Two Sides of the Coin

Plainly put, there’s always two sides to a story. Often seen as the “good side” and the “bad side.” You are aware that Internet Ads is one of those coins. There is a flip side. A heads and a tails. “What are they?” you ask. “I’d be happy to tell you,” I reply.

Let’s take heads first. I grew up enduring TV ads, wishing someone could do something about them. Too many, too long and always interrupting the story. Did you know that they actually sped up sitcoms like Seinfeld so they could squeeze in another commercial? Check it out. Even when TV as a major source of entertainment began to fade, the big networks continued to exploit their captive audience with more and more ads.  Read more →

Three classy things to learn

First, class, is the website address. This is the part that is visible and advertised to everyone. For example, Alliant’s address is, AlliantTechnology.com. Making the address, or domain name, more readable by using capital letters is a helpful marketing tool and has no effect on the way the Internet sees your address.

To make sure that you alone have the right to use the address for your website, you must register the name. The domain name is registered with a Domain Name Registrar for an annual fee. If you forget to renew the registration, you lose the right to the name. Read more →

What is the chief online discovery tool of the Internet Age?

In an online article for SMBs appearing June 1, 2016, the eMarketer said, “Most Small Businesses [are] Discovered Online First.” That is the new preeminent discovery tool of your potential customer.

More specifically the article stated, “More than one-third of US internet users said they first find out about small businesses when researching online…” If that doesn’t pique your interest, what about this statement? “Walking into a local store, meanwhile, was the least likely path to discovery.” That certainly grabbed mine! Online discovery is not the only tool. Those who fail to use their feet? Adventure lost. Read more →

Deciphering the IT “aaS” code

What is FWaaS?

There are many acronyms in the internet technology industry ending “aaS.” SaaS, HaaS, and FWaaS are three. The “aaS” ending means as a service. So SaaS is software as a service, while HaaS is hardware as a service. And FWaaS is firewall as a service.

FWaaS includes all the technology required to provide remote firewall management. The service which Alliant provides through Dell combines the firewall appliance with security and management software plus all related support services bundled into a monthly subscription price which avoids upfront cost or investment. Read more →

Why Do You Have a Website?

So you have a website. Maybe even a beautiful website! Who visits? Do you know? What difference does it make? If you knew the gender/age of your website visitors would you do anything differently? Different in regard to marketing? Different in regard to design? Different in regard to content? Such information might even help to answer the question, why do I have a website?

A BrightLocal article by Ross Marchant, Gender vs. Age – what different consumer groups really want from local business websites, provides some excellent insight to help you decide what purpose your website should be accomplishing. Read more →

Shortcuts to Search Like An Expert

All of us need help when it comes to Google Search. Lots of results can be unhelpful if the result is not what you were looking for.

The key to drawing closer to technological perfection in Google Search is here. These tips are very helpful and easy to use. We will provide ten this month and ten next. These are taken from an extensive Hubspot list of 31 tips. Can’t wait? Click on the link.

While the explanation is brief, the Google Search experience is rich. You’ll learn best by simply giving it a try. Read more →

Local Search Drives more Clicks & Calls

…than any other marketing channel.

Bright Local, a marketing company specializing in local search and directory citation tools, runs an annual “Clicks & Calls” survey “in which [they] ask local business owners and local search marketers about which digital marketing channels drive leads to their businesses and deliver the best ROI.”

This year’s survey collated the responses of 477 search agencies, small business owners/managers, search consultants and web designers, spread over 8200 website locations during the past 12 months. Read more →

Collaboration is a team effort

All successful business is based on the effective use of collaboration tools. Because all successful business is based on meaningful collaboration. Hiring strengths and abilities becomes immediately pointless if the individual’s strengths and abilities are not used collaboratively. Or at all! How will the astute leader know the depth of employee potential that lies untapped? Best, through familiarity with and wise use of collaboration tools.

Business leaders who desire to collaborate will be interested in the following collaboration tools which they may already have access to, but simply have not discovered. These collaboration tools will simplify the process and make it more powerful. Read more →

What you must know about your website’s domain name

Your Company’s website has an Internet address. That address is called the domain name and is an important part of your business. It should be treated as a marketing asset as important as your phone number, email address or physical location. It deserves administrative and protective consideration.

• Domain names are purchased through registrars. Registrars use a registration process to keep track of the millions of domain name owners. They charge an annual fee for this service.
• Every domain is registered with designated contacts which can become obsolete over time. They may have been purchased by former employees, for example, or the business may have changed location. It is crucial to make sure that the contact information is correct. Only authorized and registered contacts can make updates and changes. If notices go to an unmonitored email, you may lose access to the domain.
• A quick search at http://whois.net will reveal your registrar, the expiration date, the administrative and technical contacts and where your website (the DNS servers) is hosted.
• Your contact information is open to the general public. Anyone can go to WhoIs.net and see your contact information. For this reason most registrars offer private registration to keep your contact information private. Remember that Spam purveyors crawl the Internet looking for public email addresses, while Telemarketers do the same for phone numbers.
• Domain names have expiration dates – you register for a chosen period of years. Although most registrars send out alerts, it is possible for an unmonitored name to expire, leaving the business with no website or email. These functions are based on the domain name.
• Once a domain expires it is very difficult (or impossible) to reclaim. It can be legitimately snatched resold at an exorbitant profit either to your competition or to the original owner.

Perhaps you haven’t got a website!

What good is domain name information if you haven’t got a website to name? Alliant can help you move forward in this significant marketing venture. We provide our web design resources to bring your company an introductory web presence you’ll be proud of. If you have any questions related to your domain name or website, give Alliant Web Services a call. Call (626) 461-1300.