How To Make a QR Code
In this tech insight, we look at QR codes, the many different methods to generate them, the benefits of doing so, and the future for QR codes as the successor to barcodes.
What Is A QR code?
A QR (Quick Response) code, first designed…
Even After Opting Out, Your Data May Still Be Shared
A recent US research paper entitled “Opted Out, Yet Tracked: Are Regulations Enough to Protect Your Privacy?” highlights how, in many cases, user data is still being collected, processed, and shared, even when users opt out through…
Spotting Fake Reviews And Dubious Ratings On Amazon
Following Amazon suing the admins of more than 10,000 Facebook groups over an alleged co-ordinated fake reviews campaign, we look at how to spot fake reviews and dubious ratings on Amazon.
Why Use Fake Reviews?
On the site of…
Tracking What Happens To Attachments After They’re Sent
In this article, we look at how there are several risks and challenges associated with sending email attachments, how businesses can track emails, and about a new product that could allow greater visibility and control of what happens to email…
Digital Markets Act Could Protect Whistleblowers
The EU’s adoption of a proposal on the Digital Markets Act (DMA) on Tuesday not only offers the potential to help tackle the market dominance of big tech businesses but could also protect whistleblowers.
What Is The Digital Markets Act?
Currently…
Monetising Movement (Your Geo-Data)
In this feature, we take a look at how a multi-billion-dollar market obtains, uses, and sells our location data.
Report
A GVR report estimates that the global location intelligence market was worth USD 12.2 billion in 2020. This market…
QR Codes … A Security Risk?
In this tech-insight, we take a look at what QR codes are used for, review some well-known security risks, and outline what action you can take to protect yourself from malicious QR codes.
Quick Response (QR) Codes
A QR code is a machine-readable…
Google Risks Lawsuit Over Market Monopoly
It has been reported that the Justice Department (DOJ) may soon issue a second monopoly lawsuit against Alphabet Inc (Google) over its giant’s digital advertising business.
Other Lawsuit
Back in July, Google was issued with an antitrust…
Apps & Zaps – Ideas For Automating Your Business
In this article, we look at how Zapier and other alternatives can be used to link apps together and create automated workflows that can carry out daily/weekly marketing tasks for you in the background while you get on with running your business.
Zapier
Zapier…
Why Food Delivery App Orders Can Cost Up To 44 Percent More
An investigation by consumer champion ‘Which?’ has revealed that food ordered via delivery apps such as Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats can be considerably more expensive than dealing directly with the food outlet.
Food Delivery Apps
Seven…
Image Optimisation
In this article we look at image optimisation, the different types of compression and image files, and how files different file formats can be compared and best used.
Vectors or Bitmaps?
Raw, digital image files start as either vectors…
Tech News : New Amazon AI Tool Monitors Your Business KPIs
In a move to provide more business intelligence, Amazon is launching a new tool that monitors key performance indicators (KPIs) to detect ‘anomalies’ so it can alert the business to potential problems.
Lookout For Metrics
‘Lookout…
Desktop Screen Recording Software
Recording your screen can be useful for training, marketing and communications and there are many different free and paid-for services available for recording desktop activity. This article takes a brief look at several different examples.
Recording…
Amazon Review Fraud
An FT investigation appears to have uncovered an estimated 20,000 Amazon reviews where the reviewers were suspected of being paid to give a five-star rating.
Reviews
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK estimates that…
Make Your Own Adverts With YouTube’s Free Video Builder Tool
YouTube has launched YouTube Video Builder, a free tool that enables businesses to easily make short video adverts.
Easy To Use
The new free (beta) Video Builder tool enables users to create video animations from static elements such…
Googlemail’s Tracking of Your Purchase History
CNBC research has highlighted how Googlemail creates a (difficult to delete) page of your purchase history by tracking your purchase receipt emails, and perhaps details stored in locations other than the inbox.
Not Obvious
Back in May,…
Ad-Free Firefox Browser Service For $4.99 Per Month
Mozilla looks likely to be entering the premium browsing market later this year by offering a subscription based (advert-free) browsing experience of selected journalism websites and other value-adding features via a special version of Firefox.
What’s…
Emails To Become More Dynamic With Google’s AMP For Email
Google has launched ‘AMP For Email’ which will make emails more dynamic and more like web page experiences as interaction can take place within the email itself rather than including links that send recipients to a web page for the interaction.
Announced…
Microsoft And Adobe Team Up To Fight Salesforce
Microsoft and Adobe are teaming up to make it easier for users of Adobe’s marketing software to find and target potential customers for business goods on Microsoft’s LinkedIn, thereby fighting their common competitor Salesforce.com Inc.
What…
Kellogg’s Uses Virtual Reality To Sell More Cornflakes
Breakfast cereal manufacturer Kellogg's has been working with third-party VR companies
to help it determine the best way to display its new products in stores.
Who?
Kellogg's is reported to have
been working on a pilot scheme with Accenture…
ROI Index Shows That Facebook & Google Offer Best Value For Mobile Advertisers
Marketing report company Singular has produced an ROI index for mobile advertising, based on its own research which shows that Facebook and Google appear to offer the best value for mobile advertisers.
The Research
Singular sampled over…
£15K Fine For Ignoring Data Access Requests
SCL Elections, the parent company of the now defunct Cambridge Analytica which was famously involved in the Facebook profile harvesting scandal, has been fined £15,000 for failing to respond to a data access request from a US citizen, and for…
New Hashtags Feature For Google Maps
Google has begun the global rollout of its new ‘hashtags’ feature in Google Maps, which allows users to add hashtags to the end of the reviews they write, thereby helping others to find local attractions and businesses.
How It Works
When…
Which? Survey Reveals Best & Worst Online Retailers
The results of a new survey by consumer watchdog ‘Which?’ has revealed the UK’s best and worst online retailers, according to the experiences of 10,000 Which? members over 6 months.
Homebase, Red Face…In a Bad Place
Unfortunately for…
EU’s Web Copyright Directive Could Spell Trouble
A vote in January on contentious new EU copyright laws could negatively impact tech platforms and all online publishers, create risky legal grey areas for many businesses, stifle freedom of expression, and lead to more surveillance and control.
What…
Effective web design is essential for small businesses
For the smaller/medium sized business remaining competitive and investing wisely to grow your business can be a challenge. 71% of businesses and 60% of consumers start with a web search before buying*. Effective web design can give you a great…