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Internet Safety Month
June 1st, 2010June marks the beginning of Internet Safety Month. WebProNews notes that YouTube is dedicating significant space to the occasion by showing a few videos on the matter. You may have noticed the WDDA logo located on the Contract Coomer homepage. The WDDA, Web Design and Developers Association, has been “Dedicated to Promoting Ethical Business Practices and a Family Friendly, Child Safe Internet” since 1996. Having been accepted into the Web Design and Developers Association, I definitely appreciate and would like to promote June as being Internet Safety Month, encouraging everyone to remember to be safe on the Internet. We have become so accustomed to technology we may easily become negligent with our own Internet safety. Please take a look at YouTube’s blog dedicated to Celebrating Internet Safety Month as well as visit the YouTube SafetyCenterVideos.
~ Surf Safely ~
Internet Safety Month Posts:
Internet Safety Month – Website
Wrapping Up Internet Safey Month
Professional Networking
May 20th, 2010There is a new wave of media overtaking the Internet. Social media is at the tip of every users’ fingertips.
With social media being at the forefront, you may be wondering why Contract Coomer offers professional networking services rather than social media services. Social media services are included in the professional networking services, but included with direction.
An anti-social teenager can manage to rack up thousands of Facebook fans and Twitter followers. It is doubtful that their social media following would cause their real-life social interaction to increase. The purpose of using social media outlets for a business is not to simply gain a cyber following, but rather to increase their business. Professional networking uses social media in a professional manner, making professional contacts and increasing the professional profit.
The professional networking services are titled such because it really isn’t all about Facebook and Twitter to begin with anyway. I have dabbled in the web realm for a long time. Fads in the web realm change faster than the speed of a packet. As you read, a genius in their basement, perhaps a groups of geniuses in a basement, even in multiple basements, are coding 24/7 creating the next social media craze. (Facebook was created by four students in a college dorm room if you hadn’t Googled it. – Wiki Reference) With the latest privacy issues, the typical social media expert may be shuffling their feet over job security, but not to worry. Once upon a time, Xanga was ‘the’ social network. Once upon a time, MySpace was ‘the’ social network. Professional networking services offer more than just being a part of ‘the’ latest social networking site. These services network you with long-lasting networks to increase business revenues and establish long-standing relationships.
What are the professional networking services?
- Proper use of social media outlets
- Keeping social media outlets updated, current and beneficial
- Portrayal of a professional atmosphere in all appropriate outlets
- Passion about your profession
- Accessing the professionals, communicating with the people, and participation in relevant networks not discussed by the social media gurus.
- Increasing your website traffic.
- Bringing you business
Professional networking services are beneficial to new website owners as well as the seasoned business.
Timing in the Eye of the Beholder
May 3rd, 2010Launching an online presence can be an exciting venture for any person or business. Some feel they have the bases covered because they have an active Facebook, Twitter or MySpace account. According to A Website First, Social Media Second written by Lena West (2010), there isn’t much of an online presence without a website. While her article was geared towards convincing the need to have a website prior to social media, she presents a strong message for anyone without a website. Note her three reasons for needing a website below:
- To serve as a place where people can turn to get detailed information
- To extend and round out your social networking conversations.
- You need a place to set the record straight.
Her reasoning fits those who have already plunged into social media as well. If you do not have a website do read her thoughts. To those who have already dove into social media; a new website gives you something new to share with your followers.
Being Social
April 28th, 2010Have you been spending a considerable amount of time seeking out the various social avenues on the Web? There are millions of ways to share every letter you type and sound you tweet in this social market. I spent a considerable amount of time trolling through a multitude of widgets and hacks, even creating a few of my own, investigating the best way to suit the needs of customers.
The Contract Coomer blog is powered by WordPress with a custom theme to match the website. I had a specific idea of how I wanted to incorporate my blog posts with the socializing community abundant on the Web. Notice I have added the ability to share each post with buttons located out to the side of each title. Twitter and Facebook buttons are visible with the added Share button allowing a click to show a variety of social networks. Feel free to share all posts as well as comment on some of your likes and dislikes amongst these sharing tools.
Green Web Hosting Sale
April 23rd, 2010Contract Coomer supports green web hosting services powered by 100% wind energy! We are currently offering these green web hosting services for $66 a year. Why green web hosting? 
“In the United States alone, non-green data centers used as much energy power as 6 million homes in 2005. The energy usage is projected to increase 2 fold by 2011,” (Techost, 2009). Choosing a green web hosting service is one of the simplest things a business, a person for that matter, can do to help conserve energy.
The annual green web hosting services offer more than just web hosting. Listed below are some of the services included in the package.
- 24×7 Customer Support
- 30 Day Money-Back Guarantee
- Unlimited Disk Space
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Unlimited Email Addresses
- Free Domain Name
- Unlimited Domain Pointing
- Automated Domain Renewal Available
- Registrar Transfer
- Subdomains - Website Builder
- Online Selling Support
- ShopSite Online Store
- Accept Credit Cards
- PayPal Shopping Cart Integration
- PowerPay
- Shared SSL - Unlimited FTP Users & SubUsers
- SSL Secure Server
- Application Integration
- WordPress
- Gallery2
- phpBB
- GBook
- Joomla
- Poll, Survey, Counter Tools
- Carbonite Online Backup - Programming Compatibility
- PHP 4 & 5 Support
- CGI Directory
- MySQL Databases
- Python
- Script Library
For more information contact design@contractcoomer.com or sign-up for services by clicking HERE.
What are the professional email services?
April 22nd, 2010Are you in need of announcing a new website, product launch, service or just wanting to say thank you in a professional manner?
Today, I will be covering the two primary professional email services Contract Coomer offers to clients. Contract Coomer offers customized email addresses to reflect your business or trade. We also offer professional emails that visually match your website or can be designed to suit your specific needs. Professional emails that match your website are discussed and an example is provided below.
Feel free to post questions and comments.
A professional email address typically appears as info@yourdomain.com. For instance, a person needing design services from Contract Coomer would contact design@contractcoomer.com. Statics show that using a professional email address gives much more credibility than use of a free or isp email address. Contract Coomer offers more than just professional email addresses.
ContractCoomer.com also offers professional email services to match your business or personal website. Some companies may use outsourced companies to provide you with these types of professional email services, but we personally design and code these pages. View the professional email service sample provided below. Notice how the business email sent to the user’s yahoo email matches the business website.
Professional Email Service Sample
Website Home Page
Notice how professional the email appears when it matches the website. This service also is capable of sending a professional email to all of your contacts at once. What a great way to present yourself or your business.
Is Your Website Mobile Friendly
April 5th, 2010According to comScore, 30.8% of smartphone users are accessing social media networks from their phone. – Reference
With the increase in social media accessing, website viewing through smartphones and other mobile devices is sure to rise. Is your website mobile friendly? Web designers and developers go to great lengths testing newly created websites on a variety of platforms attempting to ensure usability. The increase in mobile device use raises an entirely new usability dilemma in which I have provided some assistance. Below you will find two links to assist in your quest to please the mobile user. See what they see!
Modern Community Connections
March 5th, 2010A supportive local community contributes to the survival of small businesses during the economic ups and downs. As a result, businesses continuously seek ways to market to new customers as well as maintain their loyal client base. Businesses discovered long ago the necessity to connect with their community. Many businesses still reach out to the community in a physical way, but in today’s modern age, the modern marketing edge is found with technology.
Recently, I met with a small business owner interested in a website. While waiting, I listened to her and a client discuss the Internet. Neither were comfortable with the Internet, specifically mentioning their avoidance of websites such as Facebook. I listened intently aware of the networking opportunities their businesses were missing by not connecting with the community in a modern manner.
The marketplace is now filled with a generation very comfortable with technology. Many consumers spend a majority of their free-time time surfing the Internet. Businesses excel by connecting with their community in a modern fashion. The current generations as well as future generations frequent the Internet searching for the best deals. The days of teens cruising in cars has been matched by teens and adults alike cruising the Internet together.
How might businesses connect with their community in a modern fashion? Creating an online presence through a website is necessary. In addition to a website, using social media as a means to connect with the community is beneficial. There are so many social media websites one uncomfortable with the Internet may become overwhelmed quickly trying to determine which one to use.
Twitter located at http://twitter.com is a great way to start one’s flight to connect. Sign-up for a free account using your business name and reach out to the community immediately. Once comfortable proceed to open a free Facebook account located at http://facebook.com. Create a business fan page with your account. Mention your Facebook fan page on Twitter and vice versa. Spend time communicating your business and ideas to your community by being active on these accounts. Provide links to your business website and encourage followers to visit often. There is a way to market your business in addition to an open physical door on a town block; the virtual door on a superhighway.
Starter Web Presence Package
February 11th, 2010Is a website right for your business? Contract Coomer is now offering a starter web presence package to help businesses answer this question. With the economy suffering wise marketing is essential for every business. The starter web presence package provides your business with a custom created web page and the option to expand your website at a later date.
The package includes the following for one year:
- One Custom Created Web Page
- Domain Name ( yoursite.com )
- Unlimited Email Accounts
- 100% Wind Powered Web Hosting
- Search Engine Submission
- and more
Starter Web Presence Package Price – $150
Your business web page will be created specifically for your business.
Example Web Page Screenshot - Flash – or - Image
In this technical age businesses are feeling the pressure to make a web presence. The Contract Coomer Starter Web Presence Package will eliminate any anxiety you may have. The package allows your business to have a web presence with the option to add more pages to the website at a later date for a low price. What is the price after the first year? Just renew your web hosting plan, domain name included, and the page stays live. Feel free to contact Contract Coomer with any questions you may have.
Easy WordPress SEO
February 3rd, 2010Creating pretty permalinks is an easy way to improve your WordPress SEO. Permalinks are the hyperlink, URL, attached to the title of each blog post. By default these permalinks are quite messy. Follow the directions below to make the permalinks pretty.
- Add a new post
- Notice the Permalink under the title of your post
- Click on the ‘Change Permalinks’ button
- You will be directed to the Permalink Settings page
- Notice ‘Default’ is ticked
- Tick the ‘Custom Structure’ circle instead
- Type %postname% in the empty box
- Click the ‘Save Changes’ button at the bottom of this screen
- Note: The change affects all permalinks, so be sure to adjust any external links you have pointing to blog posts
- You can adjust these links even further by clicking the ‘Edit’ button to the side of your new pretty permalink
- Type in the desired new words relevant to your post in the box
- Note: Do not use spaces between words
- Click ‘Save’
Your new pretty permalinks will now reflect a more accurate picture of your blog posts. The more relevant your link to your post the better SEO for your WordPress blog.