10 Golden Rules Internet Marketing Strategy Blog

Google Dashboard Allows You To See All Your Google Account Information

2009-11-05T13:56:00.003-05:00

If you use Gmail, YouTube, Google Docs, Picasa, Google Reader, and any of the many products Google provides, you will now be able to view all your information in one place. By logging into your Google Dashboard, (www.google.com/dashboard) with your Google account log in, you will see a summary of all of your accounts with Google. It is pretty interesting to see how many Google applications you may have and not even realize. Of course, Google Dashboard is secure, and you can manage settings for all of your account in this area as well.

Below is a great video that summarizes what the dashboard is and what you can do in it.

What’s Your Web site’s Deep Link Ratio?

2009-11-02T18:07:00.002-05:00

When it comes to organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO), the links pointing to your site are one of the most important factors that influence your search engine rankings. It’s not just a numbers game, however. The quality of those links is important, too - especially to Google. For example, if a large number of links and/or extremely reputable sites, such as The New York Times, point to your Web site for a particular search query, then Google "trusts" you are a relevant and popular authority on that topic.

From an SEO perspective, where those links point is yet another important consideration…

It addition to analyzing the quantity and quality of inbound links, you should evaluate your deep link ratio.

Simply put, your deep link ratio is the percentage of inbound links to your homepage versus all other pages of your site. To calculate your deep link ratio:

1) Calculate the total number of backlinks to your entire site. Important: Filter out links from your own domain. (Learn how to do this.)
2) Subtract the number of backlinks to your homepage. The result is the number of deep links to your site.
3) Divide the number of deep links by the total number of backlinks to get your deep link ratio.

Total Deep Links / Total Number of Links = Deep Link Ratio (%)

In general, sites with a higher deep link ratio tend to perform better in the search engines. So, all other things the same, a higher deep link ratio could give you just the edge you need to outperform your competitors.

However, be cautious of suddenly building a massive amount of deep links to your site. Links pointing to your site should always appear natural – both in terms of your deep link ratio, the anchor text used in the links, and the speed at which those links are acquired. Otherwise, Google and the other search engines may consider your site SPAM, and remove it from the search results.

InternetMarketingClub.org Presents Ten Golden Rules of Affiliate Marketing Webinar

2009-11-02T17:21:00.003-05:00

Jay Berkowitz will be hosting a free webinar to discuss the following topics:

- How to get a virtual sales force selling for you
- Selecting the right solution
- Recruiting affiliates
- Best practices for program management
- How to stay current on new programs and technologies
- Payment strategies

The event will take place on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 12:30pmEST – 1:30pmEST and to register please visit: Ten Golden Rules of Affiliate Marketing Webinar

Stay Secure with a Fresh Browser

2009-11-02T16:51:00.003-05:00

Now that National Cyber Security Awareness Month has wrapped up, it is a good time to make sure you are taking all the necessary precautions to keep your computer and network secure. One of the most common mistakes people make that leaves them open to a security breach is using outdated browser versions.

Regardless of what browser you prefer, always using the current version is important and often overlooked. Think about it...every website you visit runs through your browser. That makes your browser among the most prone software to viruses, malware, spyware, etc.

If you haven't updated your browser version recently, there is a good chance that you are missing important security updates and bug fixes necessary to maintain a healthy computer. If you are reading this post on IE 6 or Firefox 3.5, go get the latest version now!

Google Wave: The Email Killer?

2009-11-02T13:58:00.002-05:00

Late Friday evening as I was going through my email, I came across an email I was pleasantly surprised by: a Google Wave invite! I don’t even remember when I submitted my interest (it must have been that long ago), but I do remember this new feature sparking my curiosity. So what’s behind this “Let’s Start a Wave” saying? To sum up the Google Wave, this apparently seems like a not so easy task; Lars Rasmussen compares it to a hybrid of texting, wikis, instant messaging, blogging and emailing. His name may seem familiar as he and his brother, Jens, sold their idea of “Google Maps.”

I haven’t actually sat down to “Ride the Wave” yet, but I must say I’m excited to try it out. I have read mixed reviews but as always, doesn’t Google spark your interest enough to check it out? If you want to learn a little more watch this Google Wave video.

Google Experimental Labs: Google Social Search

2009-10-28T15:06:00.003-04:00

I was checking out Google Experimental Labs and stumbled upon this interesting experiment called Google Social Search. Google Social Search is basically an added element to your search results based on public content from your social circle. Your social circle is a combination of Gmail chat buddies, contacts, and people you are publically connected to on social sites such as Twitter and Friendfeed. In order to use Google Social Search, you must be logged into your Google account, and go to www.google.com/experimental to Join the experiment. Do a search, and if there is web content relevant by people in your social circle, you will see these results on the bottom of the search results. You can also click on '+ Show options' on the top of the result page, and choose 'Social' under All Results.

Here is an example of a search I did for ‘iphone case.’ Choosing only options from Social search, I can see if anyone in my social circle mentions ‘iphone case,’ on twitter. In this case, a friend of mine mentions a Hello Kitty iPhone case, which allows me to read about it.

(Click on image to enlarge)

There is a great video that illustrates what social search is and how it can be used. I think Google Social Search is pretty interesting, as it shows results from your connections, allowing you to read about your friends’ opinions on certain products, services or topics.

Product Plusbox Beta Test Commencing

2009-10-27T17:13:00.002-04:00

You may have seen a plusbox below some AdWords ads that displays several products right on the Google results page. This is because Google has been giving certain advertisers a chance to participate in their beta test of combining AdWords ads with Google base to display product feeds directly below ads.

If you want to be a part of the test, however, you are out of luck because the test is coming to an end. Google will now be assessing feedback from the advertisers that participated. Look out for availability of this feature in the near future.

InternetMarketingClub.org Presents Webinar On PPC Strategies

2009-10-26T13:32:00.001-04:00

TenGoldenRules.com VP, Margie Schneider will be hosting another InternetMarketingClub.org Webinar focusing on creative PPC strategies. The event will take place on Wed, Oct 28, 2009 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM EDT and to register, please visit; PPC Strategies Webinar.

InternetMarketingClub.org Presents Rockstars Of Twitter Webinar

2009-10-20T13:01:00.002-04:00

Jay Berkowitz will be hosting a free webinar along with Warren Whitlock, Gail Goodwin and @Iconic88 to discuss the best ways of doing business and building your personal brand on Twitter. The event will take place on Wed, Oct 21, 2009 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM EDT and to register, please visit; The Rock Stars of Twitter Webinar.

Early Holiday Gift From Google and Virgin America

2009-10-19T10:33:00.003-04:00

With the ever-increasingly hectic holiday season around the corner, Google and Virgin America decided to make things a bit easier for travelers this year. Google will be providing Free Wifi on all Virgin America flights from November 10 to January 15.

This will give travelers a chance to get ahead on their holiday shopping, business demands, or whatever else they may need to do online all for free while they fly.

Ways To Share Video on Twitter

2009-10-14T12:45:00.003-04:00

We all know we can share pictures on Twitter, otherwise known as 'Twitpics' but did you know you can also share video? There are a few sites out there that allow you to upload video to their site and give you a link to share on your Twitter stream.

TwitVid allows you to upload a video or record a video from your webcam and then automatically updates your Twitter steam. TwitVid also has an app for your iPhone 3Gs and Blackberry so you can even record video from your cellphone and then upload it straight to TwitVid. You can even embed TwitVids on other websites as well.

Twiddeo is another site that also allows you to upload video from the web, cameraphone or through your webcam. You can also embed these videos on other websites, and if you have the Firefox plugin, Greasemonkey installed, you can even view Twiddeos on your Twitter.com stream.

How Many Backlinks Does Your Website Have?

2009-10-12T16:06:00.004-04:00

Building backlinks (links from other websites) to your website is a common tactic in most search engine optimization campaigns. Knowing how many backlinks your website has and monitoring the growth is an important aspect of assessing the success of your linkbuilding campaign. If you don't know how to determine the number of backlinks your website has, here is a simple command to give you an idea.

In Yahoo search, use the following query:
linkdomain:www.yourdomain.com -site:www.yourdomain.com

Of course you will substitute "yourdomain" with your actual domain name. For example, if you wanted to know how many webpages link to the www.tengoldenrules.com website, the Yahoo query would look like this:

linkdomain:www.tengoldenrules.com -site:www.tengoldenrules.com

This will provide you a good estimate of how many backlinks your website has.

Test Different Messaging on a Single Search Engine Results Page

2009-10-06T14:24:00.003-04:00

It is a long standing debate on whether or not to bid on phrases in pay per click that your website already ranks for organically. One school of thought would ask why someone would pay for clicks on a search engine results page in which their website is already ranking for organically. There are actually several answers to that question, one being that it gives a website the opportunity to use different messaging variations.

Various messaging may be attractive to some people but not others. The messaging/offer included in your organic search listing may attract clicks from some users, but not others. Additionally, you do not have complete control over the messaging that is displayed in your organic listing. Adding a paid listing with a different message or a specific offer can appeal to an additional cross-section of searchers. You also have much more control over what is displayed in a pay per click listing than what is displayed in an organic listing.

FTC Announces New Blogger Policy for Endorsements or Testimonials

2009-10-06T09:10:00.005-04:00

The Federal Trade Commission has announced that bloggers disclose that are getting freebies or being paid by companies to endorse their products, or else get fined up to $11,000. This is a new policy for bloggers in order to make product information more accurate for consumers.

Social media has become a big part on consumers' decisions to buy products that this type of policy was going to come up eventually. I think it's better for a blogger to mention they are either being compensated or getting an item in exchange for a review, so the reader knows that the review is biased or not.

Although it is not binding law, the FTC mentions the following, "In any law enforcement action challenging the allegedly deceptive use of testimonials or endorsements, the Commission would have the burden of proving that the challenged conduct violates the FTC Act." When in doubt, make sure you note whether or not a company is giving you money or a free product in exchange for a product review.

Read the entire policy straight from the FTC and let us know what your thoughts are.

The best strategy to learn Internet Marketing "Just Do It" !

2009-10-03T17:39:00.003-04:00

I am often asked by people who have a traditional marketing background how they can get into the new marketing.

My best advise is to: "Just Do It!"

As Nike says in their marketing, you must jump in and immerse yourself in the new tools and technologies, it is free and so easy a 10 year old can do it.

Get set up with your own WordPress blog right away so you can practice the different internet marketing skill sets. It only takes about 15 minutes! Pick a subject that you are passionate about and start developing blog posts. Learn how to link, set up Google Analytics and track how many people visit your blog and where they come from. Set up and track your own revenue generating programs such as affiliate banners and Google AdSense Ads - Yes you can make money from a simple blog!

Get involved with one or more of the popular social media sites. Pick one that people you know are always talking about among Facebook, LinkedIn, You Tube and Twitter. I love Twitter, if you'd like some basic tips on how to start a Twitter account and learn about this exciting new communications world read my Ten Tips Twitter Beginners Guide.

Good Luck Just Doing It - Please let me know how it turns out.

Bit.Ly: a URL Shortener with More

2009-10-02T16:52:00.002-04:00

If you use Twitter, then you definitely know what a TinyURL is. If you don't, it's a service that shortens your URL so it will fit within the 140 Characters that Twitter provides for every tweet. Bit.Ly is a 'Simple URL Shortener,' that also provides tracking for each 'bit.ly' that is generated. It's simple. You can sign up for a free account, and even sync your Twitter account to it, so if you decide to share a link on Twitter, Bit.Ly will keep track of how many people have clicked on that link, as well as referring sites and where in the world the bit.ly link was clicked.

The great part about using bit.ly is that you can sync it to your TweetDeck so you don't have to log into your bit.ly account through their website.

Let PPC Dictate Your Meta Descriptions

2009-09-28T16:43:00.004-04:00

When your website is included in the organic listings of a search engine result page, there are two important factors that will cause people to click on your listing: rank and messaging. Of course the search engine has the ultimate say in where you rank, and even what your messaging is, but you do have some control over the messaging. Often times in an organic search listing, a snippet of your meta description is included. If your meta description is what shows, it better be inviting if you want a click.

One of the beautiful things about PPC is the ability to test different messaging in ad variations. Once you find the right ad copy to generate a high click through rate, by testing different ads, you can use that copy in the meta descriptions of your webpages. By knowing what messaging causes people to click, you can increase your click through rate in organic search as well.

Google Introduces Place Pages on Google Maps

2009-09-25T12:48:00.004-04:00

Google announced Place Pages on Google Maps, which makes Google Maps even more enhanced than it already is. Using Place Pages, you can now get more information about a place, such as restaurants, retail stores, and other businesses. Place Pages show general information about a place, as well as photos, reviews, web pages and user content.

For someone who is researching the 5th Avenue Apple Store that has never been there, they can already view photos and know how to get there using public transportation, as well as discover that it is open 24/7.

You can even view subway schedules and see what trains run at what station, which could be useful, and avoid an additional step to the MTA website:

If a place page lacks information, it can always be added through community edits or Google Map Maker.

It's Official, Google Does Not Care About Your Meta Keywords

2009-09-21T16:34:00.001-04:00

It has been no secret to most in the SEO industry for quite some time that Google’s search algorithm does not include the content of meta keywords tags. Now it is coming straight from the horse’s mouth. It was recently posted on the Official Google Webmaster Central Blog, and re-iterated by rockstar Google engineer Matt Cutts on his blog that Google does not care what your meta keywords are.

This does not mean, however, that all meta tags are ignored by Google. Snippets from meta description tags are still often displayed on Google search result pages. It also does not mean that other search engines ignore the meta keywords tag. What it does mean is that the notion that stuffing keywords in the meta keywords tag will somehow help a website rank for those keywords in Google can officially be put to rest.

Interesting Timeline of Search Engine History

2009-09-16T08:41:00.004-04:00

Ever wonder how search engines came about? I didn't realize it went all the way back to the late 1950s! Search Engine Journal created an interesting timeline of search engine history, dating back to 1957 when the predecessor of the internet started through ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency). Following that the concept of the World Wide Web was created in 1980, the Archie search engine created in 1989, the creation of Yahoo in 1994, and to the present day when Bing was launched. For someone who started using the internet in the late 90s (1998 to be exact), and being an internet marketer today, I found the beginnings especially interesting. The evolution of search is fascinating knowing how advanced it has become today.

Check out the timeline here.

Bing Looking to Increase Market Share with Visual Search

2009-09-14T16:31:00.003-04:00

Bing has announced its next tactic to compete with Google in search. They are taking image searching a step further with “Visual Search”. Visual Search returns thumbnail images for specific search results. The main feature of Visual Search is the ability to refine a query, thus making the thumbnails that no longer match fly off the results page. The remaining thumbnails are in turn resorted.

The value of Visual Search is the blending of structured data into search results. Bing is pushing the envelope by returning structured data in a wider range of searches, including sports, travel, and product reviews.

New Linkbuilding Challenges on Digg

2009-09-08T15:43:00.002-04:00

Digg has now decided to add nofollow tags to external links on their website, which is unfortunate for those who use Digg as part of their linkbuilding strategy. This does not, however, count Digg out for building links. They are not adding the nofollow tag to all links, but rather just the ones they are not too sure about because they don’t just want to vouch for a website.

In order to get a do follow link on Digg, a story has to look real to them. Popularity is a good indicator to Digg that a story is real. For the linkbuilder, it is now more important than ever to publish relevant, valuable content on Digg that people will actually want to read and join the conversation. This is how the story will reach a threshold of popularity that Digg finds acceptable to give out do follow links.

Oldest Twitter User Turns 104!

2009-09-08T11:23:00.004-04:00

I recently read about a Twitter user who just turned 104 years old! British woman, Ivy Bean celebrated her 104th birthday and is probably the oldest Twitter user. Ivy was actually more active in Facebook before using Twitter and prefers Twitter over Facebook because she says it's just updating and is a lot easier. Ivy has about 32,454 followers and basically tweets about what she is doing. She lives in a care home that encourages their residents to be active and her frequent Twitter-ing has gotten her a lot of media attention, getting asked to be interviewed from news outlets all over the world.

I think it's really awesome how people of all ages can embrace social networking, not just the younger crowd, as many may think. It's untrue that older people can't get into using social networking, as Ivy Bean has proved to us all. :)

Free Samples as an Ad Format Debuts on Facebook

2009-09-02T17:21:00.003-04:00

Facebook advertising is pretty useful, and if you're a company that can offer something to your Facebook fans, it is even more useful and not to mention, beneficial. Chick-fil-A got some buzz this week for offering free samples through Facebook. The ad offered a voucher for a free breakfast biscuit, and all you had to do was fill out your mailing address. The information that Chick-fil-A gets goes only to them, and not Facebook. Once you filled out your mailing address, you can even allow friends to see you got a free sample voucher, which spreads the word.

I think this type of Facebook ad is great, and you really can't go wrong with giving free samples. It does benefit to become fans of your favorite brands because you never know when they'll start giving free stuff!

Balancing SEO and Usability

2009-08-31T15:05:00.001-04:00

There is a thin line between optimizing a website for search engines and optimizing it for users. In order to get the content and keywords onto a page that are necessary to boost search engine rankings, it is often the case that usability is compromised. If your page is totally optimized for search engines, but compromises usability, you may be able to drive a lot of traffic to the page, but only convert a small amount of it. On the other hand, if you optimize the page only for usability, leaving off loads of content, you may be able to better convert the traffic that comes, but there will be far less traffic.

A good way to find the best balance is analyzing your analytics. In Google Analytics, for example, you can set up goals used to track conversion on the website. Test your goals on different pages. Optimize a page for search engines and track conversions on that page. Optimize another page for the users and track the same conversions on that page, but as a separate goal. This will let you see if you generate more conversions from the search engine optimized page, which should generate a high amount of traffic with a low conversion rate, or from the user optimized page that should generate a smaller amount of traffic but a higher conversion rate.