Building an Image with a Logo

Logos

By Sharon Housley

Website design can be elusive to even creative individuals. Sadly some webmasters do not realize their incompetence and they post websites that have grainy graphics and turgid colors. If you are one of these webmasters and have seen the error of your ways, consider this. Your website is a sales tool. A professional layout and design can significantly increase sales and conversion rates, gaining you customers. Businesses can greatly benefit from a professional and unforgettable logo that sets them apart from their competition. Logos are not just fancy graphics that adorn websites or letterhead, logos are a representation of a businesses' philosophy. Logos are a critical component of brand development.

Many webmasters do not realize that all images on the web are copy written and it is in many cases illegal to use an image that you find on the web without properly licensing it. Fortunately, for the graphically challenged websmasters there are a whole host of resources available to assist with web and graphic design. There are logo websites where you can purchase a single logo for a fixed fee, or subscription websites that allow you to purchase a subscription and download multiple logos. The logo is often the starting point for web design. Many webmasters use the companies logo to develop the website, the rest of the design evolves around the logo.

Custom logo design can cost from $ 100 to over $ 1000 depending on the logos complexity and the number of revisions required. As a result, buying a stock logo can offers substantial savings, for a small business starting out.

Fortunately for graphically challenged webmasters there are a number of websites through which webmasters can purchase a logo:

Logo Search
On Logo Search, website visitors can navigate through the logos using categories. The Logo Search website also has a search function allowing visitors to use keywords to locate specific color logos or logo styles. Visitors can purchase a single logo or they can purchase a subscription allowing them to download an unlimited number of logos for a specified length of time. Each download contains the image in a variety of format allowing webmasters flexibility. Webmasters can subscribe to an RSS feed so they are notified when new logos are posted and available for download.
http://www.logo-search.com

LogoStick
Logo Stick is a web based tool that allows webmasters to use logo templates and design software, to create custom individualized logos. After the logo is completed it can be downloaded from the website. The online logo design software lets website visitors select from a variety of symbols, fonts and colors, so that webmasters can create a unique look. Unfortunately if your issue is a lack of creative talent, this solution may not be a good one.
http://www.logostick.com

LogoMaid
LogoMaid contains a selection of more than 3300 unique and non-unique logos. Logos are sold individually and vary in price from $ 25.00 for a non-unique logo to $ 200 for a unique logo. Subscriptions to the LogoMaid website are not available. http://www.logomaid.com/home.php

Check the Rules!
If you purchase a logo be sure that you completely read the licensing agreement. Some agreements may restrict resale of the logo and you want to be aware of that if you are a webmaster reselling your services.

Image matters by using an eye catching logo you will retain your website visitor's interest and instill confidence that you are a professional organization.

What is Hot and What is Not in Technology

By Sharon Housley

What is Hot and What is Not in Technology

Top 10 Winners Predicted for 2007
1. Content Filtering
With web content and syndication growing at a rapid pace locating information is becoming more of a struggle for web surfers. The abundance of content has made filtering critical to time management. As a result, content filtering and solutions that help with content filtering will be winners in 2007.

2. Pesonalized Search and Vertical Search will be a winner in 2007
Search 2.0 will be all about filtering and personalized search. Niche portals with targeted focus will play in vertical search and authority sites will gain even more traction.

3. Social Bookmarking and Social Networks
Social bookmarking is the new black. The collective voice has not only gained momentum but it has also attracted the most savvy web marketers. While there is still power of the collective voice, social networks and social bookmarking has gained attention, the masters behind these networks will need to stay a step ahead of the spammers to stay in the game. The danger is that the crowd, will become upset that a small group is profiting from the collective voice. The "crowd" will likely to manipulate the collective voice in 2007.

4. RSS
RSS is about choice and users choosing the content they wish to subscribe. RSS' adoption will reach significant numbers and even the naysayers will be unable to ignore its success in 2007.

5. iPod / iPhone / Video iPod / iTunes
Apple has found a sweet spot with its iPod and the iTunes model. Expanding the types of content consumed and the use of iPods and similar devices (ie. iPhone) will flourish.

6. Cyber Security
Privacy as we once knew it will never again exist. That does not mean that webmasters should be come complacent about security. Cyber security will be a necessity in 2007.

7. Going Green
Alternative energy and going green is in. Geothermal and hydroelectric power are hot, heck there is little in this field that is not heating up. Clean energy and alternative hybrid sources will prosper in 2007.

8. PodSafe Music
Independent musicians who are willing to grant podcasters licensing rights will garner the interest and attention of the masses without having to go through a major record label. Opportunities will be plentiful in the area of podsafe music.

9. Videocasting - Video Podcasting
Software tools and technology have made videos accessible to all. Independent artists, realtors, and sports enthusiasts are flocking to this new medium. It is expected that this growth will continue throughout the new year.

10. Online Real Estate
While the real estate market is cooling down selling homes on the Internet is hot. Online Real Estate auctions on eBay showed Realtors a new way to reach a larger audience. Home buyers from across the country can use RSS and/or filtering to monitor properties as they come on the market from specific regions or zip codes.

Honorable Mentions
1. Web Services (Software as a Service)
2. Mobile Web
3. International Web
4. Local Web
5. Podcast Quality
6. Video Advertising

Top 10 Losers Predicted for 2007
1. Zune
Lets face it, the future of the Zune is in Apple's hands more than it is in Microsoft's. The fact is, unless Apple makes a huge misstep with the iPod, it is unlikely that Microsoft's Zune will have any luck gaining significant market share.

2. Software Patent
Microsofts attempt to patent RSS will fail miserably. In fact software patents in general will suffer in 2007.

3. Websites that Infringe on Copyrights
Perhaps this is simply wishful thinking. Somehow, somewhere, someone will crack down on flagrant website copyright violations in 2007.

4. Video Conferencing
Video conferencing has chilled. Video is seen more as an entertainment medium.

5. Social Wikis
Wikis are becoming victims of persistent individuals with too much time on their hands. Credibility has and will continue to suffer in 2007.

6. Journalistic Accountability
News and tabloid reporting are becoming more difficult to separate, unfortunately journalsists with integrity will continue to suffer as more citizen journalists and bloggers fail to check sources and confirm stories.

7. YouTube in Court
YouTube has brought video to the masses. While technology has made videos accessible Google has ignored the issue of copyrights, Google's pockets are simply too deep, in 2007 they will be held accountable for hosting content that violates western copyright laws.

8. Outsourcing
Customer service and privacy concerns have cooled big business interest in outsourcing, this trend will continue in 2007.

9. Privacy
Individual privacy will continue to suffer in 2007. Not a lot can be said about this, the advent of the Internet has meant that privacy will never again exist as we once knew it.

10. Web Legislation
Attmepts to legislate the Internet ecosphere will fall flat.

2007 New Years Resolutions

By Sharon Housley

Webmaster and Small Business Resolutions for 2007

New Years Resolutions
Each and every year people around the world mark the first day of the New Year with resolutions. They resolve to do a wide variety of things, and while few resolutions are actually kept, the tradition is a hallmark of the holiday each year.

Experts suggest that people should make lifestyle changes rather than resolutions. I am a bit more pragmatic. Tackle a task you know that you can succeed at. Do not bite off more than you can chew, and you will be one of the few who manages to keep their resolutions. Here are a few suggested resolutions for webmasters and small business owners:

Webmasters Resolutions:

1. Prune Those RSS Feeds
Large feeds are slow to load, its time to prune those RSS feeds and remove the old contents. Dated feed items can be archived as an HTML web page, but should be removed from the actual feed, to ensure that it loads quickly.

2. Update Copyright Notices
Make an effort to update the copyright notice on your website. A current date will reassure customers that your online storefront is active.

3. Update Meta Tags
Each and every web page on a website should contain a unique title and description. Update and optimize meta tags to avoid excessive use of keywords. Meta tags should be accurate and concise without redundancy and recurring words.

4. House Cleaning
Update old links and remove any links that are no longer valid. HTML is a markup language and without constant maintenance it is easy to have a page with an unclosed tag. While some web browsers make allowances for poorly formed HTML, it is important to realize that not all do. Therefore, it is crucial that you take a look at the HTML behind the web page and make sure that it is properly formed.

5. Try Something New
Pick a technology, be it podcasting, RSS, or social bookmarking. Resolve to try or resolve to learn something new. Businesses stagnate without innovation. Be creative and willing to experiment a little.

Small Business Resolutions:

1. Have a Plan
Small businesses often rely on just a handful of individuals and few small businesses have contingency plans if key individuals are unavailable for any length of time. Cross train employees and document procedures so that your business will survive regardless of the circumstances.

2. Prepare a Budget for 2007 and Stick to It.
Determine where and how you intend to spend your business' hard earned cash in the coming year. Too many small businesses fail to follow a business plan. Build a budget and stick to it.

3. Define Yourself
As a small business it is important to know your strengths and weaknesses. Identify your strengths and reinforce those strengths in your communication with your customers or potential customers. Be aware of any weaknesses or deficiencies in your small business, and do not over commit. Use this knowledge to stay competitive with other businesses.

4. Use Metrics
It is difficult to know what works and what does not if you are not tracking metrics. Measure the results of advertising campaigns, track website visitors and use metrics to determine what works for your business.

5. Communicate
Communicate with your customers more. Few small businesses understand the value of communication, or realize what they can learn from past, current and potential customers. Communicate and you might learn important information about your business. The unique perspective an outsider can provide about how they are using or product, or what interested them about your business is invaluable.

Resolutions are easier made than kept. In 2007, consider paring down your list and focusing on resolutions that are attainable and will help your bottom line.

About the Author:

2006 Reflections, 2007 Predictions

By Sharon Housley

For the most part in 2006, the world escaped Natures wrath, but people were far less kind to their neighbors. 2006 is scarred not by the winds and oceans but by political turmoil across the globe. The Middle East quagmire is the epitome of how wrong things can go, with the war in Lebanon, infighting in Palestine, Iran's nuclear ambitions, and Iraq's sectarian violence the deepest scars of 2006 were self inflicted with man being his own enemy. Of course, the Middle East is not alone with it's own self-destruction. Genocide in Chad and Sudan show how truly intolerant the human race really is. North Korea's impatience and nuclear activity have disrupted Asia. In fact, few areas of the world were left unscathed by man's ambitions in 2006.

Again technology has brought the tragedies of war and the personal stories of families from the farthest corners of the earth, to the door steps of the west. Citizen journalism and Internet propagation has added a complex layer to the stories. The growth of YouTube, Blogs, Podcasting and RSS have personalized the media and given listeners and watchers a personal connection to the reports.

Technology has not only revolutionized news and how it is viewed, interactive technology is shaping the news. Wikipedia, while still a powerhouse in the search engines has a tarnished reputation due to relevancy issues. While persistence pays off for some, there are hints that not all are equal in the most popular social-wiki.

Looking back on last year's predictions, (http://www.small-business-software.net/2005-in-review.htm ) sadly I see little has changed in the online world of SPAM and splogs. As feared, social networks and social bookmarking seem to be the next staging ground for spammers. We are already beginning to see the cracks in the ever popular Digg. The collective voice while powerful can be manipulated, bringing into question the usefulness of user generated content. As a result there is a strong indication that web credibility will continue to be an issue in 2007.

Transparency will likely continue to be an issue in 2007, with lack of legislation and no accountability for online journalistic integrity. Readers should not believe everything that they read. Traditional media will continue to struggle, creativity will prevail. Newspapers and traditional media will need to adapt in order to survive in 2007. We will likely see interesting new advertising models emerge in 2007, with video ads and sponsored podcasts taking hold as big media attempt to amortize these new communication mediums.

The world of online advertising saw some significant changes in 2006. Google tightened its grip on publishers in 2006. Enforcing strict new rules for displaying ads. While ad relevancy was critical in 2005, website quality became part of the formula in 2006. Google's change of heart and fall from grace with publishers encouraged new advertising models in 2006 with two new services PayPerPost and ReviewMe emerging. The new pay-per-post models match bloggers and advertisers. Bloggers, or online writers, are paid to review and write about advertiser projects, and like all new mediums, the road was not free of bumps and there were some transparency issues. Both services now require that bloggers or writers disclose that they are being paid for their comments. This new model will likely be a winner in 2007.

As the web becomes more cluttered it is obvious that personalized content will continue to grow, but filtering will play an even more important role. RSS feeds and user selected content will become more mainstream with more and more users opting to choose the content they receive. Companies hoping to stay competitive online and increase communication with potential customers will start to really understand the benefits behind RSS.

Venture Capital money returned to the web in 2006, and the 2.0 bubble continued to grow. While there will continue to be mergers and acquisitions with 2.0 companies in 2007, the activity will likely slow. The courts will likely become crowded in 2007. With big players like Google housing content on YouTube that is in clear violation of western copyright laws, victims will attempt to parlay the copyright infringements into cash in 2007.

Top 10 Winners Predicted for 2007
1. Content Filtering - Search 2.0 will be all about filtering
2. Personalized Search and Vertical Search will be a winner in 2007
3. Social Networks
4. RSS
5. iPod / iPhone / Video iPod / iTunes
6. Cyber Security
7. Going Green
8. PodSafe Music
9. Videocasting
10. Online Real Estate

Honorable Mentions
1. Web Services (Software as a Service)
2. Mobile Web
3. International Web
4. Local Web
5. Podcast Quality
6. Video Advertising

Top 10 Losers Predicted for 2007
1. Zune
2. Software Patents
3. Websites that Infringe on Copyrights
4. Video Conferencing
5. Social Wikis
6. Journalistic Accountability
7. YouTube in Court
8. Outsourcing
9. Personal Privacy
10. Web Legislation

Link Love vs Link Bait

Link Love vs. Link Bait

By S. Housley

Link Strategy
As a webmaster, it is important to develop a link strategy. Unless you have a massive brand with a reputation and following, it is unlikely that the masses will simply saturate your site with deep links. What are deep links? Simply put, deep links are direct links to various sub-pages on a website (example: domain.com/subpage.htm)

Search engines value websites that have numerous incoming links spread over a large number of pages within a domain . In other words, a website that has large number of incoming links to various pages within the website will generally rank better than a website that only has links to a single page.

Incoming links are critical to achieving Internet popularity and search engine ranking. There are two popular ways to achieve a massive amount of incoming links, Link Bait and Link Love.

What is Link Love?
Link Love is all about quality. In order to achieve Link Love you must establish authority and credibility. Link Love is all about being a reputable source, often recipients of link love are the first to post breaking news that is vetted and accurate. Bloggers, webmasters and publishers reward sources they genuinely enjoy with link love.

Link Bait is often considered the evil step sister of Link Love.

What is Link Bait?
Link Bait is a hook. It is unique or even controversial content. Common sources of Link Bait include humorous items, accusations, controversy, or even implications. Link Bait is similar to 'shock and awe'; people cannot help but link because they are so intrigued (for good or bad). Link Bait often walks the line between acceptable and unacceptable.

Both Link Bait and Link Love generally result in numerous deep links, as bloggers tend to link to directly to specific articles or issues that are raised.

Not all of us are feeling the Link Love and many are not gutsy enough to use link bait with jaw dropping headlines, so what are some simple ways to garner deep links?

Give Aways
Everyone loves 'free'. Determine what is of value to your website visitors and figure out how you can provide it free of charge. "Free", could be anything, an online calculator, a glossary of industry terms, software, information, statistics or web space. It is best that the free item relate to the content on the website.

Be Different
Do not be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. Being different or unique attracts attention and links. Step outside the box, be innovative and different with your design, product, or service.

Contribute
Often non-profits will provide links to companies that have assisted them. Contributions do not necessarily need to be financial they can be in the form of free services or products.

Befriend Industry Authorities
Get to know the bloggers and journalists in your space, provide them quality content, previews of releases or other industry information that would be of interest to their readers. Nothing beats quality information.

Participate
Participate in industry forums and newsgroups. Post constructive well formed posts and link back to your websites sub-pages on your site as part of your signature.

Regardless of whether you use Link Love or Link Bait, develop a plan to solicit deep links throughout your website use these tips to improve the quality and quantity of your incoming links.

Unique Selling Proposition

By Sharon Housley

Often businesses define themselves with what is called a unique selling proposition. Many businesses market their unique selling proposition to illustrate the advantages of their product or services. When trying to establish a unique selling proposition, it is crucial to find ways to differentiate and distinguish your business from your competitors, place emphasis on the positive differences between others in the marketplace.

If you can not differentiate your company based on what you sell, try to capitalize on how you sell or support your products or services. A unique selling proposition defines why customers should buy from one business rather than a competitor.

The unique selling proposition (USP) can be evident in all aspects of a business. Most often USPs are conveyed through a slogan, a company motto, or a brand. Think of the USPs that large brands have used over the years, and what they are really saying.

Slogan: "Have it your way" - Burger King
What they are really saying: We care about you, what you want matters to us. We are willing to do things different just for you, our customers are special to us.

Slogan: "Keeps going and going and going" - Energizer Batteries
What they are really saying: Our batteries are superior to our competition, no one else has batteries that last as long as ours.

Slogan: "We bring good things to life" - GE (General Electric)
What they are really saying: We are a powerful company. We do more than just one thing, you can rely on us because we have history.

Slogan: "Can you hear me now?" - Verizon
What they are really saying: Unlike our competitors, our cellular coverage is very reliable. You will not experience dropped calls or spotty coverage if you use our services.

Slogan: "You've got questions, we've got answers" - Radio Shack
What they are really saying: We excel at customer service. We staff knowledgeable professionals to help you make a purchase decisions.

Slogan: "When it Absolutely Has to be There" - Federal Express
What they are really saying: Our packages will be delivered, a competitors may not be.

Each business is highlighting it's strengths and conveying a message that will instill confidence and comfort in their customers.

While a USP is one of the best way to successfully market a business, don't just focus on the difference that appeals to you. Focus on identifying and expressing what is unique about the product or service that is of most importance to potential customers. The USP should place emphasis on the single item that is most important to prospective customers and distinguishes your company above all others. Is it location? Is it quality of materials? Is it superior level of service?

Another factor to consider when determining a focus for USP is how easy is it for your competitors to replicate. Many people make the mistake of using "price" as their USP. Unless you are able to consistently sell an exceedingly large volume, price is one of the easiest things for competitors to compete with. Ideally your USP should focus on something that others in your industry cannot easily reproduce.

Leverage your business by defining and using a USP in all aspects of your business.

Content Rich

Content Rich

By S. Housley

We have all heard the term content-rich, but what does content rich really mean?

Content rich means different things for different individuals, because what one person finds useful, another may not. Content rich is all about providing information that is considered valuable to your target audience. Information that visitors might find useful could consist of product or industry facts, statistics, reviews, tutorials, or educational information related to a specific industry.

How to Make Your Website Content Rich
When creating a content rich website, do not be afraid to think outside of the box. Unique ideas will generally garner more attention than the mundane and more common content concepts. Over the years the unique content that has garnered the most attention, the Subservient Chicken and JibJab, may not be appropriate for a business website, there are still lots of "out of the box" things that you can do.

Here are some ideas on how you can build content for your website that will attract website visitors.

Calendar of Events
If you website appeals to a specific audience manage and maintain a calendar of events. The events should relate to a specific region or topic.

ex. Hawaii Local Events - http://calendar.gohawaii.com/ (regional)
or
ex. Librarian Events - http://www.infotoday.com/calendar.shtml (topic specific events)

Sponsorships and Contests
Conducting a contest is a great way to generate interest and incoming links, everyone wants to win and in order to garner votes many competitors will tell their audience about contests and voting options.

Example: Software Marketing Resource targets software developers and software marketers. They recently held 'Software Vendor Awards'. Software developers and marketers were invited to nominate the companies they felt were worthy. The same audience was then given the opportunity to vote on the top nominees, and finally, winners were announced. Each stage of the contest resulted in buzz and increased web traffic.

Ex. - Software Marketing Resource - http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com/winners.htm

Product Reviews and Testimonials
Consumers will often refer to product reviews to discern what product they should purchase. A number of websites have capitalized on this by providing independent product reviews and or independent consumer reviews.

Manufacturers can provide product reviews for related or complimentary products. Product reviews with candid the reviews are most credible if both the product negatives and positives are illustrated.

Ex. - epinions - http://www.epinions.com

Forums / newsgroups
User generated content is a great way to capture the keyword long tail. There is no easier way to facilitate user generated content than through the use of forums and newsgroups.

Ex. - NotePage - http://www.notepage.net/forum

Blogs
Blogs are search engine spider food. Why? Because they can provide relevant related content that is updated regularly. Use blogs to communicate with your audience.

Ex. - Security Blog - http://www.security-port.com/blog.htm

Maps
If your website is regional or local, provide tie ins to Mapquest or Google to show visitors a visual representation or directions to surrounding communities or local events.

Ex. Marriott - http://marriott.com/property/mapandnearbyairports/default.mi?marshaCode=dentc

Photo Contests / Art Contests
Everyone loves to win. If your website targets a consumer audience, contests can be a great way to interact with your audience. Contests also make a website sticky, because contestants will frequently revisit the website to check their standing, or determine if they are an actual contender. Many contestants will link to the content from blogs encouraging their readers to vote. All in all, contests can result in extra attention.

Ex. - Dog Photo Contest - http://www.pamperedpuppy.com/contest/index.php
Videos ex. - Dog Breed Videos - http://www.dog-pound.net/videos.htm

Stump the Expert / Knowledgebase / Q&As
Frequently asked questions have been dropped for a more modern approach to question and answers. Post "stump the expert questions" or construct a comprehensive knowledgebase of related information.

Ex. - RSS Knowledgebase - http://www.feedforall.com/knowledgebase.htm

Writing Articles / How to Guides
When writing your articles, think about what your website visitors want to know, not what you want to tell them. In other words write for your audience not for yourself. Not only does an article archive gradually expand a site, it gives webmasters the opportunity to optimize for a variety of phrases and to educate their audience. How to articles are always a great website addition.

Ex. - Small Business - http://www.small-business-software.net/free-website-content.htm

Niche Directories / Lists
Topical portals have long been a popular on the web. Authority sites that focus on niche markets generate interest. Niche sites can be comprised of lists of helpful tools, the best niche blogs, popular news stories, industry specific terminology, and industry resources.

ex. - Podcasting Tools - http://www.podcasting-tools.com

Copying or replicating a service or information on another website, while possibly still of value, will not usually generate as much interest as a new concept. Do not be afraid to reach outside the boundaries of your website to provide quality content.

A Look At Slogans

A Look at Slogans

By S. Housley

Let's take a look at slogans and how just a few words can say volumes. A slogan is a memorable phrase used in conjunction with a political, commercial, or religious advertisement. Slogans are used to convey a deeper meaning. Slogans can be used to elicit emotions, or the slogan might paint a visual image that implies something more.

When considering a slogan or a tagline, keep in mind your objectives. What image do you wish to portray? Slogans should be short, but not to the point of being pithy. Slogans should conjure positive images and distinguish the value your company or product provides.

The best way to analyze slogans is to look at a few.

Slogan: "The toughest job you will ever love" (Peace Corps)
Message behind slogan: This is much more than just a job; it takes heart to be in the Peace Corps; join the Peace Corps and you will be a better person. This job is not about money it is about helping people.

Slogan: "Be Seen, Be Sold" (Shareware Promotions)
Message behind slogan: Being found on the Internet is not easy. Use us to be found on the Internet."

Slogan: "You could learn a lot from a dummy. Buckle up" (National Highway Traffic Safety Admin)
Message behind slogan: Learn from test dummies, be safe and buckle up.

Slogan: "Parents who use drugs have kids who use drugs" (The Partnership for a Drug-free America)
Message behind slogan: Model what you preach, do you want your children to do drugs? It is your responsibility to model appropriate behavior for your children.

Slogan: "This is your brain on drugs" (The Partnership for a Drug-free America)
Message behind slogan: Do you know what this stuff does to you? Taking drugs is stupid.

Slogan: "A diamond is forever" (DeBeers '1948)
Message behind slogan: Diamonds represent marriage, marriage should be forever. If you really want your marriage to last it should be sealed with a diamond.

Slogan: "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking" (Timex Corp)
Message behind slogan: It does not get any more durable than this, other watches can not stand up, but Timex will endure regardless of the treatment.

Slogan: "For all you do, this Bud's for you" (Budweiser)
Message behind slogan: After a long hard day, drink beer to relax.

Slogan: "Where's the beef ? "(Wendys)
Message behind slogan: Our competitors use small patties, but our burgers are big.

Slogan: "I love New York" (NYC)
Message behind slogan: New York is a special place, everyone loves NY, you should come and visit, you will love it too.

Slogan: "See what brown can do for you" (UPS)
Message behind slogan: We do more than just ship packages, we have additional offerings and can do more than just ship.

Slogan: "The few, the proud, the Marines" (US Marines)
Message behind slogan: We are a select group of very special individuals. Do you want to be elite? Take pride in representing the US.

Slogan: "Friends don't let friends drive drunk"
Message behind slogan: You will die if you drive drunk. It is your responsibility to protect your friends. Be responsible, don't let people drive drunk.

Effective slogans leave impressions in the minds of people who see or hear the slogans. Often slogans will have hidden meanings, or be a play on words. The goal of the slogan creator should be to create a memorable tagline that conveys a key benefit or differentiates the brand. Slogans will often help position the product or service in the marketplace. Slogans with just a few words can indicate superior value, excellence, or inspiration.

A business identity and image conveyed through a short statement will affect the way that consumers, competitors and others in the industry perceive your business. Slogans will distinguish your company in a unique way. Words are powerful, and if used properly, they can be an important sales tool.

My Google Wish List

My Google Wish List
By Sharon Housley

There are a number of "wishes" that I have for Google's future. While I would like number one ranking for all of my important keywords and phrases, but I would be willing to settle for Google acknowledging at least a few of my wishes that will benefit the search community as a whole.

Google started out as the beloved child, a fledgling start up that was all heart, and today they are a "hated" brand. Why the fall from grace? In some ways Google is a victim of the too big, too powerful, and too successful affliction that attacks companies that achieve a level of success that few companies dream of. Now that does not mean that I am giving them a pass, they have room to improve and I really do not hate them. I just think there is a lot of areas they could improve.

I sat down and wrote an open letter to Google about my wishes and dreams for their future:

Dear Google,
Please consider the following for areas of improvement.

1. Usenet and RSS.
Please, I'm begging, (groveling if it will help) create RSS feeds for Google Groups keyword searches. Think of the value, you could monitor Usenet for company or product names using RSS feeds. This would be an extremely easy way for businesses (and Google users) to stay in tune with what is being said on Usenet and in forums about specific topics.

2. Privacy Policy.
Clarify Google's privacy policy, and tell me EXACTLY how you are going to use the aggregate data you collect. While most of us realize that the personal information collected is of little value, the aggregate data is extremely valuable. Google is an extremely powerful company, and this collective data gives them a huge advantage in negotiating acquisitions or determining trends. Many of us respect Google, its size and power, but do not necessarily want to contribute to Google's additional growth. Implement a way for customers wishing to pay a fee, to opt not to have their data aggregated or tracked.

3. Protect Your Customers.
For goodness sake, don't make it so easy for people to rip off software companies. Why do you suggest cracks or serials on the Google Suggest tool? Please help protect the intellectual property of your customers!
http://labs.google.com/suggest

4. Stop Tracking Everything I do!
I login in to Writely (now Google Docs) and feel as if I am being stalked, you monitor searches, you monitor tracking through analytics, you monitor advertising through Google Adwords, you monitor money earned as a publisher through Google AdSense, and now you have connected many of the accounts together. Please give users a little privacy, or the ability to easily manage multiple logins.

5. Tell Me How Much I Make!
Clearly tell publishers what percentage range they can expect to receive when they serve AdSense on their content websites. Now, I understand that it might vary publisher to publisher, but disclose a range. Or at the very least, consider adopting a model similar to Amazon's where publishers percentage of revenue earned is based on their volume.

6. Google Alert via RSS.
The current Google alert system is from the 1990's (figuratively speaking) please offer an option to receive Google alerts via RSS feeds. I know you can setup a Google News search using RSS, it seems silly that it is not available via Google Alerts. http://www.google.com/alerts

7. Faster Blog Indexing.
Google is all about search, right? Why are they so slow at indexing blogs? In fact the Google blog search performs far worse than many of the blog specific search engines. Search should be Google's strength instead of a weakness. Even the breadth of blogs searched, and the related blogs listed on Google's blog search are on the thin side. Definitely room for improvement in this area.
http://blogsearch.google.com

8. Same Rules.
I wish that the rules were the same for all AdSense publishers regardless of the revenue that they produced. In talking with publishers, it is clear that there are a different set of standards, based on the revenue produced or traffic that a website receives. Keep the playing field even, if someone is using a subversive tactic, they should have be penalized regardless of their revenue.

9. Combat 2nd Generation Fraud.
What is second generation fraud? Fraudsters bid high for AdWords, what they are paying for keywords or phrasing is irrelevant, because the credit card they are using is fraudulent. They make legitimate affiliate sales through the website and profit from their "free" traffic. Google should help connect the dots on these sites, and ban the websites from their organic index.

10. Drop DMOZ.
Please either drop the Google Dmoz directory listings, or pay to staff DMOZ with reputable editors who can keep up. The Dmoz listings are hopelessly outdated and not reflective of current websites.

11. Protect Copyrights / Trademarks.
Google seems to flip-flop on the issue of allowing competitors to bid on branded words in their AdWords accounts. The current policy appears to be, that competitors cannot use a trademark in the advertisement, but competitors can still bid on trademarked terms. A company Google's size should have more respect for trademarks. I really wish Google would stand firm on the issue of trademarks and prevent competitors from bidding on the terms.

12. Bury the Sandbox.
Dispose of the sandbox or aging delay, or heck get rid of both. Face it, valuable websites are created every day. The Internet is fluid and valuable websites should not be penalized because of their youth. The sandbox and aging delay, may deter spam sites, but there must be a better way.

13. Let Me Be Anonymous!
Why do you need my personal information? Does it really matter in the big scheme of everything that Google does? Why do you require my personal information?

14. Stop Putting US Companies at a Disadvantage.
Canadian and non-US companies can setup literally hundreds of AdSense publisher accounts, yet US companies are tracked using tax ID numbers hence they can only have one account.

15. Weigh Wikipedia Less.
Lets face it, ANYONE can edit Wikipedia. The information read in Wikipedia might be accurate one day and incorrect the next. Wikipedia is a nice resource, but is not a reliable indicator of information. Please do not use links from Wikipedia to indicate a sites worth. Wikipedia uses the same model as Dmoz which has languished, volunteers can only do so much.

16. Make an RSS Search Engine.
Why hasn't Google done this? I am baffled. The blog search engine is not an RSS search engine, consider the power of being able to search ALL RSS feeds. There are a number of small RSS search engine portals available but there is not a clear leader, this is where Google could and should be.

17. Stop Buying Companies.
Stop the purchasing, Google is big enough already. Finish all the things that Google has started. Keep in mind that while the archives on the Internet might last forever, it is rare that companies retain power and clout for any length of time. Remember Infoseek, or Altavista? Focus on your strengths.

While my Google wish list might seem trivial, these are all things that Google could do to earn their way back into my good graces.

Webmaster Tips

Webmaster Tips
By S. Housley

According to Matt Cutts, there are over 100 factors that affect search engine ranking. For those of you who don't know, Matt is a Google guy guru, he is employed by Google but writes an independent blog and shares information related to Google and search engine optimization. Unfortunately, of those 100 items that account for search engine ranking, there are only a few that webmasters can actually control.

Unless you are a interested in an exercise of futility, it is important to only focus on those ranking factors that you, as a webmaster, can control and influence.

What are Search Engine factors do webmasters control?
Outside of the obvious (webpage title and description) those items which the webmaster has the most control are: PageRank, TrustRank, Anchor Text, Keyword Density, Domain Age, URL, and Relevant Links.

How can a webmaster use these items to help ranking?
First off--the obvious, each and every web page should have a descriptive page specific title and description. The title, description, and header tags are channels to communicate the most important details of a specific webpage. They should be used effectively, but not be abused. The web page should make use of h1 and h2 tags (header tags) to emphasize pertinent keywords and phrases.

Particular attention should be paid when formatting urls. Keywords related to the webpage can and should be used in the webpage urls. Use hyphens rather than underscores between the keywords. Search engines are designed by developers and programming languages will recognize a hyphen and distinguish separate words, while an underscore blends the words. Keywords in the URL should not be abused, as search engines do not appreciate excessively long urls. Avoid using characters like ID= in the URL as many search engines will see it as a unique session ID and not spider the contents of the webpage.

The website's navigation depth should not exceed 3-4 levels. The shallow website depth will make a search engines deep crawl easier, ensuring that will be able to spider the entire contents of your website. If you add a new page and wish for it to be spidered quickly add a link to it from an existing spidered web page.

Domain hosting and location do matter! A .uk domain and a webhost located in the UK will increase the domains search engine position in any .uk search engine. If you are targeting a specific region or market consider purchasing a local domain.

Obviously you control the websites content;bad content or no content means no incoming links. Good content has the potential to attract good quality unsolicited links.

What kinds of content generally attract quality links?
The idea is develop quality content that will result in incoming links. Think of JibJab, http://www.jibjab.com they portrayed a controversial subject in a humorous way without alienating their audience. While JibJab was able to garner a lot of attention, its a tricky tight-rope to walk. Consider adding tutorials that explain a specific technology, create a niche directory or a topic specific glossary, post industry news, maintain a blog with fresh content, or write how to articles.

Take advantage of your content. If you write a press release don't just send it to the editors, add it to your website in a press center. Submit the press release to public relations websites. There area a number of press related websites like PRWeb that are really good and all will result in good quality incoming links back to your website. Also add your press release(s) to an RSS feed, not only with this communicate with your customers that new products or updates are available but you will also benefit from links from RSS search engines and directories.

When you post a release or content that has genuine value, use social bookmarking tools (like digg, del.icio.us, furl) to bookmark the contents. These social bookmarking sites are becoming increasingly important in weighing the value of a site. The large search engines do not yet use social bookmarking in their algorithms, but it is quite possible and highly likely that they will in the future. If the webpage/content has genuine value others will social bookmark it as well. The bookmarks are viral and with increasing popularity there is more emphasis placed on the content. Additionally, bloggers notoriously skim social bookmarking sites for content to write about which will result in additional links. Keep in mind that in order to bookmark a webpage, it really must have genuine value.

Before we talk more about links, there are a few warnings worth mentioning.

What are the link warnings?
The first is to attain links gradually, search engines prefer links obtained over time rather than links achieved all at once. Avoid link schemes, link farms, or overt reciprocal links, they can be time consuming and have very little benefit. Avoid links on the C block. If you own multiple domains, be sure not to triangulate links. Search engines have become wise to this and they prefer a linking scheme that is more like a star (or web).

What keywords should you optimize for?
When determining what keywords to optimize a website for, there are a number of tools that will assess the number of times that a keyword or phrase is searched on, the number of websites/webpages competing for that keyword or phrase, and rate the phrase. Obviously, the terms that have more searches and less competition are the best to optimize for--if, and only if, they relate to your product or service. If you optimize for terms that are either too broad, you will likely increase traffic but decrease your conversions. It is really a balancing act. Two of the more popular tools available are Keyword Discovery and Word Tracker. Also, talk to friends or family members and ask what phrases they would use to describe your product or service. You might be surprised with the terms they use. Consider optimizing for regional variations, look at the variety of terms used to describe soda - tonic, pop, soda, soda pop, or cola all are relevant and popular but only within a specific region. Examine web logs to determine what your users are using, look at the language used in emails and forum posts and consider optimizing specific pages for popular descriptive terms.

And finally, use competitive intelligence to locate links and keywords. What are your competitors using? Analyze the adwords they bid on, look at their meta tags, look at their anchor links.

There is a wealth of information out there, no real mystery to it, so use it to your advantage.

Spy on Your Competitors; 10 Tips To Monitoring The Competition

By Sharon Housley

The old adage, "keep your friends close, and your enemies closer", is applicable not only to personal relationships but business relationships as well. While I'm not suggesting that you befriend your competitors, it is important that you are cognizant of your competitors' business ventures and methods.

It is important to realize that while monitoring your competitors is essential, it could easily become an obsession. Therefore, it is crucial that you strike a balance when incorporating it into your business plan. There are several ways to conduct successful stealth competitive intelligence operations. While it is fanciful to imagine yourself as a secret agent or spy, none of these techniques are difficult, hidden or secretive. In fact, most of them are tools or services available to all businesses.

1. Ego Searches What are ego searches?
Ego searches are keywords or keyword phrase searches for a specific brand, product, or company name. Ego searches are a great way to monitor mentions of a competing product. You can automate the set up of ego searches using RSS, so anytime a competitor's product or brand name is mentioned in the news, blogosphere, or print you receive notification and the details in an RSS feed.

How to Setup Ego Feeds - http://www.feedforall.com/ego-searches.htm
Create RSS Ego Searches - http://www.rss-tools.com/ego-search-feeds.htm

2. Competitive Intelligence
Competitive Intelligence is defined as the process of gathering actionable information in a competitive environment. Competitive Intelligence is researching the business environment or techniques that another business uses. Competitive Intelligence is often used to influence a strategy for business development.

First, it is necessary to know your competition. Background research can be conducted using the tools at DNS Stuff http://www.dnsstuff.com , and various other websites. The DNS stuff website will allow you to do a whois lookup. A number of other research tools are also available on the site.

3. Google Alerts
Receive notification via email on the latest relevant Google search results (web, news, etc.). Define the Google Alerts using a competitors company name or product name. http://www.google.com/alerts

http://www.googlealert.com/ (3rd party tracking service) - Google Alert is the web's leading automated search and web intelligence solution for monitoring your professional interests online. It tracks the entire web for your personalized topics and sends you new results by daily email.

4. Meta Tags
Have you ever considered what keywords or phrases a competitor is targeting on their website? Have a peak at their meta tags by simply viewing the webpage source. Pay particular attention to the header tags that include title, description, and keywords. Are these keywords part of your marketing mix?

5. Information
Arm yourself with information. The Googspy website is particularly useful when used properly. Enter a keyword, company name, or domain, click the results and view the companies top 25 competitors. If any of those websites are using pay per click on Google, you will also be able to obtain a partial list of the adwords they have purchased. The website gives you a glimpse inside competitors, but the list they provide is by no means exhaustive. http://www.googspy.com

6. Incoming Links
There are a number of ways to determine who is linking to a competitor.

A simple search can be conducted in Google and MSN for "link:domain.com" (replace domain.com with competitor's domain). In Yahoo enter a search for "linkdomain:domain.com" (again replacing domain.com with your competitors name). The search will produce all webpages that provide a link to your competitor. Ideally you can request links from the websites as well.

Other BackLink Tools - http://www.webuildpages.com/tools/

Search for Places to Submit to; this site auto-generates http://www.webuildpages.com/search/ another tools that works in a similar way - http://tools.seobook.com/general/link-suggest/ ; simply enter the keyword and a list of sites that will allow you to request links appears.

7. Alexa Ranking
Use Alexa to determine not only who is linking to a competitor, but also to determine what sites are related (list yours) . Alexa monitors web traffic trends, and a list of similar websites. Alexa also has the ability to show a website's popularity trends. http://www.alexa.com

8. Website Monitoring
It is generally a good practice to monitor competitors, and you can do this using a tool like CodeMonitor. CodeMonitor takes a snapshot of a websites' HTML and notifies of any changes. The differences in the web pages are highlighted, making it easy to discern what changes occurred. CodeMonitor is a free online tool, that can be found at: http://www.emarketingperformance.com/tools/codemonitor/

9. Comparison Tools
MarketLeap has some great search comparison tools that allow for you to compare domains and ranking. Marketleap's Trend/History report gives you a view of how you or a competitors website's Search Engine Saturation has performed over time. It also verifies search engine placement based on keywords so you can quickly discern a competitors ranking for various phrases in the top search engines. http://www.marketleap.com/publinkpop/

10. Other Useful Spy Tools
Domain tools has a mark alert that allows you to monitor the use of a trademark. They also have a number of domain tracking and monitoring tools that can be helpful. http://www.domaintools.com/

Keep in mind that while you should be aware of the direction a competitor is moving. I do not advocate copying a competitor. These tools above are to assist businesses in monitoring their competition. I am not suggesting that you replicate, duplicate, or copy anything that a competitor does. Use the competitive intelligence to make sound business decisions about the direction you want to take.

What are Content Rich Sites

What are Content Rich Sites?
By S. Housley

What are Content Sites?
If you are like many of those who started out with intentions of making millions online and are struggling to capture the attentions of the large search engines, you are in good company. Times have changed, and due to the low cost of entry, the online world is becoming very competitive for businesses starting out. Unless a website has a regional appeal or caters to a very niche product or service, it is rare that a webmaster can create a website that is only focused on selling.

What is the answer?
The answer is content. The concept is not new, it comes down to the simple concept of bartering, give something in order to get something. In this case the trade off, is free information in exchange for website traffic and search engine ranking. The key is to create a website with content that other webmasters, bloggers, and publishers will want to link to. In order to generate interest and incoming links that result in web traffic, you will need to provide unique content. Related content drives traffic, understanding what makes one website a stand-out when others fail is the key to building a content rich portal.

How do I use content to sell my stuff?
First off, the content you provide must be of interest to potential customers. If you are selling a product, why not provide dimensions, customer ratings, reviews, warranty information, additional product suggestions, color or size charts. In addition to additional product information, consider your demographic, and find content that will be of interest to individuals (or businesses ) that you feel typify a potential customer. It is also best if the content your provide is related to the product you are promoting.

Lets take a look at some content rich examples:

Gourmet Living (http://www.gourmet-living.com )

How does the site Gourmet Living that is focused on selling cooking items use content to promote their products and sell their wares? Gourmet Living uses recipes to draw in individuals interested in cooking. The topic (recipes) is clearly closely related to the products they are selling (cookware and gourmet cookbooks), additionally the recipes targets their potential audience, those with an interest in cooking. The Gourmet Living website uses additional food preparation tips and articles that discuss gourmet cooking to generate additional interest.

Recipe Directory - http://www.gourmet-living.com/recipe-directory.htm
Tips for Food Preparation - http://www.gourmet-living.com/category.html?category=preparing+food
Along with articles that discuss gourmet cooking - http://www.gourmet-living.com/gourmet-articles.htm

Dog Pound (http://www.dog-pound.net )

How does Dog Pound, a website promoting products for dog care, use content to generate website traffic. The Dog Pound website has educational articles related to dog breeds and training. In addition, the dog pound website has videos of common dog breeds, cute pet photos, and free recipes for dog treats. My recommendation would be to take the photo section a step further, encourage individuals to send in their favorite doggy photos and conduct a dog beauty contest.

Articles about dog training - http://www.dog-pound.net/dog-articles.htm
Videos with dog breeds - http://www.dog-pound.net/videos.htm
Dog Treats - http://www.dog-pound.net/other-dog-treats.htm
Photos - http://www.dog-pound.net/dog-photos.htm

Security Port (http://www.security-port.net)

How does security port, a website that does not sell anything and profits from advertising, use content to attract traffic and promote their website? The security port focus is on aggregating a host of security resources, from security glossaries to security forums. By creating a topical portal with information relevant to security, they are providing one stop shop for security information.
Searchable Security Databases - http://www.security-port.com/security-databases.htm
Security Blog - with related security news - http://www.security-port.com/blog.htm
Security Articles - http://www.security-port.com/security-articles.htm

Remember, at the end of the day that all of the advertising campaigns and attractive affiliate programs will only result in traffic spikes which will be transient. Generating a content rich website that is useful, educational, or entertaining will attract and retain customers. While it's hard to assemble a content-rich site that motivates others to link to you, it is certainly not impossible. Keep in mind that search engine rankings are influenced by the amount and quality of a website's content. Provide content that will make webmasters want to link to your website.

Internet Marketing Quiz

By Sharon Housley

Question - If I need to target a specific region, is it helpful to have a domain from that country?

Answer - Yes. Both hosting location and domain extension matter and can influence search engine ranking in regional search engines. If you are attempting to target a specific country, you could very well benefit from purchasing a domain with that countries extension and hosting the website on a server that is located in that country. The larger country specific search engines, generally rank local domains higher in the search results.

Question - What is the difference between Google's aging delay and the so called sandbox?

Answer - Great questions. The aging delay is often labeled and assumed to be the same as Google's famous sandbox (that may or may not exist). The Google aging delay is not a penalty, it is merely a filter. Google does not feel new websites are necessarily "trustworthy" so while they acknowledge that the new websites exist they don't generally include them in their search index results. They continue to monitor the new websites over time, paying particular attention to who and how many websites are linking to the new site. Gradually, as the site matures and gains a reasonable amount of links over time, Google will include the site as part of its search results. The sandbox refers to websites that are usually removed from the search index results. The removal is typically a penalty for what Google views as poor behavior as it relates to search engine optimization, spam, or web content.

Question - What does the Can-Spam Act actually mean?

Answer - CAN-SPAM is an acronym for Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act. The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, came into effect in the United States as law on January 1, 2004. It establishes requirements for those who send commercial email,and spells out penalties for individuals and companies that choose to violate the law. The primary purpose of the act is to restrict the advertising or promoting of a commercial product or service (including content or a website) by defining guidelines.

Besides spelling out the penalties, the CAN-SPAM Act prohibits false or misleading header information. This means that you cannot "spoof" the 'to', 'from' or routing information, the sender must be accurately reflected.

The CAN-SPAM act also prohibits deceptive subject lines. In other words, the subject must relate to the actual message contents. Email recipients must be provided a method to opt-out of any future email. The opt-out requests must be complied within 10 days. The final large contingent that is stipulated by the CAN-SPAM act is that commercial emails must be identified as advertisements and must include the senders valid postal address.

Question - What is a sticky website and how do I make my website 'sticky'?

Answer - A sticky website refers to a website that attracts and retains customers. The best way to create a website that will be continually visited and returned to is by producing and creating new content. Give your website's visitors a reason to come back. Another component to stickiness is a good communication channel. This might mean providing the content via RSS, so visitors are immediately aware of any new information available. It might also mean an opt-in newsletter that is sent on a regularly scheduled basis.

Question - What is the Long Tail, and how do I get one?

Answer - The Long Tail pertains to a relatively simple concept, that capturing all of the the small volume, and will result in a collectively large volume. With regards to the keyword long tail, the idea is that there are only a few words or phrases that receive a large number of searchers, but there are a huge number of obscure phrases or keywords that receive a small number of searches each month. By capturing top ranking for all of the less popular terms you could in effect receive more traffic than you would if you had top ranking for the popular terms.

Capturing the keyword long tail, is very difficult. It requires massive amounts of unique content. Webmasters have generally found the easiest way to generate unique copy is through user-generated content (ie. forums, blog comments, or user reviews).

Question - What is deep linking? And How do I deep link my website?

Answer - Deep linking refers to links to all levels of a particular website. A website that has an extensive network of quality deep links, shows true value. By having incoming links to multiple webpages at all directory levels, the website is perceived as content rich by search engines. A website that only receives incoming links to the "front page" will not fair as well in search engines because the assumption is that it is not a content rich website.