How & why to verify your Google Plus Page

Verification lets others know that your local Google+ page is actually managed by your business. When you verify your Google+ page, your business will be found across Google, including Search, Maps, and mobile.

Any Google+ page managers may request verification. We’ll send a PIN to your business. Once you receive your PIN, just enter it online and your local Google+ page will be verified.

After you've confirmed your ownership, you'll be able to check your business information and make changes. Google may also make updates and show further information about your business on your page.

To get your page verified click on the “Unverified” button next to your page name. This button is only visible to owners and managers of the page. PIN verification ensures you are authorised to manage the business's official presence on Google.

Here are steps you need to take in order to get your page verified:

1. Request a postcard with a PIN. You can add an optional contact name. 


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AdWords policy update: Unique sitelinks policy will be more proactively enforced

Google is making a policy enforcement change that could affect the performance of any AdWords campaign that uses sitelinks. If you use sitelinks now, or plan to use sitelinks in the future, please continue reading to understand the changes and suggested steps you can take to avoid any negative impact to your campaigns.

WHAT ARE SITELINKS

Sitelinks make your ads more valuable by showing additional direct links to specific web pages that you want to promote. Users get to specific destinations on your web site more quickly. And, on average, you'll see a higher click-through rate for your ads. That makes sitelinks a great way to improve your campaign performance. To see images or learn more about sitelinks, please see this AdWords Help Centre article http://www.google.com/appserve/mkt/54WuleA2iy9k3z1oizvcI5.

EXISTING SITELINKS POLICY

To ensure that users have a good experience with ad sitelinks, our existing policy requires each sitelink in a campaign to link to a different landing page URL with unique content on the landing page. That means a user can expect a meaningfully different landing page experience for each sitelink.

ENFORCEMENT CHANGE

Recently, Google noticed an increase in the number of sitelinks created with the same landing pages or the same content. So in the coming month, they will begin more proactive enforcement of our existing policy. Initially, they'll focus on new and recently changed sitelinks. As your ads are being served, their systems will verify that your sitelinks meet the policy standards. Sitelinks that don't meet the standards will be restricted from appearing.

IMPACT ON PERFORMANCE

Having fewer eligible sitelinks could keep your ad from showing in the larger 2-line and 3-line formats, where more eligible sitelinks are required. Remember, larger formats are more visible and typically have higher average click-through rates (CTR). And if you don't have enough eligible sitelinks in your campaign, then your ads may not display sitelinks at all.

FUTURE ENFORCEMENT

Google realises that manually checking and fixing duplicates for your existing sitelinks and landing pages might take some time and coordination. So they're delaying more proactive enforcement with existing sitelinks for a few months. But don't wait until the last minute. And remember, any sitelink that you add or change will be subject to proactive enforcement right away.

SUGGESTIONS WITH EXISTING SITELINKS

To increase the chances of having more sitelinks shown with your ads, we recommend having 6-10 unique sitelinks in each of your campaigns.
If you already have campaigns with sitelinks, we'd suggest reviewing each campaign to verify that it has 6-10 unique sitelinks. You'd probably want to start with the campaigns that show sitelinks most often. Usually, this would be a campaign with keywords like your business name and its best-known products and services.

Here's how you can work through this using the AdWords interface.

1. Log into the AdWords interface and click on the "Ad Extensions" tab.
2. Select "Sitelinks Extensions" from the drop down menu.
3. Sort your sitelink extensions by impressions or clicks by clicking on the column header.
4. Click on each sitelink in the top campaign and follow it through to its landing page (there's no charge for these clicks).
5. Fix any duplicates you find in each campaign by hovering over the extension area and clicking the pencil icon.

QUESTIONS?

For more information about sitelinks policy, please visit the AdWords Help Centre http://www.google.com/appserve/mkt/5ezpphwJ39r9Md02Y1DoQU.

You can also contact AdWords support with questions about this policy change or anything else related to AdWords http://www.google.com/appserve/mkt/4hcy31bj5xgeOcEp2q5q0b.


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HDD manufacturing is fully restored after the floods, however prices are not

Hard disk drive manufacturing and manufacturing of their components is fully restored after the massive floods that took place in Thailand last year. IHS iSuppli (analytic company) announced that in their press release.

A significant downtime in production was during the October floods in Thailand where most of the leading HDD production companies and factories are hosted. Many factories had to stop during the production mostly during the last quarter of 2011 when the demand for HDDs was far from being covered.


The HDD production sector is said to be up and running at full capacity these days even breaking the supply record for the computer segment this year. To this segment which includes personal computers, servers and server storages is taking at least 75% of the market. This year, 524 million HDD devices was supplied, making it over 20 million more than last year (over 502 million). This new record is partialy due to higher demand from the companies in terms of introducing the Windows 8 to marked this year.

The cound of HDD devices for the rest of the marked segments i.e. external HDD production, digital camcorders, car industry etc. is predicted to be lowered anually.

Problems in Thailand have reflected not only on the HDD production but also on their prices, which got ridiculously high in some cases. Also the guarantee time period got lowered in some terms for example in devices from Seagate and Western Digital. Seagate also announced that they are putting production of 5900 RPM to a stop (these HDDs were the more affordable variants).

Although the production of HDD got fully restored, the prices are still pretty high and there are certain predictions that the price range will not drop in year 2012 nor it will in the year 2013. Lets hope that the following year could bring it to at least the same price per gigabite as it was in the begining of 2011.


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How to start using Social Media for your business

No matter if you are an individual running a small business, or a million dollars revenue company, you need to finally admit it! The birth of social media has changed the rules completely. Whether you like it or not, it is without a doubt that social media has revolutionised the way we think, share information, build brands and make connections.

So how do I start?” You may ask. There are so many...Facebook, Twitter, GPlus, Pinterest, Flickr, Instagram and many many mooooore! 

DO NOT PANIC! We are currently helping many of our customers to embrace social media and here are the steps we recommend you to undertake to get yourself or your company up and running:

1. Social Media Consultancy

Find a local company that offers social media services and meet them for consultation. They should be able to help you with decisions such as which social media channels you should be using, how much time you will need to spend socialising and what you need to set up in order to become successful.

2. Social Media Strategy

After you have a clear idea where and how you are going to be social, then yourself or a social media specialist of your choice should sit down and write a document called Social Media strategy.

Social Media Strategy should include:

 3. Social Media Set up

4. Social Media Training

5. Social Media Support

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Fortix is reaching out to Slovakian universities

We have informed you many times about the rocket growth of Fortix and associated need of new offices. 


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How to convince users to move from Outlook onto Gmail

by Ray Allen, Director of Third Way IT, a Google Apps Provider based in the UK

Without a doubt the biggest hurdle for businesses to overcome when they 'Go Google' is the
transition from a desktop based email client like MS Outlook to Gmail. Here's some tips for
helping users make the adjustment.

1. Explain as clearly as possible why the change is happening

It's not enough to say 'Gmail is better' because that will always be a matter of judgement and
individual preference. Be more specific and explain that Gmail will be implemented to help
manage desktop and server costs, improve up-time, provide more storage and allow better
support for mobile workers. By understanding these points and the bigger picture (ideally
communicated from the 'business' not just the IT department) users will be much more tolerant
of the impact on them personally.

For users who want to continue with Outlook it's also important to explain the risks and costs
associated with the desktop approach. This isn't about choosing an email client to suit individual
preference, it's about choosing an email system that works for the entire organization.

2. Hammer the point home. Searching IS more efficient than sorting

It's not efficient to find emails by sorting, but because users have been doing this for the past
15 years on Outlook it's likely to be second nature and therefore efficient to them. This needs
to be challenged. Separating emails into folders takes up time that can be easily avoided using
search methods. Demonstrate the use of advanced search (drop down options), labels and
conversation view to help users fine tune their search results and quickly identify the email they
are looking for.

3. Encourage users to keep the conversation view switched on

Conversation view provides better search results, keeps inbox clutter down and saves switching
between inbox and sent-items when reviewing emails, but one of the first mistakes many
Outlook users make is to switch conversation view off because they aren't used to it. That's not
a good way to benefit from the transition to the new system or to save time.

4. Understand the value of labels

Searching is easier with colour coded labels and labels help provide a sense of order, but
there's no reason why this has to be done manually. Much better to use automatic filters and
avoid the effort of categorizing emails altogether.


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Google supporting modern browsers: Internet Explorer 8 support discontinued

As announced last year, Google supports the latest version of Google Chrome (which automatically updates whenever it detects that a new version of the browser is available) as well as the current and prior major release of Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari on a rolling basis. Each time a new version of one of these browsers is released, Google begin supporting the update and stop supporting the third-oldest version.

Internet Explorer 10 launches on 10/26/2012, and as a result, Google will discontinue support for Internet Explorer 8 shortly afterwards, on 11/15/2012. After this date users accessing Google Apps services using Internet Explorer 8 will see a message recommending that they upgrade their browser.

For more information:
http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/our-plans-to-support-modern-browsers.html
http://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=33864


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Business merger of Fortix & Echidna web design

We are extremely pleased to announce the successful merger of Echidna Web Design with Fortix. As of the 10th August 2012, Echidna Web Design commenced trading under the Fortix brand, bringing together the digital creative expertise from both companies under one roof. 

Official Press release was published at: 

http://www.wabusinessnews.com.au/article/Fortix-and-Echidna-Web-Design-announce-merger http://www.silobreaker.com/fortix-and-echidna-web-design-announce-merger


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Project Mining Plus - Business Management Automated [CASE STUDY]

By Phil Burton, Commercial Manager and Team Fortix

Mining Plus’ rapid expansion and innovative procedures have not been well catered for in traditional data managementsoftware. With clients and team members spread across the globe, the dynamic approach of our highly motivated technical teams required an innovative and practical method of capturing all teams hours via a simple, secure and easily accessible system that would cater for our business needs today and into the future.

Following Mining Plus’ philosophy of Innovative and Practical solutions, we looked outside of the box for a timesheet solution. Understanding that timesheets are just a part of the business process and that to supplement the pace of a rapidly growing business, it was clear we would require an integrated business management system.

We took our first steps with Fortix, a consulting process that examined the why and where our bottlenecks were and provided us with a comprehensive solutions based report, which has been developed in line with a deep understanding of our unique business philosophy and how we operated.


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Fortix is looking for a new offices to buy

Due to our rapid growth of staff members (in numbers, not in weight) Fortix is now actively looking for a new creative space to work in. 

We would greatly appreciate the right tip or piece of advice that leads us to finding our dream offices! As a reward we would love to offer you a lovely bottle of nice wine or some free SEO suggestions for your website?!


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