Webinar Platform and Format

• The new format for Webinar Wednesdays has been introduced, allowing for the aggregation of comments from various platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and the BD website (00:00:10).
• The new format replaces the previous GoToWebinar platform, which was considered outdated, and is expected to provide a more streamlined experience (00:00:56).
• The webinar can now be broadcast on multiple social streams simultaneously, including YouTube Live, and the replay will be immediately available on YouTube after the webinar (00:01:48).
• The replay will also be posted on the Brilliant Directories YouTube channel, and viewers are encouraged to subscribe to the channel for notifications and access to tips, tutorials, and more (00:01:59).
• The webinar is also being streamed on the Brilliant Directories Facebook company page and the Brilliant Directories Facebook group, and viewers are encouraged to join the group, which has recently surpassed 15,000 members (00:02:25).
• The Facebook group is described as a positive and constructive community where members help each other and ask good questions, and the hosts are active participants in the group (00:02:48).
• The platform being used for the webinar is Streamyard, which was chosen after considering several options, including Webinar Jam (00:03:05).
• The hosts acknowledge that there may be some technical issues during the first test run of the new format, but they are excited to see how it goes (00:01:15).

Q&A Participation and App

• The upcoming webinars will address the changes in the Q&A segment, as the platform is no longer using GoToWebinar, which had a “raise your hand” feature, allowing the hosts to pick and choose who to call on and unmute their microphone (00:03:24).
• To participate in the Q&A segment, viewers can comment in all caps in the live chat on BrilliantDirectories.com, and the hosts will unmute their microphone to ask a question verbally (00:03:47).
• A slide will be shown later on how to get the microphone unmuted for verbal questions (00:04:04).
• Viewers are encouraged to download the Brilliant Directories app, which is free and available on the App Store, to receive real-time notifications for new member signups, revenue processed, and more (00:04:18).
• The app will have new updates in the coming months, and users are advised not to miss them (00:04:31).

Webinar Content and Purpose

• The webinar is being streamed on multiple platforms, and viewers are welcome to share their location and country in the comments (00:04:55).
• Webinar Wednesday is a platform for sharing updates and new features on the Brilliant Directories platform, which are often suggested by users through the Facebook group and webinars (00:05:10).
• The webinars cover topics such as increasing traffic, converting visitors to members, identifying revenue opportunities, and more (00:05:36).
• This webinar does not have a special “tip of the week” segment, but it will have lab updates and a Q&A section (00:05:46).

BD Lab Updates

• There are BD lab updates to share, including a new action in Zapier that allows users to add emails to their Brilliant Directories unsubscribe list (00:06:08).
• Users can now search for “unsubscribe” and create an action to add the email to an unsubscribed list, allowing for easier management of unsubscribed emails across different platforms, including MailChimp and HubSpot, with the help of Zaper or Pabbly integrations (00:06:46).
• Flomatic is a new integration that is still being tested, and users are recommended to sync their Bring Directory site with it, with support teams available to address any issues that may arise (00:07:08).

Website Feature Updates

• The page builder in the web page builder admin area now allows users to disable screenshot previews for their web pages, which can help save bandwidth for power users with heavy sites (00:07:59).
• Users can customize member profile URLs to include the member ID, and can construct and reorder the URL structure to their liking, with the member name being the only default required field (00:09:16).
• Member leads can be accepted and paid for by members, with leads being generated when a consumer visits the site and wants to reach out to a member, such as a contractor or interior designer (00:10:05).
• Members can receive leads and choose to accept or pay for them, or decline them until a certain point, and a new feature has been added to confirm their action when declining a lead to prevent accidental clicks (00:10:37).
• When a member declines a lead, a popup will appear to confirm their action, adding an extra step to ensure they want to decline the lead (00:11:02).
• The decline or purchase process for members has been improved to provide a better experience (00:11:20).
• The admin search feature has been updated to allow filtering members by form submissions, which was previously buggy but is now more reliable (00:11:32).
• Members can be filtered by forms they have or have not submitted, allowing for the creation of smart lists and targeted newsletters (00:11:56).
• The updated admin search feature can be used to segment members based on contests, applications, surveys, or other forms they have filled out on the site (00:11:51).
• The feature can also be used to search for members who have not submitted a specific form, such as a contact us form or a custom survey (00:12:48).
• A smart list can be created to target members who have not completed certain actions on the site, such as creating a coupon or property listing (00:13:06).
• The updated feature allows for more targeted and personalized communication with members via newsletters or other means (00:13:33).
• A new feature is coming soon, which will allow paid members to close or cancel their accounts at a later date, rather than immediately, and a demo of this feature will be shown (00:13:49).
• A new feature is being introduced to minimize partial refunds and allow customers to undo their cancellation requests, giving them the option to close their account at the end of their paid subscription time instead of immediately (00:14:02).
• This feature will be useful for customers who have already paid for a year and want to cancel their plan, but still want to access the site until the end of their paid subscription (00:14:23).
• The feature will allow customers to close their account on a scheduled date, and they will have the option to undo this action and keep their current plan active if they want to (00:15:20).
• Customers will be reminded that they can keep their current plan active, and they will have the option to reactivate their account or upgrade/downgrade to alternate plans (00:16:10).
• The feature will be available for all sites and is expected to be released in early November, after going through the final QA process (00:16:52).
• Another feature being introduced is the ability to hide or show passwords when filling out the login form, which will be helpful for users who need to see their password as they type it in (00:16:59).
• The icon for hiding/showing passwords will be a text label, allowing users to modify it if needed, and the feature will be available soon (00:17:17).
• The team is also working on additional text labels, but no further details are provided (00:17:38).
• The platform allows users to translate their website’s text into different languages, including English, French, Spanish, and German, with more languages to be added in the future, such as Portuguese, Italian, and Hindi (00:17:43).
• The system is being built to add languages more rapidly and efficiently, allowing users to serve a different audience (00:18:11).

Q&A Session

• The Q&A section is open, and users can ask questions by typing “QUESTION” in all caps in the comments, and they will be invited to the presentation to ask their question (00:18:38).
• There is no direct option to turn off auto-renewal, but a workaround is to remove the card on file, which will prompt the user to take action when their subscription is due (00:19:49).
• To approach subscriptions on a high level, users can refer to the Brilliant Directories website’s blog section, which has a video on how much to charge members, and consider offering a worthy upgrade, such as membership listings (00:20:34).
• Boris has a database of 25,000 users and is unsure what to offer as a worthy upgrade and how much to charge, and the response suggests referring to the video on pricing methodology (00:20:19).
• Brad has a question about giving users the option to turn off auto-renewal, and the response suggests that the system is built for auto-renewal, but users can remove their card on file to prevent auto-renewal (00:18:58).
• Businesses may want to pay for visibility, but there are creative ways to offer upsells to members, such as services unrelated to the directory, like SEO or marketing services, which can be offered as an additional feature to the membership listing (00:21:03).
• The directory can be used as a foot in the door to offer other services in a specific niche or industry (00:21:26).
• A different main menu can be displayed for logged-in members versus logged-out members or public visitors in the design settings (00:22:01).
• A webinar was done on customizing the main menu for logged-in members, and a video link was shared to help with this process (00:22:42).
• The idea of having a different footer for logged-in members versus logged-out members was discussed, and it was noted that this feature is relatively simple to implement (00:22:24).
• A video link was shared on enhancing the user experience with a custom main menu for logged-in users (00:22:52).
• Members have the ability to close their accounts, and a “request removal” form can be added to the footer to handle removal requests (00:23:54).
• Members can cancel their accounts by default on BD sites unless this option is taken away from them (00:24:06).
• To charge for obituary posts, it’s recommended to create a digital product and have users pay for it, then create a post type called “obituary” (00:24:23).
• To create a seamless experience for customers purchasing a digital product, such as an obituary post, they can be redirected to a protected page where they can provide necessary information after payment, or they can be asked to reply to a confirmation email with the required details (00:24:34).
• A protected page can be created using digital products, where only buyers of a specific digital product can access the page, and this can be used to collect information from customers (00:25:03).
• Another option is to use the “Payer Post” feature, which allows creating a post type specifically for obituaries or other types of posts, and charging customers per post (00:25:47).
• The “Payer Post” feature can be used to create an entire content channel for a specific type of post, and it is recommended to clone the post type and create a new one for this purpose (00:26:12).
• The system allows searching for specific text across all sites, including widgets, by going to the Developer Hub and accessing the MySQL database, which is a more advanced feature suitable for developers (00:27:02).
• In the MySQL database, users can search for exact phrases or substrings, and the system will show the matches and allow editing the database directly (00:27:30).
• The system also automatically updates hardcoded old domain names to the new domain name when it is changed, so users do not need to worry about updating these manually (00:26:47).
• Jeremiah’s question about searching the system for specific text is addressed by explaining the process of searching the MySQL database, which can be helpful for searching and replacing text across all sites (00:26:22).
• Mark is having trouble mastering the sidebars and banner ads on his website, location.com.au, and is trying to populate various sites to work out his strategy (00:28:03).
• To display a banner ad in the right header under the search bar, two settings need to be enabled: adding the banner ad in the banner ad settings and choosing the display header banner ad in the header design (00:29:33).
• In the header design, the search module should be replaced with the display header banner ad to show the banner ad instead (00:30:11).
• Mark is also having issues with sidebars, specifically with getting widgets to appear, and is trying to add banner ads to different sidebars (00:30:34).
• To add a widget to a sidebar, Mark can go to the member search results page, show widgets, and edit the sidebar to add the desired widget, such as the responsive banner ad (00:30:51).
• Mark can also add extra banner ads to the sidebar by editing the widgets and adding the responsive banner ad to the top of the sidebar (00:31:36).
• To add extra widgets to a sidebar, users must deliberately add them, but they can get the widget name and drop it into the sidebar, with no limit on the number of widgets that can be added, although it is recommended to be mindful of the main body content height and avoid clutter (00:31:58).
• The ideal sidebar length is about where the body content ends, and users should avoid having a sidebar that is significantly longer than the content (00:32:48).
• It is recommended to start with three to five elements in the sidebar and then adjust as needed, considering the potential for clutter and the goal of drawing attention to specific actions (00:33:11).
• To remove a widget from the sidebar, users can disable the banner ad or remove it altogether, and they can also keep the code for the widget if they want to use it again in the future (00:33:58).
• A member asked if it is possible to add notes or a status to a lead after it has been accepted, and this is a feature that could be useful for understanding the status of a lead (00:35:05).
• When a member purchases a lead, they are essentially purchasing data, and the lead is stored in a database where it can be accessed and managed (00:35:26).
• A potential client is looking for a feature to keep track of their sales team’s interactions with leads, similar to a mini CRM, with an internal note field to record the status of each lead, such as “call,” “closed,” or “lost” (00:35:32).
• The client also suggested having a reporting feature to track the performance of their sales team, including the number of leads purchased, closed, and lost (00:36:21).
• The idea of adding a member status for leads, such as “pending,” “closed,” or “closed lost,” was also discussed, which would allow the client to filter and track their leads more effectively (00:36:37).

Payment Methods

• The client uses Stripe as their payment method, but currently, only credit card payments are accepted on the checkout page, despite having other payment methods enabled on the Stripe end (00:37:09).
• The client would like to accept other payment methods, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay, which are currently being worked on and are expected to be implemented soon (00:37:34).
• The client also inquired about the possibility of accepting “pay later” options, such as Clara and Afterpay, but these options are only available for non-tangible goods, not for memberships or subscriptions (00:38:11).
• Another suggestion was made to accept ACH (Automated Clearing House) payments, which would result in lower transaction fees, typically around 30-40 cents per transaction (00:38:36).
• The top three payment methods being considered for implementation are Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Bank transfers (00:39:12).

Admin Search Feature

• A feature suggestion was made to search members by phone number in the admin panel, which is currently not possible, and this suggestion will be added to the list of potential features (00:39:36).
• The search members page in the admin panel can support searching by name, but not by phone number, and a dedicated field for phone number search is not available (00:40:02).

Adding Videos and Job Placement Site

• Videos can be added to the hero section of a page without being linked to a YouTube video, and any embed code for videos can be used, including iframes (00:41:15).
• To add a video to the hero section, users can go to edit, then to the hero section, and add the embed code, or use a widget to add the code (00:41:28).
• Creating a job placement site with BD is relatively easy, and can be done by creating a job listing post type and using the job search on the homepage (00:42:10).
• The job placement site can have two types of members, employers and job seekers, and can include features such as job openings, profiles with resumes, and a marketplace for employers and job seekers to connect (00:42:36).
• The job placement site can also include filters such as location, job type, and salary, and can be customized to fit the needs of the site (00:43:05).
• The jobs demo theme is no longer available, but the concept can still be used to create a job placement site, and the idea will be shared in the comments (00:43:27).

Monetization and Leads

• Different post types, such as coupons, events, and properties, can be used to create a customized homepage and main menu links (00:43:33).
• Employers and job openings on a website can be made public to view, while job seekers can be hidden from public view, but employers with higher-tiered accounts may be able to search for job seekers based on their specialties and criteria (00:43:44).
• There are multiple ways to monetize a website, including allowing employers to search for job seekers and charging them for leads (00:43:56).
• A lead is generated when a visitor to a website sends a message to a professional, and this lead can be distributed to professional members for free or for a charge (00:44:54).
• When a professional purchases or accepts a lead, they receive a small preview, including the visitor’s phone number and email address (00:45:07).
• A webinar on best practices for leads was previously conducted, which discussed how to model a leads program for a website and present it to the community to increase trustworthiness and reliability (00:45:13).

Growing Website Community

• To get members to join a website without a social media following, it’s recommended to increase presence in relevant Facebook groups, be active, and offer valuable content without overly promoting oneself (00:46:16).
• Facebook groups can be used to bring people to a website by being active, providing value, and offering incentives to join the website’s community (00:46:33).
• A webinar by Corey Barnes discusses how to utilize Facebook groups to bring people to a website, which can be a useful resource for growing a website’s community (00:46:43).

Collecting Additional Information

• To collect additional information from people after they purchase a digital product, it’s best to direct them to a confirmation page with a form, or ask them in an email and create a page specifically for people who have purchased that digital product (00:47:25).
• This approach can help create a streamlined workflow and gather necessary information, similar to how some websites use it like an e-commerce platform, even though it’s not built like Shopify or an e-commerce site (00:48:20).
• The confirmation page or thank you page after the donation is the ideal place to collect additional information (00:48:42).

Webinar Conclusion and Feedback

• The webinar was a test run using Streamyard, and feedback is welcome, whether positive or negative, to help improve future webinars (00:49:15).
• The replay of the webinar will be posted in the Facebook group, and the next webinar will be in two weeks, on November 6th (00:49:45).
• Feature suggestions from Colette, including an alternate footer for logged-in members, internal notes for leads and members, and the ability to mark a status for leads, will be passed along to the team (00:50:20).
• Other feature suggestions, such as Google and Apple pay options, and searching members in the admin by phone number, are also being considered (00:50:32).