Technology

Click Fraud -- Are You At Risk? Protecting Your Online Business

Inkspress, Inc — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 22:10:00 GMT

Joanna L. Krotz, in a Microsoft Small Business Center article, tackled the subject of click fraud.

What is click fraud and why is it on the rise?
Click fraud is defined as someone who clicks on a paid search ad with harmful or dishonest intent. The click is made to artificially rack up fees rather than because of interest in your goods or services. As a pay-per-click marketer, you must then cough up the amount of illegal clicks on your paid listings but you gain nothing — not the sales or leads you seek.

Sadly, click fraud is the price of the Web's success. In rather short order, Internet advertising, including search engine marketing, has gone from a dot-com joke to nearly a $10 billion business, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. And growing. In other words, there's now real money in them 'thar clicks.

By 2005, the average cost of popular keywords had risen to $1.75 a click, with some hot industries even higher, including an average $5.39 per click for mortgage/refinancing services and $1.85 for telecommunications/broadband, according to the ZDNet Index. Multiply those numbers by thousands of illegal clicks and fraud can get costly.

Where do •

Software and hackers. Some scammers automate the fraud by using so-called "bot" software, which are robot programs to rack up thousands of clicks per hour.

•
Paid clickers. Companies, often based in places like Russia or Asia, pay low-wage workers to click. The Times of India recently reported on Indian housewives and college students who are earning up to $200 a month clicking on ads for a few hours a day, without really knowing it's fraud.

She offers 6 steps to help protect your business against click fraud.

Combine paid and organic (free) search.

Monitor Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

Balance your ad budget.

Buy keywords that can inoculate you.

Hire a watchdog.

Report suspicions to the search engine.

If you are going to go the pay-per-click route, then know your business, your clients and your site interaction.

LP

Blogging the Blog Business Summit And About Blogs

Inkspress, Inc — Wed, 17 Aug 2005 21:55:00 GMT

I always get a real charge out of all the excitement blogging has generated and continues to generate. Everyone knows that the last Presidential election fueled the onslaught of new blogs everywhere. Suddenly, blogging became America's favorite pasttime and posting comments gave the average American purpose and identity. Blogging launched a new language and a new platform to be heard.

Blogging, Weblogging, is:

Noun

S: (n) web log, blog (a shared on-line journal where people can post diary entries about their personal experiences and hobbies) "postings on a blog are usually in chronological order"

Verb

S: (v) blog (read, write, or edit a shared on-line journal)

You can find blogging for fun. Blogging for politics. Blogging for business. Blogging for hobbies, interests, likes, dislikes and Blogging Summit where the attendees will be blogging about the Blogging Summit.  That will be one blog I will be checking on faithfully, just out of sheer curiosity.

Blogs can give you up-to-the-minute information from around the world. The problem with blogs is that the information found in them cannot be taken as reliable.  It is very difficult to check the authenticity of the information if you plan to use the information as fact.  Trying to track down the source of information is like tracking down gossip. You have to go back through the links to find the source.

Blogs are going to change and evolve in the days and months and years to come, but there will always be a way for people to come together to express themselves on a very real basis. Look for the next wave to be interactive blogging. It will be like hanging over the fence and talking to your neighbor--that's really all it is now anyway.

LP

Let's Talk About Tagging -- Tag Your Blog Is It!

Inkspress, Inc — Fri, 12 Aug 2005 10:33:00 GMT

I've been hearing the new buzz about tags. Being the skeptical person that I am, I want to check out every aspect of the “tagging” art.

Tagging allows you to categorize topics.   Technorati's Weblog gives up-to-date info on tagging, weblogging and the like.

Apparently, not everyone is thrilled with the outcomes.

Comment about your good and bad experiences with tagging. I need an education on the subject!

LP

It's Not Your Father's School Anymore...

Inkspress, Inc — Thu, 14 Jul 2005 08:21:00 GMT

When I was a kid, we would watch Star Trek on television and when Captain Kirk, A.K.A. William Shatner, would whip out his transmitter, we thought that was cool! Actually, we thought it was “Neato!“ It made that chirping sound and had flashing lights. We would wait to hear those famous words, “Beam me up, Scotty.“ Well, they aren't beaming anyone up...yet. But, the public school system of Vail, Arizona, has decided that it is time to get into the here and now.

Empire High School, Unified School District of Arizona located outside of Tucson, will open its doors next week to 350 new students who will participate in the state's first all-laptop, all-wireless public high school. I should say, not only the state's first wireless school, but the country's first.

Instead of the traditional textbooks costing about $600, each student will receive their very own Apple iBook costing about $850. The traditional textbooks have proven to be not only cumbersome, but also costly with continually replacing out of date and damaged books.

I know many people will frown on this new initiative. Many will find fault. Many will complain. But I say, “Hats off!” to this public school district for trying to bring new, advanced technology to a state which has been plagued for years with problems in their public schools; Low pay for teachers, students from high crime areas, poor public schools, and problems with students crossing the border to attend a U.S. school (which is a whole new can of worms). But, Arizona has responded to each of these problems, and has managed to pull themselves up from their proverbial bootstraps.

I will make a prediction that the once out-on-a-limb state of Arizona (where education is concerned), will eventually be a shining educational beacon for our country. And when that happens, we all win.

LP

Skype - Internet Telephony Comes of Age

Inkspress, Inc — Mon, 28 Mar 2005 08:07:00 GMT

Regardless of your business, regardless of your marketing plans or budget, you need to call people sometimes. Maybe all the time. Small Business Computing has an interesting, but I think lacking, article on VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)--VoIP Meets Wi-Fi. It's lacking because, for a reason completely lost to me, they don't even mention Skype. Skype is the free computer to computer (aka peer to peer or P2P) VoIP solution that is taking over and revolutionizing how people are communicating with each other.

Here are the basic (and free) features of Skype: computer to computer voice, IM chat, and file transfers. Now you might think the voice calling computer to computer will be filled with lags, static, and "what? what did you say again?". Nope it's not. My experience has been that Skype calls are better than landlines, especially to Europe and other parts of the world. Yes, really, better than landline.

Now if you want to pay for a few services you can call regular phones (SkypeOut), get voicemail (SkypeVM), or get a "regular" phone number for people to call you (SkypeIn). I've tried SkypeOut and SkypeVM and they are well worth their small cost (10 Euros for about 588 mins for SkypeOut and 15 Euros for a year of SkypeVM).

All you need for Skype is a Mac, PC, or Linux machine that has a relatively up to date OS, sound card, microphone and speakers. Personally I recommend using a headset with a microphone. It makes the sound you hear clearer and the microphone lets others hear you better too. I have a Logitech Internet Chat headset. Very comfortable--which is important because once you start Skyping you might be wearing it a lot--great sound, and a very good microphone.

So start Skyping today! If you're interested in Skyping with someone to try your set up out, my Skype ID is tris.hussey.

Skype - Free Internet telephony that just works

RSS as a Communications Medium

Inkspress, Inc — Tue, 08 Mar 2005 10:55:00 GMT

I've been getting e-mails from Charlie Cook on business marketing for about a year. Usually they are great, but you know, I often don't get to read them and wind up deleting them. Charlie finally has a blog and is posting his same excellent content in this far more accessable format.

Link:Business Marketing Blog by Charlie Cook

Accessable? But wait, instead of getting an e-mail I have to visit his website? That doesn't seem like a time-saver to me. You're right, it isn't. If you're visiting his website. So don't. Huh? If you haven't already, jump onto RSS aggregator bandwagon now. This site is a great one to start with. Personally I use Lektora (disclosure, I personally have a close working relationship with the author of Lektora), but Bloglines and NewsGator online are also easy ones to get started with. I've heard Onfolio is good, but I haven't tried it. If you use Firefox, Sage would be my second choice after Lektora, in my book.

Microsoft Relaunches Small Business Center

Inkspress, Inc — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 09:18:00 GMT

Microsoft has just launched a re-designed, perhaps re-thought--small business center. Popular with many small business folks, this site cuts to the chase and helps small business owners get the answers they need.

Security is high on everybody's mind and Microsoft has provided a nice track for learning more about security (I would also recommend Security Awareness for Ma, Pa and the Corporate Clueless--a Business Blogging Awards winner). There is also a learning section that helps you with the information you need to know, when you need to know it.

I great place to start if you have any questions about your Windows computer or software.

Resources:Microsoft Small Business Center --Microsoft Gives Small Biz Site a Makeover

Virtual Businesses

Inkspress, Inc — Fri, 04 Feb 2005 09:03:00 GMT

This trend has implications on both sides of this discussion. As a small business person it is easier and easier to run a successful business from your home. High-speed Internet access, cell phones, more and more sophisticated voicemail options. Everything you need to be up and running, and still be in your bunny slippers.

Antia Campbell's TrendTracker site as part of Small Business Trends has this article on the virutal business trend:
Trend: Small Businesses Go Virtual.

Anita starts the article with this quote:

"The future is likely to be the age of virtual businesses. The newly opened two-person office will be able to look big, established, and successful. Build a really good website, toss in some color printers, fast computers, and cell phones, and you're halfway there. After that, it's a question of leveraging your creativity and ability to partner with other entrepreneurs."

And follows with these important pieces of wisdom:

"Let's make one thing clear, virtual doesn't mean the business isn't for real. It just means all that heavy, expensive stuff won't be sitting there eating money when not in use."

"Who cares whether the home office of Acme Thingamajig has 300,000 square feet as long as Acme is able to deliver those thingamjigs. Performance is what counts, not the number of employees or the size of the company cafeteria."

The other side of this coin, is that if you are in the business of selling to a small business consider this:

"Virtual businesses will run lean. They won't have much time to be sold to, so expect relationship management to take on added importance. Savvy companies will make the investment to recognize the special needs of the virtual business."

As a sales person be ready to e-mail or mail your information to your prospect. In person demos might not be an option, but something more informal might be better.

So as a small business you can be safe in knowing that the trends are on your side for starting the home-based business. As a sales person, recognize that some of your prospects might not want a demo in their office or have (or want) a lot of time to chat.

Blog Business Summit Roundup

Inkspress, Inc — Mon, 31 Jan 2005 09:44:00 GMT

Having recently come back from the Blog Business Summit, we have put up a series of posts which may help your small business in terms of marketing, technology and blogging. If these subjects interest you, here are the posts:

Picking a Blogging Platform

Basecamp Defined

Creating Controversy

Basecamp Defined

Inkspress, Inc — Mon, 31 Jan 2005 09:42:00 GMT

Here at the Blog Business Summit Basecamp gave a lunch-time seminar about their web-based project management tool. I use Basecamp in two roles. I run a Basecamp project for a small group of us working on a project and I'm a client/customer of a group that uses Basecamp. Truly this is an easy to use, clean, and no nonsense tool that any one who can use a web-browser can use to manage projects, both internal and external.

The best thing--you can try a simple project for free. Kick the tires. Try the features. All small businesses have at these two things in common: you're always working on something and you need to make the best use of their money. Basecamp helps with both of these. Here's a short post from another person who uses it Jennifer Rice of Brand Mantra:What's Your Brand Mantra?- Project management tool