Domain names are the plain text strings that form website names and email addresses such as website.com or pickle_freak@hungryhouse.us. The domain name system is the complex infrastructure behind the apparent simplicity of the names that make navigating the Internet and the Web more friendly to humans. Unethical hackers have increasingly taken to attacking DNS weaknesses to amuse themselves, to show off to other hackers or to profit by stealing private information. Industry experts have long warned of a coming storm and urged attention to erecting additional barriers to DNS exploits. The Federal Communications Commission recently asked stakeholders such as Internet service providers to focus on protecting their customers from domain name fraud, among other threats.

One of the ways DNS functionality can be perverted is by exploiting technical flaws in common DNS management programs to produce ghost domains, which are malicious websites that linger long after their vital domain names have supposedly been forced off the Internet by law enforcement or by private companies cracking down on abusive customers. Another way is for Trojan-horse infections to replace critical DNS files on personal computers with malicious replacements intended to redirect unwitting victims to look-alike websites that pretend to be major retailers, banks or other financial institutions. Criminals use the data gathered from such Trojans to commit credit-card fraud or to empty checking and savings accounts. A federal judge recently agreed to allow additional time for hundreds of thousands of victims of the DNSChanger malware to rid their personal computers of the infection before the FBI shuts down outside servers that have already been sanitized.

Peeved Anonymous members most likely will employ a relatively little-known technique called DNS amplification, which cleverly tricks mis-configured DNS servers into spewing out torrents of useless data that in turn cause other DNS servers to add to the chaos by producing even more useless data that overwhelms limited traffic-handling capacity. Theoretically, the cascade of out-of-control servers could swamp the ability of the Internet to cope, causing millions of websites to seemingly disappear. The financial fallout from being unable to gain access to the websites of online retailers, banks and other institutions could be enormous.

Experts seriously doubt that Anonymous or another group can credibly reduce the Internet to shambles in the near future, but the longer-term outlook is dimmer. Hackers have repeatedly shown brilliance in making a mockery of corporate and government security systems by developing sophisticated toolkits for defeating virtual walls against intrusion and the theft or corruption of vital data. The ultimate outcome of the race between security experts and unethical hackers remains unknown.

Organizations like EasyDNS have protested the decision feeling that it could be too easy for US authorities to start policing a number of generic TLD services. Websites that end in .org or .com might have to abide by the rules set by American powerbrokers. Considering the recent discussions about SOPA and PIPA, this doesn’t sit well with a lot of Internet users.

While  SOPA and PIPA seem to have been shelved for the time being, there is still a lot of discussion about what federal lawmakers will do about cyber crime. Most people agree something needs to be done, but many computer commentators felt that acts like SOPA and PIPA actually didn’t address the root of the problem. The idea that legitimate Internet users registering their .com, .net and .org domains with domain companies would be affected by legislation caused privacy concerns to be trending topics all over the Web. That being said, international legislation doesn’t look to be any saner than legislation on the federal level.

There have been those that want to turn domain name policing over to the United Nations and the International Telecommunications Union. Others have talked about turning over power from ICANN to a new intergovernmental panel. These options seem just as problematic, and could be a way for large international bureaucracies to attempt to micromanage personal Internet usage. Recently, many people have turned against the ACTA treaty which already too has an Internet petition against it.

There has been a good deal of discussion about cyber criminals in Eastern Europe. Sadly, it may come as no surprise that Russian .ru domains have been misused. In fact, some reports suggest that the .ru top-level domain is one of the most abused when it came to a certain class of botnet controller. The organization that oversees the domain has started to enforce the rules, which has caused cyber criminals to flee. However, they have reportedly found some refuge in the .su top-level domain.

In September 1990, the USSR was granted .su for Soviet Union. It might seem very strange that this domain continues to exist today, but there are no real restrictions on who is allowed to register. In 2001, .su managers apparently started accepting more new registrations. However, it has been argued that this violates policies set forth by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. In 2007, lobbyists pressed to keep the domain open. By 2008, registrations were increasing. A few legitimate organizations that got their start in the old USSR are actually still using the domain. The Sternberg Astronomical Institute at Moscow University still uses it, for instance.

It’s definitely clear that there is a serious problem with pirates and scammers, but any legislation designed to protect businesses from cyber criminals needs to be careful to avoid harming legitimate users. Perhaps it might be best to simply provide better enforcement of the current framework as opposed to creating new laws. Even some grassroots efforts, like the .xxx TLD designed to section off sexually explicit material, seem to be having some problems. There were also critics that were afraid that certain websites would be forced to move to the .xxx domain or that reputable companies would flock to buy them only to protect their brands.

For the brick-and-mortar store, a bare-bones online presence might consist of information such as hours, items in stock or announcements of special events. A smarter online presence will include information on solving problems your targeted customer may have, or maybe even some topical humor. Social media marketing often involves creating a “page” for the Product or a “group” that uses the service. A smart big-ticket salesperson can even use social media to prepare for a sales appointment.

For example, we have an appointment tomorrow to shop for a new vehicle. We already told the salesman we need an SUV, truck, or van. If he checked us out on Facebook, he’d see that our worn-out old mini-van has played an important part in family life, hauling grandkids to Sunday School, going to the park with great-grandkids, going to all-night stock car races on New Years’ Eve. And he can use that knowledge to build rapport—to a point. But if we get there and he has picked out a red Ford minivan with bumper stickers that read “we (heart) our grandkids” and “follow us to the races”, it probably won’t matter that he picked out exactly what we need. He skipped “rapport” and approached “stalking”.

There are many online services designed to identify potential customers through targeting.  A paralegal researching diabetes suddenly sees ads for free cookbooks, glucometers, and the latest e-book promoting a cure for diabetes. A student researching an economics paper is fed ads for investment opportunities. Another student can’t research “breast cancer” at the school library because of firewalls designed to block porn.

Facebook uses profile information to display targeted ads on members’ pages. Amazon periodically “suggests” products you may be interested in. Hey, Amazon, we only needed ONE water pump and we bought it already! But keep sending the cookbook ads—we can never have enough cookbooks!

Google is preparing to launch further “personalized search” results, with mixed results from pre-launch testers. Some found it “cute” but most testers seemed to feel that the best feature was the option to “turn off personalized results”. Research has shown that potential customers searching for generic items (such as used mini-vans in Florida) don’t want to see their Facebook picture with the grandkids gathered around the old Aerostar.

In the fast-paced atmosphere of Internet advertising, it’s only natural to want instant results. But not if the instant result is the site visitor clicking the “back” button or the x in the corner. There’s a definite art to building rapport with a potential customer, based on two-way communication (like a game of tennis). There are two keys for the effective use of “personalized” and targeted advertising. First, use it to identify the common ground (serve the ball). Then WAIT for the response (the return). The game begins, and you win.

There are exciting new developments in online marketing every day. Many of them are designed to streamline the marketing process. But when you evaluate new tools and techniques, don’t forget to consider the basics of human (buyer) behavior.

If your web site has something to offer (besides a sales message) getting links can be as easy as sending a 3-line email inviting a niche related webmaster to check out what you have to offer. What does this strategy mean to SEO? Since the CrochetPatternCentral site is ranked at number 1 and number 2 in Google Search for “free crochet patterns”, it would seem to be THE authoritative site, which should boost the links’ value.

Because of the way Crochet Pattern Central works, there are six separate links to the blog (one for each pattern). This should also boost link value. And now that CPC knows the blog is there, it stands to reason that new patterns will generate new links. (If not, it’s time for another email!) When it comes to the keyword phrase “crochet patterns” (the blog also offers patterns for sale), Crochet Pattern Central is ranked 1-4.

According to search experts, links are weighted, and one “topical” link may be worth 100 “off-topic” links. This means a single 3-line email could equal 600 regular links. (This article for instance, case in point)

Besides links, the Holy Grail of SEO is content—fresh, original content, and plenty of it. The best content is helpful, informative and entertaining. Keywords and keyword phrases fit naturally. Using synonyms for keywords not only makes the content more readable, it catches searchers who search the “other” word or phrase.

Other basics include title tags, H1 tags, and ALT tags for images. Take a break from pursuing the latest social media strategies and tweak your pages, focusing on the basics. Add some fresh content, even if it’s a roundup like the “top 10 free resources” in your chosen niche.

Other sources for fresh content include guest bloggers, reprint articles, original articles (by you or a freelance content provider), or even niche humor (by far one of the most commonly shared items on social media).

And while you’re looking at the basics, don’t forget Google’s Webmaster Tools at https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home?hl=en

Check into adding more social media strategies to your promotional efforts. Add a Google + 1 button to your blog or website. Get to know Digg, StumbleUpon, and Pinterest. By going back and forth between improving the quality of your site and finding new ways to promote your site, you’ll be able to steadily grow a successful online presence.

Small Business Internet Marketing is great to talk about, but not easy to do to generate meaningful results, meaning buyers that deliver cash in exchange for your stuff.

Why?

WorldWideWebSize.com estimates that Google alone has more than 50 billion with a B websites indexed worldwide, and that’s a conservative estimate.  Registered domains as of mid-2011 number more than 350 billion.  That’s a helluva lot of competition folks. If you want the Internet to work for your business, you need a quality site that converts first, then drive targeted traffic to it.  The site chicken in this case definitely comes before the traffic egg.

Sites that Pop and Convert

Here are some tips to make sure that your website delivers the goods for visitors:

• Well-written – Make sure that your copy pops with enthusiasm, attention grabbing facts, and flows well with conversational, 10^th grade level grammar.
• Targeted to Your Business – Don’t be everything to everybody.  Be certain your copy talks specifically to your business value proposition and what outcomes you bring to your customers.
• Visual appeal – Use graphics that are clear, relevant, and colorful as well as video to capture the reader’s attention and keep him there.
• Keyword research – Now comes the SEO.  Research your keywords using any of the keyword tools (like Google’s) online for popularity and competition, both in pay-per-click (PPC) ads and in organic pages that get pulled up on a search.
• Tell them what to do -  Don’t assume your visitors know what to do-tell them!  If they are supposed to give you a call, make it obvious and easy that this is the best way you can help them.  Place an order?  Funnel them to it.

The key to this on-page SEO and conversion strategy is to write and create content with your visitors in mind first, but never forget that Google, Yahoo and Bing all need to be satisfied as well to rank you higher.

Get Relevant

All search engine marketing efforts drive toward getting higher page rank by Google and the other major engines, and these engines, are concerned with one primary thing when ranking a site:  relevance.  How do you define relevance?

1. Content is relevant to the search
2. The site is relevant in the world (translation: popular)

For off-page SEO, we focus on #2, how relevant the site is in the world.  Here are the main ways small businesses can get there:

• Backlinks – The more quality sites you have linked to your site, the louder the message of your importance in the world.  This is no longer just the most sites, in fact, sites linking to you having nothing to do with your products and services will not only not help you, you could be penalized.  Be careful of charlatans peddling 1000 backlinks for $5.  Chances are, 4999 of them are poor quality, useless backlinks.  Google for one rates your links on subject matter coalescence and how important the site is linking to you.   Get a link from the Wall Street Journal, much better than one from Joe’s Yugo Garage from Des Moines.
• Traffic – Your site relevance is also gaged by how much traffic it gets.  A large number of visitors will translate to a popular site in the eyes of search engines.

This is the classic success breeds success formula for small business SEO.

great site content   →  visitors → site popularity  →  higher page rank  →  more search visitors

The means of traffic and backlink generation are numerous and changing and will be explored further in future articles.

(Agoura Hills, CA)

According to recent reports and expert studies, the trend of powerful earthquakes striking Southern California every 45 to 144 years, portends the next powerful and devastating earthquake could happen any day. It is overdue according to records as the last big quake that was listed as a 7.9 magnitude, struck Los Angeles 154 years ago. This means that the next big earthquake is late. It could happen tomorrow. This is a time to assume that the worst is inevitable and to be prepared to mitigate the risk of devastation by purchasing a good insurance policy that will cover damages from an earthquake. In particular, a regular home owners policy does not cover damages to a home or business for an earthquake. Therefore it is of the greatest importance, in this time of high risk from such an occurrence, to add california earthquake insurance to a risk management program.

Although many have been lulled into a manageable state of denial about the reality that is lurking around the lives of people living around the San Andreas fault, there have been a sufficient number of warning signs, along with the historical data, to label anyone who dismisses the wisdom of purchasing california earthquake insurance, foolishly optimistic or perilously out of touch with reality.

Instead of pretending that it is not really going to happen, why not buy some peace of mind? Such a purchase is at least an assurance, that as long as survival is an option, management of devastation to the home or business will be covered with a separate and required insurance policy, specifically designed for home repairs or replacement caused by an earthquake. Earthquake damages must be covered by a separate policy and not facing this reality at a time when all the warning signs have blatantly presented themselves, is negligent to the family, home or business.

NEW YORK – FiOS TV subscribers in the Northeast woke up Tuesday morning (Jan. 10) to a new way of interacting and enjoying their TV experience. 

The new benefits are the result of Verizon’s continued transformation of FiOS TV viewing by bringing the next generation of its FiOS TV Interactive Media Guide to subscribers in the company’s New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island service areas.  More than 4.2 million households in these states can now take advantage of award-winning FiOS TV and the advanced IMG. 

Introduced in 2007, the FiOS TV IMG was the first broadband platform to pull together content from broadcast TV, the Internet and users’ own personal media into one media-management system.  It has since evolved into an in-depth, interactive TV experience, with applications for advanced/intuitive search, social networking, Internet video, personal media streaming, high-definition music, remote DVR controls, account management and billing functions, multi-screen/mobile viewing and much more.

The company used customer feedback taken in through its product development labs, field trials and online consumer forums to create many of the more than 25 new upgrades to FiOS TV’s advanced IMG that are now available to subscribers in the tri-state area.  The enhancements include greater personalization and customization, easier navigation, deeper search, bigger storage options and optimization for new 3D technology.  To learn more about the customer participation in the development of the IMG’s new capabilities, view this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iehPRr0-LFA. 

“Customers are at the center of everything we do, and that includes how we develop our products and services,” said Susan Retta, vice president of marketing for Verizon’s Northeast area.  “FiOS TV isn’t about passive video watching – it has evolved into an entertainment and information destination.  Our new generation of FiOS TV is all about simplicity of design, increased user interactivity and ease of use.  It’s yet another way we want our customers to get the most out of their FiOS services.” 

FiOS TV customers can find out more about the upgrades on the FiOS TV Central website.  A short video highlighting some of the changes can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/user/verizon?feature=mhum#p/u/6/iqQSE3TpbS8. 

Highlights include:

• Improved search capabilities, which provide a smarter search function that predicts what the customer is looking for and automatically provides potential matches.  FiOS TV customers also can filter and sort by channel, and more easily locate favorite programs.
• DVR enhancements, which give FiOS TV customers more control with the following:

o    DVR chaptering, giving viewers DVD-like capabilities to jump ahead or resume viewing at a particular moment of recorded programming by using on-screen thumbnails in 10-minute increments, providing more visual navigation.

o     Multi-hub DVR, which turns any DVR or HD set-top box in the home into a “hub,” allowing customers to record and manage DVR settings from any room in the home, provided one of the DVRs is a multi-room DVR.

o     eSATA external storage device compatibility, available with most FiOS TV DVRs, allowing for increased overall storage capacity.  The eSATA hard drives can be purchased at most consumer electronics stores and will automatically record customer selections once plugged into the DVR.

o     New “play all” and “delete all” options, allowing customers to play episodes back-to-back and automatically delete all episodes of a show with the push of a button.

• Personalization features, which let FiOS TV customers enjoy entertainment on their own terms, including:

o    New parental control options that make monitoring children’s viewing even easier, with the ability to block out portions of programming by rating during key hours of the day, like homework time, and schedule certain times for Parental Controls to be automatically turned on and off for greater flexibility.

o    Guide customization, enabling a variety of settings, with a mini guide on the bottom of the screen, a half guide on the right side of the screen, and a full guide with a look at more hours of scheduled programming.

• 3D content software, which automatically detects when a customer tunes to a 3D program or channel and instantly changes the necessary settings for watching those programs on a 3D television set. 

Verizon’s FiOS TV Interactive Media Guide can be accessed with the FiOS TV remote control or by using Verizon’s FiOS Mobile application, which turns an iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad or Android device into a remote control for a FiOS HD set-top box, making parental controls, customized interactive applications and program recording options easy to access. 

The next-generation FiOS TV is built upon a long series of innovations, including Flex View and FiOS TV Online, which extend FiOS TV beyond the home to the Internet and a range of mobile devices; free interactive applications including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Yelp, HSN Shop By Remote, TMZ and others; Media Manager, which allows customers to access on their TVs personal photos, music and videos from their computers; and In-Home Agent, which frees customers to use simple online tools to diagnose and resolve a range of service issues. 

Existing FiOS TV subscribers can find out more information by tuning to FiOS Channel 131, or visiting http://www.verizon.com/fiostvcentral. 

For the latest news, updates and information about FiOS TV, visit www.verizon.com/newscenter  and http://www.verizon.com/athomeblog.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with more than 107 million total connections nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500.  A Dow 30 company with $106.6 billion in 2010 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 195,000.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com. 

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VERIZON’S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon’s News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news.  To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

Farmington, CT (PRWEB) December 21, 2011 Al Davidson, the Founder and President of Strategic Sales & Marketing, Inc. (SSM) announced today that his lead generation and appointment setting company has achieved a unique milestone in the lead generation industry: the company recently generated the 7 millionth sales lead for its clients.

2011 marks the company’s 23rd year in business. Ever since Al Davidson founded Strategic Sales & Marketing in 1989, it has become one of the most widely respected lead generation companies and an influential thought leader in lead generation and appointment setting.

“I founded this company in the basement of my home in 1989, and I never would have guessed that we would grow to such a level of prominence in lead generation,” said Al Davidson, founder and president of Strategic Sales & Marketing. “With every client, we strive to be a ‘leading light’ for their lead management and appointment setting efforts. Whether it’s an appointment setter making cold calls or a sales coach delivering specialized B2B sales consulting, every step of our process is a team effort focused on creating better sales leads and generating bigger sales.”

Strategic Sales & Marketing has built its reputation on a unique approach to B2B lead management and appointment setting: instead of simply providing outsourced lead generation services, Al Davidson and his team of lead generation consultants, sales agents and appointment setters provide comprehensive B2B marketing consulting, appointment setting programs, sales strategy, sales coaching, marketing communications development and social media lead generation.

“Our company roots are in B2B sales and we try to be a company that is run ‘by sales people, for sales people,” said Al Davidson.

About Strategic Sales & Marketing, Inc.
Founded by Al Davidson in 1989, Strategic Sales & Marketing is a “leading light” among lead generation companies, helping to deliver B2B lead generation and appointment setting solutions for global clients ranging from local small businesses to the Fortune 100. The company’s sales agents and lead generation consultants have delivered over 50 million sales presentations, generated over 7 million new sales leads, and created billions of dollars in new revenue for our clients. Contact Strategic Sales & Marketing via the company website at http://www.manageyourleads.com/

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This news release is published for syndication through PRWeb.com.
It is available in its original location using the following link:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/12/prweb9049952.htm

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) December 20, 2011 On December 15, 2011, LockBoxSwap, LLC introduced the first e-commerce platform for real estate professionals to buy or sell used lock boxes in a secure, centralized secondary marketplace — LockBoxSwap.

Borne out of the yearlong collaborative efforts of a San Diego Realtor and a successful Internet entrepreneur, LockBoxSwap is the 21st century response to the high cost and transfer-of-ownership difficulties associated with buying a brand new Realtor lockbox. Until now, Realtors looking to buy or sell Supra or SentriLock lockboxes on the secondary market shopped locally for other Realtors, or ventured into the uncertain online world of eBay or Craigslist. With LockBoxSwap, any individual Realtor or Real Estate Association, can easily purchase or sell their used lock boxes at one trusted location, from their home, office, or on the go in a matter of minutes.

“Any Realtor will attest to how expensive and time-consuming the process of buying a new lockbox can be. LockBoxSwap’s easy-to-use platform, free-shipping policy, and transfer-of-ownership guarantee allows any real estate professional to safely buy a lockbox or sell a lockbox without ever leaving their desk.” said San Diego Realtor, and LockBoxSwap CEO, Mike Wolf.

With so much positive feedback surrounding the website launch, Realtors and Associations have seemed to embrace the idea that they can cut costs on an expensive lockbox, and use the extra money to better serve their clients needs. “In a real estate market where using a SentriLock or Supra lockbox is the status quo, LockBoxSwap can save Realtors’ some extra cash in this tough market to use towards presenting and selling their next listing.”

Until January 31st, just enter JAN20SWAP at checkout to receive 20% off any lockbox purchased.

Research has shown a direct correlation between “smart” lockboxes and higher closing prices; for increased security, and software tools to better serve clients, the electronic lockbox can’t be beat. With LockBoxSwap, now every Realtor has an electronic lockbox within their reach.

With free-shipping, exceptional customer service, and a Realtor-managed team who understands your business, LockBoxSwap aims to be the one-stop shop for all Realtors’ Supra and SentriLock lockbox needs. No more hassle. No more haggling. No more leaving your office. Just a guaranteed electronic lockbox delivered straight to your door. — “Lock Up Your Listing For Less with LockBoxSwap”

To lock up your listing for less, go to http://www.LockBoxSwap.com. For large volume orders call Beau Katz, National Sales Manager, at (888) 835-2540.

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This news release is published for syndication through PRWeb.com.
It is available in its original location using the following link:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/12/prweb9054459.htm

Astoria, NY (PRWEB) December 23, 2011 4OVER4.COM has launched a Christmas and New Year puzzles printing service to provide customers with unique corporate and personal puzzle gifts for friends, family, loved ones, staff and customers. 4OVER4.COM is an online printing service that provides digital and offset printing in the areas of post card printing, Custom Labels printing, vinyl decal printing, poster printing, business card printing, Large Format Printing, vinyl banner printing, brochures printing, and many more Custom Printing applications.

4OVER4.COM puzzles are a great promotional gift and marketing tool and can be used during the Christmas and New Year Season for Corporate PR or personal gift items for friends, family and loved ones.

4OVER4.COM puzzles are printed on durable boards and arrive pre-assembled in a clear plastic bag with cardstock backing, accompanied by a separate print of the puzzle image.

4OVER4.COM guarantees low 25 minimums on puzzle printing.

4OVER4.COM provides Puzzle Printing in thick jigsaw stock and 5 sizes including: 4×6 20-piece puzzles, 6×8 48-piece puzzles, 8×12 50-piece puzzles, 11×14 80-piece puzzles, and 12×18 300-piece puzzles. Quantities of 25 to 250 prints per order can be obtained from 4OVER4.COM.

“4OVER4 is glad to offer custom puzzles printing this Christmas and New Year season. The custom puzzles make great gift items for friends, family and Corporate PR,” says 4OVER4.COM Principal Taso Panagiotopoulos.

For more information about 4OVER4.COM Puzzles printing, or for any updates or inquiries, please visit http://www.4over4.com/printing/Printing-Puzzles, email support(at)4over4(dot)com or call the 4OVER4.COM customer care line on 1-718-932-2700.

About 4OVER4.COM
Online printing company 4OVER4.COM, an NYC printing firm, is a green printing company that serves tens of thousands of clients nationally and whose printing New York facility began operations in 1999.4OVER4.COM provides unmatched technical and customer support and instant online pricing and ordering for full color printing services since 1999, 4OVER4.COM has offered free expert file review and free online proofs without any obligation to purchase. As a green printing company, we are strongly oriented towards sustainable environmental renewal, and we are happy to lead the way with environmentally and socially responsible printing practices and projects among national as well as New York Printers.

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This news release is published for syndication through PRWeb.com.
It is available in its original location using the following link:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/12/prweb9063103.htm