We realize that this is where it gets scary for some people, if they've never built a website before. Rest assured, it's not as difficult as you might think.
Pay someone else to build it for you.
Let's take a closer look at each of those four possibilities...
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1) Learn HTML and build it yourself. HTML (hyper text markup language) is the language of the internet. Even this page you are reading right now was written in HTML. Learning HTML is not as difficult as learning a new language. You're still writing in the English language (or whatever language you speak), with some extra "tags" here and there which affect the formatting and appearance of everything on the page.
If you want to learn HTML (and we recommend you do it--it's a valuable skill which will only increase your earning potential), we have a FREE guide for you to study. This is included with your membership to The Writing Cash Program. If you would like to download this free guidebook, click the link below and save the file to your PC. It is an EXE file, just like The Writing Cash Program...
Click here to download the HTML guide...
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2) Use a template, and modify it. This is easier than it sounds. An HTML template is basically a webpage created for you to customize with your own details. A template can be customized in an HTML editor, or in a text editor such as MS Notepad. If you use Windows on your PC, then you already have Notepad installed.
We have a template that you can use to create your first web page. To download the template, click the link below and then follow the instructions to save it to your PC.
Click here to get the template...
After you've saved the template, locate the file on your PC and do a right-click on it, and "open with" Notepad. You will see the areas to edit. Simply replace the text with your desired text, and save the file. To view the file at any time, just double click on it to open it in your internet browser (such as Internet Explorer).
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3) Use a tool like Site Builder. Some hosts, such as HostGator, have a Site Builder tool available. By using a site builder tool, you can quickly create an attractive website even if you have no experience.
You will pick out a base template which will form the foundation of the site structure. Then enter data into the program as requested. It will automatically generate your desired page(s).
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4) Pay someone else to build it for you. If you don't want to do any of the three options above, then this is a good idea. Don't worry, you don't need some custom-designed $1000.00 website with all the bells and whistles. You just need a basic page for your review of the product, and your hoplink to your partner's site.
You should be able to find someone to build a one-page site for you for about $10.00. A good place to find affordable webmasters is:
Click here to go to Elance
Here's a sample ad you could post:
Need webmaster to customize a 1-page HTML template by copying and pasting text that I will send via email.
You can email them a copy of the template from above (as an attachment). Then just email them your review and they can put it onto the HTML page for you.
Most high school students also know HTML these days, so you could easily find a kid at your local high school to build your web pages really cheap too.
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Your First Web Page
Once you've decided which of the above four methods you will be using to build your website, it's time to build your first page and put it on the world wide web for everyone to see.
As we mentioned before, your first website is going to be a "review" site, where you review your partner's products and services. There are many ways that you can format your review on the web page, but simplicity is the key. Here's an example, which is the sample template that you can download above...
You will structure your review just like the product reviews you see all the time all over the internet. Often if you email your partner company and tell them you would like to write a review to promote via PPC marketing, they will give you a sample of the product for free.
Your review does not need to be very long. In fact, it's usually best if the whole things fits right on the screen so that the visitor doesn't even need to scroll down.
It's best to take a personal approach whenever possible. You want your visitors to get the feeling that you are a real person (like them) and not just some marketer trying to make money.
Some good ideas are to include a few bullet points, and a customer's testimonial right off of your partner's website.
You should include at least 3 benefits of the product you are promoting.
In general it is good to include one negative attribute of the product you are reviewing. Just make sure it's not too bad. You don't want it to be a deal breaker. But by including one small flaw, it will make your review more believable.
The point of a review is NOT to sell the product! It's a form of pre-selling. Your review has only two goals: to pre-sell them on the product which warms them up to buying it, and to get them to click on the link to go to your partner's site.
Another good strategy is to use it to capture email addresses from your visitors and follow up with an autoresponder (We'll explain that in the "Improve" section - PART 8), but if you're a beginner, just do a little pre-selling and most importantly make sure they will click on your link.
Uploading Your Site
Once you've built a web page, it's time to put it online for the world to see. There are basically two ways of uploading it to your hosting account:
1) Via FTP (file transfer protocol)
2) Via your hosting control panel
FTP is the quickest, and you'll want to learn to use it if you plan on building many web pages. You will need an FTP software to connect to your website via FTP. You can download a good free FTP program at www.smartftp.com.
The other way to upload files is through your hosting control panel (called cPanel for HostGator). Log into your cPanel using the login given to you by HostGator. Click on File Manager. Go into the public_html folder. You will upload your HTML file(s) into the public_html folder.
Marketing Your Website
After your website is online, it's time to advertise it. You will advertise using the exact same method you are using for your ClickBank partners. In other words, you will use Google AdWords to write an ad for the product, but instead of a hoplink you will use your website address.
For example, let's say you're promoting The Writing Cash Program. If you were using the method we previously learned, you would put our web address (writingcash.com) into the Display URL, and you would put your hoplink into the Destination URL of the AdWords form. Now with your own website, you put your own web address into both the Display URL and Destination URL...
You should name the file of your review page according to the product you are reviewing. For example, if you are reviewing The Writing Cash Program, you could name the file writingcash.html.
At some point you will need to make a home page for your review website. The home page should be a somewhat official-looking page, which contains links to all of your review pages on your site.
After setting up an AdWords campaign, always test the link by clicking on the ad from within your account.
Another great thing about using your own review site to promote your partners' products, is it opens up the possibility for other creative marketing strategies. For example, in addition to the types of ads you were writing before, you can now write ads for the reviews themselves. Of course your goal is to get people to click on the link in your review and go buy your partner's product, but the goal of your AdWords ad is to get the visitor to read your review!
Here are some examples of what we're talking about...
Some final notes about websites:
You should repeat the process and build review pages for several different products. The nice thing about having a review site, is you don't have to go get a new hosting account and build a whole new website each time. Simply add another page to your existing site.
You probably don't want to use only your website. You'll want to continue to create campaigns which go directly to your hoplink, like we learned before. Some products will have better success when you link directly to the hoplink from your ad. Others will be more successful when you link to your own website. A good way to determine which way is better, is to do a "split-test" in Google like we explained in Part 5 (Repeating) in the yellow box.
Also, keep in mind that Google does not allow you to link to "bridge pages". Bridge pages are pages set up for the sole purpose of directing traffic to another site without providing significant additional value to the web user. That is why the "review" method works so well. It provides original content for your page, and gives the visitor "Value" by reading your review. Another good way to stay on good terms with the "bridge" policy, is to review two competing products on the same page. This provides even more value for the visitor, and the page is considered to be more of a "shopping experience" rather than an attempt to redirect traffic.
Again, you should know that these techniques are not unethical, and Google is fully aware of how affiliates drive web traffic. Affiliates are a HUGE part of Google's business, so they will not alienate us. We simply have to make sure our websites align with their policies.
Are you ready to move on to the next step?
Did you sign up for web hosting (or already had a hosting account)?
Did you build a review webpage, or have it built for you?
Is your web page online and now visible from the web?
Did you create at least one AdWords campaign to promote your page?
If you answered YES to each question, then proceed to PART 8: More Ads
© Copyright 2005-2006 by Eric Holmlund - All Rights Reserved
You may not copy any of the text, graphics, code, or formatting from this program.
