First, thanks everyone for all of the positive comments! I’m glad to see that there are others out there who think this information can be useful. Over time, I’m probably going to go off on a few tangents in this what I’m sure is going to be a long series of posts, so please bear with me.
If you look around, pretty much everything that I may end up going over has been posted before in one form or another. I’ve spent the last couple of days reading over previous posts on ActiveRain regarding internet marketing. There is a ton of information that has already been posted by our fellow members. Take some time and search through those posts. (Active rain posts that talk about SEO <-that should get you started).
As you read, you’ll being to pick up on the common themes of keywords, unique content and link building/site promotion. You’ll also quickly notice that there are varying options on all of those topics. What you need to know is that no one really knows exactly how it all works. Everyone has an opinion and what works today, will not necessarily work tomorrow.
What success online boils down to is creating and sticking with a system / combination of techniques that you feel comfortable with. You can go the 100% do it yourself route, the 100% outsourced route, or any mix of the two. For most people, the time/money balance will probably be best achieved by purchasing a turn key / custom build web site with all the necessary bells and whistles built into it and then doing some content creation and site promotion on your own. In fact, I think it’s safe to say that most of you already have a website up and are just trying to figure out how to get the most out of what you are already paying for.
As I stated in my earlier post on internet lead generation, you can achieve top rankings for less than $100 a year. But, as many have pointed out and I completely agree, it can take a lot of time. Personally, I enjoy doing the work. It is a good break from the mortgage grind and it allows me to have a consistent project that progresses every day. Also, I feel I’ve developed a great skill set that can be applied to any industry if I decide to move on one day from the land of 1003s and rate vs. payment debates. Also, as I’m sure you’ll agree, it can’t hurt to have at least a basic knowledge of what lies beneath all those pretty web pages and some understanding of why you see what you do when you type a search term into Yahoo or Google.
Ok, back on topic. Would I recommend that everyone give a go at the $100 a year route? In one word - No. My point simply was that it can be done. If you are up to the challenge and really want to get your hands dirty, I strongly encourage you to give it a shot. But, for most people, just read along and use what you feel comfortable using and what best fits your own unique situation.
If you plan on making the internet a cornerstone of your business, it makes sense that you would want to devote a good amount of resources (both time and money) to ensuring that you are building a solid on-line foundation. Just be sure to take some time to educate yourself on the topics before you start writing checks or clicking those oh so tempting “buy it now” buttons at the end of those long one page sales letters.
Below you will find an outline of the areas I hope to cover. Bookmark this post as I will use it as a table of contents as we go forward. Also, I'll probably jump around a bit. As it seems most people are more interested in how to market thier existing websties, I'll probably focus on that area first.
Step By Step Guide To Creating (Marketing) Your Own Lead Generation Website
Step 1: Choosing Keywords
-Shhh! Be Vewy Vewy Quiet. I'm Hunting Keywords... (Find out what Your Prospets Are Searching For)
Step 2: Selecting A Domain Name
Step 3: Choosing a Platform (Blog vs. Standard Website)
Step 4: Planning Your Site
Step 5: Selecting A Hosting Company
Step 6: Building & Launching Your Site
Step 7: Creating Unique Content
Step 9: Marketing Your Site (Link Building)
- Article Marketing: The Cheapest, Fasteset Way To Promote Your Website
Buckle up, it’s going to be a fun ride!
-Joe Ramirez
Mortgage Marketing Ideas
Real-Estate-Marketing.net
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