Are you still using your old Google Analytics code

?  Well you probably should take a few minutes to upgrade to the new and improved version.  There are several features that unlock when you run the new and improved “ga.js” version.

Oh yeah, what’s the new stuff got for me? vytorin 10 20

Lots of improvements.   For starters, it runs faster and a smaller foot print on your webserver, your system administrator would be happy to know.  But wait!  There’s more… Google several of improved abilities to customize you tracking code.  Ecommerce business owners in particular have a lot more customizing options made available to them when they upgrade.

Do you have PDF’s or files available for download that you could like to track?  You can now track those in your reports as well!

If you have subdomains, you can also setup ga.js to track those.

You can even track users as they jump from domain to another, which interest us since we have www.infamia.com (our corporate website) and www.webconsultingdc.com (our blog), and if you have more than one website, it should interest you too.

You can also segement your visitor types into your reports.   This is really important for associations in Washington DC that like to track their members seperately from non-members.

And then there’s the future: Google has said that it will support the legacy code up to a year… maybe a bit longer,  but eventually they will discontinue it.   You’ll see new features appear for those that have converted, why be left behind now?

Google Analytics Urching.js or Ga.js, which one do I have?

Okay, what version of Google Analytics do I run?

Easy, open your browser, pull up your website, and select View Source.   PC users right click on the page and and Mac users…  Mickey?

[Mickey's note for Mac users lanoxin : In safari, hit command-option-U or select "View Source" from the View menu; in Firefox hit command-U or select "Page Source" from the "View" menu.]

What you’re looking for is whether you have a bit of code that has urchin.js or whether it has ga.js.   The thumbnail on the right is a snippet from Google’s Migration Guide.

Alright, so how do I implement the new version?

Well, you can either contact us and we’ll do it for you.  Or if you’re crafty enough replacing the code pretty straight forward.   Customizing it to your business needs is another article but you can get it started.   Log into your Google Analytics account, edit your website’s profile, and click on “Check Status” at the top right.

Kinda hidden, click Check Status for your website's Profile (top right)

Once you’re in there you’ll see the code at the bottom, you’ll want to copy that and replace your Legacy GA code with this new code, on every page of your website.   This goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway, careful not to mess up any other code within those pages.  In fact, do a backup first!

Keep in mind the appropriate location for your ga.js code is at the bottom.  For large websites, the best place is to put it in a dynamically referenced footer so you don’t have to keep adding the same code into every page.

With complex websites such as e-commerce websites, you may require some programming particularly if you’re interested in taking advantage of some of the customizing features available now available to.   Get in touch with us, we would be delighted to help.

Federal Contractor Misconduct Database

Mandy at Project On For Government Oversight couldn’t wait to share on POGO’s blog about tomorrow’s official release, so neither could we.

“So we’ve been teasing you about the upcoming re-release and updating of POGO’s Federal Contractor Misconduct Database.  While we’re officially releasing it tomorrow, since the President just signed the FY 2009 Defense Authorization Act creating a government-wide (though not publicly available) database of information regarding the integrity and performance of federal contractors and grantees, we couldn’t help but share the fact that it’s AVAILABLE NOW.”

Tsk. Tsk.  Bad federal contractors!

This upgrade contains 50 more federal contractors that have gotten themselves into trouble.  In addition, there are some layout improvements and a new sort by Enforcement Agency feature.

So how much have the 100 had to pay for their bad deeds since 1995?

Grand Total of $23.6 Billion

Yes, thats 23… BILLION… with a B.

Picture having a running grocery list at work. As you happen to think about things you need to pick up at the store, you quickly scribble things down on a piece of paper. On the way home from work, you realize you have an hour to kill and you decide to stop by the supermarket to knock it out. As you walk into the store, you realize, darn you forgot your list.

Has that happen to you?

I signed up with Gubb to manage my grocery list and now there’s no more missing gorcery list problems. There’s no more list problems, period.

Yeah, but I have room for one more overly feature rich, complex program to help manage my life and business like I have room for another set of in-laws, why should I use this thing?

I found this little “web 2″ gem to be just about perfect. You can definitely squeeze this one in. Gubb.net lets you make, lists, that’s it. Simple. And you can access them through your web enabled cell phone. The sign up, setup, all of it, was a breeze and I got right into using it in about 10 seconds. They strictly follow the “don’t make me think” rules of engagement. It’s just absolutely useful.

Great, now the in-laws want us to vacation with them. They’re talking about camping and they want my wife and I to bring… everything. I don’t want to get swamped with email requests for BBQ chips, how do I get this organized between us all without losing it?

First take a deep breath. No worries, mate. Just share your list with your in-laws, or whoever you want to help your get organized. You just add their email address and your off to the races, or camping, or whatever you do with your in-laws. Its one of the best list sharing tools I have come across.

Wow. Well, the in-laws just called and they said they liked this thing so much that they were wondering if they can post the list to their blog. Yes, they’re bloggers, and apparently somewhat famous, probably writing about how much they enjoy bugging me.

Common, this is web 2.0 stuff. There’s always an RSS feed. Simply click under options and find the Feed that’s associated with with the list, copy, paste into your favorite news reader or blog tool, and that’s it! You can attach your list anywhere frankly, with anything that understands RSS technology. For your privacy, your feed reader should support “authenticated feeds”, which simply means you need to enter a username and password to access the feed the first time. You can turn this authentication off if need be.

What else can this baby do?

Check out iCal. If you have Outlook 2007, this feed type integrates with your Outlook Calendar really well. So for example, you can track a list of appointments on Gubb that will appear as a calendar in your Outlook and you’ll be able to identify any conflicts that you may come across your other calendars (use Outlooks Overlay feature). Very easy to use together.

I love it and I love you.

I know bro. I know.

Google Antimatter?

Summer 2008: in a planet called Earth, which we seem to inhabit for now, a new power seems to have taken over. A once-little search engine has rose to dominate our specie’s most vital method of communication: the Internet. No one dares compete with them. Erstwhile monoliths are courting this new entity like timid schoolgirls, and bright new start-up dream of being assimilated into this new power’s all-encompassing aura. You and I have already been assimilated. Resistance is futile. [This space for lease for your own cliché.] In case you haven’t guessed it yet, it’s Google of course. The Mater of the Search.

So, in the peak of Google’s success and popularity, in the world where we “google” things before we search for them, where Gooogle is a subject, verb, object, and all other parts of speach, what’s a mom-and-pop startup to do?

Enter Cuil, stage left. Now, I’m not sure whether their owners have any kids, but for those to whom it matters Cuil’s owners are married. (To each other). They decided to do what us normal google-fearing won’t dare do: Start a new search engine. And the Internet is abuzz.

(more…)

How many of you out there have registered more than a few domain names? Considering how hard it is to simply find an available “.com” domain name, I would venture to say there’s a lot of you that have more than one. It make sense, you want to sure they’re available to you when someday in the future when you’re ready to do something with them, they’ll be there. And, if you like some of my more entrepreneurial clients, a few domain names can sometimes be a lot of domain names.

As much as I deplore the illegal practice of domain squatting (aka cybersquatting), it is certainly legal to register domain name for a future use. If you’re lucky enough to even find a decent domain name that isn’t already held by someone else, you should consider registering today, because really may not be there for you tomorrow.

That being said, NameDrive is a great service to park your domain names with them and here’s why:

If you use Register.com or GoDaddy as your registrar, you duly pay your annual registration fee to keep the domain under your ownership and control. Then, like most of us, we get to work on creating a masterpiece of a website, which of course takes time.

Until the website is complete, what is actually running under your shiny new domain name? Advertisements. And guess who’s profiting from them? Surprise! Not you. Your beloved registrar, yes, the company you just seemingly paid for the privilege for them to advertise on your domain name.

Argh, ok, so why not you? I agree, why not you!? It’s your domain name right?

Ok, queue in NameDrive. They help you sort this mess out. You sign up with them, they run ads on you domain name… and generously split the ad proceeds with you. Far better deal if you ask me.

How?

You simply point your domain name’s DNS to their servers, and they handle the rest. You can pick from a variety of templates. You can select what types of ads are suitable to run under you domain name (you wouldn’t run football ads under a “KittensNPuppiesForMe.com” would you? No of course not.) Or you can just let NameDrive put up a generic template and forget about it.

They’ll manage the ads, rotate out lower performing ads out, rotating better performing ads in, and provide you with statistics of how many visitors and click-throughs your domain names have attracted on their very own.

There are several other companies that compete against NameDrive, but most of them are for professional domain name… hogs. They offer services to questionable practice of bulk domain name buying and dumping. It’s not quiet illegal but not exactly nice either. These competitors want the big fish, and they set a minimum number of domain names you should have in tote. Usually anyone with less than 100 domains they’re not interested.

But you can place your one domain name if you like with NameDrive, they’re happy to have you no matter what. There’s no minimum stay, no contract, no setup fees, nothing. You put your domains in, and keep them there until your ready to do something else with them.

How much can I make with them and how do I know what they’re earning?

From NameDrive’s reports, you’ll easily see what kind of traffic they get without any heavy lifting. But before you get too excited with delusions of easy money, its not exactly easy.

In fact most of your domain names will likely not earn a dime. But don’t throw in the towel, it just means these domain names need to be developed into a full fledge website before traffic starts to generate. It’s a rare gem, that you domain name alone, has enough typed-in and residual traffic to make cash.

Regardless of your luck, NameDrive can still help you. Apart from identifying if your domain name is a diamond or dud, they have additional services available to you that can still help you make some cash. For example, if you want to sell your domain name, you can put it on the chopping block with them. They’ll help you find a buyer and broker a sale for you.

Or more interesting, NameDrive’s latest service called BuildingBlocks helps domain name owners find interested professional web developers, to help you develop your website concepts as part of a revenue sharing approach.

Whatever you end up doing, if you have a few domain names just sitting there collecting ad revenue for your registrar, I would consider parking them with NameDrive and make sure that revenue goes into your pocket, not the registrar. Good luck!