Internet marketing with MP3s and eBooks
If you are an authority on a subject (you are!), act now to convert that information into audio or eBook format to take advantage of the marketing opportunities on sites like iTunes and Amazon.
One of the most successful language instructors on the Internet provides all his lessons for free via iTunes podcasts. He makes all hist money by charging for printed support materials. Even if you don't yet see a revenue source like this, start by simply presenting any useful information that you think potential customers are looking for, and mention your website URL at the end.
Amazon.com now offers a complete self-publishing solution at CreateSpace.com. I just finished converting one of my informational websites into a professional looking book and audio CD, which now appear for related searches on Amazon, which has tremendous value for Internet marketing.
Audacity and Open Office Writer are free programs that can handle all the MP3 and eBook production you'll ever need.
Here's video tutorial for creating MP3's with Audacity:
And a video tutorial for creating eBooks with Open Office:
Offer an eBook or MP3 with resale rights
Hundreds of eBayers are selling useful information in eBook and MP3 format that they purchased from someone else with "resale rights". This means that when they bought the item from the publisher, the publisher also gave them permission to resell it to others. Aside from eBay, websites increase their sales by offering "bonus" items that the purchased under a similar arrangement.
If you've ever purchased one of these resale rights packages or bonus items, you probably noticed that the publication included some sort of publicity for the original author. For example, I once bought a hypnosis CD on eBay and noticed that it came with "resale rights". While listening, I found that the wise author of the recording finished up each hypnosis session by mentioning their URL and offering a discount on the next purchase. I also know a tattoo designer who created a free eBook of tattoo designs, which dozens of tattoo membership sites now offer as a "bonus item" with paid membership. The eBook contains hyperlinks to the original author's own membership site and services.
So what appears at first to be "giving it away" is actually an Internet marketing strategy that enlists an army of webmasters and resellers to promote your site for free. They benefit, you benefit, the customer benefits.
Create an informational product to attract affiliate marketers
Getting your web service, eBook, or other informational product listed with an affiliate program (such as ClickBank) will expose you to thousands of individuals who make it their business to promote yours. "Affiliates" are people who use their marketing expertise to send visitors to your site, and then take a commission of any sales made. While such commissions may or may not be lower than your own marketing expenditure would be, there's probably no better way of motivating a large number of people to promote your product for you.
A couple tips for Internet marketing through affiliate channels:
- I highly recommend launching a separate website for selling any affiliate product. Having hundreds of affiliate marketers linking to your site with referral-coded URL's will not look good to Google. So it's wise to dedicate a separate URL with unique content for your affiliate activities.
- Many successful affiliate marketers operate newsletters that reach a very targeted audience. Look for websites related to your subject matter that have a newsletter signup, and then offer to write an article for their next mailing. While some webmasters may consider including quality content for free, most will be motivated by an affiliate commission.
