It’s not a top-secret with regards to the huge opportunity that exists with aiding local firms get online. It is really among my main business solutions I handle and I try and remain on top of the current products and solutions, applications and training that guide others in this area. It’s not anymore enough to have a web portal and several traffic. People today are searching for local firms on multiple properties, they’re now engaging and reviewing these companies in different areas. One particular area that is extremely new to the mix is the fusion of mobile phone into the local search, you may do it every day and don’t think so much about it. Let’s tackle this in a lot more detail.Google MapsThis is a huge market right now and Google is paying very close attention and putting a lot of resources into this particular area. There has been a big shift in the way Google Places listings are displayed on the Google search results, but more importantly there is a massive social shift in the way people are finding local businesses. The amount of people who are using their mobile device and specifically Google maps to find a local business is rising at an alarming rate. Local businesses are struggling without it and the ones who are in the ‘know’ are reaping the rewards. This is what the President of Google, Eric Schmidt, has to say about the mobile landscape:”There are currently about 3.2 billion mobile subscribers in the world, and that number is expected to grow by at least a billion in the next few years. Today, mobile phones are more prevalent than cars (about 800 million registered vehicles in the world) and credit cards (only 1.4 billion of those). While it took 100 years for land-line phones to spread to more than 80% of the countries in the world, their wireless descendants did it in 16, and fewer teens are wearing watches now because they use their phones to tell time instead. So it’s safe to say that the mobile phone may be the most prolific consumer product ever invented.” – Eric SchmidtThe iPhone, Blackberry, Android all allow easy searching on the spot to find local businesses through Google Maps (displaying Google Places listings). Experts predict 80-90% of people will be DEPENDENT on mobile maps in the next 24 months.QR CodesHave you ever heard of a QR code? Have you ever seen a QR code? In case you have not yet, you will likely to start noticing them in a lot of places. You’ll see them on traditional advertising media (sides of buses, ads in bars, restaurants, business cards, boarding passes, flyers, brochures, etc.). In no time, you and each business out there will one or more of these codes. Just recently a lot of vineyards are putting them on their wine bottles, makes it easy to get their website address or more information on the wine bottle sitting in front of you!Google has created roughly 49 million+ Places listings for local businesses. Almost 9 out of 10 of these go unclaimed. This simply means, these companies are usually not optimized nor have vital information and facts filled in apart from the address (which often could be wrong) and the organization name. The Places listing allows you to go far beyond that information, providing detailed hours of operation, pictures, videos, services offered, coupons, reviews, citations, and much more.Merely like a regular Google search result, these kinds of information and facts get ranked in Google whenever people conduct local queries (lookups that normally include a area identifier such as “Toronto” or if an individual utilizes the mobile maps program on Android, iPhone or BlackBerry). In most cases, people head off to Google maps even on their desktop computer to be able to track down local vendors and your business has the chance to be on the top of the list.This does not require high prices to develop new websites or redesign existing websites. These are hosted by Google so these local businesses don’t even need an existing website, nor one in the future! They can get on the front page of Google with an optimized Google Places listing during the most important searches, the local ones!It’s time to start thinking beyond the website and the browser when helping local businesses, and reach out to their customers using mobile services. The percentage of their customers who will find a local service with their phone is rising and rising FAST!
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Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7
Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7
My Dad repaired most of our shoes believe it or not, I can hardly believe it myself now. With 7 pairs of shoes always needing repairs I think he was quite clever to learn how to “Keep us in shoe Leather” to coin a phrase!
He bought several different sizes of cast iron cobbler’s “lasts”. Last, the old English “Laest” meaning footprint. Lasts were holding devices shaped like a human foot. I have no idea where he would have bought the shoe leather. Only that it was a beautiful creamy, shiny colour and the smell was lovely.
But I do remember our shoes turned upside down on and fitted into these lasts, my Dad cutting the leather around the shape of the shoe, and then hammering nails, into the leather shape. Sometimes we’d feel one or 2 of those nails poking through the insides of our shoes, but our dad always fixed it.
Hiking and Swimming Galas
Dad was a very outdoorsy type, unlike my mother, who was probably too busy indoors. She also enjoyed the peace and quiet when he took us off for the day!
Anyway, he often took us hiking in the mountains where we’d have a picnic of sandwiches and flasks of tea. And more often than not we went by steam train.
We loved poking our heads out of the window until our eyes hurt like mad from a blast of soot blowing back from the engine. But sore, bloodshot eyes never dampened our enthusiasm.
Dad was an avid swimmer and water polo player, and he used to take us to swimming galas, as they were called back then. He often took part in these galas. And again we always travelled by steam train.
Rowing Over To Ireland’s Eye
That’s what we did back then, we had to go by rowboat, the only way to get to Ireland’s eye, which is 15 minutes from mainland Howth. From there we could see Malahide, Lambay Island and Howth Head of course. These days you can take a Round Trip Cruise on a small cruise ship!
But we thoroughly enjoyed rowing and once there we couldn’t wait to climb the rocks, and have a swim. We picnicked and watched the friendly seals doing their thing and showing off.
Not to mention all kinds of birdlife including the Puffin.The Martello Tower was also interesting but a bit dangerous to attempt entering. I’m getting lost in the past as I write, and have to drag myself back to the present.
Fun Outings with The camera Club
Dad was also a very keen amateur photographer, and was a member of a camera Club. There were many Sunday photography outings and along with us came other kids of the members of the club.
And we always had great fun while the adults busied themselves taking photos of everything and anything, it seemed to us. Dad was so serious about his photography that he set up a dark room where he developed and printed his photographs.
All black and white at the time. He and his camera club entered many of their favourites in exhibitions throughout Europe. I’m quite proud to say that many cups and medals were won by Dad. They have been shared amongst all his grandchildren which I find quite special.
He liked taking portraits of us kids too, mostly when we were in a state of untidiness, usually during play. Dad always preferred the natural look of messy hair and clothes in the photos of his children.