What will really help your web site? What idea, or feature will generate the traffic and sales you are looking for. Multimedia is a very effective tool, used with discretion and purpose. The old law of 'just because we can do a thing, doesn't mean that we should do a thing' holds true in this area.

Working with D-A-L.com, I discovered that creating short flash tutorials for particular subjects, was very effective. These tutorials show the tasks and computer fixes that I describe in the text of the article. They are not a substitute for good, clear writing, but they are definitely an enhancement. On top of this, they generate a better response than articles with out them.

The trick is to know what is helping your goal and what is not. The goal of your web site determines what is there, or at least it should. If your goal is to make money, through page views and ad-clicks, then you will use multi-media much differently than if your goal is for direct retails sales, or real estate sales which again would be a much different use.

Real Estate sales is a perfect example of what I'm trying to get at here. A few years back, around 2000 - 2001, a big idea was to create panoramic views of the rooms in a house that was going on the market. These 360 degree view files were put on web sites as a type of virtual tour. Problem is, they never really enhanced the sales. Buyers didn't want to spend the time on the web site looking at these fish lens views of the room, they wanted to see the house.

Same idea, with hotel rooms however works much better. Virtual tours are a great idea for particular items, and particular uses. Selling a house isn't one of them.

So, before you spend several thousand dollars on a great idea, make sure that it fits your goal, and your web site.

Glenn's Desk, Web Content, Web Design

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The Winter of Frankie Machine will be on shelves September 26th. This novel is the first one since The Power of the Dog made its New York Times Best-seller run. Robert De Niro has already purchased the rights for the film, and the script is currently being created. Not bad for a book that hasn't even come out yet.

Robert De Niro previously said that he would not make another gangster movie, but the part of Frankie Machine was just too good to turn down. Frankie is a retired hit man. He started his career reluctantly, and tried to end it as soon as he could. Happy with his bait shack on the OB Pier, his linen service, and several other small business, retirement is treating him very well. Unfortunately, some people in his past have long memories, and find that Frankie still being alive is not an option for them.

After being setup, by two kids, sixty-two year old Frankie has to find out who is behind the attempt on his life, and how he's going to preserve the life he's been able to create for himself.

The book, like most of Don Winslow's work, is fast moving and fun to read. Other books by Don Winslow which will be coming out on the movie screen in the next few years are The Death and Life of Bobby Z, and Cool Breeze on the Under Ground.

Glenn's Desk

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