More often it has been observed that PPC campaigns are directed to pages within the client’s website that seldom have the essential features needed for a visitor to accomplish a choice based on an action or goal. Also, many pages seem to have content more focused on achieving organic rankings as opposed to conversions or more importantly sales.

When you embark on paid search campaigns, you are investing in traffic generation, with the desire that visitors are converted into leads and then into sales.
To accomplish a result with your investment, your pay per click traffic should be sent to landing pages that have been specially created to convert users to leads and sales.

You can find several features that have the potential of assisting users to complete the lead form. In order to maximize leads, the following should be applied on PPC landing pages:

• The Lead Form
  The lead form should feature only form fields that are useful for following up a lead, and should be above the fold. Avoid creating several fields so that the user will be attracted to fill out the form. Try and keep the form as simple and short as possible.
• Calls to Action
  You need compelling messages on your landing pages to get users to do what you want them to do. In the case of leads generation, you want users to complete the form; the secret of achieving this is the way you structure the message provided on the page. Having a single desirable goal helps a majority of the landing pages to convert best.
• Testimonials
  This is probably the most excellent way to obtain more business. Testimonials are simply references to your business, from the previous customers.
• Offers
  Offers are a great way to attract users. They are what you give users in return for the information they supplied you. Offers can be in different forms such as free downloads, whitepaper, or a free product. A juicier offer attracts users to supply their information.
• Value Propositions
  The competitive advantage at your disposal is value propositions, they are also techniques you can apply to assist your customer’s business. Value propositions should be made simple to read; preferably, outline them with bullet points.
• Recognized Awards from Your Industry
  This is a way to showcase the competency and excellent nature of your company. Mentioning or even providing evidence of awards from your industry shows that your business is among the top rated in your industry, and it encourages the user to choose your company.
• Fewer Content and navigation
  The exciting thing about paid search marketing is the ability to select where to direct a user depending on the search term or keyword entered by such user. For this purpose, there is no need for much navigation since the user is already provided with exact information to match the search query entered. Also, keep landing page’s copy precise and brief.

The factors above are proven for maximizing conversion rates, and will help increase the return on your PPC campaigns investment.

Inbound links have always been a very important when it comes to
Search Engine Optimization. Ascertaining the worth of these links
can also be very essential. This is particularly the case when any
kind of investment is being made in deriving these links.

Here’s how to identify valuable inbound links:

• The Webpage Source Should be Indexed By Google
  Before settling for a link from any webpage, verify if such web page is indexed by Google. It is easy to tell that a page not indexed by Google would not be recognized when it links to your page; so it is as good as not having any link.
• The Relevance of the Link to Your Business Model
  How relevant is the link to your business theme. As an instance, if you offer debt relief services, it will make sense to link to web pages that contain information about debt management services.
• Page Rank – PR
  Although not the ultimate, Google Page Rank 5 is definitely prioritized than a PR 1. And of course, a PR 7 or something higher offers something real juicy. The bottom line is this; it is better to have a mix of links from various page ranks to make it appear really natural.
• Detecting Paid Links
  Any link that is identified directly as paid link should be avoided. To spot such web pages, look out for terms such as ‘advertisements’, ‘sponsored’, ‘partners’ etc. Major search engines such as Google dislike paid links and would easily identify them with the words specified;
  when this happens, such links will attract no value.If you must link to a ‘paid’ web page, employ techniques such as the use of image instead of text. Then, avoid anything that may indicate the status of the site in the image’s alt attribute. This is very essential if you really want such link to count, otherwise Google will ignore the link outright.
• Inbound Links
  Does the page link to other web pages? And what is the nature of the sites that link back to it? Better still, what is the anchor text of those sites indicating?
• Outbound Links
  Ensure that the page is linking to less than or exactly ten other sites including your own. More outbound links depreciates the link value passed to each webpage.
• Link Placement
  Google in particular, and other search engines have put so much effort in the recent past years in making attempts to spot none ‘editorial’ link in terms of context. To this end, it is sensible to stay away from links placed in blog rolls, footers, and similar link placements that indicate ‘non editorial’. Links placed within the content is to be considered. Good link placement can attract great worth, as well as pass link juice.
• Avoid ‘NoFollow’ Link
  Do not look at links that feature ‘nofollow’ attribute since they have minute offer when it comes to passing link popularity or juice to your webpage.
  However, you can sometimes consider them because they can offer a natural look to your link building, to the search engines, and also bring you traffic – e.g. is Twitter.
• How Long has the Domain Been Around
  Domains that have existed for a substantial period of time tend to attract search engines. The reason is that such domain must have garnered some good links itself during these periods it has existed.
• Site’s Alexa Rank
  This can serve as a clue to the extent of popularity of a website.

If you aim at getting a high rank on Google and other renowned search engines, it is imperative that you get quality links to your website.

It is unfortunate that this task is among the most difficult ones to achieve. How well are you taking advantage of your existing links?
More often, it is quite simple and easy to enhance your existing backlinks than getting entirely new links.

• Make corrections on the links that point to your initial domain name
  If you have previously changed your domain name, it is possible that some people still link to it. Certainly, the links to your previous domain name ought to redirect to your current domain name using a 301 redirect to make sure you still retain the link. However, links via 301 redirects do not go by the full link power to your site.As a result, you need to get in touch with the webmasters that linked to your old domain name, and request that they link to your current domain. This is great way to improve the effects of the links on the ranking of your website in search engines’ result.
• Make Necessary Changes Or Corrections to Broken Pages on Your Websit
  Examine the statistics of your website and redirect every link that points to a non-existing (404) page on your site, to a real page (existing page) on your website. This will help in giving a proper direction to your visitors. Like in the first instance, you can contact the previous webmasters and request that they change the links.
• Endeavour to Enhance the Link Texts
  While in touch with webmasters to request for links to your new domain name, you can also use the opportunity to propose new link texts to be used for your links.
• Make Suggestions of Other Related Websites to the Webmasters
  This is another technique that can get your ranking on top slots. When you request for links from webmasters, it is a good idea to also suggest relevant websites to them. “Relevant”, means that the websites you are suggesting must be related to yours and more importantly should also have quality content. In a situation where a website links to your website, and that same website links to other websites that are relevant to the central topic of your site, there is always a higher possibility that search engines will see your website as being relevant to that topic.
• Examine the Links Residing on Your Website
  In order to see some of your web pages in the search results of Google, you have to link those pages from your own web pages.
  When a page is concealed in the navigation process of your site, there are little chances that the specific page will gain a satisfactory position in Google’s search result.

10 Effective Strategies

A business website is capable of pulling huge traffic and is potentially capable of creating clientele from the attracted traffic; however, without appropriate Ezine subscription procedure, the odds of generating customers from internet traffic is low.

It is difficult for a website to attract customers without providing resources that would benefit a targeted audience. And even with the availability of sufficient information, those who visit a particular website do not usually buy the product or service being advertised.

People do not often patronize a product or service without being familiar with the provider of the offerings. To this effect, it is important that you give a reason for visitors to keep being interested in your business. The most effective way to achieve this is by giving a free Ezine-periodic publication, disseminated via e-mail and often in newsletter form, video, ebook and various helpful resources that may be needed by your target audience.

Top 10 Tips

• Tip 1:
  Having the right visitors is very important.

To convert online traffic to actual customers, you need the right visitors. These are visitors that need your product or service. Make sure you use the appropriate keywords and link your website to businesses that will suit the information being conveyed by your website.

You can keep track of the traffic you are generating by using Google Analytics (it’s free), this will help you carry out proper analysis of the outcome of your efforts. Know that traffic from referrals have more potential to metamorphose into actual customers.
Content creation, exchanging links with relevant businesses as well as guest blogging are powerful ways to refer traffic to your website.

• Tip 2:
  Let your visitors know what you expect from them.

Look for a way to tell your visitors what to do with the resources you made available for them or else they may not know. To this effect, your homepage information and direction should be kept simple – don’t create confusion with much information and choices. Tell your visitors to sign up free for your ezine and don’t forget to tell them if it is an ebook, newsletter etc.

• Tip 3:
  How easy is it for your web visitors to take action?

It is useless if your visitors cannot find the useful information you have for them. The best place to place your subscription section or box is the top left side of your homepage to enable easy visibility. It may also help to place the signup form on each page of your website to achieve increased visibility, regardless of what page generates traffic. Also, make your signup form of an easy and user-friendly nature – no too much of clicks.

• Tip 4:
  What will your visitors benefit from your offer?

Don’t forget to explain what the freebie for your Ezine is, and the value it will add to them. A good number of successful Ezines give some kind of enticement to sign up. Again, you need to clearly state how the resources you are offering could be accessed; is it downloadable or is to be emailed?

• Tip 5:
  Keep your visitors’ mind at ease.

Remember to state outright that the information they are providing will not be transmitted to a third party in any way. Your privacy policy should make this known and they should be able to unsubscribe if they wish.

• Tip 6:
  Let your subscribers know the next step to take.

• Tip 7:
  Tell your subscribers how to white list you.

This will prevent your mail from being sent to junk mail by email programs. Tell them to also white list your entire website.

• Tip 8:
  Ensure that your confirmation email is customized.

You can personalize your confirmation emails and employ same graphics and language used on your website. This will help remind the subscriber about who is sending them the information. Avoid using generic language.

• Tip 9:
  Ensure that you keep up to your promise without delay.

• Tip 10:
  Don’t forget to send a ‘thank you’ mail to your subscribers; make is clear, concise and information rich.

Link building is one of the best ways of self promotion on the web. Both the inbound and outbound links play an important role in a website’s ranking process and in the resultant traffic generation. Having good indirect links on your website will improve your business and sale. The sister or related sites also help a website in gaining an increased customer flow by sending their own clients to that website through links. Link building is to be taken as an opportunity to put-forth the best things you can provide them. Link building also helps you to build a reputation in your niche market.

Some of the best ways to get good links to your website

There are very crucial features that need be addressed while building links to your website.

• Your website should be your brand ambassador. You have to constantly maintain the high quality, which in turn will invite quality links to your site.
• Advertise your website as much as you can through press releases, product reviews, blogs, etc. This will make your website visible to maximum people. You can also participate in the live chats at appropriate forums. Once your website is recognized by people, they will link their site to yours.
• The social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook can contribute a lot in connecting to the prospective buyers. Therefore, it is important to link your websites with social networking sites. Another good way is to have links of your website in your social networking profile.
• A blog or forum on your website can increase your visibility and recognition in the relevant section. You can also publish your expert views and suggestions about your niche market and industry which will increase your links.

What is to be avoided

• The first and foremost thing is that your website should not try and cheat the search engines. Don’t allow any suspicious data or information on your website.
• Never go to automated link providers or link farms to get links to your website. Your website may get penalized for link manipulation.
• Never get unrelated links or blog to your website. The unnecessary and unrelated blog comments and links will not help you in ay way. It will instead, lower your website ranking.
• If you get too many links in a short span of time, your website will come under the search engine filters. Paid links or links from the spammers are to be avoided at any cost. Don’t let any spammer link to your site and do not ever put your link on any spammer’s website.

Paying attention to these few tips will get quality links to your website and will assist in climbing up the rungs of search engine rankings. Reciprocal link building may be the best option where you and your rival or competitor web-owners can exchange your links for more traffic.