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Vol 2, #12, March 23, 2010 |
McAfee warns Facebook users of new threat McAfee is warning consumers about a new threat spreading on Facebook in its second Consumer Threat Alert. This password stealing virus has been seen before and is back in the form of an e-mail from Facebook.com alerting you that your password needs to be reset. McAfee has been tracking this rise for the past 48 hours and predicts it will continue to affect the over 400 million users on the popular social network. “Once installed, the password stealer can potentially access any username and password combination on that computer, from your bank details to your email log-ins,” said Dave Marcus, security expert for McAfee. Top of Page DataInherit.com, the world's leading online bank for private password and document storage, announced today the launch of its free iPhone app, DataInherit Password Safe. The app gives individuals around the world the ability to manage and access their passwords anywhere and anytime. In addition, it offers high security and unique emergency protection through built-in data inheritance features. In contrast to other apps DataInherit stores passwords centrally in its Swiss banking data centers. Centralized storage makes a difference as customers only need to enter or change a password once and then they have it available anytime and from all devices. The central data center also offers highest protection against loss as well as providing long-term preservation of customer data. Developed by Swiss online banking security experts, all DataInherit online safes from DSwiss Ltd contain the irrevocable technical feature that ensure that DSwiss and any third parties are unable to view or access customer passwords or documents. "We received numerous requests from customers to provide the DataInherit Password Safe on the iPhone. They have become comfortable with using our service online but they wanted the added convenience of the service on their mobile phone. We have put an emphasis on making it simple and have focussed the app on what it's all about: Passwords available quickly when you need them," said Andreas Jacob, Director of Customer Business at DSwiss. Existing DataInherit customers can download the DataInherit app from the iTunes store. New customers can open a free account on http://www.datainherit.com in less than a minute and will be able to use the iPhone app immediately. Top of Page Online reputation management for local business simplified With thousands of Internet sites, blogs, forums and social media sites available to consumers, it can be difficult for local businesses to keep on top of all the public comments about them - and to ensure continued vigilance regarding their online reputation, or "e-reputation." With this in mind, weblocal.ca offers local businesses Canada's first Internet reputation management system. This system enables them to examine, gather and analyze important online information related to their organizations. "The new weblocal.ca Canadian Internet Reputation Management System offers local businesses a complete, easy-to-use and flexible solution that supports their marketing strategies to enhance their reputation among Internet consumers," explains Andrei Uglar, General Manager, weblocal.ca" For example, following an analysis, a business could take a number of actions to adjust its business strategy:
Consumer Internet trends Web 2.0 has changed the way consumers make their purchase decisions -they consult other Internet users' comments and accounts of their experiences before buying. In fact, 90 per cent of consumers rely on comments posted by their relatives, and 70 per cent rely on comments posted by their peers(1). "In the Web 2.0 era, Web users are not only potential customers, but also potentially important influencers in their virtual environments," specifies Mr. Uglar. "In very little time, a comment can find its way to a forum, get tweeted a number of times, and become the subject of a new Facebook page: there are thousands of Web users who are informed in real time." Up until just recently, the concept of reputation has been primarily associated with word-of-mouth communication. With Web 2.0, this has transformed into "e-reputation" and spreads quickly, given the large number of Internet users. As a result, businesses need to implement strategies to follow these trends and commentaries, and to act accordingly so that they can meet customer expectations. A solution adapted to local businesses' needs Reputation management is important. According to some experts, reputation represents 70 per cent of the total value of a business. An Opus Research study of more than 2,000 businesses shows that close to 44 per cent of these monitor their business names through search engines, and a little over 15 per cent use alerts on an informal basis. However, this approach requires a significant - and often underestimated - investment of time and effort. "Our system's intelligent dashboard facilitates analysis of information gathered, and enables a business to quickly identify which elements have generated customer reaction," explains Mr. Uglar. "Thanks to an interactive timeline, the system can also target precise periods where lower or higher levels of activity have been found. Then, the owner can adjust and adapt his business strategy in real time, without the need for significant manpower or time investments." Additionally, the system also detects every Internet site where an organization's coordinates (for example, telephone number, postal and Internet addresses) appear. It enables business owners to see and take control of their online presence, saving them time, effort and frustration of finding and correcting every incorrect business listing on the Internet. "A business without its own virtual portal relies on its presence in Internet listings so that its clients can locate it and contact it," explains Mr. Uglar. "The publication of inaccurate contact information can translate into customer attrition and lower revenues." The system provides electronic as well as printed reports, if required. Email or SMS (Short Message Service) alerts keep the user informed about the latest posted comments, enabling them to react quickly when required. "We are delighted to be able to help increase local businesses' visibility and presence on the Internet, thanks to this innovative service which responds to a real need," adds Mr. Uglar. Top of Page Sweetspot.ca gives Ottawa a taste of the sweet life Sweetspot.ca continues to grow and extend its reach by targeting a fifth city in Canada. As of April 15, the online publisher will offer specialized content for Ottawa readers through a weekly newsletter and daily online content. Anyone who lives in Ottawa – or loves a weekend getaway – can look forward to hearing about the capital city’s latest secrets and sweetest things. While sweetspot.ca has always offered national content for its readers, Ottawa will be the fifth Canadian city receiving specialized content (joining Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary). Sweetspot.ca has hired Jennifer Hughes as Ottawa’s City Editor, and she will lead the search for the city’s hidden gems and latest hotspots. She brings with her six years of experience at Canadian House & Home, and has freelanced for many national publications including Gardening Life and Canadian Home & Country. “We’re thrilled to add Jennifer to our sweet – and growing! – team,” says Liza Cooperman, Editorial Director at sweetspot.ca. “We can’t wait to share all of the places and things that add to Ottawa’s unique charm.” The new weekly newsletter, delivered every Thursday, will feature a What’s Happening column (can’t-miss events in art, culture, fashion and food), sweetspot.ca’s Top 5 list (from the best bowls of soup to the best places for a pedicure), one sweet find (noteworthy restaurants, shops and services) and a blog by Jennifer Hughes (filled with her own sweet picks and stories). Readers can register for the Ottawa newsletter now at sweetspot.ca/sign_up Top of Page Webtrends adds to analytics capabilities Webtrends, an enterprise customer intelligence company, today announced additional Facebook measurement capabilities allowing marketers to track Flash based applications and tabs inside Facebook for the first time. Adobe Flash, a multimedia platform that is popular for adding animation and interactivity to web pages, is increasingly becoming the development platform of choice for large brands within Facebook. Why does Flash Tracking Matter to Marketers? Apps vs. Tabs: Webtrends Facebook Analytics MoneySense.ca, the digital home of Canada's best-selling personal finance magazine, has entered into an exclusive content partnership with one of Canada's preeminent personal finance bloggers, the Canadian Capitalist, to bring its trusted advisory resources on financial planning, investing, retirement, real estate and more, to a wider online audience. Ram Balakrishnan, the Canadian Capitalist, has been blogging since 2004, posting almost-daily advice. Over the years, he has built up a large and loyal community of like-minded Canadians interested in expanding their personal financial knowledge. Like CanadianCapitalist.com, MoneySense.ca is focused on thoughtful financial advice for and by Canadians. Bringing the two communities together not only makes sense for the brands, but also for Canadians interested in managing their wealth. "We are excited to partner with the Canadian Capitalist because of Ram's intelligent take on Canadian investing and for the loyal readership he's cultivated," says Claude Galipeau, SVP and GM, Digital Media, Rogers Media. "Our partnership with the Canadian Capitalist is part of an ongoing strategy to showcase and distribute quality content for our business brands, as well as bring new premium opportunities to our ad clients." As a long-time fan of Balakrishnan's writing, MoneySense Editor Duncan Hood, is thrilled to have Canadian Capitalist join the MoneySense.ca family. "Since MoneySense magazine launched over a decade ago, we have maintained the high quality of our advice by enlisting some of the best personal finance writers Canada has to offer," says Hood. "CanadianCapitalist.com is one of the best Canadian personal finance blogs on the web, and I have personally enjoyed following it for years. We're looking forward to a long partnership together, and we are excited that our respective communities can also benefit from their own knowledge sharing." "I'm very excited about partnering with MoneySense, the finest personal finance magazine in Canada," notes Balakrishnan. "MoneySense has long been an advocate of sensible financial planning and investing-themes that are also the focus of my own writing. I am convinced that the partnership will benefit all our readers." Top of Page Completely unique and revolutionary concept Completely unique and revolutionary in concept, Interjob.ca is a brand new online recruitment system specializing in the information technology (IT) and communications industries in Canada. Interjob stands out from the competition by giving jobseekers the opportunity to specify the positions they want, giving them immediate access to an array of targeted companies ready and willing to receive their resumes. Advantages for jobseekers:
Advantages for employers:
In no time, Interjob will raise your company profile among IT and communications professionals. Top of Page Hult to offer Master of Digital Marketing program The rapid replacement of classified ads and traditional media by Facebook, Twitter, blogs and video sharing sites has created a severe shortage of talented professionals who can think innovatively and capitalize on the marketing opportunities presented by digital channels. To fill this large and growing vacuum, Hult International Business School has created a Master of Digital Marketing Program that covers all aspects of digital marketing including best practice methodologies for Search Engine Optimization (SEO), how to acquire and retain customers, how to harness web 2.0 capabilities and how to plan and execute digital publishing strategies. The one-year Master program is offered on Hult’s London campus in conjunction with Econsultancy, a global leader in digital marketing education. The faculty is comprised of digital marketing specialists who have developed the new media and web marketing strategies for blue-chip companies including Coca Cola, HSBC and 3M. Notably, the curriculum also includes an Action Learning Project, during which students analyze a real company’s current business situation and propose innovative and sustainable solutions. Hult International Business School ’s president, Dr. Stephen Hodges states, “With the launch of the Master of Digital Marketing program, Hult is once again demonstrating its steadfast commitment to staying on the cutting-edge of business education by offering degrees that are not only relevant today, but also well into the future.” Top of Page Acquisio hires online marketing veterans Acquisio, a technology and thought leader in pay-per-click management and productivity solutions for interactive agencies, announced today the hiring of Alexandre Pelletier as the company's new Marketing Director, and Mark Lajoie as the company's new Director of Sales, Canada. "We're delighted to add two superstars to our already stellar marketing and sales team," said Marc Poirier, founder and Chief Marketing Officer for Acquisio. "Alexandre brings a strong background in lead management and social media, and Mark has extensive sales expertise working with some of the nation's top technology leaders, including TELUS and Yahoo! Canada. They perfectly complement the existing team, and will help Acquisio as it continues to set the standard for agency-focused PPC management." As Acquisio's new Marketing Director, Alexandre Pelletier will be responsible for implementing the company's short- and long-term marketing initiatives. Prior to joining Acquisio, Alexandre provided Salesforce and Marketo consulting services. Before becoming an independent consultant, Alexandre served as Senior Director of Online Marketing at enterprise search technology leader Coveo. Alexandre also has extensive entrepreneurial experience, founding and managing customer acquisition company Emovendo and Webfin.com, at one time Quebec's largest financial website that was later sold to Quebec's largest media company, Quebecor Media. Mark Lajoie joins Acquisio as its new Director of Sales for Canada. In this role, he will be responsible for setting sales strategy for the region, in addition to overseeing day-to-day sales activities. Mark comes to Acquisio from Yahoo! Canada, where he served as a Senior Account Executive. Before working with Yahoo! Canada, Mark worked as an Account Manager at directional advertising agency DAC Group Digital, and an eSolutions Strategist at TELUS Web Solutions, one of Canada's leading telecommunications companies. Top of Page |
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