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LET'S TALK BUSINESS
Which is the best domain to choose?
This is a good question and an
important decision when you start your online business. Let's say I
am starting a brand new online business. I have already decided on
my company name and it is confirmed with the relevant body. For
example I have named my company Joe's Trading Inc and I sell cheap
widgets. I now need to register my domain name. So which one or
one's do I choose?
Firstly let's begin with the actual company name. My company is
called Joe's Trading Ltd so it makes sense that I should register
joestradingltd.com or joestrading.com or joestrading.co.uk right?
Well no, not really...
I need to consider some major factors before I go ahead and register
the domain. The first question is, what is the real purpose of my
domain? Is it's purpose to corporate brand my site or is it to drive
traffic to my website?
Well if my company is 'IBM' or 'MacDonalds', then I guess that
branding is all important but 'Joes Trading Ltd' wants to sell blue
widgets online and lots of them. My main priority is to generate
website traffic and the more the better.
My real concern is selling widgets. This is my target market and my
unique selling position is that they are really cheap. So, what has
this got to do with my choice of domain name?
Everything!
The domain name itself is a huge factor which search engines
consider when they automatically decide the importance of sites they
decide to index in their search results. on search engines. And
today, search engines provide 90% of web site traffic. In fact in
recent studies, it has been discovered that the domain name counts
for 30% of all factors which the search engine decides is important
for ranking a website.
Really, it is THAT important!
So what makes a higher ranking domain name? Well, firstly short is
best. The shorter the domain the higher the ranking. Secondly, the
domain must include the keyword for which you wish to rank high. In
this case Joes Trading Ltd sells Widgets so the domain should
contain widgets. The widgets are cheap so the domain could be
cheapwidgets.com. This domain is going get higher ranking in the
search engines for the search term 'widgets or 'cheap widgets' than
'joestrading.com' could ever hope to achieve
Higher ranking means more traffic
which in turn means more sales & profits. So when it comes to
purchasing your domain make search engine ranking your number one
priority.
Colin Hartness is the Sales
Director of Web-At-Work Ltd T/A
Cheap Domain Names
UK offering cheap UK domain registration with full DNS management
and low price hosting packages inclusive of cutting-edge online site
building software. For more details visit:
http://www.cheapdomainnames.uk.com
VALENTINE'S DAY RECIPE
Strawberries and Meringue
Ingredients:
3 egg whites
175g caster sugar
1 tsp white wine vinegar and 1 tsp cornflour blended
50g toasted hazelnuts ground
300ml double or whipping cream
225g fresh strawberries
Directions:
Line the cold shelf with bake o glide or non stick baking
parchment.
Whisk the egg whites in a clean dry and greasefree bowl until
white and fluffy. Continue to whisk while adding the sugar 1
teaspoon at a time.
Adding the sugar too quickly will cause the meringue to leak.
Lightly fold in the cornfiour mixture. Gently fold in the ground
hazelnuts. Spoon the meringue mix onto the prepared baking sheet.
At this point remember the size of plate or tray you are serving
the finished dish on!
To make a 'basket' spoon the meringue round the sides of the
circle.
Bake in the simmering oven for 2 hours until well set.
Remove from the baking sheet and turn upside down onto the sheet.
Return to the oven leaving the door slightly ajar unless your
oven is very cool.
Continue to dry for 4 to 6 hours.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before wrapping and
storing or filling. When ready to fill whip the cream until it forms
soft peaks.
Chop half the strawberries and fold into the cream.
Pile the mixture into the meringue shell. Decorate with
strawberry halves. Because this method dries out the meringue shell
the meringues can be filled 1 to 1 1/4 hours before eating.
The combination of a meringue nest filled with strawberries and
cream is the epitome of summer. The addition of ground hazelnuts
adds texture and flavour. The nuts can be left out if you prefer a
clear white meringue or simpler flavour.
Serves 6
PARTY PLANNING
Winter Sledding Party
As the saying goes, “If you can’t beat
‘em, join ‘em!” Embrace the cold weather by hosting a winter
sledding party, whether you have snow or not.
-
Invite your guests to your “igloo”
by sending them a snow flake or snowman with all the party
details.
-
Decorate your party room with fake
cotton snow, hang cut-out snow flakes from the ceiling, or
create your own indoor snowman out of a white bed sheet and some
pillows.
-
Make a cake in the shape of an igloo
and decorate with candy.
-
If you have the real thing, head out
side for some sledding. When everyone is sufficiently wet and
tired, warm up inside with hot cocoa, coffee, or pizza! If
you’re missing snow, rent a snow cone machine that will churn
out fruity “snowballs.”
-
Roast marshmallows in the fireplace
or carve snowmen out of ivory soap for a fun activity.
-
Make it a night by curling up with
some winter-themed movies, such as Jack Frost and munch on snow
trail mix of pretzels, peanuts, vanilla jelly beans.
-
As a party favor, hand out snowman
soup (hot chocolate mix, candy cane, chocolate, hugs, and
marshmallows) to your guests before they go.
Using a little imagination, no matter
where you are, winter isn’t so bad after all! For more winter
party ideas, check out Instant Parties by Luann Grosscup &
Jo O’Connor Tazelaar, available at MeadowbrookPress.com
CRAFTS
Be Mine Ornament
Materials:
4 inch lace doilies, two
wood shapes: 1 1/2 inch wood disc; 2 inch puffed wood heart
acrylic paints: flesh, red, dark rose, black, white
paintbrushes: #4 flat, fine liner, small stencil
1/2 inch red satin picot ribbon 7 inches
hot glue gun
Directions:
1: Sand wood pieces. With two or more coats, basecoat the disc
flesh and the heart red.
2: To paint the face, squeeze a small puddle of dark rose on a
palette. Dip a stencil brush in paint and brush on paper towel to
remove almost all the paint. Rub brush in a circular motion on
disc (face) to paint cheek areas. Use a liner brush and paint
black paint for closed eyes, lashes and a small mouth between the
cheeks.
3: Use the liner brush and white to paint "Be Mine" on the
heart.
4: To assemble, glue heart to the lower part of the face
(disc). Fold the doilies in half. Overlap and tack doilies
together at top, and glue to the back of face/heart. Loop ribbon
and tack ends to the center back for hanger.
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Weightloss
Weight loss tips, tricks and creative methods along with low
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Wedding Planning Tips
Wedding Planning tips and ideas
and photo galleries for hairstyles, cakes, wedding decorations,
flowers and bouquets etc.
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Spring-Summer 2007
Fashion Trends
Log on to
www.RamptoStore.com for the current fashion trends for
makeup, dresses, colors jewelry, hairstyles and more.
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Ad Spot Available next on February 12, 2007. Scroll down for Ad Info.
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