Prior to today, Google had a lot of cloud services, but none of them officially acted like the one-stop-shop for uploading to the cloud. Google Docs was the closest thing, though the name didn’t quite express its full potential. Google Drive will act as the official drive in the cloud now, competing with the likes of Dropbox and other similar services.

It looks as though Google Drive will do essentially all the same things as Dropbox. You’ll be able to “go back in time,” meaning for 30 days, you can go back to previous file versions if you accidentally changed something or liked a previous version better. Sharing and collaboration will be super-simple, which is common with most of Google’s cloud services. In addition, you’ll be able to view up to 30 different file types – including Photoshop and Illustrator files – right in your browser, even if you don’t have those programs. This is a huge benefit to graphic designers.

I have been able to tinker with Google Drive a little bit since requesting access. Within the Google account interface, the “Documents” tab was replaced with “Drive,” which makes more sense. It looks exactly the same as Google Docs did if you had switched over to the updated view. Google Drive syncs to your computer, just like Dropbox. If you have created a Google Document, such as a Google Spreadsheet, it will open it in the web browser. Other file types, such as PDFs, will open normally if you didn’t convert them to the Google Doc format when you uploaded them.

To share a file with anyone, including a Google Doc, you just have to change the permission setting for the file to public. They don’t need a Google account to access the file, even when it comes to editing a Google Document.

You get 5GB of space for free, 25GB for $2.50 a month, or 100GB for $5 a month. You can also upgrade further, all the way up to 16TB a month.

As said on Friday, if you haven’t shifted your mindset to the cloud yet, it’s almost time. Google Drive might be the driving force that moves you.

And if you think Google+ isn’t anything to think about, I’m betting there’s a lot more coming down the pike.

On April 26, 2012, Facebook will once again change the size of the profile image for business pages.

The new profile image will be:

Pixels: 160×160
From Left: 23 pixels
From Top: 210 pixels

Cover Photo will remain:

Width: 851 pixels
Height: 315 pixels
Size: less than 100 kilobytes for highest quality & quickest load time

There have been three recent struggles with Facebook’s new profile layout.

• The profile photo isn’t big enough.
• The cover photos are hard to create without design experience.
• When you land on a page, it only shows the bottom half of the cover photo.

I believe the first issue is being addressed on April 26, 2012 with the increased size of the profile image. This should help businesses that have a horizontal logo, but will increasing the size from 125×125 to 160×160 really be that dramatic? Not really! I suggest people always have a logo that can be interchangeable into vertical, horizontal or square dimensions when needed.

Second, people have been up in arms about the new cover photo forced on Facebook business profiles. Business owners that aren’t familiar with Photoshop, InDesign or another design software are finding it hard to create a cover photo that looks right. Maybe Facebook is trying to create more work for graphic designers? Well, in that case, they did create more work for graphic designers when they changed all business pages over to the cover photo layout on March 30, 2012. But, now some of those cover photos will have to be redone because of the bigger profile photo being implemented on April 26, 2012.

Finally, what’s up with only seeing half the cover photo when you land on a Facebook page? How does that make any sense? At first, I was annoyed and thought I should create cover photos that only occupied the bottom half of the 851×315 pixels. Then, I realized everyone was just assuming people would scroll up if they really wanted to see the entire cover photo. Therefore, it seems everyone is okay with only half of their cover photo being seen and are creating a design covering the entire cover photo. I am over it now, but it still doesn’t make sense to me.

I think most people are hoping this is the last Facebook layout change for a while, but we should always appreciate Facebook’s constant effort to improve!

A lot of people are already using these services, but it seems like the non-techies aren’t quite there yet. To help you on your journey to the cloud, here is a little insight to get you moving in the right direction.

Docs & Storage: Google

Why Google? They offer some of the best services at the best prices (all free depending on how much storage you need), many of which people aren’t even aware of. While I love supporting the little guys, it’s hard to beat Google’s offerings. Plus, it’s easier when everything is in one place under one account. Add if you need more storage, for $5 a year you get 20GB of storage.

Here’s the Google run-down:

Google Docs – Google Docs is really powerful. It’s not just for creating documents like Word or Excel – it’s also storage. You can upload pretty much any file you want to Google Docs, from MP3s to picture files like JPGs. The sharing and real-time editing capabilities for documents or spreadsheets by multiple users is a huge bonus, too. I use Google Docs with many of my clients to share information without dealing with so many emails. You can actually watch other users typing in real-time if you are sharing a document, which is pretty cool. One of my clients uploaded dozens of photos for use on their website. I was able to download these quickly as a ZIP folder, which was much easier than multiple emails with two or three photos in each.

Google Play – Google Play is Google’s stab at competing with iTunes. Personally, I prefer the Google Play interface because it’s easier to launch than iTunes and it uses the cloud versus stored MP3s (though Spotify is even better). You can upload your old MP3s and listen online or on your phone.

Google+ and Picasa – Move your photos online to Google+ using Picasa. You can edit photos, share, and more. One of my favorite features is a sync option from my phone to Google+. Every time I take a photo with my phone, it automatically uploads to my Google+ account, creating a back-up of my photos. They are visible only to me unless I share them.

YouTube – Store all of your videos on YouTube. Since Google took it over, there have been some great improvements to the interface, too.

This is only a tiny portion of Google’s services. Google is going to be a dominating force when it comes to the cloud, and I’m afraid companies like Dropbox and Basecamp are going to have a hard time keeping up.

Create a Google account if you don’t already have one (Gmail is a Google account).

Music: Spotify

I did a post about Spotify a while back when it finally launched in the U.S. I pretty much only use Spotify for music now, except for those rare recordings that aren’t in their database or for artists like the Beatles who are fighting the digital shift.

Spotify is an on-demand service that allows you to listen to any artist in their database for $10 a month. It’s definitely worth it if you listen to music on a regular basis. Spotify has the feel of iTunes, but the music is stored on the cloud and not on your computer. Millions of songs are available, something that is basically impossible without a cloud service.

It’s time to pawn those old CDs and iPods and try listening to music strictly through the cloud. Even if Spotify isn’t your thing, take a look at Google Play, Amazon Cloud Player, and MOG. They all offer similar options, but Spotify seems to provide more bang for the buck.

Listen on Spotify.

Files: Dropbox

I love Dropbox, even though I’ve recently shifted to using Google Docs for most of my storage. Dropbox is an online file storage service that also syncs with your computer and offers sharing capabilities. Dropbox’s computer sync feature is great, giving you access to files offline, too. One of the best features is the public folder, allowing you to share links to large files without the end user needing an account. It’s much easier to share big files this way.

I use Dropbox alongside Google Docs, simply because Dropbox has a few features that Google Docs doesn’t have, such as the direct public file link and computer sync options.

Check out Dropbox.

TV/DVDs

While this is just starting to take effect, something I can’t wait for is the shift from cable TV as we know it to Internet-based TV. I am really expecting this to take off in the next several years, especially as we get more mobile. Right now, I use the inexpensive Roku box to stream Netflix and various other Internet-based networks, or I hook-up the computer to the TV to stream shows that aren’t accessible on the Roku. While Roku is great, it’s not perfect.

Whoever connects these two worlds in the best way will change the entire TV industry, and it’s just around the corner. DVDs will be a thing of the past, because it will all be on-demand online, much like we’ve seen in the music industry. We’re already seeing devices for this, it’s just a matter of flawlessly connecting the two worlds and getting people to adopt the shift.

Letting Go

The hardest part about the cloud shift is letting go of *ownership*. Getting rid of CDs, for example, is hard, not only because of the monetary investment, but also because of the emotional attachment. For me, it has been great to free up some space, both mentally and physically, though. When you have less stuff, both on your computer and in your closet, it frees up space for new growth and opportunities. Start loading up your digital U-Haul and give it a shot. You can always jump on Ebay if you really need to buy and spin that old MC Hammer CD one last time.

• Modern Spark, LLC was born after many years working as a freelancer.
• The new website for Williams Knife Co was created. Chris was named the winner of Garden & Gun Magazine’s “Best of the South 2011,” which has shot his business through the roof! I’m proud to be an ongoing part of Chris’ business, and expect much greater things in 2012.
• Mason at Volunteer Traditions is one of my most successful clients. His business grew exponentially in 2011, and we are planning a big revamp to accommodate all the new business.
• Scott Hines at Premier Buyer’s Agent has had one of his best years ever after the launch of his new real estate website. He has really grasped the importance of online marketing, which I believe is critical to any business’s growth.
• Catch This Music opened on Music Row in Nashville, which is an incredible recording studio. I’ve been working alongside them to create their website and dozens of promotional materials. I’m proud to be a part of their marketing team.
• The DeSelms Team has been thrilled with their real estate website’s results, and plan to expand their online marketing efforts in 2012 after getting such great feedback from their clients.
• Transit Now Nashville hired me to create their website in the early part of 2011, which has been a great resource for Nashville’s movement towards better public transit.
• Gruner Residential has expanded its website network, offering up dozens of helpful real estate websites in North Carolina. Jason has been a great client, and he never fails to send referrals my way.
• Nashville Guru, LLC, was launched, a separate company I created with my wife Abby Flittner. It’s a series of 15 different websites that focus on news, events, businesses, and other Nashville area information. This was a huge project, which we officially launched in September 2011. This is an ongoing project we are both very excited about.
• I had the pleasure of working with dozens of other companies, including:

• The Helton Real Estate Group
• Wayfarer 2011
• Red Ridge Entertainment
• Rohr Rockstars
• BravoVino
• Allergy & Asthma
• ABC Custom Lettering
• Lindseth CPAs
• J&R Garden
• The Ragbirds
• StarTune
• Tempest Academy
• Stern Construction
• Middle TN Clean Fuels
• Ruckus Film
• iChurchAmerica
• StarTune
• SongPoem
• Grand Circus Media
• The Hogans
• The Brownstones HOA
• Whitworth HOA
• Brentwood Country Club HOA
• Estates of Bonbrook HOA
• McGavock Farms HOA
• Lansdowne HOA
• Princeton Hills HOA
• Clark Paterson
• Champion Ballroom
• Wine to Water
• Michael Krejci
• The REP Agency
• Huntington Woods
• Matt Ward
• Project 615
• Bankrate.com
• Downtown Neighborhood Association of Franklin
• Quality Professional Cleaners, Inc.

I appreciate everyone that has worked with me or sent referrals my way!

Cheers to a great 2011 and to a better 2012!

If you are more of a video person, take a look at my recent Spotify Sneak Peek video:

Spotify Vs Everything Else

I personally love subscription services – they are easy, you know what you’re spending on music each month, and you have *almost* every song you could want at your finger tips. I have never really liked the iTunes model of pay per album/track, except from a musician’s standpoint. As a consumer, though, subscription is hands-down an easy win.

For the past year or so I’ve leaned heavily on MOG.com, which just rolled out a beautiful new interface. Despite MOG’s awesomeness, Spotify is a stronger tool. Spotify combines the functionality of iTunes’ offline interface with MOG’s online interface, which meshes into a nice music player and management system with on-demand access to millions of songs.

Some of Spotify’s main features include:

• An iTunes-like interface, a downloadable program to your computer (unlike MOG and many other services that are web browser-based)
• Quick search function that browses both your computer and the online database of over 15 million songs. This combination of online and offline music sets Spotify apart from almost all its competition.
• Music sharing that pulls from your Facebook friends. If you have friends on Facebook who are also on Spotify, you can see what music they are sharing or drop some music into their inbox for them to check out.
• Star your favorite albums and songs for quick, easy access.
• Playlist creation, much like iTunes. Oh, but you can listen to the songs offline or over 3G/4G.
• A stellar phone app, unlike MOG and Rdio.
• The option to pay or not pay. For $9.99, you get it all. If you can handle the frequent advertisements, you can listen for free though. I personally think the $9.99 investment is well worth everything you get, but for those that are less picky, the free option is also great.
• A quick loading program, unlike the heaviness of iTunes.

Spotify has the upper hand in most categories and was an easy switch for me personally. For people that aren’t quite comfortable with cloud services, you can still use your MP3s like the old days and get used to cloud living at the same time.

What Spotify Lacks (at least in the U.S.)

Music selection. Well, they have almost everything I want, but I was surprised to see some of the lesser-known bands missing, like Band of Skulls, and certain albums, such as Amos Lee’s “Supply and Demand.”

Ideally Spotify’s catalog will grow to include absolutely everything, but if some artists don’t jump on board, it might be beneficial to have the option to purchase music per track or album. For example, The Beatles aren’t on Spotify (or any on-demand music subscription service that I’m aware of), so if someone really wants The Beatles’ music, having a downloadable option would be great for the end-user. There would be no need to switch over to iTunes when you are craving that one song that’s missing from Spotify. I think Spotify’s goal, though, is to rid the music consumption world of the iTunes model altogether (eventually), and say adios to the artists that don’t want to advance with the rest of the world. Unfortunately, the artists we are having to say “goodbye” to are usually the most-loved.

Free Spotify Code Here

Try Spotify out. I think most people will love it.

The first 8 people to leave a comment below will get a referral code from me. Make sure you leave a valid email address so I can email you the code.

Enjoy!

UPDATE (7.20.11 at 5:00PM CST):

Sorry, no more Spotify codes left… Thanks for all of the replies!

• Williams Knife Company
• Whitworth Homeowners Association
  
• Wayfarer Festival poster design
• Catch This Music logo design
• Catch This Music business card design
• Catch This Music postcard design

In the Works

• Red Ridge Entertainment
• Catch This Music website
• Wine to Water (design)
• Michael Krejci website revamp

Things have been going great the last few months. Latest projects include:

• Gruner Residential (3 websites)
• Tempest Academy (brochure and flyer design)
• Rebecca Vine (poster design)
• Lansdowne Homeowners’ Association (website revamp)
• Volunteer Traditions (website revamp)
• Transit Now Nashville (web development & design)
• StarTune (album artwork design)
• The REP Agency (graphic design)
• NashvilleLiving.net (web development & design)

In the Works

New projects for April include:

• Whitworth Homeowners’ Association (web development & design)
• Williams Knife Co (web development & design)
• Wayfarer Roots and Bluegrass Festival (web development & graphic design)

Thanks for Spreading the Word

I appreciate all of the referrals lately, as that has been a driving force this year and has kept me very busy! Thanks for making the first quarter of 2011 awesome.

My Personal Case Study

I like to provide direction based on case studies that I conduct versus simply assuming what I have read is true. I have read numerous times that blogging is extremely important for search engine results, but I personally wasn’t positively sure how effective it was because most sites that I monitor do very little blogging.  I was pretty confident in my sources, but, nevertheless, my fiance and I decided to conduct our own study with a niche website that we wanted to create anyway.

The niche website we created was very news-oriented, so it was easy to come up with content and begin blogging immediately. We wrote a lot of content over the course of several months, hoping to see a bump in traffic at some point. For months there was little hope without running Google Ads. While Google Ads were running, traffic was pretty steady, but as soon as the ad campaigns were paused, traffic was dead… until New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Eve week was the best we had seen because we had written several blog posts about NYE happenings around town, which we had written BEFORE other competing websites. Since we were on top of things, Google searches said “hey, this looks really relevant to me!”, and we began getting organic traffic for New Year’s Eve searches. (Organic traffic means no advertising and strictly from search engines… the good ol’ fashion way)

Check out this Google Analytics traffic screenshot of the last several months (click to enlarge):

In the screenshot above, you can obviously see the steady growth over the last sever months. It basically goes from 2 hits a day to 40 hits a day and climbing. If you converted 1% of your visitors every day with even just 40 hits a day (4 people), how much would that increase your business? What if you had 500 hits a day?

After that bump (which you can clearly see in the middle of the image above), we began seeing steady growth.The more we blogged, the more hits we’d get.

But why?

Keyword phrases.

The more content you create, the more keyword phrases you end up having. So you may not get traffic for your main keyword phrase “roofing in tennessee,” but you may rank #1 for “best gutters in nashville” and “shingle stores in nashville.” Since the competition for “roofing in tennessee” is probably pretty high, you’re fighting a losing battle. But if you can rank #1 for hundreds or thousands of keyword phrases that are relevant to your business, you might be better off anyway.

WordPress and Its Amazingness (new word)

If you are using a blogging platform like WordPress that allows post tags, categories, archives, etc, you are in really good shape because of the permalink structure. The permalink is simply the URL for the blog post or tag, which usually contains the keyword phrases. These can be generated automatically for you based on your blog post titles (as well as page, categories, tags and other titles), or you can edit them to match a better keyword phrase. Google loves relevant URLs, and blog posts are ideal for this.

For example, if you wrote a blog post called “10 Things to Do in Charlotte NC,” your URL would be something like:

http://mywebsite.com/104/10-things-to-do-in-charlotte-nc

Google is probably going to see that, and send people to your blog who search for “things to do in charlotte”.

The Gist

The point is to write great content if you want traffic. It needs to be new and unique content, too, not copied and pasted from somewhere else. If you really want to boost your website traffic, start blogging today. You have to make your website work for you, or hire someone to help you.

Do you have a page with the same name as your custom post type, such as a page called “products” and a custom post type called “products”? If so, you are probably seeing a 404 error when you try to use WordPress’ pagination. I thought it had something to do with query_posts, which I experimented with for hours. The solution was way easier than I anticipated – just change the page name or post type to something unique. So in this example, change the post type to “product” and leave the page as “products.” A really simple solution that is easy to overlook.

Though this isn’t a perfect solution, it does resolve the immediate problem. Unfortunately, I haven’t found a solution to the underlying problem yet. I will keep you posted on any new findings! Please let me know if you find any better solutions.

Check out the screenshot: