UberSafeList Newsletter May 2005
Issue # 00002

NEWS of INTEREST

Courtesy of: UberHits, UberSeek and TheUberSafeList


Are you vulnerable - Installment #1 - Viruses?
AUTHOR: Ralf Bich

Viruses, spyware, malware, ID Theft, hacking of your web site, and a number of other security risks which we are all vulnerable to on a daily basis when either browsing the web or running a web site.

E-mail:
If you are like me you receive all types of e-mail each and every day from sites that you have requested more information, safe lists, newsletters, financial institutions and from our beloved "spammers".
Full Article

Can-Spam Act Has No Effect Says Study
AUTHOR: Tommy

WASHINGTON – More than a year after the CAN-SPAM Act became law, email users say they are receiving slightly more spam in their inboxes than before, but they are minding it less.

A new survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project conducted between January 13 and February 9, 2005, shows the following:

  • 28% of users with a personal email account say they are getting more spam than a year ago, while 22% say they are getting less.

  • 21% of users with a work email account say they are getting more spam than a year ago, while 16% say they are getting less.

  • 53% of email users say spam has made them less trusting of email, compared to 62% a year ago.

  • 22% of email users say that spam has reduced their overall use of email, compared to 29% a year ago.

  • 67% of email users say spam has made being online unpleasant or annoying, compared to 77% a year ago.
Overall, more than half of all internet users (52%) complain that spam is a big problem.

“We see a little more spam with a little less distress since Congress tried to stem the flow of unsolicited email with the CAN-SPAM Act in January 2004,” said Deborah Fallows, Senior Research Fellow at the Pew Internet Project. “Maybe people are getting used to spam, or becoming resigned to it, just like air pollution and crowded roads.”

Among other things, the survey found that people were getting less porn spam, a uniquely troubling form of spam for most users and particularly for women. While 63% of email users now say they have received porn spam, down 8 percentage points from a year ago, 29% of those email users say they are now getting less porn spam, compared to 16% who said they are getting more.

Full Article

Tips and Tricks

If we want to emphasize something or express urgency, you and me will immediately think of adding an exclamation mark. But exclamation marks do not metaphysically put importance in the words preceding them, they just express the importance that's already there (or can only be heard, as in the command: "Go!").

That's why it is a good idea not to use exclamation marks at all in your email marketing copy. If you feel the need to use an exclamation point, reread and reword the sentence (or the whole paragraph) to make the words, the rhythm and the sentence structure develop their own urgency and importance.


RALF'S DAILY TREASURE

(Courtesy of Ralf of Uberhits.com)
  • Smart Ads - Brain freeze, out of ideas for your ad.

Helpful Resources

Good Key Words

Lava Soft - Spyware Removal

Key Words - Search and Tool Kits

Merriam-Webster Dictionary & Thesaures

SITE OF INTEREST


Ozzegals is nicely laid out and easy to navigate, the only draw back is that you have to RIGHT CLICK to open links and OPEN in a NEW WINDOW, a target="_blank" or target="_new" would be a great help.
If you are looking for FREE Ad or FFA Link Blasters, a large selection of SafeLists and downloads, it is well worth a visit.

Helpful Hints

Following these basic guidelines can dramatically increase your banner ads' effectiveness (and the rate at which they are clicked):

1. Be professional: People are going to get their first impressions of your website based on your banner ad, so you need to be certain that it presents you in the best possible manner. This means you should be extra careful that all your spelling and grammar are correct. Also, select font sizes, styles and colors that maximize your ad's readability. If your banner ad is of poor quality, people will assume your website is too.

2. Ask for an action: What do you want people who see your banner ad to do? Most likely, first and foremost, you want them to simply click on it, so be sure your ad says so. Because this is so important, most of the banner ad designs already have a "call to action" (such as "Click Now") built in.

3. Keep it simple: Your banner ad may only have a few seconds to make its impact on the viewer. As a result, it must be able to convey your message in a small amount of time. By keeping your ad's concept and wording clear and concise, you increase the likelihood that the viewer will actually get your message. Remember, if the viewer can't easily and quickly understand what your banner ad is saying, it is unlikely he/she will click on it. Use the fewest (and most simple) words you can. Just because you can fit more words in your ad doesn't mean you should. Once someone clicks to your website, you'll have ample opportunity to provide more details.

4. Use words that raise attention or emotion: Words like "free", "special offer", "secrets", etc. help grab the viewer's attention and increase his/her curiosity in your offer. Try this technique: pretend you are reading your banner ad's text for the first time: would YOU be interested in or excited about what it offers? If not, then most people probably wouldn't be either.

5. Emphasize benefits, not features: What is the difference between a "benefit" and a "feature"? In simple terms, a "feature" is a service or an aspect of a service that you offer. A "benefit" is the actual impact it has on your customer. Let's say your site offers income tax services. Which of these is more enticing: "We speciallize in finding deductions" (a feature) or "Pay less tax" (the benefit)? Advertisers realized long ago that more than anything else people want to know how your product/service can improve their lives.

6. Test your banners: Because we've made designing banner ads so quick and easy, we suggest you design several, using different styles and messages. Run each one for a week or two and collect any data you can (such as click through rates). Analyze your data to determine what the more successful ads have in common and then refine your ads and test them again.


What Caught My Eye


UberSafeList Monthly Promotion

Join FREE - Earn PRO or ELITE

Our FREE Memberships have the same advantages as Most PRO Accounts!

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The Benefits of The UberSafeList:
** HTML or TEXT Mailer
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** Join any of the three (3) membership levels, FREE, PRO and ELITE!
** Create and Learn with Online Marketing Tools and Resources
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** Spend Credits for Mailing or Banner Rotaion
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Offer ENDS May 2005

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Have a great month !!
The Uber Marketing Team

Ralf