Author Archives: Sarah Georges - Page 2

Inside Hover: Marketing

Posted by on February 7, 2013 No comments

Ever wondered who responds to your tweet, blog comment or inbox message? The Marketing team at Hover, consisting of Sarah (me), Andrew and Sean are those people! You may know us as the people who run the Facebook contests, post to the Hover blog, or who respond to your messages online. Here’s a look into a day in the life of me: Marketing Coordinator at Tucows!

8:30AM – No morning is complete without a fresh pot of coffee.

10:00AM – Sending out some Ting & Hover swag to a couple lucky customers! If you ‘like’ us on Facebook, you’ll know we tend to give away swag pretty generously ;).


11:00AM – Time to respond to some posts on our social media accounts. It’s great to be able to engage and hear all the great feedback from our Facebook fans on a daily basis. We take what you say seriously and love hearing your opinions! I especially love running our Ting Caption contests… you guys submit some hilarious captions!


12:00PM – Lunch time group shot: Hover Marketing FTW


12:30PM – Reviewing some final design concepts for some new swag! Stay tuned for the final products. Like us on Facebook for a better chance to win some!


















1:00PM – Talking with Che from the Customer Service team to gain some more insights about Hover customers! The marketing and customer service teams here at Tucows work very close so that we can always provide the quickest and most accurate answers to your questions on social media.


1:30PM – Meetings with the Ting team about some new devices coming this quarter.

 

 












2:00PM – Fruit time! Everyday at 2:00pm fruit magically appears in the kitchen. We don’t question it… it just appears! ;)






































…Actually, we have Marilyn, our wonderful Workstyle Specialist to thank for all the healthy snacks!


3:00PM – Gotta love meetings that involve big comfy couches!

Want to meet the Hover marketing team in person? Live in Toronto? We’ll be hosting a domain workshop along with our friends at Squarespace on March 27th! We’d love to meet you! Let us know you’re coming by filling out this RSVP. We look forward to seeing you there.

- Sarah

.CO – the Domain for Start-ups

Posted by on January 24, 2013 No comments

Given the depletion of the popular .COM domain extension, .CO is the up and coming domain of choice for start-ups around the world. Why the sudden popularity within the start-up community? It’s a great alternative to .com and offers tons of perks to start-ups. Read on to learn more.

Get the name you want

When it comes to startups the name is everything. It must be memorable, unique, catchy. Settling for a lame, dashed or complicated domain just because the .com you wanted was already taken weakens your brand. Considering all three-letter .COM domain names are taken, .CO may be a great option for a short and catchy URL. By choosing .co for your domain name, you open your business up to way more options.

Domain Hacks – the possibilities are endless!

A ‘domain hack’ uses the different parts of a domain name to create a memorable URL. The domain extension (usually a TLD such as .CO, .IT or .LY) is cleverly combined with the domain name, such as Del.icio.us, Instagr.am, or Bit.ly. The .co domain provides a plethora of possibilities to create a unique domain URL. Here are a few we like:
Nosco – nos.co
Recommend – re.co
The Lead Company – lead.co

What about SEO?

As a start-up you’re more than likely conscious of your company’s search engine ranking. You may be wondering how your .CO will fare on search engines compared to a .COM, .NET or .ORG. You’ll be happy to hear that Google has labeled .CO as generic domain extension (or a gccTLD). This means your domain is given equal treatment in search results, assuming you have quality content. Head on over to .CO and SEO for more information.

Get a little somethin’ extra

The .CO domain registry has a great membership program for start-ups – i.go.co. The program gives startups a range of benefits to help grow their business including discounts, tickets to events, and a special feature on the go.co site. Free passes to Startup Weekend events, free access to co-working spaces (including New York City’s Projective and London’s Co-Work), free SEO consultation, and discounts on both live and online classes at General Assembly are all perks of grabbing a .CO for your company. Head over to i.go.co for more info.

Join the .COmmunity

Many companies have already snatched up a .CO for their business. By registering a .CO, you’re joining the ranks of Twitter (t.co), Overstock (o.co), Google (g.co), Forex (forex.co) and many more.

A great .CO domain name is available with Hover for $30/year. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to call us at 1-866-731-6556 or email us at help@hover.com.

App of the Week: Mint

Posted by on January 23, 2013 No comments

What is it?
Mint is an app that puts all your finances into one place. Manage your checking, savings, investment, retirement, loans or credit all from inside the app. Mint allows you to set budgets and goals so that you can keep on top of your finances while saving as well.

Price: Free

Screenshots













Why we like it
The app is super simple to set up, taking about 5 minutes to get started. I like how you can get the entire picture rather than having to view all your bills and banking on separate sites or apps. It not only saves a lot of time but the app tracks your progress and will send you a weekly report on how you’re doing. My favorite feature is the bill reminders via SMS, which are great for when I’m on the go. I also like the ‘credit available’ function which emails or texts me when my credit available dips below my specified threshold.

Get it if…
You find yourself wasting time managing your finances in multiple places. You want a consolidated way to manage your money, budget and pay bills.

App of the Week: Afterglow

Posted by on January 18, 2013 No comments

What is it?
Afterglow is a photo editor for iPhone. Choose from 30 filters, a range of textures, frames and editing tools. When you’re done, share your photo with your social network, email it or save it to your camera roll, all from within the app.

Price:$0.99

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Why we like it
I like this app because it’s quick and allows me to share my photos instantly from within the app. The Afterglow app not only has more filters than Instagram, but it allows you to adjust exposure, highlight, saturation, and generally gives you more control over the look and feel of your photos. The frame option pairs your photos perfectly with Instagram, so you know they’ll be the correct size if you choose to share them there.

Get it if..
You like the concept of instagram but want more control over your photos with more editing tools and filters.

Stuck in a Mobile Contract?

Posted by on January 16, 2013 No comments

We’ve all been there…

…being trapped in a mobile contract, paying ridiculously high monthly bills for ‘unlimited’ services and added fees, and having to pay a high ETF (early termination fee) just to get out. It can sometimes feel like your phone company is holding you hostage.

That’s where Ting comes in.

Ting, Hover’s sister company, is mobile that makes sense: pay for only what you use, get no-hold customer support and sign no contracts. And now, it makes more sense than ever to join.

If an ETF is the only thing standing between you and mobile freedom, we’ve got some news you’ll be happy about. Starting February 1 and until the $100,000 fund runs through, Ting will be paying off the early termination fees (ETF) for anyone that’s ready to ditch their mobile contract and make the move to Ting. They’ll be giving the equivalent of the ETF as a Ting service credit which will automatically be applied against the monthly bill.

Anyone with an ETF and a desire to break free from the grasp of the big mobile carriers is welcome to submit. However, Ting is only available in the United States and thus, only people living in the US may apply for the ETF payout. If you’re currently a Sprint customer, Ting’s newly launched bring your Sprint device to Ting program allows you to bring over your Sprint device onto the Ting network, provided its on the list of supported devices.

Interested in mobile that makes sense? Have a look on Ting’s blog to find out exactly how Ting’s $100,000 ETF payout will work and how you can apply.

Inside Hover: Joey, Customer Service

Posted by on January 11, 2013 No comments

Have you ever wondered who makes things work, tweets or answers the phones here at Hover? In the next weeks we’ll be going behind the avatars and screen names, and delving deep into the world of Hover!

This week: Customer Service Advisor Joey Fascio

This is Joey. He’s apart of the wonderful Customer Service team here at Hover. If you’ve called in or sent us an email to help@hover.com, you’ve probably talked to him or one of his friendly colleagues. Here’s what he has to say about daily life at Hover:

What does a typical day look like for the Hover Customer Service team?
A day at Hover is a day like no other. Each day is a new experience full of interesting situations and amazing customers. We receive hundreds of emails, phone calls and tweets from our customers to assist with domain registrations, transfers, renewals and email support.
It’s exciting for us to hear from our customers. We don’t run off script or templates. We are actual humans who love to hear from you. We even have full-on conversations about other things outside of your domains or email, like travelling, technology and hobbies.

What makes Hover different from other places you’ve worked at?
It’s a retail environment like no other. Hover opens the door to top tier customer service. Fostering relationships and customer satisfaction. When a customer joins Hover, they are not just getting a domain or email, they are becoming apart of our family. We treat them as such. We often get calls from customers looking for Hoover. It is alway fun to speak to them. We’ve had cases where we even offered troubleshooting support for their vacuum. No joke! What other company do you know that would go out of their way to assist you with something outside of the services they offer.

What’s the weirdest/strangest/craziest thing that’s happened to you while at work?
The craziest thing that happened to me was when a customer called in looking for Hoover. I explained to them that we are a domain registrar, and they continued on with their questions about their Vacuum. They wanted to buy accessories for it. I offered to transfer them to Hoover’s Customer support line, but they wanted to continue speaking with me because we actually answer the phone within 20 seconds and we did not have an automated system.
I played along. I went onto Hoover’s website with them, walked them through the different accessories and even assisted them through the checkout process. As strange and crazy as it was, I was happy to do it. It made their day and gave me a great story to tell.

In your opinion, what makes Hover a great place to work?
Definitely the people. Every person here is very much like me. Dedicated to our customers and brand. We are all tech geeks who love the internet. Everyone is approachable and eager to help one another. We are open and honest about what we do and never try to cover up our mistakes. It is rare to find this quality in a work environment.

If you could describe your job in one word, what would it be?
Amazing!

App of the Week: ‘Sooner’ Day Planner/Organizer

Posted by on January 10, 2013 No comments

“Sooner breaks away from the seemingly endless agenda-and-30-boxes approach that most use.” – GigaOM.com

What is it?
‘Sooner’ is a to-do list and weekly planner for the iPhone. The colorful wheel interface allows you to create a new task in one single gesture, with separate colors designated for each separate project.

Easily switch from your calendar wheel to your to-do list wheel in one click. The app also allows you to sync your calendar with iCal and set reminders/recurrences for each event or to-do.

Price: $2.99

Why we like it
Sooner is an incredibly intuitive app. I really like the wheel interface and think it’s a refreshing change to the traditional square calendar/to-do list apps. If you’re a visual person you’ll likely find this app is great for organising your tasks/events in a way that is visually pleasing. With the swipe of one finger, it’s super easy to add tasks or events and drag them to different spots within the calendar.

Here’s a peek at how I use the my Sooner app for my to-dos. I can see this app as being perfect for managing a project with many facets or planning a trip or event.

ccTLD Registration Guidelines

Posted by on January 8, 2013 No comments

One of the most common questions we get asked here at Hover is what requirements are needed to register various ccTLDs. As they are all different, some having more requirements than others, it is important to know before you start the registration process the restrictions on your chosen domain.

We’ve compiled a list of the ccTLDs we offer, and the requirements for each:

.CA
.US
.EU
.DE
.ME
.TV
.UK
.CC
.WS
.ES
.IT

.CA
Registrants must have a Canadian presence. .CA domain names can only be registered by individuals or organizations with a presence in Canada. Meaning, to register a .CA domain name you need to be a Canadian Citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or an organization in Canada such as a corporation, partnership, educational institution, or government entity.

.US
Prospective registrants of US domain names must fall in one of three U.S. Nexus categories and must certify that they have a “bona fide presence in the United States.”

Nexus Category 1
A natural person (i) who is a United States citizen, (ii) a permanent resident of the United States of America or any of its possessions or territories, or (iii) whose primary place of domicile is in the United States of America or any of its possessions.

Nexus Category 2
An United States entity or organization that is (i) incorporated within one of the fifty (50) U.S. states, the District of Columbia, or any of the United States possessions or territories or organized, or otherwise constituted under the laws of a state of the United States of America, the District of Columbia or any of its possessions or (including a federal, state, or local government of the United States, or a political subdivision thereof, and unincorporated organizations based in the United States).

Nexus Category 3
An entity or organization (including a federal, state, or local government of the United States, or a political subdivision thereof) that has a bona fide presence in the United States of America or any of its possessions or territories.

.EU
Any private person residing within the European Union (EU) and any organisation or company based in the EU is eligible to register a .eu domain name. Residency and NOT nationality determine whether you are allowed to register a .eu domain name.

.DE
All registrants of a .de domain name must have a presence in Germany and an address within Germany.

.ME
Anyone can register a .me domain name regardless of where you’re located.

.TV
A .tv domain name is restricted to registrants located within the European Union.

.UK
Anyone can register a .uk domain name regardless of where you are located.

.CC
Anyone can register a .cc domain name regardless of where you’re located

.WS
Because it is unrestricted, anyone can register a .WS domain regardless of location.

.ES
Anyone can register a .ES domain name.

.IT
When you place an order for a .IT domain, you need to complete the following additional fields in the Registrant Contact Information section of the order form:

Entity Type:

Persons, Foreign and Italian
Italian Companies/One Man Companies
Italian Freelance Worker/Professionals
Italian Non-profit Organizations
Italian Other subjects
Non Italian, Non Persons

Nationality — This field is required if Entity Type is Persons, Foreign and Italian. From the drop-down list, choose the Registrant’s nationality. For more information, see .IT Residency Requirements.

VAT/Codice Fiscale — The value that you need to enter depends on the entity type of the registrant.

*Italian citizens must enter their Codice Fiscale.
Non Italians can enter n.a.
Italian companies, freelancers and other subjects must enter their 11 digit VAT number or tax identification number.
Italian non-profit organizations must enter their VAT number or tax identification number; if they do not have one,they can enter n.a.
Non Italian entities other than persons (organizations, freelancers, companies, etc.) must enter their VAT number.

If you have any questions about restrictions for ccTLDs, we’d be happy to answer them! Give us a call at 1-866-731-6556 or email us at help@hover.com.

Thanks for Giving the Gift of Renewal!

Posted by on January 2, 2013 No comments

We hope you all had a wonderful holiday and an awesome start to 2013.
We’re excited to announce that our Gift of Renewal campaign had a grand total of 121 years of domain renewals and 191 years worth of mailbox renewals for charity! Also, congrats to Ryan McBride who won our $500 Amazon gift card giveaway.

If you’re not familiar with the Gift of Renewal, have a look at the blog post we wrote about it.

We’ll be running this campaign again next year, and welcome any charity with a domain registered with Hover to sign up (Don’t worry, we’ll remind you when it’s time to sign up).

Remember, you don’t need to wait until next year to donate a domain to charity (or a friend, family member, etc). Hover’s no login renewal service allows you to renew any domain at any time without having an account.

On behalf of Hover and all the charities involved, we’d like to thank all who donated and spread the word! :-)

Sarah
Marketing – Hover

Essential WordPress Plugins

Posted by on December 21, 2012 No comments

If you use WordPress for your website, chances are you’ve probably added some plugins to make it even better. What’s great about WordPress is that it allows you to add the plugins you need and to pass on the ones you don’t. While it does depend on what you’re using your website for, we’ve compiled a list of some plugins we think are essential for many different types of sites:

SEO friendly Images

SEO Friendly Images automatically adds alt and title attributes to all your images, optimizing search engine traffic. Alt attributes are a key determining factor for a match with user search terms. Title attributes are important for visitors as this text will automatically appear in the tooltip when mouse is over the image. If your images do not have Alt and Title set already, this plugin will add them according the options you set.

Broken Link Checker

The Broken Link Checker checks your posts, comments and other content for broken links and missing images, and will notify you if any turn up through the WordPress dashboard or email. You can set broken links to display differently in your posts, and optionally prevent search engines from following broken links.

Contact Form 7

Contact Form 7 is a simple and flexible contact form plugin for your website. The form is customizable and allows you to easily edit mail templates.

Editorial Calendar

The Editorial Calendar Plugin allows you to easily manage your content and view upcoming scheduled posts. You can see exactly what days you have posts scheduled and what days you may need to consider to add a couple. What’s awesome is you can reschedule a post by simply dragging and dropping it to another date.

Google Site Verification Plugin

This plugin automates the entire Google site verification process. Once your site is verified, you can then view search statistics and diagnostic information for your blog in Google Webmaster Tools.

Jetpack

We’ve discussed how much we love Jetpack here on the Hover Blog. We consider this an essential WordPress plugin for many reasons, but the main one being that it combines a bunch of awesome features into one. Have a look at the post we did which details all the features of Jetpack. If you’re mainly interested in the stats portion of the plugin, consider ‘Jetpack Lite’.

Disqus

Disqus is a great comment platform. It allows better engagement of visitors on your site. Everything is built into the system so that your visitors never have to leave your website. The real-time aspect of Disqus is perfect for live events, breaking news and popular posts.