Don’t Always Trust A Guru (and my newest site revealed)…
Recently an IM guru (who I consider a friend) came out with a series of videos on running a profitable campaign. Now, I am not saying who, and above all, I still respect and admire this person greatly, so I don’t want this to come across too negative because their intentions are in the right place.
Anyway, the first video was about keyword research. I was a bit dissapointed to find that the primary way they said to find good keywords to rank for was to do the quote search and the “intitle” search.
If you get under 50,000 results in quotes and under 10,000 results for intitle, it could be a good keyword is what was said.
And that was it.
So, as I was in the middle of creating my new site, I thought I would ditch my usual method of keyword research (found in this post and emphasizing looking at average page rank of the first 10 results) and give it a whirl.
These are the results I got…but first let me tell you about the new site I was building.
I got to thinking about how I could really add value. And I mean REALLY add value to peoples lives.
Well, I thought about it for a while and realized how silly it is for me to try and market all the things I market – double chin exercises, guitar courses, anxiety treatments, registry repair software, boil treatments, emetophobia and on and on.
First, I don’t know squat about most of this stuff, so first I have to spend time learning. And second, they don’t really get me all jazzed up to write about, so they get boring after a while. And finally, am I REALLY trying to add value or make a buck selling e-books and miracle potions?
So, as amazingly stupid and simple as this sounds, I came up with the idea of doing something in the profession my offline business is in – accounting. Not the most exciting, but I do it every day, I know it inside and out, and I truly get to help people solve problems. And most important of all – I KNOW exactly what their problems are (this is crucial).
So I came up with www.learnquickbooksforfree.com. I won’t go into the details of why this is a problem for business owners, but basically I recorded 14 videos on how to use Quickbooks. It’s about 7-8 hours of video training, all completely free. And I encourage people to email me with their questions.
I could not find free training like this anywhere online. So, it really, truly adds value to people.
And its a simple opt-in list where I can build a relationship with my subscribers. Check out this email I got from one subscriber about the site and the help I gave her:
Mat,
You are amazing. I have gone to many sites and forums seeking an answer for this reimbursement issue, and I always seem to get confused and not really get my question answered. You have explained my options below and I see it so clearly and it seems so simple.
I will be using option 1 which is easiest for me to do. You have saved me a lot of time and frustration. The greatest thing about this is that I feel confident and I am now very excited to continue to populate quickbooks with my information and see my final reports. I wish you could understand what it means to users like us to find someone like you who is so knowledgeable, but more than that, is the fact that you are willing to share this information and devote your time for no cost, in today’s world. You are truly amazing and different.
Happy 4th and I know that I will have another question soon.
Thanks again!
Is that awesome or what!! That makes you feel good and is truly adding value to peoples lives.
So, thats my new site, and it is a simple Wordpress template I found free. I paid $10 for the domain and spent time on the videos. I plan on getting subscribers, building the relationship, and presenting offers on any one of the 1,000’s of business affiliate products out there (for example, a Stamps.com CPA offer pays $50 if they sign up for a 4 week trial!).
Now back to my keyword research fiasco.
My first keyphrase I chose was “free quickbooks training online” and here are some stats:
1. Between 1,300-1,600 searches per month
2. 369,000 search results
3. 39,000 quote results
4. 157 intitle results with quotes
Should be a slam dunk, right?
Final data:
5. Average page rank – 3.6 (yikes!)
So, I did 1 video, submitted to about 15 video sites, like Youtube and Metacafe. I wrote one article and submitted to about 25 social sites and I have built maybe 40-50 backlinks to the site.
See if you can find me ANYWHERE in the regular search results. Good luck, I can’t be found on at least the 1st 5 pages. Do it in quotes and I’m number 1, but people don’t search in quotes.
But I have 22 subscribers so far – and they literally have ALL come from Youtube.
I know, I know, one keyword can’t determine whether or not looking just at quotes and intitle is the best or not. BUT, I’m telling you, you can’t always blindly trust a so called guru, and you have to know what works.
In the case of keyword research, look at average page rank – that will be the best indicator of if you will rank quickly and high or not (remember www.bamboopatioshades.com? It’s still ranked number 1 and I have done NOTHING to it!).
And there is something to TRULY adding value. For one, it makes you feel good, and two, you build trust MUCH, MUCH faster. Think about it in your campaigns – are you really adding value or just trying to make a quick buck?
Random Thoughts On Effective Headlines…
This morning as I was getting breakfast for my kids, I noticed an interesting saying on the side of the box of Apple Jacks cereal. It said “Life is better when your kids are healthy.”
That grabbed my attention because of course its true. You don’t want your kids to be sick, and life is much easier when they are healthy. And God forbid you feed them something unhealthy so they get sick or malnourished!
This got me thinking about an old slogan for Jiff Peanut Butter. This is showing my age I guess, but the slogan on the commercials and all the print used to say “Choosy moms choose Jiff.” Have you heard this before?
I remember as a kid this being plastered everywhere to where it was virtually branded on your brain.
And if you were a mom, it made you think, “Well, I’m choosy about what I feed my kids. I don’t want to just give them any old food. I probably should give them Jiff!” Maybe not just like that, but you get the point.
You see, I have NEVER liked the headlines people use in Internet Marketing.
Things like, “Discover How I Made $50,376.48 In My Sleep In 2 Hours!” or crap like that. It’s too spammy and I hate when people advocate using headlines like that because in my opinion it’s almost like you are preying on peoples emotions.
But if you break down the above examples I gave for Apple Jacks and Jiff, what are they really doing? Are they also preying on peoples emotions, but in a more subtle way?
Here is the way I think about them – 1) they are attention grabbing because they touch a nerve with something most people already think about themselves (keeping their kids healthy, not just putting any ‘ol junky food into their kids), and 2) people reading the headlines have to agree with the statements otherwise they would be “bad parents.”
I am no psychologist (but I love psychology), but my guess is that if the headline states something they CAN’T disagree with and implies what just about every parent wants (to be a good parent), then the copy below it ties in the product and BINGO, they now associate the food with being a good parent. Make sense?
It’s brilliant in its simplicity.
So, how can we use this type of knowledge to become better Internet marketers?
I think first you have to know and understand your prospects deepest and darkest fear, belief and/or desire about a given ailment or problem they have. Then you have to state the obvious in your headline, something they cannot disagree with.
Finally, in your copy, you have to tie in your product as the perfect solution to reinforce their beliefs.
I am doing this off the top of my head, but let’s say we take anxiety as an example. I know for a fact that people who suffer from anxiety believe that life would be better if they did not have anxiety and they look for “cures” to their disorder. So, maybe the headline could somewhat copy the Apple Jacks example:
“Life Is Better When You Are Cured of Anxiety And Panic Attacks…”
Or…
“Life Is Fuller When You Are Cured Of Anxiety And Panic Attacks…”
Or…
“Life Is Full Of Opportunity When You Are Cured Of Anxiety And Panic Attacks.”
Like I said, these are just off the top of my head and I plan on testing some of them in my campaigns.
But I like it better than the same old “See How I Cured My Anxiety In 5 Minutes!!!” kind of garbage.
Do you think it would be more effective, less effective? Is it as attention grabbing as the spammy headlines? What would make it more attention grabbing? Is it also “preying” on peoples emotions?
I’d love to hear your feedback.
Ethical Internet Marketing: A lie, an exaggeration, and a fib away from success?
Kyle, one of the founders of Wealthy Affiliate, posted this on his blog this morning. I thought it was a truly awesome and inspiring post…
Today I am going to tell you a lie or two. Maybe tell you a fib. And definitely exaggerate to get you to buy something.
Well, maybe not.
However, this is the exact problem I see within the Internet marketing world these days. As new marketers come into the fresh new world of marketing, they tend to approach it in the wrong way. They understand the marketing aspect…but not the ethics. Ethical Internet Marketing does not mean making less money, in fact it will result in making more and I am going to explain exactly why within this post.
At the core of all sales (online or offline) and the product you choose to sell, money is typically the ‘persuading’ factor. If you make a sale, you make money. If you sell something that is higher commission, you make more money. If you sell something that is more expensive and is of the highest commission, you make the most money.
The problem is that consumers tend to remember negative experiences and embrace positive ones. Choosing a product to sell for the wrong reason can lead to a negative sales experience, impact your brand, and ruin the ever sought customer relationship.
Have you been to a car lot recently…and been surround by the “sharks” trying to feast on your wallet? It is not only overwhelming, it is a pushy and uncomfortable experience.
Go another step further. Ask the sales person what kind of car they drive. You might be on a Mercedes lot, but the salesperson could be driving a Honda. I have seen it happen first hand.
How can someone try to sell you a car when they choose a completely different brand? It doesn’t make sense and the entire sales angle of the sales person is flawed. Practice what you preach right?
Try going into an electronics or an appliance store and see what the salesmen tries to sell you. Chances are it is an item that they make the most commission on versus the best value product. Go to a non-commissioned store like Best Buy…you will find that they tell you how to get the best bang for your buck by offering sound advice that is not being impacted by what makes them the most on the sale.
AND THE EXACT SAME THING is happening within the Internet marketing world. I see it all the time.
Marketers and salespeople tend to choose the highest commission product versus the highest quality. It’s OK in some instances of you have product A that is equivalent to product B…and one pays more than the other.
For example, some web hosting companies offer $100 per sign-up to affiliates whereas others offer $50 per sign-up and they offer the exact same services…down to the support. Choosing the one that pays more may make sense in this situation assuming that the $100 product converts at least at 51% of the rate of the $50 product (i.e., is more profitable).
However, if you are promoting one product as the better one, knowingly understanding that the only reason you are doing this is because you make more money (at the expense of your customer), then you are doing a disservice to the general public.
I know what you are saying right now…
“Kyle, if this business is about making money, why would someone sacrifice a higher commission just to be a little more honest?”
Because quality creates reputation. Reputation creates repeat buyers. Repeat buyers create longer term success. By being honest you will promote the product that is of the best quality for the best value.
Yes, you are in the business of earning money, but this business requires relationship building and ethical marketing to create long term success.
The problem is that most people associate doing whatever it takes to make a sale with “marketing 101?. Terms like snake oil salesmen and guerrilla marketing come to mind.
It is quite funny what we see at Wealthy Affiliate. People sign-up with us and come in thinking they know how to market, because they know what they know. They know that they need to sell something in order to make money.
Unfortunately they know the marketing techniques they have been subjected to…problem being, the only real marketing they have been exposed to, they probably bought without even thinking of it as a “sales” experience.
So what makes someone want to buy something?
People tend to make purchases to resolve a problem, out of necessity, or in some cases, out of “want”. But what truly makes the person decide between buying a product on SITE A or buying a product on SITE B.
“The ability to make an informed decision”.
People like to jump to their own drum beat…and make their own conclusions. They like to think they are making the smart choice. Being smart with their money.
The Internet is the biggest and best research medium in the world. As a marketer your job is to cut down the amount of research some has to make to buy something online.
To further your understanding of exactly what I am talking about, let’s just use an example here between two marketers try to “market” within the “abdominal exercise” niche: an Unethical Internet Marketer and an Ethical Internet Marketer.
Unethical Internet Marketing
Johnny is an unethical marketer. He just wants to make a ton of cash online. He doesn’t care how…all he sees is dollar signs.
An unethical marketer tries to convince people to buy stuff through exaggerations or outrageous claims versus offering value to people, and letting their relationship do they selling.
I am definitely not saying lying doesn’t work. It does. You get lied to all the time. Just look at one of the last infomercials on TV telling you that you will look like a supermodel or have the stomach of Floyd Mayweather if you use the latest ab gimmick!
An unethical Internet Marketer can take a couple of approaches. Leverage these existing claims that are already in place, or create their own false personal claims.
What Johnny doesn’t know or care to realize is that there are PEOPLE on the other end of the transactions. Meaning, as an Internet marketer you can have either a negative or positive impact on people’s lives.
Johnny likes working out and is in great shape and would make for a great spokesperson (or internet marketer) within the weight loss/abdominal industry. He knows the latest ab gimmick is not going to work and that getting in shape requires diet and exercise, however he is an unethical affiliate marketer…and a very aggressive one at that.
He watches the late night ab commercial for the latest “ab spaceship”. He then goes online looking for an affiliate program, and sure enough he finds one.
So far so good…nothing negative yet. However, when he goes to market the product, Johnny creates a page that outlines how the “ab spaceship” helped him lose 30lbs. He then takes a picture of himself with his shirt off, and tells people if they use this machine, they will look like him.
He then drops his affiliate link. People buy. People buy lots. Johnny makes lots of money.
However, Johnny has lied to make this money. He has done this intentionally in the name of commissions. Johnny has just created an UNETHICAL INTERNET MARKETING CAMPAIGN.
Although the initial success seems like an exciting time, Johnny gets nailed by Google for poor Quality Score. His pages lack content and his material and claims do not abide by the FTC. Johnny can no longer scale with Google. He looks to alternatives, but becomes impatient. His success is short lived and he has not created a single customer relationship he can take with him.
The Internet marketing dream ends within months.
Ethical Internet Marketing
Jesse is an ethical Internet marketer.
Most of us know the real truth. Ab exercises don’t give you abs. Exercise and healthy eating does.
Many marketers are making money by lying, but over the years I have seen them come and go as fast as you can say “money”. Ethical marketers immerse themselves in the industry they are promoting. The become knowledgeable of the niche. They understand the customers’ questions and concerns…and they want to help them resolve their problem.
If you have seen the Google type at home style sites, you have seen a scam. If you have seen the acai berry trial websites, you have seen a scam. The sites will come and go as the FTC catches onto them. Their success is typically very short-lived…and although these people bank good money when the times are good (so did the Enron executives), when they go out, they do so without a list of customers or any industry credibility.
Making unrealistic claims to make a buck is unethical. Plain and simple.
In saying this, the smartest marketers (ethical ones) are making a killing online by telling the truth…and their businesses are long term. And this is exactly what Jesse does.
Jesse has scoured the Internet for information on losing weight and ab exercises. He himself has made a hobby of working out and can rap about it with anyone who shares the same interest.
He also is aware there are a ton of scams out there and has become an Internet ambassador for helping others who are seeking to learn how to lose weight around their mid section. He has created a site that reviews the top products and if you are interested, he offers a free course on how to lose your first 5 pounds using his eating and exercise strategies (in exchange for a name and email address).
Not only is he creating himself a brand/name within the industry, he is also helping people steer away from the scams and take a look at products he knows will work (through his research and accumulated knowledge).
People start listening to Jesse’s advice. People start buying products he recommends. People are happy with their purchases and start to buy anything Jesse recommends. Jesse has created an Internet marketing business where he has REPEAT CUSTOMERS…and has them on a mailing list!
Jesse has a long term business in place. He has built a brand, he is credible and has a reputation. His “customers” trust him…and if every advertising platform were to drop off the map, he would still have his list of email addresses he could contact and earn money from (because he has the relationship already).
Jesse is an ethical, yet very successful marketer and will be around for a long time to come.
I just want you to weigh in on this idea today…
If you were a “potential” consumer, what would you rather see on a website?
Choice A: Making one-sided, outrageous claims…bragging about a product, then telling you that you have to buy a product or you won’t cure your problem.
Choice B: Someone offering you value, telling you the pros and cons of a product, how it will benefit you, and then making a subtle recommendation or simply offering you the link.
I think choice B is the obvious.
A ethical and successful marketer will have the main intention of offering value. Although making a sale is the ultimate goal, making it the secondary goal will naturally lead people more in this direction.
It really doesn’t matter what industry you are marketing within. There are products and services that help and there are ways you can help people overcome their concerns, fears and naturally guide them to something that will help them out.
If you are promoting a “Internet Marketing” product, your focus should not be on the pay-out or the commission size, it should be on the quality of the product or service you are promoting.
Believe me, Carson and I being in the Internet Marketing industry know exactly how much junk there is out there. It frustrates us that someone could even promote these $5,000 mentoring packages or a hard copy book & a couple of CD’s for $2,000. This in my honest opinion is dishonest marketing. Doing anything to make a buck.
Marketing is not about “hunting”. Marketing IS about helping.
Have an ethical purpose behind your marketing efforts and you will not only earn more money, you will feel better about yourself at the end of the day.
Take pride in your ethics,
Kyle
A Wealthy & Ethical Marketer
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