In this article, I will explain what SSL is, how to identify a secure site, how SSL works, and why your website needs it.

What Is SSL?

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. SSL is a standard security feature for websites that protects sensitive, personal information, such as:

• Login information
• Address
• Phone number
• Social security number
• Credit card data

SSL creates a secure, encrypted link between an Internet user’s browser and the website the browser is connecting to. Encryption means that no one other than those two parties can read the information being sent back and forth.

That way, a hacker or anyone eavesdropping on the exchange of personal information cannot read it.

SSL also uses authentication to make sure your data is sent to the right website.

Lastly, SSL assures you of data integrity, which means that no one can change the information before it gets to the intended party without being detected.

Identifying a Secure Site

You can tell that a site is SSL-secured by looking at the address bar of the website you’re on.

If you see a lock icon next to the website title and URL, the website is SSL-secured. The “s” after HTTP in the URL (https) also means that it is secure.

If the website title is green, it has extended validation SSL security. This means that the website has additional certification beyond basic SSL validation.

Extended validation is a great choice for e-commerce where credit card information is given. This extra layer of certification helps consumers trust the website, driving more conversions.

How SSL Works

To understand how SSL works, you need to know a little about what happens behind-the-scenes when you go to a website.

When you go to a website, your browser communicates with the web server you’re visiting. Your browser needs to make sure that the server is safe before connecting.

Remember what your mom said about not talking to strangers?

Your browser is just as wise. It has built-in safety checks to protect you from unknown and unsecured websites.

When you type in a web address into your browser and hit enter, a hidden conversation between your browser and the server begins. But you’ll never hear it. Here’s what happens, in a nutshell.

1. Your browser initiates an SSL connection to the server in what’s called a “client hello.” This is where the browser asks for the server’s credentials.
2. The server then tells the browser that it’s safe to proceed and gives a “server hello” along with a copy of its SSL certificate.
3. Next, the browser reviews the SSL certificate to see if it is trustworthy. If the SSL certificate has been verified by a Certificate Authority (CA), the browser can trust the website. CAs are controlled by a security organization such as Comodo, Symantec, and GoDaddy. If the site is trustworthy, the browser sends the OK to transmit data.
4. The server then sends their OK back to the browser, establishing a secure connection.
5. At this point, trust is established, and they can exchange information.

Who Needs an SSL Certificate?

So, now that we know how SSL works, how do you know if you need it?

Let’s discuss when SSL certification is required, and when it’s highly recommended.

1. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard requires all e-commerce sites to have SSL. This includes email, banks, and social networks. This regulation is called PCI Compliance.

2. If your website requires login information with a username and password, you should have an SSL certificate. This ensures that your users’ private information is safe.

3. If users submit personal identifiable information (PII) on your website, you should have SSL encryption. PII includes phone numbers, addresses, and social security numbers. SSL keeps your user’s information secure.

If your website has fields asking for these three types of confidential information, you should have SSL protection. This ensures that site visitors will see the green lock icon next to your URL, so they know they can trust your site.

Web sites running on Firefox (version 51) will not have the green lock icon if they ask for sensitive information without SSL protection. Instead, they will have a gray lock with a red slash through it. Similarly, Chrome browsers (version 56) will have gray text that says “Not Secure.”

These warnings can erode your visitors’ trust.

Will I Need SSL?

Now, let’s say your website doesn’t ask for any sensitive information. Should you still get SSL protection?

Yes. This is because in future Chrome updates, all websites that lack SSL certification (ones that say HTTP rather than HTTPS) will be labeled “Not Secure” with a red triangle that has an exclamation point (!) in it. Even sites without fields for sensitive information will warn the user that the site is not safe.

This could drive visitors away from your site. Even though you may not need SSL encryption on your site, many visitors will feel unsafe, and they may leave your page.

For this reason, it’s wise to get SSL protection if you don’t already have it, even if your site is benign. Plus, you’ll get a search ranking boost from Google for having it.

If you want SSL certification, but you’re turned off by the price, you might consider a company like Let’s Encrypt. They offer free certification.

Summary

To sum up, SSL is a standard certification that provides encryption, data integrity, and authentication for business websites. It protects your customers’ PPI and your reputation.

You can tell that a site has SSL protection by looking for the “https” in its URL and the lock icon. Extended validation sites have green in the address bar.

When a browser tries to connect to a server, it initiates an SSL conversation to make sure the site is trustworthy. If a Certificate Authority has verified the site, it passes the security check. The parties can then safely exchange personal information.

All business websites should have SSL certification. If your website sells items, requests login information, or asks for personal information, you need SSL certification. This helps your customers trust your brand, and it boosts your placement on Google Search.

If your site only has content, such as a blog, it’s still wise to get certified. That way your site isn’t flagged as “Not Secure” by future versions of Chrome.

I hope this post has helped you understand how SSL works and why your website needs it. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to post a comment below.

Until next time……

The post How SSL Works and Why You Need it appeared first on Selma Mariudottir.

Take a look at their live active user map to see what I’m talking about. 

To get the most out of the platform, I’ve created this list of the 5 best WordPress business ideas.

1. Make WordPress A Part of Your SEO Strategy

Did you know that 48% of Technorati’s list of the top 100 business blogs are hosted by WordPress?

But how did these blogs rise in the rankings in the first place? Undoubtedly, a great SEO strategy had something to do with it.

WordPress offers businesses SEO plugins (Yoast being the most popular option) so that you can easily analyze where your content ranks and learn how you can bump it up by a few levels.

Plus, posting blogs on the platforms is one of the best WordPress business ideas to that allows you to seamlessly incorporate keywords into your content, boosting your SEO rankings.

2. Use Affiliate Marketing

One of my favorite WordPress business ideas is the use of affiliate marketing to make extra income and to draw new users to your site.

Do this by including promotional links to another company’s (not a competitor’s!) website or products. Not only will this give you commission when someone makes a sale on another website (a great way for small businesses to make sure they’re out of the red); it will also bring new traffic to your site.

Encourage those you’re linking to link back to your website – developing cross-company partnerships is always a good idea.

3. Enable Comments – And Talk Back

Think of the comments section on blog posts you write in your WordPress site as a part of your customer service package.

Encourage your website visitors to connect with your business in the comments section, and make sure you write back. If you wouldn’t leave a phone message unreturned in your office, you shouldn’t ignore questions in your comments.

4. Look Into WordPress Hosting Specialists

One of the most often overlooked WordPress business ideas is also the one that helps you find recurring revenue.

Even if your WordPress site is self-hosted, you should still look into web hosting options that can streamline your content and effectively analyze your traffic, indexing, and more.

Certain hosting specialists can also help with installing your theme, offering web support, and even assisting with content creation.

WordPress premium support is also available.

5. See Your WordPress Theme As A Part Of Your Branding

You already know how crucial an intuitive website is to running a successful business, but the look of your site matters just as much as how it functions.

Choosing a WordPress theme that’s consistent with your branding will help to increase brand recognition, and encourage customers to spend more time on your site – which means you’ll rank higher in search engine listings.

Until next time……

The post 5 WordPress Business Ideas You Should Be Using to Improve Your Business appeared first on Selma Mariudottir.

If you’re unfamiliar with the platform, you’re in luck. I’m offering an informative guide to what it is and why you need it.

What Is an Autoresponder?

Autoresponder is a software program used to send messages of all kinds to your subscribers, when triggered by a series of events you determine.

For instance, if a customer books a room on a hotel website,  he/she will receive a personalized confirmation email.  An additional example would be alerting about new products or to greet new subscribers.

Which Is the Best Autoresponder?

More than 3 million worldwide customers use GetResponse, because it’s one of the best autoresponder.

One thing that ensures it stands out from the crowd is its user-friendly features.

For instance, you can use it for:

• High-quality email newsletters
• Follow-up email campaigns
• Video emails
• Building a targeted subscriber list

Nurture Your Leads

Did you know companies that send automated emails are 133% more likely to send relevant messages that correspond with the customer’s purchase cycle?

GetResponse is one of the best autoresponder tool, as it sends the right email at the right time.

An automated email will allow you to build a relationship with the customer right away.

You can do this by sending valuable information straight into their inbox. Aim to provide an insight into the industry and teach them how to make better buying decisions.

So, a customer will have an opportunity to read your best content that’s relevant to their needs.

Click here to read the top 5 strategies for effective content creation.

A Beautiful Design

A professional-looking email will reflect a professional brand and service.

GetResponse allows you to create stunning email marketing designs that complement your business.

You can choose from more than 500 pre-designed email templates.

High-quality images are essential for any marketing campaign. For this reason, you will be happy to learn you can also use more than 1,000 free iStock photos.

There’s also a drag-and-drop HTML code editor, as well as a mobile preview.

Does all this sound a little daunting? Don’t worry. It doesn’t matter if you’re a graphic designer or a beginner, you can learn how to create beautiful designs.

Convert Leads into Customers

You might not realize it, but email marketing has the highest conversion rate of 66%. This is in comparison to direct mail, social media and more.

So, if you have many leads but few sales, email marketing could be the way forward for your company.

GetResponse email marketing will allow you to build brand awareness, so you can encourage trust and loyalty.

You can also create email marketing campaigns that aren’t too salesy.

An insight email might be enough to convince a customer that you’re the best business for their needs.

You could even use the email marketing tool to build anticipation ahead of a product launch. So, a customer will become more excited about the product and may choose to buy it once available.

Conclusion

It’s not hard to see why GetResponse has become one of the best autoresponder platform. After all, it offers personalized marketing emails, many templates and various email options to choose from.

So, if you want to grow your business into the future, you should embark on an email marketing campaign. It can help turn leads into sales.

Until next time……

The post GetResponse Autoresponder Tool: What It Is and Why You Need It appeared first on Selma Mariudottir.

There are almost 50,000 plugins in the WordPress plugin store. Sifting through to find ones that work, are supported, and are easy to use can feel like you’re trying to find a grain of sand on a beach. 

So to help narrow the search a little, I’ve put together the top 10 plugins best WordPress plugins for 2017. You might not need all of them, but even with the best external apps like Google Analytics, you’re bound to be looking for at least one or two.

1. Yoast SEO

Yoast SEO is the world’s most popular SEO plugin and consistently ranks in the top 10 plugins that are most popular on WordPress.

It helps with your SEO readability, quality, and content, all in an easy to use interface.

You can write custom title, add Twitter Cards, Open Graph meta data and Sitemaps. You can also ping search engines whenever you update your site.

2. W3 Total Cache

Website speed is important. Like, really important. But if your site isn’t quite up to the challenge of satisfying impatient users, you can use W3 to grease the skids, so to speak.

There are tons of different kinds of caching, but W3 takes them all and puts them into a tidy bundle for you. Now, your site is easily accessible from literally anywhere in the world.

3. EWWW Image Optimizer

Another speed demon on our list of top 10 plugins is EWWW Image Optimizer. This plugin will help get your images in the right format at the right time. Using modern compression techniques and image best practices, it’ll keep your beautiful site light and fast.

4. Disqus Comment System

Disqus is basically a social network of comments. It replaces your blog comments section and lets people comment and discuss posts, where their comments follow them around in a profile. With notifications to comment replies by email, it makes it easy to manage your community and deepens community engagement on your site.

5. Jetpack

Jetpack is an amalgamation plugin developed by WordPress themselves. It helps with everything from SEO to backups, speed tests to email list management. For a one-stop shop, it’s hard to look past Jetpack.

6. Google XML Sitemaps

Submitting your sitemap to Google is a critical part of getting found online. Fortunately, you can automate this process. Google XML Sitemaps fires off a new sitemap whenever your website changes with fresh content, so you have one less thing to worry about.

7. All In One Schema.org Rich Snippets

Rich Schema.org snippets are a great way for you to exploit a niche and improve CTR. All In One Schema.org Rich Snippets makes it easy to take advantage, without having to have a lot of technical know how.

8. Replyable

Replyable is another plugin for comments that allows users to subscribe to your comment threads, so you’re ready to engage your audience at a moment’s notice.

9. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is another amalgamation plugin, only this time it’s specifically for e-commerce websites. It will help you with everything from shipping and payments to analyzing your store with in-depth analytics.

10. All 404 redirect to Homepage

Yes, this actually the name of the plug.

And it pretty much does what it says – it pushes all your 404 redirects to your homepage.

Since 404 redirects are part of the best practice for major search engines like Google and Bing, they’re a critical part of getting your site ranked.

Plus, they improve the user experience, so instead of a user clicking on a deleted post and going nowhere, they end up back on your homepage so they can browse your site some more. It’s a win-win.

Summary: top 10 plugins you can’t live without

There are plenty of plugins out there that leave something to be desired. But with these top 10 plugins, you’ll have your WordPress site humming in no time.

Until next time……

The post Top 10 Plugins for WordPress 2017 appeared first on Selma Mariudottir.

WordPress has been around for more than a decade. It’s still one of the most popular choices for people want to enhance their web presence.  

For small business owners, WordPress is no doubt a powerful tool. It has enabled many businesses to take advantages of the affordable, simple web development solution as well as the easy content management system.

With WordPress, many things become hassle-free. In fact, in 2016 it was listed as the “CMS of the year” by Web3Techs, beating others giant web technologies such as Shopify, Google Analytics, Squarespace, Unbuntu, and Amazon. This was the 7th time WordPress earned this spot.

So if you’re in search for the best CMS for small business website, here are why you should opt for WordPress.

Customization Made Easy

Not everyone is technical. The ability to customize online presence is one of the most critical factors when it comes to choosing the best CMS for small business.

Being 100% open source, WordPress makes easy customization a piece of cake. There are unlimited opportunities to personalize the look of your business website. Plus, it only costs a fraction of what traditional web development services would charge you.

Perfect for SEO

A major concern for online businesses in the digital age is SEO. With intense competition, how can you achieve and maintain that ideal spot on a search engine’s front page?

Luckily WordPress was developed with SEO optimization in mind. This makes sure that your business can easily get found by potential customers.

The platform offers some of the most important elements for on-page SEO. This includes proper HTML markup, title tags and headings, optimized images with ALT tags and descriptions, SEO-friendly permalinks, and content creation.

Great Theme Options

The sky is the limit when it comes to WordPress theme options. There are both free and paid options for themes constantly being added to the platform on a daily basis.

Go on WordPress Theme Directory and you are bound to find a theme to install and customize in a way that perfectly matches your business’ mission and vision.

Frequent Updates

The best CMS for small business must be constantly maintained and updated. Otherwise, poorly maintained platforms will give you a hard time and even put your business at risk.

WordPress often launches its upgraded version twice annually. This helps improve security and allows users to handle threats effectively.

Superb Support

No matter how great a product is, if a business fails at customer support, it won’t be long till users opt for another competitor.

WordPress offers various support options, including user forums to ensure your specific needs are addressed in a timely, hassle-free manner.

WordPress: The Best CMS for Small Business

Whether you’re running a startup or an established business, WordPress is a wonderful CMS that shows no signs of a decrease in usage anytime soon.

Its easy, simple, and flexible solution is hard to compete, making the platform one of the strongest and most secure CMS services currently available on the market.

If you have any questions about how WordPress can benefit your business, I’m happy to help. Contact me today!

Until next time……

The post Why WordPress Is The Best CMS for Small Business appeared first on Selma Mariudottir.

We live in a day and age where we perform most of our personal and professional work and communication online, but we sometimes take our technology for granted.  

Just Ask Dennis Cooper

Like many artists and aspiring online entrepreneurs, artist Dennis Cooper launched a free Blogger website back in 2002. While many have abandoned this early blogging platform, Dennis still achieved much success with his blog. In fact, he found that his blog was such a convenient platform to work within, that he performed and saved all of his work within his blog. He also used the linked email to conduct all of his personal and professional communication.

But then Google removed his blog without notice, and all of his work and contacts were lost! Years’ worth of work!

Back Up Today So This Doesn’t Happen To You Too!

While Dennis’s case is a bit unique because he was using a free blogging platform, your paid blog or website could still suffer similar loss. While you may not wake up one day to find that your website has been removed, you could wake up to find that:

• Your website has been hacked
• Your data has been compromised
• Essential work has been lost
• That your content or overall design is lost during an update
• That your theme has gone haywire

Backing Up Your Website Is Easy

Not only should you back up your website or blog, but you should automate your back ups – so that you can rest assured that the potential for loss is minimal. The good news is, that backing up is easy!

I use UpdraftPlus to back up each of my websites – even this one! UpdraftPlus allows me to automate my back ups, so that I never forget, and provides me with ample Amazon S2 Storage. It is also intuitive, and secure – so that I never worry about my hard work being compromised.

Even if you save all of your written content in Word docs or other files, backing up your website is the only way to ensue swift recovery if your website is compromised.

Learn more about UpdraftPlus today!

Until next time……

The post WordPress Backup: Make sure you don’t loose your work appeared first on Selma Mariudottir.

The Sacrifice Of Serving

As a single mother of two beautiful girls, the choice to serve was a choice between seeing her daughters grow into young women – or to invest nearly 7 years of her life fighting against those who promote terror and injustice. The choice was certainly not an easy one, but Steinunn knew that her daughters would be well cared for by her mother – who sold everything in Iceland to come and raise her girls while she served two consecutive tours in Iraq.

The Wounds That Never Heal

Just 5 days in to her second tour in Iraq, Steinunn’s platoon was caught in a double stacked anti-tank mine explosion. While she was fortunate enough to walk away with all of her limbs, she suffers from traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, sever migraines, numbness in her lower extremities, and PTSD. Due to her severe injuries was honorably discharged from the Marines. My cousin received a Purple Heart for her bravery, and is the first Icelandic Marine to receive this prestigious honor.

The past 6 years since being discharged have not been easy. She struggles with anxiety, depression, and was hospitalized after trying to commit suicide – a reality that is far too common for war veterans. On top of that, her mom had to return to Iceland shortly after Steinunn returned to the United States.

A Return Home To Visit Iceland After 20 Years

My cousin still calls America home, and lives as a retired and disabled veteran; raising her two daughters, now 12 and 19 years old. However, it has been nearly 20 years since my cousin has been able to return home to Iceland to visit her brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews – and her mom whose eyesight and health are failing.

It is her greatest wish to return for a visit, and to introduce her daughters to the family they have never known – as well as the incomparable beauty of Iceland.

How You Can Help

As a single mom living on Marine retirement and disability, her budget is tight – making the cost of airfare to and from Iceland for Steinunn and her two daughters impossible to afford. But you can help!

Sgt. Steinunn Kjartansdottir has set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise the $4,500 airfare to travel back to Iceland to visit her family. My cousin is an independent woman who has never asked for help, even in times when she has needed it most. Steinunn is a proud American resident, but also a proud Icelandic native. Returning home to visit stands to be a positive and life-changing experience – which she could certainly benefit from.

Even the smallest donation of $5 can help Steinunn and her family get one step closer to fulfilling their dream of returning to Iceland.

=> https://www.gofundme.com/2g5emthd

Semper fi. God bless. And God bless America, Iceland, and all of humanity!

Until next time……

The post The Sacrifice Of Serving – Because We Are Stronger Together appeared first on Selma Mariudottir.

One of the most common questions I receive from my DIY online marketers is how to use Google Analytics and how to get the most out of it.  

Getting The Most Out Of Google Analytics

As a business owner, your goal is to drive as much quality traffic to your website pages and blog posts as possible. To drive traffic, you invest time in organic marketing and money into online marketing. To gauge the success of your marketing efforts accurately, you must be able to measure your success. In the online world, you do this with tools such as Google Analytics (GA).

Google – The Reigning King Of Search Engines

While Google is not the only search engine, it is the largest search engine in the world. Depending on where you reside in the world, Google web search accounts for between 65% and 80% of all web searches. This totals as many as 50,000 web queries every second. These numbers include paid and organic search results.

On average, Google sends 2 to 3 times more traffic to your website than all other search engines combined. With such a large portion of your web traffic coming directly from Google, it is valuable to understand where your traffic is coming from and to identify trends in behavior patterns. By understanding how your Google visitors interact with your pages, it will help you to optimize your website and improve your online marketing campaigns.

What Is Google Analytics?

GA is a tool that provides in-depth analytics you can use to track patterns and trends. This intelligent software is 100% free and integrates perfectly with your website or blog. Some of its prime reporting features include:

• How many new visitors have you had this month?
• How many repeat visitors have you had this month?
• What countries is your traffic coming from?
• What websites, blogs, or search engines are driving your traffic?
• What type of device do your website visitors use when they visit you online? PC, smartphone, laptop, or tablet?
• What web browsers do your visitors use?
• Which of your pages generates the most traffic?
• How long do they stay on each page? Which pieces are most valuable to them?
• Which of your online marketing strategies is the most effective? Which is the least effective?

When you can answer the questions above, you can create and test powerful marketing campaigns!

How to Use Google Analytics

Setting Up Google Analytics On Your Website

Creating a Google Account

To set up GA on your website, you will need to create a Google account. If you use Gmail as your email provider or have a YouTube account, then you already have a Google account. If you need to start from scratch, simply head to accounts.google.com to create your free account.

Signing Up

Installing GA is fast and easy. Head over to Google.com/Analytics and choose “Google Analytics” from the drop-down menu in the upper right hand corner.

Once you click on Google Analytics, a box will pop up, stating “Start using Google Analytics.” Click the “Sign Up” button directly below.

The next page looks precisely like the image below. Under “New Account” at the top of the page, choose “Website” as what you would like to track. Even if your website is a blog, select the website option.

Create an Account Name and fill in the required boxes, such as your Website name and URL. Once you have completed the required information, click on “Get Tracking ID” and then accept the terms of service.

Congratulations! In just a few minutes, your new GA account is ready to track your data!

Installing Google Analytics On Your Website

Many bloggers and business owners operate more than one blog. The good news is that you can add multiple websites and blogs to one GA account. Simply walk through this process, one at a time, for each unique website or blog.

The tracking code generated after you click on “Get Tracking ID” needs to be installed on each page of your website.

You are likely to have multiple pages, so adding the code individually is too time consuming. Instead, you can:

1. The fastest and easiest way to install your Google code on a WordPress site, is to use a plug-in called Header and Footer. There you can paste the code in the <Head> section.
   You can also use Google Analytics plug-in.  Google Analytics by MonsterInsights is an excellent choice and will install your tracking code in a matter of seconds.
2. If you are comfortable with handling website code, copy and paste your tracking code into your header.php file. Place it right after the <body> tag. Only attempt this if you have previously worked with code; otherwise, you risk compromising your website.
3. If website back of house is simply not your cup of tea, head to a freelance site and have a professional webmaster do it for you. Most will install your tracking code for $25 or less. A few sites to consider include: Fiverr, Upwork, and Fivesquid.Google Analytics will collect data within 24 hours, meaning you can analyze trends almost immediately.

Setting Up Your Website Dashboard

Google Analytics will collect data, but to comprehend the data, you may need to familiarize yourself with some basic GA terminology. Once you understand the terminology, you can customize your dashboard with shortcuts that analyze the data most meaningful to you. The list of GA terminology is long, but here are the basics:

Bounce rate
This calculates how many website visitors only view one page before continuing their web browsing. Bounce rate is also referred to as a single page session.

Content experiment
This tool allows you to test multiple versions of your web pages to determine which one is the best fit. It specifically tracks how many “goals” each page achieves, so you can identify the approach that works best.

Conversion rate
Your conversion rate is a percentage of how many visitors perform a desired action, most often, opting-in to your email list or purchasing a product. Knowing the conversion rate for each page helps you to see which of your marketing strategies is most effective.

Cookie
Internet cookies are nothing like real-life cookies. These small pieces of textual data are stored on your visitor’s browser, helping GA to gather the data you require.

Custom reports
The ability to create custom reports allows you to track the data most relevant and meaningful to your goals.

Dashboard
The dashboard is the screen you access when you log in to your GA account.

Goal Conversion Rate
You have goals for each of your marketing strategies. Track your specific goals with customized Content Experiments with GA reports to determine your Goal Conversion Rate.

In-page analytics
This goes beyond which page visitors engage with, but where on each page they engage.

Keywords
These are the words or phrases that entice and lead your visitor to your website.

Loyalty
Loyalty calculates how many return visitors you have over a designated period of time.

Page views
How often a web page has been viewed.

Property
This refers to the website or blog you are tracking.

Session
A “session” refers to how much time a visitor spends on your website in terms of minutes.

Traffic
Traffic refers to the overall number of visits to your site or page. Traffic is further broken down by new visitors, returning visitors, organic traffic, paid traffic, and more.

Unique visitor
A unique visitor is a new visitor to your website, whose cookies have been stored, so GA can track their behavior on your website.

Setting Up Your Dashboard

GA comes standard with a default Dashboard, but you may want to customize your dashboard for the metrics and marketing data most relevant to you. Below are a few ways you can customize your dashboard.

Add Widgets Reports

You can add between 1 and 12 widgets that track specific metrics or dimensions. Metrics are a measurement, such as how long someone visited your site. Dimensions are user-characteristics, such as the city or state they are visiting from.

Multiple Dashboards

You can add up to 20 dashboards to your GA account, allowing you to track many metrics and dimensions. Most users don’t need that many, but your dashboards are the best way to track your success at a glance.
To customize your data, log into your GA account and select the “Reporting” tab at the top of the page. Then click “Dashboards” in the left navigation column, followed by “New Dashboard” in the drop-down menu.

Name the dashboard as you wish, preferably in a name related to the data it tracks, then click “Create Dashboard.” Your default dashboard will populate with the most common metrics website owners are interested in. This includes widgets for New Users, Sessions, Average Session Duration and Pages/Session, Bounce Rate, Goal Completions, and Revenue.

Widgets

Add new widgets to your dashboard by clicking on the “+Add Widget” button in the upper left hand corner. Edit or delete current widgets by hovering over the upper right hand corner of any widget field.

Since you are just getting started, I have created a list of the top 10 widgets and data:

1. Visits
2. Average Session Duration
3. Visits by Traffic Type
4. New Visits
5. Bounce Rate
6. Average Pages / Session
7. Average Visit Duration
8. Unique Visitors
9. Goal Completions
10. Page Views by Landing Page

Each widget will provide at-a-glance metrics and in-depth reporting. Simply click on the widget of choice for an in-depth look at metrics and dimensions. You can even customize the appearance of your data if you wish.

When you log in to GA, simply click on the “Reporting” tab at the top of the page, then choose the Dashboard you wish to view from the left hand navigation column.

The Top 8 Google Analytics Reports

Your dashboard will gather the data you request and generate in-depth reporting. Each business has unique reporting needs. An ecommerce website will require drastically different reports than a blogger. A new website will require different analytics than an established website. However, some reports are valuable to all website owners, regardless of industry, brand, or type of web property.
There are 8 essential GA reports you can access directly from your GA home page. Click on your “Reporting” tab then choose from the list of choices in the left navigation column: Events, Audience, Acquisition, or Behavior. Each field will deliver advanced reporting, designed to answer the 8 questions below.

1. What Is The Overall Traffic To Your Website?

It is possible that your content is effective, and your conversions are high, but because your traffic is low, your results are less than you desire.  This report will help you to determine how many people are vising your site each month, week, day, or hour, and if building your traffic should be a greater priority.

To analyze your traffic, click on the “Reporting” tab and choose “Audience” and “Overview” from the left hand navigation column. Next, select your desired date range, and the report will populate. Click on the down arrow on the right to display other relevant traffic data.

2. Where Is Your Traffic Coming From?

To determine where your website traffic is coming from, click on “Acquisition” and “Overview” in the left hand navigation column. The report that populates will divide your data into the referral websites, blogs, and online properties your traffic is generated from, including paid and organic search traffic.

To really dig in, select “All Traffic” under the “Overview” drop-down. Then click on “Source/Medium.” This will provide you with the specific URLs, search engines, and social platforms each click originates from.

3. What Are Your Most Popular Pages And Posts?

To improve, you must know what you are doing well and what you are doing not so well. By determining your most popular pages and posts, you can attempt to replicate your success on your less popular pages and posts.
Click on “Site Content” under “Behavior” then select “All Pages” from the drop-down menu. Once you determine your most frequently visited pages, consider boosting their value with an opt-in box, service offer, or product highlight.

Also, look for any trends in pages that perform well, such as inbound keywords, and publish more pages with the same keywords or other draw.

4. Which Keywords Drive Your Traffic?

Head back to the “Acquisition” tab, then select “Search Engine Optimization”, followed by “Queries” in the drop-down. Now, you can sort your keywords by many measurements, such as Clicks, Impressions, and Average Position.

Learning which short-tail and long-tail keywords generate the most success is essential for optimizing future content. Keywords also help you to get in touch with the information your website visitors are searching for. Keyword success changes quickly, so the data in this report is cleared every 90 days. Be sure to check back often.

Quick Tip: If you cannot see this data in full, you will need to enable the Search Console data sharing. Do this by selecting “Reporting”, “Search Engine Optimization”, and then “Queries.” Click on the “Set up Search Console Data Sharing” button and follow the prompts to enable sharing.

5. Where Do Your Backlinks Originate?

You have probably heard the term “backlink”, but you might not understand exactly what it refers to. When someone clicks on a link that directs back to your website or blog, a backlink is created. The more quality backlinks you generate from relevant and reputable industry websites, the more Google views you as being valuable.

The more value you are seen to have, the more organic traffic Google and other search engines will send your way. This report will show you where your backlinks are coming from. Go to “Acquisition”, then click on “Referrals” from the “All Traffic” drop-down menu.

6. How Long Do People Stay On Your Site?

It is important to understand how long people stay on your website. 20 visitors who stay on your website for 5 minutes is better than 100 visitors who only stay on your website for 1 minute. By determining which pages and posts hold visitor’s attention, you can attempt to duplicate your success.

For this report, head to “Reporting”, “Behavior”, “Site Content”, and “All Pages.” Pay close attention to the “Avg. Time on Page” data.

7. What Is Your Mobile Traffic Mix?

Mobile web browsing is changing the way website visitors interact with your website. As mobile web browsing continues to increase, you need to differentiate between web browsing performed on desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Even if your website is mobile responsive, understanding your visitors’ browsing habits is essential for planning your future marketing strategies.

To determine your mobile mix, scroll over to the “Reporting” tab and select “Audience”, “Mobile”, and “Overview.” Each device listed will contain valuable information about user behavior.

8. Which Of Your Pages And Posts Generates The Highest Rate Of Conversions?

While each of these reports provides valuable insights, understanding which of your web pages and posts generate the highest rates of conversions is your most valuable report. Your highest converting pages are the pages you should send your current and upcoming marketing campaigns to, instead of just sending them to your home page.

To set up this page accurately, you will need to set up site-specific goals, which we will cover in the next chapter. Once your goals are complete, simply go to “Conversions”, then select “Goals” and “Overview.”

Pay close attention to the “Source/Medium” findings, as they reveal where your high converting traffic comes from, which sometimes, makes your set Goals irrelevant. A page achieving few of your site-specific goals could generate a high rate of conversions from a quality outside source, making your secondary site an excellent place to market.

Continue with your GA training

This is a lot of information to take in at once, so just take things one step at a time. Once you master the basics of Google Analytics, you will intuitively explore the more advanced tools and features.

To continue with your GA training, subscribe to my mailing. As a free gift you will receive the full GA ebook and a workbook to help you stay organized. Sign up now!

Until next time……

The post How to Use Google Analytics appeared first on Selma Mariudottir.

The Iceland Vikings may not have been considered a major contender at the start of Euro 2016, but they are proving to be just that! The Vikings beat all odds this week, and knocked England out of the finals. On Sunday our mighty team will play host nation France, while the entire nation of Iceland will be watching. 

Small But Mighty

Iceland is a small nation, of just 332,000 people. When it comes to professional athletes, our football players have long been some of our most celebrated. Part of what makes our team’s success so unique, is that unlike professional athletes in most countries – our team doesn’t play for the fame or the money – but for the love of the game.

Case in point: While England’s football manager earns $4.6 million a year to coach his team, Iceland’s co-manager Heimir Hallgrimsson makes ends meet as a part-time dentist.

Iceland’s Fighting Spirit

While the world may be watching the Vikings recent success with shock and awe, their success doesn’t come as a surprise to their loyal fans. Icelandic is a country who believes in possibility. The country’s inspiring culture, produced a football team of hard working and loyal athletes.

Iceland’s football team is a true team, a proud team with a fighting spirit. A team that never forgets who they are, or where they came from. How could they forget? 10% of Iceland flew to France to watch the Vikings do what they do best. 10%!

Just watch as they celebrate with fans after the Historical win over England.

https://t.co/Fki1vsWIRl

June 27, 2016

Huh! for Iceland

Support The Iceland Vikings with a Huh!

Go Vikings!

Until next time……

The post Small But Mighty – Iceland Vikings Beat All Odds appeared first on Selma Mariudottir.

Whether you are new to the idea of the law of attraction, or are fairly familiar with the concept, most LOA enthusiast run into a similar roadblock – wondering which steps to take to begin manifesting the life of their dreams. 

Making The LOA Work For You

There is no limit to what you can manifest in your life. Some of the most common desires include love, joy, healthy relationships, better health, a fulfilling career path, spiritual balance, and more income. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the healthy dreams you wish to have fulfilled – because everyone has their own aspirations.

While there is an unlimited amount of literature regarding the LOA, the Manifestation Miracle takes things several steps further – by providing you with a full system for success.

A 2-In-1 Manifestation Tool

Where the Manifestation Miracle really differs, is that it is a 2-in-1 tool – an eBook and workbook! While most LOA books leave you feeling inspired, they also leave you hanging because you aren’t sure where to begin.

Each chapter provides you with corresponding exercises, as well as the resources you require to help you along the way. It walks you through how the LOA works, and how to tune in to your destiny. It is divided into five parts:

• Part 1: You are Destined for Success (with 5 chapters)
• Part 2: Getting in Tune with Your Personal Destiny (with 7 chapters)
• Part 3: Raising the Roof with Your Energetic Vibrations (comprised of 5 chapters also)
• Part 4: The Happiness Factor (having 5 chapters as well); and
• Part 5: The Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow (with 3 chapters)

If you are ready to put the law of attraction to work in your life, then the Manifestation Miracle is your start to finish guide!

Manifestation Miracle

Until next time……

The post Manifestation Miracle appeared first on Selma Mariudottir.