ADSENSE CODE #1

Search Engine Marketing is a hybrid of traditional SEO activities and paid-for advertising designed to deliver targeted traffic to a specific website.  Targeted traffic is just a technical way of saying prospective customers who are likely to want what you offer.

Search Engine Optimization itself comes in two parts.  The first in on-site optimization where small but important changes are made to the website.  They may seem insignificant at first, but once they are part of a strategy they make a real difference.  These measures can be as simple as adding keywords to URLs, to text, to headings and images and other types of optimization.  Sometimes the website copy has to be rewritten to contain more keywords.

Keywords are the thing that makes SEO work, and what search engines use to grade your site.  If you have a site with the right amount of relevant keywords for the subject, Google with think you’re important and put you nearer the top of the search results for that word.  The only problem is, that only a few SEO experts know the ideal ratio of keywords, and how competitive they are.

The other side of Search Engine Optimization is Off-site optimization.  This uses things like article PR, back linking, social networking and other techniques to get other websites linking to yours.  The more inbound links your site has, the more important Google thinks it is, therefore rating it higher as above.

SEO is referred to as organic because things happen on their own.  Once the changes have been made and the off-site campaign is under way, the waiting begins.  Google will gradually rank your site higher the more links you get, the more it sees the web address on other sites and the more relevant content your site contains.

The other side of Search Engine Marketing is the paid for part.  This includes things like Google Adwords, banner ads, PPC and other advertising methods you have to pay for.  Paid search marketing gets quicker results, but it costs money.  How much depends entirely on how competitive your market is and how many other websites want the top spot.  The more competition there is the more expensive it becomes.

Google Adwords are those little advertising banners with the Google logo in them.  They appear on the search results page on the top and on the left.  They also appear on some websites that include them to make a bit of money.  Banner ads are much the same except you get a banner designed with our company logo and a link to your site then get somebody to host it for you.  The banner then appears whenever anybody surfs to a particular page.  PPC is pay per click and encompasses all the methods where you pay every time somebody clicks on one of your adverts.

The RT Design Group in Naples are search engine marketing experts.  They can design complete campaigns or specific advertising mediums depending on your needs.  Call us now for a free, no obligation quote.

The world of web and graphic design is an ever changing landscape where the inhabitants have to continually strive to learn and perfect new skills as new technology evolves.  Much of it we can learn in-house or from vendors, but much of it we have to figure out for ourselves.

What follows is a list of some of the sources we use to keep up with developments and learn new skills.  Some of them teaches us something new, while others reinforce what we already know.  We don’t know everything, as much as we might like to believe we do.  Each website in this list offers us something, and they are included in this list in case they can help you too.

One of the most popular resources on the net for graphic design is Smashing Magazine, (www.smashingmagazine.com).  This is a well established site with a regular audience of web developers and graphic designers.  It has imparted knowledge since it began and continues that trend to this day with plentiful tutorials on web design, Photoshop and all the other toys we get to play with during the day.  The forum is remarkably quiet for a site so lively, but the information it contains is sound.

Next up is tuts+, (www.tutsplus.com).  This is another high quality site and one we use here in our office in Naples.  Graphic design at its best with high quality tutorials written by experts.  It is the hub for all of the Tuts+ sites and is great place to start when searching for information or inspiration.  The site is aimed at beginners and pro’s alike, but is more geared towards advanced users.  It leads off to subordinate sites like psdtuts, for Photoshop, aetuts for Adobe After Effects and so on.

Another useful site is called CreativePro, (www.creativepro.com).  This is another resource site aimed at existing graphic designers.  There are more categories and tutorials on that site than any sane person could read.  There is literally something for everyone here.  Beginners may find things a little hard going as most of the content is for advanced users, but who said design was easy?

Sitepoint is the last site we are going to mention here, (www.sitepoint.com).  This is another site aimed at experienced graphic designers or web developers, but has a lot of information and resources for the newcomer too.  Often there are other tips, like how to run the business side of things, or practical advice for clients and that kind of thing.  Sitepoint has been around a few years, just like Smashing and has built up a loyal and vocal fan base.  The marketplace is an excellent place to go if you have spare templates, JavaScripts or other stuff to sell too.

Those are just four of what I am sure are thousands of sites out there.  They each offer something different and are lively enough to keep us going back every week.  Hopefully they will give other Naples graphic design enthusiasts a hand up as they have done to us.

Being a web developer is a great career if you don’t mind long hours and cold coffee.  It lets us use our imaginations and creativity as much as we like and get paid for it.  It’s important to try new methods and ideas, as well as embrace new technologies as they mature.  It’s way too easy to build the same old sites with the same navigation or functionality day after day, but that’s not what we’re about.

The RT Design Group is successful because we don’t follow the crowd.  We don’t design cookie cutter sites, or use templates to create.  We use what we have and let our imaginations get the better of us.  We way “why not?” instead of “why?”  and that pays dividends.
Major Naples Web Design Companies

• Naples Web Design
• RT Design
• Fort Myers Web Design
• Isoosi
• Naples WebDesign

There is a definite balance that needs to be struck between a design idea and practicality though.  It’s all very well having a killer design, but if it’s difficult to navigate or find anything it’s a failure.  Whatever the concept, the function has to win over form and the main job of a web developer is to balance the two.

It sometimes hurts when the design you are so enthusiastic about won’t work because it breaks usability rules.  You have to put yourself in the shoes of the end user and consider how they would use the site and navigate their way round it.  Ask any developer or artist who has had to compromise on a concept or abandon it because it doesn’t work.  They will tell you it isn’t easy, but it is necessary in order for the client and the end user to get what they need.

Senator Rockefeller released the results of an investigative report into “Aggressive Sales Tactics on the Internet and Their Impact on American Consumers” in advance of a hearing on the subject by the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

The research examines “controversial e-commerce business practices that have generated high volumes of consumer complaints” and focused on sales tactics that “charge millions of American consumers for services the consumers do not want and do not understand they have purchased,” according to the Staff Report.

A controversial practice known as “post-transaction marketing” was at the center of the research into the e-commerce business practices.

TechCrunch offers context on how “post-transaction marketing” works (also see the senate committee report’s illustration of the steps involved in an “Aggressive ‘Post-Transaction’” sales):

Background: hundreds of well known ecommerce companies add post transaction marketing offers to consumers immediately after something is purchased on the site. Consumers are usually offered cash back if they just hit a confirmation button. But when they do, their credit card information is automatically passed through to a marketing company that signs them up for a credit card subscription to a package of useless services. The “rebate” is rarely paid.

The report reveals that numerous well-known e-commerce companies have earned millions of dollars through post-transaction marketing “scams”, including sellers such as 1800Flowers.com, Fandango, FTD, Orbitz, Priceline, Shutterfly, Buy.com, Barnes & Noble, Expedia, as well as many, many more.

The chart below, taken from the committee’s report, highlights a number of the companies that have received income from post-transaction marketing, along with an approximation of how much money they’ve received through the practice:

In the Staff Report summarizing the investigation’s findings, the committee writes,

Eighty-eight e-commerce companies have earned more than $1 million through using these tactics, including 19 that have made more than $10 million. Classmates.com has made more than $70 million using these controversial practices.

Senator Rockefeller issued a statement on the report, saying:

After six months, this Committee has found that the companies we are investigating have figured out very clever ways to manipulate consumers’ buying habits so they can make a quick buck. American consumers have been complaining for years about these misleading practices and asking for answers – and rightly so. [...] Millions of Americans are getting hit with these mystery charges every month – we have to do all we can to protect the hard working families relying on us to look out for their wallets and well-being.

Get the full report and read the Press Release from the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation here.

TechCrunch has additional reporting on the committee’s findings.

Read comments from customers about post-transaction marketing scams here.

The chart below, taken from the senate committee’s report, illustrates “Aggressive ‘Post-Transaction’ Sales Tactics in an Online Purchase”:

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The Importance of Good Audio

George Lucas once famously said “The sound is half the picture.”  He isn’t wrong, but you don’t have to be making multi-million dollar blockbusters to be able to use his advice.

It doesn’t matter how good a movie or video might be, if the audio is bad, it isn’t going to do well.  We can be quite harsh in our judgments against other people, especially through the anonymity of the internet.  We seem to be much more judgmental and rude when we know we are a couple of thousands of miles away from the object of our ire.

So with that said, any criticisms you receive over something like bad audio on one of your productions has the potential to escalate out of control.  It isn’t fair, but it’s much easier to improve the audio on a production than change the way the internet works.

The single best way to improve audio in most situations is to use a separate microphone.  The ones built into many camcorders are okay, but will pick up any other ambient noise in the scene.  This can often detract from it rather than enhance it.  Unfortunately, most cheaper cameras don’t have them.  It’s only on the more expensive ones that includes an audio in, so it’s something to look for when shopping for a new one.

By using external microphones they can be directed to only pick up the sound you want for the scene.  They can either be attached to the top of the camera, or better still placed near the action.  You can even take the feed from a sound board if one is being used, like for a conference or something.

To collect audio from a soundboard you will need a line level adapter, which is an inline widget that reduces the sound level down to what a microphone can cope with.

If you film a lot of interviews or monologues, then it may be worth investing in a wireless microphone.  These are small and unobtrusive but offer decent audio without interference.  Being wireless also aids portability and freedom of movement for the subject.  They are used extensively in professional studios, just look for the telltale bulges of the transmitter in the lower back of the subject.

You can get wired versions but they are much clunkier than wireless.  It’s definitely better to go wireless if you can afford it.

If all you have is the microphone built into the camera, you will need to move closer to the subject to get better audio.  Preferably between them and the interfering noise.  It doesn’t work better than a remote microphone, but it’s better than nothing, certainly if you can’t afford the other equipment.  Not everybody films people or interviews enough to warrant the expense.

Remember, good video is the most important, but it’s nothing if the audio isn’t any good.  You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on the best equipment around, but you should spend some if you have it.  If not then use technique and placement to make up the shortfall.  Getting yourself, and the camera between the noise and the subject will enhance the overall audio no end.

Are you a business that needs email hosting? We have the solution right here. The features you will receive with our hosting are astounding. Many companies will try to persuade you with all kinds of technical terms that sound promising and often will not deliver. What we deem to be the most important aspect to any customer is support. It is our number one priority. We understand that hundreds of different features can be intimidating and many may not understand what they do or what they are used for. I would first recommend researching the unknown, but we are here to help.

There is free email hosting on the web, but those are for personal use. Hosting with a variety of tools is the type business should use. Besides customer support, another tremendous feature that we have is protection against viruses and spam. We block any incoming spam messages so the possibility of having a virus with our email is near zero. We have satisfied customers everywhere. Contact us for a list.

If you own a business and do not have web hosting or email hosting, it is eminent that you get one. Starting with us could be your new profiting solution. Remember, advertising in newspapers and radio may get your business known locally, but having email hosting can help your business grow worldwide.

I’ve had some questions such as “should I pay for email hosting?” or “should I host my own website?”
I used to ask this question myself. It is definitely better to pay for hosting. It’s never expensive. As a matter of fact, it is more expensive to pay for an internet connection than it is to pay for email hosting. Owning a business is all about getting customers to your site. We excel in getting our package to the tops of search engines such as Yahoo, Google, and MSN. If we can do it, we can help you do it as well. Hosting your own site would take you an extraordinary amount of time, become overly complicated, and you would be paying a lot more than buying monthly buying from us.

Sometimes it will be even less expensive if you buy a year in advance. This way you won’t have to see a continuous monthly statement on your bank account. It is also important to have a domain name, which we can offer, whether you need one domain or multiple domains, with our email hosting.

Using free services will make your domain name look unprofessional. For example, if you use a free service like Angelfire, the word Angelfile appears in your URL and customers will not take you seriously. We can check the web to see if the domain name or names are already in use. In my previous experience, I would highly recommend a dot com for a business.

Email hosting is a service every business needs and we are here to help every step of the way. When businesses work together, the result is always success.

Previous Post: Breaking PGP on EC2 with EDPR

For years we have been preaching the virtues of long, complex passwords.  Putting dictionary attacks aside for a moment, one of the most interesting revelations of this project was the high cost of brute forcing simple passwords.

By simple here we mean a password only containing lowercase letters a through z.  And by optimistic cost to brute force we mean the EC2 usage charges we would incur to cover 50% of the keyspace.  If we’re unlucky, we double the optimistic cost to calculate our “max cost” to exhaust the keyspace.

Clearly each additional character of password length adds a significant amount of cost to the brute forcing effort.  One might speculate that an average corporate adversary could quite easily come up with ~$50K USD to brute an 11 character simple password, but struggle to find the $1.5M USD to brute a 12 character simple password.

Next let’s look at the case of a slightly more complex password, containing upper and lowercase a-z, plus the numerals 0-9:

In this case the hypothetical threshold between doable and not worth it falls at the 11 character password boundary.

Finally let’s examine the cost to crack a truly complex password, consisting of upper and lowercase a-z, plus the numerals 0-9, the space character, as well as 32 special characters (think !@#$%):

In this case the “not worth it” threshold is at 9 character passwords.

So, looking at this data simultaneously, it’s easy to make some recommendations about password length.  Assuming we are dealing with an adversary who is unwilling to spend more than $1M USD to brute your password, where are the length versus complexity sweet spots?

Referring to the chart above, we decide that simple passwords (a-z) are OK, provided they are at least 12 characters long.  Add numbers to your simple password, and again you’re OK at 12 characters.  Introduce uppercase and special characters into the mix and 10 character passwords are acceptable.

Now let’s consider a slightly difference scenario.  Let’s look at an 8 character password of variable complexity.  The complexity will start at 26 and rise to 95 [a-zA-z0-9@#$ etc.].

Here we see that the cost to crack the 8 character password increases steadily with complexity, and that even fiercely complex 8 character passwords are still fair game for our adversary with <$1M to spend on a brute force attack.

Now let’s look at fixing the complexity at a low value of just and looking at the effect of increasing the length of the password on the cost to brute force.

Here we see that the cost to crack the simple password consisting of a variable number of just lowercase alpha characters jumps dramatically between 13 and 14 characters.

Remember, dictionary attacks are different than brute force attacks.  So if your 12 character simple password is composed of dictionary words, all bets are off.  Finally, remember that while a determined attacker may not have $10M USD to spend on EC2 cycles to crack your 10 character super complex password, a simple client side exploit may make that a moot point.

I find I would rather have my own email archive. I do it already and it makes me more comfortable to be in charge of my emails. If I am having another take charge of my email archiving, how am I to know that they will not use what I have said or others have said to me against me? I just think in terms of dealing with the archive, I would prefer to have it accessible to me as I see fit. It is my private property; it is my thoughts and responses to my thoughts. It is mine.

Some might argue that creating an email archive on my own is tantamount to setting me up for a loss. Hard drives do fail. Programs change and connections can be lost or degraded. I am willing to take this kind of risk seeing that ultimately these are my own risks. I feel that relying on another to be able access, protect or even find something I need puts me at a disadvantage.

Still, many would prefer not to have to deal with the whole idea of keeping any kind of an archive let alone an entire mailing archive. They find the programs confusing or darn right too hard to deal with. They are afraid of doing the wrong thing, pushing the wrong button or losing where the archive is being stored. Some times they lose the program that they use to create the email hosting setup and all they have is something that is not able to be opened. That presents a quandary that is just a frustration. Most people are frustrated enough without having another program create a frustration for them.

Even with these negatives, taking the time to learn to do my own technical archiving makes me in control of my correspondence. I prefer to have the control that doing my own archive presents to me. I do not have to worry about someone else looking through my old emails and reading my private correspondence. I can take pride in learning a new skill. I have the satisfaction of finding what I want when I want it. I do not have to be at the mercy of some outside company and that company’s handlers as to when I have access to my own private correspondence. I definitely do not find it a negative to be in control of my own emails.

My significant reason to control and create my own email setup is security. I am not egotistical in the sense that I have great or damning information in my emails that I need to be in total control of my business. Nor do I feel that I have such great prose in my emails that someone would be looking to plagiarize what I or my correspondences have written to one another. Nor do I feel that I have any particular hidden jewels or treasures in my email archive. What I do feel is since all of this was sent to me or me to others, it is mine and I have the freedom to keep what is mine unless there is any compelling reason to let another or anyone have access, even the original authors of the original emails (not that I would stop them from seeing some writing of theirs I have in my possession).

Posted on 21 October 2009

Looking for a golf community that has unparalleled leisure choices and excellent amenities? Then you will be better off in Sanibel, Florida. The seashell island known for its wildlife and verdant scenery also house golf resorts and homes and provides golf facilities to most of the avid golfers out there. Golf homes are ideal places for those who want a golf-filled vacation and for those who just want to live there during their retirement. Also, you could go for resort designed Sanibel golf homes and golf condos crammed with nature preservation areas, beaches, spas, clubhouses, amusement areas, and shopping centers.

Although most golf homes are on the high-end chain of residences, more people visiting Sanibel have grown fond of the island and its golf communities. Whether you like playing the sport or not, Sanibel has that distinctive quality of just luring you in to its area abundant with vegetation, twittering birds, sandy seashores, and the calm that the island permeates. People come to these golf communities to relax and just have a lovely stroll over the island. Almost always they return fully rejuvenated and energized. People on the brink of retirement usually purchase golf residences on these communities and live there permanently. Golf community members need not fret at all about their security and privacy since golf homes are usually guarded.

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Sanibel has three golf communities that can satisfy the needs of a broad selection of golfing enthusiasts. The three golf communities include the Beachview Golf and Tennis Club, the Dunes Golf and Tennis Club, and the Sanctuary.

The Beachview Golf and Tennis Club is one of Sanibel’s most sought-after places to stay and play. It’s a golf course design for championships and is enclosed by the Sanibel River’s panoramic splendor. The course also features a memorable golf experience for players of all ages and skill levels. Known as one of Southwest Florida’s most fantastic natural landscapes, it has fabulous real estate homes lined along the golf course, providing residents a stylish golfing setting and beach environment.

Meanwhile, the Dunes Golf & Tennis Club is one of Sanibel’s leading golf and tennis attractions and tourist destinations. Not only does it provide excellent facilities, it also stages the only PGA championship golf course on the island. If you ever drop by the Dunes Golf course, become aware of its special aqua driving range that is not to be ignored. The Dunes entertainment and activity facilities include a pool, clubhouse, a tennis court, a gourmet restaurant, and beach access. The Dunes can be found on Sandcastle Road just north of Periwinkle Drive.

And the last of the Sanibel golf homes you can try is the Sanctuary. It is aptly-titled as it is home to the famed Ding Darling Wildlife Preserve. A top-notch golf course, the community is flanked with over two hundred homes. You will get a great view of the fairways and the golf course at the top. The Sanctuary is situated west of Sanibel on Wulfert Road.