B2B Connection

Social media is indispensable for enterprises looking to maintain a strong competitive advantage. According to recent research by Sprout Social, as many as 98% of consumers plan to buy on social media in 2022. The same report concluded that eCommerce on social media has a market potential surpassing $1 trillion. Social Media Analytics provides enterprises with actionable insights, metrics, and KPIs. They help businesses track how consumers engage with their social media channels. This knowledge is crucial to formulate your marketing strategy while enabling social media marketing. For more on Social Media Analytics, check out our blog post from June 2022: The Importance of Social Media Analytics for Enterprises In today’s online market, social media analytics are as important for enterprises as they are for small businesses. Enterprise employees are under constant pressure to deliver. Not only do you need to strive for positive business outcomes, these outcomes often need to surpass expectations.  To maintain and increase market share in the age of social media, you need sophisticated analytics tools that provide in-depth insights on performance and user engagement with your brand.   Social media analytics can give your business a 360-degree view of how users are engaging with your brands […]

Payroll is the lifeblood of HR. Everything else can go wrong. Employees can repeat training modules, and HR can revise records. But not paying your employees or paying them the wrong amount is how you get a rebellion (or worse, legal trouble). So if you want to maintain the peace and not break the bank doing it, check out these payroll options. What Does Payroll Software Do? Payroll software automates, simplifies, and streamlines the payroll process. The simplification these tools create saves time and prevents mistakes. Many packages either come with time tracking software or integrate with time tracking software. This enables near automatic payroll runs with a minimum time investment while ensuring that your payroll is accurate. An accurate payroll means happy employees and business owners. Tax Filings  Right after paying your employees, helping to file payroll taxes is the second most valuable function for many organizations. Unless you enjoy interacting with the IRS and state tax agencies. Then stay away! Most payroll software packages will file the necessary paperwork and withhold and deposit the appropriate sums for federal, state, and local taxes. Unemployment taxes, such as FUTA, are included in many packages. This means no more figuring out […]

Building a solid social media presence is the fastest and cheapest way for small business owners to increase brand engagement, boost revenue, and grow at scale. Without a large marketing budget, you’ll have to focus your efforts on where you can have the biggest impact for the least amount of money. Social media has always helped people stay connected. Over 75% of consumers have purchased at least one product they’ve seen on social media profiles.   Making social media a central part of your marketing strategy can get you noticed by your target audience without breaking the bank. Social Media Analytics tools measure your social media performance and provide essential audience insights. Actionable data to support your social media marketing strategy is critical to maximizing ROI and revenue.          The Benefits of Social Media Analytics for Small Businesses Social media analytics and reporting tools allow you to understand the engagement of current or potential customers with your brand on social media. They also track hashtags to help you see what’s trending in your industry.  Relevant hashtags are also a great way to increase your organic exposure on social. Competitor analysis features give you a glimpse into what your rivals are up to […]

There is a gap between the users of business applications and the software developers. This is why some business software is hard to use or doesn’t offer an accessible enough program. It can also take a long time to hire a developer experienced in what your business needs.  One amazing solution modern development offers is low-code platforms where both experienced and inexperienced users can create the apps they will actually use. Many companies even develop software for consumers using low-code tools. We dive into some of the most popular low-code software in the market and just how they can help your team. What Is Low-Code In Simple Terms? Low-code refers to an environment where you code less often. Instead of having to write the code by hand (referred to as hand-coding), you can use tools to build the code faster. Low-code application development platforms come with a fast and beginner-friendly user interface (UI). This UI is a modern drag-and-drop style interface that most people are familiar with. Users only need to manipulate a mouse for high-quality software development. They are called a graphical user interface framework.  This type of framework expedites low-code application development for professional programmers. It also allows […]

Web analytics software helps businesses anticipate the needs of their consumers. Through data collection and analysis, teams can observe real-time user behavior. With that information, you can make your site more engaging and user-friendly. Web analysis tools can be very expensive so we included some of the best web analytics software for small businesses. What is Web Analytics? Web analytics is essentially website analysis. Website owners can use web analytics software for data collection and to analyze visitor behavior with their website. The information you find will allow your team to make important conclusions on customer behavior. Teams will also be able to use their website data for business goals and updating search engine optimization (SEO). By updating SEO, teams can raise their ranking with search engines and be noticed by their target audience.  Analysis tools can also be used for keyword research, but not in an obvious way. The reason a page could have a high bounce rate is the keywords aren’t matching what end-users are actually looking for. That means it can be helpful to experiment. With the metrics you gather, you can find ways to expand your reach on social media as well and pull in more […]

Website analytics is an effective way for platforms to improve their website and meet the needs of consumers. You don’t have to be an experienced major enterprise to get the most out of web analytics tools. There is an array of free tools that offer simple key metrics for you to grow your business and revolutionize user experience. We discuss the different free analytics software available to startups and small businesses. What is Web Analytics? Web analytics is the analysis of your web traffic data. Website owners are able to use web analytics software to learn their website performance. You can also use these tools for data collection as well as for analyzing visitor behavior. This information helps give teams and companies an important glimpse into customer behavior.  That perspective can be the difference between an ad campaign that flourishes or bombs. Your landing page could be super hard to navigate or your color scheme could be too abrasive and you won’t know that without data or testing. Most commercial platforms use website data so they can meet business goals or update their search engine optimization (SEO). When platforms refresh their SEO it can refresh their online presence. The website […]

Large or small, your business is one disaster away from utter ruin. A fire, a flood, a grid outage, or any number of other disruptive events can render your critical functions non-functional.  Disaster recovery software and disaster recovery services keep things running with minimal downtime. They can save you from certain doom. Disaster recovery is commonly confused with data backup. While equally essential, they operate at different scales. Backup is smaller-scale, focused on keeping copies of data in case of a loss. Disaster recovery is big-picture. Disaster recovery asks questions like, “If something destroys our entire data center, how do we keep our business running?” For a more detailed explanation of disaster recovery vs backup, check out this video: Failure to Plan Businesses without disaster recovery plans suffer serious consequences. This isn’t speculation; this is reality. For example: Video game studio Facepunch lost all of its servers for European Union players when a fire destroyed their datacenter. Messaging service WhatsApp lost millions of users to a competitor in 2014 when a router issue caused hours of downtime. A power outage hit Delta Airlines, downing systems and grounding flights for several hours. They lost $150 million and even faced a congressional […]

It might sound far-fetched, but there is a way for teams to create their own project and business management software. No more scouring multiple markets for the perfect panacea and being disappointed with solutions that barely meet your needs. Instead, you can build the applications you need with your team in mind. Low-code tools can help real developers or tech-literate create apps customized for your team and company. What Is Low-Code In Simple Terms? Low code basically means less coding or fewer operations than writing all the code yourself (also called hand-coding). Instead of hand-coding, you are given a special user interface (UI) that has the functionality to build applications. The UI for low code applications is usually a graphical user interface framework. This is essentially the drag-and-drop interface with clearly labeled buttons that you are most likely used to. One example of a low-code environment is online blogging sites. Some offer front-end languages for coding titles, bold-faced words, and italicized sentences. Those same platforms will have a simple interface where you can just click a button for bold letters. You can copy and paste an image into the text rather than having to code the link. This is a […]

Web analytics software empowers enterprises the data and analysis to meet the needs of their diverse consumers. By using the software for data collection and analysis, teams can find figure out the motivations behind user behavior. Organization can modernize their virtual platforms to achieve a better user experience. We go into some of the best web analytics software that are fantastically suited to major companies. What is Web Analytics? Website owners can use web analytics software for data collection and to map out and observe visitor behavior. Teams can perform analysis, make reports, and brainstorm with the data pulled form real-time customer behavior. The website data is often used for meeting business goals as well as even updating a site’s search engine optimization (SEO). When you update your SEO you can help you increase your rankings with search engines and then become visible to your target audience.  When you upgrade your SEO, it can also help with your visibility and following on social media. By maximizing your virtual brand, you can pull in even more web traffic data.  Web analytics data is incredibly valuable for website performance. The key metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs) can be sued to statistically […]

Corporate learning management systems allow companies to effectively train new hires, maintain compliance, and provide professional development opportunities. Given that SaaS products at the enterprise level come with an extremely hefty price tag, selecting the right one is vital. Enterprise companies need to ensure that the corporate LMS they select is equipped to handle their needs across departments and at scale from day one.  We’ll break down the most important LMS features for enterprises, as well as evaluate some of the most popular LMS products. For more details about the features and benefits of a corporate learning management system, check out our previous blog post. What do Enterprises Need From an LMS? Enterprises generally have employees in several geographical locations, each with their own labor laws and compliance standards. These companies also have more complex professional development needs than their smaller counterparts. For example, many enterprises have a large number of entry-level employees. Enterprises can utilize an LMS to offer learning materials and online courses prepare these employees for more senior roles. Standard Training for All Employees A corporate LMS helps enterprises make sure that their new hires come in with the same knowledge baseline. This saves HR from having […]

Web analytics is the realistic way virtual platforms can read the minds of their website visitors. Through data collection and analytics, you can learn from user behavior. Are they leaving too fast? Are they struggling to find your CTAs? You can figure out what needs to be met and how to do it with a web analytics platform. Let’s go into some very popular tools and their different offerings so you can find the best web analytics tool for you.  What is Web Analytics? Web analytics is essentially website analysis. You use software for data collection and to analyze user interactions with your website. This means you can get a sneak peek inside real-time customer behavior. You can use that website data for meeting business goals and updating your site’s search engine optimization (SEO). With polished SEO you can make your website more visible to search engines and, as a result, your target audience. With the metrics you gather, you can also find ways to expand your reach on social media and pull in more web traffic.  Web analytics can track important metrics that measure your performance. Key metrics or performance indicators (KPIs) are what you are able to statistically […]

If only companies could read minds, but that’s not quite possible. The next best thing is observing your target audience virtually.  Web Analytics is utilized by eCommerce companies to optimize their website performance. Organizations can use website analytics software to collect data on user experience (UX) and make changes to maximize their satisfaction. Teams can even improve their site’s visibility to search engines and launch marketing campaigns.  Web analytics data can be the key to unlocking the potential for startups just beginning and for more established web platforms that want to improve their reach. Here we discuss how web analytics works, and what you can achieve with it. What Is Web Analytics? Web analytics is basically web traffic data analysis. Software for website analysis performs data collection and analyzes user interaction with your website. This means teams can actually see real-time data that can enlighten customer behavior.  Digital marketing teams can use their website data to meet business goals as well as even update their virtual platform’s search engine optimization (SEO). When eCommerce teams update their SEO, they can boose their online presence.  Their website will become much more visible to search engines. This means their target audience will be able […]

The average small business owner spends nearly five hours per pay-period processing payroll (Try saying that five times fast). 65% of small business owners said they would rather outsource their payroll processing. 45% said that outsourcing payroll was too costly. 82% of small business owners said they checked their payroll manually. If you want to save time and get payroll right every time, check out these payroll software solutions for small businesses. What Does Payroll Software Do? Payroll software’s main selling points are time savings, accuracy, and compliance. A fully automated system can run payroll in five minutes or less. This gives you most of that five hours back to invest elsewhere in your business. The second benefit is accuracy. Software, once correctly configured, is not prone to making errors. There is about zero chance of it pressing a five instead of a three because it’s 6 o’clock on Tuesday and it had had several chaotic meetings today. A lack of errors leads to happier and more productive employees. Finally, payroll software helps to maintain compliance. Federal, state, and local pay regulations and rules can change regularly. As the busy owner of a growing small business, it can be difficult […]

Infrastructure monitoring is crucial to the successful operation of any platform or service. Infrastructure monitoring tools allow users to figuratively keep two fingers on their infrastructure’s pulse. These tools quickly identify any issue in a network and lead to a swift resolution. The result is reduced downtimes, increased consumer satisfaction, and considerable financial savings for the organization. These days, there is a heavy emphasis placed on users’ ability to stay connected. Whether they’re gaming, reading, developing, or communicating they must have access to services when and where they need them. So how can you ensure that users will be able to seamlessly enjoy countless digital experiences? The answer to such an important question lies in infrastructure monitoring.  Let’s look at an example. Say you’re an application developer who decides to release a massive update. On the day of release, there’s a sudden spike in traffic on your server which causes issues for users trying to connect. If you had been using infrastructure monitoring tools, you could have been alerted to the increased traffic. This could have given you time to set up another server and avoid overutilization of the current server. This is a perfect example of how infrastructure monitoring […]

Social media is essential to building brand awareness and increasing sales. This is especially true for smaller businesses. Social media analytics is indispensable for improving social media performance and business growth. If you’re a small business or eCommerce merchant, free social media analytics tools can boost your social marketing strategy.    Even if your company has a bit more spending power, using a free tool can help you test the waters before committing more resources. Free tools with paid versions make it easier to scale at reduced risk by allowing you to test how well they integrate with your tech stack. Social media analytics tools are designed to gather insights, metrics, and KPIs for websites and social media accounts. This helps you optimize how your product or service is positioned within your niche market.    Best Free Social Media Analytics Tools in 2022 Over the past couple of years, many of the best social media analytics tools with free features have been acquired by other companies. This was the case with Socialbakers, which is now part of the Emplifi social media management platform. Other popular products, like Cyfe, now only offer paid plans. Though mergers and price hikes have been on the […]

Data center backup software is designed to provide business continuity and prevent critical data loss, even while data centers grow more complex.  Recovery is a key component of backup software. Not only is it important for your data to be securely stored, but you need to be able to effectively retrieve it in the case of data loss. As mentioned in our Data Center Backup Buyer’s Guide, only about 3% of backed-up data was ever restored in a given year. However, ransomware attacks are on the rise, making backup and recovery more salient than ever.  Let’s dig into what the difference between backup and recovery is, and why they are important to every business and organization, including yours. What is backup, and why is it important? Backup is a simple but fundamental operation that creates a copy of the data, as an insurance policy against the occurrence some kind of disaster. Data backup is important not only for protecting an organization’s crucial data, but also for helping maintain SLAs and ensure business continuity. Backups can be used to recover data after data loss due to deletion or corruption, or to recover data from a previous point in time.  On their […]

Effective employee training and professional development opportunities are crucial to employee retention. As such, many companies are turning to corporate learning management systems as a one-stop-shop for creating, distributing, and managing their corporate training. A corporate LMS can ensure that companies have quality training programs for employees at all stages of their careers. Understanding common features and benefits of corporate LMS platforms is a necessary step in selecting the right one for your needs. Since these systems come in all shapes and sizes, we’ll break down the essentials to making an informed decision. What does a Corporate Learning Management System do? Corporate learning management systems allow companies to address their needs for knowledge management and employee training within one platform. These systems are designed to provide employees with easy access to resource materials, whenever they need them. The video below gives an overview of common features and use cases of corporate LMS software. Many corporate LMS come with pre-built courses, course templates, and course authoring tools. These allow managers and HR professionals to customize the content as needed. Courses often combine video, PowerPoint slides, webinars resource documents, and more. This variety of formats boosts employee engagement. Gamification is also common […]

Social Media Analytics has become indispensable for digital marketing. Whether you’re looking to increase sales or raise brand awareness online, social media is more important than ever. Social Media Analytics refers to metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) used to track user activity. This activity can be anywhere from websites, blogs, review sites, or social media accounts.  Consumers everywhere are spending an increasing amount of their time on social media. A business that leverages analytics can improve customer outreach, brand recognition, and profits.        The Importance of Social Media Analytics Social media analysis can help you understand how social media users interact with your website and social accounts. It allows you to track website performance and reactions to social media posts, and also make campaign adjustments. This process allows you to gauge consumer sentiment around your product. You can also keep tabs on competitor activities and the impact they have on users online.  Common use cases for social media analytics include:  Audience profiling Competitive benchmarking Content optimization Building brand awareness Key metrics include conversions, demographics, impressions, click-through, engagement rate, comments, shares, or retweets.  With as many as two-thirds of consumers doing their shopping on social media, companies are now using their […]

For enterprises looking to maintain a strong competitive advantage, marketing intelligence becomes indispensable. This data is crucial for formulating business strategies or developing a marketing strategy. It provides both your sales team and your marketing teams with the insights they need to close deals and grow your business.  The software below is specifically designed to achieve growth at the scale enterprises expect. Marketing intelligence is important for many businesses but essential for enterprises.  For those looking for a quick overview of Marketing Intelligence, Check out our piece below: The Importance of Marketing Intelligence for Enterprises Large companies are always under pressure to stand out in their existing market, while also doing their best to break into a new one. For large businesses positioned in many different markets, gaining a full understanding of current market conditions is more important than ever.  Full awareness of industry trends, benchmarks, and customer demands will allow you to maintain and expand your market share, regardless of which specific market you might be in. Almost all large companies have adopted a marketing intelligence system as a result. According to Forbes, almost 3 out of 4 enterprises spend up to 20% of their tech budgets on intelligence-related […]

No matter what industry you’re in, your target customers are on social media, and they want to see you there too. People spend a lot of time on social media, including the time they spend researching and engaging with brands. You want your business to be in front of them frequently while they’re browsing social platforms.  The key to social media success is defining your social media marketing strategy. Approach your business’s social media presence with a goal in mind and a detailed plan for achieving that goal, and you’ll find social media marketing much more effective and rewarding. If you’d like a quick refresher on social media marketing before we dive into building your own strategy, you can read our blog post about it. Define Your Social Media Goals The first step to building a good social media strategy is deciding what exactly you want to get out of social media marketing. A good social media objective is both relevant to your business’s overall marketing strategy and attainable. There are endless ways to use social media to your advantage. Focusing primarily on one broad goal will distill and sharpen your efforts. Reaching a larger audience to increase brand awareness […]