Make iGoogle your Home Page

This month I want to explain something complicated as concisely and as simply as possible.

For a while now I have been expounding on the use of Social Networks, Blogs, Adwords and the need to constantly update your website and internet marketing efforts. But how can I make this easier for you.

I am now recommending all my client create a Google Account (www.google.com/accounts) – here you can use your regular email to make a Google Account – once you have this you can subscibe to iGoogle.

iGoogle is an excellent service that allows you to centralise all your website needs and efforts. Here is a very brief of some of the things you can achieve with iGoogle as your Home Page.

• Photo Management – use Picasa or Flickr to manage all your photos online… there is no reason why you cannot get your website to directly use photos from these online services.
• Blogs – use Blogger or WordPress for your Press updates on the website – no need any longer to issue formal press releases – instead you can add, edit and control press pages from your Blog or from iGoogle
• Analytics – from the same page you can review your Statistics – who is visiting which page, from where
• Adwords – if you are actively marketing the website, iGoogle can be used to access your account without you having to log in separately all the time. Monitor the money you are spending.
• Newsletters – using Feedburner – you can manage your eNewsletters, subscibers and mailinglists all from one place.
• Email – you can monitor and see incoming emails, great if you are away from your desk.
• more and more and more.

The way iGoogle works is very simple – you can add Gadgets to your personalised page, when adding Gadgets you just search for what you are lookign for, so for example you want the BBC headlines on your page – just search the Gadgets section for ‘BBC’ and select a Gadget. if you want a Twitter update – just search for ‘Twitter’.

Add as many gadets as you like they are very easy to move around and to delete.

I told you I was trying to explain something complicated, but please have a go and seriously consider making iGoogle your home page. The aim is to centralise everything to do with your website into one online place.