Here I am. I have not posted anything for a while. I know. I have been busy setting up my own company. I actually started exactly one week ago. So far the results have been quite interesting.
We are currently working on our web page: http://www.mmq.ch/
The site should be up and running in the coming days. I shall keep you posted on this blog.
Also, I am looking into other blogging opportunities, which means that I might migrate the content of this blog in the future. If you have any interesting suggestions in this respect, please feel free to get in touch with me.
Last but not least, I should like to take this opportunity to wish you a great and successful 2011.
Monday, 10 January 2011
Thursday, 18 November 2010
Independent Work - Back to Basics
I have not written anything for a while. The reason is quite simple I have been busy working on a new project that is very time-consuming: starting my own company.
All being well, I should be able to start in January 2011. This is a challenge I have been looking forward to for some months.
Basically, I am going to concentrate on the following activities:
All being well, I should be able to start in January 2011. This is a challenge I have been looking forward to for some months.
Basically, I am going to concentrate on the following activities:
- Marketing & Communications concepts
- Adaptation of copy texts and advertising campaigns in various languages
- Online Marketing & Communications
- eCommerce
- Music Publishing
The motivations behind my decision are the following ones:
- Flexible working time, which can easily be adapted to my needs
- A hobby can be turned into a lucrative activity
- Small amount of bureaucracy and absence of hierarchies
- Different sources of income instead of depending from a single employer, which in my opinion is quite risky nowadays, as you do not know what can happen next (mergers, reorganisations, bankruptcies, difficult financial situation, etc.)
- If you are out of work or in a precarious situation it can help you keep your cool.
I shall keep you posted in the coming weeks with further details. Please feel free to get in touch with me for any questions you might have.
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Web Site Usability
An essential point that should be taken into consideration while programming a new web site is usability. A good menu or navigation are of paramount importance, thus allowing the users to go directly where they want to.
According to the Wikipedia, "usability includes considerations such as:
According to the Wikipedia, "usability includes considerations such as:
- Who are the users, what do they know, and what can they learn?
- What do users want or need to do?
- What is the general background of the users?
- What is the context in which the user is working?
- What has to be left to the machine? "
Navigation
A good navigation should show where you are, where you have been and where you can go. The navigation system should be in the same place on every page and have the same format.
Large or complex sites should always have a site map. Visitors will use it to find their way, while search engines spiders will have reliable access to all the pages. Including a home page link on every page is also essential, as many visitors may enter the site via an internal page, but they might want to go to the main page. In addition to this, most sites include their logo somewhere at the top of every page including a link that takes them to the start page. A search box is also very useful for those sites that comprise a large amount of information and/or pages.
Content
Keep it clear and simple: you want to attract visitors, you do not want to deter them.
As a general rule, the most important part should be placed on top or at the very beginning of the page. Think of a press release or an article in the newspapers: the most important facts always come first. Also, Add ALT and TITLE attributes to all images: this will make it easier for the reader to find what he/she is looking for without having to read the whole text.
Be very careful when it comes to colours, images and background. In general, a light background with dark text works better.
Testing
Having the site tested by real users is essential. If the enjoy the site, you are on the right track. Besides, if they understand what the values and purpose of it, you are progressing towards success.
Your site should also provide added value and make the users feel like coming back to it: deep and cogent content encourages visitors to bookmark it and refer it to like-minded people.
Usability testing is the best way to test how well your site works.
Frustrated visitors are not likely to return.
Friday, 6 August 2010
Article Marketing -- The Top Methods for Promoting Your Articles
Through article marketing given products and services can be promoted online. Article marketing allows writers to promote themselves and their companies to a broader audience by writing articles.
By submitting their texts to multiple article directories, Internet marketers will often try to maximize the results of an article campaign. It must be noted though that most search engines filter duplicate content to prevent the very same text from appearing multiple times in searches. In order to avoid this problem, some marketers create various versions of an article. As a result, one article can theoretically gain traffic from multiple article directories. In general, search engines are looking for quality and original content. Most directories and sites that receive a high volume of traffic are considered authority sites by search engines, which often results in a higher ranking after performing a search.
Basically, content plays an essential role when it comes to writing an article. Key word research is of paramount importance as it helps understand what your target audience is looking for. SEO experts usually urge to incorporate these key words in the headline as well as in the body of the article. Also, make sure to incorporate your target key words in the title of the article using a catchy sentence or mentioning a potential benefit (e.g. “Online Marketing – The Top Methods for Online Promotion”). This will help a potential reader to grasp immediately what the article is about.
As a general rule, articles do not need to be long. They should include 500 to 700 words and be structured in a way which is relevant to the reader.
Besides, try to refrain from selling in the article. An article should provide its readers with added value as well as useful and relevant content.
Promotion through social platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin is highly likely to give more exposure to an article. It is important to find people who are interested in the subjects you are writing about and to connect with them, too.
Another way to promote an article can be provided by blog commenting: either by leaving a link to a given article (under the assumption that the site does not have a comment policy against “promotional” links) or by using blogs that enable to get a link to the author bio and to his/her latest article.
By submitting their texts to multiple article directories, Internet marketers will often try to maximize the results of an article campaign. It must be noted though that most search engines filter duplicate content to prevent the very same text from appearing multiple times in searches. In order to avoid this problem, some marketers create various versions of an article. As a result, one article can theoretically gain traffic from multiple article directories. In general, search engines are looking for quality and original content. Most directories and sites that receive a high volume of traffic are considered authority sites by search engines, which often results in a higher ranking after performing a search.
Basically, content plays an essential role when it comes to writing an article. Key word research is of paramount importance as it helps understand what your target audience is looking for. SEO experts usually urge to incorporate these key words in the headline as well as in the body of the article. Also, make sure to incorporate your target key words in the title of the article using a catchy sentence or mentioning a potential benefit (e.g. “Online Marketing – The Top Methods for Online Promotion”). This will help a potential reader to grasp immediately what the article is about.
As a general rule, articles do not need to be long. They should include 500 to 700 words and be structured in a way which is relevant to the reader.
Besides, try to refrain from selling in the article. An article should provide its readers with added value as well as useful and relevant content.
Promotion through social platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin is highly likely to give more exposure to an article. It is important to find people who are interested in the subjects you are writing about and to connect with them, too.
Another way to promote an article can be provided by blog commenting: either by leaving a link to a given article (under the assumption that the site does not have a comment policy against “promotional” links) or by using blogs that enable to get a link to the author bio and to his/her latest article.
Friday, 30 July 2010
Google Wonder Wheel for Your Music Search
Google Wonder Wheel is a feature from Google which allows you to see relevant search results to your query in a unique semantically relevant and graphically design way. The way it works is realy quite simple: type any keyword in the Google search field, then click "show options" on the top left side, a new toolbar will appear. If you scroll down, you will see a wonder wheel button, click on the links and new fields will pop up. By using this tool you will get an infinite series of related semantic fields, which you can use to optimize the keywords on your web page, Youtube videos, etc.
Google Wonder Wheel will provide you with an excellent scheme about possible new key word ideas. You can navigate your way around the relevant key words and phrases and find more and more results. Google Wonder Wheel can help you filter the results and find the most relevant words related to the original search. Besides, Google wonder wheel is a user-friendly tool because of the way it leads the user to the right term and the right results.
Google Wonder Wheel will provide you with an excellent scheme about possible new key word ideas. You can navigate your way around the relevant key words and phrases and find more and more results. Google Wonder Wheel can help you filter the results and find the most relevant words related to the original search. Besides, Google wonder wheel is a user-friendly tool because of the way it leads the user to the right term and the right results.
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Efficient online marketing for independent labels
Online marketing is immediate. Time-to-market decreases dramatically when you resort to online activities as opposed to traditional tools such as flyers, adverts, etc. Online marketing enables you to distribute your message immediately after conception and creation with limited coverage loss. In addition to this, online marketing enables you to reach potential buyers worldwide.
On the other hand, selling your music online allows a comprehensive coverage without being confronted with questions like: how many copies am I supposed to press?
Of course this results in an immediate advantage in terms of costs. Not only is online marketing cost-effective, it also enables you to have an immediate response: you will know immediately what you are selling, where and to whom. As a result, you can adapt and correct your promotion activities swiftly.
Online marketing is interactive, too. For instance, if you are promoting your music through forums and social network platforms, you will get immediate reactions: why do people like or dislike your productions.
Nowadays, most independent labels are promoting and selling their music online. The advantages are clear:
- Distributing your products becomes much easier
- Immediate promotion with a great price/efficiency ratio
- Powerful statistic tools
- Immediate response from your target audience
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
Free Online Promotion
You have just published your new site and you are wondering how to promote it. Of course, you can resort to online marketing like e.g. banners, google adwords, etc. But as somebody says, the best things in life are free. There are many ways to promote your products or services without having to invest anything, except for your precious time.
Free Website Submission Services
Search engine submit services allow you to automate the Website submission process. Usually, you have to fill in one form, press one button and your site is automatically submitted to a multiple search engines without any further efforts.
Free Search Engine Tools
These programmes help you promote your site and analyze your link popularity with the search engines.
Mailing List Services
A free mailing list service allows you to send newsletters to a relatively large group of people (newsletter).Please note that the people receiving these messages have voluntarily opted in to your list and should be provided with the opportunity to unsubscribe from it at any time. A prime example of this is Yahoo Groups.
Webrings
Webrings are virtual communities linking together websites of similar content. Each website in a ring is linked to another by a navigation bar. Another way of looking at this, is that it is just a method for alike sites to share links and boost each other's traffic.
Forum Posting
You can check out the forums that are somehow related to your products/services and post interesting topics an what you do and on what you have to offer. Do not overdo or your peers will immediately tag you as a troll or as a bot.
Link Swapping
You can get in touch with other webmasters who run sites that focus on similar subjetcs as your site does and offer them a link exchange, which is usually something which can really help increase the traffic to your site and generate mutual benefits as well.
Article Writing
Write articles on your capabilities and place them on external sites. Your article creates free advertising for your web page, provide you are allowed to add a link to it. People will read your article and click on the link to your site.
Blogging
There are several blogging sites offering blog space for, like this one for example. It is advisable to post on a regular basis in order to keep your readers interested.
Creation of a Facebook Group
The creation of a group on Facebook can be highly beneficial, as it allows like-minded people to get in touch. In addition to this, you can provide them with further details on what you can do best as well as on your expertise.
Free Website Submission Services
Search engine submit services allow you to automate the Website submission process. Usually, you have to fill in one form, press one button and your site is automatically submitted to a multiple search engines without any further efforts.
Free Search Engine Tools
These programmes help you promote your site and analyze your link popularity with the search engines.
Mailing List Services
A free mailing list service allows you to send newsletters to a relatively large group of people (newsletter).Please note that the people receiving these messages have voluntarily opted in to your list and should be provided with the opportunity to unsubscribe from it at any time. A prime example of this is Yahoo Groups.
Webrings
Webrings are virtual communities linking together websites of similar content. Each website in a ring is linked to another by a navigation bar. Another way of looking at this, is that it is just a method for alike sites to share links and boost each other's traffic.
Forum Posting
You can check out the forums that are somehow related to your products/services and post interesting topics an what you do and on what you have to offer. Do not overdo or your peers will immediately tag you as a troll or as a bot.
Link Swapping
You can get in touch with other webmasters who run sites that focus on similar subjetcs as your site does and offer them a link exchange, which is usually something which can really help increase the traffic to your site and generate mutual benefits as well.
Article Writing
Write articles on your capabilities and place them on external sites. Your article creates free advertising for your web page, provide you are allowed to add a link to it. People will read your article and click on the link to your site.
Blogging
There are several blogging sites offering blog space for, like this one for example. It is advisable to post on a regular basis in order to keep your readers interested.
Creation of a Facebook Group
The creation of a group on Facebook can be highly beneficial, as it allows like-minded people to get in touch. In addition to this, you can provide them with further details on what you can do best as well as on your expertise.
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