Flash websites have been enticing web visitors and creators since their emergence.  However, there is debate over how effective this type of design technology is when it comes to online marketing. For some, Flash sites are considered to be preferred in comparison to the static HTML websites that have little to no moving parts. In spite of the popularity that Flash web design has garnered over the years, many businesses and online marketers concerned about  SEO rankings should beware!

Flash websites look cool, they add more visitor interactivity and make web sites more entertaining. However, there is  a lot more to the web than just having fun.  And, as we all know, there are a TON of things going on behind those beautiful and bright graphics that the average user views when surfing the web.

One of the biggest drawbacks to using a Flash website is the negative impact it has on the site’s SEO rankings. There’s no point in having a beautiful, exciting new website if no one can find it, right? So let’s take a look at  why Flash websites are still not compatible with search engine optimization (SEO) principles.

Flash is simply a software name created by Macromedia, which provides excellent animation quality on the web. Flash Plug-ins embedded on websites have the capability to make images, graphics, logos and animation appear to be in 3D mode, which is a lot livelier than basic HTML. In theory, the entertainment factor or enticement factor helps boosts up the odds that people will find your website more attractive and help to increase the amount of traffic on your site.  People who argue in favor of Flash web sites might also suggest that this type of design increases the likelihood that your audience will stay on your site for a longer duration of time, converting more prospects into customers.

While Flash websites are more appealing to the human eye, these websites will not be indexed by search engine spiders. In spite of showcasing enticing websites, owners of Flash sites may find it harder to rank decent in search engines because search engine crawlers have difficulty in detecting websites that utilize Flash. Yes, what the user sees on your website is incredibly important. At the same time, however; what web crawlers see is just as important. The difference between users and web crawlers is that web crawlers read the code that is hidden behind the images and graphics. In order to know how to rate and and rank your website in search engines, web crawlers MUST be able to view this code.

The myth about a customer staying longer on your site also does not mean a 100% conversion of sales. Based on statistics, the majority of online viewers are impatient, in terms of looking through what they really want. When it comes to web visitors looking to make purchases, price and product are the first items and information that users look for. If people need to sift through a ton of animation or close out introduction videos before they can get to what they are really after, this could be a deterrent and turn people away from your website.

Load time is another drawback with Flash websites. Both users and search engines are not fans of sites that take longer to load. Google added load time as a signal in their search ranking algorithms over two years ago and it has stuck ever since. Flash sites take much longer to load than HTML sites. As a result, they have lower SEO rankings and less popularity among users.

At the end of the day, simpler is better when it comes to your website. Sure, Flash in websites is appealing and enticing for some audiences, but it does not mean it appeals to everyone. The important thing is that you utilize web development  and design techniques that are both SEO and user friendly.

It seems as though ecommerce and open source technology infiltrated the online business industry equally as fast and as furious in the last five years. As a result, many businesses are now utilizing these types of 24/7 web-selling solutions in a variety of lucrative ways. Of the many open-source options available, Drupal and Magento seem to have risen to the top as the most popular e-commerce solutions being used today.

As new technologies breed new demands in the world of ecommerce, the push to create and deliver cost effective and efficient web applications continues. So which ecommerce solution is better: Drupal and Ubercart or Magento? In this article, we will examine the features currently being offered by each application, see what makes each solution unique, and hopefully help you determine which platform is best for you and your online business.

The first application we’ll examine is Ubercart. This solution utilizes a robust open source application and is specifically tailored to link with Drupal, which is considered to be one of the best technologies that many websites are using today. The combination of Drupal with Ubercart is a highly efficient scheme that makes for a magnificent internet shopping experience for customers. Developers utilizing Ubercart are able to integrate or enhance any type of feature your online shopping store is using. Ubercart has also been tagged as a one-stop, complete ecommerce solution for all types of internet marketing requirements. Currently, Ubercart offers the following list of notable ecommerce features:

• Configurable product catalog
• Flexible product creation system
• Flexible product attributes system
• Single page checkout
• Automatic account generation (anonymous checkout)
• Simple order processing
• Simple order creation and editing
• Integrated payment system
• Activity logging
• XML import/exporting

The combination of Drupal and Ubercart is said to be a powerhouse ecommerce solution. Having been built on Drupal and fully integrated with Drupal’s core systems helps to strengthen the power of both Drupal and Ubercart together.

The Drupal platform is extremely search engine friendly, providing for URL optimization, smart.htaccess and a number of other contributed modules that enhance a website’s SEO. When it comes to ecommerce, nothing seems more important than security. Maintaining a secure and trusted platform for your customers and their private information is essential. Drupal, is considered to be a very secure application framework. Developers consistently work to keep and update code so that the data on your website is safe from hackers.

In addition to being SEO friendly and secure, Drupal’s framework is a powerful and versatile content management system that allows users and developers to do more with less. Drupal was developed to be a community site. As a result, more features become available that work to extend, customize and help enhance the user experience each day.

Presently, Drupal is a bit easier to initialize because it has a new installer that can basically aid you through the whole installation process. Drupal utilizes any languages that you desire from the start and it is very easy. You will just have to import translations of the Drupal interface and you are good to go. Another efficient procedure that can be done in a quick manner is posting content. Drupal can also maintain your website menu by utilizing the easy-to-use system of drag and drop. You can modify your platform and move contents by moving blocks.

Another thing that can be attributed to Drupal is the enhanced multilingual interface support. This characteristic can be utilized to make translation automatic on the verge of installing a new module or even incorporate a new set of language. There are tons of Drupal modules that can be used while utilizing granular control. Drupal 7 merges necessary modules such as Access Rules and Throttle into the core to be able to help configure and enable an easy installation process. The latest interface will supplement a new layer of database and has the capacity to supply a vast array of support to any kind of database platforms.

In essence, Drupal and Ubercart work together to provide a top notch ecommerce solution for customers to enjoy a secure, dynamic and fruitful online shopping experience.

The Magento Community Edition is the free, open-source platform offered by the company. The Community Edition is unsupported and it is highly recommended that only the tech-savvy, non-mission critical utilize this version. However, as Magento has been around for quite some time, there are a number of Magento enthusiasts around who have contributed quite a bit to the platform, making for a substantial open-source, free ecommerce solution.

The Enterprise Edition (paid for version) of Magento, while also open source, is supported and offers a number of rich features including, but not limited to:

• Rich merchandising
• Full-page caching
• Persistent shopping cart
• Rewards Points
• Call Center Functionality
• Private Sales
• Store Credit
• PA-DSS Certification/Payment Bridge
• Staging, merging and rollback of content
• Price and promotion permission
• Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA)
• Gifting Options
• Minimum Advertised Price
• Gift Registry/Wish Lists
• Marketing Campaigns/Promotions
• Content Management Systems
• Customer Account Management

Depending on which platform you decide to go with, Magento offers a broad variety of options for ecommerce solutions. Regardless of the Community or Enterprise Edition, however, it seems that Magento has focused more of its efforts on the shopping experience and ecommerce aspects of their platform.

When determining which web application is right for your business, consider the differences between Drupal/Ubercart and Magento. If you are looking to offer a full website experience in addition to selling products online, Drupal and Ubercart might be something to consider. If an online store is your main focus and you have enough capital to invest in the Enterprise Edition, Magento might be the way to go. Either way, always do your research to see what any platform of interest if offering at the time to make sure if it the right fit for your business.

Facebook’s new “Timeline”  feature is undeniably a craze that has taken the social media giant’s website by storm since its launch in March. There was some controversy about Timeline taking over the face of Facebook but now that the new look is front and center, let’s see how it is affecting the user experience and why it is important to understand this new feature as an online marketer. Here are some of the surprising things one should know about Facebook Timeline when it comes to social media marketing:

1. One new and enticing feature of Facebook Timeline is the cover photo. It’s a new feature that helps highlight your page, represent your brand, and gives curiosity to the viewer by applying Murphy’s Law to web design. Cover photo has a size of 851 x 315 pixels and can be very complicated because of its terms and conditions. To avoid risking your entire Facebook Timeline account, be sure to research the terms and conditions that Facebook has set out regarding what you can or cannot post here.

2. With Facebook Timeline, you can now customize your Facebook applications. By customizing your Facebook applications, you can create all of the call-to-actions and personalized icons you want. Your Facebook Timeline will appear more personal and organized according to your brand or personality, helping you stand out among competitors.

3. “Highlighting” and “pinning” are a few of the new most commonly used features available in Facebook Timeline. By “highlighting” and “pinning”, your key moments, important dates, cool pictures and links are emphasized throughout your social media campaign. Unlike the old Facebook, this format in Timeline gives you a unique and more strategic way of emphasizing your important moments or things you want to stand out.

4. As a Timeline user, you should become familiar with the Admin panel of your account. “New likes”, insights, personal messages and activity logs are just some of the great new features that help you observe your fans as well as the activity of your page.

5. With Facebook Timeline, Ads are even more important than before. Although it has to be approached differently, its importance gives highlight to the very use of Timeline. You can directly post your Ads to any of your chosen applications where a specific call-to-action is available. Also, with the help of your current fans, engagement may be more important than likes.

6. Another cool feature of Facebook Timeline is being able to enjoy your favorite songs and music along with your friends. Once you switch to Facebook Timeline, you are given ample time, probably seven days, wherein you can personalize and organize your profile in such a way that you want others to see it. Within this span of time, your Timeline will be invisible, giving you a chance to make another change that you want for your Timeline.

Although it might have caused some controversy at first, Facebook Timeline has certainly shaken things up in the social media world. Whether you are a fan or not; it is important to be aware of how Facebook’s Timeline can work for you and your page as an online marketer. Unlike the old Facebook format, with Timeline you are able to personalize your account and create a fresh, dynamic new Facebook profile, exactly the way you imagined it to be. Sometimes, change is good. Especially when it makes you appear more creative and more up to date. As a marketer, we all know that this is an essential aspect of success. So keep an open mind when it comes to managing your Timeline.