When it comes to running a business a necessary component to success is technology. The problem many business owners and managers have though is that the systems they have may not be ideal, or they can't get the most out of them at least. One way to help your business get more out of technology, and possibly grow while reducing costs, is by employing cloud solutions. But just how beneficial is the cloud?

Here are five benefits that using cloud services can bring to your business:

1. Decreased software costs One popular cloud service is known as Software as a Service, or SaaS. The idea of SaaS is that it provides businesses with access to software at a fraction of the usual cost. This software is stored on servers and can be accessed by individual users on their computer, over the Internet.

Using SaaS will usually save companies money while providing them with an easier way to manage software. You can also work with IT partners who can manage this for you, thereby minimizing the time you spend ensuring software is up-to-date.

2. Increased storage space Many modern businesses store important files and data in servers that can take up valuable space and can be costly to maintain. Many cloud system providers offer storage solutions where your data is stored in virtual servers. These storage solutions are scalable to suit your business needs exactly, and you don't have to buy costly new hard drives.

3. Accessibility Many traditional office systems are located on the office premises, meaning that if you need access to information or systems you have to physically be in the vicinity of that location too. This can be inconvenient, especially if it means you have a big commute to reach the office, of it you want to work away from the office at weekends. Cloud systems promote accessibility because the majority of them are accessed over the Internet. So, as long as you have a connection, you could be working.

This means potentially higher levels of productivity and increased efficiency of your staff whether they are in the office or away on business.

4. Reliable disaster recovery Disasters can happen anytime, and the truth is, many small to medium businesses are simply not prepared. Many cloud providers offer a disaster recovery solution that can help back up your data and make it available as and when you need it. If a disaster were to strike, cloud based disaster recovery solutions allow you to easily be back up and running, as long as you have a computer and an Internet connection.

5. Increased security There is a common misconception that the cloud is an insecure platform. In truth, it can be among the most secure system available to small businesses. The cloud is still not 100% secure though. An easily guessable password or computer left on and connected to services are still security threats. If you use cloud services, you will still need to take security precautions and should talk to the provider to ensure that you are clear on what security guarantees they make and what you will be responsible for.

If you are thinking of moving some or all of your business systems to the cloud, we recommend that you talk to an IT partner like us. We can help identify your needs and help with the migration too. Contact us today to see how we can help.

Windows 8 has been slowly gaining traction with businesses, and numerous companies have already upgraded, while others are seriously considering it. Those upgrading from older versions of Windows will find a drastically different operating system (OS), that may take a while to get used to. Because it's such a big change, new users may not know how to get the most out of the latest version.

Here are five tips that can help you get the more out of Windows 8.

Enable GodMode In older video games, GodMode was a cheat or code you could enter to get access to every power, giving you unlimited lives or even making you invincible. Windows 8 has a GodMode as well, only it won't make you all powerful. Instead it puts hundreds of settings into one central folder.

You can activate GodMode by creating a new folder and adding the following code, with the period and curly brackets, at the end of the name: .{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} For example you could create a folder named: GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

As soon as you click anywhere outside of the folder, it should change icons. Opening the folder will bring up a list of close to a dozen settings options. You will notice numbers beside each entry, indicating how many settings are inside that specific category.

Bring back the Start button The Start button is, to many Windows users, the most important button. Pressing it gives you easy access to installed programs, search, settings and many documents. The new Windows 8 layout relies on tiles and has seemingly done away with the Start button. The good news is that it is still there, just hidden.

You can get Windows 8 to show the Start button by:

1. Right-clicking on the Taskbar which is the bar located at the bottom of your screen.
2. Selecting Toolbars followed by New Toolbar.
3. Navigating to: C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu. Note: username will be different for every user. Pick the file with the username you log into your computer with.
4. Selecting Select Folder with the Start Menu folder selected.

A modified version of the Start bar should now be on your Taskbar. You can click on this to explore your files and installed programs but will not be able to search for programs or files. If you can't navigate to the above folder you will have to enable Show Hidden Files through Folder Options in the Control Panel.

Utilize the Quick Access Menu If you are looking for a quick way to get to a number of Windows 8 features, like the Command Prompt, Programs, Task Manager, and Control Panel, etc., you can use what's called the Quick Access Menu. It is also referred to by some as the admin menu. To open this menu all you have to do is press the Windows key and X. You can also access it by moving your mouse cursor to the bottom-left of your screen and right-clicking.

The best thing about this feature is that it will work in both the more traditional Desktop and the new tile based Start screen as well.

Shut down Metro apps Metro apps are essentially Windows versions of popular mobile apps, which are only for desktops and touch devices running Windows 8. While these apps are useful, many are designed to stay open in the background. While this means little to no wait time to open them, they could take up valuable computing resources.

If you aren't using a particular app, or don't use it on a regular basis, then you should close it. This can be done by hovering your mouse over the left side of the screen to bring up the Open Apps bar, right-clicking on an app and selecting Close.

Simplify Search If your computer has a large amount of files and programs installed on it, searching for one could take time. By default, Windows 8 is set to search everything, including apps, like the Windows Store, making it so much quicker. You can configure what apps, files, folders, etc. Windows will search by:

1. Hitting the Windows key + I.
2. Selecting Change PC Settings.
3. Clicking on Search.
4. Selecting what you want Windows to search through when you use the Search bar.

This will speed up any search you execute for programs, apps, files, etc. on your computer.

If you are looking for more tips and tricks to help you get more out of Windows 8, please contact us today to see how we can help.

Smartphones can be considered a must-have for any business owner or manager. The question many have is what phone is best? Most choose to go with either Android or Apple's iPhone and are generally happy with their choice. There is another option, Windows Phone, which could be a great choice for any business using Microsoft products. What's more, phones running the Windows Phone operating system are improving and enticing more users to jump ship from other more popular systems.

If you are a current Android user and either thinking of switching to a Windows Phone, or are getting one for the office, you are likely wondering how you are going to switch or get your important information from one system to the other. While you may imagine it is going to be a real chore, it's actually quite easy and straightforward. Here is a short guide on how to switch to the Windows Phone from Android.

Switch your email

Your email account is arguably the most important account you have. It is also the account you use to essentially make your phone yours. As a current Android user, you likely have linked a Gmail account to your device and probably want to continue using this account. The good news is that a Windows Phone still allows you to link your email account. Here's how:

1. Tap the Settings icon on your Windows Phone.
2. Select Email + accounts followed by Next.
3. Tap Add an account along with the account you want to add, (for most Android users this will be Google).
4. Enter your email address and password.
5. Tap Next, select Email only followed by Sign in.

The phone should sync with your Google account and your email should start showing in the email tile on the main screen. If you use other accounts, say a Microsoft account, you can add these in the same way.

Migrate your contacts

Contacts are an important part of any phone, and you probably want to take them with you, or migrate them over to the new system. You have a couple of options to get your contacts onto your new Windows Phone. The method you use should reflect where you store your contacts.

1. Contacts linked with your Google account - If you have set up your Android device to sync contacts with your Google account, (done by going to Settings, Accounts, Google and tapping on Contacts), you can simply follow the steps in the email section above and select Email, contacts, and calendar. Your contacts should show up within a couple of minutes.
2. Contacts stored on your SIM card - If you have saved your contacts to a SIM card, simply insert it into the new phone, as long as the SIM is the same size. Go to the People app on your phone and select Settings, followed by Import SIM contacts. If your new device has a different sized SIM card, your best bet is to sync your contacts with your Google account.
3. Contacts stored on your computer - The easiest way to migrate your contacts from your computer to your phone is through Outlook. Sign into Outlook using a Microsoft account, drag your contacts from Outlook into the account and then sign into your phone using the same account. Your contacts will automatically transfer over. If you have an older version of Outlook, try the Hotmail connector, (instructions on how to transfer files are below the download link).

Import important documents

If you have files that you would like to access on your phone the easiest option is to download these onto your computer first. If they are spreadsheets, presentations or word processing files on Google Drive, you should download them as Word, Excel or PowerPoint files.

When the files are on your computer, plug your phone into it using a USB cable. The computer should recognize this and show you a window with options of what you to do with your phone. Select Explore Files and a window will open with the phone's file structure. Double-click on Documents. Then, open the folder where you downloaded the documents to, in another window. Simply drag the files in the folder on your computer to Documents and they will be available on your phone.

Get your apps

As we stated last month, you can download the Switch to Windows Phone app from Google Play. Run the app, and link it with a Microsoft account. On your Windows Phone, download the companion app from the Store, open and run it. Your should be able to download compatible apps from there.

Move your SIM card/phone number

Moving to a new phone system can sometimes be confusing, especially in relation to SIM cards. For the vast majority of phones, you should be able to simply move your SIM card from one to the other and it should work. Many new phones use a new, smaller SIM card and if you use the older version, you will have to go into your mobile provider and ask them to switch your card. It shouldn't be very costly and many providers may even offer to do it for free.

The one thing to be careful with is if your Android device is on a contract. Some mobile carriers have been known to lock the SIM to the device, meaning it won't work if you switch phones. You will have to go into the mobile carrier and pay them to switch.

In general, moving from Android to Windows Phone is a painless affair that shouldn't take a long time, especially if you already sync your contacts, calendar and email with Gmail. If you are making the move and have further questions, please give us a call, we are happy to help.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Google+, have become some of the main ways people communicate. The developers of these networks often change the layout or introduce new services in a continuous quest to make the platforms better. Google recently introduced a new update to Google+, with a number of interesting features.

Here is an overview of the new Google+ features recently introduced.

A new layout One of the first things you will notice about the updated Google+ is the layout has been drastically changed. On the main (Home) screen you will notice that posts have been changed to individual cards, similar to the Google Now cards, and are arranged in either one, two or three columns. These posts now take up more space horizontally which makes it far easier to view more content at the same time.

The menu bar that took up the left-hand side of the previous layout has been moved and is now collapsible. If you hover over Home on the upper-left of the screen the menu will pop out from the left-side. Circles and related feeds have also been added at the top of the window and clicking on a related circle name will bring up content only from your friends in that circle.

Adding new posts has also been turned into a card layout which is found at the top-left of the content stream. The different options e.g., Text, Photos, Link, Video and Hangout, are now big buttons that you can push to create a related post.

Improved Hangouts Possibly the most intriguing new feature introduced is actually an update to the existing Hangouts. The numerous Google chat functions have been merged into a single chat and video messaging app available for Google+, iPhone, iPad, Android, Gmail and Chrome.

This means that you can host group chats for up to 10 participants which users can access through various systems. What this means for businesses is that you now have an easier way to communicate across multiple systems without having to worry about compatibility.

Better pictures and albums A key component of any social media platform is visual content like pictures and videos. Google has introduced some interesting photo based features that could help make your content even more attractive. One feature is Auto Enhance, which will touch-up photos by looking at factors such as blur, contrast, saturation, etc. From what we have seen, the touch-ups are effective in making your pictures look better.

There is also a new feature called Auto Awesome, which looks at the types of photos you upload and can do various impressive things. For example, if you upload a series of similar pictures, say a sequence of images taken one after the other in a short amount of time, Auto Awesome will create an animated GIF which you can share on your wall. This function can also create panorama or HDR images.

Auto Highlight is another recently introduced feature which uses an algorithm to analyze pictures and skip over duplicate, blurry or underexposed pictures while uploading them, supposedly leaving you with only the best pictures.

Hashtags The hashtag (#) has become popular on many social media platforms and is an easy way to find similar content. Google+ has improved the hashtag system and will now automatically add relevant tags to your posts. You will see these as small blue tabs on the right of the card, and hovering over these will show the relevant hashtag. If you click on it, the card will flip over and show you other posts that have the same tag. This could be a great way to find similar content and could help bring more exposure to your profile.

The new Google+ layout is definitely a big change compared to previous versions and could prove to be useful for your company's profile and online presence. If you would like to learn more about using Google+ please contact us.

One of the more common security issues revolves around the passwords you use to access various Internet sites, your computer, and even your work systems. Chances are, you don't use the same password for all these different systems and accounts. While this increases the chance of your private information and files remaining secure, it can be a pain to remember so many passwords. That's why a password management system is helpful. The question is, which kind?

Below is a brief overview of the four types of password management system you can use.

1. Cloud or Internet-based These systems are usually cloud based and accessed through an app or browser plugin. Apps ordinarily store your passwords, or generate one to use, and will automatically apply this when you visit a site that requires a password. These systems are great for breaking the one password habit, However, because they store all of your passwords in one place, they could become a target for hackers.

2. Cloud or Internet-based with two-factor authentication The next step up from the cloud-based password management system is one that supports two-factor authentication. Your passwords are still stored in the cloud, but you will need to provide another piece of information before you can access sites.

The interesting thing is that many of the cloud based password systems actually offer this in their premium offerings. So, not only do you get better password protection, but it's with the same system meaning you likely won't have to switch.

The cloud based systems are a good idea if you use more than one system on a regular basis and if you work from outside of the office.

3. Computer-based Computer-based password management systems are similar to the cloud versions, only the passwords are stored on your computer, and accessed using a master password. Because many hackers usually don't go after individual hard drives - they have to get through your network and then find the program and try to break the password - the chances of your passwords being exposed are minimized.

The only problem with systems like these is that you normally have to log in for the service to work. If you forget to log out and someone walks by, they will be able to access everything. However, for the manager who wants a secure system, this is a better option than the cloud based versions.

4. USB-based There are a number of USB devices that have a smart card in them that can store passwords. When you plug in the USB to your computer, the software on the USB can input the stored passwords when needed. These devices are typically more expensive, with some costing as much as USD$100, but they offer the highest amount of security as your passwords are kept with you.

The main downside to these devices is that they aren't the biggest and are usually about the size of a standard USB stick. This means that they are easier to lose, making getting your passwords back even tougher.

If you are looking for a better way to keep track of your passwords, please contact us today to see how we can help.

With the rise of the Internet and social media, it's now expected that many more companies have an Internet identity. Be it a website or social media, you can guarantee that your customers are looking for you online. While having an online presence is positive, it can also open you up to negative feedback, which can ruin, or at least damage, your company's reputation and brand. Therefore, it is important that you practice some form of reputation management.

Here are five reputation management practices you can employ to better manage your online brand.

1. Don't remove negative content If you see a negative comment or post online it may be your first impulse to delete it. This isn't necessarily advisable, as the main rule about the Internet is that nothing ever goes away. If you delete negative comments on a regular basis, customers could notice and this may lead to them losing trust in your company and ultimately, to lost sales.

What you should be doing is replying instead and encouraging any users who complain online or make criticizing posts to contact you directly, or through a more private medium like email. That being said, if you see malicious posts or content that is posted just to incite a negative reaction (trolling), there is nothing wrong in deleting. Just make sure to acknowledge this by posting a warning that states something along the lines of: "Please note, malicious content will be deleted."

2. Address complaints promptly You should have someone monitoring your online platforms for complaints or negative feedback, so that you can respond promptly. This will also show customers that you actually use your platforms and are willing to engage. If you do not take steps to address negative material, you could be sending the message that you don't care enough about customers, which could drive them away.

3. Provide people with a place to complain Being proactive is important when it comes to reputation management. Instead of waiting for complaints to be posted on various review sites, blogs or even social media, which are all out of your control, why not provide a place that you can control, for all types of feedback.

Having an easy to see form, forum or other similar area on your website, where customers can interact with you, could go a long way in helping limit where complaints pop up. If you are in control then you're more likely to see complaints sooner and better able to answer them quickly too.

4. Ensure colleagues and staff are all on the same page Two things that turn almost customers off of a brand are a company that isn't organized and being told different things by different people within the same company. If you have more than one staff member managing your online reputation you need to ensure everyone is on the same page. If a client asks a question they should get one answer and if there is a complaint there should be one response or person handling it.

It is a good idea to establish how to deal with complaints, who will deal with them and when they will be dealt with, and communicate this with all staff, not just those handling your online presence. A unified procedure could go a long way in minimizing the harm negative feedback can cause.

5. Monitor online activity We don't mean monitor the activity of your employees, we mean take a look at the different communication channels used by your customers and the public at large. If your business relies on reviews, simply monitoring your own profiles and website isn't enough. Many customers complain on review sites like Yelp, Ripoff Report, or their own blogs. Taking time to search for, and browse these sites could help you gauge the general perception of your company. If you see an increasing number of negative reviews for example, you know it is time to look at what needs to be improved.

Having a well managed online reputation won't guarantee new customers will come flooding in the door, but it can help decrease customers from going out the door, taking valuable sales with them. If you would like to learn more about reputation management please contact us today.

The Internet has brought about a massive change in the way we think, act and spend our leisure time, not to mention our online time at work. It's not uncommon for people at work to watch a YouTube video or log onto a social media site. While this could cause a decrease in productivity employees can balance this out with apps that help improve how they work.

Here are four productivity apps that could help make you more efficient.

1. Doodle

A common hindrance to productivity are meetings. Everyone has to take time out of their day to attend, and it can be even harder to schedule a time to actually meet, especially when your colleagues are so busy. Doodle is an app that helps users find a time and date to meet.

It works by the meeting leader setting a number of dates and times for a potential meeting. Doodle then creates a calendar with these times and dates, allowing users to click on. The app aggregates the feedback and then suggests a time and date that works for all invitees.

The Doodle app also integrates with Outlook, Google Calendar, Yahoo and iCal, which means you can schedule meetings and send invites directly from the calendar. The basic app is free, but you can also sign up for the Premium version which gives you more functionality, such as being able to send reminders and mobile support. Click here to learn more.

2. Any.do

As a business owner or manager, you are likely busy and have a never ending to-do list which may get out of hand from time-to-time. Any.do is a beautifully designed and simple to use task manager for your mobile device and Web browser. When you enter a task on your mobile device it will seamlessly sync with other versions, meaning lists will be the same wherever you view them.

An interesting feature that sets this app apart from many similar apps is that you can share lists and tasks with people to ensure that everyone is on the same page and knows what needs to be done today, tomorrow or later. It's free and available for most browsers, Apple and Android devices. Visit the Any.do website to learn more and download.

3. Due

Sometimes being productive means you actually have to be proactive. You may need a little nudge or reminder to get an email written, or file your tax return if you can't ever seem to find the motivation, best time to start, or even to remember.

Due is an app for the iPhone whereby you set reminders for yourself. A flashing a message on your screen acts as a reminder and continues to alert until you have completed the task and marked it as such in the app. It could be annoying, but just the right prompt you need to get important tasks started. You can download the app from iTunes for USD$4.99

4. HootSuite

There's a good chance that you, or someone you work closely with, spends a seemingly inordinate amount of time each day on social media. Maybe it's maintaining your company's profile or finding interesting content and physically posting this. If you have more than one social media account this could prove unproductive.

HootSuite is a social media dashboard that brings all of your social media platforms into one app. You can schedule posts for all of your networks at once, and easily view each service from one screen. This cuts down the amount of time you spend on social media and allows you to focus on running your business. The app is free for up to five social media accounts and one user, and USD$8.99 a month for the Pro version. Check out the HootSuite website, to learn more.

There are countless apps available that can help improve your productivity, or at the very least make you work in a more efficient manner. What are your favorites? Let us know.

Smartphones, like the Apple iPhone, rely on numerous factors to make them 'smart'. One of the most important being a data or Internet connection. Most iPhone users have a mobile plan with data, allowing you to access the Internet from anywhere. However, many providers limit the amount of data that can be used each month and charge exorbitantly high rates if you go over this monthly quota. The good news is though, there are things you can do to help get the most out of your data.

Here are five tips on how to use less mobile data on your iPhone.

1. Turn on Wi-Fi When your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi it does not count against your mobile data usage. If you find yourself using too much data, try looking for open connections at places you frequent. Chances are you already have Wi-Fi at home and maybe even in the office, so be sure to connect to it wherever possible.

While there are many more connections than ever, be careful when using a public unprotected Wi-Fi connection. This can lead to devices being hacked, or data tracked. If you have to send important documents best wait until you can connect to a secure Wi-Fi network.

You can turn Wi-Fi on by: Tapping on the Settings icon. Sliding the tab beside Wi-Fi from Off to On. Selecting the network you want to join and entering the password if necessary.

You can tell whether your Wi-Fi s turned on by looking at the top of the screen for an inverted striped-triangle. If you leave this option on, and are not in range of a Wi-Fi connection, your phone should automatically connect to data, and if you are in range, it should automatically connect to a Wi-Fi connection.

2. Save content for offline reading If you use your phone to read blogs, articles or anything with a large amount of text and pictures this could be an unexpectedly high drain on data. What you could do is download an app like Pocket that allows you to save articles for reading offline. Most of these apps allow users to search for and save articles on their Web browser which then syncs with the mobile app. You can then access these without an Internet connection; cutting down on the amount of data you use.

3. Install a data counter A data counter or tracker is an app that keeps tabs on how much mobile data your phone is using. Your phone has a built in counter, accessed by tapping on Settings, selecting General, followed by Usage and Cellular usage. However, it doesn't tell you if you are going to go over your data this month, or send out warnings when you are close to your quota maximum.

If you want better data usage tracking, an app like DataMan (USD$0.99 on the App Store) could really help. This app is perfect if you have a limited amount of data as it can help really manage data use and alerts you when you are close to your monthly data amount.

4. Cut back on streaming Streaming videos and music has become incredibly popular. Think about how many people you see on a daily basis watching a video on YouTube or listening to Spotify on their phones. It can be great to watch a YouTube video while waiting for a colleague, or listen to an album in the car on the way home. The problem is, streaming is bandwidth intensive, so a five minute video on YouTube can use anywhere from 5 to 10 MB of data.

If you want to cut back on the data you use, try to limit the amount of streaming you do on your phone. You can always email yourself links to watch or listen to when you get home too.

5. Be less social Social media has become a large part of our lives, with many of us constantly checking our feeds for updates, or even posting updates from our phones. While just looking at feeds is fairly light data-wise, clicking on links or posted content can really eat up your data allocation. It is a good idea to limit social activity while using mobile data. One tip is to pick just one social media network and only check that specific one on your phone, letting the others wait.

How do you limit the amount of mobile data you use? Let us know. If you would like to learn more about managing your iPhone, please contact us today.

Computing power has more or less doubled every two years, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. While our computers are becoming increasingly powerful, it simply isn't feasible for many small to medium businesses to update their hardware or systems every couple of years. This often leads to businesses with aging systems facing increased costs, decreased productivity and the need (but not the budget!) to replace systems. One solution to this very real problem is to virtualize existing systems.

Virtualization is the act of taking an existing system, say a server, and creating a virtual copy of it that is hosted either in a physical unit or somewhere out of the office. Some systems you can virtualize include: Desktops, Operating Systems, servers, hardware and storage. Most small businesses start with storage and server virtualization as this can usually be done with relative ease and at an affordable cost.

Benefits of virtualization The question many business owners ask when they are looking into virtualization is what benefits it can bring. While the positives are numerous, here are the five most common:

1. Reduced space Physical hardware can take up a lot of space, and the common trend among many businesses is that the space available per person is shrinking in order to save costs. Take for example your servers. If you virtualize these, you can probably fit all of them onto one or two units. This will reduce the space your hardware takes up, freeing up extra storage capacity or possibly another desk.

2. Reduced overhead Having hardware and servers in an office can be expensive to maintain. You have to have climate control to start with which means higher electricity bills and higher maintenance costs. Virtualization will often reduce overhead costs and save you money. Beyond that, many solutions offer a pay-per-use pricing model which makes predicting costs easier.

3. Quicker backup and recovery Many virtualization solution providers also offer backup services that can be automated. This means that your vital data is always backed up and protected. Beyond that, the backups can be stored at a different location, meaning that if there is a disaster, you can recover lost data quickly and easily.

4. Longer hardware replacement cycles Virtualized solutions and platforms often require lower computing resources because they are hosted on the provider's servers. This means that you won't have to replace existing tech hardware. Beyond that, existing systems can be used for longer which will save you money.

5. Virtualization is scalable If your company is growing, you will eventually have to add new systems. In an already cramped office this means finding the space for hardware or servers needed to support your growth, not to mention investing in systems that are compatible with existing hardware. Virtualization is highly scalable, and can grow with your company, often without the need for extra services.

In general, virtualization could help your business grow, while IT costs remain stable, or are even decreased. If you would like to learn more about how virtualization of your systems can help your company, contact us today.

In an increasingly interconnected world, it's becoming harder and harder for business owners and managers to decide between choices. That's why many have started to implement Business Intelligence (BI) solutions, in the hopes that it will help them make better, more informed decisions. An increasingly popular component of BI is social data. The question is though, what is it and can small businesses benefit from it?

Here's an overview of social data and three ways small business owners and managers can use it to make decisions.

What is social data? Social data is any data or information collected from the various social media sites available. The easiest way to define social data is to differentiate it from social media. Social media is content that a user has created, copied or linked with the idea of sharing it with other people using a platform i.e., Facebook. Social data is the information that is linked to this content, such as shares, likes, location, time posted, etc.

It is social data that powers analytics and social media monitoring, (how popular your content, profile, etc. is), and if utilized efficiently could go a long way in helping you make better business decisions and a more focused marketing strategy.

Because there is so much data relating to and generated by social media activities, it can be nearly impossible to track and analyze it all. But, it is quickly becoming an important part of Business Intelligence, and will continue to become even more so as the number of social media sites and users continues to expand. That's why many BI solutions are starting to integrate social data gathering and analysis tools. While you may be able to track and analyze this data, do you know what you can do with it?

Three uses of social data

• Competitor research - Many companies currently focus on data related directly to their content. Why not expand it and look at your competitors, such what they are posting and how their followers are reacting? If done properly, this can give you valuable industry insight and generate ideas as to what you could also be doing to better leverage your brand and position.
• Judge health of marketing campaigns and overall interest - The main use of social data should be to help you track how well your current marketing campaigns and content is doing. Being able to analyze this data will reveal what works and what doesn't, allowing you to tweak and fine tune your efforts. The best platforms can provide near instant results which allow you to update or change on-the-fly.
• Gauge current public opinion - Social media is like a stream. There's always content flowing by you, much of it potentially useful. If you can track what people are saying, sharing and commenting on, you can spot trends faster, enabling you to come up with even more relevant content for followers to share, thus expanding presence.

There are numerous uses for social data in organizations and many bigger companies have started to track and implement learnings in different departments such as marketing, human resources and even finance. This is a great way for you to better know and provide what your customers and followers want.

If you would like to learn more about social data and how your company can use it effectively, call us today for a chat.