How to Keep Your Health Info Private in the Digital Age

December 21st, 2020 by TCC No comments »

Today’s consumers have health and fitness literally at their fingertips. There are smartphone apps to help track calories. There are wearable devices to count steps per day or to help ensure you’re getting enough sleep at night. There are even Facebook groups to help you stay motivated to reach your fitness goals.

Although healthy industry regulations require medical providers to protect consumer health data, those regulations often don’t extend to health-related apps, social media, or wearable tech.

The Computer Company offers these need-to-know tips when it comes to keeping your health records safe:
What Companies Must Legally Protect My Health Information?

“Currently the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules protect health data in traditional settings, however, it doesn’t extend to health apps compliance. Many of the companies providing these technologies share consumers’ data with other entities, with no regard for privacy, without repercussion,” explains Compliancy Group. Read more.

The National Institutes of Health states that “Covered entities are defined in the HIPAA rules as (1) health plans, (2) health care clearinghouses, and (3) health care providers who electronically transmit any health information in connection with transactions for which HHS has adopted standards. Generally, these transactions concern billing and payment for services or insurance coverage. For example, hospitals, academic medical centers, physicians, and other health care providers who electronically transmit claims transaction information directly or through an intermediary to a health plan are covered entities. Covered entities can be institutions, organizations, or persons.” Read more.

 

Why Should I Care Who Has Access to My Information?

“Here’s the reality of life as a wearable device owner: There’s no doctor/patient privacy or patient privacy or any privacy for that matter,” Huffington Post notes. “Monitoring your health and collecting data is like publishing your own medical autobiography online.” Read more.

PBS.org reports that with its recent purchase of FitBit, Google has stated that privacy and security are a top priority, but consumer “advocates say Google and other tech companies need to prove that only a small percent — if any — of the data they release can be rematched with individual users …

The threat of re-identification has led privacy advocates to question the motives of companies that create health apps, which have not been proven to improve health.” Read more.

 

What Can I Do to Protect Myself?

The BBC reports that there’s “too much onus on the consumer to navigate an opting-out system” along with “the fear that hackers could access [databases] and find the details of individual users.” Read more.

When using social networking sites, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse states that users “become familiar with the privacy settings available on any social network you use, and review your privacy settings frequently. On Facebook, for example, you may want to make sure that your default privacy setting is ‘Friends Only.’ Alternatively, use the ‘Custom’ setting and configure the setting to achieve maximum privacy.” Read more.

 

How Should Healthcare Providers Protect My Medical Information?

First, it’s wise to get an idea of what constitutes a HIPAA violation. According to Zeguro “Although HIPAA violations arise in a variety of ways, they all incorporate “someone who shouldn’t know something who learns about it because there weren’t enough protections.” This definition includes everything from employees having too much system access, to a hacker gaining entrance to your system, to someone leaving a piece of paper on a desk or a screen open to view. Read more.

“Healthcare organizations, while under fire, have been improving their cybersecurity posture over the last few years. Many have hired cybersecurity professionals from more mature industries, like financial services; most are working to adopt strong frameworks such as ISO, NIST, and HITRUST to evaluate and improve cybersecurity controls, including security awareness training for the healthcare workforce,” explains Becker’s Health IT and CIO Report. Read more.

Navigating health laws and data privacy can feel complicated and overwhelming at times. Start by understanding the current laws, regulations, and health privacy certifications, such as HIPAA and HITRUST. Do some research before investing in wearable tech or signing up for an app or social account. Above all, read the privacy policies and review the settings for any software or hardware you use. By following the tips listed in this article, you’ll stand a better chance of keeping your medical data safe.

Contributed by:
Diane Harrison

diane@healthpsa.info

 

 

 

 

Cybersecurity Against The Dark Web

December 3rd, 2020 by TCC No comments »

We are sharing this article we found on the web because it had a few good reminders about the need for increased security for our businesses.

 

Cybersecurity Against The Dark Web

“Not a second goes by when you, your family or your company aren’t under attack.”
By Neil George
November 20, 2020

Hacks happen to the most conscientious among us. Your credit cards, bank accounts, retailer-held account information and other types of individual identification data and information are all lucrative opportunities for all sorts of bad actors around the globe. And hacks occur every day on a 24/7 basis every second. The Breach Level Index from major defense contractor, Thales (OTCMKTS:THLLY) tracks data hacks. That measure reported more than 9.7 billion record hacks over the trailing six-plus years. And according to the same sources, the U.S. is the leading target, with 85% of all global identity thefts directed at Americans.

Thales goes on to say that on average, hackers hit and steal 75 record every single second of every single day.

And if you think that traditional firewalls and antivirus security keeps you safe? Nope — Thycotic, a Washington-based data security company (private) has interviewed “black hat” hackers, 73% of whom say the traditional security you depend upon is pretty much irrelevant.

And just hacking and getting data, and credit card and every other type of data isn’t the goal of hackers. Using it for fortune or fame is. And this is where the Dark Web – the underbelly of the internet – is there for all of the illicit transactions for any an all bent on mayhem.

The Clock is Ticking
Not a second goes by when you, your family or your company aren’t under attack. Your phone, tablet, laptop wi-fi network and even your smart appliances — if it’s on a network, somebody wants access.

It starts with phishing, where legitimate-looking emails asking for account confirmation can open up hell for those that click “continue.” Malware can embed itself into any device, providing all sorts of tracking or other data. And hackers also know social engineering can get you to willingly click on a link with disaster at the ready.

Article can be read in full here: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/7-cybersecurity-stocks-buy-defense-192726457.html

If you want to increase the protection for your network, please contact The Computer Company at 800 418 2358
To learn more please go to our website http://www.computercompany.net/Networking_Security.htm

Ransomware Assault Threatens US Healthcare System

October 29th, 2020 by TCC No comments »

FBI warns ransomware assault threatens US healthcare system: At least 5 hospitals have been hit this week.

USA TODAY, Michael James, October 28, 2020

Federal agents warned Wednesday that a major ransomware assault is underway against U.S. hospitals, some of which have already been attacked by a shadowy band of cybercriminals.

Ransomware is an increasing threat to U.S. healthcare and has already cost hospitals tens of millions in recent years. A typical attack encrypts important data — such as patient records and billing information — until the hospital agrees to pay an exorbitant sum for ransom, usually in the form of Bitcoin or other digital currency.

Wednesday’s alert came from a joint federal task force that includes the FBI, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

At least five hospitals were hit with the ransomware attacks this week, the federal agencies said.

“We are experiencing the most significant cyber security threat we’ve ever seen in the United States,” Charles Carmakal, chief technical officer of the cybersecurity firm Mandiant, said in a statement. He’s concerned that the group may deploy malware to hundreds of hospitals over the next few weeks.

Ransomware attempts jumped 50% in the last three months, over the first half of 2020, and hospitals and health care organizations were the hardest hit, according to a study earlier this year by Check Point research.

Typical attacks demand several hundred thousand dollars and some have demanded $5 million or more, the research group concluded. Hospitals are often targeted because criminals know they are more likely to pay than other businesses. That’s because hospitals can’t shut down for long without impacting patient care.
Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FBI warns ransomware assault threatens US healthcare system

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How to Work from Home?

October 27th, 2020 by TCC No comments »

Today many businesses need to “Work from Home” to keep the business running.  Is it time for your business to move to the cloud? Cloud computing increases efficiency, helps improve cash flow and offers many more benefits…

Check out ten of the best below.
By-the-way, any three of the benefits would be enough to convince many businesses to move their business into the cloud. But when you add up all ten? It’s time.

1. Work from home during the Coronavirus

With cloud computing, if you’ve got an internet connection, you and your employees can be at work. And with most serious cloud services offering mobile apps, you’re not restricted by which device you’ve got to hand.

The result? Businesses can offer more flexible working perks to employees so they can enjoy the work-life balance that suits them – without productivity taking a hit. One study reported that 42% of workers would swap a portion of their pay for the ability to telecommute. On average they’d be willing to take a 6% pay

2. Disaster recovery

Businesses of all sizes should be investing in robust disaster recovery, but for smaller businesses that lack the required cash and expertise, this is often more an ideal than the reality. Cloud is now helping more organisations buck that trend. According to Aberdeen Group, small businesses are twice as likely as larger companies to have implemented cloud-based backup and recovery solutions that save time, avoid large up-front investment and roll up third-party expertise as part of the deal.

3. Security

Lost laptops are a billion dollar business problem. And potentially greater than the loss of an expensive piece of kit is the loss of the sensitive data inside it. Cloud computing gives you greater security when this happens. Because your data is stored in the cloud, you can access it no matter what happens to your machine. And you can even remotely wipe data from lost laptops so it doesn’t get into the wrong hands.

4. Capital-expenditure Free

Cloud computing cuts out the high cost of hardware. You simply pay as you go and enjoy a subscription-based model that’s kind to your cash flow. Add to that the ease of setup and management and suddenly your scary, hairy IT project looks at lot friendlier. It’s never been easier to take the first step to cloud adoption.

5. Increased collaboration

When your teams can access, edit and share documents anytime, from anywhere, they’re able to do more together, and do it better. Cloud-based workflow and file sharing apps help them make updates in real time and gives them full visibility of their collaborations.

6. Flexibility

Cloud-based services are ideal for businesses with growing bandwidth demands. If your needs increase it’s easy to scale up your cloud capacity, drawing on the service’s remote servers. Likewise, if you need to scale down again, the flexibility is baked into the service. This level of agility can give businesses using cloud computing a real advantage over competitors – it’s not surprising that CIOs and IT Directors rank ‘operational agility’ as a top driver for cloud adoption.

7. Document control

The more employees and partners collaborate on documents, the greater the need for watertight document control. Before the cloud, workers had to send files back and forth as email attachments to be worked on by one user at a time. Sooner or later – usually sooner – you end up with a mess of conflicting file content, formats and titles.

And as even the smallest companies become more global, the scope for complication rises. According to one study, “73% of knowledge workers collaborate with people in different time zones and regions at least monthly”.

When you make the move to cloud computing, all files are stored centrally and everyone sees one version of the truth. Greater visibility means improved collaboration, which ultimately means better work and a healthier bottom line. If you’re still relying on the old way, it could be time to try something a little more streamlined.

8. Automatic software updates

The beauty of cloud computing is that the servers are off-premise, out of sight and out of your hair. Suppliers take care of them for you and roll out regular software updates – including security updates – so you don’t have to worry about wasting time maintaining the system yourself. Leaving you free to focus on the things that matter, like growing your business.

9. Competitiveness

Wish there was a simple step you could take to become more competitive? Moving to the cloud gives access to enterprise-class technology, for everyone. It also allows smaller businesses to act faster than big, established competitors. Pay-as-you-go service and cloud business applications mean small outfits can run with the big boys, and disrupt the market, while remaining lean and nimble. David now packs a Goliath-sized punch.

10. Environmentally friendly

While the above points spell out the benefits of cloud computing for your business, moving to the cloud isn’t an entirely selfish act. The environment gets a little love too. When your cloud needs fluctuate, your server capacity scales up and down to fit. So you only use the energy you need and you don’t leave over sized carbon footprints. This is something close to our hearts at Salesforce, where we try our best to create sustainable solutions with minimal environmental impact.

Not moved to the cloud yet?

Any three of the above benefits would be enough to convince many businesses to move their business into the cloud. But when you add up all ten? It’s time.

 

(this article was re-posted from: Salesforce UK)

Coronavirus – Update from The Computer Company

March 18th, 2020 by TCC No comments »

As the COVID-19 epidemic continues to evolve, The Computer Company, Inc. has a comprehensive plan in place to ensure the highest level of security, uptime, resiliency, and availability to protect our clients. Being able to respond quickly to rapidly evolving situations like this epidemic while maintaining uninterrupted service is part of The Computer Company’s Business Continuity program and a big part of our commitment to you and all our customers.

How our Business Continuity Helps You

Keeping our operations running is critical to both you and us. Given our mobility culture, our work from home practices is already part of our normal business operations. We currently leverage secure internal messaging (Microsoft Teams), secure connections (VPN), and other tools to deliver uninterrupted remote work for all employees. The benefit to you is our employees, regardless of function, seniority, or geography can work remotely as the need arises without any disruption of quality in their service for all The Computer Company’s clients.

Our Employee Health and Safety is for Everyone

As we continue to monitor the COVID-19 epidemic, company wide communication has and will continue to be sent to all to remind everyone of the need to maintain a high level of health and hygiene at all office locations. The Computer Company’s offices are stocked with sanitation supplies, and we encourage the idea that “if you are sick, stay home.” As of March 16, 2020, most of our employees are planning on or already working from home.

We will continue to evaluate and adapt as new information comes in.

Questions? Call and consult with us anytime.

Thank you,
Matthew Hasson
Vice-president
The Computer Company, Inc.

 

 

Is the Desktop PC on the Road to Oblivion?

November 5th, 2019 by TCC No comments »

The PC’s past and Intel’s future

The leading purveyor of PC chips doesn’t really think a lot about the desktop anymore.

Is the desktop PC on the road to oblivion? Well, let’s put it this way: it’s hardly an Intel priority anymore.

Yeah, desktops will still be around in 2020, but it’s not something Intel — which makes most PC processors — thinks about a lot.

Shipment forecast of laptops, desktop PCs and tablets worldwide from 2010 to 2023 (in million units)

see:  https://www.statista.com/statistics/272595/global-shipments-forecast-for-tablets-laptops-and-desktop-pcs/

Survival in the age of the big-screen smartphone and tablet is what Intel thinks about.

Read full Article by Brooke Crothers at CNET.com

Tips for Small Businesses on Taking a Leap with Tech

July 17th, 2019 by TCC No comments »

If you’re putting off investing in technology that could enhance your practices, the time has come to reconsider.  These days, there are tools available within every small business owner’s budget, and frankly, doing without will eventually catch up with you.  Either you’ll lose out to your competition because you can’t keep up, or you’ll experience a data loss that takes things to a grinding halt – and perhaps undoes your company completely.  Read on for practical solutions that keep you relevant, secure, and thriving.

Why you need a data loss prevention program

If you never experienced a data breach, thank your lucky stars.  As CPO Magazine explains, hackers are hungrily targeting small businesses these days, stealing personal data like bank account information, credit card numbers, and email addresses.  This can leave you with a heap of trouble.  Not only could it ruin your day, it could ruin your company.  Some statistics indicate 60 percent of small businesses close within 6 months of a cyberattack.  Even if it doesn’t put you under, it’s lost income, with data breach costs coming in between $84,000 and $148,000.

This is where a data loss prevention program, or DLP, comes in.  Basically, DLP is establishing protocol and tools for managing your sensitive data to prevent loss.  In the event there is a breach, it guides how you’ll respond to minimize damage.  Not only can DLP help keep your company viable, it can equate to adhering with government regulations.

If you don’t have a cybersecurity expert on staff, it’s important to research your options and get a program in place.  Think of it as an investment to not only keep you current and compliant, but also protect your company from failure.  To learn more, you can read through this guide from Digital Guardian.

How to streamline productivity

Keeping your small business safe from hackers is just the tip of the iceberg.  When it comes to projects within your team, technology can take productivity, organization, and communication to the next level.  With that in mind, consider adding task management tools to your small business’s repertoire.

Task management tools are online project management platforms that allow you to assign work, track time, set deadlines, and so forth, from whatever device you choose.  There is everything from drag-and-drop capability, to snapshots of team members’ progress from anywhere, and at any time.  It means reducing meeting agendas and shortening turnaround time, so you can ultimately take on more clients and raise your bottom line.

Rethink marketing strategies

Marketing changed dramatically in the last decade.  As explained by The Guardian, the effectiveness of print advertising is eroding tremendously and being replaced by digital marketing strategies.  You should carefully examine how you’re conducting customer outreach and how you can expand sales.  By going digital, you can expand your options, boost engagement, and lift brand recognition.

One of the more effective digital marketing options for small businesses is email.  While nobody with a significant customer base has time to type up a note to each customer individually, there are email marketing services that can do this on your behalf.  They can even target specific segments of your subscriber list, then tailor content to appeal to their needs, tracking and adjusting what is opened so recipients stay interested in what you’re offering.

Social media is another digital marketing option worthy of your exploration.  Beyond basic posts from your business page, you can delve into advertising to specific demographics, customize posts, and sort responses, ensuring you’re catching followers’ attention instead of being dropped to the bottom of their newsfeed.  It means staying relevant, eye catching, and ultimately boosting sales.

Investing in technology is no longer a luxury for small business owners.  DLP, task management tools, and digital marketing options are keys to your ongoing success.  Make sure you invest in a few appropriate services and tools, before your company is left behind.

Article Contributed by
Gloria Martinez

 

7 Steps for creating an Email Campaign

March 27th, 2019 by TCC No comments »

Every email your business sends has the potential to build relationships and boost sales.

Emanager has created a guide that breaks down seven components of an email. With this handy information, you’ll be on your way to creating successful email campaigns in no time with Emanager.

1. From label

We start with the “from” label. Everyone pays attention to where an email comes from, it’s the first thing a person sees when they scan their inbox. Since this is such an important piece of inbox real estate, you want to make sure that the from label matches your company name, or whoever your recipient signed up to hear from when they subscribed to your list.

2. Subject line

When an email lands in your inbox, you decide whether or not you’re going to open it in a matter of seconds, right? The main thing you base your decision on is the subject line. Your customers do the same. This is why subject lines are so important. The subject line has one goal… Catch interest so they open the email! Keep it short. Don’t overuse punctuation (i.e. !!!) or symbols. Don’t use all caps. The subject MUST be interesting.

3. Pre-header

The pre-header is like a subject line’s sidekick. It’s the first line of text in your email. Some email programs, like Gmail or mobile phones, include the pre-header after the subject line so the reader can get a little more information before opening the email. See the grey text after the subject line? That’s the pre-header it’s another way to grab attention. Whether it’s displayed next to the subject line or not, that first sentence in your email is vital. You want customers to keep reading. Try to write something that builds on the subject line and tells readers exactly what the email is about.

4. Content

Now it’s time to get to the meat of your email marketing: content. The message that you create should provide value to your customer. Teach them about your business, offer a promotional deal, or keep them informed about new products or services. Whatever your goal is, make sure the content is succinct and informative. To set your emails apart from the rest, make a commitment to quality. Create content your customers want to read and then keep it coming. You want your customers to look forward to your emails. Importantly, every email should be error-free. You don’t want to sink your credibility with an email that’s riddled with misspellings and grammatical errors. You’ll also want to vary the kind of content you send. You can’t fill your customers’ inbox with dozens of promotional emails. If you try to sell too hard, you’ll push customers away. Offer an array of content. It helps the company build a relationship with customers. From product tips to a company newsletter, the name of the content game is diversity.

5. Call to action

The point of every email is to get subscribers to take some kind of action. Whether you want them to make a purchase or take an online survey, a clear call to action makes it easy for the recipient to follow through. When you’re creating an email, ask yourself, “What do I want the recipient to do?” If the answer is to make a purchase, you could include a “Shop Now” button in the email. If you want customers to take a survey, you would include a link that takes the recipient directly to the questionnaire. The main thing to remember when creating the call to action is that it should be clear. We’re talking blatantly obvious. Take a look at this email. The call to action is easy to identify. Recipients click on the “Shop now” button, which takes them directly to the online retail mecca in seconds. One of the best ways to create a clear call to action is to use a clickable button.

Tips to creating a strong call to action:

Keep it short: A call to action should be no more than five words; most are only two words. You want something that’s simple and effective. Use active language: You want customers to act now, not two days from now. Use active words to get your customers moving. Phrases like “Purchase now” or “Try our new service today” are good examples. Create a sense of urgency: Give customers a reason to act now. For instance, put a limited time frame on deals so customers won’t wait.

6. Images

There’s an old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, and it especially holds true in email marketing. Using an image in an email is a great way to appeal to your customer’s visual nature. One of the easiest ways to incorporate images is to highlight your product or service. This email wouldn’t be nearly as effective without the pictures of the product. The images give customers an idea of what the new product looks like. It’s invaluable information for customers and gives them a reason to shop. If you’re trying to market something that isn’t product-related, such as a service, you have to think outside the box. For instance, think about whom your product or service helps and try to use an image that relates. The image complements the text. That should be your goal.

7. Social media buttons

Don’t forget to include social media buttons in your email. You want your customers to engage with your brand as much as possible, so make it easy for them to check out your feeds. Place the Facebook, Twitter and YouTube options near the bottom of your email.

 

Our Emanager software program does more than improve the functionality of your website; we will set you up for marketing success on the web and this includes email marketing.

 

 

 

 

Mobile is Growing.

February 8th, 2019 by TCC No comments »

Mobile Statistics You Need to Know About.

The World Has Gone Mobile. In the United States, of the 260 million adults, 88% have a mobile phone, and roughly half have a tablet.

Mobile phones offer one option to drive sales and conversions. One of the mobile commerce trends that is creating a whole new stream of revenue is tablet users. In the United States, mobile commerce sales on tablets will to grow to $77 billion by 2019. The great thing about sales on tablets is the fact that there is more real estate to work with, giving brands the opportunity to go draw customers into immersive, engaging experiences.

Mobile Coupons

Over 105 million adults in the US used mobile coupons in 2016. This is a clear sign that whether it’s through SMS or push, mobile engagement drives sales directly. With the spread of mobile wallets on Android and iOS continuing to grow, sales on smartphones and tablets will continue to grow.

Important Mobile Commerce and Engagement Statistics You Need to Know About.

  • 75% of Americans bring their phones or tablets to the bathroom.
  • 80% of shoppers admit that they’re more likely to purchase from and interact with a brand that offers an engaging mobile experience (Source: Huffington Post)
  • 78% of small businesses attract new customers through social media (Source: Relevanza)
  • 62% of shoppers search for deals digitally for at least half of their shopping trips (Source:GMA/Booz & Company Shopper Survey)
  • 55% of US Internet users will redeem a digital coupon or code at least once per year (Source: Digital Marketer)
  • 80 percent of mobile users prefer locally relevant advertising and 75 percent are more likely to take an action after seeing a location-specific message (Source: Mobile Audience Insights Report from JiWire)
  • Mobile app store revenues worldwide are projected to grow to US $76.5 billion in 2017 (Source: CMO Council)
  • 44% of consumers say that they would like brands to deliver deals and coupons to their mobile devices (Source: CMO Council)
  • More than 33.3 million U.S. consumers already engage in shopping-related activities on their mobile phones, 7%, or 2.3 million, of those consumers have made a purchase on their devices, the report finds (Source: Experian Simmons, Mobile Consumer Report)
  • 87% of millennials always have their smartphone at their side, day and night.
  • 78% of millennials spend over 2 hours a day using their smartphones.
  • 68% of millennials consider their smartphone to be a personal device (Source: CMO Council)
  • 46 percent of consumers have used their phone to get product information while in a store (Source: Briabe Media)
  • 75% of heavy mobile users said mobile search makes their lives easier, 63% said access to mobile search has changed the way they gather information, and 32% said they use mobile search more than search engines on their computers (Source: Performics Mobile Search Insights Study, conducted by ROI Research)
  • 69% of retail executives said mobile is an important strategic initiative (Source: NRF)
  • 79% of smartphone users found it useful to download mobile coupons to their phones (Source: Accenture, reported by Internet Retailer)
  • 73% of consumers find it useful to receive an instant coupon as they pass by an item in a store (Source: Accenture, reported by Internet Retailer)
  • 73% of shoppers with smartphones prefer to reference their mobile device while in-store rather than ask a sales associate for help (Source: Accenture, reported by Internet Retailer)
  • 62% of consumers use their smartphones to search for a store location or directions (Source: IDC Survey)
  • 40% search for price and product information (Source: IDC Survey)
  • 38% check the status of an order, and, while in store (Source: IDC Survey)
  • 32% browse product reviews (Source: IDC Survey)

So what’s the point?

There is not turning back. To stay competitive we all need to keep moving into the future.

Social Media…For Your Business?

October 19th, 2017 by eManagerSite No comments »

The answer is YES.

Using social media outlets can literally open up your company to a whole new corner of the market.

Forming a good connection with your customers will guarantee that customers come back and continue to be satisfied with what your company offers.

The Setting? A girl from college had tweeted last semester that she wished there was something besides coffee that could allow her to stay up all night and study for her final exams.

So then what happened? Red Bull happened to see her tweet soon after and offer her samples of their new products.

Results? When I heard about this from a friend, I was immediately impressed by Red Bull and was curious to see if their new line of drinks could help me focus and concentrate better too. I’m sure the girl from college also thought very positively of Red Bull being so proactive in advertising their product in a very human way.

Why should you listen? People will have opportunities to learn about your business that may never have happened other-wise. people who already know about you could become more loyal. Every social media word you create and send out into the world can open a door leading back to your site. And finally, people like doing business with other people; not with companies.

Points to consider:

  • Like Red Bull, your interactions with customers online has to be personal. The tweets, Instagram photos, or Facebook statuses have to be able bring about an effect on your followers, friends, and fans. Make their heart ache a little by showing a sweet photo of a father and son, just in time for Father’s Day.
  • See what’s trending online and post something about them. These posts will get a bit more attention than usual, so cash in!
  • Promote your company – just try to be as creative as possible. A lot of promotions and advertisements are thinking quite literally outside the side ad boxes on popular websites. It is not only big companies like Red Bull doing this. Notable celebrities like Taylor Swift and Rihanna are always posting on social media outlets, interacting with their fans in this way, and continuously promoting their image. Take a page from their book and do the same for your business.
  • So be consistent with when you post on social media. Don’t post every day for a week and then stop for the next two weeks. Interact with customers and potential partners-be proactive like Red Bull! And stick to your brand!
  • It’s also a good idea to assign only one or two employees to update content on social media outlets. That way the updates will most likely stay focus and consistent with the company brand. And like anything else practice makes perfect so letting one or two employees practice, they should become “Social Media Gurus” in no time!

Keep in mind that every one of these social media platforms are different. Some content on one platform might work great, on another platform they can fall flat. One idea; Check out other businesses that are similar to yours and see what works for them.