Yahoo Search Marketing - Formerly Overture . . .

Google has done a great job, from a marketing perspective. I find it continually remarkable that so many Internet marketers talk as if Google - and Google Adwords - is the only game in town. It seems Yahoo Search Marketing (formerly Overture) is viewed as a step down from Adwords.

It is so much easier to dump a pile of keywords into Google, write an ad or two and let it roll. With Overture, you have to write an ad, submit it and wait for approval for each and every keyword.

A real pain in the arse. I agree.

But, for anyone willing to spend the time ( or how about paying someone else to spend the time ) doing the research and digging up the hundreds of neglected keyword phrases will pay off handsomely. And the real irony is that often those neglected keywords phrases are the most targeted.

I mean, can you believe that "online dating service eharmony" has only 2 bidders spending .10 per click on Overture? Talk about a RIPE search phrase.

I call this bottom feeding for search phrases. Maybe not the best term, because it's more like panning for gold. You will find that doing a little digging - going where the lazy advertiser doesn't go - will produce rich profits.

I think YSM is just as high quality as Adwords, and even though the minimum bid is a dime you will very often find traffic is cheaper for the reason I just shared.

FREE VIDEO TUTORIALS

I've been producing a series of short videos that show how I do my keyword research. You can check those out for free by clicking this link: keyword research tool.

Restless Legs Syndrome

I've been busy creating my own Internet marketing product called, tentatively, The Affiliate Super Plan. It includes a little - maybe a lot - of the good stuff I share with you here.

In developing the program, I've been working with a number of people. Mostly they're all in the "newbie" phase. While this has been challenging because they just don't intuitively understand some of the concepts I do, at this point, it has really been pushing my ability to document and teach what I do.

The step-by-step "how to make this thing make money" is actually the easy part. It really isn't hard to make money online.

What's hard is gathering ideas and finding authentic opportunities. It seems to get harder by the day as more people enter the field. That's why I felt compelled to create "The Affiliate Super Plan" - it's as much for the sustained success of my own business as to teach others to do what I do. I think systems are essential.

So, I decide to follow some of my own advice in the program and I pick up a Natural Health magazine. It's really a trip to look at what people are advertising. I pay particular attention to the classifieds. Oddly, the more I learn as a "direct marketer" the easily I have a feel for who makes money and who doesn't - the good ads vs. the poor ads.

One struck me odd. Mainly because I've NEVER heard of this condition and my wife being a physician, I've heard of a lot of them.

Restless Legs Syndrome

Honestly, it sounded so odd that I had two immediate thoughts . . .

First, is this even for real? Restless Legs Syndrome? The visual image in my head was comical (though the reality for anyone with this condition probably is far from funny and I don't mean any insult).

Second, is this really something people would pay money for - and are there enough people suffering from this to think an ad in a major publication selling a $14.95 info product is going to produce a profit? (I really don't think so, even after my research)

I went to my favorite keyword research tool - Keyword Locator - and typed in "restless legs". Surprisingly there were about 30,000 searches on the subject in May of 2005. And the advertiser competition is nill. It's certainly something that somebody reading this should consider pursuing, if they happen to be looking for a fresh, untapped niche.

The main point here is that picking up a magazine and looking for ideas really works. The ideal is a current magazine and a copy of the same magazine from 6 months or more ago. If you see the same ads, you can be sure they're profitable (and that's a big hint).

If you're having trouble finding hot new niche ideas - or products - just head for the local magazine rack ( or library - or even your own bookshelf ). You'll find most $4.95 magazines have more hot marketing ideas than the average $49 ebook.

Wishing you great successes in all you do,

John