Learn About SMB Internet Security – Chat Recap |  |
- Learn About SMB Internet Security – Chat Recap
- Bitcoin Exchanges Represent Considerable Risk
- 30 Ways to Tell if You’re a Social Media Success
- Google Bids Meebo Goodbye, Focusing on Google+ Instead
- What is Google Glass? Here’s the Answer
- Where In The World Are Small Business Owners Trusted?
- New LinkedIn Contacts: Aims to Be Your Personal Assistant
| Learn About SMB Internet Security – Chat Recap Posted: 29 Apr 2013 04:00 PM PDT A recent report from Symantec shows that cyber criminals target small businesses more frequently. To discuss specific findings from that report, Symantec recently sponsored a Twitter chat and made two experts available on Twitter to answer questions on the topic of SMB Internet security. Kevin Haley, director, Symantec security response, Symantec – @kphaley, Jay Epton, Director SMB Sales for the EMEA Northern Region, Symantec – @Jay_Epton, and yours truly, Anita Campbell, Small Business Trends joined up with other members of the small business community for the discussion. Below are selected highlights of that chat.
And Web-based attacks increased by 30 percent in 2012, Haley added. Of course, attacks on websites and computers aren’t the only way cyber criminals gain access to your important business data. The mobile revolution has opened up a whole new frontier for cyber crime.
But Epton said businesses must also understand the risks. For example, Symantec has found that in 2012, mobile malware increased by 58 percent. Haley added that an important step is to train employees about privacy settings on mobile devices and about the dangers of downloading rogue applications.
One of the most common attacks small businesses should be watching for is the so-called “watering hole” attack, Haley explained:
For protection, Epton recommended deploying firewalls, gateway AV, intrusion detection and intrusion systems and Web security gateway solutions on your network. But he also said nothing can replace giving your employees the knowledge they need to counter the threat.
To this end, how can we help employees and become more aware ourselves of the threats out there?
Detecting compromised sites is not so easy, given that legitimate sites are often hijacked by hackers, Haley said.
Security concerns give small businesses a lot to think about. Experts acknowledge protecting your business from cyber attack can be a bit overwhelming. But they say that’s exactly what makes small businesses such prime targets.
Thanks to Symantec for sponsoring this chat and for providing the subject matter experts as speakers. The post Learn About SMB Internet Security – Chat Recap appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Bitcoin Exchanges Represent Considerable Risk Posted: 29 Apr 2013 01:30 PM PDT
Bitcoin exchanges convert the popular digital currency into national currencies based on fluctuating rates. But the exchanges pose potential risk to users, a study finds. A recent paper by researchers at Southern Methodist and Carnegie Mellon universities (PDF) says that 45 percent of the exchanges fail. The paper also says most close their doors without refunding users’ money. Bitcoins have captured the interest of entrepreneurs worldwide. They are popular with businesses operating online and across International borders. Part of this appeal is that they are not regulated by any bank or country. Researcher Tyler Moore, of the Lyle School of Engineering, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, explains his team’s findings in this video. Researchers studied 40 Bitcoin exchanges on the Internet offering to convert Bitcoins into other currencies or back again, according to a summary of the report in Wired. Of those, 18 have closed, 13 of them without warning, and only six have made an effort to refund the money deposited by users. The study also found that cyber attacks were not the main cause of Bitcoin exchanges closing. Only five of the exchanges the report studied shut down due to an attack from cyber criminals. Moore avoids specifics about the major cause for exchange failure in his video explanation. But he says that businesses fail for a variety of reasons, including lack of interest in their products or services. The study determined that smaller exchanges were much more likely to fail than their busier rivals. Conversely, larger exchanges were more likely to be victims of cyber attacks, Moore explained. For example, researchers found exchanges handling 275 Bitcoins worth of transactions daily have a 20 percent chance of being breached. Compare that to exchanges handling daily exchanges of 5,570 Bitcoins. These exchanges face a 70 percent chance of successful attack. The projected lifespan of Bitcoin exchanges is also cause for worry. The study predicts the median lifespan of a Bitcoin exchange at 381 days with a 29.9 percent chance that a new exchange will close within the first year. Bitcoin Photo via Shutterstock The post Bitcoin Exchanges Represent Considerable Risk appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| 30 Ways to Tell if You’re a Social Media Success Posted: 29 Apr 2013 11:00 AM PDT
Social media is used by businesses to increase brand loyalty, share new products, and even gain new customers. Every company uses social media differently, some more successfully than others. Below are ways to tell if your company is a social media success. 30 Ways to Tell if You’re a Social Media Success1. Customers Seek You Out In the early days of creating a social media account, you likely had to try very hard to find new connections and convince them that your brand was worth following. If customers begin finding you without you needing to go through all this extra work, you're well on your way to social media success. 2. Your Message Gets Across Even if you have a sizable network, your social media campaigns are worth nothing if your customers don't hear what you have to say. If customers acknowledge your message, or if you use tools like Facebook analytics to see that many of your connections actually viewed your posts, you're on the right track towards social media success. 3. You Gain Website Traffic It's likely that one of your main social media goals involves getting your followers to a separate website, whether that's your online store, your company's site or your blog. Social media can be a great tool to bring visitors to your other sites, if you're using it effectively. 4. Followers Interact With You A high follower count alone doesn’t necessarily make you a success if none of your followers respond to your posts. A more accurate sign of success is whether you gain responses, likes, retweets and engaging interactions from your followers. 5. People Talk About You This is related to the point above. But instead of followers talking directly to you, they are talking to their other connections about you. This could mean they're recommending that others follow you or try one of your products that they recently purchased. 6. People Share Your Links Even more specifically, having others share your links to products, blog posts or other online pages can really mean they like what you have to offer. 7. You Gain Insights Social media is so much more than just a way for you to broadcast your company's message. You can learn a lot from following others and tracking your company's mentions. Companies that do this successfully can gain a lot more than higher website traffic. 8. Your Target Audience is Clear In order to use social media effectively, you have to know who you're talking to. You should be able to scroll through your followers and see that most of them fit into the audience you're trying to target. 9. You’ve Found a Good Balance There are so many social networks and types of posts. You should be able to figure out which networks and which types of posts work best for you and your target audience, instead of just broadcasting new product listings or blog posts across every single social channel. 10. Your Content Has a Clear Focus You should be able to scroll through your timeline or your twitter feed and see how each post fits together and works towards accomplishing your company's overall social media goals. 11. You’ve Become an Authority Your followers trust what you have to say and even others in your industry look to you as an industry authority. 12. People Ask You Questions Along those same lines, if your followers come to you with their questions, whether it's just a general question about your industry or more specific question about a particular product, you’re headed towards social media success. 13. Issues Are Brought to Your Attention Not everything your company does, in social media or otherwise, is going to be perfect. But when there are problems or issues, if your customers on social media bring them to your attention so that you can correct the problem, you’re gaining social media success. 14. You Don't Need to Advertise Most social media outlets offer advertising options that can be very useful for companies just starting out. Although these ads can also be helpful for more established companies, you shouldn’t necessarily need them if you're accomplishing all your social media goals. 15. You Keep It Simple Social media shouldn’t be complicated. You should be able to quickly sum up your social media strategy and see that you are following through with it. 16. Customers Appreciate You Not only should customers interact with you, but you should also be able to tell that they are happy with what you have to say. If they thank you for responses or recommend you to their own networks, you know they appreciate you and you’re heading towards social media success. 17. You Find Useful Trends Aside from just using social media to gain insights about your own brand, you should use it to gain insights about your industry and/or network as a whole. 18. You’ve Tested Different Strategies You can't know if what you're doing is right for you unless you’ve tried other things. You should have tested out different strategies at some point and know that your current one gets the best results. 19. You Keep Your Campaigns Organized If you're a seasoned social media vet, you should have a pretty good system for organizing your social media campaigns and initiatives. 20. You’ve Found a Way to Measure Impact Whether it's through services like Google Analytics or the built-in tools on many social media sites, you should have a way to quantify results so that you know you're on the right track towards social media success. 21. You Don't Spend All Day on Social Media It might be tempting to use social media non-stop, especially if you're constantly talking to customers. But you should be able to accomplish your goals without spending all day monitoring tweets or Facebook mentions. 22. You Maintain Relationships More than just responding to individual messages, you should be using social media to actually keep in constant contact with your connections. And they should do the same with you. 23. You Create Brand Advocates If you do successfully maintain relationships on social media, you have probably created some brand advocates – those who continually share your links and recommend your company to friends. If this is the case, you’re inching closer towards social media success. 24. You Have a Plan You shouldn’t go into social media without knowing what it is you want to accomplish, though many companies do. If, by now, you have a clear-cut plan, you're that much closer to social media success. 25. You Accomplish Your Goals Once you have a plan, you should see that you're accomplishing what you set out to do, whether that's increasing brand awareness, gaining website traffic or gaining valuable insights. 26. You Receive Suggestions If your customers or others in your network come to you with ideas for new products or website features, it means they want to see you succeed and they think of you specifically when they have ideas related to your industry. 27. Your Network is Constantly Growing Social media can turn into a numbers game for some companies. But there is no magic number of followers or interactions that means your brand has become a social media success. A better gauge is whether your network, both in terms of followers and interactions, grows steadily. 28. Customers Treat You Like a Real Person Social media users don't want to follow companies. They want to follow people. If your followers treat your company like a friend, you're likely running your account like that of a person, rather than a brand. 29. You Gain Customers Even if gaining new customers isn’t one of your main social media goals, at some point new people will come across your profiles and, hopefully, support your business. 30. You Listen Social media is not a one-way communication street. The sooner your company stops treating it as one, the sooner you can realize social media success. Of course, there are different levels of social media success, but if you’ve achieved at least some of the items mentioned above, you're well on your way. Thirty Photo via Shutterstock The post 30 Ways to Tell if You’re a Social Media Success appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Google Bids Meebo Goodbye, Focusing on Google+ Instead Posted: 29 Apr 2013 09:30 AM PDT
It was less than a year ago, in 2012, that Google acquired Meebo. And now we see Google shutting down Meebo. An announcement on the Meebo website says they’ve decided to retire the Meebo publishing bar effective June 6, 2013. Meebo is a social sharing bar that you sometimes see at the bottom of websites. With it, users could share items on social networks. The Next Web reports that the Meebo bar disappeared for a while after Google bought it but then returned with Google+ sharing capabilities built in. The Meebo bar has been used by bloggers as well as some large sites, such as TV Guide. Larger sites often incorporated small ads in the bar (see image above showing Meebo bar outlined in pink). The Meebo team will now focus on Google+ instead, including initiatives such as the recently launched Google+ Sign-In and Google+ plug-ins, the announcement says. After June 6th, the Meebo code will no longer work. They are no longer accepting new Meebo accounts. There’s also an FAQ with more details for existing Meebo publishers. Lee Jarratt, editor of the website Google Plus Daily says “I don’t think many will be sad to see the product retire, as it was mostly seen as a nuisance since it followed website visitors down the page as they scrolled.” This is yet one more sign that Google+ is the future for Google. If you’re not on Google+ with a professional profile and a Google+ page for your business, you’re falling behind. The writing is on the wall with announcements like these. The post Google Bids Meebo Goodbye, Focusing on Google+ Instead appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| What is Google Glass? Here’s the Answer Posted: 29 Apr 2013 07:30 AM PDT
We’re back with another one-page explainer, to answer the question, “What is Google Glass?” Google Glass is the name given to a wearable computer created by Google. You put the device on like a pair of eyeglasses, although it does not have lenses. It rests on the top of your ear and bridge of your nose, like an eyeglass frame. It sounds futuristic, but it’s not. Google Glass is being worn today by some Google employees and a select few who got the chance for an early look. What do you use Google Glass for?Some people have called it a second screen for your smartphone. Instead of pulling out your phone and looking at it, you just look up at the tiny screen. You use your voice to give commands and remain hands free. You can use it to check emails, get text messages, search for the weather report or get a map for directions. It even translates spoken phrases for you, or looks things up on the Web. For small businesses, you and your staff would use it to perform certain functions you use a smartphone or tablet to do today. It has a computer, battery, microphone, speaker and camera embedded in it. For example, to film a video you just say ”OK Glass, record a video.” You’re not actually looking at a computer screen in front of you all the time, so it doesn’t obstruct normal visibility. The little screen is slightly above your eye and to the side so you have to look up to view it (see image above). Positives of Google GlassTech early adopter Robert Scoble has been wearing the Google Glass for 2 weeks, and he’s completely sold. He says he will never be without a wearable computer on his head again. Really. According to Scoble, “it’s that significant.” He likens it to his first Apple II computer back in 1977, because he knew his life had changed, just like he says Google Glass has changed his life. He says the Google Glass lets you be much more social than a smartphone. You’re looking at people rather than down at a phone or fumbling with the screen. Google has announced it will allow no advertisements in apps for Google Glass. Negatives with Google GlassTechnology reviewer David Pogue says its Achilles heel is invasion of privacy. You see, there’s a built-in camera, and someone could be filming while looking at you. Pogue gives accolades to all the technology built into the compact ear/ eye device. But in a recent CBS News video he predicts Google faces a much bigger challenge of social acceptance:
Scoble, however, says privacy was not an issue with people he’s encountered. He predicts that price will make a difference in its commercial success. In his opinion, a $200 price point (roughly the cost of materials) will be a success. A price of $500 may not be. Of course, if it’s that life changing, we doubt that an extra $300 will matter much. For now, it’s still experimental. You’ll be hearing more about it, but you can’t buy it yet. Google Glass is expected to be on the market in 2014. Meanwhile, next time you hear about it you won’t have to wonder, “what is Google Glass?” – you’ll know. Image credit: Google The post What is Google Glass? Here’s the Answer appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Where In The World Are Small Business Owners Trusted? Posted: 29 Apr 2013 04:30 AM PDT
Message to small business owners around the world: If you want to be loved, move to America. In the United States, small business owners are held in high esteem. A 2010 Pew Foundation survey found that 71 percent of Americans see small business as a positive influence "on the way things are going in this country" – a larger fraction, in fact, than see religious organizations as a positive factor. In the United States, small businesses are viewed more favorably than most institutions. However, the top ranking of small business isn’t true the world over. Consider the situation in China. For its 2013 Trust Barometer, public relations firm Edelman surveyed over 25,000 people in 26 nations in the fall of 2012. The survey showed that 86 percent of U.S. respondents trust small business "a great deal," while only 55 percent of them trust big business "a great deal." In China, by contrast, only 65 percent of respondents trust small business "a great deal," while 89 percent trust big business that much. Edelman's survey reveals an interesting contrast between industrialized and developing nations. In industrialized countries, respondents trusted small business more than big business: 76 percent to 53 percent. In developing countries, they trusted big business more than small business: 79 percent to 70 percent. Of course, there’s another way to look at these data. People around the world generally trust businesses. In the United States, big business has squandered some of that trust, while small business has held on to it.
Editor’s Note: We’ve embedded the Edelman Trust Barometer report below. Jump to slide 16 to see the variations between small businesses and larger businesses in selected areas. American Entrepreneurs Photo via Shutterstock The post Where In The World Are Small Business Owners Trusted? appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| New LinkedIn Contacts: Aims to Be Your Personal Assistant Posted: 29 Apr 2013 02:30 AM PDT
LinkedIn has announced it is launching a new Linkedin Contacts that aims to create a “personal assistant” for users. You might be thinking you already have a Contacts section in your LinkedIn account – and you’d be right. However, this goes well beyond what LinkedIn offers today under the “Contacts” tab. The new LinkedIn Contacts will reside within LinkedIn and also as a standalone app for iPhone. What’s new about it? With the new LinkedIn Contacts you will be able to see information not only about your LinkedIn connections, but also everybody in your address book, calendars and emails. You can have all your professional contacts in one place, instead of scattered around among LinkedIn, email, and other places. On the official LinkedIn blog, Engineer and Product Specialist Sachin Rekhi writes:
You also will be able to add notes (such as how you first met the person), set reminders about your contacts, and be notified of birthdays, Rekhi writes. You can also see your last communication with the person. You’ll be able to sort your contacts based on your most recent interactions with them, upcoming meetings or other criteria. A TechCrunch.com report on the new feature looks at compatibility with other websites and services. Users can collect and organize contact data from the following: Gmail, Google Contacts, Google Calendar; Google Apps Mail, Contacts and Calendar; Yahoo! Mail, Contacts and Calendar; Outlook Mail, Contacts and Calendar; iPhone Address Book (via the LinkedIn Contacts app); LinkedIn's CardMunch service; Evernote and TripIt. Not only will LinkedIn Contacts collect information from all of these sources, but the information automatically updates when it changes on the underlying platform. You will not be able to import your Twitter or Facebook contacts. LinkedIn currently plans to focus on professional contacts (not social ones). TechCrunch also reports that LinkedIn Contacts is the first major development out of its acquisition of the contact management platform Connected in October 2011. The new LinkedIn Contacts has a waiting list that you can ask to be added to. It will roll out in stages over the next several months to LinkedIn’s 155 million monthly users. The post New LinkedIn Contacts: Aims to Be Your Personal Assistant appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
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