Starting January 1, 2012, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) which is the organization that oversees the Internet’s addressing system, will begin to accept applications for new generic top-level domains (gTLDs). Soon after web domains may carry much more of a branded image. Sites could pop up like enjoy.pepsi, shop.kohls, holidayinn.detroit.

At first glance, this seems like a no-brainer for brands. There is a catch, though. The application process through ICANN will be robust and the application fee is $185,000, with $5,000 due at the start of the application. Most of the very large brands will most likely snap up their brands as both an offensive and defensive strategy.

Ottaway Digital can brief you further on how gTLD’s may effect your company. Call us anytime. Happy New Year!

Building a quality mobile web site is imperative to an E-Commerce business. Businesses should keep in mind they should have websites that are unique to the mobile platform as well as desktop. In the world of websites, one size does not fit all. A consumer is much more likely to buy from a site that is safe and easy to use.

The time is approaching where businesses that don’t have a mobile website will see a large amount of lost revenue. More and more consumers are using their smart phone as a buying tool. Ottaway Communications can help you build a mobile E-Commerce website that will attract buyers with a sleek, customizable, and easy to use website. Contact us for more information.

RULE #1: All marketing today begins with a website that positively reflects on your business. It’s easy to navigate, full of information and well laid out.

RULE #2: Your website must be optimized for search engine indexing so that it gets a high PageRank on Google, Bing and Yahoo.

RULE #3: You should create a media plan that will be appropriate for your business category. This is a plan that integrates the mediums that will most effectively influence your target audience.

RULE # 4: Your campaigns should all be consistent and compliment each other regardless of medium used.

RULE # 5: High-level tracking should be implemented wherever possible to measure response to the metrics that you deem valuable.

Sadly, not all advertisers and agencies are knowledgeable in pursing the above rules. Not following them will lead to wasteful spending and, worse yet, the failure to know what is wrong and what is not working. Most importantly: digital marketing, traditional marketing, blimp marketing…it doesn’t matter, if your brand equity is low you’ve got to react accordingly. There are no shortcuts to building brand equity.

MORE FREE MARKETING INFORMATION

Traditional Media

1.BROADCAST TELEVISION: The audiences of #1 rated shows are getting older. In the 2009-2010 season it was 57.4 years. In the 2001–2002 season it was 37.6 years old. Source: Nielsen Co.

2.WHERE DO AMERICANS GET THEIR NEWS? For national and international news, 41% said that they got it online, while 40% said that they read newspapers in print or online at least three times a week, down from 52% in 2006. Interestingly, cable news viewership was down 14% last year, the first time since the Project for Excellence in Journalism has been keeping records.

Digital Media

1.INTERACTIVE AD SPENDING–DETROIT 2010: $ 802,140,000. This estimate from Borrell Associates, Inc. and is comprised of $ 555,600,000 by national advertisers and $ 246,540,000 by local advertisers.

2.FACEBOOK EVERY 60 SECONDS: Users send 230,000 messages, write 80,000 wall posts, tag 65,000 photos and share 50,000 links…every 60 seconds. Complied by Leah Fabel, Fast Company magazine.

3.“ANALYTICS”: Now be honest. That wasn’t part of the goals of the CEO or CMO just a few years ago, but today it should be. What is it? The tracking of data, both quantitative and qualitative, about your business and marketing campaigns. It completes the dots. It gives you the full picture. It’s the real bottom line.

4.GOOGLE “+1”: This is brand new and this is important. Google is reacting to the “Like” button on Facebook pages with “+1” which is their own equivalent. If it is adopted by Google users, it will be important to you in marketing your business, and in improving your “pagerank” on Google. Google is in the process of releasing full details to web developers at this writing. Our staff is awaiting the email so we can embed it on our client’s websites.

If you would like us to evaluate your marketing plan, please call us at (248) 637-4600. We have been on the cutting edge of the new marketing trends for over 10 years now. Our Google Certified Partner status assures you of our commitment to quality and excellence. Our long list of satisfied clients will provide plenty of references to our valuable work and sterling service. We look forward to hearing from you.

1. 
   Do not store the credentials (username
   and password) in an unsecure place.
   
   
   
   • 
     This includes when your browser asks you if you
     want to save your password.  Stored passwords are not fully
     protected.
     
   • 
     This includes in plain text in a password
     file.
     
   • 
     This includes in an email account.
     
   • 
     This includes on a left out piece of
     paper.
     
     
     
     • 
       Lock a written password
       away.
     
     
   • 
     This includes in an unlocked rolodex or file
     cabinet.
   
   
2. 
   Do not send credentials to others over
   email.
   
   
   
   • 
     If you need to give someone the login
     credentials, call them, but limit the information as much as
     possible.
     
     
     
     • 
       Try to be as obscure as possible because
       phone calls can be intercepted. If you give out the username, password,
       and web address, anyone who hears that
       information doesn’t just have the credentials, but they have the
       location as well.  They can log in and make changes, cause
       damage, download sensitive information, etc.
       
     • 
       Do not text (SMS) the
       information.
       
       
       
       • 
         It is a little known fact that employees at
         cell phone companies can read all text messages in plain
         text.
         
       • 
         It is also a fact that your text messages
         can be intercepted by a third party with the correct software and a
         configured wireless router.
       
       
     • 
       People can also listen to your call from
       nearby.  Make sure that no one is listening before giving out
       sensitive information.
   
   
3. 
   Change your passwords periodically.
   
   
   
   • 
     At least twice a year, preferably every three
     months.
   
   
4. 
   Choose passwords that are difficult to
   guess.
   
   
   
   • 
     When selecting passwords, use a combination of
     uppercase and lowercase letters.
     
   • 
     Use at least 8 characters.
     
   • 
     Include at least one number.
     
   • 
     Adding a punctuation character greatly
     increases password security.
     
     
     
     • 
       So does using more than one word, or
       eliminating vowels from single words.
     
     
   • 
     When implementing these procedures, use
     something memorable, but do not be obvious.
     
     
     
     • 
       Making your password “password” is extremely
       obvious.
       
       
       
       • 
         Password1 is obvious.
         
       • 
         #PssWrd5 is far
         less obvious.
         
       • 
         #CellarDoors5 is memorable and not
         obvious.
         
       • 
         #cLLrDrs5 is very secure, while still being
         memorable.
         
         
         
         • 
           Do not use any of the
           suggested passwords in this
           memo.
       
       
     • 
       Using your name or username as your password
       is obvious.
   
   
5. 
   Ensure that no one is watching you as you type in
   your credentials.
   
   
   
   • 
     This includes cameras, coworkers, family
     members, friends, guys with binoculars, and little robotic
     insects.

Email

1. Never send usernames or passwords in
   emails.
   
   
   
   • Email traffic is not necessarily secure from
     viewing by a third party.
     
     
     
     • Any email program that does not send emails
       with https in the address is able to be seen by other people on the
       web.
   
   
2. When logging on to webmail, make sure the address
   is in this format: https://www.domain.com:2083




• This ensures that any passwords or emails are
  secure.
  
• If any information transmission is intercepted,
  it is encrypted and therefore unusable by a third party.


3. If using an email program, ensure in the
   settings that you are using a secure connection on port 587.
   
   
   
   • If you do not understand this, please consult an
     IT person or look through the Help section for your program.
   
   
4. Do not send emails or log in to your email on a
   computer that you are not certain you can trust, even if it is your
   own.
   
   
   
   • If you suspect that your computer may be
     infected by malicious software, programs such as a keylogger may not only
     share your credentials with a third party, but may also log other personal
     information such as social security numbers and credit cards.
     
     
     
     • Just because you are on a secure website, or
       just because your password is hidden in the password field, does not
       prevent a keylogger from recording everything you type and sending it to
       someone else.
   
   
5. Do not give out your email address and password to
   websites that will “add contacts” from your address book.
   
   
   
   • There may be reputable sites that offer this
     service, but it is always safer just to add your contacts
     yourself.

Browsing The Internet From

Your Work Computer -
“Work computer” is defined as any computer that
you use to log into work related websites, services, or networks.  This
includes, but is not limited to, shopping cart admin areas, merchant
accounts, content management systems, domain management accounts, FTP,
VPN, remote desktop connections, databases, and control
panels. The best policy for browsing the
internet in terms unrelated to work from your work computer is:
don’t.  If you accidentally download a virus or
malware, then a third party have may access to all of your
information, passwords, customer information, programs, etc. If you must
browse the internet, see the rules below.

1. 
   Any website that asks for your username and
   password to an account other than the one on the website is automatically
   suspect.  If you come across one of these, leave
   immediately.
   
   
   
   • 
     For example, if you’re on
     UntrustableWebsite.com, and they ask for your Facebook Username and Password
     in order to add an app to your page, even if you have an account with
     UntrustableWebsite.com, you should pass on providing the information, and
     possibly never return to that site again.
   
   
2. 
   Limit browsing to known websites.
   
   
   
   • 
     It is a good idea not to click on links to
     websites you have never been to before.  If you do not know what is on
     the other side of a link, you may compromise your work
     computer.
   
   
3. 
   Avoid downloading executable files from the
   internet.
   
   
   
   • 
     A work computer is intended for performing
     work.  If you are going to use it for that purpose, downloading a
     program from an unknown author because you want to play online tennis is an
     unnecessary risk to your computer’s integrity that doesn’t meet the intended
     purpose of the machine in the first place.
     
   • 
     Just because a program comes from it’s
     own website, doesn’t mean the program is trustworthy. 
     BikiniTennisMasters.com can still provide spyware for you to download with
     the lure of a flashy tennis game.  Only download programs from well
     known companies.
   
   
4. 
   Do not transmit sensitive information on
   nonsecure websites.
   
   
   
   • 
     A website is generally secure if it has
     https:// in the web
     address.
     
     
     
     • 
       Unfortunately, many forms exist on pages that
       are not secure, but the locations that the forms send the information to
       are.  This is still secure, but without knowing how to determine
       where the form is sending to before sending it makes it difficult to
       know whether you can trust the site.  If in doubt, consult your IT
       department.
   
   
5. 
   If a browser does not recognize the certificate
   for a website, do not use the site to transmit sensitive
   information.
   
   
   
   • 
     There are some sites that issue what is called
     a server certificate to themselves.  A server certificates only purpose
     is to provide encryption for data and you can be sure that the information
     you send is definitely going to that server.  However, there is no way
     to know who the server belongs to.  This is why a self
     issued server certificate is not recognized by the browser.  If you
     definitely know who the server belongs to, you can proceed.
     
     
     
     • 
       An example would be our webmail
       service.  If you log into href="https://www.yourdomain.com:2083">https://www.yourdomain.com:2083,
       you will see an unrecognized certificate.  Since the website belongs
       to you, you can rest assured that you can trust yourself not to send your
       own sensitive information to a third party or use it for
       malicious purposes.  Further, the information you transmit will be
       encrypted.
   
   
6. 
   Do not surf for or download pirated software,
   music, movies, e-books, whatever.
   
   
   
   • 
     It is not our responsibility to judge what you
     do.  We do however, need to advise you that many places that provide
     these services do not have any qualms about invading your
     computer.
   
   
7. 
   When you are done making changes to the admin
   area, viewing emails, or using other web applications that require a login,
   log off, close the browser completely (this includes ALL browser windows), or
   both.