How to Better Monetize Your Website Now that the Internet is in everyone’s back pocket, it’s not just about distinguishing your website from others. It is about “Conversions,” which are based on content and how much time visitors spend on your site. High traffic doesn’t mean much if the average visitor doesn’t take time to peruse your content, sign up for your services, buy your product or recognize your brand.
Building a functional website that’s easy to navigate is the first step. Then, you must make the site easy to find and build a presence. Eventually this presence drives demand. Once your website has been indexed, optimized and designed to be “crawler-friendly,” visitors will come. The challenge then becomes getting them to stay and to take action – most readily in the form of clicks and/or purchases of one form or another. Most SEO and website design experts lean on original content to fulfill the task of getting visitors to stay longer. It’s certainly a viable avenue, but it isn’t the only option, nor should it be. In addition to original content, adding videos to your site is quite useful. Videos, whether promotional, educational, entertaining, or something that just went viral, offer a level of appeal and engagement that’s difficult to match because it’s both visually stimulating and interactive. Good videos also drive conversions and page ranking. A new content-delivery platform called AdPad is a great way to keep a steady flow of original multimedia content on your website, along with your site visitors. AdPad is a sleek and cutting-edge JavaScript platform that can be added to credible websites to drive conversions, increase time-on-site, i.e. “stickiness,” boost traffic and generate clicks. The platform is meant to resemble an iPad or iPhone, depending upon the platform chosen. The primary platform, the AdPad, is a black and gray viewer with a clean and fresh user-friendly interface that is launched from an IAB complaint 300X250 square launcher, an IAB compliant triangle launcher or an IAB compliant toolbar launcher situated wherever the publisher chooses, and is a reliable source of breaking news, videos, local deals, sports, entertainment and more. In addition, the developers of the AdPad, a company named Klickthru, also offer a Mobile solution called the InfaCube for companies who publish and advertise via today’s vast mobile networks. The InfaCube is a four-sided, three-dimensional cube that is user-manipulated and may be spun around (left or right) to view news, local deals, sports or videos. The AdPad, as well as the other platforms, have a wealth of content from tier 1 publishers like the AP, The New York Daily News, Groupon and Unation. It is designed to capture, engage and entertain visitors so that they never want leave your website, effectively keeping users on your site longer and in turn driving conversions and revenue. If you’re interested in adding the AdPad to your website to help increase visitor time, i.e. “Stickiness,” through fresh, engaging content that increases conversions and drives revenue, visit klickthru.com.
3 Tools Every Small Business Should Use (NewsUSA) – With regards to technology, small businesses and entrepreneurs working out of a home office used to be at a competitive disadvantage. But the abundance of productivity tools and online resources for small businesses has changed all that. Being small doesn’t have to look small — now you can run your business from beaches and terraces of the world with just a cell phone or a tablet.
Now, smartphones are practically office computers in and of themselves, allowing you to stay connected 33,000 feet up in the air or stuck in gridlocked traffic. Not surprisingly, a Small Business Technology Poll taken by AT&T reports a steady increase in the use of tablets, 4G devices and mobile apps for business purposes. The next step for the 85 percent of small businesses using smartphones is utilizing the variety of tools available online.
Here are three inexpensive resources offered online that help small businesses and the one-person team working from home — and your business shouldn’t be without them.
1. Virtual phone system. This system allows companies of all sizes to have a business-class virtual phone system designed to help small and home-based business owners build the same strong, professional image as larger competitors. It comes with toll-free numbers, Internet fax, voice mailboxes and more.
2. Payroll software. Depending on the size of your business, it may not be pragmatic to have a full-time accountant, and outsourcing can be pricey. But payroll software can be optimized for all payment methods, and accuracy is based on a money-back guarantee. Software of this nature tends to be very user-friendly and extremely secure.
3. Email marketing software. Social media marketing is all the rage right now, but according to SmallBizTechnology.com, email marketing software remains more effective. An email marketing software tool will track who opens, reads and forwards your emails, design more targeted newsletters, increase referrals and get quicker results.
One last word of advice, which may be the most crucial of all: Type TestThis4Free.com into your browser and bookmark it. The website is a one-stop shop for online productivity tools, including virtual phone systems, payroll software, email marketing software and more. The best part? It offers free trials of various software and services to make sure users will use and benefit from a tool before buying it.
With these tools offered for free online, small businesses actually stand a chance against large companies and big budgets.
Tips for Using Your iPhone for Business  NewsUSA) – The Apple iPhone, one of the hottest smartphones on the market, has become an important tool for keeping mobile workers productive while providing freedom and flexibility away from the office. Many mobile workers are leaving their laptops behind and conducting business right from the palm of their hand. Here are some tips that can help you get the job done with an iPhone: * Sync regularly. Think about every time you add a contact or an appointment to your iPhone. What if you lost that information? Syncing to your computer regularly can ensure that your information, including e-mails, is backed up and safeguarded should something happen. And while it only takes a few seconds to sync, replacing data could take hours. * Stay productive. Need to view and edit a presentation or locate a document on another computer? Business applications such as LogMeIn Ignition for iPhone (www.LogMeIn.com/iPhone) enable iPhone users to access and work on their remote computers as if they were sitting right in front of them. * Check the Apple Web site. There is an entire section on the Apple Web site dedicated to iPhone business use at www.apple.com/iphone/business/. It includes apps like currency converters, expense trackers, file management and organizational tools that can help you work efficiently while away from your desk. * Extend your battery power. If you are gearing up for a long trip or meeting, preserve your battery life by shutting off your Wi-Fi, lowering your screen brightness and turning off your keyboard sounds. Switch your iPhone setting to auto-lock when you aren’t working. * Stay secure. Basic security measures like enabling your four-digit iPhone password can help protect sensitive data while minimizing the risk of high bills if it becomes lost or stolen. Always make sure to lock your device when it isn’t in your hand. For more tips on using your iPhone for business, check out “iPhone for Work” by freelance technology journalist and network consultant Ryan Faas, or “The iPhone Book: How to Do the Most Important, Useful & Fun Stuff with Your iPhone” by technology authors Scott Kelby and Terry White. |
Business Do’s and Don’ts to Help Your Startup Succeed (NewsUSA) – Everyone has a dream — it’s the one thing they would rather be doing more than anything else (and are sure they could succeed at). Yet, it’s something entirely different from what it is they do to pay the bills.What many fail to understand, however, is that enthusiasm for a product or service may not be enough to guarantee success when starting a business."So often, would-be entrepreneurs believe they have that one idea that will make them a millionaire, and in fact it may be a very good idea, but what they don’t understand is that there’s so much more involved for a business to succeed," says Heidi Ganahl, CEO of Camp Bow Wow, a dog day care franchise and boarding authority. The business saw 20 percent year-over-year growth last year in revenues across Camps (individual franchise locations), which opened pre-2011."Unfortunately," Ganahl adds, "passion alone will not dictate or ensure success."To this end, the following do’s and don’ts may help you assess whether your idea is ready:* Do your research and prepare. So often, failure comes from a lack of preparation. According to Ganahl’s book "Tales From the Bark Side," every good idea must come with the right support to make it profitable, including writing a winning business proposal. Ganahl says that lending or investing individuals will only consider an investment after a thorough review of your project.* Don’t go into business if you’re not committed. Convinced that they have a good idea, but unprepared to be completely committed, people will try to have their feet in both the corporate world and their new business venture. If you feel the inability to put your all into your new venture, cut your losses.* Do ensure you have enough capital. Business analysts report that poor management is the main reason for business failure and that poor cash management is probably the most frequent stumbling block for entrepreneurs. Understanding the basic ideas of cash flow will help you plan for the unforeseen eventualities that face nearly every small business.* Do consider owning a franchise. With thousands of systems operating in dozens of industries, there is no shortage of choices here for the would-be entrepreneur.The down side? The plethora of choices can make that decision a challenge, so be clear about what you want, what you’re willing to do and how much you need to make. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit www.campbowwow.com/franchise.
|
RSS Feed