Advancify News Network

Is Your Website Costing You Customers? 5 Signs It's Time for a Redesign

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:00:02 GMT

Your Website Might Be Losing Sales

Your website is often the very first impression a potential customer has of your business. Before they call, before they email, before they ever walk through your door - they look you up online. And if what they find loads slowly, looks outdated, or doesn't guide them toward contacting you, many of them will leave without a second thought. The challenge is that most small business owners don't know this is happening. Your website can appear to be functioning fine from your side while quietly turning away potential customers every single day. Here are five clear warning signs that your current site may be working against you - and what to do about it.

Sign #1: Your Website Takes Too Long to Load

Google research shows that 53% of mobile visitors abandon a website that takes longer than three seconds to load. If your site was built several years ago without performance in mind, slow load times may be your most significant invisible problem. This affects not just visitor experience - it directly impacts your Google search rankings, since page speed is a confirmed ranking factor. Common culprits include large, uncompressed images, outdated plugins, cheap hosting plans, and bloated code from aging website builders. Run a free test at Google PageSpeed Insights and see your score. A consistently slow website is one of the clearest signs that a redesign - or at minimum, a technical overhaul - is overdue.

Sign #2: It Doesn't Work Well on Mobile

More than 60% of web traffic now comes from smartphones and tablets. If your website was built primarily for desktop screens and was only adapted for mobile as an afterthought, you're delivering a frustrating experience to most of your visitors. The signs are easy to spot: tiny text that requires pinching to read, navigation menus that are hard to tap, forms that are difficult to fill out, and images that overflow or appear distorted on small screens. A genuinely mobile-friendly website uses responsive design - meaning the layout adapts naturally to any screen size without sacrificing usability. Since 2019, Google has also used mobile-friendliness as a primary ranking factor, so a poor mobile experience can actively hurt your visibility in search results.

Sign #3: Your Design Looks and Feels Dated

Design trends evolve quickly, and so do customer expectations. A website that felt polished in 2016 or 2018 may now signal to visitors that your business hasn't kept up - even if your services are excellent. Dated design elements include cluttered layouts with too much information competing for attention, generic stock photos, small or hard-to-read fonts, and color schemes that feel like a previous decade. This isn't just an aesthetic issue. Customers form opinions about credibility within seconds of landing on your site, and an outdated look can undermine confidence in your business before they've even read a word. Your website should reflect the quality and professionalism of what you actually offer.

Sign #4: It's Difficult to Update

If making a simple change to your website requires calling a developer, digging into code, or waiting days for a simple fix, your site is costing you in time and responsiveness. A well-built modern website should empower you - or someone on your team - to update text, add blog posts, swap images, and adjust content without technical expertise. If your CMS (Content Management System) is hard to use or rarely maintained, you're probably avoiding updates, and that means your site has outdated information: wrong hours, discontinued services, old team photos, or prices that changed a year ago. Outdated content quietly erodes the trust of every visitor who notices it.

Sign #5: Your Site Gets Traffic But Generates No Leads

If your website receives visitors but rarely produces phone calls, contact form submissions, or inquiries, the problem usually lies in one of a few places: unclear or missing calls-to-action, confusing navigation that makes it hard to find what customers need, messaging that doesn't speak to your ideal client's specific concerns, or a contact form that fails on mobile. A well-designed website isn't just a digital brochure - it should be a consistent, reliable source of new business. If visitors are arriving and leaving without acting, your site needs to be rethought from the customer's perspective.

Ready to Make Your Website Work for You?

If any of these signs sound familiar, you're not alone - and the good news is that each one is fixable. Whether your site needs a full redesign or a targeted set of improvements, Advancify specializes in building websites that are fast, mobile-friendly, easy to manage, and designed to convert visitors into customers. We work with small businesses and nonprofits throughout our community to build digital presences they're proud of.

Schedule a complimentary consultation with Advancify - we'd love to help.

Your Advancify CMS Website is Already Ready for AI Search

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:46:04 GMT

The AI Search Revolution is Here

Most websites today aren't optimized for the future of search. While traditional SEO focuses on Google's algorithms, AI search is changing everything . Tools like ChatGPT , Claude , and Perplexity are becoming the new way people find information about businesses like yours.

The challenge? These AI tools need clean, structured data to understand what your business offers. Without proper optimization, your website might be invisible to AI search – meaning potential customers won't find you when they ask AI assistants for recommendations.

Advancify Website Builder : A CMS Built for Tomorrow's Search

Good news: your Advancify Web Builder CMS website is already prepared for this shift. We've been quietly working behind the scenes to ensure every site we build is optimized for AI search from day one.

What Makes Advancify Website Builder Different

Our content management system automatically generates llm.txt files for every published website. Think of this as a cheat sheet for AI – similar to how robots.txt helps traditional search engines, but specifically designed for large language models.

When someone asks an AI tool about your business, it references your actual content in clean, structured language instead of messy HTML code. This means more accurate, relevant responses that showcase your business properly.

Automatic AI Optimization Features

Every Advancify CMS website includes:

Live URL mapping for all your pages, blog posts, and service descriptions
Multi-language support for businesses serving diverse communities
Clean content structure that AI tools can easily understand and reference
Automatic updates every time you publish new content

Why This Matters for Your Business

Traditional SEO optimizes for search engines. AI optimization ensures your business appears in conversational search results – the fastest-growing way people find local services and products.

When potential customers ask AI assistants questions like "Who provides website design services in Titusville?" or "Best web design companies for small businesses," your Advancify Website Builder CMS website will be positioned to appear in those responses with accurate, compelling information.

The Competitive Advantage

While other businesses scramble to understand AI search optimization, your website is already ahead of the curve . This isn't just about staying current with technology – it's about ensuring your business remains discoverable as search behavior evolves.

Our integrated approach means you don't need to worry about technical implementation or ongoing maintenance. Your website automatically stays optimized for both traditional search engines and AI tools.

Ready to Amplify Your Digital Presence?

Advancify Website Builder combines the power of advanced web technology with the simplicity small businesses need. Your website isn't just built for today – it's prepared for tomorrow's digital landscape.

Schedule a complimentary consultation today to learn how our comprehensive digital solutions can advance your business and amplify your online presence in the age of AI search.

Revolutionary AI Weather Prediction Could Transform Hurricane Preparedness for Florida

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 16:11:17 GMT

Google DeepMind and Google Research have launched Weather Lab , an interactive platform featuring experimental AI models that could revolutionize how we predict and prepare for tropical cyclones.

This isn't just another weather app—it's a sophisticated system that generates 50 possible hurricane scenarios up to 15 days in advance, providing unprecedented insight into storm formation, track, intensity, size, and shape.

Why This Matters for Florida and Other Tropical Areas

Extended Preparation Time – Traditional forecasting methods often leave families and communities scrambling with just days to prepare. Weather Lab's 15-day prediction window could provide Floridians with nearly two weeks' notice to make evacuation decisions, secure homes, stock supplies, and coordinate with family members.
Enhanced Accuracy – Internal testing shows the AI model's predictions are as accurate as—and often more accurate than—current physics-based methods. For a state that faces multiple hurricane threats annually, this improved precision could mean the difference between adequate preparation and disaster for millions of residents.
Better Decision-Making – If the person who left the review deleted their Google account or the review itself, it will be gone permanently.

Real-World Applications for Everyone

Family Emergency Planning – Extended forecasting windows allow families to coordinate evacuation plans with relatives, secure pet care arrangements, and make travel reservations before demand surges and prices spike.
Home Protection – Homeowners can install storm shutters, secure outdoor furniture, and take protective measures for their property with greater confidence in timing and necessity.
Community Preparedness – Local governments and emergency services can pre-position resources, coordinate shelter operations, and implement evacuation procedures with more lead time and accuracy.
Economic Benefits – Better predictions help everyone from small business owners to large employers make informed decisions about closures, staffing, and operations, potentially reducing economic losses across communities.
Peace of Mind – Perhaps most importantly, more accurate long-range forecasting provides families with additional time to make thoughtful decisions rather than rushed ones during stressful situations.

The Technology Behind the Breakthrough

Weather Lab's experimental cyclone model represents a significant advancement in meteorological science. Unlike traditional models that struggle to balance track and intensity predictions, this AI system excels at both. It's trained on vast reanalysis datasets and specialized databases containing information from nearly 5,000 observed cyclones over 45 years.

The results are impressive: the model's 5-day track predictions are, on average, 140 kilometers closer to actual cyclone locations than leading physics-based models—accuracy typically associated with 3.5-day predictions, representing a 1.5-day improvement that historically takes over a decade to achieve.

Partnering with Trusted Authorities

Weather Lab doesn't operate in isolation. Google DeepMind is collaborating with the U.S. National Hurricane Center , which now receives live predictions from these experimental AI models alongside traditional physics-based forecasts. This partnership ensures the technology undergoes rigorous scientific validation while supporting official weather services.

Important Considerations

While Weather Lab represents a significant advancement, it's crucial to understand its current limitations. The platform is a research tool, and its predictions should complement—not replace—official forecasts from the National Weather Service and local meteorological agencies. For official warnings and evacuation orders, always rely on established authorities.

Preparing for the Future

As this technology continues to evolve and potentially becomes integrated into official forecasting systems, now is the time for all Floridians to consider how enhanced hurricane prediction could transform their preparedness strategies.

Immediate Steps for Families:

Review and update your family hurricane preparedness plan
Identify key decision points where extended forecasting could provide value
Consider how 15-day advance notice might change your evacuation and preparation procedures
Ensure you have multiple ways to receive weather alerts and updates

Community Involvement:

Stay informed about your local emergency management procedures
Participate in community preparedness initiatives
Consider how improved forecasting might affect local evacuation routes and shelter availability
Support investments in resilient infrastructure and emergency services

The Bigger Picture

Weather Lab represents more than just better hurricane tracking—it exemplifies how artificial intelligence can address real-world challenges that affect millions of people. For all Floridians, this technology could mean fewer last-minute evacuations, better-protected homes and communities, safer families, and more confident decision-making during hurricane season.

As we continue to face increasingly complex weather patterns, tools like Weather Lab demonstrate how technology can help us prepare more effectively and respond more intelligently. While we can't control the weather, we can certainly improve how we prepare for and respond to it.

We're always watching for technological innovations that can benefit our community. Weather Lab's hurricane prediction capabilities represent exactly the kind of forward-thinking solution that could transform how people living in hurricane-prone areas approach one of our biggest challenges.

The 2025 hurricane season is already underway, and while Weather Lab is still in development, its potential to revolutionize storm preparedness is clear. As this technology matures and potentially integrates with official forecasting systems, people who stay informed and adapt their preparedness strategies accordingly will be best positioned to weather whatever storms come our way.

The Best Google Workspace Tips & Tricks for Small Business Owners

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 23:59:13 GMT

Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) is a powerful cloud-based tool that helps small businesses streamline communication, collaboration, and productivity. Whether you're using Gmail , Google Drive , Google Meet , or Google Docs , there are plenty of hidden features and shortcuts that can make your workday even more efficient.

In this guide, we’ll cover the best Google Workspace tips and tricks to help your small business get the most out of these powerful tools.

1. Use Email Aliases to Manage Your Inbox Efficiently

Instead of creating multiple email accounts, you can create email aliases for different purposes.

�� Example: If your email is info@yourbusiness.com , you can use:

support@yourbusiness.com (for customer service)
billing@yourbusiness.com (for invoices)
sales@yourbusiness.com (for inquiries)

All emails sent to these aliases will land in your primary inbox, keeping everything in one place while maintaining a professional appearance.

�� How to Set It Up: Go to Admin Console > Users > Add Alias .

2. Schedule Emails in Gmail

Need to send an email at a specific time but don’t want to forget? You can schedule emails to be sent later.

�� How to Do It:

Compose an email → Click the down arrow next to "Send" → Select " Schedule send " → Choose a time.

This is especially useful if you're working late but want your email to land in a client's inbox at the start of their business day.

3. Use Google Drive’s Advanced Search to Find Files Faster

If you have thousands of files in Google Drive , finding the right one can be time-consuming.

Use advanced search filters to locate files quickly.

�� In the Google Drive search bar, try these filters:

**type:**presentation → To find Google Slides files
owner:john@company.com → To find files owned by a specific person
 before:2024-01-01 → To find files created before a certain date

4. Turn Google Docs into a Voice Dictation Tool

Did you know you can dictate text in Google Docs instead of typing? This is great for drafting emails, blog posts, or meeting notes.

�� How to Enable Voice Typing:

Open Google Docs → Click Tools → Select Voice typing → Click the Microphone icon and start speaking.

5. Automate Repetitive Tasks with Google Workspace Add-ons

Google Workspace has several third-party add-ons that can automate workflows. Some useful ones include:

DocuSign – For signing and sending contracts digitally.
Trello for Gmail – Convert emails into Trello tasks.
Mail Merge for Gmail – Send personalized bulk emails.

�� How to Install Add-ons: Go to Google Workspace Marketplace and search for the app you need.

6. Set Up Google Calendar Appointment Slots

Instead of going back and forth to schedule meetings, use Google Calendar appointment slots to let clients book time with you.

�� How to Set It Up:

Open Google Calendar → Click Create → Select Appointment schedule → Share the link with your clients or team.

7. Use Google Meet’s Hidden Features for Better Virtual Meetings

Make your online meetings smoother with these Google Meet tricks:

Press “ M ” to mute/unmute quickly.
Use noise cancellation to filter out background noise (Settings > Audio > Noise Cancellation).
Record meetings (available on Google Workspace Business & Enterprise plans).
Use breakout rooms to split meetings into smaller groups (great for training sessions).

8. Collaborate Better with Google Docs Smart Chips

Google Docs now allows you to insert Smart Chips to improve collaboration.

�� How to Use Smart Chips:

Type @ and select a person’s name to tag them.
Type @file to link a document directly into the text.
Type @date to insert a deadline.

9. Secure Your Business with Google Workspace Security Tools

�� Protect your business by enabling these security features:

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for all employees.
Set up Data Loss Prevention (DLP) to prevent accidental data leaks.
 Review login activity regularly to detect suspicious sign-ins.

�� Where to Find These Settings: Go to Admin Console > Security .

10. Use Google Keep for Quick Notes & Task Management

Google Keep is a simple yet powerful tool for managing notes and to-do lists.

�� Best Uses for Small Businesses:

Create checklists for daily tasks.
Pin important notes for quick access.
Snap a picture of receipts and store them for expense tracking.

Google Workspace is more than just email—it’s a powerful productivity suite that can help your small business run more smoothly. By using these tips and tricks , you can work more efficiently, stay organized, and improve team collaboration.

Need help setting up or managing Google Workspace for your business? Advancify can assist you with expert guidance and support. Schedule a meeting today!

Local SEO: How to Rank Higher in Google for ‘Near Me’ Searches

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 22:00:00 GMT

In today’s digital world, more people than ever are searching for businesses nearby using phrases like “ coffee shop near me ” or “ IT services near me .” If your business isn’t optimized for these local searches, you’re missing out on potential customers. That’s where Local SEO comes in.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the key strategies to help your business rank higher in “near me” searches and attract more local customers.

1. Optimize Your Google My Business Listing

Google My Business (GMB) is one of the most important tools for local SEO. Here’s how to optimize your listing:

Claim & verify your business on Google My Business if you haven’t already.
Ensure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are correct and match your website.
Select the right business categories to help Google understand what services you offer.
Add high-quality photos of your business, products, or services.
Encourage and respond to customer reviews—Google prioritizes businesses with more positive reviews.

2. Use Local Keywords in Your Website Content

Your website should include local keywords that match what customers are searching for.

Instead of “best IT services,” use “ best IT services in Titusville, FL. ”
Include location-based phrases in your title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and content.
Create location-specific service pages (e.g., "Managed IT Services in Brevard County").
Add a FAQ section that answers common “near me” search queries.

3. Get Listed in Local Directories & Citations

Google values consistent business information across the web. Get listed in directories like:

Yelp , Bing Places , Apple Maps , Angi , Yellow Pages , and BBB
Local Chamber of Commerce or industry-specific directories
Ensure NAP consistency (name, address, phone number) across all listings.

4. Build Local Backlinks

Backlinks (links from other websites to yours) help build credibility. To get local backlinks:

Partner with local businesses and get mentioned on their websites .
Sponsor local events or charities (they often link back to sponsors).
Get featured in local news articles or blogs.

5. Optimize for Mobile & Voice Search

Since most local searches happen on mobile devices and through voice assistants, make sure your website is:

Mobile-friendly (fast loading and easy to navigate).
Optimized for voice search (use conversational phrases like “Where can I find IT services near me?”).

6. Encourage Customer Reviews

Reviews help improve trust and search rankings. To get more reviews:

Ask happy customers to leave a Google review .
Respond to all reviews (good and bad) professionally.
Offer incentives like discounts for leaving feedback

7. Use Schema Markup for Local SEO

Schema markup helps search engines understand your business details. Use LocalBusiness Schema to include:

Business name, address, and phone number
Business hours
Customer reviews
Products or services offered

You can generate schema markup using Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper.

Optimizing for “near me” searches is essential for local businesses looking to attract more customers. By improving your Google My Business listing, using local keywords, building backlinks, and getting reviews, you can boost your visibility and stay ahead of the competition.

Need help with your Local SEO strategy? Advancify can optimize your online presence and help you rank higher in search results. Schedule a free consultation today !

How to Prepare for Black Friday 2024 and Amplify Your Message

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 15:00:03 GMT

1. Begin Planning Early

Preparation is the key to a successful Black Friday. Start by outlining your goals—are you looking to increase revenue, attract new customers, or enhance engagement with existing supporters? Once your objectives are clear, build a roadmap that includes setting budgets, organizing your inventory, and scheduling marketing campaigns. The earlier you start, the more seamless your execution will be.

2. Create Offers People Can’t Refuse

To stand out during Black Friday, your offers need to be both creative and enticing. Here are some ideas to get started:

Bundles : Combine related products or services into discounted bundles.
Exclusive Discounts : Provide early access discounts to loyal customers or donors.
Cause-Driven Offers : If you're a nonprofit, offer discounts or perks tied to donations. For example, "Donate $50 or more, and receive a free gift or service voucher."

Remember, the goal is to provide value while showcasing what makes your business unique.

3. Optimize Your Website

Your website will likely be a primary destination for Black Friday shoppers. A slow or confusing user experience can drive customers away. Make sure to:

Speed It Up : Test loading speeds and reduce any lag.
Be Mobile-First : Ensure every page is optimized for smartphones.
Streamline the Checkout Process : Simplify cart navigation and payment options.

Add features like countdown timers to create urgency or a popup showcasing your hottest deals.

4. Leverage the Power of Social Media

Social media can be your best friend in driving Black Friday traffic. Start promoting early with teaser posts and behind-the-scenes content. Here’s a simple timeline to follow:

2-3 Weeks Before Black Friday : Share sneak peeks of your offers.
Week of Black Friday : Post daily reminders of your sales and provide value with tips or live Q&A sessions.
Black Friday Itself : Share real-time updates and use hashtags like #BlackFriday2024 to amplify reach.

Use Stories and Reels to make your content more dynamic and engaging.

5. Engage Your Email Subscribers

Email marketing is a powerful tool during the holiday season. Craft a series of engaging emails to keep your audience informed and excited:

Teaser Emails : Build anticipation with subject lines like, "Something Big Is Coming…"
Exclusive Pre-Sale Emails : Reward loyal customers with early access.
Last-Minute Reminders : Send follow-ups during the sale to create urgency.

Make sure your emails are visually appealing and contain a clear call-to-action (CTA) like "Shop Now" or "Donate Today."

6. Don’t Forget Post-Black Friday Engagement

Once the rush is over, stay connected with your customers or donors:

Thank-You Emails : Show appreciation and build loyalty.
Feedback Requests : Use surveys to learn what worked and what didn’t.
Highlight Cyber Monday : If your deals extend to Cyber Monday, keep the momentum going with fresh promotions.

By continuing engagement, you set the stage for a strong end-of-year season.

Don't Wait Until it's Too Late

With careful planning, compelling offers, and effective use of digital tools, Black Friday can be a game-changer for both small businesses and nonprofits. Start early, optimize your online presence, and focus on meaningful engagement to make this Black Friday your most successful yet.

Beware of These Popular Online Scams Targeting Small Businesses

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 16:29:13 GMT

As digital communication grows, so do the opportunities for scammers to take advantage of unsuspecting business owners.

It’s important to stay informed about common scams that can threaten your business. In this post, we'll discuss two popular scams—one targeting Facebook page managers and the other trying to sell unnecessary voice search services.

Scam #1: Phishing Messages Targeting Facebook Page Managers

Facebook page managers are increasingly becoming the target of phishing attacks designed to scare them into giving up their personal information or access to their pages. Here's how it works:

How the Scam Works

You receive a message through Facebook Messenger claiming that your page is in violation of Facebook's terms and will soon be deleted. The message appears to come from Meta (the parent company of Facebook), but it’s actually from a scammer. They might include a link that supposedly takes you to a page where you can "resolve the issue"—but in reality, this is a phishing link designed to capture your login credentials or install malware on your computer.

How to Protect Yourself

Verify Before You Click: Facebook and Meta will never send a message through Messenger asking you to take action on your account. Always double-check the source of the message and avoid clicking on any suspicious links.
Check Your Facebook Page Notifications: Any legitimate updates or alerts about your page will appear directly within the Facebook app under your notifications—not in a Messenger chat.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Ensure that you have 2FA enabled on your account to add an extra layer of security, making it harder for scammers to gain access.

Scam #2: Unnecessary Voice Search Services

How the Scam Works

Scammers call your business and claim that your listing won’t show up in voice searches unless you pay them to optimize or register it. These fraudsters prey on the growing importance of voice search for business discovery, hoping that busy entrepreneurs will act out of fear rather than knowledge.

The Reality

Siri Uses Apple Business Manager: If your business is registered with Apple Business Manager , you’re already set for Siri searches. There's no need for additional services.
Google Voice Search Uses Google My Business: If you manage your business on Google My Business (now called Google Business Profile) , your information will appear in voice searches on Google Assistant.
Alexa Uses Yelp: For Amazon Alexa voice searches, your business information is pulled from Yelp . Ensure your Yelp listing is accurate, but there’s no need for any external services.

How to Protect Yourself

Know Where Voice Search Pulls Data From: Simply managing your listings on the correct platforms (Apple Business Manager, Google Business Profile, and Yelp) ensures your voice search visibility.
Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Calls: Legitimate services won’t use scare tactics to pressure you into purchasing something. Always research the claim before handing over any money or information.
Stay Educated: The more you know about how voice search works, the less likely you are to fall for these scams. Keep your business listings updated directly with the platforms that matter.

Online scams continue to evolve, but by staying informed and cautious, you can protect your business from falling victim. Always verify the legitimacy of messages and calls, and remember that trusted platforms like Facebook, Apple, Google, and Yelp will never ask for your information in such aggressive or deceptive ways. Keep your business secure by taking control of your online presence directly.

Preparing Your Small Business for Severe Weather: Essential Technology Tips

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:34:07 GMT

As we find ourselves in the midst of storm season, it's more important than ever for small businesses to ensure their technology infrastructure is prepared to withstand severe weather events. At Advancify, we understand the need to stay operational during unpredictable conditions. Here are some essential tips to help your business stay resilient, with a focus on leveraging cloud services and maintaining clear communication.

Embrace Cloud Backups

One of the most effective ways to protect your business data is by utilizing cloud backups. By storing your data in the cloud, you ensure that it remains safe and accessible, even if physical devices are damaged during a storm. Regularly scheduled backups can prevent data loss and facilitate a quick recovery, minimizing downtime.

Ensure Redundancy with Cloud-Based Communication Systems

When it comes to communication, redundancy and flexibility are key. Cloud-based business phone systems ensure your business remains connected, regardless of the circumstances. These solutions provide portability, allowing employees to access the system from anywhere, ensuring uninterrupted communication with clients and team members during a storm.

Develop an Emergency Communications Plan

Having an emergency communications plan in place is vital. This plan should outline how to communicate with employees, customers, and stakeholders during and after a storm. Ensure that all team members are familiar with the plan and know their roles. Utilizing cloud-based tools can make executing this plan more efficient and effective.

Keep Your Website and Social Media Updated

During storm season, keeping your customers informed is crucial. Update your website and social media channels with real-time information about your business operations. Utilize notification bars on your website to display important updates and alerts. Create graphics for social media posts to communicate changes in operating hours, closures, or any other pertinent information.

Utilize Google My Business for Real-Time Updates

Don’t forget to update your Google My Business profile with any changes to your operating hours or other important information. This ensures that customers searching for your business can easily find the latest updates and contact information.

Schedule a Free Consultation with Advancify

We provide comprehensive support and solutions to help your business stay prepared for the rest of storm season. From setting up cloud backups to implementing flexible communication systems, we’re here to ensure your business remains resilient.

Don't Wait Until it's Too Late

Ready to prepare your business for the remainder of storm season? Schedule a free consultation with Advancify today to learn more about how our cloud services can keep your business running smoothly, no matter the weather.

CrowdStrike Outage: Understanding the Largest IT Disruption in History

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 16:44:14 GMT

This past weekend, a major outage caused by a faulty software update from CrowdStrike , a leading cybersecurity company, led to widespread chaos and delays across the globe. Here’s a simple breakdown of what happened and how it affected various sectors.

What is CrowdStrike?

CrowdStrike is a U.S.-based cybersecurity firm that provides protection against online threats such as hacking and viruses. Their software, used by major companies and government agencies, helps keep critical systems safe from cyberattacks.

The Outage: What Went Wrong?

Late Thursday into early Friday, a software update for Microsoft devices from CrowdStrike caused an estimated 8.5 million Windows devices to go down. This was less than one percent of all Windows machines, but the effects were felt worldwide. The faulty update led to what some are calling the “largest IT outage in history.”

Widespread Impact

Airlines: Many airlines, including Delta , American , and United , faced significant disruptions. Thousands of flights were canceled or delayed, affecting travelers worldwide. Delta had to pause all flights at one point and even temporarily stopped allowing unaccompanied minors to travel.
Healthcare: Hospitals and healthcare systems, such as Mass General Brigham and Penn Medicine , experienced delays in procedures and appointments. Some cancer treatments were paused, and several blood banks faced disruptions.
Emergency Services: In some areas, 911 services were briefly affected. This posed a serious risk as emergency responders struggled to maintain communication.
Government and Public Services: Social Security offices, local DMVs, and public transportation systems in places like Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania faced temporary shutdowns.
Businesses: Major hotels like Marriott and Hilton experienced issues with payment processing and check-ins. Banks, schools, and other businesses also dealt with technical problems.

Financial Toll

Financial impacts from this outage could top $1 billion . While the full extent of the financial damage is still being assessed, it’s clear that the ripple effects were significant.

CrowdStrike’s Response

CrowdStrike quickly identified the issue and worked tirelessly to fix it . They rolled out an update to address the problem and advised customers to reboot their systems. By Sunday, a significant number of affected devices were back online.

Moving Forward

This incident highlights the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and the need for effective disaster recovery plans. It serves as a reminder that even the best systems can face unexpected challenges, and being prepared is crucial.

Conclusion

The CrowdStrike outage was a critical event with widespread consequences. From grounded flights to delayed medical procedures, the impact was far-reaching. As systems return to normal, businesses and organizations will be reviewing their cybersecurity protocols to prevent future incidents. This outage underscores the interconnected nature of our digital world and the importance of staying vigilant in the face of technological challenges.

5 Things Any Local Business Can Do to Boost Their Visibility

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 14:01:03 GMT

In the digital age, establishing a strong online presence is essential for local businesses looking to thrive. While the online marketplace might seem vast, there are actionable steps that can make a significant impact on how local customers find and interact with your business. Here are five key strategies to help your business stand out.

Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP) is crucial for local SEO. Make sure all your information is accurate and up-to-date, including business hours, contact details, and location. Add photos to showcase your products, services, and ambiance. Regularly update your profile with posts to highlight promotions, events, or new offerings. This will help your business appear more frequently in local search results and Google Maps listings.
Leverage Local Keywords
Ensure your website content incorporates relevant local keywords. Include your city or neighborhood name in titles, meta descriptions, and content. For instance, if you own a bakery in Seattle, you could use keywords like "Titusville bakery," "best cakes in Titusville," or "bakeries in Brevard County" This helps search engines understand your business's location and connect you with local customers searching for your services.
Encourage Customer Reviews
Positive customer reviews build trust and credibility for your business. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, or other relevant platforms. Respond to reviews promptly, whether they are positive or negative. This shows potential customers that you value feedback and strive to improve. A strong review presence can significantly influence local search rankings and customer decisions.
Create Location-Specific Content
Develop content that speaks directly to your local audience. This could include blog posts, videos, or social media updates about community events, partnerships with other local businesses, or topics relevant to your area. For example, a gym might write about the best local hiking trails or create workout plans tailored to the region's weather patterns. Such content not only helps with SEO but also positions your business as a valuable resource in the community.
Utilize Local Directories
List your business on local directories such as Yelp , Yellow Pages , and niche-specific directories relevant to your community or industry. Ensure consistency across all listings by providing the same information as on your website and Google Business Profile. This helps build trust with search engines and customers alike, improving your chances of ranking higher in local search results.

Implementing these strategies can help your local business increase its online visibility, attract more customers, and build lasting connections within the community. If you're looking for personalized guidance to optimize your business's online presence further, feel free to schedule a free consultation . Let's work together to grow your local business and reach new heights in the digital landscape.

Understanding DMARC: A Must-Have for Businesses and Nonprofits

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 18:40:01 GMT

In today's digital age, email communication stands as a cornerstone of business operations, making it a prime target for cyber threats.

This brings us to the significance of DMARC , short for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance. DMARC is an email validation system designed to protect your company's email domain from being used for email spoofing, phishing scams, and other cybercrimes. It's not just a fancy acronym; it's your email's best defense mechanism.

Why Small Businesses and Nonprofits Need DMARC

For businesses and nonprofits, your email domain is like your digital signature. It's how your clients and supporters recognize and trust you. Without DMARC, bad actors could potentially send emails that appear to be from your domain, damaging your reputation and the trust you've built. It's not just about protecting your email; it's about safeguarding your brand's integrity.

The Big Move by Gmail and Yahoo

Now, here's the scoop: Gmail and Yahoo are stepping up their game. Next month, February 2024, they're set to enforce stricter DMARC policies. This means if your outgoing emails are not aligned with these policies, they might never reach your intended recipients. Imagine sending a crucial business proposal or a newsletter to your supporters, only to have it vanish into the void of the internet. That's what's at stake.

Implementing DMARC: A Step in the Right Direction

Implementing DMARC might sound techy, but it's essentially about updating your DNS records with a policy that tells email providers how to handle emails that aren't authenticated. It's like giving a bouncer a list of criteria to decide who gets into the club and who doesn't.

Publish a DMARC record: You start by publishing a DMARC record in your DNS. It's like setting the rules of engagement for your email interactions.
Monitor the reports : Once DMARC is in place, you'll receive reports on your email performance. This helps you understand who is sending emails on behalf of your domain.
Enforce the policy : Based on the insights, you adjust your DMARC policy from 'none' to 'quarantine' or 'reject' to ensure that only authenticated emails reach the inbox.

Here's Where Advancify Steps In

While DMARC is a game-changer, diving into DNS records can feel like swimming in the deep end. That's where Advancify comes in. We specialize in simplifying the complex. Whether you're a small business or a nonprofit, we understand that fiddling with DNS records might not be your cup of tea. That's perfectly okay.

Reviews on your e-commerce site can be the deciding factor for your customer to add something to the shopping cart. With enough positive reviews present on your site, your business can enjoy better visibility and close more online sales.

Don't let technicalities deter your email strategy. Reach out to Advancify . We're here to ensure your emails land where they should, and your brand remains protected. Trust us; it's worth the chat.

We can help you safeguard your email domain and help you keep your messages out of spam folders. Let's keep your communication clear, secure, and, most importantly, in your control.

The benefits of eCommerce for Small Businesses and Startups

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 16:00:00 GMT

Are you a small business owner looking to increase reach and maximize profit and brand recognition? If you struggle to bring in new customers and engage existing ones, e-commerce may be your ticket to success.

Having a brick-and-mortar business is great, but the internet has invaded the lives of everyone, changing the game for small enterprises like yours. You need to position yourself as an online source of what your customers are seeking.

Whether you ship or operate a local curbside pickup, e-commerce has advantages you shouldn't ignore. Do you want to learn more about how e-commerce can help your business thrive?

Stick around and continue reading!

Benefit #1: Search Engine Visibility

Most online experiences begin in one place — the search engine results pages (SERPs). The SERPs are crawling with potential customers. With your e-commerce site present on the SERPs, you maximize your chances of being seen, visited, and recognized.

In other words, your business can be visible after a customer searches for the services or products you offer. With this visibility comes higher chances of closing a sale.

Benefit #2: Lower Overhead Costs

Having a brick-and-mortar business is great. However, it does come with overhead costs. For one, you need to pay for utilities just to keep the lights and AC (or heat) on. In addition, you also need to pay higher rent prices for your location.

E-commerce allows you to operate from anywhere. All you need is an e-commerce platform and service to communicate with customers and showcase products. Also, this platform or service can help you manage finances with a point-of-sale system (POS).

Benefit #3: 24/7 Operation

Your business is bound to operate within office hours from its brick-and-mortar location. Commonplace and effective as this practice may be, you will miss out on orders made after-hours.

Your e-commerce site does not need to close. Have your site online, and you can continue to take orders and make sales.

Benefit #4: The Chance To Take Advantage of Social Proofing

Every e-commerce site will have a section on reviews. Few things can advertise your business better than praises sung about your products and services.

Benefit #5: Product Tracking Is a Breeze

E-commerce sites facilitate online sales in two ways: with delivery or curbside pickups. Either way, your product will end up in the hands of your customer safely and in a timely fashion.

Between the time you prepare your product and your customer receives it, you need to know where it is. This is where a well-equipped e-commerce site somes in. Your business e-commerce site can have plugins that allow you to track your products during shipping.

In the case of a local curbside pickup, you will be able to keep tabs on where the product is. This allows you to estimate the time your customer can pick the shipment up from your brick-and-mortar location.

Either way, you can bet on your customers receiving their purchases on time.

Take Your Business Online with E-Commerce!

The benefits mentioned comprise merely the tip of the iceberg. If you wish to experience the full advantages of ecommerce, get in touch with a company that specializes in e-commerce site design.

At Advancify, we have helped small businesses close online sales since 2013. Learn more about our ecommerce design and support services to give your business the online presence it deserves!

Cloud-Based Communications: A Digital Marketer's Unlikely Sidekick

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 16:01:55 GMT

Having a solid digital marketing strategy is one of the pillars of a growing company. Yet, with more and more technologies disrupting the market, how do you choose which tool is a good investment for your marketing efforts in the coming years?

Cloud-based business phone systems have been growing in popularity over the past few years, with their uses finding their way to both small mom-and-pop shops and international enterprises.

What makes a business phone system better than a traditional phone system is that it offers more features, increased reliability, and improved cost-efficiency.

For digital marketing teams in smaller companies, cloud-based phone systems can make it easier for them to manage and execute their campaigns.

With that said, here are the top benefits a business phone system can give small businesses with their digital marketing campaigns.

More Phone Numbers for Out-Of-Market Local Campaigns

A cloud-based business phone system can allow small businesses to add more phone numbers, no matter their location. This means that they can focus on specific geographical markets to appeal to certain customers or clients.

Expanding to a well-known area code or location can make your business stand out while letting you branch out virtually without the added expenses of overseas traveling or hiring overseas staff.

Leverage Business SMS To Ask for Online Reviews

Cloud-based business phone systems offer business SMS features that allow companies to send and receive text messages on their business phones. Users can send and receive these texts directly from their mobile devices or use the app interface from their computers.

With SMS capabilities, small businesses can ask their customers for online reviews of their products or services. The feedback that they get could then be used to boost their digital marketing campaigns.

Take Advantage of Custom Greetings and On-Hold Music

Custom greetings and on-hold music are two more features that you can expect from a cloud-based business phone system. Personalized greetings let callers feel more engaged while on-hold music is great for those waiting to have their calls answered by an available agent.

Research has shown that interacting with clients in a more personal manner results in significantly higher conversion rates. This is because we prefer human interaction to reading it online. Although sending emails may be more cost-effective, following a more personalized approach can yield better outcomes because it develops better connections.

Both custom greetings and on-hold features help businesses appear more personal to their clients. It also ensures that callers will get the best experience possible when they dial your number.

You Get To Measure Your Digital Marketing Success

Another excellent feature that a cloud-based business phone system can offer in terms of digital marketing is that it lets you measure individual campaign success. Being able to assign numbers to specific campaigns can let you assess how many of the calls you receive actually convert to sales.

The benefits and low cost offered by this type of business phone system make it an incredibly ideal choice for small companies looking to be more cost-effective.

Utilize Mobile Connections for Easy Communications

Working remotely has become the norm nowadays, making effective and efficient collaboration more important than ever.

Cloud-based business phone system providers offer affordable packages for international calling while many provide this feature free of charge. Video conferencing together with text and email are also widely available in many systems.

Improving availability while minimizing costs is always good for small businesses and a cloud-based phone system provides just that. This is especially true since the only requirement for this type of phone system is a reliable internet connection.

Conclusion

Cloud-based business phone systems have started to grow in popularity throughout the years and many small businesses have taken advantage of the benefits they offer. Besides providing a more reliable and cost-effective solution for communications, they also offer features that can help with digital marketing.

With over a decade of experience, we provide the best Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system for business communications. Our product is designed to connect businesses with their customers, suppliers, and partners more affordably and efficiently.

Want to learn more about our Cloud-based communications solutions and how it can help your growing company? Contact us today to schedule a free consultation .

The Rise of Virtual Restaurants

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 17:00:05 GMT

Just like other types of businesses, the restaurant industry had adapted to several trends in the past. Because of the ever-changing customer demands and the number of competitors entering the market, restaurants are constantly finding new ways to improve their businesses.

One of the most popular and recent trends in the restaurant industry today is the rise of virtual kitchens. Also called ghost kitchens, virtual kitchens are restaurants without any physical dining area. Unlike traditional restaurants, virtual restaurants only offer delivery, takeout, or both. This business model might be uncommon to some, but virtual kitchens aren’t going away anytime soon.

The Pandemic Changed How Restaurants Do Business

One of the biggest reasons why virtual restaurants suddenly became popular is because of the pandemic. According to new data , about 10% restaurants have been closed permanently because of the spread of the coronavirus. This caused millions of employees to lose their jobs, and the restaurant industry lost about $240 billion in sales in 2020.

Because of these challenges, restaurants had to change how they do business — this is when virtual restaurants were created. Because a virtual kitchen only allowed takeout and delivery services, this business model was the perfect solution for restaurant owners to continue operating without violating any restrictions imposed in various cities and states.

Virtual kitchens are also affordable to set up because you don’t have to invest in any seating furniture or lease any space for customers. This will make it very easy for you to start your restaurant businesses even in the middle of the pandemic.

Virtual Kitchens Embrace Technology

Technology has affected the business industry in a lot of ways — and that includes restaurants. Technology brings convenience, and restaurants that don’t use it to their advantage will likely lose profits and customers.

Another reason why virtual kitchens are on the rise is because this business model embraces technology. To offer delivery and takeaway services to customers, you have to integrate a digital ordering system to receive orders and fill orders faster. You’ll also have to utilize technology in order to communicate with your delivery guys and ensure that they deliver the food on time.

Technology is crucial in the restaurant industry, especially if you cater to millennials. These individuals grew up with the internet and will expect your business to use it when offering products and services.

Delivery Has Become In-Demand

Even before the pandemic started, more and more customers were using delivery services. The success of UberEats and DoorDash is a clear indication that some customers would prefer to dine in their homes with meals from various food establishments.

Gone are the days when delivery services were economically unsustainable. Because of the pandemic and customers’ demand for convenience, adapting to a delivery-only model can be a restaurant’s key to success. As long as managed properly, restaurants that only offer deliveries might even earn more profits than traditional ones because of their lower operational costs.

Partner With Professionals

Starting a virtual restaurant is a great way to earn income even during the pandemic. This model also minimizes your physical contact with other people, which means that you’ll have lesser risks of getting and transmitting diseases.

If you’re interested in starting your virtual restaurant but don’t know how to market it, work with Advancify today. You can schedule an appointment or contact us . Our team would love to see how we can help you market your virtual restaurant, so you can start earning profits and attain success in the restaurant industry!

The Basics of Google's Core Web Vitals

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 17:00:07 GMT

Core Web Vitals are currently a popular subject in the SEO world. One key reason for this is that, as part of the new page experience signals, Google Search will now use them as a ranking factor.

The initial implementation began in mid-June of 2021 and is projected to be done before September. Furthermore, upgrading them improves the user experience.

If you're curious about what this means for your business, keep reading! This article will discuss the basics about Core Web Vitals are and why they're essential for your website.

What Are Core Web Vitals?

Google's Core Web Vitals are defined metrics that quantify the entire user experience of a webpage. These indicators, which measure user interaction and page speed, include largest contentful paint, first input delay, and cumulative layout shift. Here's a breakdown for each of these metrics:

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

LCP is the time it takes for a web page to load through the perspective of a real user. To put it in another way, it measures the time from when you click a link to when you can view the content on your screen.

LCP differs from other metrics for page speed, such as First Contextual Paint TTFP, as they don't always reflect what it's like to open a webpage for a user. When it comes to page speed, LCP emphasizes what matters: seeing and interacting with your page

To provide a pleasant user experience, site owners need their web pages to load quickly. Furthermore, a page that loads swiftly has a better chance of ranking higher in Google. When compared against a page with poor loading times, one with quick load times influences engagement and conversion rates.
First Input Delay (FID)

FID measures the delay between a user's input and the page's execution. Clicking links, pressing buttons, or tapping keys are a few examples of first inputs. FID is significant to Google because it examines real-world user interactions with websites.

In other words, FID is a metric that represents how long it will take for anything to occur on a page. In that regard, it's a page speed score, but it goes a step further and counts the time it would take for people to do something on your website.

To boost usability and engagement throughout the site, developers must decrease the time consumers wait for a browser to react to their input.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

This metric assesses the stability of your website while it is loading. To put it another way, if the contents on your page shift about while the page loads, you have a high CLS. As the website loads, you want the contents to be pretty stable. Users won't have to remember where links, images, and forms are once the webpage is fully loaded, and they won't accidentally click on something.

A user can grow annoyed if a web page moves content while they are reading. Furthermore, UX and design are crucial aspects of a successful user experience. CLS aids developers in determining whether links or images on a webpage move, allowing site owners to optimize accessibility, increase click-through rates, and boost online sales.

Why Are Core Web Vitals Important?

Page experience is now an established Google ranking criterion. Because Core Web Vitals is now a ranking factor, websites that do not follow best practices will obtain lower rankings. Unique and relevant content is always a plus for SEO; however, Google will now consider how well consumers engage with your website. Additionally, an improved user experience results in more satisfied visitors and increased conversions; therefore, any user experience upgrades will pay off.

The Bottomline

When it comes to determining how to rank web pages, Google's algorithm is gradually shifting to a more user-centric perspective. According to the Core Web Vitals we've discussed in this article, Google will give points to websites that load quickly, have a short first input delay, and have good visual stability. The earlier you begin improving your website's user experience, the better your competitive edge will be.

To kickstart your website's optimization for Core Web Vitals, schedule a complimentary consultation with Advancify today ! We are a team of SEO professionals that can help your company stay ahead in today's digital landscape.

What Is The Metaverse?

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 17:00:03 GMT

Most business owners have likely heard of the term metaverse but may not know what it means. We can help!

While it’s being explored more since the announcement of Facebook's Meta rebrand , the metaverse isn’t a new concept. The term was coined in 1992 by Neal Stephenson in his cyberpunk classic novel “Snow Crash” to describe a virtual world built on top of the internet.

While there are many different definitions of the metaverse, at its core, it is a digital world where people can socialize, do business, and engage in other activities. This blog post will explore the metaverse concept and discuss why companies should care about it.

What Is the Metaverse?

The metaverse is a virtual world that exists on top of the real world. The “meta” in the name means "beyond," and “verse” is short for "universe." This name indicates that it is a universe beyond the tangible world, referring to its digital nature. In simpler terms, the metaverse is a collection of virtual worlds that you can access through the internet.

Part of the appeal is that the metaverse is distinctly separate from reality, meaning you can do things that are impossible in the real world. In the more idealistic visions of the metaverse, it exists as a blank canvas. There are no boundaries in the metaverse, allowing you to break away from physical laws and limitations.

Properties of Metaverse

Like any large vision of an undefined future, many have tried to define the metaverse. While there isn’t a single cohesive definition of it, these are some generally accepted characteristics of it:

Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is one of the backbones of the metaverse, as it allows for the creation of a digital world that people can readily interact with.
Avatar
To travel between these different versions, you need to use an avatar, the graphical representation of yourself in the metaverse. While it will be useful for individuals, companies could also create digital avatars to make company interactions feel more personalized for users.
Augmented Reality (AR)
Augmented reality allows for the creation of virtual objects rendered in real-time. These objects will be similar to tangible objects in that they can go along with sensory experiences, such as being able to touch and feel a physical product before purchasing it.
Multiplayer
To borrow a gaming term, the metaverse will be a multiplayer world where you can interact with other people in more meaningful and personal ways, as though you’re physically there with someone.
Persistent
The metaverse will be persistent, meaning that the world will continue to exist even when you're not online. In that sense, it is similar to social media platforms. You can come and go as you please, but the metaverse will continue to evolve regardless.
Multi-device
The metaverse will be a multi-device world, meaning you can access it from different devices. You could be on your computer at home, then pick up your phone and continue where you left off. It also means businesses can create metaverses accessible from different devices, such as phones and tablets.

Potential Uses of the Metaverse

As mentioned, companies can use the metaverse to create virtual simulations of products and services for customers. The metaverse will also be instrumental in helping companies train their employees. You could use it to create product sales training sessions, for example.

Along with this, many anticipate that it will change the face of marketing . Rather than paying for ads on social media or PPC ad campaigns, companies may be able to buy digital ad spaces that function like billboards. As metaverse users interact with the world, they will encounter these ads and interact with them in unprecedented ways compared to modern ads. They could see an ad and go to a digital representation of a physical store, for instance.

Others have stated that the metaverse could interact with emerging brainwave technology -- technology that can interpret brainwaves as cohesive sentences and images. In this case, users could interact with the metaverse using their thoughts alone. Companies could use these thoughts to recommend products and services that meet their needs. If someone frequently thinks about buying a blender, for example, a company selling that product could recommend the perfect model for them.

This is by no means a comprehensive list, however. Being conceptual, there are nearly infinite possibilities for the future of the metaverse, and it will take time to see which ones will develop first, if at all.

The Future of the Metaverse

Many changes are happening in the world of technology, but one that will have a large impact on your business is the arrival of the metaverse. The metaverse may not be here just yet, but it could have the power to change the way you do business and engage with your clientele forever.

How To Create a Business Phone System

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 19:00:04 GMT

At some point, any growing organization will have to upgrade to a business phone system.

Making the upgrade can make your work easier with additional features and capacities built for productivity, you can focus on high-value business components instead of worrying about your phone system.

Let’s discuss how to create a business phone system that will take your organization to new heights.

Choose the Ideal Business Phone System

There are several types of business phone systems available in the market today, each with distinct features. We’ve listed some of the most common ones below so you can pick the best one for your company.

Multi-Line Phone System
Multi-line phone systems are entry-level tools that enable companies to handle multiple calls simultaneously. Such systems involve transferring lines from the main unit to different extensions. They may be an ideal option for some small businesses, nonprofits, and startups on a tight budget, but lack many of the features found in Cloud-based or PBX phone systems.
Cloud-Based Phone System
Also known as VoIP phone systems. Instead of using traditional phone lines, cloud-based phone systems connect calls to business lines through the internet. Phone calls made through these systems are fast and reliable. Additionally, you can connect them to various business software for more advanced functions and new features aren't dependent on costly hardware upgrades. Cloud-based phone systems are ideal for businesses and nonprofits of most sizes.
PBX System
Private Branch Exchange systems, also referred to as Key Telephone Systems are analog, digital, or VoIP-based hardware systems that feature on-premise phone system hardware. PBX systems often involve proprietary handsets and control units from hardware vendors. These systems were much more popular before the rise of Cloud-based phone systems, but are still used in large enterprise settings.

Determine the Features You Need

Auto Receptionist
This feature can help entrepreneurs save money and fight robocalls, while being available for their clients 24/7.
Mobile Apps
We recommend this feature for companies with many remote workers. In today’s modern world, employees can now use their mobile phones to access all the functionalities available in business phone systems while keeping their personal numbers private to customers.
Business SMS
Send and receive text and picture messages using your business phone number and connect with customers quickly.
Customized Music and On-Hold Messages
Sometimes, we can’t help but have our callers wait for a few moments. Without audible cues, 40% of them will hang up. Make sure to enhance their experience through personalized greetings and tunes.
Scalable Extensions
As your organization grows, it will be easy to onboard new employees, add them to different departments, route calls to cover employee vacation and sick days.

Pick Your Phone Number

When picking your business number, keep in mind that a memorable one increases impact on your potential and existing clients. Here are some business phone number options.

Toll-Free Number
Using a free, easy-to-remember number will help customers think of you when they need your products or services. Great for organizations serving customers nationwide.
Vanity Phone Numbers
Having a number consumers can immediately equate with your brand can do wonders for brand recognition.
PBX System
You can pick a number with the same area code as your target market, no matter where you're located.

Voice Is Still Essential: Transform the Way You Handle Calls

For many consumers, phone calls are still the best way to communicate with brands. An Invoca survey reveals that 65% of respondents have called a business in the past month, but only 22% of them used social media to connect with companies.

At Advancify, we empower businesses of different sizes and industries through next-generation business communications solutions. Transform the way you handle calls today to serve your clients better. Learn more about business phone systems from Advancify .

Data Recovery Steps: What To Do If Your Hard Drive Fails

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 19:00:02 GMT

Data recovery is a process that helps to get you access to digital files that are no longer accessible using standard means.

For many individual users and even companies, this is a necessary service that can help in a wide array of situations, from physical and mechanical damage of your storage device to user deletion and error. you've encountered any of the problems above, get in touch with a certified data recovery provider to get your digital files in order once again.

How Can I Recover My Data?

Whether you own a desktop or a laptop, every digital storage media and electronic device contains information. Unfortunately, that information can be rendered useless in the event of a logical or mechanical failure. In times like this, you'll need to go through a process called data recovery to retrieve inaccessible data. The kind of recovery process will depend on the type of media.

For instance, if the failure is mechanical — such as physical, water, or fire damage — recovering files will need to be handled by a certified technician and a Cleanroom facility. But if the failure was from a logical cause, such as an operating system failure or user error and deletion, then a technician will need to use specialized software to recover the lost data.

Steps You Should Take if Your Hard Drive Fails

There will come a time when the unexpected happens. When you think you've done everything right by saving your work, yet your laptop or computer fails to boot up or maybe you spilled liquids all over it. Here, we've compiled every step you need to know into an easy-to-understand guide should your hard drive stop working.

If your drive isn't working, unplug it immediately — this is especially true if you hear a clicking noise. Don't forget to disconnect the device from the power source and place it in a safe place. Take care that it doesn't get broken, shaken, or get too hot or too cold where you put it.
Do not attempt to open the broken drive yourself. This can lead to your warranty becoming void and may even severely damage the components on your drive. In addition, you might accidentally make your files completely inaccessible or overwrite them. Once a file is overwritten, there is a high chance that you'll never be able to get the original. So while it may be tempting to try and retrieve data on your own, avoid tampering with your device.
Immediately contact a data recovery specialist like Advancify so they can perform an initial assessment and provide you with the next steps. Typically, data recovery will take hours if you use data recovery software, which will dig through the damaged hard drive to locate the needed files.

Other data recovery cases may need specialized facilities and various technicians to handle, particularly if huge amounts of data was lost. If the job is highly complicated, it might take days or even weeks to make sure that all the lost data will be accessible again.
Look for packing materials to safely ship your drive, data components, and device to be repaired. A team of specialists can't recover the lost data unless they have the devices that hold all of your data.

Why Choose Advancify?

Advancify's data recovery specialists have been successful in recovering data from media that other companies deemed unrecoverable. Our team has a proven track record for retrieving data from encrypted devices, water, and fire-damaged cases and media that has been logically damaged.

We also respect our client's privacy and perform recovery jobs in-house when possible, or with trusted third-party partners. Furthermore, we use a secure environment, to give you the best chance of retrieving your files. We use our own tools and have performed services on every kind of device on the market.

We understand how important your data is, and we're to make the recovery process as painless as possible.

Advancify Is Moving To Florida

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 19:00:34 GMT

Over the next couple of months, we will be moving our office from Bellingham, WA to Titusville, FL. Advancify has been working with amazing businesses in Bellingham and beyond since 2013, and we’re sure going to miss it here.

Our business has been cloud-based since day one and our move will not affect any of our offerings or the quality of service we’re providing to our customers. However, payment processing and certain jobs may be delayed through mid-November. Web, email, and AI-powered IT services will be completely unaffected.

We rely on the internet for our internal and external communication to serve customers — not our physical locations. The technology we use in our daily operations will give our customers peace of mind knowing that we can continue to communicate with them regardless of how far we are in the move or where our office is located.

In other words, there won't be any changes with most of our services. We will continue to provide epic customer service and address any issues that you might have, just like what we have been doing since 2013. Our team is always present to ensure that you get the best web services.

If you have any concerns about the move or queries about our products and services, we encourage you to reach out to us.. You can always give us a call or send us a message. We're always happy to hear from you, and we'll be ready to provide assistance, no matter where we are!

As always, thank you for your business.

- Matt Agnini

Brave Is The Browser You Didn’t Know You Needed

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 19:00:02 GMT

Brave is one of the newest competitors on the web browser scene.

It hopes to snatch up your attention with innovative features that make it stand out even against popular competitors like Google Chrome and Firefox. Power, privacy, and protection are the three words we would use to summarize its features.

Brave hopes to provide the answer to concerns of users regarding online privacy.

Privacy and Protection

One of the issues that often concerns users with popular browsers is data gathering. AI programs constantly monitor our online behavior, though this does in fact provide some benefit to us. It results in personalized advertisements and can help the browser direct us with helpful suggestions. As data gathering becomes more common, however, it makes us wonder just how much of our data that these browsers are gathering.

Chrome and Firefox can store account information, credit card information, and browsing history. You could argue that this information has encryption and is not shareable, but the fact that programs are using our data blurs the line between what’s acceptable and what’s not. Brave hopes to answer this issue by keeping your privacy a priority.

Brave will not gather your data to share with any other company. Instead, it will keep the data on your device until you delete it. It also checks for any security breaches or vulnerabilities in the pages you visit. It can even upgrade connections for privacy and block third-party software so that no information can be gathered.

It shows you exactly how many ads it blocks, and its security upgrades every time you open a new tab. Even with this level of privacy, however, you can still sync your information and store it if you wish. Brave assures users that it doesn’t have any way to decrypt your data.

Power

Based on tests and comparisons, Brave Browser loads three to six times faster than other popular browsers. Since it’s stopping online surveillance programs, it only loads essential content. You can seamlessly travel to and from pages and save time, which all adds up. This method has also proven to be less taxing on your computer’s resources. You save up on battery as well as energy costs.

Brave also has IPFS integration, which protects you from any form of censorship while keeping you safe. Brave believes that the internet should be more open, disallowing outside influence. IPFS is a protocol designed for speed and safety when browsing.

Other Features

One of the concerns of switching to a new browser is keeping your old browser settings. It can be hard to re-save all of the bookmarks and transfer all of your information onto a new platform. Luckily, you can transfer your settings and profiles from your old browsers to Brave. It will retain all of your old profiles in case you need to access them in the future.

Brave also rewards you through a system called Brave Rewards. You can view privacy-respecting ads and visit websites that earn you tokens. You can use these tokens to support your favorite content creators. The company also hopes that these tokens will later allow you to purchase gift cards, premiums, and more.

On average, you’ll earn around $5 worth of their tokens (called BAT) a month. They promise that the ads you view will not invade or gather your data.

Brave is also compatible with all extensions used by Chrome and Firefox. It operates on a similar framework. You can switch browsers without having to compromise on quality.

Brave is Free

All of these fantastic features may seem like a service that you need to pay for, but Brave is entirely free. You can use all of its features without ever needing to spend a cent. If you have concerns about online privacy, then you should check out it out.

The Work From Home Era: Trends That Will Change Work As We Know It

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 19:02:20 GMT

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 saw a surge of interest towards telecommuting. To prevent infection, companies started letting employees work from home. That has allowed companies to see how viable this type of working setup can be. Many of them are also considering doing this permanently.

One of the most significant benefits is that companies can cut on costs of office upkeep. Employees are also seeing the advantages of being in a less stressful and relaxing environment that is their home.

On the other hand, because of the pandemic, many businesses closed and employees got laid off. These same people are now leaving their hometowns to get a new job to avoid getting crushed by debt.

Meanwhile, businesses around the world are battling this trend by becoming more flexible with their telecommuting policies. This surge has been leading to trends that will likely affect how the working world operates from here on. Here are the developments from this era far beyond 2021.

1. Work From Home Options Will Increase Dramatically

With remote work getting more exposure this year, employees have discovered how great it is as a permanent structure. In a survey held by LinkedIn, 82% of workers said that they wanted to work from home. More than half of those said they preferred being at home for at least three days a week.

With many companies also seeing its viability, more industries will be getting into this kind of setup. The survey again proves that there is a significant demand for it.

In the past, companies only allowed telecommuting to employees involved in writing, teaching, graphic designing, programming, and digital marketing.

This year has already seen the customer service and tech industries get into remote work arrangements. Other industries are likely to follow.

2. Coworking Spaces Will Be On The Rise

While coworking spaces have been in existence for years now, there will be a significant increase in their presence from here on out. Back then, these spaces were made to help with startups, niche businesses, and those who wanted better working environments outside of their homes.

Now, these spaces will likely be used as a gathering place for some businesses. Others just don’t have the luxury of a quiet place at home, so a coworking space becomes a better option. There are some added benefits to this setup, too. Coworking spaces often have an ambiance that replicates the working environment minus all the pressure associated with it.

According to data by the CBRE, the last recession saw a 600% increase in the coworking space industry. While it faltered in 2019, experts predicted that a recession would see them rise once more.

3. An Improvement In Diversity

Remote work has broken down the barrier that is located. Now companies can hire from different states/regions, and some are even getting part of their workforce from other countries. With a larger pool to choose from, companies will prioritize workers who can offer them the best.

This means that prejudices against race, gender, religion, or political beliefs won’t matter as much anymore. This also falls in line with how many companies have been shifting their policies towards becoming more diverse and inclusive. As long as the candidate has the most substantial potential for the work offered, they will be offered the job.

4. Higher Wages, Lower Turnovers, Higher Productivity

Employees have been saving a ton, thanks to fewer costs when it comes to work-related expenses. They don’t have to pay to commute and to eat out, among other things. Even the small things add up to significant savings. Even companies are also saving up. Global Workplace Analytics reported that a business saves an average of $11,000 annually per employee that’s telecommuting. We could foresee an increase in wages as a result of these savings.

With employees also preferring a work from home situation, they become a lot more satisfied. According to Owl Labs, US companies that allow remote working have had a 25% lower employee turnover rate. Companies who advertise remote work may see an influx of applicants, many of which will stay with the company long-term.

With more freedom with their schedule and the lack of the usual work-related stress, remote employees are actually more productive. CoSo Cloud has gathered that 77% of remote employees are more productive when working from home. That’s almost double the work that can be done in a day compared to the norm.

A Company’s Considerations: Should We Implement A Remote Work Setup?

The questions that companies have with working remotely are often the same. They are concerned with how being in a home environment may negatively affect productivity.

As an aside, many startup Internet service providers are cropping up because of the surge of online work and telecommuting. And if this trend goes on, these ISPs will be direly needed and their performance will be greatly tested. Due to those, people and ISPs are anticipating Starlink, a chain of satellites owned by SpaceX that will provide internet access.

Going back to the topic, having a work-home environment proves more of a benefit for both parties. Employees get that much needed work-life balance by being able to spend more time at home. This removes the restriction of fixed working hours since employees can do things at their own pace. For companies, it’s about having more access to a broader workforce and saving up on costs.

The challenge would be with how companies will adjust their protocols to fit remote work operations. That will mean using new software and digital tools to help manage workflow. The good thing about this is that since work from home is not a new thing. There is an abundance of tools available online. These tools will help reduce the need to supervise or micromanage.

How to Fix Your Wi-Fi (And Network) After a Power Outage

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 19:00:02 GMT

Just like most electrical devices we have today, your network needs electricity to operate. When a power outage happens, your internet connection can instantly shut down.

A sudden power surge or outage can cause serious damage to your router that can lead to a broken Wi-Fi (and internet) connection. These situations can happen more often when your modem and router are separate.

If you find yourself in this dilemma where your modem suddenly shuts down due to a power outage and you have no internet, there are steps you can take to assess the situation.

1. Start Off by Powering Down

Power it Down
When your modem turns off after a power outage, we recommend that you power down your entire network, including your modem, router, switches, and other devices that are connected to it.
Give Everything a Minute to Rest
Keep the power off for at least one minute. You should also make sure that each device is powered down properly, so you'll want to check out your manufactures' recommendations before taking this step.
Start With Your Modem
Once the time has passed, try getting only the broadband modem started. Once it powers on fully, you can then follow this up with the router, switches, and the other connected devices. Give your network at least two minutes for it to try and reconnect to the internet.

2. Test Connectivity on Networked Devices

Once you see that the modem is now activated, it is time for you to test the connection on all devices connected to it. Checking that all computers, mobile phones, and other devices connected to the network have internet connections is important since it lets you know if the modem is working or not.

Go ahead and try browsing the web. See if the connection is fast or slow. While doing so, you should also check your servers and computers for data loss.

3. Still Offline? Check With Your ISP

After checking to see if there is no internet connectivity on all devices and seeing that the modem is not working properly, then the next thing you can do is to diagnose your outage.

You can call your ISP to find out if there is a service interruption in your area or if the issue is localized to you. From there, they can forward you to a representative who will check on your behalf.

These tips provided can help you analyze your modem and check if you are connected to their network. This can be very useful, especially once you notice you have no internet connectivity after a power outage. However, it is always best to get help from IT professionals who are experienced in managing business networks.

Be Ready for the Next Power Outage Event

Unfortunately, storms, equipment failures, and other power-disrupting events happen. We can provide your facility with a solution that automatically restarts your networks after a power outage, saving you time, money, and unnecessary phone calls. We also provide Managed IT and Data Recovery Services for your computers and servers in case of unexpected data loss.

Blockchain Explained: What You Should Know

matt@advancify.com (Matt Agnini) — Fri, 28 May 2021 19:02:49 GMT

Blockchain is a digital peer-to-peer network technology.

With the exploding popularity of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, blockchains have begun to emerge as a revolutionary and disruptive technology across the global financial system. They are connected digital ledgers that record, duplicate, and distribute data across thousands of servers, allowing anyone to view other people’s entries in real-time. This transactional transparency makes the technology very secure for all users and prevents hackers from gaming or controlling the entire network.

Blockchain Powers Bitcoin, and So Much More

Blockchains and cryptocurrencies tend to be used interchangeably. However, the two are different, but closely related concepts. Blockchain refers to the technology that supports applications such as trades, fund transfers, voting, and many others. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum are just some of the many applications that rely on Blockchain technology for operations and security.

Blockchain combines three different technologies to work: cryptographic keys, a shared ledger, and mathematical verification to store entries. Let’s take a closer look at each of these below.

Cryptographic Keys
Cryptographic keys are a sequence of letters and numbers. They’re made using keygens (or key generators) that employ advanced mathematics involving prime numbers. This encryption scheme uses two related aspects: a private key and a public key. A public key is accessible to everyone. A private key, on the other hand, is only known by its owner. Each public key exclusively matches one private key. This means that if you encode a transaction or message using another party’s public key, they’ll be able to decode it when they use the corresponding private key. Each user can use these two keys to create a secure digital identity, which is commonly referred to as a digital signature.
Distributed Ledger Technology
Blockchain is, as mentioned above, a distributed and decentralized public ledger based on a peer-to-peer network. What makes Blockchain different from other types of ledgers is how the data is structured. Unlike ledgers and databases that structure information into tables, Blockchain has blocks of data chained to each other. Information is collected in groups called blocks. These blocks have distinct storage capabilities. When they’re filled, they’re chained to the last block that was also completely filled. They then form a chain of data blocks—hence the name: Blockchain. The ledger is openly shared among the users as a permanent, time-stamped, and secure record of transactions. It can only be updated through consensus, which means that the users participating in the chain need to agree on any changes or additions.
Hash Function
Hashing refers to the process of converting data into a unique text string. This mathematical operation is quite simple to perform but very hard to reverse. Blockchain relies on hash encryption to secure information.
Blockchain uses hashing to write new entries, create timestamps for each, and connect them to the previous block. Once a block is added to the chain, it’s virtually impossible to reverse because of the one-way characteristic of the hashing process. Hashing is, thus, a critical part of Blockchain’s cryptographic integrity.

Beyond Cryptocurrencies

Most of the time, Blockchain is associated with cryptocurrencies and monetary transactions. However, it’s a reliable way to store information about other types of transactions, too. Here are some of them:

Healthcare
Medical organizations and healthcare providers can use Blockchain technology to securely store the medical records of their patients. Once a record has been created and signed, it can be added to the chain so patients are more confident that their records are accurate, confidential, and won’t be easily changed.
Property Records
Today’s process of recording, storing, and verifying property rights can be difficult, inefficient, and prone to human error. Using Blockchain technology, the government and all property owners would have clear and transparent timelines of ownership.
Smart Contracts
These are codes to catalyze, negotiate, or verify contractual agreements. They work within certain terms and parameters that both parties agree to. Once a specific term is met, the contract would automatically implement it.

For example, both parties may agree that an apartment’s door code would only be given to the tenant once the landlord receives their security deposit. The contract is then stored on the blockchain and automatically executed. If the landlord does not supply the door code after payment has been made, the smart contract may automatically refund the tenant’s security deposit.

Put Your Business on the Blockchain

Although Blockchain is a relatively new technology, it has the potential to improve the way businesses and industries operate. Many online businesses and companies these days are in fact accepting cryptocurrency payments and using Blockchain technology to ensure smarter, more secure transactions.

Are you ready to start accepting cryptocurrencies? We can help! Let's schedule a meeting.

You can also pay your one-time invoices using $USDC. Contact us to learn more.

Access Over Ownership: Big Tech for Small Business

Fri, 23 Feb 2018 20:02:00 GMT

Cloud computing has been around since the 1960s, but it wasn’t until the mid-2000s that businesses were able to leverage it thanks to an expansion in broadband internet services. Large enterprises aren’t the only ones who can benefit from these services. Small businesses have a lot to leverage by moving to the cloud. Here’s how.

Big Benefits With a Small Budget

Cloud services continue to be democratized by countless large, established tech enterprises, startups, and other web companies. These web companies’ services and digital hosted products have stretched their reach to a broad spectrum of audiences. Now, small nonprofits and businesses can access these tools to help drive operational efficiency and achieve their business goals and organizational missions, and they can get this all done without requiring a huge budget.

Sell Products Securely

When you use a cloud-based platform, you can be confident that it is secure enough to handle monetary transactions. These managed e-commerce platforms enable small businesses to sell services and products securely across a whole host of devices and sites. Whether your client or customer accesses your services or goods from a mobile device, social media, or a huge online e-commerce retailer such as Amazon or eBay, you can expect to conduct business securely. As trusted Shopify Experts, we take security seriously and that is why we trust Shopify’s platform to power our customer’s stores.

Manage With Ease

Small business owners can be as busy as large competitors. In fact, they can be even busier. You often wear different hats as an entrepreneur or small business owner, so it’s crucial that you leverage tools that help you make the most of your time while saving time for the business activities that will help you add value to your business and bottom line. Being able to manage systems and processes easily can help you achieve these business goals. When you move to the cloud, you can leverage the benefit of easy user management. You can simplify processes such as removing or adding employees from company systems with the help of cloud-enabled systems, and it can all be done without the assistance of an IT professional or the need to contact the phone company.

Savings on Cloud-Based Communication

Telephone systems that once required multi-thousand-dollar contracts with telephone companies are a thing of the past thanks to cloud-based business telephone services. With the help of these services, you can save on the costs of maintenance trips for servicing on-premise systems. You can also leverage the help of cloud-based service support such as Advancify, a RingCentral Expert , to manage your systems.

No Extra Hardware to Maintain or Own

Hardware can take up much-needed space, which can make a difference if you are in a small office. When you utilize hosted services, there is no need for additional hardware. The hardware is virtual for you, but your information is securely stored on a server hosted by your cloud service provider. This not only frees up space but also makes it easy to access your data from virtually anywhere, including your smartphone, desktop computer or tablet with an internet connection. You can often get supported services too. Advancify provides support as part of your monthly subscription service, so you can cancel your maintenance contract for company servers or phone systems and save money.

Reliable, Cost-Effective Email and Collaborative Tools

Email isn’t going anywhere soon. It’s key to have an email system that is reliable but doesn’t drain your budget. But when you use hosted software and services, you can leverage the reliability and cost-effectiveness that it brings to email. Using hosted services typically saves you more over time than using a Microsoft Exchange email server that’s hosted on site. Google’s G Suite is cloud-based and has expanded its reliable S/MIME or Secure Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Extensions , which is the secure way to send emails with encrypted keys. You can also get support for Gmail and G Suite from cloud service providers such as long-time users and G Suite resellers, Advancify.

You can securely store your files on hosted servers. One of G Suite’s cloud storage features is Google Drive, which allows your company to store your vital documents off-site, making it easy for you to manage your content with confidence since G Suite’s Google Drive can be stored securely. You also won’t need to keep your own company servers, which helps to reduce the risk of hard drive failures. You can leverage collaborative tools, including Google Docs to let you work with a remote team of employees on a document in real time and share it easily from the document to your team.

BYOD – Bring Your Own Device

You can save money by allowing your employees to bring their own devices. Moving to hosted services enables you to adopt a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy so that your employees can use the devices they already have and save you money and time on training and equipment in the process.

Final Thoughts

Switching to the cloud comes with several advantages for small business owners. From BYOD compatibility to saving time and money on contracted services, you can enhance productivity and improve your bottom line when you migrate to cloud services. Advancify understands what it takes to leverage the hosted services you need. Book a free online consultation with us to get the most out of your business.

5 Key Performance Indicators For Every Shopify Store Owner

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 23:49:00 GMT

The beauty of e-commerce is that anyone can participate. No matter your industry or the types of products you sell, services like Shopify make it simple to create an online store and get your goods into the hands of paying customers. Though you might not have the big marketing and finance departments that large organizations enjoy, there are plenty of tools available to entrepreneurs for tracking critical key performance indicators (KPIs) .

Understanding which KPIs are most important to your business is the first step in outselling the competition. Begin by monitoring these five measures of success.

1. Track Sales

The primary goal of any for-profit business is to create income. Of course, that’s only possible when your products are selling. The number-one KPI to monitor is your sales. When broken down into additional detail, for example, which products sell best and whether you primarily attract new or repeat business, you can better target your business strategy for greater effectiveness. Remember, it is far more expensive to bring in a new customer than it is to keep an existing one. Using the built-in Shopify discount code or gift certificate system will allow you to keep your top customers happy by rewarding them.

2. Sales Conversion Rate

Getting visitors to your site is an excellent start, but keeping them there long enough to make a purchase is an entirely separate challenge. Your sales conversion rate shows the return on investment for specific marketing tools as well as how effective you are at turning prospective customers into paying customers.

3. New Customers

While there is nothing wrong with building a loyal clientele and treating them well so they stay with you long-term, there is still value in measuring your success with attracting new business. You will always have attrition, even with the most loyal customers, and you have to be able to backfill those sales to maintain your current profits. If growth is part of your business objective, understanding where and how you attract new customers is even more critical.

4. Top Selling Products

Tracking your top-selling products gives you visibility into your biggest opportunities for success. With one glance, you can see which items your customers want most – and how those numbers match up with your social media campaigns. This allows you to adjust your pricing and marketing efforts to get the biggest return on your advertising investment.

5. Abandoned Checkouts

This KPI refers to the phenomenon in which your customers go as far as placing an item in their online shopping cart then abandon the effort. If you have attracted them to this point, you are clearly doing many things right. Now, it is a matter of getting over the final hurdle. When your abandoned checkout rate is high, start looking for root causes. Limited payment method options, high shipping and handling fees or an overly complex order page may be standing in the way of your sales. Fortunately, Shopify has a great abandoned cart feature that allows you to revive an order if your customer forgets to complete it. Using a simple link, you can bring the customers right back to where they left off. You can even automate that process if you’d like.

What does this mean for your business?

Databox is a Shopify owner’s best friend when it comes to tracking KPIs. This service gathers and analyzes the data from your site, then uses it to create a user-friendly KPI dashboard. It only takes a few minutes to get an overview of where your business stands on all critical metrics, thanks to this simple tool.

The Shopify Experts at Advancify have the skills and experience needed to help you make the most of your Shopify store. They use advanced technology to create a unique, customized site that will encourage your customers to stay longer and buy more. Once you integrate your Databox dashboard into your state-of-the-art site, your business will be unstoppable. Start today by using our template dashboard that inspired this article, it features the following KPI’s:

We love seeing our data on the wall when we brew our morning cup of coffee, it gives us insight into our recent campaigns and leaderboards too! Maybe one day we’ll start our very own Shopify store.

Are your happy customers helping to grow your business?

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:03:00 GMT

Thanks to today’s advanced technology, the proliferation of social media sites such as Facebook and review sites such as Yelp!, TripAdvisor and others, small businesses can harness and utilize a distinct marketing advantage: customer reviews.

While your business website and social media pages can do a fair job of explaining your business and its goals, philosophy, products, and services to your customer base, customer reviews are also of major importance to potential new customers, with 90 percent of people reading online reviews when deciding whether to purchase products from a business or retain its services.

The Importance of Customer Reviews

A survey designed to study the importance consumers place on customer reviews found that nearly 90 percent of people consider online reviews just as important as a recommendation from a friend . The reviews are used to determine the quality of a business or a specific product, aiding the consumer during their journey and ultimately helping them decide whether to buy a product or not.

Additionally, consumers often seek multiple reviews in order to get a more accurate picture. In this manner, a negative review or two may be overlooked if the majority of the reviews are positive. And more savvy consumers will seek out the freshest reviews–opinions and experiences detailed years ago are not as prevalent as those from the current year.

How Customer Reviews Help Your Small Business

As stated above, consumers place a great deal of importance on customer reviews. The more positive reviews a particular business or product has, the greater the chance of increased sales and a growing customer base.

And because so many consumers today actively seek out reviews of a business or product before making a decision, encouraging customer feedback can only help your business–assuming you take steps to ensure that most of your reviews are positive, rather than negative, of course.

And that’s where reputation management comes into play…

How Your Business Can Utilize Customer Reviews for Stronger Digital Marketing

Have a few negative reviews? Don’t dismiss them and don’t react harshly. Consumers are watching and reading everything. If they see a few negative reviews consistently discussing the same issues with your company, that can definitely signal a problem. And if they see you responding in a harsh, condescending, insulting or generally negative manner, that also raises a red flag.

Responding to negative reviews in a positive manner is a chance to learn about and resolve any issues within your organization, as well as show current and potential future customers that you sincerely care about their concerns and are striving to rectify any problems.

Additionally, reviews on sites other than your own website will typically contain keywords, such as your company name or a product you sell. As Google and other major search engines find more reviews containing these keywords, it helps your business rank higher in search engine results.

To gather more reviews, simply ask customers to provide feedback. Many will be happy to oblige, especially if they have had a positive experience with your company (as well as a bad one, so once again, practice positive reputation management and always seek to correct any bad experiences).

Reputation Management Guidelines

Keeping track of and ensuring a positive reputation is a critical part of doing business today. A business must be vigilant in seeking out, reading and understanding all reviews, both positive and negative, and taking the necessary steps to address consumer concerns, as well as thank those who leave positive reviews for their patronage.

Reputation management is as much an online marketing strategy as it is a way to help your business do better.

To discover more about your online reputation, schedule a meeting and receive a free audit.

Small Business Security Step One: Stronger Passwords

Mon, 27 Nov 2017 18:06:00 GMT

Every so often, you see a news report about a major corporation that has been hacked, with thousands of records compromised. While the media often focuses only on large businesses, the truth is small businesses are even more vulnerable and experience security breaches on a much grander scale. In fact, nearly 50 percent of all cyber attacks actually target small businesses , with thousands of businesses affected each month.

There are several steps a small business must take in order to ensure sensitive data and private information remains secure and safe from hackers and identity thieves. But cyber security experts stress that one of the easiest and most important steps that should never be overlooked is to utilize strong passwords .

The Importance of Strong Passwords

A business’s network is only secure as the weakest password. A strong password prevents hackers from easily discovering a password and gaining access to the network. Hackers using advanced password cracking tools can try thousands of password combinations per second, making it fairly easy to discover weak passwords.

Additionally, small business security protocols such as strong passwords need to be enacted to protect the network and data from insiders as well as outsiders, as negligent employees are the cause of nearly 50 percent of data breaches affecting small businesses.

A data breach puts your network at risk, exposing sensitive data to hackers and identity thieves, as well as allowing malicious hackers to wreak havoc on your network. Websites can be compromised and altered, important data can be erased, and customer or client information can be stolen.

What Is Considered a Strong Password?

A strong password is considered to be a series of at least 10 characters, consisting of both lowercase and uppercase letters, and at least one number and one special character such as an exclamation point. Additionally, it is recommended that a unique strong password is used for each account, rather than one password for several accounts. This ensures that if one account happens to be compromised, the hacker cannot use the same password to access other accounts.

Unfortunately, many businesses still engage in using easy-to-remember passwords as a matter of convenience. However, through the use of a password manager application, employees can more easily utilize unique strong passwords for multiple accounts without struggling to remember them all or have them written down where unauthorized personnel could find them.

What Is a Password Manager Application?

A password manager application is a tool that creates and stores strong, unique passwords for multiple accounts. You only need to remember the password for the password manager, and the application takes care of the rest, limiting password leaks and ensuring stronger small business security.

Beware of Phishing Attacks

As an extra security measure, educate your employees about phishing attacks. These typically appear as cleverly designed emails designed by hackers to trick the recipients into giving up their username and password to an account. The email may appear to come from a legitimate corporation, such as a bank or financial institution, Paypal, eBay, Apple, Google, and many others. The email usually claims that the account has been hacked or blocked for some reason, and in order to fix whatever the problem may be, the recipient needs to log in.

Links to login pages are provided in the email, but they are as false as the email itself. Clicking on the link takes the recipient to a web page that appears to be a part of the corporation’s website but is actually a page created by the hacker. Once the recipient enters their login information, the hacker has their username and password and can begin using it to try to access the actual accounts.

Lastly, instruct your employees to keep their passwords secure and safe from prying eyes. Sharing passwords with others is a sure way to put your data security at risk.

Hang up on your Old Office Phone – Let’s Talk About VoIP

Thu, 16 Nov 2017 19:33:00 GMT

We are all familiar with the classic on-premise phone system, the office phone at your dentist’s for instance. It has multiple connections throughout the office so the receptionist can take calls to schedule appointments or send them to the correct person. The big box they keep in the equipment room is old, expensive, dusty, and outdated. The business likely leases the equipment and is under contract. The total cost of ownership is ridiculous and the system is not modern at all.

The on-premise phone system was really great a decade ago, but with the advancement of the internet and technology in general, VoIP has emerged as a win-win situation for any business with a phone number. We are constantly gaining more ways to contact customers, including email, social media, and instant messaging. Internet and the cloud have changed the game, but having a conversation with real voices is still king. So don’t take your phone for granted. Fortunately, some business telephone systems have evolved to meet the demands of today’s communication needs, but with a variety of different options in the marketplace, things can get confusing. Here’s a rundown of office phone system for small businesses.

Full disclosure, this is some nerdy technical stuff I’m diving into here, but I will do my best to give some simple foundational info here.

Pros: Low initial cost, Can purchase directly from big box, office supply/electronics stores

Cons: Limited functionality, usually self-service setup, inbound calls limited by the number of phone lines. (If a customer has 4 lines and 5 people call at once, caller #5 goes right to voicemail or gets a busy signal.)

Pros: Much more functionality than a basic office system, allows for a much higher number of simultaneous calls, most configurations allow businesses to add additional hardware to accommodate growth.

Cons: High total cost of ownership, usually requires a service contract. Plus, charges for upgrades or any changes needed (adding another employee, updating business hours, relocating your business).

Pros: More functionality than traditional on-premise PBX systems, allows for phones to be located at multiple locations or buildings. Monthly telecom services are usually more cost-effective than multiple POTS or PRI lines, and usually easier for office managers to handle basic maintenance of the phone system. There are also mobile phone (bring your own device) options sometimes.

Cons: High total cost of ownership for many small businesses, VoIP would not be available in the event of an internet outage. Technology upgrades require purchasing and/or licensing new equipment or software.

Cloud-based systems are by far the fastest growing segment of business communications.

Pros: Predictable monthly costs billed per user, easy self-service maintenance of systems, automatic upgrades, integrations with other cloud-based business apps like G Suite, Office 365, Salesforce, etc. Usage of enhanced features like SMS, call blocking, and virtual phone numbers. Scalable from one person operations to a large enterprise. Failover call forwarding to mobile phones in the event of an internet outage.

Cons: Requires an active internet connection, the monthly per-user cost can be higher than on-premise PBX systems for large organizations, many choices but not all companies maintain the same level of service.

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, which just means you are making a phone call over the internet instead of a telephone network. VoIP relies on SIP, which stands for Session Initiated Protocol, and is basically the highway your VoIP drives on. The VoIP system is often set up in a PBX format, which is the interface you are used to seeing in the office (the kind of phone you can slam down on its dock when you get frustrated).

Because the typical VoIP service is internet-based, it allows for a loosening of the leash on its users, mentioned above. Additionally, analytics can be collected for calls, Some services allow for video calls, and you can customize the experience your customers get when they call you.

Our favorite VoIP systems, RingCental and Ooma Office offer cost-effective plans based on your number of users and the calling features your business needs. This means that for a small business, costs can be kept to a minimum and callers will not only get the same experience, but you have more control over their encounter with your business.

Looking to take that old phone system off the wall? Learn more about our business phone systems for businesses and nonprofits.

The Power of SEO: Don’t Get Left Behind

Tue, 14 Nov 2017 21:02:00 GMT

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) essentially boils down to how high you rank on the search engine of choice, like Google, Yahoo, Bing, or something else. As you can imagine, this is hugely important to the success of a business because a large majority of customers will search for you at some point and you want to make sure they see you and not your competitor.

Let’s be honest, we are all mostly concerned with how we rank on Google more than any other search engine. An estimated 80% of respondents to a Search Engine Land survey provided that Google is their primary search engine, so most of what I will discuss will be while considering Google foremost. Google has an algorithm they use to automatically determine ranking in search results, but very little is known about what makes up the algorithm. So, much of what we know about SEO is based on trial and error in addition to tips we get from Google personnel. Fair warning: SEO is a very complex topic that gets very technical at times. If you want to learn about all the intricacies of SEO, I would recommend this guide from Moz .

Here I am going to try and give you a basic outline of SEO and how to make it work for your business if that’s all you need.

Imagine the internet as a massive spider’s web that connects millions of web pages (web, get it), and all these pages are connected in some way via keywords, links, meta tags, and backlinks. But you probably don’t need to know definitions for all those terms. So, when you search for something, you are sending out “spiders” (I promise I’m not making these terms up), that scour the web for the most relevant pages to return to you, and in order. They do this based on a wide variety of criteria, not all of which we are aware. By the way, I still find the fact that this whole process routinely takes less than one second miraculous!

For your business here are a few guidelines to follow to ensure a reasonable amount of success in SEO for both Google and Bing. These recommendations come from webmasters at Google and Microsoft (Bing):

In addition to the above tips and tricks, relevance is also based on location/proximity, keywords, page popularity, reviews (more on that in the Birdeye Blog).

The position you get in SEO is obviously important, but sometimes being number one in someone’s search results are not that realistic. For instance, a small boutique shop is going to have a hard time beating a national brand like Nordstrom in the SEO battle. But, here are some things to consider in regard to result position:

I can not stress how important SEO is to your company’s success, especially as your business grows larger. However, SEO is not the end-all be-all for your business. There is no tricking Google, so if you ensure that your website is relevant and represents your business well, then you will be rewarded with the appropriate search result position, and more importantly: the right customers.

Wanna learn more about SEO? Send us your email address so we can chat about how to improve your rank online.

What is Inbound Marketing?

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 19:57:00 GMT

To understand Inbound Marketing, you must first be aware of the incumbent strategy, Outbound Marketing.

The most annoyingly ubiquitous and obnoxious advertisements are often part of a firm’s Outbound Marketing strategy. This would be best exemplified by the commercial breaks between innings of the Mariners game or flashy billboards for the local casino alongside I-5. When a company uses Outbound Marketing, they are fighting for potential customers’ attention by essentially standing on the table and shouting for the masses. While this has proven effective in putting your brand’s message out there, it may not be the most efficient way to make your message heard.

The idea of Inbound Marketing is all about providing relevant and interesting content in the right places to reach the right people without being interruptive. We want to empower our customers. But to do this effectively, you need to understand them:

The Inbound Methodology developed by Hubspot , a firm that specializes in Inbound Marketing, outlines the process of making sure ideal customers for your business find you without wasting time and money on people who have no use for your product/service. In other words, a construction company does not need to expend resources on attracting renters in apartments, that effort is better spent elsewhere.

To attract the right customer, you have to appeal to them so they are genuinely interested in your product/service. Remember, we want to empower our potential customers.

Perhaps for your business, blogging is not the best way to reach the customer. Maybe your website should include a slideshow of projects or products instead, it is all up to you. In fact, nobody should have a better understanding of your ideal customer than you. The way you form your Inbound strategy should be unique to your business and your industry.

Once you have attracted your ideal customer, you want them to not only become a consumer but a promoter of your company. To do this, you need to manage leads, communicate efficiently, nurture customers, and continually evaluate the satisfaction of the customer, all while performing your task. This is difficult and time-consuming but is ultimately worth it.

Empowering your customers from the start and cultivating a positive relationship is just good business.

Want to learn more about Inbound Marketing? Schedule a meeting and let's chat.

Send your wishlist to Santa using Typeform

Thu, 15 Dec 2016 20:58:00 GMT

Have you sent Santa your wish list yet? He is now using Typeform this year to streamline his workflow. Typeform is a form app that let’s you do some out of the box things with standard ol’ forms. We are using it on our contact page if you’d like to see it in action. If you want to learn more about how he uses typeform visit this page.

Source: https://www.typeform.com/blog/inspiration/santa-letter/

Bathumart.com Launched Today

Wed, 05 Aug 2015 00:31:00 GMT

We just finished updating Bathumart.com for Mike Bathum a local artigiano (neighbor) in the Ohio Street Workstudios building.

You can find his work at http://www.bathumart.com .

Advancify News Network

Is Your Website Costing You Customers? 5 Signs It's Time for a Redesign

Your Website Might Be Losing Sales

Sign #1: Your Website Takes Too Long to Load

Sign #2: It Doesn't Work Well on Mobile

Sign #3: Your Design Looks and Feels Dated

Sign #4: It's Difficult to Update

Sign #5: Your Site Gets Traffic But Generates No Leads

Ready to Make Your Website Work for You?

Your Advancify CMS Website is Already Ready for AI Search

Advancify Website Builder : A CMS Built for Tomorrow's Search

What Makes Advancify Website Builder Different

Automatic AI Optimization Features

The Competitive Advantage

Revolutionary AI Weather Prediction Could Transform Hurricane Preparedness for Florida

Partnering with Trusted Authorities

Immediate Steps for Families:

Community Involvement:

The Best Google Workspace Tips & Tricks for Small Business Owners

1. Use Email Aliases to Manage Your Inbox Efficiently

2. Schedule Emails in Gmail

3. Use Google Drive’s Advanced Search to Find Files Faster

4. Turn Google Docs into a Voice Dictation Tool

5. Automate Repetitive Tasks with Google Workspace Add-ons

7. Use Google Meet’s Hidden Features for Better Virtual Meetings

Local SEO: How to Rank Higher in Google for ‘Near Me’ Searches

﻿ 1. Optimize Your Google My Business Listing

2. Use Local Keywords in Your Website Content

3. Get Listed in Local Directories & Citations

4. Build Local Backlinks

5. Optimize for Mobile & Voice Search

6. Encourage Customer Reviews

7. Use Schema Markup for Local SEO

How to Prepare for Black Friday 2024 and Amplify Your Message

1. Begin Planning Early

2. Create Offers People Can’t Refuse

3. Optimize Your Website

4. Leverage the Power of Social Media

5. Engage Your Email Subscribers

6. Don’t Forget Post-Black Friday Engagement

Don't Wait Until it's Too Late

Beware of These Popular Online Scams Targeting Small Businesses

Scam #1: Phishing Messages Targeting Facebook Page Managers

How the Scam Works

How to Protect Yourself

Scam #2: Unnecessary Voice Search Services

How the Scam Works

The Reality

How to Protect Yourself

Preparing Your Small Business for Severe Weather: Essential Technology Tips

Embrace Cloud Backups

Ensure Redundancy with Cloud-Based Communication Systems

Develop an Emergency Communications Plan

Keep Your Website and Social Media Updated

Utilize Google My Business for Real-Time Updates

Schedule a Free Consultation with Advancify

Don't Wait Until it's Too Late

CrowdStrike Outage: Understanding the Largest IT Disruption in History

This past weekend, a major outage caused by a faulty software update from CrowdStrike , a leading cybersecurity company, led to widespread chaos and delays across the globe. Here’s a simple breakdown of what happened and how it affected various sectors.

What is CrowdStrike?

The Outage: What Went Wrong?

Widespread Impact

Financial Toll

CrowdStrike’s Response

Moving Forward

Conclusion

5 Things Any Local Business Can Do to Boost Their Visibility

Understanding DMARC: A Must-Have for Businesses and Nonprofits

In today's digital age, email communication stands as a cornerstone of business operations, making it a prime target for cyber threats.

Why Small Businesses and Nonprofits Need DMARC

The Big Move by Gmail and Yahoo

Implementing DMARC: A Step in the Right Direction

Here's Where Advancify Steps In

The benefits of eCommerce for Small Businesses and Startups

Are you a small business owner looking to increase reach and maximize profit and brand recognition? If you struggle to bring in new customers and engage existing ones, e-commerce may be your ticket to success.

Benefit #1: Search Engine Visibility

Benefit #2: Lower Overhead Costs

Benefit #3: 24/7 Operation

Benefit #4: The Chance To Take Advantage of Social Proofing

Benefit #5: Product Tracking Is a Breeze

1. Optimize Your Google My Business Listing

Partner With Professionals