When I first started as an affiliate marketer one of the things that gave me the hardest time is gaining an understanding of the basics. I’m talking about the basic fundamental skills any Internet marketer/affiliate marketer absolutely has to have.

Now I know a lot of the so-called ‘Gurus’ will tell you that you can become an affiliate marketer without having any technical skills. Well that’s actually not true. While you can become an affiliate marketer without acquiring any of the basic fundamental skills, you’re not going to be able to make a profit as fast as you could if you already had an understanding of the basic skills I’m talking about

Now, even if you don’t want to learn these basic skills it’s a good idea to at the very least have an understanding of them.

In this post I’m not going to teach these skills I’m simply going to introduce you to the skills. You have to take the initiative if you really want to learn them. There are tons of resources available to you such as, YouTube, online marketing courses, or even your local college.

To be successful as an affiliate marketer you must get an understanding of the following basic skill sets:

Webmaster skills.

1. Buying a domain name.
   I personally use Namecheap.com and this is where I recommend you start. I also recommend that you add domain privacy when you purchase your domain name, unless you are an actual brick and mortar business.
2. Getting a hosting account. I personally use Hostgator.com. In my opinion, they are one of the best hosting services available with 24/7 support that is very responsive. It’s also very easy to upgrade to more robust services like VPS or dedicated servers as you grow your business.
3. Setting up your name servers.
   After you purchase your domain name you have to point it to your hosting account. If your domain name is purchased through Hostgator.com then your name servers are all set to go. However, if you purchase your domain names through Namecheap.com then you will have to point your name servers to your hosting account.
   Your name server information will be in your welcome e-mail sent out by Hostgator.com. Then you simply login to your Namecheap.com account and modify your name server information. I have a video here that shows you how to do this Here.
4. Understanding cPanel.
   cPanel is software that lets you manage all aspects of your hosting account. From setting passwords, to installing WordPress, cPanel is basically your hosting account dashboard. I have posted a download link to my video tutorials on cPanel basics Here. (It’s a zipped file but it’s still around 85 MB)
5. FTP
   Learning to use FTP (file transfer protocol) is something that was very scary for me when I first started and I have found everyone is uncomfortable with this in the beginning. FTP is simply a piece of software that let you connect to your server and upload/download files. This is an essential skill for any affiliate marketer. I have posted a video on FTP  basics Here

Web design skills.

This skill set is very easy to outsource and unless you’re interested in web design I recommend outsourcing it when you first start out. However, it is a skill set that you need to acquire eventually. You don’t need to become a professional web designer but you will want a basic understanding of web design.

1. Basic understanding of HTML.
   Now I can hear you starting wine and grumble already. Well, Get Over It! It’s not very hard to learn the basics of HTML. Understanding basic HTML will help you out a lot, not to mention speed up the process, when comes time to do simple editing to your web page or landing page. You can learn basic HTML Here.
   Now if you’re using WordPress, something I highly recommend, you can probably get away without understanding any HTML but just having a little understanding of basic HTML will go a long way. I have a series of video tutorials on using WordPress Here.
2. Graphic design basics.
   This is a skill set that can be outsourced but here again, having a basic understanding of graphic design will greatly assist you when outsourcing.You will eventually find that outsourcing simple graphic design projects will take longer, and cost you money. If you take the time to learn basic graphic design skills you can avoid the cost and time spent in outsourcing.If you are looking for an easy to use online graphic program that is similar to Photoshop, then you should check out www.Pixlr.com

Please feel free to add any additional essential skills that I may have missed in the comments box below…

 

 

 

A look at how Internet Marketing differs from traditional offline marketing and why so many businesses are focusing so much time and money on this dynamic form of marketing.

Marketing, in general, has been around for a very long time in one form or another, probably since human beings started trading with each other. Marketing has come along way since then.

Marketing methods have improved greatly and mankind has become much more better at getting our marketing messages out. Internet marketing combines modern technologies and communication with the age old principle that humans have used since we first started trading with one another.

The specifics of Internet marketing are fairly complex so I have decided to break it down into smaller bites that are easily digestible. We’ll be taking a look at what Internet marketing is and outlining the many benefits online marketing has over off-line more traditional marketing methods.

What is Internet or online Marketing?

Very simply put, eMarketing or electronic marketing refers to the application of marketing principles and techniques via electronic media and more specifically the Internet. The terms eMarketing, Internet marketing and online marketing, are frequently interchanged, and can often be considered synonymous.

To put it into its simplest terms, Internet marketing or online marketing is a technique that utilizes electronic media, specifically the Internet. The terms, online marketing and Internet marketing,are oftentimes interchangeable and are usually considered synonymous.

Online Marketing is the process of marketing a brand using the Internet. It includes both direct response marketing and indirect marketing elements and uses a range of technologies to help connect businesses to their customers.

Internet marketing incorporates both indirect marketing methods as well as direct marketing methods and utilizes a wide range of technologies to assist businesses in connecting with their customers.

Through the use of the Internet online marketing can include the various activities businesses conduct on a daily basis in order to attract new business and develop brand identity

Why is it important?

When properly implemented and that marketing far exceeds traditional marketing methods and strategies.

It makes little difference if you own a real brick-and-mortar business or if you’re operating exclusively online, the Internet is something that no business owner should ignore. Online marketing provides a means of reaching millions of prospective customers each year and is redefining the way a business interacts with their customer base.

The benefits  Internet Marketing has over traditional marketing methods

Reach
By its very nature the Internet allows businesses to have a global reach without the costs generally associated with traditional media. Online marketing levels the playing field for the small business owner allowing them access to consumers worldwide

Scope
Marketing a business online lets you reach a wide range of consumers and allows you the opportunity  to offer a wider range of services and products. Marketing online includes such things as sales and customer service, public relations and information management, to name just a few. Because there is such a wide range of new technologies that are becoming available, almost on a daily basis, smaller business owners can extend their reach like never before.

Interactivity
Traditional off-line marketing was mostly about branding a company’s message whereas online marketing allows conversations between your customers and your business in real time. Because communicating with your customers is now an almost real-time event you are able to gauge the response of your customers almost instantly.

Immediacy
Marketing online allows the business owner the ability to have an instant impact.

With traditional marketing the consumer sees, hears, or reads about your product or service but is required to put forth some effort to actually acquire those products or services.

With Internet marketing the consumer can actually acquire your products or services with the click of a mouse and business owners now have the ability to test sales copy and offers for various products or services while tracking a customers every move on their website.

From the consumer standpoint it’s now easier than ever to purchase that new iPod, Cell Phone, or even  book an airline ticket 24/7, meaning traditional business hours have now been replaced with a 24/7 time frame.

Because your business can now operate 24/7/365 your customers buying cycle is dramatically increased and your advertising dollar goes a lot further in building new leads.

Demographics and targeting
Generally speaking, the demographics of the Internet are a marketer’s dream. Internet users, considered as a group, have greater buying power and could perhaps be considered as a population group skewed towards the middle-classes.

Buying power is not all though. The nature of the Internet is such that its users will tend to organise themselves into far more focussed groupings. Savvy marketers who know where to look can quite easily find access to the niche markets they wish to target.

Marketing messages are most effective when they are presented directly to the audience most likely to be interested. The Internet creates the perfect environment for niche marketing to targeted groups.

Closed loop marketing
Closed Loop Marketing allows analysis and tracking of the results of your marketing efforts. Internet marketing gives you the ability to track the responses and the effectiveness of any campaign you are running – All in real time. This, in turn, lets you make instant changes according to your customers’ wants and needs.

Thanks to Internet marketing, responses can be analyzed in real-time and marketing campaigns can be tweaked and tested continuously so you don’t have to waste your advertising dollars on ineffective advertising campaigns.

Today even the smallest business owner can get maximum marketing efficiency from their advertising dollars and compete with much larger companies. Internet Marketing levels the playing field for everyone.
Next, I’ll be taking a look at some innovative tools you should be using in your own Internet Marketing efforts.