Techsperts Talk

 In this series, we explore Google’s web analytics program in the light of small-business needs.

Our first post introduces the concept of analytics and why Google’s program is a good choice for small-business owners. 

Today, if you haven’t heard of data analytics, Big Data, or data science, it’s safe to say that you’re probably not connected to the Internet. Or your TV. Or pretty much any form of media.

This is the final post in our Google analytics series. We've gone from explaining Google Analytics to exploring how it works. Today, we'll talk about a few easy ways you can really make Google Analytics work for your business.

During the past few days, we’ve explored Google Apps for Business and its capability as productivity suite.

It comes packed with everything that businesses need to run their day-to-day operations: email, online storage, spreadsheets, word processing, schedule management, and integrated chat and conferencing features.

If the idea of storing your most important documents in the cloud causes panic and dismay, then you need to read this article.

It’s okay. No, really. It’s okay to be nervous of the cloud. After all, have you been there? Seen it? Touched it? I haven’t! So yeah, the idea of the cloud can be a little disconcerting, especially if you are old enough to remember when 500 megabytes was an acceptable size for a desktop PC’s hard drive.

Small businesses often have small IT budgets—and that doesn’t have to be a problem.

As we’ll see in this post, there are several options for small businesses to utilize great IT on a limited budget. Some of these are highlighted in current trends, including the use of mobile technology, cloud computing, and bring-your-own-device policies.

Is your day more packed than it needs to be? Try these Techsperts-approved productivity tips to start getting more done.

Try as we might to alter the laws of nature, we all only have 24 hours a day. And when you factor in things like eating, sleeping, and running errands, even the most productive among us only have 8 or 10 hours to get it all done.

But it is possible to become more productive. Sometimes, the bad habits we've picked up along the way are holding our time hostage. And sometimes, it turns out that things we thought were productive turn out to be exactly the opposite (hard stare in the direction of multitasking). How can we tell the good from the bad?

Is your website all that you need it to be? How about your company intranet? Check out Google for Work’s Forms and Sites offerings to see how your experience could be even better.

We’ve talked quite a lot about websites over the past few years. Do you really need them? (Yes.) Are yours up to date?

We’ve answered these questions, and we’ve even told you what to include on your site. But there’s one thing we haven’t talked about: How to get your site online and working well for your business.

Is your business in a time of transition? Leveraging Google for Works’ many business-related offerings can help you manage your IT situation. Here’s how.

Trends come and go, even in the business world. However, flexibility is one trend that is here to stay. Think about it: Fifteen years ago, how many people telecommuted to work? And, when major business changes happened, how long were they expected to take?

In today’s world, telecommuting is a frequent and viable option, and change happens in terms of days, not months or years. Today, being flexible and agile is a necessity in business.

As of 2016, Gmail, Google’s email service, had over one billion active users. It’s a familiar presence, even without its identity as part of Google for Work.

In many ways, an email provider is an email provider. We’re all accustomed to the interface: inboxes for our received email, clickable buttons to compose new emails, folders to store our sent emails, other folders to save our important emails, and junk filters to whisk away the kinds of email we don’t want to get. And yes, these all come with Gmail.

In our previous post, we gave you an overview of Google Apps for Business, a flexible, online productivity suite that combines the power of programs like Microsoft Word with the instant collaboration capabilities of the internet. In this post, we’ll be discussing one popular aspect of Google Apps for Business: Google Calendar.

 
Cloud computing is the phrase du jour. We hear so much about the Cloud that it would be understandable if we mistook a tech blog post for a weather report.

Despite the Cloud’s prevalence, there are still many misconceptions about what it is, how it works, and who can use it. So let’s explore these topics.

Losing all your important data can send your stress levels off the charts. Fortunately, implementing the right backup plan can turn a catastrophic loss to a mere inconvenience.

I often compare backing up your computer system to doing preventative maintenance on your home’s plumbing: It might not be something you think about very often, but you had better find time to do it. Otherwise, you will regret it for sure

If you’re looking for cloud-based productivity suite, Google Apps for Business is a strong contender. In fact, this powerful multi-functioning software should be on your short list.Productivity suites needs no introduction. Thanks to many years of using Microsoft Office and the like, small businesses basically run off of this ubiquitous program package. What makes Google Apps for Business different? Three things. First, it combines business class software with client technology, meaning that you can access your documents anywhere at any time, as long as you are connected to the internet. Second, it’s relatively inexpensive, and it can be scaled up or down as users are added or deleted. And finally, it’s very collaborative so you can work on projects in real time with co-workers in multiple locations.

Small businesses compete hard for attention – both with other small businesses and with the big guys. So it’s good to know that you don’t have to be a big business to have technology with a big impact. Here’s how small businesses can do big tech on a budget.If you’re running a small business, it’s easy to feel outnumbered. After all, small businesses are just that – little. But no matter how small your business is, you’re far from alone. There are more than 27 million small businesses in the U.S. today. And of those 27 million, the overwhelming majority (21 million) have no employees, meaning that the entire company consists of the owners.

Google Apps for Business is a powerful, flexible alternative to traditional desktop-oriented productivity suite software. At its heart are three common and popular apps: Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Docs. Recently, Google Docs was incorporated into Google Drive, offering a seamless and integrated document creation and storage option.

We’ve talked a lot about productivity lately. We’ve discussed how technology can help you personally be more productive and how you can use it to keep your whole team on point. But what about efficiency?
Productive people aren’t necessarily efficient; they can get the job done, but sometimes at a considerable cost. 

Did you know that Americans are concerned about the safety of their information? You probably did. In fact, you’re probably one of the Americans who feel that their privacy and sensitive data may be at risk.

These days, digital is definitely in. Is it time to send the office pen and paper supply into retirement? Let’s find out.

Do you know when in history the pen became a technological innovation? Well, it can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians in 3000 BC, who used a reed dipped in ink. Or, if you want to trace it back to metal nibs, that would put it at 79 AD. And ballpoint pens were patented in 1888 AD—but weren’t widely used until about 50 years later. And the pencil? The graphite-filled version that we all remember from school has been around in a rough state since 1662.

This is the final post in our series highlighting the benefits of various Google for Work offerings. Some of them you may be familiar with, like Google Apps and Google Sites. But don’t forget about Google’s flagship offering, the Chrome browser, and its logical offshoot, the Chrome operating system. Are these a good fit for your business? Let’s see.

First of all, let’s have a brief word about the standard Chrome browser. This is something we’ve spent some time covering already, so a quick summary is in order: It’s free, stable, secure, fast, and easy to use. The downside is that Google isn’t as privacy-conscious as some independent browser companies. (If this bothers you, you can download a third-party extension like Ghostery to get some control back.)

How can you manage your company’s email, schedules, and other communications? Tools from Google for Work are a great place to start.

According to George Bernard Shaw, “Syllables govern the world.” This is so very true when you’re running a business. Saying (or writing) the right syllables can have as big an effect as any of your actions. If you’re in doubt, just watch an inept salesperson at work (not your own, hopefully.) A sure-shot sale can go down the tubes in minutes if communication is bad.