Popular Marketers with a need to communicate ideas live and help each other have now come up with a splendid solution to the online isolation blues.

Popularmarketers.com is likely to become one of the most efficient new marketing directories on the web. Not only can one display their contact and web links in one place, but you can also chat live with others in the business during regular meeting times.

A lot of times you might get some good advice from others hiding behind a computer on a regular forum – but personally I learn so much more when I’m able to look someone in the eye.  The Friday night live chats allow you to actually see who is talking – and you can decide who really knows their stuff. You can interact live and get real time answers to your burning questions.

Don’t own a web cam? That’s ok. An additional chat box is provided so everyone can comment and chime in. There is also the option to just use the live audio feature to talk without being seen. This is how you can still interject your voice in a live conversation while having a bad hair day.

Current features to the Popular Marketers site also include advertising your own services for hire, and getting exposure to your own adwords style ads on a larger network of online marketing related sites. A forum is in the works, and a lot more to come.

So, how does one get in on these chats and  become a Popular Marketer?

Get in today with a free membership by visiting http://www.popularmarketers.com. Have a look around – the guys won’t mind. Then, be sure to sign up for the Friday Night Chat list to get a weekly reminder when the meetings are about to begin. Come on in Friday and you can ask all about what being a popular marketer entails.

Give it a free spin,and when you’re ready you can upgrade your membership to gain more benefits.

Keep in mind, to get into Friday Night Chat you will need to be a registered member first over at Popular Marketers.

See you on Friday!

Jill Carpenter

Just as it’s done in the offline world, an online plan or strategy can be the difference between success or failure. With so many ways to tap into the online market it is advisable to investigate as many options as possible before jumping into a project.

One of the first obstacles that must be understood is the overall navigation of the web and the habits of the search engines. No matter which plan or strategy you choose, a brief understanding of SEO will enable you to set the proper foundations for a long term profitable successful business.

Another consideration when deciding on how to proceed with an online business is selection of a niche. Brave entreprenuers planning to venture in with unique idea are wise to conduct some preliminary market research to see if their contribution will be well received by the public. At the same time, some things you would never expect to work or happen can become an overnight success when properly advertised and presented to the public. Ever hear of the pet rock or mood rings?

With niche selection and SEO comprehension behind, there are still many considerations to follow and each idea will have a slightly different plan of attack – although there are in place some general formulas that can get anyone going in the right direction. Once you are able do decipher the formula best suited for your business, it is a simple matter of filling in the smaller details and seeing a project to completion.

A proper internet marketing plan can keep you on track and your ultimate goals in sight.

Originally posted 2009-06-15 09:37:38. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The oldest form and most simple is a static html site. HTML stands for hyper text markup language. This is a special defined code of characters that allows you to create links on your web documents. Very simply, you can create any kind of text document and by incorporation of this special code your pages can be woven together. This allows the user to find all the pages associated with your website – as well as outside sites you may be linking to. HTML also allows you to add different types of media to your site. If you have for instance a video on your web page, the actual video file will be located in it’s own folder. Html  acts like a map which pulls the information from the stored file where it can work to play on your page and be displayed with all kinds of different elements. Static sites display in what ever order you create them to. Each page needs to be created one by one. Some elements that carry through on every page like a menu or a banner can be managed with CSS or a cascading style sheet. This sheet includes style commands that are consistent on your entire html site. It will tell all the pages created to put specific elements in the same place on each page. This can speed up the creation of your site and give it a consistent feel.

Blogs are run with what is called a CMS or content management system. This is a pre built machine like system that greatly benefits the user by assisting them in where the content will go and then assembling it for them. Once you know what the buttons and gadgets do on your CMS, you can quickly assemble web pages with different types of media and almost no knowledge of html. The CMS  assists in creating links for you, and allows the user to upload and manipulate pictures and other media most times with basic knowledge of how a word processor works. WordPress is one of the top CMS systems to use and has a huge support system. Blogs are just as valid as sites built on html, and are known primarily for displaying their content in reverse chronological order.

Online forums allow a community to openly communicate with each other. Forums are run on scripts and give a specific set of tools for the visitor to use to share their information. Permissions given can be dictated by the owner of the site.

Ecommerce sites run on scripts that assist in displaying products in a store like fashion. Pictures and descriptions can be added to a site, and shopping carts can be integrated for the end user to assemble a variety of items they’d like to purchase.

Membership sites can be created in numerous ways. They can be a simple place where users download some materials, or as complicated as a combination of static pages, blog, and a forum for members to assemble. Scripts like Joomla are run on a CMS and allow an easy integration of all these elements through the addition of modules or plugins.

How do you decide which to use? This choice should be made with the thought of the end user in mind. You may wish to consider which is the best way to deliver your content or services in a way that your guests will get the most out of them. Before deciding which model to follow, take some time to browse the web and discover how others are delivering their content. Specifically, research your own niche and how the competition is doing things. Do their sites feel warm and inviting, and easy to navigate?

The sooner you’ve selected a platform to create your site, the sooner you can begin to build your little empire.

Originally posted 2009-10-01 08:49:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The new wiki does not currently work on SSL or Secured Socket Layer protected web sites. SSL sites are those that use the https: in the beginning, with an S for secure. These are sites that have purchased a special certificate which requires the owner of the site to verify specific personal information and gives a sense of security to the user that their information submitted and use of the site is in the hands of someone who will take care of it. Certificates can be purchased as a one off or can be bought in bulk for those who own more than one site. The cost can range anywhere from ten to one hundred dollars for each certificate, and only one certificate per site can be used. While this is currently the most effective way to avoid the Sidewiki comments on your site, it can be extremely cost prohibitive if you are in a position to protect several websites. There is also speculation on the web that Google is working to fix the bug that prevents use of sidewiki on their sites.

A code is available to add to your website that will kick off users who have a Google Toolbar installed. Webmasters need to install this code on all of their websites in order for it to work. When a visitor using Google Toolbar comes to your website they are directed immediately off to a page that instructs them to uninstall the bar in order to see the contents on the site. While this method is highly effective,  a site owners traffic is drawn away from the website and presented with uninstalling the toolbar which ultimately can distract them from returning once the task is complete. Those who do not want to deal with the hassle may choose to avoid the website altogether.

With the great demand for alternate solutions, programmers have developed Sidewiki blockers. The blocker uses a little javascript code which the webmaster can install on their site. When a visitor goes to a web page, the tool bar is unaffected and the Sidewiki is still visible to them. What does happen is if a user leaves a comment in the wiki panel it is only seen by the current visitor who left the comment and upon them leaving the page the comment is sandboxed or tossed off the page. This makes it impossible for visitors to carry on a conversation on the iframe, and makes comments left by competing business or spammers to be invisible all together. A blocker code can be purchased one time and used on as many sites as the webmaster chooses.

Only time will tell if this new message board will  become a smash hit with web users or just a tool used by spammers and competing business to destroy reputable brands on the web. Webmasters can now choose from these three solutions should they choose to not risk the great possibility of fallout from Sidewiki.

Click here for Swiki Blocker, a reusable Sidewiki blocker you can install on all your sites in seconds. You can find out more information on the possible dangers facing your unprotected websites at http://swikiblocker.info

Originally posted 2009-10-04 09:20:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

IMP has been inspired to take on a debate, but this battle will have a set time frame  and is just one big battle. It is the argument of which is better for conversions – Article Marketing or Video Marketing.

Now in a perfect world you really want to be doing both, and you want to do them in multiple places.

In an attempt to track results, the articles and videos in this experiment will be submitted only to Ezine Articles and Youtube.

Ezine Articles requires unique content, which on a free account that is being used will take up to 2-3 weeks for the articles to be approved. The plan is to submit articles and videos at the same time, as the videos should not be seen by ezine as duplicate content considering they are in video format and technically not readable by the spiders.

There are advantages and disadvantages to using both platforms.

As you know, words are primarily what control the internet. But video and multimedia appear to get some special love from Google.

Some article marketers swear by Ezine, not just because of it’s high page rank (giving you a high ranking link) but because its ability to rank articles quickly within the search engines.

Ezine allows 2 links within the resource box.

Youtube offers the ability to use your video as a video response to someone elses video, while Ezine does not have an article response mechanism in place.

Articles can be crafted in a way for the reader to gently glide into the click, while with a video the user is given a direct URL to type in or is directed to click on a link within the “more info” box.

And videos let you add more info to give a better description of what is taking place in the video.

Products need to be selected for this experiment.

The thought is to use a product that is centered around article marketing as a topic, and a second product that is centered around video marketing.

IMP is still personally debating if a third control product should be added to the mix. A product impartial to article or video which is a simple internet marketing product in general or a side related topic such as public domain, site flipping, using adwords – you get the picture. Perhaps the only topics to be taboo are those not entertained by ezine articles such as electronic cigarettes, and promotion of PLR as a way to get content.

The debate is the topic of the campaign in general, and like any other internet marketing plan it needs to be properly planned out. Work needs to be done to create the materials, and to market them all accordingly.

Updates will be provided here on IMP.

Originally posted 2009-12-03 11:35:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

What are these multiple streams and possibilities? As an example, here’s a random yet profitable niche which could make a great business for anyone. The electric fireplace heater.

Now that a product has been revealed, what would be the plan for income streams?

The first and most obvious is the sale of the unit itself. This could be promoted on a store front site and drop shipped or delivered from a store. You may have a store that offers either several brands or one brand with several different models. Irregardless, you will need to decide if you want to just sell the units on your site, or if your primary site will offer adsense and banners. Your ultimate conversions can be affected by these simple choices. For instance, running adsense on your site may get you some out clicks to other products in the associated niche, but these clicks will detract from your real objective to sell your units you currently have. You may wind up making pennies compared to dollars.

Let’s say you’d like to experience adsense, but you really want the goal of your primary site to just sell electric fireplace units. How do you get to tap into this additional income stream?

Limitation on the placement of these ads can be done or you could choose to use your secondary sites for the collection of your adsense revenue. The same is true with banners. While there is money to be made by adding banners to your site, again it will detract from what you are selling on your site – that is unless you are careful to select a banner that is not a competing product but perhaps a complimentary product to the one you are offering.

Secondary sites like Blogger blogs and Hubpages will not only guide you how to get your adsense into place, but will aid in future SEO and can help to bring traffic to your primary site. It can be like getting the most bang for your buck – or in those two particular free solutions for your time. In addition, Adsense is not the only ad marketing network.

What other streams can be added to this niche? How about some Ebay auctions? Something as simple as adding an Ebay store can not only increase your visibility, but can also be used in ones pursuit of listbuilding. While we are at it, what about Amazon? They sell a lot more than just books. And what about that listbuilding thing?

List building basically is a way to collect information on interested consumers who have gained your trust. This list can be used as a future client base to promote many different products to. Of course when approaching this list, you’ll want to keep in mind the primary product this audience was interested in in the first place.

As you can see, there is more than one way to make money from your online efforts with even just one focused niche. Take some time to think outside the box and look for as many ways as you can to monetize and get the most from your efforts. When creating your plan, be sure to keep in mind the additional streams of internet income.

Originally posted 2009-09-15 20:06:31. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Affiliates are basically the middle man between a product and the end user. Odds are if you want to go long term with your internet endeavors you will either become an affiliate or employ them at some part of your journey.

Many of the tasks you will need to perform as an affiliate will be carried into the plethora of other tasks associated with all IM fields.

Affiliate Marketing can be an entire IM business all on it’s own. Everyone has the opportunity to choose from physical or electronic products to promote. The theory is most lucrative of these two are the information digital downloads as they require no shipping, and offer instant delivery to the end user.

Most marketers are drawn to places like Clickbank, Paydotcom, or Ejunkie – but don’t be fooled. These are not the only places to find great quality digital products to promote.

With all internet marketing plans, the most important factor is finding that profitable niche. The same is true with affiliate marketing. To find programs related to your interest all one needs to do is google the name of the niche with the word “affiliate.” Some programs will appear through large vendors while other programs will be quite private. Should you find a private program, be sure to investigate a bit further to make sure the program is legit.

If you are beginning your online ventures with a modest budget, working as an affiliate is probably the only way to start your business with as little as zero investment and possibility of the greatest returns. Of course this will all be reliant on your creativity and ability to adapt quickly to the online world.

If you are still exploring all your possible options, consider diving in to get your feet wet by using affiliate marketing to start your business.

Originally posted 2009-09-18 09:28:42. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

For those who may not be privy, Simpleology was founded by Mark Joyner, and 101 is a free online course which is geared toward helping people focus on their goals. Not to be confused with any religious groups, Simpleology 101 is actually the first offering, and is “The Simple Science of Getting What You Want.”

Knowing what you really want and your end goals is the first step to any marketing plan, be it online or off.

This latest course “201″ has something to do with pyramids, and what appears to be building. A free download is provided which assists in giving you a hand in analyzing your current systems.

Mr. Joyner reveals that most people build their business the wrong way. They are trying to start from the top of the Pyramid, and work their way down. When you go back to how the Egyptians did things, they of course had to start from the ground and build up.

Simple philosophy, yet quite true.

With online marketing, it is possible to create several funnels of income, which all build up to your primary site. There are additional benefits to putting several systems in place simultaneously. But these systems need to be congruent with that last stone that is at the top of your pyramid. You also need to set them up just one at a time.

When first starting out online, it can be confusing to see how all these things fit in to the picture, and the mistake most make is getting stones or bricks that ultimately won’t fit into the final pyramid.

There is information overload when you are trying to do it all yourself. It is easy to get sidetracked and lose focus on the ultimate goal.

It is suggested that people follow the 101 course before taking on 201.

IMP is busy laying some foundations this weekend with the 300 Videos vs. 300 Articles challenge.

The articles must be written first, as the subject of the videos is what is covered in the articles.

While some preliminary quick video tests have been conducted, this official new challenge has not yet commenced.

Foundations need to be laid. Systems are being analyzed, and put into place. All with good speed as well.

What do these systems consist of?

It is the plumbing of the pyramid. Landing pages, giveaways, direction of traffic to specified offers, and the installation of gauges to track and test results.

300 Videos and 300 Articles in a hundred days time can be done, provided the computer doesn’t have a melt down. The possibilities of the traffic are quite wonderful to consider.

I will admit, if I hadn’t taken the initial Simpleology course a couple of years ago, I might be skeptical of this feat.

Please feel free to follow us here on IMP for updates on progress.

You can also sign up to our RSS feed, or follow me here.

Originally posted 2009-12-04 04:38:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

For this, consider someone who owns a dress shop. We’ll say it’s Nancy’s Dress Shop.

Imagine this. Nancy has a small little dress shop located in the midwest situated on the outskirts (terrible pun) of town. Nancy has just renovated an old building and her shop has just opened for business. It is on a road not well traveled. The shop is absolute stunning inside, she has a wide variety of offerings, and is fully stocked up. But who knows she exists?

In the offline world, Nancy is faced with the issue – how does she get traffic to her little dress store? How will anyone ever find her?

One of the first things she might consider doing is calling up her friend Joy to come by and see her new store. This of course would be considered “word of mouth” advertising.  While Joy will buy something from Nancy, she will need to sell more than one or two dresses to stay in business. Nancy needs to get some permanent signs or advertising locally or in the neighboring towns to get the word out that she is open for business. Nancy might do well to get herself listed in the local yellow pages. She might have to put in some money for some highway signs in a more trafficed area. She may also have to give out some free samples to create a buzz.

Now imagine that Nancy has magically found a way to put up signs in all 50 states about her little dress shop and what kinds of things she has to offer. Everywhere you turn around, you see Nancy’s being advertised over and over again. Do you think she might get a few calls? You need a dress – and there you see immediately that Nancy has them.

Online is no different with the exception that advertising and the driving of traffic to you site can be much more cost effective. The more search engine optimization you create, the less and less you pay for advertising. Online, Nancy has the opportunity to associate her name with her products over and over again. The more she does it, the more visibility and traffic she can achieve. SEO is like putting up signs all over the place about what you have and where to find it.

So what does SEO entail?

Like Nancy, you need to create your list of items you have to offer or what it is you want to be known for. Your next step is to simply start dropping those signs all over.

• article marketing
• blogging
• web 2.0 properties
• video
• online directories
• social networking sites

These are all great places to drop your message which ultimately point back to your site. The more you do the more people you can reach.

In addition, the ultimate benefit is if your SEO is done correctly, search engines like Google and Yahoo will take notice and give you a boost in their general search engine rankings.

No matter what niche you pursue, it is imperative that SEO considerations be explored and implemented in your final marketing plan.

Originally posted 2009-09-21 14:01:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Internet marketing plans can be found all over the web. It is only a matter of knowing where to look and knowing what you are looking for exactly.

Internet marketing itself can be divided up into many different categories and niches. Not every plan will be the right plan for what you are setting out to do.

One such absolutely free marketing plan to consider is the Micro-Continuity plan. This particular plan is one of many that revolves around creating a quick niche membership site.

As part of the promotion for Micro-Continuity, an ebook giveaway provides a detailed case study which actually gives away the full plan. This case study not only gives away the plan, but goes into much more depth as a full 34 page report – giving some very detailed notes of smaller actions required within the general outline.

The plan is explored completely with a case study done with student “Joy.” She had absolutely no experience in marketing online, yet managed to create her own product using video and even more impressive is the product she is promoting has absolutely nothing to do with the internet marketing niche.

Finding a plan for a proper membership site is not the easiest – but if you’d like to explore the possibility of creating your own mini sized membership ongoing stream of income, this is definitely worth the time to download. Even for someone who is not considering creating a members site, there are some great ideas which can be applied to the many different plans out there.

While some would argue “you get what you pay for,” in my review of the materials given away this is truly a diamond for those who take action.

To get your free marketing plan simply visit microcontinuity.com/joy.

Originally posted 2009-06-20 11:56:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter