At the end of year year, the team at Banyan Theory chooses to make donations to a few organizations that have made a meaningful impact in our community and/or in our own lives. We encourage you to find out more...
Welcome to the Banyan Theory blog, where we write about anything and everything related to insurance websites, including design, search engine optimization, and tips to improve your own site.
Blog Articles
At the end of year year, the team at Banyan Theory chooses to make donations to a few organizations that have made a meaningful impact in our community and/or in our own lives. We encourage you to...
We get asked often if we do websites that are not insurance-related. In the past, we've been 100% focused on insurance, but we've made some exciting updates at our neighboring platform Webtricity. So now we can...
We are excited to announce that Banyan Theory and Webtricity have been added to the Trusted Choice TechCompare program as insurance agency website vendors. This means that another big name in insurance agrees that we...
We sent out the following email today regarding our pricing. We hope you find it refreshing. To: All Customers From: Banyan Theory Subject: A Refreshingly Different Email About Pricing Hi there, If you're like us, you'...
If you offer business insurance, writing a blog post on your insurance agency website about a situation like this and how the business insurance policy would come into play would make it clear to potential customers that you understand business insurance needs and real-world implications.
We're happy to announce that insurance agency websites from Banyan Theory now come with Slack integration, at no additional cost. In case you're not familiar, Slack is an internal communications app, where your agency...
If you have an insurance agency website, you've probably heard the terms website accessibility and ADA compliance. We'd like to help you understand your responsibilities as a business owner with a website, and how we...
Online forms are a fast and effective way to gather quote requests from your prospective customers. This is a powerful tool for generating new leads for your business, even outside of regular office hours – but how can...
If you use a credit card to pay your business expenses, chances are you are also earning points back on everything you spend. Whether those points are redeemable for cash back, merchandise, gift cards, or travel...
We wrote recently about how Chrome and Firefox have started showing a “Not Secure” warning on webpages that don’t use HTTPS (SSL). And starting in October, Chrome will make this warning much more noticeable.
This is part of our Why HTTPS series.
Simply supporting SSL on your website isn’t quite enough. However, there are two easy and free things you can do to make your setup much more secure: require HTTPS, and enable HSTS. What do these mean? Read on to find out in this second post in the series.
This is part of our Why HTTPS series.
You may have noticed a strong uptick recently in the number of websites you visit that use HTTPS. Or you may have noticed that many companies, like Google and Safeco, have begun encouraging website owners to support HTTPS on their own websites. If you’re curious about the reasons behind this, and the reasons you should add HTTPS support to your website, you’re in the right place. This is the first of a series of blog posts I’ll be writing on the topic.
The blog on your insurance agency's website is the perfect place to establish yourself as an industry expert. While insurance can be a pretty dry topic in most cases, there's a lot of interesting "what if" situations...
Web browsers have changed the way they handle non-HTTPS websites, and more changes are on the way. If you already have our Whole-Site SSL add-on, you’re covered. Otherwise, read on to see how these changes affect your website, and what to do about it.
Need an idea for your blog article this week? A new study found some pretty alarming stats on distracted driving (and pretty much ALL stats on the topic are alarming). It is a pretty interesting study with some real...
If you use a credit card to pay your business expenses, chances are you are also earning points back on everything you spend. Whether those points are redeemable for cash back, merchandise, gift cards, or travel...
Tesla recently announced their Solar Roof, where your entire roof is comprised of tiles that are small solar panels (yes, THE WHOLE ROOF!). The ability for more people to have solar powered homes is now a lot more...
We try to provide guidance to our customers on how they can come up with unique content for their insurance agency website. One great way to do this is to provide educational information for your customers via your blog....
Looking for a responsive insurance agency website? Banyan Theory offers the most professional, complete, and flexible option available. Just like all of our other designs, Design R comes complete with all the features...
We recently launched a new feature called Whole-Site SSL, which allows us to use SSL on every page of your website.
Before going any further, it’s important to first point out that every insurance website we have ever built and hosted has used SSL on the pages that collect sensitive information, starting with our first one in 2007. If your website is hosted with us, your forms are protected with SSL.
If your insurance agency will be closed this week, be sure to post a Holiday Closure banner on your website. The new LightRail makes this so easy. Just access your Website Alerts feature from the Website menu at the top,...
On my way to work this morning, I almost got rear-ended - a typical rush hour experience we can all relate to. I was driving my minivan, which has both my kids' car seats installed in it. The girls weren't with me at...
We’ve been hard at work on a complete overhaul of our LightRail system used by thousands of insurance agents every day to view messages and quote requests and manage their websites. We have some pretty grand plans for...
You may have heard that Google is planning an update for April 21 to how they determine what websites to display when someone does an online search. Below is a high level overview so you can understand how this may...
Ever wonder why all the reviews you get on Yelp don't count towards your overall rating? How is it possible that you can get a 5-star rating from a customer, but your overall Yelp rating doesn't reflect it? Only some...
Google Analytics is a very powerful tool to help you understand who is visiting your website, how they got there, and what pages they're looking at. Some sample statistics you can get from Google Analytics: How many...
Check out this list of suggestions on what to write about on your blog. While I usually provide specific examples or current events to write about, this list from SearchEngine Journal takes a broader approach, but is...
A lawsuit for "civil conspiracy and fraud" has been filed against an SEO organization called The Rainmaker Institute. The SEO firm reportedly used practices and techniques that were in violation of Google's...
Watch this video (in total awe) of a major intersection in Meskel Square, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia). No traffic lights and seemingly no rhyme or reason to the traffic pattern, although there must be some etiquette...
Looking for a blog topic for your insurance agency website? How about spreading awareness of the dangers of distracted driving, and how it can affect teenage drivers' summers? Between Memorial Day and Labor...
It’s been a little over a month since the Hearbleed bug was revealed. In case you missed it, I wrote an article telling you what you needed to know regarding your website and your Banyan Theory account login — mainly that they were not affected.
Now that the dust has settled, I’d like to explain how the bug works and how important it is that you change your passwords on other sites that were affected.
If you use Internet Explorer to browse the web, be aware that there is a dangerous new code-execution vulnerability. Microsoft has not issued a fix yet, making this a zero-day exploit (as in, zero days between the discovery of the vulnerability and the first attack).
All versions of Internet Explorer are vulnerable (6 through 11).
On Monday April 7, a new vulnerability called Heartbleed was revealed in OpenSSL, a software library widely used to protect websites served over HTTPS. The good news: the websites and apps we host were not impacted. The bad news: there are a great many websites and online services that were vulnerable.
Here’s what you need to know:
Here's an interesting blog topic for our insurance agents today: China's largest travel agency will be offering smog insurance for their travelers. Claims can be filed for the portion of their vacation spoiled by severe smog in certain cities in China.
In its most basic form, here’s how a phishing scam works:
- A scammer emails you a link
- You click on the link
- You give the scammer your username and password
Sound like something you’d never fall for? Read on to be sure.
According to IBISWorld, a leader of business intelligence and industry research, the street vendor industry (including food trucks) is officially a billion dollar business, with more than 30,000 businesses with more...
QR codes are square bar codes that are readable by a bar code scanner application on smartphones. They're used to allow smartphone users to quickly download information (such as contact info) or view a website (such as...
If you're looking to boost your online reputation and Google rank by getting more customer reviews, be sure those reviews are coming from your actual customers. Need a good reason? How about this: 19 companies in...
Another sinkhole in Florida collapsed a three-story resort near Disney World last week. Perhaps it's common knowledge in Florida whether sinkhole damage is covered by a standard home insurance policy, but what...
75% of teens say texting while driving is common among their friends. 100,000 crashes a year involve drivers who are texting. These are just 2 of some very powerful and shocking statistics that should make anyone think...
Frequently asked questions and interesting insurance scenarios are great topics for your blog. They show off your expertise as an insurance agent, and can build trust with potential clients, even before they've...
If you've purchased a stock photo to use as your cover photo for Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or Google+ (or any other social media outlet), be sure you understand the licensing terms. If you have purchased it...
Looking for a quick addition to add some interactivity to your website? Safeco just released a new widget, a boat insurance safety quiz. And Banyan Theory makes it easy to get these kind of features added to your website!
Every time I book a vacation through any of the major online travel companies like Expedia, I'm prompted on Travel Insurance. The idea sounds great, but reading the fine print gives me a headache, and leaves me...
If your domain is registered with Network Solutions, it’s likely that your website and email are currently down. Here’s what they posted on their Facebook page: Some of you have posted about issues with your sites....
Lead bar falls from sky, crashes into Seattle family's home Does a typical insurance policy cover this? I'd like to know just for fun, and I bet many of your customers would be interested too! If you've got...
Thinking of switching email hosting providers? Here are a few important tips to ensure everything smoothly.
So you're looking to change who hosts your email or maybe you're starting with a brand new domain that you need email for. What options should you consider and why?
Customers often ask us for recommendations on hiring an SEO firm to further optimize their website. While the websites we build for insurance agents are built with SEO in mind, and follow Google's Best Practices in...
Java has not had a good 2013 so far, suffering from several critical security vulnerabilities in just the first few weeks of the year. The vulnerabilities are so dangerous that the Department of Homeland Security is advising people to disable Java in their web browsers.
Read on to find out how to keep your computers safe by disabling the Java web plugin.
If you receive an email that looks like this (or has similar messaging), do not reply; you can delete the email, as it's a scam. This is a company offering to submit your website to search engines (Google, Yahoo,...
We often receive the following request from our customers:
It’s time for our business insurance policy to renew, and the insurance company says our contact form is not secure. They will not renew our policy unless the form is secured with HTTPS. Can you help?
What your insurance company wants is to make sure any information your customers submit through your website is secure (encrypted in a way that it cannot be intercepted).
It may appear to the untrained eye that your contact form is not secure, but if we host your website, you can rest assured that it is. If you want to know how you can verify this, whether we host your website or not, continue reading…
The free version of Google Apps (that we've been such a big fan of!) has been discontinued as of Dec 6, 2012. If you were already a Google Apps customer at this time and used their free version, you will not have...
We are often asked "How can I increase my website traffic?" The answer is a long one, as there are many options, and each agency's marketing needs are a little different. But there's a standard checklist of items you...
No, I'm not talking about whether home insurance covers a meth lab in the basement. This family unknowingly purchased a home that used to be a meth lab. Neither the real estate agent nor Fannie Mae disclosed this to the...
How many passwords do you have to remember for all of your online accounts? I hope it's a lot. Specifically, it should be 1 unique password for every single online account you have. A common practice is to use the same...
I'm often asked by my customers how they can get their website to rank higher on Google. That's a loaded question that requires a really long answer, as there's no silver bullet, and it's not easy. After all, if it were...
We're constantly updating our designs, both in small ways and really big ones. Design L is our latest entirely new design, and is available now with a Choice, Premium or Signature package website. Like all...
Remind your customers to be safe and be aware during the rest of the summer, especially over Labor Day weekend. It's not always the drunk driver who is injured in a drunk-driving accident, so it's important to stay...
Designing a new logo can be quite the challenge. It can be time-consuming and hard to make a final decision, as you're committing to something you and your customers will be looking at for many years to come. Choosing a...
If you're a Safeco agent and are considering a new website for your agency, don't wait! The generous $250 discount from Safeco that can be used towards any website package (including mobile sites!) expires in just...
Insurance Journal posted this article today about how climate change is expected to cause an increase in wildfires over the next 30 years, specifically in the western United States. www.insurancejournal.com/news/...
As Dianne at Fort Worth Insurance put it when we were discussing website blogs at the B&C Workshop in Dallas, "Insurance is boring!" And she's right - it takes some creativity and a little humor to write an...
Nick and I finally got a chance to attend a Safeco Bricks & Clicks workshop in Richardson, TX last week where we were treated to 2 great sessions on social media for insurance agents and how to evaluate your...
When chatting with my new customers, I often am asked "How do I choose a design for my new website?" We have a lot of really professional, well-designed options to choose from, and it's sometimes hard to know where to...
Here's a great idea for a blog post on your insurance agency website that will warrant some attention: Transportation Chief Calls for National Ban on Cell Phone Use While Driving Make the most of this newsworthy topic...
Flash websites were all the rage in the early 2000s. So was Britney Spears. Since then, the web and the means of surfing the web have evolved, while Flash has remained largely unchanged. Having a Flash website doesn't mean that you have a bad website. It just means that it doesn't work like most mainstream websites, and won't work on most mobile devices. There are many reasons that we don't create Flash-based websites and advise our clients to stay away from it. Here, I offer our primary reasons.
Likes seem to be the driving force behind companies and corporations making the transition into Facebook and social media. Why are all these companies out there trying to get people to click on their Like buttons? What actually happens when somebody likes your agency's Facebook Page?
If you have an insurance website from Banyan Theory, you’ll be happy to know that we’ve taken steps to protect your site from the upcoming end of the world (which, as the Mayans have told us, will occur on December 21, 2012). We want to ensure that your website will remain available in the off chance that anyone survives the end of the world and they need information about their insurance.
Over the past couple of years, we’ve been formulating ideas that would protect our servers from such a scenario. Here are our ideas:
We've been working hard on a new design to add to our available options for insurance agency websites, and are excited to announce that our latest addition, Design J, is now available! Design J features all the same...
Referrals are an invaluable source of new sales for any insurance agency. A recommendation from a trusted friend, colleague or family member carries much more weight than the best advertisement or promotion money can...
When advertising your website to potential customers or existing clients, there is a difference in how to do reference your domain on a printed ad (like a mailed post card or sign) vs. an email or link on another website.
For print, keep the website reference as short as possible.
When listing it online, always use your primary domain for SEO purposes.
If you have multiple domain names, you should pick one for your primary domain name. If you only have one, be sure to decide whether your primary domain uses the "www" or not. While your customers may not care, Google will, so this is an important search engine optimization step - and one that you can do yourself for free!
Choosing a domain name is an important step in building your online presence for your insurance agency. There's an infinite number of possibilities for your domain name, but here are a few key points to think about when making your selection.
Ever wondered how to get your insurance agency listed in Google search results with other local agents? The trick is to claim and optimize your Google Place Page. While this isn't a silver bullet, it will certainly help your agency rank higher (and possibly in the top 3-10 local listings) when someone searches for "[your city] car insurance". In this article, I'll walk you through finding, claiming and optimizing your Google Place Page.
It’s been in the works for a while, and we’re very excited to finally [re]-launch our very own website!
Complete with something for everyone, the new lightrailsites.com features the latest additions to our website program for insurance agents, an interactive real-time pricing tool, and this blog!
We plan on covering a wide variety of topics centered around creating and managing insurance agency websites. Here’s some of the articles you can look forward to in the coming months: