If you go the SEO route you will have to write web content which will rank high in all the search engines. Plus, if you’re into web marketing, that very same content will have to convert into sales or leads in order for you to make a profit. It’s what I like to call my “Double Barrel Web Tactics” and I have been using these simple tactics to earn a full-time income from the net for over 5 or 6 years.

Not that that’s any kind of feat to brag about since countless individuals are doing the same thing and probably doing a much better job at it. But I have picked up a few tricks over the years which have helped me along the way. One of the most important is writing top ranking web pages which convert into sales.

Create SEO Empowered Webpages

First, in order to get those pages to the top of the search engines, especially Google, I follow some simple SEO rules. They can be summed up as such:

– Concentrate all your content around one central keyword phrase for each web page.

– Include this keyword phrase in the Title, Meta Tags, Headline and in the URL.

– Place this keyword phrase and variations of it throughout the page.

– Have a column of related keyword links on each page.

– Have very simple site construction with all links no more than 3 clicks away from the homepage.

– Build valuable one-way links to this page from keyword related sites around the web.

– Use Twitter, Facebook, YouTube… to promote each page.

Choose Your Keyword Battles Carefully

Furthermore, you must use keyword phrases which are competitive for your site. Picking long-tail keywords which have less traffic but still bring in sales, is one way of doing this. Targeting really competitive keywords is rather pointless unless you have endless funds and resources to build links and/or purchase PPC traffic. The average webmaster is better off choosing keyword phrases where he/she knows they can contend and can rank high in the search engines.

One good site which will tell how much competition your chosen keywords will have is Google’s https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal. It will also give you some estimate of the amount of traffic each keyword phrase receives each month. All valuable information to help you pick your keyword battles.

Writing Webpages Which Convert

For me this is the most difficult part of earning an online income – writing web copy which converts into a sale or a lead. Keep in mind, you don’t always have to sell something, many companies will pay you 10s of dollars just to supply them with a lead or potential paying customer. I sometimes find this is much easier to do than making an actual sale.

My marketing online tactics are very basic – I give my visitor a strong incentive or reason to purchase from my site. I find using simple discounts, coupons and free trials to be one of the most effective ways to make a sale or capture a lead for the companies and products I am promoting. Giving those online shoppers or customers 10%, 20%, 50% or more OFF will usually convert well. So too is offering bonuses, discounts, and coupons if they purchase from your links. For leads, offering a Free 30 Day Trial works the best.

But don’t ever forget, visitors who use your site also want information about the products or services they’re buying. Giving them clear unbiased information will go a long way in capturing a lead or sale. Providing customer reviews and feedback is another way to boost your conversions. So too are customer testimonials and video reviews.

Another tactic I use is picking keywords which have a high probability of commercial intent and which are more likely to bring in revenue. Just finding those customers and visitors who are in the right mind-set to buy is the key. Targeting certain keywords such as best deals, discounts, coupons… and targeting certain niche markets such as wedding gifts, corporate gifts, holiday gifts… have done very well for me. People are actually searching for a special gift and are ready to purchase.

One handy tool for determining the online commercial intention of your keywords is Microsoft’s Adcenter Labs. It will give you a good starting point for choosing which keywords and niche markets you should target with your web pages.

Marketing online is not some mysterious formula, it is merely a double barrel process of keeping all your SEO ranking factors in order and targeting customers when they’re ready to purchase. You build up your rankings with quality one-way links while offering the resulting traffic valuable information and a good solid reason to purchase from your web site or page. Using special deals, discounts, and coupons will go a long way in boosting your conversion rates. So too, will targeting certain keywords which have great online commercial intention or potential, such as the gift niche markets. Try this simple Dual marketing tactic and watch both your traffic and sales grow.

About The Author
Opinions expressed are solely those of the author who is a full time search engine marketer who operates numerous niche sites, as well as two sites on Intérnet Marketing: www.marketingtoolguide.com and www.bizwaremagic.com

Titus Hoskins Copyright 2010. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.