Learn Internet Marketing Terms
Internet marketers are bound by a common language that enables them to communicate clearly in online forums, live seminars and events. Neophytes, however, can feel overwhelmed by Internet marketing terms they encounter and will greatly appreciate a reliable glossary of terms. And this is why I have assembled “What the @%!* Does THAT Mean” – a free download (see top right side panel). Read the rest of this entry »
What Does Your Client REALLY Want?
Excellent service providers and consultants work really hard to provide the very best to their clients, and this doesn’t just happen by accident.
Particularly in the case of new clients, where no prior relationship exists, it is really important for both parties to have a clear idea about the expected outcome of a project. By clearly spelling out what is required, how it is to be accomplished and when it will be completed are the basics, but the type of project will dictate other requirements and outcomes. Read the rest of this entry »
Hostgator Sale Should Not Be Ignored
When I first started out in online business, it was recommended that I use Hostgator to host my websites. Not really knowing what I was doing, and because I was just embarking on the mind-boggling adventure of building my first website, I elected for a Baby Account at Hostgator. I could not have conceived that less than 2 years later I would have over 50 sites, or the hundreds that I own now.
In the intervening years I have called Hostgator many times, and received help from its online support chat. That’s not to say that I have had lots of problems with the service, I haven’t. But there have been times when I have needed someone to hold my hand through:
- converting my Baby account to a Reseller Account
- getting sites back up when they were hacked (scary!)
- resetting passwords
- integrating with other services
And the patience, expertise, professionalism that the support team have demonstrated has been nothing short of exemplary.
One Day Sale
So when Hostgator announced the details of their Black Friday sale, I wanted to be sure to pass it on. I can guarantee that, like me, there will be times when you thank your lucky stars that HG hosts your websites.
The Details
Please be advised that this Black Friday promotion starts at 12:00 AM Friday November 26th CST (-6 GMT) and will run until 11:59PM CST (-6 GMT) 11/26/2010.
* 50% OFF EVERYTHING From 12:00AM CST – 5AM CST
* 80% OFF EVERYTHING From 5AM – 9AM CST WHILE SUPPLIES LAST (first come, first receive; so definitely don’t miss out!)
From 9AM – 11:59PM CST OR after 80% OFF accounts have sold out, they will continue to offer 50% OFF EVERYTHING
This applies to ALL Accounts and ALL Term Lengths. So you will have the opportunity to receive up to 80% off of up to 3 years worth of Hosting! That would equal around $35.64 for 3 FULL YEARS!
It includes Shared Hosting, Reseller Hosting, VPS Hosting AND even Dedicated Servers! Hostgator have not before offered the promotion on EVERYTHING including reseller, vps and dedicated servers AND ALL Term Lengths.
This promotion gives Hostgator’s award winning hosting for as little as:
Shared Hosting – $4.95/month AS LOW AS $0.99/month
Reseller Hosting – $24.95/month AS LOW AS $4.99/month
VPS Hosting – $19.95/month AS LOW AS $3.99 First Month
Dedicated Servers – $174/month AS LOW AS $34.80 First Month
Hostgator is, without doubt, the hosting service of choice for internet marketers, which in itself is testament to the level of service and reliability it delivers. However, I would only ever recommend a third party business if I have had personal experience with it – and without question Hostgator is quality.
Keywords Are Search Engine Magnets
There is one statement to which all who are successful in online business will nod their heads. Its not the old chestnut that ‘Content is King’, or that ‘The Money’s In The List’. Rather it is something that is so fundamental to the business (and yes, it is decidedly unsexy) that overlooking has spelled categoric failure to those who ignore it.
It is no secret either - internet marketing leaders have tried to drum it into people for years. It is quite simply ‘Keyword Research’. Read the rest of this entry »
Internet Glossary of Terms: What the @%!* does THAT mean?
Are you just beginning to get up close and personal with the internet? Is your interest a little more than using Google to search for what you need?
If your relationship with the internet now involves business, creating websites, earning money and internet marketing, then chances are you have come across internet-specific terms that leave you confused or frustrated. I know I did, and still do!
Well, it’s taken me a while to compile it, but I’ve created a glossary of terms called “What the @%!* does THAT mean” (named after a particularly time consuming search for the meaning of one of those (everyone knows what that means) words.
Simply add your details in the panel on the right, and you will be able to download this glossary of terms – no charge, my gift to my readers.
If you have any terms to add, I’d love to hear from you!
Overnight Writing Income
Have you always wanted to have your own business, but the set up costs made it out of the question? Would you like to work from home, but don’t know how to start?
Well, just a couple of years ago that was me too. In the last two years I have learned so much about writing for internet purposes. I understand the huge opportunities that are available for everyday people, like me, to earn money by providing writing services for internet marketers.
Everyone, from retired folks, stay at home parents, students and those confined by disability can start earning money by writing – no experience necessary. If you have the 
willingness to start small and build up your clients, you can start making money right away.
In Overnight Writing Income I’ve listed the resources you’ll need (and the set up costs are……. zero!). I even show you where to go to get work, and some tips on winning these freelance jobs.
Learn more at Overnight Writing Income.
Hosting and Publishing Your Site
This is the last step in my beginners guide. If you got this far – well done you! Now to get your website published.
Step 6: Choose a Web Hosting Plan and Company ($US10/month)
A Web Host is a company whose servers store your website files – you will need a hosting service to publish a website.
I did quite a bit of shopping around before deciding on HostGator as the Host for my website. They offer 24/7/365 phone support, 99.9% uptime, and have a 30 day money back guarantee. The plan you choose depends on the use of your website, but for 100gb of disk space and 1,000gb bandwidth, the monthly cost was $US10/month
Many hosting plans require you to pay for 12 months up front. I was uncomfortable with this as it may be impossible to track down an organisation that shuts down after collecting your (and others) one year membership dollars. Paying monthly suits me just fine.
So take a look at the HostGator site, especially the Hosting Tips page.
If you are planning to have more than 2 websites up – and this will certainly be the case if you are planning on doing some internet/affiliate marketing, the I suggest you consider signing up for a Reseller Account with HostGator. This allows you UNLIMITED domains on the one account for $US24.95 per month. As I mentioned, I now have around 35 websites, and it still costs me $US24.95 per month – and I could have a hundred more for this price. Think about the future.
Step 7: Change Your DNS Server Details
When you purchase your domain name from either Name Cheap or GoDaddy you will be automatically assigned a Domain Name Server (DNS) account with them. Once you sign up with HostGator as your Web Host they will provide you with the DNS account details for your website. You will need to go back and sign in to your GoDaddy or Name Cheap Account and change the DNS details on record there to the ones (there will be two numbers) allocated by HostGator.
Step 8: Publish Your Website!
With XSitePro, this is literally done with the press of a button. I have to admit that this was one step where I needed to tap into the resources of the XSitePro Forum – and within two minutes I had the reply to my query and saw how I had made one little mistake that was fixed with a few key strokes. Fantastic! A great example of how it’s best to ask for help than to agonize over details.
So there you have the basics – now you can see how easy it is to have a presence on the internet.
Designing Your Website – First Steps with XSitePro
While speaking mainly about XSitePro here, because this is the first website building software I used, the planning and concepts will be the same, regardless of your software.
Step 5: Download XSitePro2, and DO THE TUTORIAL – DON’T SHORTCUT THIS STEP
Devoting 2 hours to this tutorial will save you hours of heartache down the line. Armed with XSitePro and the XSPCheat Sheet, all you need is your own material and imagination to begin assembling your Website pages.
After doing the Tutorial, you will be able to build a website from scratch – no problem. And its a good exercise to do this. But know also that XSitePro has some great templates that are ready to go – really you just “fill in the gaps”.
It is a good idea to put together a ‘mind map’ or just write down what you want your website to say, whether the objective is to get a message across, or to sell a product. It is so easy for your enthusiasm and ideas to carry you towards making your first website all-inclusive. But you will soon see how complex and fragmented your website becomes if you attempt to include too many diverse topics.
I have approached kerryfinchwriting.com as my business website, after setting up a personal site, one for writing services, and several other related sites. I am bringing everything related to my writing services and training business back to this site alone. I have pared back dramatically from my original sites – learning that “Less is More”.
Choose your website building software – The big step!
Step 3 is really empowering – you CAN build a website with the right tools:
Choose Your Web Design Software ($US197)
Again, I really had no idea, and so I took advice from my mentor, James Schramko (see below). His recommendation was XSitePro which I have since found to be fantastic – great 
tutorial and clear instructions. By all means, ask around and take advice from someone who has actually USED the software they are recommending.
All I can say is that I am delighted with XSitePro, the program designed specifically for website marketers. It served me well as a novice, and as my skills develop, I am able to implement its other features and tools. Powerful stuff.
I have put the current price (February 2009) and its a real bargain, if when you read this it is still at this price I recommend you GRAB IT. If its not, then too bad – you missed out! But even at its full regular price of $US297 – it is a great value product. And the support and help you get from staff and other users via the Forum is worth gold. Buy XSitePro2 now.
Take a look at this >> video << on the features of XSitePro2 to get an overview!
Step 4: Enlist the help of James Schramko’s XSP Cheat Sheet (Free Bonus)
Now this is a real, genuine bonus for you if you purchase your copy of XSitePro through one of the links above. Here’s the background:
A chance meeting with James Shramko gave me the confidence to set up my own website and start my own online business. His guidance has been invaluable, and I am sure you will find that the knowledge he shares through this XSP Cheat Sheet will greatly enhance your XSitePro experience.
“Cheat Sheet” gives the impression of maybe one or two pages – but this document is over 80 pages in length, and if you are planning a marketing website, it will become your Bible. He tackles issues like importing videos, Search Engine Optimization, Keywords, and so many tricks and tweaks that he has gathered throughout his long involvement in the use of XSitePro.
If this sounds like a foreign language at this stage, don’t worry. I promise you it will become clear – and you will learn, as I have, the value of the XSP Cheat Sheet.I have been so impressed with James’ enthusiasm and integrity, that I invite you all to learn more about his expertise in web design and marketing.
His XSP Cheat SheetTM has become my constant companion and will certainly make a HUGE difference to those using the fabulous XSitePro to design their website.
Take a look at this Cheat Sheet but don’t buy it for $39.95! Once you have purchased your copy of XSitePro2, send me a message with your details and after I verify the sale, I will ask James to send it to you FREE.
>> Learn more about XSitePro2 Features
Building Your First Website
The Real Basics
Over the next few posts I’ll attempt to document my journey through the sometimes confusing basics of setting up my first websites. Putting together a website for the first time can be VERY daunting. Whether you are a stay at home mom, retiree, student, potential internet entrepreneur, or anyone who just wants to learn a new skill, it is difficult to know where to start.
Now I don’t profess to be an expert – but starting from scratch is still fresh in my mind – 25websites in 18 months later! So I might just be able to cover more of the real basics that the more experienced guys just skip over – and give it to you in plain English.
I am also going to try to give you as many links as I can to the sites that you will need, and an approximate of how much each step will cost you. Some you will need to lay out straight away (your software, purchase of your domain name and your web hosting service), some are free (your PayPal account) and others can wait until you decide if you need them or not. This will depend on the purpose of the site.
If its just for information, you probably won’t need any more. If you are planning to sell a downloadable product or get into affiliate marketing (all will be revealed!) then you will certainly need some more tools.
So here we go:
Step 1: If you don’t have one, set up a PayPal Account.
You will need this for transactions over the internet including for the next two steps. If you have had experience with eBay you may already have set up a PayPal Account – great! That’s Step 1 taken care of. By using this payment method, you are not divulging your credit card details to each merchant with whom you trade (not advisable, and most merchants prefer to transact via PayPal). AND having all transactions recorded at a central point, makes for much easier account management.
Learn more or sign up for a personal PayPal account (non-merchant)
If you are planning to sell products online, then I recommend you set up a PayPal Merchant’s Account – there a lot more benefits.
Step 2: Register Your Domain Name (approx. $US9/year)
Having set up your PayPal account your next step is to register a Domain Name, i.e. your own dot com. It can cost as little as $US9 to register a domain name – I was amazed at this low cost (but then I really had NO IDEA)!
But before you get too carried away with clever names, register your own name as a dot com first. This is so when you become rich and famous (if you’re not already), you won’t find someone else cashing in on your celebrity by registering a dot com in your name – Yes, they can! as many high-profile people have discovered.
I wanted to register KerryFinch.com, but found there was a journalist/politician in Tasmania, Australia, with that name who had already registered the domain name. So I am KerryAnneFinch.com. I have registered this, and several other domain names with one company, GoDaddy, and a few others with NameCheap as I wanted to compare their support and service.
More coming…………
