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­ Data News
  • Green Marketing
    For small-business owners, creating and implementing effective marketing strategies can be an uphill battle. The question always becomes: What kind of strategies should you employ to grow your business and are they going to work?

    So when a Miami Herald reader recently asked BizBytes whether green marketing strategies could help grow their small business, I turned to D. Steven White, professor of marketing at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth and interim director of its Sustainability Studies Program.

    What is green marketing anyway?

    According to American Marketing Association, it is defined as the marketing and promotion of products and services that are environmentally safe. reen marketing for small businesses is really about introducing green products and adopting sustainable practices to differentiate yourself from your competitors.

    Green Marketing
  • Potential Help for Small Business
    More than a dozen programs aimed at spurring hiring among small businesses have been introduced or proposed. They include:

    -- Under the Recovery Act, the government raised the maximum guarantee for Small Business Administration loans and temporarily suspended fees charged to business owners. Money in that program ran out in the spring and the Obama administration is pressing Congress to approve an extension.

    -- As part of the new HIRE Act, business owners get a tax cut on their share of payroll taxes for hiring unemployed people. They get another cut if they keep the employees for a year.

    -- The administration is proposing to eliminate all capital gains taxes on small-business investments as well as to extend provisions allowing them to deduct the cost of capital expenditures and write off certain investments.
  • Enticing Purchasers - Closing the Sale
    Compelling customers to take the final step from browsing to purchasing is not always an easy transition. Marketers and entrepreneurs who have studied purchasing habits have found that the following enticements can help encourage potential customers to take the final step to purchase...

    Enticing Purchasers - Closing the Sale
  • Small Businesses Less Important in High Tech
    Small businesses are much less important in technology-intensive industries than in the rest of the economy.

    They account for a slender portion of high tech sales. A recent report by the National Science Foundation indicates that, in 2008, businesses with between 5 and 499 employees accounted for 11 percent of sales of companies that conduct research and development.
  • How to Subscribe to An RSS Feed
    There are generally two different kinds of tools that allow visitors to subscribe to RSS feeds. These tools are known as aggregators, or RSS news readers. As the content of an RSS feed changes, the RSS reader or aggregator will update itself automatically and display the new RSS feed items.


    How to Subscribe to an RSS Feed
  • Isle of Wight Tax Incentives
    Owners of new mom-and-pop retail shops and other small businesses could get a boost if Isle of Wight County begins offering incentives to woo small businesses.

    Isle of Wight County last month overhauled its incentive plans for larger, more lucrative mixed-used developments and may begin offering incentives to grow its small businesses community, said Lisa Perry, the countys economic development director.

    complete article
  • Repeal of Tax Law Will Hurt Small Businesses
    Almost 70 percent of those earning $200,000 ? where the income tax first kicks in ? are small business owners. They pay roughly 70 percent of small business wages and generate 67 percent of the profits.

    complete article
  • Ask.com to Get Social
    I wonder if it will be a mirror of Yahoo Answers:

    Internet search engine Ask.com is planning to go beyond algorithms and ask real human beings to help answer questions.

    Ask, which is seeking to expand its less than four percent share of the Web search market in the United States, launched an invitation-only beta, or test, version of the new service on Tuesday.
  • 10 Steps to Getting the Click
    There are a number of steps a webmaster can take to encourage visitors to click on a link or graphic located on their website. The following steps will help get the click...

    10 Steps to Getting the Click
  • Present Content Different Ways
    Webmasters and marketers spend an inordinate amount of time building quality content that relates to their products or services. Yet the vast majority of these marketers fail to fully capitalize on the content they were so careful to create.

    Webmasters can easily reformat their web content and present it to their customers in a variety of different ways. And different formats can be promoted through different channels. The different formats will often appeal to new and different audiences. For example: a video explanation may resonate with a younger technical customer, while an eBook in PDF format may appeal an older customer.

    Present Content Different Ways
  • Building an Image with a Logo
    Website design can be elusive to even creative individuals. Sadly some webmasters do not realize their incompetence and they post websites that have grainy graphics and turgid colors. If you are one of these webmasters and have seen the error of your ways, consider this. Your website is a sales tool. A professional layout and design can significantly increase sales and conversion rates, gaining you customers. Businesses can greatly benefit from a professional and unforgettable logo that sets them apart from their competition. Logos are not just fancy graphics that adorn websites or letterhead, logos are a representation of a businesses' philosophy. Logos are a critical component of brand development.

    Building an Image with a Logo


    Find ready made logo designs for businesses.
  • Content Curation in Business
    Many of the B2B companies that publish corporate blogs have long realized the value of publishing useful content in the form of white papers, case studies, webinars, newsletters and other types of educational content.

    Business buyers typically seek additional information and resources for information on business products and services. In the growing content marketing field, some companies choose a pure creation strategy  and find it to be a challenge.

    Content Creation in Business
  • Emotion of Color in Web Design
    Color psychology is a phrase used to describe the effect that color has on human behavior. The psychology of color is certainly not a new concept. In fact, it has been around for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Colors tend to carry non-verbal and subliminal messages, and the color spectrum evokes different emotions and physiological responses in people. The reactions people have to specific colors may be influenced by many factors, including their culture, location, gender, or even their age.

    The emotions that are evoked by various colors are not always gender-specific. The same colors may generate one emotion in men, while producing a completely different emotion in women. Colors may also have different psychological impacts in different cultures. In eastern cultures, white might represent death; whereas in western cultures, white can represent life, marriage, or rebirth. Colors may also have a different impact on people in different age groups.

    Emotion of Color in Web Design
  • Cell Phone Etiquette - Part 2
    Cellular telephones, or cellphones, are an important part of modern society. When Miss Manners wrote about good manners and etiquette, mobile phones did not exist nearly to the extent they do in our society today. In an effort to assist cellphone users, we have written up some guidelines to help people use their mobile phones appropriately while navigating in polite society.

    Cell Phone Etiquette - Part 2
  • Ten Best Small Business Stories
    Ten Best Small Business Stories of the Week
  • Top Traits of Small Business Owners
    Top of the list for successful entrepreneurs is the ability to collaborate. Those who can delegate, build strong relationships with their management teams, employees, and others are more likely to click with customers.
    The other five traits frequently found in flourishing small business owners:
    ? Being self fulfilled. Good small business owners put a high price on the fulfilment their companies provide them, relish being their own boss, and enjoy being in control of their personal income. They value doing something for a living that I love to do, being able to decide how much money I make, and being able to have the satisfaction of creating something of value.
    ? Future-focused. Small business owners who thrive are good at both short- and long-term planning. They are as likely to have a well thought-out plan for the day-to-day running of the business as a road map for how to run the business for years.
    ? Curious. Good entrepreneurs are always reading and asking questions. They want to learn everything from why a particular business failed to how to find, motivate, and keep good employees.

    Top Traits for Small Business Owners
  • Create Buzz for Your Small Business
    The success of a small business does not solely depend upon the business' products and services. Moreover, small business owners must understand the value of promotion and advertising. For instance, people are constantly looking for products and services that meet their ideals but if businesses don't put much effort into getting the word out, most likely potential customers won't know that such products and services are catered by the said business.

    Hence, small business needs to work on marketing the business. They should understand that effective products and services do not necessarily translate into sales. Consequently, business owners are now starting to put a great deal of work into such aspects of business management.

    Complete Article
  • Interesting Thoughts on AdWords and Organic Ranking
    There are those who believe that paying for Google AdWords ads will result in their previously invisible website shooting up the regular rankings.

    Sadly that simply is not the case. AdWords ads are completely separate from the organic listings.

    However there is a very real possibility that ads may impact the CTR of organic listings, or, for that matter, vice-versa.

    AdWords and Ranking
  • Domain Name Suggestions
    Innovative, memorable, and compelling domain names are becoming more and more difficult to come up with. The following tools can help webmasters find great domain names for their online businesses....

    Domain Name Suggestions
  • 10 Most Hated Companies
    Hating BP is a cottage industry nowadays. A Google search on the term I hate BP pulls up more than 13 million hits.

    But it would be wrong to allow BPs folly to completely overshadow all the other corporate miscreants out there whose behavior is also worthy of your contempt.

    Big business has done a great job of making people angry so far in 2010. There are companies that, at various times, soaked up billions of taxpayer dollars, jacked up fees just to show they could and provided customers with unbelievably bad service. Meanwhile their execs made off with millions. Great job, guys.

    So here is our assessment of the 10 most hateable companies that are not named BP.

  • Ways to Save
    As a frugal blogger, I recommend lots of tips that will save you small amounts of money. I think these tips are worthwhile, especially if they save you money on expenses that are reoccurring. However, before you invest too much time in frugal tips to save a little money, you should make sure that you have cut your big expenses first. Concentrating on the big items first may seem obvious, but many people are oblivious to their big expenses or feel that there is no way to reduce them. You do not want to be penny-wise and pound-foolish.

    Ways to Save
  • Google Caffeine
    Google announced the completion of its new web indexing system, called Caffeine, in a blog post Tuesday. According to Google, Caffeine will provide at least 50 percent fresher results for web searches than its last index.

    Google started testing Caffeine in August 2009, and it was suggested that Caffeine would go live after the holidays.

    Googles old search index consisted of several layers, some of which were refreshed at a faster rate than others--the main layer updated every couple of weeks. Basically, this meant that content was not added to the Google search index until a layer was refreshed, so there was a significant delay between publishing content and having it show up on the search engine.

    Details About Google Caffeine
  • 10 Things We Still Print that Could be Digital
    When was the last time you wrote a check? 2004? Well, if you?re like most people, the bank keeps sending you little reminders, pestering you to order more. We live in an increasingly digitized world, and with every new invention comes fewer reasons to print things like checks. Yet we still have them, and many other things that could just as easily be digital, saving us not only paper, but time and money.

    10 Things We Print that Could Be Digital
  • 7 Tips to a Successful Landing at a Large Company
    1. Drink the right water through the firehose
    Do not be like this little kid who did not see what was coming. Large companies are complex beasts and in the first few weeks the sheer amount of information you think you need to absorb and the often critical decisions you need to make can easily overwhelm you. A good manager should help you filter what is important and what is not and help you navigate the info-storm, but...you need get used to the fact that for some time to come a lot of things just aren't going to make sense to you that you really feel you should have a good grasp on. It is OK. Do not panic.

    Tips to Be Employed at  a Large Company
  • Reasons Why People Fear Starting a Business
    Starting a new business can be a turbulent undertaking. For one thing, there are no guarantees of success. Businesses fail every single day, and plenty of entrepreneurs come away with nothing to show for months or years of hard-fought effort. The idea of sacrificing a steady salary for an uncertain, hoped-for payday also tends to provoke anxiety.

    6 Reasons People Fear Starting a Business
  • Great Logo Designs for Small Businesses
    Find a great business logo design for only $9.95. Logo Search has a variety of inexpensive logo designs to choose from that can be easily customized in a graphic editor.
  • Tips for Blog Posting
    Coming up with ideas for new blog posts on a regular basis can be a challenge, even for the most prolific writers. Experience shows that readers tend to favor certain types of posts more than others. Here are some popular types of blog posts that you might want to use for those times when inspiration simply does not strike.

    Tips for Blog Posting
  • Software to Create RSS Feeds
    Software to create RSS feeds and podcasts.
  • Small Business Challenges
    As they try to reel in customers, USA TODAYs Small Business Challenge participants have employed a range of marketing tactics ? from handing out coupons to establishing Facebook fan pages. Still, some are struggling to figure out the best way to promote their firms.

    complete article
  • Small Business Hurricane Preparation
    June marks the beginning of hurricane season and Travelers has developed a list of the top five things that small business owners can do to make sure their businesses are properly protected should a storm hit.

    complete article
  • Top 1000 Websites on the Internet
    Google has posted a list of the top 1000 websites. These are the sites to get backlinks from to boost your popularity.
  • Software Industry Conference - for Internet Marketers and Developers
    The 20th Annual Software Industry Conference will be held on July 15 - 17, 2010 in Dallas, Texas at the Hyatt Regency DFW Hotel.

    The Software Industry Conference is a three day event that culminates with a Networking Gala Dinner that gives software developers and publishers an opportunity to form partnerships and alliances. The conference also includes dozens of informative, educational breakout sessions covering a wide variety of topics that are critical to the success of Independent Software Developers (ISVs).

    The conference includes more than forty educational seminars and presentations that are designed to help developers sell more software. Presentations by industry experts include topics such as profiting from Google Adwords, marketing more effectively, providing income-producing customer support, working with translation and localization services, sending press releases, developing Software as a Service (SaaS) applications, avoiding legal pitfalls, reducing chargebacks, and creating affiliate networks.

    The conference allows plenty of time to network with other software developers and software industry service providers. The conveniently-located daily breakfasts in the Hyatt Regency DFW Hotel make it easy for conference attendees to meet and socialize with fellow industry members. You can even attend the annual meetings and luncheons of two industry trade associations, ESC and ASP.

    The casual SIC conferences are known for their family-friendly atmosphere. Many software developers turn their trips to SIC into mini-vacations.

    For more information about SIC 2010, visit http://www.sic.org/
  • Three Best Ways to Expand Overseas
    Expanding overseas in the current economy may seem like a pipedream for small-business owners. But many have taken the plunge despite the recession, allowing them to diversify their risk and client base in markets abroad. In fact, the U.S. Commercial Service, which helps U.S. companies expand into foreign markets, says that 23% of its clients exported for the first time, entered a new market, or increased their international market penetration in 2009. That is up 3% from 2008.

    3 Ways to Expand Overseas
  • Small Business Credit
    The credit card reform that Congress passed last year to protect consumers from practices like retroactive interest rate hikes did not cover small business credit cards. The law did direct the Federal Reserve Board to study the use of credit cards by small businesses and report back to Congress on whether further action is needed, giving the board 12 months to do so. The Fed missed that deadline over the weekend.

    complete article
  • Top Business Mistakes
    Many small businesses make mistakes, and smart entrepreneurs will learn from the mistakes of others. With that in mind, we have compiled a list of some common mistakes that small business owners often make....

    1. Knowing It All
    Business owners who think they have learned it all will very often tend to fail. Even the most experienced entrepreneurs have to be willing to learn continually. There are always new technologies and markets emerging. It is very important to learn these new technologies and adapt to changing markets.

    Top Business Mistakes
  • Small Business Spring Cleaning
    Spring cleaning can take two forms. There is the traditional spring cleaning. Give the shop or office a once over. Get rid of the clutter, clean out the storage room, and get into the nooks and crannies. Most of us have some old files hanging around that can be moved or tossed. And what about some new paint, or blinds, or even some new furniture?

    You, your staff, and your customers will like and notice the difference.

    But do not stop there. Consider some spring e-cleaning. Clean out your computer in-box. Delete unused, old e-files. Back up your system or sign up for a monthly backup service if you do not have one. Update necessary software.

    Small Business Spring Cleaning
  • Supreme Court Nominee is a Wild Card for Businesses
    The limited record of Obamas Supreme Court nominee makes it hard to divine her views, but there are reasons to believe she is not anti-business.

    The truth is, Kagan, has not given much indication as to how she would rule on business matters if the U.S. Senate confirms her as the next Supreme Court justice. She clerked for a liberal justice, the late Thurgood Marshall, and worked as an attorney in the Clinton administration. But Kagan has not served as a judge, which means she does not have a body of legal opinions to follow her around, for good or bad. She is not considered ideological or political, but rather a pragmatist when it comes to legal matters.
  • Arizona and Business Pain
    70% of Americans support the recent legislation passed in Arizona yet businesses are said to be fearful of lost revenue. A city official says Phoenix could possibly lose hotel and convention center business worth about $90 million over the next five years because of fallout from Arizonas new immigration law.
  • Link Gold
    Links are the threads that bind the web together. The Internet web is not so different from an actual spider web. Each page on the Internet is connected by an intricate system of links which connect websites to other websites.

    In order for a website to perform well in search engine rankings, it must have connections to other websites through links. These connections or links not only help search engines locate new content as it becomes available, but they also weave together networks of websites that are all related. The number and strength of connections that a website has will help determine the importance of that website.

    Link Gold
  • Webmaster Tools and Resources
    Web Elements is a premier collection of resources for webmaster, search engine marketers and others interested in online marketing.

    Web Elements is designed to help both beginner webmasters and experienced search marketers. We have compiled lists of useful resources and submission sites.

    We have compiled a collection of resources from Search Engine Optimization, Press Release Submissions, DoFollow Lists, Webmaster Scripts, Webmaster Blogs, and Forums.

    Collection of Webmaster Resources
  • Facebook and Privacy Concerns
    Among users of Facebook and other social networks, over half post personal information that could put them at risk, according to Consumer Reports. Facebook says its applauds Consumer Reports work on behalf of consumers, but the site is taking much heat lately for some of the changes it made to its network recently.

    complete article
  • Ins and Outs of Sitemaps
    Sitemaps are simply maps for search engines to follow, and will ensure that all the important pages on your website are spidered and included in the various search engines.

    Ins and Outs of Internet Sitemaps
  • Buy, Sell and Value a Website
    Determining the value of a website can be tricky, because a number of factors can play a role. Factors involved in determining the resale value of a website include...

    Buy, Sell, and Value a Website
  • Small Businesses with Positive Attitudes
    Successful small businesses come in all sizes and specialties, but their leaders all share one essential attribute: positive, can-do attitudes that transcend everything they do.

    Believing in yourself and your ability to succeed does more than simply sustain you through the challenges of getting your business started.

    Complete Article
  • SBA Cracks Down on Small Businesses
    The head of the Small Business Administration today said the agency has cracked down on companies posing as if they were owned by service-disabled veterans, a scheme uncovered by a recent investigation.

    The Government Accountability Office exposed fraud in several of SBAs small-business programs, including the program that sets aside contracts for small companies owned by service-disabled veterans.

    complete article
  • How to Attract Small Business Investors
    Applying for venture capital is not quite as informal as the ABC TV show Shark Tank would have you believe. Before you have the opportunity to present your idea or invention to the sharks, paperwork filing, business-plan writing and demographic analysis must be conducted. Many of these firms receive up to 5,000 business plans per year, all competing against your business plan for funding consideration. Only 10% of these plans are seriously considered, and 1-2% are actually picked up and funded. And this process can often take years.

    complete article
  • Economic Survey Shows Small Business Owners Have Deep Uncertainty
    Small business owners may be feeling the pinch of recession more than any other type, according to a recent report released by National Federation of Independent Business. The optimism has been among all time low at 86.8 compared to 88, last February. Taking into account that the confidence index has not raised past 90 for last eighteen months, experts suggest that small businesses are still facing credit crunch, decrease sales and dwindling profits even when the payroll or household survey have indicated, otherwise.

    complete article
  • Lists for Webmasters and Marketers
    Here are some lists of lists that will be useful to webmasters:

    72 Free Press Release Submission Sites
    Free Places to Submit RSS Feeds
    RSS Tools
    Podcasting Tools
  • Get Ready for Earth Day!
    If you are interested in celebrating Earth Day or promoting an eco-friendly future consider some of these environmental items.

    Eco Friendly Products!
  • 15 Important Web Design Tips
    Here are 15 important website design tips that you might not be aware of or have overlooked. Consider taking advantage of them if you have not already done so..

    15 Important Web Design Tips
  • Google Frustrations
    Google has recently shut down Google Merchant accounts of manufacturers. They say that manufacturers can be listed through their marketplaces now, but if a manufacturer or small business sells direct they may be shut out of Googles popular product database. This shift in philosphy gives a boost to resellers, and affiliates but could really hurt small Internet businesses.

    The email the send out, when queried is included below:

    As of September 3rd 2009, individual sellers on marketplaces no longer need to submit items to Google Product Search. Going forward, marketplaces will be responsible for submitting a feed of all their sellers' items, so we have retired your account in order to avoid duplicate entries on Product Search. Your marketplace will also be responsible for ensuring that your feeds are up-to-date and compliant with our policies.

    In most cases, marketplaces already submit feeds of their sellers items. If you have any further questions about your items or Google Product Search, please contact your marketplace. We look forward to continuing to display your products, and hope you enjoy the new streamlined submission process.

    Keep in mind these newly disabled Google Merchant feeds have been in place and in effect for months. Arghhh Google is so frustrating!
  • Inexpensive Business Logos
    Looking for innovative business logos that are incredibly inexpensive.  If you are looking to develop a brand or business identity consider starting at Logo Search.
  • Yahoo Publisher Network Being Shut Down
    Yahoo plans to close a beta advertising service through which small online publishers, such as individual bloggers, signed up to carry ads sold and distributed by the company in exchange for a commission.
    The service, called Yahoo Publisher Network Beta, provides pay-per-click text ads that are contextually relevant to the Web pages of participating publishers in which they appear
  • Protecting Your Reputation Online
    Google is sometimes thought to be the bane of the Internet, and it certainly can be a thorn in the side of search engine marketers. Many fail to look beyond the search of today, toward what the implications of indexing and storing information will have on future generations.

    Protecting Your Reputation Online
  • Questions About Podcasting
    Podcasting is an up-and-coming and increasingly popular medium for communication. The following are common questions about podcasting, perfect for those just getting started in podcasting as a communication channel...

    What Format Should I Record To?
    While other formats are supported, MP3 is by far the most common format used for audio podcasts. Unless there is a specific and compelling reason to use a different format, you should stick with MP3 files for audio podcasts.

    Questions About Podcasting
  • In Search of a Business Identity?
    If money is tight and you want to build a brand or business identity consider finding a logo at Logo Search. Logos are only $9.95 , they are royalty free and can be modified to suit your needs.
  • Small Businesses Overlooked
    State tax grab efforts more and more are pitting governments against big Internet retailers.

    Who gets forgotten, though, are the little guys and gals making a go at the American dream by running small retail businesses from their garages or Internet businesses from spare bedrooms.

    complete article
  • Interesting View of Twitter
    Even the most prolific users say Twitter has become more useful as a way to tap in to the discussions of the day than to broadcast their own thoughts. And once you get pulled in, you might just find you have something to say after all.

    complete article
  • Startup Business Boot Camp
    Turn your ideas into action and fast track your success at the Startup Business Boot Camp, a concentrated, intensive hands-on event where you start with an idea on Friday evening and by Sunday afternoon you can literally be in business ready to generate your first lead or customer.

    Startup Business Boot Camp
  • Innovative Ways for Designers to Use Technology
    Stumbled across a couple of niche sites, that have supplemented their websites and revenue by using Zazzle? You create products using artwork or photos, and Zazzle handles printing, shipping and payment processing. The artist recieves a percentage or any sales generated. Seems this works quite well for niche sites. Check these out:

    Horse Stall - Horse Themed Gifts
    Dog Pound - Dog Themed Gifts
    Golf Clubhouse - Golf Gifts
  • Google - People Finder
    While this technology is great for emergencies it does raise personal security concerns:

    Google on Saturday quickly activated an online person finder tool to allow relatives and friends to find loved ones following the huge earthquake in Chile.

    The Person Finder: Chile Earthquake from the California-based Internet giant is located at Chilepersonfinder.appspot.com and offers users the choice of using it in English and Spanish.

    It asks users What is your situation? and gives them the choice between I am looking for someone and I have information about someone.

    Users can then search records by name or input information about someone.
  • Software Industry Conference Registration Open
    The Software Industry Conference is a three day event, July 15-17, 2010 in Dallas, Texas with educational sessions and networking events.
  • Diversify or Die
    Do you know a business owner who is lamenting the current state of the economy? Are they talking about how their business is on life support and they don?t know what to do?

    Are you one of them?

    Diversify Your Small Business or Die
  • How to Twitter
    Twitter, the latest social networking craze, is a micro-blogging platform where participants post tweets which are short comments limited to 140 characters or less.

    Getting setup on Twitter is not terribly difficult. There is a slight learning curve in regard to Twitters culture and tweeting practices, so it is a good idea to monitor the posts for a few days before you jump in and begin tweeting, just to get a feel for the community. Many Twitter participants monitor the posts (tweets) of other people they find interesting, which is called following. Twitter is interactive, and allows others on Twitter to reply to tweets and engage in a conversation with the original poster or others who add comments to the original posts/tweets.


    How to Twitter
  • Small Business and the Recovery
    Could small businesses become the Achilles heel of the U.S. recovery? Companies with fewer than 500 employees helped lead the economy out of the last four recessions as entrepreneurs, sensing opportunity, opened new businesses. And smaller suppliers provided the tools and equipment needed for larger companies to boost production. But this time, almost six months after the U.S. economy began growing again, small businesses continue to cut capital spending and dismiss workers.

    complete article
  • Why You Should Recycle Cell Phones?
    Cellular phones and other mobile devices often contain toxic materials that can pollute the environment. The chemicals contained in the cell phones and electronics are harmful to the health of both humans and animals. Cell phones and their accessories contain a large number of hazardous substances known as Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Chemicals (PBTs). Some of the chemicals contained in the PBTs have been known to cause damage to nervous systems, reproductive systems, and developmental systems, as well as causing cancer.

    Why You Should Recycle Cell Phones?
  • Top 10 Web Design Sins
    Many webmasters repeat the mistakes made by their predecessors. Take a look at these Top 10 most common web design sins. Have you fallen victim to any of these?

    Top 10 Web Design Sins
  • Steps to Make Your Business Green
    A business that makes the decision to be environmentally-conscious will often promote goodwill among potential customers, while making the world a better place for future generations. Many businesses hesitate to adopt green practices because they fear it will hurt their bottom line and negatively impact profits. But many eco-conscious businesses discover that they can actually save money and bring in new customers who specifically patronize companies that actively make an effort to be environmentally friendly. Many customers may even be willing to pay a bit more for a product or service from a company that is green.

    Steps to Make Your Business Green
  • MicroLoans for Small Businesses
    More small businesses in Northern New York can receive low-interest loans once the U.S. Small Business Administration once again funds a regional microloan program.

    The program, through the Adirondack Economic Development Corp., will receive a $750,000 loan from SBA. In turn, the corporation makes loans to small businesses in amounts ranging from $500 to $35,000. Most loans total about $13,000.
  • Mandatory IRAs Not a Plus for Small Businesses
    U.S. President Barack Obamas effort to increase retirement savings by requiring all businesses to offer automatic IRA accounts may face opposition from small companies, says a Washington-based trade group.

    Obama said the plan, part of a tax package aimed at middle- income Americans proposed today, would let employees automatically enroll in direct-deposit retirement accounts and expand matching tax credits. The administration has not released a cost estimate.

    complete article
  • Pros and Cons of RSS Feeds
    Weigh the pros and cons of implementing an RSS feed as a communication channel, and determine whether the benefits outweigh the risks in your own situation.

    Pros and Cons of RSS
  • Most Influential Online Marketers of 2009
    Online marketing has evolved tremendously over the last decade. Within a single decade the interest and need for understanding this space has grown to insurmountable lengths. And there are the select few carrying forward...  

    Most Influential Online Marketers of 2009
  • How to Choose a Domain - Part 2
    Here are some other things to pay attention to when selecting domain names...

    1. Domain Extensions
    Many webmasters wrestle not only with choosing the best domain name, but also with the decision of what domain extensions to select for their website. The following is a general guide to what the most popular domain extensions represent...

    .com - commercial (by far, the most popular domain extension)
    .net - network host (often used by hosting companies)
    .edu - educational institution
    .org - organization
    .info - informational sites

    If your primary focus is in a local market, you may find value in a local domain as well.

    How to Choose a Domain - Part 2
  • How to Choose a Domain - Part 1
    How To Choose A Domain Name - Part 1

    So, you have an idea or a product.... now you need a domain name for a website. How do you choose a great domain name? Here are a few ideas...

    Brainstorm
    Create a list of words or phrases that relate to the product, service, information, or brand that will be promoted on the website.

    Experiment
    Experiment with variations of the words in the above list. Change the order of words in phrases to create unique combinations for possible domain names.

    Check Availability
    Check the availability of the potential domains, using Network Solutions or a similar domain registrar. If the desired name is already taken, most domain registrars will provide a list of alternative similar domains that are available.

    How to Choose a Domain - Part 1
  • The Internet in 2020
    As they imagine the Internet of 2020, computer scientists across the country are starting from scratch and re-thinking everything: from IP addresses to DNS to routing tables to Internet security in general.

    They are envisioning how the Internet might work without some of the most fundamental features of todays ISP and enterprise networks.

    Their goal is audacious: To create an Internet without so many security breaches, with better trust and built-in identity management.

    Internet in 2020
  • Small Business Omens for 2010
    In Illinois, small businesses number more than 1 million, touching every sector from manufacturing and professional services to retail and health care. According to 2006 Census data, they include 258,000 companies that employ more than 4 million people and contribute $192 million in annual payroll to the economy, Markowitz said. They represent 98 percent of state employers and 49 percent of employment.

    Small Business Omens for 2010
  • 2010 Predictions - What is Hot and What is Not
    Top 10 Winners Predicted for 2010
    1. Healthy Living
    2. The Cloud
    3. Savings
    4. Simplicity in Design
    5. Web Applications
    6. Instant and Virtual
    7. Portability
    8. Energy
    9. Green Shopping
    10. Security

    Top 10 Losers Predicted for 2010
    1. Capitalism
    2. Health Care
    3. Credit Card Companies
    4. The Left
    5. Acorn
    6. Big Government
    7. Privacy
    8. Super Star Atheletes
    9. Facebook
    10. Reality...

    More on 2010 Predictions
  • 2009 Reflections, 2010 Predictions
    Another year has rolled by marked by miracles, political milestones and tragedies alike. 2009 was the year of financial uproar with bailouts and ponzi schemes dominating the news on a regular basis. Chrysler and GM stalwart car giants struggled to survive. Bernie Madoff's financial pyramid came tumbling down, taking average citizen's retirement plans with it, emptying the coffers of trusting non-profits and celebrities alike.

    The United States democratically dominated political landscape juggled health care reform, accusations of death boards, raucous town hall meetings and tea parties from coast to coast. The Swine Flu was quickly renamed H1N1 so that the pork industry would not suffer, and the politicized name change did little to calm pandemic worries.

    2009 Reflections, 2010 Predictions
  • How Did We Do? Predictions for 2009
    Have a look at last years list of predictions of what would be hot for 2009. How did we do?

    Top 10 Winners for 2009

    1. Personal Responsibility
    2. Financial Diversification
    3. Mobile Malware
    4. Weight Loss
    5. Going Green
    6. Social
    7. Cloud Computing
    8. Virtual Collaboration
    9. Video
    10. RSS

    Top 10 Losers for 2009

    1. Global Economy
    2. Republicans and Conservatives
    3. Hollywood
    4. China
    5. Somali Pirates
    6. Financial Services Industry
    7. Corrupted Politicians
    8. Security or Securities
    9. Outsourcing
    10. Gasoline

    What is Hot and What Is Not For 2009
  • Year End Presentations
    Professional PowerPoint Templates for easy, professional presentations.
  • Stimulus for Small Business
    Separate proposals introduced late last week would increase the maximum loan amounts for Small Business Administration-backed loans and extend fee eliminations and government loan guarantees.

    Republican Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine and Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, members of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, introduced one proposal that would extend some of the provisions of the stimulus package.
  • Blog Mistakes
    Blogging has quickly become very common place, and while blogs may be plentiful, many bloggers still make a number of mistakes when it comes to managing their blogs.  Presented here are the most common blog mistakes, in hopes that you can avoid making them yourself... Blog Mistakes
  • Top 10 Worst Ideas for Making Money
    I think I am about 5 for 500 when it comes to successful ideas vs flops. I just watched a documentary about my neighbor Warren Buffett and he talked about how you should brag about your failures and be humble about your successes. I think my new years resolution in 2007 is to be way more humble. Do not think I have some golden touch or something that everything works out great? its just the law of averages.. try enough stuff and something will stick.

    Anyway I came up in about 10 minutes my top 10 worst ideas to make money that totally were a waste of time and effort (and money in some cases).
  • Add Christmas Elements to Your Website
    Add Christmas Elements to your website! The Christmas Web Design Elements CD ROM contains high quality web HTML web layouts, graphics, and high quality stock photographs all available for use royalty free. Purchase the CD and use the images for building your corporate identity or brand. Perfect web and graphic collection for Christmas celebrations or Christmas related businesses.

  • On Page Search Engine Optimization Tips
    Search Engine Optimization has become a fine science. Tweaking, changing, and measuring is all part of the ongoing optimization process. SEO truly is a process that requires constant monitoring and attention. In order for a website to perform well, its managers and webmasters must adapt their SEO techniques as the search engine algorithms change.

    On Page Search Engine Optimization Tips
  • Cyber Monday Shopping Tips
    This year, there are more online bargains than ever on Cyber Monday-- with nearly nine out of ten retailers offering special online promotions for Monday, November 30th, according to the National Retail Federation. The day marks the traditional kick off to the online holiday shopping season. And to give you an idea of sales figures, keep this in mind: last year, more than eight hundred million dollars worth of merchandise was sold on Cyber Monday alone.

    Tips for CyberMonday
  • Use Twitter for the Following...
    Businesses can use Twitter as a marketing tool in a variety of ways. Many business owners struggle with social media as a marketing medium. At the heart of the most effective social media marketing campaigns is personal communication. Many businesses that try to manage social media may attempt to shout their message, rather than simply engaging with potential customers. Potential customers who are active in social networks will not be receptive to marketing in this fashion. The trick with social media like Twitter is to interact and engage, rather than shouting your message.

    Use Twitter for the following...
  • Video Optimization Tips - Part II
    Optimizing your video for search engines will increase the exposure that the video receives, and optimization will also help spread the videos message. Follow these steps to enhance your videos and improve their rankings... Video Optimization Tips - Part II
  • Greeting Cards
    Greeting cards can be a great way to recognize special people in our lives, they can also be used by businesses to personalize the customer relationship. Have a look at this new site, gives instant access to hundreds of Greeting Card designs that can be printed and personalized.
  • Google Caffeine Live
    According to Matt Cutts of Google fame - Caffeine will go live at one data center so that we can continue to collect data and improve the technology, but I do not expect Caffeine to go live at additional data centers until after the holidays are over. Most searchers would not immediately notice any changes with Caffeine, but going slowly not only gives us time to collect feedback and improve, but will also minimize the stress on webmasters during the holidays.
  • Rich and Famous Auction
    Millionaires down on their luck now have a place to sell their mega-yachts, super-cars and family jewels without having to resort to the pawn shop.

    An Internet auction site devoted to millionaires launches officially on Monday and is likely to profit from the worst recession in decades, which has extended its reach to the rich and famous in the United States, BillionaireXchange said.

    complete article
  • Google More Than a Search Engine
    The architects of the most powerful search engine in the world have included some really handy algorithms in their service, which allow searchers to quickly locate particular and specific types of information...Google Is More Than Just a Search Engine
  • SEO Myths
    A myth is a traditional story, idea, or explanation which is widely accepted, but actually untrue or unproven. Misconceptions can also be described as modern-day myths. When it comes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), the myths and misconceptions are abundant. We will try to dispel some of the more common Search Engine Optimization myths here... SEO Myths
  • Happy 40th Birthday!
    The first message was sent across Arpanet 40 years ago, on 29 October 1969.  Arpanet, the defence computer network that grew accidentally into the all-encompassing, era-defining, economy-changing, amusing-pictures-of-cats-facilitating behemoth that is today?s internet, seems as good a place to start as any.

    complete article on Internet History
  • RSS Video Tutorials
    Learn the ins and outs of RSS feeds using RSS Video Tutorials.
  • Managing Your Reputation Online
    A companys reputation is often critical to that company's success. The anonymity and vastness of the Internet makes managing a reputation much more difficult than it once was. Businesses must be proactive about protecting their brands and reputations.

    Managing Your Reputation Online

  • FCC Supports Open Internet
    U.S. communications regulators voted unanimously to support an open Internet rule that would prevent telecom network operators from barring or blocking content based on the revenue it generated.

    The proposed rule now goes to the public for comment until January 14, after which the Federal Communications Commissions will review the feedback and possibly seek more comment. A final rule is not expected until the spring of next year.
  • Small Businesses Ignoring Google Apps
    Google has recently made a big push into the business software market with its Google Apps service, but has yet to gain any significant market share in small companies.

    Google states that it has over 2 million small businesses using their business applications, but the reality is of those, only several hundred thousand of those are using the paid service, and many of those are sole-proprietors and individuals.
  • Cyber Criminals
    Cyber criminals are finding new ways to steal information, including infecting legitimate Web sites with Trojans and creating rogue software packages that look legitimate but contain malware, cybersecurity experts warned.

    Recent months have seen a rise in sophisticated attacks, also including so-called spear phishing, an e-mail scam targeted at a small group of people, a group of cybersecurity professionals said Tuesday at a TechAmerica cybersecurity forum in Washington, D.C. Spear phishing is a form of the common phishing scam, but instead of a fake e-mail that looks like it comes from a bank or e-commerce site, it instead looks like it comes from someone you know, such as an executive at your company.
  • Web Health
    In an effort to promote the general health of the Web, Google will send Webmasters snippets of malicious code in the hopes infected Web sites can be cleaned up faster.

    The new information will appear as part of Googles Webmaster Tools, a suite of tools that provide data about a Web site, such as site visits.

    Google already e-mails administrators if its automated scanners detect malicious content on a site. Those pages are then marked in Googles search results with a warning.
  • Nearly Half of Small Businesses Surveyed Have Profiles on Facebook and Twitter
    Survey reveals a new class of small business owners, 45 percent of whom use social media to promote their businesses online.

    A new online survey of more than 2,000 US small business by Internet2Go, an Opus Research advisory service, and MerchantCircle, the largest social network for small businesses has uncovered a new, growing segment of small business owners who aggressively use social media to promote their businesses. The survey,conducted September 8-18, 2009, found tha t roughly 45 percent of respondents have a presence or profiles on Facebook and Twitter to promote their businesses.
  • Small Business Credit Still A Problem
    The majority of small business financing comes from personal credit cards, home equity lines and business credit lines. As most small business owners know, all three of these have dried up, and there is very little sign that this is going to change any time soon.

    There are so many variables involved with this issue that it?s impossible to target the problem, specifically because it depends on what type of a business is owned and the region of the country a small business operates in to identify the severity of the problem on a local or regional basis, within the specific sector being served by the business.

    Major factors contributing to the credit crunch for small business include credit card limits being cut back in a big way, and if they are not cut back, the interest rates are jacked up to bring the costs of doing business much higher. We falling home prices the home equity lines of credit have been cut back or eliminated as well, effectively cutting off the main source of funding for American small businesses. Finally, small business credit lines have also been reduced or eliminated altogether, and that?s the case even with companies that have always paid their bills on time while showing consistently good numbers.
  • Increasing Productivity
    Small business owners frequently juggle a variety of roles within their companies. Creating a balance and effectively managing available time is extremely important to most small businesses. In order to economize and make the most of the available time, you should implement a time management plan.

    Increasing Productivity
  • Optimize Video Podcasts
    It does not matter what you call them: vodcasts, vidcasts, videocasting, or video podcasting... there are a few behind-the-scenes actions you can take to help attract more attention to your video productions. Just like websites, it does not matter how amazing the content is if interested people are unable to find it.

    Use the following suggestions to help increase the exposure your videos receive... Optimize Video Podcasts
  • Sample Business Letters
    Collection of sample business letters.
  • Cell Phone Etiquette
    Todays society is all about being connected 24/7. Cell phones now provide instant access to anyone and everyone, from corporate executives to housewives and children alike. While cellular connectivity is a comfort to some, it can be rude and disruptive to others. You may wish to be available at all times, but there are some times when it is simply not appropriate to use your cell phone.

    Also, cell phones should not be treated as status symbols, and should not be paraded out simply to impress others. Regardless of how new and impressive your cell phone may be, dragging it out in a public setting is seldom going to win you any fans.

    Follow these simple cell phone guidelines to strike a balance between accessibility and consideration for others...

    Cellular Phone Etiquette
  • Green Business Awareness
    More and more companies are taking steps to be more environmentally friendly.

    Environmental activists are taking to the Internet in a new bid to help save the worlds rainforests with the help of major corporations including Starbucks Corp and Dell Inc.

    Campaigners plan to announce on Monday the formation of Team Earth, a social network that includes businesses, nongovernmental organizations, students and politicians with the hope of battling tropical deforestation.

    While still other companies are posting Green Company policies and how they take steps to protect the environment.
  • Where Did Our New Logo Come From?
    Seems people love our new logo! The new small business software logo came from Logo Search, they have great reasonably priced logos for ony $ 9.95.
  • New Look and New Logo for Small Business Software
    You may have noticed we updated our look and added a new logo to the Small Business Software website. The look was becoming a bit dated. Look for additional changes in the near future!
  • Brand Awareness
    Brand awareness is the recognition of a specific brand name or logo, along with the traits associated with that brand. It is difficult to benefit from having a brand unless consumers are aware of the brand and the traits associated with it.

    Brand Awareness
  • How Much is Your Identity Worth?
    Symantec has unveiled a new tool that gathers some basic information about you and the links between your financial information and the Internet, then calculates what the value of your identity would be on the black market. The value it comes up with is sobering at best.

    complete article
  • Never Forget September 11th
  • Increase RSS Feed Subscribers
    Growing subscribers of your RSS feed will expand your reach. Put the appropriate effort into marketing your RSS feed, so you can increase adoption and spread the message contained in the RSS feed.

    Increase RSS Feed Subscribers

    Are you subscribing to the small business software blog feed? Subscribe to the Small Business Software Blog RSS Feed
  • Blog Regulation
    A recent article in Search Engine News details how the Federal Trade Commission, also affectionately known as the FTC wants to mandate federal guidelines on any paid reviews posted on blogs. Once this goes through bloggers will have to follow the same standards as traditional advertisers. If you are a profiting through blogs or Twitter you are at risk.
  • Increase Conversion Rate
    Your web marketing efforts will struggle endlessly if your website is not effective in converting visitors to your desired goals. Whether that goal is for your visitors to make a purchase, complete a lead form, sign-up for an email list, make a phone call, or conduct another measure of engagement, a compelling website is a key success factor to properly leverage the visitors your marketing campaigns are working so hard to obtain.

    Improve Conversion Rates
  • Green Business Tips
    Businesses that are going green are becoming more and more commonplace. Regardless of your political beliefs or opinions regarding the global warming concept, few can argue that being environmentally aware will leave the world a better place. Whether a company is simply jumping on the green bandwagon, or are honestly sensitive about environmental issues is really irrelevant. Consumers like green businesses, and shaping your business to promote being eco-friendly makes sense from a public relations standpoint.

    Green Business Tips
  • Presentation Primer
    Many individuals are called upon to give presentations, but many have no formal instruction on how to deliver the most effective presentations. So for the benefit of those who might need a bit of help, we have put together a primer for presenters...

    1. Attire
    You should always dress professionally, even if the event is somewhat informal in nature, and always dress in a way that does not distract or detract from your presentation.

    2. Test The Equipment
    If your presentation involves using any equipment, such as a microphone, computer, screen projector, laser pointer, etc, be sure to test any and all of the equipment prior to the beginning of your presentation. It is unprofessional, not to mention frustrating and distracting, to have to wrestle with equipment problems in front of a waiting audience. Try to identify and resolve any technical issues and problems before the presentation is scheduled to begin.

    Presentation Primer
  • Compare Old Google to Google Caffeine
    This is a comparison site that shows the old Google results beside the Google Caffeine results. It is a nice comparison site.
  • Great Presentation Layouts
    PowerPoint Templates for professional or personal use. Makes making a  PowerPoint presentation a snap!
  • The Power of Audio
    Sound effects are often used to compliment and enhance artistic presentations, whether they be podcasts, videos, or other audio visual productions. Royalty-free sound effects are typically non-exclusive and can be used by anyone who purchases them. Professional sound effects can give a podcast or production a more professional sound. However, many new producers may not realize that sound effects have copyrights, and in many cases it is illegal to use a sound effect that you happen to find on the web without properly licensing it.

    Sound Effects the Power of Audio
  • Wakeup with Google Caffeine
    Google is putting Caffeine in its search engine, and it could be a wake-up call for businesses to tune up their Web sites. The previously secret project, announced Monday on the companys Webmaster Central Blog, is intended to provide the next-generation architecture for Googles Web search, especially as Microsofts Bing, a reinvigorated Yahoo, and Wolfram Researchs Wolfram Alpha gear up.

    complete article
  • Hallmarks of a Good Podcast
    There are many, many things that separate a good podcast from all the rest. Here are a few to consider...

    Recording Quality
    The quality of the recording is probably the most critical component of a podcast. A good podcast is easy to understand, and should be recorded at a volume level that makes it easy for listeners to hear all that is said.

    Hallmarks of a Good Podcast
  • PowerPoint Resource
    Great collection of tips and resources for PowerPoint.
  • Paypals Reliability Frustration
    PayPal suffered periodic breakdowns that crimped Internet sales for more than four hours Monday.

    The main outage occurred from 1:30 p.m. EDT through 2:30 p.m. when PayPal was unable to process any transactions worldwide, according to company spokesman Anuj Nayar.

    The online payment service continued to experience scattered problems until about 6:10 p.m EDT. A bad piece of hardware caused the trouble, according to PayPals blog.
  • Webmaster Resource
    Great resource for webmasters - webmaster elements!
  • Small Business Healthcare Mandate
    So just how many businesses would have to provide health insurance, or pay penalties?

    The answer depends on which bill we are talking about. The House and Senate versions have different exceptions.

    complete article
  • Twitter for Business
    Twitter put together a Twitter guide for Businesses.

    Twitter is a communications platform that helps businesses and their customers do a number of useful things. As a business, you can use it to quickly share information with people interested in your company, gather real-time market intelligence and feedback, and build relationships with customers, partners and other people who care about your company.
  • Search Engine Optimization for PDFs
    Google, Yahoo, and MSN can all spider and index text-based PDF files, and generally they rank quite well. PDF files can be used to seize top listings for important keywords and keyword phrases.

    Search Engine Optimization for PDFs
  • Domains Selling Prices
    Top Selling Domains:

    1. Fund.com, $9.99 million
    2. Porn.com, $9.5 million
    3. Diamonds.com, $7.5 million
    4. Toys.com, $5.1 million
    5. Vodka.com, $3 million
    6. CreditCards.com, $2.75 million
    7. Computers.com, $2.1 million
    8. Seniors.com, $1.8 million
    9. DataRecovery.com, $1.66 million
    10. Cameras.com, $1.5 million
    10. Tandberg.com, $1.5 million

    Source ABC
  • Great 3D Logos
    I really like the look of these 3d business logos.
  • Repurposing Web Content in Different Formats
    Repurposing content is not a terribly new concept. Webmasters that picked up on the trend have benefited from traffic surges for a while now. Repurposing content is all about presenting the same content in a variety of different ways, or using different mediums to present the same content. Webmasters can manipulate content in order to provide the same content in any number of different formats.

    Why would publishers want to do this? There are a number of benefits to repurposing content, not the least of which is that it allows customers to select the format they wish to access your information. Additionally, repurposing content often does not require a lot of extra time, expense, or additional effort. The content itself already exists -- the format is just different. Additionally, there are a number of software tools available that can assist users in easily repurposing the content.

    The following are different ways to repackage existing content or to present content in a different format...

  • Google Tech Company or Ad Company?
    The amazing thing about Google is how a business that makes 97 percent of its revenue selling advertising has people convinced that it is a technology company. And then gets a free pass despite a series of failures outside its core competencies in search and online ad sales.

    Right now, Google seems to be flooding the market with products that are not quite finished. People do not care because the products work well enough and are free. But, suppose people had to pay for them? Then where would Google be?

    complete article
  • Twitter Mistakes
    Jason VanOrden posted a great report about common Twitter Mistakes

    80% of Twitter Users Fail to Provide a Homepage URL
    76% of Twitter Users Fail to Enter their Bio in the Profile
    69% of Twitter Users Have Not Specified a Location
  • Business Logos
    Logos for business, establish an online identity.

    A logo is a design, graphical representation, image or symbol that represents a business or organization. Logos were initially used to distinguish and differentiate products, the logos assisted purchasers in finding the product they prefer or have come to trust (or not trust). When product selections were limited and items were marked with a logo which a consumer was familiar they would naturally assume a certain level of quality or value, even if they had not previously used that specific product from that vendor. Now many companies not only have a corporate logo, but they have a logo to represent each of their products or product lines.

    What Makes a Good Logo?
  • SwapAGift
    Swapagift.com, the leading internet website for exchanging gift cards for cash, today announced that they now offer their service in over 600 agent locations nationwide. Partnering with consumer financial service centers around the country, consumers have the ability to receive cash on the spot for unwanted gift cards.
  • Repurposing Content
    Repurposing content is not a terribly new concept. Webmasters that picked up on the trend have benefited from traffic surges for a while now. Repurposing content is all about presenting the same content in a variety of different ways, or using different mediums to present the same content. Webmasters can manipulate content in order to provide the same content in any number of different formats.

    Repurposing Content
  • JavaScript Crawling
    According to SearchEngineNews javascript links are now being crawled and they are passing on PageRank and anchor text. Keep in mind you may still want to avoid using javascript for links because other search engines still do not crawl or follow javascript links.
  • Businesses Going Green
    A business that makes the decision to be environmentally-conscious will often promote goodwill among potential customers, while making the world a better place for future generations. Many businesses hesitate to adopt green practices because they fear it will hurt their bottom line and negatively impact profits. But many eco-conscious businesses discover that they can actually save money and bring in new customers who specifically patronize companies that actively make an effort to be environmentally friendly. Many customers may even be willing to pay a bit more for a product or service from a company that is green.

    Businesses Going Green
  • Internet Issues Raised with Jackson Death
    The internet suffered a number of slowdowns as people the world over rushed to verify accounts of the death of Michael Jackson. Search giant Google confirmed to the BBC that when the news first broke it feared it was under attack.

    Millions of people who searched for the stars name on Google News were greeted with an error page. It warned users your query looks similar to automated requests from a computer virus or spyware application.

    complete article
  • Twitter Tips
    Here are my Twitter Tips:

    #1. Choose an avatar that incorporates your personality, use an eye catching image that will draw positive attention.
    #2. Understand the Twitter culture before you dive in.
    #3. Tweet on a regular basis.

    According to PC Mag these are the tips they provide for beginners:

    Shrink Your URLs
    RT = Retweet
    Direct Messaging
    Use the @ Sign
    Search For Your Friends
    Categorize Your Tweets for Added Exposure
    Share Pictures
    Tweet from Your Phone
    Pick a Good Desktop Client
    Download a Mobile Client

  • ABCs of RSS Feeds
    ABCs of RSS Feeds - Implementing RSS (Really Simple Syndication) can be aided by an understanding of the terms relating to RSS. Learn the ABCs of RSS....
  • Establish a New Look
    Find a Logo for your business. This website contains a variety of business logos for building brand.
  • Tips for Creating Powerful PowerPoint Presentations
    Presentations are an integral and important part of any business. Whether designed for training purposes, introducing new products, or discussing corporate hierarchy, PowerPoint presentations serve a valuable purpose in both the business world and in the educational fields. In order to maximize a presentation's impact, it needs to be polished and well executed. The following tips can aid you in taking your PowerPoint presentation to the next level.

    Tips for Creating Powerful PowerPoint Presentations
  • Local Search Practices
    It is often important for small businesses to perform well in local sarch results. Check out this tutorial on Local Search Ranking Factors.
  • Men Less Security Savvy than Women
    When it comes to online security, men are less savvy than women, according to PC Tools.

    Research by the security firm revealed that 47 percent of men use the same passwords when signing up to online banking and shopping facilities, compared to just 26 percent of women.
  • Tripping Up Wikipedia
    GrayWolf posted an interesting article about invalidating Wikipedia Results.
  • Time Management Tips
    Managing your time and using it wisely is a journey, and not something that can be easily mastered overnight. Implementing a plan will help, but it is not going to be a sure cure. Time management requires a significant amount of self-discipline.

    Here are some tips to assist you with time management... Time Management Tips
  • Time Wasted?
    Spending more time on social networks and blogs? You are not alone, with the latest figures showing the number of minutes spent on social networking sites in the United States has almost doubled over the past year.

    Nielsen Online, which measures web traffic, said the number of minutes on social networks in the United States rose 83 percent in April from the same month a year ago, but found users were quick to move on and sites could quickly fall from favor.

    Nielsen Online spokesman Jon Gibs said a major trend had been the continuing popularity of Facebook, which has more than 200 million active members and has become so mainstream it now hosts Pope Benedict and a list of world leaders.

    complete article
  • Website Review Webinar - 2
    Due to the overwhelming popularity and success of the previous Website Review Webinar there will be another. Subjects covered include the initial impression created by a website, structure, navigation, communication, SEO setup and more. The Web Critique Webinar will take place: Tuesday June 23rd at 12:00 EST. Sign-up Now!
  • Starting a New Business?
    Starting a new business?

    Choosing a Domain Name and How to Select a Company or Product Name
  • Professional PowerPoint Templates
    Large collection of professional PowerPoint Templates for speakers, students and educators. Search for PowerPoint templates using keywords or navigate categories to find templates of interest.
  • Student Discount Available at Software Industry Conference
    Student Discount for Software Industry Conference in Boston MA July 16-18th. Only $50.00 with student ID normally $249.00! Educational sessions for software developers and marketers.
  • What Are Sound Effects?
    Learn the ins and outs of using a sound effect to polish your presentation or podcast.

    What Is A Sound Effect?
    A sound effect is a ready-made sound for podcasters or producers. Typically, podcasters need to only incorporate the sound into their production for instant success. This can be done with various editors running in a very short amount of time. Sound Effects make the creation of a podcast easier and professional. Sound effects are usually easy to edit and customize using any sound editor, occasionally more sophisticated sound require precise tuning.

    Examples of sound effects can be found at Digital Sound Effects  

    What Are Sound Effects?
  • Tips for Public Speaking and Presenting
    Presentations can be a great way to attract new business, simply by making yourself more well-known. However, nerves can often get in the way of entrepreneurs who want to use speaking opportunities to develop their business. Follow these steps to overcome nerves and make a powerful presentation during your public speaking engagement...

    Tips for Public Speaking and Presenting
  • How Do I Promote My Podcast?
    There are a variety of things you can do to promote your podcast and increase its popularity... How Do I Promote Podcasts?
  • Credit Cards and Small Businesses
    Common small-business wisdom holds that you should separate your personal credit-card expenses from your company credit-card expenses. But will that truly be in your best interest -- no pun intended -- when President Barack Obama signs into law today the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act?

    complete article
  • Social Networking Future
    Yahoo Inc is looking to buy companies that will allow it to become a bigger player in social networking and revamp its family of products, Chief Technology Officer Ari Balogh said on Wednesday.

    complete article
  • Free Business Advice
    Many free, online resources can help answer your business questions. While some sites are skewed towards single-person startups, you can still find a community to help an established, larger business.

    The U.S. Small Business Administration is densely packed with information. You can learn basics about writing a business plan, establishing a trademark, and managing business operation. You will find ways to apply for government financial assistance, loans, and tips on applying for grants.
  • Software Peoples Choice Awards
    The SIAF People's Choice Awards were created so software users would have the opportunity to vote for their favorite software programs. The voting for these awards is hosted each year by some of the largest sites on the Internet. In past years, this has included popular sites like CNET, Simtel, Tucows, PC World, and others. Software authors are also allowed to point to the People's Choice Award voting site and encourage their users to vote!
  • Blog Promotion Tips
    There are a wide variety of things you can do in regard to blog promotion. Here are just a few...

    Blog Promotion Tips
  • Audio File Optimization Tips
    Optimize your audio files to increase their popularity, just as you would optimize a website. Audio search engines are becoming more advanced as audio files become more commonplace on the Internet. Here are some tips to optimize your audio offerings...

    Audio File Optimization Tips
  • Applications I Cannot Live Without
    Applications I Can not Live Without!

    FeedForAll
    Used daily for updating RSS feeds.

    The Bat!
    Used hourly for managing email.

    FTP Voyager
    Used for FTPing up new web design layouts and images.

    Dreamweaver
    Used for Web Design.

    MS Office
    Used for correspondents and administrative tasks.

    PaintShop Pro
    Used for graphic editing and image enhancement.

    RecordForAll
    Used occasionally for recording audio files for podcasts.

    RSS Submit
    Used weekly to submit RSS feeds to RSS directories and search engines.

    FeedDemon
    Used to manage reading of RSS feeds on a regular basis.

    GroupMail
    Used for sending email newsletters.

    PDF995
    Used regularly for converting documents to PDFs.

    TNT Screen Capture
    Used occasionally for capturing screen shots

    TopStyle
    Used occasionally for making changes to Cascading Style Sheets -CSS

    SureThing CD Labler
    Used occasionally for designing CD inserts and labels.

    FireFox
    Used hourly for navigating the web, also use plug-ins for search marketing research.
  • New Sound Effects Solutions
    Large collection of royalty free sound effects that can be used by marketers, webmasters, broadcasters or podcasters.
  • Find Royalty Free Sound Effects
    If you purchase a sound effect, be sure that you read the licensing agreement completely. Some agreements may restrict resale of the sound effects or music compilations, and you want to be aware of that.

    Where to Find Royalty Free Sound Effects
  • 7 Smart Security Practices For Small Businesses
    1. Protect your personal information. It's valuable.
    2. Know who you are dealing with.
    3. Use security software that updates automatically.
    4. Keep your operating system and Web browser up-to-date and learn about their security features.
    5. Keep your passwords safe, secure and strong.
    6. Back up important files.
    7. Learn what to do in an e?mergency.

    7 Smart Security Practices For Small Businesses
  • Only 23 Percent Uses the Web
    Just 23 percent of the globes population currently uses the Internet, according to the United Nations International Telecommunications Union, with use much higher in developed nations.

    By contrast, just five percent of Africans surf the web, it said in a report issued last month.
  • Creative Podcasting for Businesses
    Podcasting content comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Businesses are finding many different and creative ways of incorporating podcasts into their business strategies and marketing plans.

    Here are just some of the various types of content that businesses are turning into podcasts...

    Creative Podcasting for Businesses
  • Google Privacy Concerns
    Google Privacy Concerns on personal data addressed in Software Marketing Blog. The post discusses personal profiles on Google.
  • Survey Data
    Interesting survey results about webmasters and who is behind the websites.

    Survey Data
  • Google Is the World Super Power
    Google CEO Eric Schmidt appeared at his alma mater, Princeton University, on Saturday to discuss the Internet and globalization, Google products that have recently made headlines, and how not to be evil.

    complete article
  • Review of Websites
    The live website critique has for many years been a popular session at both the Software Industry Conference and the European Software Conference. Sharon Housley of NotePage, Inc. and Dave Collins of SharewarePromotions offer their many years of experience to dissect, criticise and sometimes rip apart a website's appearance and setup.

    Subjects covered include the initial impression created by a website, structure, navigation, communication, SEO setup and more.

    Sign Up to Participate in the Web Review Webinar on April 29 at 12:00 EST
  • The Face of Software Piracy
    What does a software pirate look like? Anyone. And that's the new message of the Business Software Alliance, which asked five convicted software pirates to tell their stories.

    As part of the BSA new Faces campaign, the BSA asked five people who were convicted of software piracy to tell their stories via videos posted to YouTube. Four of them were found guilty of criminal software piracy, while the fifth, a grandmother from Georgia, was found guilty in a civil suit, said Jenny Blank, the BSA senior director of legal affairs, in an interview.

    We wanted to put a human face on the issue of software piracy, said Dale Curtis, vice president of communications for the BSA.

    complete article
  • Create RSS | Make RSS Feeds
    RSS is a standard for syndicating content on the Internet. RSS feeds are used in a variety of ways to distribute all types of content via the Internet. The benefits for individuals subscribing to RSS feeds have resulted in a rapid growth and adoption rate. Software and tools have made RSS feed creation and management easy, even for non-technical individuals, which has also fueled the growth of RSS feeds.

    Create RSS | Make RSS Feeds
  • Check for Available user Names on Social Sites
    NameChk checks the availability of user names on social networks.
  • Webmaster Elements
    Web Elements is a premier collection of resources for webmaster, search engine marketers and others interested in online marketing.

    Includes lists of do follow blogs, do follow forums and do follow search.
  • Professional PowerPoint Templates
    Large themed collection of professional PowerPoint templates great for professional presentations or educational presentations on any subject!
  • ABCs of Web 2.0
    Web 2.0 is a perceived transition of the Web to web-based applications. Web 2.0 is the next generation of technology solutions where interactive content is the norm.

    There is no agreement on exactly what Web 2.0 means. Depending on who you are speaking with, you may receive different explanations. At its heart, Web 2.0 is about the maturity of the Web. While many refer to Web 2.0 as companies that employ powerful web technologies, the key components of Web 2.0 are said to include: the Web as a platform, collaboration, and syndication.

    ABCs of Web 2.0
  • What Can Be Published Using RSS Feeds
    With all the vast amounts of information available on the web, it is becoming more and more difficult to sort through and find what you are looking for. RSS significantly lowers the signal-to-noise ratio. RSS has the unique ability to compile information and filter it, so you only see unique and relevant content.

    What Can be Published Using RSS Feeds?
  • Twitoria
    How many friends are you really following? Twitoria finds your friends that have nott tweeted in a long time so you can give them the boot!
  • The Future of Traditional Newspapers Uncertain
    The Christian Science Monitor prints its final edition on Friday, bringing a 100-year run as a daily newspaper to an end but beginning a new era as an online publication.

    The Boston-based Monitor announced plans in October to eliminate its daily print edition and become the first national US newspaper to adopt a Web-based strategy.
    Like other US dailies, the Monitor had been losing readership and print advertising revenue to online media for years and circulation was hovering around 50,000 by the time the decision was made to shut down the presses.
  • Corporate Twitter
    Internet start-up Twitter is taking a much-anticipated first-step in its quest to parlay its popularity into revenue by offering certain customers an expanded range of services.

    The company is preparing to offer commercial accounts in which corporations and other types of businesses pay a fee to receive an enhanced version of Twitter, a free service that allows people to send short, 140-character text messages to their network of friends.

    We think there will be opportunities to provide services to commercial entities that help them get even more value out of Twitter. If these services are valuable to companies, we think they may want to pay for them, Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, said in an e-mail sent to Reuters.
  • Only a Few Days Left to Get Discounted Pricing for Software Industry Conference
    Until April 1st early conference registration is only $229, after that conference registration is only $249!  The Software Industry Conference is scheduled July 16-18, 2009 and will be held in Boston, MA.
  • Survival of the Fittest
    Capitalism is all about survival of the fittest!
  • Getting Around Executive Compensation
    Capping executive compensation is unlikely to become a reality, but if it does Independent Contractors are going to pop up every where. Management will simply be sub-contracted out to privately held companies.
  • Tips To Choosing a Company Name
    Great articles for naming your business:

    How to Select a Company or Product Name -

    The article has some good advice on how to research names, and what to becareful of.

    Here are some tips on Selecting a Domain Name
  • Webmaster Toolbox
    Here is a collection of what we consider must have tools for webmasters. These tools will benefit any webmaster, both novices and experts alike. Arm yourself with these tools in order to achieve a more professional online presence.

    Webmaster Toolbox
  • Social Bookmarking Primer
    Social media is the Internets version of viral messaging and marketing. Social media can be used to disseminate news or information, as well as to attract attention. There are a wide variety of social media channels and networks available.

    Social Bookmarking Primer
  • What Exactly is Podcasting?
    The meaning of podcasting has since expanded, and now refers to RSS feeds that contain all types of media, including audio and video, in the items enclosure field. For the non-technical folks, podcasting is simply a means of syndicating and distributing rich-media files via the Internet. The content contained in a podcast can vary significantly, from a song, to a educational lecture, to a political debate, to just about anything else. One great thing about podcasting is the wide variety of content formats it can contain. And unlike radio or television broadcasts, the recipient can listen or view at their leisure, choosing for themselves when and where they wish to listen or view a podcast.

    What Exactly is Podcasting?
  • Reputation Management
    Shareware Promotions posted on his Software Marketing blog about reputation management and provided a link to 180 resources to help with Reputation Management.
  • Reminder Abstract Deadline
    If you wish to present at this years Software Industry Conference in Boston Massachusetts July 16-18, 2009 please keep in mind that abstracts are due February 28, 2009! Submissions are being accepted on a variety of both technical topics, software marketing and Internet marketing. Details for Software Industry Conference Abstracts.
  • Facebook Owns You
    Facebook made a few weeks ago to its TOS, the online contract users agree to in order to join community sites such as Facebook. In a February 16 blog post headlined, Facebook: All Your Stuff is Ours, Even if You Quit.

    You are solely responsible for the User Content that you Post on or through the Facebook Service. You hereby grant Facebook an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to (a) use, copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute (through multiple tiers), any User Content you (i) Post on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof subject only to your privacy settings or (ii) enable a user to Post, including by offering a Share Link on your website and (b) to use your name, likeness and image for any purpose, including commercial or advertising, each of (a) and (b) on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof. You represent and warrant that you have all rights and permissions to grant the foregoing licenses.
  • Money for Transparency
    Usually, business plans are hatched in secrecy. Internet billionaire Mark Cuban is taking a different tack: offering entrepreneurs funding in return for transparency.
    In a blog post this week, Cuban asked startup and existing companies to post their business plans on his blog for anyone to see and comment on ? in return for the possibility of an investment from him.

    Cuban said in an e-mail that he thinks the faltering economy will rebound more quickly if people feel confident about starting their own businesses, and that providing a route for people to get funding and share ideas might encourage people to take a chance and go for it.

    complete article
  • Registration is Open for the Software Industry Conference
    If you work within the Software Industry now is the time to register for the Software Industry Conference July 16-18, 2009 in Boston Massachusetts. The conference attracts software developers, software marketers, SEO specialists and others involved in the software community. There are educational sessions and networking events for 3 solid days! Registration is very inexpensive, in fact this year they are offering a $ 50.00 student pass!  The early bird pricing expires soon so register now!
  • Valentines Day Web Graphic CD - Logos, Templates and Stock Photos
    CD collection containing Valentine themed photos, logos, and web templates. The images can be used on websites and in promotional material.


    Have a Happy Valentines Day!
  • Valentine Logos
    Large collection of Valentine logos to create holiday specials and promote discounts.

  • Valentines Web Templates
    Collection of Valentine website templates that make changing your theme for Valentines Day a snap!
  • WikiLeaks a Flood of Information
    Wikileaks.org, the online clearinghouse for leaked documents, has published a complete database of Congressional Research Service reports, which are private research documents written for members of Congress and their staffers.

    The 6,780 reports date back to 1990 and comprise all of the digitized reports accessible by congressional offices, said Wikileaks, which estimated their value at US$1 billion. They do not contain classified material, but they do cover politically sensitive topics such as social policy, defense and foreign affairs.

    complete article
  • Unusual Things that May Impact Search Engine Ranking
    You may not realize the impact the following items have on your search engine ranking but they are worth considering when developing a plan for your website. While Google provides a whole host of great tools, their motivation may be more selfish than you believe. Google uses the information they gather in these tools to make determinations about websites. The information they gather may impact the ranking of your website in organic searches for important keyword phrases.

    Unusual Things that May Impact Search Engine Ranking
  • A Do Follow FAQ
    This is a great summary of do follow blogs and forums. It explains what do follow and no follow are and why you should care.
  • Brand Building is a Journey
    Brand building is indeed a journey. Branding is all about how your product or service is perceived by customers and potential customers. A brand marketer attempts to manipulate brand awareness by associating traits they would like consumers to associate with the brand.

    Building a brand has everything to do with capturing the hearts and minds of consumers. Building a brand is much more than just promoting an image. A brand incorporates and conveys the values and traits that a company wants associated with their product or service. It sounds like building a brand is a simple task, but the marketers must do more than just create a brand image. The magnitude of branding encompasses all aspects of a product. With this in mind, we've put together a guide for marketers on the journey of brand building...

    Brand Building is a Journey
  • What is the Buzz
    This is another website that allows companies to monitor the online buzz about their products or services. WhosTalkin allows you to enter your brand or products and will then return results on the blogosphere, social networks and news sites. I just wish you could get the results via RSS feed it would make it far more useful.
  • PowerPoint Resources
    Help with PowerPoint Presentations and resources to help PowerPoint users. A new PowerPoint Resource site.
  • Huge Podcasting List
    If you have ventured into Podcasting as a marketing tool. Consider checking out these podcasting tools out! This is a huge collection of Podcasting Tools to make podcasts easier.
  • Monitor RSS Feeds for Employment
    In addition to actually seeking a job, there are also other valid reasons to monitor the job market. Perhaps you are satisfied in your current position, but just want to keep an eye on new positions in a specific sector. Perhaps you are just curious to know what the wages are for similar positions. The job market can be monitored quite easily using RSS feeds. You can subscribe to RSS feeds in order to find specific company job openings, employment available within a specific region (i.e. by using a postal or zipcode), specific positions available, or to locate all jobs within a specific wage range.

    RSS Feeds for Employment
  • SEMRush
    SEMRush is a new SEO tool. SEMRush.com was designed by the developers of SeoDigger and SeoQuake to satisfy your needs in advanced SEM and keywords research. SEMRush uses the 25 million most popular and expensive keywords to analyze Google search results and we do this regularly. SEMRush can show you keywords for any domain that ranks high enough to be in the top 20 search or Adwords results.
  • Problem Reviews
    Shareware Promotions has an interesting blog post in their Software Marketing section, the post discusses reviews.

    All of us are most likely familiar with product reviews, as debatable as it is whether or not they are useful. However, most of us agree that we dislike reviews that rip our product to shreds, and like the ones which praise them.

    Read the full Software Marketing post.
  • Twitters Value?
    The micro-blogging social media phenomenon called Twitter is raising cash via one or more venture capital firms that places the companys value at $250 million.

    I just do not get it, Twitter does not make ANY money.... how can it be worth $250 million.
  • Resource for Webmasters
    Check out this resource for online marketers. Webmaster Elements contains everything from: SEO Blog List to Do Follow Forum Lists and Webmaster Scripts. Lots of great resources in a single niche directory.
  • Blog Reviews
    2 Create a Website will review blogs. Simply send an email request in order to be considered.
  • Huge List of RSS Tools
    Check out this categorized list of RSS tools. This is a great collection of RSS tools.
  • Software Industry Conference Call for Speakers
    The 2009 Call for Speakers for the Software Industry Conference scheduled for Boston, MA July 16-18, 2009 has been posted. The sessions cover a wide variety of marketing topics from AdWords avertising to Advanced Search Engine Optimization. If you are interested in speaking submit an abstract for the Software Industry Cofnerence.
  • Where Do You Find Content for Podcasts?
    You should not have to look far to find content or new ideas for your podcast show. Look to your daily sources to find fodder and ideas for new podcasting segments.

    Where do you find content for podcasts?
  • Press Release Submissions
    In addition to sending out press releases to editors via email, they can also be posted to many free press release sites. We found this list of Press Submission Sites that had quite a few! Hopefully others will find it helpful.
  • Get Ready for Valentines Day
    In the winter cold are you looking for something to warm you up? Consider adding Valentine Logos or Valentines Web Template to your website for the approaching holiday!

  • Cool New Tool
    Exact Factor is a new Internet tool.  Exact Factor will check your site position in search engines and compare the ranking to competitors.
  • 2009 Marketing Resolutions
    I have a plan for marketing that I intend to take forward. If I become distracted I can always take a look back and refocus my efforts where they need to be.

    2009 Marketing Resolutions
  • Update Copyrights and Prune Feeds
    New Years is a great time to update and refresh the copyright notices on your website. Additionally, take a few moments to clean up your RSS feeds by pruning them and trimming old items from the feeds.
  • Search Engine Optimization Resolutions
    Search engine optimization is a process, one that must always be revisited and adapted as search algorithms are changed by the search engines. Because SEO is a constant process, it is often pushed to the bottom of the to do list of marketers. Be that as it may, resolve not to ignore search engine optimization as it cycles its way through your task list. Give search engine optimization the attention that it deserves.

    Search Engine Optimization Resolutions
  • Updated Article List
    For a number of years we have been publishing articles for small businesses, the articles are available for syndication and can be found in the Free Website Content section of our website. Hopefully the new format of the article list will load quicker and make articles easier to find.
  • What is Hot What is Not 2009
    Based on this years reflections, I have made some predictions for 2009.

    Top 10 Winners for 2009

    1. Personal Responsibility
    2. Financial Diversification
    3. Mobile Malware
    4. Weight Loss
    5. Going Green
    6. Social
    7. Cloud Computing
    8. Virtual Collaboration
    9. Video
    10. RSS

    Top 10 Losers for 2009

    1. Global Economy
    2. Republicans and Conservatives
    3. Hollywood
    4. China
    5. Somali Pirates
    6. Financial Services Industry
    7. Corrupted Politicians
    8. Security or Securities
    9. Outsourcing
    10. Gasoline

    Details of 2009 What is Hot and What is Not

    Or take a look back in time and compare the list to the last few years What is Hot and What is Not Lists
    2008 What is Hot What is Not List
    2007 What is Hot What is Not List
  • Reflections for 2008, Predictions for 2009
    2008 was a year filled with great triumphs and a year scarred by deep sorrow. What 2008 was not, was a peaceful year, and whether the world is a better place, for having endured is unclear.

    Russia's invasion of Georgia has chilled Russia's relations with the West, a resurgence of the Cold War may be on the horizon. The Tibetan monk's protests being crushed in the streets demonstrate that freedom of speech, is not a God given right for all. The continued unrest in Middle East is no longer news, but simply part of daily life in the region.

    Close calls with Hurricane Gustav in New Orleans and the water lapping at the edge of overburdened levies caused concern that the lessons of Katrina have still not yet been fully learned. The heartbreaking destruction of Hurricane Ike in Galveston and the Texas coast shows that while the US has made progress, she is still no match for mother nature. Nature's wrath still wields a heavy hand. As horrific as the despair in Galveston, it paled in comparison to the cyclone that hit Burma/Mynamar, taking the lives of more than 100,000 people in the region. China, widely thought to be a rising world power, was no match for the 8.0 earthquake that collapsed buildings like tinker toys.

    Through leadership change, we often see policy change. Unfortunately Fidel Castro's retirement in 2008 did nothing to free Cuba from the constrains of dictatorship with Raul Castro stepping into the leadership role on the tiny island.

    Reflections for 2008 and Predictions for 2009
  • Train Has Internet Access
    North Shore commuters are about to join their Worcester counterparts with free Internet access on Massachusetts trains.

    Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray said all Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority trains will have at least two cars with Internet access by spring 2010, with the first serving areas north of Boston going online Monday.
  • Kinds of Podcasting Content
    Podcasting content comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Businesses are finding many different and creative ways of incorporating podcasts into their business strategies and marketing plans.

    Here are just some of the various types of content that businesses are turning into podcasts...

    Kinds of Podcasting Content
  • Offline Advertising
    Internet marketing has become so successful that many web marketers neglect other marketing opportunities. Offline channels can boost your online traffic and business. Used effectively, traditional advertising vehicles remind customers to visit your site. Even better, promoting your website offline can drive new clientele to your web business.

    Offline Advertising Ideas
  • Unique RSS Tools for Businesses
    As the masses have adopted RSS as a more mainstream communication medium, Web 2.0 businesses and publishers have adopted unique and unusual tools to manipulate RSS content. Here are just some of the various RSS tools that are currently available...

    Unique RSS Tools for Businesses
  • Cyber Monday Numbers
    Nearly 84 percent of online retailers plan to have a Cyber Monday promotion, according to a survey by online shopping site Shopzilla for Shop.org, the Internet division of the National Retail Federation. That was well above the 72 percent who planned to promote Cyber Monday deals last year.

    Nearly a quarter of retailers plan to offer free shipping on all purchases in what they hope will be a further incentive to buy.

    The Monday following the three-day holiday weekend has been dubbed Cyber Monday because many consumers return to work and use their high-speed Internet connections to search out deals not found at brick-and-mortar retailers.

    Last year, Internet research firm comScore Inc said U.S. buyers spent $733 million on Cyber Monday, up 21 percent from the prior year.
  • Free Shipping is a Great Lure
    A business study the other day showed that more than 60% of shoppers are lured by offers of FREE Shipping. The cyber specials are all offering deep discounts and even software companies are offering free shipping. Both NotePage, Inc. and FeedForAll offer free shipping on all orders that include media!

    NotePage offers SMS messaging software solutions and FeedForAll has RSS feed creation and editing software. Buy from either and get the media shipped FREE of charge.
  • Thanksgiving CD ROM
    Thanksgiving CD ROM for Web Designers. The CD includes: Thanksgiving Logos, Thanksgiving Stock Photos, Thanksgiving Web Templates.


    FREE SHIPPING on CDs!!!
  • Good Things to Social Bookmark
    It can be tricky to predict what content will perform well on social bookmarking websites. The interests of our democratic populace are widespread and constantly changing. Webpages, podcasts, and images which are deemed more newsworthy, humorous, or intriguing often steal the spotlight. Knowing how to present content on social bookmarking websites can help internet marketers stand out.

    Good Things to Social Bookmark
  • Thanksgiving Branding
    Add a Thanksgiving logo to your website to celebrate the impending holiday.


  • Great Explanation of Custom 404 Pages
    Encountering 404 errors is not new. Often, developers provide custom 404 pages to make the experience a little less frustrating. However, for a custom 404 page to be truly useful, it should not only provide relevant information to the user, but should also provide immediate feedback to the developer so that, when possible, the problem can be fixed.

    Custom 404 Pages
  • Internet Start Ups Ripe
    Digg founder Kevin Rose on Friday shined light on a stormy economic landscape, saying the climate is right for launching Internet startups.

    Difficulty getting financing means fewer competitors entering the market and that there will be more media attention focused on young technology firms, Rose told those gathered at a Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco.

    complete article
  • Viral Conversations
    A new service, Viral Conversations is available. The idea behind Viral Conversations is putting business owners who have a product or service, in touch with bloggers who are interested in reviewing it. The difference between this website and other website review services is Viral Conversations only deals with real world tangible products.

    It is an interesting way to drum up buzz about your products.
  • Effective Podcasting Tips
    The planning and work that takes place before and after a podcast is an important part for a professional show. Do not neglect preparation or post-show production tasks.

    Effective Podcast Tips
  • Security Port
    Stay updated on important security issues with the Security Blog on Security Port.
  • Google Indexing Scanned PDFs
    Google has rarely included scanned documents in its search results because it had no way to determine the nature of the content, but that's about to change. The search engine giant says it will use optical character recognition software to make it possible for Web surfers to search any Web-hosted document stored in the PDF file format developed by Adobe Systems.

    Google is using the technology to convert scanned documents into equivalent text files that can be searched, indexed and returned as responses to Google search queries.

    complete article
  • Technology and the Influence on Politics
    It will be really interesting to see how much of an impact technology will have on the outcome of this years US Presidential Election. A number of articles have been written that discuss technology in politics. Any predictions?
  • Halloween Has Become a Business!
    Not only can you purchase Halloween costumes and decorations, you can brand your business for the holidays, you can spice up marketing materials with Halloween photos or you can put together a scarey PowerPoint Presentation with these Halloween PowerPoint Templates.

  • Halloween Web Elements - Put Your Business in the Holiday Mood!
    Halloween Web Elements - includes HTML Templates, logos, and royalty free stock photos all related to Halloween.

  • Industry Code of Ethics Online
    An Internet industry code of ethics intended to safeguard online freedom of speech around the world is to be adopted this week by technology titans including Google, Yahoo and Microsoft.

    The code of ethics is a voluntary framework to help protect people who express opinions online in countries such as China, where talk of democracy or criticism of the Communist government is treated as criminal behavior.

    Yahoo launched the talks with industry partners, academics, human rights groups and investors to promote a code of behavior for global technology and communication companies operating in challenging markets.
  • ABCs of Search Engine Optimization
    Use the alphabet to figure out Search Engine Optimization.

    ABCs of Search Engine Optimization
  • Halloween Website for Small Businesses
    Change the look of your website for the holidays. Check out these Halloween Web Templates:

  • Halloween Logos
    Get into the holiday spirit with Halloween Logos check out the great collection on Logo Search!


  • Technology Keeps Families Close
    According to the BBC

    Technology is helping families stay in touch like never before, says a report.

    Instead of driving people apart, mobile phones and the net are helping them maintain social ties, says the Pew Internet report.

    Families are also among the keenest users of technology, the survey of 2,252 Americans revealed.

    It found that using the net was often a social activity within families, with 51% of parents saying they browsed the web with their children.

    complete article
  • Financial Web Sites Traffic Booming
    The financial crisis has people flocking to the Internet for the latest money news along with tips on how to salvage investments and save on the routine costs of living.
    Visits to websites such as the business-centric Wall Street Journal and economy-focused Yahoo Finance set new records as the US Congress grappled with its 700 billion dollar plan to stop credit markets from imploding.

    Internet tracker comScore says visits to www.gasbuddy.com, which steers drivers to stations featuring low fuel prices, are up nearly 30 percent and it expects to report spikes in traffic to finance and bargain-hunter websites when September statistics are calculated later this week.

    complete article
  • EU Trying To Increase Online Shopping
    The European Commission has unveiled proposals to give more rights to consumers shopping online across the borders of the 27-nation EU.

    The proposals aim to boost online shopping in Europe to allow people to take advantage of cheaper prices during the economic crisis.

    The commission is asking EU governments to give consumers a two-week cooling-off period to back out of a sale.

    Consumers could also get the right to a refund for delayed deliveries.

    EU Changes Rules for Online Shopping
  • Ebay Cutting Jobs While Performing Better than Expected
    EBay Inc plans to cut its workforce by 10 percent and expects to exceed its third-quarter earnings forecast, the online auction Web site said on Monday as its shares rose nearly 2 percent in pre-market trading.
  • When Requesting Links
    Link building is an important aspect of search engine optimization. Search engines view a link as a vote of confidence in a website or webpage. The more links from related sources the greater the webpages importance.

    When requesting links, use an email template that can be easily customized for specific requests. To locate prospective link partners, search Google or Yahoo for related keywords or phrases.

    When Requesting Links
  • Business CD Collections

    Web Design Elements CD ROMs include themed collections of HTML web templates, stock photographs and logos.

    Themes available currently include:
    Animals - Dogs, Horses, Pets, and Wildlife
    Dating - Dating and Valentines
    Education - Education
    Flowers - Florists and Gardening
    Financial- Financial
    Health - Medical and Healthcare
    Holiday - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentines
    Nature - Nature, Sunrise and Sunsets
    Nautical - Marine
    Real Estate - Homes and Realty
    Religious - Religion
    Sports - Water Themed Sports

    Toss together promotional marketing material or a website easily!
  • Logo Concepts
    A logo concept is more than just an affinity for a specific character. Logos represent a companys brand, and as a result, serious thought and consideration should be put into your logo. Before hand be sure to consider, how the logo will represent your organization and consider the thoughts that will be associated with specific images that you consider for your logo. Does the logo embody traits that can or should be associated with your business? If your company is global, will the image transcend borders or will some of your customers find the image offensive and distasteful?

    Logo Concepts
  • September 11 - Never Forget
  • Interesting Channel for JetBlue
    JetBlue Airways Corp. is auctioning off more than 300 roundtrip flights and six vacation packages this week on eBay, with opening bids set between 5 and 10 cents.


    The flights are to more than 20 destinations, including four mystery JetBlue Getaways Vacation packages to undisclosed locations.

    complete article
  • Royalty Free Stock Photography Quiz
    Marketers who struggle finding photos for their promotional materials can no utilize the microstock photo websites for instant images.

    There are a number of options available to webmasters and publishers in need of images for web content, marketing campaigns, or packaging. Regardless of the website selected, be sure to read the agreement and licensing terms carefully to ensure that you are adhering to the guidelines.

    Royalty Free Stock Photography
                        

  • Happy Birthday Google
    It is hard to believe that Google is 10, and did not exist a mere 11 years ago. In its short life Google has become a household word and brand. The infant quickly grew into a toddler and is a dominating adolescent. It makes you wonder what is in store for the next 10 years for Google. We all know how rebellious the teen years can be.
  • Best Search Marketing Blogs
    Attempting to stay current on the latest search engine algorithm changes or search optimization tactics can be overwhelming for webmasters attempting to juggle it all. With this in mind, we have put together a list of the industrys best Search Marketing blogs. These blogs are current and discuss important issues related to search engine optimization and search marketing.
  • Directory Submissions That Matter
    Links from different directories have different values. A webmasters time is limited, and most webmasters want to get the biggest bang for their bucks. So where should they start when it comes to directory submissions? Search engines assign value to links from the various directories differently, so how do you spend your time where it matters most?

    Directory Submissions that Matter
  • Web Rules Changing for Big Business
    Federal guidelines for what type of information companies can provide on their official Web sites have not been updated since 2000. On Wednesday, the Securities and Exchange Commission voted unanimously to modernize its rules to fit in with an increasingly digital economy.

    Under the revamped rules, which have not yet been released in their entirety, information posted on a company Web site does not necessarily have to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley rules relating to a companys disclosure controls and procedures.

    The rules also provide clarity on how companies can: provide access to historical or archived data without it being considered reissued or republished every time it is accessed; link to third-party information or Web sites without having to adopt that content for liability purposes; and use summary information in the context of the securities laws antifraud provisions.

    Meanwhile, Web sites no longer have to include a printer friendly version of all their documents so sites can include more interactive and dynamic features, the SEC said.
  • Four Kinds of Links
    Links are an important component in an online marketing campaign. Websites usually need a significant number of quality links to perform well in organic search rankings. Once upon a time, high-quality links were plentiful. But with the growth of the web, and an ever-increasing number of competing websites, garnering link love and attention is a time-consuming and tedious process.

    Four Kinds of Links
  • Evaluating Your Competition
    Staying ahead of the competition can be an on-going struggle. While it is not healthy for a company to focus too much time and attention on the competition, it is important to stay abreast of what your competition is doing. When evaluating the competition, assess the industry giants and companies closest to your space. But be sure that you don't exclude the small companies in your assessments. Sometimes a small competitor can have innovative ideas or marketing concepts, but may lack the capital to really benefit from the concept. This may present you with an opportunity.

    Evaluating Your Competition
  • Yahoo Opens Search
    Yahoo Inc will let customers, academics and even rivals build customized Web search services on top of its own technology, introducing a resale model into a major Internet market.

    Additional Details
  • Small Business Logos
    Many small businesses struggle to develop an identity consider checking out logo sites for an inexpensive way to build a corporate identity.

    Here are some to try -
    Logo Search - http://www.logo-search.com
    LogoMaid - http://www.logomaid.com
    Web Design Elements - http://www.webdesign-elements.com

    Here is a good summary of What to Look for in a Logo  

    This is a more in depth article -
    What Makes a Good Logo
    And Building an Image with a Logo  
    Bring Your Product to Life with Personality
  • Business Mistakes to Avoid
    Small businesses and entrepreneurs often repeat the same mistakes. If you are an entrepreneur, the following is a list of critical mistakes to avoid in your new venture:

    1. Promising The World
    Entrepreneurs will commonly make bold promises that are often impossible to actually deliver. It is important that you stay grounded in reality, and only agree to things that you know you can actually deliver.

    2. Lack Of Discipline
    Owning a business takes commitment and self-discipline. Since you are the boss you probably won't be disciplined for things like not showing up for work on time... but such things will have a negative impact on your business. It is important that entrepreneurs treat their business just like a real business, and not like a personal hobby. Act professional, charge for your services, and be accountable for the product or service provided. Self-discipline is critical to being self-employed.

    Business Mistakes to Avoid
  • Expert PDF for Small Businesses
    Expert PDF 5 is an easy to use and reliable PDF application to create, modify and send PDFs as easily as Word documents. You can modify text, images, layout or comments quickly and easily. This version can also be used as a default viewer for all your PDF documents.

    Expert PDF is discounted 40% for 24 hours only!
  • Deal of the Day Websites, Where to Find a Bargain?
    With the economy in a questionable state, everyone is looking for a good deal. Savvy business owners have jumped at the opportunity to carve out a niche for themselves in the struggling economy. Coupon and Deal-Of-The-Day websites have become extremely popular. Everyone is getting into the action, from large conglomerate websites to small specialty shops, and many now have some sort of Deal-Of-The-Day special where an item is offered at a significant discount for a specified and limited period of time. While the Deal-Of-The-Day websites were originally designed to capture impulse purchasers, many financially-conscious penny-pinching shoppers are now monitoring these sites regularly, in search of good deals on products they might need.

    Everybody loves a bargain! Where should you look for a bargain?

    PS
    Be sure to check out Software Deal of the Day
  • Why Use Web Templates?
    Web templates offer webmasters a great opportunity to minimize development time and get new sites on the web sooner rather than later. The structure of web templates allow webmasters to focus on the proprietary content development, and optimizing the website for search engines, rather than struggling with layout and graphics.

    Why Use Web Templates?
  • Software Industry Conference in Boston July 17-19th
    The Software Industry Conference is coming to Boston July 17th through 19th, 2008. This exciting event, now in its 18th year, will be held at the Boston Marriott Quincy in Quincy MA.

    The Software Industry Conference features three days of informative sessions that cover a wide range of subjects of interest to software developers. There will be sessions on marketing, foreign markets, ecommerce, outsourcing development, copyrights and trademarks, and much more.

    The Software Industry Conference provides lots of time to network with other attendees. Thursday evening there is a night of fun, excitement, food, and beverages sponsored by Digital River, always a highlight of the conference. Friday evening features an Exhibit Night with vendors in over 20 booths and food and beverages for all.

    On Saturday there is an Awards banquet. The Software Industry Conference is the premier software marketing event of the year. So, if you are a small software developer or MicroISV,  plan to attend!  
  • Innovative Marketing Ideas
    Marketing is a three-syllable word that seems so simple, yet encompasses so much. Marketing is a multi-faceted approach to promoting a product or service. Both traditional and unconventional marketing methods have a place in the small business world. Marketing helps small businesses focus on building their brand and identity.

    There are few limitations to marketing options, and the opportunities listed here are just a few that will generally result in a decent ROI (Return On Investment) for most small businesses. That said, do not be afraid to be creative -- no one knows or understands a small business like its owner, so think outside of the box and don't be afraid to experiment.

    Ways to Market
  • Take Website Usability to the Next Level
    Website usability is more than just a good navigational structure. A large number of people have visual or hearing disabilities, so you should design your website in ways that allow those with either minor or significant impairments to view and navigate your web content. The following tips will help expand your website's usability so that all users, regardless of their sensory perception and abilities, are able to take advantage of your web content...

    Take Website Usability to the Next Level
  • Google Increases Search Share
    Extending its dominance in the search market, Google grew its share of queries in April at the expense of rivals Yahoo, Microsoft, AOL and Ask.com.


    Google U.S. search query share in April grew to 61.6 percent, up from 59.8 percent in March, comScore announced  last Thursday. Google accomplished this although the number of search queries dropped 2 percent overall in April to 10.58 billion, compared with March, comScore said.
  • Online Reviews a Source of Business
    Picking up on a trend started by the travel industry, business-listing sites by Google, Yahoo, and others including Yelp and Citysearch let customers rave about their favorites, or complain about poor service. That helps consumers get real-life opinions about local businesses and services. For businesses attempting to reach consumers, the feedback spreads the word in a way ads can not. But perhaps more important, the reviews can dramatically raise a websites visibility in search engines.

    Online Reviews
  • Online Sales Tax Problems for eBay
    The outcome of the case could have far reaching implications for taxes on online sales:

    The city of Chicago is suing eBay and its subsidiary StubHub for failing to collect city amusement taxes on concert and sporting event tickets sold through the Web sites.

    Chicagos amusement tax ordinance includes Internet sites that resell tickets, but eBay, which bought StubHub last year, says the 8 percent tax does not apply to it.
    It is not clear how much money is at stake, but when the city first floated the idea of going after taxes for online sales in 2006, Alderman Edward Burke estimated the city could be losing $16 million a year in taxes on Internet-based sales by ticket resellers.

    complete article
  • CBS Buys CNet
    Television company CBS has agreed to buy technology news and entertainment website CNET for about $1.75bn. CBS said that the purchase of CNET, which owns sites such as ZDNet and Gamespot, would help to boost its online presence.

    complete article
  • A Perfect Link
    Webmasters are given the advice that they must attract links, but the key is not just to attract links... they need to attract good links. But what is the perfect link? The search for the perfect link need not be a quest in vain. Consider the following when attempting to attract links...

    A Perfect Link
  • Attention Data Makes Break Through
    Sounds like social network sites have finally figured out Attention Data:

    Social networking site MySpace said Thursday it will soon enable users to quickly share profile data with Web sites operated by Yahoo Inc., eBay Inc. and others.

    complete article
  • Amazon Challenges Sales Tax Ruling
    This could really change things for affiliate programs and online entrepeneurs.

    Amazon.com is suing New York over a new law that requires out-of-state online companies to collect sales tax from shoppers in New York.

    Officials estimated the state would gain about $50 million by requiring Internet giants such as Amazon.com to collect state sales tax. New Yorkers, like residents of many states, are currently on an honor system to report their online spending when they file state tax returns.

    The law applies to companies that do not have a brick-and-mortar presence in New York but have at least one person in the state who works as an online agent ? basically someone who links to a Web site and receives commissions for related sales.

    complete article
  • The Web is Still a Baby
    The World Wide Web is still only in its infancy, its British inventor said Wednesday, on the 15th anniversary of the webs effective launch.

    Tim Berners-Lee told the BBC that the web, which started life in the CERN physics laboratory on the Franco-Swiss border in the early 1990s, could develop in unimaginable directions but above all should be a force for good.

    complete article
  • Yahoo Patent Application
    Axandra posted this in their weekly search engine news. Very interesting to consider all the factors that can effect ranking!

    Yahoos patent applications provides a list of 51 web page elements that can be analyzed to determine the clutter of a web page:

    Total number of links
    Total number of words
    Total number of images (non-ad images)
    Image area above the fold (non-ad images)
    Dimensions of page
    Page area (total)
    Page length
    Total number of tables
    Maximum table columns (per table)
    Maximum table rows (per table)
    Total rows
    Total columns
    Total cells
    Average cell padding (per table)
    Average cell spacing (per table)
    Dimensions of fold
    Fold area
    Location of center of fold relative to center of page
    Total number of font sizes used for links
    Total number of font sizes used for headings
    Total number of font sizes used for body text
    Total number of font sizes
    Presence of ?tiny? text
    Total number of colors (excluding ads)
    Alignment of page elements
    Average page luminosity
    Fixed vs. relative page width
    Page weight (proxy for load time)
    Total number of ads
    Total ad area
    Area of individual ads
    Area of largest ad above the fold
    Largest ad area
    Total area of ads above the fold
    Page space allocated to ads
    Total number of external ads above the fold
    Total number of external ads below the fold
    Total number of external ads
    Total number of internal ads above the fold
    Total number of internal ads below the fold
    Total number of internal ads
    Number of sponsored link ads above the fold
    Number of sponsored link ads below the fold
    Total number of sponsored link ads
    Number of image ads above the fold
    Number of image ads below the fold
    Total number of image ads
    Number of text ads above the fold
    Number of text ads below the fold
    Total number of text ads
    Position of ads on page

    According to the patent application, Yahoo might also consider the presence of animated and flashing ads and the average ad luminosity.
  • How To Avoid Google Filters
    Avoiding Googles sandbox can be a challenge for even the most experienced webmasters. Considering the volume of traffic and number of searches conducted each day in the search giant, appearing in the top search results for critical keywords and phrases can make or break an online business. Take care to avoid Googles sandbox, so your business can benefit from Googles traffic.

    How to Avoid Googles Filters
  • Sponsor Events an Interesting Opportunity
    Sponsoring events is an interesting advertising opportunity for small businesses struggling to get attention. Inc recently did a piece that highlights the benefits small businesses encounter from sponsoring events. read Blessed Events

    Sponsorship opportunities cover the gamut, everything from Golf Fund Raisers or Software Conferences.
  • Choose A Domain
    Choosing a domain is one of the first steps in establishing an online presence. Changing a domain after-the-fact can be time consuming, and can be harmful to search engine ranking, so it is best to get it right the first time around. Follow these simple steps to select a domain name that will represent your online brand...

    Choose a Domain
  • There is No Such Thing as Free Software
    This is an interesting article entitled There is No Such Thing as Free Software:

    Software is always acquired at some cost, even if you don?t pay a penny to the people that write it. In fact, for most downloadable software available to a general audience, the license fee is only a small part of the price you pay for using the software.

    First, there?s the time you spend getting the product to run and learning how to use it.

    Here is another one When Something Is Free:

    There is value to free just be sure that you know what it is. Next time something is offered for free, evaluate the quid pro quo and determine what you are giving in return, because very little is ever really free.
  • Value Ad - Made for AdSense Websites
    Who wants to make money from AdSense? Or a better question: who does not want to make money from AdSense?

    Value Ad - Made for AdSense Websites
  • Blog Posts that Get Attention
    Blogs are now a dime a dozen, and bloggers need to make their blog posts stand out. Developing a blog following is not as easy as it once was. Learn how to write blog posts that attract readers and retain their attention. Follow these guidelines to cultivate readers...

    Blog Posts that Get Attention
  • Google Scholar
    Google Scholar is a new beta search tool from Google that provides a search of scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources, including theses, books, abstracts and articles.
  • Perform Better Web Searches
    Performing and perfecting search engine results can save web surfers lots of time and energy. Understanding the nuances of searching allows researchers to immediately drill down and locate the information they are seeking, without having to wade through a myriad of irrelevant search results in the process. The increasing complexity of search engines has made understanding search engines a necessity for those who spend any amount of time online. The following search tips are standards that will work in most of the major search engines.

    How To Find What You Are Looking For?
    As the popularity of the Internet grows, more and more results are returned for even the most obscure search phrases. In order to save time, web surfers need to increase their search relevancy. It is advisable to use multiple search terms to produce better search results. Searchers should use specific words and phrases to find what they are are looking for, while filtering out irrelevant and unwanted results.

    Performing Better Web Searches
  • Avoid Duplicate Content Penalties
    Representatives from the major search engines have all made it clear that they prefer search engines that contain unique content. Webmasters who want to avoid any current or future bans will do well to follow these simple guidelines in order to avoid duplicate content penalties:

    Avoid Duplicate Content Penalties
  • Google Data Sharing
    Shareware Promotions has posted a very important and revealing post about Google and how they want to use Google Analytics data and Adwords!  Anyone with half a brain should have seen this coming.

    In fact I wrote a piece about this awhile back, here is an excerpt:

    Google Analytics is free, no one can beat the price, but what is the real cost? The cost is your data. While not terribly important when analyzed alone, when aggregated with other information Google has access to, it could be damaging. Data mining has made the collection of data meaningful. It has become easier to find patterns and trends in large volumes of data.

    While any of that information independent of other data, might be non-threatening or irrelevant to someone doing analysis, when combined with other data Google has access to, it can paint a very clear picture of how, not only individual companies are performing, but the aggregate data could possibly paint a picture of how entire business sectors or industries are performing.

    If you are using Analytics consider yourself warned yet again!

    Full Shareware Promotions Blog Post
    Full Article Google As Big Brother
  • Sample Business Letters
    Here are a selection of sample business letters (ie. letter templates) that cover a variety of issues.
  • New Language API from Google
    Google has introduced tools for translating blocks of text in Web pages into multiple languages.

    The language application programming interface can also identify a particular language before translation. The API makes use of the Web 2.0 technology Ajax and covers 13 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. The API also supports 29 translation pairs.

    complete article
  • How is Your Business Different?
    Creating a marketing and business plan for a small business can at times seem like an overwhelming task for a new business owner. Yet, it need not be. A business plan is simply a formal statement that contains a set of business goals; and a marketing plan outlines the necessary actions which the business needs to take in order to achieve its marketing objectives.

    How is Your Business Different?
  • 10 Podcasting Tips
    What defines a good podcast? Make no mistake -- there is a difference between a good podcast and a not-so-good podcast. A high-caliber podcast is much more than just decent content. The sound quality, and the way a podcast is recorded, will impact the value of the podcast as well. Podcast structure and pre-planning are also important; do not skimp on the production, as it too can make or break a podcast.

    10 Podcasting Tips
  • Tips for Creating a Real Estate Video Podcast
    The use of technology can define the success or failure of a business. This is no more evident than in the real estate industry. Realtors who flocked to the latest technologies, adopted them, and applied them in order to enhance and sell property, are still prospering.

    Tips for Creating Real Estate Video Podcasts
  • Virtual Customer Loyalty
    German company wants to bring customer loyalty cards to the Internet while also making it easier for people to log in into multiple Web sites.

    Loyalty card programs offer customers incentives based on repeat purchases in a network of merchants. For example, a customer may earn bonus points for purchases and those points can be used at other retailers participating in the loyalty card program. This drives business to noncompeting retailers within the network.
  • 12 Tips To Protect Personal Info During Tax Season
    With tax season nearing its height and millions of Americans filing taxes electronically, security software vendor Identity Finder offers some basic tips on how taxpayers can protect their personal information.


    Identity Finders products scour computers for personal information and provide users with options to protect that information. Although the companies tips may seem obvious, identity theft is a growing problem.

    12 Tips To Protect Personal Info During Tax Season
  • How to Avoid Dumb Tax Filing Mistakes
    When it comes to filing your income tax return, it is usually the little things that trip you up. Unfortunately, stupid mistakes pretty much guarantee your return will be put on the fast track for an audit.

    How to Avoid Dumb Mistakes on Tax Returns

  • Software Industry Conference
    Sign up now for the Software Industry Conference. The Software Industry Conference will be held July 17-19, 2008 in Boston Massachusetts. The conference will feature discussions geared to software marketers and developers. The 3-day conference includes exhibits and an awards ceremony as well as 3 days filled with topical panel sessions. There is an early bird discount available until April 1st for attendees who register early.
  • Sites That Will Make Your Day
    Over the last few years the microISV industry has started seeing a new way to sell their software - deal of the day sites. These sites work basically the same: entice impulse shoppers with a hefty discount on one or two products a day.

    But do these sites work? Are customers okay with one day sales? And should you as a microISV associate with a software discounter?

    Judging by the first-hand reports posted by microISV founders at the Business of Software forum, the answers are yes, yes and yes!

    More on Sites That Will Make Your Day
  • What is Your Websites Sale Purpose
    When designing a website, it is important that webmasters ask some general questions before they begin the design process...

    Website Sales Purpose
  • Web Design Elements
    Web Design Elements is designed specifically for small businesses, each CD contains a themed collection of web templates, layouts, images, logos, and photographs all related to a central theme. CDs are perfect for small businesses, needing to create a website, or promotional materials. CD collections include:

    Flower Themes for florists, gardeners or landscapers.
    Equestrian Themes for riding stables, horse shows, and barns.
    Dating Themes for online dating or other matchmaking services.
    Nature Collection for nature lovers, or scenic personal websites.
    Nautical Theme for fishing companies, charter services or marinas.
    Sunrise and Sunset Themes for travel companies.
  • Web Log Analysis
    Everyone who understands Internet Marketing will tell you to analyze your web logs... but what does that really mean? What particular things should you pay attention to when analyzing your web logs?

    Web Log Analysis
  • Economic News Hits Computer Hardware but Not Software
    With fears of a U.S. recession bearing down on technology companies, the sectors safest bets appear to be in business software, while makers of computers and consumer gadgets look vulnerable.

    complete article
  • Order Flowers and Get Software for Free!
    Here is an interesting business marketing idea. Send flowers from FTD and get a full, free license to your preferred software.
    Order Flowers and Get Software for Free
  • Avoid These Common Web Mistakes
    Webmasters need to avoid making these common web design mistakes. Website visitors who have a pleasant experience on a website are more likely to trust the website, and as such they are more likely to purchase products from that website. Use the following guide to avoid some of the more common web design mistakes...

    Avoid These Common Web Mistakes
  • Increase Productivity
    Direct Access is a powerful speed typing software to create global text templates, available in any application, and define your abbreviation list only once. You just type the abbreviation and Direct Access automatically expands it into the full phrase for you. With Direct Access, any piece of information is always available just by typing a few keystrokes.
  • ROMM - The Basics of Search Engine Optimization
    The formula for webmasters looking for success with the search engines is ROMM (Research, Optimize, Monitor, and Maintain). Here are some helpful tips and details about each portion of the ROMM concept...

    ROMM - The Basics of SEO
  • Automation Software
    Macro Scheduler Software discounted 45% for only 24 hours.


    Create scripts and record macros to automate and control your Windows applications, automate software processes and assign tasks to schedules, desktop shortcuts or hotkeys. Perform complex tasks with a single mouse click, or schedule your computer to perform tasks while you are away.

    The powerful Macro Recorder makes it easy to create macros even if you have no programming experience. If you can do it, Macro Scheduler can automate it.
  • Web Design Questions and Answers
    How much do you know about web design? Take this web design quiz to find out how much you know about web design...

    Web Design Questions and Answers
  • Small Business Logos
    Great collection of small business logos.  Select industry specific or generic business logos for global or local commerce. Reasonably priced (only $9.95)

  • Women Owned Businesses
    Women start their own business at twice the rate of men. It shows initiative, creativity, courage and intelligence for these women venturing out on their own away from corporate America. One very startling statistic about women business owners - 3% of all women-owned firms have revenues of $1 million or more compared with 6% of men-owned firms according to the Center for Womens Business Research that means that women are starting their own business at twice the rate of men yet twice as many men owned business? reach a million dollars in revenue.
  • 37 Small Business Ideas
    If you are stuck trying to think of a small business to start, first start by thinking about what you love to do. Here you?ll find a list of 37 small business ideasthat work around things that you love to do!

lessons and language courses can focus on general topics (everyday language).

Posted by Admin on Mai 12, 2008
Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (12)

The language courses / language lessons can take place in our tutorial rooms, in your home or at your company. The timetable and the number of the lessons are flexible. We offer language courses and lessons particularly in the following languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portugese, Greek, Russian, Czech, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Romanian, Danish, Swedish, Arabic, Turkish, Latin (also preparation for the Latinum examination), German as a foreign language (German courses / German lessons for foreign students) on all levels. Our lessons and language courses can focus on general topics (everyday language), but can also be specialized in a certain field, e.g. economics, sciences and technology, IT, medicine, management, arts and culture, politics, trade, telecommunication, transport, environment, media, banking, investment, architecture, education ... […]

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Referenzen für Englischkurse an unserer Sprachschule in Berlin Mitte.

Posted by Admin on Mai 12, 2008
Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (12)

Englisch-Einzelunterricht mit individueller Terminplanung, Unterrichtszeiten: Montag bis Samstag 7:00 Uhr bis 22:00 Uhr, Englisch-Vormittagskurse, Englisch-Abendkurse, Englisch-Intensivkurse, Englisch-Ganztagskurse, Englisch-Vollzeitkurse, Englisch-Samstagkurse, Englisch-Wochenendkurse, Englisch-Ferienkurse, Englisch-Bildungsurlaub bei kompetenten muttersprachlichen Lehrkräften und qualifizierten deutschen Dozenten mit Auslandserfahrung. Unsere Sprachschule führt(e) Firmensprachkurse, Gruppenunterricht, Seminaren, Workshops und Einzeltraining für Mitarbeiter der Unternehmen Conject AG München, TB Netz GmbH Dresden, NOVALED AG, Federal-Mogul Dresden, QAD GmbH Dresden, Pewo Energietechnik GmbH, Sandvic Mining and Construction Central Europe GmbH Essen, Technologie Zentrum Dresden GmbH, Greene, Tweed + Co. GmbH Hofheim, Möbel-Modell-System GmbH, GEHO Fenster und Bauelemente GmbH, Deutsche Steinzeug AG Werk Meißen, E.C.B. GmbH Pirna, AREVA Energietechnik GmbH, GEFCO Deutschland GmbH, KAMA GmbH Dresden, decon Deutsche Energie-Consult GmbH, Ostsächsische Sparkasse Dresden, Ingenieurgesellschaft Hartmann mbH Rostock, Bundespolizeiamt Chemnitz, Bundeswehr, Kronoflooring GmbH, Specialized Europe B.V. Netherlands, Deutsche Private Finanzakademie GmbH & Co. KG Sachsen, SL Systemlösung Haustechnik GmbH, Berufsförderungswerk Dresden gGmbH, Bildungsstätte für Gesundheit und Soziales Pirna, EDER Ziegelwerk Freital GmbH, Maschinenbau- und Metallberufsgenossenschaft Dresden, PANTA GmbH Radeberg, wildstyle network GmbH, OEWA Wasser und Abwasser GmbH, Handwerkskammer Dresden, Swiss Post Solutions GmbH, IPRO Dresden, CONMA-Pharma Engineering GmbH, Ausführung haustechnischer Anlagen GmbH Radebeul, HERMOS Systems GmbH Dresden, KMS Computer GmbH, Stadtentwässerung Dresden GmbH, Richard Bergner Elektroarmaturen GmbH & Co. KG Radebeul, Staatliche Schlösser, Burgen und Gärten Sachsen, VVW GmbH Dresden, Hotel am Terrassenufer GmbH & Co. KG, Energy Steuerberatungsgesellschaft mbH, Dresdner Einspritzsysteme GmbH & Co. KG, Erhardt Fahrzeugwerk Dresden GmbH, Ingenieurgesellschaft Geoplan GmbH, Elbonia Sports GmbH Dresden, Transfer GmbH & Co. KG, Montagetechnik Plauen GmbH, AVS-Akademie für öffentliche Verwaltung Meißen, WSB Neue Energien GmbH, Recon Metals GmbH Dresden, Dresdner Gardinen- und Spitzenmanufaktur GmbH & Co. KG, Plastic Logic GmbH durch. […]

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