I am not one of those people who like to ramble on about the various "scams" you can find online, but today I thought I would mention a product called Automatic Forex Cash - that I indeed believe to be a clear cut scam. If anyone can prove differently, please feel free.
I received a promotion for this product from a marketer I know have pushed many suspicious products (his own and those of other people) in the past. If he is promoting something I make sure not to touch it with a ten foot pole (nor with an equally long mouse cable). I have stayed on his emailing list mostly in order to get a sure indicator on the "make money online products" you definitely shouldn't buy.
The idea behind Automatic Forex Cash is that they claim to have developed a software program that will make winning Forex trades for you automatically. All you need to do is let it run and you will quickly earn a profit by trading the Forex market.
Are the similarities to the super-scam Wincapita obvious to anyone else? Only this time they are "just" asking you to make about a $100 one time purchase.
It should be said that I am by no means a Forex expert, never having traded myself. But simple logic tells us that something like Forex is basically a zero sum game, for every winner there must be a looser. And I simply refuse to believe that anyone would have developed an automatic way of winning almost all the time, and if they had they certainly wouldn't let anyone else have it for as little as a hundred dollars.
It's impossible in the end really; if everybody used this almost always winning software - who would then make the necessary loosing trades?
I'll leave proving the rest about how Forex trading works to more knowledgeable people and instead say a few words about the sales letter for this product.
The site might appear convincing at first sight. It is very slick looking, claims right on the top that the system has been "featured" on CNN and Forbes, and even sports a few video testimonials from people supposedly using the system successfully. However, upon closer inspection it offers no tangible proof that the systems works or indeed why it would work in the first place, "successful Forex trading is entirely mechanical" being the best they can muster.
As they offer a money back guarantee I am sure there are many people who will fall for this, but I would be skeptical if you actually do get your money back as there is some mentioning about having to show them screenshots of your lack of successful trades first. Needless to say no one will replace the funds you are inevitably going to loose when you try to trade.
The "feature" on CNN have probably been in the form of an advertisement, RSS news feed or similar trick. If a real journalist got a hold of this they would probably debunk it in 10 seconds flat.
Another crack in their presentation is the woman in the second video testimonial. During her whole speech she makes so many signs a person typically does when she is lying that it is almost ridiculous. While she's talking she sits there shaking her head like saying "I don't believe or understand a word that is coming out of my mouth, but if someone is crazy enough to pay me a fee hundred bucks to appear on camera for 20 seconds I'll take it!".
There are also all the typical limited, mysterious deal things going on - but those are used even on "real" internet marketing products these days so that doesn't really say anything in particular. Personally I still think that is poor marketing ethics (for example saying something is limited to the first 500 people when it isn't, and will still be up for grabs a year from now).
I could go on with this, but I feel I have wasted enough time on the subject already. Needless to say you should hit the back button quicker than Lucky Luke draws his pistol when you come across a site like this.
I know the truth is difficult to swallow, but making money online does take a lot of work.
Monday, 16 June 2008
Sunday, 27 April 2008
Getting started in article marketing
Users of article marketing know it is the best free technique to get exposure and visitors to their website. This is an easy process of using the article, which has a back link at the bottom, to send people who have read it to a website that has more information. Popular sites are the best because it should give your article a great deal of exposure; it shouldn't be too long before your site starts to receive traffic from this. Acceptance of content at sites like this is a little like a ‘thumbs up' to you as well and can be of great benefit; this credibility will enhance your trust which is very important on the Internet.
If you perform this article marketing and submission process on a regular basis, people will begin to search for your material and trust your work. The purpose is to convince people of your abilities in the particular fields you write in. Incoming links to your site from people that trust your work will boost your ranking with the various search engines; you should find that in time that more visitors that have found you in the search engines improves. Links from other sites (especially if they are popular) just improves your ranking and exposure; all at no charge, so free advertising is possible.
A number of links to other relevant sites can be placed in the body text (not too many) when using article marketing. The purpose of good articles is for people to use them on their site, with each having the links to your site contained in them which all helps the ranking. Sometimes, however, search engines can take some time before they actually list your site; Google can actually take months on occasion. However if you are submitting articles that are relevant to your website, the process of listing your site is usually much quicker which increases traffic.
Adding fresh and unique content to your site regularly will boost your article marketing campaign and help its ranking. Remember that visitors do not know that your website is trying to get them to buy something. Visitors are searching for information so the more precise and truthful you can be about whatever it is you are promoting the better. It is at this point that the sales promotion can be used. It is important they understand why they are buying a product so this process is important. It is this approach that prevents a good many refunds form taking place.
If you want visitors to your websites then you must continue your article marketing this way; do not think for one minute that this is will be a success if it is only done the once! It is not just articles that you write that will be on other websites but if your site is good, you will receive links from other websites also; having your articles on numerous sites just improves the exposure of your site. With the many ways to drive visitors to your site, article marketing is still the most efficient; all it requires is regular, fresh and unique article content to achieve this.
Technorati Tags: article marketing, visitors, seo
Tuesday, 22 April 2008
When writing for the web
Almost regardless of what kind of website owner you are it is almost certain that you need to produce some type of articles.
Maybe you have a web site that needs fresh articles, or you need a press release or sales copy to help promote your service.
The art of writing for the web is all about writing what you really want to say. If I was telling you that if you trust a chimpanzee with a banana he will eat it and what I really meant to tell you actually has something to do with why I think President Bush should focus on domestic instead of foreign problems, then I should tell you the latter.
Writing for the web has other important aspects than writing offline. Users read less and scan content rather than read each line, making this kind of writing an entirely different area. The writer must be aware of the scanning habit of the readers and place the most important stuff at the right places so that the quick, online reader can understand the meaning. This is how to do it for managing your website. You should use plain language in writing content for your website.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Website pages or areas need to be self-contained to a large extent, as users may not "read" the site in a linear way, like they might a print brochure for example. Websites have become common marketing tools for companies to use to showcase the virtues of their products and services. Since the popularity of websites is fairly recent, it is not a given to find many people who are trained to effectively write copy for the web.
Content of Web pages, particularly for an educational Web page, must be well-researched and accurate. Content creators must not fall into the trap. Visitors are goal oriented, so they care much more about the ease with which they can extract information from the page.
Online you may have to cope with your content being displayed in other places than where you originally published it. Content that is syndicated is significantly re-contextualized, stripped of many of its original framing effects and conveyed into another context (most likely and RSS reader of choice). This means that the end reader will probably not see the full story, or all of the framing effects of the blog, but often just a headline, summary text, and perhaps a picture, unless they choose to view said blog post.
This is a very basic overview and there are certainly many more advanced aspects to article marketing. But when you first start out, knowing the very basics is very important.
Maybe you have a web site that needs fresh articles, or you need a press release or sales copy to help promote your service.
The art of writing for the web is all about writing what you really want to say. If I was telling you that if you trust a chimpanzee with a banana he will eat it and what I really meant to tell you actually has something to do with why I think President Bush should focus on domestic instead of foreign problems, then I should tell you the latter.
Writing for the web has other important aspects than writing offline. Users read less and scan content rather than read each line, making this kind of writing an entirely different area. The writer must be aware of the scanning habit of the readers and place the most important stuff at the right places so that the quick, online reader can understand the meaning. This is how to do it for managing your website. You should use plain language in writing content for your website.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Website pages or areas need to be self-contained to a large extent, as users may not "read" the site in a linear way, like they might a print brochure for example. Websites have become common marketing tools for companies to use to showcase the virtues of their products and services. Since the popularity of websites is fairly recent, it is not a given to find many people who are trained to effectively write copy for the web.
Content of Web pages, particularly for an educational Web page, must be well-researched and accurate. Content creators must not fall into the trap. Visitors are goal oriented, so they care much more about the ease with which they can extract information from the page.
Online you may have to cope with your content being displayed in other places than where you originally published it. Content that is syndicated is significantly re-contextualized, stripped of many of its original framing effects and conveyed into another context (most likely and RSS reader of choice). This means that the end reader will probably not see the full story, or all of the framing effects of the blog, but often just a headline, summary text, and perhaps a picture, unless they choose to view said blog post.
This is a very basic overview and there are certainly many more advanced aspects to article marketing. But when you first start out, knowing the very basics is very important.
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
Affiliate Marketing From the Ground Up
Working from the comfort of your own can very well be as fulfilling as having a career working a computer on the 19th floor of a skyscraper is already something acheiavable in these modern times. This is because the elaborate worldwide network of computers that is the Internet has given birth to a business that has given some people practically new lives doing nothing but so. This is a very short introduction for getting started in what is referred to as affiliate marketing.
For even more advice check out and article about Starting affiliate marketing by the same author.
Internet marketing can provide you with a lifestyle that is totally liberating compared to "ordinaty work" - you can literally live and work anywhere in the world. You answer to noone but yourself, set your own hours and work from the comfort of your own home.
Those who have been in the business long enough are able to confirm that it is a lucrative business indeed, one that can actually give people things that they could not ever be able to achieve under ordinary circumstances.
Those who makes the most money doing this are referred to as super affiliates. Becoming a super affiliate will involve technical aspects such as having one's own website and autoresponder. These tools will help a lot in the preactical day-to-day work of the business. Building one’s own list is another.
The most important thing to keep in mind when aiming for the title of a super affiliate is to treat affiliate marketing as a a very real and tagible business. If you are capable of doing this, you will never have to go back to the humble life of [spin]working the 9-5 shift|going to work "with the rest of the world"|powering the corporate hamster wheel..
More affiliate marketing articles
Technorati Tags: affiliate marketing, marketing basics, career
For even more advice check out and article about Starting affiliate marketing by the same author.
Internet marketing can provide you with a lifestyle that is totally liberating compared to "ordinaty work" - you can literally live and work anywhere in the world. You answer to noone but yourself, set your own hours and work from the comfort of your own home.
Those who have been in the business long enough are able to confirm that it is a lucrative business indeed, one that can actually give people things that they could not ever be able to achieve under ordinary circumstances.
Those who makes the most money doing this are referred to as super affiliates. Becoming a super affiliate will involve technical aspects such as having one's own website and autoresponder. These tools will help a lot in the preactical day-to-day work of the business. Building one’s own list is another.
The most important thing to keep in mind when aiming for the title of a super affiliate is to treat affiliate marketing as a a very real and tagible business. If you are capable of doing this, you will never have to go back to the humble life of [spin]working the 9-5 shift|going to work "with the rest of the world"|powering the corporate hamster wheel..
More affiliate marketing articles
Technorati Tags: affiliate marketing, marketing basics, career
Tuesday, 1 January 2008
A test of Blogjet
I have installed an interesting application - BlogJet. It's a cool Windows client for my blog tool (as well as for other tools). Get your copy here: http://blogjet.com
"Computers are incredibly fast, accurate and stupid; humans are incredibly slow, inaccurate and brilliant; together they are powerful beyond imagination." -- Albert Einstein
Saturday, 29 December 2007
Late christmas video
Well, now that Christmas is just about over and New Year almost upon us, I thought I'd post a video on the general topic. Thank you and sorry :-)
Articles good for both SEO and VEO
(Just in case someone is unfamiliar with the terms, seo means search engines optimization and veo is short for visitor experience optimization).
Articles, checking out my definition, are informative pieces of writing, typically relatively quick, that conveys an idea or concept in a useful, enticing and/or entertaining demeanor. But what do you need articles for, you are an online marketer who wants to make as much profit as possible, right?!
It is perhaps an obvious point, but you can ask just about any netrepreneur who have learned the secrets of generating repeat visitors to their website, and they will tell you it's all about content (that is CON-tent as in what gives something substance, not con-TENT which refers to something else completely). And so, what people at large like about a site is what it has to offer them that posesses substance about whatever subject they are intrigued by.
Articles are content. They are the heart of your website; providing substance and value to both visitors and search engines. A website completely without articles is like a headline about alien babies on the cover of a tabloid magazine: easy to ignore. There is no real ambition for the visitors to stay on the portal or for or coming back, and nothing at all to cater to the search engine spiders into indexing your pages somewhere above the millions rank. The latter is unmistakably a considerable problem for many sites consisting of exclusively graphics, javascript (programming code to us non-geeks) and such.
Once your website has content, you're on your way to visibility. By offering your visitors something of value, you not only add to the chance that they'll come back, but further that they will tell friends about your site - this being an example of the much hyped up "viral marketing" methodology. Likewise, search engines bestow more weight to websites with text as well as those that are frequently new and improved.
All things considered there's no way around it: you can find millions of websites out there in cyberspace. You desire visibility to get visitors. And the more visitors you keep, the more sales you'll make.
Having any old text on your website, and passing that off as your articles, is perhaps not adequate. Written pieces of data can be generated in many different ways, especially online. All methods aren't created equal. In fact certain of them will set off the alarm in the search engines and will outright displease your genuine visitors. Creating articles that both visitors and search engines will love, is the aim of these articles I am writing.
Articles, checking out my definition, are informative pieces of writing, typically relatively quick, that conveys an idea or concept in a useful, enticing and/or entertaining demeanor. But what do you need articles for, you are an online marketer who wants to make as much profit as possible, right?!
It is perhaps an obvious point, but you can ask just about any netrepreneur who have learned the secrets of generating repeat visitors to their website, and they will tell you it's all about content (that is CON-tent as in what gives something substance, not con-TENT which refers to something else completely). And so, what people at large like about a site is what it has to offer them that posesses substance about whatever subject they are intrigued by.
Articles are content. They are the heart of your website; providing substance and value to both visitors and search engines. A website completely without articles is like a headline about alien babies on the cover of a tabloid magazine: easy to ignore. There is no real ambition for the visitors to stay on the portal or for or coming back, and nothing at all to cater to the search engine spiders into indexing your pages somewhere above the millions rank. The latter is unmistakably a considerable problem for many sites consisting of exclusively graphics, javascript (programming code to us non-geeks) and such.
Once your website has content, you're on your way to visibility. By offering your visitors something of value, you not only add to the chance that they'll come back, but further that they will tell friends about your site - this being an example of the much hyped up "viral marketing" methodology. Likewise, search engines bestow more weight to websites with text as well as those that are frequently new and improved.
All things considered there's no way around it: you can find millions of websites out there in cyberspace. You desire visibility to get visitors. And the more visitors you keep, the more sales you'll make.
Having any old text on your website, and passing that off as your articles, is perhaps not adequate. Written pieces of data can be generated in many different ways, especially online. All methods aren't created equal. In fact certain of them will set off the alarm in the search engines and will outright displease your genuine visitors. Creating articles that both visitors and search engines will love, is the aim of these articles I am writing.
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