| Desk References
Acronym Finder
A comprehensive database of acronyms, abbreviations, and initialisms — more than 291,000 definitions.
AnyWho.com
The reverse look-up is great when you don't know a street address, what time zone you're calling or show you called on your last phone bill.
Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations
Need a pithy quote to kick off a meeting, open a speech or lead into a story? Search for classics on Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations online. Or try Simpson’s Contemporary Quotations for more up-to-date quotes.
ConvertIt.com
Convert measurements, currencies and time zones with this handy calculator.
Dictionary.com
Looking for just the right word to flummox a friend or exasperate a foe? Build your vocabulary with esoteric words, archaic phrases and contemporary usages when you subscribe to Dictionary.com.'s Word of the Day.
MapQuest
The best thing since AAA for people who don't know how to get where they're going.
The New York Times Newsroom Navigator
The single best bookmark for Web references is The New York Times Navigator, designed to give reporters and editors a solid starting point for their Web research.
Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)
Check the U.S. Patent and Tradmark Office's catalog of registered words and phrases before you make them the centerpiece of your next campaign.
Webopedia
Find out what all the acronyms and jargon really mean. Look them up on Internet.com's online dictionary and search engine for computer and Internet technology.
Whatis.com
Part of the TechTarget.com Network, Whatis.com features definitions for thousands of the most current IT-related words.
WHOIS
Provides website domain name registration information, including name and contact information for the site administrator.
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia
Wikipedia is not only an easy-to-use encyclopedia, it's also a great example of a collaborative Web site (a.k.a., wiki).
Directories and Search Engines
Alexa Web Search
Get traffic rankings, user reviews and contact information for any URL. Owned by Amazon.com, Alexa ranks Web sites based on a sampling of the number of users and page views.
Ask.com
This meta-search engine allows you to ask a question in plain English, then sorts the answers from the top search engines. You can quickly narrow your choices to three or four relevant links.
BlogFlux
BlogFlux (formerly The Eatonweb Portal) catalogs blogs alphabetically and by tag, topic, language and country. The improved site now offers a subscription service.
BlogPulse
Intelliseek's BlogPulse tracks the day's most referenced phrases, people and links. Search for blog posts on hot topics, or see what bloggers are saying about your organization or brand.
Google.com
Back when it was new and unknown,Time Columnist Anita Hamilton gushed about Google: "[W]hat really brings out the techno-geek in me is a killer search engine that finds just what I'm looking for, and fast."
PreFound.com
Search the search results others have generated, and save yourself some time.
Technorati
Another great blog search engine. Plug in a company or product name and get a list of posts, along with a count of how many sources link to each -- giving you an idea of how much exposure the post got.
Yahoo!
Still great if you don't know exactly what you're looking for -- drill down through the categories and see topics that might not otherwise occur to you to search.
Good Books
All Marketers Are Liars
The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World
By Seth Godin
Learn what it takes for your message to ring true.
Blogwild!
A Guide for Small Business Blogging
By Andy Wibbels
Learn how to use a blog to establish your brand and generate leads from the b-blogging guru.
Bob Bly's Guide to Freelance Writing Success
How to Make $100,000 a Year As a Freelance Writer and Have the Time of Your Life Doing It
By Robert, W Bly
A must-read for newcomers and veterans alike.
The Brand Called You
The Ultimate Brand-Building and Business Development Handbook to Transform Anyone into an Indispensable Personal Brand
By Peter Montoya and Tim Vandehey
The sub-title says it all.
The Corporate Blogging Book
Absolutely Everything You Need to Know to Get It Right
By Debbie Weil
Blogging could soon become a must-have corporate marketing & communications tool. Learn how to do it right from a pro.
Designing Web Usability
The Practice of Simplicity
By Jakob Nielsen
Covers all aspects of usability and why it's important: page design, content design, site design, intranet design, accessibility for users with disabilities, and serving a global audience. An excellent reference and constant reminder to simplify, simplify, simplify.
Don't Make Me Think
A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
By Steve Krug
A quick read for before
your next Web site project, this book covers Krug's three Laws of Usabilty, and much more.
Eats, Shoots & Leaves
The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
By Lynne Truss
Inspired by "horror" and "despair" at the current state of language usage, this book was a surprise hit.
E-Mail: A Write It Well Guide
How to Write and Manage E-Mail in the Workplace
By Janis Fisher Chan
Says one reviewer: "The more concise, and clear, your message is, the more likely you will get a satisfactory response."
The Email Marketing Kit
The Ultimate Email Marketers Bible
By Jeanne Jennings
Buy the book or read the excperts in the ClickZ series to follow 10 steps for developing an effective email strategy.
Floating Off The Page
The Best Stories from The Wall Street Journal's "Middle Column"
Edited by Ken Wells
Cleverly crafted stories on odd and amusing topics from some of the best writers in journalism today.
Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants
Breakthrough Tactics for Winning Profitable Clients
By Jay Conrad Levinson and Michael W. McLaughlin
Flip to any page and find a tip you can put to use immediately.
Homepage Usability
50 Websites Deconstructed
By Jakob Nielson and Marie Tahir
Critiques standard-setting sites such as CNET, e-Bay and Yahoo. The book begins with a chapter of guidelines that serve as a checklist of features and functionality to include on your home page.
Information Architecture for the World Wide Web
By Louis Rosenfeld & Peter Morville
How to organize content to make Web sites easy to use, manage and expand. Explained from a library science perspective, the principles of information architecture make good sense.
Love is the Killer App
How to Win Business and Influence Friends
By Tim Sanders
Yahoo's Chief Solutions Officer nominates not e-mail, not the Internet, but love as the killer app. Sanders tells us how to be lovecats by sharing freely our knowledge, network and compassion. When we do, good things will come our way.
Naked Conversations
How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers
by Robert Scoble and Shel Israel
Learn the six pillars of blogging: Publishable, Findable, Social, Viral, Syndicatable and Linkable.
Permission-Based E-Mail Marketing That Works!
By Kim MacPherson
At the core of successful e-mail marketing is a trusting relationship between sender and recipient. This book recommends the best e-marketing practices to preserve that trust.
Purple Cow
Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
By Seth Godin
The guru behind such catch phrases as "permission marketing" and "idea virus" is on an unstoppable mission to transform business.
Research-based Web Design & Usability Guildelines
By the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
View and print the entire guidelines book (2006 edition) or download chapters by topic, including navigation, graphics, content, search and usability.
Search Engine Marketing, Inc.
Driving Search Traffic to Your Company's Web Site
By Mike Moran and Bill Hunt
A step-by-step guide to setting up and managing a search marketing program, as well as best practices and cost-saving tips.
Simplified Strategic Planning
A No-Nonsense Guide for Busy People Who Want Results Fast
By Robert W. Bradford and J. Peter Duncan
"Strategy is about seeing the options and making choices," says Robert W. Bradford, President of the Center for Simplified Strategic Planning, Ann Arbor, Mich. This step-by-step book guides you through the process. It's highly readable, with worksheets and checklists.
Weaving the Web
The Original Design and Ultimate Destiny of the World Wide Web by Its Inventor
by Tim Berners-Lee
In this first-person account, Tim Berners-Lee lets you see his vision, answers tough questions about commercialization and control on the Web, and inspires confidence in the future of a medium for world community.
Writing White Papers
How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged
by Michael Stelzner
How-to details for every step of any white paper project -- from needs assessment to marketing tactics.
Internet Know-how
Builder.com
The one-stop site for a how-to library, references and resources. Subscribe to the e-mail newsletter, "Web Development Zone," and get the latest tips delivered to your desktop.
ClickZ
The ClickZ Network publishes a daily opt-in e-mail newsletter with information and advice from a network of more than 70 contributors. The articles are full of practical information and advice about online marketing.
E-mail Marketing Glossary & Resource Reference
This excellent glossary not only defines the terms but also provides links to how-to articles and resources.
eMarketer
Sign up for eMarketer Newsletter to get ebusiness news, numbers and analysis delivered daily from a leading provider of ebusiness statistics.
Ezine University
Learn how to start or improve your e-mail publications at Ezine University, which offers free self-paced tutorials covering everything from planning to profits.
Good Experience
Ideas about how to create good, meaningful experiences in business and life — online and off. Don't miss This is Broken, a Web log of incredibly bad designs.
High Rankings Advisor
A weekly e-newsletter from search engine optimization guru Jill Whalen. Every issue is packed with how-to tips you can implement right away.
MarketingExperiments.com
An online laboratory with a simple (but not easy) mission: To discover what really works. They test e-marketing tactics and publish the results in the Marketing Experiments Journal.
MarketingSherpa.com
Case studies and best practices for Internet and integrated marketing. Subscribe to weekly e-newsletters covering B2B and B2C e-marketing, or search the archives for case studies, white papers and guides (available for free or for modest fees).
Marketing Terms.com
Multiple ways to search and browse for definitions, articles and resources. Simple and concise definitions link to more in-depth explanations, along with lists of related terms and resources.
MarketPosition
Get regular updates on search engine positioning news, as well as how-to tips and advice on the MarketPosition Weblog.
Search Engine Optimization Consultants Directory
Search the SEO Consultants Directory to find a consultant who can optimize your Web site to achieve high search engine rankings. The site also provides links to SEO resources and forums.
Search Engine Watch
"The source for search engine marketing" provides e-newsletters and Web feeds to more than 150,000 readers who want to know how to be found by search engines.
Useit.com: Jakob Nielsen's site
The outspoken expert on Web site usability archives his articles and interviews online, as well as lists recommended books and links.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
The World Wide Web Consortium's Content Accessibility Guidelines explain how to avoid and remove barriers for people with disabilities that limit sensory, physical or cognitive functions.
News and Information
BtoB
Subscribe to the Magazine for Marketing Strategists' daily, weekly and/or monthly e-alerts with current issue highlights, hands-on strategy tips and insightful case studies.
Fast Company
Read Fast Company online, or subscribe to Fast Take, a free e-mail newsletter that alerts readers to what Fast Company is up to, in print and otherwise.
iMedia Connection Newsletter
Published by iMedia Communications Inc., the iMedia Connection newsletter provides news and information about interactive media and marketing with a blend of analysis, opinion and current events.
The New York Times: Technology
The New York Times Technology section features CyberTimes daily news and columns, and breaking news from CNET News.com (registration required).
Online Publishers Association
Check out the free research reports on such topics as "18 to 34 Year-Olds: Behavioral Analysis" and " A Profile of Online Newspaper Consumers."
Slashdot
Written and read by "bored geeks," Slashdot features news and commentary on hundreds of topics, from Apple to yro (Your Rights Online). It's tagline: "News for nerds. Stuff that matters."
Snopes.com
One of the dozens of urban legand reference pages at Snopes.com, Inbox Rebellion is the place to go to confirm or deny an email offer as legitimate.
Techmeme
Technology coverage is driven by a software agent that searches the blogs and news sites of industry insiders, passionate independents and established journalists.
TechNews.com
The Washington Post merged Newsbytes.com with Washtech.com under the brand TechNews.com, with expanded coverage of legal and privacy issues (free registration required).
The Vocabula Review
A monthly diatribe about the devolution of the English language. It's witty and elegant in its review of current uses and abuses.
WorldNews.com
For world news all in one place, it's the best.
Technology and Tools
Google AdSense
Place context-sensitive Google AdWords on your Web site to generate revenue.
Google Analytics
This free tool has been upgraded to help you learn more about your website visitors and track progress toward campaign goals. Watch the video about how it works.
Google Page Creator
A free online tool that makes it easy for anyone to create and publish web pages in minutes.
Link Popularity Check
Search engines may refuse to index sites that aren't linked to other sites. Check your site's popularity with the free Link Popularity Check from MarketLeap.
LinkedIn
This professional networking service has grown to 12 million people in 150 industries. Now you can upgrade to a business account and use LinkedIn as a highly targeted email marketing tool.
Lyris ContentChecker
Use the free Lyris ContentChecker to see if your permission-based email messages could be mistakenly blocked by anti-spam filters.
Message Box (PDF)
Craft key messages to guide development of all your publications. The box has compartments for four points: "threshold message" (to engage the audience), "solution message" (how you’ll make lives better, jobs easier), "action message" (what you want them to do) and "reinforcement message" (proof that your solution works).
Meta Tag Builder and Analyzer
Control what words and phrases search engines use to describe your site by inserting meta tags in your HTML. Build and test meta tags with these free online tools.
ProofreadNOW
Upload a file to the document server, and in about an hour this 24/7 service will return your document with corrections and comments from two professional proofreaders. (Pricing based on Word document word count.)
SiteReportCard
Check your website for broken links, spelling errors, long load times, HTML and meta tag mistakes, search engine inclusion and link popularity -- all at once -- for free.
WebXACT
Formerly "Bobby," WebXACT is a free online service that lets you test single pages of web content for quality, accessibility, and privacy issues.
Wordtracker
Find out what keywords people use to search for the products or services you offer with Worktracker.
ZDNet Developer -- HTML Toolbox
Tune up your Web site with NetMechanic's HTML Toolbox, a free online tool that finds broken links, spots bad HTML code, checks browser compatibility, rates page-load time and checks spelling.
Weblogs and Wikis
BlogFlux
BlogFlux (formerly The Eatonweb Portal) catalogs blogs alphabetically and by tag, topic, language and country. The improved site now offers a subscription service for email alerts on blog updates.
Blogger
Free publishing platform to create your own blog. I use TypePad, but lots of people use Blogger, which was bought by Google.
Bloglines
If you like to read blogs but think installing an RSS reader is too much trouble, sign up for a free account on Bloglines, where you can monitor feeds from multiple blogs in one browser window.
BlogPulse
Track the day's most referenced phrases, people and links. Search for blog posts on hot topics, or see what bloggers are saying about your organization or brand.
PBWiki
A free and easy platform for publishing a wiki, a web site anyone can edit and add to. It's as easy as making a peanut butter sandwich.
Technorati
Plug in a company or product name and get a list of posts, along with a count of how many sources link to each -- giving you an idea of how much exposure the post got.
TypePad
If you want to blog but are intimidated by the technology, check out TypePad by Six Apart, creators of MoveableType.
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia
Wikipedia is not only an easy-to-use encyclopedia, it's also a great example of a collaborative Web site (a.k.a., wiki).
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