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The Danger of Using PHP 5 into the New Year

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The Danger of Using PHP 5 into the New Year

Any website still running on PHP version 5 at the end of 2018 is in danger of being exploited.

Support for PHP 5.6.x ends on December 31, 2018, after which websites still using the outdated PHP will find itself susceptible to attackers looking vigorously for security flaws to exploit vulnerable websites.

The imminent end-of-life of PHP version 5 is a ‘ticking time bomb’. When a software product reaches EOL (end of life), it is no longer supported by software developers. So even if a security hole in the software is discovered, it will not be fixed.

Support for PHP 5.6.x Ends in 2 Months, Millions of Websites at Risk

Consider that almost 80% of all websites run on PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), it becomes apparent how crucial it is to keep up-to-date on the latest PHP version.  When support for PHP 5.6 ends in 2 months, it could put millions of websites at risk. ANY website running on old PHP will be vulnerable to hackers or spammers due to security holes, incompatibility or outdated coding.

Many corporations, small to mid-sized businesses and home businesses have discovered the versatility of Content Management Systems (CMS) that use PHP for functionality, such as WordPress, Joomla and Drupal. These CMS make it easy and quick to add fresh content and dynamic media such as videos, Calls-to-Action, pop-ups and chatbots.

I’m personally partial to WordPress as the number of contributors across the nation and the world have worked tirelessly to keep it an open source software available to everyone, everywhere. It makes it easy to manage your content and the plethora of plugins available extend functionality without limits.

Using PHP 5 Becomes Dangerous in 2 Months

WordPress and many other CMS use PHP, an open source general-purpose scripting language powering all types of web development. PHP enables the generation of dynamic page content, collects and encrypts data, manages your website files and more.

It is highly suggested to upgrade to PHP version 7 quickly, not only because it is EOL, but because there are many bugs in PHP 5 that relate to performances, memory usage and more. PHP 7 will make your website run faster, be more stable and run more efficiently.

Look at updating to PHP version 7 as a sort of 2000-mile checkup – just as a car starts to run rough or could even break down if regular oil changes and tune ups are missed, your website will not run optimally or could even break if you fail to regularly maintain its engine!

If all of this is still Greek to you, contact your website developers and talk with them about which version of PHP your website is running on. Be firm that you want to upgrade to PHP 7 before the new year arrives!

Final argument for updating to PHP 7: Do you REALLY want to take that chance that your website will be hacked or breakdown? Won’t that be BAD for business? AND couldn’t it cost you more to fix than if you had been proactive and upgraded before EOL of PHP 5?

At Advertising Is Simple, we have prepared ALL of our client’s websites for the coming year. We actively backup, maintain and update all our websites to keep them secure and running seamlessly. If your website was designed years ago and it has not been maintained, it is a ticking time bomb.

 

Need Help? Get in Touch:

302-407-0431 | info@advertisingissimple.com | AdvertisingIsSimple.com

Why Should You Outsource Digital Marketing Services?

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outsource digital marketing

We live in a fast-paced world, when nearly every piece of information needs to be delivered right away. These days we rely on technology so much that being constantly connected to social media became a bit of a job. Not to mention, there’s a sense of responsibility to be present online whether you know digital marketing or not!

So how are small business owners who deal with daunting day to day operations of running a business supposed to manage it all? Well, they don’t have to. That’s when you outsource digital marketing services!

You see, a digital marketing team you hire will not only stay abreast of all new digital marketing tactics, but they will also know how to help your business adapt to the changes. Trust us, nothing ever stays the same in the digital world! Just in the last year, Google Chrome made a number of changes to their security requirements, Facebook announced a new “community commitment” and Instagram updated their algorithm every few months. Is your business able to keep up with all the updates without the expert knowledge of how to navigate this digital space?

digital marketing services Delaware

WSI experts said it best: When it comes down to it, working with an agency is better than going it alone – even if you’re a solopreneur – because there is so much to learn about the digital world. We say it all the time, but it’s tough to keep up with digital marketing trends, even for marketers and agencies. And we live this stuff, every single day!

When you work with an agency, not only do you solve the “time is money” problem and escape the sell-do loop, you also gain access to the knowledge of people and resources who can take you – and your business – to the next level. Gaining knowledge is power, and it’s also so much better than struggling by yourself.

Makes sense? Next time you worry about the numbers and not enough leads, do yourself a favor and think about outsourcing digital marketing experts! They will assess your online presence from every possible angle and come up with a solution and marketing strategy that’s catered to your needs! They will also make advertising for your industry simple and straightforward.

 

Ready to outsource digital marketing?

Contact Advertising Is Simple! Our mission is to increase our clientele’s brand awareness through the use of proven marketing techniques and unparalleled customer service in order to create a greater return on your investment.

We specialize in internet, television, and radio advertising, and are particularly vested in search engine optimization, website design, mobile website design, pay-per-click campaigns, and original content management in order to help our clientele claim their share of the marketplace.

 

Advertising Is Simple | 302.407.0431 | info@AdvertisingIsSimple.com

 

8 Holiday Marketing Strategies for this Season 

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8 holiday marketing strategies

With Thanksgiving only about a month away, now is the time to get your holiday marketing strategies in place. Don’t know where to start? Think of ways to connect with your customers emotionally and tap into the spirit of giving back. 

If your goal is to increase conversion this busy holiday shopping season, we got you covered. Here are 8 holiday marketing strategies that will maximize your advertising efforts. 

 

8 holiday marketing strategies: 

 

  1.  Offer Special Deals – Reward your best customers for their loyalty throughout the year by giving exclusive discounts or personal gift based on their purchase history. 
  2. Create Holiday Landing Pages – Create holiday landing pages that you can send customers to from your social media and emails campaigns. Be sure to have several different designs and do some split testing to determine the highest converting pages. 
  3. Start a Social Media Campaign – Use holiday specific images, hashtags and special offers to attract customers willing to spend. This is the time when they are starting to search for deals! Encouraging social media interaction will also get people in the holiday spirit of shopping. 
  4. Focus on an Email Campaign – Use email more often to get customers excited about upcoming deals. Make sure to triple your marketing efforts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Offer a contest, game or countdown to get more engagement. Don’t forget to add a popup subscribe form to your website and welcome new email subscribers with a discount code as well. 
  5. Focus on High Sales Days – Take advantage of the highest selling days of the season. Offer special promotions for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. 
  6. Give Back to the Community – Show support to the community by sponsoring a food drive or collecting clothing and toys for needy families. Many of your customers are looking for ways to make the season more meaningful by sharing with those less fortunate. 
  7. Send out Holiday Cards – Let your customers know how much you appreciate their business by sending out a holiday card with a personalized special offer just for them. For example, if Customer A repeatedly purchases a certain product or service, provide them with a coupon for that particular item. Continue to send out cards that may invite them to a special event, sale, discounts or free gift promotion. 
  8. Create a Holiday Video – Get your team together for a fun and inviting holiday video. There’s nothing more personal than sending good wishes to your customers and showing your fun personality at the same time!

Read more: 25 Days of Email Marketing Tips for the Holidays 

 

If you’re looking to up your sales this holiday season, contact Advertising Is Simple. We help small to mid-sized business owners who are too busy running their businesses to focus on their marketing and advertising efforts. We can help with your digital marketing plan this holiday season, so 

Advertising Is Simple| 302.407.0431 | info@AdvertisingIsSimple.com 

 

 

 

 

How to Get Client Testimonials to Up Your Marketing Game

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How to Get Client Testimonials to Up Your Marketing Game

One of the most powerful and cost-effective marketing tools for your business are client testimonials. Why? Because they deliver value from the people that know your services or products best.

If you’re wondering how to ask your clients to provide feedback about your work, we have great ideas that bring quick results. Check them out below!

 

8 Ways to Get Client Testimonials

  1. Ask Immediately – Timing is everything! You should reach out right after completing a project for your client. If they’re happy with your service, they will surely want to share feedback with you right away.
  2. Create a Review Sheet – Create your own document to solicit review on your Google My Business, Facebook and Yelp business listing to encourage your clients to leave reviews. Have the links go directly to your reviews page.
  3. Make it Easy – It’s important to provide simple ways for your clients to leave a testimonial. Whether it’s linking a specific page you want your reviews on in the initial email request or bringing a camera to the meeting for a video testimonial, make sure it’s all clear to follow!
  4. Ask the Right Questions – This is especially important if you’re asking your clients to provide a video testimonial. Having a set of questions to answer by your clients will help you get the information you need fast and efficiently. Not to mention, it will be much easier for your clients to provide specific feedback!
  5. Offer Different Ways to Provide Testimonials – If your clients are not comfortable with providing a review in front of a camera, ask them for a written testimonial. Also, determine whether you need more feedback left on your Business Facebook Page, Google Listing or any other local directory. Make sure your clients know how to leave a review on each platform!
  6. Look Out for Testimonials – Sometimes you don’t even have to ask for reviews. If you received a complimentary email from your clients or they left a great comment about your work/ products on social media, ask them if you can share it on your website. Just remember to put all screenshots in a separate folder to keep it organized before sharing.
  7. Create a Testimonials Page – Encourage your clients to provide a video testimonial so you can share it on your website. It will help your business with ranking higher in search, which equals to capturing more leads in the future.
  8. Use an Automated Service – There are certain platforms that will do the work for you. Just set up an account and customize your review request to start gathering those reviews. Customer Lobby is a great place to start.

 

See examples of our client testimonials below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKf1XegdbGw

https://youtu.be/KKf1XegdbGw

 

Related article: 10 Steps to a Stellar Online Reputation

 

What’s your most effective way for getting client testimonials?

Advertising Is Simple is a full-service marketing agency located in Wilmington, Delaware helping small to mid-sized businesses with all their digital marketing, radio and television advertising needs. Call us now.

 

Advertising Is Simple | 302.407.0431 | info@AdvertisingIsSimple.com

 

Is Your Website on Par with Legal Compliance and User Trust?

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legal compliance and user trust

So far, 2018 has been a big year for enforcing legal compliance (GDPR) and user trust (HTTPS), which are both critical elements to running your business online these days. The important question to ask now is: When was the last time you updated your website? 

If lately you’ve been noticing less traffic and conversions, it’s time to make changes. Without these important updates to your website’s functionality, you’re doing your own business a disservice. Here’s what you need to take care of immediately. 

 

GDPR (legal compliance) 

The sooner you get your business GDPR compliant the better.  According to this regulation approved by the EU Parliament, any company in the world that stores or processes data of people who live in the European Union needs to be in compliance with GDPR by May 25th 2018. Otherwise, you might face hefty fines – up to $24million (20m Euros) or 4% of annual global turnover, whichever is higher.  

Now, how to get your business compliant with GDPR? First, assign someone on your team responsible for reading the provisions of the GDPR to fully understand the requirements and specific circumstances your business might be involved with. Then make sure all your employees are aware of the new laws.   

Bottom line is, you need to immediately update your Privacy Policy and have it visibly displayed and easily accessible on your website. See our example here.  

Next, you need to inform your online visitors of the cookies available on your website and give them a choice to opt in or out. 

It should look similar to this: 

user trust cookies 

User Trust and Data Security  

Data security has been the top concern in 2018, and it all comes down to establishing and maintaining user trust. Google Chrome announced a lot of changes to their online functionalities, especially regarding old http websites. The question is: Have you implemented the SSL Certificate on your website yet? 

What is SSL Certificate? 

According to Go Daddy, a certificate serves as an electronic “passport” that establishes an online entity’s credentials when doing business on the Web. When an Internet user attempts to send confidential information to a Web server, the user’s browser accesses the server’s digital certificate and establishes a secure connection. 

 Benefits-of-Upgrading-to-HTTPS

(what you see when you enter old http websites) 

 

In other words, if being authentic and making your customers feel well taken care of is your top priority, this update is crucial to running your business online. Trust, confidentiality, protection and better search (SEO) are some of the major benefits of upgrading your old http website to https.  

 

Need assistance with implementing all necessary changes to your website? Contact Advertising Is Simple today! 

 

Advertising Is Simple is a full-service marketing agency located in Wilmington, Delaware helping small to mid-sized businesses with all their digital marketing, radio and television advertising needs. Call us now. 

Advertising Is Simple | 302.407.0431 | info@AdvertisingIsSimple.com 

 

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Phone: (302)407-0431

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