Archive for Recommended Tools
Search Engine Ranking Software?
Posted by: | CommentsOkay, so the big question this week seems to be
“How Can I Get Quality Backlinks to My Website?”.
There are a lot of tools and programs around that promise amazing things in terms of backlinks. If you’re looking to improve your search engine ranking over the long term, it’s easy to be tempted by promises of “automation”, “relevant links”, “instant results”, etc.
Should you use Search Engine Ranking Software to automate the process?
In my opinion, it’s difficult (or nearly impossible) to automate quality backlinks to your website by using a software program. Social bookmarking may get your website indexed in the search engines quickly, but the power of social bookmarking is not long term. For long term success, you need a large number of quality, relevant links back to your site.
I’m happy for someone out there to prove me wrong. But so far, I have only seen positive results from hard work, quality content, and a few little search engine ranking tricks to help me along the way.
“What litte search engine ranking tricks?”, I hear you ask?
I use a 3 phase process instead of Search Engine Ranking software.
STEP ONE – MARKET ANALYSIS & KEYWORD RESEARCH
I use Market Samurai to track my own website’s search engine ranking and the websites I am competing against for a particular keyword phrase. If you click here, you will visit the “Dojo” area of the Noble Samurai website where you can watch videos which explain exactly what this software can do for you – including analyzing the links to your competitors sites! Seriously – you can see what sites link to your competitors, you can then go and get similar backlinks for yourself!
STEP TWO – QUALITY CONTENT
For my affiliate websites, I buy article packs from http://EasyPLR.com – I use these articles to produce high quality, unique content on all my sites. Specifically, I buy a pack of articles, re-write them and publish them as unique articles in the next step in my process. I am always in search of high quality articles and I have never been disappointed with these guys. PLR (Private Label Rights) articles are fantastic because it gives me something to start with. It’s hard work writing interesting articles, and for about $1 each, I get a fabulous head start from EasyPLR – Yes, Please!
STEP THREE – DISTRIBUTE CONTENT
Article Marketing Automation – Once I have a unique article with at least two links back to my website, I submit it using Article Marketing Automation. I use this service to hand spin the article myself (which takes awhile), but I am always pleased with the results. They then publish unique copies of my article on blogs relevant to my topic over a period of time. This is fantastic because it looks natural, the links are relevant to the topic of my site, and I can obtain over 200 relevant backlinks from every article!
This is my 3 phase process which (so far) has eliminated any need for Search Engine Ranking software. I know this is an ongoing process, and new tools and software are released every day.
Is your method of gaining quality backlinks very different from mine?
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please join in the discussion & leave your comment below.
P.S. I have learned almost everything I know about SEO from the guys at AffiliIT. If you’re looking for serious internet marketing training, with no gimmicks and no BS, check it out!
Super Affiliate Handbook
Posted by: | CommentsAre you ready to quit?
Most people who start with affiliate marketing quit. In fact, I read that over 90% of people who decide to make money online quit within the first 3 months. Ouch! That is a scary statistic, don’t you think?
How can you avoid this and stay in the game? I think most people give up because they run out of ideas. They’re not sure what system to follow, it all becomes too confusing, and they quit.
In an effort to help YOU not fall victim to this awful statistic, I want to point out one of the cheapest and best resources available for new and experienced affiliates : The Super Affiliate Handbook by Rosalind Gardner. At only $47, this 200+ page ebook is chock full of excellent information for affiliates. I still refer to my copy almost every day.
Lynn Terry – of the Elite Mastermind Forum – wrote an excellent Super Affiliate Handbook Review which covers the handbook in quite a bit of detail, so I won’t go into all the “nitty gritty” here. Lynn and I have been chatting a bit, and I thought you might like to hear her thoughts on this resource too. I’ve asked her a few key questions, and here is what she had to say:
PPCMom: In your Super Affiliate Handbook Review, you mentioned that it took you less than a week to earn your $47 investment back. What idea was it that sparked your enthusiasm and drove you to take action?
Lynn Terry: It’s worth mentioning that I already had websites, and had a background in web dev and online marketing, so it wasn’t hard for me to implement the ideas and methods quickly. More quickly than someone who is just starting out, for example.
That said, there is something incredibly inspiring about the Super Affiliate Handbook. Just seeing the live examples and the actual methods that Rosalind used to earn multiple 6-figures in one year had light bulbs going off in my mind left and right.
I recently read SAH again, after more than 5 years since I originally downloaded it… and it had the same effect. I couldn’t wait to finish it and immediately started 2 new affiliate sites that same week!
I can’t say that there was any one thing that really sparked that enthusiasm – just something about Rosalind’s style in general. A lot of ebooks are very dry, but this one is such a great read and chock full of images and live examples that it almost feels interactive – it really gets you engaged and motivated.
PpcMom: The Super Affiliate Handbook includes over 200 pages of essential affiliate marketing information. Which sections would you say are of the most benefit to the struggling affiliate marketers out there?
Lynn Terry: One of the things I like about the digital version (vs the paperback book you can order on Amazon) is the ability to jump to sections in the book through the digital bookmarks within the PDF. Another perk of course is that you can download updated versions anytime they are available – which is actually a lot, she updates it frequently.
Different sections are going to appeal to different people more depending on their level of experience. Someone who is brand new to the concept of affiliate marketing is going to enjoy the sections explaining what it is, how to find a profitable niche, how to plan and build your website, etc.
Struggling affiliate marketers, as you put it, I assume are already aware of the basic concepts but their efforts are just not cutting it. They will enjoy the examples the most I imagine, as they can see real working affiliate sites and how they make sales.
So depending on where you are with things, or what your weak points are, you’ll be more drawn to certain sections. As a super affiliate myself (during the 2nd reading) I really enjoyed seeing Rosalind’s methods (compared to my own) and also sections like:
- 31 Ways to Market Your Site
- Grow Your Affiliate Business
- How to Manage Your Affiliate Business
- Problem Solving & Avoidance
PpcMom: You’ve been working with these strategies for over 6 years now. What value does the Super Affiliate Handbook provide for the experienced affiliate?
Lynn Terry: A LOT. Any experienced affiliate will know that $47 is a drop in the bucket as an investment, considering the return you can expect from just ONE new idea or tip.
Affiliate Marketing is an ever-changing and constantly evolving model, so I continue to study new methods and concepts. You have to stay up to date with what’s working, what other people are testing, and what new options are available.
We all do things differently, too. Some people focus on squeeze pages and email marketing. Others prefer SEO over PPC, or vice versa. Some use static websites, some use blogs. I like to study a variety of guides and successful affiliates, and their methods, to look for new ideas I can use myself.
It pays to find a way that works best for your market or your product type, but I like to keep an open mind and study other’s models as well.
Super Affiliate Handbook
PpcMom: Why is this book so important to you?
Lynn Terry: Over the years I have tested a number of affiliate models and methods. The one I find easiest AND most profitable is Rosalind Gardner’s methods, as outlined in her Super Affiliate Handbook. I always encourage people to study everything they can about their business model (in this case: affiliate marketing)… but if you only read ONE book to start, it should definitely be the Super Affiliate Handbook in my opinion.
A huge THANK YOU to Lynn Terry for taking the time to answer my questions. I hope you’ve found this information helpful too! To learn more about Lynn, please visit her blog at ClickNewz.com.
Have a fantastic day!
Interview with Lynn Terry
Posted by: | CommentsI recently had the opportunity to be interviewed by Lynn Terry of ClickNewz.com and Self Starters Weekly Tips. Lynn is a full time internet marketer with over 13 years experience in this industry. She’s fun, interesting, and full of great, practical advice for internet marketers!
I was first introduced to Lynn through the “Internet Marketing This Week” podcast. I love listening to this podcast and recommend it if you’re interested in the bigger picture of what’s happening in our industry. I contacted Lynn on Twitter which led to me joining in the discussions at her Elite Mastermind Forum (which is just awesome, by the way!).
I thought you might enjoy listening in to our chat. It was so much fun!
Just click on the arrow to listen.
Be sure to leave your comments below!
Have a fantastic day -
Resources mentioned in this interview:
Super Affiliate Handbook by Rosalind Gardiner
Elite Mastermind Group at Self Starters Weekly Tips
AffiliIT – Internet Marketing Training
ClickNewz – Lynn Terry’s blog
Market Samurai Rocks My World
Posted by: | CommentsAs internet marketers, our email in-boxes are inundated with the “latest and greatest” tools known to man. Don’t you just love that?! (kidding!) When I first heard about Market Samurai, I have to admit that I dismissed it as just another one of those “guru tools” that people push to get affiliate commissions. If there is a free or cheap option available – I’d prefer to use that. But there is something about Market Samurai that is totally different.
Simply put – I love it!
Now, let’s get this out of the way, this is not a paid review and these links are not affiliate links. I paid full price for my version of Market Samurai, and I receive no financial benefit from writing this post. I’m just so happy I found out about it, and I want to be sure you know about it too.
What is Market Samurai?
Market Samurai is a multi-purpose internet marketing tool from the team at Noble Samurai. Market Samurai will help you quickly find keywords that are worth your time and effort. Of course, it is possible to do this manually, but Market Samurai will automate and speed things up for you. It will also help you determine the competition level of those keywords, find products to promote using those keywords, design and publish ads and blog posts, find content to add to your site, track the rank of your site in the SERPS, and a whole lot more. It truly is an “all in one” solution.
Sounds too good to be true?
What are the “downsides” to Market Samurai?:
- INITIAL COST – Market Samurai has a $149 ticket price with no monthly fee. For a new internet marketer, $149 can be a LOT of money to invest in a tool.
- TECH TALK – There is a lot of technical info inside of Market Samurai. Again, for a new person, this is intimidating and overwhelming. What is “phrase match, broad match, page rank, SEOC, SEOT, etc.”?
- TOO MUCH INFORMATION – Information overload? With Market Samurai, you are able to generate an enormous amount of information with the click of a button. Immediately you are faced with a ton of data. This can be overwhelming if you don’t know what you’re looking at.
What is the good news?
- SAVE TIME – Using Market Samurai, I have been able to save a ton of time. My keyword research is easy and effective because I am targeting low competition, high spend keywords that “buyers” are using to search the internet.
- TARGET KEYWORDS – What are the “golden nugget” keywords in your niche? Wouldn’t it be nice to know?
- COMPETITION ANALYSIS – I know all about my competition even before I start = Priceless!
Within minutes, you can research keywords, determine PPC spend, SEO competition, and find affiliate products to promote, whip up some unique content using the speedy “content” module, and publish it all to your site. Doing all of these tasks in one place saves you a ton of time. That is REALLY good news!
With Market Samurai, you will be able to focus on high traffic, high profit keywords that don’t have too much competition. This means your websites will rank high in the search engines.
So, is Market Samurai worth getting?
I can’t answer that question for you. Only you know that. I can say that it has been amazing for me so far. I am thrilled with how easy it is to use, the information I can learn about my competition, and the Rank Tracker module is so cool! (Market Samurai charts your site’s ranking in the search engines for your target keywords! You can compare yourself to your competition and check on your backlinks too!)
If you’re just going to use it to research keywords, then – No, I don’t recommend it. There are some great free keyword tools out there. Also – if you are new to internet marketing, I also don’t recommend spending any money on tools until you are profitable. That is so important.
However, if you ARE profitable and you are looking for an all-in-one SEO website solution from start to finish, then I suggest you check out Market Samurai right away. They have tons of video tutorials and a FREE trial too. Check out their site by clicking here : Market Samurai. Then, be sure to come back here and tell me how you went, OK?
I know that several of you are already using Market Samurai. What do you think about it? Please leave your comments below….
P.S. Remember to sign up for my newsletter to get more info!
