Internet Marketing Made Easy

Creating Apps For Cash

Written by dave on March 14, 2010

I am posting a link to a review copy of my report “Cashing In On Apps”. It outline some simple and effective ways to position yourself on in Apple “app store”.

There are many ways to profit from app creation for the online marketer. In the report I outline the 4 basic profit models, a case study and a ton of resources for making money with apps.

You can download it for free here.

I will also be offering affordable Private Label Rights to this report including branding with your affiliate links in the resources page.

Mastering Local Search Part 3

Written by dave on September 17, 2009

Taking it to the next level.. 

Hopefully you have enter been entering your website to the local directories from part 2. While some of the business directories in the previous post allow you to add pictures, photos, and other additional information regarding your business, most of them do not have a specific local community” focus that draws heavily on user generate content and feedback.

With a lot of the directories listed below, you can interact with other local business and customers through comments. Users can leave feedback on your business-listing (whether it is good or bad), rate your business (usually 1 to 5 stars).

You might think that this leaves you vulnerable, but in all reality, it empowers you. You can receive valuable customer feedback and respond to any critiques in a professional manner.

This gives you the ability to connect with your customers or clients
in professional yet personal manner and show them that you are listening to any concerns.

If someone should happen to leave extremely insulting or derogatory
information on your listing, chances are the directory staff will remove it automatically. 

If you see an offensive comment, you can report it and it will be removed immediately in almost all cases.

THE LIST:

 
Yelp
https://biz.yelp.com/signup/
Judy’s Book
http://www.judysbook.com/merchant
InsiderPages
http://www.insiderpages.com/advertiser/find_business
Tupalo
http://tupalo.com/en/world
IdGoBack
http://idgoback.com/
MojoPages
http://www.mojopages.com/advertise-center
BizVotes/CityGuide
http://www.bizvotes.com/faq.php#add_biz
CitySquares
http://citysquares.com/user/login?destination=business/standard
Restaurant (If your business serves food obviously)

http://partners.restaurant.com/get_started.aspx

If you have any questions or would like to learn even more ways to get customers, using things such as online coupons, and multimedia… make sure you register for the next online Q&A session. It’s quick and easy just enter your email address in the "blue box" next to the blog post and you will be registered.

Mastering Google Local Part 2

Written by dave on September 10, 2009

Once you are listed in Google Local you want to increase your local  influence. Below you will find  a list of directories for you to add your website link. 

This will help you in two ways

1. Increase the number of inbound links to your website (important to rank high in the search engines)
2. Get your business in front of local customers in your area who are looking to do business with you.

Basic Online Directories

There are tons of online business directories that you can submit your business information to.  Most of these directories allow you to put all of your contact information and a short description of your business.

For these directories you should use the same contact

information you filled out in the previous section. Once again, BE SURE TO INCLUDE A VALID LINK TO YOUR WEBSITE, WHENEVER POSSIBLE!

A lot of these online directories only let you put

in your basic contact information, but they are all worth filling out.

Start with these directories and work your way through them. Remember, all of these listings mean that you are increasing your businesses’ exposure online. When you increase your business citations online, it can help move your business up in the Google Local Maps listings.

These directory networks are constantly evolving and merging as

well, so it is hard to pinpoint which directories are the MOST important. This is why I have provided a comprehensive list that once filled out, should give your business the most exposure that is possible to get via online business directories and communities.

Also, as you increase your exposure online, your local map listings will pick up on some of the extra information you might choose to submit to the following directories.

If you are ranked high in the local map listings, you have a better chance of reaching your target audience – the people actively searching for you!

NOTE: Some of the following online business directories offer paid listings as well, but I would recommend just using the free listings at first to see how things go.

Also, even though you may be already listed in the physical version of these directories (ex:

YellowPages), you still need to list your business online. I will discuss a few of the paid directories that are worth submitting to in the next section.

THE LIST:

InfoUSA
http://list.infousa.com/dbupdate.htm

YellowPages
http://listings.yellowpages.com/

Magic Yellow
http://www.magicyellow.com/Add_Your_Business.cfm

YellowBot
https://www.yellowbot.com/signin?yp_r=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yellowbot.com%2Fsubmit%2Fnewbusiness

Super Pages
http://advertising.superpages.com/spportal/businesslisting.do

Localeze
http://webapp.localeze.com/bizreg/add.aspx

Local.com
http://advertise.local.com/

Best of the Web
http://local.botw.org/helpcenter/jumpstartproduct.aspx

iBegin
http://www.ibegin.com/directory/us/

a2zyp
http://www.a2zyp.com/contact.php

MetroBot
http://www2.metrobot.com/def.cfm?j=1

USA Local Search
http://usa-local-search.com/

User Instinct – Browse categories for your city and click on one that fits your business.

From there you can click “add entry” near the top.
http://www.userinstinct.com

Brownbook
http://www.brownbook.net/business/add/

Macrae’s Business Directory
http://www.nexport.com/submit.cfm

Wcities
http://corporate.wcities.com/contact_form.html?type=listing_add

CitySlick
https://www.cityslick.net/reg.php

Directorym
http://subscribe.directorym.com/register.aspx

NOTE: Many of the above directories let you include a lot of extras with your business listing. It is up to you if you want to spend the time and add pictures and videos to them.

My philosophy is that it certainly can’t hurt!

Mastering Google Local Part 1

Written by dave on September 2, 2009

There are many different ways to use Google, and some really effective ways to get new customers.  In this series we will start with the basics and then move an to advanced methods of mastering local search.

Being found in Google Local is important for any business but especially if your customers are local.  In these series I will show

you how to master Local Search so you get clients and customers

clicking your website and calling you on the phone.

The Basics

If you do a search for a type of business that has a local customer

base such as “carpet cleaner” or “bakery”  you will see Google local

listings show up ABOVE the regular search rankings.

These listings get the most clicks because they appear first or

“above the fold”.

Google and the other search engines all have different algorithms/ways that they choose the top business map listings, but there are DEFINETLY legitimate ways to improve your chances of showing up on that first page of “local map results”. Essentially your goal is to be in the first “A through J” section that appears when a potential customer or client searches for your specific type of business. It is important to note that registering your business in these search engine local listings is completely free of charge, so at the very least you should register your business on them.

Now if you want go the extra mile and really increase your local listing exposure, the following is a clear-cut guide that should improve your local map listings over a relatively short period of time. It should be mentioned that as stated above, the search engines use their own algorithms that no one has control over; so nothing in relation to the position of your local listing is guaranteed should you choose to complete these steps. However, most of these listings are 100% FREE and getting more local exposure in your community certainly can’t hurt your business!

The Main Internet Search Engines (Local Business Directory/Map Listing)

First off, you should make sure your business is listed in the top 3 search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN).

You can register your business using the website addresses below (the sign up process is very easy to complete):

Be sure to include a valid link to your website address!

Another good idea for videos is customer/client testimonials as well. The pictures can be anything you’d like as well, such as logos, staff pictures, menu pictures, building pictures, etc. You can also list any extra information about your business in addition to your hours, category/description of services, accepted payment methods, coupons etc. I would recommend being as thorough as possible and including as much as you can about your business in these search engine local business listings.

Google Local Business Center:

http://www.google.com/local/add/lookup?hl=en-US&gl=US

Yahoo

http://listings.local.yahoo.com/signup/create_1.php

MSN

https://ssl.search.live.com/listings/ServiceAgreement.aspx

Enter your business details with the search engines and then you will be ready for some of the advanced methods for using local search to

get new customers which we will cover in a later section.

Next in Google Local Part 2

Expand your reach with the list of directories.

Twitter – A Quick Traffic Tip

Written by dave on May 22, 2009

Here is a short video that shows you how to use twitter to

1. Understand who your market is and what they are talking about.
2. Get those prospects in front of your message.

Click Here To Watch The Twitter Strategy Video
This method works well if you are want to understand the issues and concerns of your market as well as a great way to get in touch with those same customers.

Never use this method to “spam” or hit them over the head with your sales pitch.  Let them choose to follow you and engage them… provide value and build a relationship.  If you know what there concerns and issues are it is easy to provide them with items of interest.

Here are links to tools to help you with this strategy:

Twitter

TweetDeck

Make Money With Twitter

Local Video Marketing Ideas

Written by dave on September 9, 2008

Perhaps you are a plumber, or a dentist, or an attorney and you are looking for examples of how similar businesses are using video to market to their customers.

It contains a huge collection of videos made by small local businesses of all types.  Most of them are posted on YouTube and aggregated on a local video directory site You can get some great ideas how to feature your business to your local market.

So what are the steps?

1. Create a short well produced video about your business
2. Upload to Youtube and other video sharing sites
3. Find local video directory sites that serve your market

Local Online Advertising Up 61%

Written by dave on August 7, 2008

Small and medium size business owners just like you will be spending 14 billion on local online advertising this year.

Acording to Borrell Associates:

After 12 years as an advertising medium, the Internet has finally reached small business owners with viable marketing opportunities in the form of keyword advertising, interactive directories and low-priced online video commercials.

There are many reasons but a large part has to do with a "giant shift" away from traditional advertising to paid search and online video.

WHY?

1)  Economic Downturns Demand Better Results

• Budgets are tighter
• Competition is fiercer

2) Customers are going online first.  The average person does a search online first.  Printed versions of The Yellow Pages, and newspaper classifieds are all becoming irrelevant. 

Google, Craigslist, Angies List, and other directories are all opportunities for you to position your business where the  vast

majority off customers will be looking for your services.

How Should I Take Advantage Of This Trend?

1. Shift the parts of your marketing budget that are not working for you into online advertising.
2. Start to think about what online mediums are right for your business.  Is it Audio, Video, Paid Search, Social Networking?
3. Run small measured tests, scale up the winners, toss out the losers. 
4. Schedule a free 20 minute "strategy session".  I will help you figure out what makes sense for your business.

YouTube Insight – Lives up to it’s name

Written by dave on August 1, 2008

I have been viewing statistics for some of my video marketing campaigns. The new “insight” feature from Youtube is proving to be quite valuable.

Some of the information I like:

Demographics – Who is watching my videos?

Geographical Location – Where are my videos popular?

Sources of traffic – How are they finding my video?

In addition to this You Tube “Insight” provides excellent

keyword information telling you what are the most

common terms.

You Tube “Insight” also tells you what related videos

show up with your video all very valuable information.

And more!

Now compare the depth of knowledge you can gain

about your customer with a video being run on television,

a billboard, or a print article. All three medium cost more

and deliver less.

I will keep you posted on new youtube.com features

as they roll them out.

What’s YOUR Marketing Footprint?

Written by dave on July 24, 2008

Part 1 – Don’t Be A Dinosaur

Are you a marketing dinosaur?…

When it comes to finding new clients, customers, and prospects are your methods “prehistoric”?

Every successful business has a “footprint” with each “toe” being a branch that reaches out to get your message to new potential customers.

HOW CAN I TELL IF I AM I

DINOSAUR?

The “footprint” of the past looks like this:

FOOT PRINT OF THE PAST

Expensive –

• Dinosaurs consume a lot of resources  $$$$
• No way to measure results

Slow -

• Takes time to make changes
• Labor intensive to produce

Inefficient –

• Loud "roar" but only heard by a few true prospects
• No feedback from prospects
• Fewer ways to reach potential customers

How many toes does your business have?…..

If you want grow your business and keep up with your competitors you have upgrade your methods to a footprint of “modern times”.

This means taking advantage of many of the methods and strategies currently available.

The good news is that it does not need to cost more and can be done in small steps.  

By shifting part of your existing marketing budget into better more cost effective methods you can grow more toes and “evolve”.

So what exactly does the “modern day” marketing footprint look like?

I will share that with you in the next part of this article “Whats YOUR Marketing Foot Print PART 2”