I visited your site http://www.__________.com and like what you have put together. I have a related website and  would like to know if you would consider exchanging links? If so, please consider listing us here: http://www.___________.com/links.html Our text link details are:

Title:
Description:
URL: http://www.__________.com/

Please let us know where our link is located on your site and send me your information if you would like a link in return.

Thanks,
Your Name
Website
Address, City, Zip

Alias Addresses
An alias address allows you to have alternative email addresses automatically forward to your main mailbox. For example, if your email address is sarah@domain.com you could have sara@domain.com as an alias in case of a spelling error.

Applet
An applet is an embedded program on a web site. Applets are often written in the coding language known as Java. They are usually used for creating a virtual object which may move or interact with the web site. An applet is like a small piece of executable code that needs a full application to operate it.

Auto Responder
An auto responder is a user defined message that will automatically be sent in reply to any incoming email. For example, this is useful if someone is away on holidays and would like others to know their return date.

Backbone
A high-speed line or series of connections that completes a major pathway inside a network. The term is relative as a backbone in a small network will likely be much smaller than many non-backbone lines in a large network. In general, the better the backbone of the hosting company, the higher the availability of the web sites that operate on their computers.

cPanel
is a Unix based web hosting control panel that supplies a graphical interface and automation tools designed to simplify the process of hosting a web site. cPanel makes use of a 3 tier framework which offers functionality for administrators, resellers, and end-user website managers to control the different aspects of website and server administration via a standard web browser.

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
Used to add additional functionality to simple HTML pages. Internet Explorer version 3. and up support a good portion of CSS, while Netscape 4. and up supports a small amount of CSS – a fully compliant browser does not exist yet.

Database A database is a collection of information that can be queried to find certain results. An example of a database would be a searchable phone number directory.

DNS
Domain Name Server. A service which translates domain names to IP addresses and vice versa. This allows for any domain name you register to point to your website.

Domain Name
A unique name that identifies an Internet address.

Fantastico
Fantastico is a commercial script library that automates the installation of web applications to a website.

FTP
File Transfer Protocol. A way of transferring files over the Internet from one computer to another. An example of this would be uploading your website onto the web server; you would do so by using FTP. We use Filezilla to mange this process and it is a FREE program.

IP Address
An IP address is a unique number given to a computer when it is on the Internet. This allows any other computer to communicate with it in order to view web pages and send email.

Perl
A robust programming language used for creating web applications.

PHP
PHP is a popular web application programming language which is used on thousands of sites.

Python
Another web application programming language.

Server Space
Server space is how much room you have for files and email on the server.

Spam Filtration
A spam filter allows you to block junk mail from your inbox. You can block email based on keywords, email addresses, names and more.

SQL
Structured Query Language. A language used to insert, modify or retrieve information from a database.

SSL
Secure Socket Layers. A technology used on the Internet to secure web pages and transactions by means of encryption. For example, this would be useful for protecting sensitive data during online banking.

Sub Domain
A sub domain allows you to have a prefix on your current domain name. An example of this would be members.domain.com for an easy-to-remember address.

Traffic Allotment
Traffic allotment is the amount of file transfer you are able to use per month. Every time someone views a page on your site they are using traffic to do so.

Virus Scanner
An application to scan files for any virus they might contain. If a virus is found the file can be deleted or contained for further evaluation.

WebMail
WebMail allows you to access your email account from any computer in the world. It is basically a web-based version of an email application that allows you to read, reply, forward and create email all via a web browser.

Website Statistics
Statistics can provide you with a wealth of information about the traffic and people that visit your site. You can see how many visits you get each day, which search terms they are using to find your site, which sites are linking to you, and much more.

Here is a link to the WP Minify Plugin

If you are trying to generate a revenue stream with your website and you do not have your own products you can sell others by using an affiliate program like CLICKBANK. If you are thinking about selling a product or if you have an e-book your want to promote… CLICKBANK is a good choice. It has a history in the marketplace and when investing your time into building a successful online business you want to partner with a vendor that plans to be around for the long term.

Now that you have selected your product to market you should consider using a statistical program to track results and performance. Here is a great tool to help you follow statistics generated by your link. As much as some of us hate tracking or reporting, to be successful, it is critical that an affiliate marketer glean results from their links to determine effectiveness.  http://bit.ly/

Looking for a list of article databases to submit to? Some we use:

1. Ezine Articles
2. Articles Base
3. GoArticles
4. Article Dashboard
5. BusinessKnowHow
6. SearchWarp
7. Article Alley
8. Buzzle
9. iSnare
10. Idea Marketers
11. Promotion Data
12. Article City
13. Article Set
14. Article Snatch

Some other Web 2.0 sites you can add content to are Squidoo, HubPages and Google Knols.

Joyce runs Sentias Software Corp., a Vancouver firm specializing in Internet applications for the tourism and retail sectors. Galley has helped numerous clients with e-marketing projects.

They both stress the importance of being well prepared before meeting with prospective website developers.

You should start the process by asking yourself some important questions. What do you intend to do with your website and why? Do you want to generate sales leads, sell products online or handle bookings? Do you expect to generate a measurable return on investment from your website? What is your budget?

Look at other websites and decide what you like in terms of look and feel so that you have an idea of what you want.

Joyce also recommends developing a web plan. “It keeps you focused and serves as a blueprint for your project,” he says.

Your plan should lead you to ask a developer the following questions.

1. How much do you know about my business and the industry I’m in?
Familiarity with your business and industry makes a difference. “If you are in the heavy manufacturing business and the developer has only worked for non-profits, for instance,” says Galley, “they may not be the right fit for you.”

2. Do you have the right technical, business and creative mix for my company?
Choose a developer you are comfortable with. Do you prefer a team that has been around for a long period of time and has a traditional approach, or a young team with more creative flair?

3. How many repeat or long-term clients do you have?
This can be an indication that the developer nurtures client relationships and follows up with maintenance and upgrades. “A lack of repeat business can be a sign that something went wrong on previous projects,” Galley says. “Get referrals,” adds Joyce.

4. How many other projects are you currently working on?
A small shop with lots of work on the go might not be able to give you the attention you need to complete the project in a timely fashion. Make sure the firm you choose has the resources available to complete your site on time.

5. How will the project unfold?
Find out what the major milestones are and when you should expect them to be completed. “These should include creative options, site structure and page layouts, and then a test run,” Galley says. She and Joyce agree that six to eight weeks is a reasonable timeframe in which to produce a website.

6. What happens after completion of the website?
Joyce points out that maintaining and updating a website is crucial to its success. “You wouldn’t leave the same display in a storefront all year long,” he says. “A website is no different. You need to keep the content fresh. This also helps with search engine optimization. You should plan for ongoing maintenance, adding new photos and keeping product information updated.”

Find out whether the developer will turn the site over to you so you can do the updating, or whether you will have to go through them.

Check to see whether the developer provides monthly reports regarding traffic to your website.

7. What is the payment structure, including ongoing and future costs?
Payment structures vary from developer to developer. If you meet with several, make sure you are aware of how each one works and where the money is going. What percentage is being spent on programming? How much on creative work? And so on.

8. What options are included?
Much like buying a car, points out Galley, you can select the “fully loaded” website or the basic one. If you can’t afford all the options, determine which are essential and which you can add later. Maybe a shopping cart is essential, but you don’t need to add social networking feeds right away.

9. How much of the project will be outsourced?
How much is the developer doing and how much is being subcontracted? “For example, find out who is hosting your website,” says Galley. “If it is being contracted out, make sure you have the passwords and access codes.”

10. What are my responsibilities as a client?
The developer will most likely expect you to provide photos, logos and content. “If you are selling a product online, you need photos,” says Joyce. “The web is a visual medium and your photos need to be compelling.” Clients also need to develop content, such as product descriptions and pricing.

“There are rules for writing web copy that differ from print copy,” explains Galley. “It’s worthwhile hiring a writer with web expertise to help you.”

Stay in close touch with the developer. Assign a person within your organization to be the main contact. “This should be someone who can make decisions or who is close to the decision-makers and can respond quickly,” Joyce notes. “This will help to keep things moving.”

Credit:  BDC

To build a successful following one needs to offer your readers valuable content, solve problems, build trust and in the end hopefully a relationship. Trust is the biggest factor when it comes to any online transactions. Offer up plenty of free items to entice your readers to join your e-mail list, protect their privacy and only transmit offerings when you have something valuable to share. It is then and only then will you begin to build a profitable client base….many online marketers send you every lame offer because this is how they make their money. Peddling affiliate programs is their bread and butter so they are not putting the customer first they are thinking profit. BIG mistake and this is troublesome . When I see the quality of offerings stoop to this level I quite often opt out of their listing and they lose creditibility in the marketplace.

To manage your opt-in mail marketing list you can use several free software services such as Gammadyne Mailer or Your Mailing List Provider. Once you grow your list you will want to move to a provider like AWeber …they do offer a free test drive to see if their service meets your requirements.

First, let me say Google Analytics is one of the best website statistical programs in the market, it is free and a definite must for all webmasters. Having said that, we are going to pick on one statistic provided which we believe has no apparent value. At the very least, we feel has some weak points. The Bounce Rate statistic. Now the number of unique visitors and the demographics, how they found our site, etc are all excellent. Cannot say the same for the bounce rate…

Your Website Bounce Rate

The apparent formula used to calculate bounce rate is: Bounce Rate = Total Number of Visits Viewing One Page ÷ Total Number of Visits

The Bounce Rate for a single page is the number of visitors who enter the site at a page and leave within the specified timeout period without viewing another page, divided by the total number of visitors who entered the site at that page. In contrast, the Bounce Rate for a web site is the number of web site visitors who visit only a single page of a web site per session divided by the total number of web site visits.

I believe this statistic might receive too much attention or is a little overblown…what if the reader discovers what they are seeking on the first page they land on, soak up their information and move on completely satisfied. I would think this is a 100% fill rate or a 100% satisfied viewer. How is this then factored into the above formula?

As with any statistics programs, there are pros and cons. Google has the engineers on staff to put forward the best possible product and this is one area we feel needs to go back to the drawing board.

Would like to hear what others think about this topic and if they can provide some feedback on bounce rates.

SAMPLE LETTER

Date

Company Name
Address
City, State, Zip

Attention: [Relevant Contact Person]

Dear [Buyer Name],

Would [Company Name] group be interested in the domain name [Domain Name you are trying to Market]?

Our development plans for –[domain name]– site have changed and we have opted instead to sell the domain and hope your company would be interested.  (Note: If you can find competitors that own or use similar names now would be a good time to mention it. Idea is to plant a seed or put forward a concept they may not be aware of).

Thank you and we apologize for the inconvenience if this is not of interest.  If this should be directed to another individual could you kindly advise the correct contact person.

Best regards,

Your Name
Phone Number
List or link to the Domain for Sale

Determining an Asking Price for your Domain Name

Now that you have your approach letter ready you should do some homework to determine the fair market value (FMV) or present market value (PMV) of your asset. Some would argue this should be step one.

How to determine an asking price for your domain:

As mentioned, in previous posts, the true PMV depends on your niche and what someone else is willing to pay for it. If you register a domain name for under $10.00 and receive an offer of $500.00 for it, sell it and move on. What business model are you aware of that generates that kind of a profit margin with no downside or risk?

There are strategies you can use to avoid common pitfalls and hone your decision-making skills. Making better, faster decisions will help you take advantage of business opportunities and avoid disappointments.

1. Reframe the problem
Backing up is sometimes the best way to move forward. When you are presented with a problem, step back, digest it and think about its full context. Try to see the issue from as many perspectives as possible. That will help ensure you are not emphasizing one aspect and neglecting others.

Begin by trying to think of at least 3 different ways of looking at the problem.

2. Make evidence-based decisions
The aim of evidence-based management (EBM) is to use scientific evidence when making decisions, rather than simply trusting one’s instincts. Like most people, you probably tend to use your judgment and to base your decisions on what is familiar. But experiences that you have had at other companies or in different circumstances may not apply to the present situation.

There are simple steps you can take to incorporate evidence into your decision making.

* Use performance data to support your decisions. Get the most current and complete data possible. Use search engines, keyword tools, your analytics, website statistics.
* Challenge your gut feelings. Is there any objective evidence to support them?
* When a course of action is suggested, find out what it’s based on and whether it’s supported by data.
* Determine whether commonly used business strategies have worked in a situation like yours. Will they apply to your particular case?
* Check that the business data you come across are current and objective.

3. Challenge the status quo
People tend to choose the status quo over change, to stay in their comfort zone. But being comfortable with an approach may not be enough to justify it. Question whether you would choose a course of action if you weren’t already following it. Examine your options as realistically as possible. Don’t overstate the cost or the effort involved in making a change.

For example, if you were starting over, would you use the same marketing tactics to attract customers? Would you attend the same trade shows? Would you pay for links, use PPC advertising or a mix? Don’t forget to find supporting data that will help you review your choices objectively.

4. Get an outside perspective…but trust yourself
Make it a habit to ask others for information and opinions. Visit forums and create relationships with other domainers or website managers. Be open-minded. Get a wide range of views, so you can see an issue from as many perspectives as possible.

Employee opinions count
Find ways to encourage information sharing in your company. Be open to plain talk and foster an atmosphere where people can be direct, even when the truth is unpleasant. Using performance evaluations is one way to encourage these values.

Deal with problems
If you want to consult others about a problem, be sure to consider it carefully from as many angles as possible before talking to them. That way, you will avoid being limited by their interpretations and ideas. Frame the problem in as many ways as you can, and then seek out others to see whether they can add to your understanding of the issue.

5. Develop an eye for risk
It’s possible to train yourself to look for all types of risks. Whenever you make a decision, ask yourself: If I make the wrong decision, how will I know it?

For example, if you are considering changing your hosting company to cut costs, think about how you would determine that you’d made the wrong decision.

* Your technical group would report more complaints about site access or uptime.
* You wouldn’t see cost savings at the end of the quarter.
* Administration staff would complain of poor service from the new host.
* The hosting company could go out of business, leaving you to find a new agent and issues with moving site again.

This type of exercise can help you see the potential pitfalls of a decision and take steps to avoid them.

Even a generally good plan will have costs and potential problems. Ask for information on how the plan could go wrong. Examine all the evidence, both bad and good. Don’t underestimate the costs and effort required.

6. Let go of past mistakes
People have a tendency to make choices that justify past experiences, even when a previous decision has not worked out as well as they’d planned. We also tend to spend time and money fixing past problems, when it would be more useful to acknowledge the mistake and move on. Re-work can add an additional 25% to the cost of doing business.

Making sound decisions means taking into account the evidence that is available at the time. Sometimes the context changes and that decision is no longer valid. Recognize that you made the best decision possible under the circumstances, and then review the situation to see whether a different decision is now called for.

In your company, take time to recognize employees who make good decisions based on sound evidence. Don’t focus exclusively on outcomes, as that approach can encourage employees to perpetuate mistakes by continuing to try to fix them.

7. Be honest with yourself
Before gathering evidence to make a decision, take time to review your own motivations. Is your mind already made up? Are you really gathering evidence objectively, or are you simply looking to confirm an existing idea?

Being aware of your own motivations can help you remain objective and focus on finding the best possible solution for your business.

Be decisive
Briskly proceed through the 7 previous steps and then make a decision.

Article Credit: http://www.bdc.ca/en/my_project/Projects/articles/7tips.htm

Your options are to seek and destroy the dude that registered the name, buy it from them or come up with an alternative domain name or another handle that will work specifically in your niche.  If you opt to approach the registered owner you can usually find out their coordinates by using a “whois”  program where you can gather an e-mail and establish contact. Another approach would be to use a broker or middle man who will handle the approach and negotiation for you. This option works if you wish to remain anonymous, however, by using a broker it may trigger the seller that they are dealing with a big wheel and the unit cost will likely be inflated when the offer is presented.

The most economical option is to find another domain name which will work for you. This can be a challenge as most of the good names or virtual real estate has already been registered. If you are on a budget and want to simply find a name you can register here is a tool I use on occasion:

http://makewords.com/

Once on the site enter a keyword … for example if you select “water” and change the min to 6 and max to 18 you will be provided with some potential domain names which may work for you.  Play around with the options as you can also use the Prefix and Suffix fields to generate further options… good luck with your search.

Back Links

Backlinks or “back links” are links other webmasters provide you from their websites to your website, thus the word back. In our last article post we provided a template to help you solicit a back link or a link exchange with other sites. In this post we hope to provide you some background information on how to figure out how many are directed to your site.

Checking backlinks using Google Search

The old standard way is to type link:yoursite.com into the Google search field, however for more reliable results, type the following command:

yoursite.com -site:www.yoursite.com -site:yoursite.com
(Remember to replace “yoursite.com” with your actual domain name … D’OH!.)

The results will also identify sites that mention your site but may not necessarily link to it so do not get to excited on the # of results. Caveat: Google never discloses all so it likely is not 100% accurate but is reflective.

Checking backlinks using Yahoo Search

Into the search box add:

link:http://www.yoursite.com -site:www.yoursite.com

This search excludes internal links. Here’s a refinement. For more results, try this search:
linkdomain:www.yoursite.com -site:www.yoursite.com -site:yoursite.com

The above search includes links to ALL pages on your site, not just the main page.

How to determine backlinks to an individual page

Yahoo: link:http://www.yoursite.com/page
MSN: link:yoursite.com/page
Google: yoursite.com/page.html -site:yoursite.com

Checking backlinks using MSN Search

link:yoursite.com OR
link:yoursite.com -site:yoursite.com or linkdomain:yoursite.com
which shows pages that link to ALL pages on your site.

Here is a link to our other post which will provide you a sample link exchange letter. You may also find this link building post informative.  We will save Track Backs for another day….until then Happy Domaining!

Go to www.keyworddiscovery.com/search.html. This is just one of many websites you can use to see how many people are searching for your chosen topic each month. Simply type in your key word on the left, enter the security code given and click “search”. The number of people searching for your key word each month will appear in the results.

Other similar tools are WordTracker and Google has one as well. Links to all these handy tools can be found in our “BlogRoll” section, which is in the left sidebar or column of our website.

These tools are a great way to find out the potential of the internet market you are considering entering into…

Here is a sample template letter you can use to direct such link exchange inquiries:

Dear Link Manager: 

My name is __________ and I am the link database manager for yourdomain[dot]com. I am writing to let you know I have added a link to www. ____(list their domain name here)___.com on my site. In order to make this link a permanent addition to my website, I would like to request that you add a reciprocal link back to my site on a page cached by Google. My linking information is as follows:

URL: http://www.yourdomain[dot]com/
Anchor: Text you want used ****1
Description: Description

Your link is listed as:

Title: Exchange Link Partner Website Title
URL: www. their website URL.com
Description: Description from their website  ****2

This is a 1 to 1 exchange, so your link will continue to reside at the following location:

www.your link page [dot].com/

If you feel that any of the verbiage needs adjustment just let me know and I will make the changes right away.

Please get in touch with me as soon as you have posted my site details on a links page that is cached by Google. The process I have developed for adding/maintaining links is highly automated and the database will remove your link in two weeks unless I specify the location where my reciprocal link can be found. Once I have verified that a reciprocal link is in place, I will designate your site as a permanent addition to my link library where it will remain until you tell me to remove it.

Thank you very much for your time. I look forward to hearing from you!

Your Name
SEO Manager
www._________.com

Footnotes:

****1 - for a detailed explanation please see our previous article on link building and ****2 – you can get Meta information by right clicking your mouse on the home page of their website, selecting view page source.  You can find all sorts of useful information here

]]> http://www.domainprotege.com/links-building/link-exchange-request-letter.html/feed 2 http://www.domainprotege.com/domains-parked/elephant-traffic-releases-online-interface-for-direct-navigation-traffic-%e2%80%93-looking-for-more-premium-domain-names.html http://www.domainprotege.com/domains-parked/elephant-traffic-releases-online-interface-for-direct-navigation-traffic-%e2%80%93-looking-for-more-premium-domain-names.html#comments Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:22:20 +0000 admin http://www.domainprotege.com/general-domain-catch-all/elephant-traffic-releases-online-interface-for-direct-navigation-traffic-%e2%80%93-looking-for-more-premium-domain-names.html Elephant Traffic has launched its new online service for direct navigation advertising – offering domainers a risk-free monetization method for high quality, high traffic generic domain names.

The Elephant Traffic service allows domainers to use their traffic for direct navigation advertising, offering the traffic from the domain names to advertisers on a cost-per-visitor basis and re-routing visitors to the advertiser’s site of preference.

The company currently uses thousands of domain names including Ads.com, Fly.com, Paint.com, Laptops.com, Desktops.com, AutoInsurance.com, ArcadeGames.com, Flight.com, and InteriorDesign.com.

“One of the most surprising things about internet use is that 14% of online searches are done by using direct navigation,” said Wei-Hai Chu, CEO of Elephant Traffic. “Elephant Traffic gives advertisers the ability to capture this highly targeted traffic quickly and easily using a streamlined interface.”

The only problem facing Elephant Traffic at this moment, however, is the need for more domains.

“Our launch in London this week definitely was successful, with hundreds of advertisers putting in requests for traffic,” said Daniel Goris, the Commercial Director of Elephant Traffic, to DNN. “Now we call on the domaining industry to supply us with the traffic we need. Travel, finance and gambling traffic are especially sought after, but in general any product or service related traffic is welcomed by us with good premiums paid on top of your parking revenues.”

Elephant Traffic sells traffic to advertisers based on a pay-per-visitor auction model, meaning every visitor may be sold for a different price and that it will always be the highest price possible. The minimum price is typically set at 25% more than the current RPM* and any unsold traffic is directed back to the parking account of the domainer.

According to Goris, domainers will see a revenue share between 60-85% of what the advertiser pays and will be able to monitor revenue and domain settings in real-time.

Interested domainers can email Elephant Traffic at domainer@elephant-traffic.com including the generic domains with current RPM and number of unique visitors per month.

Note: To a certain extent, Elephant Traffic will need DNS control over the domains.

[via Elephant Traffic]

*Revenue per thousand visitors.

(c) 2009 DomainNameNews.com