Learning a foreign language can be enjoyable - but exasperating. Anything you can do to accelerate learning or make language acquisition more enjoyable is a valuable weapon in your learning arsenal. Kathy Steinemann shares a helpful and unique approach to this challenge.
Take a look at the following two sections of text:
*Version 1
The sky is blue today. I'm sitting on the beach. A bully kicks sand in my face. Too bad for him! Here come my bodyguards!
*Version 2
One, two, a sky so blue. Three, four, a sandy shore. Five, six, a bully kicks. Seven, eight, he's sealed his fate. Nine, ten, here come my gunmen!
Now go back and re-read the verses.
Did you notice that you have already started to anticipate what comes next in the second version?
Conclusion: It is easier to memorize rhyming poetry than to memorize prose.
So what implication does this have for learning a foreign language?
If you memorize well-written *modern* foreign language poetry, you can accelerate your learning curve. (Notice the keyword 'modern'.)
Poetry written in the 18th Century may have deep cultural and educational significance. However, words penned to page over 300 years ago will utilize obsolete vocabulary, spelling, and grammar formations.
As an example: consider the popular King James Version of the Bible. If you started using 'thee' and 'thou' in your daily speech, people would understand you - but they would treat you like an alien in a time warp.
You can search the internet for poetry written by contemporary authors. Try searches like:
parallel translation poetry
parallel translation poems
parallel translation poems German English
parallel translation poems French English
parallel translation poetry Italian English
parallel translation poetry Spanish English
Substitute search terms as necessary with the name of the specific language you are studying. Review the webpages you find with a tutor, professor, or knowledgeable person to determine grammar and vocabulary suitability.
Attempt to have the poetry dictated and recorded by a native language speaker. Softly recite the poetry while you listen to the recordings. This will improve your verbalization skills. With luck, you may find online audio for some of the poetry.
Are you a budding poet? Try creating foreign language poems yourself.
No poetic talent? Attempt the following simple approach. If you are learning German, for example, you might produce a 'poem' like this:
the dog - der Hund
the mouth - der Mund
the air - die Luft
the scent - der Duft
to buzz - summen
to growl - brummen
little - klein
clean - rein
to brood - grübeln
to iron - bügeln
You don't have to worry about grammar - just definitions, pronunciations, gender, and spelling. Alcor (alcor.com.au) has several rhyming dictionaries that can assist you with this process.
If you have an audio dictionary on your computer, listen carefully to the pronunciation of each word. There are also excellent online dictionaries with audio.
Now produce your own poetry recording using audio capture software.
- First, dictate each English word or phrase and save as an individual file.
- Next, save foreign language audio clips from your dictionary or from the internet.
- Now load your audio capture software and play the files in the correct order. Try to create short productions of a minute or two in duration.
- Edit if necessary to eliminate excessive pauses or add definite articles.
- Finally, convert to MP3 or WMA. Now you can use your iPod or portable media player for something besides music.
The 21st Century is a wonderful time to be learning a foreign language!
About the Author
Find parallel-translation German-English poetry at: http://www.a-language-guide.com/german-short-stories/ - and other language resources at: http://www.a-language-guide.com/. Kathy is a webmaster and author who writes for 1st Rate Articles: http://1stratearticles.com/ and several other websites.
Monday, April 30, 2007
How can Google and Government make you rich
There are literally many easy ways to make money online - Google Adsense is one of the most popular methods. You partner with Google, they place ads on your websites and share the advertising revenue with you. Many people earn nice 6 figure income from Google Adsense alone.
You might be thinking: if Google adsense is that easy, why aren't more people become rich with it? The problem is, you need huge amount of quality and unique contents that attract visitors to your sites. Most people are not born writers. Let's say your goal is to put up 1 site per week, with 100-200 pages per site. Imagine the time and energy needed to complete the task! Sure you can hire writers, but it is not cheap. The going rate for average writer is $5/article. How much are you going to pay for 1000 pages of articles? Huge investment isn't it?
So, does it mean that you should give up Adsense altogether? Certainly not, because you are going to learn a secret on how government can help you to make money with Google Adsense!
Now what if I tell you, there are millions of free articles that you can legally rewrite, modify anyway you want, and even claim your authorship? These articles: -cover many profitable Adsense niche, including iPod, finance, health, pets etc. -are written by professionals; -practically nobody is using or talking about this resource!
Drum rolls... It's called "public domain" - Material that is not copyrighted, whose copyright has expired, or is un-copyrightable, including government publication, creative commons, and Wikipedia.
So what's so fascinating with Public domain? Simply but, you can take the contents from there, re-write it and put on your website without any problem! There are so many contents in government sites and Wikipedia. Don't believe? Do a search on Wikipedia and Google Government Search engine on ANY keyword.
For example, one of my favorite niche is health. It is a niche that is moderate in competition, high in searches. People are always looking for information on certain symptoms and disease. Most importantly health related keywords are one of those high paying Adsense keywords! It is very common to earn few dollars from just one click!
Now, at push button you will be able to find wide array of health articles in government websites, including diabetes, weight loss, sexual dysfunction etc. The articles are free for you to use.
There are people who sell articles to Adsense publishers. They called it PLR (Private Label Rights) articles where the articles rights belong to buyers' after the purchase. The average membership costs around $39-$97 per month for limited amount of articles. I am never a big fan of PLR articles. Simply but, why pay for something that is supposedly free?
Finally, one very important thing to keep in mind: always re-write the articles you take from public domain. Many webmasters have been de-listed for duplicate contents on their websites. If you want long term success with Adsense, unique articles is the way to go.
About the Author
Lai Chiayee is an experienced Adsense publisher. Learn how to find public domain articles, rewrite and profit from them quickly == > http://www.cylai.net/PDRiches.htm
You might be thinking: if Google adsense is that easy, why aren't more people become rich with it? The problem is, you need huge amount of quality and unique contents that attract visitors to your sites. Most people are not born writers. Let's say your goal is to put up 1 site per week, with 100-200 pages per site. Imagine the time and energy needed to complete the task! Sure you can hire writers, but it is not cheap. The going rate for average writer is $5/article. How much are you going to pay for 1000 pages of articles? Huge investment isn't it?
So, does it mean that you should give up Adsense altogether? Certainly not, because you are going to learn a secret on how government can help you to make money with Google Adsense!
Now what if I tell you, there are millions of free articles that you can legally rewrite, modify anyway you want, and even claim your authorship? These articles: -cover many profitable Adsense niche, including iPod, finance, health, pets etc. -are written by professionals; -practically nobody is using or talking about this resource!
Drum rolls... It's called "public domain" - Material that is not copyrighted, whose copyright has expired, or is un-copyrightable, including government publication, creative commons, and Wikipedia.
So what's so fascinating with Public domain? Simply but, you can take the contents from there, re-write it and put on your website without any problem! There are so many contents in government sites and Wikipedia. Don't believe? Do a search on Wikipedia and Google Government Search engine on ANY keyword.
For example, one of my favorite niche is health. It is a niche that is moderate in competition, high in searches. People are always looking for information on certain symptoms and disease. Most importantly health related keywords are one of those high paying Adsense keywords! It is very common to earn few dollars from just one click!
Now, at push button you will be able to find wide array of health articles in government websites, including diabetes, weight loss, sexual dysfunction etc. The articles are free for you to use.
There are people who sell articles to Adsense publishers. They called it PLR (Private Label Rights) articles where the articles rights belong to buyers' after the purchase. The average membership costs around $39-$97 per month for limited amount of articles. I am never a big fan of PLR articles. Simply but, why pay for something that is supposedly free?
Finally, one very important thing to keep in mind: always re-write the articles you take from public domain. Many webmasters have been de-listed for duplicate contents on their websites. If you want long term success with Adsense, unique articles is the way to go.
About the Author
Lai Chiayee is an experienced Adsense publisher. Learn how to find public domain articles, rewrite and profit from them quickly == > http://www.cylai.net/PDRiches.htm
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Mazda Accessories Fever Gets Even Hotter
Mazda maintains its strong and meticulous selection of vehicle accessories to come up with not just something hot and new but exciting and functional as well. In regard to this endeavor, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) reported a 20 percent increase of sales of Mazda accessories through the first half this year. This figure is in comparison to that of the 2005 sales record.
Mazda’s new offerings include SIRIUS® Satellite Radio, remote-start systems, plus a full line of accessories for the new CX-7 crossover SUV. Consequently, the accessory fever continues as the automaker adds one great accessory to enjoy. Genuine Mazda Accessories launched an exclusive iPod Integration Module, which allows customers to connect, charge, and operate their iPod through their vehicle’s audio system. It can be recalled that Mazda was the first to offer iPod® Integration Module in all its 2007 cars and SUVs around the world.
To assess the performance of Genuine Mazda Accessories, sales of MAZDASPEED Performance Accessories is getting better and better. Sales have almost doubled each year since its introduction to the market. To boost the sales further, Mazda introduced its key offerings for this year which include upgraded suspension systems and cat-back performance exhaust systems for MAZDA3, MAZDA6, RX-8 and MX-5. MAZDASPEED, on the other hand, offers OEM-quality “cold air” induction systems with full warranty. Said system is used to augment horsepower without weakening emissions.
The overwhelming sales are proofs to overall customer satisfaction. According to Jack Stavana, director of accessory operations for MNAO, “Our objective with the Mazda Accessories program is to provide products that actually enhance the driving experience for Mazda customers. Mazda drivers are young and passionate, and Mazda accessories provide them with the means of expressing their enthusiasm on their vehicle.”
Mazda’s comprehensive accessories program also include in-dash single and six-disc CD changers, cassette players, MiniDisc players and the newly introduced PhatBox ® Digital Media Player. They are available at over 200 specific Mazda dealers across the country.
About the Author
Tom Bailey is a consultant for one of the country’s leading auto parts stores. He is also an editor of a reputable publishing company in his area. He is currently based in Atlantic City, New Jersey with his wife and 3 children.
Mazda’s new offerings include SIRIUS® Satellite Radio, remote-start systems, plus a full line of accessories for the new CX-7 crossover SUV. Consequently, the accessory fever continues as the automaker adds one great accessory to enjoy. Genuine Mazda Accessories launched an exclusive iPod Integration Module, which allows customers to connect, charge, and operate their iPod through their vehicle’s audio system. It can be recalled that Mazda was the first to offer iPod® Integration Module in all its 2007 cars and SUVs around the world.
To assess the performance of Genuine Mazda Accessories, sales of MAZDASPEED Performance Accessories is getting better and better. Sales have almost doubled each year since its introduction to the market. To boost the sales further, Mazda introduced its key offerings for this year which include upgraded suspension systems and cat-back performance exhaust systems for MAZDA3, MAZDA6, RX-8 and MX-5. MAZDASPEED, on the other hand, offers OEM-quality “cold air” induction systems with full warranty. Said system is used to augment horsepower without weakening emissions.
The overwhelming sales are proofs to overall customer satisfaction. According to Jack Stavana, director of accessory operations for MNAO, “Our objective with the Mazda Accessories program is to provide products that actually enhance the driving experience for Mazda customers. Mazda drivers are young and passionate, and Mazda accessories provide them with the means of expressing their enthusiasm on their vehicle.”
Mazda’s comprehensive accessories program also include in-dash single and six-disc CD changers, cassette players, MiniDisc players and the newly introduced PhatBox ® Digital Media Player. They are available at over 200 specific Mazda dealers across the country.
About the Author
Tom Bailey is a consultant for one of the country’s leading auto parts stores. He is also an editor of a reputable publishing company in his area. He is currently based in Atlantic City, New Jersey with his wife and 3 children.
What You Should Really Know About the Sony Mp3 Players
The Sony NW-HD5 20GB hard drive audio player is a solid competitor: It certainly has a leg up on its wheel-sporting white rival in the battery life department, and it has a couple of navigation features that should make Apple take note.
Sony has been struggling to keep pace with Apple's hugely successful iPod and iTunes, but it's been a losing battle.It lacks extras like an FM tuner or recording, but so does the iPod, and the lack of frills makes it very simple to use.
But despite the player's ease of use, very good sound quality, and (finally) native MP3 support, Sony's MP3 player is still held back by the required software and overzealous DRM.
The stylish-looking anodized-aluminum NW-HD5, available in red, silver, or black, measures 2.4 by 3.5 by 0.6 inches and weighs 4.8 ounces—significantly smaller and lighter than the fourth-generation 20GB iPod.
It has a very simple button layout on the front, below the 1.7-inch monochrome LCD, and a hold switch on top next to the headphone jack.
The removable lithium ion rechargeable battery is rated for 30 hours of continuous MP3 audio playback at 128 Kbps (or 40 hours for Sony's proprietary ATRAC3/ATRAC3plus formats).
When tested with a real-world mix of MP3 files encoded at 128 Kbps to 320 Kbps, the battery was found to last for nearly 24.5 hours—roughly twice the iPod's battery life. It also has adjustable screen orientation and shock protection, which senses when the player is dropped and releases the recording head to protect the hard disk.
The menus look very low-budget, but they are quite easy to navigate. Initials Search lets you jump to songs that begin with a specific letter—a handy feature that other vendors should consider implementing.
You can create standard playlists—Sony calls them Bookmarks—directly on the player, but they can't be edited in the bundled SonicStage software.
Likewise, playlists created in SonicStage cannot be edited on the player. And the Bookmarks have nothing to do with audiobooks, which aren't supported.
The NW-HD5's biggest drawbacks are the Windows-only SonicStage software and the strict DRM.
You can transfer tracks to the player only via SonicStage, much like with Apple's iPod and iTunes combination. The installation is a fairly long process and requires a restart, and the software isn't nearly as polished as iTunes.
But you also have to "authorize" the player via the Internet, which involves creating a Sony Connect account, letting you use the player with up to five computers—otherwise, the player is tied to a single computer.
SonicStage supports unprotected WMA files, but when transferred the same to the NW-HD5, they were automatically transcoded to Sony's proprietary ATRAC3 format. For online music services, you're limited to the mediocre Sony Connect.
Sony has taken a big step forward with native MP3 support, and the player looks and sounds very good. Its ease of use rivals even that of the iPod.
But we feel that the software and DRM present too many difficulties, and Sony still needs to figure out a better strategy to protect its vast catalog of music copyrights.
If you can live with the NW-HD5's DRM and software limitations, you'll find the player itself provides a very good combination of ease of use, sound quality, and battery life for the price.
About the Author
For more more information about mp3 players please visit http://www.i-pod-mp3-player.com
Sony has been struggling to keep pace with Apple's hugely successful iPod and iTunes, but it's been a losing battle.It lacks extras like an FM tuner or recording, but so does the iPod, and the lack of frills makes it very simple to use.
But despite the player's ease of use, very good sound quality, and (finally) native MP3 support, Sony's MP3 player is still held back by the required software and overzealous DRM.
The stylish-looking anodized-aluminum NW-HD5, available in red, silver, or black, measures 2.4 by 3.5 by 0.6 inches and weighs 4.8 ounces—significantly smaller and lighter than the fourth-generation 20GB iPod.
It has a very simple button layout on the front, below the 1.7-inch monochrome LCD, and a hold switch on top next to the headphone jack.
The removable lithium ion rechargeable battery is rated for 30 hours of continuous MP3 audio playback at 128 Kbps (or 40 hours for Sony's proprietary ATRAC3/ATRAC3plus formats).
When tested with a real-world mix of MP3 files encoded at 128 Kbps to 320 Kbps, the battery was found to last for nearly 24.5 hours—roughly twice the iPod's battery life. It also has adjustable screen orientation and shock protection, which senses when the player is dropped and releases the recording head to protect the hard disk.
The menus look very low-budget, but they are quite easy to navigate. Initials Search lets you jump to songs that begin with a specific letter—a handy feature that other vendors should consider implementing.
You can create standard playlists—Sony calls them Bookmarks—directly on the player, but they can't be edited in the bundled SonicStage software.
Likewise, playlists created in SonicStage cannot be edited on the player. And the Bookmarks have nothing to do with audiobooks, which aren't supported.
The NW-HD5's biggest drawbacks are the Windows-only SonicStage software and the strict DRM.
You can transfer tracks to the player only via SonicStage, much like with Apple's iPod and iTunes combination. The installation is a fairly long process and requires a restart, and the software isn't nearly as polished as iTunes.
But you also have to "authorize" the player via the Internet, which involves creating a Sony Connect account, letting you use the player with up to five computers—otherwise, the player is tied to a single computer.
SonicStage supports unprotected WMA files, but when transferred the same to the NW-HD5, they were automatically transcoded to Sony's proprietary ATRAC3 format. For online music services, you're limited to the mediocre Sony Connect.
Sony has taken a big step forward with native MP3 support, and the player looks and sounds very good. Its ease of use rivals even that of the iPod.
But we feel that the software and DRM present too many difficulties, and Sony still needs to figure out a better strategy to protect its vast catalog of music copyrights.
If you can live with the NW-HD5's DRM and software limitations, you'll find the player itself provides a very good combination of ease of use, sound quality, and battery life for the price.
About the Author
For more more information about mp3 players please visit http://www.i-pod-mp3-player.com
Friday, April 27, 2007
Travel Photography Tips and Preparation
I just returned from a trip through Europe as a tour photographer and gained some useful knowledge that could be helpful to any photographers, amateur or professional who are planning a trip. This article deals with: obtaining the necessary equipment, carrying the equipment and always being in the right place at the right time. If you are hoping to get a professional collection of pictures from a vacation or group tour in a far away place you should definitely consider some of these issues. If you would like to see a collection of my personal photos from some of my trips (in which I used these techniques) please visit the wallpaper galleries on picturecorrect.com.
-My Personal Equipment Preparation
Through many photography trips I gradually developed a strategy for traveling lightly and conveniently with a sufficient amount of camera equipment. On long trips I typically take along two cameras; one digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera and one small digital point-and-shoot camera. For the SLR camera I take two lenses; one midrange telephoto lens (70-200 mm) and one fixed wide angle lens (24 mm). With these two types of lenses you will be ready for effective people pictures and beautiful landscape and scenery photos.
In addition to the cameras I absolutely always have some sort of tripod readily available whether it is the simple mini type or the full size larger type (for traveling you should make sure the tripod is made out of a light-weight material). For memory storage I take a larger memory card for the SLR and typically a smaller capacity card for the point-and-shoot camera. I also recently purchased an ipod so as soon as the memory cards are full I just unload them onto my ipod.
-Carrying the Equipment
For long trips that are full of photo opportunities I only carry one shoulder bag for my photography equipment. I keep the SLR camera in the bag with the extra lens that I am not currently using. I then carry the smaller point-and-shoot camera in the pocket of my cargo pants or shorts. The newer small digital point-and-shoot style cameras have developed so much that sometimes I feel that the photos I obtain from that camera are better then the SLR camera's photos. If you keep a small camera in your pocket then you will always be ready for spontaneous photo opportunities (mainly people pictures). And that way you won't always have to have a huge camera hanging around your neck which in many places will make you an instant target for professional pick pocketers.
I can't emphasize how important a tripod is on vacation trips. I am thoroughly convinced that the best pictures I have taken have either been at sunset or at night with long shutter speeds made possible by the use of a tripod. It has also come in very handy for architectural photos inside many cathedrals and buildings that have huge areas that are not very well lit.
-Techniques for Professional Travel Photos
Of course for effective photos you should read some articles on composition, exposure, shutter speed, and aperture. But there are also many other issues that I have realized are very important for travel photos. For pictures of landmarks or landscapes you should make sure that you have some kind of foreground and background so your viewers will have a good perspective of what it would be like to visit the site themselves. You should also make sure that you take plenty of photos from one scene with different combinations of exposure settings and angles. I usually only find about 1 photo out of 10 that I really like even though all ten photos are taken of the exact same place. And remember that you will probably want to make sure that you get at least one good photo of each spot since it is likely that you won't return any time soon.
For people pictures it is important to get photos of the people that may be accompanying you on your trip as well as some photos of people native to the area that you are visiting. When people are looking at photos following a trip they like to see both photos of them visiting certain spots as well as close ups of them enjoying themselves or focused mainly on their facial features. On the occasions that I have been hired to accompany a tour and prepare a slide show I found that the photos that the people enjoyed the most were of them enjoying a funny moment or of someone doing something silly that makes them look like an ignorant tourist. But they also enjoyed seeing photos of some of the interesting kinds of people that they met in the foreign environments. One example of this is on my recent visit to Germany I took many pictures of the crazy soccer fans who were cheering in the streets and waving flags.
There is a seemingly endless supply of things you can learn about travel photography, but I would say that the most effective technique is just to take a lot of photos and a wide variety of photos.
About the Author
Richard Schneider is a digital photography enthusiast and founder of http://www.picturecorrect.com/ which offers tips and news about digital photography, digital camera reviews, and photoshop tutorials. Please also visit http://www.picturecorrect.com/freewallpaper.htm where you can find many examples of the techniques described in this article to use as your desktop wallpaper.
-My Personal Equipment Preparation
Through many photography trips I gradually developed a strategy for traveling lightly and conveniently with a sufficient amount of camera equipment. On long trips I typically take along two cameras; one digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera and one small digital point-and-shoot camera. For the SLR camera I take two lenses; one midrange telephoto lens (70-200 mm) and one fixed wide angle lens (24 mm). With these two types of lenses you will be ready for effective people pictures and beautiful landscape and scenery photos.
In addition to the cameras I absolutely always have some sort of tripod readily available whether it is the simple mini type or the full size larger type (for traveling you should make sure the tripod is made out of a light-weight material). For memory storage I take a larger memory card for the SLR and typically a smaller capacity card for the point-and-shoot camera. I also recently purchased an ipod so as soon as the memory cards are full I just unload them onto my ipod.
-Carrying the Equipment
For long trips that are full of photo opportunities I only carry one shoulder bag for my photography equipment. I keep the SLR camera in the bag with the extra lens that I am not currently using. I then carry the smaller point-and-shoot camera in the pocket of my cargo pants or shorts. The newer small digital point-and-shoot style cameras have developed so much that sometimes I feel that the photos I obtain from that camera are better then the SLR camera's photos. If you keep a small camera in your pocket then you will always be ready for spontaneous photo opportunities (mainly people pictures). And that way you won't always have to have a huge camera hanging around your neck which in many places will make you an instant target for professional pick pocketers.
I can't emphasize how important a tripod is on vacation trips. I am thoroughly convinced that the best pictures I have taken have either been at sunset or at night with long shutter speeds made possible by the use of a tripod. It has also come in very handy for architectural photos inside many cathedrals and buildings that have huge areas that are not very well lit.
-Techniques for Professional Travel Photos
Of course for effective photos you should read some articles on composition, exposure, shutter speed, and aperture. But there are also many other issues that I have realized are very important for travel photos. For pictures of landmarks or landscapes you should make sure that you have some kind of foreground and background so your viewers will have a good perspective of what it would be like to visit the site themselves. You should also make sure that you take plenty of photos from one scene with different combinations of exposure settings and angles. I usually only find about 1 photo out of 10 that I really like even though all ten photos are taken of the exact same place. And remember that you will probably want to make sure that you get at least one good photo of each spot since it is likely that you won't return any time soon.
For people pictures it is important to get photos of the people that may be accompanying you on your trip as well as some photos of people native to the area that you are visiting. When people are looking at photos following a trip they like to see both photos of them visiting certain spots as well as close ups of them enjoying themselves or focused mainly on their facial features. On the occasions that I have been hired to accompany a tour and prepare a slide show I found that the photos that the people enjoyed the most were of them enjoying a funny moment or of someone doing something silly that makes them look like an ignorant tourist. But they also enjoyed seeing photos of some of the interesting kinds of people that they met in the foreign environments. One example of this is on my recent visit to Germany I took many pictures of the crazy soccer fans who were cheering in the streets and waving flags.
There is a seemingly endless supply of things you can learn about travel photography, but I would say that the most effective technique is just to take a lot of photos and a wide variety of photos.
About the Author
Richard Schneider is a digital photography enthusiast and founder of http://www.picturecorrect.com/ which offers tips and news about digital photography, digital camera reviews, and photoshop tutorials. Please also visit http://www.picturecorrect.com/freewallpaper.htm where you can find many examples of the techniques described in this article to use as your desktop wallpaper.
Top Ten Ways To Market Your Web Site: Get The Traffic You Need
Copyright 2006 Angela Booth
Millions of people are online, and all those people mean you've got hundreds of thousands of potential customers who are looking for your products and services. Your site should get around 500 visitors a day without spending a cent on advertising. However, the number one question I get from Web site owners is: how do I get more traffic?
Here are the top ten ways to market your Web site. I guarantee you, if you use all these tactics you'll get at least 500 visitors a day within a couple of weeks. From there, if you keep implementing the tactics, your traffic will grow into a flood, and you'll have more business than you can handle.
=> 1. Send out press releases
Word for word, press releases give unbelievable value -- more value than any other tactic you could use to promote your business. And yet, many business owners don't use press releases. One owner told me: "It makes me look as if I'm begging for attention..."
I've been a tech journalist for years, and as a journalist, I scan news releases eagerly. I want a story! I need news, and I need it every day. If you send me a news release, I'm grateful. I might not use your story, but the next time I hear your business's name, I'll remember it. If you keep sending me story ideas, sooner or later I will get in touch, either to interview you for a story I'm writing, or to do a story on your business.
Sites like PRWeb will publish your news release free. Use this incredible publicity resource.
=> 2. Write articles
Articles are content, and the Web thrives on content. If you write an article a week, and publish it on several of the many article directories online, you'll drive traffic to your business.
=> 3. Network -- use your friends, family and colleagues and THEIR friends etc
Got friends? Of course you have. You've got friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. Use your address book. Send out a message which says: "Hey -- have you seen my new site? I'm trying to get the news out about it, and would appreciate it if you'd visit, and would let your friends know about the site too. Thanks."
See? Easy.
=> 4. Classified ads in newspapers
Take out a weekly classified ad in your local newspaper with your site's name and URL, and a one-sentence description of the site.
=> 5. Get more content onto your site: blog
The search engines are indexing software. They need words to index. Google especially loves blogs. So start a blog on your site, and blog several times a week. Think of your blog as a "News" page for your site.
=> 6. Run a contest
Everyone loves contests. Run a contest on your site, with an Apple iPod as the prize, and you'll get lots of traffic.
=> 7. Use the social networking sites
There are dozens of social networking sites online. The best known is MySpace, but there are many others, like Gather and Ryze. Join one of these sites. Network.
=> 8. Word Of Mouth (WOM)
There's a saying that you can't buy WOM. Well, guess what? You can. Develop a process in which you reward WOM. You could offer ten per cent off your services to anyone who introduces three friends. Or ten per cent off a product, if the buyer buys a gift token too. There are many ways you can encourage people to spread the word about your site.
=> 9. Join barter networks
Barter networks are deservedly popular. Join a business barter network, and barter products and services for what you need. You're doing it not as much for the benefits of saving money, you're doing it to spread the word about your business and Web site.
=> 10. Barter advertising
There are many business networks which barter advertising through the network. You can run banner advertising on others' sites, and run banners for them on your own.
"Banner exchanges" were all the rage five years ago, and people went mad with them. This led to banners becoming ineffective. Don't join a large network. Join a small network, or start a small network yourself. Don't run more than one banner on any page.
There you have it. Ten ways to get traffic to your site. These methods work. Please try them, and become a business owner who has no trouble generating traffic.
About the Author
Angela Booth is a veteran copywriter and marketing expert. She writes Web site copy and content, and develops marketing plans for Web sites. Visit her creative copywriting site at http://angelabooth.com/ and her Creativity Factory marketing copywriting blog at http://www.angelabooth.com/wp/
Millions of people are online, and all those people mean you've got hundreds of thousands of potential customers who are looking for your products and services. Your site should get around 500 visitors a day without spending a cent on advertising. However, the number one question I get from Web site owners is: how do I get more traffic?
Here are the top ten ways to market your Web site. I guarantee you, if you use all these tactics you'll get at least 500 visitors a day within a couple of weeks. From there, if you keep implementing the tactics, your traffic will grow into a flood, and you'll have more business than you can handle.
=> 1. Send out press releases
Word for word, press releases give unbelievable value -- more value than any other tactic you could use to promote your business. And yet, many business owners don't use press releases. One owner told me: "It makes me look as if I'm begging for attention..."
I've been a tech journalist for years, and as a journalist, I scan news releases eagerly. I want a story! I need news, and I need it every day. If you send me a news release, I'm grateful. I might not use your story, but the next time I hear your business's name, I'll remember it. If you keep sending me story ideas, sooner or later I will get in touch, either to interview you for a story I'm writing, or to do a story on your business.
Sites like PRWeb will publish your news release free. Use this incredible publicity resource.
=> 2. Write articles
Articles are content, and the Web thrives on content. If you write an article a week, and publish it on several of the many article directories online, you'll drive traffic to your business.
=> 3. Network -- use your friends, family and colleagues and THEIR friends etc
Got friends? Of course you have. You've got friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. Use your address book. Send out a message which says: "Hey -- have you seen my new site? I'm trying to get the news out about it, and would appreciate it if you'd visit, and would let your friends know about the site too. Thanks."
See? Easy.
=> 4. Classified ads in newspapers
Take out a weekly classified ad in your local newspaper with your site's name and URL, and a one-sentence description of the site.
=> 5. Get more content onto your site: blog
The search engines are indexing software. They need words to index. Google especially loves blogs. So start a blog on your site, and blog several times a week. Think of your blog as a "News" page for your site.
=> 6. Run a contest
Everyone loves contests. Run a contest on your site, with an Apple iPod as the prize, and you'll get lots of traffic.
=> 7. Use the social networking sites
There are dozens of social networking sites online. The best known is MySpace, but there are many others, like Gather and Ryze. Join one of these sites. Network.
=> 8. Word Of Mouth (WOM)
There's a saying that you can't buy WOM. Well, guess what? You can. Develop a process in which you reward WOM. You could offer ten per cent off your services to anyone who introduces three friends. Or ten per cent off a product, if the buyer buys a gift token too. There are many ways you can encourage people to spread the word about your site.
=> 9. Join barter networks
Barter networks are deservedly popular. Join a business barter network, and barter products and services for what you need. You're doing it not as much for the benefits of saving money, you're doing it to spread the word about your business and Web site.
=> 10. Barter advertising
There are many business networks which barter advertising through the network. You can run banner advertising on others' sites, and run banners for them on your own.
"Banner exchanges" were all the rage five years ago, and people went mad with them. This led to banners becoming ineffective. Don't join a large network. Join a small network, or start a small network yourself. Don't run more than one banner on any page.
There you have it. Ten ways to get traffic to your site. These methods work. Please try them, and become a business owner who has no trouble generating traffic.
About the Author
Angela Booth is a veteran copywriter and marketing expert. She writes Web site copy and content, and develops marketing plans for Web sites. Visit her creative copywriting site at http://angelabooth.com/ and her Creativity Factory marketing copywriting blog at http://www.angelabooth.com/wp/
Is Your Web Site Behind the Times?
In today's world, new technologies are being developed at a very rapid pace and are being adapted by the public very quickly. A year ago, did you use an iPod or any other MP3 player? Do you use one now? Have you heard about blogs, podcasts, and networking sites such as MySpace.com? Have you used them? Many consumers have already changed the way in which they get and use information from the web, which means you may want to take a closer look at your company's web site.
Although your company may not need to implement blogs and podcasts, you should at least be aware of the new technologies that are available today, and what kind of impact they are having on your customers and potential customers.
For instance, some of the newer technologies might not have existed when you first launched your web site. But today's users are often already comfortable with them, and ignoring technologies like RSS feeds or interactivity on your web site can give customers a negative impression. New companies and web sites entering your market today are taking advantage of what's popular with consumers, and are developing web sites with new tools and products that may not have been available when you built your web site.
If your competitors have new technology features on their web sites, you should consider what impact this has on your business. Web sites that provide RSS feeds, blogs, podcasts, or other interactivity are often perceived as having more value than sites that do not. If your competition has a more up-to-date, feature-rich web site, will you still be able to attract new customers? Or even keep the interest of your current customers?
Try to evaluate these new technologies to see if your web site could benefit from implementing any of them. Not a blog user? Go find a blog you're interested in and check it out! (A good place to start is www.blog-search.com.) Consider adding news headlines from a RSS feed in your industry. Think about adding interactive features such as a dynamic calendar of events, maps, articles, how-to-guides, or even a site-search feature to your web site. Show your customers that your company is progressive by keeping your web site in step with technology, and the impression you make will be a good one.
About the Author
Lauren Hobson is the Editor of Biz Talk Newsletter, a free monthly publication designed to provide small businesses and non-profits with tips and techniques to help them make the most of their web sites and marketing efforts without spending a lot of money. Biz Talk is published by Five Sparrows, LLC. Visit us at http://www.fivesparrows.com or subscribe to Biz Talk at http://www.fivesparrows.com/biztalk.htm.
Although your company may not need to implement blogs and podcasts, you should at least be aware of the new technologies that are available today, and what kind of impact they are having on your customers and potential customers.
For instance, some of the newer technologies might not have existed when you first launched your web site. But today's users are often already comfortable with them, and ignoring technologies like RSS feeds or interactivity on your web site can give customers a negative impression. New companies and web sites entering your market today are taking advantage of what's popular with consumers, and are developing web sites with new tools and products that may not have been available when you built your web site.
If your competitors have new technology features on their web sites, you should consider what impact this has on your business. Web sites that provide RSS feeds, blogs, podcasts, or other interactivity are often perceived as having more value than sites that do not. If your competition has a more up-to-date, feature-rich web site, will you still be able to attract new customers? Or even keep the interest of your current customers?
Try to evaluate these new technologies to see if your web site could benefit from implementing any of them. Not a blog user? Go find a blog you're interested in and check it out! (A good place to start is www.blog-search.com.) Consider adding news headlines from a RSS feed in your industry. Think about adding interactive features such as a dynamic calendar of events, maps, articles, how-to-guides, or even a site-search feature to your web site. Show your customers that your company is progressive by keeping your web site in step with technology, and the impression you make will be a good one.
About the Author
Lauren Hobson is the Editor of Biz Talk Newsletter, a free monthly publication designed to provide small businesses and non-profits with tips and techniques to help them make the most of their web sites and marketing efforts without spending a lot of money. Biz Talk is published by Five Sparrows, LLC. Visit us at http://www.fivesparrows.com or subscribe to Biz Talk at http://www.fivesparrows.com/biztalk.htm.
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