Dress Up Your Naked Domains
How many domains do you own? If you are like thousands of people, particularly internet marketers, then the answer could be ‘hundreds’. The bigger question however, is how many of these are naked domains – without sites on them?
Domain buying has become big business, with people making big profits through domain flipping. However, even before this business model became popular, people were buying domains they didn’t use:
* they had a great idea for a product
* they wanted to tie up all the variations of one that they were using, e.g. they purchased the .net, .biz, .org domains even though they just build upon the .com.
* they thought the name might be worth something in the future
* they made a typo and purchased one in error!
* they saw a trend and thought to buy into it
Trends pass, as do ideas for products, but the domains remain, often sitting in your domain register account, naked and unloved.
Profit Potential
These domains should not, however, be thought of as worthless or a waste of money. Rather, think of them as online real estate, property that will appreciate immensely – with the addition of a site with original content.
The people who are in the domain trading business value aged indexed sites with content – they are worth more because they have a ‘history’ with the search engines. Internet marketers value them because they can replace aged content with their own, and reap the SEO benefits of launching a new product on an aged domain.
A Matter Of Time
Of course, building a website, even a simple one, on 10, 20 or 50 domains is time consuming. Time that you could otherwise spend on activities that earn you income right now.
But looking to the future profits that could be gained from your domain stockpile should not be ignored. Even by pointing 10 at a time to your web host and adding a simple site, you can work you way through your list and begin to really increase the value of these assets.
The first step is to log in to your registrar, or registrars, and export lists of all of the domains you own. Note on the list which you have pointed to your nameserver and set up accounts. This should give you a clear idea of the ones you need to start working on to build their value.
Is it time you took some domain name action? If it is, then I have just launched a new product called, funnily enough, DomainNameAction, which will put WordPress websites, with drip fed content for less than $US32/domain (based on a 50 domain pack).
>>> Get more details, and see an example site, at DomainNameAction
Why Kyle Tully Is My Client
Over the last few years I have had the good fortune to meet and work with some of the most exciting internet marketers. Exciting? Yes, because when I met them they were just starting out on their IM journey, and today they are some of the most highly regarded internet marketers in the world. They are the people who are setting a new standards, raising the benchmark when it comes to new product innovation.
One of these is Australian, Kyle Tully, who through his Consulting Tycoon program, is teaching hundreds of smart people how to become consultants to offline businesses. Kyle has learned the value of article marketing and is one of my ongoing clients for SEO Content. It is sometimes difficult to explain to (particularly new) internet marketers why they should invest in quality content, when they can by cheapie articles elsewhere. Here is Kyle’s take on this:
SEO Content Coach
You know, it doesn’t matter whether you are going to create your own content, if you are going to outsource it, or if you want to create a business out of being an SEO content creator, you need to know what is involved.
Why Do Internet Marketers Need To Know This?
Many successful internet marketers do outsource their content creation – SEO articles, blog posts, Squidoo lenses, transcriptions, video, audio (the types of content that can be used on websites continues to grow). But the ones who do this successfully, do not blindly throw work at outsourcers and accept what is returned. They KNOW what is good SEO content, and what is not worth publishing in any form.
They know what makes a great SEO article, and they know how to ask for exactly what they need – content that has been assembled correctly, with keyword placement that will endear them to the search engines. They have learned the value of good, well-written, quality articles. Take one and rework it for many different applications.
The Birth of SEO Content Coach
It is this that I teach in SEO Content Coach. I find that many of the newer internet marketers for whom I provide content, are missing the ‘need to know’ stuff about SEO Content creation. They rely on me to know what they need. Now that’s fine for as long as they are my clients. But for those whom I have to waitlist or turn away (e.g. I rarely accept two clients within a competitive niche), they really need to know what they need to ask of outsourcers.
I explain what article marketing is, and how it can be one of the cheapest forms of SEO marketing – if you start off with quality material.
I show you how to:
- create an optimized article
- post it to an article directory for best results
- convert that one article into a Squidoo lens, eHow article, MP3 and more
- rewrite the article for submission to an article distribution services – really powerful stuff if it is backlinks you want, and YOU DO!
For Writers
If you are a SEO content writer, or an aspiring one, then you will find SEO Content Coach an invaluable guide to how best create worthwhile content that your clients, and the search engines, will value.
But especially for you, I have included a section on running your business -
- Where to find work
- How to bid on projects
- A copy of my Brief
- Setting up your business website…… and loads more,
- Including links to all the resources you will need.
I’ve been sharing my SEO content creation knowledge for sometime now, and am sure that both internet marketers and writers will benefit from purchasing my SEO Content Coach program.
Learning About Content Writing
If you enjoy writing, then learning how to write SEO content is a great career move – every website needs fresh, original content if it is to rank well with the search engines. AND if you are an internet marketer, but content creation is not your think – you also need to know how to create it – if only to be able to brief your outsourcer! My 3-Part SEO Content Coach program has been created to help you get the most from every piece of content you create.
>> Discover how to write for your internet marketing project at SEO Content Coach
Sharing The Love
Standing in front of 220 super-motivated internet marketing stars in the making was electric! Those attending James Schramko’s Fast Web Formula internet marketing training workshop were treated to three days of comprehensive instruction on the latest strategies, techniques, tips and tools from a variety of speakers.
Guest Speakers
Breaking with his previous formula, for this event James invited some guest presenters – experts in their field – to share their knowledge with participants. The speakers also made themselves available for chats during the breaks and some great bonds were formed.
Speakers included:
Dean Hunt from the UK, a real Buzz Marketer who had the audience tittering over his ‘package’
“SEO” Steve Ovens, a home-grown Aussie SEO expert, who injected a little ‘geek’ into the mix
Affiliate marketing wiz, Peter Parks, flew in from Canada to whisper his secrets into any ears that turned his way
The unassuming Sydney-sider Kyle Tully, had the audience captivated as he described the opportunities available for consulting to offline businesses
And then there was me…..
I enjoyed sharing what it takes to create a good article, and outlining how one well-written article can be morphed into many different incarnations – including video and audio. It was a real eye-opener, even for some of the more advanced internet marketers present.
SEO Content Coach
This was the perfect opportunity for me to launch my 3 Part Training Program, SEO Content Coach, and the response was overwhelming! I am so looking forward to working with my first 30 students and keeping them up to date on new opportunities for stretching their articles further!
>> Learn more about SEO Content Coach
KISS – Men and Article Writing
Keep It Simple Stupid!
Writing a good SEO article isn’t difficult if you follow basic steps – and that is perhaps why so many male internet marketers would rather outsource this task. This is not intended as a negatively sexist comment, but more an observation. Consider the following to see if you agree with me:
- When some men are give a new mechanical device, often their first urge is to take it apart to see how it works. The fact that their investigation leads to the items failure to perform in its intended way is irrelevant.
- When you bring ‘assemble yourself’ furniture home, the first thing a man reaches for is the screwdriver or allen key – the last resort is the instructions leaflet (which is invariable in dubiously translated English, granted).
- They will spend hours cleaning a barbeque and then get distracted during the 10 minute cooking process and burn the steak………..
Back to article writing
So, when I tell you that over 70% of my clients are male internet marketers, it is worthwhile to acknowledge that there are differences in the way men and women think. Obviously for me, that’s a very GOOD thing. It means that one of my major income streams, providing writing services for internet marketers, is doing nicely. I am constantly looking for new writers to join my team, and it doesn’t take long for me to see who ‘gets it’. And mostly it is women – although I have had one male writer for well over a year now (and you know who you are JC!) who is sensational!
KISS
Keeping it simple is one of the main things I look for in writers. That they can understand a sometimes complex topic and produce articles that, while interesting and informative, are able to be understood by the common man, is a gift. Convoluted sentence structure, overly technical terms, and flowery language are NOT required.
Outsourcing
So for all of those internet marketers out there, particular those who cannot or do not want to, write articles – outsource! There are people like me out there who would be glad to help you out – and in the process you allow us to set up own own businesses as service providers. There is plenty of work to go around, and some work can be done quite cheaply.
However, if it is quality, original, SEO content you need – you know where to find me!
Postscript:
In order to continue to deliver premium content to my current clients, I have closed my list to new clients for 2009. Please do contact me though if you would like to be contacted 2010.
Article Writing – Getting The Basics Right
Whether you are a beginner or have been writing internet marketing SEO content for some time, it is important to know that you are getting the basics right. Are you?
Keyword Placement
Are you placing your well-researched keyword properly? It should be in your article title, in the first and last paragraphs, and once or twice in the body of the article, depending on its length. Don’t use them gratuitously – if your article is well written they should appear organically anyway. Overuse of keywords will cause readers to click away – probably not what you had planned.
Interesting Headline
Make your headline as interesting as possible – but not at the expense of losing your keyword. “5 Ways to..”, “Top Seven Reasons Why…”, “The Truth Behind…” – all invoke curiosity.
Deliver Value
Don’t waste your readers’ time. Have something of value in the article, teach them something they might not already know. But don’t fall into the trap of telling them everything about the topic – they need to have a reason to visit your site to learn more.
Make Your Resource Box Work For You
If you are posting your article to a publishing site that provides a Resource Box, use it to its full potential. Don’t waste time telling the reader your life story (they don’t care, they just want to know what you can do for THEM). You can BRIEFLY position yourself as an expert, but more importantly you need to deliver a call to action – tell the reader what he or she needs to do next, i.e. find out more at http://www.yourwebsite.com. BIG HINT: Don’t use hypertext in your research box – the link may be lost when the article is reproduced elsewhere.
There are many other ways to tweak your articles for SEO and the associated traffic and links, but get these basics right, and you know you are on the right path.
And if article writing is not your forte, don’t agonize over it – outsourcing article writing is easy, and gives you the freedom to do the things you do enjoy and are good at!
Ezinearticles.com – On The Warpath!
For many years ezinearticles.com has given article marketers the best exposure for their work. As with all good vehicles for internet marketers though, the site has felt the impact of those who would abuse it, to submit second rate articles that have been changed minimally from ones already on the site. But no more.
In the last few weeks there has been much whining and bitching in the internet marketing community about the tough stance ezinearticles is making on this. It is going to hurt a lot of them, especially those who are outsourcing the ‘spinning’ of articles, or who are using PLR. The more astute ones already know the value of quality articles, and now maybe, perhaps, the also-rans will stop the moaning long enough to realise that this is a GOOD thing! That maybe if they invest in what ezinearticles wants – ‘original, exclusive’ articles, their articles will find their way out of ‘problem status’ and be published..
Now by ‘exclusive’, EZA CEO Chris Knight, is at pains to point out that he is not saying that you can’t put your articles on your own website AND EZA. Of course you can. But what you cannot do is take that article, change the headline and the first few lines, and then submit it everywhere else. This is called ‘derivative content’ and it devalues not only the article on EZA, but the article on your website as well – and THAT is bad!
By using a human (with a good command of English!), and not spinning software, to rewrite your article will provide you with yet another original article for submission to EZA or one of the other article publishing or distribution sites. Treat EZA with respect and you will be rewarded with nice traffic.
Chris Knight explains more here: http://blog.ezinearticles.com/2009/10/derivative-content-be-gone.html
Affiliate Marketing Articles – Know The Rules!
Affiliate Marketing is a a type of internet marketing where a business (or ‘merchant’) rewards others (‘registered affiliates’) by way of an ‘affiliate commission’ for each customer or sale resulting from the affiliates’ marketing efforts.
If you are writing for affiliate marketers, or are an affiliate marketer yourself, here are some tips on how to place and format links to ensure they are accepted by most article distribution sites:
- Write quality articles that provide real information about the topic
- Don’t include the ‘whole story’. You need to provide just enough information on the topic to encourage readers to click on your link to find out more!
- Where Resource Boxes are used, make the information you include relevant to the article. Don’t use the same Resource Box over and again, unless it relates to the article.
- Don’t put your life story in the Resource Box. Rather demonstrate that you have particular knowledge on the topic of the article.
- Place affiliate links in the Resource Box if one is provided.
- Ideally the author should own the linked redirected URL
- Some directories require that links be to the primary domain (e.g. http://website-name.com), and disallow links like:
- http://subdomain.your-company-name.com/
- http://your-company-name.com/page.html
- http://your-company-name.com/subdirectory/page.html
- http://your-company-name.com/subdirectory/
- There is no substitute for quality! If you cannot write a good article, get someone who can to do it for you!
Writing Project Management Tool
From July 1 I am phasing out managing my projects via email – too cumbersome with my growing client base. I’ve looked at the various project managemet tools around, and decidedon one that is middle-of-the-road techie. I don’t want this to be a difficult system to use, for me, my valued clients or talented writers.
I’ve decided on ClientSpot, and am busy populating it with client and writer details now. It is going to provide a central point for me to post my projects, notify writers of the requirements, and for them to upload the files to this one spot. I can then let my clients know when the material is ready, and they can download direct from the site.
It’s great because both the writers and clients will only have access to the projects that I nominate, yet I can see them all and track their progress from one overview.
I’m hoping this will streamline my business and enable me to continue to delivery quality writing services to my clients.
Do you need my help with SEO Content?
News & Events
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Valued Clients
"Kerry Finch has been helping me with content and articles for a long time. I can highly recommend her services, and if you’re looking to learn how to become an article writer just like Kerry, then I recommend her information products. She has great information, she knows exactly what she’s doing, she’s researched it – she does this for a living, and she’s damn good at it. So make sure you take Kerry up on her writing and coaching offers - she’s really good, and I highly recommend her services."
"My partner and I own and operate a small gym in the centre of Sydney - a very competitive market to say the least! We had spoken to so-called SEO and Google experts for months and they told it would take months to get the first page of Google for our keywords.
Well now they have not met Kerry Finch. Using Kerry's article writing and distribution service we hit page one within 3 weeks and we had not use any other SEO strategy at all.
To top that, she is a wonderful lady and so, so, so helpful.
My advice stick to what you know or what you do best, and let others do what they do best.
I very highly recommend Kerry to anyone looking to kick butt in any market on the net.
"
"I’m thrilled to tell you that your advice has made a huge increase in my income! You know that I had already fumbled around and found some useful information on my own, and had some money dribbling in.
But with just a few nuggets of your wisdom and advice, I’ve landed two long-term writing projects just this week! (I equate everything to bills- so these two projects
will pay our mortgage payment)
My next goal is to re-read Overnight Writing Income and find more golden nuggets to put to use padding my bank account!""
"I am new to internet marketing and needed some good articles and blog posts to get me started. Kerry was incredibly helpful, and her service was exceptional. Her articles and posts were not only well written but covered different aspects of the topic incredibly well. Publishing the articles according to Kerry’s suggestions has resulted in driving extra traffic to my site, resulting in increased sales of my eBooks. I couldn’t have asked for more! If you are looking for high quality articles, great service and speedy response, then Kerry is your gal!"
