Web Marketing Today
Web Marketing Today
E-commerce, e-mail marketing, and web marketing articles and video interviews for online small businesses.

  • How to Format E-Mail Newsletters, Part 2
    In this second in a series of articles on formatting e-mail newsletters, Dr. Wilson suggests using standard HTML tables for formatting, even though CSS positioning is now standard for web page design. He also makes important recommendations about line length, multiple columns, type contrast, and compressible designs.

  • Black Hat vs. White Hat SEO - What Difference Does It Make - Bruce Clay (6:49)
    Bruce Clay, SEO ExpertSEO expert Bruce Clay of BruceClay.com discusses the ethical difference between breaking the search engine guidelines for oneself vs. doing that for a client and getting the client in trouble. He offers several tips to find out if a particular SEO is using shady tactics and discusses the Code of Ethics he wrote.

  • How to Get Higher E-Mail Deliverability Using Feedback Loops

    E-mail deliverability expert Anne P. Mitchell explains what e-mail feedback loops are, why they're important, and how they can help you get a higher percentage of e-mails delivered.



  • How to Improve Your AdWords Quality Score with Brad Geddes (6:55)
    Brad Geddes seach marketing expertSearch marketing expert Brad Geddes of bg Theory (www.bgtheory.com) explains what Quality Score is in Google AdWords PPC marketing. Then he outlines the various components of the score, with suggestions to raise your score and lower your bid price.

  • Innovative Ways to Get Links without Paying for Them - Aaron Wall (5:58)
    Aaron Wall video interviewSEO expert AaronWall shares ways to get links to a site. Ideas include methods that include discounts and coupons, blog content, redirecting affiliate links, contests, offline networking, guest articles, and journalist fodder.

  • Why Good Graphic Design Is Vital to Site Success
    Todd Follansbee explains the role of graphics and graphic design in presenting a professional website image that creates a willingness to make buy decisions online. He also explains the various responsibilities of a designer.

  • Tips on Writing Press Releases that Get Action with Greg Jarboe (4:30)
    Greg Jarboe, Public Relations ExpertIn this video interview public relations sepcialist Greg Jarboe offers three tips for writing actionable press releases: (1) Focus on the customer's needs, not your own, (2) offer 'useful tips' which can do as well as 'hot news', and (3) include videos in your press releases.

  • How to Format E-Mail Newsletters, Part 1
    Dr. Wilson explains how to format e-zines and business e-mails with e-mail best practices. In part 1 of this series he explains how to format the subject line, the From: field, and how to select between HTML and text-only formats.

  • Book Mention: YouTube: An Insider's Guide to Climbing the Charts
    A positive review of YouTube: An Insider's Guide to Climbing the Charts, by Alan Lastufka and Michael W. Dean (O'Reilly, 2009). Best for those 35 and under, it explains the basics and discusses ways to get your video to go viral.

  • How to Segment Visitors with Google Analytics for Amazing Insights
    Jonathan Weber defines what segments are, what it can do, and how to set up powerful segments in Google Analytics using Advanced Segmentation features.

  • 3 Keyword Bidding Tips with Google AdWords with Kate Morris (5:31)
      Kate Morris, Search Marketing expert video interviewSearch expert Kate Morris provides 3 tips for bidding on keywords with Google AdWords. (1) Don't try to be No. 1, get a lower position for higher conversions at lower cost. (2) Vertically align your paid ad to your organic listing for synergistic effect. (3) For local businesses use geotargeting and dayparting to lower bid costs.

  • Segmenting Shoppers Using 2-Step Landing Pages to Boost Conversion Rate, with Scott Brinker (4:08)
    Scott Brinker video interviewIn this video interview, Scott Brinker of IonInteractive.com explains how 2-step landing pages can be used to segment click-throughs from generic keywords to boost conversion rates 2- or 3-fold.

  • 4 Tasks Your Internet Ad Absolutely Must Accomplish
    Your short, Internet ad must accomplish four vital tasks: (1) attract interest, (2) present your offer, (3) select the audience, and (4) get the click-through. In this article Dr. Wilson's explains each of these tasks.

  • How to Stretch Your Pay Per Click Advertising Budget with Dayparting

    Paid Search expert Christine Churchill explains how to set up dayparting to show your PPC only during the times of highest conversion, a way to help improve your ROI. She covers how to determine the best dayparting periods for your organization and how to set it up in Google AdWords. Then she recommends tracking performance to verify whether dayparting is actually helping or not.



  • The Future of Search with Mike Grehan (7:33)
    Mike Grehan, the Future of SearchMike Grehan explains the three phases of search: (1) webpage content, (2) PageRank from links, and now (3) Social Search. He explains how social networks interact with social media to give signals to Google about what real people see as most important and relevant.

  • Tips for Online Retailers in a Tough Holiday Market with Amanda Watlington (5:18)
    Amanda WattlingtonMarketing expert Amanda Watlington offers tips to online retailers in the face of what could be a tough Christmas season. (1) Don't borrow trouble -- retain confidence, (2) use analytics to determine profit potential and pursue that, (3) make careful projections for a shortened season, (4) stimulate demand prior to Cyber Monday, and (5) secure contact info from all customers for later marketing.

  • 6 Ways to Maximize Your Marketing in a Down Economy
    In a down economy, here are some tips to maximize your marketing: (1) focus on existing customers, (2) start an e-mail newsletter, (3) outsource judiciously, (4) hang on to a modest ad budget, (5) re-examine your value proposition, and (6) send virtual holiday greetings.

  • How to Focus Marketing in Tough Times with Amanda Watlington (5:47)
    Amanda WattlingtonAmanda Watlington discusses the things to focus on in difficult financial times as well as how to get ready for holiday sales. She especially stresses the need to cover the basics of organic search optimization and line up PPC ads before the holidays when they often get too expensive.

  • How to Discover the Story in Your Business with Sally Falkow (5:30)
    Sally Falkow, Public Relations expertPublic relations expert Sally Falkow explains how to discover the 'story' in your business. Once that story is understood and honed, it can become the business' Unique Sales Proposition (USP) on the homepage, can be expanded in the About Us page, and exampled in the Projects section.

  • Uncovering Site Problems for Landing Page Optimization. Part 2
    Finding problems with your landing pages is the first step to optimizing them for higher conversion rates. In the second part of a 2 part series, Tim Ash explains how expert usability reviews, focus groups, eye-tracking studies, customer service reps, surveys, forums, and blogs can help you to spot problems.

  • How to Enhance Your Online Reputation with Ross Dunn (5:23)
    Ross Dunn, Search Engine Optimization SEO expertIn this video interview Ross Dunn focuses on reputation enhancement -- people coming to trust you, not merely finding you online. He explains how to improve your reputation using social media participation, articles, blogs, videos, e-mail newsletters, and press releases.

  • How Do I Get Visitors to My Site? Part 4. Traffic from Former Visitors
    In this final article in a 4-part series, Dr. Wilson recommends developing an e-mail newsletter of value to get subscribers and to conserve the expense of SEO and advertising. He explains the type of content, how to get visitors to sign up and tips for generating content and publishing regularly.

  • Landing Pages 2.0 with Scott Brinker (4:49)
    Scott Brinker video interviewScott Brinker explains some landing page features that can sometimes double the conversion rate of standard landing pages. Features include: multi-page landing experiences, conversion pathways, use of flash and video on landing pages, and micro-forums on thank you pages where questions can be asked.

  • How Do I Get Visitors to My Site? Part 3. Traffic from Other Advertising
    In this third article in a series on driving traffic, Dr. Wilson describes and evaluates other advertising approaches: e-mail newsletter or ezine advertising, solo e-mails, comparison shopping engines or bots, affiliate programs, ad agencies, and ad networks.

  • How to Optimize a Press Release for Search Engines with Greg Jarboe (6:10)
    Greg JarboeGreg Jarboe explains how to doe search engine optmization (SEO) on a press release to help it reach both audiences: (1) news media reporters and (2) the general public.

  • 4 Tips on How Siteowners Can Weather the Financial Storm
    Dr. Amanda Watlington offers four tips for siteowners to weather the current economic crisis. (1) Improve your site's conversion rate, (2) improve organic search marketing, (3) evaluate your per lead/sale marketing costs, and (4) improve landing pages.

  • A Tough Economy calls for wisdom and courage
    A tough economy calls for wisdom and courage. Instead of just stopping spending, you need to look for opportunities and move forward. Here's why.

  • How Do I Get Visitors to My Site? Part 2. Traffic from Paid Search Ads
    In the second part of a 4-part series on getting traffic to your site, Dr. Wilson explains the four stages of Paid Search or Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising: (1) Selecting your keywords, (2) developing a landing page, (3), forming your bidding strategy, and (4) testing and refining.

  • Why Search Rankings Won't Be the Prime SEO Metric - Bruce Clay (6:54)
    Bruce Clay, SEO ExpertBruce Clay predicts that search rankings will soon not be the prime Search Engine Optimization (SEO) metric. Three factors are converging to bring this about: (1) behavioral search, based on a user's normal 'neighborhood' or 'community,' (2) intent-based search, and (3) universal search.

  • Continuous Incremental Improvement for Your Web Business - Jim Sterne & Bryan Eisenberg (7:30)
    Ralph Wilson, Jim Sterne, and Bryan EisenbergInternet marketing experts Jim Sterne and Bryan Eisenberg join Dr. Ralph Wilson to discuss how small to medium businesses (SMEs) can develop a culture of continuous incremental improvement, the mantra of the Total Quality Management (TQM) movement.

  • How Do I Get Visitors to My Site? Part 1. Traffic from Search Engines
    In this first in a series of 4 articles on getting visitors to your site, Dr. Wilson explains simply how search engine optimization (SEO) works. Stage 1, webpage optimization and Stage 2, getting links to your website.

  • Goals in Google Analytics: Why Do They Matter?
    Robbin Steif walks you through Google Analytics goals. She defines the term, explains how goals are used, explains the relationship of a goal to a sales funnel, describes the benefits of setting up goals, and outlines how to create a goal.

  • Creating Content Silos to Increase Keyword Ranking of Larger Sites with Bruce Clay. Part 2 (8:55)
    Bruce Clay, SEO ExpertIn Part 2 of this interview on siloing, Bruce Clay explains the three steps in developing content silos on a larger site: (1) Establish keyword-centric themes for your site, (2) identify a landing page for each theme, (3) link to the themed landing pages, and (4) don't pass PageRank to pages outside the theme and thus dilute 'link juice.' Use 'nofollow' tags to restrict passing PageRank.

  • The Marketing Value of Blogs with Amanda Watlington (5:13)
    Amanda WattlingtonBlogs are not just for links, says Amanda Watlington in this video interview, they have earned their place at the table as a full-fledged marketing strategy. They allow customers to interact with the brand and see it in a more informal light. She gives important elements in a blog plan.

  • SEO Tools that Will Help You Succeed. Part 1
    Ross Dunn candidly describes his favorite search engine optimization (SEO) tools to monitor rankings, do keyword research, and provide a website check-up. Tools include: Google Webmaster Tools, Google Insights for Search, Google AdWords Keyword Tool, Trellian Keyword Discovery, SEObook Back Link Analyzer, and OptiLink.

  • Uncovering Site Problems for Landing Page Optimization. Part 1

    In the first of a two-part series, Tim Ash explains how to identify problems with your landing pages. In this article he discusses what you can learn from Web analytics, on-site search, and usability testing so that you can begin meaningful landing page optimization.



  • Creating Content Silos to Increase Keyword Ranking of Larger Sites with Bruce Clay. Part 1 (4:45)
    Bruce Clay, SEO ExpertLarge sites tend to have so many topics that they aren't considered a subject matter expert on anything. In Part 1 of this video interview, Bruce Clay explains the concept of content siloing and the benefits of this technique to increase keyword PageRank for 3- to 4-keyphrases on larger sites. 

  • Redesign Your Site for Today's Wider Screens

    It's time to redesign your site for a wider webpage, since most Internet users have a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or higher. Todd Follansbee explains the potential problems and the strong benefits of a wider webpage size.



  • 3 Ways a Blog Can Bring Links to Your Site with Ross Dunn (5:32)
    Ross Dunn, Search Engine Optimization SEO expertIn this video interview SEO expert Ross Dunn explains how writing a blog opens up three ways to get links to your site: (1) links to your site in the blog content or bio, (2) links to the blog which is seen on aggregator sites, and (3) links on social bookmarking sites which bookmark the blog, links that are often indexed by search engines.

  • How to Warm Up Customers with the Benefits of Buying from You - Karen Crist (3:45)
    Karen Crist, BrightCloudMarketing.com, Search Marketing ExpertKaren Crist explains that most visitors from Paid Search will be new to your site. Thus, on the landing page it's important to 'warm them up' with the benefits of purchasing a product or service from your particular site. That makes them more prepared to buy from you.