Casual Articles - Internet and Businesses Online

Monitoring Your Progress
Okay, so you’ve decided on your keywords, inserted your links and submitted your sites. Now all you have to do is open your offshore account and wait for the cash to pour in, right?Well, not quite. You might get lucky with your first shot, but it never happened to me. Once you’ve submitted all your links, you need to keep a close eye on them, and see which need improving and which can be dropped.The crucial factor here is to keep track of your Search Engine Statistics. These will tell you how many people have come from the various search engines and how many of those became customers.But it’s not enough to know how much traffic you’re receiving, you also want to know how you’re doing in the rankings. There are two ways to do that:Manual SearchesDead easy, simply log on and look. First enter your URL to make sure your site has been approved and listed. That can take a little while. Once you can see that you’re online though, you want to see how you’re ranked in each keyword. To do that, you can simply enter each keyword into the search engine and browse the pages until you find your listing. Works, but takes a while.Computerized SearchesI’ll be honest with you: it’s been a long time since I did a manual search. If you’ve got just ten sites and you want to check ten keywords fo

pletely up to you find a website designer and have the site put up. Many of these companies will offer “site builders” or “templates” to get your site started. These can be problematic, however, because they may get your site started but leave you with ninety percent of a site with no way to complete the additional ten percent. If you are not a web designer yourself, make sure that the hosting company can actually deliver a real working web site that you can modify and maintain without hiring one.

My recommendation is to find a reputable local hosting provider, but if that’s not possible than stick with the more established and well-know hosts, such as Interland ((http://www.interland.com) or iPowerWeb (http://www.ipowerweb.com). In the later case, make sure you keep backups of your website (or have your web designer do it) and make sure you avoid paying for add-on features you don’t need.

Approach 2

The second approach is a fairly recent addition to the general website development community. It’s called “Content Management.” A content-managed hosting service makes it possible for you to build your website and manage (add, delete and modify) it in a friendly environment. Generally, these hosts get you started by providing you set of templates and designs to pick from and then let you customize from there.

There are many upsides to this approach and very few downside

Three Easy and Time-tested Methods for Getting Free Targeted Traffic
For many new marketers who have just come online, they are tempted by many of the advertising services that promise huge amount of traffic to their web sites at extremely low cost. These services included the following:- Ad Blasters - Autosurfing sites - Guaranteed Traffic - Search Engines Submission - Safelist marketingMost of these services do not work and are a waste of your hard-earned money. Even if they do work, the results are usually pathetic. Furthermore, the traffic you received is usually not targeted to your niche.You have to understand that you do not need huge amount of traffic to your web site to make money. What you need is targeted traffic. And here are three of the best methods to get targeted traffic for free.1. Online Community SitesForums and messages boards are examples of online community sites. There are thousands of forums and messages on the Internet that you can participate and thus you need to spend some time to find those that match your niche.The best way to use the forums is to provide answers to questions posted by other members of the forums. If you do this often enough, you will gain great credibility and other members will start to view you as an expert!Now, the important thing to do here is to leave your signature

If there’s any single question I get asked more than any other, it’s this one: “Hey, Jerry, you do computers and web stuff, so what’s the best way to get my business on the internet?” Usually this question comes from a small business owner, which often means they have a limited budget and no clue where to start. The web is now saturated with companies offering to host your new website, but do you choose one of those or go with a local web design company?

In today’s market, there are two basic approaches to putting a site online. Approach One is to go the traditional route of contracting a web designer and then a hosting provider, such as Interland (http://www.interland.com), to build your site for you. The second approach is to find a content-managed website provider, such as Verdigre (http://www.verdigre.com), which will allow you to create and build your site yourself. Both approaches have their pros and cons and we’ll go into detail below.

Approach 1

To help clarify the decision making process, I will first discuss the “traditional” method for establishing a web presence.

At the point you, the business owner, decide you need a site, the very next thing you need to do is retain the services of a web designer… not a hosting company or an ISP (internet service provider), but a person who is skilled in the technical art of building the actual website, regardless of who actually puts that site on the internet for you. Many hosting companies and ISP’s also do web design, but many do not, and many more will simply subcontract the design to a web designer. It is slightly more of a hassle, but I recommend that you work directly with a web designer, if you can, because you are more likely get to the site design you pay for.

Many web hosting companies, however, offer a slight break on the design and building of your site if you are hosting it with them. You will have to evaluate whether the discount, if any, is worth it. Be especially careful when you are dealing with a website designer that isn’t local. My advice is to ask for working references… actual up and running websites that they have designed and put online. If they have no references they may be good but inexperienced, which you have every right to expect to be reflected in their pricing. Make sure that they are capable of offering the features you want, such as event calendars, announcements, or online catalogs.

For a basic business website, you should expect to pay between $500 and $2,000 depending on the amount of custom graphics you require. A good website designer will provide a couple different look and feel samples (called “comps” or “compositions”) for you to choose from before getting down to work. They should elicit your input before and after the comp stage. If you don’t like any of the comps the designer provides it is customary to pay a nominal fee for additional comps. For sites that have e-commerce or shopping cart capabilities, as well as those that allow users to register or subscribe to a member service of some type, expect to pay a little more, as an actual programmer may have to be brought in. The same goes for sites that gather custom data on forms for storage or processing. These additional features may run you an extra $500 to $3,000. Very large sites, with lots of pages and submenus, may cost extra, simply due to the organizational effort required of a designer. Beware of pricing schemes, however, that charge you a fixed amount per page. The first few basic pages are what you are paying for. A designer should provide a plan for adding additional pages… as long as they keep the same design… without charging you as if they were custom building a new page.

Once your site is designed and built, you will need to identify a web hosting company whose job it is to make the site available to people on the internet. Keep in mind there is a difference between a web hosting company and an ISP. An ISP simply gives you or your business a connection to the internet so that you and your employees can use your web browsers and get email. A web hosting company hosts web sites. Many ISP’s are also web hosting companies. If you are going to use your ISP’s web hosting service, however, make sure that hosting sites is a mainstay of their business and they’re not just throwing your site on some spare server in a closet somewhere. Make sure they have the bandwidth to support your site’s needs. Often, the web designer you choose will have a preferred hosting company and will be able to advise you on the correct storage and bandwidth choices. You will, most likely, pay a monthly fee anywhere from $10 to $30 a month to have your site hosted.

The host will also help you register your domain name, like http://www.myreallygreatbusiness.com, which is basically the friendly name people type in to get to your website. This will usually cost some amount per year, from $10 to $30. Please heed the following, however: When your host acquires your domain name for you, make sure they place YOU down as the administrative contact for the domain. Otherwise, you will end up paying for a domain which someone else owns (usually the host), and when you go to move your website or sell the domain name to someone else, you won’t be able to because you will not have the authority to do it.

Careful, too, if you host your site with one of the many (many, many) hosting providers that are out there on the internet. Very often, these companies well sell you a place to put your site for $10 a month, but will neglect to mention that site design services are extra, or they will grab your monthly hosting fee, leaving it completely up to you find a website designer and have the site put up. Many of these companies will offer “site builders” or “templates” to get your site started. These can be problematic, however, because they may get your site started but leave you with ninety percent of a site with no way to complete the additional ten percent. If you are not a web designer yourself, make sure that the hosting company can actually deliver a real working web site that you can modify and maintain without hiring one.

Approach 2

There are many upsides to this approach and very few downsides

Is Your Advertising Working? From a South African Perspective
How do you know your advertising is working for you, do you know exactly who is buying your products or services. Many companies and businessmen even those who are making a reasonable living have no idea where their income is generated from.Keeping good records of customers will help to expand your marketing ventures. Where they are buying, how did they get to know about your products or services these are questions you need to be asking yourself.Placing adverts in a magazine is no guarantee that sale will come rolling in. If you are butcher and you supply special exotic cuts of meat and you are advertising in a butchers magazine you are still not guaranteed the sales will happen. This magazine might have a lower income audience so your $200 steaks are definitely not going to hit the tables.A simple market survey to identify where your customers are coming from will ensure your advertising dollars are spent in the right places. If contacted by a customer ask him: how, where, when and obvious questions related to your products or services.Trying to create the right marketing mix is a constant battle especially if you are starting a business. Where to advertise and what guarantees do you have that your magazine advert will work. For starters find a magazine that relates to your services or products

ho actually puts that site on the internet for you. Many hosting companies and ISP’s also do web design, but many do not, and many more will simply subcontract the design to a web designer. It is slightly more of a hassle, but I recommend that you work directly with a web designer, if you can, because you are more likely get to the site design you pay for.

Approach 2

There are many upsides to this approach and very few downside

Seven Reasons To Consider Working At A Small CPA Firm
Let me start by admitting that if you’re an accountant in training, you should definitely consider working for a large firm. Two or three (or more) years working for a large international or national firm give your resume an extra burnish. You will probably receive a higher salary and more training. Plus, your stint at a large firm can be another personal pedigree—equivalent to a degree from a well-known top-tier university.In spite of the big advantages that the big firms offer, however, let me suggest that you should also consider working at a small local firm. And I count at least seven, super-compelling reasons.Reason #1: Close to Home Work LocationMany small firms locate in suburban areas. Which means that rather than commuting into some central business district during rush hour, you may only be traveling a few miles in light traffic to get a small firm office.If you like the hustle and bustle of the city, sure, you may want an urban practice location. And maybe you’ve considered the hours you’ll spend trapped in traffic or riding the bus and the time isn’t significant. For many of us, however, the time and money cost of a long commute represents a big liability.Reason #2: Less OvertimeThe Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants annually publishes a survey

the designer provides it is customary to pay a nominal fee for additional comps. For sites that have e-commerce or shopping cart capabilities, as well as those that allow users to register or subscribe to a member service of some type, expect to pay a little more, as an actual programmer may have to be brought in. The same goes for sites that gather custom data on forms for storage or processing. These additional features may run you an extra $500 to $3,000. Very large sites, with lots of pages and submenus, may cost extra, simply due to the organizational effort required of a designer. Beware of pricing schemes, however, that charge you a fixed amount per page. The first few basic pages are what you are paying for. A designer should provide a plan for adding additional pages… as long as they keep the same design… without charging you as if they were custom building a new page.

Approach 2

There are many upsides to this approach and very few downside

The Importance of Security Cameras
Given the recent terrorist attacks, security cameras have taken on a whole new meaning in the 21-st Century. Previously, the thought of security cameras recording and keeping a record of people’s activities were met with strong resistance as a harmful intrusion on our freedoms. How could we allow anybody to watch us, record us and look over our shoulders? Is this not America?The ACLU and other legal watchdog groups would have been all over the courts to stop them before they became widespread. In the post 9/11 world we cry out for more protection, demanding our government do everything in its power to stop these madmen from hurting people, especially here in America. And security cameras have leaped into the forefront of that battle, recording the movements of suicide bombers and other terrorists, hopefully preventing them from wreaking havoc.Recently, there were terrorist attacks in London. Four separate locations were hit – three separate subway stations and one double-decker bus. As the airwaves filled with news of the attacks, one bit of information stood out. The investigation into who committed these horrific acts would involve checking the footage on 1800 security cameras around town. 1800 cameras! It turns out that London has the most pervasive security camera system in the world.

that hosting sites is a mainstay of their business and they’re not just throwing your site on some spare server in a closet somewhere. Make sure they have the bandwidth to support your site’s needs. Often, the web designer you choose will have a preferred hosting company and will be able to advise you on the correct storage and bandwidth choices. You will, most likely, pay a monthly fee anywhere from $10 to $30 a month to have your site hosted.

Approach 2

There are many upsides to this approach and very few downside

Innovation Management - Producing Great Products, Motivation
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted. Producing Great Products, Motivation Two of the most critical aspects of motivation include:a) Intrinsic motivation – when individuals are motivated to complete a task for its own sake rather than in order to fulfil an ulterior motive.b) Self-determination – if individuals feel that they are in control of their own destiny, then intrinsic motivation increases.Additionally, ideas always require a period of tinkering, experimentation, prototyping and so forth before they are ready to be isolated as the best ideas and run through the

Approach 2

There are many upsides to this approach and very few downsides. The need for a website designer is lessened or eliminated altogether because the starting templates are developed by professionals and you are given the tools to customize your site, using their work as a starting point. A good content-managed hosting company will allow you to change your site’s look and feel at any time while keeping your site’s content in place. This separation of how your site looks from the information that’s in your site is an important concept that’s only recently emerging. It’s a smart way to go because it let’s you get your website up and running fast and then, if you don’t like the way it looks two months later, you can change it without having to reenter all of your content.

You can always hire a website designer anyway, but their job will be easier, which means you’ll pay less for their services. Some content-managed hosting companies will even guide you through the process, recognizing that just because you can do it yourself it doesn’t mean you want to. The solution is ideal for restaurants and stores because owner’s can go online and change their menus or sale information without needing a web designer. Another advantage to this approach is that content-managed services often come with additional features (such as calendar of events, announcements, user registration) that would cost a small fortune to have built into your site in Approach 1.

The only downside to a content-managed web site is that hosting your own website on your premises is ruled out, but I would not recommend hosting your own web server to a small business anyway. Finding a starting template can be challenging, too. Many small business owners stress too much about how their site looks, however. My advice to them is to get online first. As long as it looks professional, most people are looking for information that’s well organized and easy to find. Customers will not select your business just because you have a fantastic looking site unless, of course, you are in the business of selling websites. One of the nice features of content management is that organization comes along for the ride with no additional effort.

As far as choosing a content-managed web host, the good news is that there are only a few to choose from. It’s a newly emerging technology. (Actually it’s an old concept, only recently made available for website hosting.) It’s important to choose a host that uses a well-supported content management solution. That will increase the number of look-and-feel templates you can use for your site. Standards such as the DNN (DotNetNuke) mean that even if the hosting provider doesn’t carry a skin (that’s the jargon for a look-and-feel template) that you like, there are literally thousands on the internet to choose from.

You will pay slightly more for a solution based on this approach, probably between $15 and $30 per month, but you may avoid the hundreds or thousands of dollars you might have spent otherwise. The process of registering a domain name is the same as in the first approach, and so are the issues… again, make sure you are the administrative contact on your domain name.

Beware that while searching for a host that does content management you may run across several companies offering to sell you a content management service (CMS) solution targeted at online documentation or for use by larger companies to use in their intranet/extranet solution. You want to find a solution such as Verdigre, Incorporated (http://www.verdigre.com) that is in the business of providing websites to small and medium sized businesses.

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In order to get paid for surveys there are some steps you will need to take first in order to be successful.

Because with a squeeze page you only have a few seconds to grab the reader attention you will want to make certain that you optimize the squeeze page. Your squeeze page, for those who aren't aware, is a simple way to gather names and emails of each visitor. There are simple components that each page should have a header, bullet points, and a subscription form. Placing keywords throughout the squeeze page allows for easy access of search engines as well as attention getters of the readers. As they scan the squeeze page you will have highlighted and targeted certain keywords to bring thief focus to that point. Place keywords throughout your bullet points that are to provide a short brief of what you offer ...

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