3 Important Affiliate Internet Marketing Tips For Newbies
May 26, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Are you new to the world of affiliate marketing? Wondering where to begin? If I offered a $200 ebook on how to be an instant millionaire with affiliate marketing would you buy it?
If you answered yes to any of these three questions, this post is for you.
Everyone online who has made money with affiliate programs, started out as a newbie just like you at one time. They will now tell you that affiliate marketing is hard work, yet profitable.
But that’s good news because that means that with a little hard work, you can be a super affiliate too.
On your path to affiliate superstardom, take these important words to heart:
Educate yourself on Affiliate marketing.
I don’t mean spending thousands of dollars on ebooks from self proclaimed Internet gurus either.
Join (and participate in) forums about internet marketing, affiliate programs, or affiliate marketing. This is a free way to learn about about affiliate marketing.
Many online experts recommend you join a forum just to build backlinks to your website or landing page, but there’s a better reason why you should do this.
Joining a community that shares your goals will help educate you in ways an ebook never could. Not only that, but by participating in community forums, you begin to build trust amongst the community members . This means that one day you can market to them without looking like a hack and a spammer.
Don’t Buy Advertising — At first.
If I know you, you’re probably thinking that the best way to market your affiliate program is by starting an Adwords pay per click program or purchasing banner advertising to shuttle traffic to your site.
If you do this, get ready to sell your car to pay for your groceries.
pssst…..here’s a dirty little secret
There are ways you can advertise for free. How?
Classified Ads. Press Releases. Forum Marketing. Social Bookmarking sites. YouTube. MySpace. Article Writing.
Get the picture?
Don’t waste your money on ‘How To’ ebooks that sound too good to be true.
Not to say that there aren’t any good ebooks out there. I own quite a few good titles that have made me some good money.
But unfortunately, there are a handful of scam artists that will try and con you out of your money with fake promises of overnight riches. They will sell you their ‘system’ for over a hundred dollars and tempt you with impressive Adsense or Clickbank snapshots.
Consider for a moment that there is not Internet law right now that can protect you from misleading advertising. I could doctor a fake click bank reports image and not be held accountable for my numbers. I’m not saying that every Internet guru is lying by any means.
If you are tempted to buy a fancy ebook or report, Google the title and read reviews. Also, most of these ebooks come with resale rights, so before you spend 50 or a 100 dollars for an ebook, head over to ebay and see if it is being sold at a cheaper price. Finally, never purchase an ebook without a warrantee and if it fails to deliver, ask for a refund.
Article Submission Software Just Doesn’t Work
May 22, 2008 By Leave a Comment
We all know that article marketing is one of the best ways to generate targeted traffic to your website or niche product. I don’t know about you, but I’ve personally invested in numerous article submission software thinking they would save me time.
Boy was I wrong.
Now, before I continue, let me tell you what I think automatic article submission should be work.
- Write Article.
- Push Submit.
- Article is submitted. Work done. Have fun at the beach!
I’ve purchased article submission software such as ‘Article Submitter’ thinking that it would save me a couple hours of work, but i can tell you that iwith these toold, it can take several hours to get one article submitted.
The fact of the matter is that article submission software such as ‘Article Submitter’ is not automatic. If anything, they are semi automatic. You still have to log on to each article website and make sure the article is formatted correctly for the directory.
Looking for a better way to submit your articles? Want a truly automatic process?
Outsource the work and have somebody else do the submissions for you. This is the fastest and most cost effective way of getting your articles to as many article directories as you can without doing the actual grunt work yourself.
Where can you find people to submit articles for you?
If you want to find super cheap labor, try logging on to different marketing forums. Most of the time these forums have a classifieds forum where people advertise article submitting services. But remember, you get what you pay for here!
If money is no object, you can outsource your work to freelance sites such as elance.com. With websites like Elance you can outsource your article submission work to Internet marketers.
Finally, the easiest way to subscribe to an article submitting service such as SubmitYOURArticle.com
With SubmitYOURArticle.com, you can literally submit your article to thousands of article publishers with 1 click of a button. They are the only 100% automated article distribution service around.
If you’re contemplating buying article submission software, i encourage you to try SubmitYOURArticle.com first. Their service is relatively inexpensive and extremely fast.
A Simple Way to Drive Traffic To Your Website
May 19, 2008 By Leave a Comment
I’m sure you’ve heard that opt in email marketing is the best way to drive boat loads of traffic to your website. But there’s a simple way you can targeted traffic to your site.
Make friends online, and email them.
I’m not saying to spam your friends by any means, but if you have a group of friends, or a newsgroup you post to via email, your informal emails and posts can be a cheap way to gain visitors.
Just place a tiny link to your website in your signature and start emailing your friends and family. Don’t send spammy ‘buy this’ or ‘visit this’ emails. Send cool emails like cool news stories, jokes, pictures….you know stuff you are used to sending your pals.
If they like you’re email, they’ll forward it to their friends. Pretty soon, you’ll get virial traffic without having anybody fill out an opt in form.
Is It Possible To Make Money Online with my Spare Time?
May 14, 2008 By 6 Comments
justme asked:
I am currently deployed to Iraq and I would like to try to make money online somehow with my spare time. I have a lot of time to mess around on the internet. I was wondering if anyone knew of a way to make money through surveys or anything else like that, in which you have been able to make some extra money with your spare time. I don’t have anything better to do when I’m not out on missions, so I would like to be productive with my spare time.
5 Steps to a Popular and Profitable Blog
May 12, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Blogging is a hot way for an ordinary Joe to make some cash on the net. Anybody with a computer and an Internet connection can make it in this market. You’ve no doubt come across many blogs and maybe you’ve thought about starting one yourself.
Many people fear blogging and worry that they have nothing to write about.
If this is you, don’t worry, here are some common sense advice on how to get your thoughts out of your head and into your blog. Listen up.
1. You’re the boss.
With blogging, there really is no right or wrong. You are not a writing for the Washington Post, and you don’t have to write a thousand page essay on weather patterns in India.
Your job as a blogger is to publish information, ideas, articles, tutorials, videos, pictures, and all kinds of good stuff you are interested in.
Many bloggers worry too much on pleasing their readers. There’s a saying that goes something like ‘To Thine Own Self Be True.”
Don’t worry about what people will think when you blog. Just write what you feel, what is in your heart, and your fans will find you!
2. What To Write About.
Like I said before you should pick a subject or topic that you are passionate or have some knowledge about. This will make blogging very fun and you won’t be scratching your head wondering what you should write about.
What if you can’t think of ideas, where can you get ideas to write about?
There is so many ways to research ideas, that I could spend a year writing about each one. Here is just a few things you can write about.
- Hop to YouTube, find a few videos you like and blog about those
- Go to the major news sites and blog about current events in your home town, the nation, or the world
- Scan a few community forums and blog about what people are talking about.
- You are a fan of American Idol, Heros, Hell’s Kitchen, or a new T.V show? You can blog about that.
- The Olympics are comming!
- Visit some popular Blogs related to your area of interest and…well….blog about recent posts.
3. Ok Ok, I get the Idea, but I really don’t have time to maintain a blog.
You’ll hear a lot of experts say that you need to post every minute of every hour of every day to be a super dupper blogger.
Blah. Blog as often, or as little, as you want. Remember, your blog is about Y O U.
But, if the thought of committing to your blog gives you weak knees, you can always schedule a bunch of posts in advance.
A lot of blogging software give you the option to schedule your posts, giving you the flexibility to post at regular intervals even if you have a short period of time to commit to your blog.
For example, when you have time to blog, generate a list of ideas for articles, tutorials and other things that you might be interested in. Brainstorm at least ten different topics and create a 3-4 sentence paragraph about each topic. Then create a post for each idea using the future post to schedule the posts.
If you want, you can post 1/2/3 blog posts per week. Now, your blog will auto post your articles even if you can’t be at the computer.
4. Show Me the Money!
Okay, let’s monetize your new blog. Once your site or blog has lots of stuff on it then sign yourself up for Google AdSense and some kind of affiliate program like the Amazon Associates Program. I suggest that if you are using amazon you go with products that you hand pick so they are exactly targeted to the subject of each web page.
A lot of experts recommend you wait a month before you start thinking about site monetization. I can see the logic in this. After all, you want to have a decent collection of interesting projects, ideas, articles and related stuff before you start looking for the money.
But, don’t expect overnight riches. In fact, don’t expect a dime for at least 3 to 5 months after you start your blog. If you use money as your primary motivation for blogging, you will burn out.
5. Time is Your Best Friend.
A lot of the popular blogs that are making nice change have been around forever. Maybe you’ve heard of a friend of a friend that’s making a ton of money on a crappy blog he started only a few weeks ago. Every time you hear these stories, remember that these great results are not typical. I guarantee you that a person like that is buying advertising to get traffic to their blog, that their content is uninteresting, and that their blog will be down in a years time.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned is that a good website is like fine wine or cheese. The longer you blog ages and is allowed to develop, the more valuable your blog will be.
How Can I Make Money Online ?
May 10, 2008 By 5 Comments
Daire – carriglea asked:
I am wondering how you can make money online.
I heard that Google does this ad thing and pays $0.16 per each view on your site. Is this true? How do they pay you ?
And is there any other way that I can make money from just using the internet ??
I am wondering this because I am thinking of making a website.
Please Help !! Thanks !!! 
List of 143 Mystery Shopping Sites
May 6, 2008 By Leave a Comment
What is a “Mystery Shopper”?
A “Mystery Shopper” or “Secret Shopper” is someone who is hired by an establishment to pose as a customer and secretly report back to the owner how the service was, or other details that are requested. The person is then paid for the assignment and sometimes gets reimbursed for their purchase, meal or other things.
Mystery shopping is basically a form of market research. You are asked to gather information, from a customer’s perspective. Mystery shopping is a long-established research technique and is used extensively in many industry sectors to measure the quality of service provided.
Many people have made this a full time job, while others prefer part time. You decide on what assignments you want to take. Many shoppers are earning between $10 and $40 per hour just for having fun! This is perfect for Stay at home moms, college students as well as the retired!!
ShoppingJobs.net is your one-stop mystery shopping resource. They have everything you need to get started! Their list includes 200 more agencies in their and the list is growing everyday!
- A&A Merchandising Ltd. – www.aamerch.com/
- A Closer Look, Inc.- www.a-closer-look.com/
- A & M Business Services – www.ambussvcs.com
- A Step Above Service Evaluations – www.serviceevaluations.com/
- A Top Shop – www.atopshop.com/
- Acra, Inc.- www.secretshopacra.com/
- Ann Michaels & Associates, Ltd.- www.ishopforyou.com/
- Associate Consumer Evaluations – www.acemysteryshopping.com/
- Amusement Advantage – www.amusementadvantage.com/
- Anonymous Insights – www.a-insights.com/
- Anonymous Shoppers & Assessments of Pittsburgh – www.asapittsburgh.com/
- Apartment Shoppe – www.apartmentmysteryshopper.com/
- Ardent Services – www.ardentservices.com/
- Assure Quality Systems – www.aqsshopper.com/
- At Your Service Marketing – www.aysm.com/
- Bare Associates International – www.baiservices.com/
- Barry Leeds & Associates – www.barryleedsassoc.com/
- Best Mark – www.bestmark.com/
- Beyond Hello – www.beyondhello.com/
- Beyond Marketing Group – www.beyondmarketinggroup.com/
- BMA Mystery Shopping Services – www.mystery-shopping.com/
- Business Insights Group – www.businessinsights.com/
- Byers Choice Inc – www.byerschoiceinc.com/
- Campus Consulting – www.shopaudits.com/
- Capstone Research – www.capstoneresearch.com/
- Captain D’s Seafood – www.captainds.com/
- Certified Reports, Inc.- www.certifiedreports.com/
- Check-Up Marketing – www.checkupmarketing.com/
- CKA Group, Inc.- www.ckagroup.com/
- Commercial Services System – www.commercialservicesystems.com/
- Consumer Impressions – www.consumerimpressions.com/
- Consumer Research Group – www.crg2000.com/
- Corporate Research International – www.mysteryshops.com/
- Count on Us – www.ucountonus.com/
- Coyle Hospitality Group – www.qualityaudit.com/
- Customer 1st – www.consumer-1st.com/
- Customer Perspectives – www.customerperspectives.com/
- Customer Service Experts, Inc.- www.customerserviceexperts.com/
- Customer Service Perceptions – www.csperceptions.com/
- CV Marketing Research Inc.- www.cv-market.com/
- Data Quest, Ltd.- www.dataquestonline.com/
- Datatron – www.usd-datatron.com/
- David Sparks & Associates – www.sparksresearch.com/
- DSG Associates – www.dsgai.com/
- Eyes R Us, Inc.- www.eyesrusinc.com/
- The Field Force – www.thefieldforce.com/
- First Bank – www.efirstbank.com/
- Focus on Service – www.focusonservice.com/
- Franchise Compliance, Inc – www.franchisecompliance.com/
- Full Scope Mystery Shopping – www.fullscopemysteryshopping.com/
- G3 Mystery Shopping – www.sparagowski.com/
- Grantham, Orilio & Associates – www.goashoppers.com/
- Graymark Security Group – www.graymarksecurity.com/
- Green & Associates – www.greenandassociates.com/
- Greet America, Inc.- www.greetamerica.com/
- Hilli Dunlap Enterprises – www.dunlapenterprises.com/
- Howard Services Service Sleuths – www.howardservices.com/homess.html
- Imaginus – www.imaginusinc.com/
- imyst – www.imyst.com/
- Infinity Assurance Group – www.infinityag.com/
- Infotel – www.infotelinc.com/
- Instant Reply – www.mysteryshopservices.com/
- IntelliShop – www.intelli-shop.com/
- J M Ridgway Company – www.jmridgway.com/
- Jack’s Mystery Guest – www.jacksguest.com/
- Jancyn Evaluation Shops – www.jancyn.com/
- JC & Associates – www.jcandassociates.com/
- Ken-Rich Retail Group – www.ken-rich.com/
- LeBlanc & Associates – www.mleblanc.com/
- Locksley Group Ltd. – www.locksleygroupltd.com/
- Maritz Research – www.virtuoso.maritzresearch.com/
- Marketing Systems Unlimited – msultd.com/
- Mar’s Surveys – www.marsresearch.com/
- Market Viewpoint – www.marketviewpoint.com/
- Mass Connections – massconnections.com/
- Melinda Brody and Company – www.melindabrody.com/
- Mercantile Systems and Surveys – www.mercsurveys.com/
- Merchandise Concepts – www.merchandiseconcepts.com/
- Michelson & Associates – www.michelson.com/
- Mosaic InfoForce – www.mosaic-infoforce.com/
- Mystery Guest, Inc – www.mysteryguestinc.com/
- Mystery Shopper Metropark – www.metropark.com/nggroup/
- Mystery Shoppers – www.mystery-shoppers.com/
- Mystique Shopper – www.mystiqueshopper.com/
- National Shopping Service Network, LLC – www.mysteryshopper.net/
- Nationwide Services Group, Inc – www.nationwidesg.com/
- Northwest Loss Prevention Consultants – www.nwlpc.com/
- Pacific Research Group – www.pacificresearchgroup.com/
- The Pat Henry Group – www.thepathenrygroup.com/
- PatronEdge – www.patronedge.com/
- The Performance Edge – www.pedge.com/
- Person to Person Quality – persontopersonquality.com/
- Petro Truck Stops – www.petrotruckstops.com/
- Pinkerton – www.pktnshop.com/
- Premier Service Consulting – www.premierservice.ca/
- Promotion Network, Inc. – www.promotionnetworkinc.com/
- PROS Professional Review & Operational Shoppes, Inc. – www.proreview.com/
- PulseBack – www.pulseback.com/
- Quality Assessments Mystery Shoppers, Inc. – www.qams.com/
- Quality Assurance Consulting – www.qacinc.com/
- Quality Insurance Inspection Specialists – www.qsispecialists.com/
- QualityWorks Associates – www.qualityworks.com/
- Quest for Best – www.questforbest.com/
- Reality Check Mystery Shoppers – www.rcmysteryshopper.com/
- Restaurant Cops LLC – www.restaurant-cops.com/
- Restaurant Evaluators – www.restaurantevaluators.com/
- Retail Biz Consulting – www.retailbiz.com/
- Rickie Kruh Research and Marketing Group – www.rkrmg.com/
- Ritter & Associates – www.ritterandassociates.com/
- Rocky Mountain Merchandising – www.rockymm.com/
- Reality Quality Assurance – www.rqa-inc.com/
- Satisfaction Services – www.satisfactionservicesinc.com/
- Second to None – www.second-to-none.com/
- Secret Shopping Company – www.secretshoppercompany.com/
- Secret Shopping Services – www.secretshoppingservices.com/
- Sensors Quality Managements – www.sqm.ca/
- Service Advantage International – www.servad.com/
- Service Alliance – www.serviceallianceinc.com/
- Service Check – www.servicecheck.com/
- Service Evaluation Concepts – www.serviceevaluation.com/
- Service Excellence Group – www.mysteryshopsplus.com/
- Service Impressions – www.serviceimpressions.com/
- Service Intelligence Secret Shop Net – www.secretshopnet.com/
- Service Performance Group – www.spgweb.com/
- ServiceProbe – www.pwgroup.com/sprobe/
- The Service Quality Department – www.service-quality.com/
- Service Research Corporation – serviceresearch.com/
- Service Sleuths by Howard Roberts – www.howardservices.com/homess.html
- ServiceTRAC – www.servicetrac.com/
- SG Marketing – www.sgmarketing.com/
- Shoppers, Inc. – www.shopperjobs.com/
- Sights on Service – www.secretshopper.com/
- Sinclair Service Assessments – www.ssanet.com/
- The Soloman Group – www.thesolomongroup.com/
- Sparagowski & Associates – www.sparagowski.com/
- Speedmark Information Services – www.speedmarkweb.com/
- Spies in Disguise – spiesindisguise.com/
- SystemChec by Orillio & Associates – www.systemchec.com/
- TNS Intersearch – www.intersearch.tnsofres.com/
- TES/Rapid Chek – www.rapidchek.com/
- Texas Shoppers Network – www.texasshoppersnetwork.com/
- Trend Source – www.trendsource.com/
- Video Eyes – www.videoeyes.net/
For more mystery shopping sites, go to ShoppingJobs.net. You’ll get everything you need to know to make some nice money mystery shopping! everyday!