Signs It's Time To Redesign Your Website

Designing your first website is a stressful undertaking. It requires you to dig deep into your business in order to write the copy for your site. You need to work with a designer and go through the process of creating a site that looks unique and works well. Plus you'll end up investing a lot of time, energy and money. And finally, after all that, you're finished and it's time for the site to go live. What a relief!

Many business owners go through this same process. By the time the process is finished, many entrepreneurs are very glad that it's over - and don't want to do it again anytime soon.

Unfortunately, websites don't last forever. Even if you plan your site to work for the current vision for your business, you can't accurately account for the entire future of your business.

Eventually you'll have to make some changes to your website. Some of these changes can be accomplished with simple maintenance, and by making updates to your site. But there's only so far that patching and revising your current site can go. If your site is particularly outdated, or if it's not working well for you, it's probably time to consider a full-scale site redesign.

Some signs that it's time to redesign your site include:

Your Business Has Changed or Grown

If your business is no longer the same as it was when you designed your site, chances are that you should redesign your website to reflect that. If you've only had a few small changes, you might be able to just update your current website. But, if you've changed your business direction, decided to provide new products or services, or if your company has grown significantly, it will pay off to redesign your site. Reconsider how the changes to your business should be reflected or addressed in the structure, design and strategy behind your website.

Your Site Looks Like It Was Designed in 1995

Some signs of an outdated web site include: chunky, slow-loading graphics, old-style "framed" coding, where the site is divided up into panes that load separately, little animated cartoon clip-art throughout the site, and text created as images instead of in HTML. Having any of these on your site could reflect poorly on your business, making you look 'behind the times'. It can also make you look like you don't care enough about your business or about technological advances to keep abreast of them. Keeping your company's website looking modern will improve its credibility.

The Information on Your Site Isn't User-Friendly

If you cringe when you read your site text, or if you regularly get questions on your site text from visitors, re-structuring your copy or rewriting it can help to fix these problems. If you've been adding to your site over time and the navigation has become unwieldy or confusing, restructuring your navigation could be another pressing reason to redesign your site. You want visitors to be able to easily find their way around your site and to be able to access all the information you have within a few clicks. Laying out your site to make that possible can make your visitor's experience on your site a lot easier.

You Apologize for the Site When Referencing It or Handing Out Your Business Cards

Your site should be a source of pride. It should provide your clients and prospects an easy way to get a lot of information about your business. And, if you have to apologize for out-of-date information, broken images, poor design, difficult navigation or anything else on your site, it makes you look unprepared and unprofessional. Make sure your site is in top shape and looks impressive, so your clients believe your business is in good shape too.

You're Not Getting Good Results in the Search Engines

Poor rankings in the Search Engines can be a result of not optimizing your site well. Poor search engine ranking can also be a result of bad design choices or coding on your site. Make sure that your site isn't designed using frames and that the text is coded in HTML. Flash sites are also more difficult to optimize for Search Engines.

It's Not Bringing in inquiries and Helping You to Make Sales

If your site was designed long ago, then there's a good chance that it was designed as "brochureware". This means that the site was designed just to act as an online brochure. This was very common a few years ago, when websites were new. But recently businesses have realized that a website can do a lot more than just impersonate your brochure - it can help you close sales, bring in new prospects and make your business easier to run. To bring in more inquiries and make more sales include the following when you redesign your site:

• Calls to action to encourage your visitors to take specific actions - like purchasing something, contacting you, or signing up for a newsletter.

• Forms, scripts, or programs to make your business easier - like contact forms, project estimating tools, and an autoresponder email series that can help you keep in touch with your clients and prospects. Including a shopping cart or Paypal buttons on your site can also help you to make more sales without any additional work.

• Downloadable information packets, articles, questionnaires and white papers can answer a prospect's questions about your products or services and help them to move closer to buying. And, if you require the prospect to enter their email address or other contact information, it can help you to grow your prospect líst as well. These are just a few of the functions that your site can perform for your business. To get ideas for other ways that your site can help you improve your business, look at the other sites that you visit and note the functions they perform.

Your Site is Costing You a Fortune to Update

If you're racking up huge bills because of changes and still have a lot to go, it might be time to consider a whole site redesign. Make a list of everything that you want to do on your site and consult a web designer about redesigning your site with those changes in mind. Often, if you have extensive changes to make to your site, it can be less expensive to just start over.

If your site is designed in Flash or coded in such a way that you can't maintain it yourself, redesigning and re-coding your site could allow you to do so. Having the ability to make changes and update your own text will let you make revisions quickly, at no expense. And you can play with your site and make revisions to see what will work best for your business and clients.

If your site has any of the problems mentioned here, it's time to redesign. The steps needed to update and revise will differ depending on the problems and issues that your site has - you may not have to start from scratch. But, do make sure that you address all of the problems that your site has so that you won't have to redesign again any time soon!

About The Author
Erin Ferree is a brand identity designer who creates big visibility for small businesses. Her workbook, "Design a Website That Works", will walk you through all of the questions that you need to answer in order to create the best possible website. Elf-Design.com Web Workbook.

Website - It is Time To Think Links

Link building has long been the staple dietary topic for SEO and Internet marketing experts, but with good reason. This is hardly ground breaking news but having a powerful link profile will help you to rank well in the search engines. Having an especially powerful link profile will also drive traffic directly to your website.

As the webmaster of a new site, there are several things you must do. First, you need to create a genuinely useful website filled with equally useful and informative content. You need to ready yourself to add fresh content on a frequent basis, in order to retain existing site visitors and to attract the search engine spiders. You also need to start building links – a good link profile takes time to develop so it is essential that you start as soon as possible. Below are some of the more and less effective methods of building quality inbound links to your new website.

Create Quality Content

OK, we've already mentioned this in passing, but it's important. Linkable content will get linked to (eventually). You may not have the traffic base to command links organically in this way yet, but you will do soon. Unique, informative, and even controversial content will ultimately see other sites willing to link to your own.

Video marketing has become especially popular because of its viral nature. You can create a good video clip, embed it into a page of your site and include "email to a friend" links. Also ensure that it is well branded so that everybody knows where the video first came from.

Free Directory Submissions

You should submit your site to a lot of web directories over time. If your domain is brand new then you should attempt to limit the amount of submissions you make in the first month. Google is believed to penalize sites that build too many links too quickly in this way. However, free directories can take days, weeks, or even months before they get round to accepting your submission so do start early.

As well as general category directories for your search engine link profile, you should research industry specific directories. These will also help your search engine ranking, but they can drive excellent levels of targeted traffíc to your site. Consider paying some of the bigger and more influential directories for an annual submission.

Paid Directory Submissions

Free directories typically only allow you to link to the main page of your website, but most also allow you to choose the title of your link. This gives you the opportunity to build your links according to your keywords, which is an essential component of link building for search engine rankings. Paid directories, on the other hand, also usually allow deep linking to individual pages of your website.

Consider paying for one or two annual subscriptions to the better directories. Yahoo is perhaps the most expensive at $299 per annum but it commands a lot of respect and a lot of traffic. Business.com isn't much cheaper ($199) but is almost on an equal footing. Less expensive directories include Best Of The Web and Uncover The Net.

Join Forums And Post Relevant Comments

Forums are, in reality, becoming less popular. The advent of the oft discussed web 2.0 means that the forum is seen as something of a dying trend. However, a lot of people do still use them and they do offer the opportunity to garner your website with some traffic and provide you with signature links.

Join forums that are relevant to your industry, create a signature link using your more important keywords and then browse. Find topics that genuinely interest you, or areas where you can offer assistance. Post comments, without linking to your site, and rely on your signature link to do the rest. If you provide genuine, helpful information then you may find that you pick up some very interested leads along the way.

Request Links

You don't get anything if you don't ask. Find relevant websites, though not in direct competition to your own site, and request a link. Point out a particularly useful section of your website content that is easily linkable and offer the HTML code to provide a link.

This isn't, in all honesty, the best way to spend your linking time. It can take many attempts with various websites before you get an acceptance and a link to your site. Webmasters will usually link to sites they have genuinely found themselves, or else sell their advertising spaces. Alternatively, they may only link to other sites within their own network.

Tagging And Social Bookmarking

So, you've read all about social bookmarking and tagging, but don't know how it can help your site? Well, the principle is fairly simple – join the social bookmarking sites, create a list of useful sites including one or two of your own, and then publish them. Some search engines are known to be particularly fond of using links found in this way. Also, if your list is genuinely useful then you should find some traffic diverts to your own site as a result.

Blog Commenting

Find blogs that are relevant to your industry and your site and sign up. Most blogs provide the opportunity to link to your site via your name so pick a name that includes relevant keywords. Like forums, only post relevant content and comments. Answers like "me too" do not count. If you don't have something valuable to add, then don't add anything, and move on to the next link building venture, please!

Article Syndication

Write articles, or have them written for you, and submit them to syndication websites. GoArticles and EzineArticles are among the more popular syndication sites and the article pages typically rank well. You have the opportunity to include two biographical links with most article directories, and these should point to the relevant pages on your site and include keywords as the anchor text.

Article syndication is a very good method of building links, but only if you can create article content that is appealing to visitors and to webmasters. However, one good article could generate many links and hundreds or even thousands of visitors to your website.

Offer Content To Other Sites

This is similar, although more specific, than article syndication. Contact webmasters of websites that operate in the same industry as you. Offer unique content in exchange for a link or links to your website. Again, if you can write well, then you shouldn't find it too difficult to find an avenue for publication of your work.

A lot of sites actively look for submissions in this way, so keep an eye out when you are next browsing the web.

Press Release Submissions

Press releases have been around a long time, and are still going fairly strong online. Again, press releases offer the opportunity to drive interested traffic to your website and some PR wires allow authors to include links to their website. PRLeap and PRWeb are among two of the more popular and beneficial sites to submit your PR to.

Reciprocal Links

I find myself sitting on the fence when it comes to reciprocal links. Once upon a time, a reciprocal link campaign was the most popular way of building links. You exchange links with another website and you both benefit. They do still have their place, if you can negotiate a well placed link on a relevant website with a lot of traffic. However, in terms of SEO, reciprocal links are known to have been devalued by the search engines. Consider every reciprocal link opportunity based on its own merit and, in most cases, ignoring the search engine optimization possibilities.

Don't Spam Blogs And Forums

Above, we have detailed a couple of link building methods that include posting on forums and blogs. Please, don't spam. Spam is the scourge of the online world and something that every site owner could do without. Spamming will make you unpopular, may get your site delisted, and it sure won't make you any friends.

Don't Use FFA Link Farms

A FFA (Free For All) website enables any website owner to place their link on a web page. Don't do it. Search engines despise this practice and you will not gain any benefit in any way from the use of this kind of site.

Avoid Any Dubious Link Building Practice

If you see a link building opportunity that looks dodgy, ignore it. At best you will waste your time, but at worst your site could be penalized and you may never be able to recover. If it looks too good to be true... you know the rest.

About The Author
WebWiseWords offers an article writing and submission service as well as various other forms of website content writing and creation. Visit us today for help in creating compelling content and marketing your website.

Why is Search Engine Marketing So Popular?

The key to marketing has always been getting one's product recognized by as large a group of people as possible. Advertising has always been the key to any marketing effort. Companies spend millions on ad placements in trimedia campaigns that encompass print, radio and television.

Print, radio and television have traditionally been the main medium for marketing. However, in the past decades, another form of paid advertising has found itself on the rise, and this utilizes the internet.

Search engine marketing (SEM) is a form of internet marketing. It uses the web as a medium to spread awareness of its target product. Internet marketing has emerged as a cheap yet dynamic way to distribute information in the global market.

SEM seeks to promote websites - and the products being sold on those websites - by increasing their visibility through search engine results pages.

The development of SEM is an off-shoot of the success of the Internet in the global arena. As more and more people started using the web, more and more sites on a variety of topics started being created. In the mid-to-late 90s, search engines were developed to help people find the information they wanted quickly.

Soon search engines developed business models to finance their services such as pay per click programs.

A pay per click program is a small text ad that appears next to results from an on-line search. A marketer buys the rights for their ads to appear on a web page or a search engine. The ads are tied up to key words. When a searcher types in a particular query to a search engine, the engine not only offers up a listing of relevant websites but also the marketers "ad".

The first pay per click programs were offered by Open Text in 1996 and Goto.com in 1998. Goto.com changed its name to Overture and was purchased by Yahoo in 2003 and is now Yahoo! Search Marketing.

SEM methods include: Search Engine Optimization (or SEO), paid placement, and paid inclusion.

Search Engine Optimization is a strategy by which you attempt to improve the volume and quality of traffic to a website by "marketing" it to a web site. Using key words and content to ensure your site shows up many times during searches.

Paid placement is the pay per click program. Advertisers pay when a user clicks on to the links to visit their web site. These are also known as sponsored links or sponsored ads. Google Adwords, Yahoo! Search Marketing and MSN adCenter are the largest network operators of the pay per click program as of 2007. Minimum prices per click start at US$.01 to .50.

Paid inclusion is when a search engine company charges fees for the inclusion of a website in their search index. This fee structure is ment to ask as a filter against superfluous submissions - websites that try to "trick" the engine by using popular key words that are unrelated to actual content of site - and a revenue generator for the search engine company. The fee is typically an annual subscription rate.

SEM is a relatively cheap and inexpensive way to create traffic on you web site and cultivate brand recognition. A pay-per-click program is cheaper then a trimedia campaign and yet can reach a large number of people globally day and night. As a result, many companies are now taking advantage of the internet to let consumers know what they have.

According to a recent report by the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization, advertisers in North America alone spend $9.4 billion in SEM in 2006. In 2006, the majority of search marketers (62%) said branding was the primary objective of search marketing campaigns. Nearly as many, however (60%) said that selling products was a key objective. This year, direct sales were the top choice, at 58%, followed by brand awareness at 57%. For more companies, SEM spending is increasing and actually earning a bigger budget then other marketing techniques. It is estimated that by 2011, companies will be spending $ 18.6 billion on SEM.

This growth will be driven by strong advertiser demand, rising keyword pricing and more small and midsized business discovering the effectiveness of SEM.

Currently, SEM is an alternative marketing tool with many possibilities. It's increase in popularity will eventually result in more businesses utilizing SEM techniques and a possible rise in rates for web space. The faith major businesses are placing in SEM - as denoted by the money they are willing to spend on it - makes this fast growing advertising technique that should be utilized by any business seeking to make a name for it's globally.

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About the Author: Mikhail Tuknov, a Search Engine Optimization Specialist, can improve search engine ranking of your online business. SEO specialist providing search engine optimization (SEO), pay per click (PPC) management, web site design or development and web analytics services.

The Health Hazards of IT Industry

Who says Information Technology is not hazardous to your health? The U.S. Department of Labor reported 20,690 work-related "non-fatal injuries involving days away from work" for I.T. workers in 2005. Dr. Jerry Sanders, D.C., was kind enough to spend an hour with me discussing some of the common injuries that afflict I.T. professionals and how to avoid them. Dr. Sanders has been in practice in New Jersey for 32 years. He can be reached via his website at http://www.northjerseyhouses.com/chiropractic.

Download Dr. Sanders' Guide to Stretching Here

Q: I.T. jobs are often seen as a "safe", since you work indoors and the physical demands usually aren't that great. What are some of the most common injuries that afflict I.T. professionals?

It depends on what your job function is, really. For people who set up servers and workstations, move heavy computer equipment around, or pull cables through the walls and ceiling, pulled and strained muscles are common.

For a programmer, which tends to be a more sedentary job, backaches, neckaches, and pinched nerves tend to occur more frequently. Some problems are common for everyone in the field, however. Headaches and repetitive stress injuries, particularly in the hands, are very common. Prevention is extremely important.

Q: You say prevention is important. Do you have any specific recommendations?

First off your body should be comfortable on the job. If you are constantly adjusting your body to find that comfortable position, your body is trying to tell you something. A lot of people sit in uncomfortable positions and don't even realize it because their bodies are constantly compensating subconsciously. For many, it's important to pay conscious attention to your sitting or standing position, to how your body is adjusted — to where your feet, hands, and legs are situated — to determine how comfortable your body is.

There are several things you can do to avoid permanent injuries, or to keep injuries from getting worse. Some of the more common problems include:

• Pain in your hands and wrists could be a sign of the beginnings of a serious repetitive stress injury. If you start experiencing persistent pain in your hands, try giving them a rest at regular intervals throughout the day. Also you might try a new keyboard, a more ergonomic mouse, wrist rests, and maybe even a wrist brace.
• Persistent pain in the back and neck can be caused by a lot of different things. Poor posture while you sit is a major cause. Broken or wobbly chairs, which force your body to constantly correct its balance, are another. And a big problem in office settings is a computer monitor turned at an angle to your body, or at the wrong height. When you are looking at a computer monitor, it should be directly in front of you with the top of the screen positioned at eye level. Monitors that are placed too high or too low will cause you to strain your neck, or assume poor body posture to compensate.
• If you spend a good deal of time on the telephone, it's a good idea to use headphones or a speakerphone instead of holding the telephone receiver with your neck and shoulder. Trying to hold the receiver with your neck can lead to stiff neck, headaches, and spinal problems.
• Another problem is lifting and moving large objects (like servers) unsafely. If your job includes heavy lifting, you should take special care to avoid injury. Always bend with your knees and not your back.

A very common issue with some of my patients results from carrying lap-top computers with shoulder-strap bags. Carrying the computer on one shoulder all the time can strain the shoulder. I always recommend to my patients, at the very least, that they switch shoulders regularly. This might be a little uncomfortable at first, especially if you're used to carrying it on one shoulder, but most of my patients get used to it quickly and it helps considerably — especially with maintaining good posture while walking.

Q: I'd like to talk about a few of the specifics you covered. You mentioned the computer monitor on a desk should be positioned directly in front of you to prevent neck strain. What about people with two monitors?

Well, for two monitors the same thing applies. If you work with two monitors, turn your body (not just your head and neck) to face the monitor you are working with. This will help prevent neck strain, and it also helps the back since you're not twisting your body to one side to see the second monitor.

Q: You also mentioned repetitive stress injury in the hand and wrists. What type of keyboard and mouse do you recommend?

I don't have a particular brand name to recommend. There are so many options available these days. Some people prefer an ergonomic keyboard with an angled shape, while others prefer a regular keyboard with a height adjustment. As for the mouse, some people prefer a trackball over a regular mouse because they don't have to move their wrists as much, but the important thing is to find peripherals that are comfortable for you. And don't be afraid to try a new style of keyboard or mouse. It's a small investment for something simple that can help prevent major problems down the road.

Q: What do you mean by "major problems down the road"?

Well, repetitive stress injuries are often a precursor to carpal tunnel syndrome. These are very serious injuries that are extremely painful and can literally prevent you from getting any work done for days, or even weeks, at a time. In the most serious cases it can require surgeries and prescription medication just to help manage the pain. The search for a comfortable mouse and keyboard is a very small price to pay to help avoid these types of injuries.

Q: And what's the best way to avoid injuries if you have to do heavy lifting on the job?

You should always stretch before you move large objects. At the least, you should give your arms, legs, and back a good warm-up. Of course you should always lift by bending your knees, and your back. Just as importantly, use tools (like dollies or carts) to move large objects whenever possible. For people who do a lot of heavy lifting regularly I might even recommend getting a Trochanteric support belt.

Q: Whats a Trochanteric support belt? Is that a back brace?

It's a support belt designed to go around the hips, not the waist. The design keeps the ligaments tight to give extra support. A regular "back-brace" belt that goes around the waist waist provides support, but if worn for a long period these waist belts can cause the muscles in the lower back to weaken.

Q: You keep mentioning good posture. What are some of the things we can do to maintain good posture?

Yes, good posture is key, and will prevent a lot of problems. Basically good posture consists of keeping the back straight, and the spine and head upright. When sitting, you should be seated well back into the chair. A small cushion can be placed in the back of the chair, or a chair with built-in lumbar support, will help offer some support as well. To reduce stress on the legs and back, sit with your knees at the same height as your hips; some people use an adjustable footrest for this, and most office chairs these days are adjustable.

Q: OK, I have to ask this. There was a popular sitcom on TV, and in one episode one of the characters says his doctor told him not to carry a wallet — because it was bad for his health. Is there any truth to this?

As a matter of fact, yes. Sitting on a bulky wallet raises one hip higher than the other, and tilts the foundation of the spine to one side. That wallet in your back pocket can cause, or worsen, a sciatica or lower back problem. If you have a bulky wallet, I recommend keeping it in a side pocket when sitting. On a practical note, keeping your wallet in your front or side pocket also makes it harder for a pick-pocket to steal it.

[Editor's Note: Sciatica is an inflamed nerve resulting from a pinched nerve in the lower back area.]

Q: What about the eyes?

Protecting your eyes is very important. Obviously your monitor should have a bright, crisp, high contrast, clear image. Nothing strains the eyes so much as a monitor with a low contrast or fuzzy image. Staring at a fuzzy monitor 8 hours per day can cause eye strain, headaches, and even eventually degrade your vision.

Another thing that people don't realize is that they normally blink once every 5 seconds (on average). When staring at a computer screen, however, you will blink about once every 15 seconds. People who wear contact lenses and work on computers might notice that their eyes seem to get particularly dry, and their lenses bother them, because of this. This is an important reason to give your eyes a rest every once in a while. Even if you just stare away from the monitor for a minute or so every fifteen minutes, it will give your eyes a chance to refresh themselves.

Newer (LCD) flat-panel monitors are easier on the eyes than older (CRT) monitors because they don't have to refresh the entire screen 60 or 70 times per second. They also tend to have better contrast which helps. Also they (LCD monitors) don't emit as much radiation, which is better on the eyes and your body in general.

[Editor's Note: If you are concerned about monitor radiation, look for TCO'99 (or newer) and/or MPR II certification. These are strict standards that cover radiation emissions from monitors. More information on all aspects of monitors is available at http://www.lcdtvbuyingguide.com/lcdtv-crt.shtml]

Q: At what point do you recommend seeing a chiropractic physician about your aches and pains?

Whenever your pains don't go away with a good night's sleep, or if you notice your posture is not good. Here's a little test you can do at home, with the help of another person:

1. Lie down flat in a prone (face-down) or supine (face-up) position; your leg length should be even.
2. Turn your head to the left (just your head), and have the other person look at the length of your legs.
3. Turn your head to the right and have the person look at the length of your legs again.
4. If you're lying face-down, bend your legs at the knees while lying down and have the other person inspect their length again.

In all of these tests, the length of your legs should stay even. If not, it's a sign you might benefit from a chiropractic adjustment.

Q: OK, one final question. Are there any vitamins or natural supplements people can pick up locally that will help prevent problems?

Well, everybody's eating habits vary, but a good multivitamin and mineral supplement is often helpful. I can't recommend specifics for non-patients, but you can consult a nutritionist or physician to create a specific dietary plan just for you.

Download Dr. Sanders' Guide to Stretching Here

Source: http://www.sqlservercentral.com/columnists/mcoles/3023.asp

Points to Ponder for Successful Web Advertising

You would think that everyone in business would be able to tell you what they do and why you should be doing business with them; unfortunately the sad truth is many business executives can't. In fact one of the biggest problems in designing websites has always been getting appropriate raw material that can be turned into meaningful presentations: a handful of badly written brochures and a few out-of-date photographs are not going to make much of an impression.

And now that the Web has involved into a sophisticated communication platform, able to deliver audio and video content, the problem has become even worse; not only do websites need to deliver appropriate copy and image content, they need to present audio dialog and video performances that demonstrate how products and services improve the business or personal lives of website visitors.

As a company we are good at what we do, we can turn the mundane into the memorable but we can't do it if clients don't know or can't express their own marketing story, or are unwilling to allow their multimedia advisor to develop that story for them.

At the heart of the problem is fear, fear of making a definitive statement, declaring loud and clear what you do, and why anyone should care. It's no longer good enough to apply technical solutions to marketing problems: you are not going to engage your audience with SEO, XML, CSS, or PHP. You must have a story to tell and you can't be afraid to tell it as boldly as you can.

Do You Know Who You Are and What You Really Do?

We know who we are and what we do: we deliver our message knowing that some people are just not going to buy into what we have to say, but those that do get it, really get it, and they are our potential clients. As far as the others are concerned, well, there's lots of business for everybody, and nobody is going to get it all.

You can't be afraid to loose a customer you never had in the first place. In our case our job is clear: we deliver marketing stories using Web-video and audio in memorable Web-presentations. We are not afraid to tell clients that they need multimedia, and that an over dependence on search engine optimization or any other technical answer is a mistake - a big mistake.

Are You Doing All You Can To Attract Business?

There are many methods that can be employed to drive appropriate traffic to your site: search engine optimization is only one. Have you written and published articles and advice on what you do, have you created a blog or a MySpace page to create a community of interest, or have you issued press releases on new developments and product releases? If you're relying solely on search engine optimization as a substitute for marketing, you are not doing everything you can to attract new business.

Even if your search engine tactics are attracting large numbers of visitors to your site, what is your conversion rate, how long are people staying on your site, and do you have enough compelling content to get them to come back?

If you're in the business of selling banner and text ads on your site, if that is how you make your living, then lots of random traffic may serve your purpose; but if you are in the business of providing something useful to people, then you better pay more attention to what your visitors see once they arrive on your site. After all, all the traffic in the world is useless if those visitors don't get your message. It all starts with the message, so what's your message?

What's Your Story?

Crafting your marketing story is not as easy as it sounds, and you may have to let go of some outdated thinking in order to bring your story to life.

Web-videos are not feature films or even viral videos intended to show how clever you are. You are making a commercial: special effects may be cool but they are not a substitute for a finely crafted script delivered by a professional performer.

Websites Don't Close Sales, People Close Sales

Web-videos are designed to make a statement: "this is who we are, and this is what we do, so contact us to find out how we can change your life." Websites create leads, not sales; so don't expect your Web-video to make the sale, that's your job.

Now you know the purpose of your website presentation, it is time to figure out what you want to say.

For more detailed article, check out this article, titled,
Six Questions That Produce Successful Web Advertising

About the Author: Jerry Bader is Senior Partner at MRPwebmedia, a website design firm that specializes in Web-audio and Web-video. Visit http://www.mrpwebmedia.com/ads, http://www.136words.com, and http://www.sonicpersonality.com. Contact at info(a)mrpwebmedia.com or telephone (905) 764-1246.

Turn Customer Complaints into Assets

Virtually every organization encounters customer complaints from time to time. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the complaints and to lose track of how many satisfied customers say nothing at all. Even worse, sometimes it is hard to remember just how valuable a customer complaint can be to the organization. Contrary to how it may feel to be the recipient of a customer complaint, it is a wonderful opportunity if embraced with commitment and integrity. You can turn customer complaints into valuable assets.

First, it is important to recognize that the majority of customers who complain are loyal customers who care about your business.

Customers who take the time to complain are also taking the time to tell you what went wrong with your process, your product or your communication. It takes some effort for a customer to contact you and tell you how the product, process or communications did not live up to expectations. This is an opportunity to reward the customer for taking the time to contact you and to learn how you can make internal improvements. If you can fix the problem for one complaining customer it may help many other customers, including the ones who never contacted you.

Loyal customers believe that you want to know what went wrong, and trust you to make it right. Loyal customers give you a chance to fix the issue. If one customer complains, it is typically an indication that there are several more with the same experience. If a complaining customer is irate, it is because the customer is disappointed. If there are other disappointed customers who do not call, you can bet that those customers have already given up on you. Customers who are disappointed and do not complain are already lost, but you have a chance to save the ones who are loyal enough to give you the opportunity to respond.

The complaining customer trusts you to care.

The complaining customer trusts you to care, this is why the customer contacted you. Don't avoid them, embrace them. If a customer does not contact you, it does not mean that they did not experience a similar issue. The customers who to not trust you, or do not believe that you will care, do not take the time to contact you. Customers with similar issues who do not contact you are already lost. The customers who do take the time to complain are the most loyal customers because they believe in you, in spite of the problem that they are experiencing.

Remember that the customer is not complaining about you, they are expressing the dissatisfaction to you. You are not the problem, you are the solution. Rather than perceiving the customer frustration as a personal attack, think of yourself as a person that the customer is coming to for help. How you respond to the complaining customer will determine the long term loyalty of the customer. Take care of a customer who takes time to communicate with you, and you may preserve the loyalty. Let them go, and they will communicate the experience to many other potential customers.

Turn complaints into assets.

Fix the customer and then fix the problem. Your first priority should be to understand the personal impact of the problem with your customer. It may be that the frustration expressed by the customer is the result of some dynamic impact other than the issue itself. The customer may feel mislead by communications, betrayed by the organization, or suffered some other impact as the result of the original problem. Listen to the underlying message of the complaint so you can identify what it will take to reassure the customer and address the specific needs.


Once you understand the root cause of the complaint, you may have an opportunity to implement changes that could avoid a reoccurrence of the problem. This may be your opportunity to increase customer satisfaction at an exponential rate.. If you can not eliminate the problem, at least you can use the experience to prepare a responsible solution for other customers who may have the same complaint. If it can not be eliminated, at least you can plan and prepare.

Preserve loyal customers who take the time to complain. Use the experience to eliminate defects, plan for countermeasures and responses.

How much money is invested in sales efforts, marketing, advertising and the acquisition of new customers? How much are you prepared to invest in the customers who have experienced a problem due to your organization and still trust you enough to take care of them?

Words of Wisdom

"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." - Bill Gates

"Too many people think only of their own profit. But business opportunity seldom knocks on the door of self-centered people. No customer ever goes to a store merely to please the storekeeper." - Kazuo Inamori

"The customer doesn't expect everything will go right all the time; the big test is what you do when things go wrong." - Sir Colin Marshall

About the Author: John Mehrmann is a freelance author, industry expert and President of Executive Blueprints Inc, an organization dedicated to developing human capital and personal growth.

Top Factors Affecting Positive Search Engine Rankings

The jury of search engine experts over at SEOMoz has weighed in, and here are the top factors affecting search engine placement, according to them, with my comments.

1. Keyword Use in Title Tag
I have said for many years that if I had a gun to my head, and could do only one thing to a web page to optimize it, my choice would be the title tag. Put your key phrases in your title tag, and remember to optimize each page individually (i.e. don't over stuff your title tag, and have different title tags for each page that reflect the content of that particular page - otherwise, you may suffer from a duplicative content exclusion and find yourself in the supplemental results).

2. Keyword Use in Body Text
Duh. If your keyword or key phrase isn't mentioned at least once in the body text of the web page, then it does not seem your page is very relevant to that key phrase, now does it? But don't get all caught up in the key phrase density myth - there is no magic number of times it should appear. Make sense to readers, and it will make sense to the search engines.

3. Relationship of Body Text Content to Keywords (Topic Analysis)
Google is smarter than you give them credit for, and just stuffing a key phrase into a completely unrelated page won't do you much, if any good. Your page should be on a topic which is semantically related to the key phrase which you are targeting in your title tag.

4. Keyword Use in H1 Tag
Oh, for years the naysayers have been telling me that H1 tag key phrase use meant nothing and that I was an idiot for thinking otherwise. Well the verdict is in and this is the fourth most important factor according to the SEOMoz article. At this point, therefore, we have learned to put your key phrase in your title tag, include it in your body text, which body text is topically or semantically related to the key phrase, and head up the body text with an H1 containing the key phrase.

5. Keyword Use in Domain Name
This is one that I disagree with. I have seen absolutely no evidence of this at all. Do a simple search on the internet for most any search term, and chances are the top results do not have the search query in the domain name. I believe this may have minor importance, but don't go and change your domain because of it. Seriously, you have much more to lose (such as age of domain, inbound linkage, site reputation, etc.) I regularly see clients at the top of Google with domain names containing nothing near the relevant search terms.

6. Keyword Use in Page URL
This is what I have called "descriptive file naming" for a number of years. I believe it is of some importance, again, however, is more of a factor when setting up a new domain than would be for an existing domain with high page rank and inbound linkage. Changing your internal url's for the sole purpose of meeting this criterion again is very risky, for the same reasons mentioned above.

7. Keyword Use in H2, H3, H... Tags
Well if it works for H1, why not for H2 et al.?

8. Keyword Use in ALT Attributes and Image Titles
SEOMoz incorrectly calls them an ALT tag, but it is not a tag, the ALT is an attribute of the IMG tag. Semantics aside, I believe this to be highly important, I would have ranked this above the URL and domain name items. Experience has shown me that image optimization (image file name, alt attribute, and title) is a wonderful way to make a page more relevant to a desired search query.

9. Keyword Use in Bold/Strong Tags
I always use this method, as well as keyword use within the EM (italics) tag. I believe this to be a moderately important factor as it helps emphasize to Google what your page is about, and what you consider important. Definitely on my short list of things to do for "on page" search engine optimization.

10. Keyword Use in Meta Description Tag
Again, one of my "big 4" for on page optimization. The "big 4" being: title tag, meta description, h1, and image ALT attributes. (I don't include body text in my big 4 as I believe that is self evident). Definitely important, and again, each page should have custom title and meta description tags.

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About the Author: Matt Foster is the President of ArteWorks Business Class, one of the top 15 search engine optimization firms in the world. For more information, please visit www.arteworks.biz.

How to make your site more popular

Do you have a website that is getting very little or no traffic at all? Well, I can put you on a path to changing that within the time it will take you to read this article. We will review each of the strategies you can use to promote your website, and then we will try to assimilate them into a single, uniform strategy that is both highly effective and affordable.

First of all, TV commercials, radio ads, and print advertising are very expensive. This is undoubtedly the best way to launch a business, but the costs are prohibitive. A full page ad in a prominent magazine or other publication can run as high as $50,000 per ad. TV commercials can run just as high; if the commercial runs during a popular television show or sporting event, the cost will be enormous.
So, if you do not have enough money in the coffers for traditional advertising, you need to resort to online marketing. This is not a bad thing. Offline advertising (i.e. radio, TV, print ads) is sometimes not effective. Marketing on the internet is cheaper, and if done correctly, can give you much more bang for your buck.

Obviously, the cornerstone of internet marketing is search engine submission and optimization. There are hundreds of different search engines and directories on the internet where you can submit your web site for a listing. This is fairly easy to do. Simply sign up for a monthly submission plan with a credible search engine submission service. There are literally hundreds of these submission services on the internet; you can find them by performing a search on Google.
However, be wary of submitters that claim to be able to submit your site to 75,000 search engines. Such services are scams, and they will submit your web page to FFA pages and bogus link pages that can actually get you banned from the search engines. You should only do business with submission services that submit to the major search engines and directories.

Now that we have covered submission, we need to talk about search engine optimization (SEO), which is even more important. To optimize a site, you need to maximize keyword density and optimize the positioning for the words or phrases that best characterize the subject matter of your site, and you need to use proper Meta tags so that the search engines can interpret your web pages.
If you do not know how to optimize your web site, you should search for an optimization professional on Google. Steer clear of SEO experts who want to charge $1,000 per month or more. Their goal is to bleed you dry before you figure out that they really can not help you get to the top of the rankings. Stick to providers who will optimize your site for a one-time fee.

More important than SEO is link popularity. Link popularity is the number of web sites that currently link to your site. The more inbound links you acquire, the higher your search engine ranking will be. There are more than a few ways to acquire links, but I have a certain strategy that worked well for me.

My advice to you is to write articles and press releases and submit them to article directories and press release distribution services who will then distribute your articles and press releases to other websites who will publish them and in return link back to you. Also, you can submit your site to bloggers through a popular service called Blogitive (Blogitive will get blogs to post one-way anchor text links to your site in their blog, which will greatly enhance your search engine ranking).
If you are not patient enough to wait for your search engine ranking to improve, you can attract visitors to your web site instantly by using pay-per-click advertising (PPC). With PPC, you pay a certain cost per click to have an ad for your web page run at or near the top of the search engine listings for certain keywords. This can be extremely costly and ineffective. It is not uncommon for webmasters to blow thousands of dollars on PPC advertising and make only a few sales.

The best way to promote your site, if you are actually selling something, is through an affiliate program. You need to provide an affiliate code to other online merchants so that they will place your banner on their site; every time you make a sale that resulted from an affiliate referral, the affiliate gets a commission. Some internet companies have thousands of affiliates, and get all the business they would ever need or want this way; and it costs you nothing.
To recruit affiliates, you should submit your affiliate program to as many directories as possible (there are directories where you can list your affiliate program for free). The best way to find affiliates is by listing your program on forums or message boards visited by webmasters who are looking to generate additional revenue for their online business. You will have to consult with an experienced programmer who can set up the affiliate program so that the codes used to track sales for each affiliate will work properly.

So, to summarize, you should first optimize your website and submit it to search engines. You should then begin submitting articles and press releases to article directories and press release distribution services. You should also submit your site to Blogitive so that bloggers will write a review of your site and link to it, further boosting your link popularity. You might want to join a link exchange, but trading links often proves fruitless. Also, you should set up an affiliate program. And finally, you should budget a small amount of money to spend each week on pay-per-click.

If you are persistent and use all of these methods, you will continually increase your traffic over a period of time. It will probably take approximately 3 years of performing each of the tasks outlined in this article, on a daily basis, to get where you want to be. Just stick with it and your efforts will be rewarded in the long run.

About the Author: Jim Pretin is the owner of http://www.forms4free.com, a service that helps programmers make an HTML form.

FREE Windows Anti-Virus Softwares

AVG Anti-Virus Free

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is a free anti-virus protection tool developed by GRISOFT for home use. We invite you to join the millions of satisfied customers worldwide who have downloaded the software and now enjoy the benefits of AVG Anti-Virus Free.

Download AVG Anti-Virus from here

AVAST Anti-Virus Free

avast! Home Edition is now free of charge for HOME users for NON-COMMERCIAL use. To use the Home Edition, you should register it, however, after initial installation you have 60 days to trial the product (as with all avast! antivirus products) before you must complete registration. The registration process is very easy, and will take you only a couple of minutes.

Download AVAST Anti-Virus from here

Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic Free

Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic reliably protects your private computer against dangerous viruses, worms, Trojans and costly dialers. More than 15 million users worldwide trust in the reliable protection of Avira AntiVir. And this is no coincidence at all: Avira has gained several awards. The product combines first-class detection rates and ease of use with a top performance that protects your computer safely and hardly burdens older PCs.

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ClamWin Free Antivirus

ClamWin is a Free Antivirus for Microsoft Windows 98/Me/2000/XP and 2003.
ClamWin Free Antivirus comes with an easy installer and open source code. You may download and use it absolutely free of charge.
Please note that ClamWin Free Antivirus does not include an on-access real-time scanner. You need to manually scan a file in order to detect a virus or spyware.

Download ClamWin Anti-Virus from here

Comodo Antivirus Free

Eliminates Viruses, Worms and Trojans from desktops and networks
Detects and eliminates viruses from desktops and networks. Constantly protects with real-time On Access scanning online. Proactive Heuristic analysis intercepts unknown threats. Daily, automatic updates of virus definitions. Isolates suspicious files in quarantine preventing infection. Simple to use: install and forget.

Do not download if you are running Windows 95/98/ME
Download Comodo Anti-Virus from here

Cyberhawk Basic Free

Cyberhawk's ActiveDefense technology hunts down and paralyzes threats that are too new or too clever to be recognized by traditional security software.
Cyberhawk uses behavioral analysis to detect malicious computer activity. Traditional antivirus relies on old fashioned "signature" technology that needs to be updated every time a new threat occurs.
Free Basic version blocks threats only—no cleanup.

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PC Tools AntiVirus Free

With PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition you are protected against the most nefarious cyber-threats attempting to gain access to your PC and personal information. PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition provides world-leading protection, with rapid database updates, OnGuard real-time protection and comprehensive system scanning to ensure your system remains safe and virus free. PC Tools products are trusted and used by millions of people everyday to protect their home and business computers against online threats.
Free version does not allow changes to the message tagging options in Email Guard.

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Active Virus Shield Free (Kaspersky Antivirus)

Advanced detection technology to help stop known and new viruses, spyware and other malware before they attack you. Always-on, automatically checks for updates every hour- providing real-time scanning and protection against virus threats. Easy-to-install, works with most Windows operating systems. (Windows 98, 2000, ME & XP). Free to everyone- No AOL subscription required

Download Active Virus Shield Anti-Virus from here

CyberDefenderFREE

CyberDefenderFREE is an all-free Internet security suite that finds infections other security software misses, offering protection from spyware, viruses, spam, phishing and Internet identity theft.
CyberDefenderFREE includes non-intrusive advertising banners.

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For a comprehensive list of free Virus Removal tools or softwares, please check this link:
http://antivirus.about.com/od/freevirusremovaltools/Free_virus_removal_tools.htm

Vista Installation help

If you are planning to install Microsoft Vista or upgrade your existing OS to Windows Vista, you might find the following links really useful:



If you have a Small Office or Home Office kind of setup and need the basic features of Windows Vista only, you could try Vista Home Premium version.
Product Features

• Lets you run Vista Home Premium Update on one additional PC, so more people in your household can enjoy its impressive and user-friendly capabilities
• Features Windows Aero, an efficient and visually stunning interface that makes it easier to accomplish multiple tasks at once by providing a three-dimensional, real-time, animated view of all of your open applications and documents
• By integrating search throughout the operating system, helps you quickly find and organize large collections of documents, pictures, movies, videos, and music
• Includes Windows Tablet and Touch Technology that enables you to interact with your Tablet PC-compatible computer with a digital pen or your fingertip instead of having to use a keyboard
• Upgrade from your current edition of Microsoft Windows XP or Windows 2000 (including Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Media Center, Windows XP Tablet PC, Windows XP Professional x64, Windows 2000)

If you are a developer and need the Web server, Remote Desktop option and File Shadow Copy features and much more in Windows Vista, you could try Vista Business version.
Product Features

• User-friendly software offers powerful new ways to organize, find, and share information
• Keeps your network running smoothly and securely without excessive reliance on dedicated IT support; ideal for organizations of all sizes
• Sophisticated data protection and auditing capabilities help simplify IT management and can help lower costs for regulatory compliance
• Warns you of impending hardware failures early on, so you don't have to worry about the devastating loss of any important business data
• Upgrade from your current edition of Microsoft Windows XP or Windows 2000 (including Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Media Center, Windows XP Tablet PC, Windows XP Professional x64, Windows

• Take a compatibility test to check if your PC is Vista Ready
• Check this page to find out what kind of installation is required for your existing OS.
• For Windows Vista Installation Guide, please check this article.
• If you have problems on Installation regarding upgrade issues, check this article and also this article.
  

Charles Schultz Philosophy

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read the article straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no t second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners .

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2 Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with .

Easier

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care ...

Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life.

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia "
(Charles Schultz)

Opening US Bank Account for Non US Residents

First, you'll need to know the name of the bank. Your U.S. bank account will be open in:

E*TRADE Financial

E*TRADE Financial owns E*Trade Bank and E*Trade Securities.

This bank is one of the most respected banks around the world. It provides excellent customer service.

You can visit their web site in www.etradebank.com, BUT WAIT, don't try to open your account yet.

You have to fill the right forms and do all the process correctly for your account to be open.

The first "secret" you should know is that for opening your account you will not have to contact E*Trade Bank but E*Trade Securities, LLC.

Now....

e*Trade Securities

E*TRADE Securities, LLC is a member of the SIPC. They are a separate company but affiliated with E*TRADE Bank.

By working with E*Trade Securities you will be able to have banking services with all the benefits.

First, you don’t have to ask for a checking or saving account. This types of accounts can not be opened as non-resident.

So, you will have to ask for a brokerage account.
See more details from the bank site regarding opening an account for Non US Residents

A brokerage account can be used as a checking account, you will not received interest on your balance, but you will have the choice to make stock investments and other normal checking accounts actions (like checks, make transfer, etc.)

Here is a sample of the welcome pack you will receive (The VISA card as to be requested after you open your account).

The bank will send you the welcome pack along with your bank account number and password for on line banking via normal mail service.

Your bank account will be open 2 to 3 days after the bank received your application. The welcome pack will arrive in around 2 to 7 weeks after the bank receive your applications.

You can always contact the bank to see if your bank account has been open without receiving the welcome pack. More information on this later.

Fill your forms

As a non-US resident you will need to fill out the following forms:

#1 Your bank account application

* Please note it's not necessary to fill in the last page of this form.

#2 Your withholding tax form

* You are required to include this form with your application form above.

You can download the forms from DollarAT servers here, or

You can download the forms from the bank web site here, and

Here you have the sample forms from DollarAt Servers to guide yourself.

Be aware that tax will not be withheld from your deposits. Tax is only withheld if you make a profit on an investment made through E*Trade.

Now lets see were you have to send the forms...

Send your forms

Mail both forms along with a photocopy of your passport or national photo ID to the address below:

E*TRADE Securities LLC

P.O. Box 1542

Merrifield, VA 22116-1542

USA

If you want to use Fedex or DHL service, you will probably need to use this address (without a P.O. Box):

E*Trade Securities LLC

671, N. Glebe Road,

11th Floor,

Arlington, VA - 22203

USA

You can confirm this information from the bank web site here

Lets continue...

Your checkbook

2 to 3 days after the bank as received your forms, you can call or email E*Trade and request your checkbook before you receive your welcome kit.

You can even request it before any funds have been deposited into your account. Simply call E*Trade on 1-916-636-2510. The mail for customer service is service@etrade.com

Or you can wait to request a check book after you receive your welcome pack.

Remember that you are opening a "E*trade Securities Brokerage Account". If you simply ask for a bank account they are not going to help you.

You can ask for your account details at this time and login to your bank account on line.

There is no need to wait for your welcome pack to access your account and deposit funds.

Ok, keep going...

Your initial deposit

The bank will open your account even if you don't send any deposit with your forms. However you can fund your account by including a $1,000 US check or US money order with your applications.

Or...

After you have received your account number, you can fund it in any amount via your PayPal, 2Checkout.com or any other account that can send ACH transfers (direct deposits).

My first deposit was only US$ 5 sent from PayPal.

You can also wire funds from your home bank account, in any amount.

Instructions on wire transfers can be found updated in the bank web site. (Remember you have to follow the instructions on how to wire money to your E*TRADE Securities account)

Your VISA Platinum Debit card

Remember that you will need to have at least US$ 1000 in your account to ask for your debit card.

You can send the application included in your welcome pack, or you can order it from the bank web site.

Next is a example of the actual VISA Platinum debit card and checkbook.

Anyway, now you can see how to send money from your Paypal account (or a similar system) to your Bank Account.....

How to send money from Paypal

To receive ACH transfers (direct deposits) from Paypal, 2Checkout or any other service. Just use the following details.

Bank name: ETRADE BANK

Routing number: 056073573

Account number: This is your personal account number

Account type: Checking Account

*Remember that doing an ACH (direct transfer) is different than a wire transfer. A wire transfer (usually used for International Transfers) has a different routing number. You can see this number updated in your bank's web site.

You can always confirm the direct deposit information from the bank web site.

You could read the original information from DollarAT site:
http://www.dollarat.com/users/members/bank_account.html/index2.php

PS: This article is a compilation of information retrieved from various sources and I do not accept responsibility for the validity of the information. Please check out the links in this article and verify the information, before acting on it. Thanks..