The Anonymity of the Internet

By Sharon Housley

Attempting to legislate the Internet will not work, as the Internet is global and covers areas where no single government's rule applies. The jurisdiction issues make the Internet a haven for fraudulent and illegal activity.

Child exploitation and the rise of Internet related crimes is increasing. Child exploitation has no boundaries; pedophiles exist in every socioeconomic, ethnic and religious community. Consider these statistics, 20% of children online are approached sexually online. 89% of those advances take place over instant messaging. Online predators prowl, rebellious teenagers are opportune targets, and shared personal details often make them become victims.

This further fuels the discussion of who is who. Are they really who they say they are, or claim to be? The Internet is far more complex and "anonymity" might in fact provide the protection that surfers are seeking.

The anonymity of the Internet is a cause for concern. Pedophiles hide behind the protection of anonymity, creating ideal profiles being exactly the friend that impressionable youngsters want them to be. The fact is that a child doesn't always know with whom they are interacting with. All of this makes education critically important.

Children, adolescents, and teens must realize and understand the risks associated with Internet activities and modify their personal habits in order to stay safe online. Sharing private information is just not acceptable. Parents must realize that the Internet is part of world in which our children are living, and as much as we would like to shelter them, it has become an integral part of their worlds. Much like the warnings that youngsters today grow up with about not talking to strangers, parents must redefine who strangers are, so that their children will accurately understand the online dangers. The critical element to staying safe online is to be educated and understand the very real risks associated with online surfing.

While remaining anonymous is part of the problem, on the Internet, it might actually be a protection. If Pedophiles can hide behind screen names and pseudonyms, why can't children? If an adolescent is participating in online communities, whether its for educational purposes or social entertainment, creating an anonymous identity will help shield their personal information. Personal information related to location should still not be shared but the additional layer, might help shelter the child from unwanted attention.

While anonymity is a protection for the children, it also allows them the freedom to be children. Today's employers often search the Internet for information about potential employees. Additionally colleges and private schools will often search a students history on the Internet prior to offering them admission. As children grow, their views and opinions often change. The Internet's timeless and endless archive of those opinions may no longer be an accurate reflection of who a child has become. Children who post anonymously can afford the luxury of being a child, without the evolution of their opinions being available in a searchable archive.

Anonymity on the Internet might be a tool to help keep children safe, while venturing into the global Internet.

For additional tips to keep children safe online see:

Security Port - http://www.security-port.com
Wired Kids - http://www.wiredkids.org

Credibility Online

By Sharon Housley

Credibility online is becoming more and more of an issue. Anyone can have a blog or post to a forum and anyone can edit wiki entries. Web surfers are beginning to comprehend that just because it is in print does not necessarily mean that it is true. In fact, in today's online world, the collective truth might be the closest thing we can get to the real truth. Peer policing and social bookmarking have become common in the online world.

Human nature invariably prompts a level of trust;if it is written, it must be true. We live in a generation where we expect authors, editors and publishers that are qualified to write on various topics. What qualifications are required to post a blog, write an online article, or edit a wiki? Some web surfers may find the answer startling: None. Expertise is no longer a prerequisite. Wikipedia is a popular online reference, that frequently obtains top ranking in search engines as a reference source. How many Wikipedia readers realize that Wikipedia can be edited by anyone at anytime, regardless of their qualifications.

The concept of using peers to review posts is not without problems, while obvious vandalism is often quickly addressed, minor inaccuracies can remain for a fairly long time. Perhaps, persistence is the key. How many of us have the time to constantly make corrections to a reference source? Perhaps the differences are mere nuances, or perhaps a difference of opinion. In the case of a wiki preservation of the reference is subjected to a democratic process or even worse, mere persistence. Will historical perspectives on hot political issues on Wikipedia be reflected by the most persistent group in the future?

The Internet is an evolving medium and unlike encyclopedia or a reference book it is not static. While it is easy to determine the age of an encyclopedia, tracking a web page's origin is far more complex. Syndication further complicates content credibility. While the original webmaster might be diligent in keeping information accurate and up to date. The accuracy of archives and syndicated content becomes a quagmire. There is no guarantee that each syndicated copy will remain accurate, or up to date. As the original publisher has no control over the content. Should webmasters and publishers avoid phrases that are not date specific "This year there were" moving to a more formal "In 2006 there were "?

Suggested steps that will lead to improved online credibility:

1. Education
It is critical that we educate both adults and youngsters about the nature of content on the Internet. Students should be taught to not only cite their sources, but also to establish the expertise of their source. This might seem excessive, but students should second source all items and assign a level of credibility to their sources.

2. Full Disclosure
Like traditional journalists, bloggers, publishers, and webmasters should fully disclose relationships and expertise when writing about a specific field or providing advice on a topic where they have a personal interest. Publications and publishers should always maintain transparency between advertisements and editorial content.

3. Establish Sources
As in life we build confidence through relationships, so too, we need to build relationships in the online communities. Sources which have provided accurate information over time, should be assessed as more reliable than new sources. While search engines are working to develop algorithms to assess the quality of a website's content , nothing can be a replacement for personal experiences over an extended period of time. If a source has provided misleading or incorrect information, treat the source as unreliable.

4. Date Content
Quality publishers should make an effort to date content. Perhaps the statistical information was accurate at one point in time but due to the passage of time, is no longer an accurate reflection of current trends. Any statistical information should be framed with dates in which the data was collected. Additionally all factual information should be framed with dates.

The vast majority of research conducted today uses the Internet as a primary source. It is critical that the data being collected online is an accurate reflection of facts and is not merely conjecture, opinion, or old information.

Everything You Need to Know About Linking

By Sharon Housley

Websites that are able to amass a large number of links from related websites that contain relevant content, tend to have an advantage when attempting to rank well in the large search engines. The tricky part is understanding how to build a large quantity of quality links. With the growth of the web and increased competition, search engines are weighing link relevance, and link authority as part of their ranking algorithm.

Earning Links
Link popularity is a form of "social bookmarking". Think about it, a link is akin to a "vote" from the source. Just like in the real world, a vote from a source that is known to be trusted and respected in a specific industry carries more weight and contains more social clout, so does a link from a credible online source. Web links are seen as a recommendation or a website endorsement. If the endorsements are from established respected sources in a specific sector, the link is weighed heavier than an unrelated link or links from a source that is not yet established.

The easiest way to earn a link is to provide quality unique content.

How do you know who is respected?
One way to determine the value of a website is by accessing its PageRank. PageRank is visible in the Google Toolbar and is calculated based on the number of quality incoming links that a website has. Alexa Rank and TrustRank are also indicators of a websites popularity. Alexa tracks the websites that people who use the Alexa toolbar visit. Based on these visits, they determine the popularity of a website and rank it accordingly. TrustRank is a little more difficult to pin down. TrustRank is based on the assumption that good websites rarely link to bad neighborhoods.

PageRank and Alexa Rank can be used to help webmasters assess what webpages and websites are valued by search engines. Keep in mind, this is not an end-all/be-all. The rankings should only be used only as guides. Relevance matters, a link from a respected tree website will not help a software website unless they are selling software related to trees or landscaping.

Authoritative Links
Some websites wield great power. They are not topic specific and are considered quality credible sources or "authorities". Examples of authoritative sources would be other search engines or directories like Yahoo, DMoz and Wikipedia. They are respected resources on almost any industry topics. Authoritative links are desirable and can help increase a websites popularity.

Deep Linking
Regardless of a websites topic material, if the website is well designed and informative, its generally not too difficult to attract links to a websites' main page. But what many webmasters do not realize, it is equally important to attract incoming links to a variety of pages on the website. The more varied the links to various webpages within a single domain, shows search engines that a website contains an abundance of quality material.

Anchor Text
When a publisher links to a website, the search engines consider the link text used in the link. Varied but related text in the link shows what the material is about. All links that contain the same text look "unnatural" and may be considered as "purchased" or unreliable. Search engines are partial to natural incoming links. Ideally attempt to establish varied linking text that unite in a common theme.

An example: Software Marketing Resource http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com has a number of links with text containing things like: software marketing; shareware marketing; software promotion; online software marketing; promoting software; promoting shareware. All are synonymous with software marketing and are natural phrases that would be used to describe the same website.

Directory Linking
Directories should not be overlooked in linking strategies and while webmasters should not rely on directories solely when developing strong links, they can be advantageous. Particular attention should be paid to topic specific directories. A topical directories are often consider authorities and a related link can boost exposure.

Competitive Intelligence
Webmasters looking for links and don't know where to look, should have a peak at who is linking to their competitors. Use competitive intelligence to track down quality link sources.

Give it Away
An easy way to earn links is to give something away. Whether you are providing quality content free of charge or a free software application, webmasters appreciate quality content and products that are available free of charge. Use the free item or content to draw attention to your website, if you are truly providing something of value, it will generate unsolicited links that are invaluable. Develop a linking strategy as part of your website marketing plan.

The aim should be to attract authoritative links from related sources.

Safety Online

By Sharon Housley

The proliferation of computer technology and emergence of the Internet has enhanced the lives of children and adults. Increasing productivity and efficiency, the Internet is a powerful educational tool, and it provide youths a vast amount of information. That said, it is important to remember that the Internet can also be very dangerous. Criminals are using modern technology to prey on innocent victims.

According to research, one in five youths, ages 10-17, were approached online sexually or were sexually solicited. The tool for the solicitation was the Internet. In fact, 89% of those solicitations occurred via chat rooms or with predators using instant messaging. Additionally, nine out of ten children online, ages 8-16, have viewed pornography online. In most cases the children unintentionally encountered pornography while searching for an alternate item, but the statistic is very telling.

In many ways, the Internet has made the predators job easier, as the predators can hide behind pseudonyms and screen names. The danger of the Internet is persistent and very real because the Internet provides predators anonymity. Online victimization differs little from traditional victimization that happens in person, the process is essentially the same. The perpetrator uses information to target a child. Often solicitation begins in the form of friendship, sharing hobbies and interests. The predator then adapts the persona of who their young victim wants them to be. Online predators will often spend considerable time befriending a child. The predator builds a level of trust with the victim.

No family is immune to the possibility that their child will become an online victim. Older children are at an increased risk, because they are often online unsupervised. Teens or adolescents, who are particularly rebellious or searching for their identity, are often more susceptible to Internet predators.

Sadly, in almost all cases the interaction begins as a harmless camaraderie and it evolves into inappropriate sexually explicit conduct. Online crimes often transcend jurisdictional boundaries, making it difficult to prosecute or even track. And while cross-agency support has been growing, its growth can not keep up with the abundance of online crime. The Internet has no boundaries, and there is not a centralized legal body regulating crime on the Internet.

Remember, physical contact between a child and perpetrator does not necessarily need to occur for a crime to have been committed. In many cases, digitally explicit material is emailed back and forth. Educating our children is critical to keeping them safe.

If you are aware of an incident that involves child exploitation via the Internet contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800.843.5678.

Search Engine Tips

By Sharon Housley

Not only do you have just a few seconds to grab the attention of the web visitor, content developers must perform well within search engine searches so they are "found"when web surfers search on related keywords or phrases. In order to perform well, a website must have traffic. Decent traffic will result if a website ranks well in search engines, that is why strong placement in search engines for critical keywords and phrases is essential.

When struggling with search engine optimization just go back to the basics. What do search engines want? Search engines want to return search results, that are relevant and useful to the searcher. Webmasters can help search engines discern what keywords or phrases their site relates to.

Search Engine Optimization Dos


1. CSS - Cascading Style Sheets.
Use header tags and cascading style sheets in your website design. Many search engines value H1 and H2 tags more than others. The assumption is that header tags are used to highlight the most important items or themes that appear on a page. By using header tags, webmasters can bullet those keywords or phrases they deem to be most important. The CSS file will help your site load quickly and provide a consistent look and feel throughout the website.

2. Titles.
A website is the collection of webpages under a single domain. A webpage refers to a specific page within a website. Unique page titles throughout a website is important. Websites typically contain many webpages and using unique titles on webpages will help highlight different key phrases while uniting all the website content in a single theme.

3. Related Links.
Links from related or relevant sites are more important than generic links from unrelated websites. Links are seen as "votes" of quality content. Search engines weigh links from websites that contain related or similar content more importantly, than links from unrelated websites. Work to obtain relevant quality links from related or authority websites.

4. Anchor Text.
Vary anchor text. Use a variety of phrases to link to a site. Using different anchor text to link to a website is seen by search engines as "natural" linking. Search engines use the anchor text of a websites incoming link as part of their algorithm to determine a websites theme.

5. Copy.
A minimum of 200 words of copy is suggested for each web page. In order to spider a site a search engine must have sufficient copy to spider. Less does not necessarily mean more, when it comes to search engine ranking. In general try to keep copy "above the fold", so that visitors don't have to scroll. Copy above the fold is usually sufficient to determine the context of the webpage.

6. Fresh.
Keep it fresh. Search engines take notice of how frequently content is updated or added. Search engines spider websites that update content on a frequent basis at regular intervals. Add new content or webpages daily or weekly to increase a search engine spider's frequency.

7. Consistent.
Provide quality, consistent, fresh content. Consistent related content is critical to encouraging both visitors and search engines to return. Providing consistent quality content encourages links which will increase a websites popularity.

8. Themed.
Relate the contents of a website by a single theme. Uniting content using contextual words will help websites rank well for less critical but very targeted related keywords and phrases.

Search Engine Optimization Don'ts

1. Keyword Stuffing.
Don't stuff web pages with keywords that is similar to or the same as the webpages background color. Most search engines have ways to detect keyword stuffing. Keyword stuffing will likely result in a search engine ban.

2. Cloaking.
Cloaking is when the website identifies the IP address of a search engine spider and feeds the spider content that it is not really on the page. Essentially the search engine sees optimized content that is not currently on the web page that it is spidered. It is difficult for search engines to detect cloaking, but if a site is banned or cloaking it is very difficult to convince a search engine to relist the content.

3. Don't Sacrifice Quality
Don't sacrifice quality for optimization. While search engine optimization is important, it is equally important that the content on a webpage should make sense. Placing well in search engines at the expense of a quality professional image with decent web copy, will not usually result in sales. It is a matter of striking a balance.

4. Spam.
Not much to be said about this one, don't spam. Don't spam search engines, don't conduct email spam campaigns, and don't spam forums. Being labeled a spammer is a hard reputation to shed.

A website is an important part of a business, search engine optimization is a business investment and requires attention and effort in order to succeed. Website creation is more than just pretty images and an attractive design. In order to "sell" your product or service your information, your site must be found. Therefore it is imperative that search engine content is optimized for search engine placement.

Networking for Business

By Sharon Housley

Associations and trade organizations are great places to meet individuals. Usually organizations have a common theme, and it is an understood implication that all members participate to improve themselves and their businesses.

Whether it is a chamber of commerce or a trade association, members have common problems, issues and concerns. By sharing issues and resolutions, members can benefit by the experience of others. Many business owners participate in organizations, not only to network, but also to hopefully circumvent some of the pitfalls encountered by other small businesses--learning from others.

Networking Tips.
Many trade organizations provide forums for networking. In some cases, these might be private online newsgroups, casual meetings, or even professional events with speakers. In order to take full advantage of these networking opportunities consider these tips.

Who You Know.
It is often not who you know, but who they know. I can't tell you the number of times I've seen someone put-off someone who is clearly a beginner only to learn that the "beginner" is the brother or friend of a contact they've been trying to meet for weeks.

Honesty.
Be honest. Pretending to be something that you are not, or implying you can deliver a product or service that is outside of your abilities, will foster an environment of distrust and potentially harm your reputation. Keep in mind that networking is viral?vital? and if promises are not kept, word will spread. Establishing yourself and firm as an honest, reputable company.

Professional.
Keep conversations to strictly business subjects. In a business environment, it is important to focus on safe non-emotional topics. The last thing you want to do is alienate or offend a potential client because of an outspoken view on a controversial topic. There is a time and a place for everything and discussing political views or cultural issues is not a generally accepted business topic. Bearing that in mind, it is also important to be aware and sensitive to cultural differences. The Internet has opened doors to a global market and respecting cultural differences is critical to establishing strong business relationships in the global marketplace.

Socialize.
Now is not the time to be a wall flower. Whether you participate in social business events, or monitor trade forums, it is critical that you participate. Participation will help you distinguish yourself in your industry. Attempt to remember individual personal details and foster introductions among others in the industry.

Positive.
Stay positive. It sounds simple, but it will really impact how others view you. If you are constantly negative and pointing out the flaws in others, it will reflect on how others view you. Presenting the best and positive business experiences will enhance your image.

Help.
Provide genuine assistance to others. Whether or not they are able to reciprocate, networking is viral?vital?. Helping others will establish you as a useful member of your business community and will endear you to others. If you are unable to help an individual, attempt to refer them to someone who can.

Research
A little research goes a long way. Be sure to research people and companies in your business community. Knowing their common goals and interests will build topics for discussions.

Acknowledging the need to connect with others to grow and expand a business may seem like common sense. Cultivating business relationships and interact with other small businesses is often mutually beneficial and should not be underestimated.

Networking is about building relationships and mutual interaction benefiting both parties. Being proactive and following up, you can have a network of contacts that you will be able to access quickly when you need them. Whether by more traditional means, such as in person or over the Internet, personal networks are essential for furthering your business. Relationship networking is give and take, be sure to help others in your quest for help.

Google As Big Brother

Is Google Really Big Brother?

By S. Housley

Anti-Google sentiment is on the rise. Web pundits have tossed around monopoly theories and privacy advocates have warned of a day of reckoning. While Google has made friends on Wallstreet, it has disappointed the technical evangelists who were once its fiercest followers. Google has grown into a big scary company and web watchers are expressing their concerns about the information Google gleans from their various services.

Google Analytics is free, no one can beat the price, but what is the real cost? The cost is your data. While not terribly important when analyzed alone, when aggregated with other information Google has access to, it could be damaging. Data mining has made the collection of data meaningful. It has become easier to find patterns and trends in large volumes of data.

While any of that information independent of other data, might be non-threatening or irrelevant to someone doing analysis, when combined with other data Google has access to, it can paint a very clear picture of how, not only individual companies are performing, but the aggregate data could possibly paint a picture of how entire business sectors or industries are performing.

The big question is how will Google use this information? Will it affect search engine ranking? Will it influence keyword costs?

Paranoia? Lauren Weinstein doesn't seem to think so, her blog post entitled "The Dark Side of Google" http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000108.html , paints a very clear picture of the danger of a single entity possessing all of the data.

According to a recent USA Today article "In just seven years, Google has emerged as one off the most influential companies of the 21st century, a multinational whose recent forays into classified ads, book publishing, video, Wi-Fi and telecom make its data empire ever more powerful." The article goes on further to quote Jeff Chester, head of the digital Center for Digital Democracy saying "Google could easily become the poster child for a national public movement to regulate data collection".

Lets take a look at Google's new analytics tool. As a reporting tool, Google Analytics offers good features and functionality. Google Analytics tells publishers who their website referrers are, what pages visitors are viewing, the length of the visitor stay, what items are purchased. Google Analytics data can be used to develop new technologies, and optimize pay per term influence ranking.

Google wants to make money, and like it or not, data is a commodity. Google will likely use the data from their various ventures to develop new technologies and personalize content. Conspiracy theorists believe that the Google's aggregate data will also be used to optimize the fees charged for pay-per-click, influence organic ranking or worse yet sold.

Unbeknownst to many users, privacy advocates say that Google's technology give Google the ability to collect enormous amounts of data about interests and online habits of web surfers. That said, Google's growth will continue to motivate privacy advocates and those in the technology field behind the Attention Truste movement to work together, to improve how personal information and subscription information is used online. I expect we will see a lot of energy and effort in this arena.

Lets face it, Google wants to make money; no, now that they are public they *need* to make money and like it or not, data is a commodity. Whether Google will use your data or not is still to be determined, but the fact remains they can if they choose to. Google's storage capacity, is as deep as its pockets, meaning that it is far ahead of competitors. All of this has motivated privacy advocates and eyes are on and will continue to be focused on Google and the type of data they are capable of collecting.

Writing PR

By Sharon Housley

Distributing a press release to editors and news organizations is only half the battle. Writing a press release that will be published by the media is equally important. Press releases are public relations opportunities. A well written press release, can generate exposure in publications that could be worth thousands in advertising dollars, for a fraction of the cost.

Newsworthy News
Press releases should contain a newsworthy item and be written as an announcement--not advertisement. Releases can cover a wide variety of topics.

Ideas for Press Releases - http://www.small-business-software.net/kinds-of-pr.htm

Plain English
Press releases should be written in plain language so that the general population will understand. Keep explanations simple. Press releases should be in laymen terms, avoiding overly technical language .

Focus on Facts
Press releases should not contain superlatives. Avoid "fluff" and focus on facts. Editors will often use copy from a press release, and if extensive editing is required they will opt not to use the release at all. The press release should articulate the news item, in a factual way avoiding qualifiers like "best".

Illustrate Benefits Not Features
Too often press release writers will use fancy terms to describe feature sets, all the while never conveying how a specific feature will benefit an individual using the product or service. It is important that the press release explain the benefit of the product or service. This is best done by providing concrete explanations and articulating time saved, money saved etc...

Headlines That Grab
Press releases only have a few moments to attract the interest of readers. The headline should be relevant, but should attract the interest of readers. Many websites use RSS feeds to distribute news headlines, often only the press release headline will appear, therefore it is critical that the press release headline be an attention "getter" while still remaining relevant to the release.

Hook
The first paragraph should contain a hook, to secure the interest of readers. You only have the first few sentences to keep the interest of the editors and readers.

Inverted Pyramid
The contents of a press release should be in an inverted pyramid with the most important item appearing first. Each succeeding paragraph should contain supporting information with the least important information on the bottom.


Contact Details
In the event that the media decides to print the press release, they may often wish to contact the company to obtain additional details or graphics for print publications. Be sure to include appropriate contact details in the release.

Press Release Analysis:
Example Well Written Press Release: http://www.feedforall.com/press-release-rss2html-cache.htm
This release announcing a new application contains specific benefits in non-technical terms that the reader will understand.

Example Poorly Written Press Release: http://www.valentine-shop.com/press-release.htm
This release announcing a new web site contains no contact information and the most important information appears last rather than first.

Press releases can be an excellent tool for increasing product exposure without incurring a significant expense. Consider how press releases can become part of your business marketing plan.

Kinds of Press Releases

By Sharon Housley

While controversial issues frequently attract attention they can also alienate potential customers. Sometimes it is better to put a positive spin on public relations. A typical press release announces new leadership, products or services, but consider mixing it up a bit. A well written press release can be published increasing brand recognition and exposure. With that in mind, consider distributing press releases for the following:

Trade Show or Organization Participation
A release is appropriate if an organization is participating, presenting or involved in a trade show or exhibit. These types of announcements are often visible in trade magazines with a very focused target audience.

Awards
A press release announcing an award nomination, or win legitimizes your product or service as customers see you stand out in the industry.

Studies, Surveys or Research Projects
Not only newsworthy, these things can show how your product helped to unveil new information about the world, or a new way of looking at an issue. Remember that academic writing is different than writing for press releases. Converting the study, survey or project results into layman's terms and keeping it concise will make it easier for the general public to understand and more likely your press release will be picked up.

Milestones
Is your business approaching its 20 year anniversary? These types of business milestones allow you to profile your accomplishments over the years. A business that's been profitable for twenty years is a sure bet for local newspapers.

Innovative Usage
Profiling a customer who is using your product or service in an innovative or unusual way not only helps educate potential customers about your product or service capabilities but it also generates good will with customers who will generally appreciate the additional exposure.

Educational Opportunities
Educational opportunities the business has participated in demonstrate your desire to constantly improve the business. Examples would be presenting at a user group or conference explaining a new technology or attending seminars or classes that will increase the businesses capabilities.

Website Launch
While this may seem commonplace in our internet-savvy world, you can still make your website launch stand out. Center your release on the features of your website such as your online shopping experience, unique products and services, or anything that makes your site notable.

New Product or Service
This type of press release can be especially effective when geared toward an audience that has had a positive experience with your other products. Be specific; include examples of how your new product or service will help the customer. This can also include enhancements to products or services.

Unusual Products or Services
When you have something unusual about your product or service, this can be newsworthy. Focus on why your product is unusual, and what makes it unique. You may think of several angles that are valuable from a publicity point of view.

Sponsorships
Receiving funding for new products or services is exciting news for those receiving the sponsorship. To make it exciting for the public as well, be specific about what is being funded and why. Going a little further to explain why the sponsor chose to back your product or service gives credibility to your new undertaking.

Sample Releases Announcing Various Things:
Announcing Awards - http://www.feedforall.com/press-release-sia-2005.htm
Customer Innovation - http://www.notepage.net/press-release-streamline.htm
Announcing New Website - http://www.call-center-depot.com/call-center-press.htm

Adsense Tips

AdSense Tips

By S. Housley

AdSense allows website publishers to display contextually relevant advertisements on their website. If a web visitor "clicks" on an advertisement, the web publisher will earn a percentage of the advertising revenue generated as a result of the click. Many webmasters have built content websites around the Google AdSense model. In many cases the specific intent of the webmaster is to profit from Google AdSense. Other webmasters use Google AdSense to supplement their revenue. Regardless of the webmaster's intent, the following tips will help webmasters looking to profit from AdSense.

Top AdSense Tips:

1. Niche Sites.
Targeted niche sites that have a clear theme, tend to generate more advertising revenue simply because it is easier to achieve decent search engine placement. Be warned though, you want to chose a niche where there is a sufficient number of advertisements available.

2. Target Keywords.
When determining the sites focus, consider how much the advertisers pay for the advertisements. If the site is focused on ringtones, like Ringtone Central http://www.ringtones-central.com the payout per click is going to be very small, as ringtones are not high ticket items, advertisers will not spend a lot on pay per click advertisements. With less obvious markets use Overture to determine how much advertisers pay per keyword, it is usually similar on Google. Search Overture for a keyword then click "View Advertisers' Max Bids" in the top right corner. This will show the Overture inventory and how much is paid per keyword. Because the market has become very competitive, it will be difficult to rank well in search engines with a new website that is optimized for the terms that have the highest payout. Consider targeting terms that are moderately priced.

3. Aged Sites / Time.
Over time as a website is spidered by Google, advertisements will generally increase in relevance. In general, older websites will rank better in search engines. The closer the advertisements relate to the webpage's content; the higher the "click-through" the publishers will see.

4. Coding.
In order to minimize a websites maintenance place the Google generated AdSense code in the website template or an include file. This will allow you to easily experiment with different advertisement sizes and ad placement, and keep the web maintenance to a minimum.

5. Tracking Channels.
In order to know how effective a specific website or ad placement is use distinct channels and subchannels within Google. This will allow you to discern what performs best on a specific website. Using channels will tell you what sites are making money, what advertisements are making money and what ad position is the most profitable on a specific website. Keep in mind that you should run an advertisement for a full week, in order to properly test its effectiveness, different days of the week will vary the web traffic so comparing one week to another will give the most accurate reflection of how effective a campaign performs.

When testing different advertisement sizes, placement or color schemes be sure to leave campaigns in place for one week, different days will often result in web traffic fluctuations. Comparing web traffic, week to week will give a clear indication of what ad formats perform the best.

6. Integrated Ad Placement.
Many webmasters have been successful at integrating advertisements into a website. The easiest way to integrate an advertisement into a website is to remove the advertisement border. This will allow the ads to better blend with the webpage. Google recommends contrasting the link colors with the website colors to increase click-throughs. It is also suggested that webmasters randomize the color of the advertisements, so that frequent users will not naturally "filter" the ads.

example of integrated ad placement: http://www.golf-clubhouse.net or http://www.security-protection.net

7. Number vs Value of Advertisements.
Up to three advertisements can be listed on each page. This decreases the value of the advertisements served, so publishers should cautiously add advertisement units, as it dilutes ad inventory. In other words you want to serve the most expensive ads at all times.

8. Hot Spots.
Like web copy above the fold holds true with AdSense as well. This means that advertisements that appear without having to scroll will be read more frequently. Hot Spots are areas on a web page that result in a higher percentage of click-throughs. According to Google the highest paying advertisements are located on the hot spots.

hot spots map - http://www.small-business-software.net/heat-map.htm

Google does not indicate if image advertisements or text ads perform better, so webmasters are encouraged to experiment with both.

9. Highest performing Ad Sizes.
According to Google the 336 x 280 rectangle, the 300 x250 rectangle and the 160 x 600 sky scraper result in the highest number of click-throughs. Depending on the website's design and layout, publishers may experience different results with different ad sizes, placements and color schemes. Expirement and track the results for each website to maximize the AdSense payout.

Organic Search Engine Optimization

Organic SEO

By Sharon Housley

The fabled tales of successfully tricking search engines into high rankings have given way to a new truth, to achieve decent consistent ranking you cannot engage in tricks but on focused optimization done in a professional ethical manner. According to search sources, with the latest Google update, there is no longer an even playing field when it comes to search placement. The new Google ranking system gives an advantage to large, established businesses that have achieved brand recognition. Does this mean small businesses should give up on the Web as a marketing model? No, of course not, they simply must develop quality content. To increase your natural ranking (search engine rankings that are not paid for) you must:

Write Good Text Copy.
The website copy should contain relevant text. Websites that use text rather than large images will load faster and the search engines can easily spider the text of the website for themes and keywords. Search engines cannot discern the meaning of words and phrases that are presented as an image. If you do use an image, be sure to include a brief phrase or keyword as an ALT tag. The ALT tags help website visitors who are visually impaired. ALT tags also convey the meaning of the image to search engines.

Research Keyword Phrases.
Using terms and phrases that relate to your product or service is critical. It is important to use terms that potential customers would use when searching for your product or service. Often products can be described by a number of terms, for example soda, tonic and pop all identify soft drinks. One term might be more prevalent in a specific geographic region, which is fine if you are selling locally, but if you are selling globally, optimizing for a single popular term could be problematic. Consider optimizing different portions of your website for various keywords and phrases that relate to the product or service that you are promoting.

More information on Determining Keywords - http://www.small-business-software.net/determining-keywords.htm

Provide Valuable Content.
Websites linking to a website are seen by many search engines as "votes". A link typically implies quality content. The easiest and most effective way to achieve a large number of links is to provide unique quality content. This might be a free web based tool, information or other content that is unique and relevant.

Examples of free valuable content:
Website RSS Button Creator - http://www.feedforall.com/public/rss-graphic-tool.htm
Reprint Articles - http://www.small-business-software.net/free-website-content.htm



Monitor.
Monitor blogs for online chatter about your product or service. If you find a product review or question on a blog consider posting a comment. Ego searches are an excellent way to stay informed and maintain a strategic advantage over competitors. Monitor keywords or phrases that relate to your product or service, and join conversations that are relevant.

More on Ego Searches - http://www.feedforall.com/ego-searches.htm

Measure.
In order to know what strategies are most effective in an industry or sector, it is important to track the results. The easiest way to track web traffic and conversions is web logs. Take a critical look at referrers, trends, and what keywords result in the most traffic. Evaluating web logs will assist a webmaster in determining what optimization techniques are most effective.

Understanding Web Logs - http://www.small-business-software.net/understanding-web-logs.htm


Ultimately its is foolish to attempt to trick search engines into high rankings, efforts are better spent on building quality, consistent, valuable, content.

Webware vs Desktop Software

Web Applications Vs Desktop Software Solutions

By S. Housley

There has been a long running debate about web applications replacing desktop software applications. While some functions are better suited to web applications. It is my belief that security concerns and legacy systems will prevent desktop software from becoming obsolete.

Some argue that the debate between web applications and desktop applications is pointless; as their is no clear answer. While still others argue that the issue at hand is as much a business and marketing issue, as it is a technological issue.

What Defines a Web Application Vs a Desktop Application?
A web application is an application delivered to users from a web server like the Internet. Some businesses run web applications on an intranet, as well. Web applications are becoming more popular due to the widespread use of the web browser as a client.

Some applications are better suited and more likely to become successful as web applications. Web applications designed specifically for search engine optimization, have become increasingly popular. It is easy to understand why web applications that relate to the Internet would prosper, while business applications may have less appeal in a web environment.

A desktop application is a self-contained program that performs a defined set of tasks under the user control. Desktop applications run from a local drive and do not require a network or connectivity to operate or function properly, though if attached to a network desktop applications might use the resources of the network.


Pros and Cons to Desktop and Web Applications:

Easily Accessible
Web applications can be easily accessed from any computer or location that has Internet access. Travelers especially benefit from the accessibility. This often means that if a traveler has access to a computer, phone or handheld with Internet connectivity they can utilize the web application.

Low Maintenance & Forced Upgrades
Desktop applications need to be individually installed on each computer, while web applications require a single installation.
Many web applications are hosted by a 3rd party and the maintenance fall under the applications hosts responsibility. The ability to update and maintain web applications without distributing and installing software on potentially thousands of client computers is a key reason for the popularity of web based applications. This can be a blessing and a curse as users of web applications on hosted systems are at the mercy of the host, if an upgrade does not go well, or the individual user doesn't want or need the new features the upgrade will still go forward.

Increased Security Risks
There are always risks involved when dealing with working online, regardless of how secure a host might say a web application is, that fact of the matter stands that the security risk of running an application of the Internet is more significant than when running an application on a standalone desktop computer. Some applications require more security than others, playing Sudoku on a web application would cause little concern, but dealing with sensitive corporate formulas or accounting details in a web environment might be determined risky.

Cost
Over the life of the software use, web applications are typically significantly more expensive over time. Desktop applications are purchased outright and rarely is their a recurring fee for the software use. Some desktop applications do have maintenance fees or fee based upgrades associated with them, but rarely is there a subscription fee associated with the software's ongoing use.

Many corporate web applications use a different model, users typically are charged monthly service fee to operate the software. Fees are considered "subscription fees". If you fail to renew your subscription you may be unable to access the data stored in the web application.


Connectivity
Web applications rely on persistent and unmanaged connectivity. If you do not have an Internet connection or if your host does not have Internet connectivity you cannot access the information. Critical applications or businesses that are time sensitive cannot risk denial of service attacks or power outages to interrupt their operations and access data that is sensitive.

Slower
Web applications that rely on the Internet to transfer data rather than a computer's local hard drive, may operate slower. The speed may also vary based on number of users accessing the application.

Backups & Ownership.
Regardless of the platform, companies need to be sure that their data is appropriately backed up. When using a web application that are hosted by a third party, companies should clearly determine who owns the data housed in the application, and be sure that privacy policies prevent that data from being used by the web host.

Ultimately the accessibility of web based applications make them very desirable. Web applications have some fundamental limitations in their functionality, and are better suited for specific tasks. Understanding the pro's and con's to each business model, will help users determine whether a desktop application or web application will better suit their needs.

What is Google Base

What is Google Base

By S. Housley

In order for Google Base to succeed, it will need the support of both publishers and users. Quite frankly, most are having difficulty seeing the value in Google Base. Google Base, is a new service in beta, from Google that requests that publishers add their information to the "Google Base". Google Base is hosted by Google. All types of item submissions are accepted online and off-line information in a variety of formats. Google Base uses tagging similar to that found in many social-bookmarking applications, though Google refers to it as labels. The labels are used by Google to categorize or add attributes to the information, that better describes the content. The more popular specific attributes become, the more often Google will suggest them when others post the same or similar items. Additionally, items that become more popular will show up as suggested item types in the "Choose an Existing Item Type" drop down menu.

Based on the relevance of the submitted items, they may also be included in the main Google search index, and other Google products such as Froogle and Local Google Search.

Because the individual submitting the content can define the content using labels, the system is left open to rampant spam. While there does appear to be a "checks and balances" in place with each listing showing a "report a bad link" button, that allow searches to report and indicate that content has been improperly tagged, contains adult content, or is otherwise inappropriate content. It is unclear whether Google will create a hierarchy of web surfers. DMOZ and many Wiki systems, create a leadership structure of users to minimize spam, but the fact remains that both systems are prone to abuses. It is unclear whether Google will implement a similar system.

Google Base is currently available only in English. Web surfers can experiment with Google Base and browse through existing items at any time. However, to submit items, a Google Account must be created. Google Base will currently accept bulk uploads in CSV, RSS 1.0, RSS 2.0 and Atom 0.3 formats.

Content providers who already have RSS feeds can easily submit their content to Google Base without requiring a lot of additional work. Unfortunately at this time, each Google Account only allows for 10 feeds to be submitted to Google Base. Many content publishers have merged content topics and multiple RSS feeds into a single RSS feed. This is inefficient and may ultimately hurt the structure of Google Base, as each RSS feed may contain items that are unrelated.

One nice feature of Google Base has is a geo-targeting search feature that produces results for a very specific region. However at this time many submission do not include a product location so the geo-targeting feature, while a nice addition, will need some refinement as well.

Google Base currently produces far less relevant searches than a vertical search engine. Why Google is relying on tagging (labels) rather than the contextual spidering makes little sense. And why Google has taken the step of content hosting is unclear. Search Engines historically devalue duplicate content, the Google hosting may provide a unique twist to the duplicate content debates.

While Google Base is still in beta, it is clear that it needs to be polished. In order to garner the support from publishers and users Google articulating the purpose and intent of Google Base might help in gaining support.

Top Ten Tips for Content Creation

Building Content

By S. Housley

Building Content
A website is more than just merging photos and graphics. Webmasters must also integrate quality themed content into their website. A "sticky" website is one that attracts individuals and encourages them to return. "Sticky websites" contains content that is related and of interest to the prospective customers. A sticky site is a place people will visit again and again. By creating an atmosphere people like to revisit, will increase their exposure to your product or service.


1. Top 10
Create a top 10 list of industry sites resources, and products that are related to the website's theme. The list should contain helpful resources or authority sites that are respected and have genuine useful information. Providing a credible top 10 will help web visitors and showcase tenability of the website.

Example:
RSS Top 10 - http://www.rss-specifications.com/rss-top-10.htm
Top 10 Small Biz - http://www.small-business-software.net/top10-small-biz.htm

2. Product Comparisons
If you managed an industry website, consider creating a product or service comparison guide. Use a grid to illustrate the differences between the specific products or services. The comparison guide will be of interest to website visitors and contain unique aggregated data to assist in the visitor's decision making.

Example:
Podcast Directory Comparison - http://www.podcasting-tools.com/podcasting-directory-comparison.htm

3. Consumer Reports
Product warnings, recalls or alerts are generally issued by government agencies. The product alerts contain a list of related products, and any critical information related to that product. Consider syndicating the RSS feed of products from a specific industry or sector, displaying critical information will generate goodwill with potential customers and demonstrate social-consciousness.

Example:
Overview of Toilets - http://www.terrylove.com/crtoilet.htm

4. Buyers Guides.
Creating a buyer's guide is especially useful in the holiday season. A buyers guide or gift guide will attract both advertisers and web surfers. You can create a Buyers Guide using a web form, which effectively makes the process easier to manage. You can take the the Buyers Guide a step further, by making the guide interactive. Ask website visitors questions and offer helpful suggestions, based on their preferences. Analysis of product specifications, features, reviews and comparisons can be provided as part of an online buyers guide, important products or services can be highlighted in the guide.

Example:
Active Buyers Guide - http://www.activebuyersguide.com/ABG/clients/ABG/home.jsp

5. Tutorial
Creating educational tutorials or demonstrations about how a technology or service is effective in a specific industry or sector, is not only useful but it helps website visitors consider how they might further use a product or service. Consider providing wizards, tutorials or educational material that will assist in educating users. Educational materials also distinguishes the website publishers as knowledgeable in a specific area.

Example:
Tutorial - http://www.feedforall.com/podcasting-tutorial.htm or http://www.feedforall.com/rss.ppt (downloadable power point)

6. Glossary.
Decipher those difficult to understand words, for your website visitors. Despite sometimes being entrenched in an industry, consumers often remain unaware of what specific terminology means. Provide a clear, concise glossary of terms related to a product or service. Educating users about the lingo will help them better understand a product or services benefit.

Example:
Medical Terminology - http://www.hospital-software.com/medical-dictionary-online.htm

7. History.
Profile the history of an industry, event, or individual related to the product or service that you are promoting. The historical perspective will educate and attract those who have an industry interest.

Example:
What is Shareware / History of Shareware - http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com/article25.html


8. Online Tool or Service.
Provide a online web tool or service. Webmasters or search engine marketers may provide a free website critique or a free tool related to the product or service they are marketing in order to attract web traffic. The tool or free service will act as a lost leader bringing web visitors to their website for an indefinite amount of time.

Example:
Button Maker - http://www.feedforall.com/public/rss-graphic-tool.htm


9. Interviews or Success Stories
Generate content by interviewing industry professionals. Not only are interviews interesting to website visitors, but also webmasters might find a number of interviewees provide links back to the interview from related industry websites.

Example:
Software Success Stories and Interviews - http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com/software-success.htm


10. Interactive Content.
Content that is interactive will not only generate buzz, it will draw in website visitors. One of the first examples of interactive content, the Subservient chicken, generated not only buzz, but a good amount of traffic for Burger King. Marketers have adapted interactive content allowing webmasters to cater content based on web visitors choices or behavior.

Example:
Subservient Chicken - http://www.subservientchicken.com/
My Virtual Model - http://www.mvm.com/en/go_shopping.htm (select clothes to be modeled)

Creative content building techniques can draw interested website visitors. Create timeless, unique content and watch your webtraffic and visitors grow.

Online Business Resources

By Sharon Housley

As the web becomes increasingly more crowded, it is important for webmasters to take the extra step to make their web sites user friendly. There are a number of free resources available to webmasters:

What is a Favorite Icon - Favicon?
Favorite icons, also known as favicon, appear in the URL bar. When a user bookmarks a specific Web page, that Web page loads a customized icon into the user's browser, typically a tiny version of a company or Web site's logo. Because the favicon is usually displayed next to the web site address, it can act like a small logo or an icon that visitors can use to remember the web site or the site address.

The favicon is displayed next to the Web site's name in the Favorites list and can also be displayed in the Links toolbar. When a site has not created a favicon, IE will load the IE logo into the browser by default. When a user bookmarks a page, the browser will request a favicon.ico file from the directory of the Web page. If such a file exists, then the Web page is using a favicon and will return the file to the browser. Many browsers support favicons including all current versions of the major browsers support favicons, including Internet Explorer 5/6+, Firefox 1+, Mozilla 1+, Netscape 7+, Opera 7+, Konqueror 3+, Safari and more. If a particular browser doesn't have support for the favicon feature, it'll simply ignore the favicon and the presence of a favicon won't affect that browser.

Webmasters can establish branding by customizing a favorite icon. The free service from HTMLKit
http://www.html-kit.com/favicon

Custom 404 Pages.
Urls are often mistyped into browsers. When a domain is correctly entered, but the web pages full url is entered incorrectly, it is possible to display a custom error page to web site visitors. By providing users a navigational bar or assistance rather than a generic error page. The customized error page will help keep prospective customers on your site providing them alternatives.

Webmasters should also routinely check their log files and correct any pages that result in errors. Most log analysis software will provide the referring document information for a webpage (the page that the user was at prior to the current page). Use the web log to track faulty links, if the links are out of the webmaster's control (a 3rd part), consider setting up a re-direct and forwarding the traffic to the appropriate webpage.

Sample Custom 404s - http://www.web-search-engines.net/error-page or http://www.puzzle-place.net/error-page

Navigation
Clear and intuitive navigation is important so that web surfers can locate the material of interest. Many web surfers will enter your website and land on a variety of pages. It is important that they navigate your site regardless of the webpage they landed on. Links on the site, should contain text that relates to the linked webpage's content.

Consider recruiting a child or inexperienced adult to test your website's navigation. Webmasters can often learn how others view their website, by just watching.

Webmaster Tools
There are a number of freely available web tools that will evaluate a site for a variety of things. Most of the online tools will generate a report and highlight the positive aspects of the website and possibly the negative aspects of the website, as it relates to the evaluation.

Web Analyzer Tool - http://www.webmaster-toolkit.com/web-page-analyser.shtml
Search Engine Assessment Tools - http://www.submitcorner.com/Tools/Assessment/

Take a few extra steps to make your site stand up and out from a competitors.

What is Web 2.0?

By Sharon Housley

What is Web 2.0?

There has been a lot of chatter lately about Web 2.0, as if the Internet is a versioned software application.

So what is Web 2.0? Simply put, Web 2.0 is a perceived transition of the web to web applications. Web 2.0 is the next generation of technology solutions where interactive content is the norm. There is no agreement on exactly what Web 2.0 means, depending on who you are speaking with, you may receive different explanations. At it's heart, Web 2.0 is about the maturity of the Web and businesses that are thriving online. While many refer to Web 2.0 as companies that employ powerful web technologies, the key components of the new web are said to include: the web as a platform, collaboration, and syndication.

The Evolution of the Internet
The commercial web began as static html pages, and has progressed to well established sites created from content management systems. Most large websites contain dynamic content that is constantly changing, often the information provided is interactive or user specific. Amazon's recommended products is an excellent example of the future, where web surfers receive personalized content based on their past surfing habits.

Web 2.0 is said to be the technological evolution. O'Reilly indicates that the dot-com bubble burst signified the beginning of Web 2.0 and a new generation of technology applications. The shakeout from the dot-com collapse pre-empted the technological revolution of Web 2.0. The dot-com companies that had survived the collapse seemed to have a few things in common. The first primary principle that the Web 2.0 companies share is that they use the power of the web to collaborate and grow. O'Reilly further defines Web 2.0 as a set of core principles and practices, with the primary principle being a thought process that the web is a platform.

Web 2.0 companies are said to not be constrained by traditional business models and philosophies. The hidden web, which is a fancy way of saying the technology behind the content that the web surfer sees, is becoming more and more powerful. Scripting languages that allow webmasters to employ technology and interact with users based on personal decisions or responses has personalized the Internet. While O'Reilly clearly outlines elements and components of Web 2.0, I think the general meaning that Web 2.0 is synonymous with the new generation of the Web.

While the techie types "got it", many casual web surfers have not grasped the fact that the Internet is not versioned software. Which in effect has meant that Web 2.0's meaning is limited to the evolution of the Internet and online business. Whether that means personalized content and user choice, or dynamically generated content that is ranked by weighing the websites popularity, the Internet is growing up.

Web 2.0 Companies for 2005 - http://web2.wsj2.com/the_best_web_20_software_of_2005.htm
More on Web 2.0 - http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html