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Business Blogging: A New Tool for Your Business

admin — Mon, 03 May 2010 12:41:07 +0000

Does your business website need a blog?

In order to find out if a blog could be good for your business, answer the following question:
• Do the vendors, targeted customers spend good amount of time on internet?
• Do people research about product or any information related to your business online?
• Do you have some instances in your experience or specific business related information which you can share with customers?
• Can the information you share add value or educate people regarding your business?
If you have answered affirmative to most of the above question, you can be sure that your business and your website can be benefited by integrating a blog.

The “why” of corporate blog
The concept of corporate blogging has been around since early 2000’s, and now we can certainly come of age today. The importance of business blogging was not highlighted initially, but today, a blog is considered as a tool for public relations, marketing, brand promotion as well as communication with customers and other business. From an internet and web presence perspective a business blog has obvious SEO advantages.

SEO Advantages of the blogs
When a blog is a part of your main website, it increases the chances to get quicker attention of search engines. Blogs basically work by pinging mechanism. A correctly set up blog quickly ping the search engines indicating that there is new content to index.

• When posts of your blogs are linked to some pages of website with appropriate anchor text, those pages also gets indexed quickly.
• Frequently written good quality blogs attract many eyeballs. You are also credited for sharing the industry specific knowledge with people.
• You can target more number of industry related key words with your blogs.
• Having a blog written by a person adds a feel aspect to the business. This also increases the trust factor among the customers.

Preparing to blog
Before you begin to blog, spend some time in the realm of the blogosphere to get an idea about what is going on and what are the hottest topics being discussed about your niche area. You would obviously benefit by reading the blogs form the leading personalities in your field. The general frequency you can maintain is about one post a week. This shows that your website is updated with relevant content at a decent frequency. Ideally a post between 300 to 600 words is good enough.

Tips for blog content
The key points that indicate a good business blog are
• Relevant topics: Ensure that the content on your blog is relevant to the industry. Be sure that the subjects you write are recent and add value to the subject matter.
• Accuracy of the content: Being accurate about whatever you write adds to your brand value and gives the impression that you as an individual and as a company are reliable.
• Being concise: People come to your page to read blog not a book, so be concise. If a particular post is longer you could consider making two posts out of it.
• Respond to the comments: It is imperative that you respond graciously and appropriately to people who comment on your blog. This is one of the best ways to connect with people on a personal level. This also engages the customer s and creates positive image about your business.

As your blog goes popular, it will attract more eyeballs and would mean better publicity for your business.

Manage your content with the right content management system

admin — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 08:38:06 +0000

A content management system (CMS) can help you organize your website in a way that it is accessible to everyone. However, the trick is to find and implement the right CMS for your projects.

If the content on your website needs to be altered frequently, then you would perhaps need access and control of your site rather than request updates through your web developer. This is when a CMS comes into the picture.

So when you have decided that you need a CMS, the following suggestions can help you choose the most appropriate one for your projects.

Budget: The first step is to determine the amount you can spend on a CMS. While determining your budget, don’t forget about the implementation and support costs.

Review the volume of content and consider scalability: Determine the volume of content you have today, and will have tomorrow. Your system should be able to support your maximum projected users at least for the next five years. Once you have evaluated your needs, match the volume with real life case studies to know what your intended Content Management System can handle.

Format Flexibility: Evaluate the format flexibility of your CMS. If you will be publishing in several formats (social, web, mobile, video, audio, XML, etc.) then ensure that the content can be re-formatted easily.

Printing Flexibility: Websites and web technology flourish on change. So make sure that your web content or site design is twisted or totally changed at least every 12 months. Go for a CMS that does not limit your ability to make changes.

Some of the recommended content management systems are:

Wordpress: This CMS system is best for websites that have four or five static pages, like “About us”, “Contact us”, etc. and pages that change frequently, like the blogs.

ExpressionEngine: This CMS system allows for more dynamic content, and also allows easy multiple changes at once.

Drupal: When a website grows, it becomes difficult to manage information. Drupal CMS is specifically designed for large sites that feature several pages of individualized content.

Make an informed decision about the right content management system and see your business soar to new heights.

The Bloom Box – Your Power Plant Breakthrough

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 06:18:11 +0000

Our personal source of energy in the backyard

This is a promising New Year, and we have it for real. There are going to be many new surprises that will follow, The Bloom Box is just the beginning. Our long awaited revolutionary energy breakthrough is finally here. A little power plant in a small box giving you inexpensive and clean energy with no emissions at all, and this is no more a pipe dream. With the help of this box, we will be able to generate our own electricity, and, which will be wireless. This is like having your own ‘Sun,’ our source of energy in the backyard.

The big power plants and transmission line grids, can now be replaced, and expected to be a thing from the past. We sure are good enough to make this world a better place to live in, just give us a little freedom and lots of time.

Bloom-Bloom energy – Bloom time

Dr. K. R. Sridhar is the CEO, and principal co-founder of Bloom Energy, KPCB’s first green-tech investment; a company engaged in the making of these tiny fuel cells called “Bloom Boxes”, that are able to create massive amounts of power. These flexible fuel cell systems produce clean, reliable and affordable energy using a wide range of fuels. This enables the consumers to be able to generate our own cheaper electricity. This will also help us cut carbon emissions by 50-100% per kW, depending upon the fuel consumed.

Fortune magazine has cited Dr. Sridhar as “one of the top five futurists that are inventing tomorrow today.” Dr. Sridhar had earlier led a team developing technologies for sustaining life on Mars for NASA, and also worked as a professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, as well as Director of the renowned Space Technologies Laboratory (STL) at the University of Arizona, before founding his brainchild ‘Bloom Energy.’

Green-tech solution – a milestone

He is also a sought after speaker and adviser on energy and environmental issues. We are closing on to realizing his dreams, like he says “we can solve our current energy problems through a combination of technology, innovation and conservation.” May his words, as they are, come true.

Writing for the Web – Keep Evolving

admin — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:24:17 +0000

Content and content presentation is bound to the technologies that work on the web, and is susceptible to change and evolve with the algorithms ruling the search engines. This fact cannot be denied that all content put on the web today is intended and designed to rank better on search results. Keywords are the guiding lights illuminating the path content creation is now expected to take. This may go on for the fact that the search engines today are not really ‘so smart.’ It will take a while before they get better, efficient and completely evolved, where keywords and content manipulation will have no meaning left to bank upon. For the time being however, keywords are all that we have.

Start With SEO Basics

This is true, “If content can be searched on, then it can be optimized for better performance in search.” However, the definition of the SEO is and will mostly be changing by the day. As for the moment you can make the most of the resources and optimize your videos, images and even audios. This can only be made possible through relevant meaningful content and links. They are of immense help and will enable you make better use of SEO tactics in your online presence.

Some More SEO Tips

After compiling your keyword glossary, you could make use of a keyword tool in order to target your audience efficiently.

Do not get carried away, optimize your content for the readers first. Now, go back and make adjustments to make this search engine friendly without damaging the script.

Never overlook and make sure to the use of keywords in the title, sub-heading and the text body. The title is the most important place where the presence of the keyword makes ultimate sense. However, do not stuff keywords just for the sake of them being there. Logical and relevant presence will alone make sense, so that your piece is visually appealing and easy to digest.

Normally, keywords appearing for about 2/4 times, in a 400/500 word release is just fine.

Making Press Releases Work

Traditionally a press release is just another type of announcement. However, an online press release, like all online content, is so much different that you can do more than just pitching a message or an event. You could even inspire calls to action, add you onto Facebook, or even make a call. You could even take the reader to a landing page for optimization analysis. Look at these as more than a one time thing, what with your links in place, a press release is your very valuable investment and asset.

Welcome to Wikimedia – Free Content Online

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:45:43 +0000

“Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge.” This is the Wikimedia commitment.

Wikimedia, owned and operated by the Wikimedia Foundation is a non-profit foundation devoted and dedicated to bring free content to the world through the internet. The stated goals of the Wikimedia Foundation is to develop and maintain open content on Wiki based Projects, and to provide these to the general public free of any charges. This acquired name “Wikimedia” was first coined by the American author Sheldon Rampton in a post to the English mailing list in March, 2003.

The Wikimedia Foundation relies heavily on the generous support offered by the users themselves. The Foundation is incorporated as a 501©(3) non-profit organization in the United States, where donations from US citizens are tax deductible. Wikimedia Foundation Inc. is presently headquartered at San Francisco, USA.

Following is the list of Content Projects relating to Wikimedia –

Wikipedia – The Free Encyclopedia with multilingual content

Wiktionary – A Wiki-based Open Content dictionary

Wikiquote – A Free Online Compendium of Sourced Quotations

Wikibooks – A Free Library of Educational Text Books

Wikisource – The Free Online Library of Free Content Publication

Wikinews – The Free News Source Where You Can Write articles

Wikiversity – Open Learning Community

Wikispecies – Free Species Directory

Wikimedia – Incubator

Wikimedia – Commons

Wikimedia – Meta Wiki

MediaWiki – Free Software Wiki Packages

Helping to contribute and collaborate makes it simple and easy. The idea behind the basic Wiki concept is just this. It is willing to provide us with an online platform where we can pool in our resources and build something which all of us in the future can make use of. Wiki will only check the genuineness and authenticity of the subject and help preserve and maintain the database. Terrific idea, and terrific work combined with some non-profiting motives are spelling out some online wonders, which shall be very difficult to duplicate. The entire global community using and building Wiki’s resources sincerely hope that Wiki, some day will come out of the red and make some money without compromising.

Globalizing Collective Online Resources

The best part of Wiki products and packages is that they come in many languages, so that a truly global community can benefit using Wiki’s services. Then, the content is always open to editing, which again makes the material more substantial and truly updated. It is no wonder that most Wiki’s sites are in the best lists and highly rank on all search engines. Wiki products, as time goes by are turning to be the most popular and most frequented websites.

Print Media to Digital Media – The Evolution

admin — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 05:34:56 +0000

As the traditional print media began adopting digital technologies for gains, little did it realize then that sooner or later the new media would be putting the traditional methods into oblivion. While the digital media is perfectly able to fulfill on the promises that it made, the fast paced technological changes in the new media, has totally transformed what actually appears today. Frankly, if we hold both ends, they appear like two separate entities, unless we are able to reconstruct the missing link.
Understanding Globalization – Through New Media
New media is a new term meant to bring together the emergence of digital, computerized, or networked information and communication technologies operative as of now. Most of these techniques are digital, and often bearing characteristics of being manipulative, networkable, dense, compressible, interactive and extensively impartial.
The best examples of these are our websites, internet, computer multimedia, computer games and so on. New media today can simply be understood as a mix between existing older cultural conventions for data representation, access, and manipulation and newer conventions of data representations. The new media especially with the help of the internet is bound to make extreme changes in the way we are able to present news even surpassing constraints like space and time.
The new media is capable and
• Will alter the meaning of geographic distance, as meaningless.
• Allow for huge increases in the volume of communications.
• Provide ultimate possibilities of increasing the speed of communications.
• Provide unending opportunities for interactive communication.
• Allow different and separate forms of communication to overlap and interconnect with one another.
New Media – The Perfect Tool for Social Change
The rise of this new media has tremendously increased communication between the people all over the world and especially through the internet. The new media now available as a tool to all, without any kind of barriers, and equally serving the right and the wrong has immensely contributed towards a global social change engulfing us all; and at the pace with which it is growing, sooner than later, none of us would be left out.
Newer orders, with fewer restrictions, better connectivity and faster communications will enable us come out with our best. The positive outcome as a result is far more appealing than the bleak picture that some of us may want to paint.
Let the best of us come together, no matter from which corner of the world this belongs, after all we are one as mankind.

Keywords: Are they getting undue importance?

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 06:11:27 +0000

In ancient ages people thought that the sun and stars revolve around the earth. It turned out to be otherwise. The same paradox applies to the web. Earlier we thought that search engines go around in web, but it seems the whole web has come to revolve around the search engines. Further inwards, keywords were meant to make rounds of search engines; but now it seems the whole search engine philosophy revolves around the keywords. Or, are we going wrong?
The web of earlier era was like free flowing and ever expanding galaxies within the earth’s ether. There were no restrictions. It let all the physical boundaries go burst and the blood of creativity flow. Going by the URLs was still the norm and people had URLs on the tips of their tongue or fingers.
This expansion was so rapid and beyond the ken of the common user. It became impossible for the users to keep track of websites sprouting at every node. The search engines woke up to the reality that users are looking for something to help them sort out searches and provide for one-point gateway to whatever they needed. That was the time search engines descended on the psyche of the net users.
Keywords became the master-key to get whatever information one needed on the web. The time since words became keywords, the direction of the revolution of the web reversed. Websites, networks, contents, blogs… everything started revolving around keywords. It has come to such a stage that we need to decide the keyword before jumping into the web-wagon. You must finalize your keyword before doing a search, designing a website or writing content.
Keywords provide you a cliff to go bungee jumping into the web. But ultimately, this cliff, platform or gateway has become more important than the web itself. It has curtailed the freedom of using the web and writing content, as search engines are using their spy-eyes to record every key-stroke. The search engine is also keeping track of the traffic. But it is interested in watching which vehicle you use rather than where you go.
Is too much emphasis being laid on the keyword? Agreed that key permits you to enter the house, but are we giving more importance to the key than the house?

Content Writing: Art or a Science?

Adam — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:38:13 +0000

Changing mediums of communication have thrown open many new avenues within the field of writing; and content writing is the one amongst it that is much in demand and growing by every keyboard press. Though it is basically a type of writing, it has certain strict regulations. That creates a platform to discuss whether content writing should be treated as an art or a science.

It’s an art

There should not be any doubt that writing is an art form. Like dancing, painting and singing; writing is also regarded as one of the art forms since ages. Good and prolific writers are always revered like gurus by the disciples of writing. Content writing, basically being a type of writing, qualifies to be called an art.

The only feature of content writing that differentiates it from other types of writings is that it is for the electronic media. Traditional mediums like pen and paper are not availed for content writing. That does not mean that it does not need basic skills required for an art form. Like any other art form, flair for writing is born within and it cannot be inculcated from outside.

It is a science

Content writing does not have a freedom like other forms of writing. It has many limitations and techniques involved. Writing for specific readership, limitation of word length, use of keywords, and its density, creating hyperlinks, etc are some of the features of content writing that makes it more like a technique.

Unlike other types of writings that give you freedom to explore various aspects, content writing is basically done keeping specific readership and electronic media in mind. An author can give personal touches to the other types of writings, whereas content writing does not allow anything other than a professional touch.

Well, the debate is open for all. Do bring out your points of view.

Podcasting for Small Businesses

Adam — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:15:27 +0000

What does it mean?

A podcast is a transmission of digital media files in audio, video or any other format, over the web. It is a series of many small parts that follow web syndication and can be downloaded. Like, on radio it is broadcast, on television, it is telecast; the same way on internet it is podcast.

Where did the term ‘podcast’ originate?

This term is a mix of two terms – the first part, pod, relates to the iPod, a popular portable media layer device by Apple Computers; and the second part, cast, is derived from broadcast. A British journalist, broadcaster and photographer, Ben Hammersley first mentioned this term in 2004 in one of his articles. He also suggested a few other names, but incidentally, ‘podcast’ caught on. Some others refer to it as Netcast as well.

What supports podcast?

Despite the name that has derived from iPod, the usage of podcasts is not restricted to this particular gadget. It can be played on any media player whether it is portable or system based like computers. Its format is easily accessible across playing platforms.

What are podcast types?

Though podcasts are mostly in user friendly MP3 file format; there are various types of podcast based on the format as well as what it contains.

An audio podcast is in simple audio format without any kind of video or graphics supporting it.

Similarly another popular type of podcast is video podcast. Sometimes it is also referred to as vodcast. It is mostly a video clip delivered online. Television serials that can be viewed through cable, a set top box or a computer, are all video podcast.

A podcast that contains an audio with simultaneous display of images is called as enhanced podcast. Images may be in the form of an artwork, animation or a recorded video. While playing podcast, all these are activated simultaneously within the window of the device on which it is being played. It is fast catching the fancy of one and all, as it enables audio and video to amalgamate and produce the required information. Educational institutes, business houses, entertainment producers are all vying for enhanced podcasts to achieve their purposes.

What is its utility?

Great! You have the sky – you display your flight skills now. What Podcast has been able to do is, given you an opportunity to be creative in a particular media. What you are able to make out of this – is your take.

Audio and video podcasts can give a whole new meaning for ways to delivering web content. This will also be able to generate better audiences since is based on multimedia. Providing viable and meaningful content using podcast would be a challenging task.

How we are able to make use of this space would be very interesting. Unlike the verbal scripted text there is less room for blah – blah – blah. Multimedia may be difficult creating, but it sure makes a better impact.

Audio and Video Podcasts can give a fresh and new meaning to the working of the World Wide Web.

What is a Teaser?

Adam — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:39:47 +0000

Imagine that you are jogging in the morning in a park near you. Suddenly, a few meters in front of you, one jogger cries out catching his knee and collapses on the ground. Before you could reach there he gets up and walks away. You are surprised and notice that he has left a piece of paper at the spot. You reach the spot, pick up the chit that reads, ‘Reach 101, Park Street, immediately’.

Your curiosity is killing you. You turn around and reach the provided address, to find a big shoe store. Their banner reads, ‘Improper and cheap jogging shoes can hurt your legs. Get the best quality shoes here.’

So in order to advertise their store, the jogger in the park teased you. He played a ‘teaser’. Got it?

Teasers in media

Similarly, in the world of advertising, any small caption, image, audio, video, animation, etc that grabs your attention for comparatively small span of time but leaves you curious is called a teaser! These days television channels are running plenty of teasers that go something like, ‘World is coming to an end! Watch special bulletin at 10 tonight.’ Does it not arouse curiosity? Actually, it may be just another program. But amidst cutthroat competition, such teasers help to attract viewership. They do not reveal the real picture and leave you wanting for more.

Recently, some newspapers published teasers that read ‘Gold prices dropped. Turn to Page 3’. It leaves readers curious enough to turn to page 3 without reading headlines. Here, it talks about a new offer on its products that may fetch you gold.

These days every magazine on newsstand is trying to grab buyers’ attention by sporting teasers. It may be a catchy line or an image that compels us to pick up an issue and look inside.

Teasers on the web

Most commonly we come across teasers while surfing the net. They are in the form of pop ups, moving images and animations. They catch our attention, raise curiosity and vanish. They leave a link to be clicked to find out more.

How about articles and blogs on the net? Do they have teasers? Yes! They are mostly in the form of a catchy title, byline or an image.

Their characteristics

Though sounds simple, the teasers have three main characteristics. These are:

They don’t reveal anything: They don’t tell you the story or hint at what’s on the offer.

They arouse curiosity: That’s for sure and that’s their primary task. They shall invoke the response and hang up in mid air.

They are short lived: Their life ends after taking you to the main story. They lose effect or are of no use once the story is revealed.