Networking for Success - How?

Increasing online visibility is the goal of every successful Online Marketer. Without visibility, you have no traffic and thus no business or sales. The good news is there are many options out there, but there is little time for most people to put in the necessary due diligence to become a overnight networking success. Where does an online entrepreneur turn first to get the visibility and traffic to promote his online venture?

The Internet is virtually being flooded with new gimmicks and tricks to get you sucked into their next best venture. Sad to say most of them are not viable solutions for helping you and are so complicated that it takes a rocket scientist to figure them out. In my business, I've discovered that there are a handful that are able to stand the test of time. Some have been around for as long as websites have been around, while others are newer kids on the block. Here are my 5 most effective strategies to massively boost visibility for your online business.


1. Press releases. Press releases are a well-known marketing strategy that have worked for years with print and broadcast media. In recent years they have found new life as an online visibility tool. Your release should contain something that is newsworthy that has been optimized with a select few keywords by which you want your business to be found. Don't waste your time submitting your release to the free press release sites -- the release simply sits on the site and goes no where else. Instead, invest in a fee-based service which will ensure your release gets the recognition it deserves.

2. Social Networking. Social networking now ranks near the top in terms of attracting visibility to your business for a very low cost. If you don't yet have accounts on the two most popular social networking sites Facebook and Twitter, that is a must. Newer social sites such as Sokule, Direct Matches and People String are just a few of many places where you can interact with people to build relationships leading to introducing your business to them through groups or networks, sharing resources, and asking questions. A minimum of 15-30 minutes each day dedicated to Social Networking is a must before you will begin to see the results you are looking for.

3. Article Marketing. Writing and submitting articles to major article directories is an excellent way to become more visible online. Article marketing will drive traffic to your site, establish you as an expert in your target market's eyes and provide people with informative content. To be highly effect your article needs to contain a strong resource box that drives traffic back to your site, needs to contain useful content that solves a problem of your target market. I find writing in a format like you see here attracts readers because it is in point form making it easier for the reader to digest.

4. Blogging. If you are promoting your business you must devote time every day to blogging. It is one of the most popular and successful ways to get the exposure you are looking for. Blogs use RSS feed technology to immediately get new posts and updates out to your blog subscribers through a feed reader. Search engines index blog posts almost immediately, which helps you generate traffic to your website. The important key to blogging is getting return visitors so your content must be fresh and informative to keep visitors coming back. I have found that adding a little humor really adds some spice to your blog and puts a smile on many a weary face.

5. Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Optimizing your site or your blog for organic, naturally-occurring, searches has been around from the beginning of Internet marketing. Use a keyword research tool and create a listing of keywords applicable to your Business Opportunity. Don't forget to add things like "how to", "tips", or short descriptions of your target market's problems to your research. Then, take a look at your page titles, page descriptions, page headlines, and formatted text on a page (bolding, italicizing, underlining) and include your keywords in those areas, as well as sprinkling 1-2 keywords throughout the content of your page. Make the SEO appear to be natural, not forced, and the search engines as well as your visitors will love you.

I spent a total of three years trying to learn how to market effectively online. I finally found out how to get the most out of the volumes of information available for Online Marketing. I hired a coach and mentor to teach me the necessary skill sets for survival in one of the fastest growing industries today “The Internet.” In my next article I will give you some more tips on how to survive and become an overnight success tapping into the most challenging and diversified mode of doing business in the 21st Century, you had better learn to master the “demon” because it is not going anywhere and will only be a thorn in your side until you become it’s master.

The Internet is constantly changing so these series of articles will at times reflect my frustrations and my triumphs as I weave my way through the learning curve to becoming a successful Internet Marketer. Your work is never done, it just faces the challenge of being adaptable and having the courage to master the next hurdle you face on the ever changing Internet highway.
http://www.joansincomeforlife.com