A few Internet Myths

A lot of "expert advice" about the Internet, e-commerce, and how to become an overnight billionaire is available from the so-called "internet gurus". Having had some success with my own experiences in this field, I want to expose a few myths. Here they are.

Myth #1. It's all about anything. The Internet is not all about anything. As you follow this myth, you find yourself bouncing between "building communities," data mining, and other ideas that take you away from doing what you do best. Just because something worked for someone else doesn't mean it will work for you. Surely you don't think you can make $100 billion dollars by starting a software company that turns out buggy products, just because Bill Gates did it. Why, then, would you think you could emulate Yahoo or anyone else to make your "Internet riches?" Or why would you attempt to succeed selling someone else's products, using someone else's methods, etc.? Spend your energy on providing a good visitor experience, not on massaging your site with the latest snake oil.

Myth #2. E-mail marketing is essential. I also read that telemarketing can make you big bucks. E-mail marketing is not to be confused with "Spamming". Sending regular newsletters or e-mails to subscribers is acceptable, but not spamming every e-mail you gathered from the web. I hang up on telemarketers. I throw away junk snail mail unopened. If I want to buy something, I go to the merchant. We are all very tired of being spammed every time we turn around. Why would anyone think further harassment of anyone would turn that person into a happy customer?

Myth #3. Banners will die out by year's end. Banners are similar in function to billboards along a highway. Treat them as such, and you'll have a much better advertising mix than someone who sinks half an ad budget into a banner campaign. Other tools, such as focused content pages, work far better to get click-throughs. But, banners also have their place. Just make sure you don't have more than 2 or 3 on each of your web pages or they significantly lose effect and slowdown your site.

Myth #4: Search engine placement is critical. The truth is that it's not always possible to place well on search engines today. Rather than agonize over your keywords and search engine rules, just build a good site and register it with yahoo.com, altavista.com, lycos.com, hotbot.com and a handful of others that matter. Look also for other sites related to your own and trade links there. Your focus should be on providing quality information, live links to related sites, and - if you are selling something - an easy way to buy a quality product.

Myth #5. It's crucial to add in syndicated content and gimmicks like chat to keep visitors on the site, preferably for as long as the 8 minute visit length typical of the industry. Think in terms of usefulness rather than stickiness, and your numbers will increase. Think about providing content that makes your site unique rather than just another piece of Internet clutter. Do you really think you can compete with 15,000 other syndicated content sites to get the same visitors?

Myth #6. "On exit" windows will keep your visitors on your site longer and thereby increase sales. Why do you think someone is exiting in the first place? This strategy makes about as much sense as going to the store and finding gorilla-like employees blocking your exit - with water balloons - in the dead of winter. Would you feel like coming back?

Myth #7. Long sales pitches will increase sales. People buy things for one of two reasons: either to solve a problem or to feel good. When someone monopolizes my time with wordy prose, I don't feel good about that person or his/her pitch. Bore your visitors, and you lose them - there are many other interesting sites to visit on the web!

Myth #8. You need autoresponders, because they reach the customer many times. Have your autoresponder give a short acknowledgement and a tip that you'll reply personally at your earliest opportunity. Don't put an ad in your autoresponder - that's excessively tacky.

Myth #9. You need a niche market. This is true in some cases, but not in others. As long as you are not giving a confusing marketing message to visitors, be as diverse as you want. You can have a bunch of mini-sites under one umbrella site (such as http://www.mideastnetwork.com). But, if you sell children's wear, don't also offer e-commerce packages as your "second revenue stream." You can be a department store, but you can't be a mix of unrelated specialty shops. Think about that carefully as you adopt affiliate programs or branch out into new product lines.

Myth #10. PERL and CGI are dead. These scripts can do wonders for your revenue and for your site. They can help you add many visit-enhancing resources to your site.
The Internet has more that these 10 myths. Dealing with the flood of misinformation has become a constant challenge.
The bottom line, though, is standard business practices apply. You always need to step back and ask yourself if a given recommendation fits with what you are trying to accomplish. If not, don't adopt it. If so, then study the various ways to implement it, and boost both your profits and your sense of accomplishment.