Archive for the ‘John Chow’ Category
Test Your Landing Pages with Conversion Doubler
In order to be successful at making money online, you’ll want to have the right information in front of you. For all the Internet marketers in the audience, this could mean testing the conversion rates for your various landing pages.
You could run several different landing page designs in succession, but it could be possible that one landing page did better than another, simply because it was released first. A much better tactic would be to use a utility like Conversion Doubler, which just so happens to be the subject of today’s review.
Multivariate Testing Software
So, what exactly does Conversion Doubler do and how does it work? Well, it bills itself as the “easiest A/B & multivariate testing software.” What this means is that you can display different versions of the same webpage (landing page) to multiple users, tracking the statistics of each variation individually.
As the simplest example, perhaps you want to have two identical landing pages save for one small difference. You might change the headline text, for example, or one of the images being used. From here, you can see which version seems to provide the best conversion rate.
The “multivariate” part of the multivariate testing comes in when you want to have multiple changes to the page, effectively generating multiple combinations for testing. If you have two variables, then you have four combinations. Three variables would have 27 possible combinations.
Seeing Conversion Doubler in Action
Perhaps the best way to understand how Conversion Doubler works is to try it for yourself. Before you do, watch the brief walkthrough video that they have provided.
From there, you can go ahead and try the free live demo or sign up for a free account. The user interface is largely WYSIWYG in nature, though you can swap to seeing the raw HTML if you prefer to take that route.
After you enter the URL that you would like to test, you hover over the areas that you would like to change. These get outlined in blue and, after they have been selected, turn into a red outline. Here is a screenshot from my demo session.
I’ve selected the header image on my blog as an area to have variations. You can add as many variations to that “section” as you like and you can have as many sections as you want.
Setting Goals and Implementing Changes
After you’ve defined all the sections and variations that you would like to test on your landing page (or blog or any other website), you need to establish some goals. This is the way you can see if one landing page is converting better than another. Using a “thank you” page is usually a good way to test conversion.
After you’ve gone through these main steps, Conversion Doubler will output a snippet of code that you then insert into your webpage. Once implemented, each visitor to your site will be assigned to a random combination of the sections you altered. Collect enough data and you’ll know which landing page is performing the best.
How Much Does It Cost?
Ah, the million dollar question. Or at least, the potentially million dollar question, since the results of your testing could very well help you earn that much more money.
Well, Conversion Doubler currently offers five different pricing plans. The free individual plan lets you test up to three pages and with up to 1,000 monthly visitors. You still get the visual test creator and real-time reports. Stepping up from there, paid plans start $49 a month for 10 pages and 10,000 monthly visitors.
If you’re an affiliate marketer and you want a good way to test your landing pages, Conversion Doubler looks like a good bet. It certainly can’t hurt to give them a try.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP WITH CONVERSION DOUBLER
Become a Movie Producer By Being a Member of Team WGH
If you’re a regular reader on this site you know all about the remarkable tricks and tips that John Chow has come up with to turn your blog into a moneymaker, but just as remarkable is his own story of how he got to be a dot-com mogul. To quote John, “I grew up in the Downtown Eastside, the poorest neighborhood in Canada. I did not come from money. I am where I am today because I know that in order to receive any blessings in life, you must first give. The more you give, the more you receive.”
On the road to your own personal mogul-dom, I think that it’s really important to keep in mind the potential we, as social media makers, have to make a difference at the same time as we’re making a buck. Not sure where to start? How about by becoming a movie producer?
For the past year and a half, director Andrew Lavigne and I have been hard at work crafting the feature length documentary “With Glowing Hearts”, which is a compelling look at the role which social media can play in shaping real world issues. Shot entirely in the Downtown Eastside and set against the backdrop of preparations for the 2010 Winter Olympics, the film asks the question, “What happens when you level the playing field and give everyone access?”. As more and more of lives move online and get digitized, not having access to this world creates a “digital divide” and prevents the “have-nots” access to potential jobs, their friends and family, and the world at large. WGH is a film about the people behind the Twitter handles, and their efforts to make sure that all those other potential John Chows out there get a fair chance at success.
Now we’re offering you the chance to get involved in the project and show the world that you’re a blogger to be reckoned with through your micro-investment in the film. Here’s your chance to spread your name and social media reputation off the Internet and onto movie screens. The minimum contribution to get yourself in the film’s credits as a producer is $2, but we’ll be structuring the presentation as a “word cloud”, so that the larger your investment, the larger your name will appear. We’ll also be offering a select number of larger investors a first-of-its-kind opportunity to promote a personal, non-commercial blog during the film through the placement of a QR code directly in a scene.
Please follow the links below to find out more about the project and how you can become a member of Team WGH.
WghTheMovie.ca
youtube.com/withglowinghearts
http://www.straight.com/article-323597/vancouver/filmmakers-get-interactive
Email: jon@animalmotherfilms.com
Dot Com Surfing At ThinkTank 2010
Today is the last day of ThinkTank and I must say it was a most excellent event. DK and his staff went all out to make everyone feel comfortable and welcome. I met some amazing people, ate some amazing food and learn of a lot of industry secrets. If you were not part of it, I highly recommend you put attending ThinkTank 2011 as one of your goals
When not talking high powered Internet business deals, ThinkTank offers up a variety of activities to help stimulate the mind the body. Since the event is in sunny SoCal, one of the activities is surfing. Take a bunch of affiliate bloggers who have never surfed before and you got the making of a funny video. With that in mind, I present to you Dot Com Surfing at ThinkTank.
Dot Com Pho – ThinkTank 2010 Edition
This edition of Dot Com Pho comes to you from sunny California. We’re here on the beach in Del Mar for ThinkTank 2010. The weather is amazing and the Pho is in name only. Instead of a nice hot bowl of Vietnamese beef noodle soup, we’re chopping down on In-N-Out burgers and quenching our thirst with Corona beer, which has become the official beer of all the bloggers at ThinkTank.
In addition to great tasting burgers and Mexican beer, this episode of Dot Com Pho features the sights and sounds and ThinkTank 2010, dying to reveal ThinkTank secrets, violating the ThinkTank NDA, raiding the ThinkTank prize box, our next trip after ThinkTank and a super affiliate ping pong death match between Zac Johnson and Jonathan Volk. Enjoy and we’ll see you next week for an another exciting episode!
ThinkTank 2010 – Day 1 Video
The first day of ThinkTank opened with a meet and greet from all the attendees. Zac and I weren’t able to make that since our plane didn’t land until about noon. We also missed the surfing lessons, which is just as well since the only thing I surf is the Internet.
ThinkTank is unlike any conference I’ve ever attended. The atmosphere is very relaxed and everyone is extremely friendly, outgoing and willing to share. The location is awesome. The ThinkTank tent is located right on the beach in Del Mar, California. In addition to talking shop, there’s food, drinks, games, massages, speed dating, Nurf guns, ping pong and a bunch of other stuff to see and do. If you didn’t make it to ThinkTank this year, you should plan to be here in 2011. The quality of the attendees and networking opportunities are second to none.
Hello From ThinkTank 2010 In Del Mar California
I’ve just touch down in sunny San Diego for ThinkTank 2010. Held on the beach of Del Mar, ThinkTank brings together the who’s who of the Internet business world for three days of fun and networking. My plane landed at the same time as Zac Johnson’s so we’re sharing a limo to our hotel. Then we’re going to change into our beach wear and hit the Tank.
This is the first time that I’ve attended an event that is held on a beach. Then again, ThinkTank isn’t your average event. Today will start off on the beach, where everyone will get a chance to meet each other, discuss their current projects, goals and areas of expertise. After that it will be a nonstop three days of fun in the sun, surfing lessons, crazy fun activities, and nonstop networking, problem solving, strategies of success and drinks. I’m looking forward to meeting all the attendees as well as all the John Chow dot Com readers who took advantage of my sponsorship offer to attend ThinkTank.
Normally, what happens at ThinkTank stays at ThinkTank because everyone has to sign an NDA promising to not reveal the secrets that are discussed. However, I have my camera with me anyway and plan to do a Dot Com Pho – ThinkTank Edition. Look for more updates soon!
An Epic Night – 2010 Publisher Challenge Party
It’s been so busy around here that I almost forgot to post some photos from the Epic Direct Network Playboy Publisher Challenge Party. Epic Direct, formerly Azoogle, held a blow out party for their top affiliates at the world famous Playboy Mansion. This is the second year Epic has hosted their affiliates at the Mansion and they managed to out do themselves again.
To get invited to the party, you had to be one of Epic Direct’s 50 biggest affiliates. There were opportunities for a few mere mortals to get in by the way of contests but for the most part, every party goer ran some major affiliate volume and made serious money.
Epic has received amazing feedback from the party and are already planning something new and unique for their affiliates in 2011. Many people doubted that Epic would be able to top the party of 2009 but they did. Not only that but they’ve guaranteed me what they have planned for 2011 will make 2010 look tamed. I can’t wait. A huge congrats to Epic CMO Michael Sprouse for pulling off the party of the year. Thanks to Kenneth Johansson for taking all the photos.
It wouldn’t be a Playboy party without bunnies!
DJ Tuesdae – the topless DJ (shown with top on).
Who let the Shoe in?
This is Keith Hefner. He’s Hugh’s brother.
DreamWorld Cirque performers. The amazing acrobatics show Epic had above the Mansion pool. Think Cirque du Soleil but sexier.
Join Epic Direct and You Might Party Like a Rock Star
My Favourite Free WordPress Themes From 2010
2010 has been a big year for WordPress. The release of WordPress 3 proved to be a huge success with over 11 million downloads in 42 days.
In the last year there has also been an increase in the number of premium themes from WordPress theme stores. However there has also been a lot of great free theme designs released this year. Today I would like to show you 10 of my favourite free WordPress themes from 2010.
I hope you enjoy the list 
Free WordPress Themes From 2010
1. Aparatus
A fantastic blogging theme from FearlessFlyer boasts a great navigation menu in the header, a huge Twitter follow button, a slideshow featured post area on the home page and advertisement integration.
The theme comes with it’s own options area where you can change ad settings, determine how the slideshow is displayed and choose one of 4 colour stylesheets.
2. 2010 Weaver
Twenty Ten was released near the start of the year as the new default WordPress theme. It’s versatile, clean and easy to modify.
2010 Weaver extends this great theme by allowing you to change the colours of fonts. You can also quickly hide the title and description via the main options menu. Customisations can be saved and then restored at a later date too.
2010 Weaver also comes with 15 different styles which is useful for those of you who are not sure about what colour scheme to use. Essentially 2010 Weaver is the natural heir to Twenty Tens throne!
3. Designpile
Designed by Site5 for Smashing Magazine, DesignPile is a dark theme with a white main content area. It comes with it’s own options page where you can choose from 3 colour styles (green,pink/red,blue).
4. iGadgets
A good looking tech theme which uses the post thumbnail feature. The theme has it’s own options page where you can enter your Twitter information, change the logo, enter tracking codes and much more. The psd file for the logo is included in the zip file too.
5. Enkelt
A clean corporate theme which has a lot of great built-in features. Colours and typography can easily be changed in the options area and the layout can be amended too.
It also has it’s own contact form widget and has a built-in PrettPhoto script which pops out images and videos.
6. ALogo
A good looking grey and blue blogging theme which has a left sidebar, drop down menu for categories and and a domtab for the latest posts and comments.
7. Zexee
A bright and colourful theme from Six Revisions which just oozes style. Would be ideal for a lot of different niches.
8. Typominima
A beautiful typography based theme from Blogsessive. It’s minimal design will suit those who want to put an emphasis on content.
It comes with it’s own options area where you can customise what is displayed in posts or pages and has support for WordPress 3.0+ custom menus too.
9. Voidy
A minimal theme from Diovo which is perfect for those who want something simple.
It boasts support for WordPress 3.0+ custom menus and has it’s own options page where you can enter Twitter & RSS information and and change your logo and favicon.
10. SimplyBiz
A beautiful corporate design which has a portfolio slider on the home page, a beautiful social media section in the blog page and it’s own options page in the admin section of WordPress.
I hope you enjoyed this article. Please let me know your favourite WordPress themes from 2010 in the comment area
Kevin
Kevin Muldoon is a webmaster and blogger who lives in Central Scotland. His latest project is WordPress Mods; a blog which focuses on WordPress Themes, Plugins, Tutorials, News and Modifications.
The State of Social Media Sponsorship Report
My friends over at IZEA has just released its first report on The State of Social Media Sponsorship for the second quarter of 2010. The report was compiled from survey data of over 2,800 social media publishers, consultants, marketers and public relations professionals who volunteered to participate. It uncovers the impact sponsorships have on engagement, compensation practices, publisher preferences, and earnings.
The survey defined Social Media Sponsorship (SMS) as the practice of providing compensation to a social media publisher in exchange for mention, promotion or review through a publisher’s social media channels. Compensation may be in the form of cash, free product or service, experiences, discounts, coupons or other brides.
Key Findings
- 88.3 percent of social media publishers monetize social media in some way
- 87.4 percent of social media publishers have or would create sponsored content
- The average social media publisher spends $711 per year on hosting, education, conferences and related social media costs
- Twitter users earn 298 percent more in SMS for their blog than non-twitter users
“The growth of the SMS industry is astounding,” said Ted Murphy, CEO and founder of IZEA. “According to PQ Media, social media sponsorships are positioned to grow from $46 million in 2009 to over $160 million in 2014, this explosive growth presents significant opportunities for publishers to monetize their social media channels.”
With social media enabling every consumer to become a publisher, advertiser demand is clearly increasing. Brands of all sizes recognize the value of building relationships with social media publishers. This is validated by the majority of publishers (71.3 percent), who stated that they have been approached by someone offering cash, free products, discounts or other compensation in exchange for a blog post, tweet or other social media promotion.
While the report underscores the growth in SMS, it also highlights areas of concern. Survey data determined that 35 percent of public relations, social media and marketing professionals are not aware of the FTC guidelines on endorsement announced in late 2009. Only 29 percent of these professionals indicated that they read and understood the guidelines, meaning that the majority are unclear as to the best practices.
“Our space is maturing and becoming more sophisticated;” said Murphy, “however, we clearly need better education among both advertisers and publishers. In order for this space to gain widespread acceptance, everyone needs to play by the same legal rules and ethical guidelines.”
You can grab your copy of the The State of Social Media Sponsorship at IZEA’s website. It’s free.
I Have 5 Tickets To Social Media Marketing Miami – Who Wants One?
Social Media Marketing Miami takes place on Thursday 30th September from 9:00am to 5:30pm at the Ronald W Shane Centre and I got five tickets, each worth $270, to give away to five lucky John Chow dot Com readers. If you live in the Miami area, or planned to be there at the end of this month, and want check out the conference, leave a comment or send me an email and I’ll send you a ticket.
I only have five tickets to give away. It’s first come, first serve. If all the tickets are gone and you still want to go, you can purchase tickets at 10% discount by enter JohnChowbloggingking at checkout. I’ll see you in Miami!
*Update – All the free tickets are gone. Use JohnChowbloggingking to get 10% off.