Ezine Articles – Free Website Promotion
Posted by Alan Mater on Oct 23, 2009
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By now you should know how effective article marketing is for your online business. However, there’s another way in which you can use your articles that a lot of people overlook or never think of.
There are thousands if not hundreds of thousands of ezines (electronic magazines) available on the internet. In fact, if you have an email list of subscribers, then essentially you own an ezine. And I’m guessing you provide your subscribers with useful ezine articles on a regular basis.
Keeping this in mind, have you ever found it difficult to keep creating ezine articles to send to your list? A lot of successful ezines have been around for years and have tens of thousands of subscribers. That’s a long time to try to keep creating ezine articles to keep the subscribers interested.
So, what does an ezine owner do in this case? It’s very simple. They allow other people to submit ezine articles to them which will be sent to their subscribers. Can you see the possibilities here?
This opens the doorway for you to get your message out there to thousands of people that might have never known about you otherwise. This is absolutely huge!
Here’s how it works…
You first find ezines that are related to what you do or what you provide. If you own a website or online business, then find ezines related to that. Next thing you’ll want to do is contact the ezine owner and ask if you could write articles for their ezine on a weekly basis.
If they agree, you’ve just set up a very good proposition for yourself. Now all you have to do is create an article every week for that ezine. It shouldn’t be very difficult as you should already be familiar with the niche.
Now, the most important part is to then create an “about the author” section at the end of your articles. This only has to be one or two sentences about yourself, what you do and what you provide. Of course, you’ll want to leave a link to your website so that the readers can check it out.
This results in getting interested people to visit your website. The goal is to get them to subscribe to your ezine (newsletter), make a purchase, fill out a form, click a link, etc. You want them to take action!
Ezine articles can be an effective way to promote your website and should be part of your overall marketing strategy. Now, a problem with this is that it can take a lot of time to search for and find related ezines.
I recommend you use the Directory of Ezines to find ezines to write articles for. Not all ezines will allow article submissions, but the Directory of Ezines has an awesome search interface that will allow you to search for only ezines that do. There are many other search parameters as well, including categories, specific keywords, ezines that allow solo ads and more.
There are many perks to becoming a member of the Directory of Ezines, especially if you become a lifetime member, which is what I am. At least check it out and see if it’s right for you.
No matter how you find potential ezines to partner with, just remember, this is free advertising for your website that has a lot of positive potential, so don’t ignore it. Ezine articles can have a huge impact on your online business.
How To Maximize Your Results With Traffic Exchanges
Posted by Alan Mater on Oct 6, 2009
Traffic Exchanges are still used by many Internet Marketers to build targeted website traffic. They’re great if you want to get a lot of traffic in very short amount of time. I use them myself from time to time and have learned a bit about how to use them to be most effective.
This post is the continuation to my post yesterday which covered the basic idea of Increasing Web Traffic Using Traffic Exchanges.
When it comes to traffic exchanges, you must know that not all are created equal. That is, not all are the same, and not all are going to produce the same results. It’s just the nature of traffic exchanges, so don’t dwell on this fact.
Instead, let’s focus on what you can do to get the best results. I’m also going to point you to a resource that covers the top 100 traffic exchanges and also has a cool built-in system to help you build your downline.
If you plan on using a traffic exchange, it would be a good idea to know how popular it is and what kind of results you can expect to get out of it. Normally this would be hard to know without first using it and doing some testing. Well, thankfully we can know beforehand we dive in and waste our time on a traffic exchange that might not give us the results we’re looking for.
Let’s face it, if I’m going to spend my time surfing for credits, I want that to be time well spent and know I’m going to get some sort of return out of it. It doesn’t have to be a monetary return by any means, but I better see some positive results.
The best way to use traffic exchanges, in my opinion, is to promote a splash/squeeze page that builds your email list. That’s what I do, and that’s what most all other marketers are going to tell you.
Now, perhaps maybe you have a brand new, never before seen system, and you’re trying to get some exposure to it. If you can create a catchy headline or have a very short sales page, then yeah, you might have a chance.
But, I would say your focus should be to build your email list and get more subscribers that you can promote your business opportunities to. That’s the first MUST in using traffic exchanges effectively.
The second thing you need to do is know which traffic exchanges are hot. For that, we have Affiliate Funnel’s Ranking Report. This report ranks the top traffic exchanges based on user experience and user votes. It also shows other important stats… you can check out the report to see what they are. 
So now you know what you should be promoting, and you know which traffic exchanges to promote it on. The last thing you need to do is test, test… oh, and test. Test your results with each traffic exchange and make sure your work is paying off in the end.
Are You Ignoring Your Blog Readers?
Posted by Alan Mater on Sep 30, 2009
Every blog owner dreams of having thousands of readers. In fact, I’m one of them. As of right now I only have 27 subscribers to my RSS Feed. I would love to get that number up. But regardless, that tells me I have 27 people who are interested in my blog and what I have to say. Ignoring them would be a disservice to not only them but also myself.
I’ve ran across some popular blogs that have literally 1,000’s of readers. These types of blogs receive many comments to their posts, and some are specific questions regarding what the posts were about.
What I’ve noticed is that some of these blog owners are completely ignoring the readers by not answering the readers’ questions and responding to the comments. For the life of me I can’t understand why.
In my case, I blog because I want to help people and provide valuable information. If someone has a question, I would be doing a disservice by not acknowledging the reader and answering the question. It just wouldn’t make sense.
But this is what I’m seeing on other blogs. If these blog owners truly want to help people, then why are they completely ignoring their readers?
It’s one thing to have great content that brings in readers and lots of comments, but if you’re not paying attention to your readers then what’s the point? Your readers could just go elsewhere to find the information they’re looking for.
I’m saying this from experience. It takes a lot of guts to post a comment on a respected blog for the first time. If I’m going to take the time to comment and make it meaningful, the least the blog owner can do is acknowledge me.
I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels this way. Personally, I’ll probably leave the blog never to return.
I would much rather keep my blog readers coming back time and time again. And, I want my readers to feel comfortable and feel free to comment. If they have a question, I’m going to answer it. I won’t leave them hanging.
So if you’re reading this and have a habit of ignoring your blog readers, just remember, you could lose them and potentially lose some money in the long-run.
If you’re a reader of this blog and have yet to comment, now’s the time. I want to hear your thoughts on the issue.
Oh, and THANKS for being a valued reader of this blog! I truly appreciate it!
I Wrote My First Guest Blog Post
Posted by Alan Mater on Jul 9, 2009
I’ve been wanting to be a guest blogger for quite some time now but just haven’t gotten around to it. While I was browsing the CYN forums I had responded to a question that someone was asking about how to build up a list of subscribers.
That response prompted another member to ask if I would be interested in doing a guest post for their blog. I’ve been putting off, so since I was asked about it, I decided to finally take action. I wrote up the article yesterday, and after realizing how long it was turning out to be, decided to chop it up into three parts.
If you’d like to check out part one of my article on how to build up your newsletter list, then head on over to Michael Burke’s Project Little Fish blog and read my article titled: Ways To Build Your Email Mailing List – Using a Lead Capture Form.
Michael has a good thing going on, and I’m excited to be a part of it. So head on over and show Michael some love, and be sure to leave a comment or two.
You’ll notice that there will be two more parts to the article that you don’t want to miss. You’ll have to stay tuned to Michael’s blog in order to catch them.
Guest posting on other blogs is a great way to get yourself noticed and build up your online brand. I highly recommend you go out and find other blogs in your niche that have built up a large readership. Most bloggers allow others to post articles to their blog, or you can contact them directly and ask.
This is just the beginning of my guest blog posting quest. I’ll keep you informed of any and all new guest posts in the future, but make sure you’re subscribed to my RSS feed so you don’t miss out. 
Oh… I almost forgot. For any of you interested in being a guest post on this blog, just contact me, and I’d be happy to have your article on here. Just make sure it’s relevant to my blog.
GetResponse – My Preferred Email Autoresponder Service
Posted by Alan Mater on Jun 18, 2009
Email marketing is an integral part of online businesses today. I honestly don’t know what I would do without an autoresponder that takes care of marketing to my list. As an online business owner, building a list of prospects can be a very profitable endeavor.
One of my very first posts ever written on this blog covered the topic of having a list of subscribers. Is the Money Really in the List? takes a look at how you should treat your list.
This post is going to cover my preferred email autoresponder of choice, and the service I use to build my list of subscribers.
I use and recommend GetResponse. I have been using GetResponse ever since I started my online business and marketing on the internet. They provide a very reliable and affordable email autoresponer service that allows you to put your email marketing on autopilot while building your list at the same time.
Here’s GetResponse in a nutshell:
- Unlimited email marketing campaigns, autoresponders, follow-ups, lists and broadcasts.
- 150+ professionally designed HTML templates.
- Powerful, cost-effective newsletter hosting.
- Unparalleled email deliverability.
- Click-through, sales and revenue tracking.
- Top-notch support and training.
Here are some benefits that you’ll receive when you sign up for GetResponse:
- Add a simple web-form to your website in 2 minutes to build your list, boost your traffic, get more customers.
- Launch your email marketing with GetResponse’s advanced newsletter hosting features and top email deliverability.
- Track your email marketing clicks, visitors, open-rates, undeliverables, sales and sign-ups!
- Retain your traffic by automatic mailings to your visitors whenever you update your blog.
- You will benefit from unlimited email marketing and autoresponder features, follow ups, mailing lists, and broadcasts.
If you look towards the top of my blog, I have a simple form on the right-hand side for entering your name and email address. This form is powered by GetResponse. If you would fill out the form and hit the “Sign Up” button, you would receive an automated email to confirm your desire to sign up. This is what’s known as double-optin, and keeps you Can-Spam complient. You would then be sent emails every so many days, which I already have setup on autopilot. BTW, filling out that form would be a smart move.
Email marketing and making use of autoresponder services such as GetResponse allows you take a hands-off approach when it comes to marketing to your list. Of course, you’ll be able to send out broadcasts when you need to make special announcements to your list that you want them to know about.
What makes GetResponse ideal for email marketing is the fact that they provide all the features and options I need to run my campaigns as effeciently as possible. And, they’re coming out with a version 6, due to come out July 6. This will be an all-new GetResponse that will have all the same features I know and love about them, plus some awesome new additions.
New features for GetResponse 6.0:
- Great-Looking Email Campaigns. Create eye-popping messages with GetResponse easy-to-use tools and wizards! Choose from over 300 Designer HTML Templates to create visually stunning campaigns for every audience and industry.
- Video Email Marketing. Give a face and a voice to your emails with interactive, high-impact audio-video! You can store and manage up to 100 MB for easy access and reuse. Just select and link your multimedia content to emails, newsletters, blogs and Twitter and you’ll make a “real” impression! This new addition I’m really looking forward to!
- Email Analytics. Capture, track and report on your digital email and domain information so you can constantly improve your messages and methods. Identify which emails are opened the most and which subjects, messages and links generate the most sign ups and sales, so every campaign is better than the last!
- Online Surveys. Use the GetResponse Survey feature to stay on top of trends and tastes, create accurate profiles, improve your products, and stay ahead of the competition! I’ve been wanting to use surveys for quite some time now, so this new feature will be very useful for me.
I’m really looking forward to the new additions coming out, and this just makes me like and want to recommend GetResponse even more. Seriously, if you’re looking for an affordable and reliable autoresponder service, I highly recommend GetResponse.
Check out the GetResponse site to learn more and sign up!
What is your preferred autoresponder service of choice and why? Leave your thoughts and comments below…
Merry Christmas!
Posted by Alan Mater on Dec 24, 2008
I want to wish my readers and friends a very Merry Christmas this holiday season. May it be filled with lots of memories of family and friends.
Every holiday season I look forward to getting together with family members. We have a tradition and usually stick to it year after year. Another thing I look forward to is, of course, the food. I love to eat, and every holiday is a great time to just let go and endulge ourselves. Anyone else feel the same way?
I used to look forward to presents, but as I’ve grown older they don’t seem to matter as much. I would prefer to give than to recieve now. My Christmas lists keep getting shorter and shorter each year, and when I think about it, I don’t really “need” anything. My wants are small, and as long as I’m with the people I care about, what more do I need?
No matter what I’ve gone through, or will go through in the future, I feel blessed with what I have.
I hope you feel blessed as well this holiday season.
To get things geared up for Christmas I wanted to provide some holiday cheer to all of my readers. Last year Office Max’s ElfYourself was a big hit. This year they’ve stepped it up a notch. I thought it would be nice to share with everyone just exactly what ElfYourself is and how much fun you really can have. So take just 5 minutes out of your time to view this funny and Christmas filled video…
I hope you enjoyed the video and got a kick out of it. I know I sure did dancing with those elves. Getting out of those tights was another issue.
I also wanted to mention that this is a perfect time to sign up for my newsletter as I have just added the first ever Christmas Gifts Package. I have compiled a list of products that are available as an all-in-one download, but only for my subscribers.
Not yet a subscriber? Just sign up on the right and you’ll be sent the download link to your Christmas gifts and other great bonuses.
Again, have a Merry Christmas and a great holiday season!
Is the Money Really in the List?
Posted by Alan Mater on Oct 14, 2008
The saying has been around since the age of the internet. You know, “the money is in the list.” Every “guru” under the sun speaks those words. If you have a list then you can make thousands by a click of the mouse. Yeah, that might be true, for the GURUS!
They preach this stuff right and left. But let’s be honest here. The money is in the pockets of the people in your list. That’s obvious, right? Here’s the kicker… what if you have an absolute crappy offer you’re sending your list? Well, the money is still in the list, but that’s all the further it’s gonna get.
If you think you can just drum up any old offer, zip it out to your list and watch the money role in, you’re dead wrong. Now there are ways to make a crappy offer look good. You know what I’m talking about. Movie previews?? Yeah, I’ve been a sucker for good-looking previews, but the movie downright sucked!
You don’t want your subscribers thinking the same thing about your offer after they pay you, if they even get that far. You’ll never see them again. Your subscriber only has one concern when it comes to you offering them something. What’s in it for them? How will they benefit by purchasing what it is you’re offering?
You must know your target market, or in this case, your subscribers. How? Well, you could send a survey to see what they’re interested in. Why did they sign up to your list in the first place?
Knowing your subscribers will allow you to know what kind of promotions you can send them. Sometimes it’s just hit and miss. It’s not an exact science by any means. This will allow you to target them better, providing a benefit for them and helping them with a problem. Solving a problem they have is the key here.
Alright… you know your subscribers, or have a pretty good idea of what offers they may be able to benefit from, so now it’s time to find the solution. What product or service will they be able to benefit from the most? Answer that, and you have a winner.
So this goes back to my original question. Is the money really in the list? I’ll let you be the judge of that. Of course, you have to have a list first!
My thoughts… the money is in the promotion. The benefit or solution causes them to spend their money to make their lives easier. Hence, money in your pocket. A thank you for helping them.
A crappy offer sent out only with your best interest in mind? The answer is simple there… no money!
You must keep your subscribers’ best interest in mind. They can tell when you’re only looking out for numero uno. Something to keep in mind.
If you want to be treated like a person and not just a dollar figure then sign up for my free newsletter where I will show you how to make money online.
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