Obama’s Inaugural Speech Wordle Wallpaper
Click here for a larger version (700 x 464) of Obama’s inaugural speech wordle wallpaper
Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.
Here is my twitter account’s wordle wallpaper:
And my blog’s wordle wallpaper
You might want to subscribe to my RSS before rushing off to create your wordle wallpapers 
Best,
Shri
How To Check If Your Google Analytics Is Installed Properly
SiteScan is a diagnostic tool from EpikOne that verifies if your Google Analytics (GA) Tracking Code is installed properly on your website.
SiteScan is designed to help you configure Google Analytics, whether using the “legacy” urchin.js code or newer ga.js tracking code. This diagnostic tool scans for several common configuration pitfalls and organizes the results in an easy to read CSV file. SiteScan identifies pages on your website that have Google Analytics Tracking Code properly and improperly installed. For pages with improperly installed tracking code, the associated error is noted and described in the report. This makes it easy for you to isolate the pages with tracking problems, fix them, and effectively manage your Google Analytics Tracking Code installation.
This is a sample report when I ran the diagnostic tool for web2mom.com
The detailed report was available for download as a CSV file. The file had the following information:
- URL of each page in the blog
- Page was tagged or not
- Google account number of each page
- Errors (pipe delimited) and
- Extra information
SiteScan checks the following on websites with old tracking code (urchin.js):
- Every Page Tagged with Tracking Code
- Every Page Calling the urchinTracker() Function
- Every Page Declaring a Google Analytics Account
- No New Tracking Code Found
- Query Parameters Check to Determine if a Filter is Required
SiteScan checks the following on websites with new tracking code (ga.js):
- Every Page Tagged with New Tracking Code
- Every Page Calling the pageTracker._trackPageview(); Method
- Every Page Declaring a Google Analytics Account
- No Old Tracking Code Found
- Query Parameters Check to Determine if a filter is Required
Limitations
SiteScan Does Not Scan or Complete the Following:
- Directories with more then 1000 files
- Pages that are protected by a Robot.txt file (meaning that if your pages are not indexed by Google, they will not be scanned).
- Pages that are password protected
- Checkout Pages or any area of your website that requires a certain sequence of events or trigger
Want to give the google analytics diagnostic tool a try? Check out www.sitescanga.com http://cli.gs/WSm7au
Good Luck,
Shri Nagesh
Internet Marketing Optimization: 7 Effective Internet Marketing Optimization Factors
Great, you have a website / blog- but how do you get people to visit it? And, how do you get them to do what you want once they get there? The answer: you need to employ some effective internet marketing optimization strategies for your site.
Internet marketing optimization is a set of techniques that can be leveraged to get your web site noticed by the people who matter most to your business. Whether you are looking for prospective buyers for your product or service or just have something wonderful to share with the world from your website, internet marketing optimization is the only way to get people there short of paying for advertising.
Here are 7 of the most important internet marketing optimization factors:
1. Start by clarifying the true goals of your website:
Many days, weeks or years ago, you or someone in your organization set out to build a website. Whether the site is new or was built long ago, you now face the a question that is of utmost urgency: why do we have this website and what do we want to do with it? You would be surprised to learn how many firms and individuals never sufficiently answer this question for themselves. You must define the goals of your website so that you can determine exactly what it is you want visitors to do once they arrive. If you don’t know what you site represents, how can you expect search engines to find it and classify it properly?
2.Identify the keywords for which you should optimize your site:
Think about it from a search engine’s perspective: its job is to connect the right content with the right searcher, serving up the content it finds in order of priority from best/most relevant to worst/least relevant. The way they do this is to first use “bots” (automated agents) to constantly scour most of the site on the Internet. So, when the bots get to your site, what will they see? How will they know how to classify your site? The only way is to make your site rich in the keywords most relative to what you do. So, short of “stuffing” your site (an SEO no-no) with keywords, pack your site with plenty of well-written, keyword-rich content that tells bots how to classify your site.
3. Fortify your site with the right meta tags:
Meta tags are, in essence, information about your site that only search engines see but that humans do not. There are many types of meta tags, but the ones you need to make sure you have properly covered in your internet marketing optimization efforts are: meta description, meta title, and meta keyword tags. Make sure that each of these is under the maximum character length and that each strategically includes your target keywords.
4. Submit your site to top search engines and directories:
One of the easiest ways to cut your teeth in search engine-optimizing your site is to submit it directly to top search engines and directories. Google, Yahoo! and the other major search engines have FREE services for submitting your URL/web address. (See my blog for details on how). The Open Directory Project and Yahoo! Directory also allow you to apply for consideration for inclusion in their directory services.
5. Add fresh content to your site regularly:
Search engines love fresh, quality content that is updated regularly. I suggest making a space on your site for recent articles, blog entries or news blurbs. Then, update that content frequently. Search engines will reward you with more frequent visits and better rankings. Also, having fresh content on your site also encourages Webmaster of other sites to link to your site (i.e., to form backlinks).
6. Get more backlinks to your site:
Speaking of backlinks: you can never have too many! Backlinks are merely links to your site from other sites. Backlinks are more valuable when: 1. you have lots of them; 2. the links themselves include keywords for which you are optimizing your site;. 3. the sites that are linking to your site are themselves well-regarded by search engines (e.g., have a high Google PageRank).
7. Have a compelling call to action:
Once you do all of this work to get people to your site via better search traffic, make sure you offer them something compelling to do once they get there. This is often referred to by marketers as a “call to action,” and your site needs one. So, make sure you make it clear to visitors what you most want them to do once they reach your site. Then, make that call-to-action so compelling that they will not be able to resist taking it.
Optimizing your website for maximum search is not difficult, but it does require careful consideration. Take these 7 factors into account and you will be doing better than 95% of the websites with whom you are competing for traffic.
For more FREE SEO tips and tools, bookmark and then regularly visit Jed’s Blog at: www.jcjinteractive.com/blog
Future Of Ecommerce – Selling Through the Mobile
Since we last wrote about the usability of mobile compatible websites, the rise of the iPhone and other high-end handsets has meant that even more people use the Internet on their phone. (Source: Nielsen Mobile/BBC). Companies have responded by creating more mobile-optimised websites, some of which now allow people to complete e-commerce transactions on the mobile, instead of simply researching for information. For example:
* Shoppers can buy any product on the Amazon.com catalogue through the Amazon mobile site
* Travellers can instantly book a room in any Travelodge UK hotel through the Travelodge mobile site and rail tickets at the Train Line mobile site
* Car owners can get an instant car insurance quote on the Swiftcover mobile site
* Music fans can purchase tickets for their favourite concerts at the SeeTickets mobile site
However, while many people are already comfortable making online purchases using a computer, doing the same through a mobile phone poses unique challenges. These challenges need to be addressed by mobile e-commerce sites. This article provides best practice guidelines for removing potential barriers between your customers and your mobile e-commerce site.
Web2.0 Technology Trends 2008
Wikipedia definition of the term “Web 2.0″: It describes the changing trends in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aim to enhance creativity, communications, secure information sharing, collaboration and functionality of the web. Web 2.0 concepts have led to the development and evolution of web culture communities and hosted services, such as social-networking sites, video sharing sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies. The term became notable after the first O’Reilly Media Web 2.0 conference in 2004. Although the term suggests a new version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer to an update to any technical specifications, but rather to changes in the ways software developers and end-users utilize the Web. According to Tim O’Reilly:
“Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the Internet as a platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform”
Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, has questioned whether one can use the term in any meaningful way, since many of the technology components of Web 2.0 have existed since the early days of the Web.
ReadWriteWeb.com posted this presentation on 7th Mar’2008 on the Web2.0 technology trends 2008.
Later on 29th May’2008, ReadWriteWeb republished an updated version of the latest web technology trends, 2008.
Its amazing how web2.0 has changed our web experience, the ease of interaction, socializing, communication, broadcasting and data dispensing.
Are you leveraging the power of web2.0 effectively. What are your thoughts?
Transparency In Marketing – Does It Work?
In the present world of (internet) marketing, we hear words like cut-throat marketing, black-hat marketing etc. But will Transparency in Marketing work?
Lynn Terry of Clicknewz.com has demonstrated that, integrity and care for customer/blog reader is more important than her commissions (which is quite contrary to the present marketing trends). I’m sure many of you can relate, if I tell you that I bought so many products that were absolutely crap. And you wouldn’t even have anybody to address the issue to.
Lynn promoted a great product and a lot of her subscribers willingly ordered through her link, including me. And many of us had issues due to technical difficulties faced by the product developers. Lynn goes out of her way, by traveling six hours to deal with resolving issues that caused trouble to her subscribers.
Leadership is about vision. But leadership is equally about creating a climate where the truth is heard and the brutal facts confronted. There’s a huge difference between the opportunity to “have your say” and the opportunity to be “heard”. The good-to-great leaders understand this distinction, creating a culture wherein people have a tremendous opportunity to be heard and, ultimately, for the truth to be heard.
When you conduct autopsies without blame, you go a long way toward creating a climate where the truth is heard. If you have the right people on the bus, you should almost never need to assign blame but need only to search for understanding and learning.
You MUST read the entire post on Lynn Terry’s blog to learn a live example demonstrating “transparency in marketing”.
Kudos to Lynn Terry,
Shri
Hedge-hog Marketing And Fox Marketing
A hedge-hog believes that life revolves around one big idea, one ultimate truth. If we could discover the right ideology which will lead us to end up an overnight success. If only we can get at that one idea or truth…
A fox in contrast believes that life is about knowing many things. The real world is the world we see- take it or leave it with its imperfections. Consequently, a fox’s ambition is limited to getting the majority of little things right, and then the big picture will automatically improve. As long as the bulk of little things right and then the big picture will automatically improve.
If you have been working on projecting your products online, you might have realized that, there is no one marketing stream that chanelizes your dream traffic, sales/conversions. You will need to find the right mix of various channels like seo, article marketing, social media networking, forum marketing, tech marketing, email marketing, PPC, SEM, social bookmarking n bla bla bla. You need to work with trial and error method till you find your right mix.
So what kind of marketer are you? A hedgehog marketer or a fox marketer. What are your favorite marketing channels? Are you spreading yourself too thin or not spreading at all? Would like to hear your thoughts and ideas.
Shri
Web and Ecommerce Marketing
Search Engine rankings are a serious topic for every website/blog/ecommerce site.
Finding ways to attract more visitors to your Shops is the basis for your success as a Shopkeeper. Let us therefore talk to you about ways to make your shop(s) and their product pages (or any other webpage, for that matter) more attractive for search engines.s
The following ideas come from the French Website Plume Interactive, which we highly recommend you read in case you speak French.
1. An optimized page should contain at least 100 words. Don’t hesitate to let your imagination run wild when it comes to the description of your products, thus creating quality content. Keep in mind that the first 30 to 50 words of a page are essential for that page’s rankings.
2. Strategic keywords should be placed at the beginning of the page, preferably within the first paragraph. For even better results, it is also recommended to use the feminine and plural versions of these keywords.
3. Keywords are more effective when they are emphasized in the following ways :
- put the keywords in bold script
- create a hyperlink on important keyword
- create a bold hyperlink, in order to achieve maximal efficiency
4. Repeat the most strategic keyword three times in the product description page. The perfect keyword density index score (that’s the number of occurrences of the keyword divided by the number of words in the page) is about 3 %. Try to reach a density of 2 % to 5 % with your important keywords.
5. Use the right words for your links. The word used for your link must be highly relevant to the content of the website it links to. It is totally ineffective to use words such as “read more” or “click here” for your links. Furthermore, you should always choose words (i.e. text) for your links, instead of an image.
6. Aim at quality of content instead of quantity. The more interesting and original the content of your product pages on your Zlio Shop, the more people will point “naturally” to your website, without you having to create partnerships or link exchanges with those other sites. The more quality links point towards your shop, the better your shop’s ranking in the Search Engines. If you want to participate in link exchanges, you should choose content-oriented partnerships that will offer real added value for your visitors.\
Original article source, zlio blog.
Online Shopping Carts De-Mystified
We all need technology and new programs to make our online businesses run more smoothly. Afterall, computer technology is what allows us to sell our products online to our audiences. But sorting out all the details of new programs and determining what programs best suit our businesses and budgets can be very time consuming.
As an online product seller, one thing is true across the board: you need a shopping cart program. However, not all shopping carts include the same features nor are they priced the same. At one extreme you have free carts that may not be secure and offer no extra business features but the other extreme is the shopping cart that has many features but costs well over $100 per month.
With such disparities, it is important to do your research and price comparisons but if too much time is spent on research, then you are not able to focus on the money-making aspect of your business. Or, if you commit to a certain program and then determine it’s not right for you, you will have lost some hard earned money.
If you need a guide to explain the different features of an online shopping cart and what extra features will help your business grow, join us at the Shopping Cart FAQ teleseminar on December 17, 2008 at 9pm ET. Your host, guide and advisor is Regina Baker, who will answer all your shopping cart questions.
Over the years Regina has heard from numerous home based business owners the despair about not having $100+ per month to pay for an online shopping cart. Or feeling like they’ve wasted money on carts that had so many features their small businesses just could not use. Before you make a mistake in choosing your shopping cart, hear first hand how Regina has become the ecommerce solutions advisor overcoming some mistakes she made along the way, and her strategies for choosing the right shopping cart.
If you are new to internet marketing, you will leave the teleseminar with a full understanding of how an ecommerce website and shopping cart work in unison. Discover how to fully automate your ecommerce business so you can truly make money while you sleep.
If you are an experienced internet marketer, you might evaluate your current shopping cart and learn from Regina how you can make your ecommerce business run more smoothly and more efficiently. Improving your business automation will leave you more time to develop other money-making projects.
Don’t miss this opportunity to have access to Regina Baker’s ecommerce expertise at the Shopping Cart FAQ Teleseminar — for only $1 come and learn something new, ask your burning questions, and leave with a better understanding of how your business can grow with the right shopping cart.
To register for this informative Shopping Cart FAQ Teleseminar on December 17th at 9pm ET, simply click here: http://wahmcart.com/x.php?adminid=2&id=3397&pid=3725
10 Steps To E-commerce & Web Marketing
10 ways to grow online store sales
These days, setting up an online storefront is easier, less expensive and more valuable than ever, as more and more people get comfortable shopping online. Setting up an online storefront is a great way to start a business or grow sales by extending the reach of your current business. Whether you are opening your shop online for the first time or have already started down the path, you can boost your online sales through ten techniques that are helping today’s online businesses succeed. Any or all of these strategies can be incorporated to help drive more people to your site and make it more attractive to potential customers.
1. Keywords
Search terms are crucial. Even your most frequent and loyal customers are likely to find your site by search. Having relevant keywords in your page titles, product titles and links can make all the difference when trying to drive customers to your site. For those with established sites, don’t forget that keeping your keywords current and relevant is an ongoing project. Check your Web logs regularly to see what visitors search for on your site, and name pages and products appropriately.