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Internet Training for Professionals
If you are here for Internet Training you are in the right place! I've traveled the wide expanses of the Internet and know how to successfully deal with many of the obstacles that surface along the way. Do any of these sound familiar to you?
- Your time is limited.
- Your internet options are overwhelming.
- You can't find a 1-stop-shop for quality information.
- You have invested time and money, but have little to show for it.
- You aren't sure where to draw the ethical line and manage risk.
- You aren't clear about professional association "guidelines."
- You want a step-wise plan before hiring unknown web developers.
- You want straightforward, professional and cost-conscious suggestions.
Well, you've come to the right place. If you look at my work online, you'll see that I have never been focused on making profits. But times are changing. The Internet has changed, and you can ride this rising tide along with those of us who've been here from the start. BIG profits are to be made by everyone who cares to learn about "new media", Web 2.0 and Video 2.0. Now is the best time to get involved.
To help us get acquainted (or re-acquainted), I've amassed a number of resources on this page. They are available for you to use at your own discretion. For starters, scroll ~all the way~ down this page to get a good look at what's here for you.
CyberTowers is a collaborative effort between me, the 158 volunteer programmers who have developed the Pioneer Development Resource family of websites and listservs, and our wide range of affiliations. As you look for the specific resource(s) you need today, relax with the knowledge that you have access to the accumulated knowledge of a professional with an established online presence since 1994.
For detailed discussion of any of these resources or associated strategies, you have two options. First, join PsyBUS, a FREE and private email discussion list that I founded over a decade ago for the informal business consultation with our peers. Ask the PsyBUS listserv colleagues for candid feedback about resources such as the ones below, and much more. Secondly, if you'd prefer direct communication with me, send me an email.
I make no claims as to the future performance of any of
the resources below, so please proceed at your own risk. But consider bookmarking this page for your future reference. You will rarely find this kind of resource designed specifically for health care providers.
Sincerely,
Marlene M. Maheu, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist/Internet Trainer
I. Domain Names
A. Domains & Keyword Selection Tools
Learn about domains and how their advertising works before buying a domain name, or spending money on anything. Recommendation: Spend a few hours a day for a week with the links in this section, A. But don't buy any software programs until you've spent at least 5-10 hours examining various tutorials and websites. Much of what you need you can get for free if you look around.
Your initial search (a few hours) ought to determine:
1. keywords words and phrases that get maximum traffic (demand);
2. how many advertising dollars are available for each keyword or phrase. This information is valuable because it points to the most successful keywords online. Why? Follow the money. If people pay for keywords, it would be wise to develop your domain name, keywords and website content around the most highly demanded words and phrases.
3. who your topic competitors are and how they rank by number: go here: Alexa 4. which keywords or phrases your competitors are using.
Clue: Domain
names don't NEED to contain keywords, but including them in your domain
name won't hurt. Keywords are essential for search engines to find and
send traffic to your website.
These keyword selection tools will help
you do the above 4 steps to pick powerful keywords for your website or blog:
- Yahoo-sponsored search tutorial
- Keyword Elite sells software, but first, try the free tutorial
- Wordtracker
- SEO Book
- Google
- Go Rank
- 12 Other Keyword Selection Tools
- Overture - probably the best tool, but it is often busy, so keep trying it
- SEO Digger
- MarketLeap - link popularity check
- Free Keyword Generator Software with Long Tails
Define a niche market. Niches are better than general topics. Look at these resources:
- 9 Mistakes
- Look at the table of contents in previously published books
- Run a Google Book Search for the type of niche that interests you:
Another Clue: Spare yourself the pain of re-doing your work later, and complete the above tasks before moving forward. I cannot urge you strongly enough to take the time to need to completely identify your most profitable concepts now.
Next, set up the domain names you are considering with an Internet Search Provider (ISP) such as those in Section II below.
II. Inexpensive Yet Relatively Reliable Web Hosting
A. Customer Service & Attitudes
Regardless of the company I have chosen over the years, server problems tend to arise with regularity. The most important aspect of getting a web hosting account, then, is customer service. Once you've chosen a good web hosting company, your contribution to the working relationship with the customer service department is crucial. Treat your host with respect, and you will be surprised at what they can do for you.
- GoDaddy
- HostICan This company offers over 700 templates and they have responsive support, too.
- EMIDomains Inexpensive Domains
- Lunarpages This is where I have a dedicated server, which means an entire computer is devoted to only my projects. Lunarpages has been great for us, but you might consider it even for a small website. They have terrific support and templates to help you get started.
- Hosting known for dedicated and managed servers.
- ICDSOFT Highly recommended by an esteemed colleague who said, "websites, unlimited email accounts, and the capacity to have 20 mailing lists. They have true 24/7 support."
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Ipswitch
- RackSpaceknown for dedicated and managed servers, and is highly recommended by another colleague.
- ReadyHosting Another site highly recommended by a colleague. Upon review, I found them to be on the high end of inexpensive, bit still inexpensive.
- TotalChoiceHosting Another site highly recommended by a colleague, who said, "Cheap and reliable."
- Site Sell Best overall money-making website development service. Online tutorials will take you from brainstorming domain names and keywords, to building and hosting your website right on a sitesell server, to optimal marketing of your services and products. See video. Compare SiteSell to competitors. If you find another site to be better, please let me know.
Websites used to compare web hosts are:
- Hosting Review
- Hosting-Review
Of the two, I prefer the second site, because it gives more
information, such as the detailed grid showing the host features on
their homepage and full page reviews addressing specific categories in
their rating system. Hosting company ratings change often. Check these
review sites before making any purchases.
III. Web Design
A. Basic Information
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Graphics - your graphic designer will set the tone for your entire web project, so get this step completed next. If you can avoid paying any portion of the graphic artist's fee up front, do so.
2. Logo Design
A. Free and Paid Stock Photos & Cartoons
1. Photos, cartoons and videos can bring your site to life.
1. Shopping Carts have many features. Compare before buying.
C. Merchant Accounts (Credit Card Companies)
1. Merchant Accounts poedit cards.
- Paypal
- Your Local Neighborhood Bank - often low-cost programs
2. When looking for such an account, compare these factors:
- Set-up fee
- Discount fee (really, this is a charge)
- Per transaction fee
- Minimum monthly fee
D. Shopping Carts that Don't Require Merchant Accounts
1. Fees are higher for non-bank based services:
E. Internal Search Engines for your Website
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Using a Google search engine on your website to help visitors navigate your site will not only help them find what they seek, but also help you get more of your content cataloged by Google.
- Google - largest and most frequently used
F. Internet Speed Test
- As you work with your website, you will want to know how quickly your page appears. "Drop-in" times are sometimes slow because of errors on your page, problems with your Internet Service Provider, or problems with the Internet itself. To test some of these options, you can use a variety of free websites. One such site is offered below.
V. E-books
A. Finding E-book Topics
1. Public Domain Information
2. Copyright Information
3. Surveys & Survey Tools
4. Buy Older Books
5. Scan Older Book for Conversion into E-book
B. Transcription Services
1. Direct Transcription Services
2. Labor Pools
- Elance - Bid for work to be completed by people from around the world, including US, India and Russia
- Agents of Value - Bids for work to be done in the Philippines
C. Publishing E-books
1. Discussions of E-books and Samples
2. Wikipedia - Comparison_of_e-book_formats
3. Document Publishing Software
D. E-book Cover Services, Software and Artists
Killer Covers
Ebook Template Source
Quality Book Covers
E. Converting a PDF to a Graphics Image
F. Register Your Book
A. Marketing Terms - Glossary
C. Speaking Websites, Postcards, AudioBooks
F. Building Newsletter Email Lists
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- Legal Issues
- US Federal Trade Commission - Regarding Spam
- Internet
Law Compliance System
- Services
- List Opt
- World Wide Lists
- Self Improvement Newsletters
- Coreg Media
- Directory of Ezines
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- Spam Issues
- Avoiding Spam Words
- Spam Checker
- More Spam Info
G. Licensing Ideas to Others for Royalties
I. Blogging as Marketing Vehicle
VII. Specific Technical Services
A. Telephone Conferencing Lines (Bridge Lines)
- Free
B. Business Planning Tools
If want to volunteer to gain experience with working
websites, or have contributions to make to this predominantly free resource page, please write to me. (And if you're an old friend, just drop me a line.)
If you'd like to see my books to learn more about operating online as a professional, including legal, ethical and practical issues, go to the bottom of my bio page.
Bookmark this CyberTowers page for future reference!
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