Webinar Wednesday 136 – May 25, 2022

Stripe: Define Custom Name to Show on Credit Card Statements (00:02:00)

• When using the Stripe, Inc. payment gateway, it is possible to edit the name that shows on members’ credit card statements, allowing for a custom name to be defined that will appear next to the charge, which can be particularly useful for companies with a single Stripe account used for multiple website properties or with a corporation name different from the website name (00:02:02).
• The custom name that shows on credit card statements can be changed in the finance section under payment settings, and this setting is only available for those using Stripe, where the edit button can be clicked to access the statement descriptor field (00:02:55).
• The statement descriptor field, which is the name described on the customer statement, can have between 5 and 22 alphanumeric characters, including spaces, and can be customized to include the desired name, such as a company name or a specific product name (00:03:04).
• The ability to customize the statement descriptor is also controlled within Stripe, but it can now be easily done from the admin dashboard area, providing a convenient way to manage this setting without having to log in to the Stripe account (00:03:18).
• The default name that shows on credit card statements has always been the name of the website, but with this new feature, it is possible to override this default and define a custom name that better represents the company or product being charged (00:02:23).

File Uploads: Delete Files When Uploaded via Form Submissions (00:03:28)

• The file uploads for forms add-on, released a few weeks ago, allows users to add file upload fields to custom forms, enabling people to upload images, PDF files, resumes, and more, and this feature is related to the ability to delete files when they’re uploaded from form submissions (00:03:28).
• The file uploads for forms add-on can be found in the add-ons section at the Brilliant Directories website, where a tutorial video is also available to explain how the add-on works, and it allows users to add file upload fields to their custom forms (00:03:56).
• When the file uploads add-on was first released, there was no ability to delete the uploaded files, but now users can delete files uploaded with form submissions in several areas, including the forms inbox page in the admin area (00:04:20).
• In the forms inbox page, users can view the uploaded files, and if they want to delete a file, they can click the delete file button, confirm the deletion, and the file will be permanently deleted from the file manager and the website (00:05:00).
• Additionally, users can also delete uploaded files in the interactions tab, for example, in the member leads section, where they can view and delete files uploaded with leads, such as resumes or images (00:05:32).
• The ability to delete uploaded files provides users with more control over their data, allowing them to remove sensitive or unnecessary files from their website, and this feature was added in response to suggestions received from users (00:06:14).

Sign-Ups: Start On Express member Registration Form (00:06:24)

• The express member registration add-on is a free feature that can be enabled on a website to allow users to register for a free account, and it is recommended to enable this feature to increase subscribers and general users (00:06:25).
• The express member registration form can be displayed as the first option on the login form, and it can be enabled by going to the general settings in the admin area and selecting the express sign up membership plan (00:07:47).
• To enable the express member registration, a free sign up plan needs to be selected, and the express member registration needs to be pinned to this plan, which can be done by scrolling down to the general tab in the settings area (00:07:56).
• Once the express member registration is enabled, the login form will display the register new account tab by default, which can encourage more people to register for an account, especially when they try to perform actions such as liking a member or coupon event (00:08:47).
• Users who already have an account can toggle to the member login tab to log in, making it a simple and effective setting to increase registrations (00:09:12).
• The express member registration can be displayed on various pages, including the member login page, and it can be toggled to the member login tab if needed (00:09:25).

Forms: New Form Field – Phone Number + Country Code (00:09:34)

• A new form field type has been introduced, which allows users to enter their Telephone number along with their country code, providing a dropdown menu for country code selection (00:09:35).
• The new form field type is an improvement over the previous phone number field, which only allowed users to enter their phone number without specifying the country code (00:09:43).
• The new field includes a dropdown menu with country codes and dialing codes, enabling users to select their country code before entering their phone number (00:10:15).
• To enable this new form field type, users can access the form manager and apply it to any custom form, including the contact details tab where members fill out their phone numbers (00:10:47).
• The country code plus phone number field can be added to a form by clicking on “add a field” and selecting it from the “fancy fields” area, where it is listed under the normal phone number form field (00:11:07).
• Once added, the new field will display a dropdown menu with flags and country code IDs for users to select from when entering their phone number (00:11:22).

Localization: 12-Hour or 24-Hour Time Format for Website (00:11:35)

• The website’s time format can be set to either a 12-hour or 24-hour format, which is related to localization, allowing sites to cater to different countries’ preferences (00:11:36).
• Different countries have different preferences for time formats, so the website’s time format can be edited in the general settings to accommodate the primary country being served (00:11:50).
• The new localization setting can be found in the general settings area, under the localization tab, where the primary country, time zone, date format, and time format can be set (00:12:07).
• The time format options include a 12-hour or 24-hour format, and this setting can be used as a personal preference, such as using the 24-hour format as a mind trick to stay sharp (00:12:19).
• The localization tab is a useful feature that allows for customization of various settings, including the time format, to suit the needs of the website and its users (00:12:10).
• A range of new features and updates are upcoming, with the time format setting being just one example of the new things to come (00:12:42).

Emails: Deliverability improvements via Domain Authentication (00:12:49)

• The user interface for the domain manager is being updated to include email deliverability settings and options via domain authentication, which will help more emails land in members’ inboxes (00:12:50).
• A preview of the new domain manager layout is available, showing where users can manage their domain name and view statistics, such as the registrar and expiration date, as well as receive alerts for potential issues (00:13:18).
• The new domain manager will also include features to troubleshoot connection methods, such as checking for spelling errors or incorrect DNS settings, to help users and support teams resolve issues more quickly (00:13:34).
• Additional tabs will be included, such as an SSL security tab and an email deliverability tab, where users can authenticate their domain with their email sending service to improve email deliverability (00:13:57).
• The email deliverability tab will provide useful information and allow users to authenticate their domain, which will help increase the number of emails that land in members’ inboxes (00:14:02).
• The release of the updated domain manager is expected to be towards the end of the current period, although an exact date has not been confirmed (00:14:17).

Credits: Issue Credits when Existing Members Refer New Members (00:14:19)

• The ability to issue credits when existing members refer new signups is currently going through the QA process, and a quick preview of what this feature would look like is available, including a field on the sign up page where new members can enter a referral ID (00:14:19).
• If the referral ID matches a member on the site and the membership plan settings grant credits to referring members, the matching member’s ID number will receive the credits after a successful sign up, with the amount of credits customizable, such as $10 or $100 (00:14:27).
• Members can be given a link to sign up with their referral ID pre-filled, allowing them to earn credits for referrals without the new member having to input a value, and this link can be shared by the member to track referrals (00:15:27).
• In the back end, there will be two new settings for membership plans: one to turn on referral credits and another to specify the number of credits to assign to the referring member, with the ability to turn this feature on or off for each plan (00:16:04).
• When a new member signs up with a referral ID, the system will track the referral and display it on the member’s dashboard, allowing site administrators to see which members are referring new signups and how many credits they have earned (00:17:12).
• The system will also track all referral signups for each member, including the membership plans they signed up for and any additional credits earned, providing a comprehensive view of member referrals and credits (00:17:54).
• This feature is expected to be released in the near future, and it is seen as a way to grant credits to members who refer new members to the site, similar to an affiliate program but with some key differences (00:18:21).

API: Ability to Import Feeds & Data INTO BD Websites via Zapier, Pabbly, etc. (00:18:48)

• The ability to import feeds into a BD website is still going through its QA process, and an API will be available to facilitate this functionality, allowing for integration with existing solutions (00:18:48).
• Services such as Zapier and Pabbly can be used to web hook into websites like Brilliant Directories, providing flexibility in integrating with existing solutions and porting data into the BD database (00:18:58).
• The upcoming features, including the API and integration with services like Zapier and Pabbly, are expected to be a game changer, adding flexibility to how BD integrates with existing solutions (00:19:05).
• The raise your hand feature can be used to ask questions or provide comments about the recently released and upcoming updates, such as the referral credits for member signups (00:19:24).
• A live webinar session is being conducted, where attendees can participate and ask questions, with an example being a question from Michelle, who is attending her first live webinar (00:19:30).

Will the referrer get credit if a referral later upgrades from a free plan to a paid plan? (00:20:00)

• The question is about whether a referrer will still get credit if a person they referred upgrades to a paid plan 90 days after signing up for a free plan, with the current system only tracking new sign-ups and not upgrades (00:20:00).
• The idea of implementing a 90-day tracking cookie to track plan changes or upgrades is suggested as a potential solution to this issue (00:20:29).
• The discussion also touches on the nuances of how credit would be assigned if a referred user upgrades to a higher-tier paid plan, such as whether the referrer would receive full credit or a smaller portion of new credit (00:20:40).
• The current referral system is considered a minimum viable product and the first iteration, with plans to potentially develop it into something more similar to an affiliate program that offers monthly recurring revenue (00:21:15).
• The system’s development will be influenced by user feedback, with the goal of creating a more comprehensive referral program now that the concept of a referring member is in place (00:21:25).

Member Dashboard Checklist: Guide Members Through Steps to Complete Their Profiles (00:21:48)

• The presentation is being handed over to Jaquin Shaw from Business Labs and BD Growth Suite, a marketplace partner with a paid add-on for sites that could be useful for many websites (00:21:49).
• The marketplace is a collection of third-party developers, marketers, and plugins available for anyone, offering services such as basic website setup, design customizations, data importing, form editing, marketing services, and integration with third-party tools (00:22:17).
• The developers and marketers listed in the marketplace have been approved by Brilliant Directories and have verified customer reviews, creating a tight-knit community with close monitoring (00:22:46).
• Jaquin Shaw and his team, including have been working with Brilliant Directories for a long time, with Jaquin being one of the first third-party developers listed in the marketplace (00:23:01).
• The goal is to provide information on what Jaquin and his team do, as well as introduce BD Growth Suite (00:23:13).

Meet BusinessLabs & BD Growth Suite (00:23:20)

• BusinessLabs started its partnership with Brilliant Directories, and after working with several hundred clients on various projects, the idea to create a company that helps the Brilliant Directories community was born, leading to the establishment of BD Growth Suite (00:23:21).
• The BD Growth Suite is a flagship service designed specifically for Brilliant Directories website owners, with plans to provide various solutions and help to this community, and it is an extension of BusinessLabs, which is the original development and customization company (00:23:52).
• The team behind BD Growth Suite is the same team that many Brilliant Directories website owners work with today, and they will be decentralized to focus solely on BD, allowing them to provide stronger support in the future (00:24:25).
• BusinessLabs has served clients from almost nine countries, including countries in Europe, the United States, Canada, and the UK, and the team struggles to meet the daily demands of these clients (00:25:05).
• The creation of BD Growth Suite is intended to provide targeted support and solutions for Brilliant Directories website owners, and it is a key part of BusinessLabs’ efforts to help this community (00:24:40).

BD Growth Suite Team Members (00:25:19)

• The team consists of 20 plus people who operate from different locations, including an Indian office and the US, to manage and interact with clients (00:25:29).
• Some team members work from the Indian office, while a couple of people are based in the US, allowing for management of critical issues and online presence across different time zones (00:25:38).
• The team manages to handle most issues on the same day by having multiple shifts, including two shifts in India and a US-based shift, to cater to clients around the world (00:26:14).
• The team’s global presence and shift management enable them to deal with users and clients worldwide, addressing their questions and concerns in a timely manner (00:26:01).
• The company is now focusing on creating standalone products that can be added to a Brilliant Directory website, with the first product being the member dashboard (00:26:39).

Website Pain Points (00:26:44)

• The idea of helping members fill out their profiles came from working with beauty sites, where 70% of the projects required assistance with launch, and the majority of them reported that their members were not completing their profiles (00:26:44).
• The issue with incomplete profiles is that it affects the website’s SEO, as pages with limited content, such as only a company name and no description, are considered poor quality and can be penalized (00:27:01).
• Having more unique and meaningful content on a member’s profile page can improve its ranking in search engines, making the website more valuable with the extra content (00:27:24).
• The goal is to encourage members to fill out their profiles and add as much unique information as possible about their businesses or personal profiles, which can be achieved through email marketing, education, and visual encouragement (00:27:42).
• A webinar has been done on helping members complete their profiles through email marketing and educating them on how to use the site, and this is a more visual way of encouraging members to complete their profiles (00:28:00).

Member Dashboard Checklist (00:28:11)

• The main problem with member profiles is that they are often not filled out completely, with members only answering 12 out of 25 questions, and this is usually because the managers filling out the profiles do not have all the necessary information, (00:28:16).
• To address this issue, a member dashboard checklist was created to allow members to fill out their profiles in stages, with the option to come back and add more information later, (00:28:27).
• The checklist is designed to break down the process of filling out a profile into smaller, more manageable chunks, making it easier for members to complete their profiles, (00:28:49).
• The importance of having complete and accurate member profiles is highlighted, as these profiles make up the majority of the website’s content, with 99% of the website’s pages being member profile pages, (00:31:01).
• The process of filling out a member profile involves the member entering their personal and business information, step by step, with the website owner customizing the information requested from members, (00:31:39).
• The customization of the information requested from members is important, as every website is different and may require different information, (00:31:56).
• The use of a visual guide, such as the animated gif, can help members see what information is required and what is still needed to complete their profile, (00:29:56).
• Having a complete and accurate member profile is crucial, as it makes up a significant part of the website’s content, and completing these profiles can be seen as completing 90% of the website’s content, (00:31:27).

Benefits of the Member Dashboard Checklist (00:32:07)

• The member dashboard provides an improved user experience when members first log into their account, with all necessary information organized in one place, reducing the need to navigate through different tabs (00:32:14).
• The organized list in the member dashboard reduces the learning curve for users, as they can easily access all the information they need without having to go to separate tabs, such as the contact details tab or upload profile photo tab (00:32:26).
• Having all the information in one place also contributes to the website’s SEO value, which can help the website thrive (00:32:36).

How BD Growth Suite Implements the Checklist Tool (00:32:43)

• A personalized meeting is held with every website owner to understand their unique priorities and requirements for the checklist, which can include five, ten, or fifteen items, and this information is used to customize the existing tool to meet their needs (00:32:44).
• The onboarding call with the website owner helps to determine what they want included in the checklist, and then ongoing support is provided for the developed tool (00:33:07).
• The goal of using a tool like this is to improve SEO by gathering more information from members and creating longer forms that can be broken down into smaller, more manageable parts to reduce user fatigue (00:33:31).
• By making the user experience more engaging and interactive, it is possible to collect more unique content for profile pages, which is beneficial for both visitors and search engines like Google (00:33:57).
• The use of a checklist tool allows for the collection of more information from users, which can be used to create more detailed and informative profile pages, ultimately leading to better search engine optimization (00:34:03).

Let’s See a Live Example (00:34:09)

• A live example is provided to demonstrate the functionality of a custom name on credit card statements, where a sample member account is used to go through the process, showcasing a checklist of items in the member dashboard (00:34:09).
• The checklist items include contact details, which have been broken down into smaller steps, making it easier to fill out, and a profile photo can be uploaded on the same page (00:34:22).
• The form is medium-sized and includes fields for first name, last name, location, website links, and more, but the smaller steps make it more manageable (00:34:38).
• The checklist allows for the addition of various items, such as social media links, and the website owner can decide how the list behaves, including the order in which items appear (00:36:06).
• The demo shows how the checklist can be used to engage users and reduce profile abandonment by providing a straightforward and visual experience (00:37:19).
• The checklist can also be used to add features such as posting properties or jobs, and can be customized to fit the specific needs of the website, including property websites, classified sites, or content science sites (00:37:30).
• The implementation of the checklist is a paid add-on that requires consultation with the website owner to determine exactly what is needed, and takes around 10-15 hours to implement (00:38:27).

How does it work if a website has different dashboard forms for different membership plans? (00:38:49)

• The question is about how the service works when a website has multiple forms for different membership plans, with each plan having a unique form that requires customization (00:38:49).
• The scenario presented involves having 15 different forms for various membership plans, all of which are distinct due to the different plans they cater to, and the inquiry is about whether each form is customized individually or if a template is used that can be configured (00:39:11).
• The service’s approach involves coding everything specifically for the client’s use case, with programmers working to tailor the solution to the client’s particular needs (00:39:30).
• During the initial discovery call, all the client’s membership plans and their specific requirements are documented, including the details of what information to collect for each plan (00:39:36).
• This documentation process allows for the creation of a customized solution that meets the client’s unique needs, taking into account the various membership plans and their associated forms (00:39:48).

Can the website admin make any changes to the dashboard checklist? (00:39:50)

• The website owner may need to program the system accordingly, and any future changes would require coding, which can be done with the initial implementation of the system on their website (00:39:50).
• After the initial implementation, the website owner can make some changes on their own, such as changing field names or field labels, which can be carried over (00:40:05).
• A 30-day free service or changes period is provided to allow the website owner to launch the system, gain firsthand experience, and identify potential changes or ideas for improvement (00:40:11).
• The 30-day period is intended to help the website owner troubleshoot and make any necessary adjustments, with support available to answer questions and provide assistance with the Directory Software (00:40:13).
• Time is available to help with troubleshooting, answer general questions, and address specific issues related to the brewing director’s website, as indicated by Patrick’s question (00:40:26).

Can posts be imported into a website using Zapier or another webhook service? (00:40:41)

• Importing posts into a website using Zapier or another webhook service is a feature that is being developed, with member data import being the first priority, which is expected to be available next month (00:41:02).
• After member data import is working correctly, the focus will shift to importing posts, such as events and coupons, which is expected to be released about a month later (00:41:20).
• Additionally, leads and member reviews are also planned to be importable using Zapier, Pabli, and the API, with these features expected to be available within a month or two (00:41:30).
• The new member import feature will allow importing members from third-party websites, properties, or forms, such as Google Forms, and will be different from the existing member import feature that uses Microsoft Excel or CSV files (00:41:50).
• It is recommended to wait for the official release of the import feature rather than trying to implement it manually, unless it is critical, in which case users can try to do it themselves if they are familiar with the process (00:42:28).
• The community will be notified when the import feature is ready, and the developers are excited about the release of this feature, which will allow users to port data into their site (00:42:42).

Can contact tags from a third-party email marketing services be imported into a website using Zapier? (00:43:06)

• The question is raised about whether it is possible to import contact tags from a third-party email marketing service into a website using Zapier, with the goal of creating smart lists (00:43:06).
• Tags are considered a piece of metadata for members, allowing for categorization and organization, and it is confirmed that these tags can be imported and used to make smart lists (00:43:30).
• The API allows for create, read, update, and delete (Create, read, update and delete) functionality for member records, which means that member records can be updated and assigned tags using the API (00:43:51).
• The first iteration of the API for members is expected to be released by the end of June, and it will include the ability to use tools such as Zapier and Pably, which will be released at the same time (00:44:26).
• The release of the API and the ability to use Zapier and other tools is considered a significant development, and it is expected to be a useful feature for creating smart lists and organizing member records (00:44:50).

How does the member category structure work? (00:45:05)

• The category structure in the directory software consists of a top-level category and subcategories, with members able to be pinned to a single top-level category by default (00:45:34).
• The top-level category should be the broadest selection, and in the case of a site about practitioners, the top-level categories could be “in person”, “virtual”, or “both” (00:46:14).
• Subcategories can be used for specialties, and sub-subcategories can be used for sub-specialties or focuses within a particular area of practice (00:46:20).
• The category hierarchy can be customized to fit the specific needs of the directory, with the option to add location fields and other filters to make searching easier for users (00:48:41).
• Using drop-down menus for categories and subcategories can make it easier for users to search and find what they are looking for, especially when combined with location fields (00:49:07).
• The system supports multiple tiers of categories and subcategories, allowing for a high degree of customization and flexibility in setting up the directory (00:48:35).

How to feature more members on the homepage than the current limit? (00:49:26)

• The question is about featuring more members on the homepage than the current limit, which is 24, and there are over 50 featured listings that are randomized on the front page (00:49:26).
• To feature more members, an alternative solution is to use the regular streaming members widget, where instead of selecting all members, specific members of a plan can be chosen to be included, and the sort order can be set to random (00:50:15).
• This approach allows all members of a membership plan to be included and randomized, eliminating the need to pick and choose members and set them as featured (00:50:31).
• The solution is considered a way around the current limit, providing a workaround for those who want to feature more members on the homepage (00:50:46).
• The discussion is coming to a close, with the host checking if there’s time for one more question, and noticing that Robert has a question (00:50:55).

What options are available to add a shopping cart to the website? (00:51:04)

• There are various options available to add a shopping cart to a website, including e-commerce solutions like Ecwid and Shopify, which can be embedded into a directory site using an embed code (00:51:14).
• Ecwid is an e-commerce solution that can be used to create a database of products and then embedded into a website using an embed code, with a nominal monthly fee of around $9 if not creating a full website with them (00:51:46).
• Shopify also provides an embed code that can be used to add a shopping cart to a website, and it is possible to hook up a Stripe, Inc. account to these e-commerce solutions (00:53:07).
• Other options include using affiliate links with an embed code, such as Amazon (company) stores, which provide an embed code to embed a store on a website (00:52:34).
• A demo of Ecwid was shared, which can be viewed at togetherwell.org/shop, and it was noted that it can be used to sell services as well as products by listing the services instead (00:53:28).
• The Brilliant Directories marketplace is a great place to get quotes and connect with certified partners and developers if additional help is needed with a website (00:54:38).