Inspire - Tips To Grow Your Business, Productivity & Relationships

Password protection services have been in existence since the 1970s. The first system simply stored your passwords to allow users to reassess them if they forget or misplace them. Now, password protection technology has developed into something much safer and secure.

Multi-factor authentication is the latest and most secure system any business can use to secure their assets.

What Is Multi-Factor Authentication?

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is simply a double wall to get through to access online data. It is similar to a door that has a double lock: you need to be able to open both locks to get through. 

The first layer to multi-factor authentication is your usual password. After entering that, you will be asked to confirm a unique number, sent to a device, like your phone or via email. Both passwords then allow the user to access the data or system they are trying to use. 

The multi-factor authentication adds extra security to your assets and makes your business less vulnerable to cybercrime.

Cody Rivers, the Chief Technology Officer of AIS—an IT company in Lafayette specializing in providing IT support and security for businesses—said, “With the increasingly sophisticated methods of cyber attacks we’re seeing, it’s more important than ever for every business and individual to protect their information through use of strong password hygiene, multi-factor authentication, and other cybersecurity strategies in a multi-layered approach to security.”

How Multi-Factor Authentication Protects Your Business

There are several ways in which cyber attackers commit security breaching crimes. It is essential to know what to look out for and why multi-factor authentication can prevent hackers from breaching your data. 

Their first port of action is usually social engineering. Hackers can gain access to business and personal accounts through phishing. Phishing can occur through email scams, phone calls, or pop-ups. Typically, hackers will aim to trick the vulnerable person into confirming confidential data. 

The second option hackers use brute force attacks, which involves the hacker guessing your passwords. If a hacker does guess the password and requires the number, your device will be flagged, and you will immediately be alerted of a hacking attempt. 

Hence, with multi-factor authentication in place, it makes it much harder for the hacker to intrude into your data as they will not have access to the unique number that will be sent to your chosen device. The authentication system prevents hackers from entering quickly as there are two barriers they need to break down. Even if they break down the first wall with your password, your business will be on the case immediately before they break down the second barrier.

Implementing multi-factor authentication can be fairly simple, but to fully roll it out over a large enterprise, many businesses rely on a trusted IT company to help them implement this and other security measures.

Why Your Business Needs Multi-Factor Authentication

You may question why your business needs an advanced password protection system like multi-factor authentication. Unfortunately, cyberattacks on companies that work online are not going to stop any time soon. No matter your business, security structure, and authority, cyber crime can still occur.

It is estimated that one business is attacked by a cyberattack every 39 seconds. With that said, more than 150 companies are at threat every hour. Upgrading your businesses with a multi-factor authentication will increase security and reduce the risk of data being breached. 

As businesses rely more and more on the online space, it is essential to protect your assets as much as possible. A multi-factor authentication password protection system is a safer way to reduce your business’s vulnerability and improve security.

Has traffic on your website suddenly nosedived or steadily declined? Is your content dropping in search engine rankings and you’re not sure why? More importantly, are you losing customers or ad revenue?

If your answer is “yes!” to any of these questions, you definitely have website issues that need addressing. As a website owner, there are many components that you need to juggle. It’s so easy to let some things slide.

The big question is, which issue is adversely affecting user experience on your website?

If you’re not a web designer or tech-savvy, that might not be an easy question to answer. However, there are a few common website issues that are most likely to be the reason for your troubles.

Information from https://www.searchbloom.com/ppc-management/ will show you how to manage PPC advertisement and might help resolve the website’s common issues. 

No HTTPS Certificate

Websites with a URL that begins with “HTTP” and not “HTTPS” means it doesn’t have an SSL security certificate.

Previously, only websites that asked for any personal information needed a security certificate. But nowadays, search engines like Google are getting stricter with seemingly non-secure websites. They prefer to rank secure websites higher in search results. 

Solution: Browse your website as a visitor and see if it has a padlock before the URL and “HTTPS” at the beginning. If it does, your website has an SSL certificate. So this is not one of your website issues.

If it doesn’t, contact your hosting company to get one. This is usually a free or minimal fee service because it’s a common and straightforward request.

Too Many 404 Errors

404 errors are a type of website error that occurs when internet users try to access your site through a broken link or a webpage that doesn’t exist on your website anymore.

Receiving too many 404 errors from your website severely damages the digital experience for your users.

Solution: There are several different software options and resources to help you fix 404 errors. One free option is using Google Search Console, which crawls and keeps a list of these types of website errors.

You can then install a redirect Plugin (depending on your content management system) on your website to fix these errors.

Broken Links

Similarly, if your users are clicking links from your website to other sites you have linked to, but they are also broken, this can damage the user experience. It may give your potential customers the impression your site is not kept up-to-date.

Solution: Regularly check important links are still active by clicking on them yourself. But if you have a huge back catalog of blog posts and content, this is potentially unrealistic.

However, you can also install Plugins that will detect broken links on your site. They will alert you if there are errors, so you don’t need to test every link yourself.

No SEO Strategy

Search Engine Optimization is a series of techniques applied to a webpage with the ultimate goal of increasing traffic to that webpage from search engines. It’s extremely vital for enterprise brands to have a good SEO strategy.

But it’s difficult to determine whether your SEO strategy is good or bad. Some of your webpages may be well optimized, and some might not. But having an SEO strategy at all is a good start!

Solution: Watch out for new Google algorithm updates to keep on top of new SEO developments. Utilize expert advice and use well-reviewed SEO software and keyword planners.

Slow Webpage Speed

One of the biggest website technical issues is slow page speed. Search engines are cracking down on it and waiting a long time for a website to load is a huge turn-off to customers.

There are many reasons why your webpage speed might be slow, so the website solutions will depend on those reasons.

Solution: Use speed calculators like PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to measure your page speed. If your page speed is slow, both programs will tell you exactly why and what you need to fix.

Page speed can get a bit technical. So if you have the money, outsource a page speed consultant. If not, it’s worth learning about because page speed is very important to search engines and your customers!

Outdated Web Design

It’s not 1998 anymore. There is no excuse for usability issues on a website. You can buy great website themes for less than $100.

An outdated web design makes it seem like your website is neglected. It’s also unlikely to be optimized for mobile devices which makes for a subpar user experience. But if you do have an outdated web design, don’t worry! It’s a very easy, common problem to fix.

Solution: If you need to update your website’s design, make sure you choose a knowledgeable, highly-recommended web designer.

Or, if you are buying a ready-made theme, do your research. Test existing websites using that theme to ensure the website structure is user friendly, both on desktop and mobile, and that the pages load fast.

It also needs to look modern and eye-catching, too!

No Contact Page or Calls to Action

This is one of the easiest website issues to uncover and resolve. Is your company’s contact information easy to find? And do you navigate users around your website by linking internally?

If not, depending on your business, that might be why you’re losing customers or your traffic is dropping off. 

Solution: Make a very clear “contact” page on your website. Make sure it has your brand’s email, phone number, and social media accounts. A contact form is also helpful.

You also need to make sure you are linking internally to keep users browsing your website. Encourage them to “read more” via calls to action at the end of your webpages and link to relevant content throughout.

Overhaul Your Website Issues and See Results

This is not a completely exhaustive list of all the website issues but these are the most common and a good place to start.

Hopefully, you’ll know what to be mindful of in the future so you can fix website errors straight away before they affect your business. The better your website runs, the more user-friendly it is and the more customers you’ll have!  

For more guides and advice to keep your website and business running smoothly, check out our other tech articles!

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a shift to remote work around the world. People once had dreams of being able to work from home that are now realized. For those running a business, this means there has to be a change in management styles. A number of industries have seen productivity increase during remote work which employers were surprised to see. Employees around the world made the adjustment to remote work more quickly than experts anticipated. Take a proactive approach to managing your employees during this time as being passive can lead to drops in productivity. The following are tips to manage your employees now that they are all remote. 

Regular Zoom Meetings

The meetings that you have during the week should be clear in terms of agenda. You do not want to waste time with certain meetings that can be handled by sending a detailed email. The email will likely take a few minutes while a meeting with 10 employees can take hours of their time combined. Zoom meetings will also allow you to let employees tell everyone what they are working on. Kudos being given during this time can help keep motivation high especially during tough weeks where deadlines need to be hit. 

There should also be meetings that are a bit of fun at the end of the week. Sending pizzas to your employees for a virtual pizza party can be something that lifts company morale. Employees likely miss their friends in the office and this can be a perfect place to interact without talking about work. 

An Efficient Project Management System 

The right project management system like that of TeamWork or Asana can be immensely helpful. Your employees will know what they have to do as soon as they start working. Being able to prioritize tasks is important as you will not be able to directly tell them. These platforms are great for communication as it will all be stored in an easy to find place. The best part of these platforms is that you can track what is behind schedule. Being able to allocate more employees to a specific task to hit a deadline can allow your business to keep clients happy. 

A Home Office Will Allow You To Manage More Efficiently

Veteran remote workers understand that you will need a dedicated place to work. For the owner of a business, this is essential as you likely have quite a few things to juggle during the day. You cannot be on a client call only to have a screaming child enter the area that you are in. Monster series sheds can act as a great home office without impacting the livable space in your home. Being able to work uninterrupted can allow you to spend more time with your family without distraction than if you work inside of the home. 

Managing your business with all remote employees will present a different challenge than in the past. Take time to adjust and try some new management techniques.

Security is a BIG deal. A good security company can be vital to the smooth-running of your business. Ensuring that you understand how to not only protect yourself but any employees or customers is crucial as a breach of security can be seriously detrimental to your business. Equipping your company with adequate security can also reduce your insurance premiums as it reduces the risk of break ins, theft and aggravated incidences, among other situations. You will want a good local security company. For example, if you are based in Manchester, United Kingdom, you will need good Manchester security guards.

Research a number of companies 

Finding a company with the correct certification is non-negotiable – ensuring your security system, be that security guards or a lock alarm system, is credible will give you peace of mind. Security systems operating without the correct licenses are illegal and will give you little to no protection. In the UK, every private security company is regulated by the SIA which means that they are held accountable and are expected to provide the highest level of service. Security is a really important aspect of a successful business and so it is crucial that you get the highest level of protection that your budget allows.

Each business will have different security requirements, so it is rarely a one size fits all solution. A good security company will discuss with you your specific concerns and ways to target them. It is good to remember that you will be effectively employing the security company and so you must be totally happy before committing that the services they provide will meet your company’s needs. Write a list of questions before meeting with a prospective company so that you can really get a feel for the service they provide – ask which systems they use, their experience and what happens in the event that something goes wrong. It is important that you ask how quickly law enforcement can be contacted through the company in result of an emergency. It can also be a good idea to find out which security companies that businesses similar to your own employ and ask them for recommendations.

Assess your options

Ideally, you should meet with multiple companies in order to get a clear idea of what they each offer and the costs involved. It is worth producing a cost analysis in order to help you decide who to move forward with. When you have decided on a company ensure that you read the contract thoroughly, highlighting any areas that you are unhappy with or would like more security. It is imperative that you work together with the company, communicate openly and maintain a positive relationship as this will inevitably benefit your business.

It is important that security companies remain up to date with the ever-changing threats. Security guards will need regular training courses in order to learn new, relevant techniques. Lock systems and other electronic security devices will need their systems updating whenever is appropriate. An up to date security company that are aware of current trends and possible security breaches will be able to protect your business most effectively and ultimately give you the peace of mind that you desire. 

There was a time when Twitter used to publish a monthly newsletter outlining seasonal trends, ongoing developments, and upcoming happenings for users to be mindful of. In the world of online marketing and social media management, this valuable resource is known as an editorial calendar, and it was nicely provided by Twitter for free and for the benefit of its users, but when the coronavirus pandemic threw daily life in a state of disarray, the effectiveness of this resource became diminished.

Since Twitter is a very dynamic platform by virtue of its functionality, it makes perfect sense that a strategic guide for 2021 was published in lieu of the previous monthly versions, which are bound to return in the future. Once we start putting the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic behind us, and we know this will happen because vaccination campaigns are taking place and new treatments are emerging, it will make sense to start following editorial calendars once again. For the time being, you should download the Twitter Planner 2021 PDF guide and review the aspects that apply to your online presence. Here are some highlights you will want to read and evaluate:

Figuring Out Your Adequate Twitter Presence

Everything you do on Twitter will ultimately reflect your branding. This may not be readily apparent to individuals or business entities that are only starting to find their way around social media, but that is the way it always works. The words you write in your short Twitter bio should reflect you core identity. Think about it from the point of view of someone who visits your Twitter page and looks directly at your bio.

Take a look at this Twitter page for an entrepreneur and philanthropist. In just a few sentences, you can get a sense of vision, mission, and core values; moreover, the tweets and replies are in tune with the core identity. This is what we can safely call an adequate Twitter presence.

Rational Thinking Before Tweeting

It really helps to become familiar with the Twitter terms of service and content posting guidelines. Everyone knows what happened to the Twitter account of the former President of the United States, and it can happen to anyone using the platform. In the 2021 Twitter Planner, you will find various useful tips to start conversations, and here are three you should strongly consider:

* Harness the power of statistics. Nuggets of information that are boiled down to figures and percentages tend to go over very well among Twitter users.

* Ask thoughtful questions. Your followers will appreciate being considered worthy of providing opinions, particularly those that are bound to become actionable. Let’s say your company is planning to record a podcast; this would be a good time to ask for input about future topics that followers will like to hear.

* Request feedback. Once you have collected a few hundred followers, you will find that they can be a good source of feedback for your projects. A fashion boutique that is thinking about adding garments from two different collections can get some constructive opinions from prospective shoppers in order to make a final decision.