Starting a successful website is a multifaceted challenge. Think of it this way: the Internet is a book with several million pages. Some of those pages (Google) are cardboard and preternaturally thick and the book seems to open right to them. Some of those pages have those little post-it sticky notes on them and some of them are so thin they stick to their neighbors– readers can’t find them unless they know the page number. Once you get your website up and running, there are several things you can do to make your pages stand out.

Pay Attention to Every Page

Each page of your website is valuable. The more pages you have (provided those pages have real, useful content) the better your site will be ranked. The more information you provide, the more search terms you organically introduce to your site. Remember to create a site map that outlines all of your pages with links. These links will facilitate crawling (more on crawling below).

Use Robots.txt Files

Using the Robot.txt file in the appropriate locations tells search engine bots which pages they should crawl and which they can safely ignore.

Build Incoming Links

Incoming links are critical: they demonstrate to the search engines that your site is part of a larger network of sites. The bigger and better the sites that link to you, the better your indexing will be. Try to build incoming links to multiple pages in your site, not just your front page. This will create the dynamic 3-dimensional link structure that search engines love. Be careful to avoid external sites that have poor reputations. Search engines penalize these sites and they’ll penalize you by association.

Monitor Your Site

Keep tabs on how well your site is indexed over time. As you make changes to your content or site structure, you will see what works and what doesn’t. Don’t be afraid to try new tricks! Read tutorials and implement what you learn. Building a good ranking takes a lot of work and time. Don’t give up!

Content Rules!

It’s important to be consistent about adding new, quality content to your site. The more often you update your content, the better. Make sure it’s actually legitimate, useful content though. Search engines are getting better and better at identifying fake content designed solely for the purpose of improving rankings. One way to avoid trouble is to monitor your use of keywords. Make sure you only use a few keywords for each 500 words.

Quality Metadata

Good content shouldn’t be limited to your visible pages. Make sure your metadata is well-written too.

Be Patient

There is often a time delay between page updates and search engine indexing. Don’t despair if you don’t see an improvement in your ranking immediately after making updates. It’s also the case that the longer your site is up and active, the better it looks to the search engines. So keep working at it and, over time, your rating will improve.

If you check out basically any technology-related website this week (and many non tech-related sites as well) you will find information relating to the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property, Protect IP Act (PIPA).  This proposed legislation (which has, for now, been avoided) would not only halt online piracy, it would take away a whole lot of online freedom too.

Sure, I believe that protecting intellectual property is important. Many artists, entertainers and the companies that employ them don’t want consumers getting their products for free. This is understandable. We all need to make a living. But we can’t protect intellectual property on the Internet by universally censoring content. Before I go any further, let’s explore what PIPA and SOPA really are.

PIPA

PIPA was first introduced by Senators Patrick Leahy, Orrin Hatch, and Chuck Grassley. PIPA would give the government and U.S. corporations the right to seek legal action with any website they determine has allowed copyright infringement. This extremely loosely-defined legislation could potentially:

- Force Internet providers to block websites on their networks.
- Force advertisers on “infringing” websites to pull their ads.
- Seek legal action by suing blogs, search engines, directories or any other site on the internet.

Goodbye, User-Generated Content

PIPA would create a perilous online climate for any website. It would encourage harsh restrictions on user content, effectively censoring any type of user-generated participation. This means user-generated writing, videos, audio files… ANYTHING. The fact is, user-generated content is a huge part of what makes the Internet so rich. If PIPA passes, we will lose our free forum. This will have wide-reaching implications for social behaviors and social control.

SOPA

SOPA would work in conjunction with PIPA. It would allow:

- The U.S. Attorney General to seek court orders to force search engines, DNS providers, advertisers and more to sever contact with any “offending” websites or content.
- Private corporations to create their own hit lists of websites they feel are breaking their copyright policies, for ANY REASON. Read: legal mafia. The companies would be able to contact a website’s provider directly to sever service within five days.

Sayonara, Innovation

Not only would these bills severely restrict user-generated content, they would stifle innovation. Developers aren’t going to experiment with new ways of distributing content if they are constantly under threat of take-down. Think about the big sites we all use today: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, DropBox… none of these would have made it a week under PIPA and SOPA.

Ridiculous Consequences

Imagine this scenario: a child makes a video of herself singing a popular song and posts it to the Internet. That child could be responsible for the blackout of YouTube. That child and her family could face legal action. They could face fines in the millions! Is this the kind of Internet we want?

Sometimes one of the hardest things about marketing is asking the right questions. You may look at your marketing materials and think they’re great, but are you thinking about them from your perspective or the perspective of your clients? Removing yourself and your perspective from the equation is an important step. Before you can think like a client, you have to stop thinking like a business owner (unless of course your clients are business owners themselves). Below are a few questions that any business owner can ask herself to improve and build on her marketing strategy.

What is the Real Long-Term Value of Each Good Client?

One client may not seem like much, but in the long-term a good consistent client can make or break a company. Okay, so maybe that’s a little much. But if you think of every client as a critical part of your business, you set yourself up to treat each of them with respect. The better you treat each client, the better your business will be.

Who Do You Want to Attract?

Good marketing starts with good targeting. Consider the ideal customer. Maybe this is someone who doesn’t need a lot of extra support. Maybe this is someone who raises the profile of your business or who is tied into the business community and gives you great word-of-mouth. Whoever your perfect or ideal customer is, target your marketing materials at that person directly. It may seem somewhat short-sighted, after all there are a lot of people out there who may benefit from your products or services, but if you are aiming your message at the people you want most to attract, chances are good you’ll attract those people. If your perfect clients start arriving, they’ll bring more perfect clients with them. This is the type of equation where quality truly is better than quantity.

What Do You Really Sell?

Sure, you may think you sell eyeglasses or security systems, but chances are what you’re really selling is something less tangible than that. Maybe it’s peace-of-mind, a competitive edge or a style statement. Getting to the bottom of what your clients are looking for will help you figure out how best to present whatever it is you’re selling. Market to the demographic and your sales numbers will improve.

Of course, this is just a beginning. But if you start really asking yourself the hard questions about what you’re doing, why, and for whom, you’ll be amazed at how much clearer your thinking becomes.

One of the most common questions we get from new business owners is whether it is best to host their blog on their own site or on a blog hosting site like WordPress. We typically recommend that business owners host their own blogs, since the cost is low and control is entirely in the hands of the author. However, there are some instances when hosting on a free blogging site makes sense.

When Free is Right

If your budget is tight and you are worried about the learning curve, utilizing a free blogging service may be the right choice for you. WordPress and Blogger are two free hosting services you may consider. Of course, the downside of free hosting is the lack of control. Not only are you stuck with the non-customizable URL, you don’t have complete control of your own content. For a business, having control and security are essential. More on this below.

What’s the Deal with WordPress

As a platform, wordpress has many advantages. It’s customizable, easy to navigate, and has a large community of people sharing tips, troubleshooting tricks and free templates. The problem with hosting a WordPress site on their free service is that they can enforce their “non-commercial-use” policy at a moment’s notice. This means if you use your blog to advertise your own products or include affiliate links, you run the risk of losing your content. The good news is that WordPress is available for free to host on your own site. This means you can take advantage of all the perks of a WordPress site without worrying about the WordPress police. You’ll need your own hosting account for this, but you can often include a WordPress blog on your existing hosting plan. We offer this here at TurnKey.

What is Your Existing Web Presence?

Do you already have a business website? Do you have a presence on the social networks? If your business is already somewhat established online, it’s probably best to host your blog on your own website. The main reason for this is your URL. When you host on your own site, your blog shares the same URL as the rest of your website. This is good for branding and it keeps customers from getting confused. It also means that your blog’s content will help your entire site’s SEO profile. The search engines will index your blog posts as new content, and this will make your site pop up higher in search results.

Do You Already Have Hosting?

If you already have hosting for your website, chances are good you’ll be able to add a blogging platform at no extra charge. If you have a bare-bones hosting plan, you may need to upgrade, but the cost will only increase by a few dollars a month.

Worried About the Learning Curve?

Don’t be. Not only are these platforms designed to be user-friendly, many hosts offer one-click installation. This means you don’t have to know anything at all about how the technology works to start using it.

Learn More

We offer hosting plans specifically tailored to the blogger. If you’re feeling nervous about setting up your first blog, this is a great place to start.

http://www.turnkeyinternet.net/blog-hosting/

We are all completely moved into our amazing new data center and we couldn’t be happier! It’s incredible how productive a person can be in such a lovely environment. Don’t get me wrong, our old office was lovely too, but the big open space, great windows and comfy offices in this new building are so inviting. It almost makes a person want to live here! It’s also been wonderful to be in the middle of town. It’s easy to walk to shops and restaurants– it feels like the perfect place to really integrate ourselves into the local business community! We’re already regulars at the Chamber of Commerce and other local business groups, but there is something to be said for being right at the heart of the action.

Finishing our move into our new home has been the perfect cap on our year, and we’re all in very high spirits going into 2012. We managed the transition without any service issues and all our hardware is humming along, backed up by our new generator. The neighborhood has been welcoming and understanding of the many vehicles coming in and out each day as we migrated all our hardware to the new space. We’re now taking a collective breath, putting the finishing touches on our offices and looking forward to the holidays!

Early in the new year, I will post that virtual tour I’ve been talking about. With our space fully decorated and complete, you’ll get a real sense of the vibe of the office and the great personalities of our team. You’ll get a peek into the inner-workings of your hosting company (this is some spy stuff, I’m serious). Stay tuned.

The holidays bring cheer, presents and a fresh new round of scams to our Internet. It’s a time of year when folks are busy shopping online and we’re all feeling a little more giving. Unfortunately, our giving attitudes and rush to get gifts for everyone on our lists make us likely targets for the opportunistic crooks in our midst. So hunker down, have a cup of cocoa and learn how to protect yourself from the 12 scams of Christmas, 2011!  Thanks to the folks over at McAfee for reprising the list! We’ve included some from them and some others we’ve seen in our own travels. Enjoy!

1. Online Shopping

Everyone buys gifts online these days. It’s a great way to find the perfect items without having to leave the comfort of your home. But beware of the scam store! If you’re shopping somewhere unfamiliar, be careful to check out the store’s credentials. Otherwise you may purchase a gift that never arrives.

2. Mobile Malware

As mobile devices become ever more popular, malware that targets them does too. As more consumers than ever use their mobile devices to shop, check bank accounts and redeem coupons, more of us are in danger. You should pay particular attention to QR codes this year. Malware exploits the little black and whites to gain access to your phone (particularly Androids).

3. Fake Apps

Who doesn’t love apps? They’re cute, cheap and entertaining. Unfortunately there are many malicious apps out there that will steal information from smart phones or send out expensive fake texts. They’re often masquerading as games or cute applications.

4. Fake Antivirus Software

It’s ironic: you get this stuff to protect you from viruses and here it is causing them! Fake antivirus software or scareware, as it’s now known, frightens users into installing it with a fake alert about an active infection. Once the user clicks “install” the real infection takes hold.

5. Scammy Facebook Promotions

Facebook is chock full of fake promotions, contests and prizes. While this is always true, users are particularly susceptible around the holidays. Protect yourself from this one by simply refusing to click! Just say no. If something seems too good to be true… well… you know the rest.

6. Holiday Screen Savers

They’re so cute: Rudolph and his glinting nose, 3D santa, a festive tree, but be careful! Downloading anything from a site you don’t know and trust can be dangerous. The scariest part is you may never know you were infected!

7. Mac Malware

This is a first! Until recently Mac users have been protected from your typical spammy malware, but not so anymore. According to McAfee, there were 5,000 pieces of malware targeting Macs at the end of 2010. You better believe that number is only going up.

8. Phishing at the Holidays

Phishing scams are a matter of course all year round, but at the holidays they take on a decidedly trickier hue. Many holiday phishing scams claim to be charities, social holiday greetings from friends or coupons for holiday shopping. Always be suspicious of any unsolicited communications!

9. Online Coupons

Speaking of coupons, watch out for them! Everyone is looking for coupons while they’re doing holiday shopping, and scammers know it. Most coupon scams involve entering personal information. Never enter personal information on an unfamiliar or untrusted site.

10. Mystery Shopper Scams

Who doesn’t want to be a mystery shopper? It’s a fun job doing what you already enjoy (if you’re like me). In this tough economy, many people are looking for extra work to make ends meet around the holidays. If you’re attracted by a mystery shopper job offer, beware. Don’t enter any personal information and you’ll be safe.

11. Tickle Me Elmo

Okay, so this particular “it” gift isn’t so much the rage anymore, but every year there is some toy or gadget that everyone simply must have. Scammers love to use that raw desire to their own advantage. If you see that special something offered for a deep discount or on a strange website, don’t bite. Read all the text carefully. Poorly written copy is often one of the only signs that a scam isn’t the real deal.

12. Away From Home

This is an old-fashioned scam in a new-fashioned world. Don’t announce on Facebook that you’re going out of town. You might not realize it, but chances are good you’ve got some followers you don’t know all that well. Chances are even better that they’ve got followers you know even less. Take a simple precaution and keep your travel plans to yourself.

No matter what business you’re in, data security is important to you and to your current and potential clients. For many small business owners, the fear of poor security is enough to inspire them to invest huge amounts of money in in-house data infrastructures to run their businesses. In many (if not most) cases, this level of infrastructure far exceeds what the company needs, or even what it can handle. Hiring the IT staff necessary to keep in-house technology running and up-to-date, alone, can put you out of business. And with the constant evolution of technology today, the costs are not likely to go down any time soon. On top of all that, your data security probably isn’t as solid as you think it is.

Downsize

The first step towards financial independence from your IT infrastructure is downsizing. I don’t just mean buying cheaper or less robust equipment, I mean getting rid of your equipment all together. It might seem like a bold step, but the number of world-class, secure, affordable web hosting and data storage providers out there make this step a no-brainer. Not only will you enjoy improved data security and performance, your out-of-pocket costs will plummet. Good web hosting companies can afford to have the most robust, powerful security measures available. Why not trust the experts?

Going Remote

While it will probably feel strange at first–like you’re arriving at high school without your pants–you will quickly realize how liberating it is to trust your data to a company that specializes in security. If you do your homework and sign up with a reputable company that offers guarantees (guaranteed backups, guaranteed bandwidth, etc.) you will have someone to hold accountable when things go wrong, and you will be protected by their terms of service and their public reputation. No good web hosting company is going to let your business fail because that means their business fails. In an online climate where word of mouth makes and breaks businesses every day, the small business consumer is protected like never before. Also, when your data is accessible remotely, your office suddenly becomes mobile. You can access your business website, client records, everything, via a secure remote connection. This can be a real boon for a small business, especially when that business only has a few very busy employees.

Save The Green

By outsourcing all of your IT costs, you won’t have to worry about electricity, IT staff, hardware replacements or the potential for catastrophic data loss due to fire, flood or any other natural or man-made disaster. Your business won’t be tied to one physical location. If you sign up with a company that has multiple data centers, you can opt to have your data backed-up to multiple geographic sites. This redundancy protects you, your clients and your business future.

Upgrades

One of the most compelling reasons to get your infrastructure out of your office is the possibility for on-the-fly technology upgrades. What if your business suddenly takes off? Do you want to be held back by your aging infrastructure? With a good web host, you can add server space quickly and easily. Often all you will need to do is submit an online order!

Support

If you are not particularly tech-oriented, or don’t feel entirely comfortable letting go of your hardware, find a package that includes fully managed support. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to call when things go wrong? Someone who knows the technology backwards and forwards, and who’s fee is already included in your monthly bill? Yes. Yes it would.

Provider Competence

Of course, what goes without saying here, is that you need to find a solid, reputable provider (that’s right, I said it anyway). In addition to solid guarantees and a good TOS, look for a company with a proven track record with small businesses like yours. If other business owners are happy with the service, chances are you will be too. Funnily enough, one such business pops to mind: TurnKey Internet. We specialize in small businesses! We also offer a huge collection of additional automation services to streamline every aspect of your business. Hop on live chat if you’ve got questions. We’d love to make you an offer you can’t refuse

Keeping your website fresh and up-to-date may not be on the top of your list of priorities at the moment, but it should be. While it may not be fair, an out-of-date website speaks volumes about your business. It portrays a lack of technical savvy, imparts to clients that you may not be the most reliable company out there and may send new business to your competition. Of course, you know you have a strong company with good customer service, excellent products and a proven track record. The thing is, it’s not enough to know that, you also have to communicate it to potential clients. In the world today, your company website may be the first, last and only impression your clients have of your business. That and that alone should make it a priority.

Credibility

In our fast-paced marketplace, we don’t have a lot of time to investigate a company before we give it our business (or, alternately, take our business elsewhere). We make snap decisions, often not even realizing why we’re making them. Think about it: if you visit a website for a clothing store and find broken links, an outdated template, a sloppy design and an unpleasant color-scheme, are you likely to trust that business with yours? This is especially true if you sell products online! I am not putting my credit card information into a form from 1998. With all the identity fraud out there, consumers are wise to the dangers, and they’re much more careful than they used to be. This is a good thing for consumer safety but it makes your job harder. The look and feel of your website goes a long way towards building client trust.

Marketplace Perception

Your website doesn’t just speak to your potential clients, it also speaks to your competition. If your competitors visit your site and see a sub-par presentation, they will probably do their best to upstage you, and it won’t be difficult. if you’re competing in a niche and you know your competition, check out their sites. Does yours measure up? Thinking objectively, would you shop at your site or would you trust the competition? So much of business is about subtle perceptual hints. Take advantage of that.

It’s Something You Can Control

There are many things in the marketplace that you can’t do anything about. You can’t change the economy. You can’t force clients to visit your store. You can’t predict the future. However, one thing you can do, today, is change your website. You may find that a simple re-design is all you need to bring your site up-to-date. Maybe all you need is a new background, some new fonts, some fixed links and a better photograph! Small changes really can make a big difference.

It Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive!

One of the greatest things about technology today is the large amount of automation available to people with relatively little technical experience. In fact, right here at TurnKey we have a great product called TurnKey Website. It’s an all-in-one website builder with an easy-to-use interface, lots of pre-made professional templates and total customization. In under an hour, starting with no experience whatsoever, you can build an entirely new website for your company. While it may feel intimidating, the learning curve really is very shallow! And with everything you have riding on the quality of your website, it’ll be an hour well spent.

Learn more here:
http://turnkeywebsite.com

We would like to extend a hearty welcome to all the new folks who took advantage of our Black Friday extravaganza. Welcome! It’s been a bit crazy around here, but that’s just how we like it. We are really looking forward to providing whatever support you all need as you get up and running with your new web hosting packages. Let us know if you need any help, have any questions, or just want to say hello to our friendly staff.

Welcome to the TurnKey family and happy holidays!

We are finally starting to move in to our new data center home! We’ve powered up and started the process of migrating our servers and decorating our offices. After so much anticipation, it hardly feels real! We’re all in high spirits and the move is going smoothly without any disruptions in service.

Once we’re all settled in, I’ll take you on a virtual tour of the space. Highlights will include the ironclad vault, the fishbowl conference room and the data center floor where the magic happens!

We’re really looking forward to meeting our neighbors in the bustling town of Latham. We’re also looking forward to all the delicious lunch options, just a hop away from our front door! Speaking of which, it might be time to dust off the treadmill