1.  Add the Google Authorship Plugin for Multiple Authors by Keyword Strategy (search for Google Authorship from within your Dashboard – Plugins – Add New screen).  Don’t forget to “activate” it.

2.  This will add a new field in your Profile page.  It looks like this:

3.  Add your Google+ Profile URL.  An example Google+ url is provided.  The “Location” and “Width” is referring to the Google+ badge that is automatically added to your site.  On The Vacation Gals, it looks like this:

   I recommend changing the “Location” box to “hidden” because its really not that pretty, is it?

Of course that sent me into dizzying interrogation mode to find out – who was the intended victim of this attack; which sites were attacked; and the big one: why?

Our techs let me know:

No one account was causing these issues, rather it was a coordinated, distributed attack against multiple sites on the server.

Who was the target?

Random sites on the server’s primary shared IP were targeted. These attacks do not often target random sites such as this attack did…

That means that random sites on our server were attacked.

How to Stop the Attack:

We have placed a hardware firewall in front of the server, and malicious traffic is being mitigated. 

It is stopped but the server will likely remain under attack for the next few hours.  The techs at HostGator are actively monitoring the sites.

Who did this?

As the attack’s true source is hidden, there is little we can do to discover the cause of the attack.

Unfortunately it is unlikely we will ever know.

Conclusions

Unfortunately being a webmaster and owning a website comes with a certain amount of risk.  The ‘bad guys’ are out there seeking vulnerabilities and just generally wreaking havoc (similarly to our offline lives).  We keep up with all the best practices, security enhancements and monitoring that is available to us.  But just once in a while someone becomes the victim.  This was one of those times.  Because of excellent monitoring, backups, and 24 hour technicians, our downtime was minimal and any real damage was prevented!

This should be an excellent reminder to keep your sites backed up and up to date.  Out of date software is the number one cause of vulnerabilities online!  So please – keep your WordPress, plugins and themes up to date!

Questions?  Leave a comment or drop me a line at cathy at desperatelyseekingwp dot com.

Small business owners face a ton of time and operational challenges.  We have demands in all areas of our lives, and wear a million different titles on any given day.  Any ounce of sanity left is spent figuring out how to make the next day just a little bit smoother.  Over the last four years, those bits of sanity have combined into research on how to operationally keep my head above water.  What follows is the sum total of that research and a few rabbit holes.

LastPass

This is absolutely unequivocally number one of the top 10 apps – I use this on average every five minutes or so.  As of writing, I have 1,413 passwords stored in my LastPass vault.  The LastPass password truly is the last password I have to remember.

The free version is available on any desktop – mac or PC, the pro version will sync across all mobile devices.  And yes- it’s completely totally absolutely thoroughly withoutadoubt – safe. And infinitely safer than my memory.

ActiveInbox for Google Apps

Email is the life blood of my business.  My relationships are deepened on email, to-do’s come in and go out to staff via Email.  Follow-ups, account information, reminders, appointments, seminars, prospects – all come in via email.  So keeping this organized is essential.  ActiveInbox lets me easily (with ONE click) save an email in a to-do list, in a ‘waiting’ list, or in a folder.  The folder option can be used in any way you like.  I use mine to categorize current/active projects.

The #2 app for small business is definitely ActiveInbox; it lets me keep my happy place: a zero-inbox.

Toggl

Small businesses, small offices, and at-home offices all face a very similar challenge – we are in charge of everything.  We are the engineers, marketers, customer service agents, bookkeepers, receptionists, and big kahuna.  How do you divide up your time between all that has to be done?  I’ve found that a timer fits very close to the top of my top 10 apps for my small business.

I’ve tried several but they’re not fast enough to keep up with me.  I have 3 or 4 emails/tasks going at a time.  And I dont want to have to connect, enter, re-sort and ‘describe’ every task.  Enter stage left my knight of all Shining Timers: Toggl.

It doesn’t get any simpler than a big ol’ red button for start/stop.  And an optional description spot.  It also includes features sorting and reporting by project, client or staff member.

Definitely a top 10 must-have app for any small business!

Skype

I’ll let you in on a secret.  My number is a California – LA number.  Yes, I’m in Vancouver, Canada but since I prefer not to receive calls at 5AM I broadcast loud and clear that I am on the west coast.  As much as I love my clients, I love them better at 9AM.

As far as telephone service apps for small business, you can’t beat unlimited continent-wide calling for $14/mo.  And a ridiculously cheap separate phone number that works both online and on real phones.

As a plus, this is our staff’s Instant Messaging client of choice.  Ana, Dianne and I are online chatting with each other all day.  It’s our water cooler.

WorkEtc

This is our invoicing, project management, support, CRM app.  We use it for organizing projects, collaborating on support, and recording billable time.  The big plus on this one is that it integrates seamlessly with Google Apps.  So while a client and I are emailing back and forth, I can – without leaving my Google Apps account – make notes, open projects, add emails, and create invoices.

I’ve tested approx 1,457 CRM apps and all of them have one thing in common: they are not perfect for me.  Regardless of which one you choose, you will have a significant learning curve and/or setup process.

We chose WorkEtc because they offer individual training, excellent support, and better-than-most value.  Definitely a business app you should check out if you need a CRM/PM app.

Social Media Management – Tweetdeck

This app will allow you to manage the big three: Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin.  You begin by adding columns to the interface.  These columns can be added by Twitter List, or by searching for a word or hashtag (#).   This makes it infinitely easier to keep up with your conversations.

My process, which isn’t very organized yet, is to visit Tweetdeck and Facebook several times a day.  I visit Linkedin once a month or so.  And the lovely Pinterest whenever the fancy hits.

A lot of people use Tweetdeck because of the scheduling feature.  Use with care, and be sure to give back to your community if you’re on any social media network.

MailChimp

As far as mass email apps, this one tops my list.  It is fun and easy to use.  If you can use facebook or twitter, you can use this program without reading the help or watching any tutorials.  It is that easy.  The only thing – I mean only thing – is the labels.  You need to know that “Campaign” means “new email” and Template is the actual form through which you enter your content.  (Its not a template in the Microsoft Word sense of the term.)  Now you are ready to go use it.

Don’t underestimate the value of your email list. These are qualified prospects who have legitimately expressed an interest in your company by signing up.  Don’t disappoint them!

If you have a website, MailChimp is a top 10 app for you.

Genesis Themes

I’ve been following Brian of StudioPress fame since before his company was acquired by Copyblogger Media. His company and WordPress themes are the best out there.  They are easy to develop, come with reliable and fast support, and the highest standards.  On a personal note, I look to Brian and StudioPress as an ethical standard and business role model.

Everyone needs a website for marketing their business, and whether or not you hire a developer to customize it, you should start with the Genesis framework.  You’ll get the professional design that you need.

Sucuri

Since we all have websites for our businesses, this is an essential app.  It is a security and scanning service.  Sucuri is the most comprehensive and customer service oriented security and scanning service available.  The cost – $80 per year per site includes removing all malware/viruses and threats. That’s an incredible deal!  See our offer on how to get 50% off.

Wave Accounting

Lastly, the task we all love to hate – accounting.  With most of Single Proprietor businesses, we have business bank accounts, personal bank accounts, work credit cards, personal credit cards, online merchant accounts and Paypal.  Combine those all together, add a giant box of receipts, sprinkle with two months, and we have one colossal mess.

When you first set up your free account, Wave walks you through attaching your bank accounts – personal and business – your credit cards and paypal.  Then, my favorite feature, it automatically downloads all of your transactions from all of those accounts (did I mention it works with Paypal?) and sorts them between personal and work accounts.  Although not fun, it is quite painless.

It’s all automatic, and did I mention – FREE?  Wave should be in your top 10 apps for your small business too!

Conclusion

There are of course, many, many more apps for small business.  Do you have a list of your top 10? I would like to read it!

Start a Website On Your Own

1. Are you going to be selling website design and/or development services?  

If the answer is yes – then build away!

2. Would your time be better spent doing something to profitably affect your bottom line? 

If the answer is yes – then its time to hire!

The goal of the website is usually two fold.  One – we start a website to gain more visitors and sales.  Two, we start a website to further our brand and educate.  Before you think of hiring someone, you’ll need to be able to answer these questions:

• What is the purpose of starting a website?
• Who is my target audience?
• What content do I need to provide?
• What is my competition doing?

Start a Website with a Pro!

There are different kinds of website creators: graphic artists, website developers and internet marketers.  They all bring unique strengths to the table.  A small business will want to find a website creator that has some skill in all areas to produce a site that:

• creates a positive and easy user experience
• magnifies your brand
• converts visitors to customers

During the Interview:

After the Interview:

How much does a website cost?

The website is an investment that should pay off rather quickly.  Look for someone who can handle the project management and is a good communicator.  Expect to pay from $65 – $125/hour.  A 10 page website will usually cost $2,500 – $3,500.  If you add email, shops, logo design and SEO services, expect a higher price.

This article is the third in the Start a Website series.  Next we’ll cover selecting the software: Blogger, WordPress, Website Builder and more.  Want to see something else? Let me know!