Here are five technological developments from the last week and how they affect your business. Did you happen to miss them?
- 1—In terms of both popularity and ad income, TikTok outperforms other social media platforms.
TikTok’s advertising-income is estimated to reach $11 billion by 2022. The platform, which is owned by the Chinese business ByteDace, is the most popular app in the world, with the United States accounting for more than half of its income. Other social media networks’ combined revenues, such as Twitter and Snapchat, are still less than TikTok’s. (Source: Reuters).
Why this is important for your business:
It’s all about finding the correct audience if you’re going to spend money on web advertising. TikTok boasts billions of daily users, most of them are young. Many firms are also utilizing the service to recruit young employees.
- 2-Windows users should be wary of communications that promise free software.
Zscaler researchers discovered malicious software (malware) designed to steal the usernames and passwords of compromised Windows users. According to ZDNet, the FFDroider virus is primarily focused on obtaining login credentials for social networking websites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, but it also takes passwords for Amazon, eBay, and Etsy accounts. Cookies from Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Edge can be stolen by the spyware. The attackers are claimed to disguise themselves as a Telegram message in which victims are requested to enter their usernames and passwords. In addition to collecting credit card numbers and other payment information, they have been accused of running campaigns on victims’ social media accounts. (Source: ZDNet)
Why this is important for your business:
To avoid this, stay on the lookout for dubious emails advertising free software and use two-factor authentication for all passwords. And acquire a lot of training for your personnel.
- 3—By working with Swell, a pest control firm improves the client experience.
Briostack, a pest control software company, is collaborating with customer experience online platform Swell to develop a new solution for creating additional customer support tools. Users of Briostack may now receive automatic text alerts about forthcoming appointments, view a photo of their technician, and post feedback about their service. In addition, users will have access to an inbox optimized for fast client-to-technician contact. (Source: PR Newswire)
Why this is important for your business:
Why is this significant for your business? Because more apps are combining with vertical technology to deliver capabilities tailored to certain sectors. The above-mentioned collaboration between Briostack and Swell appears to be promising for the pest control sector.
- 4 – Nextdoor increases its services to assist small and medium-sized enterprises.
With Nextdoor Ads, Nextdoor is upping its marketing game to help small and medium-sized company owners. To better target the company’s intended audience, the platform is particularly developed to reach local customers. On the Nextdoor Ads dashboard, business owners may participate in every stage of the ad creation process and measure their engagement. The software is set to launch in the United States in the coming weeks, along with fresh marketing materials. (Source: Nextdoor)
Why this is important for your business:
Nextdoor is a hyper-localized version of Facebook that is quite popular in my area – and maybe in yours as well. If you sell on a national scale, this may not be the platform for you. However, if your firm, like most small companies, relies on local clients, boosting your presence on this platform through more participation and advertising might result in higher sales.
- 5 – This app aims to help small business owners fight inflation.
Plastiq Play, a new product from fintech startup Plastiq, aims to assist business owners by expanding resources for automating every part of invoice collection, payment approval routing and submission, and bill reconciliation in order to help balance cash flow. Small company owners may also use the app to get cash through credit cards and short-term lending sources. (Source: ZDNet)
Why this is important for your business:
Plastiq hopes that by using this software, company owners would rely less on paper transactions, help level the playing field versus larger enterprises, and receive money faster. “We designed Plastiq Pay to help a small business owner organize their back office before digitizing their business, to support remote work, and to unlock and operate different forms of working capital that businesses have available,” says Stoyan Kenderov, chief operating officer at Plastiq, in an interview with ZDNet. “And if they don’t have working cash, we can aid with a spotted credit.”
