Part 2:

Writing online content and utilizing basic design structure for the web requires at the very least a cursory knowledge of the factors that differentiate it from other written genres.  For those venturing into the great unknown of the web, this may seem extremely daunting, as it has unique constructs unlike any form of text you may have experienced before; things like keyword and search engine optimization, image mapping, hyperlink and HTML.

This doesn’t mean you need to get a master’s degree in ‘webology’ however.  After all, you don’t have to know how an internal combustion engine works to drive a car, but if you don’t at least know that it regularly needs oil, gas and air in the tires, you’re not going to get out of the driveway, much less make that cross country road trip.

The beauty of the internet lies in the fact that it’s simply the greatest resource tool ever created and making use of it wisely can provide a wealth of information that can give you all the necessary guidance you’ll need to create a website yourself   A great comprehensive guide to web terminology can be found at w3schools.com.

This site is invaluable for novice web production, as it gives concise descriptions of common web terms, as well as links for easy to follow, step by step tutorials on how best to incorporate these elements into your site. 

A resource tool like this helps ease the anxiety of feeling like a stranger in a strange land when it comes to getting a basic understanding of how to make your website the best reflection of what your company is, and how it’s best situated to serve the needs of your customers.

Ok, so now that you have a basic understanding of what is involved in getting your website started, what now?  If you’ve decided that it’s not as complex as you thought, and you don’t have the budget for a professional web designer, how do you go about it?  For the inspired do-it-yourselfer, visit htlmtutorials.ca.

This site is great at providing easy to understand tutorials on designing websites for both amateurs and professional designers alike.  The core of the site is a 48 step instructional guide on HTML design that covers literally everything you’ll need to know about producing an effective website.  Not only that, but it provides additional resource links for things like do it yourself ebooks, a Webmaster certification program and directories and submission services, some of which are available for a nominal fee, but most of the information is gratis.

Happy Designing!

Ray Litvak
Online Writer ~ Toronto, Ontario Canada
www.writingwebwords.com 

Some may tell those thinking of a career in Telemarketing to reconsider, especially since the launch of Canada’s Do Not Call (DNC) List.  Career changes aside, does the DNC List mean that Telemarketers are an endangered species?  Not Likely.   Based on the DNC Exemption List, I fear that they will be with us for many years to come.  Exempted organizations include:
o Charitable Organizations
o Political Parties
o Newspapers
o Marketing Research Firms
o Polling Firms
o Organizations that consumers have ‘existing relationships’ with 

Personally, I have nothing against Telemarketers.  In fact, some of my best friends are Telemarketers (well, not really).  I understand that they’re trying to make a living; one that just happens to be incredibly annoying to most Canadians.  Speaking of annoying, don’t get me started on Telemarketing companies that use automatic dialers or have outsourced their Telemarketing to emerging economies.

What does the DNC List mean for career Telemarketers?  It means ‘Rejoice!’ There are still jobs aplenty.

Need evidence?  Well, here it is: Statistics Canada reported that as of 2003 there were “About 161,000 charitable organizations operating across the country”.  Furthermore, there are 308 ridings for federal elections in Canada; 98 general interest paid circulation daily newspapers in Canada; 722 Canadian market research & analysis firms; and over 2,000 Canadian marketing consultant firms, all of which are exempt from the DNC List and which, no doubt, need Telemarketers.

Is it suspicious that some – if not most – of these organizations enjoy strong political ties?  Perhaps.  Could it be that I’ve watched too many X-Files episodes?  Perhaps.

Questions remain regarding its efficacy.  For example, does the DNC List have teeth? Who will enforce it?  Time will tell.  As of today, yours truly sees it as a half-@#$% attempt to satisfy a Canadian public fed up with this invasion of ‘Privacy’.

After all, Telemarketing calls – that coincidentally seem to happen at dinner time – are the equivalent of e-mail spam.  But, unlike spam, telemarketers do not allow us to determine, access or choose when and if we get telemarketed.  Unlike e-mail spam, there are no telemarketing filters. 

As for website owners – if you haven’t already - this should be a wake up call to implement your own Do Not Call List; more often referred to as a ‘Privacy Policy’.  Proper Privacy Policies provide comfort and assurances to visitors that their information will not be distributed to third parties (i.e. Telemarketing Companies).  This is critical for websites that collect personal information such as credit cards and other sensitive details.

Besides being a good online business practice, the presence of a ‘Privacy Policy’ on a website has been shown to increase conversion rates by as much as 15% for E-commerce websites.

Will adding your name to the DNC List make a difference?  Stay Tuned…In the meantime, where do I sign up for the Do Not Spam List?

Ray Litvak

www.writingwebwords.com

Content Development Toronto