EvoBloggito

TED Talks: Jason Fried of 37signals: Why work doesn’t happen at work

Author: Ray Gulick; Published: Nov 30, 2010; Category: Business, Zeitgeist; Tags: Business, Work; No Comments

I haven’t worked in an office for more than a decade, but this all sounds too familiar. Work needs to be “reinvented” in order to recapture productivity, and these sound like some good suggestions.

Google Offers Fresh Advice on SEO

Author: Ray Gulick; Published: Sep 29, 2010; Category: Business, Search/SEO, WordPress; Tags: Google, Google Analytics, Local Search; No Comments

Google gets a bit cute (the idea for the “Googlebot” holding flowers comes from a post on Google’s blog entitled First Date with the Googlebot; unless you’re kind of a geek, don’t bother reading the post), but they offer some solid advice in their recently updated Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide. If you care about searchbots’ ability to find and rank your website favorably, download it and then read it. And then alter your approach to SEO accordingly.

In 32 pages, the guide covers SEO Basics, Improving Site Structure, Optimizing Content, Dealing with Crawlers, SEO for Mobile Phones, and Promotions and Analysis. It also outlines best practices in each of these areas.

If your website functions as a marketing tool for your business or organization, you can’t afford not to be knowledgeable about SEO. If you have a WordPress-based website, the information in Google’s SEO Guide, and a Google Analytics account that you use to monitor your website, you have all the tools you need to turn your website into a search engine magnet.

And if you need help with any of this, you know where to find me.

Having a website? Meaningless. Using a website? Priceless.

Author: Ray Gulick; Published: May 12, 2010; Category: Business, Communication, Marketing, Zeitgeist; Tags: Blogging for Business, Entrepreneurs, Zeitgeist; 3 Comments

Most people think having a website has value. They’re wrong.

Lots of people and businesses and organizations have websites (although as recently as a year ago, only 37% of US small businesses had one).

But having a website is sort of like having a hammer. Just because you own one doesn’t mean you’re building a house, or even putting up a shelf. If the hammer sits unused in the toolbox, you might might as well not have a hammer, for all the good it’s doing you.

Websites are like that. They’re tools. Used properly, they can help you build a business or start a movement. Left un-utilized on your webhost account (never updated, no interaction with readers, etc.—you know the type), they accomplish nothing.

Primarily, websites are comunication/connection tools. Once you’re good at using your website for communicating and connecting (as with most tools, some practice is required for you to use it effectively: expect an occasional sore thumb), your website can also shoulder some of the burden of sales and delivery of goods and services. But first, you have to successfully use your website for communicating and connecting. (FYI, websites make very poor “look-how-impressive-we-are” tools, though that’s primarily how businesses use them.)

Most of us are reasonably good at dreaming and talking about what we would do if we had the means. We’re not nearly as good at following through when the means is right in front of us. “If I had a hammer,” the old folk song used to say.

Websites, particularly those on platforms like WordPress, are tools that provide us with the means to pursue our goals. But they have to be used. Ladies and gentlemen, pick up your hammers and let’s “hit it.”

I’d Like to Say Nice Things About HostGator’s Support, but…

Author: Ray Gulick; Published: Jan 7, 2010; Category: Business, Marketing; Tags: HostGator, Support, Webhosting; 4 Comments

Update 2/4/2010: I had reason for some support help from HostGator, so I tried out their chat support. It’s an entirely different experience. Dedicated attention from a single support tech who stays with you until the problem is resolved. The result? The problem was resolved quickly and efficiently.

Update 1/8/2010: when I returned to HG’s contact page this morning (still not resolved and I need to get beyond the ticket system), I noted that the email addresses did carry the instruction to "submit a ticket by emailing us." Like most people, when I want help, I tend not to see the details but go straight to the info that looks like it will get me help, without reading (or even seeing) the supplementary info: when I see an "Email Us" heading, I expect the process to act like email. There is a usability lesson in that for me as a web developer/information architect.

This is not the first time I have complained in my blog about Hostgator’s support ticket system. Last time, a nice person from HG even responded to that post, but nothing in the system has changed since then, so nice responses that seem to offer understanding don’t amount to much.

On HG’s behalf, let me say they are very reliable, and I don’t have more support issues than I’ve experienced with other webhosts. I’m just not happy with their support system and/or processes, and probably all that can be traced to whoever is managing their support function.

What’s the issue? HG seems to have a single support channel: a ticket system. And no way around it when it does not fit the need. Here’s the story:

4:28pm: I submit a ticket on a problem with a hosted site after spending half an hour trying to determine for myself what the problem might be and what I need to do to fix it.

4:35pm: Representative A responds and requests more info.

4:41pm: I respond with requested info.

5:36pm: (note increased time) Representative B responds with partial fix and partial explanation.

5:39pm: I respond with questions to clarify what happened.

5:43pm: After noticing that some problems remain, I respond outlining remaining problems.

7:38pm: (that was one long dinner break) Representative C responds with additional partial fix, but no requested explanation.

7:42pm: I respond with remaining issues that are apparent.

7:59pm: I share repeated error that has been showing up in error logs.

9:28pm: I’m still waiting…

(Note: times are in HG’s time zone, an hour ahead of mine)

Does anyone besides me see a problem here with lack of continuity in HG’s support responses, both in terms of time and personnel? Anyway, I see such a problem, so I decided to go to HG’s website and send an email to the support contact email, with a little "constructive critcism." Copied from my email:

I’m a fan of Hostgator. I currently host a few dozen websites on Hostgator. I spend a fair amount of time telling my clients how reliable and rocksolid Hostgator is.

But that may have to change, because HG does not have its support act together. At this point, I have several support issues behind me, and the record shows this is the usual experience:

1. submit support ticket to the support dept
2. receive first response in approx 10 minutes, from rep A (so far, so good)
3. respond and receive next response in approx 1 hour, from rep B (not so good)
4. respond and receive next response in 1-2 hours, from rep C (not even close to acceptable)
5. there may be 2-3 additional cycles, extending the support process up to 5-6 hours

The upshot is that relatively simple matters can easily take 2-3 hours (more is not unusual) to resolve. Between the lack of continuity (because of extended times and different support reps) and the slow response times, the support, well, it sucks.

(BTW, my one experience with support from your billing dept shows response times always in the 10-15 minute range, with greater continuity with support personnel)

Can you not see the value of going to a different system for a customer for whom the first response does not resolve the issue? I guarantee you are about to lose at least one customer entirely, or at minimum, cease to see any additional growth in this account.

Would you like to guess what happened to this email? It was directed to HG’s ticket system. That’s right: an email complaint about HG’s ticket system opened a ticket. I’m currently awaiting a ticket response on my original ticket, AND this ticket. Can anyone here spell "INFLEXIBLE?" Can everyone here say "It’s time to look for a webhost with a better support system?"

Business in 2010: Still Evolving After All These Years*

Author: Ray Gulick; Published: Jan 2, 2010; Category: Blogging, Business, Communication, Marketing, Zeitgeist; Tags: Blogging for Business, Business, Change, Economy, Entrepreneurs, Future; One Comment

New Year’s resolutions aren’t part of my tradition. They’re too easily forgotten or ignored, and they seem to focus primarily on end results rather than on underlying issues that create the need for improvement.

However, because the end-of-year holidays include more days off than I’m used to in a 2-week period, I usually do end up thinking about how things have gone over the previous year and where I’m going in the next. While I don’t exclusively think about business at such times, I’ll restrict this post to my reflections about Evo’s business (believe me, it’s better for both of us ).

My business has changed fairly dramatically in the past year, and blogging and blogs have played a big role. Evo has been in business since May, 2000—nearly 10 years. In terms of business activity, 2009 was not awful, but not great (until the last couple of months). My long-time business partner left the company in August and, while that has limited Evo’s ability to do some things, it’s also created profitable opportunities for collaboration with other companies.

I originally selected "Evolution" as part of the business name because I knew we’d have to evolve to be effective, as well as to stay in business. Back in 2000, I thought of websites primarily as online brochures. A lot of people still want static, set-it-and-forget-it websites that somehow bring them tons of business. It doesn’t work that way in 2010, and it really never did. I’m excited that websites can play an active role in marketing for a price that is well within the reach of most small businesses and organizations. My focus is now primarily on helping businesses and organizations incorporate blogging and blog-based websites into their marketing mix. In September, I developed and released a highly-customizable WordPress theme, Evo4 CMS, specifically for creating blog-based websites, and it’s greatly increased both my flexibility and efficiency in the implementation phase.

The challenge is that blogging, engaging online with customers, and keeping your website updated requires some time and effort. Definitely not a set-it-and-forget-it scenario. In 2010, I have to do a better job of communicating the benefits that kind of time and effort can bring about. Depending on how well I’m able to do that, next year should be a great year for Evo. And, I will have put some real tools in the hands of people to help them manage their business, which is a good feeling.

So, I’m focusing on two things in 2010:

1. collaboration with other developers, marketers, and consultants
2. helping businesses and organizations acquire the web-based tools and knowledge that allows them to manage their own marketing

I’m looking forward to it. Still evolving (and maybe still a little bit crazy) after all these years.

*apologies to Paul Simon