When it comes to generating online leads, you may be wondering which online marketing method is more effective -- paid search or organic search. A recent study led by eConsultancy indicates that organic search is superior to all other methods of online marketing.
Despite the fact that the majority of companies participating in the study agree organic search offers impressive results for online lead generation, the budget ratio for paid search was generally greater. The reasoning points to the notion that organic search requires more effort than other online marketing methods.
Benefits of Organic Search
Organic search is a relatively inexpensive method for online marketing. Such a cost efficient tactic can result in a better return on your investment. Internet users also tend to click on organic search listings, more so than paid search listings.
Best Online Marketing Methods -- The Comprehensive Approach
Your best bet for a successful online marketing campaign is to try the multi-faceted approach. Both paid and organic search tactics should encompass various proven techniques in order to be successful. Consider local and international search, paid search advertising and paid inclusion. Don't forget the power of organic search and tailor your online marketing methods to the particular goals of your business.
It took me several days to come up with the concept for my first blog. I spent a lot of time defining my niche and thinking of a way to brand it. Soon after, I realized the easy part was over and the battle had just begun.
When you're first starting out with a blog, or even if you've already put a significant amount of energy into it, it's typical to question whether you're approaching the project in the right way. So, while you're waiting for those search indexes to update, what are some other ways to tell if you're hitting the mark with your blog?
Frequent Blog Posts
You can immediately create an edge in your market by being consistent about how often you make a blog post -- try for every day if you can. Seems easy enough, but I've run across many blogs with that notorious apology post, "Sorry, I haven't posted in a while … [insert excuse here]."
Write Quality Blog Articles
Size up similar blogs. How's the writing? What topics do they cover? How informative are the blog posts? Use this knowledge to get a step ahead in your niche. Take the time to create a quality blog post, that's not only topical, but also engaging and informative.
Check Your Blog Stats
Increased traffic is a good way to tell if you're gaining headway with your blog. However, take this information a step further by evaluating which blog posts receive more traffic. Start tailoring your blog to that audience.
Blog Comments
Comments are a great indication as to whether you're hitting the mark with your blog. When readers take the time to post contemplative comments, you know you've struck gold. Congratulations -- your audience finds what you're saying worthwhile. Think of those comments as encouragement to press on.
When you’re designing your affiliate marketing website, what’s the first thing you think about? Is it where you’re going to get your content? How many affiliates you can partner with? How much traffic you will be able to profit from? These are all important questions, but the most important one might be: What is my site going to look like? If you haven’t been thinking about your web design, stop everything. Without a good design, you might as well just stand out on the street with a sandwich board that says “affiliate space for rent here.”
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
Of course, you want people to read what’s on your website, but first you have to attract their eye. The way you do that is with a captivating web design. If your site is attractively designed, people will want to look at it, even if they are not initially interested in the content. On the other hand, if your site is drab or ugly, even people who can use your content might be turned off. Remember that Internet surfers have a nearly limitless number of choices and a very short attention span. Attract their focus with the cyber-equivalent of something shiny.
Consider the Elements
Visualize your site before you ever start designing. Think about what an attractive color scheme might be. Consider a logo and what it should look like. Think about what you like to see when you surf the Internet. In fact, what you should really do is take some time looking at different web pages, seeing what works and what doesn’t and incorporating those ideas into your own design.
Your Road to Website Success
While aesthetics aren’t the only thing that will get your new website off the ground, it’s more important than you might think. Take the time to create a really great, eye-catching design and you just might find yourself drawing more traffic faster than you thought possible.
Follow Your Heart
Posted by: Craig Berger | 2008-06-12 16:38:13 | Posted in: SEM Info
I’ve been writing a lot this week about the joys and pitfalls of affiliate marketing. While I’m still not quite an expert on the subject (though a lot closer than I was a week ago) there is one thing I’ve realized, and that’s the importance of making sure your website is one that interests you.
Picking Your Poison
When people are considering what kind of website they will use as the basis for their affiliate program, they usually think first about what will drive the most traffic to their site, what subject will catch the attention of search engines and send hordes of Internet consumers streaming to their pages ready to start an endless cascade of clicks on the affiliate ads that rest within.
Choose Wisely
The reality is that making an affiliate site successful usually takes time and effort, and you won’t always see dividends right away. That’s why it’s important that the focus of your site be something that’s going to make you want to come back and work on it every day.
Do What You Know
Listen, I know mortgage loans aren’t anyone’s favorite topic, but if you have an interest in real estate, it makes a lot more sense to make mortgage loans your focus than say, poker. On the other hand, poker is perfect affiliate site for someone like me, who is constantly glued to episodes of the World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker, and whose eyes glaze over when he hears talk of things like “negative amortization,” “variable rate mortgages,” and “Private Mortgage Insurance.”
They say “do what you love and the money will follow.” Base an affiliate marketing plan around something you love (or at least like) and even if the money doesn’t follow, you’ll have a good time giving it your best shot.
The importance of powerful blog content is a well-understood concept. The purpose is, of course, to attract visitors to your Web site with compelling subject matter and keep them coming back for more.
However, you may be familiar another strategy for driving traffic to your blog -- link building. Often overlooked by many bloggers, effective link building not only increases your page rank, but also targets a wider audience through social networking.
When it comes to link building, you want to adopt a handful of different strategies. A popular method involves networking and building relationships with other blogs. Check out some important guidelines before getting started.
Network and Build Relationships With Related Blogs
Start making regular visits to blogs that bear similarities with your own. Why? The opportunity is twofold, in that you can size up the competition and network at the same time.
This is all about good
blog management. Daily visits to related blogs help you become acquainted with the topics typically covered by the blogger. You can use the information to enhance your own blog, whether by covering uncharted territory, offering a unique twist on similar topics or both. Whatever the approach, this can create an opportunity to establish partnerships down the road.
Leave Relevant Blog Comments -- Don't Forget To Add Your Link
A great way to network and build links occurs through leaving comments on related blogs. The technique seems easy enough, but if you're going to bother, be sure to take the right approach. Make a contribution with every comment. Participate in the ongoing discussion, say something that provokes thought and then, place your link.
Avoid dropping unrelated, empty comments. I'm sure you've encountered them before. Something along the lines of: "Hello, this blog is very enjoyable and I very much look forward to more posts from you. I will now subscribe to your RSS feed." Beyond the fact that this comment appears to be written in broken English, there's no substance outside of an arbitrary, "thumbs up pal." Comments such as these may be easy to deliver, but they fail to draw attention to the link you leave behind.
Frequent Participation Is Key To Building Links And Networking With Other Bloggers
You should have a long list of related blogs and visit them two to three times a week. Frequent interest and participation in other blogs sends a clear message -- acknowledgement.
Our Anticipation of Google’s Universal Search ReinFORCEes our Philosophy re: SEO
Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007
The premise of Google’s new search initiative is that they are doing what they’ve promised they’d do…
“Consistently Improve their Algorithm to Pull the Most Relevant and up to date Information for Users”
You may come across long winded pontifications about what this
update means and how it will affect the search engine optimization
world but the skinny of the matter is this.
Address your consumers needs and get granular with your search engine optimization approach.
Every piece of content within your site needs to be optimized. If it
makes sense for you to integrate video or audio content into your site
because it will help you to convey your message to users better — DO IT
& optimize them individually by keyword/s.
With Google’s algorithm becoming more granular with the way they are
pulling search results they are simply forcing marketers to become more
serious about optimizing their online brands.
The key to a successful Search Engine Optimization initiative is in the PLANNING, EFFICIENT SYSTEMS and EXECUTION.
It’s imperative to address the following questions to decide how much
of this initiative you will take in house and what you will contract
out:
- Is our offering one that requires a major initiative to establish
authority within the search engine results? Paid & Organic?
- How do we architect a site to address the needs and concerns of our company’s broad and niche demographics?
- How can we make ourselves unique in comparison to our competitors and what will our competitive advantage be?
- What forms of media will we need to include to ensure we are
providing the most relevant information for our primary, secondary and
long tail keywords?
- Who do we build a custom content management system that will allow
a small team of editors and writers to integrate, update and optimize
content on a daily basis?
- How do we ensure the content management we use will allow us the
ability to optimize each type of content placed within the site: Video,
News, Local, Books, Audio, Images, Articles, Social Posts, Blog?
- How do we monetize each type of unique content and which forms of monetization should we initiate first?
The bottom line to this post is that “SEO” like the Search Engine
Algorithms is ever-evolving. The mantra within your company should be,
“Plan, Systemize, Execute, Assess, Improve… Plan, Systemize, Execute,
Assesss, Improve…”
Don’t be a “Wagon Jumper”… Just because you read a new article
headlined within the latest issue of iMediaConnection doesn’t mean you
should ditch your website to launch a Branded Desktop Application
(BDA). Focus on what’s best for your ideal consumer and develop your
own ideas of how to target them. Get real with your audience and be
honest. Chances are you’ll make the right decision and chances are the
folks at Google will be doing the same thing.
Tom Elliott, Co-Founder & CEO CKMG
Who said Baby Boomers were Cranky?
Saturday, February 3rd, 2007
Recently
I’ve been doing some research within the Baby Boomer Marketplace
searching for hidden opportunities and remembered reading about a new
search engine that was launching geared towards the Baby Boomers of the
world.
CRANKY!
Upon first glance of the Top 10 searches today that are updated regularly it doesn’t seem that they are too cranky at all. 
1) sex
2) make new friends
3) & 4) jobs after retirement - (not sure why it lists the same search twice)
5) brain builders
6) romantic escapes
7) travel
8) discounts
9) work from home
10) wallpapers
I went ahead and clicked on Make New Friends and
it pulled up a very clean search page. It offers the user a chance to
narrow or expand their search with 4 options for each which is pretty
cool. There were the typical sponsored links… search engines are of
course “for profit” business models and they also provide a link
labeled Eons LifeDreams: Make New Friends.
As a first time user of this site and someone that is naturally
curious I decide to click this link. Upon first glance I see that it’s
a tool that Cranky/Eons has put in place to help connect people within
the search usership. Good Concept… I’m not sure how it will do with
the user base but I’ll be the first in line to see a case study
developed.
I do like how it provides relevant content to the topic that was
searched and ties it into other areas of the site. You are able to join relevant groups, respond to relevant blog postings and develop your own list of “LifeDreams” once you set up an account of course…
I think the coolest part of this site is that it allows you the
option of increasing the font size to a remarkable Font 16. I will
definitely recommend this new search engine to my not so savvy family
members that just happen to fit the demographics.
Good Stuff Cranky… Keep it up!
How do you improve your Lead Generation campaign? Close more deals…
Friday, December 1st, 2006
Too
often companies are quick to point the finger at the company supplying
the lead. Do we need to remind everyone what seperates an average
company from a great company? It’s not the LEADS… It’s the sales
consultants on the phone, hitting their daily call numbers, making new
presentations, following up and earning the sale.
When you go to the mall to window shop are you planning to buy
something in every store you enter? No; of course not. You are simply
window shopping. Yet how many of us have purchased something
unexpected at the mall simply because of a casually persuasive store
manager?
(raise my hand) I know I have.
Guess where people do more of their window shopping now?
Window Shoppers, Soda Jerks And Dodo Birds
It’s our job as marketers to capture the “internet window shoppers”
attention and to pique their interest just long enough to want more
information. Once the marketing company does their job and delivers
the lead to the company it’s on the company’s shoulders to take action
and cultivate that lead.
There isn’t one sales person on this earth that can honestly tell me every one of their deals have been a ”lay down”.
So, back to the question. How do you improve your Lead Generation campaign?
1) Work with an agency that provides a well blended marketing mix
and an innovative approach to their lead generation strategies.
2) Conduct end of month meetings to learn more about what’s working
and what’s not working. Discuss what sales people are hearing on the
phones to help the agency customize their campaigns to potentially
address some of these issues up front with information. Every
objection given from a potential client is a new way to look at
marketing the product or service.
3) Get back to the basics with your sales force and track the
numbers. If sales are down, look internally first before pointing the
finger at anyone else. If your productivity numbers are up and your
training has increased but your sales are stiill falling you have a
bigger problem on your hand than “leads”.
-Tom
Black Friday brings some interesting topics for discussion
Wednesday, November 29th, 2006
“(MarketWatch)
- If Internet sales on Black Friday rose 42% from a year ago, why did
investors on Monday sell off the stocks of leading online commerce
companies such as Amazon.com Inc. and eBay Inc.?” read full story
As the competition for Holiday budget heats up between online
retailers and brick-and-mortar retailers coming up with online
promotions to move volume cuts into the bottom line.
Why would investors want to sell their online retailer stock if the statistics are showing growth?
Brick and Mortar retailers are becoming much more savvy with their
online marketing efforts. Because of this they are making life more
difficult for the wholly online retailers like an Amazon.com.
In addition to the B&M’s grabbing market share they are also
running online only promotions with price points that justify the sale
based on predicted volume. This cuts into the margin but the B&Ms
are willing to take that risk to drive volume.
This will also cut into the competition’s margin by forcing them to drop prices and run promotions to compete.
As the competition continues to heat up with online retailers guess
what else becomes more expensive? That’s right… PPC Advertising
All I know is that if retailers are expecting to stay at the head of
their pack in 2007 initiatives need to be put in place immediately
to build out more ”
Organic Real Estate".
Intelligent Search for Health & Medicine provides targeted content results for clients.
Tuesday, October 31st, 2006
I was filtering through the latest news this morning and came across this article, “Medstory teams with publishers on health content“. Obviously health content caught my eye so I clicked on the link to learn more.
Medstory.com
has a very unique and valuable offering. They’ve created an
intelligent search tool that enables searches to access targeted
information by typing in keywords similar to searching google. The
difference is they allow users to refine their searches by including
audio, video, clinical trials and research papers.
They’ve basically carved out a great niche for themselves and will
be partnering with health publishers to improve their content one step
further.
For example: If you search the words back pain,
you will notice there are organic and sponsored results on the
page. Medstory creates their value by providing granular
categories also related to the keyword search. Interesting… This is an
awesome tool.
I have no doubt that this company will do some great things over the
next 12 months. This site is definitely going into a favorites folder.
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