11.20.2007
What is Broadband?
Defining broadband can get complicated
There are many different takes on how to actually define the word: broadband. The first and most obvious way to define it is a transmission medium that allows for multiple pathways and types of data, far exceeding simple voice communication devices. Simply, put it is the ability to access a variety of data through one connection at a reasonable speed.
Where a phone line severely limits the amount of information it can transmit, a broadband line, which has bandwidth greater than 2 mbps, unlike a standard dial-up connection which will only have 56kbps, can allow for a variety of different frequencies and channels to travel down its wide pathway. This makes it optimal for those who play video games on the Internet or are involved in heavy graphics work that they need to import, send and receive along the information superhighway.
The minimum width of a broadband line has become a matter of debate. While initially, the broadband definition was a line that was greater than 2 mbps in width, other experts began asserting that it should be at least 3 mbps wide. Still others complain that at least 20 would be appropriate. But now, broadband services start as low as 1 mbps, for those who are trying out broadband for the first time. So who really knows what the minimum level of bandwidth is needed in order for it to be called broadband? One thing is certain though. DSL service which an range from 256 kbps capacity on the downstream and upstream side up to 1.5mbps, or even higher, is considered a broadband service as well. So are cable television modems, which have similar speeds. So, in reality anything with greater capacity than a narrow line, like a telephone line, which can only hold up to 64 kbps, is technically considered a broadband service.
broadband services have become all the craze in the past few years. When the Internet started to become more mainstream in the 1990s people were content with simple dial-up Internet services, which used only narrow lines. But as the need for speed became important, especially as files and Web pages became more elaborate, requiring more computer storage space and memory, the need for larger bulks of information being able to be sent and received at a quicker pace became essential. Hence, we have the broadband revolution. Today, hardly anyone uses narrow band service, or dial-up. Broadband Internet access is the name of the game. And if you work in an office it is absolutely essential, as larger chunks of information are frequently sent to and from Businesses on a regular basis. Simply put, if you don't have broadband today, you are probably a person who does not need the Internet for a living. With the number of telecommuting jobs available today, the need for broadband services is only likely to expand greatly.
The Sub-Domain - An Affiliates Friend
It's surprising, at least to me, the amount of Affiliates who aren't aware of the value and flexibility that the 'sub-domain' can give their promotional website activities. Set up in the right way, a single domain through a host who includes multiple 'sub-domains' in their hosting package can fill ALL the online needs of even the busiest and most diversified Affiliate.
Firstly, for those who need to know, a 'sub-domain' is simply a separate, individual web folder, which can be attached to a 'main' domain and treated in all respects as a separate entity online. It is similar to a 'sub-web', which most hosting facilities include except that it is, in it's own right, treated as a separate domain by the SEs rather than a sub-folder under a domain.
The way in which they are represented online as URLs is as follows:
For instance, if you have a domain name, 'domain.com' and you add a sub-Domain Named 'bubble', the URL to that particular 'website' (which is what each sub-domain amounts to, a separate website) will be 'bubble.domain.com'. No doubt, many have seen these types of URLs online and in promo emails etc. The 'dot' between the sub-domain and main domain is not to be confused with the 'dash' that can be used as part of a main domain. For instance, 'bubble-domain.com' would need to be registered and propagated in it's own right whereas, sub-domains can be created under a main domain in a matter of seconds, with their own FTP password, image, private and cgi-bin folders etc.
What makes them so valuable a tool, if it's not so obvious already, is that an Affiliate can create a separate website for totally unrelated products or services, fill each website with the necessary pages of content, links and facilities etc and promote each to the Search Engines and other directories, virtually as if it were a different main domain. As I've said, the SEs treat each sub-domain as a separate entity and categorize them as such. A very handy ability when it comes to Affiliate programs that supply a website or webpage for their Affiliates to use and promote. In such a case, you can basically make that page or site your very own in every respect, optimizing for SEs and presenting it how ever you please (provided no agreements are broken).
Obviously, having a 'generic' main domain name is essential to getting the best out of this cost, time and trouble saving method of creating multiple websites. If you have a main Domain Name 'pillshop.net' (perhaps your initial Affiliate endeavor involved promoting this type of product) it is really only going to be useful for the one type of product or service. Alternatively, something more generic like 'online-plus.biz' is going to be useful for promoting almost anything because it has no specific meaning. For instance, in the case of promoting a Singles dating Affiliate program, something like 'singles.online-plus.biz' would work as well as 'pills.online-plus.biz' or even 'dogs.online-plus.biz'. However, 'singles.pillshop.net' just doesn't work, does it? (Although, I have seen some pretty weird URLs around!)
The only problem you will be presented with, concerns the traffic ranking facility Alexa. Alexa will read all sub-domains as their parent 'main domain', so the traffic ranking for each website will be the same, as will all the other Alexa information. However, this isn't such a great problem when you consider that the total traffic indicated for each website will actually be the total for ALL of them. In my opinion, not so much of a problem, at all.
So, for the Affiliate at least, choosing the right type of Domain Name and a hosting facility that includes multiple sub-domains in their package is very important, especially if there's any possibility that you're going to be venturing into promoting unrelated products and services. The firsthosting facility I was involved with a few years ago, charged $10 to create each sub-domain. The one I've been with for the last couple of years, allows unlimited free sub-domains (contact me at one of my websites if you want to know who they are).
The 2005 Edition of Steve Brennan's popular ebook title 'The Affiliate Guide Book' is available now. He also operates a number of Affiliate wesbites which include Hair Loss Remedy and Diet & Weight Loss Place.
How to Get Broadband
Getting broadband services getting easy, but research still required.
Broadband Internet services have become more the norm today, unlike the dial-up days of the late 1990s. With greater amounts of information needing to travel at faster and faster speeds over the Internet and the greater number of telecommuters every year, the need for broadband Internet has stretched beyond the board room and into the Home office. So it is clearly more important than ever for everyone to know how to get broadband.
Getting broadband service, like, for example, DSL, is not difficult. There are many providers, and even many phone companies are getting into the game today as well. But finding a service provider, while not being very difficult, also requires a self-evaluation first. One must ask themselves before seeking out a broadband service provider, just what they'll be needing broadband service for.
For most people who work from Home, they may only need reliable and speedy Internet access. They may need to transport documents, maybe some graphics to and from clients and employers. But they will likely not need to transmit video or graphics. But if they do need to transmit the latter, they may need to seek out higher bandwidth. But, again, if they are only sending documents that are not graphic intensive, a smaller bandwidth at a lower cost may be all they need, and then they can spend their savings on other aspects of their Business or work.
After doing this necessary self assessment when looking at how to get broadband, it is important to check pricing on at least three broadband providers. Also, ask users of these providers about their experience. All of these broadband providers may boast the same thing, but the people who use their services are the true indicator of how they really perform.
After you match your needs with the best price and testimonial, the decision is yours whether you want to spring for a broadband provider. But chances are pretty good that even if you only spend a few dollars more a month for broadband, after awhile, you will wonder how you ever existed with dial-up service.
Another thing some people must consider when looking into how to get broadband is whether you have providers in your area. In some rare instances, certain providers do not have the infrastructure in place to give you their service yet. So while you may be hearing the raves from a friend across town about a particular provider, you may still have to wait and see if their service is present in your area. This has been the case, particularly, for cable companies getting into broadband Internet services. As they expand their infrastructure, some sections of major metropolitan areas have had to wait longer to get their broadband.
Find the Best Broadband Provider for You
To find the best broadband provider for you takes some effort.
Like anything in life, doing the research is critical to getting the best product at the best price. And this holds true for shopping for broadband services as well. To find the best broadband provider for you you must know your needs first. Someone can tell you how great a service is for them, but if it's too much or too little for you, you could be wasting the two most valuable human resources - time and money.
To find the best broadband provider for you it is advisable to get a good feel for what you will really need from a provider. Do you just need Internet service? Or do you maybe want a bundled Internet and phone service. There are some great deals out there for the latter from companies like Homecall Broadband, Wanadoo Broadband and BT broadband. These are three very established companies in the U.K., and while fighting for market share from each other, are also being touted for their service and price.
But back to your needs - are you a home Business? Is the service for a company you own, or is it for personal Home office use? Answering these questions can help better position your research efforts to find the best broadband provider for you. Once you've done this research you will know what kinds of packages you are shopping for, and your will could be a little stronger because you know you won't need to be talked into something you don't need, as you've done your research.
Now you can talk price with all of the companies vying for your Business. Once you get a list of prices, it is best to talk to people who have used the service. If you can, go beyond testimonials you may see on company Web sites. Find out what your neighbors may be using, and even better, find some people who own the same service as you. This could help you weed out the ones who may have great deals, but don't offer the best service.
Finding the best broadband service for you could be the key to a better Internet experience, and could also save you money on your phone bill as well. One thing is for sure, most people who get away from dial-up for the first time, even if they have a very small bandwidth service, can't believe the difference. Because of the success of broadband services in the past few years, it could be very likely that dial-up service will eventually become extinct around the world. Especially since broadband deals are so good now, and becoming more and more affordable each day for the average person. But again, finding the right one for you is key to having a better Internet experience.
How to Attract Visitors to Your Site1-3
Go from having zero visitors to attracting thousands of qualified buyers with these 8 easy steps for creating a knockout traffic-generating campaign.
I see it time and time again: The number-one challenge faced by brand-new internet Business owners is a lack of traffic. Obviously, if your website isn't getting any traffic, you're not generating any sales. And what's worse is that without traffic, you can't test the key components of your sales process. And if you roll out a large traffic campaign before you've tested your site to make sure it converts maximum visitors into buyers, you risk losing sales and looking unprofessional to potential Business partners and affiliates.
So you're caught in a vicious cycle: Before ramping up a big traffic campaign, you need to test your sales process, but without any traffic, testing is difficult--if not impossible!
In this article, I'm going to give you an eight-step action plan that will show you:
*How to get cheap, instant traffic to your website so you can test key components of your sales process--your sales copy, order form, navigation and opt-in offer--before rolling out a large-scale traffic campaign;
*How to ensure that every element of your sales process is optimized to convert maximum traffic into maximum sales;
*The most effective strategies for attracting thousands of highly qualified potential buyers to your site right away; and
*The secret to putting your entire traffic campaign on autopilot.
So even if your site is getting no traffic right now, you can be testing the key elements of your sales process tomorrow--and as soon as two weeks from now, you can be rolling out your traffic campaign in full.
Sound good? Let's get you started off on the right foot!
Step 1: Get the traffic you need to test your website fast! When I talk about testing with new internet Business owners, I hear the same two questions all the time:
*How do I test my site?
*What do I test on my site?
As you may already know, there are an infinite number of things you can test on your site to help you increase sales. From layout to copy to design, there are limitless combinations of changes that may improve your visitor-to-sale conversion rate. But what's "enough" when you're just starting out? What elements should you focus on testing before rolling out your traffic campaign?
My advice is to stick to the basics. Focus on testing your:
*salescopy, especially your headline, benefits, guarantee and call to action
*Order process, which needs to be simple enough for a novice web user to place an order
*Opt-in offer, so you can determine if you're successfully capturing your visitors' contact information
*Site navigation, so you can figure out how many clicks it takes to buy. Ideally it should take less than three.
These are the four critical aspects of your sales process that need to be tested before you start driving traffic. Later on, once you've generated sales and have some steady traffic, you can move on to testing other parts of your site.
Of course, all this talk of testing your new site raises one big question: How can you test without traffic? Because if you're just getting started, chances are good that your website doesn't get much traffic yet.
The solution is simple: Buy traffic through PPC search engines. Pay-per-click search engines are a lot like auctions--they allow you to bid for top-ranking positions under keywords of your choice. For each visitor who searches the keyword(s) you bid on and then clicks through to your site, you pay whatever you bid. Prices typically range from five cents to a few dollars per click-through for popular keywords.
There are a ton of PPC search engines out there, but the two best ones to get started with are:
*Yahoo Search marketing and
*MIVA
With PPC search engines, you get cheap, instant, qualified traffic--provided you bid on targeted keywords. Not only that, but bidding on traffic in the PPC search engines can help your site get ranked in the free search engines, too!
Here are a few tips to help you start bidding for traffic without breaking the bank:
In Yahoo Search marketing, bid to appear in the top three listings whenever possible, since these results are also "pushed" to appear in the search results for MSN, Yahoo, AltaVista, InfoSpace, AlltheWeb and NetZero--reaching 80 percent of all internet users.
Bid on targeted, descriptive keywords. So don't just bid on "sock;" bid on "red wool sock." Not only are targeted keywords and phrases usually cheaper to bid on--they'll also attract more qualified potential buyers. Use a keyword selection tool like Google's AdWords Keyword Tool to research targeted keywords that attract maximum traffic for minimal cost-per-click.
After you've tested and tweaked your site with a limited amount of purchased traffic, it's time to start generating qualified traffic for your site on a larger scale. But how do you go from some traffic to a ton of traffic?
Step 2: Get cheap traffic quickly with PPC advertising. Once you've tested your site with limited PPC traffic, the fastest way to ramp up traffic to your site is to roll out a PPC campaign on a larger scale. Obviously, you should start with Yahoo Search marketing and Findwhat, as mentioned above. But here are some more PPC engines to consider bidding with as you increase your investment:
*Kanoodle
*Enhance Interactive
*LookSmart
This is also a great time to get started with Google AdWords --Google's own PPC contender. With Google AdWords, you get instant traffic with no waiting. Because as soon as you put the money down on your keywords, your ad goes up and starts working for you.
Step 3: Get free traffic from search engines like Google. Now that you've bid on keywords for a strong showing in the PPC search engines, it's time to tackle the organic search engines and directories. Search engines like Google and directories like Yahoo! can still be a great source of free traffic for your website. The trick is getting a competitive ranking for your best keywords.
The first step in getting a top ranking in the search engines is to submit or suggest your site to them. In other words, you have to provide them with details about your site. You want to make sure that the "spiders"--automated programs that crawl the web indexing sites for the search engines--find your site and include it in the search results.
While the spiders do index sites and pages that haven't been submitted, you certainly don't want to leave this to chance. A spider might find your website and index it next week--or it might be two years before that finally happens. So take the time to submit your site to be sure you're included. Once your site's been submitted, expect it to take two to six weeks for your listing to appear.
Every engine has a slightly different process for site submission, and it pays to follow their guidelines. For example, there's a fee to list your site in the directory at Yahoo!, but Google doesn't charge for their submission process. Here's a tip: If you submit your site exactly as they ask, you stand a better chance of getting a good listing on the first page of search results.
To submit or suggest your site to the major engines, follow the simple instructions they provide on these pages:
Website Promotion: 10 Reasons Why People Dont Visit Your Web Site
If you are not getting traffic at your website and wondering what is the problem, here are a few reasons:
1. You don't offer free original content. It's important to give your visitors information they can't find any- where else. If you're the only source for a certain type of information, people will flock to your web site.
2. You don't offer free software. Most people like to find good deals on software for their computers. If the software is free, that is even better.
3. You don't offer a free contest or sweepstakes. It's a fact, people like to win things. If you can fulfill that need, people will stop by to visit.
4. You don't offer a free directory. Create a directory of web sites on a particular topic that is related to your target audience. People will visit because they will find what they're looking for, all in one place.
5. You don't offer a free e-zine. Most people love to get free information that they're interested in emailed to them on a regular basis. This saves them time and money.
6. You don't offer a free community. People like to have a place were they can have discussions with others on a particular subject. You could add a chat room or message board to your web site.
7. You don't offer a free affiliate program. One of people's basic needs to survive is money. When you offer them a free opportunity to make money they'll line up to visit your web site.
8. You don't offer a free online utility. When you offer a utility that can solve a problem, people will visit your web site. The utility could be a free autoresponder, e-mail account, search engine submission, etc.
9. You don't offer free current information. Supply news stories related to your web site. People want up-to-date news on the topics they are interested in. They will also be interested in visiting your web site.
10. You don't offer free samples of your product or service. Have you ever been to a store and you jumped at the chance to get a free sample of food? This same concept will also attract people to visit your web site.
May these webSite Promotion secrets help you to make a lot of money and succeed.
Warmly,
I-key Benney, CEO
I-key, a Millionaire CEO from New York City is the creator of "Mscsrrr: Millionaire Secret Cash System", (online trading), program which has helped thousands of ordinary people from all over the world to attain financial security and shining success during the past 2 yrs.
Mscsrrr Millionaire Secret Cash System helps you to generate $1,500+/Week for life, from Home or office, part time or full time. No large investment or hassles. Win $1000-$2000 free "cash"?
Identify your Target Market by Tracking and Exploiting Profitable Search Engine Keyword Phrases
There's a very lucrative "marketing formula" to targeting prospects on the Internet with "laser-beam"-like precision.
Unlike savvy marketers, most Internet Businesses focus on generic "single-word" keywords, other than keyword phrases (constituted by 2 or more words).
If you're not using a keyword tracking software to correlate your customers with the search engine keywords that motivated them to visit your web site, read your sales letter and submit an order, you're missing bits of very critical information.
One known method to track your referrals via search engines is by using a cgi/php script. All you need is to place a snippet of HTML, JavaScript or SSI code onto your web pages to track referrals and keywords. You also need to place a tracking code to the "Thank You" page to track the sale and identify the customer.
Most Internet customers use two or more keywords to find products / services on the Internet. Critical data can be extracted from keywords that your customers used to visit your web site...
How to make Best Use of Keywords to Improve your sales Letters and Boost ROI...
Let's assume that you already have a database of customers and in a database-field (let's name it field "K"), the keywords (or keyword phrases) they used to order your product.
Now print the "K" field and start studying the keywords. Evaluate your web site and discern the strong points of your sales letter.
You can make appropriate adjustments in your sales copy by reinforcing the conceivable value of your product and using the "K" field as a compass.
You'll also discover that prospective customers use a variation of keyword combinations.
Once you discover your most profitable keywords that customers use via search engines to visit and order your goods, your promotions will start reaping more fruit.
Another technique you can use based on keyword metrics, is the addition of "alluring incentives" that compel prospects to take action now! It's almost like reading your prospects' mind! Can you see the power behind this methodology?
That's the focal "golden concept" to using the Internet as an Ultimate sales Genie.
Hint: Some forceful marketers use Search Engine Keyword Tracking, to produce even more compelling infomercials on TV as well.
A Crucial Internet Keyword-Research Tool to Discover what your Prospective Customers are using Now, to Buy Products on the Internet...
Stop targeting the wrong keywords to promote your web site on search engines. There's a powerful keyword researching tool which is very accurate and immensely crucial for your online Business.
Did you know that the "most popular keywords" are the ones that are will drain your budget on pay-per-click search engines? It is a statistical fact that popular searches are conducted by "freebie" hunters and accrue too much competition.
Here's where "Word Tracker" comes in to automate your researches for the most profitable keywords. You can use this tool to optimize your web site, discover "new buying trends" and even outperform your competition on the search engines.
Hint: Don't rely on Overture's keyword researching tool. It's often too bamboozled.
Here's the URL for Word Tracker : http://traffic-engine.net/keywords
If you were asked to describe your product with just one word, that wouldn't be feasible of course. A "description" is always constituted by a phrase and that's where your most profitable keywords originate (from a multi-word phrase).
On the contrary a single word cannot describe a product or service. For instance, if you were offering "car quotes" this keyword-phrase would characterize your online Business (not just "cars", or "quotes" - but "car quotes", or "new car quotes"...etc).
Recapping the entire methodology to leverage your productivity and ROI (Return On
investment):
Use Referral Tracking software to Target your Customers
Create a Database and match Referrer sales Information with the correlated keywords to Optimize your advertising Campaigns.
Automate your researches with keyword metrical tools (like Word Tracker).
Improve your sales copy and literature by succumbing emphasis on the most profitable keyword phrases entered in search engines by your customers.
Once you start implementing the "exposed" methodology you'll start harnessing biggest "bangs" on your advertising dollars... better ROI and high conversion ratios. More targeted traffic and highly-optimized marketing campaigns.
You can even match your optimum keywords with demographic variables using sophisticated databases. The Internet is fairly considered an "Unrivaled Weapon" in every marketing arsenal. Use it wisely and watch your customer base skyrocket!
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