rssubmit.com Webmasters-Blogs-Resources

The Device APIs and Policy Working Group has published the First Public Working Draft of The Capture API, which defines an Application Programming Interface (API) that provides access to the audio, image and video capture capabilities of the device. Learn more about the Ubiquitous Web Applications Activity.

W3C has updated the popular online training course Introduction to W3C’s Mobile Web Best Practices for 2010. The first run of this updated course begins on Monday, 10 May. Early Bird registration is now open!

Led by members of W3C’s Mobile Web Initiative, people attending the course will:

• learn about the specific promises and challenges of the mobile platform;
• learn how to use W3C’s Mobile Web Best Practices to design mobile-friendly Web content and to adapt existing content for mobile;
• learn client side and server side techniques for adapting your content to different classes of device.

Read more about the Mobile Web Initiative.

The Web Services Resource Access Working Group published six Last Call Working Drafts for Web Services:
Enumeration (WS-Enumeration),
Event Descriptions (WS-EventDescriptions),
Eventing (WS-Eventing),
Fragment (WS-Fragment),
Metadata Exchange (WS-MetadataExchange), and
Transfer (WS-Transfer).
Comments welcome through 11 May 2010. Learn more about the Web Services Activity.

With SVG support announced for all major browsers, there is an uptake in interest in SVG. W3C joins other sponsors to help with SVG Open 2010, the 8th international conference on Scalable Vector Graphics, to be held in Paris, France from August 30 to September 1, 2010. SVG Open provides an opportunity for designers, developers and implementers to learn about SVG, and share ideas, experiences, products, and strategies. Members of the W3C SVG Working Group, including W3C Team members Chris Lilley and Doug Schepers, will be attending and presenting at the conference, which will include a Working Group panel session on future SVG developments, and an implementers panel. The conference includes a day of workshops. The conference organizers welcome proposals for presentation abstracts and course outlines through 31 March. Learn more about the W3C Graphics Activity.

W3C launched today the new WebFonts Working Group, which aims to bring typographic richness on the Web to it’s full potential. Font linking mechanisms are already standardized or in development, so the group will focus on WOFF, an interoperable font format for the Web. The group will work in public and will
consult widely with the typographic community. Read the
WebFonts WG charter,
join the group, and learn more about
Fonts on the Web.

The XML Security Working Group published four Working Drafts today:

• XML Encryption Syntax and Processing Version 1.1, which specifies a process for encrypting data and representing the result in XML.
• XML Security RELAX NG Schemas, which serves to publish RELAX NG schemas for XML Security specifications, including XML Signature 1.1, and XML Signature Properties.
• XML Security Generic Hybrid Ciphers. This document augments XML Encryption Version 1.1 by defining algorithms, XML types and elements necessary to enable use of generic hybrid ciphers in XML Security applications. Generic hybrid ciphers allow for a consistent treatment of asymmetric ciphers when encrypting data and consist of a key encapsulation algorithm with associated parameters and a data encapsulation algorithm with associated parameters.
• XML Security Algorithm Cross-Reference, which summarizes XML Security algorithm URI identifiers and the specifications associated with them.

Learn more about the Security Activity.

Recently, our blog took a look at the basics of newsletter writing. We covered some material that we’ve stressed time and time again: make sure the content is well written, pay attention to presentation, and tie it into the brand without going by rote. This is part of our message that quality always matters, and that every venture put forward should return to the same basic principles. Building on these lessons, this article highlights specific ways that a newsletter can be turned from a seemingly redundant tangent into a valuable marketing tool that speaks for itself while supporting the organization’s core mission.

The basic function of the newsletter is of course to be informative. Information needs to reach a large number of people, and a newsletter is a great way of making sure people are on the same page. Yes, in theory an email can be CC’d and BCC’d to everyone on the relevant lists, but there is something psychologically distinctive about the release of a physical publication for wide review. The trick then is to make sure the information contained in the letter goes beyond the basics and into actually targeting its audience.

In short, a newsletter has to take advantage of its role as a distinct and noteworthy publication in order to create a greater sense of identity for the organization as a whole.

Option #1 – Editorialize

As we mentioned, email has effectively replaced hardcopy for general communications. It takes up less space, doesn’t create mountains of trash unless you count the spam folder, and is exponentially more efficient. With general communication taken care of, the newsletter now has room for broader subjects such as opinion and editorial.

This option can be particularly interesting for businesses with extensive connections, such as financial institutions or delivery services. Articles of this stripe can revolve around goings-on in general, or discussing the results of the latest big initiative. Upper level managers can explain some of the reasoning behind specific decisions, while frontline workers might get a chance to explain the impact a particular policy has had on work efficiency.

Of course, all editorial runs the same risk as any opinion-based piece of writing. Make sure to keep within company guidelines and civil behavior. After all, the goal is to increase company identity, not foster company conflict.

Option # 2 – Have a Laugh

Business communications frequently tend to be sterile and reserved, especially in larger organizations. Some of the most frustrating moments working for big companies stem from a perceived lack of identity. Humor is an excellent way to help break down this disconnect between work and workers. For internal company newsletters, knowing that the boss is good for a laugh now and again can help ease tensions, or promote greater cooperation between coworkers.

Predominantly this approach requires keeping the humor topical. A call center for example might host a contest for the strangest call received and list the winning story in the newsletter. A certain widespread fast food corporation might run a bit of satire complaining about the fact that they haven’t achieved complete control of the market. In either case the humor is derived from familiarity with the company, and helps foster a good-natured approach to the job.

Option #3 – Reflect and Review

As mentioned, one of the strongest merits of the newsletter format is its distinctiveness. With more people focusing on email, receiving a newsletter almost always causes at least a moment of attention, if only to ask what it is. Take advantage of this by using the newsletter as a way to call people to review past accomplishments and current goals, and release it at times that the company warrants such a review. This will help associate the newsletter with a distinct purpose, and when it arrives people will know it’s time to put on their thinking caps.

Option #4 – Fabulous Prizes

This may sound dubious, but it remains a viable option. People like contests and prizes, and if there’s something to be won in the newsletter they’re more likely to read it. For example a company newsletter could include free raffle tickets to the next big sporting event. More people are likely to respnd if they figure they can win a prize. Pick an incentive that you know is appropriate to your group, and put it in the newsletter to keep interest high.

The key here is to avoid making it a gimmick. Advertise the contest clearly, but resist the urge to splatter it across the front page in bright fonts. Use good humor and reserve, and let people get as excited as they wish.

Afterthoughts

A hardcopy newsletter is not always appropriate. Email frequently suffices, and in many cases company newsletters have shifted to email delivery. When you evaluate your organization’s newsletter, whether one you already have or one you intend to start, ask yourself what specific purpose it would serve. Newsletters can help any organization or business stay top of mind and open communication lines.

Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources

Brand Management – Four Options for Focusing Your Newsletter

Strategic link building can gratify your desires to make it big online. Despite the fact that you might find that even a minor tweak in your site can get you enough traffic through search engines, there are other more sensible procedures to use your time and money to ensure a high influx of target traffic. For one, you could incorporate your link building campaign with competitive intelligence and see the change. Achieving this will not only double, but triple your conversion rate.

Strategic Link Building: How To Use It?

We all know that link building is related to SEO. This is why many web users also fail to see that link building can have a separate strategy away from search engine optimization as well. By itself too, strategic link building can get you a lot of traffic for your website. Let’s discover how:

The first approach is straightforward to use. Go browsing the on the internet and zero in on the sites you like. If you like them, in all probability your visitors will like them too. Once you have a list of some great sites, set them in priority and choose the number of sites you’d like to link with.

Request a reciprocal link or a one-way link from these site owners. As all websites might not respond favorably to your request, it’s advisable to request links from a number of sites. With time and effort, you’ll notice that websites won’t refuse your requests as often.

While you’re sending requests for links, be certain you let those sites know that you’ve visited their site, liked what you saw, and find that a link with them would benefit both parties. This will make your e-mail sound more sincere and not a spammish.

The second strategic link building method involves submitting articles to free content sites. By doing this, you’ll reach those sites, e-zines and newsletters where you’ll get a amazing chance to market yourself though the utilization of your resource box at the end of each and every article you write.

With each article that you write, you can do some strategic link building by placing your website URL into the resource box. Your prospective clientele will read your articles, and if they like what they read, should click over to your website and view what you have to offer.

The third strategy involves writing a press release. If it’s very good and gets publicized on numerous websites, you might even get to publicize your work and website on TV or even in a nationwide magazine. You could begin with writing press releases for the community media in the beginning.

The fourth strategy entails posting to forums and news groups. It’s an easy and fun way to make strategic links. While going about it, be honest. Seek to post in only those forums that you like, and those that deal with topics you believe in.

The fifth strategy is to use competitive intelligence to give a boost to your strategic links. You could use the Google toolbar to know the keywords that your competitors are using, and also to know the websites that are sending target traffic to your competitors.

You’ll have to use the link called “Backward Links” on the tool bar for this work. Many of such competitive intelligence tools could help you to monitor your competitor’s traffic sources. All in all, strategic link building can make you a favorite with search engine spiders, and enable your website pages to enhance in the rankings as well.

Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources

What Strategic Link Building Means To You

Don’t overlook your inbound linking strategy as you think about search engine optimization for your site. An inbound link is a hyperlink back to your site from another web site. The one constant and reliable strategy in search engine optimization is that sites with a variety of high quality backlinks rank higher in the search engine results pages.

Why are these links to your site important? They can can…

• bring potential customers to your site when they click on the link
• increase the number of visitors to your web site
• dramatically improve your search engine rankings

Even though there are software packages on the market that help automate the linking process, use them sparingly, if at all. The only way to succeed in linking strategies is (aside from creating useful content that will encourage inbound links) by manually creating the links. That’s a hard fact to swallow, given how I like to automate as much of my marketing as I can.

Here are the 10 most important inbound links you must have to your site:

1. Directory Links

Directories are indexes of online sites, typically organized by category. Links back to your site from directories like Yahoo Directory and DMOZ.org are very valuable. DMOZ.org is edited by human editors, and while it’s free, it may take awhile for your site to be listed. Getting listed in Yahoo’s Directory costs $299/year.

2. Press Releases

If you’re writing press releases, make sure they are optimized for keywords that someone would use to find a business like yours and include links back to your site, as well. Once written, you can have your press release distributed through a service like PRWeb.com, which will create links from high traffic news sites back to your site.

3. Article Directories

Writing and distributing articles through high traffic article directories, like EzineArticles. com, is a great way to get valuable inbound links from a high traffic site. By crafting an effective resource box at the close of your article, you can drive traffic back to your site!

4. Social Bookmarking

Similar to web browser bookmarks, social bookmarking sites store individual pages (bookmarks) online and allows users to tag (with keywords), organize, search, and manage bookmarks of web resources as well as share them with others. If you bookmark your own content on these sites (like Digg.com, Reddit.com, Del.icio.us. com), you get a link from the service. By producing content that your readers love and then bookmark to their friends, the link increases in SEO value.

5. Blog Comments

To find blog posts on which to comment, you can use blog-specific search engines like Google Blog Search. Make sure these are blogs read by your target market, not your colleagues. Brand yourself by always using the same name and remember to link back to your site. Always leave a comment that adds to the conversation that’s happening within the comments.

6. Social Media

Now, Google also indexes your Twitter updates and your social networking profiles. Add that to Web 2.0 hubsites like Scribd or HubPage and you’ve got the option of creating many, many inbound links in a very short period of time.

7. Blog/Podcast Syndication

Submitting the RSS feed of your blog and podcast to syndication services will give you a link back to your site. In some cases, each time you publish a new blog post, the post itself will also get a link.

8. Video Syndication

YouTube is one of the most visited sites online, and the number of sites that syndicate videos is growing each day. These sites often allow you to link to your site either in your video’s description or on your profile page, or both.

9. .EDU and .GOV Links

Search engines place a great deal of credibility in government and education web sites, and the links carry a great deal of weight. Frankly, it isn’t easy to get inbound links from these sites.

10. Internal Links

Remember, if you have more than one web site, or a web site and a blog, be sure and link one to the other. You can do this by linking one article to other related articles, or link to categories or archives of information.

Creating a sound inbound linking strategy is a key component of your search engine optimization efforts. Try a few of the strategies listed above and see how your traffic and rankings increase.

Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources

SEO Tips: Get More Traffic with These 10 Important Inbound Links

Posting on forums is one of the cheapest and fastest ways in which you can advertise your affiliate products on the Internet. However, in order to do this successfully, you must do a number of things with care. You cannot simply start a thread which contains your affiliate link straight away. You will almost definitely get banned from that forum board and you certainly won’t get any sales from it.

The general procedure involves making multiple posts on a forum board before you even setup a signature file, which includes a link to your site. Even if the particular forum you are using does not specifically mandate this, you will want to do this, anyway, as it will increase your credibility – which is your real goal.

Finding a forum related to your niche is relatively easy to do. Simply type the name of your interest followed by the word ‘forum’ into your favorite search engine i.e. if your niche is golf, type in ‘golf forum’ into your browser and you will likely get a list of active forums on the return page. Alternatively there are a couple of URLs that you can use to obtain the same information. They are “big-boards.com” which is currently the largest forum directory on the Internet or you can use “board123.com/forum_directory.php” which has some lesser directories but does contain some forums that the first doesn’t list.

Once you have chosen a few forums that you are interested in, you will need to find out what their rules are when it comes to signature files. Some don’t allow links and others do but may not accept these links to be of a commercial nature. It’s vitally important to stick to the rules of these forums or you will find yourself banned pretty quickly.

Once you have your list of forums that allow commercial links, it’s time to start posting! Right from the beginning, make sure that you post messages that are meaningful and relevant. Set yourself up as an expert in your niche and try to give value to the group by posting useful articles and lists that others will appreciate. Only once you have developed a good reputation on these forums which will take approximately one to two weeks of regular posting, you can begin advertising through your forum signature. If it is allowed, make your signature eye-catching by using an assortment of colors, words and symbols. Link your signature to an affiliate product or an auto-responder course purposefully designed to capture email addresses.

Repeat this process throughout all the relevant forums that you discovered earlier but ensure you pick forums that have high traffic, are used regularly and are audience specific to your niche. Not all forums are created equal and you do not want to waste time on those that are just too quiet to drum up any attention. Remember to add a memorable signature file so that you draw people to click on your link and you will find that this method will pay off considerably and much faster than other methods.

http://simplecashblogbonus.com

Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources

Tips For Forum Posting