Small Business Online Marketing - Attract Visitors With A User Friendly Website Design

Do you have a website for your small business? If you do have a website you are ahead of many other small businesses in your area.

How much control do you have over your website? What type of website is it? A static e-commerce website, one on which the content rarely changes? Do you have the ability to make changes and updates regularly, or do you have to wait for your webmaster? The answers to these questions determine if you will attract visitors with a user-friendly website design.

Your Website is an Extension of Your Business Online

Regardless of the type of business you're in, if your business is at a physical location, you know the value of creating an atmosphere that makes your customers and clients, as well as potential customers and clients, feel welcome. It may the actual setting of your establishment, or it may simply be the warm, welcoming smile that they are greeted with.

The same is true for your online portal - the door that opens to your business online. Your small business online marketing strategy requires that your online portal or website attracts visitors and encourages them to stay on your site, and later return.

Create a User-Friendly Website that Attracts Visitors

Your website must be designed to attract visitors and make it easy for them to navigate from one page to the next so that they will enjoy the experience and want to return time and again. Furthermore, your website should reflect your brand, the brand you want people to remember after they've moved away from your site.

Here are some basic points to attract visitors with a user-friendly website design:

1) If you have a logo for your offline business, it would be wise to have that logo on your website for continuity. Your visitors will more readily make the connection between your offline and online businesses.

2) Your brand may be just reflected in a photograph with a warm smile or perhaps the lettering of your website's name, which would likely be the same or very similar to the name of your business.

3) Your concern should be about your customer's or visitor's experience when they visit your online portal. It should be a pleasant one, and one of the things that will help is to organize your tabs in a clear and consistent manner so that your visitor needs only the minimum number of clicks to get to a page or retrieve the information they're looking for.

4) Keep your overall design simple and uncomplicated.

5) Make it easy for your visitors to contact you. This may mean the difference between a one-stop visitor and one who becomes one of your best clients or customers in your local business. Although you are marketing online, your business is offline, therefore make sure that the physical location of your business is also listed on your website.

Domain Name - The Importance of a Keyword Rich Domain Name

1) Every website must have a domain name, and by selecting a domain name that reflects, to some extent, what you do or what you offer to your target market, you will be setting the stage to attract visitors to your website.

2) Another point to note is that your keyword-rich domain name may not necessarily be the same as the name of your business. For example, the name of your business may be "Tim, Your Friendly Handyman."

Your prospect will be searching in Google or one of the other search engines using keywords, and in order for your business to be found your domain name will need to reflect that. Also, because your business should be found in local searches, the name of your town or closest city should be included. In this case if you were in my town your domain could be simply handymanservicesportstlucie dot com or handymanportstlucie dot com. It's always better to use a dot com. For one thing dot coms reportedly rank higher in the search engines, and secondly, that's the most commonly used extension. You could lose business if yours ends with.info or.biz and people are typing in.com.

More and more local small businesses are recognizing the importance of having an online marketing strategy to increase their visibility and attract customers and clients. The first place to start is with a website, which will be the door to your online activities. There are many other aspects of online marketing that can have a positive effect on your local business.

5 Reasons Why You Should Do a Product Launch That Has Nothing To Do With Selling That Product

When most entrepreneurs decide to launch a product, they're mostly thinking about how many products they're going to sell or how much money they'll make during the launch.

Now while that's a great reason to have a product launch, it's actually not the only reason. In fact, I may go as far to say it's not even the most important reason. Let's take a moment and go through the top 5 reasons to have a launch that have nothing to do with selling that particular product.

1. You create visibility for yourself. Even a small product launch will create visibility and get people talking about you. After all, the point of a product launch is to create a buzz and get some of your free content to go viral. The sheer act of doing that builds name and brand recognition, which is key to growing a business.

2. You build your credibility. If your product launches include releasing free content (i.e. videos, special reports) or hosting a free call or webinar, how you present that information can go a long ways towards building your credibility. If you giveaway great content and people can experience for themselves how knowledgeable you are, your credibility will shoot through the roof.

3. You build your list. Offering free content or a free call or webinar is a great way to build your list. Even if you have a small list there are ways to structure your product launch to maximize your list building. (Note -- the end result may not be tons of sales but rather a big boost in your credibility and visibility not to mention more names on your list.)

4. You build momentum in your marketing and your business. Product launches take an enormous amount of energy to get off the ground. That energy has to go somewhere (remember the laws of physics -- energy is neither created or destroyed, just transformed) and if done right it's transformed into a huge momentum boost for your business. You'll likely find marketing your business much easier after a launch -- not just because your personal momentum is going but because your prospects are still "talking" about you and are more open to receiving your message.

5. You sell your other products and services. Remember all that visibility and credibility you created with your launch? Well, you likely got the attention of people who may not be interested in the specific product you're launching but they ARE interested in YOU. Don't be surprised if sales of your other products and services jump (this typically happens both during and after the launch).

Now, here's the best part. If you do a product launch for reasons OTHER than a big payday at the end of the day, think about how good it will feel when you DO sell a bunch of products? One of the biggest reasons why product launches are so stressful and so discouraging is entrepreneurs put this big number out there on how many they want to sell and when they don't hit that number, they're depressed -- EVEN though it may really have been a big success in other ways. So, if you flip it, you can relax during the launch, enjoy it more and be excited and grateful for whatever sales you make.

Diamond Jewelry for Your Someone Special

"Purchasing Diamond Jewelry for Your Someone Special".

There is a significant amount of information available that will provide you with the knowledge you need to select the proper "Diamond Jewelry". The first thing you need to know is what she likes and wants. Don't start your search until you know that. You also need to know type of jewelry she desires most. This includes the selection of the proper diamond, color, and style. In addition, you will need to know if she likes Gold or Silver mounting.

Do your research first, then search the market for the style and type of jewelry available. After you have found some that you think she will like, picture it where she will be wearing it and make sure it fits in with her line of clothing and colors. But don't make the mistake of buying it because it is what you think she would like, you do need to have your own opinion of it and how you think it looks to you and to others, but combine that with her desires.

Be a little conservative in your selection so it won't end up looking gaudy. Make it look pretty on her, and let her know it enhances her beauty as well.

You may be looking for something for a special occasion and when doing so, learn as much as you can about the style, type, and the particular selections that are available for that occasion. Don't go blindly off in a search if you don't have any idea of what can or cannot be worn for that occasion.

Be very selective when you find something that looks attractive to you, because if you don't know what to look for, your special someone will end up with fake jewelry that will tarnish or turn black. This would not only embarrass her, but you as well.

Take your time and do the research. There are many pieces of jewelry to select from and you don't want to be fooled into making a poor selection. Check online and make sure the company offering the jewelry is well established and reputable before you even contact them.

Once you have found the right jewelry, you may also consider maintenance of the jewelry. I have found that after jewelry is worn a few times the oil from the skin is embedded in the links of the bands or behind the mounted jewels. Once the oil is there, it will collect any dirt around and that will be embedded with the oil. The surface of the jewelry can be cleaned easily with soft soap and warm water, but the dirt and oil stuck behind the jewelry remains intact. The best way to clean any jewelry is to use the ultra-sonic scrubbing method. The jewelry is placed inside the cleaner and vibrated ultrasonically to break loose the dirt and oil and remove it completely.

We have several articles available for you to learn from on our website as well as a significant source of beautiful Diamond Jewelry for you to choose from.

Please visit our website (see below) and make your selection from what we have to offer.

Small Business Online Marketing Strategies

It wasn't that long ago that many small businesses thought being in the online yellow pages was enough to have sufficient online presence. We know these days that having a website is a must for all small businesses and if you don't have one you are giving your competitors the edge.

We also know that consumer demands have evolved further so now having a website isn't enough, small business now must have a complete online marketing strategy. Here are five strategies of an online marketing campaign that all small businesses should consider:

1. Website

It's no good putting a website up and hoping customers will magically find you. Achieving search engine optimisation (SEO) takes some work and mainly involves getting the keywords right and placing them in the right spots. There are two types of keywords: head keywords and long tail keywords and it's the latter that should be the focus for SEO. Some research is needed to pick the right keywords for your small business online marketing strategy and Google's keyword tool is not a bad start.

2. Social media

Like I said at the start, having a website is not sufficient for a small business online marketing campaign. When we speak of social media we are virtually talking about Facebook and Twitter right? Facebook does get bad press from time to time but small business can really take advantage of it's aspects: it's virtually free advertising if you create a business page, you can let people know updates of your products and services within seconds and it allows you to personally interact with your fans. What other traditional marketing medium allows you to do that? You can have targeted paid adverts on Facebook for very little outlay.

Twitter is a great business marketing tool but needs to be updated regularly. It is regarded as probably the best medium to drive traffic to your website as long as you are not spamming.

Using social media for online promotion really is about trust marketing which if you are a business owner with an online presence you must know about and use.

3. Online article writing

This is what I'm doing now, ie using an online article platform as a means to build trust. Now there are quite a few online article sites out there that businesses can use to build industry credibility and market their website. Obviously Hubpages is one, there is also Squidoo, Ezine, Inforbarrel and many more. Don't underestimate the power of effective online article writing to get potential customers to reach your landing page on your business website.

4. Using video for SEO

Virgin airways say their ticket sales have increased 30% since using video on their website. Using Youtube as part of your overall online marketing strategy is a great way for customers to 'meet' you and hear you speak. Make sure you message is appealing and enticing though so they click on your website link which should be below the video. Using video can be highly effective for SEO and shouldn't be overlooked.

5. Use images for SEO

If you have images on your website then you should be using keywords relevant to your website in their alt-image tag descriptions. For instance if you are selling blue widgets then you will probably have a picture of a blue widget on your website so make sure you describe the image 'blue widget' in your image description fields. Why is this important? Because images enhance SEO given Google has a image search function. Lets say someone does a Google search on 'blue widgets' but hits the image link up the top of the page. They will get pages of images of blue widgets. If you hover over an image you will get the website of where that image comes from. Wouldn't you want to have an image on your website come up?

These are just five methods of increasing online traffic to your website and should be considered in any business plan.

Tools to Market Your Business Online Locally

Local search is an inexpensive way to get your business found by prospective customers. In the world of the online business, traffic to your website is the most valuable of assets. And in today's tight economy, business owners are constantly looking for more efficient ways to market their products or services without breaking the bank. One of the most effective ways to market your business online is locally. People tend to trust local businesses more than they do, for example, one on the other side of the globe. Local marketing online is one of the most cost-efficient yet easy methods of which to market on the Internet. And because most companies already have a web site and a blog, local marketing is easier than ever.

Top 10 Tips for Marketing your Business Locally:

1. Merchant Circle - Claim Your Profile on Merchant Circle. If your business is not already listed on Merchant Circle, sign up and within 5 minutes, you can get your business more exposure on the Internet. Be sure to include correct and relevant information such as your legal business name, street address, hours of operation, and business categories. Categories are important because they help ensure your listing is found easier by searching customers. Add deals and promotions to your Merchant Circle listing. Deals include coupons, sales and offers and are a fantastic way to encourage browsing customers to visit your website.

2. Google Places - Claim your business on Google Local Business Center. In a previous blog entry, we outlined the steps necessary to get your business listed on Google Places for free. 97% of consumers search for local businesses online and because the power of Google, many of your potential customers could be looking for the products and services that you offer online at Google Places. Be there when they're looking for you with Google Places for business. Again, this is a free local platform from Google.

Help your business stand out by adding photos, videos, and offers to show customers why they'll want to choose you. Display special promotions, post live updates, and respond to reviews from your Places for business account.

3. Yahoo Local - Claim your business on Yahoo Local. Potential customers from your area visit Yahoo! Local every day and could be searching for your products and services. Yahoo Local is easy to setup and gives you the ability to add descriptive information about your business and upload images from your computer. It is simple to manage. You do not have to bid on keywords and you can edit your listing at your convenience, twenty-four hours a day.

These are the building blocks of getting your business found online. These top three sources of website traffic are easy to use and- best of all - they are free.

Next, we will detail some other strategies for building visibility to your business online. Some of them are free, and some of them require an initial deposit to get started. But all of these sources are excellent ways of which to build website traffic, which as we all know equates to more sales!

4. City Search - Add a Business Listing. If you cannot find your business and your business isn't listed on CitySearch, you can add your business to their directory by completing this form. You need a CitySearch account to submit a new business to them.

5. Local.com - Add a Local.com Business Listing. Setting up your free Local.com business listing is quick and easy and takes just a few simple steps. Get started by entering your business information, preview your listing and edit it with details and special offers to enhance your visibility.

6. MapQuest - Promote your business with MapQuest. The MapQuest Local Business Center listing is free. You can add your business listing within minutes to MapQuest.com by creating a MapQuest Merchant Account. MapQuest powers local search for all AOL properties. You can also buy advertising on MapQuest that gets seen on Yahoo, Yelp and SuperPages business directories.

7. SuperPages - Also called SuperMedia - and is an excellent resource for business owners looking to gain instant access to the millions of potential customers that view the SuperPages business listings each month.

8. YellowBook360 - With a YellowBook360 listing, you are adding your business to one of the top 50 Internet properties on the web. Put your business in more places and reach more customers with YellowBook360.

9. YellowPages.com - The tried and true method of adding your business to the YellowPages is still a strong business strategy. YellowPages has re-branded their business and is now called YP.com, but make no mistake, this directory is still as solid a business investment as ever. Your business can advertise with premium ads and if you are just getting started or are on a strict marketing budget, YP.com offers free business listings.

10. Yelp.com - This website has grown into one of the fastest expanding user communities for reviewing and researching local businesses. Businesses can advertise on Yelp.com with any size budget. Yelp is an excellent website for advertisers to reach an actively engaged audience.

By incorporating each of these steps into your local marketing strategy, you can build a more successful business. Look at these steps and follow through with each one, as your budget allows, and in time you will see more traffic to your website, which will result in more business and sales.

Starting to get the picture? Yeah, you can build traffic, visibility and sales! Give yourself every advantage. Give yourself a better chance to achieve success on-line.

How To Make $10,000 A Month With ClickBank - Is It Even Possible?

Many who think about the idea of making money online usually find themselves thinking about making a lot of money doing it. If you have looked around at different methods for earning money online I'm sure you have come across a online market place that goes by the name of ClickBank. ClickBank is probably the largest digital product distribution place online. The fact is that there are a lot of people making money from ClickBank but the question is are there people making big money there? In this article I'm going to answer the question, Is it possible to make $10,000 a month on ClickBank?

Before I go any further I just want to let it be known that there are really a ton of ways that money can be made online but those who are involved with this company are either in the product creation and selling or affiliate marketing side of the online cash getting game. Many internet marketing newcomers find themselves at ClickBank because it is perceived to be one of the easiest places to make your first few dollars. To be honest, it really could be a great place to start for many. There are 2 ways that you can make money there.

Be An Affiliate - There are thousands of digital products that you can choose to promote as an affiliate and earn a pretty nice commission. On many of the products you will earn a rather generous 50%-75%commission. The beauty about becoming an affiliate is that it is free and is very easy to get up and running and promoting products. This is what attracts newbies.

Be A Product Owner - This is where you have created your own product and would like to get some affiliates promoting it. It does require a fee to list on ClickBank but the opportunity to make money is definitely there. Yes, you should do some research to make sure that there is some sort of market out there for your product but once you do and your product is created this is a great place to sell it.

Are there people making $10,000 or more a month on ClickBank?

The answer is, yes! To some this may seem far fetched but the truth is there are many people making this kind of money and beyond. Why many people do not make this money is for a couple reasons. One is that they don' believe they can. They are just looking to make their first dollar online so neglect doing all of the things necessary for making big long term money. The second reason they fail to see this type of money is because they quit. Let me be honest with you. Yes, you can make some serious cash from the internet but you also have to realize that it will take some effort.

If making $10,000 a month on ClickBank is your goal then stick to it and you will make it happen. First decide do you want to be an affiliate or have your own product and get affiliates. Either one can get you to your goal with the proper training and mindset.

"Make Money Online" Industry - Newbie Friendly or No?

An interesting topic was brought to my attention today. Is the online money making industry newbie friendly? There are some varying opinions on this. Some people say yes because there is so much information available and if the newbie goes into online money making ventures with the right mindset, they will succeed.

However, I have to disagree. I think that the online money making industry is very unfriendly to newbies. In fact, I would say that the amount of information available is a disadvantage in and of itself. I remember back when the thought of making money online first occurred to me. I eagerly logged onto google and searched the typical keywords "how to make money online." Google should have stopped me right there with WARNING: INFORMATION OVERLOAD.

There are so many ways to make money online-- surveys, affiliate marketing, home based businesses, cash gifting, MLMs, softwares, ebooks... the list could go on and on! As a newbie, it's completely overwhelming. And what's worse is that 90% of the information that you're overloaded with is complete crap. It's filled with overly hyped products and unrealistic promises of money. So many new people fall for it because they want it to be true, and they don't have the experience to know better. After enough screen shots and testimonials, they come to believe that it's true.

Unfortunately, after they invest in this overly hyped system or program, they find that success is much more difficult to attain than they were led to believe. This causes most of the newbies to get discouraged and quit.

Another thing that troubles me about the "make money online" industry, and, in particular, the online business opportunities, is how empty the promise of "team work" so often is. Several MLM and business opportunities that I've looked into harp on how they all work together, when, in reality, everyone else in the business is your competition! I think this fake "team" is detrimental to people new to the industry.

As someone who was new to this industry, and who is still learning new things everyday, I believe that newbies need very specific things to succeed. The first thing they need is a plan. There are so many products to promote, businesses to join, and ways to advertise. They need to be able to create a game plan so they can narrow their focus. It's a lot easier to succeed if you're focused on one or two things than if you're bouncing from program to program or method to method.

The second thing they need is support. Whether this support comes from a mentor or from joining a program where people actually do work together as a team. Support is important, because there are going to be times when you struggle, and you're going to need to lean on that support system. If newbies have both of these things, it's much more likely that they will be able to achieve their goals.