Blog

  1. Online Security: Are Your Passwords Working for You?

    Word about the Heartbleed bug spread widely and quickly, prompting many of us to change our passwords on numerous log-in sites. Have a tough time remembering all your passwords? Begrudge the time and effort it took to make the changes?

    Protecting online data is an ongoing concern, and changing passwords routinely is a practice that would serve us all well. There has been talk of instituting an annual Change Your Passwords day, but a once-a-year change is probably not enough to alleviate the concern. Hackers, leaks, security fails and program vulnerabilities are part of our wired landscape.

  2. 12 Social Media Tips from the Pros

    Has scanning the available training resources for social media left you overwhelmed and wondering where to begin? There seems to be an endless supply of books, blog posts, videos, workshops and webinars addressing the “how to’s” of social media for small business. At Page Progressive, we strive to simplify internet marketing — including social media — for our small business and non-profit clients. So, we’re dedicating this post to 12 social media tips from the pros featured recently on a Hootsuite webinar.

    Social media marketing gurus Peg Fitzpatrick and Guy Kawasaki focused their comments on the “four kings” – Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and Twitter. Here are the highlights:

  3. Use the Google Analytics Goals Tool To Improve Your Bottom Line

    Is your website working for you? How do you know? Setting and measuring specific goals are essential for tracking and improving your site’s success. While page ranking on search engines is one basic element for success, it is not the only one. A high ranking boosts visibility, exposure and traffic — but what happens once visitors find your site? Do they become customers or share your site with new prospects?

  4. 9 Online Reputation Monitoring Tools Anyone Can Use

    With the reputation and success of your business at stake, it pays to keep an eye on what others are saying about you online. In follow up to our previous post on this topic, here is an introduction to 9 “do it yourself” reputation management tools:

    • Alerts: Both Google and Yahoo allow you to set up alerts for specified search terms, delivered to you by email or feed reader. Choose the type of content you want searched (blogs, news, videos, etc.) and the frequency you want the alert sent (weekly, daily or immediate). Both sites provide a preview of your search results before you create the alert.
  5. Better WP Security Changing to iThemes Security

    We’re a big fan of the plugin known as Better WP Security. If we’ve developed a WordPress site for you, chances are your site uses it.

    On March 17, the authors of this plugin announced a name change to iThemes Security. For sites using the plugin with the previous name, WordPress will automatically deactivate it with the next upgrade. All sites with the plugin will be affected. The impact in not systems critical, but we wanted to give our clients a heads up! All you need to do is reactivate it with the new name.

    If you’d like more info about the update check out this link:

    http://ithemes.com/2014/03/17/better-wp-security-plugin-changing-ithemes-security-need-know/

  6. How To Manage Your Online Reputation

    Have you searched for your name and business on Google and reviewed the results lately? Are you monitoring and managing your online reputation? What others are saying about you online can have a great impact on your business. In fact, it could have more impact than anything you have posted yourself (on your website, ads, social media, etc.)

  7. Goodbye Keyword Tool, Hello Keyword Planner

    Looking for Google’s Keyword Tool? You won’t find it. The search giant has replaced the well-known, frequently used search engine optimization (SEO) research tool with its new Keyword Planner.

    The Planner combines features of the previous Keyword Tool with the AdWords Traffic Estimator — both of which were general purpose tools. The primary focus of the Keyword Planner is making it easier for advertisers to create Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns. With its “wizard” type interface, one article on SearchEngineLand calls it “an ultimate AdWords campaign building workshop.”

  8. Social Media and SEO: What you need to know

    Social media is definitely influencing how information is found online and buying decisions are made. Here are some interesting statistics to consider:

    • 72 percent of all internet users are now active on social media
    •  The +1 button on Google+ is used 5 million times per day
    •  Twitter was the fastest growing network with a 44 percent growth from 2012-2013