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Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 – These are the 40 best Google tools for productivity and marketing according to Search Engine Land.
The staff at tech website Search Engine Land recently put together a list of the 40 best Google tools for productivity and marketing. The list includes tools such as Gmail for its secure email service, Google Ads for targeting ideal customers, Google Alerts to help monitor your business’s reputation, Google Analytics to help measure website traffic and app usage, and more. You can view the entire list here. (Source: Search Engine Journal)
Why this is important for your business:
I was mostly aware of all the tools – many free – that Google provides for small businesses to help with productivity and marketing but this great list compiled by Brian Frederick not only refreshed my memory but also surprised me with a few unknowns. And wow…there are so many of them! If you run a small business it’s worth taking some time to go through these apps – you’ll also be surprised.
2 – American Express and TikTok have launched the #ShopSmall Accelerator to help small businesses reach new audiences on Small Business Saturday.
American Express announced this past week that it is launching the #ShopSmall Accelerator in partnership with TikTok. The program is aimed at helping small business owners expand their audiences to encourage a new generation to shop on Small Business Saturday. American Express supports small businesses throughout the year with its goal to power $100 billion in small business spending between 2021 to 2025. (Source: Yahoo Finance)
Why this is important for your business:
Starting this past week, the #ShopSmall Accelerator will include an offer for eligible small business owners to earn a $100 TikTok advertising credit. In addition, small business owners will be given access to tools and resources to think like TikTok creators, including a tutorial at AmericanExpress.com/ShopSmallAccelerator on how your business can stand out on the platform. These are good incentives to help expand your business to the millions of potential TikTok customers.
3 – KnowBe4 has released a holiday kit with cybersecurity resources.
Security platform KnowBe4 recently announced its roll out of a tool kit with essential, new resources for the holidays. As the provider of the globe’s biggest simulated phishing and security awareness training platform, KnowBe4 released the tool kit in an effort to help users stay protected during the cyber chaos that the holidays bring on. (Source: PRNewsWire)
Why this is important for your business:
As you’re probably aware, ransomware and other malware attacks have exploded over the past few years, particularly because so many people are working from home in unprotected environments. KnowBe4 has become a very popular tool with my clients that want to test their employees on the latest threats because many studies have shown that it’s poor training and people errors that are causing most of the security problems we face.
4 – GoFreight has raised $23 million to become the “Shopify of freight forwarding.”
Startup GoFreight recently raised $23 million and aims to become the “Shopify of freight forwarding.” GoFreight plans to use the new funding toward developing features to help with purchase order management, rate management, and smart quotations. (Source: TechCrunch)
Why this is important for your business:
This is a vertical application specifically designed for companies in the transportation, logistics and freight-forwarding industries with power features to help with shipment management, security, container tracking, booking, quotes, accounting and reporting. The startup’s backend software helps make operations run more efficiently and its frontend software enables users to give quotes and establish a storefront in mere minutes.
5 – Amazon plans to test facial recognition technology to verify seller identity.
Amazon recently announced its plans to test forgery detection, facial recognition, as well as additional automated tech to provide an alternative to identity verification of those selling online. The test will initially be voluntary for potential U.S.-based sellers. Those who do not want to participate will be given the option to have a video call with human reviewers. Amazon said the biometric data will be used only for identity verification. (Source: GeekWire)
Why this is important for your business:
Like it or not, passwords are going to be a thing in the past within the next few years. Amazon and other big brands are testing biometric security – fingerprints, eye scans and facial recognition- as a more reliable way to validate a user’s identity. Ultimately this will be something your business will implement.
