SEM Rush: Tools You Can't Do Without

Many of you know that I've written a couple of Internet marketing books (SEO Made Simple & PPC Made Simple) and spend a good deal of my time online. That said I'm always looking for helpful tools and resources to improve the effectiveness of my online marketing.

It's a bit embarrassing, but I've been spending so much time on Search Engine Optimization (check out my latest SEO project at SEO Experts: The SEO Provider Directory) that I've been away from PPC for far too long.  I recently logged into my Google AdWords account to find a new interface and new "rules" around PPC marketing.  Yikes!  I hate it when Google goes off and changes stuff - on a monthly basis.



Anyway, I started talking with some Internet marketing colleagues at a recent conference and learned about SEMrush.  I used this tool a number of years ago and just started using again.  The reason I bring it up is because it reminds me just how important it is to have the right tools for marketing online.

SEMRush is a tool for Google organic search and AdWords competitor keyword research.  Essentially, the tool is a huge database that analyzes the first 20 Google results for about eighty to a hundred keywords across more than 40 million domains.



The reason I started using SEMRush again is because you can get information on the keywords your competitors are using as well as:

• -Google keywords for any site


• -AdWords keywords for any site


• -A list of your competitor's organic keywords and and AdWordskeywords


• -A copy of Adwords Ads texts   

At the end of the day, the benefit of using a tool like SEMRush is that you can find hidden profitable keywords that your competitors are using.  This is helpful when you're entering a new niche or expanding your list of keywords.  The benefit of using a database like this is getting access to helpful information you otherwise would never get access to - helping you generate profitable campaigns more quickly and efficiently.



I can encourage you to learn more about SEMrush and other online advertising research tools like SpyFu or Compete.  Leave a comment on the tools you use for your online AdWords marketing!

For more free marketing advice, visit the marketing experts at http://www.MarketingScoop.com.

I'm Fed Up With Get Rich Quick Schemes

As an Internet marketer, I'm always looking for new ways to create value and bring meaningful products to market. From time to time, I'll learn about a new product by receiving emails from potential partners or hearing about the latest from individuals in my circle of influence. Unfortunately, there are a lot of products out there right now that are nothing but "get rich quick" schemes.

Nothing pisses me off more than seeing these "get rich quick schemes" and there are tons of them currently being promoted online.

Just go to ClickBank or PayDotCom and you'll find dozens of these so called affiliate products that oversell themselves and are filled with empty promises. Of course they sound good and even provide evidence of success. However, I can be the first to tell you that many of them don't work for the masses. Rather, the only people making money from these promotional products are the promoters.

I only share products or promote products that I've personally used and personally been successful with. In today's world that's something called honesty and I feel its really lacking in some areas of online marketing. Don't get me wrong, not all online marketers are bad. I have a number of good friends who make a living selling other people's products - but they're honest.

Sorry for the rant but I'm old-school and am a bit fed up with marketers pushing these get rich quick schemes. How do you know if a particular offer is no good? Unfortunately the only thing you have to go on is common sense.

If the product says that you're going to get rich on autopilot, think again. The fact is that no product generates revenues on 100% autopilot. If there is one, and it actually works, I'd love to know about it. I've been marketing online for more than a decade and have yet to find one. If you honestly think you're going to get access to a real product like this through some random email, than go for it.

I'd like to extend the following offer for anyone who has an affiliate product that actually works and delivers what it promises. Show me how effective your product is and I'll write a post on it - no strings attached!

For more free marketing advice, visit the marketing experts at http://www.MarketingScoop.com.

Creating Value Online

Recently I was taking a look through all of the article submissions that one of my websites receives on a monthly basis to determine if there was any new, value-added content, we could publish. What I found was really no surprise. Of the ten or so submissions I reviewed, not a single one was unique. This got me thinking...

One of the reasons why so many people never get ahead with online marketing is because they don't know how to tip the scales for creating value online. Said another way, they're always looking for shortcuts. I can tell you that after more than ten years doing business online, you only get out, what you put into it.

Looking back at my example in the first paragraph, if someone wanted a link on the particular site I was referencing, or simply wanted their content published, they would only need to provide something of value. This would require that they research my site, think about the audience, and submit original content. Would it have taken more time? Definitely. Would they have achieved their desired result? Absolutely. Creating value online comes down to providing value.

The reason why you should always be thinking about the value equation is because-the more you give the more you get. If you provide the readers of your blog or visitors to your website with unique, engaging content, tools, resources, etc., they will pay you back with return visits and tell others about your site (either word of mouth or via social media).

The next time you're creating content or thinking about your next outreach campaign, consider the different ways you can add value. A good way to provide value is to offer potential customers something for free. This may include a free trial or sample. This type of promotion starts your prospect moving through the purchase funnel and shows how you can get ahead by creating value.

Focus your marketing on "value" and you will quickly see how to get more prospects interested in what you have to offer. Keep your eyes open and see how successful companies are creating value for their prospects first.  The result is that potential customers become engaged and eventually consider your product or service for purchase.

For more free marketing advice, visit the marketing experts at http://www.MarketingScoop.com.

My Latest Marketing Discovery. Be the Mall.

A number of months ago I was consulting for a company that had a number of search engine optimization related needs.  With an extremely negative online reputation, this company needed help managing their top ten search results.  In not time at all, we had their search results filled with home grown micro-sites, blogs, and other digital assets.  Even though the reputation was now "clean" the company said, "we can't see any difference in our revenues" and discontinued our arrangement.

The reality is that they company was not very effective at measuring results and couldn't measure the effectiveness of our transformation.  And that got me thinking.  Even if my company were to do all the right things... set expectations, deliver results, and drive revenue for our clients, they could still decide to break off the engagement.  That's not a great position to be in.  So it hit me.  Instead of being the store, I wanted to be the mall.  

The Benefits of a Mall



When you're offering services, it's all on you.  And there's nothing preventing customers from bringing in a return or saying they're unhappy with a product or service you've already provided.  However, when you're the shopping mall, stores are paying you for space and you're no longer in the business of dealing with customers directly.  Of course this doesn't completely free you of all responsibility.  In fact, you want businesses to be successful so they can keep paying your rent.  But if one business fails there's usually another one to take its place.



This is where my recent thinking has brought me.  I decided to convert my latest consulting endeavor, UpwardSEO: SEO Experts, and transform it from a site where users could contract with my business for consulting opportunities, into a marketplace for SEO providers and companies looking for search engine optimization services to come together.  By so doing, I've become the mall and no longer have the challenges associated with the traditional consulting relationship.



The Changing Landscape



Don't get me wrong.  I know that owning the mall has other "issues" and I'm not free of providing value or supporting customers.  However, what I can say is that I won't go through hundreds of hours of consulting for someone to say, "I don't think it's working" or "I'm not sure if we're seeing results from number one rankings."  





Maybe I'm just easily frustrated by whimsical customers or individuals who are not as effective as they should be at managing their online assets.  Regardless, I think there's something to supporting multiple vendors and providing value in the form of an audience that needs their services.



How about you?  Would you rather be the store of the shopping mall?

For more free marketing advice, visit the marketing experts at http://www.MarketingScoop.com.