Pingzine Issue 78 - Five Tools Everyone in the Security Information Industry Should Be Using

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IN THIS ISSUE... nine

INCREASING RISKS FROM UNSCRUPULOUS CERTIFICATE AUTHORITIES sixteen

KEEPING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND ALIVE eighteen

BUILDING AN APP FOR YOUR BUSINESS twenty

THE HOLY GRAIL OF CONTENT MARKETING twenty three

WHY MOST EXPERTS FEAR FOR THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY twenty four

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Datarealm Warns Of Increasing Risks from Unscrupulous Certificate Authorities Datarealm, a leading provider of cloud and dedicated server hosting, is warning of an increasing risk to users posed by unscrupulous certificate authorities. In recent weeks, there have been several examples of information security risks created because of certificate authorities who do not act in accordance with the best interests of web users.

Microsoft (March 16, 2015) and Google (March 23, 2015) have both been forced forced to issue security advisories in recent weeks about improper use of the SSL / TLS certificates on which information security for web sites and eCommerce stores depends.

The SSL / TLS system depends on trusted certificate authorities actually being trustworthy. Because certificate authorities are implicitly trusted by web browsers, any certificate signed by their root certificate will be similarly trusted.

This system is essential for protecting data as it travels across the web, but it works only if hosting companies, their clients, and web users can depend on the certificate authorities. The consequences of a lack of trust in the SSL / TLS system could be dire for the online economy.

“A significant proportion of the businesses we serve rely on SSL / TLS both to secure network connections and provide users with the confidence they need to send sensitive information over the internet,” warns Andrew Auderieth, CEO of Datarealm, “Without that trust, there is likely to be significant erosion in the confidence of internet users. It’s time to reconsider the wisdom of implicitly trusting certificate authorities without a widely available mechanism for verifying the validity of certificates.”

There are several schemes in place to improve SSL security, including certificate pinning, which “pins” a certificate to a specific certificate authority so that a spurious certificate cannot be issued for a domain, but that approach will not scale and presents the same problem that certificate authorities were designed to solve. Alternative solutions include the Google-developed Certificate Transparency scheme, but whichever scheme gains widespread adoption, it’s important that web service providers, web hosting companies, and the SSL industry at large recognizes the problem and begins to work towards a system that is more suitable for the modern internet.

Provided by: Datarealm www.datarealm.com

Five Tools Everyone in the Security Information Industry Should Be Using

Information security is everyone’s responsibility. Whether you are a user, administrator, IT manager, or business owner information security should be on your mind. Information used, collected and owned has value and because of this businesses must prepare for security threats and vulnerabilities. The following examines 5 tools everyone should use in the information security industry.

NETWORK VULNERABILITY SCANNERS

Vulnerability scanners are programs designed to access computers, networks, applications, and computer systems to discover weaknesses. These can be applied either as part of a vulnerability assessment or by black hat attackers seeking to gain unauthorized access.

One of the most popular and widely used scanners is OpenVAS – one of the top scanners available for network use. Some of the main features with this tool include remote and local security checks, an embedded scripting language so you can write your own plugins, and a web based interface.

The features included in all versions include: • Vulnerability scanning • Configuration audits • Malware detection • Web application scanning • Reports • Scan scheduling The other features become more advanced depending on the need for in-depth scanning. OpenVAS will run on any environment from on-premises to cloud, or hybrid.

Vulnerability scanners include different types such as: • ERP security scanners • Single vulnerability tests • Port scanners • Network vulnerability scanners • Web application security scanners • Host based vulnerability scanners Each of these are features within certain tools such as OpenVAS’ capability to perform single vulnerability tests and web application scanning.

INTRUSION DETECTION AND PREVENTION SYSTEMS (IDS/IPS)

These tools are placed on a network to monitor the activity that occurs. Any type of malicious network activity will be pinpointed by the IDS/IPS and reported in a detailed log. An IDS and IPS are not the same thing however the technology used to detect security issues is similar in both. An IDS detects and reports an IPS detects and prevents access by blocking attempts to infiltrate the network. Both tools fit into the network in different places with different functions and different sets of issues.

You can compare an IPS to a firewall. Many of the rules set on an IPS are either pass or deny which either allow traffic through the network or drops it off. There are hundreds to thousands of IPS rules, many of which are deny. When a malicious packet appears, the IPS reads through the rule list.

Cisco has been providing network security solutions for a number of years that defeat threats from multiple intrusions. Cisco offers an array of IPS devices that lead the market in network protection. Some of their latest solutions include the Cisco MARS, ASA 5500 Series IPS, the 4200 series sensors, and the Catalyst 6500 series IDS module. Each of these devices offer varying protection in standalone intrusion prevention.

GATEWAY MAIL PROTECTION

Inbound and outbound emails are one of the most commonly exploited gateway security risks. Spam and phishing attempts are the most common emails received which need to be scanned and filtered to ensure protection is not ignored.

You should consider finding a product that provides email protection by scanning all inbound and outbound messages for malicious intent and provide proper security. One such vendor that offers a messaging gateway is PostFW by REMSYS. Our solution allows businesses to secure their email with real time antispam and antimalware protection. Messaging Gateway can capture over 99% of spam with very few false positives.

This type of protection is perfect for a business that deals with the public to send and receive countless amounts of emails every day. With this type of security tool, email borne threats will be quickly identified and filtered. Any email is vulnerable to spam and malicious intent so messaging gateways are a tool all businesses should use to protect themselves.

LOAD BALANCING

If you have multiple networks running over a main network i.e. multiple campuses that connect to a main campus, your network workload increases which increases the criticality of managing it effectively. In this case you will need to have a good load balancing to reduce workload through maximizing the usage of network resources.

You need to balance network sessions such as email, web traffic, data and file transfer, etc. in order to distribute the bandwidth amount each user is utilizing over the LAN which will in turn increase the amount of overall bandwidth available. For example, session balancing can split web traffic across multiple sessions. One session could include the text, another the images, one for video, etc. Each session could be balanced through multiple connections.

Our solution is based on open source software and is a load balancing tool that allows you to balance multiple applications to match a wide range of performance and business requirements in your network to include virtual machines. Our solution also works with mobile networks to provide security and visibility into your mobile business applications.

You can test your load balancer by establishing benchmarks. A benchmark is a set of conditions against which you can measure a product or system. If you wish to benchmark your load balancing software you should use a benchmark.

A load balancer can be benchmarked through virtual machines. You can configure one host for your monitoring tool, one for load balancing, and a couple for your business cluster. You can run your benchmark through separate data tables and set a certain amount of disk space for the results.

AUTOMATIC LINK FAILOVER

Your business should be prepared for the unexpected that may occur at any time such as ISP outages. A complete network disruption can occur and a stoppage of an ISP line can shut a network down at any given time if you are not prepared. If you have automatic link failover your data can take a detour automatically to move from an inactive ISP to another source to optimize productivity.

You should spend on research that best address security resiliency and provide a stable preventative, and responsive controls.

In most organizations, security investments, processes, and technology, are not balanced. The best thing you can do for your security is to get those tools coordinated.

About Marsha Friedman Marsha Friedman is a public relations expert with 25 years’ experience developing publicity strategies for celebrities, corporations and media newcomers alike.

Using the proprietary system she created as founder and CEO of EMSI Public Relations (www.emsincorporated.com), an award-winning national agency, she secures thousands of top-tier media placements annually for her clients. The former senior vice president for marketing at the American Economic Council, Marsha is a sought-after advisor on PR issues and strategies. She shares her knowledge in her Amazon best-selling book, Celebritize Yourself, and as a popular speaker at organizations around the country.

KEEPING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND ALIVE IS A MUST FOR SUCCESS IN TODAY’S MARKETPLACE

Turn on the television, pick up a newspaper or visit the Internet and you will be inundated with messages about brand products. Tide is a brand. Pepsi is a brand. Nike is a brand.

And so are you – or at least you should be. Personal branding has gotten a lot more buzz in recent times and has become an important tool for everyone who wants to improve their career or business opportunities. I’m a big believer and have been touting the need for personal branding for several years. In fact, it’s the essence of my book, Celebritize Yourself.

If you open a dictionary, the word “brand” is defined as a type of product manufactured by a particular company under a particular name. These days you need to be that product.

When you think about it, though, personal branding is not new. It’s just that more people have the means to do it today and, fortunately, the Internet has provided us with numerous ways to create and maintain a personal brand.

But many entertainers and athletes thrived at it long ago. While I don’t want to date myself, many of us remember the song “Happy Trails” from our childhood. Roy Rogers was the movie and TV cowboy who made this song popular and whose name and image appeared on toy holsters, lunch boxes, comic books, puzzles, coloring books and other merchandise in the 1940s and 1950s.

Roy is a great example of someone who was ahead of his time with personal branding although he stumbled into it unintentionally.

The story goes, he wanted a raise from his movie studio, but the boss balked. Bummed out by the response, Roy asked for what he considered a consolation prize – all rights to his name and likeness.

As it turned out, that was no consolation prize. Roy soon figured out that he – not the studio – was the big winner in the negotiations. Any raise would have been paltry next to the money he raked in from Roy Rogers brand merchandise.

Here’s an additional lesson about personal branding that Roy Rogers provides us. When I asked my employees if they knew of him, Roy’s name drew puzzled expressions from most of the younger staff.

Even the best personal branding, you see, doesn’t last forever. It has to be nurtured continually. (Roy, of course, nurtured his brand his entire life, and it was only the passage of time after his death that caused it to fade, so we’ll give him a break.)

The rest of us get no break and the message is clear: Don’t rest on your laurels, or in your saddle, whichever is appropriate.

So what can you do to get your personal brand launched and keep it alive? Here are a few suggestions.

• Make sure your website represents you exactly the way you want to be seen.

This is one of the best places to control your image. That could mean you want to be viewed as witty, intellectual or physically fit.

It could mean you want the world to see you as an expert in a particular field. Maybe you want to convey an image of trust. Roy Rogers was the clean-cut hero wearing a smile and a cowboy hat. What’s your image?

• Maintain a strong social media presence.

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media sites are invaluable tools for networking or getting your message out quickly under your personal brand. Also, make sure you have a unified message that weaves through your website, your social media sites and anything else you use to promote yourself. Design elements should be consistent from one platform to the next as well.

• Keep your presence alive in traditional media, too, making yourself available for interviews.

Media appearances act as a third-party endorsement, casting you as an authority in your field. This also needs constant cultivation.

If you were quoted in a newspaper article last year, then you’re last year’s news. Even worse, if your competitor is quoted in an article today, they’ve become more relevant than you and are winning the personal-branding war.

• Branding yourself is not a one-shot deal.

One of the biggest misconceptions about branding is that people expect to do one or two things to promote themselves and then figure they are done. Nothing could be further from the truth. Your branding effort never stops. It’s like trying to become physically fit. You don’t go to the gym for one week to get your dream body – nor would you expect that a good workout three years ago would leave you set for life. Your personal branding effort is the same way. It’s ongoing.

The bottom line is that creating a personal brand is one of the keys to success in today’s world. By branding yourself – making sure the world knows who you are and the expertise you have to offer – you not only set yourself apart from your competitors but you also open the door to new opportunities.

Building An App For Your Business – What Exactly Do You Need?

The world has become an extremely mobile place and for businesses this means new techniques have to be employed to ensure consumers can be reached anywhere and at any time. With billions of people across the world having smartphones, the obvious place for companies to reach their customers is via their cell phones. Whilst firms could once rely on potential customers searching them out on the Internet, it is now crucial to heighten the consumer’s experience, not only by optimizing websites for cell phone use, but by creating custom and downloadable apps that provide a variety of tools right at their fingertips. Though this might seem a complex area to enter, given the right tools and experts, companies can develop apps that benefit both the customer and the business.

Many senior managers might wonder why they need a business app. After all, they already have an online portal, a mobile optimized website, a call center and are actively engaged with customers on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. So, why is a business app needed? There are many reasons why having an app can be advantageous.

Largely, it is about making it easy for customers to engage with businesses, utilize services and get the jobs they need done completed quickly and efficiently. For example, mobile banking can be difficult if customers have to navigate to a website on their small cell phone screen, input login codes and passwords and then proceed through complex dropdown menus and buttons just to get one simple task done. Conversely, life is made a lot easier if it is possible to simply log straight into a business app where care has been taken to streamline services and make process chains as short and easy to use as possible.

Mobile apps also have the advantage that businesses can see how many downloads they are getting and whether specific apps are being well received. There is also the option for targeted marketing to loyal consumers. Though advertising can be placed on a website, it may not be as effective as if it’s put within a business app so that current consumers already using such services are alerted to upgrades and other features available.

For many executives, the thought of going into the app development business can be extremely daunting. Professional programming expertise is required to develop the best apps and there are many independent development houses, such as Worry Free Labs, who are on hand to help. By working with these experts, businesses ensure their investment is going to be handled as efficiently as possible and that at the end of the process, they will have an app to be proud of, rather than a service that is clunky to use and not at all user-friendly.

Whilst an independent development house will build an app, the individual company owner or manager has to sit down and think thoroughly about what they want to achieve. The planning phase is crucial if an app is to be a success. At the outset, just four or five features should be included in order to achieve a rapid implementation process and allow users to become used to working with an app before extra services are added. One of the most important aspects is that an app must be kept concise and functional; definitions must be kept actionable too. For example, executives should develop specific features, such as consumers being able to schedule service appointments via the app, rather than open-ended goals. One of the best ways to plan an app is write a list of services to be supplied to customers and then prioritize them. The four at the top of the list should be the ones initially included in the app. They should not only make a customer’s life easier, but also provide benefits for the company. For example, scheduling appointments on the app not only makes it simple for its customers it also reduces workload for company administrators.

Building a business app does not have to be difficult and as long as the most appropriate team is brought on board to actually build the software the entire process can actually be quite enjoyable. By carefully selecting four or five features to provide customers with, an app can be honed into a concise and usable device that offers advantages for all. When designed and implemented correctly, an app can enhance business branding and enable customers to be reached within only a few clicks of a button. For companies that wish to appear innovative and on-trend, having a business app is essential.

The Holy Grail of Content Marketing and When to Recommend It With much of the business world abuzz about content marketing, smart marketers are taking stock of opportunities for their clients to use the power of story to convey a message and build stronger brands. Conspicuously absent from most content strategies, however, is the granddaddy of all content marketing: writing a book.

The benefits of launching a book are many: increased visibility and credibility, tighter messaging, an angle around which to build a publicity campaign, a tool to acquire new business, and more. But writing a book is a daunting task for most, and a long process to boot. On top of that, many would-be authors doubt whether their ideas are book-worthy. So as a trusted advisor, when should you include writing a book in the recommendations you provide to your client? Here are four key elements to look for.

commitment Writing a book requires an obvious level of time and thought commitment, but if the author wants to see any degree of commercial success, it also requires a commitment to promote and hustle sales. It takes months, sometimes years, to write a book. Once it’s complete, you’re looking at another 6-9 months for a national distribution rollout. (Digital publishing options obviously can shorten that timeframe but limit availability.) Having your support as a marketing and brand advisor not only during the writing process but also during the book launch stage will make the journey much more manageable for the author.Your client should be in a long-term mindset for the book project to succeed, and it’s a great way for you to stay engaged around very deliberate content and marketing plans to create lasting value.

Differentiated Approach If your client has a highly differentiated approach to business in general, customer service, health and wellness, product development, or whatever he or she specializes in, the book writing process will go much more smoothly because the value proposition is already clear and there is likely a lot of supporting material. The book launch itself will also be more successful since readers and the media are drawn to fresh ideas, in turn bringing attention and awareness back to your overall brand.

Flexibility Flexibility applies in a few different ways. First, writing a book is ideally a collaborative process, so the author should be open and coachable in terms of feedback and changes to make the final product as marketable as it can be. Second, it sometimes turns out that a book is not the right format for the author’s content.

Some ideas originally intended for book form are really more appropriate for magazine articles, short ebooks, or even blog posts. A carefully executed piece at any one of these shorter lengths is just as effective, and probably more shareable, than a full-length book so there’s no shame in keeping it succinct! Finally, a booklength manuscript typically contains pieces of content that can stand alone for promotional purposes (think excerpts, tweets, blog posts, etc). The flexible author will be receptive to these uses and even proactive about identifying them in the manuscript in the interest of getting the most impact from the work of writing.

Willingness to Engage I’ve been on the frontlines of the publishing business for over a decade and in the broader media business for almost twice that. When authors learn this and hear of our company’s dozens of New York Times bestsellers, they ask me for the secret behind successful launches. While the bibliophile in me would love to say that a well-written book ultimately finds an audience, it’s just not true in a climate of oversupply and under-demand (this is especially pronounced with books, but really applies to all media). Generally, the most successful books are those that are attached to an author who is committed to engaging his or her audience, building a community, and serving those people from a place of purpose. A book is a social product, and there’s no overstating the need for ongoing participation by the author. That engagement is imperative to growing the reader relationships that drive word of mouth, positive reviews, strong brand connections, and retail book sales.If an author isn’t ready for that level of commitment, that doesn’t mean that he or she shouldn’t hunker down and write a book (or something shorter). Today’s print-on-demand digital publishing options make it possible for books of all lengths to be published and available online in a fast and relatively inexpensive model. The multiple benefits of creating long-form content remain, and the pressure and risk around a traditional retail book launch are removed. That said, a digital-only distribution model greatly limits brick and mortar distribution (and discovery), so the author’s team would be wise to consult an expert to weigh the pros & cons of digital publishing versus a traditional or hybrid publishing model to determine the best approach for their project and goals.

Writing a book is not for the faint of heart, but neither is the process of building a brand and growing an audience. With the right author and support team in place, a book can serve as a foundational piece for the messaging, marketing, and publicity efforts needed to build awareness, value, and influence for your client.

Tanya Hall Tanya Hall is the CEO of Greenleaf Book Group, a publisher and distributor with a specialty in developing non-fiction bestsellers and brands. Learn more at www.greenleafbookgroup.com and connect with Tanya on Twitter at @tanyahall.

Why Most Experts Fear for the Future of Technology Tech Expert & Macroeconomist Explains Moore’s Law & What Needs to Change Technology moves so fast today that many of us, upon buying a brand new electronic device, may wonder how long it’ll take before the product is old news.

Is it less than a year; a few months; as soon as you pull it out of its packaging?

Throughout most of human history, the same methods and tools of trades were handed down generation after generation. How is it that, these days, cutting-edge technology earns antique status in less than a decade?

The shortest answer is found in Moore’s Law, says tech expert and macroeconomist Apek Mulay.

“Moore’s Law, named after Intel co-founder Gordon Moore in 1965, is the observation that, in computing hardware, the size of transistors on a chip shrinks, enabling the number of transistors on a chip to roughly double every two years, thereby increasing their capacity for computation and energy,” says Mulay, author of “Mass Capitalism: A Blueprint for Economic Revival,” (www.ApekMulay.com), which presents solutions to the economic problems threatening the United States and global semiconductor industry.

“Moore’s Law has profound implications both for technology and the national and global economy. As long as it can be sustained, we can continue benefitting from the technological innovations and new consumer electronic goods.”

While Moore’s Law is, on the one hand, a law of physics, many semiconductor industry professionals believe that the economics of manufacturing – specifically, the high costs of investments in shrinking transistor dimensions – will force its premature end. That would be disastrous for the economy – the end of growth for a huge sector, and associated sectors which depend upon it.

Moore’s Law can easily continue for the foreseeable future if the chip manufacturing industry becomes sustainable by having a balanced economy, he says. That will require some major macro-economic reforms.

Mulay offers three remedies: Refuse to accept monopoly capitalism in the global semiconductor industry. In 1968, 256KB worth of memory for a mainframe computer would have cost you $100,000. Today, eight gigabytes of memory costs just $6. However, while the price of the basic technology has plunged steeper and faster than Moore predicted, the cost to consumers of products utilizing that technology is still high. The plunging prices from the progress of Moore’s law have mainly benefitted the highest income earners, including investors, due to monopoly capitalism. Government

sanctioned monopolies have succeeded in maintaining artificially high prices at the retail level in order to protect their profits and share value.

Implement a system of neo-cooperative ownership of companies by their employees. Company decisions should not be controlled by outside investors due to their ownership. Instead, mass ownership and neocooperative management by a company’s employees not only benefits them but America’s overall national interests while helping to sustain Moore’s law. Employee owned/operated companies are examples of mass capitalism as opposed to monopoly capitalism, which is driven almost entirely by profit seeking non-employee investors. The manipulation of pricing endemic to monopoly capitalism is contributing to the early demise of Moore’s Law. Another benefit: Firms that are owned and guided by employees would provide better benefits to their workers, freeing the government of this task and reducing its deficits.

Reform our political system in order to mitigate the power of special interests. In order to make the necessary economic changes, we’ll have to reform our political democracy. Rather than having special interests and deep pockets dictate federal policy, power must be restored to the electorate. Representatives and senators should poll their constituents on a wide range of issues, from maintaining the military industrial complex to how best to deliver equitable health care. We should also consider decentralizing the Federal Election Commission in favor of putting such power and influence on the local level, thereby focusing democracy on localized issues. A civilian democracy can work successfully on a national level only when it can work at the grassroots level.

About Apek Mulay Apek Mulay is CEO of Mulay’s Consultancy Services, a senior analyst and macroeconomist in the United States semiconductor industry and author of the new book, “Mass Capitalism: A Blueprint for Economic Revival,” (www.ApekMulay.com). He attended the University of Mumbai in India and later completed his master’s in Electrical engineering at Texas Tech University. Mulay authored the patent “Surface Imaging with Materials Identified by Colors” during his employment at Texas Instruments Inc., and has chaired technical sessions at International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis (ISTFA). The U.S. government approved his permanent residency under the category of foreign nationals with extraordinary abilities in science and technologies.

#Hashtagging Your Way To Social Media Relevance Not so many years ago, many people probably paid little attention to that pound sign on the computer keyboard. You know, the one that looks like this: #.

Then along came Twitter and what we have come to call the “hashtag,” and social media marketing was changed forever.

Yet not everyone takes advantage of hashtags the way they should, and that’s unfortunate because if you are not using hashtags you are missing out on exposure for you and your brand.

When you are on social media sites such as Twitter or Instagram, your goal should be to become part of the conversation. The hashtag allows more people to find your contributions to that conversation. Without them, you miss out on lots of eyes that could be viewing your content.

For example, let’s say 1,000 people follow you on Twitter. Not counting re-tweets, only 1,000 people will see your posts if you don’t use a hashtag.

Add the hashtag, though, and you start picking up momentum because the post has the potential of being seen by, and re-tweeted by, any number of people. A common hashtag, such as #love, can position your post to be seen by potentially millions of people.

But be warned. While there are great benefits to hashtags, there also are pitfalls. Hashtags don’t come with exclusivity. Anyone can use them, so a hashtag can become a weapon that works both for you and against you.

Critics of your brand, or just the usual assortment of Internet trolls, may attempt to hijack your hashtag, putting you or your business in a bad light.

A prime example of a hijacked hashtag happened a few years ago when McDonald’s, apparently hoping for a flattering conversation about the restaurant chain, introduced #McDStories on Twitter. #McDStories went viral, but not in a good way as the Twitter world had a field day tweeting unflattering tales of their alleged bad experiences with the restaurant.

Don’t let such cautionary tales deter you, though. March boldly into hashtagging, but as you do keep in mind these suggestions for getting the most out of your efforts.

• Use proprietary hashtags. One of the advantages to a proprietary hashtag, such as “Orange is the New Black’s” hashtag #OITNB, is that it is linked directly to your brand. These hashtags typically are not used as widely as a more generic hashtag, but the goal is to brand yourself through the hashtag with the hope it could go viral.

• Don’t overdo it. A post littered with too many hashtags can be difficult to read, so your message might become obscured as your followers see what appears to be gibberish. Perhaps you saw the skit Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon once performed in which

they spoofed the device’s overuse by lacing their spoken conversation with seemingly endless hashtags. It was hilarious and annoying all at the same time.

Twitter itself suggests using no more than two hashtags per Tweet. Certainly, three should be the very maximum on Twitter. A different etiquette exists on Instagram, though, and most Instagram followers will tolerate excess hashtags.

Meanwhile, although hashtags can be used on Facebook, there’s little reason to include even one. That’s not the way people use that social media site.

• Think geographically. If you are a local company that depends mainly on local clientele, a hashtag that links to your location works well. Hashtags such as #Seattle or #Bangor drop you into numerous conversations about your hometown.

Since social media has become such a vital element of any comprehensive marketing strategy, understanding all of the nuances is critical.

A hashtag may not look like much, but it’s really a powerful tool that is a double-edged sword. If used correctly it can greatly bolster your marketing reach. Used incorrectly, it can have adverse effects or unintended consequences.

With social media, your hashtag is your brand, so use it wisely.

About Jay York Jay York, senior digital marketing strategist for EMSI Public Relations (www.emsincorporated.com), is an internet marketing expert with extensive experience in social media marketing dating back to the early days of MySpace and LiveJournal. Since graduating from the University of South Florida Business School, Jay has worked as marketing coordinator for an international IT training company; business development and branding manager for a startup restaurant management group; and CEO of his own social media management firm.

Google’s New Mobile-Friendly Algorithm: Why Websites Need to Be Responsive Beginning on April 21st, a huge change to Google’s algorithm went into effect.

In an effort to increase search results on mobile devices, Google has issued a mobile-friendly algorithm that will boost the rankings of mobile-friendly websites. Websites that are not responsive and optimized for mobile devices can expect to experience significant declines in their search rankings. Also, websites that are mobile friendly will have a “Mobile-Friendly” indication listed next to their website on search results.

Though this algorithm update will only affect search results from mobile devices, organizations that don’t make their websites responsive are likely to suffer drastically. According to a study by Clickz.com, a large amount of Google’s traffic comes from mobile devices, making it very important for organizations to optimize their website, landing page and blog for mobile search.

“Google’s new algorithm update is something that cannot be ignored. Along with declined visibility on search engines, companies that aren’t responsive will experience fewer page visits and declined conversions and sales,” said Hugh Sinclair of Shopping Blitz, an online marketplace that offers the world’s best brands of clothes, shoes, accessories and lifestyle products. “To avoid these drastic consequences, it’s important for businesses to make to optimize their websites for mobile devices as quickly as possible.”

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