ColdFusion Application Development Features

ColdFusion has evolved into a full-fledged scripting language for the web and follows the line of PHP, JSP, and Asp for developing rich internet applications and other web services. The original ColdFusion was devised to integrate the database to simple HTML pages, however over the time it has evolved into a complete language. Let us see some of the important features that have made ColdFusion a highly popular choice of the web developers.

Easy to Understand and Implement: ColdFusion can be visualized as the extension of HTML and its syntax is very similar to HTML.

Availability of easy CFScripts: It has CFScript which resembles the JavaScripts and it helps in the programming to create dynamic web pages in a simple but effective way. CFSCript is far easier to work with as against the real ColdFusion codes.

No Need of any Test Server: There are inbuilt applications which act as a test server for the codes that you write. Alternatively, you can also run the script on Apache or IIS once you are done with the application.

Easy integration with Macromedia products: Cold Fusion codes can be easily integrated with the designs done in the Dreamweaver. The codes can be easily inserted in to the Dreamweaver files and they can also be edited with the built-in editor. ColdFusion codes can also be easily integrated with Flash applications (one of the popular Macromedia applications).

Besides these, some other important and attractive features of ColdFusion include easy access to database, effective client-server management, easy conversion of HTML to PDF and FlashPaper, effective GUI administration, and others. These features have enabled them a favorite choice among the web developers.

Ecommerce and Ebusiness: Are They Same?

Commerce and business have almost similar meaning in English and people do tend to make a mistake of thinking ecommerce as similar to ebusiness. They might occur similar to common Internet surfers but they are significantly different from each other. Let us first examine the meaning of both these terms.

Ebusiness: This involves carrying out each and every business activity including marketing, procurement, customers support, and monetary transaction through the internet.

Ecommerce: This involves selling and purchasing of products or services through the Internet.

So, it can be seen that ecommerce is a part of the broader term of ebusiness. The difference can be easily understood through the examples of Dell and Amazon. Dell is a perfect example of e business wherein it sells computers worth $15 million every day. And it is not only about receiving the payments online but an entire value chain is created through the systematic integration of critical business aspects through the perfectly woven assortment of various components like intranets, extranets, ecommerce technologies, collaborative applications, and the Internet environment.

On the contrary, Amazon (one of the largest and most successful online ecommerce portal) completely relies on using the Internet platform to provide a common platform to the buyers and sellers. Thus it can be easily seen that ecommerce has an independent existence though it is an integral part of e-business.

Website Design Tips

In the last post, we were discussing about some important points related to an effective and appealing website design. I have observed that many designers know about these design parameters but you will seldom find them using all of them. So, I have a simple suggestion - Prepare a checklist of all these parameters and once you have finished with the design then you can test accordingly.
Let us now proceed with where I left (We saw four different parameters…right?), so let’s start with the 5th one.

5. Ensure the readability of the website

a) The width of each line (of text) must be lesser than 600 pixels.
b) Refrain from giving too much width to the webpage.
c) Use a suitable contrast of colors and backgrounds for easily legible text.
d) The text should be large for easy reading.
e) Provide sufficient space between lines.
f) Ensure that the text are spelt correctly (mis-spelt words can distract the readers).

6. Ensure a proper link placement

a) Refrain from underlining words if they are not associated with links.
b) Make the links appear to the users that they are links. You can underline the link or change the color to blue.
c) A brief explanation about the site being linked works.
d) Try to open the internal links in the same window.
e) Always use descriptive texts instead of “leading text”. Example of leading texts are “Click Here”, “Here” etc.

7. Appear accessible by placing your contact info on every page (it can be at the top or bottom of page).

Tips for Website Design

Website design requires you to be thoughtful. Well, what would you think for the design? Only one thing-“the website must keep visitors hooked and it must compel them to re-visit”. But this simple thing requires you to implement and asses several design parameters. What are they? Let us analyze them quickly (Well, we will take every point in elaborate way in the later posts).

1.Stuff the site with easily readable and attractive content.

2.Avoid the eye-sores sounds unless extremely needed.

a) Blinking and scrolling text, animated GIFs, or auto-loading sounds are annoying to the visitors.

b) It is seen that the bounce rate is extremely high in sites with overstuffed pop-up windows.

c) Image backgrounds are passé as it presents you as an amateur.

3.Friendly navigation and searching the required information

a) Organize your content presentation.

b) Do not let visitors “click” too much.

c) Limit your page length to 2 screenfuls unless it is really important to increase.

d) There must be a provision for visitor to come to homepage from anywhere in the site.

e) Menu must be there on every page.

f) Avoid using frames.

4. Ensure that website opens swiftly

Compress the size of image files in the site.

Minimal usage of flash or other multimedia tools.

Reciprocal Links and Their importance in SEO II

In the last post, we got an idea of reciprocal links and their importance. Let us continue our discussions further.

Steps for Inclusion of Reciprocal Links

Step 1: Examine your competitor’s site and prepare an exhaustive list of sites with which it has shared reciprocal links. Remember to prepare a list those sites.

Step 2: At the onset, it will be hard to draw the sites having higher PR (Page Rank) to your site and especially, having a link of your competitor site is not a good idea. So, you can start by looking out for good and genuine sites that compliment your business.

Step 3: Place their link on your site.

Step 4: Only after you have placed their link on yours that you need to send a mail to them telling them that you have linked their site to yours (furnish the URL so that they can see). Having a friendly note in the mail can help.

Step 5: Request them to place your link on their site. If possible, suggest them the page where you would appreciate to see your link.

Step 6: If you do not get a reply after few weeks then send a polite reminder mail (following up really helps).

Step 7: Have a well arranged document (arranging in alphabetical order can help you to backtrack quite easily) of this reciprocal linking activities.

Some other ways to set up reciprocal links

• Newsletter article exchange of other publishers, go for archived newsletters.
• “Article-swap” with other webmasters. This is a good way of getting in-context reciprocal links as you write an article published on their website and they write article that is published on your website.
• Hiring professional companies that can search link partners for you.

Having said all these, be cautious, as sharing links with unrelated site might lead the search engines to think that you are adopting the method of link farming.

Reciprocal Links and Their Importance in SEO I

Google’s Matt Cutts clarified, way back in year 2005, that it was possible to “overdo” the reciprocal links but these should be genuine and good ones. He further added that reciprocal links should be a part of a meticulously planned link building strategy and not be treated as an out-and-out marketing campaign.

What are reciprocal links?

Reciprocal links are nothing but an arrangement between two sites (co-related ones are given greater preference) to link to each other. Let us understand this through a simple example. Suppose A has a website and so does B, if A places B’s link and vice-versa then both of them draw the advantages of search-engine’s (Especially Google and Yahoo!) algorithm that incorporates the quantity and quality of sites linking to the concerned site. Reciprocal links are also known as link swaps, link exchange and link partners.

Importance of Reciprocal Links:

I assume that, by now, you would have gained some whiff regarding the SEO relevance of these links. Let us now come to the unveiled advantages in a straight forward way.

• People, from the link partner site, can click and come to your site. This can result in an increased traffic.
• Your site gets better rankings through the “link popularity algorithms” of major search engines like Google.

Having said all these, I must confess that getting quality reciprocal links from relevant or competitors websites is quite tiresome job as you need to follow them for weeks ( in some case it might be months).We will discuss about the ways to establish quality reciprocal links and ways to get quality links in minimum time in our next post.

10 Effective Link Building Strategies

Links are still considered as an important medium to spread awareness about your website. If the link building is done in a systematic and ethical way (links that count) then it helps in having an improved exposure to the major search engines especially the search engine giant, Google. But, does it mean that you should go on link building spree without strategizing? Well, let us analyze some important link building strategies.

1. You must focus on impressive and well-structured content so that people visiting your site and reading the content can appreciate it and spread the word.
2. Create a well researched list of the specific domain and do not hesitate to shower praises of the experts. It is sometimes essential to flatter your superiors so that they may link to your site.
3. You can simultaneously run a well analyzed PPC campaign to draw a more relevant traffic. The relevant visitors can also leave some links to your site.
4. You can trade articles with other webmasters.
5. You can perform surveys and studies to indulge the users. Remember, the more important users feel on visiting your website the more chances of gaining quality links.
6. Submit your site to free and paid directories. One of the important directories is DMOZ.
7. Link to free classified sites under the specific category. Some important classifieds are Craigslist, OLX etc.
8. You can also start a blog having good and interesting content. Post the content regularly, as fresh content can keep the reader interested.
9. Carry out the reciprocal link strategy (link swapping) but on a smaller scale.
10. Becoming a sponsor will help you to gain links from the related charities, contests, and conferences.

Google Launches Chrome Operating System

Google has launched its long awaited Chrome OS as a trial program. It can be booked online and the firm has collaborated with leading computer manufacturers, Samsung and Acer. The computers, manufactured by these firms, will come with pre-installed Chrome OS in near future. The initial launch pad is available on small scale and Google is mulling to offer the Chrome OS as standard option with the laptops or desktop PCs (Personal computers).

The increasing popularity of low-cost and low-power netbooks along with the increased tendency of computer users to spend maximum time on Internet has inspired Google to launch the Chrome OS. The OS is being perceived to pose a great threat to Microsoft which draws huge revenue by selling its OS and office softwares for desktops.

The new OS promises an easy and swift computing experience. If the engineers of the Google are to be believed then this OS will simply change the way computing is done or the way computers are being used. They also say that merely by logging in, users can find all applications, bookmarks, and other browser settings. Chrome OS promises to be one of the most secure consumer or business OS.

Magento: Providing Perfect Ecommerce Solution II

Magento is one of the most preferred software platforms for e-commerce solutions. There are several attractive features contributing to the swift growth in the usage of Magento that has surpassed $ 25 billion in transaction, 60000 merchants, and 2 million downloads.

Features of Magento

Highly Inclusive Global Support System

Magento supports over 60 popular global languages and different currencies along with variable tax systems. Some other features in support systems include:

• Multi lingual support
• Provision of showing multiple currencies
• Tax Rate support system.
• Configurable list of countries with provision of site registration, shipping destination, and billing address.

Easily Manageable Shipping Module

You can configure the customized shipping depending on your business requirements. Some provisions under shipping module include:

• Real-time shipping rate integration from UPS, UPS XML (account rates), FedEx (account rates), USPS and DHL.
• Multiple addresses for shipping.
• On-site order tracking.
• Table rates for product related information.
• Flat rate shipping.

Wide options for Customer Service

There are several back-end tools in Magento that help the customers to serve themselves by gaining the requisite information or they can also be used by Call Centre Executives through the Call Center Dashboard. Some of the features under customer shipping module include:

• Customers can track the order and view the history.
• E-mail notification for order status and other co-related activities.
• Easy retrieval of forgot passwords.
• Contact us form.
• Feature-rich customer accounts.

There are several other modules like Order tracking, analytics and reporting, site management etc that has helped Magento to gain strategic lead from the other platforms available in the market.