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Ransomware and What To Watch Out For – OMA Comp

OMA-Comp-Blog-Post-11-13-2013With the ever-intense shopping season right around the corner, it’s also the perfect time for hackers and cyber-thieves to hunt, and now lock you out of for your sensitive information that cost you hundreds in repair/retrieval. The latest thing to wreak havoc across the internet is a form of malware known as ransomware– yes, you read that right. Sweeping helpless consumers across the world the last couple of weeks, Black Friday could be a potential goldmine for these wrong-doers.

A rather new form of malware, ransomware typically arrives in the form of an email made to look like something legitimate using social engineering, causing the user to think it’s a trustworthy message. There is a zip file attached where the user then opens it, allowing the encryption software to run on their computer. Before you even know what you’ve obliviously initiated, it’s far too late. Your computer brings up a lock-out screen telling you have a certain amount of time to pay a fee or you will lose you data. Reports are stating that prices are falling anywhere between $300 and $2000. Only after you pay the fee will you get your files back, but some reports claim that even then you’ll be out of luck. If it came down to this the only savior in such an event would to have a backup somewhere, but many users don’t use any form of backup whatsoever.

Anti-Virus companies try their hardest at keeping up with the newest tactics and devices as to update their software as often as possible, but sometimes it’s just not enough. You need to keep your malware software up to date as to have the latest version, keeping the latest and most dangerous viruses at bay. Telling the difference between a legitimate email and a fake one is becoming increasingly difficult as well, so it’s important you leave any messages you don’t know about alone and leave it to the Anti-virus and Anti-Mal ware software to clear out.

OMA Comp uses only the best software and hardware when it comes to protecting your computer and your files. Daily backups and a proper security setup are the best protection against such an event, so be sure you’re in good shape for a day’s worth of online shopping. The last thing you would want to happen is to open that email thinking it was from a major department store, only to find out it was fake with a digital ransom minutes later. Are you thinking of something you’d like done to your system to better prepare yourself? OMA Comp can do it all so call today!

MMS Marketing & The Future of Text Message Advertising- OMA Comp

I-Phone-OMA-Comp-MMS-Marketing-AdvertisingA few major corporations have started to believe that something as simple as a text message could become the best source of advertisement. In fact, ABC, Fox, and CBS have developed and enacted advertisements via MMS messaging, which greatly expanded the amount of people that can be accessed at a time.
In Chicago, thanks to a $3 million sponsoring fee from numerous local firms, Iris Mobile was created, to help increase the amount of promotional campaigns and secure customer support. One of the founders of the company, Deep Malik, claims that thanks to this company, companies can text any phone. He claims texting is the best way to expand customer base because they’ll check their texts, whereas emails can easily be placed under spam and ignored. Other parts of various firms are developing the same idea because they too, see the potential in this.

In the past couple years, the amount of MMS messages sent has exponentially increased. For example, in 2012, nearly three quarters of a billion messages were sent. Although this way of advertising has been rising quite slowly, it is predicted that it will be subjected to change in the near future. In May 2013, it was found that only 38% of 745 marketers have used this way to advertise. However, when used in 2010, it was found that 98% of these texts were opened.

Some companies like Starbucks used a program that hacked MMS messages to determine each person’s type of phone and whether they should continue sending them advertisements or not. Although the message only had an image to capture the attention using visual media to spread the word of Happy Hour, it achieved more than expected. The successful use of MMS, however, was claimed to have been not as efficient as that of SMS, because for SMS one could track location to determine consumer density.

The MMS messaging tactic is an expanding idea, and it could be a great source of advertisement; just depends on the firm.

Facebook Acquires Online Utility App Company Onavo

Announced just yesterday it’s making tech headlines around the web as Facebook steps into the analytics game with recent purchase of Onavo, the application powerhouse that turns your data plan into a real-time numbers game. Giving you in-depth data regarding your phone’s data caps and holes, it’s a question of what Facebook is planning to do with this asset. Onavo wrapped everything up in a nice minimalistic interface for you to consume and cross-analyze, essentially making it the app’s app for showing you how you’re doing on the web, and what you can change to be even better. Sounds like Facebook might be adding a new branch of services to their brand, and with Onavo’s Tel-Aviv offices transforming into Facebook’s new Israeli office, it could be rolling out sooner than think.

YouTube revamps commenting process for the better? We shall see.

YT-Comments-graphicRecently video hosting giant YouTube has brought forth a new kind of monitoring system people can use to screen comments on their videos. The system, which was debuted to a key number of users on Tuesday, teams up with a user’s Google+ account to better filter comments based on relevancy and value according to the user and the video. A similar method that Facebook has with it’s commenting process, it allows a user to tailor how their video feed looks, and thus how it is portrayed in the world. No more spam, no more profanity. It’d be nice to see, right? We’ll have to wait and see how it plays out for Google in the long run. In the mean time, we can allow comments on our videos an see how it goes.

via CNET

Amp Up Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

OMA-Comp-Social-Media-MarketingSocial Marketing is a cost effective method to advertise your business and routinely stay in touch with customers or clients outside of the standard points of contact. There are a few key points that need to be cared for and taken advantage of to make social media marketing work for your business.
Search Engine Results

The best way to begin marketing using social media is to gain ranking in search engine results. In a perfect world, when a potential customer or client types in any combination of key words to search for your type of business in your area, your website will be the top result that shows up in the search engine. Next, let’s say your social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter are loaded with content that is updated frequently. Not only will you have your website show up on a search engine as a top result but now your social media websites will show up as top results as well. By keeping social media websites updated often, it allows for the business to create dominance on search engine results.
Social Media as Two Way Communication
Using social media allows clients and customers to stay up to date on current productions, trends and sales specials going on with your business. It allows people to communicate directly with the business by asking questions about products or promotions. It is important to view social media sites multiple times throughout the day to keep the lines of communication open to avoid delays in responding to questions.

Last But Not Least…Gain Followers
An effective way to gain followers to your social media websites is to leave a laptop or tablet at the front desk. Ask customers to log into frequently used social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter and ask them to “follow” or “like” your social media pages. You will find that the majority of your customers will happily do so as it will allow them to connect with your business much easier. Ultimately, your connections to people will grow very quickly as your social media marketing will ultimately drive more traffic to your business.