The Virtual Difference » Website http://thevirtualdifference.com The Virtual Difference talks about internet marketing for online info-marketers and how to make the most of your online business using technology. Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:26:09 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Copyright © 2010 The Virtual Difference diane@thevirtualdifference.com (Diane Potter) diane@thevirtualdifference.com (Diane Potter) posts 1440 http://thevirtualdifference.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg The Virtual Difference » Website http://thevirtualdifference.com 144 144 Your online business is OUR business. The Virtual Difference podcasts talk about internet marketing for online info-marketers and how to make the most of your online business using technology. virtual assistant, the virtual difference, Diane Potter Diane Potter Diane Potter diane@thevirtualdifference.com no no What exactly IS SEO (Search Engine Optimization)? http://thevirtualdifference.com/what-exactly-is-seo-search-engine-optimization/ http://thevirtualdifference.com/what-exactly-is-seo-search-engine-optimization/#comments Sat, 06 Mar 2010 03:41:20 +0000 Ivette_Muller http://www.thevirtualdifference.com/?p=274 Search Engine Optimization or SEO as it is more commonly known, is the process of improving the volume and quality of your website traffic through “natural” or “organic” searches.  This means FREE traffic for you!

Now, obviously, the better your ranking in the search engines, the more likely you will get traffic.  Everyone’s goal is to get on the first page of Google.  But how is that possible? 

The key to achieving SEO is keyword research.  

Think of keyword research like determining your target audience.  You need to be specific – VERY specific.   This means that you need to determine a long-tail keyword.   A long-tail keyword is made up of at least 3 words, to help narrow the search. 

For example, if you Google the term, “virtual assistant”, there are 13.4 million entries.  However, if you Google the term, “virtual assistant, marketing”, the search narrows to only 1.3 million.  And, to go one step further, if you Google the term, “virtual assistant, real estate marketing, the search is now only 581,000.

So, as you can see, the benefit of the long-tail keyword is that you get highly targeted traffic, with less competition.  This means that the person who Googled for that term is looking for that specific service, and he/she is more likely to find what they need. 

Now that you have determined the long-tail keyword you want to focus on, you need to do three things in a blog post:

  1. Include it in the title
  2. Use the long-tail keyword in the body of your blog post
  3. Add a link with that keyword phrase  (within your blog post)

Why is this important?

Each night, the search engine “spiders” go crawling around the web for new content.  The spiders look to blogs as one of the first places for new content since it can be updated regularly.  When you have your long-tail keyword phrase in the title and body of your post it is given a higher authority (more points).  Then, when you include a link with that phrase, it is given more points for a high quality link.  All these “points” add up and help you achieve a higher ranking in the search engines.

Now, you are one step closer to first spot in Google!

 

]]> http://thevirtualdifference.com/what-exactly-is-seo-search-engine-optimization/feed/ 1 Planning to avoid shiny object syndrome? http://thevirtualdifference.com/planning-to-avoid-shiny-object-syndrome/ http://thevirtualdifference.com/planning-to-avoid-shiny-object-syndrome/#comments Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:30:45 +0000 admin http://www.thevirtualdifference.com/?p=183 One of the biggest problems that I see our clients have is that they don’t have a plan.  They may be getting their Internet Marketing advice from other colleagues or from things they see on the Internet and they may just be trying to copy what others are doing that they may be following or they think are successful.  The reason why this doesn’t work very well is because oftentimes the people that they are following have done things in a certain order on purpose.  For example, there is no point in getting involved in social networking and promoting your blogs on different social networking sites if you don’t have a way to capture emails for the traffic that you’re driving back to your website.  So there is definitely a reason why you would want to do things in a certain order.  One of the best things I ever invested in when I was learning how to build a business online is the Nitro blueprint by Kevin Wilke.  If you are currently looking for a way to develop a business online and you don’t have a plan, this is the best tool that I can currently recommend that will really get you started.  Without having a solid plan to go on, you will simply be doing what I call chasing the next shiny object, so  any technology that use see that you might be chasing after to try to implement – even if it’s not right for your business.  To get your copy of the Nitro BluePrint  click here.

If you want to purchase products that show you how to do what we do for our own clients, check out AverageJoeUniversity

]]> http://thevirtualdifference.com/planning-to-avoid-shiny-object-syndrome/feed/ 2 Get Over It – What Is Your Responsibility To Our Economy? http://thevirtualdifference.com/get-over-it-what-is-your-responsibility-to-our-economy/ http://thevirtualdifference.com/get-over-it-what-is-your-responsibility-to-our-economy/#comments Wed, 13 Jan 2010 04:23:34 +0000 admin http://www.thevirtualdifference.com/?p=173 It is my prediction that in 2010 the small business owner and entrepreneur we'll have the responsibility of turning around our economy.  I see that most of us would admit that we didn't get into this situation by ourselves or because of a single person, and the president is doing everything he can to turn this economy around.  We have an obligation to our economy to get our message out into the world to help others and by doing so will naturally stimulate the economy helping each other.  I once attended a webinar by Russell Brunson who told of his personal story of how his family was started.  He explained but his wife was having some trouble getting pregnant.  One night while watching TV they saw a commercial for a local fertility clinic, and this fertility clinic was eventually the answer to a prayer.  He explained that it was the obligation of that clinic to send their message out into the world with so that people like Russell could find them.  Marketing has gotten a bad rap, it has a bad name.  If you look at it from a standpoint of pushing your products or services on people you have a negative feeling and it makes you feel like you're doing something wrong.  If you change how you see it and you look at it from the perspective of the customer or whom needs your information it's now your obligation to send that message out to as many people as possible so that your perspective customer can find you and receive the help they need.  I believe in 2010 if we all start to believe this way and build our businesses online using the power of one to many through the technology of the Internet that we can help our government change the future of this economy.  We are not powerless!  Every single day you log onto your computer and yet you realize not the power that you have.  Every single one of us has something special within us-  knowledge, experience, wisdom, any advice that people are willing to pay for.  If you knew the knowledge that you had could change someone else's life and that they would pay you for it would you share it?  I say get over yourself but don't think about it from your perspective think about it from the person who needs it.

Now that's the first step is deciding to do something about it.  The next step is knowing what to do and how to do it.  Please join me for my free class on Thursday January 14 where I share with you the house to.

 

]]> http://thevirtualdifference.com/get-over-it-what-is-your-responsibility-to-our-economy/feed/ 6 My Business Isn't Ready Yet To Support a Virtual Assistance But I Still Need Help- What Now? http://thevirtualdifference.com/my-business-isnt-ready-yet-to-support-a-virtual-assistance-but-i-still-need-help-what-now/ http://thevirtualdifference.com/my-business-isnt-ready-yet-to-support-a-virtual-assistance-but-i-still-need-help-what-now/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:59:46 +0000 admin http://www.thevirtualdifference.com/?p=170 This is a great question and something I hear often.  Truth is, there is a very fine line that you have to walk during certain parts of your business between cash flow in and out.  As a business owner I've been there.  I remember only have a $200 budget per month and I absolutely could not go past that.  The benefit I had, was I knew what needed to be done and because of that I knew how to monitor the work.  As an example, if you don't know why your car won't start, you have totally trust a mechanic to tell you the truth and do it at a fair price.  No matter what happens you can't help but think, was I just taken?  If you knew it was just a transmission and you knew 6 different places where transmission specialists were you could go get quotes and be in a better position, right?  That's kind of what it's like to build a business online if you don't have the first clue what really needs to be done or how to do it? 

Here's are 5 more advanced things that you must do for yourself if you're serious about starting a business online. If you don't know the base things that must be done, join me on my call.

1.  How often do you email your list? Are you afraid of you list?  You MUST email them a minimum of once per week. If you don't, you won't catch them during their buying cycle.

2. Are you running sales on your products too often? These have to be special and make a big deal out of them. Get your affiliates involved and put a count down timer on your sales letter showing how much time is left.

3. Which reminds me, do you have affiliates? If you don't you need some. It's like having an army of people out there selling your products and you only pay them when they make a sale!  To sound like Tom Cruise in Jerry McGuire – Help ME Help YOU baby!

4. What is your product funnel? Do you just have a mix and match of stuff all over your site? What is your main or signature product? What's your free product? What's your monthly program?

5. Do you know your conversion rates? How many people have to come to your site before you can get a new subscriber to your ezine?  Don't know? ALWAYS know your stats. 

Sure you've heard things here and there, and it's now common knowledge that you have to have a website, but what else?  There's online schools out there that teach you how to sell other people's products, but what about your own? I know many people that want to hire out a consultant like myself but they can't afford it right now – especially in this economy.  What is it they say? Necessity is the mother of all invention right?  Well when times are tough you have to FIND a way.  You want someone to pull you aside and say, "Hey, here's how I did it, just follow these steps." Well, join me for my call – that's the first step.

 

]]> http://thevirtualdifference.com/my-business-isnt-ready-yet-to-support-a-virtual-assistance-but-i-still-need-help-what-now/feed/ 0 Have You Seen The Wizard Behind the Curtain? I Have. http://thevirtualdifference.com/have-you-seen-the-wizard-behind-the-curtain-i-have/ http://thevirtualdifference.com/have-you-seen-the-wizard-behind-the-curtain-i-have/#comments Sat, 09 Jan 2010 23:29:30 +0000 admin http://www.thevirtualdifference.com/?p=127 I have 19 clients that keep me very busy.  Every one of them is at a different stage in their business and yet they all have the same goal – to ‘make it big online.’ To launch their message and to make money with their information products teaching people how to live better lives.  I pick my clients based on their subject matter expertise and by how I feel we will work together as a team.  However, every once in a while you get the chance to work with a monster client – one that is already well established making multiple 7 figures doing everything online.  I got that chance this year and it’s as if I’ve peaked behind the curtain and I see how the wizard is running the land of Oz.  This information has changed the way I do business for all of my clients and myself.  You’ve heard the phrase “Why reinvent the wheel?”  Well I understand that phrase a lot better after this year and have found myself living that as if it were a religion.  With so many people out there randomly and frantically running around in virtual reality trying to do anything to build a business, I have the blessings of seeing how it’s done by more than one ‘whale’ of an online marketer.  I work with other VA’s that have seen behind the curtain of other huge gurus and swapped stories and strategies with them. Between the classes I’ve taken, what I’ve seen firsthand, and what I’ve learned from colleagues – I’ve now created websites that make profits even before I’m READY!  The last website I launched got 3 emails sign ups and the first sale within 4 days of going live and I frankly wasn’t quite ready yet! The ezine wasn’t finished and the merchant account application hadn’t been completed by my client yet! Yikes! What a great problem to have, huh?  So I’ve decided to now share my formula with entrepreneurs everywhere so they cannot reinvent the wheel either.  My hope is that this knowledge I share will make their lives easier and give them the head start I didn’t have to launch their message into the world and change lives for the better. Click here to register for my free teleseminar, “Unleash The Power of Your Website” on January 14th at two times 9am PST and 6PM PST.

]]> http://thevirtualdifference.com/have-you-seen-the-wizard-behind-the-curtain-i-have/feed/ 1 Is Your Website Working For You? http://thevirtualdifference.com/is-your-website-working-for-you/ http://thevirtualdifference.com/is-your-website-working-for-you/#comments Sat, 09 Jan 2010 02:23:35 +0000 admin http://www.thevirtualdifference.com/?p=123 Websites are such a complicated but necessary part of an online business.  Years ago it was necessary to have one for informational purposes only. Today it’s not just a website you need if you’re going to make it online.  You must capture names and email addresses, offer product, lead clients through a logical marketing funnel, and provide enough content that you establish yourself as a subject matter expert- without giving away the farm. We bribe people into our email lists with free gifts and do relationship marketing with social media.  However, some websites – if built correctly can do some of these things for you automatically – almost as if on auto pilot. If you’re not tapping into these free tools then you could be making extra work for yourself or worse yet – paying people to do things for you that could be done instantly for free. Join me as I share how to make your website work for you!Click here to register for my free teleseminar, “Unleash The Power of Your Website” on January 14th at two times 9am PST and 6PM PST.

]]> http://thevirtualdifference.com/is-your-website-working-for-you/feed/ 2 Is your website growing with you? http://thevirtualdifference.com/is-your-website-growing-with-you/ http://thevirtualdifference.com/is-your-website-growing-with-you/#comments Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:13:17 +0000 admin http://www.thevirtualdifference.com/?p=119 I’ve built so many websites for The Virtual Difference that my husband has actually started to yell at me if he even sees me jotting down notes!  Why?  Because with each stage of my business or with each new direction in my marketing I needed something new.  The sites I was building weren’t expanding easily with my business.  However, I’ve cracked the code.  I now know how to build a website that will be perfect for you if you are just building your first site or if you are making multiple six figures.  The sites I build for my clients generate traffic naturally and are user friendly with a clean feeling.  What’s great?  They support monthly revenue, membership sites, stores, sales letters, list building, videos, blogging, social media – everything!  If you can think it my websites can support it. Here’s the amazing thing. My websites are so easy to use that even my clients can make edits to their own sites – yes you read that right. I make sure my clients aren’t dependant on me for every little thing.  Want to know the formula I use to build these amazing sites? Click here to register for my free teleseminar, “Unleash The Power of Your Website” on January 14th at two times 9am PST and 6PM PST.

]]> http://thevirtualdifference.com/is-your-website-growing-with-you/feed/ 0 Do You Feel Like a Damsel in Distress With No One Coming to Help? http://thevirtualdifference.com/do-you-feel-like-a-damsel-in-distress-with-no-one-coming-to-help/ http://thevirtualdifference.com/do-you-feel-like-a-damsel-in-distress-with-no-one-coming-to-help/#comments Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:47:05 +0000 admin http://www.thevirtualdifference.com/?p=102 I remember when I was first getting to know the online world and wanted to build my first website. Of course I didn’t have a clue what to ask for when speaking with web developers, I didn’t know if what I was being quoted was a fair price, and I surely didn’t know how to do it myself.  It was as if I was a damsel in distress but no one cared! In fact, the ones who were wanting to take advantage of that ignorance almost smelled it and I could feel myself being preyed upon. It was a terrible feeling.  As a woman I’ve felt this before when going to buy a car by myself, however, I at least understood enough about cars that I could negotiate or call someone I trusted for advice.  I knew no one who built websites and the people I knew who had a website weren’t trying to sell anything or do things the way I wanted.  This left me with one choice – GoDaddy.  I built my first website on their template maker called Website Tonight and I hated it.  I felt like an idiot, I didn’t like the site, and worst of all they put their logo at the bottom of it as if to say to the world, “Hey this idiot HAD to choose us!”  Ugh, it was depressing.  Knowing what I know now, I feel the need to empower people how to build their own websites or at least how to ‘speak geek’ so they can feel they have that knowledge to know what is going on and feel in control again of their online business.  Want to learn how I teach people this? Click here to register for my free teleseminar, “Unleash The Power of Your Website” on January 14th at two times 9am PST and 6PM PST.

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