Management Archives - Yellow Dog Consulting

Guest Post: Goodbye Google+

02.06.2019 by Elizabeth // Leave a Comment

Today’s guest post is from Danielle Isbell at Odd Dog Media. Whenever I have an SEO/search/web question Odd Dog is my first call. When this email from Google came out last week I immediately reached out and asked what I needed to worry about, if anything, and thought you might appreciate that information too!

Have you received an email with this subject line?

[ACTION REQUIRED] Important changes to Google+ and impact on G Suite customers.
(read the whole email notification that was sent out here.)

You may have already heard the consumer end of Google+ is going away, but what does this email you received mean? And what’s with the unhelpful, screaming emails, Google?!

Tldr; If you are using Google+ features like blogger commenting / communities / Google+ Pages / Google+ Single Sign-in, then these features are going away. If you’re not sure if you’re using them, you’re probably not (hardly anyone does) and you’re probably fine and don’t need to take any action at all.

Google announced in October of 2018 it would be shutting down Google+, which was Google’s attempt at creating a social network to rival Facebook. If you have a Gmail account, or if your company uses Google for its email, then you most likely have a Google+ profile whether you used it or not. Think of Google+ as an App for Google Email accounts that was always there, just nobody really used it.

Google+ is shutting down in part because it never really took off in a huge way like other social platforms, but also because of a data breach that happened via Google+. Google announced in December that the entire platform would be going away on April 2nd, 2019.

In shutting down Google+, it will have different repercussions for businesses as you may be using some Google+ business features.

What does that mean for businesses who use Google Suite for email?

(If you aren’t sure if your company uses Google Suite, you can check here.)

Google is shutting down the consumer side of Google+, so that means the upcoming changes will primarily affect how your company interacts with consumer content through Google+.

Website and Blog Commenting

The consumer side of Google+ includes sites that use Google+ as their commenting service, much like Disqus. If you use Blogger as your blogging platform, the commenting feature was removed February 4th, 2019 and will be removed from other websites using this feature by March 7th, 2019.

For Google Suite users, they will still be able to view the comments they made in their Google+ activity log. We assume that means they are only viewable until April 2nd when the whole sha-bang gets shut down.

Communities

Google Communities were Facebook groups before Facebook groups became a thing.
Because all Google+ consumer account content will be deleted starting April 2nd, 2019, this will impact any communities your organization runs outside your domain that aren’t owned by at least one GSuite user.
Community owners and moderators have until April 2nd to download any community data they wish to save. See more about downloading your Google+ data here.

Google+ Sign-in

If your business has any apps or sign-in portals where people can sign in with their Google+ account, this will be phased out throughout February 2019.

Google+ Pages

Google+ Pages are different than your Google My Business listing. If you created a Google+ page for your business, make sure you download and save any images or posts you want to keep. These will all be disappearing as well.
You can choose to delete your account or just wait for Google to delete it for you, it’s up to you. In the unlikely event you had been spending any energy at all creating content for this platform, consider putting all of that effort into Google Posts on your Google My Business listing instead.

Will the Google+ shut down impact your business SEO?

It shouldn’t. Because this is a social site that never really gained any steam, and Google themselves are the ones shutting it down, any authority that may have been passed through this platform is probably inconsequential when it comes to your rankings.
If you’re a local business, focus on your Google My Business listing instead!

Looking for more updates about the shutdown? You can watch this page for a timeline of updates from Google as these features slowly shut off.

Meet Danielle Isbell, Odd Dog Media

Danielle has been in the Local Search game for over four years with Odd Dog Media. She wears a lot of hats at Odd Dog, working on search optimization (SEO), paid ads, social media, website design, and content creation for a wide range of local & regional businesses.

When she’s not optimizing GMB listings or websites for local search, she’s traveling, taking photos, and designing cool stuff.

Guest Post: The Same Goals Get the Same Results

12.03.2018 by Elizabeth // Leave a Comment

Today’s guest post is from one of my favorite people, and my business coach, Debbie Page. Trust her wisdom, heed her advice, she’s the real deal folks.

It’s the time of the year where e v e r y o n e is talking about goals. Asking if you’ve set ‘em, and what’s different than last year?

Do you ever find yourself with goal shame?

You’re not alone. Many of the people who I work with come to me with goal shame and fatigue. They’ve been setting the same goals again and again because they never hit their marks. Stuck in this cycle of set – not reach – repeat they are horrified at the thought of downsizing their goals. Because you just don’t do that, right? Wrong. You can. It’s your business. Downsizing a goal to the right size is a strategic business move.

As a business coach to women one of the first things I do with a new client is ask them how they set their goals for their business. Often times the answers start with, “I picked numbers that seemed reasonable.”

Ok, and then what? (Insert cricket sound here…)

Often underestimated by entrepreneurs is the fact that goal setting is a process that requires several hours of evaluation and projection. It is a process.

These are 3 ways to get your goals right this year:

Gather your data – Gather it all. All your inquiries, where they came from, your conversions your sales cycle time, your average sale, your average revenue per sale. Each of these provide invaluable information for you to understand where you’ve been in order to determine where you are going.
Look for inconsistencies in execution – What are your real marketing numbers? If networking was to be one of your initiatives to grow your business, how many events did you attend and how often. If you only attend when business is slow you will not get sustained results. Consistency in marketing is a critical factor in your success.
Constantly measure, review and adjust when needed – time on your calendar must be scheduled to regularly adjust and modify as needed.

Goal setting for results is possible. It’s not necessary to repeat the same goals year after year hoping you’ll get a different result. To get something different you have to do something different.

If you are ready to do something different I have two resources for you to consider:

Request access to my 6 Days to Ultimate Business Success Challenge. A challenge where you will ultimately determine what you really want in business, how to navigate your business fears and take confident action, develop a higher money consciousness and how to pay yourself first.

Join my Free Facebook Group, The Women’s Business Profit Lab where you can find a library of nearly 50 video trainings as well as access to nearly 800 women business owners from around the world who share ideas and best practices on running and scaling their businesses.

About Debbie: I’ve been a business owner and entrepreneur for more than 22 years now…and yup – it freaks me out to say that – because in my mind I’m still 26…anyhoo. I might be like you. I’m an accidental entrepreneur. I said yes to one opportunity, and then another. I’m the leading authority on cash flow and profitability for women in business and a systems and process nut and love teaching people how to leverage and scale their business.

Guest Post: Six Organized Strategies to Help You Get Back into a Routine

10.10.2018 by Elizabeth // Leave a Comment

This week’s guest blog post is from my friend and fabulous professional organizer, Debbie Rosemont of Simply Placed. Debbie has some great strategies as we head into the final quarter of 2018 to get your routine back in place.

As much as we might not like it, fall has set in and the lazy, hazy days of summer are behind us. Many people have a “looser” schedule over the summer months, both personally and professionally. It is refreshing to take a break from our routine now and then and live a less scheduled life. It is also comforting and productive for many of us to return to a routine after such a break.

Here are six simple strategies to help you re-establish some routine in your life so that you can get more done, focus on your priorities AND have time for what matters most to you.

Establish the habit of getting enough sleep each night. Everyone needs a different amount of sleep to feel rested, rejuvenated and ready to be productive, but studies show that for most adults, between seven to nine hours is ideal. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day – yes, even on the weekend. Follow a familiar bedtime routine, limiting “before bed” activities, especially screen time, to things that relax you and help you wind down. You’ll enjoy the benefits of more energy and when you are well-rested, you’ll be more productive the following day.
Plan out your week. Both at work and at home, end your week by reviewing what you accomplished and look ahead to the next week to see what the priorities will be. Make sure you have time allotted on your calendar for these priorities. Take time over the weekend to prepare. This will help you eliminate surprises and stress.
Do what you can the night before. Set the coffee pot on a timer so it is brewed when you come down for breakfast. Pack a healthy lunch. Pack up your gym bag the night before if you plan to work out. Place any other items you need for activities or errands the next day right by the door. Lay out your clothing for the next morning. These evening efforts will make your morning less hectic and provide a smoother launch into the day.
Prioritize your day. Once you arrive at your office (or if you work from home, once your workday begins), immediately plan and prioritize your day. Alternatively, this can also be done at the end of the day so that you can and hit the ground running the next day. Focus on high-priority activities first. Eliminate distractions (email, phone, etc.) for periods of time so that you can really dig in, uninterrupted and make great progress on those priority tasks and projects. You’ll feel very accomplished!
De-clutter. Take a few minutes at the end of each day to tidy your workspace or your home. Put items back where they belong so you can find them the next time they’re needed.
Schedule appointments with yourself. Block off time on your calendar to regularly de-clutter and organize. If you don’t schedule time to do this, it won’t happen. Make this a weekly habit. Likewise, block off and protect chunks of time on your calendar for high priority activities. If you know there’s something you want to get done in a given day, make an appointment with yourself and then honor that time. Seeing the appointment visibly can also make it easier to say “no” to something or someone else that might serve as a barrier to your productivity on the priority.

Could you use some help establishing a routine that will help you to be more organized and productive either at work or at home? Do you want more time for the things that are really important in life? Our “It’s About Time” Virtual Productivity Program can teach you strategies to work smarter, not harder, and give you back time for the things that matter most.

Here’s to your organized and productive life!

Debbie Rosemont, Certified Professional Organizer and Productivity Consultant, started Simply Placed in 2003 to help clients increase productivity, maximize efficiency and bring balance and control into their work, homes and lives. Simply Placed associates work with individuals and businesses to create effective organizational systems, clear clutter, successfully manage time, focus on priorities and achieve goals.