Online Security: What Is Phishing?

What is phishing?

Phishing is essentially an online con game, and phishers are just tech-savvy con artists and identity thieves. They use spam, fake Web sites, and other Internet technologies to trick people into divulging sensitive financial information. Unfortunately, the incidence of phishing fraud is growing exponentially.

In a typical phishing scam, phishers send out mass emails, which appear to come from a legitimate online vendor or financial institution. Emails usually contain an urgent message, baiting unsuspecting individuals into submitting sensitive data. Often the messages direct recipients to a fake Web site where the phisher attempts to collect information.

http://www.symantec.com/norton/library/article.jsp?aid=phishing_fraud

Chris Jaeger
Book More Weddings
http://www.bookmoreweddings.com

Get the ADVANTAGE for your website. More traffic, more brides, more inquiries, more sales.

Wedding Ministers and Wedding Officiants

I'm pleased to be working with Claire Goodman, from Sacred Ground Ceremonies, a wedding officiant in Charlottesville Virginia, on her new project Rev It Up.

Claire also is the founder of the Weekday Wedding Company, a network of wedding services in the Charlottesville Virginiaarea that specializes in Monday through Thursday weddings - a very cool idea!

If you are a minister, civil officiant, celebrant, Justice of the Peace, Marriage Commissioner or anyone who creates and performs wedding ceremonies you'll want to visit this website regularly.

Sign-up for the enewsletter and get a free report "Ten Things You Can Do Today to Start Booking More Weddings Immediately."

Here are the links to the website: Marketing and Business Development for Wedding Ministers and Wedding Officiants.


Chris Jaeger
Book More Weddings
http://www.bookmoreweddings.com/

Get the ADVANTAGE for your website. More traffic, more brides, more inquiries, more sales.

Low Cost Internet Marketing to Brides

There's no such thing as free lunch (TINSTAFL).

But, there are some low-cost / no-cost-but-your-time things you can do to promote your website.

Low Cost Website Promotion Ideas (free tips and Internet Marketing advice at my Book More Weddings website).


Chris Jaeger
Book More Weddings
http://www.bookmoreweddings.com

Get the ADVANTAGE for your website. More traffic, more brides, more inquiries, more sales.

Site Explorer at Yahoo: Webmaster Tools for Yahoo

Tip of the Week

Google offers a lot of tools for webmasters and do-it-yourselfers (DIY). Google Analytics, Google Sitemap, and lots of other goodies that will help you optimize your website so that Google falls in love with it.

Yahoo! has similar tools and Yahoo! isn't King of the Hill but they shouldn't be ignored and are worthy of being part of your overall search engine optimization/marketing strategy.

Their tools are pooled into what is called Yahoo! Site Explorer.

Like Google, you need a Yahoo! account/email address (*****@yahoo.com), which are free.


Chris Jaeger
Book More Weddings
http://www.bookmoreweddings.com/

Get the ADVANTAGE for your website. More traffic, more brides, more inquiries, more sales.

Blog Title and Page Title Showing Together Issue Resolved

Looks like I figure out the blog title before the page title issue.

I found a post that had a widget and it looks like it resolved the issue for me.

http://widget-based.blogspot.com/2006/11/changing-blogger-title-tag.html

I just can't figure out how it changed and why that form (Header Configuration) is still showing the option/configuration change and then refreshing and it disappears?


Chris Jaeger
Book More Weddings
http://www.bookmoreweddings.com

Get the ADVANTAGE for your website. More traffic, more brides, more inquiries, more sales.

Anchor Text Is Key Element of Search Engine Optimization Strategy for Wedding Sites

What is Anchor Text?

Anchor text is the visible hyperlinked text that you see on a web page.

If you were to click on the link (text) it would either bring you deeper into a website or lead you off the website to another website (internal link vs. external link).

In a sentence at a wedding planning website, even a blog, or a website being used for marketing to brides, the link Chicago Wedding Disc Jockey is the "anchor text" and uses the keywords/phrases that match, or are relevant, to the web page you arrive at after the click.

Anchor text that uses keywords/phrases that brides are searching for are much more valuable in search engine optimization then the company's name, A Sound Solution.

In either case, the words used in the anchor text are VERY important and play a significant role in effectively building links internal or externally as part of an overall search engine optimization strategy.


Chris Jaeger
Book More Weddings
http://www.bookmoreweddings.com/

Get the ADVANTAGE for your website. More traffic, more brides, more inquiries, more sales.

ECommerce Trends and Americans Shopping Online

This interesting information came across my PC today and I thought it worth posting:

Did you know e-commerce accounts for $1 of every $10 spent across all retail channels in the US?

Did you know two-thirds of American Internet users shop online?

Did you know online advertising is a $21 billion business in the States?

I don't think I'm ready to spring for the full report... but it looks like the Internet and eCommerce are alive, kicking, and going to be around for a long time.


Chris Jaeger
Book More Weddings
http://www.bookmoreweddings.com/

Get the ADVANTAGE for your website. More traffic, more brides, more inquiries, more sales.

Getting Your Website Ready For The 2008 Wedding Planning Rush

It's hard to believe 2008 is less than 60 days away.

And with the average cost of a wedding now above $25,000.00... more is at stake then ever before.

With that in mind, here are some "big picture" things to be thinking about when you look at your website and ask "Are We Ready for 2008?"

1) Right Look

Does the look of your website communicate professionalism, expertise, knowledge, and that a bride came to the right website? Or does it look like something "home-grown." How does it look compared to your four biggest competitors?

2) Communicate Your Services

Does it clearly and quickly communicate your services? I mean CLEARLY. Do your images and words match? Are your graphics crisp and clean? How well does it do communicating what you do compared to your four biggest competitors?

3) Establish Credibility

Testimonials from happy customers, lots of them, is one of the most effective ways to communicate credibility. No bride wants to choose someone who looks like they just started their business last week.

4) Expertise & Leadership Position

When you establish yourself as an expert in your field, and your geographic marketplace, and you effectively communicate that at your website (#2), you'll get better results form your website and get more inquiries.

5) UVP: Unique Value Proposition

What makes you different than the last 5 websites a bride/groom just visited? Do you make that clear at the top of your website?

6) Value/Benefit

Do you clearly communicate and state your value and the benefits associated with choosing YOU (vs. a competitor). Here's another opportunity to look at your competitor's websites and capitalize on their weaknesses.

7) Showcase Your Services and Products

Testimonials, Testimonials, Testimonials !!! If you have pictures to use with them even better!

8) Optimize For Search Engines

Last, but not least, optimize your pages for search engines. Getting a top ranked position with Google is like having a money tree in your backyard (and marketing to online brides just got a whole lot easier!).


Chris Jaeger
Book More Weddings
http://www.bookmoreweddings.com/

Get the ADVANTAGE for your website. More traffic, more brides, more inquiries, more sales.

Two Special Reports Now Available: Get Your Website Ready for 2008

As we move into the New Year and the kick-off of the 2008 wedding planning season, it's a good time to get your website ready. Two questions I get asked often this time of year are:

"How do I get better positioning for my website at Google?" and "How can I get more inquiries and get more of the brides who visit my website to make inquiries or call me?"

These two very important questions and they are answered in two special reports:

"Conversion: Turning The Brides and Grooms Who Visit Your Website Into Inquiries and Sales: Proven Strategies To Help You Get Better Results From Your Website (newly updated for 2008)" and "How To Get Your Website Top Ranked at Google: 10 Things You Need To Know (and What To Do Today)."

If you are a member of my ADVANTAGE program login and you have immediate access to these reports, and lots of additional information to help you get your website ready for 2008, free of charge. I'd encourage you to download/print them today.

Mention this post and get a free tele-consultation follow-up. Read my reports, make notes, and then let's schedule a time to talk and I'll answer your questions and/or address any concerns you have with your online marketing strategy. This is a limited offer, subject to change without notice.

How To Get Top Ranked at Google

Conversion: Turning The Brides Who Visit Your Website Into Inquiries and Sales

Chris Jaeger
Book More Weddings
http://www.bookmoreweddings.com/

Get the ADVANTAGE for your website. More traffic, more brides, more inquiries, more sales.

Having Trouble Figuring Out How To "Blog?? Here Are Two Great Blogs...

Having trouble figuring out how to "Blog?"

Here are two great examples that should inspire you and help you get over your mental block.

http://charlottesvilleweddingsblog.blogspot.com/

http://inclusiveceremonies.blogspot.com/

Both use Google "Blogger" (which means "free").


Chris Jaeger
Book More Weddings
http://www.bookmoreweddings.com/

Get the ADVANTAGE for your website. More traffic, more brides, more inquiries, more sales.

Google Is Watching You...

Have you ever gone to a website and next thing you know you've picked up a virus or something has changed your browser settings?

These things are called "drive-by" viruses or spyware.

It's not a good way to leave a good impression on a bride and can pretty much ruin your effort marketing to brides online.

Google is watching your website and if you have one of these at your website Google is going to tell the world.

What you need to do: Make sure your webmaster is running clean code, make sure your hosting server is secure, avoid cheap or "free" hosting services, and keep an eye on your listings at Google.

Chris Jaeger
Book More Weddings
http://www.bookmoreweddings.com/

Get the ADVANTAGE for your website. More traffic, more brides, more inquiries, more sales.