Just trying to keep things running smoothly is probably a big enough challenge on its own for any small business owner. The administrative side of things may also not be your greatest strength and something you try to get over and done as quickly as possible. These kinds of pressures are exactly what make scamsters so good at their jobs and SMEs soft targets. Losing money this way can cripple your business and you must take steps to flag any suspicious activity.
The false impression that cyber-attacks are aimed solely at large organisations is understandable. It is only the big data breaches that reach the news. The sober fact is, however, that as much as 70% of cybercrime in the US is aimed at small businesses, according to figures released by the National Cyber Security Alliance. South African owner-managed businesses are equally at risk. Follow these tips to protect your business from cyber criminals.
Although social media is a growing source of business and marketing for companies, challenges arise when employees post remarks about their employers or customers or colleagues on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Not only can it result in disciplinary action, but for many it has ended in dismissal for social media misconduct. Here are four common employee misconducts on social media that may be hurting your business.
This article looks at how to deal with social media in the workplace by answering some frequently asked questions. These questions include: Why do I, as an employer, need a social media policy for my business? My employer has blocked my access to Facebook on my work computer, and banned use of any social media during working hours. Is this not an infringement on my freedom of speech and right to privacy? I have a co-worker sending racist and sexist comments to me on e-mail. I have reported the incidents to my employer but no action has been taken. What can I do? Find out the answers here.
Once you have established your business online with a registered domain and you are getting traffic to your website, the next step for many businesses is a facility for online purchases. But where do you start and how do you ensure that the transactions on your site take place securely? Natalie Thayer, former GM of MWEB, South Africa's leading Internet Service Provider, says there are several ways in which small businesses can ensure their sites are attractive for potential customers.
It has been found that many SMEs feel that they don’t have the necessary resources, equipment, infrastructure or capital to incorporate technology into their business. Previously, technology was only within the reach of larger corporates. Today, there are many service providers, such as MWEB that can assist you in taking your business into the online domain for minimal costs and even less fuss. This article outlines four tips to help you establish a professional online presence.
With the ever-growing world of online communication, at some point or another you may decide to establish a presence on the Internet. It is however, important to first make the distinction between the Internet and the World Wide Web and whether or not having a presence in cyberspace will benefit your business. Not many people realise that there is a difference between the Internet and the World Wide Web. This article explores this difference.
The Internet has evolved to become more than just a tool for surfing and email – it's now essential for the day-to-day running and growth of any business. Besides enabling business owners to communicate with staff, clients and suppliers faster than ever before, small businesses are using the World Wide Web to improve productivity, efficiency and, ultimately, profitability. MWEB aims to guide SME and small-office-home-office (SOHO) business owners through the online world with this guide to some of its features and how they can be used to achieve professional success.
For small to medium sized business (SMB) owners, SEO – or search engine optimisation – is essential for building a successful online brand. Many SMBs ignore this low-cost digital marketing strategy, which helps raise a website’s ranking in online searches, this in turn brings in more visitors, resulting in increased business opportunities. For some useful tips to help SMBs get started with SEO, read this article.
The Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) is a proudly South African non profit company committed to combating fraud across the financial services industry by providing a shared database to member organisations as well as offering the South African public a means of protecting themselves against impersonation and identity theft. From an initial membership of only two banks, the SAFPS now provides fraud related data to some 65 trusted brands in the South African economy.
Today, anybody can have their own website. But the drawback to it being so easy to have a website is that almost everyone does have a website. With so many websites out there competing for the same traffic, how can you make sure it’s yours that stands out from the crowd? No matter what type of website you have or what type of content you share, here are a number of strategies and tools you can adopt to boost traffic to your website.
A social media presence – via social media marketing – is a must-have when it comes to marketing your business. You may have heard this phrase being bandied about, but aren't quite sure what it means or how it can be of use to your business. Let's demystify the online world of social media and how you can leverage it to reach a wider consumer base.
You’ve probably heard this term before. You know what it means.
