I Do Web Marketing

My Weekly Twitter Updates for 2009-06-28

Justin McGill — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:00:00 +0000

@cporcella Thanks for the shout out Courtney, you're too good to me #
Finally got the new iPhone!! #
@jonathanbentz Thanks for the kind words Jonathan! #
@cporcella Thanks for the RT before, I missed it! #
3 people getting sued by Microsoft for Click Fraud! – http://tinyurl.com/nflyxa #

My Weekly Twitter Updates for 2009-06-21

Justin McGill — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Listen Monday to an all new job/career internet radio show. http://bit.ly/fuqA2 #

My Weekly Twitter Updates for 2009-06-14

Justin McGill — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:00:00 +0000

@jesszula Thanks Jessica for the RT! #
@PRonthecheap thanks for the shout out! #

Converting Visitors to Customers with Conversion Optimization (Part 2)

Justin McGill — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:00:57 +0000

This is part 2 of a 2 part series. To read the introduction to this topic, please read Part 1, which can be found here: http://www.idowebmarketing.com/converting-visitors-to-customers-with-conversion-optimization-part-1/

Conversion Optimization – This is a somewhat newer term that hasn’t yet gained the buzz that it will here in the next couple of years. It should be every website’s goal to convert 3% of their visitors to customers. Most websites are nowhere near this amount. In fact, most are even less than 1%. A conversion could be a sale of a product, a quote request, contact form, or just any action you deem has value to your company. Lets do some quick math on how much of an important piece this could be to a company’s bottom line.

Company ABC sells a product for $50. Lets say they get 200 visitors per day to their website. If they’re converting at 1%, they’re looking at making 2 sales which equals $100/day in sales. That is $3,000 a month in sales.

Formula for Conversion Rate @ 1% = 200 x .01 = 2 x $50 = $100 (per day) x 30 (days) = $3000

Now, after a full conversion analysis and applying necessary changes in how your website functions, lets say Company ABC goes from 1% conversion to 2%. This now equates to $200/day in sales. That is $6,000 a month in sales.

Formula for Conversion Rate @ 2% = 200 x .02 = 4 x $50 = $200 (per day) x 30 (days) = $6000

$9,000 a month if that conversion figure hits 3%.

Formula for Conversion Rate @ 3% = 200 x .03 = 4 x $50 = $300 (per day) x 30 (days) = $9000

So just based on this small company improving their conversion rate from 1% to 3% it could mean $6,000 in additional sales. This was money that Company ABC was leaving on the table. They did not have to hire anyone, did not have to create a new product line, did not have to develop a new marketing plan, they just sold more of what they had simply because their website was set up to properly convert visitors to customers.

Nielsen Norman Group provides this type of analysis and has some details that can be found here: http://www.nngroup.com/services/testing.html

You may have noticed they charge anywhere from $22,000 to $40,000 for this assessment. How can they charge so much? Well, they’re customers are the likes of Dell, Adobe, Google, etc. So these high costs can easily be justified with even the slightest statistical improvements. These companies aren’t making just 2 sales a day. If Dell improves their conversion rate and now sells 6 more laptops a day, they’ve more than paid for the conversion cost in one month’s time. You can see why this would be a worthwhile investment.

We knew this went away from our approach of having 100% appeal to all businesses, so we’ve brought this price down to a modest $1,000 and is included in our Bronze packages and above. So now any company can reap the rewards of improved conversion analysis as a catalyst to improving their sales.

Have questions? Be sure and post them in a comment so others can benefit as well!

Be sure and subscribe! More freebies are on the way. What do you have to lose? It's free afterall!

Justin McGill is an internet marketing professional. He runs a successful SEO Firm, called SEORCHERS.

Converting Visitors to Customers with Conversion Optimization (Part 1)

Justin McGill — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:10:15 +0000

With the recent rebrand of SEORCHERS, we wanted to shift our focus away from web development and concentrate solely on SEO and internet marketing.

However, we wanted to really do more than just improve search engine rankings. After all, that’s what most SEO Firms claim to do. In our opinion, SEO without conversion is just traffic without sales. Frankly, we expect if our clients are going to be truly successful with internet marketing, their campaigns need to place an equal amount of strategy into what happens once vistor’s land on their website.

The reason? You have about 3 to 5 seconds for a visitor to decide whether or not they will stay on your site. Each second longer, and each time they visit another page on a site – the better chance that company has of converting the visitor to a customer.

How can we be different? How can we stand out, in a positive way, in an industry that has more than its fair share of shady characters? These are questions we had to answer during the course of our rebrand. Furthermore, we felt our success as an SEO Firm was 100% tied to our partner’s (i.e. client’s) success with our SEO Services. So we packed our new found belief in this dynamic approach towards improving their ROI’s. This set us on our journey to begin educating both prospects and our current base of partners.

We needed to get all of our partners to see the big picture; because in order to maximize conversion rates of the websites we market, we had to look at how each visitor experienced their website. The truth was in almost every instance changes needed to occur and website owners had to be open to making critical decisions that would help increase their opportunities.

But how? By working directly with a knowledgeable conversion specialist!

In Part 2 of this post, we’ll take a closer look at the actual art of conversion optimization! You can read part 2 here: Conversion Optimization Part 2.

My Weekly Twitter Updates for 2009-06-07

Justin McGill — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Finished reading the Key to Living the Law of Attraction. Now onto Being in Balance by Dr. Wayne Dyer. #
Just finished the rebrand of Novel Concept Studio. Now known as SEORCHERS [surch-ers]! A necessity on the way to SEO Dominance:) #

Novel Concept Studio Now Known as SEORCHERS

Justin McGill — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:50:53 +0000

A rebrand effort that has been in the works for the last 45 days has finally been realized. As of June 1st, 2009 Novel Concept Studio now operates under the name SEORCHERS [surch-ers]. This was a needed process for us to realize our long term goals. The following is our press release:

NOVEL CONCEPT STUDIO OPERATES UNDER NEW NAME “SEORCHERS”

Novel Concept Studio, the internet marketing company dedicated to helping businesses expand their web presence, is changing their name to better reflect their company objectives. Under the new name SEORCHERS, the company will continue to help businesses improve search engine rankings and increase profits by making their websites more visible. The new name will symbolize the company goal of searching for potential dollars that companies are not currently realizing by making businesses easier to find on the web.

As a complete SEO company, SEORCHERS will offer internet marketing and SEO packages, competitive internet marketing strategies and management and protection of online reputation. They offer a free, no obligation analysis of current internet effectiveness as well as free subscription to their informative newsletter. A variety of marketing packages are available to meet individual business needs, with pricing beginning at $495 per month. With four out of five people finding businesses through the internet, it’s how businesses are found.

Upcoming features offered by SEORCHERS will include public access to their array of internet research tools as well as premium access to additional research tools that will be targeted to business owners and internet marketers for a monthly subscription fee.

SEORCHERS is dedicated to helping businesses define and meet their internet marketing expectations. They differentiate themselves by not only focusing on improving search engine rankings, but also improving conversion rates. Marketing packages above the basic level will now include full conversion analysis reports and can provide consultations to maximize website effectiveness.

The success of SEORCHERS is measured by the success of their customers. They are committed to understanding the marketing goals of each client by engaging in a detailed conceptualization process from the project’s outset to ensure customer satisfaction. In today’s competitive internet marketing climate, SEORCHERS strives to meet their company objective of helping each client increase their online exposure.

###

SEORCHERS provides SEO Services and is an SEO Consultant for business owners.

My Weekly Twitter Updates for 2009-05-31

Justin McGill — Sun, 31 May 2009 22:00:00 +0000

@damondnollan If you’re going to be a marketing firm, you HAVE to be on Twitter:) #
got a Twitter grade of 98.7/100 on @grader. Check it out: http://twitter.grader.com/idowebmarketing #

Beyond EBay: 50 Niche Sites to Sell Your Stuff Online

Justin McGill — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:57:58 +0000

This post is re-posted from one of my readers, Suzanne Smith.
Spring cleaning haunts pack-rats, neat freaks, moms and kids alike. After cleaning out all of your unwanted junk, what do you do with it? Make a couple of bucks by reselling your unwanted goods on online auction sites or marketplaces.

What about going into business online? There’s something for you here too. Check out all the places to list your stuff and products or create an online storefront without breaking the bank.

Online Auction Sites
1. Sell.com Classifieds – This low-key alternative to eBay lets you sell everything from pets to houses.
2. iOffer – This site lets you import your profile and rating from eBay, and then enjoy an auction experience that takes no listing fees and focuses on negotiation.
3. OnlineAuction.com – Sell your products in this great eBay alternative, and enjoy creative marketing, such as the dedicated Youtube support.
4. Webidz.com – This great eBay alternative lets you sell just about anything to just about anyone.
5. HiBidder – This sleek eBay alternative helps you market your products to those who will enjoy them the most.
Handmade Arts and Crafts Online Selling Sites
6. Etsy – If you’re selling something handmade, look no further than this wildly colorful site.
7. Lov.li – If you’re selling something artsy, crafty, or handmade, this site will move your product in no time.
8. DaWanda – Another site emphasizing handmade products, this site also emphasizes community participation, letting you make sales and friends in one pass.
9. Handmade Catalog – This no-frills site helps you sell all of your handmade goods.
10. Artsefest.com – This crazy-colorful site is a great way to sell your handcrafted goods.
11. KinfolkCrafts.com – With a focus on community and originality, this site helps you sell everything handmade to those who will enjoy them most.
12. CraftMall.com – This virtual mall helps you sell your handcrafted goods to users from around the world.
Online Storefronts For Registered Users With Low or No Fees
13. Amazon – If you’d like users to be able to search the easiest-to-use sales site for your products, look no further.
14. The Talk Market – This picture-filled site focuses on unique organization, drawing buyers’ eyes to “daily finds” of awesome products.
15. eCRATER – Both a free online store builder and free marketplace, this site is a great one-stop shop for your online sales.
16. Big Cartel – The emphasis here is simplicity: create a store in minutes, track inventory, manage your sales, and enjoy that Big Cartel won’t take a penny from your profits.
17. Half.com – With an emphasis on used products, Half.com—part of the eBay network—will help you reach sellers around the world.
Online Classifieds
18. Kijiji – According to the site, you can “Use Kijiji to buy & sell new and used goods, look for cars and pets, find local real estate, and more.”
19. Craigslist – With sections for major cities all over the world, Craigslist helps you post stuff for sale in the world’s largest classifieds section.
20. LookCube – The emphasis here is “free,” and so the site provides free classifieds for your local area, throughout America.
21. Listasaurus.com – When regular ads just don’t do your product justice, use this quirky site to post video ads and auctions.
22. Oodle – This classifieds site focuses on bringing your products to the locals who wish to buy them.
23. OnlineClassifieds.com – This simple site lets your products reach out all around the globe.
24. Myspace Classifieds – Tap into the power of social media and sell your stuff to the thousands of Myspace users online.
25. Trader Online – Your classified ad can join the millions on this great, highly-organized site.
26. Stuff 4 Sale – If you’re selling in England, look no further than this no-frills site.
27. SellStuffLocal.com – If you’d like to keep your sales local, this site helps you find a buyer near you.
Build Your Own Online Storefront
28. OsCommerce – This open-source site helps you craft your own online store with easy-to-use features.
29. Yahoo! Small Business – This simple site gives you all the tools you need to start selling online through Yahoo.
30. Shopify – With affordable hosting and quick templates, this site lets you setup your online store in minutes.
31. GoodBarry – For a low monthly fee, Barry offers a package that handles your online shop and business e-mail while offering customers a “central console” to make shopping a snap.
32. BuyItSellIt – Another site helping you create your own online store, the emphasis here is making your site both simple and fun.
33. Volusion – Marketing itself as “the easiest way to open an online store,” this site will bring your sales into the 21st century.

Online Marketplaces
34. Bonanzle – The emphasis on this site is making it easier to sell your products, and even tie them to your instant messenger, meaning you can chat with clients immediately.
35. Garage Sale – If you’d like to sell your stuff through Facebook and allow users to buy it without leaving Facebook themselves, this site is for you.
36. U Shops – Build a store in minutes and then build an international customer base with this slick site.
37. Marketplace on Facebook – Reach thousands of potential customers with the power of Facebook.
Stock Photography and Art Online Stores
38. Zazzle – Got an awesome design? Sell it through Zazzle and enjoy royalties and bonuses for your hard work.
39. Cafe Press – This site focuses on customizability; put your artwork and clever quotes on mugs, t-shirts, and much more.
40. iStockphoto – If you’ve got stock photos to sell, this is the single best site to do so with.
Antiques and Collectibles Online Dealers and Stores
41. OnlineCollectibles.com – Bring your awesome collectibles to the collectors who want them with this colorful site.
42. A-Z Collectible Classifieds – If you’re looking to sell an antique or a collectible, this amazingly thorough site will help you post the classifieds that will make a collector somewhere very happy.
43. GoAntiques.com – Join the 1,300 other dealers from over 31 countries to sell your antiques.
44. atOncer – Another collectibles site, this page helps you organize the collectibles you’re selling, ensuring that buyers will be able to find them.
Specialized Online Stores and Marketplaces
45. SellVideoGames.com – They’ve been in the game selling business for 20 years, and they’ll be happy to help your games reach a happy game boy (or girl) out there.
46. Game Pawn – If you’re sick of waiting for sellers, then sell your games directly to Game Pawn using this simple site.
47. The Parts Trader – If you need to sell or trade automotive parts, this is a great place to start.
48. Performance Parts Trader – If you’d like to get the most profit from your used car parts with the least hassle from an online merchant, the search stops here.
49. Fashion Auctions – This simple site is all about selling clothes to customers who will look almost—but not quite—as fabulous in them as you do.
50. ClothesAgency.com – If you’re sick of auctions, sell your clothes directly through this colorful, easy-to-use site.

Now you’re almost in business. Get your stuff, camera and computer together and set up your new online market at the site of your choosing.

My Weekly Twitter Updates for 2009-05-17

Justin McGill — Sun, 17 May 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Here’s some interesting facts by emarketer http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1007088
SEO – it’s the way to go! #