Thursday, December 31, 2009

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

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

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

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

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

Monday, December 28, 2009

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

Thursday, December 24, 2009

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

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

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

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

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

Monday, December 21, 2009

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

Friday, December 18, 2009

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

Thursday, December 17, 2009

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

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

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

Monday, December 14, 2009

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

Friday, December 11, 2009

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

Thursday, December 10, 2009

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

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

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

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

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

Monday, December 7, 2009

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

Friday, December 4, 2009

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

Thursday, December 3, 2009

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

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

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