Webinar Wednesday 153 – March 15, 2023

Finance: Local Timezone Setting to Select Time to Process Payments (00:03:30)

• The finance feature allows users to decide what time of day they would like their scheduled payments to be processed, which is particularly helpful for users in Australia, New Zealand, and other locations east of or behind Europe compared to the United States (00:03:30).
• Currently, most payments are scheduled to be processed around 6 A.M. Eastern Time in the United States, which can result in partners in Australia and New Zealand billing their members at the end of the day (00:03:52).
• The new feature enables users to change the payment processing time and select a more suitable time based on their specific local time zone, making it more convenient for users in different regions (00:04:07).
• This update is expected to benefit users in various locations, including Australia and New Zealand, by allowing them to collect payments at a more appropriate time of day (00:04:14).

Finance: Bulk Action Settings for the New Search Subscriptions Page (00:04:19)

• The new page to search subscriptions has been recently released, providing a useful tool for managing subscriptions (00:04:21).
• Bulk actions will soon be available, allowing for bulk stopping of subscriptions, changing the next bill date, and modifying the bill amount of subscriptions (00:04:27).
• The upcoming bulk actions feature will enable making bulk changes to a group of members with similar subscription plans, such as updating their bill date and other related changes (00:04:41).

Import: Image Support When Importing Posts via CSV File (00:04:51)

• Importing posts via a CSV file is a recently created ability, similar to importing members, which currently allows importing events, job listings, and articles, but is pending the ability to support images (00:04:56).
• The ability to support images when importing posts via a CSV file is expected to be available next month, in March, which will enable the creation of a Zapier action for creating posts in the Brilliant Directory site (00:05:15).
• Once image support is available, it will be possible to use Zapier or other tools, such as Pably, to auto-populate a website with events, job listings, and articles from third-party sources or feeds, and these posts will have image support (00:05:37).
• The upcoming ability to import posts with image support via a CSV file and the creation of a Zapier action will allow for automated population of a website with various types of posts, making it easier to manage and update content (00:05:41).

Sidebars: Setting to Hide Sidebars on Mobile Devices (00:05:48)

• Settings have been created to allow users to choose how sidebars are displayed on mobile devices, including the option to show the sidebar below or above the main content of the site (00:05:48).
• Soon, users will have the ability to simply hide sidebars on mobile devices, and they will be able to pick and choose which pages to hide the sidebar on (00:05:58).
• The option to hide sidebars on certain pages is intended to improve the mobile experience for users, as sidebars may not provide valuable content on smaller screen sizes (00:06:04).
• The new feature will enable users to deliver a better mobile experience to visitors by hiding sidebars on pages where they are not necessary (00:06:19).

Pages: Dedicated Static Page to Edit for “Password Retrieval” (00:06:27)

• Members have the ability to retrieve their password using a forgot password button when logging in, which can be found on the member login page (00:06:29).
• The password retrieval page is currently powered by a widget, but creating a dedicated static page allows for more control and flexibility to add additional content and support options (00:06:33).
• A dedicated static page for password retrieval can be modified to include more support options for members who are stuck and need help beyond just retrieving their password (00:07:06).
• The member login page is a dedicated page that can be found in the website pages in the admin area, and from there, members can click to reset their password (00:06:51).
• Having a dedicated static page for password retrieval provides the opportunity to add more content and give members more control over the page, making it a more user-friendly experience (00:07:17).

Chats: Webhook Support for Member Chats (ping members via SMS texts) (00:07:20)

• Members can chat amongst themselves directly, and webhook support is being created for member chats, which will enable website owners to utilize tools like Zapier and Pably (00:07:22).
• The creation of webhook support for member chats will allow website owners to integrate member chats with various tools, enabling use cases such as pinging members via SMS text messages (00:07:24).
• One potential use case for the webhook support is to send an SMS text message to members when they receive a new chat on the website, notifying them of the new message (00:07:37).

Tons More: Speed, security & stability updates on the way! (00:07:44)

• Several updates are upcoming, including speed, security, and stability improvements, with many of these updates being based on suggestions from the BD Community (00:07:45).
• The community is encouraged to provide feedback and suggestions, which are taken into consideration for future updates, and a special thank you is extended to the members of the BD Community for their contributions (00:07:49).
• Viewers are given the opportunity to ask questions or provide comments about the upcoming features before moving on to the next topic, and they can raise their hand to have their questions addressed (00:07:58).
• Since there are no questions from the audience, the discussion will proceed to the next topic, which is the tip of the week (00:08:08).

Utilize Private Member Chat to Provide Live Member Support (00:08:12)

• The tip of the week involves utilizing the add-on for private member chats to repurpose it and provide live chat to members, allowing for live member support through private member chat (00:08:13).
• The private member chat add-on can be used to provide live support to members, and this concept will be walked through with a live example and setup demonstration (00:08:15).
• A live example and setup of the private member chat for live member support will be shown shortly, demonstrating how to implement this feature (00:08:34).
• The process of utilizing private member chat for live member support will be explained in detail, including the steps to set it up (00:08:37).

What is Private Member Chat? (00:08:40)

• The private member chat add-on allows for direct, one-to-one messaging between members on a website, with all messaging taking place and being stored on the website (00:08:40).
• Members can include images in the messages they send to one another and receive email notifications when they receive new messages on the website, which can be accessed from their profiles (00:09:06).
• Members can also access their message threads from within their Account dashboard on the website, providing a convenient way to manage their conversations (00:09:17).
• As the website administrator, there is access to all of the messages directly from the admin panel, allowing for oversight and management of the private member chat (00:09:28).
• The private member chat add-on enables live, direct messaging on the website, and its features can be utilized to support members in various ways (00:08:52).

Benefits of Live Support Chat for Members (00:09:38)

• Utilizing live Technical support on a website allows for faster resolutions to members’ questions and concerns, enabling website owners to address them more quickly and efficiently than through email (00:09:39).
• Live chat support provides convenience to members, as they are already logged into their accounts on the website and do not need to navigate away or open their email account to seek help (00:10:24).
• A significant percentage of customers, 73%, report high satisfaction levels when using live chat, according to a study by e-digital, and 79% of consumers prefer live chat because it provides fast answers and quick responses, as found in a com100 study (00:10:11).
• Live chat support enables a more personalized experience, allowing website owners to address members by name, offer solutions based on their specific needs, and ask follow-up questions to learn more about their experience on the website (00:10:55).
• Providing live chat support can increase loyalty and retention among members, as it helps to provide a positive experience and prompts members to continue their membership subscription, with 79% of customers who use live chat support being more likely to make a repeat purchase, according to a keoko study (00:11:57).
• Live chat support can lead to increased sales and revenue, as satisfied members are more likely to renew their subscription, purchase other services, or buy downloadable ebooks or physical products offered by the website (00:12:30).

Benefits of Live Support Chat for YOU (00:13:04)

• Providing live Technical support directly on a website to members makes it easier to onboard new members, addressing their concerns and frustrations in real time, which can lead to a better overall experience and increased retention (00:13:05).
• Live chat support allows for immediate help and alleviates concerns, potentially reducing cancellations and putting the website owner on good footing with new members, while also giving them a competitive advantage (00:13:10).
• The live chat support provides insight into members’ behavior, preferences, and needs, allowing the website owner to learn more about their members and provide a better experience, which can also lead to increased revenue (00:14:53).
• Live chat support has the potential to increase revenue by improving retention, reducing cancellations, and identifying upsell opportunities, which can be beneficial for website owners who charge membership fees (00:15:49).
• The live chat support can improve a website’s SEO by increasing the amount of time users and members spend on the website, engaging with the content and support, which is a factor considered by search engines like Google (00:16:27).
• By maintaining communication with members through live chat support, website owners can keep their members engaged and top of mind, reducing the likelihood of them seeking out competitors, which is a strategy similar to what Barbara Corcoran, a real estate agent and Shark Tank investor, used to succeed in her business (00:17:05).

Setting Up Private Member Chat for Support (00:17:54)

• To set up a private member chat for support, a new non-searchable membership plan can be created, or the default admin blog author membership plan can be used if it still exists on the website, and then a new member account is created within this plan to communicate with members one-on-one (00:17:56).
• The new member account should be set up with a real email address that the website owner has access to, so they can receive email notifications when members send new direct messages, allowing them to stay informed and respond promptly (00:18:44).
• The website owner can link directly to the live chat page, providing members with a direct link to send messages, which can be placed in the members’ account dashboard or in the main menu, but only visible to logged-in members (00:19:08).
• The link to the live chat page can be strategically placed in areas where members are likely to look for support, such as the members’ account dashboard or the main menu, to make it easily accessible for them to send messages (00:19:28).
• The private member chat add-on has text labels that can be updated to include additional relevant information, such as the expected reply time, to manage members’ expectations and provide them with a clear understanding of when to expect a response (00:19:52).
• By setting up the private member chat in this way, website owners can provide efficient and convenient support to their members, while also controlling access to the chat function and ensuring that only logged-in members can initiate conversations (00:19:45).

How Private Member Chat is Typically Used (00:20:24)

• Private member chat is typically used to allow visitors to chat with members continuously or for members to chat with each other continuously through the site (00:20:28).
• The private member chat add-on can be utilized to enable continuous chat between members, as seen in examples such as the Brilliant Directories Marketplace, where members can fill out a lead form or chat with marketplace partners (00:20:29).
• In the Brilliant Directories Marketplace, visitors can contact members by filling out a lead form, which gets sent to the marketplace partner, or by chatting with them directly after logging in (00:20:44).
• The goal is to repurpose the private member chat to allow only one member profile to receive chat messages, while any member can send messages to that profile, referred to as the support profile, and initiate chat messages with them (00:21:06).
• This setup can be achieved by configuring the private member chat add-on to restrict chat message reception to a single member profile, which serves as the support profile for all members (00:21:11).

How to Set Up Private Member Chat for Support (00:21:21)

• To provide live support to members, it is recommended to use the private member chat add-on, which can increase communication with members and has nothing to lose, especially for those selling leads to members, who probably do not use the private chat and instead have a lead form on the contact page for the member profile (00:21:23).
• The first step to set up the private chat is to create a membership plan, and a link to the add-on will be provided for review after the webinar, along with a video that shows how to use the chat add-on and how it works for member-to-member communication on the site (00:21:44).
• To enable private chat on the website, the first thing to do is go to general settings, specifically the Integrations Tab, and enable chat messages, and it is recommended to send email notifications to both the receiver and the sender, as well as to the admin, who will be one of the members receiving the chat messages (00:22:11).
• After enabling chat messages in general settings, the next step is to go to membership plans and create a new non-searchable plan, such as the “website support line” plan, which will be used for live support, and this plan should be set as a paid plan with a high price to prevent sign-ups, and public sign-ups should be disabled (00:23:04).
• The “website support line” membership plan should have private chat messages enabled, and this can be done by searching for “private” in the plan settings and setting “private chat messages” to “yes”, and then the plan can be used to send chat messages to members, such as Edward Smith, who has a sample listing on the directory (00:24:07).
• The private chat add-on allows for more direct communication between members and the website support team, but for websites that sell leads to members, it is not recommended to enable chat messages for regular members, as it could reduce the number of paid inquiries, and instead, the lead form should be used for members to receive leads from their profile pages (00:24:35).
• To provide live support to members, a membership plan is created, allowing members to receive private chat messages, and a new member is added to the plan with a sample profile, including an email address and a profile photo that represents a chat or support person (00:24:50).
• The member’s profile is customized with a unique URL, such as “website support” or “support tickets”, which can be edited in the quick edit section under Advanced options, and this customized URL can be used to create a new support ticket for the member (00:27:07).
• A new main menu is created for logged-in members, which includes a “create support ticket” option that links to the member’s contact page, allowing members to easily send support tickets, and this menu can be cloned and edited to include the customized URL (00:28:00).
• The main menu for logged-in members can be customized to include a “create support ticket” option, which links to the member’s contact page, and the text labels on the page can be edited to provide a more elegant and user-friendly experience for members (00:28:20).
• The member’s profile page includes a “chat with support” option, which allows other members to send messages to the support member, and the profile page can be viewed and edited to include a profile photo and other relevant information (00:25:58).
• The membership plan and member profile can be customized to include various features, such as hiding certain sections on the profile page, and adding a profile photo that represents a chat or support person, to provide a more personalized and supportive experience for members (00:25:04).
• To provide live support to members, an alternate main menu can be used, which can be set up by going to design settings and choosing the main menu for logged-in members, and this setting can be found in the design settings under main menu design (00:28:40).
• When setting up the main menu, it’s essential to note that only menus with “main menu” in their name will appear in the options, so if cloning the main menu, it’s crucial to give it a nickname with “main menu” as part of it (00:29:02).
• A link to create a support ticket can be added to the page, and from the user’s perspective, it looks like they’re creating a support ticket, which can be customized by adding a small piece of CSS code to the member’s quick edit pop-up (00:29:22).
• The CSS code can be used to hide the back to listing button and breadcrumbs on the member’s profile page, and this code can be added under Advanced options and designers in the quick edit pop-up (00:29:34).
• The support ticket system can be used for live chat, and members can see all their support tickets by changing the chat messages icon to support tickets, allowing them to view all their conversations with support (00:32:00).
• The live chat feature enables members to chat with support continuously, and the chat can be done side-by-side in two separate browsers, one logged in as the admin member and the other as the regular member (00:31:08).
• The chat messages icon can be changed to support tickets, allowing members to see all their support tickets and conversations with support, making it easier for them to access their chat history (00:32:03).
• To provide live support to members, a menu link can be created instead of a “create ticket” link, with the URL being “account forward slash chat messages” (00:32:17).
• The logged-in main menu can be edited to include a new link called “my tickets” that directs to the chat messages URL, and a “create ticket” link can be added with a plus sign to indicate support availability (00:32:41).
• By having these links, members will know that the website has support, and they can create a new ticket or view their existing chat messages (00:33:00).
• Members can create tickets for various issues, such as canceling a membership, and the support team can respond in real-time to potentially retain the member or salvage the relationship (00:33:24).
• Text labels can be edited to change terms like “chat messages” to “support tickets” to give it a more elevated and formal tone (00:34:05).
• The text labels can be changed using the pop-up editor, and terms like “chatting with” can be changed to “my tickets” to maintain consistency (00:34:29).
• Members can log in to their account and access their main menu, which can include custom dashboard content, such as links to create tickets or view chat messages (00:35:12).
• It’s essential to note that if members are allowed to chat one-on-one with each other, editing text labels may not be desirable, as it can affect their private conversations (00:35:40).
• The demonstration shows a perfect use case for using the private chat tool to create a simple way for members to get support or contact the support team (00:36:00).
• The native live chat tools can be used to provide live support to members, and this can be set up in just a few minutes, allowing for a compact and organized system (00:36:15).
• The support tickets can be accessed from the sidebar, where members can view their tickets and create new ones, with the option to customize the text labels to match the website’s brand or persona (00:36:45).
• The create support ticket page has text labels that can be edited, such as the “chat with” label, which can be changed to something that fits the website’s brand, and the estimated response time can be set to manage expectations (00:37:01).
• The text labels can be customized using HTML, and the estimated response time can be changed to 24 hours, 48 hours, or any other time frame that suits the website’s needs (00:37:59).
• The support ticketing system can be used to provide assistance with various issues, such as listing questions, upgrading, and account problems, and the text labels can be updated to reflect the name of the member or the type of support being offered (00:39:41).
• The system allows for customization of the support ticket page, including the addition of green check marks and other icons, and the estimated response time can be changed to reflect the website’s business hours or availability (00:38:03).
• The support ticketing system can be accessed from the admin panel, where the text labels and estimated response time can be edited, and the changes can be saved and reflected on the website (00:38:15).

How to use Private Member Chat for member chats AND support? (00:42:28)

• The private member chat can be used by members to talk to each other, and it would be beneficial to have a separate version of the chat for support purposes, allowing for customization without affecting the original chat function (00:42:34).
• To use the private chat for both support and member-to-member conversations, it’s recommended to find text labels that work for both purposes, and to inform members when they are chatting with website support (00:43:46).
• A potential solution is to create a filter or search function that allows users to differentiate between support tickets and member chats, and to use logic statements to customize the chat experience based on membership plans (00:44:07).
• Creating a separate “website support” member can help to organize support tickets and conversations, and a logic statement can be used to customize the chat experience for this purpose (00:44:50).
• Additional guidance and support can be found in the Facebook group, where users can ask questions and receive help with implementing custom logic statements and chat functions (00:45:07).

How to give website access to content creators? (00:45:20)

• To give a content creator access to publish blog articles on a website without providing admin access, the creator should be given front-end login access as a member with publishing privileges, allowing them to log in and publish articles without accessing the back end (00:45:29).
• The content creator’s articles can be published under the company name if the member account they log in with is non-searchable, or under their own name if the account is searchable (00:47:05).
• To set this up, a new member account should be created with a membership plan that includes blog author privileges, such as the “admin blog author” plan, and the content creator should be given the login details for this account (00:47:34).
• By default, directory sites include a membership plan for blog authors, but if this plan is not available, it can be recreated with the necessary privileges (00:47:54).
• Content creators who only need to add content to a site do not necessarily need back-end access and can be given a member login to publish from the front end, with privileges based on their account (00:48:26).

Create a directory website for 2 different industries/niches? (00:48:43)

• A directory or community page can have distinct niches, such as an area for wellness professionals and another area for general businesses, which can be achieved by having two different top-level categories and using subcategories, (00:48:45).
• Setting up top-level categories for specific niches, such as wellness professionals and general businesses, allows for easy organization and can be done by creating separate categories for each niche, (00:49:10).
• Each top-level category has its own URL, which can be linked in the main menu, allowing users to search for specific categories, such as wellness professionals or general businesses, and directing them to the relevant category, (00:49:41).
• The directory can be customized to include search functions and filters, such as a sidebar with search results and filters, which can be adjusted to suit the needs of the directory, (00:51:39).
• The member search results can be customized by choosing a different search module, such as the member listings post type, and adjusting the design and additional settings to suit the needs of the directory, (00:52:12).
• Customizing the home page to include big buttons or graphics that link to specific categories, such as wellness experts or general businesses, can help direct users to the relevant categories, (00:50:25).
• The demo site can be used to test and demonstrate the functionality of the directory, including the search functions and filters, and can be customized to suit the needs of the directory, (00:50:13).
• The search module in the sidebar can be customized with various settings, and it is recommended to use the sub and sub-sub category, as well as location, for the search options (00:52:24).
• The top category can be redundant, so using a combination of top, sub, and sub-sub categories, along with location, might be a better option for users to toggle between different search options (00:52:33).
• The search module allows users to search their top-level category and reset their search from the search results page, enabling them to toggle between different categories, such as Wellness or business (00:52:59).
• The search options can be manipulated to show specific results on certain pages, but using a comprehensive search option that includes everything can also be useful (00:53:22).
• A good friend, Colette, asked a question during the session, and she was greeted and thanked for her participation (00:53:48).

Does the Website Support member for chat support need to be searchable? (00:53:58)

• The website support person needs to be searchable to set up the chat option, and there are nuanced settings that can be recommended to achieve this, such as setting them up as searchable so they can be reached by logged-in members (00:54:00).
• To keep it simple, it is recommended to only allow logged-in members to contact the support person, and under search visibility, the members should be set as searchable, but not selectable as a top-level category or location (00:54:32).
• Unregistered visitors should not be able to view the support person’s member profile, and for good measure, the member profile can be hidden from search engines, although this is not necessary (00:54:53).
• The hidden member profiles add-on can provide more insight and control over which members can search other members, and it can be used to make the support person’s profile unsearchable by other members (00:55:19).
• The answer to the question of whether the website support person needs to be searchable is both yes and no, as it depends on the specific settings and add-ons used, but in general, it is possible to set up the support person’s profile to be searchable only by logged-in members (00:55:44).
• The use of the hidden member profiles add-on can affect the search results and allow for more control over who can find and contact the support person, and it can be used to create a contact page that allows members to create a ticket (00:55:27).
• Colette’s question was answered, and another member, Brad, was unmuted and introduced, calling in from Phoenix, Arizona, and was about to ask a question (00:55:58).

Advanced settings to improve search load times (00:56:13)

• A site with a large number of members, approximately 300,000, and a recent import of data, now totaling 750,000, is experiencing slower load times, particularly with geocoding, and the owner is seeking advice on how to improve the site’s performance (00:56:14).
• The issue is not solely due to the number of members, but rather the amount of custom data points for each member, which can impact the site’s performance, and there are settings available to help mitigate this issue (00:57:27).
• There is a setting called “Database” that can be enabled to use more exact MySQL queries and reduce load times, which may help improve the site’s performance, especially for sites with huge databases (00:58:04).
• Enabling the “Big_database” setting and reaching out to support for further recommendations can help optimize the site’s performance and improve the user experience (00:58:39).
• Additionally, there are settings in the post settings and member listings under the search results tab and advanced settings that can help with querying and improving the site’s performance (00:59:16).
• The site owner has noticed improvements in the site’s performance after recent updates and is looking to make further optimizations to enhance the user experience (00:58:50).

Allow visitors to search members by their awards? (01:00:11)

• The question of setting up separate search buttons sparked another question about creating a search page that can have a link to it, which can be shared, and this is possible by using the edit post settings, member listings, search results design, and additional settings, specifically the search default fields and custom fields (01:00:12).
• To create a search page that can search for specific fields, such as awards, the expanded keyword search add-on can be used, which allows for searching of various fields including phone number, about us content, and custom fields (01:01:40).
• To add a custom field for awards, the basic information form type can be edited and a new field can be added, such as a text input field, which can be restricted to only be editable by the admin (01:02:43).
• The custom field for awards can be added to a member’s profile, and the admin can input the awards received by the member, which will then be displayed on the member’s profile (01:03:34).
• The expanded keyword search can be used to search for members based on the custom field for awards, allowing for a search page that can display all members who have received a specific award (01:01:50).
• Members can also be allowed to indicate that they know each other by adding a custom field to their profile, such as a checkbox or text input field, which can be used to display the connections between members (01:00:55).
• To search for members with specific keywords in their profiles, a keyword tag can be added to the member’s profile, and then a keyword search can be performed using the expanded keyword search, which also searches custom fields, allowing for more sophisticated searches (01:04:15).
• The search results can be filtered to exclude certain fields, such as the “about me” description, to prevent members from injecting keywords into their profiles and manipulating the search results (01:05:00).
• By excluding certain fields from the keyword search, members cannot be found by injecting special keywords into their profiles, and the search results will only include members who have the specified keywords in their designated profile fields (01:05:30).
• The keyword search can also be used to search for multiple words by using the plus sign, which requires the words to be together in the profile, such as “Academy Awards” (01:06:08).
• The resulting URL from the keyword search can be used to find all members with the specified keyword in their profiles, such as “Academy”, and can be used to provide live support to members (01:06:01).
• The search function can be adjusted to be more or less strict, depending on the needs of the membership, and can be used to quickly find members with specific keywords in their profiles (01:05:54).

Can members list which other members they know? (01:06:26)

• Members cannot currently see which other members they know, but there is a tool that allows members to like each other, although there is no tab to display this information yet (01:06:27).
• A suggestion was made to repurpose the reviews feature to allow members to comment on each other’s profiles and indicate how they know each other, which could be a potential solution (01:06:41).
• If the reviews feature is not being used, it could be modified to allow members to follow each other and leave comments on how they know each other, effectively creating a directory of member connections (01:07:03).
• Repurposing the reviews feature could work, as it would show who left a review, and if only members can leave reviews, it would display which member left the review, allowing for a member-to-member connection display (01:07:27).
• A potential plugin called “directory favorites” is being developed, which would allow members to favorite people or things and display them on their profile in different groups (01:08:21).
• Another potential solution is to use a multi-select option, similar to awards, which would allow members to select multiple options and create a variable name for each option, enabling searching and filtering by those variables (01:08:41).

How many directories can be created with 1 BD account? (01:09:51)

• With one account, multiple individual directories can be created, and one website license is for one domain name or one website, allowing users to manage multiple websites under the same account (01:09:52).
• Users can have more than one website that they own and manage inside their Brilliant Directories account, and they can toggle between the websites they are working on (01:10:21).
• The number of active websites or available credits to launch new sites can be seen in the account, and if a user has a lifetime license but hasn’t launched their website, the credit will be available (01:10:37).
• Users who have purchased a license in the past can check their account to see how many active websites they have or if they have any available credits to launch new sites (01:10:39).
• The private member chat feature can be used for live Technical support, and there are many upcoming features and use cases for repurposing existing Brilliant Directories features (01:11:06).
• The next webinar will be in two weeks, and a replay of the current webinar will be posted in the Facebook group, which can be joined at brilliantdirectories.com/forward slash Facebook (01:11:17).
• Users can also like and subscribe to the Brilliant Directories YouTube channel at brilliantdirectories.com/forward slash YouTube (01:11:33).