Anyone that frequents message boards is familiar with the terms “troll” and “spammer.” These are people that sign up for a message board solely to spam it with comments and links. This happens all over the Internet, from message boards to blogs to the comments section on news articles. To prevent this many webmasters are adding a new security feature when users sign up for a site or post a comment. It is called captcha, which is an acronym for Completely Automated Public Turing Test to Tell Computers and Humans Apart. We have all seen captchas. They are usually images of distorted numbers and letters, and often times they are accompanied by a message that says “just to make sure you’re human,” or something similar. Other times they are audio recognition captchas, where users must listen to a voice say a common word and type in that word. The idea behind all captchas is that humans can interpret them, but computers cannot.

The Captcha Cons
1. Captchas will not stop all spammers.
There are plenty of malevolent people in the world that will spam websites personally, rather than use a computer. People cannot be stopped by captchas. There are also people that make money by helping computers to Interpret captchas. They are described as data entry jobs and the employees type the numbers and letters that appear in the captchas in order to help spammers.

2. Captchas are annoying.
Let’s be honest, people do not like having to enter captchas. Some of them are really hard to decipher, which can make simply signing up for a website a hassle. It will turn some website traffic away.
3. Visually impaired users cannot read captchas. They may have computers that will read every word on the page for them, making it easier to surf the web, but the computer cannot read the captcha for them.

The Captcha Pros
1. Captchas work most of the time.
There are exceptions, like those above, but captchas do work most of the time, generally speaking. High volume sites will benefit greatly from captchas. They are the most likely to be targeted by spammers and therefore losing some traffic due to the inconvenience of captchas may be worth it.

2. Captchas are easy for the webmaster.
They are fully automated images, meaning that the webmaster simply has to implement captchas on their website and then they are set. It is one of the simplest ways to cut back on spammers.

The big con here is that captchas may make websites lose some of their traffic. This goes against everything that the webmaster wants. But the big pro here is that captchas do work the large majority of the time.
Do the pros outweigh the cons? Maybe. Probably, for large and popular websites. But small websites should probably stick to a simpler way of keeping out spammers, like email confirmation. Users generally get less annoyed with email confirmation than they do captchas, and they still help cut back on spammers. Ultimately this is a decision that only the webmaster can make.

Sam Mauzy is a blogger with a background in helping clients improve their ecommerce conversion rate.

Website design packages

Low cost website packages are great Internet marketing tools and may include: hosting and designing your site, registering your domain, configuring and uploading your files, getting  traffic for your website, technical help. Choose a package that caters to your budget and needs. Study the package deal. Analyze the contents and benefits before deciding if you want it.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Once your website is designed and launched, you can complete your Internet marketing efforts with standard SEO tools, although the best practice is to optimize your site before publishing, i.e. during the design stage. Search engines remain the major powerhouse in marketing so never leave this part out. Generate traffic through this effective low cost Internet marketing tool.

Internet marketing software

Look for affordable software specialized in Internet marketing. There are programs that attract traffic, automate your tasks, advertise your site online, optimize your keywords, track your site visitors, and create links to other sites. Watch out for the Internet marketing tools that are costly and unnecessary.

Building mailing lists

Learn email marketing. This is a very effective Internet marketing tool that will boost your business tremendously. Make sure you do not spam. Do not buy email lists. Create your own. Create a blog, write a newsletter, and provide free and valuable advise to your readers. Build your own email list by the opt-in method. It will take you a long time to build a good mailing list, bu it is worth the effort and patience.

Publishing E-books

On your site or blog offer e-books for people to download. Some of them could be offered for free, so people will come back and visit your site more often. This way you can build your email list and build-up traffic. This is a free Internet marketing tool. You just have to put some effort into it. You can find also free e-books over the Internet if you can not write one on your own.

Outsourcing Internet marketing tasks

This could be a money-saving Internet marketing technique, if it’s done right. Doing all the online work by yourself is quite time consuming. You need to hire someone to help you with: promoting your website, products, services, blogs on Social Media and other venues, searching data on Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other search engines, submitting your site and blog to the online directories, searching the good keywords for your Internet business (basic SEO), posting comments, writing articles, conducting AdWords campaigns, conducting email campaigns, writing newsletters, assisting with chat and forums. You can outsource some of these tasks for a decent cost.

Affiliate marketing

Use unique web pages to promote each separate product you are marketing. Do not try to save some money on web hosting and market all your products or services on one site. Best practice is to have a site focusing on each product or service you have to offer.

Include product or service reviews on your website so visitors will have an understanding on what the product or service can do for them if they buy it. Include testimonials from users who have already tried the product or service. Make sure that these customers are willing to allow you to use their names and photos to market your product or service.

Write articles related to your service or product and include them on your website on a separate page. Your site pages should be compelling and should include calls to act on the information. Each headline should attract the readers to look for more information and eventually to contact you. Highlight the important points  to give your readers a better understanding on your products and services.

Offer free reports to your readers and position the offering on your page on the very top so they can’t miss it. Create autoresponder messages that will be emailed to those who input their information into your “Subscribe” box.

By sending your potential customers periodical useful information you will prepare them to buy your product or service. Make sure that the content of your emails is related to your service or product and do not try to make sales pitches.

Show your potential customers how your product or service can make life easier for them. Write compelling subject lines in the email. Avoid using the word “free” because some spam filters will send that kind of content to the junk folder. Convince those who signed up for your free reports that they will be missing a lot if they do not get your products or services.

Target your website traffic to your products or services. If people have no interest in what you are offering they will never come back. Write 300-600 words articles a couple of times per week for publication in e-zines and article directories that are focused on your target audience. You have to drive a lot of traffic to your site in order to have conversion. 1 out of 100 people are likely to buy your product or get your services conform to some statistics. But writing and maintaining these articles continuously will generate a good amount of targeted traffic to your site.

Be patient and have an action plan. Use these tips for  several affiliate marketing programs and you will get good results in time.

There are some differences about how the cyber world operates in comparison with the real world. The speed of communication and the wide audience demand from a company a higher level of awareness of its Internet presence. Every online activity that you engage in will reflect on your business. The business ethics rules that apply in real world apply to online business as well. Below are a few factors that could affect your company’s online reputation:

Word-of-mouth – Everyone you contact online is likely to share with other people the experience he/she had doing business with your company.

Social media – Your activity on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google Plus place high in Google rankings. Make sure you follow the rules when you use social media marketing to get the word out about your business. Most people are already familiar with these networks. These sites weigh heavy in advertising your business and have a great marketing and customer service potential. If you need help with social media marketing contact eMarketing 21.

Testimonials – Testimonials can be in the form of quotes displayed on your business site or videos on YouTube, Vimeo or other online video sharing site. You can create video for any product or service. A well made video published online can enhance considerably your company’s advertising power. You can find all the info you need to make and publish your marketing video here.

Promote your business – Advertisement is a vital component of commerce. It is important to a company to present itself in the best possible lighting. If you have superlative credentials make sure they are available to your clients. However, you need to be able to back up any claims you make or you will lose business.

Ignore personal attacks – If someone with malicious intent is attacking you online, sometimes the best thing is to ignore the negative entry and include it between a lot of positive ones.

Demand corrections on news with errors– When the news about your business are published with errors you should contact the author to make corrections.

Secure your online business – If sensitive personal and financial information is entrusted to you there is your responsibility to protect consumers from identity thefts and data piracy.

Educate your employees – Companies need to be careful about the things they post online. One employee’s joke is a potential lawsuit and will lead to a business loss.

Search Google ranking – Search for your own company from time-to-time to check whether your business is getting the right exposure. Google changes its Search Engine rules frequently.

Auction Sites – Auction sites like eBay make spending a small fortune as easy as pie; the lower-than-retail prices and wide array of available goods are almost irresistible.
Flash Sale Groups – Fashionistas and home décor enthusiasts are well-acquainted with the flash sale groups. Notifications are sent via email, informing members of an impending event; for a very short time, generally less than three days, high-end designer goods are available at deep discounts. The lure of 95% off of haute couture pieces is undeniable.
Online Gambling – Blowing money in a casino is easy enough; when the internet offers the opportunity to play the same games in your underwear, a small fortune can be spend in no time flat.
Multi-Player Fantasy and Simulation Games – Few things are as addictive as an online role-playing or life-simulation game. Unfortunately, the companies that put them out understand the loyalty of their fan base and are constantly introducing new expansions and add-on packages. These charges, in addition to monthly subscription and membership fees, can add up very quickly.

Wholesale Sites – There’s something about a discount that makes a perfectly rational person feel certain that they should buy 144 boxes of cocktail umbrellas or 100 plastic whistles. Because the internet makes it so easy to find these wholesale vendors, it doesn’t take long to end up with an empty wallet and a house full of trinkets.
Secure Pay Services – The act of entering your credit card number for a frivolous purchase can often make you think twice before clicking that Check Out button. Secure pay sites and vendors that store account information to enable “One-Click” purchasing know this, and have eliminated the step altogether. Without that last chance to rethink the purchase, it doesn’t take long to overspend.
Access to Collectibles and Other Rare Items – Once upon a time, collectors of rare items had to save up their money and make the trek to a dealer or convention to make purchases. Now, it’s as simple as locating a forum of like-minded collectors or dealers around the world.
Buying Music – Since the advent of iTunes, it’s a snap to spend a bundle, .99₵ at a time. Finding one track that you love leads to the purchase of an album; when you fall in love with it, you have to buy the entire discography.
Free Shipping – Many vendors offer free shipping after you’ve spent a minimum amount; most of us will keep adding things that we don’t need, spending $50.00 to save $5.00 on shipping charges.
Product Suggestions – The product suggestion is the impulse-buy section at the supermarket on steroids. Just before you complete the transaction, a site will show you what other users who were interested in the items you purchased bought. Suddenly, you’re seeing products that you forgot you wanted; in to the cart they go!

Article re-published by eMarketing 21 with permission from My ISP Finder.

One Account Policy – Facebook’s policy regarding multiple accounts is very clear: they only allow one per person. By requiring an identity verification, they can eliminate a large percentage of superfluous profiles in one fell swoop.
Ensuring That Accounts Are Individual – Just as Facebook policies state that each person can only have one active account, they’re also vocal about their stance on shared accounts. In the interest of compromised security, Facebook insists that only one person use a profile or timeline.
No Pet or Inanimate Object Profiles – While creating a fan page for your pet (or pet rock) is acceptable, an active personal profile for pets, children and inanimate profiles is forbidden. Requiring that each identity attached to a profile be verified greatly reduces the number of incorrectly-built timelines.
To Avoid Fake Celebrity Profiles – Though they may seem harmless, false celebrity profiles are prohibited by Facebook policy. Reputation management is a priority for those in the public eye, and those reputations can be damaged by the actions of someone posing as a celebrity. By requiring that accounts be verified, Facebook has made it much more difficult to create and maintain these timelines.

Sex Offender Prohibitions – When a convicted sex offender’s profile is reported to Facebook, they require proof of the conviction before the profile is removed. By verifying the identity of Facebook users, they can ensure that a case of mistaken identity won’t lead to the loss of a timeline.
Curbing Spam – In the heyday of MySpace, there were more fraudulent spam bot profiles than legitimate ones. Facebook is actively taking measures to prevent a similar problem with spam by requiring an identity’s verification.
Personalizing Data Collection – While this sounds nefarious, it’s important to realize that most websites participate in some sort of data collection in order to personalize advertising. When Facebook collects information, they’re connecting it to a specific online persona to tailor the experience.
Identity Fraud Protection – Identity fraud isn’t limited to theft for financial gain; your online presence is also valuable and should be guarded. By instituting the verification policy, Facebook is helping to protect your online presence from anyone posing as you and maligning your reputation.
To Maintain the “Real Life” Connection – You may have noticed that Facebook asks if you know a person in real life before adding them; this is because they are committed to maintaining the “Real Life” social connection tenets that they were founded on. Verifying an actual identity ensures that profiles belong to real people.
Memorializing a Profile – When a loved one passes away, being bombarded by reminders of them can make a tragic situation even more upsetting. Verified members of a deceased user’s family can request that a profile is memorialized, which preserves the account but ends notifications that are randomly generated.

Facebook is a constantly-evolving network, with security measures that change periodically. It’s important to be sure that your security measures are customized and that you monitor these settings each time the Facebook model is updated.

Article re-published by eMarketing 21 with permission from DSL Service Providers.

Businesses that rely on an internet connection to get the job done can’t afford to contract with a sub-par bargain provider due to network unreliability and often slow connection speeds. However, a package with all the bells and whistles can get pricey. These tips can help you keep your bottom line healthy.

Keep An Eye On TV Commercials – Most of us pay little attention to the advertising spots on television, but they’re a great way to keep yourself informed of promotional offers and good deals from service providers.
Fliers – Tossing those promotional mailers into the garbage without a second glance can be tantamount to throwing money away. Often, this is the only way that some of the better deals are publicized.
Internet Research – Finding a great deal for your business connection can be as simple as utilizing your home service for research. There are several specialized websites that offer apples-to-apples comparisons of various service providers.
Comparison Shopping – Keeping careful and detailed notes on the information you find can help you compare plans side-by-side to make the best choice for to suit the needs of your business.
Talking to Colleagues and Friends – People rely on word of mouth to find the best deals on a wide array of services; internet providers are no different. A discussion with colleagues or friends about your business connection can provide you with a one-on-one service review. By the time you’ve finished the conversation, you’ll have a basic idea of the strengths and weaknesses of a provider.

Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Questions – When you contact a service provider’s call center, don’t be shy. Ask questions, and stand strong against the high-pressure sales techniques that some operators will use.
Research Business Rates – Some service providers offer special pricing or promotional packages for business services. As you conduct your research, be sure to find out which companies offer these incentives.
Read the Fine Print – All too often, we find what seems to be a great deal only to find that the prices rise considerably at the end of a promotional period. Be sure to keep a close eye on the fine print of your agreement, and read everything carefully before you sign.
Local Forums – Online forums and message boards for business owners in your community can be a great way to get real answers about the satisfaction level of your peers with their internet service. These users can also steer you in the right direction when you’re looking to secure other services.
Your Current Bill – Anyone who hasn’t made the switch to paperless billing knows that a considerable portion of a traditional bill consists of promotions and advertising for additional services. Be sure to skim over them when the bill comes in each month; what you find might surprise you.

Troubling economic times have forced many small business owners to cut costs wherever they can; finding a sweet deal on such a vital service as an internet connection can make quite a difference when money is tight. With a bit of research, you’ll find a money-saving option that suits the needs of your business in no time.

Article re-published by eMarketing 21 with permission from Internet Service Providers.

Although people have been using acronyms for ages texters have taken this practice to a whole new level. They’ve practically started a whole new language by consistently using shortcuts and symbols instead of spelling out common phrases. Some of them like LOL and OMG are prevalent enough to be easily recognized and used in everyday conversation. However, there are some lesser known acronyms that haven’t quite caught on yet. Here are 10 that I think may be helpful to fervent texters.

MTRT – My thumbs are tired. Too much texting can take its toll on your opposable thumbs. This is a good way to tell people it’s time to take a break, put down the phone and do something else.
WTSHTF – When the s**t hits the fan. This is a common acronym for people who are concerned about an impending catastrophic event. It could be when your parents get your report card or a global economic collapse, depending on your perspective.
EOLAWKI – End of life as we know it. This is another phrase used by people concerned about an upcoming disaster that could be life changing. That could be when there’s a coronal mass ejection or when your parents kick you out of their basement.
WOT – Waste of time. Unfortunately, this is a phrase not used enough by kids addicted to texting and may never catch on. They don’t seem to realize that constantly sending text messages is a monumental waste of time.
WUASTC – Wake up and smell the coffee. Alas, another abbreviation that probably won’t get used much by serious texters. How ironic, since so much of this texting goes on in coffee shops.

WWURG – Watch where you’re going. This would be a very useful acronym to catch on with frequent texters. It could save them from becoming the latest viral video as they fall into pools of water or run into stationary objects. It could also save them from being run over by a truck or bus.
TOL – Talk out loud. Here’s another novel idea that probably won’t get much text time. Instead of wearing out your keypad, how about having a real conversation with someone. You know the kind where you actually use your voice instead of your thumbs.
LU – Look up. Another helpful, yet rarely used acronym for texting enthusiasts. Looking around at countless bowed heads I marvel at all they’re missing. They should take a moment to lift their countenance and observe their surroundings.
LBP – Loosing battery power. Yet another useful cipher for the constant texter that would save time and battery power. Time to recharge your phone and refresh your other senses.
DTAD – Don’t text and drive. This is probably the most important acronym that is sorely neglected. Let’s make this a voluntary effort instead of forcing lawmakers to enact stupid laws to save you from yourself.

I can see a future when more and more of these acronyms are commonly pronounced as spoken words like fubar. As language evolves we’ll need historians to look up the origins of what will become common words while the phrases they stand for are lost. What is the world coming to? Oh well, GG (gotta go) so CUL (see you later) HAG1 (have a good one) and BFN (bye for now).

Article re-published by eMarketing 21 with permission from Phone Service.

The great political leader and orator Winston Churchill, often called the “savior of his country” for leading Britain through the Second World War, has also been something of a controversial figure in history. If he’d had the power of social media at his fingertips, these might be some of the things he would have tweeted.

1. “I’ve been posted to India for service to the #Crown.” – A young Winston Churchill found himself in the role of soldier-journalist during 1896, where he began work on the novel that would be published four years later called Savrola: A Tale of the Revolution in Laurania while on the North-West Frontier with the Malakand Field Force.
2. “After losing the last election, I’ve entered the House of Commmons as a #Conservative.” – Though he was defeated in his first attempt, Churchill was elected to the House of Commons. He would later have the dubious distinction of losing more elections than any political figure in recent British history.
3. “As a result of strong disagreement regarding trade tariffs, I’ve decided to throw in my lot with the #Liberals.” – Due to a series of disagreements with Conservative policy regarding trade tariffs, Churchill changed parties in 1904. After joining the Liberals, his rise the higher ranks of political power was rapid.

1. “My darling @ClementineHozier and I are engaged to be married.” – After a whirlwind courtship, Winston Churchill proposed marriage to the young Clementine Hozier. Together they had five children and their marriage was, by all accounts, a close and affectionate one.
2. “After the great failure of the #DardanellesCampaign, I feel that I must resign from my post.” – Churchill’s involvement with the doomed Dardanelles Campaign and Battle of Gallipoli caused his forced demotion and later a voluntary resignation. Upon leaving his political post, he rejoined the Army until the summer of 1916, When he returned to Parliament.
3. “I am greatly honored to announce that I have been named Prime Minister. I hope to serve #Britain well.” – Churchill’s ascent to Prime Minister and head of the Ministry of Defense during the early part of World War II was a period of great leadership and activity in both his career and British history. His indefatigable efforts helped to ensure Britain’s survival until the United States entered the war.
4. “I am making the journey to #America to meet with @FDRoosevelt. #Allies” – From December of 1941 into January of 1942, Winston Churchill met with Franklin Roosevelt to discuss Allied defense strategies and to ensure that England continued to receive aid from the United States after the Pearl Harbor attack. As a result of these meetings, the Declaration of United Nations was created.
5. “Embarking upon a journey with @HarryTruman to Missouri, where I shall speak at #WestminsterCollege.” – One of Winston Churchill’s most iconic post-war speeches came on the heels of his failure to be reelected as Prime Minister. In the small town of Fulton, Missouri, Churchill delivered his famous “Iron Curtain” speech, which is considered by many to be the beginning of the Cold War.
6. “#GreatBritain has once again called me into her service as Prime Minister. I am honored.” – Churchill was named Prime Minister for his second and final term after the General Election of 1951. During this term, he suffered a series of small strokes. Failing health led him to resign in 1955.
7. “I have been awarded a #NobelPrize in Literature, and am greatly moved by this honor.”-Winston Churchill was the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature 1953 “for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values.”

There’s little doubt that a figure so known for public speaking would have embraced the ability to reach the entire world instantly; one can only imagine what his words would have been if he’d had today’s networking capabilities at his disposal.

Accessibility – This is the main advantage of an internet email program. You can access your email inbox from any computer at anytime. All you need is your login and password.
Access other email accounts – Yahoo has an option that most other email providers don’t offer. You can check all your POP email accounts from Yahoo, by adding them there. Check your work and personal email all in the same place.
Multiple yahoo addresses – You can have more than one Yahoo email address assigned to your inbox. You can also setup filters to send the emails to different folders or mark them with different colors so that you can keep them organized.
Choose your ‘from’ address – Since you can have email coming in from more than one email account, Yahoo allows you to choose which email address you want to use in the ‘from’ field, when you reply. You can always use the same one, or you can vary it depending on which account the email was sent to.
Folders – You can setup folders to help keep your email organized. You can have mail filtered to go directly to certain folders, or you can move them there yourself.

Attach large files – Some email providers have limits on the size of files that you can send or receive through your account. Yahoo provides a means to shrink large files for sending them out. You can send files up to 2 GB with this feature.
Unlimited storage – Most online email accounts give you a designated amount of storage. These storage caps are plenty for most users, but not all. Yahoo gives you unlimited storage for files and emails in your account.
All your favorite apps – Your calendar, Flickr photos, evite and several other popular online apps are listed right alongside your Yahoo inbox. They’re just a click away.
Email tabs – When you open emails from you inbox, they become tabs at the top of your inbox. This makes it very easy to go back to emails you’ve recently opened. Just click on the appropriate tab.
Yahoo Mail Plus – You can use all the features listed above (any many more) with Yahoo’s free email account, but you can get even more by upgrading to Yahoo Mail Plus, which has a small annual fee.With the upgrade you can access your Yahoo email with POP email clients like Outlook and you can forward your Yahoo mail to another email address. You also will be ad free on your account, providing a much cleaner look. Disposable addresses is another great feature provided. It allows you to set up temporary email addresses to use when signing into sites that might be spam generators.

Yahoo has been providing great email services for many years now. This list of ten just scratches the surface of the options available to you with a Yahoo account.
Article re-published by eMarketing 21 with permission from Cheap Internet Deals.