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Tag Archives: politics
3 Critical Mistakes You Might Be Making with Your Business Website
The post 3 Critical Mistakes You Might Be Making with Your Business Website appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . A strange but true fact: roughly one out of every two small businesses still doesn’t have a website. That wouldn’t have been particularly surprising 20 years ago. But today? It seems rather strange. Especially when you consider that nearly 100% of consumers now do at least some of their shopping online for products and services that interest them. So if you’re a small business owner, and you do have a website, that automatically gives you a huge leg-up over about half of your competition. But what about the other half of your competition – the half that does have a website? If you’re like many small businesses, you might not be faring so well against those competitors. That’s because many small businesses have websites that are much less effective than they could be. And in fact, many small businesses are making the very same mistakes with their websites. According to the Small Business Administration , there are 3 critical mistakes that many small businesses are making with their online presence: #1. No Call-to-Action Let’s say that you have a website. And let’s say that a prospective customer lands upon your homepage. Do you tell that prospective customer what you want them to do? Many small business websites don’t. They seem satisfied to let visitors wander around aimlessly for a bit until they wander off the website – likely never to return. And that’s a mistake that more than two-thirds of small business websites make. But it’s important to let website visitors know what you want them to do. In fact, every single page of your website should have a designated purpose – a most-wanted response. And the copy and graphics on that page should work to elicit that most-wanted response. But you’re not likely to get that most-wanted response without telling your website visitors what you want them to do. #2. Mobile Incompatibility The world is going mobile. Only a few short years ago, most customers accessed your website via a desktop or laptop computer. But that’s no longer true. These days, it’s likely that just as many customers visit you virtually with a smart phone or a tablet. And that might be a problem for you. Because a website design that is perfectly fine for viewing with a desktop/laptop computer may not be particularly suitable for viewing with a mobile device. In fact, it’s very likely that your website is not mobile compatible. Because fewer than 10% of mobile websites are mobile compatible. And if you think that mobile incompatibility is no more than a slight inconvenience for some of your website visitors, think again. Google takes mobile compatibility very seriously – and may seriously ding your site in search results if you’re not mobile friendly. (Not sure whether your site is mobile-friendly? Use this free tool to easily find out.) #3. Cold-Shouldering Social Media Social media is all the rage these days. Social media portals such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest have become wildly popular. And many marketers are trying to tap into that popularity as a new way to reach customers. In truth, there’s some dispute about the effect of social media marketing for businesses. But many marketing experts feel that social media holds far too much promise to ignore. As one expert noted in a Forbes article , there are a great many potential benefits to social media marketing. Even so, more than 80% of small business websites don’t even bother to link to any social media accounts. And that might be a massive mistake. It’s A Bad News / Good News Scenario The three critical mistakes listed above are made by the majority of small business websites. So if you’re the owner or operator of a small business, the odds are strong that you’re in that group. That’s the bad news. The good news, though, is that simply having a website places you ahead of half of your competition. And you can compound that advantage by eliminating any of these three critical mistakes that you might be making with your website. Do that, and you’ll place your business in the rarified air of dominating your online competition. And that’s a very good place to be. web hosting Continue reading
What Does Passion Mean For Your Small Business
The post What Does Passion Mean For Your Small Business appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . “The best advice I could give anyone is to spend your time working on whatever you are passionate about in life.” – Richard Branson Passion is a big word in the business world, especially with the growth of online technologies that now make it much easier for people to follow their passions and turn them into a business. However, that doesn’t mean the process is going to be any easier. As you know running your business is more than a full-time job, but when it’s a labor of love it can make the process much more enjoyable. In this post we’re going to explore passion in the business world, what it means, and ways to become passionate about your business if it’s not quite there for you. Why Start A Business In The First Place? People start businesses for a variety of reasons. It would be impossible to list them all here. It doesn’t even have to be said, but most people are in business to make money. Most people don’t go into business to go bankrupt. A lot of people start a business because they see a hole in the market that can be filled with their business or service. Sometimes people are serial entrepreneurs and bounce from industry to industry finding problems and building solutions for those problems. Other people take a more artistic sense and are looking for creative fulfillment. This type of person seeks creative fulfillment through their product or service. They look to flex their creative muscles and solve problems using their unique service or product. Passion comes in many forms, as many forms as there are people on earth. If passion is your root reason for pursuing a business idea, then by all means pursue it until the end of the earth. If you’re wired to start a business about what you’re passionate about then a part of you won’t be satisfied until you do. After all, when you’re doing something you’re immersed in it doesn’t really feel like work. Can I Become Passionate? If you started your business to fill a market need and you really want to become passionate about your work there are a few ways to nurture passion, without selling your business and starting a new one from scratch. If you started a business for the money and now you want to become passionate about your work, first you need to have a deep understanding of what you like to do and what your strengths are. If you can adapt these to your current work day, or introduce new aspects into your business then you’ll be well on your way towards bringing passion into your work. Below you’ll find a few questions that will help you uncover your passion and strengths: What would you do every day, even if you weren’t being paid to do it? What do you think your core strengths are? What could you immerse yourself in for hours at a time? If you could only do one activity for the rest of your life what would it be? Once you find your strengths the key is going to be building a bridge between passion and your current work reality. You have to be creative to do this, but I have faith in you. It might mean adjusting your work priorities, daily agenda, or introducing a new service or product for you to manage. Passion is an important ingredient to have, not only for your business, but for your life. web hosting Continue reading
How Using Freelance Workers Can Take Your Business To The Next Level
The post How Using Freelance Workers Can Take Your Business To The Next Level appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Our nation is seeing a drastically different workforce than that of our parents and those working prior to the advent of online communication. According to an article put out by the Wall Street Journal surveying the freelance demographic , more than one third of the United States (34%) now falls within the freelance category of employment. While it’s true there have always been independent entrepreneurs, and sole-proprietors offering independent contracts, never before have we seen such an exodus towards working from the comfort of our homes. This could include anyone from stay-at-home parents, those who are in between jobs, or those who are making a full time living right from their laptops. From the human resources perspective there can be many advantages to hiring a freelancer to fulfill certain tasks within your company. You won’t have to pay them for sick time, or vacations, and will simply pay them at an hourly rate based on the job specifications you have set forth. On the other side of things, there can also be problems associated with hiring someone with no investment in your business. That’s why we’ve come up with a modern toolkit for informing you on what kind of freelancers are out there, and how to go about employing them to your advantage. The 5 Types of Freelancers For Small Business When it comes to hiring a freelancer, these five categories tend to come in the most handy when looking for someone who can contribute remotely. 1. The Virtual Assistant – Let’s face it, sometimes the most valuable asset we can add to our team is the ability to cut out logistic tasks and free up some time. A VA can schedule appointments, manage the projects of your other freelancers, and apply for things like grants. Having this person manage these recurring tasks can really allow you to focus on what your passionate about with the business. 2. The Social Media Marketer – Not everyone wants to get involved with social media, or spend the time online studying posts, but in this day in age it’s nearly impossible to make a killing without putting yourself where the people are looking. Having someone handle your marketing will save you all the anxiety of forgetting to post, and having to deal with all the new trends if you’re truly not interested. 3. The Copywriter – Copywriters are the word smiths that ensure your audience is receiving your message fluently and effectively. Their strength in writing can assist you from anything to website content, grant applications, building an audience, or writing a proposal for your next project. Copywriters are in an overabundance so make sure to check their quality and work history prior to committing. 4. Web Designer/Programmer – The best part about this freelancer is their profession requires them to stay updated on the constant improvements and trends happening in the world of internet pioneering. Your specialty probably isn’t web design, and so in order for you to create a viable and engaging website it’s usually best to have this type of freelance consultant to produce the results that will deliver the best ROI. 5. The Designer – Just as web design can be very disciplined and challenging, artistic design usually comes from years of practice and experience. Branding your business is no trivial task, either, and bringing in someone who can add professionalism to your logos, pamphlets and even marketing posts will greatly improved how your company is perceived. What’s also great is that a lot of software goes into digital design these days, so when considering hiring a graphic designer remember you’re also not having to pay for the tools necessary to do it yourself. While these are some of the most common five, many other free lance occupations include: Accountants, Videographers, Photographers, IT Consultants, PR Experts, and Productivity Coaches. We strongly suggest interviewing their credentials thoroughly as freelancers have a reputation of moving on, or not turning in work in a reasonable amount of time. Here are some great resources for finding freelancers locally, or finding the best of who’s out there: Guru Elance Freelancer Craiglist Always negotiate for the best wage, take your time during the application process, and never be afraid to tell someone you’re ready to move in another direction. web hosting Continue reading
Google Changes That Business Owners Need To Prepare For
The post Google Changes That Business Owners Need To Prepare For appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . If Google were a superhero, it would be the Avengers. If Google had a superpower, it would be the ability to purchase other superpowers. If Google ran the world, well, they pretty much already have an iron grip on the World Wide Web… Google currently possesses 75.2% of the U.S. search market, as of this January, and 81.7% of the U.S. mobile search market, as of March 2014. When Google adjusts an algorithm, like their 4/21/15 mobile update, it has the potential to impact businesses, big and small. Even with its current dominance of the world’s Internet usage, Google still maintains an air of secrecy with regards to any upcoming updates. It’s not that the Google team wants to keep businesses, marketers and users out of the loop, but that innovation takes time, and nobody stays in power if they reveal their algorithmic tricks. Ignoring the secrecy and lack of upcoming announcements, a trend has started to emerge. Although the following are merely predictions, based on competitors and recent changes, it is clear that Google is moving towards a more user-friendly experience. Google’s Last big Update: Mobile Friendly Let’s quickly analyze the 4/21/15 mobile update before looking forward. In order to cater to the increasing number of mobile Internet users Google adapted how it ranks websites on mobile searches. Websites that are not responsive, or do not have a mobile version, were bumped downwards on Google’s search rankings while websites that were mobile-friendly saw their rankings rise. Why? With users in mind, Google has forced websites that are easier to use higher up in their lists. Mobile searches are on the rise. 94% of USA smartphone users search for local info on their phones. In order to be relevant, websites have to ‘get with the times, man’. Google doesn’t want outdated, difficult to use, sites bogging down the top of their searches. They want us to have the easiest experience possible. While the current system incentivizes keywords and backlinks, it is not hard to imagine Google moving somewhat away from these metrics and instead continuing their user experience trend. Questions like the following will hold a greater weight on how a website ranks: Does the website adapt to what screen/device it is being viewed on? What is the site’s bounce rate? How long do users spend on the page? How often is the site updated? Currently, 55% of website visitors spend 15 seconds on a website. In order to ensure people are finding what they are searching for Google will prioritize websites in which people spend more time viewing. Google wants us to find what we’re looking for, not to click a site and disappointingly exit out after two seconds. Constantly updating, whether content on existing pages or adding new pages to a site, will add more leverage to a site in than it currently does. Instead of focusing on adding a smorgasbord of specifically targeted words, adding content will prove that the site is keeping its information fresh. Sites that do not update will, hopefully, fall down in rankings. Google will doubtless develop algorithms to estimate how often a website should be updated based on it’s niche – for example, a news website should likely be updated more often than a plumber’s website. The Knowledge Graph Google currently tries to know and understand what you’re searching for, and most of the time its algorithm is right! Displayed on the right of many Google searches is the knowledge graph. It is comprised of data such as pictures, contact information, statistics, and reviews (depending on the search). This presumed information would become more prevalent on all searches, and possibly be the default click on devices with smaller screens. Google will use the knowledge graph to quicken searches and time spent clicking. If you were using Google on a smart-watch, for example, and looked up a local bike shop, wouldn’t it be nice if it automatically brought you to closest shop’s website? Google does know your location, after all, which brings us to… Geotracking Your location, or your store(s) location for that matter, will continue to become more and more relevant. Depending on what you and/or others are searching and based on where they are, the results will differ greatly. This will have a much larger impact on smaller, one-shop, businesses. As we continue to add the Internet to more and more items that we wear daily, our location is going to matter more and more. What’s nice about these predictions is that it has consumer’s best interests in mind. Businesses and advertisers will have to adjust their marketing plans, but being that these are predictions, we recommend waiting. Still, it’s always fun to imagine what the next Avenger’s movie will be about, and what our next Google update just might be… ***** Josh Gershonowicz is the founder and CEO of Rebuild Nation , a marketing firm which focuses on the dental and health industry. web hosting Continue reading
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Rebootless Venom Vulnerability Patch
The post Rebootless Venom Vulnerability Patch appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Unfortunately, it seems like new exploits are appearing more and more often these days. The most recent exploit to make headlines is known as CVE-2015-3456, aka “Venom.” Ultimately this exploit, much like many before it, can allow a malicious individual to gain root privileges on a server. However, we are not posting this blog to expound on this latest exploit, rather our security experts have developed a procedure to effectively patch this vulnerability without necessitating a reboot. We felt it would be in the best interest of the community at large to release this information as quickly as possible, therefore we have launched VenomFix.com in order to provide this resource and information to the public at large. We are providing this resource simply as a counter-measure against this exploit; this patch carries no guarantee, implied or otherwise. For full information, please visit VenomFix.com . web hosting Continue reading
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