Inspiration, Inc Did you know that the average person will spend less than 15 seconds reading your webpage? So much for all that perfectly-precise text where you describe absolutely everything you do in loving detail! Guess what-no one’s reading it. They’re skimming. Are you skimming now? A couple months ago I bought some website traffic analysis software so I could tell how my search engine placement is going and see what my popular pages were. I about fell over dead when I realized how quickly people click in and out, especially because I do some pay-per-click advertising that costs me over $1 per click! Being a detail-queen myself, I had to completely re-think my copy writing. To be the most effective, your website copy should be written for 3 types of website browsers. If you make these small tweaks, you’ll have your bases covered! Tweak Number 1: Write for People Who Scan: Most people surfing the web are page scanners. To speak to them, employ a combination strategy for easy readability: • Use effective headlines (big and small) • Be sure to bold text on important words • Include text boxes with small bits of copy • Utilize photos with word captions • Give them bulleted lists If your page is scan-friendly, a reader will be able to understand the main benefits of what your business does, without ever having to read the tiny text. Tweak Number 2: Write for People Who Love Details: Now that you’ve grabbed someone’s attention with your headlines, then you want to deepen their interest with the small text.
Don’t put very much detail on your home page. Put the detailed information a level or two deep, in the places where someone is looking for specific information. Remember, you want to break up the tiny text with lots of breaks for those page scanners. Tweak Number 3: Write for Computers: That’s right, I said write for those computers – you know the ones that determine your search engine placement. One of the best ways to improve your search engine placement is to include lots of keywords in your writing. (Don’t be obnoxious and type your keywords in a nonsense fashion. That can get you banned from search listings.) But, DO use your relevant keywords on every page, in the headlines and in the details. Here’s another trick you might not know: if you use bold font for your keywords, it can help your results. Detailed articles newsletters (with your keywords) work well too. Go ahead and build your site deep with rich content, just don’t lose the page scanners by putting the detail up front. When you strike a harmonious balance of all three types of website copy, you should notice better results. When I focused on keywords, Google bumped me up to the 2nd page for «small business coach.» When I revamped my home page, my newsletter subscription rate tripled. When I started archiving my newsletter articles, I noticed that I got more traffic from people searching for those specific topics. Try some of these small changes, and watch what happens.
You are a webmaster, you have spent a lot of time putting together a great website and now you want to drive traffic to it. What are your options? Short term, you will need to promote your site through advertising, traffic exchanges, traffic wholesalers and pay per click (PPC) campaigns but longer term you really want to get your website ranking high in the search engines. Firstly, you will need to make sure that your site is optimized which really means having a relevant domain name, a relevant title, relevant keywords in your meta tags and content that is relevant to your keywords and title. It is best not to have too many keywords (maybe about a dozen) and ensure that each keyword gets used several times throughout the site. Please note, the most important thing here is the word relevant. Search engines love relevancy and they love relevant content. The next challenge is to get lots of other relevant sites to link back to you. Ideally, these will be one way links but relevant reciprocal links are also useful. In addition to getting links from relevant sites you should also try to get links from sites that have a high Google page rank and a good Alexa rating. It sounds onerous but it really isn’t, although it does require some effort and application. First, you should concentrate on the quality of links rather than the volume of links.
Focus on relevance first and then on Google page rank and Alexa rating. Here are some of your options. Submit your site to directories. Choose directories that have a good page rank and traffic rating and make sure you choose a relevant category. Some directories are paid, some are free with a reciprocal link and some are free without a reciprocal link.
Clearly the latter is better but the first two options are still useful. Write articles and submit them to article directories. The same rules apply as for directories. Choose directories that have a good page rank and traffic rating and make sure you choose a relevant category. Your article should also include some of the keywords from your website. It is tempting to write an article that just promotes your site but apart from the likelihood of your article being refused by the article directories, such advertorial content is unlikely to be picked up and used by other webmasters. Therefore, your articles should be focused on providing useful and interesting information to your intended audience. Remember, the more webmasters that use your article, the more sites your link will appear on, that is, you are not only getting backlinks from article directories but also the webmasters that use your content. Next you should consider link exchanges as you surf the internet and find other relevant sites. In particular, you should look out for links pages on these websites that indicate the webmaster is interested in exchanging links. There is some debate at the moment as to whether search engines will continue to recognise paid for links. Sites such as Text Link Ads and Viral Adwords that use javascript to run text ads on other sites. If you have the budget, these strategies will not harm your search engine ranking and even if they don’t enhance it, they will deliver on their primary purpose to drive targeted traffic to your site.
Another powerful option is to offer a useful free tool to your visitors that includes a link back to your site. Statcounter have achieved a Google page rank of 10 by using precisely this strategy. Of course, you have to have the vision and skill to develop such a useful and popular tool. In summary, if you want to rank high in search pages your site needs to have relevant content and be linked to by other relevant sites.
Directories, articles, link exchanges, paid links and tools embedded with a link to your website all provide a potential opportunity to build up your search engine rating and drive quality, free and targeted traffic to your website.
John Thornhill “The eBay eBook market is dead, flooded, useless and a waste of time.” I am a little tired of reading those comments in various forums and message boards. In my opinion the eBay eBook market has never been better, that is if you know how to use eBay to your advantage. You may/may not know this but eBooks are probably the easiest way to make money on eBay as everything can be fully automated. I am a fan of eBooks with resale rights simply for their viral nature. As other eBay members sell my products they are advertising my services. About 90% of all my website traffic comes from eBooks I have written myself. The eBay eBook market is crying out for new material, so give them some, give them an eBook you have written yourself and grant master resale rights and let everyone fight over one another to sell it, let them sell it for 1 cent as they battle for feedback.
Who cares, as long as the eBook you have provided was created by you and benefits you long term.
Allow your eBooks to be copied and redistributed freely on eBay and they will spread like a virus across the Internet, each one of them a homing beacon leading the way back to your eBay store/website so the whole viral process can start again. You can also generate a very generous affiliate income by granting resale rights to your eBooks, simply include relevant affiliate links in the form of recommendations and you will see your affiliate income rocket. Do you have a high priced product for sale? You do! Well why not provide a taster in the form of an eBook then provide the solution in your high priced item. If you don’t have your own high priced product to promote consider clickbank products as an alternative. If you grant resale rights you need to make it as easy as possible for the eBook to be re-sold, first of all a short statement at the start of your eBook explaining the eBook can be resold is essential, simply explain your eBook can be resold as long as it is not modified. Also provide all the tools necessary to enable your eBook to be re-sold, include multiple book covers, graphics and a sales page. The easier you make it to re-sell the eBook the more chance you will have of it going viral. Creating your own eBook is not an easy task. There is research, writing, compiling and a variety of other skills and time-consuming measures involved.
It is also not necessarily a perfect fit for every eBook seller on eBay. Some sellers are not interested in writing or simply do not have the skills required to create their own eBook. If this is the case you may want to consider hiring a freelance writer or ghostwriter to produce an eBook or to pursue different avenues within the eBay eBook selling marketplace. Also, private label content is a good option. However, if you have the skill to produce, or the willingness to create a unique eBook you can profit tremendously. Selling eBooks to which you and others have resale rights to can be profitable, but exclusive ownership of your own title with links to your products and services gives you a massive advantage over your eBay competitors.
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Q:Who or What is TUG? A:The Timeshare Users Group (TUG) is a web site operated by Bill Rogers and a group of volunteers who have a common interest in vacation timeshare ownership. Q:I’ve read that this is a «not for profit» web site. Why is there a membership fee? A:The membership fees pay for this site and all the associated costs of running the Timeshare Users Group ( phone bills, online fees, web site fees, domain registrations, postage, etc…..but no labor costs….we are an all volunteer organization. Q:What are maintenance fees? And how much are they? A:The cost of resort operation is spread among owners via an annual maintenance fee. The fee must also build up reserves to pay for non-recurring costs like furniture, appliances etc. that need periodic replacement and other capital costs as normal physical deterioration occurs. Cost is established by the developer or homeowners association. Caution: When a developer is in control, maintenance fees may be temporarily subsidized by the developer as a marketing tool while there is sales activity.
After the homeowner association takes over, fees may quickly rise to unsubsidized levels. Special assessments are sometimes added to maintenance fees to cover unexpected (non-reserved) expenses. These assessments are passed by the association board of directors. Severe storm damage would be an example where an extra assessment would apply. Maintenance fees vary with the location and resort, but usually are in the $200 to $1000 per year range. Q:Is buying a timeshare a good investment? A:Timeshare ownership is an investment in quality vacations. Purchasers who buy a timeshare strictly for speculative reasons are usually disappointed as the resale market for timeshares does not appreciate as well or as fast as other real estate investments. As an investment in YOURSELF and your leisure time, a carefully researched timeshare purchase can be a good investment when compared to the cost of renting alternative comparable accommodations. Q:If I decide to buy a timeshare, should I buy «new» from the developer or «used» as a resale? A:All factors being equal, a resale from a previous owner or a resale company, will probably cost considerably less than buying direct from the developer. Deep discounts of 50% and more are not uncommon. There are instances where buying from a developer may be your only choice. Lack of a unit with the amenities, location or «extra» added programs like the Marriott point program might be a consideration to buy from a developer. Again, research your decision BEFORE you buy to secure the best deal for you. Where should you begin this research? I think you know the answer. Think «TUG»! Q:Where is the best place to own a timeshare? A:The answer can be as individual as each owner but the consensus answer falls into two categories based upon intended use. If you intend to return to your resort frequently and exchange occasionally, your best choice is a resort you enjoy often. If your primary intent is to maximize trade value and you do not intend to stay at your own resort very often, then you should buy at a resort which is in high demand.
While there is no single «best» choice, the current consensus of opinion says that Hawaii and coastal California are two easy choices that will produce top results. There are many variables that would apply to any particular choice and a potential buyer is strongly advised to research factors that affect timeshare trade values before making a final choice. A membership in TUG that provides access to the resort ratings and reviews is an excellent place to start. Q:Fixed week .vs. floating week ownership, what are they and which is better? A:Fixed week ownership means that you have the right to occupy (or have available for trade or rent) a specific week and unit number at the resort you own every year. Floating (sometimes referred to as flex) ownership means that even though you may be deeded a specific week and unit number, you have no use claim on that week or unit. Instead you have the opportunity to request a week within a specified range of weeks during the year. The range of weeks available for flex use is set by the resort and is the same range of weeks from year to year. Advantages of owning a fixed week: You are guaranteed the week and unit you want every year (especially applicable to colder climate owners who want to vacation where it is warm in winter). Advantages of owning a floating week: For those who are concerned about unforeseen work or schedule conflicts associated with a fixed week, floating time allows for additional planning options. There are more implications with either type ownership especially as it applies to trading and vacation planning. A prospective timeshare owner is urged to examine the differences and make a choice to match the situation before purchasing. Q:What is a bonus week and how can I get one? A:The simple answer is that a bonus week is an «extra» week in addition to the one you own.
It’s given or sold as an incentive to timeshare owners for a specific reason. A Developer Bonus Week (DBW) is available to members who own at participating resort. These bonus weeks are issued directly from the resort. They are sometimes issued as a signing bonus upon the purchase of a timeshare interval . Owners can sometimes purchase them from the resort as unsold developer owned weeks. A second type of bonus week is one issued by an exchange company. Owners of high demand resort weeks receive them as incentives to deposit their timeshare week. Bonus weeks are sometimes referred to as «Vacation Escape» weeks, «Getaway» weeks (or weekends). They are available to members of exchange companies like RCI, II and SFX. The exchange company makes bonus weeks available for purchase by members for a nominal fee. Purchased bonus weeks are considered «excess inventory» likely to go unused. Excess inventory is determined by the historical number of deposits versus the number of requests for each particular resort. Bonus weeks usually come with expiration dates and may have other use restrictions relating to location, season and holidays. Q:Which exchange company is best? A:This is a «Coke vs Pepsi» question but it may be a moot point.
The resort you own is probably affiliated with only one exchange company.
There are, however, a few resorts affiliated with both. Do not let the resort’s affiliation affect your decision to own or buy at the resort. Although there are preferences among people who have experience with both major exchange companies, there is no unanimous opinion that one is better than the other. It should be noted that there are more than the two BIG exchange companies. TUG maintains a comprehensive list of timeshare exchange companies. Q:If I deposit my week with an exchange company, does someone need to «take» it before I can request my desired week? A:No. As soon as your week is deposited, you can request and get the week you want if it is available. Q:I was contacted by company «X» offering to buy/sell/rent my timeshare for a fee. Can I expect them to do a good job? A:Past experience by members and visitors to TUG have been unanimous in this regard. Never pay an upfront fee as a condition to buy, sell or rent your timeshare. This situation is probably the most common situation where an owner will probably be dissatisfied. ANY fee required before performance will probably be lost. These «fees» come disguised as «agent commissions», «appraisal fee», «advertising fee», etc. etc. They all have one thing in common. The money is always requested before performance is complete.
Some of the more notorious companies preying on timeshare owners desperate to sell their timeshare will have the words «bank», «trust», «investment» in their company title. This is in an attempt to instill a feeling of confidence in their target. Do not be a victim. Verify the credentials and performance of any company making this type of offer. If necessary we strongly suggest dealing only with an agent who works on commission from proceeds of sale. Failing that, there are experienced TUG members willing to offer advice
on the «how to’s» of selling your timeshare. Visit the TUG BBS and start asking questions. Q:I am an RCI member. Can I transfer weeks to other RCI members? A:Reply from RCI: The form in the back of the RCI Directory, Membership Transfer Application, is mainly used for the sale of timeshare, but also for transfer of weeks. The most important parts of the document are the areas which indicate your account information, the week you want trasferred, and to what account it’s going to. As long as we have that information along with your signature, it should be taken care of. That information can also be listed in a signed letter if you prefer. Once the information is completed, you can fax it to us at 317/805-9335 if you wish. Hope this helps. Thanks for visiting our website. Darrin Goodwin, RCI Internet Team. Q:Since a timeshare accommodation usually has more facilities than a hotel room, are there any additional items I should consider bringing on my timeshare vacation? A:Most timeshare accommodations have cooking and laundry facilities. While it certainly isn’t necessary to pack anything more than you normally would for the typical vacation, some TUGGERS seem to be a different breed. Take a look at the A.R. Timeshare Checklist and then decide for yourself. (I’ll let you decide for what the «A.R.» stands for) Q:Are there any tax advantages or disadvantages to owning a timeshare? A:Good question. Since I don’t even do my own taxes, I’ll refer you to TUG’s expert Timeshare and Taxes advice page to answer your question.
Q:What is the downside to owning a timeshare? A: You must continue to pay the yearly maintenance fee, which can increase over the lifetime of the resort, whether you use it or not. You could be required to pay additional «special assessments» arising from unexpected costs of maintaining or repairing the resort. Some people feel that owning a timeshare requires excessive advanced planning in attempts to reserve a popular floating week or to obtain a good exchange week. Planning a timeshare vacation a year in advance is not unusual. The majority of concerns with timeshare ownership seems to center around dealing with cost and interaction with exchange companies. It’s often not the straightforward process the timeshare sales staff would have you believe.
