Email Marketing 101

In order for an entrepreneur or small business’s electronic mail (email) marketing to be successful, a precise plan should be crafted. In addition to that, the communications should go beyond advertising and the customer should be respected. Email marketing is considered to be one of the most personal advertising mediums during our time.

Email marketing is defined as a form of direct marketing which uses electronic mail as a means of communicating messages to an audience. In a sense, every email sent to a potential or current client could be considered email marketing.

CODANK Charlotte Web Design Email Marketing Tips

Build a Targeted Mailing List
The best way to build a mailing list is to have your best customers ask their families and friends to sign up. Word-of-mouth is the best form of communication.
A subscribe link should also be included in mailing so that new customers are able to sign up.

Be Creative
Tell a story with each email message. Try to think outside of the box in order to catch that much needed attention.

Be Persistent
Set a schedule for each email campaign. Many businesses prefer to send out emails on a particular day and time, so customers know when to expect it.

Test Campaigns
It is best to test emails before sending them out. Doing so will see if they pass traditional anti-spam techniques (such as content filtering).

Be Open to Suggestions
Allow viewers to send feedback in order to better serve them. This gives your company the chance to improve email design and content.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Data Protection

All businesses should take all necessary precautions when looking to keep their valuable information secure. A major problem that Internet programs are experiencing is hackers. If you do not back-up your data then these intruders should not be the only thing your business focuses on.

Hackers are defined as Internet intruders who work their way into a computer network. You have more to fear from bad back-up habits than cyber invaders. If you do not conduct a regular data back-up, hardware will fail, accidental deletions will occur, and floods and fires can permanently wipe out all of your sales records, customer contact information and order history – the data which is the core of a business.

Regular back-ups are suggested. A back-up or the process of backing up refers to making copies of data so that additional copies may be used to restore the original after a data loss event. These additional copies are normally called “backups”.

Since a backup system contains at least one copy of all data worth saving, the data storage requirements are considerable.

Data Protection Recommendations provided by Microsoft.com

Test your backups regularly by restoring your data to a test location. If not, you will never know if the data can be successfully restored if and when you need it.

Back up all date weekly if not daily to a CD, second hard drive, or shared folder on a network. Windows XP includes a back-up utility that can perform scheduled back-ups.

Keep a copy of your weekly back-ups at another location to protect them in case of a break-in, fire or other disaster.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Computer Threats

One of the most annoying factors about the Internet is indeed Pop-up ads. They often interfere with your web surfing and searching. But, compared to junk e-mail, they are considered a minor threat to you and your business. Employees that download programs to work computers can also cause these threats.

Viruses and Spyware – a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer. Spyware can enter a computer system through infected e-mail messages and can secretly monitor what employees type and record account numbers and passwords. Security holes are other ways for viruses and spyware to enter a computer.

Adware – Similar to spyware, adware installs itself on a computer. Even though it typically displays more advertisements as usual when online, it can cause your computer to slow down. Adware does not destroy data.

Recommendations provided by Microsoft.com

Create a security policy that clearly state what employees can download to their office computer, and what they cannot. Explain in person to employees why the policy is important.

Consider using software that checks for and removes spyware. Microsoft has a free Windows Antispyware program and a Malicious Software Removal Tool you can use to rid your PCs of unwanted software.

Use a firewall on your PC and a router for network protection. The combination of activating the built-in Windows Firewall and adding a network protection device enables you to filter or block Internet traffic to and from dangerous sites.

Make sure your antivirus software is up-to-date and that you use it often to thoroughly scan your system. If antivirus software was installed on your new PC for a trial period, make sure to buy a subscription after the period expires, or buy and install a new antivirus product.

Regularly check with your software manufacturers to make sure you have downloaded and installed the latest updates to patch security holes. If available, use an automatic update service like the one available with Windows XP.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Social Media 101

When the phrase Social Media Marketing is brought up, many people automatically think about the most talked about sites – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and MySpace. With all four of these Social Media websites containing over 100 million registered users, each offers something new and beneficial.

In order to become a better social media marketer, it is best to take the time out to set up an account and start exploring these communities. All registration is free and easy.

Social Media is defined as a category of online media where people talk, participate, share, network, and bookmark over the Internet. Websites such as Facebook and Twitter encourage discussion, feedback, comments and sharing of information from all interested users.

Different Types of Social Media

Social Sharing – Websites such as Snapfish, YouTube, and Flickr give you the opportunity to create, upload, and share videos or photos with other people.

Social News – Sites that allow you to read about news topics and then vote and/or comment on the articles. These sites include: Digg, Sphinn, Newsvine and BallHype.

Social Bookmarking – Sites like Delicious, Faves, BlogMarks and Diigo allow users to find and bookmark websites and information of interest. Users can save their bookmarks online and then access them from anywhere or share them with others.

Social Networks – Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn let users find and link up with other people. Profiles can be created, photos can be shared and information can be displayed.

Social Media Benefits for Businesses

Less expensive way to interact with clients
Offers ways to measure and track performance
Builds awareness and helps improve how people view your brand
Helps manage a company’s reputation

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

A Successful Project Manager

In order to hire a great Project Manager, Human Resources must look at certain characteristics of the individuals they interview. Because this position requires a great deal of commitment, experience, and knowledge to successfully manage assigned projects, the candidate needs to be able to fulfill every obligation of the job.

A project manager is defined as n individual appointed and given responsibility for the overall success of the project.

Not all organizations are the same, so requirements may vary. The following traits of what a successful project manager should possess are recommended by Just Enough Project Management by Curtis R. Cook.

Characteristics of a Successful Project Manager

Ability to influence
Ability to strengthen others
Takes the initiative
Customer focused
Leadership ability
Flexible
Committed to each project
Effective communication skills
Great decision making skills
Problem-solving ability

Besides the specific characteristics which a project manager should possess, there are also responsibilities and authority that need to be carried out. They are listed below:

Responsibilities of a Project Manager

Prepare a detailed project plan
Control cost, schedule, and technical discrepancy from the plan
Report project status
Makes sure each project members are aware of their role and responsibilities
Acts as central point of contact

Authority

Authority to lead the project team
Authority to require periodic status updates
Authority to renegotiate with functional managers
Direct access to stakeholders
Authority to cross functional organization lines

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Your Online Presence - Web Design and Branding

The best investment a small business or entrepreneur can have is their online website. Not only is their website important, but their overall web branding is critical as well. Web branding is a great way to stand out within the World Wide Web.

Web branding is very similar to a company displaying their brand on TV, magazine or newspaper. A brand is classified as a symbol. Symbols are defined as designs which represent something else, and a brand is meant to package all of the associations, experiences and characteristics into an abstract construct.

To draw in customers, a company’s brand should have all of necessities to catch their attention. Whether it’s sound, phrases, logos or imagery, it should be something in which people come into contact with.

CODANK Charlotte Web Design has provided a few Web Branding tips below. Read them carefully and plan accordingly.

Character – Give your brand character. You can do this by introducing it with a little personality; something that your audience can associate their selves with.
Color – Choosing the right color is very important. Color stimulates emotions and carried with it subconscious associations to numerous things and characteristics.
Consistency – Make your brand memorable. Make sure to be consistent in your web design when you’re building it. Keep consistent colors, visuals and typography.
Size & Position – Position your logo in the upper left area of the webpage – that is the area most people look to see what site they’re on.
Uniqueness – Differentiate your web page and brand from your competitors. If you don’t, it won’t really be memorable!

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Frequently Asked Questions and Question and Answer 101

Once a business’s website has become well established they are aware of what does and does not work for the site. Because every website is not the same, each one will probably contain different pages. After establishing a sufficient amount of regular visitors, it is best for a business to create a Question and Answer (Q&A) or Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page on their website.

Frequently asked questions or FAQs are listed questions and answers, all supposed to be frequently asked in some context, and pertaining to a particular topic. Q&A is very similar to FAQs. Some websites choose the term FAQ over Q&A and vice versa.

In order to create a Q&A or FAQ section, visitors should first be able to ask questions and in return you are able to answer them. Doing so will also provide a company with keyword questions in many cases. Free and low cost software tools that automate the formation and management of these FAQs sections are available.

CODANK Charlotte Web Design has provided an example of a frequently asked questions or question and answer section below:

When was CODANK established?
CODANK Charlotte Web Design was established in 2007 by Danko Gulsoy.

What types of services does CODANK provide?
CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

Where is CODANK located?
CODANK’s office is located in Charlotte, North Carolina at 2030 South Tryon Street, Suite 3-E.

Can my company receive a quote for a web design from CODANK?
Yes! Please contact our Sales Director at support@codank.com

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Link Popularity Software

There are many ways to help generate links to your website. The easiest step is to ask friends and family for links. The most difficult step to do is to actually wait for those links to appear.

Online tools, such as LinkPopularity.com, can help companies find links. Other tools are also available. Search Engine Optimization for Dummies: 3rd Edition suggests a link popularity software called SEO Elite (www.SEOElite.com). The program costs $167 and it is designed to look for links to a site in various search engines, visit each of the pages containing the links, and then return with the following information:

The URL of the page linking to the website
The Internet protocol (IP) number of the website on which the page is held
Whether the link that the search engine thinks in on the page is still there
The PageRank of the page
The Alexa rank of the page
The anchor text (link text)
The number of outbound links on the page
The total number of links on the page (outbound plus internal website links)
Whois information – data about who owns the website on which the page sits
The link value – an estimate of the value of the link, based on the PageRank divided by the number of links on the page
A contact e-mail address pulled from the page

SEO Elite also gives you the ability to find potential link partners and e-mail them, and a way to search for potential link submission pages and quickly submit information on them.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Content Management System Applications 101

In the present day, Content Management System applications are a lot more Search Engine Optimization friendly. Up to that time, CMS applications often published content with long, complicated URLs or created several copies. The end result was search engines often rejecting the URLs and ranking the website lower than normal.

A content management system is a collection of procedures used to manage work flow in a collaborative environment. Procedures can either be manual or computer based. These procedures are meant to:

Improve communication between users
Assist in easy storage and retrieval of data
Reduce repetitive duplicate input
Improve the ease of report writing
Control access to data
Define user roles as defined to what information they can view or edit
When choosing a CMS application, always take into account the structure with which it will improve the developing of content. This is important because a CMS is designed to uphold your content in an orderly manner. It is best to set your own content strategy and your web site structure.

Most content management system applications have been created to help improve a website’s Search Engine Optimization plan rather than deter it. If a company is not familiar with SEO, they should invest in a professional who has some type of experience.

There are six main categories of CMS, with their respective domains of use:

Enterprise CMS (ECMS)
Web CMS (WCMS)
Document management system (DMS)
Mobile CMS
Component CMS
Media content management system

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Is Your Site Popular?

If you ask any Search Engine Optimization professional what they’re overall goal is when properly designing and crafting a website, they’re answer should be to gain that much needed online traffic. A company which has invested money and time into a project but does not receive the support they desire is truly a letdown. But, it is also their responsibility to make sure they design and develop a website that is worthy enough of achieving site popularity.

The Design of the Website

Choosing a domain name for a website can be very difficult for some businesses. When deciding on a domain name, it is best to keep it short and easy to remember. It should also include popular keywords researched during Search Engine Optimization.

Something else that should be simple as well is the design layout. Minimal use of images and flash animation is critical because it can cause a page to load slowly – which in return will drive viewers away.

Another helpful hint is to study the websites of companies that are competitors. They will give you insight on what features, information, design factors, and written content is successful.

Search Engine Optimization

Site popularity can be reached through a number of different methods. One method may work for this company but not necessarily for another. Search Engine Marketing and SEO are two very important factors when designing a website. Businesses should take the time out to plan efficiently in order to add relevance and quality needed to attract visitors.

A majority of your traffic is going to come from search engines and directories, such as Google and Yahoo. These resources have been estimated to bring in 80% of a site’s traffic.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Six Factors to Consider When Preparing a Business Plan

Many businesses only create a business plan simply to gain financing. After they have been granted the loan, they then file their business plan away in a file cabinet and forget all about it. In actuality, a business plan is a document which all companies should keep updated as they grow. These types of documents can serve a number of functions besides persuading creditors.

Before crafting a business plan, all companies should consider the following factors suggested by Black Enterprise: Guide to Starting Your Own Business.

Six Factors to Consider When Preparing a Business Plan

Target audience – Who do you intend to have read your business plan? Defining your audience will give you a better idea of how your plan should be structured.
Company type – Business plans will differentiate from company to company. Take into account if you are providing consumers with a service, good, or both.
Customers – Define how you will reach your customers. Will your business have a storefront or will you offer products through mail order, distributors, or wholesalers? A business plan should indicate how you will attract potential customers along with reasons why they should buy products from you instead of from your competitors.
Resources – Gather a lot of information about your business and industry. Everything from personal resumes to financial statements will need to be included.
Your timetable – Create a five year plan and schedule frequent updates and revisions.
Professional consultation – Do not surrender all of the responsibility of preparing your business plan to someone else, but it is suggested to seek some expert advice (especially when it comes to preparing the financial section of the document).

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Website Navigation 101

With the advancement of technology and web design skills, it is still surprising that some designers sometimes make it difficult for visitors to move around a website. No matter what type of content or what products a company is selling online, the site should always be visitor-friendly. Navigation should be easy with numerous avenues for finding their way around the site.

According to Search Engine Optimization for Dummies: 3rd Edition, web designers should think carefully about how a site is structured:

Does it make sense from a visitor’s point of view?

Are visitors able to find what they need quickly?

Are there pages where a visitor can’t find a link to get back into the main page?
As stated above, because people tend to think differently from each other, a website should be designed to provide several avenues for finding their way around. In the same sense, a website is also giving more information to search engines and making it easy for crawlers to navigate around easily.

The book also provides web designers with different navigational systems that can be added to a site. They include:

Navigation Bars – Many websites include navigation bars more frequently these days.
Table of Contents or Index Page – It is suggested that you sort the page alphabetically or thematically.
Sitemap – This page should be linked to the different areas of a site.
Navigation Text Links – Include little links at the bottom or sides of a page that can help visitors find their way around (and assist search engines as well).

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

The Importance of Keywords

During your Search Engine Optimization efforts, trying to come up with the perfect combination of keywords and phrases to drive in traffic to your site can often be challenging. You must make sure that the words you choose are relevant to the content of your website or else it will affect your site ranking.

Once you have properly chosen your specific phrases and keywords, it is now time to start putting those words to work. Be sure to place each word in the correct place and use them appropriately. This will help you toward making your Pay-Per-Click campaigns successful.

When a visitor uses a search engine, such as Google or Yahoo, they typically type in a word or words and click the “search” button. The search engine then looks in its index for those words.

Suppose that you typed Charlotte Web Design. In general, the search engine looks for:

Web pages that contain the exact phrase Charlotte Web Design.
Web pages that don’t have the exact phrase Charlotte Web Design, but do contain the words Charlotte and Web Design in close proximity.
Web pages that have the words Charlotte and Web Design somewhere, though not necessarily close together.
Web pages with word stems Charlotte Web Design.
Web pages that have links pointing to them, in which the link text contains the phrase Charlotte Web Design.
Web pages with links pointing to them with the link text containing the words Charlotte and Web Design, although not together.

As a result, choosing the right keywords is critical. If a specific keyword or phrase does not appear in your pages, your website will not appear when someone enters those keywords into the search engine.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Pros & Cons of a PPC Campaign

Competing with the ever so changing Internet world is causing many small businesses and entrepreneurs to explore every marketing tool available. Everything from keyword analysis to viral marketing, each aspect is able to help a company in the long run. Search Engine Optimization professionals all agree that one of the most important means of improving a website ranking is a term known as Pay-Per-Click (PPC). Hundreds of PPC services are accessible, but controlling them is usually the difficult part.

A Pay-Per-Click campaign or ad is described as a bid, placed on a keyword advertisement, which is charged each time a visitor clicks the advertisement. As a result, every time a potential customer or viewer clicks on a business’s ad, the business then has to pay the PPC provider in return. The sole purpose of a PPC program is to drive traffic to a website.

Below are the advantages and disadvantages of a Pay-Per-Click campaign according to Search Engine Optimization for Dummies: 3rd Edition.

Advantages of a PPC Campaign

It’s more stable – As long as you are willing to pay for PPC, your site will more than likely stay within search engine results.
It’s faster – PPC campaigns typically begin generating traffic to your web site within hours or days, compared to weeks or months through natural search.
It’s more reliable – With PPC, you get what you pay for. If you are willing to bid high, you’ll get the traffic you desire.

Disadvantages of a PPC Campaign

It Cost – You or your company has to pay for every click, which can add up to a great deal of money.
It’s not organic – Most searchers (30 percent to 70 percent) prefer the free, natural search results. So, you’re missing part of the market if you focus on PPC alone.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Spamming

Breaking Search Engine Optimization (SEO) rules and regulations is very common on the World Wide Web. Every SEO professional should be aware of Search Engine Optimization Spam. This type of spam is very similar to telemarketers who do not take no for an answer. SEO spam, it fills up search engine results pages instead. Being caught and labeled as a possible spammer can cause your page rankings to be penalized and more than likely removed from search engines all together.

Search Engine Optimization Spam is defined as the manipulation of a web page to give it an artificial boost in the search engine rankings. It is also known as spamdexing – spamming indexes. Not all spam is easy to detect, but you should avoid doing anyway. The best way to prevent Search Engine Optimization Spam is by not making your company’s website appear to be something that it really is not. This is often ambiguous and will lower your ranking.

Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company has composed a list of spamming techniques commonly used:

Cloaking – providing one set of information to known search engine spiders while displaying a totally different set of information viewed by visitors.
Link Farms – a website set up with the sole purpose of increasing the link popularity of other sites by increasing the number of incoming links to those sites.
Keyword Stuffing – repeatedly placing keywords on a website.
Hidden Tags – improperly using tags used by search browsers.
Leader Pages – creating pages that contain series of documents designed to meet requirements of different search engine algorithms.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Charlotte Web Design Company Tips II

When deciding to build a new website for your small business or company, there are many aspects that should be covered before its official launch to the World Wide Web. A well thought out and organized site can bring more business while a poorly crafted one has the potential to drive clients away.

CODANK Charlotte Web Design Company is here to provide small businesses and entrepreneurs with a few tips and suggestions that will help with the construction of a website. Please refer back to our first set of tips here.

CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company Tips for Web Design

Include a link back to the home page (on each page)
Just in case a visitor gets lost, he or she will more than likely want to start all the way over. Make it easy for them to do so by including a way to get back to the home page. It is best to include the text “home” because many people are not aware that clicking on a logo does the same thing.

Utilize white space
Do not clutter up your website by using too many images, backgrounds and colorful fonts. The best way to do this is by applying the ‘Keep It Simple’ principle. Minimize the use of graphics and actual use a lot more white space.

Place valuable information on each page
Style does not always matter when constructing a website. The purpose of all sites should be to provide visitors with something that is useful or interesting. A web designer should focus on this before moving on to anything else.

Place links in blue or underlined
A great way to help links stand out is to make them blue or underlined. Many websites choose to use both blue and underlined for their links.

Links in menus do not need to be blue nor underlined.

Include a ‘Last Modified’ date
If you frequently update your site, you should always include a last modified date at the top or bottom of the page. Doing so will let visitors know how current the information may be.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Know Your Focus: Target Audience

Consumers share numerous common interests and beliefs. Anything ranging from soccer to photographer and everything in between, the connection can be just about anything. The same interests that bond people are the same things that help connect them to businesses. Before a company can promote a product or service, they need to choose an appropriate target audience.

In marketing and advertising, target audience (also known as target group or target market) is the most important group of people that an advertising campaign is aimed at appealing to. Deciding on a target audience helps to establish a significant foundation for any business. Once it is understood who your target audience is, learning more about them will make easier for a company to market.

A target audience can be selected by collecting information that deals with either demographics or psychographics.

The more a business knows about their target audience, the more persuasive a business will become. It is best to understand the problems that they may have and the language they speak.

For example, if you are a social network website which allows your visitors to post blogs, videos, statuses, and comments, more than likely your target audience will consist of individuals who enjoy writing (bloggers; young or old), taking photos (professional and amateur photographers), and those who like to record their minute-by-minute life happenings (teens; adventurists).

Examples of Different Target Audiences:


Web Designers
High School Freshmen
SUV Lovers
High-Income Families
Videographers
Tiger Woods Supporters
Time Warner Users
Mountain Bike Riders
Young Adults (Ages 21-24)

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Web Page Tagging

A great and effective way to make certain that your small business or company’s website appears on the result pages of search engines, such as Google and MSN, is to use site tags. Even though Pay-Per-Click campaigns and keywords are just as important, HTML tags tend to do a little more.

HTML, which stands for Hyper Text Markup Language, is the main markup language for all web pages.

HTML elements are tags, as well as text, which act as guides to a web browser as to how the document is to be interpreted by the browser and ultimately displayed on a user’s computer screen.

Search Engine Optimization involves appropriate and well-written content. This same content is important because it deals with the user interface portion, while HTML elements involve the crawler-face portion. A website and its SEO ranking depend solely on the behind the scenes tagging of the different pages. Viewers do not see the HTML’s, but without them they would never see the page at all.

Proper HTML and title tags help inform a search engine a lot more about a site than written content within a website. Search engine spiders and crawlers use these tags for determining the web page topic. There are many aspects to tagging a website, so businesses are suggested to hire web designers and Search Engine Optimization professionals who are experts in this field.

Elements may represent headings, paragraphs, hypertext links, lists, embedded media, and a variety of other structures.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Automated Submission Tools 101

For a small business or entrepreneur’s website to be included in search engines and directories is not an easy task. It takes a lot of time and patience, and if you are not aware of the rules and regulations, you may risk being rejected from being listed. To help ease the sometime dreadful process, a set of software tools – submission tools – were created.

Defined as automated programs and applications, submission tools remember the repetitive information that is required to get a website listed in a directory or search engine. Many Search Engine Optimization professionals and companies have invested in some sort of submission tools software.

There are two types of submission tools available:

Deep Submission Tools – usually missed by search engine crawlers
Multi-Submission Tools – submits a website to multiple search engines and directories

All businesses should be cautious when dealing with some submission tools. Certain ones may try to scam website designers. They agree to submit a site to thousands of directories and search engines for a low fee. Most of these search engines are either unreal or of no worth to a company’s website.

A good idea is to ask for a list of the directories and search engines which the tool will submit your site to just to be on the safe side. After receiving the list, conduct a thorough research of each site before you actually invest in the submission tool.

Reasons to invest in a submission tool:

Improve your ranking
Save time
More traffic to website
Creates more backlinks

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Great Ways to Generate Links

CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company is here to provide you with great ways to help your company’s website get links. Review the list below and take the proper steps to assist your site’s Search Engine Optimization and Marketing endeavors.

Ask employees – ask employees to mention your website every chance they get.
Contact association sites – reach out to any professional or business association of which you are connected to and ask for a link.
Register with local search directories – register your company’s website with a few free or paid local directories.
Advertise – many times an ad can provide numerous useful links.
Ask other sites for backlink – don’t be afraid to reach out to other sites and ask for help.
Use link-building software and services – try investing in link-exchange programs to speed up the process.
Send out press releases – posting or even mailing press releases can be very beneficial; it brings awareness to what you are trying to fulfill.
Respond to blogs – blog sites are often well indexed by search engines; take the time out to post comments or even write a blog for your small business or company.
Find sites linking to your competitors – if other sites link to your direct competitors, they may link to yours as well.
Contact companies you may do business with – ask to be featured on their list of clients.
Pursue offline Public Relations – aim to get mentioned in print as well as online.

The suggestions above are only a few ways to help generate links to your website. The easiest step is to ask friends and family for links. The most difficult step to do is to wait. Be patient and let everything work for you and your company.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Change Control Process 101

Being able to handle and manage changes during a project can often be very difficult for some project leaders. A scope creed (unconstrained scope expansion) can force a project schedule and budget over the original approval.

Many believe that change control is really only a mindset. No task or project detail can be altered without involvement of the project manager. CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company suggest that the change control process should include the following:

Changes are required to be submitted to the manager of the project on a change request form or by e-mail.
The changes need to be logged in using an excel spreadsheet.
The project team should assess the impact of the change on schedule, specifications, and budget.
Impact is discussed with the requester.
The proposed change is then talked over with the sponsor and customer.
The change needs to be either approved or denied; requestor is then notified of the decision.
Stakeholders are notified of the change.

The change is integrated into the Project Plan and deliverables.
On smaller projects, change requests can be submitted via e-mail, but on larger projects, a change request template should be utilized. There are many templates available for a company’s use.

At first glance the change control process may seem bulky, but it is rather simple. A company’s senior management should make good judgments and figure out how much process is just enough to control changes in the organization.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

All projects initially begin and tend to end with the customer. Project leaders should value the thoughts and concerns of the customer in order to deliver satisfaction. There are two main objectives in customer relationship management.

Customer relationship management (CRM) are methods that companies tend to use to better interact with their customers or clients.

The two CRM objectives help to establish a good working relationship and level of trust with the customer while also obtaining customer signoff on the project deliverables.

Customer Relationship
As stated above, a company’s project manager should always keep the customer informed and satisfied throughout the entire project. The manager is capable of doing this only if he or she has full support from all levels of management.

A project manager is responsible for:

Developing project planning
Developing customer involvement
Understanding the customer’s needs and wants
Seeking a customer’s approval after project changes
Developing project objectives
Establishing a good relationship with the customer
Continuous dialogue with the customer or client

Customer Signoff
When a customer has signed-off on a project it simply signifies the conclusion of the project. This plays a big part in a stakeholder’s position of being paid. Even though the customer has signed-off, there are still other tasks to be completed.

Before a sign-off is completed, the customer has to be satisfied with the project. All requirements should be fulfilled and no issues should be left out in the open. A sign-off should be in a formal written format.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Providing 'Pet Parents' With a Peace of Mind

They’re almost like family – similar to your playful son, loving daughter or simply just a little pal. A pet often brings joy to any family or single home. To many, nurturing and taking care of a precious animal is top priority. His or her safety is a must no matter whose care they might be in.

Providing ‘pet parents’ with a peace of mind while they are away from home and their adored pet is Queen City Petsitting’s number one main concern. Established to steer owners away from crowded and unhealthy kennels and boarding services, Queen City Petsitting provides each pet with the tender love and care they deserve.

Aiding to the Charlotte area, Queen City Pet Sitting offers an assortment of services worthy of any pet owners respect. You can jump onboard the Pet Taxi for a ride to the veterinarian, set up a quick grooming, or even ask for an errand run to return your late movie rentals. Whatever the case may be, these pet care sitters promise to fulfill all of your desires.

A graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Stacey has spent several years in Real Estate Banking. While embarking on a pet sitting service in her spare time, her expertise and passion has grown tremendously over the years.

After adopting Chippy, her Miniature Schnauzer, from Schnauzer Rescue of the Carolinas, the idea of combining her love for animals and pet care developed into her gift to every pet owner -
Queen City Pet Sitting!

To learn more about Queen City Charlotte Pet Sitting and the services they provide, please visit www.queencitypetsitting.com.

Web Design and Hosting Mistakes

Small businesses new to the Internet often tend to make the same mistakes when trying to establish their online presence. CODANK Charlotte Web Design suggests that you conduct thorough research before embarking on any web site design or hosting projects for your company in order to avoid these common mistakes.

Below are a few web design and hosting mistakes that are common:

Placing too many pictures and animations on your website
Try to refrain from cluttering your company’s website with too many images and pictures. Search engine crawlers are not able to collect enough information to index your web site if you do not have text. Do not get wrapped up in having a nice looking site and forget about the content.

Ignoring bandwidth restrictions
Do not place large files, documents, or photos for visitors to view because it will make it difficult to navigate around the web site. Pictures take up more bandwidth than text does.

Not focusing on Search Engine Optimization
The most seen mistake is when a company builds a web site that ignores search engine needs. Be sure to hire a SEO professional who is qualified to help you take advantage of this great marketing tool.

Lack of a business plan
Construct a definite business plan and stick with it from beginning to end. Even if your progress starts off slowly, do not abandon the plan. Each element will help your company in the long run.

Be sure to define your target market and invest in advertising that will properly grab their attention.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Local Search Engines

With the sudden increase in technology advances, small businesses and entrepreneurs are beginning to look for new and innovative ways of reaching their target audience. During Search Engine Optimization, it is always best to be listed in search engine indexes. But, it is also very beneficial for a business to submit their information to local-search engines.

The overall objective of a local search engine is the importance of narrowing down a visitors search. For example, Bob may only want to see the listings for Charlotte Web Design companies in Charlotte, North Carolina and not nationwide. If Bob were to visit Yahoo or Google, he would be able to specify his results and receive better listings.

Top Local Search Engines
• Yahoo Local Listings
• Ask Local
• MSN Local Search
• Google Local Search

These top local search engines offer their services for free. They allow a business to submit their company’s information directly to their local search engines. Doing so helps to increase the possibility of being found during a search.

The process of submitting a company’s background information is fairly easy. The type of information normally needed includes:

• Street Address
• Website URL
• Description of Company
• Operating Hours
• Phone/Fax Number
• Year of Establishment
• Company Logo or Picture

Being listed in search engines such as Google and MSN often draws in a company’s much needed traffic. In addition to other promotional endeavors, taking advantage of local search engines can be very beneficial to any business or entrepreneur.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Traditional vs. Web Mail

One of the most useful and innovative web applications that is beginning to create a buzz is Web Mail. The application (which is used on the Internet) allows it users to access, send, receive and manage their email all through a web browser.

The great thing about web mail is the ability to access your email from almost any computer around the world, as long as you have an Internet connection and web browser.

The difference between traditional electronic mail and web mail is that with traditional mailing the messages are stored on an email client’s one computer while web mail allows access from anywhere via the Internet. Users are attracted to this benefit a lot more than any other.

Web mail is becoming very popular within many technology companies including search engines and portals. A few of the more popular web mail services available include:

• Yahoo! Mail
• Google Gmail
• Hotmail
• AT&T

All of these service providers offer web mail for free. They tend to do this in order to encourage their users to keep coming back to their web site.

Advantages of Web Mail
• Email stored centrally
• Registration is fast and free
• Multiple email addresses can be created for one user
• Large storage capacity

Disadvantages of Web Mail
• Online accessibility
• Advertisements
• Spam and security problems

Numerous web mail users check their email on a daily basis. The more a user visits a specific site the more revenue a company such as Google and Yahoo can make off of advertisements.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Unavailable: System Crash

Have you ever waited until the last minute to apply for classes or visit your favorite clothing store’s web site to print out 50% off coupons only to see that the site is unavailable? More than likely you were not the only one attempting to do the same thing! What has occurred is a crash or system crash.

A system crash is defined as a computing condition in which a program (application or part of the operating system) completely stops performing its expected function and also discontinues responding to other components of the system.
There are many reasons why a system may tend to crash every now and then. Typical causes are when the program counter (which specifies where the computer is in the instruction process) is fixed to an address that is not correct or a buffer overflow overwrites a portion of program code due to an earlier bug.

An easier reason for a system crash is simple – too many visitors are on the web site! This problem is common when people are trying to view live video streaming or even trying to view great deals on Black Friday. Many systems are not capable of working to the best of their ability when there are thousands or even millions of visitor on it at once.

The process of debugging (finding and reducing the number of bugs) system crashes involves linking the actual cause of the crash with the code that set off the chain of unfortunate events. This process is not always simple.

Recently, hackers got into Twitter’s system and caused their system to crash. Twitter was unavailable for a few hours before they were able to get it back up and running properly.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Doorway Pages 101

Doorway Pages were created simply as an entrance from search engines such as Google and Yahoo to a company’s web site. The idea behind a doorway page is to create highly optimized pages that can be chosen and indexed by search engines, hopefully, ranking high and thus channel traffic to the site.

Wikipedia defines doorway pages as web pages that are created for spamdexing, this is, for spamming the index of a search engine by inserting results for particular phrases with the purpose of sending visitors to a different page.

Doorway pages are also known as bridge pages, portal pages, jump pages, gateway pages, entry pages and by other names. Doorway pages that redirect visitors without their knowledge use some form of cloaking.

These types of pages normally look totally different from the rest of a web site.
Another type of doorway pages tends to use a method referred to as cloaking. They show a view of that page to the visitor, but different from the one provided to search engine crawlers.

A content rich doorway page must be constructed in a search engine friendly (SEF) way; if not, it may be construed as search engine spam possibly resulting in the page being banned from the index for an undisclosed amount of time.

These types of doorways use (but are not limited to) the following:

• Content vs. keyword density strategies in order to rank higher in the index
• SEF navigation for easy spidering
• ALT - Title Attributed images for key word support
• Title Attributed links for key word support

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.
For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Planning & Organizing: Project Management

Providing each client with superior support often includes precise Project Management. It is implemented by first planning and then organizing each project in efforts to fulfill its overall goal. Companies such as CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing typically study a business’s needs and wants and as a result are then able to help identify problems and recommend solutions.

Wikipedia.org defines Project management as the discipline of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives. It is often closely related to and sometimes conflated with program management.

The initial principle of project management or project planning is to keep it as simple as possible. Small projects may require little as 3 or four pages while larger projects will be much more intense.

A project plan is the basic roadmap for an entire project. Regardless of the size of the project, CODANK Charlotte Web Design recommends that you should cover the following elements:

Project Summary – a brief rundown of the specific project’s objectives.
Work breakdown structure (WBS) – the to-do-list
Assignment of resources – who is going to do the work?
Project Schedule – Detailed schedule and project completion date
Budget – allocation of money
Risk assessment – Things that could go wrong and what actions should be included in the plan to alleviate the highest-risk events
Communications – Specify how the team will meet, communicate, and report status on the project
Change control process – How will changes be handled?

A great way to put together a project plan is to assemble the project team and lead a brainstorming meeting and record the information you may need.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Advertising & Marketing Tips

Marketing whether online or away from the World Wide Web is a great and unique way to better benefit your company. Small to large companies are inventing remarkable strategies to help promote the brands that they represent.

Marketing and Advertising is defined as the promoting of products and services over numerous outlets for the sole purpose of delivering messages to attract customers.

A business should always be marketable in order to: serve and attract potential customers, make company information accessible, increase the public’s interest, to reach the media, and to better network.

CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company has created a list of the best tips that will help your company stay on top of its marketing endeavors. Be sure to read over all of them to better understand the process.

Create a SWOT Analysis – list your company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; be sure to match the strengths and opportunities against the weaknesses and threats.
Conduct thorough research – get a better understanding of your clients and potential customers.
Invest in an Intranet – helps to boost staff morale and efficiency
Get a better understanding of competitors
Public Relations – be sure to hire a great PR staff in order to keep your name out in the public
Branding – create a brand that is going to stand out; take the time to get it right the first time.
Segmentation – break your customers down into sections to better craft a targeted marketing approach.
Web site design – create an online presence that will keep your audience’s attention.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design
CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

A Helpful Hand: Content Management System

A lot of companies specialize in applying Content Management Systems – file-driven web systems that permits their clients to simply update and create their own website content, pages, and images whenever necessary without any HTML knowledge.

Some are affordable while others may be more on the expensive side. Thorough research should be conducted before purchasing a Content Management System.

With most CMS’s, clients have the capability to manually update:
· Pages
· Images
· Text Content
· Upcoming Events
· Links
· Calendars and more…

Within the CMS, updates can be made into the pre-determined content area of each desired page. Each editing feature is available via a browser with no HTML experience or FTP software needed.

Essential editing tools included with majority CMS’s:
· Blogging capability
· Add/manage a directory of members
· Create new pages and delete older pages
· Add text/multiple images
· Add/edit various calendars
· Add News and Specials/Features/Events headlines and corresponding stories

An additional feature to most CMS’s, including CODANK’s, is a client’s ability to appoint access to various associates. This facilitates a site administrator to allow numerous people access to view or edit pages on the website, hence allowing those associates to manage available content.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Unethical SEO Practices

Search Engine Optimization practices has grown into a large part of owning any type of web page. Entrepreneurs and everyday individuals are beginning to think about how they are going to get their web sites to receive high rankings within search engines. Even though these people are seeking more and more technological assistance, many are unaware of what works and what doesn’t.

Below, CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company has put together a list of unethical SEO practices as well as the best strategies to use. Be sure to discuss these tips with your chosen Search Engine Optimization professional before constructing a web site.

Unethical Search Engine Optimization Practices

Tricking search engines by imbedding hidden keywords in your website. Doing so will more than likely get you banned from most search engines.
Artificially generating links to your site from unrelated sites in order to boost your ranking. Majority of search engines have a built-in mechanism that detects this type of deceptive practice.
Artificially generating traffic to your site so that it appears more popular. Safeguards are in place to prevent this from happening. Getting around these safeguards could place you on the banned list for many search engines.
Submitting your web site to search engines repeatedly for inclusion in the rankings.
Best Search Engine Optimization Strategies to Use

Proper Web Site Structure
Keyword Tools & Services
Pay-Per-Click Campaigns
Behavioral Targeting
Appropriate Written Content
Tagging Your Web Site
Suitable Links & Linking

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Behavioral Targeting: Take Advantage of It

The growing ability of companies to capture and record the different behaviors of their potential customers is steady on the rise. These same businesses are beginning to study the world’s consumers a lot more in order to better understand their buying habits.

Behavioral Targeting uses information collected on a person’s web browsing behavior. Certain activities include: the particular pages visited, performed searches, and how often an individual may stay on a web site. With behavioral targeting not only are you tracking users’ behaviors, but a company is meeting these potential customers in the places where they are more likely to make a purchase.

When behavioral targeting is utilized, there are several methods by which behavior is evaluated. Those methods include:

Repetitive Behavior – a type of behavior from which potential customers do over and over again; users accessing a page in a certain order, repeatedly jumping to a site or at a particular time.

Sequential Behavior – a behavior that occurs when a user signs onto a site and then visits pages or performs actions in sequential manner.

Expected Behavior – what a business expects users to do on a given type of site.

In addition to the behaviors listed above, there are also many categories of behavior that are much more precise. CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company has included a brief list of some of the categories that can be monitored using behavioral targeting. They include:

Music lovers
Automobile purchasers
Hotel seekers
Expecting moms
Gamers
PDA users
Vacationers
Movie watchers
Luxury car seekers
Personal investors
Credit card shoppers
SUV researchers
Home buyers

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

SEO & SEM 101

CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company has briefly explained the questions on every potential clients mind, what is Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing and their elements?

Be sure to familiarize yourself with the following information before choosing a Charlotte Web Design company. They should be able to fully take advantage of these services. If not, you should consider finding a company that does.

What is Search Engine Optimization?
Search Engine Optimization, also referred to as SEO, are the design strategies you use on and away from a website to enhance search engine rankings. This simply means altering your website, design content & other elements to improve its presence.

Keywords and phrases are both very important aspects of Search Engine Optimization. They are the link between a site and the sites potential traffic.

What is Search Engine Marketing?
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a type of Internet Marketing which seeks to promote websites by increasing visibility in search engine result pages.
The ultimate goal of SEM is to attract more traffic (people) to your website.

Search engines will naturally change and advance as technology and theories that enable SEO and the engines themselves progress. For this reason, a modifiable Search Engine Optimization plan should be set in place to help keep you on track.

Search Engine Ranking
To achieve a high position in search results, your site must be beyond recognizable by a search engine crawler. Your site must comply with a set of criteria that gets your site cataloged above most other sites that may fall within the same grouping or topic.

Ranking Criteria
Anchor Text Topical Links Keywords Site Maturity
Site Popularity Title Tags Site Language
Link Context Keywords Content

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Internet Marketing & Advertising 101

Are you thinking about expanding your efforts in this rapidly growing market? If the answer is yes than your best bet is to let the World Wide Web assist you as much as possible.

Internet Marketing & Advertising – the marketing of products and services over the Internet for the sole purpose of delivering messages to attract customers– is the new craze. Small to large businesses are all embarking on the unique benefits of marketing made possible due to the Internet.

Advertising and Internet marketers are taking advantage of this inexpensive trend. Using the web allows you to distribute information and media to audiences nationally. You are able to reach people whom you are not capable of reaching via phone, mail, or in person.

Practically all aspects of your Internet Marketing & Advertising campaigns can be measured and tested. Many advertisers often use a variety of methods such as Pay-Per-Click programs. Results can determine which messages or other advertising efforts are more appealing to your targeted market.

Internet Marketing & Advertising is growing faster than any other type of media simply because exposure, response, and overall effectiveness of the Internet offer a greater sense of accountability for advertisers.

Think about the last time you needed to learn something about a company. Chances are you did not use the yellow pages. Instead, you did a quick search on the Internet. Many consumers are beginning to search for information via the web a lot more often these days. Having the perfect online presence makes is easy for these users to access information.

Your website is a direct reflection of your business. It acts just like a business card or flyer except that it operates around the world and 24/7. For this reason, you should have a web design that reflects an attractive and relevant presence.

Why Your Business Needs a Good Web Design:

To serve & attract potential clients
To make business information available
To increase public interest
To create a 24 hour service
To reach the media
To stay in contact with customers
To network

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Ready For Your Use: Templates

If you find yourself constantly creating documents that contain a lot of specific formatting which may not always use the same font or text, you could save a significant amount of time if you use Microsoft Word templates. By using templates in Microsoft Word, you can focus your attention on the actual content of the document and leave the formatting up to the template.

A template is defined as a pre-developed page layout in electronic or paper media used to make new pages with a similar design, pattern or style. Microsoft Word templates often include:

Formatting
Boilerplate text
Toolbars
Headers
Footers
Styles
Macros
AutoText entries

To save you time and frustration, you should write a good outline before creating your Word template. This way, you can always go back and edit the template or make changes to parts of the document.

CODANK Charlotte Web Design has listed a few tips on what should be included in your outline. They include:

Insert a date field that will automatically update each time the template is opened.
If creating a letter, insert your address and contact information.
Use fields or AutoText for headers and footers.
Any text that will be included in the document
Endnotes, footnotes, columns, margins, etc.
Specific macros

Once your outline is complete, you are ready to begin working on your Microsoft Word template.

A few Microsoft Word templates include:

Agendas
Brochures
Contracts
Flyers
Memos
Newsletters

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Printed Marketing Material

Advertising and marketing doesn’t always have to be dealt with in one way. Truth is, whatever concept gets a company new customers and keeps them is what works best. Online marketing has increased over the years, but there are still many people who are cautious about using the Internet for buying or simply doing business. That is why every company should their time and money on brochures and other forms of printed material.

A small business or online company should invest in printed material for two reasons:

Credibility – look like you mean business by spending money on things besides business cards and letterhead.
Time-saving – give people something to take home and read at their leisure.

CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company has come up with tips on writing a brochure. These tips will help a small business or company support their online marketing efforts and hopefully increase sales.

Encourage your readers to look inside – get creative and go beyond the norm
Explain your product – a good way is to list the products features
Modify the shape – design the brochure into a shape that catches a reader’s attention
Create a list for content – a list of contents is useful; be sure to include bolded words and separate it from the rest of the text
Make it a keeper – include tips or how-to information to be sure that readers keep it as a reference
Make it personal – create a connection within the content; make readers feel as if you’re talking directly to them
Keep it organized – direction helps the reader flip through the pages much easier
Ask for action – include a suggestion area or toll-free number for readers to respond

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

The Most Common Search Engine Optimization Mistakes

Search Engine Optimization can be very tricky when not done the correct way. One of the biggest challenges in SEO is the fact that people don’t realize its importance when drawing in traffic to a web site. Uninformed marketing specialists can easily make decisions that can harm the entire purpose behind Search Engine Optimization.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is defined as the process of improving the quality or volume of traffic to a web site from search engines. Unlike Search Engine Marketing (SEM), SEO does not deal with paid inclusion. The earlier a site appears in search result listings, typically the more visitors will receive them from the search engine.

CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company has put together a list of the most common mistakes made during Search Engine Optimization. The list includes:

Thin Content Pages – little to no content is present on the page
Use of Crawler Unfriendly Methods – search engines deal better with HTML text rather than Flash files
Ignoring Title Tags – a title tag is important because it shows in the search results as your page title
Poor Content Management System – a CMS should be crawler-friendly in order to be beneficial
Poor Site Promotion – marketing goes beyond just launching a site; try inbound links
Wrong Keywords – be sure to select keywords and phrases which have relevance to your web site.
Images instead of Headings – search engines need to read actual content; refrain from posting nothing but images
Backlink Spamming – quality backlinks are much better than just having numerous backlinks
Ignoring URLs – place keywords in an URL; helps with SEO
JavaScript Menus – crawlers cannot read JavaScript menus; try using a sitemap instead.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Pre-Packaged: Press Kit

You have a great idea and you’re now ready for the world to know about it. With the increase in promotional alternatives, you may be a little confused as to how you should get the word out. CODANK Charlotte Web Design suggest that you invest in a well put together Press Kit.

A press kit, also known as a media kit, is a pre-packaged set of promotional materials of a person, business, product, or organization. It is normally distributed to numerous members of the media for promotional use only. A press or media kit is often used to announce a release or for a news conference of some sort.

Common Press Kit Elements
• Background Information
• Photos/Images (High Resolution)
• Biographies of key individuals
• Past Press Coverage
• Updated Press Release
• Contact Information
• Collateral advertising material (flyer, book, etc.)

Below is a list of other great reasons to use a media or press kit.
• Business launch
• Mergers and acquisitions
• News conferences
• Large events
• Industry trade shows
• Product launch

Press kits are very common in the music industry. Bands and musicians tend to use them when launching a new album. Their media kits usually include: band biography, discography, CD, contact information, and an equipment list.

Those who choose to create a press kit often vary in the way that they are actually put together. Some people prefer it to have a certain look while others would rather put it together in a different way.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design
CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Doing Business: Franchising

Embarking on a new web design company or fast food franchise can be very beneficial if handled in the correct way. There aren’t many to choose from, but the ones that are available should definitely be taken advantage of.

Franchising is defined as a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business. This includes:

Chain store – retail outlets which share a branded and central management
Exclusive right – sell branded merchandise
Media franchise – ownership of the characters and setting of a film, video game, book, etc.

For example, as an iDesign 247 franchisee, an individual is granted the opportunity to market a well-liked brand and service. With a low initial investment, becoming an owner will automatically expose them to a mass group of consumers ready to take advantage of the services in which iDesign 247 offers.

Becoming an iDesign 247, or any other company, is both easy and valuable. You will be granted with the resources, creativity and knowledge of a growing brand. The company should always be available to help you prosper as a business owner.

Below are the top ten (10) franchises of 2009. These companies were the most invested in businesses during the year (out of 500).

Subway
McDonald's
Liberty Tax Service
Sonic Drive-In Restaurants
InterContinental Hotels Group
Ace Hardware Corp.
Pizza Hut
The UPS Store/Mail Boxes Etc.
Circle K
Papa John's Int'l. Inc

Before you choose to become a franchisee, it is best to conduct thorough research. A lot of time, money and patience are endured when dealing with a franchise. Make the correct choice and make it work for you.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design
CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Choose Wisely: Charlotte Web Hosting Company

A Charlotte Web Hosting Company should be committed to staying above the rest when it comes to ensuring the most advantageous of performance, security and progression of a client’s online presence. Those who are seeking web hosting want a service which dynamically manages all aspects of their hosted infrastructure with an emphasis on the online benefits worthy of helping their business and its needs.

When a company is researching different web hosting companies, they should choose the one that delivers the best web tools available. Many businesses select a specific Charlotte Web Hosting Company that offers them affordable plans while also delivering top-notch assistance. Who wouldn’t want that?

Charlotte Web Hosting services usually cover the following phases:

Colocation
Managed Hosting

An aerodynamic Colocation center can help a small or large business seek faster and more economically ways of effective arranging their networks.

Most Charlotte Web Hosting Companies are state-of-the-art data facilities, which offer compliant and scalable area options for all Colocation needs. These data centers have been designed with several layers of power, safety, and support.

Charlotte Web Hosting Colocation Centers Deliver

Bandwidth
Cooling
Security
Space
Power

Providing clients with their own operating system or applications is made possible due to Charlotte Web Managed Hosting solutions. Companies which specialize in business hosting require top-quality network configurations, resources, complete redundancy, and robust features.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Open & Close: Web Browser

How important is it to know about the everyday encounters that you have? Whether it is an encounter with a co-worker, stranger on the street, or your own web browser – are you aware of what you’re getting yourself into!

A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is simply defined as web page, image, video, or similar pieces of content. They are identified by a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier). The hyperlinks that are present in resources enable users to easily direct their browsers to related resources.

Browsers are primarily intended to access the World Wide Web, but they can also be used to retrieve information by web servers in private networks or files in file systems.

Major Web Browsers

Internet Explorer – established in 1995
Mozilla Firefox – debuted in 1998
Apple Safari – established January 2003
Google Chrome – debuted in September 2008
Opera – debuted in 1996

The most important function of a web browser is to deliver information resources to the user. The easy process begins when a user inputs a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier), for example, http://www.codank.com, into either their Internet Explorer or Google Chrome browser. The prefix of the URI decides on what resource to retrieve over the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

Certain web browsers also support a variety of other prefixes, such as https:, ftp: (file transfer protocol), and file: (for local files).

Web Browser User Interface Elements

Back & Forward Buttons – to go back to the previous resource and forward again
Refresh or Reload Button – to reload the current resource
Stop Button – to cancel loading the resource
Home Button – return to the user’s home page
Address Button – to input the URI
Search Bar – to input terms into a search engine
Status Bar – to display progress in loading the resource and also the URI of links

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company located in Charlotte, NC. The company is dedicated to providing a broad range of web design services. CODANK specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Graphic Design, Online Marketing, and Web Design and Development.

For more information, visit CODANK Charlotte Web Design and Internet Marketing Company at www.codank.com

Do It On Your Own: Freelance Work

Many talented individuals tend to want to work for themselves rather than for someone else. Some often do have employers but may also do specific work on other related or unrelated projects. The appropriate term for this type of work is called freelance.

Freelance is a self-employed person who practices a profession without a long-term commitment to any particular employer or company. Other terms used include: freelancer and freelance worker.

Common Freelance Fields

Journalism
Book Publishing
Journal Publishing
Computer Programming
Graphic Design
Consulting
Translating
Copywriting
Editing

Even though a freelancer is not in a long-term commitment, some require clients to sign written contracts, while others may perform work based on verbal agreements.

Payment varies significantly from one freelancer to another. Some prefer to charge either by the hour, day, or per-project basis. Payment arrangements may be made upfront, percentage, or upon completion. Contracts can be drafted to ensure that work and payments are made within a certain amount of time.

Being a freelancer has a few perks to it. Freelancers are given the opportunity to enjoy a greater variety of assignments than in regular employment. They usually have the freedom to choose what work they would prefer doing and their actual work schedule. The experience can lead to a wonderful portfolio of work and the establishment of a network of clients.

The only most important disadvantage of doing freelance work is the uncertainty of projects and income. Other drawbacks include lack of company benefits, paid holidays, and bonuses.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top rated Charlotte Web Design, Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization firm located in Charlotte, NC. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality, cost effective custom software development services, delivering a broad range of business consulting and outsourcing services. We specialize in web design and development, branding and identity, internet marketing, and content management systems.

For more information, visit us at www.codank.com

Present It Correctly: A Business Proposal

A business plan is very crucial when deciding to do things the right way. Professionals should not underestimate the importance of crafting one. Seek extra help if you are deciding to write a business plan.

A business plan is any plan that works for a business to look ahead, allocate resources, focus on key points, and prepare for problems and opportunities.

Below CODANK Charlotte Web Design has listed the crucial parts of a business plan. They include:

COVER

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY ITSELF
When was it formed?
What kind of company is it?
Is it a corporation, how many shares are issued and to whom?
Is there a partnership involved? If so, who?
Who formed the company?
If you are not the founder, how did it come to be yours?
Who is presently involved? What is the nature of their involvement?

INFORMATION ON THE INDUSTRY
Give proof as to how the industry is growing.
Prove how your company fits into the industry.
Include charts to visually show strength of industry.
Include demographic information.

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON PRINCIPALS

MARKETING PLAN

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

Be sure to make your business plan unique. All parts of the business plan need to be sharp, concise, and provide all significant information.


About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top rated Charlotte Web Design, Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization firm located in Charlotte, NC. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality, cost effective custom software development services, delivering a broad range of business consulting and outsourcing services. We specialize in web design and development, branding and identity, internet marketing, and content management systems.

For more information, visit us at www.codank.com

To Blog or Not to Blog?

Many new businesses are beginning to learn the importance of blogging. The idea of blogging makes a lot of sense if you look at it from a marketing perspective. Posting a blog can influence the shift from outbound to inbound marketing and give a business the chance to interact with their clients in an innovative way.

A blog is a type of website that includes regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. The word "blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

One simple blog lets a small to large size business meet their customers more directly rather than sending out flyers or an electronic message. It changes your website from a plain information sheet that people tend to look at only once to something that they can interact with and visit more frequently.

Posting a new blog each day or weekly is a wonderful way to reach a specific target audience with your thoughts, opinions, and offerings on significant topics.

Below is a list of CODANK Charlotte Web Design recommended blog sites:

Digg.com
Technorati.com
Onlinemarketingconnect.com
Merchantcircle.com
Populate.net
Articlesland.com
Articlesbase.com
Hubpages.com
Blogspot.com
Getyourcontent.com
Articleblast.com
Articlepress.com
Goarticles.com
Articledashboard.com

Be sure to visit these blog websites to see if they fit best with your business. Many of the above sites are looked at by search engines such as Google and Yahoo. High page rank and backward links can be acquired simply by posting quality blogs.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top rated Charlotte Web Design, Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization firm located in Charlotte, NC. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality, cost effective custom software development services, delivering a broad range of business consulting and outsourcing services. We specialize in web design and development, branding and identity, internet marketing, and content management systems.

For more information, visit us at www.codank.com

Create a Good Web Resume

A web developer who has recently completed an internship or has decided to explore a different avenue of the web design world more importantly needs to be able to show future employers their skills. The best way to do so is by creating a superb web resume.

A web resume for any web developer should include precise details of their career to date. Below is a list of experience that an employer is looking for on the resume. A web resume should include:

The name of each past employer and your job titles.
The number of staff you managed (if applicable).
Design, planning, analysis, implementation and testing responsibilities as a web developer.
The major projects that you have worked on and whether you completed the projects on time and on budget.
Details of specific architecture, systems, etc, should be included on your resume, e.g. HTML, JavaScript, CSS, Macromedia Dreamweaver, etc.
New procedures, techniques, and/or practices that you have introduced or developed.
How you have reduced costs or saved money for your department is important to include.
How you have improved efficiency or productivity within your department or the company.
How you have increased and/or helped to increase revenues and profits in your department (if relevant) and for the company in general.
Any other achievements that have benefited your employers should also be included on your resume.

A web developer should double check to make sure that all of their past accomplishments are included in the resume. The next step is to publish the resume to the web. There are many websites available to help you with this task.

About CODANK Charlotte Web Design

CODANK is a top rated Charlotte Web Design, Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization firm located in Charlotte, NC. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality, cost effective custom software development services, delivering a broad range of business consulting and outsourcing services. We specialize in web design and development, branding and identity, internet marketing, and content management systems.

For more information, visit us at www.codank.com