Web Technology Resources

Creating Effective Web Stores

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 02:18:00 +0000

Effective web stores can be created when people visit 1ShoppingCart.com or a similar vendor. The creation of a website should be left up to professional designers that can take a business owner's vision and make it come to life. Business owners should not be divorced from the creative process, and business owners should use this creative opportunity to make their website look perfect.

The Artwork

Business owners may not be artists, but the business owner still has an artistic streak. The business owner can share their ideas with the designer, and the designer creates a website that is beautiful to look at. It is easy for customers to become more interested in a website when they enjoy looking at it. In fact, a website is more likely to be successful when people are raving about how lovely the site is.

The Pages

Every page on a website must have a purpose, but a series of pages that have a purpose must be easy to find. The best website in the world can be destroyed by a lack of organization. Business owners should ask their designers to to show them the best site map for their company. The sitemap gives the business owner an idea of where every page is, how they are connected and how customers will navigate the site. A confusing site map makes the website less interesting to browse.

The Content

Web designers can produce SEO content and articles for the website, or the designer can leave room for the business owner to list their products. Selling products online is an easy way to make money, but selling ides online requires SEO. Search engine optimization makes it easy for customers to find the site through online searches, and online searches can produce a greater customer base or readership.

A website design can make a business much more successful online than it is in its local area, but the design must be conceived by a professional. The professional knows how to create a world where customers can get lost in the beauty, products can be sold and the business can promote its mission statement to the world.

Does Education In Social Media Pay Off?

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 16:33:00 +0000

With careers such as social media strategist making the list as one of the most popular jobs in 2014 by AOL, it's no wonder that people are heading back to school to get degrees in social media. Learning how to use Facebook, in addition to a dozen other social networks, blogs and media-sharing websites such as YouTube, is a valuable skill when you want to build an online brand. Many companies have come to realize this. It no longer counts to dedicate a little time to social media. Many firms now hire at least one dedicated social media professional, while some employ an entire team.

As Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Social Media Marketing (SMM) continue to overlap, social media has become as important as having a website, and some brands don't even have a website as long as they're on Pinterest or Twitter.

Working on social media is about more than simply spewing into the voice that is the Internet, however, and courses about social media help professionals learn how to measure success and cater strategies to grow brands in cyber space.

Social media managers need to be able to engage with followers, which is often harder than it sounds, chip in to ongoing conversations and make current events relevant to their industry without becoming annoying or seeming like spam. At the end of the day, the ideal candidate has to have hard numbers to back up the time and expenses spent on social media campaigns, too.

Schools are taking note of what hiring managers want, and schools are offering a number of technologically-geared classes including the University of Florida. UF has degrees that cater to social media specifically as do some other schools.

According to a recent survey by Onward Search, educations in social media often pay off. New York City and several California cities are especially profitable for social media managers, specialists and even copywriters who focus on things such as Facebook posts. With salaries over $100,000 annually for social media strategists and managers in NYC and San Jose, for example, a social media degree can pay off quickly.

Easy Ways to Increase Customer Loyalty

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 11:00:00 +0000

It costs far more to attract a new customer than it does to keep existing ones. There are many strategies you can use to retain your current customers and keep them loyal to your business. By using these strategies, you will increase profits and generate more revenue for your company.

Reward Their Loyalty

Loyalty rewards programs are the most commonly used customer retention strategies. Many businesses create programs that allow their customers to enjoy discounts or free items for the continued loyalty. Studies have shown that customers who sign up for loyalty programs are more likely to stick with one brand and go out of their way to support that brand.

Show Your Appreciation

Show your customers you appreciate them by surprising them with unexpected gifts and rewards. If you are running a cafe, randomly give the 100th customer of the day a small discount or free item. Word will get out quickly and your customers will not only return again but tell others who will visit your business.

Create VIPs

Assign your customers to categories based on their spending. Make your best customers your "gold" level VIPs, your next best group of customers your "silver" level customers and the third tier the "bronze" level, for example. Offer rewards at each stage. This will motivate your customer to spend more to reach the higher levels. This will also make them loyal to your business.

Give Special Perks

Reward your most loyal customers with special perks like a faster checkout line, a special set of parking spaces or other services. This will not only make them loyal to your business, it will encourage other shoppers to do what they can to enjoy the same perks.

Build a Sense of Trust and Community

Get to know your customers. Talk to them and engage them. Address them by name. People are more likely to spend money with people they know, so be the friend that they trust with all of their business needs.

When it comes to customer retention, adopting a few easy strategies will create loyal customers that will support your business.

How to Choose a Reliable Web Host

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Sun, 25 May 2014 19:19:00 +0000

Choosing a web host is an easy task, but choosing a reliable website hosting company? That isn't quite so easy. Many web hosts promise plenty of bells and whistles and no downtime, but the truth is very few hosts can actually deliver on every single thing that they promise. For small business owners in particular, choosing a web host can be a frustrating endeavor that includes overpriced hosting plans, running out of resources, and poor technical support, just to name a few headaches. Here are a few ways you can "vet" a potential web host to find out if they should be the company you ultimately choose to do business with:

Don't be suckered in by super-low plan costs

Some web hosting companies will severely under-price themselves in an attempt to beat the competition. And while they may initially start out doing well, they -- as well as their hosted customers -- are going to run into a big problem: not enough resources to go around. And because the company isn't making as much as a profit as they should be, upgrading servers and adding more resources isn't going to happen anytime soon. Remember the old saying: if it's too good to be true, then it probably is.

Make sure to price-shop

Figure out what the average monthly or yearly cost for a shared or dedicated hosting plan is going to be, and then shop around to find a few hosting companies whose prices fall within that bracket. From there you can compare costs and features.

Pick the right plan

Don't try to force a square peg into a round hole. If you truly need a virtual private server or even a dedicated server for your hosting account, don't take a step down in order to save a few bucks, or go to with a hosting company whose features appeal to you. It's of paramount importance that you do yourself a solid by picking what you need, and not trying to make your needs take a back seat to your wants.

Get dependable customer service

No web hosting company is going to be 100 percent perfect, but it should go without saying that some hosts are better than others. Find out what the customer service is like at the hosting company you're considering. Ask about phone support, email support, and online help desks and support portals. Make sure that if you are ever in need of a contact with your hosting company, that one will be readily available.

The Versatility of a Portable Time Clock: Keeping Your Business Functional

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 11:49:00 +0000

Keeping track of man-hours is a vital part of maintaining the business. As such, the time clock is an integral part of that record keeping. Many of these systems operate by being plugged into a wall socket. These units become stationary and are limited by where they can be set up as they need to be near an available power source. However, portable time clocks are battery operated giving the unit versatility to be installed virtually anywhere.

Business owners and staff are somewhat limited when it comes to decorating the office space. Electronics need to be adjacent or otherwise close enough to a power outlet in order to be functional. This is what creates limitation when assigning spaces for desks, computers, lights, printers and other fixtures. The portable time clock has no restrictions and can be stood anywhere that makes logical sense. Instead of staff members explaining they simply forgot to clock in, this device can be assigned a location that is hard to miss and next to something that everyone utilizes first thing in the morning.

Decorative reasons aside, the portable time clock can also be a great tool for working on location that is void of power. For instance, a construction site could benefit from a battery operated unit if the power lines haven't been installed or turned on yet. A warehouse can have this unit sitting on a table near the entrance without power or extension cords strewn about the floor - which could cause a tripping hazard. You could even keep track of staffing hours for outdoor projects that are completely void of power.

Although it's easy to fix a time sheet for an employee if the power goes out within an establishment. However, battery powered units from Amano time clocks can continue to keep accurate time for staff in such an event. This means your payroll person spends less time fixing problems that could occur should there be a brownout or complete power outage. If you have a medium sized business or larger, this could save a great deal of time for that individual.

The versatility of a portable time clock can keep your business functional in a wide range of circumstances. Whether you need a way to monitor your staff in areas where power isn't available or simply want to stand the unit in the main hallway on a nicely decorated table, these units can provide the ability.

What is a Virtual Private Server?

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 21:32:00 +0000

A virtual private server or VPN is a type of hosting account that is suitable for websites that need to be accessible at all times, without any server lagging or page loading issues. With a shared hosting account, one compromised account on the server can end up bringing down the entire server, or at the very least other accounts on the server. With a virtual private server account, or a VPS, while the account is still on a physical server that hosts other accounts, it is isolated and thus fully independent of any other accounts on the server.

Consider a virtual server to be similar to an apartment in an apartment building. You can take care of your VPS -- your apartment -- as you'd like, without affecting the other accounts -- apartments. While you'll be installing scripts and perhaps restarting your server (much like installing air fresheners and painting the walls in an apartment), your actions won't affect other accounts on the server - and vice versa.

Choosing a VPS hosting account is a good choice if you need more security and stability than a traditional shared hosting account can offer, but you don't want to spring for the cost of a dedicated server. VPS hosting is more popular than ever, and most hosting account providers offer them.

10 Ways to Instantly Improve Your Content

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Sun, 06 Apr 2014 12:11:00 +0000

Find clear actionable directions on how to improve your content's effectiveness with this easy to read paper.

Everyone is doing content marketing, but not everyone is doing it well.

Make sure that you are getting the most out of your investment in your content with this easy guide. Find out how to:

Focus your content on the target customer
Gain the most possible exposure for your content
Make your content impactful

Offered Free by: NetLine Corporation

Receive Your Complimentary Best Practices NOW

Tomography Made Easy

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Sun, 06 Apr 2014 12:04:00 +0000

The tomography equipment that survey teams use in the field can come in a variety of forms, but all of this equipment must have good technology to allow for it to show real-time images that are relatively accurate and give the team the images they need to make sure that they are getting the right information for their project. When the tomography team is sitting down to decide how they are going to proceed n a project, they must have the chance to use something like the AGI Swift Smart Electrode System that will help them to get better images and aid them in tracking where they have been and where they are going.

However, the team must also have the right equipment to see these images. With the newest technology in the industry, teams can hook up the units to their computers and smartphones or other mobile devices to ensure that they can see what is under the ground without any trouble. This helps the team to see what they are surveying as they are surveying it. This means that the team is going to have a much easier time deciding where to scan next, and they can also pass this information on to the people they are surveying for so that they can determine what next steps must be taken to make sure that the surveying project is done to the satisfaction of the customer.

The team that has gone out to survey for a large corporation is going to have to consider what their employer will want to do knowing what is going on where they are surveying. Many companies will want to develop the land that the team is on when they figure out what is on the land, but only the images that arr produced by the tomography and survey team are going to tell the company what they want to know if they want to make moves to begin to develop the land or not. The development of the land is something that happens over time with the aid of this surveying, but the surveying must be done accurately, and this is why working with the best technology and the best equipment is so important. Companies want to know precisely what they are investing in before they make plans to invest their money in their projects and land they have leased.

image credit: wikipedia.org

Tips for E-Marketing Your Small Business Successfully

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 11:44:00 +0000

When it comes to marketing, far too many businesses brush aside its importance. Marketing helps control how your business reaches consumers, and helps you tailor your business model to their needs. Even more businesses fail to realize the importance of E-Marketing in addition to traditional marketing methods. Fortunately, if you are here, you realize the importance of E-Marketing and implementing it for your own business. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

1. Social Media

Remember, if your customer can't find you, they can't buy from you! Social media might just be the most neglected area of small business marketing to date. Countless customers can be missed simply by not having an established presence on social media sites, especially sites that depend on customer reviews. People love having an relationship with establishments that simply treat them well and listen to them! Find a firm that will create an aesthetically pleasing, frequently updated and communicative social media page and website for your business. Many firms like Ignite Online Marketing will take care of the entire process for you, working hard to establish a positive online presence so that you don't have to.

2. Consumer Feedback

If your customers are telling you one of your products is subpar, listen to them. Using customer feedback to improve-- and letting them know that you're listening-- is an invaluable way to build brand loyalty and keep your customers coming back.

3. Find Your Strong Points-- And Market Them Ethically

What are your customers looking for in your product or business? What are its strong points? What makes it different from competitors? Is your ice cream made of organic ingredients? Do you only use real sugar instead of corn syrup or artificial sweeteners? Is your product cruelty-free or environmentally friendly? Be absolutely sure that you aren't missing a selling point that will bring in more people, and be even more sure that you are honest about these selling points. If you lie about the benefits of your product, it can easily be used to discredit you-- and once it's on the Internet, it stays there.

Overall, marketing your small business online isn't too terribly difficult and can actually be quite fun. It gives you an opportunity to foster a relationship with your client base and improve as a business. If you bring your business into the 21st century, you're sure to bring new customers with you!

5 Marketing Insights for 2014

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:50:00 +0000

2014 is in full swing, and it's full speed ahead with online marketing techniques. But even if you haven't already established your game plan for 2014, keep in mind that it's never too late to start! A few simple changes and additions can make a big difference in how good this new year is to you.

Here are three things worth considering:

Get noticed without paying for links and clicks.

Paid advertising is still going strong, but there are other ways you can make sure your company gets noticed. Branding is as important as ever, so you'll want to continue with a consistent visual representation. Get creative like small companies do, and consider social media as a great leverage for your company - attract followers and keep the ones you have loyal to you by engaging via questions, trivia, discussions, and random giveaways.

Be social.

This goes without saying, but 2014 is the year of social media. Utilize Facebook and Twitter for direct interactions and conversations with your followers. Niche-specific social media networks such as Pinterest and Instagram are a great way to get yourself noticed via visual content. Ideally, your company should be using every possible social media account to get noticed.

Focus on what's outside the box, not in it.

Like most companies you'll want to make sure you have a financial goal -- or multiple financial goals -- for 2014. But there is more than one way to get to the finish line. A platform like Unified Social social media platform can give you a great starting point, and help you keep track of your progress throughout the year. Think of the multitude of ways you can attract new customers and bring current ones back for more. Leverage yourself on social media by offering valuable coupons and discounts, exclusive promotions, and followers-only deals that will be too good to miss out on.

Software For Cyber Security

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 11:54:00 +0000

Cyber security is a serious concern for anyone that uses computers, smartphones, tablets and other internet enabled gadgets. These days, people's personal information is stored and shared through multiple devices and various online and private networks. Hackers are always seeking easy targets for stealing identities. Smart computer and gadget users take advantage of the latest technology against cyber attacks. Secure cloud services allow people to enjoy networking without every worrying about hackers and other rogue attacks.

Modern clouds allow people to access what's important to them from anywhere at any time. Encrypted technology guarantees that only authorized users are granted access to virtual storage entities that hold various important files. Whether it is a business presentation or personal photo album, a cloud server can secure any type of digital document. Pertino virtual private network is an example of a premium secure cloud service.

When using cloud software, users don't need to make any advanced hardware installation on their computers, smartphones, routers, laptops and tablets. A single central software system automatically grants access to multiple devices that are authorized to be connected to a single cloud account. With 256 bit encryption, passwords on cloud servers are immune to cyber threats. When on a public WiFi network, users can feel secure to enter anything that's on a private cloud account. Premium cloud service is available for affordable monthly rates that are comparable to antivirus software charges. In a dynamic internet based world, it's important to have secure access to cloud storage anytime.

How To Take Photos Of A Zombie Apocalypse

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 22:24:00 +0000

Here's a guide for you budding photographers out there, to survive the Zombie Apocalypse while doing everything to get those iconic shots.

In this infographic, you'll see...

The Rules Has Changed
The Necessary Gear
Be Resourceful
and some additional tips.

Presented By FocusCamera.com.

Should You Setup Your Website For eCommerce On A DIY Basis?

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 23:48:00 +0000

E-commerce and web design go together, but unless you have experience and skills in both fields, you may find that you have issues with a seamless, fully functional integration of both key marketing elements. You'll need web designing skills, or the hired skills of a web designer, in order to build the foundation of your website and design it.

Aside from that, you'll also need an e-commerce platform if you want to monetize your website and sell products or services directly from it. Fortunately, even if you aren't skilled in both, Network Solutions offers ecommerce web design services, that may just fit with your needs.

When deciding how you will set up your website for e-commerce, consider first the layout. Most online store layouts are designed in a grid fashion, with a narrow left or right column used in conjunction with a large header to brand the store and provide navigation, and the significant white space left over used for the grid layout of goods and services. While this layout may vary from store to store, generally this is the general layout that is used, since it draws the visitor's eye directly to the products and services that are being sold.

E-commerce can be a lucrative choice for many businesses, even if you already have offline store fronts. Of course, it's important that you make sure that both offline and online stores match in terms of branding and consistency and pricing of products and stock. And for your online storefront, you'll want to do some search engine optimization and social media promotion in order to ensure that you rank highly with search engines, and that potential shoppers can find you easily.

The nice thing about outsourcing a company to handle the majority of your web design and e-commerce needs is that there is no guess work. While you may invest more than you would if you invested the time and skills of yourself or one of your own staff, the obvious trade off is professional, high quality design, a fully integrated and working storefront, and the ability to track sales, profits, and inventory from the administrative back end of the website.

Does Starting an Online Store Seem Like a Daunting Task?

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 09:39:00 +0000

If you answered yes, then you're definitely not alone. Many merchants find the technical side of starting an online store to be more than a little daunting. This is why it's become increasingly popular to have an all-in-one solution when it comes to starting an online storefront. This includes multiple factors.

Your Website
You simply can't run an online store without one. Your website is the place on the web where people are sure to find you and your products. A well-designed website will allow you to offer options to your customers, such as size and color, and also allow them to easily add items to their cart.

Marketing Tools

If your online store is the destination, then marketing is the map. Online marketing approaches include email marketing, social media, content marketing, and PPC (Pay Per Click) campaigns. Online marketing can be time consuming and ineffective if not done properly and with clear direction. A great online store provider will provide marketing tools that simplify the process and get your online store the most exposure.

Payment Processing
Offering secure payments online gives your buyers confidence. You also need to be able to accept the most popular payments, including an online merchant account, Paypal, and offline processing. You should also have the ability to accept payment through multiple payment gateways.

Business Management Tools
Your storefront is only the tip of the iceberg, as you also need to manage your business from the back end. A good online store provider will give you user-friendly tools to manage all aspects of your online store, including inventory, orders, catalog editing, and sales stats. Your provider should also guarantee the security of your store so as not to compromise any sensitive information.

Customer Service Support
Balancing all of your other responsibilities with customer support can be a real challenge, but it's necessary if you want to keep your buyers happy. Be prepared to answer phone calls and emails if you're starting an online store, or assign this task to someone else on your team. You can also outsource if necessary.

Starting an online store can be exciting, nerve-racking, and scary all at the same time. However, if you have the support of an online store provider, it can make the process much less time and labor intensive.

Best Free Infographic Generators 2013

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 18:30:00 +0000

Everyone is going crazy creating infographics. Infographics are a very cool way of creating visual content and when done properly can bring its creator some really good amount of traffic, in addition to some quality backlinks, provided its promoted properly. If you have been on Pinterest, you will see that some of the most shared "images" in there are infographics. You can also promote you infographics on Visual.ly.

Anayway, all that is good, but one of the problems when creating an infographic is that it could be very costly, if you decide to outsource it. This post will pave you the way to creating infographics the simple way and hopefully, forever free.

Four Free Infographic Generators You Should Know About

Google Data Board

Yep, this is the latest addition to Google's suite of awesome products. The data board allows you to create free infographics using Google's own data. This is really cool as sourcing data to create an infographic may be one of the biggest hurdles you may have. The drawback of Google's data board is that for now you can only link to it. Embedding is still not an option, but sharing is.

Here's an excerpt of Google's Databoard For Research Insights

Need some stats for a presentation? You shouldn’t have to go data mining. We’ve created this interactive tool to help you quickly find what you need from our vast archives of industry-leading research. It’ll even help you tell a story from the stats, turning selected charts and data points into infographics that you can share.

Easel.ly

easel.ly's pitch is straight forward - "create and share visual ideas online. vhemes are visual themes. drag and drop a vheme onto your canvas for easy creation of your visual idea!"

They are still on beta mode, but it is certainly worth checking out.

Piktochart

Piktochart helps you to create infographics, share and get results in just 3 easy steps. One of the things that may like about Piktochart is that it provides ready made templates for and all you need to do is essentially, fill in the information you want and you should be good to go in no time. The free version has limited templates, but they are all good. You will eventually need to upgrade if you want access to more templates.

Note: In a few days, we will be running a giveaway for PRO accounts on Piktochart, so if you are interested, bookmark this page and check back some days from now.

Infogr.am

Infogr.am is another online infographic creator that is completely free. They provide both infographic and chart generators. One of the best features perhaps from their service is the chart generator. Your data can be displayed in 30 different ways with the chart feature. Each chart is visually appealing and data can be added manually or through importing data. Cool!

That's it! All of the above should suffice to help you create infographics for free. No point of providing you more options as it will just overwhelm you with options, right?

Have you used any of these free infographic generators before? Do you know of other cool ones that should be included in this list?

The Best Place to Put Your Money Right Now

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 15:30:00 +0000

Historically there has been no better place to put your money than in the stock market. Even when it retracts wildly, as it did in 2008, it is known to come back with a vengeance, many stocks that plummeted to unseen lows during the market crash are back riding high—giving those that held off on panicked selling something to smile about this year. Smart, well planned out, investment plans in the stock market can offer favorable returns no bank account will ever offer, and for far less work than flipping a few old houses.

The 2013 Rally

The US stock market has quickly been gaining speed this year. Back in December the markets were etching backwards, worried investors cautious because of the fiscal crisis, but since the start of the year stocks have been on a rampant run. This is largely because of the monetary policies put into place by Ben Bernake, the chairman of the United States Federal Reserve. He is regularly pumping 85 million dollars into the bond market each month until signs of true inflation, and a stable recovery begin to show themselves.

As Bernake recently reported, “The Committee would be prepared to employ all of its tools, including an increase the pace of purchases for a time, to promote a return to maximum employment in a context of price stability." In other words, if US unemployment numbers are high, the market likes it because that only means more money will be pumped into the markets—and if the numbers get good, well Bernake has made it clear that he will only withdraw when the market can hold itself up—making stocks seem relatively safe right now. As the popular Wall Street saying goes, “Don’t fight the fed.” Since fed policy largely determines what direction the market is headed, it’s smart to play with them instead of against them.

Other markets, outside of the US, are looking promising as well; it is predicted that European markets bottomed this year and will be on the rise from here—never without a stumble or two, but in the end, your money is sure to grow.

Trading Platforms

Back in the day, investors were succumbed to hiring a business financial manager to trade stocks for them, now days with easy to use platforms on the rise anyone can trade from the comfort of their home, completely independently. Etrade, a publicly traded company, is one of these platforms, offering low fees and a hands-on option that will secure more profits for the individual investor as opposed to a hedge fund manager. Different platforms have a variety of options and perks, and most will let you test-drive their interface with ‘play’ money. On average, retail investors pay around $8 in fees per trade using popular online platforms; there are often deals and incentives thanks to a spur in competition.

Stocks to Look Out For

Since much of the DOW and the S&P have run to their all-time highs, it can be a bit nerve-racking to purchase a stock at this price. Good to know, there are certain sectors slightly behind the rally but poised to surge ahead soon. For instance, semi-conductors were lagging terribly in the first half of the year, but after this last week, with so many excellent semi-conductor earnings being reported, these stocks are already on the rise and will soon start to catch up, making them a good buy now.

As the economy improves globally more people will be eating out, therefore restaurant chains are another smart investment, especially a brand that is in the middle of its growth process. The more a stock is showing signs of growth, the more investors will pay for it and the more likely a large rally is to occur. On the contrary, a stock that shows large signs of growth eventually runs out of expansion room, meaning it’s sure to tumble when margin growth shrinks; such was the case this last year with Apple, which fell from the 700’s all the way into the 300’s a little while back. Other smart investments include luxury items like Hermes, which experienced an unexpected surge in growth this year. As markets swell, the rich get richer and therefore luxury sales are known to increase.

How Many Active Websites Are There On The Internet?

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:38:00 +0000

It is without doubt that in today's technological advancements and obviously due to the internet, that having a website is essential to any business. With more and more internet users creating their own blogs either to setup a small online business or to simply express their ideas and thoughts, it is but obvious that the amount of websites out there is constantly growing.

Now, and if you are curious, you may be asking, just how many active websites are there anyway?

Well, this infographic, from visual.ly may give you a better idea of what's out there. This infographic are results from a survey conducted by Netcraft.

Websites in Internet infographic

How Kids Can Learn To Code

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:24:00 +0000

Here's a pretty cool thread that I saw on Google+ today, about how kids can learn how to code and in a fun way. I think that this project not only is interesting but also a great initiative.

Why not start young and see if "they got what it takes". Never know, right?

Francisco Perez23 hours ago

great initiative ...

Mike Elgan originally shared:How your kids will learn to code.

+AllThingsD published a great piece about +Tynker, the Silicon Valley startup that aims to make software programming not only a normal part of every child's education, but also make it super fun for kids.

From the article: "Krishna Vedati doesn’t want your children to just watch Saturday morning cartoons. He wants them to make their own."

http://allthingsd.com/20130428/code-alert-tynker-wants-to-teach-you-child-to-tinker-with-tech/

(Full disclosure: My son, +Kevin Elgan, works for +Tynker.)

Circle Tynker here: https://plus.google.com/111189514752913165927/posts7 1 Powered by socialditto

How to Make Easy Calls with The iPad

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:53:00 +0000

You have purchased an iPad model with 3G support and Cellular and you're wondering if you can make calls with it? Unfortunately the answer is no. Although you have inserted a SIM card into the tablet, you can only use the cellular data network to browse the Internet and not to call, but there is a solution to this problem.

There are many applications which allow you to call other users online or telephone numbers using the standard Internet connection. This means you can use them on models besides the latest iPad technology with 3G/Cellular support but also on the iPad that only supports Wi-Fi.

If you are looking for a solution on how to call with iPad, the first app that I would advise is undoubtedly Skype. Installing Skype on your iPad you can take advantage of the Wi-Fi network, 3G or LTE to make free calls to all users who have installed the software on their PC, smartphone or tablet and you can call via the Internet the real phone numbers consuming your credit. To call a Skype user from your iPad, all you have to do is download the app from the App Store, log in to the service and select the photo of the person to contact. At this point you have two options at your disposal. You can either initiate a phone call by pressing the green Call button or when possible start a video call using the Video button.

If you must make a call to an ordinary telephone number, you need to press the keyboard icon located at the top right, dial the number to call on the numeric keypad that appears on the screen and press the green button with the handset icon to start the call.

Another excellent solution for calling with iPad using the Internet connection is Imo.im. This is a free app dedicated to instant messaging and voice calls allowing you to connect to the accounts of various services such as Skype, Facebook, GoogleTalk, MSN, ICQ, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, Jabber, Steam and others. To use Imo.im all you have to do is download the app, launch it, pressing on the item or Sign in, located at the bottom right and select the service with which you want to log. Alternatively, you can also create an Imo.im account entering a phone number in the appropriate field but it requires verification via SMS on iPad which cannot be made.

Once connected to a particular service you can chat with your contacts who are connected to it while for making voice calls your friends must also be connected to Skype, Facebook, etc.. To start a voice call via Imo.im on iPad just select the contact person from the sidebar of the app, press the menu button located in the top right and select Voice call from the menu that pops up. You cannot call traditional phone numbers.

That's it! How about you? Do you have another way of making easy phone calls on your iPad?

How To Chose The Best Laptops?

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:56:00 +0000

The laptop is now taking over and their sales are skyrocketing. So the prices are naturally lowered. But what are the best laptops? I will point out a number of technical features to consider when you decide to look through a huge range of powerful laptops .

Here are some tips for buying a laptop.

The best PC laptops must have the following characteristics

The brand - Here the choice is vast but the most popular brands are certainly ACER, HP, Toshiba, VAIO, DELL, SIEMENS, PHILIPS and many others. However I consider the brand relatively important if not only for the type of security they offer. In this case care must be taken and the advice is to take note that HP warranty and service offering are very good. But the components are what’s essential so let's see them.

Processor - The most powerful processors currently made by Intel and Athlon. A powerful processor is what makes a laptop powerful. It is its most important component. Of course every 6 months these processors are replaced by others because the world of computers is one way that goes super fast! The technology developed by Intel is exceptional. Anyone wishing to make another kind of choice could go on the Athlon models. The performances are quite similar.

Motherboard - Since most of the laptops parts are integrated on the motherboard it is probably the second most crucial component of the laptop. Asus, ASRock, Abit, Intel, Biostar go very well and are the most used. Each brand has its own model. Always ask before you buy.

Memory - There are various models. It is important that its amount is at least 4 Gb at the time of writing.

Graphics card and monitor - The graphics card must have a memory of at least 1Gb but we need to evaluate what kind of memory it is. The higher the DDR number the better the performance. NVIDIA and ATI are the best choices. For the monitor is preferable to go on the 15" and over but of course before we choose the handset according to the other basic elements and then see if the monitor satisfies us.

Hard disk - Should be at least 250 GB and I recommend you check over to the rotational speed the temperatures of overheating, the time to write and to read.

Sound Card - Creative, Trust TerraTec, Philips are excellent and provide almost cinematic environments today connecting the laptop to an external speaker system mixer should be able to to transmit sound at an excellent quality.

Reader Writer CD / DVD - burning speed for a DVD should be at least 8x for a CD of at least 24x. LG is the top.

Battery - The first thing you should check on the supplied battery is what’s the least the charging could last. It's obvious that the charge of a battery varies according to the use we make of the laptop.

That’s it! Good luck when looking (or buying) your next laptop.

The SEO Benefits of Responsive Design

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 13:53:00 +0000

When most hear the phrase “search engine optimization”, they immediately think of keyword optimizing articles, using the right meta tags, the right headings, SEO agencies and search engine optimization firm. However, there is more to it than just that, there is a certain technique available for those who have already optimized their sites the standard way. One of the more advanced ways to optimize is to use responsive design.

Responsive design adapts to whatever platform the site is being browsed on. This has become extremely important thanks to the increasing popularity of smartphones and tablets. With growing frequency, individuals are using mobile devices more than their personal computers to search the web. Those who have separate layouts for each type of platform are losing out. That is why it is important to take advantage of responsive design when designing a website.

If a user reaches a site on their mobile phone that does not have responsive design, they are not able to browse it easily. The vast majority of users, 57 percent, will not use the business due to that. It can also decrease site rank by increasing the bounce rate. For example, if an individual goes to a webpage, and because they are using a tablet or smartphone, cannot see all of the webpage, they will usually hit the back button and return to the search results to find a better site. When this happens, Google penalizes the site, as it appears as though the user did not find it relevant to the keyword. One or two rapid click-throughs might not hurt a site, but multiple bounce backs will.

Responsive design will eliminate this problem, as it will adjust the site regardless of the display and thus provide better user experience. For example, if a site is build with a complex three column layout, while it looks complete on a regular computer, on a mobile, one or two of those columns will be cut entirely. Responsive design will adjust the screen using a mixture of CSS, CSS3 and JavaScript programming. The information will become wider as the screen gets wider, or become stacked as the screen gets thinner. All the elements from the desktop view are reorganized into the views on other platforms. This allows visitors to see all the relevant information on a site, increasing the chance that they will remain on the site.

Are Responsive Designs Convient?

In addition, responsive design is much more convenient. A site without responsive design will actually require three separate pages: One for mobile, one for tablet, and one for standard computer view. If a main site has many inbound links showing that it is relevant, but a mobile site only has a few, the main site will rank while the mobile site will not. With responsive design, these sites are all considered part of the same site, so the inbound links are added together, making the overall rank of the site even higher.

In addition, Google gives ranking precedence to those sites that have been optimized for mobile searches in their mobile search engine ranking. While you can still use a mobile site and a desktop site, Google will treat these two sites as separate sites in the ranking system. This results in two different site ranks. With a responsive design, all the sites are the same, which will result in a better rank overall. Currently, less than 9 percent of sites use a responsive design, so those who have a responsive design site are already ahead of the competition.

The process of changing over to responsive design can be complex, but is worth it in the end. Responsive design merges three web pages into one and makes the site optimized for browsing on any platform. Users will be more likely to use this site over others that don’t have responsive design. This will increase the site rank overall. It also increases the number of links pointing to a page, by adding all the links on each site together. Finally, it allows the designer to maintain only one page so the changes will carry over to all sites. With so few responsive design sites available, those who choose to start out with responsive design will have a definite advantage over the competition.

This is a guest post from Joshua, a digital strategist for MBA@UNC, the distance MBA from the University of North Carolina. Joshua is also a data nerd, who loves gadgets, movies, and all things links.

Cloud Monitoring Program: Do You Have One?

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 15:01:00 +0000

With the ever increasing complexity and advancement of technology, businesses have to realize that conducting business online is not an easy tasks. For example, if you are a large company and suffer from a downtime, the consequences of these can not only be devastating, it is also very costly. If you have a business online and rely with technology, you should know that technology-dependent organizations, need to ensure that applications are running smoothly, as they drive revenue, productivity, and brand value.

One of the ways that has been increasing in popularity within IT organizations is by taking advantage of Cloud computing technology. However, if you are looking for a safe way to take advantage of such technology, you should also ensure that you have the right "accessories" to monitor your apps and data. Not only does a company need the technology to connect you to the Cloud, it must also be able to monitor and protect its data within the Cloud. One company that builds the accessories for you, is called Aternity.

Aternity is a company that provides businesses the one stop brand to perform all of these necessary steps without having to search for each component separately. As far as Cloud monitoring goes, Aternity has one of the best product on the market. With a highly navigable structure and easy to use, intuitive commands, their product has the IT solutions that anyone can use.

Not every small business has the manpower or the expertise to deal with IT solutions that are not built for the layperson. Those solutions that are tend not to be scalable enough to grow with a business as it moves through its lightning quick growing phases. Aternity's solution addresses most of the concerns within one program.

The Cloud monitoring program from Aternity is a viable solution for any business. The easy to use interface can be applied to any company with any level of comfort with IT protection technology. If you are looking for a proven brand that gives your company the ability to take its proprietary data into the Cloud without having to worry about its safety, consider looking at Aternity's solution. It may help!

Zoho: Online Customer Support Solution

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 19:43:00 +0000

One of the things that small business owners need to do on their day to day activities is to manage their businesses online. As part of a sound management process, a business owner should also know that it is important to have an adequate client relationship management (CRM) procedure in place and more importantly a good customer service and support for clients or even potential customers. While all that is something that nearly everyone knows about, sadly there are businesses that fall short on this area and perhaps what many don't realize is that there are actually tools and services out there that one can make use of to achieve a higher level of service to customers.

This is where Zoho may come into play. The company has had a reputation for products from customer service to shopping cart software and everything in between. This is why when they came out with a new customer support software package, it quickly became one of the industry leaders. They have perfected the art of creating incredibly complex products with very simple navigation and the new customer service product is no different. It organizes your customer service so that you never get caught behind the eight ball when an angry customer calls and is looking for an answer quickly.

As a small business owner you will understand why there is nothing worse for business than a customer that does not receive satisfaction on a customer service call. Most of the time the customer is not even looking for a solution to a problem; most problems that customers call in with are unavoidable and have little to do with the quality of the product. They simply want to know that the company understands and will treat them like a person. This is what Zoho's services will allow you to do - access records of previous customers so that your representatives can address them by name and immediately find a way to access their records without sounding or looking unprepared.

Organizing the records of a customer service department is undoubtedly the most cost effective way to increase the effectiveness of a business. If you feel your small business is in need of such products that Zoho offers, it definitely is one company to check out.

Wowza Media Server 3.5: Streaming Rich Content, Anytime, Anywhere, to Anyone

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:58:00 +0000

It has been said that today’s world is an “instant society”. Instant coffee, instant noodles, and the like. People, nowadays, want to be able to do things by a click of a mouse or a swipe of a touchscreen. Everyone is likewise looking for a fast and easy way to keep abreast with the times—such as watching the hottest singing sensation on Youtube, for instance.. For these folks, a high-quality media server that can deliver video streaming at the speed of light--like Wowza Media Server 3.5--is just the ticket.

This powerful multi-protocol, multi-platform, multi-client streaming server can deliver a wide range of video formats straight to your system. Using a “traditional” Windows-based system, the latest iPhone 5 or iPad 4, or any of the delectable flavors of Android? Whatever your system, it will stream that video without a hitch. Moreover, you need not worry if you’re watching a live performance, as Wowza can handle the heavy demands of today’s high-speed connections.

As if speed and compatibility aren’t already enticing enough, it also allows you to record, archive, and protect content. Moreover, you can watch videos in various languages, thanks to the multi-channel audio capability. This lets you stream in different languages—such as English and Chinese—at the same time! This means capturing the attention (and hearts) of a wider audience.

And if you think that live streaming is all this server can do, think again. It likewise lets users get video on-demand, chat with other users from all across the world. And it does all these with the same impeccable quality as the live stream.

And while most Media servers will bedazzle users with their glitzy “dashboards”, Wowza 3.5 uses a simple, easy-to-understand interface that can be handled by even the most non-tech savvy person out there. So watching those videos anytime, anywhere, can now be done by anyone.

Of course, users can likewise customize and enrich their viewing experience with the wide aray of Add-Ons to go with the Wowza. One can choose from the Transcoder, the DRM, the Stream Lock, and the nDVR, just to name a few. All these will make video streaming a truly entertaining and rich experience—as if you were actually there.

Take video streaming to the max with Wowza Media Server 3.5.

Increase Security With Two Factor Authentication

noreply@blogger.com (DiTesco) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:08:00 +0000

An increasing number of companies are learning that it isn't enough to safeguard their client's accounts when a password reset is needed. Typically, a self-service password reset is authorized by providing an answer to a security question.

This can become nothing more than a backdoor entrance for hackers because people often pick the same answer to the security question across all of their accounts. Other people may use a different answer but it is still something which is easily guessed simply by having some basic knowledge of the victim.

This is where industry brands such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Google, have a solution. They now use the method of two Factor Authentication which adds an addition security level to account/password security. This incorporates the use of a known phone or mobile phone in the customer's profile when authorizing a password reset. If a customer needs to have their password reset, a pin number can be sent to their phone in the form of a voice message or via an SMS text message to their mobile phone. The pin number is required before a password can be reset.

The "Two Factor Authentication" method prevents hackers from breaking into an account by requiring the person requesting the password reset to be in physical possession of any of the phones in the customer’s profile.

Not only does this solution increase security without the purchase of additional hardware or software, but it requires no additional training. “Two Factor Authentication” is currently used in a broad range of business sectors such as gaming, cloud service, payments, social networking, financial services, and education just to name a few.

image credit: lifehacker.com