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Atlas Jenkins Demonstrates the Power of Social Media https://ift.tt/2JIeu8j During the past few years, social media has become incredibly powerful. Now, there are hundreds of millions of people who use social media on a daily basis. Therefore, it is important for everyone who would like to start a small business to understand the power that social media has. Atlas Jenkins is a successful entrepreneur who has set an example for anyone who would like to go into business for themselves. He has become an overnight sensation and his platform continues to grow. Largely, he has been able to find success due to his abilities with social media. Atlas Jenkins is an American DJ, record producer, Creative Media personality, songwriter, sound designer, and humanitarian. Today, he is known for his unique form of sound collage, which is known as plunderphonics. He has been able to enjoy a significant amount of success because he has been a pioneer in the world of music. Furthermore, he has also played a major role in four albums that have reached the top of the Billboard charts and multiple genres. Largely, he focuses on hip hop and Jazz. He can often be found collaborating with his childhood friend, who was also a music producer whose name is Jonathan Hay. Now, he is working with other people, helping them to build a successful career in the world of music as well. Atlas Jenkins understands that a lot of his success is due to social media. He has a tremendous following on Instagram. He always knew that he wanted to be a creative professional; however, he wasn’t always certain what passed this would take. Once he reached his teenage years, he realized that he wanted to turn his career focus toward music. Even though he is also an ICU nurse and a father, he continues to make waves in the music industry. His versatility and time management skills are impressive and he even takes the time to interact with his fans in followers on social media, which further his career. Given his unique background as a medical professional and a music sensation, he has spent a lot of time dealing with a pandemic, focusing on it both from a health care perspective and from the impact it is having on the entertainment industry. Therefore, he is truly putting his humanitarian skills to use as well. It will be exciting to see what happens next for Atlas Jenkins. For Atlas Jenkins, the sky is the limit and he will continue to inspire people all over the world. The post Atlas Jenkins Demonstrates the Power of Social Media appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog November 6, 2020 at 12:08AM
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Steve Bannon’s show pulled off Twitter and YouTube over calls for violence https://ift.tt/3l1y0KQ Former presidential advisor and right-wing pundit Steve Bannon had his show suspended from Twitter and an episode removed by YouTube after calling for violence against FBI director Christopher Wray and the government’s leading pandemic expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Bannon, speaking with co-host Jack Maxey, was discussing what Trump should do in a hypothetical second term. He suggested firing Wray and Fauci, but then went further, saying “I’d actually like to go back to the old times of Tudor England, I’d put the heads on pikes, right, I’d put them at the two corners of the White House as a warning to federal bureaucrats.” This may strike one at first as mere hyperbole — one may say “we want his head on a platter” and not really be suggesting they actually behead anyone. But the conversation continued and seemed to be more in earnest than it first appeared:
Whether one considers this only nostalgia for the good old days of mob justice or an actual call to bring those days back, the exchange seems to have been enough for moderators at YouTube and Twitter to come down hard on the pair’s makeshift broadcast. Twitter confirmed that it has “permanently suspended” (i.e. it can be appealed but won’t be restored automatically) the account for violating the rule against glorifying violence. YouTube removed the episode from “Steve Bannon’s War Room” channel Wednesday afternoon after it was brought to their attention. A representative for the platform said “We’ve removed this video for violating our policy against inciting violence. We will continue to be vigilant as we enforce our policies in the post-election period.” Online platforms have struggled with finding the line between under and over-moderation. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and others have all taken different measures, from preemptively turning off features to silently banning hashtags. Facebook today took down a group with more than 300,000 members that was acting as an amplifier for misinformation about the election. While the platforms have been vigorous in at least some ways in the labeling and isolation of misinformation, it’s more difficult for video platforms. Just minutes ago Trump took to YouTube to detail a variety of unfounded conspiracy theories about mail-in voting, but the platform can’t exactly do a live fact-check of the president and shut down his channel. More than with text-based networks, video tends to spread before it is caught and flagged due to the time it takes to review it.
Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com November 5, 2020 at 06:46PM
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TikTok takes down some hashtags related to election misinformation, leaves others https://ift.tt/32gRnbb As social media platforms struggle to get U.S. election misinformation under control with varying degrees of success, TikTok has taken new actions to stop people from searching and browsing select hashtags associated with misinformation and conspiracies related to the U.S. election results. The video app has redirected some hashtags — including #RiggedElection, #SharpieGate and others — where users have been publishing election misinformation. And it has taken down various videos making claims of “election fraud.” However, based on our scans of the app and other election-related hashtags today, it’s clear that it’s still an uphill battle for TikTok in terms of getting a handle on violating content. Because of TikTok’s size and scale, even smaller videos from unknown publishers can rack up thousands of views before they disappear. Media Matters, for example, reported yesterday it was able to identify 11 examples of election misinformation spreading across TikTok, with more than 200,000 combined views. The videos shared conspiracies that ranged from unfounded “magic ballot” narratives to the completely untrue allegations that Arizona poll workers handed out markers to Trump voters so their votes wouldn’t count. TikTok says all the videos Media Matters reported have since been removed except one where a user made a premature declaration of victory. That one was shadowbanned — meaning its discoverability on the platform was reduced. It also has a banner pointing to authoritative information about the election results. These individual takedowns are a drop in the bucket compared to the number of videos that are still out there making claims of election fraud. And, so far, TikTok has only removed a small number of hashtags on this subject. TikTok confirmed it has removed content and redirected searches for the hashtag #RiggedElection as of yesterday. Now, when you try to find videos flagged with this term in the app, you’ll get to a blank page with a notification that says the search term “may be associated with behavior or content that violates our guidelines.” The page also provides a link to TikTok’s Community Guidelines. “Promoting a safe and positive experience is TikTok’s top priority,” the message reads. This is the same playbook that TikTok recently used to address the spread of QAnon-related content on its platform. By redirecting searches and hashtags, it makes misinformation harder to find. While TikTok declined to share an exhaustive list of hashtags it has taken action on during the elections, we found a few hashtags that returned either no results — like #RiggedElection and #SharpieGate — as well as those that returned only a small handful videos, or what TikTok considers “counter speech.” The TikTok community will often create videos with counter speech or other content related to a misinformation-related hashtag. In these videos, they’ll provide factual information or will dispute the claims being made in another video. TikTok says this sort of counter speech doesn’t violate its policies. That’s why you may see videos listed under hashtags that would otherwise be associated with misinformation, as opposed to seeing the hashtag entirely silenced. We also found some lesser-used hashtags like #RepealtheSteal and #VeritasArmy, which have been seen on Twitter, were not showing on TikTok at all. (However, upon reaching out to TikTok, the company chose to redirect these hashtags, too.) A popular misinfo hashtag, #StoptheSteal, was also not available, but its variation, #StoptheStealing, had seven videos. Many other hashtags were being used, too, as of the time of writing, including #VoterFraud (and its misspelling #VoterFruad), #DemsCheat, #CorruptElection, #ElectionCorruption, #StoptheStealing, #ElectionFraud (and misspelling #ElectionFruad), #CrookedJoeBiden, #CrookedDems, #Fraud (and its misspelling #Fruad), #Rigged, #Rigged2020, #MailinBallots, #CoupdEtat, #ElectionMeddling, #DemocratsAreDestroyingAmerica and #BallotHarvesting, to name a few. While some hashtags had little content, many were filled with videos that weren’t just expressing their political views — they were making claims of election fraud. Combined, these hashtags have tens of millions of views, or even more. For example, when we searched for the hashtag #VoterFraud (20.9 million views), we first encountered videos posted in the months leading up to Election Day that were responding to the Republican-driven claims of voter fraud associated with mail-in ballots. But many videos under this hashtag have been published by Trump supporters this week, and are videos where the supporters are directly disputing the election results. Among the videos we found were those reposting videos TikTok had already taken down. These included videos featuring Trump supporters’ protests against or for the counting of ballots in various states, calling them proof of election fraud. In other videos, users opine about how Trump’s lawsuits will prove fraud took place and win him re-election. They sometimes use screenshots of website vote tallies as their “proof.” We also saw videos using text labels overtop their video footage. The text was used to make their claims of election fraud, while the video itself may have them talking in more measured terms about their disappointment with the election results. (It’s unclear if this is a viable workaround to avoiding rule enforcement, however.) TikTok says its list of blocked hashtags continually grows as new terms and phrases emerge and it’s able to determine how the terms are being used on its platform. It also said it block more election misinformation hashtags in the hours, days and weeks to come. To be clear, TikTok’s decision to keep this sort of content online doesn’t make it much different from other social networks. During election season, Facebook and Twitter have taken to labeling election misinformation from high-profile accounts (like Trump’s). Facebook even ran in-app notifications to inform users that votes are still being counted. But both platforms today still easily allow users to click through on a wide range of hashtags that promote this idea of election fraud or rigged results. TikTok may not much be doing much better, overall, in addressing the sizable amount of content promoting election misinformation on its video network. But TikTok’s ban of top election misinformation hashtags works differently from hashtag bans on other social networks. Once TikTok has made the decision to ban a term like “SharpieGate,” for example, the content won’t be surfaced whether you use the hashtag symbol (#) itself or not. Facebook, on the other hand, may ban the hashtag specifically, but not the term entirely. That means you can still find content about SharpieGate on its platform — even if it’s largely posts and videos from news organizations. #SharpieGate was also among the hashtags Facebook began blocking today related to election misinformation. It also blocked #StoptheSteal and a related group. Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com November 5, 2020 at 02:49PM
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FedRAMP Certification: What Is It, Why It Matters, and Who Has It https://ift.tt/36bjoST Hacked celebrity camera rolls. State-based cyberespionage. And everything in between. Data security has a huge range of applications. And it’s a major concern for everyone who uses or supplies cloud-based services. When government data is involved, those concerns can reach the level of national security. That’s why the U.S. government requires all cloud services used by federal agencies to meet a meticulous set of security standards known as FedRAMP. So just what is FedRAMP, and what does it entail? You’re in the right place to find out. Bonus: Read the step-by-step social media strategy guide with pro tips on how to grow your social media presence. What is FedRAMP?FedRAMP stands for the “Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program.” It standardizes security assessment and authorization for cloud products and services used by U.S. federal agencies. The goal is to make sure federal data is consistently protected at a high level in the cloud. Getting FedRAMP authorization is serious business. The level of security required is mandated by law. There are 14 applicable laws and regulations, along with 19 standards and guidance documents. It’s one of the most rigorous software-as-a-service certifications in the world. Here’s a quick introduction: FedRAMP has been around since 2012. That’s when cloud technologies really began to replace outdated tethered software solutions. It was born from the U.S. government’s “Cloud First” strategy. That strategy required agencies to look at cloud-based solutions as a first choice. Before FedRAMP, cloud service providers had to prepare an authorization package for each agency they wanted to work with. The requirements were not consistent. And there was a lot of duplicate effort for both providers and agencies. FedRAMP introduced consistency and streamlined the process. Now, evaluations and requirements are standardized. Multiple government agencies can reuse the provider’s FedRAMP authorization security package. Initial FedRAMP uptake was slow. Only 20 cloud service offerings were authorized in the first four years. But the pace has really picked up since 2018, and there are now 204 FedRAMP authorized cloud products. Source: FedRAMP FedRAMP is controlled by a Joint Authorization Board (JAB). The board is made up of representatives from:
The program is endorsed by the U.S. government Federal Chief Information Officers Council. Why is FedRAMP certification important?All cloud services holding federal data require FedRAMP authorization. So, if you want to work with the federal government, FedRAMP authorization is an important part of your security plan. FedRAMP is important because it ensures consistency in the security of the government’s cloud services—and because it ensures consistency in evaluating and monitoring that security. It provides one set of standards for all government agencies and all cloud providers. Cloud service providers that are FedRAMP authorized are listed in the FedRAMP Marketplace. This marketplace is the first place government agencies look when they want to source a new cloud-based solution. It’s much easier and faster for an agency to use a product that’s already authorized than to start the authorization process with a new vendor. So, a listing in the FedRAMP marketplace makes you much more likely to get additional business from government agencies. But it can also improve your profile in the private sector. That’s because the FedRAMP marketplace is visible to the public. Any private sector company can scroll through the list of FedRAMP authorized solutions. It’s a great resource when they’re looking to source a secure cloud product or service. FedRAMP authorization can make any client more confident about the security protocols. It represents an ongoing commitment to meeting the highest security standards. FedRAMP authorization significantly boosts your security credibility beyond the FedRAMP Marketplace, too. You can share your authorization on social media and on your website. The truth is that most of your clients probably don’t know what FedRAMP is. They don’t care whether you’re authorized or not. But for those large clients who do understand FedRAMP – in both the public and private sectors – lack of authorization may be a deal-breaker. What does it take to be FedRAMP certified?There are two different ways to become FedRAMP authorized. 1. Joint Authorization Board (JAB) Provisional Authority to OperateIn this process, the JAB issues a provisional authorization. That lets agencies know the risk has been reviewed. It’s an important first approval. But any agency that wants to use the service still has to issue their own Authority to Operate. This process is best suited for cloud services providers with high or moderate risk. (We’ll dive into risk levels in the next section.) Here’s a visual overview of the JAB process: Source: FedRAMP 2. Agency Authority to OperateIn this process, the cloud services provider establishes a relationship with a specific federal agency. That agency is involved throughout the process. If the process is successful, the agency issues an Authority to Operate letter.
Source: FedRAMP Steps to FedRAMP authorizationNo matter which type of authorization you pursue, FedRAMP authorization involves four main steps:
FedRAMP authorization best practicesThe process of achieving FedRAMP authorization can be tough. But it’s in the best interest of everyone involved for cloud service providers to succeed once they start the authorization process. To help, FedRAMP interviewed several small businesses and start-ups about lessons learned during authorization. Here are their seven best tips for successfully navigating the authorization process:
FedRAMP offers templates to help cloud service providers prepare for FedRAMP compliance. What are the categories of FedRAMP compliance?FedRAMP offers four impact levels for services with different kinds of risk. They’re based on the potential impacts of a security breach in three different areas.
The first three impact levels are based on Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 199 from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The fourth is based on NIST Special Publication 800-37. The impact levels are:
This last category was added in 2017 to make it easier for agencies to approve “low-risk use cases.” To qualify for FedRAMP Tailored, the provider must answer yes to six questions. These are posted on the FedRAMP Tailored policy page:
Keep in mind that achieving FedRAMP compliance is not a one-off task. Remember the Monitoring stage of FedRAMP authorization? That means you’ll need to submit regular security audits to ensure you stay FedRAMP compliant. Bonus: Read the step-by-step social media strategy guide with pro tips on how to grow your social media presence. Get the free guide right now!Examples of FedRAMP certified productsThere are many types of FedRAMP authorized products and services. Here are a few examples from cloud service providers you know and may already use yourself. Amazon Web ServicesThere are two AWS listings in the FedRAMP Marketplace. AWS GovCloud is authorized at the High level. AWS US East/West is authorized at the Moderate level.
AWS GovCloud has a whopping 292 authorizations. AWS US East/West has 250 authorizations. That’s far more than any other listing in the FedRAMP Marketplace. Adobe AnalyticsAdobe Analytics was authorized in 2019. It is used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services. It’s authorized at the LI-SaaS level. Adobe actually has several products authorized at the LI-SaaS level. (Like Adobe Campaign and Adobe Document Cloud.) They also have a couple of products authorized at the Moderate level:
Adobe is currently in the process of moving from FedRAMP Tailored authorization to FedRAMP Moderate authorization for Adobe Sign.
Remember that it’s the service, not the service provider, that gets authorization. Like Adobe, you might have to pursue multiple authorizations if you offer more than one cloud-based solution. SlackAuthorized in May of this year, Slack has 21 FedRAMP authorizations. The product is authorized at the Moderate level. It’s used by agencies including:
Slack originally received FedRAMP Tailored authorization. Then, they pursued Moderate authorization by partnering with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Slack makes sure to call attention to the security benefits of this authorization for private sector clients on its website: “This latest authorization translates to a more secure experience for Slack customers, including private-sector businesses that don’t require a FedRAMP-authorized environment. All customers using Slack’s commercial offerings can benefit from the heightened security measures required to achieve FedRAMP certification.” Trello Enterprise CloudTrello was just granted Li-SaaS authorization in September. Trello is so far used only by the General Services Administration. But the company is looking to change that, as seen in their social posts about their new FedRAMP status:
ZendeskAlso authorized in May, Zendesk is used by:
The Zendesk Customer Support and Help Desk Platform has Li-Saas authorization.
Securely inform and engage on social media with Hootsuite. From a single dashboard, you can schedule and publish content to every network, monitor relevant conversations, and measure public sentiment around programs and policies with real-time social listening and analytics. Try it free today. The post FedRAMP Certification: What Is It, Why It Matters, and Who Has It appeared first on Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. Social Media via Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard https://ift.tt/1LdunxE November 5, 2020 at 01:32PM
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Importance of Cloud Hosting for Social Media Marketing https://ift.tt/2TUzj2f Marketers are facing wonderful new opportunities in 2020. Unfortunately, they are also struggling to deal with a variety of challenges as well. PPC costs have been on the uptick for years. According to data from WordStream, the average CPC across all industries is $2.69, which is a remarkable increase from just a few years ago. Rising advertising costs have made marketing funnels that depend on organic traffic more appealing. In a number of verticals, social media marketing can have a higher long-term ROI than PPC or media buying. However, social media marketers can encounter some unexpected obstacles in the early stages of their campaigns. They need to invest in the right tools and technology to execute successful strategies. Cloud hosting is particularly important for social media marketers. Companies are expected to spend $623 billion on public cloud services buy 2023, which underscores its benefits. However, marketers need to make sure that they buy the right cloud hosting plan, since features vary considerably between providers. Neil Patel has a great review of web hosting companies on his site. He has reviewed seven of the top hosting providers across three important factors – speed, uptime and customer service. Since Patel has an outstanding reputation for thoroughly researching the services he recommends, this article should be a good primer on choosing a hosting plan. Here are some reasons social media marketers should invest in it. Content PersonalizationContent personalization is becoming increasingly important in modern marketing. Social media marketers need to prioritize the user experience. Since content personalization is proven to improve user engagement, a growing number of marketers are leveraging it. Research from Epsilon found that 80% of customers would rather purchase products from brands that offer personalized experiences. Another study found that 91% of customers prefer purchasing from brands that offer relevant product recommendations. Cloud hosting is important for companies that offer personalized content. ScienceDirect published a study arguing that cloud-enabled personalization is essential for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies. Although brands with smaller digital footprints than your average SaaS company require less bandwidth, they can still run into bottlenecks with more archaic hosting solutions. Personalized content places a larger strain on the hosting, because it requires the syncing of real-time data and more complex algorithms. Companies that rely on personalized content can avoid downtime and reduce website loading times by opting for a reliable cloud hosting provider. Handle Larger Traffic VolumeThe numbers behind social media marketing campaigns are different than search engine marketing strategies. The obvious benefit of organic search engine traffic is the lower cost of acquisition. However, conversion rates are also considerably lower. This means that social media marketers need to attract much larger volumes of visitors in order to sustain viable funnels. Large traffic volume from successful social media campaigns can easily put a strain on hosting servers. If a brand does not have adequate hosting to accommodate this traffic, then they face serious challenges with maintaining a reasonable time guarantee and making sure webpages load quickly enough. This is one of the biggest advantages of cloud hosting for social media marketers. They can reliably serve large numbers of visitors if they have the right hosting plan. Protecting Lead Magnets and Other Content from Server FailuresSocial media marketers often rely on more extensive types of content than those employing other marketing funnels. Social media marketing strategies often rely on lead magnets, such as whitepapers or e-books to build mailing lists. Marketing strategies that rely on lead magnets are more vulnerable to server failures. If the documents are lost due to a server crash, then they can be very difficult to replace. This is another reason that cloud hosting can be so incredibly beneficial. With a decent cloud hosting plan, all of the files on your server are regularly backed up. There are multiple copies of them, which makes it a lot easier to restore them if the original file is deleted. This makes it a lot easier to restore your landing pages and lead magnets during a crash. More Opportunities for A/B TestingTesting is one of the most important aspects of any marketing strategy. Social media marketing is no exception. Cloud hosting gives marketers more opportunities to conduct extensive testing. They can retain a lot more data and analyze it in real time. Instead of testing a limited range of variables, marketers using cloud hosting can look at important marketing elements in much more detail. Cloud Hosting Provides Important Benefits to Social Media MarketersMany brands have discovered the numerous benefits of cloud hosting. Social media marketers should consider investing in cloud hosting plans to make sure their site can accommodate the traffic that they generate. The post Importance of Cloud Hosting for Social Media Marketing appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog November 5, 2020 at 01:25PM
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Best Business Formation Services https://ift.tt/366ErGa Starting a business can be challenging. It requires legal assistance, document filings, and additional steps that must be completed with precision. If you make a mistake on your paperwork, it can cause delays, rejections, and issues for your newly-formed organization. Some startups hire attorneys to handle everything on their behalf. But the legal fees charged by a traditional law firm can be expensive. Fortunately, there are third-party services that can handle the entire business formation for you. These online services are fast and cost-effective ways to start a business—error-free. Whether you’re forming a single-member LLC, multi-member LLC, partnership, S corporation, C corporation, partnership, or nonprofit organization, there’s a business formation service out there that’s perfect for you. This guide contains everything you need to know about the best business formation services on the market today. The Top 11 Best Business Formation Services
Below you’ll find the features, benefits, pricing, and plan information for each of our top-recommended business formation services. #1 – ZenBusiness — Best For Simple LLC Filing• Starts at $49 per month ZenBusiness is a fast and easy way for anyone to start a business. They provide LLC services, incorporation services, and registered agent services. ZenBusiness also offers services for things like DBA (doing business as) names, EIN services, and business name reservation. While ZenBusiness has a wide range of offerings, the LLC services are definitely the most popular. From naming your LLC to choosing a registered agent and applying for your EIN, ZenBusiness makes this process extremely easy. They handle all of your filings for Certificate of Formation and Articles of Organization. Plans start as low as $49 per month, plus state fees. The exact rates will vary based on your state and business type. All plans come with name availability search, online document access, registered agent services, free accounting consultation, and more. It’s worth noting that the EIN filing does not come standard with the entry-level Starter plan. But it’s included with the Pro and Premium plans. If you’re in a rush, ZenBusiness offers expedited filing speeds to prepare your documents in days instead of weeks. For those of you looking for an easy way to form your LLC online, definitely check out ZenBusiness. #2 – Incfile — Best Low-Cost Business Formation Services• Starts at $0 + state fees Incfile is one of the most reputable and trusted business formation services on the market today. Since launching in 2004, more than 250,000 businesses were started using this service. It’s fast, easy, and best of all—affordable. Incfile provides business formation services for LLCs, S-Corporations, C-Corporations, and nonprofits. With Incfile, you can form your business for free—only pay the state filing fees. All plans come with company name availability verification, next-day processing, preparation and filing of articles, online status tracking, online document access, free tax consultation services, and lifetime customer support. You’ll also get free registered agent services for one year. Incfile gives you the flexibility to add-on premium services to your base package, like EIN services, operating agreements, IRS Form 2553 filing, and more. Alternatively, you can upgrade to a package to get all of these benefits included with your plan. Pricing varies from state to state. #3 – LegalZoom — Most Popular Business Formation Services• Starts at $79 LegalZoom has helped over two million people start a business. This includes 1.6+ million LLCs and 400,000+ corporations. To call LegalZoom an industry leader in the business formation space would be a drastic understatement. They have arguably the most extensive list of service offerings that you’ll find in this category. LegalZoom is great if you’re not sure what entity type is right for you. They’ll make suggestions based on the needs of your business.
You can use LegalZoom for business licenses, seller’s permits, 501(c)(3) applications, federal tax ID (EIN), state tax ID, and more. It’s also a great option for those of you who want to seek legal advice during or after the business formation process. Packages start at $79, plus filing fees. If you’re interested in using one of the largest business formation services in the world, look no further than LegalZoom. #4 – RocketLawyer — Best For Ongoing Legal Advice• Starts at $39.99 RocketLawyer offers a wide range of online legal services. But it’s also a popular choice for business contracts and business formation. From starting your business to managing the entity post-launch, RocketLawyer is there to assist you along the way. Here’s how it works. You can use RocketLawyer one of two ways—as a premium member or on a per-service basis. Premium members will benefit from:
The membership costs just $39.99 per month, so it’s well worth it if you’ll be seeking legal advice after you officially start the business. You can try RocketLawyer for free with a 7-day trial. #5 – Inc Authority — Best Free LLC Setup Service• Free LLC setup Inc Authority is a fast and free way for anyone to set up an LLC online. Yes, you heard that correctly. The LLC services are 100% free—you just have to pay the fees required to your state. When you create your free LLC with Inc Authority, you’ll also benefit from:
Inc File also has premium startup bundles, starting at $399. These packages include custom state filings, IRS tax ID (EIN), complete operating agreement and bylaws, ownership certificates, and more. Ready to form your new LLC for free? Check out Inc Authority. #6 – Incorporate.com — Best For C-Corp and S-Corp Formations• 100+ years of experience Formally Corporation Service Company (CSC) and The Company Corporation, Incorporate.com has more than 100 years of experience in the business formation space. They’ve helped 750,000+ organizations over the years. If you’re looking to form a C Corporation or S Corporation, look no further than Incorporate.com. With so much experience, Incorporate.com can easily handle the complexities associated with forming a C-Corp or S-Corp. In addition to these incorporation services, you can also use Incorporate.com for LLCs and nonprofit organizations. I like Incorporation.com because it’s simple. Once you provide them with information about your business, their experts take everything from there. If you have any questions along the way, their team is available day or night to provide assistance. They also provide registered agent services, business licenses, bylaws & operating agreements, DBA names, and more. #7 – Swyft Filings — Best For Customer Support• Free business name search Swyft Filings is a fast and easy way to form your business online. This service provider can help you with the paperwork and filings for LLCs, C Corporations, S Corporations, and nonprofits. Thousands of businesses throughout all 50 states rely on Swyft Filings’ formation services. Just choose your entity type and select your state to get started. Swyft Filings also offers EIN services, registered agent services, DBA applications, 501(c)(3) applications, and more. You can also use Swyft Filings to manage your business after the formation process is complete. They provide services for amendments & name changes, changing your registered agent, and business dissolution. But what really makes Swyft Filings stand out from the crowd is its customer support. Once you sign up, you’ll automatically be assigned a personal business specialist. This person will become your go-to point of contact. You can reach them via a direct phone line or email. So you’ll always be working with the same person to resolve any issues. Swyft Filings also provides free business name search services, which you can use without signing up. #8 – MyCompanyWorks — Best For Fast Setups• Starts at $79 MyCompanyWorks is another industry leader in the business formation space. Since 2001, more than 60,000 businesses were started on this platform. They provide formation services for LLCs, S-Corps, and C-Corps. MyCompanyWorks is great for anyone that’s in a rush to form a business. Orders submitted by 3 pm EST are processed the same business day. Orders after 3 pm are processed on the next business day. Other reasons to consider MyCompanyWorks for your business formation include:
Pricing starts at $79, plus state fees. MyCompanyWorks has an industry-leading 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you’re unhappy for any reason, you can request a full refund (minus government fees) within 90 days of your purchase—no questions asked. #9 – Northwest Registered Agent — Best Registered Agent Services• LLC formation Northwest Registered Agent is a national registered agent service with offices in all 50 states. In addition to their registered agent services, you can also use this organization for LLC and corporation formations. From document filing to compliance, they have everything you need to form your business. I like Northwest Registered Agent because privacy is their specialty. They offer things like a business address and free mail forwarding included in your plan. You can use this service provider to get an EIN, file your articles of organization, handle your operating agreement, and more. They provide free business name search, assistance with business banking, and tax consultancy. Prices vary from state to state. You can view these fees by selecting your state directly from the Northwest Registered Agent website. #10 – LegalNature — Best For Managing Business Formation Documents• Starts at $40 LegalNature is one of the best online legal services on the market today. They offer legal documents for individuals, businesses, and landlords across a wide range of categories. But the business formation documents provided by LegalNature are some of the most popular products on its website. Whether you’re starting an LLC, S Corp, C Corp, or a nonprofit, LegalNature has what you need to form your business. In addition to the ability to store, create, and edit your legal business documents, you can also use LegalNature for:
LegalNature’s business formation services start at just $40 per business. Additional services range from $20 one-time fees (certified copies) to $125 per year (registered agent services). The legal document plans start at $84 per year. Create an account online and choose your state of formation to get started. #11 – MyCorporation — Best For Free EIN Filings• Starts at $99 MyCorporation is another popular choice for business formation services. They have solutions for LLCs, C-Corps, S-Corps, B-Corps, and nonprofits. You can file your EIN for free with a MyCorporation plan. Here’s a closer look at the business formation plans and pricing from MyCorporation:
The entry-level plan comes with name availability search and articles of incorporation. Registered agent services start at the Deluxe level. MyCorporation also makes it easy to manage your filings and change your company details after the business has been formed. They provide additional services for things like trademark filing and copyright applications, as well. How to Find the Best Business Formation Services For YouWith so many options to choose from, finding the best business formation services for your unique situation can feel like a tall task. These are the factors that must be taken into consideration as you’re shopping around and evaluating different service providers. By following the methodology explained below, it will be much easier to narrow down your options. Entity TypeThe first thing you need to do is figure out what type of business you’re trying to start:
Not every business formation service will have solutions for all of these options. Even if they do, certain providers might specialize in one over another. If you’re not sure which entity type is right for you, choose a formation service that will help you decide. ValueLook beyond the price tag of the business formation services that you’re evaluating. What are you actually getting? Some service providers offer lots of freebies but then charge extra for necessary services. So don’t fall for the lowest advertised price on the site’s homepage. The term “free” rarely means you’ll actually pay zero dollars. Other providers might have higher advertised starting prices, but those plans include everything you need to form your business. Additional ServicesAside from the business formation itself, it’s nice to choose a formation service that can become a one-stop-shop for your needs. Other services to consider include:
The list goes on and on. For example, if you think you’ll have lots of questions to ask an attorney after the business has been set up, you’ll definitely be better off with some formation services over others. Customer ServiceWhat type of support is offered by the service you’re evaluating? In some cases, you’ll have the direct phone number of a dedicated personal business expert. Other providers offer email, ticketing, or live chat support. The time it takes to form your business would also fall into this category. Some services automatically offer fast processing, while others will charge extra to expedite the process. ConclusionWhat’s the best business formation service? It depends on what you’re looking for. Check out ZenBusiness, Incfile, Inc Authority, and MyCorporation for low-cost LLC services. Swift Filings, MyCompanyWorks, and Northwest Registered Agent are all great options for those of you who want exceptional customer service. LegalZoom is the most popular business formation service. If you need additional legal advice, try Rocket Lawyer. For incorporation services, we recommend Incorporate.com. Regardless of your needs, you can find the best business formation service for you using this guide. Social Media via Quick Sprout https://ift.tt/UU7LJr November 5, 2020 at 11:06AM
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Here Are Innovative Ways That Companies Advertise Themselves https://ift.tt/34Zol1G The advertisement has changed dramatically over the course of a few years. Before, you only imagined seeing an ad on a bus stop bench, a flyer, or a TV ad, but now, technology has allowed for much more impressive advertisement techniques. Marketing has always been an essential limb of the business body, but now, it appears even more that companies are having to change their strategies because it’s a saturated market. Competing with one another means finding new ways to do it or improve on existing techniques. Some companies barely have to advertise, but even that may be considered an advertisement of some sort. It’s quite hard to wrap your head around how much has come from technology, but there are plenty of ways that it’s transforming business. Whether you’re interested in becoming a business owner one day and having your own company to advertise, or if you just like to study business, there’s plenty to understand from contemporary marketing. Here are some eye-popping and innovative ways that companies are getting their names and products out there. Search Engine OptimizationSEO, or search engine optimization, is a cool way that the Internet has allowed huge companies and small business to maximize their marketing efforts. By implementing important keywords, phrases, and backlinks, a website can help drive up traffic. Search engines are like the glossary of the entire Internet, which is composed of billions and billions of unique pages. It can be hard to entice people to visit your site or buy your products, but peppering blogs and websites with this content is important for finding the traffic they need to advertise. It’s an organic way to help get people to see your content. It can be from guest posts, backlinking from reputable sites, and writing good old-fashioned content on business pages for products and informational articles, but it remains an innovative and effective way for people to learn more about a business. Wrapping GraphicsThis one isn’t so much new as it’s striking, which makes it all the more worthwhile to be mentioned here. Wrapping or wraps is the process of creating graphics that stick to objects, and it’s usually on vehicles like big transport trucks, trailers, and commercial vans. These graphics are everywhere, and their use at https://www.craftsmenind.com/fleet-graphics shows how versatile they can be. From transports to even oil tanks, the graphics of these wraps are high-quality and catch the eye immediately. A billboard allows for a huge advertisement, but the problem is that it’s stationary. Companies want to move the visibility of their ad where there’s a higher probability of it being seen or interacted with, which is why putting it on vehicles is so important. The versatility shows how traditional advertisements have come a long way from the days of bench ads. Guerilla MarketingJust like the idea of guerilla warfare, companies need an unorthodox approach to attract customers. People get tired of the same old ad strategies and get content fatigue seeing so much stuff that’s blatantly trying to get them to buy stuff. Guerilla marketing is the act of finding unconventional ways to introduce a new product, generate buzz for an event, or get a company’s name out there. Things like flash mobs were a popular tactic. Pop-up stores, graffiti, mysterious reveals, viral marketing sites with hidden clues, etc. offer some interesting marketing potential that makes it fresher than hearing a radio ad or seeing a commercial on TV. Guerilla marketing became much more popular because companies were noticing younger, millennial consumers were less inclined to buy things based on ads, and they were exposed to less general marketing because they don’t watch TV and receive targeted ads based on web searches. Sponsored InfluencersThe idea of the influencer is a novel idea that no one would have suspected when social media was just becoming a thing in the mid-2000s. Having attractive quasi-celebrities do the promotion for a product or service, instead of using typical advertising, has been a good way to tap into the psyche of the mind of social media users. When you see someone who lives a cool lifestyle, or is attractive, or seems to have everything going on for them, people want to be like them. Then, when you add a photo or video of them enjoying a product or using a service, you want to copy them. This was a tactic that used movie stars and athletes, but the younger generations are more connected to social media, making more sense to use users that are more relevant to their interests. Sponsored posts with influencers are still going strong, and many of these people make a living through income solely from their sponsored posts. Interactive AdvertisementsPeople love to play. Adults, children, teenagers – we all enjoy some fun, and it gets our minds off of things, but what about using that joy of messing around with an ad? Interactive advertisements that use technology to allow people to be a part of the marketing adds a new dimension that goes beyond selling a product. QR codes are a small example of interactive advertisements, but it makes people feel like they are part of it rather than being passive consumers of information. Similarly, augmented reality is changing how people perceive advertisements and create new possibilities that companies can take advantage of. Giving people a choice to see what an advertisement is all about by having fun or engaging with it is another example of how innovation and technology change how companies think about marketing. Marketing is one of the most integral parts of a business plan, and companies know that they need to do more now than they ever had to before to improve their advertising game. People are becoming much more tech-savvy and attention-driven, so finding innovative ways to excite people and get them interested in products and services is a must. These innovative advertising techniques show how attitudes change around marketing goals and how they still have room to grow. The post Here Are Innovative Ways That Companies Advertise Themselves appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog November 5, 2020 at 06:35AM
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Daily Crunch: Social media confronts election misinformation https://ift.tt/2I6uoJ1 You may have heard that the United States had a presidential election yesterday, with plenty of implications for the tech world, particularly with social media as one of the battlegrounds in the fight over the results. Meanwhile, major tech-relevant ballot measures, like California’s Proposition 22, also passed. I’ll do my best to cover it all in your Daily Crunch for November 4, 2020. The big story: Social media confronts election misinformation Here’s the good news: Election Day in the United States was largely free from disruptive cyberattacks. The bad news? Well, we don’t have a winner in the presidential election yet — although Joe Biden is up 2% in the popular vote as I write this on Wednesday afternoon, and he’s leading narrowly in key battleground states. The uncertainty has created a big opportunity for misinformation, particularly from President Donald Trump and others involved with his campaign who are trying to cast doubt on the voting and vote-counting process while prematurely claiming victory. As my colleague Taylor Hatmaker put it, this is a “nightmare misinformation scenario,” with the president and his campaign doing their best to “work the misinformation ecosystem he’s cultivated over the last four years.” At least Facebook and Twitter are trying to stem the spread in different ways: Twitter has added warning labels to numerous Trump and Trump campaign posts (Trump and his campaign members aren’t the only ones getting warnings labels right now, but to be clear: They’re the ones spreading dangerous misinformation about the results — while the Biden campaign is, to put it simply, not). Facebook also added messages at the top of both Facebook and Instagram noting that votes are still being counted. The tech giants Apple, Microsoft and other tech stocks roar as the presidential election narrows to several states — At the close of trading today, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite was up 3.8%. Zynga reports record revenue and strong user growth while still losing $122M — The company predicted further growth in Q4, with revenue up 55% to $570 million. Startups, funding and venture capital Intel has acquired Cnvrg.io, a platform to manage, build and automate machine learning — Intel continues to snap up startups to build out its machine learning and AI operations. Aveine’s Smart Wine Aerator is a huge upgrade for wine lovers, and could create some new ones, too — This gadget from a French startup offers variable, instant aeration, along with a connected app platform. Hustle Fund, a pre-seed firm, closes $30M for a new fund — Hustle Fund was created by Elizabeth Yin and Eric Bahn, two former 500 Startups partners. Advice and analysis from Extra Crunch Will new SEC equity crowdfunding rules encourage more founders to pass the hat? — Companies can now raise $5 million via equity crowdfunding. As tech stocks rally, bring on the IPOs — The Exchange has heard whispers that the late-November/early-December period could be active for new filings. (Reminder: Extra Crunch is our membership program, which aims to democratize information about startups. You can sign up here.) Everything else CA ballot measure that keeps gig workers as independent contractors is projected to pass — Uber, Lyft, Instacart and DoorDash (the major backers of California’s Proposition 22) are getting their way. Cannabis legalization measures set to pass in five states — Cannabis legalization was on five state ballots yesterday and ran the table. Massachusetts voters pass a right-to-repair measure, giving them unprecedented access to their car data — Under the measure, once a person buys a vehicle, they own all of its data. The Daily Crunch is TechCrunch’s roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If you’d like to get this delivered to your inbox every day at around 3pm Pacific, you can subscribe here. Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com November 4, 2020 at 05:46PM
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Nervous? Here, watch Philadelphia count votes on a live stream — that should help https://ift.tt/3eqqmqD No matter whom you support for President, it’s a nerve-wracking morning as many states come down to mere tens of thousands of votes. And perhaps no state looms larger than Pennsylvania, where a larger number of votes are yet to be counted. But if you are currently torturing yourself by reading an endless stream of tweets that do little other than spike your anxiety, TechCrunch has some balm for you this morning. Behold, a live stream of democracy in action. Here are votes being tallied in Philadelphia, courtesy of Philadelphia City Commissioners: See how un-Twitter-like it is? It’s calm, patient, and results-oriented. The above video is what you write on your yearly self-assessment. It’s the inverse of social media. In more serious terms, a few states live-streamed parts of the counting process, perhaps to bolster confidence in the system. Jefferson County, Kentucky, as Quartz noted did some streaming. Arizona requires live video recordings of vote counting according to the Copper Courier, and King County in Washington still has its streams up, despite little action. Democracy: Now even more live than before.
Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com November 4, 2020 at 05:16PM How Covid-19 Is Effecting Business Professionals https://ift.tt/2Gshlko Obviously, when COVID-19 hit, the world changed forever. As more and more Poles are torn as to what to do with their professional careers, it becomes clear that coronavirus really changed the professional industries forever. Many companies had to lay off thousands of employees due to the economic shutdown. For some, like Diego Ruiz Duran, are managing during COVID-19 by trying to remain as positive as possible. Business professionals have never had a tougher time remaining calm during such a crisis. The business world has changed forever given that people are now working from home. Being given almost no notice if one lost their job or would be continuing work from home has devastated people. It’s challenging for some and their mental health to maintain a positive outlook when they feel like they are lost. The media has done an excellent job and showing the true effect COVID-19 has had. Many economists and financial professionals have had to demonstrate their work from home which has been challenging since they are usually in a high-paced environment. Meetings are being completed online, and there is much less person to person interaction. For some, this is the best possible outcome. Many prefer working from home because it is easier to concrete and they appraise the time spent with families to a greater extent. However, there are those who struggle with this idea. Many professors can’t reach students on the same intellectual level as they once could. Office hours are not as lucrative as they were and students are struggling to stay concentrated in class. With the internet being such a vast place examinations are open notes, people can be dishonest on papers or tests. That eventually ripples into the professional world because these students will not have the highest value of education achievable. Passing a class does not have the same ethical value as it once did. This affects what students retain in the future thus, affecting the business and professional field in the future. Future doctors will have to learn how to complete surgeries online which is highly unrealistic and might not have the same value as in-person training. SO many business professionals worry about the future of the youth and how the world will cope with these upcoming generations. COVID-19 has to end for any of this to go back to normal. Nevertheless, the more people try to regular their days the better chance they will have at feeling as if activities are back to normal. Scheduling a day hour by hour may be the best way to maintain any normality. Giving oneself tasks to complete by a certain hour can eliminate any distractions or procrastination. Diego Ruiz Duran knows it’s hard to find positivity during this time, but it’s not impossible. Remember to stay safe and join workshops run by professionals online to see if there is anything further one can do to enhance their career. The post How Covid-19 Is Effecting Business Professionals appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog November 4, 2020 at 02:41PM |
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