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Two main keyword density concerns answered. From here … you be the judge.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, keyword density is a combination of the number of times a keyword or keyword phrase appears on a web page, in quantity with other words. The more times the keyword appears in on the web page, the greater the overall keyword density (more of the same keyword or keyword phrase concentrated within one page).Arguably keyword density may increase your rank in search engines, while others are concerned with penalties for keyword stuffing. Some say that different search engines have separate standards for the amount of times you can use your keyword on your site without summoning a penalty.

So what is it you can get away with and what will you get slapped on the hand for?

I think with everything Internet marketing you should do your homework before experimenting with something new. However after some pretty extensive research I think I may be able to clear up some of the most common questions, and then I’ll leave the final decision up to you.

Let’s start out looking at “too many” keywords.

I feel it’s safe to say that your web page can have roughly unlimited number of keywords provided that the page contains other adequate words to balance those keywords out. Nevertheless, from what I’ve studied, you should focus your keywords to five percent or fewer if you want to avoid Google filters.

More importantly, you should have an easily readable page for your site guests. It makes no sense to create a web page that involves keyword stuffing. Your web page will become uninformative to your visitors, not to mention a poorly written copy is not a good sales or marketing approach.

Now let’s take a look at keyword stuffing and penalization.

Yes, your site can and most likely will be penalized for keyword stuffing (a very exhaustive post of keywords within a web page’s copy, overpowering the rest of the content on the page). Keyword stuffing can surely trigger Google to take a look at your site content.

In recent studies Google seems to be the most thin-skinned to overuse of keywords on a page. The price’s you might pay for keyword stuffing is a downgrade in search results, loss of Google page rank or worse, perhaps being banned.

The best solution is to consider your visitors and what will benefit them from reading your content. If you write for your guest and not just to rank higher up on the first page of a search engine, you will surely be on the safe.

Web 2.0 doesn’t have a hard cold definition – the truth; it means different things to different people. So let’s start out historically for a second.

Web 2.0 doesn’t have a hard cold definition – the truth; it means different things to different people. So let’s start out historically for a second.

Tim O’Reilly, the founder and CEO of O’Reilly Media, Inc., thought by many to be the best computer book publisher in the world, and an activist for open standards, wrote in a October 2005 article, “The bursting of the dot-com bubble in the fall of 2001 marked a turning point for the web.  Many people concluded that the web was over hyped, when in fact bubbles and consequent shakeouts (a major change in an organization or system resulting in some streamlining) appear to be a common feature of all technological revolutions.  Shakeouts typically mark the point at which an ascendant technology is ready to take its place at center stage.  The pretenders are given the bum’s rush, the real success stories show their strength, and there begins to be an understanding of what separates one from the other.”

Tim continues, “The concept of ‘Web 2.0’ began with a conference brainstorming session between O’Reilly and MediaLive International.  Dale Dougherty, web pioneer and O’Reilly VP, noted that far from having ‘crashed’, the web was more important than ever, with exciting new applications and sites popping up with surprising regularity.  What’s more, the companies that had survived the collapse seemed to have some things in common.  Could it be that the dot-com collapse marked some kind of turning point for the web, such that a call to action such as ‘Web 2.0’ might make sense?  We agreed that id did, and so the Web 2.0 Conference was born.”

According to O’Reilly and many others, they agree there are eight core Web 2.0 design patterns to evaluate if a site is worthy of the Web 2.0 name.  But keep in mind that each example they have investigated exhibits one or more of the key principles.  So in other words, one site may have six out of eight of the core patterns, or three out of eight, etc. but still is worthy enough to carry the Web 2.0 name.

When people talk about Web 2.0 they may think it is a just about social networking and others look at Web 2.0 from a technological aspect (but according to Scott Prager, an IBM Engineer - He comments that one of the common mistakes people make, is if they use this technology then it’s Web 2.0, be Scott thinks it’s more about what enables rather than what technology it’s built with).  Either way you look at it; there is a set core of characteristics build into a Web 2.0 pattern.  So in other words, it’s just not about social networking or technology – it’s really about that and more.

Technologies important to Web 2.0: Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML), XML and HTML, REST (Representational State Transfer), RSS (Really Simple Syndication), Atom, Tagging, also playing a large role in Web 2.0 companies are, API (least used, but important to know), Perl, Python, PHP, Ruby … etc.

Let’s go over the eight characteristics:

• The Long Tail (first coined by Chris Anderson):  Is a niche strategy used to implement a series of new marketing techniques, such as (Wikipedia source examples):

New Media Marketing: a term to describe the building and managing of social networks and online or virtual communities, and extend the reach of marketing to the low-frequency, low-intensity consumer in a cost effective way.

Buzz Marketing: The strategic use of word of mouth, the transmission of commercial information from person to person in an online or real-world environment.

Viral Marketing: The intentional spreading of marketing messages using social networks, with an emphasis of the casual, non-intentional and low cost.

• Harnessing Collective Intelligence:  Rich “interactive” user experience and Web as a platform rather than once specific aspect.  Essentially what this means is that “users” contributions greatly help build and make the foundation stronger and more popular by adding their content, such as links, comments, forum posts, reviews, rating others, an aggregation of the best work of thousands, then millions of web users (example: YouTube – more comments, more “thumbs-up” the more popularity), and any content contribution really.  Without the end “user” the sites popularity goes down – if there is no interactivity for the end user, it’s not collective “anything.”  So in short – the site grows organically in response to user activity.

• Users Add Value:  The architecture of your software development relies on “public” users to add their own data thus adding more value to your application.   Some examples of this are Joomla and WordPress.

• Network Effects by Default:  Only a small percentage of the public will go to the trouble to add value to your application and as a result, set broad scope of defaults formed by the collection of user data as a side-effect of their use of the application.

• “Some” Rights Reserved:  Expanding the range of creative works accessible for others to legally build upon and share.  The Creative Commons (CC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to just that. The organization has released several copyright licenses known as Creative Commons licenses. These licenses, depending on the one selected, restrict only particular rights (or none) of the work instead of customary copyright, which is more restraining.

• Beta:  Sites like, Frappr, CafePress, Flickr, FeedBurner…etc., don’t package up new features into massive releases, but instead add them on a regular basis as part of the normal user experience.  In other words, if you “package” up new features and connect them to the Internet – they are no longer ongoing services, it’s a one time deal.

• Rich User Experience:  According to O’Reilly’s interpretation, “Cooperate, don’t control.”  He wrote that Web 2.0 applications are built of a network of cooperating data services.  In a more similar explanation, applets (Small programs that run in Web browsers; usually written in Java) initially used as early as 1992, are programs that you write, and put inside your web page.   Examples of a couple of “applets” are a smiley and calculator embedded in a web page.

• Software above One Single Device:  The application should be designed to integrate with hand-held devices, PCs and Internet services – not just the PC.  It becomes more valuable if your application can be used on both he PC and an iPod for example. 

As you can see Web 2.0 isn’t as simple as social networking or just about the technical side.  It’s a broad range of characteristics that build a Web 2.0 site.

At first I thought of Twitter (like many others) as a teenage playground and I wondered what value Twitter offers for those who market online. It’s free and that’s a nice feature, but my time is worth a lot to me, so I wanted to find out what use Twitter’s micro-blogging offered.

Here’s what I found out.

As I was gaining “followers” to my own Twitter page, I didn’t really pay much attention at first tof why that should be important to me. I just let it ride so to speak and worked on other areas of social marketing, not giving Twitter too much of my attention.

As soon as I updated my profile and 140 character posts, the more relevant followers I’d gain. What I mean by “relevant” are that the followers I received were important to my very own site. They have the same interest in mind as I do, and because of that – become members of my site’s community.

I think Twitter completes a basic human need to express one’s self and allows for that spontaneity second by second if need be! Among those expressions on the site, Twitter makes available for group communication and to also cultivate relationships.

Another Web 2.0 characteristic hard at work!

I don’t think of Twitter.com as a teenage playground so much anymore, but as a sophisticated micro-blog to start some pretty solid business relationships if worked on properly.

It’s not a site you want to focus your attention on 100% for gathering potential customers, or building business relationships, as I see many other places you should be spending your time more wisely.

But for Twitter.com they do seem to be attracting many online marketers from all over the globe, who use this free service, and that’s what got me thinking about the question I’m about to ask you.

Before I get to my question for you, let’s look at one of the questions asked to me pertaining to Twitter (keep in mind I’m no Twitter Guru, but I felt this to be a safe enough answer to the question): “How to go about growing your community?”

* Some of the actions you should be practicing while you’re there, is checking out who follows you. If you like their profile and you feel it’s appropriate to your site, follow them back.

* Find other people to follow who share your same interest in mind.

* Post some updates a few times a week and comment back on others in your community.

It’s really about participation. This is the same with BlogCatelog.com and many other social networking sites.

The key factor I’ve found personally is to participate actively. If you do not interact with your community, you’ll gain little to no attention.

You may not find big corporations on Twitter just yet, but there may come a day when they’ll utilize this service just to make sure they aren’t missing the boat on “popular” social marketing.

So here’s a question for you:

Do you think Big Corporations will start using Twitter anytime soon if ever?

I took a recent survey asking my list of subscribers what they’d like to see more about on this site. The 71% vote was cast for “lead generation.”The simple truth is that generating leads on your own can be an easy task. Now it may not be a fast one, but there is nothing here you can’t do. You don’t need to be a Harvard Grad or have tons of Internet experience to get this job done.

So let’s get to some of the basics here. This is going to be a two parter -

First for those who want to generate more network marketer leads to recruit into their downline.

Second for those who wish to generate more leads for their product or services.

Generate more leads for your network marketing business:

I’m going to work on the common scenario you are new or if not, unrecognized by the majority.

1) Become known as an expert. Ask yourself what do you know a lot about. What are you an expert at that you can share with others to help them grow their business?

2) Let’s say you are a pro at closing sales. Let’s work with this example for now.

Now that we have that established, let’s talk “lead generation” shall we?

Your scenario:

You are a great closer. When you get the “right” people on the phone, those who are qualified, you tend to close 4 out of 10.

The problem for you is getting those who are qualified in your pipe-line of leads.

#1 and many may argue this, but the www.aboutmepages.com are dying out fast. Nobody cares about you, your photos, your life, how much money you make, the photos of your sports car … etc.

Don’t get me wrong, they still work - but not for the majority. I’ve split test my about me page against my generic one and for over a month now, I’m getting more hits to my generic page and more importantly a better amount of opt ins - they’re network marketers.

You can tell to some extent with their email addresses, like mybizrocks@yahoo.com.

Ok, so back to basics:

1) Establish your own capture page or go buy one. One free way to create a capture page is with www.weebly.com. You can read a brief article I tossed together for the Web Design category here in this site, click here.

Rather buy your own ready-made system? Cutting Edge Media has my vote. They have a simple system call the CEM Prospector.

Sign up with iContact.com so you have a place your leads can opt into.

2) Start generating those leads! Follow the list –

a. Press releases

b. Articles in ezines

c. Get involved with a strong like-minded community. Magnetic Sponsoring and The Warrior Forum.

d. Classified listings - InetGiant.com is a very good start.

“Getting tired already?”

Remember I said this wasn’t going to be fast! It is a bit time consuming but well worth it.

e. Social networking - Twitter, Ryze, BlogCatalog, LinkedIn, FaceBook … etc. But just pick about two and keep up your participation. Otherwise it’s not worth the trouble.

f. Blogging: Start your own blog and become an expert. Talk about how to close those sales! And then market your blog just the same as you do your capture page.

Rinse, repeat or take away what’s not working the best and try another.

One of the best ways to market your online business is with Video marketing. I know this may be a part you’re not real enthusiastic to jump into. But it’s going to help.

This is the new wave of online marketing folks! So it is something you should consider using.

So what do I write about in ezines, press releases?

What should my classified read?

What about my emails?

You need training if you’re asking these questions. There is nothing wrong with that because most people do. We don’t come into MLM as professional online marketers.

My best advice for you is to join in or become more active in the Magnetic Sponsoring community forum. Or what they call MLM Training Forum.

This community is unlike others. You ask questions and in most cases, you’ll get your answer.

The best thing I can say is don’t start a campaign (email, ezine, press release or whatever) without knowing what you’re talking about.

Another tip is to just go to the press release or ezine sites and look at how others are putting it together.

A couple of popular places to go are with www.ezinearticles.com and www.24-7pressrelease.com.

I NEVER said this would be super fast! But if you dedicate a few hours a day, you’ll start seeing your leads opt in more and more.

If you’re looking to fill your pipe-line fast, then go buy leads. But no matter if you buy or generate your own leads, you still need to know how to work with them and how to talk to them.

Let’s call this part III of this series of posts.

The next step is to “master” generating your network marketer leads. Learn how to handle the emails, replies, and over-the-phone discussions.

One of the best places I can suggest getting some pretty good advice is from Jeffery Combs or Dani Johnson.

See you in Part II - How To Generate Customer Leads!

**WARNING** this isn’t as easy as Part I!

I really found the answer to be pretty simple, but not an answer I would have thought of even 8 months ago. I happen to have the very same question myself at one point, but if you do just what he’s suggesting, it does work - I will say I 100% agree, it works!

This post was inspired by Darren Rowse, the guy behind ProBlogger.com, who answered a question that was asked by one of his readers, how to - “get more relevant readers to your blog/ mailing list??”

I really found the answer to be pretty simple, but not an answer I would have thought of even 8 months ago. I happen to have the very same question myself at one point, but if you do just what he’s suggesting, it does work - I will say I 100% agree, it works!

Basically what Darren is telling his reader, is to hang out in those “hot-spots” that focuses on the subject you are all ears to, or rather the niche you’re in.

So for instance, we all get by now, I’m heavily involved in the MS Community, and the longer I hang out and contribute valuable content the more readers I get coming here - from there.

Same with another community I hang out in from time to time - I get the same results.

But the main point here is these communities are “hot” on the map. They aren’t newly created forums, or ones that only get a few new posts a week. These are “very” active communities and one that I share a huge interest in.

As Darren answers in that post, you should contribute to whatever resources they have open to you. Create content worth printing out and slapping up on that refrigerator, cork-board or binder of goodies and tips.

For Darren’s advice in detail, click here.

If you’re writing skills aren’t real strong, it’s ok. In most cases on forums and blogs, you write as you’d talk anyway. But for those who are serious about captivating their readers attention, I have two suggestions for you that I’ve found priceless.

1) Words That Sell was suggested by my friend Bryan Clark (former owner of OneMansBlog.com). And I really don’t know how I wrote without it. Again, as mentioned in previous posts, you can find it at Barns & Noble or Amazon online.

2) Keep an eye on Ben Settle’s Blog - www.bensettle.com. Sign up for his news list - you won’t be disappointed! While there, check out all of his resources this crazy guy gives out free!

No matter what, have fun out there! Be honest, post value and don’t be afraid to mingle!

The number one key factor that everybody hates is “waiting” to build your credibility online. When will people start to trust me enough? Do I have an adequate amount of valuable content on my site to matter? Is this a waste of time and should I just do it another way?You need to decide whether you even have the passion of writing first. Will you allow yourself the time to build a nice and healthy blog or do you expect results overnight?

Nothing comes fast in life that’s worth keeping or sharing.

A blog is just another way to generate a hale and hearty subscriber list that you should treat like you would a new born child – delicately.

Honesty - Provide the following:

Cold Hard Facts
Explode Myths about Your Niche
Don’t pull punches
Stay ethical
Stay authentic
Be hard-hitting and point-blank

Improve – Provide the following:

Grow to serve your readers better
Put new features to work

Informative – Provide the following:

Share little-known techniques or step-by-step
Share great ideas for your niche
Answer hard questions other haven’t covered yet
Take the guesswork out for your readers
Open up new channels of information others haven’t yet

Become indispensable:

Be the “nerve” center for your niche. Create such a strong desire that your readers constantly want to have their thumb on your pulse.

Expand your knowledge and share with others.

Stay up to date and implement popular Internet characteristics, like Web 2.0. Don’t be drab and stay modern so you don’t bore or get left behind.

All you have to do is sit down and make a list after you have analyzed your market needs. All you should be doing on your blog is offering solutions to what troubles your market.

It’s as simple as that.

This my friends is how to build a relationship with your readers and one that will last.

If you’re looking to build your list of network marketer prospects, and are writing to the network marketer just take it easy on them.

The worst thing you can do is fill your blog up with ads for your business! Again, nobody cares and that’s even if they are looking!

Nobody wants to be sold to and that is a hard cold fact!

Inform, answer questions and provide value and watch your list of subscribers become repeat visitors and then loyal fans!

The only “con” (vs. pro) I’ll mention is when you purchase this, most I’ve talked to “thought” it was an actual ad blasting or bulk post tool for CraigsList. They author of the book, Mark Mattey calls it an “application” or he rather writes in his main promotion page - “Automate your online advertising! This application is great for ANYONE who wants to maximize there time and efficiency on Cragslist.”

It’s just an eBook, but I have to admit, it’s NOT JUST ANY common ebook with crap content. I do give him many kudos for an eBook well written and detailed on the subject. Mark also gives you a few pointers on where to find the software necessary to “blast” out your bulk ads to Craigslist. But that is only the later part of the eBook - it’s first filled with many facts and tricks to implement while posting on Craigslist. Many that I wasn’t even aware of.

It’s funny because now going to Craigslist after reading this eBook, you can tell how many customers Mark has! You can easily spot out who read his book because they are using the same very techniques Mark tells us about.

Click here to view more details

Let me highlight some of the chapters that I found interesting and useful.

* Duplicate Ads 101
* Autoposting Programs Reviewed
* Ghosting (bet you wondered where your post went eh? It says it’s posted, but you can’t find it)!
* XXX XX Images XXXX XXX XXXX XXXXXXX? Hmmmm, wounder what images can do to help?

There are tons of “very easy” steps you can take to make sure you are seen by people and to better promote your business. The cool thing is, it’s only for the cost of this eBook. Craigslist is FREE (well you don’t have to post in paid areas).

I got a lot out of this eBook and would recommend it to anyone. Just know, it’s not software to blast your ads, it’s an ebook filled with some simple techniques you can apply just as soon as you get your mitts on the book!

Click here to view more details

One of the most important steps you can take “before” writing your sales letter (whether that be for an email campaign, capture page sales letter, or direct mail) you need to do your homework so you can make sure you are targeting your right prospects. For most in the MLM field, it’s fairly easy if all you do is recruit others into your business. But that will be in another post …

The goal of your sales letter is to offer a solutions that speak “directly” to your prospects problems and/or challenges. To do this the right way, you need to harness the power of a few things first.

1) Make certain that your message matches the needs of your prospects: Check yourself at the door before you write your letter. Does your offer match the needs of the recipient?

2) Build that trust! Some say that “testimonials” are over-done, but the truth of the matter to keep on the top of your mind, and especially if you’re writing to those who don’t know you all that well, is testimonials do provide an initial trust based relationship offer. Let’s put it his way, by adding “high-profile” endorsements from former or current associates - heck even those you have worked with in the same industry that are recognized and popular, will provide trust. So for this example, your sales letter could read at the top and “after” the short and to the point testimonial, “says, Mike Dillard, a Guru Internet Marketer who trains others to become the hunted instead of the hunter.”

3) Get to the point and don’t give out a bunch of hazy information: It’s important to make your point in the first few lines of the sales letter. If you provide information that is going in circles, or straying off the point, you will risk a high chance of losing your readers interest right off the bat. So make sure to be very clear and concise about what you are saying. You don’t have to speak to your prospect as if they are a 2 year old, but you might want to consider keeping is at a grade-school level. This doesn’t mean your prospects are stupid adults! But studies have shown that the majority of society do read at an 8th grade level. Just avoid BIG words and keep the language simple and easily understood.

4) Its IMPORTANT to sell the “benefits” and NOT what you think the great features are: This goes back to leaving your opinion out of it. Your prospect wants to know how they will benefit from what you are selling. Feature listing is “ok” but only if you list the benefits to the prospect “just” after each feature listing.

5) Stand out and become memorable! Your goal is to end up on the prospects refrigerator! You need to provide some “staying-power” to your letter, so your prospect prints this out and slaps it up for later consideration. Provide 5 tips on lead generation, or whatever your niche is. Make sure those tips are something they can implement right away. Make sure those “tips” are something that are worth trying out because they are proven to get results fast.

6) Stay away from the “form letter” style - it’s NOT for a sales letter! Simply, write like you talk and this will provide a “warm” feeling for your prospects. You will create a genuine appeal to your reader on the other end.

7) White Spaces! Short paragraphs, indents, bullets or numbered lists will give readers a break from gobbled up text. Keep them short and to the point. One of my favorite books has two to three page chapters with short paragraphs. Don’t bore your prospect with too much clutter and big paragraphs. You’ll lose them every time. With that said, also try and keep this within one page.

8 ) The CALL TO ACTION, deadline and incentive: Tell the prospect what to do next and emphasize a real deadline. This will increase the rate of responses. You have created a “limited” time to act and “why” to act now! The “why” should be explained as the benefit they’ll receive for acting. Then provide the way to action with your telephone number, email, or sign up form.

9) The “No Risk” or Guarantee offer: Offer something to the prospect free, like industry tips in form of an article, eBook, or a “how to” tutorial, or even a product sample. Include that guarantee, whether it’s 100% money back, 24/7 customer service support, the follow-up, free delivery or whatever you feel is right for your product and time.

10) Lastly, don’t get stuck trying to “sell” your prospects: I know this feels like a contradiction, but by “pushing” your service or product will only result in a dead sale and maybe lost lead. Develop that long-term relationship with your prospect by “solving” their problems and meet their needs. Again, nobody wants to be “sold” to, they just want a simple solution to their issues and to be the one who makes the decision based on the information you’ve provided to them, to buy or not.