| LED Digest 2562: The Paid Links Scam |
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The LED Digest Moderated Discussion List "Effective Online Advertising, Since 1997" Data > Information > Knowledge > Wisdom www.WillMaster.com/Master : the LED's Key Sponsor Master Series Software - Get Connected with Your WebSite www.SEOToolSet.com/training/ : the LED's Premier Sponsor Bruce Clay's Search Engine Optimization Training & Certification ================================================== List Moderator: Published by: Adam Audette LED Digest adam, led-digest.com http://www.led-digest.com .............................................. January 3, 2007 Issue no. 2562 .............................................. .....IN THIS DIGEST..... ====== NEW ====================== <Moderator Comment> ~ The Paid Links Scam ==== CONTINUING ================= --== Seeking Support Ticket System ==-- ~ Joel Lesser ~ Will Bontrager ~ Chris Allen --== Ad Copy with Low CTR ==-- <Moderator Comment> ~ Angela Booth ~ Charles Pascal ~ Judy Vorfeld ~ Bruce Garrett ~ Veronica Yuill ~ John Smart --== 3D Animation ==-- ~ Al Toman ========= NEW ===================================== <Moderator Comment> There isn't an up-to-date archive available, so no link to give you, but there was an interesting comment posted in SearchReturn recently. SearchReturn is an email list published by Detlev Johnson, with occasional reader feedback and submissions. Check it out, and if you're not subscribed, I recommend joining: http://www.searchreturn.com/ Here's the post I'm referring to; it's by Dan Thies, who's an old-school search marketer. The bolding is mine, added for emphasis: ------------------ ==> Paid Links "Matt, using VPN, surfed into Google's network (without showing the audience his screen) to come up with the internal number of links the site was actually being credited for towards rankings. The number? Three links." - Detlev Johnson This is an extreme example of what has been the reality of paid links for a long time. Google is very good at detecting and filtering paid links. When Matt said a while back that they were catching 95% of paid links already, the text link industry and their flacks in the blogosphere jumped all over it, accused Matt of lying, trying to use FUD to control webmasters, etc. Here's the truth: THE PAID TEXT LINK INDUSTRY HAS BECOME NOTHING BUT A BIG SCAM. Those who profit by it, and there are many, don't want to admit that. They want to shift the discussion and attention away from the truth. Here's the truth: renting links has never been a "standard and accepted SEO practice." Bob Massa remembers. Danny Sullivan remembers. No amount of spin and noise on the part of the link peddlers can change the reality of the situation. If you want links, build something worth linking to and market the hell out of it. It's easier, it's cheaper, and it works. Dan Thies http://www.seofaststart.com ------------------ All the best, Adam ======== CONTINUING =============================== From: Joel Lesser Subject: Helpdesk Re: Shel Horowitz's request for a helpdesk / trouble ticket system... Shel, We've been using Perkdesk (http://perldesk.com) with great success here for many years. It offers all of the functionality you mentioned you are looking for plus some other useful administrative features. Best Regards, Joel Lesser LinksManager.com - http://linksmanager.com -------- new post - same topic -------- From: Will Bontrager Subject: Helpdesk Shel, check out the Three Pillars software Willie Crawford sells at http://www.threepillarshelpdesk.com/ It might or might not have all the points you want of it. But I do know that Willie Crawford himself uses it. See http://williecrawford.com/helpdesk/ -- his installation has a "Personal For Willie" subject category. I have used it as a customer, and it is slick. But I have not used it as a site owner. Will Bontrager ========= Begin Sponsor Message ========= The Master Series CGI Software Web Site Tools! 2 for 1 Sale! And support is extraordinary. http://willmaster.com/masterLED ========== End Sponsor Message ========== -------- new post - same topic -------- From: Chris Allen Subject: Trouble Ticket System Consider CerberusWeb's helpdesk system. http://www.cerberusweb.com/ The single-email system is free, and multi-user is very economical for a very robust feature set. Every requirement you list, it can do. We deployed it mid- last year, and now we can't see how we ever got by without it. Regards, Chris Allen www.gentlemansemporium.com www.westernemporium.com -------- new post - new topic -------- <Moderator Comment> Thanks for all the helpful responses to the question about Willmaster.com's ad copy. I thought it would be useful to include some of the comments here, they're very educational. For reference, this is the ad copy that was running yesterday when I asked for feedback: ========= The Master Series CGI Software It's tools. It's automation. It's a solid investment for your online business. Here's a tip- If we sell it, we guarantee it. And support is extraordinary. http://willmaster.com/masterLED ========== The feedback is below. -Adam -------------------- From: Angela Booth Subject: Low CTR ad > Take a look at our sponsor's ad copy... > They're getting a very poor click-through > rate, and I'm wondering if the creative is > to blame or if there's something else > contributing here. Your feedback is > appreciated. - Adam Audette, LED Digest 2561 - http://www.led-digest.com/content/view/1976/190/ Re the ad and low CRT, there are two major challenges - firstly it's not immediately clear what the ad is promoting, and secondly there's no offer. The "CGI" provides a hint, but it's not enough. I spent a moment or two wondering about the URL - were they a legal site, pushing wills? The advertiser is using a highend "branding" technique on a direct response ad, and it doesn't work. I wrote the above before clicking through to the site, which has the same challenges - no clear indication of what they're promoting, and no clear offer. It's a shame, because I'm sure that the advertiser's products are great; they just need a copywriter to provide clarity in their ads. All best wishes, Angela Booth Angela Booth Freelance Copywriter and Ghostwriter http://www.angelabooth.com/ -------- new post - same topic -------- From: Charles Pascal Subject: Training The vendor of this product states the features of CGI software without stating the benefits to the buyer. I believe marketing to a list similar to this one requires an indirect approach. Creating an add showing the benefits of the product with a request for action should improve the returns. Best of luck. Charles Pascal -------- new post - same topic -------- From: Judy Vorfeld Subject: Bontrager Quandary Hi, Adam...thanks for asking about why Will and Mari might not be getting the click-throughs they need and deserve. It's possible that the text needs to be a bit more, um, exciting. Something like this: ----------------- The Superb Master Series CGI Software Transform your site with WillMaster software. Fantastic forms: visitors can learn, buy, tell you something, & register. Syndicate your content. 404 Terminator. Master Quiz. Members Only. Amazing Autoresponder. And much more! We sell it. We guarantee it. Tremendous no-cost tech support. http://willmaster.com/masterLED ----------------- Most of us already know the value of WillMaster products, Adam, but we need to be convinced or reminded anyway. The Bontragers are constantly coming up with new ideas to make our lives easier. Somehow, that needs to be reflected in the ad... and I know it's difficult to write one's own copy...have a great day! Judy Vorfeld - Webmaster Services; Editing and Writing Services Judy's Blog: www.ossweb.com Communication Expressway: www.ossweb.com/ezine.html -------- new post - same topic -------- From: Bruce Garrett Subject: Sponsor's ad copy Hi Adam, I visited the sponsor's site and was not impressed. A lot of it had to do with the "look and feel". I thought at first it was a site for children. The gift box and light bulb, etc. The ad copy for the first item, Master Autoresponder bank, I found to be confusing. I read it several times and i still can't tell for sure just what it is supposed to do. I clicked on one of the links on the menu and found that there was no "home page" button. I had to use the back arrows to get back to the index page. Many of the software titles, further down the list, were things I might be interested in. Unfortunately, the first item and the overall look would cause me to move on without really exploring the site. Bottom line, my first impression of the site was not favorable. Ad copy is poorly written (does not clearly explain) and the navigation leaves something to be desired. I think they could do better. Thanks, Bruce Garrett www.archive-cd.com -------- new post - same topic -------- From: Veronica Yuill Subject: Willmaster ad I'm no marketing expert, but the first thing that struck me about Will's ad copy was that it doesn't say what it is selling. I know the type of product Will sells, but if I didn't I wouldn't have a clue on the basis of his ad :-( Maybe he'd be better focusing on a single product and selling the specific benefits of that (he could change the product regularly). Happy New Year, hope you have a great 2008! Regards Veronica Yuill www.archetype-it.com/english/ -------- new post - same topic -------- From: John Smart Subject: cgi clickthrough CGI is still a powerful language, and has plenty of merits - but it is very hard work. Any novice who has installed a cgi script will have tales of chmod and chown nightmares, filepath issues and the like. Where as php is very trendy at the moment! and, frankly, easy to install many open source products. Also, the form managers - I think everyone remembers the awful hack stories from the Matt's Archives code. Is his any better? Most of what your advertiser offers is readily available in php, cfm and asp as open source projects (a problem that hits all of us!) As a host, I try to discourage all clients from using cgi - pointing them to php where possible. I do appreciate that some of this is like what is better, Ford or Chevy? It is down to the taste of the driver, we get so attached to our code and languages we can become stubborn, but in my experience, most 'newbie' clients who have some knowlege do not want cgi - they want something new and sexy. Perl, alas, is not. That said, I have a file uploader ajax script, that works with php, allows you to upload many images at the same time, with a bar graph showing progress. It is cgi!!! Finally, there is pricing - the recommend to a friend - I wrote an awesome php one that I charge $25 for! Maybe his is better, faster, more reliable and more secure. Mine works out what page it is on, and recommends that page - his may do even more - but $49, wow, that seems steep for what is a very simple concept. Also, you have to dig for prices - that always turns me off - no matter what the site is. Ok, pot calling kettle black, we don't have prices on our site (yet!) but even so, I don't like other sites to follow my lead on this. Sorry to be so negative. In a more positive way, my advice woud be: - Make prices clearer - Maybe offer bundles (buy three scripts, get the fourth one free) (ok, just saw his buy 1 get 1 free) - Educate the shopper 'why use CGI instead of php/cfm/asp?' - Plus, if his scripts are so good, why doesn't he use them? There is no link to recommend that page to a friend! I hope that helps, John Smart -------- new post - new topic -------- From: Al Toman Subject: Animation > I need to be able to produce some 3D images > of sculptures... - Paul Dobie, LED Digest 2561 Paul, Go here: http://www.duckware.com/ Then click on GO AROUND The trick is in the photography. You need to take several shots of the object rotating the object 1, 5, 10, 15 degrees for each shot until you went around 360 degrees. Fix the camera and place the object on a turntable. Follow the instructions by clicking on "GoRound Manual Index" "#4 Creating GoRound Images". I've successfully used this in the past. Have Fun, Al Toman studio9 web design (c) Copyright 1995-2008 Orange Wheel, LLC. All Rights Reserved. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors." - Confucius |
