Sorry, No Free Lunch in Affiliate Marketing

Like they say, there's no such thing as a free lunch. The same applies to affiliate marketing. Hey, that's not cool! 

There is always this misconception that affiliate marketing is a lazy man's "get rich quick" program. Like imagining yourself wearing sunglasses and enjoying a glass of wine as you swing in a hammock on some island paradise while the affiliate program puts money on the table for you. You bet!

Don't swallow that or you will be drowned in sorrow. The truth is that among thousands of affiliates out there, only about 5 or 10 per cent are truly financially successful. The other 90 per cent are lucky if they make a few hundred bucks a month.

To be a successful affiliate takes a lot of gumption but not many are cut out for it. Baby, you got to have what it takes to be a high-earner. Luck is a rare commodity.

This is not a post to deter you from affiliate marketing. Your marketing skills (if you have that) play a crucial part in your venture. Affiliate marketing is a challenge for you to make money online but it may take months or even years of trial and error before you really get a taste of the big time.

Here's a sobering thought: If you sign up just to put up some banners and hope to become Mr Big Time, forget it! You will be greatly disappointed as each month passes by with only a few sales or none at all!

Even the pros have a tough time marketing their stuff, so imagine how you, as a newbie, is going to struggle with not much of a traffic to shout about. Everyone has to go through the learning curve but be wary of the information overload.

Affiliate marketing is not a walk in the park. Work, work, work is your motto. You need a business website (one that converts). You need to be proficient in search engine optimization (SEO) to get traffic. You need to pick the right affiliate merchant and develop marketing strategies to promote the product. You need to dump those that don't bring in any moolah.

Overall, you need to be focused and not be detracted by other Internet hooplas that take away your concentration and time. And if you are the type who keeps learning and persevere with the trials and errors that you will surely experience, then the reward may be waiting for you at the end of the rainbow. - Markk

Image credit: robin24

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Net marketing: Are we chasing the same dream?

The Truth About Web Traffic Tools

Here's the lowdown. Your website is like a lonely island in the middle of a big ocean if you don't have web traffic. Nobody knows your site exists. You may think you have the greatest website and everyone should be reading the stuff you put on it but sorry, no one visits.

The crux of the matter is that web traffic is the lifeblood of your site and online business. It's that simple. So it's high time you get your hands dirty and, if you're dead serious, start to work on it... that is generating web traffic.

Don't worry, you're not alone when facing this predicament. There are thousands of other site owners who want to see more visitors but think it's too difficult, time consuming, or expensive to generate web traffic. According to an Internet marketing survey, nearly 70% of IMers said that generating web traffic is their #1 challenge.

Now you wonder, why is generating traffic such a challenge or even a pain for so many of us?

There are many web traffic options open to you but most of them have at least one fatal flaw...

• Pay-per-click (PPC) can burn a hole in your pocket if you aren't an expert. You'll go broke within a week
  
  
• Traffic exchanges involve hours of page refreshing drudgery to earn even a sniff of visitors. You could nod off into dreamland while waiting to click and view the next site.
  
  
• SEO techniques are a moving target. If you get lucky with those rare hits, they'll change the rules again
  
  
•  Safelists flood you with thousands of emails you don't need and send your emails to others who won't read them either
  
  
• How-To ebooks and guides are typically full of tactics that no longer work by the time the ebook is available
  
  
• Submitter software packages use obsolete technology that most sites are already protected against before you even submit
  
  
• Co-registration leads are watered down names that have been blasted with so many offers they just tune you out
  
  
• Purchased visitors and bulk emails are so generic, untargeted, and rehashed you're better off trying to win the lottery than expect results from them
  
  
• Social bookmarking will get you some funny videos and knowledge of what somebody did at the party last weekend, but it's not going to send hungry customers to your site.

The truth is, most web traffic tools and tactics are simply too expensive, too time consuming, or they just plain don't work. So where does all this leave the poor online business wannabe? Where does he or she turn to find online salvation?

Yes, where do you go from here?

Although there are numerous ways to promote your site, one simple technique that will bring you traffic is to do article marketing. You don't need to spend a dime, all it takes is your time and your ability to write.

Writing simple how-to articles on topics you are knowledgeable about and distributing them to article directories has been a well-tested technique that will bring you rewards in the form of quality traffic.

Keyword marketing is another technique that will take your site to the top of the search engines. It's all about using the right keywords and key phrases. Concentrate most of your efforts on Google, and when you do it right, the traffic juice will come your way. Mind you, this organic traffic will bring interested visitors and buyers.

There are many articles and blog posts that give you the lowdown on article marketing and keyword marketing. It can be a bit overwhelming for a newcomer to read up all this but remember you are not alone, for there are many other newbies who are starting to learn about article marketing.

Well, it's not exactly rocket science. You don't need advance knowledge of anything technical in order to do article marketing. If you can write, then just write - about some particular topic you know.

Later, when you have attained 'greater wisdom' about article marketing, you may want to shift gear and move to the next level. That's when you start to look around for some software product that can help you distribute your articles automatically to hundreds of article submission sites.

There are quite a number of these products in the marketplace. It's up to you to check them out and choose the one you think will do the job of automated article marketing for you.

Mark my word, some of them will make you wonder why you never thought of this before if you're serious about article marketing. It will save you time and multiply your distribution of articles to a wider circle of sites. Your articles can be turned into "viral marketing tools" that will attract a lot more traffic and establish your credibility in your niche, making you an authoritative writer.

As mentioned earlier, all other methods or techinques to boost web traffic to your site is baloney, even if they work to a certain extent. Okay, that's my humble opinion. - Markk


Image credit: Rutlo

Goodbye to Steve Jobs - Visionary Extraordinaire

 A visionary of the modern age has left us. Steve Jobs, admired by millions, has left an indelible mark in the world of technology and a profound impact on the lives of people across the globe with his visions.

His demise sparked  global reactions from world leaders, industry captains and the ordinary man in the street.  Twitter, Facebook and other social media were overwhelmed by the outpouring on the news of his death.

There are so much to be said about Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc... yes, about this creative genius, his passion and energy that have made Apple a household name worldwide.

Much have been written this past few days about Jobs, and so  this blog is running a collection of tributes and condolences compiled by Chris Crum of WebProNews.

"The death of Steve Jobs has inspired many, many people to share their thoughts on the life of a man they truly admired, and that includes a lot of big names."  - Chris Crum

Following is Crum's list of reactions from names many will recognize, spanning throughout the tech and journalism industries as well as celebrities in politics, movies, music, sports, etc.

The List:

1. The Jobs family: "In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family. We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve's illness."

2. Apple Co-founder Steve Wozniak: "It's like the world lost a John Lennon - I mean Steve was clearly the most outstanding business thinker and almost everybody high up in the technology business recognized that somehow he had the ability to think out new ways of doing things, not just ways to improve what we have (do a better version of something) but do it in a totally different way that the world would swing towards."

3. Apple CEO Tim Cook: "Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being."

4. Apple's Board of Directors: "Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve."

5. Pixar Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter: "He saw the potential of what Pixar could be before the rest of us, and beyond what anyone ever imagined. Steve took a chance on us and believed in our crazy dream of making computer animated films; the one thing he always said was to simply 'make it great.'"

6. Walt Disney President Bob Iger: "Steve was such an 'original,' with a thoroughly creative, imaginative mind that defined an era. Despite all he accomplished, it feels like he was just getting started."

7. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates: "Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives. The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come."

8. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen: "We've lost a unique tech pioneer and auteur who knew how to make amazingly great products. Steve fought a long battle against tough odds in a very brave way. He kept doing amazing things in the face of all that adversity. As someone who has had his own medical challenges, I couldn't help but be encouraged by how he persevered."

9. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer: "I want to express my deepest condolences at the passing of Steve Jobs, one of the founders of our industry and a true visionary. My heart goes out to his family, everyone at Apple and everyone who has been touched by his work."


10. Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang: "Steve was my hero growing up. He not only gave me a lot of personal advice and encouragement, he showed all of us how innovation can change lives. I will miss him dearly, as will the world."

11. Google CEO Larry Page: "He was a great man with incredible achievements and amazing brilliance. He always seemed to be able to say in very few words what you actually should have been thinking before you thought it. His focus on the user experience above all else has always been an inspiration to me."

12. Google co-founder Sergey Brin: "From the earliest days of Google, whenever Larry and I sought inspiration for vision and leadership, we needed to look no farther than Cupertino. Steve, your passion for excellence is felt by anyone who has ever touched an Apple product (including the macbook I am writing this on right now). And I have witnessed it in person the few times we have met."

13. Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt: ""Today is very sad for all of us. Steve defined a generation of style and technology that's unlikely to be matched again. Steve was so charismatically brilliant that he inspired people to do the impossible, and he will be remembered as the greatest computer innovator in history."

14. Google Research Director Peter Norvig: "Honor Steve Jobs: resolve to do something insanely great."

15. Google head of web spam Matt Cutts: "The tech industry lost an amazing, world-changing person today. Rest in peace, Steve."

Note: For more of the reactions, please go to:
100 Reactions to the Death of Steve Jobs