By Craig Ritsema
There are scores of websites out there on the Internet who claim they can get you increased traffic for a certain fee, which is usually quite expensive. But, did you know that you also could easily adopt the same techniques as those traffic "gurus" and get your extra traffic without spending a dime? Yes, it will take time and some work from your side, but it is worth the effort. Here are some methods of increasing your website traffic:
Firstly, content is king. If you keep uploading quality content on your website, its popularity will grow and visitors will keep coming back for more – and they might ask their friends to check out your website too. Your content must be keyword-optimized and you must make it a point to ensure that your website is found on the first search results page when the relevant keywords are searched for. Needless to say, the keywords you employ in your content must be relevant to your website.
There are a whole lot of websites that publish well-written articles; they allow these articles to carry a resource box that talks about you and a links back to your website at the end of each article. Even reprint directories accept articles, and you must submit articles to such sites and then other website publishers may pick up these articles and reprint them on their website, increasing the amount of websites that link back to you. Along with your website, you can publish a blog that carries snippets of the latest and exciting stuff happening at your website. Place a link back to your website after each snippet and this too will increase your back links. This exercise will increase your PageRank (PR) with the Google search engine.
Apart from maintaining a blog, you must post information on relevant forums. Forums are visited by people really interested in a particular topic, and if you come across a forum whose theme and content fits perfectly with your website, then you must make it a point to post on it. As in articles and blog entries, always create a link back to your site in your forum signature. This move, like the ones above, will increase back links to your site.
If your website keeps updating information regularly, then you must consider publishing a newsletter or an e-magazine. If you are regular in mailing your newsletter to your subscribers, you will automatically increase traffic by making them come back to your website for more information.
If you can afford it, then you must sponsor a free e-book or a special course for your visitors and their friends. Firstly, people love freebies, and if what you are offering has some solid informational value, then you will get loads of traffic at a very low cost, much lesser than what you were going to pay the so-called traffic experts.
Lastly, if you are selling a product or if your website generates revenue by giving out information, then you must start an affiliate program. Affiliates take your code and put it up on their website and it is your content that is displayed on their website. You can access your affiliates' visitors by sharing a part of your revenue with them (the affiliates).
These are some of the methods you can adopt to increase your website traffic for free.
For more information on working at home part time visit http://www.part-time-work-at-home-opportunities.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Ritsema
Drive Increased Traffic to Your Website for Free
6 Tips For Saving Money On Your Next Computer Purchase
Buying a Computer does not need to be a budget breaker. A Computer purchase often includes additional components and software that are not needed and can be avoided...if you are well prepared with the correct information.
To help, the following tips can be used to save money on your next Computer purchase:
Tip #1 - Take a look at your Computer case. If it is not a name brand Computer more than likely the case is expandable and can be reused. Cases can cost anywhere from $25 to $100. If you have a mid tower case, check how many bays are available for CD/DVD drives, and other peripherals, Are the USB and audio ports in the front?
Cases are often an over-looked item that usually can be used over and over again.
Tip #2 - Monitor Keyboard and Mouse - Just because you are purchasing a new Computer does not mean the keyboard and mouse need to be replaced. An Optical mouse last longer than the ball style mouse. The same principal applies to keyboards, unless you are a heavy Computer user and the keys are worn and do not respond, you probably don't need a new keyboard.
Monitors may need to be replayed if want to upgrade to a larger screen size. If you are happy with your monitor and are having no problems with it, you are better of keeping it a little longer until you can afford a new Monitor.
Tip #3 - Software License - Many people forget when purchasing a new Computer the cost of the Operating System license is included in the price. If the new Computer has the same OS installed, don't pay for another license.
The same applies for other software such as Microsoft Office. Unless you want to upgrade to another OS or Office version, save your money. Significant savings can be realized by not purchasing un-needed software license costs.
Tip #4 - Consider No Name Brand - While Dell, Hp and Sony are some of the big names with Computers, the reality is that most Computers originate from the same area in Asia, specifically laptops. Consider shopping for lesser name brands, or visiting your local Computer repair store.
Unknown brand names such as Acer, are usually cheaper, yet inside the case or laptop, the parts are the same. Computer repair stores allows for customization, so you can tailor to your need, not by what is on the shelf allowing for more savings.
Tip #5 - Warranty - With Technology advancing, what seems like the speed of sound, the life span of Computers tend to run about three to five years. Its not that the hardware starts to fail, but advancements in Software requires more processing power and increased memory requirements.
Consider the length and type of warranty at time of purchase. Also consider the warranty that comes with the Computer. It may be possible that purchasing an extended warranty may not be needed for a desktop, but may be needed for laptops.
Tip #6 - Labor costs - Adding or upgrading involves labor which amounts to additional costs. If you are somewhat technical or handy, consider installing any additional components yourself. There are lots of how - to tutorials on the Internet, with video that detail many types of installations.
As always with making a big purchase, research and shop around for prices. Understanding what your price range is will keep you from overspending, while becoming knowledgeable about what you are buying, will keep the salesman commissions from emptying your wallet!
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=472551
Tell The Universe What You Want!
So what is the Law of Attraction? Simply put it states that whatever we put our attention on expands. It's easy to notice the truth in this. For example, if you were going to buy a certain kind of car you tend to notice all the cars on the road that are like that one you are thinking about. What you give thought to is what you notice in your environment. Unfortunately most of us go around giving thoughts to things that aren't what we want!!
To create the lives we do want to have we've got to manage our thoughts deliberately - meaning we want to focus on what we do want. Don't be surprised to find that asking for what you want isn't as easy as you thought. Why is that? You would think that we've all got a long list of things we want. Yet when it comes down to it, and you're asked to put pen to paper and decide what you really want, you get stuck. Thoughts like, "What if I ask for the wrong thing? What if I ask for it and I don't get it? (After all I don't want to get my hopes up and then be disappointed)". Maybe you think there isn't enough to go around, or you shouldn't ask for more than you need or the biggest one of all - Am I worthy of having what I want?
These types of thoughts can keep many of us from asking for the fabulous life we all deserve. Okay, so now what - do you have to go through years of therapy to rid yourself of these thoughts before you can move forward. Goodness NO!! Here are some quick and easy ways to side-step those thoughts and get yourself moving forward. You can always address the reasons that have stopped you in the past if they continue to get in the way but you will be surprised how they start to shift just by taking action that supports the new beliefs you're going to start living with.
* Get out a piece of paper and at the top of the page write, "Wouldn't it be nice if..." and finish the sentence with anything you think would be nice to have. Keep doing this until you've filled up one whole page. Remember to include all the areas of your life: finances, health, relationships, career, home.
* Now ask yourself, "What would I have to believe in order for me to be open to a bigger life?" Would you have to believe that you always find a way, or that what you have to offer is valuable? What would you have to believe to believe that?! Keep asking until you find a thought that feels good when you think it. Post it where you can read it several times a day. This is how new beliefs are born.
* Our mind likes to think in pictures so help it get ideas of what you would like. Flip through magazines and catalogues and cut out pictures that feel good to you. Go beyond having "things" and find pictures that depict the quality of life you want to create. What would you like to contribute? How would you like to make a difference? Then put your pictures in a notebook. I like to paste them in a sketch book (the pages are sturdier than scrapbooks so they don't tear as easily) and look at them a couple of times a week. Doing this gets your mind familiar with seeing yourself as the person who lives this life. The Law of Attraction will be working in your life by helping you notice more opportunities where you can be and have the life you are wanting. As you take action on these opportunities you are actively moving into the life you dream of!!
For over 20 years Dr Mary Ayers has been a licensed counselor and coach in the field of human development. She has co-authored an ebook with Leanna Fredrich called The Law of Attraction, In ACTION: Creating Your Fabulous Life Now! To order this book, go to www.liveyourfabulouslifenow.com and go to the bottom of the page for more information. Also, sign up for their free 7-day ecourse on the Law of Attraction.
5 Newsletter Writing Tips
by: Connie McKenzie
Are you considering adding a newsletter to your website but need some newsletter writing tips to get you started?
Do you have concerns like: How much of my time is this going to take up? How long should each email be and how many emails should I send out in total? What if I no longer have anything relevant to say? Can I keep up the quality of my newsletter over a certain length of time?
The first thing that you must remember is to always offer some interesting and useful information. You will no longer have any subscribers if you do not. Next, you will want your newsletter to remain fairly short. These days, people are inundated with emails, so they will appreciate it if you send them something that they can quickly scan and then put to good use.
Put some thought into the best possible format for your emails. You will want a model that can be easily reproduced week after week. To make your job simplier, you can choose any one of the following newsletter writing tips as your standard format or you can combine them, whichever. The final choice is yours.
1. Tip of the Week
Come up with at least 24 tips on your main topic. You could brainstorm a specific topic and get enough content for at least 6 months of weekly newsletters. When you focus on your area of expertise this should not be a problem. You will find it best to do this by (a) explaining the problem and then (b) offering a tip that will solve the problem. The length of each email should be from 150-500 words.
2. Top Ten
This format is easy to create and it works. For example, if you are an expert in health and fitness you could give advice on the "Top Ten Health and Fitness Tips","Top Ten Tummy Flattening Techniques", "Top Ten Weight Lose Tricks for 2007". Be sure not to go over board with the word length, just a few sentences for each tip will be fine, not half the page.
3. Three Ways to...
Finding ten ways to do things can sometimes be a little challenging. A quick newsletter tip is to provide only three tips instead; it is much simpler and can be alternated with the "Top Ten" format.
4. Before and After
Just like the "Tip of the Week" format, this tip introduces a problem and then immediately provides a solution. The "before and after" format does however work better with case studies as this is one way of interacting directly with your clients.You can ask them to send in details of something in their possession that requires a makeover; such as a website page, an article, their wardrobe etc, and then you can present them with your solutions.
Or you can ask for "before and after" examples from your readers who have been able to do this themselves, and with their permission show them to your other subscribers. (If you are using text only format for your newsletter, then you can include a link to your website page which has the photos on it). This especially works well if your newsletter is related to health and fitness - the photos will motivate your readers when they see the changes of others through diet and exercise, even weight training.
5. Checklist
Are you trying to learn something new? There is nothing quite like the checklist format to make sure that you do not leave out any steps along the way. Checklists can really save loads of time and your readers will appreciate getting one. All you will need to do is write a short introductory paragraph, make your list and then close with some final tips. You can base the whole of your newsletter on the checklist format, or you can just present one on occasion as a change from the regular newsletter format.
One final tip: You may want to set up a yahoo or gmail account just for your newsletters. Spend some time checking out websites related to your interests, and subscribe to their newsletters. Occasionally, check your emails and study what layout other editors are using. If you see a specific format that you like, print it out and put it in an "ideas" folder. Just unsubscribe from those that are only filled with never-ending sales pitches or junk.
Connie McKenzie is a full-time work at home mom who is dedicated to providing detailed information on various subjects including working from home. Discover how you can build a website and turn it into a profitable online business, watch the free video at => http://www.getqualityresults.com
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=444891
Using Blogs For Internet Marketing
By: David Bain
Blogging can be an effective internet marketing method. However, your blog posts must be relevant and must lead people wanting more of your insight, thereby leading them to click on your link so they can visit your site.
Internet entrepreneurs must realize the unlimited potential and profit of marketing through blogging. However, it is not enough to start blogging. You must know exactly what topics and what content to post on your blog posts so you will get people hooked on you, your blog posts and, eventually, your web site or page. Here are some blogging suggestions which can turn blogging turn into a very effective internet marketing tool for your online business or for your website.
1. Post Albums
Nothing can be more interesting than looking at pictures. Pictures tell stories and provide more precise descriptions than mere words can. Be sure to upload several pictures of the products offered by the company (as long as it's relevant to the blog post).
2. Share Real Experiences that People Could Relate to
People find stories more appealing than any bookish content. If you are selling a particular product, relate funny stories about some of your customers (do not name names, of course). Be sure to highlight your products in your stories. The story could also be about problems you've had. In this case, be sure to subtly emphasize your capabilities and expertise.
There should be something unique with the stories and the words used have to be in narrative form so reader could try and recreate the story in their imaginations.
3. Provide Up to Date Information
See if there is any upcoming news or details that might impact your industry. If you are always giving interesting and updated news through your blog posts, then people would be looking forward to your posts. New product lines could be advertised on the blog to introduce the item to the general public. Be sure to give a background on it as well as provide a story on how it was created. People will be interested to know why a new innovation has been added and how it came about.
By posting updates and new information, you will gain stature and credibility in your industry. When your readers find a need for services or products that you offer, they're likely to visit your site and obtain this service or product from you. Moreover, if your readers know people who need your type of services or products, they're likely to recommend your site, too. Your readers may even actually repost your blog posting in their own blogs or in forums where they are members.
4. Relate How the Product Was Used by Another
In some cases, one will have to refer to another online article which entails asking for approval prior to posting them on the blog. Once the go signal is lit, a link can be added to show how another individual have found use for the product. Potential clients will be curious how it worked for an existing client.
5. Anecdote to Go With the Product
Most individuals are interested with quotable quotes and anecdotes. Your post can be a funny statement you heard from a customer or a child who used your product or service. It is similar to creating a tag line that could distinguish a product from the others.
About the Author:
David Bain is founder of http://www.PurpleInternetMarketing.com. He recently interviewed blogging expert Yaro Starak. To hear the interview visit http://www.freeiq.com/yarostarakinterview.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=472605
BLOGGING FOR BEGINNERS : HOW TO CREATE A WORDPRESS BLOG
WordPress is a popular blogging application that you can use to create a very professional looking blog. Blogs boost your site’s traffic and help you build relationships and trust with your visitors. The more trust your readers have in you, the more likely they are to become your customer. Blogs are also great money-makers.
There are two ways to set up a WordPress blog. You can install the blog on your own server. If your web host includes Fantastico, you can install your blog with the push of a button. The benefit to this is that you can pick your own, unique blog address. For instance, your blog address can be www.yourdomain.com/blog.
You can also get a free blog at www.wordpress.com and let WordPress host it for you. Your blog’s URL will have wordpress in the domain. However, if you are new to blogging and do not yet have your own domain, this is a great way to get started with your blog. You simply enter the username you would like and your email. WordPress will create your blog and email you the password.
Note - if you choose a Wordpress.com blog, read the TOS carefully. Wordpress.com is very picky about commercial blogs, and places limits on advertising.
There are many different Wordpress themes to choose from, enabling you to create a blog that fits your website and target market. You can further customize your blog by adding widgets, such as a calendar, RSS feed, links and other items to the sidebar. You can also change and customize the entire theme by editing the Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) of your blog.
Get the complete how-to and why-to of blogging with my pro blogger’s ebook, Blogging For Dollars.
Angela Booth shows you how. She is a veteran copywriter and blogger. Her ebook, Blogging For Dollars: How to become a career blogger — in your PJs, if you want, is available at http://www.abmagic.com/Blog/blogging.html You can visit the book’s blog at http://www.dollars2blog.com/blog/
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Samsung GX-10
* Samsung F3.5-5.6, 18 - 55 mm autofocus lens [lens kit only]
* SLB-1674 lithium-ion rechargeable battery
* Battery charger
* Eyecup
* Viewfinder cap
* Hot shoe cover
* Shoulder strap
* USB cable
* Video cable
* CD-ROM featuring Digimax Master and Digimax RAW Converter software
* 258 page camera manual (printed)
The Nutrients Your Skin Needs Now
Problem-Skin Fixes
News flash: You really are what you eat, especially when it comes to your face, hands, elbows, and everything in between -- recent research from Australia found a direct link between diet and complexion. After studying the dietary habits of more than 400 elderly people, scientists concluded that those who ate more vegetables, fish, and olive oil over the years had fewer wrinkles than those who had a high intake of red meat, butter, and dairy. Here's what to eat to meet your skin's specific needs -- plus nutrient-rich products docs say will offer visible results.
Your Skin Needs: Hydration
Eat: Essential fatty acids (EFAs), found in foods like salmon, vegetable oils, walnuts, and flaxseed.
Think back to Bio 101: Every cell in your body has an outer membrane that serves as a gatekeeper, allowing nutrients into the cell and letting waste out. This membrane is made up of lipids, or fats, so it stands to reason that to keep our skin functioning optimally, "we have to consume adequate amounts of essential fatty acids to form healthy cells," explains Ellie Krieger, RD, host of the Food Network's Healthy Appetite. Plus, EFAs can help shield the skin from UV damage. A study published in the Lancet Oncology showed that high intakes of EFA-laden extra virgin olive oil may help prevent against some cancers, including skin cancer. But that doesn't mean you should skip SPF!
Aim For: 12 grams of omega-6 a day (an ounce of walnuts) and 1.1 grams of omega-3 (a serving of salmon).
Your Skin Needs: A Smoother Texture
Eat: Vitamin A and carotenoids, found in milk, eggs, carrots, and cantaloupe.
Also known as retinol, vitamin A is required for cell growth and division. Without it, the skin can't produce new cells or shed old ones, so it can turn thick and scaly, explains Jeannette Graf, MD, an assistant clinical professor at New York University Medical School. While vitamin A is found in animal-derived products -- meat, milk, eggs -- certain kinds of carotenoids, or plant pigments, in fruits and veggies can be converted into vitamin A by our bodies. Beta-carotene, the stuff that gives carrots and cantaloupe their orange tint, is a good example of a pro-retinol.
Aim For: 75 mg of vitamin C (one medium orange or 1/2 cup sliced red pepper) and 15 mg of vitamin E (2 ounces of sunflowers or almonds).
Your Skin Needs: To Banish Blemishes
Eat: Water-containing fruits and vegetables
Everything we do -- even breathing -- saps our cells of detoxifying fluids. Experts suggest drinking enough fluids to replace those that we excrete throughout the day. "Water also helps flush out impurities that could lead to acne blemishes as they exit through skin," says Dr. Graf. Even better: A study in the August 2006 edition of Skin Research and Technology proved that drinking more water, mineral water in particular, can also moisturize the surface layer of skin for a constant glow.
Your Skin Needs: An Anti-Aging Boost
Eat: Selenium, found in Brazil nuts, turkey, and whole grains
To maintain a youthful appearance (read: fewer fine lines and firmer skin), selenium is essential. This mineral possesses both anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic properties. "But its most important job is to activate our natural antioxidant enzymes, which slow down the aging process," explains Dr. Graf.
Source: http://lifestyle.msn.com/
Epson Stylus Photo RX580 All-in-One
* Power cord
* Six ink cartridges (Black, cyan, light cyan, magenta, light magenta, yellow)
* CD/DVD tray
* CD-ROM containing software and drivers
* Fold-out Easy Setup Instructions + Full Manual
Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital ELPH
> 7.1 Megapixel CCD (versus 6.0 on the SD700
> Uses new DIGIC III image processor (instead of DIGIC II) promises superior photo quality, battery life, and performance
> Improved 2.5" PureColor LCD offers more resolution, plus better outdoor viewing, color reproduction, and fingerprint resistance
> ISO now goes as high as 1600 (versus 800)
> Auto ISO Boost feature lets you increase ISO on the fly in order to get a sharp photo
> Face detection autofocus and exposure
> 31% improvement in battery life
> Support for SDHC memory cards
> 32MB MultiMedia card
> NB-4L lithium-ion battery
> Battery charger
> Wrist strap
> USB cable
> A/V cable
> CD-ROM featuring Canon Digital Camera Solutions
> 31 page basic manual + 161 page advanced manual (both printed)