September 2009

Search advertising success is defined by relevance. The concept of relevance is broad, but logical: it’s the relationships between advertiser, keyword, ad copy and the landing page/ post click experience. So, how do we know if our relationships are strong, and our account is relevant? Simple: Quality Score for Google, or Quality Index for Yahoo. There are [...]

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I’m regularly asked about local domain names and whether they are worth using on a blog.

My answer usually revolves around the question of ‘what audience are you trying to reach?‘ Let me explain.

When I first secured my own domain name I chose a .au (Australia) domain without really giving much thought to it. I figured as I was an Aussie I might as well include that in the domain and as the .com version of the domain was taken I though it was the next logical step. That was a naive decision and one that I regretted later (although it did have some benefits too).

There were a number of impacts of having a local domain:

• the blog ranked relatively well in Google.com.au’s results - being an easily identified Aussie site it seemed to get priority when Aussies were searching for terms related to it
• the blog didn’t rank as well on Google.com - .com domains (and other non localised ones) seemed to get ranked higher in other international versions of Google
• confusion with readers - time and time again I heard from readers that they kept forgetting to add the .au. As a result they ended up on other sites and some gave up on even coming to the site.

Ultimately it was a mistake for me because my goal was to connect with an international audience rather than just and Australian one. I ended up with some good Aussie search traffic which was nice but it could have ranked better internationally which probably cost me traffic.

Take Home Advice: As a result, I generally advise people to go for a local domain name IF they are trying to reach a local audience. If you’re looking to connect with an international audience go for the .com or another non localised domain like .net or .org (.com is my #1 preference though).

The other reason to get a localised version of a domain in addition to the .com is as a defensive move OR if you think you might produce a local version of your blog at some point in the future. Having the local domain means someone else can’t get it and it gives you the option of expanding into local markets (as Gawker blogs have done with some of their more popular blogs).

Do you use a local domain name? What are the advantages or disadvantages from your perspective?

Post from: Blog Tips at ProBlogger.

Should You Use a Localized Domain Name?

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Whether you’re trying to get on the front page of Digg or just angling for a sale, writing magnetic headlines that grab your readers’ attention is everything.

But once you have their attention, you need them to read every word that you write.

You need to craft an opening made up of an enticing string of sentences that whet your readers’ appetites, set up a need, and prime them for action.

Easier said than done, right?

Well here’s a step-by-step tutorial on how to do it:

Establish rapport with an “agreeable” opening

People naturally lend their attention (and loyalty) towards those with similar tastes, whether it’s a matter of liking the same sports team, driving the same model of car, or sharing a political or ideological stance. If you can communicate an insight that your reader can agree with, you’ve elevated your chances of capturing their ongoing attention.

You’ll see many writers use this approach with opening paragraphs like:

• “I’m sure we all can agree that eating well is critical to good health . . .”
• “As bloggers, we know how important a reliable, affordable web host is . . .”
• “All savvy car buyers know that paying sticker price is for suckers . . .”

Agreement-based openings can make readers feel smarter when they see that their own opinions are being positioned as widely accepted fact (which will make them more likely to want to continue reading).

If you lead in with an “agreeable” statement that sets up your content, you’re starting out strong.

Set up a need with your next sentence

Once you’ve coaxed a bit of a agreement from your reader, you can trigger a sense of need that compels them to keep reading.

The simplest way to do that is with a statement that establishes that what they just agreed on isn’t enough, or isn’t the final answer . . . and that they’re going to miss out if they don’t keep reading.

This isn’t hard to do and you’ve no doubt seen it before:

• “But a healthy diet alone isn’t enough to prevent heart disease . . .”
• “Choosing the right web host is only the first step to building your blog . . .”
• “Even if you know the MSRP of that new car, you’re only halfway ready to negotiate . . .”

Set up the need, and you can be sure that people will continue to read, if only to see if they already know what you’re about to reveal.

Prime them for action with a promise

Your winning headline should have set up a promise of valuable information. This is your opportunity to reinforce the benefit they’ll receive when they read every word that you’ve written.

A good closing sentence for your first paragraph puts them into “forward-looking” mode, where they can envision themselves using the information to gain some immediate benefit (the more immediate, the better).

Once you’re aware of how copywriters use this pattern, you’ll notice it everywhere:

• “. . . you’ll have 3 ways to reduce your risk of heart disease that you can use right now.”
• “. . . you’ll be ready to build a blog that’s popular and profitable from day one.”
• “. . . you’ll know exactly how to get the lowest price on your next new car — today.”

Once you’ve established a connection with them, convinced them of their need and given them assurance of an immediate take-away, the stage is set for them to read down to the very last word.

Now it’s your turn: How do you start off with a bang?

These three steps are a sure-fire way to keep people reading what you write — but they’re not the final word on the subject.

Got a favorite favorite “pull-them-in” opening strategy? Let us know in the comments below.

About the Author: Dave Navarro is the product launch coach of choice for online marketers and has a special message for Copyblogger readers.

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The Google AdSense for Feeds (aka FeedBurner) blog announced that all of their links will be 301 redirected, as opposed to some that are 301 redirected. In summary, when you use FeedBurner to create and host your RSS feed, FeedBurner creates special links that are used to send the reader to your web site. [...]

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