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C O'Malley & Associates  LLC

Web Design & Development cc

by C O'Malley & Associates LLC                 Howell, Michigan

Powerful Web Design - JUST RIGHT!

1-517-548-3437                                                            
April 2009 Newsletter

 

Overcoming the Economic Storm with a Successful Web Site

Change is in the air and it's not good.  While anyone's first response would be to tighten the purse strings - that's not always the wisest thing to do with a website.  If your website is looking bedraggled, abandoned or just out of date it affects business.  The last thing you need when the economy is bad is to look like you are out of business!  While we all resist change, resisting change on your website can cost you business.  Here's why:

  1. The news is about someone else's drama - maybe it's not affecting you YET...but it will.  It makes sense to be pro-active and be ready for the coming wave.  Make sure your website is as inviting and interactive as it can be.  You want your business to look big, beefy and secure - how better than with a vibrant and exciting website?
  2. Maybe it HAS affected you - ramp it up and squeeze every use out of your site that can bring in new business.  Waiting until things improve may be too late.
  3. Your natural defense posture is "my website is just fine the way it is" - but is it? Are you getting the traffic you should have? How do you know?  Perhaps there are small things that can increase your return on investment.
  4. Taking the stance "if it ain' t broke - why fix it" can hurt.  The Internet market moves quickly.  If it ain' t broke and hasn't been tweaked lately, it probably needs fixing to keep pace with a quickly changing market.
  5. You see things changing, but are in denial.  Maybe it will go away and I won't need to do anything.  Or your customers can decide you just don't care enough and will go elsewhere.
  6. I like the way my site looks - it doesn't need changing.  When did you last do a demographic study on who is visiting your site? The psychology of the colors you are using?  Useability of links?  Traffic research is all important to a successful strategy.
  7. My business is booming, I don't need to do anything - it can't happen to me.  Sorry Charlie - already has.  No state or area is truly immune.  If you want to survive, you will NEED to do business outside your comfort zone and area.  Your website is the easiest, best way to get there.

Regardless of the state of your industry, your market or your sales, you need to look at your marketing strategy.  A website is a huge part of that strategy and the only place you can get on-going national (even worldwide) full-color multi-page advertising coverage for the price of a single magazine ad page

More ways to improve your website inexpensively

Consider adding a Word Press blog to your website. Refresh your look.  Ad a few new pages of pertinent information (it will help you in the search engines and give visitors something new to look at).  Add content management so you can maintain your website yourself.  Update just your heading banner for an inexpensive new look.  We'll help you develop a powerful message, provide proven design, and provide reliable maintenance.  We guarantee you'll be satisfied with our work or we'll make it right. We promise to

  • make changes quickly and accurately
  • build your website on-time and to your specifications
  • and improve your web site's usability and content for visitors and search engines.

This newsletter brings you interesting tips about the web, web design, search engines and more! We try and include something for everyone.  We're hoping that you'll think of us when your web site needs redesign or updating, and recommend us to friends and colleagues that need web sites.   Between our regular clients, new clients and remodeling our office we're running a bit late this month getting the newsletter out - our apologies!

We appreciate your business and reward referrals generously. Contact us for a FREE PHONE ESTIMATE at 517-548-437.   If you'd like to send this newsletter to someone that might be interested, click here.

 
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Ever heard the lyrics of your favorite song and think - that can't be what I heard?  Well, others have too.  If you need a belly laugh visit kissthisguy.com for a huge repository of misheard lyrics to just about every song

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May only - Free Domain Name with any website purchase - any size website!

FREE Photo Editors, Optimizers, Resizers & Organizers - no purchase necessary

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Securing Search Engine Friendly Domain Names

Go to your favorite domain registrar (myhostinganddomains.com) and run a domain registration availability search for your keyword phrase with the highest potential success.  You will find this by running keyword searches.

If you can't find what you want -use dashes! And don't feel like the splits need to be perfect. For example, if you have a possible domain that is three words long, first try it without any dashes. That will be gone, I can almost guarantee. Next try separating each word with a dash. Maybe it's taken, maybe not. If not, grab it! If it is taken, don't despair. Try just one dash between the first two words and let the second and third run together. If that version is taken, move the dash so it is between the second and third while the first and second run together. Chances are you will find one that works. And the best part is the search engines read it as the same keyword!

Keep in mind, this domain and resulting Website is for SEO purposes NOT branding. Who cares how long it is or how many dashes it has? Certainly not you. The search engines will love it!

Get your domain name as quickly as possible. The older it is, the better in Google's eyes. And they actually run date scans on domains using a Whois registry so they know the exact date and minute the domain was registered.

If you haven't used one, check out AllWhoIs.com or BetterWhoIs.com and enter any domain name. It tells you all kinds of stuff, including the owner, registrar, date or registration and even the owner's home phone and address if that's what he or she used to register.

As for the domain type, .com is best bet and .net and .org extensions also do well. I really strive for .com whenever possible.

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Is your Cell phone Losing it's Charge?

If your cell phone loses its battery charge too quickly while idle in your pocket, part of the problem may be that your pocket is too warm.

"Cell phone batteries do indeed last a bit longer if kept cool,"says Mr. Buchanan, editor of the Battery University Web site. The 98.6-degree body heat of a human, transmitted through a cloth pocket to a cell phone inside, is enough to speed up chemical processes inside the phone's battery. That makes it run down faster. To keep the phone cooler, carry it in your purse or on your belt.

This same method can be used to preserve your battery should you find yourself away from home without your charger. Turn off the phone and put it in the hotel refrigerator overnight to slow the battery's natural tendency to lose its charge.

LOST:  In the Parking Lot....Extend Your Wireless Car Door Opener Range   Your car is lost in a massive mall parking lot. You can't remember where you parked. You're car-key wireless door opener should be able to honk the horn to help you determine where your car is. You try pressing the button but nothing happens because you are out of range. Solution: put the wireless door opener on the side of your head/cranium. It extends the range of the wireless signal about twice - or more. It's not an urban myth. BBC's Top Gear demonstrated it.

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* We are a small web design company based in Livingston County providing value added Web Design & Development for over 10 years. We are experienced in web design, web marketing, search engine optimization, and more.  Contact us for a FREE phone site consultation today! We'll build you a website that's JUST RIGHT ---Cindy *
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Don't forget - even if you don't need a website yourself, you can refer a friend! Earn up to $100 cash for each referral that becomes a new customer. Register Here 

It doesn't matter where you or your friend is located, we can work with clients wherever they are - by email, phone and fax. We are in Michigan, and have satisfied customers worldwide.  Visit our website at http://c-omalley.com.

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The top 5 Website Tips

Many ways you can improve your website are inexpensive or free.  Here are the top 5 improvements that will get you the best bang for your buck from the web designer.

1. Make the title dazzling.  Use intriguing words along with your key words in the title.

2. Columns create interest.  2 or 3 columns also give you a way of keeping pertinent information at the top of the page.

3. Color is critical.  Learn the meanings of various colors and the emotions they evoke. 

4. Every page should have a way back to the home page.  Usually this is done with a link through the logo or header.  Make sure navigation is logical and easy to understand.

5. Without good content, no one will have a reason to visit your site.  Content must be concise, pertinent and useful.

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* If you think your password is safe because you see *******, it's not.  It can be hacked with a simple javascript in the browser address bar and voila - the hacker is in.  So make sure your password does everything possible to thwart attack - use a combination of capital, small, numbers, and even @#$%^&*() when allowed. Don't put it on your computer unencrypted and if you work in an office, don't leave a paper copy lying around. The more complex your password, the more difficult it is to hack.  And NEVER use the same password for all of your accounts... *
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Thanks to Ericka of Satellite Secretarial for this great link!

  Seven Reasons for Business Failure

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Mother's Day is approaching....treat Mom to a list of websites just for Moms...

http://www.rexanne.com/mday-sites.html

A Blog for Mom on Mother's Day?  What a great way to have her save all those wonderful stories of her childhood in one place.  With easy access for the grandchildren, and easy access for mom - all she needs is to sign in with her user/password and start writing.  One day you'll be so glad she did.  Not sure what to write about?  How about the "old days", her life story, about her grand kids from a Grandma's perspective?  When she becomes an expert she can post pictures and interact online with the family as well.  What a wonderful way to preserve your family heritage.  A simple free online blog is www.blogspot.com.  Easy to sign up, easy to use and best of all it's free. 

Get Organized! As Wendy said to Peter Pan...It's Spring Cleaning time!  Time to throw out and renew.  I just redid my office and it's a wonderful feeling!  New paint is good for the soul!  A good place to get started is here.  Checklists, tips and everything else you need to get and stay organized!

http://www.flylady.net/

Looking to improve health and read interesting articles?  Check out http://www.thirdage.com/  Inspired by the French phrase "Troisieme Age," ThirdAge refers to that rich time of life following young adulthood -- a time often characterized by new found freedom, discovery, personal growth and enrichment.

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Watch free movie trailers at Moviefone.com

Watch free TV shows (full versions) and full length movies online at www.fancast.com

Links to sites that provide free online computer classes, open to everyone. No more excuses...

GCF Learn Free (gcflearnfree.org)- "Offering free, beginning computer courses and other learning opportunities world-wide in English and Spanish."

Free Online Computer Lessons from Jefferson High School (lausd.k12.ca.us/Jefferson_HS/lscomp.htm) - "This is a collection of various free lessons and tutorials available on the world wide web. Many were developed by school districts and universities from around the country."

HP Learning Center (http://h30187.www3.hp.com/)- "HP Learning Center course instructors are subject-matter experts who enjoy teaching and interacting with students. Among them are award-winning authors, technology leaders, and professionals."

Learn That (learnthat.com/computers)- "Computers, Internet, Software, Hardware, and Programming Tutorials."

Education Online for Computers (educationonlineforcomputers.com)- "Learn New Skills & Increase Your Earning Power -- With FREE Computer Training."

Free-ed (free-ed.net/free-ed/InfoTech/default.asp)- "Computer Programming, Web Scripting & Design, Operating Systems, Personal Computers, Database Applications, Productivity Applications."

MIT Open Courseware (http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Electrical-Engineering-and-Computer-Science/index.htm)- "A free and open educational resource for faculty, students, and self-learners around the world. OCW supports MIT's mission to advance knowledge and education, and serve the world in the 21st century. It is true to MIT's values of excellence, innovation, and leadership."

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