Monthly Archives: October 2008

Top 20 Tips For Website Accessibility 1

Series, Website Design, ,

31 October 2008, by A. Cedilla

Part 1 of 2

The Americans With Disabilities Act was enacted in 1990 to protect persons with disabilities from being discriminated against. Designed to help guarantee equal opportunities for people with disabilities in any public area, this act covers regulations in areas of transportation, telecommunications, and state and local government services, to start.

 

Now, one of the really wonderful things that the Internet today has given us is the gateway it opens to new worlds for people who otherwise would have difficulty moving around in the regular world because of their disability.

Due to the very nature of the manufacturing process, for example, Braille books are painfully expensive and hard to get for everyone who needs them. But with specialized equipment, a blind person can access the internet and a whole world beyond the one his blindness has previously limited him to. People with restricted physical mobility can use the internet to ˜see” the world.

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Dealing With List Fatigue

Marketing, Series, , ,

25 October 2008, by A. Cedilla

Part 2 of 2

Admit it, we all like to look at our email stats, especially when we have good open rates and our list size is increasing. But if you notice that your list is growing smaller or your open rates have gone down, what do you do?

When your subscribers don’t open your emails anymore, it’s known as list fatigue. They’re not exactly unsubscribing, and yet they’re not opening your emails. Why is this happening? Without taking into account the bounces, here are some probable causes:

1. Perhaps they’re no longer interested in the subject of your emails. They may have new interests, and there’s not a whole lot you can do about that.

2. Are the spam filters catching your emails? Make sure you’re not using words that the filters think are spam. Do a search for the current list of spam words and find other ways to say the same thing.
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3 Tips to Start Your Opt-In List

Marketing, Series, ,

23 October 2008, by A. Cedilla

Part 1 of 2

After hearing the stories of people successfully creating a profitable business with opt-in lists, a bell rang in your head and you realize that you can also use this way to make money on the Internet.

After you’ve pored over dozens of articles on the subject and read expert advice, you finally decide to take the step and start an opt- list of your own. But how do you get started? And better yet, how do you build a list big enough to generate an income from?

It can be pretty nerve-wracking when you first start out. Questions bubble up: Do you need a web site? What about an opt-in form? Should you use an autoresponder service or a script on your own site? How should you format the messages? How many should you send a week? The list goes on and on.

The answers to a lot of these questions will depend heavily on how experienced you are on the Internet. If you have no knowledge of CGI or PHP then hosting your own script may not be an option. If you don’t know HTML or don’t have direct access to your on-line files, then editing your pages to insert the code for an opt-in form will be quite difficult.
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Share The Love: 5 Tips on Website Hosting

Content, Series,

19 October 2008, by A. Cedilla

Part 2 of 2

If you want to put up a website on the Internet, you need to choose a web host. But, before everything else, you have to clearly state the purpose of the site you plan to put up.

 

For example, if you want to put up a few personal web pages meant to keep in touch and updated with friends and family, you can take advantage of the free service offered by your ISP, or even use one of the many free, very basic hosting services. Bear in mind that while many of these services come free or very cheaply, typically they are also sponsored by advertising, meaning there will be lots of ads and pop-ups.

On the other hand, a website that would include forums, polls, and things like Top 10 lists (as voted by your readers) would by necessity require a much more secure hosting service, as well as business-oriented websites.
Continue reading Share The Love: 5 Tips on Website Hosting →

Share The Love: Building A Website

Content, Series,

16 October 2008, by A. Cedilla

Part 1 of 2

The Internet has always been a means of communication, first and foremost. Now, it’s a platform, a virtual soapbox for anyone with an opinion or an interest to be able to share that with the rest of the world. The chances are very good that you’re reading this right now from a computer hooked up to the internet.

Today, getting a website onto the Internet is as easy as point-and-click. You’re no longer required to hand-code HTML like you would have needed to a few short years back. You don’t even have to know FTP protocols or how to design a site. Most website hosting companies now provide templates of websites that you can customize with your own links, and content, as easily as you would adjust or edit a letter in your word processor.

There are many companies who will even give you free web space on their computers, mainly referred to as servers, to put your very own website on to. In exchange, they add an advertisement onto your site, usually at the top – called a header. Do a search on the Internet for “free website hosting” and check out your results.

Think about what you would like to share with the world. Do you have any hobbies you’re passionate about, or interests you’d love to let others know about? Continue reading Share The Love: Building A Website →

Content Management Systems 101.2

Content, Series, ,

13 October 2008, by A. Cedilla

Part 2 of 2

The previous installment of this series defined what a content management system is and what it does. This post gives out ideas on how to pick the best content management system for you.

 

How do you pick the best CMS for you?
That depends on what you’re looking to accomplish with the particular website you intend to build. What is your strategy? Do you want to build a community, or a website that’s news-driven? Drupal can work wonders for that. If you’re thinking of a portal site, many people use Joomla for that purpose.

The best way to choose is to first decide what you want to accomplish with your website — whether it’s for business or for pleasure.

Do you want to establish a serious reader base with your content and then branch out to forums? Maybe you just want to connect with people who have the same interests and hobbies you do.

Or maybe you just want an online diary of sorts that you can share with friends and family to keep in touch. Define the purpose of your site.

 

There are loads of CM systems on line that are presented as freeware. However, below are two suggestions for different user groups:
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Content Management Systems 101.1

Content, Series, ,

10 October 2008, by A. Cedilla

Part 1 of 2

OK, everything’s been set up for your new website, your Big Idea is solid, you had your content pre-prepared and you’re raring to start — then you ask yourself, “What software to I get to make sure my site’s easy to use, easy to read and looks good?”

You use a content management system. Also known as CMS, this is a particular type of software that makes it easier for users to create and manage websites.

To get, and keep, your readers and visitors coming back, you can keep your appeal fresh by making sure your site is updated frequently.

A CMS automates this process to make it easier to manage your data (which includes your content — articles/posts, your links and images, as well as any embedded audio and video media you would care to add ) and customize the layout of your website, to fit your brand and personality.
Continue reading Content Management Systems 101.1 →

Back to Basics: Safer, Smarter Surfing 2

Best Business Practices, Series,

06 October 2008, by A. Cedilla

Part 2 of 2

In the previous installment, I covered the basics of protective measures against viruses, and malware (malicious software). Here we”ll deal with wireless surfing issues.

Wireless networks are here to stay; you can find them almost everywhere. The ability to check your email or get some work finished while sunning on the beach, waiting at the airport, or lounging in the park is appealing to us all.

Unfortunately, many, or even most, wireless units don’t come with security features turned on. This may not seem like a big issue if you’re simply setting up a home network, but there are a number of potential problems you should consider.
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Back to Basics: Safer, Smarter Surfing 1

Best Business Practices, Series,

03 October 2008, by A. Cedilla

Part 1 of 2

Today it’s no longer enough to just trust that if you don’t visit porn sites or click on suspected SPAM, your firewalls and anti-virus software will be enough to keep out the hordes of viruses and unscrupulous hackers lying in wait on the Internet.

Too many computer users neglect to do the basic maintenance on their computer — leaving holes in their defenses and pathways for data to be stolen, sometimes without them even knowing anything ever happened.

There is a wide variety of protective software available, like ad-ware removers, anti- virus tools, key patrol agents, spy ware blasters and so on. And in the same way a condom is no protection to anyone if you let it deteriorate in your wallet; these tools are effective only if you use them.
Continue reading Back to Basics: Safer, Smarter Surfing 1 →