Amateur Blogging

Basketball Training

2011-11-29T00:18:00.001+02:00

PGC Basketball provides intense, no-nonsense basketball training for high school basketball players, as well as college and professional basketball players. PGC basketball camps are designed to teach student-athletes to play intelligent basketball, to train purposefully, to be coaches on the court, and to be leaders in practices, games, during the off-season, and in everyday life. This is not your typical basketball camp. In fact, it’s far more than a basketball camp—it’s a university.

Their courses are designed to teach basketball players to play the game intelligently, to train purposefully, to be "coaches on the court" and to be leaders in practice, in games, during the off-season, and in everyday life. PGC is an indispensable guide for players and coaches who desire to lift their basketball IQ to a higher level. The Prep School is specifically intended to prepare junior high and freshman players for high school varsity basketball and is the ideal starting point and introduction to PGC for younger athletes. The Prep School is an ideal way to prepare for becoming a successful varsity high school basketball player. The Prep School basketball camps also provide the ideal foundation for all other basketball courses.

The Prep School summer basketball camps are redefining the basketball camp experience for boys and girls basketball players. Far more than just basketball training and skill development, junior high school basketball players and high school freshman basketball players learn essential leadership, communication, and life skills. Many summer basketball camps talk about character and leadership development in their promotional materials—see how their youth basketball camps actually teach them. Prep School is a must for any player who desires to excel as a high-school student-athlete.

Cymax

2011-11-22T15:32:00.001+02:00

Cymax is a leader in ecommerce retail. They pride ourselves on having excellent customer service, a huge selection of products, and low prices. Founded in 2004, Cymax began as a retailer specializing in audio and video furniture. From it’s humble beginnings, the company experience quick and steady growth as it expanded into different furniture categories and became an industry leader in customer service. In 2010 the company broke the $100 million in sales mark and was officially listed as one of the world’s Top 500 online businesses by Internet Retailer.

Cymax has a great culture and a young team. It remains dedicated to retail excellence, great service, and continued innovation as a first-class online retailer. As one of the fastest growing e-tailers with more than 100 specialty online stores, they have one of the largest selections of products on the web. Their browsing features make it easy to find exactly what you want among our hundreds of choices with only a few quick clicks. Can’t find what you want? Email them. If they don’t have it, they will try to get it just for you! They sell only brand-new merchandise from the top manufacturers in the world. All the brands they sell carry the full manufacturer’s warranty. They stand behind the quality of every item on their site.

Move to the new house

2011-10-10T22:38:00.001+03:00

There aren’t a ton of Satellite TV providers in my area but when we moved into this place you better believe that was my husband’s first priority. He was all about making sure he had the game on and that he wasn’t going to miss out on any of his college teams – it was football season, afterall. Now it’s been a year and he’s still all hooked up although we’ve made a bunch of improvements that help him enjoy football even more. We got a big outdoor patio set up with a TV and a big grill and he even got the “man cave” he’s been asking for years about upstairs with a pool table and a wet bar. I love making my husband happy and if this is what it takes then I’m glad to give him one or two rooms in the house. He does so much for this family I think he deserves that much from me and the kids, don’t you? I say it’s all about the happy husband!

High Efficiency Furnace

2011-09-25T20:00:00.004+03:00

High Efficiency Furnaces, Earthwise Heat Pumps, Home Energy & Air Purification

Expect More From Trane. Trane does things differently. They don't just settle. They go beyond. Trane engineers spend years researching and developing products to exceed your expectations. Products that last longer, work harder, and save you money every month. But it goes beyond innovation. They design their products and components using the most durable materials available. But it goes beyond reliability. They manufacture their products with the tightest specifications and the highest industry standards, test them repeatedly, and back them with an iron-clad warranty. But it goes beyond trust. To Trane, it's about creating your perfect environment. A healthy, comfortable living space that offers refuge from the harsh outside world.

It's a cool breeze on a hot summer day. It's a cozy, bright space in the dead of winter. It's healthier, cleaner air in every room. It's Heating, Cooling and Beyond. Trane Home Comfort Solutions Trane Furnaces - Efficient, Precise and Intelligent for Superior Comfort Trane high efficient gas furnaces are built to provide efficient and superior comfort year after year. Beyond performance, they also provide options for energy-efficient operation. In fact, some of their furnaces operate at over 95% efficiency, which means that 95% of the fuel you pay for is actually converted into heat for your home. So, for high efficiency furnace, visit Trane.

Bank on Yourself

2011-07-08T00:07:00.000+03:00

What if you could simply, safely and profitably grow your money even when you take out a loan to purchase something or make an investment? What if you could have your cake and eat it too? You can. You can Be the Bank. More and more people today are hearing about a banking concept that some call bank on yourself (or bankonyourself) and infinite banking. While major corporations, financial institutions and wealthy individuals have used this simple and safe process for decades, you probably have never been told that you can earn guaranteed interest, plus potential dividends, and more, all risk free! But where can you go to learn about how this can work for you? The team of the Personal Equity Institute (PEI) has the answers to your questions. They are ready now to help you get started learning about how this simple, safe and profitable banking concept can work for you. Personal Equity Institute is a company committed to teaching and implementing new and effective processes for acquiring wealth.

Through their online resources, which include classrooms, training seminars, books, articles and informational videos, we help our clients understand the dynamics of accelerated wealth building and the pitfalls of traditional financial planning. Personal Equity Institute constantly explores new and changing principals of finance. They examine historical data, apply common sense, and structure powerful prosperity systems, featuring our Be the Bank process. They also believe that anyone willing to remove the blinders of traditional financial planning and to invest meaningful time in learning about our Be the Bank™, will be able to change their financial future Why are they in business?

Personal Equity Institute is in business because there is an appalling lack of honest information about financial issues that is being made available to the public. This shortcoming has opened the door for PEI to show our safe, secure and time-tested Be the Bank process to people interested in their financial future. Who are our target clients? Target clients are small business owners, professionals; including doctors, attorneys, athletes and others, who have discretionary funds available to invest. They also align with certain financial advisors, as well as partnering with infinity groups, organizations, churches, and other entities.

High Efficiency Furnace

2011-05-26T23:41:00.002+03:00

Trane Trane does things differently. They don't just settle. They go beyond. Trane engineers spend years researching and developing products to exceed your expectations. Products that last longer, work harder, and save you money every month. But it goes beyond innovation. They design our products and components using the most durable materials available. But it goes beyond reliability. They manufacture our products with the tightest specifications and the highest industry standards, test them repeatedly, and back them with an iron-clad warranty. But it goes beyond trust. To Trane, it's about creating your perfect environment. A healthy, comfortable living space that offers refuge from the harsh outside world. It's a cool breeze on a hot summer day. It's a cozy, bright space in the dead of winter. It's healthier, cleaner air in every room. It's Heating, Cooling and Beyond.

Trane Home Comfort Solutions Trane Furnace
Efficient, Precise and Intelligent for Superior Comfort Trane high efficient gas furnaces are built to provide efficient and superior comfort year after year. Beyond performance, they also provide options for energy-efficient operation. In fact, some of their furnaces operate at over 95% efficiency, which means that 95% of the fuel you pay for is actually converted into heat for your home. furnaces operate at over 95% efficiency, which means that 95% of the fuel you pay for is actually converted into heat for your home. So, for high efficiency furnace, just visit Trane.

Austin personal injury lawyer

2011-03-04T21:38:00.000+02:00

If you need an Austin personal injury lawyer the Law Firm of O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath is committed to provide their clients with superior client service and legal representation. They serve accident injury victims across the state of Texas. Their experience in this area allows them to deliver high quality expert advice in a prompt, efficient manner. If you have a problem, they are here to solve it. The law firm prides itself on being approachable to their clients and aggressive toward our adversaries.

If you have been injured through the negligence of another party, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer to advocate for your recovery. The attorneys and counselors at O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath concentrate their practice on personal injury and auto accident cases. These professionals will vigorously fight for your full recovery. We are experts in personal injury and auto accident law.

They are headquartered in Austin, Texas and their personal injury lawyers provide initial consultations free of charge across the state at a time and place convenient for you. They serve the people throughout Forth Worth, Texas and surrounding areas including Denton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, North Richland Hills, Grapevine, Burleson, Cleburne, Weatherford, Mineral Wells, Granbury, and Tarrant County, Denton, Johnson, Parker, Palo Pinto, and Hood Counties, and all communities in between. Also they will meet with you at a place and time that is convenient for you. Contact them today.

Family Time for the Holidays

2011-02-26T23:15:00.000+02:00

I could really care less about the gift-giving aspect of the holidays. Sure, they're always nice to get, and the food is always good to eat, and the music does warm your heart, but there's one thing that I REALLY need during the holidays that totally trumps the rest of that. I need to spend time with my family, first and foremost.
I hate to admit it, but I probably didn't view the holidays this way for most of my years growing up. You know, as a kid it's easy to get caught up in all the grandeur and magic of it all and overlook the fact that the holidays bring whole families together on a regular basis. This year, though, I'm making sure everyone feels appreciated. I'm hosting at my place, and I'm working on making a very nice seating area in the living room big enough for our whole 20-person clan. I even made arrangements for my neighbor, who works with web domain products to come. I'm looking forward to sitting and enjoying each other instead of going in a million different directions. It should be one of the best Christmases yet, and one I hope everyone remembers for a long time!

Pros and Cons of Mobile Marketing

2011-02-04T19:21:00.000+02:00

eMarketing emerged because of the Internet, and has marked a shift in the way that
companies invest their marketing and advertising budgets.
Not only has the Internet become a major channel, but the connectivity and
community aspects of the Internet have brought about a mind shift in the marketing
of savvy organisation. Mobile Marketing is shaking things up once again.
As a direct response medium with lowered costs, easy customisation and sophisticated tracking, even on a mass scale, mobile is proving to be an extremely profitable medium for advertisers and marketers.

7 Unique Benefits of Mobile
With direct response and relatively lower cost of communication, mobile is changing
the face of the marketing and advertising horizon. Tomi Ahonen (Ahonen, 2008) has
identified seven features unique to mobile phones, highlighting the unique benefits
and challenges of the mobile phone.

1. The mobile phone is personal.
A 2006 survey (“Wireless Works” by BBO and Proximity) found that 63% of
respondents would not share their phone with anyone (and 90% of those surveyed in
Japan would not share their phone). While laptops do present a personal connection
to the Internet, they are not as personal a device as the mobile phone.
The implication for marketers: Respect for privacy and permission is exceptionally
important in all aspects of marketing, and particularly so when it comes to mobile phones.

2. The mobile phone is always carried.
What do you take with you when you leave your house? Wallet, keys and mobile
phone. What do you keep always near you when you are in your house? Mobile phone.
According to 2007 research by Morgan Stanley, 91% of mobile phone owners keep
their phone within one metre, 24 hours a day. People have their phones with them at
all times of the day, even in the bathroom.
The implication for marketers: Messages sent to recipients can be read and acted on
immediately. Unlike, for example, email which requires that the recipient be in front of their computer and connected to the Internet, messages sent to mobile phones will most likely be accessed within minutes of being received.

3. The mobile phone is always on.
In order to fulfil its primary function – as a telephone – the mobile phone is always on. Messages and services can be sent and acted on at all times of the day.
The implication for marketers: Similar to the previous feature of the phone, the
fact that the phone is always on changes the services and messages that can
be developed for the phone. It also means that marketers need to be even more
sensitive with their marketing communications. Not many people would appreciate
an SMS at 4am informing them of a special offer.

4. The mobile phone has a built-in payment system.
This is perhaps the key feature of the mobile phone, and one reason why content
for mobile phones in many areas generates as much or more revenue than content for the Internet. Every mobile phone has a built in payment mechanism – the SIM card. Billing is easily handled through the user’s mobile network. Not only do mobile phones have this built-in payment mechanism, paying for content and downloads
has been built into the way that consumers use their phones. There is less of an
expectation that goods and services will be free.
There are also a number of services that turn the mobile into a virtual wallet or
bankcard, bringing banking and payment services to people all around the world.
iChannel, a mobile news ticker feed in Japan, generates US$ 192 million per year
in subscriptions for its US$ 2 a month service. It has more paying subscribers on
this single service that all online newspapers in the world combined (Moore, 2008).
Similar cases can be made for games, music and other mobile content.

The implication for marketers: Consumers are willing to pay for services and content on their mobile. Advertising is not the only way to generate revenue for content.

5. The mobile phone is available at the point of creative inspiration.
As the mobile phone is always carried and always on, it is always available as a
creative tool. Phones today feature a number of tools that let users act on creative impulse, from taking photos and videos, to becoming a scribbling pad on which to jot down ideas.
The implication for marketers: The feature can be used to encourage interactivity
within campaigns created for mobile. It presents the mobile as a useful tool in viral campaigns based on consumer generated content.

6. The mobile phone presents accurate audience measurement.
While the Internet is vastly superior to other media in its ability to track and measure advertising and marketing campaigns, it is eclipsed by the mobile phone. Every transaction made on a mobile phone can be uniquely tracked to that mobile phone number, whether the transaction be a voice call, an SMS message or accessing the Internet.
The implication for marketers: Aggregated data provides extensive profiling and
segmenting opportunities for targeting the right audience. Campaigns can also be
accurately measured and tracked for ROI. Bear in mind as well that this accurate
measurement means that mobile phone users have far less anonymity than Internet
users. Even though at least 50% of mobile phones worldwide are on a prepaid or pay-as-you-go type of contract (which means that the network operators do not have
the phone user’s name and demographic details to go with the mobile number), each transaction made by the phone user can still be measured. Be aware, that the networks determine the data that they are willing to share with the marketing
company. This limits the information available.

7. The mobile phone captures the social context of media consumption.
Because of the nature of the mobile phone to accurately track transactions to any
particular phone number (user), it can track transactions between mobile numbers
(users). This means that sophisticated data mining can identify patterns that indicate information and preferences of mobile phone users. Not only can alpha users be identified, but they may be identified within their social context.
The implication for marketers: This information will represent rich data that can be used to both create and market products, content and services online.

Advantages of Mobile Marketing:
The Benefits of the 7 Features
Instantaneous: Or, at least in principle. As the audience is likely to be carrying theirbmobile devices with them in a standby state, they are more likely to receive and absorb the message on the spot. Always around, always on.
According to comScore, Inc., a leader in analysis and commentary of the digital world, advertisements for restaurants and food boast the highest response rates of all SMS advertising. On average, 16% of those receiving an advert for a restaurant are likely to respond, while 13% of those receiving an offer for food – such as a grocery coupon – will show interest.
According to Nic Covey, Nielsen Mobile’s Director of Insights, Nielsen finds that 13% of mobile users both recall and respond to mobile ads, while 16% view the ads but do not respond.

In terms of methods of response:
25% of mobile ad respondents sent an SMS message
13% sent an MMS (picture SMS)
11% sent an email
9% visited a Web or mobile site
7% responded to click-to-call

MediaPost.com notes that: “Encouragingly, among those who did not recall or respond to mobile ads, only 10% cited privacy concerns as their reason for not responding. Just 2% said their data connection was too slow.”

Efficient: Creating content such as images or video for streamlined mobile devices is relatively inexpensive when compared to desktop or laptop systems which can handle content of the highest quality. The limitations of mobile devices such as screen sizes, data transfer rates and costs mean that content needs to be simple
when created for mobile.
This mobile efficiency is also great for promotions, issuing vouchers and other permission-based marketing and incentive services. Promotional codes and coupons can be relayed to the audience via mobile devices, allowing users to ‘carry’ around the virtual information and use at a convenient time.

Convenient: With a good idea in action, mobile campaigns can prove more convenient than traditional media, as the content is kept down to a minimum and the platforms are adaptable on a mass scale.
Sharing: Like the desktop based Internet, mobile connectivity can make sharing information a breeze. Not only does Mobile Marketing have massive viral potential, but planning a campaign to go offline and then return online by using such multimedia devices such as 2D barcodes, Global Positioning System (GPS) or camera
capabilities, can attract others to get involved.
Broad: Potential for brand new audience who may not have much online experience, while specific target groups can be singled out. According to a report released by The Kelsey Group in February 2009, the number of mobile Web users in the US is expected to grow by just over 40 million by 2013, clocking in at a whopping 95 million users. During this period, the number of mobile handsets in America is expected to grow by just under 25 million.
Consumer Relationship Management: As mobile technology is essentially the first mass-communication vehicle which relays messages directly to the individual wherever they are, there is an increase in relationship building potential. Mobile phones are private and relatively secure, allowing for a more personalised approach
to media. Marketers can receive feedback instantly, leading to a valuable two-way conversation with their audience members.
With reduced costs of broadcasting messages, regular updates on procedures such as insurance claim processing via SMS maintains customer contact and can reduce call centre volume.

Real Time Tracking: As with the traditional Web, tracking and reporting is easy, effective and instantaneous – if the network providers play ball, that is. Quicker response times lead to increased tracking potential and market understanding.
Customisable Mass Communication: Mobile Marketing is often able to reach a wider audience due to the accessibility of mobile devices when compared to the number of those who have access to traditional, desktop-based Internet – especially in developing countries such as South Africa. There is often potential for device detection, geo-locating, location-based messaging (such as location specific and sales related broadcasting Bluetooth messages in shopping centre) and other handy tools for targeting.

Multimedia: Like PC based Internet, photos and videos are available, but it’s never been easier for users to create and share this content, provided that they have the latest phones. The ability to view this content is important to modern Mobile Marketing, but campaigns can also be centred on user generated multimedia content. Audience participation allows your campaign to grow exponentially, in content and influence.
Novel: The Mobile Marketing industry is not yet saturated with excessive promotions. Users and advertisers both still see value in Mobile Marketing.
Adaptable Integration: Mobile convenience makes it easy to cross platforms and promote other media sources by incorporating mobile elements into current campaigns. For example, Common Short Codes (CSCs) can be used in a TV or radio ad to get the public to enter a competition or request information. All they need do is text a specified keyword to the five digit number advertised. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) can be fed via SMS to your contact list, informing of news, specials or other valuable marketing information.

Microblogging platforms such as Twitter are another increasingly popular communication tool for marketers and consumers and have major benefits when incorporated into a mobile campaign. According to a Nielsen report published earlier
this year, in January 2009 735,000 unique visitors accessed Twitter via their mobile
device (out of a total, estimated at 6 million – via Twitterfacts).

Payment: Mobile devices have the potential to replace the physical wallet as it is a relatively secure payment device. This means the consumer doesn’t have to carry around wads of cold cash – but can pay via advanced mobile Web systems or even with basic USSD services (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) or CSC
services.
Direct, Personalised Marketing: By the time you’ve finished reading this sentence, a mobile user could have received a direct marketing message. As his or her device can be used as a virtual wallet, there is potential (especially in countries such as Japan where mobile payment systems are common) for a sale to be completed at the peak of interest.
In the UK, the mobile phone network Orange ran a successful campaign around movies. All Orange customers could go the movies for half price on a Wednesday. All they had to do was text the word MOVIE to a particular number, and in return they would receive a unique code with which to claim their discounted tickets.
In return, Orange then sent the list of prospects who requested discounts information about the movies being shown at their local cinema. How did Orange know which was the local cinema?
Simple: all they had to do was match the unique code to the number it was sent to and the cinema it was used at.
According to an article on Ixplora, the campaign provided up to 300 000 people with half price movie tickets every week, resulting in 3 million more punters in UK cinemas every year and making Wednesday the most popular week-day to visit the cinema.

Disadvantages of Mobile Marketing
Few Standards: Mobile phones are even less standard than PCs. Not only do phone models present a myriad of screen sizes, there are also several operating systems and browsers that are used by mobile phones.
Privacy and Permission: Privacy is always in question on any network or device. Savvy marketers must be aware of the connection that users feel with their mobile phone, and offer clear instructions for opting out of marketing communications.
Questionable Navigation: The mobile phone is small, and has a small screen and keypad. While some phones have a full QWERTY keypad, many have the standard numeric keypad. When it comes to the mobile web, consider that phones do not have a mouse and few models have touch screens. For the most part, navigation of the mobile web is through the keypad or scroll buttons on the phone - making mobile more of an objective based exercise for the user, rather than casual browsing.
Education: The use of more advanced features of phones can require an extensive education process. While mobile phones have a host of features, these devices are for the most part under-used.

VideoEgg Buying Six Apart

2010-09-29T00:19:00.000+03:00

VideoEgg ad network announced today it will buy marketing and blogger network Six Apart to create a combined media company called Say Media.

The goal of the new business will be to hook up advertisers with consumers at a time when online attention spans are limited and ads that interrupt people aren't proving effective. Say Media will team up VideoEgg's technology with Six Apart's social publishing and blogging network in an attempt to create more interactive and conversational ads.

Silver Bullion

2010-06-24T00:16:00.000+03:00

With United States Gold Bureau you can buy silver, gold or other precious metals and coins for immediate personal delivery or arrange for convenient and secure storage at an independent bank or depository.

As an investment product, silver is available in coin or metal bar form. Ingots are generally blocks of silver of pure bullion cast in a commodious size and shape. Coins have a currency value or they are actually defined as ingots.

There may never be a better time to buy silver bullion than today. World demand for silver now exceeds annual production, and has each year since 1990. Above earth reserves of silver bullion are low, reducing rapidly and approaching zero.

As an investment product, gold is available in coin or ingot form. Ingots are generally gold ingots of pure bullion cast in a convenient size and shape. Coins have a currency value or they are actually defined as ingots.

Buying gold has been known for centuries as one of the best ways to preserve one's wealth and purchasing power. Gold bullion is a unique investment. From the time of ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans to present times, man has had an affinity for gold bullion.

In all historic periods, man has been fascinated with the beauty and magic of gold, and with its power to change men's lives. Today, the beauty of a gold bar lies in its proven ability to diversify investments, protect wealth and preserve one's purchasing power.

There may never be a better time for buying silver bullion than right now. World demand for silver now exceeds annual production, and has every year since 1990. Above ground stockpiles of silver bullion are low, shrinking rapidly and approaching zero. Since the end of WWII, for example, the U.S. government -- once the largest stockpiler of silver on the planet -- has dumped billions and billions of ounces of silver bars onto the world market, effectively depressing silver prices. Today, that government silver hoard is gone... and now the U.S. government is a silver buyer. For these reasons, silver bars represent an outstanding investment opportunity.

United States Gold Bureau is home to a large and dedicated staff of hard asset professionals committed to serving your precious metals investment needs and being America's best dealer with a convenient market and competitive precious metals prices.

Where to Find Your Data

2010-01-20T22:07:00.002+02:00

So where do you find Visitor Values and Traffic Level data to help us work out the potential profits in a market?

Well, these are two separate pieces of information that you will need to gather...

Getting Traffic Data
It's easy to get a highly accurate yardstick of online traffic levels now that Google has released their search volume data.

Using the data from Google's Keyword Tool, we can see an accurate yardstick of how many people search for a particular keyword every month.

This gives us a very accurate indication of how much traffic (and therefore how many potential customers there are) in any market.

How to use the Google Keyword Tool to get traffic levels in your market:

1. Go to: https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

2. Up the top, you'll see a bit of text that says "Results are tailored to...".

3. Click the "Edit" link beside this, and select "English", then "All Countries and Territories" (or the appropriate country if you're want data specific to a particular country - good when your target market is based in a particular country.)

4. Type in a single keyword that best describes the market.

5. For example, if you wanted to research the Car Insurance market, use the keyword Car Insurance

6. Tick the "Use Synonyms" box, and tick "Filter my results".

7. Enter the capcha (the funny-looking letters that appear in the picture) into the box provided.

8. Then tick "Don't show ideas for new keywords. I only want to see data about the keywords I entered."

9. Press "Get keyword ideas"

10. The "Approx Avg Search Volume" box will give you an indication of how many people are searching in this particular market each month.

Getting Visitor Value Data

Next, we want to look at what each visitor is worth.

Ι looked at a lot of options for this, and finally settled on a simple, but ingenious solution.

The solution was to take Cost Per Click figures out of Google Adwords.

If you haven't heard of Google Adwords before, it's a marketplace for advertisers to essentially buy visitors to their web-sites.

Advertisers create an ad, and choose how much they are willing to pay for each visitor - and they only pay when someone clicks on their ad - so if Google Adwords doesn't send them any visitors, the advertiser doesn't pay a cent!

This means advertisers have less risk - they only need to pay when their ad is effective.

The benefit for advertisers to pay more for their ads is Google gives prominence to advertisers who are willing to pay more per click for visitors.

For Google, this is a way of maximizing their ad revenue.

For advertisers, this is a way of maximizing their clicks.

So advertisers will compete and outbid each other for the most prominent ad positions, in order to attract the most customers.

This makes Google Adwords like a stock market for visitor traffic!

The more someone is willing to bid for a visitor, the more that visitor is worth.

No visitor wants to go bankrupt, so we can be pretty certain that if the guy in the #1 ad position in Google is paying $2 per click, he's making at least $2 per visitor on average!

So if we can work out what the cost-per-click figure is that we would need to pay in order to achieve the #1 position in Google, we can estimate the maximum value of each visitor in a
particular market.

How to get Cost per Click figures using the Google Keyword Tool:

1. After following the steps detailed above (under "How to use the Google Keyword Tool to get traffic levels in your market"), you should see a drop-down box that says "Show/hide columns".

2. Click the "Show/hide columns" box, and select "Show Estimated Avg. CPC"

3. Click the "Show/hide columns" box again, and select "Show Estimated Ad Position"

4. In the "Calculate estimates using a different maximum CPC bid:" box, select the appropriate currency - the currency you plan to sell your product in.

5. In the box beside your chosen currency, type 99 and press "Re-calculate"

6. Check that the figure in the "Estimated Ad Position" column says "1-3"

7. The "Estimated Avg. CPC" figure displayed here is the figure we'll be using.

Calculating Total Market Value

Once we have estimates of Traffic Levels and Visitor Values, we can put them together using a very simple formula:

Traffic
(x Multiplied by) Value per Visitor
----------------------------------------
(= Equals) TOTAL MARKET VALUE

This tells us the total monthly value of visitors searching for a particular keyword (or keywords) in a market.

(Because Google's Traffic figure is a monthly figure.)

So, let's try this calculation out, using Scrapbooking as an example:

Τhe average monthly traffic figure for the Scrapbooking market ιs around 2,740,000;

And we know that people are paying up to $0.85 per click - just to get ONE of these 2,740,000 people to their web-site.

And we can use these figures to estimate the Total Market Value using the equation:

Traffic 2,740,000
(x Multiplied by) Value per Visitor $0.85
----------------------------------------------------
(= Equals) TOTAL MARKET VALUE $2,329,000

So 2,740,000 x $0.85 = a Total Market Value of $2,329,000 per month, or $27,948,000 per year!

18
So 2,740,000 x $0.85 = a Total Market Value of $2,329,000 per
month, or $27,948,000 per year!

Don't Get Greedy!
OK - now that you have this knowledge, it's important to use it wisely.

That's why I give you this warning:

Don't Get Greedy!

It's easy for someone to let their greed gland secrete, and start counting the money they'll make - before they've made it!

If you feel your greed gland getting away from you...

STOP IMMEDIATELY!

Just because there's $28 million dollars worth of traffic around for Scrapbooking, it doesn't mean you are likely to make $28 million dollars per year out of this market.

You're not. I'm sorry if I've burst your bubble.

You're more likely to make a tiny portion of this (so don't go buying dune buggies, waterfront mansions or small nations just yet!)

After all, the figure represents the total value of all Google traffic in that market - which is shared between thousands of web-sites ( it's shared unevenly - with high ranked web-sites getting more traffic!)

How big is the portion you're likely to capture?

Well that all depends...

on what you price your product for;
on the competition in your market;
on your visitor-to-sales conversion rates;
on how many competitors exist in the market;
on how easily you can achieve high rankings;
on the strength of competition in that market;
on how hard you work;
on how easily you can dominate your niche;
αnd on a stack of other factors that can influence your business...

But all things being equal - if you have two markets with similar levels of competition, where you sell a similarly priced product at similar profit margins - you can generally expect that the market with the higher value will be more profitable.

Master Funnel Creation

2010-01-01T22:08:00.002+02:00

Here is a list of all the different proven funnels you can create and incorporate within a campaign. You can implement one or two funnels to make solid daily profits or incorporate several different funnels together into your campaign to create a master funnel.

Key:

Traffic Systems (Valves):
PPC (Google, Yahoo, Msn)
Google Content Network
Media Traffic (Demographically related sites, forums, adbrite, adnetworks)
Social Media Traffic (Facebook)
Email Marketing Traffic (Autoresponder leads)

Direction traffic is funneled in

Landing Pages:
Review Page \ Presell Page \ Squeeze Page \ Banner

Affiliate Sales Letter: The sales letter of the product\s being promoted

The Funnels:

Direct Linking Funnels

PPC > Affiliate Sales Letter
Here ppc traffic is being funneled directly to the sales letter of the product being promoted.

Google Content Network > Affiliate Sales Letter
Here google content network traffic is being funneled directly to the sales letter of the product being promoted.

Media Traffic > Banner > Affiliate Sales Letter
Here media traffic from a particular website is being passed through a banner and funneled directly to the sales letter of the product being promoted.

Social Media Traffic > Banner > Affiliate Sales Letter
Here social media traffic is being passed through a banner and funneled directly to the sales letter of the product being promoted.

Review Page Funnels

PPC > Review Page > Affiliate Sales Letters
Here ppc traffic is being funneled to a review page and then passed onto the sales letters of the different products being promoted.

PPC > Review Page > Presell Pages > Affiliate Sales Letters
Here ppc traffic is being funnelled to a review page and then passed onto the different presell pages of the products being promoted then finally ending up at the sales letters for those products.

Presell Page Funnels

PPC > Presell Page > Affiliate Sales Letter
Here ppc traffic is being funneled to a presell page and then funneled to the sales letter of the product being promoted.

Squeeze Page Funnels

PPC > Squeeze Page > Affiliate Sales Letter
Here ppc traffic is being funnelled to a squeeze page, the lead is being captured in anautoresponder, and the visitor is directed to a sales letter of a chosen affiliate offer.

Media Traffic > Banner > Squeeze Page > Affiliate Sales Letter
Here media traffic from a particular site is being funneled through a banner to a squeeze page, the lead is being captured in an autoresponder, and the visitor is directed to a sales letter of a chosen affiliate offer.

Social Media Traffic > Banner > Squeeze Page > Affiliate Sales Letter
Here social media traffic is being funneled through a banner to a squeeze page, the lead is being captured in an auto responder, and the visitor is directed to a sales letter of a chosen affiliate offer.

Other Funnels

Email Marketing Traffic > Affiliate Sales Letter
Here the captured leads are being sent structured email messages via the autoresponder promoting an affiliate offer and sending them directly to the sales page.

Master Funnel Creation

There are many different types of master funnel campaigns that can be created by combining multiple single funnels together within a particular niche in order to squeeze out maximum commissions from a campaign.

An example of a structure for a Seriously Powerful Master Funnel Campaign would be:

i.e. A Make Money Niche Master Funnel Campaign using 2 Affiliate Products X and Y

Funnel 1
PPC Traffic >Make Money Products Review Page reviewing products X and Y > Affiliate Sales Letters for X and Y

Funnel 2
PPC Traffic > Presell Page For Product X or Y > Sales Letter For Product X or Y

Funnel 3
Media Traffic > Banner For Product X or Y > Sales Letter For Product X or Y

Funnel 4
Social Media Traffic > Banner For Product X or Y > Sales Letter For Product X orY

Funnel 5
Media Traffic > Banner For Your PLR Product >>> Squeeze Page For Your PLR Product > Autoresponder List > Tactical Emails Promoting Product X or Y > Sales Letter For Product X or Y

Funnel 6
Social Media Traffic > Banner For Your PLR Product > Squeeze Page For Your PLR Product >>> Autoresponder List > Tactical Emails Promoting Product X or Y > Sales Letter For Product X or Y

What is a Blog

2009-11-27T20:16:00.002+02:00

A blog is a cross between a website and a discussion group like MySpace. A website holds static
information whereas discussion groups are like talking to someone on a telephone. A blog marries the two together.

Blog entries are like entries you would make in a diary or journal. You can post a thought, interest or information that might be useful to others and they can leave you a comment about it, if they choose. Blog entries are archived for historical review.

Blogs can be created by an individual or by a group (group blog) to discuss a common interest (e.g. political, community, corporations, etc.) Blogs are great for business because they give the business a personal feel. Blogs can be tied to an existing website or created as an independent site.

Some of the advantages of using a blog are:

1. It is easy to add fresh content; you don’t need to hire a web designer.
2. The most current information is added at the top (reverse chronological order) so the visitor
can read the latest information first.
3. ‘Posts’ (messages) are sorted by date, category or archive, which helps your visitor search for a particular message.
4. ‘Posts’ (messages) can be posted on the main page or as individual pages, which can be
archived monthly, weekly or daily, your choice. Archiving keeps your blog clean and makes it
easier for your visitors to find a post you have created.
5. Visitors can post comments to your blog.
6. You can tell people a little bit about yourself by posting your profile.
7. You can post pictures to your blog.
8. You can include links to other websites.
9. You can use RSS feeds. (RSS feeds are a way to automatically get information from other
websites posted to your blog. This is a great way to add content without writing everything
yourself.)

History of Blogging

The term “weblog” was first introduced by Jorn Barger in December 1997.
Peter Merholz coined “blog”, a shorter version, in April or May of 1999. It can be used as either a noun or a verb.
Around 1999 Paul Kedrosky’s company GrokSoup and Evan Williams and Meg Hourihan’s
company Pyra Labs (founder of Blogger) created software to promote the new phenomenon of blogging.
In February 2003, GoogleTM purchased Pyra Labs product Blogger.
As of March 2003, the Oxford English Dictionary included the terms weblog, blog as well as other related words.

E-Cigarettes

2009-10-30T23:19:00.002+02:00

Electronic cigarette, or also known as e-cig or an e-cigarette, is the world's smallest form of a vaporizer. Unlike herbal vaporizers, the electronic cigarette is designed to vaporize glycerin-based liquids such as propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. The electronic cigarette consists of 3 parts: rechargeable battery, atomizer, and a cartridge. When a user inhales on an electronic cigarette, the movement of air is detected by a micro sensor which activates the heating element, also known as the atomizer. The atomizer heats up the cartridge containing liquid, which turns into vapor.

The most interesting part of the E-Cigarettes electronic cigarette is the atomization chamber. This is where the magic happens and this part of the device is responsible for creating the vapor like smoke, very much like a real cigarette. This vapor is a result of the nicotine dilution, that is found in the cartridge, heating up or atomizing. This is what produces the vapor that when inhaled gives the user the nicotine hit that smokers crave, but without the negative side effects of smoking tobacco.

At no7ecigarettes.com you can buy cheap cigarettes online right and have them shipped to your door overnight. Buy cigarettes in bulk and save on the shipping. They service domestic as well as International clients for volume purchasing and offer a variety of Payment Terms. If you are located overseas they can ship straight to your distribution center, not matter you need E-Cigarettes Austria or E-Cigarettes Belgium. Their pricing is suitable for any type of volume quantities or business model.

SS Choice, LLC is a global contender in the electronic cigarette industry and is located in the heart of the United States of America in Southlake, Texas. The factory is strategically located between Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas within 10 miles of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for fast shipping anywhere in the world.

Gold

2009-10-26T08:54:00.003+02:00

Demand for gold has risen sharply in the United States during the last few years. Before and after the stock market began falling, some investors diversified their holdings with undervalued gold and silver assets. With the stock market’s recent gyrations, a growing number of investors have already benefited from their diversification into gold. Most gold investors agree that it’s still a good time to diversify into gold and silver. The upside potential is strong.

There may never be a better time for buying gold than right now. As an investment product, gold is available in coin or ingot form. Ingots are generally gold ingots of pure bullion cast in a convenient size and shape. Coins have a currency value or they are actually defined as ingots.

Monex Precious Metals is home to a large and dedicated staff of hard asset professionals committed to serving your precious metals investment needs and being America's best dealer with a convenient market and competitive precious metals prices.For over 30 years, the Monex companies have been America's gold and precious metals investment leader. With client transactions now totaling over $25 billion, Monex Deposit Company is America's premier precious metal dealer because of our dedication to customer service and satisfaction.The Monex companies offer investors a sizable gold market. Through Monex Deposit Company (MDC) you can purchase gold or other precious metals for immediate personal delivery or arrange for convenient and safe storage at an independent bank or depository.

Blogging with Blogger

2009-10-11T17:29:00.002+03:00

Blogger has been around for a long time — longer than most other blogging software programs. That means people are familiar with it and comfortable with it. Because Blogger works with just about any Web browser, is available in many languages, and is free to use, the barriers to entry are practically nonexistent.

The first steps
Anyone can start a blog with Blogger right now and be a part of the blogosphere in less than five minutes. It’s true. To start a blog using Blogger, you only need to visit the Blogger home page and follow these three simple steps:

Create an account
Name your blog
Choose a template

Naturally, navigating through the above steps and the steps that come after you launch your blog (when you customize it and make it look and act the way you want it to) require a bit more work.

The right tools
To start a blog with Blogger, you only need a computer and an Internet connection. However, the more you blog, you might find that you want to experiment with different blogging methods and capabilities. For example, you might want to invest in a digital camera so you can take your own pictures to upload in your blog posts. Alternatively, you might want to buy a digital video camera and try your hand at video blogging.

The important thing to remember is that your blog will grow with you. Start with the basics. As you become more comfortable with Blogger and with blogging in general, don’t be afraid to test the waters and try new things.

Creating a podcast might sound impossible to you now, but the more you blog, the more apt you are to jump in and learn something new to take your blogging experience to the next level.

Don’t rush in and buy all the cool gadgets on Day One. Take your time to learn and then decide which tools will help you meet your blogging goals. Blogging success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and patience. None of those tools is going anywhere.

Comparing Blogger to Other Blogging Software Options

2009-10-10T17:25:00.002+03:00

Blogger has changed significantly in recent years. New functionality is continually added to ensure that Blogger retains its position as market leader. Other blogging software programs have come and gone with several threatening Blogger, but the team behind Blogger continues to improve the product by offering improvements and new technologies. The following list describes some other blogging programs:

WordPress: The biggest rival to Blogger is WordPress, which is known for its wide variety of plug-ins and add-ons, such as contact forms, related posts links, and sitemaps, that allow users to customize their blogs to suit their individual needs. Blogger offers customization, but WordPress
wins the race in terms of giving users the most variety. The drawbacks of WordPress are twofold:

• The free version is far more limited than the version that requires users to pay for their own domain names and web hosting.

• The free version doesn’t allow users to monetize their blogs.

TypePad: Although TypePad is easy to use, it isn’t free. Users pay a monthly fee to use TypePad. It offers a decent level of customization, such as templates and design (although less than WordPress with paid hosting), but its use comes at a cost.

Moveable Type: The program’s biggest drawback is the expensive licenses that users have to pay for in order to use it. The installation process also isn’t as simple as in other blogging software programs, and its features aren’t as vast. On the flip-side, it is extremely easy to add
multiple blogs to the same account with Moveable Type, which made it popular for team blogs in the past (although WordPress is gaining ground in this market).

LiveJournal: Users must pay a monthly fee to use LiveJournal, which provides a limited number of features and customization options.

MySpace: MySpace offers a blogging option, but it’s quite different from Blogger and many of the other available blogging software programs because so much of the success of a MySpace blog comes from the audience of MySpace members who become its “friends”. MySpace is more
of a social network with a blogging platform included rather than a stand-alone blogging
software program such as Blogger.

Xanga: Much like MySpace, Xanga is a social networking site with a blogging option integrated into it rather than a stand-alone blogging software program such as Blogger.

How to Post If Your Blog Is Blocked As Spam

2009-08-15T18:25:00.002+03:00

Sometimes Blogger will block access to a blog because it thinks it's a spam blog. But most of the time it is wrong! The same happened to me and I had to contact them in order to unlock my blog.

The problem is that until the Blogger staff review your blog, you can't post anything. And sometimes it takes them a few weeks to review a blog. In that case you will lose a lot of your readers because they will visit your blog and see that there is no new content.

So, what do you do? The solution I found is called WriteToMyBlog.com. It's a free online service that allows you to write an article and then post it on your blog. It works because the post comes from a different IP and for some reason it can bypass the Blogger block.

They offer a nice WYSIWYG HTML editor and you can post your article not only at Blogger but also to Wordpress, Typead, Movable Type and Dotclear.

Diesel Underwear

2009-08-10T18:50:00.002+03:00

Since 1978, Diesel has attracted a following of fashion loving fans who enjoy the label's edgy, wearable designs. It is mostly Diesel jeans denim that make the Diesel clothing brand but they also sell many other items of clothing and accessories and when you are stuck in a fashion rut, you can surely find everything you have ever wanted from Diesel fashion.

Diesel underwear embodies a philosophy that always looks toward the future. As with the famous clothing line, Diesel underwear is a favored brand of today’s modern man. When you need clothes that look good and feel great, you can find all that you need from Diesel clothing and Diesel underwear. Diesel underwear is for men who are trendy, fashion-conscious, active and athletic. Specially designed to suit a range of tastes, the Diesel underwear collection provide a huge selection of Diesel underwear to choose from. You will be amazed at how much Diesel underwear will enhance the quality of your fashion life, and will wonder how you ever managed without it.

For the bold and uninhibited, Diesel underwear sets the benchmark for unconventional men's underwear. With personality and style, Diesel underwear puts an end to boring briefs and off-the-rack boxers. Diesel's undergarment designs feature eye-catching illustrations and an exceptional attention to detail, from perfectly centered waistband logos to metallic studded imprint on its Muntande line of briefs and boxers underwear.

Naturally all these efforts have earned Diesel a top spot for hot men's underwear styles. It doesn't get much steamier than letting the signature logo waistband of your Diesel underwear peak out from your low-rise jeans. From the moment you wear your first pair, you will appreciate the luxurious fit and irreverent style of Diesel underwear.

Whether Diesel underwear will match your individuality, and bring something new and exciting to your wardrobe. The innovative versatility of Diesel underwear together with the infinite range of styles available will convince you that Diesel underwear goes with what you are wearing whether casual or not. With Diesel underwear, you will always be center stage.

Free Traffic System

2009-08-02T19:16:00.003+03:00

FreeTrafficSystem.com offers an easy way to get backlinks to your site.The way it works is simple.
You submit articles to the system with a backilnk to your site and those articles will be posted on other blogs. The webmasters of these blogs need content and since you give it to them, you are rewarded with a backlink (or more). Give it a try and you will see that it's very easy to use.

Forum Marketing

2009-07-01T17:40:00.002+03:00

How to set up an effective signature file

Here are some ideas for you to set up a "sig file":If you promote an affiliate product (or even your own product), you can just copy the headline from the salesletter and then include a link to the salesletter.

For example, if I wanted to promote a product like "The Super Ebook", I would copy the headline of the salesletter, and then paste it as my signature file. Then, I would include a call to action like "Click Here".

Or, I would hyperlink the name of the product and then include the headline of the salesletter.
If the product is yours, use the name of the product hyperlinked as I just explained. This is a good way to "brand" your product.

If you are an affiliate, you can use a "blind" promotion and not mention the name of the product. Let curiosity get the best of people and then click on your link.

Or, you can create a short, sweet and controversial description of the product you promote.

Another thing you can do is set up a landing page and offer a positive review of the product you promote as well as an added bonus for people who purchase through your affiliate link. Especially if you have used the product yourself and have gotten great results, I can tell you that this can work extremely well.

Something else that can work very well is to make a special offer for members of each individual forum.

Another thing you can do is have several links to several different products separated by a "pipe" (). There's no "law" that prohibits you from linking to more than one resource. You can have each link point to a different landing page of yours. You can use your desired "anchor text" in your signature file. So, if you do keyword research and you see that some specific keywords get many searches (and you can provide a solution or a product to point people who search for them to), you can use these very keywords to link to your landing pages.
Over time, more and more links will be pointing to your landing pages. Links that will be on the same forum page (the same thread), different threads on the same forum or even several different pages across different forums you post on (more on that later).

The popular forums in your industry are considered huge authority sites and they have a lot of "weight" in the search engines. If you don't believe me, search for 10 random terms. You'll see that many times, some of the top results are nothing more than forum threads. Having these sites link to your page is a great "side effect" of you using a well-thought-out signature file. Many links from different authority sites can make your landing page(s) rank high on the search engines.

Remember that you can modify your sig file at any time. You can promote a different product, add another product, stop promoting a specific product etc...

If you suspect that a new product will start gaining popularity in your market, you can simply create a new landing page promoting that product and then add a link in your signature file to your new landing page.

Just like that you can have hundreds of links pointing to your page. And those will grow "naturally" over time as you continue posting on forums.

If you have a product in the "make money"/ "work from home" industry, another thing you can do in your sig file is promote your affiliate program. Link to a page talking about your product, why it's good and why people should promote it. You will get some good affiliates that way.

If you want to track how effective your signature files are, you can use a tracking link instead of pointing directly to your landing page. Yes, forum marketing is "free", but you will still put time into it. You need to know if it pays you enough for your time (and, if you do exactly what I tell you, you should get paid more than "fairly").

If you want to take advantage of the links in your signature file with a specific anchor text, in order to build link popularity for your site, then don't use a 3rd party tracking service. Use a tracking link that will be on the same domain as your page and just add a variable at the end of the link.

If you want to draw attention to your signature file you can have it be bold, italicised, coloured or even with a bigger font. Not all forums allow it but many do. I personally use just a normal font size and colour - but that's just me.

Now, I need to say something really important.
You need to be clear about your goals. You are visiting the forums to offer value and make money - not to spend all your day there. Plan the day before. Know how long you will spend on the forums. Let's say that you want to spend 2 hours reading and replying to posts. Use a stopwatch. Have it countdown from 2 hours to zero.

It's easy to spend all your day on the forums without purpose - thinking that you are "working on your business". Don't fall into this trap. You need to manage your time.

Also, stop visiting each thread you posted in just to see if someone else posted in it and if you need to reply.

Stop trying to see if "people love you" and they said you made a great post. Most people couldn't care less if you had a kidney transplant. Get used to it. Just finish posting on the 1st forum and then move on to the second. And then the third one. The next day you can start all over again.

If you want to be more active and post again and again (if needed) during the same day, just click the link that says "subscribe to this thread" or "subscribe to this topic". That way, you will receive an email notification every time someone posted in the thread. Just clicking the link in your email will take you directly to that thread and, if needed, post again.

How to Use Twitter as Mini Blog

2009-06-20T18:29:00.000+03:00

A mini blog? Is it really worth it when you’re only allowed a maximum of 140 characters for each ‘post’? Well actually yes, it is. The real secret to using Twitter effectively is to think of it as a miniature blog. Sure, some people will use it to tell the world what they had for dinner, but we’ve got an altogether different purpose for it. We want to generate trafﬁc for our websites and promote our businesses, so we need to have some continuity in our tweets if we can.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BLOG AND ‘TWITTERING’?
Two words—no wafﬂe. In fact, starting to tweet on a regular basis will actually make everything you write for your blog tighter and more readable. If a blog is a novel, then a tweet is a short story.

So what differences are there in the way that you construct your tweets as opposed to how you write a blog post? Well you certainly have a lot more freedom with your blog since you can pretty much write posts as long as you like. Some people have been known to write blog posts that could quite easily have been sold as e-books!

There’s certainly no way you could do that with your tweets.Some people have asked what the point of Twitter really is. With updates that are so short is there anything you can say that is worthwhile? That is a valid point, but if you ever ﬁnd yourself thinking that then you’re missing the whole point of Twitter.

It gives you a tool that allows you to get in touch with anyone else on the web. It also appeals to all those people who simply don’t have the time to keep up with a blog—however well it might be written. The basic premise is this—write the best tweets you can come up with, give people the URL to your blog or website in your proﬁle, and let them decide whether they want to read more or not.

As such it also provides an easy access point as far as many of your potential readers are concerned. If you’ve ever been browsing around the web and come across a blog on a subject you’re interested in, how long do you give it before you get
bored and move on to something else?

That’s a great advantage of Twitter. Someone can come across your proﬁle, take a quick glance at all your tweets and decide then and there whether they want to follow you or not. Or maybe even jump over to your blog or website.

So don’t think of Twitter as just a mini blog, or even a micro blog. Think of it as an opportunity to pre-sell your blog or website without actually selling anything.

Sounds confusing? Let’s take a closer look at how to write great tweets to sell without, er, selling.

Writing great tweets
The ﬁrst rule of great writing—whether it’s a tweet or anything else, come to that—is to grab the attention of whoever is reading. If they’re not intrigued, delighted, amazed or just plain wowed over what you’re written then you’re not going to win any fans or long term readers.

And if they’re not interested in your tweets the chances are high that they won’t be too bothered about visiting your website or your blog either. Shame.

So let’s make sure that doesn’t happen to you.

If you’re on Twitter to promote your business, think of each tweet you send out as a headline. Don’t forget the golden rule not to overly plug your business all the time. Instead, think about some ways that you can get people interested in you and what you’re tweeting about.

Try keeping tabs on what’s going on in your line of business, especially online. With any luck you will become known as someone who provides a regular insight into that area, and people will start to look forward to your updates.

Thinking about each update in terms of a headline is a great way to make sure you don’t wafﬂe and waste some of those precious 140 characters. But there is a ﬁne balance between writing an attention grabbing headline and writing something that’s
impersonal.

Keywords
This is an important tip to remember because it can get you some extra trafﬁc. And it doesn’t just apply to your updates; it applies to your proﬁle as well. Remember, if you can search for other people . . . then they can search for you too.

So with that in mind, make sure you think about what keywords best describe your business or your interests—whatever is relevant to the kind of audience you want to attract. If you have a gadgets website, tell people you are a gadget freak. If you are a writer, tell people. If you like computers (and you just so happen to sell software for them) tell people what you do. Get the picture? Just remember those keywords and the right trafﬁc will automatically come and ﬁnd you.

One final tip about writing a tweet
If you are on Twitter with the intention of building up another stream of trafﬁc and ﬁnding new readers for your blog, make sure you post a tweet to announce each new blog post, and give readers something intriguing to chew over while they click your link to visit the blog itself. Asking a question that is answered on your blog can work well, but the best way to explore what people are doing to grab other people’s attention is by getting to know different Twitterers and seeing how they do it.

Who catches your attention and why? Make a note of how they do it, start following them and see if you can emulate their techniques. You’ll develop your own style over time, but there’s no harm in learning from the people who are already being followed by dozens—if not hundreds—of other people. This is a sure sign that they are great Twitterers!

How to Use Twitter for Business

2009-06-06T20:13:00.001+03:00

The majority of today’s “traditional” marketers use outbound marketing to reach their audiences. For message distribution, they use print media, radio and TV. For lead generation, they use direct mail, cold calls and email blasts. These methods may have worked in the past.

However, by using tools like TIVO/DVR, email spam‐blockers and caller ID, consumers block messages they don’t want. People now control how they consume media and what messages they care to hear.

But all is not lost! Consumers still want to learn about the best products and services for their needs. The key is they want to find this information on their own, most often by using the Internet.

For example, someone might peruse the blogosphere to read first‐hand experiences with a particular product. Maybe that person will also search for reviews online or engage with others in social media to learn other views and opinions. Instead of continuing to push marketing messages out, effective marketers adapt to this consumer behavior by creating marketing campaigns that pull people into their business.

This strategy is called inbound marketing. Inbound marketers offer the public useful
information, tools and resources to attract people to their site, while also interacting and developing relationships with consumers on the web. Inbound marketing tools include blogging, content publishing, search engine optimization, social media and social networks. Twitter is one of the most powerful social networks for your business.

Twitter 101
So, what is Twitter?
Quite often, people’s gut reaction to Twitter is, “No one needs to know what I’m doing” or
“I don’t care what other people are doing.”
While this may be the surface view, Twitter is also a great way to expand your network.
In the words of Chris Brogan, Twitter is a useful communication tool that allows you to interact
with people around the world in three different ways:

Send a short message to a bunch of people publicly
Send a short message to a specific person publicly
Send a short message to a specific person privately

Twitter is also referred to as a "micro-blogging" service, meaning you can post short updates limited to 140 characters or less. Why? Originally, the limitation was created to make Twitter compatible with mobile phones and text messaging. Now, it’s a useful characteristic that allows users to receive rapidfire, concise information from many, many people!

Twitter from a Business Perspective
In short, Twitter is a relationship building and relationship maintenance tool;
the most obvious business use of Twitter is to meet potential customers and leads the same
way you would at networking event or tradeshow.

However, you can also use it to:
1) Develop and promote your brand
2) Interact with your customer base
3) Track what people are saying about your company and brand
4) Create buzz around upcoming events
5) Help individual employees act as liaisons to the public
6) Promote other content you’ve created, including webinars, blog posts or podcasts
7) Develop direct relationships with bloggers and journalists for potential PR placement

The Future of Twitter

2009-06-01T19:04:00.002+03:00

While it’s true that a remarkable amount of information can be found within a tweet (URLs to similar topics, real-time commentary, and relating facts), how practical would the results of a Twitter-like search engine really be? As it stands today, the Twitter search feature leaves
much to be desired, but is a great way to monitor current events and topical trends from the ﬁngers of the human conscious. When major news stories break (and sometimes even break on Twitter) you can see the near immediate reaction from the microblog scene.

However, there are problems with “real-time” search. “Real-time” must be balanced with relevancy. Searchers don’t always want the latest tweet because there could be a much more informative or relevant tweet that happened seconds before. There’s also the problem of
integrity; just because several people echo something, doesn’t make it true. People often question the integrity of Wikipedia content and many academic institutions ban it as a citable information source. The question of information integrity is a dilemma Twitter shares with any
user generated content site.

Let’s suppose that in an ideal world all the information that comes through Twitter is based on truth. How would a search engine trying to incorporate real-time Twitter content grade the value and quality of each tweet to rank tweets? User authority could be established over
time based on a system of votes of conﬁdence, but that would create an environment where the user, not the information, deﬁnes quality and relevance.

Perhaps we use something other than user authority, such as allowing people to vote on comments, Digg style. That way, when someone queries the real-time search engine, they ﬁnd the most popular tweets ﬁrst. However, this creates three new problems: (1) people tend to
vote up funny or humorous comments, (2) spammers artiﬁcially vote up content, and (3) popular topics will linger in the results. Over time (meaning a day or two), the popular tweets would continually build up and ﬁll the top results, moving the results outside the window of real-time, and becoming more like the search we know today.

This paradox highlights an inherent problem with a true real-time search engine. Information needs time to grow in authority, much like the process of building natural content links, and real-time search results can only be snapshots of that moment in search history, soon to be
bumped oﬀ by the next batch of tweets.

This could mean that the search results page will be a vertical aggregator of information- pulling pieces from authority sites related to the query, social media platforms, and traditional search properties. One great example of this evolution in action is the Ask.com results for high-volume queries like “U2.” The ﬁrst listing is pieced together from several information sources, and the right side of the page lists quick links to the Wikipedia page, songs, and pictures. The true natural listings appear lower on the page and are just one piece of the whole U2 query result.
Contrast this with the Google results, where the entire page is natural listings with a few video and blog links thrown in.

Both engines are working toward the integration of Twitter-like information into the search results, but from diﬀerent ends. At some point, they should reach a middle ground where the traditional natural listings and the social media listings are shown side by side. This creates a better searcher experience and will surely grow share for whichever search engine could pull it oﬀ.