PSPINC Official Company Blog

How to Set Up Google My Business

Apr

30

1. First, you must verify that your business listing doesn’t already exist. To do this you’ll need to Google your business name and location. On the search result page, look to the right; if there isn’t a business-listing box, it probably doesn't exist. If it does exist, it may ask you to claim the listing.

2. Login to your Google account. If you have multiple accounts, use the account you want associated with your business. If you do not have an account, you can learn how to create a Google account here.

3. Once you’re logged into your Google account go to https://www.google.com/business/

4. Fill in your business name and address. Confirm that your address is written correctly. Make sure you read and check the delivery box option if applicable.

5. Choose a business category that best matches your company. If you can’t find an exact fit choose a category as close to yours as possible.

6. Add your phone # and your website when prompted.

7. Choose your verification method. Google will mail a postcard to your physical location (to legitimize your company address) with a verification code within 5 days.

8. Once you have the postcard, log back into your Google My Business account and verify your listing to complete the set up!

#Blog #BusinessTips #ENnews #Google #GoogleLocal #GoogleMaps #GoogleMyBusiness #GoogleReviews #PSPinc #SmallBusiness #Technology

What is Google My Business?

Apr

25

image source: pixabay.com

Google My Business (GMB) is a tool built for businesses to manage their online presence – and it’s FREE! The GMB dashboard lets you control multiple business listings on map and search results.

When you first start with Google My Business, you’ll need to verify your business. Once verification is complete, you can manage how your business information is displayed on Google, including your hours of operation, store locations, and pictures.

“Businesses (who) verify their information with Google My Business are twice as likely to be considered reputable by consumers.” – Google

Responding to customers online is another way to benefit from Google My Business. All your Google reviews can be found in your GMB dashboard, which makes it easy to reply individually to your loyal customers.

“Businesses that add photos to their listings receive 42% more requests for driving directions on Google Maps and 35% more clicks through to their websites than businesses that don’t.” - Google

Expand your understanding of your online presence by using Google My Business insights to see how your customers are searching for your business and the locations they’re searching from.

It’s easy to manage and update your business listing online and from your mobile device.

Next time we’ll go over setting up your Google My Business account and how to verify your business.

#Blog #BusinessTips #ENnews #Google #GoogleMyBusiness #GoogleReviews #PSPinc #SmallBusiness #Technology

Will the End of Google+ Affect my Business Reviews?

Apr

23

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Google+ is starting to delete user accounts as part of their consumer-side shutdown of the failed social media platform. What concerned us and many other small businesses, were the consequences of shutting down part of the Google eco-system.

At its best, Google+ was a virtual storefront for many small businesses. At its worst, it was a struggling social network. At the beginning of its lifespan, in an effort to spread awareness, Google integrated Google Maps with Google+ accounts. This created a Google+ page for all business listings and was home to online reviews and other business information.

This made it easy to manage your business locations in one place while responding to all of your reviews online. But now that Google+ is gone, what will happen to business listings and reviews?

Don’t worry, all of your business reviews and information will remain.

Google+ is being replaced with Google My Business. The only part of the platform that had success gave small businesses a tool to manage their online identities within the search engine. It gave owners a place to communicate with their customers and find new ones. This is now a separate service called Google My Business.

There isn’t any reason to worry about your business listing or Google reviews being deleted when the social network goes away. If you log into your Google account and navigate to Google My Business, you will see a star labeled ‘Review’ on the left tab. This will bring you to a page where you can read and reply to any reviews.

We’ll be diving into Google My Business over the next two blogs to give you more information about its features. For now, rest easy knowing the Google+ shutdown won’t affect your business.

#Blog #BusinessTips #ENnews #Google #GoogleBusiness #GoogleMyBusiness #GoogleReviews #PSPinc #SmallBusiness #Technology

Google+ is Deleting User Accounts

Apr

18

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Google has begun phase two of shutting down its social network Google+, which it announced it would do back in 2018. February was the last time anyone could create a new Google+ account.

On Tuesday, April 2nd, Google began deleting user accounts, data and content, including those of its top executives. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise. But what is surprising, however, is what Business Insider discovered was being deleted from public record – pertinent company history.

Four notable accounts were deleted on Tuesday, including co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page as well as former CEO Eric Schmidt and current CEO Sundar Pichai. Most of the content on the executive profiles wasn’t important but some of it may be, including company announcements and insight into the decision-making process.

No one has any problem with old selfies being deleted, but when quotes like this one are erased, eyebrows get raised: “We have not joined any program that would give the U.S. government-or any other government-direct access to our servers.” - Larry Page

It’s unclear if Google will make an announcement or respond to any questions about the deleted accounts. And it’s unclear how much information was really lost when accounts were deleted. All we know for now is that Google+ is history.

Source: Business Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com.au/google-plus-executive-profiles-deleted-2019-4?r=US&IR=T

#Blog #BusinessTips #ENnews #Google #GoogleReviews #PSPinc #SmallBusiness #Technology

Google Docs, the New Chat?

Mar

26

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Classrooms look much different than they did just five years ago. You’ll see more laptops, smart whiteboards and tablets in the hands of students. Nowadays, teachers and students collaborate differently too, using a lot of online resources.

So how did Google Docs, a web-based collaborative word processor, become the hottest chat app for teens in school?

Google Docs was born from multiple Google acquisitions and formally launched in 2012 as the product we know today. The purpose of the web-based tool is to allow multiple users to simultaneously edit and contribute to a single word document. And it works great! Almost…too good.

Instead of passing notes in class, teens are starting to pass notes over the Internet. When teachers tell students to put their phones away, they pull out Google docs. This story broke after a recent reddit post talked about a school that decided to block Google chats.

There are multiple ways to chat on Google Docs. After you open a new document and share it with your friends, you can either type messages in the document, use the live chat feature (which most people don’t know exist), or you can use the comment section to chat. The messages can easily be erased if a teacher walks around.

Once at home, teens can share documents with their friends while pretending to work on homework. This cover works especially well if teens have had their phones taken away or have limited social media access.

What’s more interesting (to us) than teens finding a new way to chat, is how a specific software program was developed for one thing, but is now filling a need for which it was never intended. Similar things have happened with Microsoft products and the popular note-taking app OneNote.

So why not fix the software from misuse? Perhaps allowing students to use the app to chat will keep them on the app through high school, college, and into the workplace – securing future users.

#Blog #Chat #ENnews #GoogleDocs #PSPinc #Software #Technology

Add Professional Audio to your Site for Free

Jan

30

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We know it’s important to keep web content to a minimum and try to get our point across in as few words as possible. Too much text on a screen is a turn off, and people feel overwhelmed by it.

We also know many companies require a lot of content to tell their story or sell their product or service. It’s a conundrum. How do you balance text, white space and imagery on your site so it looks clean and professional, but properly tell your story with complete details? The answer is Click It Audio, by PSP.

We generate simple html codes you can embed into your site, allowing you to upload or delete audio mp3 files at any time. Your audio file will have the ability to play on a PC, MAC or other smart device.

With Click It Audio, you can have it all: a less cluttered website with the option for your visitors to simply click a button to hear more details. PSP offers 3 audio containers for FREE. But if you need more audio, we offer very reasonable annual plans.

Check out https://www.clickitaudio.com/ to get more information, pricing and even see a demo of how Click It Audio works.

#AudioEmbed #AudioFiles #Blog #BusinessTips #ClickItAudio #ENnews #MP3Files #PSPinc #SmallBusiness #Technology #WebsiteAudio

Custom Online Forms for your Business

Jan

23

A good website often comes with some kind of form for prospective customers to fill out. The objective is to gather more information, whether it be as simple as an RSVP, or an inquiry about a service such as catering, or something more complex like an employee application form.

What many people don’t realize is you don’t have to modify your existing website to add a form that suits your needs. With a service called InforMakers by PSP, you can design a custom form for your business and embed the technology into your existing site.

Our intuitive form builder is so simple, anyone can do it. You can build, customize and embed your form as you like, making it as simple or robust as needed. Some other great features about InforMakers includes:

• Mobile-friendly form designs
• Ability to export data
• Option to send auto response to customers
• Availability to create unlimited forms

InforMarkers requires no contracts or sign up fees. Get started today at https://informakers.com/.

#Blog #BusinessTips #ENnews #InforMakers #PSPinc #SmallBusiness #Technology #WebForms #WebsiteForms

2019 Tech Trends: Increased Cyber Threats

Jan

17

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We’ve been talking about tech trends for 2019 and all the exciting advances in technology, including increased speed and connectivity of our gadgets. But all this advancement comes with a price as we become increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks.

In 2017, Equifax had a breach that affected sensitive personal information for 143 million customers. In 2018, information was hacked from 50 million Facebook users and 500 million customers of Marriott and Starwood hotels.

According to cybersecurityventures.com and cybintsolutions.com, 64% of U.S. companies have experienced web-based attacks, 62% experienced phishing and social engineering attacks, 59% experienced malicious code and botnets, and 51% experienced denial of service attacks. Hackers are getting more organized and sophisticated, so what can we do to protect our data?

In business, we must understand there is no such thing as “hacker safe” data. Just as a thief can break the window to steal your cash register, hackers can break the security measure you have in place. In our buildings, we install security systems and place valuable items like cash and expensive merchandise in secure locations. So what do we do with our equally valuable client data? Simply hoping nobody will steal it from your database is not the right answer. And it’s imperative you have a plan in place in the event your data does get hacked – even if you think you have all the right security measures in place.

If you don’t know where to start, consult an expert or call us at PSPinc for more help to secure your data and come up with a plan. At the basic level, make sure your customers’ important data is stored in a secure database, preferably encrypted, and have tools that monitor who’s accessing the data. Do not give a critical password to a bunch of employees, and do not keep the password on a Post-It note by your desk. If you notice anything suspicious, go back and check your data access activity logs.

With our way of life becoming more virtually connected, we have to embrace the responsibilities and potential threats that come with it. Always be prepared!

#2019 #2019Tech #Advertising #B2B #Blog #CyberSecurity #CyberThreats #ENnews #Marketing #NewYear #OfficeTips #PSPinc #SmallBusiness #TechTrends #Technology

2019 Tech Trends: 5G is Here

Jan

15

image source: pixabay.com

Do you remember a time when pictures would download bit by bit and we were all amazed at how fast our internet had become, so much so, we could see images online instead of just text? How quickly we’ve forgotten those exciting times – now with instant downloads and streaming video. Well, it’s time to buckle up and get ready for even faster internet speed because 5G is coming to town!

5G is a new generation of cellular communication standards – the fifth generation, if that wasn’t already obvious. As the successor of 2G, 3G, and 4G (or LTE / WiMax), 5G is going to speed things up quite a bit.

But how much faster will it be, really? Well, without getting technical, download speeds will go from minutes to seconds and even milliseconds. For example, it would take about 10 to 20 seconds to download a 1-minute video on your smartphone with 4G, but with the new 5G connection, your download would be 0.001 second or less! Downloading hi-quality streaming videos will go from several minutes to a matter of seconds. It will also reduce lag time for things like web searches, giving you more immediate responses.

All service providers have begun rolling out 5G throughout the world. In the latter half of 2019 into 2020, major cities will have 5G service ready for you. In Japan, 5G will be available just in time for the Tokyo Olympics!

But wait - are YOU ready to get 5G service on your device? Not quite. Unfortunately, living in an area where 5G is available isn’t enough. Eventually, you’ll have to upgrade to a device that is 5G compatible.

#5G #2019 #2019Tech #Advertising #B2B #Blog #ENnews #Marketing #NewYear #OfficeTips #PSPinc #SmallBusiness #TechTrends #Technology

2019 Tech Trends: Home IoT

Jan

8

image source: pixabay.com

The battle to tap into your home was big in 2018, between smart speakers and home security systems gaining popularity. Amazon and Google have been going head to head for your attention in order to become the platform for IoT in your home. We predict this competition will continue with ferocity in 2019.

The key players are trying to integrate their devices into your home’s daily functions. Some of them are creating hubs, like Amazon’s Echo Show or Google’s Home Hub. The smart home hub would be able to control devices such as your thermostat, lights, garage doors, doorbell, security system, maybe even your cooking devices and laundry machine. The hub would control your home’s IoT, and eventually learn your behavioral patterns.

But why do they want to know so much about you?

The more they know, the more they can influence and control your purchasing habits. They can offer you what you need, in the moment in your home, and be the one to provide the item. Google can advertise a product on behalf of its advertising client, and Amazon can show products to be purchased right from its platform.

Even though these platforms are made for our convenience, when it comes down to it, we humans still need to think critically and make wise choices. Understanding the motive behind home hubs and IoT in our homes can help us outsmart the smart devices and make the right decisions before clicking that 'buy now' button.