Desty Online -- Online and Offline Businesses, Online Marketing » Online Marketing http://www.destyonline.com Bringing offline business practices online. Turning bloggers into Businessmen. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:57:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 en Getting Backlinks More Important Than Content http://www.destyonline.com/getting-backlinks-more-important-than-content/ http://www.destyonline.com/getting-backlinks-more-important-than-content/#comments Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:53:39 +0000 Desty http://www.destyonline.com/getting-backlinks-more-important-than-content/ Vic over at Bloggerunleashed has been cranking out several videos.  While Vic has never been shy about sharing information, his videos allow him to get his point across in a more complete way. 

Two videos he did have really hit home to me, especially within the last 2 weeks.

Vic’s video on types of backlinks got me booted into thinking more about just using Bookmarking Demon for backlinks.  I started to seriously research directories submitted my eBay affiliate blogs for links.

Vic made things even clearer with his video on organizing your online work; my problem has been a lack of time.  Example, I have, over the past 2 weeks, created 3 ebay affiliate sites:

I’m looking to start using the actual BANS software when I get my Adsense check.  For the time being, I’ll keep these three sites on the wordpress blog platform and the newer sites for the BANS to test the results.  I would think that using blogging platform would be an advantage due to the nature of a blog’s ability to ping.

Now that I have these sites up and running, my main goal should be to getting those backlinks.  I’ve got another domain in my pocket for another ebay site, but I’d like to get more links first.  Problem is, I really want to get this next site going so I can age and start creating income.  I’ve run into the problem with having multiple sites: setting priorities.  Which is more important: creating new sites or getting links for existing sites?

I’m willing to bet that Vic would say Links!  You can never have enough links.  I have a list of over 2000 directories that I’m working on with my 1st site.  My question is, at what point do you start working on getting links for other sites or make new sites?  How many links is a good pause point to work on other things?

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]]> http://www.destyonline.com/getting-backlinks-more-important-than-content/feed/ When Is Affiliate Marketing an Actual Service? http://www.destyonline.com/when-is-affiliate-marketing-an-actual-service/ http://www.destyonline.com/when-is-affiliate-marketing-an-actual-service/#comments Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:47:38 +0000 Desty http://www.destyonline.com/when-is-affiliate-marketing-an-actual-service/ As I look further and further into affiliate marketing, affiliate “marketers” constantly talk about focusing on your landing page.  No one actually (that I’ve ever seen) shows one of their actual affiliate pages as an example.  Shoemoney wrote about his adsense check for $132,994.97 and he actually posted a link to his site where the money was generated.

 Traveling to the site, Nextpimp.com, it’s a place where people could get free ringtones for their cellphones. 

 shoemoney.jpg

Some of the ringtones were created by the users of the page.  This just isn’t an affiliate landing page such as what affiliate “marketers” talk about using as a funnel into their affiliate links.  Shoe has forums, a store where you can buy new and different cell phones, and a membership system setup for the users.  He’s given everything needed for the complete cell phone experience.  All that’s missing, that I can tell, are links to cell service providers.

Your standard affiliate landing page is normally a one shot deal; someone visits the site from an ad or search traffic, clicks on an ad or an affiliate link, and goes else where.  The site is static and will most likely have the exact same articles or products three months from now as it does today; I don’t see where any repeat traffic comes into play.  Shoe created a site that provides a service, and has it setup in such away that the products continue to change and expand, giving customers a reason to return to see what’s new.

Focus on creating an expanding and evolving site, create value, and you’ve started your won online business.

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]]> http://www.destyonline.com/when-is-affiliate-marketing-an-actual-service/feed/ The #1 BlogRush Improvement for Online Marketing http://www.destyonline.com/the-1-blogrush-improvement-for-online-marketing/ http://www.destyonline.com/the-1-blogrush-improvement-for-online-marketing/#comments Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:58:07 +0000 Desty http://www.destyonline.com/the-1-blogrush-improvement-for-online-marketing/ Everywhere I turn, I see everyone talking down upon BlogRush.  Does BlogRush bring tons of traffic?  No, not really.  Does BlogRush bring traffic?  Yes, if you market your articles so others want to read them.  If your title doesn’t sound interesting, doesn’t make people want to see what the article is about, then no, BlogRush won’t bring traffic to your site.

I use BlogRush on Desty Online as well as my new project.  Desty Online was officially approved for BlogRush; I added the BlogRush code to my new project after the manual reviews.  Due to it’s nature, I doubt that my new project will be approved (it’s commercial).  I still get traffic on both sites from BlogRush.

Look at my theme for Desty Online.  At the top of the page, you’ll see what I consider my most recent featured article; this is the most recent article that I believe new visitors will find of interest.  When I write newer articles, the newer articles are displayed on BlogRush, where I would rather control what article is sent across BlogRush.  If BlogRush would create a plugin to allowing coding or tags to mark what recent articles would appear in the BlogRush widgets, that would be the best improvement to BlogRush.

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]]> http://www.destyonline.com/the-1-blogrush-improvement-for-online-marketing/feed/ Submit Articles to the Social Network Marketing Carnival http://www.destyonline.com/submit-articles-to-the-social-network-marketing-carnival/ http://www.destyonline.com/submit-articles-to-the-social-network-marketing-carnival/#comments Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:29:55 +0000 Desty http://www.destyonline.com/submit-articles-to-the-social-network-marketing-carnival/ All weekend, I had three words ringing through my head:

Social Network Marketing

With everyone down on Google and search engines in general, I was brainstorming on how to get around search and getting to a wider audience.  Go to MySpace right now.  Millions of people see that same entry page, the videos, the music, everything.  Millions of potential readers / customers.  How do you break into that?

Desty Online is sponsoring the Social Network Marketing Carnival.  You can submit your articles for the Social Networking Carnival.

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]]> http://www.destyonline.com/submit-articles-to-the-social-network-marketing-carnival/feed/ Free Online Marketing — a Look at Blogrush VS Technorati Tags http://www.destyonline.com/free-online-marketing-a-look-at-blogrush-vs-technorati-tags/ http://www.destyonline.com/free-online-marketing-a-look-at-blogrush-vs-technorati-tags/#comments Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:46:08 +0000 Desty http://www.destyonline.com/free-online-marketing-a-look-at-blogrush-vs-technorati-tags/ Several blogs have written about Blogrush in the past few days, it’s poor performance in generating traffic.  I had put my Blogrush numbers onto my Google Analytic’s dashboard to track what it’s exactly doing for me.  Mid-way through the month, I started using Technorati tags to help further my articles’ exposure; I got this information from Court’s article titled Get More Traffic — Technorati Tags.  It’s a great article on using Technorati’s tag system and even has a code generator.  This article is the only article that I have bookmarked for future referance in my Google toolbar.

A Starting Point 

Before we can start with how Blogrush and the Technorati tags have done, we need to establish a baseline of stats for Desty Online for the last 30 days.

baseline.jpg

Blogrush 

Blogrush is constant exposure for your blog articles.  You put the code on your site, and not only does the widget appear, but your most recent article is entered into the network for viewing.  The amount of views depends on how many credits your traffic and impressions of your widget; the more people looking at your site, the more exposure your articles get.

How did Blogrush do over the last 30 days?  Mind you, I have no referrals for extra traffic credits.

blogrush.jpg

Very poor across the board compared to our baseline average.

Technorati 

Technorati tags link your article to Technorati’s site via the tags you select and enter as code at the bottom of your articles.  I don’t use them with every article, as there are just some articles that I feel don’t have easily defined tags or keywords.

So, from the get-go, the odds are stacked against Technorati’s tags due to lack of use.  How did they do?

tags.jpg

Against the baseline average, poor results again.

Blogrush vs Technorati Tages: Head to head!

Taking the two sets of stats, Technorati generated more visitors, and that’s even not using the tags on every article.  For both, the time spent on the site, bounce rate, and page visits all give the nod to Blogrush, but only slightly.  There is a chance that using the tags on every article could give better returns from Technorati.  On the other hand, as Desty Online gains more traffic, this will create more impressions on Blogrush, creating more traffic credits, and therefore increasing our exposure.

In the end, using Blogrush and the Technorati tags are cost free and generate traffic.  I look at it like publicity: there’s no such thing as bad publicity.

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]]> http://www.destyonline.com/free-online-marketing-a-look-at-blogrush-vs-technorati-tags/feed/ The Next Generation of Online Marketing — TNX.net http://www.destyonline.com/the-next-generation-of-online-marketing-tnxnet/ http://www.destyonline.com/the-next-generation-of-online-marketing-tnxnet/#comments Mon, 22 Oct 2007 02:35:14 +0000 Desty http://www.destyonline.com/the-next-generation-of-online-marketing-tnxnet/ Roughly a month ago, I discovered a new advertising broker where you can sell advertising on your web site and buy links to other’s web sites.  TNX (located at TNX.net, not .com) is the next in the line of buy and sell links online advertising brokers, along the lines of Linkworth and TextLinkAds.  I signed up with Desty Online, scanned the introduction and the requirements to go live, and ran into a brick wall.  We’ll get into the brick wall later.  Anyway, I decided to move on and come back later and see what I could do with it.

A few weeks pass and I see John Chow and CashQuests writing about TNX.net.  Those two blogs are very well written, from an understanding and motivational standpoint, so I decided to go back and take a more detailed look into using TNX.  Also, TNX had started some marketing on Digital Point, where they were giving away free points to forum members who would sign up and post their TNX ID#; I’ll go into the points later, but for right now you just need to know that when you sell advertising space on your site, you’re paid in points.  It’s these same points that you use to buy links, so in essence, they were giving away 2000 points worth of money or free links.

Let me get into the Pros and Cons of TNX.net then I’ll let you know my experiences.

PRO

  • Affiliate Program – As all good sales programs out there, there is an incentive to get others to join up per your recommendation.  You get a flat 13.3% of the amount of points sold by your affiliates as long as they remain with the program.  Even if you yourself never actually put the advertising on your site, if you have others join up under you, can you earn free money or links, which ever you choose to spend your points on. 
  • Point System — This is a strength as well as a weakness in my humble opinion.  The Pro side of the point system is that those of us who love trading and whatnot, will start gaming the system.  Supposedly, the conversion rate from point to cash will increase at roughly 2% per month for a set amount of time; this means that you’ll want to join up as soon as possible to start earning cheap points.  I look at it as an opportunity to pay a cheap price and buy other’s points.  Yes, you heard me (er, read) right, you buy trade points between users.  Why would anyone want to buy points from TNX when they can buy them from you at a cheaper price; vise versa, why sell points back to TNX when someone else can give you more money per point than TNX is at the time.  The system has the potential to become a new economy.

CON

  • Point System — With the good comes the bad.  People are used to getting paid cash from Linkworth or TextLinkAds.  What’s with this point crap, they ask.  Also, while a new economy could be created with this point system, right now TNX is still giving away points for free.  In economics, this causes inflation, and the price of a point isn’t nearly as much as it would be if all these points weren’t floating around.
  • Getting Your Site Live — This is currently the biggest problem with TNX.  To get started, you have to put some generated code on your site.  For normal wordpress bloggers, this is a huge headache!  You have to download another plugin just to allow the code to work, otherwise you can’t even get wordpress to allow the code.  My suggestion is to get everything put into a plugin, just like TextLinkAds, where you download the plugin, and activate it.  Simple.

Where Are We at With TNX? 

Where am I on TNX?  I’m still trying to get the code to work.  I downloaded the plugin that should have allowed the code to work, but it didn’t.  To their credit, TNX had a link to BONTB where they go, step by step on how to get the code to workfor you.  I followed the instructions and wordpress finally allowed the update.  Problem was that it caused an error to appear on my actual page, so it was removed.  BONTB offered to help anyone get through their problems; I’m going to take them up on that offer, when I have the time to take another crack at this.

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]]> http://www.destyonline.com/the-next-generation-of-online-marketing-tnxnet/feed/ Passive Online Blog Marketing http://www.destyonline.com/passive-online-blog-marketing/ http://www.destyonline.com/passive-online-blog-marketing/#comments Wed, 17 Oct 2007 06:01:14 +0000 Desty http://www.destyonline.com/passive-online-blog-marketing/ Passive online marketing is simply an automated system that requires you to set the procedure once, iron out any bugs, fine tune, and then simply forget.  By the use of integrated software, marketing is done automatically.

What I’m talking about, of course, are pings!  Every time I write an article, Wordpress automatically alerts ping servers I use to the fact that I have written a new article.  It’s passive in that all I have to do is enter the ping server addresses once, and never have to worry about it again.  Gota love passive online marketing!

I’m always on the lookout for more ping server addresses.  Here’s the list I currently use:

  • http://1470.net/api/ping
  • http://api.feedster.com/ping
  • http://api.feedster.com/ping.php
  • http://api.moreover.com/ping
  • http://api.moreover.com/RPC2
  • http://api.my.yahoo.com/RPC2
  • http://api.my.yahoo.com/rss/ping
  • http://audiorpc.weblogs.com/
  • http://bblog.com/ping.php
  • http://bitacoras.net/ping
  • http://blog.goo.ne.jp/XMLRPC
  • http://blogdb.jp/xmlrpc
  • http://blogmatcher.com/u.php
  • http://blogsearch.google.com/ping/RPC2
  • http://bulkfeeds.net/rpc
  • http://coreblog.org/ping/
  • http://effbot.org/rpc/ping.cgi
  • http://mod-pubsub.org/kn_apps/blogchatt
  • http://ping.amagle.com/
  • http://ping.bitacoras.com/
  • http://ping.blo.gs/
  • http://ping.blogg.de
  • http://ping.bloggers.jp/rpc/
  • http://ping.blogmura.jp/rpc/
  • http://ping.cocolog-nifty.com/xmlrpc
  • http://ping.exblog.jp/xmlrpc
  • http://ping.fakapster.com/rpc
  • http://ping.feedburner.com/
  • http://ping.myblog.jp/
  • http://ping.rootblog.com/rpc.php
  • http://ping.syndic8.com/xmlrpc.php
  • http://ping.weblogalot.com/rpc.php
  • http://ping.weblogs.se/
  • http://pinger.blogflux.com/rpc
  • http://pingoat.com/goat/RPC2/
  • http://pingqueue.com/rpc/
  • http://rcs.datashed.net/RPC2/
  • http://rpc.blogbuzzmachine.com/RPC2
  • http://rpc.blogcatalog.com/
  • http://rpc.blogrolling.com/pinger/
  • http://rpc.britblog.com
  • http://rpc.icerocket.com:10080/
  • http://rpc.newsgator.com/
  • http://rpc.pingomatic.com/
  • http://rpc.tailrank.com/feedburner/RPC2
  • http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping
  • http://rpc.weblogs.com/RPC2
  • http://rpc.wpkeys.com
  • http://services.newsgator.com/ngws/xmlrpcping.aspx
  • http://signup.alerts.msn.com/alerts-PREP/submitPingExtended.doz
  • http://thingamablog.sourceforge.net/ping.php
  • http://topicexchange.com/RPC2
  • http://trackback.bakeinu.jp/bakeping.php
  • http://www.a2b.cc/setloc/bp.a2b
  • http://www.bitacoles.net/ping.php
  • http://www.blogdigger.com/RPC2
  • http://www.bloglines.com/ping
  • http://www.blogoole.com/ping/
  • http://www.blogoon.net/ping/
  • http://www.blogpeople.net/servlet/weblogUpdates
  • http://www.blogroots.com/tb_populi.blog?id=1
  • http://www.blogshares.com/rpc.php
  • http://www.blogsnow.com/ping
  • http://www.blogstreet.com/xrbin/xmlrpc.cgi
  • http://www.focuslook.com/ping.php?url=http://www.yourblog.com
  • http://www.holycowdude.com/rpc/ping
  • http://www.imblogs.net/ping/
  • http://www.lasermemory.com/lsrpc/
  • http://www.mod-pubsub.org/kn_apps/blogchatter/ping.php
  • http://www.newsisfree.com/RPCCloud
  • http://www.newsisfree.com/xmlrpctest.php
  • http://www.popdex.com/addsite.php
  • http://www.snipsnap.org/RPC2
  • http://www.wasalive.com/ping/
  • http://www.weblogues.com/RPC/
  • http://xmlrpc.blogg.de/
  • http://xping.pubsub.com/ping/
  • https://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZFinance.woa/wa/pingPodcast

Simpley go to options on in your wordpress wp-admin, under writing, at the bottom you’ll see Update Services.  Simply copy and paste your list into that field, making sure to have only one address per line.

If you have other ping servers you use, please share in your comments!

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]]> http://www.destyonline.com/passive-online-blog-marketing/feed/ Online Marketers Look to See What Readers Really Want http://www.destyonline.com/online-marketers-look-to-see-what-readers-really-want/ http://www.destyonline.com/online-marketers-look-to-see-what-readers-really-want/#comments Fri, 05 Oct 2007 14:29:30 +0000 Desty http://www.destyonline.com/online-marketers-look-to-see-what-readers-really-want/

RSS subscribers, click to visit this embedded article on online marketing. If you would like to use the article itself on your site, click the “embed” button.

As more and more people go online, they are going through the learning curve that every person goes through when they hit the Web.  Beginners generally stay with email and web browsing.  As they grow more comfortable with being online, they start looking for new experiences.  Youtube, going to check the news online, both of these online services that we take for granted, are normally shunned in favor of off-line alternatives.

The learning curve that’s to fall off once the beginner starts to use the Internet for activities they once used only off-line.  They start shopping online, check out the latest trailers for new movies, and research future purchases.

As you become an advanced user you can learn to take advantage of singular online sources for digital products such as iTunes where you can instantly update your music collection.  The iPod and iTunes are the vanguard for a new business model where an offline activity (listening to your favorite music) has been improved and placed solely online (iTunes).  iTunes is even an advancement over the older online business model where you would buy a CD online and wait 1-2 weeks for delivery.

For the most part, blogs and bloggers stay at the cutting edge of technology and online marketing.  A new technique in marketing is discovered or developed and with-in weeks it becomes the new “in” way to do things.  Those that continue to use the older marketing models will be left behind.

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]]> http://www.destyonline.com/online-marketers-look-to-see-what-readers-really-want/feed/ Desty’s Gold Starred Articles September 21 2007 http://www.destyonline.com/destys-gold-starred-articles-september-21-2007/ http://www.destyonline.com/destys-gold-starred-articles-september-21-2007/#comments Fri, 21 Sep 2007 17:52:23 +0000 Desty http://www.destyonline.com/destys-gold-starred-articles-september-21-2007/ Blogging Tips starts off with How to Manage Your Blog Advertising.  I also had Host Color inquire about advertising on Desty Online.  You can see that they purchased the Home Page top banner.  I had been throwing around the notion to create an advertising page for companies or individuals who wanted to advertise on Desty Online, so when I got the email, I wasn’t totally unprepared.  I had based my own advertising along the lines of Yaro’s structure on Entrepreneurs Journey.  If you or someone you know is interested in some affordable advertising on an up-and-coming blog, check out our affordable advertising page.

Along the lines of that article comes Just Sold 11 Text Links, 3 Banners and Reviews! - How to Sell Advertisements on Your Blog from Carl Ocab.  Marketing and promotion are the key.  You may have great stats that show you have lots of traffic, but even though you have several advertising options, if no one notices them what have you sold?  Upgrading the visibility of your advertising options is always a good thing.  It doesn’t hurt that he has a sale going on as well.

Must be an advertising special this week!  Reality Wired brings us Text Link Ads: How to Find Post Level Ads That Will Make Your Traffic Soar.  James goes over the requirements to buy post level text links from Text-Link-Ads.  From a promotional standpoint, if you can buy some post level text links from some of the high profile bloggers such as John Chow, Problogger, or Shoemoney, it could really give alot of bang for your buck.  The way I figure it, normal text link ads send out some PR loving while post level links could get you some nice traffic.

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]]> http://www.destyonline.com/destys-gold-starred-articles-september-21-2007/feed/ Get in On the Ground Floor NOW! Beat the BlogRush! http://www.destyonline.com/get-in-on-the-ground-floor-now-beat-the-blogrush/ http://www.destyonline.com/get-in-on-the-ground-floor-now-beat-the-blogrush/#comments Sun, 16 Sep 2007 04:01:05 +0000 Desty http://www.destyonline.com/get-in-on-the-ground-floor-now-beat-the-blogrush/ The weekend, marketing superstart John Reese launched BlogRush. 

BlogRush is similar to a traffic exchange.  You are provided a widget (our’s is located to the right in the sidebar just under the search feature).  Each time the widget is displayed, you get one referral credit.  For every credit you get, your articles are displayed in similar widgets across the world.

Here’s where it gets even better.  There is a 10 level referral system in place, so that when others see your widget and get interested in signing up, you get credits for the credits they create.  Since there’s a ten level referral system, you also get credits for people they sign-up, and so on and so on down to ten levels.  If you can only sign up 2 people, and they sign up two people, and everyone just signs up two people, at the end, you’ll have 1026 through you levels.  That’s alot of referral credits.

BlogRush was just launched this weekend, so now is the time to get in on the ground floor and get others to sign-up before someone else refers them.  It’s totally free, and will get your articles spread across the world.  Join now!

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