How to Use or Install Google Maps on my website

I installed Google Maps on my own website today just to try it out. It's fairly simple and Google provides a lot of examples on how to do it.

1. API Key

First you have to sign up for an API key - a Google account is required. This key can only be used per domain and has to be used in the Javascript code to verify ownership.

2. The "Hello, World" of Google Maps

Next, create a new file on your server and copy and paste this code into that page. Make sure to use your API key.

3. Test your page on your server. To see what I did go to my Google Maps page.

Link: Google Maps API and Examples

If you don't have time to figure it out I can install it for you for a minimal fee. Click here for details.

Free SEO Tools

I was doing some SEO research the other day getting prepared for my SEO seminar at Specialty Engraving of Wilmington NC.

I came across Webconfs.com which has a ton of cool, free SEO tools. Here is a sample of what you will find on the site:

Similar Page Checker
Search Engine Spider Simulator
Backlink Anchor Text Analysis
Backlink Builder
Backlink Summary
Keyword Density Checker
Redirect Check
Reciprocal Link Check
Check Yahoo WebRank
Domain Stats Tool
Domain Age Tool
Website Keyword Suggestions
Keyword-Rich Domain Suggestion Tool

Link: Find out more info about our SEO/Search Engine Optimization Package in Wilmington NC

Link: Webconfs

Impulse inks deal with Looman Photography

Impulse Web Solutions will be redoing the website for Daniel Looman of Looman Photography.

Looman is currently serving as local director of the Christian Surfers chapter in Jaco, Costa Rica.

The goal of the new website is to be plain, simple and uncomplicated with fast loading images. Future plans are to implement a Flash photo gallery such as Simpleviewer and minimal navigation items on a white background.

Link: Looman Photography

Impulse Web Solutions to consult Specialty Engraving on SEO

Impulse will be doing an SEO seminar at Specialty Engraving, located in Wilmington NC. Specialty Engraving has just launched a new website and is looking to make expand their client base by reaching a broader audience via the world wide web.

Specialty Engraving provides employee recognition, motivation and retention programs to a wide array of clients throughout the nation such as Walmart, Cracker Barrel, Applebee's, Chili's and Target to name a few.

The SEO seminar will primarily be focused on ways to improve the new website and make it more search engine friendly for popular search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN.

For more information on our SEO services, please visit the main site at Wilmington NC SEO Firm

Link: Employee Motivation, Recognition and Awards - Specialty Engraving

Client Testimonials

"Impulse gave us the design we were looking for. Our project was finished on time, and our employees and clients have given us great feedback on the new site. We will use Impulse for future projects."

Duane Hixon
Neighborhood Networks Publishing

"My experience with Impulse Web Designs has been nothing short of great! We're very happy with our website, the design and all the time taken by Impulse to work with the customer until satisfaction was met. I think it's obvious by their work, they are professional and picky when it comes to representing someone's work. The work speaks for itself. Thanks and pura vida!"

Daniel Looman
Christian Surfers Costa Rica

"Our old site was completely out of date and obsolete. Impulse Web Solutions did a great job of turning our high-level vision into a great finished product. They also did a good job of being flexible with the input that they received from our numerous stakeholders. We are confident that we will now be in the running for one of the best Surfrider Chapter web sites in 2007."

Adam Shay
Cape Fear Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation

"We have had many different websites. Impulse Web Designs has out done
them all! Jonathan at Impulse has been a blessing. We have never had a
site that was so easy to navigate, manage, and easy for us to update. I
would highly recommend Impulse Web Designs."

Chris Jackson
Aussie Island Surf Shop

"Thanks again for your help. By the way, my Brigade trip this July served 2620 medical patients, adults & children, and the dental team saw some 1239 patients and pulled almost three thousand teeth. You helped make that happen!!"

William Casey
Propapa.org

"Thanks impulse web designs for the great job. It is my first website and if I had known you were going to be so professional and helpful accomplishing my goals, I would've done it a long time ago. I will recommend you to everyone. "

Jeff Stidham, owner
Jeff Stidham Custom Stucco

Impulse Ranks #2 on Google for 'web hosting in wilmington, nc'

Was checking my stats this afternoon and saw that someone had come to my site after searching for 'web hosting in wilmington, nc' on Google.

I was ranked number 2 baby!! Right under the corporate giant that is Sage Island - the biggest web design firm in Wilmington NC.

Link: My Ranking as of 11:15 pm on 3/11/07

How to use an image to prevent comment spam - Captcha

I recently designed and developed a website for AValive/Triangle Visual Interactive and the owner of the site was getting frustrated with all the comment spam he was receiving. The website has several forms and people were either wasting their time, visiting the site and putting in junk, or the site was being hit by a spam bot. Spam bots crawl the internet looking for sign up forms, comment forms, blogs, etc., and put in junk data and submit them. Junk data is usually in the form of some advertisement for Viagra, Real Estate deals and porn.

So I did some research on the net to try and find out how to prevent comment spam. I've often signed up for things on the net and been required to type in a text field some numbers or letters that I see in an image. So I wanted to implement that idea for AValive.biz

Luckily, I came across a great site that described how to implement this Captcha image in like 10 minutes. It also shows you how to do an audio clip so that site users could listen to a recording and then they would type in what they hear.

To use this technique, you need at least PHP 4 compiled with GD 1 or 2 (Image Generation) and FreeType text support. It should work fine with Linux, Mac OS X or Windows based systems although you will need to change the default temporary file storage directory specified when using with Windows. PHP session support is also required. The audio CAPTCHA requires the Flite text to speech synthesis engine - more details on set up below.

Some other features of this technique:

• Multiple random TrueType fonts
• Character rotation
• Optional chararacter shadow support
• Optional site owner display text
• Random custom background images
• Font size selection
• Greyscale or colour lines and characters
• Character set selection
• Integration of validation function for checking the user entered code with the generated code

Hope this helps somone else.

Link: Instructions on how to install Captcha image

How to copy songs from my CDs to my iPod using iTunes

Had to figure this one out the hardway so I thought I would share my experience. My boss gave me a nice new iPod Nano for a Christmas bonus and my wife wanted to copy songs onto it from CDs.

1. Open iTunes. If you don't have it download it from Apple.com

2. Insert CD into disc player

3. It will ask you if you want to import the songs from the CD to your Music Library. This is the key to iTunes - everything is in your Library. If you want the whole CD, click 'Yes' and it will import the entire CD to your Library. If you only want certain songs, click 'No'. Then, highlight the songs you want, and drag and drop them onto the word 'Library' at the top left. This will import the selected songs from the CD into your Library.

4. Connect your iPod to your PC or Mac using the provided USB cable.

5. You have 2 options here: let iTunes automatically sync up your iPod and Library or manage it manually. If you want to sync it automatically, when it asks you, click 'Yes'. Otherwise, there is an option that you need to check to manage your music manually. Under Devices you should see your iPod, click on your device, and then under the second tab I believe is a checkbox for letting you control your music manually.

6. Lastly, go to your Library, select the songs you want to transfer and drag 'n drop them to your iPod listed under Devices. iTunes will then begin transferring the music to your iPod. Be sure not to disconnect your iPod until it is done; when it is, right click on your iPod listed under Devices and select Eject.

Hope this helps

Wrightsville Beach NC - Mixed Use Project is Approved

The Wrightsville Beach Board of Alderman has approved a mixed-use project to be built between Salisbury and Seagull Street, next to Johnny Mercer's Pier.

As a Wilmington NC resident and avid surfer, finding available parking spots is almost impossible as it is so I'm not looking forward to the increase of construction and crowds.

However, the increase in shops, businesses and hopefully eating spots will make downtown Wrightsville Beach a nice little place to hang out. And hopefully the increased revenue will give the town more money for public amenities such as restrooms and possibly help reduce the cost of parking.

Link: Lumina News Article