Social Media and You. How to be Cyber smart.

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Why Be Smart
The month of October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. More than ever, consumers now spend more time on the Internet. With every social media account you sign up for, every picture you post, and every status you update, you share information about yourself with the world. How can you be proactive and do your part?

Did You Know?
In 2020, a staggering 3.81 billion people worldwide were active on social media, marking a significant 9% increase from the previous year. This means that nearly half of the world’s population is now part of social networks, which underlines the global scale of the cybersecurity challenge.
According to the (IC3), in 2019, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received a staggering 467,361 complaints of suspected Internet crime, resulting in reported losses exceeding 3.5 billion dollars. This financial toll underscores the real-world consequences of cybercrime.
Since 2004, the President of the United States and Congress have declared October to be Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a month during which the public and private sectors work together to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity.
Over the years, it has grown into a collaborative effort between government and industry to enhance cybersecurity awareness, encourage actions by the public to reduce online risk, and generate discussion on cyber threats on a national and global scale. October 2024 marks the 21st Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
With digital consumers spending nearly 3 hours daily on social networks and messaging, it’s crucial to remain vigilant. You can connect confidently and safely by taking simple steps, ensuring your safety on social media.

Simple Tips
If you connect it, protect it. Whether it’s your computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet, game device, or other network device, the best defense against viruses and malware is updating the latest security software, web browser, and operating systems. Sign up for automatic updates and protect your devices with anti-virus software. Read the Phishing Tip Sheet for more information.

                                        Four Ways to Stay Safe Online


Recognize & Report Phishing 
Be cautious of unsolicited messages asking for personal information. Avoid sharing sensitive information or credentials with unknown sources. Report phishing attempts and delete the message.
What is Phishing? the fraudulent practice of sending emails or other messages purporting to be from reputable companies to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers


Use Strong Passwords
Strong passwords are long, random, and unique, including all four character types (uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols). Password managers are powerful tools for helping you create strong passwords for each of your accounts.


Turn On MFA
It would help if you had more than a password to protect your online accounts, and enabling MFA makes you significantly less likely to get hacked. Enable MFA on all your online accounts that offer it, especially email, social media, and financial accounts.
What is MFA? Multi-factor authentication, or MFA, is a more secure way to verify user identity than the classic username-password combination. MFA usually incorporates a password but includes one or two additional authentication factors. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a type of MFA.

Update Software
Ensuring your software is up to date is the best way to ensure your devices have the latest security patches and updates. If automatic updates are not available, check for updates regularly.

Additional Tips
• Never click and tell. Limit what information you post on social media—from personal addresses to where you like to grab coffee. What many people don’t realize is that these seemingly random details are all that criminals need to know to target you, your loved ones, and your physical belongings—online and in the real world. Keep Social Security numbers, account numbers, and passwords private, and specific information about yourself, such as your full name, address, birthday, and even vacation plans. Disable location services that allow anyone to see where you are—and where you aren’t—at any given time.
• Speak up if you’re uncomfortable. If a friend posts something about you that makes you uncomfortable or you think is inappropriate, let them know. Likewise, stay open-minded if a friend approaches you because something you’ve posted makes them uncomfortable. People have different tolerances for how much the world knows about them, and it is important to respect those differences. Don’t hesitate to report any instance of cyberbullying you see.
• Report suspicious or harassing activity. Work with your social media platform to report and possibly block harassing users. Report an incident if you’ve been a victim of cybercrime. Local and national authorities are ready to help you.
• Share with care. Even if you delete a post or picture from your profile seconds after posting it, chances are someone still saw it. Remember, there is no ‘Delete’ button on the Internet.
• Update your privacy settings. Set the privacy and security settings to your comfort level for information sharing. Disable “geotagging,” which allows anyone to see where you are at any time.
• Connect only with people you trust. While some social networks might seem safer for connecting because of the limited personal information shared, keep your connections to people you know and trust.

Combatting Cyber Crime
In conclusion, today’s world is more interconnected than ever before. Yet, for all its advantages, increased connectivity also increases the risk of theft, fraud, and abuse. As Americans become more reliant on modern technology, we also become more vulnerable to it. However, each of us has the power to combat cybercrime through our actions.

Be Smart and Stay Safe
For more information on cyber security and to stay informed, visit www.cisa.gov/ncsam. Remember, staying informed is the first step towards responsible online behavior.

Courtesy of Simon Kemp and Deyan G.

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Social Media: It’s Impact on the Job Market & Career Development

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Are you in the middle of an active job search? Well, you are not alone. In our digital-dominated world, social media has become a juggernaut influencing various facets of life, including the professional realm. It’s reshaping the job market and bolstering career development, effectively becoming a new cornerstone in the job search saga. Gone are the days when classified ads and firm handshakes were the alpha and omega of securing a role. Today, platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and even Instagram are not just social watering holes but pivotal arenas where job opportunities bloom and professional networks thrive. This article aims to dissect both the lush benefits and the prickly challenges of wielding social media for job pursuits and career growth, guiding you to harness its profound power effectively.

The Changing Landscape of Job Search

Gone are the days when job seekers scour newspaper classifieds to circle potential leads with a red pen. The digital era has ushered in an exciting new chapter where social media plays the starring role in the job search narrative. Platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and even Facebook have transformed job hunting into a dynamic and interactive experience, far removed from the static methods of yesteryear.
What makes this shift so thrilling? It’s not just that you have more job opportunities at your fingertips but also that you can connect directly with the movers and shakers of your industry. The walls that once separated eager applicants from employers have crumbled, replaced by the open network of social media.

  • Access to a global network – no longer confined by geography, job seekers can connect with employers worldwide.
  • Real-time updates – with social media, job postings can go viral instantly, offering fresh opportunities by the minute.
  • Insight into company culture – candidates can peek behind the curtain to see if a company’s values align with their own.

Indeed, the digital age has brought about a job search revolution, and riding the wave of this transformation is as exhilarating as it is essential.

Leveraging Social Media for Job Search

Imagine turning your digital footprint into a magnet for career opportunities. That’s the magic of social media in the job search sphere. Each platform is akin to a new stage, ready to showcase your professional persona. LinkedIn, the corporate Colosseum, stands as the undisputed champion for professional networking, while Twitter’s rapid-fire exchanges can connect you to industry leaders with just 280 characters. Not to be outdone, Facebook’s groups offer a goldmine for insider information and job postings.

  • Profile Optimization: Start by polishing your digital handshake – your profile. Tailor it to sing your skills and experiences with the harmony of SEO to catch the algorithms’ attention.
  • Engagement: Engage with content from potential employers to show your interest and expertise. Be an active participant, not a wallflower, in the digital dance of your industry.
  • Success Stories: Draw inspiration from success stories that illustrate the power of a tweet, a share, or a connection request in landing dream jobs
    By wielding social media wisely, you turn each post and update into a beacon, signaling your prowess to prospective employers.

Building Your Brand on Social Media

Imagine social media as a bustling marketplace where your profile is your storefront. To stand out in the noisy digital bazaar, personal branding becomes your beacon, guiding potential employers and collaborators through the sea of sameness. Your online persona should be as meticulously curated as a gallery owner would showcase art pieces with thought, purpose, and an audience understanding.

  • Showcase skills: Illustrate your professional repertoire through posts that reflect your expertise and accomplishments. Share articles, join conversations, and display your projects to paint a vibrant picture of your capabilities.
  • Experience narration: Let your career journey speak through a compelling narrative, connecting the dots of your experiences and milestones for onlookers to follow.
  • Authenticity: Your digital handshake should be as genuine as the real thing. Cultivate a profile that is true to your character, allowing your unique professional identity to blossom.

By sculpting a professional and authentic personal brand on social media, you lay the foundations for career opportunities to come knocking at your virtual door, inviting them into a world where your professional story is told with clarity and charisma.

Networking on Social Media

The advent of social media has transformed the art of networking into a digital dance, where connections are just a click away. Imagine social media as a bustling marketplace, ripe with potential partnerships and career opportunities waiting to be explored. One must dive into the interactive world of online groups and discussions to harness this power.

  • Join professional groups: Align yourself with individuals who share your professional interests and goals. It’s like joining a club, but your currency is your insights and expertise instead of a secret handshake.
  • Engage in discussions: Don’t be a wallflower! Participate actively in online forums. Chime in with your thoughts and strike up conversations. You never know when a simple comment could lead to a life-changing opportunity.
  • Build lasting relationships: Avoid treating connections like collectible cards. Nurture them with regular interaction and genuine interest. Remember, a strong network is like a tree—it grows deeper roots and broader branches with care and attention.

Adopting a strategy of thoughtful engagement and proactive networking on social media can be the wind beneath the wings of your career development. It’s not just about who you know but who knows you and what you bring.

Challenges of Using Social Media in Job Search

Navigating the social media maze comes with its own set of challenges and risks when job hunting. One stumble can lead to a privacy mishap or a tarnished online reputation. As much as social media opens doors, it can sometimes close them just as quickly.

  • Privacy Concerns: The line between professional and personal can often blur. It’s critical to set boundaries and control the visibility of your online activity to avoid potential employers or colleagues encountering less-than-professional content.
  • Online Reputation Management: Your digital footprint is like a tattoo; it’s pretty permanent and speaks volumes about you. A poorly managed online presence can become a job seeker’s Achilles’ heel.

Don’t let your digital shadow loom over your career prospects. Be strategic and reasonable in your social media use; ensuring a squeaky-clean and professional image is what pops up on a recruiter’s radar. With great power comes great responsibility, and the power of social media in a job search is no exception. Embrace it cautiously, and you’ll navigate the job market like a seasoned sailor steering through the digital sea of opportunities.

The Impact of Social Media on Career Development

The digital age has transformed the fabric of career progression, with social media emerging as a powerhouse for personal and professional evolution. It’s like a high-speed elevator in a skyscraper of opportunities; you can ascend to dizzying heights with the right buttons pushed. Through platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and even Instagram, individuals are no longer mere job seekers but architects of their career paths.

  • Networking becomes a breeze when you can connect with industry leaders and peers worldwide, exchanging ideas and showcasing your prowess.
  • Skill development is at your fingertips with endless resources, webinars, and online courses shared across social networks.
  • Job opportunities often come knocking at your digital door, as recruiters actively scout for talent on social media, making it crucial to have an impressive online presence.

By leveraging the mighty clout of social media, professionals today are not just climbing the career ladder; they’re taking a quantum leap forward. This phenomenon underscores the potential for career advancement that social media harbors, provided one navigates this digital realm with savvy and strategy.

Conclusion

As we’ve surfed the waves of hashtags and tweets, it’s clear that social media is not just a digital cocktail party but a robust arena for job search and career development. From LinkedIn headhunting to Twitter job leads the employment landscape is at our fingertips, illuminated by the glow of our screens. Social media has come down like a hammer on the old-school job bulletin boards, reshaping how we look for jobs and develop and present our brand.

Embrace the digital age; your next career leap might be hiding in your next online connection. Whether you’re an aspiring mogul or a savvy professional, harness the power of likes, shares, and comments to build a network that transcends traditional boundaries. Yet, remember to navigate this realm with eyes wide open to the challenges, from privacy pitfalls to the ever-watchful eye on your digital footprint. As we march into the future, social media stands as both the paint and canvas for the masterpiece of your career story—use it wisely, and the possibilities are boundless.

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The Secret to Market Research-How to Find Your Killer Niche!

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thinkingThis is where it all starts! The idea, the thought of going into business of your own. What are you going to promote or sell? Well if you already have an idea, that’s good. But if not-that’s okay too. Because with market research or niche marketing, I’m going to show you the secret of finding a unique brand or niche-to promote online with enormous success. Here’s how it works:
What Is A Niche?
A niche is define as a situation in which a business’s products or services can succeed by being sold to a particular kind or group of people. In other words it zero’s in to a specific group, making them special or exclusive. Weight Loss is a broad category for example, tremendous competition to compete with others. But if you can narrow it down to a special group or situation maybe like weight loss for post-pregnant women or overweight children under 12, then that becomes a niche under that broad category. And that idea will be your keyword and part of your website URL.
A killer niche is something really unique, something nobody has thought of-but you!
Market Research
Market research, or niche marketing, is simply a process of collection and analysis of data to find what people are looking for. What do everyday people want? How to create a new market, something different.
Where Do I Start?
Start by asking yourself: What is something you know about well? Something that you are passionate about? This is where you are going to start searching for keywords.
Yes the one key is keywords. The other is the competition. You don’t want to have to compete with a million other websites of your niche, and you certainly don’t want to have to compete with the “big dogs” either! So what are you going to do? Here are 4 methods that will aid you in an effective market research, to where you can find that one unique niche.
Google Ad-words
It use to be that one way of doing market research was just starting an Google Ad-word campaign with pay-per-click(PPC), and you would be able to determine what keywords is getting you good traffic, providing of course that your campaign was a successful one. With Google Ad-word you’re having to pay every time someone clicks on your ad. But the Internet is always changing and things isn’t what it use to be years ago. Now there’s a way to perform market research that is free!
Keyword Search
Once you have an idea of what your potential niche is going to be, then just do a simple keyword search. One tool you can use is Google Keyword Tool, which is a free tool. Just sign-in enter a keyword and it will show you a list of other keywords you can use depending on two things: The number of search, and the competition. You want the search volume to be high, but the competition to be very low. Once you locate a keyword with more than 1,000 searches per month or more, and at the same time the competition is at its lowest-then you may have discovered what I call a “potential website keyword.” In other words, a potential niche that you center an entire website around! But more on that later.
Amazon Bestsellers
Another market research strategy is the use of Amazon.com. Amazon has emerge to one of the biggest places online where you can find what people are looking for when it comes to information. So just go to the books section in Amazon, select a category, then select at the top the word “Bestseller.” Now you have an idea of what people are interested in. Take notice of something that you can use as a niche to promote as a product, service, or information to sell online. Now your potential niche becomes a keyword to do a keyword search as described above.
Trends.
What are the current trends? What are people talking or asking questions about? Trends can be an effective market researching strategy as well, if you can get an idea on what’s the next hot thing that people are going to want to get their hands on. Just remember, the Xbox, the iPod, and the Mac-book, as an example, were all just a trend at one time. Once you get an idea, again, do your keyword search. The best way to keep up with trends are websites like http://blogpulse.com/trend or http://google.com/trends. At http://boardtracker.com you can follow what people are talking about and  http://technorati.com keeps up with the latest technology in electronics.

Building A Site
Before you launch your site though, it’s important that you make your keyword part of your domain name. In other words you are going to build your whole brand around that one “killer” keyword, due to good research marketing. You can use your site to either sell a product, services, or information? Whatever you decide, I would suggest that you create a blog with your site and off-the-bat, write 3-5 articles on your niche-using your main keyword and start driving traffic to your new site.

Even though market research takes time and effort, it is all well-spent, because sometimes you may be surprise as to what you will decide on a niche. So get busy and go find your “killer” niche now, and be sure to leave a comment below please!

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6 Effective SEO Tips to Guarantee Good Website Traffic

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Woman In Traffic

6 Effective SEO Tips to Guarantee Good Website Traffic

When was the last time you found yourself stuck on a freeway during rush hour, or downtown in a traffic jam, or just  simply trying to cross a busy street? There just doesn’t seem to be anything good about the word “traffic.” But that was before the wonder world of the internet. Now if you have a website of any kind, and you want to be found-you need traffic. Good traffic! And the more the merrier. So it’s important that we touch on a few effective seo tips to guarantee good website traffic.

Whether you are running an eCommerce website or a blog, it should speak for itself and reach millions of people online. This would only be possible if you get through of what you can call as Search Engine Optimization or simply SEO. However, many beginners and even veterans encounter troubles in making it on top of the search engine results due to complexity and demands of the process.

According to Blog Growth, there is more than 100 billion searches that occurs on a monthly basis and 70% of it takes place on Google. With this, SEO come into the picture to resolve your conundrum on how you can be on top. Speaking of being on top, SEO is quite demanding and yet, it will greatly contribute to your website’s reputation and credibility.

To get ahead against your competitors and earn massive traffic, bear these tips in mind. Efficient execution of the following  6 seo tips will highly tantamount to your success. So let’s get started!

  • Focus on Long-tail Keywords. One of the basics of SEO is keyword research.  If you are struggling to be on top, then try finding long-tail keywords through the Google’s Keyword Tool. Long tail keywords are a type of keyword phrase that has at least three, and some times as many as five words in the phrase.  For example, “home remedies for bed bugs” or “how to get rid of depression” are long-tail keywords compared to the more competitive search terms “bed bugs” or “depression”.

For a fact, the significance of keywords is undeniable to SEO. It is through these key terms that Google looks on articles, images, and website pages as they are being searched by the users. Although there are thousands of helpful articles or content, not all of them are being brought on the first page. Only the most relevant are shown.

  • Create Quality Content. “Content is king.” This is what SEO will always say in optimizing a website. Well, there is no doubt to it since people are always searching for quality articles. Therefore, always do an extensive research and write uniquely.
  • Optimize the Articles. Once you have created the article, it is about time to optimize it. The essentials to these are keywords, descriptions, and meta-title. As for the keywords, these are the terms that can be found in the post. Insert the keyword in the title to make the permalink keyword-rich as well. The second one which is the description should be concise around having less than 160 characters only. It should be in a descriptive paragraph form. Lastly, the meta-title should have less than 60 characters and should be SEO rich.
  • Practice Ethical Link Building. SEO does not only have to work on-page. It also covers the off-page aspects and embedding keyword links is the pillar to off-page SEO. You can ask someone or a credible source to embed the keywords back to your site. Anyhow, it will yield good results. Apart from this, you can also link your new post to your previous content covering the same niche.
  • Make Use of Multimedia. Images and videos are contents that generate more clicks in   comparison    with texts. Therefore, you will also have to optimize them by adding keywords and descriptions.
  • Ease of Websites. You should remember that search engines also consider the interface of websites. If it is poorly designed and burdens a user to navigate the site, then it will not attract the search engines. Therefore, avoid putting large files on your website that delays loading. Nevertheless, make it more appealing and friendly to the search engines and searchers.

SEO
So all traffic is not bad traffic anymore. Now there’s good traffic! There are a lot of ways to let your brand or website known in the cyber world. It only requires hard work and efficient execution of SEO strategies, and these seo tips will help. Nevertheless, it is only right to say that SEO is the mastermind behind organic searches so that others can find you online.

I hope you enjoyed this post on 6 effective seo tips to guarantee good website traffic.

Reginald Jackson
Social Media Specialist and Blogger in Dallas Texas

What Is Social Media

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What is a Social Media Virtual Assistant

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Find out what a social media virtual assistant does and how one can help you and your business.
Today, it’s essential and similar to brushing your teeth, that for businesses to develop and bloom, a social media presence is of utmost importance for thriving businesses. Mostly, it is due to people talking about your brand or product, negatively and positively.

Social media and the tools that they possess are extremely effective to reach millions of online users from around the world, verses a traditional website and definitely more effective than paper marketing because of technological advancement.

I know most of you’ve heard about Social Media, but have you begun the social media adventure yet?

I’m sure you feel that it’s important, but something is holding you back. Maybe you think it would take up too much of your time, or you just don’t have any idea where to start. One thing I know for sure…Social Media is here to stay.

A Social Media Virtual Assistant will help you to establish your social media presence, perform a variety of tasks, manage your social media accounts, and allow you more free time, so you can focus on your business. Social Media Virtual Assistants may even be helpful in areas that you haven’t even thought about such as researching and keeping up-to-date with social media marketing and how to help your business. They can also help to create a buzz about your brand or product through Facebook, Twitter, blogging, other social networks and forums. Outlined below are the major social media tasks they can perform for you.

A Social Media Virtual Assistant can:
<Perform Social Media Research, Strategies & Action Planning
<Setup Social Network Profiles
<Manage your Social Networks
<Use Marketing Strategies on Twitter, Facebook, & Online Video
<Manage your Online Reputation
<Perform Social Bookmarking
<Perform Article Marketing
<Perform Blog Commenting
<Post on Forums

So if you haven't taken the plunge yet, and don't really want to, or just cannot seem to find the time, now is the time to outsource all of your social media tasks to a Social Media Virtual Assistant.
This will help to create a more simple life and allow for adequate time to spend on the more important aspects of your business, as well as helping to increase your profits.

By Dawn Pigoni

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