Are PLR (Private Label Rights) Articles Worth Using?

Posted by A blog for Newbies about Internet Marketing on March 5, 2010

I will give a non-committal answer. It depends. Private Label Rights come in two varieties, exclusive rights and non-exclusive rights.

Non-Exclusive Rights

The most common are the non-exclusive rights. These articles are sold in packages and you can do whatever you want with them. You can resell them. You can publish them “as is” or you can rewrite them and add your own voice to the content.

If you decide to use them “as is” and publish them, you run the risk of almost certain duplicate content labeling by search engines. That is not the best use for PLR articles. Most PLR packages contain a wide variety of niches. The articles vary in length. They can be anywhere from 300 to 600 words long. Some packages include a list of keywords.

Packages can be sold individually as a one-time purchase or you can buy into a monthly membership. Individual packages sell for as little as $5 and up. Monthly memberships run under $50 per month and on up.

There is an old saying I know that you are familiar with, “You get what you pay for.” That is most certainly true of the PLR market. Much of it is garbage. Unfortunately, you don’t know it until after you buy the package and review the contents. So, be very careful who you buy from and check around the internet forums for any comments or references before you buy.

Please remember that many of these packages are sold. They are all floating around the internet.

Exclusive Rights

Exclusive rights are those rights that give you ownership of the contents. That includes the claim of authorship and the copyright to the material.

PLR packages with exclusive rights are rare. Maybe even non-existent. If you search the web for ‘exclusive rights PLR’ you get a myriad of hits. If you look closely, you will find that they are not truly exclusive. Most give you the right to claim authorship but hold back the copyright. Without the copyright, you do not have ownership. Depending on the conditions of PLR package you can resell it, give it away, or put your name on it. They are no different than the non-exclusive PLR packages mentioned before.

So, what are exclusive right PLRs? If you hire a writer to write articles for you, upon acceptance and payment, you own the article. You have the copyright. You paid for it. It is yours. There are reputable companies that provide this service. Elance is the most popular. You have to scour through the internet and search since there are many to choose from.

Using PLRs

On occasion I use PLRs. I always rewrite them. I use them when I know very little about the subject I am writing about. It educates me and gives me ideas on what to write. I use them if I have writer’s block. They jump start my creative juices and I am off again.

I use them for fillers on my blog, but I always rewrite them. You can use them to create a PDF file for an eBook. You can use them to make comments on blogs and forums.  PLRs have their place and should not be discounted. Just remember, it is not original content and act accordingly.

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Building an Authority Website

Posted by James Pruitt on February 23, 2010

Building an authority website is going to be critical to your success long term. But, what makes you an authority? Today, I want to share with you the truth about creating authority within your niche. I want to show you how to make yourself stand out, no matter what niche you are in.

First, you have to understand that there is a difference between being an authority and being an expert. Most people try to create authority by pretending to be an expert. This is most obvious in the “make money online” niche. I see people every day spouting off about their expertise, yet they have never made a dime from their own websites.

So, what is an Authority Figure?

An authority figure is anyone who can give you guidance and direction within the topic of choice. They do not know everything about the topic, but they know enough to help you get started, and they know how to find the real experts.

Think of the authority figures in your offline world. A police officer is not an expert on every aspect or definition of the law. They know enough to know if you are breaking it. However, they may not know all the fine points and details. They leave that for the lawyers.

If you are building an authority website, think of yourself as a traffic director. You are there to provide valuable advice, and point people in the direction of the experts. You do not have to fix everyone’s problem. Your job is to build interest, give them a few tips to help them get started, and point your visitors to the experts who can solve their problem.

Affiliate Marketing on Your Authority Website

Now that you understand what makes an authority, how can you direct that traffic and be paid for it? The easiest way is through affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing is where you get a commission for referring sales to a product or service. The best way to do this is to build up a site with around  30 articles about your topic. Focus those articles on the most common problems within your niche, why people need to solve this problem, and what they need to learn how to do. Then, give show them an affiliate product, which will show them how to solve the problem you discussed in the article.

Over time, you should continue adding more articles to your website. Start a blog, or your own forum. By doing this, you will add the ability for your users to create content for you. An authority website usually will have around 100 articles, as well as some social aspects, where your readers can join in a discussion about the problems.

This will take a long time to build up. I recommend starting out with the 30 articles, and getting your website known within the niche. Then, you can test the profitability of the niche, without wasting months of work building up a site that never makes any money.

Using Social Media to Establish Authority

As you build up your authority website, you need to start driving traffic as early as possible.  After all, if you do not market your website effectively, you will fall on your face. One way to do this is by using social media. Social media is simply any website that allows readers to join in the discussion by posting comments, and building up a conversation.

Use social networking sites such as Facebook or MySpace. Meet people interested in your topic, and start up a conversation. You will be amazed by how hungry these people are for the information that you have to share. Remember, you do not have to know everything in order to be successful. Be honest about your knowledge.

Do not just spam these sites with promotions. Get to know the people there. Create relationships, help people, and then promote your website. This will give you readers who already know and trust you before they even see your website.

Building your own online business is a rewarding experience. If you are taking that first step to financial freedom, then you deserve congratulations. Focus on how you can build an authority website in your niche starting today. You will the success you want, which eludes most people who try to start their own online business.

Are you still confused about how to build an authority website?  James Pruitt is the owner of  IMRelations.com, where he teaches people the wonder of creating  customer satisfaction online. He owns several websites in various niches, is the author of several e-books. Learn more about James Pruitt, and how he can help you ease  into your marketing business today.

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Newbies, What Are You Waiting For? An Opinion

Posted by CA Perez on October 17, 2009

What are you waiting for?  Do you think that studying all those methods, secrets, and techniques is going to make you money?  I have had to answer that question for myself again and again. Have you?

What is it that holds us back? Fear? I think fear of the unknown is what holds most of us back.

We are afraid that our website will not compare well against the thousands if not millions of websites and web pages floating in cyberspace.  Well.  Get over it!

We fear that our writing will be criticized by our readers.  So what!   Are you afraid of some unnamed critic without a face?  Your high school teacher is not watching!

Newbies, unite!  Why do so many newbies fail?  There are many reasons.  You get discouraged because you don’t make a sale in the first few weeks.  You hear all the gurus telling you that you can or will make thousands of dollars, maybe hundreds of thousands, within days of using their secret formula.  Most of those gurus have been at this for ten or more years. How long have you been at it?

Do you remember your first car? Unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, it was probably a clunker.  Were you proud of it?  Did you take your girlfriend or boyfriend for ride? Did that old clunker get you from here to there?  Were you afraid of what others would say about it?  No. You were on the road. You had freedom. You were moving.

When did you upgrade to a newer hotter car?  Probably after, you started making some money.  What is the difference between your old clunker of a car and your clunker website?  None.  You have to start somewhere.  The point is YOU have to start.

We fear that our readers will criticize our writing.  Are you afraid someone is going to send you an “F” for poor composition or grammar?  I do not mean to say that you should throw grammar or composition to the wind.  I am saying that you can express yourself much more freely than when you were in school.  Besides, that is what editors are for.  (Note the “for” at the end of that last sentence.  I think it is called a dangling preposition.  I would get an “F” for that.)

I just received an email a few minutes ago from a fellow internet marketer, David Saeger  (The Home Biz Guy) on the same subject!   Here is what he said, “Ready, FIRE, then aim … This is the operating philosophy you MUST adopt to succeed with a home based business. That’s backwards for most people who like to aim before they fire.”

In Internet marketing, that is a good philosophy.  You have to start.  You have to move.  The Internet changes daily.  What you learn today, what works today, may not work tomorrow.

Most businesses struggle their first year before they see a profit not to mention the initial monetary investment to start the business.  In internet marketing, you don’t have that concern.

Give it a year.  If after that time, you still are not making money maybe you should reconsider.  However, that assumes that you have really done something other than study and read about it.

Take action! Just do it!

Read this review of “Conversations With Travis Sago“,the 4-Day Make Money Blueprint.

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Article Publishing and Article Writing

Posted by CA Perez on October 22, 2009

An author writes for many and varied reasons, some altruistic,  some selfish, some a combination.  He writes to express himself, to educate, to make money (earn a living), to convince, etc.  In the end, either he submits his work for publication or he locks it up in drawer.  By definition, the latter can hardly be called an author, except maybe posthumously.

In any case, the author is compensated in money or some other non-monetary gratification. A publisher accepts and publishes an authors’ work for the same reasons that the author writes. He chooses and/or rejects the authors’ work based on self-serving criteria, as does the author submit his work. The criteria for publication vary from publisher to publisher.

The criteria obviously depend on the publishers’ mission statement.  Nevertheless, unless the publishers’ assets are unlimited, the publishers’ overriding concern is profit, profit to continue publishing and to make a living.  That is not a bad thing. It is just a fact. I have met many poor authors and I have yet to meet a poor publisher.  Many poor authors have altruistic mission statements, consciously or unconsciously.

Just as a SCI-FI author would be foolish to submit his work to a home and garden publisher, so would such a publisher be foolish to accept it.  The publishers’ mission statement and policy dictates what is accepted and rejected based on the publishers’ assessment of profitability.

I believe these assumptions are valid online and offline.  The only difference that I see is that the online publisher delivers no hard copy to the public.  The author receives no up front compensation for his work.

The publishers’ responsibilities to the author are to state, outline, or dictate his mission statement or policy. The authors’ responsibility is to determine if his work fits the publishers’ criteria. If it is mutually beneficial, then both profit.  If it is not, then the publisher rejects the authors’ work or the author finds another publisher much like in the offline world.

This whole issue is complicated by the marriage between marketing and article writing. Marketing and writing are not necessarily mutually exclusive. All authors and publishers need both marketing and writing to exist. I am not referring to copywriting. To me that is another form of writing. Copywriting is advertising. It is not article writing.

So what is the emphasis and who determines the emphasis between writing and marketing? Both, the publisher and the author make that determination by choosing to participate in one another’s mission statement.

So what’s the problem? If an ezine directory sets certain policy, either I adhere to it or I find another directory. It has to be of mutual benefit to both the publisher and the author.  If the directory/publisher  does  not fit your style of writing, just move on and find one that does.

Are your article marketing sales suffering? Learn how to write, submit, and market your articles.

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Home Based Business – Make Money in Affiliate Marketing/Article Writing

Posted by Admin on October 24, 2009

Many claim article marketing to be the most effective long-term marketing tool for the affiliate internet marketer.  It is ideal for the home based business. The basis of article marketing is naturally article writing. Now, that makes sense. Anyone can make money in affiliate marketing/article writing with some basic knowledge and training.  It is a learned craft.  It is not a natural talent.

Can you think of a business that has access to over 3.5 Billion potential customers? You guessed right.  Internet marketing is the answer.  Never mind language barriers, many browsers now have translators that will translate text in their browsers.  That makes for one heck of a potential market.

Is it easy? Before I answer that, let me ask you a couple of questions.  Is working nine to five for a boss easy? Is sitting in some office pushing paper easy? Is lifting a pick and shovel easy? You get my drift.

Article marketing is effective because it does not cost you, the marketer, any money to advertise. Wouldn’t you like to advertise across the World Wide Web free? Sure, you would. Imagine reaching out to the billions of internet users with your free advertising.  Wouldn’t you like to own a business and have a potential customer base of over 3.5 billion customers? Of course, you would.  Who would not?

Article marketing/article writing has a learning curve but you can easily learn to turn your words into money.  It is not just about writing an article with good content. It is also about writing with persuasion.  Article marketing is a craft. You can learn it. It’s not hard. It just takes knowledge and practice. As some say, “It’s not rocket science.”

It is effective because it stays on the Internet indefinitely.  Years later, your article will be there. It will continue to generate income.  Even your heirs can benefit from your work.  Assuming of course, you hire a good lawyer to draw up a good will.

It is effective because the search engines in their infinite wisdom catalog your article and rank your article. With proper training and experience, you can have your article appear on the first page of a search engine’s catalog.  With that kind of exposure, called “organic” advertising, you are sure to have a large amount of traffic going to your own site or your product site and you will make more money. And, it’s FREE!

Affiliate marketing/article writing offers you an opportunity like no other.  You can own your own business without the hassle of inventory, employees or customers and make money.  You can get started with a very small investment; under a hundred dollars maybe even less.

It will cost you, mostly your time and energy. Best of all, the potential for financial independence and freedom is near unlimited. You owe it to yourself to try it.

Do you want to start a home based business and make money as an article marketer/writer? Learn how to write, submit, and market your articles.

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Submitting Articles Directly to Ezines

Posted by Charlie Page on October 26, 2009

A lot of people don’t know that submitting articles directly to ezines is a wonderful way to supercharge article marketing efforts.

It makes perfect sense, but somehow this article marketing method is grossly overlooked by beginners and gurus alike.

Here’s the logic of why submitting articles directly to ezines is a powerful and effective strategy.

When you submit your article to an article directory (and you should) you are one of MANY other articles on the site.

Maybe your article will be found – maybe not.

But when your article appears in an ezine it is the ONLY article in that ezine.

So, every reader of that ezine can read YOUR article without the distraction of a million other articles all screaming “read me!”

Don’t get me wrong, article directories are great. But if you are marketing with articles, or want to, and are not submitting directly to ezines you are leaving money on the table.

I know that’s true because I’ve been there. When I was first a member of the DOE (Directory of Ezines) I submitted articles as often as I could. And it worked.

Effective article marketing is a BIG part of how I went from being a member of the DOE to owning the company.

How can you find the right ezines for your articles?

The DOE of course!

Between our database of ezines and the personal consulting I offer it’s the best value online.

Visit Charlie Page at his Directory of Ezines.

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Article Marketing – Newbies, What Comes First, Article Or Marketing?

Posted by CA Perez on November 1, 2009

What comes first, article or marketing? Yes, you are right. It is the word article. It is not only because it the first word in the title, “Article Marketing”. There is an even greater reason that it comes first. Let me explain.

Article marketing is the marriage of writing and marketing. There seems to be some confusion among many writers and marketers about this tool. Marketing takes many forms. As you know, it is advertising. You can advertise in different media like video, audio, or writing. You can do it on TV, on the radio, newspapers, and you can do it on the internet.

Advertising usually requires a written script. You know that its primary purpose is to convince you to buy a product or an idea. You know it when you watch a TV commercial or read a billboard. That is what you are expecting. Copywriting is the art of writing advertising copy. It is a highly paid profession. It takes great insight and skill to persuade people using words.

Articles, on the other hand, are for the most part informational. Yes, I know they sell something as well. They educate, inform, and even may attempt to convince you of the attributes of a given subject. In that sense, they too are advertising.

The difference lies in what the reader of an article is expecting to read. Imagine reading this in an article about prostate cancer: “BEWARE! CANCER KILLS! You must see your doctor annually and check it out. Take XYZ pills and relieve your future suffering NOW!” That isn’t the best of copywriting, but then I am not very good at it. I think you get the point.

As a reader of an article, wouldn’t you expect something more like: “Medical studies have undeniably shown that cancer kills. Physicians advise and recommend that men over 40 have an annual check up. XYZ pills may provide some relief, but first check with your doctor.”

I am sure that you see the difference. The first piece obviously and blatantly is selling you XYZ pills. The second piece is also selling XYZ pills, but it at least gave you one piece of information, men over 40 should have an annual check up. You are reading an article, not watching TV.

Article marketing is unique to the Internet. It is a method used to inform and to sell (advertise). As an article marketer, consider the readers expectations and that is an expectation of information. The buzzword is “content”. Provide the reader with content. Copywriting has its place even in article writing, but content reigns supreme.

Article writing is not copywriting. Its main purpose is to inform; its secondary purpose is to sell. That is why the word “article” is first and the word “marketing” is second in Article Marketing.

Are your article marketing sales suffering? Learn how to write, submit, and market your articles.

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Article Marketing – Copywriting vs. Article Writing-What is the Difference?

Posted by Admin on November 3, 2009

Electing to use article marketing as a source of driving traffic to your business is the most stable form of advertising.  It requires a basic knowledge of two disciplines, copywriting and article writing.  Just what is the difference between the two?

Copywriting

In its simplest form, copywriting is nothing more than using your words to convince a reader to buy your product.  It is consumer psychology 101. Unconsciously we use it verbally everyday. It comes naturally to us.  We use it with our friends, our enemies, and our families. It is a simple technique.

Have you ever asked anyone to choose between two items? You probably have. What you have done is create a picture in the person’s mind of the two choices. Most often that person’s brain has focused on those two things and on no others.  You have controlled the outcome of his decision by limiting his choice to one of the two items.

That is just one of the many techniques that you can use to motivate readers to take action. Other examples include offering pleasure vs. pain, gain over loss,… As you can see, copywriting stirs emotion.  You use words to paint a picture in the brain that evokes an emotion.  The emotion then converts into action.  You, the copywriter, direct that emotion to buy your product.

Can you be a copywriter? Of course, you can.  It is a writing skill. It is a learned skill. With practice, you can accomplish anything. Remember, you use it naturally in your everyday speech.

Article Writing

I am sure you are familiar with this form of writing. In its purest form, it provides nothing but information to a reader. It solves a problem, gives instructions, or it may just spout an opinion. Article writing is much less a form of advertising than its brother, copywriting.  The author is selling his information to the reader, not necessarily selling a product.  Readers of this form of writing, for the most part, do not expect buy something after reading the article.

Article writing is also a learned skill. You are not required to have the imagination of Jules Verne or F. Scott Fitzgerald. Have you ever written yourself a “to do” list? Have you jotted down a reminder note to yourself?  Sure, you have.  Well, then, you can write an article. If you can read, you can write an article.

The Difference

Perhaps, now you see the difference. Copywriting sells. Article writing informs. When we combine the two skills we have a very powerful tool, article marketing.

Do you lack copywriting skills? Now you can learn how to use copywriting and create articles that are more profitable. Are your article marketing sales suffering? Learn how to write, submit, and market your articles.

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Rewriting Your Articles – Some Tips

Posted by A blog for Newbies about Internet Marketing on January 15, 2010

If you have ever searched the Internet  on a given subject, read the information and then clicked on the link provided only to find the exact same information, you have experienced a sense of frustration and a waste of your time.

I would leave that site quicker than the flicker of wind blown flame. Why? Because the author of the article or site is lazy and not really interested in providing me with useful and unique information.

Here are a few tips that you should consider when writing an article for publication to an article directory.

  • After writing the article consider rewriting several different versions of the article.
  • While it is fresh in your memory, it is easy to reword.
  • Start with the first paragraph. Use synonyms and rearrange the rewritten sentences.
  • It is best to go through the entire article. Rewording each paragraph.
  • Create at least two versions for each paragraph.
  • Limiting your rewrite to words, phrases, or sentences undermines the uniqueness you are trying to create.
  • Rewriting your articles and submitting unique articles to different directories increases your search engine exposure.
  • Do not use rewriting software that arbitrarily or randomly uses synonyms to automatically generate articles. It is a waste of your money and time.
  • If you do decide to use article rewriting software, make sure that you have complete control of the input and the output.
  • With two or more versions for each paragraph and a good rewriting software you can easily generate 10 to 20 unique and quality articles.
  • Rewriting articles not only improves search engine optimization (SEO), it reduces the bounce rate to your site. Thus, more sales!

Article rewriting can be time consuming without some automation. Nevertheless, it is well worth the effort. How would you like to go from one site to another and find the exact same article? I think not.

I personally know of only one piece of software that allows you complete and total control of the content of your rewritten articles.

Please read this review and decide for yourself. I think you would agree that rewriting your articles for multiple submissions makes sense.

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Marketing Strategies with your Strategy Development

Posted by James Pruitt on June 12, 2010

Many get stuck on one method and never use different marketing strategies with their strategy development process. It is great that a certain marketing method is working but do not limit yourself with that one method. It is important to have a variety of different methods to use.

Expanding into other areas will help grow your business as a much faster pace and allow you to reach your goals. This does not mean that you should stop using the methods you are currently using but to expand onto using some other ones.

If you are scared of spending far to much time on learning another method, don’t be. This is a normal part of business and learning new skills will always help you grow your business easier. The more you grow your business the faster your goals are reached and the faster you can enjoy security for your family.

Set yourself up a plan to spend a few hours a day or a few hours a week, depending upon your schedule. This plan should consist of you spending that time learning a new skill, you can learn new skills one at a time. There is no need to rush into trying to learn everything at once.

Take your time and spend your allotted hours on learning as much as you can about a new skill. Then take that new skill and apply it to your business until it produces the results you are looking for. Once you have skill mastered then you can move onto another one.

Read More…Use Different Marketing Strategies with your Strategy Development

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