Sorry, I don’t speak jargon

Have you ever sat through a work meeting (or a dinner with friends for that matter) and felt at a loss when acronyms or phrases that mean absolutely nothing to you are flung around with abandon?

What about when the words sound familiar, but the context is way off – like when your IT expert talks about hosting something and clusters of clouds. Is she planning a party and worried about the weather?

Ok, that was a bit OTT or, over the top – just in case that’s one of those pesky acronyms that troubles you.

Most of us would follow a conversation that talked about web hosting and a cluster of servers, but could you explain the cloud, flesh our SEO or weigh up the pros and cons of server and hosted email if you were put on the spot?

Meet netspeak

That’s right we’re talking about jargon, or industry specific language. In particular, the jargon that relates to our online world and the marketing that goes along with it.

Netspeak is just one name for the words, phrases and acronyms we use when talking tech. You can also call it blargon, cyberslang, e-lingo or geekspeak.

These are often words you hear all the time – and quite possibly use with confidence – but would be hard pressed to define…well…definitively.

Your go to list of online jargon

Domain name: The name of your website. Usually the same as your business name. It’s important to have full control and ownership of your domain name. Learn more about domain names here

www: World Wide Web. Did you know that most times it’s not necessary to type www before a website name?

 URL: The unique address of a web page, for example: https://onlineinfluence.com.au/penrith-web-designer/

Did you notice? No www.

Web Hosting: A Web Hosting service provides the technologies and services needed for your website to be viewed on the Internet. Websites are hosted, or stored, on special computers called servers.

Cloud Web Hosting: When your website uses the resources of several servers to accommodate all the aspects of hosting your site. The load is balanced, security is taken care of, and hardware resources are available “virtually” so they can be accessed wherever you are, so long as you have internet access. The cluster of servers is “the cloud”. Learn more about the cloud here.

SSL Certificate: Secure Socket Layer certificate. A website that has an SSL certificate is one where website traffic between your web server and the user’s browser is secure and cannot be read. When your website has an active SSL certificate the prefix to your URL changes from HTTP to HTTPS. Learn more about SSL here.

Server Email:  Email that is hosted on your own website server. I don’t recommended this as it’s not particularly secure and can fill up your server. It can also be expensive or cause your website to fail. And, if your website goes down, so does your email.

Hosted Email: A service like GSuite (Google) or Office 365 (Microsoft). This option is more secure. It means your email is hosted separately to your website so, if for some reason your website goes down, your email won’t.

Browser: A web browser is a software application for accessing information on the World Wide Web.  The most popular browsers are Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, and Edge.

Apps: An app is a modern term for a software application. It is most often used when talking about mobile phones and tablets. On a website or a browser, an app is a small piece of software that allows different functions (sometimes called an add-on). App is often used to describe anything that isn’t a fully-fledged software program.

Marketing jargon

Marketing jargon (or should that be margon?) is a special subset of online jargon.

Here’s a few pieces of marketing e-lingo that I’m particularly guilty of trotting out and that are often met with blank stares.

SEM: Or Search Engine Marketing. This refers to paid marketing you may undertake with various providers. In Australia the most popular provider is Google, but elsewhere Bing and Yahoo are also popular. Learn more about Google advertising here.

SEO: Search Engine Optimisation. The practice of improving your chances of ranking well in search engines including Google, Bing, Yahoo etc. Learn more about SEO here

EDM & Email Marketing:  EDM is Electronic Direct Mail. EDM’s is much, much more than email marketing. Email marketing most usually means an electronic marketing campaign in which email send-outs are used to help build an email database or list.  An EDM, on the other hand, is a lengthy process and involves more than just email communication. It utilises multiple forms of communication to relay and reinforce a campaign message.

Content Marketing: A type of marketing that involves the creation and sharing of online material (such as videos, blogs, and social media posts) that does not explicitly promote your brand, but is intended to stimulate interest in your products or services. Learn more about Content Marketing here.

Blogging: Blog is short for “web-log”. And blogging is the virtual equivalent of writing a regular column in your local paper. Blogging for business is an effective way to boost your online visibility and build relationships with your ideal audience. By consistently adding quality content on your blog, you are able to provide more value for potential customers, which can lead to more conversions, more sales, and better customer retention.  Learn more about blogging here (part one) and here (part two).

Are you confused by online or marketing jargon?

Of course, I’ve only just scratched the surface here. There’s a whole world of industry specific language out there to explore. At Online Influence we live and breathe this jargon and our team is more than happy to turn it into plain English for you and your team.

And, best of all, we don’t just know what it all means, we can harness the power behind the geekspeak to lift your business to another level. Contact us today to find out how our friendly team can help.

I recently listened to an ABC podcast in which social researcher Hugh Mackay discussed worryingly high levels of anxiety and loneliness in Australia.

Hugh named the rise in social media among the causes of these mental health epidemics, and suggested compassion – or kindness and connection – as the antidote.

Which made me ponder the paradox of our modern world. Why, when we are seemingly more connected than ever, do so many of us feel alone?

Are we replacing real, genuine connection with online interaction and suffering as a result?.

The social media misnomer

Did you know 60% of Australians (around 15 million people, including me) use Facebook regularly to connect with friends, keep up to date with current events and find out what’s on in their neighbourhood?

In addition, recent social media statistics tell us that around 9 million Australians have an Instagram account, 6.4 million are Snapchatting and 4.7 million send tweets via Twitter.

Those are big numbers that indicate a lot of social connections, but we all know an active social media account is not the same as an active social life.

What the research says

Are the naysayers right? Is social media negatively impacting our mental health and wellbeing?

Well, there are plenty of studies that suggest social media use leads to higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression. The comparisons invited by many platforms have been shown to raise feelings of envy and lower self-esteem and, for those who are already socially isolated, looking in at the highly curated lives of others can add to feeling of loneliness.

The thing is, there are also studies which point to Twitter reducing stress levels – there’s nothing better than having a place to vent – Facebook helping people feel part of a community and Instagram making people work harder towards their goals.

What this tells us is that, like everything else in life, there are no absolutes when it comes to social media use.

And, given the prevalence of social media, the way we all now look for and find information, not to mention the number of social gatherings instigated and organised online (FOMO alert), for many of us there’s no way back.

But there is a way forward and, as obvious as it sounds, for me it’s all about balance.

What I love and what I question about social media

I have a list of pros and cons that justify, and keep in check, the time I give to social media.

Pros

• Facebook has allowed me to reconnect with my cousins and it’s been wonderful
• I’ve been able to get back in touch with old school friends
• Facebook provides an easy way to message friends
• I can research a business before using them
• I find out about a whole range events in my local area
• It’s good to know when my favourite brands are on sale
• I can follow and have easy access to my preferred news source

Cons

• It’s hard not to compare yourself and your life to others, especially through the highly filtered Instagram lens
• You only see the cream – the best photos, the happy days, the amazing overseas holiday
• Is following a long lost friend or relative really the same as genuinely “reconnecting”
• Oh the time you can waste!
• Annoying ads.
• Is there such a thing as too much information from friends and family? Yes there is…

When do you need a social reboot

My lists are fairly even. I recognise where I need to take care – comparing myself to others is not helpful – and limit my use of social media when I need to.

But, if you find using social media is diminishing your self-esteem or raises your stress and anxiety levels, it’s probably time to step back and step out into the real world.

According to Hugh Mackay “the state of the nation starts in your street”. He suggests getting to know your neighbours, not necessarily to form friendships, but to create a “herd” – a group of people you could call on in an emergency and who could call on you. It can’t hurt.

It doesn’t have to be all or nothing

But, for most of us, keeping a toe in the social media pool doesn’t hurt either.

In fact, it’s rather like the research I mentioned earlier. There’s two sides to every story.

Anabel Crabb and Leigh Sales podcast Chat 10 Looks 3 gives us a case in point. Listeners of this podcast have formed a Facebook group of “Chatters”, and in almost every episode there is mention of acts of kindness from the group.

In this episode, the Chatters work together to provide a group member, who is stranded in a hospital a long way from home, is given a wealth of support and kindness by strangers. It was an emergency situation diffused by an online community…and a cabbage…but I’ll leave Anabel and Leigh to explain that one.

Why social media has a place in your life and business

So, while I totally agree with Hugh that our world could do with more compassion, I also think that online kindness and connection can work alongside, and sometimes strengthen, real life support. And, in terms of your business it can certainly strengthen your connection to potential customers.

Online Influence is a trusted Google Partner, we can help your business use the internet to connect to the right audience. Contact us today to find out how our friendly team can help.

Could you run your life or your business without the internet?

Here’s a question. What would your life look like if Ralph really did break the internet?

For those without young kids or grandchildren, Ralph Breaks the Internet is a Disney animation in which two arcade game characters travel through a wifi modem into an online world.

Together they discover, and are dazzled by, the world of Google, eBay, pop-ups and a video sharing site called Buzztube. Without giving too much away, it all goes horribly wrong when a virus latches onto Ralph’s “insecurities”.

At this point, Ralph literally breaks the internet.

The movie is a lot of fun, but it also made me think…

• Could I run my life without the internet?
• Could I run my business without the internet?
• Does being online diminish my life in the real world?

What did we do before the Internet?

You might pale at the thought of life without three or four devices in your home, but it is possible to live a connected and fulfilling life without the world wide web.

Here’s how.

If you want to find out about something buy a book, attend a conference, visit your local library or call an expert. After all, publishers reputations are built on providing accurate and useful information, while true “online experts” can be hard to find.

Shop in a real store. You always get free shipping (ok, maybe you’ll have to pay to get a fridge delivered, but you know what I mean), you can find most things you need at your closest major hub and it’s easier to make the right choice first time around.

Subscribe to magazines that cater to your area of interest. You pay a one off fee for several issues as opposed to each month for the internet. You also avoid information overload – the kind that soaks up the time you could have spent actually indulging that hobby or interest.

Buy a newspaper. You’ll get all the news from a metropolitan daily newspaper, not just the stories Facebook thinks you should see, and free local newspapers are a treasure trove of the kind of information that helps you live in, and be part of, your community.

Pay your bills in person, over the phone, or visit your branch and set up a direct debit. It is possible to keep on top of your finances without internet banking as most people over the age of 30 will remember.

Make use of the white and yellow pages and dial a number. How often do you need a number RIGHT NOW, and how much time are you really saving with an online search?

Visit your friends instead of their Facebook page. Because sharing a real laugh is so much more rewarding.

Find a wifi hotspot. If youreally can’t find that part for your bike, or you need to submit an online form, find a nearby wifi hotspot or, if you don’t own a computer, visit your local library.

Get your weather forecast from the radio or TV. Does weatherzone’s 48 hour breakdown really help, or do you feel more anxious knowing that cool change won’t hit till 4am?

Surely you can’t run a business without the internet?

Ok,with a business called Online Influence, I’m a fan of the opportunities afforded by the internet. And, in today’s world not all businesses lend themselves to an offline approach. But, you can achieve business success without a domain name or a social media account.

We all know someone who runs a business which relies on word of mouth. It might be your hairdresser, the conveyancer who saved you a packet, your mechanic or an artisan who’s the next big thing.

In most cases, success in business comes down to getting potential customers to “know, like and trust” you.

Get out there and meet people. Join a real world networking group or introduce yourself to businesses or people you think could benefit from your services.

Be seen in all the right places. Put a well-designed flyer up in your local cafe, the library or other places you know your target audience is likely to see them.

Business cards still cut it. Hand out your business card whenever you get the chance.

Earn repeat business and referrals with exceptional service and reliability. There’s nothing like loyal customers to keep your business ticking over. Excellence will also allow you to raise your prices without a loss of custom.

Go above and beyond. Bending your schedule to help out a valuable client can go a really long way.

Keep your overheads low. Can you operate your business from home? Do you really need expensive advertising? Can you be more strategic when ordering stock?

A Life Well Lived

There’s no question that the internet can connect you to a whole range of products, experiences and information. But at what cost?

I don’t know about you, but online shopping is so easy that I often want and buy more than I need. And I’m not quite sure what I’ve done with all the time I’ve apparently saved buying online either.

And of course, nothing soaks up time like searching for information online – whether it’s panning the gold from the dross or being distracted by other threads or sites.

Social media’s highly curated version of life can be a real downer when you’re feeling low. Its connective powers have even earnt fear of missing out its very own acronym – FOMO. But guess what ladies? If you don’t post any pictures, you can probably wear the same dress to four weddings in a row without a comment! Now that’s what I call a great payoff.

And despite being more connected than ever, numerous studies tell us young people, in particular, spend far less time in the company of friends than they ever have before.

It’s also hard to be trolled when you live your life offline.

Mr. Knowsmore is my friend

And yet…

I really do feel that my search bar (brought to life by the insightfully portrayed Mr KnowsMore in Ralph Breaks the Internet) enriches my social and working life, and I can only begin to imagine how the internet improves life for socially isolated people or those with disability.

I also love the fact that social media helps me keep in touch with far flung friends and allows me to promote charity events I’m involved in.

The internet is ultimately a tool to help you live a connected life – the trick is not to not loose site of the real world along the way. Because, as Ralph finds out, you can’t feel the sunrise online.

How much is Enough?

Online Influence is a trusted Google partner, we can help your business use just the right amount of technology to achieve success. Our friendly team can tailor an advertising campaign that will give you cut through without excess. Contact us to find out how we can help your business today.

Does this sound familiar? You’re at a café with a friend. Your phone is on the table next to you. Your friend mentions an amazing new product. It sounds interesting, so you think you’ll look into it later…but then you forget.

Soon after, an ad for the product pops up in your Facebook feed. You didn’t search for the product online, didn’t include it in a post, a text or email. You only ever mentioned it in a phone conversation or when your phone was nearby.

The first time this happens you probably just think it’s a coincidence. But when you receive more ads that are highly targeted to what you’ve only ever talked about you might start to wonder, “Is my phone listening to me?”.

Cue the creepy music.

Hey Google, could this really be happening?

After all, it’s not out of the realms of possibility.

• Smartphones have a microphone and are programmed to act when we ask a question – think Google assistant, Alexa and Siri.
• If you use these applications and your phone is on, it’s “listening” and ready to respond.
• Experts argue the technology exists and the algorithms are sophisticated enough.
• We know Google and Facebook collect data which they use to target ads.

But are they also listening in?

Computer says no

Google, Facebook and others say they are not listening to people’s conversations.

For one thing, gathering a constant stream of audio from so many phones would cost a great deal.

And, ultimately, they don’t need to listen to you. They already know you better than your nearest and dearest.

In a previous blog post on machine learning, I talked about how, by analysing 300 of your Facebook likes, an Artificial Intelligence enhanced algorithm can evaluate your character better than your partner.

And, Facebook likes are just the tip of the iceberg. Your status updates, photos you post or are tagged in, everywhere you’ve logged on and all your messenger conversations, even the ones you half typed, thought better of and deleted, all help paint a picture of you, your likes and dislikes.

Added to this, your clickstream is like a window into your stream of consciousness, and by analysing your browsing and purchase history, Google makes some spookily accurate guesses.

Big Brother is watching

By opting into the world of social media and online searches, we’ve opted out of an anonymous life.

Which shouldn’t really come as a surprise. Most of us know by now that you pay for free social media and internet browsers with your personal information.

So can I, as I suspect a lot of you do, still hear the creepy music?

Experts predict a ground swell of unease about online tracking will result in the rise of products and services to help us hide our activity. Until then, I’ve outlined several ways you can improve your online privacy in this blog post.

But, of course, there is an upside to all this.

ONLINE INFLUENCE’S PLAYLIST

Forget the tri-tones and dramatic swells of sound, if you run a business, there’s nothing at all creepy about Google’s astonishing foresight. In fact, it’s genuinely awesome!

Online Influence is a trusted Google partner, and by working with those nosy algorithms, our friendly team can help you target your advertising campaigns with almost pin point accuracy. Contact us to find out how we can help your business today.

So, you bought the piece of land, planted your vines and now produce a very nice range of wines.

You went big, so there’s enough to sell through your cellar door and at local markets. In fact, you’re producing so much you could supply a chain liquor store.

The choice here is marketing B2B or B2C.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN B2B AND B2C?

The B2B model involves one business marketing to another. In our scenario, this would be the vineyard
entering a supplier contract with, say, Dan Murphys.

B2C is business to consumer. If the wine maker chooses to forgo the chain store option and instead just open her cellar door and sell wine at markets and online, she’s selling direct to individual customers.

Online Influence has a foot in both camps. We market B2B, but many of our clients operate in the B2C space.

So, while we market ourselves to businesses, the wine we’re selling is strategies that connect our clients to their customers. You could say we’re an example of B2B2C!

ARE THERE DIFFERENT MARKETING RULES FOR B2B AND B2C?

Well, yes and no.

The golden rule for business success is to find and meet your customer’s needs. But there are differences depending on who that “customer” is.

With B2B, the customer or client is another business. Transactions or negotiations are less personal and more about cost, features and data.

B2B marketing also usually involves a longer transaction time. Here’s why.

The vineyard owner would need to prepare a business case, ensure she has every scrap of technical information and be prepared to nut out costs and logistics. Armed with this information, she would make contact with the company and wait for a response.

As you can imagine, it may take several attempts to connect with the company, and once contact is made she may need to work her way through several layers of authority before making a “sale” – or in this case, becoming a supplier to the store.

• With B2B the focus is on lots of data, logic and financial scrutiny.
• Because the B2B market involves more decision makers, the costs can be higher.
• It’s important to know, and be able to communicate, what your product or service does rather than what it means for another business.

With B2C your customer is usually an individual and a sale is based more on emotion and brand appeal.

A visitor to the cellar door will be influenced by their surroundings, the warmth of the host and the label on the bottle as much as what’s in it.

The transaction will be relatively fast – a few minutes at least, or possibly a week or so when they realise they should have bought a case instead of just two bottles.

• Your focus should be on the benefits of the product to the person in front of you – literally or digitally.
• B2C is more emotional and often about convenience – think great communication and a variety of distribution channels, in this case cellar door, markets, online orders and more.
• Keep your marketing short and simple – make it easy for the customer to know why they need your services or your product.

Of course, emotion and brand are key factors when marketing B2B as well. A strong connection is vital for any business success, but in the case of B2B you’ll need to back the emotion with facts.

WHERE DOES ONLINE ADVERTISING FIT?

The good news is, Google ads work well for both B2B and B2C. You just have to remember the golden rule and tailor your campaign to the customer and your specific business needs. As you can imagine, the way you pitch to another company is not the way you’d pitch to an online shopper.

Facebook ads generally work better in the B2C space – it’s a friendly, emotive platform after all – but, they can work well in the B2B space if customised to your ideal client. The Online Influence team can help you design a campaign for effective cut through.

And, whether you’re selling B2B or B2C, your website needs to be designed with user experience in mind. Again, the needs and habits of your potential client or customer are paramount. You can read more about hooking customers through a good online experience here.

NOT SURE WHAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU?

If you’re unsure of how to market your business, or even which business model to focus on, the Online Influence team has the insight and experience to help – we are B2B2C experts after all! Call us today to find out the best solution for you and your business.

It wasn’t all that long along ago that the word cloud was reserved for conversations about the weather, so you can be forgiven for being a bit hazy on what “The Cloud” is all about.

In a nutshell:

• Cloud computing uses the internet and central remote servers to store and maintain data and applications – rather than a hard drive.
• This means businesses and individuals can access applications from the cloud without having them installed on their device.
• With the cloud, so long as you have an internet connection, you can access your personal files on any device, anywhere.

And, whether you’re familiar with it or not, you’re probably already using the cloud.

• You use cloud computing when you update your Facebook status.
• When you upload photos to Instagram, you’re uploading them to the cloud.
• You’re in the cloud when you do internet banking on your phone.
• Those apps you love so much? Yep. In the cloud.
• Google drive is another cloud-based application.
• Do you subscribe to Netflix? You’re favourite shows are up in the cloud.

“I WANDERED LONELY AS A CLOUD”

The poet William Wordsworth famously used a simile of a cloud to describe his solitary state.

In a similar way, “the cloud” is just a metaphor for the internet – who knew computer engineers could be so poetic?

The term may sound insubstantial, and the cloud can hold a whole heap of information and has the potential to save you a whole heap of money.

WHY YOU SHOULD BE USING THE CLOUD

There are many good reasons to move to the cloud.

Cost saving and profit increasing

• You don’t have to invest in expensive hardware or the staff to maintain it. In fact, you don’t need a very powerful computer or tonnes of GB’s on your phone to run your business in the cloud.
• You don’t buy software, rather you subscribe for access to what you need, when you need it. This means you get all the latest upgrades.
• And, because you’re accessing the best technology, you’re in a better position to compete against other businesses – big and small.

Flexibility

• Cloud-based systems allow you to scale up or down your bandwidth demands.
• It also allows you and your staff to access your files or shared documents anywhere – so long as you have internet access.
• On top of this, you can usually access what you need on any device.

Efficiency

• The fact that you can work from anywhere, anytime will make your business more efficient.
• Staff members who work off-site can access emails, plans or documents, fill in forms and submit applications on the spot.
• In most cases when staff are given the chance to telecommute, at least some of the time, productivity rises.
• You won’t be wasting time, or money, dealing with onsite hardware failures.

Collaboration

• The cloud allows your team members to access, edit (in real time) and share documents from anywhere at any time, leading to better outcomes all round.
• Collaboration between onsite and remote staff or consultants saves time, email chain frustration and is great for document integrity too.

Security and recovery

• The cloud has made reliable disaster recovery a reality for businesses big and small.
• And when you use a cloud-based system, if you or your staff lose a phone or laptop you don’t lose all your important files.
• You can even wipe a lost device remotely.

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN

Of course, there’s disadvantages to every technology, including the cloud.

Not all businesses need or even suit the whole gamut of cloud-based options. And, if you do want to embrace it all, you may need bigger and better phone and internet plans.

The big one is that if the internet goes down, or you suddenly find yourself with no service, you can’t access the cloud. But, in my experience, local problems are short lived. What’s more, if the whole thing ever falls apart, and the likes of Amazon, Google and Apple go down, we’ll all be dealing with bigger problems than accessing personal data.

Some people question the security of the cloud, but others think it’s the safest place for their information. It’s certainly got some of the best minds in the business working to keep it that way.

ONLINE INFLUENCE’S CLOUD-BASED APPROACH

You could say that Online Influence has its head in the clouds. Our web servers are cloud-based and we also use:

• G Suite for storing our emails
• Google drive and dropbox for file storage
• iCloud for desktop storage and or backups
• Podio for project management and team communications, and
• Zoom and Podio for client support and communication.

I use a Chrome book when I’m out of the office. This is a new breed of device, primarily designed to be used while connected to the internet, with most applications and documents living in the cloud.

I have to admit I was a little sceptical when I first got it, but I soon realised how handy it was to link to our cloud-based systems. It also allows me to access my Mac desktop from wherever I am (so long as I have an internet connection) or I can hotspot from my phone. Too easy.

NOT SURE WHAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU?

If you’re unsure of how to maximise the benefits of the cloud for your business, the Online Influence team has the insight and the experience to help. Call us today to find out the best solution for you and your business.

You’ve probably received dozens of unsolicited emails and phone calls from so called SEO experts promising to get you the first position in Google. But just what is good and bad SEO in 2019?

WHAT IS SEO?

SEO is Search Engine Optimisation. It’s the practice of improving your chances of ranking well in the search engines and because Google is the most used search engine in Australia, that’s the one I’ll be talking about today.

We put a lot of thought into it, but it only takes Google machines a nano-second to decide which website to put at the top.

Google want relevance because they want you to be happy with the results they serve up to you. If you’re not happy, you’ll eventually switch to a different search engine.

Google don’t really comment much on SEO or on how to rank well, as they don’t really like people to “manipulate” the search results.

In the past they’ve made huge changes to their algorithms to stop people doing just that. This is good and bad.

It’s good if you’re doing everything right (read on to find out what that means), but it can be bad if in the past you’ve implemented what Google (now) say to be “bad”.

The biggest change happened early in 2011 with Google’s Panda update. This update affected many low-quality websites, including directory websites.

Google realised people were leaving in droves because the search results were full of sales page websites and directories. Annoying right?

People come to Google with a problem to solve and they want it solved with a few clicks.

BAD SEO

Bad SEO can cause big problems for your ranking in Google and for your business.

Poor Google ranking equals little to no leads coming from your website. We have a joke about this – Where’s the best place to hide a body? On the second page of Google, because no one ever goes there (boom-tish).

But it’s no joke if you’ve invested good money on a website and you don’t get a return on it. It can end up being, at best, just a digital brochure that only gets seen by your mum and people you send the link to.

Worst scenario – your website is just nowhere to be found on Google. Or it’s on page 33…if you have the patience to click through that far.

This is often referred to as a “Google Penalty”.

The best way to know if Google has penalised your website is to see what happens when you type your website name into the Google search bar, with spaces and without .com.au and you may need to type your suburb in too if you’re in a competitive business.

If there’s another business higher up than yours, there’s a good chance your website has been penalised by Google.

HOW DID YOU GET BAD SEO?

If you have ever used an SEO company that was cheap and cheerful and offered lots of backlinks, then that’s probably how you ended up with bad SEO. A backlink, by the way, is just what it says it is, a link from one website back to your website.

Mostly these SEO companies do low quality backlinking from “link farms” or sites setup just to house backlinks. Usually there’s little to no content, and what little content there is never relates to your business or industry.

These link farms are generally not in Australia and are very often not English. Other low-quality links are to comments added to blogs. Usually, it’s not at all related to your business or industry and the comment is either broken English or just garbled words that make no sense at all.

But, of course, a low Google ranking doesn’t always mean your site has been penalised. It could just be you’ve never put the time or money into making sure your website ranks well.

Or, conversely, you might be one of the lucky ones – in a sought-after niche that’s not very competitive. Sadly, that’s rarely the case. Most of us need to actively nurture and improve our websites so we stay front and centre for our ideal client and make the most of the ever-changing online world.

WHAT GOOGLE WANTS (GOOD SEO)

SEO in 2019 has to be quality because Google machine learning and AI is getting better and better. You can read more about AI & Machine Learning in my blog post here.

The Google AI machine knows a quality link from a bad link, it knows where the website (or blog) is, what language it is in and what the subject or purpose of it is.

And, most importantly, it’s making a judgement of YOUR website too based on the quality of the sites linking back to you AND it’s making this judgment in a split second each and every time someone searches for a service or product like yours.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SEO.

SEO falls into two main categories:

• On Page SEO
• Off Page SEO

On Page SEO.
As the name suggests, it’s the SEO on your website (or page/s). The most important things to get right are:

• structure (this is a big one)
• relevance
• keywords
• meta data
• grammar and spelling
• word count
• readability
• images
• speed (another big one)
• internal and external linking
• User Experience (UX)
• your address (this is critical if you are a local business), and
• much more besides.

Off Page SEO.

This is the stuff that happens off your website, backlinks are an important component of off page SEO. Good quality backlinks will have a positive impact on your website (just like bad links have a negative impact).

There are many things that can be done off page to help Google understand (and like) your offering and, in turn, help potential clients find your website.

• Strategic content marketing and blogging (this is a big one).
• Guest posts on high quality blogs or news sites (think Flying Solo, Buzzfeed, Huffington Post). Start small and build up.
• Have influencers in your niche mention you and link back to your website – but you have to build the relationship first.
• Get positive media.
• Contribute to quality forums on subjects related to your niche.
• List your business on relevant, quality directories – free and paid.
• Optimise your Google My Business (GMB) listing with more text, images, video etc…
• Strategic social media linking back to your website.
• Rinse and repeat – over and over.

How do you know if an SEO “expert” is legit or not?

• Do they have a real email address – ending with an actual domain name, or is it @gmail, @hotmail or @someotherfreeemailservice? This is a real giveaway – if they don’t have a real email address, then send it straight to spam.
• If they do have a real email address from a real domain – Google search it, DO NOT click on any links (just to be sure).
• What happens when you do Google search their name? Does it appear at the top? Does it appear at all?
• Are they based in Australia? Do they have an actual business presence in Australia?
• Do they offer a strategy session so they can learn about your needs and your business?
• Are they even interested in what you do and how you do it?
• Are they cheap and cheerful? Good SEO is not cheap. If you are not sure, then divide their monthly fee by 30 and ask yourself if you can buy any other service, with that amount of money per day.

Online Influence can help you with “good” SEO. We can also help fix your “bad” SEO. Take advantage of our free strategy session by filling in the form above, or give us a call today and we’ll have a chat about how we can help you.

Google Chrome to flag all sites without SSL certificate

If you’re site doesn’t have an SSL certificate, now’s the time to get one and secure yourself up.

From July 1 Google’s Chrome browser will brand all HTTP sites that do not have an SSL certificate as “not secure”.

This is great news for online consumers and a timely warning for business owners.

Safe as…well, safe as a lock and key

An SSL, or Secure Socket Layer, certificate keeps private information private and is indicated by the comforting padlock you see when you visit a website.

There’s something so reassuring about a padlock. They’re so sturdy and strong.

A green padlock is even better. It’s your virtual “green light” to trust a business with your personal details, like credit card details, home address and more. A red padlock indicates a break in the site’s security or an unauthenticated site.

If an online customer is faced with two sites, one with a prominent “not secure” message in its URL bar and one with a padlock symbol, it’s obvious which one they will choose.

If you’re a business owner, combine Google’s crackdown with the fact that more than 48% of Australian computers use Chrome and it makes sense to get an SSL certificate for your site. Right now. Today.

WHY AN SSL CERTIFICATE IS LIKE A CIRCLE OF TRUST

When you connect to a website you open a line of communication between your browser and the server that hosts the site.

SSL certificates are like a guard that patrols the line of communication and stop any sneaks dipping in and stealing your personal details.

• A good SSL encrypts, or scrambles, your personal information.
• Importantly, an SSL also authenticates the identity of the certificate’s holder – it’s a bit like the Burns’ family circle of trust.
• The SSL makes sure the circle of trust is complete before allowing the server to unscramble the information using a special “key”.

Remember, you can’t establish the business holy trinity of “know, like and trust” if you don’t have the trust.

WHAT SORT OF SSL DO I NEED?

There are lots of companies that issue rock-solid SSL certificates. They come in three main levels and range in price – the most basic can be free.

• DV SSL: Domain Validation verifies that you own the domain and are perfect for personal sites, blogs and social media.
• OV SSL: Organisation Validation provides instant identity confirmation and strong SSL protection for your website and your business.
• EV SSL: Extended Validation offers the highest level of validation and trust and will show the name of the company or organisation in green in the address bar.

A Wildcard SSL Certificate is the best bet for businesses that host or manage multiple sites or pages on the same domain. A Wildcard SSL allows you to secure an unlimited number of subdomains on a single certificate. The one-time cost of the certificate covers you for any future additional subdomains.

UNSURE ABOUT WHAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU?

Online Influence is a Google Partner. All our hosted sites will be ready ahead of the changes. If you’d like advice on what kind of SSL certificate is right for you, contact us today.

Check it this blog post for more information about Online Privacy.

Is privacy possible in the online world?

After the recent Cambridge Analytica data scandal, “online privacy” can seem like an impossible dream.

But there are ways to protect your privacy and limit the information you unwittingly share.

Jump to my tips here, or read on to get to grips with what privacy really means in a digital age.

How Facebook users were trumped

We all know platforms like Google and Facebook collect data (hello, targeted pop-up ads), but many have been shocked to learn how seemingly innocuous information can be used to manipulate – not just our buying power – but our opinions and actions.

Facebook confirmed that political consulting company Cambridge Analytica gathered data from up to 87 million users.

They did so by inviting users to download a free personality test – online privacy red flag, right there folks!

While the participants were, strictly speaking, willing, they were also ill-informed. The real kicker, is that the app also harvested data from the test-takers Facebook friends without their consent.

What’s worse, Facebook says it doesn’t know how much, or exactly what, information was shared.

Cambridge Analytica collected the information to develop a software program used in President Trump’s 2016 election campaign. The program allegedly predicted voting patterns and, through micro-targeted ads, influenced voting decisions.

Similar claims have been made around the Brexit vote and recent controversial elections in the Philippines.

THAT COULDN’T HAPPEN TO ME

The unsettling thing about these kinds of social media campaigns is that they’re much, much more subtle than a pop-up ad that follows you round. Rather, they’re a hidden nudge here and there that, over time, direct your attention, shape your opinions and determine your actions.

How can they target you so specifically?

Well, in a previous blog post I talked about how, by analysing 300 of your Facebook likes, an Artificial Intelligence enhanced algorithm can evaluate your character better than your partner.

But, of course, Facebook stores more than your likes. The social media platform has:

• every status update you’ve ever made
• every photograph you’ve posted or been tagged in
• every location you’ve logged on
• every messenger conversation you’ve had, and
• every message you’ve started to type and then deleted…yep, they keep and analyse those words too.

It’s important to remember that Facebook sold data well before it started selling advertising. We shouldn’t be too shocked as they’ve never hidden that fact…but they don’t exactly boast about it either.

It’s also important to remember that all social media platforms and internet browers tout themselves as free platforms. But there is a product for sale – it’s you and your information. As the saying goes “If the product is free, YOU are the product”.

DOES MY ONLINE PRIVACY REALLY MATTER?

As the Cambridge Analytica scandal shows, it isn’t so much that your data is being collected, it’s the technology and architecture that allows two or more data sets to be combined to yield a whole other layer of information.

And, as recent events have illustrated, what researchers are proving and social commentators are saying, is the information we willingly surrender through our Facebook pages and our browsing history could potentially allow corporations and influencers to manipulate us individually.

We live in a world where mass media is being usurped by personal devices on which you get a personally curated version of news and current events. You’ve got no real way to recognise if your feed is leading you, or you’re leading it.

TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR ONLINE PRIVACY

While it can feel like we’re on an uncontrollable slippery slope, there are simple ways to improve your online privacy and avoid giving too much away.

Think before you click. Sounds obvious, but question why, or even if, a business or other agency need the information they’re asking for.

Another obvious step is to get to know the settings on Facebook and edit them to within an inch of their lives. You may think you’ve already done this but look again. You might be surprised at what you find.

• Privacy – who can see your posts and who can send you friend requests?
• Tagging – who can tag you in a post and can you be tagged without your permission?
• Face recognition – I’ve turned it off and you can too.
• Apps – see which apps, games or websites have access to your Facebook information.

In terms of Apps, you can go through each one and limit the access or turn it off altogether. I was stunned at how much information some of these apps had access to. I have my birthdate hidden, but many apps still had access to that information.

Of course, Facebook isn’t the only nosy kid on the block. Look at all your social media accounts and your Google settings too.

Google have a tool you can use to check all your privacy settings – just search “privacy check-up”.

MORE WAYS TO KEEP THE ONLINE HOUNDS AT BAY

• • Never ever click on social media questionnaires or surveys – they may sound like fun but, as 87 million Facebook users found out, they just want your data.
  • Don’t hand over your date of birth unless it’s relevant and you trust the business – when in doubt, make one up.
  • Don’t give your phone number or address unless you are getting something delivered.
  • Don’t hand over your credit card details to a site that doesn’t have an SSL certificate. It looks like this

• Paypal is a secure option for making online payments and has a great refund policy.
• Don’t login to websites or online shops using social media – create an account the old-fashioned way.
• Use a secure password saving site like LastPass.com however, don’t put your banking details in any password saving tool. Memorise these – think of it as exercising your brain.
• Clear your cache every now and then.

PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL OR BUSINESS INFORMATION

There’s a lot to online privacy, more than I could begin to cover in this blog post. And, like everything in the digital world, change happens fast.

The team at Online Influence keeps up to date with the latest advice around online privacy. We’re happy to talk to you about what you can do to make your information and your business more secure.

Contact us to find out how we can help your business today.