More than just websites!

Articles for the ‘Marketing’ Category

Search Engine Optimisation

 Print This Post | Monday, March 29th, 2010

You’ve invested money in designing your website but no-one will find it out in Internet Land if you haven’t invested in search engine optimization (SEO).

SEO is the process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to your website from search engines.  The earlier (or higher) a site appears in the search engine’s results list, the probability increases that visitors will look at the site.  More unique visitors to your site eventually equates to enquiries and ultimately sales.

Getting SEO right gives your site “web presence”.   Knowing how search engines work and analyzing what people search for forms the basis of good SEO.  Optimising a website involves editing its content to increase the relevance of specific keywords that potential customers are likely to use in their searches.  SEO may need to target different types of search, including local search, video or image search.

Basic SEO puts your website into search engines such as Google by setting up your website to target a few specific keywords, such as “electrician Springfield” or “electrician Ipswich”.  You should be aware however, that Google (and other search engines) keep changing how it works.  For example, it used to be that if you entered a keyword such as “electrician” you would be shown sites from all over the world.  Now Google determines where you are and shows you sites that are near your location.  This means your site needs further optimisation to target local searches.

As an Internet marketing strategy, you need to consider what SEO has already been done on your website and how it can be updated.  Search engine lists continually change as competitors change their websites and search engines change the way they work so you need to review you website’s SEO on a regular basis.

There is a huge profitable industry aimed at raising your website’s profile in Google.  While we do not compete directly in this industry we are able to improve your Google profile.   However, this does cost money because it takes time to sort out.  If you want to be near the top of the list for a search such as “electrician” and beat most of your competitors, expect to pay at least $1000.

Occasionally you may get a sales person call you to offer Google search engine services.  Find out how much they charge.  Note that most salesmen will be targeting you to sign up on a one year contract for a set amount.  In our experience, any promise of getting a website into the first page of a search list is sometimes difficult to fulfill so be aware that paying money does not always guarantee anything.

Google Adwords

These can usually be set up so they cost no more than $2.00 per day ($10 per week) and guarantee to get at least 15 customers clicking on your website.

Call us if you want more information on Search Engine Optimisation for your website.  We can look at what SEO is being done now for your website, advise you on what you should be doing, where you need to be appearing on the web and help you set up a Google Adwords campaign.

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Selling Goods On-line

 Print This Post | Monday, March 29th, 2010

If you’ve got a product to sell and are thinking about selling your goods online, you’ve probably already heard of Ebay.  But did you know there are many other websites which allow you to sell and buy products?  Don’t limit your selling options, think about increasing your business exposure by using other online selling sites.  We’ve been checking out some great sites for some of our customers and in this article, we list our recommendations.

Whichever trading sites you use, remember that photographs are the most important aspect of selling anything.  Only use clear, attractive photos and take time to write good descriptions for each article.  Give all pertinent information including size, weight, materials and other interesting details. Also include information about why the item is so special so that potential customers will be persuaded into buying it.

Depending on where the site is hosted, prices may be listed in other currencies such as US dollars or Euros.  Keep up to date of current exchange rates and use a currency calculator such as www.xe.com to update prices at least once a month. Remember to update the shipping price if necessary.

Never provide your personal or banking information (e.g. credit card number) to others over the Internet. Also, when buying or selling and you are to meet in-person to see the item and exchange money, for personal safety, always ensure you take someone with you.

1. ETSY (www.etsy.com)

Etsy.com is the most well-known place to sell handmade items online. But you are not just limited to selling crafts here, you can sell artwork and prints, craft supplies and vintage items. With over 3.3 million members, only 250,000 of those are sellers, meaning that there are more than enough customers to go around.

To become a seller on Etsy, the first thing to do is register for a buyer account. Be careful when choosing your username, as it will also be your shop name, located at http://username.etsy.com

It costs 20 cents to list an item for four months and when your item sells, you are charged a 3.5% transaction fee. Fees are paid monthly using either PayPal or the credit card on file. Listings expire after a few months and a fee must be paid to re-list them.

A quick look on the website gives the impression that this business is primarily in the United States, but do not let that put you off, as 40% of sales are from international buyers.

While prices are listed in US dollars, PayPal will correctly convert your currency, but all other sales, such as money order and cheques, need to be calculated by you.

Remember to keep up to date of current exchange rates and update your prices at least once a month. (Don’t forget to check and update your shipping price if necessary).

2. DAWANDA (www.dawanda.com)

Dawanda.com is similar to Etsy, but lists prices in Euros. Anyone who makes handmade products or offers customised and tailor-made items can become a seller on DaWanda. All you need to do is register and then create your shop.

To create your shop you will have to provide details such as your address, your payment details, your shop name and a description about yourself.

You can upload your personal banner and photo to customise your shop. After that you can start to list the items you would like to sell.

DaWanda charges no listing fees, just 5% commission when an item sells. The items remain listed until they sell or 120 days.

3. AMAZON (www.amazon.com)

Amazon.com became famous for selling books, but in the past 10 years the website has expanded and now sells everything from bicycles to bath mats.

Unlike eBay, Amazon sells at fixed prices and listings can last for months or years and listing an item is even easier than you would think.

A listing for a book, for example, only requires a search for your books by title, ISBN or EAN, so there is no need to write a description or bother with pictures.

The EAN, or The European Article Number, is a bar code that is similar to a UPC code in the US. This 12- or 13-digit product identification code, uniquely identifies the product, manufacturer, and its attributes; typically, the EAN is printed on a product label or packaging.

Just select the condition of the item, for example, like new, and choose a price. You will be notified by email when an item sells and postage is broken down by item category and is automatically added to your listing, so you do not need to bother with a set of scales.

4. EBID (www.au.ebid.net)

Ebid is the leading alternative to eBay but the biggest difference is that at eBid it is free to list your auction no matter what price you start accepting bids.

To register for a selling account, you must first sign up as a buyer, then upgrade your account to either Seller or Seller+.Seller gives you access to the “Standard” auction format which is free to list with a 3% final value fee. If you upgrade to Seller+ can use the “Free Auction” which has no listing fees and no final value fees.

Prices range from $1.99 for one week to $49.99 for a year. The only catch is that these subscriptions are recurring payments, so unless you cancel your membership, you will be charged regularly.

5. GUMTREE (www.gumtree.com.au)

This website is becoming more popular for local community classifieds and it is free to post sale items on the site.

Posting an advertisement on Gumtree is quick and easy. Simply visit the site home page and click on the “post an ad” button, choose the most relevant category for your ad and then enter the details.

Once submitted, there can be a delay of up to 3-4 hours before the ad will appear online, so please be patient. Please also be aware that it can take longer for photos to appear in your ad than the text. After you submit your ad, you’ll be sent a confirmation email which will contain your reference number and password. Just make sure you keep this email, because you can use these details later to edit, report or delete your ad.

6. EBAY (www.ebay.com.au)

It’s not an exaggeration to say you can sell anything on Ebay!  To begin selling, you will need to register and then create a seller’s account. To open an account, visit www.ebay.com.au and click on the “Sell” link at the top of every eBay page. Then select the link marked “Create a Seller’s Account” and enter your details.

For verification purposes, you will be asked to provide credit or debit card details and bank account information.

But before you place anything for sale, remember that preparation is key – make sure you do your research and be realistic.

To get an idea of how much you can expect to sell your item for and to find out how other sellers have sold similar items, check eBay’s “Completed Items” search.

There are two ways to sell your items, either through an auction-style listing or at a fixed price with “Buy It Now”. For beginners, the auction is generally the way to go as with the fixed price option you will need feedback from at least 10 sales in order to list.

It is now free to start your auction-style listing at 99c and keep in mind that the lower you start the bidding, the more likely you are to sell your item.

Many sellers list their items for seven days, in order to include a weekend to capture weekend shoppers.  Sunday evenings are the busiest for shoppers.

Once the listing ends, contact the buyer to arrange payment and to get delivery details.  Only post the item once you have received payment.

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What are Google Ads ?

 Print This Post | Thursday, January 28th, 2010

Anyone can advertise on Google.  All you need is a Google “Adwords” account.

No matter what your budget, you can display your ads on Google. Connect with potential customers at the magic moment they’re searching for your products or services and only pay when people click on your advertisement.

We have vouchers offering new Google Adword’s customers $75 worth of free advertising.  Just ask and we’ll send you the details so you can use one to setup your new Adwords account.

We can help you set up accounts so that adverts will usually cost less than $30 per month.  For small businesses these can be configured to cost as little as $5 per month.   This is free if you design the adverts and have chosen your required keywords.

Generally what we do to reduce fees to less than $30 per month is to set up your account so that your adverts only appear when potential customers enter specific keywords.  Competitive businesses such as plumbers, electricians, physiotherapists, etc would spend $30 per month to target their local area and should expect to generate well over $200+ of new business.  Less competitive businesses can use Google Ads for as low as $5 per month.

We can set up and monitor your Google Ads account for a small fee.  We can also set it up so adverts only appear for specific keywords (eg “plumbers Kenmore“ rather than generic terms (eg “plumbers”).  This means fewer potential customers but less cost per new customer.

To sign up for Google Ads you need a credit card.  Google will then bill you whenever your account is over a set $ amount (usually every month).

Check out the following links for more details:-
http://www.google.com/adwords

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay-per-click

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Extracting Names & Numbers from Yellow Pages online

 Print This Post | Monday, November 16th, 2009

Have you ever wondered how you can extract names and telephone numbers of potential customers from the online Yellow Pages ? Wouldn’t it be great to have a simple list of customers you’d like to target ?

We’ve found this great tool at www.pageraptor.com which allows you to extract data from any webpage/s and download the information to an Excel spreadsheet or database on your pc. Known as a data mining too, “Page Raptor” is so useful, and will save you hours of time that you’d otherwise spent manually keying in details. It’s perfect for marketing or sales people wanting to find new potential prospects. The software is free but you pay 4c per line when you want to copy data from a webpage. Still far cheaper than paying someone to manually enter in customer details!

Steps for downloading Page Raptor:-

1. On the www.pageraptor.com website, click on the “Free Download” button.
2. Click on ‘Save File’ to download the software.
3. Once the file has downloaded, click on the “PageRaptorSetup.exe” file.
4. Click ok to use English during the installation.
5. The PageRaptor Setup Wizard will start. Click on ‘Next’ as you move through the wizard.
6. You may want to click on the ‘Create a desktop icon’ when you get to the third setup screen entitled “What Additional Tasks should be performed?”

Using Page Raptor

1. Click on the Page Raptor icon on your desktop:-

Main Screen of Page Raptor which can extract the results of Yellow Page searches to a spreadsheet or a database

2. Scroll down to find the “Australia” section and click on the Yellow or White Pages link, depending on what businesses or names you want to find.

3. Enter the business type or name of the company you wish to find as well as the location. Click on Search.

4. Sort or refine your search by specific location. Once all the businesses are listed, click on the Scrape Page/Capture button in the left hand column.

5. If you want to save the data collected, you’ll need to log in and pay for credits (around 4c per line).

6. Once you have purchased credits, click on the Save Current Lines button.

Ask us if you need help downloading, installing or using Page Raptor for your marketing campaign.

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