Opportunity Avenue Blog
This is the Blog of OpportunityAvenue.com

Did you know that you have 8 web design options in Opportunity Avenue? If you haven’t made a website yet, what are you waiting for?

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The easiest and fastest method for creating a website is using the Push Button Site Maker. It doesn’t require hosting, a domain name (unless you want to use one), and is instantly online. Talk about simple. All you need is a ClickBank affiliate ID (which is free), possibly and Amazon Associates account (if you use a website that requires it), and perhaps a PayPal email account (if the site model you choose uses it).

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There are also web design options that allow you to create fully customizable websites. You also have a way to get web hosting, domain names, and unlimited support for your team members. If you haven’t checked out the Web Design Studio in Opportunity Avenue yet, then don’t waste any more time. Get inside today and start creating multiple websites.

For all you iPhone users that keep a Twitter account, you know how many different applications there are to keep your tweets and followers in order. Unlike most other apps, the one that the actual Twitter company made isn’t the most popular app being used. Currently the most highly rated Twitter application is the Tweetbot created by Tapbots. Even though the application isn’t free (it’s $1.99), people are still super excited about its launch. But when the Twitter company bought the company that makes the Tweetie Twitter app(the number 1 Twitter app), Tapbots was left reconsidering if they really want to charge for their app. Tweetbot packs a lot for just under 2 bucks. It’s clean and sleek and will keep your notifications in an orderly fashion. Having a mobile version of your Twitter account allows you to stay connected with your followers and post relevant info more often. This is a great way to increase your list and gain more traffic. What’s your favorite Twitter application?

Websites can have many purposes. A common one is lead generation, or list building. But how do you know if your website is really doing as much as possible for you? Here are some things you can do to ensure that your website is working for you, and never the other way around.

Make a way for people to contact you easily. This can be as easy as including an email address or a telephone number (that you will actually answer). And make this info visible from more than just one page or at the bottom of one.

Always get back to questions and concerns as soon as possible. Nothing is more frustrating getting a response to an email 2 weeks after you send it. Return phone calls too. This sends quite a message to your customers. Let them know that you’re willing to go the extra mile to make sure they’re taken care of.

If you’re concerned about too much support work, try putting common questions on an FAQ page. Also, be sure to supply your website with sufficient info so as to cut down questions about things like cost and content.

Keep your forms short and sweet. Don’t ask for a novel. Just collect the information that’s necassary. You’ll surely scare customers away if they’re required to fill out lengthy forms.

Don’t avoid the issue of cost. Be straight up with your customers and always display the truth. If you find yourself dancing around any topic, then you need to change your policies or system.

The layout and flow of your website is also key to making customers feel safe when purchasing things on your website. Make the steps simple and be sure to supply enough information so your clients don’t feel left in the dark. If there are multiple steps in the ordering process, hold the customer’s hand through each phase. This is always better than just assuming they’re figure it out.

Be aware of your reputation online, and always use it to build your credibility. You can’t control what other people say about you, but you can speak up. And this does not mean spamming every forum or blog with your two cents. It means explaining your business philosphy and allowing yourself to be approachable when people, even non-customers, have questions or problems.

Give your customers a purpose to spending time on your website. People will rarely fill out form unless they know they’re getting something in return. You don’t have to give away the farm, but you should give some incentive.

If you want your website to build you a list of loyal followers, using these guidelines are a sure way to get there. Even if your goal isn’t to gain a following, these tips can also used to be help customers trust you and encourage others to use your service. Truly a win-win.

More and more people these days are turning that extra spare room into a home office. It can be significantly cheaper to work from home rather than renting extra space. Whether you’re working from your back room or just at the kitchen table, these helpful tips will keep you healthier and lead to higher productivity.

Your health should always be important. Designing a home office that keeps your posture aligned and eyes from bugging out from poor lighting is easier than it may seem. Make sure your computer screen is on a table high enough to meet your eyes without straining your neck or shoulders. It’s also important to take breaks to promote blood circulation and eye health. Having a good desk chair is more valuable than some think too. It can keep your posture aligned and even aid in circulation. Try using one with arm rests and wheels for accessibility.

If your home business involves working on the computer, be sure not to site directly in front of a window or in direct sunlight. It may not seem detremental at first, but throughout the day, your eyes can become worn out and eventually lead to worse vision. Your lighting goal is to avoid downward direct light which creates those pesky glares on your computer screens. Instead, bound light off of walls and ceiling. Throughtout the day the natural light will obviously change. Check out lighting that comes in different strengths or is easily moved around.

It pays to invest in a good mouse and keyboard. This will greatly decrease wrist pain or joint problems. Low on desk space? Check out wireless sets to reduce the cords in your workspace.

No matter where you claim your office space, always be sure to take care of yourself by taking breaks and using top quality equiptment.

Web design has come miles from back in the day. Remember what Google used to look like? We have so many options nowadays that allow us to make things move, dance, sing, and interact with us allowing some serious eye-candy for websites everywhere. A lot of these features seem simple enough but the simpler you make technology on the outside, the more complicated the insides become, usually anyway.

If you’ve been dabbling in web design for pretty much any amount of time, you probably know what Flash is. Created by Adobe, Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, basically anything that moves to your website. Flash is rad, no questions asked. But when it comes to creating something in Flash, not so rad. The software has a pretty intense learning curve especially you’ve never done any work with other animation or video editing programs. Luckily the web is jam-packed with YouTube videos and tutorials to help you with your hurdles and bookstores everywhere sell guides that are good too. But for some people, that just isn’t enough. Some folks are hiring out professionals to "Flash up" their websites. If you’ve got the money, why not? But whose got that kind of cash these days?

We’ve established that using Flash on a website is definitely cool, but everything has its pros and cons right? Before you go budgeting Flash integrations into your business plan, allow us to lay down some of the not-so-commonly known facts about our Flash friend.

First off, it’s expensive. It doesn’t matter how you do it either. The software is anything but cheap (we’re talking close to $700). Let’s also not forget that you’re probably going to end up spending more time than you originally hoped just trying to figure out all the tools and options, and there are a lot. But without these items, we wouldn’t think the software was so nifty, so it’s another internet catch-22. And if you hire the project out, be ready to cut a serious check as well. Professionals that can honestly use Flash know they have a valuable skill, so don’t even try to swindle a professional Flash developer. That being said though, depending on what you want, you may actually get a good deal if you negotiate friendly.

There are also sites that offer pre-made Flash items, some of which can be edited. Of course if you don’t have Flash or know how to use it then it’s useless. But that’s an option. You can also get Flash templates for cheap or sometimes free. But again, you need to know at least something about editing.

The more Flash you add to your site, the longer it will take to load. Also keep in mind those that don’t have the required Flash plug-in on their computer. Most people do these days, but not everyone. And, if you make your website entirely out of Flash, people using mobile phones and smart phones won’t see your site at all. Consider how you’re using Flash. If you have a Flash introduction to your site, keep it simple and short. If visitors get sick of it, they’re unlikely to return.

Some Flash animation can also interfere with your SEO (search engine optimization) strategies. Some search engine spiders have a difficult time crawling through .fla files, so don’t count on them to boost your rankings.

Overall, we think Flash rocks … when used correctly. It is possible to have too much of a good thing. Think of Flash as icing on a cake, and too much icing on a cake will ruin it. Don’t let Flash ruin your cake! If you’re really into coding and animation, it’s totally a worth-while, industry standard tool and you’re promised to benefit from learning how to use it. But if you want a cheap fix for coolness, sorry guys, this aint for you.

Okay, it’s 2010 and pretty much everyone is involved with at least one social network on the web in one way or another. There are thousands, if not more, social networks so it became almost inevitable that these types of sites would soon rule the internet world. But how can we use them to their full potential? And kind of threats are they posing that we may not have seen coming?

Any community website that you join is bound to have a “terms and conditions” section that explains your rights and the rules of site. Pay close attention to these! Most don’t take a second look, but know what you’re getting into before you agree to anything. Not sure what some of the lingo may mean? Try searching through blogs as it’s almost certain someone else has already talked about it.

Be careful what you share online. I know people who are afraid to join FaceBook or Twitter because they think everyone will be able to spy in on their lives. While this may seem true, it doesn’t have to be that way. Legally, social networking sites have to allow you at least some form of privacy and protection against people you don’t know observing what you do. Granted, some sites only allow some many things to be “blocked” for unauthorized users, but you probably have more control over your privacy than you may think.

Pay attention to the pictures and videos you’re uploading. Some social networking sites will keep that information on their servers for long periods of time, even if you delete them! Applying for a job? Think about cleaning up your FaceBook and MySpace profiles before you hand in that application. More and more companies are hitting social networks to see what their potential employees are really like a Friday night.

All that to say, you don’t have to be afraid of social networking. In fact, it’s a huge part of our everyday lives and quickly becoming crucial to money-making online. But, be wary of your social network presence as you never know who’s watching.

Just 2 years ago, mobile access to the web surpassed desktop computer access for the first time in history. Over 85 million people so far in 2010 reported using their cell phones or smart phones to hop online rather than a computer. How are you reaching your customers or even potential customers through mobile marketing?

There are endless options when it comes to mobile marketing. It can be as simply as updating your website to be mobile internet friendly, to more complicated like creating a list-following and using text message marketing. There is no one-way to market to people through mobile devices. It all depends on what you’re marketing and how you want to reach customers, and why.

The most common form of mobile marketing is having a mobile friendly website or, one step further, a phone application for your website. Here is some helpful info about creating and designing a website for mobile devices.

First, know that websites made for computers will not look the same on a mobile phone. Since different phones will have varying screen sizes, you want to modify your website to fit most mobiles respectively. The maximum page size is only 20 kilobytes. Your mobile site must use CSS (cascading style sheets), and no tables and is best if made in XML or XHTML.

Enough technical lingo. Once those things are figured out, think about your layout and design while remembering that users are on a cell phone or smart phone. This means using a keyboard is a lot harder and scrolling down a page or through a menu will take extra time and effort. Don’t use long websites unless you absolutely have to. Phones don’t always get the best internet connection and speed so large amounts of content will slow the load time of your page big time. Incorporate "back buttons" and eliminate the need for scrolling and typing as much as possible. Most mobile website creators know that their mobile site can’t contain all the information they want. Think of your mobile site as a "lite" or a mini version of your real site. Things like store hours, location, telephone number (with a link for the user to click on and dial you directly) are great. Make direct links to your email so those using phones with their web mail can write to you instantly without the hassle of creating a new message and remembering your contact address. Include only images that are necessary (like your logo or something that users recognize and associate with you). Again, think about the load time.

Creating an application for a mobile phone is a whole other ball of wax. When someone says "phone application", most think of Apple’s iPhone. But lots of other phones are now incorporating the use of applications, which is bitter-sweet. iPhone applications can only run on iPhones, and the same situation is true for most other mobiles. This means you could potentially have to create a slightly different coded version of your app for every mobile device you want to reach. If you still want to try your hand at ‘em, start with iPhone apps even if you don’t have one. Check out a local bookstore or hunt online for software and tutorials about making your own apps. It’s definitely become easier over the months, but it still requires some coding knowledge.

But not everyone should have a phone application. If your website is simply an online brochure, you probably don’t want to hassle with an app at this point since users can’t gain anything buy downloading and/or purchasing your app. Most applications are games or tools like ringtone creators or weight calculators. Think about what your user’s incentive is when they download your application. Is it worth it?

It’s better to hop on the mobile website train sooner rather than later. More mobile web users are springing up daily, and every second you don’t have a mobile website, people are overlooking your company and the great things you have to offer.

Selling books online has become easier than ever thanks to the Internet. Most people don’t sell physical books anymore (unless it’s a large company or a direct publisher). eBooks are to thank for this. And you can sell ebooks online even if you aren’t an author or if you’ve never written anything before. It’s even easier when you’re an Opportunity Avenue member as we offer tons of pre-written ebooks for you to sell. When you sell ebooks, you don’t have to deal with a physical product, shipping, or inventory. Your customers can have their product instantly.

You aren’t limited to selling only things that you wrote. Pre-made content that can be sold under your name (or even a made up name) and that can be edited are called Private Label Rights products. Not all products online are PLRs though, so it’s important to make sure you’re only using content that is legal for you to use. Inside Opportunity Avenue there are tons of PLR products that can either be sold as-is or that you can change. You can find these products in the Content Vault in the OA website.

It’s important to turn your ebook into a PDF if it isn’t one already. When you purchase a PLR book or even an article, you’ll notice some websites include the editable Word document and a PDF. The Word document has the same content as the PDF but PDFs can’t be edited once they’re created. So if you decide you want to edit something in the book, you would edit the Word document and then turn that document into the new PDF.

Newer versions of Microsoft Word allow you to create PDFs directly from the document. If you don’t have a version of Word that can do this, you can easily find software online that will generate PDFs. Then you can direct your customers to your thank-you page and allow them to download the PDF and instantly start enjoying!

For more information about PDFs, PLRs, and selling ebooks, check out the Content Vault and Product Warehouse inside Opportunity Avenue!

If you’re already a member of Opportunity Avenue, then no doubt you know what the Push Button Site Maker is. If you don’t, you’re about to.

At Opportunity Avenue we take a lot of pride in the Push Button Site Maker. It’s the only website generating program that allows you to have a professional literally in seconds. No uploading, no editing, no coding, nothing. Tell us your affiliate information (it’s only 1-3 things depending) and pick the website you want. Don’t know your affiliate info? There’s an area to sign up for free at ClickBank, PayPal, and Amazon.

We strive to offer website niches from the hottest trends and research polls. You can choose from three different types of websites; one uses ClickBank products, another uses ClickBank and Amazon, and the last uses your PayPal email address.

One of the best features found in Push Button Site Maker, besides the ability to have websites instantly, is that you can have as many websites as you want. You aren’t limited to what sites you make or how many times you make them.

What do you do once you have a website? Your only role to play is in driving traffic or people to the websites. Not sure about that either? We’ve got tons of traffic information found inside Opportunity Avenue under the Traffic Control area. You can even send an email to the OA support team and ask for specific traffic tips catered to your websites specifically.

If you want to take it a step further, you can order your own custom domain name. You can even use a domain name that you already own but aren’t using. Email the support team and they’re take care of it for you.

We’ve been noticing that tablet and mini computers are becoming more and more popular. This could be that more and more people are going on the road for business and pleasure and still need to have a computer and the Internet with them. We did some research on the best and most popular and want to share our thoughts.

One of the most popular mini-computer pads at the moment is the Apple iPad. It looks like a large version of the iPhone or iTouch and works quite similarly. It can be purchased through any Apple retailer for around $500 or more depending on the features. This pad is awesome for reading and surfing the web. You can choose to install the model with Wi-Fi or 3G and it’s got a 1 GHz CPU. Since it’s just a large touchscreen pad, it does need some kind of case or protective shell since it can’t close or fold in half. The cost can also get spendy if you need access to the internet at all times, and the ability to download/upload unlimited contact.

The Dell Streak minipad is awesome for those using webcams on the go. This computer has a 5MP camera, VGA camera, and an autofocus feature. If you use Skype while traveling, this is great. The Streak also has a Wi-Fi or 3G option depending on what you need. It’s not available in the US yet but has been in Europe for a little while.

The WeTab is another mini computer worth mentioning. It will be for sale starting in September 2010. It runs a custom Linux operating system with 1 GB of ram. WeTab has a 1.3 MP camera; not fantastic but better than nothing. It uses Wi-Fi or 3G and sells for around $450.

If you find yourself on the go, check out these minipads today!