Signs of the Times - June 2015 - 18

Technology Update
You can see the manufacturer's
point - tinkerers and even skilled
mechanics, allowed access to complex software programs and sensor
systems, could cause numerous
problems.
One solution might be aftermarket replacement systems that
allow access or system tradeouts,
which, of course, would void any
warranty. Would a later buyer know
the system had been replaced?
Imagine the lawsuits.
No longer supported
How far into the past should the
manufacturer's closure extend?
Writer Gabe Nelson, in the April
27 issue of Automotive News, said
GM is being forced to cut OnStar
service to many vehicles in Canada
because the country's cellular service
providers are deactivating their
outdated 2G networks. Vehicles
sold with OnStar before the 2015

model year rely on 2G; they will
need a new wireless chip to access
the service, Nelson said.
Nelson quoted Gartner Inc. automotive analyst Thilo Koslowski,
who said automakers may eventually face legislation that requires
them to specify how long they will
support connected-car services.
Koslowski said it's not practical
for any business to support its
products over a long timeframe
and that car owners may soon be
required to buy upgrades, to keep
their vehicles current.
Imagine an Adobe-like subscription contract that provides automatic, wireless upgrades, zipped into
your next vehicle-purchase contract.
Will the dealers and finance companies incorporate the software
service into the payment plan, to
harvest the added interest?
Doesn't the used-vehicle market
figure somewhere in here? Suppose

GM decided to no longer support
an aging system, just as Microsoft
has recently done with Windows
XP and Office 2003? Wouldn't
such action relegate the affected
vehicles to junk?
And, will title-transfer systems
be modified to define software
ownership? What about salvage,
non-OEM parts and used parts?
What about violation enforcement?
Most importantly, vehicle ownership, to many people, is a much
more personal matter than, say,
one has with their PC or iMac.
Imagine, for example, telling a
West Texas buyer of a new Dodge
RAM that even though he bought
his truck, he doesn't really own
its components. Nor can he ever
meddle with the computer-based
tuning.
You'd be better off chucking
a diamondback rattler onto the
(heated-leather) seats. n

Take Advantage of Google's Search Algorithm Change
By Dean Derhak
Dean Derhak, an SAi product director
with 19 years in RIP software, management, marketing, sales and engineering
technologies, often visits signshops and
large-format print businesses to learn how they increase
their profits. Reach Dean at deand@thinksai.com

oday's consumers often rely on their smartphones
to find local business services. To keep your signshop's
phone ringing, sign buyers need to easily acquire your
shop information. Unfortunately, Google recently
made such access more difficult for millions of small
businesses - including signshops - by implementing a
dramatic change to its search algorithm. Web experts
call the change "Mobile-geddon."
Why the change?
More than 60% of search traffic is now on mobile
devices. To match this trend, Google changed its search
algorithm to favor mobile-friendly websites and now
ranks them much higher in its search results. Typically,
mobile-friendly sites resize to fit the searcher's screen;
mobile sites also feature larger text and easy-to-click
links.
Google has demoted search rankings for websites
that aren't mobile-friendly.
If not optimized for mobile devices, your website's
18 SIGNS OF THE TIMES June 2015

present ranking may be much lower than before the
change. Shops with mobile optimization now rank
higher in searches and are surely acquiring more
business because of it.
Here's an easy way to see if Google's search algorithm
change is affecting your website - visit www.google.com/
webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/ and enter your
shop's web address, and then click Analyze.
If your website fails Google's mobile-friendly tests,
the site will tell you why and offer suggestions on
how to resolve the issue.
For competitive intelligence, also run this test for
your competitors' websites.
To check your search ranking, simply conduct a
search result on your smartphone. For example, if
your signshop is in Akron, OH, initiate a smartphone
Google search for "signshops in Akron, Ohio." Also
conduct searches on your specialized sign products -
"vehicle wraps in Akron, Ohio" or "business banners
in Akron, Ohio" for example.
Most consumers contact the businesses that first
appear on the smartphone screen. If your shop doesn't
appear on the first screen, you're missing new business.
Fortunately, any issues with your website can be
addressed by a professional webmaster or web designer.
As a savvy signshop owner, it's worth the investment
to make your website mobile friendly, which will use
this new Google algorithm change to give you a leg
up on your competition.

http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/ http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/

Signs of the Times - June 2015

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