The Small Details...BIG Results

NEW Domain Extensions

2011-02-13T14:40:00.001-08:00

There's been an update in the world of Domain Registration... at least I think it's an update. In the process of grabbing a quick .mobi address (mobile website) I noticed the list had grown considerably. I can only assume that several are location/country-related (ie .jp - Japan?, .mx - Mexico, etc.) but in this mix there were a few pretty interesting extensions added...

.jobs (The possibilities for employment-related websites are endless) and .com.co, which might be a simple solution to the .co dilemna we've been running into... people automatically adding the "m" to the end of a .co address out of habit. Since it's so unique it will cause us to give it a second thought before adding .co... period.

A few of the others: .am .ag .at .net.co .nom.co .com.bz .in .co.in

For a complete list visit GoDaddy.com and select from the domain search pulldown menu.

Curiouser and curiouser.

"Dot-CO" Debut!

2011-02-06T16:22:00.001-08:00

After spending the better part of a full day writing content for a web page promoting domain name services and explaining alternatives to dot-com, I took a break to catch some of the SuperBowl. It's good football and... I have to admit I'm in it for the commercials.

Of course Budweiser has been true-to-form but what took me by surprise was the commercial for "GoDaddy.CO"! They need to give the person who came up with this idea a RAISE... what better way to introduce the dot-co concept to the MASSES? Maybe there is life beyond dot-com afterall.

I'm quietly doing an end-zone dance.

Domain Name Difficulties

2011-01-26T18:14:00.000-08:00

Finding the right domain name can be a real challenge. Especially since enterprising individuals discovered a few years back they could pick up short/sweet domain names for $7-$11 and resell them for a profit... sometimes a hefty profit. Examples... In 2009 Toys 'R' Us bought Toys.com for a reported $5.1 million. As you might expect, Sex.com went for top dollar--$12.5 million and Business.com sold for $7.5 million.

Of course these names are highly desirable and you can bet the companies who registered them will reap the benefits but it still surprises me to find uncommon words or phrases that carry a 4, 5 or 6 figure price tag. I must admit I've experienced this personally--the response to the last attempt to purchase my business name was "no less than 5 figures". I've been trying to purchase this name for 8 years and it sits idle to this day.

If you're faced with this dilemna and your budget doesn't include a 5-figure price tag, there IS a Plan B. When searching for a specific domain name consider using a hyphen, adding "online" to the name or you may find another alternative offered by the good folks at GoDaddy (my domain registrar of choice). Another (recommended) option is to use the industry or type of service/business AND the service area (state or region). Example... www.BuildingPA.com was registered for a general contractor in PA when he was unable to secure the name he wanted.

I think everyone agrees we don't want government intervention when it comes to the internet so we'll have to live with what I consider to be just shy of extortion. Once or twice a day we'll land on these "investor's" faux websites built to disguise endless lists of links to nowhere and serving no legitimate purpose. For the foreseeable future we'll just have to continue coming up with creative solutions to these... domain name difficulties. GET IN TOUCH and let us help you!

(Source for domain prices: ABC News, March 2009: ABC News Article )

Beware of "FREE" Listings

2011-01-14T12:14:00.000-08:00

Just hung up from what seems like the 500th phone call advising me I've "already got an online listing on (their) website and (they) just need to be make sure their information is correct".

LISTER BEWARE! We are ALL looking for ways of promoting our websites but these companies are fast-talkers and if you can possibly stop them and ask them what happens AFTER the alleged "FREE" period you'll find out they'll be sending you an invoice.

This particular call didn't even wait until I finished the words "No, thank you"... he simply hung up on me! Chances are if it sounds too good to be true, it is. There is no such thing as a free listing unless it's through one of the major search engines and these days that's even hard to come by without spending money on a ppc campaign.

What a world, what a world!

2011 CES Show... What's NEW in Technology

2011-01-07T06:37:00.000-08:00

After catching a glimpse on Nightline last night I thought I'd see what the NY Times has to say about the gadgets introduced at the 2011 CES (Consumer Electronics) in Vegas this week. Although it didn't seem like there was any one product that stood out, the trend was, of course, towards wireless and mobile devices. Take a look at yesterday's Times article on the event and what's new and HOT this year...

NY Times

...Not earthshattering but it reinforces my thoughts that it's nearly impossible to anticipate the "ultimate" webpage size for a wireless device!

Mobile Web Technology

2011-01-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

In the process of adding Mobile Web Technology as an option for website clients. This is something that can be integrated into existing websites and fees will depend on the number of pages.

From what I'm seeing most customers are looking for the basics... hours of operation, contact information, directions, etc. Your feedback would be absolutely welcomed and appreciated!

How to FIND Things...

2011-01-02T12:24:00.000-08:00

Before tackling the topic I'd like to wish clients, friends and family a VERY happy, healthy and prosperous 2011. I have a feeling this is going to be a great year. Here's hoping!

It's been quite a while since I had the time to blog but my New Year's Resolution was to revamp my website and IMPROVE communication so today's post is a good start! This is going to be very much off the I.T. (Information Technology) topic but I feel the need...

These last few weeks have been a time of clean-up and preparation around here... as is the case in every other office and home environment around the world : ) This is the time when one gathers up all the things that had been sitting in a spot (or in some cases, a stack) waiting to be put away. Typically when we run out of time I scoop up the miscellaneous items and put them out of sight until the holidays are over. Then the fun begins.

The search starts January 2nd when misplaced tools, leftover notes and/or measurements, letters, bills... socks and anything else that wasn't put away is, well, "missing". After 35 years of "retrieving" I gave thought to HOW it is we women are able to go directly (in most cases) to the exact location of the missing item. More importantly I wanted to start training my husband how to find his OWN socks/tools/etc. (It's too late to train the kids unfortunately!)

I found the best way was to suggest taking mental "snapshots" of one's surroundings as you move from room to room (or building to building). If you're in the process of setting something down make yourself aware of the general area (or room), what's in your hand and what is surrounding the item or nearby. All this takes is a little concentration and it can save HOURS of time in a day already stretched too thin.

I'm happy to say I'm seeing subtle signs of improvement and I'm hopeful that someday I won't hear "Where's my...?". Next, we'll tackle actually putting things AWAY : )

Browser Wars / Firefox

2009-07-16T15:39:00.000-07:00

Great article by Walt Mossberg on the "Browser Wars" and Firefox's new release!

Check it out: Firefox

2009-07-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

July, 2009

Hello from the Small Details!
Poor Abe is taking quite a beating these days. It's our hope that this bulletin will provide a few helpful ideas to increase your company's earnings by improving your web presence.

Most business owners realize the importance of an effective website. However, in this ever-changing world of information technology ("IT"), having a website isn't always enough. Almost every day we're asked "How can I move my site to a top position on Google?". Promoting your website has become increasingly more important as the level of competition intensifies. Let's talk about the options...

Bundled Business Solutions
For the last year we've been searching for the answer to the million dollar, "best form of advertisement" question. The current trend to "Go Green" by cutting down on printed materials, fuel, etc. has caused us all to rethink the traditional methods. Enter Google Analytics, AdWords and the world of Twitter, Facebook... "Social Media".

Researching SEO & the social media process is a full time job in itself, so our goal shifted to that of locating reputable experts in the field of search engine optimization (SEO) and social media. That being said, we're VERY happy to introduce Bundled Business, a team of Internet Advertising Professionals who utilize an impressive combination of resources including Google, AOL, About, NY Times and the latest promotional tools, Facebook and TWITTER to promote small and medium-sized businesses. ( » More about Twitter as a Marketing Tool ).

The Bundled Business staff will create and implement a campaign specifically designed for your business, closely monitoring daily activity, and making any necessary adjustments. Their experience has been that local online internet advertising generates THREE TIMES more sales per dollar spent then print or broadcast advertising. Business owners are recognizing increased website traffic and greater returns on their website and advertising investment.

You can contact BBS by email: sales@bundledbusiness.com. Effective July 15th you'll be able to reach them through our "group" telephone: (877) 483-1040 (more on this below). In the meantime, CALL them directly at: (866) 740-5558. We're sure you'll appreciate their innovative approach and exciting direction... please tell them we sent you!

META Tags & Keywords
Google is king. There's no doubt about it. So naturally website designers spend a good part of our time trying to keep up with the current guidelines for developing a Google/search-engine friendly website for our clients. We've found there is a common misconception about the importance of "keywords" in a website's "META Tags". Meta Tags are HTML statements that are inserted into the source code of a web page. The main purpose of these tags is to provide meta document data to user agents, such as search engines. When most people refer to "keywords", they are speaking of the keywords in the Meta Tag labeled "Keywords".

While it's true these keywords are a factor, there are actually FOURTEEN different types of keywords. Here are the TOP FIVE in order of priority according to our sources:

Keyword(s) in the URL (website address). Placement first in the URL is most desirable. Example: In "www.salondelaware.com", the placement of the keyword "salon" is ideal. In addition, Google looks for keywords in the domain name separated by a hyphen.
Keyword(s), located close to the beginning of the "Title" tag. This has become increasingly important.
Keywords in the "Description" Meta Tag. These keywords describe the page theme. Special note: Google does not rely on this tag but it can come into play.
Keywords in the "Keyword" Meta Tag. These also describe the theme of the page--You should list no more than 10 words. VERY special note: The keywords listed in this tag should absolutely appear somewhere in the content of your page. Although Google does not necessarily use the keywords in this tag for ranking your site, you can be penalized for irrelevance if Google doesn't find at least some of the same keywords in your page text.
Keyword density in your page text. Keep in mind there is some cross-checking going on during the indexing of your webpage. Search engines are constantly eliminating sites that are packed with irrelevant keywords, designed to attract customers but offering no valid information.

Announcing the "Total TK Group" ... a total turnkey business solution
Some of you are familiar with the Small Details / Hi5s, Inc. / Devine Computing connection. For those who are not, Small Details established a business relationship with what was formerly known as DMA Web Applications in 2003. The company was acquired by Hi5s, Inc. in 2006 and since that time has continued to grow. Small Details and Hi5s have partnered on several ecommerce and content management projects (programming).

In addition Hi5s provides top-notch IT services including systems analysis, recommendations, network installation and administration as well as website hosting to roughly 80% of the Small Details clients.

Devine Computing has been a reliable computer hardware and networking service, located in northeastern Maryland, who also provides professional IT services both locally and through REMOTE! access for small businesses. Their services include server maintenance and repair, PC repair (they actually make local house-calls!), antivirus solutions and network administration and wiring installation.

In addition, we've established working relationships with a graphic designer and printing company for brochures, flyers, ads and other printing services (additional details coming soon), marketing guru Accent-Promotions, a partnering website design firm who specializes in Flash (animation), our wonderful bookkeeper Janice Hartman and of course, Bundled Business Solutions.

With so much new talent, we've decided to simplify our products and services by presenting them as a single TURNKEY solution... collectively known as the "Total TK Group" -- www.totaltk.com. This new and exciting website will include comprehensive information about ALL of the services available with the convenience of one-stop shopping. We hope to launch the new site by the fall of 2009... watch for additional details.

Website & Email Emergency Plan
With hurricane season approaching and given a recent server outage, we have implemented an emergency back-up information system for our website hosting/email clients. Although the dedicated servers our affiliate, Hi5s leases are in (local) state-of-the-art data centers, we are reminded that we're all subject to an occasional severe weather event or a rare, but inconvenient mechanical difficulty. The uptime record of Hi5s' supplier has been exceptional, however, planning for the unexpected is always a good idea.

Beginning July 15, 2009, we will provide "Server Status" notices on our Hi5s.org ( www.hi5s.org ) website, which is located on an independent server. In addition, please feel free to contact us by phone at: 877-483-1040 (Option #1 or #4) or Small Details (directly) at: 410-996-9713. In the event of an outage, please contact us and we will be happy to provide an alternate address.

Let Small Details Install Google Analytics on YOUR website...
Find out where your traffic is coming from
and what they're looking for.. Get started TODAY!

It's a start

2009-07-01T15:02:00.001-07:00

The Small Details now enters the realm of social media. Thanks for joining in on our conversation. Please follow us on twitter and find us on facebook. Check back for more updates