Google & Your Business

[ChristopherCoy]

Update: See post #6

Are any of you using any of the many Google tools for your business?

Google Analytics, Google Buzz, Google Places, Gmail, Feedburner, or any of the others?

Do you find that it is effective on the amount of traffic your website gets?

I'm using Analytics, and apparently I set up a Gmail account and Google Profile some time ago, but don't remember doing so. I just updated my profile, and forwarded the gmail account to my regular email, but I'm wondering if I've been missing a good bit of free advertising tools.

Any input?

[wake]

This isn't really about bringing traffic to your site but more about organization, so I hope this isn't too off-base with what you are looking for Chris.

A couple of months ago I stumbled across information on how to let gmail handle your custom domain email. Through changing your host email MX records, you are able to have all of your host email forward through gmail's servers.

I'm a big google fan as I have an HTC Eris running Android, so I wanted a way to easily access my host email accounts. I have also in the past ran into issues with my host accounts filling up with loads of spam. By running the email through google, you gain the benefit of utilizing their spam filters. It also makes it easy to create accounts for other users, if you have employees that need email addresses, or if you need to simply create multiple addresses for your business. With everyone accessing their accounts through google you also have the advantage of sharing calendars, etc.

You continue to utilize your host email (blah@themodernmutt.com). People send email to that address and your replies come from that address. However it's all though google's interface.

As mentioned earlier I have an Android phone so it's EXTREMELY nice being able to shuffle through accounts directly on the phone.

Another positive is the filtering/searching/layout of gmail. With my hosting accounts, I'm always stuck going in through cPanel to check the mail, or using their web mail utility. It was always clumsy and horribly designed. Not any longer.

Hopefully someone finds this useful, because I think using gmail as a backbone to your email can be very beneficial.

(Also, did you know with gmail, periods aren't recognized as characters? For instance, sending an email to first.last@gmail.com will always go to firstlast@gmail.com. Also, appending a plus sign to the end of your email account in the address can do wonders. For instance, firstlast+amazon@gmail.com. If you sign up with amazon using that email address, all mail will still come to firstlast@gmail.com, but now you have a method of filtering emails that come to that specific address. Find yourself getting some spam? If you utilize the plus sign everywhere, you can see which address is generating the spam.)

[DoublyDan]

This is great info Lance. I have been getting spam or spoofing mail lately and am sick of it. I may have to try that amazon tip ... thanks.

[Mosephus]

I mainly use analytics and the adwords keyword tool.

[CShuler]

I use analytics, too. It helps to know the details of the traffic coming to my site.

[ChristopherCoy]

Have any of you had success with Adwords?


I recently watched the "Inside Google" documentary on CNBC and paid close attention to the Adwords segment about how it levels the playing field for the little guy. And day before yesterday I got a $100 coupon for Adwords, so I decided to try it. Its rather confusing, and it looks like I'm going to have to spend a few days stumbling around the Adwords dashboard, but I'm wondering how many others have used it with success. The small custom boot store in the documentary piece swore by it.