I was checking out another site today – MagnaLight.com.

It’s a place that sells lights – lots of lights – and only lights.

For instance, I knew about flashlights and floodlights already. But the site informed me about explosion proof lights, hazard lighting, boat lights, rechargeable spotlights, and much more. The site was like looking at an old fashioned catalog, with all the pictures in it for all the kinds of products.

But notice – they are ALL related to lights!

This is the key for a business online – focus. Try to be all things, and then you’re playing hit and miss with your traffic.

Maybe they came for this – maybe they came for that. So what exactly do you sell them?

But for MagnaLight, it’s easy – just lights.

Another benefit is for search engines. Those little computer catalogers love repetition, but repetition that is not too artificial. What better way than an online catalog on one main topic? Here, the word “light” appeared on their home page over 1,400 times (including “lights”, “lighting”, etc.) – and combined with the text, they get an impressive 15.5% for that one word. Best of all, the search engines don’t penalize them since it’s quite natural for a website (and catalog) to repeat itself for the word “light”.

So take a glance at the site – even if you aren’t into gadgets, you’ll find the site interesting for the layout and the ease of use for customers.

However, I’m guessing that even if you aren’t into gadgets, you’ll still click on the “explosion proof lights” if only to know what they do!

Are Search Engines Ruining The English Language?

Yes – but they aren’t the only ones.

Simply put, unless the writing is for writing’s sake alone, someone is skewing things – and with search engines the final arbitrator of all things online, they are skewing the most.

Of course, this has gone on forever – what would Shakespeare have written if he wasn’t trying to make ends meet? And what kind of television programs and books would we have today if people could be paid equally well for “Masterpiece Theater” and “White Chicks”?

However, search engines add something the others didn’t – an impersonal nonhuman aspect – the computer program.

Now, people write not to entertain or cater to another person – but to cater to an algorithm.

Websites add words not to help with a topic, but to gain market share.

And unlike the news programs that have gone sensationalist (“why apples CAN kill you – more at eleven”), the catering doesn’t even need to be understandable, interesting, or even idiosyncratically correct – because the English is only needed to ‘skew’ a computer program.

Don’t believe me? Take a look at the top 10 entries in Google for any topic (and especially for competitive ones) – and ask yourself if they are prime examples of English prose, or if their ranking has to do more with how they bend the English language to fit the search engine’s needs.

Then ask yourself: if you wanted a top ranking, how much would you have to ‘tweak’ your web page to get there? How many concessions to the language?

Of course this is a tempest in a teacup – few websites need to treasure their prose, since the average site is selling, and sales text is not necessarily the prime example of English at any time.

But I was prompted in part to write this post because of a blogger who wrote that you HAD to write to get the attention of the search engines.

And while true, it’s a sad commentary that even blogging, an area that still tries to preserve the English language and interesting prose online, now needs to kowtow to a computer to be visible.

…I wonder what Shakespeare would write today if he had to please Google?

I was originally going to call this “How To Do A GREAT Affiliate Site”, since I considered it a good general overview – however, I stuck with “Real Estate” since I wanted improved search engine rankings (expect a post shortly on how Search Engines are ruining the English language!)

But the fact is, I recently came across a website that I feel has done a good job of marketing their core product – in this case, Real Estate. The site is DROdio.com, and although it focuses on real estate in Virginia and Washington, DC, it’s an example of how a local service benefits by being online – and being done well.

Here’s a few observations:

• The layout is clean and professional. First impressions are important, and the site gives a good first one. Now, the topic of web design is a “hot button” issue, but I think the answer as to whether to jazz up a site with bells and whistles (or not) is simple: design for your target audience. If you’re selling video games, then put as many visual gadgets as you want in there. But for people with better things to do than go online, don’t give them a huge learning curve – and I think Real Estate is a prime example of the latter.
• Make the “Top of the Fold” count. “Top of the fold” is an old newspaper term now applied to the Internet – it refers to the top of the webpage that you initially see in your browser when visiting. MAKE IT COUNT. In this case, the top is used for clear and simple navigation (including separating Buyers from Sellers), a description of what exactly the web site is for, and a tag line. Many sites ignore this: ultimately, you don’t really want every visitor in the world, just the ones that will make you money. Giving a clear message from the start helps filter out visitors, and it also makes sure the remaining visitors know what they are getting – the key to satisfaction.
• A call to action. Visitors drop by – so now what? Far too many sites forget the call to action, or bury it down below. You want the visitor to do SOMETHING – so explain what it is, and get them doing it! In this case, the invitation is for a Real Estate get together: a powerful way to sell is person to person, and this website builds on that. For other sites, a sign up or a purchase is the call to action – NEVER forget it, and never give up trying for it!
• MULTIPLE calls to action. Let me repeat: you want the visitor to do something. This site does – repeatedly. No consultation? Perhaps you’d like to subscribe to our blog. Or call toll free? Or have a call within 15 minutes tailored to your requirements? All nicely laid out – but ALL selling the main premise – more contact and more chances to sell.
• Useful content. I’m not in the market for Maryland Real Estate – but I still clicked on and read “How To Buy A Home For 1 Penny At Closing”. The site includes search tools by location, links to videos, and more – all conveniently located. The result is a useful site – immediately. (and kudos for putting the “Note From The Owner” at the bottom – while important, it’s only read once, so putting it at the bottom keeps it out of the way of the tools people will repeatedly visit and try out).

I’d recommend DROdio.com as a template for people designing their own local needs sites. It’s well laid out for one purpose, and doesn’t let anything interfere with that purpose. If you’re looking for Real Estate in that area, the site fills your needs – and more. And THAT is the key purpose every website should aim for, fulfilling the specific needs of your visitors as well as possible – because that will keep them coming back.

I was reading an email today where the hawker was talking about his latest product – and it sounded good.

But in order to show that HIS product was good, he had to trash Adwords.

(After all, EVERYONE is making easy money with Adwords, right?)

And although the product is rather pricey, I found his numbers very interesting – and a cautionary tale for anyone getting into Adwords.

Take an example: a rate of 3% converting or purchasing (which is good), and clicks of $1 (which is typical for some categories).

So for every 100 clicks, you get 3 sales, and spend $100, or $100/3=$33.33 per sale.

Or to write it more directly another way:

COST PER CLICK / PERCENTAGE BUY = AD COST PER ITEM

In our case, $1 divided by 3% is (1.00)/(0.03) or $33.33 advertising with Adwords cost PER SALE.

This is the kind of formula you must understand intimately – after all, if that’s what you’re spending with Adwords, it WILL cost you – and if you’re selling a product less than $33.33, then you’re losing money.

And that’s just advertising. What about product costs? If you are selling an item for $50, but advertising is $33.33, then you have only $16.67 left. If shipping is $10.00 each, then you’re getting close to the wire.

And of course there’s:

• Product expenses (actually making the product costs you).
• Labor (someone has to package, product, and ship it).
• Equipment and office costs (fixed expenses, whether you sell or not).

And so on.

So this emailer makes the case that with the costs here, NOT using Adwords, and going in another direction can be more profitable – and of course HIS product is that solution!

For others, the answer is to move to affiliate income – in this case, you sell other’s items, so you have not costs, inventory, etc. Then the magical $33.33 we’re talking about is only offset by what you earn as a commission. The rest is pure profit.

THAT is why ClickBank and affiliate programs are so popular right now. And THAT is why he targets Adwords in his sales letter.

But whether you go that route or not, math is vital – because if you don’t do the math early on, you could find yourself accumulating a lot of losses later…

Of course, the product that prompted this post was one that had nothing to do with Adwords, and the emailer only talked about it to contrast his own system. The irony is, the product is so pricey that Adwords would be a great way to market it – exactly what he was saying would be a problem…

Quick – what do helicopter blades and the iPhone 3G have in common?

I was watching a show recently about the wear and tear helicopter blades go through. I never think about it, but the blades are the fastest moving part of a helicopter – and if they get damaged and fail, everything else is moot!

So the answer is: the blades are protected by a special military film that is now available for iPhones (actually, many, many devices). This film is scratch proof (and not just scratch resistant, I was surprised to find).

So it’s tough, and it lets your natural phone shine through (unlike cases and holders that may protect but bulk up the package as well). Well worth a look if you want your phone to be easily available to use, but safe and scratch free. Check out Zagg’s site for iphone 3g case film and more.