What are the Creative Commons?

Are you trying to find an image that works with your blog, but don't want to take your own.  Or your camera is broken...

Search the Creative Commons for a work that can be used for commercial purposes.

CC works are a great free resource for you to build upon.  You can also apply for your own CC license to use in works that you generate.  Obtaining the license is no cost and allows you more refined protection of your works and allows easier sharing of the material.

Widdgets and backlinks can effect my position on SERP?

SERP stands for search engine results page.  It is the listing of results returned by in response to a query.  There are several factors which may affect your ranking on the SERP, some of them are counter-intuitive.  Google pandas and penguins are not as cute and cuddly as they sound.

Google Panda is an algorithm that ranks high content sites higher than high advertising sites and moves sites with little content lower on the SERP.  Google Penguin decreases the ranking in sites that "Spamdex" or contain duplicate content, or linking schemes.  So to just copy & paste your content will hurt your results.  Original content results in the highest rankings. 

Sometimes you may be hurting your ranking without knowledge   Adding a widget to your page which helps the client calculate a home value estimate may sound useful.  If it comes from Zillow, you are providing them a backlink and reducing your score in SERP.  Not so much that you are reducing your score, but you are inflating Zillow's score resulting in a potential lower score for your site.  Many free widgets provide backlinks to originating sites, most target both nationally and the same selling area that you do.  Everyone who uses their "Free" widget inflates the score nationally and regionally on SERP.

Have a consultation with your techie, you may be inadvertently affecting your SEO (search engine optimization) by using those free widgets.

Social reputation management?

Do you work with your social networks?  There is a great service provided by postling, branded as social reputation management.  The first month is only $1!!!  After the first month it is only $5 per month for five tracking targets/ social media accounts.  $3 for each additional account.  Great service for such a low price.  The service aggregates your social media accounts into one interface where you can post respond and edit content.  Enjoy a Postling infographic!

Source: Postling

Best practice for lead response

1. Wednesdays and Thursdays are the best days to call in order to contact and qualify leads. Thursday is the best day to contact a lead in order to qualify.

2.  4pm to 6pm is the best time period to call in order to make contact with a lead.  8am to 9am and 4pm to 5pm are the best time periods to call in order to qualify a lead.

3.  The odds of contacting a lead with a phone call decrease by over 10 times in the 1st hour.  The odds of qualifying a lead with a phone call decrease by over 6 times in the first hour.

4.  The odds of contacting a lead if called in 5 minutes versus 30 minutes drop 100 times.  The odds of qualifying a lead if called in 5 minutes versus 30 minutes drop 21 times.

Source: LeadResponseManagement

Source: BoomTownBlog

Shorten that url!!

Whether you need to shorten that url to text it, or all those characters and numbers look messy... You can use a url-shortener to do the trick.  I use tinyurl for posting in a hurry, bitly to remember topics and share with co-workers, and goo.gl for work

goo.gl offers a free url shortener with click analytics publicly accessible to anyone.  Great service which requires login to your google account.  Also has a great Google Chrome Extension!

Tinyurl.com is a free url shortener - barebones basic, no account necessary but also no analytics.  The great feature of this site is that you can create a tinyurl button on your bookmars bar which automatically generates a tiny url based on the current url.

Source: TinyUrl

Bitly.com not quite the same as a url-shortener.  It is a free bookmark manager.  It allows users to bundle bitmarks together and send them via email, twitter, or facebook.  

WeMo?

No, I am not talking about the Nintendo Wi-mote...

Custom home automation and more are made possible through Belkin's new little toy.

WeMo is a programable switch on your home network, it can interface with ifttt.  There are almost endless possibilities for this simple on off switch because of it's communication.  You could program the motion detector to send you a text when the front door opens...


Check out the community, or order yours today!

Tubalr

I'm sure you have found some great music videos on youtube.  Everyone has by now.  The problem is creating a playlist.  While they can be made in youtube, most people are easily confused.  Then there is the problem of that annoying ad you can skip in 5 seconds...

That lasts for longer than 5 seconds because it is buffering... GRR!!

Tubalr to the rescue!!

Source: Tubalr.com

The service automatically ques up a playlist based on search.  When one video ends, the next begins.  When you register for a free account, you can create custom playlists.

@IE sucks... Less...

Microsoft is "poking the bear"... They posted a video recently that "converts" an internet explorer hater by introducing karaoke web standard... oh and they adopt islands of kittens and donate them to children everywhere!!!

Honestly it did make me smile.  Though the setup just didn't seem high-tech enough for him to be the dork Microsoft suggests he is.  Product placement is key, but so is believably.

The Logitech-g510 keyboard is shown a couple of times which is a gamer-must have.  It has programmable back-lit keys that can change color and lighting intensity.  18 programmable macro-keys and three macro-user accounts, allowing quick customization on the fly.  a central lcd display with gadgets and windows sideshow control functionality allows use and program control even when the computer is hibernating.  It's pretty awesome, I love mine...  

Image source: Logitech

I think that if he were as anti-microsoft and anti-IE as they claim, he wouldn't be using a 5 button microsoft mouse.  The R.A.T. 9 would be more apropos... It allows full customization of weight, grip, and even buttons.

Image source: Think Geek

It is nice to see that the dual screens are at least both lcd screens.  Many pro-gamers I know use dual lcd tv's mounted on the wall.  It would have been cool if he had the EVGA Interview monitor system.

image source: engadget

Funny video from Microsoft... further proof the browser wars are back.  Any one remember netscape navigator?

IFTTT... "pronounced like 'gift' without the 'g'"...

It sounds silent but deadly... IFTTT stands for "if this then that" and is a really cool way to create event triggers.

Source: IFTTT

you start by selecting a channel for ifttt to monitor.  Right now there are 57 channels, ifttt has plans on adding more.  Some popular channels are facebook, email, linkedin, weather...

Then a trigger is selected.  Like a certain time, or particular event.  The trigger results in an action.  Actions can be "send me a text message" or "call my phone" or even "create a status message on Facebook".  There are tons of actions to choose from.

A truly great part of IFTTT is that you can share the triggers you create.  They are called recipes.  User recipes are browsable and there is an immense library.

I created one to send me a text message with a morning weather report.

Source: IFTTT

you can check out my recipe, but try creating your own.  There are so many options that are available with this free service that are so incredibly useful.  Some are not so useful, but are fun.  Some are just plain dorky, but that's ok!

I want to thank Darren James of Darren James Real Estate Experts, LLC for introducing me to IFTTT.  If you have any great services, apps, or gadgets you simply can't live without, send me an email, or comment on this blog.  I would love to demo your suggestions for my readers.

Basic Windows Shortcuts

Personally, I don't like to poke my screen... filthy smudges... While a touch screen is fun and easy to use, some quick features are lost on the interface.  The great thing about not using touch screen computers, are keyboard shortcuts.  

The basic keyboard shortcuts are operating system specific.  While both Apple and Windows offer similar shortcuts, the key combinations will be different.  Some useful windows program key combinations are:

CTRL + A: select all

CTRL + C: copy

CTRL + V: Paste

CTRL + Z: undo

Windows Logo + L: locks the computer requiring user password to resume

ALT + TAB: switch between open programs

Ctrl + Tab: switches between multiple tabs in browsers

ALT + F4: quits program

F5: refresh the current window

Windows Logo + D: minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop

There are many other shortcuts available for windows.  Many can be found at this support page.  In addition to the operating system shortcuts, many programs have their own.  For a list of MAC shortcuts, access support page.

BoomTown lead classification. Learn it, love it, live it!!!

why is your 360 day old lead classified as new?

Source: boomtownroi.com

you are doing it wrong!... but that's ok if you fix it.

Source: boomtownroi.com

 New leads should be just that.  No contact has been made.  No emails have been sent.  They are new!  Not 360 days old.....

Source: boomtownroi.com

 You have reclassified the lead, but they have not contacted you.  You can email them 100 times but they
will remain as qualify until two way contact is made.

Source: boomtownroi.com

  Is a lead that you have contacted and they are ready to buy within 3 months!!!

Source: boomtownroi.com

  Should not be ignored as they only need a little work.  Within 3-6 months, they will be ready for purchase.

Source: boomtownroi.com

 Don't let them fall out of your long term drip campaign.  These leads are 6 months or more out from a home purchase.  Check in periodically to maintain your client relationship.

Source: boomtownroi.com

 Small chance of earning this leads business, doesn't mean you can't email them every once in a while.  Happy birth day... happy holidays etc...

Source: boomtownroi.com

 Every one of your test leads... This one is really self explanatory   Trash leads that will not result in business are labeled as trash...

You should be attempting to contact and reclassifying leads within the first two hours.  Your new leads should have been called at least twice within the first four days.  Qualify leads should be called at least once a week until their status changes.  Any time you talk with a lead, log the conversation and set a To Do!!!!

Pinterest... is searchable? Not my pins though...

Why is it that when I search on Pinterest for my pins, nothing shows up?

Source: psdgraphics

Pinterest is a visual based social media network.  Search engines and meta-tags are processed through descriptions.  Your pins might not show up because you don't describe them well.

A couple things to consider that will help your pins become searchable....

1. you have 500 characters available to describe your pin... use them to actually describe what they are and not just say how cool they are

2. If you upload you own pin name the image file based on what it is... if it is a red thumbtack, save the file as red-thumbtack

3. Hashtag in the description... A hashtag in the description makes that pin searchable not only in pinterest search, but also in google, bing, yahoo, etc...

4. Patience is a virtue... you might have given a 500 character description with accurate hashtags and named the uploaded file by its description but it takes between four and five hours for pinterest to re-index... Your pin may or may not be searchable until that happens

happy pinning!!

Can I send an email with a picture in it instead of attached to it?

Before I even start talking about how to embed your favorite Lolcat in an email, I should warn you that most modern email platforms automatically disable embedded pictures.  The recipient has to select to view embedded images in their emails, so it is always a good thing to include information about the picture they may be missing.

Source: Gmail

To embed an image in gmail, first you must be using the new compose experience.  If you are using the old compose experience when you hit compose, the page reloads and your email draft is now in the composition field.  At the top of the email there are some blue words to try out the new compose experience.

When you click that link, Gmail will refresh and you now have additional options when you compose an email.  Some things look different, don't get scared.  If you don't like it you can change it back.

For more information on the new features check out the support page.  

Once you have a new compose email up, inserting a picture is easy.  At the bottom of the compose window is a "+".  Hover over that and a camera icon will appear.  That is the button to insert a pic.  The email can be formatted in the same manner as a word document by clicking the "A".  

Soon the options to insert emoticons and calendar invitations will be available.  

Blog on the go?

So, I totally didn't pre-write my blog yesterday. Now I'm sitting in the theatre during intermission between breaking dawn part one and part two. I've got enough time to squeeze out a quick post...

You can blog on the fly. There are two methods that I am comfortable with. Just be prewarned that neither is really full featured.

The first way to blog away from home is to simply download the mobile app from iTunes or the play store... The mobile app allows you to save or publish directly and you can add tags photos. It does not allow you to set a future publish date or view the back end dashboard.

The second method is slightly more complex but...

You can go to the control panel of your blog and turn on posting via email. The system will create an email that will post everything you send it. Do not give anyone that email as it will post anything it is sent as if you yourself wrote it.

If you really want to know more about mobile posting, ask me in the office. My movie is about to start!!

What is a hashtag?

Why does that guy in the back office keep putting the pound key on everything?  Is he hammering out messages so fast the spell-check doesn't notice?

Image Source: isrisk.net

Maybe just smashing random keys in frustration?  Not always...

While the "hashtag" originated in IRC it is most familiar to those who use twitter.  It is a way to organize feed content through organic search.  Any post that contains the hashtag can be indexed.

It is a fun way to organize twitter conversations, but it is also useful for any information your brand posts to the internet.  I have been using #DJREE (Darren James Real Estate Experts) When I make blog posts, do a quick google search and see what else comes up.

There are a few points of etiquette:

1.  Don't spam - don't just blast a hashtag because you are bored.  Most people avoid spammers.
2.  Content - what does your hashtag stand for?  If it can be  used in your message #great.
3.  Organize - Remember that they are to group your postings together, so don't add them to the post if they aren't relevant.

Panorama?

Ever need a panoramic shot of a property to show how great the view is?

Microsoft offers us photosynth. The application is pretty straight forward. Download it from iTunes or the play store and start snapping 360 views of your world.

Some of the great features of photosynth, aside from it being free, are how easily the views can be shared. They can be emailed, posted to bing maps, and even shared right to Facebook.

Awww.. I missed a few days :(

Sorry guys, we've all been super busy this week so I'll spare you the excuses... Maybe I was just playing around on my chrome guitar too much and forgot to blog...

I'll get back to business on Monday.  I promise!

QR???

What is a QR code, and how can it be useful to me?

Image Source: goqr.me

QR code stands for quick response and as a standard can store more information than a typical barcode.  Most smartphones are capable of using QR codes, though an app is required.  The Google search app is available from Itunes for free, or Google Goggles for android.  With this app simply scan the QR code and it executes it's function.

QR codes can hold your vCard for automatic entry into your contacts, they can direct the phone to place a call, they can direct you to a website, they can contain readable text and images, and so much more.  QR codes are great in that they can hold such a large variety of information.  Those who know what they are are always curious to scan more and find out the information encoded within them.

On my business card I load all of my contact information into a QR code so people can enter it quickly into their phone.  goqr.me is a fantastic free site that allows you to create free QR codes.  Try it out, and think how you could use it in your marketing campaigns... or just for fun...

Does he publish his blogs in his sleep?

He must really like to get up early and blog...

Image Source: thelowkeys.com

Or he could just set his pre-written blogs to publish automatically.  After you finish writing there are a few options listed on the right side of the blogger screen.  Under the post settings are the options that allow one to write a blog and also work during the day.  Click on schedule and set a date and time you want the blog to publish.  You can also set other interesting options, like labels, search description, and locations where the blog was written.  I'll cover all that later.

Remember that after you select when you want it to post, you must then select publish.  otherwise you selected a date in the future for the blog to do nothing.  Enjoy sleeping and write a bunch of blogs at one time.

Can I make that junk-mail skip my inbox?

Are the LOLcats starting to get to you?  With a few simple steps, you can filter your junk-mail so your inbox stays clear.  Lets throw that cat in the trash...

Image Source: mypetcaptions.com

When you open up your Gmail account, there are several ways to set filters.  The easiest is by sender.  Open up one of the messages from a sender you don't want sending you mail.  to the right of the reply button there is a down arrow.  That is the more options button.

After clicking that button, select "filter messages like this".  The pop-up lets you add specifics for the filter to only work if it has a certain subject or has certain words in the text, or even if it doesn't have certain words.  You could select emails from any sender with the words "LOLcats" or doesn't have "cheezburger" and send them to the trash.

Anyway the next step is to click on the blue words "create filter with this search".  The new pop-up has where and how you want to send messages like the one you are working from.  If you check skip the inbox, mark as read, & delete it the email will sail right through your inbox and directly to the trash.

What if you dont want to read it but might need it later?  Just apply a lable to it instead of deleting it.  If you click the grey box choose label then create new label.  You can have a folder just for those furry little emails you love to hate.

Before you click create filter, you have the option to apply that filter to every matching conversation.  Please remember to click this filter so that all of your old emails that match the filter are collected to the same location as any new ones you receive.  

Do I really have to add everyone manually to my emails?

So if you had an easy way to send off your favorite LOLcat to everyone in the office, would you?  Not that I am suggesting to send junk mail to your co-workers.  They will quickly set up a filter that routs everything you send them right to the trash.

Image source: Ben Kersey, theverge.com

In Gmail, groups are used when you want to send email to multiple people on a regular basis.  When you first sign into your account, on the left side of the screen click Gmail and go to the contacts view.  When your contacts load, you will notice a check box to the left of their names.

Check as many of the contacts as you wish, when you do this your options bar, under the search field, will change.  You will notice an icon with three people on it has appeared.  This is the groups icon.

When you click that icon you can create a group.  Now when you compose your next email you can send to that group like you would any other contact.  Just start typing the name of the group and select it when it pops up.  All of the email addresses in that group will auto populate the "to" field.

Now you can pester your office with ease!  Tomorrow, I'll discuss how to filter annoying emails to the trash...

Image source: cheezburger.com

will my blog show up in a search engine?

When you first set up your blog, I am sure you want people to be able to find it.  So lets take out our handy wrench and mess with the gears of your blogger account.  I’ll walk you through the set up for a blog from scratch, but these same steps can be used on your active blogs to make them more marketable.  

When you first open your blogger account homepage, click on the new blog link on the left of the page.  A pop up with the blogs title and address and basic template require you to start using your creative side.  The title of the blog should be somewhat reflective of the content you wish to provide.  Please don’t call it “sewing with Nancy” and your blog content is all about your favorite foods at that Mexican restaurant down the road.  I suggest that the address you select is a condensed version of your title, just so it is easy to remember.

For the curious, sewingwithnancy.blogspot.com is not available.  Pick your own generic example!!!

Once the new blog has been created, click on its name to go to its back end manager.  From this overview, you can see the pageview count, comments, and even the settings.  Oddly, the settings button is replaced with a wrench this time instead of the usual gear.  Open the settings and edit the description of your blog.  What is the content going to focus on? 

Please click on “search preferences” on the column along the left side of the screen.  Click edit in meta tags and type a better description of your blog in less than 150 characters using as many keywords as possible to explain your content.  Remember to click the orange button and save your changes.  The difference between these two fields is in their use.

The description is for people to read and find out what your master topic is about.  The meta tags help the robots of the internet reference what your blog is about.  If you don’t set this up those pesky gremlins might keep me from finding your blog…