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Search Engine Optimization, Usability, Blogs and Small Business Bag of Goodies  

:: Monday, November 08, 2004 ::

Because people kindly keep me in the loop on stuff, I have the fun priviledge of sharing some interesting things with you. And, of course, thanks to Cre8asiteForums, I get to meet such wonderful folks, many of whom are creative, funny, interesting, and willing to teach others or inspire us.

Web Site Usability

First up is a revisit of a thread on sound as background atmosphere (or other uses) for web sites. A new member "bumped" the thread with some interesting ideas. In Can Sound be used as "Atmosphere" for websites?, "Custommusic4u" shares some thoughts:

     "All throughout history music has always developed slower than the other arts. Its the same today. Web developers think in images and therefore are not interested in changing. The most typical answer is 'The web has always been that way, so why should we change?' As anyone knows the internet is changing fast and if you don't move forward, you will get left behind."

Search Engines and Optimization

People ask the darndest things. In Organic vs Paid traffic ROI? a member asks, "If someone clicks a google link for a given keyphrase, overall would you consider the conversion on PPC to be equal to Organic?"

And the answers offer some insightful dialog.

Everything you ever wanted to know about link building and didn't know you didn't know - Link Building 101 as per Search Engine Watch Forums. Note. The appearance by Doug Heil makes for some entertaining reading, as always.

Who Says We're Small Business?

Here are some innovative web sites intended to meet the needs of several niche markets - bloggers and parents.

I'm one of those persons who enjoys the sense of community and family that many small and medium sized businesses provide on the 'Net. I especially return often to those that provide a wide variety of information, and yet do it with warmth, passion for the topics and visitors, and make an effort to provide networking outlets. One site that fits all this is the

4ParentsNetwork.com

     "The 4 Parents Network is a multi-faceted website catering to parents in every stage of the parenting journey.

Our viewers are moms & dads with life roles as household decision-makers and professional, career oriented individuals. They are on-the-go, busy parents looking for solutions to help them balance the responsibilities of work and family."

There's many "channels" on the 4ParentsNetwork and the whole site is lovingly maintained and nurtured by Michele Sheppard and her family.

I just "met" these next two web sites and was impressed because the owner took the time to answer some of my answers about blog problems in the Small Business Ideas Forum. Customer service as a promotion tool. Remember that one!

If you haven't put up a blog yet, or want to move an existing one, here are two web sites well worth looking into:

Blog Hosting, Site Hosting

Blog Design, Web Design

Here's a web site on my "must bookmark" list. I'm not even sure what got me so hooked on Lip Sticking. This is the kind of variety web site that I go to when I bring my Laptop to bed with me. Do I read a book or do I browse around Lip Sticking? The web site has been winning lately.

Um. That's when I climb into bed Alone, that is. (Ahem. Teeny Cough. American blush.)


Another Word to Add to Your Internet Vocabulary

The word is "blogfest". And, there's one happening now.

IAOC BlogFest, November 8 – 12

     "Over the course of five days (November 8-12), IAOCblog.com will feature one blogging expert each day, with moderator Steve O’Keefe refereeing the contenders."

Just For the Fun of It, Dang It

In one I'm polite. 10 things the Chinese do far better than we do

and in one I'm uncharacteristically slutty

SEO/Webmaster Forums and the dreaded bell-shaped curve

Did I ever tell you about the time I fell off of a bar while dancing "The Charleston" and sprained my ankle so badly it was in a walking cast for 9 weeks?

Nobody ever believes that story.

:: posted by Kim Krause Berg on 11/08/2004 09:57:31 AM

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