[Stephen Meyer]

I've started to change my strategy and it's working.

In affiliate marketing there really is only one goal, one thing we want from our visitors. It is their name and email, that's really all we need. So I started looking at websites to find the answer to, how do I get that little bit of information. What I realized is most websites do not provide the answer.

Most sites take me right to a blog with an article or four on the front page, some banner or other ads on top, and banners on one or both sides. Then an option form some where in the mix. They look good for the most part but don't solve the problem. Why not, because they don't answer questions a person might be searching for. What I mean by that is simple. When a new visitor comes to your site they are usually looking for something specific such as a " home based business" or " work from home job" etc. instead of finding what theyre searching for they land on a site filled with affiliate ads trying to sell them something.

This where most marketers make a mistake. First time visitors have no reason to buy from a stranger. Why would they? They don't know you or me or trust you or me. What usually happens is they leave in a couple seconds never to return again.

So, I found the answer to getting their name and email. I give them exactly what they want and nothing more.

'Need to get rid of a head ache, I'll tell them exactly how and I explain briefly the benefits of letting me tell them and all they have to do is give me their name and email and all my wonderful knowledge will be theirs.'

I'm in the process of changing the front page of all my sites to a nice problem solving optin page. If they want to know how to start a home based business my head line will address and answer that question. I will give them enough benefits and possibly a short video of me talking about the benefits all designed to build just enough trust that they will optin to my list. From that point on trust will be built with my autoresponder.

Your page with all the ads and stuff should not be the first thing a visitor sees. That comes after you have built some trust.

Now Really, no critiquing spelling etc. Posted with my iphone using a tiny screen with tiny letters and fat fingers. :-)I

[Jeffery]

Agreed! The layout of the niche sites I sell are almost exactly like you you describe with a few differences, but there are a few ads (I stress a few ads - no more than three) and all are below the fold.

Also, I am changing the layout of all of my WordPress Themes to adhere to the new Google Guideline: content before ads. My WP Revolution Themes have always used this layout and have always performed well with regard to Google.

Excellent post Stephen!

Jeffery 100% :-)

[Holmstrom]

Yes, you hit the nail. I always respect more experienced marketers. Reading what you
gentlemen are writing is very good way to learn. Thank you for this post!

Cheers

[GT]

Great advice, Stephen. Many marketers are discovering exactly the same thing, that the more clearly you deliver what the prospect came looking for, the more likely they will give you what you want.

I like what Jeffery said about "content before ads" and being sensitive to the search engine requirements.

GT

[Rosalie]

Great idea Stephen will giving it some thought when I start to rebuild my website

Rosalie

[Allen Lundy]

Stephen,

I agree as well. I spent all day yesterday doing keyword research for my squeeze pages. Yeah - squeezepages. I currently am researching keywords for about 40 Squeeze pages.

Make sure your squeezepages address the primary keyword you are trying to get traffic for. It must be VISUALLY satisfying to the visitor and it must speak to the questions that arise around the keywords that got them to your site.

You "give away" ebook or video should be focused on what the visitor is looking for as well. If not, they will leave the squeezepage also.

For me the beauty of a squeeze page is that it's "in your face" and it's relevant to the search criteria. It also doesn't distract from the reason your visitors came to your site. It's short, easy to read and full of keywords that trigger an emotion inside the visitor.

As you so aptly stated, people are using search engines to find ANSWERS to questions - and IF and WHEN they find something with their search, the majority of the time it's NOT what they are looking for.

Make sure you have an "ANSWER" for them. The followup AR series can be your sales person...

No matter how pretty your website is, it's still a sales machine.

Let me ask a question - Do you hate going to the MALL to buy something? Do you wonder which of the stores has what you are looking for? Don't you wish that you could not spend most of the day walking around looking for just the right thing to buy?

It's the SAME CONCEPT with your websites.

The first thing people want to see is "an information booth" NOT a full blown MALL filled with 40 - 50 little stores.

Nobody wants to spend time looking at my nice website and see if they can find what they are looking for. VIsitors want immediate gratification, they will worry about spending their money at a later time.

Great post STEPHEN...

I'm NOT trying to steal your post, however, here is a link to one of my squeezepages that at least for me fulfills the criteria of what a squeezepage should offer.

I also am doing the squeezepage part just backwards (or I will once all my squeezepages are completed).. I want the people to come to my salespage, if they buy - awesome, if not, when they leave the page, the next thing will be my squeezepage offer for free gifts and information.

I'd rather make the sale first, I capture their name and email list anyway when I have them fill in a form to tell me "where to send the download link". But, if NO SALE, I provide them the opportunity to get information on the type of question they had in the first place.

Here's the links: If this is incorrect to place in this thread, please let me know and I'll edit and remove the links, or have Pat remove the links.

Here are TWO distinctly different types of squeezepages:


http://www.realeasyblogs.com/real-ea...tize-your-blog


http://www.automated-list-profits.co...tememberships/

Allen

[talfighel]

If all you want to get from them is their name and email, you should not give them any content on your site. You should give them one option and that is if they want more info on that "secret" business or that "secret" info, ask for their email and name.

You would be surprised at how your opt in rate will increase with this strategy.

Adding more and more articles to your site may be good for your Google ranking but it will decrease your opt in rate by a whole lot.

[cresad]

Great Great tips and inside strategies are share here

learn a lot

thanks guys

[GomerMagtibay]

I envy you guys with your sites' flexibilities.

I should have chosen a different domain name, and not PIPSbyGom.com. This domain compels me to focus on promoting PIPS only.. making my site looks like a hardcore "Intro to PIPS" page.

I just comfort myself with these words from Stone, found in Day 2 of our 30 Days to Success Guide, "Sending people to your Plug-In Profit Site affiliate link is actually a lot MORE PROFITABLE than sending people to your main website home page!"

[GT]

Originally Posted by GomerMagtibay

I should have chosen a different domain name, and not PIPSbyGom.com. This domain compels me to focus on promoting PIPS only.. making my site looks like a hardcore "Intro to PIPS" page.

Hi, Gomer: I felt the same way about my original "PIPS" site after I had been promoting it for awhile and began to understand search engine optimization.

I called my site "StarrBizz" because I liked the name and thought the "bizz" part would tell people what it was about. However, I learned that it is better for a domain to use focused keywords as much as possible, not some word like "starrbizz" that nobody would search for! lol

I think newcomers to Internet Marketing should receive a little more domain name training before they actually lock in a name. However, I now consider it to be simply part of the learning process.

I agree with you that is is an excellent topic thread to follow and to learn from.

GT

[Stephen Meyer]

Hi Allen, I like your Squeeze pages. Keyword focused with content. Google likes to see content. Both of the pages you posted are focused on questions people are asking and they give them an easy way to get the complete answer. That's exactly what visitors need to see first, some content that builds enough trust to get them to opt-in. Good Job

We have all made mistakes when we registered our first site or two or three. although a keyword fjcused domain name can give great SEO results I don't believe it is an absolute must. Some might argue that but I believe well written keyword focused content can overcome domain name problems. The other problem I see is a to tightly focused domain can limit what you do with the site. If the site is to be focused on exactly on purpose such as List Building then it probably oughto be in the domain name. If you plan to use the site for multiple marketing purposes then the name needs to be very well thought out so it can convey everything the site is intended for. something like Gardening for Teenagers can take on multiple keywords where as something like Red Onion Gardening is limited in focus but very tightly Niche oriented.

I think I'll try and make Allen a very good friend, he's got it going on. keyword focused squeeze page means you can target exactly what your first time visitor is wanting to know. In most cases it should be your front page. If built right your auto responder series can build trust and send people to your site where the rest of the information is. It can also send people to your PIPs sales page and they will be more open to buy into the program because of the trust you've established.

Of course everything depends on the purpose of your site. That's how I see it.

[Allen Lundy]

Thanks for the shout out Stephen. Much appreciated

PM me, or email me direct anytime.

Best of luck in your business.

Allen