article marketing

[jgbama]

Lynn
When you first started out did you have just one site or a few also did you get an auto responder at first? I have been article marketing to drive traffic to blogspot and also doing a redirect neither is producing sales. I'm trying to look at every thing and find what I'm doing wrong. One thing I don't understand a few of my articles in the top 3 of google and aren't getting clicked on. The keywords have good search volume so I don't understand.

Thanks for any helpful advice

[wade_watson]

I don't have a lot of article marketing under my belt yet, but lately I've been doing an intense study of the subject hoping to see better what distinguishes a successful one. One important factor seems to be that your article must create a compelling reason for the reader to click your resource link. If you provide a complete answer to the reader's needs in your article, they may not have much reason to visit your site.

I've run across a few ways to do this. If discussing a general product type, offer a review of some specific products. Make it seem that you're continuing the article on your website. Some people even label the article "part 1", then have the resource link labeled "part 2". My highest click-through rate so far comes from an article on "how to find ___ on the web", with a link to my online list of what they are seeking.

Another thing is that successful article marketers often do not put a blurb about themselves in the resource box. They simple have a pointed sentence ending with "click here". It's not glamorous, but it seems to work. And, while EZA allows 2 links, more than one can just seem confusing. Keep your article short--250 to 450 words. That's like 3-4 paragraphs. Though it's called an article, you're essentially writing an informative advertisement (but it can't look too much like one).

The best advise I can give would be to study the articles of your most successful-looking competitors. This will be the ones with lots of articles in your niche. Note what they're doing that you're not.

[Lynn Terry]

It's hard to say what's going on without looking at your articles, your search engine listings, your call-to-action, blog posts, etc.

I will say that I never started out or tried a combination of blogger.com and article marketing. I created affiliate sites on my own domains, and when I used blogs I had those on their own domain as well (installing WordPress on my host). I started with one that was a combination static site & wordpress blog, and then grew from there after that one was profitable.

If you want to share links, I'd be happy to take a look.

[jgbama]

Thanks Lynn and Wade
Lynn are you asking for the blog or do you want to see the articles?

[jgbama]

The blog is cheapreliablehosting.blogspot.com

[Lynn Terry]

Thanks Lynn and Wade
Lynn are you asking for the blog or do you want to see the articles?

Both :) If you can share specific links, that would help.

[jgbama]

That is the link to my blogspot blog. I'll have to give you the names of the articles unless there is another way I don't know of. I'll get the ones on first page of google and post back to you.

[jgbama]

Lynn
Here are the ones for web hosting: why beginners choose hostmonster, does your web host include these 2 features


Here are the ones for weight loss: pick a quick weight loss program, do you want to lose up to 20 lbs a month


These are a couple of the articles thank you for taking your time with me

[David Jackson]

If you provide a complete answer to the reader's needs in your article, they may not have much reason to visit your site.

I do a tremendous amount of article marketing, and I've found just the opposite to be true. If your article helps the reader solve a specific problem, she is much more likely to visit your website, because you established your credibilty in her eyes.

That's a good thing!

David Jackson

[jgbama]

David I think Wade gave me very helpful information which I appreciated very much. The last time you posted a comment on my post I ask that I had rather you not again. By your post you are so much further advanced than the most of us please don't waste your time post to mind. I feel that some of your post are very condescending to the less enlightened as myself so as nicely as I can ask will you not reply to any more of my post.

[angienewton]

David I think Wade gave me very helpful information which I appreciated very much. The last time you posted a comment on my post I ask that I had rather you not again. By your post you are so much further advanced than the most of us please don't waste your time post to mind. I feel that some of your post are very condescending to the less enlightened as myself so as nicely as I can ask will you not reply to any more of my post.

Woah! David has been a valuable asset to the SSWT forums and I personally have never seen any posts you speak of. Sorry if you feel that way. If you don't understand something please do feel free to ask for an explanation but this is an open forum so anyone can reply to any post here to try to help. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding?

[wade_watson]

I speak more from rote than experience at this point, so I welcome any experienced insights. I have noticed that some article writers seem to do well by establishing a strong reputation. And, of course, responses always vary from one market to another. One thing about article marketing is that it's easy to test different approaches.

Wade Watson

[wade_watson]

I just looked up your all of your articles in both niches mentioned (base on those titles). Your web hosting articles are getting very low view counts. While article views vary widely for even the long time pros, you've got enough of these up to suggest a consistent problem. I can only think that it's either because your keywords do not get enough traffic or the titles are not appealing to the market. The weight loss niche is very competitive and it might just take sticking to it for long enough. Study your competitors for clues.

Successful article marketing often seems to take stamina. I was looking at an author the other day with almost 2000 articles. Most were getting less than 100 views per month. But a few of them were getting over 10,000 views/month. Some say it's a numbers game and that might be right.

Wade Watson

[Baggs]

"why beginners choose Host Monster" is also not a very popular search term so although that article is number 1 in google, no one is looking for it.

Web hosting is a very competetive field, as I am sure you are aware, and you will need to gain the trust of visitors when they get to your site, or give them a really compelling reason to gclick to the merchant. Unfortunatley trust takes time to build up and that is a whole different question to the one you asked originally!

I would try different typse of articles, with different slants, different titles etc and see what works. Can you write an article in a different niche that might appeal - say easy webhosting for hobbycrafters? something that will make what you do differetnt to what every other webhost promoter is doing?

[jgbama]

Thanks Wade and Baggs for taking the time to look at the articles. You are right Wade there is a problem with the articles. The keywords I went for had decent searches and I used the keyword phase in my titles. I think you are right the titles are not appealing enough and I am looking at other authors to see what I'm missing. Baggs I like the ideal about hobbycrafters. When you talk about trust should I have said that the hosted by hostmonster was for my wife since the landing page was on blogger?
Thanks again to both of you this IM seems very hard for me to get right but with help I will in time.

[David Jackson]

I would try different typse of articles, with different slants, different titles etc and see what works. Can you write an article in a different niche that might appeal - say easy webhosting for hobbycrafters? something that will make what you do differetnt to what every other webhost promoter is doing?

Baggs, somehow I missed this post yesterday. This is very sage advice - outstanding advice, actually. And you're absolutely right about differentiating yourself from the competition.

Good job! :)

David Jackson

[Lynn Terry]

Hey Jerry,

I am not finding your articles. Can you give us a list of links to each article here in the forum. I even looked to see if they were linking to your blogger blog but it is showing ZERO backlinks from outside your site - which is odd as you say you're doing article marketing and linking them back to that blog.

I checked the backlinks here, in Yahoo Site Explorer:
http://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/search?p=http%3A%2F%2Fcheapreliablehosting.blogspo t.com%2F&bwm=i&bwmf=u&bwms=p&fr=yfp-t-701&fr2=seo-rd-se

[Lynn Terry]

My advice: Find something you're a little more interested in, and a little more experienced with. Web Hosting is a cut throat niche to be in, and there are much easier markets to work in...

[jgbama]

Thanks Lynn I guess I bit off my than I can chew. Maybe web hosting and weight loss are too much for a newbie.

Thanks again

[jgbama]

Lynn if you still want to look at the articles here are the links
www.articlesbase.com/web-hosting.../make-a-checklist-before-buying-a-web-host-1148100.html -

ezinearticles.com/?Does-Your-Web-Host-Include-These-2-Features?&...


thanks

[Lynn Terry]

It has less to do with being a newbie, and more to do with finding something you can really get into - and actually enjoy. For some reason, that's where the money always comes from. That said, those are both cut throat niches, and not something I would "dabble in" without experience.

Do you have any hobbies or interests, or knowledge/experience? Perhaps make a list and we can brainstorm together.

[jgbama]

Hi Lynn

Thanks so much for your help. I have worked in defense industries and aerospace also home remolding. I play the guitar but not great use to write songs, read a lot of self help books I guess you could call me a jack of all trades master of none.

I don't know if this gives enough information to help me?
I really don't know what to say with you trying to help me like this.
Thank you

[Lynn Terry]

Hey Jerry,

I'm not sure if you follow my blog, but I would suggest you start with this collection of tutorials on Niche Selection & keyword research: http://www.clicknewz.com/keyword-research.htm

Also read my latest post, which details out how I use the search engines to make sales as an affiliate marketer:
http://www.clicknewz.com/2077/seo-content-choosing-keywords-phrases/

Let me know if that helps, or raises any new questions for you.

[jgbama]

Thanks Lynn

I'll read them now.

[Chris Norman]

Just a post in defense of David here. He takes some getting used to. He is straight and to the point but only means well. He does want to help and is just giving his opinion. He is a good guy.

Just my 2 cents, Chris

[KathleenGageSpeaker]

Here is part of an article I wrote on the topic.

*********

Before you begin you need to consider the following:

Who are you writing for?
What do they want to know?
Why do they want to know this?
How will you help them solve their problem?
What makes your information different than anyone else who claims to be an expert on the topic?

By answering the above questions you are in more of a position to effectively reach those people who are interested in reading your information.

Here’s an example of a good answer for the first question. When I ask myself who I am writing for the answer is simple. Speakers, trainers, authors, consultants and entrepreneurs who want to gain visibility on the Internet by optimizing their marketing dollars.

From there, I must clearly answer the other four questions. By doing this I am more likely to write articles specific to my market; speakers, trainers, authors, consultants and entrepreneurs who want to gain visibility on the Internet by optimizing their marketing dollars.

Take time upfront to think through why you are writing articles, for whom you are writing and what problem you are helping them solve. You will gain a greater result in your online marketing efforts by doing so.

[jkgourmet]

Woah! David has been a valuable asset to the SSWT forums and I personally have never seen any posts you speak of. Sorry if you feel that way. If you don't understand something please do feel free to ask for an explanation but this is an open forum so anyone can reply to any post here to try to help. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding?

This has been bothering me for days. Let me state upfront that it is not my intention to start anything up, but I DO feel a need to say something to support David here, as Angie nad Chris already did (braver than me).

Jerry, I remember the thread that you were referring to when you asked David to not respond to your posts anymore. I belive that I know exactly what he said that made you feel that way - it was his reference to the common term "KISS". I can understand why this might have struck you as a personal insult, but I would point out that it is a well-used acronym.

Especially on the internet, things are often misinterpreted. The lack of eye contact, inability to read body language, and people have different writing styles and approaches to making suggestions.

No question, David can be direct. I personally appreciate that about him. But I am used to no-nonsense business people who get right to the point. I know that not everyone is comfortable with that approach.

He has a wealth of knowledge that is enormously valuable here. He charges people for that knowledge (quite a lot, I'm sure), yet spends his time here giving us his insight and knowledge for free. David answers our questions and gives us advice based on his expertise. I think it is important to keep in mind that you initiated questions and requests for advice and David responded to your requests.

Take his advice or leave it, that's your choice. But many of us reading this forum DO want to hear David's point of view. The voice of experience, somebody at his level of expertise, brings a value here that is immeasurable.

I sincerely hope that gives you another way of looking at this, without any insult intended.

[Steve]

I have the best luck with my own site on my own domain and add content regularly. I have some SEO but nothing to in depth and I broke a lot of the rules. I have sites that have keywords ranked in the 2nd - 3rd spot on google, yahoo, msn for a long time.
BTW.. these are static sites not blogs. With WordPress and various plug-ins the traffic might be even better.

But the BIG SECRET is... drum roll please... TIME.

It took time for the traffic to come and get back links, etc. There are people that throw up a site and it gets traffic quickly -allegedly- but 1 year average to get thing really rolling is what I find for a site. (Organic search traffic)

I have tried article marketing and have not had much success with it as far as visitors to my site, but I'm sure the links pointing back didn't hurt.

Good Luck..

Steve

[Lynn Terry]

Time requires patience, which stumps most people ;)

I agree with you though. And while my new sites see search traffic and sales within 4-6 weeks, it's usually that one year mark when things really start to take off.

[jgbama]

Thanks for all the advice I've looking to see the things I'm doing wrong and seeing what direction I need go. Lynn I've read the post you suggested plus most that are on your blog they have been a great help to me. Kathleen I'm doing what you said about who I'm writing to. To each of you thanks for the help.
Jerry

[AlexNewell]

I think your blogspot article is fine.

A problem you will face is that you are competing in a FIERCELY competitive niche. There are not many keywords with more strong competition and more professional and sophisticated competition than web hosting.

Did I get you right - that you are getting traffic but no sales?

People shop around...they'll look at a number of sites, including review sites before they buy.

To make sales in the web hosting niche you may need to target a longer keyword phrase with less competition. I know of one Super Affiliate ( Brian Johnson) who targets the phrase "Hosting coupon" so you may have some luck with a slightly off the wall keyword like "Hostgator coupon"

Good luck!!

[jgbama]

Thanks Alex for looking at the blog and yes it is very competitive. I know now that I chose the wrong niche for a newby to get into. I have learned a lot from the mistakes I've made from trying it so that is a good thing. I'm researching and rethinking which directions to go next. thanks again Alex for your advice keyword research is very important.
Thanks Zoran and Sanja I'm working on my article writing skills your advice is very helpful.
Thanks again to all of you