Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 — Google launches an initiative to tell websites they serve annoying ads.
Nobody likes pop-up ads, and Google has launched a new initiative that could reduce their numbers. In the next few weeks, it will begin telling websites whether they serve ads that people tend to find annoying. Those websites can then visit their Ad Experience Report for more info and screenshots of the advertisements in question. (Source: engadget)
Why this is important for your business:
Pop-up ads seemed to have reached their tipping point and now Google is taking action to limit them. Your ad campaigns may be affected.
2 — Google now offers a new single-page website for small businesses.
Google reports that 60% of small businesses globally don’t have a website yet. In response, it’s developed an easy-to-use single-page website builder tool called “Website.” Using this tool, small business owners can easily create a single-page website in minutes from any device, including their desktop computer and mobile phone. (Source: Small Business Trends)
Why this is important for your business:
It’s free, it’s simple and it’s driven from Google’s My Business site, so why wouldn’t you get a one-page website setup if you don’t have a website?
3 — Facebook has a solution for advertising’s “fat thumbs” problem.
Since research suggests that over 50% of all clicks on mobile phone ads are mistakes or finger slips, Facebook announced on August 8 an initiative aimed at making it less likely users will click on ad units unintentionally. (Source: The Drum)
Why this is important for your business:
The social media giant is introducing these change that can hopefully create a better experience for your community, including updating its Facebook Audience Network to clarify policies related to unintentional clicks, introducing product changes to invalidate such clicks, and proactively pausing implementations that exhibit abnormal click behavior.
4 — A start-up raises $15 million to make 401(k)s more widely available.
Since going live in 2016, Guideline Technologies, an all-inclusive 401(k) plan for small and medium-size businesses, has expanded to attract nearly 2,000 employers who offer its plans and now has more than $120 million in assets under management, with an additional 3,000 companies in its backlog that could convert into paying customers. As a result of this growth, Guideline recently announced a $15 million round of financing.(Source: TechCrunch)
Why this is important for your business:
401(K) plans are critical for helping your employees save for their retirement. Guideline is one of many growing tech companies that can make it easier for you to setup a 401(K) plan and guide your employees through enrollment, saving and investing.
5 — A start-up offers free phishing training tool to SMBs.
Companies of all sizes now have a no-cost way to protect themselves from the all-too-common phishing threat. PhishMe, a 6.5-year-old startup that helps companies train staff to avoid phishing scams, just announced the release of a free phishing testing tool for companies with 500 employees or less. PhishMe Free is a cloud service that’s a subset of PhishMe’s enterprise product, PhishMe Simulator. (Source: TechCrunch)
Why this is important for your business:
Phishing is one of the main ways malware makers – particularly those that create ransomware viruses – infect business. That’s because your employees are unknowingly clicking on things they shouldn’t be. The best defense against that is training.
