Webinar Wednesday 113 – May 5, 2021

Update: Create smart list & exports for reviews and leads (00:01:55)

• The ability to create smart lists and export data for member reviews and leads is available, with the export member data add-on providing the ability to export data for both reviews and leads (00:01:56).
• Smart lists can be created for users or website visitors who contact members and fill out the “get matched” form, allowing for emailing newsletters and other communications in the future (00:02:16).
• Smart lists can also be created for website visitors who leave reviews for members, enabling the ability to email them company newsletters, website newsletters, or stay in touch with them in different ways (00:02:38).
• The new settings for reviews and leads can be found under the “interactions” area in the admin dashboard, with options to export current results and create smart lists from the results (00:02:58).
• Filtering options are available to find specific data, such as members who contacted a certain top-level category or sub-level category, and create smart lists based on the filtered results (00:03:25).
• For member reviews, smart lists can be created based on people who have left reviews or star ratings for members, and the reviews can also be exported for use elsewhere or for record-keeping (00:03:32).
• The filters and search function can be used to narrow down results and create smart lists based on the remaining results after filtering and searching (00:03:56).

Update: Start in Grid or Map View per post type (00:04:08)

• The ability to select how post types display with regards to their search results view is available, with options including list view, grid view, and map view, and this setting can be applied to specific post types, such as events, coupons, or jobs (00:04:09).
• By default, there are list view and add-ons for grid or map view, and up until now, the design settings for all post types could be set to start in a map view, grid view, or list view, but this had to be applied to all post types (00:04:14).
• The new feature allows selecting specific post types to start in different views for their search results pages, and this setting can be found in the design settings for each post type, under search results design, where the option to start results view in a specific view, such as list view, grid view, or map view, is available (00:04:43).
• The existing setting that applies to all post types can be found in the design settings under search result pages, where the post search results layout can be set to start in list view, grid view, or map view, and this setting will apply to all post types unless overridden by a specific post type setting (00:05:22).
• To set a specific post type to start in a different view, the setting can be found in the my content section, under edit post settings, where the search results design setting for that post type can be edited, and the start results view in option can be set to use the design settings rule or overridden to select a specific view (00:06:03).
• The new feature provides more granular control over the look and feel of websites, and allows for specific post types, such as coupons or jobs, to have a different search results view than other post types, with the option to set the start results view in to list view, grid view, or map view (00:06:36).

Update: Hide credit card fields if coupon code applied = $0 (00:07:01)

• The new feature allows hiding credit card input fields on the checkout page if a coupon code makes the total zero dollars or a zero balance after the coupon code is applied, and this feature is available to those who have the easy coupon codes add-on (00:07:01).
• When the total is zero dollars, there is an option to set and hide the credit card input fields, which means not collecting credit card information on the checkout page, and this would be a personal preference (00:07:06).
• The feature can be found under the finance tab when creating coupon codes that can be applied to the site for member signups, and there is a new option called “require card when zero dollars” that allows hiding credit card fields (00:07:55).
• The “require card when zero dollars” option has a default setting of “no” which hides credit card fields if the order total is zero dollars after a promo code is applied, and this setting can be used depending on the business model and structure (00:08:36).
• The feature can be tested by creating a new coupon code and applying it to a membership plan sign-up page, and if the total is zero dollars with the setting applied, it hides the billing information and credit card fields, allowing sign-up without adding a credit card on file (00:09:07).
• The use of this feature depends on the business model, structure, and member journey, and it is now available for use if needed (00:09:42).

Update: Pre-made elements for editing email templates (00:09:55)

• The ability to use pre-made elements for editing email templates is now available, allowing users to drag and drop blocks into the editor to create newsletters more easily (00:09:56).
• These pre-made elements, currently called draggable content blocks, can be found on the right-hand side of the email template editor and can be used to create a newsletter with a more attractive design (00:10:57).
• Users can switch out the title, image, and link in these pre-made elements to customize their newsletter, and can also use features like two or three column layouts to highlight member profiles or other content (00:11:21).
• The pre-made elements can help users work faster when creating new email templates or editing the default email templates that come with the websites (00:11:42).
• A mock-up of the updated email template page has been created, which will feature the pre-made elements on the left side and make better use of available space to display email variables like first name (00:11:51).
• The direction of the email template update is to improve the user experience and make it easier to find and use email variables, with further improvements to the send newsletter functionality and statistics to be made over the next couple of months (00:12:22).
• The improvements will include better statistics on who opened, didn’t open, received, or bounced newsletters, providing users with more information and data on their newsletter campaigns (00:12:32).

Coming Soon: Better design for newsletters & their statistics (00:12:50)

• A better design for newsletters is being developed, which is expected to provide more power to users (00:12:51).
• The new design will also include improvements to the statistics for newsletters, giving users more insights and control (00:12:51).
• The upcoming design changes are intended to put more power in the hands of users, allowing them to better manage and utilize their newsletters and related statistics (00:12:55).

Coming Soon: View support tickets from admin area (00:12:57)

• An interface is being developed to allow users to create, manage, and reply to support tickets directly from the admin area, eliminating the need to navigate away from the site while working on it (00:12:59).
• The interface will enable users to create a support ticket from the admin area and engage in back-and-forth communication with the support team, who will reply to the tickets (00:13:18).
• The goal of this new interface is to improve communication and the speed of communication between users and the support team, helping to answer questions and resolve issues more efficiently (00:13:26).

Coming Soon: Google Pagespeed score improvements (00:13:39)

• Improvements are being made to Google PageSpeed Tools scores and other page speed tools, with the first round of updates expected to be completed by mid-June, although a completion date of May is also being targeted (00:13:39).
• The anticipated completion date is more likely to be the middle or end of June, rather than May, due to the complexity of the updates (00:13:53).
• Simulations have shown that the page scores are expected to improve almost 3x, or at least double, compared to the current page speed scores on websites (00:14:02).
• The improvements will be applied across the board, resulting in higher page speed scores for all BD websites (00:14:09).

Coming Soon: Exclude Smart Lists when sending newsletters (00:14:12)

• A new feature is being introduced, allowing users to exclude smart lists when sending newsletters, which will provide more granular control over who receives emails (00:14:12).
• Currently, users can select which smart lists to include when sending newsletters, and the upcoming feature will add the option to exclude people who fall under different smart lists (00:14:14).
• The ability to exclude smart lists will enable users to be more specific about who they want to email when sending newsletters, allowing for more targeted and precise communication (00:14:17).

Coming Soon: Improve workflow for matching leads with members (00:14:35)

• Improvements are being made to the workflow and user interface for matching and viewing leads, with the goal of making it more intuitive and streamlined, particularly on the manage leads page (00:14:35).
• The manage leads page will display additional data, including badges that show the number of pending matches for a lead, allowing users to see how many members have declined a lead and how many have accepted it (00:14:49).
• The page will also display the revenue generated by a lead, including the total revenue from selling leads to members, and will show the number of complete matches out of the maximum allowed acceptances (00:15:14).
• The current process of matching leads will be changed from opening a new tab to a pop-up, making it easier to work with and more streamlined by removing unnecessary design elements (00:15:39).
• The new design aims to provide a more user-friendly experience, making it easier to view and manage leads, and to see key information such as pending matches, declined leads, and revenue generated (00:15:52).

Coming Soon: Ongoing updates to make things more awesome :) (00:15:58)

• The development team is working on various smaller fixes and addressing reported issues to maintain a stable and great overall system (00:15:59).
• The team is open to feedback and suggestions from users, and they encourage users to raise their hands or comment if they have any questions or feedback about the updates (00:16:11).
• A user named Colette had her hand up and was acknowledged, and it was mentioned that her suggestion for views per post type was appreciated and exciting (00:16:26).
• Colette was welcomed and thanked for her suggestion, and she was also excited about the upcoming options being introduced (00:16:41).
• Colette had a question, which was acknowledged, but the details of the question were not specified in this part of the conversation (00:16:48).

How to add images into a newsletter? (00:16:50)

• To add images into a newsletter, one option is to copy the image link from the website and paste the URL into the newsletter, which allows the image to be added without having to download and upload it (00:17:04).
• Another option is to right-click on the image, copy the image, and then paste it into the newsletter using the keyboard shortcut control v, which also works for adding images (00:18:46).
• The method of dragging and dropping an image into the newsletter does not appear to be supported, but using the image link or copying and pasting the image are viable alternatives (00:18:10).
• If the image is already on the website, copying the image link and using the replace by URL option is likely the easiest method for adding the image to the newsletter (00:18:22).
• The process of adding images to a newsletter is made easier by using the copy and paste method or the URL method, which eliminates the need to save and upload the image (00:18:33).
• Jason is suggested to try right-clicking on the image, copying it, and then pasting it into the newsletter to see if that method works for him (00:18:40).

How to view website traffic/visitor analytics? Google Analytics & Hotjar (00:19:34)

• To view website traffic and visitor analytics, Google Analytics is a highly recommended tool, as it is free and provides an immense amount of data, including information on devices, countries, regions, cities, and pages visited, as well as the time spent on each page (00:19:34).
• Google Analytics requires a Google account or Gmail account to sign up and can be connected to any website, providing valuable insights into visitor behavior and navigation (00:20:04).
• Another tool for website analytics is Hotjar, which offers a freemium model and provides features such as heat maps, showing where users are clicking on the website, to help improve navigation and identify areas for improvement (00:20:24).
• Hotjar’s heat map feature can help identify which links are being clicked, such as main menu links, footer links, or links in the middle of content, and can aid in optimizing the website’s layout and call-to-action placement (00:20:54).
• Hotjar offers a basic plan that is free forever, making it a good starting point for personal websites or small businesses, while its paid plans may be more suitable for websites with substantial traffic (00:21:33).
• Google Analytics and Hotjar are specialized tools for page traffic analytics, making them better options than other companies, and can provide valuable insights to improve website performance and user experience (00:22:16).

BD’s future plans to provide integrated website analytics and reports (00:22:27)

• Plans are in place to provide more graphs, charts, and reports for places where showing data would make sense, such as simple stats like page counts, at the end of 2021 (00:22:35).
• The goal is to include features like leads per month in a graph format, rather than just in a list view, to provide better indicators of a website’s health (00:22:50).
• This addition is expected to make the platform more well-rounded, considering all the features that are already built in (00:23:06).
• A user, Aslan, expressed excitement about the updates and gratitude for the continuous additions to the platform (00:23:30).
• Aslan had a question, but the details of the question are not specified in this portion of the conversation (00:23:46).

How to display custom banner ads to visitors in specific locations? (00:23:47)

• The discussion involves creating smart lists and exports for reviews and leads, with a focus on directory software, and the ability to create paid ads for a website, specifically targeting attorneys in certain states, such as Florida for personal injury attorneys (00:23:49).
• A demo site is used to demonstrate the process, which has sample member data, including 349 members in Florida, and the ability to create a static page for Florida members by clicking on “view websites” to get the admin bar and then clicking on “create static page” (00:24:43).
• The static page can be created by setting the URL to “florida” and the page type to “member search results”, allowing for control over the page, including the ability to add banner ads (00:25:18).
• The process involves creating a new sidebar, giving it a nickname, such as “florida search results”, and saving it, then editing the sidebar to add banner ads (00:26:47).
• The banner ads can be created in the design settings under “banner ads”, where extra banner ads can be added, and linked to a specific URL, such as a Facebook group, using an image and a link (00:27:21).
• The widget name, such as “bootstrappingbanner7”, is important to note when adding extra banner ads, to ensure they are added to the correct location (00:27:56).
• A static page was created for Florida search results, and a custom sidebar was added to the page with a banner ad, allowing for more Search engine optimization value and unique content to be added, such as writing about lawyers in Florida, which can help with Google rankings (00:28:06).
• The custom sidebar can be dragged into the sidebar page, and design settings can be saved, including the addition of a banner ad, to create a unique and customizable page (00:28:10).
• The static page can be customized with custom content, such as text or images, and can be linked to other member profiles or pages, providing more exposure and SEO value (00:28:50).
• The position of the custom content can be chosen, such as above member results or above body content, and can be used to add more value to the page and help with Google rankings (00:29:15).
• Images can be added to the custom content, and can be linked to other pages or profiles, providing more opportunities for customization and exposure (00:30:00).
• The creation of a static search results page from a dynamic search results page can help with SEO rankings and provide more unique content, and can be done by adding custom content and customizing the page (00:30:52).
• Google Analytics can be used to find the most popular search results pages and add more unique content to those pages to help with rankings, and this can be done over time, without needing to do all of the pages at once (00:31:06).
• The discussion begins with a mention of being self-muted, and a greeting is exchanged, with a question being referenced as great (00:31:57)
• A topic related to Search engine optimization is mentioned as something that was going to be discussed (00:32:00)
• The importance of regular listening, specifically every two weeks, is highlighted as a way to learn something great (00:32:07)
• A person is being addressed, with a statement implying that they always have valuable information to share (00:32:09)

How does the system generate URLs for members and posts with the same name? (00:32:10)

• When multiple members have the same name, the system generates URLs by adding a unique identifier, such as a member ID, to the URL, for example, “bob’s fruit market” for the first member and “bob’s fruit market-99” or “bob’s fruit market-213” for subsequent members with the same name (00:32:17).
• For products with the same name, the system generates URLs by using the product name as is for the first product, and then adding the product ID to the URL for subsequent products with the same name, for example, “apple jelly” for the first product and “apple jelly-99” or “apple jelly-213” for subsequent products (00:33:00).
• If a member updates their product name, the system creates a redirect from the original URL to the new URL, so that any existing links or traffic to the original URL are redirected to the new URL (00:34:13).
• In cases where multiple redirects are created simultaneously, it can cause conflicts and confusion in the system, and it is recommended to check the 301 redirect rules and delete any conflicting or incorrect redirects (00:34:42).
• To resolve issues with conflicting redirects, users can search for and delete unnecessary redirect rules under the developer tools section (00:35:11).

Do static web pages created from dynamic web pages need to have the same URL? (00:35:36)

• When creating a static page from a dynamic page, the URL of the static page should correspond to the URL of the dynamic page, which is why selecting the page type for member search results is important, as it makes the connection between the URL and the dynamic page (00:35:57).
• To find the corresponding URL for a dynamic page, one can click on the breadcrumb of a member, take everything after the forward slash, and use that as the URL for the static page (00:36:19).
• Another way to find the corresponding URL is to look at the source code of the dynamic page, find the canonical link, and use the pretty URL listed there, which is the URL that search engines like Google use to identify the corresponding page (00:36:56).
• The canonical link can be found by right-clicking on the page, selecting “view source” or pressing Ctrl + U, and then searching for the canonical link in the source code (00:37:16).
• Using the pretty URL from the canonical link is important for search engines and for sitemap generators, as it tells them which page is the corresponding static page for a dynamic page (00:37:32).
• It would be helpful to display the pretty URL for dynamic searches in the admin sidebar, so that users can easily find the corresponding URL for a dynamic page (00:38:03).
• The discussion highlights the importance of using the correct URL when creating static pages from dynamic pages, to ensure that search engines and sitemap generators can correctly identify the corresponding pages (00:38:10).

How to add custom content to empty search result pages? (00:38:38)

• To add custom content to empty search result pages, it is possible to edit the default message that appears when there are no member results, and this can be done by adding a video or other content to a text label (00:39:42).
• The process involves going to a page with no member results, editing the message, and adding a video or other content, such as a widget, to the text label (00:40:10).
• It is also possible to create a static page for search results and add custom content, such as a video, that will appear when there are no results, but this may require working with a developer to create an if statement (00:41:53).
• The if statement would allow the custom content to appear only when there are no results, and it would be possible to create a video that speaks directly to a specific industry or category (00:42:21).
• Additionally, it is possible to add a universal video that will appear even when there are results, such as a “haven’t found what you’re looking for” video (00:42:32).
• The webinar concluded with a discussion of the possibilities for customizing search result pages and the potential for using videos and other content to enhance the user experience (00:42:47).