Wayne Schulz – Schulz Consulting

How and Why To Link Your Google Profile To Search Results

November 12, 2011 by Wayne Schulz

The world of online search is growing more competitive by the day. If there were a way for your website’s results to stand out from the competition – you’d probably want to know about it – right?

How about if the way to make your site standout was completely free and took about 5 minutes to setup?

Here’s one way that many site owners are using to standout. They’ve seized upon Google’s new pilot program that links author information in Google Profile’s to web search results.

When Google users search the web for information Google now will associate the author of a post (provided they’ve set this up) with the search result. This means the author’s Google profile headshot and a link to add that profile to a Google Plus shared circle will both appear.

This is an easy way you can establish credibility with those who are searching as well as standout from competitors who’ve not taken the time to establish the link between their Google Profile and their web site.
If you want your author information to appear in search (Google News too) results for the content you’ve created then first create a Google Profile with a good recognizable headshot as your profile photo.

Sample:

Wayne Schulz Google Plus Profile (link)

Then verify authorship of your online content by associating it with your profile using one of two methods provided by Google (details):

Add your name and email to the post (Google’s recommended method – and easiest)
Link your web post to your Google profile (and your profile to your web post)

Once you’ve completed those steps – notify Google here.

It can take a week or so for Google to pick up on this (provided that you’ve followed the setup instructions precisely). And when they do you may not see every one of your blog posts indexed – rather you’ll see a few posts at a time gradually have your profile headshot and Google circle link added.

The results is a search result that stands out from competitors and conveys more authority – and hopefully translates into greater results for your company.

Google

Sage Summit 2011 Review (Audio)

July 18, 2011 by Wayne Schulz

Sage Summit 2011 is the annual conference hosted by Sage to present their product plans for the coming year and offer educational sessions for partners and customers.

In prior years Sage Insights was the partner focused conference hosted in May while Sage Summit was customer focused and hosted in the Fall. This year for the first time Sage combined two formerly separate conferences.

During the conference each morning I walked from 6am to 7am with fellow Sage partners Peter Wolf of Azamba Consulting and Robert Wood of DDF Consulting. Each morning we invited others to join us (only one person showed). We thought it might be interesting to record a short portion of our walks.

Below are links to each of the five chats we recorded – as well as our thoughts on the day’s activities.

via: Summit Diary

Sue Swenson Sage North America Keynote – Google Wave

May 18, 2010 by Wayne Schulz

Sue Swenson yesterday afternoon delivered her keynote to about 1,000 Sage partners in attendance at the Sage Insights 2010 conference being held May 17-20, 2010.

The main message of the keynote (and perhaps the conference) is that Sage has three goals:

Increase install base sales (now 71% of Sage NA revenue)
Connected services – such as Sage Payment Services for payment processing
Selective new investments in new products

The full Google Wave is below:

Sage Insights 2010 Collaboration via Google Wave

March 20, 2010 by Wayne Schulz

The Sage North America Insights 2010 Conference takes place May 17 to 20, 2010 in Denver Colorado. As usual the three days of sessions and networking promise to provide lots of value for Sage partners, CPAs and Vendors.

We’ll be there in the audience for all the major keynotes as well as the all new 1.5 hour Insights 2010 Sage Executive Question and Answer session.

Each year though it’s nearly impossible to sit in on all the major sessions, so this year we’re going to collaborate on note taking – sharing our notes with any others who care to join us. This will help ensure that nothing is missed during product sessions – and also allows those collaborating to make comments or share their own opinions on the happenings.

This year we’ll be using Google Wave which is a free collaborative tool from Google that you access via the Internet and your web browser. It will allow for anyone to update our notes at sessions — as well as to catch up on notes for sessions that they may have missed or want to know more about.

If you’ve never used Google Wave (or if you’ve tried it and given up) it’s a free collaboration tool in open preview from Google. Most of the use of Wave seems to be to jointly take notes or share bits of information — something that we think makes it an ideal tool to use for Sage Insights 2010.

Here’s a short video that explains and demonstrates Google Wave

During the keynotes and other sessions you’ll be able to search for and participate in the live creation of notes – provided that you’re a member of our conference Google Group (which is the only way Google Wave allows for easy sharing with a group of users).

If you’re not attending Insights you can still join the Google Group and participate in viewing the group Waves as well as providing feedback or asking questions. Google Wave’s are updated in real time so you’ll see people creating notes as the sessions are happening.

Here’s how we’ll use Google Wave for Insights 2010 – and you’re invited to join us

First, if you don’t have a Google Wave account — apply for one right now. You won’t be able to read or reply to any of our conference Waves without an account. The approval process for those appying with their Gmail accounts appears to be 3 to 5 days — so you’ll need to apply well in advance of stepping off the plane in Denver.

Apply for Google Wave Account

Secondly, after you’ve applied for the Google Wave invitation – join our Google Group. By being a member in the group you’ll be able to view and edit any of the Wave’s we create at Sage Insights.

Because of the way that Google implements group sharing – these Waves will only be visible and shared with the group.

When you join the Google Group – be sure you join with the same email address you used to sign up for Wave (Do NOT join with your @googlewave.com address).

Subscribe to Insightful

Email:

Visit this group

A few things to keep in mind:

This group has nothing to do with Sage.

They’re not sponsoring it – though they’re welcome to participate if they wish.

Once you are active with both Google Wave and a member of our Sage Insights Conference Google Group you’ll be able to search for Wave’s that are directed to anyone in the group.

It’s important to note that until you’re a member of our Google Group that any Google Wave search for Insights Conference notes won’t work.

Within Google Wave – simply search for:

group:insightsconference@googlegroups.com

If you’re already on Wave and have questions – contact us at wayne.schulz@googlewave.com or email wayne@s-consult.com.

Wayne Schulz Named 2009 Sage Spirit Award Winner

December 18, 2009 by Wayne Schulz

When Paul Johnson (Executive Vice President – Sage Business Solutions) called me late last night my first instinct was to check the Schulz Consulting web site.

Usually when I get calls from executives at odd hours of the day (or weekend) it’s to “point out” something on the site that I’ve written earlier in the week. The conversation starts out with admiration for “that little blog you run” and the “support for those who blog”.

And oh, by the way, could you remove that item about __.

This happens about once per quarter, and truthfully except for that little mis-understanding about Sage MAS 200 SQL, Sage doesn’t call that much. It’s usually other publishers or consultants who catch their name in a Google Keyword Alert and confuse the term blog with free advertisement.

I quickly scanned for potential issues on the web site. Except for an innocent announcement about MAS90 payroll tax tables there didn’t seem to be anything that would warrant a late night call.

So I call Paul Johnson back.

I’m braced for questions about something on the site – though I’m unsure exactly what questions there could be.

Surprisingly I learned that I’d been awarded one of the two Sage Spirit Awards. This is a new award category that Sage created this year. It’s meant to honor those who don’t sell bazillions of dollars worth of Sage product but who perhaps still should be recognized at the annual Sage President Circle.

Paul was calling to tell me I was one of the winners. (I guess that stuff on TV where people show up with a big check on your doorstep and a bouquet of balloons isn’t how it all happens in real life).

Out of 140 people nominated (I did not nominate myself -honest), the Sage team narrowed the selection to two Sage Spirit Award Winners.

While admittedly stunned I’m thankful and grateful for the award.

The presentation is January 25-27 in Arizona where I’ll presumably take the stage wedged between the men and women who’ve sold millions and millions of dollars of Sage Software and I’ll gladly accept the Sage Spirit Award.

I can’t wait to give my acceptance speech.

Here’s a short video that explains and demonstrates Google Wave

Here’s how we’ll use Google Wave for Insights 2010 – and you’re invited to join us

A few things to keep in mind:

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