HTML EditorsAn HTML editor is
the program you'll use to assemble your web site. Webmasters experienced
in HTML (HyperText Markup Language) can code an entire web site using a
simple text editor such as Windows Notepad, although most developers
choose more robust WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) applications.
The Best HTML Editor in my oppinion is Adobe Dreamweaver - everything you need to develop a professional Web site.
Web BrowsersA web browser
allows you to view HTML documents. If you're reading this page online,
you probably already have a browser installed on your computer. The most
popular browsers are Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape. Examples
of alternate browsers include Opera, Lynx and Mosaic. We suggest having
both Internet Explorer and Netscape installed on your PC - this will
give you the option of viewing your HTML documents in both browsers.
There are certain differences in the way these browsers display HTML
documents and it's always good to check that you've made allowances to
accommodate them.
You can download the most current web browsers for free
Graphics EditorsAt some
point, you'll need to edit a photograph or create original graphics for
your new site. You can purchase most popular graphics programs online or
choose to download freeware or shareware versions on the Internet.
Graphic programs are generally expensive to buy. We recommend you
download Paint Shop Pro. Although Paint Shop doesn't feature all the
'bells and whistles' of a standard industry graphics package, it does
have enough basic tools to help you produce professional-looking images.
The best graphics editor is Adobe Photoshop - the broadest and most
productive graphics tool set available. Macromedia Fireworks - Create,
edit, and animate web graphics using a complete set of tools.
Once you get comfortable with Paint Shop you can move onto Adobe
Photoshop (CS) as this offers you a lot more features - the CS suite
also features Adobe Flash.
FTP SoftwareIn order to
publish your new site live on the World Wide Web, you'll need File
Transfer Protocol (FTP) software. FTP enables the duplication of your
documents from one location to another, for instance, duplication of
your web site files from your computer to your web-hosting server. Once
this occurs, your site will "go live" and be available to the public.
Most popular FTP software has two display windows. The left window
displays the files and directories on your computer while the right
window displays the files and directories on the hosting server. Note
that some high-end web design applications, such as Macromedia
Dreamweaver, have FTP capabilities built in.
Web Site Hosting
Web
site hosting describes the server that stores and delivers your site to
the World Wide Web. There are a variety of different hosting solutions
available, ranging from Free Hosting to Virtual Server solutions, to
Dedicated Servers.
As is this case with most services, web hosting services should be
met with the caveat, "You Get What You Pay For." While free hosting
seems attractive on the surface and the price is definitely right,
beware! The companies that provide free web site hosting generally do so
under the agreement that they have the right to place advertising on
your site. While this may be an acceptable practice for some, as a
casino webmaster affiliate, you don't want to be serving up ads for a
merchant that won't be paying you. After all, you're in this to make
money, right?
In many instances, your current Internet Service Provider (ISP) can
include web site hosting as part of your sign up agreement. Typically,
they'll provide up to 5 MB of disk storage. Contact your present ISP to
determine if this is a viable option.
If you're looking for more control over your domain name and web
site, and you're willing to spend a few bucs for hosting, a "virtual
server" is the best solution. Many ISPs provide virtual web hosting and
may handle the registration and technical aspects of your proposed
domain name as well.
Domain Name Registration
In
simplest terms, a domain name is the address of your web site on the
Internet - for example, www.thecasinoaffiliateprograms.com. Having your
own domain name is a necessity in order to appear professional and gain
the trust and respect of your visitors. You also stand a better chance
of getting listed in the major search engines and directories with your
own domain name.
Casino Webmaster Programs
Don't
take chances when it comes to choosing the correct casino partner.
After all, you're in this to make a profit, right? There are hundreds of
online gaming establishments offering a variety of webmaster programs,
but only a select few that are worth your time and effort.
Have a look at my page : Best Casino Affiliate Programs
Keywords
Consider
this: More than 95% of all internet users find what they are looking
for by visiting one of the major search engines or directories. And,
because most search engines base their results based on keyword-related
algorithms, the proper use and placement of keywords and keyword phrases
is critical to the success of your site.
While the ranking criteria varies from one search engine to the next,
most evaluate and rank your web pages based on the following:
Keyword Prominence - How early in a page a search term appears.
Keyword Frequency - The number of times a given keyword appears.
(Caution: Simply repeating a keyword over and over will most likely
result in your site being kicked out by most search engines.)
Keyword Weight - The ratio of keywords to all other words on your
page. (Each search engine has a threshold. If your page crosses that
threshold, the engine labels it as spam and ignores it.)
Keyword Proximity - How close together the keywords are to each other, especially when the item searched for is a phrase.
Keyword Placement - The locations where an engine will look for the keyword, e.g. in the body, title, META tags, etc.
At bare minimum, one must pay particular attention to the last of
these criteria - Keyword Placement. Following are the most important
locations that search engines look for keywords and phrases:
<TITLE> tag
<META NAME="DESCRIPTION"> tag
<META NAME="KEYWORDS"> tag
<H1> tags
<A HREF> link tags
Keywords in the body copy
<ALT> tags
<!-comments> comment tags
<INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" > hidden tags
Keywords in the URL or domain name
Again,
the proper use and placement of keywords is critical to your success as
the major search engines will most likely be your single largest source
of traffic!
Recommended Keyword Tools & Resources
WebPositionGoldAn excellent tool for
developing keyword-rich pages that fit within the ever-changing Search
Engine landscape. Highly recommended!
http://www.webpositiongold.com
WordTrackerExcellent tool for finding the real keywords and search terms critical to search engine optimization.
http://www.wordtracker.com/
Overture Search Term Suggestion ToolFree resource for researching real search terms and keywords used in actual web searches.
http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/
Content Development
The
key to designing a successful web site begins with careful planning …
identify the exact copy and graphics you wish to include and be certain
that this content meets the primary goal of your site. As a casino
affiliate, your goals should include attracting relevant visitors and
converting this traffic into actual casino and sportsbook players,
right?
Following are a few things to consider when developing your content:
Keep it simpleText should be written in
a black, legible font on a white or light-colored background. Avoid
fancy fonts and complex backgrounds that interfere with the
"readability" of your copy. And, avoid large blocks of text … break your
copy into small paragraphs with plenty of "white space" in between.
Avoid horizontal scrollingMake certain
that the elements of your pages do not exceed 100% of the page width.
Internet users are uncomfortable with having to scroll "sideways" to
read an article or view a graphic.
Be consistentUse the same design elements on all your pages and maintain consistent navigation elements throughout your site.
Stay focusedDetermine the primary purpose for each page
and remain focused on that subject matter. Keep things to uncluttered
and to the point to avoid distracting your visitors.
Build a professional looking web site with effective content and you
will already be one step ahead of the majority of sites on the Internet.
But remember this important rule: Good copy converts visitors into
cash, not fancy graphics and code … the goal of any good casino
affiliate site is to transform traffic into actual casino players!
Web Site Layout & DesignOne of the first questions you must answer before building your web site is this:
What is the purpose of my site?
As a casino affiliate, the answer should be to attract visitors
interested in online gambling and convert those visitors into active
gamblers on the sites you're promoting. Your answer will help you to
focus your site's content and design.
Next, determine who your audience is. If you're promoting a Casino's
outstanding variety of online slot machines, your audience will be
different than those wanting action on a football game. The answers to
these questions help to further the focus of your content and design.
Now, you must deal with a few technological issues. How will your
audience view your site? Will your content appeal to a business crowd
accessing the Internet on high-speed T1 lines, or is it for the folks at
home with 14.4 modems? Our experience has shown that, regardless of the
answer to this question, the simplest approach is often the best.
Design your pages to load fast on the slowest possible connection and
you'll avoid losing visitors.
In addition to connection speed, specific browsers and desktop
settings should be considered. Individual user configurations are like
snowflakes … no two are identical. Because monitors, settings and
browsers vary from user to user, you should always design for the lowest
common denominator. In other words, make sure your page loads and reads
properly in Explorer and Netscape browsers, as well as with all desktop
settings (i.e. 640x480, 800x600, etc.)
Always ensure that the most important elements of your page can be
seen without scrolling. Think of your web pages as the front page of a
newspaper. The important items go on the front page, and the really
important stuff goes on the top.
Also remember that most people read left to right and top to bottom.
They almost always look at the upper-left corner first, which is a good
place to put something really important. Always be aware of how your
audience's eyes will travel across the page.
When deciding which colors to use on your site, consider these questions:
Do the colors you pick work well with the goals of your site?
Do the colors exist on the 216 universal-color palette?
In an old browser, will you be able to read black type on the background color you picked?
Again, keep it simple and use a limited number of colors. A few
colors can go a really long way. Be smart about the colors you pick.
Don't think in terms of your favorite or least favorite colors. Just
make sure they support your message and tell your story.
The other big question with color is readability. The type should sit
comfortably on the background color. It's more than an issue of high
contrast. White type on a black background is readable, but if you try
light grey type on black, the end result is more comfortable to the eye.
If you go for a lot of contrast and then back off a bit, you'll
probably end up with something subtle that's a little more complex and
interesting. Of course, you can never go wrong with black type on a
white background. It might not be the flashiest way to go, but it's
bulletproof.
Web Site PublishingOkay,
you've got your web site built. You've spell checked every page. You've
tested it on all browsers and at all screen sizes and everything looks
great. Now it's time to "go live" with your site.
As mentioned in the earlier Software Requirements section, you'll
need File Transfer Protocol (FTP) software in order to publish your new
site live on the World Wide Web. FTP enables the duplication of your
documents from one location to another, for instance, duplication of
your web site files from your computer to your web-hosting server. Once
this occurs, your site will "go live" and be available to the public.
Most popular FTP software has two display windows. The left window
displays the files and directories on your computer while the right
window displays the files and directories on the hosting server. Note
that some high-end web design applications, such as Macromedia
Dreamweaver, have FTP capabilities built in.
Search Engine MarketingSearch
engine marketing refers to the process of promoting your site on search
engines. It's important to understand that search engine marketing is
not just about submitting your site or achieving good rankings for some
obscure search term. It's about the overall process of developing your
site so that it "works" well with the various search engines, allowing
your audience to find you.
Directories and Search EnginesTwo
distinct entities exist in the world of internet search - Directories
and Search Engines. Directories are search engines that are typically
reviewed and edited by real people. Whereas the term "Search Engine"
usually refers to crawler-based search engines that automatically visit
web pages to compile their listings via software known as robots or
spiders.
Directory SubmissionsBefore submitting
to the major directories, you should prepare a 25-word or less
description of your entire web site. That description should include the
two or three most important keywords or phrases that your site is
focused on.
It is important to avoid "hyped up" marketing language in your
25-word description and just stick to the facts. The human editors who
review directory submissions will typically alter any description that
contains too much marketing hype.
Search Engine SubmissionsCrawler-based
search engines automatically visit web pages to index for their
databases. This means that, unlike a directory, you may have several if
not all pages listed with a given search engine. This also means that by
taking care in how you build your pages and paying attention to the use
and placement of keywords in your web design, you may rank well in
crawler-produced results.
The Important Search Engines:
GoogleThe most important of all search engines, Google also provides results for Yahoo and Netscape.
http://www.google.com/addurl.html
InktomiInktomi provides some of the results used by major search sites such as MSN Search, AOL Search and HotBot. Submit via HotBot.
http://hotbot.lycos.com/addurl.asp
FAST SearchFAST Search powers some of the results for Lycos as well as its own search engine called AllTheWeb.
http://www.alltheweb.com/add_url.php
AltaVistaWhile Alta Vista's popularity has waned over the past year, significant numbers of people still use it to search the web.
http://addurl.altavista.com/sites/addurl/newurl
The Important Directories:
YahooThe web's oldest and most important major directory - getting listed with Yahoo is absolutely essential to any site's success.
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/suggest/
LookSmartLookSmart provides the main listings
used by the popular MSN Search service as well asmany other search
engines. As with Yahoo, getting listed with LookSmart is essential for
any site.
http://listings.looksmart.com/
The Open DirectoryThe Open Directory is a
volunteer-built guide to the web. It provides primary results to
Netscape Search and powers the Google Directory as well as results for a
variety of other services. Again, being listed with the Open Directory
is essential.
http://dmoz.org/add.html
Tracking Your Affiliate ProfitsHere
comes the fun part! Now that your site has been built, published and
promoted, it's time to find out how much money you're making.
With my recommended casino webmaster affiliate programs it's simple
to track your daily profit and discover how your visitors are playing.
I
run a variety of affiliate programs on my blogs – most of which bring
in smaller amounts of money that don’t really justify a category of
their own (but which certainly add up). 
Last
time I did a wrap up of how I make money blogging this category did not
exist for me – I didn’t really have any of my own products to sell at
all. However in the last year or so I’ve released 3 E-books – 31 Days to Build a Better Blog, The Essential Guide to Portrait Photography and Photo Nuts and Bolts: Know Your Camera and Take Better Photos.
While these products all only sell for under $20 they certainly add up
and some months this has been my biggest category of income. The reason
they were only ranking at #3 in the last month was that I didn’t do a
product launch (I wrote about one launch which brought in $72,000 in a week here). This is an income stream I see growing as I add more E-books to my range (expect 3 in the coming few months).
This is another newer category for me but one that continues to grow. 
Private
ad sales directly to advertisers have fallen for me in the last year
(they previously ranked #3 on this list). This is partly due to a change
in my own focus but also partly due to the economy as it is. I should
note that this area does vary a little from month to month depending
upon the campaigns we’re asked to run – we’ve had a couple of months
where it actually ranked #2 in the last year.
