Your site has been updated automatically to the latest version of Wordpress

Wordpress software is quite user friendly. It even provides an automatic update feature, so you don't have to think abut it at all. Pretty cool, huh?! Or is it?

I received a call from a client today who had received one of those automatic update alert from her website, which is built on Wordpress. She had decided that her son was capable of handing the simple maintenance of her site, and she was working with on on her other internet marketing and presence. He son has set Wordpress to automatically update. In the last week alone, there has been three updates.

The problem is, that the update had a conflict something else that was installed on her website and now her website wasn't working. Some pages were goobly gook and others were totally crashed.

In a panic, she called and begged hoping there was a simple fix. The answer was maybe and sort of.

I asked a very important question - "When was the last time you did a full backup of your site?"  Her answer was the key to how easily (or not) her site could be restored.  Her website had been backed up only a month ago. Good.
However, since that time her son had made several updates to plugins, changed a few settings and then set Wordpress to automatically update. Not so good. In short, her update was outdated.

She was advised that it was still possible to restore her website to that previous backup, however, any changes her son had made since that date would not be included. And she would still have to  update Wordpress.

It's not uncommon for a conflict to occur between on outdated plug in and Wordpress. It's also not uncommon for two plugins to dislike each other. Some developers never update their plugin or offer support once it's been released.

Putting her site back online also meant she needed to troubleshoot what may have caused the conflict so it didn't happen again.

Fortunately for her we were able to get her back online in a few hours and our regular rush fee. The glitch was a conflict between an outdated plugin and the new version of Wordpress.  All it takes is one line of code to cause a conflict.  We found a few other questionable areas in the code of her old theme (we didn't design) that also prevent her site from converting well on mobile devices. That's an entirely different fix.

It's all good for her now. Her son now knows that although automatic updates can be convenient, they can also be costly.  He will be doing more backups now.

Your website is your brand online.  Regardless of how someone may have heard of your, they will attempt to learn more about you from your online presence.

 For assistance, training or consultation with your internet presence, call 800-569-8279

FBI warns, Wordpress sites are a target for malicious code and hackers

This is not a joke, but a serious warning for persons with Wordpress sites that are not being managed well. Like many modern software packages, WordPress is updated regularly to address new security issues that may arise, however some websites do not allow for automatic, or do not check often for necessary updates, and are left running old, potentially vulnerable versions.

WordPress hacking is not new. WordPress is attractive to hackers simply by virtue of being so popular. Studies show that over 60% of websites are build on a WordPress platform, and less than half of those are updated on any regular basis. Not only is it bad for marketing to have an old website, it is a security breech waiting to happen.

If you delegate the management of your website to a company or person outside of your organization, you may not be aware of how much protection you need, and if you are getting it. If you work on a WordPress platform, you are aware of how many times a plug in or theme needs an update. If you are running security software on your site, you may also see how many times an attempted hack has been thwarted. If you are not running security software on your site, you are simply opening yourself up to trouble.

Although you may think your site is too small or not important enough to hackers to be a target, you could find that some hackers get a kick out of hacking small sites for practice, fun and bragging rights. If you are hacked it is disruptive and often costly in terms of lost business revenue and expenditures on technical services to repair infected computer systems. 

Keeping your site secure may seem complex and tedious, however, it is important.

The solution:
1. Check your site daily and update themes, plug-ins and software..
2. Use an administrative log-in other than "Admin"
3. Use strong passwords and change them often
4. Install and keep updated security software on your computer and your website
5. Use a plug-in that limits the amount of log-ins
6. Keep all your plug-ins updated.
7. Be proactive about protecting your website
8. Use a security software/plug-in that alerts you when someone attempts to hack your site
9. Make sure the computers you use are free of spyware, malware, and virus infections.
10. Always keep your operating system and the software on it, especially your web browser, up to date to protect you from security vulnerabilities.
11. Make sure you are running secure, stable versions of your web server and the software on it.
12. Update the firewall rules on your home router
13. Be careful about what networks you work from, ie: free WIFi is NOT secure and neither are the passwords you use when on these free networks.
14. Work with a competent internet management person or firm who will stay on top of all this for you.

eCommerce sites need to be extra aware of potential hacks, so as not to lose customers and/or revenue.

Two recent vulnerabilities in shopping cart plugins/software were reported:
     X-Cart contains multiple vulnerabilities. Read the alert here
     In March a serious SQL injection vulnerability was discovered in WooCommerce. If you use WooCommerce, it should be updated ASAP.

A strong recommendation: ecommerce sites should follow PCI compliance and always be https regardless of how many products and regardless of whether you are using a plug-in or special links directly to your payment processor.

If you don't know the status of the internal workings and code of your website, now is the time. Either consult with your webmaster for a full report, get educated and check for yourself or seek a consultation with a person or firm that can help you.

FYI: the link to the FBI press release: http://1.usa.gov/1NUgobq

If you think your internet presence or your website needs an checkup, let's talk. Click to email us. We'll listen first, look at your online presence and then offer our recommendations. One size does not fit all.The solution for you should be unique to your business and goals. 

Is your website mobile friendly? Did you get an email from Google asking you to fit it?

What does it mean for a site to be mobile friendly? The top three things are:
1.) Test that can be read without having to scroll
2.) Images that automatically resize
3.) No Flash software use.

As mobile devices are fast becoming the #1 method of accessing the internet, Google has started to send emails to non-mobile website owners to advise them that it't time for a facelift, if not a full redesign. Just because you think your site is attractive,doesn't mean that Google agrees.

An email from Google seen below:

 Some people found out by accident, or are still in the dark, because this notice is usually sent to the webmaster of the site.

Visit your own website on the internet. Do you have to scroll to read the test? Go through each page. How easy is it to read by someone who doesn't know what it should be saying?

A website that hasn't been redesigned for over 4 years is not only out of date in design, it is out of date in functionality - two things that hurt your SEO and potential new clients.

If your website is not delivering the results you need or it's in need of a face-lift to become mobile friendly, let's talk. Click to email us.   We'll listen first to your goals, research your Internet presence and provide our solutions to meet your unique objectives.

Photos can either boost your marketing efforts or cost you.

Using photos to market your business is very effective when done properly.  Photos can give your message "reach". In marketing terms "reach" is how far and how long your marketing message will travel on your behalf.

When posting photos on Social Media, they have stronger marketing value when a quote is on the photo and even more so, when your web address is on the photo. This way when people share your photo, they are sharing your attitude and web address.  

If you have a cache of photos (not necessarily product image photos) that you are planning on using online, please consider the following:

 

1.) Just because you find a photo online does not make it public domain. Be aware of any copyrights, or use photos that you have obtained from verifiable public domain sources. Keep a record of where you obtain photos to prevent a huge legal problem coming from the copyright owner in the future. This includes stills from old TV shows, logos and professional (and paparazzi) photos of entertainers.

To make it easy, we use spreadsheet.

 

 

As example, Getty Images sends out threatening letters and an invoices when they find one of their photos being used. They are not always right, however. If you have record of your source and you can prove you obtained it legally, it can prevent fines from Getty and other similar photo suppliers.  "Somebody else posted it first and I did what they did" is not a defense. This reminds me of what a judge said in traffic court when one driver attempted to use as a defense , " other people were speeding on the road, some going faster than him. Why didn't the cops ticket them? The judge simply answered " The police officer caught you."

 

2.) Quotes and cute quips get "liked" and shared most often. Sales pitches attached to photos rarely do.  If you have a favorite saying  or quip by a well know person, that supports your business, ie: health related, incorporate that into your photo. Be careful not to use copyright material here as well.  You can also boost your professional image by writing your own original quotes and using them on your photos.

 

3.) When posting, keep your posts in an album (ie: Facebook, G+) or a specific board (ie: Pinterest). This way when someone likes one photos, they can also view the others more easily. The more they view, the more they often they will like and share.

The best results are achieved when your content is UNIQUE, CLEAR, CURRENT, EDUCATIONAL, CONCISE, RELEVANT, ENGAGING and CONSISTENT.

If you think your marketing needs an overhaul, let's talk. Click to email us. We'll listen first, look at your online presence and then offer our recommendations. One size does not fit all.The solution for you should be unique to your business and goals.

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Have you ever wondered how search works?

WIIFM What's In It For Me?

Are you answering the all important question being asked by your customers/prospects/clients?

Everyday I receive calls from prospective clients telling me their site needs better SEO because they are not getting enough traffic, sales or new clients.  When I ask for more information, I seldom hear an answer that indicates that they understand what really makes their website provide the results they are seeking, their definition of success.

To begin with, the overused acronym SEO is seldom understood, and unfortunately is not the holy grail.  Just adding keywords (same used by your competitors) is not enough. Copying content from other sites, even manufacturers of your products, or content from affiliates can cause your page to lose rank, or not show up at all. The new search algorithms were designed to ignore duplicate content sites, and even penalize those that are entirely copies. See my post from last week: How to Kill Your Website with Duplicate Content

You have two sources of customers - those that already know you and those that find you through your marketing.  To get the best results from your website, your content and appearance MUST appeal to your target market, your desired customer. Those that know  you will usually place less focus on your marketing appearance, whereas, those that don't know you are always looking for  WIIFM - What's in in for me? It's similar to a radio signal being set to one priority channel. They are listening (reading) to see why they should hire you, do business with you or refer to you. They want that answered immediately upon visiting your website.

What about your business sets you apart from competition?
1) Do  you have the best service? Everyone says that. What makes you different that tells your prospective customer/client What's In It For Them?
2.) Is it all about money? Everyone says that. What makes you different and better?
3.) What do you give your customers that is unique about you, and satisfies WIIFM?

Are you marketing to your clients according to your customer/clients seasons and needs?
     Have you noticed what is being advertised during various times of the year? During the holidays, it's price, as well as drugs for stress, anxiety and overeating. November and December are two of the most highly traveled months. This causes need for travel accommodations, stress control and car accidents increase. Can you solve any of those?
     January is the month you will see ads for weight loss - why? Because over 60% of the population puts "lose weight" on their New Years Resolutions.
     Every month has a holiday or special event that you can use to increase awareness to you and your offerings. Be proactive and plan your marketing around events and activities that appeal to your prospective customer/client.

Content should be UNIQUE, CLEAR, CURRENT, EDUCATIONAL, CONCISE, RELEVANT, ENGAGING and CONSISTENT.

Do you have a marketing strategy that addresses these questions? If not, December is know as "Write a Business Plan Month"


If you think your website needs an overhaul, let's talk. Click to email us. We'll listen first, look at your online presence and then offer our recommendations. One size does not fit all.The solution for you should be unique to your business and goals.


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How to Kill Your Website With Duplicate Content

It happened again this week. A potential client came to us to find out why their website wasn't drawing traffic. When we ran his site though our software and manual research we discovered his site was over 60% duplicate content. The sites that carried the same content had additional unique and fresh content, plus other SEO activities, making them more desirable to search engines. To change the results he was getting would require a rewrite of the majority of his website. To change the results, you have to change what you are currently doing. Something he is still pondering.

 How many times have you visited a website and thought "Have I been here before?" That feeling of Déjà vu may just be that you are reading content that someone copied from someone else, who copied it from someone else and so on......

 This happens for one of a few reasons:
1.) Lazy webmasters who do a web search for content and simply copy and paste.
 2.) Content is deliberately duplicated in an attempt to manipulate search engine rankings or win more traffic.
3.) Site owners are carrying popular products and have difficulty creating unique content.
 4.) Site owners are publishing articles on their site an then copying the same articles onto blogs and several article sites.

Duplicate content can hurt your website. It will hurt your ranking, and couple potentially cause negative user experience. 

According to Google, somewhere between 25% to 30% of the content on the web is duplicative.

Search engines prefer to show one of those pages of content in their search results. Google, for example, takes all the duplicates and groups them into a cluster. They will then show the best of the results in that cluster. Which may or may not be your website. If you search for the content on your site, and your website isn't the one that appears, you may be included in the cluster and without other unique content and SEO, your site may not rank high enough to be seen.

 The solution is to
1.) Consider what results you want to receive when doing a search for something.
2.) Create unique, useful and quality content.
3.) Add testimonials to add unique content.
4.) If you are writing articles limit the exposure of the full article to your website and/or blog. Post excerpts or comments on other genuinely authoritative sites with links back to your website.

With the new updates in search algorithms, it has become even more important to take the time to make your website uniquely yours.

Content should be UNIQUE, CLEAR, CURRENT, EDUCATIONAL, CONCISE,  RELEVANT, ENGAGING and CONSISTENT.


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Keeping the content on your website current and updated regularly with helpful and relevant information is very important. So if your website hasn't been updated in a while, regardless of how attractive it might be or how important you think that information is, it may be time to tweak, add to, change or restructure your website for better results.

If you think your website needs an overhaul, let's talk. Click to email us. We'll listen first, look at your online presence and then offer our recommendations. One size does not fit all.The solution for you should be unique to your business and goals.

This blog post has been moved to: http://sumnerdavenport.com/many-websites-serious-privacy-violations/

Have you ever wondered how search works?

Have you ever wondered how search engines actually work to deliver you the results you seek in the blink of an eye? The following link is an interactive inforgraphic by Google to give an insight into what happens between the request of a search query and the retrieval of results.

As you watch this, note how often "freshness" and "content" are mentioned. http://www.google.com/insidesearch/howsearchworks/thestory/

Keeping the content on your website current and updated regularly with helpful and relevant information is very important. So if your website hasn't been updated in a while, regardless of how attractive it might be or how important you think that information is, it may be time to tweak, add to, change or restructure your website for better results.

If you think  your website needs an overhaul, let's talk. Click to email us. We'll listen first, look at your online presence and then offer our recommendations.  One size does not fit all.The solution for you should be unique to your business and goals. 

Do What You do Best

Whether you are a solopreneuer or you are a growing enterprise, marketing is essential if you want to keep pace and grow in today's marketplace. The Internet is a powerful marketing tool - when used strategically and correctly. A few common mistakes that can hurt you, might include:

A website that looks like everyone else, with common content.
      When your website looks like everyone else then how does your potential clients see you as any different. This mistake s usually made by using the same template you liked on someone else's site, or using a web company with limited knowledge or access to templates.

Entrepreneurs who post personal activities on their social media profiles.
     Most entrepreneurs (hopefully) know it's important to keep a balance between personal and professional activities. however, what you think is a cute joke or "no harm" comment just might show up in a search by a potential client and it could turn them away. I know one professional who loves to post "funny" jokes on her not-really-private profile, that are demeaning or poke fun at certain groups or behaviors. Not only will this send away potential clients in these groups, it will also alienate those who don't support these same attitudes.

Entrepreneurs who control it all 
     Some people do love to brag how they can wear all the hats, however, that well-known  figure of speech  "Jack of all trades, master of none" is used in reference to a person that is competent with many skills but is not necessarily outstanding in any particular one. This person is a generalist rather than a specialist. In your business, you should be the specialist. It is important that you have an understanding of what the Internet can do for you, however, the playing field is changing multiple times a day.  The learning never ends. What you are doing today may not hold up to the search engine algorithms, or the changes in various social media policies and offerings.  The biggest mistake in doing it all yourself is how much time you take away from what you do best -your business.

The worst mistake is to stop marketing
     Every day new entrepreneurs are entering the already competitive marketplace. Although the Internet is growing in persuasive power every day, it is only one component that should be included in your overall marketing plan.   Some entrepreneurs stop marketing because they think they have enough clients for now; then things slow now and panic ensues.  Marketing through print, personal networking, speaking engagements, associations and events should also be in your marketing arsenal. Each one is powerful, however, putting them together in a strategic marketing plan can be even more effective for you.

Whether you are looking to attract clients or referrals from other entrepreneurs, the image they see on the Internet will play into their decision about you.

So do what you do best, and trust your assistants or outside consultants to assist you in maximizing the potential of the Internet.

How important is to to know where your customers are coming from?

When you buy something from someone online or in a retail store, many times you are asked:  "How did you find us?"

How important is that question?

Knowing where your visitors are coming from is important, if:
• you are spending money on marketing and you need to understand if your dollars are being well spent
• you are doing offline marketing (events, brochures, media) and you want to know if your time is well spent
• you are doing internet marketing (website, blog, social media) and you want to know if your money and time are well spent.
•  you need to know if your ezine is being read
• you want to know if current customers like you and your service so well, that they are referring to you.

There are many reasons to know where your customers are coming from. The most important reason is so you know how your efforts are helping your bottom line profits.

For online analytics we find that the free Google Analytics are still the best. You can use the simple basic report to find out where your traffic is coming from, which pages and content are the most popular; or use the advanced settings to set goals, track custom campaigns, include/exclude certain areas, pages or content and  check your SEO.

Collecting traffic data and providing detailed reports should be part of the services you receive from your webmaster.  If you aren't getting these, ASK. If you still aren't getting them, then you might consider working with someone who will provide you the feedback you deserve.

Whether it's simply asking your callers and visitors where they came from, or using the free technology tools, it is important to analyze your results to make sure your time and dollars are being well spent.

When should you redesign your website?

Everyday at least one of my clients receives an email from someone stating they their website needs to be updated, and the unknown email sender is the best person to do it. Everyday new people enter the arena of webdesign. some take a software class, others an online class and some buy a program of templates.

I am asked, how often should a website be updated? And what is the difference between a web designer and website development?

 First, your website should be updated when:
1.) You have broken links, missing images, difficult navigation, outdated content or outdated firm image.
2.) Significant changes are made to search algorithms and your site results are beginning to decline
3.) You've added new personnel or new products/sservices
 4.) You have new success stories that your potential clients can learn from or be inspired by
5.) You have received acknowledgements or have articles newly published in significant journals.

When not to update:
1.) Someone guarantees you top placement in search results if they redesign your entire website. To guarantee something it to promise for absolute certain that it will happen. According to Google, there are black-hat techniques that can get your website in the top results - for a while. However, long term success cannot be guaranteed. And black-hat techniques can come back to haunt you, including getting you black listed from search databases.
2.) You're bored with the look. Being pretty isn't always necessary. If your site is still bringing in new clients and referrals, it may not need a complete overhaul. You may need simple changes to colors and layouts to please your eye without losing the effect the content is making.
3.) You don't think it's pulling in results for you because the calls or emails you are getting are not your exact preferred client.  Before deciding your site isn't working, be sure to check the analytics and see what pages or content areas are drawing traffic. By analyzing your traffic reports, you will see your website's strength and possible weaknesses.
4.) Because the new kid on the block or the email you just received told you to do it. If someone is telling you that your website is broken, and they are the only ones to fix it - think before acting. If someone approached you with that logic on another areas of your business or personal life,  - not knowing you or your objectives - would you immediately hire them?

The difference between a web designer and a web developer is:
A web designer
1.) can usually make your website look attractive with images, layout and colors. They may use a pre-designed template and simply fill in your information  BEWARE of those who use the same template for all their clients. I recently saw a web design template used with several  firms in the same business area. The giveaway was not only the same exact layout, much of the same wording, but on two sites they neglected to fill in the portion that read [insert firm name here].
2.) places only emphasis on your website, overlooking the integration throughout the internet.
3.) makes promises of quick results without explanation of how these results will be achieved.
4.) request to place your domain and hosting in a new account that they manage, many times without your ability to access. They may buy domains on your behalf, but in their name, and place them in this same account. When you decide to no longer have them as  your webdesigner, you may have a difficult time retrieving your assets, and sometimes can lose your entire website.

A good web developer 
1.) will analyze your entire web presence and give you a report on the results
2.) will listen to your goals and objectives of your  internet presence
3.) will give you an honest opinion of your web presence, which may conflict with yours
4.) may be able to work with what you already have and grow from there
5.) will offer more than just their one opinion of why your website and internet presence is providing the current results.
6.) will work with you as a team.

Many persons selling web services are offering their opinion, their companies opinion and the limitations of their designs. Some will use a marketing service, ( ie Yext, Citygrid, etc) to show you your results. If so, double-check these results. Many times these reports are incorrect, plus these are for-fee services, so the more their report indicates you need them, the easier it becomes to sell you their service.

A good web developer will use unrelated opinions, ie: other web developers who don't work or are paid by them, and focus groups. Always ask how they derived their assessment of your website and web presence.

Sometimes it's time to refresh your look. It's always time to keep your content current.

Analyze what you have before you agree to an overhaul, when a simple refresh is all you need.

Think of the big picture and long term.

If you think  your website needs an overhaul, let's talk. Click to email us. We'll listen first, look at your online presence and then offer our recommendations.  One size does not fit all.The solution for you should be unique to your business and goals. Maybe you only need a refresh.

Many sites are noticing their website’s search ranking has changed

Have  you noticed a change in the results you've received after a search query? The new Google update may be part of the answer. If you are noticing the difference, just know, that other people are seeing the changes as well.

For many years, online marketers encouraged their clients to buy every domain name that described their products or services, ie: www.idothis.com, www.thisismyproduct.com, www.iamthebestatthis.com, etc. For a long time these exact keyword or brand name domains showed up in the top of the list in the search results even though they may not have had the content that someone was looking for.

According to Google the idea of this recent update is to provide searchers with the most relevant and high quality results. That isn't always the sites with exact match domain names.

Many companies attempted to “trick” the search engine into listing the company’s web site more highly by using a popular exact match domain, yet the website may have delivered low quality content and web spam.

This update reinforces the important of a high quality website. A successful online presence requires an ongoing plan to stay current and engaging. One page websites and business card type websites will continue to fall in the search rankings. Unless someone knows your exact domain name, they may not find you in their search results as easily as they did in the past.

Keeping your online presence high quality should include:
1. Current, relevant and engaging content on your website
2. Properly optimized content (Yes, you can over optimize and black-hat optimize. Both of which will penalize your web rankings.)
3. High quality links into your website
4. Social engagement. (this is more than merely talking about your persona life or posting jokes, unless that is your profession)
5. Unique navigation with relevant engaging content rather than the over used standards.

What to do if you already own exact keyword match domains?
Make sure it meets the list above. If not - fix it, fast before you lose ranking altogether.

Quick summary: Provide information, answer questions, provide a way to continue the relationship.

So you need help doing this? We can help. Contact us. We'll listen first, look at your online presence and then offer our recommendations.  One size does not fit all.The solution for you should be unique to your business and goals.

Why Content is So Important to SEO

Content, content, content....a word that seems like nagging to many of my clients.

The major search engines are focusing on creating the best possible user experience, which means sites that offer relevant (new, creative and unique)information stand to gain the most visibility.

This following image provides a graphic explanation of the importance of content. To see the enlarged size, click here.

If you think  your SEO needs an overhaul, let's talk. Click to email us. We'll listen first, look at your online presence and then offer our recommendations.  One size does not fit all.The solution for you should be unique to your business and goals. Maybe you only need a refresh.

How often do you visit your own website?

I asked this question at a presentation last week, and was surprised to hear that most people fail to visit their own website, and worse fail to check the traffic analytics and feedback. Just because your webmaster (or you) have designed a nice website, the job isn't over.

A few days before this presentation, I visited the websites of two acquaintances. One had missing images and no alt text, and missing text color in the navigation. The other had three typos and a several broken links. (See Focus Group Pet Peeves below.)

Your website, and especially your home page is the first impression a visitor has of you, your expertise and professionalism. Even though you may have hired a webmaster to design your site, the ultimate responsibility falls upon you, after all - it is your image and your business.

Once your site is online, it still requires maintenance. Changes in search algorithms can require changes in your source code, keywords or content in order to stay visible.

A competent webmaster will keep you appraised of the changes that need to be made to keep up with the search engine algorithms, and will consistently check their work for broken links and missing information or images. No one is perfect and mistakes can be made, however, errors should be corrected without delay. The longer a page stays online, the more likely it can become part of a cache page in search results.

Your web designer/SEO/marketer should be working with your success in mind. If they are analyzing your traffic, they can work with you to understand which pages and links are popular and respond to pages that are losing ranking with changes or fresh content.

It is essential to know what your customers and prospects are seeing when they visit your site. Are they impressed with how well your website represents you? Do they bookmark, share or +1 your site? Is your content fresh, giving them a reason to return?

One of the best ways to determine if your site is working for or against you and your goals, is to utilize a focus group. Unbiased, unrelated (no friends or family) selection of people to give honest feedback on what they saw, felt and learned from your site.

From the many focus groups I run on my clients and prospects websites, the top pet peeves are:
1. Tiny Text.
2. Text too hard to read against the page background. Least favorite: gray text against white background,
3. Sound that launches automatically, whether it's music, a greeter voice on the website, or the auto responder telling you to check your email.
4. Outdated websites with no current content and several broken links.
5. Finding themselves opted-in to receive additional information, usually an e-zine, after they responded to a free offer with no advance indication that they are being opted in.

The number of websites on the internet is growing everyday. Even if your market is only your local area, you still need a consistent plan of action, and consistent changes in order to stay as visible as possible in the search results.

Wishing you awesome and continuing success !

Sumner M. Davenport is a Solutions Consultant.
Best Selling Author and Keynote Speaker
Solutions, not just answers.
Solutions are not one-size-fits-all.
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Facebook News Feed - are your friends getting your updates?

Facebook has changed its News Feed, so that by default, you can only see updates from people you've "recently interacted with." This also means that if you are not interacting with your friends, they may not be seeing your posts either.

To fix this click on the arrow next to "Most Recent."

From the dropdown menu, click on "Edit Options."

You will see the default is "Friends and pages you interact with the most".

Select "All of your friends and pages."
Click "Save."

Be sure to tell your friends because they might be missing your posts until they make this same change.

MANAGE YOUR NEWS FEED:

1.) If you only want to see posts in your news feed from friends who have made recent status updates, then start again at the drop down menu under "Most Recent".

Select "Status Updates".

2.) If you only want to see posts in your news feed from selected friends, then start again at the drop-down menu under "Most Recent" to "Create a friend list."

A window will appear with your friends images. Make a name for this list and select the friends you want included.

Click Save.

Now when you return to your page, and click "Most Recent", you will see your new customized friend list added.

By clicking this, your news feed will only show posts from the friends in this list.

Be sure to tell your friends because they might be missing your posts until they make this same change.

REMINDER: Your friends may find it difficult to find your custom business page unless it is correctly linked from your profile. You can still have your privacy controls set so that only your friends can see your posts, however, visitors can more easily find your business page. See my blog post titled: "Are you making it difficult for people to find your business on your social media profiles?".

Wishing you awesome and continuing success !


Sumner M. Davenport is a Solutions Consultant.
Best Selling Author and Keynote Speaker
Solutions, not just answers.
Solutions are not one-size-fits-all.
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Buyer Be Aware - How Online Retailers Motivate You To Spend More

How To Create Your Own Facebook URL or Username

If you are trying to figure out how to get your own custom Facebook fan page URL for your Facebook business page here’s how you do it.


You must have 25 or more fans (people who have liked your page), before you will be able to set a username. If you do not yet have 25 fans on your page, start suggesting to your friends to like your page. Underneath your Facebook fan page profile picture there is a button labeled “suggest to friends.” you can use this button to invite your friends to come support and like your fan page. 


After you are logged into your Facebook account, go to http://facebook.com/username.


If you have not yet verified your account, You will be prompted to do so before you can create a username.

Once on the username page, select your profile, business page, Group (that you started) or Facebook App that you created from the drop-down menu.

If you have not yet met the requirement of 25 fans, you will see a message that your page is not eligible for a username at this time. Gain your 25 fans and return.

After you have obtained a minimum of 25 fans, return to http://facebook.com/username. From the drop-down menu to select your profile, business page, Group (that you started) or Facebook App that you created. 


A new text box will appear asking you to enter your desired username.

Here is where you want to give it some thought.


Your Facebook username is one of the most important factors to getting your page, profile, or Facebook group ranked in search results. You want to make sure that your username is both short and descriptive and includes keywords that users might be using to find pages like yours.


Facebook has a few defined limitations:
1. You cannot change the name once you have selected it for this page.
2. You cannot transfer ownership to anyone else
3. You cannot violate anyone's trademark. They also do not allow you to use Facebook in your name.
4. You  cannot obtain page names with the intention to sell them.
5. Facebook can delete or claim your custom name for many other yet undefined reasons according to their Terms& Conditions.

After creating your custom URL you can now use this web address to hand out to your customers, prospects, e-mail list, and website visitors so that they can easily find your Facebook page and spread the word.


You also want to make sure that this custom page is connected to your profile so your current and new friends can find it.  See my blog post titled: "Are you making it difficult for people to find your business on your social media profiles?"

Wishing you awesome and continuing success !


Sumner M. Davenport is a Solutions Consultant. 
Best Selling Author and Keynote Speaker
Solutions, not just answers.
Solutions are not one-size-fits-all.
Follow on Facebook

Google launches Instant Pages on Chrome

Instant Pages is just one part of Google’s new and revised overall Instant platform. With Instant Pages in Chrome, you can skip the extra seconds waiting for a page to load and get to the answers you're looking for faster with webpages that load instantly.

Are you using it?
Does it make a difference in your search activities?

Smart webmasters and marketers will be making significant changes to websites to get them to the top of the first page results, including buying ads.

What is SEO? How has it changed?

Every week I meet someone who asks if I include SEO in the services I offer. I answer yes, followed by the question "what is your understanding of SEO?"

The answers usually include something similar to " making it easier for search engines to find my website, changing keywords or meta tags, etc" While that answer is a partial explanation of SEO, it fails to answer the full picture and the best way to accomplish it.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the visibility of your website or a web page in search engines via the "natural" or un-paid ("organic" or "algorithmic") search results. Search engines don’t read text, view images, or watch video the same way a human being does, so your website must include certain instructions so that the search engine can not only find you, but can also deliver visitors to your specific content.

What once worked in the past, may not work as effectively today, as the search engines consistently change their search algorithms; the method that they find and rank a website and web page. With the introduction of “instant search”, “plus 1” and results from social networking sites being delivered, your website must consistently change to keep up with the changes in the search engines practices.

In the beginning, SEO was as simple as changing a few meta tags and keywords in your website code. Then as the internet grew with millions of websites, and thousands in your niche, SEO had to evolve. Some of the previous efforts for SEO no longer work today. At one time, cross linking your website (I’ll post your link on mine, if you post me on yours) was popular and for some websites it created an increase in traffic and interest in their products; especially if those linking websites were in their niche. Then the search algorithms changed again and these cross links just washed each other out. For a long time (and still), many SEO companies started placing their clients website on hundreds and thousands of non-specific directory sites. Although this “might” increase the traffic to a website, it has no positive effect on page ranking or earning authority ratings with search engines. Plus, search engines many times either ignore or block these non-important sites, so your link becomes worthless. On the other hand, placing links on high authority sites, especially in your niche area, have a greater potential of delivering better visitors to your site, and increasing your overall ranking.

For years we have been telling clients that content is important, and current content is essential, yet many websites are still launched and left to sit for months and even years, A website with no new activity will soon fall to the bottom of the sandbox, and then take extra efforts to relive it. Internet searchers are becoming more specific in their request, and demanding quicker results. Keeping your content current gives you a better chance of answering those search inquiries.

SEO works when it is included in your overall marketing plan, which includes your website, your blog, your videos, your email newsletter and all your social networking sites, (ie: Facebook, LinkedIn, industry specific sites, etc.), tied in with your offline marketing efforts as well. Working on only one area can be more costly in time, potential designer fees and low returns.

Internet marketing returns better results with (1) a strategic plan; (2) Analytics; (3) Analysis of results vs goals; and (4) Adjustments. Rinse and repeat.

Wishing you awesome and continuing success. Happy Internet

How secure are your passwords? (and therefore your accounts!)

Over this past weekend it was breaking news that Apple's survey website had been hacked and a collection of accounts and passwords were then posted on the internet. Fox News Twitter account had been hacked and erroneous news stories posted.

If the passwords of these giants can be obtained by serious hackers, how safe are the passwords you use on your online accounts from the identity thieves? Despite numerous warnings about easy passwords, or the need to change passwords regularly, many people still ignore the warnings.

A network software security company found that 1 percent of the 32 million people it studied had used “123456” as a password. The second-most-popular password was “12345.” Others in the top 20 included “qwerty,” “abc123” and “princess.”

The most popular (and easily hacked) passwords still used today:
1. Your birthday
2. 123456
3. qwerty
4. abc123
5. letmein
6. monkey
7. myspace1
8. password1
9. blink182
10.(your first name, or any part of your name)
11. 12345
12 123456789
13. Password (with and without capitalization)
14. iloveyou
15. princess
16. jesus (with and without capitalization)
17. jesus saves
18. 1234567
19 12345678
20. abc123
21. babygirl
22. monkey
23. Lovely
25. michael
26. Ashley
27. 654321
28. Qwerty
29. (the name of the website you're on)
30. letmein

The advice is to stay away from common and easy passwords, especially for your critical online accounts that have sensitive and/or financial information about you.

I read a hint somewhere that can be helpful: Take a sentence and turn it into a password. Something like "This little piggy went to market" might become "tlpWENT2m". (Now that I've given you this example, please don't use it, compose your own creative sentence). You might find an online password creator tool easier if you have several passwords you need to create.

PLUS, when setting your "secret questions" for an email reminder of your password, use your own questions or answer only the ones that most people wouldn't know about you.

Yes, it may feel aggravating to have to remember different passwords for different accounts, however, compare that to having your account hacked and your identity violated, or your money stolen.




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