Ranked #3 in Google!

**Norri** · 23-Jun-12, 12:40 AM

dfsa, how low-cost it is is arguable. I have 900+ clients I can use as affiliates for free right now. SEO, on the other hand, will cost me in outsourcing writing, outsourcing back-linking, etc. So while I absolutely intend to get my rankings back, my short-term (ie: this month) focus is on my affiliates.

**Norri** · 23-Jun-12, 12:42 AM

And it's worth noting that being #3 for "website" never really got me any significant sales. Sure I got some sales but it's not a money-word. It's not something people type when they're wanting to scratch an itch. I'm better served focusing my time on keywords with a higher propensity for turning into sales. They'll also be a lot easier to rank for.

**dfsa** · 23-Jun-12, 08:53 AM

I see what you mean. One question: How are you going to get your affilliates to make sales?

**Norri** · 23-Jun-12, 10:13 AM

I'm assisting them with marketing material like banners and an email template and I offer 50% commission.

**dfsa** · 25-Jun-12, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by Norri

I'm assisting them with marketing material like banners and an email template and I offer 50% commission.

That is good and already better than many other affilliate programs and with a good commission structure.

My question now: The affilliate have banners, email follow up script---- What now? Do you suggest to them to sell to their friends and family like 90% of companies out there do?

Originally Posted by Norri

And it's worth noting that being #3 for "website" never really got me any significant sales. Sure I got some sales but it's not a money-word. It's not something people type when they're wanting to scratch an itch. I'm better served focusing my time on keywords with a higher propensity for turning into sales. They'll also be a lot easier to rank for.

I don't agree with the statement above. You have been in the third spot, now it was a matter to keep it there. Your landing page for that keyword is the reason you made no sales. You could have multiple services and products available on the landing page. If I am correct you do offer hosting, sell some ready made templates, sell your website building services. Don't make it sales pages, grab the attention and then send them to the various sales pages.

The cost to be on No: 1 for that keyword. Well let me rather put it this way. There is no real competing pages.

To say it is not a money keyword is also not 100% correct. It is a numbers game. Key Phrase: ( I want a website now ) Good money keyword, but dang nobody search that keyword. Just an example.

Website is already targeted, but it has a wide range, your landing page must cover a good portion of the range. Even if you only use the keyword to add prospects to your list.

Looking at this and seeing that you don't want to go after the keyword, I think I should go for it.

**Norri** · 25-Jun-12, 12:45 PM

Hehehe, maybe you're right. I HAVE been considering re-working the front page to be more "modern" and less "salesy". I actually have a work in progress replacement page that I was going to split-test to see which converted better.

I appreciate your feedback on this thread, it has given me good food for thought and you have quite possibly changed my mind about this.

Thanks for the kick in the arse - I appreciate it a ton!

Regarding the affiliates, yep initially I suggested they market to their friends as 90% of my clients really have little to no idea of how to do affiliate marketing. I hope to set up an affiliate marketing education program for them but that will take time unless I can find a PLR source for the info.

**dfsa** · 25-Jun-12, 01:16 PM

Split testing. Initial testing in your case should be eazy ( No need to let it run for Months). You have over 900 people in your list. Put up 3-6 different pages, then do a poll by asking your members to vote the pages from 1 -6. Offer them a freebie for participating. From there you take the 2 top pages and turn them into a futher split test for a Month or Two. If it convert 60-40 then build 2 websites and host them on diffirent servers, still going after the same keywords.The possibillity's are endless

**Mark Atkinson** · 25-Jun-12, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by dfsa

I don't agree with the statement above. You have been in the third spot, now it was a matter to keep it there. Your landing page for that keyword is the reason you made no sales. You could have multiple services and products available on the landing page. If I am correct you do offer hosting, sell some ready made templates, sell your website building services. Don't make it sales pages, grab the attention and then send them to the various sales pages.

The cost to be on No: 1 for that keyword. Well let me rather put it this way. There is no real competing pages.

To say it is not a money keyword is also not 100% correct. It is a numbers game. Key Phrase: ( I want a website now ) Good money keyword, but dang nobody search that keyword. Just an example.

Website is already targeted, but it has a wide range, your landing page must cover a good portion of the range. Even if you only use the keyword to add prospects to your list.

Looking at this and seeing that you don't want to go after the keyword, I think I should go for it.

I don't agree with this.

"Website" on its own is far too broad a keyword. Ranking for "website" isn't going to help you unless you're ranking for much more targeted variations. There is not really any commercial intent associated with that word on its own.

The conversion rate will likely never be as high as it would when visitors are coming from a more targeted keyword.

I'd much rather visitors find me using the keyword "web designer in Durban" than the word "website", because those visitors will be far more likely to be the ones actually looking for what I have to offer.

**Norri** · 25-Jun-12, 02:11 PM

Mark, I tend to agree with you and it's normally the way to go but I think what dfsa is saying is, "why not?" If you can (fairly easily) rank #1 for "website", why not? And seeing as I've come so close before, with not that much ongoing effort (I put in about 3 month's effort to get that #3 ranking) I can see his point.

That's to say that, I think you're right, more targeted keywords will yield higher conversions but it may also be worthwhile to just rank #1 for "website" as well. One thing I've always liked about being ranked highly for that keyword is it gives me INSTANT "proof" whenever I want to sell SEO.

Thanks dfsa, I like those strategies and can definitely implement them. Solid ideas

**dfsa** · 25-Jun-12, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by Mark Atkinson

I don't agree with this.

"Website" on its own is far too broad a keyword. Ranking for "website" isn't going to help you unless you're ranking for much more targeted variations. There is not really any commercial intent associated with that word on its own.

The conversion rate will likely never be as high as it would when visitors are coming from a more targeted keyword.

I'd much rather visitors find me using the keyword "web designer in Durban" than the word "website", because those visitors will be far more likely to be the ones actually looking for what I have to offer.

Mark, I think you miss the plot a little here. "Website" is broad, yes, but there is not strong competition at this stage, so ranking for that keyword in the top spot and finding what can raise the conversion is first Goal. In the mean time, you rank now for that broad keyword, this in turn will assist to rank for the long tail phrases in itself. G already see your site now as authority and when you move to the money phrases you do not have to work that hard to get them ranked.

Another nice challange with "website" the exact search count is good. Now why would people search that. The trick is to find out and then offer them what they want. Yes conversion rates for money phrases are much higher, but when you find the ? for the single keyword. You will not look back