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Alan Smith - Web Design and Development

Alan Smith is a web designer and web developer using WordPress as a CMS and the Genesis Framework. I am a devoted husband and father, a Christ Follower and a Georgia Bulldog Fan (Go SEC!).

Social Media Not Good for Local Business

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Social Media LogosIf you’re running a small business and your market is primarily your local area, then social media may be of little value to business success.

The Pew Internet Study

A recent Pew Internet study looked at where people are getting information about local businesses.  They found that most people are turning to the interent (51%), over newspaper (31%), word of mouth (23%), and TV (8%).

A small business website is critical for the success of your business.  Since the turn of the century, the most important component of your small business has been a website.  With the advent of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, there has been a growing push to have your business on these networks.

Social media may not be good for local business marketing . . . yet.

According the study, only 3% of the responders used social media to get information about a local business.  Only 3%.  This seems counter intuitive with so many people using the social network.

Social Network Fails

Social networks are great for connecting with people.  They seem to work well for larger businesses that are marketing to build brand awareness and community.  These companies spend a larger amount of time, energy, and money using social networks to grow their market share and build affinity to a brand.

Most local businesses use the web to gain more business and/or generate more leads.  They are not trying to build brand awareness or develop community.  There just isn’t enough time or money for most small business owners to divide their resources to develop a quality social media strategy that would generate a great return.

Social media is great for business, but it doesn’t seem to be ideal for most local business.  There has to be strategic design to get a return.

Successful Business Lessons From Spider Man and His Amazing Friends

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Spider-Man and His Amazing FriendsSuccessful business lessons can come from some of the oddest places.

I have a son who is really into Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends, the old 1960’s version.  He discovered them on Netflix and has watched them over and over.

As I’ve sat and watched these classic shows with him, I’ve began to notice some very interesting parallels between what makes Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends successful and what makes small businesses successful.

So, the purpose of this post is to provide three business lessons you can learn from that classic children’s cartoon.

Find Your Super-Power

The interesting thing about Spider-Man, Fire-Girl and Ice-Man is that they each have a singular, unique power.  They are specialized in their heroism and they do that one thing better than anyone else.  Who can do what a spider does better than Spider-Man? No-one.

When we are trying to develop a successful online business model, we need to clearly identify our singular, unique power.  In business this is your Unique Selling Position, USP.  It has been called many things, but the important factor is that you have specific characteristics that make you and your services or products unique.

You may be the best teacher in your area or have the best customer service.  Your USP is the super-power of your business.  It is what makes you different.  This is YOUR thing.  It is what you do better than anyone else.

If you plan on running a successful business, online or brick-and-mortar, you must have your own Super-Power.

Be a Crime Fighter

In every episode of Spider-Man, the super heros are challenged by some villan.  They have to fight the bad guys to save the day.  Now if Fire-Girl got side tracked with some other project or task, she would fail as a hero.  The bad guys would win!  Not the way to be a super-hero.

In order for your business to succeed, you have to keep focused on the main thing.  Make sure you are spending where you get a return.  This applies both to the finances and the activities of your business.  If you get side tracked with opportunities and task that are not connected to the success of your business, you will lose.  The bad guy will win and the villan will shut you down.

Make sure to keep focused on what it is your are doing.  You are a business owner, a super-hero, don’t forget it and let the villans win.

It Takes a Team

It’s Spider-Man AND His Amazing-Friends.  Whenever Spider-Man heads out to fight crime and rid the city of the bad guys, he does it with his friends.  It’s a team.  Each person in the group has specific strengths and weaknesses and together they always win.  Individually, they sometimes get beat, but as a team, they ALWAYS win.  Every episode ends the same way!

We are social creatures and business is a team sport.  It is incredibly difficult to try and do this all by yourself.  You need a team.  You need people who have similar goals to help carry the load.

I’m not suggesting that you need employees, but you do need partners.  This may come through joint ventures, online community forums or local community groups (like your local chamber of commerce). Whatever approach you take, you need people to bounce ideas off of, to brainstorm, to help keep you in check.  We all need that.

If your business is to be successful, you need a team.

What other traits do you see in Spider-Man that is important in business?  Share your thoughts in the comments.

The “Be First in Google Search” Myth Debunked

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Being first in Google has been the ‘Holy Grail’ for SEO.  After all, nearly 42% of all clicks go to the first position in Google search.  If it is that important, then we all need to work to get there.

But a recent SEO Moz study indicates that the number one position may in fact have less importance than once believed.

The Myth

The generally accepted rule of thumb on SEO ranking is that you MUST earn the number one position for your search term to get significant traffic.  This is the result of years of research and repeated studies.  After all, search engines rank your site and only deliver the top 10 results on the first page.  And we all know from experience, that page two and following are hardly ever looked at, much less clicked.

The Change in Search

Search engines have been modifying the way they show results.  It started out by adding images and video to the search results.  As social media has become more and more important, the search engines are beginning to include social triggers in the algorithm.  The conversations on Twitter and Facebook about a particular search term is having an impact on what gets shown on page one.

As technology continues to change and location based information is added to the mix, now search engines are trying to deliver not only the most relevant search result, but also the one that has the most social conversation and the one that may be closest to your location.  The logic is that if people are talking about it and it’s close to your location, it is probably more relevant to your search.

The Impact of Local

The trend seems to be including local businesses in the initial search results.  And what the Eye-Tracking studies are showing is that people are jumping past the first or second organic result and looking at the local results.

This is great for local area businesses.  If you are optimizing your site for local search, you are increasing your chance of click through and relevancy.  The local area businesses, although not in the number one position, is actually getting more attention and more clicks.

SEO Moz eye tracking data shows the impact of local.  The test used the search term “best pizza in chicago.”  The results of the search provided organic global results and local area businesses results.  Notice that the hot zones.

Eye Tracking Results
Eye Tracking Results, courtesy of SEO Moz

The Implications

Ranking #1 may not be the gold standard for search results.  There seems to be a trend toward local results, even if they are further down the results page.

If your business is not listed in Google places, this study implies that you may be missing out on some organic search traffic.  Get listed in Google Places and optimize for your location.  This could lead to better search traffic.

8 Simple Solutions to Secure a WordPress Install

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Protect yourself from predators!  They come in all shapes and sizes.  Some with big fangs and others with pocket protectors.  If your website is build using WordPress, there are some things you NEED to do to make sure it is secure from predators, a.k.a. HACKERS!

se·cu·ri·ty (si?kyo?orit?) noun

1.  The state of being free from danger or threat.

2.  The safety of a state or organization against criminal activity such as terrorism, theft, or espionage.

Simple Solutions to a Secure WordPress

Being hacked is never a good thing.  It makes us feel violated. Our life gets hugely interrupted.  And, if your website is crucial for your business, it is costing you money.

You cannot completely prevent your website from being hacked, but you can make it more difficult, which causes many hackers to move on to the next victim.

 

1.  Password Security

If you are like most people, you have a single password for all of your online accounts.  The same password is used for your gmail account and your administration account for your website.

Rule Number One, secure your password.  Immediately, log into your website, go to Users/Your Profile and change your password.  Use something complex.  Use numbers, letters and special characters.  A password like abc123 is not nearly as secure as b477m4n* (battman using alpha-numeric and symbols).  Make it unique yet memorable.

Now. . .

Don’t read another word, until you have made this change. . . . I’ll wait!

2.  WordPress is Vulnerable

Let’s be frank.  WordPress is an open-sources application.  Although this is wonderful for many reasons, it also introduces several potential problems.  The fact that any one can download the source code means that a non-friendly person, HACKER, can download the software, explore it’s code, find vulnerabilities and exploit them.

This presents a constant problem and the friendly people at Automattic are continually offering updates that help address these issues.

Therefore, update WordPress as quickly as possible.  They roll out updates 3 – 4 times per year.  Keep your install up to date.

This goes for Plugins also.

3.  File Permissions

Most of your directories and files installed with WordPress should be protected based on file permissions.  By limiting who has access to files and directories, you can limit potential points of exploitation.

Using an FTP client, such as FileZila or FireFTP, you can access your WordPress files.  Check the permissions and make sure the directories are set to 755 and the files are set to 644.

These are the recommended permissions settings from WordPress and limit access from non-authorized users.

4.  Secure wp-config.php

By default, this file is placed in the same directory as all WordPress files and directories.  You can move the file up one directory to place it outside the grasp of would be hackers.

This is a critical file because it contains the username and password to your database as well as the security keys used to keep the site protected.

If wp-config.php is in public_html/wordpress/wp-config.php move it to public_html/wp-config.php.

You can also add the following to your .htaccess file to add another layer of protection:

[code]# to protect wp-config.php
<Files wp-config.php>
order allow,deny
deny from all
</Files>[/code]

5.  Database Security

When WordPress is initially setup, wp_ is the default database prefix.  Since this is well know and most users do not take the time to change it to a random string, this poses a potential vulnerability.

Use the WP Prefix Changer to change the prefix.  This should only be used on a currently installed site.  Use a very random sting alpha-numeric characters.  Because this is not something you need to remember for later use, make it as random as possible.

6.  Username Obscurity

The default username upon a WordPress install is admin.  If you have not created a unique username, then everyone knows half of the login credentials to your site.  And if you have not changed your password, they can probably figure out the other half.

Make it more of a challenge.

You cannot change the username once it is created.  So, the simplest solution is to create a second username with administrator rights and delete the Admin account.

7.  Backups are Critical

Making regular backups of your database and your source files is imperative for security.  If your site gets hacked and you have a fresh, secure backup, you can restore your site in a matter of minutes and be back up and running in no time.  Without a backup, you are at the mercy of your hosting provider and that is not a good place to be.

I recommend WP-DB Manager to monitor and create regular backups of the database.  It is a free plugin and works well for database maintenance and security.  You can create scheduled backups and have those emailed off site so you have a copy on your local machine and on your server.

For more protection, I recommend using BackupBuddy.  This is a premium plugin that provides backup of database and file system.  This plugin enables you to create complete backups and restore when needed.

The cream of the crop for backup support is VaultPress.  It is a system developed by the makers of WordPress, Automattic and provides unparalleled support for backups.

8.  Monitoring Changes

Monitoring changes to your site is a critical step in knowing what to correct if a security breach occurs.  If you are hacked, you need to make sure you get all the files corrected and cleaned or you are exposed for multiple attacks.

WordPress File Monitor keeps track of any files that have any added/deleted content.  You can then know where the hack has occurred and are better able to prevent future events.

You Can’t Be Perfect

There is no such thing as perfect security for a website, just ask Bank of America and the Department of Defense.  Being hacked is part of the risk we take by being on the web.  It is fairly unregulated and open to all comers.  Our best option is to prepare for an attack and be ready to respond immediately.

If you would like added security and support for your website.  Be sure to check out our maintenance and support services.  We can provide various levels of support for you website.

6 Steps for Successful Business Ideas

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You have a business idea, but you don’t know if it has potential for success.  How do you go about determining if you might have a successful business idea?

I know that was one of my biggest questions when I started.  Will this business work?  Are there enough potential customers to make a living?

The First Step

Before you can know if you have a good idea, you need to do some basic market research.  If you are brick and mortar business, you probably did some research before you setup shop.  You should have looked at competition, potential customer base, location of business and you know your demographics.

If you hope to be successful with an online business, you need to do some basic market research as well.

Steps for Successful Business Ideas

Here are six steps to help you in your research determine if you have a potentially successful business idea.

1.  Pay-Per-Click campaigns from small businesses

Are you seeing small businesses actively participating in pay-per-click campaigns that are targeting goods and services?  When you do a search for products and/or services you offer, are you seeing large, mega-companies bidding on search results or do you see a good number of small businesses?

The fact that there are significant number of small businesses bidding on terms indicates that there is a competitive market and a good customer base.  Businesses are only going to engage in pay-per-click campaigns when there is a profitable return on the investment.  This is a good indicator of potentially successful business ideas.

2.  Niche publications with plenty of ads

Niche publications, like magazines, are good sources of market research.  Do you have several niche magazines in your area of business?  If you do not, this would be a good indication your business idea is more of a hobby.

If you do have plenty of magazines or publications, then do they have a thriving classified ad section?  Classified ads are often included by small business owners trying to market their products or training materials.  The presence of niche publications and thriving ad sections are good indicators of potentially successful business ideas.

3.  Search results shows training topics

A good indicator that a business idea has legs, is whether there are plenty of training or educational materials in search results.  The largest segment of a good business is the beginner and this affords ample opportunity for training and education.

If you find that your business idea has a significant amount of training or educational courses in your search results, you probably have an idea with a large beginner base.  Beginners are looking for knowledge and information and are often willing to pay for expert information.

4.  Popular authors have membership websites

Similar to the above idea, if the leaders in your niche are developing member only content areas, you may have a good business idea.  If there is an opportunity to increase revenue, an author is going to offer exclusive access to content behind their paid wall.

A paid members only area is an excellent indicator that there is money to be made in this niche.  Building your own business around this same niche could prove to be as successful for you as it has been for the author.

5.  Paid training courses in your niche

There are countless number of training facilities across this country offering courses for a wide range of topics.  If you can easily find training courses for your specific niche, you may have a potentially successful business idea.

Training facilities spend a lot of money to grow and develop their business.  In order for them to be profitable, there has to be a viable customer base to support the industry.  Their customers could also become your customers.

6. Direct response advertising

You get direct mailings for products or services similar to yours in the mail.  If you find that you see similar messages delivered via TV or radio or print, you know that you have an idea that has a good customer base.  Direct response advertising is not a cheap method to deliver you message.  And if businesses are spending their valuable resources, they must be able to identify a good ROI.

This would indicate that your business idea has a good chance at success.

Successful Business Ideas are NOT easy

You may be like me and seem to develop all kinds of “business” ideas.  The difference between an idea being a hobby and a business rest in the question of money.  Can you make enough money?  If you have a niche business idea you need to evaluate its potential for success.  If you can say yes to all of these steps, then you have a potentially successful business idea.

Now it becomes a matter of execution.  Can you deliver?  That is a topic for another day.

What other ideas do you have for evaluating the potential success of your business ideas?  Share them in the comments.

How To: Add MailChimp sign up form to your WordPress sidebar

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If you use MailChimp for your email marketing efforts, you need to have an opt-in form on your site in multiple places.  One primary location is the top of the sidebar.  This should be prominent and easy to find.

To add the Mail Chip form, log into your account and go to ‘List.’  Select the list you want to add to your page by clicking ‘View List’.

Click on the ‘For Your Website drop down and select ‘Sign Up Form Embed Code.’

 

You will have three options for how your form will display.  Select the form you want and make any necessary adjustment to the form using the drop down box.

Once the form is correct, copy the embed code.  This will be added to your site in a text widget.

The MailChimp embed code has several div that can be managed by your CSS.  Simply add some style information to your style sheet and the form will look customized for your site needs.

Now that we have the embed code, log into the Admin of your WordPress website and go to Appearance/Widgets.  You will need to add a text widget to the appropriate widgetized section in the sidebar.  Best practice is to have the sign up form at the top of the sidebar.  There are a few other ideal location, but we will address those at a later date.

Paste the embed code into the text widget.  Give it a compelling title, something that would compel a visitor to subscribe to your email list.

Refresh your website to ensure the changes have taken effect.  Now your Mail Chimp email for will be at your specified location.

This is embarrassing, don’t look!

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From Flickr | Creative Commons

I told you not to look!

Facebook Timeline will Embarrass You

There are changes coming, again, to Facebook and this one promises to be significant.  Besides making drastic changes to the open graph, along with changing our layouts, the new Timeline feature is going to be BIG!

If you’ve been under the proverbial rock and don’t know what ‘Timeline’ is all about, let me share with you the basics.  Facebook timeline is a chronical of your life on Facebook.  All of your FB content is organized and listed in a single long timeline.  You can scroll to specific years and see the events, images, video’s or friends you had at that moment.

The Timeline will begin rolling out in a couple weeks and you all will love it!  I mean, your supposed to love it.  I mean, once you get over the fact that they changed the whole thing again, you’ll live with it. (I’m personally a big fan!)

It’s Automatic Baby!

One of the most interesting features of the new facebook is auto-share.  Facebook is making simple to automatically share what you are doing through Facebook connected apps.  You will no longer have to click the “Like” button on a page to share that content in your Timeline.

If you are logged in or have granted permission to an app, your information will automatically post to your timeline.  Any article you ready, any video you watch, any photo you look at will automatically be connected and shared to your friends.  Facebook is calling this “Gestures.”

The possibilities here are both exciting and alarming.

So imagine that you are reading Fox News or CNN.com and you click on the headline article and then you follow a link to a photo and you finish up by watching the latest video from the new room.  If you are logged in to the site with your Facebook credentials, the article image and excerpt will post to your timeline, the image with copy will post and the video will be shared for all your friends and friends of friends to see, read, and enjoy.

Oops, I didn’t want that to happen . . .

This sounds all fair and good.  But what happens when you click the wrong link and you end up reading an article entitled “Holly ensures breast for six figures.”  That now is posted to your wall and your having to explain to your friends or your wife.

There is something you can do

So what do you do?  Can you prevent this accidental embarrassment from happening?

Be aware that when you click the “Add to Timeline” button on a website, you are giving your permission to post your activity.  This is not a problem if your security settings are set properly.  It could bet alarming if they are not.

So here’s the take away.  Always remember that the internet is not private.  Make sure your settings are set to an appropriate level of security and that you pay attention to what you click and follow.

By the way, if you’d like to have Timeline activated on your Facebook account now, it’s simple to do.  You will have to create an app and activate if for page.  Here is a simple eight step process to getting Timeline on your page.

SEO UPDATE:  This page ranked on the first page of Google for “Facebook Timeline Privacy” in 6 hours.  If you need SEO consulting, consider Media317.

Demographics are Dead

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One of the most important task of any business is to gain a better understanding of their target audience.

Demographics: A Thing of the Past

Demographic DataDemographics has been the marketing instrument of defining a target audience for most of the last 100 years.  It was an attempt to cluster large groups of people into simple boxes so companies could pitch products and services.

Marketing typically divides groups according to age, gender, ethnicity, income level, etc.  These are large segments of the populations that fit a similar characteristic.

During the rise of mass communications like TV and Radio in the boom years of the 50’s and 60’s, the goal was to group people into very specific segments so they could sell advertising.

What Group Are You In?

The idea was that people of the demographic are going to have the same inclination toward products and services, therefore, market to the group.

Marketing was lumping millions of people into the same group and calling them “Baby Boomers” or “Gen-X-ers.”  This made it easier to sell stuff, because people in those groups seemed to accept the classification and “own” the identity.

With the advent of the social network and the proliferation of the internet.  Groups have become highly segmented.  It’s no long a good marketing idea to look at groups in such large demographic memes.

We are Fragments

We have become fragmented.  We have begun to migrate into smaller and smaller niches until the larger classifications really become meaningless.

If you operate a business and have defined the scope of your market to be consumers between the age of 34 – 55 with a household income over $100k and who ready online journals weekly, you have identified a market of several million.  That is a market that is too large to reach and to diverse to appreciate your goods or services.

Psychographics are the New Thing!

Today, the trend is to look at psychographic profiles.  Psychograpics looks at the beliefs, philosophy, attitudes, interst and personalities that effect a consumers tendencies toward products and services.

Instead of looking at the “group” that bought, you look at “why” they bought.  A business owner that is able to understand the things that motivate a consumer to purchase, is better able to market to that consumer.

The power of the social network is that we have an opportunity to understand the psychographic of our audience.  Instead of defining a group of 17 million consumers that may or may not have any interest in your goods, you can can define a group of 50,000 consumers that are looking for your product or service and are ready to buy.

Look at the profiles of the friends you have on your social graph.  Digest the information.  What are the common themes?  What are their common interest?  Who do they follow?

Build deep understanding of your customer, or risk the consequences.