Software marketing articles by Dave Collins of SharewarePromotions.

AdWords Arithmetic: 4=1, 3=1, 3=2

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:37:32 -0500

Google are redefining basic mathematics within the AdWords system. Four can equal one, two can equal five, and three can equal one, two or three.

Understanding the information presented "as is" within your AdWords account is of vital importance. This article clarifies how the average position may not be as it appears.

Click Fraud; balancing between over-reaction and oblivion.

Tue, 8 Jan 2008 18:57:56 -0600

A few years ago, Click Fraud was little more than speculation among the more paranoid tech people. Today it is a well known problem, widely covered by the BBC, BusinessWeek, The Washington Post and many more non-technical and (usually) non-paranoid publications.

Recent surveys, however, have demonstrated that most companies running PPC campaigns are either totally unaware of the issue or are so afraid of it that they are driven away from it or massively curtail their spending. The correct approach, as in all matters AdWords related, lies somewhere between the two.

What price Google Analytics?

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:12:39 -0500

In an age where information is a commodity, personal data, preferences, habits, politics, tastes and more have value. And there are companies out there who are willing to pay for this information.

So why do so many people lose sight of this when it comes to Google Analytics?

Customer Defence System

Thu, 2 Aug 2007 19:38:37 -0500

The Customer Defence System is used by many, yet put into words by none. The Customer Defence System is unique. No-one consciously aspires to apply such a system, yet most companies are to some extent doing so. Get it right and you'll be able to slash your sales in no time at all.

Three different ways to success

Wed, 6 Jun 2007 17:24:55 -0500

A joint interview with three very different software companies that we've worked with. Each sell their software to very different markets. The only thing that they have in common is that they have worked with our company for many years, and that all three are extremely successful.

Google AdWords Q & A

Tue, 8 May 2007 10:22:21 -0500

Two qualified Google AdWords Professionals answer a variety of questions on organic listings vs. PPC, choosing which ads to keep and delete, how to optimise your account, quality score, click fraud and more.

Copywriting for Developers

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 09:04:41 -0600

Website copywriting is about writing persuasive and promotional text that convinces visitors that your product can solve a problem they have. Really good copywriting will even convince them that they have a problem without having previously been aware of it.

Understand what copywriting is and isn't, why so many companies get it wrong, how to improve your own website's copy, and why doing so is critically important and often overlooked.

Measuring For Success Part II

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 19:02:36 -0600

The importance of web log analysis cannot be over stated. Part two in this web log analysis series looks at some of the issues that may hinder your analysis, and what exactly you should be looking for when poring through the facts and figures.

Lower Literacy Website Visitors

Tue, 19 Dec 2006 16:14:08 -0600

With an estimated 50% of US adults classed as having a reading ability of eighth-grade or lower, every website needs to ensure that their visitors can understand what they're saying. Low literacy does not equal low intelligence. Turning away customers, however, most definitely does.

Measuring for Success

Tue, 19 Dec 2006 16:13:15 -0600

Web log analysis is critical. Yet all too many software companies fail to invest the time, money and effort required. Part one in this series looks at why you need to bother and what you need in order to do so.

Google AdWords: Making it work for you - ESWC 2006 summary

Fri, 17 Nov 2006 11:46:40 -0600

This article is a summary of the presentation that Dave Collins gave at the European Shareware Conference 2006 on Google AdWords.

Search Engine Optimisation/Optimization. Separation of Myths from Facts - ESWC 2006 summary

Fri, 17 Nov 2006 11:44:54 -0600

Search Engine Optimisation is like a red blanket on forums, newsgroups and blogs across the web. Wave it around, and you'll have masses of bull-headed participants charging at you from all corners. Everyone thinks that they, and only they, know the truth, and they're extremely eager to tell you what you're doing wrong and what you should be doing instead. Most of them are wrong.

Websites that sell - ESWC 2006 summary

Fri, 17 Nov 2006 11:40:54 -0600

A look at some of the common mistakes that websites make. Learn from the mistakes of others!

This article is a summary of the presentation that Dave Collins gave at the European Shareware Conference 2006.

Interview with Sharon Housley

Tue, 26 Sep 2006 11:00:00 -0600

Sharon Housley is a well known marketing expert in the software industry. She's not only the creative brains behind the successful NotePage, Inc. company but manages and maintains countless other websites such as FeedForAll and the SoftwareMarketingResource. Dave Collins recently interviewed her about working in the software industry.

Understanding Google's AdWords

Fri, 27 May 2005 16:24:56 -0600

Is it possible to lose money from Google AdWords? In this article, Dave Collins will explain how to make sure that you get the best possible return from your Google AdWords campaigns.

The Importance of Log Analysis

Fri, 27 May 2005 16:23:46 -0600

Without a detailed and careful analysis of their web logs, a company will be more or less blind and oblivious to any number of threats and opportunities. In this article Dave Collins discusses all aspects of Log Analysis; which software should you use, what type of information you should focus on and more.

There Should Be More to your SEO Consultant Than Rankings

Tue, 22 Mar 2005 16:48:43 -0600

Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions in SEO is that ranking at Google and Yahoo is all that counts in search engine optimization. Not so!