All posts by EPR Internet News

B2b, B2C, Database, eCommerce, Online, Search, Searching, Services, Tracing, Web Marketing

Tracesmart launches the 2010 Electoral Register

The end of the calendar year is the period when local authorities make available their amassed edited Electoral Registers, and again Tracesmart is at the forefront following the announcement that they have already started incorporating the newly released 2010 data into their extensive catalogue of consumer information. As one of the UK’s leading data specialists, Tracesmart maintains its position and reputation by ensuring the data they hold is the most up-to-date possible, providing their clients with access to the latest information obtainable.

The UK electorate populate two registers which are collated by local authorities. The first is the full Electoral Register, which is utilised to facilitate local and national elections and is also employed by credit reference agencies. The second is the edited Electoral Register which holds the data of those individuals who did not ‘opt-out’ whilst completing their registration form. This list is held in the public domain and is commercially available. Tracesmart utilises this information, along with previously accumulated data, to provide identity checks, data cleansing and tracing solutions to the nation’s businesses and industries.

Tracesmart Corporate has a diverse and constantly growing legion of companies employing their online facilities to trace people, and verify individuals as part of fraud prevention procedures. Edited Electoral Register records provide indispensable information for both identity checks and tracing exercises, as they contain names and addresses of UK citizens; key information needed to identify or locate an individual.

Commenting on the release of the newly uploaded Electoral Register data, Paul Weathersby, Tracesmart’s Technical Director, remarked, “Once again, Tracesmart leads the way in delivering Electoral Register information. We have uploaded millions of new records to our system in a very short period and they are already fully searchable. We pride ourselves on this rapid integration which guarantees our customers early access to the best data available.”

Loading of the 2010 edited Electoral Register data into Tracesmart’s systems will continue throughout December and January; it is anticipated that the edited register will be fully integrated by the end of January 2010.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2b, B2C, Database, eCommerce, Online, Search, Searching, Services, Tracing, Web Marketing

2010 Electoral Roll now available at Tracesmart

In addition to the Christmas festivities, the end of the year brings with it a period when local authorities make new Electoral Roll data available. As in previous years, Tracesmart lead the way, as they have already started incorporating the newly released 2010 data into their people search facility.

As the most up-to-date yearly snapshot of the UK’s adult population, the Electoral Roll is at the core of Tracesmart‘s people search service. There are two versions of the electoral database produced each year, the full Electoral Roll and the edited. Tracesmart utilises the edited version, together with a variety of other datasets such as directory enquiries and birth, death and marriage indexes, to make it as easy as possible for individuals to find relatives and friends.

Ensuring their customers have access to the most up-to-date data available has always been one of Tracesmart’s fundamental principles and loading Electoral Roll data at the earliest possible time is a key part of this ethos. Paul Weathersby, Technical Director at Tracesmart, explained further,

“Every year since Tracesmart formed, we have aimed to load the new edited Electoral Roll records earlier than the previous year, and ahead of our competitors. This year is no different and I am pleased to say that we have loaded new Electoral Roll records earlier than ever before, ensuring our customers have access to this important data at the earliest possible juncture.”

Now is the perfect time for Tracesmart customers to utilise the new 2010 electoral data within their searches as it can be used in an address search to update contact details in readiness for posting Christmas cards, gifts and party invites. Alternatively it can be used to locate relatives in time for a Christmas family reunion.

Commenting on the release of the newly uploaded Electoral Roll data, Owen Roberts, Tracesmart’s Communications Manager, remarked, “We hope the newly added Electoral Roll data will help make more reunions possible. Our researchers are already using it to great success and I am confident that the new data will benefit those gearing up for Christmas, who are looking to be reunited with loved ones.”

Tracesmart has added millions of edited Electoral Roll 2010 records onto their system and will continue to do so throughout December and January. It is anticipated that all of the edited Electoral Roll records for 2010 will be loaded by the end of January.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2b, Hosting, Internet, ISPs, Programming, SEM, SEO, Services, Web, Web Design & Development, Web Marketing

Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB Renews Association With Florida Web Developer

The Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau, the official tourism marketing agency for Collier County and the popular Paradise Coast area of southwest Florida, has renewed its vendor relationship with Web developer and marketer Sales & Marketing Technologies (SMT), Altamonte Springs, Fla., for Internet marketing, search engine optimization, and social media marketing strategies.

“SMT has been our Web site and digital marketing partner for several years. They have been enormously helpful in optimizing our website, keeping us ranked high with the major search engines and have efficiently managed our PPC efforts. We recommend them highly to anyone looking for ways to maximize their web presence,” said Jack Wert, executive director for the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau provides information assistance, visitors guides and travel planning tools for visitors, travel agents, tour operators, meeting planners, travel press and general news media. The bureau maintains the official travel and tourism Web site for Collier County. www.ParadiseCoast.com, which is operated with the assistance of SMT.

Sales & Marketing Technologies (SMT) is a leading full-service Web development and Internet marketing company. SMT creates, develops and markets custom Websites for businesses in the U.S., U.K., Caribbean, and South America. Additionally, SMT offers Internet marketing and lead generation programs, consulting Web hosting services, strategic planning and social media integration. More information: 800-434-0339.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2C, Entertainment, Free Stuff, Internet, Online, Services, Software, Web, Web Images

NewFreeScreensavers.com – Spyware-, Adware- and Virus-Free Screensavers

NewFreeScreensavers.com, featuring a variety of free, colorful screensavers, announces its recent launch. All screensavers and downloads on NewFreeScreensavers.com feature no spyware, adware or viruses, meaning visitors can be assured that the screensavers they download will not harm their computers.

Nowadays, some net searches lead users to Web sites that expose their computers to spam, spyware and other dangerous downloads. According to some research, the most dangerous words to search for are “free screensavers”. NewFreeScreensavers.com was created with this in mind, to provide everyone online with a reliable, trusted site from which to view and download screensavers.

NewFreeScreensavers.com features a collection of completely free screensavers that are safe to install and run. ‘The screensavers featured on the site support Windows XP, Windows 7 and Vista. Another distinguishing feature of NewFreeScreensavers.com is the site’s simple design, allowing visitors to easily navigate its pages to find the screensaver they are looking for.

NewFreeScreensavers.com features many unique screensaver designs, including a time machine tube that gives viewers the sensation of the flight; a design featuring three cowboys crossing a field at dawn, reminiscent of the Wild West; and an illustrated screensaver that looks as if it jumped off the pages of a fairy-tale book. A range of screensavers with clocks are also available for download.

In addition to a collection of free screensavers, NewFreeScreensavers.com features a tips and tricks section about screen savers, screensaver reviews and a blog. To download a safe free screensaver, and to learn about the best screensaver available, visit: http://www.newfreescreensavers.com/the-best-free-screensaver.html.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2b, Internet, Online, Services, Web

DPCI: 10 Years And Going Strong With Implementation Of Ideal Digital Asset Management

After 10 years of service, DPCI continues to assist corporations, businesses, and numerous organizations find new ways to achieve increased speed and functionality in managing and updating online content. To begin the process a thorough evaluation of any existing content management system in use will be done by the professionals at DPCI. This allows them to determine if building upon or extending the existing environment is an option. The goal is efficiency, functionality, speed, cost effectiveness, and security, all in one.

This goal may be a daunting task for the typical IT personnel but for the experts at DPCI it is all in a day’s work. These professionals have a wide range of experience and expertise with implementation of CMS platforms and they offer a full service implementation shop. This is another convenient feature that is not often found in such services. The team has extensive knowledge about how a web content management system should work in an assortment of business environments. Their product services include business analysis, project management, product integration, extended programming, and training and support. The DPCI experts have worked with a great variety of clients; from large corporations to museums and many other types of organizations. This versatility ensures that DPCI can execute exactly the right digital a s s e t management system for each of its clients.

An organized system of digital a s s e t management is necessary for speed and functionality. Digital a s s e t s must be archived in a fashion that is easy to search, annotate, access and update, based on numerous criteria. A quality digital a s s e t management system will also include permissions and security controls for protection. This means that only authorized individuals will be able to access the system, which affords increased safeguards in protecting the company’s digital a s s e t s.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2b, Internet, Online, Services, Software, Web

State Of The Art Approaches to Digital Asset Management Implemented By DPCI

DPCI works to assist companies with increased speed and functionality in updating online content. An online presence is an absolute requirement of every modern day industry, corporation, business, and organization. But simply having a website does not guarantee visitors to the site. In fact, there are several things that must be in place before visitors can even find a website easily. Perhaps the most important concern is that of search engine optimization. This is a method of utilizing appropriate keywords and phrases in the correct way to get noticed by the search engines. A good ranking with search engines helps to ensure that people in need of a particular service or product will find the right site.

Another important part of having a positive online presence is having interesting content that keeps visitors coming back. This is sometimes done through the use of photos, videos, audio, logos and other branding materials. As a company grows and develops new products and services, the more of this digital content there is to manage. Obviously the digital asset management is a vital component of any content management system.

Depending on IT personnel to handle this responsibility is how some companies tackle the job. However, this is not the most efficient use of this personnel’s time. While it takes them away from other tasks that they are better suited for the content management system they may decide to incorporate is likely to be less effective than other options available. Any digital asset management system implemented will place more responsibility on marketing professionals and content experts and less on IT personnel.

Before deciding on the appropriate digital asset management system, DPCI performs a thorough evaluation of a company’s existing infrastructure. This is done to determine if building upon or extending the existing environment is a viable option. With over 10 years of business and a team of experts, DPCI is able to implement a modern approach to creating, managing, interpreting and delivering content. Their state of the art approaches to organizing staff, improving processes and implementing sensible technology to support content management system needs can make the difference between a company’s optimal success and mediocre stability.

The team at DPCI has a collective knowledge with wide experience in implementation of CMS platforms. A full service shop experience is offered; DPCI truly knows how a web content management system should work in various business environments. Some of the services include business analysis, project management, product integration, extended programming, training and support.

DPCI was incorporated 10 years ago. In ten years time Database Publishing Consultants, Inc.’s expert consultants have expanded their already extensive knowledge about what makes the perfect content management system. Whether working with a museum or a large corporation, DPCI can easily implement a digital asset management system that allows even non-technical personnel to become producers.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2b, Internet, Online, Services, Software, Web

Web Content Management System Provided By DPCI: Based On The Philosophy Of Instant Access

DPCI is committed to assisting companies to find the best content management system available to meet their particular needs. If a company’s website doesn’t leave an impression that lasts then its memory soon disappears from the mind of the visitor, which means sales are lost. A comprehensive web content management system considers search engine optimization as well as other important strategies.

With 10 years of experience, DPCI has a wide range of expertise in implementation of CMS platforms. DPCI offers a full service implementation, from knowledge about how web content should work in various business environments to business analysis, project management, product integration, extended programming, training and support. DPCI works diligently to assist companies in having increased speed and functionality when it comes to updating online content.

DPCI recognizes the power of online communities and as such, that power can be leveraged via a customized content management platform with online community services distinguished by a company’s private label. These private label offerings can assist in making communication more accessible between customers, suppliers, or partners, both internally and externally. Resources, information, and an online community relevant to the particular needs of the targeted market group will enhance the visitor’s experience.

Many companies rely on their IT personnel to develop, manage and deliver all web content used. This often takes the IT professional away from other tasks that require his/her expertise. Web content management systems implemented by DPCI are based on the belief that access should be instant and it should be convenient to use with a template driven web browser interface. With the right content management system, even non-technical personnel can become producers.

DPCI delivers systems that are easy to use and which place less responsibility on IT personnel and more on marketing professionals and content experts. Through careful evaluation DPCI determines the right content management system for a particular company and its business type. The system will be flexible and scalable – that is, it will have the capacity to grow with the company.

Every company has unique needs. DPCI can implement a digital asset management system that is geared specifically to the requirements of a large corporation or smaller organization. The fact is that over a short period of time companies acquire numerous corporate logos and branding materials, still and stock photography, audio and video clips, and archival content of all kinds. This must be organized and handled via digital asset management.

Database Publishing Consultants, Inc. is now celebrating 10 years of business. In that time DPCI has gained vast knowledge regarding what makes an ideal content management system. The team at DPCI is a collection of experts in various areas, each bringing wisdom to share with the group. This results in a solid foundation and intelligence that is used in the implementation of a company’s digital asset management system.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2C, Entertainment, Internet, News, Online, Search, Services, Social Networking

Yenta911.com – Jewish Social Network

The online Jewish dating site, Yenta911 is now recruiting Jewish daters over the age of 60 as volunteers to evaluate their online dating service. The over 60 daters are being offered a three month premium subscription in return for their feedback.

Co-founder and CEO Alexandra Weiss believes that there is a real business opportunity in the online dating market for Baby Boomers. However, a closer look needs to be taken as this population is not a natural market for online dating. “We strive to understand how to better serve these people. We see extraordinary potential in this vibrant group. The idea is to encourage this population to use the service, and most importantly to understand how we can better serve them.”

Yenta911, is the first dating site to take a serious look at this demographic, and to develop a program that will expand this market and better understand it.

“If we need to develop a whole online dating system based on our findings, in order to better serve this group, we are certainly ready to do so. This is considered an untapped market, and we are more than ready to capture it.” says Ms. Weiss.

Yenta911 will briefly phone screen all candidates to determine eligibility. If interested please email Yenta911.com at: email@yenta911.com, with subject line: Over 60 Focus group.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2b, B2C, Database, eCommerce, Online, Search, Searching, Services, Tracing, Web Marketing

Rise In Online People Searches In Time For Holiday Season

With Christmas fast approaching, many people start thinking about absent family members, and will look to the internet for help. Indeed, the rush to reunite with family and friends has already begun, with online people search providers, Tracesmart, reporting a marked rise in visitor numbers to their site.

Tracesmart celebrated their tenth year of tracing earlier this year, and with over 10,000 searches performed daily on their website the service goes from strength to strength.

The popularity of online self search websites has grown rapidly since the introduction of the edited electoral roll, and the growing trend in online searching has empowered people to independently locate individuals without the need to pay for a private investigator.

Even with limited information, it is now possible to use an address to locate a lead as part of a search as Tracesmart provides an address search facility. This is particularly helpful if someone already has a street and house number, but isn’t sure if the person still lives there. Additionally the free postcode search function is especially useful for this time of year as it can be used to update old address details, so that items aren’t unnecessarily delayed at the postal sorting office.

Tracesmart has an experienced customer service team, available all day and late into the evening to offer support and advice to novice tracers. Commenting on this surge in demand, Sarah Lawrence, Tracesmart’s Customer Services Manager, noted, “We are receiving lots more enquires this month, which is not unusual for this time of year. As always my team and I are fully prepared to deal with the amount of searches and transactions that are being carried out on the site. We hope and aim to be able to assist in reuniting as many friends and families as possible this month, to make their Christmas even more special this year.”

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2C, Entertainment, Free Stuff, Internet, Services, Shopping, Web

A Boy’s Secret Santa Letter Reaches The North Pole

This Christmas season is not like all the rest, my work shop has been overflowing with toys for months now. Everyone here is busy putting the finishing touches on things. There seems to be more and more good children every year! Here at the North Pole we always keep our Christmas trees decorated and our wreaths on our doors. Everyone here at the North Pole loves to live with the joy of Christmas all year long. But we are always preparing for that special night of celebration – the night when I visit all the good boy’s and girl’s all over the world! It’s a wonderful time indeed.

Just this morning I received a Santa Letter from a special little boy that lives very far away from the North Pole. He wrote to tell me a secret Christmas wish and to ask for a special Christmas gift. Of course Santa doesn’t share secrets so I can’t tell you what this little boy wants for Christmas. But I’ve already checked my list and he has been nice all year long and I know that’s not always easy to do. This little boy always remembers to leave out my favorite snack (cookies) for me on Christmas too! In fact, last year he even left out treats for my reindeer. They get tired and hungry during our long trip to all the good little boy’s and girl’s houses around the world.

I’ll write a letter back to this little boy later tonight. I try to answer all of the Santa letters I get but sometimes that’s hard to do. I get letters all year long from boys and girls that live all around the world. I always write letters in the evening, after Mrs. Claus and I eat supper and eat some of the tasty cookies kids send us! It’s a nice way to end the day.

Believe it or not, I get letters from grownups too. After all, they want things for Christmas and I guess sometimes they feel like I’m the only one that can help. I’m happy to do it. I love to make people happy. I think the good in Mrs. Claus has rubbed off on me! Did you know that she usually brings me a plate of warm cookies and milk while I’m writing?

The only day of the year that I don’t answer letters is on Christmas Eve. On that day I am just too busy. I have to be sure I have everything ready for my long trip around the world. There’s so much to do when you’re packing Christmas gifts for people all around the world!

Article created by Santa Himself. In a recent phone conversation Santa discussed the many letters he receives from children, and adults from around the world. He said that on a daily basis he sends out thousands of Personalized Santa Letters because he realizes that children look forward to receiving them. In fact, Santa Claus said that parents routinely tell him that their Christmas letters from Santa are some of their most precious childhood keepsakes. Santa said that is why he will continue to write letters for as long as he can.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

Advertising, B2b, Internet, Online, Search, Searching, SEM, SEO, Social Networking, Web Marketing

Bigmouthmedia And Econsultancy Reveal Companies Plan Increased Social Media Spend In 2010

The Social Media and Online PR Report, published by Econsultancy in association with bigmouthmedia, has revealed that most companies are planning to invest more in social media next year but are struggling to find the time and resources to manage their activity.

The report is based on a survey of over 1,100 companies and agencies, and is the most comprehensive study of its kind around how companies are using online PR and social media for marketing and customer service.

The results showed that 86% of companies plan to spend more money on social media in 2010, and a further 13% are planning to keep the same level of budget. 54% cited their biggest barrier to better social media engagement was a lack of resources, with 90% of businesses stating that social media is taking up more time internally than a year ago.

“The growth of social media and online PR has been meteoric, but until now there have been very few hard facts available on precisely how UK business is using the new channel and what they’re getting in return for their investment,” said Phil Gripton, Managing Director of bigmouthmedia UK.

“These statistics – the most detailed yet available – show that while an increasing number of companies are embracing social media, many are struggling to effectively manage their engagement and are consequently failing to make the most of a potentially enormous opportunity.”

The research found that many companies are experimenting with social media without yet reaping any measurable benefits. Only a quarter of companies said that they have gained “real, tangible value” from social media whereas 60% said they had gained “some benefit but nothing concrete”. However, 52% of respondents who are heavily involved said they have gained real value, compared to only 13% of companies who “experimented but not done much”.

Michelle Goodall, Econsultancy’s social media and online PR consultant at Econsultancy, said: “Before they think about their strategy and the best tactics, companies need to go back to basics and think in detail about how online PR and social media can help them deliver against their business objectives.

“The reality is that most businesses understand how to listen, what to measure and where to engage but are struggling to define the value of engagement and reputation in social spaces.”

There view of the benefits of Twitter is mixxed, with 31% of respondents saying there are “tremendous opportunities” available, but half reported their companies are “open-minded but not fully convinced about the value to the business”.

The majority of organisations (62%) are using the micro-blogging site for publicising new content, with 54% using the channel for marketing or brand monitoring (47%). Only 27% of companies are using Twitter as a customer service tool for reacting to issues and inquiries, while 25% use Twitter as a customer feedback tool. 7% felt that Twitter is over-hyped and a fad.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2b, B2C, eCommerce, Internet, SEM, SEO, Services, Shopping, Social Networking, Traffic, Web, Web Marketing

eCommerce Sites Add Festivity and Enhanced SEO this Holiday Season

SEOWhat.com, an Internet marketing, search engine optimization and web design firm helps prepare clients’ sites for this year’s holiday shopping season with festive banners, improved rankings and social media buzz. The holiday season is one of the busiest for online shopping sites and this year’s economic situation will increase the competition among merchants.

eCommerce Sites Add Festivity and Enhanced SEO this Holiday Season

“Industry experts and surveys show that consumers are likely to increase their online shopping to complete their holiday shopping lists this season,” said Catherine Seven, founder, SEOWhat.com. “The challenge for e-tailers this year will be to win the trust and loyalty of shoppers in an increasingly tight-fisted economy. And this year, the key to being relevant is to make the entire shopping appealing to customers.”

The design team at SEOWhat.com specializes in creating eye-catching banners, holiday logo enhancements and overall web site design. Clients like www.bigsmiletoys.com chose a holiday-themed logo to make its site welcoming to potential customers. In addition to aesthetics and SEO site development best practices, SEOWhat.com generates buzz for clients and manages their reputations online employing the myriad of new and emerging social media and social networking tools available.

SEOWhat.com helps clients improve search ranking through a combination of search engine optimization strategies that include, but is not limited to, social media optimization/Web 2.0, social bookmarking, press release and article writing and submission, on page/off page optimization, niche keywords and long-tailing, link building, meta tagging, Yahoo! merchant sites (Y! Stores), YouTube/video submissions and more.

Ranked best in Social Media Optimization by TopSEOs.com, SEOWhat.com creates buzz through the use of social networking tools such as blogs, social bookmarking sites and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The full service agency provides a la carte or full service SEO strategies tailored to the needs of B2C, B2B, products and services, businesses, educational and not-for-profit organizations. With a talented team of web engineers, graphic designers, copy writers, editors and online/offline marketers, SEOWhat.com is the only competitively priced firm of its kind that is based entirely in the U.S.

About SEOWhat.com
SEOwhat.com is an SEO services agency that helps companies navigate the dynamic world of internet marketing, integrating search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), social media optimization (SMO) and Web site design to increase a site’s visibility. Specializing in Yahoo! and Google optimization, SEOWhat.com develops search friendly Web sites on a variety of platforms including Yahoo! Stores, WordPress and custom built sites. In addition to Google SEO, SEOWhat.com provides organic search results, without the price tag, creating powerful web sites that appeal to human eye and search engines alike.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2b, B2C, Database, eCommerce, Online, Search, Searching, Services, Tracing, Web Marketing

JLT Findings Underline Benefit Of Tracesmart’s Existence Product

Following an assessment of their clients’ member screening procedures, JLT Benefit Solutions Ltd (JLT) established the distinct advantages of Tracesmart’s Existence checks facility. JLT were one of the first companies to employ Existence Alert in conjunction with Tracesmart’s tracing service and are able to quantify fully, the benefits of comprehensive screening and batch pension tracing.

Commenting on the service, Andrew Marson, Head of Administration Consulting, JLT said, “All JLT clients using this service are benefiting from the improvements it brings. A number have saved significant sums of money as a result. Our relationship with Tracesmart is well established.”

Tracesmart Corporate provide a broad spectrum of data intelligence services to the financial sector, including a multi-tiered consumer tracing solution utilised by a growing number of FTSE 100 companies. Tracesmart is also one of a small number of companies to receive a weekly feed of current UK Death Registration Information (DRI) from the General Register Office, crucial data which is employed to enhance the mortality screening functions of its anti-fraud services.

Established as the preferred choice within the pension industry for conducting existence checks, Tracesmart’s Existence service can boast the vast share of the relevant market. The process utilises DRI, historical death indexes and commercially aggregated mortality data to flag any deaths in the UK, whilst also confirming residency and identifying gone aways. This is carried out on a continual basis, permitting appropriate action to be taken to mitigate risk at the earliest possible moment.

Remarking on Existence and his company’s performance within the pension sector, Tracesmart’s Managing Director, Mike Trezise remarked, “Tracesmart’s combined existence checks and tracing services are industry leading. We are the principal player in this market now because we essentially understand the needs of the sector. As JLT has confirmed, our existence service delivers significant advantages. The process appreciably benefits all concerned, except that is, the fraudster.”

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2b, B2C, Cloud Hosting, Hosting, Internet, Secure Hosting

Businesses Would Love To Never Have To Buy Another Server Again

Rackspace Hosting, the world’s leader in hosting and cloud computing, has announced the results of its latest survey, which highlights the growing problem of businesses struggling to cope with the demands of managing their own servers. More than half of the businesses surveyed responded that they would ‘love to never have to buy another server again.’

Rackspace’s online survey research was conducted in September 2009 and involved 441 US and UK-based IT decision-makers at companies with 100-500 employees

The research underscores Rackspace’s recent launch of No More Servers, a campaign and community dedicated to a new way of buying IT which includes managed hosting, cloud computing and email hosting. The new service has been created to help free businesses from the hassle of in-house server management and to enable them to instead shift their focus onto mission critical applications, core competencies and innovation. Rackspace is augmenting this initiative with Rackspace.co.uk/NoMoreServers, a location for companies to learn the benefits of hosting services.

The study, conducted by LoudHouse on behalf of Rackspace, investigated the views of more than 441 IT managers at mid-size enterprises and revealed that approximately one third of their IT staff’s time is spent on server management, which is liable to limit their ability to focus on strategic initiatives that could benefit the business. Fifty eight percent of respondents cited the ‘hassle of managing servers’ as a challenge for their organization, while 61% of IT managers said ‘time to drive innovation’ was a challenge.

Additionally, on-site servers were seen to also cause ‘server stress’ for IT managers, who cited ‘the need to be available 24×7’, ‘hardware issues and maintenance’, and ‘after-hours calls and issues’ as the top three server management issues. The survey also found that 51% of respondents have made mistakes in their server capacity planning. Fifteen percent have bought too many servers and 36% have failed to buy enough. This leaves businesses exposed to the risks of financial waste and the inability to cope with user demand by not getting server spending right the first time.

The survey also revealed that 35% of companies identify themselves as ‘proactive and slightly ahead of the curve’ when it comes to describing their approach to new technologies, while 28% remain ‘cautious and reactive.’ When it comes to hosting and cloud computing, barriers to adoption include assurances of reliability (29%), evidence of cost savings (28%) and assurances of security (27%).

“IT should be an enabler,” said Lanham Napier, president and chief executive officer of Rackspace Hosting. “The survey seems to reveal that a huge chunk of time and resources are spent keeping the lights on and preventing problems. Rackspace, with its world class Fanatical Support, can free organizations from the hassle of server management and enable their IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives that will positively impact the business.”

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2b, B2C, Internet, Online, Services, Website Localization

Translator Network tolingo Launches English Language Website

The translator network tolingo (www.tolingo.de) has launched an international version of its translation portal. The website (www.tolingo.com) is in English and the aim is to ensure that the company’s services will also be used increasingly by customers from outside Germany.

“After a very promising start, we see the international site as the logical next step. We have a worldwide network of over 2500 qualified translators available. Why then shouldn’t customers around the globe benefit from it too? Besides the fast and uncomplicated processing of the submitted texts, the 24 hour global availability is one of the great benefits of offering translation services online,” says tolingo Managing Director Hanno von der Decken.

tolingo provides customers with quotations in real time, while this usually takes several hours or even days elsewhere in the industry. Automatic selection of the best available translators within the network for each document means that tolingo delivers translations of consistently high quality while keeping translation times to a minimum. In this way, the processing times that usually stretch to days in the industry can be shortened to just a few hours. Yet the prices for the translations are markedly lower than those of a conventional translation office.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2b, B2C, Internet, Online, Services, Website Localization

Translation Services Firm Increases Sales By Providing Free Content

According to Ken Zwerdling, CEO of Foreign Translations, Inc., a global translation services firm, “Today’s savvy Internet user leaves little room to be directed by companies to take a particular course of action. The consumer has become the expert and is in control.” We have seen this change of power especially within the real estate industry. Consumers are on-line analyzing local markets and exploring homes via virtual tours with no help from a live individual, all the while making decisions without involving professionals. This trend has overflowed into many industries around the world. What does this mean for professional service companies that want to earn business? Be the first to offer consumers educational information about your services and give it away for free.

Be Known As The Expert In Your Industry

For companies that almost never achieve a face-to-face meeting with customers or potential customers, its on-line presence is the only means for consumers to validate its expertise and knowledge. This validation goes beyond graphics, ease of navigation, and client lists. It is found in the quality of the information that company provides. Some visitors know exactly what is wanted: price estimate, quote request, or contact information. Other visitors want to learn more about the different service offerings, while still others seek valuable free information to better understand the industry and guide the decision on who is contracted for service. By fulfilling the information needs of consumers via tutorials, instructional content and free tools a company will become the recognized expert in that field.

Keep the Consumer Coming Back

Free instructional articles are a valuable tool that directly serves the needs of many website visitors. The average number of page views a website visitor sees is only three. Offering instructional content will result in visitors who stay longer, view more pages, learn more about your company and become more educated. The key is to think like a customer and freely give away what is wanted. A company needs to ask itself, “What kind of information would I research if I wanted to learn more?” To stay ahead on consumer desires, a company should publish new articles periodically to accommodate ever-changing consumer interest. At Foreign Translations, Inc., the company offers a vast array of valuable instructional content. It provides white papers on topics such as How to Prepare for Globalization, Laws of Quality Translations, How to Find Growth in Non-Traditional Markets, Language Translation and Social Media, Marketing to Hispanics and Selling your Products and Services in Other Markets. In addition, there are informational articles on business etiquette in major countries such as China, Germany, and South Korea, the history of the world’s major languages, and what to expect when traveling to specific countries across the globe.

Some customers are simply looking for information. They want to complete due diligence and research the service needed before finalizing a purchase. You want to be the company that offers these consumers more than is expected, more than what can be gained from your competitors. Service companies must understand that instructional content can take many forms such as whitepapers, industry research, tips and free tools. Use this content effectively to make your website indispensable. Encourage your visitors to return again and again.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2C, eCommerce, Internet, Search, Services, Web, Web Directories

Self Storage Finders Increases Sales and Clients in October 2009

Self Storage Finders announced today year over year comparable sales increased 597%, exceeding company expectations. Self Storage Finders is one of a few online self storage directories experiencing staggering growth within the last several years. Comparing year over year sales for the month of October, the company has increased its sales by 597%. In comparing year over year clients, they have also increased their Preferred Membership 318%.

Self Storage

Selfstoragefinders.com has been in business for 2 ½ years and is starting to build a solid brand around their unparalleled Search Engine Optimization, allowing them to continually rank highly for many self storage terms. Their clientele consists of self storage facilities of all sizes, self storage management companies, marketing companies and several web based companies. Marketing Executive, Brian Barwig said “Strong sales and a large increase in Preferred Members tell us our clients continue to use Self Storage Finders as their choice for generating quality traffic, clicks and most importantly rentals.”

Barwig goes on to say, “We plan to continue to grow Self Storage Finders sales through our broad expansion nationally with greater penetration of new city markets due to our high SEO visibility, as well as with partnerships with leading companies in the storage industry.”

“Our directory is unique, effective and irreplaceable in many cities where the competition is too fierce for storage facilities to be able to manage their SEO and rank their own websites.” The system is ideal for storage owners and managers who need to concentrate on their day to day operations and do not have time to carry out the innovative marketing and SEO strategies Self Storage Finders can provide. The company insulates its Preferred Members from the everyday hassles of storage marketing. In addition, Selfstoragefinders.com works closely with its storage partners to ensure the highest customer satisfaction.

An increase in sales and clients can be attributed to proper business plan execution, advanced marketing techniques and partnerships with highly respected companies in the industry. Mr. Barwig adds, “Self storage is becoming a highly aggressive industry and every owner needs a competitive advantage. Our Preferred Members are able to attract customers before their competitors do, expand their business and increase overall profits all for a minimal monthly fee. We are most proud we can provide solid traffic to owners, while keeping it easy on the budget.” Self Storage Finders has been able to dramatically increase their sales and clients all while keeping their monthly rates near lowest in the industry.

Selfstoragefinders.com is committed to aiding customers in finding self storage locations quickly and easily by providing storage unit locations and contact information for facilities around the country. Prospective tenants can search through the Preferred Member listings and Neighboring Member listings on the site to find the best personal fit. The company offers unique opportunities to storage owners in addition to prospective renters. Selfstoragefinders.com generates exposure for its Preferred Members by offering premier visibility on major search engines connecting prospective renters to self storage owners.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2C, Entertainment, Free Stuff, Internet, Services, Shopping, Web

Santa Letters by Marty The Mouse Surpass Letters From Santa Himself

Little Marty the Mouse couldn’t wait to start writing his first Santa letter. After his recent worries about the possibility of being on Santa’s Naughty List, Marty was finally feeling a little relief. His cousin Jingles, who happens to one of Santa’s Christmas Mice and official mail helpers, gave Marty some great tips about Santa Claus and how to stay on his Nice List. You see, Jingles gets to read letters written to Santa, as well as personalized Santa letter written by Santa Claus himself.

It seems that Santa just wants children everywhere to be the best they can be. This of course includes things like school work, helping around the house, and just being nice – but it also means listening to adults. That is the part that worries Marty the most. After all, his school work is good and he always does his chores, and everyone says he is one of the nicest mice in the wall of the big house. But Marty does sometimes disobey his parents.

In case you didn’t know – our little Marty is full of adventure. He loves to explore the big house, but the problem is, Marty is not supposed to venture out into that big space by himself. But if you know Marty, you know that his sense of adventure sometimes gets the best of him and he gives in. That’s why Marty plans to write lots of Santa letters this year.

He plans to build up the momentum of what he wants to say. Marty knows that he shouldn’t start out by asking for Christmas presents. Instead, Marty has decided that his first Santa letter will simply be a ‘thank you’ for all the great things that Santa Claus brought him last year. Last Christmas was wonderful! Not only did Marty get a new bike, but he also got a collection of books about his favorite hero, “Courage Mouse”. Marty wants to grow up and be just like Courage Mouse; this little hero travels the world to find mouse families that need help in some way and then he makes sure they get just what they need. Courage Mouse is nice to kids, grownups and animals. Marty will be sure to add some details about some of the fabulous journeys of Courage Mouse so Santa will know just how much he likes the books.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2C, Entertainment, Internet, News, Online, Search, Services, Social Networking

Lovetropolis.com Promotes New Option for Latin Dating

Lovetropolis.com, an online dating service and subsidiary of The Lombard Company, Inc., is promoting a new option they have added for Latin Dating. They made the announcement this morning from their Bowie, Maryland headquarters to introduce the new service as part of the online dating service they recently started in February 2009.

“In order to ensure a more accurate match and pleasurable dating experience, we have added five new ethnic and religious categories where our users can focus their efforts,” the statement read. “Our goal with this is to offer as many choices as possible to those looking for companionship. General dating pools are not right for everyone. In the case ofLatin dating, many times family structures and language familiarity dictate the criteria for choosing a partner. With our new Latin Dating service, we have found a way to address that.”

In addition to Latin Dating, Lovetropolis.com is also adding Black Dating, Asian Dating, Jewish Dating and Christian Dating. Each of these groups will be able to take advantage of the social networking platform Lovetropolis.com put in place back in February which offers users live chat, webcam dating, blogging, internal secure email, video upload capability from YouTube, and a selection of applications that can help users improve the look of their profile.

“We have used every social media tool that has been developed in the past decade in the development process of this website,” said a company spokesperson. “The end result is a user experience like no other in the world of online dating. You can meet and get to know someone intimately before you even meet them in person. In today’s world, that makesonline dating less scary and far safer for those who prefer to avoid the club scene.”

All five ethnic and religious groups are now available with Lovetropolis.com, and they are building their membership with a number of incentives and referral programs. Foremost among these is a “Free Membership for Life” program they have initiated where you pay a one-time profile approval and activation fee of $17.95 and then no monthly or annual fees for the life of the account.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

Child Safety, Entertainment, Internet, ISPs, Online, Social Networking

No More Playtime: Children Spend Their Free Time Staring at a Screen Instead

A new generation hooked on digital content is shunning traditional playtime in favour of watching TV and surfing the internet, according to new research from uSwitch.com, the independent comparison and switching service. The report also reveals a high proportion of children using the internet and watching TV unsupervised in their bedrooms after being sent to bed, while an alarming number of parents have yet to set up the necessary control measures to protect them from viewing unsuitable content.

In a typical day, outside of school hours children spend an average of 1.4 hours online and 1.6 hours watching television. Not only does this mean that they are spending 3 hours a day staring at a screen, but it suggests that surfing the internet is set to take over from watching TV as the most popular children’s recreational activity.

But where does this leave old fashioned playtime, and are we creating a new generation of internet addicts? Children today have a plethora of digital distractions whether they are in the form of games consoles such as the Wii, or social networking sites such as Bebo, with traditional playtime all but lost. Worryingly, 29% of children now have a computer in their bedroom and almost two thirds (63%) of these use it before going to sleep. Similarly, nearly half (49%) have a TV in their room and 64% regularly watch this in bed.

Despite nearly a third (30%) of parents worrying about information or images that they have found their child looking at on a website or on TV, just 41% of parents always supervise their children using the internet and 11% never do. Over half of parents (55%) leave it up to their children to decide which websites to visit, based on either guidelines they have set or common sense.

Taking the issue of parental control extremely seriously, all major broadband companies offer filtering facilities in their broadband packages, usually for free, enabling parents to have more control over the information and images viewed by their children. Yet over a third of parents (34%) have not set up any filters or blocks on their home internet: 22% believe that it’s too time consuming, and a further 21% simply haven’t got round to setting it up. A third of parents (32%) are unaware of the parental control features available with their service.

Jason Glynn, communications expert at uSwitch.com, says: “In an age where engaging content such as on-demand TV will only increase the amount of hours our children spend online, we urge parents to contact their internet providers to see what controls are available to them. Speed and price should take second place to safety – but with most broadband services including filtering software for free, there really is no excuse not to take action.

“We fully support the measures being laid out by companies to help families tackle this issue, such as TalkTalk’s plans to classify websites with U, PG, 14 and 18 certificates. Our research shows that 8 out of 10 parents would back such a system.”

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases