News from Two Trees Media

For many small business owners, a website can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, a website provides a business with a great way to market their products/services to people far beyond the company's geographical location.

On the other hand, a website either means paying a lot of money for someone to maintain it and make even small content updates, or the owner must learn HTML, graphic design, coding and a lot of other skills to keep the website going. And there's still no guarantee that the site will draw in visitors and convert them into customers.

There is a middle ground, however. Once a business owner has a website up and running (something that should be done by a professional designer), they can easily maintain their site and update the content by using a content management system (CMS).

A content management system is basically just that, it allows you to manage the content on your website. This includes everything from blog posts (and even moderating comments), to the general writing on your site that explains who you are, what you do and so forth. Need an e-newsletter? A CMS can do that as well. Group forum? Piece of cake.

Here are a few more advantages of using CMS:

• Great for non-techies because most CMS programs are as easy to use as your basic word processor.
• Content management systems also tend to be web-based, allowing you to update and maintain your site from anywhere you have internet access.
• Make your website more dynamic. CMS can allow you to add modules that will give your site more functionality (think: Forums, eCommerce abilities, polls, search functions and so forth).
• Faster updating. By using a CMS program, you can make updates in a matter of minutes. This means not having to contact and pay your web developer, or even worse, trying to figure out the code to make the changes yourself.
• Better collaboration among users. If your website relies on multiple users to maintain it and keep it updated, then a CMS program will make this a cinch. You can track changes by user and adjust permissions for each user - maintaining more accountability and security.

Keep in mind that every CMS program will differ, but they should all offer the same basic features and be user-friendly. Here at Two Trees Media we use Drupal as our CMS. Drupal offers tons of cool modules that add nifty features to our site, and updating content is a piece of cake. Drupal is also open source, meaning it is free to use (who doesn't like free?) and is constantly being improved and updated by a dedicated community of developers.

What do you use for your content management system? Leave a comment below and let us know how a CMS has made life easier for you.

As we previously posted, everybody and their mom is now on Twitter (well, except for my mother, who doesn't own a computer). It's fairly easy to customize your Twitter background to display whatever you want. Once you're in there, you can also customize the text color, links, and sidebar colors, and make a fully customized experience for your followers. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Access Settings

Sign in to your Twitter account and click on Settings in the top right corner.

2. Access the "Design" Section.

Click on the "Design" tab. From there you can select a theme by clicking on one of the pre-designed theme thumbnails.

3. Upload your Background Image

To upload your own background, click the "Change background image" button at the bottom, and upload an image file. Checking the "tile background" box means that your image will be repeated to fill up the entire screen. You should only use this option if your background is very simple.

4. Customize your Colors

If your new background image doesn't jive with Twitter's default pastel blue and green color scheme, you can change the colors for the sidebar, links, and text. To do that, click on "Change design colors". Clicking on a color with bring up a color picker, from which you can select the color you want. Select your new color, and click "Done".

5. Save your Changes

Click the "Save Changes" button at the bottom of the screen, and you're done! Easy peasy, huh?

Etsy is the best place to find all sorts of handmade items, describing itself as "an online craft fair" and provides small artisans a way to sell their goods to a wide online market. In 2008, Etsy sold $87.5 million worth of goods, and 2009 is set to exceed that. People all over the US are making an effort to support small local artisans, and Etsy is a great way to do that.

Anybody can set up a shop and start selling things they make at home. You'll find shops that sell everything from comic books, kid's jewelry, hand-blended teas, to anthropomorphic toast.

Artists customize their shop by uploading a banner image to display on the shop's homepage. Below are some of the best we've found, brought to you to inspire your own creative pursuits.

aimeesarmoire

amykarol

avie

theblackapple

deliafurniture

goldenrectanglepress

johnnyvintage

kittybblove

luckybeepress

stitchindye

summerland

yummypancakes

Twitter is becoming one of the fastest growing social networking and micro-blogging sites on the internet today. The whole idea is to say whatever you have to say in 140 characters or less. So the question becomes: If you already have a business website and a blog, then how do you incorporate Twitter into your business's marketing plan?

Before I began using Twitter regularly and I was just blogging, I didn't see how Twitter could help my own online marketing efforts. It wasn't until I actually began using Twitter that I saw its utility. One of the big benefits of Twitter, is that you can tweet about a lot of stuff you normally woudn't blog about. One way I use Twitter is to link to articles and other blog posts I find interesting and useful, but don't want to write a full post about.

If you are a small business, and you already have a website and blog, you can still use Twitter for your marketing. Use it correctly and you will have a powerful tool that can reach thousands of potential customers. Use it incorrectly, and you can watch your online credibility go down the tubes. Problem is, there are so many ins and outs to using Twitter correctly, it is hard to know where to begin.

Luckily I came across this great blog post from TwiTip called 20 Must Read Beginner Twitter Tips for Small Business Owners. I'm not going to go through all 20 tips because most of them are self-explanatory. But there are a few I think are important enough to be highlighted here as well:

Twitter is first and foremost a place to connect, learn, and listen.

Define your goals if you have any (e.g. business promotion, socializing, etc). 

The first two tips are very important. If you think of Twitter as a tool to have conversations with others, than you are off to a good start - that is where the 'connect, learn and listen' comes in. Yes, feel free to jump in with your own ideas, just make sure you are adding something constructive to the conversation.

Being a small business owner, your goal will probably be to promote your business. You can do this by blatantly making each tweet an ad for your business (which might cost you followers). Or, you can use your expertise in whatever field your in (for example, I do copywriting, so I should tweet about writing, writing tips, and the like) to educate your followers while at the same time, joining in on similar conversations.

Create connections don't spam. You most likely would not just walk into a crowded venue where you don't know anyone and say, “Hi my name is Bob and I replace window screens and have great prices.” This method does not work very well on Twitter. (Should be a given but you still see it every day!)

This next tip goes along with what I was talking about earlier: Have conversations with others, give your followers something of value and make connections by following others. Do this, and you'll start gathering followers at a pretty steady clip, which leads me to my final point:

Be patient. Just setting up a Twitter account and posting a few tweets won't mean that you'll get thousands of followers right away. Like everything else, it will take time to earn a following. And don't be surprised when your number of followers fluctuates, this is normal. Don't take it personally. If you stick with it, are diligent and follow the advice in this post, Twitter will become a valuable business marketing tool for you.

You're all on Twitter, right? You know, the latest social networking site everybody, including TV stars, my favorite reality TV show host, porn stars, and Oprah are using? Well, if you're not, you are definitely missing out.

Twitter has the neat ability to let users customize their feed. The most creative tweeters out there have made beautiful background images that convey a bit about themselves, some contact information, or just overall look cool. Below are some of the best we've seen.

@bengigencer

@dezignMusings

@firefox

@fixoutlook

(those are avatars of all the people who tweeted their support of the email standards project!)

@gaksdesigns

@kimdeanart

@princesssyakira

@uksama

No matter what type of writing you do, whether it's copywriting or writing steamy romance novels, there are some basic books that it's always good to have on your bookshelf for quick and easy reference.

Dictionary/thesaurus: These are a staple for any writer. Whether it's checking the right spelling, making sure you're using the word properly, or finding a new word to use, a good dictionary and thesaurus can be a writer's best friend. There are many different versions and editions out there, so do your research and find a dictionary and thesaurus that works for you.

However, with many websites out there that you can look up words on and spell check programs built into word processors, many may opt not to keep a physical dictionary and thesarus on hand. It's up to you. Personally, I look most of my words up online.

Strunk and White: Elements of Style: This is another standard, and has been for several decades now. This books shows you the basic rules of English usage and how to compose crisp, clear sentences.

Associated Press Stylebook: If you write non-fiction, than this book is an invaluable tool. This book will keep your writing consistent, while at the same time, your writing will also appear polished and professional.

The Copywriter's Handbook by Bob Bly: While slightly out of date (he says every writer should own a typewriter), the basic principles of writing good copy are still very useful today. If you are writing with marketing and/or advertising in mind, then this book is a must-have.

Writer's Market: These are published annually and you will find them for fiction writers, poets, screenwriters and writers looking to break into magazine article writing. Each book is full of publishing information and gives individual listings for publishers, publications and websites that are willing to buy your writing. If you want to be a freelance writer, the Writer's Market books are definitely for you.

There are probably thousands of books out there geared towards writers, so your own list might be a little different than mine. But the above titles cover the basics of good writing.

What are some other books on your shelf that you use as a writer? Leave a comment below and share your answers.

You started a website and/or blog and now you want to make a little extra cash off of it. Adsense is leading ad program for publishers and advertisers alike. That doesn't mean it's the best, but it's probably the largest and the most well known.

Adsense is not for every website. There are a lot of sites out there that make plenty of money without ever showing a single Adsense ad. But if you think Adsense is right for you, then here are a few tips to help you out:

Getting started with Adsense

If you haven't already, you'll need to create an Adsense account. This includes giving up some pretty personal information like full name, address, and even a social security or employer identification number so Google (and you) can properly report earnings to Uncle Sam.

When I signed up several years ago, they did require approval for the site the ads will be served on. Not sure if they still do this now, but approval is easy. As long as your site conforms to their terms of service (i.e. no adult content), then you should be okay. Once your Adsense account is approved though, I believe you can start serving ads on multiple sites (again, as long as you comply with their TOS).

Placing ads

Okay, your account has been approved, you've signed your life over to Google and you are now ready to start placing ads on your website. Here are a few items to keep in mind:

• Pay careful attention to where you place your ads. Do some research, as a properly placed Adsense ad can generate a lot of revenue. Also, there are many different types of ads, such as text, video and image ads. Each have their own unique advantages and disadvantages. It will probably take some tweaking and experimentation to get the ad placement just right. Again, research is key. There are a lot of websites out there dedicated to the art of Adsense ad placement.
• Customize the ads to blend in with your site. This will keep your website looking tasteful and will minimize the chance visitors will be annoyed by ads that stand out too much. You can control stuff like background and text color for each ad unit.
• Keep the number of ad units to a minimum. Google sort of forces you to do this by only allowing 3 ad unites per page (always check Google's TOS first). Some sites won't need that many and others can take advantage of all 3 with minimal fuss.

A few warnings

While Adsense can be a great way to generate revenue from your website (and a fairly easy way at that), there are also some warnings you should think about.

• Adsense will not get you rich quickly, maybe not even ever. Don't expect too much from the program, especially at first, and be thankful for any revenue it generates. A lot of how much you make depends on what your site is all about. Some topics pay very well, while others might only pay a few cents per click.
• Follow Google's terms of service to the letter. They can (and have) banned people from the program for fairly minor infractions. This can include everything from tweaking the ad code they give you to clicking on one of your own ads (a big no no!). And finally, brings me to my last point...
• NEVER CLICK, OR ENCOURAGE VISITORS TO CLICK ON YOUR ADS. This is the fastest way to get banned from Google Adsense. If you see an ad on your owns site you are interested in, don't click on it. Find out the url and type it manually into your browser bar. And never ever write stuff like "Click these ads" or "Support these sponsors" or "You click on my ads, I'll click on yours".

I don't know how they track clicks, but they do. If they even suspect any sort of fraud on your part, you'll lose your account (and depending on the severity, you might find yourself in a nasty lawsuit).

Also, if you see yourself getting good Adsense results, don't brag about it by revealing too much. You are not allowed to reveal click-through rates or anything like that. Ballpark earnings numbers are okay, but nothing specific.

Adsense is fairly straightforward and if you play by the rules, you shouldn't have any problems. Just make sure to read the terms of service, as ignorance is no excuse.

That said, Adsense is a great way to generate revenue from your site with minimal effort. It will take time to start seeing the earnings checks come in on a regular basis, but as you build your site's readership, the revenue will follow.

As we previously reported, iPhones are soon to be the most used camera on Flickr. And it's no wonder - they are small, portable, and millions of people around the world have their iPhones on them almost all the time, ready to snap a picture at a moment's notice.

This week's visual feast is beautiful pictures taken with iPhones. Although the iPhone 3g has a paltry 2 megapixel camera, no zoom and few retouching features, users have created some visually stunning photography. Below is a sampling of the best we've seen. Enjoy, and keep the creativity going!

Return to Waterloo - by mpulda

Turn - by John©

Cypress Trees - by bananajode

And then the rain sets in - by www.justwhatisee.com

Love - by // raygun

Do you have an idea for some inspiration? Drop us a line and we'll feature it!

Say you owned a small retail shop (some of you may already do that!). You wouldn't dare think of doing business without asking your customers how they found your store, what they are looking for, or why they were there, would you? No, you wouldn't. But many companies do this exact thing with their online stores.

The easiest way to track what your customers want is to watch what they do online. But since you can't look over every customer's shoulder as they use your website, the next best thing is to watch them virtually through web analytics.

Web Analytics Answer Questions You Didn't Know You Had

Analytics software provides website owners one central place to watch how customers interact with the site, often in real-time. Web analytics lets you answer questions about your business such as:

• Where are my customers coming from? See how customers are finding your site, including the previous page they visited or search terms that they clicked on.
• What pages are they visiting? The most interesting stats your website generates is the visitor count of each of your pages. You can see which pages get the most visitor traffic, which is a measure of which information your customers are most interested in.
• What is preventing my customers from making a purchase? Purchases, or "conversions" as they are know in stats-speak, are the lifeblood of your site, and it is important to make sure customers complete the purchase process. Web analytics software lets you identify where common bail-out points are in your process.
• What browsers are my customers using? This information will help your web developers and designers build a site that meets your customers' needs and keeps them coming back.

Choosing Analytics Software

There are several companies that provide stats tracking code for you to use on your site, sometimes for free. Programs such as Google Analytics, StatCounter, or Yahoo! Web Analytics are free, but provide only basic reporting abilities. Omniture's SiteCatalyst is the gold standard in web analytics, and is priced according to how much traffic your website gets (but is worth every penny). If you use popular blogging software such as WordPress, Blogger, or Drupal, basic stats tracking is already built in.

Implementing Web Analytics on Your Site

Analytics software give you some pretty powerful information, so you'd think it would be hard to implement, right? It can be as easy as copying and pasting a few lines of Javascript into your site theme or template. Check with your friendly neighborhood web developer for help in putting it on your site.

Once the code is on your site, it will take a little bit of time for stats to be visible in reports, anywhere from 20 minutes to 24 hours. You'll want to check back periodically to make sure data is being collected. But once your data is being captured, you can run reports to your heart's content. After website owners realize the insights that can be gained from web analytics, it is often very hard to keep them from obsessively checking their stats!

In this day and age of DSL, Cable, and FIOS internet access, customers are zipping around the web faster than ever before. Despite the increase in features of web 2.0 sites and rich media, customers are demanding speedier page load times and better performance.

According to Gomez, the leader in website performance testing and availability, poor-performing websites have a definite impact on a business's bottom line:

• 1 second delays in response time can reduce conversions by 7% and customer satisfaction by 16%.
• 4 seconds is how long the average online shopper waits before going to a competitor.
• 9% is the impact on corporate revenue due to poor application performance.

Customers are demanding a high level of website performance. When they don't get it, they become frustrated and leave to transact their business elsewhere. In these tough economic times, a 9% revenue impact is huge, and can make-or-break an online endeavor.

There are several things businesses can do to help their websites load faster and provide for a better experience for their customers. And you don't have to have a huge online presence or spend a lot of money to keep your customers coming back.

1. Upgrade your website hosting. So-called "economy" hosting providers (we won't mention any names, but you know who they are) keep their costs down by cramming as many customers on one web server as possible. That means that when your hosting neighbor experiences a Slashdot effect, your site will slow down too. Upgrading your site to a better hosting provider or a dedicated server will reduce the likelihood that will happen.
2. Work with a web developer to clean up your website's code. Well-developed code is a work of art; a good developer takes pride in their code and make it elegant and simple. They will make sure that file sizes are small, there is no redundant code, and will reduce the number of calls to the server. They will memorize and live by Yahoo!'s best practices for speeding up websites. All of this combined will make your website nice and speedy.
3. Implement any caching mechanisms that are available. Every time a website has to access a database to pull data, milliseconds are added to page load time. Milliseconds might not sound like a lot of time, but when hundreds of processes take several milliseconds each, the time adds up to a bad customer experience. Many content management systems let you configure page caching, meaning the server only connects to the database once an hour or once a day to get a new version of a particular page. Wordpress is particularly bad with CPU time, which can be fixed by installing the WP-Cache plugin.
4. Load test your website early and often. Find the limits of your website before you get promoted to the first page of Digg or your content gets tweeted. Test your site to see where it needs improvement and what you can do to fix it before the Slashdot effect brings the entire site down. Free testing tools like Load Impact or Gomez's Instant Test Pro can tell you where the upper end of your site's performance is, and then you can adjust accordingly.

Following these rules won't protest you from every situation, but they will cover a great deal of customer experience concerns and keep your customers coming back for more. And happy customers means a happy bottom line.