Small Business Week Brings New Products, Tips, Information

national small Business Week announcements

It’s National Small Business Week here in the U.S.  Companies and organizations are sharing products, tips and information with the small business community to help small companies perform better. From new cloud-based services and payroll apps … to tips on using productivity tools, here is some of what’s out there.

Since we can’t write about all of them, we’re sharing short updates:

Radiate Media helps local businesses get found. Radiate Media, a maker of software for local businesses, introduces Radiate360. The company says its platform helps simplify social media for hyper-local businesses. It claims Radiate360 allows local companies to create a mobile-optimized website and promote through mobile, digital and other channels.

Pex Card releases its small business survey. Pex Card, offering expense cards for small businesses, issued the results of its first mid-year small to medium sized businesses survey (PDF). The survey says 78 percent of respondents believe their businesses are doing as well or better than expected halfway through the year.

Intuit introduces Payroll for iPad. The new app from Intuit takes advantage of the larger screen of a tablet for calculations. The app lets you create paychecks for employees and contractors. The technology allows businesses to pay by direct deposit and comply with applicable state and federal regulations.

New troubleshooting introduced for your Web services. This week, IT solutions company Anturis unveiled an enhanced cloud-based monitoring and troubleshooting solution. The company says it helps with Web services and IT infrastructure. Anturis says its solution is created with small and medium sized businesses in mind.

Facebook dishes out details. The social media giant says it is giving page administrators more information via its Insights analytics tool. Among other things, Facebook says new editions to the tool will tell administrators more about the data that makes up the “People Talking About This” and “Virality” metrics.

Microsoft offers free workshops. In recognition of National Small Business Week, some Microsoft retail stores are offering free workshops and demos throughout the week. Microsoft says the services are in support of its Office 365 small business software.

Google offers productivity tools. The Google PR team offers some tips and product suggestions to help with your productivity. Google says using its Priority Inbox helps you separate your important e-mails. The company says Smart Rescheduler, a feature of Google Calendar, helps you book times to meet that work with friends family or colleagues.




Small Business Weeks Brings New Products, Tips, Information

national small Business Week announcements

It’s National Small Business Week here in the U.S.  Companies and organizations are sharing products, tips and information with the small business community to help small companies perform better. From new cloud-based services and payroll apps … to tips on using productivity tools, here is some of what’s out there.

Since we can’t write about all of them, we’re sharing short updates:

Radiate Media helps local businesses get found. Radiate Media, a maker of software for local businesses, introduces Radiate360. The company says its platform helps simplify social media for hyper-local businesses. It claims Radiate360 allows local companies to create a mobile-optimized website and promote through mobile, digital and other channels.

Pex Card releases its small business survey. Pex Card, offering expense cards for small businesses, issued the results of its first mid-year small to medium sized businesses survey (PDF). The survey says 78 percent of respondents believe their businesses are doing as well or better than expected halfway through the year.

Intuit introduces Payroll for iPad. The new app from Intuit takes advantage of the larger screen of a tablet for calculations. The app lets you create paychecks for employees and contractors. The technology allows businesses to pay by direct deposit and comply with applicable state and federal regulations.

New troubleshooting introduced for your Web services. This week, IT solutions company Anturis unveiled an enhanced cloud-based monitoring and troubleshooting solution. The company says it helps with Web services and IT infrastructure. Anturis says its solution is created with small and medium sized businesses in mind.

Facebook dishes out details. The social media giant says it is giving page administrators more information via its Insights analytics tool. Among other things, Facebook says new editions to the tool will tell administrators more about the data that makes up the “People Talking About This” and “Virality” metrics.

Microsoft offers free workshops. In recognition of National Small Business Week, some Microsoft retail stores are offering free workshops and demos throughout the week. Microsoft says the services are in support of its Office 365 small business software.

Google offers productivity tools. The Google PR team offers some tips and product suggestions to help with your productivity. Google says using its Priority Inbox helps you separate your important e-mails. The company says Smart Rescheduler, a feature of Google Calendar, helps you book times to meet that work with friends family or colleagues.




Small Business Weeks Brings New Products, Tips, Information

national small Business Week announcements

It’s National Small Business Week here in the U.S.  Companies and organizations are sharing products, tips and information with the small business community to help small companies perform better. From new cloud-based services and payroll apps … to tips on using productivity tools, here is some of what’s out there.

Since we can’t write about all of them, we’re sharing short updates:

Radiate Media helps local businesses get found. Radiate Media, a maker of software for local businesses, introduces Radiate360. The company says its platform helps simplify social media for hyper-local businesses. It claims Radiate360 allows local companies to create a mobile-optimized website and promote through mobile, digital and other channels.

Pex Card releases its small business survey. Pex Card, offering expense cards for small businesses, issued the results of its first mid-year small to medium sized businesses survey (PDF). The survey says 78 percent of respondents believe their businesses are doing as well or better than expected halfway through the year.

Intuit introduces Payroll for iPad. The new app from Intuit takes advantage of the larger screen of a tablet for calculations. The app lets you create paychecks for employees and contractors. The technology allows businesses to pay by direct deposit and comply with applicable state and federal regulations.

New troubleshooting introduced for your Web services. This week, IT solutions company Anturis unveiled an enhanced cloud-based monitoring and troubleshooting solution. The company says it helps with Web services and IT infrastructure. Anturis says its solution is created with small and medium sized businesses in mind.

Facebook dishes out details. The social media giant says it is giving page administrators more information via its Insights analytics tool. Among other things, Facebook says new editions to the tool will tell administrators more about the data that makes up the “People Talking About This” and “Virality” metrics.

Microsoft offers free workshops. In recognition of National Small Business Week, some Microsoft retail stores are offering free workshops and demos throughout the week. Microsoft says the services are in support of its Office 365 small business software.

Google offers productivity tools. The Google PR team offers some tips and product suggestions to help with your productivity. Google says using its Priority Inbox helps you separate your important e-mails. The company says Smart Rescheduler, a feature of Google Calendar, helps you book times to meet that work with friends family or colleagues.




Is it Possible to Create a Business Startup Right After College?

business startup

Is it a good idea to create a business startup right after college?

Before you ask this question to an entrepreneur or your mentor, you need to find certain answers yourself. Becoming self-employed is a tough task, wherever you are in life.

It is even more difficult to stay afloat once you start. Statistics say that 9 out of 10 new businesses fail within the first 5 years. Not an encouraging figure, but it is not impossible either. You need to possess the right mindset. Let’s take a look at what you need to ask yourself before you start a business after college.

Ask Yourself: What Motivates You to Take Up the Challenge?

If the prospect of self-employment allures you because you think you just need to work for a few hours from a stunning beach sipping on a martini, you are better off being employed by someone else. Let’s take this one step at a time.

Are you motivated by the easy way to get rich premise? If yes, you are in for serious disappointment. The majority of new businesses fail to recover any money invested within a year, let alone make profits. You can only succeed with years of hard work and patience.

Are you motivated by the idea that you need not work for endless hours at an office? Well, a new entrepreneur often needs to put in as much as 10 hours of work every day. True, you can work as per your schedule, but that does not take away the effort you need to put in.

The only way to succeed as a self-employed individual is to make sure that you are willing to solve a problem, need or want of a customer, and do it in a way that beats your competitors. To do this, you need to put in hours of hard work and take care of numerous responsibilities.

Ask Yourself: Do You Love the Idea that Forms the Core of the Business?

A new entrepreneur can attain success; but only when the driving force behind it is love and passion for the business. If you are enthused and excited about the central idea, the chances of your success increase.

Does this mean that anyone who loves haute couture can start off as a fashion designer? It is not that simple. Think about something - have you designed anything for anyone? How well was it received by them? Did it find appreciation among others?

You need to find the ONE thing that fills you with fervor and zeal. Only that idea can work as the core of your new endeavor. It is much easier to start a new business when you can identify your unique selling point.

Ask Yourself: How Do You Plan to Handle the Finances?

Many first-timers start off with the funds they manage to pool in from family and friends. The lack of real experience makes it difficult for them to impress the big investors who find interest only in ‘real’ businesses.

Don’t be disheartened; the Internet gives you the best option to start up a new business right after college and that too at a negligible cost. It just needs to be a service-oriented online business, for the time being.

Another advantage of starting early is that you need not bother about things such as paying off a mortgage or supporting a family. If you are still living with your parents, you can save even more money to invest in the start-up.

If possible, continue to work part-time for someone else while you set up your business. This way you can rely on the amount you earn until your business begins to earn profits. A great thing to do is to work in the same niche in which you have your business.

Ask Yourself: Can You Be a Jack of All Trades and Master Them Too?

There is no secret to success for a new business. If you think that you can earn big and get rich without any effort, you are WRONG. It is possible to succeed only if you are capable of handling the numerous responsibilities that come with your own business.

Remember, it is YOUR business; you will have to be the manager, the marketer, the advertiser, the accountant, the vendor and every other thing, at least initially. There is no way to avoid these responsibilities.

You cannot take on employees, unless you have a huge budget, in a startup. The overhead would be too much for the fledgling endeavor. However, once you start off, you can outsource certain tasks to professionals.

Getting advice and assistance from others can help you focus on the things that matter.

You can create a business startup, not only after college, but wherever you are in life at present. Look at the brothers Shravan (12 years) and Sanjay Kumaran (10 years), the brothers who created mobile phone applications for their company Go Dimensions.

The tech-savvy brothers from India are not yet out of school and they are already making their mark on the business world. At the end, it is the zest and passion you have for the idea and the effort you put in to transform it into reality that matters.




Is it Possible to Create a Business Startup Right After College?

business startup

Is it a good idea to create a business startup right after college?

Before you ask this question to an entrepreneur or your mentor, you need to find certain answers yourself. Becoming self-employed is a tough task, wherever you are in life.

It is even more difficult to stay afloat once you start. Statistics say that 9 out of 10 new businesses fail within the first 5 years. Not an encouraging figure, but it is not impossible either. You need to possess the right mindset. Let’s take a look at what you need to ask yourself before you start a business after college.

Ask Yourself: What Motivates You to Take Up the Challenge?

If the prospect of self-employment allures you because you think you just need to work for a few hours from a stunning beach sipping on a martini, you are better off being employed by someone else. Let’s take this one step at a time.

Are you motivated by the easy way to get rich premise? If yes, you are in for serious disappointment. The majority of new businesses fail to recover any money invested within a year, let alone make profits. You can only succeed with years of hard work and patience.

Are you motivated by the idea that you need not work for endless hours at an office? Well, a new entrepreneur often needs to put in as much as 10 hours of work every day. True, you can work as per your schedule, but that does not take away the effort you need to put in.

The only way to succeed as a self-employed individual is to make sure that you are willing to solve a problem, need or want of a customer, and do it in a way that beats your competitors. To do this, you need to put in hours of hard work and take care of numerous responsibilities.

Ask Yourself: Do You Love the Idea that Forms the Core of the Business?

A new entrepreneur can attain success; but only when the driving force behind it is love and passion for the business. If you are enthused and excited about the central idea, the chances of your success increase.

Does this mean that anyone who loves haute couture can start off as a fashion designer? It is not that simple. Think about something - have you designed anything for anyone? How well was it received by them? Did it find appreciation among others?

You need to find the ONE thing that fills you with fervor and zeal. Only that idea can work as the core of your new endeavor. It is much easier to start a new business when you can identify your unique selling point.

Ask Yourself: How Do You Plan to Handle the Finances?

Many first-timers start off with the funds they manage to pool in from family and friends. The lack of real experience makes it difficult for them to impress the big investors who find interest only in ‘real’ businesses.

Don’t be disheartened; the Internet gives you the best option to start up a new business right after college and that too at a negligible cost. It just needs to be a service-oriented online business, for the time being.

Another advantage of starting early is that you need not bother about things such as paying off a mortgage or supporting a family. If you are still living with your parents, you can save even more money to invest in the start-up.

If possible, continue to work part-time for someone else while you set up your business. This way you can rely on the amount you earn until your business begins to earn profits. A great thing to do is to work in the same niche in which you have your business.

Ask Yourself: Can You Be a Jack of All Trades and Master Them Too?

There is no secret to success for a new business. If you think that you can earn big and get rich without any effort, you are WRONG. It is possible to succeed only if you are capable of handling the numerous responsibilities that come with your own business.

Remember, it is YOUR business; you will have to be the manager, the marketer, the advertiser, the accountant, the vendor and every other thing, at least initially. There is no way to avoid these responsibilities.

You cannot take on employees, unless you have a huge budget, in a startup. The overhead would be too much for the fledgling endeavor. However, once you start off, you can outsource certain tasks to professionals.

Getting advice and assistance from others can help you focus on the things that matter.

You can create a business startup, not only after college, but wherever you are in life at present. Look at the brothers Shravan (12 years) and Sanjay Kumaran (10 years), the brothers who created mobile phone applications for their company Go Dimensions.

The tech-savvy brothers from India are not yet out of school and they are already making their mark on the business world. At the end, it is the zest and passion you have for the idea and the effort you put in to transform it into reality that matters.




RSA Silver Tail improves online fraud detection, enterprise security

RSA, The Security Division of EMC Corp., has issued its first major Web threat prevention software update since the October acquisition of Silver Tail Systems and its flagship online fraud detection system -- now called RSA Silver Tail. The layer 2 technology, designed to track users and prevent malicious activity by capturing and analyzing Web session data, adds functionality in Version 4.0, which enables real-time threat monitoring and big data visualization for e-commerce environments.

Instead of knowing that $10 million was stolen an hour ago, I would rather know that something strange is happening right now.

Dr. Ken Baylor,
research vice president, NSS Labs

The founders of Silver Tail Systems, who launched the company in January 2008, worked for PayPal and eBay. "That experience led to this understanding of the need to look at the difference between criminals and normal users on websites, because as attacks get more complicated, there's a detection problem," said Jason Sloderbeck, RSA's director of product management.

The RSA Silver Tail online fraud detection engine, developed with help from Google, was designed for consumer-based fraud prevention. Today, Silver Tail's customers range from wholesale banking and financial services to large ecommerce sites and the federal government.

In recent years, Silver Tail has added important features for wholesale environments, such as user-based profiling, according to NSS Labs Research Vice President Dr. Ken Baylor, who used Silver Tail's technology when he served as the vice president of security and anti-fraud at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Rather than compare a user's navigation behavior to that of the average customer, or detect anomalies based on click rates -- 3 seconds versus .0004 seconds between clicks, for example -- the online fraud detection engine has evolved to compare current activity to past behavior, Baylor explained. "If you come in from an IP address that I've never seen before or a device that I've never seen before, and you've authenticated okay -- I'm going to have a much harder look at you right now."

Fighting fraud online

RSA Silver Tail 4.0 adds a Streaming Analytics engine that supports click-by-click, in-memory threat scoring for faster detection of suspicious activity on websites. In past releases, Silver Tail provided user and population behavioral analysis on an hourly basis or near real time, tracking more than 330,000 clicks per second on some larger sites, including mobile Web traffic. "Now, we are providing it in real time, up to the click," Sloderbeck said.

Silver Tail has continued to introduce functionality that makes its online fraud detection more applicable to the needs of the market, observed Baylor. "If you think of how fast Web fraud can happen, it can happen in maybe a minute. Instead of knowing that $10 million was stolen an hour ago, I would rather know that something strange is happening right now," he said. "I would like to have the ability to interact with the fraud engine. You might be able to interject into the transaction clause: 'Hey, you are doing something weird. Let us call you back and verify that it is really you.' And they are starting to bring that technology on board now, which is definitely a big change."

RSA Silver Tail sits offline behind the load balancer and looks at a mirror of the HTTP and HTTPS traffic. "We are not just looking at the log entries, we are looking at the actual traffic," Sloderbeck said. "Think of all the information that is exchanged between users and websites; we only need about 5% of that."

Silver Tail's behavioral analysis engine can detect anomalies, business logic abuses, password and authentication issues or "thousands of people moving in concert," which enables banks and ecommerce sites to thwart distributed denial-of-service attacks and other botnet-related activities.

"We actually identify suspicious activity; there is no analytics required per se on the customer's part," Sloderbeck said. In addition to alerts, the system can send IP addresses to a load balancer, for example, and block the activity in real time.

The online fraud detection system also compares the webpage that is sent to users with the webpage that they send back and can detect malware such as the Zeus banking Trojan or man in the middle attacks. "They are good at detecting when an end user's device has been taken over," Baylor said. "And that should be useful when it comes to detecting malware on mobile devices."

Profiling unique users with big data analytics

RSA Silver Tail 4.0 introduces a rebuilt graphical user interface that offers more interactive features, including some big data visualization capabilities. Fraud teams can look at deep, historical profiles of unique users based on archives of potentially months of data, including device fingerprinting, provided the company has the technology, which is not part of Silver Tail.

"It is basically head-and-shoulders better than it used to be," said Baylor. With older versions, you had to learn a special query language if you wanted to capture events: If the user does x and y does that lead to fraudulent activity? "That seems to be gone now," said Baylor. "And you are able to do the whole thing through the graphical user interface."

Silver Tail deployment is far from trivial and it requires knowledge of fraud, information security and Web skills. In less complex deployments, the Web servers feed into Silver Tail and you need to know how Web pages link together and update the system if the page flow changes. While IT security personnel tend to have expertise in networking and servers, Web teams often focus on applications.

RSA Silver Tail's online fraud detection system requires a "mixture of skills up and down the stack," according to Baylor, including experts in fraud detection and how Web fraud works. "But the requirements for data science has actually been eased a lot," he said.

Moving towards enterprise-level security

In October, EMC indicated that Silver Tail's technology would extend RSA's Identity Protection and Verification products. The latest release does not integrate EMC technology, according to Sloderbeck. "We're real excited about all of the platforms that RSA gives us exposure to," he said. "As part of this announcement, we are not announcing any timelines."

Banking regulations and widespread industry practices have largely driven adoption of Web fraud prevention and related technologies, according to Baylor, who expects to see more commonplace usage of this type of security software. Based on regulations, banks and financial services need to calculate a risk score for customers when they log in and then analyze their behavior, especially at the point of transaction. "Silver Tail is starting to move towards that," he said.

A leader in fraud prevention technology, RSA's Adaptive Authentication application calculates a risk score for each user at login, according to Baylor. "But it needs to be upgraded." His observations are echoed in a Gartner research note published in early November around the time of the acquisition:

[M]any Gartner clients that use RSA Adaptive Authentication for fraud prevention have gone elsewhere in the past couple of years to fill gaps in RSA's coverage (while holding on to RSA Adaptive Authentication), most notably to ward off attacks against Web applications from banking Trojans and other "zero-day" threats. Silver Tail should help RSA fill some of those gaps.

Gartner recommends that Silver Tail customers request service-level agreements to ensure an optimum level of customer service. Integration of RSA Adaptive Authentication and Silver Tail alerts into a single dashboard would also benefit customers that use both technologies.

Banks have layers of fraud prevention, sometimes up to 20 different fraud applications, according to Baylor, but enterprise security practitioners need to assess their risk tolerance for Web fraud before considering navigation-centric fraud prevention as a supplementary technology. "It has not been all that helpful in the past," Baylor said. One reason: If you have 25 people doing something on your website, how is that anomalous behavior?

"Overall, if you compare this release to Silver Tail two years ago, it is a much better product that's more applicable to a wider audience," Baylor said, "and I think it has been a good buy for EMC. I think it will give them a path forward. … It is definitely going to have to have some more functionality before it starts moving down market. It is not an everyday enterprise product as [of] yet."




RSA Silver Tail improves online fraud detection, enterprise security

RSA, The Security Division of EMC Corp., has issued its first major Web threat prevention software update since the October acquisition of Silver Tail Systems and its flagship online fraud detection system -- now called RSA Silver Tail. The layer 2 technology, designed to track users and prevent malicious activity by capturing and analyzing Web session data, adds functionality in Version 4.0, which enables real-time threat monitoring and big data visualization for e-commerce environments.

Instead of knowing that $10 million was stolen an hour ago, I would rather know that something strange is happening right now.

Dr. Ken Baylor,
research vice president, NSS Labs

The founders of Silver Tail Systems, who launched the company in January 2008, worked for PayPal and eBay. "That experience led to this understanding of the need to look at the difference between criminals and normal users on websites, because as attacks get more complicated, there's a detection problem," said Jason Sloderbeck, RSA's director of product management.

The RSA Silver Tail online fraud detection engine, developed with help from Google, was designed for consumer-based fraud prevention. Today, Silver Tail's customers range from wholesale banking and financial services to large ecommerce sites and the federal government.

In recent years, Silver Tail has added important features for wholesale environments, such as user-based profiling, according to NSS Labs Research Vice President Dr. Ken Baylor, who used Silver Tail's technology when he served as the vice president of security and anti-fraud at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Rather than compare a user's navigation behavior to that of the average customer, or detect anomalies based on click rates -- 3 seconds versus .0004 seconds between clicks, for example -- the online fraud detection engine has evolved to compare current activity to past behavior, Baylor explained. "If you come in from an IP address that I've never seen before or a device that I've never seen before, and you've authenticated okay -- I'm going to have a much harder look at you right now."

Fighting fraud online

RSA Silver Tail 4.0 adds a Streaming Analytics engine that supports click-by-click, in-memory threat scoring for faster detection of suspicious activity on websites. In past releases, Silver Tail provided user and population behavioral analysis on an hourly basis or near real time, tracking more than 330,000 clicks per second on some larger sites, including mobile Web traffic. "Now, we are providing it in real time, up to the click," Sloderbeck said.

Silver Tail has continued to introduce functionality that makes its online fraud detection more applicable to the needs of the market, observed Baylor. "If you think of how fast Web fraud can happen, it can happen in maybe a minute. Instead of knowing that $10 million was stolen an hour ago, I would rather know that something strange is happening right now," he said. "I would like to have the ability to interact with the fraud engine. You might be able to interject into the transaction clause: 'Hey, you are doing something weird. Let us call you back and verify that it is really you.' And they are starting to bring that technology on board now, which is definitely a big change."

RSA Silver Tail sits offline behind the load balancer and looks at a mirror of the HTTP and HTTPS traffic. "We are not just looking at the log entries, we are looking at the actual traffic," Sloderbeck said. "Think of all the information that is exchanged between users and websites; we only need about 5% of that."

Silver Tail's behavioral analysis engine can detect anomalies, business logic abuses, password and authentication issues or "thousands of people moving in concert," which enables banks and ecommerce sites to thwart distributed denial-of-service attacks and other botnet-related activities.

"We actually identify suspicious activity; there is no analytics required per se on the customer's part," Sloderbeck said. In addition to alerts, the system can send IP addresses to a load balancer, for example, and block the activity in real time.

The online fraud detection system also compares the webpage that is sent to users with the webpage that they send back and can detect malware such as the Zeus banking Trojan or man in the middle attacks. "They are good at detecting when an end user's device has been taken over," Baylor said. "And that should be useful when it comes to detecting malware on mobile devices."

Profiling unique users with big data analytics

RSA Silver Tail 4.0 introduces a rebuilt graphical user interface that offers more interactive features, including some big data visualization capabilities. Fraud teams can look at deep, historical profiles of unique users based on archives of potentially months of data, including device fingerprinting, provided the company has the technology, which is not part of Silver Tail.

"It is basically head-and-shoulders better than it used to be," said Baylor. With older versions, you had to learn a special query language if you wanted to capture events: If the user does x and y does that lead to fraudulent activity? "That seems to be gone now," said Baylor. "And you are able to do the whole thing through the graphical user interface."

Silver Tail deployment is far from trivial and it requires knowledge of fraud, information security and Web skills. In less complex deployments, the Web servers feed into Silver Tail and you need to know how Web pages link together and update the system if the page flow changes. While IT security personnel tend to have expertise in networking and servers, Web teams often focus on applications.

RSA Silver Tail's online fraud detection system requires a "mixture of skills up and down the stack," according to Baylor, including experts in fraud detection and how Web fraud works. "But the requirements for data science has actually been eased a lot," he said.

Moving towards enterprise-level security

In October, EMC indicated that Silver Tail's technology would extend RSA's Identity Protection and Verification products. The latest release does not integrate EMC technology, according to Sloderbeck. "We're real excited about all of the platforms that RSA gives us exposure to," he said. "As part of this announcement, we are not announcing any timelines."

Banking regulations and widespread industry practices have largely driven adoption of Web fraud prevention and related technologies, according to Baylor, who expects to see more commonplace usage of this type of security software. Based on regulations, banks and financial services need to calculate a risk score for customers when they log in and then analyze their behavior, especially at the point of transaction. "Silver Tail is starting to move towards that," he said.

A leader in fraud prevention technology, RSA's Adaptive Authentication application calculates a risk score for each user at login, according to Baylor. "But it needs to be upgraded." His observations are echoed in a Gartner research note published in early November around the time of the acquisition:

[M]any Gartner clients that use RSA Adaptive Authentication for fraud prevention have gone elsewhere in the past couple of years to fill gaps in RSA's coverage (while holding on to RSA Adaptive Authentication), most notably to ward off attacks against Web applications from banking Trojans and other "zero-day" threats. Silver Tail should help RSA fill some of those gaps.

Gartner recommends that Silver Tail customers request service-level agreements to ensure an optimum level of customer service. Integration of RSA Adaptive Authentication and Silver Tail alerts into a single dashboard would also benefit customers that use both technologies.

Banks have layers of fraud prevention, sometimes up to 20 different fraud applications, according to Baylor, but enterprise security practitioners need to assess their risk tolerance for Web fraud before considering navigation-centric fraud prevention as a supplementary technology. "It has not been all that helpful in the past," Baylor said. One reason: If you have 25 people doing something on your website, how is that anomalous behavior?

"Overall, if you compare this release to Silver Tail two years ago, it is a much better product that's more applicable to a wider audience," Baylor said, "and I think it has been a good buy for EMC. I think it will give them a path forward. … It is definitely going to have to have some more functionality before it starts moving down market. It is not an everyday enterprise product as [of] yet."




Four Tips for Small Business Disaster Recovery During Hurricane Season

Most small businesses will never face major destruction due to a natural disaster. But even if your business isn’t in an area prone to tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, or earthquakes, disaster can still strike. Fires, water line breaks, and power outages can happen to anyone without warning, sidelining a small business for hours, days, weeks, or even months. The key to surviving as businesses around you are forced to hang the “Closed” sign for good resides in one simple word: preparedness.

For the summer of 2013, some small businesses are especially susceptible to disaster, as four independent forecast organizations recently predicted this summer will bring an especially active hurricane season. As two pioneers of seasonal hurricane forecasting told The Washington Post in April, experts are expecting 18 named storms, nine hurricanes, and four major hurricanes.

To help businesses prepare, Capital One Small Business has devised four tips to protect your business against disaster.

  • Inform key clients. Before a disaster occurs, create an emergency backup plan, including alternate phone numbers and a temporary location to restore operations during downtime. Make sure you can access contact information for all of your employees and key customers in the event you have to share relocation plans. If an emergency happens, make sure you can update this information on your website, as well.
  • Identify business continuity tools. A thorough disaster recovery plan can ensure your business continues uninterrupted. Your plan should list each critical business function in priority order, along with a timeline detailing how quickly each item must be recovered. Once your preparedness plan is in place, regularly revisit it and share it with your team to ensure it addresses your ever-changing business needs.
  • Prepare to meet emergency cash-flow needs. Emergencies usually aren’t included in a business’s budget. Capital One recommends building an emergency fund into your business’s budget, as well as keeping enough cash on hand to meet immediate needs in a disaster. To ensure purchasing remains uninterrupted, consider issuing business credit cards to key personnel to continue operations during an emergency.
  • Plan to work remotely. Capital One Small Business notes that because some disasters can create significant downtime, each small business should have a plan for working offsite during a disaster. Today, many workers can be up and running the next day in their own homes, but if you own a retail location, this may mean temporarily relocating your entire shop to an unaffected area of town.

Lastly, consider Cloud solutions to many of your day-to-day operations. Choosing software that can be accessed from workers’ smartphones, tablets, or home PCs can help increase the chances of continuing operations uninterrupted. By storing files offsite at a trusted, safe data center, your data will be accessible when you’re ready to use it.

Capital One Small Business provides cash-back and rewards-based credit cards to small businesses. Through its website, the small business division of Capital One also offers educational resources and low-cost 401(k) plans to help small business owners manage operations.



Four Tips for Small Business Disaster Recovery During Hurricane Season

Most small businesses will never face major destruction due to a natural disaster. But even if your business isn’t in an area prone to tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, or earthquakes, disaster can still strike. Fires, water line breaks, and power outages can happen to anyone without warning, sidelining a small business for hours, days, weeks, or even months. The key to surviving as businesses around you are forced to hang the “Closed” sign for good resides in one simple word: preparedness.

For the summer of 2013, some small businesses are especially susceptible to disaster, as four independent forecast organizations recently predicted this summer will bring an especially active hurricane season. As two pioneers of seasonal hurricane forecasting told The Washington Post in April, experts are expecting 18 named storms, nine hurricanes, and four major hurricanes.

To help businesses prepare, Capital One Small Business has devised four tips to protect your business against disaster.

  • Inform key clients. Before a disaster occurs, create an emergency backup plan, including alternate phone numbers and a temporary location to restore operations during downtime. Make sure you can access contact information for all of your employees and key customers in the event you have to share relocation plans. If an emergency happens, make sure you can update this information on your website, as well.
  • Identify business continuity tools. A thorough disaster recovery plan can ensure your business continues uninterrupted. Your plan should list each critical business function in priority order, along with a timeline detailing how quickly each item must be recovered. Once your preparedness plan is in place, regularly revisit it and share it with your team to ensure it addresses your ever-changing business needs.
  • Prepare to meet emergency cash-flow needs. Emergencies usually aren’t included in a business’s budget. Capital One recommends building an emergency fund into your business’s budget, as well as keeping enough cash on hand to meet immediate needs in a disaster. To ensure purchasing remains uninterrupted, consider issuing business credit cards to key personnel to continue operations during an emergency.
  • Plan to work remotely. Capital One Small Business notes that because some disasters can create significant downtime, each small business should have a plan for working offsite during a disaster. Today, many workers can be up and running the next day in their own homes, but if you own a retail location, this may mean temporarily relocating your entire shop to an unaffected area of town.

Lastly, consider Cloud solutions to many of your day-to-day operations. Choosing software that can be accessed from workers’ smartphones, tablets, or home PCs can help increase the chances of continuing operations uninterrupted. By storing files offsite at a trusted, safe data center, your data will be accessible when you’re ready to use it.

Capital One Small Business provides cash-back and rewards-based credit cards to small businesses. Through its website, the small business division of Capital One also offers educational resources and low-cost 401(k) plans to help small business owners manage operations.



McAfee Hires Former Apple Executive to Oversee Small Business Market

Bill-Reilly_McAfee (1)When suffering a cyber attack, small businesses lack the resources of a larger company and face different challenges. In acknowledgement of this, global software security company McAfee has created a new senior vice president position to be in charge of the small and medium size business market.

On Monday, McAfee announced filling that position with former Apple executive Bill Rielly, pictured here.  ”McAfee is building upon its experience protecting larger enterprises and establishing a dedicated team focused on protecting SMBs,” wrote Carly Listman, McAfee PR Manager, in an e-mail response to Small Business Trends about the position.

We’ve reported before on how small businesses face an increasing threat from cyber criminals.

A disproportionately high number of small firms are already the focus of cyber attacks, McAfee explained in a prepared release announcing Rielly’s appointment. These companies are also the least able to recover from the resulting damages once a data breach has taken place.

For example, in 2011 more than 75 percent of data breaches targeted small to medium sized companies, says a 2012 report (PDF) from the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA).

While larger companies are generally better able to bounce back from such attacks, a 2011 report suggests (PDF) 60 percent of small businesses end up closing their doors within half a year of a breach occurring.

Rielly comes to McAfee from Apple where he served as leader of the SMB division for the Apple Online Store. He seems to have been chosen primarily for his experience with marketing to small and medium sized businesses and with managing global brands, rather than for any specific knowledge about online security issues.

Michael DeCesare, president of McAfee, pointed to Reilly’s results in marketing to SMBs as a key reason for his appointment, noting he has had, “phenomenal success in taking some of the most notable brands in the industry and expanding their share of the SMB market worldwide.”

McAfee is a wholly owned subsidiary of Intel Corporation, a multinational maker of semiconductor chips headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif.

Image: Businesswire




Savvy Businesses Say Yes to Mobile

using smartphones

It’s exciting to see small businesses jumping on the mobile revolution.  I think it’s more noticeable with small businesses, because we’ve been conditioned to expect “old style” low tech ways of conducting business from smaller vendors.  But today that’s simply no longer true.

Small businesses have the advantage of being nimble. We’re able to jump on opportunities and technology solutions that it would take larger businesses more time to implement. In some ways, smaller businesses are leading the way with mobile activity. And so we are seeing some innovative and inexpensive ways of using mobile devices out of the office.

If you’re looking for ways to develop or extend a competitive advantage, consider using smartphones (and their bigger cousins, tablets) to gain an edge.  To get your creative juices flowing, here are 7 ways that small businesses are using smartphones while out of the office:

Accepting mobile payments - A consultant who has just published a book; a landscaper who gives an estimate for spring cleanup and mulching; and a crafter attending an outdoor crafts fair - what do they have in common? All are using a mobile payment swipe device attached to their smartphones to process credit card payments.  Your funds get automatically swept into your bank account.  Add the ability to print a receipt right there, and you’ll really save time.

More responsive service calls - It’s the classic small business dilemma:  your business is growing, and your field service crew is small.  If you have to schedule a crew while in the field, do they have access to work orders and other details?  Will they have access to driving directions?  A good navigation system integrated with your back office systems to make sure crews have the right information, can save money. There’s less wasted time, and less phone time verbally explaining job details.

Tracking deliveries in the field - A local distributor of specialty foods needs to track exactly where shipments stand - verifying they were made, what was delivered, when and where.  And have a record of it for the company and for customers. A software solution tied to barcoding that tracks variances and issues an accurate invoice on delivery avoids follow-up calls - all enabled from smartphones â€" can make sure you get paid faster.

Demonstrating before and after pictures - Providers of homeowner services have gotten smart about using before and after photographs of home improvement projects.  The old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” holds new meaning when you are meeting with a provider for an estimate , and you see before and after pictures right there on a smartphone or better yet, a tablet.   In the past, service  providers had to rely on printing out expensive brochures.  It is much easier to make a sale when your prospect can see the quality of your work.

Tracking timecards and distance/time - How exactly do you track the hours worked by  your remote workers, such as construction crews?  Construction companies and contractors have adopted wireless apps that track time and attendance, verified by GPS, to make the process efficient.  You get better recordkeeping, payroll can be more accurate, and your compliance is easier.  Oh, and you save money, too, through eliminating manual work and wasteful errors.

Traveling light: have smartphone and tablet, will travel - For knowledge workers who fly on business, lugging around pounds of gear such as a large laptop, a variety of cords and charging devices, a briefcase and more, is literally a pain. The whole package can approach 10 pounds.  That 10 pounds of gear may not sound like a lot, but it can feel like a hundred by the time you get to your destination. And for security purposes you don’t want to check items like that.  Savvy business people have learned to travel light, with a smartphone alone or combined with a lightweight tablet for short trips.  It takes mobility to a whole new level, and it keeps employees happy and productive.

Using smartphones for processing orders and work flow -  Some of the most savvy small businesses have integrated smartphones into their work flow.  For instance, one painting contractor told me he closes 20% more business by generating professional looking estimates and invoices on the spot at the customer’s home, after taking measurements and showing paint samples.   It’s all because he has forms available on a tablet that can be configured, finalized and printed on a mobile printer.  In other words, he increased his business by being innovative with technology.

These are just some examples of small businesses using technology for an edge. How do you use smartphones and tablets?

Smartphone Photo via Shutterstock




Savvy Businesses Say Yes to Mobile

using smartphones

It’s exciting to see small businesses jumping on the mobile revolution.  I think it’s more noticeable with small businesses, because we’ve been conditioned to expect “old style” low tech ways of conducting business from smaller vendors.  But today that’s simply no longer true.

Small businesses have the advantage of being nimble. We’re able to jump on opportunities and technology solutions that it would take larger businesses more time to implement. In some ways, smaller businesses are leading the way with mobile activity. And so we are seeing some innovative and inexpensive ways of using mobile devices out of the office.

If you’re looking for ways to develop or extend a competitive advantage, consider using smartphones (and their bigger cousins, tablets) to gain an edge.  To get your creative juices flowing, here are 7 ways that small businesses are using smartphones while out of the office:

Accepting mobile payments - A consultant who has just published a book; a landscaper who gives an estimate for spring cleanup and mulching; and a crafter attending an outdoor crafts fair - what do they have in common? All are using a mobile payment swipe device attached to their smartphones to process credit card payments.  Your funds get automatically swept into your bank account.  Add the ability to print a receipt right there, and you’ll really save time.

More responsive service calls - It’s the classic small business dilemma:  your business is growing, and your field service crew is small.  If you have to schedule a crew while in the field, do they have access to work orders and other details?  Will they have access to driving directions?  A good navigation system integrated with your back office systems to make sure crews have the right information, can save money. There’s less wasted time, and less phone time verbally explaining job details.

Tracking deliveries in the field - A local distributor of specialty foods needs to track exactly where shipments stand - verifying they were made, what was delivered, when and where.  And have a record of it for the company and for customers. A software solution tied to barcoding that tracks variances and issues an accurate invoice on delivery avoids follow-up calls - all enabled from smartphones â€" can make sure you get paid faster.

Demonstrating before and after pictures - Providers of homeowner services have gotten smart about using before and after photographs of home improvement projects.  The old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” holds new meaning when you are meeting with a provider for an estimate , and you see before and after pictures right there on a smartphone or better yet, a tablet.   In the past, service  providers had to rely on printing out expensive brochures.  It is much easier to make a sale when your prospect can see the quality of your work.

Tracking timecards and distance/time - How exactly do you track the hours worked by  your remote workers, such as construction crews?  Construction companies and contractors have adopted wireless apps that track time and attendance, verified by GPS, to make the process efficient.  You get better recordkeeping, payroll can be more accurate, and your compliance is easier.  Oh, and you save money, too, through eliminating manual work and wasteful errors.

Traveling light: have smartphone and tablet, will travel - For knowledge workers who fly on business, lugging around pounds of gear such as a large laptop, a variety of cords and charging devices, a briefcase and more, is literally a pain. The whole package can approach 10 pounds.  That 10 pounds of gear may not sound like a lot, but it can feel like a hundred by the time you get to your destination. And for security purposes you don’t want to check items like that.  Savvy business people have learned to travel light, with a smartphone alone or combined with a lightweight tablet for short trips.  It takes mobility to a whole new level, and it keeps employees happy and productive.

Using smartphones for processing orders and work flow -  Some of the most savvy small businesses have integrated smartphones into their work flow.  For instance, one painting contractor told me he closes 20% more business by generating professional looking estimates and invoices on the spot at the customer’s home, after taking measurements and showing paint samples.   It’s all because he has forms available on a tablet that can be configured, finalized and printed on a mobile printer.  In other words, he increased his business by being innovative with technology.

These are just some examples of small businesses using technology for an edge. How do you use smartphones and tablets?

Smartphone Photo via Shutterstock




Are You Capturing Referral Business? Start-Up Referlia Wants To Ensure You Do!

We all know that starting and running a small business is not an easy adventure. With so many different tasks and areas of the business to focus on each day, many of us are simply trying to keep our heads above water, all while wondering ‘Isn’t there an easier way’?

Well, when it comes to selling your product or service, the most qualified leads for your business don’t come from cold calling or that email blast you just sent out to hundreds of potential customers. The most qualified, and best qualified, leads come from building a strong referral business and using your current customers as your best sales tool and advocates.

Referral marketing reduces sales expenses and shortens the sales cycle. It helps you to build a better level of satisfied customers and a cycle of self-perpetuating referrals from those new happy customers. According to Tom Hopkins, author of ‘Sales Prospecting for Dummies’, your closing ratio for non-qualified leads is 10 percent versus a 60 percent close ratio with referred leads.

Is this possibly that ‘easier way’ we were looking for?

Well, start-up business Referlia believes it is!

Who’s Behind Referlia and How Did It Start?

Founders Chris Bell and Rob Ellis come from families running small businesses and met while working on a previous startup. Chris received his MBA from MIT and had previously worked at Intuit, where he helped build marketing tools for small businesses. Rob, a serial entrepreneur, started his first company at 23 and has since become a veteran of the ‘start-up’ world.

In late 2012, they saw a study done by Texas Tech that showed that while 83% of small business customers would be happy to refer a business, only 28% actually end up making a referral. Thus the idea for Referlia was born! Not able to sustain their passion for helping small businesses grow and not seeing a strong solution in the market to help businesses gain referral business, the guys began working on the idea and in early 2013 they launched Referlia.

How Does Referlia Work?

Referlia is a fast and simple process that helps small businesses ask for word-of-mouth referrals and makes it easy for customers to refer or review a business. After a customer does business with you, Referlia sends an email to that customer thanking them for their business and asks them for a referral. In a couple of clicks, the customer can refer your business using either email, Facebook, LinkedIn or Yelp. Referlia tracks when customers read your emails, when they refer you and  automatically sends a follow up email thanking those who send you new business. If needed, Referlia will also follow-up with customers to complete the referral process.

All Referlia emails are sent with your name on them, are personalized for your customer and can be edited and customized. The emails are formatted to look great either on computers or mobile devices. Through Referlia you also have the option to offer potential new customers a welcome gift to encourage them to try your business.

Check out this quick video for a complete overview of how Referlia works, or watch here.

Referlia: Get More Customers from Referlia on Vimeo.

Referlia costs $79/month and there are no contracts or commitments. In just a few short months, they have taken this business nationwide and have all types of clients, including doctors, lawyers, financial planners, insurance agents, barbershops, personal trainers, gyms, real estate professionals and more, using the program and getting new business the easier way…through word-of mouth referrals!

Are you ready for the ‘easier way’ of gaining new business and sales? Then perhaps you want to give Referlia a try and start harnessing the power of your happy customers!



Are You Capturing Referral Business? Start-Up Referlia Wants To Ensure You Do!

We all know that starting and running a small business is not an easy adventure. With so many different tasks and areas of the business to focus on each day, many of us are simply trying to keep our heads above water, all while wondering ‘Isn’t there an easier way’?

Well, when it comes to selling your product or service, the most qualified leads for your business don’t come from cold calling or that email blast you just sent out to hundreds of potential customers. The most qualified, and best qualified, leads come from building a strong referral business and using your current customers as your best sales tool and advocates.

Referral marketing reduces sales expenses and shortens the sales cycle. It helps you to build a better level of satisfied customers and a cycle of self-perpetuating referrals from those new happy customers. According to Tom Hopkins, author of ‘Sales Prospecting for Dummies’, your closing ratio for non-qualified leads is 10 percent versus a 60 percent close ratio with referred leads.

Is this possibly that ‘easier way’ we were looking for?

Well, start-up business Referlia believes it is!

Who’s Behind Referlia and How Did It Start?

Founders Chris Bell and Rob Ellis come from families running small businesses and met while working on a previous startup. Chris received his MBA from MIT and had previously worked at Intuit, where he helped build marketing tools for small businesses. Rob, a serial entrepreneur, started his first company at 23 and has since become a veteran of the ‘start-up’ world.

In late 2012, they saw a study done by Texas Tech that showed that while 83% of small business customers would be happy to refer a business, only 28% actually end up making a referral. Thus the idea for Referlia was born! Not able to sustain their passion for helping small businesses grow and not seeing a strong solution in the market to help businesses gain referral business, the guys began working on the idea and in early 2013 they launched Referlia.

How Does Referlia Work?

Referlia is a fast and simple process that helps small businesses ask for word-of-mouth referrals and makes it easy for customers to refer or review a business. After a customer does business with you, Referlia sends an email to that customer thanking them for their business and asks them for a referral. In a couple of clicks, the customer can refer your business using either email, Facebook, LinkedIn or Yelp. Referlia tracks when customers read your emails, when they refer you and  automatically sends a follow up email thanking those who send you new business. If needed, Referlia will also follow-up with customers to complete the referral process.

All Referlia emails are sent with your name on them, are personalized for your customer and can be edited and customized. The emails are formatted to look great either on computers or mobile devices. Through Referlia you also have the option to offer potential new customers a welcome gift to encourage them to try your business.

Check out this quick video for a complete overview of how Referlia works, or watch here.

Referlia: Get More Customers from Referlia on Vimeo.

Referlia costs $79/month and there are no contracts or commitments. In just a few short months, they have taken this business nationwide and have all types of clients, including doctors, lawyers, financial planners, insurance agents, barbershops, personal trainers, gyms, real estate professionals and more, using the program and getting new business the easier way…through word-of mouth referrals!

Are you ready for the ‘easier way’ of gaining new business and sales? Then perhaps you want to give Referlia a try and start harnessing the power of your happy customers!



How to Use Google Analytics to Tell Where Your Website Traffic Comes From

The Google Analytics Dashboard can be scary and confusing.  I am going to break down how to use Google Analytics to tell where your traffic is coming from, and how to isolate one source from another to understand whether traffic from certain sources is growing.

How to Use Google Analytics

How to Get to Your Traffic Report

When you log into Google Analytics, you see something like this.  Click “Traffic Sources” near the bottom on the left:

how to use google analytics

That will expand the “Traffic Sources” accordion.

Next Click “Overview” and you will get a screen that looks like this:

how to use google analytics

Different Types of Traffic

In the overview, you will see a pie chart that highlights 4 traffic sources: Search Traffic, Referral Traffic, Direct Traffic and Campaigns.

  • Search Traffic: Traffic that comes from a Web search.
  • Referral Traffic: Traffic that comes from someone clicking a link to your site from another site.
  • Direct Traffic: Traffic where the “referrer is unknown,” such as directly typing a URL into the navigation window or clicking on a link in an email newsletter.
  • Campaigns: Traffic from an adwords campaign.

Diving Deeper Into the Sources

To dive deeper into a particular traffic source, click “Sources” just under “Overview:”

how to use google analytics

This will take you to another set of menus where you can take a closer look at a particular source.  You will see a chart that looks very much like the overview chart, except it will be a chart for only the traffic source you choose.

In this case, I am going to click “Search Traffic… Overview:”

how to use google analytics

This gives me a closer look into my search traffic, how it is trending.  In this case, my traffic is bumping along with no major trend up or down.  If I were embarking on an SEO project for this site, this is where I would go to see the fruit of my labor.  After all, if I am optimizing for search, then my traffic from search should increase.

Where to Look in Specific Scenarios

The first few paragraphs were a basic overview of the structure of Google Analytics and where to go to see traffic breakdowns.  Now I am going to talk about specific scenarios related to web traffic and where you would go to see the associated traffic trends.

Scenario 1:  I Just Guest Posted on a Popular Site

When you guest post on a popular site, provided your profile/bio at the bottom of the post contains a link to your site, the expected increase is in the “Referrals” category.

Scenario 2:  I Just Put Out a Press Release

A press release is a wonderful way to get publicity for your company, product, or service.  It is also one of the best-kept secrets (if not controversial) of SEO.  When you distribute a press release over the wire, you should see an increase in the “Referrals” category.

Scenario 3:  I just Spent $1M on Google Adwords

If you have your customer lifetime value calculation down to a science, that is a good time to embark on a paid search campaign.  You can track the results of this campaign in the “Paid Search” section of Google Analytics.

Scenario 4:  I Just Revamped my Content Strategy

You just finished a refresh of the copy on your website and put together a load of new, exciting and insightful content on your blog based on long-tail keyword search terms.

You should see an increase in the “Organic Search” section of Google Analytics.

Scenario 5:  I just Got Featured on Oprah

Congratulations - Oprah is about to melt your servers.  Its a nice problem to have.

When oprah says, “Go to www DOT yourwebsite DOT com” and 1 billion people hit your site at the same time, you will see an increase in the “Direct Traffic” section of your website.

Google Analytics is a powerful tool that has become more useful and more complicated over the years.  For a free tool its awesome, but don’t expect Google to hold your hand and explain to you how to use Google Analytics.

Understanding, measuring and tracking your traffic sources should be a fundamental part of your SEO strategy and hopefully this guide on how to use Google Analytics gave you some help.




How to Use Google Analytics to Tell Where Your Website Traffic Comes From

The Google Analytics Dashboard can be scary and confusing.  I am going to break down how to use Google Analytics to tell where your traffic is coming from, and how to isolate one source from another to understand whether traffic from certain sources is growing.

How to Use Google Analytics

How to Get to Your Traffic Report

When you log into Google Analytics, you see something like this.  Click “Traffic Sources” near the bottom on the left:

how to use google analytics

That will expand the “Traffic Sources” accordion.

Next Click “Overview” and you will get a screen that looks like this:

how to use google analytics

Different Types of Traffic

In the overview, you will see a pie chart that highlights 4 traffic sources: Search Traffic, Referral Traffic, Direct Traffic and Campaigns.

  • Search Traffic: Traffic that comes from a Web search.
  • Referral Traffic: Traffic that comes from someone clicking a link to your site from another site.
  • Direct Traffic: Traffic where the “referrer is unknown,” such as directly typing a URL into the navigation window or clicking on a link in an email newsletter.
  • Campaigns: Traffic from an adwords campaign.

Diving Deeper Into the Sources

To dive deeper into a particular traffic source, click “Sources” just under “Overview:”

how to use google analytics

This will take you to another set of menus where you can take a closer look at a particular source.  You will see a chart that looks very much like the overview chart, except it will be a chart for only the traffic source you choose.

In this case, I am going to click “Search Traffic… Overview:”

how to use google analytics

This gives me a closer look into my search traffic, how it is trending.  In this case, my traffic is bumping along with no major trend up or down.  If I were embarking on an SEO project for this site, this is where I would go to see the fruit of my labor.  After all, if I am optimizing for search, then my traffic from search should increase.

Where to Look in Specific Scenarios

The first few paragraphs were a basic overview of the structure of Google Analytics and where to go to see traffic breakdowns.  Now I am going to talk about specific scenarios related to web traffic and where you would go to see the associated traffic trends.

Scenario 1:  I Just Guest Posted on a Popular Site

When you guest post on a popular site, provided your profile/bio at the bottom of the post contains a link to your site, the expected increase is in the “Referrals” category.

Scenario 2:  I Just Put Out a Press Release

A press release is a wonderful way to get publicity for your company, product, or service.  It is also one of the best-kept secrets (if not controversial) of SEO.  When you distribute a press release over the wire, you should see an increase in the “Referrals” category.

Scenario 3:  I just Spent $1M on Google Adwords

If you have your customer lifetime value calculation down to a science, that is a good time to embark on a paid search campaign.  You can track the results of this campaign in the “Paid Search” section of Google Analytics.

Scenario 4:  I Just Revamped my Content Strategy

You just finished a refresh of the copy on your website and put together a load of new, exciting and insightful content on your blog based on long-tail keyword search terms.

You should see an increase in the “Organic Search” section of Google Analytics.

Scenario 5:  I just Got Featured on Oprah

Congratulations - Oprah is about to melt your servers.  Its a nice problem to have.

When oprah says, “Go to www DOT yourwebsite DOT com” and 1 billion people hit your site at the same time, you will see an increase in the “Direct Traffic” section of your website.

Google Analytics is a powerful tool that has become more useful and more complicated over the years.  For a free tool its awesome, but don’t expect Google to hold your hand and explain to you how to use Google Analytics.

Understanding, measuring and tracking your traffic sources should be a fundamental part of your SEO strategy and hopefully this guide on how to use Google Analytics gave you some help.




Oracle releases critical fixes for Java

Oracle has released version SE 7, Update 25 as its latest update for Java.

The update addresses 40 vulnerabilities in the software, which include 37 flaws that can be remotely exploited without authentication. In addition, 11 of the bugs received the highest common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) rating of 10.0 due to their significant threat level to users.

Brian Gorenc, manager of HP Security Research's zero-day initiative team, said that ten of the high-risk vulnerabilities were discovered by the company and included flaws covering "a wide spectrum of software weaknesses" including sandbox bypasses and heap-based buffer overflows.

“These specific vulnerability types can be leveraged by attackers to compromise machines and execute arbitrary code,” Gorenc told SC Magazine US.

“With most of these issues originally reported by [us] in early April, Oracle seems to be reacting quickly to high-severity vulnerabilities. We look forward to seeing this trend continue.”

Oracle posted an advisory to its site on Tuesday that highlighted a fix in its Javadoc tool, which is used for generating application programming interface (API) documentation in HTML format. Prior to the patch, API documentation in HTML format generated by the Javadoc tool was vulnerable to frame injection when hosted on a web server.

Starting in October, Java announced that its updates will be released on a quarterly basis, instead of three times a year, as part of Oracle's main Critical Patch Update. 

Amol Sarwate, director of engineering at Qualys, said: “All vulnerabilities except three can be exploited remotely by an attacker, and in most cases, the attacker can take complete control of the system. An attacker can achieve this using a variety of drive-by techniques letting a Java applet run arbitrary code outside of the Java sandbox.

“Todays CPU affects JDK and JRE versions 5, 6 and 7. We highly recommend applying these patches as soon as possible.”

Ross Barrett, senior manager of security engineering at Rapid7, said: “Of the 40 fixes in Oracle's Java SE CPU, 37 are remotely exploitable. The majority are vulnerable through browser plug-ins, 11 of which are exploitable for complete control of the underlying operating system.

“The latest versions of Java 7, 6 and 5 are all vulnerable to most of these conditions. It's highly likely that earlier versions are also vulnerable.

Java servers are affected by four of the disclosed issues, the worst of which scores a CVSS score of 7.5 out of 10 in terms of base risk.

“The recommendation here, as always, is for all users to patch as quickly as possible. There are a good number of researchers that have been credited for these fixes and it's likely that proof of concept code will be released now that patches are available.”



Dell Survey: Owners Optimistic About Small Business Growth and Investing in Technology

There’s something incredibly resilient about Americans, who despite downfalls, tend to remain positive about the country and its economic potential. Recently, reports showed increased optimism among consumers, with the consumer confidence index for May hitting a five-year high. According to a new Dell research study about small businesses, these sentiments are echoed by small business owners, and they are optimistic about small business growth.

The Dell study included 941 interviews with small business owners in 2012 and 2013. They focused on companies with under 100 employees, and took interviews from nine US cities - Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles-Orange County, Austin, Philadelphia, Boston and Seattle. As a whole, the results show business stability, optimism, and strong expectations for growth.

Small businesses are crucial to a growing economy. They employ half of all private sector employee and were responsible for 64% of the new jobs created from 1993 to 2011. Because of the importance of small businesses in the US economy, the results of the Dell research give consumers even more reasons to be optimistic. Some of these findings include:

  • Almost half (48 percent) of small businesses are planning on growing their company in the near future
  • When asked about the next year, 56 percent expect finances to improve, 75 percent expect sales to increase, and 58 percent believe there will be better opportunities for growth
  • 84 percent believe that the greatest opportunities for growth are here in the United States
  • 83 percent of small businesses have stayed the same size or have seen growth over the last 3 years, and 20 percent of businesses are currently looking to hire.
  • Three out of four small business owners (77 percent) believe that increased use and investment in technology will be the driving force behind their economic growth.

To elaborate on that last point, small businesses see technology as crucial for day to day operations (69 percent) and as a strategic asset in-and-of itself (28 percent). Most small businesses find that their technological needs are currently being met (89 percent). However, in an effort to spark growth, 55 percent are planning on making investments in technology within the next year. While nearly half (47 percent) will handle their technological additions themselves, small businesses will also look to a range of other sources to help them with this important investment, including freelance specialists (38 percent), an in-house IT employee (18 percent) and outside tech vendors (14 percent).

Overall, although small businesses are optimistic about growth, they still know they need to incorporate technology to achieve that goal. Here at Small Biz Technology, we know that technology is the key to increasing sales, retaining customers, and more. If your business needs a technological boost, keep looking to Smallbiztechnology for the latest information.



5 Ways Social Media Can Make Your Trade Show A Success

Social media is becoming a popular way for customers and businesses to interact. If you’re not using social media to its full potential, you’re missing out on a world of promotional possibilities.

Incorporate social media into your next trade show and you’ll find that it can boost trade show success in many ways.

Social Media is Easily Integrated into Your Contests

trade show success

Social Annoucement Photo via Shutterstock

Giveaways are standard at trade show booths, but you don’t have to stick with boring swag. Include a few big-ticket items that will draw more interest to your booth.

To snag these top prizes, visitors must interact with your social media sites.

There are lots of creative options. Tweet that the first person to come to the booth and share your code word will get the prize.

Allow prize entries for a brief period for each item. Post the schedule on Facebook.

You Can Continue Promotions Beyond the Trade Show

trade show successSpecial Offer Photo via Shutterstock

Encourage trade show visitors to follow your social media sites by letting them know that you’ll run a whole week of special promotions after the trade show. Each day offer a new deal such as 25% off certain services, free upgrades, BOGO offers, and more.

This strategy will keep your potential customers involved long after your booth’s dismantled.

Social Sites Offer a Powerful Destination for QR Codes

trade show successQR Code Photo via Shutterstock

If your trade show booth space gets swamped with visitors, passers-by may not want to stop and wait for personal attention or push through the crowd to peruse your giveaway pens and notepads (after all, the next table has similar stuff.) Include a large QR code on your booth that makes it easy for visitors to snap and move on.

Make sure the page you direct them to has easy links for following all your social media sites. In the days and weeks after the event, direct your posts to your new and hopefully curious followers who want to get to know who you are.

Include lots of features that will help them find out what you’re about.

Event Pages Hype the Event

trade show successLike Photo via Shutterstock

Set up an event page on Facebook that’s focused on the event alone. This is a great way to get attendees excited and promote the many activities that will be going on. Interacting with customers before the show will give you a better idea of what they want to see.

Don’t waste time lugging all your multimedia equipment along if a survey shows that they’re most interested in one-on-one conversations with sales reps. Use the funds to take more people along with you instead.

Blogs go In-Depth Where your Booth Can’t

trade show successBlog Megaphone Photo via Shutterstock

Trade show attendees want to hit a lot of stops in a limited amount of time. You can send them home with a pile of literature, but it’s likely to get lost in the cavernous swag bag. Instead, blog about common questions before and after the event and direct your leads to this resource as an informative way of getting to know you better.

Integrate your social media marketing strategy and your trade show event for a seamless promotion that will draw in lots of new customers. Never underestimate the power of a well-managed social site.

Did you create a social media campaign for your recent trade show event that brought the attendees to your booth? Or have you seen some great uses of social media at recent conference or convention? Would love to read it.




Dell Survey: Owners Optimistic About Small Business Growth and Investing in Technology

There’s something incredibly resilient about Americans, who despite downfalls, tend to remain positive about the country and its economic potential. Recently, reports showed increased optimism among consumers, with the consumer confidence index for May hitting a five-year high. According to a new Dell research study about small businesses, these sentiments are echoed by small business owners, and they are optimistic about small business growth.

The Dell study included 941 interviews with small business owners in 2012 and 2013. They focused on companies with under 100 employees, and took interviews from nine US cities - Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles-Orange County, Austin, Philadelphia, Boston and Seattle. As a whole, the results show business stability, optimism, and strong expectations for growth.

Small businesses are crucial to a growing economy. They employ half of all private sector employee and were responsible for 64% of the new jobs created from 1993 to 2011. Because of the importance of small businesses in the US economy, the results of the Dell research give consumers even more reasons to be optimistic. Some of these findings include:

  • Almost half (48 percent) of small businesses are planning on growing their company in the near future
  • When asked about the next year, 56 percent expect finances to improve, 75 percent expect sales to increase, and 58 percent believe there will be better opportunities for growth
  • 84 percent believe that the greatest opportunities for growth are here in the United States
  • 83 percent of small businesses have stayed the same size or have seen growth over the last 3 years, and 20 percent of businesses are currently looking to hire.
  • Three out of four small business owners (77 percent) believe that increased use and investment in technology will be the driving force behind their economic growth.

To elaborate on that last point, small businesses see technology as crucial for day to day operations (69 percent) and as a strategic asset in-and-of itself (28 percent). Most small businesses find that their technological needs are currently being met (89 percent). However, in an effort to spark growth, 55 percent are planning on making investments in technology within the next year. While nearly half (47 percent) will handle their technological additions themselves, small businesses will also look to a range of other sources to help them with this important investment, including freelance specialists (38 percent), an in-house IT employee (18 percent) and outside tech vendors (14 percent).

Overall, although small businesses are optimistic about growth, they still know they need to incorporate technology to achieve that goal. Here at Small Biz Technology, we know that technology is the key to increasing sales, retaining customers, and more. If your business needs a technological boost, keep looking to Smallbiztechnology for the latest information.