Internet Marketing Do's And Don'ts: The Apprentice Marketer

Introduction

So you want to be an internet marketer?

Then read this public health and safety announcement of dos and donts.

General Advice

DO: Believe the hype.

There are 1000s who make a very comfortable living from internet marketing, its not all scams and fraudsters.

DONT: Expect it to be easy.

Making money online is just like any other business; if you are going to progress then expect to work long and hard.

DO: Join a forum.

The first port of call for any novice marketer should be joining a forum; there are tonnes of excellent ones brimming with experts willing to give you free advice.

DONT: Believe everything you read.

Not everyone is an expert although theyll have you believe otherwise with apparently vast quantities of knowledge. Proceed with caution!

DO: Your research.

Nothing but nothing equates to your own hands on experience, take time to try things out for yourself and learn from your successes and failures.

DONT: Be easily parted from your cash.

Common sense is not that common anymore; if its too good to be true then it normally is. Use your forum to find out if anyone else has tried before you buy.

Linking & SEO

DO: Link exchange.

If youve got the resources on your website then share and share a like. You can build strong business relationships with those you swap links with. Be sure you choose linking partners sensibly.

DONT: Automate link exchange.

The links are crap and irrelevant; you know it, I know it and the search engines know it!

DO: Aim high!

A number 1 in Google is the holy grail of the website owner, research your keywords in-depth and remember it takes time.

DONT: Spend a tonne on advertising.

Unless you really know what you are doing you could be pouring money down the drain. Invest a little here and there and find out what works best. Someone may make a killing with Adwords that doesnt mean YOU will.

Making Money

DO: Get an Adsense account.

Although It may take a while before you start making decent money --> Sit at home in front of your computer / working in the coal mines; hmmm Its NOT DEAD!

DONT: Make promises you cant keep.

If youre selling something online then an unhappy customer will tell more people than a happy one. Make sure the customer knows EXACTLY what they are getting and dont make outrageous claims unless they are 100% TRUE!

DO: Join eBay

Its still the quickest and easiest way to get money into your Paypal account. It can be used as an effective marketing tool as well!

DONT: Multi-Level Market

Unless you know exactly what it is and how to work it; many pyramid schemes front as not so illegal MLM schemes. As the two trades are fairly similar anyway, its always the top man the makes the money.

Traffic and list building

DO: Start list building immediately.

Give away a free eBook or start a newsletter; again this takes time but wouldnt you like to have the e-mail addresses of a thousand or so potential customers?

DONT: Buy a list.

Its moronic!

DO: Research targeted traffic.

Spend time finding out how to get good targeted traffic to your website, remember its quality and not quantity. And so were clear; quality traffic is traffic with the intention to buy.

DONT: Buy traffic.

This is also moronic. I have yet to hear anyone say otherwise, bar those that sell traffic coincidental!

Final Thought

DO: Make lemon cider.

When life gives you lemons; theres a far greater profit margin.

DONT: Be afraid to be different.

Drinking your lemon cider may give your some insightful views on innovating tried and true techniques. Its your duty to STAND OUT!

T's & C's

DO: post this on your website or blog, e-mail it to a list or add it to an e-book. Use it to list build, save it to your desktop and get it tattooed to your eyelids.

DONT: Modify the content in anyway. Feel free to give it away to as many people as you like but be sure to keep the whole article including the terms, links and authors bio intact.

© 2006 Colm ODwyer at http://www.colmodwyer.com

Colm ODwyer is a 21-year old entrepreneur from sunny Glasgow in the UK. In fact Glasgow is so sunny it rains almost every day so as to keep the ecosystem in equilibrium.Ashlen Blog49726
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