I cannot seem to get off of Facebook some nights! It’s sucks you in like a black hole.

The interactive qualities of the site are so simple and quick. It is easy to keep track of hundreds of people at a time, just by looking at your own profile page. Plus, with my 20th HS reunion coming up, tons of my classmates are signing up on Facebook where we have found a great central place to keep in touch. I’m back in touch with so many people and it feels great.

Still, it’s nuts that I am even up this late and it’s all because of Facebook. I should at least learn how to put together an app for the site so I can make some money off the thing.

How about someone making a web browser that works well with all websites first? I have Internet Explorer, Opera, and Firefox loaded onto my computer and I have all three open at most times. Why? Some sites won’t work with some browsers, some work better in particular browsers. It’s a hit or miss sort of game and I find it annoying.

And that is why I am not going to be one of the dupes who downloads Google’s Chrome browser.

Plus, it is oddly suspicious that Chrome is released right after Microsoft gives us Internet Explorer 8. Explorers’ newest upgrades include more ways for you to cloak your online preferences as well as a shield that will make it harder for Google and other marketing networks to figure out which ads are most likely to appeal to which individuals. In a word, it is giving us more privacy.

Google is not a fan of Privacy.

Google wants a piece of the web browser action and to me, it looks like they are going to make a grab for it without actually giving us a truly compelling reason for why we need yet another browser. The official Google blog calls Chrome “a fresh take”. So, is that like all the ambiguous “change” Barack Obama has been talking about? A lot of talk about newness without solid evidence of anything new actually happening?

One of the more exciting aspects of Chrome is the New Tab Page, but that is simply just Opera’s Speed Dial. Yawn. It’s not anything new at all. In fact, if you look around Chrome, you will see that they use a LOT of Opera’s features.

Thanks, but no thanks. I think I will stay with Opera as my main browser. Just because Google wants a piece of the action does not mean they have done anything to actually deserve it.

I know a lot of my readers find their way here, because they are part of an elite community of at-home crafters looking to begin their own businesses. Due to that, I like to offer input from time to time about the importance of establishing your online identity.

Domain names are the first step on setting up your website. You have to get your hands on a great domain name that reflects either the name or the nature of your business, before you can go about putting your website files online with your webhost.

The internet grows exponentially each year and as time goes on,. It seems like there are less and less available domain names. If you find that the domain name you want is available, register it now – even if you are not ready to put your site online. That same domain name could be gone by the time you actually feel ready to use it. Snap it up now and it’s yours for as long as you pay the registration fees for it.

GoDaddy.com is the world’s leading domain name registrar. They also offer web hosting, site creation tools, and e-commerce and security solutions. On top of their solid reputation for on-target customer service, they offer very low prices – especially compared to other companies with similarly good reputations. Plus, right now you can use the coupon code BLOGGER799 to get your .COM domain for just $7.99 at GoDaddy.com. And yes, .COM is still the best choice for your domain’s small business – as opposed to .net, etc.

So, if you have a domain name in mind and find out that it is available – buy it today!

The teaser headline on CNN’s website said, “Firefox fans celebrate release of new browser.” I remember wrinkling up my nose. What an image that conjured for me. Are there people out there on the internet so thoroughly devoid of a real life that they actually CELEBRATE the new version of an internet browser being released? Did users actually put on party hats, blow up balloons, and bake elaborate cakes? Maybe there is a faction that exchanged greeting cards or even those who got together and went out to see strippers last night to express their glee.

Maybe these are the same people who wait in line for days for the newest versions of Apple’s iPhone, just so they can pay significantly more money than other people will pay for even better products only a couple of weeks later?

Apparently Firefox 3 had 1.6 million downloads by last evening. Firefox’s Web site says there are about 9,000 copies of the free web browser being downloaded every minute.

OK, that’s fine. It’s a decent browser. I happen to like Opera better, but whatever floats you boat, you know?

While I like geeks as much as the next person, this next tidbit of info actually soured my stomach: Firefox are allegedly trying to set a world record for most software downloads in a 24-hour period.

What? Who cares? Really, WHO cares? In a world where everyone seems to want instant fame, is this really the coolest thing someone can find to be known for? Most software downloads? Ew.

I am finding my cup of green tea more exciting that a new Firefox version, but that’s just me. I actually have a pretty full like that does not involve placing my rear end in the computer chair

I think this might be a new series. It is inspired by my friend, Xtine, and something she said on her blog about men who go to dance clubs and do that dance where they rub their crotches up against you. That is creepy. Women do not like it, and if they actually DO happen to look like they are enjoying it — they are probably drunk or not legally permitted to be in public alone.

 So, my first in this particular series will be about older men who use MySpace in libraries.

Creepy. Very creepy.

1. Most of them are either wearing wedding rings or have a tan line on their ring finger. If you happen to look over at the profiles they are cruising, or their friends list, they are looking to communicate with women (mostly purportedly single) who use desperate looking profile pictures.  I have had the bad fortune to sit down to use a computer at my library and on three separate occasions this 50-ish man with a wedding ring and a business suit has sat next to me, logged onto MySpace, and gone on to send and receive pornographic messages. These computers are close, I am occasionally nosy, my peripheral vision is awesome. I have seen him make at least 6 dates to meet women in hotels.

Creepy.

2. All too often they bring their kids with them while they troll for trysts. Ew. Whether or not they are single, the fact that they would use the library to provide quasi babysitting while they look for someone desperate enough to sleep with them is creepy. As a mother, this is something that points out the man’s lack of respect for his kids.

Creepy.

3. Public libraries give you a way to see things you would not normally see. If a hideous man puts up a MySpace profile using someone else’s photo in the privacy of his own home, you might never know. When they log on in public, people can look right over their shoulder and see the truth. Do you even have any idea how many very fat, very smelly, very disgusting men I have seen sitting at a compute picking their noses while they use a picture of a hot man to communicate with overly-bleached-blonde bimbo types on MySpace? Let’s just say, enough to give me nightmares.

Creepy.

4. How about the man sitting next to me right now. He is a mouth-breather. He is easily 15 years older than his profile states. He is receiving long, thoughtful messages from pretty women. his replies are all one sentence long, pecked out using one finger, and sexual in nature. He looks like he is in here while on a break from the office. I am going to go out on a limb and say he looks like he has a good job, plenty of money. I would assume he has computer access at home and at work. So, why use the library to do social networking? Probably, because he is cheating or attempting to cheat.

(OK, you may ask why I am using the library to blog when I have access at home? Good point. I am sitting here waiting for story-time to be over for my daughter and thought I might jump online for a minute.)

When you are a mom, it is somehow a great comfort to read about the everyday lives of other moms. It makes you feel more in tune, more normal, and a lot less alone. I’m not sure I would have said I liked to read about the day-to-day musings of a mom before I had my own daughter, but I can sure say it now.

I love to read blogs written by Mommy Bloggers.

Looking at the demographics of this blog’s traffic, there is a reasonable chance that if you are reading this right now, you are also a mom. So, with that in mind I will pass along to you from time to time the blogs of other moms. In fact, here’s one for you now: My Take, the blog of a New York mom with a background in education. Give it a read.

There is sticky and then there is sticky. I am not talking about the kind of sticky that gets on your fingers after you’ve eaten a honey comb. I’m talking about the term people use to describe a website that has all the right elements needed to keep your visitors coming back over and over.

There are a number of things you can go to bring visitors back to your site:

1. Keep It Fresh
Make sure you keep the content fresh, new, and ever changing. When people know that they will always see new articles and information when they return to your site, they will eventually make returning a port of their internet surfing habits.

2. Incorporate user-generated content.
I use a discussion forum one of my websites. The members of the forum are constantly making posts that add to the useful content of my overall site. People come back daily to check and see what it new on the forums. Once there, the main site is not far from there I minds anymore.

3. Use a newsletter and a mailing list.
This is my favorite option, because it is not dependant upon people remembering on their own to return to your site. You are reaching out and bring them back.

So, let’s elaborate on my last point: a newsletter. It is easier than you think to put together a simple e-mail newsletter that you can send out weekly or monthly to your site’s visitors to keep them abreast of what’s happening on your site. You send out the hook and they come back to read more.

You might think it would be a lot of work, but you can actually use content you have already developed. By using Zookoda, a free application designed with bloggers in mind (though content providers with rss/atom feeds can utilize it as well), you mail out a summary of your latest blog entries as often as you like.

Your subscribers are people who have sited your blog and use the custom newsletter subscription forms that you place on your site. Once you’ve created your mailing list, you just schedule broadcasts for each day, week or month. Your newsletters can even match the design of your blog, and they can be formatted for mobile readers.

Creating the e-mail that will go to your list is as easy as filling out a few fields.

 

Sticky. It’s all about sticky. Bring those readers back to your site, to your blog, to your business. And, keep them coming back on a regular basis. Before you know, you have a solid, regular reader base and a more successful website.

I’ve written before about how I love niche social networking sites. There are social networking sites for crafters, horse lovers, college students, religious groups and just about anything else you can think of. It seems to me a more interesting way to go than just joining a catch-all social networking site.

Well pet lovers, there is a site for you, too!

Take a look at AnAmigo.com. It’s a community where you can actually make a custom profile for their pet and connect with other pet enthusiasts in the United States. Membership is free and signing up is quick and easy. I did it in about a minute and then the system sent me a confirmation e-mail. At that point I was able to go in and complete a profile. I was prompted to choose a profile style for myself, a dog, a cat, or a horse. I made a profile for my Maltese, Echo. Bless her little heart. When I have more time I will put up a profile for Chloe, the cat queen of the house.

You can add pictures, swap stories, comment, keep a blog, trade tips, and sit back and have fun connecting with other animal lovers. The site is super easy to use and family friendly. The folks at AnAmigo had a launch party at the Sundance Film Festival and celebs like Jack Black and Felicity Huffman stopped by. Cool.

AnAmigo, get it? Animal Amigo – Animal Friend.

The landing page is far from dead. In fact, marketing experts agree that a properly optimized landing page is akin to a 30-second commercial for your website. Your site’s landing page is one of the best ways to accurately track pay-per-click (PPC) advertising returns and the all important business leads.

Marketbright is conducting a Webinar that will showcase:

• Fundamentals of landing page creation and design
• Optimization of Google for landing pages
• Tips and strategies for optimizing landing pages for maximum click-through

Register for the webinar now.

::: ::: :::

 Press Release:

SAN BRUNO, CA–(Marketwire – January 22, 2008) – Marketbright, the only on-demand integrated online marketing and web content management platform, will host a Webinar on Thursday, January 31st, on Landing Pages 101. Landing Pages have quickly become the 30-second commercial spot of digital marketing, and their importance in tracking pay-per-click (PPC) return on investment and capturing critical lead information cannot be understated.

Members of the public are invited to attend the Webinar. Attendees will learn:

– Fundamentals of landing page creation and design

– Optimization of Google for landing pages

– Tips and strategies for optimizing landing pages for maximum click-through

WHO: Kevin Miller – Director, Client & Business Development

WHAT: Landing Pages 101 – Best Practices for Leveraging Landing Pages

WHEN: Thursday, January 31st, 2008, at 11:00am PT, 2:00pm ET

WHERE: To register to attend the Webinar, please visit:
http://www.marketbright.com/pages/partners/mktb/jan-31-2008-webinar/index.html?Campaign_Id=11781&Activity_Id=9701

A replay of the Webinar will also be available after January 31st at
http://www.marketbright.com/pages/partners/mktb/jan-31-2008-webinar/index.html?Campaign_Id=11781&Activity_Id=9701

About Marketbright
Marketbright provides an on demand marketing automation solution which allows companies to implement self-service campaign execution and demand generation, automate lead scoring and nurturing, and to gain visibility into closed-loop campaign-to-cash metrics via real-time dashboards. The integrated marketing platform results in a full 360-degree view of your customers’ interactions, and this information is used to route only valuable, qualified leads into your sales CRM. Marketbright’s customers include Business Objects, Varonis and EVault. Marketbright is headquartered in San Bruno, CA. For more information, visit the company’s Web site at www.marketbright.com.

Though the concept is not new, the push to enroll affiliates in the Net Audio Ads program is a current internet trend. I did sign up for the program. I will be up front about that. I plan on testing it on one of my medium traffic websites to see how I feel about the ads and the monetary results. I have come across several reputable websites using the ads and I have to admit they are impressively unobtrusive.

If you are looking for a way to monetize your website, blog, or social networking page, think about giving over some time to investigate the use of audio ads. You add a bit of code to each page where you want the ads to appear and a short 5-second audio clip then pays up on page load. Instead of only getting paid if a customer clicks on an ad or performs an action, you get paid for 100% of your traffic.

The rush people are in to get signed up is because there is an affiliate program that is open for all who sign up through February 1. After that, you can still enroll in the program and host the ads. Since I am already signed up, I am by default part of the affiliate program. I’m not pushing for sign ups yet, but if the program turns out to be a big money maker, I will certainly shout it from the rooftops, so to speak.

Not that online chatting isn’t already a lot of fun, but there is a fun little program called SweetIM that you can download for free that lets you add emoticons, winks, sound effects, glitter effects, and nudges to your existing instant messenger programs, as well as web mails, blogs and your spaces on social networking site. I like the handful of extra smileys that Gmail lets me use, but the idea of having a load more at my fingertips is an exciting prospect.

The program is adware and spyware free, and it’s not supported by ads. It’s just a free and clear little enhancement for your online communications. If you already have MSN, AIM or Yahoo messengers on your computer, you don’t have to download a new chat tool. You simply download a small add-on. It also works with Yahoo email, Gmail, Hotmail; and most blogs, forums and social networks. It’s a universal bit of fun and pizzazz that anyone can use. You don’t even have to register to use it, although they have a full featured support forum on their website if you need help or what to see the latest news about new games, nudges, and upgrades.

Sweet IM is free, but you can also choose to purchase premium content, like additional packs of winks, emoticons and audibles, and premium Ringtones for mobile phones.

Before I bought my own domain names for my blogs and signed up for an awesome multi-year web hosting package that would give me 100% of the control over my own blogs, I used to have blogs on a sub domain of someone else’s site. Aside from the disgusting level of censorship this person exercised, she also did her users a disservice by hosting that account on DreamHost. Needless to say, her website was offline more than it was up and running. That is frustrating for a blogger.

Downtime was the least of the worries endured by DreamHost customers in recent months. Lately, customers have had their accounts hacked, files “accidentally” deleted, seen DNS numbers disappear, and had their credit cards billed for excessive amounts multiple times. One customer said his card was hit for $150 four times in a row one night. Another said he was hit four times for $500 each! In the end, reports are saying there is $7.5 million in erroneous credit card charges.

What in the world!?

DreamHost’s team chalked it up to a casual mistake and tried to laugh off that they attempted to bill all of their customers for the entire year of 2008 and sometimes 2009 ahead of time, without notice.

And in the midst of all this, DreamHost does not have phone support. Take it from me: if you are going to pay good money for a web hosting account you need to make sure you can get a hold of customer service and tech support 24/7.

In a direct response Lunarpages has issued a coupon code, which gives you $40 off hosting with Lunarpages. They will buy off to 9 months of a prepaid contract with DH. You can get the package deal here: Lunarpages Offer for DreamHost Customers.

Lunarpages has a basic hosting account with 15,000GB of transfer, 500GB of storage, afree domain name, and 10 add-on domains for $6.95 a month. They also allow their customers to earn affiliate commissions on hosting plans they sell.

Advertising on the Internet has its own unique set of trends. You have absolutely got to be on top of those trends or you are going to miss out on what it is that is attracting surfers to any given website.

Of course, for the past several years the trend has been solidly in the camp of text-based contextual advertising. That means ads that are primarily text only (not banner graphics) and that appear on a site based completely in the content those sites are already displaying. That way, the ads will reflect the interests of the visitors to that site and convert into clicks based on actual interest.

Make way for the newest incarnation of contextual advertising – audio contextual advertising.

The gist is to run 5-second audio ads upon page load. The ads will aim to be as contextually accurate to the existing content as possible. The difference between these ads and traditional contextual advertising is that the publisher is paid for each time the ads play, not merely when a website visitor clicks on an ad. Publishers earn from every visitor 25% of whatever fees the advertiser has paid.

The program is still in beta testing, so right now they are pushing for accounts that will play the ads and collect data. They are also offering an affiliate program with this early sign up. These ads can be played on any website, even Facebook and MySpace, so the actual potential is limitless. If you have solid traffic, think about what you could earn from every visitor to your site.

I did sign up to see what the program’s full potential might be and will share my findings as I learn more.

I love blogging. I love being able to sit down and expound on one topic or another. I love having someplace I can go to talk about my opinion on local and national news stories. I love the interaction and the challenge.

So, despite having my hands quite full at the time I have decided to begin one more blog. I looked back and realized how I often I write about parenting topic on Suncoast Scribe. Last summer I was approached to author a blog for a blog network that would focus solely on children and parenting. I was over the moon, because those topics are so dear to my heart. I put a lot of effort into the articles I posted, but it soon came to light that the links and the traffic the blog administrators promised were not materializing. I became frustrated and figured that if I was going to blog for free, I may as well blog for free on my own blog, where I have 100% of the control over the look and the feel of the platform.

And so, I am starting a Mothering blog, which will simply be an offshoot of Suncoast Scribe. Once I have it up and running to my liking I will add links to this blog. Until, then, wish me luck.

This last time that I moved, someone gave me a pack of very cute little note cards for me to fill out and send to all of my friends telling them about the move and my new address. I think I will pass them along to another friend, because I opted to go the route of sending postcards this time around. They look cool and I like the one-piece mailing, no envelopes needed. Plus, the postcard rate for a stamp is less expensive. It’s a good deal all around.

I also used postcards for my Christmas cards two years ago. I think it was a nice twist on a classic. I used a cute picture my sister had taken of me and my daughter and designed a little Winter in Florida scene, then I uploaded my design online, ordered the cards and sat back and waited for them to be delivered. The cool thing about the internet, is that having small jobs printed has become quicker, easier and cheaper than ever. Cheap Postcards are always a draw for me when I think about how to get the word out about something in my life.