There’s a dark cloud looming on the horizon. It’s gathering in energy and getting bigger as we speak. It’s as destructive as a tornado and just as indiscriminate. What I’m talking about is the next G-Slap; be ready for big changes from the monster of search engines around the first of the year. They’ve already been tinkering with the algorithms and are definitely trending away from current PR and content rich based results. Early next year, though you may have noticed it already if you’re sharp enough, the big G will display rankings based on the intent of the searcher. This means that your content will be less relevant if you’re not:

1. Geo-targeting (G is doing this already based on users IP whether the user is signed in or not)
2. Relevance - generically speaking, if a room full of searchers were to type java into the query box, some would be looking for software, some would be looking for drinks and yet others would be looking for travel sites.
3. Using video on your site
4. Preparing for the changes NOW.

Getting prepared for the next ominous  G-slap is an adventure in speculation. One line of thought says that if you concentrate your marketing on single keywords you may want to offer content for the other possible synonymous uses of your keywords. It means a shift in methodology, but for the studious and adaptive marketers out there that can make the necessary changes and move ahead of the trend it can be the difference between having top ranking for you kw’s today and being off the chart completely overnight or keeping your top listings by adapting and overcoming. The proliferation of “scraper sites” and “spam sites” that steal the top rankings by virtually scraping the content from its competitors and republishing it, most times without proper credit to the original authors, has prompted the change. They have managed to skew the results based on current trends at G and the other major search engines. When you think about it, this change will mean even more success for the marketer that is savvy enough to ride the wave. It’s kind of like the analogy for marketing to baby-boomers; the bowling ball in the garden hose. Baby-boomers make up the vast majority of the demographic of buyers that Internet Marketers target. When those boomers pick up on a new trend it’s like a bowling ball in a garden hose, thus the .com millionaire boom of the 90’s. Get in at the upswing of the trend and you’ll ride a very profitable and somewhat predictable course. Transfer that thought over to this looming change and you can see how the change SHOULD actually bring even MORE targeted traffic, intent on BUYING your products. Wouldn’t you rather have the searcher that was looking for your new java software product be the first at your site? This change will ultimately alter the way that Internet Marketers promote products. The question is whether or not we should do anything at all. This new way of presenting search results only make a difference by weeding out those less targeted results for a particular searcher based on their search and usage histories. I think it will be a win/win/win situation.

If you have a growing business there comes a time when you need to outsource tasks in order to maintain growth. In fact, there are some activities which necessitate being outsourced because you may not have the skills required. What we’re trying to figure out is when to begin outsourcing. If you begin outsourcing at the wrong time, it could hinder your growth and cause more problems. A lot of people make the mistake of waiting too long to outsource. By waiting too long to outsource, you could lose the motivation to work on your business. If you have to do everything yourself, it gets pretty easy to become bored and complacent. If you find yourself doing the same activities over and over again then you must figure a way to systematize your activities and then hand it over to a qualified freelancer. By creating a system to optimize your work flow, you will reduce your outsourcing costs. An optimized method of doing things will speed up the production of your outsourced project. If you’re paying by the hour for a virtual assistant you could greatly reduce your costs. Something else to consider before you outsource is your profit margin and the value of your time. While outsourcing can cut into your profits, it can greatly increase your productivity, allowing you to scale your business. Let’s say that you can consistently make a profit of $200 while working on an activity for 4 hours. Let’s say that number is an average profit for 4 hours of work. When calculated, you’re making $50 an hour. If you can pay someone to duplicate your process for under $50 an hour then you’re making a profit. Of course, when you’re first teaching your process to someone it will take them some time to learn at first. Once they learn the process, they can complete it faster and increase your profit margin. Let’s recap what we’ve discussed thus far. Before you begin outsourcing, you should optimize your work flow by creating a system that is able to be duplicated by someone who has little to no knowledge of your system. You should also write down the amount you make per hour doing things yourself. This way you know how much to pay freelancers to take over your work. By outsourcing at the right time, you will substantially increase your volume of work and not lose motivation in your business. Gary Huynh has been working full time for over 4 years as an information publisher. Read his unconventional and controversial blog about making money from home & set yourself up for life: http://www.sixfiguremarketer.com/affiliateblog Make Six Figures Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Huynh

Bringing the Internet to the Neighborhood

What can an intenet marketer do to secure some business right in their own home town? There has been a real surge in excitement and attention paid to bringing Internet Marketing strategies to brick and mortar buisinesses. Local businesses can and do dominate the search listings for their products and services when an effort is made to make that happen. 

Localizing SEO

Marketing SEO to Local Businesses Leading the way in their ability to capture, process and close more sales, the savvy business owner uses Web 2.0 and SEO to obtain more customers at the earliest possible opportunity. With rapid rewards leading to greater profits, it doesn’t take long for the average business owner to see the leverage in having website and SEO services done sooner rather than later. Gathering Leads Locally Many times I am asked if I have a preference for the type of businesses that I work with. While I am able to help out the start-up company, my preference is to work alongside existing businesses. Pre-established business owners tend to have a better scope of what it takes to flourish. Even if they have managed to survive without an Internet presence, they quickly realize that by adding a well thought out and executed Internet Marketing Plan, they will be able to add prospects, customers, clients and most importantly PROFIT to their business. How Much Will it Cost? The part of this business that prevents it from ever becoming boring is the fact that each and every job, each and every design or project is always something new. When it comes to your local business merchants, it is difficult to fit them all into one template or business model. With that said, costs can vary dependent upon the needs and desires of the client.

These are considerations when pricing a project: Starting Costs:

Although I enjoy this work, I’m not in it for charity, I’m in it for a business. Clients should expect to pay between 1/3 and 1/2 of the estimated contract price up front. If this is an issue, you don’t need the business. I use the position that in my initial meeting to discuss a project, I’m going to see if I want the job, not if I can get the job. Ongoing Fees:

Many larger projects can take months to complete. When this is the case, a monthly fee is appropriate and to be expected. Measurable results should be taking place during this time. Maintenance vs. Residual Commission:

This is where the real sustainable income is generated. At some point after the project is completed you have really moved from a role of designer/facilitator to one of consultant and/or “business-partner”, sine you now have a vested interest in the continued success of that business. Be sure to discuss in the pre-contract stages whether your work afterward will be on a monthly maintenence fee schedule or if you’ll work for a commission, based on the percentage of growth accountable to your work. Guaranteed Satisfaction is Paramount As I mentioned earlier, I don’t go to see if I can get a job. I go to see if I want the job. With that said, I will continue to design and optimize a site for a client until he has at least earned back his intial investment. The best way to grow our own business is to ensure that our customers and clients are always happy with the work that we do for them. Make it easy for your clients to give you referals. The bottom line is that my work is 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED !!!