7 More Fun and Functional Ways to Use Google Search

Google’s homepage may make it look like a simple search engine, but there are plenty of extra functions and entertaining Easter eggs hiding just below its unassuming surface. We covered six cool Google tips last month. Try these seven tricks to get started with some Google fun.

1. Track Your Flight

Get detailed information about any domestic flight with Google’s Flight Tracker function. Type in the name of the carrier and the flight number to find out when the flight took off, if it’s on time and when it’s scheduled to land. Current weather information for any airport is also available. Continue reading

Who Knew You Could Do This With Google Search?

If all you’ve been using Google search for is to find products, services, websites and media, you’re missing out. Behind the unassuming homepage, there’s a wealth of unique features to discover. Try these eight ways Google makes the web more useful and fun.

1. Read Archived Newspapers

Google NewspapersGoogle News doesn’t just bring you the latest headlines. The search giant has archived well over a century’s worth of publications from around the world. You can read small local and niche papers or browse through the contents of well-known publications. This is a great tool to help with research for school, work or personal use. Continue reading

What does Google’s Mobilegeddon really mean?

Hello!
This is Bill from the Orion Group. I am reaching out to as many people as I can to explain, in layman’s terms, what Google did on April 21st of this year. Some of you may have heard about Google’s “Mobilegeddon”. The title is most accurate because what Google did was literally pull the rug out on the entire internet affecting every website that exists today.

For those of us who do not understand, here is what Google did.

Why is this important?… because Google does not play around and make such announcements just for fun.

Want proof this is happening?

Image3

 

All of this is because neither site was optimized to “mobile friendly” status before the algorithm update by Google.

Does this not make one think that if such a large percentage of web sites are not responsive, and only those that are will be shown in mobile search results, then we better get going and update our web site? We need to take advantage of being part of the small percentage of sites that will show up in mobile search results and capitalize while others are still playing catch up. In essence, the entire internet is starting over and only the smartest of companies that understand all of this will take advantage of such a small pool of competition showing up in mobile search results.

This is a chance that may never come around again. In order to rank higher in mobile search results and NOT be doomed to losing that traffic all together, you have to have a website that is mobile-friendly. When will Google say that they will be doing the same thing in Desktop and Laptop searches? It’s a scary thought but Google is scary.

I believe Google is forcing the entire internet to do it their way. It purifies searches and it will cost advertisers a lot more money as the field of viewership will be so much narrower for a while.

So, while you may have been putting off redoing your web sites for years, there is now an opportunity to strike while the iron is hot. When the wagons went west in the search for gold, it was the first ones there that got richest the quickest. Now this can be said for having a responsive, mobile-friendly website. If your business values mobile traffic, why wouldn’t you want to be able to cash in on being the only ones who come up on the mobile search results with little to no competition around you for the foreseeable future?

How can you tell if your current website meets Google’s definition of mobile-friendly? There’s an online tool for that. Visit https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/, paste or type in the URL of your website, and click Analyze. Does your site pass? If not, then it’s HIGHLY likely that your site is NOT showing up in mobile search results.

This was a collaborative effort by Emma Edgar, Adam Kuhn & Kevin Barnes

If your website is not mobile-friendly, Orion Group can help.
Call 262-820-9520 for a free consultation.

Meet Benny, WordPress 4.0 Released

 

wordpress-logo-notext-rgb-150x150Today version 4.0 of WordPress was released.  Most of the big changes in “Benny” are changes in how the admin area, or WordPress Dashboard, works and interacts with the user.  The biggest changes are:

  • Page/Post content editor stays in the same place as users scroll down the editing page.
  • Plugin search results are rearranged in a grid and allow admins to easily checkout a plugin’s ratings, documentation, screenshots and other information.
  • The Media Library images are in a more fluid grid pattern, not in a list.
  • Embedded videos now show as a preview inside of the WYSIWYG content editor so users no longer have to publish or preview a page to see the video.

Continue reading

What You Should Know About Identity Theft

It could happen to youIt should come as no surprise that identify theft is out of control with more than 9 million Americans falling victim EACH YEAR.  If you carry your credit card and driver’s license, make purchases online, or simply buy lunch with a debit card, you are putting yourself at risk for identity theft.  Unfortunately, fewer than one in 700 identify crimes lead to an arrest.

No doubt you have heard about the theft of millions of credit and debit card numbers as well as personal information from the data bases of Target, Michaels, Neiman Marcus, Walgreens, Nordstrom, Zappos.com, Choicepoint, Lexis Nexis, DSW Show Warehouse, TJ Maxx, HSBC, and Bank of America.  Data hackers are operating more like a business with sophisticated networks of criminals who are hawking our identities.  Criminals are looking to get the maximum yield of monetizable data and the retail industry is an easy target.  Once the hackers have your information, they either use it themselves or sell to other thieves.  With your personal information, they have access to your credit history. If you have high credit scores, criminals will then use your information to open new bank accounts, take out mortgages and other large loans, as well as new credit cards.  Victims are unaware of these new accounts until the creditor seeks overdue payments. Continue reading

Are You Ready to Join the Logo Evolution?

The evolution of the Orion Group logo

It may be time to evaluate your main identity, better known as your Logo!

It can seem like some labor to get a logo project going but it’s worth it. Your logo is a representation of your business i.e. the face of your brand, what you do, who you are, why you do it. Is your logo up to the challenge of promoting you and your company to the world on this fantastic medium that is the Internet? Wikipedia says that a logo is “a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition.” Logos are either purely graphic (symbols/icons), or are composed of the name of the organization. In ancient Greek logo was originally a word meaning “a ground”, “a plea”, “an opinion”, “an expectation”, “word,” “speech,” “account,” “reason”. Continue reading

Online Reviews: Managing the good, the bad, and even the ugly

Consumers today have powerful digital voices. They don’t hesitate to share product and customer service opinions online and with social media channels. As a small business owner you can love them, you can hate them, but one thing is sure: you’d better be paying attention.

Are local consumers talking online about YOUR business?

Are local consumers talking online about YOUR business?

A recently released survey reveals that a whopping 90% of consumers who read reviews online say positive reviews influence their buying decisions. Negative reviews are just as powerful: 86% of consumers say bad reviews influence where they choose to spend their dollars. Continue reading

Orion Group Congratulates the Milwaukee 99

Congratulations to the 99 award winners at last night’s United AdWorkers Milwaukee 99 ceremony. The annual showcase of the best creative work in southeast Wisconsin was held downtown Milwaukee at the Harley Davidson Museum.

The venue is beginning to fill up. The room is packed with tables, chairs and ad displays with a record attendance of over 500 people.

“It’s an honor to be in this room filled with so many creatives,” says Scott Offord, Director of Internet Marketing at Orion Group. “Local agencies of all sizes are represented here. It’s an outstanding crowd of advertising professionals.”

Ninety-nine of the most talented advertising professionals and agencies in Wisconsin were honored for their work in advertising, branding, design, animation and art direction. Recognition was also given to the top student entries from local colleges.

Also, the newly formed Wisconsin Advertising Hall of Fame debuted its first class of inductees. Three Milwaukee advertising trailblazers were applauded for their innovative work:

  • Paul Counsell – former CEO and chairman of Cramer-Krasselt, Milwaukee’s oldest and largest advertising agency
  • William Eisner, Sr. — founder of William Eisner Associates, a pioneer in advertising and namesake of the Eisner Museum
  • Dennis Frankenberry – award-winning co-founder of Frankenberry, Laughlin & Constable

You can read more about the inductees and view some of their stellar work at the Wisconsin Advertising Hall of Fame site.

Our thanks to the United AdWorkers for hosting the event!

Internet Marketing Internship or Full-Time Job Application Form

Orion Group is looking to hire an intern and a full-time employee who would:

  • support the Internet marketing division of Orion Group
  • focus on learning more about search engine optimization, pay per click advertising, and social media
  • become Google Adwords and Google Analytics certified (training will be provided)
  • spend at least 10-40 hours per week at the Orion office in Sussex, WI (with possibility of working remotely)
  • is flexible, eager to learn, and willing to work harder than others

Continue reading