Google+ Brand Pages Overview

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Brand pages might be the next big thing for your business.

Google+ booted businesses and brand names off its service last summer. But in doing so, officials at Google promised that it would welcome businesses back shortly. It also promised that the wait would be worth it.

Did Google make good on its promises? That depends. Businesses and brands are now welcomed back on Google+. But there’s some debate as to whether the wait was, indeed, worth it.

One prominent tech writer, Robert Scoble, who runs the Scobleizer blog, doesn’t think it was. In a post titled “I wish I had never heard of Google+’s brand pages,” Scoble lists several problems with the new service.

Scoble is most upset that only one person can own or post to a Google+ brand account. As Scoble explains, this means that there is currently no way for a social media team or a customer-service team to split up posting duties on the site.

Scoble also points to how easy it is to post something on your company account that you really wanted to post to your personal Google+ page.

Search Engine Watch writer Miranda Miller also had few positive things to say about Google+ brand pages.

She points out that the owners of Google+ brand pages can’t run any promotions or contests on their pages. This means that the owner of a hardware store can’t advertise that his business is selling hammers at half price or that the car dealer can’t promote her lot’s 0% interest offer.

Google+ brand pages are also lacking a page analytic feature, Miller writes. This means that small business owners can’t determine who’s looking at their page and for how long.

In fact, according to this survey by Adweek writer Ki Mae Heussner, the majority of reviews for Google+ brands have been negative.

That isn’t to say that Google’s effort has all been in vain. As the SearchEngineLand website explains, Google+ for brands does have some nifty features.

Nifty Features

Business owners can create several Google+ pages promoting different facets of their enterprise. The owner of a financial services firm might have a Google+ page advertising her financial-planning services, a second promoting her tax-preparation work and a third promoting her estate-planning work.

Then there is the circles concept. With circles, business owners can create separate groups of Google+ customers, and then send custom messages to each group. Currently, entrepreneurs can split their audience members into three categories, VIPs, customers and team members.

Search Engine Power

There’s another benefit to Google+ brand pages that could mean all the difference to business owners. As the Business2Community website says, Google is the undisputed king of online searches. Google+’s main competitor, Facebook, is the king of social media.

For business owners, the power of search outweighs Facebook’s advantage in social media.

If Google+ brand pages are indexed by the search crawlers — which Business2Community columnist Alex Wall says will more than likely happen — then users seeking information through search will soon find a related Google+ brand page. This provides incredible power to the owners of these pages, and makes them a great marketing tool for their business ventures.

While it’s clear that Google still has plenty of kinks to work out before its Google+ brand pages meet all the needs of business owners, it’s equally true that the pages concept already boasts some features that savvy business owners will want to use.

And the best news? Google officials have said that its brand pages are a work in progress. Hopefully, Google technicians will be able to address the concerns that business owners across the web have voiced.


Dan Rafter is a freelance writer and editor with 15 years of journalism experience.

Online Point of Sale System

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When someone refers to an online point of sale system, they’re usually referring to cloud based point of sale software. This means the POS system runs online and doesn’t require an installation on your local computer or specialized hardware (other than the point of sale machine itself). The majority of systems being programmed these days are cloud based because it’s easier for retailers to use and doesn’t require on-site maintenance or repair.

Additionally, online point of sale software is automatically updated with new features and doesn’t require an manual installation. You just connect your device to the online software and a merchant gateway and you’re ready to process a transaction! This makes it easy to use even complicated features, like inventory tracking, and makes customer service faster.

From a developer’s perspective, online pos software is beneficial because it allows you to make big improvements to your software without requiring a software update on every user’s computer. This makes it easier to tweak your programming and user experience without interrupting service.

Roderick Campbell is the owner of Brevity Works, a boutique marketing agency, and a frequent business development blogger at ChiroHosting.com

Inexpensive Point of Sale Software

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The cost of high-quality point of sale software has declined dramatically in the last 10 years and there are now literally dozens of inexpensive point of sale software systems on the market. Most of the newer systems are cloud based, which means they run via the internet and don’t require difficulty installations or fancy hardware. This trend toward faster, lighter, and cheaper solutions makes it possible for smaller retail stores to use some of the best point of sale software on the market without spending a fortune.

One of the most challenging dilemmas is figuring out what features are most important and which inexpensive point of sale software solution best suits your needs. You’ll need to determine what kind of inventory tracking system your business requires, how many users you’ll need, if mobile functionality is important, and whether or not you’re going to need significant customization.

It’s also important that you find a company who you’ll enjoy working with because, invariably, something will go wrong or break — and probably during the holiday rush. At that moment, a fantastic customer service team can make the difference between tearing your hair out or calmly (and quickly) correcting the situation. While you’re shopping for a point of sale system, don’t hesitate to ask questions about the company’s culture and values. Everyone will tell you they have the best customer service, but you’ll be able to tell over the phone whether or not the company’s culture actually reflects that assertion. Friendliness, knowledge, and a relaxed environment are all good indications that a company knows what they’re doing and employees actually care about their work.

Additionally, look for a forward-thinking company that continually innovates. Chances are good that you’re going to work with the same company for several years and you want to make sure their technology will still be relevant in 5-10 years. This means they should be talking about their technological breakthroughs, sharing information about their development process, and soliciting feedback from customers. Companies that fail in this department may seem wonderful at the time you purchase the point of sale system, but they’ll drive you up the wall in a few years when they don’t offer any new features (like mobile integration).

I personally recommend Point of Sale Software by MerchantOS. Their POS software is fantastic and their company culture is very similar to MailChimp – one of the best email newsletter companies on the market. MerchantOS seems to be positioning themselves as a front-runner in mobile integration and their new interface refinements make it easy to use complex functions.

Roderick Campbell is the owner of Brevity Works, a boutique marketing agency, and a business development blogger at ChiroHosting.com

Web-based Point of Sale Year in Review

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Megan Mostyn-Brown –

Every small business owner who spends the bulk of their time outside of the actual store knows that a web-based point of sale can be a lifesaver. But just like every other piece of technology you deal with on a daily basis, your point of sale is set to change in the upcoming year. From new perks to easier applications we keep you posted on what you have to look forward to in the new year. 

In 2012 Shopkeep users with an iPad register can look forward to the possibility of being able to modify the quantity of items directly on the tab. This means no longer having to delete the entire quantity and then re-enter the new one, which could be a major time saver for some folks.

Customers of MerchantOS users will be able to toss out those rewards cards before the new year. The web based point of sale is launching an integration with virtual loyalty program Perkville, which uses your email address in place of an actual rewards card. This integration can increase a small business’s email list and Facebook presence and it also frees up space in your customers’ wallets.

Vend, the world’s first HTML5 web-based point of sale, has grown immensely since its launch a little over a year ago.  According to an August press release in the SFGate, the company received an injection of capital from a European investment consortium led by Point Nine Capital. This investment means Vend is set to rapidly increase its presence internationally, which can only be good news for its users.

Back in August effortlessE launched a webPOS Mobile iOS app for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, making it possible to do a complete sales transaction – including signature capture and email receipts – all on your handheld technology. Not only that, they offer a webPOS cradle that provides physical inventory capabilities letting you cut out the third party inventory counting firm. 

The use of this technology means that in the coming year we’ll see more small retail companies gaining the freedom to be hands on with customers, making it easier to compete with bigger retail stores.

As for new the web-based point of sales systems set to hit in the new year, Moneris Solutions Inc. is launching Morris. This system is already offered in Canada and will become available in the US sometime in 2012. Morris has three modules geared towards different tiers of small businesses. This division allows you to select the point of sale level that’s is right for your business.

Whichever web-based point of sale brand you use, these additions and upgrades mean good things for independent retailers trying to make a go of it in a bad economy. 



Megan Mostyn-Brown is a freelance writer who has worked for Elle.com, Girlshop.com, TypeF and Shopwiki.com.

ISIS

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Vivian Wagner

It’s become all the buzz in the mobile payments world: ISIS. But what is it? And how did it get where it is today?

Rumors first started flying about a joint venture between AT&T Mobility, T Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless to create a nationwide mobile payment infrastructure back in August, 2010.

No specifics were yet available, and no one knew what this venture would be called or how it would work, but that didn’t stop bloggers and reporters from speculating about what it would mean for the industry. And universally, they thought it would shake everything up.

The official announcement of the venture – and its name, Isis – came on Nov. 16, 2010. At that time, the company also revealed that Michael Abbott, who had previously worked for GE Capital, would be named CEO.

Over the next few months, Isis executives traveled the country to speak at conferences, conventions, and summits about the company’s mobile payment system plans.

On April 6, 2011, Isis announced that Salt Lake City would be one of its first trial markets, and that it would be working with the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) to allow payments for public transportation using mobile devices. By June, Austin, Texas had been added to the list of early launch markets.

On July 19, 2011, a partnership was announced between Isis, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. “Since the formation of Isis in November, we have been committed to building a mobile commerce platform that aligns and advances the interests of consumers, merchants and banks,” Abbott was quoted as saying in the press release. “By working with the nation’s payment networks – Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express – we significantly advance the vision of an open and secure platform that provides banks and merchants with a new and highly relevant way to connect with consumers.”

Selling the Public

In August, 2011, Isis ramped up its public relations, releasing a brochure explaining how the Isis Mobile Wallet would allow consumers to make payments, use loyalty cards, and redeem coupons.

In late September, 2011, Isis made another big announcement: HTC, LG, Motorola Mobility, RIM, Samsung Mobile and Sony Ericsson would introduce NFC-enabled mobile devices implementing Isis’ NFC and technology standards.

“Isis’ technology standards provide the direction and certainty needed for the development and deployment of NFC devices and the mobile commerce ecosystem,” the company’s chief technology officer, Scott Mulloy, said in a press release. “Working together with the device makers and our founding mobile carriers, Isis can provide the consumer choice and scale necessary for widespread adoption of mobile commerce.”

There you have it: a brief history of the company that promises to change the payments world forever. Thanks to Isis, 2012 promises to be the year when a wallet filled with credit cards will become, finally, a thing of the past.

Vivian Wagner is a freelance writer in New Concord, Ohio. Vivian blogs via Contently.com.

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