Webinar Wednesday 99 – October 7, 2020

Update: Font-Family Selector in Text Editor (00:03:00)

• The text editor now features a font-family selector, allowing users to choose the font family they want to use in their text editor, with the first option being the font family to choose, which includes fonts tied to Google Fonts enabled in design settings (00:03:01).
• The available font options are limited to fonts that have been enabled in the design settings, as loading Google Fonts on a site can affect page speed and load time, and the only fonts available will be those that are tied and pinned to fonts already enabled (00:03:23).
• The design settings provide several places where users can choose to set a Google Font, including the main website design, where they can choose a Google Font for the body font family or the heading font family, as well as in the logo maker and on the home page (00:03:53).
• The custom fonts available in the text editor are determined by the design settings, and users can mix and match them as desired, with the bottom section of the font-family selector featuring six web-safe font families that can be used without any special JavaScript or rendering issues (00:04:37).
• The web-safe font families are standard fonts that are available to all users, in addition to the custom fonts tied to their design settings, and are safe for use in 99% of all web browsers and readers, providing a reliable option for users (00:04:43).

Update: Link Button Options in Text Editor (00:05:13)

• The text editor now allows users to see a preview when editing a link and turning it into a button, and this feature can be accessed by using the draggable content blocks and clicking on the link under the star icon (00:05:14).
• The background color of the button can be chosen, and these colors are tied to the button colors defined in the design settings, allowing users to easily toggle between different colors (00:05:36).
• The design settings have six default button colors that can be set, and these colors dictate the color to use for different classes of buttons throughout the site, with a visual representation now available when selecting button colors (00:06:07).
• Advanced settings for buttons have been added, including the option to have a full-width button, and users can toggle between small, normal, and large button sizes, as well as choose to change the color (00:06:38).
• When creating a link, users can choose to open it in a new tab by checking the option when creating the link, and links always start as plain text links before any stylings or classes are added (00:07:53).
• Existing links can be edited by clicking on the pencil icon, allowing users to change the text, link destination, and other settings, including whether the link opens in a new tab or not (00:08:14).

Update: Hero & SEO Settings in Text Editor (00:08:27)

• The text editor has undergone updates, including changes to the hero and SEO settings, which were previously located in the sidebar but have now been moved to tabs in the main section area for better organization (00:08:29).
• The hero section allows users to enable or disable the hero section on pages where it is available, and includes various options such as image selection, spacing, text sizes, font weight, and call to action buttons (00:08:55).
• The hero section options include settings for the main title and subtitle, which correspond to the h1 and h2 inputs, and can be edited to customize the appearance of the hero section (00:09:17).
• The SEO settings have been moved to their own tab, but remain unchanged, and include fields for page title, description, and keywords, as well as social media sharing options (00:09:40).
• The social media sharing options include fields for customizing the page title and description, as well as selecting an image to be shared, which can be useful when creating custom landing pages or resources web pages (00:09:53).
• The updated text editor layout aims to reduce clutter in the sidebar by moving settings to tabs, making it easier to access and manage various options (00:08:52).

Update: Sidebar Width Options (Slim and Wide) (00:10:18)

• The design setting options now include the ability to choose the sidebar width, with options for slim or wide sidebars on certain pages, allowing for more control over the layout (00:10:18).
• The sidebar width options were previously hardcoded, with member search results and member profile pages having a smaller sidebar due to the wealth of data that needed to be shared on those pages (00:11:02).
• The new design settings include sidebar alignment options, such as left slim, left wide, right slim, right wide, or no sidebar, providing more flexibility in customizing the layout (00:11:25).
• To access these options, users can go to the settings and design settings, where they can choose their preferred sidebar alignment and width, and save their changes (00:11:20).
• The updated sidebar width options allow users to grant more space to the sidebar if needed, such as for important banners, and can be easily toggled between slim and wide options (00:12:32).
• The changes can be seen in real-time by visiting the relevant pages, such as the member search results page, where the wider or slimmer sidebar can be compared (00:11:52).

Update: New Currency Formatting Options (00:12:42)

• The new currency formatting options provide control over how currency is displayed, especially for international users or those serving other countries, and can be found under settings and general settings, specifically in the localization section (00:12:42).
• The website currency number format option allows users to choose whether the thousands place will use a comma or not, or if it would use a decimal, with options including no comma, comma for the thousandths, or whole numbers represented with a comma (00:13:15).
• The currency prefix option determines what shows before the numbers, and it is recommended to have at least the currency symbol, such as the dollar sign, and users can also add a suffix to show after the price, such as “AUD” (00:13:53).
• The currency formatting options apply to anywhere prices are shown on the website, including sign up pages, search results, and membership plans, and are especially important for checkout pages (00:14:24).
• The new options provide more flexibility in currency formatting, allowing international users to customize the display of prices to suit their needs, with options such as using a comma or decimal, and adding a currency symbol or suffix (00:14:51).

Update: New Member Plan Settings Layout (00:14:58)

• The membership plans settings have a new layout, which is designed to be better organized with subheadings and tabs to make it easier to navigate and find specific settings (00:14:58).
• The new layout includes tabs such as sign up settings and upgrade settings, with blue titles and subheadings to help organize the many settings for membership plans (00:15:28).
• Under the profile page, there are settings to choose the order of items in the member profiles page overview tab, such as the Google map, contact details, and about me section, as well as the ability to turn on or off the display of personal member information (00:15:52).
• The page display settings allow for customization of what is shown on the member profile page, including breadcrumbs, banner ads, and the header and footer of the website (00:16:30).
• The member review settings include options such as requiring all reviews to be approved by the admin first, and there are also settings for member profile badges if the add-on is installed (00:16:40).
• Under the member dashboard, there are settings to select what information to collect from members, including contact details, additional listing details, and the about me form, as well as options for profile photos and logos (00:16:53).
• The dashboard display settings allow for customization of what is shown on the member dashboard, including the ability to add custom content to welcome members or provide instructions (00:17:15).
• The custom dashboard content can be created using a text editor, allowing for a personalized welcome message or calls to action to be displayed at the top of the member dashboard (00:17:34).

Update: Conversion Tracking Code Input (00:18:01)

• The conversion tracking code input is a feature that can be found in the membership plans settings under signups and upgrades, where there is a tab called successful sign up or upgrade conversion tracking code (00:18:01).
• This feature allows users to input their specific conversion tracking code, such as Facebook events or Facebook pixels, or Google tag manager for tracking conversions, and it can also be used for affiliate tracking code (00:18:15).
• The conversion tracking code can be dropped into a box, and upon a new successful member sign up or an upgrade, the tracking code will render and the pixel will track the event (00:18:25).
• This option can be set up on a per membership plan level, giving users flexibility in their conversion tracking (00:18:42).
• The conversion tracking code input feature is now available for use, providing a way to track conversions and events for new member sign ups and upgrades (00:18:45).

Coming Soon: Post Commenting Add-On (00:18:51)

• The post commenting add-on is an upcoming feature that will allow members to leave comments on posts, which has been reviewed in previous webinars (00:18:52).
• This feature is currently going through its final quality assurance (QA) process (00:18:59).
• It is expected that the post commenting add-on will be released in the next webinar, allowing everyone to use the feature (00:19:04).

Coming Soon: Upload Images with Reviews Add-On (00:19:08)

• The upcoming feature of uploading images with reviews will be showcased, providing insight into its functionality (00:19:08)
• This feature is expected to be highlighted in an upcoming tip of the week, which will demonstrate how it works (00:19:10)
• The tip of the week will serve as a guide on utilizing the upload images with reviews add-on, offering a clearer understanding of its implementation (00:19:12)

Coming Soon: Simple Method to Edit Robots.txt (00:19:14)

• A simple method to edit robots.txt files is being released, which will allow more advanced users to make custom edits to these files (00:19:14).
• The new method is primarily intended for advanced users, such as developers, who require access to the robots.txt files for customization purposes (00:19:19).
• Most users will not need to access the robots.txt files, but the new method will provide the necessary functionality for those who do, including more advanced developer users who have been requesting this feature (00:19:25).

Coming Soon: Theme Selector & Restore Backups (00:19:34)

• The ability to toggle and change themes, as well as restore backups of recent changes made on a site, will be introduced, allowing users to easily switch between different themes and revert any unwanted changes (00:19:34).
• A new tab called “change theme” will be added to the design settings, where users can view all available themes on the Brilliant Directory’s website and activate a new theme, which will change the design settings but not affect custom CSS, head tab, banner ad design settings, or custom announcements (00:19:52).
• When changing themes, the default menus associated with the new theme will not be applied if the user has already made changes to their menus, and only the design settings will be updated (00:20:27).
• The restore backup feature will allow users to revert to a previous version of their design settings, with the last 10 saves available, and this feature will initially be introduced in the design settings area and later expanded to other areas of the admin (00:21:36).
• The restore backup feature is intended to provide relief for users who accidentally make unwanted changes to their site, allowing them to easily restore a previous version (00:22:12).
• The new theme selector and restore backup features are currently in the QA process and are expected to be released soon, adding a lot of relief for users who are making changes to their site (00:22:28).

More Features Coming Soon (00:22:40)

• Content blocks for emails is a feature that will be available soon, allowing users to enhance their email creation experience (00:22:41).
• The ability to select smart lists when scheduling newsletters is another upcoming feature, which is currently undergoing its final quality assurance testing (00:22:43).
• The feature to force end admin sessions for some staff members is being implemented for security purposes and is expected to be released soon (00:22:51).
• The force end feature for staff admin sessions is part of the upcoming updates, aiming to improve security, and its release is anticipated to happen shortly (00:22:52).

Coming Soon: Same Page Member Registration (00:22:56)

• Same page member registration is a feature that will be available soon, allowing users to increase their general user subscribers on their site (00:22:56).
• The feature can be accessed by going to the member login page, where a tab to register a new account is available, and users can choose one of their free membership plans to pin registrations to (00:23:11).
• If a free membership plan is pinned to this feature, a tab will be available on the page, allowing users to sign up, and the process works similarly to the free sign-up page, requiring users to verify their email (00:23:41).
• The same page member registration feature will be useful in various areas, such as when users try to access a members-only page, purchase a digital product, send a private chat message, or leave a review on a members-only review page (00:24:05).
• This feature aims to make it easier and more convenient for users to register and subscribe to a website, potentially increasing the number of general users subscribed to the site (00:24:32).
• The feature is designed to allow users to register on the same page and continue their action from where the account was created, making it a convenient and user-friendly experience (00:24:22).

Will the Member Post Commenting add-on have any member restriction settings? (00:24:56)

• The post commenting add-on will have settings to restrict comments based on membership levels, allowing for moderation of comments from general users while comments from premium members can be published right away (00:24:56).
• There are a couple of options to manage comments, including choosing whose comments will be moderated based on membership level, and making comments from general users moderated while comments from other members are published immediately (00:25:12).
• The idea is that if a user can view a post, they should be able to comment on it, and it is possible to restrict commenting to members only, although this may not be exactly what is desired (00:25:33).
• A potential workaround is to make comments from premium members visible right away, while comments from other users are not approved, and using a text label for moderation to inform general users that their comments are pending approval (00:25:54).
• The text label for moderation can be edited to include a message prompting general users to upgrade to have their comments published instantly, with a link to their upgrade page (00:25:56).
• This workaround can be used to restrict commenting to premium members, by linking general users to their upgrade page when they try to leave a comment (00:26:28).

How to create a Q&A, forum, or Reddit clone using the Member Post Commenting add-on? (00:26:34)

• A custom post type can be created to allow general users to post questions, such as a legal question, which can be achieved by cloning a member article, as it consists of a title and body of content (00:26:34).
• The member article post type can be used to create a community forum feel, where users can post their questions and others can comment on them, creating a Q&A or discussion forum-like environment (00:26:47).
• By utilizing the member post commenting add-on, users can comment on the posted questions, allowing for a community discussion to take place, similar to a Reddit clone or forum (00:26:55).

Tip of the Week: Add Photos to Member Reviews Add-On (Coming Soon) (00:27:13)

• A new add-on is coming soon, which will allow the ability to add photos to member reviews, and this feature is expected to provide benefits to visitors and members, and can be leveraged to increase the number of subscribers that join the site (00:27:13).
• The add-on is intended to show how this works and some of the benefits that can be gained with this feature, and how it can be used to increase the number of subscribers (00:27:17).
• The presentation of the add-on will be walked through, starting with a discussion on how it works (00:27:35).
• The goal of the presentation is to provide information on the new add-on and its benefits, and to explain how it can be used to increase the number of subscribers that join the site (00:27:29).

Member Reviews Add Value (00:27:44)

• Member reviews can add value to a membership or directory website, particularly for business directories or local city guides, where users can leave reviews for businesses, adding high-quality and unique content to the website (00:27:44).
• Having legitimate member reviews can increase the SEO value of member profile pages, making them more likely to be indexed by search engines like Google, especially if the reviews are relevant to the business or member being searched for (00:28:21).
• The review criteria can be edited to better apply to the audience, with default criteria including an overall rating of one through five, and additional criteria such as service rating, expertise rating, responsiveness, and communication, which can be further customized (00:28:51).
• Member reviews can motivate members to maintain their profiles, keep their information up to date, and constantly check for new reviews, especially if they have the ability to reply to reviews (00:29:22).
• Allowing members to accept and reply to reviews can be a great benefit, especially for businesses, and can be used as an incentive to encourage members to upgrade to membership plans that include this functionality (00:30:00).
• The ability to accept reviews can be limited to specific membership plans, making it a valuable benefit for members who upgrade to those plans, and encouraging them to do so in order to take advantage of this feature (00:29:48).

Add More Value with Review Photos (00:30:17)

• Adding photos to reviews on a member’s profile page adds more value to the reviews, making the profile page more immersive and engaging, and helps to liven up the page rather than just displaying text (00:30:17).
• The integration of photos with reviews allows them to be included in Google search results, potentially increasing the site’s visibility and driving more traffic to it, especially through Google image results (00:30:38).
• Visitors tend to spend more time looking at photos on a site rather than just scrolling through text-based reviews, which increases the time users spend on the website and subsequently increases its SEO value (00:31:08).
• Allowing users to leave reviews with photos on a website, such as a restaurant profile page, dramatically increases the value that those reviews provide to other users, making the site more useful and engaging (00:31:42).
• Reviews with photos are generally given more weight by users, as they provide a visual representation of the subject, such as food or venues, and increase the legitimacy of the reviews left for members on the website (00:31:59).
• The ability to visualize a member’s work or a venue through photos, rather than just reading text, increases the value that a website provides to its users, and this is particularly relevant for directories such as a wedding planner directory (00:32:09).

Websites that Benefit from Review Photos (00:32:29)

• Websites with a more visual-oriented audience or industry, such as restaurant-based directories, construction or designer directories, and interior designer directories, would benefit from having review photo functionality, allowing users to leave reviews with photos showing the work done, for example, what an interior designer was able to do with a space (00:32:45).
• Directories for wedding planners, auto repair shops, vacation planning, and local directories would also benefit from review photos, as they enable users to post before and after photos with their reviews, making it easier for others to visualize the experiences described (00:33:11).
• The ability to upload photos with reviews is particularly useful for visually-oriented businesses and services, as it allows users to visualize the outcomes and experiences rather than relying on text descriptions, making it a great benefit for such websites (00:33:37).
• However, this functionality may not be as useful for professional services like lawyers, chiropractors, or other non-visual industries, where photos with reviews may not be as applicable or beneficial (00:33:50).
• The review photo functionality is a great fit for industries where visual content can help users make informed decisions or get a better understanding of the services or products offered, making it a valuable addition to such websites (00:33:41).

Let’s See How to Publish Photo Reviews! (00:34:21)

• The feature to publish photo reviews is expected to be released within the next two weeks, allowing users to leave reviews with images, but requiring them to register an account to do so (00:34:22).
• To leave a review with images, a person must create or have a membership on the website, although they can leave a plain text review without registering (00:34:47).
• The process of leaving a review with images involves logging in, writing the review, adding up to five photos, and submitting it for approval (00:35:12).
• The email address of the person leaving the review is never publicly displayed on the site and is only visible to the logged-in member or the administrator in the backend area (00:36:02).
• After submitting a review, the member who is being reviewed will be notified and can manage their own reviews, including approving or declining pending reviews (00:37:07).
• The review and accompanying images can be viewed on the member’s profile page, the reviews tab, and on the reviews search results page, with the option to enlarge the images (00:37:43).
• Each review has its own detail page, which includes the full review and accompanying images, as well as related reviews for the same person (00:38:22).
• The ability to leave photos with reviews is expected to add value for members, especially those in visually oriented businesses and services (00:38:45).

Can photos be uploaded to reviews on mobile devices? (00:39:08)

• Users visiting the website from a mobile device are able to select photos, and this functionality works on mobile devices (00:39:08).
• The discussion is opened up to the audience for questions about their directory sites or any topics covered during the presentation (00:39:18).
• A participant named Colette joins the webinar and is acknowledged by the host, Jason, who confirms that her audio is working and welcomes her to the discussion (00:39:28).
• Colette and Jason exchange greetings, and Colette is given the opportunity to ask questions or engage in the conversation (00:39:31).

Plans to make the admin area more mobile friendly? (00:39:40)

• The admin site is not currently mobile-friendly, and this issue has fallen behind schedule, with plans for a revamp towards the end of 2021 (00:39:40).
• Users who are experiencing difficulties accessing specific areas of the admin site on mobile devices are encouraged to share their concerns, along with a screenshot, with the support team, which may lead to a quick patch for that particular area (00:40:02).
• The support team is open to receiving feedback and suggestions from users, such as Jason and Rich, who have already provided positive feedback and are engaging in discussions about the admin site and its mobile accessibility (00:40:31).

Is the review photo number limit customizable? (00:40:46)

• The default number of photos allowed for illustrating reviews is five, and this is the standard for the initial release (00:40:48).
• There will be an option to add more or remove photos in the future, specifically in phase two, where the website owner will be able to decide the maximum limit for images per review (00:40:58).
• The initial limit of five photos is in place to ensure a safer and more stable release, but this limit will be customizable in phase two, allowing website owners to define the maximum images per review (00:41:05).
• The customization option for the photo number limit is expected to provide more flexibility for website owners, with some considering the default limit of five to be sufficient (00:41:14).

Placing a video tutorial in the members dashboard to show how to complete their profile (00:41:16)

• A video tutorial was created to help members complete their profile on the Podcasters Directory website, and it can be found on the member’s dashboard, which was a big challenge for members to complete their profile (00:41:21).
• The video tutorial allows members to see the steps visually and hear the tutorial on how to complete their dashboard, and it has been effective in getting members to fill out their profiles, with seven out of the last eight people completing their entire dashboard (00:42:12).
• The video is a simple, one-and-a-half-minute tutorial that explains the importance of filling out their profile and how to do it, and it is displayed prominently on the member’s dashboard (00:42:22).
• The ability to insert content, such as videos, on a member’s dashboard was a big win for the website, and it has been made possible through the use of a text editor (00:43:02).
• The video tutorial is part of the custom dashboard content, and it is used to direct members on the next actions to take or promotions that are available, and it has been successful in getting members to engage with the website (00:43:24).
• The setting to add custom content to the dashboard was created to help directory owners direct their members on the next actions to take or promotions that are available, and it can be used to provide information on how to get the most use from being a member on the directory (00:43:56).
• The Podcasters Directory website is part of the Brilliant Directories platform, and there are many updates and new features being released, including updates to the images for reviews, which are expected to be released in the next couple of weeks (00:44:14).
• The Brilliant Directories team encourages users to join their Facebook group to stay up-to-date on the latest updates and to provide feedback on what features they would like to see built into the platform (00:44:26).