Computer Service in the Age of COVID-19

This is a message from Jack Eisenberg, owner of Safe and Secure Computing.

I want to begin by expressing my sincere hope that you, your family, your friends and co-workers are safe and that you have not been affected by this world-wide pandemic. Fortunately, as the world adjusts to this new reality, there are ways that we can protect ourselves and I’d like to describe the steps I will be taking to ensure that neither you nor I am placed in danger while performing my computer servicing duties.

From now on, until we get this pandemic under control, I will be performing my services a bit differently than in the past.

Prescreening Questions
I perform service for a large number of clients, in both a residential and commercial environment. My clients range in age from young adults to those well into their 90’s. I want to be very responsible in my interactions and not become a carrier of this virus. As such, I will be taking extreme precautions to avoid any reasonable possibility of becoming infected, or infecting others.

Can the issue be handled without an in-person visit
When you call for service, I will try to determine if your problem can be solved over the phone, with or without the aid of a remote control session. By minimizing the number of people I directly come into contact with, I can minimize my risk of becoming infected or passing on the virus to others.

Is it safe to visit your location
Assuming your issue cannot be dealt with over the phone or by using a remote connection to your computer, a decision will be made as to whether your location is safe to visit. The questions I will ask to determine the answer are similar to those being asked at medical clinics, retirement homes, and other venues where there are others who might become infected.

Have you developed a cough, flu symptoms or fever within the past two weeks?
Within the past two weeks, have you come into contact with anyone who has a cough, flu symptoms or fever? This includes family, friends, co-workers, etc.
Have you travelled outside Windsor within the past two weeks? If so, where did you go and what was the purpose of the trip?
Have you attended any venue within the past two weeks where there have been more than 50 people present (movies, sporting events, parties, social gatherings, etc.)?
If you can honestly answer “no” to all these questions, I will feel safe visiting your location.

Social Distancing
This pandemic has given rise to a new term: Social Distancing. This refers to steps that can be taken to increase the physical space between people as they interact with one another. Socially accepted greetings such as hand-shakes, hugs, air-kisses (a cultural greeting practiced by many) are no longer considered safe. While all of us may practice these forms of greeting, I’m trying to train myself to forego these rituals in the pursuit of safety and good health.

Beyond the initial greeting, social distancing will force me to change some of the ways I interact with clients. I have always encouraged clients to be involved with my work. You are still invited to watch me work, ask questions while I’m working, and try to “pick my brain” to help you learn how to better utilize your computer and its programs. However, you will need to keep your distance while doing this. I will attempt to enforce a six-foot no-contact zone so that, as we speak to one another, we won’t be close enough to be affected by coughs, sneezes or unintentional “spitting” common when mouthing words that start with the letter “p”.

I deal with all sorts of clients, from young people to the very old, from secretaries to CEO’s. I don’t want to feel responsible for making anyone sick, or for causing interruptions in businesses just because I couldn’t maintain a healthy distance between people to avoid contracting or spreading this virus.

There’s more than just the danger of personal infection
I would be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to warn you about the dangers to your computers and personal data resulting from this pandemic. Any time there is a “big story”, there are unscrupulous people who will use that as a pretext to do you harm. In the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been evidence of criminals creating websites that purport to offer news, when all they do is deliver viruses or ransomware to those who visit their sites looking for information.

During this crisis, it’s probably safer to get your news from the TV or radio. However, if you intend to use the internet to learn about the pandemic, be very careful of the sites you visit. Rather than doing a Google Search for information, try visiting trusted websites (such as your local newspaper, or reputable national news networks such as CBC, CTV, NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, etc.). Go to their websites, and only after you get there, should you search for stories on their sites. Criminals have been known to invest massive amounts of money to get their “fake” sites listed at the top of search engine results. They know that whatever they spent to get their stories to the top of the list, will be more than paid back by the profits they reap by taking control of your computers.

Keep Safe and Healthy
I wish you all the very best. As we head into the spring, perhaps the warmer weather will bring us some relief from this virus. Hopefully, with the world working to find a vaccine, we will be better prepared should this virus become an annual phenomenon (like the flu). It’s too early to say, but I’m hoping for a happy ending to this mess.

Jack Eisenberg, Owner
Safe and Secure Computing

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Get ready for Windows 10 April 2018 update

Microsoft has begun pushing the Windows 10 April 2018 update to owners of devices with an earlier version of Windows 10, and reviews are mixed.  There are always some people who dread the update; not only because it can affect the way your computer functions, but also because of the way Microsoft forces it upon its user base.

I generally suggest that users do not upgrade to newer versions of the Windows operating system until the bugs have been worked out.  Unfortunately, over time, Microsoft has removed most of the mechanisms that allow their users to refuse or even delay the update.

If you use Windows 10 Pro or higher, you are considered a business user, and Microsoft offers some limited capability to delay the installation until a later date.  However, if you are a Windows 10 Home user, no such direct tools are available.

If you’re the typical user who just uses their computer and accepts updates as they become available, you don’t need to do anything.  The latest version of Windows 10 will be arriving soon.  However, if you’re a business user who wishes to postpone the update, you can follow the instructions here.  Windows 10 Home users may have to resort to unconventional “hacks” to prevent their machines from updating.  For you, I’d recommend reading the linked article above or searching for other online articles using a search phrase such as “how can I delay or prevent the installation of Windows 10 April 2018 update”.

Finally, the website TechRadar has been compiling and updating specific reports of adverse side effects.  Have a look to see if any of the issues here would warrant a delay in updating your Windows 10 installation.

Please contact your IT support specialist if you require assistance configuring your machine to delay or prevent the update.  If you don’t have an IT specialist, you may contact me.

Jack Eisenberg is the owner of Safe and Secure Computing and regularly monitors cyber security developments such as this one.

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Yesterday’s release of WordPress Update to 4.9.3 accidentally broke the automated upgrade process

This security warning is different than most.  It doesn’t address a breach, virus or any other specific vulnerability.  Instead, it addresses an error that was accidentally introduced into the WordPress system during yesterday’s update to version 4.9.3.  Because of this error, the WordPress update process no longer works automatically.

It seems this update accidentally messed up WordPress’ ability to automatically apply updates to the core product when a new version is made available.

Today, WordPress has released a fix for this mistake in version 4.9.4.  Unfortunately, this update cannot be applied automatically!  Since WordPress powers over 25% of all websites worldwide, it is important that individual site owners are made aware of this issue.

Anyone who has a website created with WordPress should login as administrator, select “Updates” from the administrative menu, and select the “Update Now” option in the subsection “An updated version of WordPress is available”.  The update changes only three files and takes less than a minute to run.

This change should be made by your WordPress website administrator.  If you don’t have a WordPress website administrator, you may contact me.

Jack Eisenberg is the owner of Safe and Secure Computing and regularly monitors cyber security developments such as this one.

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Four Marketing Pillars to Build a Business as Strong as The Parthenon 

Dating back to Ancient Greece and Egypt, monumental structures have relied on the strength of stone pillars, working together to support an immense amount of weight and pressure.

Over the past 2,500 years, the Parthenon has been rocked by earthquakes, blown up by exploding gunpowder and suffered severe fire damage, yet it and its pillars still stand today.

The way we apply digital and online marketing to a business is no different. Every business should be built upon the same principle, using a plethora of marketing pillars to uphold the pressure of its success, and together produce significant results.

Every day I encounter many businesses that have one pillar, and in simpler words, put all their eggs in one basket. When the one pillar they have relied so heavily on comes crashing down, they can find themselves in a hard freefall to the ground. For example, if ten years ago a business’ only pillar was the yellow page ad, they would have lost their only method of reaching new customers and growing their market share once consumers stopped opening the phone book for information.

Think about it, when was the last time you used the phone book for anything?

There is a clear and significant risk of having one or two pillars, which is why I recommend the Parthenon approach.

Here are four of the many marketing pillars businesses should use to build a solid foundation:

Search Engine Optimization:

Earning top rankings in natural organic Google search is still one of the best ways to grow a business. But many business owners think content is king when it isn’t. Right now, Google has indexed over 60 trillion web pages, and we all know that when we do a search, we pick from the top few. When a consumer is searching for your product or service, it is crucial that your business cuts through the clutter of now 130 trillion web pages to end up among the first few results. So if done right, SEO can be your greatest profit generator.

How do you get your business there? One tactic is to write 2,500 words of unique and compelling text and check it with copyscape.com to make sure the content is truly unique. Your main keywords should be inserted 19 times, as inserting it more than that could be considered ‘keyword stuffing,’ and your website could be sent for human review and a potential penalty. Include different variations of your main keywords such as plurals and singulars into the mixture, as well as variant names for your product. For example, a laptop and notebook computer could be considered to be the same type of computer. However, we want to sell to potential customers who use both keyword variations.

The use of latent semantic language lets Google find relationships between those keywords and the ones in the search query. For example, if you are selling golf clubs then the words driver, iron, and putter are related.  Also, include brands like Taylor Made and Callaway. Consumer testimonials are also a great method to include keywords and organically improve Google ranking.

Search Engine Marketing:

Increasing your online visibility through paid opportunities is key to reaching potential customers. While it may take a while to earn Google’s trust through SEO, Search Engine Marketing can be turned on fairly quickly. With SEM, businesses pay to play and are relevant, while maintaining full control of speed and budget. SEM allows you to target your prospective customers through search engines such as Google, Bing, and AOL.

Say you are a contractor and can only handle three projects at a time. SEM can run until the three projects are scheduled, be turned off and then turned back on when one of the projects is complete— allowing you to turn the volume up or down as preferred.

SEM also allows you to run AB testing on coupons and special offers—this is cross-pillar optimization. Let’s say you test different offers and one of them did very well and resonated with your audience; you can now also use it with SEO, social media, print media, etc. knowing that the data you collected means something and will provide results.

Paid Social Media Ads:

People are inherently social and are seeking online relationships with the brands they use. While it’s great to build your business’ social presence, social media is great for advertising your product or service, where you know your consumers will be paying attention.

When consumers search for a product or service, their intention to purchase is clear, but their reason behind it is not. Social media advertising allows you to target your customers based on location and demographic, minimizing the amount of marketing time spent where your consumer base is not present. For example, if you open a nail salon in downtown Toronto, you can choose to target women of any specific age, and within a certain radius—to provide a special offer or invite for them.

Major social media players include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube and LinkedIn. But social media is not one-size-fits-all, so it is important to determine which social media channels work best for your organization and the nature of your business. Keep in mind that consumers visit each platform with different goals and mindsets. i.e. Facebook for socializing with friends and LinkedIn to search for jobs.

YouTube:

Having a branded YouTube channel for a business can be a powerful marketing pillar as many consumers go to YouTube to search information about a company, and to gain a better understanding of the product or service they offer by seeing it in action.

The most powerful YouTube videos explain the benefit of the product or service your business offers, and often-times include customer testimonials. Word-of-mouth continues one of the most effective ways to grow a business as people put immense trust in the stories of those who had a positive—or negative— experience with a business.

YouTube videos can be easily integrated with SEO, SEM, and can be embedded on your social media channels or websites for better results. It is highly recommended that your YouTube channel, as well as any other forms of marketing, match your organization’s brand.

These are only four of the many marketing pillars a business can use to build a solid foundation. As businesses try to keep up with the fast change in consumer behaviour and trends, these marketing pillars will continue to evolve.

Digital and online marketing pillars are meant to interrelate and support each other just like the Parthenon. Business owners and marketers must ensure each of these are given equal focus, attention and importance, and that they are working well both independently as well as collaboratively. The moment trends change and consumer behaviours follow, businesses must re-evaluate and come up with a similar Parthenon approach to fit their present needs.

Scott Wilson is the Founder and CEO of RankHigher.ca, a Burlington, Ont.-based digital marketing, and SEO firm. He is considered Canada’s leading speaker on SEO, web sales, internet marketing and social media ROI.

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