Web Hosting at HostGator

As an a affiliate marketer, I rely on websites to showcase the products and services that I market on the Internet. This requires that I have reliable web hosting. When I first started web hosting, the server cost me about 200 dollars a month.  But there’s a much lower cost alternative available.  HostGator.com provides shared web hosting packages for as low $3.96 per month.  And HostGator is one of the top servers on the Internet, with excellent equipment and services, and unparalleled 24/7 support. I use Hostgator for many of my web sites, and I’m in the process of moving more of my sites over to their servers. I like the service so much that I’ve become an authorized affiliate of HostGator. My personal review of HostGator is based on my own experience as a satisfied customer of their web hosting service.

To take a look at discount web hosting plans click this link and then click the “View Web Hosting Plans” button – from here you can view the different plans that HostGator offers. Make sure you use the current promo code “HOSTGATOR12” for the most savings. The most popular plan for affiliate marketers, the Baby Plan, starts as low as $6.36 per month.  This plan provides you with shared web hosting for unlimited domains, unlimited bandwidth, and unlimited disc space.  Regardless of which plan you choose, your HostGator hosting plan includes cPanel, the number one web hosting control panel in the world.  cPanel makes managing your web server a breeze.

ENTER PROMO CODE: HOSTGATOR12

HostGator has been the most reliable web server that I’ve ever used, and their 24/7 live support is available either through live chat or a toll free number for phone support.  There are tons of other features that you should check out – and a few of these include; unlimited email accounts, free site builder software, over 4500 free web templates to choose from, and fifty-two free website scripts that can be instantly installed with just a few clicks.  HostGator also supports and you can instantly install over 75 open source scripts with just a click, and these include WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Magento eCommerce and Media Wiki.  Other cool features include a 100 dollar gift card for free advertising in Google AdWords, search optimization and website submission tools.

An affiliate marketer needs a reliable server, and they tout an impressive 99.9% server reliability. I personally have never had an issue with one of my websites being offline.

Here are some other facts about HostGator:

• HostGator was founded in 2002, and they provide web hosting service for more than one million websites.
• HostGator makes it so simple that anyone can manage their own web hosting service and save a lot of money.
• You can automatically install popular web platforms like WordPress, Joomla and Drupal in a few seconds.
• Since Hostgator is so popular, you can find many videos on YouTube on how to manage your HostGator web server.
• HostGator web hosting comes with a 99.9% lifetime guarantee and a money back guarantee.
• You can upgrade your account at any time you need to feel you would like to move up in web hosting service.

We have partnered with HostGator to provide you with special pricing for web hosting, you will need to enter the discount code HostGatorPromo12 when you sign up – for up to 25% off your web hosting package.

Backpage has now added the Australia, United Kingdom and Ireland as separate advertising locations to the classifieds network. This greatly expands the marketing reach of Backpage.com and offers a new opportunity for advertisers.

Backpage Advertising Tip: Place your ads now, ahead of your competitors. Purchase your sponsored ads and reposts now for the lowest possible pricing.

The following is a list of the new Australia, UK and Ireland locations:

Backpage.com in Australia

Backpage.com in Ireland

Backpage.com in United Kingdom

• Aberdeen
• Birmingham
• Brighton
• Bristol
• Cambridge
• Devon
• East Midlands
• Eastanglia
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow
• Hampshire
• Leeds
• Liverpool
• London
• Manchester
• Newcastle
• Oxford
• Sheffield
• Wales

Backpage.com is committed to preventing misues of the classified ads for illegal purposes. A series of recent safety enhancements have been implemented over the past months to provide better safety.

The following are some examples of recent steps taken to enhance safety at Backpage classifieds;

• No nudity in any classified as, including adult categories
• Content policies to prevent illegal activities
• Stricter image content standards
• Images are reviewed for compliance
• Searches are conducted to locate inappropriate or illegal ads
• Processes have been enacted to prioritize child related matters
• Inappropriate ad content will be removed
• Known bad URLs are blocked from the site
• HTML images are blocked in ads except for trusted advertisers
• Ads edited after initial review will go through another review process
• Restricted ad posting capabilities for policy violators
• Suspicious links in ads are reviewed for appropriateness
• Ad moderators are held accountable for the highest quality and efficiency
• Time alerts insure that ads are reviewed within 20 minutes of upload
• Ads are deleted for major violations of terms of use
• CAPTCHAS have been added to prevent abuse of ad reporting system
• Security measures have been enacted to protect user information

In addition, Backpage.com has partnered with law enforcement and safety advocates/experts to help ensure a safer online classifieds experience

• Added date, time and time zone stamps for improved ad tracking
• Ads containing possible minors will be investigated and referred to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
• Law enforcement inquiries involving possible minors are assigned top priority by staff
• Worked with law enforcement to improve information flow during investigations
• Child safety experts have been enlisted to guide safety strategies

Click here to download Backpage Safety and Security MeasuresPDF (updated 1/24)

NOTE: The promo code (BPCARES) is now expired. Please click here for the current BackPage promo code.

The current BackPage Promo Code is BPCARES (valid through December 31, 2010).  This promotional code is good for a 25% discount on all sponsored ads!  Be sure to create your BackPage account using a valid e-mail address so you’ll always receive new discount offers from BackPage. I will post any new affiliate promo codes as soon as they are available.

Here’s how you can pocket a cool 25% savings on all your sponsored ads at BackPage.com

1. Create an Ad Account at BackPage Classifieds Click Here to Create an Account Now  Just enter your e-mail, password and click submit!
2. Select the auto repost feature if desired.  It’s low cost and highly effective.
3. Select the duration of your sponsor ad (displays your ad and photos on the right side of listings)  Look for special discounts such as those shown on the screenshot. Sponsor ads are also highly effective and the cost is very reasonable
4. *Enter your promotional code

• Review of all ads and images in the personals and adult sections of the site.
• Implementation of key word searches to quickly identify prohibited advertisements and inappropriate discussions.
• Significant increase in staff to quickly identify illegal ads.
• Implementation of roadblocks to prevent minors from accessing mature content.
• Implementation of dedicated tools on the site to educate users regarding online safety and security.
• Empowerment of users to report abuse and an expeditious process to handle user complaints.

Any post exploiting a minor in any way will be subject to criminal prosecution and will be reported to the Cybertipline and law enforcement.

The criminal actors create some challenges for legitimate advertisers in these categories. Please be sure to read the terms of use and posting rules (on the ad post page) carefully before you post an ad. Basically the rules are no nudity, lewd or lascivious graphics or photos, no offers to exchange sexual services in exchange for some form of compensation and no material that exploits minors in any way or that promotes human trafficking.

If you have any questions about content you will be posting on Backpage please ask first.

The “Great Backpage iPad Sweepstakes Giveaway of 2010” is completed. Congratulations to the lucky winners listed below. Watch here for new contests to be announced.

July: David – Brady, Texas
August: Nichole – Phoenix, Arizona
September: Lorraine – Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
October: Debbie – Denver, Colorado

Beginning June 7th, BackPage advertisers who post legitimate jobs in the jobs classifieds can be entered to win an Apple iPad.  Winners will be awarded their iPads during the months of July, August, September and October, 2010.  Jobs ads are free so it’s not going to cost you anything to enter — just post a real job listing.  BackPage is calling it their “Put America Back to Work” iPad sweepstakes giveaway.  To enter the contest just follow these steps;

• Click this link to post a job ad
• Click on the “post an ad” link
• Select local ads or multiple cities to post your ad
• Follow the on-page prompts to place your ad
• Once your ad is posted, e-mail sales@backpage.com with the link to your job posting and tell them you want to enter the contest
• Your ad will be confirmed and it will be upgraded with free reposts and/or sponsored ads
• Monthly contest winners will be contacted by e-mail
• See iPad sweepstakes contest rules for information about how to enter the contest without posting a job ad
• Enter as often as you wish for your chance to win
  See contest rules for more information

Some Features of BackPage Classifieds

• Low Cost Classifieds
• Highly Effective Ads
• Affiliates are Welcome
• Post in Multiple Cities
• Set Up Automatic Reposts
• High Visibility Sponsor Ads
• Include Product Photos
• Place Links in Your Ads
• Discounts and Promo Codes
• Almost 100 Ad Categories
• Hundreds of Cities
• Manage Ads in Control Panel
• Update Ads Anytime
• Print Ads in City Publications
• Huge Traffic and Growing

To Get Started: Just create a BackPage account, then select the category that best suits your product or service.

BackPage is a growing threat to Craigslist.  Online marketers in the know have been using BackPage Classifieds for quite some time and it is rapidly gaining in popularity. 

BackPage continues to double in traffic each year and now boasts nearly a billion page views per month.  Affiliates and webmasters are finding the site refreshingly inviting.  Unlike Craigslist and some other online classifieds sites, BackPage allows you to place photos and hyperlinks in your ads, and you can place your ads in as many cities as you wish!

The phenomenal growth hasn’t been without its challenges.  The site’s server and software have been tweaked to provide faster service to visitors.  New features have been added to make the advertiser experience more pleasant and much more profitable.

The auto repost feature has proven very popular. You can have your ad respost to the top of the ads as often as once every three days for as little as 50 cents. 

Advertisers can now move their ads to the top of the classifieds on a daily basis.  This is available for paid ads only.

Discounts are currently available for many cities so you can enjoy as much as 50% off the regular cost of ads.  You’ll see these discounts listed prior to payment processing for your ads.

300 or more cities have been added to the classifieds pages and it keeps growing.  Ads can be placed in one city or multiple cities — even all cities!  Try that at Craigslist and see what happens.  BackPage makes it easy and affordable to post classifieds in multiple cities.

Create your BackPage account now!

People enjoy reading the classified ads.

Very low cost of advertising.  Many classifieds can be placed for free if you’re promoting a product or service locally.  You can place multi-city ads on BackPage Classifieds for very low cost.  They make it easy to place ads in as many cities as you would like.  You can often purchase sponsored ads for as little as 99¢ each. 

You’ll enjoy increased market reach.  Your classified ads may be viewed anywhere in the world where Internet service is available.  The ads are online for unlimited viewing. 

There is huge profit potential.  My affiliate ads on BackPage generate thousands of unique hits daily.  With some affiliate offers being worth about 25¢ to 30¢ each you can see the profit potential is enormous. 

Search Engines index the classifieds.  I’ve found that Google and the other major search engines are indexing individual classifieds.  That implies a benefit from inbound linking to your web site in addition to generating even more visitors to your classified ad.

You’re not limited to a few lines of text.  You can create a classified ad as simply or elaborately as you wish.  You’re able to list all your product or service’s major features and benefits without abbreviating words.  You can add photos, product specs, search boxes, testimonials, telephone numbers, web site URLs and just about anything else. 

Your classified ad acts as a mini web site.  You can set up your classified ad as a mini web site to be indexed by search engines.  You can link directly to your affiliate offers without even going through your own web site.  It’s often better to eliminate any unnecessary steps so this may be a profitable option.  Just set up your mini web site classifieds and let the traffic to your affiliate programs start rolling in.  That’s a lot easier than creating web sites, writing content, arranging link trades and all the promotion that goes along with running a web site.

 Get Started: Create Your Free BackPage Classifieds Account Today

One important benefit of BackPage Classifieds is that you aren’t limited to a few lines of text.  You can include expanded information about your offering, photographs, hyperlinks, testimonials, phone numbers and whatever else you think is relevant. 

How to Write Classified Ads that Sell

Used properly, classified ads are hard to beat.  The beauty of this type of advertising is that visitors are already interested in some aspect of the ad category.  For example, you can be reasonably sure that someone visiting the “Business Opportunities” category of classifieds is interested in self employment.  This is high quality, prequalified traffic from people that are very likely ready to buy, or at least ready for more information.

Browsing through the classifieds you’ll see the vast majority of ads are horrid.  Let’s cover some basics that will help set your ad above the rest.

Use proper spelling, grammar and punctuation.  A classified ad with misspellings and grammatical errors will quickly erode confidence in your offer.  Remember that first impressions count.  Make your first impression professional and trustworthy.  

AIDA Advertising Model

Back when I was first learning how to write copy for web sites, I learned about the AIDA advertising model, a system that has served me well.   It’s a simple acronym that lays out a simple structure for virtually any online offering.

A – Attention
I – Interest
D – Desire
 A – Action

(A) Get their attention.  Starting with the ad headline, you must grab the attention of people scanning the classifieds.  Your ad will be among many others so make it stand out.  Give them a reason to click through and read your ad copy.   

(I) Get them interested. Once you’ve got their attention you must gain their interest. Expand on the Headline in the first few words and sentences in your ad.  Get them interested in learning more.

(D) Build their desire.  You can build desire by showing the benefits of your offer.  Focus on the positive benefits for the visitor and this will build their desire.

(A) Motivate them to action.  This is the step where you get your visitor to click on a link or make a phone call.  You must clearly identify your call to action and make it completely obvious even at a quick glance. 

 Writing Classified Headlines

Writing a great classified ad headline is part science and part art.   Because it is the single most important part of your ad, you should spend the time to craft a compelling headline that makes readers want to know more. 

Your headline should be easy to read.  I recommend avoiding excessive use of special characters.   It is ok to use all capital letters for a headline, if that is allowable.  BackPage limits capitalization in headlines but you can still capitalize keywords in the headline.  Use that to your advantage to make certain keywords stand out.

Here is a list of keywords that you may want to include in your ad;

Free, new, how to, now, announcing, introducing, introductory, challenge, wanted, advice, the truth about, just arrived, important, sensational, amazing, remarkable, bargain, last chance, hurry, love, magic, easy, offer

This is just a partial list of compelling keyword you may want to have in your headline.  Don’t forget to include category specific keywords for your particular niche market. 

Look at the classifieds and scroll down the list of ad headlines.  Which ones make you want to stop and read more?  Why?  What keywords did they use?  Experiment with your headlines.  Try different keywords and different placements within your headlines. 

Writing Classified Ads: The Body Text

Before you even start writing your body text, you should understand what you want from readers.  You probably will not close a sale in a classified ad.  Most likely you’ll want them to click through to one of your affiliate offers or visit your web site for more information, or perhaps to make a phone call for more information. 

Your goal is to generate interest in your offer and build desire for more information.  Pique their interest by providing benefits.  Give them a glimpse of how their life will be better with your product or service.  Remember that the reader cares only about themself.  They don’t care about you or your company so focus on their needs and the benefits to them. 

Whenever possible it is a good idea to include elements to enhance the emotional impact of your ad.  Some examples would include photos, screenshots, testimonials, references and newspaper headlines.  Perhaps most important of these is the photograph.  The old overused adage that a picture is worth a thousand words is quite true here.  Including a photo that illustrates your offer’s benefits is a great way to increase a reader’s interest and desire.  For example, a beautiful woman with a great smile might be te perfect photo to show for a classified ad you’re running to promote a teeth whitening system.

Call to Action: Your ad must include a clear call to action.  Make sure it’s clearly identifiable and easy to find.  Think about where the eye tracks on a page (left to right for most people).  The best location for a call to action may be on the right side of the page and certainly viewable without scrolling down the page.  Use words like click here, call now, sign up, visit, hurry, supplies are limited, get your free sample, etc. 

Test  Marketing Your Classified Ads

Before you go lay out a pile of money on a national ad campaign it’s prudent to do some test marketing.   I usually run a new ad in about 10 selected cities for a sampling prior to a full scale launch.  Here are some cities you might want to consider for your test marketing on BackPage;

Atlanta
Boston
Chicago
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Houston
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Miami
Minneapolis
New York
Oklahoma City
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Pittsburgh
Raleigh
Seattle
St. Louis
Tampa
Toronto (if you’re marketing in Canada)

In Conclusion

Online classifieds are a great way to advertise your products or services effectively and inexpensively.  Your job as an online advertiser is to get their attention with a compelling headline, get them interested in your offer, build their desire for more information and get them to take action.  A little test marketing will help you refine your ads prior to spending your ad money on large national campaigns.  With just a little practice you’ll be creating profitable classified ads. 

 Get Started: Create Your Free BackPage Classifieds Account Today