Alt Attribute & Search engine optimization

SEO Optimization images is becoming more and more essential in SEO (Seo optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is a critical step that is sometimes forgotten. This is often a lost opportunity for better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise the use of alternative text for the images in your web site:

Images:. Make use of the alt attribute to provide descriptive text. In addition, we recommend using a human-readable caption and descriptive text around the image.

Why would they ask us to achieve that? The answer is easy, really; search engines like google have the same problem as blind users. They cannot see the images.

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse using this attribute, attempting to stuff it with keywords, hoping to achieve a particular keyword density, which is not as relevant for rankings now since it once was.

On the other hand, high keyword density can, on some search engines, trigger spam filters, which may create a penalty for your site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings will not benefit from this tactic.
This process also puts persons who use screen readers at a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that actually read aloud the contents of what's shown on the screen. In browsing the web, the alt features of images are read aloud too.

Imagine hearing a paragraph of text which is followed by repetitions of many keywords. The page would be not even close to accessible, and, to put it mildly, would be found quite annoying.
What exactly is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute should not be used as a description or a label to have an image, though many people utilize it for the reason that fashion. Although it may appear natural to assume that alternate text is a label or a description, it's not!

The words used within an image's alt attribute ought to be its text equivalent and convey exactly the same information or serve exactly the same purpose the image would.

The thing would be to provide the same functional information that a visual user would see. The alt attribute text should be the "stand in" when the look is not available. Ask yourself this question: If you were to replace the look with the text, would most users get the same basic information, and would it generate the same response?
Some examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

If a search button is really a magnifier or binoculars its alt text should be 'search' or 'find' not 'magnifying glass' or 'binoculars'.

If an image is meant to convey the literal contents of the look, then a description is suitable.

If it's designed to convey data, then that information is what is appropriate.

If it is meant to convey the use of a function, then the function is what should be used.

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

Always add alt attributes to images. Alt is mandatory for accessibility as well as for valid XHTML.

For images that play only a decorative role in the page, use an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or perhaps a CSS background image to ensure that reading browsers do not bother users by uttering such things as "spacer image".

Keep in mind that it is the function of the image we're attempting to convey. For instance; any button images shouldn't range from the word "button" within the alt text. They ought to emphasize the action performed by the button.

Alt text ought to be determined by context. The same image inside a different context may require drastically different alt text.

Try to flow alt text with the rest from the text because that is how it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone hearing your page should hardly remember that a graphic image can there be.
Please remember that using an alt attribute for every image is required to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, which are used as the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and the rest of Europe. They are also required to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in the US.

It is important to categorize non-text content into three levels:

Eye-Candy
Mood-Setting
Content and Function

I. Eye-Candy

Eye-Candy are things that serve no purpose other than to make a site visually appealing/attractive and (oftentimes) fulfill the marketing departments. There isn't any content value (though there might be value to a sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there is something there that will enhance the usability from the site for someone utilizing a non-visual user agent. Make use of a null alt attribute or background images in CSS for eye-candy.

II. Mood-Setting

This is actually the middle layer of graphics which may actually set the mood or set happens as it were. These graphics are not direct content and may not be considered essential, but they're essential in that they help frame what is going on.

Attempt to alt-ify the 2nd group as is sensible and is relevant. There might be instances when doing this might be annoying or detrimental with other users. Then avoid it.

For instance; Alt text that's identical to adjacent text is unnecessary, as well as an irritant to screen reader users. I recommend alt="" or background CSS images in such cases. But sometimes, it's vital that you get this content in there for those users.

Usually it depends on context. The same image inside a different context may need drastically different alt text. Obviously, content should always be fully available. How you use this example is a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is when the image is the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes may also be so as.
The reason many authors can't figure out why their alt text isn't working is they don't know why the images exist. You need to determined precisely what function a picture serves. Consider what it's concerning the image that's important to the page's intended audience.

Every graphic includes a reason behind being on that page: because it either enhances the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is advisable to what are the page is trying to explain. Knowing what the image is for makes alt text simpler to write. And practice writing them definitely helps.
A method to look into the usefulness of alternative text is to imagine reading the page on the phone to someone. An amount you say when encountering a specific image to make the page understandable to the listener?

Aside from the alt attribute you have a couple more tools available for images.
First, in degree of descriptiveness title is within between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and can add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered through the user agent. Remember they are invisible and not shown as a "tooltip" when focus is received through the keyboard. (A lot for device independence). So make use of the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points to the Link to a complete description of the image. If the information contained in a picture is important towards the concept of the page (i.e. some important content would be lost when the image was removed), a longer description than the "alt" attribute can reasonably display should be used. It can provide for rich, expressive documentation of a visual image.

It should be used when alt and title are insufficient to embody the visual qualities of the image. As Clark [1] states, "A longdesc is really a long description of the image...The goal is by using any period of description necessary to impart the facts of the graphic.

It would not be remiss to hope that the long description conjures a picture - the image - within the mind's eye, an analogy that holds true even for that totally blind."

Even though alt attribute is mandatory for web accessibility and for valid (X)HTML, not every images need alternative text, long descriptions, or titles.

Oftentimes, you're best just choosing your gut instinct -- if it's not essential to include it, and if you don't possess a strong urge to do it, don't include that longdesc.

However, if it's necessary for the entire page to operate, then you have to add the alt text (or title or longdesc).

What's necessary and what's not depends a great deal about the function of your image and it is context about the page.

The same image may need alt text (or title or longdesc) in one spot, but not in another. If an image provides absolutely no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images might be appropriate to use. However, if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt will be required and perhaps a long description would be in order. In many cases this kind of thing is a judgement call.

Image Search Engine Optimization Tips

Listed here are key steps in optimizing images:

Choose a logical file name that reinforces the keywords. You should use hyphens within the file name to isolate the keyword, but avoid to exceeding two hyphens. Stay away from underscores like a word separator, such as "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

Label the file extension. For example, if the image search engine sees a ".jpg" (JPEG) file extension, it's going to assume the file is a photo, and if it sees a ".gif" (GIF) file extension, it's going to assume that it is a graphic;

Ensure that the text at the image that's highly relevant to that image.
Again, do not lose a great chance to help your website with your images searching engines. Use these steps to rank better on all of the engines and drive more traffic for your site TODAY.

Website Optimization

Note the Client companies are based in either the US or Canada and the “percentage of traffic outside key service areas” are based on each client’s target market.

For instance, if a client only services the US only, any traffic outside the US would be traffic outside their service area.

Evaluating Your Own Traffic For Relevance

To use our own web design and Internet marketing business as an example, we service both Canada and the US, but were getting 24% of our traffic from other international countries. Big portions of that traffic were companies looking to sell their services to us.

These international visitors would fill in our web forms and call us to inquire, untimely skewing our website analytics data by not giving us a real understanding of how our website was performing to quality prospects.

A solution had to be implemented to significantly reduce the amount of resources we were dedicating to people outside our service areas.

Ultimately, we didn’t want to be contacted from people we couldn’t help. The four possible solutions we considered were:

1. Create a custom report in Google Analytics to filter out the unwanted data (reporting related)


2. Adjust the content of our website (website related)


3. Block the traffic from specific Countries from viewing our website (server related)


4. Don’t change anything.

Option #1

When evaluating the first solution, creating a custom report to filter out this data in Google Analytics, this would clear up our analytics data. Implementing a filter would provide a more realistic picture of quality prospects we could service in our geographic area instead of those prospects or solicitors in other counties we don’t service.

This option didn’t run the risk of blocking any traffic or robots that we do want. It’s also a simple filter to add in Google Analytics. We set up another Profile with the country exclusions filters. A new Profile was the preferred approach, rather than going through the extra steps of creating Custom Reports.

However, setting up analytical filters doesn’t fully resolve the issue, since these visitors could still access our site, fill in web forms, and contact us, ultimately wasting resources that we could dedicate elsewhere.

It wouldn’t give us a true picture of what was going on. It also wouldn’t resolve the problem – we didn’t want to be contacted by companies from some outside countries.

Option #2

Updating the website content to say you only service a specific area is another solution that we considered.  This would inject more geo-targeted keywords into your site, which would help in local SEO. Adding a graphical map, drop-down options and/or links that allow the visitor to select their country would help qualify visitors.

Some of the downfalls of this option include spending a much higher amount of time to implement versus the other options. The success of this would also be dependent on how honest the visitor is.

Assuming visitors are reading your website content, adding geo-targeted keywords into your site would set a clearer expectation of service area delivery. However, this option still doesn’t resolve the issue of sharing contact information that allows unsolicited visitors to contact us and invalid web form data.

Option #3

How about blocking or filtering visitors automatically based on their IP address? When considering to block website visitors by IP it’s important to first evaluate the reliability of the IP address(es). The accuracy of an IP list is over 99.5% on a country level and 80% on a city level. The smaller the location, the less reliable the IP address.

Internet Service Providers change IP addresses they designate to customers. Some change them more frequently than others, which is why you want to keep the database of IPs updated. Scheduling a monthly update is typically a good routine if city level IP authentication is required. Country level is much more static.

The benefit of blocking the country via IP address would not only clean up analytical data, but also ensure our sales funnel was more efficient and provide a more accurate picture of real prospects in all systems. We needed to consider other issues in this approach.

One concern was the potential for a search crawler coming from an IP in the location we were planning on blocking. For example, there was a possibility that Google’s search crawler would also be blocked if it came from the same country. The implementation of this option is more technical. One would need to obtain a list of IP addresses for the desired locations and update the websites htaccess file.

In our example, the inquiries from some countries became so frequent that we couldn’t ignore it any longer. After much debate, we decided to ban the countries; however, we would only ban one at a time to evaluate the effects.

For instance, one of the largest traffic sources, accounting for approximately 20% of this, was from India, a market we don’t service. These Indian visitors were companies looking to sell their services to us.

We executed the ban in the polite Canadian way. We also implemented the Google Analytics profile with the country filter to monitor future website statistics versus the past.

Those visitors that came from our blocked list would land on a different page that displayed a nice message. It read: “Thank you for visiting. However, we don’t provide services in your area.”

In sum, the tests have gone over very well. Banning the country from our website has significantly cut down the number of unsolicited calls, emails and web form requests. It also gave us a much more accurate picture of how our website was performing within our own target market and service area.

Considerations For Blocking Traffic By Location

If you’re considering this strategy, some factors to consider when filtering visitors include:

• Why do you want to filter website traffic?


• Which locations would you want to filter?


• How much traffic do you currently get from locations outside your service area?


• How important is this traffic?


• How to funnel visitors outside your service areas?


• The accuracy of the IP addresses locations in mind.


• Effects of non-human visitors.

A few months after we implemented this, we received a direct mail package that contained pens with our logo on them from a company that wished to sell us branded pens.

Guess what it said under our logo? “Thank you for visiting. However, we don’t provide services in your area.” We had a good laugh. Someone obviously didn’t read what they printed. It was evidence that our website block was working and a nice souvenir.

The key takeaway, as always, is monitor your traffic and conversions. Track where your quality traffic is coming from and decide for yourself if you should block the traffic of certain countries. Make sure to proceed with caution to ensure that you are not missing some opportunities.

Think outside of the box for other ideas of how you can use that traffic. Perhaps referring the traffic to a partner or creating a unique service for specific markets is another option to consider.

Opinions expressed in the article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land.

Related Topics: 100% Organic - Search Engine Optimization Tips | SEO: General

Note the Client companies are based in either the US or Canada and the “percentage of traffic outside key service areas” are based on each client’s target market.

For instance, if a client only services the US only, any traffic outside the US would be traffic outside their service area.

Evaluating Your Own Traffic For Relevance

To use our own web design and Internet marketing business as an example, we service both Canada and the US, but were getting 24% of our traffic from other international countries. Big portions of that traffic were companies looking to sell their services to us.

These international visitors would fill in our web forms and call us to inquire, untimely skewing our website analytics data by not giving us a real understanding of how our website was performing to quality prospects.

A solution had to be implemented to significantly reduce the amount of resources we were dedicating to people outside our service areas.

Ultimately, we didn’t want to be contacted from people we couldn’t help. The four possible solutions we considered were:

1. Create a custom report in Google Analytics to filter out the unwanted data (reporting related)


2. Adjust the content of our website (website related)


3. Block the traffic from specific Countries from viewing our website (server related)


4. Don’t change anything.

Option #1

When evaluating the first solution, creating a custom report to filter out this data in Google Analytics, this would clear up our analytics data. Implementing a filter would provide a more realistic picture of quality prospects we could service in our geographic area instead of those prospects or solicitors in other counties we don’t service.

This option didn’t run the risk of blocking any traffic or robots that we do want. It’s also a simple filter to add in Google Analytics. We set up another Profile with the country exclusions filters. A new Profile was the preferred approach, rather than going through the extra steps of creating Custom Reports.

However, setting up analytical filters doesn’t fully resolve the issue, since these visitors could still access our site, fill in web forms, and contact us, ultimately wasting resources that we could dedicate elsewhere.

It wouldn’t give us a true picture of what was going on. It also wouldn’t resolve the problem – we didn’t want to be contacted by companies from some outside countries.

Option #2

Updating the website content to say you only service a specific area is another solution that we considered.  This would inject more geo-targeted keywords into your site, which would help in local SEO. Adding a graphical map, drop-down options and/or links that allow the visitor to select their country would help qualify visitors.

Some of the downfalls of this option include spending a much higher amount of time to implement versus the other options. The success of this would also be dependent on how honest the visitor is.

Assuming visitors are reading your website content, adding geo-targeted keywords into your site would set a clearer expectation of service area delivery. However, this option still doesn’t resolve the issue of sharing contact information that allows unsolicited visitors to contact us and invalid web form data.

Option #3

How about blocking or filtering visitors automatically based on their IP address? When considering to block website visitors by IP it’s important to first evaluate the reliability of the IP address(es). The accuracy of an IP list is over 99.5% on a country level and 80% on a city level. The smaller the location, the less reliable the IP address.

Internet Service Providers change IP addresses they designate to customers. Some change them more frequently than others, which is why you want to keep the database of IPs updated. Scheduling a monthly update is typically a good routine if city level IP authentication is required. Country level is much more static.

The benefit of blocking the country via IP address would not only clean up analytical data, but also ensure our sales funnel was more efficient and provide a more accurate picture of real prospects in all systems. We needed to consider other issues in this approach.

One concern was the potential for a search crawler coming from an IP in the location we were planning on blocking. For example, there was a possibility that Google’s search crawler would also be blocked if it came from the same country. The implementation of this option is more technical. One would need to obtain a list of IP addresses for the desired locations and update the websites htaccess file.

In our example, the inquiries from some countries became so frequent that we couldn’t ignore it any longer. After much debate, we decided to ban the countries; however, we would only ban one at a time to evaluate the effects.

For instance, one of the largest traffic sources, accounting for approximately 20% of this, was from India, a market we don’t service. These Indian visitors were companies looking to sell their services to us.

We executed the ban in the polite Canadian way. We also implemented the Google Analytics profile with the country filter to monitor future website statistics versus the past.

Those visitors that came from our blocked list would land on a different page that displayed a nice message. It read: “Thank you for visiting. However, we don’t provide services in your area.”

In sum, the tests have gone over very well. Banning the country from our website has significantly cut down the number of unsolicited calls, emails and web form requests. It also gave us a much more accurate picture of how our website was performing within our own target market and service area.

Considerations For Blocking Traffic By Location

If you’re considering this strategy, some factors to consider when filtering visitors include:

• Why do you want to filter website traffic?


• Which locations would you want to filter?


• How much traffic do you currently get from locations outside your service area?


• How important is this traffic?


• How to funnel visitors outside your service areas?


• The accuracy of the IP addresses locations in mind.


• Effects of non-human visitors.

A few months after we implemented this, we received a direct mail package that contained pens with our logo on them from a company that wished to sell us branded pens.

Guess what it said under our logo? “Thank you for visiting. However, we don’t provide services in your area.” We had a good laugh. Someone obviously didn’t read what they printed. It was evidence that our website block was working and a nice souvenir.

The key takeaway, as always, is monitor your traffic and conversions. Track where your quality traffic is coming from and decide for yourself if you should block the traffic of certain countries. Make sure to proceed with caution to ensure that you are not missing some opportunities.

Think outside of the box for other ideas of how you can use that traffic. Perhaps referring the traffic to a partner or creating a unique service for specific markets is another option to consider.

Opinions expressed in the article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land.

Related Topics: 100% Organic - Search Engine Optimization Tips | SEO: General

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Bench Craft Company on the subject of games

"Getting data privacy 'right' is an economic and social imperative. Trust and confidence in the security and privacy of the critical systems of our planet - especially the digital version of its central nervous system, the Internet - is foundational to individuals' continued engagement and reliance on such things as online commerce, e-health and smart grids. If individual consumers don't feel that their privacy and security are protected, they will not support modernization efforts, even though the capabilities of technology advancements are proven and the potential benefits to society are extensive.

"Here's an example of the tensions we face: The ability of smart grids to conserve resources relies on the ability of, and commitment from, consumers to monitor and modify their individual usage. An individual using a smart meter understands the difference in the cost of using electricity at peak versus non-peak hours and could opt to lower their usage during more costly time periods. At the same time, data from the meters can reveal sensitive information such as work habits, shower schedules, use of medical devices such as dialysis, and whether or not a house is occupied."

"I don't worry that the technology will have a negative impact on consumer privacy," wrote Mark Roberti, founder of RFID Journal in a June overview of the state of the RFID market where privacy is concerned. "Instead, I worry that ignorant legislators trying to score points with uninformed voters will pass laws that limit the many benefits RFID can deliver--and that is a much bigger threat to consumers."

Today's agreement in Europe appears not to be the kind of legislation Roberti feared. As a framework focused on self-reporting it may be too little, ultimately, but it's a start.

There has been a lot of talk as to whether or not social media is the front runner in another inflated internet bubble waiting to burst, leaving users “virtually” friendless and clueless. Will everyone be out of the loop, with no one keeping track of daily deals, happenings or status updates? Warren Buffet confirmed this fear stating that although it’s not as big as the dot com bubble, social media is not long term by any means. However, industry trends and buyer behaviors are stating otherwise.

Facebook has proven beneficial to marketing efforts for B2C companies, but B2B marketing has struggled to find its footing on the platform. That’s where LinkedIn has emerged as the go-to medium for B2B marketers.

A recent study done by BtoB Magazine, showed that when asked “Which of the following social media methods does your company currently use for your B2B marketing (i.e. not personal use)” 72% of B2B marketers said LinkedIn. After reaching more than 100 million users, LinkedIn has solidified its niche as Facebook in a business suit, and B2B companies have taken notice.

The 2011 State of Inbound Marketing (an annual report done by HubSpot, an inbound marketing software company) found that 61% of B2B marketers who participated in the survey acquired a customer through LinkedIn. The targeted and measurable aspect of inbound marketing is what makes it so attractive to smart business owners who are tired of spending money on marketing with no proof that it’s working. Former Chief Marketing Officer of McDonald’s, M. Lawrence Light said, “It no longer makes economic sense to send an advertising message to the many, in hopes of persuading the few.”

Continued on the next page


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Georgia Bulldogs outfielder Johnathan Taylor has partial paralysis

Georgia outfielder Johnathan Taylor, who broke his neck while colliding with a teammate in a March 6 game against Florida State, is paralyzed from the waist down but showing signs of improvement, his doctors said.

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Mario &amp; Sonic at London Olympics sighted? <b>News</b> - Wii - Page 1 <b>...</b>

Read our Wii news of Mario & Sonic at London Olympics sighted?.

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Wii 2 to be revealed at E3 – report <b>News</b> - Wii - Page 1 <b>...</b>

Read our Wii news of Wii 2 to be revealed at E3 – report.

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Given the current cost of components, a prepaid contract-free iPhone with less internal storage would likely earn Apple only about 16 percent gross margin if it were priced at $300, a new analysis has estimated.



Analyst Charlie Wolf with Needham & Company took a closer look at the prospect of a hypothetical "iPhone lite," to see if it would be in Apple's best interest to build such a product. A cheaper iPhone has been viewed as a strategy that would work to Apple's advantage in emerging markets like China.



In February, both Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is working on a smaller and cheaper iPhone that it could sell contract-free. Soon after, The New York Times chimed in, and claimed that while Apple is not working on a smaller iPhone, it has explored opportunities in developing a cheaper handset.



Wolf largely agrees with the Times, and doesn't see a smaller iPhone with a new form factor as something that would be in Apple's best interest, even though it would be the easiest way to cut costs and created a cheaper handset.



"In our view, the iPhone would not be an iPhone if the display were, say, cut in half," he said. "Such a move would (dramatically) reduce the value of the iPod module for video viewing as well as the size of web sites accessed through the Safari browser. A smaller screen would also degrade the experience in using some applications, not to mention the possibility that some applications would probably have to be rewritten to accommodate a smaller screen."



iSuppli estimated that the 16GB iPhone 4, when it launched last June, carried a bill of materials of $188. The iPhone has an average selling price of $625 with a carrier subsidy, while gross margin is usually around 50 percent, suggesting that additional costs like assembly, software, testing, licenses and warrantees add up to $100 or more.



Ruling out the possibility of a smaller iPhone, Wolf said Apple could reduce internal storage from 16GB to about 4GB, but that would only reduce the bill of materials by $30 to about $157. By his estimation, such a handset would still have a total cost of $270.



"Apple would at best break even if it priced an iPhone Light at $250; and it would earn a modest 16% gross margin if it priced it at $300, which we regard as the high end of the range for a prepaid phone," Wolf wrote.



Gross margins of just 16 percent would be a number uncharacteristically low for Apple. For example, in its last quarterly results for the 2010 holiday buying season, Apple reported margins of 38.5 percent, or more than twice Wolf's estimate for a low-cost, no-contract iPhone.



"We suspect that the iPhone's designers and engineers have thought about this a lot more than we have so that the cost savings would be somewhat greater than we've estimated," Wolf said. "If, for example, the expenses incurred beyond the cost of components could be materially reduced, Apple might be able to earn a gross margin of 20% pricing the phone at $250 and 33% gross margin pricing it at $300."



The possibility of a cheaper iPhone with fewer features was hinted at by Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook earlier this year. Cook, in an interview with Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi, said Apple doesn't want its products to be "just for the rich."



Cook reportedly said that Apple is planning "clever things" to compete in the prepaid handset market. He also stated that Apple is "not ceding any market." He also referenced China, where Apple has found great success of late, and noted that it is a "classic prepaid market."

Video calls were a mainstay of classic sci-fi films, and even today there’s something almost magical about seeing your friends and family on the screen of a portable device. Video calling has been around for some time, but it’s only really in the past year or so that its got more attention among regular users. That’s thanks in no small part to Apple and FaceTime, as found on the iPhone 4, iPad 2 and other gadgets from the company’s range. Read on as we give FaceTime the full SlashGear 101 treatment!

So Apple invented video calling, right?

No, not at all, though they did do a lot to make it easier to use – just as long as you have the right hardware. Video calling is actually a part of the 3G standard, which – if the carrier and whatever phone you’re using supports it, which isn’t the case in the US – has been available since around 2003. Unfortunately a combination of high pricing, poor understanding by users, mediocre quality and patchy reliability meant this form of video calling has never really taken off.

Apple’s FaceTime takes advantage of the company’s tight control over the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and MacBook software, which has allowed it to polish the video calling experience to the point where everyday use is possible. Now FaceTime is available to anybody at the touch of an on-screen button.

Do I need an Apple phone to use FaceTime?

Not necessarily a phone, but definitely something with the Apple logo. FaceTime was first supported on the iPhone 4, which was Apple’s first mobile device with a front-facing camera (i.e. one that looks at the user, rather than out the back of the handset). The latest iPod touch and iPad 2 both have front-facing cameras and FaceTime support as well, and Apple has released a FaceTime app for its Mac and MacBook computers so they can join in the fun as well. FaceTime comes free on the mobile devices and the very latest Macs, and is a $0.99 download from the Mac App Store for earlier Mac owners.

Okay, so how do I use it?

It’s pretty simple, just as Apple was aiming for. On the iPhone you make a voice call in the normal way and then tap the FaceTime button on-screen to switch to video. On the iPod touch and iPad 2, you start a video call in the FaceTime app. You’ll need an Apple account in order to make and receive calls, since that’s used as the “phone number” for devices other than the iPhone 4.

Currently, FaceTime video calls can only be made when you have a WiFi connection, not when you’re using the mobile network for data. That’s a limitation Apple has put in place itself, though the company has said it is working on removing it in the future.

I’m not into Apple, can I video call with something else?

You certainly can, though the process gets a bit trickier. Various apps are available for Android and other mobile phone platforms which promise video calls, sometimes over not only WiFi but the 3G mobile networks too. That means you can make video calls when away from your home network or a WiFi hotspot, as long as your signal is strong enough.

Skype, Fring and Qik are all among the companies offering video calling apps, though their effectiveness often varies on a phone-by-phone basis. Not all phones have front-facing cameras, either, though they’re becoming more common on the latest handsets. A future SlashGear 1010 feature will look at the best video calling apps if FaceTime isn’t your thing.

Apple has said it plans to open up FaceTime to other manufacturers, so that non-Apple phones can make and receive calls too, but so far there’s no sign of that actually happening.

More information at Apple’s FaceTime page.

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bench craft company

One important thing about cities is their sex appeal — their magnetism. Places flourish when they attract people, resources, opportunities, and ideas, and match them to one another. Cities are much more than the built environment of roads and real estate. Cities are about relationships, and whether people have access to opportunities. Cities are one big dating game.

When cities lose their magnetism, the whole population suffers. The deterioration of Detroit began well before recent auto industry woes; its population plunge was confirmed by the latest Census. Some attribute decline to bad urban redevelopment schemes or corrupt politics that failed to improve schools or reduce crime. "A once-great American city today repels people of talent and ambition," a Wall Street Journal columnist wrote recently. A local leader told him, "It's been class warfare on steroids, and ... so many Detroiters who had the means — black and white — have fled the city."

Cleveland is another shrunken city with significant poverty. In the 1980s, Cleveland Tomorrow, a coalition of major company CEOs, sponsored downtown projects, including a new baseball stadium and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This attracted luxury apartment developments, luring the affluent to the center city and revitalizing it. But inner city ghettoes were barely touched, and the region continued to lose high-wage manufacturing.

There's a tale of two cities within many city borders: one rich, the other very poor. Dubai, a gleaming new city of luxury high rises, is ringed by hidden slums for temporary service workers from the underclass of Asian nations. In New York, the middle class, including young families, cannot afford to live in the city. Baton Rouge has affluent areas with some of Louisiana's best quality-of-life indicators and extreme poverty areas with some of the worst. Other divides include racial and ethnic enclaves that vary in opportunities — for example, minority entrepreneurs with promising business ideas who can't access mainstream sources of capital and support.

Cities should be connectors but can have connection problems. Cities are where all parts of life come together: jobs, health, education, environmental quality. Yet, in most cities, businesses, schools, hospitals, and city services still operate in silos. And the political boundaries of cities don't encompass their true extent or the flow of people, as the Brookings' Metropolitan Policy Center points out. IBM's Smarter Cities Challenge supports efforts to use technology for connected regional solutions.

Interdependence among urban issues makes vicious cycles worse. If there is no action on high youth unemployment or poor educational quality and high school dropout rates, then too many African-American males end up in prison. High crime rates make sections of cities undesirable, and neighborhoods deteriorate. Aging buildings and toxic environments then cause health problems, such as lead poisoning or asthma, which disproportionately affect inner city children. Children in poor health have trouble learning, learning problems are associated with school dropouts, and vicious cycles continue.

Pivotal investments can start virtuous cycles. The transformation of Miami from sleepy southern city to international trade hub and informal capital of Latin America was propelled by investments in a world class airport and a flood of immigrants from Fidel Castro's Cuba. Mayors and civic leaders took advantage of this to attract new businesses and tout Latin connections, as my book World Class describes. But progress stalls if benefits don't reach the grass roots, racial divides persist, and major institutions fail to collaborate. The Miami Foundation's emerging leaders program is designed to deploy diverse younger professionals for major civic projects.

Revitalizing cities requires national urban policy investments and social innovations on the ground. Leadership might come from:

• Enlightened mayors who build public-private partnerships or join Cities of Service, which align the city and non-profits around high-impact goals.



• Business leaders, such as former Miami Herald publisher David Lawrence, who rallied Miami-Dade County to vote for a tax increase (Yes to new taxes!) to create the Children's Trust, a fund to improve life for all children.



• Faith communities, such as Rev. Raymond Jetson's community organizing toward a coalition for "A Better Baton Rouge."



• Financiers, such as Tim Ferguson and Ron Walker, who co-founded Next Street to invest in inner city businesses.



• Social entrepreneurs, such as Hubie Jones, who wants to replicate a birth-to-college educational model like the Harlem Children's Zone in Boston.



• Community foundations with a strategic perspective, seeking integrated solutions across issues such as youth employment, education, health, and green plans.

The best social innovations will connect people and institutions, producing an infrastructure for collaboration. That social infrastructure will increase the sex appeal of cities by going beyond initial attraction to build lasting relationships for lasting improvements.

During today’s Google earnings call, one analyst asked for some color on Google’s mobile business. CFO Patrick Pichette didn’t give much more in terms of specifics, but he did offer up some color. “Without any radical effort, we already announced at end of Q3 this is a $1 billion run-rate business,” says Pichette. Mobile is “growing at an amazing blazingly pace,” he says. “We tripped into $1 billion.”

Mobile search is definitely something Google is keenly focussed on. Senior VP of Local Jeff Huber noted on the call: ” In terms of where it trends over time, the smartphone is becoming an extension of the person, and how they do everything.”

Google is tackling that opportunity with mobile search obviously, but also with Android, which comes with Google search built-in as the default. Google is seeing 350,000 Android devices being activated a day.

Asked whether Google would have to build out a local salesforce with feet on the ground to take advantage of the new mobile and local advertising opportunities, sales chief Nikesh Arora didn’t rule out any possibilities. “we will use a combination of existing sales teams and methods and others that might be required,” he responded. Sounds like Google is picking itself up and going after the next billion dollars or two in mobile search.

Photo credit: Flickr/ Jeffrey Beall

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Roofing Contractors Vancouver - 5 Inquiries to Wonder

Roofing Vancouver - Frequently Asked Questions

1. Repair or Replace?

There's no opinion as an expert opinion. Most contractors provides you with a free estimate. Get a summary of a few trusted contractors and contact them well ahead of time of when you want to get your roof fixed to help you compare costs and opinions.

2. Beauty versus Practicality?

Discuss this together with your spouse or partner. (The children could care less...at least the young ones.) The fact is, nobody wants an ugly roof the same as nobody wants to be viewed with bed hair. If you've got a great quality roof and you simply have to repair it, it's worth it to pay for the cost of the initial shingle instead of doing patchwork. A roof replacement doesn't happen frequently (hopefully!) and thus make a decision that best suits you and your loved ones well or it'll stand out like a sore thumb everyday you decide to go home.

3. Should I replace the rooftop in order to sell the house for additional?

Consider this very carefully prior to making a decision. Depending on the roofing material you choose, a brand new roof can last anywhere from twenty, fifty, to one-hundred years! This means you need to look into the year of the roof that's currently over your head first. Are you at year 18 of a 20-year warranted roof or year 30 of the 50-year warranted roof? Obviously, the standard is what makes the rooftop last longer, but if you're not likely to stay in your current home for the rest of your lifetime, the larger expense might not be worth your investment. Although a brand new roof can improve the worth of your value, the rise might not be enough to pay for your investment and that's bound to hurt your wallet.

4. Is it advisable for me to repair the rooftop myself?

Sure it's. Before you do, consult an expert first. You can do it yourself, however, you shouldn't be a complete ‘lone ranger.' Depending on the extent of your repair, you might or may not convince you. Either way, it helps to get a professional eye about the problem first and maybe a free quote to help you do the math later and see if it's truly worth your time and effort, sweat, and money to become mister or miss fix-it.

5. Just when was a good time to find the roof replaced?

Weather can cause delays from days to weeks. Most people plan ahead to have their roof replaced in the summer when they have a friend is going to be home during the day for a solid fourteen days. Once you've this period in your mind, make a call to a trusted contractor months ahead of time to obtain a quote. Some companies get reserved fast and chances are, they're the most reputable. Preparing in advance from the summer also provides you with time to ask around many compare costs...especially if you want to have the roof made by a particular date.

 

The Top Roofing Contractor In Vancouver!

Is there a leak in your home's roof? Perhaps you have lost shingles or tiles inside a storm? Have overhanging branches caused damage? Is the roof a lot more than Two decades old and showing wear and tear? Are your gutters overwhelmed and draining poorly?

If the answer to these questions is "Yes" it is time to call the top roofing contractor Vancouver - Crown Roofing & Drainage.

For more than a century Crown Roofing continues to be the roofer of choice among our Vancouver neighbors. We provide complete roofing services, from emergency repairs and roof restoration, to accomplish roof replacement. All using the finest quality materials, installed with precision and the highest degree of customer support.

YOUR Vancouver ROOF DESERVES Believe it or not!

The rooftop of the Vancouver house is the first line of defence against wind, rain, snow, ice and other weather elements. Make sure it's up to the task. Among Vancouver Roofing companies, only Crown Roofing has the depth of expertise and successful history to ensure your roofing system is going to be properly designed and installed.

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS.

One reason Crown Roofing has been probably the most successful roofing contractor in Vancouver is our resolve for our neighbors. We treat your house as though it were our own and we were creating a roof to protect our own family. That's what neighbors do, and you can count on Crown Roofing being here to aid you and also back our work. In the end, we've been repairing and replacing roofs in Vancouver since 1902!

GET A FREE INSPECTION AND EVALUATION OF YOUR Vancouver ROOF.

Visit the Roofers Vancouver for a FREE inspection and evaluation of your roof. Make sure you get the very best roof for the Vancouver home, in the cost effective. We build roofs to last!

 

Tacoma Roofing company: Help your house be Beautiful

Very few people understand the worth of a good roof, your knowledgeable Tacoma Roofing company does. From first hand experience, they will be able to tell you why you need a strong, secure, and leak-free roof in your home.

The local Tacoma Roofer is well aware how important an economic investment your house is for you personally, especially as it is a long term one. Your house might have been damaged slowly through the years and also you need to take steps to reduce this damage. For a lot of people, keeping their property beautiful is also a few pride. There are those too who'd prefer to turn their house into a economical and efficient living place. Your homes roof is a valuable part of your property and plays a role in each one of the aspects mentioned previously. Because of this, you need to employ the expertise of qualified a Tacoma Roofer.

Kinds of Roofs installed with a Tacoma Roofing contractor

Among the more common types of roofs are asphalt shingles, steel or metal sheeting, fiberglass, slate and terra cotta tiles.

Each kind of roof invites distinct problems, but they can be easily looked after by a trusted Tacoma Roofing company. It's imperative that you nip roof problems within the bud before they become too expensive or dangerous. You are able to schedule a scheduled appointment using the Tacoma Roofer to take a look at your homes roof to see if there are any issues or potential problems with it. If there are, they may be able to let you know how to approach them.

A Tacoma Roofing company Helps to Build Strong Homes

The exteriors associated with a house, primarily the rooftop and gutters, face the onslaught of bitter and varying climate conditions, day after day. Painting, repairing, and cleaning gutters may be necessary. In some instances you may have to replace them completely. Usually, when your gutters show signs of trouble, your roof must also be inspected for problems. Whatever issues there might be, a skilled Tacoma Roofer can examine them in detail and suggest the remedy.

In case your gutters tend to clog too often, or there are leaks along the walls of your house, it might mean that there's debris piled-up on the top. Loose branches, piles of leaves, along with other light objects that are swept onto your roof throughout a storm can all contribute towards damaging your homes roof, which damages can be lasting. A knowledgeable Tacoma Roofer will explain that birds, mice, along with other kinds of rodents often build nest in the debris that collects on the roof. While these nests may look rather innocent, they are great at collecting moisture, which can lead to loose shingles, mold, and indoor leaks in your house. Additionally, it may also cause vermin infestation. Following a storm, your Tacoma Roofing contractor will claim that you inspect your homes roof for any signs and symptoms of debris or damage.

Reverse Damages by using a Tacoma Roofing contractor

However high quality the rooftop may be, it will eventually wear down over time. There are shingles which are known as "25 year" or "30 year" shingles, but those numbers are only associated with warranty produced by the manufacturers. They seldom last that long. Realistically speaking, "25 year" shingles will not last a lot more than fifteen to twenty years. Within an area that is prone to storms, shingles or even the entire roof should be replaced every ten years. With a Tacoma Roofing contractor, the price will be less than what you believe.

If there you lose any shingles, or there is some harm to them, a Tacoma Roofing contractor will be able to assist you to. Damaged shingles can result in indoor leaks, since the substrate from the roof becomes exposed to the sun and rain. Shingles that are loose or broken can slip off and pose a potential hazard to individuals standing below. Missing shingles produce a gap that allows rain, wind, ice, and debris to develop under the adjoining shingles, which creates a "domino effect" that affects other shingles plus they become loose or broken. A comprehensive investigation will be produced by the local Tacoma Roofer, if you call them track of your suspicions of loose or missing shingles.

Your Tacoma Roofing company come in a situation to tell you what the best option is for your homes roof. In case your roof is not inside a good shape, it is advised that you have it replaced completely. The Tacoma Roofing company may take you thru the different roofing possibilities for you which will fit your requirements and your budget.

Tacoma Roofing contractor: Improving your Home's Efficiency

Your homes roof shelters you from storms, sleet, and hail. By giving adequate ventilation, your homes roof protects your home from overheating, and by holding within the heat, it keeps your house warm. That's why you need to ready your roof from indoors in addition to outdoors for any kind of weather emergency. A professional Tacoma Roofing contractor can offer help in this situation.

To begin with, inspect your roof thoroughly for any and all sorts of kind of damage, prior to the beginning of a new season. The gutters should be clear, debris should not be piled on or trapped under shingles, tthere shouldn't be homes of squirrels or birds in the eaves or attic, and also the roof should be structurally sound. For your last part, you'll need the help of your local Tacoma Roofing contractor. It may be quite dangerous to climb onto the roof of your property. This is where the contractor from Tacoma Roofing company is available in. He'll read the strength and security of your roof and shingles, and do a general inspection from the entire roof structure, to make sure that it's in proper working order. They'll be in a position to point towards issues that you have to keep close track of and problems you may not have spotted.

You'll need all the help you could possibly get from the Tacoma Roofing company. You can help your homes roof by installing a gutter guard or leaf cover to help prevent debris from forming inside your gutters. The additional weight of debris prevents the gutters from draining and may even tear them down. Look into the fasteners in your gutters and if they're loose, tighten them. Take steps to alter worn screws and brackets. If you have a chimney in your house, inspect the bricks and mortar signs of wear. A reliable mason can be recommended by your Tacoma Roofing company, if you will find any repairs to be done.

Tacoma Roofing contractor: Someone You are able to Count On
When you know or suspect that there's a problem, your Tacoma Roofer ought to be contacted. They are able to use their knowledge and expertise to get your house in ace condition by simply focusing on the rooftop. Your roof deserves attention. So give them a call today, to enable them to get down to working on your roof.

 

What is Distinction between Commercial Roofing Companies From Residential Roofing Companies

If you are considering getting a roofing company to re roof your house or building then you may be wondering what the differences are between residential roofing companies and commercial roofing companies. To begin with, the one huge difference is that often times a commercial roofing company might have signed an agreement with and become obligated to some roofing union in in a position to focus on union commercial jobs.

If this sounds like the case then their labor costs will prohibit them from working on non union residential jobs. Beyond that, if a commercial roofing company hasn't signed a contract with a union they might be outfitted simply for commercial jobs which of course means their workers and equipment may not be in line with smaller residential jobs.

Residential roofing contractors generally tend to run smaller companies and therefore, tend to be more capable of bid competitively on residential jobs, which tend to be small compared to comercial jobs. In fact, often times residential roofing contractors will run one man operations, in which the contractor that you simply speak with could be the one that actually does the job on the building.

Also, liability insurance for commercial roofing is more epensive and a larger bond is required for a commercial roofing work which can make it not economical for a commercial roofing contractor to complete residential roofing jobs.

Still an additional factor is the fact that commercial jobs can run on a tighter time frame for just about any quantity of reasons, requiring a commercial contractor to employ a larger crew or crews which again makes smaller jobs not as profitable on their behalf.

 

Difference Between Commercial Roofing and Residential Roofing

Did you know that the rooftop of a building has a huge impact on the entire structure itself? Damage caused to roofs because of natural or other disasters leads to a considerable lack of property everywhere. The type of materials used to construct the rooftop that ought to be sturdy and long-lasting, the manner in which the roof continues to be installed as well as its timely maintenance are very crucial. There are two kinds of roofs that are used on all the buildings that we see around us: commercial and residential. Even though it might seem that commercial roofing is done only for businesses or offices and residential roofing is done for apartments and houses, the truth is the differences are much more complicated than that.

Residential roofing is usually completed just by one hired contractor but commercial roofing typically takes an entire team to accomplish the job. This is because an industrial roof tends to be larger in terms of sq ft than a residential roof.
Commercial roofs need to be made carefully keeping the nature and reason for the building in your mind. For example, if there is a restaurant in the building then external components like ventilation systems, smoke stacks and pipes will be required. Residential roofs usually do not have such components other than a chimney or two at most.
Commercial roofs is commonly flat in design to accommodate further changes in a later period, whereas most residential roofs have peaks along with other architectural features like roof gardens.
Commercial roofing is much more expensive than residential roofing because of the special tools, materials and safety equipment which are needed onsite. Usually the patching or maintenance work is completed in segments unlike for a residential roof in which the repair or replacement work could be completed in a short while. This is another reason why the gear employed for residential roofs is usually smaller and less expensive too.
Commercial roof installations take a extended period to accomplish compared to residential roof installations and therefore are usually constructed in large sections. In this phase however, it is important to make sure that there aren't any leakages, cracks or any other visible wear and tear signs as it can certainly cause considerable harm to the entire building.
It is important to install the right roof for any building based on its purpose. Make sure that you hire a construction company that uses first class materials and has the best equipment for the job or neglect the may turn to be considered a huge loss later.

 

Commercial Roofing Contractors: How to Find a Qualified Commercial Roofing Company

If a business is seeking to have work done on its roof, you should use commercial roofing contractors which have an enthusiastic understanding of any special needs that the business might have. For example, a roofing job is often disruptive for the operation of economic as usual. For this reason, it might be essential for the business to be temporarily turn off, or the roofing to take place after business hours have ended. A roofer that understands these needs can function plus a business in order to make certain these types of issues are minimized.

The first thing that a business should do when it's searching for commercial roofing contractors is to find out who other businesses in the area will work through. Obviously, this article not be helpful if it may come as an indicator from competitors, but you will find circumstances by which it is not too hard to find these details from suppliers or retailers. Since roofing isn't an industry-specific service, this information is easily available.

It is a wise decision for just about any business to get in touch with at least three commercial roofing contractors to make bids on the price. In this way, the company could obtain a better price. It is also important to ensure that each of the roofing contractors is licensed and bonded. These details are available by permitting touching their state contractor's board. This makes it possible to determine if there has been any claims filed from the company previously.

When looking at bids, it is only as important to look at what services are being offered and which products is going to be used as it is to check out the total cost. The costs can differ quite drastically, but as tempting as it can be to go for the cheapest bid, this is not always the best option. In many cases, more costs now means fewer costs over time as a result of an undesirable roofing job. To help investigate the quality of the job, it is a wise decision to check with the Better Business Bureau in order to find out if the company continues to be accredited, and when it has not, to at least see what its rating is.

 

Picking out a Commercial Roofer

When you are searching for a roofer for your commercial roofing project you need to find a contractor who understands the special needs of the commercial roofing project. For instance it can be harder to operate on the business during business hours so either the business needs to be turn off for the repair or replacement or even the job has to be done after conventional business hours. May be the roofer you are thinking about for the job ready to work around your schedule constrictions that might involve working weekends or evenings?

When you begin your research for a roofer you don't only have to answer those questions but you also want to find someone which will do a top quality job with no lot of time delays. Going about finding someone can feel as an obstacle by itself but there are several ways to make the search easier.

Ask friends and family for referrals and then try to find a minimum of three contractors to provide you with written bids on your job. Prior to going any further you need to ensure that the contractors you are thinking about are fully licensed and bonded. An easy search using the state contractor's board will verify if your roofer is licensed and if you will find any past judgments or claims against their license.

When you select 3 or 4 roofers to place bids, you need to get ready for that bids to be widely varied. Roofers may have brand preferences that will vary and could element in pretty much compared to next guy for any labor estimate. The more detailed an itemized bid may be the more helpful it will likely be for you to see where the cost are going to be incurred. Don't, however, select a roofer based solely about the bid price. Any low ball bids may be tempting to take, but if they're low due to poor quality workman ship it might not be worthwhile in the end.

As they say, you generally get that which you purchase, if you are able to afford a mid-priced bid it's always smart to go up within your budget rather than down. You also should select your roofer based on how professional they were and how comfortable you anticipate you will be working with them.

Finally your cost will be different depending on what type of roofing material you choose along with the cost to haul your old roof to the landfill. Should you be looking for places to cut corners in your roof, rather than cutting labor cost you may want to ask about a metal roof option. Metal roofs can be cost effective and energy efficient making them overall money savers for that long term, as well as on commercial buildings they may be really low maintenance. Plus given that they can be placed along with a current roof, you don't have to possess the old one removed and hauled away, that make a big effect on your cost.

Choosing a comerical roofing company nearer your home, does not have to be a difficult task. To learn more, visit http://www.vancouverroofers.net

 

Seattle Roofing Contractors - How to locate The Best

In your home of rain and sleet, commercial coffee and grunge, and also the famous space needle, you can find a house that will suit you. Seattle, Washington could be a great place to construct a home, but you need Seattle roofing contractors to help you out. Your roof is, after all, the crowning glory of your house, and your strongest line of defense against the elements. You need to have something that isn't just built to last, but built to attract making your home more beautiful

Harsh Weather

How come roofing contractors essential within this the main country? Because Seattle is usually bombarded by rain along with other harsh climate conditions, you'll need a roof that can withstand all the forces of nature. With this thought, you'll need people who be aware of Seattle weather best, and who understand what materials can best get into your roof in order for it to last far longer in the area. In addition to all this, you have to blend with the rest from the houses in your living area, which means you cannot simply get whatever roof you please.

In most these aspects, a Seattle roofers should be able to assist you. All that you should do is look for Seattle roofing contractors online so that you can obtain the best value for your money without wondering when the contractor will suddenly run away by using it and then leave you roof-less.

Why the Contractor Model Works

If you want to set up your roof by yourself, you'll have to buy a whole lot of materials, secure permits and licenses, and get materials which are suited to keep you safe against harsh extremes of Seattle weather. This means that if you're a DIY sort of guy or gal, you will have to undergo a good deal of legwork to get the task done.

However, a Seattle roofer can perform all of the jobs for you and provide a package that may help you save time and money. Because contractors operate under licenses and buy materials in bulk, they are able to get discounts on building materials that you would not otherwise get should you be buying merely for your own personel home.

Roofing Associations

Most roofing contractors also fit in with roofing organizations that are bound by strict guidelines and standards. When they prosper on the roofing job, they can showcase their roofing contractors association; when they do poorly, they are able to ruin the trustworthiness of their roofing contractors association and keep other contractors inside the association from receiving targeted roofing jobs. There is a lot of pressure to complete well, so you can be reassured that prefer a roofing job completed in Seattle, you can get a contractor from a roofing association to help you out.

For instance, Seattle Roof Brokers operates with more than five hundred roofing contractors within the Puget Sound. This group has over half a century of roofing experience and experience dealing with Seattle roofing contractors, so it knows what type of roofing you would like. The Roof Brokers group can put you in contact using the contractor that you need so that you do not have to look for contractors individually.

What Should You Demand out of your Contractor?

When you finally obtain a contractor within the Seattle area, you must do a lot of research on the roofing contractors themselves. Ask for a list of previous companies or persons that the contractor caused in order to get a definite view of the roofing contractor's work ethics and roof quality. Your roofing contractor must also have the appropriate working licenses and city licenses required by the Seattle city government.

Select a Seattle roofing contractors that insures its employees, and that has courteous workers who will respect your opinions and ensure that the needs are met. Ensure that you get the best value for your money: if you are unsatisfied with the job, you have to be guaranteed either money back, or a free, new roof. Moreover, you also need the workers to get the job done promptly, so be strict together with your deadlines - and discover a contractor that is as strict as you are.

You need guarantees and warranties in your roof, so locate a contractor that may meet your financial allowance and roofing needs. If you get in touch with good Seattle roofing contractors, you can be guaranteed a great roof and a better house in this fantastic city.

Selecting the Right Roofer Company for Replacing Your homes roof

The shingles in your roof need replacing and you're simply minded to locate a roofer to change the them. Perhaps you have already known as a few and are evaluating which contractor for your upcoming roof repair. How do you choose the best contractor for caring for your roof? Here are several things you should look at when looking for the best roofing contractor.

Where's the roofer located? You should hire a roofer that's local. Then you will receive the next step and services information if the roofing company can be found near your house or comes with an office near your residence.
References. To look for the toughness for the contractor, references ought to be provided of their past clients who are prepared to vouch that excellent service was received. This will not be the only element in deciding upon your future roofer as some may claim they value the privacy of the clients and don't wish to bother them. If this sounds like the situation, request business related references. The places that provide the contractor with supplies can reveal the amount of materials and regularity of supplying the contractor to help determine their stability.
So how exactly does the roofing contractor company handle complaints? There are a large number of issues that can arise during the progress of the roofing replacement. Ask what their process is for handling complaints if they arise. It is also a great idea to get a past client reference who were built with a complaint that was resolved to the satisfaction from the client.
Terms of payment. What are the terms of payment to do the job? What is the deposit and amount due upon completion? Even though it is certainly reasonable that a substantial payment be made before a contractor begins work on a project, it is strongly advised that full payment is not made until after the entire job is completed.
Written contract. All terms of the roofing replacement should be put in a written contract. No the main contracting job should rely on verbal assurances.
Bonding. There are stuff that will go wrong with roofing installations that wind up costing a substantial amount of money to repair. Should this happen in your roofing replacement, you'll feel a great deal better knowing that your roofer is bonded. This will supply the funds to repair whatever mistakes were made. Look for a roofing contractor that's bonded.
Manufacturer Warranty. Quality materials for roofing typically come with a warranty. It is important to verify that there is actually a warranty about the materials being installed. Request a copy from the warranty.
Length of Time in Business How long has got the company you're interviewing been in business? A short amount of time in business may reflect instability. When the contractor has been in business under 3 years, verify how long they've actually been in the industry. A brand new contractor might have a long time experience working on roofs before they form their own business. Seek a business that's been around for three or more years, or where the contractor has had a lot more years performing roofing replacements. This again should not be the only factor, everyone has to begin sometime. Balance this with referrals and the other points raised in the following paragraphs.
Appropriate Permits. A Seattle roofing contractor should know what permits are needed for fixing your roof. They must be aware of how to obtain these permits for you. Ask the contractor whether or not they will obtain the permits necessary to repair the roof.
Liability. If a worker becomes injured, who is responsible for the worker's compensation? If the contractor's equipment damages your house, who is liable for the repairs? A good contractor will provide certificates of insurance for liability and workers comp before they begin fixing your roof.
Subcontractors. Verify if the contractor will be using subcontractors. If that's the case, it is strongly advised that everything contained in this article for verifying whether the contractor is credible also needs to be applied to subcontractors. You need to get the names and license amounts of all subcontractors. You need to verify whether each subcontractor is also insured which means you are not held liable for their accidents.
Pending Legal Actions. You should verify whether there are any legal actions from the contractor. This is not merely necessary for verifying whether the roofing company is legitimate (credible roofing companies shouldn't need to defend themselves in the court), it is also important just because a lost lawsuit might lead to the contractor to go bankrupt. If you have made a substantial down payment for services immediately prior to the company goes bankrupt, you can lose many thousands of dollars and not have your roofing completed.
Material Disposal. Who is accountable for getting rid of the waste generated from the roof being replaced? Will your contractor handle all aspects of the? Can there be an additional cost for getting rid of this waste?
NRCA Membership. Membership in local or national roofing associations, like the NRCA, shows commitment to staying current with the most effective means of roof replacement and maintenance. Find a roofer with a high standard of education regarding their trade.
Replacing your roof is really a significant investment. Celebrate sense to inquire about serious questions before working with a roofing contractor. Here are some more tips that you should consider when selecting the best roofer for your upcoming roofing replacement.

Payment. Don't create a full payment for services unless all work is finished.
Inspection. Don't make a full payment without doing your final inspection of all services rendered.
Workers liens. Do not fully pay for the roofing replacement job until worker's lien releases have been obtained.
Oral Agreements. No agreement ought to be made verbally without backing it up in writing. Every point which are important to you ought to be produced in writing.

 

To your SEO needs, you can examine out Vancouver website design and Vancouver Search engine optimization company

It is true how the worldwide web is just about the biggest financial market nowadays. Practically everything is anchored on the web. To date, there are more than 182 million internet sites in the internet whilst still being counting. If each of these websites offers possibilities to generate income, think of the limitless opportunities which can be based in the internet. More importantly, with the emergence of sites, the requirement of internet hosting and Search| Engine Optimization is significantly defined.

Search engine marketing is basically the operation of increasing the visibility of a web site. As such, if you'd like your web site to be visible to visitors, you ought to search for SEO Company. The optimization strategy considers how search spiders work and what people usually and what keywords they'll use. The key objective of SEO is making web sites visible searching sites with the natural or organic way.

Search engines optimization or natural search engine marketing is really a saying used in describing unpaid, algorithm-driven results of any particular engine. Quite simply, organic SEO uses natural strategies in achieving serp's ranking. While there are two camps that search engine optimization companies may fall to, which would be the 'White Hat' and also the 'Black Hat', organic SEO would not come under the 'Black Hat' camp.

Organic search engine optimization is really a highly specialized and complex practice that may literally dictate the success or failure of an internet business. Since search sites often modify their algorithms, organic SEO isn't very easy in any way. When search bots modify their algorithms, factors that allow your web site to seem in front of prospects are drastically changed too. Thus, so that you can cope up with one of these changes, SEO tactics and strategies has to be employed.

It will always be ethical to use search engines engine optimization since search sites nowadays are becoming extremely advanced they can easily see whether an internet site is trying to control their search indexes. Thus it's empirical to make use of search engine optimization practices which are carried out wherein appear natural.

The approaches used by organic search engine optimization and artificial SEO are really significantly different. Basically, organic SEO uses content in comparison to artificial SEO's technical loopholes. Moreover, natural seo provides attracting links rather than linking schemes utilized by artificial SEO. Natural SEO also creates valuable resource as opposed to artificial SEO's algorithm chasing. With all these, you can clearly see why search engine optimization is better than artificial search engine marketing. Even though latter may be more difficult and complex, it makes favorable results which are beneficial for any site. Fortunately, there are tons of Vancouver SEO companies today that provide the organic method in affordable rates and packages.

Search Engine Optimization Appears on the Scene

There was a time when search engine marketing was actually not essential.

Even as late as a decade ago, in the event you made a Website anywhere, Google indexed it and also you gained visibility in their search results. Your page has been in one of the free "estates" where anybody could add a page and Google didn't mind. It could also have been a pure affiliate page with no original content and Google still indexed it.

Things are unrecognizably different now.

Affiliate pages with "cookie-cutter" content duplicated everywhere might never make it to the Google index; the identical fate is likely for those pages you throw in over a free-for-all website. And even "proper" websites with your own personal domain name didn't achieve visibility one of the proliferating sites in millions.

These would not have mattered, aside from something. It was Google that provided the bread and butter for that millions of small businesses that could not afford expensive marketing campaigns. In case your site was among the top few sites the appeared before a searcher's eyes when that person searched for your products, you got hundreds as well as thousands of visitors, many of whom even bought your product or service.

Search engine optimization (SEO) entered the scene. Search results specialists "reverse-engineered" to spot the factors that Google consider for showing websites at the top of its search engine results pages. These factors were then consciously integrated into your internet pages with the aspiration that Google can have your internet site among the first ten results it showed about the first page.

As more and more of your competitors adopted search engine marketing practices, things became difficult again. Your role began to slip if your competitors did the SEO better. SEO battles became serious fights with every dirty trick working.

There were "black hat" SEO practitioners who showed one page to search engines and another to human visitors. As engines like google were not bothered with readability, you can fill the "search engine" page with pure gibberish, but gibberish developed in wherein the engine dutifully indexed high.

A war of wits followed between unscrupulous SEO practitioners and check engines. Google changed its ranking algorithms regularly to operate around practices that allowed low value content to seem at the top of its serp's. After all, Google's success leaned on providing value to searchers, not merchants. And SEO practitioners came up with new tricks.

We'll examine search engine optimization inside a group of articles, beginning by having an beauty at on-line or Web marketing.

 

For your SEO needs, you can examine out vancouver web design and Vancouver Search engine optimization company.

 

Cedar Roofing: Many Benefits

Cedar shakes are just about the most aesthetically pleasing shakes available today. Frequently designed from red-colored cedar on the coniferous forests of northwestern Usa, they're exactly the best roofer materials for proprietors preferring supplying his / her roofs an organic look.

Unique cedar shingles are naturally resistant to the weather, that is the key answer why cedar shingles are widely-used generally all over various climatic conditions. They're generally available in a few specific qualities. One or more will be the shingle crafted from red cedar while the other is produced right out of the vibrant variety. Red cedar shakes are designed from tight-grained particles that will be previously saturated with tannic acidity that experts say is definitely an all-natural additive. Red cedar shingles which might be drizzled with creosote to avoid corrosion and they are desirable to homeowners simply because put in a rich and unique check out one's property or home.

It is critical to remember that red cedars usually change dark-colored if exposed continuously to seaside weather. As a result, sea side homes have to have white cedar shakes. Red cedar shingles generally are a much more expensive compared to white cedar types, despite the fact that cost factor doesn't diminish its reputation in anyhow. They could be preferably perfect for classic Northeastern houses while white cedar shingles appear to be image suitable for bungalows and bungalows which have been integrated Nantucket design.

Through the years, classic cedar shakes have lost in a place to synthetic shingles that emulate the cedar appear. Superior systems are used in order to make these kind of shingles use a for an extended period life-span in comparison with unique cedar shingles. Most include advanced UV inhibitors and have about 5 decades of steady guarantee. These shingles tend to be great insulators and several superior ones offer a much cooler inside during summer months plus a warmer inside during harsh winters.

Cedar shakes, mostly obtainable in honey, cinnamon, and silvery gray colors, need several quantity of repairs and maintenance. Needed initial treatment method before installation. White cedar shakes for instance, may be given bleaching oil which must be done virtually every six to seven years to improve their durability.

Cedar shakes and cedar shingles can be CCA treated or otherwise CCA treated. CCA means chromated copper arsenate. CCA is a chemical that stops the rise of mold, mold and fungus therefore it assists in keeping insects from eating away your personal wonderful cedar roof. CCA cedar might make your homes roof go longer, but CCA isn't A fireplace TREAMENT. Cedar which has been fire treated is available, however your roofing company have to special order it. CCA treated cedar shingles cost 15 - 20% a lot more than non-CCA cedar. Most cedar roofs usually are not CCA treated.

Cedar shakes and cedar shingles are excellent, plus they are another good purchase. Information of terms such as CCA, advanced quality, Number 1, blue label and black label will allow you to pick the right cedar roof for use on your home.

Elite Roofing & Small remodels, LLC provides detailed information about shingles, cedar shakes, fiberglass shakes plus more. Elite Roofing & Small remodels, LLC is affiliated with the nation's Roofers Association.

Uncover more about cedar shingles, and get more articles and resources about cedar shakes at cedar roofing materials and shakes website.

 

Cedar Shingle Roof Vs Asphalt Shingle Roof

A cedar shingle roof remains highly coveted by homeowners. It is one of many oldest roofing products that has stayed constantly used inside the centuries. Just as much as new roofing materials carry on being developed, cedar shakes still endear themselves to many. Below can be a comparison analysis of the cedar roof versus an asphalt roof.

Pros of Cedar Roofing shingles

Cedar shakes give rise to greater air circulation within the entire home. The shingles enable the where you can breathe well without trapping moisture around. This can help to keep the dwelling of the home who is fit longer. Cedar Shakes are durable and strong. They enjoy a higher resistance to bugs. A cedar shingle roof will fully stand up well on the various weather onslaughts. Storms, hurricanes, powerful winds and flying debris will barely damage the top of the cedar roof. Along with matures beautifully using the passing years, rendering it a lot more desirable. A cedar roof adds a distinct charm to your house. Cedar is instantly accessible in lumber yards and need a large amount of expertise or specialized tools to set up.

Cons of Cedar Shakes

If rot takes hold, choosing compelled to improve the entire lot. It is not easy extracting only the affected pieces. They may happen to be nailed down in a manner that each elimination proves difficult. Cedar Shingles don't endure well to constant wetting. Living within an area where rainfall is heavy or frequent, cedar shingles aren't a fantastic choice. Frequent wetting causes mold or mildew setting in. Replacement and repair is actually a costly business. Your very best protection against constant wetting should be to use wide overhangs. Also, if the property is shaded by many trees or nearby buildings, cedar shingles tend to develop mold. You will end up compelled to replace them earlier than you planned. Cedar Shingles tend to be flammable than asphalt shingles. Many areas use a building code in place that restricts cedar shingles to minimize the chance of fire. To set up a cedar shake roof, you need to have your budget about the higher side. Frequent maintenance may also be essential to keep your roof who is fit. Mildew and rot are ever-constant threats to some cedar roof.

Pros of Asphalt Shingle Roof

An asphalt roof is among the least expensive to purchase and install. They are available in various designs and colours, which range from a typical, flat turn to a 3-dimensional look. Asphalt shingles have a high effectiveness fires unlike cedar roofing. An asphalt roof can certainly lessen the risk of fires caused by flying embers. Asphalt roofs are easier and cheaper to install than cedar. Also, they are low maintenance roofs.

Cons of Asphalt Shingle Roof

Algae is more vulnerable to grow on asphalt roofing than cedar shingles. It causes the rooftop to build up somewhat with the stain which spoils the looks. You may get an anti-algae coating carried out your asphalt shingles but this enhances the cost. In terms of stability, an asphalt roof is more apt to be blown off by strong winds than the usual cedar roof.

You can learn more about cedar roof shingles, and get more articles and resources about cedar roofing shakes at cedar roof shingles and shakes website.

 

How to locate Good Vancouver Search engine optimization

The amount of internet sites and e-commerce sites is continuously increasing simply because everyone knows that it can bring in lots of earnings. This has also caused another kind of providers that assist businesses within achieving their set goals as well as making them develop. Amongst fundamental essentials Vancouver SEO services; because the SEO industry is pretty young you will find that any kind of Search engine optimization Vancouver company will not be more than a decade aged. But you can be assured that they certainly understand what they have to caused by get your company growing.

If your business depends on the web to obtain people to your site and to obtain conversion rates, you certainly need assistance in search engine optimization or even Search engine optimization as it is additionally recognized. When people place a search in their favorite search engine, probably the most likely fits come at the top. If you want to draw traffic to your site or online business, you need to take the assistance of the Vancouver SEO company to obtain to the top of those search engine results. The Search engine optimization Vancouver providers provided will be well worth the money spent and you will be seeing the returns shortly following.

However, attaining a top position in the search engines might not always be always easy and more therefore if yours is a very competitive industry which they often make reference to like a niche. It is no wonder after that that you need all the assist that you can get. If you do not have the response to "What is Search engine optimization?Inch you will want in order to first educate yourself on the topic. Your best option would be to depart the task to those who realize it best; the actual Search engine optimization Vancouver professionals in the Vancouver Search engine optimization company. You will have to spend some cash but you will enjoy the rewards as time pass.

The SEO Vancouver experts will start upon keyword research that is usually the starting place associated with SEO. You should know the kind of words or phrases which potential customers would be keying in to Google to get at your website. The Vancouver SEO company is going to do this particular tedious task for a person because they have a much better concept about how exactly people start their own queries. You, on your part have to provide them with a much better knowing about your company plus some basic key phrases on which they would perform their research.

In case your Search engine optimization marketing campaign begins with keywords choice, then its backlink building which feeds seo; worthwhile Vancouver SEO company can help you understand. The perfect way for your site to rank high for a given keyword would be to possess a great link building strategy created for it. The trick is to depart your own link upon high ranked websites. The SEO Vancouver professionals will explain that the most typical way of carrying this out is to submit articles containing the desired keywords within the correct proportion to article directory sites with backlinks to your website within the resource box.

So what have you been awaiting? Go ahead and take assistance of the Vancouver SEO company the following; the SEO Vancouver professionals will make your business develop so that you can reap greater profits.

 

Dependable SEO Services For Your Business in Vancouver

Expert sophisticated Vancouver SEO services enable you to come in the very best list of the search results to attract visitors. Furthermore, the actual visitors associated with organic outcomes is going to be eager to purchase items and these services will prove to be useful when you are your business.

You need Search engine optimization Vancouver to benefit your organization by helping you to make the most presence from the internet search engine as well as therefore getting good visitors to your internet site. By using search engine rankings, these services may hugely assist your internet website get in touch with the world of individuals accessing web and thus, sketching increasingly more visitors to your web website. When the website has begun generating visitors to this, your company may reap benefits as your web site will become probably the most retrieveable on the top search engines like google.

An organization requirements these kinds of providers as the Search engine optimization professionals have the fundamental understanding and knowledge of how you can get it done. A person as the website owner can spend time on internet going through weblogs, forums, along with other supplies. However, you have to focus on additional facets of your web website and SEO professionals focus all their initiatives on Search engine optimization because this is the things they're doing best.

The actual Search engine optimization businesses promise to increase increased traffic for your site regularly by giving you an assurance that when individuals search for services or products, your web site comes on the top of most sought after search engines like google like Yahoo, Search engines, MSN as well as America online.

Quite simply, to improve web visitors as well as visibility, it is crucial that the website ought to get updated continually. The entire process of search engine optimization is not the one-time attempt. An effective Search engine optimization service consists of marketing, position, web site marketing, link trades and much more. In order to contain the modifications in order to Search engine optimization methods and techniques daily, professional Search engine optimization maintain experienced and officially skilled Search engine optimization experts, site designers, copywriters, Search engine optimization editors, marketing specialists as well as task managers.

A professional and result-oriented seo service includes the following:
. Study as well as report pre-optimization position
. Search phrase choice as well as optimization
. Competition analysis report
. Explanation associated with tags
. Themed hyperlink web page development
. Optimisation associated with pictures
. Keyword-rich content creating
. SEO copy writing
. Link strategies
. HTML coding
. Search engine distribution

Search engine optimization businesses offer the service associated with market and keyword research. These types of organizations will appear at the clients' web sites as well as their competitors and can look for suitable keywords. They adopt the best strategy which will ensure on the internet presence as well as exposure.

Now, let's mention the benefits that will help an company's site reach the top of a search engine.
• Customized Search engine optimization solution
• Long term best rankings in search engines
• Greater web site traffic and online product sales
• Global company coverage
• Corporate company identification
• Suggestions for business improvement
• Follow-up support
• Optimum returns