Really, Google. Must you make it SO HARD for all of us small businesses?

I have been managing Google Business (business.google.com) for a number of clients for 15 – 20 years. From that sub-site of the Google empire, a developer or business owner can manage their listing and be found in Google maps (maps.google.com). Quite sufficient for a good long time. Now you’re offering us to add products, yet there is a whole new spinoff, Google Merchant Center which does same.

Along the way: Google + and Google Places have been retired. Google Adwords is still in play. Analytics is still going strong and was the first of the Google sub-sites (analytics.google.com) to require us to put a site verification code in our header or DNS.

The “new” shopping tab in the search results makes it so we must establish a Google Merchant Center and add our products–not enough that we do that in our own websites–or use a feed manager. The Merchant Center (merchants.google.com) also asks us to add a site verification code.

While trying to help a particular client, I couldn’t yet get into their merchant center, even though I am authorized through Google Business. Job unfinished.

While poking around I also found Google Search Console (search.google.com), something I hadn’t yet known about even though I’ve been doing site optimization for natural/organic search placement my entire internet career. I was able to login with my own Google user and add the particular client I’m currently helping, but NO, the rest of the 20 or so clients in Google Business do not automatically get pulled in. Thanks, Google. This sub-site also offered an opportunity to add a site verification code, so I did, and it verified, BUT it was NOT the same verification code that the Merchant Center specified. And it had to be added to DNS–not the more easily accessed header code that a client might feel more comfortable doing.

DOES ANYONE AT GOOGLE TALK TO EACH OTHER? What a ROYAL pain in the a__!!! All kinds of extra work. They don’t care about customer service because they don’t have to. I think they like making us jump through hoops so they can show us just how powerful they are. Do you really think small business clients have hundreds of extra dollars to pay us to help them through this process?

Family businesses, micro businesses, buy-local businesses are often on a small budget and seeking an inexpensive way to sell products online. The following solutions can pertain to you if you have a technical inclination, especially the PayPal button options. To implement an eCommerce solution, I recommend that a business have a reasonable budget for technical web development assistance. I also suggest that establishing your PayPal account will go quicker and smoother with the assistance of a developer that knows the ins and outs. [Read more…]

Mad River Web provides some clients with the minimal services of “DNS only” or “DNS and domain email” without website hosting or development. DNS (domain name service/server) is the mapping that leads people to the email and website locations. Support for small dollar items can consume a significant amount of time and is more easily absorbed when we have the website business as well. That is why our pricing may be more than you would pay elsewhere and/or for the first email account.

Alternatively, you could take over your own domain registration/mapping and save $50. Coaching or instruction on how to change services is not included, but we do provide the industry-standard courtesy of assisting a transfer.

What is the best way to collect information?

Simple, least costly

Create a form to be printed and filled out. Use a program such as Word, and save as a PDF so that it cannot be altered. [Read more…]

What do I get charged for? How much does consulting cost? Do I pay for email correspondence?

In a nutshell, all time is billable except for hosting and email support requests. This is also clearly stated in our terms and website pricing, where many answers can be found. If you read our mission and philosophy, you will understand that we put our “client” hat on before spending your money. [Read more…]