Fake Reviews

shopping online

spot fake reviews

When people wants to buy online, it is natural to check on what other consumers have written about the product or service. What consumers do not know is that a great number of reviews on the internet are fake. So, who are writing fake reviews? Retailers, marketers, businesses who wants to increase their sales, businesses who wants to harm their competitors, writers using pseudonyms, people who gets a deal for giving positive feedback or someone who gets paid for writing reviews.

Can fake online reviews hurt netizens? Of course they can. You can waste your money by buying products that are not good. It can even endanger your health or safety.

How can you tell if an online review is fake or not? Here are some tips:

 

  • Language – Notice if the review has more superlatives rather than description. Real reviews show information on how the product performed.
  • Review the reviewer – If the reviewer does review for a particular company, it tells us that the reviewer has a vested interest. The reviewer could even add a photo of the product purchase for authenticity. Check the site. Some of them allow posts from people who actually bought in their site. Review their policies on this.
  • Be sharp on the detail – If a certain reviewer can explain exactly why he or she did not like the product or service, then that review is not fake. If a review makes a general statement like, “It was terrible” or “I hated it ”, then the review was written to blatantly give a negative feeling to the reader.
  • Too negative or too positive – Do not trust reviews that are a devastating 1-star or either a glowing 5-star. Honest reviews are most likely in the middle of the spectrum.
  • Well-written reviews – Be wary if the review is well-written, and everything seems perfect. A marketing shill or someone with a vested interest could have done this. Especially if it is full of superlatives about the product.
  • Keyword stuffing – Some online fake reviews will try to game search engine results to drive traffic to the site or in the product purchase page. This is done by repeating the exact product name again and again hoping that this method will help the product appear in the search results.
  • Reviewer’s history – Check the reviewer’s history in the different e-commerce sites. This will show you how many reviews the reviewer has done.
  • Reviewer’s ID – The reviewer’s user ID may tell us that something is fishy. A long line of numbers after its username is telling us that the reviewer is using multiple profiles and automated fake reviews-bot generated.
  • Same text over and over again – Reuse of the same text taken from other reviews is fake. You will see the same thing over and over again. It could be bot generated.

Read online reviews and learn to filter the real ones. Give credit to the reviews that are balance and how the reviewer can truly describe the product or the service. Then you can now make a decision to purchase.

Cyber Threats That You Should Know About

computer code

threats that you need to know about

Security online is fast becoming a significant issue for businesses worldwide. Despite the help of technology to optimize their operations in different new methods, cyber-attacks is growing in numbers. Cyber threats this year are expected to cover even the nation state cyber espionage. And this will surely damage many businesses.

Learn about some of the top cyber risks and what they may mean for your business, regardless of size.

Here is a list of key problems that you should know:

  • Human error – it means losing a laptop or smartphone with sensitive data. When you lose certain data, clients may consider legal action due to non-prevention of unauthorized access which has confidential information of other people.
  • Hacker – it is a person who breaks into the computer system. In most cases, cyber criminals are in for the profit. Hacktivists can damage your reputation and your business. He could also endanger a nation’s security.
  • Spear Phishing –  it is a dishonest practice of sending emails seemingly from a known sender. This is to encourage the receiver to reveal certain confidential information. This could trigger a computer virus to disable security measures which can include transfer verification emails.
  • Extortion – it is when an individual breaks into the data system of a firm by SQL injection attack wherein an attacker can do SQL statements or a malicious payload. This can control the web application’s database server. This is done to extort money in exchange for the restoration of vital project files or information.
  • Ransomware – it is a malicious software that threatens to make public the victim’s data and even block access if a ransom is not paid.
  • Distributed Denial of Service (or DDoS) attacks can cripple multiple gigantic names. This attack is a result of a multiple compromised systems bringing about flooding the targeted system with traffic of incoming messages, malformed packets, connection requests which can slow down and eventually shut down.
    This will deny service to users or systems.
  • Internet of Things (or loT) – this is an important privacy threat. It is an inter-networking of physical devices or “connected devises” to connect a computer network with another network. This can allow gathering and exchanging of data which cyber criminals can access.
  • Dronejacking – drone is a major tool for shippers, photographers, farmers and more. Cyber criminals are most likely to use this tool by hacking into technology.
  • Social engineering – the cyber technology has become very complex that cyber criminals will now turn to social engineering to be able to bypass such system. This involves manipulation or deception of key persons into disclosing financial information or data by using the phishing techniques.
  • Insider threats – it could be that the threat comes from the inside. Data shows that 60% of the security issues arise internally.

There are more cyber risks like machine learning, mobile malware, and fake ads.

Businesses must keep ahead of the sophisticated cyber criminals. You need to have the right software and the right systems. Hire the best security professionals and boardroom buy-in.

What You Need to Know About Cyber Risk Insurance

entrepreneur on a computerOnline businesses rely so much on the internet for administrative work, marketing, managing the inventory, processing of credit cards, and distribution controls. Any disruption of these tasks can lead to damages including reputation and brand, dissatisfaction of stakeholder, financial losses, and regulatory scrutiny. Just one cyber event can destroy your business.

All online businesses of all sizes is at a tremendous risk for data breach or cyber attack. A study suggested that to rectify a breach has gone up to over $6 million. It takes just one good hacker, a stolen laptop, one lost paper record, or one virus can make a huge financial and reputation damages to your business.

It is no longer a question of your business suffering a breach, but when will your business be prepared for such eventuality?

Cyber risk coverage is a new product in the insurance industry. There are more or less 50 insurance carriers that offer this, but the amount of its coverage is limited. These policies has different names like, “cyber risk”, “ privacy”, “media liability”, “information security” coverage. This kind of coverage often gives room for deliberation of the terms of cyber policies compared to other kinds of coverage.

There are combination in most cyber policies. The traditional liability coverage protects businesses against third party claims, and first-party coverage, protects businesses against losses.

There are significant terms and conditions of this policy that can have a great impact on the available coverage. Businesses should be aware not to expect to secure every part of the coverage. You should know the differences among the policies that are being offered in the market as it is critical to maximize money spent.

To be able to compare the policies in the market, know the limits and special circumstances.

  • Find out if the insurance policy company offers cyber insurance policies that are of one or more types. It could be that the coverage is just an extension of an existing policy. That being the case, a stand-alone policy is more comprehensive. Ask if the policy can be modified to your business.
  • Compare the deductions of the insurers just like what you do in other policies.
  • Does your cyber coverage and limits apply to first and third parties? Then find out if your service provider has cyber insurance. How will it affect your agreement?
  • Will the policy cover attacks where the business falls as victim or only targeted attacks against a certain industry or business in particular?
  • Will the policy cover non-malicious action of an employee? This is part of the E&O coverage (errors & omissions, a form of a liability insurance) that also applies to cyber insurance.
  • Will the cyber insurance cover social engineering and network attacks?
  • Does the policy comprise time frames within which the coverage applies?

The reality is: if you want your business to survive, get a cyber risk insurance or cyber liability insurance coverage. Always be careful in doing any transaction online. Make sure that work computers are strictly for business. Do not mix your work, and personal files. If one needs to play, browse, search, and so on, make sure it is on a personal computer. Do not wait for a cyber attack to happen. Prevention is better than cure.

Reasons Why Social Media Can Help Your Businesses

Android Social Media AppsSocial media are internet  services that allows user to interact with each other and generate content using online communities. It has the capacity to open marketing opportunities for small to large businesses.

Think about this, you can spend a few hours in social media to increase your sales with no extra cost. Here are some of the reasons why social media has been a useful platform for businesses:

 

  • Using social media is easy. You do not have to be a computer genius to participate in them. All you need is a basic know how, and you are off to market your product or services. If you need help on marketing your product, you can read this social media guide.
  • Social media is the fastest platform to reach millions of users all over the globe in a personal basis. You can definitely increase your business visibility thereby increasing the recognition of your brand. Just write a social media profile for your business and then interact with consumers. Get people to like and share your page. Posts that are shared only means your brand will be introduced to new individuals who can be your potential clients.

    If you do not use social media, you will be limited to your usual clients. You will then have a hard time reaching people outside of your immediate circle. Using the social media platform will increase your inbound traffic.

    You should join as many platforms as possible to let individuals reach your business. If an older demographic tries a particular keyword on Facebook then you can easily be reached. On the other hand, if a millennial tries to search your business in a different social media, it can still be found. Syndicating your content in different platforms is good. It will enable the different demographics to access your business.

  • Your search ranking will improve if you have in the social media for more than a year. If you are able to move on top, your traffic will surely give positive results for your business.
  • When your brand is interactive, meaning you share content, post statuses, comment on social media, it becomes personalize. Users would do business with you, not your company.
  • Social media is a communication venue and consumers appreciate when you answer their comments on your page rather than getting the automated message which is very impersonal. This shows that you are seriously being attentive to your audience. And that will assure you not only of sale but loyalty to your brand as well. The millennial in particular are known to be the brand loyal of all demographics.
  • Posting well-written content is the best way of telling the users that you are an expert and a leader in your field. To do this, use social media platforms and make your presence felt. Connect to your audience and your followers will look up to you.

There is no reason for any business not to use the social media as a platform of communication. Get started now and see the growth of your business.

The Different Social Media Platforms

social media appsThere are so many social media websites out there that you can choose from. The question is, what social media websites are best suited for your brand?

If you are ready for the experience on social media, here are social media sites you can choose from.

  • FACEBOOK has 1.65 billion very active users and it is one of the most well-known platforms for personal and business use. This is a good venue to post updates, photos, news with the users who follow or “like” you. Your business fans visit the site to know what the latest in your company is and see photos or explore your events. Facebook is now using activities to qualify the market that needs your brand. It uses social graph and their ads are effective too.
  • TWITTER is a concise and easy way to communicate with your audience. It has 310 million users and still growing in number. This micro-blogging service, permit short messages that can be sent and received from consumers and potential clients.

    Use hashtags (#) as your key tool. These will surely reach a broad audience than just followers. This is when users involve themselves in a conversation. You can read more about it in this Twitter guide.

  • GOOGLE + is Google’s version of a social networking site. It is like Facebook but it has an additional feature of being able to create “circles”. This separates your followers in many different groups. This is a good system to know which group you would want your announcement to be shared. No other social media can do this.
  • YOUTUBE is another social media that can also widen your outreach. This can be done through Google search results. A grand total of 6 billion hours of video are being watched every month. You must make a good video, otherwise, you will get many negative comments. YouTube also offers marketers the chance to promote their products or clients through its target group. You can also post videos speaking on a topic or webinars where you can educate your audience.
  • PINTEREST is a distinctive platform for marketing. You will post clickable pictures with just a short caption. Every image must be good in quality and should pop-out in your feeds. Link back your images to your page or a related blog. Your caption should be keyword optimized as your caption is exactly how your pin will show when visitors browse.
  • Linkedln shows job experience and professional thoughts that is why it is an important site to those in B2B. Linkedln is not just a tool to drive traffic but establishing though leadership, recruiting, and prospecting. There are less conversation in this site, but you can meet people from the same industry. Ask and others will answer. This can lead to a conversation. It will show that you are an expert in your field.

These websites were in list the list because these sites are where the people are. The more people using it, the more you can convince to give your products a chance. There are other sites you can utilize like blog sites, online photo-sharing services, coupon sites, customer review sites, location-based marketing sites, and the list goes on. Choose the website that fits your brand.

Benefits of Listing Your Business in Google Maps

using maps on phoneGoogle is one of the biggest technology companies in the world, and it is the most used search engine. This means that when an internet user needs to research on anything they refer to Google, and believe the information they read. People also utilize other services like Google Maps. It is preferred by users because it features street views for reference, and the information given are updated. The business information of companies are available as well as its location. The more information users find in Google Maps, the more useful it is for users.

There are reasons why you should put your business in Google Maps.

  • When you list your business in Google Map, you get an online presence stating the different information. This means consumers will get to know about you and your business while people tend to stay on the page to look at certain streets or areas where you are located.
  • Once you are listed on Google Maps, you can get to be listed at Google Places for Businesses. This is an astonishing resource for small to medium types of businesses. There are also options to incorporate special offers, images, videos, coupon and methods of payment. Again, this will save a lot of time for your clients and may promote customer satisfaction and boost your reputation.

    The next question may be, what is Google Places for Business? It is in a sense a business directory, the only thing is, it is a huge component in the search optimization. This is a procedure of master plan, techniques, and maneuvers to increase the visitors to a website just so it maintains the high ranking in the pages of the results of a search engine.

    Being listed on Google Places and Google Maps for Businesses will help you be visible by showing up on search results. Your business could get a first page ranking of the search results. The nice part is that, you do not need to do anything. This is a result of just being in the list of Google Maps or Google Places for Business. This is such a good chance for your business to grow.

  • Google Places and Google Maps connect you and your clients. It also helps the customers find, rate, and share and endorse your business to their friends, relatives, and people in the web. Places of Business is a venue where you will also know what people thinks of your product or your service. You can also answer to the customer reviews.

To start your business, list your business on Google Maps and go to this link and answer the necessary details on the form. You just have to provide as many information as you can. Add a particular webpage URL to get more sales. When you affirm your PIN and verify your listing, expect that it will take at least a week for your business listing to appear on Google Maps. You might find that your business is labelled active in your dashboard. You can now attract new customers. Just be patient as your business success is not far away.

Different Types of Keyboards

Laptop KeyboardA computer keyboard is an essential part of our working life. It is what we touch the most when we are using the computer. Because of this, we need to get the best-looking keyboard with added features and the most comfortable too. There are variety of computer keyboards in the market. So, let us narrow it down to the best ones that will suit your work and your budget.

  • Ergonomic keyboard is designed using ergonomic deliberation so as to lessen muscle strain and other similar problems. The keyboard is constructed in a V shape so that the right and the left hands can type in an angle that is fit for the human form.
  • Mechanical keyboards are very durable, reactive, and accurate. It uses physical, actual switches under the keys so the user will know if a key has been pushed. When you press a key, the switch will be pressed down. When this happens, the keyboard will send a signal to your computer to indicate that you pressed a certain key.
  • Gaming keyboards are like normal keyboards although they have extra features like additional LCD screen, palm rest, illuminated keys, multimedia keys, and so on. It has illuminated light to enable a user to play games at night when it is dark. The multimedia keys are good for adjusting the music tracks and the volumes plus the key is for doing other things while playing the game.
  • A wireless keyboard is used to communicate with tablets, computers, laptops using the radio frequency (RF), Bluetooth technology, infrared (IR). This is accompanied by a wireless mouse.
  • Multimedia keyboards are designed to access often-used functions and programs with just one-touch. It contains keys used to enter music, internet and other programs like calculator, email etc. It has 5 buttons that controls the volumes, play/pause, previous buttons, and next. The volume are marked with speaker icons. It is also good for controlling the music programs. Songs can be played, go forward, backward, paused etc. using the right buttons. A mute key is present. Multimedia keyboards has various connection formats – PS/2, USB and wireless. It is also pre-programmed and ready to use.
  • A fixed-split keyboard type is a single board. It has keys that are separated into two or even three groups. This allows the user to type in different angles which cannot be done with the usual keyboard. An adjustable split keyboard is split into many independent pieces. The angles can be changed.
  • Portable keyboards have several types. There is the foldable, roll up and many more. Foldable keyboards are not as handy as the roll-up keyboards that has a soft feel, but it does feel like a real normal keyboard. Both keyboards are easy to bring as it is light to carry.
  • Other types of portable computer keyboards are the numeric keyboards and the mini keyboards.

Now that you have read the different types of computer keyboards, it is now time to determine which of these types is good for you. You can read this buying guide to help you more on which keyboard to purchase.

Researching on the Internet

Man ResearchingThe internet is a source of information. You will have fun researching all the topics you need. It is effective, but you could spend a lot of time in the web without really finding what you are looking for.

Know if your subject matter is hard or soft research, or maybe a mixture of both.  You must learn the soft or hard nature of your topic so you can decide your strategy to produce the most dependable results.

  • Hard research gives an account with regards to science and objective research. This is the type that needs statistics, figures, and evidence. You must look for publications of those who has the right credentials. The resources should be very reliable.
  • Soft research has topics that are more cultural, opinion-based or personal. Most of the soft research authorities are writers who have practical experience in their field. These are the following sources of soft research:
    • Business blogs, or personal opinion blogs.
    • Discussions sites and forums.
    • Customer review sites.
    • Commercial sites that has advertisements.
    • Computer and technical sites.

Combination of soft and hard research is harder to work on as it requires broader research.  After gathering all your research, you need to be able to form an opinion against the strong opinions of others. An example of a hybrid research are international economy topics and politics.

Now that you have identified what kind of research you need, know what information you need to know.

  • You have to type in a multiple-word search to be able to find the relevant information. For example, instead of typing “Beautiful Tourist Spots in the US,” when what you really want to know is “Beautiful Tourist Spots In Phoenix, Arizona.” You have to be specific when gathering information. Use the keywords that are important in your research.
  • Use quotations marks to garner lesser hits. Example, instead of the gentlest animal, type “the gentlest animal.”
  • Use the minus sign to sift other useless information. When searching for Hilton, type Hilton-Paris as you research. Otherwise, you will have information regarding Paris Hilton.
  • When searching online, the search engines provide a preview of a website’s content. There is usually one or two lines of information indicated. Read the overview and if you think that the information does not fit your research, skip it. You do not have to waste your time loading useless information.
  • Set your search engine to specific settings. You can set a date. This is important when you are researching for news articles. You can even set an adult content filter for all the images and videos. You can exclude explicit images from your research.
  • Anyone can place an information online, but that does not mean it is correct. Watch out for the spelling and grammar mistakes. Also, look for the details of the author in the website.
  • Research using your own language. If you are Japanese, use Niponggo, you will understand your research better.
  • Use other sources of information like books from your local library. It has  reference resources and these sources can be from websites too.
  • After gathering the information, jot down the important details like the URLs and the titles of the web pages.

How to Increase your Sales with Better Product Photos

camera lensGood quality product pictures is the key to increase your sales online. Amateur product shots wears down the consumers trust. Showing your product online tells people what your product is, how to use it, so user can decide if they need the product. Fortunately, you do not have to spend thousands just for the equipment alone. No need to hire a professional photographer. There are simple steps to take product pictures.

 

  • People think that using a good camera is enough. Remember to invest on decent lenses too. If all you have is a phone, then that will do. There are point-and-shoot cameras that are very affordable. Whatever you decide on, get a camera that can also capture video.  Remember that even the most modest equipment can give you great results as well.
  • Think of your background. Shooting products in a continuous background which is neutral in color like white or grey will look great. You can buy craft paper or poster board. Buy clamps to make sure that the end of the paper can be attached to a table or whatever you want to use for your shoot.
  • Nothing beats natural lighting. When you think of good lighting, there is Mother Nature to depend on, which can give you good results. You can set your product near a window. The down side of it is that the sun could decide to hide itself giving you poor lighting. But there are other options like using the lighting kit available in the market. Just make sure it operates in a continuous mode compared to flash only. This allows taking videos as well. On the other hand, if you are working on a smaller budget, all you need are at least two lights attached on top of a clear plastic container. Get the same right wattage and color for both your lights.
  • Shaky hands will not produce excellent photos. You need a tripod so you don’t have to hold your camera by hand. If your camera has slow shutters, when your hands moves, this will produce blurry images. Everything should be clear and sharp down to the smallest detail.
  • Aperture is a hole or opening that lets the light travels specified by an an “f-number” like “f/4” or “f/16”. To produce a narrow depth of field, use a wide aperture (small f-number). Your product photos with look richer and more professional. Set your camera in the “aperture priority” mode. Check your manual for this.
  • Be careful of the shadows. Do not use harsh backlighting or setups that can bring shadows on the product. The lights should be on the same side of the product as your camera, or even a little off to one side.
  • Make sure there are no dirt or fingerprints on your product. A dust on the lens will likewise produce poor results. Have a microfiber rags to wipe everything before shooting.

The best way to master product shots is to practice, be creative, and be patient. Keep on clicking until you get a good result. Be bold enough to experiment. Know that if you take good product shots, you are likely to increase your sale.

How to Choose the Right Keyboard

computer keyboardWhen you open your computer, your fingers will stay in the keyboard until you are done. Whatever is your purpose, there is an appropriate keyboard for it. You can read the different types of computer keyboards in this link.  If you own a desktop, you may be using the usual keyboard that goes with your computer. With the long hours in front of the computer, get a keyboard that has a bit of extra features. Your keyboard can do a lot for you so it is best to invest on the right keyboard. Make your computer experience better by following the guide below:

  • First, take a look at the back of your computer. You will find either a round or a rectangular port. The round is a PS2 port and the rectangular one is a USB port. The kind of port will tell you of the type of connection your keyboard needs. If you spend most of your time typing, then you need an ergonomic keyboard. If you deal with numbers, a numeric pad can allow you to work in comfort.
  • A gaming keyboard is good for those serious players. This type of keyboard is usually backlit, and illuminated. It is a perfect choice for gamers who loves playing all night because they can still see the keys even in dim areas. There are keyboards that are soft and sensitive, but there are others that needs more pressure to type on. The mechanism that is responsible for the level of noise, sensitivity, and comfort is called “switch.”
  • The USB ports and the PS/2 ports connection is almost obsolete. The wireless ones which connects to the system via Bluetooth is the more recent type. The only challenge is how to set it up. Know that a lot of keyboards needs software installed to use the function keys. Check first if the keyboard is compatible with your system.
  • The design of your keyboard will make your computing experience more relaxing. Based on various needs, keyboards can be group together. Standard keyboards are common but it comes with multimedia keys aside from its standard set of 104 keys.
  • Wire or wireless? Both has its pros and cons. The wireless has no cord that will clutter your working area. However, it might get into the way of your other wireless devices. In gaming, the wired keyboard is much preferred. The wireless can lag which can hinder the gameplay so it would not recommended if you are a serious gamer. Also, the wireless keyboards are powered by batteries that adds to your cost, or you have to charge them from time to time.
  • With the fast-paced lifestyle these days, you need to speed up your work. There are multimedia keyboards that has extra function keys that can be used for controlling music player, volume, launching apps, etc. Some has a mini joystick or a touch pad in place of a mouse.
  • The price depends on the features that are added to the keyboards. Choose the best within your budget. The more features, the more expensive. Whether you decide on a wireless, ergonomic, gaming, multimedia, portable, always check the keystrokes. Test how the keys feel when you use it.
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