You probably run WordPress because you want your site to rank well on Google. That makes you smart -- WordPress is GREAT for that. Well, what would it be like to watch your Google ranking creep up and up every day for a while... ...and then to watch your rankings, your traffic, and your site's profits steadily decline to near zero? Well, it can happen when Google realizes that your posts and pages are STALE... Continue Reading

As you know, I've been building websites since 1995. I've always been a big fan of creating content-rich sites that bring value to others. That's why I have always spoken against creating spammy sites designed to game the search engines. It's not a good model for building a long-term business. I've sold a number of my sites over the years. In 1998, Yahoo! purchased my multiplayer game site, ClassicGames.com. Today you know it as Yahoo... Continue Reading

How many times have you shopped at a store or eaten at a restaurant and been invited to take a customer service survey. Usually these survey opportunities are presented by the clerk or waiter who points out a web site at the bottom of your receipt. I have never paid attention to these in the past and often find them to be a nuisance. Sure, Target claims to give away $5000 gift cards. But who... Continue Reading

First of all, I want to wish all my family, friends and associates in the United States a very Happy Thanksgiving. I'm sure it will be filled with lots of fun, bonding and good food. I may have to put a couple pounds back on today. Now, what's with this Green Friday thing? As you know, the Friday after Thanksgiving is typically known as Black Friday. It's the day that people camp out in line... Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Andrew Albritton) To say they're the latest craze in online shopping would be an understatement. Groupon, Living Social, Social Buy etc. have taken the web by storm, revolutionizing how "deal of the day" type websites meet local brick and mortar business. Traditional "Deal of the day" type sites are typically affiliates that have great discounts from advertisers that have a large online presence and may not even have brick and mortar... Continue Reading

It's not uncommon for marketers to use upsells and downsells in order to gain a new customer and make a sale. Downsells typically offer the same product or some derivative of that product at a discounted price. Upsells will usually come after a sale has been made, and offer extra goods or services for an additional fee. There's nothing wrong with upselling or downselling in theory. But I do believe there are cases where integrity... Continue Reading

You've come up with a business idea you believe will rock the world. You have built your website... it's so beautiful it brings a tear to your eye. You are the expert in your field and you've got something to say. Now you just need someone to say it to! It's no surprise that the best way to become recognized is to be interviewed by others who want to leverage your expertise for a newspaper... Continue Reading

As online marketers, we put a lot of stock in social networking, and rightfully so. There really is no better way to get the word out about your business, its mission, and your brand and to build valuable relationships that will create opportunities and help your business grow. Or is there? Back in the day, before Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and even Friendster, all they could do was network the old-fashioned way: face-to-face and in person... Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Stephen Pierce) Which one of these results would you love to have? Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Joseph A. Michelli, Ph.D) I love buying things online! What I am not fond of is the service, or should I say the lack of service, I often receive after the sale. The great speaker and human development expert Earl Nightingale once noted, "Our rewards will always be in exact proportion to our service." However, with the world markets injured by those who focused more on profiting themselves than serving the... Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Christopher Guerriero) Everything I Needed to Know to Make Over $200,000/Month in Online Memberships I Learned Cleaning Toilets in the Health Club Business Continue Reading

If you've been following my blog for the past few months, you'll know that I am being extremely selective when it comes to endorsing products that are not my own. I'm not going to jump on the bandwagon and promote a product just because everyone else is. So you can be sure that when I DO endorse a third-party product or service, it is of great value. Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Joel Ownby) If you are serious about starting an online business, then you should realize that just like a traditional brick-and-mortar company, an investment of time and money is almost always required. We aren't talking about going to the bank and taking out loans here, but we are talking about a lot of sweat and small monetary investments over time. The strategy discussed in this article is one avenue that you... Continue Reading

If you are a small to medium-sized business that can deliver a physical product at a reduced (or matched) cost locally, then you must consider implementing a serious local search campaign. I would urge you to take a serious look at any funds in your marketing plan allocated to radio, television, or any other form of non-direct response marketing and consider using at least some of those funds for a well-planned local search effort. Continue Reading