Posts Tagged ‘online marketing’
Are 1st Page Rankings Worth the Time & Effort?
Written by MichaelZ on March 10, 2010 – 1:13 am -Here is a case study of the revenue that a client achieved by optimizing a single keyword that moved from the bottom of the second page of Google to a number 4 position, above the fold on the first page.
A client’s website had a ranking of 18 for their primary target keywords on the second page of Google’s natural search engine results. Considering how many marketers are competing for the top positions for this keyword, appearing on the second page of search results seemed a like an accomplishment, but we thought that it could be better.
SEO Works
We focused our optimization efforts on improving the natural keyword ranking for this one target keyword. Eventually, the ranking for the keyword first moved to the number 9 position, and then to the number 4 position of the first page search engine results. The improved search engine ranking for this single keyword generated an increase in sales leads far more than expected, which subsequently converted to an increase in sales revenue amounting to over $1,000,000.
Tracking the Moves
The list below shows the search engine ranking relative to the number of sales leads that were generated from the company’s primary target keyword:
- Nov 08 - position 18 = 6 leads
- Dec 08 - position 9 = 31 leads
- Jan 09 - position 9 = 126 leads
- Feb 09 - position 4 = 102 leads
- Mar 09 - position 4 = 207 leads
- Apr 09 - position 4= 221 leads
Summary of Results
The increase in the number of monthly sales leads can be seen as the target keyword ranking moved up over the six month time period. The full benefit of the keyword moving from the 18th to the 9th position is reflected in the January total because the change occurred later in the month of December. The same applies to the move from position 9 to position 4 because the change occurred later in February.
For online marketing managers and business owners who are wondering about the difference between having a major keyword listing on the first page of search results compared to the second page of results, this case study should provide some insight based on our experience.
It also shows an example of the potential benefit from having keyword search results listed above the fold of a web page as opposed to below the fold where viewers must scroll down to see more search listings.
Based on these results, there is clear evidence that a higher organic search engine ranking can dramatically affect sales lead generation and company revenue, in this case over $1,000,000.
Results provided by 10th Degree online advertising agency, and Jazel auto dealer websites.
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E-Business Marketing
Written by MichaelZ on March 7, 2010 – 4:43 am -Even if you have a lot of experience in marketing and business, beginning an e-business and marketing that business can be an intimidating task. Internet marketing isn’t anything like regular business marketing. If you don’t already have business and/or marketing experience, the process can make you want to give up. Whether you’re experienced or new, a lot of companies turn to experts for help with their new e-business marketing plans.
Even the world-famous internet market Stephen Pierce mentioned this fact on the day previous to Ewen Chia’s statement. Affiliate marketing shouldn’t be a “straightjacket” or “ball and chain” system - rather, affiliate marketing should be part of a larger strategy of internet marketing, including pay-per-click ads like Google AdSense and more traditional marketing of products.
There are four essential steps that an internet marketing expert can help a business owner with: preparing plans, providing consulting services, managing specific campaigns, and planning and managing the entire marketing program (this is obviously the most involved and expensive option!). Despite it being the most involved option, having a fully-realized internet marketing plan is a rewarding option that will provide a business with far more information than the others. It can be invaluable in studying the competition and finding a niche to target with a business.
Another important facet of internet marketing is outlining strategies for the business owner to use for finding target markets, bringing in website traffic, and other valuable methods of analysis. This marketing plan should be very specific, including goals and taking the business’ budget into account. This plan will allow a business owner to stay on track even when employing an internet marketing expert for a short time (such as on a temporary contract basis).
Rather than using only single-tier systems, you can actually earn a little extra above what you would make on single-tier programs by using your existing traffic. For example, if you sell a product and your customer becomes an affiliate marketer, you’re able to make an overriding commission for all sales that they make.
If you can think of ways to use the time and energy of others for your own profit, you can easily multiply your profits with significantly less effort: you’re paid over and over for the work that they’re doing continually, and which you only had to do once! Using a single-tier system to your advantage like this (i.e., creating a multi-tier system from a single tier) can really help increase your profits dramatically over time. Also keep in mind that any multi-level marketing affiliate program which charges a monthly fee for the use of the product or service will also give you extra income through these fees. A good example is referring someone to become a member of a website where you’re paid commission as long as that person is an active member of the site.
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Using Multiple Level Marketing For Success
Written by MichaelZ on March 7, 2010 – 4:43 am -Many people make use of one-level programs of online marketing to supplement their primary business income, but if you’re letting yourself be satisfied with just that, you’re doing yourself and your company a disservice. Affiliates that make use of multiple levels of marketing are a much more durable and long-lived than single-tiered affiliates. Support for this concept comes from sources as high as the ‘number one super affiliate of the world,’ Singapore’s own Ewen Chia.
Marketing experts come in many different further specialized functions for providing many degrees and sub-focuses for affiliate marketing. The worth of a full-service e-marketer is heavy, but comes with an equally heavy price tag. If you need to save a bit on cost, you can try hiring for a limited time, which with deft use can allow for great marketing at a price you can easily afford. Or if you’re more of a hands on kind of guy, there’s always the option of doing the research yourself into marketing techniques and figuring out how to interpret and implement them without outside aid. This option, of course, saves in money at the alternative cost of time instead.
Let’s start out with what affiliate marketing is: it’s selling someone else’s service or product for commission, by recommending the product or solution to people you know will use it (like friends or family, members of a group or forum you are a part of, or co-workers). This allows for effective targeted marketing, because affiliates know exactly who will want to use a particular product or service. There are hundreds of thousands of digital products available for would-be affiliate marketers, which can be found via popular search engines or specific databases that list affiliate marketing programs.
The main drawback to this program is that you get paid once, and once only, for a sale; with a multi-level affiliate program, you can be paid many, many times over for a sale - whenever someone you’ve recruited into the program makes a sale, you’re also paid! This can make it a much more lucrative stream of revenue than pay-per-click ads, self-promotion, or single-tier affiliate programs, because the possibilities for revenue are endless; the more people you recruit and the more people they recruit (and so on and so forth down the line) the more money you will bring in.
The methods provided by consulting services to help businessmen are varied. One-on-one personal, class-based, and coaching are all effective techniques in use for consultation companies working with businesses. Consulting services like this do about the same thing as individual marketers you’d work with, but are less formal about it, and more focused on building you up so that you can do your own marketing, rather than focusing on doing it for you. Working with the experts through consultation is an effective way to educate yourself on how to deal with marketing without outside help in the long run.
Full-service internet marketing professionals are the top of the industry and offer a broad spectrum of services. They do everything the other guys do, and once you’ve given approval, they launch the campaign and operate it without you needing to do much overseeing of the process. This, of course, will cost a bit more than your other options. So, when starting up a business online, consider your budget, your skills, and your available time, and then choose the internet marketer that’s right for you.
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