Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Keywords are the “KEY” to a Profitable Web Site

The only activity that should preface keyword research is the brainstorming you do to come up with list of potential themes for your web site. Think about things that you find interesting, are passionate about or that leverage your skills. Once this is done you are ready to find out which topic on your list will be the most profitable to pursue.Keyword ResearchKeyword Research will reveal answe. . .

Database Driven Web Site. Do You Need It?

Many of site owners still don’t realize all advantages of database driven web sites and don’t use all abilities they give. So when do you need a database driven web site and how it will make your web-life better?What is a database driven web site?Database driven web site is one that uses database for collecting and storing information. What information it can be? Various. Email addresses, conta. . .

Don’t Put Your Slogan in the Title Tag - Optimize Your We...

Don't just put your slogan in the title tag when you formulate the copy of your website. The formulation of the title tag is the most important single aspect when you fine-tune your website:1. It is what people first read when the listing of your site turns up in Google and other search engines.2. It is the single element of your website that the search engines pay the highest emphasis on.If yo. . .

Create a Web Site that Builds Trust

If someone doesn't know you personally, will they trust you enough to do business with you just by visiting your web site?Most people view organizations - and web sites - they don't know with great skepticism. Given all the identity theft and viruses running around, people are understandably cautious and somewhat skeptical when they go to a new web site. What can you do?Here are four tips on . . .

An Extensive Examination of the PHP:DataGrid Component: P...

An Extensive Examination of the PHP:DataGrid Component: Part 1IntroductionOne of the most common tasks in PHP is retrieving data from a database table, and creating a HTML table to output that data. It's done in almost every project, and it's usually a really boring task, because the code is always nearly the same, but not just same enough to be able to copy it.It often looks some like this (in. . .

A Beginners Guide to Web Page Design

Designing your own successful web page can seem difficult and nearly impossible if you do not do a little research first. The reason you need to know the basics of web page design is because the design of your website will actually influence whether or not people continue to visit your site and ultimately, whether they will buy from you or not. Obviously, a lot is riding on your website design . . .

How Your Personal Site Can Pay for Itself

Has monthly hosting fees got you down? Well cheer up! There are a few simple additions you can make to your site that can help you make your money back and then some. The easiest thing is to add ads to your site. Google's Adsense program offers site owners a way to display both text and image ads on their sites which make money when someone clicks on them. What’s unique about these ads i. . .

Why People Ignore Your Postcards?

What is the fastest, simplest and cheapest way to promote your business? Postcards.That is, postcards sent by direct mail. This way, you can send your message to prospective clients for less cost, including the postage fees. You can actually send your postcards repeatedly and still not paying too much for it. Amazing, isn’t it? If you are into postcards sending, you may already be aware of the . . .

Contrast Into Printing

A printing job’s purpose is to communicate a message. Most often than not, the messages are left ignored when it has no impact on people. Knowing the right impact to put into your prints will guarantee your message read and understood. One way to do this is to put some visual impact into your work. This can be a form of powerful words, eye-catching graphic design or a good layout. A good way to. . .

Paper Talk In Printing

A small factor but otherwise needs some consideration in printing is choosing the kind of paper your print job would be printed on. A few designers do not give much thought about this issue. Some may have techniques so that the color in whatever paper printed on would not affect the prints. Some just do not give a damn about it as long as they have done their work. Let their clients worry about. . .

Digital Photos Sans Digital Cameras

As you may already be aware, printing is turning digital. Not to be outdone, photography went digital also. It is easy to understand why. With digital cameras, they become the expert that they want to become in taking photos, with the help of the digital scanning and Photoshop, of course. They can now experiment with their photos, enhancing them; taking off unwanted factors, imperfect details a. . .

What Are My Chances To Get The First Place In Search Engi...

You must have heard the stories how people became rich and famous with their websites. How could they achieve this? Their websites took a first position in search engine listings targeting popular keywords. Sounds easy, right? Wrong! To be honest, chances for a regular small business website to get to the top of the search engine listings are close to zero and each day they become smaller and s. . .

The Art Of Link Exchange

Before you start reading this article I must warn you - everything that was written here is my own experience in link exchange. This article should not be referred to as official advice or proven techniques. I only want to share the experience of the helpful methods I used. When you started your website you probably knew that two major factors play the biggest role in search engine placement: l. . .

Make Your Own Brand!

There are millions and millions of websites on the Internet. You NEED to be different in some way from all of them! If you could get a visitor to your website, that means nothing. Only returning visitors must be counted. When they return the second time, "branding" starts to occur. Huge companies advertise not because they want to provide you with information about their product. They do that b. . .

Pick Up Your Own Domain Name

Think up a name and check if yourname.com is available. Personally, I like to use http://www.whois.com to check if a domain name is available. You may also check the registrant contact information using “whois” service if you want to negotiate about purchasing the domain you like from people who registered it first.To register domain name for our customers we use:http://www.godaddy.comWe are no. . .

Effective Website Design

One of the most commonly overlooked elements of an effective E-Business is the very thing that is essential to your success. Something as simple as the design of your website can make or break your business. Each consumer has their own set preferences of what they find appealing, and it’s impossible to please everyone. However, there are some simple rules to follow to ensure that your website w. . .

Use Great Opportunities of Offshore Web Design and Develo...

Sooner or later every small or medium business owner realizes that he needs a web site for his business. And almost everybody wants to have great web site for affordable price because usually web site design budget is quite limited. There are few ways to find the best solution. Somebody prefers to design the site by himself – but it takes much time and labor, distracts from the general business. . .

Are You DELIBERATELY Keeping Your Website Out Of The Firs...

Search engines are very difficult to completely understand. There are no complete explanations of how their ranking algorithms work. But the very fact that the average person does not intuitively know how to crack the search engine algorithms leads to all sorts of questions; Usually variations of:“How do I get my website to the top of the search engine results pile?”Now if you have been follow. . .

Make Your Web Site Quick To Load And Keep Customers!

The time it takes to load your site can make or break a visitor’s first impression of your site. If your site takes too long to load, the visitor will click “Stop” or “Back” and leave your web site. If you are a business and offering people important information, it is critical to have a nice design, with a quick load time.You may want to check out the load time of your page, to indeed see if y. . .

No Two Websites Are The Same

No two web sites are the same. This would be a known fact by the surfers who already have experiences in browsing and going over many sites. There may be many similarities, in terms of categories and designs, but that is where it ends. Web sites are also classified according to what they cater to and the kind of information and service they give. Here are some of the different kinds of site. Co. . .

Mailing Printing Service A Disappearing Trade?

Business cards, brochures and catalogs in the mailing service may seem a diminishing craft, considering the electronic systems that technology has to offer. But with the information superhighway not always being a reliable and dependable source, printers have turned back to mailing services and have again started to get serious about using it. The initial start may be too slow in the beginning,. . .

What Is A Domain Name And Where To Register?

A domain name is an alias for an IP address. Now what is an IP address? An IP address is a numeric code that signifies where to look through the Internet for content. An example of an IP address would be 22.226.141.25. Rather than typing in a long and easily forgotten IP address, a domain name helps you by typing an easily remembered name to access the same site.For example, www.domainsatretail. . .

Article Submitter Pro Review

If you have ever submitted articles to gain website popularity, then you know how long the pain-staking process takes. Well, there is a new automatic article submitting software that was just released last week called Article Submitter Pro. This software automatically formats your articles, rotates bio boxes, and converts the articles from text to HTML - whatever the article directory requires.. . .

Search Engine Optimization and Submission Facts

Bringing potential customers to your business website is an ongoing task, not a single decisive event. First you need to ensure that your pages are adequately "Optimized" for the search engine robots which index the internet. This means that the content is written so as to be 'robot friendly'. You can achieve this crucial first step by double checking your keywords for an ideal balance of keyw. . .

Why Your Site Should Be Developed With CSS And Semantic M...

One thing that I have learned in over a decade developing web sites is that the 'Net is continually changing, and to keep up you need to change with it. One of the more recent developments in web design is the use of CSS and semantic markup. CSS and semantic web design has several benefits: clarity in code, browser and other web-enabled devices compatibility, seperation of content and present. . .

Reciprocal Links: Look Before You Link

A reciprocal link is when a web site links to you and you link back to them. If you own a website, I'm sure you've received emails asking for link exchanges. This article's purpose is to help you decide who you should be linking to and why. Look before you link! Indiscriminate linking can be harmful to your search engine rankings and your reputation. When considering another website for a link . . .

The Site Map – Important or Not?

Have you ever visited a web site and noticed the "Site Map" button jammed somewhere near the bottom of the page? Ever click on it? Probably not. So, why do sites have site maps?The Site Map – Very ImportantIn the old days of the net [about three years ago], experts proclaimed every site should have a site map. From their ivory tower, they proclaimed the site map as the extraordinary method to a. . .

Web Site Design – Focus, Focus, Focus

When creating a web site design, it is easy to fall into the trap of trying to be all things to all people. In reality, the key to a good web site design is focus, focus, focus. We Don’t Need No Stink’n DistractionsIt happens ever few weeks or so. I am sitting in front of the computer contemplating the meaning of life, i.e., why my numbers aren’t being picked in the California lottery. A frustr. . .

Learn The Truth About Your Web Design Company By Its Port...

When you start building your online business and search for a web design company that will implement all your needs for the web site you must understand that it is very serious step because you are entrusting your business along with its reputation and future. That’s why it’s very important to make the right choice. There are several factors that must define your choice, and one of them is port. . .

Stopping All The Talk And Getting Readers To Read

Majority of salesperson talk too much. That is what they are there for and that is their trade. Oftentimes, this technique of non-stop talking can be quite effective. People get interested by what the salesperson is rambling about and some even get some new and fresh ideas from the. Most of the time though, with many already trying to talk people into getting their products and services, people. . .

How Best To Stand Out In The Crowd

Promotional products and quick printing are made for each other. For obvious reasons, printing has been the primary source of promoting, marketing and advertisement even way back then. It also follows that quick printers are turning their attention of improving their services in order to make more opportunities for themselves. A quick print shop has the advantage over others because they have a. . .

Give And You Shall Receive, More Links

Link exchanges can be quite a time consuming task when it comes to search engine optimization. After spending time researching potential link partners you must add their link to your site and then send out an email asking for a reciprocal link sometimes to never hear back. Although key link exchanges are still important in search engine optimization there are ways to increase your incoming link. . .

Teacher Websites - A Student's Perspective

I have been a student for many years. I even took the 7-year plan to go through college for my Bachelor's degree. Every so often I still take another course. Since much of my studies and background involve web-related stuff, I tend to notice other people's websites. (My wife who owns a little hair salon always notices people's hair.) My colleges have normally been well supported, and in my . . .

Color Scheme for Your Website?

Yes, in a world that is obsessed with makeover madness, even your website needs to follow specific color guidelines when picking out "what it will wear". The colors you use when designing your website tell an awful lot about your business, though you may not know it.I had this problem myself. I loved my website, it was so cool looking. I had a red, black and white color scheme, and it matched a. . .

How to Make a Website: Minus the Headaches

There is nothing wrong with making your own website if you are looking to save some money. Be prepared however, for your finished product to resemble an after school project; cutesy, homemade touches and all. It is pretty hard to make your own website and have it look professional; but, there is an easier way that will leave you with fewer headaches in the long run.You must first do some web re. . .

Should You Bother Learning HTML to Build Webpages?

The most popular method to build webpages today is to use WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) software. Microsoft FrontPage and Macromedia Dreamweaver are prime examples of WYSIWYG software. Both programs allow you to create webpages as though you were creating a document with your favourite word processing software like Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. Its as simple as entering paragraphs, he. . .

From Marketing to Tea, Any Type Of Website Can Benefit Fr...

A Search Engine Optimization firm can be an invaluable asset in your Internet marketing campaign. They specialize in knowing how to highten your search engine positions, monitoring those positions on the regular basis, and adjusting their strategies to account for unwanted results in any given month. Since this takes a lot of effort, time, and specialized knowledge, it can be in your best inter. . .

The Problem With Automated Accessibility Testing Tools

An automated accessibility tool is a piece of software which can test a web page, or even an entire website, for accessibility. Automated accessibility tools are useful because they can save you a huge amount of time. Don't want to check images for alt text on each and every page on your website? Run the site through an automated tester and it'll do it all for you!Automated accessibility testin. . .

Improving Usability For Screen Reader Users

Simply ensuring your website is accessible to screen reader users is unfortunately not enough to ensure these users can find what they're looking for in a reasonably quick and efficient manner. Even if your site is accessible to screen reader users, its usability could be so incredibly poor that they needn't have bothered coming to your site. Fortunately, there are plenty of simple-to-implement. . .

Branding In Printing

When you encounter the term branding in printing, the logos, designs and styles that are inherent are the first things that come to mind. Branding, if you dig deeper are not just these things. A more concrete definition of branding is the response that people have when they think about your business or company. The response may be in terms of emotional or intellectual aspect, depending on how t. . .

Making Professional-Looking Brochures

Brochures are for displaying services. They are also for selling an idea or service. If these purposes are put into a list, then it would be endless. The numerous ways and intentions why people have and use brochures. No matter what the reason for these brochures, the main thing is that it should be kept readable, interesting and very functional in order to become effective. It should be able t. . .

Written And Unwritten Rules In Catalog Printing

There are rules in catalog designs that should be followed. These rules are the foundation of what and what not to be done as you go about these prints. Like some rules, they can also be bended or broken depending upon the need and the process that it is being done. It is important therefore to know first why these rules are being done to be able to have a firm stand on why they should be broke. . .

Some Things Not Learned In School

Since most people and companies now ate turning to computers and showing off their crafts online, the probability is that many others would want to have one for themselves. Having your own website adds to the guarantee that people will be likely to visit them and get information and idea from you. With the majority of sites having their own marketing and advertising strategy, the question remai. . .

Keep It Simple, Stupid: The Beauty of a Clean Cut Website

Don’t knock it; “Keep It Simple, Stupid” is a great rule to live by. Nobody likes a website to “yell” at them, with blaring colors and flashing lights. Too many buttons will turn customers off. I had this problem with my homepage at http://www.antion.com. A colleague of mine, who makes a lot of money, pointed out the cluttered look of my site. I had worked so closely on every detail of the page. . .

Why a Website Design Speaks Volumes about Your Company?

Whether a business has just got off the ground or has been established for years, start-up and long running companies are looking to the internet to expand their sales as well as service to customers. Many new websites are going up and with so many people opting to go with the cheapest route or the quickest design process, sometimes the quality of a website gets left behind. Lets face it, you w. . .

Many Ideas Will Get You Nowhere

You have been in front of the computer trying to go over the details on your mind for a long time and yet not getting even one out. It seems that you have lots of ideas for a great graphic design but you do not know where to start. All of it is just in your head and you cannot get anything in concrete.If you have known better, you would have guessed that you are having one of the cases of not h. . .

Simple Changes That can Explode Your Response Rate

John Reese, Jason Potash, and Joe Vitale are all very well known online marketers that have achieved conversion rates of 10% or more. Now, why does these online marketers have such high conversion rates while the majority of sites on the internet are only obtaining about a 1% conversion rate? It's simple. They invests lot of time and effort into improving their conversion rate. They know that s. . .

Review Web Host - To Prevent Web Host Shut Down

This article is based on a true experience that took place with my web host. I am not here to blame or try to give my web host a bad name, I am here to give an honest web host review, that makes sense to you before choosing a web host provider that is right for your business.All web host are created equal in my eyes, that is, or that used to be, until I got shut down without warning. It was ver. . .

Inside Tips On Creating A Successful Landing Page

Landing pages are important to anyone running a pay per click campaign. Some people may disagree. In fact I know there are some people that believe that they have no use for them. These are usually people that have not even attempted to try them. Even huge corporate companies use pay per click. Some have taken the route of making all their “buy” pages landing pages. What is a landing page and w. . .

Spreading Christmas Cheer And Boosting Sales

Some of the most well known websites out there decorate for every holiday. These websites don't need to change their designs at all because they are functional, there is a steady flow of traffic, and there is not any reason to believe that they will not be just as popular tomorrow. Websites like Google and Yahoo do small things such as decorating their home page just a bit with themed character. . .