Split-testing (also known as A/B testing) is a tried and true way to discovering what moves your customers to act.

Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You Bylogo.png" alt="WP Engine">

Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting.

Start getting more from your site today!

Joanna Wiebe is a well-known copywriting and conversion optimization expert.

She s here to help us better understand what split-testing is, how to use it, when not to use it, what to test, and other things you should be thinking about when it comes to optimizing your site.

In this 48-minute episode Joanna and I discuss:

• What is split-testing
• Where to get started split-testing
• Why to split-test
• How much traffic you need to effectively test
• Tools to help your split-testing
• Alternate ways to improve conversion that, and what they are
• Why split-testing isn t always the answer
• What to look for in your testing beyond just conversion rates

Listen to Technology Translated below ...

The Show Notes

• CopyHackers
• Joanna on Twitter
• Split-Testing 101: How To Know Which Words Work
• size.html">Evan Miller Sample Size Calculator
• Reflections of Motherhood (Scott Stratten Video)
• HotJar
• CrazyEgg
• Optimizely
• Airstory

If you re enjoying the show would love for you to leave us a rating and review on iTunes. If you have a question you want answered on the show, give me a shoutout on Twitter @vsellis and use the hashtag #asktechtrans.

VR is catching fire right now and the implications and opportunities are huge. But what does it mean for marketers and how do you get started?

Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You Bylogo.png" alt="WP Engine">

Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting.

Start getting more from your site today!

Giovanni Gallucci loves to stay on the cutting edge of marketing. After years as a social media marketer and SEO expert, he added photography and videography to his repertoire a few years ago. VR is a natural extension of those services, so he’s back at the forefront of another technology explosion.

In this 32-minute episode Giovanni and I discuss:

• The difference between VR and AR
• How to get started with VR
• Opportunities for marketers
• How VR gives you 100% of your customers attention
• Where to learn more about VR

Listen to Technology Translated below ...

The Show Notes

• Giovanni Gallucci
• Microsoft HoloLens
• HoloLens Video
• BigLook360
• Kodak SP360
• 360Fly
• Ricoh Theta S
• Marriott Virtual Honeymoon
• Samsung Gear VR
• VR Stories by New York Times
• 360 degree videos on YouTube
• Road to VR
• Upload VR
• VRideo.com
• VR Scout.com

If you re enjoying the show would love for you to leave us a rating and review on iTunes. If you have a question you want answered on the show, give me a shoutout on Twitter @vsellis and use the hashtag #asktechtrans.

Connecting the online and offline worlds is the holy grail for brick and mortar businesses. This week, we re going to see how Denver based Spruce is doing it right.

Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You Bylogo.png" alt="WP Engine">

Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting.

Start getting more from your site today!

Taylor Romero likes to tinker, but he s always doing so in a way that makes whatever he s doing more efficient and more fun. So when he and his wife started men s style consultancy, barber, and clothier Spruce in Denver, it was the perfect playground for Taylor s tinkering.

You ve never seen a business connect the online and offline world as beautifully this.

In this 33-minute episode Taylor and I discuss:

• Using technology to create a customized experience in the offline world
• Tying online and offline together
• How Spruce uses customer feedback to drive changes in products and services
• Reducing wait times and the time to answer questions
• Why Taylor doesn t build products around specifications
• Why Spruce went with mobile-web and not a native app
• Using mobile technology to cross-sell in store
• Creating employee schedules that maximize efficiency

Listen to Technology Translated below ...

The Show Notes

• Spruce
• Spruce on Instagram
• Spruce on Facebook
• Spruce Video (NSFW)
• Slack
• Raspberry PI
• Arduino
• The Internet Button

If you re enjoying the show would love for you to leave us your a rating and review on iTunes. If you have a question you want answered on the show, give me a shoutout on Twitter @vsellis and use the hashtag #asktechtrans.

LinkedIn may well be the most overlooked and underrated social network. There are a lot of great ways to get more out of the network than most people realize … and we re here to help you find out how.

Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You Bylogo.png" alt="WP Engine">

Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting.

Start getting more from your site today!

Sean Jackson is the CFO of Rainmaker Digital and host of The Missing Link, a podcast on the Rainmaker FM Network that is all about LinkedIn today.

Sean absolutely unloads actionable ideas and the inside scoop in this episode on getting more from LinkedIn. After you hear this, you re going to want to start spending a lot more time over there.

In this 31-minute episode Sean and I discuss:

• LinkedIn s reach & engagement compared to other social networks
• The types of content that do the best on LinkedIn
• LinkedIn analytics
• Using content to build connections
• How to publish on LinkedIn without digital sharecropping and how to do it right
• The reality of mobile first
• The easiest way to get people to take the action you want on your site
• Sean s top LinkedIn tips

Listen to Technology Translated below ...

The Show Notes

• The Missing Link
• Sean on LinkedIn – Tell him I sent you if you want to connect
• Scott on LinkedIn – Tell me you heard this show
• LinkedIn Pulse
• Medium
• Buffer

If you re enjoying the show would love for you to leave us a rating and review on iTunes. If you have a question you want answered on the show, give me a shoutout on Twitter @vsellis and use the hashtag #asktechtrans.

At one time or another we all get pulled into organizing or helping with an event …

Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You Bylogo.png" alt="WP Engine">

Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting.

Start getting more from your site today!

Damany Daniel (a.k.a The Event Nerd), is a professional event planner with years of experience.

The fact that he’s not a “technologist” makes him the perfect guest to tell us about the technology he uses and how he uses it to make organizing an engaging event manageable and fun.

If you’ve ever organized an event, you know how much work goes into it and how much detail is involved. Damany is here to make all of our lives easier when it comes to planning events.

In this 20-minute episode Damany and I discuss:

• Damany’s favorite tools for event planning
• The philosophical approach to using tech in events
• The 5 foundational elements of every event
• Using tech to personalize events
• Social streaming tools for events
• Damany’s event planning tips for non-professionals

Listen to Technology Translated below ...

The Show Notes

• Damany on Twitter
• The Event Nerd
• Planning Pod
• Google Docs
• To Do Lists in Evernote
• Fujitsu Scan Snap
• Eventbrite
• RFID Wristbands for Eventbrite
• SocialPoint
• Tint
• Nick Borelli

If you re enjoying the show would love for you to leave us a rating and review on iTunes. If you have a question you want answered on the show, give me a shoutout on Twitter @vsellis and use the hashtag #asktechtrans.

People are terrible predictors of their own behavior, much less others. Good products come from letting the data reveal the customer’s needs and improving the product accordingly.

Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You Bylogo.png" alt="WP Engine">

Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting.

Start getting more from your site today!

How do we know what defines a good product, and how do we get off the ground when first building a product? It starts with User Experience or UX.

Kelly Rader Murphy is a UX expert behind award winning mobile applications and the first online pizza ordering systems. She’s also been instrumental in improving user experience for call centers, research labs, and other off-line environments.

There is a ton of detail, creativity, and analysis that goes into crafting a good user experience no matter what the context. Kelly is going to give us insights into what that looks like, and how we can get better (or hire better) for it.

In this 29-minute episode Kelly and I discuss:

• Understanding the difference between UI (user interface) and UX (user experience)
• The most important skills and traits of a UX expert
• How UX experts “think”
• How to get better at UX
• How to hire the right UX expert
• Where to learn more about UX

Listen to Technology Translated below ...

The Show Notes

• ILuvDigital
• Don’t Make Me Think and Don’t Make Me Think, Revisited
• Usable Usability: Simple Steps for Making Stuff Better
• Service Design: From Insight to Implementation
• Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products
• Simple and Usable: Web, Mobile, and Interaction Design – Giles Colborne

If you re enjoying the show would love for you to leave us your a rating and review on iTunes. If you have a question you want answered on the show, give me a shoutout on Twitter @vsellis and use the hashtag #asktechtrans.

Regardless of the hesitation we sometimes have about learning new things, there are many times when it’s exciting, or at least necessary to take the plunge. But what do you do when you don’t even know where to begin?

Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You Bylogo.png" alt="WP Engine">

Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting.

Start getting more from your site today!

Avery Swartz is the founder of Camptech.ca, a technology training center in Toronto, CA.

But even if you don’t live in Toronto, you can learn a thing or two from Avery about, well… learning.

She’s here to point us in the right direction when learning new technologies, because sometimes you just don’t know what you don’t know.

In this 23-minute episode Avery and I discuss:

• The most important trait to being a truly great technology teacher
• The most important trait to being a truly great technology student
• The importance (and definition) of web accessibility
• Practical tech skills to start learning now
• Avery’s favorite online resources for learning

Listen to Technology Translated below ...

The Show Notes

• CampTech
• JavaScript-for-Web-Developers-3rd-Edition.productCd-1118222199.html">Wrox Professional JavaScript for WebDevelopers
• The Showrunner
• CampTech on Twitter

If you re enjoying the show would love for you to leave us your a rating and review on iTunes. If you have a question you want answered on the show, give me a shoutout on Twitter @vsellis and use the hashtag #asktechtrans.

Everyone likes to think they know good design, even if they’re not a designer. But unless you’ve spent time in the trenches studying and doing design, you’re missing out on much of the “why” that drives design decisions. By having a better understanding of design, you’ll be better able to guide your designer to the website or app you invision.

Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You Bylogo.png" alt="WP Engine">

Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting.

Start getting more from your site today!

Rafal Tomal is an exceptionally talented and thoughtful designer.

His work can be seen at all over the various Rainmaker Digital properties. He’s written a book on design that outlines his process and thinking called “The Essential Web Design Handbook” and it should be required reading for every designer.

By having a better understanding of design you’ll have a better relationship with your designer, a more beautiful, effective website, and a site that better serves your customers.

In this 15-minute episode Rafal and I discuss:

• Rafal’s top 3 tips for web design
• The importance of simplicity in design, and how to keep simple from being boring
• Making the mistake of assuming your users know where they are and what they are doing
• Get a fresh perspective on design by stepping away
• How consistency and design patterns create a killer user experience
• Putting your users at center of your design thinking (not yourself or other designers)

Listen to Technology Translated below ...

The Show Notes

• RafalTomal.com
• The Essential Web Design Handbook (20% off when you click this link)
• Rafal on Twitter

Three sites Rafal gives as good examples (that he didn’t design):

• Invision – product business, very good sales page, beautiful blog
• Handsome.is – service business, clean, simple, functional, beautiful
• MailChimp – great web app UI/UX, clean, simple

If you’re enjoying the show I would love for you to leave a rating and review on iTunes. If you have a question you want answered on the show, give me a shoutout on Twitter @vsellis and use the hashtag #asktechtrans.

Whether you’re a one person blog or site with full staff, having an editoral process is critical to your success. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to developing your editorial process. But developing one that fits your business will lower your stress level, ensure consistency, and allow you to focus on other things.

Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You Bylogo.png" alt="WP Engine">

Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting.

Start getting more from your site today!

When I wanted to talk about editorial workflow, I knew Pamela Wilson would be the right person to chat with.

She joined Copyblogger (now Rainmaker Digital) in the Spring of 2015 and overhauled their editorial process. This is your chance to get a behind the scenes look at that process and learn from Pamela’s years of experience with small and large sites.

In this 35-minute episode Pamela and I discuss:

• The use and effect of images on posts and where they fall in the editorial flow
• Editoral flow timelines & due dates
• Re-publishing existing content and working it’s place in the publishing process
• Writing on Your Area of Strength
• Managing the editorial flow
• Tools to help manage workflow
• Editorial Team Communication
• The Importance of an Editorial Process

Listen to Technology Translated below ...

The Show Notes

• Pamela on Copyblogger
• Trello
• IFTTT – If This Then That
• WordPress Editorial Calendar Plugin
• HipChat
• Slack
• Unleash the Power of Frameworks, Methodologies, and Processes In Your Business
• Big Brand System

If you re enjoying the show would love for you to leave us your a rating and review on iTunes. If you have a question you want answered on the show, give me a shoutout on Twitter @vsellis and use the hashtag #asktechtrans.

Despite the ups-and-downs we hear about in the media, Twitter is still an incredible platform for networking, helping, and conducting research. Amber Osborne has been an expert user for years and is going to share some tips to help you get more out of Twitter, and the tool she helped create, Meshfire.

Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You Bylogo.png" alt="WP Engine">

Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting.

Start getting more from your site today!

Whether it s making better use of hashtags, coordinating a team to engage on your company Twitter account, or creating engaging content on challenging topics, Amber Osborne is here to help make sense of it all.

She and the team at Meshfire have given rise to Ember , an AI engine borne out of the real world experience and frustration the team experienced in years past.

If you want to get better at Twitter and build the right audience you’ll want to listen to this episode.

In this 42-minute episode Amber and I discuss:

• How Amber went from the music business to CMO of Meshfire
• How to create interesting content around a boring topic
• What Meshfire is and what it can do for you
• How Meshfire s AI (Ember) makes engaging on Twitter better
• Examples of how Meshfire Helps teams manage social media
• Understanding Meshfire Tasks
• Amber s Twitter Tips, from years of experience and looking at the data
• The smart way to use hashtags on different platforms

Listen to Technology Translated below ...

The Show Notes

• Meshfire
• Amber Osborne on Twitter
• How to Write Interesting Content for a Boring Topic
• Tagboard

If you re enjoying the show would love for you to leave us your a rating and review on iTunes. If you have a question you want answered on the show, give me a shoutout on Twitter @vsellis and use the hashtag #asktechtrans.