Each post you make, each interaction with your audience furthers your brand’s growth— connecting you with the world at your fingertips. Unfortunately, a single misstep can undermine all these efforts, pushing you into the shadows of “shadowbanning.”

You might have heard this word used before, or you might even be aware that getting shadowbanned can be hugely damaging for some. But what is shadowbanning, and how can you avoid it?

What is Shadowbanning?

Shadowbanning, also known as “stealth banning,” “ghost banning,” or “comment ghosting,” is a practise that most social media platforms employ to limit a user’s visibility. Without any explicit notification, the platform restricts the user’s content in such a way that it diminishes their engagement on the platform.

To the user, everything seems perfectly functional: posts are published, and comments are made. But to the outside world, this content fades into obscurity. The user’s posts will not be visible to their audience, and attempts at communication are nothing but whispers in the wind.

Shadowbanning is a subtle yet damaging form of censorship, wherein without straying into the overt domain of account suspension, platforms can effectively stifle voices and subtly manipulate online discourse.

Most social media platforms, from Facebook and Instagram, to X (aka Twitter) and TikTok, will use some form of algorithmic blocking.

How Do You Get Shadowbanned?

Shadowbanning is not a random occurrence, and there’s usually a reason behind it. Each platform has its community guidelines, and if these rules are repeatedly broken, consequences are likely to follow. However, these rules are not always convincingly clear, and actions like spamming, posting inappropriate content, or even excessive following, can inadvertently trigger the platform’s algorithm leading to a shadowban.

There’s another element at play here: the user reports.

Multiple reports against a profile for violation of guidelines dramatically improve the chances of getting shadowbanned.

This can be especially tricky if you post content that might be seen as potentially divisive, or for adult content too. Many adult performers complain about their social media accounts being either blocked or shadowbanned, which is also often why they run two or more accounts in case of such an occurance.

Interestingly, algorithms also examine the broader behaviour patterns – if one is seen to associate frequently with accounts that violate community standards, they might face similar effects.

Can Anyone Get Shadowbanned?

While shadowbanning was initially started to curb trolls and bots, over time, it has extended to general users as well, with all platforms treating everyone equally.

If you violate guidelines, irrespective of whether you’re a social media newbie, an influential player, or even a celebrity, you run the risk of being shadowbanned.

Typically, accounts that engage in what can be seen as ‘risky’ content is most likely to find a shadowban in place. These may include:

• OnlyFans models and adult entertainment personalities
• Crypto influencers
• Outspoken critics of the government or culture
• People who engage (and argue) with people online

However, you can also get shadowbanned for one comment if you are perceived to have been harassing people, posting hateful or racist comments or for nudity on some platforms such as Instagram.

How Can You Tell If You’ve Been Shadowbanned?

Confirming a shadowban is tricky, especially as platforms are typically tight-lipped about these practices and when they are liable to a ban. However, certain signs may indicate a possible shadowban:

1. Sudden Drop in Engagement: If you witness a sudden, unexplained decrease in likes, comments, shares or followers, it could be a result of shadowbanning.
2. Invisibility on Hashtags: Use a less-populated hashtag in your post and then check from a different account (ideally not following you) whether your post is visible under that hashtag. If it isn’t, you may have been shadowbanned.
3. Unseen Comments: Leave comments under different posts and ask someone not following you if they can see them. If they can’t, this could be a sign.
4. Use Online Tools: Some online tools claim to confirm if an account has been shadowbanned. While these aren’t foolproof, they can provide some insight. The shadowban checker from Spikerz is a free tool that allows you to check if you have been shadowbanned.

How Can You Get Un-Shadowbanned?

Most shadowbans are temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. If you suspect one, the first step should be understanding and acknowledging the potential cause. Take a break from any suspicious activities. Respect community guidelines, avoid spam-like behaviours and make sure your content is within permissible limits.

After a few days, slowly return to your usual activity levels, maintaining strict adherence to guidelines. Remember, rapid shifts in activity may trigger alarm bells in the algorithms. Slow and steady is the key.

How to Avoid Getting Shadowbanned in Future?

Practising ethical and responsible social media usage is the best defence against shadowbanning. Here are some pro-tips:

1. Understand Community Guidelines: Make sure to read and understand the guidelines of each platform that you are active on.
2. Avoid Spammy Behaviour: Incessantly posting the same content, aggressive following or unfollowing, and using irrelevant and overpopulated hashtags can raise flags.
3. Engage Meaningfully and Respectfully: Endeavor to create useful, engaging, and respectful content.
4. Use Automation Cautiously: Excessive use of automation tools for posting, liking, or commenting can be viewed as bot-like behaviour, potentially leading to shadowbanning. Use them sparingly.

By leveraging these insights, every social media influencer can navigate the world of shadowbanning. Awareness is the key. Understand the rules, play the game right, and the world of social media will open up to you, unshadowed and unrestrained.

After all, our online presence isn’t merely about existing, but about making an impact and fostering genuine connections along the way.

The post Are You Shadowbanned? How to Check & Fix it appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

1. Define Your Target Audience

Before diving into social media, defining your target audience is essential. Are you targeting fitness enthusiasts, beginners, athletes, or a specific age group? Understanding your ideal client will help you tailor your content, tone, and messaging to resonate with them.

2. Create Engaging Content

You need to create compelling and informative content to attract and retain fitness clients on social media. Share workout tips, exercise tutorials, nutrition advice, motivational quotes, success stories, and testimonials. Use a mix of images, videos, and text to keep your audience engaged and provide valuable information that aligns with their fitness goals.

3. Utilize Influencer Marketing

Collaborating with fitness influencers with a substantial following can significantly boost your social media reach. Partnering with influencers can introduce your services to a broader audience and build credibility. Reach out to influencers whose values align with your brand and propose mutually beneficial partnerships, such as sponsored posts, giveaways, or guest appearances on their channels.

4. Live Video Workouts and Q&A Sessions

Live video sessions on platforms like Instagram and Facebook can be an excellent way to interact with your audience in real-time. Host live workout sessions, where viewers can join in and follow along, and offer Q&A sessions to address their fitness-related queries. Live videos create a sense of authenticity, and connection, which can foster trust and engagement with your followers.

5. Engage and Respond to Comments

Respond promptly to comments, questions, and direct messages, showing that you value their input. Encourage discussions, ask for feedback, and make your followers feel heard. Engaging with your audience fosters community and trust, strengthening client relationships.

6. Utilize Hashtags Strategically

Research and use relevant fitness-related hashtags in your posts to make them discoverable by users interested in similar topics. Additionally, follow popular fitness hashtags to engage with posts from potential clients and build connections within the fitness community.

7. Run Contests and Giveaways

Contests and giveaways are an effective way to generate buzz and attract new clients. Encourage your followers to participate by sharing their fitness goals or success stories, and offer a valuable prize. Contests increase engagement and create user-generated content that showcases the positive results of your fitness programs.

8. Utilize Analytics to Optimize Strategies

Social media platforms provide valuable analytics and insights into your audience’s behavior. Pay attention to engagement, reach, and click-through rates to understand what content resonates with your audience. Analyzing this data will help you identify popular content themes and make data-driven decisions to attract more fitness clients.

In today’s digitally connected world, leveraging social media is vital for fitness professionals to effectively reach and engage with their target audience. For more information on fitness services and innovations, you can explore websites that provide valuable resources and insights into the fitness industry. These platforms offer a wealth of knowledge and guidance to help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and advancements in the fitness world.

The post 8 Successful Ways to Use Social Media to Reach Fitness Clients appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Keep Track of Kids With GPS Tracking Features

Social media has made it easier for parents to stay in touch with their kids. Parents can send a text, make a call, or even video chat with their kids with just a few clicks. This can be a great way to ensure your kids are safe, especially if they’re out with friends or at school. With the ability to contact their kids, parents can rest assured that their children are safe and sound.

With new applications and reporting systems like the  SaferWatch app, students at schools who use the program, can alert administrators and report incidents right then and there when something goes wrong.

In addition, social media provides an excellent way for families to stay connected, even when they’re apart. Whether you’re on vacation or just out for the day, you can easily share photos and updates with your loved ones. Thanks to social media, staying connected with your family has never been easier.

See What Kids Are Posting And Sharing Online

Facebook and Instagram are two of the most popular social media platforms among kids and teens. And for a good reason: they offer a way to stay connected with friends and family, share photos and experiences, and express oneself. But as any parent knows, there can also be some risks associated with social media use. That’s why it’s essential to understand what your child is posting and sharing online.

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow parents to see what their kids are up to, and this can be a great way to monitor your child’s activity and make sure they’re not sharing anything inappropriate. Of course, it’s also important to talk to your child about responsible social media use. Hence, they understand the importance of maintaining privacy and making good choices about what to share online. But monitoring their activity can give you peace of mind that they’re staying safe online.

Stay In Touch With Teachers And Administrators

Schools are increasingly using social media platforms like Facebook and Twitterunicate with parents and guardians. This is an excellent way for parents to stay up-to-date on what’s going on at their child’s school.

Events, assignments, and even emergency notifications can be posted on social media, making it an essential tool for school communication. In addition, social media platforms provide an easy way for parents to get in touch with teachers and administrators with questions or concerns. As more and more schools embrace social media, it’s becoming clear that it is an essential tool for school communication.

Final Thoughts

It’s no secret that social media has changed the way we communicate. Whether staying in touch with friends and family or staying up-to-date on the latest news, social media has become an integral part of our lives. But what you might not realize is that social media has also transformed the way parents keep track of their kids. In the past, parents had to rely on phone calls and occasional meetings to stay informed about their child’s life.

But now, thanks to social media, parents can follow their child’s every move. From Twitter to Facebook to Instagram, there are a variety of platforms that allow parents to see what their kids are up to at all times. And if that weren’t enough, several apps would enable parents to track their child’s location.

The post 3 Ways Social Media Has Transformed How Parents Keep Track Of Their Kids appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Content moderation using AI software allows web enterprises to quickly and easily scale up content moderation procedures in a manner that is more practical for human users, leaving this challenging yet time-consuming task for machines. Moreover, it allows enterprises to use sophisticated machinery for moderating controversial content, while keeping the results as consistent as possible. Machines can also apply manual moderation procedures, which make these procedures more effective and efficient. 

For the past several years, many tools have been developed for improving content moderation. These include A.I. expert Advisor, Label Revolver, Web Intelligence Bar, and the Google content moderation dashboard. These tools can all be applied at the same time to improve a site’s performance. Below are some ways in which each tool can help improve a site’s performance:

Automatic Content Repository (ACR): With A.I. software and other platforms, it is easy for machines to automatically scan web pages and classify them according to a predefined set of rules. This classifying process can identify potentially harmful or inflammatory keywords, which can be subsequently used to filter out websites. In addition, pre-moderation methods can also detect if a page is violating any of the website’s terms of service or has engaged in any type of activity which could potentially cause damage or loss to a business.

Machine Learning Algorithm (MLA): Using a MLA formulation, it is possible to create and evaluate a variety of classifications for a web site. Once the website is classified, it is easy for a machine to recall the meaning of every flag and the category that it belongs to. This allows the moderator to manually approve or disapprove of flagged content, which increases efficiency. By applying a MLA formulation, it is possible to apply different classification models over a large number of pages without requiring manual approval each time.

Machine Learning Approval System (MLAP): With a MLAP, it is possible to apply different types of algorithms to the entire website in question. This can make it much easier for a machine to differentiate between good content and bad content, which makes it a lot easier for a human moderator to determine what type of content moderation is required. MLAP applications can also detect duplicate content, which is one of the largest problems associated with content moderation. With this method, a moderator will only accept content into a site if it has been uniquely submitted by a human author. Many of today’s automatic content approval systems also have a human moderator function which allows a human moderator to approve or decline a post. These systems can also be used on their own, without being connected to a MLA content network.

Image Labeling Software (ILS): ILS has the ability to label images so it is much easier for a content moderation team to discern between high quality and low quality images. It can also detect content duplicates, which many people believe are a part of the problem associated with bad content. ILS works by comparing a thumbnail image against millions of others. If the two images are remarkably similar, it will trigger an alert. If the images are too far apart, there will be no trigger.

Social Media Platforms: Most social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and StumbleUpon have become popular tools for Internet marketers. Because of this, many Internet marketers are able to market their products more effectively than they would be able to with limited access to Internet marketing tools. This type of platform integration provides a great way for content moderation teams to identify unwanted content before it enters a site. Many social media platforms allow a business owner to set up filters so that only relevant posts are allowed into a site.

Social Learning: One of the major benefits of using a content moderation system is the increased level of confidence that a business owner receives from being involved in the moderation process. Having the ability to interact with other members of a moderation team gives a business owner peace of mind that their brand is being handled properly. When interacting with a team of content moderation members, a business owner can learn a great deal about their company, what customers think, and how they can improve customer service. In short, becoming a valued participant in your own moderation team offers great benefits.

The post 5 Methods For Improving Social Learning for Content Moderation appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

If you’re looking for ways to boost your accounting firm’s appeal to clients and new employees alike, it’s time to recalibrate your social media strategy. As we move into 2021, these practices should form the foundation of your social outreach.

Assess Your SEO

SEO isn’t a social media-specific issue, but it is one of the most important professional skills today, and it will directly inform your firm’s success. Furthermore, your social media presence has the ability to either bolster or hinder your firm’s SEO rankings. Ideally, you’d have at least a part-time marketing professional working on your SEO and social media management, but how you proceed on these fronts will depend on the size of your firm, employee skills, and other factors.

Read The Signs

If your accounting firm is going to use social media, then you need to be able to interpret the related data, and that means mastering the analytics. Luckily, this is an area in which, once you’ve learned your way around the tools, accounting firms may have an edge. After all, compared to professionals in other industries, accountants are more likely to be able to spot data trends and interpret social media engagement data, and that will make it easier to spot underperforming content, identify the optimal time to post, and otherwise evaluate KPIs.

Practice Promotion

Because of the ways we all interact with social media today, most companies understand how social media marketing works to attract customers. Social media content isn’t just for customer-facing engagement, however. In fact, it’s a great way to grow your firm by promoting career advancement opportunities.

How can you connect with potential hires on social media? There are several approaches. For example, if your firm is looking to hire more CPAs, you might talk about the benefits of working for your firm. Or, you might highlight support you offer to recent graduates who want to take the CPA exam, such as reimbursement for prep courses or registration fees. You can also use platforms like Facebook to link directly to job postings or profile current employees.

Ensure Your Relevance

One of the major challenges facing accounting firms is that they tend to exist below the radar for the majority of the year. That’s because, unless they’ve got tax prep on the mind, accounting services aren’t a significant priority. That’s not ideal for business, however, especially since accounting firms offer a variety of other valuable services for businesses and individuals, though workloads do tend to be lighter outside of tax season.

Savvy accounting firms can use the offseason to generate valuable content, curate their social media presence, and build relationships that will keep them relevant year-round. Even if your services are of limited value to individuals outside of tax seasons, ensure that your brand stays at front of mind. It’s the best way to boost your client conversion and retention when peak season arrives.

A Complex Skill

Developing a successful social media marketing campaign is a challenging undertaking, and one that takes expertise to do successfully. If your brand hasn’t mastered this process in past years, then, don’t be surprised if it takes some time to get your campaign off the ground.

With time and attention, though, you’ll find that your business reaps the rewards of your new digital presence, both in terms of client growth and talent acquisition, not just during tax season, but in the long-term.

The post Social Media For Accounting Firms: Strategies For 2021 appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Social Scams and Phishing Attacks

Social and phishing scams usually aim to make unsuspecting targets click links and enter details. They might provide a false incentive for doing this, so it’s important to be alert and recognize when you’re facing something that’s actually a scam. 

Don’t click unsolicited links that you are unsure of, and certainly don’t enter details after clicking a link, even if it looks pretty legitimate on the surface. That’s how they get your login details, and other info.

Malicious Apps

There are plenty of malicious apps on social media and the internet in general. You’ve almost certainly encountered them in some way, even if you didn’t realize it. Some are more sinister than others however. 

For example, Spyware can actively log your actions and collect your personal information. It can also spam you with ads that you don’t want to see. That’s why you need to take extra care before clicking and sharing sensitive information.

Human Error

It’s all too common for people to accidentally share posts that they intended for their private accounts on the company’s accounts. This is often simply human error, but it can also lead to scams and attacks in some cases too. Human error can take many forms, and setting company policies on when and how often to access the social media account is key to making sure employees don’t make these mistakes.

Malware Attacks and Hackers

Malware hackers can gain access to your website and digital records in an attempt to hold ransom, or simply steal, valuable data and sell it. They can be targeted in very specific ways and your organization will be threatened unless you have protections in place to avoid malware attacks. One way to avoid these problems is to hire the right MSP who can carry out penetration testing so that vulnerabilities can be found and addressed.

In Conclusion

Consider the security measures for your company social media accounts how you can avoid those errors or at least reduce their frequency. The first thing to consider is cybersecurity awareness training for your staff. This will teach them what they need to know in order to act safely and securely. In addition to that, consider establishing social media policies for staff members to follow.

Limiting who has access to your social media account and how much access they have is also key. It’s easier to retain control over your social media channels and how they’re used if you know exactly who’s accessing them and how. It’s also important to make sure your technology is as secure as it can be.

The post Main Business Security Threats to Avoid in Social Media appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

What Is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month?

NCSAM or National Cybersecurity Awareness Month has been in place for 17 years and aims to raise awareness of the threat posed by cyber crimes to businesses and individuals alike. This awareness initiative is promoted by the FBI and backed by a range of established and respected organizations. It’s focused on reducing the number of cyber crimes that wreak havoc across the country every year.

Security Practices Individuals and Businesses Should Implement

There is a range of security practices you should implement to keep your devices and systems safe. Dan Cashman, President of TrinWare, an IT company in Westminster, says, “We recommend that companies focus on proactive cybersecurity measures that will work to prevent attacks altogether. No cybersecurity plan is complete without threat protection and constant monitoring, as well as employee security training.”

We’re going to take a closer look at some basic security steps to take and how they’ll help protect you.

Be Wary of Unknown Links and Sources

It’s important to remember that it only takes one moment of weakness for a data breach to occur. You should always be cautious with communication, when receiving links, downloading attachments, and using unknown sources. Always assume the worst before and take the time to assess the site, attachment, etc. before proceeding.

Avoid Social Media Oversharing

One way in which people are undone and exploited by hackers and cyber criminals is when they overshare on social media. When you give too much away, you immediately make yourself a target for criminals and hackers, as they can use your personal details to create specific socially engineered attacks. And the same applies to the employees of businesses. Where the internet, and especially social media, is concerned, it’s often best to go private.

Keep Software Up to Date

When a company releases an update for their software, it’s because there’s a flaw in the old system. They want to patch those flaws so they can’t be exploited by cyber criminals and hackers. If you don’t update your software and Operating System to the most current models, cyber attacks could reach you through vulnerabilities that would otherwise be patched.

Strengthen Your Password Security

Password security is a cybersecurity basic, but that’s also why it’s so easy for many people to overlook or disregard it. Each password you use should be unique and complex; you shouldn’t duplicate passwords for different accounts or logins, and passwords should combine upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. For the greatest security, avoid using dictionary words. Using multi-factor authentication is also a recommended failsafe, as it can protect your accounts even should your password fail. 

Don’t Share Information Over Unsecured Networks

Finally, you should be careful about how and where you share information. Sensitive files, data, or communication sent over networks that are unsecured could be intercepted. You should use secure systems that offer encryption and end-to-end security when transmitting private information.

Following these steps will help you create a basic layer of security, but there are still many aspects of your system that need further measures. Talk to an IT professional for more recommendations for boosting your security!

The post National Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Top Security Practices to Implement appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Clean Up Old Profiles

If you’re like most people your age, you have social media profiles going back to your early teens. It’s probably time to delete some of them. In fact, unless you are specifically building your career on one or more platforms, it’s not a bad idea to nuke your profiles every few years and start fresh. This doesn’t just ensure that your past is less likely to come back to haunt you but also helps you clear out all those random people you met in class or on spring break that you haven’t spoken to since. In the meantime, keep in mind that privacy settings exist for a reason. While you shouldn’t post things online you would worry about strangers, parents or future employers seeing anyway, it’s still a good idea to lock down your accounts as much as you can.

Finding Scholarships and Loans

While you’re using databases and search engines to find scholarships and private student loans online, you might not have considered checking social media. However, this can be a great way to connect with communities of other students who can point you in the direction of scholarships and loans. You can also read reviews and find out if the organizations and lenders you’re considering have a social media presence. This can help you find some otherwise obscure scholarships as well as private lenders who have satisfied clients. This can be especially helpful if you are looking for online student loan lenders instead of going to your local bank, where you can talk to someone face-to-face.

Connect with Professionals

Are you considering becoming a doctor, a biologist or a writer? Whatever your ambitions, you can find professionals on social media who write about their work and even answer questions. This can be a great way to learn more about the fields that interest you. Be sure that you are respectful of the time of professionals who offer this free insight into their work.

Trust but Verify

There’s an old joke that says on the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog, and it’s funny because it is at least somewhat true. For various reasons, some people will go to elaborate lengths to construct an internet alter ego. Other people are just very different in real life from their online persona. This means that while social media can be great for networking, you should be cautious about confiding in or accepting job offers from people you haven’t met in the flesh. If your social media contact is someone that no one online appears to have met in real life—or who only one person claims to have met—healthy skepticism may be the right attitude.

The post Social Media Tips for College Students appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

These may seem like innocent challenges, but they can actually leave you more vulnerable to cyber attacks such as spear phishing scams and password attacks. In fact, the FBI has even cautioned against participating in online challenges that share personal information.

Whether you realize it or not, some viral social media challenges can disclose some personal information that hackers can use against you. You’re making cyber criminals happier and their lives easier when you hand them information they can exploit you with.

Take any pet-related challenge, for example. Your first, current, or favorite pet is a security question often used by banks, and those who participate in the challenge may be revealing the answer to those questions in either a picture or a caption.

Types of Personal Information That Can Be Vulnerable

There are a number of types of personal information that can leave you vulnerable to attacks. Anything that gives away answers to common security questions is dangerous. Security questions commonly used by banks and other institutions include the following:

• What is your mother’s (or grandmother’s) maiden name?
• What is the name of your first pet?
• What high school (or college) did you attend?
• What is the name of the town you grew up in? (variations include the street you grew up on or the town where you were born)
• What was the first company you worked for?

This kind of information can be used to break into bank accounts or other accounts by getting hackers past security questions. From there, they can access your account and even reset your passwords.

In addition to directly accessing your accounts, hackers could use the specific information from your social media accounts to phish you by including personalized information in emails that makes them more believable, leading you to trust malicious emails and fall prey to spear phishing attacks, as one IT company in Tyler explains.

Some of the social media challenges that have been trending recently, that will give away some personal information, include the following:

• Sharing who your current best friend is or a childhood best friend
• Pictures of your first pet (many people also include the pet’s name in a caption)
• Images of your favorite concert or your first concert
• Favorite restaurants
• First school photographs or senior year photographs (even if you don’t mention the name of your school, memorabilia in senior photos can give it away)
• Sharing memories of your favorite teacher 
• Images of your first car

Keeping Your Information Safe

This information doesn’t mean you have to stop connecting with people through sharing on social media. But it does mean you should be cautious about what information you share publicly.

The easiest way to protect your personal information is to keep your settings private so that only your friends can view your posts. However, with the many business and publicity uses for social media, many prefer to keep their settings open to gain followers.

If you use a public social media page, it is recommended that you still keep personal information, including the kind that can be disclosed in these challenges, limited to a private personal page.

Another important step toward enhancing your online security is to use multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA requires multiple authenticators before logging you in to an account. That’s the essence of what security challenge questions are trying to do in the first place, but MFA should consist of factors different from information that you can know and answer.

Secure MFA should require you to identify yourself through something you have (like your phone, by sending a PIN to you through a text message) or something you are (verifying your identity through a fingerprint or face scan) in addition to something you know (like the typical password or security questions). This will thwart hackers from accessing your accounts even if they discover your password and other login information.

The post Why Hackers Love Viral Social Media Trends appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Even seemingly harmless trends and challenges that go viral can be exposing personal data that, if found by the wrong people, can be used for spear phishing or password cyber attacks.

And COVID-19 has brought a drastic spike in cyber attacks, proving that now more than ever, it’s important to be cautious. Knowing that so many workers are moving their offices home, “Hackers are building their marketing list of people that they want to attack, and so they’re using these opportunities to gather all your contacts,” said Cory Carson, CEO of one Del City IT Company.

What Are You Really Giving Away on Social Media?

Most social media challenges don’t come right out and ask you for your mother’s maiden name. But hidden in a list of questions about your childhood may be information on which street you grew up on, your first elementary school, and the town where you were born–all common security challenge questions used by banks and other organizations.

Even photo challenges can lead to revealing specific personal information. You may unthinkingly include the name of your first or current pet in the caption of a pet challenge photo, or a pet’s name might be readable from its collar in the image. Challenges that reminisce on your senior year of high school may give away your school name or mascot, which are also common security questions.

Outside of challenges, if your social media settings are not set to private, anyone on the internet may be able to view places you’ve lived, the profiles of your friends and family, which may give away more information about you, your date of birth, and more.

Cyber Criminals Know How to Use This Information to Their Advantage

If the information you have shared ends up in the hands of cyber criminals, they may be able to use your security questions to reset passwords and block you from your accounts.

Even if they don’t gain information directly relating to security questions, they can use your personal information to spear phish you. This usually comes in the form of an email mimicking a person or organization you trust. So if hackers can learn about where you live, your job, and the organizations and friends you interact with, that can give them ammo to create a phishing attack you’re more likely to fall prey to.

How to Protect Yourself from Social Media-Fueled Cyber Attacks

The first step everyone should take to protect themselves from social media-fueled cyber attacks is to keep accounts set to private. This will limit the access hackers will likely have to your information and allow you to still safely share some things about your life with your friends and family.

If you prefer to keep your profile public to interact with customers or followers, you should never share specific personal information. Even if your account is set to private, the FBI has cautioned against participating in the type of challenges that expose specific personal information. 

Another simple strategy for protecting your business and yourself from phishing attacks is using two-factor authentication. With two-factor or multi-factor authentication, even if a hacker gains access to your login credentials, they won’t be able to access your accounts without another factor that only you possess, such as access to an app installed on your phone or a fingerprint scan.

Next time you go to share, consider who could be watching and how much you want your followers to know about you.

The post Is Your Social Media Activity Leaving You Open to Cyber Attacks? appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

If you’re running a social media marketing campaign, your leads need to be directed to your website at some point. Since you can’t put a web form directly on social media, directing leads to your website is essential. However, you can’t just toss up a form and call it a day.

Design your lead capture web forms intentionally

If you’re like most property investors, you have a form on your website that captures contact information from potential leads. Whether you’re an individual or you run a property management company, capturing leads is critical to filling vacancies. However, your lead capture form serves a dual purpose to both qualify and disqualify leads.

Designing a lead capture form for property management

If you’re a property management company looking for clients, your lead capture form doesn’t need to be fancy with a ton of questions. However, you do need to know where their properties are located.

You can get this information in a couple of different ways. The simplest way is to create a basic web form that asks for the property address. You can see this in action on Green Residential’s website. Green Residential serves property investors in the greater Houston area, so it makes sense to ask leads to provide their property address up front.

If you have a team of people available to look through form submissions, a basic form is sufficient. However, if you don’t have time to sort through submissions to verify the address is in your service area, you can hire a programmer to add a dynamic address locator to your form.

With this addition, leads can type in the exact address, which is then matched to a database of known addresses and automatically filled in. On the back-end, when a lead is outside of your service area, you can have the system automatically send an email letting them know you don’t serve their area.

Designing a lead capture form for landlords

If you’re using a website to market and fill vacancies, you need a good web form. While a web form will capture leads, it can also be a powerful tool to filter out low-quality leads. To use your web form as a filter for unqualified or low-quality leads, you need to ask questions that will automatically segment your leads according to their answers.

For example, if you only consider tenants with no evictions and make no exceptions, add a question to your form stating “have you ever been evicted?” Require leads to answer yes or no and automatically filter out leads that answer “yes.”

Another question you could ask is credit score. Say you only consider tenants with a credit score of 650 at minimum. Create a question with a drop-down menu where each option is a range of credit scores. For example, the question could be “what is your current credit score?” The drop-down selections could be:

1. 800-850
2. 740-799
3. 650-739
4. 580-649
5. Under 580

Have your web developer program the above selections to automatically segment leads according to their answer. Distinguish people with a high credit score as a “hot lead” and simply ignore any leads that select a credit score below 650.

Disqualify leads using form questions

How many hours have you spent chasing leads who were interested, but not committed to buying or renting a home? It’s frustrating and you don’t need to waste your time. Ask questions on your web form that will tell you how ready a person is to buy, sell, or rent (depending on your business).

Set up your own parameters for determining who is ready. Have your website developer program pre-selected answers to segment your leads appropriately. For leads who aren’t ready to buy, sell, or rent, but are otherwise qualified, add them to a special email marketing sequence that sends out nurturing emails. They may not be ready now, but with an automated drip-campaign, you can persuade them over time.

Track your progress and don’t give up

Capturing high-quality leads isn’t as easy as it seems. Track your progress and make changes when something isn’t working. Over time, you’ll end up with a well-oiled lead capturing machine.

The post How to Generate Better Quality Leads in Real Estate appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

It’s no secret that in 2020, the internet is one of the most important places to be in the world of business. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a blogger, or a builder by trade – without having a website and sharing it effectively, you become irrelevant very quickly.

This is because the vast majority of people – as many as an admitted 90% – start their search for services and shopping on the internet now. Gone are the days of opening a telephone directory or going to the local mall, the easiest and most convenient way of searching for what you need is undoubtedly online. Usually on a preferred search engine. 

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that social media traffic and tracking your links is so important, because it truly can improve your ranking. Today, we’re going to explain how you can do exactly that.

What is Link Tracking?

Before delving right into the thick of things, it makes sense to explain what link tracking actually is.

These days, you might use a downloadable link tracker app in order to keep tabs on your online activity. It’s very simply the act of being able to track the amount of clicks your link gets – whether that be a blog, website, or on social media. If you have banner advertisements, it’s also a great way of checking how many clicks they attract too. 

It’s a great way of acquiring accurate analytics for your marketing campaign, and to assess how affective it is overall. This way, you can assess what’s working and where you can improve as well as being safe in the knowledge that you know what works well and can stick to that.

Very simply, that’s link tracking summed up. Now let’s take a look at how it helps, and what you can do to improve your ranking.

You can Assess Your Link Quality

Generally speaking, the better quality a link is, the more trustworthy it is. 

In order to gain the custom of clients, you also have to gain their trust. They have to know that you know what you’re talking about, and that the information you’re sharing is legitimate. Only then are they likely to revisit your social media page/website on another occasion.

The great think about link trackers, is you can see which links have attracted the most attention – and likely some of those clicks are revisits. This enables you to be able to assess the quality of the link you’ve shared that’s proven popular, alongside one that is possibly ranked less. Only by comparing these can you really see what it is your target audience enjoy reading and revisiting.

You Can Rehash Your Marketing Techniques

Everyone knows that in order to get your business page, social media page, or whatever else you’re working on to gain popularity, is by coming up with a well thought out and successful marketing campaign.

Initial marketing campaigns can be difficult. Only by failing, sometimes, do we learn – particularly when it comes to marketing. It can be so easy to think that general advertising is enough for a marketing campaign, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Marketing is all about pinpointing precisely who your niche audience is, and targeting them directly. You need to have an idea of this before you start, however it’s important to remember not to generalise.

In order to really know what content your target audience are really interested in a link tracker can be extremely useful. Only by using these can you really take note of what content gets the most attention from the right people, and therefore know what to post in the future in order to up your rankings.

You Can Change the Placement of Your Links Accordingly

Last of all, but by no means least, the placement of your links has a direct impact on how high they rank.

This can be a little bit of trial and error. You can do all of the research in the world and place your links in what you think is the “right” place, but the internet and its users can always surprise you!

By using a link tracker, you’ll be able to see which links attracted the most clicks, dependant on where they were placed – whether it be on social media forums, business websites or other.

Generally speaking, link tracking allows you to assess and reassess how your approach to upping your search engine ranking. Surely, that’s no bad thing, right?

The post How to Improve Your Ranking Using a Link Tracker and Your Social Media Traffic appeared first on Social Media Explorer.