Webinar Wednesday 122 – September 22, 2021

New Add-On: 25+ Premium Content Blocks (00:02:27)

• The premium Internet filter add-on unlocks additional blocks of content that can be used in the web page builder, starting with around 25 blocks, and is part of the tip of the week (00:02:29).
• This add-on is available in the admin area for users with the VIP add-ons clip on their site, and can be found in the web page builder by heading to the new page section (00:02:57).
• The basic elements and individual elements that were previously available are still accessible to all users, and can be toggled closed to view the new premium content blocks (00:03:03).
• The premium content blocks include call to action blocks, feature lists, team blocks, and general content blocks that combine text, images, titles, and buttons to help create Landing page and web pages more efficiently (00:03:19).
• The addition of these premium content blocks allows for the potential to build upon and add more blocks in the future, with plans to also include blocks for creating email templates (00:03:51).
• The premium content blocks add-on will also enable users to stack blocks in their email templates, creating more designed email newsletters when sending them to members (00:04:04).
• The release of the premium Internet filter add-on is a significant update, and will be discussed further in the tip of the week, with more information to come on its features and capabilities (00:04:17).

Update: Coming Soon Page: Now Works with Web Page Builder (00:04:22)

• The coming soon page, previously an HTML widget that required coding knowledge to edit, now works with the web page builder, allowing users to easily customize their coming soon splash page (00:04:22).
• This update is particularly useful for users with multiple sites that are pending launch or still in the setup phase, as it enables them to create a pre-registration form and start marketing their website before it’s live (00:04:23).
• The coming soon page can be found in the general settings, under the website status section, where users can set their website to live mode or staging mode (00:05:48).
• In staging mode, a “coming soon” page is displayed, and users can edit this page using the web page builder by clicking on the “edit coming soon page” link (00:06:49).
• The web page builder provides full resources for building a web page, including a hero section and various blocks that can be dragged in, allowing users to customize their coming soon page (00:07:23).
• The default coming soon page includes a form that allows people to put their name and email address, enabling users to start building a list of people to market to later (00:07:30).
• Users can also use the page options to hide the main menu and other elements on the coming soon page, creating a more streamlined and splash-screen-like experience (00:07:53).

Update: Domain Manager: Auto-Update Old URL References (00:08:34)

• The Domain Manager has a feature that prevents user error by auto-updating old URL references when the domain name of a site is changed, which can occur when working on a site and hard-coding the full old URL in areas such as menu links or image references (00:08:34).
• This feature is particularly useful when changing the domain name in the Domain Manager, as it will automatically update all old URL references to the new domain, ensuring that all links and images are updated correctly (00:08:39).
• The auto-update feature applies to all areas of the site where the old domain was referenced, including the web page builder, footer, and other locations, to ensure that everything is working properly after a domain update (00:08:46).
• This feature is especially helpful during infrequent but significant changes, such as rebranding or making quick changes in the beginning stages of a site, as it saves time and reduces the risk of user error (00:09:22).
• The Domain Manager’s auto-update feature provides a quality of life improvement by minimizing the risk of broken links and images when a site’s domain name is changed, allowing for a smoother transition to the new domain (00:08:36).

Update: More Speed Updates: Response Times, Caching, Queries & More (00:09:36)

• Speed updates have been ongoing since May, with a recent batch of updates being pushed to improve server response times, caching, and query efficiency, as well as reduce redundant data (00:09:36).
• The development team has made improvements to caching, which includes loading data on sites more efficiently, and has also optimized queries for better performance (00:09:38).
• A continued effort is being made by the development team to work on more speed updates, with another batch expected to be released by the end of the current month and the next month (00:09:40).
• The goal is to have all optimizations in place by the end of next month, which will put everything in a really good position for the majority of websites, with some items still to be implemented (00:09:43).
• Currently, everything is in a decent place, but the team is aiming for further improvements to achieve a really good place by the end of next month for most websites (00:09:46).
• The development team will continue to work on optimization, but a significant milestone is expected to be reached by the end of next month, with some new items and features coming soon (00:09:49).

Coming Soon: Support: Include Images/Attachments when Submitting Tickets (00:10:30)

• The ability to include images and attachments when submitting support tickets from the admin dashboard was previously mentioned, allowing for more comprehensive support inquiries (00:10:32).
• Currently, support tickets can be created in the admin dashboard, but they are limited to plain text, which restricts the amount of information that can be conveyed (00:10:38).
• The upcoming update will enable the addition of images and attachments to support tickets, facilitating quicker assistance from the support team when submitting inquiries (00:10:49).

Coming Soon: Additional Speed Updates: Lazy Load Images, Minify HTML & More (00:10:58)

• Additional speed updates are expected to be implemented next month, which will include various features to improve page load times (00:10:58).
• One of the updates is the introduction of lazy loading images, a feature that is expected to significantly improve scores across all sites (00:11:03).
• Another update is the minification of HTML, which involves reducing the file size of web pages to make them load faster (00:11:07).
• The updates will also include lazy loading of the Google ReCAPTCHA, a security feature that currently slows down page loading, to make it load more efficiently (00:11:17).
• The combination of these updates, including minifying HTML and lazy loading of images and Google reCAPTCHA, will result in faster page speed scores for all users (00:11:29).

Year-End Goals: Zapier Integrations, Comment Notifications, Enhanced Newsletter Reporting, Coupon Codes for One-Off Purchases, PageSpeed Scores… and Top Community Suggestions (00:11:34)

• Year-end goals include creating a Zapier integration to allow seamless data transfer between Brilliant Directories and third-party platforms such as Mailchimp, which will enable users to send form submissions to external platforms and vice versa (00:11:34).
• Another goal is to implement comment notifications, which will allow members to receive email notifications when comments are left on posts they are following or have authored, as well as introduce features like upvoting and downvoting (00:12:18).
• Enhanced newsletter reporting is also a priority, aiming to provide users with more insights into who opened and clicked on their newsletters, and enable them to create segmented lists based on this data (00:12:53).
• The development team is working on introducing coupon codes for one-off purchases, such as lead purchases, pay-per-post, and digital downloads, to provide more flexibility for users (00:13:25).
• Improving Web performance scores is an ongoing effort, with the development team pushing updates to enhance the platform’s performance (00:13:47).
• The community has provided valuable suggestions, including billing reminder emails that can be sent based on the billing cycle, and these suggestions will be prioritized and implemented by the development team (00:13:56).

Will there be any Bootstrap draggable content blocks? (00:14:44)

• The question of whether there will be any Bootstrap (front-end framework) draggable Internet filter is raised by Ryan Sullivan, with the current content blocks not being Bootstrap, and the reason for this is due to the use of the Froela editor, which provides tables for users to add columns and rows (00:14:46).
• The Froela editor is used to provide blocks where users do not have to worry about divs, and the tables provided by the editor allow users to add a column or a row, with the version of Froela being kept updated as new updates are pushed (00:15:07).
• If Froela adds toolbar options in the future to add or remove divs, such as a three-column div, it will be considered for addition, but currently, the focus is on providing a user-friendly experience without requiring users to edit code (00:15:26).
• The goal is to provide a user-friendly experience where users can work with the text editor part of the editor without having to get into editing code, and the current offerings are based on what can be provided without forcing users to edit code (00:15:48).
• A new question is raised by Colette, who has her hand up and is acknowledged, and she asks a question, but the details of her question are not specified in this segment (00:16:03).

Are mobile page speed improvements planned? (00:16:13)

• The page speed of a website has increased significantly for desktop, but it remains slow on mobile, prompting the question of whether improvements are planned for mobile page speed (00:16:13).
• Lazy load images are expected to have the best impact on improving page speed, particularly for sites like Colette’s, by deferring images that are not in the viewport when the page is initially loading (00:16:25).
• The lazy load images feature is anticipated to help improve page speed scores tremendously, and an update is expected to be pushed out in the next two or three weeks (00:16:41).
• It is suggested to compare current page speed scores with those after the update to assess the impact of the changes, and to also review other suggestions provided by Google to further improve scores (00:16:50).
• A specific example of a page to review for improvement suggestions is the home page, where Google’s recommendations can be checked to optimize page speed (00:16:53).

Tip of the Week: Premium Web Page Content Blocks (00:17:05)

• The big push for this week is the premium Internet filter, which include about 27 new blocks that can be used to create various types of pages (00:17:05).
• A regular standalone web page builder is flexible and simple to use, working similarly to Microsoft Word, but the introduction of basic content blocks increased flexibility in compiling modern and beautiful web pages (00:17:19).
• The basic content blocks required some creativity and imagination to mold into more complex ones, but the premium web page content blocks add-on provides more complex blocks that can be used as is or further customized for even more flexibility (00:17:46).
• The premium web page content blocks add-on offers a wider variety of foundations to start from, allowing for more flexibility and customization options, with the ability to use the blocks as they are or customize them further (00:17:54).
• The premium content blocks can be used to create different types of pages, and a small presentation was put together to showcase the types of pages that can be created with these blocks (00:17:15).

3 Types of Web Pages (00:18:08)

• There are three types of web pages that have a modern look, which include the about us page, a team page, and a page listing off a company’s services or features, all of which are unique (00:18:10).
• The about us page is one of the three types of web pages that are considered to have a modern look and are unique (00:18:13).
• A team page is another type of web page that is categorized as having a modern look, along with the about us page and the services or features page (00:18:16).
• The third type of web page is one that lists a company’s services or features, and this type of page is also considered to be modern looking and unique (00:18:19).

About Us Page Example (00:18:25)

• The About Us page example consists of a hero section, left and right aligned images and text that are alternating, some call to action buttons, as well as a call to action at the bottom of the page (00:18:25).
• The page was created using primarily default blocks, with the only premium block used being the call to action at the bottom of the page, and it was made to emulate a similar layout found on another website (00:18:41).
• The flexibility of the default Internet filter is demonstrated by the fact that the created page looks almost identical to the original website, showcasing the possibilities with just the standalone default content blocks (00:19:14).
• The page was built using a website builder, and in the admin area, there is an option to slide the menu closed to get more space, which can be useful for smaller monitors (00:19:54).
• The hero section is utilized in the page, which displays the h1 and h2 of the page, specifically the title and subtitle, and this feature is demonstrated in the editor (00:20:06).
• The example page is compared to another page that will be shown next, which is expected to be more complex and utilize more premium blocks (00:20:21).

Team Page Example (00:20:23)

• The team page consists of a hero section, a list of team members, core values, an embedded video called a handshake video, and a call to action to get started with the company, which was recreated on the BD site (00:20:23).
• The original team page found online starts with a hero section, followed by a list of team members, core values, an embedded video, and additional information, finishing with a call to action (00:20:46).
• The recreated team page utilizes a hero section, a list of team members, core values, a handshake video, and a call to action, with some modifications to simplify the layout and content (00:21:34).
• The team members section was recreated using one of the new premium Internet filter, with three columns and three faces, which was duplicated and modified to fit the needs (00:22:34).
• The core values section was created using a left-aligned image and right-aligned text, with a large text saying “core values” and a check mark icon added using the star icon in the toolbar (00:23:20).
• The section with the embedded video started with a right-aligned image and left-aligned text, and was modified to include the video, which was embedded using one of the default content blocks (00:23:56).
• The video can be resized by dragging the corner of the video block, allowing for flexibility in the layout (00:24:25).
• The premium content blocks and default blocks can be combined to create a customized page, such as the team page, with various elements like images, text, and videos (00:24:34).
• The process of customizing content blocks involves dropping them into the desired location, and then replacing the default content, such as videos or images, with the user’s own content, which can be done by uploading a new file or using an embed code or URL (00:24:46).
• Users have the flexibility to replace default images with their own by uploading a new one or copying and pasting the URL of an image from another website, and this flexibility also applies to videos, where users can replace the default video with one from YouTube, Wistia, or Vimeo (00:25:07).
• The Internet filter utilize tables, which allows users to drag columns to make them wider or narrower, and this feature can be used to create custom layouts, such as a two-column table with an image on one side and text on the other (00:25:42).
• To make web pages look more modern and unique, users can utilize background colors, mess with text size and font families, and add colors to make certain sections stand out, such as using a primary color like blue for headings (00:27:01).
• The call to action content blocks can be customized by replacing the button link with a normal link, which can be useful for creating a more subtle call to action, and users can also experiment with different font sizes, colors, and background colors to create a unique look (00:26:34).
• The customization process involves a lot of flexibility and options, allowing users to create web pages that look modern and unique, and that tie in with their website’s overall design and branding (00:27:28).

Services/ Features Page Example (00:27:35)

• The page in question has a list of services or features that people can get from becoming a member or participating, and it starts with an introductory call to action, followed by a large primary image, brand icons, and a left and right aligned image with text, including alternating sections with bullets and internal links to additional pages, and finally a testimonial and a getting started call to action (00:27:35).
• The layout of the page is based on a page from Upflow, a software company, and can be utilized to list the benefits of a membership directory or to give people a walkthrough of what they can expect in their member dashboard (00:28:27).
• The page has a nice big image showing what the platform looks like, an image of brands that use the service, text with icon images, and a larger image on the right, with a centered item and a cool effect, as well as a testimonial and a call to action to request a demo (00:28:59).
• The created page has a centered call to action to request a demo, a large screenshot image of the service, a list of brands utilizing the platform, and text with icons and an image, which switches as you scroll down the page, with more icons and text, and finally a testimonial and a call to action with two buttons (00:29:43).
• The page was created using some of the more robust blocks, and it was actually the simplest and fastest one to make, with the first block being a call to action block, and the rest being standard image Internet filter that were dragged in and edited (00:30:37).
• The creation of the page involved dragging in a call to action block, editing the title, text, and button link, using a basic image content block, and expanding it to take up the full width of the page, with some tweaking required for certain sections (00:31:01).
• A feature content block was dragged over, and it was discovered that it only had four columns, with six or seven brand icons, and by clicking inside the table, columns could be added or deleted, and the default images could be replaced with brand logos (00:31:37).
• The content block was tweaked by inserting a couple of columns, deleting the second row, getting rid of all the text, and replacing the default images with brand logos, which was a simple and quick process (00:31:37).
• If the elements are not lining up, the vertical line middle option can be used, or extra spaces can be removed, and the layout can be adjusted by dragging and dropping logo images from the computer into the pop-up (00:32:33).
• The layout of the content block was different from the original, but a similar layout was found among the premium content blocks, and the content block was dragged over, replacing the tall IPhone image with a square screenshot, and the text and smaller icon images were also replaced (00:33:04).
• The difference in appearance between the original and the content block was largely due to text sizing and colors, and it was noted that playing with font sizing and colors, and using high-quality images and icons, can make web pages look more modern (00:33:45).
• The content block was customized by adjusting the widths of the columns, shortening the text, replacing the images with circular images, and changing the heading to a bigger, bolder font with a smaller subheading (00:34:37).
• The customization process involved playing with font sizes, colors, bolding, and unfolding, and it was demonstrated that making the heading smaller would change its appearance (00:35:31).
• The testimonial section was created by using a left-aligned image and right-aligned text content block, but instead of using an image, a quotation mark icon made of text was used, and the text was made as big as possible and changed to a navy blue color (00:35:46).
• The text in the testimonial section was made larger than usual to make an impact, and the first part of the section was made bold, while the person’s name and business were included in smaller text below (00:35:46).
• A call to action section was created at the bottom of the page, which included a call to action with text on the left and a button on the right, and this was achieved by inserting a column on the right and dragging in a button link (00:37:00).
• The call to action section was customized by changing the text on the buttons, the colors, and adding a subheading below the main heading, and a background color was added to the columns to make it look like a dark navy blue (00:37:00).
• The creation of the page was done within the confines of the Froela editor, and while it has its limitations, such as not being able to add or remove columns like Bootstrap (front-end framework), the available tools were utilized to make the page creation process easier (00:37:54).
• The process of creating the page was relatively easy, and it involved replicating an existing design and customizing it to fit the needs of the page, with the goal of making everyone able to create their own web pages and Landing page (00:38:26).

How to Use Content Blocks to Improve Other Areas of Your Website (00:38:37)

• Utilizing Internet filter on the homepage as custom homepage content is recommended to share information, such as FAQs, mission, or about us pages, and to encourage users to click on buttons and links to access internal website pages (00:38:37).
• The goal of landing pages is to share information and get people to engage with the website by clicking on buttons and links, and content blocks can be used to achieve this goal (00:38:44).
• Content blocks can be repurposed for various uses, such as highlighting features, and the teams block can be used for purposes other than showcasing teams, like staff pages, by modifying its default layout (00:39:02).
• After discussing content blocks, there will be a question and answer session, starting with Stephanie, who has a question, and an attempt will be made to address as many questions as possible from the attendees (00:39:25).
• The discussion will then move on to the user dashboard, as indicated by Stephanie’s question, which is related to the dashboard (00:39:39).

Suggestion to upload attachments with member verification form within member dashboard (00:39:40)

• The verification part of the system allows users to fill out a form to submit additional information for verification, such as a contractor license number, which can then be used to mark them as truly verified on the site (00:39:42).
• This feature was originally created for Brilliant Directory, and it enables site owners to request additional information from users for verification purposes, like submitting their license number or other relevant documents (00:39:51).
• A suggestion was made to consider allowing users to upload documents, such as attachments, with the member verification form, which was deemed a great idea and will be mentioned to the team (00:40:13).
• The ability to upload attachments with the member verification form would provide a fine method for users to submit additional information, and this feature will be considered for future implementation (00:40:28).
• The suggestion to allow uploading attachments with the member verification form was made by Stephanie, and it was well-received, with appreciation expressed for the great work done by the team (00:40:48).
• After discussing the suggestion, the conversation moved on to the next participant, Tsujit, who joined the meeting and was greeted, and the discussion proceeded to address his questions (00:40:54).

Can the pre-made content blocks be used for blog articles? (00:41:05)

• The pre-made Internet filter are currently not available for blog articles, but there is a desire to make them available, with users suggesting the creation of a menu structure or table of contents as a pre-made block (00:41:05).
• The ability to assign an ID tag to elements is also missing in the editor, which would allow for internal linking by adding an ID tag to an element such as an H2 heading (00:41:46).
• To implement pre-made elements in the blog editor, it could be added as a toolbar option, allowing users to click on “pre-made elements” and access a pop-up with available blocks that can be dragged into the blog post (00:42:35).
• Extending the pre-made elements feature to the admin version of the editor, which is used for blogs, is being considered, with the goal of making it easier for users to create and edit blog posts (00:42:57).
• Users, including Sujit and Tim, have provided suggestions and asked questions about the pre-made content blocks, and their feedback will be mentioned to the team for further consideration (00:42:15).

Suggestion to make additional phone numbers on member profile pages click-to-call in addition to the primary phone number (00:43:20)

• The click-to-call add-on is currently being used for the primary Telephone number on member profile pages, but the secondary phone number is only displayed as a normal phone number and not as a click-to-call button (00:43:21).
• The secondary phone number used to be a click-to-call button, but it is no longer functioning as such, and it is believed that this was a customized feature (00:43:31).
• The main phone number utilizes the click-to-call functionality, but there is no option to change this for the secondary phone number at this time (00:43:45).
• If a form field is set to phone number field type and click-to-call is enabled, it should render as a click-to-call button, which could potentially be applied to additional phone numbers (00:44:07).
• The suggestion is to make additional phone numbers on member profile pages click-to-call, in addition to the primary phone number, which would require further development or customization (00:44:09).

Suggestion to make website link on member profile pages a button instead of a clickable link (00:44:40)

• The suggestion is to replace the website link in the overview section of member profile pages with a button instead of a clickable link, as some website URLs are long and look ugly on the profile page (00:44:40).
• The proposed button could have a text label, such as “View Website” or “Website”, and would require additional form fields, including button classes and custom text (00:45:14).
• The custom text for the button could vary, such as “Schedule Appointment” or “Follow me”, and a method would be needed to add this custom text (00:45:36).
• The suggestions from the webinar will be sent to the team to prioritize and determine which ones can be added as low-hanging fruit and which ones will be put on the list for a future update (00:46:01).
• The team will also ensure that everyone who should have access to the premium Internet filter has access to them in the web page builder (00:46:15).
• Additional updates and features are coming, and attendees who did not have their questions answered during the webinar are encouraged to ask them in the Facebook group (00:46:26).