by Felicien | May 18, 2018 | Education
Not-for-profit organizations frequently contend with the lack of time and money necessary to afford large IT investments that are critical for achieving efficiency in their operations. Those organizations that can afford these technologies constantly have to deal with scarce resources and manpower needed to manage the technology.
There is another glaring problem within the nonprofit environment: the staff, Board members, and volunteers are often spread across several locations. Further, their extensive use of different devices and operating systems (OS) tends to result in difficulties accessing the organizations’ latest files.
Microsoft Office 365 – addressing the challenges nonprofits face
Office 365 is Microsoft’s global offering designed to provide eligible users with access to the company’s top-of-the-line cloud-based tools for collaboration and productivity. The service is complete with web conferencing and high definition (HD) video, calendars, business-class email, online Microsoft office suite, as well as file storage and sharing.
While Microsoft has a provision to offer these services to eligible, qualified nonprofits as a donation, the organizations can purchase important additional services for a small fee. In addition to the rich apps connected to Microsoft Cloud always being up-to-date, they are available for users on a 24/7 basis.
If all this isn’t reason enough for you to jump aboard the Office 365 bandwagon, then read along to find out further why your nonprofit should invest in Microsoft Office 365.
Voice and web conferencing allows for easy collaboration
Successful running of any nonprofit heavily depends on the quality of collaboration between its members. Among the suite of tools that come with Microsoft Office 365 is Skype for Business, an all-in-one tool for web conferencing, video calls, voice calls and instant messaging.
The HD video conferencing capability means that nonprofit teams can meet and collaborate with each other regardless of where they are located. Out-of-office personnel and volunteers can remotely share data and influence timely decision making.
Skype for Business has a note-taking feature that works in real time. This can allow you to keep track of notes and new ideas from every meeting.
Social networking is easier with Office 365
Every Microsoft Office 365 Nonprofit plan comes with the tech giant’s internal social network, Yammer – designed for organizations like your own. With your own Yammer site, it is easier than ever to bring teams together regardless of where they are located across the globe. Yammer allows the organization’s internal staff, volunteers and other stakeholders to connect, share, and collaborate seamlessly at all times.
Teams can edit and share documents on the go
Microsoft Office 365 also includes Microsoft’s cloud-based file-sharing tool SharePoint Online. With this advanced file sharing tool, teams can easily edit and share documents with one another, even on their mobile devices. Many users love the fact that they can actually edit documents simultaneously with colleagues on this cloud-based platform – effectively saving time and the possible confusion associated with back and forth emailing of documents.
There is just so much you can accomplish with your documents in the cloud. Your board reports will be available so you can share them remotely or access them, along with grant applications and other equally essential documents anywhere, at any time.
Microsoft’s online office suite, Office Online, also allows you to create and edit files using lightweight Microsoft Office web apps including Word, Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint. So, your team has the liberty to open, view, and edit various document forms right from their browsers, both on iOS and Android devices.
Both staff and volunteers can use Microsoft Office 365 to open, view, and edit practically any document on up to five of their devices. This empowers them with the flexibility to work anywhere, anytime.
Guarantee of security and compliance
Data security is one of the greatest concerns to any nonprofit organization. Nonprofits also have to comply with applicable privacy and compliance laws. The good news is, Microsoft’s Office 365 is engineered to the highest level in privacy and security standards.
The service has built-in malware protection to safeguard your data in the cloud. As such, your nonprofit organization can have peace of mind storing its data in the cloud and sharing even the most sensitive information without running the risk of noncompliance with data protection requirements.
Nonprofit organizations enjoy 24/7 support
Office 365 offers the luxury of 24/7 professional-level customer support so you won’t need any IT staff to stay on call. The level of support your nonprofit organization gets depends on your organization’s Office 365 Nonprofit plan.
Final thoughts
Technology related problems can create indecisiveness and slow down efforts in the nonprofit environment, eventually taking a toll on important mission activities and hurting productivity overall. With its full range of capabilities, as well as its cloud accessibility that ensures collaboration both online and offline, Microsoft Office 365 is a great tool for every nonprofit organization that wishes to achieve maximum efficiency.
by Felicien | May 17, 2018 | Education
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is truly an important part of marketing for any business. Businesses that rely solely or largely on online marketing must understand the concepts of SEO marketing in order to be successful. If you’ve been doing this a while, then you probably know that it’s not as easy as it seems on the surface. Today, there are numerous specialists in this field with years of experience in Search Engine Optimization. They will testify that search engine optimization is a complex procedure that requires several layers of precision efforts in order to work.
Search Engine Optimization is an art that if well mastered, will ensure that your website is ranked higher than the competition. Of course, being on that first page of results is every business owners dream and if it were easy, everyone would be there at one time or another. As with all technology, people have found ways to master SEO and they’ve found ways to “beat the algorithm.” This process, though effective, can cause a website that really shouldn’t be there, to appear at the top of your search results for a specific word or phrase.
Beating the algorithm sometimes results in the website that should be right at the top, falling to the bottom of the page. Though Google and others do work hard to make sure things like this don’t happen, we all see it every day. Below, are our top 12 tips for getting your website to that first page of the listings.
Focus your content on fulfilling a need.
This is simple. All you need to do is find a need and fill it. If you do this well enough, consumers will come looking for you. Know your target consumer. Speak to them personally in your content. Make sure you’re addressing their pain points and hitting all their hot buttons. Be sure your content speaks to people in a personal way. Always remember that the customer is who you’re after; not the search engines. Write content that is useful to your customers.
Ensure your content is mobile friendly.
In this age, where people are somewhat addicted to their mobile phones, your web content must be mobile friendly. Make sure that everything is easily accessible from any device. People are using their smartphones more to shop and make purchases, so this process must be just as simple on a smartphone as online.
Do use keywords but ensure your web content makes sense
Knowing that keywords are the way to beat algorithms, some people load their web content with keywords. Check online to see what the current density rate for keywords is. At the moment, it’s around 2 percent. If you go over this, the search engines could classify your site as SPAM. This is the exact opposite of what you really want. In addition, loading your content with keywords makes it sound less authentic and even annoying. It diverts the attention of the readers from important information about your business.
Give your audience more than they expect
Your website should contain good information about your company and your products and services. You can also add interesting trivia, a surprising story about one of the company owners, or anything unique that might make visitors remember you. Some sites use humor. Above all, be truthful and sincere and this will create trust in your website visitors.
Ensure your work is amazing
Do not bore your audience with irrelevant information. While writing informative pieces, ensure they are entertaining. It’s often a good idea to work with a professional copywriter who can create incredible content that will WOW your audience.
Link, link, link
You don’t want your visitors searching elsewhere on the internet for information concerning things that you’ve discussed on your site. Instead, provide links that go out to these stories. People today appreciate the convenience. Inbound and outbound linking can be tricky so get help from a specialist if you feel you need it.
Keep creating content
Do not just create your website and then walk away. Instead, keep tweaking the content there. Keep adding fresh content each week. Make sure articles and blogs are relevant and valuable to your consumers.
Think like your consumer
Being an internet user yourself, you probably know a few things about how consumers think. But, it’s important to learn what motivates a person to make a purchase from your site. There’s a whole science behind these concepts. Once you understand the mindset of your target consumer, you can better address their needs and speak to their heart.
Ensure that content is evergreen
Before you post your content, ask yourself this question: “Three months from now, will this content still be relevant? What about in 6 months or two years?” Is the answer is yes, go ahead and publish it. If not, you may need to rewrite your content so that it’s just as relevant in two years as it is today.
Every piece of your content matters
Your writing should focus on the value of your products and services. You want an amazing website that stays at the top of search listings for years, not just a few days. If you focus on SEO tricks, you may be at the top for a while, but then shoppers may realize that in fact, there is not much on your site they need. Stay relevant. Give shoppers what they’re looking for. This is how you get return visitors.
Social media should be your best friend
Maintain all your social media sites placing fresh content there daily. Most business owners hire someone to do this for them and this can be a valuable investment that really pays off. Social media gives you the opportunity to interact on a personal level with customers and potential buyers. Don’t miss out on this opportunity.
Focus on retention
Work with someone who understands the analytics that you get from your site each week. You can use analytics to tell exactly when someone clicks away and moves on. Find out what they were doing when that happened. Maybe there’s a boring page on your website that could be updated with better content. Maybe there’s something offensive that you don’t see. Sometimes, it’s nothing more than colors, shapes, wording etc. Humans are visual beings. They make decisions based on their feelings.
Length matters a lot
Longer content ensures that you can insert more keyword variations. Today’s successful websites are posting longer blog articles. In fact, blogs that are at least 1000 words are ideal. Of course, longer pieces of content must be broken up with subtitles and images. This keeps readers interested.
Final thoughts
While search engine optimization may not be rocket science, it is still a science that many business owners don’t have the time or the expertise to master. Hire someone who is good at this and has a proven track record. Expect results and monitor their efforts to make sure this happens. It won’t happen overnight, of course, but within six months, you should begin to see some good changes in your search engine rankings.
by Felicien | May 17, 2018 | Education
Individuals and teams in organizations are always looking to get more things done within the shortest time possible. In this regard, Microsoft Planner comes in handy as a means to quickly get organized and collaborate effortlessly on projects, particularly where remote teams are concerned.
In its drive to make Office 365 ever more useful to its clientele, Microsoft has constantly rolled out new features for its Planner. These features are designed to provide users with greater visibility into project schedules, allow them to receive notifications of upcoming deadlines as well as let users filter and group tasks accordingly.
The latest and one of the most amazing features added to Microsoft Planner enables you to publish tasks to your Outlook calendar.
This feature is really handy if you want to see your personal calendar items alongside the calendar items in your Microsoft Planner. Chances are that you are not already much familiar with this functionality – allow us to show you how it works.
First things first: what you need to know about Microsoft Planner
This is a simple work management app that Microsoft offers as a part of its Office 365 subscriptions – the company’s cloud-based environment that includes different lightweight versions of apps like Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote.
Microsoft Planner lets users organize their projects, assign tasks, share files, publish and view tasks, as well as chat and collaborate with other users. The full functionality of the app is available to premium, business and educational users subscribed to Microsoft Office 365.
Microsoft Planner and Outlook Calendar
You can now view Planner tasks on your Outlook calendar. This feature allows you to import Planner tasks into Outlook via an iCalendar feed. From the My Tasks page, there is the option to pick specific plans to publish, or simply select the Tasks that are assigned to you by a different owner.
Viewing a Planner task in Outlook Calendar
To be able to see your Planner calendar in Outlook, the owner of the plan must first add it to the Outlook calendar using an iCalendar format feed. Adding a plan to the Outlook calendar generates a link that each member can use to add the plan to their own Outlook calendar.
Publishing an iCalendar feed
Supposing that you are the plan owner, to add the plan to the Outlook calendar, tap the ellipsis (…) at the top of your plan, then select the “Add plan to Outlook calendar” option on the dropdown menu that appears.
Notice that you should be able to see the “Add plan to Outlook calendar” option as long as you are the plan owner. If it is missing from the dropdown menu then chances are that your admin has turned off the Outlook calendar sync feature in Planner for your organization.
If the feature is available for your organization however, a dialog box with the Add plan to Outlook calendar with an iCalendar feed title should pop up. In the dialogue box are two options, Unpublish and Publish. The “Unpublish” option is the default state that you’ll find in the dialog box. Select “Publish” to automatically publish your plan’s schedule information to anyone with whom you’ll share the generated iCalendar link.
Anyone you share the iCalendar link with can open up the plan in their own Outlook.
Adding iCalendar link to Outlook
To add your plan to your own Outlook calendar, simply tap the “Add to Outlook” option in the dialog box.
This prompt opens up your own Outlook calendar in Outlook on the web. It also opens a Calendar Subscription dialog with the “Subscribe online and keep up to date” description.
The dialog box also contains the same iCalendar link and the calendar name (which you can change to rename the plan if you so wish).
Notice that you can also copy your iCalendar link and paste it into any calendar app that connects using iCalendar. Anyone who has this link can see your plan’s task information without needing to sign in.
Adding a plan to your Outlook calendar if you are not plan owner
If a plan owner has shared an iCalendar link with you and you wish to add it to your own Outlook calendar, simply tap the ellipsis (…) at the top of your plan then select “Add plan to Outlook calendar” in the dropdown menu that follows.
You will then have the option to review the link and calendar name in the Outlook for Web Calendar Subscription dialog box. Once everything checks out for you, proceed to choose Save at the top of the page.
This imports the details to Outlook. You can then find the name of your plan’s calendar to the left of your calendar, under People’s calendars. If you select it, you will see a new tab above your personal calendar with the plan’s name, along with the plan’s tasks on this calendar.
For more information about getting the most out of your Microsoft solutions, be sure to keep an eye on our blog.
by Felicien | May 17, 2018 | Education
Today’s internet has literally changed the way businesses function. It has redrawn the boundaries and changed the rules of competition in today’s business climate. The Internet has allowed business owners to create much closer relationships with their customers. In addition, it has given consumers more power through access to unlimited information.
Regardless of the size of your business, you probably have a website and a pretty decent one at that. In fact, websites are not as costly as they once were to build and manage. Thanks to the increase in the number of web developers and online sites that host websites, almost anyone can have a website if they want it.
For savvy business owners, their website is the key to greater sales and stronger relationships with customers. A successful website is constantly adding new content that offers value to consumers. They update the site regularly with the latest security and technology. A company with an amazing website almost always excels in the marketplace over competitors who don’t. Why? Because they understand that their business website is the voice of their company online.
Websites have become a valuable commodity to business owners. They are the first stop of prospective clients who want to find more information about your business. Current clients also rely on websites to find product information and updates. Your website is the place where all the action takes place each day. Your website can make or break your business. Knowing how important websites are, most business owners are interested in learning how they can get the most out of their site.
Allow your website to communicate your story to clients
With the understanding that websites do speak to your customers, you should ask yourself the question, “What do you want your website to say to customers?”
Each day, you must make sure that the information you provide is important to your customers and that it’s accurate. Does it resonate well with them? Will it make them want to purchase your products or services? Image is everything in a business. Since your website represents the first image that people have concerning your business, it’s important to make a good first impression. As it is commonly said, first impressions matter. What story do you want the website to tell?
The best websites always tell a compelling story. Sometimes your story is all about why you started your business and sometimes it’s more about your roots, your background. Great businesses have a unique reason for their existence. Bill Gates got the idea for Microsoft when a friend, Paul Allen, showed him the 1975 issue of Popular Electronics. This issue featured a story on the Altair 8800, one of the first microcomputers. Both Gates and Allen saw the potential for developing a programming language for the computer. The rest is history.
In putting together the story behind your business, it may be necessary to hire a good writer to help craft the message. This expense is well worth it. Once you create a great story that customers can relate to, your next job is to write professional content for your site. Though your budget may initially be small, you can go back and redo this once you have the time and money to do so. Usually, your website is a work in progress anyway. It is constantly evolving and changing as your business grows.
Good content will make customers feel that they need your goods and services to meet a need in their lives. You should include information about how these goods or services are better than those offered by others in the same industry. Many of today’s most successful brands have become indispensable to their customers. Think about how Prada and Louis Vuitton have changed the handbag industry. Their customers feel a strong urge to own one of these exclusive handbags and many are priced in the thousands of dollars.
Provide contact information
Imagine locating a website online, and the information given therein is attractive. You read through their homepage and look at what they offer. In your mind, you are convinced that this is it. They are exactly what you need. You pick up your phone while scrolling down, looking for the contacts page and you find nothing. No phone number, no email address, no physical address, nothing. This can be frustrating, right? In fact, most people will get disheartened immediately. They will look elsewhere for other products. Consumers feel that if there’s no contact information, then the business must be shady. So it’s important to include your physical location, email address and phone number. This degree of transparency tells consumers that you have nothing to hide.
Collect lead information
If you have been in business long enough, you know that some clients will visit your website more than once before they decide to make a purchase. Do not despair, this does not mean that your website is not fulfilling its mandate. It simply means that many customers enjoy doing lots of shopping before they make a purchase. In the meantime, you can collect lead information using a lead capture form. This will give you the opportunity to send them regular email updates about specials you might have. Often, if a prospective customer gets an email telling them they can get a discount by making a purchase right away, they will do so. Everyone loves to get a great deal.
User friendly navigation
The whole science behind user experience has grown tremendously in the past ten years. A site must be intuitive, responsive and user friendly. You cannot afford to hide things or make it hard for customers to get information. Websites that are difficult to understand end up chasing customers away. Try to get regular feedback from users. Find out what people are saying about your site. Correct any issues you may have right away.
Final thoughts
All in all, if you maximize each component of your website, you will discover the magic that a great site can offer. Customers will visit often. They will tell their friends about your site. An amazing website truly is priceless.
by Felicien | May 16, 2018 | Education
Technology is constantly evolving, and so is its relevance. In the world today, technology is fast-becoming a human being’s best friend. Just think of the number of times that you rely on technology in a day’s time. Everyone, even the self-proclaimed analog dinosaur, depends on technology to some extent.
Of course, this has spawned a major increase in the number of cybercrimes that occur daily across the globe. Cybercriminals are targeting information technology systems that are simply not well-protected from intrusion. The fact that people are so reliant on technology makes it easier for these criminals to achieve their goals. This is where Managed Detection and Response (MDR) comes in.
Information Technology experts face a constant struggle to curb cybercrimes. This crime, which has become deep-rooted in our society today, has led to the loss of time, money and reputation. Cybercriminals target websites with weak security because they’re an easy mark. Then they sell that data on the black market. It’s an ongoing crime and has quickly become a familiar scenario to many.
This is why MDR is so important in our society today. MDR is not a new concept; it has been around for a long time. Like technology, however, MDR continues to evolve with the changing trends in hacking. The main goal of Managed Detection and Response is to ensure that cybercrimes are prevented. It’s not enough to arrest and prosecute these criminals. The crimes need to be stopped before they actually happen.
How can MDR help with this cause? The simple answer to this question is that MDR is a system used to enable organizations to better understand their cybersecurity environment. With this program in play, your organization can more fully understand the IT environment in which you operate. This will provide you with some important advantages that can help prevent hacking.
Environmental threat detection
First, as mentioned above, the main goal of MDR is to aid in detecting cybersecurity threats in a particular environment. To this end, this system performs a series of functions including analyzing the types of risks that your organization may be exposed to. This can enable you to determine exactly what the most critical threats are. Using MDR, companies are able to gauge which threats are more serious. This allows you to take preemptive steps to close those doors to cyber thieves. Preventing just one attack can save you millions of dollars.
Makes threat detention faster
By making the organization aware of the threats they face, MDR makes threat detection simpler. Since MDR enhances threat analysis, your business can fully understand exactly which cybersecurity threats you face. Imagine being able to act before a breach occurs. You can take action today and avoid a nightmare tomorrow. With MDR, your company can quickly assess its level of security and take action right away.
Increases ability to respond to threats
MDR enhances the capabilities of organizations that use it to respond to cybersecurity threats. Preparation is everything when dealing with hackers and cyber thieves. Your organization needs to be prepared for every type of threat, from ransomware and hacking to data leaks. Having greater knowledge of those threats that pose the biggest risk helps you to respond with more precision. Anticipate threats before they happen. Define those weaker areas and eliminate them.
Enhances threat prevention
An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, they say. This holds true especially when millions of dollars are at stake. The impact of cybersecurity in our world today is far-reaching. Every year, cyber breaches cost businesses millions of dollars. They damage your reputation and slow your forward progress. With MDR, threat prevention becomes your greatest ally. Proactive security monitoring can apply proven rules to your security system, thus offering a new level of breach management.
Do we really need MDR?
Many business owners feel frustrated by the sheer number of cyber breaches occurring each day. It seems that the criminals have the upper hand and there’s nothing we can do to stop them. MDR allows you to take back control of your data security. It’s a reliable system that focuses on one thing: preventing cyber breaches from occurring.
The threat of cyber-attacks is ever looming. Thieves are constantly finding new ways to get through any crack or hole in your security system. And, their methods are getting more and more sophisticated as the days go by. The whole cyber security industry evolves at such a fast pace that most business owners are unable to keep up with it. This fact leaves you at a distinct disadvantage.
Final thoughts
Though the intricacies of MDR may be somewhat complex, it is important to remember the advantages of this system. With MDR in place, you can avoid being the next victim and sleep much better at night. For business owners, peace of mind is priceless. You can focus on running your company once again and take pride in your accomplishments.
