In This Issue...

• Introduction
• Editor's Perspective: Ask the Right Questions, SEO Contest, Yahoo! Local
• What's New on SitePoint!
• Hot Forum Topics
• New Blog Entries

Traditional Gateways aren't the best fit for your VoIP needs

Connecting a business to a
VoIP network doesn't require a big, expensive integration overhaul. Quintum's VoIP access solutions are designed with "integrated intelligence" so they're the perfect fit for SMEs and branch offices of large enterprises. Our proven solutions fit into existing PBX and IP infrastructures, making them the ideal choice for service providers and network managers.

Intelligent design meets real-world needs of today's businesses - from PSTN-based 911 access to analog fax machine support. And you get non-stop call quality, easy remote management, and lower TCO.

Introduction

I just had a call from a client who was having difficulty transferring money into my account to pay a bill. I spoke with her a couple of times and told her I'd get our Accounts person to ring her back. My Accounts person called, asked the right questions and got to the real cause of the problem.

It was an issue that started 9 months ago and led to my Accounts person saying, "Don't worry about paying us!" And it was a good lesson for me about what questions we should really ask our clients. I'll explain below.

A search engine optimization contest targeting the term 'V7ndotcom Elursrebmem' is drawing to a close and it's been an educational experience for the countless web developers and site owners who have been watching the proceedings. Read below about the very valuable lessons I've learnt from the smart and cunning of the optimization world.

Being perceived as the best in your field can have a tremendous effect on your business. I've had a couple of great examples that have proven this in the last week, and I've applied what I learnt to a different area of my business -- with great results. But how do you become perceived as the best? Read on for 2 very easy answers to this question.

The Yahoo! web search marketing strategy seems to be getting smarter: they've released a solid offer enticing small online businesses to advertise. From as little as $15, your local business could get great exposure. Find out how below!

Happy Reading!

Brendon Sinclair
tribune@sitepoint.com

Editor's Perspective

Stop Pushing and Pay My Bill!

About an hour ago I received a call from a client who was having trouble transferring money online to pay my bill. I told her our Accounts person (my wife Mel) would be in shortly, and I'd get her to help the client sort it out.

A half hour later the client called again. She was really keen to pay and wondered how far away Mel was, though she did seem a bit vague to me. I told her Mel would call her within the next ten minutes.

I passed on the message to Mel when she arrived, and she rang the client back. She asked a few questions -- questions I didn't ask -- and found out what the problem was:

• The client's husband was away on business.
• The web hosting and shopping cart invoices were due.
• The client was a little flustered and not really concentrating.
• The client was nine months pregnant and having contractions every 15 minutes!

Mel told her not to worry about the bill and to get to hospital as soon as possible. (Mel's a Nursing Sister and has delivered plenty of babies. She knows the best place to be when contractions are 15 minutes apart is not paying bills, but in the hands of medical staff!)

But the client really wanted to pay the bill so that everything was organised for her husband whilst she was away in hospital (that's called a nesting instinct). She paid the bill, called a friend, and is on her way to give birth as I write this.

Making assumptions, like I did, almost always backfires. Because Mel asked the right questions she got to the true cause of the problem and could help out. And helping clients out is always the goal.

Hosting.com admits widespread use of performance enhancers

Hosting.com admits to widespread use of performance enhancers such as SQL 2005, ASP.NET 2.0, Microsoft Certified Professionals, Microsoft Exchange, and ISS secure data centers to name a few.

Hosting.com spokesman, Darren King, commented, “Hosting.com continues to use all performance enhancers available to give our customers an edge over the competition. The fact that we host SQL 2005 & many other applications with such skill & expertise while offering 24x7 support from our Certified Professionals is a reflection of our dedication to our customers, not foul play.”

Anyone seeking additional information or interested in 2 months free hosting should call 1-800-446-7627 and mention SitePoint.

Click here to discover what Hosting.com can do for you

SEO Contest Benefits All Web Developers

V7ndotcom Elursrebmem. In the search engine community, those two words mean quite a lot. You see, they're the keywords being targeted in a major search engine optimization competition that is due to end on May 15 this year. The site that appears in the number 1 spot in Google for the phrase at noon on that day wins a cash prize.

I enjoy watching competitions like this from afar -- there is just so much to learn from guys who pour hours of effort, knowledge, and cunning into achieving a top ranking. From what I've seen of this competition, it seems that three key elements make the difference in site gaining a high ranking in these competitions:

1. Older domains - the older the domain, the better
2. Blogs - fresh content, and the ability to call upon devoted readers to link to the page, really helps
3. Links - ODP links appear especially valuable

Check out the top search returns on Google for "V7ndotcom Elursrebmem," keep an eye on the comp, and see who gets the money. It's a great, free, way to get some solid and up-to-date search engine optimization knowledge.

The Best Advice from the Best Expert

Over the past week, we've made some solid sales here in my business. One of them surprised me in that it came as a result of a business magazine profiling me ... a year ago! The client commented to me that he found it almost impossible to distinguish between web development companies, and assumed I was one of the best because the magazine had interviewed me.

Another client came from a search on Google for "world's best web designer".

No, I'm not the world's best web designer but the article I wrote wasn't designed to demonstrate that. It was designed to show, to some extent, how search engines work.

But those two clients' comments got me thinking. People want to know who is seen as the "best". And, sure, in terms of web development, that's a very subjective thing. But clients usually lack the technical sophistication to effectively analyze who is the "best".

So I reviewed some Pay Per Click campaigns we're currently running and started to insert the qualifier "best" before the keywords we're targeting. The results of this tactic have been surprisingly good: a higher click through rate and higher conversions (of visitors to sales).

People want to use the best products and services because it gives them reassurance. It reduces their perceived level of risk. And it can make you more sales.

Constantly look at how clients and customers find you. Find out why they choose you. Then adjust your marketing strategies based on those factors and, most likely, you'll make more sales.

Yahoo! Local Listings Set to Entice Advertising Virgins

Yahoo! launched Local Featured Listings on April 28 in an attempt to encourage online advertising among small businesses seeking local custom.

The service's flat advertising fee starts at just $15 (the fee varies according to the population of the area that's local to the business, and the type of product that's being searched for; for example, New York florists will pay more than a country town diaper service).

The advertisers get to choose both the category and the region associated with their businesses.

That's an excellent way for Yahoo! to get small business active in the world of online advertising. And if they like what they see from this cheap taste, Yahoo! Hopes they'll turn into bigger customers. That's smart thinking -- and it should be a winner for Yahoo!

Help Your Friends Out

People you care about can benefit from the wealth of information on new and maturing technologies available on the Internet. Help them learn how to do it by forwarding them this issue of the SitePoint Tribune!