Sunday, November 8, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Slic Chics Gets Slicker with Manitoba1000
We’ve just got smarter and slicker this time.
We have cars, we have jewels and now we have fashion roped in too! Our new participant is the dazzling Slic Chics who are dressing Canada with their style. Now, it’s our chance to dress them for a superior online presence that will make them a fashion statement on the internet. Welcome, Debra Laurin-the founder of Slic Chics.
Already famous and well known in Winnipeg, Canada, Slic Chics squeezes new flavour into fashion. Housing a range of products, you can enter Slic Chics and find the perfect outfit for any occassion! Whether it’s your office party or a romantic dinner or a girl’s night out- at Slic Chics you’ll not only find dresses but also the entire look, complete with hand bag and accessories for every occasion. But why restrict them to Winnipeg only? It’s time to go global. Their latest move into Manitoba1000 will definitely make them one leading fashion store.
Manitoba1000, a Webidiotz initiative, vows to offer a complete range of online marketing for Slic Chics so that they are in the limelight. We can vouch for this because we have figured out that we have the best tried and tested methods to improve online visibility that’ll ensure maximum web-hits and maximum traffic. In short, more sales! A complete online marketing package which includes cutting edge website design to optimization of the site with equally advanced strategies like SEO and SMO using social media platforms which will ensure that it ranks amongst the best in search engines results. Also with our effective approaches like pages on social media sites like Youtube, Twitter and Facebook, interaction from clients will be much easier. Very Slic Indeed!
Slic Chics just got higher-heels!
We have cars, we have jewels and now we have fashion roped in too! Our new participant is the dazzling Slic Chics who are dressing Canada with their style. Now, it’s our chance to dress them for a superior online presence that will make them a fashion statement on the internet. Welcome, Debra Laurin-the founder of Slic Chics.
Already famous and well known in Winnipeg, Canada, Slic Chics squeezes new flavour into fashion. Housing a range of products, you can enter Slic Chics and find the perfect outfit for any occassion! Whether it’s your office party or a romantic dinner or a girl’s night out- at Slic Chics you’ll not only find dresses but also the entire look, complete with hand bag and accessories for every occasion. But why restrict them to Winnipeg only? It’s time to go global. Their latest move into Manitoba1000 will definitely make them one leading fashion store.
Manitoba1000, a Webidiotz initiative, vows to offer a complete range of online marketing for Slic Chics so that they are in the limelight. We can vouch for this because we have figured out that we have the best tried and tested methods to improve online visibility that’ll ensure maximum web-hits and maximum traffic. In short, more sales! A complete online marketing package which includes cutting edge website design to optimization of the site with equally advanced strategies like SEO and SMO using social media platforms which will ensure that it ranks amongst the best in search engines results. Also with our effective approaches like pages on social media sites like Youtube, Twitter and Facebook, interaction from clients will be much easier. Very Slic Indeed!
Slic Chics just got higher-heels!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Your Marketing Sucks!
OK before you hit the un-subscribe button and hate me or even swear. Just humour me for 10 minutes and don't miss our new Manitoba1000 members below it's a hatrick I am featuring this week and we have many more new members already but you will only give me 10 minutes of your time so I kept it to 3 for this week.
Why does your marketing suck?
Unless your marketing budget and results are measured by RIO and it's making you money not costing you it SUCKS!
Marketing means ROI full stop.
So many times I hear business owners tell me I have a friend of a friend who does website design. Great but will he or she make you money. Do they understand a balance sheet, cash flow or how important making new sales is. No but you get sold on the we can do a nice design it will look nice and fluffy.
Here is another classic I have been challenged with a few times, Neil you didn't focus on design in your presentation. The company after you talked so much about design. Website Designs alone do not make your business money when it comes to the Internet. Winning awards against my peers will not make your business marketing budget effective.
Don't get me wrong the design of a website, brochure or any marketing material has to match the brand expectations but next time you get a marketer/advertiser selling you something ask them - will you make money? We all know what the answer will be.
Would you install a telephone line that might work, or buy a mobile that might work? No, so why even consider a website or marketing strategy for your business that won't make you money.
The Internet is and will remain your most valuable company asset for new sales. If your website or even your marketing is not giving you a ROI it SUCKS!
Put Manitoba1000 to the challenge. We promise to provide you a RIO. In English we will make you money over and beyond what you spend with us to manage your Internet marketing!
Why does your marketing suck?
Unless your marketing budget and results are measured by RIO and it's making you money not costing you it SUCKS!
Marketing means ROI full stop.
So many times I hear business owners tell me I have a friend of a friend who does website design. Great but will he or she make you money. Do they understand a balance sheet, cash flow or how important making new sales is. No but you get sold on the we can do a nice design it will look nice and fluffy.
Here is another classic I have been challenged with a few times, Neil you didn't focus on design in your presentation. The company after you talked so much about design. Website Designs alone do not make your business money when it comes to the Internet. Winning awards against my peers will not make your business marketing budget effective.
Don't get me wrong the design of a website, brochure or any marketing material has to match the brand expectations but next time you get a marketer/advertiser selling you something ask them - will you make money? We all know what the answer will be.
Would you install a telephone line that might work, or buy a mobile that might work? No, so why even consider a website or marketing strategy for your business that won't make you money.
The Internet is and will remain your most valuable company asset for new sales. If your website or even your marketing is not giving you a ROI it SUCKS!
Put Manitoba1000 to the challenge. We promise to provide you a RIO. In English we will make you money over and beyond what you spend with us to manage your Internet marketing!
FREE RADIO SLOTS!
What am I offering exactly? 224 - 30 second radio ads to the next 8 new Manitoba1000 members.
It's on a first come first serve basis. All you have to do is sign up to the Manitoba1000 Internet marketing package (which you were going to do anyway!) The next 8 new members will receive a radio blast on either CJOB or Power FM for one whole week with a total of 28 slots of 30 second radio ads. The radio blast will only take place in this format for the month of November - a great opportunity for you to promote your business just before Christmas!
This is additional to the service that Manitoba1000 is already offering you. There is no extra cost, just sign up and we will arrange for you to visit CJOB's head office on Portage. You will promote your business and why you joined Manitoba1000. Then, for a whole week. Manitoba will hear your wonderful voice 4 times a day for 7 days on the station of your choice.
You and your brand will be exposed on the number one station in Manitoba.
Don't miss out you will get the best Internet marketing package and you get to boast about at the same time for FREE! All it takes is for you to make the right decision and start growing your business = $1000 and sign on the dotted line.
It's on a first come first serve basis. All you have to do is sign up to the Manitoba1000 Internet marketing package (which you were going to do anyway!) The next 8 new members will receive a radio blast on either CJOB or Power FM for one whole week with a total of 28 slots of 30 second radio ads. The radio blast will only take place in this format for the month of November - a great opportunity for you to promote your business just before Christmas!
This is additional to the service that Manitoba1000 is already offering you. There is no extra cost, just sign up and we will arrange for you to visit CJOB's head office on Portage. You will promote your business and why you joined Manitoba1000. Then, for a whole week. Manitoba will hear your wonderful voice 4 times a day for 7 days on the station of your choice.
You and your brand will be exposed on the number one station in Manitoba.
Don't miss out you will get the best Internet marketing package and you get to boast about at the same time for FREE! All it takes is for you to make the right decision and start growing your business = $1000 and sign on the dotted line.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Manitoba-1000-Webidiotz - New Site coming soon!
Weeks away from launching the new Manitoba 1000 portal!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Manitoba1000 and Gasthaus Gutenberger Join Tables
And that is absolutely true. Gasthaus Gutenberger, a well-recognised restaurant t situated in Winnipeg, Manitoba has just decided to allure people from all round the world! The owner, Kurt Wagner, who since his childhood was a cooking addict, had finally realised his long awaited dream of opening up a fine dining establishment in Winnipeg. And we will encourage the taste buds from all over the world by harnessing the power of Internet!
Kurt Wagner took all the knowledge he gained from his career and utilized it into painting a beautiful picture for his new business initiative. His menu that chiefly consists of authentic German cuisine is mouth watering. Heard about Gasthaus Pepper Steak, Rinderroulade, Baroness Schnitzel, how does it taste?
Manitoba1000 decided to garnish it’s efforts with a sprinkle of Search Engine Optimization, a brush of Social Media Optimization and a whole lot of essential Internet marketing strategies that adds flavor to its online presence! With the custom-built and proficiently designed website Gasthaus Gutenberger is designed to make mouths water. If that’s not tempting enough, Manitoba1000 has lassoed the power of the World Wide Web to endorse popular video sites like youtube and myspace with unique videos that would ensure maximum online visibility. Not just that, bundled with a whole lot interesting packages like blogs and viral advertisements, we are sure that our strategies will empower our new restaurateur with a professionally designed website and a customized content management system, which will ensure Gasthaus Gutenberger of a quality multi-media marketing package that would boost its sales and generate superior online awareness.
Manitoba1000 Internet Marketing Package is simply unbeatable, and we are now proud to welcome Gasthaus Gutenberger to an unmatched value proposition offering guaranteed results.
Kurt Wagner took all the knowledge he gained from his career and utilized it into painting a beautiful picture for his new business initiative. His menu that chiefly consists of authentic German cuisine is mouth watering. Heard about Gasthaus Pepper Steak, Rinderroulade, Baroness Schnitzel, how does it taste?
Manitoba1000 decided to garnish it’s efforts with a sprinkle of Search Engine Optimization, a brush of Social Media Optimization and a whole lot of essential Internet marketing strategies that adds flavor to its online presence! With the custom-built and proficiently designed website Gasthaus Gutenberger is designed to make mouths water. If that’s not tempting enough, Manitoba1000 has lassoed the power of the World Wide Web to endorse popular video sites like youtube and myspace with unique videos that would ensure maximum online visibility. Not just that, bundled with a whole lot interesting packages like blogs and viral advertisements, we are sure that our strategies will empower our new restaurateur with a professionally designed website and a customized content management system, which will ensure Gasthaus Gutenberger of a quality multi-media marketing package that would boost its sales and generate superior online awareness.
Manitoba1000 Internet Marketing Package is simply unbeatable, and we are now proud to welcome Gasthaus Gutenberger to an unmatched value proposition offering guaranteed results.
Manitoba1000 now rides with Ride Time!
Guess who has decided to take a ride with MANITOBA1000 down the long road from now on – RideTime! Yes, the leading online car finance company located in Winnipeg, Manitoba have taken a turning point decision.
RideTime has harnessed us at the right time. While, most car finance loan companies leave you in a ‘dry-in-the-desert’ condition with you not getting credit for your automobile purchase, RideTime makes certain that such incidents never take place, when you are at RideTime. In fact, they even finance people with poor credit history and gives you an opportunity to pay down payment as low as 300$.
RideTime has gained momentum since it came into production and now looks to broaden horizons in the online world. With Manitoba1000 acting as a backbone to their online support with a custom made package that include Search engine optimization plans, Social media optimization strategies, interesting viral advertisements, interactive designs and other fail safe marketing plans, there’s no possibility of RideTime looking back.
In today’s cutthroat competitive world, it’s crucial to have online recognition. And that calls for a well-devised Internet marketing strategy that excels in online marketing and optimization called SEO. This is where Manitoba1000 comes in, as this is exactly what our forte is. With RideTime as our new member, we pledge to provide them valuable assistance in growing with a rapid rate over their already successful status. And with our competitive and interesting strategies, RideTime will definitely reach new heights.
We look forward to building a long lasting and unbreakable bond with RideTime and are keen to ride all the way to the end with them.
RideTime has harnessed us at the right time. While, most car finance loan companies leave you in a ‘dry-in-the-desert’ condition with you not getting credit for your automobile purchase, RideTime makes certain that such incidents never take place, when you are at RideTime. In fact, they even finance people with poor credit history and gives you an opportunity to pay down payment as low as 300$.
RideTime has gained momentum since it came into production and now looks to broaden horizons in the online world. With Manitoba1000 acting as a backbone to their online support with a custom made package that include Search engine optimization plans, Social media optimization strategies, interesting viral advertisements, interactive designs and other fail safe marketing plans, there’s no possibility of RideTime looking back.
In today’s cutthroat competitive world, it’s crucial to have online recognition. And that calls for a well-devised Internet marketing strategy that excels in online marketing and optimization called SEO. This is where Manitoba1000 comes in, as this is exactly what our forte is. With RideTime as our new member, we pledge to provide them valuable assistance in growing with a rapid rate over their already successful status. And with our competitive and interesting strategies, RideTime will definitely reach new heights.
We look forward to building a long lasting and unbreakable bond with RideTime and are keen to ride all the way to the end with them.
Attention Please! Manitoba1000 Has a New Member – Absolute Autoguard
Webidiotz have done it again! The new entrant is Canada’s largest immobilization installer – Absolute Autoguard. We welcome Absolute Autoguard with absolute pride. A company that solely dedicates themselves to securing vehicles and ensuring automobile safety to the maximum, Absolute Autoguard is one company to look out for!
The very fact that this esteemed immobilization Installer Company has decided to join forces with us; they would be showered with an unmatchable service and business strategies. Absolute AutoGuard can take satisfaction in stating the fact that, 16,000 immobilizers under their name, in Manitoba vehicles guarantee their safety and security.
With the rising scope of businesses in Canada, Manitoba 1000 will ensure that their new associate, Absolute Autoguard gets the best Internet marketing package. We can say it with pride that since they’ve begun, Absolute Autoguard has developed their brand to a large extent. With us on their side, they now are given access to chiselled marketing strategies along with an array of premium online support like unparallel SEO tactics, sure shot Social Media Optimization using the social media platforms and interactive website designs that will take them where they want to be.
In order to gain recognition on the Internet a company’s website has to have a dynamic marketing and search engine strategy. Manitoba 1000 promises to deliver unparallel supports to Absolute Autoguard; whatever it takes to be on the top. With numerous blogs and an exciting new website, we’ll make sure that Absolute Autoguard is showered with unmatchable Internet marketing services and business strategies which will ensure online visibility, more traffic, more ranking and hence more profit.
After all, it’s your success that makes us successful. Manitoba1000 encourages all companies that are ready to brace themselves for an active online image and get the most out of their business.
The very fact that this esteemed immobilization Installer Company has decided to join forces with us; they would be showered with an unmatchable service and business strategies. Absolute AutoGuard can take satisfaction in stating the fact that, 16,000 immobilizers under their name, in Manitoba vehicles guarantee their safety and security.
With the rising scope of businesses in Canada, Manitoba 1000 will ensure that their new associate, Absolute Autoguard gets the best Internet marketing package. We can say it with pride that since they’ve begun, Absolute Autoguard has developed their brand to a large extent. With us on their side, they now are given access to chiselled marketing strategies along with an array of premium online support like unparallel SEO tactics, sure shot Social Media Optimization using the social media platforms and interactive website designs that will take them where they want to be.
In order to gain recognition on the Internet a company’s website has to have a dynamic marketing and search engine strategy. Manitoba 1000 promises to deliver unparallel supports to Absolute Autoguard; whatever it takes to be on the top. With numerous blogs and an exciting new website, we’ll make sure that Absolute Autoguard is showered with unmatchable Internet marketing services and business strategies which will ensure online visibility, more traffic, more ranking and hence more profit.
After all, it’s your success that makes us successful. Manitoba1000 encourages all companies that are ready to brace themselves for an active online image and get the most out of their business.
“Write a blog” he says, “it’s easy”.
Well, okay cyber-readers, here’s my first attempt.
SWITCHING GEARS
Staring down your 40th birthday makes you want to jump off a bridge or make some drastic changes in your life. Well, its affecting me like that. And obviously, I’ve opted for the “drastic change” or I wouldn’t be blogging.
Egads, what have I done?
I’ve left my secure, comfy job and joined WEBIDIOTZ. An idiotz-type maneuver? I think not. From a gal who knew 10% of her cell phone’s potential to selling websites, the transition has been anything but easy. I’m learning every day and can’t thank Neil Patel (Founder of Webidiotz) enough for his guidance, patience and most of all – his contagious enthusiasm.
It is so easy to sell something that you believe in. And the more I learn about the digital marketing age, the more I think - Wahoo! We are on to something here.
VERNON WOMEN IN BUSINESS (VWIB)
Wanting to network and get the WEBIDIOTZ name circulating, I volunteered to make a 3 minute presentation at the VWIB Christmas Luncheon. And were they serious about 3 minutes. They had an egg timer from ToastMasters which was total overkill. I barely know 3 minutes of information. However, the timing of my presentation couldn’t have been better orchestrated.
That day, the feature presenter was, Dr. Annamma Joy, Professor of the Department of Marketing for the University of British Columbia. Dr. Joy’s research interests include: culture, consumption, and marketing – among other things. She has lots of letters behind her name – I think that means she’s pretty smart. She has been published in numerous journals and magazines and is the author of “Ethnicity in Canada”.
Dr. Joy spoke of consumer culture, the Internet, and luxury brands. What stood out was her view on corporate identity – having a corporate identity that was “rebellious” has far more impact. She also confirmed my earlier suspicions……..and that is: In order to remain relevant in the modern consumer world and relate to the younger generation – you must be online.
DIGITAL TRIVIA
In my pursuit of computer knowledge, I have found out some interesting tidbits for you cyber fans. We are living in exponential times. It is estimated that Google, in 1 month, has 31 billion searches. This number in 2006, was 2.7 billion. Crazy! If “My Space” were a country, it would be 5th largest in the world with 200 million + users. (Source: Karl Fisch)
Despite this “economic recession” that we are in – Hewlett Packard reported a 10% increase in the sale of personal computers! (Source: The National Post, November 24, 2008)
Lastly, in case you are wondering (because I was kinda curious)– the Top 5 Most Trafficked Websites are……….
1) Google
2) Yahoo
3) MSN Windows
4) Microsoft
5) AOL Media Network
(Source: Forbes.com)
GOODBYE PRINT MEDIA – YOU ARE SOOOOOOOO 2001
Did you know?
Stunning Corporate America and all us other peeps, the Tribune Company – the biggest print media company in the United States, owners of the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune newspapers, filed for bankruptcy due to loss of revenues to ON-LINE advertising. See the full story click here
And, despite the economic recession – the Internet is growing 15 – 20% every year!
YEAH, BUT WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?
Your business must have a website. And guess what? You are at the right place to buy one!
Thank you for your time in reading my first EVA blog.
Out.
For now……..
Wendy
SWITCHING GEARS
Staring down your 40th birthday makes you want to jump off a bridge or make some drastic changes in your life. Well, its affecting me like that. And obviously, I’ve opted for the “drastic change” or I wouldn’t be blogging.
Egads, what have I done?
I’ve left my secure, comfy job and joined WEBIDIOTZ. An idiotz-type maneuver? I think not. From a gal who knew 10% of her cell phone’s potential to selling websites, the transition has been anything but easy. I’m learning every day and can’t thank Neil Patel (Founder of Webidiotz) enough for his guidance, patience and most of all – his contagious enthusiasm.
It is so easy to sell something that you believe in. And the more I learn about the digital marketing age, the more I think - Wahoo! We are on to something here.
VERNON WOMEN IN BUSINESS (VWIB)
Wanting to network and get the WEBIDIOTZ name circulating, I volunteered to make a 3 minute presentation at the VWIB Christmas Luncheon. And were they serious about 3 minutes. They had an egg timer from ToastMasters which was total overkill. I barely know 3 minutes of information. However, the timing of my presentation couldn’t have been better orchestrated.
That day, the feature presenter was, Dr. Annamma Joy, Professor of the Department of Marketing for the University of British Columbia. Dr. Joy’s research interests include: culture, consumption, and marketing – among other things. She has lots of letters behind her name – I think that means she’s pretty smart. She has been published in numerous journals and magazines and is the author of “Ethnicity in Canada”.
Dr. Joy spoke of consumer culture, the Internet, and luxury brands. What stood out was her view on corporate identity – having a corporate identity that was “rebellious” has far more impact. She also confirmed my earlier suspicions……..and that is: In order to remain relevant in the modern consumer world and relate to the younger generation – you must be online.
DIGITAL TRIVIA
In my pursuit of computer knowledge, I have found out some interesting tidbits for you cyber fans. We are living in exponential times. It is estimated that Google, in 1 month, has 31 billion searches. This number in 2006, was 2.7 billion. Crazy! If “My Space” were a country, it would be 5th largest in the world with 200 million + users. (Source: Karl Fisch)
Despite this “economic recession” that we are in – Hewlett Packard reported a 10% increase in the sale of personal computers! (Source: The National Post, November 24, 2008)
Lastly, in case you are wondering (because I was kinda curious)– the Top 5 Most Trafficked Websites are……….
1) Google
2) Yahoo
3) MSN Windows
4) Microsoft
5) AOL Media Network
(Source: Forbes.com)
GOODBYE PRINT MEDIA – YOU ARE SOOOOOOOO 2001
Did you know?
Stunning Corporate America and all us other peeps, the Tribune Company – the biggest print media company in the United States, owners of the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune newspapers, filed for bankruptcy due to loss of revenues to ON-LINE advertising. See the full story click here
And, despite the economic recession – the Internet is growing 15 – 20% every year!
YEAH, BUT WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?
Your business must have a website. And guess what? You are at the right place to buy one!
Thank you for your time in reading my first EVA blog.
Out.
For now……..
Wendy
Neil Patel Winnipeg and not sleeping!
Did not sleep and in the office for 5:34am wondering why did I have a sleepless night and why do we do this to our selves. Watched boring TV and thought about how do we exceed sales targets for the 9th month in a row, how can we do better for our clients and what others sales lead strategy can we invent.
Then in a flash my thoughts went to my first parents evening which is tonight. Yes our twins Mackenzie and Issabella start nursery next week at Balmoral Hall and we have our first parents evening which made me think wow. We have come such a long way, we were told over two and half years ago that our girls had a 30% chance of survival. They were born premature at 27 weeks, and each weighed 1.8lb.
Mackenzie
Issabella
Fast forward and they are starting nursery and not a single complication and they are strong intelligent girls. Since we have had our third daughter Amelia who was born in Winnipeg and weighed over 6lbs. The funny part was every baby born that day weighed almost double Amelia’s weight and the doctor said she is small. You can imagine what me and Nina thought no she is BIG.
Every one keeps telling us it take two to tango which is true we both have played a role in supporting our kids to grow and prosper but I have to say Nina has been amazing in every way. She deserves all the credit and I am sure I do not say this enough but she is the most amazing women in the world. It would be impossible to put in words how much and what she does do make our home a happy home…… We all love you Nina.
Why I had a sleepless night was a combination of reasons but most of all I think the need is to make sure I provide the best for my family. We are all motivated for different reasons we all have sleepless nights over different subjects. As we grow older those reasons change and most of my reasons have been different until today.
Neil Patel – The Littlest Hobo In Winnipeg…….woof
Sometimes I feel like the “Littlest Hobo”. You know, the show where the dog roams around the country helping people, making friends, and then going on his way.
I have now travelled to over 600 businesses across Southern Manitoba – and some online meetings with clients as far as Flintabbatey Flonatin’s home town. But my message is a little different than the lovable german shepherd’s … I’m talking about Internet Marketing. This conversation always leads to the inevitable question – how relevant is Internet Marketing to my business?
The old way of thinking says the Internet is just used for window shopping…that when consumers are ready to buy, they go offline. This just isn’t true anymore. The Internet is no longer just an information exchange platform. It’s a booming sales platform.
Over $100 billion worth of sales took place online last year. That is an outrageous amount of money and the figures are quickly rising every year! – $200 billion will be here very soon.
FACTS:
- Half the world’s population now has access to the Web.
- Your customers are spending 25% of their annual income with shopping decisions made through online research.
- Online sales now exceed 100 billion dollars annually and will exceed 200 billion very soon.
- 348,000 Manitoban’s spend 30% online is with social media activity like FaceBook and Twitter.
- Nearly 90% of them find websites through Search Engines like Google and Yahoo.
- Search Engines drive more than half of online purchases and buying decisions.
The Internet is not a get rich scheme – there is no overnight success but what I can tell you without hesitation is that your business will suffer in the coming years if you do not take action.
So, if you see me walking down the dirt road (in the Littlest Hobo style) -I’m coming to help your business grow and prepare for the adventures of tomorrow’s business world.
woof. woof.
Neil Pate – Webidiotz – Winnipeg
A holistic ecommerce plan for Winnipeg and Portland based businesses to develop a strong brand identity
In the face of intense competition, both budding and established businesses in Winnipeg and Portland need to develop a strong brand identity. Internet can prove to be the most potent platform to interact with your potential customers.
To leverage the reach and power of the Web media, what you need is a dynamic and innovative Internet marketing solution provider. A comprehensive knowledge-driven and research based platform will not only provide you with a full-fledged virtual storefront, but also a unique 360 degree marketing system in every sense. It’s something that every business – with local as well as universal focus – needs today.
A professionally designed website along with a customized backend will ensure your business an enhanced visibility, ensuring better communication with key customers and business associates. Your online business model will be ably backed by a thorough multi-media marketing package.
This is an unmatched marketing initiative that you will have never experienced before. It will help generate awareness about your brand and provide a big boost to your sales. Your business leads and sales will go up through multiple level contact points specifically generated for your venture.
Here is a holistic ecommerce plan that will empower your business with a complete multi-media marketing package, comprising Search Engine Optimization; development and management of your official Twitter profile; development and management of your business blog, ensuring unique visitors and page views for your website.
You can also avail of services to develop quality video clips, weekly audio/ text announcements, and Social Media Optimization (SMO), all combining into 360 degree advertising campaign that encompasses radio, television, and internet including social networks like Twitter, Youtube and Facebook.
A new avenue opens up for brand advertisers in Winnipeg and Portland to reach virtually everyone online
Advertising exchanges have been termed as the idea for the future though they currently only account for 10 to 15 percent of the overall display advertising business.
Analysts state Google’s strong push could well shake up the market. Its new system integrated with DoubleClick ad exchange will automatically let hundreds of thousands of publishers and advertisers, who now make use of
Google’s AdWords as well as AdSense systems, run their ads and ad space more profitably through the exchange. It should let brand advertisers execute ambitious campaigns, to reach virtually everyone online. Here’s how Advertising exchanges operate:
• When an individual seeks a Web page from a site joining the exchange, the publisher will notify the exchange about space available on that page.
• It might also allow the exchange to know more about that person, on basis of past activity or shopping habits.
• Advertisers then bid on the ad space.
• The winner’s ad gets slotted into the page.
The whole process takes place in no time. Some industry experts feel the DoubleClick exchange will provide advertisers with greater flexibility. It will let marketers aim their ads at specific types of customers and to purchase one ad spot (impression) at a time.
Google lags behind Yahoo both in display ads and in ad exchanges. The latter bought a pioneering ad exchange, Right Media, in 2007. Its business has steadily grown since, in part because most ads, which run on it, are brokered through the ad exchange.
Yahoo welcomed the competition, expressing confidence in its own capabilities and ability to innovate. In fact, other exchange operators could gain from Google’s success, as more publishers and advertisers get used to selling and buying ads through exchanges, expanding the market. This indeed is a great avenue for brand advertisers in Winnipeg and Portland to reach virtually everyone online.
Neil Patel was WOW!
Dear Webidiotz,
When we first decided that we weren’t happy with our website the management team here at Narrows West Lodge did extensive research to find that flavor, feel and overall warmth that a Wilderness lodge web page should resonate. We spoke with many companies and then we called Webidiotz of Winnipeg.
My first impression after speaking with Neil Patel was WOW this guy knows his business his confidence and professionalism sold me this was the company that Narrows West Lodge wanted to deal with.
The process began I can’t tell you how many phone calls and emails I had with Nina I’m sure I drove her insane but she always came through and impressed me every time. Without ever been to our establishment she put together everything I expected and a lot more her sense of knowing what fit was incredible. We are still touching the site up here and there but in the end I know it will be perfect and exactly as we here at the lodge and our customers all expected.
Thank you very much to all at Webidiotz and I know that any project in the future that involves the internet/web marketing Neil Patel and Nina Patel my first call.
Lee Poworoznik
Tips for businesses in Winnipeg and Portland to make their sites search engine friendly
Each business in Winnipeg and Portland has its own unique facet, special ability, and domain expertise. In an effort to capture its core from the search engine perspective, every business owner will probably think of numerous words.
It is important to select keywords carefully, spread them judiciously and use them wisely across the website. The keywords most critical to your site should be there in ‘meta title’ of each of your pages’. The ‘meta title’, as you would be aware, appears at the top of the browser window, just above the menu bar.
The keywords should regularly surface throughout the landing page, or opening Web page. They should frequently appear in the opening paragraph. However, the temptation to overuse keywords should be avoided. The practice known as keyword stuffing can be spotted by search engines. They will immediately penalize your site and reduce its rankings.
An array of tools is available to work out optimal keyword density. We advise website owners to desist from using software, which writes the site’s pages because search engines can easily sniff them out.
Here’s another of the SEO golden rule: Never compromise on content quality for random keyword placement. This will not only harm affect the content flow, but also have a negative impact on your Web page rankings.
If your site lacks qualitative content, it won’t attract visitors irrespective of SEO and keyword selection strategies. Ideally, the tricky task is better left to experts, who will work out the best approach. They would pick a permutation and combination of different ‘searchable’ words for different Web pages even while maintaining the content quality.
What are the attributes of a competent SEO specialist?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a continual process that demands full-time attention coupled with diverse skills and meticulous approach. Considering intricacies of SEO related tasks, it makes sense for companies in Portland and Winnipeg to consider outsourcing it to a specialist.
Unfortunately, many firms in Manitoba and elsewhere, as our experience goes to show, waste their precious time and energy by trying to implement wrong SEO techniques in-house. A few others fail owing to incorrect choice of SEO experts. Remember, bad SEO can be more harmful than no SEO so it’s vital to locate the right resource that will effectively optimize your website.
In this context, it is important to consider some of the virtues of a truly competent SEO expert:
• First and foremost, before implementing SEO strategies, it will carry a thorough review of your website. This involves checking of specific SEO elements it may be lacking. A meticulous SEO service provider analyzes both the on and off page SEO elements.
• A complete package comprises identification of accurate keywords, recommendation of suitable changes to website copy, and a plan to obtain back links. Other tasks that form part of a holistic SEO service are locating unique titles and meta tags, modifying internal linkage, and rewriting URLs.
• A competent SEO consultant carries an audit of your website to work out whether it has adhered to the SEO related factors, which affect their search engine display and rankings. It offers full-fledged services that are in compliance with no-spam policies of leading search engines.
• Once your site is fully optimized, it also needs to be submitted to different directories and start building array of links pointing to site. After keywords have been identified and pages have been submitted, the specialists also monitor results regularly to fine-tune the SEO strategy.
In essence, a customer-friendly SEO strives to deliver results that exceed your expectations.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Slic Chics Joins Manitoba1000
Webidiotz are proud to announce another Winnipeg business has joined Manitoba1000. We all love our business but how many have a large tattoo on their back of their business logo. Yes, Debra’s back is adorned with her business logo as a fantastic tattoo. The tattoo is real and so is Debra’s eagerness to make sure her business takes advantage of the Internet.
With the launch of her online store days away. Slic Chics has the exciting Vintage Bling Fashion Show Friday, September 25, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. Slic Chics is utilizing the Fashion Show to feature the launch of their new ecommerce website! That’s right – Slic Chics direct to your door! Not only that but as a member of Manitoba1000 – you will be able to join Slic Chics on facebook, twitter, myspace, subscribe to their e-newsletters and read blogs about the latest consignment fashion finds available online!
As a member of our exclusive club – Manitoba1000 – Slic Chics is provided with a service that is simply unbeatable – an unmatched value offering guaranteed results.
MANITOBA1000 Provides:
* A Custom Built, Professionally Designed, Web Portal For Your Company.
* Personal Website Support, Assisting You With Your Every Online Need.
* Unmatched Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
* Our Personal Guarantee That Your Business Will Grow.
* Built in SMO optimization and widgets.
* 120 Blog posts per year.
* An expert project manager attending monthly meetings to agree sales goals and objectives.
* Create a video to promote your business on video platforms like YouTube and My Space.
* Virtual Store in www.manitoba1000.com.
* Monthly e-news designed and sent to your clients.
* Access the largest email database in Manitoba to create sales or brand messages.
* Unlimited business email accounts hosted and support provided.
* Host your email and website.
* A marketing campaign message delivered to 90% of Manitoban’s through Radio, BillBoards and TV.
Listen out for our radio spots on CJOB and PowerFM and if you want to grow your sales then don’t miss out – Manitoba1000 is exclusive and places are going quickly!
Neil Patel – Webidiotz – Winnipeg
With the launch of her online store days away. Slic Chics has the exciting Vintage Bling Fashion Show Friday, September 25, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. Slic Chics is utilizing the Fashion Show to feature the launch of their new ecommerce website! That’s right – Slic Chics direct to your door! Not only that but as a member of Manitoba1000 – you will be able to join Slic Chics on facebook, twitter, myspace, subscribe to their e-newsletters and read blogs about the latest consignment fashion finds available online!
As a member of our exclusive club – Manitoba1000 – Slic Chics is provided with a service that is simply unbeatable – an unmatched value offering guaranteed results.
MANITOBA1000 Provides:
* A Custom Built, Professionally Designed, Web Portal For Your Company.
* Personal Website Support, Assisting You With Your Every Online Need.
* Unmatched Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
* Our Personal Guarantee That Your Business Will Grow.
* Built in SMO optimization and widgets.
* 120 Blog posts per year.
* An expert project manager attending monthly meetings to agree sales goals and objectives.
* Create a video to promote your business on video platforms like YouTube and My Space.
* Virtual Store in www.manitoba1000.com.
* Monthly e-news designed and sent to your clients.
* Access the largest email database in Manitoba to create sales or brand messages.
* Unlimited business email accounts hosted and support provided.
* Host your email and website.
* A marketing campaign message delivered to 90% of Manitoban’s through Radio, BillBoards and TV.
Listen out for our radio spots on CJOB and PowerFM and if you want to grow your sales then don’t miss out – Manitoba1000 is exclusive and places are going quickly!
Neil Patel – Webidiotz – Winnipeg
Neil Patel was WOW!
Dear Webidiotz,
When we first decided that we weren’t happy with our website the management team here at Narrows West Lodge did extensive research to find that flavor, feel and overall warmth that a Wilderness lodge web page should resonate. We spoke with many companies and then we called Webidiotz of Winnipeg.
My first impression after speaking with Neil Patel was WOW this guy knows his business his confidence and professionalism sold me this was the company that Narrows West Lodge wanted to deal with.
The process began I can’t tell you how many phone calls and emails I had with Nina I’m sure I drove her insane but she always came through and impressed me every time. Without ever been to our establishment she put together everything I expected and a lot more her sense of knowing what fit was incredible. We are still touching the site up here and there but in the end I know it will be perfect and exactly as we here at the lodge and our customers all expected.
Thank you very much to all at Webidiotz and I know that any project in the future that involves the internet/web marketing Neil Patel and Nina Patel Of Webidiotz Winnipeg my first call.
Lee Poworoznik
When we first decided that we weren’t happy with our website the management team here at Narrows West Lodge did extensive research to find that flavor, feel and overall warmth that a Wilderness lodge web page should resonate. We spoke with many companies and then we called Webidiotz of Winnipeg.
My first impression after speaking with Neil Patel was WOW this guy knows his business his confidence and professionalism sold me this was the company that Narrows West Lodge wanted to deal with.
The process began I can’t tell you how many phone calls and emails I had with Nina I’m sure I drove her insane but she always came through and impressed me every time. Without ever been to our establishment she put together everything I expected and a lot more her sense of knowing what fit was incredible. We are still touching the site up here and there but in the end I know it will be perfect and exactly as we here at the lodge and our customers all expected.
Thank you very much to all at Webidiotz and I know that any project in the future that involves the internet/web marketing Neil Patel and Nina Patel Of Webidiotz Winnipeg my first call.
Lee Poworoznik
Neil Patel tells us Manitoba 1000 keeps growing!
I would like to welcome Sirius Technologies, The Medical Batteries Corporation and Absolute AutoGuard Inc to Manitoba1000. It is our job to increase sales through the Internet. Chris and Bernie have established businesses that are successful and both see the Internet as a marketing platform in order to continue growing and to secure their market position in the future. Manitoba1000 will position them on the first page of search engines for all chosen keywords. We will optimize their business and make sure that 362,000 Manitobans who are registered users on Facebook will see their business. (340,000 are from Winnipeg – that’s half the population.) In addition, we will create 360 blogs, send out monthly e-newsletters, manage abd create three new online stores, create videos and much more………… We are going to create ecommerce websites for all three businesses – the goal is simple – to increase sales. By joining Manitoba1000 they now have a team of Internet marketing experts to deliver sales objectives – a dedicated online marketing department. We will be creating a tailored marketing plan to ensure their online presence is highly visible on the Internet .
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
‘Search engines not responsible for content published on third-party sites.’
Google is not liable for any purported defamation in its search results, the high court in London has just ruled, according to a news report by leading UK publication The Guardian. The Internet giant has won a landmark high court libel that makes crucial observations regarding forum comment in search results.
It is not liable for any comments appearing in news articles, forums and blogs displayed in its search results, a high court judge concluded in a significant ruling for UK defamation law. London’s Metropolitan International Schools (MIS) had brought the case against Google's UK and US operations. It launched legal action over comments, which appeared in Google search results through a website forum.
The company claimed Google as a publisher was liable. The latter responded it had no responsibility for of defamatory comments. Mr Justice Eady ruled in the high court that Google was not a 'publisher' of the content, but merely a 'facilitator'.
"When a snippet is thrown up on one's screen in response to a search, it points one in the direction of an entry on the web that corresponds - to a greater or lesser extent - to the search terms one has typed in," the judge said. "It's for him or (her) to access or not, as he (or she) chooses. And [Google] has merely, played the role of a facilitator, by the provision of its search service."
However, the judge did state that it has a responsibility of blocking or taking down content if it’s notified with a legitimate complaint about any libelous material. A lawyer at Pinsent Masons, Struan Robertson, remarked that this was probably the first judicial analysis of a search engine's liability for defamation under UK law. "It is a brilliant result for Google as well as other search engines," Robertson added.
"We're pleased with this result. It reinforces the principle that search engines are not responsible for content published on third-party websites," stated a spokesperson for Google.
It is not liable for any comments appearing in news articles, forums and blogs displayed in its search results, a high court judge concluded in a significant ruling for UK defamation law. London’s Metropolitan International Schools (MIS) had brought the case against Google's UK and US operations. It launched legal action over comments, which appeared in Google search results through a website forum.
The company claimed Google as a publisher was liable. The latter responded it had no responsibility for of defamatory comments. Mr Justice Eady ruled in the high court that Google was not a 'publisher' of the content, but merely a 'facilitator'.
"When a snippet is thrown up on one's screen in response to a search, it points one in the direction of an entry on the web that corresponds - to a greater or lesser extent - to the search terms one has typed in," the judge said. "It's for him or (her) to access or not, as he (or she) chooses. And [Google] has merely, played the role of a facilitator, by the provision of its search service."
However, the judge did state that it has a responsibility of blocking or taking down content if it’s notified with a legitimate complaint about any libelous material. A lawyer at Pinsent Masons, Struan Robertson, remarked that this was probably the first judicial analysis of a search engine's liability for defamation under UK law. "It is a brilliant result for Google as well as other search engines," Robertson added.
"We're pleased with this result. It reinforces the principle that search engines are not responsible for content published on third-party websites," stated a spokesperson for Google.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
An online business directory with ‘how to’ videos
Yell.com, the leading online business directory, has just inked a deal with Videojug. The arrangement is for providing tens of thousands of 'how to' guide videos. It is in the process of setting up a vast network of over 100 blogs with an idea of turning the ubiquitous Yellow Pages service into a multimedia content venture.
The leading directory site's deal with the creator of close to 50,000 'Ask the Experts' and 'how to' video clips is an important development. This will now provide online films, which suitably match the various business services for which users are searching online.
Yell.com was re-launched in April and is undergoing what the firm terms the major 'root & branch' overhaul of its strong Web presence. It has already announced its decision to stop competing for advertising with Google and had opted to sign up as an 'authorized re-seller' for its AdWords.
Yell.com is now seeking to build a blogging network to offer information and advice on crucial business areas. The service launch along with blogs will include popular topics comprising home security, plumbing and heating, hair and beauty, motoring and car maintenance. A special team will build and manage the first wave of new Yell.com blogs.
The aim is to ultimately form a network of over 100 bloggers who will ‘inform as well as inspire consumers’ with effective ideas and advice covering not less than 1,400 business classifications that Yell.com currently offers. It claims to have 217,000 advertisers on its online directory.
Yell.com's head of content, Nick Haworth, said, "The PC has become a TV. Video has a key place in our future through the huge opportunities it has for us to enhance users' experiences on the website."
The leading directory site's deal with the creator of close to 50,000 'Ask the Experts' and 'how to' video clips is an important development. This will now provide online films, which suitably match the various business services for which users are searching online.
Yell.com was re-launched in April and is undergoing what the firm terms the major 'root & branch' overhaul of its strong Web presence. It has already announced its decision to stop competing for advertising with Google and had opted to sign up as an 'authorized re-seller' for its AdWords.
Yell.com is now seeking to build a blogging network to offer information and advice on crucial business areas. The service launch along with blogs will include popular topics comprising home security, plumbing and heating, hair and beauty, motoring and car maintenance. A special team will build and manage the first wave of new Yell.com blogs.
The aim is to ultimately form a network of over 100 bloggers who will ‘inform as well as inspire consumers’ with effective ideas and advice covering not less than 1,400 business classifications that Yell.com currently offers. It claims to have 217,000 advertisers on its online directory.
Yell.com's head of content, Nick Haworth, said, "The PC has become a TV. Video has a key place in our future through the huge opportunities it has for us to enhance users' experiences on the website."
Monday, July 27, 2009
Record Web traffic surge after reporting the King of Pop's death
Breaking the news of star singer Michael Jackson's sudden death resulted in a huge surge in traffic to TMZ.com. The number of people visiting the celebrity gossip site went up by almost a quarter.
TMZ.com was the first site that broke the heartbreaking news. Late last month it was the first to report that the King of Pop has suffered heart attack and reported his death. The BREAKING NEWS saw a 24 percent increase to 11.7 million unique users.
The figures, released by comScore Media Metrix, mark a record for the popular Hollywood gossip site. It also witnessed an impressive 10% month-on-month rise in page views to 279m.
The news report read: "We have just learned that Michael Jackson has died. He suffered a cardiac arrest at his Holmby Hills home earlier this afternoon. Paramedics were unable to revive him. We are told Jackson had no pulse when paramedics arrived and they never got a pulse back.
"A source informs us that he was dead when they arrived. The hospital staff tried to resuscitate him. But he was completely unresponsive. A hospital source told us there was ‘absolute chaos.' 'You've got to save him! You've got to save him!" people with the singer were screaming."
TMZ.com is a joint venture between Telepictures Productions and AOL. The website has been founded by the managing, editor Harvey Levin. TMZ regularly comes up with exclusive stories in the world of entertainment like DUI arrest of celebrity Mel Gibson and the subsequent encounter he had with law enforcement.
Its mobile site as well as iPhone application also registered new record traffic numbers with well over 11m page views by users on the day of Michael Jackson's death, as his shocked fans frantically searched for updates on unfolding events.
TMZ.com was the first site that broke the heartbreaking news. Late last month it was the first to report that the King of Pop has suffered heart attack and reported his death. The BREAKING NEWS saw a 24 percent increase to 11.7 million unique users.
The figures, released by comScore Media Metrix, mark a record for the popular Hollywood gossip site. It also witnessed an impressive 10% month-on-month rise in page views to 279m.
The news report read: "We have just learned that Michael Jackson has died. He suffered a cardiac arrest at his Holmby Hills home earlier this afternoon. Paramedics were unable to revive him. We are told Jackson had no pulse when paramedics arrived and they never got a pulse back.
"A source informs us that he was dead when they arrived. The hospital staff tried to resuscitate him. But he was completely unresponsive. A hospital source told us there was ‘absolute chaos.' 'You've got to save him! You've got to save him!" people with the singer were screaming."
TMZ.com is a joint venture between Telepictures Productions and AOL. The website has been founded by the managing, editor Harvey Levin. TMZ regularly comes up with exclusive stories in the world of entertainment like DUI arrest of celebrity Mel Gibson and the subsequent encounter he had with law enforcement.
Its mobile site as well as iPhone application also registered new record traffic numbers with well over 11m page views by users on the day of Michael Jackson's death, as his shocked fans frantically searched for updates on unfolding events.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
What does the future hold for digital marketing campaigns?
Though Internet will garner larger chunk of the advertising budgets in the coming years, the scenario remains challenging. The fact remains that some high-flying Internet business ventures such as MySpace, which is owned by News Corp., have been affected to a great extent by the global recession.
With overall advertising spend in decline, and showing no signs of early revival, the leading social networking service has recently announced a 30 percent staff cut. Many other top Web 2.0 businesses, like the Google owned, YouTube, are also trying to work out how to 'monetize' the huge traffic that they generate.
Digital marketing campaigns tend be far more labor-intensive to develop (if not to visualize) than ads placed in traditional media, experts suggest. What this means is obviously higher fees.
Innovative advertisers or at least those who can still manage to spend - have also seen some benefits in the confluence of the current cyclical economic downturn. They have tackled it with a subtle structural shift toward free advertising avenues on the Internet.
New technology will only bolster the advertising abilities of traditional media such as TV, backers say. However, none of these things are expected to exist in isolation in the future. Advertising executives have indeed been referring to ‘integration’ of their campaigns for last few years, albeit with mixed results. Now the challenging economic conditions are forcing them to do so.
The Publicis Worldwide’s chief operating officer, Richard Pinder, said in an in interview. "We are going back to the original meaning of the term advertising. It’s spreading brand awareness and making people interested to know more about it."
With overall advertising spend in decline, and showing no signs of early revival, the leading social networking service has recently announced a 30 percent staff cut. Many other top Web 2.0 businesses, like the Google owned, YouTube, are also trying to work out how to 'monetize' the huge traffic that they generate.
Digital marketing campaigns tend be far more labor-intensive to develop (if not to visualize) than ads placed in traditional media, experts suggest. What this means is obviously higher fees.
Innovative advertisers or at least those who can still manage to spend - have also seen some benefits in the confluence of the current cyclical economic downturn. They have tackled it with a subtle structural shift toward free advertising avenues on the Internet.
New technology will only bolster the advertising abilities of traditional media such as TV, backers say. However, none of these things are expected to exist in isolation in the future. Advertising executives have indeed been referring to ‘integration’ of their campaigns for last few years, albeit with mixed results. Now the challenging economic conditions are forcing them to do so.
The Publicis Worldwide’s chief operating officer, Richard Pinder, said in an in interview. "We are going back to the original meaning of the term advertising. It’s spreading brand awareness and making people interested to know more about it."
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Advertising gradually gravitates to Web 2.0
Newspaper ads and television commercials, as it has been established, are now a shrinking and less prominent area of the overall marketing strategy. What takes place elsewhere, to be specific mostly on the Web, is what matters more to advertisers.
It is not that advertisers have suddenly woken up to the potential of the Internet. They have been gradually shifting increasing portions of their tight budgets online for last few years. The growing popularity of social networking and other innovative Web 2.0 phenomena has only hastened the process of transition.
Their increasing dominance is actually helping the advertisers use the reach and power of tech-savvy users to spread the word. Smart customers are inadvertently doing the job for them, and at a much lower cost. This is allowing them to bring down the attention and thrust on paid advertising.
While more movie studios publishers and music companies, among others, are clearly trying to figure out the various ways to get potential consumers to pay for their content hosted online, advertising is apparently shifting in the other direction. It is not surprising at all that forecasts from PriceWaterhouse- Coopers are not exactly encouraging for newspapers and television media.
The research firm expects that both the print and TV media will suffer from ad spending declines in the range of 11 percent to 16 percent this year. Though even Internet advertising is expected to fall a bit, by about 2 percent, the fall is not so pronounced. Also, it continues to be seen as the future of advertising, the report points out.
It is not that advertisers have suddenly woken up to the potential of the Internet. They have been gradually shifting increasing portions of their tight budgets online for last few years. The growing popularity of social networking and other innovative Web 2.0 phenomena has only hastened the process of transition.
Their increasing dominance is actually helping the advertisers use the reach and power of tech-savvy users to spread the word. Smart customers are inadvertently doing the job for them, and at a much lower cost. This is allowing them to bring down the attention and thrust on paid advertising.
While more movie studios publishers and music companies, among others, are clearly trying to figure out the various ways to get potential consumers to pay for their content hosted online, advertising is apparently shifting in the other direction. It is not surprising at all that forecasts from PriceWaterhouse- Coopers are not exactly encouraging for newspapers and television media.
The research firm expects that both the print and TV media will suffer from ad spending declines in the range of 11 percent to 16 percent this year. Though even Internet advertising is expected to fall a bit, by about 2 percent, the fall is not so pronounced. Also, it continues to be seen as the future of advertising, the report points out.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tips for minimizing network and data security threats
Small businesses these days must contend with the same potent Internet security threats as most other larger firms do. The threats have become more pronounced in recent years. On the other hand, they have become even more discreet.
If you are running a smaller business and budget is tight, you can develop your own security policy, but that can expose your business to some risks. Of course, as your business starts growing in size, you are better off leaving security of network and data in the hands of experts.
It involves considerable effort and discipline when it comes to changing passwords on a regular basis, performing periodic backups, and checking for software updates. The inputs and intervention of independent security organizations can help minimize the risk.
There are how-to guides on offer that can provide you with clues. For instance, the Internet Security Alliance has its ‘Guide to Cyber Security’ specifically aimed at small businesses. It is available to registered users as a free download. You can check some of its material in the SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security (SANS) Institute's ‘Network Security & the SMB’ essay.
The checklists with instructions probably worth repeating are as follows:
• Protect user accounts with peculiar and uncommon passwords
• Change the passwords on a regular basis.
• Scrutinize carefully all e-mail attachments and other links.
• Install and update antivirus antispyware software on a regular basis.
• Keep all your operating system as well as applications, current and patched.
• Set up and make use of a firewall.
If you are running a smaller business and budget is tight, you can develop your own security policy, but that can expose your business to some risks. Of course, as your business starts growing in size, you are better off leaving security of network and data in the hands of experts.
It involves considerable effort and discipline when it comes to changing passwords on a regular basis, performing periodic backups, and checking for software updates. The inputs and intervention of independent security organizations can help minimize the risk.
There are how-to guides on offer that can provide you with clues. For instance, the Internet Security Alliance has its ‘Guide to Cyber Security’ specifically aimed at small businesses. It is available to registered users as a free download. You can check some of its material in the SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security (SANS) Institute's ‘Network Security & the SMB’ essay.
The checklists with instructions probably worth repeating are as follows:
• Protect user accounts with peculiar and uncommon passwords
• Change the passwords on a regular basis.
• Scrutinize carefully all e-mail attachments and other links.
• Install and update antivirus antispyware software on a regular basis.
• Keep all your operating system as well as applications, current and patched.
• Set up and make use of a firewall.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
URL shrinking services extremely handy for social networking
Social networking is resulting in the number of services, which help users convert long URLs into small Web links. URL shrinking services are useful on sites like Twitter, limiting tweets to 140 characters.
There are several URL shortening services that are available today. However, few online communities have made it easier for people to tell where the shortened links will take them. Also, the lack of a standardized or built-in approach to URL shortening services - within individual social networking websites - only adds to the complexity.
For instance, many Twitter users opt to shorten long Web links with bit.ly, but some Twitter users are also likely to see Tweets with links shortened by the services at tr.im and ow.ly. While bit.ly offers a Firefox add-on, which lets users of that browser view a portion of the longer URL at least, there is no other easy way of viewing the long version of links at either tr.im or ow.ly.
Many URL shortening services allow their own users to preview shortened links, whereas a few others don't offer that option. There are several websites you can use to view a long URL just by cutting and pasting a shortened link like longurl.org.
TinyURL is among the longest-running services for URL shortening.
It lets users preview all shortened URLs. For those browsing the Web with Firefox, an add-on called Long URL Please is recommended. It also works in other browsers like Internet Explorer. Expandmyurl.com is another approach, which works well across browsers.
There are several URL shortening services that are available today. However, few online communities have made it easier for people to tell where the shortened links will take them. Also, the lack of a standardized or built-in approach to URL shortening services - within individual social networking websites - only adds to the complexity.
For instance, many Twitter users opt to shorten long Web links with bit.ly, but some Twitter users are also likely to see Tweets with links shortened by the services at tr.im and ow.ly. While bit.ly offers a Firefox add-on, which lets users of that browser view a portion of the longer URL at least, there is no other easy way of viewing the long version of links at either tr.im or ow.ly.
Many URL shortening services allow their own users to preview shortened links, whereas a few others don't offer that option. There are several websites you can use to view a long URL just by cutting and pasting a shortened link like longurl.org.
TinyURL is among the longest-running services for URL shortening.
It lets users preview all shortened URLs. For those browsing the Web with Firefox, an add-on called Long URL Please is recommended. It also works in other browsers like Internet Explorer. Expandmyurl.com is another approach, which works well across browsers.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
What does hold key to website traffic generation?
User base created and sustained through a search engine thrust is the core of your site traffic. Studies have shown that popular search engines like Yahoo and Google provide as good as most other techniques of web advertising and cost effective as well…
You can attract sizable traffic through SEO. There are several ways in which your website can be made search engine friendly and enhance its capacity to generate traffic by means of the free advertising a top listing in leading search engines can provide you with. You need to get your web pages optimized.
High position for your domain specific keywords on the search engines greatly helps. There was a time when website owners were advised to stick to keyword density (kd) between 1% and 3%. What it means is that the keyword your web page is structured around should feature at least one to three times prominently in every hundred words. It may not sound a lot.
However, if you have a Web page with roughly thousand words, it would have about 30 incidences of the keyword. This is not a wise idea as Google might even penalize your site by giving it a very poor listing. You can now replace keywords with terms, which make the topic clear by employing statistical analysis of the content on your Web page.
Last but not the least, establish a blog. It is one of the top traffic generation methods.
You can attract sizable traffic through SEO. There are several ways in which your website can be made search engine friendly and enhance its capacity to generate traffic by means of the free advertising a top listing in leading search engines can provide you with. You need to get your web pages optimized.
High position for your domain specific keywords on the search engines greatly helps. There was a time when website owners were advised to stick to keyword density (kd) between 1% and 3%. What it means is that the keyword your web page is structured around should feature at least one to three times prominently in every hundred words. It may not sound a lot.
However, if you have a Web page with roughly thousand words, it would have about 30 incidences of the keyword. This is not a wise idea as Google might even penalize your site by giving it a very poor listing. You can now replace keywords with terms, which make the topic clear by employing statistical analysis of the content on your Web page.
Last but not the least, establish a blog. It is one of the top traffic generation methods.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
A new computational knowledge search engine comes with unconventional capabilities
At its simplest, the new Wolfram Alpha function like a calculator, albeit one that understands things such as quantum mechanics.
Do you wish to know what size shoe to purchase in Japan, to exactly match your British size 11s? Google will help you find conversion tables but Wolfram Alpha will do the job for you. It is probably most handy as a 'homework engine' focused on science, mathematics and engineering, rather than the arts and humanities topics.
The shoe size conversion is just one of the dozens of example queries, which it provides. It is excellent at comparing different stock prices. It can also convert some currencies. Studying such examples will save you considerable time in the long run, because the more accurate your question, the more likely you’re to get a relevant answer.
Wolfram Alpha looks to occupy a space somewhere between Wikipedia and Google. The site's slogan states it's a ‘computational knowledge engine’. The search box carries an 'equals' sign at the end. Its concept originates from Mathematica software by Stephen Wolfram that has been around for over two decades. It's a computational tool, which enables you to manipulate, analyze and visualize data: its wide capabilities range from creating real-time 3D graphics to solving equations.
Wolfram Research has added data from fields like geography, sociology, finance, music, medicine, education and sport. Currently, it's short of material in several areas. This is largely because it doesn't search. It only employs data tested and uploaded by its own engineers.
Wolfram states that when computing began, 50 years ago, people felt they ‘would be able to ask a machine any factual question, and let it compute the answer. It didn't really work out that way’. It's now becoming possible, he asserts, thanks to the loads of data on the web, and Wolfram Research's Mathematica plus NKS (A New Kind of Science).
Do you wish to know what size shoe to purchase in Japan, to exactly match your British size 11s? Google will help you find conversion tables but Wolfram Alpha will do the job for you. It is probably most handy as a 'homework engine' focused on science, mathematics and engineering, rather than the arts and humanities topics.
The shoe size conversion is just one of the dozens of example queries, which it provides. It is excellent at comparing different stock prices. It can also convert some currencies. Studying such examples will save you considerable time in the long run, because the more accurate your question, the more likely you’re to get a relevant answer.
Wolfram Alpha looks to occupy a space somewhere between Wikipedia and Google. The site's slogan states it's a ‘computational knowledge engine’. The search box carries an 'equals' sign at the end. Its concept originates from Mathematica software by Stephen Wolfram that has been around for over two decades. It's a computational tool, which enables you to manipulate, analyze and visualize data: its wide capabilities range from creating real-time 3D graphics to solving equations.
Wolfram Research has added data from fields like geography, sociology, finance, music, medicine, education and sport. Currently, it's short of material in several areas. This is largely because it doesn't search. It only employs data tested and uploaded by its own engineers.
Wolfram states that when computing began, 50 years ago, people felt they ‘would be able to ask a machine any factual question, and let it compute the answer. It didn't really work out that way’. It's now becoming possible, he asserts, thanks to the loads of data on the web, and Wolfram Research's Mathematica plus NKS (A New Kind of Science).
Monday, July 20, 2009
Web 2.0 traffic generation and other modes of building a user base
One proven way of ensuring web traffic generation is article marketing. It will bring targeted traffic to your website. Consult experts who will implement the proper plan for sustained and focused traffic generation.
Another assured method is search engine optimization (SEO). Quality, affordable services play an important role in securing the site traffic. In order to make your online business venture successful, you need expert help to attain the specific type of audience base.
Web 2.0 traffic generation takes optimum advantage of popular social networking sites. This helps spread the word subtly about your products or services. The strategy needs expert inputs understandably because resources available in house do have their limitations. Obviously they can take up a considerable amount of money, time and obviously to build an effective strategy.
Social media is very much in spotlight and there are contrasting opinions on its effectiveness. To check how useful an AdSense placement is you can open your AdSense journal, analyze the statistics and know exactly how much they have benefitted you. The point is that effectiveness of social media just cannot be judged in this fashion.
Though their impact in terms of online visibility is pronounced, it can be tedious as well as demanding to spend hours on popular social networks such as Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, etc in an effort to build a credible and sustained presence in order to attract people to your website. So you need outside help since it is not an easy task to do in house.
Another assured method is search engine optimization (SEO). Quality, affordable services play an important role in securing the site traffic. In order to make your online business venture successful, you need expert help to attain the specific type of audience base.
Web 2.0 traffic generation takes optimum advantage of popular social networking sites. This helps spread the word subtly about your products or services. The strategy needs expert inputs understandably because resources available in house do have their limitations. Obviously they can take up a considerable amount of money, time and obviously to build an effective strategy.
Social media is very much in spotlight and there are contrasting opinions on its effectiveness. To check how useful an AdSense placement is you can open your AdSense journal, analyze the statistics and know exactly how much they have benefitted you. The point is that effectiveness of social media just cannot be judged in this fashion.
Though their impact in terms of online visibility is pronounced, it can be tedious as well as demanding to spend hours on popular social networks such as Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, etc in an effort to build a credible and sustained presence in order to attract people to your website. So you need outside help since it is not an easy task to do in house.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Evaluating the various components of new digital marketing programs
In a recent survey almost three fourth of respondents said they have included at least one new media/ social media resource in their marketing program. However, they also seemed a bit apprehensive about the ability of these campaigns to deliver.
For example, when asked specifically which component of their current digital marketing programs is not giving the tangible performance and delivering desired results, a large majority of them named social networking, which was followed by mobile advertising.
So what are perceived to be the most effective components of a digital marketing program? Asked to judge the various ingredients of their new media plan, 11 percent named social networking as the best performing component, with around 33 percent referring to search. On the other hand, 23 percent indicated email. Just about 14 percent responded digital advertising.
Just like new media/ social media platforms, the mobile phone is gradually emerging as a powerful and integral component of campaigns. Today’s tech-savvy marketers are relying on it to spread the word around. That being said, when asked regarding a digital channel they can best track in real-time, not many of them answered mobile.
It can be inferred that mobile as a component of the digital marketing programs is still not delivering the desired results, but it’s just a matter of time. Social media and mobile does present a huge opportunity to budding businesses but they need to employ it with thought and a great deal of planning.
For example, when asked specifically which component of their current digital marketing programs is not giving the tangible performance and delivering desired results, a large majority of them named social networking, which was followed by mobile advertising.
So what are perceived to be the most effective components of a digital marketing program? Asked to judge the various ingredients of their new media plan, 11 percent named social networking as the best performing component, with around 33 percent referring to search. On the other hand, 23 percent indicated email. Just about 14 percent responded digital advertising.
Just like new media/ social media platforms, the mobile phone is gradually emerging as a powerful and integral component of campaigns. Today’s tech-savvy marketers are relying on it to spread the word around. That being said, when asked regarding a digital channel they can best track in real-time, not many of them answered mobile.
It can be inferred that mobile as a component of the digital marketing programs is still not delivering the desired results, but it’s just a matter of time. Social media and mobile does present a huge opportunity to budding businesses but they need to employ it with thought and a great deal of planning.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Use sophisticated software to secure your website and customer data
Today probably more than ever, enhanced network security has become vital to your business online irrespective of is size and domain. Previously, you had a hacker or virus that would crash your computers to worry about. Now you may not even come to know that your network has been invaded until real damage has already been done. For example, your ‘virtual’ pool of data may get lost or seized.
You, and/or your customers online can be victims of identity theft; or your systems may be used for distributing spam or malware. Smart cybercriminals are equipped nowadays with sophisticated software, which easily ‘automates’ the job of tracing vulnerabilities and weak spots in your e-commerce structure. This poses threat not only to large enterprises but also small-scale business entities whose websites can prove to be a soft target.
Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs fail to initiate good security steps. They think it is an expensive and complicated task. However, security measures these days are not as difficult to implement as they used to be previously. Cutting-edge technologies are widely available to protect precious data.
For example, a sophisticated security router can guard it from prying eyes. It can ward off malware, manage spam. It can empower your employees to function remotely and securely.
All these advanced features are now packed in routers at costs most organizations should easily be able to afford. Consumer routers provide some of these necessary protections, you need not spend a lot of money even for business-class alternatives. These routers offer more-robust defenses.
You, and/or your customers online can be victims of identity theft; or your systems may be used for distributing spam or malware. Smart cybercriminals are equipped nowadays with sophisticated software, which easily ‘automates’ the job of tracing vulnerabilities and weak spots in your e-commerce structure. This poses threat not only to large enterprises but also small-scale business entities whose websites can prove to be a soft target.
Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs fail to initiate good security steps. They think it is an expensive and complicated task. However, security measures these days are not as difficult to implement as they used to be previously. Cutting-edge technologies are widely available to protect precious data.
For example, a sophisticated security router can guard it from prying eyes. It can ward off malware, manage spam. It can empower your employees to function remotely and securely.
All these advanced features are now packed in routers at costs most organizations should easily be able to afford. Consumer routers provide some of these necessary protections, you need not spend a lot of money even for business-class alternatives. These routers offer more-robust defenses.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
A new avenue for talented artists and artisans to showcase work
It is something Beyond the Ordinary, Beyond Borders and simply Beyond your Expectations. Literally, that’s the case at the buzzing Beyond Show & Sale. It is a juried show beyond the expected.
Beyond the Ordinary leads to a dazzling discovery of Handmade Art and Crafts, whereas Beyond Borders is a pure celebration of diversity. On the other hand, Beyond your Expectations offers an ultimate experience between the Artisan and Shopper.
It is a vibrant venue for you the artist or artisan to market your work to the world. Patti and Carol has conceptualized and set up this amazing Artisan Marketplace. Their idea is to bring a new, inclusive, juried collection to the Calgary art and crafts enthusiast. It offers an exciting venue for talented artists and artisans to showcase their wonderful work.
Ensuring an enhanced experience and interaction between the artisan and the eclectic shopper is their top priority. With this in mind, they are keen on providing the best exhibition facilities that can be enjoyed over a relaxed open market ambience with an open and airy layout. This fully integrated collective is committed to harness the natural talents of artists and artisans and bring it directly to the discerning buyer and enthusiast.
Beyond An Artisan Marketplace is a new, inclusive concept that showcases Canadian talent and goes beyond our borders to support artists and artisans from around the world. In other words, the priority is to showcase captivating Canadian talent, apart from offering wholehearted support to artists and artisans from across the globe.
The schedule of the Beyond Show & Sale at The Blackfoot Inn 5940 Blackfoot Trail S.E., Calgary, Alberta, are as follows: Friday, November 6 (4pm - 9pm); Saturday, November 7 (10am - 6pm); Sunday, November 8 (10am - 5pm). Situated in a convenient location in the city, BEYOND An Artisan Marketplace provides free parking as well. The venue is carpeted; there is an ATM on site and a restaurant.
The hallmark of BEYOND is high quality handmade work. Go BEYOND your creative limits. Thoroughly enjoy an artsy, light-hearted, fun-filled, contemporary and sheer sophisticated shopping experience as the discriminating Calgary shopper. If you represent global artisans, you need to verify that the work is handmade, that the artisans are offered good working conditions and fair wages.
Non-for-profit organizations (NGOs) with quality handmade work are also welcome. There will be more shows in the future, tentatively three every year. An extensive advertising citywide campaign will ensure that the show is widely publicized.
Confirm your booking by September 1st and you can make attractive savings so apply today!
Beyond the Ordinary leads to a dazzling discovery of Handmade Art and Crafts, whereas Beyond Borders is a pure celebration of diversity. On the other hand, Beyond your Expectations offers an ultimate experience between the Artisan and Shopper.
It is a vibrant venue for you the artist or artisan to market your work to the world. Patti and Carol has conceptualized and set up this amazing Artisan Marketplace. Their idea is to bring a new, inclusive, juried collection to the Calgary art and crafts enthusiast. It offers an exciting venue for talented artists and artisans to showcase their wonderful work.
Ensuring an enhanced experience and interaction between the artisan and the eclectic shopper is their top priority. With this in mind, they are keen on providing the best exhibition facilities that can be enjoyed over a relaxed open market ambience with an open and airy layout. This fully integrated collective is committed to harness the natural talents of artists and artisans and bring it directly to the discerning buyer and enthusiast.
Beyond An Artisan Marketplace is a new, inclusive concept that showcases Canadian talent and goes beyond our borders to support artists and artisans from around the world. In other words, the priority is to showcase captivating Canadian talent, apart from offering wholehearted support to artists and artisans from across the globe.
The schedule of the Beyond Show & Sale at The Blackfoot Inn 5940 Blackfoot Trail S.E., Calgary, Alberta, are as follows: Friday, November 6 (4pm - 9pm); Saturday, November 7 (10am - 6pm); Sunday, November 8 (10am - 5pm). Situated in a convenient location in the city, BEYOND An Artisan Marketplace provides free parking as well. The venue is carpeted; there is an ATM on site and a restaurant.
The hallmark of BEYOND is high quality handmade work. Go BEYOND your creative limits. Thoroughly enjoy an artsy, light-hearted, fun-filled, contemporary and sheer sophisticated shopping experience as the discriminating Calgary shopper. If you represent global artisans, you need to verify that the work is handmade, that the artisans are offered good working conditions and fair wages.
Non-for-profit organizations (NGOs) with quality handmade work are also welcome. There will be more shows in the future, tentatively three every year. An extensive advertising citywide campaign will ensure that the show is widely publicized.
Confirm your booking by September 1st and you can make attractive savings so apply today!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Innovative Google Suggest features help users make searches faster
Google Suggest saves precious time by giving valid suggestions as a user is typing out search items. And faster is better, believes the search engine giant. It has recently introduced features to help users make searches faster.
One of the changes is suggestions appearing on the results page. Previously, Google Suggest only displayed those based on original search input. Now, when one does a search from a ubiquitous results page, suggestions relating to the current results page are provided.
For example, if the previous search happened to be roller coasters, once you launch a new query the early few suggestions will still be related to roller coasters. This will help a user refine his or her search queries to find what one wants quickly.
Another noteworthy aspect is personalized suggestions.
According to Google Suggest estimates, nearly 25 percent of all signed-in searches happen to be repeats from the previous month. If one is signed in with one’s Google account and with Web History enabled, it may display some of the relevant recent searches as one keys in.
The personalized suggestions feature makes it faster and easier to repeat searches worked before. If a user needs to abort a search task abruptly, personalized suggestions help him or her continue with search tasks later.
Navigational suggestions make the task simpler. If your first few keystrokes indicate you may be looking to directly navigate to a specific website, Google Suggest will list it to take you straight there if you just click on it.
Sometimes the most relevant completion for something a user is typing is actually an ad. When it is shown, it is marked it with the clear text sign ‘Sponsored Link’ as well as a colored background, just as on the results page.
One of the changes is suggestions appearing on the results page. Previously, Google Suggest only displayed those based on original search input. Now, when one does a search from a ubiquitous results page, suggestions relating to the current results page are provided.
For example, if the previous search happened to be roller coasters, once you launch a new query the early few suggestions will still be related to roller coasters. This will help a user refine his or her search queries to find what one wants quickly.
Another noteworthy aspect is personalized suggestions.
According to Google Suggest estimates, nearly 25 percent of all signed-in searches happen to be repeats from the previous month. If one is signed in with one’s Google account and with Web History enabled, it may display some of the relevant recent searches as one keys in.
The personalized suggestions feature makes it faster and easier to repeat searches worked before. If a user needs to abort a search task abruptly, personalized suggestions help him or her continue with search tasks later.
Navigational suggestions make the task simpler. If your first few keystrokes indicate you may be looking to directly navigate to a specific website, Google Suggest will list it to take you straight there if you just click on it.
Sometimes the most relevant completion for something a user is typing is actually an ad. When it is shown, it is marked it with the clear text sign ‘Sponsored Link’ as well as a colored background, just as on the results page.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Building brand loyalty and customer commitment through social media
The definition of social media is rather a vague thing. At its narrowest, it depicts one way in which marketers and publishers can effectively put their messages across to encourage strong customer connections and firm loyalty. At its broadest, it signifies a form of publishing and the exchange of ideas within a community.
Someone who successfully employs social media doesn’t merely create content. The person or the institution manages to create conversations. And these two-way conversations lead to close-knit communities.
Even bloggers who write a post, want their readers to take part in the debate by leaving some comments at the end of the post. Their participation can take the discussion in an entirely new direction and add a new perspective to the debate. This sums up the ‘social’ aspect of social media.
What it essentially means is that publishing is more about participation. Just create a group on a website such as Facebook and you won’t be required to produce all of the content – textual or visual. Other group members will upload their photographs and tell stories.
That’s indeed the real beauty and power of social media! While it may well or may not be the ultimate goal, the result of social media action can inevitably be strong connections between the users or readers who choose to participate. Once these connections are firmly established around your domain-specific business, the end result can be the sort of solid brand loyalty and customer commitment sales professionals have always been dreaming about since the advent of direct marketing.
Someone who successfully employs social media doesn’t merely create content. The person or the institution manages to create conversations. And these two-way conversations lead to close-knit communities.
Even bloggers who write a post, want their readers to take part in the debate by leaving some comments at the end of the post. Their participation can take the discussion in an entirely new direction and add a new perspective to the debate. This sums up the ‘social’ aspect of social media.
What it essentially means is that publishing is more about participation. Just create a group on a website such as Facebook and you won’t be required to produce all of the content – textual or visual. Other group members will upload their photographs and tell stories.
That’s indeed the real beauty and power of social media! While it may well or may not be the ultimate goal, the result of social media action can inevitably be strong connections between the users or readers who choose to participate. Once these connections are firmly established around your domain-specific business, the end result can be the sort of solid brand loyalty and customer commitment sales professionals have always been dreaming about since the advent of direct marketing.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Understanding the factors that drive social media
Social media can mean all sorts of different platforms. The prime aspect that distinguishes it from other online avenues is interactivity.
The best description of social media in this context is content created solely by its audience. For example, Facebook is not a hardcore publishing company. It does not produce any content on its own. It neither creates articles or posts in house nor uploads videos or images for visitors to view and enjoy.
What it does is let its users do all of these things on its behalf. It’s like a production house telling the whole world that all creative minds are welcome to shoot their own programs and allow them to broadcast them on its networks without charging anything.
If that were to actually happen, you would still have to inform people what channel they could watch your program. You would still need to produce content other people might like to enjoy. Inevitably, those who adopted the most professional approach towards what they were doing would be the most successful. This is because they would be able to connect with their target audiences.
This also is the key feature of social media – the ability to connect with your audiences. But there is one basic difference. Active user intervention in the process of content creation instead of passive participation forms a vital element of social media.
Keeping this interactive aspect in mind, the outlay for social media advertising can be conceptualized in various innovative ways.
The best description of social media in this context is content created solely by its audience. For example, Facebook is not a hardcore publishing company. It does not produce any content on its own. It neither creates articles or posts in house nor uploads videos or images for visitors to view and enjoy.
What it does is let its users do all of these things on its behalf. It’s like a production house telling the whole world that all creative minds are welcome to shoot their own programs and allow them to broadcast them on its networks without charging anything.
If that were to actually happen, you would still have to inform people what channel they could watch your program. You would still need to produce content other people might like to enjoy. Inevitably, those who adopted the most professional approach towards what they were doing would be the most successful. This is because they would be able to connect with their target audiences.
This also is the key feature of social media – the ability to connect with your audiences. But there is one basic difference. Active user intervention in the process of content creation instead of passive participation forms a vital element of social media.
Keeping this interactive aspect in mind, the outlay for social media advertising can be conceptualized in various innovative ways.
Friday, July 10, 2009
The Webidiotz Portland Oregon Grand Opening
Nestled in the heart of the beautiful Pearl District of Portland Oregon, Webidiotz has opened its doors and is ready for business! Businesses all over Oregon are waking up to the fact that a website is no longer a “nice-to-have”, but a “need-to-have” for their business. A comprehensive, online marketing campaign that includes web site design, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), domain hosting, site hosting and all the bells and whistles that come along with it is simply a necessity in this business environment.
This year, thousands of Oregon businesses will ask themselves “What is the lowest cost way to improve my sales?” Most will turn to their marketing campaigns, and some might look at print, radio and television spots to generate revenue. Some will look at last year’s campaigns to try to determine how much they impacted their bottom line. But wouldn’t it be nice to know? That’s the beauty of Internet marketing done right – you can track your campaigns’ performance, and know what your ROI is at a very granular level.
Let’s be frank for a moment. Comprehensive Internet marketing campaigns are not being done well or even at all for many businesses. Some businesses understand the need, but don’t understand the process. Some businesses understand that %80 of people who are looking for a product or service start their search with a web search engine like Google. That’s where SEO comes in. One of the critical factors in an Internet marketing campaign is making sure you’re beautiful new website gets found by people looking for your services.
Another critical factor is making sure your site has a professional look and feel, suited to your brand and your business. The content needs to be well thought out, well organized, and contain everything a customer is looking for. Users only spend seconds on a homepage making a decision about your company.
The final critical factor is your measuring success. How does your site perform? How does it hold up against competitors? Is it easy, cost-effective to maintain and update? Is the hosting solution for the domain and site hosting good enough? At Webidiotz we provide businesses the tools needed to measure these things for themselves. Having your internet marketing company tell you that your campaign is successful without providing the tools to check for yourself is like having an investment advisor tell you you’re making money without providing income statements. At Webidiotz, we would never accept that, and neither should you. Take the tools, measure your success, and engage us to improve it.
The big hold up with many businesses getting online has been price. At Webidiotz we’ve tailored the process to give our clients award winning sites with superb marketing strategies and tools at an affordable price. Don’t believe me? Call today for a free consultation at 1-888-211-8133 and if you think our prices and work is ahead of the competition, I will come and take you out for a beer personally (assuming you’re over the legal age!)
Teg Ryan
CTO, Webidiotz
Check Out Our Work
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Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Experts try to devise innovative ways for enhancing people's interaction with the Web
There's no shortage of uses for the loads of data available online. Advertisers always look to mine the photos and status updates that you post on networking sites to better sell their wares. The problem is figuring out really how to organize and put the data in an informative way, instead of forcing users to sift through unending heaps of mind-numbing spreadsheets. When are pie charts and bar graphs enough to break down a set of numbers? Which is the best way to display cellphone call logs or something like senators' voting records?
These were some of the questions debated by researchers, corporate financial analysts and computer science professors at the annual symposium workshops of the Human-Computer Interaction La, University of Maryland. A research manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mave Houston, stated: "We are trying to understand data and then make sense of it visually. But there is no way of evaluating how effective these visuals really are."
Linking information, devising user-friendly technology devices and coming up with various innovative ways for improving people's interaction with the Web has been part of the Lab's mission since it was founded in 1983 by Ben Shneiderman. Since then, it has been credited with generating hyperlinks - highlighted words in a document, which direct surfers to another site - even down to their peculiar light blue color.
Shneiderman also developed a tool 'treemaps' that display information as blocks of color to indicate hierarchal relationships. "It's satisfying to notice what was once considered esoteric research becoming mainstream computer science, which has revolutionized industries," Shneiderman stated. "Just think, YouTube works simply because designers made it easier to search for videos effectively. Now we’ve high schoolchildren creating videos that register 5 million views."
These were some of the questions debated by researchers, corporate financial analysts and computer science professors at the annual symposium workshops of the Human-Computer Interaction La, University of Maryland. A research manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mave Houston, stated: "We are trying to understand data and then make sense of it visually. But there is no way of evaluating how effective these visuals really are."
Linking information, devising user-friendly technology devices and coming up with various innovative ways for improving people's interaction with the Web has been part of the Lab's mission since it was founded in 1983 by Ben Shneiderman. Since then, it has been credited with generating hyperlinks - highlighted words in a document, which direct surfers to another site - even down to their peculiar light blue color.
Shneiderman also developed a tool 'treemaps' that display information as blocks of color to indicate hierarchal relationships. "It's satisfying to notice what was once considered esoteric research becoming mainstream computer science, which has revolutionized industries," Shneiderman stated. "Just think, YouTube works simply because designers made it easier to search for videos effectively. Now we’ve high schoolchildren creating videos that register 5 million views."
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Evolution of the Web from a mere publishing medium to a great programming platform
An insightful essay in the prestigious publication ‘The Observer’ tracks the evolution of Web technology. The tech expert John Naughton starts off, noting, “Once upon a time, web pages were mere text, written in something called HTML (Hypertext Mark-Up Language). This is a code, which uses angle brackets, quotation marks and forward slashes. When your computer sought a web page from a site, it sent back the text file; your web browser program rendered it for displaying on your screen.”
Such was the state of the technology just about 15 years ago. In 1994, a programmer working for Netscape, the first browser firm, thought of the new idea of embedding mini-programs (termed scripts) in a web page that a browser could run even as it was rendering the page. This idea by Brendan Eich would let the creator of the page incorporate all kinds of useful functionality. His scripting language was first known as Mocha and later LiveScript, but wound up being termed JavaScript.
The ability to run JavaScript was implemented in Version 2 of the Netscape browser for the first time in December 1995. It was an innovation, which transformed the Web. Virtually every web page is now loaded with JavaScript. If you are keen on checking how far this has actually gone, download and install a clever plug-in program termed NoScript for the Firefox browser.
NoScript monitors every page and then alerts you to all those scripts embedded into it. You can opt to allow or forbid your browser to run them. What this indicates is the extent to which the Web has evolved from a mere publishing medium to a great programming platform.
Such was the state of the technology just about 15 years ago. In 1994, a programmer working for Netscape, the first browser firm, thought of the new idea of embedding mini-programs (termed scripts) in a web page that a browser could run even as it was rendering the page. This idea by Brendan Eich would let the creator of the page incorporate all kinds of useful functionality. His scripting language was first known as Mocha and later LiveScript, but wound up being termed JavaScript.
The ability to run JavaScript was implemented in Version 2 of the Netscape browser for the first time in December 1995. It was an innovation, which transformed the Web. Virtually every web page is now loaded with JavaScript. If you are keen on checking how far this has actually gone, download and install a clever plug-in program termed NoScript for the Firefox browser.
NoScript monitors every page and then alerts you to all those scripts embedded into it. You can opt to allow or forbid your browser to run them. What this indicates is the extent to which the Web has evolved from a mere publishing medium to a great programming platform.
Monday, July 6, 2009
‘Twitter Power’ helps develop a holistic social networking strategy
Over the last couple of years, many forward-thinking global companies such as Apple, Whole Foods and JetBlue have discovered the immense monetary and goodwill gains of leveraging the emerging social media phenomenon. It has helped them directly reach prospective and existing consumers, build a strong brand identity, and boost sales. Of course, this is just the beginning!
Twitter is right at top of the highly vibrant social media movement, letting members connect with each other in real time via 'tweets' (short text messages). These messages can be received either by e-mail or via the Twitter site, cell phone, or instant messenger.
Many companies worldwide have begun building specialized teams within their organizational set-up, dedicated solely for the purpose of immediately responding to tweets from aware consumers about their services, products and brand experience.
'Twitter Power - How to Dominate Your Market - One Tweet at a Time' (Hardcover, 272 pages, Publishers: Wiley List Price: $24.95), an engaging book by Joel Comm along with Anthony Robbins (foreword by) and Ken Burge, tries to project itself as a complete guide for personal as well as professional Twitter usage. The book presents a glimpse of companies that are leading the Twitter movement.
This new documentation analyzes the whole phenomenon and shows how to successfully integrate Twitter into conventional marketing strategies. The aim of the exercise is to help establish a solid base on the Twitter platform. It provides tips on increasing awareness for your services or products, and even handling negative publicity from angry consumers.
Twitter is right at top of the highly vibrant social media movement, letting members connect with each other in real time via 'tweets' (short text messages). These messages can be received either by e-mail or via the Twitter site, cell phone, or instant messenger.
Many companies worldwide have begun building specialized teams within their organizational set-up, dedicated solely for the purpose of immediately responding to tweets from aware consumers about their services, products and brand experience.
'Twitter Power - How to Dominate Your Market - One Tweet at a Time' (Hardcover, 272 pages, Publishers: Wiley List Price: $24.95), an engaging book by Joel Comm along with Anthony Robbins (foreword by) and Ken Burge, tries to project itself as a complete guide for personal as well as professional Twitter usage. The book presents a glimpse of companies that are leading the Twitter movement.
This new documentation analyzes the whole phenomenon and shows how to successfully integrate Twitter into conventional marketing strategies. The aim of the exercise is to help establish a solid base on the Twitter platform. It provides tips on increasing awareness for your services or products, and even handling negative publicity from angry consumers.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Can Bing be a game-changer in search advertising?
Since Bing’s release, the debate over the quality of its search results vis-Ã -vis Google goes on. There are reports that the new and improved search product from Microsoft has taken over the number two spot from Yahoo Search, albeit temporarily.
Another set of data from user experience research company User Centric concludes that Bing's cosmetic changes could well bring major gains for search advertisers. The company invited a group of searchers, providing them with four specific queries so that same results on both Google and Bing could be obtained.
It was found that Bing searchers were much more likely to view the search ads placed on the right side of the page. On average, 42% of them viewed those sponsored links, whereas only 25% did on Google. The difference did not extend to ads, which showed up above the organic results. It also did not reflect in clicks, as ad click-through rates on both engines were about the same.
The sample size was rather small. User Centric study covered just about two dozen searchers. Managing director Gavin Lew stated the smaller size ensured a better qualitative analysis that backed up the findings. It needs to be noted that a novelty factor might have contributed to the users' willingness to view at the Bing ads.
Lew commented it could also be suggestive of a more ad-friendly design.
However, the inconclusive eye-tracking data and design theories cannot make up for the fact that Bing results aren't as comprehensive as Google's currently.
If Microsoft can ensure faster indexing of sites as well as greater relevance, Bing could prove to be a game-changer in terms of online search advertising. User Centric will carry the study again a few months later to establish the trend.
Another set of data from user experience research company User Centric concludes that Bing's cosmetic changes could well bring major gains for search advertisers. The company invited a group of searchers, providing them with four specific queries so that same results on both Google and Bing could be obtained.
It was found that Bing searchers were much more likely to view the search ads placed on the right side of the page. On average, 42% of them viewed those sponsored links, whereas only 25% did on Google. The difference did not extend to ads, which showed up above the organic results. It also did not reflect in clicks, as ad click-through rates on both engines were about the same.
The sample size was rather small. User Centric study covered just about two dozen searchers. Managing director Gavin Lew stated the smaller size ensured a better qualitative analysis that backed up the findings. It needs to be noted that a novelty factor might have contributed to the users' willingness to view at the Bing ads.
Lew commented it could also be suggestive of a more ad-friendly design.
However, the inconclusive eye-tracking data and design theories cannot make up for the fact that Bing results aren't as comprehensive as Google's currently.
If Microsoft can ensure faster indexing of sites as well as greater relevance, Bing could prove to be a game-changer in terms of online search advertising. User Centric will carry the study again a few months later to establish the trend.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
A more personal and social computing experience with Opera Unite
It's something anyone can use! With Opera Unite, even non-technical users can choose to serve and share content and services from their own computers in the form of intuitive applications.
Opera Unite promises to enable a whole new gamut of social software on the Web - applications that benefit from presence of several users online at the same time. With Opera Unite, they can directly connect bypassing third-party server control.
A product analyst for Opera Unite, Lawrence Eng, mentions in a blog post on the site that the technology is a radical first step towards addressing what he calls the 'Internet's unfulfilled promise'. Sharing his thoughts and vision, he elaborates that it’s about our ability to connect with each other and also participate meaningfully online -without losing control of our data, on our own terms.
"It will redefine what's possible with Web applications, and we invite users to join us in moving beyond stale ideas and (self-imposed) limitations. With Opera Unite, we can start moving in a different direction leading to a more personal and social computing experience, which actually begins to deliver on the promise of the Internet bringing together people in meaningful ways," the technical expert adds.
Opera Unite offers the platform for you to come up with the applications driven by
your imagination. It offers an opportunity to creative developers and entrepreneurs to envision new ways for people to interact online, so that computing gets truly interpersonal.
Opera Unite is currently in its technical preview phase.
Opera Unite promises to enable a whole new gamut of social software on the Web - applications that benefit from presence of several users online at the same time. With Opera Unite, they can directly connect bypassing third-party server control.
A product analyst for Opera Unite, Lawrence Eng, mentions in a blog post on the site that the technology is a radical first step towards addressing what he calls the 'Internet's unfulfilled promise'. Sharing his thoughts and vision, he elaborates that it’s about our ability to connect with each other and also participate meaningfully online -without losing control of our data, on our own terms.
"It will redefine what's possible with Web applications, and we invite users to join us in moving beyond stale ideas and (self-imposed) limitations. With Opera Unite, we can start moving in a different direction leading to a more personal and social computing experience, which actually begins to deliver on the promise of the Internet bringing together people in meaningful ways," the technical expert adds.
Opera Unite offers the platform for you to come up with the applications driven by
your imagination. It offers an opportunity to creative developers and entrepreneurs to envision new ways for people to interact online, so that computing gets truly interpersonal.
Opera Unite is currently in its technical preview phase.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Could a fall in their fortune mean obscurity for MySpace and Bebo?
Have MySpace and Bebo started to fall behind in the competitive world of social networking. This is the question posed by Jemima Kiss and Charles Arthur of The Guardian. The tech experts try to examine the apparent decline of 'once industry darlings' and the simultaneous rise of their rivals.
Going back into the past, the article notes Rupert Murdoch's buyout of Intermix Media and its MySpace site was arguably the moment the whole world started taking social networking seriously. This was in July 2005.The acquisition in spite of the astonishment of his old media rivals at the $580m price tag was vindicated by a deal with Google in October 2006 that guaranteed News Corp a whopping $900m in ad revenue over the next three and a half years, providing set traffic targets were met.
The Google deal will be over at the end of June 2010, and with it about half of MySpace's revenue! The search engine giant has already informed it isn't really benefiting from the deal, though Owen van Natta, MySpace's new chief executive, tried to play down the importance of the agreement, stating enhancing user experience was the priority.
The latest data from web metrics firms is not too encouraging. They all suggest that MySpace is in decline - whether it's in terms of number of page views, or time spent on the site per user. The same holds true for the British-devised Bebo, purchased by AOL in March 2008 for nearly $850m.Its numbers are also getting worse.
"For both, such a reverse could well herald a decline towards obscurity – similar to that suffered by another British social networking website, Friends Reunited bought by ITV for £120m in December 2005, recently valued at only £20m," the tech writers caution.
Going back into the past, the article notes Rupert Murdoch's buyout of Intermix Media and its MySpace site was arguably the moment the whole world started taking social networking seriously. This was in July 2005.The acquisition in spite of the astonishment of his old media rivals at the $580m price tag was vindicated by a deal with Google in October 2006 that guaranteed News Corp a whopping $900m in ad revenue over the next three and a half years, providing set traffic targets were met.
The Google deal will be over at the end of June 2010, and with it about half of MySpace's revenue! The search engine giant has already informed it isn't really benefiting from the deal, though Owen van Natta, MySpace's new chief executive, tried to play down the importance of the agreement, stating enhancing user experience was the priority.
The latest data from web metrics firms is not too encouraging. They all suggest that MySpace is in decline - whether it's in terms of number of page views, or time spent on the site per user. The same holds true for the British-devised Bebo, purchased by AOL in March 2008 for nearly $850m.Its numbers are also getting worse.
"For both, such a reverse could well herald a decline towards obscurity – similar to that suffered by another British social networking website, Friends Reunited bought by ITV for £120m in December 2005, recently valued at only £20m," the tech writers caution.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Some valuable inputs on corporate social networking
Ambitious entrepreneurs, who want to boost their personal and professional image, cannot afford to ignore social networking. It is the best means of creating goodwill among your potential customers.
Building social capital requires a systematic approach. In order to build strong business relationships, you must understand how to handle this crucial aspect of business growth and continuity. From this perspective, you must gain a deeper knowledge of social networks, including a clear understanding of how they function.
This is necessary to be able to harness their inherent power and reach. Expert inputs can help you evolve an effective corporate social networking strategy.
Today’s tech-savvy corporations are keen to invest in social network technologies. Entrepreneurs who successfully employ networking typically look at it as a long-term commitment. They essentially perceive this as a relationship cultivation process.
The best strategy for employing social networks is not to treat them merely as a money making tool, but as a medium to build brand awareness. Here are some useful ideas to make it a meaningful exercise:
• Explore the key attributes of successful social networking sites.
• Decide which approach to take while creating your social network.
• Use social networks in your own organization for in house and customer-facing applications.
Last but not the least, consider incorporating innovative value-added features and services.
Building social capital requires a systematic approach. In order to build strong business relationships, you must understand how to handle this crucial aspect of business growth and continuity. From this perspective, you must gain a deeper knowledge of social networks, including a clear understanding of how they function.
This is necessary to be able to harness their inherent power and reach. Expert inputs can help you evolve an effective corporate social networking strategy.
Today’s tech-savvy corporations are keen to invest in social network technologies. Entrepreneurs who successfully employ networking typically look at it as a long-term commitment. They essentially perceive this as a relationship cultivation process.
The best strategy for employing social networks is not to treat them merely as a money making tool, but as a medium to build brand awareness. Here are some useful ideas to make it a meaningful exercise:
• Explore the key attributes of successful social networking sites.
• Decide which approach to take while creating your social network.
• Use social networks in your own organization for in house and customer-facing applications.
Last but not the least, consider incorporating innovative value-added features and services.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Critical design and content aspects that make your site foolproof
Before launching the site after a round of thorough test run, there are still a few critical checks to be done. We list them below:
1. Are the design, structure and navigation foolproof?
2. Are all images and pages uploaded properly on the hosting server?
3. Is there an index.html (or index.htm) in each and every folder?
4. Are all the pages correctly cross-linked?
5. Are any under construction pages left behind? Leave them for the next round of your website update. The ‘under construction’ label tells only one thing to the users: the site is not professional!
The checks should preferably be made from several different destinations and computers. They should be done not in local (c:///mysite) mode but on the Internet (http://www.mysite.com).
However, the whole exercise at times can prove to be extremely time-consuming and costly. This is why you should look for services that are willing to offer web site designs with the basic features and technology needed for improved placement on search engines and internet directories. The goal of a reliable website design and development company is essentially to provide truly affordable services to small and middle size businesses.
Of course, once your site is tested and made live, the critical task is to keep it dynamic. Regular visitors of a website will know it inside out almost as much as its webmaster. If the site is not regularly updated, and fails to provide fresh content, the visitors wouldn't have a reason to come back. They would slowly lose their interest.
1. Are the design, structure and navigation foolproof?
2. Are all images and pages uploaded properly on the hosting server?
3. Is there an index.html (or index.htm) in each and every folder?
4. Are all the pages correctly cross-linked?
5. Are any under construction pages left behind? Leave them for the next round of your website update. The ‘under construction’ label tells only one thing to the users: the site is not professional!
The checks should preferably be made from several different destinations and computers. They should be done not in local (c:///mysite) mode but on the Internet (http://www.mysite.com).
However, the whole exercise at times can prove to be extremely time-consuming and costly. This is why you should look for services that are willing to offer web site designs with the basic features and technology needed for improved placement on search engines and internet directories. The goal of a reliable website design and development company is essentially to provide truly affordable services to small and middle size businesses.
Of course, once your site is tested and made live, the critical task is to keep it dynamic. Regular visitors of a website will know it inside out almost as much as its webmaster. If the site is not regularly updated, and fails to provide fresh content, the visitors wouldn't have a reason to come back. They would slowly lose their interest.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Another step in the evolution of Google News and Wikipedia
Google News is now trying to experiment with Wikipedia links attaching them to certain stories. Essentially the idea is to give those entries the stamp of approval for online readers who are searching for more information on the article's subject.
It's up for debate as to whether that is a negative or positive thing for readers. Many who form part of the search community have been rather critical about the way that Wikipedia entries tend to often dominate the top search results. The open criticism may or may not be valid because the readers have become used to the resource and instinctively look for it.
Google's stance has been that the entries' content, carefully selected keywords and loyal repeat traffic are the ingredients that result in their high rankings. The reaction is quite similar to the response that it recently gave in the backdrop of media firms complaining about rankings.
Since Wikipedia entries are invariably crowd-sourced, and constantly changing, their nature raises the question of how accurate or precise the info they provide will be once a user clicks through. According to analysts, there is also the issue of whether users will click a Wikipedia link instead of reading the story. This will obviously mean less traffic for the original news source.
On the other hand, Nieman Journalism Lab writer Zachary Seward sees the links’ idea in a much more favorable light by arguing that it effectively serves as a small, albeit ‘potentially crucial’ step in the evolution of news presentation. This will make a single Web page thoroughly informative.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Be careful while reposing your trust in cloud computing
Among the most talked about and hyped IT concepts in the recent past is cloud computing. Also termed software as a service (Saas), cloud computing is all about running software over the Internet and accessing it via a browser. A prime example of this is the salesforce.com customer management software. So is Google Docs!
Cloud computing, in a way, is the modern version of the 1960s timesharing model that diminished owing to the rise of the personal computer. The old model arose since computers were very expensive and tough to maintain. Modern computers and networks are cheaper, and relatively easier to maintain.
Cloud computing may indeed stand for the future of computing, as many believe. However, you still need to be cautious about who is looking after your data. You need to be concerned about the security aspect? IT security is more about trust. In the end, users have no choice but to trust the security of the IT service providers they access. Saas looks to move the trust boundary out a step further – you now have to trust your software service vendors as well.
You can protect a computer within your network with other security systems like firewalls and IDSs. You can construct a resilient system, which works even if those vendors may not be absolutely trustworthy. On the other hand, with any outsourcing model, including cloud computing, you have to trust the outsourcer's security, reliability, availability, and business continuity.
There are two basic types of cloud computing customers. The first pays a nominal fee for the services – and makes use of them for free in exchange for ads: for example, Gmail and Facebook. They would have no leverage with their outsourcers. The second type of customer pays a considerable amount of money for the services: to MessageLabs, salesforce.com, managed network firms, and so on. They have more leverage.
So what is the advice to these customers? Bruce Schneier, BT's chief security technology officer, notes in an article: “Be careful who you trust, be careful what you trust them with, and be careful how much you trust them. Outsourcing is the future of computing. Eventually we'll get this right, but you don't want to be a casualty along the way.”
Cloud computing, in a way, is the modern version of the 1960s timesharing model that diminished owing to the rise of the personal computer. The old model arose since computers were very expensive and tough to maintain. Modern computers and networks are cheaper, and relatively easier to maintain.
Cloud computing may indeed stand for the future of computing, as many believe. However, you still need to be cautious about who is looking after your data. You need to be concerned about the security aspect? IT security is more about trust. In the end, users have no choice but to trust the security of the IT service providers they access. Saas looks to move the trust boundary out a step further – you now have to trust your software service vendors as well.
You can protect a computer within your network with other security systems like firewalls and IDSs. You can construct a resilient system, which works even if those vendors may not be absolutely trustworthy. On the other hand, with any outsourcing model, including cloud computing, you have to trust the outsourcer's security, reliability, availability, and business continuity.
There are two basic types of cloud computing customers. The first pays a nominal fee for the services – and makes use of them for free in exchange for ads: for example, Gmail and Facebook. They would have no leverage with their outsourcers. The second type of customer pays a considerable amount of money for the services: to MessageLabs, salesforce.com, managed network firms, and so on. They have more leverage.
So what is the advice to these customers? Bruce Schneier, BT's chief security technology officer, notes in an article: “Be careful who you trust, be careful what you trust them with, and be careful how much you trust them. Outsourcing is the future of computing. Eventually we'll get this right, but you don't want to be a casualty along the way.”
Friday, June 19, 2009
Some valuable inputs on corporate social networking
Ambitious entrepreneurs, who want to boost their personal and professional image, cannot afford to ignore social networking. It is the best means of creating goodwill among your potential customers.
Building social capital requires a systematic approach. In order to build strong business relationships, you must understand how to handle this crucial aspect of business growth and continuity. From this perspective, you must gain a deeper knowledge of social networks, including a clear understanding of how they function. This is necessary to be able to harness their inherent power and reach. Expert inputs can help you evolve an effective corporate social networking strategy.
Today’s tech-savvy corporations are keen to invest in social network technologies. Entrepreneurs who successfully employ networking typically look at it as a long-term commitment. They essentially perceive this as a relationship cultivation process. The best strategy for employing social networks is not to treat them merely as a money making tool, but as a medium to build brand awareness. Here are some useful ideas to make it a meaningful exercise
• Explore the key attributes of successful social networking sites.
• Decide which approach to take while creating your social network.
• Use social networks in your own organization for in house and customer-facing applications. Consider incorporating innovative value-added features and services.
Building social capital requires a systematic approach. In order to build strong business relationships, you must understand how to handle this crucial aspect of business growth and continuity. From this perspective, you must gain a deeper knowledge of social networks, including a clear understanding of how they function. This is necessary to be able to harness their inherent power and reach. Expert inputs can help you evolve an effective corporate social networking strategy.
Today’s tech-savvy corporations are keen to invest in social network technologies. Entrepreneurs who successfully employ networking typically look at it as a long-term commitment. They essentially perceive this as a relationship cultivation process. The best strategy for employing social networks is not to treat them merely as a money making tool, but as a medium to build brand awareness. Here are some useful ideas to make it a meaningful exercise
• Explore the key attributes of successful social networking sites.
• Decide which approach to take while creating your social network.
• Use social networks in your own organization for in house and customer-facing applications. Consider incorporating innovative value-added features and services.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
‘Twitter-exclusive’ @DellOutlet has gained quite a significant following
@DellOutlet has been one of the major success stories amongst big brands using social media. It’s a Twitter account owned by Dell, which tweets out major discounts for their computers and allied products. All of the deals available on @DellOutlet are ‘Twitter-exclusive’.
@DellOutlet has gained quite a significant following and has acted as an effective online outlet that sold a lot of computers. The progress made in terms of volumes and sales figures has been truly impressive. And @DellOutlet continues its rapid rise.
@DellOutlet was started in June 2007. The concept was initiated by Dell’s Richard Binhammer. Making a rather modest beginning, it soon started catching fancy of buyers. The idea fast spread among customers who got hooked to it.
The ‘Twitter-exclusive’ project created immense buzz, resulting retweets, and a rapid rise in followers. Enthused by the success of @DellOutlet, the company has since chosen to embrace social media on multiple accounts. As one of the top brands to successfully employ Twitter as a business platform, Dell clearly has been a trendsetter for other brand building exercises like @Zappos and @JetBlue on Twitter.
@DellOutlet is a proof of the fact that platforms like Twitter can indeed be lucrative for companies – big and small - looking to leverage the reach and power of the Internet. It’s a win-win scenario for both the companies (that can indulge in brand building and earn significant revenues) as well as the consumers (who can get a great deal online).
@DellOutlet has gained quite a significant following and has acted as an effective online outlet that sold a lot of computers. The progress made in terms of volumes and sales figures has been truly impressive. And @DellOutlet continues its rapid rise.
@DellOutlet was started in June 2007. The concept was initiated by Dell’s Richard Binhammer. Making a rather modest beginning, it soon started catching fancy of buyers. The idea fast spread among customers who got hooked to it.
The ‘Twitter-exclusive’ project created immense buzz, resulting retweets, and a rapid rise in followers. Enthused by the success of @DellOutlet, the company has since chosen to embrace social media on multiple accounts. As one of the top brands to successfully employ Twitter as a business platform, Dell clearly has been a trendsetter for other brand building exercises like @Zappos and @JetBlue on Twitter.
@DellOutlet is a proof of the fact that platforms like Twitter can indeed be lucrative for companies – big and small - looking to leverage the reach and power of the Internet. It’s a win-win scenario for both the companies (that can indulge in brand building and earn significant revenues) as well as the consumers (who can get a great deal online).
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Android operating system will contribute to the netbook sales, feels Acer
Acer plans to incorporate Android in the Aspire One. This will give Acer a significant marketing edge, whereas users will get more choice in the form of Google's mobile phone operating system on their netbooks apart from Microsoft's operating system. They may select their preferred option of operating system.
Acer feels that the Android operating system will significantly contribute to the worldwide netbook market growth. At the recent Computex trade show in Taiwan, the company stated it planned to ship most versions of its new Aspire One netbook with a version of Linux-based Android operating system, employed on mobile phones like the G-1. Shipping both Android and Windows on a majority of Aspire One netbooks will cut down the cost of having separate stock-keeping units for Windows and Linux.
"The Android operating system will allow Acer netbook users faster Internet connectivity, enhancing efficiency on-the-go," claimed the company. It remains to be seen how many users of Aspire One actually employ Android because, in Q3, the company will presumably begin shipping netbooks running Windows 7.
Presumably, even the Starter version (that no longer has the potential limit of only being able to run 3 apps at once) looks markedly better than Android. But it still might give Acer a selling point against other rival netbooks that don't incorporate something similar.
Android is open source so suppliers can customize it. One of the main reasons Linux failed on netbooks was that the top suppliers offered their own versions instead of opting to unite behind a common platform. It now remains to be seen whether the netbook market will have different versions of Android.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Smart mini-search engines are trying to carve out a new niche
Many smart, albeit ‘small-scale’ search engines are trying to carve out a new niche for themselves. Realizing that it is futile to take on Google and other top search engines, entities like Kosmix and Powerset are treading off-beat paths.
Kosmix smartly combines results thrown by other search engines. Its computers in response to a topic search create a page full of information automatically pulled from websites like YouTube and Wikipedia, as well as blogs, Twitter feeds and more sources.
According to Kosmix’s co-founder Venky Harinarayan, their computers comb through over 10,000 websites and applications. For instance, if you want to research a trip to Hawaii, it can find you various opinions and ideas from Twitter, a guide on Mahalo and also the latest images from Flickr, all of which is then displayed on one page ordered by relevance and importance.
These are all new mini-search engines that still form a very tiny part of the global search market. They are estimated to draw less than mere 2% of total search traffic worldwide. However, their relevance is underlined by a recent report from Web traffic monitor Hitwise. According to their estimates, these mini-search engines are growing rapidly. Kosmix has witnessed its market-share increase by 730% year-over-year, whereas traffic is almost double on Microsoft owned Powerset from that of a year ago.
Kosmix smartly combines results thrown by other search engines. Its computers in response to a topic search create a page full of information automatically pulled from websites like YouTube and Wikipedia, as well as blogs, Twitter feeds and more sources.
According to Kosmix’s co-founder Venky Harinarayan, their computers comb through over 10,000 websites and applications. For instance, if you want to research a trip to Hawaii, it can find you various opinions and ideas from Twitter, a guide on Mahalo and also the latest images from Flickr, all of which is then displayed on one page ordered by relevance and importance.
These are all new mini-search engines that still form a very tiny part of the global search market. They are estimated to draw less than mere 2% of total search traffic worldwide. However, their relevance is underlined by a recent report from Web traffic monitor Hitwise. According to their estimates, these mini-search engines are growing rapidly. Kosmix has witnessed its market-share increase by 730% year-over-year, whereas traffic is almost double on Microsoft owned Powerset from that of a year ago.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Your website acts as a platform to serve the vast customer base worldwide
If you are looking for a comprehensive website package that provides a clear, simple and user-friendly structure, you have arrived at the right resource.
The services offered by Webidiotz meet and surpass each client’s expectations. Appreciating the contribution made by Neil Patel to the website for www.amandamydesigns.com, Mandy Yakubovich mentions: “He carefully listened to my ideas and didn't hesitate to point out when something I wanted wouldn't work out for the best. He offered expert advice and a new way of doing things.”
Describing Webidiotz as an innovative company, which places great emphasis on complete customer satisfaction, Mandy Yakubovich adds, “I am thrilled with my website. When a friend commented that it really showed my passion for my work, I realized that Webidiotz had helped me capture the true essence of what I do!
Mandy Yakubovich has been drawing and painting since ‘I was old enough to hold a pencil or a paintbrush’, as the artist puts it: “Even as a small child I always knew that I wanted to be an artist. And I have never deviated from that path. I feel so fortunate to be living my dream.” In between school carpools, swimming lessons and dance classes, the avid artist has managed to take on some fascinating art projects. The work forms part of many prestigious private collections throughout Canada and the US.
“I believe that we can find art in almost everything from the simplest objects of day-today life to the elaborate works hung on gallery walls,” the artist quips. Webidiotz has tried to ensure that the website www.amandamydesigns.com reflects the artist’s style and philosophy. It acts as the artist’s window to the vast art community online, and showcases the select works. You can either pick something you like or the artist will be happy to create a custom piece for you.
As with www.amandamydesigns.com, Webidiotz promises to provide a result-oriented site that plays a major role in acquainting your potential customers with the brand/ business/ service offerings from you. It increases your sales and vastly enhances your brand reach.
The services offered by Webidiotz meet and surpass each client’s expectations. Appreciating the contribution made by Neil Patel to the website for www.amandamydesigns.com, Mandy Yakubovich mentions: “He carefully listened to my ideas and didn't hesitate to point out when something I wanted wouldn't work out for the best. He offered expert advice and a new way of doing things.”
Describing Webidiotz as an innovative company, which places great emphasis on complete customer satisfaction, Mandy Yakubovich adds, “I am thrilled with my website. When a friend commented that it really showed my passion for my work, I realized that Webidiotz had helped me capture the true essence of what I do!Mandy Yakubovich has been drawing and painting since ‘I was old enough to hold a pencil or a paintbrush’, as the artist puts it: “Even as a small child I always knew that I wanted to be an artist. And I have never deviated from that path. I feel so fortunate to be living my dream.” In between school carpools, swimming lessons and dance classes, the avid artist has managed to take on some fascinating art projects. The work forms part of many prestigious private collections throughout Canada and the US.
“I believe that we can find art in almost everything from the simplest objects of day-today life to the elaborate works hung on gallery walls,” the artist quips. Webidiotz has tried to ensure that the website www.amandamydesigns.com reflects the artist’s style and philosophy. It acts as the artist’s window to the vast art community online, and showcases the select works. You can either pick something you like or the artist will be happy to create a custom piece for you.
As with www.amandamydesigns.com, Webidiotz promises to provide a result-oriented site that plays a major role in acquainting your potential customers with the brand/ business/ service offerings from you. It increases your sales and vastly enhances your brand reach.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Breaking the Google hold is easier said than done, its competitors discover!
The major issue with the highly competitive search engine business is that its future may almost have nothing to do with increased accuracy of search results. Google's information is more than adequate for the majority of people who look to find information online.
Currently, search seems to be facing the same peculiar problem as the chip business. Intel and AMD make so powerful semiconductors that very few PC buyers can employ all of their available computational power. A lot of what these chips can actually do is wasted. And upgrading to a more power-packed processor does not really mean much to users who fail to grasp the difference.
Under the circumstances, building a new search engine is a risk since it's expensive to build and market one. It is not easy to make it stand and survive in the mass market. To make the proposition even tougher, not only do users prefer Google to other options, but also most of them are not able to tell whether a new search product is markedly better.
Aside from the top search engines that comprise Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft, there are several smaller companies jostling for users' attention. Microsoft claims that if its search engine fetches more relevant results than Yahoo! or Google, people will ultimately turn to the ‘best’ product. However, Google has become a habit for over two-thirds of the people who make use of search engines in the US. And breaking the Google hold is easier said than done!
Friday, June 12, 2009
YouTube XL offers a more enhanced user experience
YouTube has launched its newest service as part of a concerted strategy to move its content from the screen into the living room, the social heartland of its users. The new feature, YouTube XL, was launched after introduction of Hulu Desktop just a few days ago.
Soon users may be clicking the remote from their most comfortable chair in order to see YouTube videos on high resolution TV screen.
YouTube XL is a major enhancement to the YouTube for TV beta, an earlier launch, Google released in January. Product manager of YouTube XL, Kuan Yong, was quoted as saying that nothing about YouTube itself has really changed—except for the framework, which holds all that video content.
So users will think of YouTube, but with a vastly different UI, or user experience. All you need to do is just visit YouTube.com/XL, and you are set to enjoy the experience. It's all in the browser. There is no need for any software or plug-in to be downloaded and installed. You are just required to log in to YouTube from any browser and use the XL feature that enlarges the video image to match the size of the screen, which you are using.
YouTube's XL dedicated development team has worked hard to ensure it runs smoothly on most devices – over 140 of them at last count, Yong informed to add: "It looks really good, particularly in full-screen mode."
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