Smart Solutions Blog

Happy Valentine’s Day – Google Style

Google always has a fun little something for us on special holidays, and Valentine’s Day is no different! Since their first Valentine’s Day doodle in 2000, Google has made their doodles more and more impressive!

The above image is from twelve years ago. Ready to see what they have for us today?

Happy Valentines Day, from all of us here at Smart Solutions!

A Visual Social Network – Pinterest

Pinterest has been emerging slowly for a while, since its early beginnings in 2009. In the last couple months however, the website has exploded with a burst of new members and has gone viral. Users of all ages are pinning their favorite colors, cars, swimsuits, decorations and food. Pinterest is addicting, and people love it.

But let’s back up for a second—we’re business owners and professionals! We don’t have extra hours to spend re-pinning pictures of kittens! While this is certainly true, one of the core practices of a successful business is being where your customers are. And with over 12 million users and growing, Pinterest is quickly becoming one of those places.

Using Pinterest for Business

There are only a few types of businesses that can use Pinterest very successfully—the “visual social network” niche simply doesn’t work for many industries. For instance, we have a Pinterest account here at Smart Solutions, but it’s not something that we expect a lot from. People aren’t as interested in “pinning” the kinds of things that our business sells, as much as they would a retail business.

Furniture shops, art galleries, clothing stores and travel businesses are perfect candidates for using Pinterest for business. Any website that is visually oriented would be ideal for this new social network. If your business fits into that category, you need to be on Pinterest.

Pinterest Marketing

As with Twitter and Facebook, Pinterest works best if you’re connected to a lot of people—and the right kind of people. Follow people who have boards related to your industry. Comment on their pins, and re-pin—it’s the ultimate compliment to be re-pinned on Pinterest.

Stay away from only posting your own pictures. As a general rule, you should have at least two non-promotional boards for every promotional board. Make sure you stay active, too! Pin several new pictures from your website each week, and check in once a day to make sure you’re keeping up with your followers.

Most of all—keep it fun. People love Pinterest because it’s fun to look at cute pictures and get away from the usual humdrum of the day. Play into that feeling with your boards!

So now it’s time to get started! There’s no time like the present to get started on marketing your business! And don’t forget to follow our Smart Solutions Pinterest to hear about more posts like this.

Not ready for Pinterest yet? Keep up with us on Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin!

Google Panda Details – Learn About the Google Panda Updates

Websites in every industry are affected by Google Panda—sometimes soaring and sometimes sinking in ranking because of algorithm changes. But for people who aren’t involved in web development or Internet marketing, these Google Panda updates tend to remain a mystery.

What is Google Panda?

Google uses an algorithm that helps sort its index, so that users see only the most relevant websites. While this algorithm is updated on a consistent update, there are often larger-scale updates that Google will announce, so that webmasters will be prepared for what will happen as a result. Google Panda was one of those circumstances.

Google Panda in its original form was an update that would increase the visibility and ranking of high-quality websites, and lower the ranking on content farms and low-quality sites. It should be noted that the Google Panda updates are simply an improvement, which affected about 12% of US queries. That number has gone up since the original Google Panda update, of course.

Google Panda Update Issues

Since its first launch in early 2011, Google Panda has had ten total algorithm updates, according to Search Engine Land. Each one has improved Google’s site index, although many quality websites have been penalized in the process. Why were these websites penalized? Because Google’s algorithm isn’t perfect. There will continue to be Google Panda updates in the future, and each one will improve the index.

There’s no reason to be afraid that Google will penalize your site through a future Google Panda update—as long as you keep your website high-quality. Don’t copy content from other websites, and keep your website regularly updated and user-friendly. you shouldn’t have any problems with Google Panda updates if you follow those simple rules.

Why the name “Google Panda”?

Lastly, while bloggers across the Internet have been able to create fun graphics with pandas in them—why would Google choose “Panda” as the code name for their algorithm update? Apparently, it was named after an engineer at Google who was key in getting the update started.

For more information on web topics, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or circle us on Google+!

What You Need to Know About the New Facebook Timeline Layout

Facebook’s newest profile update was unveiled in September of 2011, but not everyone got to see it right away. A lot of people used a developer’s trick to enable the new profile, and since then, people have been installing it on their own. Facebook has been offering it as a choice up to this point—they haven’t forced it on any users.

That is, until now. Facebook is now urging every user get their newest update—the Facebook timeline. And if you don’t get it yourself, Facebook will do it for you.

While the ever-present naysayers bemoan this latest update, the timeline also has a lot of supporters. But people from both sides are wondering—what kind of privacy risk is this? Each of the 800 million Facebook users are going to be getting this update in the next few weeks, so what should shouldn’t we know a little more about it?

The Facebook Timeline + Style

The Facebook timeline is the most attractive of past updates, and it’s definitely an improvement over the last profile look. The timeline allows you to have a cover photo—a banner over your entire Facebook profile, as seen in the picture below.

The Facebook Timeline + Privacy

None of your privacy settings will change when you get the timeline—the only difference is that all of your past Facebook updates are going to be more accessible. It’s going to be easier for people to scroll through your Facebook profile and see updates and pictures from four or five years ago—as long as you’ve had a Facebook account.

If you think you might have content back a few years that could potentially embarrass you now, it might be a good idea to go back through and delete or hide posts that you’d rather your new friends not see.

The Facebook Timeline + Past

The Facebook Timeline is the timeline of your life—a life that started before you ever logged onto Facebook for the first time. But now, Facebook is asking you to bring that information into your Facebook profile, though the timeline. You can add major events from the time of your birth to now, complete with pictures!

There is no reason to resist the Facebook Timeline layout (and even if you did, you’d get it anyway), so if you’re ready to fill out past information, make it look more attractive and hide a few past status updates and pictures, you can head to facebook.com/timeline now, and get started!

[Businesses can't get timelines yet, but while you're on Facebook, be sure to check out the Smart Solutions page!]

Get Details about SOPA

Over the past few weeks, the Internet has exploded with furious users. In one of the most amazing shows of the Internet community coming together, businesses across the United States have blogged, tweeted and even blacked out their websites with the single goal of stopping the bill SOPA.

People like Matt Cutts, Jimmy Wales and Craig Newark worked together to influence members of Congress enough that the bill was shelved earlier this week. However, Congress brought it back, and it is set to be voted on next week. Many business websites have publicly opposed this bill together, by organizing a blackout on January 18.

But while many businesses fight back against this bill, several others wonder—what exactly is  SOPA? Not everyone has been a part of this revolution, so it’s understandable that a lot of people got left in the dark on the subject.

What is SOPA?

SOPA stands for “Stop Online Piracy Act,” and is a bill that was introduced in late 2011. Wikipedia summarizes the details quite well, and we’ve included an excerpt here:

The originally proposed bill would allow the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as copyright holders, to seek court orders against websites accused of enabling or facilitating copyright infringement.

Depending on who makes the request, the court order could include barring online advertising networks and payment facilitators such as PayPal from doing business with the allegedly infringing website, barring search engines from linking to such sites, and requiring Internet service providers to block access to such sites.

The bill would make unauthorized streaming of copyrighted content a crime, with a maximum penalty of five years in prison for 10 such infringements within six months. The bill would also give immunity to Internet services that voluntarily take action against websites dedicated to infringement. This would make copyright holders liable for damages, when they knowingly misrepresent that a website is dedicated to infringement.

Although Wikipedia is against SOPA, they provide a pretty fair representation of what it is. It’s a bill that could stifle free speech on the Internet, potentially censoring business websites that host content. It has good qualities, of course, as any bill would; supporters remind us that it will protect global intellectual property, and say that it’s needed in order to enforce copyright infringement on the Internet worldwide.

Smart Solutions’ Stance on SOPA

At this time, Smart Solutions does not support the SOPA bill in its current form, for the same reason that Internet professionals across the world don’t—it eliminates free speech on the Internet, and goes completely against the reason that the Internet was created in the first place.

Google has played a big part in this movement, and you can help them by signing their petition: End Piracy, Not Liberty.

What are your thoughts on SOPA? Let us know in the comments!

Google+ Pages Now Offer Admin (or Manager) Rolls

When Google+ rolled out pages, people jumped on board and quickly realized a problem—no ability to add additional administrators? You could have a total of one owner, making it difficult for companies with several employees working on social media.

The new social network has finally remedied the issue—allowing one Google+ page to have multiple page administrators, which they call Managers. This feature is a lot like Facebook’s ability to “Manage Admins.”

Facebook vs. Google+ Admins

There is a very large difference between how the two social networks use administrators, and that is ownership. While Facebook pages allow any admin to delete a page, only an owner can do it on a Google+ page. For instance:

• On Facebook, if Person 1 created the page, but added Person 2 as an administrator, Person 2 has full control. He can delete the page, or even remove Person 1 as an administrator.
• On Google+, if Person 1 created the page, he has ownership. He can add Person 2 as manager, but Person 2 cannot delete the page or remove Person 1 as owner, because Person 1 has ownership.

You can debate Facebook and Google+ on other aspects of the two social networks, but Google+ comes out the ultimate winner in this battle. Some things to consider are these:

With Facebook, if a client with admin capability goes rogue, your Facebook account could quickly become compromised. They could delete every other administrator, and post whatever they want on your company’s Facebook.

Despite that disadvantage, though, selling companies with social media equity is easier thanks to that. You can easily hand over the Facebook account to someone else and remove yourself as an administrator.

On Google+, you have the best of both worlds. While you are safe from having an employee go rogue (you can quickly remove them as an administrator, and delete any posts they may have made), you can also hand over reigns very easily. In the admin for your Google+ page, you can transfer ownership quickly to any manager you have added.

Google really thought through their manager system before they launched it, and they did a seamleass job. It is smooth and easy and provides for a lot more than Facebook does. It’s just a step for Google+ in the fight with Facebook, but it could be an important one.

To keep up to date on other social media stories and updates, circle us on Google+! You can also like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!

What is A/B Testing – Multivariate Testing for Websites

A/B testing—or multivariate testing—is an experiment that you can use to increase the productivity of your website. A/B testing shows visitors alternate versions of the same web page simultaneously and randomly, to help the website owner find out what elements of the page need to be fixed.

Although A/B testing can be applied to any website, it is most often used for testing e-commerce websites, because you can directly track conversions, and see just how certain elements of a page are limiting or increasing sales.

E-Commerce Website Testing

You can test just about everything on an e-commerce website, but it isn’t necessary or feasible to test everything at once. There are three key areas that get tested the most often, and are usually the most important parts of an e-commerce site. These are the call to action buttons, the product placement and the shopping cart.

A/B Testing E-Commerce Call to Action Buttons

The call to action button is probably the most A/B tested aspect of an e-commerce website. You can analyze the results of different colors, fonts, sizes and more through A/B testing. The different options will show up for different visitors, and you can test their reactions through conversions. The call to action button that does the best can be placed permanently on the site, and we can continue on to test a different aspect.

A/B Testing Product Placement

How do the products on your website invite a customer to click through and purchase? You can A/B test products by putting them in a different placement on the page, making images larger or smaller, or even renaming some of the products.

A/B Testing the Shopping Cart

They’ve followed your product placement, clicked your call-to-action, but then they abandon your shopping car. Why? There are a number of reasons that people abandon their shopping carts online, and we list a few below:

• Login

No one wants to remember another password! A/B test giving them the option of just checking in as a guest, against having to set up an account.

• Asking for too much information

You don’t need to know their birthday in order to sell them a product! Try A/B testing an option where they only have to fill in the essentials, against the option where they have to fill in everything.

• Using a trustmark

If the customer doesn’t trust you—they won’t buy from you. Try A/B testing with a McAfee trustmark, and see if your customers respond well.

A/B testing is a great tool to see what works and what doesn’t on your website, and it’s a feature that Smart Solutions offers to all of our customers. Get the most out of your website, and let us know if you want to try out some A/B testing on your site.

If you don’t currently have an e-commerce website, but are considering one, we’d love to help you convert your site to e-commerce! Give us a call or send us an email, and we’ll set up a meeting to discuss it.

Putting Together a Social Media Plan

Recently we were asked if someone could promise 2500 unique visits to their business website a month—from social media alone. It’s a good question to ask—there’s no point in working on a social media plan unless it drives traffic to your site, and brings conversions. But when we replied asking about their numbers on current social media channels, we were told that they have 25 fans on Facebook, and have yet to set up a Twitter or Linkedin account.

Our answer? Yes. It is possible, but not right away. Social media is a gradual exercise, not something that can be completed once and forgotten about. When you’re starting from scratch, it will take some time to truly gain a following and get some results. You need to have a social media plan.

Why you need a social media plan

To stay on top of current trends

Social media platforms come and go. If you set up a MySpace account for your business and left social networking years ago, you’ve fallen behind. There are new platforms announced every year, and each one updates and changes from month to month. You need to be on top of the latest social media advances, and so does your business.

Your customers are there

One thing that every business owner knows is that you need to be where your customers are. Your customers are on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and StumbleUpon without you—so join them!

Your competitors are there

Many small and large businesses have come to see the importance of marketing on social media, and they’re out there talking to your customers, while you’re not. Don’t let them take control of your market!

But if you can’t…

Sometimes it just isn’t possible for you to keep up a social media plan. If you don’t have the time to check your social media outlets once a week, much less every day, get someone else to. Designate a person on your team, get your daughter to handle it or hire social media services—just don’t neglect it. Social media is only becoming more popular, don’t fall behind—get a social media plan in place!

Google’s Mobile Payment App – Google Wallet

Google is involved in a lot of areas of Internet marketing. As a search engine, they’re perfectly positioned to handle just about everything; many website owners believe that using Google’s services will provide them with more exposure, although there is no solid evidence supporting this view.

Google also, of course, has a hand in mobile technology—and not just in search—as an online payment service. This is Google Wallet.

What is Google Wallet?

Originally launched in September of 2011, Google Wallet is an online service that you access through your smartphone. It stores your credit cards on your phone, which allows you to pay for things by simply tapping or scanning your phone at their kiosks. Google’s main problem is that this application isn’t available at many locations right now—or on many phones.

The only way you can use this application in-store right now is if you own one of Sprint’s Nexus S 4G phones. In addition to that, you can only use it at select locations that feature the MasterCard PayPass. In Central Oregon, that’s a total of 26 places—most of which are 7 Elevens. You can search the Google Wallet website to see where you would be able to use the mobile Google Wallet in your area.

What is the Point of the Google Wallet?

Because of the limited number of people able to use this feature, a lot of people have wondered what the point is—why would Google choose to release a product that so few people would be able to use? The answer is this: money is becoming digital. The technology isn’t advancing very quickly right now, but it is coming—and Google wants to be at the forefront, labeled as an innovator.

Google Wallet is also taking over Google’s old online checkout system—so the wallet is becoming very integrated into Google’s ecommerce work. Any retailers who are currently using Google Checkout will now be moved into Google Wallet—although it will work in the same way.

So what are your thoughts on the integration of Google Wallet and Google Checkout? Can you see yourself using Google Wallet on your phone?

Optimizing Your Linkedin Business Page

Earlier this week, we discussed how to optimize your personal Linkedin profile, and a few Linkedin networking tips to make your profile be more effective. Today, we’re talking about the Linkedin business page. This is the page that features your business, so it’s very important that it have all the information it needs.

It’s pretty easy to set up your Linkedin company page, as long as you have a company email address tied to your Linkedin personal profile. After you’ve made sure that your business isn’t already on Linkedin, simply visit the Add Your Company page, and enter your email address and business name! After clicking continue, you’ll be able to create the page and add your company’s information.

Once you’ve completed your company page, you’ll be able to edit information through the tabs lining the top. You’ll have “Overview,” “Careers,” “Services” or “Products,” and “Analytics.”

Overview

This is your main page. This is where you can find the synopsis of your company, employees, and contact information on the right side. You can also grab some “Follow us on Linkedin” code at the bottom of this page.

Careers

In the Careers tab, you can post job openings, to be seen by people browsing your company page. This would be a great way to get real professionals to apply for your job. However, this part of Linkedin does cost—$95 for a 30 day posting. You can see this information by clicking on the Careers page. If you don’t have any job postings, the tab will not show up. This goes for the other tabs, as well—if you haven’t posted anything, people will only see your Overview.

Products and Services

Place your services and products on the third tab—this is especially important if your company is specifically business-to-business. Other professionals who stumble upon your company profile might just need what you have to offer.

Analytics

This tab is only viewable to employees at your company. Here you can see how your company’s Linkedin performance compares to other businesses in the same industry. It’s important to note that you won’t have any statistics until after being on Linkedin for a couple months—views and visitors take a while to start appearing. There are several different graphs on this page, and you’ll want to get familiar with all of them.

Linkedin Status Updates

The newest feature for companies on Linkedin is the Linkedin status update. This tool was released two months ago, and isn’t being used as much as Linkedin would hope. It works just like a status update on Facebook, and can be a great way to drive traffic. Be sure to utilize this feature when creating your Linkedin business page.
Although Linkedin isn’t the most popular or the most used social network, it is still a very important part of professional networking. Use the Linkedin company pages to your advantage, and tell us how it works for your business! And while you’re on Linkedin—be sure to follow our company page!