Issue #2187
- WEALTHY: Are you investing enough in overseas markets? (Andrew Gordon)
- HEALTHY: 3 fat-busting exercises you can do at home (Craig Ballantyne)
- WISE: Bruce Fisher on doing business via the Internet
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- Jack up your search engine rankings in 3 steps (Alexis Siemon)
- Do I have something against Oprah? (Michael Masterson)
- It’s Good to Know… about corporations in Delaware
- Add "aesthete" to your vocabulary
Imagine Knowing of a Casino Where the Dealer Tipped His Hand Before You Made Your Move and Didn’t Care How Many Times You Beat Him.
When would you stop going there?
This is nothing to do with games of chance, but I hope your answer to that question would be a resounding, “NEVER!!” Assuming you’re sane that is… Well, that is a virtually PERFECT analogy of the power of the insider signal!
It’s often said, “The Stock Market is just a big casino.” And it’s true. But the important omission in that statement (to keep the masses out!) is the dealer in this casino tips his hand to the select few… the insiders.
Such powerful knowledge could make YOU very rich indeed… Click here to learn more…
You Call This Protection?
Ninety-eight percent of people who think they have a well-balanced, diversified portfolio are wrong, and it could cost them (maybe you?) tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of avoidable losses.
To explain how so many people can be wrong about something that takes simple math to figure out, let me ask you a question. What do the following four things have in common?
- Your house
- Your salary
- Your pension plan
- Social Security
Answer: They share two things. They all help make up your personal worth, and they all originate in America.
Let’s suppose the above assets total $900,000. And let’s say you also have a $200,000 investment portfolio and that $40,000 of it is in international stocks. Having 20 percent of your portfolio invested in overseas markets is at the top of the range Wall Street recommends – but, as it turns out, only about three percent of your total worth is invested outside the U.S.
That means you’re still 97 percent vulnerable to all those things now going wrong in the U.S. economy – from slowing growth to rising unemployment.
To truly invest 20 percent of your wealth overseas, you’d need to invest your entire $200,000 portfolio (using the above hypothetical numbers) in overseas markets. Admittedly, that’s a huge leap… maybe too huge. But if you begin by doubling your current overseas investments, that will give you a good start toward protecting yourself against economic trouble in the U.S. And if things continue to go south in this country, you’ll be jumping for joy that you did it.
[Ed. Note: Andrew Gordon, ETR's Investment Director, is the editor of INCOME, a monthly financial advisory service that uncovers income-generating stocks that promise safety (first and foremost), along with much-higher-than-average profit potential.]
"Ninety-nine percent of our business comes from the Internet, and it all comes from those Internet searches."
Bruce Fisher
3 Places You Should Use Keywords but Probably Don’t
When Charlie and Suzanne asked me to start writing articles for ETR about search engine marketing, I thought, "That’s great! There’s so much to talk about!" This was immediately followed by, "Oh no! There’s so much to talk about! Where do I start?"
Keywords, that’s where.
In several past issues of ETR, we’ve told you how important it is to do proper keyword research for your website. But once you’ve done your research, what do you do with the keywords you identified? Where do you incorporate them on your website to maximize your chances for top organic search rankings that will result in increased traffic and sales for your business?
Well, today I’m going to give you three of the most important areas of your site to use keywords if you want those coveted rankings.
1. The Title Tag
John Phillips, a leading expert in search engine and Web marketing, told you in ETR #2148 how important a well-written, keyword-dense title tag is, and I couldn’t agree more. Not only is it one of the very first things the search engine "spiders" see, it is also what the search engines grab as the title of your site’s listing in the search engine results page (SERP). Talk about important! If you haven’t yet given your title tags a thorough review, here’s what you should do:
- Visit each page of your website and look at the blue bar at the top of your browser. If the text in the blue bar (such as the name of your company or website) is the same on every page, you’ve got some work to do.
- You want to make sure that each page of your site has unique, keyword-rich text in the title that adequately describes what the page is about. To do this, look at the source code of each page and find this code: <title>Your Title Here</title>. Then write your new keyword-dense title tag between the >< symbols.
2. The URL
I’ve been told by some that this one is too obvious. "Everyone knows you’re supposed to use keywords in the URL," they say.
Sure, many people know that it’s a good idea to use keywords when picking your domain name – like, say, LasVegasVacations.com. But what about including additional keywords for each article page or product page? I still see plenty of websites using dates or abbreviations instead of keywords in the file extension, and they are missing a big opportunity.
A recent Google search I did for "cute dog collars" turned up a perfect example of how to properly use keywords in the URL. The number two listing in the search engine results had the following URL: collargirl.com/cute_dog_collars.htm. As you can see, the exact keyword phrase I searched for appears in the URL. If you were to visit the page, you’d see that the exact keyword phrase appears in the title of the page as well.
This is exactly what you should be doing with your site.
Another good example comes from our very own ETR website. One of the top 10 keyword phrases that drive traffic to the ETR site is "How to get rid of a cold." A Google search for this keyword phrase produces an article from ETR in the fifth position of the SERP. Notice, again, that the keyword phrase appears in the URL and in the title of the page.
3. Anchor Text
The use of anchor text is a bit more involved and takes some more work, but is well worth it.
So, what is anchor text? Let’s say you want to link one article to another article on your site that’s about Internet marketing. Search through your article for a keyword or keyword phrase that matches the content of the article you are linking to. You might choose the phrase "increase online sales." Then, you’d hyperlink that phrase to the relevant article on your site.
I’ve used two anchor text links in this article. See "keyword research" in the third paragraph and "title tag" in the fifth paragraph above. Those keyword phrases are hyperlinked to relevant articles on the ETR site.
Why is this useful?
As the search engine spiders crawl your site, two things they’re looking for are (a) text they can use to determine what your page is about and (b) links they can use to access other pages of your site. Using anchor text links to connect similar pages of content through a particular keyword gives more weight to that keyword and tells the search engines that your site is a valid resource for that search term.
The more valid the search engines think your site is, the more likely it is that your site will turn up in the top of the SERPs.
The mistake that many website owners make is to link their content strictly by using call-to-action links like "click here" or "read more." While it’s important to use a call to action in your ads and when trying to generate sales or sign-ups, it’s also important to remember that no one ever searches for the latest "click here" product or service.
I’ve made several converts to the world of anchor text here at ETR, including Suzanne Richardson, our Managing Editor, who, until recently, would link articles in ETR to past issues with phrases like "In ETR #1234" or "Last Monday." Archived article pages are the perfect place to start using anchor text, but you have to use it correctly.
Take your time and think about the anchor text you are using on your site. Odds are, it could be better.
While there are other good places to incorporate keywords on your site, properly and consistently using the three I’ve listed here will really help get you on your way to top rankings.
[Ed. Note: Alexis Siemon is ETR's Search Engine Marketing Specialist. ETR has created a brand-new Info Marketing program that gives you an all-inclusive, A-to-Z blueprint for starting your own powerhouse Internet business - from learning how to pick a product and set up a website to discovering copywriting secrets from the masters, techniques to help you create an e-mail list, the best ways to market your product, and more. We've limited the number of spots to 250, and, as of today, we've only got a few spots left. So sign up now to be part of this exciting new program.]
Do You Have A Profitable Investing Strategy For Today’s Market?
Did you know that the country’s top real estate investors are actually finding it easier to do 6- and 7-figure deals in today’s market? While the media drones on about the housing market, they’re making more in a month than most Americans do in a year (with very little work, I might add).
But these self-made multimillionaires don’t have an advantage because they’re already rich. They simply know the right way to buy and sell in the current market cycle.
What’s more, you can use the same methods they do to become wealthy, even if you’re starting out with no cash or bad credit!
Click here to learn how you can discover their secrets… and get more than $2,000 in gifts and training absolutely FREE.
Dear Michael Masterson: "Why don’t we see you on Oprah?"
"While on vacation, I watched a TV program called Millionaire Inside. It’s a group of people who talk about various ways to get rich. You are such an inspiration… I love reading your books and articles… but why don’t we see you on programs like Millionaire Inside or Oprah? Man, I just think of what you could do if you were seen by people on TV…
"Have you considered doing this?
"I am always telling people about your website. People need to hear how to make more money and improve their financial situation, and what you teach is really great information."
- Julie Deats
Memphis, TN
Dear Julie,
Thanks for the suggestion.
Those millionaires that you see on those shows are, for the most part, people who are earning an income by selling themselves as wealth experts. (Donald Trump is a notable exception.) My situation is different. I don’t need an active income. And I don’t need any more wealth. I contribute to ETR because I have ideas about wealth and leadership and entrepreneurship that I want to get out to as many people as I can. ETR reaches hundreds of thousands of interested readers. When I get complimentary letters like yours, I get all the compensation I need.
That said, you’d think that I’d relish the opportunity to increase my exposure by going on a national television show. But that kind of increased visibility would only make me nervous. I like being where I am: anonymous (remember – Michael Masterson is a pen name) but having an outlet where I can reach lots of people with ideas when I have them.
It’s low-key, low-pressure exposure. That’s perfect for me.
Thanks for recommending ETR. Keep it up!
- Michael Masterson
[Ed. Note: Have a question for Michael Masterson? Write to him at AskMichael@ETRfeedback.com.]
3 Ways to Avoid the Obesity Catch 22
Everyone knows you have to work out for weight loss, but what if you are overweight and therefore, as a study from Ohio University confirmed, prone to joint injuries when you attempt to do long bouts of aerobic exercise? You’re "darned if you do and darned if you don’t"!
Fortunately, overweight individuals can lose fat and strengthen their muscles by using bodyweight circuit training. This way, they avoid the sore knees and hips that come from doing the same type of cardio over and over again.
Here are three "total body" floor exercises to start building strength in your muscles to support your joints.
1. The One-Leg Lying Hip Extension
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Brace your abs, and contract your left glute (butt muscle) while you straighten your right leg, lift it off the floor, and point it straight ahead. Using the left leg, bridge your hips up by contracting your glute. Keep your abs braced. Slowly lower your hips until they are an inch above the ground. Perform 10 reps per leg.
2. The Kneeling Pushup
Do eight repetitions.
3. The Plank
Lie on your stomach. Raise your body in a straight line and rest your bodyweight on your elbows and toes. Keep your back straight and your hips up. Hold (brace) your abs tight. Contract them as if someone were about to punch you in the stomach, but breathe normally. Hold for 30 seconds.
Rest one minute between these three exercises. Repeat the circuit up to three times. Add in five minutes of aerobic exercise before and after the circuit if you are a beginner.
If you combine this little workout routine with proper nutrition, you’ll shed excess fat and have less weight to support – further reducing the stress on your joints.
[Ed. Note: Fitness expert Craig Ballantyne is the creator of the Turbulence Training for Fat Loss system. If you want a free online source of information, motivation, and social support to help you improve your health, lose weight, and get fit, sign up for ETR's free natural health e-letter.]
It’s Good to Know: Corporations in Delaware
It’s no coincidence that more than 400,000 corporations (including 60 percent of U.S. Fortune 500 companies and 50 percent of the companies traded on the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ) call Delaware their legal home. For years, state officials have been boosting Delaware’s standing as the "Corporate Capital" of the United States by promoting its corporate friendly laws and regulations, court systems, and government services, as well as its lack of a sales tax and certain corporate taxes.
Darius Barazandeh, an expert on corporate entities for small businesses and real estate investors and the creator of the Incorporate for Wealth and The Wealth Building LLC programs, adds this:
"Delaware has been the model state for corporation laws and even laws relating to limited liability companies. Did you know that Delaware has a special business court system (known as the ‘Chancery Court’)? It is essentially a separate court system that is strictly focused on disputes involving Delaware corporations and LLCs.
"Nevertheless, if yours is a smaller business, you will want to evaluate very precise criteria to determine which state you should organize in. There are a number of states that even have diminished liability protection."
You CAN learn to become wealthy!
Success is not encoded in an individual’s DNA and does not transfer from father to son or mother to daughter. It is a process – and learning the process is a major KEY to setting up for success.
Today I’d like to offer you two complimentary reports to help you get started: "How To Get What You Need To Succeed In Life" and "Simple Guidelines for Creating Abundance In Your Life."
There will be many steps you take towards your goals where it will feel like you’re taking two steps forward and one step back. You will have breakthroughs, triumphs, and opportunities to overcome adversity.
But to keep moving forward, you just might need a friendly kick-in-the-pants every once in a while. Here’s how to stay energized towards action and success every day of the year.
- Charlie Byrne
Word to the Wise: Aesthete
An "aesthete" (ES-theet) – from the Greek for "to perceive" – is a person who has or affects great sensitivity to beauty in art or nature.
Example (as used in the Los Angeles Times): "Beijing, with its stolid, square buildings and wide, straight roads, feels like the plan of a first-year engineering student, while Shanghai’s decorative architecture and snaking, narrow roads feel like the plan of an aesthete."
[Ed. Note: Become a more persuasive writer and speaker ... build your self-confidence and intellect ... increase your attractiveness to others ... just by spending 10 VERY enjoyable minutes a day with ETR's new Words to the Wise CD Library.]
Michael Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2007
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