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Forum Name: The New MadBomber Marketing and SEO Forum
Topic ID: 520
Message ID: 1
#1, Intro to Using Zon
Posted by Kurt on Nov-20-07 at 00:24 AM
In response to message #0
This post assumes you have Zon up and running.

You'll only need to install Zon on one site. Put it on your "main" site, then we'll use RSS to "syndicate" the Amazon stuff to all your other RSS ready domains.

Here's my installation if you haven't installed it yet and want to give it a test drive:
http://blogbomb.com/cgi-bin/zonbomb/buyitbomb_zon.cgi


Features:

Search for - Enter your keywords about the topic you want to find Amazon stuff for.

Search Type - Almost always choose "keyword", although you can select other choices.

Category - Gives you the option of searching books, electronics, etc.

Format - You have three options, but only page attention to:
html
RSS

Using the HTML option let's you see the results in your browser

The RSS option is what you'll want to use for BlogBomb and other RSS readers.

Page - Amazon only returns 10 results per page. This option lets you select which page of results you want to use. In many cases, you may want to enter multiple pages of results into BlogBomb.

RSS Template - This will vary how the RSS pheed will "look". One option gives you a small graphic and a "buy" link, another option gives you tons of content and a big picture. Get to know these choices by playing around.

How to use it:

What you'll want to do is search using the HTML mode so you can see what's being returned.

Once you find results you like, then SWITCH TO RSS and do the same search.

Now copy the RSS URL from your browser window and paste it into BlogBomb on any domain and you're good to go.

NOTE: A common mistake I make to this day is that I forget the RSS URL and instead use the HTML URL. It won't break anything, but it won't work, either.

So if something isn't working, just check to make sure you're using the RSS URL.

Now here's what happens: Zon will check will Amazon and update your products for you. BlogBomb will check every so often with Zon to get the updated products across all your domains.

Amazon can "hang" once in a while, creating slow results, so set your BlogBomb cache for at least a week, so that BlogBomb doesn't update daily. This will save a lot of hassles.

Option: If you have an RSS friendly email service (I think aWeber is), try adding Zon RSS pheeds to your newsletters.

I use my own Godfather Bomb's rotate feature to add a different book each week, with a long review, to certain newsletters. It adds content and a small revenue stream.