Critical Steps to Online Success - Want More Traffic At Your Website?

You know my thinking on this: If you do nothing else each
day, you must move forward on building your list-it's your
most Critical Step in the marketing chain.

And getting more traffic to your opt-in page is the way to
speed it up.
And by now you know that I believe article marketing is
the best way to make this happen.

Maybe you've tried article marketing, your articles
getting opened, but you're not getting click thrus to your
squeeze page?

Let's see what we can do to fix that…

First the good news: "you're doing something right"; you
must be writing titles that are attracting traffic to your
article or you wouldn't have any readers.

One reason that you aren't getting clicks on your link
might be that the reader isn't getting that far. You could
be losing them in the first couple of paragraphs.

Your first sentence or set of sentences must be almost as
powerful as your title. You can't afford to disappoint your
reader. Tell them what they're going to get from your
article and why this will be a benefit to them.

If you don't do this your reader will feel let down…you
haven't provided what you promised… they'll click away and
look somewhere else.

There's an old army adage that goes like this:

"Tell them what you're going to tell them; tell it to
them; then recap and tell them what you told them."

If you adopt this formula you'll have great success with
your article writing…but remember to keep the recap
short…maybe just one sentence or a short paragraph.

Let's say this is your title:

"Want to take Great Photographs? Is your camera letting
you down? Here's how to test it…"

You might start your article something like this:
______________________________________________________
Are you not very happy with how your photo shots are
coming out lately?

Would you like some help?

I have found that in all endeavors the best tools bring
the best results.

It just might be that your camera is falling down on the
job!

Here's a way to test your camera to find out if it really
is the culprit:

***Now you add some info on how to do this***
.
.
.

Then quickly you wrap it up:

If these tests indicate your camera is at fault you can
take steps to upgrade. Otherwise you need to look further.
Click my link below for more information.
______________________________________________________

See how we followed the formula here?

We introduced the topic in a way that created interest in
the solution, we gave the solution and we wrapped it up.

Would you like to learn the secrets to start and run a Successful Online Business?

I have just completed a new book called "How to use the Secret Magic of Article Writing to Start and run A Successful Online Business”.

You can Download it FREE here: "The Secret Magic of Article Writing"

You may also like to read my other FREE book: "Three Surefire Ways to Make Money Online"

Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people to be successful online.

Critical Steps To Online Success--Do You Need Help Building Your List?

Have you been trying to build your list, but it's just not
happening?

Have you tried article writing but that didn't work either?

Are your articles getting opened, but you're not getting
click thrus to your squeeze page?

There could be a number of reasons for this.

If your articles are getting opened then your title must
be OK.

The next critical step is to have 2 or 3 short strong
opening sentences or paragraphs…I've covered how to do this
in an earlier article…you can probably find it if you
search my name in the index.

If you've done both those things and you're still not
getting many click thrus then you are losing them in the
body…the "information segment" of your article.

After the promise of the title and the opening paragraph
you must continue to hold your readers' attention. You must
now fulfill their expectations. Your information must be
concise, informative and to the point.
Give your reader information that will be useful to them;
information that can be immediately put into action. Your
purpose is wherever possible to provide information that
will make a positive change in your reader's life.

But, whatever you write…make it count!

This is a performance you are staging…your reader is your
audience!

Have you ever been to a comedy show where the comic
started to lose the audience? Often good manners will keep
them in their seats for awhile but eventually if it gets
bad enough they will leave.

You don't have the saving grace of good manners to keep
your audience reading your article. If you're not
delivering the goods in an interesting, informative and
professional manner they will click away and look elsewhere.

If you think this might be an issue for you then perhaps
you need to take some writing lessons?

Meantime, here are a few ideas that might help:

Create a plan for your article: opening, body, closing. A
length of 300 to 500 words is a good size article.

Then set out 3 or 4 main points that you wish to cover in
the body of your article, organize them into an order that
lets the ideas flow, and devote a segment or paragraph to
each.

Use numbered points if appropriate.

Break up your paragraphs-keep them short.

People don't like reading text in big blocks; it's hard to
keep your place. So make sure there's lots of white space.
I like to use semi-colons, dashes and 3 dots to allow me to
make a series of short strong statements rather than a long
run-on sentence.

Vary your sentence lengths…short, medium and long.

Make statements and let them stand out as a single line.

Don't repeat words in close proximity to each other.
And finally: "write in haste and correct at leisure". If
the ideas are flowing just get them down fast. You can
easily come back and clean it up later.

Would you like to learn the secrets to start and run a Successful Online Business?

I have just completed a new book called "How to use the Secret Magic of Article Writing to Start and run A Successful Online Business”.

You can Download it FREE here: "The Secret Magic of Article Writing"

You may also like to read my other FREE book: "Three Surefire Ways to Make Money Online"

Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people to be successful online.

Critical Steps to Online Success-How to Speed Up Your List Building.

Building your list is the most Critical Step on the road
to online success and there's no better way than article
marketing to make this happen.

If you've been working at article marketing but not
getting much success then here's the most important thing
to do.

Start creating powerful titles for your articles!

The title is all you've got to make a first
impression…it's your advertisement. You must make it work
for you! There's so much competition for a web searcher's
attention in the search engines today. Your article title
must stand out from the crowd.

It must reach out and grab the web searcher and say loudly:

"Read Me! I can help you!"

Without an attention grabbing title your articles will be
lost in the herd!

Visitors who read articles are looking for specific
information; a solution to a problem. Your title must tell
them how you can help.

Here's what a truly great title is all about!

"Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Young family slain by
crazed gorilla!"

Does that get your attention? Of course it does! And if we
can find a place where such an exuberant title is
appropriate that's exactly what we should use.

You don't really need to be quite as brazen as that…but
you get the idea.
Make it powerful!

As I wrote in an earlier article:

"Great titles have clarity and directness. They stand up
and yell "action". They don't waffle around. They ask a
question…they promise a great outcome…they make a call to
action. They say: "Open "me" and your problems will be
solved."!"

Here's an example:

"How to take Great Photographs: You must have a great
camera! Which one should you buy…?"

This title tells the reader right up front: "This article
will be about how to take great photographs". Anyone
looking for information on Dog Grooming knows that this
article isn't for them-but photographers will take notice
even if they were searching for something else. It goes on
to tell you that great photos need to start with a great
camera and then it promises to show you how to buy one.

The reader is left in no doubt as to what they will find
inside!

Compare this with:

"If you're finding your photos aren't very good you might
consider buying a better camera".

You see the difference?

The first one reaches out and announces itself…you
immediately know what to expect. This is an article on
"Taking Great Photos".

The second one tells the same story but it waffles and the
story is buried; you're three-quarters of the way along the
first line before you find out what it's about.

If you follow just this one principle you find a great
improvement in the traffic to your articles.

Visit a few of the article directories and look at their
"most read articles" page for some more ideas. There's a
striking difference in the directness and clarity of these
titles versus articles in general.

Would you like to learn the secrets to start and run a Successful Online Business?

I have just completed a new book called "How to use the Secret Magic of Article Writing to Start and run A Successful Online Business”.

You can Download it FREE here: "The Secret Magic of Article Writing"

You may also like to read my other FREE book: "Three Surefire Ways to Make Money Online"

Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people to be successful online.

Critical Steps to Online Success -- How to Make your Squeeze Page Sell - Page Layout is Crucial to Success

You've probably noticed that most sales pages and squeeze
pages are centered on the screen and only take up around
70% of the screen width.

There's a reason for this!

People have trouble keeping track of their place in the
text if the columns are too wide. If they can't easily read
your copy they'll simply click away to another ad.

Break your text up into short paragraphs. If the text
comes in long paragraphs it looks daunting and possibly
even threatening. Most people don't like to tackle complex
material so if your copy gives that impression you'll lose
your reader.

It's also a good idea to keep your screen background color
white and just put a simple box around your text. A
completely white page is very welcoming and gives off a
nice clean fresh vibe. Readers find this welcoming.

On the other hand a black background may be more dramatic
but it comes off as dark and foreboding… the black forest
and the wicked witch syndrome1

And only use graphics or images if they really add to your
message. Perhaps a picture of yourself or your product will
add credibility… but then again, perhaps not. If you're in
doubt… leave them out. Unnecessary distractions on your
page will just take attention away from
your sales message. Same goes for animation, audio and
video.

If you really want to include a particular graphic or
effect then run some tests, with and without, and see which
brings the best results.

People don't care whether you're an amazing graphic
designer or not. They want to visit a website that looks
like something they're used to… something they can trust.
There's a great sense of comfort in getting what we expect.
Give your visitors what they're used to and it's your first
step toward winning their trust.

Learn the "3 Surefire Ways to make Money Online"

http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/

Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people
to be successful online.

Critical Steps to Online Success-How to Make your Squeeze Page Sell- Don't Confuse Your Visitors!

Don't make your visitors guess what they're supposed to do
on your site. You must give them a strong call to action
and tell them exactly what they need to do to get the
benefits you outline! That's what a squeeze page is all
about.

Next to having a powerful headline your call to action is
the most critical element of your sales page. There's no
point getting visitors to your site if they don't know what
to do. If your visitor is confused about what action you
want them to take, they will get lost in the confusion and
leave.

Layout the benefits for them in a way that will be easy
for them to understand. This isn't a contest where you
demonstrate your superior knowledge. Tell your visitor
"what's in it for them" in plain simple language.

It's a simple formula. You state the feature, follow it
with the benefit statement and then make the call to action.

Let's say you sell a stress-relief product. Your copy
might say something like this:

"After doing research and testing, I found a set of really
fabulous relaxation CD's that solved my recurring migraine
problems, improved my sleep, and increased my energy
levels-all in just a few days!

"Click here now to learn how these CD's can soothe your
troubles away and lead you to a more healthy and happy
life."

As simple as that!

Remember that your visitors came to your website because
they were searching for something on the web and it looked
like you could provide it. They are wondering whether what
you have to offer will fill their need.

So make sure your copy is easy to read! I can't stress
this enough.

As far as fonts go my research tells me this: stick with
Verdana font in full strength colors for your text wherever
possible. Verdana is considered the best font for reading
online and even the very basic video cards can display it.
Times New Roman may be the default Microsoft Font but on
screen Verdana is easier to read.

Remember: You're not trying to amuse or entertain with
your site. Your goal is to sell! Give your visitors great
sales copy that's easy to read, tell them exactly how to
access your product and you're half way there.

Learn the "3 Surefire Ways to make Money Online"

http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/

Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people
to be successful online.

Critical Steps to Online Success-How to Make your Squeeze Page Sell-Create a Strong Call to Action

What exactly is a "Call to Action"?

If not the single most important element on your sales
page, then it's right up there with having a powerful
headline. There's no point getting visitors to your site if
they don't know what to do. If your visitor is confused
about what action you want them to take, they will get lost
in the confusion and leave.

Your sales copy must compel your visitors to action! And
it should be the action you desire. That's the whole
purpose of your sales page.

You don't get to have any personal interaction with your
potential buyers; you can't answer their questions and
handle their objections on the web. Your sales copy needs
to stand in for you… take your place; it has to do that job
on your behalf.

It's a vital role!

Your sales copy needs to tell your visitors what you have
to offer (your "feature" statement); it has to explain how
using your product will improve your visitors lives (your
"benefit" statement) and it has to create "value" in the
minds of your potential buyer. They have to feel that what
they will be getting is a bargain. If you can create strong
emotion around this…even better.

If your visitor can sense that you have their best
interests at heart, you have won half the battle. If your
sales copy is too slick and pushy you will turn them off.
Ninety-five percent of humans don't like to be sold. And
the five percent left are other sales people.

So speak directly to your visitor; let them know you
understand their needs. Let them know that providing
service and value is important to you.

You know the difference between "Features" and "Benefits"?

Features tell the reader what you have to offer. Benefits
are much more powerful… they tell them how your offer will
create a positive change in their lives.

A feature-benefit statement would go something like this:

"This car has a smooth ride, but not too smooth. You won't
feel the bumps in the road but you'll still get the benefit
of great cornering!"

Let your sales copy tell your visitors how your product or
service will be of benefit to them… and be sincere… no
smoke and mirrors! Make sure that what you are offering
will in fact live up to your promises or there won't be any
repeat business.

Learn the "3 Surefire Ways to make Money Online"

http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/

Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people
to be successful online.

Critical Steps to Online Success-How to Make your Squeeze Page Sell-Create a Strong Headline

Having a Squeeze Page up and hosted is one thing; driving
traffic to the page is a different challenge all together.

But how do you get your visitors to take action and opt-in
to your offer?

Here is the most important thing you can do.! It's pretty
simple but it will greatly improve your site conversion
figures… guaranteed!

Write a powerful attention-grabbing headline:

Your headline far and away is the most critical copy on
your web page!

Your headline should be right at the very top center of
your page. It needs to be in a large font size and
experiment has proven that "red" is the best color.

You must grab your visitor's attention and you have 7
seconds to do it… well maybe 10 seconds! You want them to
see that you've got the perfect solution to their problem.

Your headline needs to be "benefit rich". It needs to tell
them exactly how what you have to offer will be of value to
them.

You know the difference between "Features" and "Benefits"?

Features tell the reader what you have to offer. Benefits
are much more powerful… they tell them how your offer will
create a positive change in their lives.

You want your headline to let your visitors know exactly
how your site will make their lives easier... save them
money... save them time... increase their income... or
simply make them feel better.

Use formatting variations like bold fonts, underling,
italics etc to give your benefits more presence… you want
them to hit the visitor in the eye and rivet their
attention.

But be sparing… don't get too fancy. You don't want to
come off as an amateur.

Learn the "3 Surefire Ways to make Money Online"

http://homebasedbusinessontheweb.com/cap/

Jim Keayes is an expert Internet Marketer. He teaches people
to be successful online.