VGM Forbin
and to keep them coming back. ... VGM Forbin, web design, web site creation, web site revision, search engine optimization, search engine ...
excite no longer has web hosting - Bookshelf
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Microcomputer abstracts Intel is forming partnerships to offer Web hosting, e-commerce .... noting that middleware (specifically transactional message queuing) will no longer be ... |
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88 pages |
Network World Cidera: www.cidera.com NaviSite, a CMGI Web and application hosting service ... Service providers will no longer be limited to offering 45M bit/sec T-3s and ... |
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About this book For more than 20 years, Network World has been the premier provider of information, intelligence and insight for network and IT executives responsible for the digital nervous systems of large organizations. Readers are responsible for designing, implementing and managing the voice, data and video systems their companies use to support everything from business critical applications to employee collaboration and electronic commerce. |
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Personal computer magazine Today, people still spend lots of time surfing and reading online, but those activities no longer drive Web usage as they once did. ... |
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132 pages |
InfoWorld Dell also knows it can no longer wait for someone else to set standards because ... such as Web hosting, electronic commerce, and messaging packages. ... |
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About this book InfoWorld is targeted to Senior IT professionals. Content is segmented into Channels and Topic Centers. InfoWorld also celebrates people, companies, and projects. |
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PC magazine Once a proprietary online service, MSN Internet Access has evolved into a standard Internet access provider. But with no Web hosting, fast-access options, ... |
Home Audio/Video, Theater Systems, Car Audio, Stereo Electronics, DVD Players, and more for less at Audio
Although not an actual meta tag, the tag of your Web page is arguably the most important tag or element. Many search engines use the tag as the title of your page in the search results that appear to the user, and words used in your title tag are also determining your search engine ranking.
What this means to you is that this HTML tag must not only work to your advantage for keyword scoring, but also must be compelling to the reader. The title should be a maximum of 70 characters long and include the most relevant keywords of your web site.
Quick Tips:
Make your title interesting and “compelling” to the reader to convince them why they should click there.
Make sure every page on your site has a title representing the data on your page.
Try to be descriptive and use a title that lets people know what your site is about.
Don’t use all CAPS in your title. Search engines hate it and it’s difficult for users to read.
Make sure that title tag is grammatically correct
IMAGE ALT TAGS
Example:
Alt text provides a search engine with a “translation” of the content of the image (a search engine can’t read the text in an image - at least not yet). Alt text is presented in place of an image if the link to the image is broken or the visitor is using a text only browser. You should always use alt tags not only to increase ranking but also for usability purposes.
Quick Tips:
Be sure to use the keyword phrases that you also used in the copy of your page, title tag, meta description, and other tags.
Do not try to cram a bunch of keywords into the “alt” attribute. We recommend using no more than 2-3 per image.
Describe the image - do not just list keywords.
The “alt” attribute is also a good place for misspellings and plural keyword phrases that you may not have used elsewhere.
HEADING TAGS
Example: Home Audio
Although they are not used very frequently any longer HTML heading tags can help improve your listings in the search engines too. Since they are “headings” the search engines figure that they are very closely related to the content of the page that they appear on.
So, just like with all of your other optimization efforts you should include your most important keyword phrases in heading tags on your page if you can.
Quick Tips:
Try to include your most important keyword phrases in heading tags on your page if you can.
Consider rethinking your page content. It is often very easy to take an existing page full of copy and find ways to break it up into separate sections with headings.
BODY TEXT
The copy on your page is also very important in order to achieve better search engine listings. Actually, it is very close to being as important as your title tag so make sure you keep reading! By ‘copy’ I mean the actual text that a visitor to your site would read.
Did you know that just like a visitor to your site would read the copy on your page to figure out what you have to offer, the search engines do too? And what do you think the search engines are looking for when they ‘read’ your page copy? Keyword phrases, of course!
Quick Tips:
For best results we recommend that each page you submit has at least 200 words of copy on it.
The copy should include your most important keyword phrases, but should remain logical & readable.
Be sure to use those phrases that you have used in your other tags (i.e. metas, alt, headings, title, etc.) during the optimization process.
Add additional copy filled pages to your site. For example, how-to articles, tips or tutorials. These types of content pages not only help you in the search engines, but many other sites will link to them too increasing your visitors.
YOU’RE NOW READY FOR THE SEARCH ENGINES
Now that your site is all ready, you can submit it to all the major search engines, this is the final and most important part of all of your search engine optimization campaign. As a rule of thumb, you should always submit to major engines by hand.
When you use some automated submission services, thousands of urls are submitted from one IP address (usually the server the software interacts with and updates from). The search engine detects that this IP is submitting a large number of pages and tends to ignore it or even ban submissions from that location.
The length of time to get listed varies depending on the search engine, here’s the length of time it currently takes to get listed at each of the major search engines once you have submitted your web page.
MSN - Up to 2 months iWon - Up to 2 months
Take this time to learn and focus on other marketing techniques, the most successful websites use many different types of promotion techniques such as ezine marketing, offline advertising, pay per click campaigns, link exchanges, banner advertising, giveaways, and many more. An educated webmaster is a successful webmaster, take the time to continuously learn and grow.
Alessandro DeBarros is a web marketing specialist for BrandBlast http://brandblast.com , a CT based firm whose cutting edge hosting services is quickly being recognized around the world as a leader in its field. At a current base of 5,000 clients, BrandBlast specializes in small to medium business hosting, providing small businesses with the services and support they need at affordable prices.
Denon AVR1610 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver with 1080p HDMI Connectivity Buy Now Since I’m brand new to the A/V world, I did a lot of researching before making my decision on which receiver to buy. I worked hard to figure out all the lingo and I checked out just about every option available below $400, including those with built-in DVD players, etc. I read every review I could find ([...] is great for this), posted questions on the AVS forums, etc. I’m very thorough when I’m spending a lot of money like this.
I didn’t need a 7.1 system so I focused on 5.1 systems. Even though I’m only using a 2.0 setup right now (front left and right speakers only), I want to be able to add the other speakers and a sub in the future. So my review is only on my 2.0 setup. I can’t provide any feedback on a full 5.1 surround setup.
One of the things I was looking for was upconverting (the ability to plug all of my components (HDMI, component cable, and composite) into the receiver and run 1 HDMI cable out to the TV for the video and speaker wires out to the speakers for audio). You can use the HDMI for audio too if you want to use your TV speakers, but if you’re buying a good receiver, it just makes sense to buy some decent speakers to take advantage of it. Upconverting was essential for me since I’m mounting the TV on the wall about 15′ away from the receiver and didn’t want to buy lots of long cables for each type of input and then have to run them behind the wall. I was also looking for a receiver with lots of inputs to handle all of my components (HD DVR, Wii, DVD player, video baby monitor) and still have room to add more pieces in the future.
I’m happy to report that I am extremely satisfied with my purchase. The receiver does a good job of upconverting the analog video inputs and they all look pretty nice on my 46″ LCD. The video from HDMI inputs looks amazing. For audio, I’m using Focal XL speakers and they sound great! They provide lots of bass and dialogue is nice and clear. I haven’t run the Audyssey program yet because the TV isn’t on the wall yet but it sounds great even without having run it. I will provide an update once I get everything in it’s final place. I just wanted to get my initial review posted since there aren’t many on Amazon yet and I wanted to let everyone know that this is an excellent choice.
The only drawback I can think of is that the manual isn’t super helpful. You can find lots of help online, especially at batpig.com. Don’t worry, it is a legit site. You can google it if you’d like. It is an excellent information resource for Denon receivers.
Get more detail about Denon AVR1610 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver with 1080p HDMI Connectivity.
24:3 (2009:09) 24th Conference: Tactics Session: Marketing the Library in a Digital World
Reported by Jane Bethel
Kerry Cole from the publishing industry engaged the audience describing basic tactical marketing tools as well as planning and measuring for successful marketing strategies. Draw on your resources, Kelly advised: your talented staff members, student organization groups, and, perhaps, an under-utilized circulation student staff. Tonia Graves enlightened us with past and present marketing promotional events that occurred at her academic library. Through details and statistics, Tonia described the momentum and rewarding results. Formal marketing plans are not the norm at not-for-profit institutions. Marketing has become more important now because users are not physically occupying space in the library. Kerry stated that libraries have more in common with marketing than you might imagine. “Marketing is communication, delivery of value, and management of customer relations.” Marketers and librarians have big ears, are national networkers, and problem solvers. Marketing needs a plan. It is not an emergency measure, and is only complete when you decide you are done. Be proactive to meet users’ actual needs. Think of their lives in a “day-to-day” scenario. Focus on how they organize their world and what could improve their study time. Get vendors and publishers to sponsor guest speakers to promote a lab.
There are several reasons why marketing is important for libraries today: fewer people visit the physical building; patrons want instant access; commercial search engines are in high use; people are becoming more “me”-centric; and patrons are unaware of how the library can meet their needs. Kerry quoted author Cynthia L. Shamel, “A library without a librarian is nothing more than a document storage facility….” A marketing plan includes researching your particular market, a SWOT analysis, SMART objectives, and planned brainstorming sessions.
Defining customers and knowing their needs gathered from focus groups/surveys are essential. SWOT analysis stands for defining your Strengths, Weaknesses, the Opportunities that await you, and the Threats that stand in your way. A set of questions within each SWOT section will generate ideas.
The SMART objectives were also explained: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timed.
Kerry outlined a brainstorming plan using the example of a library considering hosting a graduate student web page as part of a marketing plan. Part 1 of the brainstorming plan requires seven blank pieces of paper, a writing utensil, a quiet room, and 45 minutes to answer these questions that bubble up:
Why are you doing this? What are the top 3 or 4 factors affecting your library? Who is your competition? How can you overcome or compete with the competition? What services are you going to promote? How are you going to promote it; multi-channel marketing, online and offline? What are your goals for the next 12 months?Part 2 of the brainstorming plan defines realistic time measures of 30, 60, or 90 days towards your goals. Part 3 completes the skeleton plan by asking, “Does it make sense? Are the actions SMART? Do you want to share your ideas with your colleagues? Does it excite you? Can and will you do it?” Marketing can be online, e.g., Twitter, or offline, e.g., flyers.
Tonia Graves discussed what her academic library has been doing to promote library resources and what they would like to begin doing. Marketing has not been a consistent part of their vocabulary. Instead they have used the word “promotion.” At Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, they have been using six tools: flyers; LibNews, a weekly email service; “Daily News”; the Courier; new item notification; and the library website. Interested library staff members make the flyers. Workshops are presented on specifically targeted resources such as citation databases, special collections, and electronic business resources. The “Daily News” on the library webpage announces featured exhibits, for example, World Jewelry, Criterion Collection Films, School Desegregation, Scoring for Suspense: Music for the Movies, and Political Campaign Songs. The Courier is a monthly print and online newsletter for faculty, staff, and students authored by the university, but it will cease this summer due to recent state budget cuts. New item notification was created ten years ago, but is no longer accessible on the library’s website. It could re-emerge as an RSS feed. The library website has a limited set of people with permission to update the “News@ODU Libraries,” but this area is used to promote the library.
Tonia related that six months of data were collected to evaluate all promotional events. The statistics showed a spike of periodical usage during the promotional events. Tonia explained that efforts put forth have been “strong in traditional offline multi-channel marketing methods such as flyers, face-to-face, and events/workshops.” Tonia’s library plan is quite similar to that which Kerry described and the library staff is especially pleased about “identifying and knowing our users’ behaviors and needs.”