Active Online joins Google Apps Reseller program

Active Online now offers Website Development and hosting packages that include Standard and Premium Google Apps Gmail, Calendar and Document sharing integration.

For our customers who have outgrown POP3 Email solutions offered as a complementary service on our standard hosting packages we now offer fully integrated Google Apps deployment for your domain.

Active Online provide a full service deployment and data migration service helping to provide the power of Cloud Computing across the enterprise by helping our customers get more value from their Google Apps deployments.

Google Apps Premier Edition offers a simple, powerful set of enterprise Messaging, Collaboration, Security and Compliance services, enabling Active Online to deliver a broad set of cloud computing products and services bundled with expert data migration and system integration services with professional on-site training and responsive first-level application support.


As a deployment specialist of Google Apps, Active Online works with small, medium and large customers to leverage tools such as Gmail™ webmail service, Google Talk™ voice, video and instant messaging service, Google Calendar™, Google Docs™ productivity suite, and Google Sites™ to produce more productive and collaborative environments within the workplace.

Contact us on 01 6174886 today to discuss how Google Apps can give you the technological advantage and infrastructure cost savings to drive your business forward in 2009

Google, Google Enterprise Partner, Google Apps, Gmail, Google Talk, Google Calendar, Google Docs, and Google Sites are trademarks of Google Inc.

Conference Web Site Design

Designing a re-useable website for conferences has been an interesting experience and caused us to look further into extending our content management system to provide a set of reuseable templates for user registration form design as well as looking to designing a defined web 'product' for conference organisers. If you are organising a conference and need a web site (that includes online registration & online payment collection) that you can use again and again then I think we have a solution that you might be interested in.

example implementation http://www.psychologicalsociety.ie

web design strategy

Before even considering look and feel, graphic design, styling, web 2.o design features and other niceties, it is important that some basic marketing led thinking takes place to set-out your primary marketing goals.

Simply put, define your target audience and if possible break these down into primary groups or segments. The closer your website design focuses on it's primary target audience the more effective it will be in generating higher quality inquires and more profitable business. By separating out individual groups, specific marketing panels can be created on the home page design to attract /guide visitors into appropriate areas where the language used and the information provided is tailored specifically to the niche segment.

When you have them there, maximise the impact of this landing page by providing access to as much relevant information at that point as possible. This page should have a re-reinforcing image either relevant to the market segment or the actual service. A short precisely written introductory paragraph outlining key value prospects. In the margins, reference to relevant case studies, supporting down-loadable information, contact details of the sales person and even a short inquiry form such that as many opportunities are provided at that point for the prospect to make contact or at least move to your next planned marketing step. (e.g. clicking to more information, reading a case study, requesting a call-back or downloading a document.

Each niche segment should be treated differently (appropriately) and customised to provide the key information need by that group.

Build up specific landing pages as required, remembering to leave the home (index) page design and layout to the very last. During the build phase things change new priorities are realised and will need to be reflected back just before launch.

If you want to discuss or learm more please don't hesitate to call in for an informal chat about your project.

Imagine the Potential of your Website:

We all imagine the potential of what our website can deliver to our business, however translating that into a reality requires considerable effort. Assuming you have just had an "all-bells-and-whistles" redesign completed and your new website is still stuck in the doldrums of a Googles natural search index for generic searches relating to your business, products and/or services . What can you do?

Search Engine Optimisation (Optimization) or SEO in combination with good Search Engine Promotion (SEP) activity is the key to achieving your goals. But like all things worth achieving hard work and time are involved. There is no magic bullet, however there is professional help, which can shorten the time and improve your effiency.

What is SEO or Search Engine Optimisation?

SEO is often misquoted as the process of website optimisation and promotion that ensures good ranking in Search Engines. SEO is actually the technical adjustments that are made to a website to enhance it's relevancy for better performance for key search terms. SEO involves good CSS & XHTML/HTML design as well as other influencing factors such as URL names, Page Titles, MEta TAgs, Alt tagginfg and relevancy auditing on content and anchor links. Having a well optimised website does not in itself guarantee page 1 rankings.

What is Search Engine Promotion?

Search Engine Promotion (SEP) is any activity which promotes your website and it's service on the Internet. It may includes such things as Search Engine Advertising, Link building, Directory Submission, article writing and posting, direct submission to search engines etc.

SEO & SEP Activities undertaken by a professional on your behalf might include:-
Website Analysis & research, Semantic analysis, Keyword analysis, Website analysis, Competitive analysis, PAge adjustment, Creation of robots.txt files, Sitemap creation & optimization, Navigation and file structure analysis, Html validation & checking, Browser compatibility checking, Page size checking, Website load time checking, Extensive log file analysis, Duplicate content checking, Broken link checking, Spider simulation, Page optimization, Content fixing, SEO copywriting, Image optimization, Manual Search Engine submission, Manual Directory submission, Link popularity reporting, Link Building, Ranking reports, Link popularity reports, website activity reports

Professional Blog Design

With the increased adoption of blogging as a more direct communication channel in the mainstream commercial environment, it is increasingly important to pay attention to the design aspects and useability. While the content of any blog is the single most important aspect of the initiative, attention should be also paid to good layout and design. Aside from helping you to differentiate yourself from the blogging masses, a custom 'theme' (graphic design & layout) is necessary to maintain a consistant online brand, as well as to ensure that you meet the needs of your target audience more efficiently.

Being active bloggers ourselves and having experienced web application development staff, Active Online offers a professional blog design service to the commercial blogging comunity focussing on providing custom blog design and support services.

From simple 'look-and-Feel' customisation to full blog software installation, functional customisation and support; Active Online can provide you with blogging solutions to get you up and running and fully enabled to take advantage of this new publishing phenomenon and make the maximum impact.

Two recent blog projects include:-

Advanced Blog Design
The creation of a Rate-My-Broker function for mortgagesandloans.ie. This project invovled the installation of WordPress, Custom blog theme creation to maintain consistant brand to their main website, seemless integration with their website and the installation and integration of several plugins to enhace function.
(visit mortgage website)

Simple Blog Set-up & Customisation
Similar to this blog, we set-up and customised a free blogger.com account to enable a private client access the blogging scene quickly and economically. The intent here, aside from providing a quick and easy blog solution, is also to allow this client the possibility of enhancing the profile of his business by connecting with the wider social community as well as contributing directly to the promotion of their business and primarywebsite.
(Visit Cosmetic Surgery Blog)
(Visit About Face Cosmetic Facial Surgery website)

Google Politically Incorrect

Nice one Google! ...and another issue... users looking for assistance deciphering malformed (anti-spam) letters may not like being classed as disabled (wheelchair person symbol) suggest a universal 'Help, Information, or ?' symbol might be a positive?