I think it’s reasonably safe to assume that most people have used search engines at some time to research products and services. Whether you’re looking for a wedding planner or to find the nearest pizza restaurant, the answer is online, all you have to do is ask. Conversely, if you have a commercial website, achieving multiple first page search engine rankings can drive thousands of qualified visitors to your site every day.

Advertising or Information

TV, Radio and Printed advertising is intrusive; it attempts to interrupt the viewer, listener or reader long enough to take notice of a marketing message. This type of marketing is known as Push marketing. Here the marketing message along with where and when it’s delivered, are pretty much controlled by the advertiser.

The internet reverses this process, internet users turn search engines in order to receive the information they want at a time and place that suits them. Think about this, before there were search engines printed directories like Yellow Pages were the only way that you could locate a service. In the same way that someone using Yellow Pages to locate a wedding planner is likely to be looking for someone to help plan a wedding, someone using a search engine to research and locate your products or services is probably in the market for what you offer. This is called pull marketing.

I am not suggesting that traditional marketing no longer works, rather I am pointing out that someone who arrives at your site via a search engine is proactively seeking information. The chances are they have already decided to buy and are looking to locate a product. They are not looking for advertising or hype, they want information, they want it to be easily accessible, and they want the site to be user friendly.

What has Usability and Accessibility to do with SEO

Failing to consider accessibility or usability is failing to consider your visitors. At the end of the day SEO is rather more than simply obtaining search engine positions, it must in some way produce a return on investment. More sales, more leads or more opt-ins is what SEO is really about. Sure, search engine visibility plays a big part but remember this, no one ever buys from a search engine!

Accessibility

The fact is, many accessibility techniques could be considered SEO and vice versa. For example:

• Using CSS to separating style from content.

• Minimizing on-page JavaScript.

• Using valid, standards compliant code.

These simple steps will allow search engines to spider, index, categorise and rank web pages much easier. Furthermore, pages will download faster, be accessible to a wider range of browsers, older technologies and assistive devices such as screen readers. Note that each of Google’s guidelines actually correlates with a W3C Web Content Accessibility Guideline.

One should not forget the legal responsibility to provide accessible web pages. Over recent years there have been some high profile court cases where companies have been successfully sued for failing to provide websites that are accessible to all.

Usability

Good usability enhances the visitor experience and encourages visitors to stay on your site longer. A great visitor experience rarely happens by chance, rather, it stems from an intimate understanding of your visitors and their immediate and long term goals.

• Identifying the different personas or groups of people who visit your website

• Evaluating the range of goals they have

• Structuring information into logical paths

• Help them achieve their goals in the minimum number of clicks.

The paths should initially address your visitors immediate needs by answering their questions and concerns then steer them towards completing the goal or call to action you have set out for them.

In Summary

SEO in the purest sense is about gaining search engine positions. If you know enough about SEO you will realise that just about any page will rank if you point enough links at it. But what will happen when a visitor lands on one of your pages, is the navigation intuitive, does the website think like them, do your pages render quickly in their browser of choice, does it project trust, will it make a sale?

This article was written by SEO Scotland a company that specializes in marketing Scottish business online.

Internet Communities and the Next Wave in Customer Experience

Imagine an island off the coast of Britain with a population of 11 million - growing at the rate of at least 1 million citizens per year - where the first language is English and the vast majority of the population are within the age range 17-30? Would you be interested in marketing to this group and could you afford not to?

Incredibly, just such an island, or perhaps I should say, group of islands exists. Not off the coast of Britain, of course, but in Cyberspace. Its name is ‘Second Life’ and it is just one of a myriad of virtual worlds springing into existence. Developed by their own citizens and a hosting Lab, these are essentially democratic environments which continue to adapt and change as citizens build and develop their own landscapes and create their own communities of interest.

This is the place for companies wanting to catch the next wave of Customer Experience – namely the virtual experience. Why? Because the Internet is rapidly becoming a place for active communication and virtual interaction amongst customers. Think of such familiar sites as Friendsreunited, YouTube and MySpace all part of a networking Mega-trend with the capacity to rapidly spread both positive and negative word of mouth.

And although extremely successful, what has really captured the imagination is the arrival of these 3D worlds where you can take up a character of your choice (an avatar) and stroll around a virtual world at the click of a button, communicating with other virtual characters – all real people, logging on and interacting; and for the most part it’s free!

Imagine for instance sitting at home and meeting a new community of friends from the comfort of your armchair: Talking to someone who has similar interests to yourself, but happens to live in China, Brazil, the USA or Leicester! Attending an online business conference where you can actually interact with and see the other participants, even go to and dress up for a post conference party at one of the virtual discos; of course buying your avatar’s clothes with virtual currency such as Linden Dollars from a virtual store.

Just like many new ventures, however, the current wave is only just starting to be absorbed into the broader marketing mainstream. The common excuses that it’s just about cybersex or that it’s full of geeks. This excuse simply misses the point, because today’s geek or student is tomorrow’s consumer or business leader – remember those 11 million accounts! Furthermore, the use of such 3D technology and virtual communication is highly likely to Mash-Up with the current Internet version 2.0. So, rather then think of this as some strange phenomena, separate from the commercial activities on the Internet, it is very much the next extension of it.

To give you just a few examples:

- Imagine a customer pressing a button on your website that takes them on a virtual tour of your store or other business (maybe even something like a manufacturing plant that is still at the design stage) and allows them to speak to a virtual assistant about financial products or something else entirely?

- Alternatively, if they have an avatar (their virtual selves) already, you could teleport (redirect) them to your site or location on Second Life.

- How about meeting others at a virtual conference? Or holding face-to-virtual-face discussion groups?

- Or, offering an exciting new site targeted at a specific community of interest or even your own mini Metaverse.

Think about those 100 million or so members of flat web pages like MySpace. Soon these will be pushing members towards 3D worlds like Second Life.

There is no doubt that this will be a difficult play for some people to conceptualise, but for that generation, brought up with video gaming, this is all second nature.

And already, several companies have investigated the potential and started to develop virtual landscapes that promote their company. For instance, Amazon.com, where you can search and shop in a virtual bookstore linked and integrated into the website. Other examples sourced from Second Life, The Official Guide, include:

- Starwood Hotels, which used Second Life to show off its new hotel chains.

- Toyota Motor Corporation, which released a driveable model for its Scion xB.

- Adidas, which sells virtual versions of its a3 Microride shoes.

- Hipster clothing, the American clothing retailer, which opened an outlet to sell virtual versions of its clothing.

- Harvard Law School, which offers a course partially on Second Life.

- The CIA.

- Duran Duran have developed a site for playing concerts and showcasing new bands.

- And potentially why not work the other way, offering an excellent virtual store (perhaps for a clothing range) prior to branching out in Real Life whether through bricks or clicks and mortar.

This is not an environment just for tangibles such as clothing and books, but very much for all businesses; as we have seen with the development of banks in Second Life and professional services advisors. The likes of Amazon.com, of course, will always be leaders in this area but this is just as good an environment for a utility or financial services provider whether for PR or advice as it is for anyone else.

The truth is companies on Second Life are not using it for some wild fantasy trip, but in much the same way as the Internet - for word of mouth. Furthermore, as the primary purpose is interaction, you are already seeing many specific interest communities develop. These could work as an excellent basis for feedback and targeting your messages and online developments, as well as obtaining research feedback.

And if you thought it was difficult and expensive, think again. Land prices are quoted as $195 per month for occupying a whole region equivalent to 65,536 square meters (source: Second Life, The Official Guide).

So if you have an interest in getting in early what can you expect? How can you approach this market in the correct way and use the power of Internet networking?

This is an ideal area to adapt the concepts of Customer Experience and an area that we at Beyond Philosophy are happy to provide advice on; answering questions as basic as what is Second Life to what commercial models will be most successful; how do I develop land space; how will the concept of Customer Experience Management work; what are the cultural considerations when interacting with this still developing environment and the best use of Mash-Ups with your Internet presence.

Of course there will always be some consumers who are only interested in playing Online-Poker, but as the Metaverse matures and 3D technology merges with the current Web environment the winners as always will be those companies with first mover advantage; if that is, you have been quick enough to catch the wave.

For more information please contact:

Steven Walden

Principal Consultant and Head of Research at Beyond Philosophy

Steven.walden@beyondphilosophy.com

Beyond Philosophy? are the leading experts in the Customer Experience, helping organisations think through the ramifications of commoditising market places and the effect this has on their business. They show how Building Great Customer Experiences can provide companies with competitive advantage as well as the ability to save costs by developing and implementing utilising an expert customer experience strategy as well as providing bespoke customer experience training They demonstrate the importance that emotions play in a Customer Experience and suggest strategies and practical steps to unleash the formidable power of evoking positive emotions in customers and how they can be used as a key differentiator ? ensuring a fantastic customer relationship.

As a journalist I need to explore sections of the internet world and find out what works and what doesn’t. Such investigations bring up new information that many aren’t familiar with; on this occasion I interviewed one of my business associates who had some good news…

Over one year there is a saving of $840 on your website hosting costs.

Richard Martin is an experienced businessman and is attempting to focus on bringing some of his ‘offline businesses’ onto the internet. The cost in doing so has restricted his progress, but in conversation, he told me of new technology that many are missing out on…

… He said, “First and foremost I am guilty… I know doubt have followed the same path as many are doing now. I have gradually grown from one website to over 10. Without knowing too much about the internet I foolishly hosted every new website either on a different hosting provider or with another account on the current provider and paid separately for each account.

So perhaps if I was paying $8 per month x 10 = $80, I paid this for some 18 months as I thought it was a necessary procedure. Until I understood how hosting providers work.

I worked with one hosting provider from my early days in 2001 and would have suggested them to everyone as I thought they were excellent. Good customer service, pretty much reliable and my websites were seen on the internet. No qualms, no problems and no hesitations.

Everything was hunky dory and I accepted the $80 per month for all my sites. Then when I read more I found that you can now find hosting providers that allow multiple websites in one account. Today most multiple providers suggest 10 websites for one monthly fee. Yet even better news is that because of competition some hosting providers allow unlimited websites. Initially their costing was that little bit higher, but even that has come down to compete with the mainstream providers.

So… Now I’m smiling all the way to the bank as my $80 per month has been reduced to just $7.95, for ALL of my websites. Isn’t competition a beautiful thing… All my websites are hosted with a reliable hosting provider.

If you are using links between your sites then using one hosting provider may affect their linking strength, but when you’re saving money that out weighs this benefit.

Beyond all the money saving possibilities this particular hosting provider claims to be totally ‘green’ and works of the power of the sun and wind. Not only am I getting a good deal, am I also being green…”

Apart from saving you loads of money these providers also offer Free Domains, Free Software, Massive Web space, Emails, Blogs & More.

May I say Richard was rather enthusiastic about this conversation as his budget would remain at $80 for servicing his websites, but the remaining $72 would be spent on traffic improvements. I could see he was pleased.

So Richard which is the Hosting Provider you are referring to? Richard said, “Go to this link:

http://www.globaltop5.com/web-hosting.html

I hope this information is helpful.

Mr. P. Booker Senior Internet Advisor and Journalist This week?s topic relates to this website: Web Hosting

Like most people, you probably take lots of photos. What do you do with them? Here’s where you don’t want to be like most people. Most people stash their photos away on their hard drive, or if they shoot film, they stash them away in a shoebox, rarely if ever to be seen again. Make up your mind you’re not going out like that. Photos were meant to be shared!

The first step in sharing your photos is to find an online gallery. Make sure they offer online photo printing, as printing will be a vital part of your plan. Look for an online photo gallery that offers unlimited free storage. Free unlimited storage is very important because photo files tend to be fairly large. If you shoot a lot of pictures, that limit that seemed astronomical will encroach on you rather quickly.

Once you have found an online gallery that offers both printing and unlimited free storage, upload your photos. If they are digital photos, this will be simple—just go to their website and follow the instructions. If you are still shooting film, or if they are old photos, then you will need to scan the photos. Good quality flatbed scanners are very affordable these days if you are inclined to scan your photos yourself. If you’d prefer not to, you have the option of sending them out to a service bureau to have them scanned. This often results in a higher quality scan, as the service bureaus generally have better equipment than the $20 scanner that is available in the office supply store—a lot better equipment. Not only hat but service bureaus tend to be skilled at scanning, so your photos won’t turn blurry or develop a color cast from being scanned.

Once the photos are uploaded online, the next step is to print the ones you want to share. You could buy an inkjet printer and print them at home, but generally inkjet printers cannot equal the quality of the photo printers that most of the better online photo galleries have for online photo printing. Not only are the printers typically better, but they also tend to use high-quality, Kodak photo paper, just like the kind of paper used for printing enlargements from film negatives optically. Their professional grade photo printers will give you excellent quality and vibrant, clear, accurate color. Most services offer a variety of sizes to suit your printing needs as well.

You may want to edit the photos to enhance them. Most of the better online gallery services offer online editing tools so that you can enhance your photos. Most of these offer typical editing tools that are essential for photography such as cropping, color correction, sharpening and more. Next stop: sharing your photos with your friends. From there, you can order prints in a variety of sizes, in either glossy or matte, with an easy online form. If you’re in a hurry, many online galleries offer express shipping and have them sent to everyone on your photo distribution list.

MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to build a digital photo album, as well as free online photo storage.

Are you an avid photographer? Maybe you’re even a professional photographer. At any rate, if you take a lot of pictures, chances are some of them are pretty good. Have you ever considered selling your photos online? You don’t need an elaborate e-store. All you need is a place to park the photos online, a way to take orders, and a way to print and ship the finished photos. With an online gallery website, the whole process becomes easy.

The first things you need, obviously, are some photos. You already have those, don’t you? Once you’ve got the photos the next thing you need is a place to park them online, where people can see them and admire them. Online gallery sites are excellent for this, and many offer printing service. The better ones offer top quality printing services as well. Additionally, the online parking place, besides being a way to present your photos to the public, offers you a place you can safely keep your photos. Chances are your photos will be safe on your hard drive, but it makes sense for important, irreplaceable documents to have at least one off-site backup. That way if there’s a flood or a fire or your dog eats your hard drive or your hard drive just craps out, as they do sometimes, you still have your photos.

The next thing you need is a way to get customers. One way to get people’s attention, aside from any contacts you might have in the ‘real’ world, is a blog. If you write a photography blog, be sure to learn enough about search engine optimization so that you can attract people to your website. You will want to show up high on every search engine list. Don’t worry; all this requires is a little research, which can be done using that very same search engine. Yet another thing you need—and this will become your favorite part if it isn’t already—is a way to get paid. These days, PayPal works great. Sure, they take a commission, but you can get paid quickly and conveniently from anywhere to anywhere.

The last thing you need is a way to print and ship your photos. Online galleries are an excellent solution for this. The quality of their online photo printing is outstanding, on a par with professional labs. The better ones use high-quality, Kodak photo paper, just like the kind of paper used for printing enlargements from film negatives optically. Their excellent photo printers will give you vibrant, clear, accurate color. Most services offer a variety of sizes to suit your printing needs as well. Once your prints are online, most online gallery services will print photos in a variety of sizes, so you can allow people to order the size they prefer. You can also order prints, in either glossy or matte finish if your customer is in a hurry, many online galleries offer express shipping. Best of all, all of this can be accomplished using a simple online form.

MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to build a free online photo album, as well as free online photo storage.

When you decide it’s time to create your own free online photo album, the first place you should start is a plan and organization of your existing photos. No one will fault you if your choice is to simply upload your photos willy-nilly, however, as time passes and every Sunday at the state, it’s a good idea to organize the pictures into chronological order. Doing so will four treaty opportunity to remember exactly what happened when.

For example, you wouldn’t want to upload a photograph of the child’s first birthday after you’ve uploaded a photograph of your child’s second birthday. Before uploading photos to your online photo album, take some time to review your existing photographs and place them into some recognizable order.

Below you will find some tips to help you organize and plan your online photo album.

The process of organization can be as simple as separation by date (this method is likely the most common method for organizing photo albums. Group together photos by the date taken and used that day as a starting point for additional photos to be added in the future).

You may also choose to organize your photos by special occasion. For example, group all the photos from your cousin’s wedding together. In the next section, recall the photos from your brother-in-law’s bachelor’s party, and so on.

You may also elect to organize your photos by subject matter. For example, you can place all the photos from your church events in one section and all photos from sporting events in a different section. The possibilities are endless when it comes to the categories of choice.

If organizing by subject matter doesn’t work for you, you can also consider organizing by location. For example, assume you have 400 pictures from your trip to Hawaii and another 200 from your trip to the Barbados. Organize your photo album so that one section is dedicated to Hawaii (photos in no particular order) and another section is dedicated to the Barbados (began, photos in no particular order).

Regardless of the organization method you choose to use, it’s always wise to have a plan before you execute any project. The same rule applies with your online photo album. It might also help for you to create a folder to keep on your desktop that contains the organization method you use for your photos. This way, when you attempt to add new photos, you’ll know right where to go.

Using an online photo album is quick and easy, but it will be easier still if you have a plan before you undergo your project. So take some time and do your homework, after all, they’re your memories!

Regardless of the method you decide to use to arrange your free online photo album, there are many benefits to trying at least some form of organization. This helps you locate pictures quickly and easily and you can create nice little logs of your special events, friends and the places you’ve visited. You may even want to try a few different methods to see which one will work best for you.

MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to build a free online photo album, as well as free online photo storage.

The Benefits of Professional Web Hosting

Here is where I will explain to you the benefits of professional web hosting. The web hosting marketplace is extremely competitive where web hosting providers fight for survival, but ultimately in the long run, only the real web hosting professionals survive. This is a fact. And here are eight benefits of professional web hosting:

Benefit #1: A professional web host is usually 100% dedicated *Only* to web hosting. That is their sole business interest and the professionals will be focused strictly on this service. This ensures that the service will be high quality when a company can solely focus on supplying web hosting.

Benefit #2: Professionals always keep up with the latest in the web hosting industry. The web hosting technology is rapidly changing almost everyday. And If your web hosting provider supports you with the latest technology, you have an edge over your competitors by incorporating the best features.

Benefit #3: Professionals will never oversell disk space or bandwidth. Most of the web hosting plans have gone unlimited, so its a moot point. Unlimited Web Hosting is the way of the future. Web Hosting professionals cannot be interested in the short term gains. They have to focus long-term. Web Hosting Professionals offer reliable and quality service and pride themselves on great customer service.

Benefit #4: When it comes to technical support no one can beat a true professional with a technology background. Most web hosting companies provide you with 24/7 support and usually include phone and email. In addition, most web hosts provide an online knowledgebase, forum, faqs, etc….

Benefit #5: Professional hosts have web hosting plans tailored to suit everyone’s requirements. They understand the needs of their clients better than the average person. They keeping coming up with fresh new plans and features and also focus on an aggressive price point with many promotions during the calendar year. The more choice made available to you, the better. Some web hosts even go to the extent of providing customised plans for the individual.

Benefit #6: Usually a professional web host will have been in the hosting world for some time with many years of experience. And this could prove vital and useful if you need expert help in resolving technical issues. Experience always comes in hand during a crisis.

Benefit #7: Reasonable pricing. A price which balances properly with the features and facilities offered is a key benefit while dealing with professionals. In a competitive marketplace with several web hosting providers competing for your business, you will get great value for your money. If you end up paying a high cost for relatively low quality service, well then there are many services out there that will cater to your web hosting needs.

Benefit #8: Associating with a professional also gives you a professional image even if you are a newcomer to this business. Run your website as a business because you are judged by the company you keep and your professional image. It also inspires you to maintain similar attitude towards your customers.

So keep the above benefits in mind, and remember if you benefit, your business or website will run more efficiently.

Russell Blanc manages an online resource and web hosting portal at www.iwebhostingplans.com

Nearly everyone has heard of rumors pertaining to taking online surveys for cash at one time or another. While some rumors are true, others are just plain stupid and you need to avoid these like the plague.

When you want to take online surveys for cash, there are bound to be rumors and objections that you will come up against when deciding on this type of structure for making money online. There are many different examples coming up that you have already heard and even some that you may not have. Either way, most of the rumors pertaining to this type of cash enterprise need to be addressed to separate fact from fiction in this case of myth versus truth. Here we go with the 4 rumors NOT to be believed.

Rumor Number 1: You Can’t Make Money Doing This Type Of Thing!

One of the easiest ways to make certain that you will not take online surveys for cash is to listen to this vicious rumor and opinion. There is no truth to this particular rumor, as it has been proved beyond doubt that you can indeed make money with this type of process. It just takes time, that is all. Time and a bit of patience that some of us sometimes don’t have in our “I want it now” world.

Rumor Number 2: These Companies Are All Rip Off Artists!

Another nasty rumor about taking online surveys for cash is that all companies that offer this service rip off people, especially their panelists. While there are those that are of ill repute, the majority of these companies are legitimate. Here is a way that you can check for this. Most companies have a link to or are members of the Better Business Bureau. You will be able to get information from them about their reliability. Those that don’t have that, you better watch out for those!

Rumor Number 3: They Don’t Pay You Enough Per Survey

Looking at some online surveys for cash, I could see where that little rumor would rear its ugly head. The payout sometimes is a bit small, but they do compensate you for your time spent. Another version of this rumor is that all they give you are crappy gifts, not money. In some cases, that could be true to certain people’s viewpoint. However, some people are happy with gift cards that allow you to purchase things from online stores. That is where that nasty little bug came from. Sounds like a case of sour grapes to me. But I digress.

Rumor Number 4: These Are A Waste Of Time.

Online surveys for cash will sometimes be misconstrued as a time waster. Don’t let that get to you. Most people who say that are jealous, but can’t see the forest for the trees and may be uncertain as to how to make money doing these little gems. Sometimes these people really don’t understand how you can make money doing this, so take that with a grain of salt. They don’t understand this or this process.

Having heard all the rumors and scuttlebutt about taking Online Survey For Cash, why don?t you check out this web page for more information about these things by going to http://www.goodinternetmoney.com/Make-Money-Taking-Survey.php?

Data entry work from home is the most hyped work at home job since answering telephones. Is it really worth all the hype that is placed upon it?

Whether you want to work from home or you are starting a business from home, most of the jobs that are hyped all over the internet are data entry work from home programs. While that is not bad in and of itself, sometimes it leaves you wondering. Is this worth all the hype and hoopla? Can it live up to its advertising and marketing promises? Or is it all smoke, mirrors and fantasy?

It is money well spent

One of the pitfalls of wanting a data entry work from home position is that sometimes you don’t know whether or not to believe the hype associated with the position. Is it what it is advertised to be? What sort of money are they promising? If it is an astronomical amount, then you have been scammed and gulled. What will be the pay periods that are associated with this type of job and who would your supervisor be in case of emergency. How do they pay you for your time? By what method of payment do they pay you?

You Are Typing Ads, Not Data Entry

When data entry work from home programs arrives, you find out that you are typing advertisements, not traditional data entry. This is one example of hype not meeting the reality nor the promises that you were made when hired. While typing ads is considered “data entry”, it is not the thing that you expect and leads to a lot of frustration at false advertising. So in this case, it is just hype, not reality. Remember, while searching for these types of jobs, run away from it when it indicated form filling. That is just shorthand to type ads for search portals and engines.

Why Are They Asking For Money Up Front For A Supposed Free Job?

With data entry work from home jobs, they sometimes take a little knowledge of how the system works in order to understand some motivations. By charging you a fee to work, they are merely ripping you off. Never pay for a job or for materials. This is one sign that you may be heading into rip off territory. If they charge you to work an at home job, it isn’t worth it. That is one of the problems with the hyped up ads for these positions. Most of the time they are not clear in what is expected nor why a fee is charged. Examine all the fine print carefully. Ask yourself why they need money up front.

You have questions, but can’t get any answers from anyone

Data entry work from home can be a very fulfilling experience. That is until there is a problem with work. Most legitimate work at home jobs will have people to help you whenever you need it. It is just the oddball who doesn’t have someone available to answer your questions. This makes some people very suspicious, especially with working in the data entry field.

Why not take advantage of the just plain sensible advice about Data Entry Work from Home by leaping to the following website for more information : http://www.goodinternetmoney.com/Make-Money-With-Data-Entry.php.

Technological advances have not only changed the way we shop, communicate with others, and do our banking. The development of ecards has changed the way we send greeting cards.

Ecards are a relatively new phenomenon in the Internet world, having come on the scene in 1995. This development changed the way in which we shop for greeting cards and how we send them to friends and family. They are accessible to anyone who uses the Internet and as long as the recipient has an email address you can send a card to any person you wish.

The first such cards were limited to nature and wildlife photos, and ecards for Valentine’s Day were the first ones that really offered online greetings for a special occasion. While there are sites where you can get these greeting cards without having to pay for them, but most sites do charge a user or a subscription fee. These are the sites where you get the widest selection of ecards to choose from.

For those who have no idea about ecards, these are digital greeting cards. You don’t need to purchase an actual card and send it in the mail. You simply search for a card online and attach it to a message or just send the ecard where the message says everything you want it to say. Now if you forget a friend’s birthday or anniversary or any occasion, you can send birthday ecards (http://www.care2.com/send/birthday_cards.html) or an anniversary ecard on that day and no one will even know that you only remembered at the last minute. It takes only a few minutes to have everything in place, which means you don’t have to pop out during your lunch break to search for the perfect card.

Ecards are environmentally friendly, which is one of the reasons they are gaining in popularity. There is no paper involved and the carbon footprint of ecard businesses is significantly less than that of traditional greeting card businesses. There is no paper used in the final product at all. Since they are digital, you can choose an ecard to send to only one recipient or you can have many recipients that receive the same email message containing the ecard.

To choose a greeting card of this nature, you simply choose a site that has a wide selection of ecards (http://www.care2.com/ecards/) to choose from. Once you make your choice of graphics for the cover of the card, then you can personalize the message to send to the recipient. Depending on the site you use, you can also further personalize the ecard with a photo or a video. Then you specify the email address to which you want to send the card and the website takes over sending the digital card to the person for you.

You don’t have to purchase any software in order to send ecards, nor do you need to have any special attachments for your computer. The site from which you choose the card does all the work for you. You just have to follow the instructions to create exactly what you want. If you make a mistake, you can clear the screen and start over.

One thing you do have to be wary about when sending ecards and that is the privacy of your email address and that of the person to whom you are sending the card. The site you choose is privy to two email addresses each time you send an ecard and this could open both of you up to spammers. If you don’t want to start receiving all kinds of spam mail because you send an ecard, read the privacy statement of the site before you start sending digital content.

Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in entertainment, leisure, and internet marketing. For birthday ecards and all other types of ecards, please visit http://www.care2.com/.