Episode 136 - Life After iGoogle

Published July 8, 2012

Everyone is concerned about Google pulling the plug on iGoogle, but in today's episode I have a fantastic solution for you. And you will find the companion video at my Genealogy Gems YouTube channel and as the video bonus content in the Genealogy Gems Podcast App.  And the new Genealogy Gems website has been launched!

 

It’s here! I promised you it was coming and it has. The brand new website is up and running at genealogygems.com and at lisalouisecooke.com. You’ll find Lisa Louise Cooke’s Genealogy Gems in both places. The old site was 5 years which is ancient in techie years, so it was time.

 

Back in the Fall of 2011 I began laying the framework for the new site, well aware that the old one had become cluttered, and it wasn’t keeping up with all the new versions of web browsers out there. Things were starting to not display properly.

 

A few months later in March 2012 listener and Premium Member Simona wrote me to tell me she had noticed it too.  And she had some opinions about the magazine delivery nature of the podcast episodes.  The original model for the premium podcast was like a magazine. When you subscribe you get the last few episodes, and then each new episode as it was published.  After about 3 months the oldest episode would drop off and the new one would come on. There were a few reasons for this which included the capabilities of the old site. Here’s what Simona had to say:

 

“I downright LOVE your productions Lisa and think you are the sweetest and smartest. But I get frustrated and even -dare I say- annoyed with the shelf life limit of your premium podcasts. You see I very rarely hard-wire sync my idevices to my notebook pcs. So I end up missing more premium podcasts than I download and listen to.”

 

OK, well I obviously completely agree with Simona on her comments on the website, and the email just helped support the decision I had made to invest in a new site. And I hope Simona and all of you are happy with all the changes and upgrades.

 

NEW SITE UPGRADES:

Everything is on one site: The blog, the free episodes, Premium Membership, and our brand new store.

The free iTunes podcast feed and the Premium feeds are both functioning now.

Premium Membership includes ALL past episodes, and continued access to those episodes while you are a member.

 

But the big news for Premium members is that premium membership is no longer a magazine subscription model. I’ve built a site that is set up to hold all the gems I’ve created for you over the last 5 years, and the many more years to come.  Yep, right now we are on Premium episode #88 and ALL 88 episodes are available to you as part of your premium membership.  What we are creating for you is a growing catalogue of gems and tutorials and genealogy entertainment that you can tap into when you want it.  And Genealogy Gems Premium Membership gives you access to all of it!  And of course each month we are adding new premium episodes and videos so that catalogue will just keep growing and growing.

 

You know sometimes a gem or topic isn’t what you need this week, but it’s exactly right for what you want to do 2 months from now.  Now you can sign in to your membership and grab the gems you need when you need them. And I hope you are as excited about the amount and accessibility of content as I am!

 

Now Simona brought up a question about accessing the premium episodes and downloading them to her devices.  Here’s the thing – as I’ve said many times before iTunes doesn’t support premium membership sites, so we have had to custom build a feed for you so that at least you can add your premium content through iTunes. But for now that still means plugging in your iPod. Technology is moving quickly though and we are constantly searching for ways to make that process easier, and unfortunately we have to rely on Apple to help make that possible. I’m really proud that we have managed to build a way to deliver premium content to you through iTunes and I’ll let you know if and when we develop a method for wireless download, as is available for the free podcast through our Genealogy Gems App (available in the iTunes app store and at Amazon for Android.)

 

And I’m very happy to say that the response to the new website has been 100% positive. I had braced myself for some folks who didn’t want change, but so far not a one. You were ready for an upgrade as much as I was. Here’s what just some of you had to say:

 

Robin in Ohio says: “Your new web page is AWESOME!  Love the colors, layout and info. All your Gems are sooooo helpful, upbeat and truly some great genealogy fun!!!  I look forward to listening...