Privacy and social networks from BusinessWeek.com

Bruce Nussbaum recounts a Davos discussion including Microsoft's Craig Mundie and Hamid Arkhavan of T-Mobile on how privacy concerns affect the adoption of social networks...



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Why Direct Response Websites? - Web Success Team

Why Direct Response Websites?
Content Source: http://www.websuccessteam.com

Direct Response Websites are simple and intuitive, have easy to follow navigation, and use proven interactive techniques. We develop websites that get results by creating a call to action to obtain a sale, and capture email addresses for future marketing outreach.

This is how your website should work. Since your prospective customers and clients are one click away from your direct competitors, your website needs to persuade them to stay and take the action that pays-off for YOU and your business.

We build in the necessary techniques to generate a "Call to Action." Direct response websites focus on a defined target audience, create the intended mood from the start, and result in accomplishing at least one of three things: obtain a sale, schedule an appointment or collect a name and email address to be used for future outreach and sales opportunities.

Our interactive websites are designed to drive traffic and generate sales! If you don't develop a comprehensive strategy for marketing your website, you can't build a profitable online business. It's imperative to drive thousands of visitors to your site, then convert them to paying customers.

With the right website design you can turn visitors into buyers. You can change the way people think about your business. The interactive techniques we use will HUMANIZE your website, draw traffic, collect valuable marketing information and generate sales. The Internet is the most economical and effective way for businesses to communicate.

You must have a website that works for your business! Your smart, effective website design positions you ahead of your competition. Your prospective customers and clients immediately trust you because your website design focuses on them and their needs. They recognize you as someone who can help them solve a pressing problem. And they are willing to pay you for it.

For More Info Visit: WebSuccessTeam.com

Video with Chris Boggs - Optimized Site Vs. Search Friendly Site - WebProNews Video

Video from SES Chicago: Optimized Site Vs. Search Friendly Site...

Everyone wants both an optimized website and a search friendly website, but it seems that most sites lean either one way or the other. What comes first - optimization or search friendliness? In this video, Chris Boggs of Rosetta (formerly Brulant) explains how realizing that there is a difference between optimizing a site and making it search friendly is the main problem behind the misunderstanding of this topic.

“It’s easy to optimize the site, but you have to make it search friendly - big difference.”

Making your website search friendly is actually the first step. Your url needs to be search friendly. If you are a marketer, you need to work closely with the IT department on joint goals and strategies...

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From SES Chicago: Ensuring Your Website Has a Clear Purpose - SiteProNews Video

Ensuring Your Website Has a Clear Purpose...
Website usability is one of those things that most companies know is important but put it on the back burner when comparing it with creativity and web design. The fact is that a lot of companies want their site to look so impressive and so unique that they leave out checking to see if a potential consumer can actually use it. Matt Bailey of SiteLogic Marketing advises companies to always conduct a “Mom Test” to get a true usability answer...

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Create Your Own Customized 404 Error Page for Increased Traffic - SiteProNews.com Article by Ed Duvall

Create Your Own Customized 404 Error Page for Increased Traffic...
As Seen on SiteProNews.com article by Ed Duvall

By design, the server that hosts’ your web site delivers a 404 Error / Page Not Found when a surfer clicks on a link that the server cannot find or something else unexpected happens. The most common error page is the HTTP 404 “Not found: The requested URL/whatever.html was not found on this server.”

This generally happens when a person clicks on a link for page that has been removed, renamed or otherwise changed.

If you were to enter the link below into your browser and hit the enter button you would see my own custom 404 Error page: cashway.com/aintnosuchpage.htm (This link is not active and will present you with my custom 404 Error page.) What happens to your web visitor who gets that error message on your site without a custom 404 Error page?

Generally speaking they’re off faster than a “speeding bullet” looking for the information they were seeking - probably to a different website. That’s something you really don’t want to have happen and it can be prevented with a custom 404 error page that gives them options on the error page that will tell them how to find what they were looking for.

So the answer is? Create your own custom 404 Error page that suggests other resources on your site and then helps redirects that person to them.

In essence you’re capturing traffic that you had, but lost and didn’t know it, and keeping that visitor by helping them find what they need and possible turn them into a buyer for your product or service later on.

But “I don’t have the time or know how to make a custom 404 page”, you say.

Well good news - it’s not as hard as you think. If you have about 30 minutes and your server is a Apache or Unix web server then it’s virtually a snap to do

** Your Custom 404 Page Design **

In my opinion your custom 404 error page should provide at least these components:

• A simple statement that the requested URL was not found on your site.
• A brief description of some of the most common mistakes that couldhave lead the visitor to the missing page.
• A “plug” for one of your Free products or services

You can of course add other components like simple java script code for date & time and IP address display, etc. if you really want to impress someone with your technical wizardry.

Your page also should carry the look and feel of your web site, so you should include your header or footer or both so it is clearly branded as yours. You may wish to include some other links for your site that lead visitors to other pages you may want them to visit.

Click this link NOW to read the FULL ARTICLE basic the steps!
As Seen on SiteProNews.com

SES Chicago: Shopping Search Tactics for the Holiday Season - WebProNews Video

Although retailers are struggling this holiday season with the current economic issues, recent comScore data shows that shopping search engines are thriving and are performing better than last year.

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“Cyber Monday saw significant visitor gains at most of the top retail resources, led by Shopzilla.com sites with nearly 2 million visitors (up 98 percent versus the November base period), followed by Yahoo! Shopping with 1.9 million visitors (up 81 percent) and Google Product Search with 1.1 million (up 59 percent).”

These numbers further prove that consumers are browsing around online comparing prices and searching for the best deal. In the above video Greg Hintz, the General Manager of Yahoo! Shopping, gives four tips retailers need to know as they optimize their campaign.

1. Optimize your data feed.
2. Make sure your data feed provides relevant, comprehensive, and fresh data.
3. Use factual language instead of “marketing” language.
4. Include all product specifics.

Read more at WebProNews Video...

SES Chicago: Getting Your Viral Campaign Going - WebProNews Video

Viral campaigns are a current trend that everyone wants to take part in, but launching a campaign is not something that people should take lightly. Not to give off the impression that viral campaigns are difficult, but they do require skillful planning and should not be conducted halfheartedly...

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Chris Winfield, the President of 10e20, gives a few recommendations when getting started with a viral campaign:

1. Have clear goals and objectives

2. Promote great content

3. Contribute to the communities

4. Make sites work together

5. Have good hosting

In the above video from SES Chicago, Chris also adds that a viral campaign is not simply about a great idea. It also takes great execution and promotion which can be done through blogs, social media sites, forums and groups.

There is not a specific time table to know if your viral campaign is working, but all experts advise never giving up.

PubCon 2008 Exceeds Expectations - WebProNews Video

Brett Tabke, the CEO of Webmasterworld, is the man behind the PubConference series. He is responsible for how good or how bad the show turns out. This year’s event has done nothing but receive raving reviews and was the #1 search term on Twitter for several days.

PubCon has something for everyone. It doesn’t just feature SEO, marketing, IT, or social media - it’s a combination of all those and more. In the above video, Brett says how they tried to focus on quality sessions at this year’s show...

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Social Media 1, 2, 3… go from Web Success Team

Really Good Article from Janette Speyer VP, WebSuccessTeam.com on Social Media Time Management...

Time, time, yes I know you don’t have any. Or at least that is what all my clients are telling me when I suggest a Social Media plan to build their reputation and to connect online.

So I thought I would take you through a typical day in the life of a social media user and also a very busy person with a heavy workload. Yes! That would be me.

1. Facebook – Daily avg time: 15-20 minutes. Check out new contacts, read some of the posts, answer an email inquiry and post something myself = The time it take to call one person for business and to answer a couple of emails.

2. Linkedin – Daily avg time: 30-40 minutes. Keep up with connections, answer industry related questions, make new connections = meeting vendors and clients in person, minus the time it takes to drive in LA.

3. Twitter – Daily avg time: 20-30 minutes. 3 posts a day with necessary research. Priceless! I can’t begin to tell you the power Twitter has for business and social relations. If you are on Twitter, follow Starbucks, Jet Blue and see how other corporations are jumping on the SMM bandwagon.

Was that so terrible? Once at work you still have a number of social / networking tasks you have to do to get your work done: phone calls, emails, meetings. How different is Social Media for all this? It is just a point of view.

Learn more about the WebSuccessTeam.com

Matt Cutts on Changes at Google - WebProNews Video

As Seen On: WebProNews Video

We previously brought you a video report in which Bruce Clay made a claim that “ranking is dead.” In the above WPN video, Matt Cutts of Google responds to that assertion. Matt does not completely agree with Bruce that “ranking is dead” but does announce that it is not as important as it once was.

There’s a lot more to SEO than just ranking number one in Google for a key phrase. Since searches based on personalization and localization are becoming more and more prevalent, Matt echoes Bruce’s words that the central focus for SEO’s should be traffic and conversions.

With all these innovations, the game is changing for SEO’s. Matt says they are now marketers and need to embrace universal search by integrating video, images, books, etc. As far as Google trends go for 2009, they will affect SEO’s as well. Matt reports how black hat SEO is “getting more malicious” and shamelessly illegal.

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FREE SEO Tool I Came Upon at Pubcon 2008 in Las Vegas - Worth Sharing!

I came across this tool while attending Pubcon 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada last week and wanted to share it on my blog...

SEOAutomatic.com (http://www.seoautomatic.com) This tool tells you where you stand on each of these things, then it tells you what I think about each of them, and then it provides some recommendations, with a couple of other things thrown in for good measure.

No matter their skill level, anyone familiar with SEO would probably look at a few basic elements of your webpage.

These elements are nearly always the same no matter how big or small the website, and include the following:

1. Title tag
2. Description tag
3. Keyword tag
4. Header Tags
5. Alt Tags

Beyond those basics, they’re going to look at even more…

1. Your sitemap
2. Your robots file
3. Internal links on your pages
4. External links on your pages
5. Page & Image sizes
6. Design / styling issues
7. Server Issues

>> Here's the link:
http://www.seoautomatic.com/

Hope you find it as useful as I do!

Marci :)
www.marcidesign.com

20 Terms from the Web Success Team's Website Glossary...

Thanks to the WebSuccessTeam.com I get to provide you a taste from their Website glossary:

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – A method of maximizing a website’s visibility on any given search engine for targeted keywords.

2. Aggregator – Also known as feed reader or news reader, aggregators are software programs that syndicates content such as blogs, vlogs, headlines, news updates and podcasts. FeedBurner is one example.

3. Alexa Ranking – Alexa is a web information company that creates tools for web developers and ranks websites based on traffic internationally.

4. Alt Tags – Words or phrases used as an explanation for links or a pictures that appear when a cursor hovers over either.

5. Analytics – Web software that indicates user activity on a site such as how many users visited the site, how they got there, how long they stayed, when they left, what keywords they used to search for the site and what links were clicked.

6. Anchor Links – Links that direct a viewer to another part of the same page. Anchor links are often used for One Page Wonder sites.

7. API – Stands for application program interface. An API is tools and protocols used to build software applications to make it easier to develop a program. Social applications also access information and update feeds.

8. Atom – XML language used in RSS and other web feeds.

9. Backlink – A hyperlink that links from one website to another, also known as inbound links. Backlinks are used in SEO because some search engines use them to determine ranking on SERPs.

10. Blog – An online catalogue of content. There are many forms of blogs such as video, journal, article content, etc.

11. Bots – Search engine robots that search through a website’s content. They determine which websites go under which keywords.

12. Branding – A method of positioning a company and its products and services to create awareness in the market.

13. Brand Image – A marketing tactic that gives consumers a specific image or impression of how the brand’s products and services are positioned.

14. Brand Loyalty – Consumer purchase and repurchase of a product or service under a brand name because they feel it is the best despite competition.

15. Campaign Site – A minisite that is targeted for a specific audience.

16. Click Fraud – When individuals continuously click on banner ads or program software to do so in order to increase revenue from a pay-per-click program. Click fraud is illegal.

17. Content – Information supplied on the web about a company’s products, services or related industry topics to help consumers make educated decisions.

18. CSS – Cascading Style Sheets is a new feature of HTML that allows users and web developers to control how web pages are displayed.

19. CTR – Stands for click through rate. It is the amount of times surfers click through to a website

20. Direct Response Marketing – A type of marketing that elicits a call to action from consumers.

Based in Los Angeles, California, The Web Success Team’s innovative direct response web marketing and web development strategies entice viewers to stay longer on each web page, guide them through your website, and turn visitors into online buyers or motivated viewers at a higher rate than traditional sites.

> View the Full Glossary at: WebSuccessTeam.com

List of business Networking Websites for CEO’S and Entrepreneurs from ceoworld.Biz

I was excited to see this list posted from CEOWorld:

The Internet provides dominant networking opportunities that let users to efficiently target their addressees by logging on to social sites like LinkedIn, ceoworld and more. Take benefit of these tools by asserting your company’s charisma online and reaching more prospective customers, business partners and employees.

To Get the List...
Click Here for the list of most famous Business-Media, Business Online Networking

Microsoft: New Talks for Alternative Yahoo Deal - APNews on LiveVideo

Microsoft is trying again to team up with Yahoo to challenge Internet search and advertising leader more...Google, although the renewed talks have not escalated to another attempt to take over Yahoo...

Microsoft: New talks for alternative Yahoo deal

CBS in $1.8B Deal for News Info Site CNet - APNews on liveVideo

On video Media and entertainment company CBS is buying CNet Networks for $1.8 Billion in cash...

CBS in $1.8B deal for news, info site CNet

Time's 100 Most Influential People in The World - APNews on LiveVideo

On video Time Magazine honored a slew of individuals for its 100 Most Influential People in the World issue...

Time's 100 Most Influential People in The World

Reputation Management Made Easy - WebProNews

Mike McDonald explains reputation management for your Web site. Reputation management is important to track and it’s really not that hard of a task. Mike shows how to use Technorati and Google News and how to apply to their RSS feeds. Check out all the details in the WebProNews Tip of the Day with Mike McDonald.

Clearwire, Sprint Nextel to Form WiMAX Network - APNews on LiveVideo

Clearwire and Sprint Nextel will combine their wireless broadband units to create a $14.55 billion communications company...

Clearwire, Sprint Nextel to form WiMAX network

What's Next for Yahoo and Microsoft? - APNews on LiveVideo

After Microsoft withdrew its $42.3 billion bid to buy Yahoo in hopes of toppling online search and advertising leader Google, analysts discuss the future of the companies involved...

What's Next for Yahoo and Microsoft?

Tech Test: Touring the World From your Desk - APNews on LiveVideo

Tech Test: When it comes to chronicling a trip with digital photos, getting everything organized for presentation more...can be somewhat of a challenge. AP's Nick Jesdanun put Google Earth to the test to see how well it handles organizing and viewing...

Tech Test: Touring the world from your desk