Facebook Redesigns Share and Like Buttons |  |
- Facebook Redesigns Share and Like Buttons
- Check In to a Nap Pod For a Rest on Your Next Business Trip
- If You’re Ready to Take on the World, Focus Is Key to Global Success
- Small Liquor Stores Hurt by Licensing Tax
- You Might be Surprised at the Current State of Independent Workers
- Twitter Begins Trading on New York Stock Exchange
- What Happens When A Blogger Dies?
| Facebook Redesigns Share and Like Buttons Posted: 08 Nov 2013 02:00 AM PST
If you’ve got Facebook “Like” and “Share” buttons installed on your website, you may have noticed something a bit different about them lately. Facebook has redesigned the iconic buttons for the first time since “Like” was introduced back in 2010. Gone is the well-known thumbs up on the button itself. It’s replaced by a lower case “f” (though a thumbs up silhouette remains visible in counters above some of the buttons.) You’ll also be able to display the “Like” and “Share” buttons in a variety of ways on your site, including placing the two buttons side by side or the “Share” button all by itself. A Way to Bring You Even More EngagementThe reason for the change is straightforward. Facebook believes the new buttons will generate more social sharing. And so far it seems to be working. On the official Facebook Developers blog, Facebook software engineer Ray C. He wrote:
If you still have the old ones installed on your site, don’t worry, he says. Facebook will replace them with the new buttons as the roll out progresses. Facebook made some pretty bold predictions when introducing the first “Like” button back in 2010, as this TechCrunch story from the time notes. Bottom line: If Facebook manages to increase the number of “Likes” and “Shares” over the next few weeks, it’s good news for everybody. It should increase the amount of your content visitors share in their Facebook feeds. And that should mean more visitors on your website and more revenue for your business. Image: Facebook The post Facebook Redesigns Share and Like Buttons appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Check In to a Nap Pod For a Rest on Your Next Business Trip Posted: 07 Nov 2013 06:00 PM PST
If you do a lot of traveling for business, you may have already seen them. They’re little enclosures, sometimes called nap pods, where travelers can crash for an hour or more to unwind. Nap pods have evolved as both a business solution and a business model. They provide a brief nap for travelers who have neither the time nor the budget for a hotel room and who don’t want to sleep on the plane. For example, rooms by Sleepbox at Sheremetyevo International Airport near Moscow are designed for those who are traveling with associates or friends. Rooms offer three bunk beds, a table, reading lamp, TV and alarm clock. Meanwhile, Yotel in London’s Heathrow Airport is a bit higher end. This nap pod offers a single or double bed, your own entertainment system, a bathroom in your suite and a “rainfall” shower. You can stay there for as little as four hours or for the entire night. Take a look at this brief video tour: A nap pod in London may go for just $39 per four hour stretch and $93 for the entire night. But there are places where the accommodations are a bit steeper, even if some of the features seem totally worth it:
Nap pod costs and accommodations vary considerably depending upon your destination and the airports you pass through. Take the brief tour of airport nap pods around the world with Condé Nast Traveler. The post Check In to a Nap Pod For a Rest on Your Next Business Trip appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| If You’re Ready to Take on the World, Focus Is Key to Global Success Posted: 07 Nov 2013 04:00 PM PST
Whether you sell digital downloads or designer diapers, there’s a big wide world out there full of opportunities. It has never been easier for small and medium sized businesses to reach a global marketplace and attain global success. It’s not just theory, it’s actually happening. In 2011, export sales from from businesses with under 500 employees were estimated to be worth $1.7 trillion. In June, the US Small Business Administration published an excellent article here on Small Business Trends that outlined six steps to check if your business is prepared for exporting. It’s full of useful information and links to invaluable resources. But there’s one thing I’d like to add that’s a key ingredient, vital to the success of all overseas ventures: Focus. Geographical FocusThey say it’s a small world — but it’s not that small. Unless you have a product or service that can be delivered anywhere at all with equal efficiency, it’s important to target specific territories and develop success in those locales before moving on to the next. That way, any obstacles (and there are bound to be some) should remain a manageable size. You won’t get overextended. This is not just about language. The UK and Australia both speak English, but there are considerable cultural differences. A marketing approach that works in one might fall completely flat in the other. Specialists in exporting often cite local knowledge as a key factor in business success. Fortunately, both government-sponsored agencies and private contractors are readily accessible today. It may be impractical for you to travel across the globe, but there’s no reason you can’t learn all you need to know before you commit. Focused Supply ChainWhatever you sell, you need to get it delivered or you won’t get paid. In the digital product or service arenas, that might seem easier than for companies working with physical products. But there are still pitfalls. What if there’s a sudden explosion of interest? Can your IT infrastructure cope? A system that’s down for hours is just as bad for business as a box that doesn’t arrive. If you manufacture something, you’ll probably already have thoughts about how to cope with increased demand. But what about getting it there? Global logistics companies are one solution, but depending on the territory, other warehousing and delivery methods might prove more efficient. Amazon, for example, offers you the opportunity to sell into any of their markets and they’ll stock and distribute the products for you. There are similar networks in countries where Amazon isn’t represented. Would it be better to establish a local presence through a strategic partner? Or through franchising? These can be complex solutions, but the drive to assist exports is one of the main reasons the SBA was set up, so there’s a wealth of information available to help you. Focused SupportIt’s all too easy to fall into the trap of thinking that email or online support is the answer to everything. Yes, it offers an extremely cost-effective way of dealing with inquiries, but is it entirely appropriate to the market you’re dealing with? A lot of people still want to talk to someone on the phone. In some markets where Internet connectivity is poor to nonexistent, email is not even an option. Fortunately, providing such a service is less expensive than you might think. Use a 1-800 number service and your prospective customer won’t be put off by some long (and expensive-looking) string of international digits. As far as they’re concerned, they’re just making a local call. Modern telephone technology routes it wherever you want it to go – either to you, a designated employee, or an outsourced call center. Going Global by Being LocalMany of the world’s most successful global brands are actually seen as “local” by the majority of their customers. Even when we buy online, our decision is affected by where we perceive the goods are coming from. Doing business internationally may have become easier in terms of the sales and delivery processes, but in the end it’s still about people. Only people buy things. Focus on how to satisfy their demands and your small business can be as effective in foreign markets as the global giants. The post If You’re Ready to Take on the World, Focus Is Key to Global Success appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Small Liquor Stores Hurt by Licensing Tax Posted: 07 Nov 2013 01:30 PM PST
Some rules affect large and small businesses differently, even if they are applied equally to everyone. Take, for example, the state of Washington’s Initiative 1183 approved by the voters back in 2011. The law effectively ended the state monopoly, still at least partially in place in other states like Pennsylvania, for example, on the wholesale distribution and retail sale of alcohol. It was good news for large and small businesses alike who might have been previously prevented from selling alcohol to the public — or so it seemed at first. Not All Taxes Are Created EqualBut along with the lifting of restrictions, the state also imposed a 17 percent licensing fee on every sale of alcohol. That’s on top of the 10 percent excise tax already added to those sales. The reason was simple. Washington stood to loose millions in revenue from its state controlled liquor store system in place before the new initiative. And state officials needed some way to make up for that loss in the budget. For big boxes, it turned out, this added tax was no problem. Yes, it was high, but big retailers knew alcohol sales would bring in customers. They sold enough clothing, food, housewares, office supplies, CDs, books, electronics and other assorted products that they could easily spread that cost out. In fact, since state law doesn’t require the 17 percent be actually collected from customers, some in the state say bigger stores are simply selling alcohol to customers without collecting it. They then pay the state what is owed as a cost of doing business. Falling BehindBut for smaller businesses like Colville Liquor & Wine and Deer Park Liquor & Wine in Spokane, who rely much more heavily on alcohol sales for their revenue, things haven’t been so easy, reports the Associated Press. In fact, 22 small liquor stores in the state are already in danger of losing their licenses after getting behind on taxes and fees, the Spokesman-Review says. The problem these small businesses face? They are too small and too specialized. They cannot compete for sales with larger retailers by offering alcohol at lower prices or by absorbing the cost of the tax themselves. Unfortunately, the new law — though equally applied in theory — is bringing about very different results for small businesses. Sales Photo via Shutterstock The post Small Liquor Stores Hurt by Licensing Tax appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| You Might be Surprised at the Current State of Independent Workers Posted: 07 Nov 2013 11:00 AM PST
Call them freelancers, self-employed or independent – people who work for themselves have been the subject of much debate since the Great Recession hit five years ago. Are today's independent workers entrepreneurs, or just people who can't get jobs and are forced to fend for themselves? The 3rd annual MBO Partners State of Independence Report (PDF) shows that by and large – it's the former. Far from pining for traditional jobs, independent workers in the in-depth survey generally report being highly satisfied with their lives, and few have any desire to return to traditional employment. In addition, more independents than previously believed are "job creators," who hire other independent workers to help them. No wonder that the number of independent workers is expected to keep soaring in the next 10 years. Self-Image and SatisfactionIndependents in the study run the gamut from Millennials to 80-year-olds and are fairly evenly divided among men and women. While all age groups are generally happy with their work, the older the independents are, the more satisfied they are likely to be. How independents view themselves has a lot to do with their level of satisfaction. The study asked independent workers how they describe themselves and found some key differences: Millennials They are more likely to self-describe as a freelancer, creative professional or temporary worker. Millennials are less likely to say they're self-employed or business owners. Gen Xers They are more likely to label themselves creative professionals and independent contractor/professional services. Baby Boomers They are more likely to self-describe as self-employed or business owners. They are less likely to describe themselves as freelancers, temporary workers or creative professionals. Matures They are more likely to say they are consultants or self-employed. They are less likely to self-describe as freelancers or temporary workers. Those who describe themselves as business owners or self-employed are most likely to be satisfied with their work – 75 percent of those who describe themselves as business owners and 69 percent of the self-employed are highly satisfied, compared to 64 percent of independents overall. By contrast, just 17 percent of those who describe themselves as temporary workers are highly satisfied. No wonder 79 percent of temp workers plan to look for traditional jobs, compared to 31 percent of independent contractors and 25 percent of freelancers. Just 16 percent of self-employed people and only 9 percent of business owners express any interest in traditional employment. Clearly, having control over your schedule, time and work – as opposed to being handed assignments by an agency – is a big driver of satisfaction. Independent Workers Are Growing StrongCurrently there are 17.7 million independents in the U.S., up 5 percent from 2012 and 10 percent from 2011 (the first year the study was conducted). MBO Partners predicts by 2018, the number of independents will grow to 24 million and by 2020, about half of the U.S. workforce will have spent some time as independent workers. While independents may be viewed as solopreneurs, they don't always work alone. In fact, the study found that 25 percent of independents hire other independents via contracting, spending $96 billion overall and an average of $8,500 per independent outsourcing work. Men are more likely than women to outsource work to others. In addition, independents are big contributors to the U.S. economy. Nearly 10 million households receive at least half their income from independents, and this year independent workers generated nearly $1.2 trillion in total income – an increase of 20 percent over 2012. That number is set to grow, as one in seven independents (nearly 2.5 million people) plan to launch larger businesses. Why Be Independent?Female independents are more likely to choose independent work because they want more control over their time and schedules, while men are more likely to say they want control over their work. In general, however, most independents say they chose this work style to gain control over their lives and be able to determine when and where they work and what type of work they do. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of independents rate their satisfaction as very high (8-10 on a 10-point scale) and 20 percent rate it a 10. Independents say the biggest disadvantage of independent work is lack of a predictable income (57 percent), while 38 percent cite lack of benefits. However, the benefits of being independent, including controlling one's own schedule (cited by 66 percent) and more flexibility (61 percent), far outweigh the disadvantages. When all age groups in the study are considered, the average independent has been working this way for over 10 years. Clearly, independence isn't a short-term response to the Great Recession – but a long-term way of life and work. Independently Employed Photo via Shutterstock The post You Might be Surprised at the Current State of Independent Workers appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Twitter Begins Trading on New York Stock Exchange Posted: 07 Nov 2013 07:40 AM PST
You’ve heard all the hubbub. Now the big day has arrived and Twitter stock is now available. Twitter began trading publicly on the New York Stock Exchange at 9:30 a.m. under the ticker TWTR. Yesterday, the company announced that it had officially priced its IPO. Twitter says it hopes to sell 70,000,000 shares of its common stock at a price of $26 per share. That would allow Twitter to raise about $1.8 billion in capital. It’s fair to say the Twitter IPO has been highly anticipated. But what does it mean for users, and more particularly small businesses? What the Twitter Stock IPO MeansWell, at first blush, nothing. If you’re a small business person or entrepreneur using social media to market your business or network, you’ll go right on doing what you always have. The new capitalization may even give the company the ability to invest in additional features that will improve the experience. And certainly, the stock offering would seem to be an indication that Twitter is here to stay. More Advertising LikelyOf course, more investors mean the need for more profits, most probably through advertising, reports USA Today. Clearly, Twitter hasn’t waited for an IPO to start generating revenue in this area. The company has already introduced promoted and targeted tweets to allow brands, and sometimes unexpectedly customers, to have a greater voice. Twitter also announced plans to acquire MoPub, a mobile ad exchange startup, for $350 million earlier this year. All of this could theoretically offer small businesses more opportunity to target messages that reach their audiences effectively. Of course, there is also the fear that, as with Facebook, Twitter may start charging for the social reach users once were able to obtain for free. In the end, the IPO suggests Twitter will be a major communications force and so a major way to communicate with customers, clients and partners for some time to come. Bird Photo via Shutterstock The post Twitter Begins Trading on New York Stock Exchange appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| What Happens When A Blogger Dies? Posted: 07 Nov 2013 05:00 AM PST
Recently two bloggers I know passed away. I never met either of them in real life. The only dealings I had with them were online. I guess today, in a world of Facebook and Twitter, communicating with someone long distance and online for years qualifies you to be their “friend” – or at least an online friend. This article is part eulogy for the two people I knew. And it is part an examination of how we honor and remember our online friends when they die, in the age of blogs and social media. It’s surprising how well you can get to know people solely through interactions online. You learn about their character by whether they follow through on commitments, and by the small things they do for people without expecting anything in return. Little bits of personality come through in everything a person writes. If you eventually meet your online friends in real life, it adds another dimension to the relationships. And what happens when a blogger dies — then how do we honor our online friend? Let’s take a look at two situations I have encountered in just the past three weeks. RIP: Wayne Hurlbert of Blog Business WorldWayne Hurlbert, the proprietor of Blog Business World, died unexpectedly on October 14, 2013. Wayne was one of the kindest people you will ever encounter. He was among the first “business bloggers” I met, back in 2004 when business blogging was a new and unique thing. He started his site around the same time that I started Small Business Trends – more than 10 years ago. I met him through online events that bloggers organized, called blog carnivals. Blog carnivals are roundups of interesting blog posts from across the Web on a certain topic. Wayne was a man of many interests. I remember him telling me once that he grew up on a farm in Manitoba, Canada. In the age of the Web, he was able to start and run a search marketing business from his home. He was quite a communicator with varied interests. Along with his business blog, Wayne also authored a comedy blog and a roller derby blog. He had been involved in the roller derby business. He also was one of the first hosts on the then-new BlogTalkRadio network. For seven years he ran a talk radio show, right up until he passed on. In later years, he reviewed business books on his site and on his radio show. Wayne was all about being real. He was straight forward in his dealings. You always knew where he stood — there were no ulterior motives going on under the surface. He was skilled in marketing, but he wasn’t about self-promotion. Very self-effacing and modest, was Wayne. One of the common threads through all the online comments about Wayne was how modest and kind he was. My big regret with Wayne is that I fell out of touch, and never had the chance to circle back with him before he passed on. I thought of him out of the blue a few days before he died. Don’t ask me why — he just popped into my mind one day as I was out cycling. Maybe it was pure coincidence — or maybe it was a premonition (if you believe in those things). I made a mental note to touch base with him. Regrettably, I waited too long. The next thing I knew Paul Chaney, another online friend, had sent around an email announcing the sad news of Wayne’s untimely death. Lesson learned: don’t wait to reach out to someone — whether an “online friend,” a lonely shut-in, a neighbor in need, a true friend, or a loved one. Unexpected things happen. They — or you — may not have much time left. What the Online Community of Friends Did NextWhen there’s a death, a family member usually steps up and tells the online community. And that’s what happened here. Wayne’s sister let people know on Facebook. It doesn’t take much – soon the word spreads. Later we learned that Wayne died of a massive heart attack, and was found slumped over his computer. The online community stepped in to honor Wayne. I saw a dozen or more blog posts in remembrance, and many more comments. There were literally hundreds of remembrances via social media. Alan Levy, the Founder of BlogTalkRadio.com did a tribute show, including Toby Bloomberg, a good online friend of Wayne’s, who also wrote a tribute, and Blog Bloke, who also wrote a tribute. Paul Chaney shared information about a memorial fund on Facebook. There was at least one Twitter chat that honored Wayne using his name as a hashtag for that event. It turns out that Wayne often participated in chats. You can follow the many online remembrances for @WayneHurlbert by searching Twitter. Wayne’s Blog Business World website is hosted on the free Blogger platform. I am hopeful that it will remain online indefinitely as a memorial to Wayne’s memory. RIP: Ed of Blawg Review“Ed” — short for Editor — was the long-time anonymous Editor of Blawg Review. I didn’t know Ed as well as I knew Wayne — my dealings were fewer and more sporadic. But I had just as much respect for Ed. Rare are people who dedicate as much time and effort to the online community as Ed. In his case, it was the community of lawyers, judges and law professors — the writers of law blogs, also known as blawgs. Ed created a site and weekly event called Blawg Review. Blawg Review was a carnival of law-related blog posts for the week. Mark Bennett, a lawyer who blogs at Defending People, summarizes what Ed did and what happened next:
Ed’s son announced it on the BlawgReview Twitter feed, in a series of 140 character tweets about his father. I’ve strung all the tweeted messages together so you can read the entire thing:
How the Online Legal Community Honored EdHere again, people wrote blog posts paying tribute to him. Twelve lawyers decided to do a final 12-part Blawg Review in his honor, also, and to permanently bring closure to Blawg Review. You can start here and just follow the links at the end of each post, to read this final 12-part Blawg Review “blow out.” One of the lawyer-authors even linked to every one of the 324 Blawg Review Editions. That way, if the BlawgReview.com site went away, a record would be preserved for posterity. I’ll forever be grateful to Ed for including Small Business Trends to host several Blawg Reviews. It was a leap of faith for Ed to choose us, because it was a bit of a stretch, topic-wise. While I used to practice law back in the day, this site is and always has been about business. Even when I practiced law, business was top of mind. I spent most of my career as a corporate attorney in-house. These days I run an online publishing company where I can be a business news junkie to my heart’s content. But I loved and still love reading blawgs to discover new legal developments. I find many law bloggers to be erudite and articulate. Most have incisive minds. Many are courageous and fearlessly spread the word of what they believe in — whether it is the constitution or intellectual property law. Hosting and reading blawg reviews became a fascinating past time. To most of us, Ed was anonymous. He was always just Ed. Yet his identity became a small (OK, tiny) cause celebre online. Matt Homann of the [Non]Billable Hour speculated on his identity, with several denials following. Kevin O’Keefe, the founder of LexBlog, at one point years ago wrote several articles wondering why the secrecy. Some who questioned Ed’s anonymity got past their initial concerns about his motives, but some never did. I think Ed’s motive for anonymity was simply that he didn’t want to grab the limelight. Regardless of who he was, the online community took the time to remember Ed. Dozens of remembrances can be found via this Twitter search for BlawgReview. Our CondolencesOur condolences to the family and close friends of Wayne and Ed, who may run across this article. In ways you may never realize, your loved ones touched our lives and changed us for the better. Wayne and Ed — we miss you. The post What Happens When A Blogger Dies? appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
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