Announcing the Church Marketing Directory

We're pleased to announce the latest project from the Center for Church Communication: The Church Marketing Directory. The Directory is a list of tools, resources and companies that help the church communicate better. Consider it a yellow pages of church marketing. You'll find technology blogs, freelance designers, marketing communities, church management software and more. The site has a handy 'Suggest a Link' feature where you can add resources we may have missed. We expect the Directory to grow and expand as more resources are suggested. An important thing to note is that the Directory is focused on church marketing. This is not a list of Christian marketers or a list of companies that could help the church. This list is limited to organizations that specifically cater to the church. That's not to say these are the only organizations that can help the church, just that they specifically cater to the church. It's the difference between Seth Godin's blog and LifeChurch.tv's Swerve blog--both great resources, but only one focuses on the church. That niche focus will keep the list efficient and useful. So we encourage you to check out the Church Marketing Directory. Help us add links to it and make it a helpful tool for churches.

View original story : site+site+specifically Feed : Center for Church Communication

Applying Atul Gawande's Checklist Manifesto to SEO

Posted by Tom_CThis post was inspired by Rand. If I'm honest, I'm not sure how many of my posts aren't inspired by Rand... Specifically however it was this tweet which set the wheels in motion (if ever so slowly): The link that Rand twittered was this one to the Financial Times. It's a story about checklists. Yeah, *yawn* right? Well not quite - you see these checklists, used by all kinds of people from pilots to doctors, have The book’s main point is simple: no matter how expert you may be, well-designed check lists can improve outcomes - freakonomics been shown to increase safety, save lives and make millions. Atul Gawande is a surgeon and has worked hard to get checklists implemented in the medical profession to help save lives. He's written a book about these checklists called The Checklist Manifesto (Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk). If you want to read more about these fascinating checklists and their incredible power I suggest you check out the FT link above or click here to read this New Yorker article written by Atul Gawande himself. Also, be sure to check out a sample from one of the medical checklists. That said, this is the internet age - why should we be forced to read anything at all when we can instead get all the knowledge we need through a short and catch video clip? Well, here's the short and catchy video clip of John Stewart's interview with Atul Gawande on The Daily Show (sorry, only available to US viewers I'm afraid - c'mon guys get your act together. I can watch the show in the UK, why can't I watch clips online from the UK?): The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c Atul Gawande www.thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis As you have probably guessed by now, I was inspired by all of this to apply some of this checklist theory to our SEO projects. The main idea being that while we all know what to do - sometimes we forget to do some of the basics and by having a simple checklist at hand we can make sure we don't miss anything out. There are obviously lots of different areas of SEO that this would apply to (and other areas - I think it'd work great for PPC) but I've chosen to focus on new projects. Below is a checklist that I am in the process of implementing at Distilled for any new SEO project which comes on board. I anticipate that it's still useful for in-house folks too when launching a new site or project. I welcome your feedback and thoughts on this work in progress! SEO Project Kickoff Checklist Is billing set up? - This is useful to ensure that not only is the client in the system and set up for billing but that the project has actually transitioned from sales to operations. It's also essential to check here that the SEO team knows how much the client is paying. Is the project in the project management system? - This is a no-brainer (like all the things on the list!) but useful to ensure that you can keep track of the project. In addition it's important to ensure client contact details are stored there. Introduce all team members - Ensure anyone within the company who's working with this client has sat down and knows what everyone else is doing. This is especially important if the client is paying for multiple services such as PPC, Web Development, SEO etc. Do you know which URL you're working on? - Often you'll start work for a company but that business may own many different sections and URLs. Which one are you working on? What is a conversion? - Whether goal tracking is set up or not in analytics it's crucial to understand what a conversion is and how much that conversion is worth to the business. Do you have access to analytics & webmaster central? - SEO without data is like the winter olympics without snow. Ensure you have access to the data from the very start. Check for irregularities - validating analytics data can be a complete piece of work sometimes, that's not what I mean here. What I mean here is just a quick sense-check that the site ranks for it's own name, that analytics data vaguely ties up with rankings, PPC traffic isn't appearing in analytics as organic etc. Benchmark current data - The three data points I think it's useful to benchmark (that you can't go back and check later) are: 1) Link metrics (my favourite are DA and PA) - it's useful to store a copy of linkscape somewhere too, 2) A count of indexed pages (yes, I know this is sometimes wildly inaccurate but it's still worth noting down), 3) A snapshot of rankings for the top 20 keyphrases (full rank tracking/analysis can be set up later in the project). Has a kickoff meeting with the client been scheduled? - And does the client know who their contact is within the SEO team. Do you like this post? Yes No

View original story : site+site+specifically Feed : SEOmoz Daily SEO Blog

What is Site Selection tracking?

It is a web-based program designed specifically for school-based site

View original story : site+site+specifically Feed : Site Selection Questions

Shop Local, Save Land: A Farm and Forest Products Website Database Development Project - Linux Unix Programming Freelance Job

The Shop Local, Save Land Team is pleased to invite you to submit a proposal in response to the attached Website Database Development RFP. In order to be considered, submissions must address all specifications and parameters outlined in the RFP and must be received by Friday, April 2 (if submitted by email), or postmarked by Friday, April 2 (if submitted via the U.S. Postal Service). The Shop Local, Save Land initiative was developed in 2008 by Heron’s Eye Communications and W Design, in association with the Delaware Highlands Conservancy, a 501c3 not-for-profit land trust. Its primary goals were to connect consumers to locally grown or produced healthy food in Pike, Monroe and Wayne counties, in Pennsylvania; and to support family farms and local agricultural businesses in order to maintain these working lands as an integral facet of the region’s scenic rural character, cultural heritage and quality of life. In 2009 the Shop Local, Save Land initiative broadened its scope to include forest and wood products. This year, its popular suite of printed guides to agricultural and forest products will be expanded to include regions beyond Northeastern PA. Since its inception, the Shop Local, Save Land initiative has maintained a limited Internet presence at www.shoplocalsaveland.com with the intention of developing a more interactive, informative and user-friendly website. The Shop Local, Save Land Team is excited to make this expanded website a reality with the assistance of a professional website database firm or programmer. The attached Website Database Development Project RFP outlines: • Introduction & background • Integration of design and database/CMS • Website database development project scope • Phase I site map • Phase II add-on features • Project timeline • Proposal requirements • Award criteria As previously stated, the deadline for proposal submissions is Friday, April 2. We look forward to reviewing your proposal. Please direct any questions specifically related to the RFP to and include your contact information.

View original story : site+site+specifically Feed : Freelance Jobs

PURSEuasion Report: Academy Awards and Women Viewers

As noted in a post just before the Academy Awards, The Kaleidoscope Group was preparing to release its latest "PURSEuasion Report" on advertising effectiveness and the Academy Awards. After all, who loves the Academy Awards show most? Women. I know I'm a sucker for all the pomp and circumstance - and the designer digs. Can't help it. I just love to live vicariously through the "stars" on the red carpet! According to The Kaleidoscope Group's report, the two commercials that resonated most with women were the Apple iPad commercial and the Hyundai commercial with the music "I am 16 going on 17." The commercial that failed miserably, according to their report, was the Cottenell commercial about which way to hang the toilet paper. Tom Jordan, Chief Creative Director for Hoffman York (where The Kaleidoscope Group lives), said, "This was no Super Bowl. And, that's a good thing. Almost all of the advertisers recognized that the audience was primarily female and tailored their messages specifically to that group. Unfortunately, the audience does not watch the ads on the Oscar telecast as intently as the Super Bowl." Hmmm...what does that tell you? Maybe it says we ladies are more interested in the SHOW than the commercials. Maybe it says...trying to market to us as a "group" isn't going to work. We're so diverse, with different expectations in each faction of our lives, that you just can't say, "Here, this commercial is for the gals." Which gals? Seriously... Which gals? The Gen Ys (with apologies to the group labeled Gen Y - none of us like labels, but they are necessary and sometimes useful; as a Baby Boomer who doesn't fit under the baby boomer label, I get it, but I also know it's easier to identify the particular women I'm talking about by labels, sometimes; I know that the label is just an identifier, not a resume)...might like that Cottonelle commercial because it was so, pardon the language, stupid. They might love the iPad commercial, or not. Women who are Moms might be out of the room when the Cottonelle commerical is on and view the iPad commercial as science fiction. As for the popularity of the Hyundai commercial - do women under 30 really resonate with the "I am 16 going on 17"? I doubt it. That had to be appealing to the baby boomers... and few other women. Just saying. What do I know? I didn't do the survey. The Kaleidoscope Group did. I trust that they are more than aware of these points - and are doing many other monitoring to gauge women's interest in ads and commercials. According to Elissa Polston, Senior VP, Co-Director of Planning for Kaleidscope, instead of creating ads for a predominantly male audience (ala Super Bowl), "the Oscar's group of commercials played to a very differenc audience... Instead, advertisers recognized the number of women watching the show and focused on spots that highlighted cause-related projects as well as environmental responsibility." Would that I had seen those commercials. p.s. Kaleidoscope Group: kill the audio on your site - it's just distracting and annoying

View original story : site+site+specifically Feed : Lip-Sticking

NASA Gives Teens Their “Space” With New Web Site

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate has launched Mission:Science, a new Web site created specifically for teenagers. Through Mission:Science, teens can access current NASA spacecraft data for school science projects, conduct real experiments with NASA scientists and locate space-related summer internships. Mission:Science showcases NASA’s educational science resources and encourages students to study and pursue careers in science, technology, [...]

View original story : site+site+specifically Feed : OSGC Educational Resources Blog

The Sony Story: Designing the Total Package for a Successful Site

View this Lecture for FREE by signing up at www.prolibraries.com View any number of our other 28000 sessions from over 280 conferences by going to www.prolibraries.com Speaker(s) Darrell Porcher The Sony Story: Designing the Total Package for a Successful Site - Internet Retailer Internet Retailer - Web Design 2008 The inaugural Internet Retailer Web Design `08 Conference: Designing Web Sites that Sizzle—And Sell features 33 experts on design and usability looking specifically at what it takes to create a successful retail web site. Keynote speaker is Debbie Kristofferson, vice president, user experience, Walmart.com. Featured speaker Feb. 1 is Brian Siegel, vice president, consumer direct, sonystyle.com. Grand Ballroom 84f61515d75cb76deee49a35879aea75

View original story : site+site+specifically Feed : Truveo Video Search: "site Internet" Videos

Content Deployment and Audience Targeting in MOSS

Content Deployment and Audience Targeting in sharepoint 2007 (specifically AUDIENCEID the GUID) We had a requirement (and I am sure most of the folks using content deployment and Audience targeting have this requirement) to manage the Audiences on the Publishing site (target site) after the ...

View original story : site+site+specifically Feed : int - fresh news by plazoo.com

Dems Defend Health Reform Strategy; Undecided House Members Face Pressure as Vote Nears

Dems Defend Health Reform Strategy; Undecided House Members Face Pressure as Vote Nears March 17, 2010 — Democratic leaders on Tuesday defended their possible use of a legislative maneuver that would allow House Democrats to pass the Senate health reform bill (HR 3590) in the chamber without members actually having to vote on it, the Washington Post reports. Under this maneuver -- known as a self-executing rule or "deem and pass" -- House Democrats would craft a rule for debate on the budget reconciliation bill that would deem the Senate bill as "passed" upon approval of the budget reconciliation bill, thereby avoiding the need to vote on the Senate bill (Goldstein, Washington Post, 3/17). The budget reconciliation bill includes a series of changes House Democrats want made to the Senate bill. According to the New York Times, the "idea is to package the changes and the underlying [Senate] bill together in a way that amounts to an amended bill in a single vote" (Herszenhorn/Pear, New York Times, 3/16). On Monday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she was in favor of using the rule (Washington Post, 3/17). However, during a press briefing on Tuesday, Pelosi declined to specifically endorse the deployment of the rule in the House and called it one of the options that she and other House Democratic leaders are considering. She said Democrats "have several options available to us and we've asked the parliamentarian of the [House] Rules Committee to tell us what our options are" (Norman, CQ HealthBeat, 3/16). House Rules Committee Chair Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) said that the maneuver has been deployed since 1933 and that Republicans who claim it is unconstitutional "know better" (Dennis/Newmyer, Roll Call, 3/16). Uncommitted Democrats Face Pressure Meanwhile, Democrats who have not yet committed to supporting finalized health reform legislation are facing pressure from President Obama, other Democratic leaders and opposing Republicans, the Miami Herald reports. The lawmakers -- who disagree with certain proposals in the bill on issues such as abortion and cost -- also face multimillion-dollar ad campaigns and pressure from constituents who have criticized the reform process (Lightman, Miami Herald, 3/17). Pelosi on Monday signaled that there will be no changes to the Senate bill's provision on abortion coverage, noting that it is not a budget-related issue that can be changed through budget reconciliation. She also said that she would not promise any House members that their concerns about the Senate language would be addressed in future legislation (Women's Health Policy Report, 3/17). Much of the focus is on 39 House Democrats who voted against the chamber's original reform bill (HR 3962) in November 2009. According to the Herald, reform legislation cannot pass in the chamber unless some of them switch their positions (Miami Herald, 3/17). The Senate bill would allow health plans that receive government subsidies to offer abortion coverage, although no government funds could be used to pay for that coverage. To ensure that only private funds are used to pay for abortion coverage, customers would be required to make two monthly premium payments -- one to pay for abortion coverage and one for all other services. Insurers also would be required to keep funds in separate accounts. Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich) and other antiabortion-rights House members would prefer language similar to his amendment, which was included in the House bill and would prohibit insurance companies that receive federal subsidies from offering abortion coverage, even if paid for with private funds. The House Budget Committee voted 19-17 against including the Stupak language in the reconciliation measure (Women's Health Policy Report, 3/16). Some antiabortion-rights House Democrats have said they are unsure of how they will vote. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) said that abortion coverage is one of several factors she is considering in deciding her vote, The Hill's "Blog Briefing Room" reports. Abortion is "of equal importance to all the others," Kaptur said, adding, "I'm in the center of this. I am not in the extreme wings in either camp. I'm saying, let's not change existing law" (Alarkon, "Blog Briefing Room," The Hill, 3/16). Indiana Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D) -- who is expected to run for Senate -- in a statement Tuesday said he is unsure how he will vote, adding that he would not vote for a bill if he interprets it as allowing federal funding for abortion. "I am looking carefully at the current language in the bill to ensure it meets my pro-life principles, and I will continue to work to ensure pro-life concerns are addressed," Ellsworth said. In addition, Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) in a statement Tuesday said that he is leaning toward voting against the bill in part because it "does not meet [his] standards for assuring that no federal funds are used for abortion-related services." However, Rep. Baron Hill (D-Ind.) said in a statement that the Senate bill "accomplishes [the] same goal" as the House bill, which is that "no taxpayer funds can be used to pay for elective abortions." Hill said that although he supports the language on abortion, he remains undecided on how he will vote (Wilson, AP/Louisville Courier-Journal, 3/16). Nuns Announce Support On Wednesday morning, 60 leaders of religious orders representing about 59,000 Catholic nuns sent lawmakers a letter urging them to support the Senate health reform bill, the AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops opposes the Senate bill over its approach to abortion coverage, but the nuns and the Catholic Health Association -- which represents about 600 hospitals -- say that the Senate language ensures that taxpayer money is not used to support the procedure. The letter said, "Despite false claims to the contrary, the Senate bill will not provide taxpayer funding for elective abortions." It added, "It will uphold longstanding conscience protections and it will make historic new investments ... in support of pregnant women. This is the real pro-life stance, and we as Catholics are all for it." Sister Simone Campbell -- executive director of Network, a national Catholic social justice group -- said, "This is politics; this isn't a question of faith and morals." She added, "We are the ones who work every day with people who are suffering because they don't have health care. We cannot turn our backs on them, so for us, health care reform is a faith-based response to human need" (Alonso-Zaldivar, AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 3/17). Wall Street Journal Highlights Stupak Interview In related news, a Wall Street Journal column recently analyzed comments in a National Review article in which Stupak criticized the House leadership's abortion-rights position and its approaches to the issue during the health reform debate (Taranto, Wall Street Journal, 3/15).

View original story : site+site+specifically Feed : Daily Women's Health Policy Report by the National Partnership for Women & Families

Was Recent U.S. Stock Market Drop Accompanied by More Heart Attacks? Duke Studies Relationship

A novel report explores the possible relationship between fluctuations in the stock market and the incidence of local heart attacks. The results were presented at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Cardiology by a team of researchers from Duke University Medical Center. The initial data analysis showed an increased incidence of heart attacks from the Duke Databank for Cardiovascular Disease from January 2008 to July 2009. After conducting a comprehensive analysis looking specifically at the relationship with the stock market during that time, there was a trend between increased heart attacks with stock market declines. However, when results were adjusted to account for a known seasonal increase in heart attacks during winter months, the relationship was less clear. “In the unadjusted findings we saw a strong trend,” says Christopher O’Connor, MD, Director of the Duke Heart Center and senior author of the paper. “However, previous studies have not done these analyses with a seasonal correction. Previous research has shown that myocardial infarctions (MIs) occur more frequently during winter months than summer months. When we corrected for seasonality, we learned the time of year could be impacting our results.” After the U.S. suffered a severe economic crisis in the fall of 2008, the Duke researchers designed a pilot, single site observational study to explore whether the economic crisis and stock market volatility impacted cardiovascular (CV) event rates. Few studies have explored how economic trends impact cardiovascular events, explains Mona Fiuzat, PharmD, a researcher at Duke and the study’s lead investigator. During preliminary analysis, when the data were plotted against the daily NASDAQ opening values during the decline period, it revealed an inverse relationship between heart attacks and stock markets. “You can see the visual pattern,” says Fiuzat. “During the period that the NASDAQ was declining, the MI rates were increasing.” However, when more rigorous testing was used to specifically test the correlation with stock market values and eliminate the seasonable variability, the research question could no longer be answered. “The stock market declined during the winter, and previous studies show more MIs occur during the winter,” says Fiuzat. ”Therefore, we can’t say definitively that there is an association. There is the possibility that there is no relationship.” Fiuzat and O’Connor say the study had other limitations, including its sample size, its regional bias, and the large variability of MI events within the Duke database. They plan to conduct a larger study over a longer period of time, to determine whether a relationship between the stock market and heart attack rates exists.

View original story : site+site+specifically Feed : DukeHealth.org: Duke Health News