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}.

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}.

Headlines are like first impressions – you don’t get a second chance to improve on that initial encounter. And if your headline fails to resonate with the viewer and compel them to read the content that follows, they are lost forever. The goal of every headline is to convince the viewer that they need to read the full content. The challenge is how to convey this urgency within the confines of a typical headline. Here are some key thoughts to keep in mind when writing headlines that stand the best chance of turning a surfer into a reader. Know Your Audience It sounds trite, but knowing your what your audience needs is central to crafting an effective headline. In some cases, this will mean triggering an emotional response; or if writing for a scientific audience for instance, making use of the appropriate terminology within the headline will help provide the incentive to get the reader to continue beyond the headline. Consider SEO Impact Search engine algorithms key on headlines when ranking pages. This means front-loading your content with high-value search terms in your headlines is critical for optimizing for search engines. There is a great deal of instruction and guidance available on how to build SEO-friendly content so there is no excuse for not getting this right. Solo Brainstorming The story goes that when composing Mozart could “see” the finished composition in his mind and simply transposed complete, error-free scores in a single draft. Sadly, Whether true or not, there are few writers capable of producing content ready for publishing without going through multiple iterations. It is a good idea to keep all your drafts until you arrive at your finished piece. Often times in an earlier version you may have a thought or phrase that with a little tweaking, works well in the final version. Think of your early drafts as your own personal brainstorming sessions. Testing and Metrics Like any skill, your writing will improve over time and with practice. As such, you need to evaluate the effectiveness of your writing to learn what works well and to target areas in which you can improve. Tools such as Hootsuite and the metrics provided by blog host providers can give you basic traffic and social interaction results. There are also predictive tools that you can use that will attempt to quantify the effectiveness of your content before you publish. The Advanced Marketing Institute has what they call the Emotional Marketing Value Headline Analyzer that calculates the Emotional Marketing Value (EMV) of your headline. By the way, the headline for this article scored 60 on the EMV scale which is in the middle of the top range. Attract the “Right” Viewer There is a difference between attracting any viewer and the right viewer. Padding your traffic numbers is one thing but presumably you are trying to influence, in some way, the behavior of your reader. In other words, you want them to do something as a result of reading your content and your success rate in accomplishing this is the true test of your headline. To winnow out those viewers that are not your target, your headlines must be truthful and representative of the content that follows. Creating a headline that reads “How to Get Free Beer” might generate a lot traffic, but if your goal is to attract subscribers to a daily newsletter on financial market insights, you will likely have a very disappointing conversion rate. Putting It All Together Writing effective headlines is definitely a mash up of art and science and keeping these points in mind when crafting your headlines will help you get your content read. Of course, writing headlines can not be distilled down to just these five points; you will likely add or modify this list to match your specific goals. If reading this has caused you to think about how you can improve your headlines, then this article has accomplished its goal. Need help with getting the right technology for your online marketing?  Contact {company} right away.  We are the trusted IT advisor for many businesses in {city}.  Part of this responsibility is knowing what the right tools are to help your company succeed…we just don’t fix computers.  Call {phone} or email us at {email} today!

There’s breaking news about a dangerous new virus that your business absolutely needs to take notice of. Security researchers at Doctor Web found a bug that can execute a “wide range of destructive actions” on any device it manages to infect. Known as BackDoor.Yebot the malware can basically turn your computer into a zombie server for hackers to carry out their will. The New Risks BackDoor.Yebot allows hackers to get into your computer and use it to hack and infect other devices. It also records your keystrokes, literally anything and everything you type, including passwords, messages and personal information, and sends it back to the hackers. This presents a huge risk when you’re doing online banking or typing private information into websites. There is some good news, though: the only way hackers can get BackDoor.Yebot onto your computer is if you’ve already been infected by a bug. BackDoor.Yebot is spread through another piece of malware. When opened on the targeted computer or device, the bug injects its code into multiple applications and then sends a request to the remote server – it then downloads and decrypts BackDoor.Yebot and hands over control to hackers. Stay Protected To make sure that dangerous viruses like the one that downloads this bug aren’t infecting your computer or system, you need to ensure you’re equipped with the proper anti-virus programs and IT security. Talk to your IT company regularly about your business security – make sure you understand what you’re up against and the solutions they’re providing to keep you protected. Educate your employees about the importance of password protection and exercising caution online with sensitive data. Remember that any device storing business data needs to be protected, not just your PCs – bugs can infect tablets, smartphones and laptops just as easily. For more of the latest breaking security news and to talk more about how we’ll keep your business protected, contact {company} at {email} or by phone at {phone}.

Do You Use The Facebook Messenger App On Your Smartphone? Your Privacy May Be At Risk If You Continue To Run The Facebook Messenger App! When you’re on your PC, Facebook’s messenger app can be incredibly useful – you can talk to friends anywhere in the world instantly, without charges. You can even use the built-in video-calling feature to make it a little more personal… but has the new Messenger App for smartphones crossed the line? Many people seem to think so, while others go on obliviously downloading it without really checking into the privacy controls – do you know what the latest updates to Facebook’s messenger app mean for your privacy? Handing Over Private Information As of late last year, Facebook made it so that users who download the Facebook app onto their phone have to download a separate Messenger app. Messaging is no longer part of the traditional Facebook phone app and now needs to be done through Messenger. You may be asking what the big deal is if you were using the built-in Messenger app anyway. Well, there’s a big difference – privacy. Facebook’s new Messenger app gives them TOTAL visibility of your device and data; it gives Facebook access to your contacts, messages, apps and cameras even when Messenger is closed. Is that something you really want to hand over? When the change first rolled out, many users said they would boycott the apps and get rid of Facebook altogether until they adjusted privacy controls. Some choose to seek out additional apps… oddly enough one of the most popular alternatives, WhatsApp, was recently purchased by Facebook and features virtually identical privacy settings. Jonathan Zdziarski, an author and expert in iOS-related digital forensics and security, did some digging and report the following: Messenger is analyzing and collecting data on more than you’d think – the windows you view, everything you tap and select, application state… basically everything you do. It even gathers data on how much time you’ve spent using the app in the foreground vs. background. With so many analytics running it’s not surprising that Messenger would cause your battery life to noticeably suffer. Do you really feel comfortable handing so much control over to such a huge corporation? How do we know what they’re doing with our data? You always need to be extremely cautious when download apps and accepting their Terms of Use – make sure you’re reading the fine-print or you could be compromising your own privacy. To learn more about security and online safety, contact {company} at {email} or by phone at {phone}.

Have you heard the news about Skype? A lot of information has come out about Windows 10 in the past few months, and this is perhaps one of the most exciting new features being offered. Skype will be built into your communications suite on Windows 10 devices including your PC, laptop, tablet and smartphone. Easier Ways to Stay Connected This should prove to be an extremely useful update because it’s going to seamlessly integrate Skype into messaging, calling and video tools so that you’re not stuck downloading an app that you barely ever use. Staying connected with employees and co-workers will be easier than ever. You can set up meetings and then carry them out with video-calling right from your phone or laptop. Use Any Device Are you not using a Windows phone? Don’t worry; unlike applications such as iMessage, there are no restrictions here. Skype collect your mobile and email address books, so if you’re using an Android, Mac or iPhone, you can still use this feature. Built-In Messaging Once Skype is built into your Windows 10, you’ll be able to send free messages over the internet straight from your taskbar. It doesn’t get any easier or more convenient than that! When using your phone, you can send text messages as well as free skype-to-skype messages. You’ll have the power to choose how to communicate. For more information on the upcoming integration of Skype into Windows 10 and to learn how to fully leverage the technology in your office, contact {company} at {email} or by phone at {phone}.

Tips for Small Business Owners to Help Survive Tax Season It’s no secret that tax time can be extremely stressful, especially for already-busy small business owners. It doesn’t have to be a struggle, though, as long as you’re well informed and prepared. Using some simple tax-planning and saving tips will take the stress out of tax time. On time and Online Don’t ignore filing deadlines! The longer you wait, the higher the penalties. It’s easiest to just do your return online – you can do it whenever it’s most convenient for you, so you’ll be saving yourself time and hassle. Maximize Non-Capital Losses If your expenses exceed your income, consider what would be the best time to use this loss. Non-capital losses can be used to offset other business income in any tax season – they can be carried back three years or carried forward for up to seven years. It might make more sense to carry the loss back up to three years to recover income tax that you already paid, or use it to offset future tax returns. Credits and Deductions Looking for an easy way to boost your tax savings? Take advantage of all eligible tax credits – incorporate any expenses like coffee meetings, dinner expenses, and license and registration fees when you’re filing. Split Your Income You can take advantage of the marginal tax rate disparities by using the income splitting tax strategy. The higher your income is, the higher your marginal tax rate will be. You can transfer a portion of that income to someone such a spouse or child that has a lower income. Track Your Expenses Regularly Are you waiting until the last minute to gather all of your receipts? It’s not a good idea to scramble, because you might miss things or misplace important files. Make it a daily routine to account for everything you’ll need at tax time. Using a designated credit card for work makes it easy to separate and track expenses. For more helpful tips and tricks that your small business can employ to make tax season easier, contact {company} at {email} or by phone at {phone}.