Webmaster Newsletter - July 2006

[pdstein]

Hello OurChurch.Com webmasters,

July can be a "slow" time of year as many people take time off for vacation, but we've been busy here at OurChurch.Com. This month's newsletter focuses on some important opportunities (search engines) and challenges (spam and security) you're sure to want to read about.

View this message on the web with color and graphics in our newsletter archives at:
http://www.ourchurch.com/news/archive.php

IN THIS ISSUE
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1) July Special - Get Found Everywhere
2) McAfee Site Advisor and Guestbook Change
3) Hacker Attack!!!
4) Are Christian Search Engines Important?

<------------- Advertisement -------------->
Advertise your Christian ministry or business here!
http://www.ourchurch.com/advertising/
<------------- Advertisement -------------->

1) JULY SPECIAL - GET FOUND EVERYWHERE
OurChurch.Com is pleased to announce that for the month of July we are offering our Christian Search Engine Registration and Major Search Engine Registration services together for just $99. That's a savings of $40 off our regular prices. By combining these two search engine registration services, your site will get the best of both worlds - the shear volume of people searching the major search engines and the targeted visitors that come from Christian search engines.

With our Major Search Engine Registration service we will register your web site with all the major search engines like Google, Yahoo!, MSN, Ask and many more. With our Christian Search Engine Registration service we will register your web site with 50+ Christian search engines, Christian directories, and Christian church directories. For more details, read the full announcement.
http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=1168

2) MCAFEE SITE ADVISOR AND GUESTBOOK CHANGE
A few weeks ago we were notified about a warning (http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/ourchurch.com) McAfee had posted on its Site Advisor website about OurChurch.Com. In it McAfee alleges that OCC posts its members email addresses online where they could be harvested by spammers. After exchanging emails with a McAfee representative, we were able to determine the real issue was that email addresses were being displayed on the guestbook and prayer request pages created by our Beacon Web Builder. We immediately modified Beacon to remove all email addresses from those pages. We then notified McAfee of the change and asked them to re-review our site and reconsider their comments. As of the writing of this newsletter, McAfee does not appear to have done that, but we wanted to assure all our webmasters that your email addresses have not been at risk and the issue with the guestbooks and prayer request pages has been addressed.

3) HACKER ATTACK!!!
You may be surprised to know our servers are constantly being surveyed by hackers for vulnerabilities. This is true of virtually every server online. Our servers run a very sophisticated security system that is updated on a daily basis to protect against the latest vulnerabilities and hacking tactics. We also have some brilliant server administrators in our data center working to keep our servers secure. However, one of the primary ways hackers can gain access to a server is through the software webmasters install on it. This is why if you have a Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze account and have installed any scripts in your account either on your own or using cPanel/Fantastico it is vital that you check on a weekly basis to be sure you have the latest version installed.

What should you do?

A. Uninstall any scripts you are not using.

B. If you installed the script using Fantastico, login to your cPanel control panel and click the Fantastico option. If there is a newer version available, there will be a link to upgrade. Click it.

C. Go to the developer of the script and subscribe to their mailing list. (If you run spam-filtering software, be sure to put the developer on your "white list" so you receive their email.) This will ensure that you are notified when a new version is released.

4) ARE CHRISTIAN SEARCH ENGINES IMPORTANT?
And if so, why? Find out the answers to these important questions by reading this informative blog article by Kurt Steinbrueck, our Director of Search Marketing.
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2006/07/13/are-christian-search-engines-important/

Thanks for hosting your website at OurChurch.Com. Post your comments and questions concerning this newsletter here in our forums.

In His Service,
OurChurch.Com

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OCC Quick Links
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- OurChurch.Com homepage - http://www.ourchurch.com
- Website hosting - http://www.ourchurch.com/hosting/
- Custom website designs - http://www.ourchurch.com/design/
- Marketing services - http://marketing.ourchurch.com
- Partner/Affiliate program - http://partner.ourchurch.com
- Christian Search - http://www.ourchurch.com/search/
- Daily scripture - http://devotions.ourchurch.com
- Christian Web Trends Blog - http://blog.ourchurch.com
- OCC message boards - http://forums.ourchurch.com
- OCC status board - http://status.ourchurch.com
- OCC help pages - http://www.ourchurch.com/help/
- OCC help desk - http://www.ourchurch.com/support/

OCC's NEWEST ADVERTISERS
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- Stewart Signs - http://www.ourchurch.com/ads/click.php3?bannerID=1103
- Owsley Foundation - http://www.ourchurch.com/ads/click.php3?bannerID=1104

June AWARD-WINNING WEBSITES
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- Marilyn's Inspirational Poetry - http://www.marilynspoetry.com/
- INTERNATIONAL BRANCH Of LION Of JUDAH - http://www.vinesbranch.com/
- Five Fold Ministry Ireland - http://www.fivefoldministryireland.com/
- PRAYER LINES - http://www.prayer-lines.com/

Info on PowerPoints Challenge - http://www.ourchurch.com/help/help-powerpoints.php

OVERHEARD...
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"I have been saddened as you might also be by the inhuman crimes that the city of Mumbai in India has experienced in the past week. Please do read the 2 pages of true stories at the links given below... and your heart will be touched by the sorrow that some have experienced." - jeremiah7
http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=1197

Sound off on our message boards - http://forums.ourchurch.com

BEACON TIP O' THE MONTH
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Give your visitors a reason to return to your website on a regular basis by updating or adding new content on a regular basis.

WEBSITE SPOTLIGHT: Hunting Creek Baptist Church - http://www.huntingcreek.net
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Hunting Creek Baptist Church is located in Big Island, Virginia just outside of Lynchburg. Their website is hosted in a Domain package with the Ad-free option. They are one of a handful of organizations to use the "Custom Website Layout" option that comes in Beacon with the Ad-Free option. The Hunting Creek website includes a lot of features that give people a reason to return to the site on a regular basis including photos from recent events, daily devotions, fun Bible-based games that are updated on a daily or weekly basis, and a monthly column written by the pastor. If you'd like people to not just visit your site, but return regularly check out some of the ideas implemented on the Hunting Creek Baptist Church site.