Blog Feed: Keep Up With The Web

Everyone who has a website should have an easy way for people to follow them on social media sites sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+. Many people chose to install a WordPress plugin but it’s relatively simple to add buttons (like the ones at the top of my sidebar) to your WordPress website with [...] > read more

How To Gain More Social Media Audience Through Photo Sharing

Published on 2012-05-16 21:36:27

People will always pay more in time to be entertained. The entertainment feature of social networking sites is in those fun words and creative pictures. Playing by this rule has pushed many businesses and brands to the limelight. Why write about your environment, what you saw on a vacation or how that last weekend seminar [...] > read more

Does Twitter Drive Traffic to Your Website Blog?

Published on 2012-05-10 23:12:00

Last month, I decided to drastically reduce the amount of time that I spend on Twitter by: not strategically looking for content to share and cutting down on the number of RTs (re-tweets) for my followers. Instead, I subscribed to more Twitter feeds in my dlvr.it account. That way, I was adding more automatic tweets while spending [...] > read more

Do you Brand Yourself, Your Company, or Your Product on Social Media Sites?

Published on 2012-05-03 11:56:59

Recently I started a discussion called “The Ten Do’s of Using Twitter To Promote Your Business” on the LinkedIn group, “Business Knowledge Share — powered by American Express”. My 4th tip is to be consistent about your social media presence. I talk about creating your Gravatar and registering the same username across all social media [...] > read more

Top 8 White Hat SEO Tips for E-Commerce Websites

Published on 2012-04-26 04:00:28

The term “SEO” may sound foreign to many startup merchants, but understanding what it is and how it works can make your e-commerce business boom. Short for search engine optimization, SEO helps your website rank higher in search engine results, get more visitors, and ultimately boost your revenue. However, there are good ways (white hat) [...] > read more

Commenting On Blogs – What Strategy Works for You?

Published on 2012-04-19 17:50:43

Recently, on the “Bloggers Helping Bloggers” group on LinkedIn, a member started the discussion “Do You Reciprocate Comments? Why Not?” It turned out to be one of the most active discussions that we have had and it certainly elicited a lot of comments. I was impressed by how passionate some bloggers are about reciprocating every [...] > read more

Tracking Changes to Your Website Blog and Social Media Strategy

Published on 2012-04-05 20:46:38

As a small business owner or entrepreneur, how do you know whether or not a new strategy or tactic is working? If a month from now, you look at your Google Analytics and you see a significant change to your website traffic, will you know the cause? How do we know whether or not a [...] > read more

Are Your Website Visitors Sticking Around Or Bailing Out?

Published on 2012-03-29 10:48:29

The average website visitor spends about 3 seconds on a web page before they decide whether or not they’re in the right place. Whether they’ve come to your website from a direct link, a search or maybe a pay-per-click ad (PPC), they’re looking for something. They have a need, whether it be something they want to [...] > read more

The Rise of the Cyber Cold War

Published on 2012-03-21 18:01:23

What is a cyber attack, and how do you know when you're a victim? Read about the rise of the Cyber Cold War and the various types of attacks against government agencies, financial institutions, and state organizations. > read more

WordPress OpenHook 3 Plugin Broke my Thesis Theme

Published on 2012-03-16 04:30:15

Recently the OpenHook plugin for the Thesis theme was totally rewritten as the OpenHook Customizations Manager plugin. Since then, many people are reporting issues. Part of it may be a learning curve on our part. In some cases, there are incompatibilities that are difficult to identify and resolve. This is a great plugin that makes it easy [...] > read more

2 Tips on Using Social Media to Get Found Online

Published on 2012-03-08 14:07:45

Have you ever launched a website, new product or a service and not known how to start driving traffic to your website? It’s virtually impossible to establish a meaningful presence on all of the major social networking sites. The old adage, “You can’t be all things to all men” is true. It’s important to have [...] > read more

Do You Have to Be Starbucks to Need a Logo?

Published on 2012-03-01 04:00:30

As a small business owner, and user of social media, you’ve come across articles where a major corporation is unveiling their new logo to the world. They do it in hopes to gather interest and excitement. One great example of a successful launch was last year’s Starbucks rebranding. I wouldn’t even really call it a rebranding as [...] > read more

How to Ping Your Website Blog and When Not To

Published on 2012-02-24 04:00:34

What the heck is a ping anyways? Well, a ping is a packet of information that is passed from one network device to another. It’s a way of ensuring that the two devices are communicating. As far as your blog/website goes, pings are important because it’s a way of letting the Internet know that you [...] > read more

Marketer vs Marketing: What Difference Does a Keyword Make?

Published on 2012-02-16 04:36:45

Lately, I’ve noticed that a lot of people are referring to themselves as “marketers”. This term is showing up all the time in tweets, blog posts, comments and in social media profiles. Whereas I used to read a lot about “marketing”, the trend these days seems to be to use the term marketers. Have you [...] > read more

4 Simple Steps to Building Your Brand Online

Published on 2012-02-08 17:58:31

Building your brand online can help you be one of the first people/businesses that comes to mind when someone is looking for your product or service. In the small town that I live in, there’s a woman who drives a truck around selling fresh produce. She’s known as the “fruit lady”. She is a walking/driving advertisement [...] > read more

Thanks to SEO a Newspaper Reporter in Pennsylvania Found my Blog

Published on 2012-01-31 11:21:39

Last week, I received a phone call from a reporter for the Harrisburg Pennsylvania newspaper, The Patriot-News. He was looking for an “expert” on using online petitions to impact change on big business and he wanted to interview me. My first thought was how did he find me and my second thought was that I [...] > read more

What is Your Twitter Strategy for Following Someone?

Published on 2012-01-27 05:00:29

Are you on Twitter? How do you use it? How do you decide who to follow? I recently was in conversation with a potential client and we were talking about the value of building a fresh current website and featuring a blog. I was explaining how blogging is a great opportunity to build brand awareness [...] > read more

What Impact does Social Media Have on Businesses?

Published on 2012-01-16 10:19:51

Everything we do is either a relationship builder or a relationship destroyer. This is true in our personal lives as well as our businesses. With the advent of the Internet, this is more evident than ever before. Years ago, if we made a mistake or a social faux pas, the repercussions that we had to [...] > read more

How to Balance Traditional and Social Marketing Strategies

Published on 2012-01-05 12:49:28

Marketing is based on four concepts, commonly referred to by the acronym AIDA: First, you need to grab the customers Attention; you then generate their Interest in your product or service by highlighting the benefits it will bring to their lives; following this you create Desire (the “must have” mind-set); finally you motivate customers to [...] > read more

End of the Year Recap – a Time to Reflect

Published on 2011-12-27 12:09:38

As 2011 comes to an end, I want to thank everyone who has taken the time from their busy lives to help make Keep Up With the Web a place where we can all learn from each other. I truly appreciate the conversations that we’ve had and I look forward to continuing to help each other [...] > read more

4 SEO Tips to Optimize your WordPress Blog

Published on 2011-12-13 05:00:42

There’s lots of information about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) available and there are many SEO professionals and companies that you can hire. There are also some very basic steps that you can take on your own. It starts with knowing who your target customer/client is and how they search for you online. So, let’s assume [...] > read more

What the Heck is an RSS Feed?

Published on 2011-12-07 11:28:20

We’ve all seen them . . . those little RSS icons (sometimes with text prompting you to subscribe). You may already have an RSS feed set up. You probably have subscribers and routinely submit your feed to directories. Using RSS feeds may already play be part of your link building efforts or (if you’re relatively new to [...] > read more

Utilizing Social Media to Build Brand Awareness and Authority

Published on 2011-11-29 10:19:18

Building brand awareness, trust and authority is important to bloggers, entrepreneurs and businesses. Whether you’re selling products or services, people do business with (and buy from) people who have their trust. Do you use social media to build awareness, trust and authority? Do you advertise? Do you run PPC (pay-per-click) advertising campaigns? Are you active on social [...] > read more

6 Reasons to NOT Build a Website

Published on 2011-06-30 12:45:49

Need a blog? Need a website? Why? What are you planning to do with it? Are you selling something? Do you hope to make money through affiliate programs or Google AdSense ads? Do you have an existing business and need an online presence? Building a web > read more

3 Steps to Protect Your WordPress Blog from Hackers

Published on 2011-06-16 14:51:30

Hackers like to target popular software programs. (Just ask anyone at Microsoft and they’ll agree.) There are WordPress plug-ins that you can install for additional security but there are also some basic steps that you can take to help decrease the > read more

Low Cost Resources Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs Can Access

Published on 2011-05-31 20:54:58

Feeling stressed out? Overwhelmed with everything you have to do? As a small business owner or entrepreneur, you may reach a point where you need help juggling all those balls. Sometimes the decision is easy – simply outsource the task to a profess > read more

Can Bloggers Learn a Lesson From Watching American Idol?

Published on 2011-05-20 18:36:54

Is American Idol really a talent search or has it turned into a popularity contest? At the end, when the season 10 winner is announced will the most talented and promising singer of the season emerge or will we be left with the most popular singer st > read more

3 Ways to Build Awareness and Get Ideas for Your Website Blog

Published on 2011-05-10 11:48:40

Knowing who your customer is and how your product or service meets their needs is absolutely critical to being successful in any business. (There’s really no way to get around this.) You need a focused marketing strategy and you cannot do this unle > read more

If Your Website Was a Wheel – Is Your Blog the Hub or a Spoke?

Published on 2011-05-04 11:14:46

WordPress is not just for blogs any more. It is a powerful CMS (Content Management System) that be used to build websites. My question to you today is: “Should the home page of your website be a blog?” I’m asked that question all the time and m > read more

Google Panda and Website Load Times

Published on 2011-04-25 16:31:37

I taught a class over the weekend called “Marketing Websites & Blogs on a Shoestring”. (Yes, I’m aware that a blog is a website but not everyone is clear on that. So, to reach the most people and also include both keywords, I chose to c > read more

8 Reasons I Do NOT Follow Like or Connect on Social Networking Sites

Published on 2011-04-18 12:48:47

Like everything else, our online profiles are a reflection on us. It’s part of our brand. Even our statistics tell a lot about us. How many followers do you have compared to the number of people you’re following? How many tweets do you have? Are > read more

Ambassador of Buzz -Social Networking Done Right

Published on 2011-04-14 11:04:53

I was pleasantly surprised last week when I opened up a personalized thank you card from Grasshopper – a company that offers 800#s to small businesses. I had linked to them (using my affiliate link) in my article about online shopping being lik > read more

Treat Your Blog Like a Newspaper

Published on 2011-04-11 11:10:04

Ever wonder why some blogs and websites grab your attention more than others? What is it that makes a website pass that 3-second-rule that I often talk about? If you have your choice of getting the same information from two different blogs, which one > read more

Social Networking and Casting a Bigger Net

Published on 2011-04-08 10:06:21

Those of us who are serious about our businesses have some sorts of plans. Whether it’s a formal business plan or notes written on a cocktail napkin, there’s an idea behind it. As our plans evolve and we start developing our strategy, we identify > read more

Air Travel and Having a Plan B

Published on 2011-04-04 10:42:47

For those of you who don’t already know, I took a quick to Florida last week. The plan was to be back on a Monday and post my weekly article on the Tuesday. Well, in case you didn’t notice, I did not post an article at all last week. Yes, I confe > read more

Is Online Shopping Like Being in the Self Checkout Lane?

Published on 2011-03-22 21:43:12

I hate self-checkout lanes. First off, I feel like all this automation is really cost cutting methods on the behalf of big business trying to reduce costs by eliminating jobs. I refuse to use them even if it means my standing in a long line muttering > read more

Tips for Optimizing Photos and Graphics for Your Blog

Published on 2011-03-16 20:31:43

This post may seem very basic for those of you who are experienced at blogging and maintaining a website but I’ve been surfing a lot lately and I’ve come across several blogs and websites that could use a few tips on optimizing photos and graphic > read more

Treat Your Blog Posts Like Website Home Pages

Published on 2011-03-08 17:56:58

Your blog is a website. There’s nothing special or magical about it. The same basics for good website design apply. You need to drive traffic to your blog just as you would if you had a website for your business that didn’t include a blog. The ma > read more

2 Steps to Stalking the Popular Kids and Getting More Traffic

Published on 2011-03-02 13:35:08

Stalking is a pretty strong word to use here but it’s not a bad idea to get on someone’s radar screen. All of us have stumbled upon someone who is making an impact online. Maybe they have a healthy number of quality followers. Perhaps their tweet > read more

Where Does Your Website Traffic Come From?

Published on 2011-02-24 13:37:32

Some of the most important website statistics that you can find in your Google Analytics reports can be found under “traffic sources”. When you look at your traffic sources overview, you see that Google reports statistics by “Direct Traffic, > read more

Want Ideas to Promote a Niche Ecommerce Site With A Blog?

Published on 2011-02-18 12:52:38

This week someone left a comment about wanting to add a blog to an ecommerce site. He recognized that it would be a great way to help drive traffic to his website but he didn’t know what to blog about. His perception was that “it is so ha > read more

Are You Struggling With Writing Your Next Blog Post?

Published on 2011-02-09 20:44:15

For a day and a half, I’ve been meaning to sit down and write/post a new article. I’ve been struggling between catching up on my “social networking” and sitting down and writing. It’s like the cartoon with the little dev > read more

How Google Analytics Introduced Me to Social Media Today

Published on 2011-02-02 19:22:20

We all know that Google Analytics give us access to a wealth of information about our website traffic. You can find out not only how many website visitors you have but when they came, what content they looked at, how long they stayed and what page th > read more

Is Your Twitter User ID Part of Your Brand?

Published on 2011-01-25 21:13:54

I don’t know if this branding strategy makes sense to anyone but me but when I first reserved my Twitter name, I puzzled over how I could tie it into my brand. After all, 15 characters isn’t much. If my domain name (keepupwiththeweb) had been 1 l > read more

Does CommentLuv Leak Link Juice? – Guest Post by Randy Pickard

Published on 2011-01-18 21:29:54

There has been some buzz lately from bloggers worried that CommentLuv leaks link juice. Researching this question became more than just an academic question for me, as I have been seriously considering about adding CommentLuv to my blog, Internet Mar > read more

The “Synergy of Business and Blogging” – a Collaborative Effort of 31 Bloggers

Published on 2011-01-16 00:31:27

Time for another collaborative effort folks! This time it’s a free eBook that represents the contributions of 31 bloggers. Hats off to Michelle Welch (find her on twitter @NewBizBlogger) for organizing this effort. Unlike my last collaboration, > read more

Who Should You Like, Follow and Connect With?

Published on 2011-01-12 16:20:18

Some business relationships naturally tend to be more beneficial than others. For example, if you are targeting businesses that cater to the wedding market, it makes sense to develop relationships with people who work in businesses such as event plan > read more

6 Tips for Setting Up a Compact Home Office – Guest Post by James Adams

Published on 2011-01-10 14:29:29

Office space may be at a premium in your home. When this is the case, it is essential that you use every inch of space to its full potential. An organized office leads to more productivity and less stress. Finding ways to effectively use the space yo > read more

Is Twitter a Distraction or a Referral Source? Take My Poll.

Published on 2011-01-04 20:10:28

Being analytical by nature, I don’t usually do much of anything without having a goal, a strategy and a plan. Even a trip to the grocery store involves a list (if only a post-it note), a destination and almost always a strategy involving a carefull > read more

5 Tips for Incorporating Twitter into Your Social Networking Strategy

Published on 2010-12-28 21:30:51

Social networking is all about connecting and building a community. To me, it’s really no different from socializing in “real life”. Sure, it may be a little more difficult because you can’t hear the person’s tone of voice or see the twinkl > read more

What’s Your Best Customer Service Story?

Published on 2010-12-22 20:30:37

The holiday season is upon us and last minute shoppers are hurriedly rushing through the stores and driving erratically through parking lots. Rather than relaxing and taking a deep breath and spending time with our friends and loved ones, many of us > read more

Guest Post: What to Avoid When Implementing SEO Tactics by Wes Towers

Published on 2010-12-14 21:46:53

If you want your business website to flourish, at some stage you will probably get involved in search engine optimization. Also known by its acronym, SEO, search engine optimization involves strategies to attract the attention of search engines. Thes > read more

The “2011 Internet Business Ideas Book” – a Collaborative Effort of 12 Bloggers

Published on 2010-12-07 22:42:30

Are you looking for more ways to generate income online? Do you know someone who either wants or needs to make their living with a home-based Internet business? These were among the questions Ian and Amy Anderson presented to 107 bloggers from all ov > read more

Can One Website Meet the Needs of Multiple Niche Target Markets?

Published on 2010-12-01 11:33:37

I was recently approached by a gentleman who was interested in having a website built for him. As we started our initial consultation, I commented that his domain name was somewhat generic for the product that he was building the site for. Upon furth > read more

Guest Post: 5 Tips for Juggling Blogging and Office Work by James Adams

Published on 2010-11-23 09:08:00

The popularity of blogging is increasing every day, as more and more people realize that it has a powerful earning potential and also allows them to express themselves to a large audience. However, it can be difficult to begin a blog when you’r > read more

4 Tips to Creating Successful Google AdWord Pay Per Click PPC Ads

Published on 2010-11-17 13:52:03

Pay-Per-Click advertising (PPC) can be a very effective marketing tool when used skillfully and wisely. Recently, I posted a series of three articles explaining how you can run PPC ads on a budget, target your ads using keyword phrases based on buyer > read more

Differentiate your Website From Your Competitors with Live Help

Published on 2010-11-10 09:06:23

How can an entrepreneur or small business owner differentiate their product/service from everyone else’s? After you define your niche target customer and identify your marketing message, what else can you do to stand out from the thousands (maybe h > read more

Is Your Blog Your Business or Do You Blog to Promote Your Business?

Published on 2010-11-03 17:34:12

Are you a blogger? If you are, are you using your blog to build awareness and drive traffic to a website for an existing business or is your blog your business? Or do you simply blog as a hobby? What fascinates me lately is the number of people who s > read more

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Blog Feed: Keep Up With The Web

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