For many, this will be the first contact with your company, so keep it fun but professional; engaging but fresh.

 

     And remember to update your Facebook page regularly.

 

     Many businesses think it is enough just to create a fan page on Facebook, but miss out on these 5 simple but effective ways to maximise their branding and presence.

     These low cost tips will really help you make the most of your Facebook fanpages and your marketing campaigns.

 

1. Add a Facebook ‘Like Box’ to Your Website

 

      An effective way to drive traffic to your Facebook Page is to promote it on your own website. A ‘Like Box’ makes it extremely easy for your visitors to ‘LIKE’ your page without ever having to leave your website.

2. Add a Hyperlink In Your Facebook ‘About’ Box

 

      In the left hand column of your Facebook page you will see the ‘About’ box. In this box, add a hyperlink to your website to encourage more people to visit your site. You only have a limited amount of space so be sure to keep it simple by posting something like this:

 

     For more great deals visit us at: http://www.MyWebSite.com

3. Engage With Your Visitors By Asking Smart Questions

 

      Questions are a great way to engage with your visitors…but there is definitely a right way and wrong way to ask questions on Facebook.

 

     People move from page to page very quickly so they will be unlikely to make a comment if the post or question is too long. Make sure you that you ask questions that allow them to make short and easy response.

 

4. Use Every Pixel To Create A Strong, Well Branded Timeline Cover Image

 

     Consider the Timeline picture as a massive Billboard everyone visiting your page will see. Business pages aren’t allowed any kind of contact details, sales pitches or calls to action on the cover image BUT you can highlight your product, your logo, your staff or even your customers by using a clever mix of images and design. You can get a designer to do it, but there are many free sites that will help you do it yourself.

     One thing to keep in mind: For many, this will be the first contact with your company, so keep it fun but professional; engaging but fresh. And update it regularly.

 

5. Don’t Forget to Secure Your Custom Facebook URL

 

     Once you have created your Facebook page, go to http://facebook.com/username and secure a username for your Facebook page.

 

     Top Tip: Keep it simple so that people will remember it. If you get too clever or creative, you might confuse your audience.

 

How We Can Help

 

      As so many of your customers now access the internet, especially social media sites like Facebook, via their mobile phones having a Facebook presence is essential for any business.

 

     We are a local online marketing company who specialise in Facebook marketing campaigns. We are incredibly friendly and have a wealth of experience in online and social media marketing so we can help you to gain a huge following of loyal fans and convert them into customers.

 

     If you don’t have the time or confidence to get started online then please give us a call or email us. You will be so glad that you did. We are not pushy but you will love our enthusiasm and will be very excited to learn what we can do for your business.

 

     You can find all of our contact details below.

 

     We really look forward to hearing from you.

     Content creation requires careful planning in order to achieve the desired effect. Unfortunately, the concept is shrouded in great complexity, making it difficult for regular people to formulate their own content strategy. It is important, therefore, to discuss this topic at the very basic label to make it accessible to the common folk. Many technical articles have been already written by industry experts and these do help the more advanced readers but they tend to leave the beginners confused instead of enlightened.

 

     As such, this piece will address the basic premises to aid inexperienced site owners find their way around content strategy. We will provide the most basic definitions and expound on the fundamental concepts in a straightforward manner in the hopes of giving readers a solid foundation. The succeeding articles on this blog will then build on the information presented here for a logical progression. Let’s start by finding out the meaning of these big words which are being thrown around.

 

Content Strategy

 

     This industry term covers a broad range of methods being used to make a site or a specific page more attractive to readers and better suited for search engines. A thorough analysis of traffic data is required in order to devise the right plan to improve a site’s content. The number of page views, the time spent by visitors on the site, the operating system being used by these visitors, their geographic locations, as well as the top referrers all matter when forming a plan. For instance, the rise in mobile Internet surfing may necessitate the creation of a mobile version to optimize the site for small screen viewing. At its heart, though, the term is a combination of two loaded words, each of them deserving their own spotlight.

 

Content

 

     This is simply the information that we see online. Whenever we go to a website, we are treated with images, sounds, and video clips supported by an abundance of text. These combined form the “content” and there are endless ways in which they can be created and presented to the public. Each type of content will also have its own characteristics — that is, blog posts will look different from press releases and product reviews will have a flow which will not be similar to scientific studies. Owners must be aware of the expectations for each type and build the site accordingly.

 

Strategy

 

      The word is most often associated with wars and other military endeavors but it has become embedded in business language over the years. This is fitting in a way as market competition can be as fierce as the action on a battlefield. Business strategies are by no means fixed. They are very fluid, frequently changing in response to what is happening on the ground. They go through constant evaluation and modification in order to maintain their relevance. This is especially true in the world of technology. The Internet and the consumer electronics industry are evolving at lightning speed. Stakeholders have to move at a rapid pace to keep up or fade into obsolescence.

 

Mix Them Together and…

 

     Add strategy to content and you have a formidable means of staying ahead. The combination of these terms indicates a rise in the sophistication of content creation, presentation and distribution. It is no longer acceptable to simply write something about a topic, tack on a picture or two, and just wait for the visitors to come flooding in. People will not tolerate mediocre content when there are thousands of excellent sites they can go to. Success on the Web now hinges on providing a high level of value through information and entertainment, and things will only get tougher from here on out.

 

     Site owners must have a clearly defined goal before venturing into an online business. Ideally, this should be written down on a piece of paper for utmost clarity. It should be displayed prominently and consulted from time to time just to ensure that the business does not stray from the narrow path. The purpose of the content strategy is to achieve this goal, whatever it may be, exactly at the prescribed time. Attainment of this goal will determine the success or failure of the strategy, the lessons learned serving as guide for further improvements.

     The press release has traditionally been the tool of choice by those who want to disseminate information quickly and efficiently. For decades, it has served its purpose with commendable reliability, enabling it to become deeply entrenched in the news culture. However, there is a growing sentiment from some quarters that the Internet has rendered it obsolete. They say that current technologies and emerging platforms are better suited to the distribution of information so there is no longer need to craft releases. In our opinion, this pronouncement is rather premature, and there are plenty of reasons why the press release continues to serve a vital purpose in newsrooms across the globe.

 

     A cursory inspection of social media will reveal that a substantial number of posts contain links to news articles. On a daily basis, our friends and family share interesting headlines on their timelines. Trending topics reflect that most discussions revolve around the banner news of moment. Online press releases can be found quickly by various news agencies and top blogs for publication. This allows companies to generate buzz at once and for time-sensitive events this can even be orchestrated for full effect. Instead of dying, releases merely evolved from print to the Internet and in doing so maintained their relevance. Brands still crave for the advantages that they offer, including:

 

Access to Content Syndicators

 

     By issuing a press release, businesses can tap into an established network of content syndicators who can pick up their story and run with it. This includes formidable names in the news industry which still hold a great influence despite their financial difficulties. Appearing on these sites is a boon to any company aspiring to gain traction for its products and services. They also have a global reach so a release can potentially be seen by millions of people and repackaged in a variety of formats if it catches the interest of the right people.

 

A Boost in SEO

 

     Since the press release is designed to be distributed by news sites, it has the potential to supply a wealth of quality backlinks and a bump in PageRank, assuming that the creator is well-versed in the art of search engine optimization. It goes without saying though that the copy should be highly readable and not become a slave to keywords. Poorly written text will likely be skipped by editors in favor of better articles that state their premises in a clear manner. This is why releases must only be handled by competent copywriters who know how to balance editorial appeal with search practicalities.

 

Sharp Targeting Mechanisms

 

    Press releases can take advantage of a well-oiled infrastructure to reach an interested audience. When they get picked up by editors and published on big name sites, they become part of the news feeds that served to people who have specifically subscribed for the service. These individuals are already interested in the topic to which the releases belong to and so they are predisposed to purchasing whatever is on offer.

 

Cost-efficient Distribution

 

     Compared to other awareness campaigns, the press release is considered as one of the most inexpensive. It does not need any fancy concepts, taglines, or posters to accompany it while it makes the rounds. It does not even need much manpower apart from that of the writer who will make the final draft. It only has to be accepted in pertinent directories and once news agencies pick it up, they will be in-charge of dressing up the story and there isn’t even a fee for occupying precious space on their sites.

 

Staying Ahead of the Competition

 

     The advantages already mentioned should be enough to convince companies to include press releases in their overall marketing strategy. Just imagine if close competitors utilize this tactic and your company does not. Investors may not be happy to learn that such an important tool is being disregarded, especially if rivals are suddenly grabbing the news headlines. Treat releases as an essential marketing component and a way to level the playing field.

 

     It is clear that the press release has far too much value to be cast aside. In order to take full advantage of it, however, the content must be of the highest quality in order to get traction both with the powerful news editors and the final target audience.

     There is perhaps no other medium that changes more rapidly than the Internet. This means that those who are involved in businesses related to it must always be on their toes, including practitioners of search engine optimization. The constant evolution of Web technologies, search algorithms, and social trends demands a continuous effort to learn and unlearn. This is extremely difficult to do for any sustained period and those who are unprepared can buckle under pressure. The best way to cope with stress is to put a good management strategy in place – one that would ensure smooth transitions and excellent results.

 

The Art of Goal Setting

 

     Success can only be measured against the achievement of the goal. Without one, any effort no matter how hard will be aimless and unquantifiable. The first thing one must do before starting a project is to set some goals and make them as specific as possible, though not so rigid as to be limiting. For instance, SEO can be used as a tool towards greater awareness of a charitable cause, increased visitors for a corporate website, or more leads for a subscription program. Each of these will require unique tactics and focused attention, things which are difficult to achieve without a defined goal. After pinpointing the objective, optimization can begin in earnest by selecting the essential keywords, marketing tactics, social media strategies, and the like.

 

The Science of Project Management

 

     Optimizing a small site with a few pages is pretty easy but doing the same thing for an old and complex site with thousands of pages can be pretty daunting, especially if you have to make revisions every so often. For the latter, having a plan to deal with the scale and frequency of changes is essential. Large tasks can be broken into more manageable chunks and dealt with one at a time. Create a system that would make the process organized such that no pages get skipped or get redundant attention. Make a record of all the tasks and subtasks to be completed for each day and be sure to update this on a daily basis. The process should also be made as efficient as possible so that the job gets finished quickly. This is something that can be perfected along the way, with practical lessons being crucial to improved work flow.

 

Post Scheduling

 

     People are always looking for fresh content and they tend to subscribe to sites which can offer this on a consistent basis. Businesses should therefore ensure that they always have something new to offer their readers and anticipate trends well into the future. However, this is easier said than done. It can be pretty difficult for bloggers to generate quality content regularly and forcing them to churn out posts right on schedule may only lead to poorly written articles. A better way would be to write a good number of posts during times when inspiration abounds then schedule them for publishing on later dates. Always try to maintain two to three months worth of topics and perhaps a month’s worth of posts ready on cue. Of course, the schedules can be bumped back if a breaking news or hot topic suddenly emerges.

 

Progress Monitoring

 

     It can take a long while before a whole cycle of changes can be completed and an overall goal achieved. Yet while success cannot be measured with finality in the meantime, progress can definitely be tracked with confidence. Statistical data like those provided by Google Analytics are invaluable in determining whether the project is moving in the right direction or not. Improvements, no matter how small, serve as satisfying victories that can boost morale and rekindle excitement. Just be sure to note the numbers prior to the changes so that they can be compared to the figures after the tweaks. Aside from Google Analytics, there are plenty of third party sites which offer similarly useful services for free and sometimes for a fee. Get acquainted with the tools available on the market and consider whether their utility is worth their price.

 

     SEO is a long, complex and iterative process that requires a lot of patience. Success can be more readily achieved with the proper organizational and management skills.

     Online marketing is difficult as it already is but many make it even more so by plunging head first without a suitable plan. While a few may become lucky enough to achieve modest success just by making things up as they go along, this course of action is hardly sustainable and is certainly not ideal for those who are dreaming of great results. All serious campaigns must start with clearly defined objectives which will serve as a guide especially in times of conflict. These must then be backed up with an appropriate strategy that will help them come to fruition.

 

Increased Site Traffic

 

    Practically all marketing objectives include an increase in hits. Every business-related site perpetually craves better exposure as this means more visitors. Sadly, this has led most to put SEO on a pedestal to the detriment of other vital factors. Keyword optimization is no doubt important but this should not be the primary focus. Sites must aim for the creation of top quality that will attract people of their own accord rather on relying purely on search engine traffic. The goal should be to foster a connection and hold meaningful dialogue with readers rather than to collect uneventful page views.

 

Better Brand Recognition

 

     Established names have a distinct advantage as they are already known and therefore trusted by a large number of people. This makes sale conversions whole lot easier for them compared to fledgling brands which are yet to become household names. Any startup should make it a priority to enhance their recognition among their target audience. This can be accomplished by publishing highly shareable content and making it available on various platforms to cast the widest net possible.

 

Aim for Engagement

 

     Content optimized for search engine crawlers may garner excellent rankings, but the problem is that crawlers are mere pieces of code. In the end, it is the people who consume the content and they must be considered when crafting articles, video, etc. Think about how readers will react to a post. Will they even react at all? Is the content geared towards eliciting an emotion, a comment, a sale, a lead, or an overwhelming urge to share? Or is the content too saturated with keywords so as not to make sense at all? Aim for engagement, not eyeballs.

 

Past Recognition and On to Perception

 

    Once the word is out that the brand exists, the next step is to build up its image. It must become a name that is associated with the right things to enhance its appeal. For motorcycles, these could be youth, freedom, and a hint of danger. For insurance companies, these could be reliability, empathy and concern. The site content should reflect these values and do so consistently. People must perceive the brand almost as a person who has these ideal qualities that they are looking for so that they will feel comfortable enough to do business with the company.

 

Lead Generation

 

     Often, visitors come into the site, read what they want then click away to other sites, never to be seen again – lots and lots of wasted opportunities. Instead of repeatedly squandering the chance, wouldn’t it be great if visitor details could be caught so as to maintain contact? Most do this by offering a free e-book or other low-cost products in exchange for a newsletter subscription. This newsletter can be sent monthly just to nurture the connection. It may contain a summary of the top blog posts for the preceding month, a survey question to jumpstart interaction, and an offer to boost revenues.

 

Be an Established Subject Matter Expert

 

     Every industry has its own line-up of superstars. These are the thought leaders who push the boundaries and offer great insights about the most pressing issues of the day. They drive trends and sometimes create controversies that set the community abuzz. The articles they write often get prime social media attention and this popularity rubs off on the brand they represent.

 

     Content churned out in a haphazard manner can only depend on luck for success. To gain meaningful results, clear objectives must be set which may include the ones presented in this article. These goals will sharpen focus, increase efficiency, and get the brand much more popular.

     Increasing site visitors is just the tip of the iceberg. If you really want to have enduring success, then you should think about the ways in which you can develop a loyal following. This means exerting beyond the usual effort and using creative strategies to keep people coming back for more. It is something that takes a lot of patience as results often come slowly but once the project gets traction, things can get busy very quickly. Here are a few tips on how to get there:

 

Create Addictive Content

 

     The best way to get people to visit the site again and again is to provide them with fresh, useful, and interesting content on a regular basis. Don’t just copy off of other sites unless you plan on adding something extra like a personal commentary. Make your posts unique and engaging so that readers will look forward to more of what you have to offer and possibly share them with their friends as well. Don’t publish an article just to satisfy a weekly quota as many bloggers do. Aim to make an impact every time. If things are getting stale and falling into a pattern, shake it up and do something you’ve never done before. Don’t be afraid to push the limits or to generate controversy.

 

     Ensure that every post is well-researched. You can use third-party case studies as basis for articles to give them weight or conduct your own research and publish your results on your blog. The latter is usually more interesting for readers as they get a rare first-hand account. They especially like it when you make yourself accessible to them and answer their questions promptly. Foster this kind of regular interaction to make them feel a strong connection with the blog.

 

     You can also add infographics every once in a while to spice up the content. This can be time-consuming at first but it gets easier once you get the hang of it. Interviews with influential personalities in the industry can draw a lot of people, as well as reviews of the latest products or books related to the niche. When writing these posts, make them come alive by injecting a little bit of your personality and humor.

 

Cast a Wide Net

 

    Launch a promotional blitzkrieg on as many platforms as possible. Try to reach out to your target audience by going to the sites they frequent and leaving a link they can follow. Some of the best things to try are:

 

     Social Networks — Apart from the usual suspects like Facebook and Twitter, try to promote your blog on sites like Google+, LinkedIn,   Instagram, Pinterest, and other social networks both local and global. Good content can spread like wildfire when they go social thanks to the power of instant sharing.

 

     Online Bookmarking Sites — Another way to get lots of traffic flowing quickly. Digg, Reddit, and StumbleUpon, to name a few, are great at creating a snowball of momentum for specific posts. They are known to be so effective as to sometimes cripple servers due to the barrage of traffic.

 

     Community Boards — Every niche has its own dedicated communities, many of which have their own forum for member interaction. Here they discuss the latest news, answer questions, share stuff, and generally help each other out. A lot of bloggers start out as notable members of these communities wherein co-members lend initial encouragement and support.

 

     Other Blogs and Directories — Promotion can also come from publishing guest posts on other blogs and submitting articles to popular directories. These increase the chances of getting spotted by other people who may click the links back to your blog if they like what they read.

 

     Syndication — Lastly, good content can get syndicated on top blogs and newswires. This can be arranged to include a link back to your site. Note that only excellent content can make it through this channel as editors have strict guidelines when picking articles. If you can write flawlessly and produce insightful pieces, then you have a great chance of making it.

 

Before you can get a loyal following, you must first put everything in order by creating a fantastic site with exceptional content. Then, promote what you have through every platform within your reach to attract a steady audience. Keep on churning out those amazing articles and be prepared for an avalanche of traffic!

     Simply put, the job of a sales page is to capture the reader’s imagination. It should enthrall, captivate, and make the product so irresistible that there is no choice but to make a purchase. Of course, this is easier said than done. The page must be composed in just the right way to pull it off, with polished elements blending together in perfect harmony. Each element has a distinct role and all of them contribute towards the attainment of desired results.

 

Sharpen Your Hook with the Right Headline

 

     The title is the biggest draw for any article. It hints at the topic and tempts people to find out more. A good headline provides just enough detail to tease but not to bore. It promises a rewarding experience should the reader click the link and read the article in full. These are truly great expectations for a string of words, but its position at the head of the post demands that these expectations be met. No matter how good an article is, a bad title will cause people to ignore it.

 

     Think of your readers and the things that tend to catch their interest. A thorough analysis of the intended audience is necessary for fine-tuning so be sure to read up on related research. Compose the title in such a way as to assure them that the article will cater to their needs. This might take a bit of practice so don’t give up if your first attempts lack the punch they need.

 

Dazzle Your Audience with a Tantalizing Entrance

 

     Sales pages are similar to news articles in that the opening paragraph needs to grab the reader’s attention. It has to bring about excitement and anticipation so that the reader will buckle down to finish the rest of the article. It also provides a chance to introduce the brand and set the tone for what can be a great business relationship. Make it friendly and use plain English to explain what the product has to offer.

 

     The first paragraph must foster an air or intrigue. This initial push should keep readers on their toes, eager to get more and more information. Don’t reveal too much at this stage as people might leave before reaching the final sales pitch at the bottom.

 

Prevent Readers from Wandering by Using Subtitles

 

     Sales pages tend to be lengthy by design and, while often necessary, it can cause readers to zone out if all they see is one big mass of text. It is therefore necessary to break things down to manageable chunks and place an appropriate subtitle for each section. People who tend to scan a page before reading it will appreciate the visual breaks as well as the information they provide as these enable them to go further along the 
article.

 

     Make the subtitles enticing so that people will be raring to read all the sections from start to finish. Anticipate that the audience may be thinking at certain points and assure them at each of their questions will be answered through these subtitles. If you are still unsure how to go about it, then put yourself in the shoes of the readers and think about the ways in which your interest can be kept.

 

Images

 

     Pictures and illustrations certainly add tremendous visual appeal to any sales page. A long page that is all copy and no image looks a bit dull, whereas one that has a sprinkling of pertinent images is much more attractive. These can also clarify concepts which were discussed in the article and provide readers with detailed views of the product — something that is quite important when you are selling something over the Internet. Additionally, the use of pictures adds credibility to the claims made. They are visual proofs of satisfied customers, before-and-after comparisons, or simply the merchandise itself.

 

     Creating an effective sales page is a challenging task which could take a while to master. It is important to study the basics before anything else and these four elements are exactly that. If you want to get a decent conversion rate, then you have to polish your headline-writing skills, learn to compose engaging introductions, and find out the types of images that work.

     We previously provided you with four of the most basic sales page elements that are used to grab attention and keep the reader hooked. This time we shift our focus on three vital components that help establish the credibility of the brand and the rapport with the audience. Again, these must all blend together well, complementing each other to promote a coherent message.

 

Provide a History of the Company and the Product

 

     People like hearing stories, especially if they are inspirational or interesting. If these are told in an effective manner, then they could be fantastic tools in selling the product. The key is to make the product and the people behind it easily relatable. Make the readers connect emotionally with the brand and they will become loyal followers. This enhances their status from mere customers to extremely beneficial brand evangelists.

 

     Use the stories to rally support among the readers. Everybody loves a good rag to riches story and tales of overcoming monumental odds on the way to success. They provide inspiration and motivation. They also build trust as the audience will feel like they are in good hands. Give them details that will make them see how much you know about the industry. Tell them your credentials. These will make them listened more attentively to what you have to say. They will also be more likely to purchase the product which you are trying to sell.

 

     Be very careful about what you say, though. Do not embellish for the sake of making a story more thrilling for the readers. The truth has a way of surfacing and if your lies are found out, your business could be ruined. Reputation is one of the most cherished assets of any company or individual. Take good care of yours and you will have the potential for enduring success.

 

     Double-check your facts to ensure that the copy is truthful to the best of your knowledge. Write in an engaging manner but have everything rooted in reality so as to maintain credibility.

 

Provide Irrefutable Proof

 

     Back up everything you say with proof. With so many products out there, the competition is high and plenty of companies make false claims just to make a sale. People know this and are wary of fakes. Therefore, it would help if you could include laboratory studies and similar sorts of evidence that would erase all doubts from skeptics. These will allow people to lower their guard and shed their fears, increasing their chances of buying from you.

 

     Aside from boosting sales, these proofs will serve to bolster your reputation in the industry. You will become highly regarded as an expert in your field by both consumers and other industry players because they understand that you went through all the necessary steps to get to where you are right now.

 

     Apart from constantly showing what you have to offer, consider telling your readers what they risk losing on if they ignore your product today. This may be a promotional sale or a missed opportunity. Make it clear to them that the only logical conclusion is to purchase the product now to enjoy its benefits immediately. Thus, once they reach the end of the page, they will have no qualms about clicking the “Buy Now” button and completing the transaction.

 

Provide a Video that Connects with the Audience

 

     Videos are incredibly powerful as they engage people better than most other media. Make a short video that summarizes the highlights of the page. Introduce the company, the product, and yourself if possible. There is nothing quite like seeing a face behind a product to humanize everything and take things to a more personal level. People trust other people, not objects. They will trust the product if they feel that they can trust you.

 

    Be sure to have a professional supervising the production of the video. If you have some background in editing and camerawork, then it may be fine to go DIY. However, nothing beats the polished look of a professionally produced and edited video clip. It simply adds an air of sophistication to the sales page and allows you to target large businesses aside from individual customers.

     Standard templates abound promising instant success to those who are trying to build their own sales page. Take these with a grain of salt. There is no magic formula for success as each case is different from the next. Sites that promise the moon and the stars are likely in it just to win your dollars and nothing else as any competent online marketer will know that things don’t come quite that easy.

 

     Sales pages can indeed be broken down into individual components but completing each section is never straightforward. As we have seen in our two previous articles, each element has its own unique character and purpose. These must be studied diligently in order to create an effective sales page. To round up our series, we look at five more components which should complete a well-crafted ideal.

 

An Eye-catching Design

 

     Traditional sales pages were composed of a long copy with a smattering of images. These can still work but the design can use a bit of a touch-up. It is best to retain the simplicity, though, as the primary focus should remain on the copy. Ensure that the layout is clean and that there are no unnecessary elements floating around and distracting the reader. Remember that they must consume the page from start to finish so any distraction must be eliminated.

 

     The page design must be cohesive. Each element must complement the other to create a harmonious look. Consistency is desired, with a logical flow from the introduction to the final sales pitch. Do not mix too many colors or large images together as they could skew the layout and make the page seem sloppy. Aim for an elegant and professional look that would make a favorable first impression. After all, you might not get another chance.

 

A Compelling Offer

 

     After introducing the company and telling the story behind the product, it is time to make an offer they can’t refuse. List down the product specifications to remind the readers what they will be getting. Then, enumerate the distinct advantages that can be gained by using the product as opposed to its competitors. Emphasize its value to potential owners.

 

A Guarantee that Erases All Doubts

 

     If the product is a new to the market, then it would be understandable that people would be hesitant to take a chance on it. For all they know, it may not work as intended or it could induce unwanted side effects. Sometimes people are simply not satisfied with the product’s performance. Banish their hesitation by providing a guarantee that reduces the risks on their part. One popular form of this is the 30-day money-back guarantee. Another is a limited lifetime warranty. Just make certain that the scope and limitations are clear to the readers to prevent problems in the future.

 

An Urgent Call to Action

 

     Near the end of the page is where your powers of persuasion are most required. Here, readers who have gotten to know your company and your product will be asked to make an immediate purchase. Entice them with discounts if they buy now instead of later. That moment is the golden opportunity to create a sale. If people choose to delay their purchase, then the probability of the sale plummets with time. In some cases, readers will instead be asked to download an e-book or subscribe to a newsletter. The latter have higher conversion rates since they are typically free of charge, though they still call for a powerful call to action to get good response.

 

A Last Hurrah

 

     After the call to action has been made, a bit of follow-up or “last hurrah” can be written in a postscript. This short section is there to motivate doubters to go ahead and take the chance. It must be filled with positive language including a summary of the product benefits, the guarantees, and the advantages of buying right away. All essential details are reiterated for that final push towards immediate action. Do not forget to include this section as it has been found to boost sales dramatically.

 

     Effective sales pages often go through periodic evaluations for fine-tuning. In online marketing, learning simply never stops and the content must change to reflect a better understanding of related strategies and technologies.

     Matt Cutts is back to answer questions regarding search engine optimization and related topics. In this video, he responds to a query by Linda from New Jersey. She wrote in to ask whether cross linking 3 of her websites would have any adverse side effects.

 

     Since PageRank is largely determined by the quality and quantity of inbound links, it is tempting for those who own several sites to cross-link among their web properties to boost their rankings. Matt says that this is fine if each of these are somewhat related. For instance, if all of them sell clothes but one caters to men, another to women, and the last to children.

 

     However, if the sites have nothing to do with each other then there might be some problems. Visitors and competitors might find it odd when a site about insurance links out to a blog about fashion accessories, which in turn links to a mobile review site. For a small number of cross-links, the practice might not be very detrimental, but when the figure escalates into the dozens or even the hundreds, then cross linking starts becoming unhealthy. Rather than attracting more visitors, people will probably be turned off after seeing so many irrelevant links on the page.