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What our members have to say...
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"DONE DEAL - Front Up Rugby is the UK's No. 1 Rugby Fashion Brand. Their goal is simply to become the most exciting and fashionable rugby brand; and they aim to do this by providing clothes that are different, expressive & unique."
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Jon Allen - www.frontup.co.uk |
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The Key Elements Of Internet Marketing Success
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Whether you have an existing product or service or intend to create one, successful marketing on the Internet requires that several crucial factors be in place. Get them right and your website will attract more people and increase sales. Here are the first five key elements of Internet Marketing Success.
1. Research Your Market Online
It seems obvious but it’s still worth asking: do people want to buy your product or service? Research your market online with as much objectivity as you can muster… do other people besides you really want or look for your product or service on the Internet? Is your product or service sufficiently different from everything else to garner any sales? A website is an expensive luxury if no one is interested in what you are hoping to sell. Be clear about who your customers are and how you will grab their attention on the Internet. Investigate the sites they visit, where they spend and how much they spend. Find out how they search for products or services like yours (what words or phrases they use).
Check out what your competitors are doing. Be aware that you may need to re-think how you present your product or service on the Internet to attract massive sales. Being realistic now will save you money, time and heartache. Create a plan for your website that incorporates what you’ve learnt about your market online (and includes your competition’s approach!).
2. Search Engine Ranking
You need to ensure your website attracts top ranking on the major search engines and one way to do this is through ‘keyword marketing’. Keywords are the exact words or phrases that Internet users type into search engines such as Google, Yahoo, or MSN to find the web pages containing the product or
services and information they’re looking for on the Internet. Incorporate the most popular of those relevant keywords or phrases into every aspect of your website so that when someone types in that phrase, hey presto, your website pops up the next time someone searches for a product or service like yours!
The more dominant your search engine presence, the more potential qualified clients you attract.
Choose different variations of keywords and keyword phrases that potential visitors will use when performing a search. It’s important to choose keywords that not only result in more traffic to your site but lead to conversion and sales. Keyword research is therefore vital. When someone searches for a
keyword or phrase, the search engines retrieve a list of related web pages and display them in the order of most relevant to that search. In other words, the pages that best match the keyword or phrase are ranked highest on the list.
Be aware that every search engine or directory has a different method for ranking webpage relevancy – and that those methods can change on a whim! It’s crucial that you take a lot of time considering your keywords before you submit them. Put yourself in your customer’s mind: what words would they use to find a product or service like yours? [Note: You can find the most popular search terms via sites such as GoodKeywords.com and Wordtracker.com. You can also find out from these how many times people type in those search terms each month. Don’t let it put you off though – remember: it’s a guide!]
Use the most popular keyword or phrase in the title of your website, your URL and in the first and last paragraph of your website. Use your keyword phrases at least three times but no more than 10 times in your text. Use the top 10 keyword terms or phrases through the rest of your copy.
Keywords are the difference that makes the difference… get them wrong and you may as well close up shop today because no one will find your website. Get them right and you can expect to have a massive increase in the number of qualified visitors to your site.
3. A Professional Looking Website
First impressions are crucial: consumers make up their minds about a website in less than three seconds – they judge it on appearance. So the design – the presentation, the typeface, the layout, the imagery - must convey professionalism, and trustworthiness.
However, the graphics should not distract visitors from the overall purpose of the site - to sell your product or service. Keep it simple and eliminate anything that distracts from this purpose, whether that’s elaborate graphics, banner ads or links to other companies’ websites. Graphics will slow down the loading of your website so only keep those that are highly relevant to your product or service. Speed things up by reducing the file size of graphics on the page, specifying the dimensions of a graphics file in the HTML code, reducing the number of unnecessary graphics and cutting the number of files on the webpage (both the graphics and HTML). If your website is slow to load, they may give up and go somewhere else!
4. A Website That’s Easy To Use
Keep your home page (the one that potential customers arrive at) as simple as possible. Ensure your language is understandable: use simple words and short paragraphs. Make sure you convey your core message: this product or service will solve your problem and here’s how.
Make it easy for visitors to navigate through your website. Have plenty of text links or icons on every subsequent page so they can move easily between pages.
Don’t be seduced into using the ‘latest’ graphics… unless they are proven to generate sales. Selling the product is more important than winning a ‘cool Internet site’ award.
5. An Easy Buying Process
Ensure the benefits of your product or service are clear in your copy. Make your copy as alluring and persuasive as possible – think seduction! If you have a long sales letter, insert ‘buy now’ links at the top, mid-way and at the end so those who have been persuaded can make their purchase when it happens.
Make it very simple and quick for customers to order. Provide your visitors with as many ways as possible, both online and offline, to purchase your product or service.
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