Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Fake Review Scams


Online marketers and people trying to make a buck off the internet are always taking advantage of easy-to-market affiliate programs, especially those being offered by Clickbank. Clickbank is a place to find easy-to-sell digital products allowing you to turn a profit without having to own a website.. If you send a buying customer to one of their pages through an “affiliate link” and a sale is made, your hyperlink makes the connection and you just pulled in usually 50% or more of the profit. Digital products, such as ebooks and software, offer their affiliates such a high profit margin because they have no overhead. They are transmitted digitally over the internet from the sales page to the buyer's computer so there are no shipping costs. The product itself is digital and can hardly be considered tangible, so there are no associated production costs either. The high profit margin is the reason why these products sell so well. Plenty of webmasters and entrepreneurs are willing to sell them for an extra source of revenue. There are even products sold on Clickbank which teach people how to market and sell Clickbank products!

You can find these products promoted on legitimate websites owned by internet gurus as additional revenue streams. It is a great way to make an extra dollar. If a person leaves a website and doesn't buy anything, the savvy website owner might as well give them another chance to visit an affiliate website and gain more potential for making money. But unfortunately, most people are using keyword advertising, specifically with Google Adwords, to spam the internet with affiliate product advertisements. It has become so prevalent that is has actually become a nuisance. Google supposedly puts in measures to prevent spam on their search engines results with specific algorithms, but they are allowing people to take over their paid search results and market the same products over and over and over with these affiliate product advertisements on their Adwords program. The only benefit seems to be for Google. They are making a killing. Take the top selling 20 products on Clickbank. You can find about 100 different ads for the same product on Google Adwords with certain key term searches.

First of all, the customer should be given a choice. But because these key terms are so popular, they are pushing the price of Google Adwords up and only the keyword elite can afford them. Smaller business owners are no longer able to afford the same key terms for their own legitimate products or websites on Google Adwords. The prices for small ads on Adwords has now reached a ridiculous rate for popular search terms and the conversion rates compared to cost is now at a point where they are ineffective and worthless.

There is another problem and a big one. Many of these digital products aren't worth one pixel used to create them, despite their incredible claims on their sales' pages. Smart customers try to find reviews before they purchase by typing in the product name and the word “review” in search engines. This simple search used to work. However, the guru keyword advertisers have found ways to make money on these searches as well. You are now unable to find one legitimate review on any digital product. All of the major search engines, especially Google, is spammed with fake affiliate product reviews.

Some of these ads will state the name of the product and the word “Review” next to it, while the description promises a real review. But the link only takes you to the product page via an affiliate hyperlink! Another tactic is to promise real reviews, but the click is only led to a splash page which states how great the product is. These pages contain fabricated reviews! Fraudulent reviews are intended to get you to think the product is great and entice you to buy. Listed on these bogus review pages are affiliate links to the product itself. It is obvious that they are fake. Real human reviews would not contain so much marketing language and who on earth would pay to have Google Adwords display their reviews unless they only had one intention? To make money. These splash pages are often created by the product owner and copies can be found on their affiliate pages specifically for keyword advertisers and for the purpose of forged review advertising.

The worst tactic I have seen so far, and which probably work the best, are the ads which promise a real review of the product while touting the word “SCAM” somewhere in the title. Anyone looking for an honest review is apt to click on this ad. Little does the average surfer know that every single one of these ads is a scam itself. They just lead you to another fake review telling you how great the product is. No one in their right mind, anyhow, would pay for a Google ad to tell you NOT to buy this product. This is just another sad method to get you to click on their ad above others and potentially buy the product through their specific affiliate link. These product reviews are the scams!!!

What the web needs is an authentic digital product review website where visitors can log in and leave honest reviews. But they also need to be able TO FIND a place such as this. Http://www.downloadreviews.org is a new website where living and breathing people can read and leave human reviews for digital products such as ebooks and software. Users can also submit items for review in case they can't find the product they are looking for. Membership is free and is only needed to prevent product owners from leaving multiple and invented reviews on their own products. Besides, most products will surely get horrible reviews and this website will never make a penny off of them. It is a brand new website, so it needs user reviews and lots of them.

The problem still resides with Google Adwords and keyword advertising. Fake product reviews are something which should be banned. They are misleading and false. And it makes it all the more difficult for consumers to find the real product reviews. We can't stress it enough...Google...get rid of the FAKE PRODUCT REVIEW SPAM! These fake reviews aren't just found on search engine ads, but they are also posted on message boards and websites allowing people to leave any kind of message they want with specific meta tags as well.

People utilize these website to infest the web with these fake reviews and spam a little more. It seems like there is no escaping the cloud of falsified information now found on Google.

Monday, June 15, 2009

How to Write a Good Review


You see them everywhere; on the back of books or magazines, listed on websites, on posters if they are films and sometimes whole sites on the internet are geared to listing them for every conceivable product. So, what are they? And, why are they so important?

They are reviews and they are important because they help consumers decide whether or not they want to purchase that particular product or service. They are also an excellent marketing tactic for the companies or authors who request them. The trouble is, anyone can write a review but not everyone can write a good review. Quality will be the key factor in encouraging the consumer, to buy or not to buy that particular product, so that review must grab them almost straightaway.

So, how do you write a good review? Easy. Here are my Top 10 Tips to becoming a good and respected reviewer whatever the product. Please note these tips can apply to anything that you need to review. Some of the suggestions might even be obvious but you will be surprised at how often they are omitted:

1. The most important tip is to enjoy what you do. You must be an avid reader and enjoy discovering new talent and products. If you dont, it will show in your review and you are in the wrong job.

2. As you read or browse, make a mental note or write it down if you think you will forget, of specific areas of the product that spark something in you. This could be an act or situation in a novel that you can personally relate to. For example, I could relate to the title of one novel that I reviewed recently. I was interested to see if the title mirrored my own personal experiences. Whether it did or didn't, in the end, is immaterial but what I felt on a personal level was then added to the final review.

3. Think about what the product says to you as a reviewer. Do you hate it? Are there particular facts or information that you feel are incorrect e.g. historical dates or myths? Does it excite or anger you? What other emotions does it instil in you? As an example, I read and reviewed a novel some time ago, that stated, what I saw as, two incorrect historical facts. It didn't mean that I hated the novel, far from it, but it did mar my enjoyment of it. I stated my feelings in the final review, but unfortunately I received no acknowledgment that the author had received the completed piece. So, be warned. It does not automatically mean your opinions will be liked or accepted. You will, however, gain respect and a good and fair reputation as a reviewer. If you are not honest with yourself and/or your clients, then what is the point of the review?

4. One of my bad habits in writing is repeating the same word over and over again. Make use of a thesaurus to find another way of saying a similar thing.

5. Make sure you have all relevant information correct in your review. Sometimes, it can be easy to forget the name of a specific character in a novel, product name or even contact information for the author/webmaster. Check the facts again. Try not to make any errors in that respect otherwise it looks like you haven't even looked at the product or that you care about what you are reviewing.

6. If you are reviewing a novel or book, don't just write what the novel is about in your own words and have, at worst, one line of your own thoughts. Believe me I have seen reviews out there like this. This is an example of a very poor review. A review is an opinion; yours. The reader wants to know what you thought of the novel not just what the book or product is about even if it is written in your own words. Remember: That is what the synopsis is for!

7. Unless you are working for a review site that asks for this way of writing a review, dont mark separate areas of the novel or product with ratings or points. This method is extremely hard and boring to read. Reviews for books should be short and to the point. They are supposed to be designed to attract the buyer in a limited time. Reviews are not always the most exciting things to read unless you are looking for a specific item. Using this way of reviewing guarantees the loss of interest or sale for your client.

8. Develop your own style of writing. When I started reviewing I had to follow a set standard review format because that was what was required at the site I worked for. Over the years, I have stuck to this basic format but have developed my own style and pattern. Personalize your work.

9. Communicate with your clients. Have a happy, cheerful, friendly disposition and they will submit to you again in the future.

10. And, finally, have fun!

So, there you go. If you follow the tips above I can guarantee you will be well on your way to becoming a proficient reviewer.

Happy Reviewing!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Products Review and Clickbank


Are you searching for more and more ways to increase your money making ability using the power of the Internet? Welcome to the world of information. With a clickbank product review you can search out a product or you can look for information on a certain topic. Clickbank is one of the largest affiliate programs. There are over 10,000 products that you could promote or just learn about. Purchase the product through your own affiliate link, you can usually save 50%-75% of the regular purchase price. There are enough programs to keep the most aspiring marketer busy for a very long time.

To become a clickbank member it is free and you get access to products immediately. When you register you will choose a user name or as it's called a nick name. Put this nick name into all the product links you are promoting. When someone clicks on that link you will be credited to your account your part of the sale. Clickbank pays you every two weeks. The more traffic you send to a link the more commissions you will be paid.

Once you are registered you may go to promote products link and view the different categories that you may be interested in. You will find there information on the product such as commission earned on each sale, commission percentage and popularity. Click that products link and take a look around it's website. Would you like to promote such a product? Your okay with the product, you can now create what is called a hoplink. This is the product link with your nickname in it. Keep this link as this will be used in your promotion. You can promote as many Clickbank products as you like.

Clickbank product review websites look at different products listed at Clickbank. Many articles have been written about the different products. Gather information about the product you want to promote or even just to learn about them. As you enter the world of affiliate marketing
they supply many helpful tools and resources to make your business a success. Knowledge is an asset. The more we learn the greater an asset we are.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Bad Consumer Product Review to deal with


A consumer product review is a vital part of ensuring the quality of a product. After all, who knows more about how it really works than the people who buy it? A consumer product review can be an invaluable asset when it comes to selling products and services. A customer recommendation will go a long way toward helping endorse a product and make it appealing to other consumers. On the other hand, a bad consumer product review can bring sales to a screeching halt.

It’s fear of a bad consumer product review that inspires many sites to remove product reviews from their web pages altogether. If consumers don’t have a chance to express their opinion, they won’t have the chance to give a bad product review. The problem with that logic is that consumers may assume sites that don’t include a consumer product review have something to hide. If they didn’t, wouldn’t they give their customers the chance to let them know what they think?

The best way to promote sales and still establish feelings of friendship and trust with your consumers isn’t to eliminate the chance of a bad consumer product review, it’s to deal with it. What stores do you respect more, those that sweep their customer complaints under the rug so as not to accumulate bad publicity or those that are open and honest and willing to fix their mistakes?

Here are some quick and easy tips to dealing with a bad consumer product review that will help you to keep your customers happy, your reputation intact and your consumer product review forum working the way it’s supposed to:

1) Always ensure that when you post the option to make a consumer product review you include a space for them to give you their contact information (preferably only by e-mail). Make this mandatory; you can’t fix a problem if you can’t reach the person who is having it.

2) Troll your review forums daily to locate bad reviews immediately.

3) As soon as you find a bad consumer product review, make note of it in your records. Include the consumer having the problem, the product or service that they purchased and the issues they are having. Chances are good that if the problem is associated with the product it will pop up again.

4) Note whether their complaint deals with your product or your service. Many consumers love their products, but if they have had a difficult time making a transaction with the company involved they will walk away unhappy.

5) Contact the consumer immediately and offer to work with them to correct the situation. Treat these complaints the same way you would a customer complaint if you were working in a physical store and they were able to speak to you face to face-assume that the customer is always right and do what you have to do to leave them happy with the situation. This may mean a refund, a repair (free of charge) or a product switch or upgrade.

6) Encourage them to post a recounting of their experience with you on the consumer product review forum to let other consumers know that you are a seller who is willing to do what it takes to do the job right

Monday, June 8, 2009

Importance of High quality Product Reviews

Involved in owning a two wheeler or a car? Have a project to create your home in the nearby coming? As you begin to read construe the article below beneath, it will squander your mind in balloon imagine and achieve your daydream. Comments online is a secret treasure to accomplish money to help you prefer the best unoccupied online work that gives you the opportunity to win thousands of dollars.

little sites online money guides you with a secret wealth to accomplish money just by unoccupied registration. You hold meal in details suchlike the name that should seem on your analyze, destination to which checks should be direct dispatched, email destination, and additional broad content. Upon presentation of these details will be addicted really shortly by e-mail this available money online reviews website. If you have a positive online reviews, that the great-be trustworthy to make a note or a marker that is written, both supportive and unfavorable comments and what they say it. The incoming time you have a critical or negative criticism, you can ask one of the supportive reviewers (or one of your advisable customers or supporters) to react and talk around what they acquire positive virtually yourself your association or company. This system is at once because you do not put words in the mouth as well as good business comprehend. Over 75% of web users believe online reviews.


They attempt to support them accomplish purchasing decisions and influence their purchasing choices. The comments are a vast influence feedback for potential customers and clients. The comments are most often related with the service attached industries, specified as hotels, lodges and restaurants or replicate shops, but the benefits of evidence / comments. People Prefer doing business with companies they see others hold left thought mitigated or impressed with the goods, products or services provided. An online journal for your job can be a strong tool to support you go to the investigate lists.


For few reason, people experience virtue to be invited to offer online reviews for your enterprise, especially your "regulars". All you acquire to do is ask but be prepared to verify them where to depart your comments. Accomplish trusty the e-mail or feedback form is easily gettable or associated to the first page of your computer and responds speedily to comments and feedback. In any circumstance, keep an eye on what is willingness said almost you online. To do this, you can use an RSS client / individual to analyze the indications on few sites, and run a Google or Character examine for mentions of your analyze, your organization or organization.


As you grow loyal customers, ask each to write a analyze on one of the sites reviewed. By doing this, customers help set the tone and get you new clients, customers or supporters. A development appreciation is that Internet users supported on the comments before starting contact. With these tips, you can keep up with what is said around you online reviews and handle your laurels. It is advantage activity in your activity to encourage customers to move from one list and departure comments.

If you displace a production to a customer, try to add a contact to a proof writer in their e-mail approval. Ask for comments and feedback is a high way to create believe and affinity with you, your clients and customers to you and your brand. It adds not exclusive credibility to your ad and your brand, but it also creates useful fodder for investigate engines.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Safe Online Shopping

Online consumers spend billions of dollars each year, and as online shopping becomes more and more favored, the major reason why there are still some people who would rather not shop online is shopping security. Here are some guidelines, which you could use to make sure that your security, privacy and rights will be protected when shopping on the internet.

1. Make sure that you are aware of the currency exchange rate before purchasing any international merchandise.


2. Know the delivery cost and time frame before you even place your order. A lot of shopping websites make use of couriers in the delivery of goods. Also, overseas delivery could be expensive.


3. Before placing a bid on eBay, make sure that you will be checking the feedback of the buyers and sellers. Make this your standard as you go on eBay.


4. Always, always, always read the FAQs of the website carefully.


5. If the company or individual you are buying from asks for cash as payment, say no. Using your credit card for payments would be able to protect you from fraudulent transactions. This is because credit card companies are able to issue refunds if there would be any proven fraudulent activity on your account.


6. View the contact page of the buyer. Verify if their postal address is on there. If it is not, do not do business with them.


7. If you have questions, ask. Genuine sellers are helpful and there are even shopping websites that have customer feedback forms.


8. Read twice the company's terms and conditions, as well as their privacy policy.


9. Try searching the company in Google or any search engine to know more about the company from comments and reviews from other consumers.


10. If you still feel unsure on shopping online, then you could probably try shopping the conventional way. You need not force yourself on something that you are uncertain of. However, do not shy away from online shopping altogether. Eventually, you would realize that it could provide a truly worthwhile experience.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Online Reviews and Purchasing Behavior

Online reviews are gaining more credibility and are influencing more and more online buyers. According to Opinion Research Corp., 84% of Americans say online reviews influence their purchasing decision. Online reviews are more influential and come just only next to word-of-mouth publicity.

A majority of the respondents said that online reviews of a product or service given by the earlier users have an influence on their purchasing decision. 84% of the Americans say online reviews have influence on their purchasing behavior. But interestingly, only 24% of the respondents said that they posted a review on a product or a service. This means, a small portion of people are influencing a majority of the people’s buying behavior. Therefore, the people who write reviews are more vital in online publicity and ultimately in the process of online purchasing.

People are finding online forums helpful in learning about a product or a service. According to the report, 66% of the respondents said that they have visited some type of online forum while they are looking to purchase a specific brand of product or service. Company websites are popular among the forums with 71% of the respondents’ visit and is followed by online rating systems and government/consumer advocacy systems with 57% and 54% respectively.

In a survey done, it is revealed that online reviews are only next to word-of-mouth publicity in influencing the purchasing decision. Around 20% of the respondents said that online reviews influence strongly, where as, it is 35% for word-of-mouth. Article published in a magazine/newspaper comes next with just more than 10%.

It is also found that 80% of the user generated content on the Web is produced by only 9% of the online population, who are termed as ‘most frequent contributors’. This point vindicates that small portion of the active participants dominate the user generated content. They are actively followed by the majority of the people who read the content and get influenced rather than contributing it.

User generated content is getting more and more important, as people trust on the feedback given by their fellow users. User generated content which is a result of social networking will gain more importance in the marketing and promotion strategies of the companies online as well as offline.