The "Work From Home Helper"

Choosing the Right Domain Name

Choosing the Right Domain Name
Copyright 2006 – Craig Binkley

It doesn’t matter what type of business you are preparing to start-- if you plan to have a presence on the Internet, choosing a proper domain name is an important step that should be given serious consideration.

Take a moment and think about some of your favorite websites’ URL’s. More than likely they will have a couple of things in common: 1) they express, in some way, the content of the website and 2) are short in the number of characters utilized. These are both good points to keep in mind when choosing your domain name. Let’s take a closer look.

CONTENT OF SITE: Many effective domain names can tell a potential visitor what the website is about without even clicking on the link: I.E. Wal-Mart. Most people, if not everyone in this galaxy, know that the Wal-Mart .com domain is going to have something to do with the giant retailer. The association is immediate. This is the effect for which all online businesses should strive. From a visitor’s standpoint, a domain name consistent with the content lends credibility to the website. Search engines may not be as concerned about the domain name given the importance of the title meta tag right now, but that doesn’t change the potential visitor’s interpretation of your URL when viewing search results. Think about it. If your search query results for “bicycle repair” presented you with a choice between two websites, one of which was “easybicyclepair dot com” and the other “mynameissmith dot com”, which one would you most likely choose? It’s basically a no-brainer.

SHORT AND TO THE POINT: If at all possible, make your domain name short. This translates to less typing for the surfers, as well as a lesser amount of recall required remembering the location of your site (just in case they forgot to bookmark it). Securing a short domain name isn’t always an easy task to accomplish. Many of the short names are already taken, so it may require a little brainstorming on your part to create something you’re happy with that’s short & also associated with your content. Though it may take a little longer to pinpoint just the right name, it will pay off in the long run. For instance, you could come up with a domain that’s “catchy” or even “cute” with a little extra effort & time spent. This will definitely help solidify your site’s location in your visitor’s minds. Advertisers have long known this to be true & have utilized its potential through television, radio and billboard ads for years. A good domain name will do the same thing as an ad jingle: get stuck in a person’s head. If you can create something short & catchy that also points to your content, you’ll have the best of both worlds. Furthermore, if you ever do plan to advertise through those other avenues, a catchy domain name could mean the difference between a potential customer either forgetting your site or wondering why they can’t seem to get your dot com out of their head.

IN CONCLUSION: Don’t overlook the importance of choosing a good domain name as a vital step in your business-building plan. While the domain name doesn’t always mean the difference between success and failure, a short, descriptive and catchy domain name may just be money in the bank.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Craig Binkley is a husband, father and a home business owner. Visit his Work From Home Directory located at http://www.workfromhomehelper.com for legitimate work from home opportunities and ideas.

How To Attract More Visitors To Your Website

How To Attract More Visitors To Your Website
Copyright 2006 – Craig Binkley

There are numerous factors to consider when evaluating the potential commercial success (i.e. profitability) of a website. A few of these include content, quality of the content, items being marketed, appearance, etc. I could go on forever about the various website building blocks needed in order to be successful, but without traffic (visitors), no website is going to be profitable.

You may think that the site you have created is top-notch, but if the only ones visiting it are your family and friends then chances are very good that you’re not going to make many sales (or whatever it is your site is designed to accomplish).

So how, as a Webmaster, do you tackle the seemingly huge task of getting traffic (that’s so vitally important to your success) driven to your site? To answer that, we first need to look at two types of visitor categories:

Non-targeted: A non-targeted visitor is defined as a person that is not truly interested in, or searching for, what your site offers. They may have stumbled across your site while searching for something else. While they may or may not purchase goods/services from your site, it should be assumed that they were not actively searching for what you’re marketing.

Targeted: A targeted visitor to your website would be a person that found your page using some type of search parameter. This person would have been actively searching for the content that your site offers. This person is much more likely to purchase from your site than the non-targeted visitor. Obviously, targeted traffic is what a website owner needs in order to be profitable.

Now here is the dilemma of the day: How do you generate traffic and then how do you determine if that traffic is targeted or non-targeted? Below I have listed some of the major ways of driving traffic to your website along with the type of visitor to expect from each one.

Search Engines: If you have optimized your site correctly, visitors you receive from the major search engines such as Google, MSN, and Yahoo (and many of the lesser engines) should be targeted to your site. These people have actively searched out the keywords that have led them to your page. The best thing about this traffic is that it is free.

The downside of generic search engine traffic is getting your site ranked high enough so that people actually find your site. Most people will not look much beyond the first three pages of search results. So if you are not in the top thirty results for a certain keyword, the chances are good that you’re not going to see much traffic from them.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC): Pay-per-click, much like the generic search engine results discussed above, should be highly targeted traffic. The basic premise with PPC is that you place your ad with the different search engines, directories, etc. and then they distribute your ad according to your selected keywords. When a person clicks on your ad, you pay a set price. When done correctly, PPC can be an excellent way of driving targeted traffic. The downside of PPC is that you pay for every single click. Though many of the top PPC companies allow you to set up a monthly budget, it can still become very expensive.

Cost-Per-Action (CPA): Cost-per-action works much like PPC. The main difference between the two is that you pay only when the visitor performs a required task at your site (purchase, sign up, etc.) Of course the cost for this service is much higher than standard PPC. Also, CPA services usually require that you place a piece of code on your “Checkout” or “Thank You” page which alerts them to the fact that the visitor came from their service in order for them to charge you accordingly.

Traffic Exchanges: A traffic exchange website (Traffic Swarm, etc) is based on the idea of “You scratch my back, then I’ll scratch yours.” I.E. they will display your ad the same number of times that you’ve clicked to view someone else’s. Some offer ratios of 1:1 (meaning for every time you click on another ad, your ad will be displayed), while others offer differing plans. The downside of traffic exchanges is that most of the people clicking on the ads are doing it for the same reason you are – to get their ad placed. Therefore, any traffic generated through a traffic exchange will more than likely not be targeted. It is possible to make the occasional sale or sign up through these services, but they will probably be few and far between.

Article Submission: Writing & submitting articles about a subject that’s relevant to your website content is an excellent way to receive targeted traffic. This can normally be done for free or at a very low cost. An added benefit is that each time a website posts your article you will receive a one-way link to your website-- which is highly favored by the search engines.

The process is really quite simple: 1) Write an article about a subject that visitors to your site would be interested in. At the bottom of the article place a “resource box” that contains a little blip about you and/or your website along with your link. (See my example below entitled “ABOUT THE AUTHOR”). 2) Submit your article to the many online article directories. This can be done manually or with software programs designed to automate the process for you.

If your article is well written, it may be placed on hundreds of highly visited websites. When a person reads your article and decides to click on the link you’ve provided in the resource box, you get the [usually] free targeted traffic. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Link Exchange: Once upon a time link exchanging was the BIG thing. I believe that has changed and no longer is as heavily-weighted by the search engines. The whole point of exchanging links was supposed to be because you believed your visitors would benefit from your link partner’s content. Link farms changed & abused all of that, so the search engine “points” given for backward links have been adjusted down. Don’t count them out completely as a way to drive traffic to your site, but don’t count on them solely either. Exchanging links with like-minded websites can still deliver some decent traffic, which, in theory, should also be the coveted targeted type.

In conclusion: As a website owner, targeted traffic is the name of the game. You can have the best looking site with the coolest graphics, but if no one can find your site then all your work isn’t going to do you much good.

Seek out highly targeted traffic for your website. Optimize your site for the search engines and then choose a few of the options listed above to start driving visitors to your site today. Once you get the visitors there...well, that’s another article for another day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Craig Binkley is a husband, father and home business owner. Visit his Work From Home Directory legitimate work from home opportunities and ideas.

Today's WAHM and the Internet

Today's WAHM and the Internet
by Laura Humphries

The alarm sounds and rudely awakens me from a deep slumber. It is another early Monday morning which means it's time to get up, get dressed and take my oldest daughter to school. I then head home, turn on my computer and get to work. Mornings for me are the most difficult as I struggle to balance spending time with my youngest daughter (not quite school age and still at home) and muddle my way through and respond to the endless emails in my inbox. Who am I? I am a WAHM.

WAHMs, or work-at-home moms make up many of the small online businesses we find among the plethora of Websites which exist on the Internet today. Why have so many of today's moms taken the plunge into online business ownership? While every mom's situation and circumstance is unique, most moms start on the path to home-based entrepreneurship for two main reasons: First, most moms want to be at home in order to take part in the primary parenting responsibilities. Also, many moms find it difficult to make ends meet on their spouse's income alone. This forces many moms to make a decision as to whether or not go back to work or to find work out of the home. For many moms, the demands of the corporate world are overwhelming and too demanding, so they decide to start their own online business in hopes of controlling the work day in terms of flexibility and scheduling.

Why do so many moms choose the Internet as a venue to start a home business? There are a couple of reasons: The Internet (Websites) and email allow for ease of communication. For example, traditional businesses usually handle correspondence via telephone or in person. Can you imagine trying to conduct business over the phone while in the background your child screams for more ice cream? Or imagine as a mom business owner that you have an office and that a client comes in to see you for a meeting, but suddenly your child who is in your office as well, has a potty training accident. What mom could or would ever attempt to conduct business in this fashion? Thus, conducting business via an interactive website or through email allows a mom to accomplish those business tasks which would have otherwise been impossible in traditional settings.

The second reason is the cost involved when starting a business. Traditional methods require a business owner to obtain a commercial office, and of course there is the overhead which is associated with such an office. In comparison, it is relatively in-expensive to start an online business. Most Web authoring tools are cost effective and extremely easy to learn, making the cost of designing a business website almost obsolete. Also, the price of maintaining an online business presence through a Web host is a fraction of the cost of maintaining a commercial office. These are some of the contributing factors as to why more and more moms are turning to Web business ownership.

Today's moms are able to make their dream of working at home a reality, but some overlook one important factor-balance. While it may seem that the WAHM has it all, a closer look might reveal otherwise. WAHMs struggle to maintain a healthy balance between work and life. As with most of life's challenges, there are solutions that can help the work-at-home mom successfully manage work and family life, some of which include the following:

--Set boundaries. If possible, set limits on the amount of hours you will work each week.

-- Set a schedule. In addition to setting boundaries, incorporate a daily schedule to follow so that you will not become over worked or burned out.

-- Make time for your family. Remember that you started your online business with your family in mind and be sure to spend as much time with them as possible.

Although every WAHM's situation and circumstance is unique, one common factor remains: To achieve the ideal work/family balance. Incorporating the techniques mentioned above, the WAHM will be able to focus and will gain the confidence she needs to run a successful Internet-based business and a happy home.

About the Author
Copyright 2006 Mommy Today Magazine. This publication is a courtesy of Mommy Today Magazine.

Setting Up Your Home Office

Setting Up Your Home Office
Copyright 2006 – Craig Binkley

Whether you are currently working at home or are seriously considering the possibility, setting up & properly maintaining your home office should be part of your overall plan. Don’t make the mistake of overlooking the importance of a home-business friendly environment. It may even determine your level of success.

The following list constitutes some items that are of the utmost importance when setting up your home office. Many people often overlooked these when starting a home business.

LOCATION:
Where you set up your home office will depend on your particular situation, but if at all possible use a spare room. Your best bet will be to set yourself off from the rest of the house in order to afford you some privacy. If this isn’t an option in your home, try to find the next best place where this could be accomplished. You need not be totally secluded from all intrusions, but you’ll want the option to be able to keep distractions to a minimum when necessary.

LIGHTING:
If your office has a window you’ll receive natural lighting during the day. But if you plan to work in the evening or you don’t have the option of using a window, you will want to provide good artificial light that’s friendly to the eyes. Special light fixtures and bulbs made just for reading are readily available and could make a world of difference for a few extra dollars. Whether you choose overhead fluorescent lights, desk lamps or another type of fixture, be sure your office has plenty of good lighting.

DESK:
The best scenario here would be to have a nice, professional-type desk. That’s not always possible, nor affordable, for many who are just starting out. If your work area will not permit it, or it’s just not in the budget at the moment, do whatever you can with what you have available. In time you’ll want to invest in a good desk with plenty of work and drawer space for your PC, files, supplies, etc. You don’t have to spend a small fortune to upgrade. I’ve found a few solid models at second-hand shops that needed only minor touching up. Check with your local Salvation Army Thrift Shop or on Yahoo Groups Recycle lists for your area, as people often donate desks they no longer have a need for in their homes/offices.

CHAIR:
It may not sound like a major thing, but if you sit at a desk for long periods of time (and you shouldn’t do that anyway - take a five minute break every hour!) you’ll want to invest in a good chair with support for your lower back. Once again, you can find some really good deals if you keep your eyes open for them. Also, be sure to replace your chair when the padding is worn or you may start experiencing increasing back pain over time.

SUPPLIES:
Know beforehand what you are going to need to run your business smoothly and then always try to have them readily available. It is inevitable that at some point you are going to run out of that thing you forgot to pick up at the store at just the wrong time. Nothing defeats productivity more than having to stop mid-stream, go pick up supplies and then try to get started back on your project again.

ORGANIZATION:
I know that no matter how well-organized an office starts out being, there are some people that are just not going to let it stay that way. They aren’t, and never have been, organized themselves. With that said, do your best when setting up your office to keep organization in mind. Have the things you use often close by. Try to keep your files in the same location so that when you need to locate one, it’s where its’ supposed to be and you won’t find yourself running all over the house looking for it.

As for filing, this can be the worst and most-dreaded (but necessary) part of office work. My best advice: keep up with it. Set aside one time-slot each week to do the filing, or any other type of paperwork drudgery that’s necessary to keep it from piling up around you. Your job will be must easier in the long run.

PHONES:
Depending on the type of business you have, the phone system you choose may not be a major issue. If you rely heavily on your telephone, find one with the functions you need. Likewise, if the phone is merely a source of interruption to you, then invest in a phone that offers a built-in messaging system. For many home business owners, a standard cordless phone is sufficient for their office also. A word to the wise: keep an “old-fashioned” corded phone on hand to use during power outages.

COMPUTER:
If you rely on your computer for your home business, get the best one you can afford. It need not be expensive, but it MUST be reliable. If all that you can afford right now is a PC that’s considered to be outdated & slow, so be it—as long as it won’t cost you more money and time in repairs than you cannot afford while you’re just starting your business. Old & slow is fine for the interim, but beaten & broken is not. You don’t need major technical problems rearing their ugly heads while you’re in the middle of a project. When you can work it into your budget, upgrade to something a little more current, but don’t settle for something in the meantime that isn’t reliable.

IN CONCLUSION:
Most everything you have in your office, from your chair to the lights, will affect your productivity in some way. While staying within your budget, try to get good equipment and furniture. Keep in mind that many of these items can be purchased second-hand. Along that line, eBay is another option to keep in mind. (Tip: always check a seller’s feedback rating before making a purchase online from someone you don’t personally know to be reputable.)

Your office space should be user-friendly, comfortable and private. Whatever you do with the space you have set aside for your office, keep these things in mind and you’ll be more productive over the long-term.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Craig Binkley is a husband, father and home business owner. Visit our Work From Home Directory for legitimate work from home opportunities.

Pay-Per-Click - What Is It & Where Do I Start?

Pay-Per-Click - What Is It & Where Do I Start?
Copyright 2006 - Craig Binkley

Does the following scenario sound familiar?

You've done all the behind-the-scenes work on your e-commerce business. You've researched your products and pricing. You've chosen a domain name and found a dependable hosting company along with developing a very well designed, customer friendly website. You're all ready to start making sales. Time to sit back & count the money as it rolls in, right? Well, not quite yet. You need customers. (Oh yeah! Customers!)

So now you submit your website to all the popular search engines and directories, fully expecting a fair amount of traffic to start showing up on your webstep. NOW it's time to sit back and start counting your money, right? Not really. You now realize that virtually no one (except maybe your mother) is visiting your website. How are you going to make sales if you have no real visitors? It can take weeks, months or even longer to get a new website pushed up in the rankings in the better search engines.

This is the point where many webmasters turn to pay-per-click (PPC) programs. But just is a PPC? PPC advertising means having your ads placed on different search engines and/or directories, then paying a set amount of money each time a visitor clicks on your ad. Hence the name "pay-per-click." (Ingenious, huh? Shame I didn't invent it.)

So now that you know what PPC is, where do you start with choosing a program? If you type in "pay-per-click advertising" in a Google search, you will most likely see over five million results. Not all of the results will be PPC companies, as many will be articles, tutorials, etc., but it can be mind numbing just trying to gather a little information--to say the least.

Here's a very short list that I've put together of some of the top PPC advertising companies along with a few "pros and cons" for each one. This is by no means meant to be an all-encompassing guide to pay-per-click advertising. Consider it just enough to give you a little background on the PPC "biggies".

GOOGLE ADWORDS:
Pros: Not only is Google one of the most-used searches on the web, their PPC ads are also placed on other networks, including AOL, Ask Jeeves, Earthlink and others.
Quick sign up and no monthly minimum spending or monthly fees.
Very good support and their CTR (click-thru-rate) can help lower your cost per click.
Cons: There aren't many. There is a five dollar set up fee and they do have a $.05 minimum bid per click.

YAHOO/OVERTURE:
Pros: They offer a large amount of traffic. If your ad ranks in the top ten, they place your ad on other high traffic engines/directories. They were the original PPC company. Very helpful keyword selector tools.
Cons: High cost-per-click rates. Slow customer service (compared to others). Minimum $0.10 bid requirement and they also have a minimum spend-per-month.

FIND WHAT/MIVA:
Pros: Normally lower cost-per-click rates than Overture. They offer an easy-to-use website with user-friendly tools. Delivers traffic at much lower cost than many other PPC companiess.
Cons: May have a wait of up to three days for keyword approval. Seems to be getting better though.

SEARCHFEED:
Pros: Bids start at $.01 with no minimum spend or monthly fees. Mass keyword submission available. Dependable and helpful customer service. Use-friendly tools help with keyword selection.
Cons: Lower traffic than Google, Yahoo and others, especially on lesser-used keywords. Typically you can expect a couple of days of waiting time for program approval.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Choices abound, but please do some more research before spending anything. You'll be glad you did. Pay-per-click can be a great tool for your business, but it can also be very expensive. Do yourself a favor and read up on each program before jumping in. It can be a costly learning experience if you act in haste.

IN CONCLUSION:
PPC companies & services vary widely, but can give you a good return for the money spent. Used properly, pay-per-click programs can give your website a tremendous boost, helping to get it in front of the people looking for exactly what you have to offer. It can also be a great way to give your business a "jump start" during slow times. Hopefully I've given you some good PPC starting points & you're site will soon be meeting or exceeding your traffic expectations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Craig Binkley is a husband, father, and home business owner. Visit our Work From Home Directory for legitimate work from home business opportunities.

Introduction To Online Business 1-2-3

Introduction To Online Business 1-2-3
by Chris Cobb

As you read these words, there are millions of people making a full-time income on the internet, working part-time hours from the comfort of their own home. These people set their own working hours, live wherever they choose to live and have a ton of spare time (and money) to spend with their family and friends, simply doing things they love to do.

Does this sound like something you would like to be doing?

Well, rest assured, you've made the right decision if you would... Because you're about to learn everything you need to know to get started on your internet business and be pointed in the right direction towards online business success.

In this guide, you'll not only learn the basics to starting an internet business but you'll also learn about the many different online business models you can choose.

You can even analyze over 50 successful online businesses which you can then imitate!

But before we get started, just so you're as excited as I am about doing business online. Here are some of the main reasons most people decide to start an online business:

* It takes very little money to start

Unlike a business in the "real world", an online business DOES NOT need a lot of start up money. All you need is an idea, a domain name, internet access and hosting...all of which can be obtained for very little indeed.

* You choose when you work

Who says you must work from 9 to 5 everyday? People who are NOT Internet Business owners!

The Internet Business is the biggest proof why the statement "working from 9 to 5" is no longer true. With an Internet Business, you don't have to wake up in the wee hours of the morning so that you can get to work by 9am anymore. You can start work at anytime since you're your own boss!

* Work from the comfort of your own home

Where you put your computer is where you'll be working! And since you're going to be working from home, you'll be saving at least two hours of your time each day by not having to travel to and from your work place - during rush hours when everybody else is going to work or heading home.

That means you'll be saving at least 730 hours a year! Wouldn't you shudder at the thought of wasting 730 hours a year doing nothing productive?

* With the internet, the whole world is your market!

By sitting in front of the computer, everyone in the world is now within your reach. You leverage on free or low-cost software and hardware and the Internet Infrastructure, all of which when combined will give you leveraging power that far exceeds any conventional business, allowing you to achieve more and more with less and less work!

* You can fully automate your online business

If properly set up, some Internet Business models can be fully automated. I have a number of fully automated income streams at present.

* No need to work 8 hours a days every single day

Once you've automated your Internet Business in some way, you can use the time you save to start other income streams, improve your existing business, or however you like.

You just spend the time online checking your e-mail, promoting and expanding your business - all in front of your computer. And there's absolutely no need to spend even more than four hours online.

* Spend more time with family and friends

Owning an Internet Business allows you to spend more time with your family, or watch your children grow up. This is what most busy parents crave for.

If you're one of them, then you'll do well to seriously consider starting an Internet Business.

* Your online business can be all about your hobbies and passions

And this is my favorite reason for anybody wanting to start an Internet Business! The Internet Business allows your passion and dream to come to life, which is also the most important component of any businesses. * Online businesses have very little expenses

Believe it or not, some Internet Businesses can be set up and running at zero cost, if not a very low cost. Other Internet Businesses can be run with monthly operational expenses so low that they're negligible!

* You can have more that one!

Since the cost of setting up and running an Internet Business is so low, and you can automate their operations, you can operate multiple Internet Businesses as a one-person Internet Business owner. You don't need to hire employees since your Internet Business system is doing most of the job, if not all, for you. It works 24/7 for you. It won't call in sick. It won't give any excuses. And it definitely won't blame you if it ever had problems!

* The internet is a huge market (the whole world) and it's getting bigger as you read these words

According to the Computer Industry Almanac, there were 934 million Internet users up to September 2004; and there will be 1.07 billion in this year.

Now, is there any doubt that a 934 million-user pool is a very attractive target given the leverage you have on the Internet?

Given all the wonderful reasons for starting your very own Internet Business, I'm sure that by now you have already made up your mind whether starting an Internet Business is for you...

About the Author
http://www.internet-profit-opportunities.com

Chris Cobb CDC Marketing Ltd

Using Articles To Promote Your Business

Why Use Article Marketing To Promote Your Business
by Biana Babinsky

Everyone knows what an article is, but how does an article help you promote your business? Here are seven reasons to write articles and use them to promote your business and get more clients online:

1. Promote Your Expertise Online. Writing articles really helps to further establish your expertise online. One thing that all experts have in common is that they have written something - articles, books, reports, etc. Writing articles is your first step to becoming a well-known expert in your field.

2. Get More Newsletter Subscribers. To increase the number of your newsletter subscribers, use the Resource Box of your articles to drive more traffic to your newsletter subscription page.

3. Reach More Potential Customers. When you submit your articles to article directories, they may be re-printed by other business owners in their blogs, newsletters and web sites. Many people will see your articles, thus, exposing you and your business to more potential customers.

4. Get More One-Way Links to Your Web Site. Since the Resource Box that is attached to your articles contains links back to your web site, you will gain many one-way links back to your web site when your article is re-printed. Now people who read your articles will be able to follow these links to your web site.

5. Get Better Search Engine Rankings. One-way links to your web site are great for improving search engines rankings and getting more search engine traffic. Since search engines put more weight on one-way links, than on reciprocal links, getting one-way links with your articles will help you with your search engine strategies.

6. Reach Out to More Segments of Your Target Market. As your articles are re-printed on different blogs and web sites, you are able to reach out to the segments of your target market, that you would have never been able to reach on your own. However, with other people using your articles on their blogs and web sites, you are able to reach out to these customers.

7. Make More Money. Last, but definitely not least reason for writing articles is making money. While you will not be paid directly for writing, publishing and submitting your articles online, writing articles and promoting them online will result in more newsletter subscribers, and, ultimately, more sales in the long run for your business.

Start writing and publishing articles online - this strategy will help you get more newsletter subscribers, get better known and sell more of your products and services online.

About the Author
Get more newsletter subscribers and make more money when writing and publishing articles online. Submit your articles at the Business Articles Directory at http://internationalpractice.com/business to get more exposure for your business.