Know this – you’re not the only one feeling challenged by Facebook marketing these days. It can be incredibly hard for brands to really make an impact when news feeds are increasingly crowded. Some reports even say that brands are bypassing Facebook altogether, opting to post more content on Instagram. But don’t give up just yet; in order to make an impact on Facebook, you just need to pay attention to trends, figuring out which tactics will work best and how you can get your content to wider audiences. Here are a few tips to try out when you’re looking to beef up your Facebook marketing. Post videos! The best strategy for Facebook marketing at the moment is videos. With autoplay, videos start playing automatically once they’re scrolled past on a newsfeeds – drawing viewers in and making them more likely to actually watch. Remember: make it short, to-the-point, and have a clear call to action. Also keep in mind that posting a video directly to Facebook tends to get better results than linking to other websites like YouTube. Share quote photos This may seem insignificant, but it will help bring views and potentially many more likes to your page, meaning your content will now naturally reach a wider audience whenever you post. People love inspirational quotes, especially motivational ones, and they tend to share them for others on Facebook. Make use of your CTA button Facebook has introduced a huge tool for businesses – the call-to-action button makes engaging your audience easier than ever. Currently there are a number of CTA options you can choose from including: Book Now, Use App, Contact Us, Shop Now, Sign Up, Watch Video or Play Game. Zero In On Key Topics BuzzSumo is a great tool for learning what topics to focus on when using Facebook for marketing. It allows you to plug in keywords and view content from over the past several months that has performed the best across social networks. You can actually filter directly by your subject and topics to figure out what’s resonating with your audience. Post more often! Another easy tactic is to simply keep on posting – do it more often than you’re used to. Overall interactions with your page will increase the more you post. Pay attention to Trending Topics Facebook has recently incorporated a Trending Topics section, which like Twitter can attract wide audiences to a post related to trending subjects. If you can connect your marketing to some Trending Topics, you’ll get your content out to new readers. Look at negative feedback Aside from what you’re doing right, look into what you can improve. Facebook Insights offers up four kinds of negative feedback – Hide Post, Hide all Posts, Report Page as Spam and Unlike Page. You can view them as raw numbers and study where and why they’re hit most often. You may discover patterns that help guide where you go next. 3D Ads and Innovation This is an interesting and innovate new marketing technique for Facebook – on St Patrick’s Day, Jameson promoted its whiskey with the first ever 3D video Facebook ad. The autoplay function certainly helped it grab a lot of attention. Keeping up with new techniques and trends is a great way to stay on top of your marketing game. Cinemagraphs Still photographs that incorporate subtle, looping videos are called cinemagraphs – and they could be the new best attention-grabber on Facebook thanks to autoplay. Many companies are trying them out now and experiencing success, so if you want to get ahead of a new booming trend, now is your chance. Focusing on the right areas will mean increasing your views and getting readers to pay attention to your content. To get more helpful business and IT tips get in touch with {company} at {email} or by phone at {phone}.
When it comes to cybersecurity, your last line of defense is your password. Don’t make it easy on the bad guys to infiltrate your world. Learn how to shore up your online presence It happens with all-too-shocking regularity: passwords being cracked and sensitive data exposed to prying eyes, and sometimes, at a staggering cost. Whether it’s a social network, your email account, or (God forbid) your business’s bank account or server, your password represents your last line of defense against your online enemies: cybercriminals. Strong passwords will help keep your business and data safe. A complex password is critical to protecting yourself, your business, and your digital data. It’s not uncommon to pick a short, simple password for multiple log-ins but you’re only aiding and abetting cybercrooks by doing so. When you have a password that is short (only a few characters long), and one that contains the same patterns, or words found in the dictionary, it’s far too easy to crack. Taking these types of shortcuts provides little protection against hackers. Ideally, you should be using a password that is more than 16 characters long and includes digits, symbols, and letters. Furthermore, you should change that password every three months, and especially if the site or system you’re logging into doesn’t provide two-step verification. How To Establish a Strong Password There are many things to consider when it comes determining what comprises a strong versus weak password. Here are several points worth contemplating: Don’t be predictable. Make your password next to impossible to guess. If you friend, colleague, or significant other can successfully guess what one of your passwords are you’re not trying hard enough Use many different types of characters, including uppercase and lowercase alphabetic characters, numbers, and symbols Use a different password for each system or website. They should all be unique and never shared Never pick a word from the dictionary – hacking applications cycle through dictionary words to try and guess your password The use of a mnemonic device — a coded word made from the first letter of each word in a phrase, for example, ACwmfT1Lo3wiaP, mixed with numbers, special symbols or both in place of certain alphabet characters — can go a long way toward creating a formidable password. Similarly, passwords made from a few unrelated words spelled phonetically (for instance, “suttleuooseaffauxnetix” represents “subtle use of phonetics”) are difficult to guess, but easy to remember. Nonsense phrases that paint an unforgettable mental image can also work well. Regularly Scheduled Computer Maintenance Think of protecting yourself and your business online as something that requires regularly scheduled attention and maintenance. Applying the latest patches for your operating system and applications close known security holes. Having the most up-to-date antivirus software and anti-malware software is also essential. As a business owner, you need to verify your current technology partner or in-house staff is keeping these key items current. If they don’t, you owe it to your business to find a partner that will. Passwords Are Only One Piece of the Digital Protection Puzzle Gaining access to your digital systems should be as challenging for hackers as trying to solve a 10,000 piece jigsaw puzzle while blindfolded. A password is just a tiny corner or edge piece of the puzzle, and more protection should be in place to protect you. In addition to password protection, there are dozens of additional precautions that can be used to further protect your digital systems, including two-step, or multi-factor, authentication, encryption, and single-use, or one-time passwords. Digital Protection Starts With Effective Passwords Getting hacked can severely impact your life and business. But abiding by smart password protection measures with all of your digital systems can help reduce the risk. Take time to develop a cybersecurity plan that works for you and your business. Ensure you properly train your customers and employees to help them understand and identify what role they play in your organization’s overall security posture. What are you waiting for? Go change your passwords now! And if you want to take your company’s online security to the next level, get in touch. We can augment your online security with our best practices, tactics, and technologies that will help keep you and your business safe. Want to learn more about our vulnerability and risk assessment services? Hammett Technologies is a leader in protecting and securing business networks. Our certified, experienced staff knows what’s required to keep you in business and the bad guys at bay. Call us at (443) 216-9999 or email us at info@hammett-tech.com.
Are You Planning Anything Special On April 22? Earth day is just around the corner! Is your IT team doing all they can to give you the best service while also helping the environment? It’s easier than you think. On Wednesday, April 22 the world celebrates Earth day – a time to reflect on what we’re doing to help preserve our beautiful planet. When you’re choosing an IT team, are you choosing one that’s effective, budget-friendly, and environmentally conscious? We know what many other IT service companies don’t know. There are several courses of action that will not only help to improve your business and increase productivity, but also show conscious effort to help keep our Earth clean. So, what is {company} doing to help out both your business and our earth this year? Replace Aging Technology Old, outdated hardware needs constant care, upkeep and attention. Those systems consume more power than advanced, newer designs, which are created to save power and reduce your output. Not only will getting you updated allow your business to work with the latest technology – streamlining work and improving output – but you’ll also reduce the costs of maintenance and your eco footprint while doing so. Prepare Conscious Arrangements If you’re replacing your desktop systems, it’s important that you have your IT team take care of it to ensure your data is safely removed and that hard disks are properly wiped and destroyed if necessary. We’ll make arrangements with local electronic recyclers to make sure that your systems are properly recycled – or, rather than just trashing your machines, we also prep systems for donation to non-profits, schools, or resale to your staff if they’re in adequate shape. Every little thing counts – let us handle any boxes from your new hardware so we can ensure they’re properly recycled. Make an impact this Earth Day! Choosing the right IT service team can also mean helping out the environment – this Earth Day, we’ll be providing efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solutions. Let us clear up your clutter – literally and figuratively. To get set up with the best IT solutions that will benefit both your business and our environment, contact {company} at {email} or by phone at {phone}.
Don’t Let YOUR Company Fall Victim to Cryptolocker: The Data-Stealing Virus That Can Easily Cause Over $30,000 Damage! A lot of computer viruses hide inside your systems and go undetected – they’ll be practically invisible until it’s too late. Hackers operate quietly, stealthily, and under the radar to wreak havoc on unsuspecting victims: Stealing sensitive data Slowing network speed/performance Causing unexpected computer crashes And more In the recent months, a new type of attack has become relevant, and if unprotected, can cost your business hundreds, if not thousands of dollars to recover from the data loss, reputational damage, and time wasted unproductively. This new threat is known as ransomware. Just last week, someone who’s not a client called our office concerned because they were unable to open any files, including important financial data. Payroll was due and the person on the phone started to panic! I gathered a few members of the team and ran out to meet up with them… Cryptolocker Strikes Again: Yet Another Unsuspecting Victim’s Files Locked Down & Unable to be Accessed! When we diagnosed the problem, we discovered they were hit with cryptolocker, a fairly recent ransomware infection floating around – infecting hundreds of thousands of victims. They couldn’t understand how the infection happened, so we started digging. Our investigation found someone opened an email that looked legit. We started questioning the victim and found an email from ‘PayPal.’ My tech asked them if they opened the email. “It has the exact background of PayPal,” the user said, “and it said, somebody paid you money.” The employee clicked the link, and out popped a red alert that took up most of the screen. It was a threat: Pay ransom to an anonymous hacker, or all the files in the company network will be locked up with a digital key that’s so strong, no one can open them ever again! The threat came with a countdown clock. They had 72 hours and, as he tried to find solutions, the cyber thieves were slipping into every company computer — starting with victim no. 1 and ending in the company’s servers. “Our database was encrypted, and we were pretty much stuck, we lost everything we had built for 14 years!” This company had to pay to decrypt the files. Yes, you can pay and it will actually fix the problem. After that, we sat down to talk about what happened and how they could have avoided this completely. We noticed a trend with this client: Not a single machine ran the same type or version of antivirus. A dozen machines didn’t have updated antivirus Another 4 machines’ anti-virus programs expired and they never renewed it. NONE of the machines had critical Windows/software security patches applied. The email hosting company they used didn’t block 100% of email viruses or spam. So many things were wrong; I couldn’t understand how they ran so long without this type of issue happening before today. Bottom line: having a company who actually cares about your data and keeps your company from threats like this WILL save you money. Not only did they pay for three days for multiple team members to repair this issue, they also had to pay the ransomware hacker who wouldn’t release the key until done. Take into consideration they also lost 3 days of employee productivity, this one incident cost the company over 30,000 dollars! Once we explained to the client that Hammett Technologies could not only provide them a FULL IT department with 24/7 monitoring and helpdesk support, but also our complete security process and a FULL team of IT professionals for half that cost per year, they quickly worked with us and signed a multiyear deal. I’m happy to say that NONE of Hammett Technologies’ fully managed clients have had to deal with this threat. If something did sneak through, our solutions allow for clients to recover without paying the ransomware vendors. In short, we have you covered. Come experience what a full technology partner provides to small businesses like yours! Hammett Technologies takes care of your IT so you can concentrate on your business. Call us at {phone} or send us an email: {email}.
This is the future. Cloud computing is incredibly convenient and has a ton of potential advantages when you use it. You can access information stored on the cloud from anywhere you have an Internet connection and so can your friends and family. Simple as that – no more having to remember to carry around flash drives or wasting your time e-mailing attachments. The cloud will also reduce the amount of money your business spends on infrastructure. That’s putting more money in your pocket where it belongs. Using a cloud service does have one severe drawback, though: There are very legitimate, and potentially very damaging, security holes in the cloud. Hackers are out to THREATEN you and steal your valuable information. When you do not have full control of the network then you do not have full control of the information PERIOD. If you neglect cloud security the misuse or deletion of information can include identity theft and data duplication. Don’t let hackers get away with it – protect yourself! Here’s what you can do: Use a Two-Step Verification System Identity thieves start by wanting to steal your username. Once they have that they own your information – unless you use a two-step verification system. How? These thieves (and that’s EXACTLY what they are) will just go through every possible combination until they crack your password. This leaves your information vulnerable and defenseless. So what should you do? Get another layer of identification confirmation through a two-step verification code to your mobile device. This can be done through a text or even an app and keeps identity thieves out of your personal business. Choose Wisely When Sending to the Cloud Only send a file to the cloud if you are planning on accessing it remotely or if you plan on sharing that file. And if you send a file to the cloud, put into the documents folder first so you have a backup. Don’t let a sudden network failure float your file into thin air. Encrypt Everything Encryption absolutely must be done for every file you send to the cloud. Keep your data secure! The great thing is that you can leave this step to the experts. {company} is here to help you find the right encryption service to match your needs, so you won’t even notice your information is being encrypted as you send it. Keep your information safe on the cloud, and ensure you won’t have to worry about criminals invading your privacy. {company} is your go-to source for {city} IT security – contact us at {phone} or {email} to find out how to protect yourself from hackers and identity thieves.
Did You Know? Microsoft Is Pulling The Plug On Internet Explorer? That’s Right – Support Ending for Internet Explorer Internet Explorer is how most of us got broken into the internet – it was our first web browser, and anyone who used a computer during the 90s or early 2000s likely used a version of Internet Explorer at one time or another. But security issues and serious bugs have made the browser less and less appealing over time, especially as safer and newer options have been released. With Explorer’s market share now dipping as low as just 11% (while Chrome leads with around 43%) Microsoft has finally pulled the plug. For the first time in years, Explorer won’t be included in the majority of new Windows versions. So what are your alternative options if you’ve remained a die-hard Internet Explorer user? Where Can You Turn? First of all, just because support is ending, it doesn’t mean you absolutely can’t use Explorer anymore – still, you should consider switching to a more modern browsers sooner rather than later. If you install current browsers like Chrome or Firefox, you can import your bookmarks and preferences over from Explorer to make the switch a little easier. With any browsers, ensure you’re working with the latest version so that any old bugs are fixed and vulnerabilities are patched. Microsoft’s Next Web Browser Keep in mind that Microsoft isn’t totally pulling out of the browser game. Over the years, Internet Explorer has become synonymous with security issues, so Microsoft’s best bet was to start over, and they have. Their next browser is currently underway and is set to be called “Project Spartan”, at least for now. We don’t know much about the new browser so far, but Microsoft ensures they’re working to make it free of vulnerabilities and security issues that plagued their last browser for so many of its final years. Don’t let the end of support for Explorer get you down – there are tons of safer (better) options out there, and even more on the way. For more important security and technology news and updates, contact {company} at {email} or by phone at {phone}.
ANOTHER MAJOR MALWARE ALERT TARGETING LOCAL BUSINESS FAKE INVOICE EMAIL CONTAINS DAMAGING PAYLOAD There’s malware going around right now that could have disastrous effects on your business. Reports are coming in about people receiving a fake invoice email containing a ZIP attachment – and not surprisingly, what it contains could be extremely damaging to your entire system. Not only that, but it spreads quickly and uses your contacts to move even further. So what can you keep an eye out for to keep yourself protected? The Scam The email has been going around with the subject ‘Electronic’ – it contains a ZIP attachment with an EXE file that has the icon of an Adobe PDF. Running the EXE is as simple as double-clicking it – and then your system is infected. The truly scary part is what comes next. Not only will clicking on the contents of the email infect your computer, but it gains access to your data and then the email starts to spread with you as the source. The malware gathers everyone from your email program (which likely includes your family, friends and business associates) and sends them the same email. At that rate, the bug will be spreading extremely quickly. Stay Protected Currently most anti-virus engines are not detecting the bug, meaning you need to ensure that your staff is educated about proper online safety that everyone in your office is extremely careful when working online and opening emails. Leaks have been reported through many of the major antispam services and only email services. If you believe you’ve been hit or accidentally opened an infected email, get in touch with your IT support immediately and we’ll take it from there Also – disconnect your computer from the internet to stop the spread of the bug. As your managed IT services company, we take every step to protect your network and your business. Sometimes threats like this can squeak through the best defences. Be on the look out for any suspicious activity and report it immediately to us by calling {phone} or email us at {email}.
IT Security isn’t just about stopping viruses from infecting your systems – it’s about safeguarding your employees and your reputation. That’s why we take it so seriously! In this modern age of cybercrime, you need to know that your IT company is doing everything they can to protect your interests. That’s why Hammett Technologies follows the SimpuSecure 6-Step Security Process – a simple and comprehensive plan for protecting ALL the parts of your business. Call us at {phone} or send us an email: {email}. Protect your Employees Most users infect company networks without knowing what they did. Every company has that one or two employees who think they know what they are doing and hurt more than help. Your employees use computers as a tool to complete tasks that make you profitable, but many also use them as a toy to venture out and hit sites that have nothing to do with your business. Our first step is protecting your employees from themselves: Disabling unneeded access to system configurable items and deploying our web security client on each machine keeps employees safe and stops them from bringing malicious viruses and malware into your network. Protect your computers Antivirus and antimalware software is just part of keeping your computers and servers safe from threats. Most people overlook patching of the operating system and software you use, thinking systems like those won’t leave you vulnerable. The truth is that most Viruses attach your machine through exploits fix via patching. Our skilled team not only monitors virus software and responds when something is found but also ensure all your software and operating system patches are tested and deployed on a regular basis. Protect your Data Are you sure everything’s backed up and safe? Do you complete regular disaster recovery tests to ensure the systems and your data is recoverable? If you still use tapes or a single device to store all your company data in the same location the servers run, your business is at risk. We not only backup your data locally, but also to our off site encrypted and secure data center. We also check and verify the backups complete successfully while providing scheduled disaster recovery tests ensuring your company’s data is safe. Protect your email The number of viruses you receive on a daily basis through email would shock most people. New threats come out every day and sometimes they make it through your email spam and virus filter. In order to help keep your emails safe we developed a multi-engine security platform, putting each email through 4 separate security checks before it even reaches your inbox. Protect your Network The firewall you install is the first device touched by the Internet. Not keeping this device updated with the latest software releases leaves your company open to the world. In addition, most modern firewalls have additional security tools built in that require advanced setup to be effective. You also need someone who can monitor threats and continue to configure and lock out bad guys. Don’t think just having a firewall is keeping your network and systems safe. Managing and monitoring the firewall is key to maintaining security. Continuously improve Security threats change on a daily basis. You need an expert who keeps track of new tactics attackers and hacker use to bring down your company and costs you unnecessary costs. The last thing we want is our clients to be the next VA or Anthem hitting the front page news and losing sensitive data because they ignored security process and policy. We continue to change and adapt to every new cyber threat, forcing us to create new standards and processes to maintain the best possible security. Hammett Technologies helps you realize the true value of your information technology. Call us at {phone} or send us an email: {email}. We’d be happy to discuss your IT needs.
Is Facebook Following You Around The Internet? You may have noticed that you’re being followed – you look at a product once online and then that same product or similar ones pop up in ads on every other site you visit. That’s not a coincidence. You’re being tracked, and most of the times many people don’t even realize it. You wouldn’t allow the government or a private company to put a GPS in your wallet and track the stores and places you visit, so why are you letting Facebook do it? It’s not just Facebook, either. Tons of online companies are members of ad networks. Cookies are placed in your computer through these ad networks, and each time you visit a site, it recognized your cookies and lets the ad network know you were there. Even scarier? Sites are sharing what you do on their pages with other websites to build a database of your likes and dislikes, making it easy for ad networks to send you ads you’re likely to click on. Any website working with advertisers and giving them your info should be worrying to you, but with Facebook it’s even worse. Think about it – you’re already telling them exactly what you’re thinking and what your likes are. Every status update, “like”, news story and photo that you put up gives advertisers more and information about you. In 2013, online tracking and targeted advertising helped Internet advertisers rake in $42.8 billion dollars – last year numbers likely approached or passed $50 million. Of course, you don’t see a penny of this. What you should be concerned about is what happens with your private information and what will happen if hackers ever get a hold of it. What most people don’t know is that you can opt out of this relatively easily. If you don’t want to be tracked, you can inform an ad network and every company that’s part of it will stop accessing your info. Facebook, for example, is part of the Digital Advertising Alliance with 176 other major companies. You can head to the DAA’s website to opt out of “online behavioral advertising.” You’ll get access to a tool that scans your computer to see what companies are customizing ads to you – and if you’ve opted out of any online tracking from them in the past. It’s easy to choose specific companies, like Facebook, where you don’t want to see targeted ads. You can also select “Choose all companies” to get rid of all of them. Opting out won’t necessarily stop these sites from collection information, but it does mean they won’t share it with others. Some companies aren’t part of the DAA, so opting out also won’t change how they track you. One way to do that is to disable third-party cookies in your active browser. To talk more about online security and how to keep your sensitive data safe, contact {company} at {email} or by phone at {phone}.
Do you need IT solutions tailored to your unique, industry-specific needs? When it comes to information technology, every company faces its own set of challenges and requirements. How do you make sure you’re facing those challenges and meeting those requirements? You work with an IT services company that specializes in your industry! Hammett Technologies specializes in providing IT services for manufacturing firms, dental offices, law firms, and educational institutions/learning centers. Call us at {phone} or send us an email at {email}. When you want the IT solutions your company truly needs to succeed, look no further than our team – we specialize in serving: Manufacturing Firms Manufacturing firms rely on information technology to maintain a competitive edge while operating efficiently. Provide support for the CRM and ERP systems used to run your company. Back up all important files and applications to the cloud for recoverability. Mobilize your workforce with cloud solutions for anytime, anywhere access. Dental Offices Dental offices have complex technology needs associated with security, compliance, and more – we can help. Safeguard the privacy and confidentiality of all protected health information. Provide around-the-clock monitoring to detect and eliminate issues/threats. Secure your network with anti-virus software, firewalls, and much more. Law Firms Law firms require a steady and stable technology foundation to get work done, but you’ve got much better things to do than worry about IT. Keep technology overhead manageable while keeping costs predictable. Protect clients’ confidential records/information with proper safeguards. Ensure anytime, anywhere secure access to files and applications via cloud solutions. Learning Centers Learning centers depend on technology as the future of education – and you need your technology to be reliable. Safeguard network and protect students from malware and inappropriate content. Reduce IT costs with managed services – available at a flat rate monthly fee. Provide onsite or remote support whenever necessary to minimize IT downtime. Hammett Technologies helps you realize the true value of your information technology. Call us at {phone} or send us an email: {email}. We’d be happy to discuss your IT needs.