Joomla! Cash Money-making weapons for your Joomla! website
Brandon Dawson Tom Canavan
BIRMINGHAM - MUMBAI
Joomla! Cash Copyright © 2007 Packt Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews. Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the authors, co-author, Packt Publishing, nor its dealers or distributors will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this book. Special thanks to Tom Canavan for giving permission to use portions of his book—"Dodging the Bullets— A Disaster Preparation Guide for Joomla! based Websites". Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all the companies and products mentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
First published: October 2007
Production Reference: 1191007
Published by Packt Publishing Ltd. 32 Lincoln Road Olton Birmingham, B27 6PA, UK. ISBN 978-1-847191-40-3 www.packtpub.com
Cover Image by Damian Carvill (
[email protected])
Credits Author Brandon Dawson Co-Author Tom Canavan Reviewers Tom Canavan
Project Manager Abhijeet Deobhakta Project Coordinator Sagara Naik Indexer Hemangini Bari
Niko Kotiniemi Proofreader Senior Acquisition Editor
Chris Smith
David Barnes Production Coordinator Development Editor Mithil Kulkarni Technical Editor Akshara Aware Editorial Manager Dipali Chittar
Manjiri Nadkarni Shantanu Zagade Cover Designer Shantanu Zagade
About the Author Brandon Dawson is a 29 year old website developer from Lancaster, Ohio in
the United States. He has completed Joomla! projects for clients ranging from major corporate clients, such as Apple Incorporated, to small local businesses. He maintains a business website at www.athenainternet.com. He enjoys building websites, hiking, cycling, and spending time with his fiancée and their son, Augdin. He is also a huge movie buff and spent his college years operating a small local movie theatre. He frequents the Joomla support forums, and maintains his personal websites at www.joomlawarrior.com and www.brandondawson.org.
About the Co-author Tom Canavan has practically grown up with the Computer industry. He started his career out of college doing component-level repair of barcode readers. From there he moved into a computer systems maintenance position supporting proprietary minis, mainframes, PCs, and networks with a major defense firm. Later he moved to AST Research and then to Dell Computer Corporation where he worked as a Sr. Systems Consultant working with Fortune-500 customers. He has over twenty-three years of work experience on all facets of computing, networking, and customer problem solving. He has a degree in Robotics and Numerical control from Grayson County College. He is the co-host of a successful Podcast about Joomla! known as JoomlaJabber.com. He is the author of "Dodging the Bullets—a disaster preparation guide for Joomla! based websites".
About the Reviewers Tom Canavan has practically grown up with the Computer industry. He started
his career out of college doing component-level repair of barcode readers. From there he moved into a computer systems maintenance position supporting proprietary minis, mainframes, PCs, and networks with a major defense firm. Later he moved to AST Research and then to Dell Computer Corporation where he worked as a Sr. Systems Consultant working with Fortune-500 customers. He has over twenty-three years of work experience on all facets of computing, networking, and customer problem solving. He has a degree in Robotics and Numerical control from Grayson County College. He is the co-host of a successful Podcast about Joomla! known as JoomlaJabber.com. He is the author of "Dodging the Bullets—a disaster preparation guide for Joomla! based websites".
Niko Kotiniemi has a background service sector, Union and Unemployment Fund related work as well as the travel sector. In 2004 he turned his lifelong computer hobby to into a living, starting with custom web projects and open-source CMS systems. Since the very beginning of his computer related professional career he has worked with Mambo and later with Joomla. In 2006, at the age of 30 he decided to obtain the academic qualifications and entered the Software Engineering studies at the Helsinki Polytechnic Stadia, Information Technology department.
During the course of his studies he is constantly working on different web-projects to both finance his studies as well as out of professional interest. Most of his free time is spent with his family as well as in studying new trends and technologies and ways in which they can be integrated to real-life situations such as those faced by private entrepreneurs and small companies. Currently his main technological interests lie in Joomla, wiki’s, all of the Google labs products, Ajax, Gadgets/Widgets, databases and specialized websites for niche groups. You can reach him through his personal website http://www.kotiniemi.fi or through e-mail:
[email protected].
Table of Contents Preface Chapter 1: Welcome Warriors!
Business is a War—You Must be Prepared to be a Warrior! Hype versus Reality—the Internet What went Wrong? The Way of the Warrior Mind Your P's Product Place Some Advantages Some Disadvantages
Price Promotion The Forgotten P—People Summary
Chapter 2: Creating a Marketing Plan
Why have Marketing Plans? Creating a Marketing Plan Elements of Your Marketing Plan The Warrior's Strategic Objectives Evaluate, Adapt, Improvise, and Overcome The Warrior's Tactics Objective 1—Direct Revenue Generation Affiliate Marketing Goods, Goods, Goods Information is Power Objective 2—Traffic Generation Keyword-Rich Copywriting
1 5
6 6 6 7 7 8 8
9 9
9 10 10 11
13
13 13 14 15 15 18 19 20 20 20 21 21
Table of Contents
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Sitemap Submission RSS Syndication or Really Simple Syndication Free! Free! Free! Objective 3—Visitor and Traffic Analysis Objective 4—Behavior and Conversion Analysis Objective 5—Competitive Analysis "Know Thy Enemy" Objective 6—Bringing it All back Home Summary
Chapter 3: Generating Traffic
21 21 22 22 22 24 26 28 28
29
What is SEO? Structural Optimization
Items That Search Engines Look for in Your Site's Content External Views of Your Site by Search Engines
29 30
30 31
Optimizing META Data Title Optimization Content Optimization Keyword Research and Optimization Website Structure and Organization Internal Linking and Navigation Using a robots.txt File Using Image ALT and TITLE Tags Promotional Optimization Link Popularity Link Anchors Choosing Relevant Link Partners
31 32 32 33 34 34 35 36 36 36 37 38
Lock 'n' Load—Using SEO in Joomla! Using Joomla's Core SEO
39 39
Installing and Configuring OpenSEF
40
Determining Link Relevancy Don't Go There–Links to be Avoided at All Costs Competitive Analysis
What is .htaccess? Copying htaccess.txt to .htaccess Are we Done Yet? Installing Tip for Using OpenSEF Using the Sitemap Feature Configuring OpenSEF's Sitemap Generating the Sitemap Submitting the Sitemap
SEO Conclusion Getting Visitors to Play Tag
38 38 39
40 40 40 41 44 44 45 46 47
48 48 [ ii ]
Table of Contents
FijiWebDesign's TagBot Linkbaiting Techniques Case Study on Linkbait—Oxfam.org.uk–"Bit Unfair" Typical Linkbaiting Tactics
48 50 51 53
Summary
57
Using RSS Feeds Permission Marketing Affiliate Programs
Chapter 4: Traffic or Log Analysis
Traffic or Log Analysis is Vital Intelligence Obtaining Logs What Information Do the Logs Provide? Getting Actionable Data JoomlaStats Google Analytics—Another Approach
Taking Action
What You Need to Learn What You Need to Do with This Vital Intelligence Right Now
Summary
Chapter 5: Site Layout and Optimization
Optimizing Your Site for Ease of Use Menu Navigation and Content Organization Simplicity Pros Cons
Complexity
54 54 56
59
59 59 60 60
60 62
64
64 64
66
67
67 68 68
68 69
69
Pros Cons
69 69
Meeting in the Middle Content Navigation
69 70
Pros Cons
70 70
Implementation
70
The Default, Core Way
Accessibility Measuring Usability Color Psychology, Typefaces, and Design Fire and Ice, Classic and Jazzy What to Ask Yourself Typefaces Design Considerations for Fonts Basic Color Psychology Hot Colors [ iii ]
70
71 71 72 72 73 73 74 74 75
Table of Contents Red Orange Yellow
75 75 75
Cool Colors
75
Green Blue Violet White Black
75 76 76 76 76
Cultural Considerations Writing Effective Copy Ten Tips for Effective Copywriting Real-World Views Instilling a Sense of Urgency Six Tips for Instilling Urgency Summary
76 77 77 78 83 85 85
Chapter 6: Generating Revenue
87
Signing up with Banner Affiliates Becoming Your Own Ad Broker
88 89
Banner Advertisements Pros Cons Where to Obtain Your Ads
87 87 88 88
Lock and Load Banner Strategies Joomla! Banner Component Direct Template Installation Ready, Aim, FIRE!
89 89 90 90 90
Uploading a New Banner
Direct Template Inclusion Evaluate, Adapt, Improvise, and Overcome Text-Based Contextual Ads Pros Cons Where to Obtain Your Ads Text-ad Strategies Ready, Aim, FIRE! Evaluate, Adapt, Improvise, and Overcome Product Affiliate Programs Pros Cons Tracking and Reporting [ iv ]
90
93 94 95 95 96 96 96 97 98 98 99 99 99
Table of Contents
Ready, Aim, FIRE!
100
Amazon Amazon Product Feed Bridge Using the Omakase Module
100 101 102
Direct Template Inclusion Using Other Product Affiliate Programs Using the CJ Affiliates Module Import Any Product Affiliate Code—mod_html Running an Affiliate Program iDevAffiliate Types of Ads Available Affiliates Marketing Conclusion Subscriptions and Joomla! Configuring Account Expiration Applying Unique Changes Known as Hacks Managing Logins with Account Expiration Subscriber Access Control with JACL Installing JACL Accepting Donations Donations (Tip Jars) Pros Cons Advanced PayPal Donations Module Amazon PayPages Module
104 106 107 108 108 108 116 117 117 117 119 119 120 120 121 121 122 122 123 124
Instant Branded Products E-Commerce Installing VirtueMart Configuring VirtueMart Adding and Editing Products Choosing a Payment Method Optional Modules Summary
125 126 126 127 134 139 140 140
Chapter 7: Disaster Recovery
141
Installation
Ask Yourself, "Is My Site Ready?" If It Can Go Wrong, It Will
You Have to be Prepared What is Risk Tolerance? Factors to be Considered for Disaster Preparation Basic Steps to Take when an Outage Occurs
Preparing for Battle
Using .htaccess to Protect Your Site
124
141 141
142 142 143 144
144
145
[]
Table of Contents Permissions and Your Site Passwords Backup and Restore
Maintenance of Your Joomla! Site Being Prepared is Job 1 Conducting a Mock Drill Establishing a Communications Plan Purpose of Media Contact
Summary
146 146 146
147 148 150 151
151
152
Chapter 8: Small Change
153
Marketing Your Joomla! skills What You Offer It can be Daunting—I Know! The Grand Master Plan
153 153 153 154
How I approached It
154
Networking to Win You Can Do It Too Finding Joomla! Work Offer Joomla! Templates Offer Free Templates Offer Commercial Templates Offering Commercial Services Conclusion
155 155 157 158 158 158 159 159
Index
161
[ vi ]
Preface So you want to be an entrepreneur? Or maybe you already are one. Maybe you want to earn some extra cash, but don't have the time to setup an eBay® store. Whatever the case is, this book is for you. As a young man, I always dreamed of running my own business and being in control of my business destiny. Well, that dream is not only possible, but with the Internet, it is very easy and lucrative. Planning to run your own business, brick and mortar or Internet based, isn't easy, and sometimes not fun. However, one thing that I have learnt in life is that the more you know a subject, such as Internet-based businesses, the easier it can be. The team of volunteer programmers who bring you Joomla! have given you a tool that, when properly applied, will yield great fortunes! Or at least yield a nice return. Remember the effort you put into this will determine the benefits you receive. If you aren't ready, then read the book, play around with the software, set it aside and come back in a few weeks. Read it again, and continue. However, if you are ready to jump whole heartedly into your own Joomla! cash stream, use this book as a guide, but keep studying. Read the forums at Joomla.org, read other online business books; study and examine successful sites, don't steal but visualize and make your own, and improve your site. Make no mistake; this is a full-time effort, which you should not take lightly. Take it on as if your doctor has asked you to. In other words, take all the medicines, eat right, get plenty of sleep, exercise, and you will feel better. This book, will serve the same. Visualize your business, write your marketing plan, learn good layout and optimization techniques, prepare for disaster, market your skills, and learn how to take in money and pay out commissions. Without further ado, let's join the business already in progress on the Internet.
Preface
What This Book Covers
Chapter 1 talks about the hype versus reality aspect of the Internet and clears away the "if I build it, they will come" myth. Also, it tells you that a Joomla! warrior should be disciplined and should learn all the skills to be successful. It explains the four P's required for efficient marketing: Product, Place, Promotion, and People. Chapter 2 teaches you how to evaluate, adapt, improvise, and overcome obstacles that keep you from achieving digital battlefield victory. Chapter 3 covers the basics of SEO or search engine optimization, links and tags, RSS feeds, newsletters, and multimedia marketing. Chapter 4 explains how to obtain critical data for your website as a basis for action. You will learn about traffic/log analysis. Chapter 5 will help you understand how to make your site visually appealing so as to generate traffic and revenue. Chapter 6 will provide you with tips for generating revenues for your Joomla! site. Chapter 7 will provide you with a brief tutorial on disaster preparation for your cash-generating site. Chapter 8 explains a few more cash-generating weapons: marketing your Joomla! skills and offering commercial templates.
Who This Book is ������� For ����
This book is suitable for business people with a medium level of technical skill who need a good primer on how to implement a cash-generating website. Those unfamiliar with Joomla! would benefit from reading Building Websites with Joomla! 1.5 Beta 1.
Conventions
In this book, you will find a number of styles of text that distinguish between different kinds of information. Here are some examples of these styles, and an explanation of their meaning. There are two styles for code. Code words in text are shown as follows: "We can include other contexts through the use of the include directive."
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Preface
A block of code will be set as follows:
