When a small business has decided to try and lower cost or make better use of their time and energy costs, what should be their next step? If the first thought that comes to mind is Outsource then you are correct! Outsourcing made its entry into the business world during the 1980’s and has been the success of many small and large companies every since.
Outsourcing is defined as subcontracting a service to a third-party company. It involves the transfer of the management or everyday execution of an entire business function to an outside service supplier. Ethically, both parties enter into a contractual agreement that clearly defines the transferred services. Outsourcing could be in the form of people, assets and other resources from a specific client.
Typical outsourced business segments include:
Real estate management
Human resources
Customer support
Facilities
Accounting
Information technology
Designing
A prime example of outsourcing involves a company called Affiliated Computer Services (ACS). ACS provides information technology services as well as business process outsourcing solution to government agencies, businesses, and non-profit organizations. In September 2009, Xerox Corporation announced preparations to acquire ACS. The transaction was set at $6.4 billion. The deal is expected to close in early 2010.
Reasons why outsourcing is carried out:
Purchase of industry best practice
Improve risk management
Control of budget
Ability to concentrate on core functions
Lower costs due to economies of scale
Gain market access and business opportunities through the supplier’s network
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
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Geo-Targeting
Surprisingly, the Internet has become the #1 tool for finding local resources. Online viewers can search for not only information or to simply shop but also find condos for sale in local neighborhoods, compare car insurance agents, and buy products at stores close to them. As a result, it is progressively more important to keep Geo-Targeting in mind when optimizing for search engines.
One should consider Geo-Targeting if:
• They have a local business
• Your potential customers search locally
In Geo-Marketing and Internet Marketing, Geo-Targeting is the method of determining the physical location of a website visitor and providing different content to that visitor based on his or her location – to target by not only a searcher’s keyword but also by the searcher’s geographic location.
A specific location can be a country, zip code, region, state, city, organization, or IP (Internet Protocol) address or other decisive factors. Geo-location software is typically used to provide the information for each visitor.
Geo-Targeting Example:
UPS gives each user the option of selecting their country location. They are then presented with different site or written content depending on their selection.
When dealing with Internet Marketing, the delivery of diverse content based on the physical geo-location and other personal information is automated.
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
One should consider Geo-Targeting if:
• They have a local business
• Your potential customers search locally
In Geo-Marketing and Internet Marketing, Geo-Targeting is the method of determining the physical location of a website visitor and providing different content to that visitor based on his or her location – to target by not only a searcher’s keyword but also by the searcher’s geographic location.
A specific location can be a country, zip code, region, state, city, organization, or IP (Internet Protocol) address or other decisive factors. Geo-location software is typically used to provide the information for each visitor.
Geo-Targeting Example:
UPS gives each user the option of selecting their country location. They are then presented with different site or written content depending on their selection.
When dealing with Internet Marketing, the delivery of diverse content based on the physical geo-location and other personal information is automated.
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
Monday, September 28, 2009
All You Need to Know: "About Us" Pages
It is very important to make sure that your website is equipped with an “About Us” page. Putting together an “About Us” page which says the right thing will help build that much needed relationship with your potential customers.
An “About Us”, “About”, “About Me”, “Company Information”, or “About the Company” page can be a valuable asset to a company’s website. Many times, an “About Us” page will be one of the first results when online customers search for a business.
“About Us” Page Inclusions
Company Facts
Company History
Company Attributes
Company Location
Company Leaders
Company Portfolio/Clients
When a viewer visits a page and clicks on the “About Us” page, they are basically giving the business the opportunity to brag! The potential customer does not want to be bored with technical and irrelevant information. An “About Us” page should be properly written and should be able to provide some serious buying resolve to certain customer segments.
Usual “About Us” Page Mistakes
Written content is tactless
Not personable
It tells what you do instead of who you are
Not enough information
Below is an example of a great “About Us” page. Take note of the written content and what information is given and what information is withheld.
UpRight Web Design is a full service interactive marketing agency headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia with additional business development offices in New York City, NY and Winston-Salem, NC. We focus on helping our clients grow their online brands. UpRight Web Design delivers beautiful, conversion-friendly websites, drive targeted website traffic, and create compelling online experiences that connect with our clients’ target market.
At UpRight Web Design, client experience means everything to us. We work to provide the best client and customer experience possible. Every project and client is crucial to our business.
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
An “About Us”, “About”, “About Me”, “Company Information”, or “About the Company” page can be a valuable asset to a company’s website. Many times, an “About Us” page will be one of the first results when online customers search for a business.
“About Us” Page Inclusions
Company Facts
Company History
Company Attributes
Company Location
Company Leaders
Company Portfolio/Clients
When a viewer visits a page and clicks on the “About Us” page, they are basically giving the business the opportunity to brag! The potential customer does not want to be bored with technical and irrelevant information. An “About Us” page should be properly written and should be able to provide some serious buying resolve to certain customer segments.
Usual “About Us” Page Mistakes
Written content is tactless
Not personable
It tells what you do instead of who you are
Not enough information
Below is an example of a great “About Us” page. Take note of the written content and what information is given and what information is withheld.
UpRight Web Design is a full service interactive marketing agency headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia with additional business development offices in New York City, NY and Winston-Salem, NC. We focus on helping our clients grow their online brands. UpRight Web Design delivers beautiful, conversion-friendly websites, drive targeted website traffic, and create compelling online experiences that connect with our clients’ target market.
At UpRight Web Design, client experience means everything to us. We work to provide the best client and customer experience possible. Every project and client is crucial to our business.
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
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Why They Won't Accept Your Ad
Getting your ads dropped when working with a PPC network can be a very frustrating thing. Many companies and individuals are unaware of the reasons that cause their advertisements to be declined. But, the main reason is that they don’t match the network’s standard. Or, as often happens, because one of the company’s editors thinks the ad doesn’t match the network’s standards, or even because your website isn’t acceptable.
Sites such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN have very strict guidelines regarding what sort of web page or website your ads can link to. The following is a list of the things that can kill your ad campaign on one of the top PPC networks:
You used a trademarked phrase in your ad, but there is no written content related to that product on your site.
Your site includes multilevel marketing.
You do not own the page in which you are linking to.
The ad promises information that isn’t on your website.
Your site does not function in Internet Explorer.
A password is required for your website.
Your specific ad contains objectionable, abusive, or threatening language.
The ad does not give details about the product you’re selling nor does it explain that it can only be shipped to a very limited area.
Your websites content does not match the ad.
Your auction site bids on terms related to products not currently on sale at the site.
The landing page specified in your ad doesn’t contain content related to that product on your website.
Your ad includes contact information, such as phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
Your site spawns a pop-up window when the visitor arrives.
Be sure to check your ads carefully after they have been accepted. Editors may alter certain content without your permission, sometimes turning your original information into something significantly different.
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
Sites such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN have very strict guidelines regarding what sort of web page or website your ads can link to. The following is a list of the things that can kill your ad campaign on one of the top PPC networks:
You used a trademarked phrase in your ad, but there is no written content related to that product on your site.
Your site includes multilevel marketing.
You do not own the page in which you are linking to.
The ad promises information that isn’t on your website.
Your site does not function in Internet Explorer.
A password is required for your website.
Your specific ad contains objectionable, abusive, or threatening language.
The ad does not give details about the product you’re selling nor does it explain that it can only be shipped to a very limited area.
Your websites content does not match the ad.
Your auction site bids on terms related to products not currently on sale at the site.
The landing page specified in your ad doesn’t contain content related to that product on your website.
Your ad includes contact information, such as phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
Your site spawns a pop-up window when the visitor arrives.
Be sure to check your ads carefully after they have been accepted. Editors may alter certain content without your permission, sometimes turning your original information into something significantly different.
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
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Which Is Better: A Paid or Free Directory?
Internet gurus have been debating over the free versus paid directory issue for some time now. There was worry about free website hosting versus paid web hosting, and fuss over free e-mail versus paid. In both cases, whether free or paid is better for you, it all depends on what your specific needs are.
The same is true in regards to paid versus free directory listings. Many Search Engine Optimization experts believe that free directory listings having nothing of value listed in them. This is far from the truth. Several directories that do not require you to pay are actually very strict about the listings that are included in their results. On the other hand, majority of users think that paid directories automatically equate to better quality sites. Again, not true. Paid directories can be just as negligent about the review process as any other directory.
Whether you use paid or free directory listings should not depend on cost alone. What matters the most is how relevant the directory is to your website. The next consideration should be the quality of the sites that are listed in the directory. If the chosen directory is full of outdated sites, spam sites, or mis-categorized sites, it’s probably not the best choice of places to list your website.
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
The same is true in regards to paid versus free directory listings. Many Search Engine Optimization experts believe that free directory listings having nothing of value listed in them. This is far from the truth. Several directories that do not require you to pay are actually very strict about the listings that are included in their results. On the other hand, majority of users think that paid directories automatically equate to better quality sites. Again, not true. Paid directories can be just as negligent about the review process as any other directory.
Whether you use paid or free directory listings should not depend on cost alone. What matters the most is how relevant the directory is to your website. The next consideration should be the quality of the sites that are listed in the directory. If the chosen directory is full of outdated sites, spam sites, or mis-categorized sites, it’s probably not the best choice of places to list your website.
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
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Away From The Computer: Offline Website Marketing
Going far and beyond the cyber world and into the real world is the new craze. Getting the most out of your marketing campaign requires so much more these days. As addictive as the Internet may be, people actually do spend quite some time moving about and interacting in the real world more than they do online. Therefore, you need to expand your promotional efforts by getting to where your audience lives, works, and plays!
Additional Ways to Market Your Website
Promote Your URL
Get the word out that you have created one of the Web’s best and most useful sites EVER. The best way to accomplish this is by putting the address out there for everyone to see. For starters, inform your friends and ask them to tell their close friends. Also, tell your co-workers as well. Once the word gets out, it is bound to spread.
Keep Your Business Card Updated
If you use often, then why not make sure that they contain the necessary information. One of the easiest things you can do to get your website out there is by adding the URL to your business cards. The inclusion of your URL does not have to fancy, just something legible and neat. It is best to place it underneath your phone number and e-mail address.
Take the time out to actually pass your business card out. Don’t be like so many other people that order a box of 270 business cards and a year later are still in possession of 260 of the cards! You took the time to design and purchase the cards, now take advantage of them by actually passing them around.
Modify your Letterhead
Before you send out a personal letter or correspondence, be sure to correctly design your letterhead. Your URL should definitely be included. This will not only let people know you have a website, but it also gives you the chance to suggest they visit.
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
Additional Ways to Market Your Website
Promote Your URL
Get the word out that you have created one of the Web’s best and most useful sites EVER. The best way to accomplish this is by putting the address out there for everyone to see. For starters, inform your friends and ask them to tell their close friends. Also, tell your co-workers as well. Once the word gets out, it is bound to spread.
Keep Your Business Card Updated
If you use often, then why not make sure that they contain the necessary information. One of the easiest things you can do to get your website out there is by adding the URL to your business cards. The inclusion of your URL does not have to fancy, just something legible and neat. It is best to place it underneath your phone number and e-mail address.
Take the time out to actually pass your business card out. Don’t be like so many other people that order a box of 270 business cards and a year later are still in possession of 260 of the cards! You took the time to design and purchase the cards, now take advantage of them by actually passing them around.
Modify your Letterhead
Before you send out a personal letter or correspondence, be sure to correctly design your letterhead. Your URL should definitely be included. This will not only let people know you have a website, but it also gives you the chance to suggest they visit.
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
Monday, September 21, 2009
Cybermall Shopping
Many businesses and individual sellers are looking for new and innovative ways to reach out to online customers. One of those ways is by adding their storefront to a Cybermall. A Cybermall is an online virtual shopping center that pulls together the home pages of multiple storefronts from across the Internet to provide buyers with a combined shopping experience.
Creating Cybermalls is very much the same as the idea behind traditional malls. Both aim to group stores together and provide shoppers with a convenient way of moving from store to store. Putting them together easily helps to attract more customers than member stores are able to do on their own.
Included in Cybermalls is the convenience of storing all chosen products. This allows customers to visit different stores and to put everything into a single cart. Afterward, when the buyer is done shopping and ready to pay, they can do so in a single transaction managed by the Cybermall. This is a lot more convenient than having to purchase products from each store individually.
Benefits of online shopping
• Bargaining power of consumers. They enjoy a wider choice
• Supplier power. It is more difficult for consumers to manage a non-digital channel.
• Internet increases commoditisation
• Threat of new entrants. Online means it is easier to introduce new services with lower over-heads
• Threat of substitutes
• Rivalry among competitors. It is easier to introduce products and services to different markets
Available Cybermalls
• Buy.com
• HYTEK Cybermall
• Slowtowne Market Place
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
Creating Cybermalls is very much the same as the idea behind traditional malls. Both aim to group stores together and provide shoppers with a convenient way of moving from store to store. Putting them together easily helps to attract more customers than member stores are able to do on their own.
Included in Cybermalls is the convenience of storing all chosen products. This allows customers to visit different stores and to put everything into a single cart. Afterward, when the buyer is done shopping and ready to pay, they can do so in a single transaction managed by the Cybermall. This is a lot more convenient than having to purchase products from each store individually.
Benefits of online shopping
• Bargaining power of consumers. They enjoy a wider choice
• Supplier power. It is more difficult for consumers to manage a non-digital channel.
• Internet increases commoditisation
• Threat of new entrants. Online means it is easier to introduce new services with lower over-heads
• Threat of substitutes
• Rivalry among competitors. It is easier to introduce products and services to different markets
Available Cybermalls
• Buy.com
• HYTEK Cybermall
• Slowtowne Market Place
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
Friday, September 18, 2009
Where Do People Search?
There are many places where you can search for websites. Literally thousands of sites, in fact, provide the ability to search the Web. But, what you may not realize, however, is that many of those sites search only a small subset of the World Wide Web.
However, the majority of searches are carried out at a small number of search sites. How do the most popular search sites rank? That depends solely on how you measure popularity:
• Entire number of site guest
• Percentage of site visitors (audience reach)
• Total number of searches conducted on a site
• Total number of hours visitors spend searching at the site
Each individual measurement provides a slightly different ranking. Even though all of them provide a similar picture with the same sites generally appearing on the list, some are in to some extent different positions.
Below is a list of the world’s most popular search sites, based on one month of searches during August of 2007 (approximately 8 billion searches) according to a Nielson/NetRatings study. These statistics are for U.S. Internet users:
• Google.com – 53.6%
• Yahoo.com – 19.9%
• MSN.com – 12.9%
• AOL.com – 5.6%
• Ask.com – 1.7%
• My Web Search – 0.9%
• BellSouth Search – 0.5%
• Comcast Search – 0.4%
• My Way – 0.4%
• SBC Yellow Pages Search – 0.4%
Please remember that this is a list of search sites, not search systems. In some cases, the sites own their own systems. Google supplies its own search results, however AOL does not. My Web Search is a metasearch engine receiving results from Google, Yahoo, and Ask.com.
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
However, the majority of searches are carried out at a small number of search sites. How do the most popular search sites rank? That depends solely on how you measure popularity:
• Entire number of site guest
• Percentage of site visitors (audience reach)
• Total number of searches conducted on a site
• Total number of hours visitors spend searching at the site
Each individual measurement provides a slightly different ranking. Even though all of them provide a similar picture with the same sites generally appearing on the list, some are in to some extent different positions.
Below is a list of the world’s most popular search sites, based on one month of searches during August of 2007 (approximately 8 billion searches) according to a Nielson/NetRatings study. These statistics are for U.S. Internet users:
• Google.com – 53.6%
• Yahoo.com – 19.9%
• MSN.com – 12.9%
• AOL.com – 5.6%
• Ask.com – 1.7%
• My Web Search – 0.9%
• BellSouth Search – 0.5%
• Comcast Search – 0.4%
• My Way – 0.4%
• SBC Yellow Pages Search – 0.4%
Please remember that this is a list of search sites, not search systems. In some cases, the sites own their own systems. Google supplies its own search results, however AOL does not. My Web Search is a metasearch engine receiving results from Google, Yahoo, and Ask.com.
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
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Use It: Wordtracker
An important tool to use as a Search Engine Optimization professional is Wordtracker. Wordtracker is perhaps the most popular keyword tool ever created.
The keyword tool is owned by a company in London, England. It has access to data from several very large metacrawlers – a system that searched multiple search engines for you. For example, type a word into Dogpile’s search box (www.dogpile.com), and the system searched at Google, Yahoo, MSN, and Ask.com.
Wordtracker receives information about what people are looking for from Metacrawler.com, Dogpile.com, and others. These searches are around 100 million per month. Wordtracker stores 100 days of searches in its databases, combines them and then allows it customers to search its database.
Specific searched are seasonal: pools in the summer, heaters in the winter, and so forth. Since the tool has only the last 100 days of information, it may not be representative for a full year for some terms.
Below includes the information Wordtracker can provide:
• Similar terms and synonyms, and the usage statistics about these terms
• Common misspellings
• The number of times in the last 100 days that the exact phrase entered was searched for out of 400 million or so searches
• Terms used in hundreds of competing sites’ KEYWORDS meta tags, ranked according to frequency.
• An estimate of how many times per day a phrase is used throughout all the Web’s search engines
You can pay for access to Wordtracker by:
• Week for $30
• Month for $59
• Year for $329
Many SEO professionals are registered with Wordtracker. For individual websites it may be worth using it just for a day or two. One strategy is to build a list first and then sign-up for a day and run Wordtracker for that specific day. Enough may be gotten done in a couple of hours; if not, you can always sign-up for another day.
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
The keyword tool is owned by a company in London, England. It has access to data from several very large metacrawlers – a system that searched multiple search engines for you. For example, type a word into Dogpile’s search box (www.dogpile.com), and the system searched at Google, Yahoo, MSN, and Ask.com.
Wordtracker receives information about what people are looking for from Metacrawler.com, Dogpile.com, and others. These searches are around 100 million per month. Wordtracker stores 100 days of searches in its databases, combines them and then allows it customers to search its database.
Specific searched are seasonal: pools in the summer, heaters in the winter, and so forth. Since the tool has only the last 100 days of information, it may not be representative for a full year for some terms.
Below includes the information Wordtracker can provide:
• Similar terms and synonyms, and the usage statistics about these terms
• Common misspellings
• The number of times in the last 100 days that the exact phrase entered was searched for out of 400 million or so searches
• Terms used in hundreds of competing sites’ KEYWORDS meta tags, ranked according to frequency.
• An estimate of how many times per day a phrase is used throughout all the Web’s search engines
You can pay for access to Wordtracker by:
• Week for $30
• Month for $59
• Year for $329
Many SEO professionals are registered with Wordtracker. For individual websites it may be worth using it just for a day or two. One strategy is to build a list first and then sign-up for a day and run Wordtracker for that specific day. Enough may be gotten done in a couple of hours; if not, you can always sign-up for another day.
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
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Page Relevance
Page relevance is harder to measure than other elements. The concept of page relevance is that a link from a page related in some way to your page is more valuable than a link from an entirely unrelated page. A link to your rodent-racing site from a website that is also related to rodent racing is more valuable than, say, a link from your Aunt Stacey’s personal web page.
The main setback with PageRank is that it’s independent of keywords. The value is a number of derived from links pointing at a page with no relation whatsoever to a specific keyword. A page which has a high PageRank does not necessarily mean it’s the type of page you are looking for when searching for a specific keyword.
Search engines add something else to the mix: relevance or context. The major search engines are making an effort to do this sort of analysis by matching keywords. As a result, engines are trying to create a context-sensitive PageRank or topic-sensitive PageRank. A topic-sensitive PageRank is dependent on a particular topic. Instead of counting any and all links, only links from relevant websites are included.
Ways to increase a PageRank
• Start a blog!
• Make sure you keep your content fresh and interesting.
Content is the best advertisement because if visitors love your content, then they will come back and spread the word as well.
• Use descriptive title tags.
Focus should be placed on simple, well-described page titles.
• Put your keywords in your meta tags, header, opening paragraph, and footer
• Make sure you're not inadvertently telling the search engine spiders not to index your files, via robots.txt, metas or htaccess files
• Make it easy to recommend your site.
There are tons of scripts freely available if you do not want to write them yourself.
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
The main setback with PageRank is that it’s independent of keywords. The value is a number of derived from links pointing at a page with no relation whatsoever to a specific keyword. A page which has a high PageRank does not necessarily mean it’s the type of page you are looking for when searching for a specific keyword.
Search engines add something else to the mix: relevance or context. The major search engines are making an effort to do this sort of analysis by matching keywords. As a result, engines are trying to create a context-sensitive PageRank or topic-sensitive PageRank. A topic-sensitive PageRank is dependent on a particular topic. Instead of counting any and all links, only links from relevant websites are included.
Ways to increase a PageRank
• Start a blog!
• Make sure you keep your content fresh and interesting.
Content is the best advertisement because if visitors love your content, then they will come back and spread the word as well.
• Use descriptive title tags.
Focus should be placed on simple, well-described page titles.
• Put your keywords in your meta tags, header, opening paragraph, and footer
• Make sure you're not inadvertently telling the search engine spiders not to index your files, via robots.txt, metas or htaccess files
• Make it easy to recommend your site.
There are tons of scripts freely available if you do not want to write them yourself.
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
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Search Engine Essentials
A thorough investigation of exactly what search engines are and how they work is very important to consider before actually registering a website. Although we have come to think of search engines as giant applications that find information, a search engine is really three different applications that work together to find and retrieve content. The applications include:
Indexer – The back-end application that finds and indexes pages for inclusion in a database; other names for this type of application include spider, robot, and crawler.
Database – Stores the index references to web pages.
Query Interface – Handle the questions submitted by users.
Search engines aren’t able to find or index websites without some help, which is why people choose to register their sites. Another way for a search engine to locate a website is through a link to an actual page on the site from someone else’s site. After a search engine finds a site, it uses the links within the pages to find additional pages within the site. In this way, the search engine navigates its way through a website one link at a time and adds the information from the website into its database.
Search engines do not always store all the data in a web page. As an alternative, they create indexed references to the pages. Majority of the time, such an indexed reference contains the following information:
Page Title
Page URL
Summary Description
Keyword List
(Referenced from Increase Your Web Traffic in a Weekend: 5th Edition by Jerry Lee Ford, Jr. and William R. Stanek)
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
Indexer – The back-end application that finds and indexes pages for inclusion in a database; other names for this type of application include spider, robot, and crawler.
Database – Stores the index references to web pages.
Query Interface – Handle the questions submitted by users.
Search engines aren’t able to find or index websites without some help, which is why people choose to register their sites. Another way for a search engine to locate a website is through a link to an actual page on the site from someone else’s site. After a search engine finds a site, it uses the links within the pages to find additional pages within the site. In this way, the search engine navigates its way through a website one link at a time and adds the information from the website into its database.
Search engines do not always store all the data in a web page. As an alternative, they create indexed references to the pages. Majority of the time, such an indexed reference contains the following information:
Page Title
Page URL
Summary Description
Keyword List
(Referenced from Increase Your Web Traffic in a Weekend: 5th Edition by Jerry Lee Ford, Jr. and William R. Stanek)
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
Monday, September 14, 2009
Multiple Versions of Your Pages: Mirror Sites
Mirror sites are beginning to be used to provide additional ways to access popular web resources. What many website publishers have learned is that if they mirror individual pages, they can draw in additional traffic to their website.
On the Internet, a mirror site is an exact copy of another Internet site. Mirror sites are most commonly used to provide multiple sources of the same information, and are of particular value as a way of providing reliable access to large downloads. Mirroring is a type of file synchronization.
To give mirrored pages greater importance, website publishers keep their pages short and try to use nothing but text descriptions and keywords. They often use different descriptions and keywords to alter the pages to specific audiences and search engines and then save the pages with unique names. For example, pages may be named in sequence, such as index1.htm, index2.htm, index3.htm, and so on. Once finished, each single page is registered.
Search engines and directories look favorably on any website that tries to manipulate things in this manner and visitors often don’t appreciate being redirected like this. The bottom line here is not to use this trick!
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
On the Internet, a mirror site is an exact copy of another Internet site. Mirror sites are most commonly used to provide multiple sources of the same information, and are of particular value as a way of providing reliable access to large downloads. Mirroring is a type of file synchronization.
To give mirrored pages greater importance, website publishers keep their pages short and try to use nothing but text descriptions and keywords. They often use different descriptions and keywords to alter the pages to specific audiences and search engines and then save the pages with unique names. For example, pages may be named in sequence, such as index1.htm, index2.htm, index3.htm, and so on. Once finished, each single page is registered.
Search engines and directories look favorably on any website that tries to manipulate things in this manner and visitors often don’t appreciate being redirected like this. The bottom line here is not to use this trick!
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
Friday, September 11, 2009
Promote With a Video: Video Marketing
Recently, video has exploded all over the Internet, made largely possible through the adoption of broadband Internet access. People just cannot seem to get enough of it. In fact, entire websites dedicated just to the sharing o video have popped up becoming some of the most popular hot spots on the web.
Many businesses are exploring different avenues of marketing. While some may prefer email marketing others are looking to try new ideas. The new crave is promoting a web site and products through the usage of video – video marketing. If a company has experience in editing and creating videos, then they can take great advantage of this new communication medium and use it as a driver for increasing their own online traffic.
One of the best places to post videos and receive attention is on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/). YouTube is a video sharing website where visitors can view video clips uploaded by anyone who is a member of YouTube. YouTube is open to any and everyone.
Video marketing is far more cost effective than other forms of marketing. Using video to create a buzz can be a little difficult and does require some creativity. Attracting a target audience is where video marketing does extremely well. It is known to generate a high, fast response rate because the message is passed to others through the customers who enjoyed the videos.
Strategies to help with Video Marketing
· Seek to convey a message with emotion – surprise, humor, or an educational aspect
· Allow people to use your videos on their web sites
· Create a blog on a website and add videos/images on a regular basis
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 http://www.codank.com/
Many businesses are exploring different avenues of marketing. While some may prefer email marketing others are looking to try new ideas. The new crave is promoting a web site and products through the usage of video – video marketing. If a company has experience in editing and creating videos, then they can take great advantage of this new communication medium and use it as a driver for increasing their own online traffic.
One of the best places to post videos and receive attention is on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/). YouTube is a video sharing website where visitors can view video clips uploaded by anyone who is a member of YouTube. YouTube is open to any and everyone.
Video marketing is far more cost effective than other forms of marketing. Using video to create a buzz can be a little difficult and does require some creativity. Attracting a target audience is where video marketing does extremely well. It is known to generate a high, fast response rate because the message is passed to others through the customers who enjoyed the videos.
Strategies to help with Video Marketing
· Seek to convey a message with emotion – surprise, humor, or an educational aspect
· Allow people to use your videos on their web sites
· Create a blog on a website and add videos/images on a regular basis
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 http://www.codank.com/
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Clean Up Time: Idle Pages
After studying a web site and its contents to see how you can direct traffic to more popular areas, a company should take a hard look at pages that rarely obtain visitors. Initially, the first thought is to delete the unused pages or to simply stop updating them, but this may not be the correct solution. Rather than remove or neglect these pages, a company should make sure that other pages have clear road signs that tell visitors what the neglected pages are all about. Also, consider combining the information on this age with information on another page.
Ways to Gain More Visitors to Unused Pages
· Get your site indexed in search engines and online directories
· Create an opt-in list through email marketing
· Posts articles online (Article Marketing)
· Pay-Per-Click
· Be Patient – continue to apply different methods in order to see results!
Updating your content as often as possible is beneficial for a site and its page’s success. It is not a good idea to just create content for content’s sake. Try to add at least one paragraph of new subject matter per week to the unused page. Doing so will keep your site in the minds of your visitors. Not updating regularly will more than likely make it harder for them to even remember your page name.
Words tend to be viewed differently on a screen than those on a page. If it is possible, you should allow your visitors to interact with the words provided. So, include links and other interactive elements in your text for pages which have fallen short of popularity.
About CODANK 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
Ways to Gain More Visitors to Unused Pages
· Get your site indexed in search engines and online directories
· Create an opt-in list through email marketing
· Posts articles online (Article Marketing)
· Pay-Per-Click
· Be Patient – continue to apply different methods in order to see results!
Updating your content as often as possible is beneficial for a site and its page’s success. It is not a good idea to just create content for content’s sake. Try to add at least one paragraph of new subject matter per week to the unused page. Doing so will keep your site in the minds of your visitors. Not updating regularly will more than likely make it harder for them to even remember your page name.
Words tend to be viewed differently on a screen than those on a page. If it is possible, you should allow your visitors to interact with the words provided. So, include links and other interactive elements in your text for pages which have fallen short of popularity.
About CODANK 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
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Comparison Shopping Engines
More recently, people are using the Internet to not only find information or personal amusement, but for shopping. There is no doubt that the majority of surfers use the search engines to find what they are looking for, a growing number of online shoppers are turning to a new type of specialized search engine – designed specifically to assist them with finding the best deals. These new search engines retrieve product and pricing information from various vendors, allowing for product comparisons.
The comparison shopping engines or CSEs are focused exclusively on merchandising. The focus is on the sale of the specific products. As a result, online shoppers only get what they are searching for, something to purchase. If a company is selling a product from their website comparison shopping engines is a tool needed to bring potential customers to their site.
Different from search engines, companies have a great amount of control over how the comparison shopping engines display the information retrieved from their web pages. They can usually specify what needs to be presented and how it is displayed. Traditional search engines do not provide anything like most comparison shopping engines.
In order to get listed with a comparison shopping engine, a site must meet certain criteria. The conditions include: a shopping cart and a list of the prices for each product. If a website meets these basic criteria, it is a candidate for inclusion.
Two popular comparison shopping engines are:
· Google Product Search (formally known as Froogle)
· PriceScan
About CODANK 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
The comparison shopping engines or CSEs are focused exclusively on merchandising. The focus is on the sale of the specific products. As a result, online shoppers only get what they are searching for, something to purchase. If a company is selling a product from their website comparison shopping engines is a tool needed to bring potential customers to their site.
Different from search engines, companies have a great amount of control over how the comparison shopping engines display the information retrieved from their web pages. They can usually specify what needs to be presented and how it is displayed. Traditional search engines do not provide anything like most comparison shopping engines.
In order to get listed with a comparison shopping engine, a site must meet certain criteria. The conditions include: a shopping cart and a list of the prices for each product. If a website meets these basic criteria, it is a candidate for inclusion.
Two popular comparison shopping engines are:
· Google Product Search (formally known as Froogle)
· PriceScan
About CODANK 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
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Are You Linked In: Basic Rules About Links
You know that links are valuable and can help boost your position in the search engines. But, what sorts of link? Let’s go over a quick summary:
· Links from sites related to yours are often more valuable than links from unrelated sites. (Because the relevancy software is almost certainly imprecise, this isn’t always the case.)
· Links from pages with a high PageRank are much more valuable than pages with a low PageRank.
· Virtually all incoming links to your site have some kind of value, even if the pages have a very low PageRank or are not contextual. It may not be much of a value, but it is there.
· The more outgoing links on a page that has a link pointing to your site, the lower the value o the link to your site. This is because the vote is being shared. Thus, in some cases, a link from a low-PageRank page with no other links may actually be more valuable than a link from a high-PageRank page with many links.
· Links are even more valuable when they include keywords because they tell search engines what the referenced site is about.
· A link strategy that positions your site as an authority, or a hub, in a web community or neighborhood can be a powerful way to get the attention of the search engines.
· Even internal links – links from page to page within your site – are valuable because the keywords in the links tell the search engine what the referenced page is about.
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 http://www.codank.com/
· Links from sites related to yours are often more valuable than links from unrelated sites. (Because the relevancy software is almost certainly imprecise, this isn’t always the case.)
· Links from pages with a high PageRank are much more valuable than pages with a low PageRank.
· Virtually all incoming links to your site have some kind of value, even if the pages have a very low PageRank or are not contextual. It may not be much of a value, but it is there.
· The more outgoing links on a page that has a link pointing to your site, the lower the value o the link to your site. This is because the vote is being shared. Thus, in some cases, a link from a low-PageRank page with no other links may actually be more valuable than a link from a high-PageRank page with many links.
· Links are even more valuable when they include keywords because they tell search engines what the referenced site is about.
· A link strategy that positions your site as an authority, or a hub, in a web community or neighborhood can be a powerful way to get the attention of the search engines.
· Even internal links – links from page to page within your site – are valuable because the keywords in the links tell the search engine what the referenced page is about.
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 http://www.codank.com/
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
A Web Ring
Using the web to search for information can often cause a few problems. Performing keyword searched when using search engines usually brings about results which include redundant and unrelated links. Frequently, you have to sift through these results in order to get to the websites that actually contain the information that you are looking for.
One particular alternative to search engines that more and more web surfers are turning to is web rings. A web ring in general is a collection of websites from around the Internet joined together in a circular structure. When used to improve search engine rankings, web rings can be considered a search engine optimization technique. It is a free service and available to anyone with Internet connection.
Each web ring is started by an individual owner and is then organized into major categories. Owners are allowed to either accept or reject requests by web site owners to join the web ring. Web sites included in the ring contain navigational controls for movement within the ring. A central web ring controls web ring navigation. The server helps to prevent dead ends from breaking the ring by automatically forwarding a web surfer on to the next offered web site in a ring.
Once a site is in the ring and it contains the type of information a web surfer likes, there is a really good chance that the rest of the web sites in the ring will also include content that is acceptable by the surfer.
There are currently two major web rings –
· Web Ring – dir.webring.com/rw
· RingSurf – www.ringsurf.com
About CODANK Web Design
CODANK is a top rated Web Design and Internet Marketing 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. For more information, visit us at www.codank.com
One particular alternative to search engines that more and more web surfers are turning to is web rings. A web ring in general is a collection of websites from around the Internet joined together in a circular structure. When used to improve search engine rankings, web rings can be considered a search engine optimization technique. It is a free service and available to anyone with Internet connection.
Each web ring is started by an individual owner and is then organized into major categories. Owners are allowed to either accept or reject requests by web site owners to join the web ring. Web sites included in the ring contain navigational controls for movement within the ring. A central web ring controls web ring navigation. The server helps to prevent dead ends from breaking the ring by automatically forwarding a web surfer on to the next offered web site in a ring.
Once a site is in the ring and it contains the type of information a web surfer likes, there is a really good chance that the rest of the web sites in the ring will also include content that is acceptable by the surfer.
There are currently two major web rings –
· Web Ring – dir.webring.com/rw
· RingSurf – www.ringsurf.com
About CODANK Web Design
CODANK is a top rated Web Design and Internet Marketing 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. For more information, visit us at www.codank.com
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Virtual Website Launch
No matter how long your site has been on the Internet, it is never too late to tidy it up some more and re-launch it again. Many webmasters use this idea by hosting their own virtual website launch. In order for the launch to be successful, spreading the word should be at the top of the to-do-list! Not only should you get the word out, but it is also important to organize the various virtual website invitations and announcements. Coordination will help to inform people so that they all take effect in plenty of time before the launch.
There are numerous ways to advertise a success virtual web launch, such as: posting information on ‘What’s New’ pages, updating your sites banners, sending out a newsletter, posting announcements in newsgroups, and getting you direct mail campaign all going at the same time.
A virtual web launch is no different from a launch which restaurants or stores have all of the time. For example, try giving out a prize or running a contest for a few lucky winners on the day of your launch.
Once you have finalized the logistics of your launch, it is best not to rush through the experience. The launch should be grand and able to catch enough attention. In fact, you may want to run the event for a week or even a month in order to reach your targeted market.
Tips for a successful website launch
· Avoid the temptation to prematurely launch the website
· Plan to launch early in the day and early in the week
· Inform the entire team of the launch
· Go through entire site and check for spelling and grammatical errors.
· Ensure that any images that have been referenced absolutely have the production URL and not the development URL
· Make sure all email addresses associated with the website have been setup and tested prior to launching the website
About CODANK Web Design
CODANK is a top rated Web Design and Internet Marketing 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. For more information, visit us at www.codank.com
There are numerous ways to advertise a success virtual web launch, such as: posting information on ‘What’s New’ pages, updating your sites banners, sending out a newsletter, posting announcements in newsgroups, and getting you direct mail campaign all going at the same time.
A virtual web launch is no different from a launch which restaurants or stores have all of the time. For example, try giving out a prize or running a contest for a few lucky winners on the day of your launch.
Once you have finalized the logistics of your launch, it is best not to rush through the experience. The launch should be grand and able to catch enough attention. In fact, you may want to run the event for a week or even a month in order to reach your targeted market.
Tips for a successful website launch
· Avoid the temptation to prematurely launch the website
· Plan to launch early in the day and early in the week
· Inform the entire team of the launch
· Go through entire site and check for spelling and grammatical errors.
· Ensure that any images that have been referenced absolutely have the production URL and not the development URL
· Make sure all email addresses associated with the website have been setup and tested prior to launching the website
About CODANK Web Design
CODANK is a top rated Web Design and Internet Marketing 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. For more information, visit us at www.codank.com
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