Webmaster newsletter - October 2005

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Hello OurChurch.Com webmasters,

View this message on the web with color and graphics in our newsletter archives at:
http://www.ourchurch.com/view/?pageID=177314

IN THIS ISSUE
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1) Eight Little-Known Ways to Increase Traffic
2) Change in Guestbook Screening

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1) EIGHT LITTLE-KNOWN WAYS TO INCREASE TRAFFIC
Want more visitors to your website? This month we take a look at some ways to increase website traffic that many webmasters are not aware of.

1. E-newsletter Feature - All sites built with our Beacon web builder come with an e-newsletter feature, which can be used to keep visitors to your site informed. Add an email list page to your site and visitors can subscribe on their own. You ask, "Are newsletters really effective?" You're reading this, aren't you?

2. OCC Search - Make sure your listing in OurChurch.Com's search engine is active and accurate. You can check the status of your search listing on your webmaster page.

3. OCC Forums - Regularly post messages in our Christian forums and include a link at the bottom to your website. Other visitors to our forums will read your messages and click through to your site, and the links will improve your ranking in search engines. http://forums.ourchurch.com

4. Sample Site - Every month we select five new sites to serve as examples so our visitors can see what OCC websites looks like. Sample sites receive thousands of additional visitors each month. Nominate your site to be a sample. http://www.ourchurch.com/view/?pageID=96518

5. Testimonials - Add a message to our testimonials page explaining how OurChurch.Com has helped you or your organization make more effective use of the Internet. Be sure to include a link to your site in your testimonial. http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6

6. Exchange Links - Search our Christian search engine for sites similar to yours and ask them if they'd like to exchange links - you put a link to their site on yours and they put a link to your site on theirs.

7. Email Signature - Include the address of your website in your email signature so it's automatically added to the bottom of every email you send.

8. OCC Search Engine Services - OurChurch.Com can get your site added to the best general and Christian search engines. We can also get your site ranked at the top of Google, Yahoo, and MSN. Read more about our search engine registration services. http://marketing.ourchurch.com/

2) CHANGE IN GUESTBOOK SCREENING
A couple of months ago we set up a filtering system to help screen reduce abuse of guestbooks and prayer request pages. For a while we were reviewing every message posted in every guestbook and prayer request page for all 7,000+ sites we host. That proved to be an overwhelming task that took us away from other important responsibilities, so we've given that task back to you. As webmaster, you receive an email notification of every guestbook and prayer request entry. If you receive any offensive messages, forward them in their entirety to us and we'll block that person from posting again.

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