Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Toys for Tots

Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks.


You've probably seen boxes around town for donations. You may have even seen Marines in their dress blues assisting.

In a world where scams seem to be everywhere Toys for Tots spends less than 3% on fundraising and administration.. Over 97% supports the mission of providing toys, books and other gifts to less fortunate children.

Please consider donating to Tots for Tots this year. It will make a world of difference.

For more information, visit www.toysfortots.org.

Sunday, November 8, 2015

10 Easy Ways to Make Your Mac or PC Run Faster

Nobody likes using a sluggish computer. Instead of banging your head against your monitor, here are 10 easy ways to speed up your Mac or PC.

Monday, August 17, 2015

Google Local Shakeup: Is Your Site Prepared?

As part of Google's plan to "bring a better search experience to our users," the search giant made a number of significant changes last week.  Here are the highlights.

3-Packs

Before this change searches displayed 7 (or more) local results with a map. Now only 3 are displayed

Exact Addresses Removed

Google also removed specific addresses from the listings, only listing the street name.

Phone Numbers Removed

Searchers will no longer have easy access to the phone number of the business.  They now need to click through the listing or get the number from the website.  The mobile version doesn’t display the phone number but does have a “Call” option for each listing.

Store Hours Added

Google added in store hours, including opening and closing times, depending on the time of day of the search.

More details on these changes can be found in this article.

Adding store hours is an improvement, but I'm not sure how forcing the searcher to click on the map or listing for address or phone information results in a "better" experience.

Bottom Line

The bottom line, to me anyway, is that Google is intent on having mobile-friendly or mobile-optimized websites be the norm.  If your site isn't mobile-optimized, the chances of finding it in a generic search have probably dropped. And with key information removed from the search results it may be harder for your customers to find you.

For more information on mobile-optimized websites and how they can benefit your organization, contact R3 Web Solutions.

Thursday, July 23, 2015

How Many Websites Are There?

The quick answer is that were over 1 billion websites in 2014 according to Netcraft. This number dropped a bit but is expected to reach the billion-website mark again this year.

Not to shabby when you consider it all started with an idea in 1989 and one website in 1991: The World Wide Web Project.

In 1992, there was a 900% increase in websites - resulting in a total of 10!

As some may recall, the web was growing so quickly that some method of finding information was needed. The search engine Yahoo! was created in 1994, the year that tallied 2,738 sites. Do you remember this web page?
1994 Yahoo website
(Click on image for larger version)

 A year-by-year count of websites, curious facts and significant events is reported on, what else, a web page: Total Number of Websites.

For information on how your business or organization can benefit from this, please contact R3 Web Solutions, the mobile, web, marketing experts.

I Have Facebook, Why Do I Need A Website?

I often hear people discussing the need for "something" on the Internet and it frequently boils down to a "Facebook or Website" question. Is there a single answer to this question?

Before I continue let me be clear that the focus of this blog is for an ongoing enterprise. I'm not including a one-time or short time period activity or event that comes and goes.

Facebook Advantages

  • It's simple! Anyone can has a page up and running in a matter of minutes.
  • Facebook is here to stay. At least for the foreseeable future
  • Facebook has ton of viewers.
  • It's great for building a community where people can comment and share with others.
  • It's designed for small chunks of content.

Website advantages

  • Not everybody is using Facebook. Check your demographics and see. Your target audience may not fit with Facebook's user base.
  • People don't search for you on Facebook. When was the last time your used Facebook to search for "Restaurants in Tulsa?"
  • Your work is rewarded with search engine ranking for your business.
  • Facebook calls the shots. You control your website and its content, while you're at the mercy of Facebook and their seemingly constant changes.
  • You control the content on your page. Not an ad placed by Facebook to distract visitors from your message. And perhaps send them to a competitor.
  • You own your visitor's information that you capture; Facebook owns your visitor information on their site.
  • Facebook is a business and needs advertising money coming into its coffers. Hance the push to reduce the reach of your posts unless they are "promoted" (paid for) by you.

Summary

But the "Facebook or Website" question is not necessarily an either-or situation. You don't have to decide on one and exclude the other.

A combination approach is frequently recommended for many organizations and businesses.

A simplified way to look at it is that your website is where all your content ultimately lives, and Facebook is a place you can promote/discuss/share what you’re up to with it. Linking your website to Facebook and vice-versa will also help both with search engine optimization.

Contact R3 Websolutions with any questions you have regarding this topic, or to receive a free analysis of your unique situation and needs. We're here to help.

Mobile-Geddon!

On April 21, 2015 Google rolled out their latest update

The "Google Mice Update" stands for "Mobile Cue" which is the Mobile-friendly implementation of mobile search results; this is Google's "cue" for users to click for an enjoyable mobile browsing experience.

This is a BIG DEAL!

People are literally being removed from Google!

 Sites that are not mobile-friendly need to be aware that:
  • The website will most likely disappear from the radar, even when searching for the specific company name, if not optimized for mobile.
  • With the explosion of mobile internet usage, no company can ignore it.
  • We've been saying it for years: mobile is not an option anymore; it's a must have for every local business around the world.

But it's only mobile, you say?

More local searches are performed on mobile devices than desktops and the rate is continuing to grow!

But it's only Google, you say?

Google owns 85.6% of mobile organic searches. They run the show!

Were you Ready? If not...

  • You could lose between 30% and 50% of your organic search traffic.
  • You risk losing your listing completely.
  • Google began favoring mobile-friendly sites over non-mobile-friendly sites starting on April 21st, and rolling it out over the next week.
  • Websites that are not mobile-optimized will be penalized!

Ooops. Now what do I do?

If you don't have a website, or it's not mobile-friendly, we can help. Contact us for a free consultation and we can make sure you are up-to-speed. R3 Web Solutions is the mobile, web, marketing expert providing affordable solutions for individuals, organizations and small- to mid-sized businesses.