In the 1990s, website design was in its infancy and no one really knew the difference between right and wrong. Instead, everyone simply used the coolest features they could find from reading their HTML books.

As a result, some of the most annoying and slow-loading websites were created. Thankfully, website design has changed for the better, but some websites still feature some of the most annoying features of a nineties website and, unfortunately, that is really bad for business.

One of the most annoying 1990s trends is the flashing .gif image, which is an epileptic fit-inducing image that flashes bright colors every other second for no apparent reason.

Some websites still have them all over, or have a big row of them. They were annoying, ridiculous and pointless then, and they still are now.

A hit counter is another dinosaur element that has no place in the modern design world either.

Hit counters offer insight into how many times the web page was loaded. They are easily manipulated and go up with every page refresh, making a website look more popular than it actually is. They are silly and can really make a website look very amateurish.

If a small business website features either of these elements, it may be time to consult a professional website designer.

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When Google developed its 'Google Local' feature, now known as 'Google Places,' offering a subset of its listings devoted to local businesses, it opened up a whole new realm of marketing opportunities for small businesses that have an online presence. The service allows local business owners to verify their 'local listing' and enhance it with their logo, photos, comments, hours of operation and more.

Only the first seven results in Google Places are shown on a specific search and, since the service is free, there is ample opportunity to not only get listed, but to break into the top seven.

There are so many instances where small businesses are not taking advantage of this service and, as a result, there aren't even seven listings in certain local categories. This is best achieved through owner verification. By verifying the business and then filling in pertinent information, Google gives a business more weight in its local search listings.

More importantly, however, is the fact that there is now a rumor circulating throughout the industry, according to Crisafi, that Google is about to up the ante and sweeten the deal for small businesses that utilize Google Places.

Currently, Google Places listings appear with a map separated from traditional search results. Now, Google says that these listings will soon be included within the normal search results, sending a larger map to the right of the results page and bringing Google Places and organic results together.

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Yahoo! is trying to compete with Google's hyper local search features with its new 'Local Offers' feature.

'Local Offers' is a program in which Yahoo! is partnering with leading online and offline providers to build one of the largest and most comprehensive repositories of local deals on the Internet. According to statements made by the company, 'Local Offers' will make it easy for millions of consumers to find, right on Yahoo!, the best local deals and savings in their area.

We in the industry believe that this is Yahoo! Inc.'s attempt to compete with 'Google Places,' but with a twist. Yahoo! is launching the program with more than a dozen partners providing a wide selection of local deals, coupons and other offers from spas, restaurants and other retailers in a user's local area.

'The local landscape is exploding with new sources of content and advertising, and consumers want these experiences personalized just for them,' a Yahoo! representative recently said in a statement. 'Yahoo! is taking the complexity out of finding the great local deals that are most relevant to their interests and needs.'

This is good news for small businesses that want to market their products or services online.

With more than 180 million unique visitors to Yahoo!'s sites in the United States alone, the company is uniquely positioned to deliver local-offer partners the massive scale and targeting needed to reach engaged audiences, grow their businesses, and drive foot traffic to local merchants.

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