YNot Web joins the Fair Oaks Chamber of Commerce as a sponsor to this year’s Fair Oaks Fiesta. Fiesta Days is held May 6th and 7th in Fair Oaks Village. Activities include a Parade, rides, childrens game booths, carnival, frog jumping, Theatre Festival show, Fire Safety Demos, Car Show, Toilet Bowl Race, food and crafts. Go to the Fair Oaks Chamber of Commerce website for more information.

Many clients and business colleagues have heard me use the term “Above the Fold” as well as quoting stats for screen sizes and resolutions. Why do I care so much and why should all web site owners care about this?

I care because it can mean the difference between success and failure.  If your most important sales tools are hidden, you are unlikely to make the sale. Its a dog eat dog world and you have about 5 seconds when someone comes to your website to grab their attention.  If attention grabbing details are not on that first screen, bye bye- your prospect is gone.
We’re a little bit lazy- we web surfers.  We don’t like to scroll.  So pitch your most important stuff up at the top of the page.  Make it easy for us to find.  And no, my screen is not the same size as your screen.  Just because you have yours set up to fit an entire encyclopedia volume, doesn’t mean the rest of us do.

Current stats:  78% percent of web users have screen resolutions of 1024×768 or less.  How big is that?  Well, if you have 10 icons or more down the left side of your computer desktop on your monitor– you are in the minority.

Screen resolutions obviously continue to advance as new technology and bigger screens comes out, but you might notice- there is still a practical limit. We can only read words that are so small! In fact, if your target audience demographic consists of people of more advanced age, they will be skewed toward the bigger elements and larger fonts– therefore LESS fits on their screen- maybe an 800×600 resolution (16% of web users).

So keep this in mind when you’re writing web copy, placing promotions, placing your contact information– anything that is necessary to make the sale!

In addition to launching the new site design this weekend, I got a jump start on organizing my office. You know, when you’re entrenched in one or more intense projects, you – like me – may let the cleanliness and organization slide.
So finally I was able to put away the stacks, file away old projects, and make more room to just move around. Its amazing how having a Clean and Open space can help clear the clutter from your mind as well.

Keep an eye out for mail from Yahoo giving away $50 in Yahoo Search Marketing credits for new accounts.

Yahoo Search Marketing is Yahoo’s pay per click and sponsored search advertising venue for web site owners. As Yahoo is currently the number 1 search engine used on the internet, your advertisement can potentially reach millions and be seen on sites like Yahoo, MSN, Altavista, and CNN.

So if you are thinking about trying out this advertisement method, starting with an extra $50 ad budget is a great place to start. If you do not receive a mailer from Yahoo (or you simply see this entry well past its post date), you can still Sign up and get a $25 credit.

If you have a web presence and any sort of advertising budget, I highly suggest you at least test the waters with Pay Per Click.  If you need help setting up a campaign to increase your chances of success, give me a call – I can help.

Yep, its true.  Today there is a new YNot Web site design!  I hope you like it.  I mostly wanted to be able to integrate in some new features (like this blog) that would make it a lot easier to update my site on a whim and communicate more useful information to our clients.

You’ll see I’ve re-introduced our Newsletter (though I haven’t decided whether to keep its previous “What Now?” name), as well as added a more in depth Articles section (for more formal writing) and this blog (for more casual entries).  I wanted our Services section to include more information, list all of our package deals, and give you a better idea of the range of things we can do to help your business web site.  I am still adding descriptions for some of our SEO packages and other content, so keep watching our site grow.

Of course, you can still manage and buy web products, like domains, hosting, and online fax services by visiting the YNot Shop.

Leave a comment or send me an email letting me know what you think of the new YNot Web.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Many tools and service providers will promise high Search Engine placement if you pay for them. Educate yourself on your options and your ROI before investing in any tool or service.

• Posting Do’s and Don’ts:
  • Abide by the posting rules of the group.
  • Be brief in your messages.
  • Stay focused on the topic.
  • Use a short (4-6 line) signature file that includes who you are, what you do, and how people can reach you or read more.
  • Post questions that enable you to describe what you do.
  • Only mention your business when you find an appropriate opportunity.
  • Make your subjects short and catchy with the most important words first.
  • Answer questions from others that you’re qualified to address.
  • Review and edit your message before posting.
  • Slip in off-hand curiosity peakers (like mentioning that you’re being featured in the paper, a magazine, or tv show).
  • Be constructive — no sarcasm or put downs.
  • Remember, the Internet is 24/7. Check your messages often. People don’t want to wait for a response and you are more likely to be able to take advantage of a "right place and the right time" opportunity.
  • If you think a message is only appropriate for an individual, then deliver it in a private response, not as a post to the group.
  • Don’t expect results from vague Questions or Answers
  • Don’t post messages that are too long.
  • Don’t use all CAPS — this is considered yelling even if its not intentional.
  • Don’t irritate participants with advertising stunts.
  • Never Cross-post or bomb several communities with the same message. This is considered the same as mass mailing or spam.
  • Don’t expect instant results. Newsgroups are relationship builders- they are a long term strategy.
  • Don’t mention fees or prices unless you are asked.
  • Don’t directly ask for any orders, just let them know how others can get more information.
  • Don’t post commercials or ads where they are not welcome.
  • Avoid including the entire message to which you are replying- edit it down to the relevant points.
  • Don’t include your email address in your signature — spam bots just will harvest it. Include your URL instead.