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					  <title><![CDATA[Site and Product Graphics]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/29/Site-and-Product-Graphics.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[I keep a daily to do list in a notebook on my desk, to help me keep track of what I need/want to get done each day, and to help me focus on the things that need to be done first.<br/><br/>I also find it great for looking back and seeing how much I have accomplished in a week, which can be a great motivator at times, but not this week, my "to do" list is now longer than it was at the start of the week!<br/><br/>Guess I'd better get on with it.<br/><br/>I've got a couple of things today, the first is about site and product graphics, the second is about a big launch going on today and what I think of the product...<br/><br/>Having professional looking graphics for your site can make a real difference to your bottom line as it gives a better impression to your visitors, but it can be a bit expensive to get them done if you're constantly launching new sites and blogs, like me.<br/><br/>Well there's a new site that I've found that makes getting real cool looking graphics for your site a LOT CHEAPER!<br/><br/>Jeff Dedrick has released a product called Hidden Sales Project today which you will no doubt be receiving a lot of promotional emails about, but is it just another over hyped product that you don't really need?<br/><br/>I've got a copy and have been reading through it over the last few hours and I have to say they wasn't really a lot in there for me, but that may simply be beacuse I already know (and do) most of the stuff he covers...<br/><br/>Is it right for you?<br/><br/>Well, the heart of the book is about how to increase the value of every one of your customers, which is pretty important stuff for making money online. If you have one or more product of your own, then the info in here could double, triple (or more) your customer value.<br/><br/>It covers all sorts of tactics to get extra value out of each subscriber or customer you have by using Upsells, downsells, backends, cross sells etc. etc. Upsells can also be useful when promoting other peoples products as<br/>an affiliate and this will show you how to do this.<br/><br/>If you haven't got your own products or email list yet, then this is probably not going to help you much until you do. There are also a LOT of interviews with some very switched on internet marketers, including Jason James, Tim Knox, Michael Cheney, Mike Long, Liz Tomey, Keith Wellman, Harris Fellman, Dr Mike Woo-Ming, Mike Steup, Robert Puddy, Paulie Sabol, Chris McNeeney, Ben Shaffer and others, so it's pretty cheap at just $47.<br/><br/>If it sounds like something you could use in your online business today then check out the link below, if not then go spend your time on something useful to your business today instead.]]></description>
					  <author>no@spam.com (Bruce Dickinson)</author>
					  <pubDate>Mon, 27 Aug 2007 00:00:00 MDT</pubDate>
					 <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/29/Site-and-Product-Graphics.html</guid>
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					  <title><![CDATA[HTML Meta Tag Ruler]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/27/HTML-Meta-Tag-Ruler.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[Tired of using word-count to comply with varying search engine character limits when you build your pages and compile&nbsp;your html meta tag title and description tags? 
<p>This handy meta tag optimization ruler helps you out. Includes free rulers for Google, Alta Vista, HotBot and Lycos.<br/>&nbsp;<br/>Create Search Engine Meta Tags in&nbsp;three easy steps with no knowledge of Html. Create using the most critical Tags for high Search Engine placement. The meta tag rule will show you the correct lenght of each tag. Meta Tag Creator will create AND insert your Tags for you using the proper syntax that Robots recognize. Analyze a web page from your PC or the Internet for existing/missing tags or improper syntax. Extract relevant Keywords from a local file, your web site or any other site on the Internet. These can be saved and added to your Keyword Tag. Choose what type and how often Robots visit your site to update your keywords. Includes option to save as Meta tag only te HTML Page ready for your editing. Enter only a few pieces of information and Meta Tag will do the rest.<br/><br/>For more information visit <a href="http://www.rankingeasy.com">http://www.rankingeasy.com</a></p>]]></description>
					  <author>no@spam.com (Bruce Dickinson)</author>
					  <pubDate>Mon, 13 Aug 2007 00:00:00 MDT</pubDate>
					 <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/27/HTML-Meta-Tag-Ruler.html</guid>
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					  <title><![CDATA[Did you forget your password?]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/25/Did-you-forget-your-password.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[It wouldn't be for the first time if you would try to log into a secure area and your password is rejected. What would you do next? Probably try another one. And another one... because, if you are like me, you use the same dozen of passwords for all your accounts across the net. Was it your first name and the last three digits of your street address? And what about your pet's name when you were a child? Your mother's maiden name spelled backwards?<br/><br/>Security experts tell you to come up with 'strong' passwords and to not repeat them. That's great advice, but sometimes it's impractical -- and hard as heck to remember.<br/><br/>Well, here are some other common password problems. . . and some advice on how to solve them:<br/><br/>1) You use the same password for all of the sites you&nbsp;log into.<br/><br/>Using the same password opens up your whole online life -- from your reunion website to your shopping cart to your bank account -- the moment someone discovers just one of your passwords. Never do this. It's a very quick path to big trouble.<br/><br/>2)&nbsp;You log into dozens of websites a day, and spend upwards of 30 minutes a day on login screens.<br/><br/>This is a real problem for me, too. I log into websites well over 50 to 60 times a day, and some sites I log into several times a day. It's a real time waster. A common solution is to try to keep multiple browser windows open with your logged-in sites, but many websites expire automatically so you can't do this very long.<br/><br/>3)&nbsp;You work at Internet Cafe's and other public Wi-Fi hotspots.<br/><br/>Be very careful. Never let anyone watch you log-in, especially at a public place. If you ever log-in in a public place, watch the people who are watching you log-in. They may be watching you type, and recording your usernames and<br/>passwords as you type them. It's not a password, but your credit card information is just as spy-able.<br/><br/>4)&nbsp;Your passwords are weak<br/><br/>Do you use plain words, your first name, the digits 123456, the same number over and over again, numbers from your address, or other easily-knowable or easily guessable words and numbers in your passwords? It's not a problem, until you get hacked just once.<br/><br/>Then you feel incredibly vulnerable, like nothing is secret any more.<br/><br/>About two years ago, I confronted all of these problems head on.<br/><br/>I found a program that made my online life much simpler: Roboform. 
<ul>
<li>This program&nbsp;memorizes all of your passwords and logs you in&nbsp;&nbsp; automatically to any website you want. Just pick from your&nbsp;list, and boom, you're in. 
</li><li>Roboform keeps your passwords 100% secure and encrypted on your computer. 
</li><li>Roboform will remember and enter your credit card info for&nbsp;you (and keep it safe from prying eyes, too). 
</li><li>Roboform can create strong passwords for you automatically, to keep your data safe.</li></ul>
<p>You can even get a&nbsp;trial version for Roboform at RoboformFreeTrial.com.</p>]]></description>
					  <author>no@spam.com (Michael Grant)</author>
					  <pubDate>Mon, 16 Jul 2007 00:00:00 MDT</pubDate>
					 <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/25/Did-you-forget-your-password.html</guid>
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					  <title><![CDATA[When To Buy A Business For Sale]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/24/When-To-Buy-A-Business-For-Sale.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[
<p>There is a lot of ego that goes into any effort to start your own business. In some ways this is necessary. It can even be a good thing. You see, you need to be driven to succeed. You need to want success more than anything. Above all, you need to want to make a lot of money to run a successful business. In other ways, however, it can be a real problem. </p>
<p>People are so set on starting their own business to gratify their own personal vision that they never contemplate more feasible options. Nine times out of ten, it is better to buy existing businesses for sale and work on making them more profitable than to start your own business. Whether you are talking about franchises for sale or small local businesses, it is always better to not have to start from scratch.
<p>When you buy a business for sale, you see, you are to have something to work with. Businesses for sale usually have a pretty well-developed working infrastructure. Even if the businesses for sale are only up on the market because they have been mismanaged, you still may be able to learn from their mistakes. A lot of the time, businesses for sale already employ quite a few workers. </p>
<p>You can talk to the people who've been there for years, find out how things have worked in the past, what has succeeded and what has not.&nbsp; Businesses for sale often also have client&egrave;le already developed. They even may have name recognition in a community.
<p>The one risk with businesses for sale is that they can sometimes have quite negative reputations. This can hurt you more than help you. Nonetheless, there is some truth to the idea that there is no such thing as bad publicity. People are more likely, for example, to try what was once a bad restaurant that has now gone under&nbsp; new management than to try one that is brand-new. I don't really know why this is, but it seems to be the case in the restaurant industry. Businesses for sale, even if they have been run badly before, still have some kind of past. People like both the new and the traditional. When you buy businesses for sale, you can capitalize on both of these factors. A business for sale has tradition, yet it also has new management. Both of these can be an asset to your new business.</p></p></p>]]></description>
					  <author>no@spam.com (Michael Grant)</author>
					  <pubDate>Tue, 03 Jul 2007 00:00:00 MDT</pubDate>
					 <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/24/When-To-Buy-A-Business-For-Sale.html</guid>
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					  <title><![CDATA[Affordable Search Engine Optimization]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/23/Affordable-Search-Engine-Optimization.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[
<p>The most important thing to remember when using a search engine optimization service is that you can do it all yourself. You are not paying for something that is beyond your ability to understand. On the contrary, the principles behind SEO are pretty simple. <br/>The thing that you are paying for when you buy affordable search engine optimization is convenience. The best way to get web page optimization is by making your own content yourself, but this is so time consuming that it might not be the most practical solution. When you hire an affordable search engine optimizer, you are paying for convenience.</p>
<p>All this may sound obvious, but it does have some ramifications that you may not have thought about before. The thing is, when you look for affordable search engine optimization, the more convenience, the higher the price. If you only want to buy web site optimization content yourself, for example, and then implement it to increase web traffic, you do not have to pay a lot of money. It can cost less than a hundred dollars a month to get all of the affordable search engine optimization articles that you need. </p>
<p>On the other hand, if you are looking for affordable search engine optimization to handle every aspect of your web traffic, you will have to pay a lot more. This may save you a lot of time, and they may have a better idea of how to handle SEO optimization than you do, but it will also cost quite a bit. You need to think about how much you need from your affordable search engine optimization service. If you only have to optimize a few websites, you should probably buy the content and do the rest by yourself. The amount of money that it costs to have them optimize web content for you is just too high. If, however, you have a high traffic web design business, it might make sense to farm out all of your affordable search engine optimization needs. Otherwise, you will not have the time to do it all yourself.</p>
<p>The most important thing to remember about affordable search engine optimization is that it is easy to test how good a job the service that you hire is doing. It is easy to monitor your web traffic, as well as your results in Google web searches. You should keep track of how well your affordable search engine optimization works. It is important to demand results! </p>]]></description>
					  <author>no@spam.com (Verbeke Lieve)</author>
					  <pubDate>Tue, 03 Jul 2007 00:00:00 MDT</pubDate>
					 <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/23/Affordable-Search-Engine-Optimization.html</guid>
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					  <title><![CDATA[Make Money Online]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/22/Make-Money-Online.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[
<p>Thousands of individuals are taking full advantage of the Internet these days. And they should considering how many great ways there are to earn some extra cash. Some even make the decision to earn a living completely from home. </p>
<p>Far too many folks are sick and tired of dealing with major companies and random lay-offs. You simply never know when it might be your turn to go. Therefore they begin making money online. Now, there are several ways one can go about this. Some people choose to start their very own Internet business, which can likely be ran from their home. 
<p>While others dabble in adsense and make cash off of daily web traffic. Believe it or not, there is a great deal of money to be made this way. 
<p>It's crucial to consider what you need to avoid if your goal is making money online. Along with all the wonderful options at your fingertips, there are scams galore. I can't tell you how many scammers I've spotted online selling their hoopla. They pitch a great game about making money online. </p>
<p>Virtually all of them will tell you how much can be made on the web if you do this and this, and then they proceed to pitch a product they're selling. Most likely it's a DVD or some sort of bogus software. This is where you have to stop and think for a moment. If they can really make so much cash doing what they're encouraging you to do, then why are they spending their time and effort pitching something to you? Wouldn't they be off making money online themselves? Instead they've chosen to sell a gimmicky product, which basically just amounts to some information. Obviously they weren't doing to well. 
<p>When striving to earn cash via the web, avoid product pitches that guarantee riches. You can attain the crucial information you need for starting an online business, building websites and earning adsense revenue, or selling products via auctions, just by scouring the web. It's all free. Begin by contemplating how you want to start making money online and what aspect of web-business you'd excel at. The more time and effort you put into your online money-making, the more turn-over you'll surely see. </p></p></p></p>]]></description>
					  <author>no@spam.com (Emil Fikl)</author>
					  <pubDate>Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:00:00 MDT</pubDate>
					 <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/22/Make-Money-Online.html</guid>
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					  <title><![CDATA[Online Security]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/21/Online-Security.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[
<p>Considering all the criminal behavior going on this year, it's only natural to be concerned with online security. We really do invest a great deal in how secure web transactions and websites are. When was the last time you slapped your credit card number on a web page to place an order? Or even worse, your debit card number, expiration date and three-digit code on the back. </p>
<p>If someone were to get their hands on this information, you could really end up broke and hurting financially. Not to mention that your full name and address is typically present as well. Yikes, they would basically have everything except your SSN. 
<p>Fortunately most websites invest in superior firewalls and security measures to ensure this doesn't happen. But, that doesn't mean you're completely safe while surfing net-land. 
<p>I have my doubts when punching in my debit card number on a "secure website." How do I really know that the site is secure? They pretty much all say the same thing. Then again, we have to keep in mind that web-based businesses do not want your information getting out or stolen. They want to keep your business, and therefore work hard to maintain the best online security. </p>
<p>If they were really out to wrong you, they'd simply take your information and use it to their advantage. Well, if you want to get technical anyway. 
<p>There are a few measures you can take in order to ensure your online security. First of all, you want to refrain from back-tracking. Once you've completed a transaction, go ahead and exit the browser. Open a fresh window to start a new search. This way the previous transaction is closed off. Secondly, only purchase on websites that announce their security measures. If they have them, they are advertising them somewhere on the home page. And finally, keep your computer's security updated regularly. </p>
<p>This goes double for those who use PCs. I find that I have to stay on top of my PCs security more than I do my Mac. If I don't, things will slip in. Therefore the best way to address online security is simply by playing it smart and taking the necessary precautions. </p>

</p></p></p>]]></description>
					  <author>no@spam.com (Bruce Dickinson)</author>
					  <pubDate>Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:00:00 MDT</pubDate>
					 <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/21/Online-Security.html</guid>
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					  <title><![CDATA[Online Virus Scan]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/20/Online-Virus-Scan.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[
<p>We often forget how vulnerable our computers are. To be more specific, our PCs. Although I'd like to include the Macs in this, I can't see how they apply. By now you know I'm addressing computer viruses. </p>
<p>I work with a Mac and PC both, and have to say that I've never encountered any virus hoopla with the Mac. So, back to the PC burden. You must first understand how to keep viruses and spyware off your computer. This is your first line of defense. The good news is all you need is a free online virus scan. See, you don't even have to purchase software. 
<p>Let me run this one by you; have you ever gotten hit with a trojan horse of some sort? If you have, you certainly knew it. Computer viruses have the power to obliterate your hard drive and basically crash your system. </p>
<p>All of the sudden you're sitting before a screen full of lines, your keyboard and mouse no longer work, and you're two seconds from pitching the entire machine out the window. YIKES! Let's hope this never happens to you. Sadly it did happen to me. 
<p>One fine day, while I was researching a school paper topic on the web, everything slowed down. It was like I had dial-up or something. Then my monitor started having difficulties. Finally my screen froze. I attempted to re-start the PC, but the screen kept on freezing. It was time to call in the big gun. My computer technician of a brother came to my rescue. In no time he said my PC had crash because I had a virus. 
<p>After a couple hours he had it back up and running. He was struggling to quarantine the virus and eliminate countless spyware I never knew I had. He then recommended that I do an online virus scan on my wife's computer. Just to make certain she had no bugs in the system. Fortunately the free online virus scan said that there were no viruses found on her laptop. 
<p>Is it about time you did an online virus scan? I'll bet your PC could use the routine check-up. Remember, these scans are free online. Although you can purchase software, you don't have to in order to keep your hard drive clean of nasty viruses. Just don't put it off. Get it done today! </p></p></p></p></p>]]></description>
					  <author>no@spam.com (Bruce Dickinson)</author>
					  <pubDate>Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:00 MDT</pubDate>
					 <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/20/Online-Virus-Scan.html</guid>
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					  <title><![CDATA[Why you need to get rid of temporary Internet files]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/19/Why-you-need-to-get-rid-of-temporary-Internet-files.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[
<p>As a network support technician, I get a ridiculous and infuriating number of requests for help deleting temporary Internet files. Working on a help line, I am not allowed to field those calls, but in my private network consultant business, I deal with those issues all the time. </p>
<p>It is amazing how much people worry about junk files. Internet temporary files are some of the most dreaded and misunderstood aspects of the personal computer experience. It isn't just that people don't understand computers well, although that is part of it. Just as many people who own cars don't know the first thing about the mechanics of an internal combustion engine, so many people who own computers don't know the first thing about the way an operating system works. Even so, there is more to it than that. Temporary Internet file hysteria definitely has a root causes beyond human ignorance and stupidity.
<p>Of course, one of the biggest problems is the media. Outside of the blogosphere, the media has never bothered to become tech literate. Between Internet virus scares, e-mail scams, identity theft, and a half-dozen other issues, most people are terrified of their computers to some degree or another. </p>
<p>It is a true testament to the usefulness of the personal computer that they are still used. And no matter what the issue, temporary Internet files are always Given more than their fair share of the blame. Deleting cookies and temporary Internet files is almost seen as a panacea for inexplicable computer ills.
<p>Yet the problem goes beyond the media. It involves the way that Windows is set up. Because 9 out of 10 personal computers use Windows nowadays, design flaws introduced through shabby Microsoft programming play a large role in the misunderstandings people have about computers. </p>
<p>Basically, Microsoft Windows often mismanages temporary files Internet as well as other junk files. They can become fragments, cluttering up your hard drive and slowing things down. They can contain compromising information that can be conceivably harvested if your computer is hijacked. Although clearing off temporary Internet files is no substitute for the real solution &#8211; switching to Linux &#8211; it can still give people a false sense of security. People don't understand that their computer software is deeply flawed. They get conned buying programs designed to delete temporary Internet files (which they could do themselves) in the hope of providing greater security. In the end, who can blame them?</p></p></p>]]></description>
					  <author>no@spam.com (Emil Fikl)</author>
					  <pubDate>Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:00:00 MDT</pubDate>
					 <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/19/Why-you-need-to-get-rid-of-temporary-Internet-files.html</guid>
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					  <title><![CDATA[Website Templates]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/18/Website-Templates.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[
<p>With huge number of of websites out there, it would seem that everyone knows how to build web pages. This isn&#8217;t true, and it can be a lot harder than it looks to build a site from scratch. Not only is it hard, it is time consuming as well. Even a simple site can take weeks, if not months, to build from the ground up. This is why so many use website templates to build their pages. This is the fast and easy way to get a website up and running, and many of them are very good looking to boot.</p>
<p>What a person uses for webpage templates should mirror what they want from their site. If they are building a personal site, they can use just about anything they want. Personal sites are meant to be unique and as colorful and complicated as a person would like. However, when finding ideas for a business site, it is a good idea to be choosier about what type of website templates a person uses. Business sites should be clean looking and easy to navigate, and they must have a professional look to them.</p>
<p>There are many hosting services that offer free space for small sites, and they often have their own selection of website templates from which to choose. These are often pretty good, but they are also very limited. If there is nothing attractive there, a person can search for other free website templates on line. A search will pull a lot of them up. These are often easy to work with, but it also means that someone else out there probably has a website that looks just like that template. </p>
<p>For less common and better looking website templates, there are plenty of companies online that sell these for business and personal use alike. One of my favorites is <a href="http://www.templatemonster.com">www.templatemonster.com</a>. They are often better looking and a bit more user friendly than the free ones, and they probably have more options and choices. There are also those who will build easy to use and totally unique website templates for a client, but the price will be higher. However, for something that truly fit&#8217;s the image of a company, this is the best way to go. These can be built to the web owners complete specifications, and many times these people will do maintenance on a site as well. For an even larger price, they can run the entire site.</p>]]></description>
					  <author>no@spam.com (Michael Grant)</author>
					  <pubDate>Sun, 24 Jun 2007 00:00:00 MDT</pubDate>
					 <guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.rankingtoday.com/blogs/18/Website-Templates.html</guid>
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