FREE How To Create A Print Pattern and E-Pattern E-Pamphlet

I get asked a lot - "How do you design a doll e-pattern?"

So, a few months ago I wrote a 4-part series of articles on "How to Create A Print Pattern and E-Pattern" for Primitive Times Magazine E-Zine and thought that maybe all of you might like it if I created a FREE .PDF E-Pamphlet for that series of articles. So, I did. Now everyone who wants to try and design their own doll or craft patterns or e-patterns can find out how to do it.

If you'd like to read my 4-part series all you need to do is to download the FREE .PDF attachment, save it on your computer, and open it up in Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher. If you don’t have Adobe Acrobat Reader, don’t worry. The Adobe Acrobat Reader is a FREE download from Adobe. Just go to www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html and follow the instructions for downloading the program.

If you already have the Adobe Acrobat Reader (which most computer users do) then all you need to do is to download the PDF file attachment and then open it to view it. It will open in the Adobe Acrobat Reader program. From there you can save it to your computer, view it, or print it.

If you'd like to download my FREE Linda's How-Do-I Series? How To Create A Print Pattern and E-Pattern please just CLICK HERE or click on the picture above.

I hope you enjoy my FREE Linda's How-Do-I Series? How To Create A Print Pattern and E-Pattern E-Pamphlet and hope it motivates you to create your own e-patterns.



Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - Written Linda Walsh of Linda Walsh Originals, Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns,Linda Walsh Originals DOLLS NEW Handmade Dolls & Crafts Website, Linda Walsh Originals Dolls and Linda's Blog. Linda is a doll maker and doll pattern designer. http://lindawalshoriginals.com

WHAT'S NEW On Our Editors Pages

Our editors are always adding NEW content to their pages of our Primitive Times Magazine website. Since we wouldn't want you to miss anything NEW we decided that we'd tell you about the NEW content that is added to our editors pages each month on our Primitive Times Magazine Blog. That way you'll always know what's NEW.

This month we have quite a few NEW articles on the editors pages of our Primitive Times Magazine website that we thought you might like to know about.

Here's what's new:


Neenee's Nook
Basically, Neenee's whole page is brand new and she has already added 2 great crafting articles that prim lovers are sure to enjoy. Plus, Neenee is a terrific graphics artist and she has added some of her wonderful FREE graphics including dolls, bears, fairies, mammies, sheep, angels and more.

Free Stick Horse Pattern by Neenee
Handmade Potpourri
FREE Graphics From Neenee
Boiling Ham and Cabbage Recipe
FREE Doll, Bear, & Fairy Graphics From Neenee - NEW
Making a Candle Jar - NEW


From The Crow's Nest by Debbie

Debbie has two great articles for prim crafters.

Tea Staining Fabric NEW
Rusting Items NEW


Dear Linda
If you like learning the history of certain items be sure to checkout Linda's latest article on the history of faceless dolls. If you like dolls and history you'll love reading this article and the other articles on Linda's "Dear Linda" page.

The History of Faceless Dolls-NEW



Prim Business Articles by Angie

Angie added another great business article on website how-to's.

Website How-To's - NEW


There's a ton of information on all our editors pages. We have everything from Free Graphics, Free Patterns, Recipes, Craft Projects, Business Tips, Craft Tips, Historical Articles, Advice for WAHM's, How-To's, Prim Crafting Tips, and so much more.

We hope you get a chance to stop by our Primitive Times Magazine website and read the latest from our editor's pages.


Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - Written Linda Walsh of Linda Walsh Originals, Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns,Linda Walsh Originals DOLLS NEW Handmade Dolls & Crafts Website, Linda Walsh Originals Dolls and Linda's Blog. Linda is a doll maker and doll pattern designer. http://lindawalshoriginals.com

Blogs, Blogs, and More Blogs!

BLOGS, BLOGS, AND MORE BLOGS!

Have any of you noticed how many blogs there are now for individuals, crafters, small business, corporations, etc.?

Everyday when I'm listening to the news I hear someone say, "Just go to so and so's blog at....." And, I love hearing that!

That tells me that blogs have become more and more commonplace as tools for individuals and families to stay in touch, as tools for small businesses and their customers, as tools for the news media, as selling tools, and as tools for mainstream businesses. Everyone and their brother has a blog and I think it's FABULOUS!

What I also love is how many crafting bloggers there are out there. And, most are around my age - which I also think is FABULOUS! WAY TO GO BABY BOOMERS!

If you key the word blog into Google you'll get 1,030,000,000 results. That's a LOT OF BLOGS.

There's a reason why blogs have been increasing in popularity exponentially over the past few years and it's because they are FREE, they are easy to use, they are extremely easy to update, and they are highly personal - which most customers LOVE. If you were to apply the reality TV versus regular TV analogy to blogs and websites you'd understand why reality TV and blogs are so popular. They are both highly personal and both involve people interacting with each other.

Plus, they can and do function for some bloggers as very professional websites. You can have your own domain name and you can use a shopping cart. In fact, I'd say that there isn't much you can't do with a blog. There is a way to do just about anything you want to. That makes blogs much more versatile than a website as they are much more flexible. And, they are a LOT easier to change and update.

The Internet is ever changing and to be in business on the Internet you need to be fluid and ever changing. That means utilizing what's popular with users and customers. BLOGS are extremely popular and easily adaptable to any kind of commerce, especially e-commerce and e-products.

I, personally, love shopping with someone who has a personal or small business blog. I love the feeling of getting to know the person I'm buying from. I don't know if you feel the same way, too, but I always feel more comfortable buying from someone who has taken the time to tell me something about their product(s) and their life or business. By doing so they make me feel feel more comfortable doing business with them. And, that's what writing blogs for small businesses does. Hopefully, if the blog reader is comfortable with the blog owner they will buy their product.

If they do that's FABULOUS! Bring on the blogs. The more the merrier!


Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - Written By Linda Walsh of Linda Walsh Originals, Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns, and Linda's Blog. Linda is a doll maker and doll pattern designer. http://lindawalshoriginals.com

I Finished My "Linda's How-Do-I Series? - FREE Helpful Tips For Crafters" YIPPEE!

I thought you all might like to know that I finished my "Linda's How-Do-I Series?" on my "Tips For Crafters On The Web" blog. YIPPEE!!!

Why did I create this series?

Well, I get asked a lot of the time by other crafters with websites or blogs "How do I do this?" or "What's the html code for that?" so I thought it would be better if I just posted the articles on my "Tips For Crafters On The Web" blog then everyone could then see how to do it. Plus, it will save me a lot of time as I can just reference the articles versus re-inventing the wheel and creating separate emails.

So, a little sharing and a little self preservation. And, I thought I'd post the links here so our Primitive Times Magazine blog, Primitive Times E-Zine, and Primitive Times Magazine website readers could have the FREE tips, too.

I think I have everything but the kitchen sink in there! If not, just let me know and tell me what else you think would be helpful.

In any event, I'm done. YIPPEE!!! Here's all 43 of the articles:

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Handle Different Size Banners Within A Table?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add Wallpaper Or An Image To The Background Of My Table?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add Clickable Text Links To My Table With Centered, Padded, Spaced, and Bordered Clickable Images?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add Padding, Spacing, and Borders To The Images Within My Table?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Center Images Within A Table And Make Those Images Clickable?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add Images To A Simple Table?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Build A Simple Table?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Create A Simple Name Banner Out Of HTML Code?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? What About Banners? How Do I Know What Size To Get?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? What Are The Names And #'s For The Sixteen CSS Named Colors?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add Color To The Border And Color To The Background Of Two Rows Of Clickable Banners?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add Borders To Two Rows of Clickable Advertising Buttons?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Build Two Rows of 3 Clickable Advertising Buttons Each?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add A Background Color To Boxes Surrounding Two Clickable Banners Of Different Sizes?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Space Two Banners Of Different Sizes Evenly Within Their Boxes?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Change The Background Color Between The Borders Of My Pictures or Banners?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Change The Background Of The Area Within My Border?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Make My Banners With Colored Borders Clickable?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add A Colored Border Around My Banners?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add Color To My Borders and Text?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Create A Clickable E-Product Ad?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Draw A Line, Skip A Line, Add A Paragraph, and Underline?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? Why Would I Want To Create Generic Posts?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? What's The Difference Between All Those Picture File Types?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Use Margins, Padding, and Borders?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Create A Promotion, Copyright or Bio Signature?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add Horizontal Advertising Buttons?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Widen My Blog?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add Wallpaper To My Blog?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add Vertical Advertising To My Website?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Provide A CLICKABLE Link To Another Section On The page?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Create An Email Link?

Linda's How -Do-I Series? How Do I Change My Font Type, Size, and Color?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add A Text Link?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add A Scrolling Banner?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Center My Banner, Button, Text or Picture?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Make A Clickable Link List?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Set-up A FREE .PDF File?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? YIKES! My E-Patterns Files Are Huge!

Linda's How-Do-I Series? Can I Make My Plugboard Bigger?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Take A Screenshot Of My Website?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? - How To Set-up Forum Signatures or Siggy's?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How To Set-Up An Email Signature?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add a Banner Rotation To My Website?

I hope all of the above is helpful to not only new crafters just setting up websites or blogs, but to some seasoned crafters as well.


Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - Written By Linda Walsh of Linda Walsh Originals, Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns, and Linda's Blog. Linda is a doll maker and doll pattern designer. http://lindawalshoriginals.com

We're Having a Contest! Primitive Times Magazine is Having a Fabulous Contest!

We're having a contest!

That's RIGHT!

A FABULOUS CONTEST!

Really?

Sure are! So, come on over and enter our contest for a chance to win the lamp shown above in our button ad!

How do you enter?

Simply! Of course!

Just place an ad between Feb 2nd-Feb 28th for a chance to win this great prize!!

That's all you have to do.

The beautiful lamp shown on the button was reviewed by Brenda in our February 2007 issue. It was created by Seneca Pond Crafts which is a wonderful website filled with prim and country goodies.

So, what are you waiting for?

You don't want to miss out on this opportunity to not only advertise in the "hottest" crafting e-zine around, but also to enter to win the Seneca Pond Crafts lamp.

We're having a terrific contest!!! Primitive Times Magazine is having a FABULOUS CONTEST!

So, come on over and place an ad.


Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - Written By Linda Walsh of Linda Walsh Originals, Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns, and Linda's Blog. Linda is a doll maker and doll pattern designer. http://lindawalshoriginals.com

Linda's NEW "Linda How-Do-I-Series?"

I thought you all might like to know that I'm running a NEW "Linda's How-Do-I Series?" on my "Tips For Crafters On The Web" blog and on my "Testing The Blogs and Helpful Blog Tips" blog.

Why a new series?

Well, I get asked a lot of the time "How do I do this?" or "What's the html code for that?" so I thought it would be better if I just posted the articles on my "Tips For Crafters On The Web" blog and on my "Testing The Blogs and Helpful Blog Tips" blog then everyone could then see how to do it. Plus, it will save me a lot of time as I can just reference the articles versus re-inventing the wheel and creating separate emails.

So, a little sharing and a little self preservation.

In any event, here's the articles I've posted so far:

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Create A Clickable Product Ad?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Draw A Line, Skip A Line, Add A Paragraph, and Underline?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? Why Would I Want To Create Generic Posts?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? What's The Difference Between All Those Picture File Types?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Use Margins, Padding, and Borders?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Create A Promotion, Copyright or Bio Signature?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add Horizontal Advertising Buttons?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Widen My Blog?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add Wallpaper To My Blog?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add Vertical Advertising To My Website?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Provide A CLICKABLE Link To Another Section On The page?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Create An Email Link?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Change My Font Type, Size, and Color?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add A Text Link?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add A Scrolling Banner?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Center My Banner, Button, Text or Picture?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Make A Clickable Link List?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Set-up A FREE .PDF File?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? YIKES! My E-Patterns Files Are Huge!

Linda's How-Do-I Series? Can I Make My Plugboard Bigger?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Take A Screenshot Of My Website?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? - How To Set-up Forum Signatures or Siggy's?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How To Set-Up An Email Signature?

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How Do I Add a Banner Rotation To My Website?

I hope all of the above is helpful to you. There will be many, many more "how-do-I" tips to come. Stay tuned.


Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - Written By Linda Walsh of Linda Walsh Originals, Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns, and Linda's Blog. Linda is a doll maker and doll pattern designer. http://lindawalshoriginals.com

What The....Are Plugboards?

It seems like everyone in the online crafting crafting community is getting a plugboard for their website or blog.

A what?

A Plugboard!

What's that?

Well, basically they are FREE remotely hosted boards that you can create using customized HTML code that allow users to add their advertising banner themselves onto the plugboard on your website or blog. Their banners remain on your plugboard until they are bumped off, in which case, they can return and plug their banner again. This creates traffic for your website as the users keep coming back to your website to see if their banner is still there.

Using plugboards is very, very easy. Users just need to enter two pieces of information into the two clickable boxes on the bottom of your plugboard. They enter their button or banner URL and website or blog URL and then click "PLUG". Their banner is then added to your plugboard.

Where can you get a plugboard? At Plug-Board.com

They are easy to use and can host 4 different size banners: 88x31, 88x15, 50x50, and 468x60. Most plugboards house 88x31 size banners. Each plugboard can hold 60 buttons. However, this can be adjusted so your plugboard can hold more or less buttons. You can change the "Buttons per row" and/or "Number of rows" of buttons in your settings. 10 buttons are archived at any point in time so if you need to delete a button then you won't have a blank hole in your plugboard.

Each plugboard can be easily customized and controlled through a simple easy to use control panel that you can access on the plugboard website. You can edit and control who uses your plugboard by deleting buttons you don't want, ban users IP's you don't like, and ban domains. There is also a "Flood control" feature that holds the specified seconds between plugging times to help prevent spammers. You can also set you account up so that you are email notified when someone plugs on your board. You can even decide what background color you'd like to use for your plugboard or make it transparent.

After you establish an account and sign-in you will be brought to your "Posts" page where you will see all the banners on your plugboard. If this is a brand new plugboard they will all be blue in color with the text "Plug Your Site Here." You will also notice that there is a horizontal menu just above plug administration at the top of the page. The menu has the following options: Posts, Settings, Restrictions, HTML Code, Account, and Logout.

Each of these pages allows you to do different things to control your plugboard, which are as follows:

Posts - Here you can delete a banner, ban an IP address, ban a domain, and edit the IP of the button. The latter is useful if someone accidentally enters a URL or a website or banner with a typo and would like you to correct it.

Settings - On this page you can change your plugboards settings. You can change the background colour, disable posting, enter the number of seconds you want for flood control to prevent spammers, change the button size, change the number of buttons per row, change the number of rows, and edit your email notify.

Say for example you want to change your plugboard which uses 88x31 size banners from having 60 buttons set-up as 10 buttons per row and 6 rows to fit the sidebar of your blog. You would change the number of buttons per row to 2 and the number of rows to 30. If you want a really large plugboard on your website you might change the number of buttons per row to 8 and the number of rows to, say, 15 so your plugboard now holds 120 banners.

If you want to change the background field then just type the hex code without the # into the box or leave it blank for transparent.

If you don't want other people to post on your plugboard then click in the disable posting box and it will add a check mark there which will prevent users from posting their banner to your plugboard.

Flood control helps with spammers and contains the number of seconds you want to allow between plugs. Leave the flood control field blank to disable it.

If you want to be notified when someone adds their banner to your plugboard then check the E-mail box.

If you change anything in your settings then you need to click "Update" so your settings are changed.

Restrictions - On this page you are able to remove the ban on multiple IPs or URLs that you may have previously banned. Each row shows either an IP being blocked or a URL being blocked. To add an IP, enter the IP under "IP" and click Update. You do not have to enter a URL to ban an IP or vice versa.

HTML Code - This page contains the customized HTML or Alternate Javascript code you need to add to your website or blog based upon the settings you chose. All you need to do is to copy and paste the HTML code from the first box to wherever you would like your plugboard to be displayed. If you know HTML you can edit the code on your website. For example, the default for the plugboards is "center" alignment. You might want to change the code so the alignment is "left" or right" to better suit your website or blog.

I have found that the HTML code is the best code to use for most websites and blogs. There is an Alternative Javascript code in the second box. I have used this as well. However, I have found that when there is a problem with the plug-board.com website that the Javascript code tends to freeze the plugboard and not allow the rest of a blog to be displayed. If there is a problem on the Plug-board.com website the HTML code will leave the plugboard blank or show an error message.

Account - This page has your plugboard account information on it and it can be edited. Leave the password field blank if you do not want to change it.

Logout - For signing off your plugboard account.

You might be wondering if there are any rules for plugging. Who may or may not plug on your plugboards is entirely up to you. You determine the criteria for plugging and then remove those plugs that don't meet your criteria. Just make sure that your rules are clearly posted near your plugboard. For example, your rules might be as follows:

RULES: Please feel free to plug your website or blog if you are in craft related industry. We are a family-friendly website. Any non family-friendly plugs will be removed. Please only plug once and then wait for your banner to be removed before plugging again. Enjoy the plug.

Plugboards are a lot of fun and I should know. I have 8 of them. So, come on! Start plugging!!!!! You don't want to miss out on all the fun - do you!


Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - Written By Linda Walsh of Linda Walsh Originals, Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns, and Linda's Blog. Linda is a doll maker and doll pattern designer. http://lindawalshoriginals.com

Raising Your Family and Your Home Business

Being a working Mom is a tough job, trying to juggle your home life with your work life can be like juggling at times. When you start to feel like you just do not have enough hours in the day to devote to everyone and everything, what do you do?

With a little organizing and time management, you can have that family time that you are struggling to achieve and still have time to keep your business running smoothly. A great key to running your online business is to involve your family in helping run your business. For example your children could help you package boxes, or help you seal envelopes or help you shop for supplies, this allows them to feel important and also gives you extra quality time with your children.

The most important thing to remember while juggling your home life and business life, is you took your online job or business in order to spend more time with your family. As hard as it may be at times to peel yourself away from that computer, your family also need and deserve your attention.

One of the tricks I have used in my household is while my children are in the showers in the morning and getting ready for school I will check my email, for pending orders or questions from customers. After my children are downstairs my time is theirs until they head off to school to catch up on important things they may be doing in school that day, or things going on in their personal life.

Once they are out the door I divide my time from 8:00 am between working on the computers and still getting in that occasional load of laundry or dishes in the sink. You know us mothers always multi tasking lol Next I will stop for a brief lunch and relax with some TV or reading, then I am back to the computer from 1:00 pm till the kiddos come home from school, from the time my children walk in the door until they head off to bed I try very hard not to get on my computer at all. This is family time, time for me to catch up on things happening in school and their lives, and time to catch up with my husband. This is not to say there are not the occasional nights when I am so behind that I have to work on the computer but I always try to wait until they are in bed, then I can get in another two hours or so of work.

Try to keep things in your home running smoothly with a schedule, such as dinner will be served each night between 6-6:30 pm so the children and family are in a routine. Make sure to schedule time to include your daily chores that need to be done in with your work schedule or before you know it you have 10 piles of laundry waiting for you and dust bunnies over running your home.

By including your children in your new online venture and by also allowing them the time they need, your life at home should be a smooth sailing. The key to working from home and balancing a family is to make sure your family comes first, your email will still be there waiting for you in the morning, and if most of your customers will understand and respect you for putting your family first.

Copyright © 2006 All Rights Reserved - Article Written By Angela
Wenke of Heartland Marketplace
and Heartland Graphics.

Primitive Times Magazine

Are You Providing Good Customer Service? By Angie Wenke

As with any company or business you are trying to run and be successful at, Good Customer Service is the key to your success. As any new small business owner who is starting out on the internet knows, creating your website and search engine submission is a key role in your success, equally important is how you treat your incoming customers. So the question is you giving your customers the best possible Customer Service?

So often I have ordered from sites that offer handmade products had to wait and extremely long time for my order, with little to no communication from the owner on where my order was. With most Primitive and Country sites you offer handmade products such as handmade dolls, or hand poured candles or ornies or Country signs. All of these take time to create and a lot of them are custom made to your customer, be sure on your site you let your customers know an approximate order time.
To finish this article please stop by our Site and download the NEW issue of Primitive Times Magazine FOR FREE

Primitive Times Magazine

More Website Promotion Tips:

In the past two issues of Primitive Times, we have discussed some ways to promote your craft website without spending any money. You will increase your website traffic using the free methods of website promotion discussed in previous articles. However, to increase your likelihood of success, you will also want to invest in some paid advertising. Unfortunately, a tried and true fact of business is that you do have to spend money to make money. Since most crafters are working on a budget, it is very important to spend advertising dollars wisely.

To finish this article please stop by our Site and download the NEW issue of Primitive Times Magazine FOR FREE

Primitive Times Magazine

Gardening in the Winter by Debbie

Most of us live in places that we are not allowed to garden outside during the winter months, what better way to still enjoy gardening and bringing some life to your home during the winter than to container garden in windows. Houseplants can be a wonderful addition to any décor and give us that lift our spirits need from having some living thing around us, they are much less trouble and easier to take care of than a pet. Here are a few suggestions I have found helpful in raising healthy houseplants.

Click here to read more

From Words To Riches - Using Content To Generate Traffic And Convert Visitors

Content, when used in the right way, does wonderful things to your visitor stats and your sales figures. Even if you have an online store or a sales page as your main site, adding content to your site provides more ways for visitors to find you, and puts them in more of a buying frame of mind.

Most people know that search engines love content. But more than that, search engines like big sites. It is easier for a bigger site to rank well than a small, mini-site, at least in the current climate. And of course, adding pages regularly gets the search engines to spider your site more frequently.

But providing authoritative content also provides you with indirect benefits. It gives people more opportunity to find something they might want to link to. Essentially, you're creating more 'link bait', which is just a way of saying your site is providing such useful information on a given subject that people want to link to it with a one-way, non-reciprocal link. This gives you traffic from their site, and more relevance within the search engines.

Secondly, your content can create a sense within your visitor that they must have the products or services you recommend, sell - or that appear in the contextual advertising on your page. Even if you're not using affiliate marketing and don't have your own product, relying instead on contextual advertising as income, content pre-sells your visitor. Sure, you can throw up a keyword stuffed article, and perhaps some people will click on the ads just to get off the page. But with google at least, their Smart Pricing will limit the income you could be making. If the visitor you deliver to their advertisers is less likely to buy because they are frustrated, or didn't find what they were looking for in your meaningless or poor quality word-maze, the amount you get per click will go down.

The key, of course, is writing good content. A starting point is researching useful information, information that answers questions your target audience may have. You can use books or magazines, or reputable online sources, to help build your articles with these detail that makes them credible.

Having a good article is not enough, however. It must be presented in the right way. This takes into account the tone you use writing the article, the words and style chosen, and the way the article is presented on the web page. The reader should feel the benefits without getting the impression he is being sold something. It should speak to him - or her - with references to things that are part of their lives. It is here that knowing who your target customer is really helps.

Finally, the words should be arranged on the web page in an easy to read manner. Making good use of white space, short paragraphs, and bullet points are a great way to break up text so that it doesn't appear overwhelming. Just be careful not to jar your reader with too many font colors or types, and caps for anything but the first letter in a word.

Article by:


To learn more about generating internet web site traffic with content, click here. Rebecca site covers online business ideas for home.

Strategies For Article Marketing

You’ve read all the articles telling you that you should write articles, but there are hundreds of article databases out there. How do you decide where to submit your articles? I have a couple of strategies that bring me results.

First, I always read just a few articles from any directory I’m considering submitting to, to see what type of advertising is being used on their site. I do not want my family friendly articles on sites that allow what I consider to be questionable advertising. If the advertising is not family friendly, I will not submit my articles. I have also deleted my articles from sites that changed their advertising policies and began accepting non family friendly advertising. Continue to monitor sites that carry your articles.

Next, I submit only a few articles to a directory and then I monitor those submissions to see how long they take to go live. There is no way to know if a directory is active until you submit your articles. Just like any other business, directories come and go. Just because it was active last year, does not mean it is still active this year. Don’t waste your time submitting more than 3 articles at one time in the beginning. There are so many wonderful directories out there, that I refuse to invest my time submitting to directories that take months to approve my articles. If I submit my article today I expect to see it live within a few days. Remember the reason you are writing articles is to help others and get your name out there. If your articles are not live, your name is not being seen.

I prefer to submit to directories that allow me to check my stats on a regular basis. I want to know how many others are reading my articles. If your articles are not being read, then your name is not getting out there. Why are your articles not being read? Have you chosen a topic or written on a subject that folks are not reading? Or did you submit your article to a directory that is not getting enough traffic for others to read your article? Two very high traffic directories are www.ezinearticles.com and www.searchwarp.com I monitor my stats daily on those two directories. I also submit every one of my articles to both of these directories. They are the first two directories to receive all new articles I write. The stats from these two directories tell me that my articles are being read and are wanted by others. So, if I view my stats on another directory and see that my article has only been read once or twice, I do not continue submitting articles to that directory.

The last thing I do is to use both Google and MSN and search for my name. I want to know what directories are getting their pages indexed quickly and where my articles are showing up. I submit my articles to the directories that are getting me the exposure.

By using all of the above strategies, my articles are being read and folks are clicking through to my site.

Article by:


Audrey Okaneko has been marketing online for several years. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at www.scrapping-made-simple.com

AD:Link Popularity

What is the best way to link popularity on the web? Google is a great way to improve your website popularity but understanding Google can be very confusing. Google is the number one search engine currently and drives the most traffic to websites, so it is adviced that you concentrate your advertising on marketing with Google.

Google looks at several factors when advertising sites on their search engines such as, link popularity. Google also uses a page ranking system which shows you how your site ranks in the Google data base. One of the most important factors Google looks for when is link popularity! Meaning how many sites are linking back to your site. Google will weight more importantance on a site that has 1000 links versus a site that has a 100 links. Google also looks at where your links are, how you have them arranged, your meta tags for each page and keywords.

Therefore it is a good idea to receive links to diffrent sections of your websites, offering popularity for more than just your front opening page.

Prim Banner Exchange

Another great program from the owners or Prim Traffic is Prim Banner Exchange. This is another great FREE advertising solution! Simply put you put a line of HTML text on your site that will rotate banners. For each banner you show on your site you earn a credit towards having your banners shown.

This is a great FREE Advertising tool as once again the banners that will showed are Craft and Country related so it will not deter from your sites appearance.

Stop by Prim Banner Exchange today