No matter what industry you are in, contact pages are essential when creating your website. Additionally, the information you put on your contact page is crucial as well. While your customers will certainly be able to reach you if you simply provide an address, phone number and email, there are several distinct benefits to providing a web form. Let’s discuss the advantages web forms have over clickable email links and traditional contact information.

1. Customers like Options:

   Some people would prefer to speak directly with a company representative while others find getting on the phone time consuming. Providing all the possible ways to contact you (i.e. phone number, address, email, and web form) allows your customers to choose the contact method they prefer and avoids frustrating customers when their preferred method is not available.

2. Receive the Type of Information You Need:

   Web forms are unique in that they give you the ability to control the type of information you collect from your customer. By providing specified fields and designating which of these fields is required, you ensure that your web visitors are giving you the information you need. When you simply provide an email address, your invite open ended communication with no direction. We often explain to clients that web forms can also be leveraged as a way to pre-qualify a web inquiry.

   For instance, take our client Star Kidz. They offer performance arts classes for children. Their classes are offered in five separate locations for various age levels. Thus, on their form, visitors are required to enter their child’s grade as well as their location of choice. This allows Star Kidz to better serve individuals who fill out their form, giving them a chance to review their class registrations to see if the desired class is full prior to touching base with them.

3. Forms are Trackable:

   In order to measure the effectiveness of your website, you need reliable metrics. Web forms give you just that. By setting up goals conversions from Google Analytics, you can track how many people visited your contact page and of those individuals, how many actually filled out the form. In addition, you will be able to tell what website they came to your site from, allowing you to track which of your marketing efforts is converting the most. Clickable email links do not let you drill down in the same way, making them much less trackable.

4. Inquiry Back-ups:

   Most web forms are designed to feed into a data file and email the inquiry to the company contact designated to receive the form. Be sure that your forms are set-up this way. This will ensure that if that staff member’s emails are deleted or lost, you have a back-up on your website. This file can then be downloaded into a customer database or uploaded into your mass email service. No re-typing required.

5. Convenience is Key:

   Clickable email links automatically open your customers’ default email program. If they haven’t set up their default email or it is not the email they’d like to use to contact your business, you run the risk of the customer becoming frustrated and leaving your site without contacting you. This is more prominent than ever with so many people using Gmail. Web forms are extremely convenient as your customers do not even need to leave your contact page to reach out to you. This also increases the chance that your customers will spend additional time on your site after they have contacted you.

Though you should provide all of your relevant contact information on your contact page, a web form should be front and center. If you need help adding forms to your site or deciding on the relevant fields for your forms, reach out to us. We’d be happy to help!

The post Best Practices: 5 Benefits to Web Forms appeared first on Technology Therapy™ Group.

Do you have a business card? It’s one of the first things people ask for when they meet you at a business event. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got the smallest shop in town or you work for one of the world’s largest corporations, people expect you to have a business card. It’s part of your professional uniform, an essential element of identification and branding in every single industry. When I ask you if you have a card, chances are you say, “Of course I do!”

A business card is essential, but it’s not enough. It’s 2013, and whether you’re in a B2B or B2C field, you’ll find that your customer’s expectations have changed. Specifically, in today’s marketplace, customers expect to be able to find and engage with you online. This means, at a minimum, having a website.

There are business owners who don’t believe this. I encounter them all the time. They tell me how they’ve been successfully operating for years – decades, even, or generations! – without a website.

Let’s talk about why this marketing model isn’t sustainable. The fact you’ve got a loyal customer base right now is great – but without a website, how are you going to grow your business? No matter what type of business you operate, people who are interested in the products or services you offer overwhelmingly begin their search for that sort of business online. If you don’t have a website, you’re not even a part of the conversation. You’re not an option they can consider. Every customer base needs to be continually replenished with new business, or your company will die through attrition as old customers stop doing business with you and there is no one to replace them.

Word-of-mouth recommendations can only do so much. Even if your customers enthusiastically recommend your business to their friends, if a simple Google search returns no useful information, you’re not going to capture that traffic. Today’s customer expects that a business will have a website in the same way they expect you to have a business card or a sign in front of your location. Even the Amish, who are so leery of modern technology that they still use horse-drawn buggies rather than cars, have information about their businesses posted online.

When a business doesn’t have a website in this day and age, it raises questions in the customer’s minds, such as is this business legitimate and trustworthy? Are they really professional? Just as a business card acts as a signifier that you’re truly a professional, today a website acts in the same way. If you’ve been operating for years – decades, even, or generations – your business deserves a fighting chance to remain viable in the web-driven marketplace. The time to get a website for your business is now! Contact us to schedule a free consultation and learn how we can create a website that fits your business needs and your budget.

The post If You Don’t Have a Website, Do You Really Have a Business? appeared first on Technology Therapy™ Group.

Rapper Snoop Dogg has recently decided to change his name to Snoop Lion, leaving many of us scratching our heads and wondering why. The rapper cites his new reggae sound and Rastafari ideology as the reason for the name change, but it’s certainly turned out to be a successful publicity tactic. Businesses often introduce fresh new names to get people talking about their companies again, but this strategy can also have the opposite effect. Let’s examine the things businesses should consider before changing their names as well as the steps they should take once the name is changed.

Things to Ask Yourself When Considering A Business Name Change:

• Do you have a legitimate reason for changing your name?

  Are you contemplating changing your name because you have a solid reason to believe that your business will perform better under another brand or is it simply a whim? Changing the name of your business is not a decision to be made lightly. Last year, we helped our client EZTrackIt replace their previous brand, My Digital Doorman for two reasons. First, they were launching their package tracking software business internationally and the term “Doorman” does not translate well overseas and second, “Doorman” pigeon-holed EZTrackIt, making it seem that their system was only for buildings with doormen.

  Here are a few additional reasons a name change may be in order for your business: you’ve grown and your name does not reflect your expanded product lines or service offerings, you’ve relocated and a geographical or cultural reference in your name is no longer accurate, or your name is too long and difficult to remember.

• How much equity have you built in your current name?

  Brand equity denotes the value of having a well-known company name or brand. A company that has built a considerable amount of equity is more likely to be chosen over its lesser known competitors based on brand recognition alone. If you hold notable equity in your brand, a name change may actually hurt your business.

  For instance, consider your favorite restaurant a few towns over. You don’t frequent it, but you do make special trips a few times a year to eat there. One day you happen to be in the area and you notice that your favorite restaurant has a new sign out front with a completely new name. What would be your first reaction? If you’re like most people, you would automatically assume that the restaurant ownership had changed and that the menu had likely been reworked as well. At this point, you may do a little digging and try the restaurant once more to see if it’s the same, but more likely than not, you’ll write it off as a lost cause.

  You can see how if you have a dedicated customer base, changing your name may not be the best idea. If your brand is extremely recognizable but you absolutely must change your name, be sure to follow our advice below for a smooth transition.

• Is your new name search engine friendly?

  Whatever your reason, altering your brand gives you the opportunity to choose a name that will increase your chances of being found by search engines. We helped CTNY Limo launch their new brand after they learned that another limo service in the area was operating under a very similar name to their old brand, Avanti Millennium Limo. Since she services both New York and Connecticut, when she told us she had the domain name CTNYLimo.com we agreed it would be a good name change. Not only is it short and easy to remember, they are more likely to be found for searches for “CT Limo” or “NY Limo” than when they were using Avanti Millennium Limo. Once you’ve decided to change your name, perform some keyword research to learn what types of terms consumers or clients are using when looking for businesses like yours. Check-out who comes up for your “new” name. Is it a competitor? Will you get lost in Google because your name is too general and competitive? These are all things to consider.

What To Do Once Your Name Has Been Changed

• Inform Your Customers Before the Change:

  Prior to erecting a new sign and changing your name on your website or your domain name, let your customers know that you will be operating under a new name. Be sure to reassure them that the management, products offered, menu items etc. will remain the same, unless you are making alterations in these areas as well. Send an eblast explaining why you’ll be using a new name and when they can expect the change to go into effect. If your customer base is small, personal phone calls are a nice touch, especially to key customers.

• Allow for a Grace Period:

  Have your old domain redirected to your new website. Provide a short explanation on your homepage that acknowledges your old name as well as why you’ve changed it. This tactic minimizes the risk of customers becoming confused when they land on your new website and leaving.

• Commit to the Change:

  It can be easy for you or your employees to fall into the old habit of answering the phones or welcoming guests using your old name. Break this habit as soon as possible. Just as with your website, allow for a grace period advising your staff to use your new brand and mention your former one when answering the phone for the first few months. After this grace period, stick to the new name. Switching back and forth will only confuse your customers.

Are you considering changing your name but you’re not sure where to begin? Give us a call. We’ll help you determine whether a change is necessary and assist you in choosing a name that will not only fit your business, but will make it more search friendly as well.

The post The Name Game: Things to Consider When You Change Your Business Name appeared first on Technology Therapy™ Group.

In their first quarter report, Facebook revealed that the social network has a total of 1.11 monthly active users, with 665 million individuals accessing the site each and every day. With such a vast user base, it’s difficult to ignore the social platform’s potential from a marketing standpoint. Still, many businesses avoid Facebook, as well as other social media sites, like the plague. While only 27% of Fortune 500 companies neglect social platforms, the number is much higher for small businesses. Let’s examine the importance of having a Facebook page for your business, how to set your page up, and what to do once your page is complete.

The Importance of Having a Business Page

Maintaining a social presence is more important than ever before. Yes, the potential to reach a broad and local audience on an (initially) free platform is still there. In fact, 77% of B2C companies and 43% of B2B companies have reported that they acquired companies from the social platform. However, the consequences of not being on social media are far greater now that Google has released their Penguin 2.0 update. In addition to penalizing sites that use questionable SEO strategies known as black hat tactics, with this update and those to come in the future, Google is recognizing businesses with strong social media followings as more credible, thus boosting their page ranks.

How to Set Up a Business Page

If you’re starting from square one, visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php and begin by choosing your page type. Facebook provides six different types of pages, Local business or Place; Company, Organization or Institution; Brand or Product; Artist, Band or Public Figure; Entertainment; or Cause or Community. If you have a physical location that customers can visit, you should choose Local Business or Place. However, if you are hired singularly for your expertise, you’d want to select public figure. Read our past article on page types to learn which is right for your business.

Once you’ve chosen you’re page type, you’ll need to upload a profile picture and cover photo. Your profile picture will accompany each of your posts in your followers’ News Feeds, as well as any comments you might make on other pages, while your larger cover photo remains at the top of your business page.

Finally, you’ll need to fill out your About section, providing valuable information about your business for your followers. Several items not to be left blank are your website, your phone number, and your hours and address if you have a physical location. It is also important to note that Facebook disables certain functions, such as scheduling posts, until you add the year your business was founded. As a rule of thumb, fill out all of the available fields if possible. It’s always better to provide more information than your customers need than not enough!

Developing and Maintaining a Posting Schedule

Now that you’ve set up a Facebook business page, it’s time to put it to use! All too often, businesses create social media pages only to abandon them. Don’t let this happen to you! Devise a plan of action by designating the number of days you will post per week and the type of content you will post each of these days. For instance, say on Mondays you post your latest blog from your website, on Wednesdays you share a relevant article from a news source and on Fridays you post a picture that relates to your business. You can even stockpile and schedule these posts in advance, making managing your Facebook page even easier! Just be sure to go in each day to check and respond to any comments or messages you may have received. This strategy will help you stay on track and ensure that you maintain a regular posting schedule.

Checkout some of the pages we have set-up and manage to help you get some ideas:

• Weddings in The Bahamas
• L’Absinthe
• Technology Therapy
• Score Westchester
• Angel Feet Reflexology
• Ultimate Dive Travel
• Skin Center

Let us know if you’d like us to help you get started or manage your Facebook and other social efforts.

The post Back To Basics: Facebook Pages appeared first on Technology Therapy™ Group.

On June 6th, I was speaking on a panel for the CT Business Expo. During the question and answer period, an audience member was kind enough to share her business challenge with us.

She’s in the speed reading business, and she told us that her market was the entire reading population. Her challenge was finding a way to market to this huge group of people.

One of my fellow panelists gave her a few ideas and when he was done I have to admit I anxiously reached for the microphone. I told the woman who shared the question, “I disagree with you!”

She was in shock. Actually everyone was!

I continued to explain why I disagreed with her. It came down to defining her market. Her approach was much too broad. Not everyone who reads wants to learn how to speed read! In fact, some people actually welcome curling up with a book as a way to slow down and relax.

Before she went further marketing her business, I explained, this business owner needed to spend some time understanding what motivates someone to want to learn to speed read. Knowing your customers’ motivations makes it much easier to create and implement an effective marketing strategy that will generate results.

Do you know what motivates your customers and clients to buy?

In business we often get focused on the services or products we provide and not the reason why our clients need those offerings. Marketing is about understanding what we provide to our audience and why our audience wants these things.

For a great example of this concept in action, look at Wal-Mart. Who is Wal-Mart’s market? It’d be easy to say “Everybody!” – after all, the chain is the world’s largest retailer – but you couldn’t be further from the truth. Wal-Mart selects their merchandise, designs their services, and conducts their marketing based upon their understanding of their customers’ motivations.

Despite what you may think, the Wal-Mart customer is not price-driven. They’re highly aware that they have limited financial resources, and so they want to maximize their purchasing power, getting the most for every dollar.

Everyone wants to save money. Not everyone is motivated to get the most value out of their purchasing dollar. Understanding this difference has allowed Wal-Mart to dominate the retail marketplace.

We can all learn from Wal-Mart. Understanding who your customer is and why they want your products and services is job #1 for the business owner.

Almost everyone reads. But not everyone wants to read faster. Identifying the population that does want to read faster, and delving into what motivates that desire, is the first step of creating an effective marketing plan for a speed reading business.

How about you? Do you know, with absolute clarity, what motivates your customers to choose you? If you can’t answer that question with a definitive YES, then you’ve got your work cut out for you. Investing the time in understanding your customers and their motivations will make you a better, more profitable business. So don’t delay!

The post What Motivates Your Customers to Buy? appeared first on Technology Therapy™ Group.

Staffing changes are inevitable. Employees grow and move up within your organization or take positions at other companies, causing you to hire new staff members to take their places. You grow and take on more team members to keep up with demand. But the struggle does not end when you fill these empty positions. New team members require a great deal of training and mentoring to get them on the same level as the long term employees they replace.

Make this transition smoother by following these tried and true tips.

• Take Advantage of the Cloud

  Storing all of your company data in the cloud saves you countless hours when you’re preparing to train a new employee. Rather than gathering all of the files that he or she will need and making sure they are stored and organized on the computer they’ll be using simply give them access to the past team member’s Dropbox folder and other relevant cloud-based sites. Rather than spending hours transferring data, one click and you’re new employee has all the files they need to get started!

• Use Your Blog to Its Full Potential

  Yes, your blog is a great external marketing tool, allowing you to share news with your customers and regularly post content for SEO purposes, but it can also be an effective platform to transfer knowledge internally. Let’s face it, your work doesn’t stop when you have to train a new employee. There are instances when you are simply too busy to give a well-rounded explanation. Here’s where your blog comes in. Rather than personally explaining a certain process, topic, or event, point them to a relevant article on your blog. It may not answer all of their questions, but it will certainly give them a much better frame of reference.

  Recently, our new Marketing Coordinator asked about our process for keyword research. The office has been extremely busy lately, but we were able to point her to a blog that we had written a few months back. The blog provided enough detail that she was able to successfully carry out keyword research for a new client, only asking for clarification once.

• Schedules, Processes, and Documentation!

  Before a team member leaves, have him or her write down all of the tasks and processes that they complete in a regular week, as well as any monthly items for which they may be responsible. Though these employees may have functioned just fine without ever documenting this information, it’s not going to do your new employees any good unless it’s captured before they start. Having them write down time estimates for each task is helpful too. You can’t expect your new team members to operate as fast as those who’ve been with you for year but a time estimate gives them a target at which to shoot.

• Consider How Your New Employee Learns Best

  Though having written resources like your blog and internal process documentation is key for the storage of knowledge and information, simply reading these materials may not be effective training for some employees. Some people find that information doesn’t really begin to sink in until it’s verbally explained to them while others are more visual learners. Ask your new employees how they learn best. If they’re not sure, give them information in a few different ways and observe their response. The quality of their work and time spent on it will reveal how they best comprehend instructions and information.

If you’re currently experiencing staff changes, trust us we feel for you. But following the simple tips above can make the transition go much more smoothly.

The post Knowledge Transfer: Easing the Transition During Staff Changes appeared first on Technology Therapy™ Group.

Just a few weeks ago we discussed social ecommerce, a strategy that uses peer-to-peer digital communications to drive sales. We covered Pinterest in terms of its value as social media, but in these short weeks, Pinterest has introduced a new feature that is bringing it one step closer to competing in the user-curated shopping arena: product pins. Let’s review what these pins entail and how they will affect your business.

Rich Pins

On May 20th, Pinterest made an exciting announcement on their blog: the site will now be providing pins with more information. Along with Product Pins, users will now begin to see Recipe Pins and Movie Pins in their feeds. The goal of these pins is to supply users with rich content on the pins themselves in order to help them decide whether or not they want to dig deeper and click through to the website.

The Anatomy of a Product Pin

The information product pins allow for bring the platform one step closer to user curated shopping. Below are the items covered in product pins:

• Pricing
• Availability
• Where to buy

How Can You Create Product Pins?

Pinterest offers two ways to take advantage of Product Pins. Both are code heavy and require the use of a third party platform.

• oEmbed

  Pinterest touts this as the preferred, flexible method for creating Product Pins.

• Semantic Markup

  If you already support Schema.org or Open Graph, this method may be easier for you.

Other Rich Pins

As mentioned above, there are two other types of rich pins in addition to Product pins, Recipe pins and Movie pins. Though these tools may not have applications for as many businesses as Product pins, they do lend themselves well to specific industries, allowing businesses that would previously not been able to use this social platform to take full advantage of it. For instance, restaurants may now pin full recipes in addition to images of their dishes for special promotions and entertainment bloggers and independent theaters may pin movies with their reviews.

Making the Most of Your Pins

Pinterest’s introduction of Rich Pins is a perfect example of the fact that though the web is opening up new opportunities for small businesses, it’s getting harder, not easier to take advantage of them. If you don’t have a full time web developer on staff, and let’s face it, that is a costly expense for small businesses to maintain, it is difficult to capitalize on these new Pinterest tools. Unless, of course, you work with a full service digital marketing and web development firm!

When you partner with a full service agency like Technology Therapy, you benefit from the expertise of our well rounded team of professionals. Our marketing coordinators work with our programmers and developers to ensure that your business is not only pinning excellent content on a regular basis, but also that all of the relevant information for your rich pins is provided. This strategy allows you to make the most of new technology and social media trends and your budget!

Rich Pins show great potential, but the key to making the most of them is having the support of a full service digital marketing agency. If you’d like to add Rich Pins to your business’s Pinterest boards, contact us for a free consultation. We will help you develop a superb Pinterest strategy and ensure that your website supports the technology for rich pins.

The post Product Pin Potential: A Look at Pinterest’s New Features appeared first on Technology Therapy™ Group.

On Thursday June 6th I had the opportunity to be one of three panelists at the CT Business Expo. Our panel gave audience members an opportunity to ask questions about their businesses as it relates to marketing today. Here are some key takeaways from the discussion.

Marketing Mix:

As businesses we cannot just rely on one strategy for marketing our companies; we need a mix of tactics. Fellow panelist Gary DeCavage of Shirt Man shared with the crowd his thoughts on the importance of subtle touches like personal notes and picking up the phone. Additionally, Gary reminded the audience that print is not dead. People still like getting something physical to refer to. I chimed in and built on Gary’s point that print can be a great help if you can also tie it into a digital tracking component.

Printing companies today can give users unique URL’s to go to for special messaging and if you can’t go that far, I recommend adding a follow-up to print that can only be accessed via the web. It’s a great way to track that your print is working. When we create direct mail pieces, or even certain Google AdWords, campaigns we recommend using call tracking like CallRail. This lead us to another big takeaway; Metrics.

Tracking Success and Metrics:

No matter what strategies you use in your marketing mix, you need to know what’s working and what is not working. There are ways to add metrics to digital and offline strategies. This is something many people neglect to review as part of the planning process. Shawn Limata of CASEITUP shared some of his stories with the audience about testing and tracking to increase sales on his website.

I gave the crowd a few to-do’s:

• Make sure you have Google Analytics on your website.
• Ensure that you have Goal Tracking enabled on their forms and checkout pages to see what sources were converting on their website.
• If you’re using Facebook ads, add the tracking code from Facebook to your website to track the conversions from ads.
• Check out Google Optimizer to A/B test your images to enhance your conversions.
• Make sure tools are integrated. For example, Google AdWords connects into your Google Analytics to see what’s working.

Segmentation:

During the panel there were many questions about targeted audiences. All three of us had a little something to say, but we all agreed it is important to segment your audience to connect proper messaging. If you have multiple industries or demographics, creating different print pieces, web-landing pages or text messaging strategies is a great way to ensure success. Audiences need to know that you understand them and their specific needs. This strategy can often take a bit more time and energy, but the ROI will be much higher. With today’s digital tools, this is easier than ever before.

If you have questions about anything discussed here or you are just feel you’re not getting the most from your digital strategies. Schedule a free consultation.

The post CT Expo Panel: Traditions, Innovations & New Trends in Digital Advertising appeared first on Technology Therapy™ Group.

Establishing a social media presence opens you up to receiving feedback from your customers, which is both a blessing and a curse. It gives you the opportunity to hear what your fans love the most about your company, but it also leaves you vulnerable to some not so nice comments. Many of the social media tools you manage offer you the ability to delete these negative comments, but that’s not always the best customer service strategy. Let’s review when it’s okay to delete comments on your social media platforms and when it’s best to leave them up.

Hit Delete When…

• The Comment is Offensive to Others:

  When a comment is racist or otherwise offensive to any of your audience members, be sure to delete it as soon as possible. Leaving it up, even if you don’t agree, can reflect poorly on your business. If the commenter is making a valid point, be sure to send him or her a private message addressing the concerns and explaining why the comment was deleted. If the comment is irrelevant, simply remove it.

• The Comment is Highly Political:

  Discussions of politics have their place, but (in most cases) that place is not your businesses Facebook or LinkedIn page. Neutral points regarding how new legislation or elections will affect your industry are acceptable, irate babbling about specific politicians or parties is not. Be sure to take these conversations out of the public eye so as not to alienate customers.

• The Comment is Inappropriate:

  Here’s a rule of thumb – if you wouldn’t want your children reading the comment, delete it. This includes both crude and suggestive language. For instance, a conversation took place between two users in the comments of a post on one of our client’s Facebook page regarding whether or not these individuals had spent intimate time in the bathroom. Though one party assured the other that this was not the place she was thinking of, this conversation is clearly inappropriate for public audiences and all comments involved were removed immediately.

• The Comment is Spam:

  If you have no idea what a user is trying to say and the comment does not relate to your business in the slightest, the comment is likely spam. Go ahead and delete these posts, especially if they include sketchy links.

Leave It Up When…

• The Comment is Negative but Civil:

  Many customers who choose to air their grievances on businesses’ social media pages do so in a very civilized manner. These customers deserve to have their voices heard. Not only should you leave these comments up, you should respond to them apologizing for the customers’ perceived bad experiences and ask how you can make it up to them.

• The Comment Mentions a Competitor:

  You may be tempted to remove comments such as, “The chowder is so much better at XYC Restaurant,” but resist the urge. Instead, invite that commenter to stop in and try another dish. Not only does this show that you’re not a poor sport, it gives your fans a chance to come in and defend you. You’d be surprised at the amount of support your followers will provide in situations like this.

Remember it is better to have conversation on tools you have more control over than for an individual to start complaining on platforms you do not control, such as Yelp.

In the end, it is your choice what comments you’d like to be associated with your business on social media. However, following these basic rules will allow you to weed out the comments that should absolutely be removed from those that spark conversation and give you the chance to win over potentially lost customers.

The post When Is It Okay to Delete Social Media Comments? appeared first on Technology Therapy™ Group.

In October of 2012 most of the northeast learned some hard lessons about being prepared for a disaster like Hurricane Sandy. Many businesses have since learned to utilize the cloud and create digital plans to better communicate with their customers and employees. People stay more tuned into the weather services for monitoring storms. They are grateful when it’s nothing major and aware of steps that need to be taken when something more serious is forecasted.

It’s time to apply that same planning to your website with website monitoring services. Let’s look at what these tools do, the difference between website monitoring and web hosting, why this service is important, and the costs involved.

What is Website Monitoring?

Website monitoring is an additional software application that can be added to your website to identify malicious code or other issues. Monitoring applications will scan your website looking for possible infections. Depending upon the monitoring application they may also monitor your website’s technical reputation. This refers to when a website is blacklisted. A website monitoring tool will notify you of an issue, but may not resolve it for you. Think of it like adding a security company to your site; they notify you of an intrusion but they don’t necessarily stop it from happening.

Website Monitoring is not Website Hosting

A web host is responsible for providing you with a secure space to house your website so it can be reached via the web. They give you the ability to add anything else you may want. Think of the space a web host gives as a storage locker and you can do with it what you need. Website hosts do not provide monitoring to you at no cost. It is usually an additional fee. Certain web hosts may scan their servers as a whole and will notify you of issues, but only as it may affect their other clients on the same server.

All Websites Are Vulnerable to Viruses

Please do not freak out here, but the fact is we’re all susceptible to getting a virus or being blacklisted. It’s just like you getting the flu. You may get a flu shot (web site monitoring) but it doesn’t guarantee you won’t get the flu; it will just be less aggressive. The monitoring system can catch things early to fix the problem. If you look at the news for the past six months, you can see that sites from LivingSocial to Twitter have all been hacked and trust me, they have great security.

Who’s Responsible for Fixing & What Are the Costs?

The answer I know you do not want to hear is that fixing the infection is a cost of doing business. You can lower the cost by monitoring the site and looking for a monitoring service that will clean out your infections. You can cut-down on attacks by making sure you are upgrading your web technology, having complicated passwords, changing your passwords frequently and ensuring you are removing system defaults from open source web tools. Good preparation can help prevent a total disaster from happening, but it does not guarantee that you won’t have an issue here and there. At this point, it is a good idea to invest a little more each month in your hosting, like insurance. Add a monitoring and upgrade package to your website to protect your business.

Have questions and want to know more? Feel free to schedule a consultation to discuss your concerns about your website.

The post Disaster Protection: Website Monitoring Software appeared first on Technology Therapy™ Group.