Start using these six Gmail tips now
Twenty-four hours seem to pass by in the blink of an eye, especially if you’re a small business owner. In order to stand a chance against the competition, the last thing you should do is bury yourself in a pile of endless emails. With the following Gmail tips and tricks, you’ll spend less time with your inbox and more time driving business growth. Undo Send We’ve all had an email or two we wish we could take back. Gmail has a neat feature that gives you a short period of time to recall a mistakenly sent message. Simply click the Undo link that appears to the right of the “Your message has been sent” notification. Canned Responses Dubbed as “email for the truly lazy,” Canned Responses is a new feature that allows you to save time and reuse an email that you designate as a Canned Response. Similar to an email template, it saves copious amounts of time since you won’t have to retype the same responses over and over again. It comes in handy for businesses that send plenty of routine emails. To do this, go to Settings, open the Advanced tab, and enable Canned Responses (Templates). Send large attachments with Google Drive With Gmail, users can easily send attachments up to 25 MB. But say you have a huge zip file for a photo shoot that a client wants to review — you’re going to need more space. If you use Google Drive with your Google account, you can send larger files in Gmail. Copy the large file to your Google Drive, then click Compose in Gmail and type your message. When you’re ready to attach the large file, click the Google Drive icon (next to the emoji icon that looks like a smiling face). Insert the files you want to attach and send your message. Turn on Priority Inbox Priority Inbox organizes your messages by their importance using machine learning. You’ll be able to divide your inbox into five sections, where the messages will be displayed in the following order: Important and unread messages Starred messages [Customizable section] [Customizable section] Everything else To enable Priority Inbox, hover your mouse over the Inbox button in the upper left corner of the screen until a dropdown arrow appears. Click on it, and choose Priority Inbox. Back up your messages If you ever need to back up or migrate your Gmail messages, Gmvault can help. It’s an open source solution that can back up your entire Gmail directory or just a handful of messages. The email data is then available whenever you need to restore or recreate your Gmail folders. You can also use it to migrate messages from one account to another. Enable advanced settings Configuring Gmail’s Advanced Settings is an excellent way to increase email efficiency. Some of these features include Multiple Inboxes, Preview Pane, and custom keyboard shortcuts. Access them by going to Settings and clicking on the Advanced tab. Spending the right amount of time with emails while managing other crucial business areas is a balancing act many business owners find difficult. If you have questions or need further assistance regarding Gmail or IT in general, feel free to contact us. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
3 ways to browse the net safely at work
Amidst the current climate of malware, hacks, and phishing scams, the internet really isn’t safe for any company that doesn’t take precautions. Without safeguards, browsers that you or your employees use are vulnerable to cyber attacks that may cripple productivity and profit. There are wise steps that every company should take to browse the net safely. Data stored on desktops, servers and in the cloud, doesn’t make it safe. If anything, it makes it available to anyone who has the desire and capabilities to hack into your system and cause mayhem for your business operations. One thing you should be doing to protect your data – and your company – is to make use of privacy-protecting browser extensions. Depending on the nature of your business, both you and your employees are likely to be online at least some, if not all, of the working day. What are some of the browser extensions that can make the experience more secure? Prevent browser tracking If you don’t like the idea of a third party (reputable or otherwise) being able to track your browsing habits, try installing a tool for private browsing. These programs offer protection against tracking by blocking third-party cookies as well as malware. Some extensions also boast secure Wi-Fi and bandwidth optimization and can guard against tracking and data collection from social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook or Google+. Blocking adverts While online ads may seem harmless, the truth is they can contain scripts and widgets that send your data back to a third party. A decent ad blocking program will block banner, rollover and pop-up ads, and also prevent you from inadvertently visiting a site that may contain malware. Many blockers contain additional features such as the ability to disable cookies and scripts used by third-parties on a site, the option to block specific items, and even options to ‘clean up’ Facebook, and hide YouTube comments. The major blockers work with Google Chrome, Safari, and Firefox and you’ll be able to find everything from user-friendly solutions to more advanced tools that are customizable down to the tiniest degree. Consider installing a VPN Unfortunately, browser tracking, malware, and adware are not the only internet nasties that you need to be concerned about. but the good news is that there a number of other extensions that you can download to really get a grip on your online safety. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is something else to consider. VPNs encrypt your internet traffic, effectively shutting out anyone who may be trying to see what you’re doing. Commonly used in countries where the internet is heavily censored by the powers that be, a VPN allows for private browsing as well as enabling users to access blocked sites – in China’s case that’s anything from blogs criticizing the government to Facebook and Instagram. There are hundreds of VPNs on the market so do a little research and find one that suits you best. Finally, it goes without saying that having anti-virus and anti-malware software installed on your PC, tablet, and even your smartphone is crucial if you want to ensure your online safety. Is browsing at your workplace secure? Would you like a more comprehensive security system for your business? We can tell you all about it and help your business protect itself from online threats. Get in touch with us today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Simple tips to increase cloud affordability
Moving to the cloud can save you a considerable amount of money, which explains its rise in popularity over the years. What many business owners fail to realize is that some cloud services come with hidden costs. And while they might seem insignificant at first, they can add up to a staggering amount if left unchecked. Minimize your cloud expenditures with these five tips: No standalones Cloud services come in various shapes and sizes, many of which are standalone platforms with rates that increase over time. Opt for a service provider that offers a suite of products that all work together. They are often less expensive than a group of standalone products. Another benefit of working with a cloud provider is that you receive a single point of contact to resolve your issues quickly and effectively. Experience matters If you plan on integrating a standalone cloud service into your system, make sure you hire an experienced integration consultant to facilitate a smooth transition. Integration mishaps can cause serious downtime and cost a lot of money. Backups are important Unnecessary or inefficient backups will waste cloud storage space. Examine your cloud storage data by asking the following questions: How many versions of this data do I need to store long-term? The more versions you store, the more it costs. What regulatory demands do I need to meet? Some data may need to be accessible for up to three years, whereas other data can be deleted after 30 days. How quickly do I need to access my backups? If it can wait for a day or two, archive that data to a less expensive service or offline at the provider’s data center. Remove users Many cloud service providers charge by the number of users in your system. By neglecting to manage the list of users, you could end up paying for people who no longer work for you. Implement processes that remove users when they are terminated and consider scheduling a regular audit. Ideally, this should be once every six months to a year, to ensure your cloud user list is up-to-date. Monitor proactively Ask your cloud provider whether they can proactively monitor your account and notify you of potential issues before they cause problems. This is especially important if you have a pay-as-you-go license that charges based on resource or storage consumption. Utilizing the right technology resources is vital to your business’s success, and so is knowing how to prevent them from racking up an overwhelming monthly bill. If you wish to enjoy all the benefits of cloud computing without breaking the bank, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Web conversion made easy with 5 tips
Are there surefire ways to attract prospects to your website and to convince them to sign up for your product or service? The first step is always to make your website easy to use. Read on for 5 tips that improve user experiences, site trustworthiness and conversion rates. Make it mobile-friendly More people are now surfing the web on the go – via smartphones, tablets, and laptops. If you want a piece of this traffic, you need to make your website’s design responsive to all mobile devices. To give your visitors an enjoyable mobile experience, make sure your website design fits the screen of any device. Additionally, all elements of your website – pages, resources, actions, and so on – should be easily accessible. If not, visitors will get frustrated and click away to a competitor. And who can blame them? You’d probably do the same. Make it easy for customers to contact you This means displaying your phone number in the upper-right corner of every page and providing a simple, easy-to-find contact form. While some people prefer not to give up their email address for fear it will be picked off by spambots, it can serve as another contact option for those who hate web forms. Ideally, you will provide more than one way for your customers to contact you. Give your visitors a choice, make it easy, and they will come. Keep it simple Have you started to notice a theme here? Proper web design can be summed up in one word: easy. People are always busy. They don’t have time to navigate a complicated website, dig through dozens of pages to find a contact number, or try and figure out what it is that you’re selling because your mobile site doesn’t display content properly. So when it comes to design, simplicity makes sense. When producing a simple website, every page, word, and image you create must have a singular purpose: to get visitors to contact you. Don’t waste time distracting them with excessive information, silly games, or flashy animations. Instead, have a nice clean layout so they can understand what you’re offering quickly and can contact you with a click. Include personal photos whenever possible Say you have to choose between two different websites. They both sell the same thing and look virtually the same. The key difference is that one uses real photos of the owner and his or her staff, while the other uses generic stock images of business people. Assuming images from both sites are of the same quality, which one will you more likely choose? Undoubtedly, the one that looks the most authentic. So next time you have to choose between stock images and shooting photos of you and your staff, invest some time and money in quality pictures taken at a studio – it’ll be worth every penny. Move social media icons to the bottom of the page Everyone loves throwing social media icons on their websites, and it’s not a bad idea to show your credibility. However, if you put these at the top of the page, your visitor is more likely to click on them immediately. Sounds cool, right? Wrong. When this happens, you just created an exit for them to leave your site and never return – and we all know how easy it is to get distracted on social media. Instead, place your social media icons at the bottom of the page or in the footer area. Remember the goal of your website is to convert. If your visitors leave before they get a chance to explore your services, content, and offerings, you’ve lost them before you even had them. Need a website or another solution to enhance your digital presence? Give us a call and leverage our IT expertise for your business. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Which web browser is perfect for you?
The battle of the web browsers has raged on for years. While the classic rivalry between Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer has long passed, we are now facing a broader field of competition. There are currently four web browsers competing for space in your hard drive, and we’ve drawn up this list of their advantages and disadvantages to help you choose. Google Chrome By just about any metric, Google Chrome has been the browser of choice for most internet users over the last couple years. It’s easy to use and its graphics interface has a low profile. However, if you want to customize Chrome with extensions and apps, there are more than enough options. The bottom line is: this is the best browser for users who spend a lot of time in G-Suite documents, or want the security benefits of frequent patches and updates. Apple Safari We might as well start off with the one, glaring drawback of Safari: It’s available only to Apple users. However, if you are working on a macOS or iOS device, Safari has a lot going for it. Ad blocking is built right into the browser, as well as RSS support for aggregating lots of information in one place. And because tabs can be automatically synced across all your Apple devices, we highly recommend Safari for anyone in a Mac environment. Microsoft Edge Note that Edge is a different browser than Internet Explorer. The latter still exists, but we’ve decided to skip it for various reasons. Although Edge works only on Windows 10 systems, it has two things going for it. First, Microsoft has announced a feature that will incorporate virtualization into Edge to quarantine downloads for testing before they’re opened on your computer. Second, the Windows 10 browser comes with some fantastic Office 365 integration. We highly recommend Edge for users working in a business enterprise environment. Opera We’ve saved the most controversial for last. The Opera browser isn’t one of the most popular browsers around, but it does deserve consideration. Although it requires more customization and under-the-hood-work than its competitors, its privacy settings are unmatched. With a built-in virtual private network feature and some of the most robust ad blocking on the market, Opera is a great way to take a break from cookies and targeted advertisements. Choosing a web browser may seem like such an inconsequential thing, but just think about the rate of cloud adoption. If you plan on utilizing more software-as-a-service solutions in the coming years, one tiny feature in a browser could make all the difference. Contact us today about planning your cloud deployment over the coming years. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Hybrid clouds make SMBs more flexible
Cloud computing has become an indispensable component in business IT because it’s cost-effective, flexible, and secure. Thanks to hybrid cloud solutions, organizations have access to even more agile computing resources. Hybrid clouds are a combination of private and public clouds. In the former, data and applications that require tighter controls are hosted either internally or privately in an offsite facility. Public clouds are managed externally by third-party providers with the express purpose of reducing a company’s IT infrastructure. A recent study indicates that 75% of companies have adopted hybrid cloud solutions, mainly because of their numerous benefits. Here are the four most significant advantages of moving to a hybrid cloud environment. Adaptability Having the ability to choose between on-site/privately-hosted cloud servers and public ones let you pair the right IT solution with the right job. For example, you can use the private cloud to store sensitive files, while utilizing more robust computing resources from the public cloud to run resource-intensive applications. Scalability The hybrid cloud allows you to “scale up” or “scale down” computing resources on an as-needed basis. So if there are last-minute computing demands that your hardware can’t support, or if you’re planning for future expansion, hybrid cloud solutions allow for on-demand increases or decreases in capacity. Cost efficiency Does your business struggle to meet seasonal demands? With a hybrid cloud solution, you’ll be able to easily handle spikes in demand by migrating data from insufficient on-premise servers to scalable, pay-as-you-go cloud servers whenever needed, without incurring extra hardware and maintenance costs. Security Last but not least are the security advantages of a hybrid cloud solution. You can host sensitive data such as an e-commerce details or an HR platform within the private cloud, where it will be protected by your security systems and kept under close watch. Meanwhile, routine forms and documents can be stored in the public cloud and protected by a trusted third-party. Here’s how SMBs can set up a hybrid cloud model based on their requirements and the providers available to them: By employing one specialized cloud provider who offers comprehensive hybrid solutions By integrating the services of a private cloud provider with those of a separate public cloud provider By hosting a private cloud themselves and then incorporating a public cloud service into their infrastructure Our experts can help you transition to a hybrid cloud solution without interruption and without the huge costs. Contact us today to learn more about the benefits that a hybrid cloud can bring to your business. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
What you need to know about e-commerce & AI
Many business owners are looking to artificial intelligence (AI, or “machine learning”) for its potential to improve communications with their customers. It is predicted that by 2020, 85% of all interactions will originate from machine learning “bots.” If you operate an e-commerce business and are wondering how you can benefit from bots, you’re in luck. We’ve compiled a few of the most important reasons to adopt AI for e-commerce. Predicting what your customers want There are many ways AI can benefit businesses and consumers. For example, machine learning algorithms can identify customers’ habits and their interests, simply based on their search histories. Properly configured, AI can analyze customers’ shopping behaviors to customize the online experience based on a variety of factors like browsing pattern and purchase history. Product recommendations, pairings, and promotions can also be targeted to individuals, improving the customer experience and your bottom line. More intuitive product recommendations Machine learning is also great for cataloging products. In the past, businesses would send out cumbersome product catalogs that made it difficult for customers to find what they were looking for. In the near future, customers will be able to upload photographs of clothing that’s similar to what they want to purchase. Through AI, a website will be able to analyze the photographs and create a catalog of suggestions based on the uploaded image. Customers can still talk to a “representative” With advances in “plain language” systems, more and more users will rely on e-commerce over face-to-face sales interactions. Machine learning is getting better at interpreting conversations, and answering with natural-sounding responses. If the choice is either searching “Blue summer dress,” or “Billowy summer dress in a warm blue color,” which do you think would make customers’ shopping experience better? By replicating the in-person shopping experience over the internet, businesses can shift away from brick and mortar overheads to an e-commerce-centered structure. They will realize significant savings on capital expenditures and human resource investment, as well as reduce costly human errors. If you’re ready to begin integrating more “machine learning” into your business model, we already have the means to make that happen. Contact us as soon as you’re ready to transform your e-commerce business into a money-making powerhouse! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Work productively with Chrome extensions
Well over half of all surveyed internet users utilize Google’s Chrome web browser, and it’s not difficult to see why. The ability to customize your browser via third party apps, extensions, and more makes web surfing a truly personalized experience. Keep on reading to discover the most practical extensions to enhance productivity. Taco The first on our list is the Taco extension that focuses on integration to boost productivity. It works by replacing Chrome’s ‘new tab’ page with a customizable framework for all of your third-party services. With various templates and layouts, you can organize and combine tasks and notes from over 40 services including Evernote, Google, Salesforce, Trello, and more. Any time you’re about to start a new project, simply open a new tab to search for the app you need. But before you hit that ‘Google Search’ button, drag the task item into your ‘doing’ lane and off you go. Once you’re done with work and need to check on the status of your home team’s game, simply open a new tab, move the task to your finished lane, and check the score. Strict Workflow Strict Workflow is based on the renowned Pomodoro productivity approach. It’s a time management technique that lets you focus on your task at hand and eliminates any distraction by having you block non-work related websites during your 25 minute work time and unblock it on your appointed 5-minute break. OneTab A lot of us open tabs as notes, reminders, and things to check again some time in the distant future, which is why you’ll love OneTab. It’s ideal for work days when you find a stack of tabs sandwiched along the top of your screen, which can cripple your available memory. This extension allows you to condense all of your open tabs into one page that lists each of them for easy access when you’re ready to return to them. JustRead When it’s time to slow down your browsing and read the most recent election article or a recipe you want to try, the page is often cluttered with social sharing buttons, advertisements and stock photos. With the JustRead extension, all of this gets cleared away with the press of a button, leaving you with a clean, text-only page. These are just some of our favorite extensions. If you’d like more suggestions or support for anything Google related, we’re here for you — don’t hesitate to call. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
4 misconceptions about the Cloud
Cloud computing has proven to be a cost-effective necessity for small businesses. However, there are still many owners who remain misinformed about the intricacies of cloud solutions. Here are some common misconceptions you should stop believing about the cloud. #1. Cloud infrastructures are unsecure Information security is a necessity for every business. And the most prevalent misconception about the cloud is the idea that cloud services lack appropriate security measures to keep data safe from intruders. Most users also think that the data stored in the cloud can be easily accessed by anyone, from anywhere, and at any time. But the truth is it’s actually more secure for small businesses to use cloud services. Small companies usually can’t afford to hire an IT department let alone train them to deal with online security threats. Cloud providers, on the other hand, offer services such as multi-layered security systems and antivirus protection that not only specialize in keeping infrastructures safe from hackers but are available at a price that is much lower than you would pay for in-house IT staff. Additionally, large cloud-based services such as G Suite and Office 365 are supported by an infrastructure that constantly installs updates and patches, which helps manage security breaches. This frees you from the burden of installing the updates yourself and managing the overall security of your system. Users should understand that no company is completely safe from security threats regardless of their IT infrastructure. But data is likely to be more secure in the hands of cloud providers as they are the most prepared and qualified to protect your digital property. #2. The cloud lacks proper encryption Most people misunderstand how encryption is implemented to keep your data safe. For example, encryption is generally used for data in transition, where data is protected from anyone seeing it as it travels from one internet address to another. But encryption can also be applied to data at rest, where data is encrypted on a storage drive. With this in mind, you should understand what types of encryption your business and its data require. When it comes to choosing the right cloud service, it is best to inform yourself about the security measures that a cloud infrastructure implements and look at how it can protect your company’s digital property. #3. With the cloud you are no longer responsible for data security While cloud security is important, protecting data ultimately rests on the users who have access to it. Misplacing unlocked mobile devices can leave your data vulnerable and compromise your entire cloud infrastructure. This is why we recommend strong verification mechanisms in place for devices that are used to access the cloud. #4. The cloud is never faulty Like many IT services, cloud-based services are not immune to technical difficulties. For example, some cloud businesses have suffered outages and server failures which corrupted files and may have lost data in the process. Hacking is another reason why some cloud services fail. Using a less than optimal cloud service that is vulnerable to attacks can lead to stolen or deleted data, which would be near impossible to recover if you did not have any offline backups. Before signing up for any type of cloud service, clarify with its provider what is guaranteed. Most cloud providers make promises about a service’s uptime or its safety from provider-related breaches. Security is truly one of the biggest barriers to the adoption of cloud computing in a small business. But as cloud services expand and encryption technologies advance, cloud adoption is increasingly becoming the most cost-effective solution to meet the small business owner’s IT demands. Contact us today to learn how your business can take advantage of all the cloud has to offer. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
How consumer habits changed the web
The average web user’s attention span gets shorter every day. People don’t want to spend hours sifting through a website to find the information they need; they want it as soon as the page loads. To keep up with the times businesses have drastically changed how they develop their websites. Bite-sized content While there are several elements that make an effective website, the most successful ones offer ‘snackable’ content. These are bite-sized chunks of information that give visitors everything they need to decide whether a website is worth their time. Microsoft’s homepage, for instance, gets straight to the point, promoting each of their services with one line of text and links to more details. Besides accommodating short attention spans, concise content is easier to share on social media and increases brand awareness. The point is, if you’re working on your website, make sure you’re not overloading visitors with walls of text. You can expand on products and services on separate pages, but even those need to be broken up into digestible segments. Loading time How fast a page loads is a crucial part of a website’s user experience. If it takes over three seconds to load, users will click away and go to a more responsive site. This is why modern websites optimize their content for speed and responsiveness. High-resolution photos and videos slow down a website, especially if users are on mobile devices and networks. One way around this is by implementing mobile-friendly image formats that are quick and easy to load. Another popular solution among website producers is Google AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages). This solution creates a stripped-down, mobile-optimized version of websites so images and videos render quickly. Personalization Today’s internet users also want tailor-made experiences whenever they visit a site. They want the website to know what they’re looking for ahead of time so they don’t have to spend time digging for the information they need. Websites like Netflix, for example, use analytics to recommend movies and television shows a user might like based on their viewing history. While most businesses don’t have access to the same resources as Netflix, they can utilize Google Analytics to understand the people visiting their website and use the insights to customize the content accordingly. Some websites even ask what visitors are looking for to direct them to pages where the content is customized to their needs. If you want to increase customer engagement and page visits, make sure you’re doing all these things with your website. Web trends can also change at any moment, so stay tuned to our blog to know about the latest developments. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.