The Little Black Book Of Online Marketing Resources Page 1 ... · The Little Black Book Of Online Marketing Resources Page 1 of 26 Downloaded from ContarMedia.com

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http://www.contarmedia.com/

Welcome

Welcome to the Contar Media Black Book. In this book you’ll discover all the online tools and sites that we use and recommend for businesses who want to build an online presence.

Today, to be successful online involves having a plan that incorporates not just your website, but email, social media and

other online tools.

There are so many options that it can be daunting to get started.

I’ve spent a number of years testing many different tools and services and have included the good ones in this guide.

We cover everything from setting up a site, managing social media, email marketing and analysing your results.

You’re sure to find some useful tools that you can use straight away to build your online presence.

We’ve divided this guide into short sections that cover all the various concepts. This makes it easier for you to search for what you’re after.

We love receiving your feedback. If you know of any other tools that we can add into the guide, or you just have a question or comment, get in touch with me at

[email protected]

Allan Ward, Founder Contar Media



Table of Contents Welcome ................................................................................................................................... 2

Domain Names and Web Hosting ............................................................................................. 4

Domain Names ..................................................................................................................... 4

Web Hosting ......................................................................................................................... 5

Wordpress Themes ................................................................................................................... 6

Wordpress Plugins .................................................................................................................... 8

Email Marketing ...................................................................................................................... 10

Social Media Tools ................................................................................................................... 13

Graphics and Images ................................................................................................................ 15

Outsourcing ............................................................................................................................. 18

Landing Pages ......................................................................................................................... 21

Analysing Your Results ............................................................................................................ 23

Video Production Tools ........................................................................................................... 25

Wrapping Up ........................................................................................................................... 26

Affiliate Disclaimer: Some of the links in the guide are affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and then purchase a product or service from that website, I may receive a commission for referring you. This is not an additional cost to you. Not all the links are affiliate links. I only recommend products and services that I'm comfortable using myself.



Domain Names and Web Hosting

The first step (if you haven’t already done this) is to buy a domain name.

The second part is to find somewhere to host that domain.

In many cases, domain sellers will also offer hosting. This is where they make extra profits. Unfortunately, many of the hosting plans that they offer are expensive compared to dedicated web hosting company. It’s not too difficult to have a separate domain register and web host company and is usually the better way to go.

By all means compare prices and plans before you purchase anything.

Domain Names I use three different domain registers.

1and1.com offer a wide variety of domain extensions (.com, .org etc). They frequently have sales where you can buy a .com domain for only $1 for the first year.

DomainCondo.com - I’ve used them for many years - my first domain was registered with them. Very easy to use and manage domains.

GoDaddy.com - you’ve probably seen their ads on TV. They’re good value and frequently have sales.

There are many other options if you don’t want to use one of these providers.

Also, you’re not stuck with your current provider. In most cases you’re able to transfer to a different domain registry. You may want to do this if your current domain registrar is expensive.



http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-6435942-11077921-1403537984000

http://domaincondo.com/

http://godaddy.com/

Web Hosting Once you have a domain, you need somewhere to host it. A web host will store your website files online. Essentially you’re paying for the storage and the hosting tools.

Hostgator.com - I’ve used them from the start. They’re very good value, particularly if you have a number of sites that can be hosted under the one plan. I’ve used their customer support very infrequently, but when I have I’ve found it to be very quick and responsive.

Bluehost - this is the other hosting option I suggest. Again, a very good option for either single or multiple site hosting.

Even if you currently have a web hosting package, it could be worthwhile checking how your current package compares to the ones on offer from Bluehost and Hostgator.



http://www.bluehost.com/track/bloggerbusinessplan/

Wordpress Themes

Wordpress has become one of the world’s most popular blogging platforms. And it’s not just suitable for blogs - many top websites are built using Wordpress.

We like to use it and recommend it to our clients because it’s very easy to learn how to use, and there are a wide variety of themes and plugins available. You don’t need to be a geek to use Wordpress.

The standard Wordpress installation comes with a default skin, but that’s not very attractive. You can download additional ‘themes’ that change the appearance of your site. There are a huge amount of free themes, as well as ones that you can purchase. The advantage of using a theme is that there’s minimal customisation for you to do - you just load up the theme and most of the work has been done for you.

Of course there are the default Wordpress themes that you can search for within your Wordpress dashboard. Some free ones look ok, but you’re probably better off going for a premium theme.

So where can you find good themes? Here’s a list of our favourite locations.

Themeforest - provide a great range of themes for different types of sites.

StudioPress themes - like Themeforest this site has a wide range of themes to choose from.



http://wordpress.org/

http://themeforest.net/?ref=AllanW335

http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=529001&u=412056&m=28169&urllink=&afftrack=


WPMUDev - I’ve started using their Upfront theme on a couple of sites and found it easy to use although it is a bit of a steep learning curve initially. You can either buy their themes and plugins as a one-off purchase, or subscribe to their annual subscription and get access to everything.

WooThemes - have a lot of different themes to cover many different looks and site types. They have very good support as well.



http://wpmudev.org/

http://woothemes.com/

Wordpress Plugins

There are a lot of plugins available for Wordpress - this is one of the reasons I love it so much.

Of course, you can search for plugins via the Wordpress plugins page within the Wordpress dashboard. This will give you access to all the free plugins that are listed in the Wordpress directory.

There are also a couple of sites that sell premium plugins.

I’ve previously mentioned WPMUDev as a good source of Wordpress Themes. They also have a wide range of premium plugins. Checkout their site to see all the ones available and you’re bound to see some that are useful. You can purchase them individually, or subscribe to their annual plan and get access to everything.



http://wpmudev.org/

The other site I like is Code Canyon. This site allows individual developers to sell their plugins on the one site-wide marketplace. You can find a huge selection of plugins here to cover every possible scenario you could want a plugin for. And they’re all reasonably priced. In addition, purchasers are able to provide feedback so you’re able to check a seller’s rating before you buy.

There are a few essential plugins that I recommend.

Firstly, you need a good Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) plugin. This will allow you to set up each page and post on your site to give it the maximum opportunity to rate well in the search engines. I like to use Yoast’s SEO plugin. I’ve also used the WPMUDev SEO plugin.

You also need a sitemap plugin. A sitemap is a file that sits in your website directory that lists all the pages in your sites. The search engine bots read the file and index all the pages. Without it, they may miss pages. I don’t have a particular preference for any one over another.

Akismet - if you allow comments on your site, you’ll start to get spam. The Akismet plugin filters a lot of the rubbish comments. You’ll need to sign up for a key (free). Once it’s up and running you’ll be thankful for it.



http://codecanyon.net/?ref=AllanW335

Email Marketing

You’ll need to start collecting email addresses from people who visit your website. You can do this with a basic form connected to something like Google docs, but this isn’t very easy to use over the long term.

We recommend using an email marketing software provider. They’ll make it easy for you to set up forms to capture email addresses, send regular emails and even set up an automated email process.

There are many different options for email marketing software providers. Most offer free or $1 trials so you’re able to test them out before making a longer term commitment.

Aweber offer a $1 trial. I use them for a number of my sites and find them easy to use. Customer service is very good.



http://contarmedia.aweber.com/

Mailchimp is another excellent provider. If you’re in Australia and use XPlan for your financial planning software, then there is a way to link XPlan with MailChimp.

Getresponse and CloseContact are two other providers who a worth looking at.

Most providers will allow you to import any existing lists into their systems.

Infusionsoft is another option that’s more powerful than those I’ve already mentioned. Not only is it email marketing software, but it’s also a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool. You can set up complicated sales funnels using Infusionsoft so that new subscribers get offered additional products and then receive emails based on their buying choices. It costs more than the others, but provides a lot more functionality.



http://eepurl.com/bbqMWL

http://crm.isrefer.com/go/viewdemoaff/a61134/

In addition to these providers, there are also Wordpress plugins that allow you to build sign up boxes or forms that then link with your chosen email marketing software provider. While most of the software providers provide this as well, their options usually aren’t that great.

I’ve been using a product called ThriveLeads that provides a lot of different templates for sign up boxes. The signup forms you used to subscribe to this guide were all created using the ThriveLeads plugin. It’s very good value and simple to use. It links with all the major email software providers.

I’ve created a full course on Email Marketing for small businesses. It provides all the information you need to get started using email to attract and retain quality clients. You can get $20 off the price of the course by using this link -

https://www.udemy.com/email-marketing-for-small-business-more-sales-less-effort/?couponCode=ContarEBook



http://thrivethemes.com/affiliates/ref.php?id=1685

http://www.udemy.com/email-marketing-for-small-business-more-sales-less-effort/?couponCode=ContarEBook

http://www.udemy.com/email-marketing-for-small-business-more-sales-less-effort/?couponCode=ContarEBook

Social Media Tools

Social media is essential for any business. But it can also be difficult to manage effectively. There are a range of different tools that I use and recommend to help you get on top of your various social media accounts.

Hootsuite is the main tool that I use. It enables me to combine all my social media accounts - Twitter, Facebook Pages, LinkedIn etc. - all in the one place. I can set up different column views so I can easily see who have been re-tweeting me or mentioning me online. I can search for particular users or hashtags and schedule posts weeks in advance. There is a free version for you to try it out. I use the paid version and its well worth the cost.

SocialOomph - similar to Hootsuite in terms of what it does. Some people prefer this to Hootsuite, others prefer Hootsuite. It really doesn’t matter - they both simplify your social media use. Both offer free trials so try them both to see what you prefer.

PostPlanner is a service I’ve recently started using. It’s a tool that helps you find popular or relevant posts from around the internet so you can feature them in your social media. It enables me to queue up a number of days' worth of social media posts featuring pictures, quotes, questions and links from various other sites or social media accounts. It’s super easy to use and is a great time saver.




http://www.socialoomph.com/97957.html

http://zfer.us/qo7Db


http://www.socialoomph.com/97957.html

BufferApp is worth checking out. It allows you to ‘buffer’ posts for your social media accounts. If you’re reading an article that you want to share, you click on the buffer icon in your brower’s toolbar, select which social media account or accounts you want to share to, and queue it up. Buffer then sends it out automatically at a time in the future. Buffer scans your social media account and looks at user interaction to determine suitable times to share future posts. Again, this makes it easy to share posts at a time when they have a better chance of maximum engagement.

You know how quotes on images are becoming popular on social media? ShareAsImage makes it easy to produce. If you’re reading an article with a quote you like, highlight the quote, click on your ShareAsImage icon and you’ll open the app. You then select a background image, font etc and you have a cool image with a quote ready to share.

These are the key social media tools that I use. Most of these companies offer free trials so they’re worth trying out to see what they can do and to give you some ideas around how they could be of use.

Remember, the key is to focus on being social and sharing things of value.



http://buffer.com/

http://shareasimage.com/

Graphics and Images

If you’re creating content and articles, you’ll probably want some nice images to go with it. But you can’t just copy and paste from other websites without running into copyright issues.

I’ve started using Canva for some of my designs. It allows you to create graphics (both images and text) that you can use on your website, social media, for invitations etc.

Some of the images are free, others cost a small amount of money to use. You’re able to upload your own images to Canva and use them in your designs.

Think of Canva as a simplified, online version of Photoshop.

I’ve been purchasing some of my own images and uploading them to Canva and using them in my designs.

IStock photo is one of the better known sources of royalty free images. They have a huge selection and a good search function that works well.



http://canva.com/

http://www.istockphoto.com/

Flickr is a community photo sharing site. You’re able to use their creative commons photos (check their rules around commercial use). A lot of blogs use images from Flickr and link back to the Flickr user’s page.

I’ve just started using the OneDollarPhotoClub. There are a couple of subscription options depending on how many images you need each month.



http://flickr.com/

http://mbsy.co/cgFqb

http://mbsy.co/cgFqb

PresenterMedia is a subscription-based site that provides a big selection of clip art, Powerpoint presentations and move backgrounds for a low annual fee. I use them a lot, particularly the clip art and Powerpoint templates.

Creative Market is a site I discovered last year. It’s a market place for creative people - you’ll find Photoshop plugins, Adobe Illustrator templates and actions, as well as a wide range of photos.

Sign up to their mailing list and you’ll be advised when they have a big sale - they’ll frequently bundle a bunch of different packs into one and sell it at a low price. I recently bought over 100 stock images in a bundle for under $40.




http://creativemarket.com/

Outsourcing

You may not want to do much of the website work yourself. That’s fine. In today’s connected age it’s easy to find someone, somewhere else in the world who will do it for you.

You can outsource any aspect of your website design, plugins, graphics etc.

Elance.com - I hired a graphic designer in Romania through Elance to create a flyer for my business. It only cost $USD37. Bargain!

Freelancer - similar to Elance. Depending on the job you want done, on either site you upload the details of your job and freelancers will place their bids. You then get to choose who you award the job to. For some jobs(i.e. design work) you may choose to hire two or three freelancers and pick from their work.



http://elance.com/

http://freelancer.com/

99Designs - need a logo? Submit your details to 99Designs and you’ll have designers the world over submit their ideas. Great value for money.

Upwork (formerly ODesk) - you may want to outsource some tasks (or jobs) to someone on a regular basis. Checkout Upwork to see what’s available.



http://99designs.com/

http://upwork.com/

Fiverr - Like the name suggests, you can buy a service here for a Fiver. Need a logo? Try Fiverr. Need a Facebook page set up? Try Fiverr.

Have a look at the site and see what crazy things people are prepared to do for $5.



http://fiverr.com/

Landing Pages

I mentioned in the email marketing section that there are plugins and software that enable you to design email signup forms for your website.

Let’s take that one step further and think about having a page on your site that’s dedicated to one thing - getting people to subscribe.

We call these Landing Pages or Squeeze Pages. They’re pages that are set up to convince the reader to part with their email address (usually) in exchange for something of value.

I’m sure you’ve seen and experienced these types of pages yourself.

But how to design one?

There are a few products available that make it easier to set up squeeze pages to sell your offer.

The ones that I recommend are Lead Pages, Unbounce and OptimizePress. They each approach it a bit differently, but their websites give out a lot of information so you can learn more about what applies to you.



http://www.leadpages.net/

http://unbounce.com/

http://www.optimizepress.com/

If you don’t want to use a plugin like this you’re able to outsource the building of a squeeze page using Freelancer or a similar site.



Analysing Your Results

What gets measured gets done!

I’m sure you’ve heard this phrase before. When it comes to internet marketing, this principle is crucial. The best thing about marketing on the internet is that it’s easy to track a lot of the results.

Firstly, if you haven’t already, sign up for a Google analytics account and add their code to your website (it’s easy to do). You’ll then be able to login and track the traffic to your site and identify where it’s coming from.

Next, sign up for Google’s Webmaster Tools. This will give you more insight from Google and you’ll identify any problems that Google has found with your site.



http://analytics.google.com/

You may also want to use a tool like CrazyEgg which analyses user behaviour on your site. It’ll give you data around where your visitors are clicking and what areas of your page are popular.



http://www.crazyegg.com/

Video Production Tools

Video is becoming popular because it’s easy to do and allows you to connect in a different way with your clients.

If you want to do screencasting (taking video off your computer screen) there are two

programs to consider - Camtasia (PC) or Screenflow (Mac). Both these programs make it easy to record video off your screen. They also allow you to use your webcam and incorporate

that into your presentations. They also include video editing software so you’re able to edit the video before you publish it. I’ve used Camtasia for many years and found it incredibly reliable and easy to use.

You may also want to do something other than the usual Powerpoint or Keynote presentation. I’ve

already mentioned Presenter Media as a good source of images, but they also include a wide range of Powerpoint templates as part of their subscriptions. Some of these don’t look like the ‘usual’ Powerpoint slides.

I’ve started using a program called VideoScribe which is an animation program. You’re probably familiar with those whiteboard animations that are becoming popular - well Videoscribe does that sort of thing. I’ve used it in a number of course presentations instead of Powerpoint slides and the visuals are much more engaging.

When it comes to video editing, if you’re not using Camtasia or Screenflow, then consider using Adobe Premiere. It really is a very comprehensive video editor that, combined with Adobe Aftereffects gives you a huge range of editing options.



http://send.onenetworkdirect.net/z/582993/CD197830/

http://www.telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm


http://www.sparkol.com/?aid=461107

http://www.sparkol.com/?aid=461107


Wrapping Up

I hope you've found this list of resources valuable and you can see how some of these tools may be useful in your business.

Of course, not everyone wants to be as hands-on as I've been when it comes to digital marketing. You may prefer to focus on the core areas of your job and get someone else to help with your digital marketing strategy.

We're happy to be that someone else!

We work with all types of financial advice businesses, both in Australia and around the world to help them develop and manage digital marketing strategies.

You may want help getting started on social media. Or with email marketing.

Or you may not have a website and need help working out what to do.

We can help with one-off advice, or with ongoing service such as managing your social media or blog updates.

If you'd like to learn more, drop me a line at [email protected] and let me know what help you need.

All the best with your online marketing,

Allan Ward

Founder, Contar Media



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