Whether you have a full web application or a simple data-collection form, you may want to consider turning it into an Rich Internet Application that will run outside the browser.
That’s right, the next generation of web apps will be the ones that you don’t need a browser to use.
In fact, Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) can use a new technology, created by Adobe, called AIR (Adobe Integrated Runtime) which allows it to act more like regular software.
Mindmeister (www.mindmeister.com ) is the coolest thing to happen to mind mapping since, well… since mind mapping software was created.
For those who don’t know, mind mapping is a way of outlining your ideas, thoughts and lists into an easy to understand visual. It allows you to group thoughts, attach notes, and define with icons.
Personally, I can’t live without mind maps. Whether it’s outlining a new web site or brainstorming on our next eBook, mind maps help me keep all my thoughts in one location and in an organized manner. They help you see the “big picture”.
Up until now, mind mapping software was just that… software. You could share maps, but it was difficult and many times required a special viewer. Collaboration was very limited, if available at all, and outside of the open-source Freemind, the software could run from $100 to $300 or more.
The mind map above was created in Mindmeister, and thanks to the collaboration abilities and publishing functionality, I had it placed within the blog post with a few mouse clicks.
Currently, there are few people collaborating on this mind map and if you would like to be one of them, drop a comment below and I will invite you!
Current collaborators:
- www.keymc.net
- www.n-re-k.com
- R. Alexander
This requires only flash to use. Mindmeister is all DHTML/CSS and JavaScript. No plug-ins required.
First off, I want to say that Mindmeister has not asked us to write any of this. We are just impressed and like to share great creations.
A huge thanks to AJAXflakes.com for compiling (and testing) a list of over 300 social bookmarking sites on the web. These sites are grouped into categories that makes it easy to find the type of site that you are looking for.
As an added bonus, the Page Rank and description for each site is also included!
Xinu is one of the coolest tools we’ve come across lately!
Enter in your domain, and it will provide instant reports on:
If you want to save the information for later, in cases of benchmarking, you can export the data as a PDF.
A new application is coming toward a Windows desktop near you: 360 Desktop.
According to 360 Desktop, you will be able to:
Grab all of your favorite web apps and content - web widgets, RSS feeds, AJAX start pages, or any part of any web page - and make them available any time, in an expanded photo-panoramic desktop.
Currently, they seem to have only a Windows version ready for beta-testing. However, they do state on their FAQ page that they are planning to build a Mac version as well.
Not only is this a really good idea, but it will also be free.
They don’t go on to explain what their revenue model is, but with the success and buzz of “widgets” online, there’s a good chance they will be involved somehow.
To learn more, or sign up for the beta program, visit 360 Desktop
Now you can provide your users the ability to create custom home pages within your web site. Netvibes will now “deeply integrate” into any company’s web site and enable users to personalize the delivery of RSS feeds, podcasts, photos, videos, stores, widgets and more.
You have control over how the content is branded, which means you retain the traffic, navigation and revenue generation.
The Premium Universes allow you to embed it into your web site, with your own navigation, so you don’t loose site visitors and keep all advertising revenue generated from the page. These Universe pages are also Search Engine Optimized.
According to the Netvibes press release, web sites like Tagged and Miva have already integrated this functionality. Two French newspaper sites have also added it to their user’s home pages.
Currently, you have to contact Netvibes through their contact form in the developers section. They do not provide any pricing or integration information on their web site.
Netvibes pioneered the personalized homepage, an alternative to traditional web portals. With millions of users in more than 150 countries, Netvibes lets individuals assemble all in one place their favorite widgets, websites, blogs, email accounts, social networks, search engines, instant messengers, photos, videos, podcasts, and everything else they enjoy on the Web. Founded in 2005 by Tariq Krim, Netvibes (www.netvibes.com) has offices in Paris, London and San Francisco.
Google is constantly updating the formula used to calculate your Google Quality Score. The lists below outline some of the core components.
Used to Calculate your Minimum Bid:
Used to Calculate Ad Position:
Used to Calculate Eligibility to Appear on Sites within the Content Network:
Used to Determine Ad Appearance on a Site-Targeted Site:
Google Keyword Trends allow you to see how your selected keyword or keywords (separated by commas) performed over a period of time. Currently, you can view keyword trends both on the Search Volume and the News Reference Volume. However, Google Keyword Trends does not provide you with actual numbers for the scale, it’s all relative.
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viral marketing |  |
social media |
Recently, Google has published a whole set of Google Analytics Tutorials on YouTube. These Google Analytics Tutorials include over 11 videos and have over 4 hours of tutorial footage.
If you’re like many of our clients, you don’t have 11 hours to spend watching tutorials. However, to make qualified decisions both for your web site and the business you run, you should have a basic grasp of what can be gathered and what data is available with Google Analytics.
Here are the few Google Analytics Tutorials that I suggest:
Yahoo! offers a whole slew of free tools for “anyone creating content” (their words, not mine) on the web. Although some of the tools are only related to their companies (like del.icio.us for bookmarking), overall they provide quick functionality to make your blog or web site a little user-friendlish.
Y!Q allows you to place contextual searches within your posts or content. Unlike other contextual linking tools, this one doesn’t create a pop-up javascript window as soon as you rollover. So it stops your visitors from wanting to chuck their computer out the window while reading your content.
It also comes in two flavors “contextual” and “inline”. I prefer the inline, since it is less intrusive and doesn’t require the reader to jump pages unless they find something of interest.
Collin Grady put together a Wordpress Plugin for Y!Q.
This tool has been around, and in beta, for a couple years. Please leave a comment on why you would or wouldn’t use this.
These buttons allow you to quickly add functionality for: bookmarking (only on del.icio.us), sending (via default email client), blogging (via Yahoo! 360), and printing.
Ok Yahoo, so I can see how you want to promote your own companies, but limiting how it’s blogged and how it’s bookmarked really limits the number of people that would want to really use these tools for their full potential anyway (leave a comment if you agree or disagree). Del.icio.us is the select choice for online bookmarking, by providing capabilities for other tools, you would probably get more users for del.icio.us anyway.
Unlike the Y!Q, this is actually very easy to place into a blog post. For WordPress, use the HeadSpace 2 plugin to include the required javascript on the individual posts you would want to include these buttons on.
Either way, the bookmarking, print, and emailing quick links have their purposes.
You have three options: search your site, search Yahoo! News, and search the web. All of which you can turn on or off. It does include the Yahoo! logo beneath the search box, but it also includes the functionality for “popular searches”. I thought this was pretty nifty.
You are able to specify the width that you want, so it’s easy to fit it in any layout. And last but not least, you can adjust the color themes.
All this is done in a couple steps, and Yahoo! provides a management tool to handle the search engines you create. I can’t complain there.
Social Media Marketing takes time and patience, but when done correctly has tremendous rewards. The following are some ideas and exercises to help you get started in the right direction…
If you don’t have one already and you use Firefox, Wizz RSS is a good add-on that allows you to preview and read RSS feeds within the browser’s side bar. If you are looking for an online-only reader, Google offers one as well (Google Reader ).
What’s RSS?
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, and when you subscribe to an RSS Feed, you will be able to view all the latest additions, posts or stories added to that specific web site. The RSS Feed Reader allows you to view all your subscribed-to RSS Feeds all in one place.There are many RSS Feed Readers available, Google it, try a few, and pick one you like.
The easiest way to do this is to simply Google “top __________ blogs” or “best ___________ blogs”. Fill in the blank with your industry.
Visit each blog, and look for a link to RSS, ATOM, or a symbol that looks like this: 
.
This is the link that you will want to send to your Feed Reader. Each reader will have a different “add” method, so if you have problems, check first with the help section of your RSS Reader. (If you can’t find the help section or how to add an RSS feed, it’s probably time to try a different RSS Reader)
Want to be the first to announce ideas and concepts? Read up on what is going on outside of your industry but inside of related industries and you will be able to come up with some powerful and unique material to post on your blog or web site.
If you not looking for material to write about, finding out what is going on within related industries may clue you into what may be heading your industry’s way - allowing you to make better business decisions and plan ahead for future bumps or successes.
Use Google Alerts to get the latest information related to search terms or keywords you define.
Skim through these top blogs, alerts and any other useful blogs or RSS Feeds you come across to pick out what is on the cutting-edge. Many times you can get tips from industry insiders, or stumble across events or activities that are happening before they have time to show up in traditional forms of media.
Although this step takes a little work and dedication, as you get used to your feed reader, you will be able to skim through the latest feeds and posts rather quickly.
When looking for information on URL redirection, most searches turn up these amazingly long blog posts or technical documents with just a couple examples, none of them are a huge help.
Instead of all the explanation, we decided to make it simple, and provide a quick reference for URL redirects using Apache and Rewrite Rules.
In 10 simple steps and Excel 2007, you can build your own Keyword Research and Analysis Heatmap.
