Deep Links

When it comes to a user’s experience on your website you want to make that interaction as non-challenging as possible. If a user is pointed directly to the product or service information on your website that they came there for you are more likely to sell that product or service, not to mention earn a smile from a customer, so let me take you directly to the point of this article.

The Deep Links, or Deep-linking, is the process of linking your website user directly to the item they are searching for on your site. If a link to your site takes a user to your homepage, and your homepage is not well organized or easy to follow, website visitor could be detoured to one of the gazillion other placed on the internet that offer the same item or service they came hoping to find on your website. A deep link takes the user past the homepage and directly to the item/service a shopper, or potential client, is looking for at that moment.

Example, here is the link to GK Home & Garden websites that, let’s say, I was attracted to this site for the microwave cooking set I saw in an ad for their website. The deep link would take me directly to the microwave cookware webpage on the GK Home & Garden website, by-passing the homepage. Not exploring deep links means you could be passing up a great way to enrich your website visitor’s search-experience on your site. Seems to me deep links can be a real time saver. If you’re like me, kind of just starting out and still learning about the care and feeding of your website you might want to file this deep link information away to be put to use later.

Even a little research, if this topic interests you, might help fill in any information I miss. I did learn that a links to specific product on your website, other than your homepage, are viewed positively by the major search engine. You can also make your deep link even more desirable by having good content associated with the item or service on the page your web-visitor lands on. The more descriptive and informative you can be about your product or service the better. A good product or service description should leave your web visitor thinking how can I buy, or signup? And not questions like, how big is it really, what does it weigh, or what other services are included?

So if you have products for sale then in addition to a picture of the item, and a price, the best description of that product you can come up with, including any experience you might have had with a particular product, is valuable.  The more descriptive you can be about whatever it is your website sells, or promotes, the better the chance of building trust with your customer and helping them make a decision at that moment based on what they read in your product, or service, description.

   

So again, what exactly is a deep link?

Answer: A way to identify a specific piece of content, product, service or functionality on your website to visitors that is intended to improve the experience for first-time and return visitors to your website. That way someone looking for square-blue-widgets is taken directly to the page on your website that shows and tells about---square-blue-widgets.

Deep links can be a useful marketing tool however a word of caution. One of the drawbacks to using deep links is that by bypassing the homepage to go directly to a search target valuable advertisement and other offers on the homepage could go unseen, or un-clicked on. (For those familiar with affiliates) The main idea is that some thought should be given to the use of deep links on your site. Meaning if there are things you really do want visitors to see on your homepage then some consideration should be given to how to route site visitors back to your homepage to view ads, or special offers, or care should be used when choosing which items you want to deep link to.

I would imagine that a website that is well setup and organized so that a visitor to your homepage is given the choice to explore your homepage or go directly to the item they are looking for would be the best case. In other words that would be the ideal website setup. The reality though, when it comes to your homepage setup, can be altogether different; so for those of you who already have a “website homepage” to worry about you might want to be aware of the above and make sure your homepage is easy to navigate when it comes to directing web searcher around your website.

If, however, you happen to be a seller of square-blue-widgets, or want people to go directly to the signup page for your service-orientated-website, deep Link it! Use the URL for the page, even better, use the URL of the item on that page and take your web-shopper straight to what your website has to offer.

Members only website

A membership website is a great way to create an online community that is attracted to your website content, or service. A good membership website offers content of value to its memberships that is interesting and valuable enough to keep them coming back for more. Membership websites can be setup to accept money on a long term basis (usually until your subscriber is ready to call it quits) or on a short term basis lasting one, two, or six months, you make that call.  A membership website also provides some open content to non-members so that perspective members can sample some of your product, or the information you offer before they join.

It helps to have a niche that you are passionate about to start a membership website but not all membership websites require a specific niche. What I mean is if, for example, your membership website is more of the project management type; where the members you are concerned about most are those associated with a project then that's a little different from what I am trying to share about a member's site. So just in case you’re thinking---Huh! “Niches? We don’t need any stinkin’ niches.” You are probably already aware of the fact that a niche ideas, to kickoff your members only website, is not always necessary, okay with that said!

  

If what you have to offer is your own unique method of discovery, for example: how you use a metal detector, operate a garage sale or if you excel at antique shopping and tips for finding hidden in plain site antique treasures. If you have handcrafting, cooking, crocheting, or gardening tips and secrets to share put your experiences to work and attract a group of internet visitors interested enough in what you have to offer to sign on and become a member of your site. You will of course find many other examples of membership websites but my point is, choosing to share a talent or information you already have, about a particular product or service, is all you really need.

The following are some membership website ideas that I have learned about, who knows you might find a Publisher type membership website. The Publisher version of membership website is usually on-going and in the form of a magazine, or newsletter, that provides ongoing useful information weekly, or monthly. Useful information for people interested in your particular niche or subject. If you have created an E-Book for your subject you can sell, or offer your e-book in parts, to members that sign up. In the case of e-books or other downloadable digital material you can setup a protected download feature to prevent unauthorized download of digital material available only to registered members.

There are Instructional or Educational Membership websites that distribute materials of interest to students, teacher, and other members in the teaching/learning field. Some of these membership websites include entire packages of information like course material offered and distributable to registered members after each stage of the lesson package is completed. The membership fee allows them to participate in an online training session to achieve certain preset goals before being allowed to progress on to the next level and eventually completion of the course. Membership websites in the educational category are usually intended for a membership to last until course material is complete, however, a good reference site and regularly updated material could increase not only the value of the information your membership site distributes; it could also result in extended memberships and member referrals to your website.

Another form of membership website is a Coaching Website, where coaching information is shared with those who sign up for your insight, coaching inspiration, and expertise: be it physical exercise, sales, sports, real estate, or treasure hunting; if you enjoy coaching make your membership website all about your passion to attract and inspire clients.  Health and wellbeing, midwife, pet training and animal care are just a few of the niches with the potential to attract like-minded people looking for a little coaching inspiration to help accomplish their goal. Here too you can offer different membership plans such as a one month membership, two month, or six month memberships for anyone shy of a long term commitment.

There are of course more types of membership business models than listed here. Membership website examples are often limited only by the imagination. If you’re thinking about having your own website capable of generating both income and the personal satisfaction that comes with sharing your valuable insight and experience with those looking for exactly what your membership website offers you could be on the right track. Membership websites have an extra added bit of attractiveness too: a membership website has the potential of not only generating online income but recurring income; cash for your business on a predetermined regular basis; money that can allow you to build some stability into your online business.

The potential to grow and expand your business and income, on a regular basis, are just a couple of the reasons I like the idea of a membership website. If this type website holds any interest for you, whatever your niche, physical fitness, holistic diet and cleansing, or sharing your daily stock market picks, it shouldn’t take much exploration to determine if a membership website will work for you.

Monetization

How to make money with your Website!

If you have a non-business website that is set up mainly to promote “you,” your skill set, or an organization, or if you have been attracted to one of the many free websites available in cyber-space the word monetization may not be relevant for your website, especially since most free websites that I have found draw their monetization line right where their paid services begin. If on the other hand the only reason for you being interested in a website is to generate some income from your website, and make some money, the word monetization will surely come up someday. 

Monetization (to monetizing your website or blog) simply means offering an online service or product that visitors to your website will pay for.  When I setup my Gifts website years ago, the only monetization I was aware of was the money from the items my website sold online.  Being a novice then my sales started off slow and over the years began to pick up as I began to learn more and more about operating a website. Along the way the word monetization kept popping up in articles I would read, and videotaped tutorials that I watched.

I soon realized that the people sending out this word “monetization” were opening my eyes to the many other ways my website could be generating income, in addition to the products I had for sale, and to be honest some of the income streams ideas, the force was sending my way, I had not considered before. So with my interest in exploring other ways of generating income to my website on alert. I did some research and over time learned that there were several other income sources available to my niche that I was missing out on. Not all of these other income sources I found were a fit but I latched on to and decided to develop the ones that were. 

So if you’ve heard the word monetization and wondered exactly what that word meant, with regard to your website, here are a few pros and cons about monetizing your web presents to boost your website income.

The first, and in my opinion the best, way to monetize your website was exactly how I got started, having a product (preferably your own) to offer for sale. Your own brand of whatever it is you create, be it your own product, service or CD, DVD, instruction, recipes, or book (especially an E-Book) is one of the best ways to generate income, and standout in the cyberspace universe.  Second to your very own unique creation to market is manufactured products from wholesalers, or service providers which, in the hand of a good salesperson, (you) can be just as profitable for your website. In my opinion if you have a website you need to be into sales.

The second way of generating income or monetizing your website is sponsorship. Seeking the support of sponsors in your chosen niche, for example: let’s say you operated a boating website, approaching a fishing store, or boating repair shop to see if they would pay to have their business mentioned, or featured on your website, or in one of your store videos. If the price is right and you can show some solid results most businesses will send some of their advertisement-budget-dollars to you for that kind of advertisement. I would recommend this method of monetization for those with a little sales experience. Mainly because you will be selling yourself and your business, when you make personal contact, and it helps to be as business like as you can when approaching another business.

In addition to having a good website, one that will attract enough traffic to impress a prospective client, you should also have your analytics (analytical data) in order. What I mean by this is you should be able to also present some analytical data such as, how many people visit your site in a day, along with some geographical information that will help a prospective sponsor understand how many new customers they might be able to add by partnering with you.

Affiliate marketing is my third suggestion. The way Affiliate marketing works is you sign up with an Affiliate, a company that offers you the opportunity to place their advertisement code on your website; and who is willing to pay you a commission for each item sold as a result of their ad being seen on your website. There are, what I think of as, Affiliate Clearing Houses setup like: Link Share, and Commission Junction to name just a couple, that handle hundreds of affiliates and allow you to select from a large number of businesses looking for website owners to show their advertisements.

The problem I found with most affiliate programs is that they are usually confusing and heavily weighted in favor of the affiliate. Most offer something call cookies, associated with their ad code, you place on your website. The cookies have a shelf life, in most cases they expire in 30 days, after that time expires if the ad remains on your website you will not be paid from that moment on and the affiliate gets free advertisement on your website unless their ad is removed. I know the solution seems simply, when the cookie expires, paste another 30 day cookie-filled-ad on your site, but trying to keep track can time consuming since in order for you to make any money a sale from the affiliate ad on your site, must take place within the 30 period. This period varies so be sure to read the cookie part of the contract.

Where most independent affiliates (for want of a better word) or the Affiliate companies you approach on your own will usually pay you in CPC (cost per click) or every time someone click on that affiliate ad you are paid a few cents per click. There is also something called CPM, (click per1000) meaning that you get paid one agreed upon amount  for every 1000-clicks on a particular affiliate ad; usually available from independent affiliates you can find. Commission Junction and Link Share did not offer the same opportunity. With the affiliate program if you don’t read the contract carefully you could end up making little to no money and in the long run providing tons of free advertisement to the affiliate, or as I like to put it, you could end up with negative monetization.

The fourth way to monetize your website is the best (easiest) I’ve found so far. Google AdSense is a program where you allow advertiser to put their advertisement on your website and you get paid CPC style. Every time a visitor to your website clicks on your Google AdSense ad you are paid a few pennies per click. The amount you are paid depends on the Google algorithm that determines then calculates how much you are paid; as far as I can see, you get paid based on the relevance and popularity of your subject matter to your niche. Let’s say your site niche is flowers, you have no control over the type of ads Google will place on your site though AdSense. About the only thing you do know is that your AdSense ad will in some way be related to flowers.

That was only an example of course,  the point I’m trying to make is unlike the affiliate program, were  choose the kind of ads you want to put on your website, be they related to your niche or not,  Google AdSense makes that decision for you. In this case the pay could be unremarkable for a very low traffic website and Google AdSense makes you to clear a $100.00 dollar hurdle meaning  your AdSense account much reach at least $100.00 bucks (the spendable kind) before you get paid. I used Google AdSense so let me say that pennies can add up and oft-time is better than the flow of zero into your business account. Keep in mind here too that I am talking only about supplemental form of income for your website, not a main sources of income.

Monetization method number five is paid memberships. The paid membership approach is where you provide a product(s) or service customers are willing to pay you for on a regular basses. A subscription, to timely and useful information with a system setup that can bill a customer each month for as long as they wish to continue your service or product, while offering enough free stuff to entice and maintain regular subscribers.  I plan to write more about the paid membership method in the near future so if this topic interest you, be sure to stay tuned. All of the above are ways you can monetize your website or blog and hopefully, depending on your niche, turn your website into a money maker that will sustain not only your website operation but you in general.

A sixth and final method of monetizing your website is to simply offer other businesses the opportunity to advertise on your website. Here, however, just like mentioned in the sponsorship monetization method stats and analytic data will be useful. Prospective advertisers on your website will want to know who and just how many new clients their paying for ad space on your website will bring to them, and even though you might not have an answer to that question without your own algorithm you should at least be able to share favorable stats and analytics that will help you seal the deal, honesty is the key.

How much to charge for your advertisement service is something you will need to work out. I simply took a look at what it was costing me to operate my website and tried to figure out an advertisement fee that made it so, if I didn’t make any money, I didn’t really lose any either. In business you can only walk that line for so long though. Monetization is a step you can take along the way when it comes to establishing and operating a successful website.

Website Code

How much computer code do you need to know to maintain a website? The answer is zero. Most website setups are so user friendly that your need to know computer program coding is virtually none existent; however, being able to use HTML code usually means that over the long run you’ll pay a whole lot less for your web presents in what I call extra assistance cost especially if it turns out you are not really happy with your website setup. Or, if you’re like me, not really sure about what type setup you want until after you're setup and running.

In the land of computers and the Internet, especially where maintaining a web presents for yourself, your company, or organization is concerned you pay for what you don't know. That has been my experience anyway. Even a free website over time has the potential of costing you some money; because without the ability to understand some computer coding you could end up paying someone to make adjustments and maintain your website, where understanding computer coding is concerned.

The good news is, just like free websites, there are places on the Internet that will teach you, for free, HTML computer coding. One of them is a place called w3schools.com. They offer free tutorials on HTML, PHP, and CSS to name a few. 

I have logged on and learned from web3 schools (w3schools.com) with the only investment being some of my time. They do offer a certification program that cost almost a hundred bucks and lets you walk away with a certification certificate, but if all you are looking for is information to learn or grow your knowledge of basic HTML code a little of your time is all that their tutorials will cost.

Free websites are fine if you can be happy with the template(s) they offer and there is enough tech support (hopefully of the 24/7 variety) to help you over any potential SEO rough spots. Search Engine Optimization, and SEO counter measures can be tricky for anyone without HTML coding experience.  So if your paid website, or free website, comes with easy to operate instructions that you feel you can handle, and if you can be happy with their basic setup, in these cases your website provider covers your basic business SEO website needs and you're good to go.

If on the other hand you have the desire to find out a little about coding, and perhaps do a little communicating with the computer HTML style be cautious but don’t be afraid to try understanding HTML code and be aware that there are places out there in cyberspace, on YouTube, willing to help you gain, or grow an understanding of HTML coding without the need to register for a formal computer coding class, which by the way would also not be a bad idea depending on your work, school, or life style situation.

For me it was easier to simply do a little learning online when there was a break from work, or many of my other daily chores I do online each day. For those who read this and think----no computer -coding for me, no way, no how! You are still safe in today's drag and drop user friendly world of website building and operation. But websites require maintenance and tuneups to keep up with the ever growing array of cellphone, tablet, and space aged watches being released on the market, gone are the days when all a website owner worried about was to make their website content looked good on a computer or laptop screen. 

The little computer coding I have been able to learn from w3schools, and from posing an occasional question on YouTube, has taught me a lot. I had to smile the other day when I added an affiliate ad to one of my sites and it didn’t line up right. I knew just where to grab the piece of code from to center the ad perfectly.  A  year or so ago I would have had to live with with that little imperfection (the misaligned ad) or pay someone to fix it for me. I don’t consider myself, by and stretch of the imagination, a pro programmer because of the little HTML tricks I have learned but I am a little excited about being able to work with HTML code and anxious to add to the little coding smarts I have.

I guess the beautiful thing about computer coding now-days is that you have a choice, meaning whether you know coding or not you can still enjoy your own website, and there are many knowledgeable people out there willing and able to help you with your coding questions, for little to know compensation.  If you decide to take the plunge and start learning a little about how HTML works then you will soon see that there are several different forms of coding related to your websites in general. There are even different flavors of HTML code. I wish I could do a better job of explaining the process to you, but as I said I'm still learning.

Being able to writer, or understand the coding that makes your website work can be very helpful but since most of the online technical places I visited, when trying to understand SEO, all seemed to assume that anyone looking for SEO information, in this case me looking for H1 tags and meta data, knew and understood the art of HTML, and I did not, not until now anyway. I had always operated drag and drop, and ready to go websites that required no HTML experience.

But now I'm on a mission to understand the illusive collection of characters that drive my computer/website. I hope you will make learning HTML an adventure too. Just remember that with or without the knowledge of HTML your website is safe---from you, just make sure you keep your website date backed up if you do decide to go HTMLing, a lesson learned, that I now pass on to you.