Computer and Web Articles

If your company has a Google Places listing, let’s take a quick look at the phone number displayed within it.

Tip #1: If you’re using a 1-800 number in your listing, change it to your local phone number.  Google wants to know you’re actually local.
Tip #2: If at all possible, make sure the phone number in your Google Places listing is consistent with the phone number associated with your business on other websites (such as your company website and review sites such as Yelp and TripAdvisor).
Tip #3: Make sure you’re not displaying a phone number that send people to separate microsites or landing pages.

In sum, use your primary, local phone number if possible. Very simple.

As typing takes time and as time is money, perhaps TextExpander can save you a good chunk of cash.

Going about our days we type the same things over and over and over—from signatures to boilerplate contract wording, from credit card and billing information to standard responses for common business inquiries. We even have a tendency to regularly repeat the same typos.

Enter TextExpander, the fantastic tool that gives you instant access to those so-often-repeated snippets of text, lets you fill in forms with the click of a button, auto-fixes your typos as you go, allows you to quickly type special characters without having to launch a special characters palette, and so much more. I mean that: so much more.

Unfortunately for PC people; this software is available only for Mac, iPhone, and iPod touch users. Learn more at http://smilesoftware.com/TextExpander/

1. http://tinyurl.com/39fyl2w - Glasses-free 3-D TV? Why yes, Apple just won a patent for that.
2. http://dropitto.me – Yet another service that allows you to quickly receive large files online. It’s secure, it allows you to receive files from anyone at all, it’s secure, and it’s free. The one requirement is that you have a free or paid DropBox account (which is a very easy thing to setup if you don’t have one). I recommend having a look at the 2 minute demo video on the site if you’d like to quickly learn more.
3. http://greenmountainenergy.com - Accurately calculate and reduce your business’ impact on the environment. Determine your carbon footprint on the “Carbon Calculator” page, then learn how to offset your carbon footprint on the “Green Mountain Offsets” page.
4. http://ReadItLaterList.com – One reading list, everywhere you go.
5. http://tinyurl.com/27azvbc - Monitor Craigslist posts in your area with the help of Google Alerts. Be the first to know if someone decides to sell those sweet bindings on Craigslist so you can snatch them before anyone else does. If you’re currently visiting Craigslist every day in hopes of finding a specific item (or items), make sure you read this short article. Implementing the strategy offered could very well help you locate what you’ve been looking for with much less effort.

Clickfree Wireless Automatic Backup offers a 500GB, complete backup solution for your home or small office for less than $200. And yes, it really is completely wireless.

There’s nothing to plug in to your computer, there’s no software to setup or install, the unit comes with a 3 year warranty, and the solution is 100% compatible with both PCs and Macs—in fact, you can back up both PCs and Macs to the same unit.

Oh, and if 500GB isn’t enough, their 1TB option might be a better fit for you. Visit http://clickfree.com/products_c3.php to learn more.

A few days ago I came across several advertisements with rather questionable placements.

1. While browsing a site for web development companies, I found myself staring at an ad for a… web development company. The ad was telling me I should click to learn more about XYZ company could build a website for me.
2. While looking around the punk section of a streaming music site, a Jaguar ad kept showing up in the sidebar. And much to my amusement, the Jaguar ad swapped back and forth with a John Deer ad as I clicked through various pages.
3. While conducting research for a client by searching for High Country nature photographers, I couldn’t help but notice that an ad for a Denver photographer specializing in home and office photography repeatedly appeared in the Pay Per Click sidebar results.

I was left scratching my head. Why is Jaguar advertising (very) expensive automobiles to people looking in the punk section of a free online music service? Does the Denver home and office photographer realize her ad campaign budget is likely being drained because her ads are being shown to people who haven’t specified an interest in her services?

And thus today I challenge you to think long and hard about your own online marketing: Is your marketing actually talking to the right people?

While you may not be placing your gas mask ads in Nursing Mothers Magazine, might it be possible that talking to the wrong crowds is costing you new customers and sales?

Just because other websites link to Facebook doesn’t mean your website should link to Facebook.

If your company doesn’t have its own Facebook page, that icon/link that’s displayed throughout your site (you know, the one that just points to the Facebook homepage) benefits neither you nor your site visitors. In face, it wastes the time of everyone who clicks one of those links.

If your company doesn’t have a Facebook page, I recommended you remove all Facebook icons/links from your site.  (Note: same thing goes for Twitter, people. There is no value provided by sending your site’s visitors straight Twitter’s homepage.)

Perhaps you tweeted something you really shouldn’t have. Perhaps you publicly replied to someone when you wanted to Direct Message them. Woops.

Not to worry. Contrary to what you may have thought, you can delete your tweets! And thankfully, it’s a very quick and simple process.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Sign in to your Twitter account.
2. Click the “Profile” link up top in the navigation.
3. Find the tweet you sent that you’d like to delete.
4. Move your cursor over the tweet so it’s highlighted. You’ll notice a small trashcan appears in the lower right-hand corner of the tweet’s box.
5. Click the trashcan.

Then, of course, go and brush your shoulders off. All done.

1. http://markup.io/ - Draw on webpages. Write with the text tool and make shapes using the magic marker tool. When you’re done, choose to “publish” a copy of your marked-up version of the page and share with friends, family, colleagues, contractors, or co-workers. Nothing to download, nothing to install.
2. http://myOnlineReading.com – A site offering free interactive stories created to help young children develop and practice their reading skills. The site also provides tips and reading strategies for parents and teachers focused on helping children improve their reading skills. All stories are written by educational professionals.
3. http://untweeps.com – Trim the fat and unfollow stale Twitter users, whitelist your favorite tweeple, and view your “Blocked” list.
4. http://tinyurl.com/26sxomh - Not a fan of PowerPoint? Here are five online alternatives offering similar functionality along with additional benefits, features, and integration/sharing options.
5. http://tinyurl.com/datz2c - A beginner’s guide to advertising on Facebook. If you have ads on Facebook or are considering using Facebook ads, read this article.