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Thursday, July 22, 2010
Test Your Email Newsletter in the Most Popular Email Programs
 Before you send out that all important email newsletter, make sure to test your newsletter in the most popular email newsletter programs.
- Microsoft Outlook/Outlook Express
If you do not have access to Outlook, send to a friend or colleague who does. It will be well worth it.
- Hotmail
Better to test on multiple browsers (i.e. Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari)
- Gmail
Gmail only allows inline CSS.
- Yahoo
Setup test accounts with Hotmail, Gmail & Yahoo.
The main challenge with developing email newsletter campaigns is making sure the design looks good on multiple email programs.
Posted by: Michael Swartz at 3:57 pm
Comments: None | Filed under: Email Newsletters
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Always Add Alt Text to Image Tags in Your Email Newsletters
We are developing a new email newsletter campaign for a client of ours.
The email contains a few images so we need to make sure each image tag contains text within the alt attribute (tag).
Why? Let me explain by example.
The image below will display first, so it’s important that our message gets read.
If images are turned off – which email programs will do – you won’t see anything, but if you include alt text, this is what your readers will see:
Making sure each image in your email newsletter contains alt text is super important. Many email systems turn off images to combat spam. Spammers can include viruses into images.
How to Add Alt Text to an Image Tag
Within your HTML code find the <img> tag. Add your text within the alt attribute: <img src="/image-filename.jpg" alt="This is where you add your alt text">
Bottom line: If you don’t include alt text in your images your email campaign could be in jeopardy.
Read our other email newsletter tips.
Posted by: Michael Swartz at 4:23 pm
Comments: None | Filed under: Email Newsletters, Web Marketing
Friday, July 9, 2010
Save Online Articles and Read Them Later Bookmarklet
 Happy Friday to you!
I recently found out about a great bookmarklet called Read it Later.
Ever since the explosion of Twitter and social networking updates, it has been hard for me to keep up with the many great blog posts and articles.
Save an Article, Read it Later
I do not have time to read all of them the instant they become public so I downloaded the Read it Later bookmarklet for Firefox. (Read it Later can also be used with Internet Explorer, Chrome, the iPhone or iPad too)
Now when I get an alert to a good article or blog post, I can simply click the arrow button in my menu bar and save the website to read later. And later can mean from any computer or mobile device too.
Mike Swartz, says “Check it out”.
Posted by: Michael Swartz at 3:07 pm
Comments: None | Filed under: Computer, Web General
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Marketing 101: How Did You Hear About Us?
 It’s something, I know, most businesses do not do. And it is the simplest gauge to find out how people are finding your business.
All businesses are in the marketing business. Make this a part of your everyday tasks.
How Did You Hear About Us?
Always ask – over the phone, email, or from your website – “How did you hear about us?” or “How did you find out about our company?”
Know where your business is coming from. Use your findings to determine if your advertising dollars are working or if your referrals are the best source.
Remember, it never hurts to ask.
Posted by: Michael Swartz at 10:30 am
Comments: None | Filed under: Business, Web Marketing
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Response to Rebranding My Town, Alameda, California
In dismay to Alameda Sun’s article, Brand Name City, I felt compelled to write a letter to the editor detailing my views on re-branding Alameda. Here it is:
Money, meet mouth
As a local business owner, resident of Alameda for more than 30 years, and active member in my local community, I was shocked and outraged to read that the city of Alameda, which supposedly promotes “buy/shop local,” has contracted with design companies outside of our local business community to re-brand Alameda. It was also alarming to learn that local businesses were not even given a chance or an opportunity to bid on the project.
Whether or not the initial bid came in under the $75,000 threshold ($200 less), local businesses still should have been considered to participate in the bidding process. If an out-of-town company, after the bidding process was complete, won the job, fine, at least local companies would have received the common courtesy to compete.
I understand — to a degree —the need to re-brand our city and update the website to attract businesses, but again, local businesses, who know the town of Alameda, were not even considered. It’s also disheartening to know that our city government will be using our tax dollars to work with companies outside of our town. What is even more surprising is that our city can spend up to $75,000 without having to go through a formal bidding process.
From my own research, a number of marketing and web design firms in Alameda were never contacted. Heck, these firms didn’t even know the city was entertaining the idea of rebranding. The city says they wanted to find a company with experience building city websites and building a green identify. Just because a firm doesn’t build city websites doesn’t mean they wouldn’t do a good job. And who would know more about Alameda than its local businesses? I believe Alameda does have the resources to provide our city with a quality functioning website and brand identity. For instance, Jiva Creative or West Advertising, I’m sure, would have been honored to have been elected to re-brand our city.
I own and operate MJS Web Solutions, a local web development firm, and I am passionate about this town and buying and doing things locally. We are proud to work with many local firms and have helped organizations, including the Alameda Boys and Girls Club and the Alameda Midway Shelter, get online.
I always ask myself before going out of Alameda to do business, is there someone who can help me locally? And usually there is. You can see why I’m frustrated. What kind of example is our city government setting for the local business community and the businesses they are trying to attract?
Alameda may or may not need a new image, but was this the right thing to do?
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I hope this issue doesn’t get swept under the table and forgotten about. It’s too important.
Posted by: Michael Swartz at 10:52 am
Comments: None | Filed under: Business, Personal
Monday, June 21, 2010
Create Search Engine Friendly Permalinks in WordPress
Immediately after you install WordPress, change your Permalink structure.
WordPress, by default, creates your links using parameters and numbers (i.e. /?p=123). Not a very search engine friendly URL.
Changing your permalinks to a more search engine friendly URL will help search engines find your website and help visitors understand what your page(s) or post(s) are about.
 Search engine friendly permalink URL Creating Search Engine Friendly Permalinks
- Login to WordPress
- Click on ‘Settings’ in the left margin
- Click on ‘Permalinks’
- Check the radio button near ‘Month and name’
- Click the ‘Save Changes’ button
Now when you create a new blog post, your title will be shown in the URL along with the blog post date.
Learn more about WordPress Permalinks at WordPress.org
Posted by: Michael Swartz at 4:42 pm
Comments: 1 Comment | Filed under: Blogroll, SEO
Friday, June 11, 2010
MJS Web Solutions Launches WordPress Powered Website
MJS Web Solutions is proud to announce a completely, fully functional website powered by WordPress.
The website, jodyharper.com, was built under the WordPress platform and is a complete content management system (CMS). Jody can update her blog and her web pages all through a web administrative interface without having to know HTML.
 Website Powered by WordPress WordPress is becoming the new standard in website design CMS. It’s not just for setting up blogs. WordPress plans on launching the latest release, 3.0, soon which is moving farther towards a full CMS platform.
Setup Your Website Using WordPress
MJS Web Solutions has also helped other companies utilize the power of WordPress, including Red Condor, Alameda Boys and Girls Club, Autism Answers and others.
Contact us to find out how your business can profit from this amazing solution.
Posted by: Michael Swartz at 3:13 pm
Comments: None | Filed under: Blogroll, News, Web Design
Monday, June 7, 2010
Websites Are Tracking Your Every Move
While visiting All Things Digital, the homepage presents the following disclosure:
“A note about tracking cookies
Some of the advertisers and Web analytics firms used on this site may place “tracking cookies” only your computer. We are telling you about them right upfront, and we want you to know how to get rid of these tracking cookies if you like. Read more >”
 A note about tracking cookies Is this the new standard? I hope not. Did the lawyers get involved in this? Or our government?
Google just recently announced a Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
Tracking is Okay
A lot of websites rely on good quality statistics and, yes, this involves tracking a user through a website. Why is this considered harmful? It’s not. You’re being tracked anonymously. No personal data is ever sent with web analytics software.
How are we, internet marketers, supposed to make the visitors experience better? Website tracking helps website owners present the most meaningful website data first. Tracking helps companies know what their visitors want and don’t want.
I personally think the disclosure is ridiculous. People should worry more about giving their credit card to their waiter than worry about being tracked anonymously.
Posted by: Michael Swartz at 3:29 pm
Comments: None | Filed under: Web General, Web Marketing
Friday, May 28, 2010
MJS Web Solutions Launches Alameda R.A.C.E. Website
MJS Web Solutions is happy to announce the official redesign of the Alameda R.A.C.E. website.
The new website includes rotating images of past races and an enhanced layout that simply aligns and structures the content into a more readable format. (view the old design)
 The Alameda Mayor's July 4th Parade R.A.C.E. The Ralph Appezzato Charity Event (R.A.C.E.) helps support the Midway Shelter for Homeless Battered Women and Their Children.
Come out and show your support on July 4th. Run or walk.
Have a wonderful Memorial holiday weekend.
Posted by: Michael Swartz at 2:53 pm
Comments: None | Filed under: News
Monday, May 24, 2010
How Intelligent is Your Website Target Audience?
 Not as smart as you may think.
When writing content for the web, it’s always a good idea to create a few customer personas.
While writing personas one of the criteria is determining your audience’s age, demographics and education level.
You may think you need to write smart. Guess again.
“federal government sites must take extra steps to be easy to use. The sites need to use sixth- or seventh-grade-level language” says Bill Gribbons of Bentley University.
Gribbons also says, “Studies show health care sites for the public, for example, are written at 12th-grade level and above”
Read more at Federal Gov’t Web Sites, Good And Bad
Posted by: Michael Swartz at 5:27 pm
Comments: None | Filed under: Writing For The Web
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