With our Free Web Marketing Appraisal, you can find out how to get to the top and potentially drive more sales opportunities for your business. For more online marketing tips, revisit our articles:

-   Four online marketing essentials
-   Why doesn’t my website rank better?
-   How to pick the right keywords for SEO
-   Does it pay to go with paid search?

Or watch our video testimonial

Request for a Free Web Marketing Appraisal now or call 1300 132 838
(Int’l +61 3 8624 2317).

Regards

Editor, Successbox

So we’re rewarding the customer who registers the most creative com.au domain name before 31 July 2008 a brand new iPhone 3G!

Revisit our articles below for tips on creating your wininng domain:

-  How to name a good domain
-  Are you at risk of domain typos?

Enter the iPhone competition or call 1300 559 647. For more information about domain names, Book a call back.

Competition ends 31 July 2008

Regards

Editor, Successbox

This was a clear attempt by individuals or groups, known as phishers, to acquire the usernames and passwords of Google Adwords users.

Many of our Pay-Per-Click clients received this email and fortunately we were able to take appropriate action before clients handed over their Google Adwords login details.

Phishing of sensitive information has been a common problem for the banking industry. Phishers have moved to target all forms of online activity including email accounts and logins to sensitive online portals such as stock market websites, domain and hosting companies, shopping websites and credit card websites.

The address in the Google Adwords email used a sub-domain (e.g. subdomain.melbourneit.com.au). This is a common way to phish for your login details.

http://www.adwords.google.com.aoplk.cn/select/Login - Incorrect Phishing URL.

Notice how it resembles the original login details for Google Adwords

http://adwords.google.com.au/select/Login

The phishing address leads to a page identical to the Google Adwords login page.

Thankfully, the phishing attempt was promptly noticed by Melbourne IT Google Adwords Consultants and all our existing clients were informed about the importance of not responding to any phishing attempts.

Further information can be obtained about “Phishing” form this Wikipedia link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing

Whether you are managing your own campaign or if your campaign is managed by a Search Marketing company i.e. Melbourne IT. It is best to stay up to date with The Google Adwords blog on a regular basis. http://adwords.blogspot.com/.

In addition to the blog posts by Google, keep in contact with your Adwords Consultant managing your campaign and check all the emails that you receive in regards to your Adwords account and Adwords campaign.

Thanks to those who entered our Website Makeover Competition. Our judges are going through over 500 entries and will be ready to announce the lucky winner on July 16. Stay tuned!

And due to popular demand, our $999 Complete Website Package continues with more free extras like video upload capability and more. So if you’re looking to build or upgrade your website, now is the perfect time.

Got a question? Send an email to onlinesuccess@melbourneit.com.au. 

For more information, visit www.melbourneit.com.au or call the Melbourne IT eBusiness Centre on 1300 793 248.

Regards

Editor, Successbox

Businesses that engage multiple IT providers often have good reasons for doing so. But when one cannot keep up with the various contacts that look after domain registration, search engine optimisation, website design, hosting, email marketing and so forth, it may be time to quit the philandering ways. Consider consolidating your online services with one provider, if possible, and you may start to enjoy the simple pleasures and convenience of having one online partner.

One hotline for any IT emergency

By having all your online services with one company, you only need to remember one customer service hotline. You know exactly who to look for when there’s trouble.

One log-in account for all your services

You can do away with multiple log-in accounts when it’s all under one roof. Especially with the current security measures in place for username and passwords (your password having a minimum number of characters, consisting of alphabets and numbers), it can seem like deciphering a word puzzle when memory fails. With so many other log-in accounts to remember - banks, credit cards, utilities, Facebook, email etc - less is indeed more.

Loyalty has its rewards

You are more likely to receive better attention and service and receive perks like access to exclusive deals, and invites, and may be even a personal account manager who understands your business.

Receive better value

You are also in a better position to negotiate on price. It may take some negotiating skills to bring out the best deal from the sales consultant, but you can be sure of walking away with a better deal and potential savings that can go towards a rainy day. 

Like all good marriages, it is essential to nurture the relationship with your IT provider. Communicate clearly what you expect from them so they can come up with the best solution for you. And don’t be too hasty to call it quits when the going gets rough. Give them the opportunity to hear your feedback before you give your business to someone else, for the next IT provider may not live up to the previous one.

Redegroup talks to Melbourne IT

Melbourne IT chats with Bianca Barbuto, Sales and Marketing consultant at Redegroup, about her experience with Melbourne IT.  View video

Need help?

Melbourne IT offers complete online solutions including domain names, hosting, web design, search engine marketing and email marketing. If you want to discuss how to consolidate all your services with Melbourne IT, talk to an e-Business Consultant on today on 1300 793 248. Or book a call back.

Useful links

• Search Engine Optimisation
• Pay-Per-Click
• Link submission
• Email marketing
• Website Design

Call 1300 659 981or Book a Call. For more information, visit www.melbourneit.com.au

$999 Web Marketing Package. Save $330 (Normally $1,329)

• Done-For-You Website (normally $1,015)
  7 pages, 40 templates, content manager, fully hosted and more
• Site Submission to major search engines (normally $75)
  Get listed in up to 10 search engines and directories
• Email Marketing Guidebook (valued at $99)
  Learn the key ingredients to creating a winning email marketing campaign
• 2 year domain name - Choose from com.au, net.au, com, or net (normally $140)

Terms and Conditions 

1. Offer ends 5.30pm (AEST) 31 July 2008.
2. Prices are in Australian dollars and include GST.
3. Subject to customers meeting domain eligibility requirements and their acceptance of Melbourne IT Domain, Web Design, Web Hosting and Website Marketing terms and conditions located at: http://www.melbourneit.com.au/policies/
4. Offer is not valid in conjunction with any other offer.
5. Valid for phone orders only.

Extending their marketing online

With their program being a proven success, the arrival of the Internet presented a challenge to Smokenders and to Philip Feinstein, their National Coordinator, in terms of replicating the success they have achieved onto the Internet. As with most people Feinstein had his initial doubts about using the Internet as a promotional medium.

“I’ve never been a highly technical person, so when the Internet came along and people were saying you need to get yourself onto the Internet, it took us quite a while to get a first website on the Internet,” Feinstein revealed.

Smokenders eventually got their first website and even had it made over on one occasion. Feinstein said they were probably getting one or two hits a week via the website in the initial stages.

The search for online customers begins with SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)

As Smokenders did not have many contacts with the IT industry, they didn’t really know who to turn to when they decided to trial online marketing. So it’s no surprise that they went to the people that first gained their trust in getting a website: their domain name registrar. The consultant at their domain name registrar then went on to debug all the jargon about online marketing to them. He also explained the application of keywords, search engines and website ranking in relation to Search Engine Optimisation in the most accessible way possible.

Feinstein couldn’t be more excited about putting away his initial skepticism as the results of their Search Engine Optimisation campaign astounded him.

“All of a sudden we were getting one or two [hits] a day, and as of now, we’re getting four to five hits a day. In some businesses that’s hardly anything, but in this industry, it’s a lot. For any smoker to look for help, to get onto our site and press the button, and say “hey, send more info”, that takes a lot of guts,” said Feinstein.

He elaborated that most of these enquiries were coming from people that found them on the search engines. He is also certain from past experience that the number of hits has gone up a lot as their website is now not only on the first page of search engines, but close to the top spots on Google, Yahoo!7 and ninemsn for the keyword “quit smoking”.

For detractors of online marketing that dismiss Search Engine Optimisation for its higher than average spend, Feinstein is also quick to clear the air that the Smokenders program at $445 (including GST) isn’t exactly for the budget conscious. Mind you, they now have a take-home Quit-Kit that retails for $189 (including GST).

“People have said to me that to quit smoking, they can buy a book or try other quit smoking alternatives that are cheaper or even free. Whether it’s to quit smoking or to take up online marketing, it’s the end result that counts, meaning you pay for what you get”, said Feinstein.

Further online activity

Looking forward, he anticipates greater involvement of the Internet with Smokenders and expects their advertising on the Internet to be four times what it is now in a year’s time.

Beyond their efforts into Search Engine Optimisation, their recently launched take-home Quit-Kit will let Internet users enjoy all the benefits of their seminars in the comfort of their home, in front of their computer. The take-home Quit-Kit, which includes a CD and a manual, will be sent out in the mail to those that respond via the Smokenders website. Coupled with telephone support, it has allowed their seminar program to be fully portable to meet the demands of the Internet generation.

Not the last word in their online success story

Despite the results of their online marketing campaign being a huge morale booster, they are not about to give themselves the pat on the back when there are graduates that backslide after their program. According to Feinstein, one out of five of their graduates return to smoking which effectively brings their long term success rate to 81.25%.

“But of the one in five that go back to smoking, some have willingly come back to us and have paid money to do the program again,” he explained how it was bittersweet to see some familiar faces.

Until the day the world is devoid of smokers, it’s safe to say that Smokenders as well as Feinstein will not allow themselves to be blown out in puffs. In the meantime, they can look towards Search Engine Optimisation and the Internet to help them achieve continued online success in their efforts to get everyone to butt out.

The Smokenders website is registered with Melbourne IT and they were also responsible for assisting Smokenders commence their Search Engine Optimisation campaigns. Melbourne IT has continued to support Smokenders in their online marketing efforts ever since.

The Smokenders website is www.smokenders.com.au 1800-021-000

Need help?

Talk to a Melbourne IT e-Business Consultant on 1300 132 838.

Useful links

• Search Engine Optimisation
• Pay-Per-Click
• Link submission
• Email marketing

The debut edition zooms in on Smokenders and the wins they’ve achieved through Search Engine Optimisation, in their efforts to get more smokers to quit. Read more

We hope their story will inspire you to create your own online success story.

Enjoy!
Editor

Australia’s Internet domain authority, auDA, has finally ended the anticipation that has been building since news of the policy change was announced in early March.

Key features of the new policy are as follows:

• it will not be allowable to register a domain name for the sole purpose of resale or transfer to a third party

• registrants will not be able to transfer their domain name for the first 6 months after the initial registration (this does not apply to domain names that have been renewed or previously transferred)

• after 6 months, registrants will be able to offer their domain name for sale/transfer by any means (eg. by listing the domain name for sale on a domain brokerage website, advertising the domain name for sale in a newspaper, or contacting a prospective buyer directly)

• the new registrant must comply with normal eligibility and allocation rules

• registrant transfers will be processed by the registrar of record using a standard transfer form, and the registrar may charge a transfer fee

• parties to a transfer will be asked to disclose the sale method and price, on a voluntary and confidential basis, so that auDA may collect aggregated statistical data to improve access to market information for buyers and sellers.

Above guidelines extracted from http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-14042008/

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Whether this is cause for celebration or the onset of more online worries, let’s review what some industry experts have commented in the past months in the media.

“There are lots of people with Australian domain names they’re not using, and would like to sell and there’ll be nothing to stop them selling them on eBay, if they like. Once the public learns about it, we think it’ll be quite popular. We’re expecting a fair volume of changes going back and forth between us and the registrars … it’ll be a largely automated process.” Simon Delzoppo, AusRegistry, The coming dot.au property boom, www.theage.com.au, 26 February 2008.

“I see it as a pure real estate. If you think of buying domain names as like buying land, then what you are buying is ‘traffic’ - or the number of people who are coming to visit that site. That might be because they’ve typed a guess at the domain name directly into their browser, or come via a search engine or even got there by clicking on links from other sites. But what you’re paying for is the value of the traffic. And compared to the US sites the sites using Australian domain names don’t attract anywhere near the same level of traffic.” Joshua Rowe, Australia Post executive and auDA board member, The coming dot au property boom, www.theage.com.au, 26 February 2008.

“When this change comes into effect we can expect to see a mini “land boom” with speculators grabbing names they think are likely to be worth something. So right now it’s a good investment to spend a hundred dollars claiming your domain name. If you have a good business or product name and you haven’t yet registered the domain to go with it, get your skates on.” Paul Wallbank, Beat the domain name gold rush, www.smartcompany.com.au, 8 April 2008.

To protect your business from competitors and domain name speculators, it is recommended that you secure relevant domain names in the .au space.

Need Help?

• Call Melbourne IT on 1300 793 248 (Int’l call +61 3 8624 2492) for expert advice
• Order a FREE Online Brand Protection Report
• Register your .au names online and save

Useful links

• Domain Name Registration
• How to name a good domain
• Covet thy neighbour’s domain guilt-free
• eFinance driving premium names
• Hot property online

Increasingly, its place in the spotlight is less about the reasons that led to its initial popularity, such as locating friends, meeting new people, etc. than the potential it presents to businesses as an alternative audience to market their wares.

Learn how the creation of some new features on Facebook has given businesses added advantage in capturing the attention of their IT savvy users.

Also check out our previous articles Social Networking for small business and Social Networking Sites: Friend or Foe.

Enjoy!
Editor