Cybersecurity Sharing Information Act Passed

Cybersecurity Sharing Information Act Passed

Hack after hack, people are worried about their company’s online presence. In a 74-21 vote on Tuesday, Congress passed the Cybersecurity Sharing Information Act. The CISA is designed to allow companies to share cybersecurity threats with the Department of Homeland Security who pass the threats onto the FBI or NSA who try and stop the hack before it happens. Preventing hacks and breaches sounds great right? But privacy advocates and members of Silicon Valley still aren’t happy. The passed version of this contains some things that are up for debate. One being that this Act “hides new government surveillance mechanisms in guise of security protections.”  People believe the government will be able to see all their information that harms their company’s privacy. If Congress will go back and edit this is undetermined but hopefully they can come to terms with what is best for everyone’s online privacy. (Source Wired)

What To Say When You’re Told To Live In Someone Else’s Shoes…

That’s what Facebook is encouraging their employees to do. The social media site is purposefully giving their users the chance to slow down their internet to 2GB. Why would anyone want to do this you ask? Well, Facebook wants their employees to understand what it is like to use the site where connectivity is slower. Facebook isn’t expecting their employees to do this for long term because that wouldn’t be very productive. They are calling the program “2GB Tuesdays”. On 2GB Tuesdays employees can decide if they want to use the slower internet service for an hour. Sounds frustrating for those impatient people who only use high speed internet. (Source ABC News)

Quote of the Day: “Blame it on burst mode.”

Google has 3.8 million GB of our photos. That is a lot of selfies and #foodie instagrams. Google Photos asks users if they want to delete pictures when their memory is almost full and saves the pictures in the cloud.  CNN did a little analysis on exactly how many pictures that is and determined that it would take 119,040 pounds of thumb drives to fit all these pictures. So many pictures. (Source CNN)

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How to Effectively Use Facebook to Promote a Business Website

A website is something all businesses need, whether they are the only show in town or a global enterprise with dozens of regional offices. Unfortunately it isn’t enough to just start a website – you need to market it or nobody will know it’s there. This is where social media comes into the fore.

Royalty free photo

Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are invaluable tools for any savvy marketer. The whole world and his wife use at least one social media platform to talk to friends, check out products and catch up on news. Since Facebook is arguably the biggest social platform on the web, this is a good place to start if you want to promote your business website and attract new customers. So where should you begin?

Create a Facebook Business Page

Once you have decided that your website can really benefit from some Facebook marketing, your next step is to create a Facebook business page. It doesn’t take long to set up a business page on Facebook and you don’t even need a personal account. The process is fairly intuitive, but if you need a helping hand, Facebook will guide you through it every step of the way.

Make an Announcement

The whole point of creating a Facebook page is that you tell everyone and their dog about it. Once your page is up and running, send out an announcement to your email list and post a banner on your website inviting people to check it out. It is also useful to add a link to a Facebook page in your email signature and on business marketing materials. And don’t forget to tell family and friends so they can spread the word.

Direct Traffic to Your Website

The main advantage of creating a Facebook business page is that you can use it to drive traffic back to your main website. Millions of people use Facebook every day, so if you are active on Facebook it can help to direct targeting visitors to useful content on your business website. Setting up an RSS feed from your website’s blog is sensible. This will publish small samples of any blog content you create on Facebook, which should encourage users to visit the page to read further.

Posting the same old content on Facebook every day will soon get old. Images and videos are always popular, but whatever you post, make it relevant to your brand. Link content you create to relevant pages on your website and encourage readers to visit. Talk about special offers you have or new products now available – a lot of people browse Facebook in search of good deals, so help them find one on your website.

Think of your Facebook page as an extra marketing tool. You can use it as much or as little as you like, but for best results, try and spend a reasonable amount of time creating posts and interacting with other users. And don’t forget to be informal, yet professional, at all times.

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Picture Why You Need Social Media

Photo memories….

Not so long ago, when the question was asked about what you would save if your house caught on fire (not counting people and pets), the answer was often family photos.

Photos fall into the category of prized possessions, and though they are now stored in more places than photo albums, people still worry about the loss of them.

Photos add to our story, our memories and our life. They can take you back to a moment in time at a glance. Photos are special.

Social Media

Yes, people like to post a beautiful vacation shot or one of a child on his first day of school on Facebook, but social sites are also used for storing and organizing photos.

There’s not only the storing factor, but also the sharing factor. If you have family across the globe, it’s easy to share through social media.

No longer do you need to make hard copies and send them out via old fashioned mail, or even attach files to emails to let your loved ones in on part of your photo memories.

Pinterest is a great social media site for sharing and storing.

With more than 90 million users, you can create public or private boards. With an easy upload, your photos can be stored and ready to share at the same time.

As the following article looks at, it’s all about changing the way the world remembers events and moments, and Pinterest can be a part of that.

You can organize your photos under different boards on Pinterest, whether by people, events or years. It’s a good way to weed out your favorites and have a nice, clean selection of great pics.

Facebook and Instagram are also good social media sites for sharing and saving.

With Facebook, your friends can easily save your photos to their own device. Remember, though, anyone can, so only post things you’re okay with anyone seeing. Stories are created and memories saved and shared.

Other Storage

When you have thousands of photos, you’re going want another means of saving rather than social media.

Whether it’s an app on your computer like iPhoto, the Cloud, a photo account like Shutterfly or a photo storage service like Mylio, you’ve got options.

The key is to have your digital photos in more than one place.

Whether you’re backing up to a hard drive, sharing on social media, paying for a service which stores and organizes them or uploading all to another site, you’ll want your photos accessible if something happens to your main device.

Photos tell a story.

They are part of who we are. And in today’s world of digital photography and cameras with us at every moment, we take lots of pictures.

Storage is an important part of holding onto these memories; photos are too valuable to be lost in the blink of an eye.

So use your social media, use your storage options and share your story.

At the same time, you’ll be saving that story, too.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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Five Offline Techniques to Boost Your Online Business

The rise of social media marketing over the last few years has prompted many business owners to focus exclusively on their online branding strategy. Companies that seek to build a trust between their Internet presence and their customers tend to forget about the power of traditional marketing, and they often end up ignoring offline marketing altogether.

Fence signage, mesh banners, billboards, newspaper advertising, and radio spots are some of the offline branding strategies you can utilize to boost the visibility of your company on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. In terms of business functionality, marketing should never be thought of as a black-and-white process; for this reason, brand owners should not think that their marketing efforts should only take place on the Internet.

 

Most marketing experts agree that certain offline marketing techniques can help companies increase their Internet visibility. Consider the five offline strategies below:

1 – Fence Signage

If you have a brick-and-mortar business located in a suburban area, chances are that you have a lot of fences that could display banners related to your business. A colorful banner placed on a conspicuous fence can be seen by drivers and pedestrians alike. The most common purpose for this type of signage is to direct foot traffic to a store; however, a modern use for banners calls for the promotion of social media sites. To this effect, a neat idea is to print a QR code that can be scanned
with a smartphone so that prospects can be taken directly to a social network profile or a website. Remember: mesh banners should be used in windy spots.

2 – Networking in Real-Life

No business is an island, but some business owners who spend most of their time online tend to forget about the substantial value of real-life networking. Social networks such as LinkedIn cannot replace the experience of shaking hands, putting faces to names, and exchanging ideas in a comfortable offline settings. Business owners should not forget about resources such as the local Chamber of Commerce, which is still considered to be one of the most significant organizations within a community.

3 – Radio

A 2014 Nielsen report indicated that nearly 60 percent of Americans who enjoy listening to music have not given up on radio. The proliferation of streaming music services has not done away with FM radio, and even Sirius satellite radio has managed to survive despite a major shift towards digital audio. If you listen to most commercial radio spots these days, you will probably notice that the narrator almost always includes a “visit us on Facebook” tag at the end; the reason for this is that most radio listeners are either close to a computer or have a smartphone nearby.

4 – Print Publications

News and entertainment magazines have mostly disappeared, but trade publications are still holding on. Advertising on an industry journal tends to be costly because it is highly targeted, but it can be a great way to boost your Internet presence. The key to print advertising is to think creatively when it comes to choosing the audience. For example, a Web hosting company that offers website development services could choose to advertise in a magazine dedicated to the legal profession; after all, all law firms need an Internet presence these days.

5 – Speaking Engagements

Do you have a blog for your company? Do you have something to share with your community? If so, consider appearing at a local technical or vocational school and sharing your experiences with the students and young hopefuls who are forging their careers. Before delivering your presentation, make sure you have interesting content on your blog, which you should mention during your lecture.

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Drones don’t have Fitbits

When Walmart Fires Back

If you thought Amazon was the only one to test flying robots a.k.a drones, well think again. Walmart recently applied to the U.S. regulators for permission to test the flying objects for you guessed it; home delivery, plus curbside pickup, and checking warehouse inventories. The permission request from Walmart goes as follows to “research drone use in deliveries to consumer homes.” And since they’ve been testing the drones indoors for several months, they figured it’s time for outdoor exploration. This is perfect timing since there’s wind the FAA will soon be establishing regulations for “widespread commercial use.”

Their game plan is to make Walmart more efficient,  and as you know it’s a big deal when Walmart gets involved so it’s a safe bet we’ll be seeing more FO’S (flying objects) in the skies soon. (Source MSN)

DON’T LOSE YOUR FITBIT

Hello folks, so we bring you some seamlessly tied news today (literally). MasterCard is taking  a whole new approach when it comes to online payments. Their initiative is to create a better, more fluid payment system. They have paired with some big names like GM, Ringly, and Nymi to produce gadgets that will act as credit cards.

Gadgets like key fobs, smart rings, and smart wristbands, and eventually wearable clothing because well, the future is now. MasterCard wants people to be able to rely on more than just their smartphones to purchase items, and make payments. Currently this is only available with the partnership of Capital One, and will be available next year in the U.S. with expansion globally following soon after. Let’s all hope there’s some serious security measures built in. (Source MSN)

Interesting Facts

It’s safe to say we’ve all heard about the Internet of Things. But have you heard these latest facts regarding it? — if not that’s why we’re here (we know you love us) #1 The IoT will connect 1.1 billion devices in smart cities this year,  with an exponential reach of 9.7 billion by the year 2020.

#2 Internet connected devices surpassed the number of humans in 2012. 12.5 billion to 7 billion. By 2020 the number of devices is projected to reach 26 to 50 billion globally. That’s a whole lot of wifi usage going on. (Source Zee News)

We hope you enjoyed today’s SKINNY DIP & have a tremendous Tuesday.

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Take a Healthier Approach to Social Media

Whether you run a small business or are simply a consumer looking for the latest in health insurance needs, have you turned to social media to find the right coverage?

Given the mandatory implementation of Obamacare a few years ago, the majority of consumers are now required to have one form or another of health insurance. For those who do not, they are open to fines, some of which can be quite expensive depending on the individual’s current income.

So, how can you make sure you not only have coverage, but have the right coverage which will take care of your medical needs at an affordable price?

Social Networking Opens Healthcare Doors

As many consumers have discovered over time, being active on social media can do wonders for one’s needs, especially something as important as health insurance.

For those looking to find the right coverage or improve the plan they currently possess, keep these social tidbits in mind, especially if you want and/or need to calculate your health coverage tax credit:

• Check company social sites – As the need for health insurance grows, more and more health insurance providers are active on social networking sites. That said health insurance companies must follow the rules of engagement for social media usage that also apply to healthcare professionals like doctors, nurses and others in the field. Health insurers’ should not post any customer information on social sites without checking with the individual first. Even then, it is best to use a “general term” instead of specifying an exact individual. Saying on a company’s Facebook site that one customer saved hundreds of dollars in health insurance without naming that individual directly lessens the chances of problems;
• Follow the interaction between health insurance providers and the public on Facebook, Twitter and other social sites. If companies are quick to respond to customer inquiries/complaints, they’re more likely to be the kinds of insurers’ you want to do business with. If they ignore or take their good old time responding via social media, there’s always the chance they will do the same when you call or write them needing information or corrections to your policy;
• Finally, look for upcoming announcements etc. on your health insurance needs. Many insurers’ recently sent out notices to customers about the need to review their insurance plans in order to make any necessary changes so that they have coverage effective Jan. 1, 2016. Social media is a great way for these insurance companies to spread the word, along with the traditional mailings and emails they deliver. Some insurance companies will also use their Facebook or Twitter pages to provide links to health insurance industry trends and more. Once again, these are great educational tools that you can use to learn more about your health insurance needs.

In a day and age when social media is all the rage for millions of consumers and companies, make sure you’re taking a healthy approach to your health insurance needs.

Photo credit: BigStockPhotos.com

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Why Should You Use Infographics in Your Marketing Campaign?

Infographics are truly awesome for the modern marketer. They can be used in order to increase branding and spread awareness in a way that takes advantage of the fact that most internet visitors do not actually want to spend a lot of time reading large blocks of text. Smart marketers have been incorporating infographics in their campaigns for a long time now while beginners do not understand why that happens. If you do not know much about why infographics are so great in the modern marketing world, keep reading!

Benefits Associated With the Use Of Infographics

• Figures And Data Presented With Ease

Data and statistics are important for people but they do not actually want to get exposed to such information in a bullet point list. Infographics solve the problem by making data appealing to the way. Everything is presented in an attractive way that is quite pleasant for most readers.

• Really Easy To Share

When you create the infographic, you submit it to various sites and you publish it on your own. When someone sees it, the sharing process is incredibly simple. All that has to be done is to offer the code and to ask the readers to share. That offers backlinks that basically come for free, which is huge for SEO and for awareness.

• Really Easy To Scan

So much information is available on the internet about the way in which the online user acts. It has been proven that most of the people simply scan content present on pages. You have to realize this as soon as possible. The infographic will allow the visitor to quickly scan the entire content that is offered.

• Easy To Go Viral

Because of the fact that an infographic is really easy to be shared, an infographic has a much higher possibility of ending up viral. Make sure that the content offered is of a high quality, properly researched and unique.

Professional Infographics

This is something that has to be understood at all costs. You need to always use infographics that are professional and that are designed properly. Not all infographics are going to be effective. Make sure that every single infographic used in a marketing campaign is:

• Simple – no matter how much information can be offered and how high the value of the content is, the infographic needs to be simple and really easy to follow. Using proper colors and an appropriate font are a necessity.
• 100% Original – regurgitated content is really boring for the readers. In order to gain attention, it is important that everything is original and properly researched.
• The appropriate Length – always limit the infographic to 8,000 pixels. You do not need to offer more since that would simply be too long.

Conclusions

On the whole, it is quite obvious that using infographics is a really good idea for any marketing campaign that can use them. The benefits that were mentioned above are quite obvious. Marketers need to find ways to stand out and infographics can help a lot.

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