Get More Clients Online

Getting links from video and article submissions

Q:  I'm writing and submitting lots of articles and submitting videos to build links, but I'm only gaining a small fraction of that in links that are found by Google or Yahoo... Why is that?

Dan Hatcher
DanHatcher.com

A:  Hi Dan--

You may be submitting to video sites or article sites that have "no follow" links, i.e. the site is set up so that you don't get any linking credit in the search engines when you create a link back to your site.  Without more details about where you are submitting, it's difficult for me to say.

However, here's one thing you can do -- make sure that in the title, keyword and description features of each article and video site that you are using several keyword phrases by which you want to be found in the search engines.

And, in your resource (bio) box for your articles, be sure to include two hyperlinks -- one to link to your call to action, and the other as a keyword link back to your site.  In other words, if you want to get found on the first page of Google for the search phrase "Austin soccer," for example, you would need to include that phrase as a hyperlink in your resource box, and the hyperlink needs to connect to the appropriate page of your site.

And, here's a great online tutorial to help you with SEO and video:
http://techcrunch.com/2010/03/10/video-seo-top-google-search/

Article Marketing: Top 7 Out-of-the-Box Ideas to Get Your Articles Published Online

Even though I use an amazing article distribution service, not all publications or blogs serving my industry or my target market are on the distribution list for this service or for the well-known, high traffic article directories.  So, to ramp up the syndication of my articles yet another notch, I also submit them to specialty or niche publications that I have discovered over the years.

It's not always easy to find these publications and sites.  Here are my 7 best out-of-the-box ideas to find publications and sites that are frequented by your target market and might publish your articles:

1.  Blogs.  Research blogs written for your target market at Blogcatalog.com, Technorati.com, and Google Blog Search.  Many of the blog owners will willing publish posts of guest authors.  And, if you subscribe to Cathy Stucker's BloggerLinkUp.com, you'll receive weekly notices of bloggers looking for content for their blogs.

2.  Associations and print publications.  Research the trade and professional associations for your target market.  You can create a query in your search engine for combinations like "target market" + "association" or "target market" + "magazine" to get you started.

When you locate the associations, examine their trade publications, newsletters, and industry-related magazines for information about online blogs, ezines, forums, or the online edition of their publication.  Many publications well-known for their print versions now have online versions where the publication lead time is much shorter and the stipulations for publications aren't as restrictive.  And, don't forget to look at the online versions of your local newspaper, magazines, and media outlets.  They are often seeking experts with content to beef up their online offerings.

3.  Your competition. Google the name of your competitors and examine the results. Note where their content is being published.  Chances are that you can be published on the same sites, as well.

4.  Trainers of your target market.  In your search engine look up "training" + "target market."  Whatever associations, portals, training companies, consultants, etc. that are providing education and information for your target market probably also need content for their sites and blogs.

4.  Gender specific or business specific groups.  If your target market is women, there are countless numbers of women's business and networking associations and portals online.  Simply search for "women" + "networking" or "women" + "association" or "business networking" + "association."  Many of these sites need content for their blogs, ezines, or web sites.

5.  Niche article directories.  You might find article banks or expert sites geared for particular niches, so look up "target market" + "article directory."  Some of the better known niche article directories are SelfGrowth.com for self-improvement and holistic healing experts as well as EvanCarmichael.com for entrepreneurs.  Many of these sites will let you create a profile and publish your articles free of charge but require a fee to move your articles to a prominent place on their site.

6.  Large portal sites.  Look for portal sites like About.com and iVillage.com where the sites have guides, editors, or experts in specific areas.  Many times these experts must publish a regular ezine or blog and are constantly seeking content.  One of their editors at About.com used to publish a lot of my articles on her section on Online Business.  Check out information portals like Squidoo.com and Hubpages.com as well for ideas on where to submit your articles.  You might also find large portals geared specifically for your industry or your target market, like Careerealism.com if you're looking to get in front of job seekers.

7. Wikipedia.  Wikipedia is a large online encyclopedia to which the public contributes. Some areas are very well documented on Wikipedia.  Additionally, Wikipedia’s References section, See Also section, and  External Links area are often good online sources as well.

The content that you create is a primary business asset.  Don't let it languish on your computer's hard drive.  Make it work for you over and over again by seeking out new sites seeking useful content like yours.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it:  Internet Marketing Automation Coach Donna Gunter helps independent service professionals create prosperous online businesses that make more profit in less time by teaching them how to automate their businesses, leverage their expertise, and get found online.  Would you like to learn the specific Internet marketing strategies that get results? Discover how to increase your visibility and get found online by claiming your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, at ==> http://www.TurbochargeYourOnlineMarketing.com

Article Marketing: 7 Essential Elements of an Article Resource Box That Gets Clicked

Distributing your articles to various article banks and directories online (what I refer to as article marketing) won't work for you unless you have a well-developed resource box.  A resource box is the bio information about the author that appears at the end of the article.  Why is a great resource box important to the success of your article marketing efforts? Because it is the key element that will drive traffic back to your site, which should be your primary purpose when you engage in article marketing as an Internet marketing strategy.

Rather than trying to sell readers with your article resource box, promote your call to action and give your reader a reason to click on your call to action to go to your web site and learn more.  It's on your web site where you do the selling, not in your article resource box.

Here are the 7 essential elements that you need to include in your resource box for maximum clickability:

1.  Your name.  Article marketing is all about branding and identity, so don't forget to identify yourself in your resource box.

2.  Brief bio. Don't try to convince your reader that you're the expert here.  If your reader hasn't figured that out through reading the content of your article, a lengthy bio won't change things. A short yet effective bio is written in the following style:  (Your name) helps __________ (fill in the blank) to do ___________ (fill in the blank) even though ___________. (fill in the blank)

3.  Call to action. Don't simply invite the reader to visit your web site in your call to action or just subscribe to your email newsletter or to join your mailing list.  Give the reader a reason to visit by offering your client attraction device, which is a a free resource that the reader receives when he opts into your list.

This free resource might be an ecourse, audio, video, ebook, or special report, all of which serve to continue to educate your reader, thus raising your level of expertise in the eyes of your reader. Furthermore, asking your reader to opt-in to receive your client attraction device permits you to keep in touch with your article readers long after they have read your article.  Your  ultimate goal in capturing their contact info is to convert them to customers.

4. Compelling domain name.  Article marketing and resource boxes work best if you let your domain name do the talking for you.  So, rather than sending someone to JohnSmith.com, for example, send someone to a domain name that portrays an exciting benefit or feature in which the reader might be interested.  You can use your domain registrar's domain forwarding and and masking features to help you channel your reader to the desired location on your web site.

5.  Keep it short.  Many article directories limit the article resource box to 450 characters (yes, that's CHARACTERS, not WORDS).  Use your limited real estate wisely to ensure maximum clicks back to your web site.

6.  Accentuate your offer.  To drive home the point that I want someone to click on my call to action, I include  ==> just before the domain name of my offer.

7.  Anchor text.  If you have the option of including HTML coding in your resource box, create a hyperlink to one of your primary keywords/keyword phrases for which you want to create valuable backlinks.  So, for example, if I wanted to increase my findablity on search engines for the term "Internet Marketing Coach," I'd link that phrase in my resource box to my web site URL. 

If you use this last tip, keep in mind that most article banks permit no more than 3 hyperlinks in any article.  If you use one on the anchor text and one in your call to action, that leaves you with only one to use in the body of your article.

Remember, it's the body of your article where you provide valuable info to your reader without any promotions, and it's your resource box where all the promotion occurs.  A well-crafted resource box can entice readers to click on your offering and drive droves of traffic to your web site.

Note:  For a great example of a resource box, see the end of this article.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it:  Internet Marketing Automation Coach Donna Gunter helps independent service professionals create prosperous online businesses that make more profit in less time by teaching them how to automate their businesses, leverage their expertise, and get found online.  Would you like to learn the specific Internet marketing strategies that get results? Discover how to increase your visibility and get found online by claiming your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, at ==> http://www.TurbochargeYourOnlineMarketing.com

How to drive consistent traffic to my site

Q:  How can I drive consistant traffic to my site without spending money and using different tools and techniques in short time?

A:  My fav method for driving traffic to a site is one that I've mentioned frequently, article marketing.  This is where you write articles for your target market that solves a problem that they have and distribute them to various article banks online.

While you can submit articles to article directories manually at no charge, I use a service for $37/month that's the best $37 I spend each month in marketing dollars.  It's to an article submission service, GetMoreClientsArticles.com.  It'll take you about an hour to set up your account, but once you're set up, it only takes about 10 minutes to submit an article.

Here's another post I've made about how to successfully write articles that you might find useful: How to Write Articles That Will Increase Traffic to Your Website

In order to make this traffic option workable, you need to create an effective resource box.  Here are a couple of very useful articles on creating a compelling resource box:

Making Your Resource Box ... Work!

How to Write a Killer Resource Box

And, if you want to fully understand how I use article marketing to my advantage, check out my teleclass recording, Article Marketing 101: How to Drive Droves of Clients to Your Website Audio Download and Transcript.

Got an Internet Marketing question?  Ask it here: AskDonnaGunter.com. 

Source for syndicating articles

Q:  Can you recommend a source for syndicating my articles. I am a run a web design business.

Nicole

A:  Hi Nicole--

I'm happy to!  The service I use to syndicate my articles is www.GetMoreClientsArticles.com, which costs $37/month as of this writing.  This service will get articles out to thousands of article banks and publishers.  I've been using them since 2005 and can say without any reservations that this service is single-handedly responsible for my success.  My articles have appeared in print, in highly trafficked blogs and website, and in ezines with large numbers of subscribers. 

They limit you to 8 articles per month, but I've found that this is all I have needed to get traffic back to my site, and quite frankly, I'd have difficulty writing a larger number of high quality articles.

If you want to offer this to your clients, they'll need to purchase their own account.  You won't be able to run their articles through your account, as each account is limited to one author.

Here's another post I've made about how to successfully write articles that you might find useful:

How to Write Articles That Will Increase Traffic to Your Website

And, if you want to fully understand how I use article marketing to my advantage, check out my teleclass recording, Article Marketing 101: How to Drive Droves of Clients to Your Website Audio Download and Transcript.

Got an Internet Marketing question?  Ask it here: AskDonnaGunter.com. 

Best free strategy to promote a website

Q:  What is the best and free strategy to promote a private website?
Michael

A:  Hi Michael--

Hands down, I think the best free strategy to promote a website is by writing articles and submitting them to article directories.  Well-written, high quality articles will accomplish the following for you:

• establish your expertise in your field/industry
• increase your visibility online
• help you grow your list (with a well-crafted resource box)
• establish strong incoming one-way links from high traffic article banks (EzineArticles.com, IdeaMarketers.com, etc.)
• enhance your searchability in the search engines with keyword rich article titles
• repurpose your expertise found in your articles into numerous formats both for free and for a fee for your visitors:  podcasts, blog posts, video, press releases, teleclasses, ebooks, special reports, etc.
• increase traffic to your site
• get your content published on other ezines, websites, blogs, etc.

The key is to write useful articles for your target market that provide the answers to any number of questions that they have.  More info can be found in the Article Marketing section of my blog.

While you can submit articles to article directories manually at no charge, I use a service for $37/month that's the best $37 I spend each month in marketing dollars.  It's to an article submission service, GetMoreClientsArticles.com.  It'll take you about an hour to set up your account, but once you're set up, it only takes about 10 minutes to submit an article.

Tip:  At the point you write your article, also create a short description of the article (2-3 sentences) as well as a list of keywords someone might use to find an article on this topic.  This will save you even more time in the article submission process.

For a thorough guide to the process of article marketing, check out my audio and study guide, Article Marketing 101: How to Drive Droves of Clients to Your Website Audio Download and Transcript.

Got an Internet Marketing question?  Ask it here: AskDonnaGunter.com.

Converting website content to PDF files

Q:  I've been advised to put my website articles in pdf format.  I'm concerned that the search engines won't see the content which is keyword-rich. 
Kris

A:  Hi Kris--

While there's nothing wrong with putting your articles in PDF format, as search engines now have the capability to index PDF files as well as web pages for keywords, I would encourage you to stick with just placing them on your site as content.  My reasoning has to do with simplicity and reducing the number of clicks to view your contant rather than anything related to SEO.

On your site, you should make it as simple as possible for a visitor to view your content.  Forcing them to open/download a PDF file adds another layer of complexity to the process.  And, many people are wary of downloading and opening files from sites owned by people they do not know due to the possibility of the file being infected with spyware or malware.

So, permit your visitors to see your content when they land on your site.  Save the PDFs to use as a free giveaway to entice them to join your list when they have decided that they'd like to get more info from you.

Got an Internet Marketing question?  Ask it here: AskDonnaGunter.com.

Duplicate content penalty in article submission

Q:  I read your article "My Top 7 Essential Twitter Tools" and thought it was very helpful.  I did a Google search on the title and saw that you submitted the article to quite a few directories.  From what I read this could harm your search rankings with duplicate content penalties. I am in the process of submitting some of my articles and I wanted to get your thoughts on this.

Chris Miller

Hi Chris--

A:  I am asked this question all of the time, and frankly, I think it's much ado about nothing.  I've been submitting my articles now through a submission service for 3 years and have never faced what's called a "duplicate content penalty."  I've seen various discussion on this topic online, some saying that it is an issue, while others say there's nothing to worry about.  Submitting articles to various article aggregators has been the main source of traffic to my sites and is the #1 way that people happen upon or are sent to my site.

The nay-sayers report that the article-writer's site is penalized for having the same article appear on her site as appears on other sites online.  Consequently, the author's site won't appear in the search engines when  a keyword search is done for the topic of a particular article.  That, indeed might be true.  However, as long as you have a great resource box with a compelling call to action, I ask, "Who cares?"

I'll be the first to admit that sites that EzineArticles.com have a much higher traffic ranking than my own site, and quite frankly, my site may never generate that volume of traffic.  Therefore, because of its pattern of traffic, Google and other search engines may deem that my article which appears on that site to be more relevant than the same copy of my article appearing on my own site and consequently list my article found there before showing it on my own site, if my own site even shows at all in the search results.

As long as my resource box appears intact, most readers will be tempted to check out my site to take advantage of the giveaway offered in my resource box when they visit my site.  Will I lose a few visitors?  Probably.  However, another payoff to my site is that by submitting this article, I've created a valuable one-way inbound link back to my site from a high traffic, highly-regarded website, and you (literally) can't buy that benefit.

So, whatever (if any) penalties may exist, IMHO, the end justifies the means..:) YMMV.

Got an Internet Marketing question?  Ask it here: AskDonnaGunter.com.

How to submit articles

Q:  This may sound like a very naive question but who pays for the articles if anyone? I'm a writer with a client who wants some articles written to increase his credibility and I'm trying to figure out if a submission service may be the way to go. How much does this service cost?  Any help you can provide would be much appreciated.

Anne-Rachelle McHugh

A:  Hi Anne-Rachelle--

The truth is that for online submission, very few sites will pay for articles.  I think that's due to the fact that there are too many high quality articles available at no charge on article directories.  If the goal of your client is to expand his reach and increase his credibility, I would do 2 things with his articles:

1.  Submit them on the major, high-traffic article directories.  I use GetMoreClientsArticles.com to submit my articles, and have my clients purchase a separate account through which they submit their articles.  It's the best $37 I spend each month that drives droves of visitors to my website.

2.  Research industry-specific trade magazines and newsletters and determine their article submission criteria.  Many of them may permit him to submit articles previously published online.  Or, they may permit a rewrite of a previously written article instead.

The first strategy will increase his search engine ranking and create strong inbound links to his site as well as enhance his credibility online. The second will serve to build his expertise and credibility in front of his target market.

Got an Internet Marketing question?  Ask it here: AskDonnaGunter.com.

Online Marketing to Prospects: 6 Secrets to Ensure Your Prospect Well Never Runs Dry

by Donna Gunter, The Online Biz Resource Queen (TM)

Many service business owners, once they become busy working with current clients, no longer make the time to market their businesses.  It's only when business has dropped off (and the well is starting to run dry) that they frantically begin marketing their businesses again, anxious to fill in the gaps.  When they speak to prospective clients, the prospects can hear the desperation in their voice are thus unlikely to hire them.  Frustrated by rejection, the business owner is off again, desperately seeking more clients.  Does this describe your marketing pattern?  If so, you're not alone.

More than 50% of service business owners experience this feast or famine scenario.  What if you could create an environment so that the well never ran dry and would permit you to continuously market and promote your business?  There is another way to keep yourself supplied with an eagerly waiting list of prospects with whom you can work when you have the time and space in your business. Often referred to as ?drip marketing,? this strategy is defined by a deliberate, planned and sequenced system of deploying marketing messages over a period of time. In many cases, drip marketing is conducted through direct mail, but the Internet entrepreneur can create her own drip marketing campaign as well.

Here are 6 secrets you can use to create your online drip marketing campaign and keep prospects in your pipeline:

1.  Client attraction device.  The best way to get prospects into your marketing funnel is to give away something that would compel them to part with their name and email address and join your list.  Often called an "ethical bribe", your client attraction device must answer a pressing problem experienced by your target market.  You can format this information into an ebook, special report, ecourse, audio recording, video, or some combination of all of these.

2.  Newsletter:  Whether you choose to publish a hard copy newsletter that's directly mailed to your prospects or an email newsletter that is emailed on a regular schedule to your list, your newsletter is the best "stay in touch" device that you have.  Regular publication of an email newsletter (weekly is most effective) will enable your prospects to get to know, like and trust you and have you be top of mind when they are ready to solve the pressing problems that fall within your line of expertise.

3.  Blog.  Business blogging has become more popular than ever.  Blogs use RSS feed technology to immediate get new posts and updates out to your blog subscribers through a feed reader, Unlike ezines or traditional websites, search engines index blog posts almost immediately, which help you generate traffic to your website.  You need to post 2-3 times per week to keep your readers interested and coming back.

4.  Article marketing.  One of the best ways to generate traffic to your site or to your blog is to regular write and publish high quality articles that demonstrate your expertise.  In addition to placing these articles on your website and blog, you'll want to get them distributed throughout the Internet on high traffic article directories.  Ezine publishers, reporters, print media editors, and bloggers all frequent article directories in search of quality content to present to their readers. You can manually submit your articles, or use the service I use, GetMoreClientsArticles.com.

5.  Social networking.  If you don't yet have accounts on the two most popular social networking platforms, Facebook and Twitter, today is the day to hop on board.  Business owners are getting prospects on their lists and making sales every day to people they met exclusively through social networking.  Best of all, these strategies are fr*ee of charge!

6.  Public speaking/teleclasses.  What better way to wow prospects than for them to hear you speak at an organizational meeting or on a teleclass?  Speaking locally to groups comprised of your target market or holding teleclasses are very effective ways to build your list and increase the number of prospective clients.  Design a signature speech or teleseminar that demonstrates your knowledge and expertise without giving away the store (focus on the what and the why but not the how) that compels your listeners to visit your website or request your client attraction device and get on your list.

Don't become overwhelmed and try all of these strategies at once.  Pick one that you find appealing and work at it for 3 months.  If you discover that you don't enjoy it or that it's not working for you, try another one.  Continue to slowly add more drip marketing strategies until the process is firmly ingrained in your day-to-day business practices. Ultimately, you'll create a list of prospects who are ready, waiting, and eager to hire you.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: Online Business Resource Queen (TM) and Online Business Coach Donna Gunter helps independent service professionals learn how to automate their businesses, leverage their expertise on the Internet, and get more clients online. To claim your FR*EE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, visit her site at OnlineBizU.com. Ask Donna an Internet Marketing question at  AskDonnaGunter.com.