WebmasterRadio.FM has joined the likes of media titans to syndicate all of their radio network offerings on the News and Talk listings of the Stitcher on-demand radio and podcast service.

All of WebmasterRadio.FM’s current radio lineup, which includes shows like SEO 101, PPC Rockstars, Market Edge with Glenn Engler, CyberLaw and Business Report and Purse Strings, is kept continually up to date via Stitcher’s proprietary back-end application, allowing listeners to have access to fresh content via the Stitcher mobile app, while on the go without having to sync their device.

“Stitcher is an incredible on demand concept that listeners demanded that we take part in.”, said Jorge Hermida, WebmasterRadio.FM’s Director of Programming and Production. “The idea of new listeners searching for content on Stitcher and discovering our radio network is very attractive.”

The Stitcher radio app is available for iPhone, Android and iPad and is being integrated directly into new Ford and GM vehicles.

You can either find all of WebmasterRadio.FM’s content in the News/Talk category, by searching ‘WebmasterRadio.FM” or all at once via our own custom Stitcher page.

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WebmasterRadio.FM presents a new monthly radio series that explores the world of search marketing by providing in depth analysis inside the important industry headlines and interviews with the most important industry thought leaders.

When you really want to dig into the search issues of the day, show host Dixon Jones says he plans to get searches to the core, interviewing in depth the most knowledgeable people and asking them the challenging questions.

“I want the show to be a bit like BBC’s Hardtalk,” Said Jones. “ I will spend some of the show looking at technology surrounding search and of course, some of the show on SEO topics of the day.”

Dixon welcomes SEO Product Marketing Manager Steve Lock on the Live premiere episode to discuss the latest on the Google Penguin Updates, the new Majestic SEO tool set of link metrics called Flow Metrics plus how AnalyticsSEO will be using those new metrics.

Listeners are able to interact with their questions and comments to the host and guests for each interview, as well as all live WebmasterRadio.FM programming, by:

Becoming a member of the WebmasterRadio.FM Facebook page at www.facebook.com/webmasterradio

Log in to our live 24-hour real-time chatroom monitored by our show hosts at http://www.webmasterradio.fm/chat.html

“Search Kingdom” airs every Thursday at 12pm Eastern / 9am Pacific on www.WebmasterRadio.FM. Episodes are archived on WebmasterRadio.FM, as well as on iTunes, Stitcher and other premier podcast portals.

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There are many people earning a living today on the Internet through various methods. One of the most popular ways people are doing this is through affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing is a method of Internet marketing where someone promotes another person’s product or service with a product review or by text linking to a product in a blog post.
Unfortunately, many people think that affiliate marketing is a holy grail; that it’s a simple matter of selecting a product to promote and people will just start purchasing the affiliate product that they are hawking on their blog or website.

This couldn’t be further from the truth and there are a few things that every affiliate marketer should do to ensure they’re promoting a product that’s a good fit for them.
First things first, there are many affiliate networks on the web today offering products ranging from mediocre to top of the line. Every network is different in regard to the products they have to promote and how they pay their affiliates, so here are a few things to look for in an affiliate network and in their product selection.

Turn to the Experts

Affiliate marketing has been around for many years now. Many bloggers use more than one network, so the first step is exploring the web and finding a few respected bloggers and find out which networks they recommend.

John Chow has been involved with blogging and affiliate networks for a few years now. Go to his website and click on his “Make Money” link, there he has a list of some of the affiliate networks that he uses.
Do a search on the web for affiliate networks and some of the networks you’ll find will include:

So how do you choose which is the best affiliate to work with?

Do Your Affiliate Homework

The only way you’re going to know which affiliate network is the right one for you is by doing your homework. Go to each affiliate’s website and gather as much information as you can about the site itself, how long it’s been in business and explore their product offerings.

The most important aspect in affiliate marketing is selecting a product that’s a proper fit for your specific nice market. Here are a few things to look for when selecting a product to promote:
Product Relevance – This is where many new affiliates make their biggest mistake. Why promote an eBook on repairing a race engine when your blog is about destination weddings.

Product Statistics
Get pertinent sales information about the product, including what your compensation is for each sale as well as information about the product’s popularity.

Review the Product Before You Promote It
Building trust with your audience is very important, so make sure you take the time to actually review the product you’re promoting.

Talk With Your Readers
The easiest way to get information about what your readers are looking for in a product is to simply ask them.

Making Contact
Getting in touch with the affiliate company is advisable. Talking with a company representative and getting answers to your questions about their products and the support that they provide to their affiliates certainly helps in the vetting process.

Affiliate marketing isn’t a get-rich scheme, so make sure that the product you decide to promote is the right one for you.

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If your small- or medium-size business marketing plan consists solely of local print advertising in media such as PennySavers, weekly or daily newspapers, and the Yellow Pages, it’s time to join the new millennium.
To succeed in today’s ultra-competitive markets, local businesses really need to have an Internet presence. At a minimum, an effective Internet presence requires a website, a Google Places page, and a Facebook fan page.
Each element of your Internet presence should be optimized for local search returns, ensuring that your business appears in the top search results when someone is looking for your goods or services in your geographic area.

Website
Businesses that use best practices for marketing understand that the Internet is the most efficient way to deliver local marketing results. Newspaper ads, direct-mail coupons and the Yellow Pages are the way of the last century. Today, folks use their computers, smartphones and handheld devices to find merchants in their neighborhoods. A website has to be search-engine-optimized for it to show up high in local search rankings.
Many people believe that using keywords as frequently as possible will increase the likelihood of a high search engine result (SER). This is no longer true. At one time, keywords were the primary criteria for SER. Now, because Google is attempting to make search results more meaningful, Google’s complex, secret search algorithm penalizes keyword stuffing and rewards content. Google has advised users in a broad sense about how its latest updates, known as Panda and Farmer, affect searches. Search engine optimization (SEO) experts agree that judicious use of keywords and extensive use of descriptions and meta tags, along with current and relevant content, is helpful in improving a website’s SER.

Also keep in mind that Google uses geolocation in an attempt to determine the user’s general location, and then returns searches listing merchants who are close by. Thus, it is very helpful to include certain basic data on each page of your website — at a minimum, your business name, address and phone number. In addition, if you are in a specific neighborhood or near a landmark, include that, too. For example, a Philadelphia business near the Liberty Bell might note its address and then say in its tagline, “Located steps away from the Liberty Bell.” Or a business in downtown Sacramento might say, “Find us in downtown Sacramento, California.” The more specific your content is, the more likely you will be found.

Google Places Page
Google has a free business directory called Google Places that allows you to register your business, thereby increasing the likelihood that your business, via its Places page, if not its website, will show up in local search results. For no charge, you can link to your website; display photos; display your business name, address and phone number; and more. For a business without its own website, this is an easy entry to the online world that ensures the business will show up on local searches. Merchants should be aware that Google Places gives customers the opportunity to rate businesses. Be prepared to respond to negative ratings promptly. Often, a response to a negative customer rating can mitigate the damage or even reverse it by showing the merchant is tuned in to its customers.

Facebook Fan Page
Social media is an extraordinary way to market a business. Your business needs a fan page on Facebook to capture the local market. Like a Google Places page, a fan page on Facebook is free. For a Facebook fan page to be successful, it must be special and provide offers to fans that are unique. For instance, you could run a one-day special that is only good for those who mention that they saw it on your fan page. Not only will fans use this kind of offer, they will tweet it or text it to their friends. Your fans actually become a part of your marketing team, marketing to others who may want to use your products or services, too.

The greater your presence on the Internet, the more familiar your market becomes with your business. In marketing, familiarity breeds customers.

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To collect or not to collect: That’s the weighty question for online retailers when it comes to state and local sales taxes. In the past, online retailers were not required to collect sales tax if the company did not have a bricks and mortar presence in a given state. Those days may be ending very soon. As of February 2012, a dozen states have enacted legislation that would force online sellers to collect sales tax and 10 more states have similar bills pending.

Don’t think that if you are an affiliate marketer (one who makes money online by using links to other online retailers), this new development won’t affect you. The sales tax question could very well change the way buyers and sellers interact online for years to come.

Pros of Collecting Sales Tax
The chief argument for collecting sales tax from all online retail transactions is to create a so-called level playing field between local retail stores and their virtual competitors. Currently, local retailers (who are required by law to collect sales tax) complain that they can’t compete with online sellers, like Amazon.com, who don’t have physical retailer outlets and therefore don’t have to collect tax. These traditional retailers maintain that they can match the price of an item, but they can’t tell the customer that they won’t charge tax.
Another reason states are clamoring to enact online sales tax bills is to help rebuild state revenue lost during the recession of the past five years. The National Conference of State Legislators estimates that the amount of “uncollected” sales tax to be around $23 billion in 2011. That’s powerful motivation for states to enact sales tax bills.

Arguments against Online Retailers Collecting Sales Tax
Online retailers are understandably against such sales tax legislation. Among their arguments for keeping the current system is the collection nightmare that sales tax legislation would bring to large retailers like Amazon.com. Such sellers would have to collect hundreds of different taxes for different states, counties and municipalities. Getting these funds to the proper places would require additional staff and additional costs.

How the Sales Tax Question Could Affect Affiliate Marketers
If you’re thinking that the sales question won’t affect the revenue you collect from sales made by visitors to your Web site via affiliate links, think again. In this fragile economy, any increase in price will likely mean fewer sales and, thus, fewer commissions. What’s even more frightening to affiliate marketers is that some states, such as Illinois, are requiring any affiliate with a business in the state to collect and remit sales tax on third-party sales. Clearly, the state legislature doesn’t understand the affiliate marketing business model, but such a move could cripple or bankrupt thousands of small businesses before any modification in the bill could occur.

The final decision on collecting sales tax from online sales is still to come, but this issue bears close monitoring for any company that even dabbles in affiliate marketing. The shape of ecommerce as we know it could very well change in the next few years.

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Before Google achieved domination over the search engine market, there were a number of other, smaller contenders that developed a loyal following,  such as Ask.com and Dogpile. Most Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies are now targeted for Google only. However, Yahoo and Bing still function as popular search engine alternatives.

Therefore, SEO gurus should understand any differences in strategies that will bring strong page rankings from these “other” search engines, along with maximizing Google ratings. As all SEO veterans know, giving search engines what they like – and avoiding features that they don’t – is the key to higher page rankings. The differences among these engines is slight, but can influence site optimization to a degree.
Search Engines Rank Keywords Differently
Because of the secrecy search engines use to protect the integrity of their algorithms, it is impossible to accurately identify specific differences. Many veteran SEO professionals believe the other search engines treat keywords differently. The prevailing theory is that Google puts much weight on keywords in URL’s, while Bing favors keyword-rich content, with Yahoo somewhere in between.

Backlinks are another factor that draws strong attention. However, the three primary search engines treat backlinks differently in their algorithms. All three place high importance on the use of backlinks, albeit somewhat differently in their formulas. Google now calculates page ranks more based on the “quality” of backlinks, penalizing those sites that favor “quantity,” regardless of the backlink relevance. Yahoo and Bing place less weight on backlink origins or quality. All three, however, pay close attention to backlinks in their page-ranking formulas mandating that websites use them properly.
Content Quality Factors Highly
All three prime-time players – PTPers – as famed basketball announcer Dick Vitale would say, agree that “content is king.” A variation on the timeless computer cliche, “garbage in, garbage out,” the top search engines use content quality as the major factor in rating websites. Internet and SEO marketing professionals realize the overwhelming importance of using only high-quality content on their sites to achieve high page rankings.

Some observers believe there may be a resurgence of the formerly successful 1990s strategy of using multiple websites optimized for different search engines. They contend that, as more companies create “mirror” sites optimized for mobile markets, companies may also resurrect the multiple website strategy of two decades ago.

However, there are an equal number of SEO experts who dispute the value of this theory. Spreading internal or external quality content creators too thin, designing websites specifically for different search engines or spending the extra time and money to create and maintain three or more not quite identical sites is unnecessary and could be dangerous. These observers tout that good SEO is good SEO.

As Yahoo and Bing modify their algorithms to move closer to Google formulas, the differences in the “other” search engines becomes ever more minor. Concentrating SEO efforts on one outstanding website – and, possibly, a variation optimized for mobile users – is the best idea. Search strategies focused on satisfying Google preferences also should result in strong page rankings with competing search engines.

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Purse Strings will celebrate its 200th episode on Tuesday April 24th with a special retrospective that looks back at the guests that Maria has featured in the past 100 episodes. Some of those guests have included:
• Melissa Lavigne-Delville, NBC Universal vice president of strategic insight
• Lucy Danziger, SELF magazine editor-in-chief
• Jeffery Tobias Halter, author of Selling to Men – Selling to Women, speaker and founder, ywomen.biz
• Jim Lecinski, Google’s vice president of U.S. Sales /Service and author of e-book, Winning the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT)
• Charlene Li, Altimeter Group founder, author of Groundswell

On Wednesday April 25th, Maria will be speaking on a session entitled Decoding Her New Normal – Women Emerging From The Recession at the eighth annual Marketing to Women Conference or M2W in Chicago.

Maria, who is the Senior Principal of powerhouse PR Firm Carmichael Lynch Spong, will be speaking alongside Carmichael Lynch director of brand planning Kelly Thompson discussing proprietary research results on the recessions impact on women, as well as providing strategic insights on how marketers can break through in the changed economic climate.

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Nonreciprocal inbound links are great for your rank in the search engines. However, getting them, particularly from well-trusted sites, takes a little ingenuity. Want a fun, low-cost way to get some buzz going? Hold a contest. This is a great strategy to get blogs and individual readers to link to your site, sending you traffic and increasing your rank.

A wide range of products and services can be offered as prizes in a contest. While consumer-oriented and luxury products such as books, candies and cosmetics are the most obvious choices, there are plenty of options for businesses that sell services or that operate on a business to business model, as well. A site offering accounting services, for instance, can offer an hour long consultation as a prize. A housecleaning service could offer a free one-hour cleaning. The prize should be large enough for entrants to become excited about it, but not so large that the cost is painful. This is a customer acquisition cost and should be inline with what you would normally feel spending to bring new viewers to your site.

There are a number of factors to weigh when choosing between hosting the contest yourself and having someone else – usually the most prominent blogger you can woo – host your contest. If you host it yourself, you can more tightly control advertising about the contest, the contest’s duration, and how the winner is chosen. However, having a blogger host a giveaway for you gives you credibility with and access to their audience.

Finding a blog to host a contest for you will require some research. Contact the owners of high-traffic blogs in your niche and ask them if they would like to host a giveaway of your product. Provide them with as much supporting material as you can: attractive photos, detailed product specs and high-quality marketing copy can make your contest more interesting to potential hosts.

The easiest and most common type of online contest is a simple random drawing. You can give away entries for a number of actions that bring traffic back to your site. Common ways to give out entries include: commenting on the contest announcement post; tweeting, blogging, or posting on Facebook about the contest and referring additional entrants.

So, once your contest is launched, how do you get the word out? Start by contacting a handful of bloggers who write about your niche. Bloggers are always hungry for content and your contest gives them something to report. News will spread further as entrants blog, tweet and post on Facebook about your giveaway.
Contests have a number of benefits besides the traffic and search engine optimization (SEO) bump you can get. People like free stuff and a contest helps build goodwill. Even people who do not win the contest may become intrigued about your product and decide to try it out. There’s little to lose and much to gain by implementing this novel and fun SEO strategy.

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It seems like whenever a company manages to put together the optimal website for search engine rankings, Google goes and changes its algorithm again. In response, companies change the focus of their websites, which helps them maintain their search engine rankings. With the new Google algorithms that focus on fresh content, blogging on a regular basis has become a common SEO strategy. Let’s look into why Google’s changes point to blogging as a solution.

Fresh Content Places Higher
Beginning on November 3, 2011, the Google Panda algorithm was updated to incorporate a “freshness factor” when ranking search results. This portion of the algorithm determines whether the search engine user is likely to be looking for recent content, and if so, prioritizes pages that have been published more recently.

Although the update won’t necessarily penalize your website if you don’t update it regularly, it does reward sites with regular updates. Therefore, if your competitors are updating their sites more than you are, they are more likely to appear above you in the search rankings. Any business that benefits from search traffic knows that ranking near the top and getting searchers to click on your page is one of the keys to building business.
One way to update your site and improve its ranking would be to rewrite the pages of the site regularly. But that would be silly, time consuming, and probably wouldn’t help much unless you were significantly changing the content. Plus, it would force you to delete things you had worked hard to write, removing any effect they have in your search rankings.

Therefore, the approach many companies have taken is to integrate a blog into their main website, using content management systems or HTML. By updating the blog with new posts on a regular basis, the company benefits from increased search engine rankings that bring people to the site.

Quality Content Matters
In the midst of the concerns about improving your freshness factor, you can’t forget about the initial Google Panda changes, which were designed to weed out low-quality content and reward websites that offer content that people love reading. When blogging, companies can’t just write blog posts off the top of their head and expect to get rewarded in search results. Instead, they have to come up with compelling, high-quality blog posts to win both the freshness factor and the stamp of approval for quality content.

To benefit most from the Google Panda changes, the topics on the blog should be trending ones that people are searching for, not necessarily evergreen information about what the company does. Therefore, companies are starting to blog about trends in their industries or news that affects them, not just the ideas that drive their business.

Next time you see a company blog, consider it in light of the Google Panda changes. Is it doing a good job of providing fresh, high-quality content? If so, it’s probably having a positive effect on that company’s website traffic.

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Aside from wonderfully unseasonable weather, a jam packed expo floor, and another triumphant SearchBash, WebmasterRadio.FM returned last week to its unbearably humid confines in Fort Lauderdale, Florida stocked with interviews from sponsors and exhibitors that enlightened us with their expertise.

Here is the rundown…
-Why Local Search Leads to Higher ROI with Steve Yeich, CEO of Local Splash.
-Taking Stock With Your Customers with SearchMetrics CTO Marcus Tober.
-Google Venice Update and Impact on Content with Textbroker CEO-Americas Phillip Thune.
-SEM and Mobile Ad Networks in China with Zhaohui Tang, the CEO of adSage.
-Enterprise Press Release Tips with Peter Shankman, Founder of Help a Reporter Out and Vocus Small Business Evangelist in Residence.
-Paid Search Competitive Analysis; Metrics for SEO with Suren Ter, Team COO of SEOquake.
-Benefits from Participating in Awards with Web Marketing Association President William Rice.
-Content Strategy and User Behavior with SlingshotSEO Search Media Creative Consultant Rasheité Radcliff.
-Using Google AdWords Strategy in Microsoft AdCenter with Acquisio VP Marketing and Co-founder Marc Poirier.
-Setting Up A Paid Search Account with Zach Morrison, VP of Elite SEM.
-A showcase of Vivastream and their In-Event Professional Networking and Social Navigation with Vivastream Founder Kyle Morehouse.
-Search and Social Integration; SOPA Blackout Lessons Learned with Jeff MacGurn, vice president, earned media services for Covario.
-Google Analytics Integration with Steve Lock with AnalyticsSEO.
Advanced Keyword Modeling; Paid and Organic Search with SES Advisory Board and President of Back Azimuth Consulting, LLC, Bill Hunt.
-Usability, Duplicate Content and Lost Link Equity with Jenny Halasz from JLH Marketing, Inc.
-SEO, Social Media and PPC Tools with Raven Tools User Experience Manager Alison Groves.
-Cracking the Pinterest Code; Enterprise Link Building with cognitiveSEO.com Founder and Chief Architect Razvan Gavrilas.
-Local on Organic Search; Best Practices For Using Google Places with Milestone Internet Marketing President and Founder Benu Aggarwal.
-PPC Tools of the Trade; Getting the Most Out of Google AdWords with Fang Digital Marketing CEO/Lead Consultant Jeff Ferguson.

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