Google Wallet and competitors like Visa Digital Wallet want you to make the jump from your trusty if bulky leather wallet to a virtual version of the same.

This is what Google’s saying about its new product (edited for verbosity):

• Put your credit card info into your phone and make purchases by tapping and paying, using near field communication (NFC). During this process, coupons and loyalty points are uploaded to your virtual wallet from participating vendors.
• Your credit card credentials are encrypted and stored on a computer chip called the Secure Element, which is separate from the mobile phone memory. For additional security, you set up a PIN, which is entered before each purchase.
• Someday, boarding passes, IDs and even keys could be stored on the Wallet.

I like the idea of a virtual wallet, but would I use it? Currently, Google Wallet only works with Citi® Mastercard® and the Google Prepaid card, and is compatible only with the Nexus S 4G. It will be expanding to include more cards and phones, but it’s hard to say when that’ll happen.

Maybe it launched a bit early … but maybe it has to start somewhere.

It’s a nice use of MoLo (Mobile Local), which is using your mobile device to find and pay for local services and products.

When you combine smartphones, geo-targeting technology, and NFC, you just get giddy with the possibilities. You can float through your day with nothing more than your phone. That I like.

The downside is, not all smartphones are NFC-enabled and Google’s projection is that only half of smartphones in the U.S. will be NFC-enabled by 2014. Those aren’t great numbers.

Google Wallet is being field-tested in New York and San Francisco as of late May/early June 2011. The national release is set for sometime this summer.

Google is also announcing Google Offers, which sounds like an e-version of coupons. I like coupons but I don’t like carrying them around and spreading wads of them out in front of the cashier. If I can have all of my coupons on my phone and use them just by tapping, I’ll be happy.

Google Wallet sounds like another way technology is making life simpler. But it’s not yet universal. When it is, if it ever is, I’ll use it.

Brought to you by Stone Soup Technology, LLC – a leading Atlanta website design, Atlanta iPhone development, and Atlanta custom software solution provider.

The Ultrabook has a 2nd Generation Intel Core processor. It’s whisper thin, less than 20mm (0.8 inch) to pinch between our fingers, and word is it’ll sell for under $1,000 come this winter’s shopping season.

It has tablet features, such as a quick start-up, days of battery life on standby, and a touchscreen.

Within months of its retail debut, another version with the Ivy Bridge processor will hit the market, and in 2013, a third version powered by the Haswell processor will be on the shelves.

Intel aims to match or beat the power efficiency of iPad.

But is the Ultrabook an iPad extreme? Will iPad users be tossing their tablets and drooling for the newbie?

Well…

I didn’t buy my iPad instead of a workhorse laptop. I bought my iPad in addition to my laptop.

The iPad is fun and lightweight, with a quick response time as I jump from website to website. It’s my e-reader and movie screen and sometimes I even do a little work on it. And, it’s the magical land of apps (ignore the goofy grin on my face, I can’t help it).

As a side note, it runs on mobile-phone chips instead of Intel’s processor, although that’s not figuring into my vote.

Intel wants us to view their Ultrabook as an iPad with the ferocious functionality of a laptop.

We don’t know enough about the Ultrabook to predict its future with certainty. If it has all of the features of the iPad and apps out the wazoo, and if the screen snaps off and on the keyboard for those times you just want the tablet, it’ll be hard to resist.  Full disclosure – we know it doesn’t snap off and on, but wouldn’t that tip the scales?

If it does all that, it just might beat the iPad. However, from what we know at this time, it’s not the contender to knock iPad out of the ring.

SEO is a powerful method for companies to increase their flow of traffic and therefore increase their sales in the process.  Actually, it is fair to say that a company that does not use some form of SEO in their marketing strategy is somewhat foolish, as one can bet that the company’s competitors are using it.

As important as SEO is to a business, it is important to utilize this marketing technique in an ethical manner that follows rules that are created by the search engines themselves.  If a company does not follow rules that have been created in order to minimize unfair competition, they find out, much the same as JCPenney’s did, that there are consequences to breaking the rules.  It is important to maximize one’s potential with relevance, not with deception.  For instance, JCPenney recently had created SEO in such a way that for many unrelated items, they would be the top ranked result.  For example, when searching for Samsonite Luggage, a user would find JCPenney in the top ranked position, thereby beating out the luggage maker’s own site.

The bottom line is that JCPenney had employed the SEO firm known as SearchDex to perform their search engine optimization tactics for them.  This firm proceeded, whether with or without JCPenney’s knowledge, to perform “black hat” techniques, also known as cheating one’s way to the top, which involved paying many sites to unethically link back to JCPenney.  In short, more than 80% of the links created had absolutely nothing to do with JCPenney.  Black hat techniques do not lengthen a business’ lifespan; in fact, this brand of SEO will get a company blacklisted from the search engines, as it did for BMW a few years prior.  What every business owner needs to know is how to avoid the crisis that befell both JCPenney and BMW.

For one thing, a company has to play by the rules to ensure a fair competitive marketplace for all industries.  Search engines will not accept ignorance as an excuse for ignoring these rules.  Know what one’s SEO company is all about, and keep tabs on what is going on with his or her company’s search branding.  Be sure to communicate upfront about what will be admissible and what will not be tolerated.  It can be tempting for an SEO company to want to impress its clients with great search results, so make sure that the SEO company with which one chooses to do business is reputable and understands what one wants.

As stated, keep tabs on the SEO company’s dealings with one’s site.  Even assuming that JCPenney really did not know what their SEO company, SearchDex, was up to, it is stated plainly in every law book that ignorance is no excuse.  For instance, if JCPenney was on top of their game, they would have found out long before the New York Times ran the story that something was afoul in how they were gaining visitors.  If one’s company decides to outsource their search engine optimization, it is important to keep tabs on how they optimize one’s site.

For all intents and purposes, take the high road, and acquire one’s visitors organically, or naturally.  It is unscrupulous and unethical to purchase links from link brokers in order to increase one’s site’s visibility.  In fact, the sale of links is an unethical practice in and of itself.

In order to optimize one’s site ethically and organically, use focused keywords as anchor text from external sites related to one’s industry to link to one’s site.  Focus on the popularity of external links that one has. Have a diverse source of external links.  Check into the trustworthiness of the domain of the original link based on the distance between it and trusted domains. And finally, simply stick to search engine optimization strategies that are legitimate in order to make one’s site visible.

You are first going to want to identify who your target audience is.  If you want to reach a large amount of individuals, opting for the mobile website is most likely your best bet.  Mobile applications are great; but, they only work on the device for which they have been created, such as the Blackberry or the iPhone.  So if you decide to work on a Blackberry application, you must remember that it will only work on the Blackberry, and that cuts out many potential customers who are iPhone or Android users. 

However, if you decide to create a mobile website, this can be accessed by any device, thereby opening up your targeted audience to iPhone users and prepaid cell phone users alike.

So, after you have decided your target market, you can begin to formulate your goals.  In this process you must decipher who the end user is that you wish to captivate with your site.  Sites are much better when it comes to being able to utilize SEO to pull in traffic.  Applications will be housed in an app store where the individual end user will have to perform the search him- or herself, whereas a website can use SEO marketing tips to submit the site to the search engines which do all of the searching for the individual.   Not to mention that sites are simply less expensive to develop.  This makes branding your company with a mobile website the most obvious choice.

Before designing, find out if the site that one has can transition to a mobile device and still be readable.  If so, then you are in business already; but, the fact of the matter is that most sites do not transition well if at all to a mobile device.  In order to take advantage of the mobile web’s ecommerce opportunities, your mobile site should be configured to allow for individuals to either pay their bill or make purchases.  This has been reported as the single most relevant reasons that individuals will surf the web on their mobile devices.

Finally, figure out how you want your site to be presented.  There are several ways of accomplishing this, and a couple of the major options are outlined below. 

Find what it is about your home website that makes it so attractive to its visitors.  Then, begin building a scaled down version.  The mobile device user will still be able to experience the feel of your regular site, only in a smaller version.  This option works well for companies that have a strong online clientele.

Your second option could be a site with just your company’s basic information, such as contact information.  This will scale down the costs you have to pay, as well as give users the choice to contact you via the contact form or to be taken directly to the regular website.  This works well for companies that simply want to highlight their services rather than open a portal for customers to shop.

In short, 2011 is definitely the year of the mobile device making this the best time ever to consider investing in a mobile presence.

Google is the most popular of all search engines.  For many people, this is the only search engine they use on a regular basis.  People of all ages use Google to find what they need, and if one’s website is listed with Google, he or she has a much better chance of reaching a wider audience if his or her site is listed in Google.  Doing research will enlighten one as to how to submit his or her site to multiple search engines; just remember, not all search engine listings are free.

Another great free way to publicize one’s site is by adding an email signature at the bottom of his or her emails.  Adding a signature is easy, and instructions can be found easily within one’s email service provider.  The individual’s email signature should include his or her name, all of his or her relevant contact information, and the domain name of his or her site.

Writing a keyword-rich title page is very important to ranking high within the search engines.  In fact, it has been shown that over 70% of people do not search much farther than the first three or four listings on the results page.  Writing a descriptive title for each page on one’s site will help it rank higher, thereby sending more traffic to one’s site if he or she is providing an in-demand product or service.  Using descriptive words on one’s homepage is also a good idea, because the title one creates will be what people see in the search engine rankings.

Creating a descriptive META tag is also a very important step in this process.  This is the description that will be included below the hyperlinked title of one’s page in the search engine results. It is not a good idea to use keywords in this space that do not appear on one’s site, as this could be considered spam, and will not be judged very highly by search engine representatives.

Once one has performed all of these steps, he or she is ready to progress to the final step, which is learning how to optimize his or her site with SEO, or search engine optimization.  This simply requires keyword-rich content to be placed on one’s site.  There are professional SEO writers that specialize in this type of web promotion.  It is a good idea to have hired the SEO expert in the beginning of one’s bid for placement, as an SEO expert can help one with his or her keywords throughout the entire process.  Also, this way the SEO professional will understand what the client’s site is all about well before it is time for him or her to begin writing the page content.

Over 75% of websites receive their traffic from the major search engines.  This is also known as natural traffic, as the user has typed in certain keywords to use in his or her search which brings them to the page of results.  This is basically free traffic.  By typing in keywords that are associated with your site, the user may land on your page.  This is why SEO is so  important; however, once at your site, the website’s design must be user-friendly enough to keep the user there to convert him or her into a customer.  The better and more relevant the keywords, the better quality of visitors one will obtain.

There are several different strategies that one can implement in his or her SEO campaign.  The best search engine optimization will create a site that is search engine friendly as well as user friendly.  There are steps to take to create the best possible user friendly experience, and they are as follows:

*On page optimization: in the on-page optimization process, web pages are created with the absolute most relevant keywords to the company’s site.  There are several different tags that must be placed on each page within the site to obtain the most relevant hits, or visitors.  By internally linking pages with the use of a menu bar is especially important in the navigational aspects of the site.  The creation of a robots.txt file, along with the use of HTML and XML is also very important.

*Off page optimization: another quality way to obtain visitors is by relevant link building, which is known as off-page optimization, meaning quite simply that you are optimizing your site by using another’s site that is relevant to your own.  This is possible through the use of marketing tools, such as article directories and social media platforms.

When a website is designed by Atlanta website design in such a way that it will support all of the major and minor search engine optimization factors, your chances of moving up in the ranks on the search engines increases manifold.  Visitors will be more comfortable in the navigational aspects of the site, meaning that conversion rates will increase as your ranking increases.

The business world is constantly changing and beginning to become dependent on the new tools that technology has to offer.  Custom software development has become something that many major firms look toward as a beneficial service.  Every firm has its own specific functions and daily transactions, and because of this, each individual transaction or function needs a product that will execute the task in a beneficial manner.  This is why Atlanta custom software development plays such a large role in the business landscape of today.

Business becomes more competitive by the day, so custom software development is one of the ways in which a company can have tailor made solutions to its individual needs.  At present, the benefits of this cannot be brushed away.  In the race to be the bigger and better company, custom software is becoming extremely popular.  This saves a business much time and money, while helping it to execute its tasks more efficiently.

Many firms are emphasizing the need for a cost-effective, yet scalable custom solution that will perform and deliver positive results.  There are several companies that rely on the cutting edge of technology to provide these solutions, and that need a customized software that will cater to their specific needs.  Because the software is designed per the company’s requirements, it will offer all that the business requires and, in many cases, even more.

With Atlanta custom software development, a company can experience a boom in business, and also a radical change for the better.  It is important to note, however, that any software program is only going to put out what was put in, so to be sure that this customized product fits one’s needs, it is especially important to know what one wants before he or she puts in the order to have the software created.  Most Atlanta developers will study the requirements of the specific organization, how they prepare their records, how they execute their plans, and it will follow a specific plan throughout the development stages.

It is important that one choose an Atlanta custom software development firm that has the ability to understand the type of business that is performed in one’s organization and exactly what he or she expects to get out of it.  The firm should have complete access to the business and should maintain close contact with the project supervisors at all times.  Free maintenance of the software is also something that should be offered.

It is important to stay on top of the development project at all stages, so as to know if there will be a problem before it actually becomes one.  The lines of responsibility should be clearly drawn at the beginning of the project.  For this to be successful, one should have a working knowledge of how the software will perform so that once it is developed, he or she will be able to try it out and know how to perform each specific task.

Whether a company decides to utilize Atlanta custom software development remains entirely up to that company.  However, it is worthy to mention that without specialized software for one’s business, the outcomes of its procedures and tasks could be much less effiecient.

The menu is the term used to refer to the main navigation of a site.  This menu is normally placed along the top or down the side of a website and will be found on each page.  Atlanta web design knows that this is a key piece of functionality and must standout in relation to the other information on each page.  A great Atlanta web design firm will know precisely how to design the page so that the user experience is easy and flowing.  There will usually be a footer menu placed along the bottom of a page that includes information that is not as important as what is contained in the main menu.

The main and footer menus are the basis of navigation; however, there are other methods that are used in web design that are equally as important.  For instance, utilizing text links within the content of the page is relevant when it leads to another relevant page, an outside resource, or a contact form.  Text links are beneficial when used sparingly, so as not to place the user in a hindered position.

Images are a great resource to implement in order to highlight certain specific areas of the site that the company wishes their visitors to find useful.  Images can be used to promote offers, discounts, or even upcoming events.  The use of contrasting colors to make the image stand out is a great feature of a good Atlanta web design. 

The proper utilization of text content within the site can factor into the success of the navigational aspect of the design of the page.  The company can use sentences from their latest blog entries and include a clickable “read more” option below.  What one wants to do with these text snippets is to get the user to click through and read the information that is available on their site.  The longer a visitor spends on one’s site, the greater the chance that they will make a purchase or a request for services.

In Atlanta web design, the functionality of the navigational aspects of the website is crucial, as it relates to the free flow of the user experience.  The best website will be one that includes prominent and clear navigational instructions.

The first step is to check with your current hosting service.  Whether you’re  simply switching servers or you’re going to move to an entirely new host, it is a good idea to ask if they can move your files.  Many times, the host will perform this service; and sometimes,  free of charge.  If you do decide to engage with an entirely new host, it is important to remember that the script paths might not be the same.

Before actually completing the move, you should devise and write out a definitive plan on paper.  This plan should include the many tasks that will need to be completed and the due dates for each.  It can be beneficial to place this plan into a computer program, such as Microsoft OneNote, so as not to forget important deadlines.

Next, you should check links and scripts to be sure that they are functioning properly.  Sometimes there can be minor glitches in script pathways or links may not be functioning properly.  Often, an individual will leave this to fix at some other time; but, as they build up over time, many things can go wrong.  This is especially true if you want to move a website.  Minor glitches must be repaired before attempting to switch servers or change hosts.

Most websites incorporate a subscriber portal that allows visitors to sign up for such things as email notifications, RSS feeds, and ezines or newsletters.  When getting ready to switch websites, it is very beneficial if subscribing members are notified of the switch.    This notification should happen approximately three weeks before the actual date of change-over.  Since many people tend to just skim through their inboxes, it is a good idea to send this message more than once over the course of the next few weeks.

As stated earlier, script pathways may not be the same from server to server or from host to host.  It is important to make note of every single script on your site so that you can be better equipped to make necessary changes.

When changing hosts or servers, you may also need to change files or folders.  This can have a negative impact on traffic because search engines do not update their listings like clockwork.  This can cause visitors to receive a 404- File Not Found error message.  So, if the individual does need to make changes to file names or folders, it is most beneficial to employ a 301 Redirect.  This service allows visitors to actually visit the old page and automatically be transferred to the new site.

For any questions or concerns, or to see how we may be able to help when changing websites, Contact Us.  We would be happy to help or to simply point you in the proper direction.

Maximize your online efforts with these complementary offline marketing techniques:

• Traditional Media: Newspapers, magazines, TV spots and direct mailers are all the usual avenues for promoting a website. These methods could be costly, but their reach is vast.
• Promo Items: Make a BIG impact by passing out branded pens, stress relievers, cups, mouse pads, t-shirts, hats, USB drives, magnets or other items. People remember this – and as they use the item again and again, your brand is making an impression.
• Company Vehicles: Wrapping a vehicle is a technique used by companies ranging from The Geek Squad to Subway. For a few grand, whole-vehicle wraps really turn heads, plain and simple! Yet, you can also get by with just a simple sticker if your budget is low.
• Company Documents: Be sure to mention your new website whenever you dole out mailers, flyers, brochures, business cards, letterhead, or policy statements.
• Art: You can put up billboards on signs, buses, or buildings if you have a big budget. If your budget is a wee one, you can hire local artists to create chalk street art, memorable murals for your building, or signs for your lawn.

Note that the best marketing efforts combine some or all of these techniques in one well-thought out campaign. If you dare to stand out, people will take note, driving web traffic and sales beyond your wildest imagination.