google

Tag: google

Google Account without a Gmail Account

*UPDATE*: 9/25/2019 to reflect changes in Google’s signup process

Note that the below directions still work but you also now get here easily from a Sign In link on any Google page. Just click on “Sign In” link and on the dialog box, click “Create account”

Screenshot showing Create Account link

This will take you to the screens mentioned below:

*UPDATED*: 4/29/2013 to reflect changes in Google’s signup process

Want to join Google+? Have been invited to to join a Google Hangout or edit a Google doc or spreadsheet? What do you do if you don’t already have a Google Account to access these services? If you are one of the lucky few who use an email account that is serviced by Google Apps, then you are good to go as most Google services now support Google Apps accounts. But what do you do if your email address is @hotmail.com or @yahoo.com? Well never fear, we can show you how to get a Google Account without creating a Gmail account (address).

By goint to https://accounts.google.com/newaccount (as shown below) you’ll be able to not only sign up for a new Google Account, but they make it easier than ever to do so using your existing email address.

Read more

Definitive guide to rel=”author” and rel=”me” on WordPress?

Joost de Valk of Yoast fame, has written the definitive guide to rel=”author” and rel=”me” integration into WordPress. Or should I say it almost is the definitive guide.

There are few things here that need to be considered:

  • If you are running his WordPress SEO plugin, you need to be sure that under Indexation | Archive section that you have unselected the “Disable the Author Archives” page (which is on by default to the best of my knowledge).
  • Ensure that you have SOMETHING in your author bio box. If not, nothing (image, bio and the all-important link to the Google Profile page) will show on the author’s archive page. It doesn’t have to be much but the default behavior if the Biographical Information in your profile on the WordPress site.

Read more

Turning on Google+ for Google Apps, Finally!

Google has finally allowed Google Apps customers to take advantage of Google+

image

They claimed that if you’ve got Enable New Apps by default turned on that Google+ would be turned on but that didn’t appear to be the case for the first Apps domains I tried this on. In both cases, they are set up to enable new apps by default but I still had to go in and turn it on. I’m guessing it is so they can get positive assent to the following screen (and to avoid a Buzz-type corporate privacy problem):

Read more

Using Webmaster Tools to Optimize Your Site for Google

This is a GREAT video that shows you how to use Webmaster Tools to do Search Engine Optimization on your own website. Watching this is probably the best 10 minutes that a website owner can spend. Learn about:

  • Signing up for message forwarding to get real-time emails from Google about your site
  • Check out Search Queries to see items that are already ranking
  • Use Keywords to understand how to better target content
  • Reduce duplicates through HTML suggestions and URL paramter handling
  • Diagnose crawl errors to capture 404 traffic and reduce visitor frustration
  • Prioritize content by comparing internal links
  • Verify access through Fetch as Googlebot
  • Use Site Performance to improve speed of the website.

 

Read more

Google Apps is Changing

Google announced today the timing for what we consider to be a HUGE change for Google Apps customers (that we talked about on October 1st):  The consolidation of Google Apps accounts into the overall Google Accounts structure that control non-apps services (like Analytics, AdSense, Alerts, Reader, Earth, FeedBurner, Custom Search Engine, Checkout, Blogger). See the top integrated Google services by following link.

Read more

Google Puts Nail in Coffin of IE6

Check out this fun anti-IE6 logo from Mixth.net Google announced today that many of the elements of Google apps will no longer support older browers; most notably Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 6.

They are determined to not let lack of support for faster Javascript processing or support HTML5 get in the way of providing a great interface for their customers. As such, after March 1, 2010, Google Docs suite and Google Sites editor will not work with IE earlier than 7.0, Firefox below v3.0, Chrome below 4.0 and Safari below 3.0. Starting next week they will present messages to users to the this effect and recommending that they update.

More importantly, they intend to roll out Google Mail (Gmail) and Google Calendar later in the year. Given that Microsoft has already put out a cry to people to STOP USING IE6, I think that Docs and Sites will not be the death knell but I’m certain that when Gmail stops supporting it, Google will have effectively put the last nail in the coffin of this antiquated web browser.

I say, ABOUT TIME!

What do you think?

Google Personalized Search Results Got You Down?

So, you’ve spent all this time, money and effort on optimizing your site so that it gets the exposure it deserves in search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. And then Google announces that personalized search results are really the wave of the future. You see from first hand-experience that no only are search engine results being tailored to your search patterns when you are logged into Google, but you are also seeing that your anonymous Google Searches are being similarly affected. How do I optimize against the 6.8 billion "search engines" (individual Internet users who’s results are being manipulated to put them in control of what they see)?

Read more

Creating Or Using a Google Account

Have you lately been asked to log into your Google account to access a calendar, site, Google Analytics, Google Adword, Google webmaster tools or other Google service but didn’t know how or what your Google Account was?

Well, this is simple if you have an email address that ends in @gmail.com as your email address is the key to your account. To utilize any of the other services available from Google including iGoogle, Web History, Google Checkout or Google Docs you would just sign in using your email address and the associated password.

However, it is more likely that confusion is caused when someone (a consultant or web geek or friend) sends you an email saying "I’ve set you up with access to Google Analytics for your site. Go ahead and use your Google Account with an email address of yourname@domainname.com" and you have no idea what they are talking about.

imageOne of the quickest and easiest ways to do this is to go to https://www.google.com/accounts/Login and clicking on "Create an account now" link at lower right.

Read more