Business Website Calls to Action

By Ashlei Jackson, Qlixite

I recently reviewed a website for a potential client. She has beautiful site with tons of graphics. Her goal is to get customer emails or calls (leads) from her site but over the last 4 years - she’s gotten nothing. It took me less than 5 minutes to figure out her main problem...no call to action.
Many websites are made like visual resumes. There's usually plenty of text and maybe some pictures but then what? Why should I stick around? How do I get started? Ask yourself these questions when looking at your business' website (specifically your home page) and then think about what kind of elements would make your customer "click." You want people to engage with your business which requires an effective call to action. You have to tell them what you want!
A call to action is a feature on your website that demands a response from the visitor. It can be a button, linked text or a special graphic that is enticing. In a less-than-subtle way, it says "look at me" and in an equally overt manner it says "click here." Calls to action should not be hidden - they must stand out and grab attention in less than 5 seconds (that's usually how much time you get to make a web visitor take action.

Blogging: Become an Expert in Meadow Vista

By Ashlei Jackson, Qlixite

Remind me again - What is a BLOG? The word "blog" is one of the most searched words on the internet today. Why? This buzz word is searched because increasing numbers of people are trying to understand what blogging is about. A blog is a log or public "diary" posted online - A journal that is written for others to read. You can create blogs for personal, educational and informational reasons, business and corporate reasons or a multitude of other uses.
 As a marketing tool, blogs offer great potential. Blogs are much easier than newsletters to get your idea across. They can be added to, and they can be updated at any time and from virtually anywhere. Blogs have long lasting shelf lives, as they exist on the internet until you decide to remove them. This contrasts to newsletters which once you send it out, it’s sent, hopefully read but if not...it’s gone.
 Unless you are just posting marketing materials, most blogs offer a large amount of information thus increasing you or your business’ credibility. Whether your blog is a personal blog or a business blog, viewers come to blogs expecting to find frank and personal perspectives on a topic that you are passionate about.
 If you maintain your viewers and you respect the idea that you should be passionate about the content of your blog, then your credibility will go up, and this is what blogging is truly about. Blogs are easy to syndicate, meaning that you can get your information and opinions out there, and can allow them to spread. If you have an opinion to share, a product to sell, a brand to market or something else to say on the internet, and you think that people are going to want to read what it is that you have to say, then blogging is an excellent option.
 If you do not have a blog that is associated with your business or your website, then now is an excellent time for you to start blogging. Blogging is an excellent addition to your marketing strategy. There are completely different dynamics when it comes to e-mail communication and blogging. Nothing facilitates conversation, communication and community the way that blogging does. There is no confusion about blogging being spam the way e-mails can. Blogs enhance your product, idea or brand.  Setting up a Blog is easy - go to "How to Set Up a Blog".  Want ideas to write about - go to 50 Blog Topics
 So the answer to "Why Should I Blog?" is...... "Why Not?"

Computer Tip: Get the 'Red-Eye' Out

By Greg Luther, Computer Shoppe

If you take pictures with your digital camera you will inevitably take a photo where your subjects have red eyes.  This is surprisingly easy to correct.  First you will need a photo editor.  In this tutorial I will be using GIMP which is a free photo editor similar to Photoshop.  So, if you don't have GIMP installed on your computer, you can download it at www.gimp.org, and it works on Mac and Windows. 
 Next, open your photo with GIMP, and using the rectangle select tool from the Toolbox, outline each eye.  Then from the menu select Filters • Enhance • Red Eye Removal.  From this point just slide the threshold slider to get the desired effect. 
 That's all there is to it.  And don't forget to save your changes.  For a video on how to do this you can visit my blog from the blog link on my website.

QR Codes Mean Quick Response for Business

By Ashlei Jackson, This Is My Town USA

A QR code (abbreviation for Quick Response code) is a specific matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) that is readable by dedicated QR barcode readers and camera phones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded may be text, URL, or other data. For example the code shown right will display the contact information for the Meadow Vista Merchants Association.
 Common in Japan, where it was created by Toyota subsidiary Denso-Wave in 1994, the QR code is one of the most popular types of two-dimensional barcodes.
 Although initially used for tracking parts in vehicle manufacturing, QR codes now are used in a much broader context, including both commercial tracking applications and convenience-oriented applications aimed at mobile phone users (termed mobile tagging). QR codes may be used to display text to the user, to add a contact information to the user's device, to open a website, video, or to compose an e-mail or text message. Small Business Owners can generate and print their own QR codes for customers to scan and use by visiting one of several free QR code generating sites. For example, Home Depot now includes a QR code on their plant tags so users may learn more about the plants while shopping.

QR codes may appear in magazines, on signs, business cards, postcards, real estate signs, websites or almost any object about which users might need information. Users with a camera phone equipped with the correct reader application can scan the image of the QR code to display text, contact information, connect to a wireless network, or open a web page in the telephone's browser.
 Recently, QR codes have become more prevalent in marketing circles and have been integrated into both traditional and interactive campaigns. QR codes are not necessarily new to the world but they are growing ever more prevalent in the United States. As a small business owner, free innovative technology can make a difference between staying in business and growing your business.

New Cell Phone Tower in Meadow Vista

By Christine Schlittenhart, Sierra Pacific Real Estate

Have you noticed that your cell phone isn’t dropping as many calls when you enter Meadow Vista? I can actually receive and make calls while at Chevron Gas Station on the corner of Meadow Vista Road! The reason? Verizon Wireless recently installed a new cell tower in Clipper Gap off Highway I-80. As the photo below indicates, this cell tower is disguised as a pine tree. Can you pick it out from the distant photo? (2nd pinetree from the right.)
Hopefully other cell phone carriers will rent space from the existing tower, so all of us Meadow Vista-ians can benefit from improved cell coverage!

Creating Effective Passwords

By Greg Luther, Computer Shoppe

If you have a computer then you have most likely created a few passwords.  If you are like most, you have created a password that is simple so you can remember it.  Or you have written it down somewhere, but it is not secure if others can see it or easily guess it.  So, how do you create a password that is easy to remember yet very difficult to crack?  Here are some basic rules to follow.  First, you want your passwords to be at least eight characters in length, and if possible, more characters are even better.  Second, you want a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters, e.g., %, *, @.  Using a combination of these characters make it very difficult to crack; however,  it also is more difficult to remember because of all the combinations of different characters.  Here is an example of how you can turn a password that is easy to remember but  not a good password into a password that is easy to remember and a great password.  Lets say your password is the name of your pet, and the name is Lassie.  Terrible password, but that can be changed into a good password by substituting the characters in the name with other similar characters.  Lassie can be converted into l@SSi3.  L becomes l, a becomes @, ss becomes SS, and e becomes the mirror image of E which 3.  This password is getting better, but it is still too short.  So, you could combine the name of two pets. So, if your other pet is named Garfield, you could join the two names with && between the two names, and your new password could become l@SSi3&&g@rfi3lD.  Now the password is easy to remember but impossible to crack.  So use substitutions that make sense to you and be creative.

Protecting Your Personal Data on Discarded Computers

By Greg Luther, Computer Shoppe

When you have an old computer that you no longer have a use for, what is the best way to dispose of it?  Of course, that depends on your situation, and how you used your computer.  If you have not had any personal data on the computer, you can take the computer to a refuse station like the one on Combie Road in Meadow Vista where most items are accepted free of charge.  Here is the link to their site:
Http://www.recologyauburnplacer.com/universalwaste.htm.  You can also donate your computers to Goodwill in Auburn and get a receipt for a tax deduction.  But most of us have personal data on our computers, and if you dispose of or donate your computer, your personal data -- even if it has been deleted -- can still be retrieved.  So, what are your options?  One easy way to protect you personal data is to remove the hard drive before you dispose of your computer.  This is something that you can do yourself with a little research on the Internet.  Another way is to use specialized software that overwrites the hard drive multiple times which makes your personal data very difficult to retrieve.  It's the electronic way of shredding confidential documents and personal information.  Here is the link to a software program that can erase your personal data, and the best part, the software is free:  http://eraser.heidi.ie/.  So, the next time you scrap that old computer, remember to protect your personal data.

Websites Need a Mobile Device Friendly Facelift

By Ashlei Jackson, This Is My Town USA

In the last five years the percentage of people owning and using smart phones has jumped drastically from 14% to 49% (CNN Tech) and while not everyone has made the move to a feature phone, reader or tablet with internet capability, website owners can’t deny that this shift will change how we create websites in the future.
 What does this mean? Making sure your website is mobile device friendly should be a priority for any business that wants to be found on the mobile web.

Get a .mobi Domain that Matches Your Current Domain:
There are several different methods involved but the first step is to register your .mobi domain. Some providers even offer an instant mobilizer option that will automatically convert your website into a mobile device friendly version.

Make it Easy to Get to Your .mobi Domain from Your Main Website:
Most people will already know or more readily find your regular .com, .net, .biz website even with their mobile device. Advanced site designers can create code to recognize and redirect mobile devices to the mobile version of the site. However, it will be necessary and important for most business owners to create a link to the mobile version of the site from their home page. Use an icon or button that is discreet but easily visible near the top left of the page so that people can easily navigate there.

What Does a Mobile Site Look Like?
Most mobile devices have a smaller screen than a typical computer. Squeezing your entire website into a mobile screen will mean that viewers will have to zoom in and out to read and navigate your content. Mobile friendly pages will be converted into a narrow and reader friendly version (see image to right). This will allow the visitor to scroll up and down without having to zoom as well as make it easy for smart phone users to touch your phone number to call you and map directions to your address.
 Mobile data plans are usually billed to consumers based on the amount of data they access. Thus pages with large graphics and content will use up their data usage more quickly. Mobile converters will automatically convert graphics to be small and ask for authorization before streaming large content items like videos and music.

 It’s true that we live in a small town, one that usually gets hidden in a black hole when it comes to cell phone reception. However, its still important to make sure we, as business owners, make our websites user friendly...a factor that can mean us securing a sale over our competitor.