Online Security in Germany

I was recently reviewing a German Article about online security. It was so interesting to find that a German organization is pushing to increase their online commercial value by 10% this year. If they do this, their online turnover for 2013 would reach 32 Billion Euros.

So how did the Germans get so involved with the online networking world? Well, in 2012 more the ¾ of all Germans above the age of 16 bought multiple products and services over the Internet. It is proven that the online world is no longer focusing its strength in the U.S.  Asia, and most of Europe are also engaging in the art of the online business world.

Though this is a great national breakthrough for the inter-web, it also demonstrates the need for international online security.

With people accessing the web all over the world, it is even more crucial to have your online businesses, websites, and personal computers secure. International online services offer more diversity of goods, services, and pricing, but they also invite more hackers and identity thieves to access your personal information.

In the Eurostat and recent German Articles, Author Jan Valcke states:

“Most consumers know that online security has two sides. On the one hand, they are afraid to fall victim to obscure criminals; on the other hand, they are well aware that malware on their own pc can forward banking and credit card information to criminal units, even though they only deal with serious and trustworthy traders.”

Valcke continues to say, “Online providers that want to differentiate and ensure a safe shopping experience for their customers can do more than just the bare necessities. They can, for instance,set up a defense against online theft and password hijacking by Trojans and rootkits. They cannot avoid that there may be some malware on the consumer's PC that can have a negative impact on the shopping process, but at least, they can diminish the risks and consequences.”

You online security is important, and everyone who does business online, no matter where they live, knows it. Don’t take the risk by avoiding PCI Compliance. Make sure your website and your computer are secure today.

Business Security and Confidentiality

How to Keep Your High-Profile Conversations Safe and Secure

Before smart phones existed, planting secret and covert listening devices was the most popular way for spies, private investigators or government officials to ‘illegally record’ content from private conversations. Just like in the movies, people with resources would surreptitiously plant listening devices to find out top-secret government, business or personal information.

Approximately 130 million smartphones are in use in the United States today. With more and more undercover apps created daily, every smartphone user now has the potential of becoming a covert operative with their own Wi-Fi receiver, camera, audio recorder, keyboard and computer at their disposal.

As a business owner or manager, maintaining security and privacy for high profile meetings is vital. Whether it is a shareholder meeting, political fundraiser or internal executive meeting, there should be confidentiality and security.

For example, this past year, when “off-the-book” comments made by Mitt Romney at a fundraiser were recorded and posted online, his political campaign took an insanely massive negative hit. The theft of intellectual property costs American businesses billions of dollars each year. So how can corporate and government leaders ensure that their meetings are safe and secure and that proprietary information is not leaked? How can everyday business owners make sure the information they discuss and process is kept secure?

This is the point of today’s article. Today, we are going to talk about how you can help make sure that your business is 100% private and secure.

In my own career, I have been responsible for the safety and security of every merchant I speak to concerning their private IRS information, banking information, and other private data. The following tips explain how I have been able to ensure that none of the secure data I send out or speak of is breached.

1.      Always have your meetings behind closed doors. Even if I need to have a quick talk with one employee, if it is about information that should be kept private, I make sure that the other employees leave all mobile devices at their desk and that the office door is closed for our discussion. Eliminating mobile devices and even tablets with cameras into meetings is a good way to ensure that the information will be kept secure.

2.      Never communicate on a non-secure computer or mobile device. This is something that is so crucial, yet so many businesses ignore. Make your website and computer secure! Be PCI Compliant. I am always baffled when I hear business owners complain about having to pay less than $10/month to have a secure computer, when they process credit cards online. That is just ridiculous. Not only will PCI compliant security scans protect the consumers you work with, but it also protects your private information, the emails you send out, and the documents saved on your computer.

How to Use Facebook to Increase Sales

Successful Online businesses have exploded in 2013 and this upward swing is only expected to increase in 2014. If you want to know how to boost your online business traffic generation, keep reading.

For online businesses, it is all about social networking. Currently, the #1 social networking site is Facebook.  Did you know over 800 million people are on Facebook at this very moment? And among these 800 million people, approximately 700 million minutes are spent on Facebook, each year. The average person spends approximately 87.5 minutes on Facebook each day, per year. That is a ton of time that people spend, just browsing on Facebook.

This is why it is crucial for all businesses to find a cheap hosting partner, get online, and be active with Facebook marketing!

The first step is to create a Facebook Business Page. This is a page that you can promote and advertise for your business. As your customers find you on Facebook, it will instantly help you bring in more traffic, because so many people are online.

Now that you have your Business Facebook Page, it is important to create good content!

PHOTOS and VIDEOS! People respond more often and more quickly to pictures and videos, than they do to words and blogs. If you doubt me, realize that YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world. This is why you should be posting cool and important photos and videos to advertise for your business everyday.

o   People will see the photos and videos of your products and services and “LIKE” them. They may even “SHARE” your photos and videos too, which will help increase the amount of people that see your brand.

o   This creates a link pattern that will increase you sales. If one person “Shares” or “Likes” your photosand videos, then posts it to their news feed, all of their friends can now see your photos and videos! If one of their friends “Likes” your photos and videos too, this is then posted to their news feed and all of the friend’s friends can see your brand too. This can go on an on making your traffic generation explode!

o   With the photos and videos you post, always include a link to direct anyone viewing it to your website to check out your products and services. This will make it even easier for your consumers to find your page and purchase your products. The more accessible you make it for them, the more profitable it will be for you.

If you want to increase your traffic, once your website is created, all you need to do is start social networking on Facebook.

Boost Your Online Business Sales with Citations

Why Are Citations Good?

All successful businesses are online. The world is evolving and enhancing to make it so that you can practically buy anything you want from the comfort of your own home. Consumers love purchasing products from online businesses. So if you are a business owner, or if you are an entrepreneur thinking of starting your own business, get started online!

If you do have an excellent website hosted for just $5.00, for your online business, then your next step is improving that online business! One of the best ways to bring in more customers is with social networking citations.

What are Citations? When it comes to Social Media Optimization, there is an added dimension in that Google and other search engines that you have to pay attention to – it’s when someone or some entity (especially one with clout) gives you and your company credit for doing something or being someone positive. The more citations you have, the better your website will rank on those search engines for searches related to what you do and where you are geographically located.

This increased page ranking with Google will bring you more web traffic, and more web traffic means more customers. Citations are good for your in-store business and especially your online business. Anytime someone mentions your business on their website (in a positive manner) they’re bringing energy and attention to you and providing you with exposure to potential customers or clients. 

Citations are especially important for businesses that operate within a limited geographic range, (like a small city,) because it is in part by citations that Google can determine that a certain business is active within a certain city and not the one next door. When you use citations and other SEO tactics effectively, a small company can outflank a large company on the search engines. This is because it can prove itself to be more relevant to local search results than a national firm, simply because of social networking. 

So, if you don’t have your business online, you can sign up with hosting for just five bucks a month. If you are already set up online, start boosting your website with citations of your business from your fans and followers. Then, provide citations (short testimonials) of your friends’ businesses boost sales on their sites.

Orthodontic Care Brings an Improved Disposition

Even if we don’t want to believe it is true, our looks affect our personalities and our attitudes more than we realize. Psychologists have proven that our physical appearance affects the limbic system in the core of our brains. The Limbic System is the part of your brain that controls our moods.

This is why when you are sick we end up feeling better after we have taken a shower and cleaned ourselves up a little. When you feel like you look really good, you end up having a better day. The opposite is often true on “bad hair days,” for example. The way we look can directly affect temporary levels of happiness.

I have seen this actually affect me. I used to have a small gap in my two front teeth from where a cavity needed to be filled. I was so self-conscious about this that I hardly ever wanted to smile because I felt like it was so noticeable.

Once it was filled in with the white filling, you couldn’t even see the gap anymore, and it made me want to smile. The more I smiled, the happier I was.

When my husband was just a little boy, he fell off the top bunk bed and hit his mouth on the ground. His teeth un-aligned and became completely crooked, spread apart, and poking outwards in all directions. His poor smile was so crooked and because of it, he almost never smiled.

All through his teen years he had a really hard time staying positive and being happy. He dealt with a lot of depression, because he was so self-conscious about the way he looked. It wasn’t until he got his braces on and his teeth straightened that his family members and friends started noticing positive changes in his moods.

A person’s smile is the first thing other people see, and people often judge us based on first impressions. This is why it is so crucial to find the most outstanding orthodontic surgeons and dentists available to help brighten and straighten you and your loved ones’ smile.