If you write online articles to market, then perhaps you need to consider the ramifications of your actions. You see, it is my contention that folks should use their real name. Especially considering that most articles are used as article marketing, and if you do not use your real name and send someone to a website that sells something, then that is fraudulent "shrill" type activity. By using a fake name and supposedly trying to promote a real product, this is complete hypocrisy.
Additionally, if someone uses a fake name, they are Hiding Something, every time. Someone here mentioned that they were protecting themselves from the Internet? Interesting, well then that is an admission that they are hiding. I ask who is protecting the reader from the trickery?
One of the problems on the Internet is that people use false identity and post bogus information, without taking responsibility. Using a fake name, they assume gives them security to spout off without recourse. I have a problem with fake "pen" names, and if you are promoting a product or service or even just AdSense Ad website doing this, it is borderline illegal.
Personally, I see it as a criminal act, I am not impressed with the excuses people use. The idea that everyone else does it, is not good enough, because many people do it, and use multiple identities and if you do it, you are in the same boat with liars, cheaters and terrorists. That is what I think. I am not impressed with liars, nor should you be. If you are using a fake name, then how are you justifying your integrity level to your mirror, please do tell. *the truth.
"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington
Let's see...19.95 for this program...29.95 for that new and improved tool, 197.00 for this sophisticated software revolution...1500.00 for that system...4000.00 to learn from the masters and become successful on the internet is what is needed, right?
Nope!
All people have the inherited necessary ingredient sitting right on top of their body that they need to become successful at promoting a website.
Its called the brain.
No product, software program, internet guru, internet legend, hype, bs and any of the other associated lies that come in the email every single day is needed to learn successful internet marketing strategies.
All living breathing people have the inherited characteristics to know what is good for them...and likewise...what is not. The brain, the soul and the mind tell people every day how to react to situations. The key is to tap in on this wonderful device and let it work for them. The truth is...most fight that natural urge and wind up doing something totally stupid!
For example..."jump onboard with this program...I will make you $10000 within a month!" It is known that is nothing but a bald face lie, but sadly, people fall into that trap time and time again, making some "slick" richer and richer.
Is it not time to stop that insanity?
Good people are milked from their good hard earned money for future promises of Ferraris and mansions every single day, when all that would really be needed is to think for one split second before signing that online agreement.
The universal spirit will inform that it is a lie...time to walk away.
The greatest promotional tool in the world is right in front of the eyes at this moment?
Interested to know what that is?
Thought..."what are you reading right now?"
Butch Hamilton is an SEO|SEM Specialist. Living on the internet has become a way of life...a succesful way of life. His talents for obtaining top positions on the search engines have led him to the point in his life where he has always wanted to be.
"Life-What a Ride!"
Says Mr. Hamilton, "Writing has always been my passion. Gone are the days when I placed blatant ads on the internet for exposure. I have found my life's work in writing articles.
Reliable and credible information is what the internet is all about to Butch Hamilton. His experience as a self employed building contractor...steel fabrication...has led him on an incredible journey.
He now resides in his beautiful home in Texas with his wife. Writing is the passion behind his successful promoting ability on the net.
Butch Hamilton's Quote: "What we think-is what we become."
http://ButchHamilton.com
http://butchhamiltonsbestdomains.com
Q: In my article marketing approach and working towards creating back-links to my site(s), does it matter in my resource box whether I type out the URL versus writing which would say "come visit" my site (with the come visit being the link?)
A:This is a good question, and in fact, it matters a lot.
Anchor text or absolute URLs?
Anchor text is when a word or a few words are clickable links. For example, you often see "click here" as a clickable link. In your example, "come visit" would be an underlined clickable link. The advantage to anchor text is that it looks good to the human eye and when you include key words in the anchor text, it looks good to the search engines.
The problem is we have found is that many of the people that use articles on web sites, blogs and newsletters are not savvy enough to use the html the right way so your anchor text winds up as a dead link. An absolute url is a url that begins with http: and ends with .com or the file name. In this way, the link becomes clickable whenever it is used.
If I am using all three available links in the resource box, two out of three of my links will be absolute urls and just one will be an anchor text link. If I am using just two links I would probably use two absolute urls just to be sure. You could have one of each though. And of course if I am just using one link that link will be an absolute url.
In this way you can be certain your link(s) will work for you in your article resource box. You can check out the example below to see what I mean.
And now I would like to offer you free access to 2 of my Instant Article Templates when you subscribe to my free Article Marketing Minute, a 52 week audio/video newsletter on Article Marketing. You can get your instant access at http://www.ArticleMarketingMinute.com
From Jeff Herring - The Internet Article Guy & the Great Article Marketing Network
My apologies to Robert Kiyosaki, author of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" for my variance on the title of his book. Rich Dad, Poor Dad offers a lot of information to readers about how one should go about setting up a wealth base.
Recently there has been a lot of negative marketing designed to abuse people by making them feel inadequate. Comments such as "I'm rich and you're not" and "I just bought two cars and a yacht, did you?" and the classic "I'm better than you" are all designed to get attention. In my opinion, that sounds like the sort of thing you might hear in a kindergarten playground.
Since when has having lots of money been the determining factor of being superior? Saddam Hussein had lots of money, so did Adolf Hitler. Idi Amin had a big Swiss bank account. Lots of disgusting people have plenty of money.
If the so-called self proclaimed "Rich Jerk" is so superior why does he have to stoop to this sort of marketing to make a quick buck?
I'll tell you why - because it's getting harder and harder to be unique and stand out from the crowd. As soon as somebody gets a new idea everybody else wants to copy it. Well I sure do hope the imitators stay away from this gimmick.
Predictably, the affiliate marketing brigade is already climbing all over it like the Ebola virus in their quest to get a piece of the action. Some of them even "cluck, cluck" over the tactics then sprout something like how wonderful the content is. Really!
I first saw this technique, dubbed "anti-marketing," a few months ago when I visited a well-known marketer's web page. This guy's name is very recognizable. He was well respected - once. But I fear he is going down a path of self-destruction by doing what he is doing.
His website, a thoroughly boring looking thing, contained several dozen envelopes that you had to click on to read the letters inside. After reading several of these so-called "sales letters" I just clicked away from the site, disgusted. Each letter was crammed with rude, abusive, offensive, obnoxious slurs. If this is where the latest marketing trend is headed then there will be a lot of people who will simply not put up with it.
Shock tactics like this will not last. They might have a short time in the sun but the amusement value will soon wane. You cannot treat people in such a derisory manner and expect to stay on top of the game. Reputations will be lost over this. I guess that's why some people who are doing it hide behind pseudonyms. But hey, this is the internet - word soon gets out about true identities.
The sooner this fad dies an early death the better. I'm reminded of a saying by Lobsang Rampa: "I'd rather be a small shrimp in the sea of faith than a dead whale on the beach."
Next time you see marketing containing these negative hallmarks do yourself a favor. Do what I do, click away.
This article comes with reprint rights providing no changes are made and the resource box below accompanies it.
About the author: Gary Simpson is the author of eight books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem, affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles appear all over the web. Gary's email address is budo@iinet.net.au. Click here to go to his Motivation & Self Esteem for Success website where you can receive his "Zenspirational Thoughts" plus an immediate FREE copy of his highly acclaimed, life-changing e-book "The Power of Choice."
Thanks to the vast reaches of the internet, global marketing is now possible for the average business owner, either the large corporation or the small privately run entity, to narrow the geographic divide.
The main point of search engine optimization (SEO) and reaching a global audience is not only to drive traffic to your site, but also to then convert those visitors from all over the world into paying customers. Web traffic and the ensuing exposure are nice, of course, but if those hits don't improve business and increase sales, what purpose do they really serve?
The Prime Components of Global Marketing With Article Marketing
Creating a Website
For article marketing to have even a chance at being effective, it's imperative for all businesses to have their own websites to link back to when submitting articles to search engines and article directories. Also, having your own domain name is always preferable over using a free site, as it lends an authentic feel that tells people they're dealing with a real company that's serious about their online business ventures.
Be sure to include your website address on all of your marketing materials, both online and off. Your business cards, banner ads, forum and blog posts, as well as every article you submit for publication should all have your site's URL, which should be something easy to spell and remember.
Global Promotion Using Articles
Successful global promotion must include a set plan that features a number of effective methods for spreading the word about your business or products. The distribution of press releases announcing important details and providing a newsworthy story about your business, as well as submitting your articles to article databases and posting them on blogs, will also help to get your name recognized quickly.
A well-written, full-length article on a particular niche or topic is a perfect addition to the innumerable snippets of information the many popular blogs feature. But wherever you decide post your articles, don't forget the all-important resource box for providing the pertinent details people will need to do business with you. This, of course, will include your website and email addresses, but may also include a brief biography about you or your company, along with other bits of contact data such as location and telephone or fax numbers.
Providing Accurate, Useful Information
By providing accurate information in your articles along with an irresistible or enticing offer when people arrive at your website, the chances of converting the casual visitor into a paying customer dramatically increase. It definitely pays off in the long run to take the time to explore and thoroughly research all avenues when it comes to expanding your business globally using article marketing and the various related techniques for increasing customer base and revenue.
Email Marketing
Email marketing can be an excellent way to globally promote your business, either through legitimate lists of email addresses that you can purchase, or through lists that you've collected yourself from visitors who've been to your site, or through some other means of internet marketing. Email marketing is similar to the direct mail type, but without the need to spend money on postage and mailing expenses, and is also the perfect extension to article marketing.
Global marketing utilizing the benefits of article marketing truly is the easiest and most cost-effective way of expanding business and your contacts, as well as reaching new and impressive sales records that may not have been possible before.
Are you a freelance writer who is tired of others profiting from your hard work and effort? Do you want to maximize your online income and secure financial freedom for you and your family? Now you can! Combine your writing talents with the power of Internet Marketing and watch your income soar! Visit http://www.internetmarketingwriter.com and join the new revolution of financially secure and joyous freelance writers.
TIPS FROM THE TOP
For radio and TV: Approach producers as if they have ADD (attention deficit disorder). Get their attention fast. If your press release doesn't capture the producers' attention within the first ten seconds, you're dead; they'll be off on something else. They seldom read press releases, but when they do, they usually just scan the headlines and bullets. Producers' lives are blurs. Everything is an emergency or a crisis...so make press releases for producers shorter than those you send to print journalists. Tips:
Headlines are critical. They should be one line only, take seconds to read and focus on value and benefit.
The media is obsessed with three topics that it thinks audiences crave: money, sex and health. So, whenever possible, tie your headlines to those topics.
Establish a "Who Gives a Damn" meter. Determine if anyone would care about the information presented. If so, identify specifically who would care. Then determine why they would care. Once done, write headlines and bullets targeted to those who would care.
For print: For the print media the first paragraph of your press release is vital. It should run no more than three or four sentences and set forth all of the main points covered in the release. Don't muddy your opening paragraph with too much detail...Use subsequent paragraphs to further explain your story, including background, more specific information, and even include quotes or endorsements. But keep the entire release to one page. After you've drafted the release, tie it together with a catchy headline...always include your contact information at both the top and bottom of the page. [And remember] that print media can publish a press release, or parts of it, with little or no change, and their job is done. ___
PERMISSION TO REPRINT: You may reprint any items from "The Author 101 Newsletter" in your own print or electronic newsletter. But please include the following paragraph:
Reprinted from "Rick Frishman's Author 101 Newsletter " Subscribe at http://www.author101.com and receive free by email my "Million Dollar Rolodex"
If you like my newsletter, please pass it on to your friends, clients and colleagues.
Rick Frishman President Planned TV Arts
Rick Frishman, president of Planned Television Arts, since 1982 is the driving force behind PTA's exceptional growth. In 1993 PTA merged with Ruder*Finn and Rick serves as an Executive Vice President at Ruder Finn. While supervising PTA's success, he has remained one of the most powerful and energetic publicists in the media industry.
Rick continues to work with many of the top editors, agents and publishers in America including Simon and Schuster, Random House, Harper Collins, Pocket Books, Penguin Putnam, and Hyperion Books. Some of the authors he has worked with include Mitch Albom, Bill Moyers, Stephen King, Caroline Kennedy, Howard Stern, President Jimmy Carter, Mark Victor Hansen, Nelson DeMille, John Grisham, Hugh Downs, Henry Kissinger, Jack Canfield, Alan Deshowitz, Arnold Palmer, and Harvey Mackay.Rick joined the company in 1976 after working as a producer at WOR-AM in New York City. He has a B.F.A. in acting and directing and a B.S. from Ithaca College School of Communications.