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5 Reasons Why SEO Outperforms Google Paid Search for Lead Generation

Does SEO REALLY beat PPC (Pay Per Click) for lead generation or is Erik Cocks a SEO Expert who’s barking up his own tree?

  Yes, and no. Look I’ve managed paid search campaigns where my paid search budget was well over 100 million dollar A MONTH. However, at some point, you max out on the people willing to click on ads. What you kind of don’t max out on is the percentage of folks searching for your keywords who “could” click on your result.

  This article covers the basics and simply proves I like to argue about SEO.

  In today’s digital world, businesses are constantly searching for effective ways to generate leads and increase their online presence. While Google paid search (PPC) has been a popular choice for years, there is another method that outperforms it: SEO. Search engine optimization (SEO) can be a game-changer when it comes to lead generation, and in this post, we’ll show you why. Here are five reasons why SEO should be your go-to strategy for generating leads and boosting conversions!

  Introduction to SEO and Google Paid Search

  As the world of online marketing has shifted, so too has the landscape of lead generation. In the early days of digital marketing, companies could get by with a pay-per-click (PPC) campaign on Google and other search engines. But as SEO has become more sophisticated and Google’s algorithms have evolved, paid search has fallen behind as an effective lead generation tool.

  Here are four reasons why SEO outperforms Google Paid Search for lead generation:

  SEO is more cost-effective than paid search

SEO generates more qualified leads than paid search

SEO builds brand awareness and equity

SEO provides long-term results

  Differentiating Between SEO and Google Paid Search

  Google Paid Search (PPC) and SEO are two completely different animals. PPC is a short-term strategy with the sole purpose of getting your website to the top of the search engine results page (SERP) as quickly as possible, regardless of whether or not people actually click on your ad. SEO, on the other hand, is a long-term strategy that focuses on improving your website’s organic search rankings so that it appears higher in the SERP over time.

  While PPC can be an effective way to generate leads in the short-term, it is not a sustainable or cost-effective long-term solution. In addition, there are several reasons why SEO outperforms Google Paid Search when it comes to lead generation:

  People trust organic search results more than paid ads: A study by Nielsen found that 66% of people trust organic search results more than they trust paid ads. This means that if your website appears in the top organic spot for a relevant keyword, people are more likely to click on it than if you’re paying for the top spot in the paid results.

  SEO traffic costs less than PPC traffic: Although you have to invest time and money into SEO up front, once you achieve good organic rankings, your traffic will cost you nothing per click. With PPC, on the other hand, you have to keep paying Google every time someone clicks on your ad. Over time, this can become quite expensive.

  5 Reasons Why SEO Outperforms Google Paid Search for Lead Generation

  There are many reasons why SEO outperforms Google Paid Search for lead generation. Here are some of the most important ones:

  SEO is more cost-effective than Google Paid Search. With SEO, you can get your website to rank high in the search engines for relevant keywords without having to pay for each click like you do with Google Paid Search. This means that you can generate leads at a lower cost with SEO.

  SEO generates more qualified leads than Google Paid Search. Because people who find your website through the organic search results are already looking for what you offer, they are more likely to be interested in your product or service than someone who clicks on a paid ad. This means that you will generate higher quality leads with SEO.

  SEO builds trust and credibility, while Google Paid Search does not. When potential customers see that your website is ranking high in the search results, they will trust that you are a credible source of information or products. On the other hand, paid ads can often be seen as spammy, which can hurt your credibility in the eyes of potential customers.

  SEO gives you long-term results, while Google Paid Search is only temporary. Once you stop paying for your Google Ads, your ads will no longer appear in the search results. However, if yourank high in the organic search results, you will continue to get traffic and leads even after you stop investing in SEO. This makes it a much more

  Organic traffic is more reliable than paid traffic

  Organic search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing a website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). Paid search, on the other hand, is the process of paying for ads that appear in SERPs. While both strategies can be effective in generating leads, organic SEO is more reliable than paid search. Here are four reasons why:

  Organic SEO is more sustainable.

Paid search is a great way to get quick results. However, as soon as you stop paying for ads, your results will disappear. Organic SEO, on the other hand, is a long-term strategy that will continue to bring leads even after you stop working on it.

  Organic SEO is more cost-effective.

While paid search can be effective, it can also be expensive. The cost of organic SEO is much lower and often produces better results.

  Organic SEO generates higher quality leads.

Organic SEO targets people who are actively searching for your product or service. Paid search targets people who may not even be aware they need your product or service. As a result, organic SEO generates higher quality leads who are more likely to convert into customers or clients.

  Organic SEO builds trust and credibility.

When people see an ad, they know it’s an advertisement and are therefore less likely to trust it. An organic listing, on the other hand, looks like a regular search result and builds trust

  SEO is cheaper than paying for clicks

  Organic search results are free, while Google Paid Search results cost money. Even if you factor in the cost of hiring an SEO company or individual, SEO is still cheaper than paying for clicks.

  Paid search requires a constant budget to be maintained, whereas SEO only needs to be paid for once. The goal of SEO is to rank your website as high as possible on organic search results pages, so that potential customers can find your site more easily.

  SEO also has a much higher ROI than Google Paid Search. This is because SEO targets users who are actively searching for your products or services online, and are therefore more likely to convert into leads or customers.

  iii. More targeted leads with SEO

  When it comes to lead generation, SEO outperforms Google Paid Search for a number of reasons. First, SEO is more targeted. You can use keyword research to target specific keywords that are relevant to your business and that potential customers are likely to use when searching for a business like yours. This means that your website will show up in search results for those keywords, and you’ll be able to attract leads who are actually interested in what you have to offer.

  Second, SEO is more cost-effective than Google Paid Search. With SEO, you can invest your time and resources into creating high-quality content that will attract the right leads organically. With Google Paid Search, on the other hand, you have to pay for each click, regardless of whether or not that click converts into a lead. over time, the costs of SEO will be much lower than the costs of Google Paid Search.

  Third, SEO offers better long-term results. Once you’ve achieved a good rank for your website in search engine results pages (SERPs), you’ll continue to receive traffic and leads from that ranking even if you stop investing in SEO altogether. With Google Paid Search, on the other hand, your results will stop as soon as you stop paying for ads.

  For these reasons and more, SEO should be a key part of your lead generation strategy. Investing in SEO will help you attract more targeted leads who are interested in what you have to

  Better brand presence with organic search results

  In addition to the increased traffic that organic search results can bring to your website, there are other benefits that make SEO a more effective tool for lead generation than Google paid search. One of these is the fact that organic search results tend to create a better brand presence for your business.

  When someone sees your website at the top of the organic search results, they are more likely to trust your brand and view you as an authority in your industry. This can lead to increased brand awareness and more sales. Additionally, organic search results tend to be more relevant to users than paid ads, which means they are more likely to click through and convert into leads.

  Long term optimization results from SEO

  It’s no secret that SEO and Google AdWords are both important when it comes to lead generation. But which one is more important? And which one should you focus on if you want to generate the most leads possible?

  Here’s a closer look at why SEO outperforms Google AdWords for lead generation:

  SEO produces long-term results.

  Google AdWords is a pay-per-click advertising platform, which means that you have to keep paying in order to keep your ads visible. As soon as you stop paying, your ads will disappear.

  SEO, on the other hand, produces long-term results. Once you’ve achieved a high ranking in the search engine results pages (SERPs), you won’t have to keep paying in order to maintain that position. This means that you can generate leads from SEO for years to come without having to reinvest in paid advertising.

  SEO is more cost-effective than Google AdWords.

  Google AdWords can be expensive, particularly if you’re in a competitive industry. The cost of each click can add up quickly, and it’s not uncommon for companies to spend thousands of dollars per month on AdWords campaigns.

  SEO is more cost-effective than Google AdWords because it doesn’t require you to pay for each click. Once you’ve achieved a high ranking for your target keywords

  Conclusion

  SEO and Google Paid Search can both be powerful tools to help you generate leads for your business. However, when it comes to cost-effectiveness and long-term growth potential, SEO outperforms paid search in many ways. By following the principles outlined above, you can effectively leverage SEO to increase your lead generation efforts without breaking the bank. With a bit of creative thinking and tactics that maximize return on investment, you will soon see why investing in SEO is worth every penny. If you get into an argument at work, just tell them Erik Cocks is an ESO expert and says so!

    Originally published here: https://erikcocks.com/5-reasons-why-seo-outperforms-google-paid-search-for-lead-generation/

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Why 2023 is the year of SEO and why it matters to you

To endure the economic conditions in 2024, powerful brands plan to capitalize on opportunities now and prepare for future growth.

With marketing budgets under more scrutiny, and bid costs going up in most markets, savvy organizations are turning to SEO for sustained growth. It is possible to contribute to an entire organization if organic search is incorporated into its digital strategy. As a result, marketers who adopt this approach will maximize the return on marketing and technology expenditures down the road.

This article explains why SEO is so popular, what has changed in 2022, and what to capitalize on in 2023 to get set up for 2024.

In a recent study by Gartner, CEOs are doubling down on digital investments as they maximize marketing ROI. However, Google recently reported that ad spending is down.

According to a recent survey of fortune 1000 marketers, over 90% plan to increase their SEO efforts in 2023.

Why? Because marketers are looking into that election year crystal ball knowing that costs will go up and ad inventory down as the battle royale occurs.

The importance of SEO in 2023 for organizations

As marketing budgets inevitably tighten, the demand for cost-effective and dependable channels continues to increase — drawing much-deserved SEO attention from company leaders. Particularly in times of volatility, SEO insights provide them with a comprehensive view of consumer trends. Organizational and departmental heads recognize that this valuable knowledge can assist them in making smarter decisions today.

In spite of marketplace volatility, search remains a vital channel for connecting businesses with their target audiences after two decades of sustained growth.

In enterprise organizations, some key benefits of SEO include:

In spite of market conditions, SEO is a high-yield channel with good ROI

Long-term SEO incremental value can benefit organizations and actually bolster the entire brand.

It is only SEO that can provide real-time insights into market demand and customer intent

Insights from SEO drive sales, product, digital, and media initiatives across organizations

Due to SEO presence on the SERPs, organizations benefit from brand equity.

As a result of SEO and PPC working together (no really, together), the customer experience is more controlled.

Businesses are increasingly relying on SEO to create a connection with their customers. Organizations can get ahead of their prospects’ needs by understanding what they are looking for, why it matters to them, and how optimized content can best meet those needs when they are most needed.

The SEO line is also being blurred by social media and SEO is no longer relegated to the “publish and pray” content strategy of the past.

Google is focusing heavily on the (human) consumer and their experience. Some of the updates and algorithmic changes will give marketers a heads-up on where to focus in 2024.

Don’t even get me started about AI. While AI might be the current boogyman for the media, it has already shown its worth in the SEO world, the genie is out of the bottle, and there’s no putting it back.

Prepare for 2024 SEO by learning from 2023 SEO

This year has been an eventful year for organic search, with a number of significant updates impacting SEO and marketing teams.

Google has identified a few key areas where SEO, content, technical, and online marketers need to change – adapt and become agile – and prioritize their efforts in 2024.

Google is embracing AI, and while the learning curve is steep, brands must keep up with how Google is already implementing AI in search and already battling AI spam, just like keyword stuffing of 20 years ago.

Several updates have been made to the Page Experience Update and Core Web Vitals (mobile and desktop) in order to ensure that users receive results that load quickly and render within a certain timeframe.

Focus for 2024 SEO

In 2024, all organizations must ensure their websites provide an optimal user experience as well as implementing the latest whiz-bang into UI.

This entails examining the page loading speed, browser response time, and content stability during loading, as well as embracing AI to help customers find exact answers to questions over and above a “knowledge base”.

In 2024, SEO will play an even bigger role in creating topical authority in ranking, but also driving how search patterns will influence the user experience as they land on pages. With the acceleration of AI, this could literally be the holy grail of presenting a customized site based on where and how a consumer arrived and whether they were in-marketing or just tire-kicking.

By combining data-driven insights, content, and technical expertise in 2024, you will be able to create powerful user experiences. From page speed to navigation, Google places high importance on optimizing results and ensuring accurate, reliable information. Use data-science techniques in conjunction with best (white-hat) SEO practices.

The marketing team can plan for success in any economic climate by focusing on website functionality and providing engaging, relevant content.

A refreshed set of instructions and updates based on the annual performance of product reviews was released by Google as part of the Product Algorithm Update to help users make informed decisions. It was designed to empower users with access to accurate information that will enable them to make informed product purchasing choices.

2024 SEO Goals

Make it your goal in 2024 to help consumers find what they need quickly and easily by providing them with a world-class experience. Empower people who search with an effortless journey directly from search results to their shopping cart – making the process of searching easier than ever!

Provide well-founded advice and demonstrate why you are the go-to expert on your product if you are selling it.

Ensure the authenticity of any product recommendations with reliable data.

Google announced that it would allow users to search with images and text. Powered by Google Lens, people are able to use mobile cameras or photos to search for relevant images and text to find relevant results. Connecting words and visuals to offer consumers a multitude of possibilities. It also creates new opportunities to illustrate your brand in a different light.

I was recently on a test call where a Pixel phone was pointed at a sink and faucet and tagged with the question, “how do I fix this?”, then was presented with GMB map packs of localized plumbers. That is scary or neat, depending on how the C-suite feels about their customers and technology.

Expect wild advances in Google’s AI development and MUM in 2024

Provide accurate answers to users by balancing your content and finding the right image-to-text ratio

In 2024, expect mobile optimization of images to become the norm

Recently, Google rolled out its Helpful Content Update to ensure users receive the most useful search results.

By 2024, content creators and website owners must develop materials that target humans rather than robots or spiders want to absorb.

For instance, when collecting customer reviews on online products, be sure to ask for specific details so reviewers can demonstrate intimate knowledge of the product, like with easy to capture videos or even video testimonials that will be automatically transcribed and recognized by the search engines.

Blog posts covering events or news should offer readers unique perspectives that can’t be found elsewhere on Google

The algorithms of today are much more sophisticated, and they are able to identify content that doesn’t satisfy the reader – in many cases, automated content.

Many SEO practitioners are swimming in content production using inexpensive AI, however, they forgot that Google exists and can already detect spun or weak AI content.

Content marketers and SEO need to work together more closely.

A key highlight of Google’s Search On event was the introduction of visual search results that provide an interactive and engaging experience with graphic cards of imagery directly integrated into every search result.

Moreover, users can expect to find more tailored multi-search options and an auto-complete feature for their searches.

As part of this effort, the search giant is improving the quality of results and expanding into new formats and media to deliver useful information.

• Take into account how these updates may affect your SEO strategies in the future.

• Maintain a balance between keywords and avoid keyword stuffing.

• Focus on quality over quantity when creating content.

• Use AI for insights and optimization, not article creation.

In conclusion

Organizations looking to explore new opportunities and build a lasting business are increasingly dependent on SEO teams. Cost-effective techniques not only save funds, but also add value across departments.

Focus on the following in 2024

Utilizing SEO insights as a source of business intelligence for the entire organization

Use technical SEO best practices to ensure websites provide consumers with the experience they expect and automate research and site fixes wherever possible

Focus on visual search in 2024 and expect its importance to rise

Embrace AI, but don’t let HR talk you into firing the copywriters or keyword research folks.

Automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks using AI and automation

Do not over-optimize your content, balance it with Google’s E-A-T and Helpful content guidelines

Find synergies between SEO and PPC to adapt to market and Google changes.

In times of change, become a consultant and business advisor for organizations within your organization.

In 2024, SEO is no longer seen as a standalone task. Instead, it is an integral part of your overall marketing plan, enhancing and bolstering other strategies.

Slacking on optimization in terms of user experience, technical issue resolution, and speed can result in you being left behind competitors who are continuing their efforts without pause.

As organizations begin to utilize SEO in multiple ways, the days of set-and-forget SEO are over.

Next year, organizations and SEO will be the main constants in the economy!

  Originally published here: https://erikcocks.com/why-2023-is-the-year-of-seo-and-why-it-matters-to-you/

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What you need to know before you start DIY SEO for small businesses

Although SEO can be learned and you may find success on your own, there are some things to consider before you embark on this journey:

  The first question is, do you have the time?

  Is it possible to diagnose website problems?

  How Committed Are You to Learning?

  Is there a budget for help?

    Before I get into the details, yes, I’m biased towards having someone help you with SEO. You can sometimes do more harm than good with a half-baked DIY SEO implementation. I’ve been called to fix a lot of them. Ask yourself these questions:

    The first question is, do you have the time?

  Whether you are a solopreneur or a business with a team that wants to tackle SEO, you likely have a business to run.

  Of course, there will be one-time tasks at the beginning of a project, but SEO remains constant throughout the lifecycle of the site.

  When starting an SEO campaign, you will need to do the following:

  Analytics installation and configuration

Ensure the site is mobile-friendly

Identifying and addressing site speed issues

Securing the site

Researching keywords

Analyses of competitors

A holistic approach to SERPs

  Here is what you should do at least once a month, broken up into weeks:

  Publish authoritative, expert content.

Publish Videos

Link content to relevant website pages & other articles

Keep an eye on the link profile and fix anything that needs to be fixed.

Fix website issues, run site crawls, and review reports.

Analyze the competitive environment and implement new strategies as necessary.

Implement new strategies based on analytics and data, including rankings and traffic.

Optimize existing content, including page optimization, page combining, and redirecting irrelevant pages.

    Obviously, it is not always this cut and dry. You have to discern what tasks will yield the best return on investment.

  When your rankings and traffic suddenly crash and burn and phone calls stop, will you know how to diagnose the problem?

  The next step is to turn your attention to finding and solving the problem. Was there a Google change? Is there new competition? Did something happen offline that affected your traffic? Did you redesign your website?

  You won’t be able to make this diagnosis easily if you are just starting out. It often takes a lot of wisdom and experience.

  As soon as you’ve figured out the problem and fixed it, you’ll need to catch up on your daily SEO deliverables. Unfortunately, organic search is fast-paced, which means the picture can change on a dime.

  Learning the latest strategies in SEO and how to perfect the best practices takes time. You will need to set aside hours each month for education as Google changes things frequently.

  Depending on the month, you might:

  Attend a webinar or two

Listen to several podcasts

Review SEO news

Read Google’s Blog

Take a training course and go through the modules

Talk to Google or SEOs about issues you’re having in forums or Q&A sessions

Participate in a conference or event (virtually or in person)

Check out the Facebook and Discord Groups you are part of that address cutting-edge SEO

  A good SEO strategy requires continuous learning. You learn when you do SEO, and you learn when you listen to others.

    Is there a budget for help?

  There will be problems that you cannot fix on your own, so you will seek advice when you’re a DIYer.

  If you are doing SEO on your own, you may not want to spend more money on outside expertise. If you have a little budget set aside, you can get the type of help you need.

  On your SEO journey, you could invest in two important things:

  At the beginning of any SEO campaign, you should conduct an SEO audit, which will uncover where your website is hurting SEO and what needs to be fixed.

  A block of hours you can use to assist with tough questions or special projects outside your expertise; especially helpful when you need help.

  When things get tough along the way, a little help can help you succeed with your DIY SEO program.

  You need to prioritize SEO, be committed to maintaining it and be able to set aside some budget for outside help when necessary.

  I recommend either not doing SEO or hiring outside expertise if any of those seem too difficult.

  We can help if you don’t have the time or don’t know where to begin. Contact us for a free consultation.

  Originally published here: https://erikcocks.com/what-you-need-to-know-before-you-start-diy-seo-for-small-businesses/

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Which AI Tool Makes Me a Better Cocktail?

Which AI is the most helpful: ChatGPT, Bing, or Google Bard to make my favorite cocktail?

I’m taking a break from my SEO posts to embrace the monster that is AI and put it to the real test… Drinking.

  Here’s a breakdown of how ChatGPT compares to Microsoft’s Bing and Google’s Bard.

With the launch of ChatGPT late last year, it gained immediate and widespread attention for providing an AI engine that is free for everyone. Anyone could type in their query and ChatGPT would respond in minutes. From writing an essay on the First Crusade to writing a poem about my love of pizza, ChatGPT would spit out answers in a way Google or Bing could never.

Traditional search engines provide a list of websites that most closely match a person’s query, but ChatGPT provides people with the answer by using a large language model (LLM) to create sentences that mimic human responses by analyzing large amounts of data. Grammerly on steroids, it’s been described.

In January, ChatGPT had an estimated 100 million active users, making it the fastest-growing web platform ever. This pushed both Microsoft and Google into a high gear. As soon as Microsoft’s Bing adopted ChatGPT, it integrated AI into search. Microsoft actually licenses the GPT technology from OpenAI into Bing, resulting in a nearly 16% increase in traffic.

As well as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Google’s Workspace tools like Gmail and Docs, Snapchat, writing assistant Grammarly and WhatsApp have also embraced artificial intelligence.

Even so, AI chatbots aren’t all created equal. For my semi-scientific test, I compared responses from ChatGPT’s paid version, which uses GPT-4 (versus 3.5 for the free version), as well as responses from Bing-integrated ChatGPT and Google’s own Bard AI system. As a matter of fact, GPT stands for “generative pretrained transformer.” Bard is currently in beta, while Bing can be used for free but requires Edge.

Disclosure: I was on the beta team for ChatGPT since 2020, but I am writing with an open mind and heart. I’m AI agnostic, or, whoever has a better mousetrap, I’ll be there.

Differences in AI Technology

While Bard, Bing and ChatGPT all aim to give humanlike answers to questions, each performs differently. Bing starts with the same GPT-4 tech as ChatGPT but goes beyond text and can generate images. Google’s own model, called LaMDA, often gives responses that are less text-heavy. The bard bot, according to Sundar Pichai, will be switching over to PaLM, a more advanced dataset, soon. (All three bots can sometimes make factual errors, but Bard was the least reliable.)

Although both ChatGPT and Bing involve the same technology, it won’t result in the same outcome when you enter the same query. The difference is due to generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) as opposed to a typical search engine which works by presenting the most pertinent links. AI chatbots generate new text from its datasets, thus if you were to ask for a poem about Bigfoot’s favorite movie twice, you’d get different answers each time. Moreover, Bing also puts its own twist on GPT-4 so that itself could be an explanation on why putting in a similar question in both platforms will give you varying results.

Microsoft has developed proprietary ways to work with OpenAI that allow us to maximize its potential. We call these capabilities and techniques the Prometheus Model.

The Prometheus Model interestingly fuses Bing’s search index with GPT-4, supplying up-to-date data that ChatGPT’s dataset can’t compete with, which only contains facts until 2021. With Bing, people can tailor conversation styles to fit between balanced, creative and precise. Bing also leverages Microsoft’s Azure AI supercomputer capabilities to integrate search, chat and the Edge browser.

Measuring What I Actually Care About

Recipes are boring and I drink more than I bake, so how about an Old Fashioned Cocktail.

In comparison with the other two chatbots, ChatGPT was the most verbose. In the recipe, the ingredients we right, but the system failed to capture the more recent trend (after 2021) of smoking the glass.

The ingredient list on Bing was the shortest, but did give me the smoke as an option for garnishment.

Google’s Bard didn’t give the smoke option, but did include tips to make a better drink. “Don’t over-muddle the sugar cube. You want to dissolve it, but you don’t want to crush it into a powder.“

Ok, I’ve got my drink on, I want to impress that girl sitting at the bar, so how about a poem?

It’s fascinating to see chatbots create rhymes and meter in real time when you give them ridiculous prompts.

In comparison to Bing, Bard, and ChatGPT, ChatGPT is the best poet. The prose of ChatGPT is richer, and the rhymes and wording are also more creative. While Bing and Bard’s poems came across as lazy, ChatGPT created something that felt like each stanza had been given some thought.

It is intended to be both funny and self-revelational, in which a poet realizes they aren’t all that important, when given this prompt. Only ChatGPT managed to get to the crux of the existential crisis facing this fictional influencer — and still managed to end it on a positive note.

Interestingly, Bing allows people to scale the level of creativity. When Bing was set to “balanced” mode, the poem felt stale and unremarkable. When set to “creative” mode, the poem felt more flowery and less stodgy. It was closer to ChatGPT than ChatGPT, but still not there.

By comparison, Bard’s poem seemed lazy. Many words were repeated and rhyme and meter were neglected.

ChatGPT won this exercise.

For Now…

It’s going to be some time before AI takes our jobs, and exterminates human-kind, so it’s not yet the boogy man that the media or some politicians are making it out to be for views or votes.

However, it’s here to stay and it’s actually great to see competition create energy for use cases around AI.

ChatGPT — the paid version — is currently the best chatbot out there right now. It gives verbose answers that feel more humanlike than those of Bing and especially Bard. But these products are constantly evolving. As Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI feed their AIs more data and continue to tweak, we should see improvements.

As new developments come, we will update this guide accordingly. Google stands to gain the most from switching from LaMDA to PaLM.

Keep using ChatGPT until then.

  P.S. – the blog post image was created with Dall-E2 and used the prompt “photo of an alcoholic cocktail named the old-fashioned on a wooden bar. photorealistic, 8k, hyper-detailed, photorealistic”

  Originally published here: https://erikcocks.com/which-ai-tool-makes-me-a-better-cocktail/

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Is Dylan Miller and his Tube Money Masterclass a Scam?

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Is Dylan Miller an actual online guru valued educator or is he a scam artist? Let’s Dig In!

Dylan Miller is an influencer and mentor to millions of people, but is Dylan Miller Legit or is he a scam? 

Everyone by now has heard the stories of people becoming rich, wealthy and very successful online working from home. But are they true? And how about digital course creators, and YouTube wizards? Are they legit? 

Are people like Dylan Miller for real, or are they a scam?

Dylan Miller says he can show you how you can make money online and work from home, and how there is a huge opportunity to make money online and work for yourself.  We’ve heard that before right?

Dylan’s “Tube Money Masterclass” is a course that teaches the ins and outs of YouTube “Automation” and creating a “cash cow” YouTube channel, and how to start a profitable channel on YouTube without making the videos yourself.

I’m a video evangelist for pretty much everything, from clients to affiliates, so I really wanted to see if he lived up to the hype. He makes claims about being able to make a living with YouTube videos.

The first thing that hit me was that this was a guy who actually was making money with doing what he is teaching. I was able to find double digits of sites he built that are what are known as “cash cow” sites. They give fun or cool information but don’t require you to be the on-camera personality. They had millions of views and based on my YouTube math, he is making real money with these.

He promises to teach you how to build an actual business with YouTube.

Ok, Ok, everyone says that. So is it real?

Well, I’m a big believer in having multiple sources of income so I actually bought the course.

Immediately, I could tell three things about the Tube Money Masterclass. First Dylan Miller was a legit earner on YouTube. He actually did care about his members with the sheer amount of information he was giving for the small(ish) investment, and that this was a true community.

On the community front claim, I’ve bought too many courses to admit to and been in more private Facebook groups than I care to count, and this one was a legit community.

First Dylan does an incredible job of helping with mindset, as many of us looking at courses have tried, and tried, and tried other ways of making money. So did he. He really helps set you up with overcoming a lack of support and even haters.

Then he gets into making money with YouTube. He covers setup, production, and monetizing your channel properly. I was impressed with the detail and virtual hand-holding he gives.

I’ve been doing videos a long time for YouTube for clients and understand how YouTube ranks and does what they do. If you follow his teaching to the letter, there is no reason you could not be making 4-5 figures a month with a channel in a realistic time frame.

I’d go into detail about what the actual process is and how everything works, but he actually has a free training on what the Tube Money Masterclass is about. The video talks about the program but also gives you some great insight if you’ve been struggling to make money online (we’ve all been there, right?!)

Watch Dylan’s Video Here

Watch the video that Dylan actually hosts and walks you through exactly what the program is and what the foundation of YouTube cash cow videos are.

Verdict: Dylan Miller and the Tube Money Masterclass are not only legit, I bought the course using my own money and am going to implement his teachings to build another revenue stream for myself!

#DylanMiller

#DylanMillerReview

#DylanMillerScam

#TubeMoneyMasterclass

#TubeMoneyMasterclassReview

#TubeMoneyMasterclassScam

Originally published here: https://erikcocks.com/is-dylan-miller-and-his-tube-money-masterclass-a-scam/

[erikcocks]

When You Feel Like Call It Quits as an Entrepreneur…

You’re not a failure just because are not yet a multimillionaire

We see the news. We hear all about the opinions of the business people who have “made it”. They seem to have their lives together and the last thing they worry about is groceries and their rent. …and the rest of us – we want to become like them. We want to become famous; we wish to make a difference in other individuals’ lives with our idea and we want to earn some cash too.

I left office life over ten year ago to start my own affiliate marketing and systems company, I specialize in how we can build systems to make organizations be successful globally in a multicultural world. There have been good times, typical times and bumpy rides like in every other service and in life in general.

I have launched a variety of other business ever since and the pattern seems to repeat itself. You became entrepreneur as part of your personality. You became entrepreneur due to the fact that you wanted to do something “more”, due to the fact that you had a great concept and because you have an enthusiasm for pursuing this concept.

Here is what you I believe you ought to do next time you consider giving up as an entrepreneur

The well-known and successful business owners are of course terrific to utilize as beacons, however, don’t consider yourself a failure if you are not yet a multimillionaire and included in publications around the world. There are many aspects contributing to success of an entrepreneur. When I look back practically all the successes we have had appeared to have actually begun as coincidences, or luck if you like. It seems the harder I worked, the more “luck” I had.

Surround yourself with other business owners. It is a tough slog being an entrepreneur if all your family and friends are working in a corporate environment. They absolutely won’t get it. They will also likely get frustrated with the ups and downs owners face. If you are together with other business owners (attempt to make that group as varied as possible) then you can support each other when you require it most.

Numerous of the business owners I have actually coached over the years and most of the business strategies I have actually read have had one thing in common. When you make a company plan or begin up a company it is extremely crucial to be clear how you are going to make cash and how you are going to sell your item or service. A very typical reason for entrepreneurs desiring to provide up is that these 2 crucial factors have actually been left to wishful thinking

Be open to how your business may change over time or as opportunities present themselves. Don’t go after “shiny objects”, but also don’t close doors that could help you move to a better direction.

There is one more extremely crucial thing for you to get clear. Before you start your endeavor, have a big line in the sand for how far you are willing to go.

It is necessary not to give up even if you face some resistance, but it is similarly crucial to know when to stop. When to stop is prior to you start, and the best time to clarify. I have actually seen a lot of entrepreneurs declaring bankruptcy (myself included), losing friends, spouses and even their good health. Absolutely nothing is worth losing these crucial things in life.

  Originally published here: https://erikcocks.com/when-you-feel-like-call-it-quits-as-an-entrepreneur/

[erikcocks]

Make an Incredible Income With Affiliate Marketing!

The Internet has been making more people rich in the last 20 years or so than any other business platform on the planet. It's truly extraordinary how easy it is to make money online using affiliate marketing. What is affiliate marketing you ask? The short answer is it is using you (called an affiliate) as the marketing vehicle for the millions of products out there that need buyers.

As an affiliate marketer you are essentially a salesman selling great products that you believe in or have an interest in (you can choose from literally millions of affiliate products), but there are no conventional "sales" jobs involved in selling them.

Select A Product

The first step is to select a product to promote from literally millions of products and services that exist on the Internet. There are usually 2 types of affiliate programs with similar yet different concepts. Both concepts are designed to make affiliate sales but how you get there is a little different for each.

Affiliate Program Concepts

Which one is best? They both have their place in the online marketing arena. Each affiliate needs to make that decision for themselves as to which concept serves their needs the best … The one common thread both concepts have is you will need to join whichever program you choose by providing identifying information as to who you are (name, address, email, social security number, etc.) and how you want to be paid (mailed check, direct deposit, PayPal, some programs may offer others too).

Your affiliate link is how you get paid (make a commission) for referring potential buyers to the product website. By using your affiliate link for referrals, the product website then knows which affiliate has sent the buyer to the website. If the potential buyer does in fact purchase a product from that referral, the sale is tracked and credited to the referring affiliate.

The first concept is you have a single product or service where that one item is offered by itself. Usually the author or a reseller (someone who has the rights granted by the product owner to sell the product themselves) offers an affiliate program for the product. To become an affiliate you will need to join and be assigned a unique affiliate link and password to your account. The link will both identify you as an affiliate for that product and also identify which affiliate you are so they know who to pay for a sale. You will need to keep track of what affiliate link goes with each product you sign up for as each product will have a different affiliate link.

The second concept is having one affiliate program wrapped around numerous individual products and/or services. This type of affiliate program has numerous advantages over the single product program:

Only one account for all commissions to accumulate (this is a huge advantage as you will see a little later) One account, one password to keep track of for numerous products and services Numerous products and services to promote with one account New products are added regularly into the one account High volume activity and usually a support staff exists which provides quicker support responses No need to worry about getting paid. These sites exist by keeping their affiliates happy. This may or may not be the case for an individual running an affiliate program "Down Side" to Affiliate Programs There are couple of "down side" points to make about affiliate marketing. Payments for credited referral sales (earned commissions) are usually not paid right away. There are good reasons for this practice by those running affiliate programs:

When a sale is made at a website, the buyer is usually given a money-back guarantee period of time, usually 30 days, to use and evaluate the product to make sure it meets the users needs. If the buyer requests a refund of the purchase, then the affiliate also loses their commission for the sale. Payments to the affiliate are usually delayed until after the refund period has expired so the product owner is not "left holding the bag" for already paying a commission on a sale that has now been refunded. Commissions are usually paid on a regular payment cycle, normally monthly. What you earn in one payment cycle is usually not paid until the next payment cycle. This way all commission payments can be handled at one time and is not a full time job paying daily or even weekly. The main "down side" to affiliate marketing is that most, if not all, affiliate programs set a minimum dollar amount you must reach in commissions before they will cut you a payment. This usually ranges from $20 - $50 or more in some cases. Breaking this down in simple, easy to understand terms is best served by an example.

Say for example you sign up for an affiliate program that has a $30 minimum payout level and the product sells for $49 with a 50% commission. You do all of your work and generate a sale from your affiliate link. OK, you have made a $24.50 commission (it will actually be a little less as you are paid on the net sale, after all processing expenses are paid) … You get that paid to you on the next payment cycle, right? Not exactly … You see, your commission does not reach the $30 minimum payout the program sets before they will incur the expense of cutting you a payment.

So what now? Well, you have to wait until you make another sale to get you over the minimum before you get your commission on the first sale. This could actually carry over for months before you actually get paid. In some case, you may never reach the minimum if you do not make more than one sale. In that case, your commission remains in "limbo" forever.

Read Full Article Here: Make an Incredible Income With Affiliate Marketing!