Designer Thoughts

5 Easy Steps to claim your Google Listing

Sun, 26 Sep 2021 17:47:51 GMT

YOU HAVEN'T CLAIMED YOUR GOOGLE LISTING YET. HERE'S HOW.

“Google it!” A playful, verbal love-tap in the face for a friend or colleague who is unaware of something basic. Google has managed to weave itself into the fabric of culture and is widely regarded as the head-office of the internet. The brand enjoys a warm regard from Joe Public, strategically nestling itself cleverly in between essential and playful.

All of the data available as fast as you can think it which, growing up in the 80s was an impossible, futuristic tech feature found only in those creepy humanoid borgs like Vick i the robot girl or Data from Star Trek or Hal in Space Odyssey 2001. Your phone is a digital key to your friends, team, job, health and even kids so you can see how hikikomori has become an easy option for half a million people in Japan. Armed with even the most basic smart device, Google affords you unparalleled access to a rapdily growing digital world and that upgrade is free, for now. Even Neo had to go through the Matrix to “know kung-fu”.

The point is that Google is becoming a directory of all data and you should claim your Google listing before someone else does. When we want to know something: Google. If your business isn't listed, it’s hidden under an invisible internet cloak for anyone who might search for your business. The good news is, Google have made it real easy for you.

Let’s establish the basics to get you googled right.

Step 1. Get a free Gmail account.
Super simple to set up and also free! Treat this email address and password as your log-in/keys to the front door of your Google listing where Google will communicate with you. Use a simple version of your brand name if you intend to connect with your customer base through this email but be aware that businesses using gmail to communicate appear very local.

Step 2: Get on Google Maps.

Inside your Google Account click on the 9 dots in a box formation in the top right of screen. This opens your Google Workspace which is like tool box of software you will often use to run your business and manage your Google listing. Look for the Google My Business icon to get started on entering the data and info you want published on Google. You'll verify you address when you receive the Google postcard officially listing your business info on Google.

Step 3: Present your website for inspection
If you have a website you’ll need to connect your sitemap to Google’s daily crawl. There’s a reason why internet award ceremonies often reference spiders and webs because Google is the spider crawling across a global web of data chekcing for new info every minute. Use the same email and password to log in to Google Search Console and connect your website's sitemap which is easy to do.

Step 4: Get found.
Google may have settled more disputes than a million Judge Judies ever could for FREE but it’s in the business of selling data and search results are up for sale. Sure your business will show up on Google Maps but you’ll find it incredibly difficult to get listed organically near the top of a search offering literally millions of results. A minimal spend with Adwords is a worthwhile investment to make sure your on the first page for less than a price of a coffee a day.

Step 5: Optimse your listing
I’m old enough to remember when hitting the “I’m feeling lucky” search button was kinda fun but if you’re serious about earning with Google, they offer a free 40hr course called the Digital Garage . If Google result open a revenue stream, I’d advise taking the time to complete it is a great investment. For my tips on zero cost marketing with google click here .

Depending on your intent I’d highly recommend at least Steps 1 & 2 . If you need help with your Google profile or digital marketing reach out to me on

mail@james-byrne.com or Google me .

Is TikTok too dodgy to for your kid or brand?

Sun, 19 Sep 2021 12:38:45 GMT

IS TIKTOK TOO DODGY FOR MY KID OR BRAND?

You heard it’s a bit dodgy. You’re kids are begging for the app but perhaps you don’t really understand your reluctance. You know two things about TikTok, it’s got something to do with China and governments around the world don’t trust it, in fact some State level departments have forbidden it’s installation on employee’s phones. It’s TikTok and it's rapidly becoming an all too convenient babysitter in many Irish Households.

For the uninitiated, here’s the basics. TikTok is a social media app in the same category as Instagram and Facebook. It lives on your phone and delivers a stream of short videos to a global audience where the TikTok community award “likes” for entertaining videos.

Indeed, it originated in China around 2017/18 when two social media apps (Douyin & Musical.ly joined forces to produce the TikTok app which quickly became popular with the world’s music loving, teenage generation who seemingly have an insatiable appetite for video, particularly during a pandemic.

There are two types of TikTok: pre-recorded video lasting 15s, 1minute or 3 minutes long or a live TikTok broadcast for however long each TikTokker decides to broadcast. Each TikTok is published onto an endless vertically sliding river of TikToks flowing non-stop in the hope of catching likes and followers to build an audience.

It has to be said that TikTok is a lot of fun and delivers content unlike any other social media platform. At the core of the app, TikTok turns every user into a self-sufficient broadcaster where originality, musicality and creativity are rewarded with appreciation. The video editing, filters, graphics software combined with big hit chart music creates some wonderfully engaging content that pings the brain’s pleasure centre much like sugar. Tik-Tokkers participate in cultural movements spread across the world making them feel part of a musical phenomenon like much Elvis might have for your Granny.

So is it dodgy? One of the original apps that made up TikTok allowed browsers to search by face which points toward the CCPs digitising of all citizen’s likenesses. If you break a red light in Wuhan, your image will immediately be matched to the government database for prosecution, likely resulting in a fine and a deduction against your monitored social credit. Big brother truly in effect in a culture where your personal profile is highly digitalised.

The biggest fear around installing TikTok on your phone is your data will somehow be compromised with spyware and the digital baddies will hack your phone and clear you out. I’m not so sure the Chinese government are hell bent on stealing your data but there is a growing worrying industry emanating from China, Russia and North Korea where hackers benefit from a more relaxed attitude towards hacking.

The real question should be around access to your kids as they venture out into a digital landscape sharing videos of themselves with strangers. The minimum age requirement for TikTok is 13 and we all hope we’ve educated our kids about responsible online practices.

That's the headline, the subscript is that kids are communicating more and more through digital community apps like Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft. TikTok like the rest of them is something that the cool kids are into. It gets appealing around 5th class as kids get a phone so Mam and Dad can check in on them from a distance. A luxury that comes at a price of putting an attention sapping device right in their pocket. If your kid hasn't got TikTok, there's a fair chance they’ll be feeling left out at school.

How much did we rely on digital content during the pandemic? With nothing open, nowhere to go last year we all subscribed to Netflix, Disney and Amazon in our millions to keep ourselves sane and the mental health somewhat stable. Similarly our kids connected with friends in digital playgrounds affording parents some quiet time while they tried to make sense of a world turned outside in.

Millions jumped on the TikTok train and 732million active daily users means TikTok is catching up quickly to Facebook and Instagram. I’m advising brands to register an account and secure their username before it’s gone because marketing on TikTok is going to be a huge part of digital strategy in the future.

For brands and parents understanding TikTok and it’s content will help you make an informed decision on accessing the addictive app. If you’re the kind of parent that abandons their kid to TikTok, Playstation or XBox to do the baby-sitting, expect trouble in the future. But if you’re engaged and watching, cautious moderation is key.

Interested to hear your thoughts!

Catch me on mail@james-byrne.com.

I know that guy!

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 17:20:02 GMT

I know that guy!

As last night's thriller World Cup #IRLSRB home qualifier drew to a close with so many positives deserving plenty of bar stool air time, I was delighted to see an old friend in the Aviva's changing room tunnel, grinning ear to ear.

Mal Slattery, Ireland's kit man hugged and high-fived every player coming off the pitch in what I saw as a warm moment acknowledging there's something different about this particular Irish squad.

Mal and I schooled, served mass and hid bonfire wood together growing up in St. Ciarans parish in Hartstown, Dublin West. Some time in June 1990, we both lepped up and down on the couches of The Hartstown House because Packie Bonner saved it. Or was it O'Learys boot that sent us atop the mahogany?

Mal was every bit the football nut in our town and went on to play for and eventually manage the local team, the exact eat-breathe-sleep football passion any dressing room needs down 1-0 at half time.

So you can imagine my surprise when I started at Umbro Ireland some 30 years later, thrown in at the deep end with a full senior squad photoshoot for the global kit creative on my first day when who appears, only Mal himself. I was thankful to see his familiar happy face that day offering support on handling the team with his trade mark wit and banter.

I don't count myself as one in his inner circle but those who do, his colleagues, neighbours and the Irish football team are lucky to be under the wing of the kit man with the big heart. Seeing a cohesive team oiled with positive communication even with the kit man in the tunnel gives me hope.

Well done Mal.

See the work I did for Umbro Here .