Surfni.com local events exhibition in Animation
An exhibition of new work by two of Northern Ireland’s foremost animators.
Opening with refreshments on Thursday the 27 August 2009 5pm-7pm
The work will be on show until the of 25 September, gallery opening hours are Tuesday - Friday 11am – 3pm
The exhibition is on at the A.D.F gallery, ground floor 109-113 Royal Avenue, Belfast admission is free and the gallery is fully accessible.
Joel Simon and Steve Noonan has been working professionaly in the field of animation for many years and have received both national and international acclaim for their work.
For this joint exhibition Joel will be presenting work form a project entitled May Vary which represents a little snapshot of an experience which he had as an amputee. Standing out, as he did on a particular day, by default, as opposed to standing out by design. Steve on the other hand will present an insight to the mechanics of his new animation Pat’s World which looks at the everyday life of a children’s animated character who brings the joys of reading, writing and counting to the nation, that is however until the camera stops rolling and the true identify of ‘Pat’ becomes known to the world.
Further information on the individual artists
Joel Simon
Joel moved to Belfast in 2005 and spent his first two years here working on a low-budget animated short film Ciderpunks which won him several awards, after much trial and error, and a year of fundraising.
Subsequently, he established Flickerpix Animation Studios in East
Belfast which has produced Buska & Barney for UTV, a film on Malaria for Comic Relief, and has directed animated series such as On The Air with Gerry Anderson and Days Like This for BBC NI as well as short films like Horn OK Please, an Indian – Northern Irish collaboration which has won 15 international awards to date. Joel still likes to think up new characters and still lives in Belfast.
Thursday, 20 August 2009
Sunday, 9 August 2009
FAQ on Gasta white label solution
FAQ on Gasta white label solution
How will our branded site receive traffic?
a) Case 1 - A new domain with no existing traffic or index on Google
· As a Gasta Partner you will be connected with 200 active sites on the Gasta Network that have over 110,000 indexed pages in Google
· Our network will cross promote you internally across all our sites (http://gasta.com/ads/adnetwork)
· Gasta serves between 250k to 500k searches a day <-- We will push you domain
· You domain will be picked up and indexed on Google within 24-72 hours of launching
· Case example Gasta.cn <- when initially launched it was index with over 12,000 pages on Google with 6 weeks
b) Case 2 - Existing domain
· You can bring in an existing domain
· As previous applies.
Will we need to SEO the site our selves
· No, our sites are completely SEO optimised using our platform. The only thing we start out doing is creating a dictionary of keywords that describe your site (see - baroneracing.com HomePage) - this leverages and helps search engines both understand and create an index for you site.
· Our system takes care of the rest - for example Google SiteMaps, Meta Titles etc.
· We can provide you with a complete admin interface that allows you to tweak and add keywords and SEO mark-up or we can care-take this for you.
Who will host it?
· We can will host it - however we can offer to install the site on your own server if you wish.
Can we customize the links on the home page
a) Standard implementation (eg. baroneracing.com or gasta.com)
· Yes, the home page is completely customisable.
· The standard layout will allow you to change the keywords (tabbed directory) and ALL text on the home page.
· This is controlled from your admin area, or care-taken by our support team.
b) Custom implementation
· We can 100% create a customised homepage for you - alternative designs or new features as you request
Will there be adsense ads in our result page
· You can turn ads on and off via the control panel.
· If you wish to have adsense (or any other simliar third party ads) you can control them from you control panel.
· Your ads, your revenue, your option.
Note: On Ads
· The Gasta White Label has it's own version of adsense built in. We call these 'InstantAds' and 'SearchMatch'.
· Using the example http://gasta.com/Search/casino
o Draw you focus to the top left logo and the grey bar - directly below this is 'SearchMatch'.
o Now to the right column and at the top - notice your ad - this is 'InstantAds'.
· You can control the number of ads you wish to display in each unit via the admin.
· Both ad types can cross pollinate with each other.
· The Ad scope (this is how the system decides what ads to be displayed) can be set to 'exact' or 'universal'
o 'exact' is a direct keyword or contextual match
o 'universal' - display an exact match first (if available) and always display 'ad stock' regardless.
In addition
· You can sell you ad space if desired directly.
· You can create your own network of related sites.
· You can export you ads to existing sites (similar to Google Adsense)
· We can sell ad space for you.
· Turn the feature off.
I would suggest that the ads system be filled with a library of your corporate and associated network services and set to universally be displayed.
Gasta white label solution comes in three partnered solutions.
Basic
· We retain control of all Ads and Revenue including Google, SearchMatch, InstantAds and other third party campaigns
· Only the logo and keywords can be customised
· Branding and Copyright remains as part of the Gasta Network
Partnered
· As part of the Gasta Search Network all advertising revenue sold to third parties via your domain is split evenly on SearchMatch & InstantAds.
· All third party advert revenue (eg. Google Adsense, Trade Doubler etc.) on your site is 100% is retained by your company.
· You will receive a 50% discount on all adverts you place across the entire Gasta Network.
· Ad revenue sharing is completely optional. You may turn the ad system off.
· Initial set-up cost
Dedicated
· 100% Control of Ad system and 100% retained Advertising revenue
· 100% Branding as Your Company
· Create your own Exclusive Ad Network and Ad Content.
In addition we can provide you with a completely bespoke design. We can offer to redesign the home page or results page to suit your company needs.
How will our branded site receive traffic?
a) Case 1 - A new domain with no existing traffic or index on Google
· As a Gasta Partner you will be connected with 200 active sites on the Gasta Network that have over 110,000 indexed pages in Google
· Our network will cross promote you internally across all our sites (http://gasta.com/ads/adnetwork)
· Gasta serves between 250k to 500k searches a day <-- We will push you domain
· You domain will be picked up and indexed on Google within 24-72 hours of launching
· Case example Gasta.cn <- when initially launched it was index with over 12,000 pages on Google with 6 weeks
b) Case 2 - Existing domain
· You can bring in an existing domain
· As previous applies.
Will we need to SEO the site our selves
· No, our sites are completely SEO optimised using our platform. The only thing we start out doing is creating a dictionary of keywords that describe your site (see - baroneracing.com HomePage) - this leverages and helps search engines both understand and create an index for you site.
· Our system takes care of the rest - for example Google SiteMaps, Meta Titles etc.
· We can provide you with a complete admin interface that allows you to tweak and add keywords and SEO mark-up or we can care-take this for you.
Who will host it?
· We can will host it - however we can offer to install the site on your own server if you wish.
Can we customize the links on the home page
a) Standard implementation (eg. baroneracing.com or gasta.com)
· Yes, the home page is completely customisable.
· The standard layout will allow you to change the keywords (tabbed directory) and ALL text on the home page.
· This is controlled from your admin area, or care-taken by our support team.
b) Custom implementation
· We can 100% create a customised homepage for you - alternative designs or new features as you request
Will there be adsense ads in our result page
· You can turn ads on and off via the control panel.
· If you wish to have adsense (or any other simliar third party ads) you can control them from you control panel.
· Your ads, your revenue, your option.
Note: On Ads
· The Gasta White Label has it's own version of adsense built in. We call these 'InstantAds' and 'SearchMatch'.
· Using the example http://gasta.com/Search/casino
o Draw you focus to the top left logo and the grey bar - directly below this is 'SearchMatch'.
o Now to the right column and at the top - notice your ad - this is 'InstantAds'.
· You can control the number of ads you wish to display in each unit via the admin.
· Both ad types can cross pollinate with each other.
· The Ad scope (this is how the system decides what ads to be displayed) can be set to 'exact' or 'universal'
o 'exact' is a direct keyword or contextual match
o 'universal' - display an exact match first (if available) and always display 'ad stock' regardless.
In addition
· You can sell you ad space if desired directly.
· You can create your own network of related sites.
· You can export you ads to existing sites (similar to Google Adsense)
· We can sell ad space for you.
· Turn the feature off.
I would suggest that the ads system be filled with a library of your corporate and associated network services and set to universally be displayed.
Gasta white label solution comes in three partnered solutions.
Basic
· We retain control of all Ads and Revenue including Google, SearchMatch, InstantAds and other third party campaigns
· Only the logo and keywords can be customised
· Branding and Copyright remains as part of the Gasta Network
Partnered
· As part of the Gasta Search Network all advertising revenue sold to third parties via your domain is split evenly on SearchMatch & InstantAds.
· All third party advert revenue (eg. Google Adsense, Trade Doubler etc.) on your site is 100% is retained by your company.
· You will receive a 50% discount on all adverts you place across the entire Gasta Network.
· Ad revenue sharing is completely optional. You may turn the ad system off.
· Initial set-up cost
Dedicated
· 100% Control of Ad system and 100% retained Advertising revenue
· 100% Branding as Your Company
· Create your own Exclusive Ad Network and Ad Content.
In addition we can provide you with a completely bespoke design. We can offer to redesign the home page or results page to suit your company needs.
Saturday, 8 August 2009
Gasta web 2.0
About Gasta
Started in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1998 Gasta is a global search engine and web directory. Translated into six Languages, Gasta has now launched search engines in Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, French, & German,
Gasta has now launched SearchMatch paid inclusion programs for all 400 of its search engines and sees paid listings as the future of Internet marketing enabling and empowering advertisers to bid on niche contextual Keywords and phrases that are directly related to their business. Gasta organic growth of traffic extends the long tail of keywords and adds added value to all our client campaigns.
Platform
Gasta is written in MVC Asp.net, C#, and XML, Jscript,
Social Marketing Services
Gasta now offers the ability to share web search results, videos, news items, images, and Blogs with your chosen social networking partner site, Gasta now has social marketing links with FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Stumbleupon, Bebo, and Digg. This service not only offers an added value to our users but also greatly assists our advertisers with their social marketing and brand awareness campaigns.
Geo Targeting
Gasta automatically includes effective Geo Targeting of advertising across regions so the user searching in Dublin receives adverts from Dublin and UK Regions and the user searching in New York receives inventory from USA regions.
More than 97% of gasta.com users live and/or work in the regional search areas the index is aimed at. This offers an extremely focused way of targeting prospective customers. Localize to globalize. With Gasta.com you the advertiser only pay for the traffic you receive. Gasta.com has a unique featured Site scheme allows you to directly gear expenditure to traffic. This is the most cost effective method with no wasted clicks.
Diverse User Base
Gasta.com search results are rendered by a network of Search Partners ranging from major Internet brands to organizations who specifically address the Region. Gasta has also implemented social marketing tools on all search results to share video, news, images, blogs, and web results as well as the actual SearchMatch ad itself. A unique service for a search engine.
Gasta.com has a more focussed appeal because it is targeted directly to a local audience
Ad Management
24/7 Ad Campaign Management access your account and manage your listings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the gasta.com Management and bid System
Gasta white Label solution
The Gasta Hosted white label solution can be launched in a matter of minutes and offers a variety of solutions and ad platforms to Partners. These search engines can start earning revenues as soon as they are launched with a variety of monetisation features such as preloaded Google Adsense and SearchMatch and InstantAds platforms. Gasta has now launched white label partner sites in India, USA, and Australia. We are currently seeking regional partners in China, Singapore, and Latin America.
Partners
Gasta partners include:
Services: Microsoft Bing, Google, Miva, ABC Search, Adify, BT, Mirago UK, Admeld, Adconion,
Social Marketing: LinkedIn, FaceBook, Twitter, Digg, Stumbleupon, Bebo,
Content : BBC, Irish Times, Irish News, Belfastmedia group, FlashSeek,
Francis Higgins
bizz@amiwired.com
Started in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1998 Gasta is a global search engine and web directory. Translated into six Languages, Gasta has now launched search engines in Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, French, & German,
Gasta has now launched SearchMatch paid inclusion programs for all 400 of its search engines and sees paid listings as the future of Internet marketing enabling and empowering advertisers to bid on niche contextual Keywords and phrases that are directly related to their business. Gasta organic growth of traffic extends the long tail of keywords and adds added value to all our client campaigns.
Platform
Gasta is written in MVC Asp.net, C#, and XML, Jscript,
Social Marketing Services
Gasta now offers the ability to share web search results, videos, news items, images, and Blogs with your chosen social networking partner site, Gasta now has social marketing links with FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Stumbleupon, Bebo, and Digg. This service not only offers an added value to our users but also greatly assists our advertisers with their social marketing and brand awareness campaigns.
Geo Targeting
Gasta automatically includes effective Geo Targeting of advertising across regions so the user searching in Dublin receives adverts from Dublin and UK Regions and the user searching in New York receives inventory from USA regions.
More than 97% of gasta.com users live and/or work in the regional search areas the index is aimed at. This offers an extremely focused way of targeting prospective customers. Localize to globalize. With Gasta.com you the advertiser only pay for the traffic you receive. Gasta.com has a unique featured Site scheme allows you to directly gear expenditure to traffic. This is the most cost effective method with no wasted clicks.
Diverse User Base
Gasta.com search results are rendered by a network of Search Partners ranging from major Internet brands to organizations who specifically address the Region. Gasta has also implemented social marketing tools on all search results to share video, news, images, blogs, and web results as well as the actual SearchMatch ad itself. A unique service for a search engine.
Gasta.com has a more focussed appeal because it is targeted directly to a local audience
Ad Management
24/7 Ad Campaign Management access your account and manage your listings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the gasta.com Management and bid System
Gasta white Label solution
The Gasta Hosted white label solution can be launched in a matter of minutes and offers a variety of solutions and ad platforms to Partners. These search engines can start earning revenues as soon as they are launched with a variety of monetisation features such as preloaded Google Adsense and SearchMatch and InstantAds platforms. Gasta has now launched white label partner sites in India, USA, and Australia. We are currently seeking regional partners in China, Singapore, and Latin America.
Partners
Gasta partners include:
Services: Microsoft Bing, Google, Miva, ABC Search, Adify, BT, Mirago UK, Admeld, Adconion,
Social Marketing: LinkedIn, FaceBook, Twitter, Digg, Stumbleupon, Bebo,
Content : BBC, Irish Times, Irish News, Belfastmedia group, FlashSeek,
Francis Higgins
bizz@amiwired.com
Friday, 7 August 2009
Gasta SearchMatch
Your Customers Are Online: Can They Find Your Website?
The search world is fluid; keywords, rankings, links and more change everyday, and define your brands online success or failure. Help your customers find your products and services by effectively promoting your online brand with proven techniques. A recent Datran Media survey found 57% of marketing executives identified search marketing as one of the strongest advertising mediums for their company. Another 54% indicated that they have increased budgets for search while decreasing offline and direct marketing efforts.
Gasta SearchMatch™ now offering the best value for European keyword advertising across 200+ internet search engines. Get your niche targeted keywords now with a unique Instant Ad Free/
Social Marketing Services
Gasta now offers the ability to share web search results, videos, news items, images, and Blogs with your chosen social networking partner site, Gasta now has social marketing links with FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Stumbleupon, Bebo, and Digg. This service not only offers an added value to our users but also greatly assists our advertisers with their social marketing and brand awareness campaigns.
The search world is fluid; keywords, rankings, links and more change everyday, and define your brands online success or failure. Help your customers find your products and services by effectively promoting your online brand with proven techniques. A recent Datran Media survey found 57% of marketing executives identified search marketing as one of the strongest advertising mediums for their company. Another 54% indicated that they have increased budgets for search while decreasing offline and direct marketing efforts.
Gasta SearchMatch™ now offering the best value for European keyword advertising across 200+ internet search engines. Get your niche targeted keywords now with a unique Instant Ad Free/
Social Marketing Services
Gasta now offers the ability to share web search results, videos, news items, images, and Blogs with your chosen social networking partner site, Gasta now has social marketing links with FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Stumbleupon, Bebo, and Digg. This service not only offers an added value to our users but also greatly assists our advertisers with their social marketing and brand awareness campaigns.
Thursday, 30 July 2009
A man retired. He wanted to use his retirement money wisely, so it would last, and decided to buy a home and a few acres in Portugal. The modest farmhouse had been vacant for 15 years; the owner and wife both had died, and there were no heirs. The house was sold to pay taxes. There had been several lookers, but the large barn had steel doors, and they had been welded shut. Nobody wanted to go to the extra expense to see what was in the barn, and it wasn't complimentary to the property anyway......so, nobody made an offer on the place.
The New York guy bought it at just over half of the property's worth, moved in, and set about to tear in to the barn.......curiosity was killing him. So, he and his wife bought a generator, and a couple of grinders.......and cut thru the welds.
What was in the barn...............?
VALUED AT $35 MILLION DOLLARS.
. THIS IS A TRUE STORY THE MAN AND HIS WIFE HAD FULL CLAIM TO THE LOT
. THEY HAD A GREAT RETIREMENT
The New York guy bought it at just over half of the property's worth, moved in, and set about to tear in to the barn.......curiosity was killing him. So, he and his wife bought a generator, and a couple of grinders.......and cut thru the welds.
What was in the barn...............?
VALUED AT $35 MILLION DOLLARS.
. THIS IS A TRUE STORY THE MAN AND HIS WIFE HAD FULL CLAIM TO THE LOT
. THEY HAD A GREAT RETIREMENT
Thursday, 23 April 2009
Gasta Keywords:Why Profitable Keywords are the Cornerstones of Your Internet Marketing?
Keywords are ground zero. They are essential to your online success. You must get your keywords right or it's game over before you even get started. Mainly because keywords are the most important element of your online marketíng.
It can't be emphasized enough, especially to beginning online webmasters or marketers, choosing the right profitable keywords will largely determine whether or not you succeed with your online endeavors. You simply must get this element right or your marketing will be in big trouble.
What are Keywords?
Lets start at the very beginning, keywords are the exact words someone types into a search engine to find what they're looking for on the web. Some keywords are valuable / profitable, while others are virtually worthless.
Profitable keywords are the ones that convert into a sale, a lead or potential client/customer for your company or product. These are the words someone is searching in order to buy a product or hire a service. Someone searching for "honeymoon vacatíon packages" is probably in the market to book a honeymoon vacatíon and could turn out to be very profitable for the right website or business.
Profitable keywords are the ones where the searcher is in the right "mind-set" or frame of mind to buy what they're searching for on the web. Tailor your marketing online to target these profitable keywords and it can spell success.
So what's the whole process for finding or choosing profitable keywords to use in your marketing? Lets look at some ways to proceed...
Number of Keyword Searches?
You need to find out how many searches are made for your chosen keywords each month. Simply use WordTracker or a site like SEOBook. These will give you a preliminary number of searches made each month for your keyword. Highly popular, well-searched keywords with hundreds of thousands of searches each month will be extremely hard to rank for because you will have stiff competition from major companies with limitless resources.
I like to pick less popular keywords that get only a couple of hundred of searches each day because my chances of getting on the first page greatly increases. But don't get fixated on the number of searches, some keyword phrases that only get four or five searches daily, can still be very profitable.
For serious keyword research in a particular niche market I like to use Brad Callen's Keyword Elite which is professionally designed software that makes all your keyword research so much easier. But there are plenty of free keyword tools you can use. One handy keyword tool is Google Adwords external suggestion tool which will help you find valuable keywords.
Commercial Intent of Keywords?
But how do you know if a keyword is profitable? Well, one convenient tool is from MSN which helps you with "Detecting Online Commercial Intention" of keywords. Just type in a keyword and it will give you a percentage or probability your keyword query has commercial benefit or intent.
Conversion Rate of Keywords?
Once you have your chosen keywords in place, next you want to have a landing page that converts those keywords or traffic from those keywords into buyers or leads for your online business. This is another crucial element of your online marketíng - you must have a landing page or content/site that converts into a sale or you obviously won't make any revenue.
Keep in mind, if you're into affiliate marketing, you main goal is not to sell but to "pre-sell" your products or services. One effective way I have found to do this is to give potential customers/clients valuable information they can use in making their final purchasing choice. Comparison sites do well, as do review sites, top ten sites... potential customers use the Internet and keywords to not only find products but more so, to find information on those products. Your goal should be to provide this valuable information to make their task a little bit easier for them and they will reward you with a sale.
Long-Tail Keywords?
Long-Tail keywords are simply that: long three or four word phrases that searchers use to find what they're looking for on the web. Because they are highly specific, long-tail keywords have proven to have better conversion rates than general keywords. This is also just common sense, someone searching for a "2005 ford mustang convertible" may just be in the right mind-set to buy such a vehicle; as compared to someone searching for a more general keyword phrase such as "sports cars."
Study your website traffic logs religiously to find long-tail keywords that turn into a sale. Target these long-tail keywords in your marketing. Even buy PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising in the three major search engines - Google Adwords, Yahoo! Marketing and MicroSoft AdCenter - for these valuable/profitable keywords.
And build higher rankings in organic search for these long-tail keyword phrases. It's really not that difficult for long phrases, especially if they're related to your site; many times you can reach the top spot in a matter of days, especially in Google.
How to Rank High for Your Chosen Profitable Keywords?
Of course, the million dollar question is: HOW do you rank in the top spot for your chosen keywords? I believe the key to ranking high in the search engines (especially Google) is to be persistent in building your rankings for your keywords. Take a long-term view or approach, sometimes it may take months, even years, to rank in the top Five for your highly competitive keywords.
The best strategy is to "stick to it" and keep building relevant links to your keyword landing page. Create related blogs with valuable content linking back to your keywords. Write keyword related articles and distribute them all over the web. Create Google Alerts for your keywords and then place comments/links in the newly formed pages on the web that Google is indexing.
Be pro-active, download the SEOQuake toolbar and find your main keyword competitors. Check out their links and then go out and get the same links. Write better, higher quality content than your main competitors because Google always rewards great content. Plus, use the free Addthis.com button and let your visitors bookmark your great content in all the social bookmark sites and build your keyword links for you.
Do keyworded Press Releases with your embedded links and spread them all over the web. Get these Press Releases into Google news and other important places on the web. PRWeb.com is really a great place for your press releases since you can embed your keywords in your links.
If you can try to get your most important keywords in your domain name. Many SEO experts argue the merits of this but from my own experience and marketing - it is much easier to rank high for your keywords if you have them in the domain name. Again, it is just common sense, if you have your main keyword in the domain, this keyword is obviously telling the search engines this is what your site is all about. I have even bought domains and created sites specifically around certain keywords just to rank high.
Always remember, you have to be persistent, I have been fighting some keyword battles for over four or five years! For really profitable keywords, it can be a constant struggle to remain on the first page, but the trick is not to give up, just keep fighting away at your competitors. Persistence usually pays off in the end and those profitable keywords will have your links in the top spot. Make ranking high for those profitable keywords your number one marketing strategy. Concentrate all your marketing efforts towards getting plenty of quality traffic for those keywords and you will succeed online.
By Titus Hoskins (c) 2009
It can't be emphasized enough, especially to beginning online webmasters or marketers, choosing the right profitable keywords will largely determine whether or not you succeed with your online endeavors. You simply must get this element right or your marketing will be in big trouble.
What are Keywords?
Lets start at the very beginning, keywords are the exact words someone types into a search engine to find what they're looking for on the web. Some keywords are valuable / profitable, while others are virtually worthless.
Profitable keywords are the ones that convert into a sale, a lead or potential client/customer for your company or product. These are the words someone is searching in order to buy a product or hire a service. Someone searching for "honeymoon vacatíon packages" is probably in the market to book a honeymoon vacatíon and could turn out to be very profitable for the right website or business.
Profitable keywords are the ones where the searcher is in the right "mind-set" or frame of mind to buy what they're searching for on the web. Tailor your marketing online to target these profitable keywords and it can spell success.
So what's the whole process for finding or choosing profitable keywords to use in your marketing? Lets look at some ways to proceed...
Number of Keyword Searches?
You need to find out how many searches are made for your chosen keywords each month. Simply use WordTracker or a site like SEOBook. These will give you a preliminary number of searches made each month for your keyword. Highly popular, well-searched keywords with hundreds of thousands of searches each month will be extremely hard to rank for because you will have stiff competition from major companies with limitless resources.
I like to pick less popular keywords that get only a couple of hundred of searches each day because my chances of getting on the first page greatly increases. But don't get fixated on the number of searches, some keyword phrases that only get four or five searches daily, can still be very profitable.
For serious keyword research in a particular niche market I like to use Brad Callen's Keyword Elite which is professionally designed software that makes all your keyword research so much easier. But there are plenty of free keyword tools you can use. One handy keyword tool is Google Adwords external suggestion tool which will help you find valuable keywords.
Commercial Intent of Keywords?
But how do you know if a keyword is profitable? Well, one convenient tool is from MSN which helps you with "Detecting Online Commercial Intention" of keywords. Just type in a keyword and it will give you a percentage or probability your keyword query has commercial benefit or intent.
Conversion Rate of Keywords?
Once you have your chosen keywords in place, next you want to have a landing page that converts those keywords or traffic from those keywords into buyers or leads for your online business. This is another crucial element of your online marketíng - you must have a landing page or content/site that converts into a sale or you obviously won't make any revenue.
Keep in mind, if you're into affiliate marketing, you main goal is not to sell but to "pre-sell" your products or services. One effective way I have found to do this is to give potential customers/clients valuable information they can use in making their final purchasing choice. Comparison sites do well, as do review sites, top ten sites... potential customers use the Internet and keywords to not only find products but more so, to find information on those products. Your goal should be to provide this valuable information to make their task a little bit easier for them and they will reward you with a sale.
Long-Tail Keywords?
Long-Tail keywords are simply that: long three or four word phrases that searchers use to find what they're looking for on the web. Because they are highly specific, long-tail keywords have proven to have better conversion rates than general keywords. This is also just common sense, someone searching for a "2005 ford mustang convertible" may just be in the right mind-set to buy such a vehicle; as compared to someone searching for a more general keyword phrase such as "sports cars."
Study your website traffic logs religiously to find long-tail keywords that turn into a sale. Target these long-tail keywords in your marketing. Even buy PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising in the three major search engines - Google Adwords, Yahoo! Marketing and MicroSoft AdCenter - for these valuable/profitable keywords.
And build higher rankings in organic search for these long-tail keyword phrases. It's really not that difficult for long phrases, especially if they're related to your site; many times you can reach the top spot in a matter of days, especially in Google.
How to Rank High for Your Chosen Profitable Keywords?
Of course, the million dollar question is: HOW do you rank in the top spot for your chosen keywords? I believe the key to ranking high in the search engines (especially Google) is to be persistent in building your rankings for your keywords. Take a long-term view or approach, sometimes it may take months, even years, to rank in the top Five for your highly competitive keywords.
The best strategy is to "stick to it" and keep building relevant links to your keyword landing page. Create related blogs with valuable content linking back to your keywords. Write keyword related articles and distribute them all over the web. Create Google Alerts for your keywords and then place comments/links in the newly formed pages on the web that Google is indexing.
Be pro-active, download the SEOQuake toolbar and find your main keyword competitors. Check out their links and then go out and get the same links. Write better, higher quality content than your main competitors because Google always rewards great content. Plus, use the free Addthis.com button and let your visitors bookmark your great content in all the social bookmark sites and build your keyword links for you.
Do keyworded Press Releases with your embedded links and spread them all over the web. Get these Press Releases into Google news and other important places on the web. PRWeb.com is really a great place for your press releases since you can embed your keywords in your links.
If you can try to get your most important keywords in your domain name. Many SEO experts argue the merits of this but from my own experience and marketing - it is much easier to rank high for your keywords if you have them in the domain name. Again, it is just common sense, if you have your main keyword in the domain, this keyword is obviously telling the search engines this is what your site is all about. I have even bought domains and created sites specifically around certain keywords just to rank high.
Always remember, you have to be persistent, I have been fighting some keyword battles for over four or five years! For really profitable keywords, it can be a constant struggle to remain on the first page, but the trick is not to give up, just keep fighting away at your competitors. Persistence usually pays off in the end and those profitable keywords will have your links in the top spot. Make ranking high for those profitable keywords your number one marketing strategy. Concentrate all your marketing efforts towards getting plenty of quality traffic for those keywords and you will succeed online.
By Titus Hoskins (c) 2009
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Gasta Social Networking; Ried Hoffman LinkedIn
Amid the increasingly crowded social network landscape, few platforms enjoy as clearly defined a role -- or as robust a user base -- as professional networking site LinkedIn. And with an estimated $80 million in funding still in the bank, the already-profitable company is in a unique position to maintain its leadership position well into the future, says CEO, co-founder, and chairman Reid Hoffman.
There's good reason to put some stock in Hoffman's assertions. After all, LinkedIn isn't his first online rodeo. Far from it, in fact. Prior to LinkedIn, he was executive vice president of PayPal, where he was actively involved in orchestrating the company's acquisition by eBay. Over the years, Hoffman has helped finance more than 60 companies, many from initial conception. His list of angel investments includes a host of well-recognized online properties, including Facebook, Digg, Technorati, Funny or Die, and Flickr.
In this exclusive interview with iMedia Connection, Hoffman details the marketing and professional development opportunities available via LinkedIn's expanding platform. He also provides insights on the competitive social media landscape, as well as what he sees as being the next hot online technology sector.
iMedia: LinkedIn entered the ad network fray last September with the debut of the LinkedIn Audience Network. What kind of results have advertisers on the network seen thus far? And how are you distinguishing this service in the crowded ad network space?
Reid Hoffman: We're really looking to improve the overall ad network landscape -- particularly for B2B marketers who have been largely underserved in this space -- by allowing marketers to target campaigns to specific audiences. I can't share any specific results, but I can tell you that a lot of advertisers find our unique approach compelling.
The LinkedIn Audience Network allows marketers to target specific audience segments based on the highly accurate data that our more than 39 million members share publicly in their LinkedIn profiles -- such as job function, company size, and seniority -- and to do that at scale across the web. So, let's say a B2B marketer wanted to reach small businesses, IT managers, or corporate executives -- we can deliver their ads specifically to those segments across a large network of quality websites.
iMedia: Where's the biggest opportunity for brand marketers on LinkedIn?
Hoffman: The biggest opportunity for brand marketers is to provide value to an audience of influential, ambitious, and affluent professionals who are focused on being successful in their careers -- help them be successful or help them enjoy success, and you'll have some loyal customers for a long time.
We're still very big believers in the value of display advertising when done right -- which not only requires great creative execution by the client, but also requires the publisher to provide the right canvas. We're able to deliver ads to specific segments based on the profile data LinkedIn members share. By limiting the number of ads on our pages, our members actually tend to interact with them as part of the LinkedIn interface.
iMedia: How can marketers go beyond display advertising campaigns on LinkedIn?
Hoffman: One way would be LinkedIn Polls, where marketers can deliver a co-branded poll to specific segments of the LinkedIn audience, and then examine the responses by job title, industry, company size, etc. We're taking this approach to another level with our partnership with CNBC, where members will take the poll online at LinkedIn and then CNBC's on-air talent will discuss the results live.
Another offering, which we're currently piloting with a few partners, is a whitepaper distribution program, where we'll help marketers distribute their content and generate leads on the LinkedIn platform. We're also seeing some smart use of "organic" LinkedIn assets as part of advertising campaigns. For example, Microsoft recently ran a campaign for its BizSpark server that features an employee in the ad itself. In one of the executions, there was a link to that employee's LinkedIn profile, where a customer could then learn more about the employee, see how they were connected to him, see who recommended his work and his professional experience, etc.
The last item that I'll mention in our innovations in advertising is the approach of stoking conversations on LinkedIn. There are some significant ways to engage in both of these areas, whether it's working with us to create and promote a "Featured Question" or by sponsoring federations of groups that are thematically similar.
Hoffman: There are two perceptions that we bump into: First, because our advertising business is only about a year or so old, there are some marketers who aren't aware that we accept advertising. Let me make it very clear: We do!
Second, there is a perception that professionals are primarily looking for jobs on LinkedIn. Finding new career opportunities or finding potential employees is definitely something we do and do well. However, it's not the only reason people are using LinkedIn. Outside research by Anderson Analytics confirms that less than a quarter of LinkedIn members are actively looking for work. We see hedge fund managers doing research on LinkedIn. We see business development professionals brokering deals on LinkedIn. We see executives asking their networks for advice on which advertising firm they should use. In fact, executives from all Fortune 500 companies are LinkedIn members.
We are more of a business professional community than we are a job site. We're increasingly seeing marketers recognize the potential of advertising on LinkedIn since LinkedIn has an audience that is made up of senior professionals who are serious about their careers.
iMedia: What are a couple of your own personal "best practices" for professionals looking to present and promote themselves on LinkedIn?
Hoffman: I actually think every individual is now an entrepreneur, whether they recognize it or not. The average job length is now around two to four years. That makes you a small business. You are the entrepreneur of your own small business. How do you get to your next gig? How do you progress in your career? All these things now fall on the individual's shoulders. They're essentially entrepreneurs in terms of the business of themselves and how they drive that. So how do you get your next job opportunity? How do you get a promotion? All of that stuff comes from how you manage the network around you. Which is, by the way, what gave me the idea for LinkedIn.
That being said, I have two pieces of advice: Get prepared and get involved.
First, invest some time in making sure your profile is complete. We offer a lot of advice on the site and at our learning resource, and there was a good piece loaded with advice here on iMedia Connection recently. But at the very least, make sure you provide a descriptive headline for what you do, provide a summary of your professional accomplishments and skills, and provide your entire work history. Be selective in the recommendations you make and those you solicit and accept, and also be selective in building out your network; who you're connected to (and who you're not) says a lot about you as a professional.
Secondly, get involved with your network. Share advice and insights in Answers, join the professional groups that matter to you, and use the Status feature to let your network know what you're up to. Put the LinkedIn Application Platform to work -- you can use the SlideShare application to share presentations, you can track what's being Twittered about your company using the Company Buzz app, and you can share recommendations about books with your network.
iMedia: What's the biggest misstep you've seen people make when presenting themselves professionally on LinkedIn?
Hoffman: There are a small number of members that see "connection building" as a sport and try to connect to as many people as possible, but in all honesty, that's not going to serve you well. It dilutes the power of your network. It's more powerful to have a small network of high-quality connections that you want to see updates from and keep in touch with than it is to have a large network of loose connections you don't know very well.
The bigger and more frequent mistake we see people make is not completely filling out their profiles. By having a profile on LinkedIn, professionals have the ability to put the right information in the hands of potential clients, partners, and employers. Essentially, you have the opportunity to make a case on the web for why someone should work with you or hire you. If you fill out your profile completely, you're putting your best foot forward online, and that's important in an age where people are doing a Google search on you before meeting you in person.
It's worth noting that this is a smart community of professionals, and they'll see through attempts at blatant self-promotion. If you're in the Answers section of LinkedIn looking for potential new clients, showcase your professional value with selective and well-thought-out questions and answers that truly add value to the community. That approach is more likely to win you new clients and also help you build better business connections.
iMedia: It's been reported that 80 percent of the $100 million LinkedIn has raised is still in the bank. What are you planning to do with all that money?
Hoffman: We've been profitable for two years now so we raised the money to give us options, whether that's through acquisitions, international expansion, or even for the development of new products.
iMedia: What will the next generation of LinkedIn look like? Where are you looking to make changes, and what new features or capabilities are you looking to add?
Hoffman: We're constantly thinking about ways we can help professionals achieve their goals quicker and more efficiently by leveraging their networks. Our goal is to help professionals find the experts and information they need to quickly answer tough work-related questions.
We're also looking at ways that we can help companies and the enterprise as a whole. For example, we just recently announced a partnership with IBM where LinkedIn functionality will be integrated into Lotus Notes, giving people easy access to their network while they're using a communication tool.
iMedia: From a business standpoint, how would you like to see LinkedIn evolve? You've hinted at an IPO in the past. How feasible is that in this economic climate? Alternately, from an acquisition standpoint, what types of companies do you see as being the most appropriate suitors for LinkedIn?
Hoffman: Since we're independently owned and profitable, we are building a company and a product to help professionals throughout their entire careers. We're passionate about building a company that will help professionals do their jobs better, and we hope to make the world a better place as a result of improving productivity on a global scale. We've always believed that there would be an IPO in our future, and since we are profitable, we can do that when it feels right.
iMedia: Generally speaking, what's the most prominent demographic on LinkedIn? What age group or demographic are you missing, and how do you plan to attract them (if you're interested in attracting them at all)?
Hoffman: Most of the third-party measurement firms (like Nielsen and Quantcast) all say the same thing: that the typical LinkedIn member is in their early 40s, is making over $100,000 per year, is well-educated, and is likely to be a decision maker in their company. Anderson Analytics found that "senior executives" make up 28 percent of the LinkedIn membership, which would amount to about 10.6 million people.
When you use those same measurement services to compare LinkedIn's audience against the traditional business sites, it appears that LinkedIn's members are younger but making more money and have more responsibility in their companies. To us, that says there's a "new breed" of professionals emerging online that may not be found on a traditional business media site: A driven audience who recognizes that their professional network can help them excel in their careers. That's the audience we intend to serve now and in the future.
iMedia: LinkedIn has gone to great lengths to distinguish itself from many of the other social networks out there, such as Facebook and MySpace. (To use your own metaphor: MySpace is the bar, Facebook is home, and LinkedIn is the office.) But do you still see these networks as your competition in a sense? And if not, who (or who else) would you consider to be LinkedIn's main competitors?
Hoffman: The main difference is that LinkedIn is 100 percent professional. When people are on LinkedIn, they're actively looking for new clients, seeking and sharing advice and insights, and advancing their careers. It's where professionals go to get business done. If you're looking to compare LinkedIn to, say, other professional networking sites, there simply isn't another site that even comes close to us in size since we have over 39 million members around the world.
We're frequently seeing LinkedIn included on the same media plans as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. We feel that that change is occurring largely because of the professional audience LinkedIn serves and the business answers that our audience is looking to address.
iMedia: While LinkedIn, Facebook, and MySpace are certainly the social networks being discussed the most, the broader landscape is a crowded one. How do you think this field will shake out? In other words, is a fractured landscape sustainable? Or at some point do you think users will grow weary of maintaining multiple profiles and looking for a one-stop social network shop?
Hoffman: Our research indicates that people will always want separation between work and play, and so we absolutely believe that people will have no problem maintaining two social profiles -- one used almost exclusively for work and business, and the other used primarily for communicating with friends and family. Beyond that, it's hard to imagine people wanting to maintain dozens of separate networks.
iMedia: In addition to your activities at LinkedIn, you're a well-known and well-respected Web 2.0 investor. How has the current economy influenced your activities on this front? And what online technology sectors, outside of social networks, have caught your attention lately?
Hoffman: I actually find Twitter and that space to be quite interesting. In fact, last year I invested in a company called Ping.fm, which is a simple service that allows you to post to multiple social networks with a single message. The ability to broadcast yourself quickly to large audiences across multiple platforms is something I'm intrigued by.
Lori Luechtefeld is editor of iMedia Connection.
There's good reason to put some stock in Hoffman's assertions. After all, LinkedIn isn't his first online rodeo. Far from it, in fact. Prior to LinkedIn, he was executive vice president of PayPal, where he was actively involved in orchestrating the company's acquisition by eBay. Over the years, Hoffman has helped finance more than 60 companies, many from initial conception. His list of angel investments includes a host of well-recognized online properties, including Facebook, Digg, Technorati, Funny or Die, and Flickr.
In this exclusive interview with iMedia Connection, Hoffman details the marketing and professional development opportunities available via LinkedIn's expanding platform. He also provides insights on the competitive social media landscape, as well as what he sees as being the next hot online technology sector.
iMedia: LinkedIn entered the ad network fray last September with the debut of the LinkedIn Audience Network. What kind of results have advertisers on the network seen thus far? And how are you distinguishing this service in the crowded ad network space?
Reid Hoffman: We're really looking to improve the overall ad network landscape -- particularly for B2B marketers who have been largely underserved in this space -- by allowing marketers to target campaigns to specific audiences. I can't share any specific results, but I can tell you that a lot of advertisers find our unique approach compelling.
The LinkedIn Audience Network allows marketers to target specific audience segments based on the highly accurate data that our more than 39 million members share publicly in their LinkedIn profiles -- such as job function, company size, and seniority -- and to do that at scale across the web. So, let's say a B2B marketer wanted to reach small businesses, IT managers, or corporate executives -- we can deliver their ads specifically to those segments across a large network of quality websites.
iMedia: Where's the biggest opportunity for brand marketers on LinkedIn?
Hoffman: The biggest opportunity for brand marketers is to provide value to an audience of influential, ambitious, and affluent professionals who are focused on being successful in their careers -- help them be successful or help them enjoy success, and you'll have some loyal customers for a long time.
We're still very big believers in the value of display advertising when done right -- which not only requires great creative execution by the client, but also requires the publisher to provide the right canvas. We're able to deliver ads to specific segments based on the profile data LinkedIn members share. By limiting the number of ads on our pages, our members actually tend to interact with them as part of the LinkedIn interface.
iMedia: How can marketers go beyond display advertising campaigns on LinkedIn?
Hoffman: One way would be LinkedIn Polls, where marketers can deliver a co-branded poll to specific segments of the LinkedIn audience, and then examine the responses by job title, industry, company size, etc. We're taking this approach to another level with our partnership with CNBC, where members will take the poll online at LinkedIn and then CNBC's on-air talent will discuss the results live.
Another offering, which we're currently piloting with a few partners, is a whitepaper distribution program, where we'll help marketers distribute their content and generate leads on the LinkedIn platform. We're also seeing some smart use of "organic" LinkedIn assets as part of advertising campaigns. For example, Microsoft recently ran a campaign for its BizSpark server that features an employee in the ad itself. In one of the executions, there was a link to that employee's LinkedIn profile, where a customer could then learn more about the employee, see how they were connected to him, see who recommended his work and his professional experience, etc.
The last item that I'll mention in our innovations in advertising is the approach of stoking conversations on LinkedIn. There are some significant ways to engage in both of these areas, whether it's working with us to create and promote a "Featured Question" or by sponsoring federations of groups that are thematically similar.
Hoffman: There are two perceptions that we bump into: First, because our advertising business is only about a year or so old, there are some marketers who aren't aware that we accept advertising. Let me make it very clear: We do!
Second, there is a perception that professionals are primarily looking for jobs on LinkedIn. Finding new career opportunities or finding potential employees is definitely something we do and do well. However, it's not the only reason people are using LinkedIn. Outside research by Anderson Analytics confirms that less than a quarter of LinkedIn members are actively looking for work. We see hedge fund managers doing research on LinkedIn. We see business development professionals brokering deals on LinkedIn. We see executives asking their networks for advice on which advertising firm they should use. In fact, executives from all Fortune 500 companies are LinkedIn members.
We are more of a business professional community than we are a job site. We're increasingly seeing marketers recognize the potential of advertising on LinkedIn since LinkedIn has an audience that is made up of senior professionals who are serious about their careers.
iMedia: What are a couple of your own personal "best practices" for professionals looking to present and promote themselves on LinkedIn?
Hoffman: I actually think every individual is now an entrepreneur, whether they recognize it or not. The average job length is now around two to four years. That makes you a small business. You are the entrepreneur of your own small business. How do you get to your next gig? How do you progress in your career? All these things now fall on the individual's shoulders. They're essentially entrepreneurs in terms of the business of themselves and how they drive that. So how do you get your next job opportunity? How do you get a promotion? All of that stuff comes from how you manage the network around you. Which is, by the way, what gave me the idea for LinkedIn.
That being said, I have two pieces of advice: Get prepared and get involved.
First, invest some time in making sure your profile is complete. We offer a lot of advice on the site and at our learning resource, and there was a good piece loaded with advice here on iMedia Connection recently. But at the very least, make sure you provide a descriptive headline for what you do, provide a summary of your professional accomplishments and skills, and provide your entire work history. Be selective in the recommendations you make and those you solicit and accept, and also be selective in building out your network; who you're connected to (and who you're not) says a lot about you as a professional.
Secondly, get involved with your network. Share advice and insights in Answers, join the professional groups that matter to you, and use the Status feature to let your network know what you're up to. Put the LinkedIn Application Platform to work -- you can use the SlideShare application to share presentations, you can track what's being Twittered about your company using the Company Buzz app, and you can share recommendations about books with your network.
iMedia: What's the biggest misstep you've seen people make when presenting themselves professionally on LinkedIn?
Hoffman: There are a small number of members that see "connection building" as a sport and try to connect to as many people as possible, but in all honesty, that's not going to serve you well. It dilutes the power of your network. It's more powerful to have a small network of high-quality connections that you want to see updates from and keep in touch with than it is to have a large network of loose connections you don't know very well.
The bigger and more frequent mistake we see people make is not completely filling out their profiles. By having a profile on LinkedIn, professionals have the ability to put the right information in the hands of potential clients, partners, and employers. Essentially, you have the opportunity to make a case on the web for why someone should work with you or hire you. If you fill out your profile completely, you're putting your best foot forward online, and that's important in an age where people are doing a Google search on you before meeting you in person.
It's worth noting that this is a smart community of professionals, and they'll see through attempts at blatant self-promotion. If you're in the Answers section of LinkedIn looking for potential new clients, showcase your professional value with selective and well-thought-out questions and answers that truly add value to the community. That approach is more likely to win you new clients and also help you build better business connections.
iMedia: It's been reported that 80 percent of the $100 million LinkedIn has raised is still in the bank. What are you planning to do with all that money?
Hoffman: We've been profitable for two years now so we raised the money to give us options, whether that's through acquisitions, international expansion, or even for the development of new products.
iMedia: What will the next generation of LinkedIn look like? Where are you looking to make changes, and what new features or capabilities are you looking to add?
Hoffman: We're constantly thinking about ways we can help professionals achieve their goals quicker and more efficiently by leveraging their networks. Our goal is to help professionals find the experts and information they need to quickly answer tough work-related questions.
We're also looking at ways that we can help companies and the enterprise as a whole. For example, we just recently announced a partnership with IBM where LinkedIn functionality will be integrated into Lotus Notes, giving people easy access to their network while they're using a communication tool.
iMedia: From a business standpoint, how would you like to see LinkedIn evolve? You've hinted at an IPO in the past. How feasible is that in this economic climate? Alternately, from an acquisition standpoint, what types of companies do you see as being the most appropriate suitors for LinkedIn?
Hoffman: Since we're independently owned and profitable, we are building a company and a product to help professionals throughout their entire careers. We're passionate about building a company that will help professionals do their jobs better, and we hope to make the world a better place as a result of improving productivity on a global scale. We've always believed that there would be an IPO in our future, and since we are profitable, we can do that when it feels right.
iMedia: Generally speaking, what's the most prominent demographic on LinkedIn? What age group or demographic are you missing, and how do you plan to attract them (if you're interested in attracting them at all)?
Hoffman: Most of the third-party measurement firms (like Nielsen and Quantcast) all say the same thing: that the typical LinkedIn member is in their early 40s, is making over $100,000 per year, is well-educated, and is likely to be a decision maker in their company. Anderson Analytics found that "senior executives" make up 28 percent of the LinkedIn membership, which would amount to about 10.6 million people.
When you use those same measurement services to compare LinkedIn's audience against the traditional business sites, it appears that LinkedIn's members are younger but making more money and have more responsibility in their companies. To us, that says there's a "new breed" of professionals emerging online that may not be found on a traditional business media site: A driven audience who recognizes that their professional network can help them excel in their careers. That's the audience we intend to serve now and in the future.
iMedia: LinkedIn has gone to great lengths to distinguish itself from many of the other social networks out there, such as Facebook and MySpace. (To use your own metaphor: MySpace is the bar, Facebook is home, and LinkedIn is the office.) But do you still see these networks as your competition in a sense? And if not, who (or who else) would you consider to be LinkedIn's main competitors?
Hoffman: The main difference is that LinkedIn is 100 percent professional. When people are on LinkedIn, they're actively looking for new clients, seeking and sharing advice and insights, and advancing their careers. It's where professionals go to get business done. If you're looking to compare LinkedIn to, say, other professional networking sites, there simply isn't another site that even comes close to us in size since we have over 39 million members around the world.
We're frequently seeing LinkedIn included on the same media plans as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. We feel that that change is occurring largely because of the professional audience LinkedIn serves and the business answers that our audience is looking to address.
iMedia: While LinkedIn, Facebook, and MySpace are certainly the social networks being discussed the most, the broader landscape is a crowded one. How do you think this field will shake out? In other words, is a fractured landscape sustainable? Or at some point do you think users will grow weary of maintaining multiple profiles and looking for a one-stop social network shop?
Hoffman: Our research indicates that people will always want separation between work and play, and so we absolutely believe that people will have no problem maintaining two social profiles -- one used almost exclusively for work and business, and the other used primarily for communicating with friends and family. Beyond that, it's hard to imagine people wanting to maintain dozens of separate networks.
iMedia: In addition to your activities at LinkedIn, you're a well-known and well-respected Web 2.0 investor. How has the current economy influenced your activities on this front? And what online technology sectors, outside of social networks, have caught your attention lately?
Hoffman: I actually find Twitter and that space to be quite interesting. In fact, last year I invested in a company called Ping.fm, which is a simple service that allows you to post to multiple social networks with a single message. The ability to broadcast yourself quickly to large audiences across multiple platforms is something I'm intrigued by.
Lori Luechtefeld is editor of iMedia Connection.
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