Jun 25
MikeGeneral Business Practices, Web Industry Google, google voice
In the last couple of days Google, Google has opened Google Voice to anyone in the U.S. looking for phone management on the web. Until now it has only been available to a select few, since Google acquired the excellent Grand Central service back in 2007. After launching Google Voice on a limited scale and shutting down Grand Central, Google went on to acquire the VoIP service Gizmo5, which it too shut down. Because Google did seemingly nothing for sometime with regards to Google Voice its long term plans have at best been left to educated guesses, until now.
The Google Voice service which launched last year in Beta, has since undergone a metamorphosis and has emerged as a brilliant solution to online phone and voicemail management. The SMS service works better and there is a Chrome extension which makes it easier to manage. An account is still free if you have a Google log-in and you have a choice of keeping your existing number and upgrading it with voicemail. If that doesn’t suit then you can set a new main number which will ring your cell, home and office phones, as well as your desktop VoIP. Gmail integration also gives users the ability to turn voicemail into emails. International calls are cheap and future additions include number portability and no set-up web calling.
As a communications solution, especially where small businesses are concerned, it is simply brilliant and we have been using it for sometime now along with over 1 million others – a figure you can now expect to balloon thanks to this latest release. Google themselves are delighted with the results particularly after the now infamous rejection by Apple of its Google Voice app (an episode that led Google to design their own mobile based web app).
Google have described the service as ‘the pinnacle of modern human communication’ and given all that it has to offer – I think they may be right!
Jun 23
MikeWeb Industry CMS, wordpress
Being the world’s most popular blogging tool comes with it a certain amount of responsibility which is why Wordpress’s most recent version, 3.0 (Theolonius), contains a multitude of new features, fixes and functions! Wordpress 3.0 is the 13th version of the blogging software and while the beta version has been available to download and test for a few months now, v3.0 has finally been officially launched.
So what can you expect from the new and improved software? For starters, there is a brand new default theme known as Twenty Ten to replace the now rather tired looking Kubrick theme which has been used since the first release. Additionally, the interface is now lighter and there are over 1200 bug fixes available. Wordpress theme designers can now find it easier to customize themes with the new APIs which allow for customized menus, backgrounds, page headers and much more. There is also a bulk update feature whereby upto 15 plugins at a time can be updated in just one step.
Another big change is the integration of WordpressMU into the core Wordpress program. Wordpress MU allowed users to edit hundreds of blogs from just one installation but was always a separate program to the regular Wordpress install. Fusing the two together now allows users to benefit from the functionality of both.
Wordpress 2.9 enjoyed over 10 million downloads and signs indicate that v3.0 will be just as popular. But don’t expect a v3.1 to be out anytime soon. The Wordpress team has announced that it is taking a break from developing new versions to focus instead on many of things that surround Wordpress. The growth of this software and its popularity has been astounding but with all the focus being on the core program itself the developers feel they now need to look at other areas such as the showcase, forums and compatibility APIs. The goal is to try to improve the whole Wordpress experience and while they acknowledge this may take time they aniticpate the investment will be worthwhile when it comes to creating a stronger infrastructure for the Wordpress platform and its millions of users.
Oh and in case you are wondering about the name “Theolonius” — it is Wordpress’s code name for v3.0 in tribute to the jazz giant Theolonius Monk!
Jun 16
MikeGeneral Business Practices basecamp, project management
Managing a project from start to finish means we have to deliver on time, on budget and meet the requirements of our clients. To achieve this we have to be organized, communicate effectively between ourselves and with our clients, deal with issues quickly, monitor our progress and produce a finished project which exceeds our clients’ expectations. Basecamp, the online project management software, enables us to deliver each and every time.
Basecamp allows us to track and organize every aspect of a project online making it easier to manage jobs and stay on schedule. The reason we love to use Basecamp is the numerous advantages it offers us to keep a project running smoothly from beginning to end. This project management software allows us to set up project tasks, assign members of our team to each one and set project milestones. From one location we can upload and review files, update our clients on progress and handle every task quickly and efficiently.
Email is a vital aspect of our project management and Basecamp helps to ensure we always deliver messages when and where intended. The software allows us to send emails without even having to be logged into the service. Basecamp gives each project its own unique email address so we always know who sent the message and which project it is intended for, any messages sent are also flagged up to every user on that account letting them know a new message is available. Better than that, Mailmanagr can now be integrated with Basecamp allowing users to set up email addresses, create milestones, to-do lists and messages just by sending an email.
In our opinion Basecamp gives us everything we need to manage our projects and deliver to our clients on time. The Mailmanagr integration is a great addition too, ensuring our emails and communications do not go astray! While it may not suit everyone, I would strongly encourage everyone to take advantage of the free one project plan they offer. Give it a whirl, it’s a product that I swear by and couldn’t live without…let me know what you think.
Jun 09
MikeGeneral Business Practices, Web Industry email marketing, marketing
Clients often ask us about the use of email marketing solutions. While much has been written about the benefits of adopting email marketing strategies, it can be difficult to navigate the wealth of different solutions available to businesses, large or small.
Email marketing can be a great tool for promoting your business, if you get it right that is. Many companies will adopt it because it offers the potential to instantly increase sales and allows business owners to adopt a marketing strategy which is easily measurable. There are a number of factors which will govern the success of an email marketing campaign, but one of the most important factors is the email marketing vendor that you chose.
The market for this type of service is huge and in our opinion over saturated. This means that when it comes to choosing a company to launch your email marketing campaign you will need to pick wisely and according to your needs and business type. Here are our top four email marketing solutions to help get you started:
- Mail Chimp: This is our personal favorite and the one solution we frequently recommend to our clients, especially small businesses. Designed with a bright and cheerful interface, Mail Chimp offers plenty of features which are designed with simplicity in mind. While it may lack some advanced reporting features, it makes up with a robust feature set. Mail Chimp also offers a free service to those businesses that have under 500 subscribers. This is a pricing advantage that no others can match!
- Constant Contact: Constant Contact is a household name for many businesses. They have done a great job with their corporate branding and advertisements but don’t let this play into your decision. Pricing starts from just $15 per month and subscribers will find a comprehensive feature set, easy to use wizards and excellent help and support. Where it does fall short is in the number of reporting features available and free tools on offer such as conversion tracking.
- Vertical Response: If you are looking for a solution which does not require a contract or minimum term commitment then give Vertical Response a try. From just $10 per month you will find plenty of features which will rival those of any of their competitors. Personally, the best part about Vertical Response is their “pay as you go” pricing option. Maybe you send quarterly newsletters. If you know that your business will not be sending emails monthly, why enter into a monthly contract? Unfortunately, Vertical Response is not the easiest of the bunch to navigate.
- iContact: Considered among the best in the business, iContact offers a simple to use solution. Packed with features, including a custom survey option which allows users to create and send their own surveys, it is easy to use and with subscriptions starting from $14 per month. Its only flaw is the lack of reporting features available and it doesn’t include conversion tracking or Google Analytics integration.
Businesses of all sizes, give each of these four vendors a look. Personally, if you’re a small business with under 500 subscribers (email recipients), I’d definitely suggest going with Mail Chimp. (Mail Chimp is also good for companies of all sizes, see their full pricing options). If you have more than 500 subscribers and know that you won’t need a vendor each month, I’d suggest either Mail Chimp’s prepaid “pay as you go” plan or Vertical Response’s “pay as you go” plan.
Jun 08
MikeWeb Industry mastercard, moneysend, paypal
Until now, Paypal has held the market share when it comes to financial transactions using online and mobile platforms. Recently, MasterCard released the Moneysend app that enables iPhone and iPad users to transfer money to other accounts quickly and easily. Powered in part by Obopay, users can send and request money through banks and credit unions using the free app with either an existing MasterCard or bank account.
MasterCard is determined to take Paypal on; they have also announced a plan to open up its’ payment gateways to developers who want to build and enhance the online platform and mobile apps. (As you may know, Paypal released their API Paypal X at the end of 2009.)
So what are the benefits of this new app? I’m not sure if it’s a benefit but unlike Paypal, users of MoneySend will incur a transaction fee at the front end (sending the money) while the recipients won’t be charged a fee. (Paypal recipients incur the transaction fee, if any.) And security? It’s always a concern when it comes to the storing of financial information via electronic devices such as phones. But MasterCard have made moves to assure users of the app that it is secure and that all personal and financial information will not be stored locally on the iPhone or iPad.
Since eBay purchased Paypal, all traders are required to have a Paypal account in order to sell through via eBay. This in itself may be the biggest factor in the success of the Paypal app and most likely the reason MasterCard will struggle to convert users – especially as MoneySend charges to send payments unlike Paypal.
Paypal is a giant – there’s no argument there. MoneySend is the first app to be released by another major financial-focused company but so far it’s slow to gain traction and is currently only available in the US. I respect the ambition MasterCard has; they have clearly spent time and resources developing the MoneySend app in a bid to lure users away from Paypal. Truth is, Paypal has a strong brand and very wide appeal, something which could be tough to beat – even if your name is MasterCard. Only time will tell…
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