05/13/2008
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

05/12/2008
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

05/06/2008
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

05/05/2008
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

05/05/2008
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.

04/28/2008
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

04/24/2008
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.

04/21/2008
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

04/15/2008
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.

04/14/2008
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

04/08/2008
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

04/05/2008
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.

04/04/2008
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

04/03/2008
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

04/02/2008
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

04/01/2008
Here are a selection of sample business letters (ie. letter templates) that cover a variety of issues.

03/26/2008
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

03/25/2008
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?

03/24/2008
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

03/13/2008
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

03/12/2008
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.

03/11/2008
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

03/10/2008
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

03/03/2008
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.

02/26/2008
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

02/25/2008
When designing a website, it is important that webmasters ask some general questions before they begin the design process...

Website Sales Purpose

02/21/2008
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.

02/20/2008
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

02/13/2008
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

02/12/2008
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

02/11/2008
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

02/07/2008
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.

02/06/2008
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

02/04/2008
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.

02/04/2008
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