Ivygirl Media & Design

Sometimes, its the little things that make the difference and when you’re talking about standing out amidst the zillions of other web sites out there, that statement couldn’t be more true.

I’m not sure how it happened but somehow, somewhere, we turned our back on service. And I mean the good old fashioned kind of service where customers were valued and loyalty was forged.

Case in point: a certain web hosting company, which shall remain nameless hosts a shopping cart for one of my customers. They’ve had an ongoing issue with their MySQL database but for some reason, they don’t seem to want to acknowledge it. I’ll skip all the technical details but in short, it doesn’t work properly. It isn’t talking to the open source software it installs and it isn’t creating users to set permissions to the account.

The result? The shopping cart, blog or other OS application doesn’t work. And I’m beating my head against a brick wall to get it fixed.

Just as everyone seems to be grasping the full impact of the Web 2.0 evolution, I’m noticing that “Web 3.0″ is starting to pop up all over the web.

Wait a minute… 3.0??? When did that happen?

The truth is, it was inevitable as the Internet continues to grow into a comprehensive (albeit complex) money-making tool instead of just another form of entertainment. With Web 2.0, we saw the birth of social networks like MySpace, the endless slew of social bookmarking sites such as Digg, del.icio.us and Furl and a new Internet “voice” in the form of a blog. Where sites used to be static and limited, users now enjoy a full-range of interactive services that keep them connected even when they’re on the go.

So, what could Web 3.0 possibly have to offer that Web 2.0 doesn’t?

Unless you’ve been vacationing under a rock for the past several weeks, you’ve probably heard of The Secret. The Secret is a DVD (or you can get it in hardcover form) that shows us how to use the Law of Attraction to manifest absolutely anything we truly desire. All the great thinkers were privy to The Secret, the DVD tells us, and it will work for us just as it worked for them.

So, what’s this got to do with web content and SEO?

The Secret is currently at the top of the “buzz” list, showing up in the most unexpected places. Your friends have heard of it, your family may be talking about it… even Oprah dedicated not one but two shows to it… that has to say something, right?

Which brings me to the point of this post:

In order to write effectively, you’ve got to be able to tap into what your readers want. It’s not enough to know that they want to learn more about personal finance for example, you also need to tap into the obstacles that have held them back so far. What challenges do they face? What goals have they set? Is there a realistic path to help them achieve the results they’re hoping for?

I see so many blogs and sites that talk about what “I want to do for you” but nothing about “what do you need from me” and I think that’s a key element that needs to be addressed.

People want what they want. And either you’re ready to give it to them or you’re not. But if you’re not, they won’t wait. They’ll click back and keep searching until they find someone that will.

And as far as writing for the web is concerned, that’s the real “secret”.

Building a website is easy. Building a successful e-business is another thing altogether. How to make the most of your web presence? Here’s five easy tips to maximize your site.

Give Good Service
There is nothing more annoying than a site that doesn’t offer adequate customer service. FAQ’s and contact information are just two ways that you can offer assistance to your customers. Users with a question don’t likely want to wait until your regular business hours to give you a call and they’ll likely surf somewhere else to find the answers they seek. Your objective is to make the business process as painless as possible. That means a quick checkout, easy navigation and yes, good customer service. Make sure your site includes answers to all the questions an uninformed user might ask. You’ll be surprised at what a little service can do for your sales.

I spend a ton of time on the web, looking for the latest, greatest tool for your website. So its always nice when I stumble upon something a little more “inspirational”, something I can enjoy without having to figure it out first.

This post falls into that category.

If you’ve never read Steve Pavlina’s blog, then you don’t know what you’re missing. A personal development genius, Steve can help you stay focused and grounded, tuning in on the big picture instead of getting lost in our day-to-day drama.

Which is why I liked “10 Reasons You Should Never Get a Job“.

A big majority of the small businesses out there are part-time ventures started by people working regular 9-to-5’s. They start these ventures in the hopes that they can build a better life for themselves, one that involves more creativity or gives them the freedom and financial stability to live the way they want to live. I know… I’ve been there myself.

So, if you’ve been thinking about starting your own business or leaving your day job to take your business full-time, this little ditty is for you. No, it doesn’t point you to a new SEO tool or a hot new social bookmarking site. What it will do however, is remind you of why you started your business in the first place and why its so important to continue to follow your dreams. Nice job, Steve. And happy success to all the “little guys” out there.

One of the things I try to do every day is check my stats and see where my traffic is coming from. This helps me in a number of ways: first, I can see where my visitors start, where they leave and what they look at in between. The more popular pages give me an idea of what my users might be looking for and thus, I can target those topics more prominently in my blog. In addition, it shows me what search terms were used to find me, providing another insight into the needs of my readers.

But perhaps the coolest thing about StatCounter is that it shows me where my visitors are coming from, i.e., who’s linking to me. And that my lovelies, is priceless.

Which brings me to the point of this post: I’ve recently noticed a considerable amount of traffic from a new source – StumbleUpon.com. And you know me… I’m always up for a new source of traffic.

Stumble Upon is just what it sounds like – a social bookmarking site where you can show others what you’ve “stumbled upon”. Post links to anything, from interesting pics to interesting links and share your favorites with the Metaverse. You can categorize your blog into topics to make it more usable and most importantly, you can do all this for free.

So, how did I make it to Stumble Upon? It seems lyndon101 enjoyed my post on linkbaiting so he added my site to his blog. Want to see if your site is listed? Look it up using their website review tool. That’s free too and if you’re looking for a way to connect with the multitudes of users out there, Stumble Upon is definitely a good place to start.

According to Nielsen BuzzMetrics, the top 100 blog posts for 2006 came from a relatively short list of blogs. Mother.LiveJournal.Com, Crooks and Liars, Sifry’s Alerts and Michelle Malkin dominated the list with the top spot going to Mother.LiveJournal.com for the “petition against changes in the livejournal interface“. This one post was linked to 801 times in 786 other blogs (make that 802

What does this mean for hopeful bloggers?

While the Internet continues to be an equal opportunity employer, there is some evidence to suggest that the blogosphere is just as “clique-y” as anything else. Simply throwing your blog out there doesn’t necessarily mean it will get noticed and if you really expect it to generate some traffic, it wouldn’t hurt to get a few mentions from an already-popular blogger.

Will public blogging directories even the playing field? Its really too soon to tell but sites like Digg, Technorati and Digital Journal definitely offer some hopeful possibilities for new bloggers just starting out.