Wordpress is similar to Xsitepro when you consider that you can completely change the look of the site by changing the theme or template. When looking for wordpress themes I usually search for free wp themes or use something I already have on my hard drive, I certainly didn’t think about purchasing themes!

Although, I have to admit, I always thought some of the magazine style wordpress themes were pretty hot. A lot of functionality along with a unique way to manage and present content. Yes, there are free magazine and newspaper type themes available, however, these free themes never come with support and you are usually limited to personal use.

Another thing to consider if you might be interested in purchasing a wordpress theme, there are usually a couple of different types of licenses….personal use and a developer’s license which allows you to create a website for a client using the theme or producing a website using the theme and then selling it.

Another purchasing option is buying a developers license for all the themes from any given author. Studio Press, a Brian Gardner creation offers those different licenses and his current series, StudioPress is nothing short of fantastic. I think there are about 14 themes that are part of this series of wordpress blog templates, all of them are awesome. Every couple of months or so he adds a new theme to the series.

How to Make Money With StudioPress WP Themes

#1 Sell Premade Websites

You might wonder why you would want 14 custom themes and have the ability to sell theme. I’ve seen a couple of people take these themes, post 10 custom articles, create a header graphic and sell them on the Warrior Forum in the Warrior Special Offers forum and people scoop em up because they just look awesome. Just make sure you do some research and pick out a good niche….in fact if you include a keyword list your offer will be that much more enticing.

#2 Start An Offline Marketing Business for Brick & Mortar Businesses

One more way you could use these themes is by doing some offline marketing. By “offline marketing” I simply mean helping brick and mortar business owners create an internet presence or web presence by setting them up with a wordpress blog……..of course you would use these StudioPress themes for offline markeing. This is a no brainer, there are so many businesses with static websites that do absolutely nothing for the owner. All you have to do is show them your cool looking  StudioPress theme, set up a few categories, make sure you put an optin form using an autoresponder service like Aweber and you’ll come out looking like knight in shining armour!

#3 Specialize In Helping Network Marketers

I’ll give you one more idea for using these StudioPress wp themes. A lot of people are looking for ways to make money online. One method is network marketing. Some network marketer’s are provided with a “canned” type website…..most don’t have any type of website. As you know, setting up a wordpress blog is such a simple thing to do. Your job….should you accept it would be to contact any of these network marketers and offer your services for setting up a blog using StudioPress themes. The thing most network marketers need most are bodies, that is, members. Set the blog up with a couple of keyword rich articles and then set them up with a method of developing and building their own marketing list through an autoresponder service like Aweber! They will think you’re some kind of internet…computer genius….I guarantee!

Just wanted to pass the good word on about StudioPress themes and give them my stamp of approval. I have Brian Gardner’s first series of wordpress themes called Revolution Series, and it’s an awesome set of themes. Unfortunately you cannot purchase the Revolution series anymore. However, StudioPress is available, you can see a sample of the Church Theme on my site The Xsitepro Guide.

Tweet This Post

Are you worried that the earning opportunities you see online are really “make money scams” in disguise? Most of what you’ll find online is on the up and up. The real challenge is weeding through it all to find something that works for you. Here are some common money making scams that many online marketing newcomers can fall into.

Get Rich Quick:

A lot of experts in internet marketing use their stories as proof of what you can do too if you buy their products or services. And while it is probably true that these marketers did make an enormous amount of money very quickly, there are 3 things you should understand about that;

1) They probably were not completely new to the industry when they started making the money. ..

2) They might have used some other methods or programs to earn them this amount of money (so they might not be revealing everything in what they sell to you…

3) They may have also spent a huge amount of money to be able to earn this enormous amount of money. While the products and/or services are most likely valuable and legitimate, you should not expect them to make you rich quick.

Easy Money Making:

There are quite a few automated systems out there. And yes, they are real and yes, they are easy. But they can also be expensive and not incredibly effective since they appeal to so many people that are trying to go the easy route. The truth is that making money online doesn’t have to be complicated – it can be simple – but getting results does require effort.

Most people start out on the wrong foot with systems that claim to to be easy and profitable. When they aren’t very easy or profitable, it’s easy to give up and deem these systems “make money scams”.

Pyramid Schemes:

THere are many types of legitimate programs (like network marketing or MLM businesses) that offer you commissions if you recruit others into the business. However, if you come across a program that only offers you money if you recruit other members but offers no real product or service, this is a clear-cut pyramid scheme and scam. Luckily, the FTC is quick to crack down on these types of activities so you shouldn’t run across them too often.

Pay Affiliate Programs:

Some affiliate program claim that they can make you lots of money, but require you to purchase their product or charge a sign up fee before you can start promoting what they offer. Keep in mind that you do not have to pay for an affiliate product to promote it (although there are reasons you might want to do that). Most affiliate product and service owners will NEVER ask their affiliate to pay money before they earn.

The Better Business Bureau and Federal Trade Commission offer more information about avoiding rip-offs, plus ways to verify offers and file complaints. Your state attorney general’s office might also have specific or general information about make money scams.

Tweet This Post

When building an online business website, you want a particular website that will work for you and your business.  You will want a website, which is attractive, as this will draw in internet visitors.  Your website must be easily navigated within as well as functional.

Create an idea for your website

You will need to come up with a great idea for the website design, which you want.  It would not hurt to brainstorm on this idea.  Keep in mind that first impressions are everything with marketing even more so within the online community.  You can play around with some sketches while arranging the designs as you want.  Keep in mind that you must focus on practicality and logical reasoning when you attempt to institute your design.

Consider hiring a web design company or an independent web designer

You will want to hire a website design company or an independent website designer to institute your plans for your website.  You will want a website designer who specializes in social networking websites.  You want a website designer who is experienced and not someone who lacks training for such venture.  You want to keep the communication open and you want your website designer to be accessible to you during this project.  I would recommend that you and your website designer speak over the telephone as compared to email or chat messaging this will ensure that you are on the same level and that you both understand of what is occurring referencing your website.

Project proposals

You should ask for a project proposal for approval from the website designer.  This is a great idea, which will produce what the website designer wants to perform with your social networking website.  The proposal will also create the timeframe which for the project to be completed.

Stay on top of the project

You will want to remain on top of the project for your website.  Do not be too pushy or demanding while ensuring that you communicate precisely what you want referencing your website design as well as generally.

Ensure that you can make additions and upgrades in the future on your website

The coding and software, which the website designer utilizes, should be the type, which can be extended or expanded upon, this, will ensure that later on down the road you can add improvements or upgrades and this will ensure the whole project of your website will not have to be redone.

When you are working with a web design company or an independent website designer, you will need to ensure that a non-disclosure agree will be signed by both parties involved to ensure the project as well as the concept of the project is protected.

Tweet This Post

Social networking websites are now offering the greatest advantages of anyone who is looking to market their products and services.  MySpace, Skype, FaceBook or Twitter contains many great benefits and features, which will aid greatly to any business that is looking to jump into the social network-marketing arena.

These particular social networking websites contain over millions of internet users, which does provide any business with a huge pool of potential customers.  If you are new to social networking, please understand that courtesy is the key with social networking.  Social networking websites were not created for market advertising.

You risk your profile becoming banned upon a social networking website if your profile only contains advertising for your business.  If you are banned from a social networking website, let us face it, this would not be good for business and you have just shut yourself off to millions of internet users.  Sometimes you can be banned from social networking websites without even knowing what you did wrong.  Make sure you familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations of any social networking website, which you join.

Utilizing social networking websites to market your products and services is great but remember that you have to market yourself as well.  This is a concept, which is slowly catching on within the social network marketing community.  Upon setting up a profile on the social networking website, you should describe yourself, not your business.  The key to social network marketing is being subtle.  Be creative with your social network profile.  You do not have to leave out the fact that you have a business but you do want potential customers to ask questions.

Make sure you make friends within the communities you join.  You must also keep in mind that there are people who more than likely already have an interest in your products and services and all you need to do is sell the products or services to them.  If you receive inquiries about your products and services, you can always direct them to your business website, which will feature the products and services, which your business offers.

The majority of social networking websites are for minors or users under the age of 35.  Products and services, which you offer, that are inappropriate for minors will not be successful on any social networking website.  Make sure you target the correct audience as compared to blindly targeting anyone from any demographic group. Will the first statement of this paragraph is true, there is still plenty of opportunity for social marketing to those over 35. After all baby boomers might take a little longer to figure social sites out, but once they do, they will easily take over the entire system!

Keep in touch with your friends, which you make within the online community.  Ensure that you message them as well as keep up your blogs and bulletins.  This will create a great appeal and make people interested in you and your profile.  If you gain potential customers who are interested in you, then you can take that particular opportunity to sell your products and services.

Tweet This Post

Many different types of groups as well as marketers utilize social networking. Social network marketing is becoming a popular type of marketing for many businesses. Many organizations and even small businesses have been able to greatly benefit from social network marketing. Knowing which social networking websites would be more beneficial to your business will help you become more effective when practicing social marketing. Below is a list of the three most popular social networking websites which could possibly aid your business.

————————————————————————-
Grab this FREE SEO Guide filled with 2.0 Resources &
Take a Look at the Link Bomb Report for more info on how
to effectively use Social Networking for Marketing
————————————————————————-

FaceBook

There are numerous social networking websites, which you can utilize for your social networking marketing. FaceBook is a popular social networking website, which has been around since 2004. Anyone over the age of thirteen can join FaceBook. FaceBook is fast becoming the largest social network on the internet. Many social network marketers prefer FaceBook because when compared to other social networking websites, FaceBook does appear more family oriented. Many Internet Marketers have set up facebook pages to create more interest in their marketing activities and businesses.

MySpace

MySpace began in 2003. MySpace does have a loyal following of people who have been with MySpace since the beginning. You can set up your own personal profile upon signing up. You can add photos as well as business and school information. The only downfall to MySpace with social network marketing is that there is plenty of marketing spam upon MySpace.

Twitter

Twitter is one of the more new social networking websites. Twitters utilize “tweets” which is similar to “instant messages”. For businesses purposes and marketing purposes, you can send out a “tweet” when you possibly make a new post to your blog page upon Twitter. Internet users who visit your blog page will be able to view what you have been working on while paying a visit to your new post.

You will of course have your new post linked to your main website. As usual, the quality of your posts should be first as compared to quantity of blog posts. Many celebrities have made Twitter famous. Ashton Kutcher is one of the celebrities who has brought about the fame which Twitter experiences.

Twitter offers a unique opportunity to internet marketer’s since twitter is fairly new. Internet marketer’s want to monetize everything and one must be careful not to become obnoxious when “tweeting”, by that, I mean you shouldn’t make every tweet a marketing pitch. Most effective users of twitter will use the service to develop a relationship with their “followers” and slowly drive them back to their main websites in an effort to get them to optin to a list. Jack Humphrey created a course called The Twitter Method where you are taught a very unique and effective method of using twitter to build a huge list and following!

Tweet This Post

As a business website owner, you must contain integrity.  Many of the social networking websites are utilized for unethical behavior exhibited by business website owners and this seriously backfires when trying to market your products and services.  There are many ways, which you as a responsible website owner and web 2.0 online marketer, can control the behavior performed on your business website.

Respect online users privacy

You must keep in mind that while using social networking marketing as your marketing tool for your products and services that you are joining an actual community of internet users.  With any community, your business has its particular place in the scheme of things but this is not room for you to invade people’s privacy within the online community.  Do not spam market your friends on your friends list.

There are many social networking websites to choose from for your social networking strategies.

Many social network marketers utilize online websites such as MySpace and FaceBook with the hopes of driving internet traffic to their business websites.  This is very much ethical however; spamming internet users with images or links in order to lure them to your business website is unethical and will eventually get you dropped by Google or other search engines. Web 2.0 online marketing requires ethics, common sense and courtesy!

Do not spam people with marketing ads for your business website!

Social networking websites are currently more knowledgeable of spamming practices, which have proved unethical while eliminating people who habitually perform such tactics within their marketing strategies. Jack Humphrey is perhaps the king and one of the first pioneers of web 2.0 online marketing, he consistently encourages proper use of social marketing by developing relationships with members. Jack practices what he teaches and you can learn from the best regarding blogging and social marketing by checking out Blogging Success. You can also download his free ebook on social marketing and blogging called Authority Blackbook.

Be professional and honest with the online communities

To successfully utilize social networking websites as tools with integrity you need to honestly participate within the online communities as a member.  Becoming a member of the online community means you will have to register with that particular community.  Become involved within the online groups, which are related to your area of expertise or products and services, which your business offers.  You want to make friends within this online community while proving yourself an expert within the particular field, which you are offering products and services.

Publish quality content on the social networking website

You will need to publish quality content upon these particular social networking websites.  Avoid shoving your products and services down the throats of the online community.  Never mislead or give incorrect information referencing your products and services.  In fact, Jack Humphrey has a new educational product on web 2.0 online marketing for Twitter called The Twitter Method, a very unique and proper way to use twitter to market your products and services.

Examples of unethical social networking practices

A great example of such unethical practices is leaving a blog or post within the online community while pretending to be a customer recommending your products and services.  You need to be honest with the online community, which you belong to explaining your products and services.  Leave the decision up to the online community to view your products and services as compared to spamming them with your company information.

Do not criticize your competitors.  Do not point out shortcomings of your competitors.  You can however, specify what makes your products and services different from the competition. Proper use of web 2.0 online marketing strategies will result in profits, using web 2.0 online marketing correctly can make those profits long term instead of short term!

There are no set guidelines on ethical practices with online social network marketing however; you will need to educate yourself with media law while knowing the potential dangers of defamation as well as invading people’s privacy.  Conduct yourself professionally as well as intellectually.  If you follow these guidelines of what not to perform, you should fare well in your goal of becoming a success.

Tweet This Post