The Web Authority
Wednesday, December 26
Invitation to Microsoft Analytics Program
Click this link to be invited to Microsoft Web Analytics - Gatineau Beta http://advertising.microsoft.com/microsoft-adcenter-gatineau
Microsoft is testing a new analytics package similar to Google Analytics and you'll want to try it out. The link adds you to the waiting list to check it out. You will need a MSN adCenter account in order to try the program out. You will also pay $5 for the account.
I for one have signed up to see if the product is better than Google Analytics and what the differences may be. You may want to sign up as well.
Microsoft is testing a new analytics package similar to Google Analytics and you'll want to try it out. The link adds you to the waiting list to check it out. You will need a MSN adCenter account in order to try the program out. You will also pay $5 for the account.
I for one have signed up to see if the product is better than Google Analytics and what the differences may be. You may want to sign up as well.
Labels: Google Analytics, Website Statistics
¶ 12/26/2007 07:26:00 AM 0 Comments
Monday, December 24
Ding, Dong, The Wicked Witch is Dead- Google Kills the Supplemental Index
Yahoo! Well really Googlehoo!, The Wicked Witch is dead. Google has just announced that it has killed the Supplemental Index.
Google's Supplemental Index has previously been affectionately known as "Google Hell" and if your site arrived there, there was simply no getting out. There were many tips on the Web that had been widely circulated on how to get out, but the reality was that short of changing the content on every page and even changing your page name and starting all over, you were stuck.
Now, Google has announced in their Search Blog that they have killed the Supplemental Index. In about July this past year Google had dropped the additional descriptor "Supplemental Index" next to search queries which had been the bain of all professional webmasters. After that change, we could only guess by poor website performance if a site had landed in "Google Hell".
Google has now stated:
Google has stated that this change has been due to new technology and their unabashed "amazing technical feats" allowing a full search of the entire index for every search query.
So... ding, dong, the Wicked Witch is finally dead! Good Riddance!
Google's Supplemental Index has previously been affectionately known as "Google Hell" and if your site arrived there, there was simply no getting out. There were many tips on the Web that had been widely circulated on how to get out, but the reality was that short of changing the content on every page and even changing your page name and starting all over, you were stuck.
Now, Google has announced in their Search Blog that they have killed the Supplemental Index. In about July this past year Google had dropped the additional descriptor "Supplemental Index" next to search queries which had been the bain of all professional webmasters. After that change, we could only guess by poor website performance if a site had landed in "Google Hell".
Google has now stated:
"...From a user perspective, this means that you'll be seeing more relevant documents and a much deeper slice of the web, especially for non-English queries. For webmasters, this means that good-quality pages that were less visible in our index are more likely to come up for queries."
Google has stated that this change has been due to new technology and their unabashed "amazing technical feats" allowing a full search of the entire index for every search query.
So... ding, dong, the Wicked Witch is finally dead! Good Riddance!
Labels: Google, supplemental index
¶ 12/24/2007 10:52:00 AM 0 Comments
Saturday, December 22
The Drudge Report - Why Design in Blogs Doesn't Matter
That's right, the design of your blog simply doesn't matter attested to the article linked to our title. In this article the writer values the Drudge Report, a popular political blog at around $40 million. Is is worth it?
Take a look at the Drudge Report here http://www.drudgereport.com/. This is a very lame layout and design and now I am not being tongue in cheek here.
The lesson learned from the Drudge Report is that it's the content stupid not the design! To me it looks like Matt Drudge could easily spend a couple hundred dollars and get a really great blog design that was interesting to look at and would communicate visually his message better, but who am I to point a finger. According to Conde Nast's Portfolio.com blog the Drudge Report is visited by 1.3 million unique visitors every month. Go figure! Great content will always excuse bad design, but really Matt, you need an overhaul.
Take a look at the Drudge Report here http://www.drudgereport.com/. This is a very lame layout and design and now I am not being tongue in cheek here.
The lesson learned from the Drudge Report is that it's the content stupid not the design! To me it looks like Matt Drudge could easily spend a couple hundred dollars and get a really great blog design that was interesting to look at and would communicate visually his message better, but who am I to point a finger. According to Conde Nast's Portfolio.com blog the Drudge Report is visited by 1.3 million unique visitors every month. Go figure! Great content will always excuse bad design, but really Matt, you need an overhaul.
Labels: blog design
¶ 12/22/2007 09:30:00 AM 0 Comments
Friday, December 21
Forums Aren't Dead
With the proliferation of blogs, some have thought that forums were dead or on a down hill slide. Personally, I feel that there will always be a place for forums.
I watch some important forums myself and am a regular poster. One of the best I like for my own industry is Webmaster World. I can pick up tips, keep up-to-date on topics, and sometimes even hear of an issue there first.
But forums are not for everyone! I do not recommend the addition of a forum to the typical business owners website, in that case I recommend a blog. The reason for this is that unless a forum is trafficked, has a moderator, and lots of activity, it simply cannot be sustained. A forum with no activity may actually be a liability for you. For smaller websites and business owners the one way action of blogging is a much better match.
So from my point of view, forums have their place and blogs do as well. What forums are you watching and lurking in?
I watch some important forums myself and am a regular poster. One of the best I like for my own industry is Webmaster World. I can pick up tips, keep up-to-date on topics, and sometimes even hear of an issue there first.
But forums are not for everyone! I do not recommend the addition of a forum to the typical business owners website, in that case I recommend a blog. The reason for this is that unless a forum is trafficked, has a moderator, and lots of activity, it simply cannot be sustained. A forum with no activity may actually be a liability for you. For smaller websites and business owners the one way action of blogging is a much better match.
So from my point of view, forums have their place and blogs do as well. What forums are you watching and lurking in?
Labels: effective blogging, forums
¶ 12/21/2007 09:20:00 AM 0 Comments
Thursday, December 20
Google Video File Uploader Needs Improvement
Google Video really needs to develop a better upload tool for large videos. I have a client who has some one hour long movies that they wanted to distribute free on Google Video. The videos are documentaries on the health effects of energy waves from cell phones and cell phone towers.
The videos were large. One in fact very large, nearly 1 GB. I needed to use the video upload tool. I have to tell you it was excruciating. It took one week connected to Google for one of the videos to load. A full week online! The other I had to have broken into two pieces and then it still took over three days to load. Now I know that some of this is a factor of file upload speeds using DSL and a factor of my ISP, but why can't I use FTP to upload a file? Why did I have to use this arcane video file uploader?
I routinely use FTP to load Flash and video files, even big ones, but I don't know what is happening at the back end of Google but this file uploader really discourages use. It is prone to crashing or locking up mid-way through a large load and cannot go back to where it is.
Additionally never overwrite a file on the server with the same name, the tool simply cannot do it in reality. If it does load, the file on the Google server is corrupted, you cannot open it and then you have to start all over again. It took a painful three weeks to load six movies! That is really outrageous. Come on Google if you want to do video, help us out and improve the upload tool!
The videos were large. One in fact very large, nearly 1 GB. I needed to use the video upload tool. I have to tell you it was excruciating. It took one week connected to Google for one of the videos to load. A full week online! The other I had to have broken into two pieces and then it still took over three days to load. Now I know that some of this is a factor of file upload speeds using DSL and a factor of my ISP, but why can't I use FTP to upload a file? Why did I have to use this arcane video file uploader?
I routinely use FTP to load Flash and video files, even big ones, but I don't know what is happening at the back end of Google but this file uploader really discourages use. It is prone to crashing or locking up mid-way through a large load and cannot go back to where it is.
Additionally never overwrite a file on the server with the same name, the tool simply cannot do it in reality. If it does load, the file on the Google server is corrupted, you cannot open it and then you have to start all over again. It took a painful three weeks to load six movies! That is really outrageous. Come on Google if you want to do video, help us out and improve the upload tool!
Labels: Google Video, Google video uploader
¶ 12/20/2007 07:18:00 AM 0 Comments
Wednesday, December 19
Another New Quick Launch Website Launched
We've just launched this nice looking Quick Launch website for Michael P. Taylor an attorney in Baltimore, Maryland. You can click our post title or visit it here http://www.mptlaw.com/.
This very simple yet attractive website is five pages and uses one of our Quick Launch pre-made templates. Quick Launch allows for an affordable and super fast web presence. Check out the site and see what you think.
This very simple yet attractive website is five pages and uses one of our Quick Launch pre-made templates. Quick Launch allows for an affordable and super fast web presence. Check out the site and see what you think.
Labels: New Websites, quick launch web design
¶ 12/19/2007 11:47:00 AM 0 Comments
Tuesday, December 18
Are You Too Connected?
I just shopped for a new cell phone yesterday. Wow is there some eye candy out in the cell phone marketplace, but do you really need all that stuff?
First, I have to say that it used to be (well two years ago) that you could get a pretty hot phone for $100 with your two year contract. Now the starting price is over $250 with a two year contract. As I looked at the phones I thought do I want to be on the Web, do I want people to email me on my phone? You know what, I simply do not want to be that connected!
I am busy enough without being out and about away from the office that I want clients and customers to call me anytime and anywhere. I need some downtime and so does my family. So I have made the decision that although many may disagree, that I do not want to browse the Web and get email on my phone. When I am out of the office after a 50 hour work week, I need to be just that "out of the office".
So my new phone is my old phone, music enabled, photo enabled, but not a browser or email application. I am letting my 18 year old get the new hot phone and then he can pay for his own Internet access. :0)
First, I have to say that it used to be (well two years ago) that you could get a pretty hot phone for $100 with your two year contract. Now the starting price is over $250 with a two year contract. As I looked at the phones I thought do I want to be on the Web, do I want people to email me on my phone? You know what, I simply do not want to be that connected!
I am busy enough without being out and about away from the office that I want clients and customers to call me anytime and anywhere. I need some downtime and so does my family. So I have made the decision that although many may disagree, that I do not want to browse the Web and get email on my phone. When I am out of the office after a 50 hour work week, I need to be just that "out of the office".
So my new phone is my old phone, music enabled, photo enabled, but not a browser or email application. I am letting my 18 year old get the new hot phone and then he can pay for his own Internet access. :0)
Labels: business tips, cell phones, editorial
¶ 12/18/2007 11:21:00 AM 0 Comments
Monday, December 17
Google's Knol For Wikipedia-Like Information
This is Google's new brainchild that is in testing - knol - or as they call it "unit of knowledge". Currently this new roll out is in testing and is being done by invitation only. The bottom line is that Google is wanting authors who are experts on specific topics to write a piece and then for a community, like Wikipedia, to interact with the information.
It creates a mini-web page for each topic. Clearly this will be searchable and will give authors on good topics excellent exposure and even a portion of ad proceeds. You can click my post title to read the full information about this new interactive tool from the Google Search blog.
Here is an image of a Knol on insomnia from the Google site. Looks like a very slick version of Wikipedia.
May personal take on this is that this could be very good for a business. Instead of posting articles on various sites as link bait, why not have one really great page that Google will create and that all you have to do is moderate. Also as this is Google, remember, it will certainly be included in the SERPs in a big way. This could be an extraordinary degree of exposure for experts and consultants in their industry.
It creates a mini-web page for each topic. Clearly this will be searchable and will give authors on good topics excellent exposure and even a portion of ad proceeds. You can click my post title to read the full information about this new interactive tool from the Google Search blog.
Here is an image of a Knol on insomnia from the Google site. Looks like a very slick version of Wikipedia.
May personal take on this is that this could be very good for a business. Instead of posting articles on various sites as link bait, why not have one really great page that Google will create and that all you have to do is moderate. Also as this is Google, remember, it will certainly be included in the SERPs in a big way. This could be an extraordinary degree of exposure for experts and consultants in their industry.
Labels: Google, knol, Wikipedia
¶ 12/17/2007 11:14:00 AM 0 Comments
Friday, December 14
Just Take That Photo From That Website and Use It on Mine
We hear this all the time from website owners. I found the perfect picture, just take it and put it on my website.
It is important for clients and web professionals to know that taking an image or content from another site is a copyright infringement. You can not just right click and make something yours! Everything on the Web belongs to someone. Even if there isn't a copyright notification at the bottom of the web page, the item can only be used with permission.
When we do images for websites we pay for the photos that we use. We typically use iStockPhotos and for $1 own a license to use a photo one time on a website. For each time we use the photo, we download and pay for it. We also use Microsoft's free photos from the clip art gallery. The license on these images states that you can use them for all uses except for the creation of logos.
So don't cheat, don't steal get your images from a legitimate source. Remember even images on Google images are copyrighted! The biggest suggestion we can offer is that when you are using images and content for your commercial website use, the rules are different and the bar is higher, you can simply not afford to snatch something that belongs to someone else.
It is important for clients and web professionals to know that taking an image or content from another site is a copyright infringement. You can not just right click and make something yours! Everything on the Web belongs to someone. Even if there isn't a copyright notification at the bottom of the web page, the item can only be used with permission.
When we do images for websites we pay for the photos that we use. We typically use iStockPhotos and for $1 own a license to use a photo one time on a website. For each time we use the photo, we download and pay for it. We also use Microsoft's free photos from the clip art gallery. The license on these images states that you can use them for all uses except for the creation of logos.
So don't cheat, don't steal get your images from a legitimate source. Remember even images on Google images are copyrighted! The biggest suggestion we can offer is that when you are using images and content for your commercial website use, the rules are different and the bar is higher, you can simply not afford to snatch something that belongs to someone else.
Labels: copyright, copyrighted information, images
¶ 12/14/2007 07:26:00 AM 0 Comments
Thursday, December 13
Has Blogging Lost Its Honesty?
It used to be that what you read on a blog was an honest personal viewpoint, and in some cases, that is still how it is. Today however, you'd better start to be more careful about what you trust when you read a message on a blog.
Blogging has gone mainstream and when anything goes mainstream it is suddenly used for spin, advertising, and invisible veiled agendas. We are seeing an increasing use of paid advertising posts in the blogosphere without you, the reader, knowing that the writer is being paid to give a good review or supposed personal testimony on a product. Not only has that sabotaged the blogosphere and compromised some bloggers who were not forthright about their sponsorship, but it has made all blogs now suspect of spin and a lack of sincerity. Is there a hidden message behind many blogs? You bet there is, and I am bemoaning the loss of innocence of a great medium.
We have never participated in blogging schemes to create spin or bogus testimonies for our clients and never will. We are simply not driven by money in what we do. The majority of our clients use our ghost blogging services to create great search engine friendly content for their websites as an effort to get the "leg up" on others when it comes to organic placement. This is what we do and what we love.
As I work with the blog players and blog owners behind the scenes, I have seen it all! So my word to you is, be careful about what you read on a blog, can you trust it? Weigh the message before you embrace it against what you read on other blogs, and don't make a decision or base a judgement on a blog post that you have read. You may be simply be reading a spinmaster's blog message being used to shape a viewpoint or to create viral marketing on the Web.
Blogging has gone mainstream and when anything goes mainstream it is suddenly used for spin, advertising, and invisible veiled agendas. We are seeing an increasing use of paid advertising posts in the blogosphere without you, the reader, knowing that the writer is being paid to give a good review or supposed personal testimony on a product. Not only has that sabotaged the blogosphere and compromised some bloggers who were not forthright about their sponsorship, but it has made all blogs now suspect of spin and a lack of sincerity. Is there a hidden message behind many blogs? You bet there is, and I am bemoaning the loss of innocence of a great medium.
We have never participated in blogging schemes to create spin or bogus testimonies for our clients and never will. We are simply not driven by money in what we do. The majority of our clients use our ghost blogging services to create great search engine friendly content for their websites as an effort to get the "leg up" on others when it comes to organic placement. This is what we do and what we love.
As I work with the blog players and blog owners behind the scenes, I have seen it all! So my word to you is, be careful about what you read on a blog, can you trust it? Weigh the message before you embrace it against what you read on other blogs, and don't make a decision or base a judgement on a blog post that you have read. You may be simply be reading a spinmaster's blog message being used to shape a viewpoint or to create viral marketing on the Web.
Labels: blogging and organic placement, effective blogging
¶ 12/13/2007 09:09:00 AM 0 Comments
Friday, December 7
New Quick Launch Website Launched
We've just finished one of our "up in five day" websites that we call Quick Launch for The Identity Theft Institute. Click our post title to visit this nice five page site done with one of our own expandable templates.
Quick Launch is a special program for us. We are a custom web design house and yet have found that some clients have special needs or budgets that simply won't fit with our custom web design services. Quick Launch sites start at $600 and allow you to have an inexpensive web presence done quickly.
For this site, our logo designer also custom created a logo for web and print to brand this new business. Take a look and see what you think at http://www.identitytheftinstitute.com/
Quick Launch is a special program for us. We are a custom web design house and yet have found that some clients have special needs or budgets that simply won't fit with our custom web design services. Quick Launch sites start at $600 and allow you to have an inexpensive web presence done quickly.
For this site, our logo designer also custom created a logo for web and print to brand this new business. Take a look and see what you think at http://www.identitytheftinstitute.com/
Labels: New Websites, quick launch web design
¶ 12/07/2007 05:03:00 PM 0 Comments
Thursday, December 6
Do You Need a Laugh Today?
My team has just started blogging on this blog, http://www.beathillaryclinton.com/. I have to say that this may be some of our best work and we are really having a ball with this blog. Click the post title to get a chuckle out of the posts you'll find there. (You may not agree with the political point of view, but that is what ghost blogging is all about being able to wear the hat of the client and write to their specifications.)
Here's a teaser that got me chuckling even as I posted it to the blog for the post "Oprah and Hillary Slap Fest: The Babes are Takin' Off the Gloves".
Here's a teaser that got me chuckling even as I posted it to the blog for the post "Oprah and Hillary Slap Fest: The Babes are Takin' Off the Gloves".
"In her best Linda Evan's style, just the other day, Hillary, cool as a cucumber, claimed Oprah's stumping for Barack was not a big deal, telling the press that she was a "great admirer of Oprah". Then… like a cobra… she struck! Hillary whipped out her secret weapon, a political endorsement from none other than the Golden-Throated Diva of the Divine, Barbra Streisand!!!The posts we have planned for next week will really get you laughing, so keep an eye on this one even if you are voting for Hillary Clinton.
"Hiss and MEOW!! Take that Oprah!!
"Although Oprah can claim a TV show and a widely circulated glossy mag, Babs has sold 146 million records and is the darling of the most-voting demographic in the country: upper middle class white people over 50. Will be interesting to see how this plays out come Demo-convention time."
Labels: ghost blogging
¶ 12/06/2007 12:51:00 PM 0 Comments
Sunday, December 2
Nancy McCord New Microsoft adExcellence Member
Nancy McCord of McCord Web Design is accredited as an official Microsoft adExcellence Member. A Microsoft adExcellence Member has completed comprehensive online training on managing Microsoft adCenter search engine marketing campaigns and has demonstrated expert knowledge by passing the Microsoft adExcellence accreditation exam.
Visit our website to find out more about our Microsoft adCenter services for research, set up, and account management.
Nancy McCord of McCord Web Design is accredited as an official Microsoft adExcellence Member. A Microsoft adExcellence Member has completed comprehensive online training on managing Microsoft adCenter search engine marketing campaigns and has demonstrated expert knowledge by passing the Microsoft adExcellence accreditation exam.Visit our website to find out more about our Microsoft adCenter services for research, set up, and account management.
Labels: MSN adCenter, MSN adCenter Tips, Pay Per Click Advertising
¶ 12/02/2007 08:53:00 PM 0 Comments
Our December E-Newsletter is Out
Click our blog post title to read our December e-newsletter. In this issue we discuss:
1. Bright Idea Tip: Understanding RSS News Content Feeds
How to utilize RSS news content feeds in Outlook 2007 and Internet Explorer 7. We make it easy for you to learn how to use this great new technology and save time.'
2. A New Custom Website Launched
We've just launched a new custom website for Stern Environmental Group. You'll be interested in viewing the before and after photos. What a difference a custom site can make!
3. Introducing New Custom Designed Blog Templates
We now offer custom blog templates. Get your web brand to work for you by branding your blog with the same look and feel as your website. We provide links and a before and after image.
1. Bright Idea Tip: Understanding RSS News Content Feeds
How to utilize RSS news content feeds in Outlook 2007 and Internet Explorer 7. We make it easy for you to learn how to use this great new technology and save time.'
2. A New Custom Website Launched
We've just launched a new custom website for Stern Environmental Group. You'll be interested in viewing the before and after photos. What a difference a custom site can make!
3. Introducing New Custom Designed Blog Templates
We now offer custom blog templates. Get your web brand to work for you by branding your blog with the same look and feel as your website. We provide links and a before and after image.
Labels: e-Newsletters
¶ 12/02/2007 04:14:00 PM 0 Comments
