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Levelfield Broadcast Blog

Levelfield Broadcast Blog

Tip: Enhance your blog and websites. Add your photographs

15 New Look Designs Added for January and February 2008
2/13/200810:08:00 AM Link | | Add comment
design, Site Customization, Special
So far this year we have created 15 New Look Designs. These designs are an upgrade to your current travel site. The list price is $379 for the upgrade. This is substantially cheaper than our customization packages. However, we have had some great specials which make it a much better deal. Watch your email Inbox for the latest specials. I believe one is going out today

The New Look Designs (and our customization packages) bring you the latest in web standards. We base all the designs on a CSS layout which brings a great deal of flexibility to the design process. Additionally we are using a fantastic javascript library, jQuery, which adds all sorts of animation, effects, and processing capability to your website. Typical uses of jQuery include the use of Tabs, Slide shows, Tickers, and the ability to hide or show various parts of the webpage. As we move forward this year you'll be seeing a lot of the CSS/jQuery combo.

We have also added 3 new OnlineAgency Extras to the growing list of travel agency/agent tools. These are useful prepackaged lists for Places to Go, Things to Do, USA Ports. Some of the New Look Designs have them built into the design but feel free to add them to your website. The OnlineAgency EXTRAS are free and part of your current account. If you haven't used them before or need a little refresher you might want to check the help section.

Check out the 15 new designs. One might be just what you need for your website.
Adding images to your website
3/5/200712:01:57 PM Link | | Add comment
Digital Camera, Images, Search Engines, Site Customization
Blue Sky - White Clounds
Travel websites need to be very visual. The best way to add this depth is to take your own photos every time you travel anywhere. You'll be surprised at how quickly your own collection of good images builds up. And you have an extra bonus - you own the photos and in general can do with them as you will. Plus the photos and commentary on the photos are great ways to add unique content to your website. As we are known to say - good content helps attract search engine users.

If you don't have a camera or need a photo for a place you haven't been here's a place where you can buy photos from $2.50 to $1.00. The more you buy at one time the cheaper.

How wide should your web page be?

11/25/20065:38:46 PM Link | | Add comment

Screen Resolution (Display Resolution)

Hey, why is my website floating in a sea of white space? If you asking you probably have a giant monitor and a very high screen resolution - and we salute you! However, keep in mind that many people do not have such a monitor. When thinking about how wide your website should be make sure you look at your site through the eyes of your visitors.

Fortunately, your OnlineAgency (TM) website makes this easy for you by building this information into your Account. If you click on the Reports menu item from your OnlineAgency (TM) dashboard you'll see a link labeled, "Screen Resolution" or more correctly Display Resolution.

Here's our suggestions for page widths:

If you don't care about 15% of the population having to scroll left / right go with a width of 980 pixels. If you still care about that 15% of the propulation, we recommend 770 pixels. Of course your built in Online Agency (TM) site statistics will help solve this. You can see the screen resolution for the folks who actually visited your site. While you are there check out your reports. They are fascinating.

If you don't won't to look for yourself, then consider these numbers based on all internet traffic flowing through the Levelfield (TM) / OnlineAgency (TM) system

Resolution %

1024x768 55.08

800x600 15.51

1280x1024 10.44

1280x800 7.25

1152x864 3.12

1440x900 2.02

1280x768 1.55

1680x1050 0.96

1400x1050 0.80

1280x960 0.54

Other 2.71

Widkipedi defines it this way:

Resolution	%
1024x768	55.08
800x600	15.51
1280x1024	10.44
1280x800	7.25
1152x864	3.12
1440x900	2.02
1280x768	1.55
1680x1050	0.96
1400x1050	0.80
1280x960	0.54
Other	2.71

"The display resolution of a digital television or computer display can be an ambiguous term especially as displayed resolution is controlled by different factors in picture-tube (CRT) and flat panel or projection displays using fixed picture-element (pixel) arrays."

Now you see it - Now you don't
6/18/200610:45:53 PM Link | | Add comment
How To, Site Customization
The Levelfield Website may have limits but you will be surprised how far you have to go to find those limits. And once you have reached the edge you can actually change the limits if you are willing to do a little bit of work. One easy way is to use CSS and Javascript. With the combination of these two you can add a lot of punch to your pages. I've set up this small example for you.

In the example, I added a few links above the search box and I hide the search box when the page loads. If you click on the links you can hide and show the search box in several interesting ways.

Example: http://content.onlineagency.com/c/0/63/32379_63.htm

The example is using a fine javascript library Jquery and a Jquery plugin called Interface.
How to make a page index using a link box and page tags
6/18/20065:37:41 PM Link | | Add comment
Feature Enhancement, How To, Site Customization
The Levelfield.com (TM) / OnlineAgency.com (TM) editing platform makes it easy to link to your pages when you use Link box and Page tags.

Here's a slide show to show you how: http://www.levelfield.com/howtomakealinkboxfromtags.htm

The slide show was made using a combination of the Link Box/ Page Tags and snippet features.
When one is not enough
6/17/20067:14:45 AM Link | | Add comment
Site Customization
Using the Levelfield Box and Blocks system you can easily add extra columns to a page.

Example: http://www.levelfield.com/columns.htm
calling all web developers
6/13/20064:06:54 PM Link | | Add comment
Site Customization, Web Developers
Copyright @2006 Devin Colby Eastham
If you are a web developer and you have been working with clients using the Levelfield (TM) / Online Agency (TM) platform, I would like to speak with you . I'm taking a survey to see what features have been useful to you and what new options you would like to have to make your job easier. Send a comment in using the comment form in the right hand column. Make sure you include your email and phone number so that we can contact you.
NEW ---> Window to the world
5/24/20062:37:47 PM Link | | Add comment
Content Box, Feature Enhancement, How To, New Feature, Site Customization
The OnlineAgency system has built in support to make the use of IFRAMES easy. Think of a IFRAME as a window on your webpage. Online Agency users will find this feature useful for linking up to some of the affiliate programs. Using the IFRAME can make the 3rd party information fit better into your website

Click on the examples

Click to see example

Levelfield Customer Comment Documentation

More cool things in an iframe
Online Agency Website has a new design
5/23/20068:47:28 AM Link | | Add comment
Site Customization
We figured that after several years it was time to update the look on the OnlineAgency (TM) website.. We built it using the same tools that you have as an Levelfield (TM) / OnlineAgency (TM) member.

If you are interested in any of the techniques let us know.

Be sure and tell us what you think.
What if your customers could post their comments easily on your website
5/9/200612:57:36 PM Link | | Add comment
Feature Enhancement, How To, Levelfield Broadcast Package, New Feature, Site Customization
Customer Comment Module
What if your customers could post their comments easily on your website! What if you wanted to be able to approve the comments before they automatically were displayed on your website? What if you could get this feature added at no cost to your website?

Wait no longer! We have added a new feature, the Levelfield Customer Comment Module, for everyone who has the Levelfield Broadcast Package.

What is the Levelfield Customer Comment Module?

The Levelfield Customer Comment module allows you to feature approved customer comments on your Levelfield site. For the customer, it means they can come to your site and submit a comment and after you approve it then it will appear on the site. For you, this can serve as one more way to communicate and interact with your customers. They can submit a comment and after you approve it you can put it on the site, showing them your appreciation. This new feature will be a part of our Levelfield content boxes and can also appear on a stand-alone page as well. You will have the flexibility to decide exactly where you want your comment box featured on the sit.

Click here to see how you can add the Levelfield Customer Comment Module to your website.

What is the Levelfield Broadcast Package?

The package is built around the Private Label Supreme option that removes your website from a frameset, brands each link in the site with your domain name, and makes your website very search engine friendly. Plus we'll upgrade your newsletter so that you can create and save for reuse your newsletter campaigns. And from time to time, you will get certain new features at no cost like the Levelfield Customer Comment Module! Pay once and it keeps on going for you.

If you don't have the Levelfield Broadcast Package, May is a good month to add it. You can get it at no cost with certain upgrades. Or if you prefer you can purchase the Levelfield Broadcast Package for the one time price of only $99. Plus we'll give you an extra month of service. Our regular price is $169. Save at least $140 in May.

Click here to read more about the Levelfield Broadcast Package.

Call now Toll Free 866 489-4889 to lock in your savings.
News Flash - The world is round
5/5/20069:22:37 AM Link | | Add comment
Site Customization
O you knew that! But our webpages didn't.

We are working on a technique that will allow you to have rounded corners on your web page. Not sure what I'm talking about. Take a look at the example:

Example Click around the demo site you'll see that the rounded corners are beginning to show up through out the system. We've not decided exactly how we will implement this for you but this working demonstration will let you see what's possible. The example has only been tested in IE which represents so many folks who use your websites. However, we will make it look ok in Firefox as well as other browsers.

Want to learn more about the roundification of website corners:

Read This

Want to know even more

Google Search: rounded corners

Warning: the system still doesn't know much about rounded corners and other visualization tricks but we are teaching it. Stay tuned.
A written word is the choicest of relics
5/3/20068:54:46 PM Link | | Add comment
New Feature, Site Customization
"A written word is the choicest of relics." -Heny David Thorea Google

A picture is worth a thousand words...

What happens when you combine the written word with a picture? '

Click here to find out and to make your own sign.
Editing Non-Member Supplier Pages
1/25/200611:51:48 AM Link | | Add comment
Site Customization, Travel Agency, Travel Content, Travel Suppliers
Bob the Trainer
Did you know you can add your own supplier content or edit supplier pages?

Many Suppliers are listed in the OnlineAgency (TM) system that are not member suppliers (they don't provide any content for the site).

Although they don't provide us content, you can use them by editing their page in our system to include whatever content you have from them. You can also use them as a supplier to create promotions and add your own Itinerary information.

* You can modify their page in our system
* They can be listed in your "Top Suppliers" column
* You can use them to build promotions in our system

Many of our customers use non-member suppliers in our system on their websites. Some use non-member suppliers exclusively and sell lots of travel.

There are 3 different methods or some combination of these to do it:

1. Create custom promotion using the non-member supplier
2. Create a page from scratch for the supplier
3. Edit a new version of the non-member supplier page in our system

_____________To edit a supplier page "New Version"_________

1. login.onlineagency.com > Click on "pages of content"
2. Click on "all pages" (in yellow Toolbar on the side)
3. Click on the Supplier Link or Destination Link to get to the page
(Follow path e.g.: The World > North America > United States > Hawaii)
4. click the "New Version" (in yellow Toolbar on the side)
5. Enter any pertinent information in the form fields (at least a title) > click "save"
6. Edit your page
7. Click "Release page"

____________To Create a Promotion______________

1. Login.onlineagency.com
2. Click promotions wizard ;
3. Select the type of promotion; if you are using a supplier select "Type 1", if not using a supplier select "Type 2"
4. Continue through the screens; follow the instructions in the wizard

***For Detailed Instructions****
login at onlineagency.com > Help? > How to Guides > Promotions & Specials How-To

Or just use this link:
http://content.onlineagency.com/sites/dl/Building_Editing_Promotions.htm

* The instructions include how to display the promotions on your page
* You can also create links to the pages just as you do with a static page
* After you are done you can go back and edit the promotion; click on "Promotions", click on "edit" or the name of the promotion to edit the page or the settings

________Walk-Through Training Support____________

The Online Agency Training program runs Monday through Friday each week.
You can sign up from your account dashboard (login to account).
The sessions occur every Day at 2:00 pm CST.

* Customizing OLA Content - In this class we cover how to customize any of the 30,000+ pages of content that make up your website. * Promotions In Depth - Here we go over the promo picker (which allows you to customize which promotions will be displayed on your pages), how to edit a promotion itinerary and how to build your own itinerary from scratch.
Put Your Digital Camera to Work
12/19/20051:27:28 PM Link | | Add comment
Digital Camera, Marketing, Site Customization

Have you ever thought about putting your digital camera to work in your business? You don't have to be a professional photographer to take advantage of your digital camera in your marketing efforts as you work to find your next new customer. Just look for opportunities to snap a photo that somehow illustrates your work. After all, it's been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. One thing for sure your camera can help you in the ongoing task of finding new and original content for your website. You take a picture, you write a few comments about the picture, you post it to your website and WHOOSH you've just added new content to your website. This new content can help you attract people via search engines to your website. And the more people you attract the more likely is that you'll find your next new customer.

You'll find once you get started there are many things you can do with your photos. Here's one to help stimulate your imagination. Just slide your map over the pictures.
See more more tricks like this at CSS Play by Stu
building the world one content box at a time....
12/5/20055:51:30 PM Link | | Add comment
Content Box, Feature Enhancement, Site Customization
Creating a Content box just became a little easier......A minor adjustment to the content box creating came out today. Previously, when you create a new box you had to click on the green box to add your elements. Now when a new box is created you go directly into the box. No, this is not an earth shattering change but it does save a click here and there...

Want to know more about content boxes?

Documentation

What's in that box?

Levelfield Box and Blocks
Thank You Sale - The Day after Thanksgiving!
11/24/20059:30:44 AM Link | | Add comment
blog, Levelfield Broadcast Package, Marketing, Site Customization, special
Call Friday (866) 489-4889 On Friday, November 24, 2005, known as the day after Thanksgiving 2005 many of you will be shopping. Take a few minutes to make an investment in your business. Online Agency is having the biggest sale of the year to help you get your website ready for the new year! Start the new year with your best foot forward. This special offer Expires November 30, 2005. Three Ways to Save
1. Customization Package $349 includes a complete makeover, 5 custom pages and up to 10 images, 2 months extra service, Levelfield Broadcast Option which includes Private Label Supreme. You'll save over $450 with this sale
2. Purchase or Renew your current account for 2 years for $550 and get the Levelfield Broadcast Option for free. You'll save $379.
3. Special BONUS get a blog site for FREE. Add a domain name for only $35 a year. Includes domain hosting - no email services or content provided.
Time is running out for you to get ready for the New Year. Once December 26 hits the online shoppers will begin their seasonal move to the Internet looking for their next vacation. Why not greet them this year with a brand new look! Thank you! Sincerely, Jude Samson President Levelfield.com, Inc d/b/a Online Agency.com 11824 Jollyville Rd #102 Austin,TX 78759 Phone:(512) 401-9200 Fax:(512) 401-9401 SALES:(866) 489-4889 Read the Levelfield Broadcast blog regularly for information about new features, marketing tips, and specials.
Search Engine Optimization or good luck!
11/23/20058:40:27 AM Link | | Add comment
Levelfield Broadcast Package, Marketing, MSN, Site Customization
This morning one of our customers reported to me that in MSN Search a link to her website for a well known cruise supplier is showing up first in the MSN search results and in another case on the first page.

How did she do this?

Well I'm guessing that luck is involved. Who knows exactly what and when the search engines are going to do something. However, I think there are several steps she took that certainly contributed to her good fortune.

1. She has added keyword rich unique text to her pages.

2. She has updated here website several times over the last 2-3 months.

3. She has added some meta keywords and a meta description. The search engine did not display the meta descripton. The keywords were not specific to the page. I don't think they help much.

4. She has the Levelfield Broadcast Option which includes Private Label Supreme. I don't think the Levelfield Broadcast Option made her number 1 or even got her on the first page but having this option certainly made it possible for Google, MSN, and Yahoo to index her website. Just 2 or 3 months ago she didn't have the Levelfield Broadcast Option. Now she has been indexed by the 3 primary search engines. She has not yet taken advantage of the of the Google Site Map feature.

Click to Read more about the Levelfield Broadcast Option and how it can help you.

One very important question:

Will she get search engine traffic as a result of this new positioning on the search results page?

After all it's possible to get top ranking for keywords that no one will ever use for a search. To demonstrate this I added the following phrase to one of our pages: Eightieth Waffle Mansion. If you search google and msn you'll see that phrase in the coveted number one position on the search results page. BUT who would ever search for that particular phrase.

click to see results on MSN

click to see results on Google

In a month or so I'll do a follow up report to see how our customer fared with her new positioning on the search results pages. What I can say for sure is that she gets traffic from Yahoo, Google, and MSN in that order on a daily basis. The question that I have will she benefit from this placement reported here.
66 Blogs!
11/15/20055:21:43 PM Link | | Add comment
Blog, Member Associations, Site Customization, Small Business
Welcome to all the new bloggers out there. So far 66 blogs have been created. Keep up the good work. Make sure you add a new entry today. AND for those of you who have not create a blog yet - get busy. Who knows your next customer just might find your website because of your blog.
Small Image - Large Image
11/14/20059:28:44 AM Link | | Add comment
Images, New Feature, Site Customization
click to see larger image
When you select an image for use on a page, you can now link automatically to a new page that contains a larger version fo the image along with Title and Description. Just click on the image to the left to see how this works.
More Search List formatting options added!
11/4/20054:00:44 PM Link | | Add comment
New Feature, Site Customization
We added 2 new formatting options today. 1. You can change the look for your even and odd rows in the search results.
If you are wondering about the colors use on the example site. You might want to click on Site - Style and check out the Palettes, Font and CSS buttons to see more customization options.
New Search List formatting options added.
11/3/20053:34:27 PM Link | | Add comment
New Feature, Site Customization
We added in new formatting capabilities for the search lists - the Box View. Here's what you need to do if you wish to check out this feature. 1. Log into your Levelfield (TM) / Onlineagency (TM) account. 2. Click on the SITES menu
the system will display a new page 3. Click on the PREFERENCES menu
the system will display the General preferences page The new feature can be found at the very top where you select the preferred view for search results. You can also set the Maximum image size in search results box view. Note: the maximum size will not make the image larger than it is but will allow you to size it up to its actual size.
Note: Column view not available for all search pages. Click to see example While you are looking at the preference page take a look at the other 23 preferences that you might not know about. Rumour has it that the Online Agency (TM) system is the world's most flexible and configurable system for the travel industry. The General preferences pages gives you 25 reasons why this is so. If you are wondering about the colors use on the example site. You might want to click on Site - Style and check out the Palettes, Font and CSS buttons to see more customization options.
Get the word out!
10/21/20058:16:48 AM Link | | Add comment
Blog, Google, Marketing, Search Engine, Site Customization
clipart.com
You may have noticed that we are talking a lot about blogging. That's because we are trying to get the word out about a powerful new business tool that is included free with your Levelfield(TM) / Online Agency(TM) account.

It's one of those tools that are designed to make it easier for you to get the word out. Getting the word out always increases your potential for new business.

Links
Here are a couple of articles that a Levelfield customer posted on their website that might help you decide to blog today: Business Blogging - Part 1 "Do You Blog?
Business Blogging - Part 2 "Why Blog?"

Here's a search that shows you one important fact:
Search engines love your unique content. Increase your business potential! Get the word out.
Google Search: levelfield.com blog
Add categories to your BLOG
10/20/20054:33:54 PM Link | | Add comment
blog, Marketing, New Feature, Search Engine, Site Customization
© clipart.com
While I was working on our Levelfield Broadcast Blog - I realized that I wanted to start categorizing my posts. I started to try this by adding something to the title but this was wonkey. But then I realized that we could just add categories to the blog and be done with it. This is a very powerful organization feature and I'm waiting to see who does magical things with it.

Now you can add CATEGORIES to your blog postings.

Give YOUR VISITORS the ability to browse your unique blogs by CATEGORY.

To see these categories in use look between the title and the content and you'll see the categories. In this case:

blog, Marketing, New Feature, Search Engine, Site Customization

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you'll see the categories list there as well. Each category becomes another page for your site Visitors to read and for Search Engines to find.

If you are using a BLOG on your website let us know. Send us your url even if it's not the one built into your account. Who knows we might post it somewhere for you so you have one more link back to your website.

If you haven't added a blog you should get started right now. The UNIQUE CONTENT that you add when creating a blog is just what the search engines want to see.

My personal blog is now getting search engine hits. What am I doing special - nothing really just writing something every now and then.

Those words you write today might be the best investment you can make of your time if they happen to pull in a big new customer. Given that the number one problem for all businesses, large or small, is to find that next new customer, don't you owe it to yourself to add some new content today?
Site Look and Feel - New Display Preference
10/13/20058:49:48 AM Link | | Add comment
New Feature, Site Customization
Site - Preferences - Display Options
We added a new display preferences for the info box for Cruise Ship Detail pages. This display option is particularly useful for those Ships with dozens of itineraries. You can put the info box before the itineraries so that it is easier to see.

You can find this preference when you log by clicking on Site and the Preferences. Look for the Section called Display toward the bottom of the page.
Site Customization: Search Links
10/7/20051:11:24 PM Link | | Add comment
How To, Site Customization
Search links are URLs that return a search results page with one or more search criteria already specified. By building search links, you can create links that allow your guests to go directly to a specific set of search results.

Search links are considered a "developer" feature, so you should be familiar with URL parameters and your account's domain information to understand this feature.

Building Custom Search Links Documentation
What's in that Box!
9/5/200510:47:11 PM Link | | Add comment
New Feature, Site Customization
clipart.com
We've enhanced the content BOX. You know that green thing tha shows up on your pages while you are editing your website.

The plan behind the madness it to make it easier and easier for you to customize your webpages and website by offering you more features.

Here's two that you might not know about. You can now create a content rotator or a slide show. And the cool thing is that you can mix images, text, html, and even flash into the content rotator or slide show.

Built in Slide Show

Built in Content rotator
What's Your Color
7/30/200512:21:18 PM Link | | Add comment
External Tool, Site Customization

A big problem that people have with makeovers of any kind, home, website, self it trying to determine what colors work together. Here's a website that gives you the chance to play with colors. If you are thinking about changing the look of anything here are a few places to start.

Slayer Office

http://www.colorschemer.com/online.html

http://www.visibone.com/colorlab/big.html
New Travel Images added to the image library
6/9/20057:08:36 PM Link | | Add comment
New Feature, Site Customization, Travel Agency
Released Time Zone Widget
4/12/20053:12:51 PM Link | | Add comment
New Feature, Site Customization, Travel Agency
We released the first draft of the time zone widget. You can get one for your site by using the TIME ZONE Extra that will be released this week.

Check it out
Released Levelfield Box and Blocks
3/10/20055:59:33 PM Link | | Add comment
New Feature, Site Customization
Today, we released the first full version of Levelfield's Content Box and Blocks. Content Box and Blocks makes it possible for you to add Titles, subtitle, paragraphs, images, extras, and other types of content as it is made available. And you'll have a much better ability to fine tune the look and feel of any page.

This is a big step away from having fixed templates for your custom pages. Additionally you can now override your site's style sheet for specific blocks of text or images. You'll be able to add borders, set background colors, background images and other properties for your blocks of text.

We recommend creating a test page in your account and playing with these new features to see what they can do.

Internally, the Content Box and Blocks are making it easier for us to maintain our own website plus the customized sites that we build.

I did notice that we didn't add the new style formatting to the BLOG. I'll have to find out why!

Use the comment form to the leftto let us know what you think.
Colorful Maps
2/28/20055:25:18 PM Link | | Add comment
New Feature, Site Customization, Travel Agency
The world is full of color and now so are our maps. We've added 4 sets of maps themed in blue, green, yellow, gray and the old standbye.

As time progresses we'll also be adding maps further down. Next, we will revamp the USA map to include all states, red or blue, landlocked or not.

So if you have a suggestion for a new map use the form to the left to submit a suggestion.

Please note that you should not submit support requests via this form. They will not be answered.