Webinar Wednesday 108 – February 24, 2021

Update: New “Design Settings” Layout (00:02:25)

• A new layout for design settings is available in the admin area, providing a brief overview of the changes, including better organization of settings into modules that make sense (00:02:26).
• The settings were reorganized due to the creation of more settings over the last year, which caused them to become jumbled up, so they are now grouped into categories such as main website design, color settings, and drop-down options (00:02:44).
• The member profile pages have been improved, with a dedicated option that allows users to choose the profile photo style, content display, and whether to use tabs or a streamlined page (00:03:13).
• Users can now customize the member profile page by selecting the profile photo style, such as circle or standard corners, and choosing how the content is displayed, including the use of tabs for overview, coupons, reviews, and more (00:03:25).
• The content boxes and backgrounds, previously called modules, have been simplified and can now be easily customized, including the box background and border color (00:03:45).
• The new design settings layout aims to provide a more organized and user-friendly experience, with all the main settings still available, including website design, color settings, and more (00:02:56).

Update: Shadow Effect for Content Boxes (00:04:03)

• The new design settings layout includes an option to enable a shadow effect on content boxes, which can be turned on or off, and this feature adds a subtle touch to the page (00:04:03).
• The shadow effect is very subtle and lifts the content boxes off the page, adding a little light shadow behind them, and its use depends on the desired aesthetic (00:04:27).
• The design settings also include an updated section for button colors, making it easier to see and choose the primary button color, success, and other button colors to match the theme of the branding elements (00:04:48).
• The home page was the catalyst for updating the design settings, and the new design settings include global settings for sections, such as how data is displayed, hover background and color, and button settings (00:05:01).
• The design settings also include options for image settings, section titles, font sizes, and selecting additional content blocks to stream or cascade down the home page (00:05:29).
• The hero section of the home page has been updated to include more concise and together settings, such as the main title and subtitle, making it easier to customize the home page (00:05:52).
• The updated design settings are live and available for everyone to experience, including the new shadow effect for content boxes and other features (00:06:04).

Update: Emojis in Text Editor (00:06:16)

• The text editor now allows the use of Emoji and emoticons, which was a requested feature from the Facebook group, and this feature is disabled by default but can be enabled in the advanced settings (00:06:18).
• Enabling this feature can add a fun element to the site, and it is an advanced setting that can be turned on or off, giving users the choice to use emojis in the text editor and have them reflected on the front of the site (00:06:32).
• To enable the use of emojis, users can go to their settings, then to the advanced settings, which can also be found by using the search filter and searching for “emoji”, and then toggle the option on (00:07:03).
• The use of emojis can be particularly useful in private member chat tools, where members are sending each other chat messages, as it makes conversations more engaging and senseful (00:07:25).
• Emojis can be used in various contexts, such as in blog articles or chat messages, and the feature works great in both methods, allowing users to add a personal touch to their content (00:07:37).

Update: Display Sub-Accounts on Parent’s Profile Page (00:07:42)

• The new feature allows displaying sub-accounts on a parent’s profile page in a tab, which is useful for sites with the multi-member manager add-on, where a parent member can create separate profiles that are individually searchable on the site (00:07:42).
• The sub-accounts tab will show all child accounts or sub-accounts that are part of the parent account, making it useful for companies, talent agencies, or law firms that have multiple profiles under a main account (00:08:18).
• To enable this feature, administrators need to edit the membership plan settings, specifically the post-publishing options, and set “can this account have sub-accounts” to active and “show sub-account tab” to active (00:09:31).
• The tab title can be controlled by editing the sub-accounts post type under the edit post settings, specifically on the profile page design tab, where administrators can also choose the tab order (00:10:17).
• Administrators can choose which tab shows first on the profile page, and if multiple tabs have the same order, they will be displayed in alphabetical order (00:10:41).
• The ability to customize the tab order and title allows administrators to focus on the most important aspects of their site, such as member photo albums or real estate property listings (00:11:13).

Update: Set External URLs for 301 Redirects (00:11:30)

• The update allows setting external URLs for 301 redirects, which means redirecting users from one page to another, and this feature is considered high value, although it may not be used frequently (00:11:30).
• A 301 redirect rule can be set up to send users to another page, either internally on the website or externally to a different site, such as a social media channel, and an example of this is redirecting from brilliantdirectories.com/Facebook to the Brilliant Directories Facebook group (00:11:34).
• Before this update, 301 redirect rules only supported internal links on the website, but now they also support external URLs, allowing for more flexibility in redirecting users (00:12:08).
• To set up a 301 redirect rule, users can go to the dashboard, then to Web development tools, and click on 301 Redirect Rules, where they can create a new rule by specifying the source URL and the target URL (00:12:34).
• When creating a new redirect rule, users can enter a source URL without a forward slash, and then enter the full target URL, such as the URL of a Facebook group, and save the rule (00:12:51).
• The new redirect rule can be tested by copying the URL and pasting it into a browser to see if it redirects correctly to the target URL, such as the Brilliant Directories Facebook group (00:13:18).
• This feature can be useful when trying to link users to other places where a brand has a presence, such as social media channels, and can help with redirecting users to the correct page (00:13:42).

Update: Sort Order of Member Upgrade Options (00:13:51)

• Members can select other membership plans to upgrade to or change their plan to, and now the order of these upgrade options can be chosen, allowing for more control over the display of available plans (00:13:52).
• The upgrade options were previously based on the search results priority order, but now it is possible to choose the order of the membership plans available for a member to upgrade to or change their plan to, as well as decide which one will be pre-selected for them (00:14:17).
• To set up the upgrade options, go to the finance and membership plans section, edit a membership plan, and scroll down to the sign up and upgrade settings, where the available upgrade options can be selected and the display order can be set (00:14:34).
• The display order can be set by assigning a number to each plan, with the plan assigned the number one being displayed first, and the pre-selected plan can be chosen by moving it to the top and selecting it (00:15:09).
• Claim listing accounts, which are usually used for imported member data, cannot be upgraded to, so they should not be included in the available upgrade options (00:15:28).
• The changes to the upgrade options can be tested by logging in as a general user and checking the upgrade listing button, where the selected plans and pre-selected plan will be displayed (00:16:05).
• It is also possible to add content above the upgrade options, such as text, images, videos, or bullet lists, to provide more information to members about the benefits of upgrading their plan (00:16:42).

Update: Upload .doc & .ppt files in Media Manager (00:17:34)

• The media manager supports uploading various file types, including images such as jpegs, gifs, and pngs, as well as svgs, pdfs, and now word documents like doc files and powerpoint presentations, including ppt, pptx, and docx files, to prevent malicious files from being uploaded (00:17:34).
• The supported file types can be used to create lead magnets, such as ebooks, where the assets are uploaded to the media manager and then made available as downloadable links on a thank you page (00:17:50).
• The ability to upload word documents and powerpoint presentations is a new feature, while pdfs were already supported, and this update allows for more flexibility in managing media files (00:17:53).
• The media manager’s file type support is limited to a small list to prevent malicious files from being uploaded, but it now includes word docs and powerpoints, in addition to the previously supported file types (00:17:41).
• The update enables users to upload assets, such as word documents and powerpoint presentations, to the media manager, and then use them to create downloadable links on thank you pages, making it easier to manage and share files (00:18:00).
• The media manager’s new features and supported file types provide more options for users to manage and share their media files, including word documents, powerpoint presentations, and pdfs (00:18:16).

Coming Soon: Public & Logged In Header Menu (00:18:34)

• The system will have two different header menus: one for the public and one for members who are logged in, with the ability to customize the logged-in menu to exclude unnecessary items such as “member login” or “get listed” buttons (00:18:35).
• When a member logs in, the original menu is replaced by a simpler “account status” display, but with the upcoming update, it will be possible to retain a menu for logged-in members, allowing for additional menu items and a dashboard toggle (00:18:40).
• The new feature will enable customization of the header menu for logged-in members, allowing administrators to add or remove menu items as needed, and this customization will only be visible when members are logged in (00:19:02).

Coming Soon: Free Trials without Entering Credit Card Info (00:19:10)

• The ability to offer free trial periods without requiring members to put a credit card on file is currently going through its final QA and will be available soon, allowing administrators to choose whether to enable this feature (00:19:10).
• Currently, free trial periods can be enabled with the free trial period add-on, but it requires the person to put a credit card on file and they will be billed if they don’t cancel prior to the free trial period date ending (00:19:12).
• If credit card information is not collected upfront, the person’s free trial period will expire and they will be passed due because they owe the membership fee, but they can add a credit card on file from within their member dashboard at that point (00:19:36).
• The new feature will give administrators control over the signup process, allowing them to decide how much friction they want, and they can choose to make the signup process frictionless for members (00:19:56).
• The upcoming feature will provide flexibility in terms of the type of flow administrators are looking for, and they can decide whether to require credit card information upfront or allow members to add it later (00:19:58).

Coming Soon: Preview When Editing Forms (00:20:04)

• A new update is coming that will allow users to preview changes when editing forms, which was previously shared in the Facebook group (00:20:04).
• When creating or editing a custom or default form in the admin area, users will be able to see a preview of their changes as they work on the form (00:20:13).
• The preview feature will enable users to view their changes on the right side of the screen while working on the form on the left side, eliminating the need to refresh the page on the front end of the site (00:20:26).
• This new feature aims to provide a more efficient and streamlined experience for users, allowing them to see a preview of the form while working on it in the admin area (00:20:38).

Coming Soon: New Dashboard Area to View Websites & Support Tickets (00:20:48)

• A new dashboard area is being developed to allow users with multiple websites on Brilliant Directories to view all their sites, get a snapshot of revenue and member count, and manage support tickets in one place (00:20:49).
• The new dashboard area will provide a list of website lists, add-ons enabled, quick links to the live site, revenue counts, member counts, role on the site, and links to log into the admin portal to work on and edit the site (00:21:10).
• The current process of toggling between sites can be cumbersome for users with multiple sites, so a new drop-down feature is being worked on to provide metadata about the current site and a link to view all websites (00:21:43).
• The new drop-down feature will take users to the new dashboard area, making it easier to manage multiple sites (00:21:55).
• Other updates are also being worked on, including form manager updates to make it easier to edit forms, see who submitted forms, and export submitted information (00:22:14).
• The goal of these updates is to make it easier for users to manage their websites and forms, and to provide a better overall experience (00:22:30).

Overview of how general leads and direct leads work (00:22:52)

• The lead system is robust and substantial, allowing visitors to contact members directly, which is referred to as a direct lead, and this process can be customized in the back end for membership plans (00:23:06).
• When a visitor fills out a form to contact a member, the lead will be sent to the member, and depending on the settings, the member can accept the lead for free or pay a certain amount for the inquiry, with the option to preview some details before purchasing (00:23:29).
• The system can also match leads with multiple members based on location and categories, using the auto lead matching add-on, and members can purchase or accept these leads depending on the settings (00:24:14).
• A single lead can be sent to multiple members, and the members can purchase the lead to get the full information, or accept it for free, depending on the membership plan settings (00:24:35).
• Having a flexible refund policy can help build trust with members, as sometimes members may purchase leads that are not genuine, and being able to refund them can keep them engaged and willing to continue using the site (00:25:07).
• The lead system can generate significant revenue, for example, selling a lead for $25 to a maximum of three or four members can yield $100 in revenue, and this can be scaled using Google Ads or Facebook Ads and figuring out the return on investment (00:25:37).
• The Brilliant Directories platform has a built-in system for managing leads, and users can take advantage of this by reading the documentation, asking questions through support tickets, and watching webinars to get the most out of the software (00:26:54).

Can members only upload files within forms? (00:27:11)

• The requirement is to have members upload files, such as a CV, within forms, and it seems this functionality is currently only possible in the membership area, not on the front end (00:27:11).
• File upload with forms has been requested, but due to security concerns, a suitable way to implement this feature, especially for public visitors, has not been found yet (00:27:42).
• Jaquin Shaw from Business Labs has successfully implemented file upload functionality for Brilliant Directories users through customization, allowing them to manage and see all uploaded files in a designated area in the backend (00:28:04).
• Currently, there is no default way to accomplish file upload within forms, especially for public visitors, but it is acknowledged that this is something that should be addressed soon (00:28:22).
• The lack of a default file upload feature is a known limitation, and it has been discussed in the Facebook group, with Jaquin Shaw’s customization being a potential solution for some users (00:28:00).

How are leads automatically distributed with relation to member categories? (00:28:37)

• The lead distribution is based on the membership plans, with top-level categories having priority in receiving leads that match their category, and if they don’t want the leads, they are then distributed to other businesses (00:28:46).
• When a visitor requests someone in a top-level category, the lead will only be matched with members who are part of that top-level category, allowing for benefits to be given to certain membership plans within that category (00:29:23).
• To give benefits to higher-tiered membership plans, the price per lead can be adjusted, with options to give higher-tiered members a discount compared to lower-tiered members (00:29:38).
• The system routes leads to members based on the category they are in, with top-level categories like “Active Life” only being matched with members who are part of that category, and this routing can be controlled (00:29:51).
• The lead distribution system allows for flexibility in how leads are matched with members, with options to adjust the price per lead and prioritize top-level categories, and it can be controlled to direct leads to specific members or categories (00:30:02).

Manually matching leads with members? (00:30:05)

• Manually matching leads with members involves deciding who to give the leads to, which can be a more time-consuming process but allows for more control and verification of the lead information (00:30:06).
• This approach was used in the past when running directory websites, where every lead was called and verified, and more information was gathered about the project before matching it with members who paid a premium for the vetted leads (00:30:17).
• To manually match leads, the auto-match settings can be adjusted under lead settings, where the default actions for direct and indirect leads can be set to “no” to prevent automated lead matching (00:30:43).
• By setting direct and indirect leads to “no”, nobody will receive automated leads, and the leads can be manually matched with members as they come in, with no automatic notifications (00:31:17).
• The manual matching process involves clicking “match lead” and selecting from suggested matches based on location radius and category, and then matching the lead as pending or accepted on behalf of the member (00:31:57).
• This approach can be beneficial for businesses, as it allows for more control and can result in more money, and it’s also better for clients, as seen in the structure of Olga’s business (00:31:49).

Adding custom content to the homepage (00:32:41)

• To add custom content to the homepage, users can hide the hero section by going to design settings, which can be found under the home page, and selecting the option to hide the entire hero section (00:32:41).
• Users can create a custom homepage content using the web page builder, which allows them to design a custom landing page with their preferred layout and content (00:32:59).
• The custom homepage content can be added to the home page by clicking the edit settings and pasting the content into the designated area, allowing users to display their custom content on the home page (00:35:18).
• Users can still have other streaming items on their home page, in addition to their custom content, by setting section one to display the custom homepage content and keeping other sections intact (00:34:42).
• The process of adding custom content to the homepage involves duplicating the tab, saving the changes, and comparing the original and updated versions to ensure the desired outcome (00:34:10).
• The custom homepage content can be edited and updated as needed, allowing users to make changes to their home page without sacrificing other important content (00:35:21).

Can different members be charged a different amount to purchase leads? (00:35:51)

• The current lead cost is a flat rate based on the type of membership selected, meaning that the lead price is the same regardless of the location, such as Beverly Hills, California, or Fargo, North Dakota (00:35:51).
• However, there is an option to set a different price for leads by category, so for example, a lawyer’s lead could be priced differently than a dog walker’s lead, and this category price would override the membership plan’s lead price (00:36:30).
• The categories can be further broken down into sub-levels, allowing for more specific pricing, such as setting a different price for personal injury attorneys versus immigration attorneys (00:36:53).
• The hierarchy of pricing works such that the most specific sub-level price takes precedence, so if a sub-level has a set price, that price will be used instead of the higher-level category price (00:37:58).
• The platform has evolved over time, originally built for lead distribution about 10 years ago, and has since expanded to include member directories and other features (00:38:36).
• A user, Eric, has questions about using the platform for a membership website, including how to automate tasks for different member levels and how to set up membership plans (00:38:50).

Can past due members automatically be downgraded to a a free membership plan? (00:39:24)

• The system does not have a feature to automatically downgrade members to a different membership plan if their payment is past due, but it can put their account on hold due to an outstanding invoice (00:39:50).
• When a member’s account is put on hold, it is recommended to also use the billing reminder emails, which notify the member that they are past due and need to update their card on file, and also send a daily or weekly summary to the admin owner (00:40:14).
• The billing reminder emails can be used to identify members who are past due, and the admin owner can then perform a bulk action to update their membership plan if needed (00:40:34).
• To update the membership plan of past due members, the admin owner can search for members with past due transactions, highlight them, and then perform a bulk action to change their membership plan (00:40:57).
• The ability to identify past due members and bulk update their membership plan is a standard feature and does not require any add-ons (00:41:16).
• The admin owner can choose to update the membership plan of past due members to any plan they want, effectively downgrading them if needed (00:41:22).

General information on the security of the BD platform? (00:41:30)

• The topic of security is being discussed, with a need for documentation to share with others about the security of the Brilliant Directories (BD) platform, particularly in regards to enterprise security (00:41:31).
• There are various security and compliance measures in place, including General Data Protection Regulation and privacy measures for the EU, which are also being implemented in California and Canada, focusing on user consent (00:41:58).
• The BD platform also has PCI compliance with payment processors, and it handles password encryption and other security measures (00:42:07).
• The documentation for these security measures is available, and it will be shared in a Facebook post to address the question of what security features are in place (00:42:19).
• The security features and compliance measures are all handled within the BD platform, providing a secure environment for users (00:42:14).

Are future updates coming to the email/CMS functionality? (00:42:25)

• There are plans to improve the email system, including building a minimal CRM that allows users to see emails that were sent and what was responded to, with a focus on better list management, email tracking, and statistics from email campaigns, all of which are expected to be implemented in 2021 (00:42:25).
• The goal is to present the data from email campaigns in a correct and user-friendly way, and work has already started on this project in 2021 (00:42:57).
• The improvements will also include enhancements to the form manager, email newsletters, and list creation, which are all important features for users (00:42:48).
• The development team has already begun working on these features, with the aim of providing a more comprehensive and user-friendly email system (00:42:58).
• The new updates are part of a broader effort to improve the overall user experience, which includes the recently introduced new UI that has been well-received by users (00:43:33).
• The team is committed to continuing to work on and improve the email and CMS functionality, with a focus on meeting the needs of users like Jeff, who has been waiting for these updates (00:43:27).

Will the customer dashboard area to view websites & support tickets include subscription information? (00:43:39)

• The customer dashboard area will include information about the account with Brilliant Directories, such as when the subscription is due and what add-ons are included (00:43:40).
• The website dashboard at the top will display details about all the websites, including the next upcoming payment and payment history (00:43:41).
• The dashboard will also show the start date of the subscription and the upcoming payment, providing a comprehensive overview of the account (00:43:43).
• The inclusion of this information will make the customer dashboard a valuable resource, providing all the necessary details in one place (00:43:45).
• The payment history and upcoming payment information will be particularly useful, allowing customers to stay on top of their account and subscription (00:43:51).
• The overall design and functionality of the customer dashboard will be a key feature, making it easy for customers to manage their websites and subscriptions (00:43:54).

Future updates to make websites load and store data more efficiently? (00:44:05)

• The goal is to improve the Google page speed on default sites by optimizing javascript usage and reducing the time to first byte for the initial ping to the servers, which will help with page speeds and loading times (00:44:16).
• The team is currently working on optimizing javascript usage and how it loads across the page, as well as reducing the time to first byte for the initial ping to the servers (00:44:25).
• The webp format for images is becoming more mainstream and recommended, but it is not yet available, and the team is likely to work on image compression and utilizing lighter images on the page after optimizing javascript usage (00:44:48).
• The plan is to implement more efficient image formatting, such as webp, once the current tasks are completed and the team has a few more tasks in a good place (00:44:59).
• The next steps will include working on image compression and utilizing lighter images on the page, which will help with page speeds and loading times (00:45:01).
• The team will continue to work on improving the site’s efficiency and performance, with the next webinar scheduled in two weeks, where more questions and topics will be discussed (00:45:28).