November 2013 Archives - 3/4

1and1 Complaints, Problems, and Issues

1and1 complaints seem to be commonplace on webmaster forums and blogs all over the internet. If you have landed on this article I assume you've read a lot of them. Still, I thought I would get the word out about 1and1 problems and issues I've had using the companies services as a domain name registrar. (I haven't used their hosting but you should NEVER use it.)

Slow DNS Propagation

One big issue I've always had with 1and1 is that they have extremely slow DNS propagation. A lot of times domain registrars explicitly state “It can take 24-48 hours for DNS updates to fully propagate.” For most registrars I've used it takes 2 hours, tops, for nameservers to process and update on my end. Usually it doesn't take more than 1 hour in most cases. With 1and1 it can literally take 48 hours or more. This is by far the slowest I've ever seen and it is a big 1and1 complaint and issue they still have not seemed to have resolved or fixed.

When you need your nameservers updated, you want it done as fast as possible. Most likely you are switching from a bad web host or are moving domain parking companies. The amount of time 1and1 takes to update DNS is not appropriate in this day and age.

Slow Contact Updates

If you need to switch your address or any information for your domain contact details, don't expect 1and1 to process the update quickly either. There have been times I've updated contact details which sometimes take a week for 1and1 to process on their end. Sometimes the update will show-up the next day but often it doesn't.

This isn't that big of a deal but still, it 1and1 issues are that it's system is just damn slow. It's kind of like they think they are an internet company that it still operating in 1999.

Difficult Transfers

Additionally one of 1and1's problems is when you try to make changes to transfer a domain, these updates can take quite awhile. What do I mean? If you need to turn off domain privacy I've had issues where it wouldn't turn off. Even after contacting customer service and explaining the issue.

I've also had issues when I've “Unlocked” a domain and it's shows in 1and1's backend. However when I attempt to transfer out to another domain name registrar, it will reject the transfer saying it wasn't unlocked or there was an issue with the losing domain registar. I usually try again and contact 1and1 customer service to resolve the issue. Typically they say everything looks fine on their end. I reattempt and it is fine.

Recently I had to helped a client transfer a domain away from 1and1. It was a bit tricky but I was able to get it done without too much hassle. Still transferring is more 1and1 problems and issues to be aware of.

1and1 Customer Service

I haven't had as bad 1and1 customer service experience as some people I've read online. I've actually called 1and1 and their support reps have been quite helpful in a few situations. They answered my questions and actually understood what the issues was and fixed it.

However, my experience has not been all rosy. When something in the system isn't updating I have been told, “It takes time for the registry to make updates.” Of course unlocking a domain and making sure the privacy off is 1and1's issue and not the domain registry's problem. Additionally they've given me run arounds when they said they made updates to something and it does not happen on my end.

1and1 isn't Great

I used to recommend 1and1 since they included free domain privacy and the ICANN fee with domain prices. Since their prices are a high, $15 a year currently, and they have bad customer service and a backend system that is really slow there is no reason to use them.

Personally I'd recommend transferring your domains to one of these registrars which I have all had mostly positive experience with. I've written reviews of all these domain name registrars which I hope your read.

NameSilo: Free Privacy and easy-to-use no hassle system. Checkout my NameSilo Review.
NameCheap: Popular among a lot of people and they run great specials and transfers deals all the time. I also wrote a NameCheap Review you can read..

Have you had 1and1 complaints, issues, or problems? If you have had problems with 1and1 please share your story and 1and1 complaints below and let others know. Did you eventually switch domain registrars? Did you switch to one of the registrars I recommend? If you did, I'd be happy to hear if my reviews were helpful and if these registrars gave you better service.

Shared Endorsements expanded in Google’s New Terms of Service

Google updated their Privacy Policy and Terms of Service today and there are changes to what Google Refers to as “Shared Endorsements” that are good to be aware of if you use Google and their services. I imagine most people reading this probably use Gmail and Google, so you better pay attention.

Shared Endorsements in Google Advertising & Reviews

If you write a review in Google Places using your Google+ profile it might be used in advertising for say a restaurant or review along with your profile picture and name. Additionally Google monitors what you “+1” and what brands you follow to try to figure what your friends, family, and followers might like also. Google refers to this as Shared Endorsements and it is something that is implemented across Google's platform and various services which includes Google Play, Google Maps, and obviously their world famous search engine. Google does explicitly state;

This update to our Terms of Service doesn’t change in any way who you’ve shared things with in the past or your ability to control who you want to share things with in the future.

The reason for Shared Endorsements is that Google believes that they can better serve you what you want to see from recommendations. What if you don't like the idea of Google using your data this way though? You can turn it off if you want but keep in mind Google automatically uses your name and profile picture unless you actively choose to turn of the Shard Endorsements setting. Click here if you want to turn it off and opt out. (You will have to be logged into your Google account.)

Basically if this doesn't make sense to you, Google is just trying to use your data and what you like to better serve you and people you know better targeted ads. If you don't like what Google does, you don't need to use it. Of course… is is possible not to use Google for searching for things online?

By the way they also emphasized that they want people to be careful with their mobile devices while driving. In addition keep you password secure and enable 2-step verification. (If you misplace your phone often then I wouldn't recommend it.)

Anyone have thoughts about Google's update to it's Terms of Service? What do you think of Shared Endorsements?

[Source – Google TOS]

Twitter IPO a Success, Should you Invest?

The big social media and financial news this week was the Twitter IPO (Initial Public Offering) which seems to have been quite a success for the social networking service.

Twitter started trading shares to the public on Thursday (November 7th, 2013) and opened at $45.13 per share. This was a 73% gain from the $26 per share that was offered to insiders and existing shareholders on Wednesday, the day before the IPO. Early reports projected TWTR, the stock ticker symbol Twitter is listed under, to list around $35.

Twitter shares reached a high of trading at $50.09 during the Thursday, the first day of trading. However, on Friday the shares slipped back down to under $45 and as of this writing the stock current sit at $41.65 per TWTR share.

Even if the shares pulled back Friday the Twitter IPO gave the social media company a huge boost in it's market capitalization. How much? About $25 billion along with the surging stock of course this fluctuates with the stock price. It currently sits at under $20 billion. This still means Twitter has a bigger valuation than a lot of S&P500 companies. The real question, is that a fair valuation for Twitter?

By all accounts Twitter is a poster child for a successful technology and social media company. Twitter has roughly 100 million active users each day and over 230+ million accounts. (Probably about 10%-15% of those accounts are bots though.) Users create 500 million Tweets each day sharing thoughts to the world in 140 characters or less.

Twitter's numbers are quite impressive but the microblogging service has yet to find a great way to make, you know… money. Currently the best way Twitter is pulling in cash is Promoted Tweets and Trends. Companies can pay to show Tweets to users they believe will find them of value and try to promote a hashtag trend they want to get noticed. The company has also toyed with different ways to make money but a lot of those are not worth mentioning. The Twitter IPO helped raise cash too.

Everyone it seems uses Twitter from journalists, celebrities, athletes, politicians, etc. Warren Buffet even has a Twitter account but he doesn't actively Tweet. Still Twitter is seen as an important tool in the web 2.0 world.

It should be noted that TWTR listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and not the NASDAQ which is where most tech and social media companies are listed. Does that means the executives and founders of Twitter view it differently?

Whatever Evan Williams and Jack Dorsey think they are probably pretty happy since they added a significant amount to their personal wealth. It should be noted these two and did not offer any of their shares for sale. None of the banks underwriting the IPO Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and JPMorgan Chase, decided to sell shares as well.

The general belief seems to be even if Twitter is not making money now, they will figure it out eventually. A lot of people are still joining and starting to use the service and a majority of users use the social network on smartphones. Twitter still could lose ground and users just like Facebook is experiencing now. Remember my article asking “Is Facebook for Old People Now?” Could the same thing happen to Twitter?

I was annoyed that they stopped support of TweetDeck Mobile apps and I haven't been happy with other decisions Twitter has made. Overall they've done a good job of making the Twitter API easy for developers to build on and make 3rd party Twitter clients and applications which has helped fuel growth.

Liking a social media service is different than investing in it though. Would you invest in Twitter with your personal money? Do you believe the Twitter IPO was successful? Do you think you would wait until the TWTR comes down? What do you see in Twitter's future?

Is Facebook for Old People Now?

The other day I was scrolling through a private forum and I noticed one of the hot topics was this question, “Is Facebook for Old People Now?” and therefore “Is Facebook considered lame and uncool?”

I should clarify these were not the exact questions in the forum but is the general gist of what a lot of people are discussing right now whether they be internet marketers, social media managers, bloggers, journalists, etc. Facebook, once the darling of social media and web 2.0 companies, seems to be losing a lot of steam. Why is this?

I could throw you a bunch of statistics, link to a ton of articles, and give you a lot of different reasons for this. However, the simple and easy explanation is that Moms and Dads like it and use Facebook a lot nowadays. That means teenagers obviously don't like Facebook and can't be seen where parents hangout, online or offline. Therefore even young people that do have accounts, they really are not using Facebook for social networking.

Most of these young people have taken a liking to the 6-second video service, Vine. (WordPress a few months ago enabled Vine videos to be easily embedded in posts.) In addition they like Instagram, which is why Facebook spent 1 billion dollars to buy it, a photo sharing app allows you to easily create beautiful images and videos. SnapChat is another popular photo sharing service as it allows a person to send a photo which only the receiver can view for no more than 10 seconds. (That's why it has earned a reputation as a porn app.) Additionally Twitter is also gaining in popularity due to the ease of use of the social network on mobile devices.

Basically that all adds up to limited time for other social network chiefly Facebook. Young people consider Facebook a pain to use and too time consuming. Besides you can hear their thoughts before they would sign-on, “Ahh, this is something my parents like.” is what a pimple-faced, braces-laden teenager is saying somewhere right now.

Facebook still has not figured out how to make it easy to manage pages vs profiles and how to quickly sort through the newsfeed. I also don't really understand how people build audiences without spending money on ads. I am not going to spend money with a social network I have gained little value from personally and professionally. That's why I recently deleted my personal profile and that's the issue that Facebook executives are facing. If young people don't use it, they won't spend money with them in the future.

What do you think? Is Facebook for Old People now? Can Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook reverse this trend or is it the natural rise and fall of websites and the internet?

[Image Source – Washington Post]

The Creative Process in 6 Steps

Some people are always talking about “The Creative Process” and how they work on their projects and ventures. Most believe and are under the assumption that they have the creative process they have is quite unique and nobody else works the same way they do. Well, despite what you might believe about your work habits or have heard most entrepreneurs, business owners, executives, etc really all have the same creative process. Here is the The Creative Process in 6 Steps.

1. This is Going to be Awesome

This is the first thought you have when brainstorming an awesome new website, app, or slick new invention. You haven't fully fleshed it out but all you can say and think to yourself is, “This is going to be Awesome!”

At this point in time you are too scared to tell many people about your idea in fear that someone will steal it. (People really only steal ideas when they are successful though.) You tell friends and family and they validate the idea saying, “That's a great idea!” and encourage you to follow through.

2. This is hard

At this point you probably started searching for a perfect domain name for whatever you have in mind. Most likely are you wen through all the easy names first and realized that you are not going to be able to find a suitable domain to registered for $10 bucks easily.

This makes you resort to trying different domain generators trying to figure what to call you great new idea. While searching for a domain you start to realize that your idea that you believe nobody else has come up with before might actually not be so original.

Also as you start making plans and surveying the market you realize launching a product, writing a book, starting a forum is going to be a lot harder than you have anticipated. This is usually when you get extremely frustrated and say to yourself, “This is hard.” and you start questioning why you followed through with your idea.

3. This is turning to Shit

As you get further along with your project you realize that that things are not going as well as you planned. Maybe you should have spent money on a domain in the aftermarket as the name you have doesn't fit you company and vision. The team or person you choose to build your product or software doesn't have the same entrepreneurial quest as you, and therefore isn't doing it right. Whatever it is the your idea is turning to shit and you are getting really upset since it's going as well as you hoped or expected.

4. I am Shit

There comes a point when you are not angry at other people, but you are very uspet at yourself. Maybe your original idea and concept was as good as your first thought? The people that you contracted and hired are doing are doing a job you deem “acceptable” but for some reasons it just doesn't seem to be working and you are not sure why. A lot of self hate and loathing will manifest itself at this point in the the entrepreneur's creative process.

5. This might turn out Ok

There will come a turning point and you starting believing and knowing that things will be “Ok!” Maybe your website is picking up traffic or you've starting to sell some of your product after you attended a trade show or blog conference. The sun is finally starting to shine and you start feeling good about all the hard work you've put into your idea and project.

6. This is Awesome

When the finishing touches have been added you say, “This is Awesome.” All those long days, hard nights, and effort has finally paid off. You have the feeling your idea and projects are going to be fine and you've done a great job. Entrepreneurial fame and awesomeness is just around the corner.

The Creative Process

If you think The Creative Process you go through is a lot different than this, I seriously doubt it. I'd love to to hear opinions and thoughts though. What is your creative process for projects and as an entrepreneur? Is what I wrote here pretty accurate?

Twitter Invitation Email Scam

Seems there is a Twitter Invitation Email that was popular a few months ago but is still going around. If you are reading this post I assume you got the Twitter invitation email and were thinking about clicking the “Accept Invitation” button. Well DO NOT click it.

From what I can tell it seems the email will execute a malware downloader onto your computer. While the Twitter Invitation email looks legitimate as it seems to have been sent from Twitter, it definitely was not . Think about this for a second, why would need a Twitter Invite if you are already on Twitter? Yeah, doesn't make any sense.

I can see why people would be fooled by this Twitter invitation email though. It is simple and the spammer someone found an exploit to send these emails using Twitter's domain name. This obviously creates trust for anyone who uses Twitter or likes the microblogging and social media service. You might say to yourself, “Well it was look suspicious but was sent from Twitter.” That's where trouble starts and how you get malware or spyware onto your computer though.

If you got the Twitter invitation email or know someone who has, it is best to not open the email at all and please remember to delete it or better yet mark it as ‘Spam.' That way your email provider or service will monitor other similar emails and someone else will not accidentally download malware onto their computer.

One of the best constructed spam emails I have seen was this Apply Verify Your Account phishing scam. The spammer who made up that email must have put a lot of time into that phishing scam. I know people are still receiving that Apple phising email as the article still gets decent traffic everyday of the week. Guess whoever it is still thinks it will work on some people.

If you go this Twitter Invitation email, what were initial reactions? Did you think it was legitimate at first or immediately know something was suspicious?

UPDATE 11-7-13: Just got another one of these Twitter Invitations emails this morning. It was from ‘Christopher Meloni' though and not Mohan Raj. I guess the spammer thinks using an actor's name will make more people open the email and download the malware.

UPDATE 2-12-14: I've gotten a few other Twitter Invitation emails but this time the sender is Lucia M Tellez. Spammers don't know when to stop I guess.