Introducing Hashtags on Facebook

Every day, more than 4.75 billion pieces of content are shared on Facebook.* In many cases, these conversations are about brands, products, public figures and local businesses. Today, we launched hashtags as a way for people and businesses to discover and engage in these conversations. 

 

Hashtags are now available to a small percentage of people and Pages on Facebook, and we will roll them out more broadly in the coming weeks.

 

Here is what marketers need to know:

• If you are already using hashtags in an advertising campaign through other channels, you can amplify these campaigns by including your hashtags in Facebook advertising. The same creative best practices on Facebook still apply – compelling copy and photography that is in the brand voice works best.
• Any hashtags that you use on other platforms that are connected to your Facebook Page will be automatically clickable and searchable on Facebook.
• Like other Facebook marketing tools, hashtags allow you to join and drive the conversations happening about your business. We recommend you search for and view real-time public conversations and test strategies to drive those conversations using hashtags. 
• Hashtags do not impact your distribution or engagement in News Feed on either desktop or mobile. We recommend you continue to focus on your existing campaigns to drive your most important business objectives.

Hashtags are a first step in surfacing relevant and important public conversations.  Over time our goal is to build out additional functionality for marketers including trending hashtags and new insights so that you can better understand how hashtags fit into your overall Facebook advertising strategies and drive your business objectives.

 

For more information on anything you have read here please contact the IT experts at Click Networks on 0141 530 9116 or drop them an email at info@clicknetworks.co.uk

 

Visit our website here: http://www.clicknetworks.co.uk 

 

10 Firefox features you should know about

A raft of new features have either been added to Mozilla’s browser or are on the way (showing up in the Beta, Aurora and Nightly builds). Here are the most noteworthy.

Private Browsing

This mode lets you browse in a private session where the cookies, history and other things tied to your browsing activity are purged after you close the program. From the browser, you launch a new, separate browser window in private mode, and it will run simultaneously along with the normal one (which you can close, but continue to use the private-session mode).

Third-Party Cookies Blocked

A future version of Firefox is planned to specifically block third-party cookies by default. The scheme will permit cookies originating from sites that you regularly visit, but prevent those from installing that come from other sources (like an advertising company) you don’t directly visit. A similar version of such a privacy protection is already built into Safari, while Chome allows all cookies and Internet Explorer blocks some third-party ones.

Click To Play Plugins

Mozilla applied their Click to Play security system to all third-party plugins, except to whichever is the latest version of Flash at the time. So by default every plugin embedded in a web page is now blocked with a notice, and you need to click this notice to activate the plugin. Click to Play also advises you to update the plugin in question to its latest version. If you trust a particular website, you can whitelist it so that Firefox automatically loads any plugins on it whenever you visit.

Plugin Warnings

Speaking of plugins, if one freezes up for more than 11 seconds, the latest Firefox will notify you and let you restart the plugin -- and do so without needing to reload the browser.

Faster JavaScript Processing  

Firefox now uses a JavaScript engine named IonMonkey that’s faster than its predecessor. Indeed, when used to interact with certain JavaScript-heavy sites, like Facebook, the latest version of the browser has a noticeable improvement in speed over last year’s releases.

Download Manager Toolbar

There will soon be some enhancements to the way Firefox handles downloads. To the right of the search box, there will be a toolbar icon of a downward arrow that will show the time remaining for a file as it is being downloaded. Click this icon, and a small status window will pop open below it, showing a progress bar for the download. These little touches won’t be enough to replace the more sophisticated third-party download managers available for Firefox as extensions, but they should be sufficient if you don’t do much file downloading through the browser.

Built-In PDF Viewer

Chrome and Safari have had this convenient function for a while, and now Firefox will, too, as of its final Version 19 release. Click a link to a PDF file, and the browser will load and display the document in a tab, rendering it via the wonders of HTML5 and JavaScript. You can also use Firefox to load and view PDFs already saved on your computer’s local storage medium.

Retina Display Support

The OS X version of Firefox supports the high-resolution, pixel-dense screen of the MacBook Pro with Retina Display. So the GUI and text of Firefox running on OS X 10.7 or greater do not appear tiny on these Apple notebooks, and look sharper.

UI Improvements to Firefox for Android

With regard to Android, the Mozilla team has been adding noticeable improvements to the mobile version of Firefox Beta and Nightly. It now has a private browsing mode, although, if you have normal and private sessions open, they both run under one instance of the browser. Other enhancements concern the placement of the tabs tray: it will automatically reposition itself horizontally if you hold your phone in landscape mode, and vertically if you hold your device in portrait mode. But its positioning is opposite when the browser is used on a tablet (i.e. vertical when held in landscape mode, etc.).

Firefox for Windows 8 Modern

Mozilla is developing a variant of Firefox for the Windows 8 Modern UI. As of this writing, it comes with the Firefox Nightly for Windows build, and is activated when you set it as the default browser for your Windows 8 system. So far, Metro Firefox is a very basic browser with a minimal feature set. It sports a mobile-centric UI, which is essentially identical to that of the Android version of Firefox. Its present incarnation doesn’t offer a browsing experience that is faster, or otherwise better than Internet Explorer 10. But Firefox is, for now, the only alternative web browser designed to adhere to the Modern UI guidelines.

Read the full story here: http://www.computerworld.com/

For more information about this article or on anything you have read in our blog please contact the IT Specialists at Click Networks today on 0141 530 9116 of email us at info@clicknetworks.co.uk or visit our website here: http://www.clicknetworks.co.uk

How to get your post seen on your Facebook News Feed?

Let’s start by stating the obvious, Facebook’s EdgeRank is complicated and it will be nearly impossible for any business to lay down an accurate projection of what is going to happen with each post published to the network.


While that could be a huge waste of time, having a basic understanding on how Facebook determines why some people sees your posts and others don’t is very important.

There are many factors playing a role in this mumbo jumbo that goes from previous affinity between the source and the recipient to the impact each piece of content generates and even negative feedback. All these items are directly affecting your Facebook Reach on a post-by-post basis.

The Infographic breaks down Facebook’s News Feed algorithm in 2 categories, which helps understand this better:

1. Personal Interaction, which includes affinity with the author and type of post
2. Network Reaction, which of course means engagement, positive or negative.

One last thing I’ll mention before leaving you is this, the News Feed is the single most important element of Facebook, you should understand how it works. In 2012, 40% of the time spent on the site goes to the News Feed, compared to 27% the previous year.

Read the full article here: http://socialmouths.com/blog/2013/04/17/who-is-more-likely-to-see-your-posts-on-the-facebook-news-feed-infographic/#more-11283 

For more information on anything you have read here or for more information on how to impove your online social media presence contact the IT Support Experts at Click Networks on 0141 530 9116 or visit our website here: http://www.clicknetworks.co.uk 

3 Essential Employee Tech Security Steps

Due to the populartiy of our last article on some of the misconceptions of computer viruses and steps to avoid them, below are 3 more essential tech security steps you can teach your employees.

 Think about your office and the people you have sitting behind the computers.  Or think about your remote workforce in their home offices or on the road with their laptops and mobile devices gripped firmly in their hands.  Whether you realize it or not, all of these workers play a vital role in protecting your company from a security breach.

You may feel pretty safe and secure with all of the latest and greatest security innovations installed, but if your employees don’t adhere to safe computing practices and use the technologies properly, you may be at risk, even more than you think.  Many small businesses don’t have an IT staff so it takes time and training to get employees to maintain data security.
Here are some tips to ensure that your work force is ready to defend your business and its valuable data.

1.  Email Responsibility:  The level of sophistication in targeting individual email accounts has become even more threatening by hackers and scammers.  How many times have you received an email trying to get you to click on this or that?  One simple click can expose business and personal information without your employees even knowing they have done anything wrong.
E.D.S.C.B. to protect your valuable business information: 

• Exercise judgment before opening email attachments. Suspicious emails or email attachments should not be opened.
• Disable the option to automatically download attachments. As a convenience, some email programs will offer automatic download, but if a harmful attachment comes through, it can lead to big trouble.
• Scan attachments with antivirus software before opening or downloading to your computer.
• Complex email passwords. Include upper and lower case letters, numbers and punctuation marks or other symbols to make passwords more complex.
• Beware of any attachment with an “.exe” filename extension, which may begin executing a program as soon as the attachment is opened.

2. Wireless internet connections merit caution:  
Wireless internet connections are a remote worker’s best friend.  But public wireless hotspots can be a cybercriminals playground when open networks don’t encrypt data, emails passwords or other information.  Remind your employees when they have the choice between a secure wireless connection, which will require a password, and a public hotspot, they should always choose the secure connection.
However, there will be times when employees may have to use a public hotspot Therefore, they should know how to make sure their firewall is on.  They should also know how to disable file and printer sharing and how to make their folders private.
Manage these tasks through the computer’s System Preferences or Control Panel, where the internet, user settings and security can be reviewed and adjusted.  If you need advice on managing these tasks, go to your computer’s help and support index.
Another option you can utilize to safeguard data is by protecting it on a corporate network or in the cloud.  There are numerous cloud storage options for small businesses.

3. Use smartphones conscientiously:
Employees commonly do work related tasks from their personal mobile devices, which opens new opportunities for security breaches.
Consider developing a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy that includes parameters on how and when employees can use their personal mobile devices for work purposes.  Make sure your policy includes specific guidelines for smartphone security, like a password policy, list of supported devices and others that are not allowed to be connected to the network and a protocol for installing applications.  These can become easy entryways for malware if not attended to properly.
A lost or stolen smartphone can also open up an opportunity for a data breach.  You can require your employees to use tracking services offered by carriers like AT&T or Verizon to find the location of lost devices, remotely lock them or erase data.  For more assistance in developing a BYOD policy that’s right for your business, consider getting guidance from a local IT provider or expert.

Read the full article here: http://blog.computerservicenow.com/posts/2013/03/06/teach-your-employees-3-essential-things-about-tech-security/

For more information on anything you have read in this article or about any IT related issues, contact the IT Support Experts at Click Networks today. Call us on 0141 530 9116 or visit our website: http://www.clicknetworks.co.uk

Internet Security: Fact and Myth

Myth #1: Viruses and other malicious software (“malware”) only affect computers and laptops.
Reality: Mobile malware, which affects smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, increased by 58% last year. This malware can steal information such as phone numbers and email addresses (32% of the time), or use the phone’s GPS to track the user (19% of the time).

Myth #2: I can’t get a virus or be attacked on popular social networking sites.
Reality: Many well-known social networks, including several of the newest ones, are prime targets for scammers, with 56 per cent of social media attacks involving fake gift cards and survey scams.

Myth #3: Apple products aren’t susceptible to viruses and online attacks.
Reality: While hackers still primarily target PCs, more than 600,000 Mac computers were infected by one attack   last April; just one example that no operating system is safe from online threats.

Myth #4: Free antivirus software on my computer provides complete protection.
Reality: “Ransomware” (where cybercriminals lock you out of your computer unless you pay their “ransom”), is one example of the trend toward increasingly vicious malware, which is known for being harder to undo, more aggressive and more professional than other malware. This malware requires protection beyond what basic, free antivirus software can offer.

Myth #5: It’s easy to tell if a site is fake -- typos or foreign characters are dead giveaways.
Reality: Many spoofed sites today look exactly like the websites of legitimate brands, down to the smallest details. Additionally, the number of fake sites that imitated social networks more than doubled in 2012.

Myth #6: My computer won’t get infected since I don’t visit risky sites.
Reality: 61% of malicious sites are actually legitimate websites that have been compromised and infected with malicious code. Business, technology and shopping websites were among the top five types of sites hosting infections.

Myth #7: I’ll know right away if my computer is infected.
Reality: Cybercriminals today rely on stealth – the longer they’re on your machine undetected, the more damage they can do. Your computer could even be part of a “botnet” – a network of remotely-controlled computers that send spam emails or participate in widespread attacks – and you might not even know it.

Luckily there are still a few things you can do if you're guilty of falling for some (or indeed all) of these Internet security myths. We recommend:

• Stick to trusted websites when possible. When purchasing items online, check for security marks on the site before entering in your payment details.
   
• Limit your sensitive transactions when using public Wi-Fi networks or use a Virtual Private Network (“VPN”). Wi-Fi networks can allow other people to more easily snoop on your activity.

Common-sense should also dictate the following:

• Use complex and unique passwords for each site, including upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
  
• Never click on links or open attachments from people you don’t know. Also, if you receive a strange message from a friend, take a moment to verify it – it’s possible their email or social networking account was hacked.

 Read the full article here: http://tech.uk.msn.com/features/internet-security-myths-debunked 

For more information on anything you have read here or any IT Support queries please contact us on 0141 530 9116 or email us at info@clicknetworks.co.uk. To learn more about us please visit our website: http://www.clicknetworks.co.uk

What is NFC? (Near Field Communication)

NFC is getting a great deal of attention as it becomes included in more smartphones, laptops, and other devices. It’s being hyped as ‘The Next Big Thing’ that will change how we use our mobile devices: everything from shopping to interacting with your home and unlocking your car.   So is this new development a “flash in the pan”, or do you foresee real world uses for such a technology?

Well, what is NFC?

NFC stands for Near Field Communication and, as the name implies, it’s a set of close-range wireless communication standards. NFC equipped smartphones and other devices can exchange information with each other with a simple tap or a wave; simply hold your NFC enabled device in the proximity of an NFC enabled media, such as a sticker, or poster.  There are many uses for such a technology ranging from the basic launching of a browser on your target device to sending an email, or to more complex actions such as controlling the lights in your house, unlocking a door or starting a car engine. Essentially, anything that can be automated electronically can be interacted with via NFC.

Which Devices Have NFC?
Many smartphones, tablets and new laptops now have NFC chips. NFC World  has an extensive list of all the phones around the world that are NFC-equipped.  Google Nexus variants have NFC, as do several BlackBerries, HTC phones, and others.

What Exactly Can I Do With NFC
NFC is most commonly associated with the “mobile wallet”—the idea that your smartphone will replace your cash and credit cards. In one tap or wave of your phone, you can pay for your shopping or redeem offers or coupons.
Beyond mobile payments however, there is a world of uses for NFC, including:

• Providing interactive tickets or entry passes to your event.  This can be in the form of a standard ticket, or embedded into wristbands, worn by the attendee.
• Downloading information. Advertisers and marketers can use NFC chips in posters and other promotional materials so all you have to do to get more information is tap or wave your phone (quicker than scanning QR codes, and certainly easier on the eye).
• Ease of company travel. NFC technology can enable ‘car mode’ when your employees get into a vehicle, launching satellite navigation and disabling mobile phone capabilities, thereby increasing productivity and promoting safe driving within your organisation.
• Provide offers, or promotions to customers via an NFC enabled key ring or badge. Free product offers or promotional codes can be programmed onto the media, which can then be redeemed in store using an NFC enabled device to scan the media.

Right now, NFC hasn’t hit the mainstream in terms of usage, but it’s the potential that’s making it pretty interesting technology.
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Read the full article here: http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/what-is-nfc-and-why-is-it-in-your-phone-948410 

For more information about anything you have read here please contact the IT Support Glasgow Experts at Click Networks. Visit our website: http://www.clicknetworks.co.uk or call them on 0141 530 9116

Samsung Galaxy S4 set to beat the iPhone

Samsung is to release its Galaxy S4 smartphone at an event in New York this week, a move that could see it beat Apple's iPhone 5 in terms of both sales and technology.

The once dazzling Apple brand has been tarnished in recent months by a series of gaffes and poor strategic decisions.

The Maps fiasco of September 2012 directly contradicted CEO Tim Cook's statement last month: "The only thing we'll never do is make a crappy product."

The brand has been perceived as a bully for its handling of the patent trials against Samsung, and it has been similarly insensitive in handling recent shareholder rows over the lack of dividends and its huge cash stockpile.

Richard Holway, chairman of analyst firm TechMarketView, pointed out that consumers are also less positive about Apple than they used to be.

"The Apple iPhone used to be ‘cool'. Now the ‘cool' smartphone is the Samsung Galaxy. Indeed there is more anticipation about the imminent release of the S4 than about any new Apple product. Today I heard the iPhone described as ‘Grandad's phone'. Insults don't come more hurtful than that!" he wrote on his blog.

The S4 is rumoured to include technology to enable users to pause video and scroll the screen simply by moving their eyes, using motion-tracking technology in the user-facing camera. These rumours are corroborated by the fact that Samsung registered 'Eye Scroll' and 'Eye Pause' as Trademarks in Europe earlier this year.

Whereas the iPhone 5 has an 8 magapixel rear-facing and 1.5 megapixel front-facing cameras, the Galaxy S4 cameras are 13 megapixel and 2 megapixel respectively.

And pictures taken by these cameras will be viewable at a higher resolution on Samsung's device - the S4's screen has 440 pixels per inch compared to the iPhone 5's 326.

There is more grunt powering the S4 too, with its eight core Exynos 5 processor running at 1.8GHz, compared to the iPhone 5's dual-core 1.3GHz A6 processor.

Both phones will compete not just for market position, but also for raw materials such as rare earth metals, and components for the latest generation touch screens, which are swallowed up by demand as soon as they are manufactured.

Some industry insiders say that many suppliers may start switching allegiance from Apple to Samsung, and give them more resource.

However, the situation could be further complicated if Apple brings forward the release of its latest smartphone, the iPhone 5S. If Apple is able to provide something genuinely innovative rather than a minor iteration on an existing design, it could reignite consumer demand and cement its position at the top of the tree.

Read more: http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/news/2253686/galaxy-s4-could-see-samsung-beat-iphone#ixzz2NJqZAfH4
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For more information on any on the technology in this article please contact the IT Support experts at Click Networks Glasgow. Visit our website here: www.clicknetworks.co.uk