SEO Directories List Update (22/12/2009)

Today I updated the list of free SEO friendly directories and search engines.

33 were added and 6 were removed...

Greek Translation for SOBI 2

Some time ago in October I translated the version 2.9.2.2 of the famous Joomla directory component called SOBI 2 in the greek language...

Site News

Change of the Site's RSS Feeds

Starting from today on 13/12/2009 I decided to combine all previous RSS Feeds of the site in one, which will include all informations about latest articles, site news and all other important stuff.
As a result all older RSS Feeds of the following categories will be erased from FeedBurner:

• Extensions for Joomla
• Joomla Tips
• Video Tutorials
  
• Updates of the SEO Directories List
  

Now you can subscribe to the new RSS Feed either by receiving emails from FeedBurner or simply by using your favourite RSS Feed Reader.

New update for the module ValAddThis

Flash News from the Extensions for Joomla

Updated module ValAddThis

Today on the 7th December 2009 I fixed a bug that has been found in the code and made the new version 2.0.1 of the Joomla module ValAddThis. Visit the web-page of the module for a detailed documentation.

New in this version:

• Fixed: minor bug that didn't allow the proper alignment of the module.
• Changed: a couple of CSS styles.

New Version of the module ValAddThis

Version 2.0.0 (16/11/2009)

• Added: support for the new AddThis API 2.0; Standard, Email-only buttons and toolboxes use the new API 2.0, except the RSS-Feed buttons, that still make use of the old API 1.0.
• Added: option to use the new AddThis Toolbox.
• Added: CSS files to use with the AddThis Toolbox and support for a user-defined CSS file.
• Added: support for multiple Toolboxes and/or Buttons on a single page; in addition, the Toolboxes may use different CSS files.
• Added: option to specify the default User-Interface language, on top of the already translatable AddThis texts.
• Added: various other configuration options; all available up-to-date from AddThis.
• Changed: most parameters are now passed to the AddThis script using the new API 2.0.
• Changed: calls to the AddThis script for both secure and non-secure servers.
• Removed: option for logo graphic; not applicable any more.

New Version of the module Val-LinX

New Version of the module Val-LinX

Changes:

Version 1.2.0 (24/09/2009)

• Fixed: bug that didn't allow the display of more than 1 module on a single Joomla web page.
• Changed: some of the CSS styles.

Updated: List of free SEO friendly (1-way link) directories

SEO Directories & Search Engines List Update #19 (21/08/2009)

• Added: 27 Links

• Removed: 15 Links

Joomla Tutorial: How to create an RSS Feed and then submit it to FeedBurner

RSS FEED IN JOOMLA?

Joomla already offers a built-in RSS/Atom Feed function using a Core-Component, but it's really hard for new users to implement and use. Some facts about the built-in RSS Feed Component:

• You may assign a maximum number of item contents (articles), which will be shown in the Feed.
• You may only assign RSS Feeds to whole Section(s) and/or specific Category(-ies); the articles that are in those Sections and/or Categories will be displayed in the Feeds.
• You may have as many RSS Feeds as you want; every single Section and Category can have its own Feed.

Video Tutorial: How to install Joomla locally on my computer (Part 2)

In this second part of the Video Tutorial for Joomla I will show moreover how to configure XAMPP as well as how to create a MySQL-database for Joomla with the help of the administration tool for MySQL called phpMyAdmin. On top of that I will show you where you need to create a folder on your local hard disk and which files you should copy there. In the end you will learn the whole installation procedure for Joomla with all appropriate settings.

Video Tutorial: How to install Joomla locally on my computer (Part 1)

In this first part of the Video Tutorial for Joomla I will show you what packages you need to download on your computer and how to configure XAMPP. Joomla requires to be installed on a server system, preferably on Apache server, and that the database MySQL as well as the programming language PHP are both installed on that server; XAMPP includes all these packages together.

Updated: List of free SEO Directories and Search Engines

Just updated my list of free SEO friendly web directories.

26 new links were added and 2 links were removed.

Check this link for details List Updates.

Updated: List of free SEO Directories and Search Engines

Just updated my list of free SEO friendly web directories.

34 new links were added.

Updated: List of free SEO Directories and Search Engines

Today I updated the List of free SEO friendly Web Directories and Search Engines, by adding 33 new links and removing 1 link of a problematic Directory.

This is list is going to be maintained and as often as possible updated in order to avoid broken Links or Directories which are not offering free submission anymore.

If you want to submit your own Directory let me know. But keep in mind in this List only Directories/Search Engines are allowed, which offer at least a free submission option with 1-way links (no need for reciprocal links).

NEW Version of the module Val-LinX for Joomla

NEW in this Version:

Version 1.1.0 (19/06/2009)

• Added: 5 CSS files (with appropriate graphics), from which 1 can be changed by the user for individual styling.
• Added: capability of entering user-defined texts for the headers of the table, the caption (which shows the total links), as well as the link that is displayed at the end of the table (back to top).
• Added: capability of an extra CSS style for each one of the table's columns.
• Changed/Removed: some of the CSS styles.

Joomla Tip: How to use the Google Analytics service for my Joomla Website?

What is the Google Analytics service

Google offers a free statistics service for your Website(s), which is called Google Analytics. In order to use it, you have to create an account at Google and then sign up for the Google Analytics service. Some of the features of this service are:

• Free and easy to use for everyone.
• Offers advanced information about the traffic of your Website.
• Possibility of user-defined custom reports.
• Integrated with the Google advertising service AdWords.
• Tracking of all your online campaigns.
• Safe. All information is protected from non-authorized people.
• Integrity and protection of all data.
• It is part of a larger Google product suite.
• It offers support and professional services.

Visit my Website to view the complete Joomla Tutorial.

Joomla Tip: How to enable the Legacy Mode 1.0 of Joomla?

1. What is Legacy Mode 1.0

For sure you have also seen at some point some Joomla modules or components, which are only compatible with Joomla version 1.0. Is there a way to install these extensions on Joomla 1.5? The answer is "yes", but only those which allow this. To make sure this is possible, read first the documentation of the extensions you want to install. Then you have to activate a plugin, which is part of the default Joomla installation and is normally disabled.

2. Activation of Legacy Mode 1.0

• In order to activate the Legacy Mode you go at first to your administration Backend of your Website and up on the "Extensions" menu you click on "Plugin Manager".
  
• Then at the list of the Joomla plugins you look for the plugin with the name "System - Legacy". You click next to it to check it and so it is enabled.
  
• Now on the upper right you can see that Joomla notifies you with red letters that it works in "Legacy: 1.0" mode.
  

Joomla Tip: How to enable the SEO functions of Joomla on Apache Server?

1. Introduction

The SEO refers to search engine optimization. The SEO is the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a website from search engines. The SEO can also be referred to as SEF, or Search Engine Friendly.

The websites are considered search engine friendly when they can be easily found from them. By default Joomla uses dynamic URL. These URL are usually long and contain many parameters.

2. Advantages of SEF URL

The most significant advantages of SEF URL are these:

• They are short in length.
• They are readable and easily remembered by humans.
• They contain keywords.
• They don't "break" in blogs and emails.
• They are more accurately indexed by the search engines.

Visit my Website for the complete Joomla Tutorial.

Joomla Tip: How to display a module in an article?

1. Introduction

You probably also needed some time to display a module in a Joomla article. This Joomla Tip will explain to you how to do it. The Tip has been tested on Joomla 1.5 in Legacy as well as in Native mode. Only condition for it to work is that the default Joomla plugin called "Load Module" is enabled.

• To check if the "Load Module" plugin is indeed enabled, click on the "Plugin Manager" from menu "Extensions".
  
• In the list of installed Joomla plugins look for the plugin with the title "Content - Load Module" and in case it isn't enabled, enable it.
  

Visit my Website to see the complete Joomla Tutorial.

Joomla module Val-LinX

Val-LinX (mod_vallinx_j10)

Current Version: 1.0.0
Compatibility:

This module displays in a nice sortable table the links that are created with the Joomla component "LinX - Reciprocal link exchange component (SEO)", which is developed by Soren Beck Jensen. The script that this module uses to sort the table is in JavaScript and developed by Brian McAllister. Ofcourse, in order for this module to function, you need to have the LinX component already installed on your Joomla Website. This module was only tested in Joomla 1.5 "Legacy: 1.0" mode and it worked without any problems. The "Val-LinX" module is free software, which has been released under the GNU/GPL v2.0 license. It produces valid markup for XHTML as well as for CSS.

Joomla module ValAddThis

ValAddThis (mod_valaddthis_15)

Current Version: 1.2.0 (19/05/2009)
Compatibility:

This is my first Joomla extension. It's a module that displays the Bookmarking Button from AddThis.com and is inspired from a module by JoomlaMafia.com called "mod_AddThis". It produces valid markup for XHTML as well as for CSS. The "ValAddThis" module is free software, which has been released under the GNU/GPL v2.0 license.