What Should You Know About Search Engines and Pay-Per-Click?
Here’s a fact for you, 85 to 95% of websites are found through a search engine. You may have the most incredible website on the Internet, but it will receive little or no traffic without search engine visibility and ranking. Can you imagine a billboard in the Sahara desert? Who sees it?
So, how will searchers find your website? What types of search engines could they use?
Search engines fall into two categories. The first is referred to as natural, organic or standard. The second is called pay-per-click, paid inclusion or paid placement.
Natural, organic and standard are interchangeable terms describing a search engine that bases its search rankings on a ranking algorithm. The algorithms involve a number of criteria and parameters, all relating to the content of the website, the website’s size, the number of incoming links to the website, and the content’s relevancy. You will hear terms such as keyword relevancy and keyword density to describe various components of the algorithms.
For the standard search engines, you, your webmaster or hired search engine optimization specialist could spend considerable time optimizing your website to achieve top rankings. The goal is for your website to appear on the first or second page of the search engines’ results when your target user searches keywords or keyword phrases.
The good news is rankings on standard search engines are free. The downside is the tremendous amount of time and effort required to achieve exceptional search engine rankings. Let’s confess to each other that top rankings on standard search engines can be tough and timely to achieve!
The interchangeable terms pay-per-click, paid inclusion or paid placement describe a search engine that bases its search rankings on a "bid for position" basis. Simply stated, you "bid" a price to be in a specific position of the search rankings for a particular search keyword or keyword phrase. For example, the #1 position on the search phrase "pay per click" recently required a bid of $3.55 per click, whereas the 15th position required only a bid of 55 cents. As a result, your differential website advertising costs between position #1 and #15 can be considerable.
With pay-per-click search engines, your ability to bid high can dramatically impact your website's search engine ranking when the search results display website domain names or URL's for the search keyword or keyword phrase. The benefit is your website gains visibility with the searcher, but you are not charged the pay-per-click "bid" until a searcher actually clicks on your website domain name or URL displayed in the search engine results. The selection of your website in the search engine results is called a click-through.
In general, click-through rates range from 1% to 5% of the number of impressions. What is all of this? A click is when a searcher selects or "clicks" your pay-per-click ad. An impression is one display of your pay-per-click ad on the search engine results. So, the click-through rate is a measure of the total number of ad clicks versus the total number of impressions in a period of time:
Click-Through Rate % = Total Number of Ad Clicks / Total Number of Ad Impressions * 100
Let's do the math for our #1 position bid of $3.55 per click. In September, 2004 there were 21,535 searches for "pay per click." First, let’s assume a 1% click-through rate. The top bidder spent $764.49 (21,535 * 1% * $3.55). Now, at a 5% click-through rate the top bidder spent $3,822.45 (21,535 * 5% * $3.55). Budgeting and controlling marketing expenses with such a broad range of potential costs could be tough. Plus, such costs could be the tip of the iceberg. We still must consider derivatives of the keyword or keyword phrase. So, was being #1 worthwhile? That depends on your website’s cost per visitor, conversion rate and profit margin of your product or service.
From what we’ve covered so far, you should realize you can achieve a top or high ranking through the pay-per-click search engine. But, a high ranking will cost money and these costs can be volatile. Meanwhile, the standard search engine remains free.
However, pay-per-click offers one significant advantage. It enables you to achieve website visibility with a high ranking instantaneously or overnight. If you want to draw traffic to your website fast for any reason, pay-per-click can make that happen. Remember, maximizing the standard search engine process takes time!
Let’s summarize the pros and cons of pay-per-click marketing:
Pros
* Improves your website’s ranking and traffic quickly.
* Tests the marketability of your product or service swiftly.
* Determines the ability of your web site to convert visitors to a call to action or make a purchase promptly.
* Identifies which keyword phrases will provide the best conversion rate rapidly.
* Provides complete control of the search engine campaign, both position and cost.
Cons
* Cost
Many individuals criticize pay-per-click because of the costs involved. But, have you really thought about the cost issue? Unless you or someone in your organization has expertise in search engine optimization, you’ll probably pay several thousand dollars in fees to a search engine optimization specialist to improve and optimize your website to achieve higher rankings in the standard search engines. So, my question to you is. Are the standard search engine rankings really free?
At the end of the standard versus pay-per-click search engine debate, it’s like the old saying, "There is no such thing as a free lunch." Or, it’s like the old commercial, "You can pay me now or you can pay me later." The reality of the debate is you must evaluate your specific website situation and utilize the search engine approach that maximizes your website promotion goals and investment.
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Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Home Business University
The Home Business University That Changed My Life
During my first 2 years as a struggling home business entrepreneur dreaming of making big money and leading a free lifestyle, I made many mistakes. Some of those mistakes cost me money. Others caused me heartache, and a few almost completely destroyed my faith that an ordinary person like me could dream of extraordinary things.
But I have also made a handful of good decisions, and at the top of that list is my decision to become a member of the IAHBE. The IAHBE (http://www.iahbe.org) stands for International Association of Home Business Entrepreneurs. In one sentence, it is simply "An online Home Business University with an extensive Learning Center packed with home business information, reports, articles, seminars and other content put under one roof."
Being an exclusive paid membership resource, I was very half-hearted at first at the thought of spending a good $29 for something as intangible as "information". As I once asked myself, many people now ask me this question: "Can't I get this information for FREE on the Internet? So why do I need to pay for it?"
I have to admit that this is a valid question. And I have to agree that you CAN find similar (but not exact) information for free, scattered around the Internet. So why choose the IAHBE? How can it help you?
Let me tell you my story, from the point of view of an entrepreneur living in Malaysia, while trying to build a global business on the Internet. This is how it changed my life...
1) Your Words are the Holy Truth
Not too long ago, I used to think that my ex-MLM upline leader had my best interests at heart. I thought that the meetings I went for and the methods they preached were the only way to build and market a home based business.
That couldn't be any further from the truth. For example, my upline thought me these lessons about prospecting:
a) Go door-to-door and ask people to come to the Opportunity Meeting...
b) NEVER mention that it is a "business opportunity meeting"...
c) Personally go to the prospect's home and bring them to the opportunity meeting...
d) Make a surprise visit to your prospect's home and show them the compensation plan...
e) Convince the prospect to join or buy the products
I could go on and on, but surely you get the point. In the IAHBE, I came across an article by Tom “Big Al” Schreiter about prospecting, and it changed my life forever. Here's what the article said:
"Professionals sort, amateurs convince"
I wish words could express how that simple sentence changed my idea of prospecting forever...
The point is this: You can never rely on a single source of information. The IAHBE has so many good and qualified authors, every one of them a success in their own rights. Finally, I found a place where I can get so much high quality information, compare them, and decide for myself which ideas I want to follow.
If you’ve decided to climb the home business ladder to success, and you want to REALLY make sure that it’s not leaning against the wrong wall, you’ll need guidance from people who have "been there and done that" before you start your journey.
2) Running Around in Circles
Before I joined the IAHBE, I was scouting around the Internet for free home business tips and ideas. I found many, but the problem was that I now had to ask myself:
- Which Internet "guru" you should I listen to?
- What should I invest in?
- Which resources will help me achieve profitability and which ones won't?
- What steps should I take to get where I want without busting my budget?
As I sat around cracking my head with these questions, I realized another undeniable factor to home business success, TIME! The fact is that there are only so many hours in a day, and why was I wasting time trying to wade through the sea of information called the Internet?
Information on the Internet, I learned, can never be fully trusted, especially if it's FREE. There are so many "Fake Experts" out there pitching ideas they have not tried themselves, which can lead the new guy astray.
With the IAHBE on the other hand, I can be assured that I am getting only top quality information. All writers are screened and evaluated before their material is accepted by the IAHBE. You don't get the fake ones here, and that's a real relief.
3) Keeping My Home Business Costs under Control
As a budding home business entrepreneur, my survival depended on how well I controlled my meager finances and small capital. And yet, every business owner knows the costs associated when starting your business. For example, I had to spend on:
a) My personal growth - books, ebooks, reports
b) Advertising - ezine ads, PPC, leads and print media ads
c) Operations - PC software, productivity tools
I had, at that time, spent close to $3000 just getting started. Most that was spent on useless website traffic schemes, so called "targeted" home business leads, books, software and PPC advertising. But in my second month as a member of the IAHBE, I realized that I actually have hundreds of unused coupons, discounts and special offers for the same products and services that I paid the full price for elsewhere. How can they do this?
It's a question of simple economics. What you cannot achieve as an individual, you can easily achieve as a group. Since the IAHBE has thousands of members, they can easily negotiate for special bulk discounts, free trials, and even free gifts from various suppliers, manufacturers and retailers.
4) A Simple Choice I had to Make
Many of my downline affiliates ask; is the IAHBE suitable for me? To this question I always ask them back:
"Do you want to spend time finding information, or do you want to spend time building a business?"
The reason is this; if you're content in running around chasing information, instead of actually building a business, you don't need the IAHBE. If you want to learn only from truly successful people, and get the information delivered to your doorstep, there is no smarter choice. After all, it only costs you around a dollar a day. Heck, even useless 'lifestyle' magazines cost more :)
5) The Journey Makes a Full Circle
The only apparent weakness of the IAHBE was that it did not provide information specific to Malaysia, where I live and run my Internet business. Sure, the articles and tips were great, but when I needed information that applies to me as a Malaysian, I dreaded the thought of going back to the world of offline information retrieval.
In an email, I told them that they should be more "International" as their name suggests. To my honest surprise, three months down the road, they did indeed become truly "International". And they were looking for writers to complement their search for information on Asia, especially in home business hotspots like India, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Japan and the Philippines.
Good things happen to those who persist. Not only did I get what I want, I was also appointed as a writer for topics related to Asia. Now I had to give back, and I could not be happier doing so.
So even if you are based in far corners of Asia, the International Association of Home Business Entrepreneurs could be the smartest choice you make this year to help you improve as an entrepreneur, as a marketer, and as a human being.
Webmasters: Place banner / text links to our Credit Affiliate Program
and earn 50% for each new member you refer. Our Credit Affiliate Programs
are tracked and paid via: Clickbank, Shareasale, or Clixgalore
During my first 2 years as a struggling home business entrepreneur dreaming of making big money and leading a free lifestyle, I made many mistakes. Some of those mistakes cost me money. Others caused me heartache, and a few almost completely destroyed my faith that an ordinary person like me could dream of extraordinary things.
But I have also made a handful of good decisions, and at the top of that list is my decision to become a member of the IAHBE. The IAHBE (http://www.iahbe.org) stands for International Association of Home Business Entrepreneurs. In one sentence, it is simply "An online Home Business University with an extensive Learning Center packed with home business information, reports, articles, seminars and other content put under one roof."
Being an exclusive paid membership resource, I was very half-hearted at first at the thought of spending a good $29 for something as intangible as "information". As I once asked myself, many people now ask me this question: "Can't I get this information for FREE on the Internet? So why do I need to pay for it?"
I have to admit that this is a valid question. And I have to agree that you CAN find similar (but not exact) information for free, scattered around the Internet. So why choose the IAHBE? How can it help you?
Let me tell you my story, from the point of view of an entrepreneur living in Malaysia, while trying to build a global business on the Internet. This is how it changed my life...
1) Your Words are the Holy Truth
Not too long ago, I used to think that my ex-MLM upline leader had my best interests at heart. I thought that the meetings I went for and the methods they preached were the only way to build and market a home based business.
That couldn't be any further from the truth. For example, my upline thought me these lessons about prospecting:
a) Go door-to-door and ask people to come to the Opportunity Meeting...
b) NEVER mention that it is a "business opportunity meeting"...
c) Personally go to the prospect's home and bring them to the opportunity meeting...
d) Make a surprise visit to your prospect's home and show them the compensation plan...
e) Convince the prospect to join or buy the products
I could go on and on, but surely you get the point. In the IAHBE, I came across an article by Tom “Big Al” Schreiter about prospecting, and it changed my life forever. Here's what the article said:
"Professionals sort, amateurs convince"
I wish words could express how that simple sentence changed my idea of prospecting forever...
The point is this: You can never rely on a single source of information. The IAHBE has so many good and qualified authors, every one of them a success in their own rights. Finally, I found a place where I can get so much high quality information, compare them, and decide for myself which ideas I want to follow.
If you’ve decided to climb the home business ladder to success, and you want to REALLY make sure that it’s not leaning against the wrong wall, you’ll need guidance from people who have "been there and done that" before you start your journey.
2) Running Around in Circles
Before I joined the IAHBE, I was scouting around the Internet for free home business tips and ideas. I found many, but the problem was that I now had to ask myself:
- Which Internet "guru" you should I listen to?
- What should I invest in?
- Which resources will help me achieve profitability and which ones won't?
- What steps should I take to get where I want without busting my budget?
As I sat around cracking my head with these questions, I realized another undeniable factor to home business success, TIME! The fact is that there are only so many hours in a day, and why was I wasting time trying to wade through the sea of information called the Internet?
Information on the Internet, I learned, can never be fully trusted, especially if it's FREE. There are so many "Fake Experts" out there pitching ideas they have not tried themselves, which can lead the new guy astray.
With the IAHBE on the other hand, I can be assured that I am getting only top quality information. All writers are screened and evaluated before their material is accepted by the IAHBE. You don't get the fake ones here, and that's a real relief.
3) Keeping My Home Business Costs under Control
As a budding home business entrepreneur, my survival depended on how well I controlled my meager finances and small capital. And yet, every business owner knows the costs associated when starting your business. For example, I had to spend on:
a) My personal growth - books, ebooks, reports
b) Advertising - ezine ads, PPC, leads and print media ads
c) Operations - PC software, productivity tools
I had, at that time, spent close to $3000 just getting started. Most that was spent on useless website traffic schemes, so called "targeted" home business leads, books, software and PPC advertising. But in my second month as a member of the IAHBE, I realized that I actually have hundreds of unused coupons, discounts and special offers for the same products and services that I paid the full price for elsewhere. How can they do this?
It's a question of simple economics. What you cannot achieve as an individual, you can easily achieve as a group. Since the IAHBE has thousands of members, they can easily negotiate for special bulk discounts, free trials, and even free gifts from various suppliers, manufacturers and retailers.
4) A Simple Choice I had to Make
Many of my downline affiliates ask; is the IAHBE suitable for me? To this question I always ask them back:
"Do you want to spend time finding information, or do you want to spend time building a business?"
The reason is this; if you're content in running around chasing information, instead of actually building a business, you don't need the IAHBE. If you want to learn only from truly successful people, and get the information delivered to your doorstep, there is no smarter choice. After all, it only costs you around a dollar a day. Heck, even useless 'lifestyle' magazines cost more :)
5) The Journey Makes a Full Circle
The only apparent weakness of the IAHBE was that it did not provide information specific to Malaysia, where I live and run my Internet business. Sure, the articles and tips were great, but when I needed information that applies to me as a Malaysian, I dreaded the thought of going back to the world of offline information retrieval.
In an email, I told them that they should be more "International" as their name suggests. To my honest surprise, three months down the road, they did indeed become truly "International". And they were looking for writers to complement their search for information on Asia, especially in home business hotspots like India, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Japan and the Philippines.
Good things happen to those who persist. Not only did I get what I want, I was also appointed as a writer for topics related to Asia. Now I had to give back, and I could not be happier doing so.
So even if you are based in far corners of Asia, the International Association of Home Business Entrepreneurs could be the smartest choice you make this year to help you improve as an entrepreneur, as a marketer, and as a human being.
Webmasters: Place banner / text links to our Credit Affiliate Program
and earn 50% for each new member you refer. Our Credit Affiliate Programs
are tracked and paid via: Clickbank, Shareasale, or Clixgalore
Traffic Exchange Sites
Traffic Exchange Sites
Traffic Exchange Sites are websites where you get page views of your own site in exchange for visiting others. Many such sites are available. However, choosing the right one or a combination of them can be a very time consuming process.
Basically there are two types. Manual surfing and Auto surfing. Some Traffic exchanges cater for Manual surfing only, some cater for Auto surfing only and some cater for both.
Manual surfing - This requires your input by clicking a button after a specified time period, generally 15, 20 or 30 seconds, although there are a few other variations. With manual surfing, the surfer is expected to view each site. However, with most exchange sites, it is possible to minimize or resize the windows. This defeats the purpose because it allows multiple sessions to be run simultaneously. On the better exchange sites, security measures are often used to deter this. These are normally random prompts that require user input. For example, after x number of page views, you may be required to enter a code, select a color or image or perform some other variation of this.
Auto surfing - This requires no input. However in reality, your input may be required because of popup or frame breakers. Some traffic exchange sites require that the pages run are maximized and although you can minimize the page yourself, it will automatically maximize at the next refresh. You will also find that with some exchange sites, pages will run on top whereas with others, pages will run quite happily underneath, allowing you to do what ever you like without ever viewing the page content.
Both manual and auto surfing will bring traffic to your website, but there is a much greater likelihood of your web pages being actually seen with manual surfing.
Credits - As well as surfing, credits are usually acquired for subscribing, for referrals and for any winnings associated with exchange site lotteries, games or competitions. These credits can then be used to increase the traffic to your site. Some exchange sites will also allow you to sell your credits to other members.
Free or Paid - The majority of Traffic Exchanges offer a paid option. This option may give you a better surf ratio, bonus credits, money for referrals or other benefits. Before paying however, it is important that you test how targeted the traffic is that you receive. There's no point in paying for extra traffic if it doesn't generate any more income for you.
Click for Credits or Buy Credits - Is it worth buying credits?
This can depend on a number of reasons. The two main ones are time and money.
Let’s take an example
At the time of writing the cost of 2000 credits for free members of a well known Traffic Exchange Site was $40. This works out at $0.02 a click. For pro members the same $40 bought 2200 credits.
With the number of clicks limited to 250 per day and page views of 20 seconds this means that in theory it will take you 250 X 20 = 5000 sec or 83 minutes 20 seconds to view the 250 pages. However in practice you must allow extra time for clicking the next button, clicking the title of the page you will be viewing and any sites worth looking at.
Since I am a firm believer in practical results, I viewed the 250 pages. It took me 2 hours and 12 minutes to accomplish this. During that time, I accumulated 854 credits. To buy these credits would have cost $17.08 as a free member and approximately $15.53 as a pro member. Allowing for rounding up, this equates to almost 390 credits per hour or $7.80 per hour cash value.
Now ask yourself this. Would you work for $7.80 per hour?
I must emphasize that this is only one example and that other results will differ because of the random allocation of credits. It is shown here only as an example and to give you an idea of the cost implications for one particular traffic exchange site. The cost of credits may differ dramatically for different exchange sites. If you buy or intend to buy credits from a traffic exchange site, you can apply what is shown in the example. There's no need to click on a large number of websites to find out if your exchange site is giving you enough credits for your money. A sample of around 20 sites should give you enough information to produce a rough value-for-money guide.
If you enjoy this sort of thing or want a break from train spotting, you could expand on this. Increase your sample size, increase the number of samples, select a good representation of traffic exchanges and tabulate your results. Choose enough sites and you will be able to create your own league table. There’s a market for everything.
Whether you use traffic exchange sites or not in the quest for more visitors to your site, you should at the very least know what they are and what they do. But don't totally dismiss them. They are part of an expanding market. I recommend that you try at least one traffic exchange site. You could read every book on the subject, but without active participation, you will not be qualified to comment on their worth or suitability. The time taken for a few mouse clicks is a small price to pay. If it works for you, you have learned. If it doesn't work for you, you have learned.
Full Page Pop-Under Advertising
Buy Web Site Visitors
Increase Traffic at Wholesale Cost
Buy Web Site Traffic
Traffic Exchange Sites are websites where you get page views of your own site in exchange for visiting others. Many such sites are available. However, choosing the right one or a combination of them can be a very time consuming process.
Basically there are two types. Manual surfing and Auto surfing. Some Traffic exchanges cater for Manual surfing only, some cater for Auto surfing only and some cater for both.
Manual surfing - This requires your input by clicking a button after a specified time period, generally 15, 20 or 30 seconds, although there are a few other variations. With manual surfing, the surfer is expected to view each site. However, with most exchange sites, it is possible to minimize or resize the windows. This defeats the purpose because it allows multiple sessions to be run simultaneously. On the better exchange sites, security measures are often used to deter this. These are normally random prompts that require user input. For example, after x number of page views, you may be required to enter a code, select a color or image or perform some other variation of this.
Auto surfing - This requires no input. However in reality, your input may be required because of popup or frame breakers. Some traffic exchange sites require that the pages run are maximized and although you can minimize the page yourself, it will automatically maximize at the next refresh. You will also find that with some exchange sites, pages will run on top whereas with others, pages will run quite happily underneath, allowing you to do what ever you like without ever viewing the page content.
Both manual and auto surfing will bring traffic to your website, but there is a much greater likelihood of your web pages being actually seen with manual surfing.
Credits - As well as surfing, credits are usually acquired for subscribing, for referrals and for any winnings associated with exchange site lotteries, games or competitions. These credits can then be used to increase the traffic to your site. Some exchange sites will also allow you to sell your credits to other members.
Free or Paid - The majority of Traffic Exchanges offer a paid option. This option may give you a better surf ratio, bonus credits, money for referrals or other benefits. Before paying however, it is important that you test how targeted the traffic is that you receive. There's no point in paying for extra traffic if it doesn't generate any more income for you.
Click for Credits or Buy Credits - Is it worth buying credits?
This can depend on a number of reasons. The two main ones are time and money.
Let’s take an example
At the time of writing the cost of 2000 credits for free members of a well known Traffic Exchange Site was $40. This works out at $0.02 a click. For pro members the same $40 bought 2200 credits.
With the number of clicks limited to 250 per day and page views of 20 seconds this means that in theory it will take you 250 X 20 = 5000 sec or 83 minutes 20 seconds to view the 250 pages. However in practice you must allow extra time for clicking the next button, clicking the title of the page you will be viewing and any sites worth looking at.
Since I am a firm believer in practical results, I viewed the 250 pages. It took me 2 hours and 12 minutes to accomplish this. During that time, I accumulated 854 credits. To buy these credits would have cost $17.08 as a free member and approximately $15.53 as a pro member. Allowing for rounding up, this equates to almost 390 credits per hour or $7.80 per hour cash value.
Now ask yourself this. Would you work for $7.80 per hour?
I must emphasize that this is only one example and that other results will differ because of the random allocation of credits. It is shown here only as an example and to give you an idea of the cost implications for one particular traffic exchange site. The cost of credits may differ dramatically for different exchange sites. If you buy or intend to buy credits from a traffic exchange site, you can apply what is shown in the example. There's no need to click on a large number of websites to find out if your exchange site is giving you enough credits for your money. A sample of around 20 sites should give you enough information to produce a rough value-for-money guide.
If you enjoy this sort of thing or want a break from train spotting, you could expand on this. Increase your sample size, increase the number of samples, select a good representation of traffic exchanges and tabulate your results. Choose enough sites and you will be able to create your own league table. There’s a market for everything.
Whether you use traffic exchange sites or not in the quest for more visitors to your site, you should at the very least know what they are and what they do. But don't totally dismiss them. They are part of an expanding market. I recommend that you try at least one traffic exchange site. You could read every book on the subject, but without active participation, you will not be qualified to comment on their worth or suitability. The time taken for a few mouse clicks is a small price to pay. If it works for you, you have learned. If it doesn't work for you, you have learned.
Full Page Pop-Under Advertising
Buy Web Site Visitors
Increase Traffic at Wholesale Cost
Buy Web Site Traffic
TOP FIVE HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS
THE TOP FIVE HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS
Since competition in terms of health insurance is on the rise, it is no wonder that more and more forms of health insurance are being designed. Among these, there are few that are popular and they are briefly described below.
Individual Insurance: Ensuring a person individually is a common mode of insurance. One may be selective about what s/he wants in a plan through this process. Accordingly, one has required premium is calculated, and the insurance plan takes effect.
Group Insurance: Another type of insurance is the group arrangement. Through this type of insurance, one is compelled to abide by what others are going for, and this is dependent on the insurance providers. They are the ones that decide what is feasible to include in a plan, and on that basis, a group insurance can take place.
Indemnity Plan: This plan allows one to go to any doctor when one needs to; there are no restrictions on this, and it is believed to be more of a traditional plan. One does not need permission to go to a particular health care provider. However, usually what happens is that the member pays 20% of the total fee for treatment while the insurance provider pays 80%. In addition to this, there is a period through which one pays up in this manner, and then the company takes over paying the whole 100%.
HMO: The Health Maintenance Organization is one that allows a member to select a particular doctor off the panel. It is these selected doctors that will deal will with members' problems. The selected doctor is the one that will be approached for checkups of any kind, and if there are problems with a member that cannot be handled by him or her, the member is referred to specialists.
health insurance quote, health insurance, cheap health insurance, free health insurance quotes, individual health insurance, low cost health insurance, affordable health insurance, health insurance online, united health care insurance, private health insurance
Since competition in terms of health insurance is on the rise, it is no wonder that more and more forms of health insurance are being designed. Among these, there are few that are popular and they are briefly described below.
Individual Insurance: Ensuring a person individually is a common mode of insurance. One may be selective about what s/he wants in a plan through this process. Accordingly, one has required premium is calculated, and the insurance plan takes effect.
Group Insurance: Another type of insurance is the group arrangement. Through this type of insurance, one is compelled to abide by what others are going for, and this is dependent on the insurance providers. They are the ones that decide what is feasible to include in a plan, and on that basis, a group insurance can take place.
Indemnity Plan: This plan allows one to go to any doctor when one needs to; there are no restrictions on this, and it is believed to be more of a traditional plan. One does not need permission to go to a particular health care provider. However, usually what happens is that the member pays 20% of the total fee for treatment while the insurance provider pays 80%. In addition to this, there is a period through which one pays up in this manner, and then the company takes over paying the whole 100%.
HMO: The Health Maintenance Organization is one that allows a member to select a particular doctor off the panel. It is these selected doctors that will deal will with members' problems. The selected doctor is the one that will be approached for checkups of any kind, and if there are problems with a member that cannot be handled by him or her, the member is referred to specialists.
health insurance quote, health insurance, cheap health insurance, free health insurance quotes, individual health insurance, low cost health insurance, affordable health insurance, health insurance online, united health care insurance, private health insurance
How to Shop for Individual Health Insurance
How to Shop for Individual Health Insurance
If you find yourself in the position of shopping for an individual health insurance policy, there are certain things you'll want to keep in mind. Whether you are coming out of a job that covered you before, or are at the end of your COBRA benefits, or simply have never had coverage before there are things you can do to get coverage on yourself and your loved ones.
The basic thing to know is that if you have a shot a group health insurance, whether through a job or an association you're a member of, that is usually much more affordable than buying individual health insurance on your own. First you need to figure out your health insurance goals; in other words, what are you after? If you're young, healthy as a horse, no dependents and not attempting Mt. Everest next week, you may want to opt for a policy that covers only the catastrophes, and cover the rest out-of-pocket. On the flip side of that, if you're the sole bread winner with a family to support, the scenario is different.
The basic choices you'll have are Fee-for-Service, Managed Care Plans, and Association-based health insurance. Fee-for-service is the traditional indemnity plan, harder to acquire, more expensive, but usually great coverage. Managed care plans include most HMO's and PPO's. These offer lower costs but your choices are somewhat limited. Another way to get insured is through a group or association you may already be a member of, such as professional, religious or trade organizations. Often they may offer health insurance. It's worth checking out, as sometimes you can strike gold in this vein.
Things to consider when you're looking for any policy are what's covered on this plan, how much are the monthly premiums, what is the yearly out-of-pocket, what is the deductible, how much are office visits, does it cover preventative medicine, vision, dental? And I'm sure you can come up with many of your own. Sit down before you go shopping and make a list of your needs and wants, and decide in advance what you're willing to give to get. Be aware that once you start getting quotes they can vary as much as 50% for the same person! Remember, you're shopping, and nobody's making you do anything. If one insurer isn't cutting it, move on to another. If you're coming at this cold and have no good recommendations it may be wise to use a broker who represents several companies, as he or she wil be more likely to find the best policy for you, as opposed to selling the company they work for.
Shopping for individual health insurance can be frustrating and time-consuming, but if you come armed with facts you'll be able to navigate this highly competitive and ever-changing field.
If you find yourself in the position of shopping for an individual health insurance policy, there are certain things you'll want to keep in mind. Whether you are coming out of a job that covered you before, or are at the end of your COBRA benefits, or simply have never had coverage before there are things you can do to get coverage on yourself and your loved ones.
The basic thing to know is that if you have a shot a group health insurance, whether through a job or an association you're a member of, that is usually much more affordable than buying individual health insurance on your own. First you need to figure out your health insurance goals; in other words, what are you after? If you're young, healthy as a horse, no dependents and not attempting Mt. Everest next week, you may want to opt for a policy that covers only the catastrophes, and cover the rest out-of-pocket. On the flip side of that, if you're the sole bread winner with a family to support, the scenario is different.
The basic choices you'll have are Fee-for-Service, Managed Care Plans, and Association-based health insurance. Fee-for-service is the traditional indemnity plan, harder to acquire, more expensive, but usually great coverage. Managed care plans include most HMO's and PPO's. These offer lower costs but your choices are somewhat limited. Another way to get insured is through a group or association you may already be a member of, such as professional, religious or trade organizations. Often they may offer health insurance. It's worth checking out, as sometimes you can strike gold in this vein.
Things to consider when you're looking for any policy are what's covered on this plan, how much are the monthly premiums, what is the yearly out-of-pocket, what is the deductible, how much are office visits, does it cover preventative medicine, vision, dental? And I'm sure you can come up with many of your own. Sit down before you go shopping and make a list of your needs and wants, and decide in advance what you're willing to give to get. Be aware that once you start getting quotes they can vary as much as 50% for the same person! Remember, you're shopping, and nobody's making you do anything. If one insurer isn't cutting it, move on to another. If you're coming at this cold and have no good recommendations it may be wise to use a broker who represents several companies, as he or she wil be more likely to find the best policy for you, as opposed to selling the company they work for.
Shopping for individual health insurance can be frustrating and time-consuming, but if you come armed with facts you'll be able to navigate this highly competitive and ever-changing field.
Understanding Health Insurance Coverage
Understanding Health Insurance Coverage: A Primer
Health Insurance Coverage: What are ‘Covered’ Services?
Health insurance coverage is a contract used to determine medical benefits that are covered, or not covered, between you and your insurance provider. The insurance company, based on a fee that you provide them on a regular basis, promises to pay health insurance coverage on certain items or benefits listed in that contract. These are called ‘covered’ services. ‘Covered’ services can include a wide variety of things, such as implements, prescriptions, services (such as massage), checkups, tests and/or research.
Your contract should also list all of the things NOT covered in your health insurance coverage – these are items or services that you will need to pay for out of your own pocket, should you require them.
Health Insurance Coverage: What is a Medical Necessity? How is this Different from Covered Services?
Just as it seems, a medical necessity is something that your health professional has deemed a required service/ item that will affect your health negatively should you decide not to purchase it. However, just because your doctor tells you something is a medical necessity does not mean your health insurance actually offers coverage for it.
Since insurance companies decide what health coverage they will and will not provide, you really have no leeway in this area.
Health Insurance Coverage: What Do I Do?
Most doctors try and keep themselves abreast as to what the major insurance companies do, and do not cover when it comes to health coverage. However, there are a LOT of plans out there, so this just isn’t enough. So how can you avoid any nasty surprises during an emergency?
Read your health insurance coverage. You’re better off knowing what your health insurance company will, and will not provide coverage for right off the bat. Then, if your doctor decides on a treatment plan that isn’t covered, you can ask for alternatives that may be.
If there are questions regarding your health insurance coverage, do not hesitate to contact the insurance company. Questions are good, and they expect them.
Health Insurance Coverage: What Do I Do if Something I Need Isn’t Covered?
The gross majority of what your doctor orders for you will be covered in your health insurance plan. If you do get a treatment or supply that isn’t covered, you can always challenge the health insurance coverage. You may not be the only one who requires the same type of service, benefit or item – so you’ll end up fighting not just for yourself, but for others in the same situation.
Ask your doctor for their side, and use this in your claim. It may not help in the end, but if your doctor is on your side, you may be able to convince the health insurance company that coverage is required.
Health Insurance Coverage: What are ‘Covered’ Services?
Health insurance coverage is a contract used to determine medical benefits that are covered, or not covered, between you and your insurance provider. The insurance company, based on a fee that you provide them on a regular basis, promises to pay health insurance coverage on certain items or benefits listed in that contract. These are called ‘covered’ services. ‘Covered’ services can include a wide variety of things, such as implements, prescriptions, services (such as massage), checkups, tests and/or research.
Your contract should also list all of the things NOT covered in your health insurance coverage – these are items or services that you will need to pay for out of your own pocket, should you require them.
Health Insurance Coverage: What is a Medical Necessity? How is this Different from Covered Services?
Just as it seems, a medical necessity is something that your health professional has deemed a required service/ item that will affect your health negatively should you decide not to purchase it. However, just because your doctor tells you something is a medical necessity does not mean your health insurance actually offers coverage for it.
Since insurance companies decide what health coverage they will and will not provide, you really have no leeway in this area.
Health Insurance Coverage: What Do I Do?
Most doctors try and keep themselves abreast as to what the major insurance companies do, and do not cover when it comes to health coverage. However, there are a LOT of plans out there, so this just isn’t enough. So how can you avoid any nasty surprises during an emergency?
Read your health insurance coverage. You’re better off knowing what your health insurance company will, and will not provide coverage for right off the bat. Then, if your doctor decides on a treatment plan that isn’t covered, you can ask for alternatives that may be.
If there are questions regarding your health insurance coverage, do not hesitate to contact the insurance company. Questions are good, and they expect them.
Health Insurance Coverage: What Do I Do if Something I Need Isn’t Covered?
The gross majority of what your doctor orders for you will be covered in your health insurance plan. If you do get a treatment or supply that isn’t covered, you can always challenge the health insurance coverage. You may not be the only one who requires the same type of service, benefit or item – so you’ll end up fighting not just for yourself, but for others in the same situation.
Ask your doctor for their side, and use this in your claim. It may not help in the end, but if your doctor is on your side, you may be able to convince the health insurance company that coverage is required.
How to Find Affordable Health Insurance
How to Find Affordable Health Insurance
Affordable health insurance - it seems, especially today, those words just don't belong together in the same sentence. Health insurance monthly premiums have become the biggest single expense in our lives - surpassing even mortgage payments. In fact, if you have any permanent health problems, such as diabetes, or have had cancer at one time in your family history, your monthly cost could easily be more than the house and car payment combined.
Shopping for affordable health insurance can certainly be an eye-opener. If you have always had a health insurance benefit where you work - especially a state or federal employee - and now have to buy your own, you may not be able to afford the level of health insurance coverage you have become used to.
Affordable health insurance, however, is definitely available -if you know how and where to look.
When you are looking for affordable health insurance, you want the lowest cost per year that will fit your budget, of course. But, even more importantly, you want a company that has a good record for paying without fighting with you on every detail. Just as there is a car for just about any budget, there is also affordable health insurance. You may not be able to afford a "Cadillac" policy - but then you probably don't need all the frills anyway.
Shopping for health insurance on the internet is the easiest and best way to find affordable health insurance. Here are five reasons why.
1. You don't need a local agent to help you submit the claims for health insurance. The medical provider does it for you. You save money because the health insurance company saves money by not paying the agent commission. This could amount to an 8% to 12% savings to you.
2. All the top health insurance companies are at your fingertips on the internet. Most local agents can only quote you from the few companies that they represent. They may not offer you what is best for you financially or health-wise but only what they happen to have available.
3. Health insurance companies have to be extremely competitive because it is so quick and easy to compare them with their competitors on the internet today. In the past you would have had to visit physically eight to ten agents to do a similar comparison. Most folks just didn't have the time or desire for that.
4. You can change your coverage, deductibles, and payment options with just a few clicks rather than going through the paperwork delay with a local agent (and then finding out he/she made a mistake - more delay).
5. Charging to a credit card means you aren't going to forget a payment and be without insurance. Also, it gives you another 30 days before you actually have to pay. Also, many companies today give an additional discount for "auto-pay".
The key, however, to finding affordable health insurance is realizing that the purpose of any health insurance is to protect you from a major financial loss - not to protect you from spending small money on clinic visits and sliver removal. These small expenses may be cumbersome but they generally will not hurt you. It's the $100,000 heart operation that will break you. That's the financial disaster health insurance was originally designed to prevent.
Also, keep this in mind. Health insurance, as with any insurance, is a gamble. You are gambling that you will draw out more than you pay in. Your health insurance company is gambling they will pay out less. The odds are in their favor for two reasons. They have all the facts for millions of families to average out, so they know the risk in advance. Also, they get to set the rules and the prices. The higher you set your deductible, the more risk you take. This is not a bad thing at all. You will most likely be the winner in the long run.
Yes, finding affordable health insurance is much easier than most people think.
Taking more of the risk with higher deductibles, spending a little time on the internet comparing eight to ten different companies, and deleting coverage that you will not likely need (such as maternity for many folks) will make it very possible to find your own affordable health insurance.
Affordable health insurance - it seems, especially today, those words just don't belong together in the same sentence. Health insurance monthly premiums have become the biggest single expense in our lives - surpassing even mortgage payments. In fact, if you have any permanent health problems, such as diabetes, or have had cancer at one time in your family history, your monthly cost could easily be more than the house and car payment combined.
Shopping for affordable health insurance can certainly be an eye-opener. If you have always had a health insurance benefit where you work - especially a state or federal employee - and now have to buy your own, you may not be able to afford the level of health insurance coverage you have become used to.
Affordable health insurance, however, is definitely available -if you know how and where to look.
When you are looking for affordable health insurance, you want the lowest cost per year that will fit your budget, of course. But, even more importantly, you want a company that has a good record for paying without fighting with you on every detail. Just as there is a car for just about any budget, there is also affordable health insurance. You may not be able to afford a "Cadillac" policy - but then you probably don't need all the frills anyway.
Shopping for health insurance on the internet is the easiest and best way to find affordable health insurance. Here are five reasons why.
1. You don't need a local agent to help you submit the claims for health insurance. The medical provider does it for you. You save money because the health insurance company saves money by not paying the agent commission. This could amount to an 8% to 12% savings to you.
2. All the top health insurance companies are at your fingertips on the internet. Most local agents can only quote you from the few companies that they represent. They may not offer you what is best for you financially or health-wise but only what they happen to have available.
3. Health insurance companies have to be extremely competitive because it is so quick and easy to compare them with their competitors on the internet today. In the past you would have had to visit physically eight to ten agents to do a similar comparison. Most folks just didn't have the time or desire for that.
4. You can change your coverage, deductibles, and payment options with just a few clicks rather than going through the paperwork delay with a local agent (and then finding out he/she made a mistake - more delay).
5. Charging to a credit card means you aren't going to forget a payment and be without insurance. Also, it gives you another 30 days before you actually have to pay. Also, many companies today give an additional discount for "auto-pay".
The key, however, to finding affordable health insurance is realizing that the purpose of any health insurance is to protect you from a major financial loss - not to protect you from spending small money on clinic visits and sliver removal. These small expenses may be cumbersome but they generally will not hurt you. It's the $100,000 heart operation that will break you. That's the financial disaster health insurance was originally designed to prevent.
Also, keep this in mind. Health insurance, as with any insurance, is a gamble. You are gambling that you will draw out more than you pay in. Your health insurance company is gambling they will pay out less. The odds are in their favor for two reasons. They have all the facts for millions of families to average out, so they know the risk in advance. Also, they get to set the rules and the prices. The higher you set your deductible, the more risk you take. This is not a bad thing at all. You will most likely be the winner in the long run.
Yes, finding affordable health insurance is much easier than most people think.
Taking more of the risk with higher deductibles, spending a little time on the internet comparing eight to ten different companies, and deleting coverage that you will not likely need (such as maternity for many folks) will make it very possible to find your own affordable health insurance.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Credit Information Articles
Credit Information Articles
19,178 Identity Theft Victims Per Day - Are You One Of Them?
Identity theft statistics are shocking. And we are told that it will only become worse, before it gets any better.
Credit Damage: Getting Compensated for Your Loss
Until recently lawyers for victims of credit damage had little possibility to collect for damages beyond medical treatment, lost wages and property loss. Insurance companies threw up their hands in sympathy, claiming victims can only be compensated for what can be measured - tangible goods and services.
3 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score by 50 Points In Less Than 30 Days
In Less Than 30 Days. "What can you do to increase that set of three numbers on your credit report that can be so important with your financing?" I came across this question as I was surfing discussion groups the other day.
To Repair Credit Is No longer Satisfactory - Learn How To Earn A Millionaires Credit In 30 Days...
To repair your bad credit does not necessarily mean that you now have a good credit, absolutely not. When most people have bad credit, they either purchase a credit repair book or seek a credit expert help.
4 Steps to Creating Good Credit
As a consumer you've learned the importance of establishing a good credit rating with your lenders. Whether you are shopping for a new home or auto, or searching for the best deals on insurance, your credit worthiness will be judged by your credit rating or credit score.
Beware of Falling Minimum Payments
If you opened a credit card statement recently and were pleasantly surprised to find that your minimum payment due was lowered, don't be so quick to "jump for joy". What may appear as a small boost to your monthly budget is actually the rock that can weigh you down in debt for a lifetime.
19,178 Identity Theft Victims Per Day - Are You One Of Them?
Identity theft statistics are shocking. And we are told that it will only become worse, before it gets any better.
Credit Damage: Getting Compensated for Your Loss
Until recently lawyers for victims of credit damage had little possibility to collect for damages beyond medical treatment, lost wages and property loss. Insurance companies threw up their hands in sympathy, claiming victims can only be compensated for what can be measured - tangible goods and services.
3 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score by 50 Points In Less Than 30 Days
In Less Than 30 Days. "What can you do to increase that set of three numbers on your credit report that can be so important with your financing?" I came across this question as I was surfing discussion groups the other day.
To Repair Credit Is No longer Satisfactory - Learn How To Earn A Millionaires Credit In 30 Days...
To repair your bad credit does not necessarily mean that you now have a good credit, absolutely not. When most people have bad credit, they either purchase a credit repair book or seek a credit expert help.
4 Steps to Creating Good Credit
As a consumer you've learned the importance of establishing a good credit rating with your lenders. Whether you are shopping for a new home or auto, or searching for the best deals on insurance, your credit worthiness will be judged by your credit rating or credit score.
Beware of Falling Minimum Payments
If you opened a credit card statement recently and were pleasantly surprised to find that your minimum payment due was lowered, don't be so quick to "jump for joy". What may appear as a small boost to your monthly budget is actually the rock that can weigh you down in debt for a lifetime.
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