have done it successfully. Worth a look.
Emass Blast – [http://www.emassblast.com] – Newbie paradise. For those of you confused by internet marketing, this site provides you with the best resources, and the most comprehensive listing of marketing methods available. Although this site isn’t free, it’s worth every penny, and it offers the best safelist blaster online without the monthly fees.
You’ll learn all of the most effective methods for marketing online, as well as getting some of the best tools and ebooks available, and the safelist blaster can’t be matched anywhere.
Free Advertising Forum – http://www.freeadvertisingforum.com – Run by Michael Rasmussen, you can post all of your offerings absolutely free. This site receives a lot of traffic and everything is organized by category.
Net Profit Secrets – http://www.netprofitsecrets.com – Diane Hughes offers the best marketing membership online. You get not just one marketing membership but four. You’ll also have access to expert marketing advice, and you can post your questions to your favorite expert and get them answered. Each expert has a different area of expertise, so this allows you to get the advice you need.
You’ll also find 1000s of dollars in downloads available, and you can’t beat the price anywhere. You’ll get all the help you need to effectively market your business online without the high price tag.
There are lots of great marketing sites online that offer plenty of excellent information to help you market more effectively. These are some of the best, and if you’re puzzled by internet marketing, these sites will help you find the answers you need.
Jinger Jarrett is the Ecommerce director for My1stbusiness.com, an expert panel member for NetProfitSecrets.com, and a copywriter for CopywritePlus.com. Get her best special offers, and a copy of her free ecourse at http://www.smallbusinesshowto.com
Author: Jinger Jarrett
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Sponsored by: Store Stacker
