If you just want a cheap SEO company then there are thousands. However, if you want someone who provides cheap SEO services that are useful, you will need to be a bit more discerning. Most businesses want a company that is affordable and provides quality services. You will want to talk to the SEO companies and make sure that they take their jobs seriously. You will also want someone who uses white hat techniques. These are ethical, organic SEO techniques that will not alienate your customers or the all important search engines.

Examples of Inexpensive SEO Packages

If you are looking for cheap SEO packages, there are a few things that many SEO companies will do for a relatively small amount of money. Companies differ, so you will have to contact individual providers to see exactly what they offer.

Article Writing Packages

Many SEO companies offer cheap article writing packages. This typically involves writing a certain number of keyword rich articles about your business on a weekly or monthly basis. Once the articles are completed, the SEO company will put them up on your blog or submit them to article directories. This is only part of what many SEO companies can do, so it should be relatively inexpensive.

Link Building Packages

If you want a link building package, a good, cheap SEO company is the way to go. Many of them offer extremely inexpensive link building packages for their clients. This involves creating back links to your site. It can be done through articles, blog posts, and blog comments. You want a company that is thorough and creates reliable back links. The process is relatively easy though it can be time consuming. Still, it can really benefit your site.

Social Media Management

Some cheap SEO companies will offer to manage your social media. This can mean managing your Twitter account and sending out a couple of tweets a day or it can be maintaining and updating your blog on a regular basis.

Different companies will offer different options, and it is something you should discuss when interviewing possible hires.  If you want to use a cheap SEO company, take your time and find a good one.

Logitech is known for their quality peripherals and they have great mouses and keyboards to match this product. When it comes to gaming headset specifically, the G930 is most recommended because of its user friendly approach and deep configuration possibilities. You can go with the pre-sets without having to adjust anything, or you can get down to the nitty-gritty with adjusting every minor detail. Some gamers enjoy coming up with a more personalized audio system, and there’s no reason why you can’t tweak varying details to your preferences. Whether it’s blocking out loud explosions, narrowing down on enemy chatter, or listening for the sound of opponents reloading their guns, you can do it all with the Logitech G930.

Some wireless devices of the past have been problematic in terms of getting a strong enough signal. It’s caused frustration for gamers who need to be in tune with the action at all times, and some people have strayed away from wireless technology altogether. The Logitech G930 will redefine what you think about wireless gaming with a flawless implementation and powerful signal. You don’t have to be in line with the transmitter, and that means you can get comfortable anywhere you like. A lightweight design of the headset itself also ensures you don’t have to worry about gamer fatigue, and that means you can play for longer sessions. Perhaps most importantly, the powerful wireless adapter allows for seamless online chat whether you’re talking with competitors or teammates. And thanks to microphone filtering, you won’t have to shout over the action or worry about your own commands in directions getting lost in the mix.

Keep in mind that this product is for use with PC gaming only. That means it’s probably going to find the most use with first-person shooters or multiple player online role-playing adventures. But if you’re a fan of those genres on the PC, then this is a no-brainer because the Logitech G930 has to be considered the best gaming headset in a variety of important categories (sound, audio, customization, comfort). You can also use it with any other type of technology that supports a USB port, and for some home entertainment setups you can even utilize it as a set of wireless headphones for TV. This product usually retails for around $150, and that’s a considerable expense for any budget. But if you’re serious about gaming and you use your PC for other everyday applications like text dictation or chat, then this will be a welcome addition to your routine.

Click Here to buy the Logitech G930 from Amazon.com!

Does this means that faxing is dead? Not at all, faxing has changed for good.  These days you don’t even need to spend money on a fax machine and office supplies, you can send and receive digital fax using just your computer and an Internet connection.

There are two ways in which you can send and receive fax from your computer, let’s take a look at them:

1.    Fax software. Fax programs have been available for quite some time already but unfortunately they have not gained too much popularity since they require passing over a certain learning curve.  Did you know that even windows XP comes with free fax software? But well, this software is now as slow as using a fax machine.  Modern fax software is faster and uses the Internet instead of a fax modem, but still many people find the confusing.
2.    Fax services. These are email to fax services that – as the name implies –let you send and receive fax on your email. Internet fax services have become popular in the past few years because they are much more powerful than programs and are very easy to implement and use.  Companies offering these type of services include RingCentral Fax, MyFax, Nextiva vFax, Metrofax, just to name a few. The best way to choose the right service for you is by giving them a test drive.  Luckily all of them offer 30 day free trials.

But what if you want to send a single fax?  If you just want to send a few faxes urgently, there are some sites that can help you.  Two of the most popular are FaxZero and MyFax free.  Both services allow you to send a limited number of e-faxes per day and if you want additional pages you’ll be required to join a plan.  Note that these services are good for occasional faxing but they don’t allow you to receive faxes in your email.

To receive faxes in your email the only option left is the use of fax services.  Upon signing up with one of the companies mentioned above, you’ll receive a virtual fax number at no extra charge.  You can choose between a local number or a toll-free number, and thanks to it, all incoming faxes will be redirected to your email and will arrive as a PDF.

Below are five ways that you can use to share data files.

1. External Hard Drive. The stalwart of any data backup solution, and probably one of the cheapest solutions, for the storage space, that is available. A portable hard drive can plug into a USB, Firewire, or eSATA port on a computer to share data files. There are smaller portable hard drives that are easier to carry around, and can contain over one terabyte of storage space.
2. USB Flash Drive. A USB flash drive is a small, easy to carry device that you simply plug into the USB port a computer. The small size, and large storage space makes it an ideal way of sharing data. These drives have quickly replaced optical discs as a means of manually transferring files from one computer to another.
3. Social network. There is always some debate about sharing data through social networks, but regardless, it is a great, and popular, way of sharing your data. You just need to be sure that you are comfortable with sharing the data before posting it on a social network, as almost anyone will be able to view the data.
4. Online storage. This method is quickly becoming popular as being “on the cloud”. By storing your data online, you or someone else with the correct authorization, can access your data from anywhere using an Internet connection. This is a great way to share data over great distances.
5. Personal storage server. Managing a network server was once reserved for corporations, but with many people now managing local area networks in their home, using a personal storage server at home is becoming common. This server is connected to a network and can store data files from any computer connected to the network. Anyone that is connected to the same network can then access the data so the server then acts as a central repository for your data.

While there are other ways of sharing data, such as through e-mail, but the above five ways are common and easy to utilize on a daily basis.

For more information regarding data sharing and other technical discussions, please read Technically Easy.

Outdated tech, side by side

Fax machines are artifacts from the past.  They appeared some decades ago, revolutionizing the way businesses communicated with each other, but now they feel old and slow, especially when we compare them to more modern ways of communicating such as email and instant messaging.

Does this mean that faxing is dead? Not at all, it just has changed and has merged with digital mediums becoming what is known as email fax.

Thanks to email fax, we can send and receive faxes in the same way we take care of common email messages.  All documents will be handled in the form of attachments. If you need to Google fax, there is not problem at all.  Email fax works along all free email addresses including Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail.

To harness the power of email fax, we must get the help of email fax services.  These services not only offer their Fax Over Internet Protocol technology, but they also provide you with a virtual dedicated fax number, which other people can use to send you faxes.  Back in the days it cost some money just to install a dedicated fax line. With fax services the number is given you for free at the moment of signing up with the option of choosing between a local or a toll-free one, additionally, the number is available instantly so you can start receiving faxes in just a matter of minutes.

Email fax services can also prove to be an invaluable tool for people who want to fax on the go.  Companies such as Ringcentral, MyFax and eFax have developed apps that let you send fax from iPhone using specially designed apps you can find in the marketplace.  At the same time, they recently have put similar apps to download in Android and Blackberry phones. These apps will not only allow you to receive fax, but you can also compose new one either by typing up the message or by taking a photo of a document with the phone´s camera.

If you are still using traditional fax machines, I think you should consider making the jump to this new technology.  By the way, you can try before entering any plan. The top email fax service companies offer you the chance of entering a 30 day free fax trial. This free account will let you decide if a company is right for you.  If you don’t want to keep using it or if you want to try another one, you can simply cancel your subscription before the trial period ends and you won’t pay a thing.

Photo by Matt Jiggins via Flickr

Is your PC running slow?

Here are three simple and efficient steps for optimizing your PC system at no cost – just a few ticks and clicks here and there. They won’t do miracles, but in my case they proved to be the best and easiest steps in making my computer run faster.

1. Remove all unnecessary startup programs.
Every time you switch on your computer and start up your OS, a whole bunch of programs start running as well. I found out that not all of them are necessary and they usually take up part of your computer resources, which, in turn, slows down the system. The solution is quite simple, yet effective – remove programs that you don’t need from Windows OS startup menu. If you’re scared of shutting down important and necessary applications, don’t worry, as they can always be restarted. Here’s what you need to do:

Press Start menu, and then select Run;
Write: “msconfig” (without quotes);
Press Enter or OK with the mouse;
System Configuration Utility window will pop up;
Click on the startup tab from the menu.

You will see a list of programs that start up along with Microsoft Windows. Uncheck those you don’t want to run when your computer is turned on.
After you have unchecked all the unnecessary services, press OK, Windows will ask, if you want to reboot now or later. Press OK to restart your computer and you will see results.

2. Scan for and delete all malicious programs and viruses (spyware, adware, malware)
Have you scanned your computer for the newest online threats, like the ones mentioned above? No? I suggest doing that as soon as possible, because computer is likely to be infected with these pests. Most of them might carry a parasite – like behavior, taking up nothing more, but your computer memory and space. While running in a background and gathering your browsing habits, they still are not very welcome, because of the negative impact on the speed of a system. If your computer starts up noticeably slowly and advertisement windows pop up every 5 minutes, it is likely that you are infected with those.

There are much more aggressive and dangerous viruses and malware programs, which may damage your whole system, steal personal sensitive data and make your computer a gateway for further internet attacks. These are more difficult to detect, but it’s considerably easy with the right tools in use. I suggest using Antivirus and antispyware tools like “Malware Bytes”,  “Spybot Search and Destroy” or “Super Antispyware”. All are free of charge and produce excellent results.

3. Change your windows visual settings
Press “Start”;
Then select “Control Panel”;
Click on the “System” icon;
Choose “Advanced”;
Select “Performance” and “Settings”;
Select “Adjust for best performance”, but leave the ticks on the following settings:

Show shadows under menus
Show shadows under mouse pointer
Show translucent selection rectangle
Use visual styles on windows and buttons
Press Apply and OK.

Now your windows will be optimized for better performance at the cost of a bit of appearance quality settings.

Image:  Based on photos by DBduo Photography & tamburix. Available for reuse under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Infographic by SEO Book

This thought provoking infographic from SEO Book illustrates google’s rise to search dominance, and how each evolution of their algorithm has impacted website publishers, content, and the economics behind content creation through what has essentially become a cat and mouse game.

If you’ve ever used Craigslist to buy or sell anything you’ve probably noticed the site’s total lack of design aesthetics and the no-frills, boring ads that most users create.

I was recently asked to come up with a Craigslist ad for a real estate agent that matched their website’s design, looked good on Craigslist, and that would really set their ads apart by displaying a professional, polished look that is not often encountered with Craigslist ads. Here’s what I came up with:

So, how do you make a Craigslist ad look good?

Start by going back to basics. We’re talking simple and basic HTML only. Forget about CSS, and think tables. Craigslist only supports a very small number of html tags – in fact, it’s very similar to designing an HTML newsletter for email.

Depending on the level of customization needed, and your comfort wrangling table tags in HTML, here are some recommended approaches to creating a good looking ad:

1. An easy route to go here would be to create a free account with MailChimp, an awesome email campaign service, that has pre-made email newsletter templates and a built-in template editor that will allow you to put together a pretty decent looking ad for Craigslist in a few minutes. Just remember to remove the <HEAD> and <BODY> tags when you paste into Craigslist. One cool feature here would be the ability to easily track the number of views to your ad, and click-throughs on each link using MailChimp’s stats.
2. If you need something that looks more custom, you’ll have to create your own – either from scratch or using one of MailChimps templates as a starting point. Use the following elements and attributes, and self hosted images (on your own server, or through an image hosting service).

Here is a list of the HTML elements and attributes, that Craigslist Supports:

Remember, if you go the custom route create several small tables to break up each section of the ad – this makes it easier to track problems later should anything go wrong. Also, you’ll have style each change of text separately, so make things easy in yourself and stick with a light background that work with the default black text, and blue links. Good luck!

“Your site shouldn’t be a pretty brochure – it should be a lead generation machine.”

Image courtesy of Hamed Saber

It’s easy to lose site of the true purpose of a website, whether that be lead generation, sales, providing information, or entertaining – it generally falls back to how the website contributes to your bottom line.  Take a moment and think about it.

What is the primary goal of your website? How are you measuring your website’s success?

Most website’s do an excellent job of providing information, but they do a terrible job of guiding the website’s visitors to a desired outcome – a sale, a newsletter sign up, filling out a contact form, or picking up the phone making a call. To achieve these desired outcomes, a website’s structure and design needs to be centered on calls to action - opportunities for website visitors to become potential clients.

A call to action can be a contact form, click to call button, phone number, whitepapers, free gifts, ebooks, or in the case of targeted advertising, a landing page. How many calls to action are you providing your potential clients? Most websites make the mistake of driving the majority of their targeted traffic from advertising, email or targeted marketing efforts to their homepage.

Why? What is the visitor supposed to do there to complete that desired outcome? They came to the website with their attention already piqued by your advertising effort – use a targeted landing page to help complete that sale. A landing page is essentially a lead generation form – where all the other distractions of your website have been removed. Limited navigation, simple supporting graphics and narrowly focused information that builds on the original advertisement driving the traffic; think bullet points and easily scanned information, that all point to the visitor entering their information into a  form.

These are easy to create, and you should have one in place for every unique marketing effort on your site.

Image: Some rights reserved by Hamed Saber