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If you are looking for a way, to introduce the different hardware components of a computer, you can use this video as a proper explanation about how a computer is built up and what are the most important components.

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Computer Hardware & Software Lesson Part 1

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Once you introduced the topic, you might want to dive deeper into the question of how to set up a network. This link supplies a beginners guide of how to install a network and also includes an explanatory video. It can be used as the base to set up a project work for the employees the results in the installation of an internal network.

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Today almost every home and small office has a local network, and an Internet connection.

The home network or small office network enables multiple devices e.g. PCs,tablets etc to connect to each other, and also to connect to the internet.

In this tutorial you will learn how you to build and setup a home or small office network and connect it to the Internet.
Quick Links
Choosing a Wired or Wireless Network

Do You Build a wired or Wireless Network?

Early (pre 2008) home networks were predominately wired networks.

Wired networks use Ethernet over UTP cable and tend to be faster than wireless networks, which is an important consideration if you are a gamer. The simple wired home network diagram below shows a minimum setup with a switch and broadband router.

Wired Network Advantages

Fast typically 100 Mbps to 10 Gbps

Secure and reliable.

Wired Network Dis-Advantages

Doesn't work with devices that don't have an Ethernet port e.g. tablets and smart phones.

Not so easy and fast to setup as it requires running cables. However Homeplug or powerline adapters can be used instead.

Not so easy for visitors and mobile devices (laptops) to connect to.

Main Uses

Used for network backbone i.e. connecting between router,network switches and wireless access points on different levels (floors).

Home Wireless Networks

Wireless networks use Wi-Fi. and are quick and easy to install, but are generally slower than wired networks. See Wi-Fi and Wireless networks for more details.

Wireless Network Advantages

Easy to setup from an end user perspective.

Allows easy access to smart phones, Tablets and mobile devices.

No cables to run.

Wireless Network Dis-Advantages

Not as Secure as wired networks without proper configuration. and easy to setup insecurely.

Not so as fast as wired networks.

Not as reliable as wired networks.

Main Uses

Connecting peripheral devices like computers,smart phone,tablets etc.

Most home networks will use a mixture of wired and wireless.

Setting up a Home Network -Components and Structure

Today however most home and small home office networks will use a wireless network or mixed network, as most people use Smart phones, and tablets which don't have Ethernet support.

The main components required to build a typical home/small office network are:

Router or Wireless router - Connects the network to the Internet.

Wireless Access Point - Used to Connect Wi-Fi equipped devices to the network.

Ethernet HUB or Switch -Used to Connect Ethernet equipped devices.

Cable cat 5, cat5e or cat 6 with RJ45 connectors.

Telephone Cable with RJ 10 connectors.

Broadband Filters.

The home network diagram below shows the structure of a typical small home network

For most home networks the Wireless Router or Hub which connects the network to the Internet will be the main component of the home or small office network, and in many cases the only component.

The Wireless router usually incorporates a Wireless access point,Ethernet switch, DSL modem and Router in a single box.

This short video shows how to use a Wireless Home Hub ( BT) or router to create a home network that is connected to the Internet.
Video Notes:
DSL Modem- converts digital signals into analogue signals that are suitable for sending over a telephone line. It is usually built into the Internet/broadband router and is not normally purchased as a separate component.

DSL/Broadband Filter- Used to filter out DSL signals from telephone signals so that you can access the internet and use the telephone simultaneously.

See How to Setup and Configure your Home Router

Wireless Router Location

The Wireless router will need to connect to the telephone line, cable or fibre network access point in your home.

Therefore most people locate the Wireless router near to the main telephone socket.

However you can usually change the location by using telephone extension cables or longer WAN cables.

Note: WAN cables use the same connectors (RJ45) and cables as Ethernet cables.

Because the Wireless Router provides the Wireless access point then you should place it in a central location, if possible, to get the best wireless reception.
Don't

Hide it in a cupboard

Install it behind the sofa

install next to motors,microwaves,cordless telephones

Testing Your Wireless Signal
The easiest way of testing you signal strength in various locations is to use the inSSIDer Wi-Fi checker which is an App that you can install on your Android Tablet or phone.

The general idea is to place the Wireless router in its preferred location and then move around the house with the inSSIDer Wi-Fi checker, and check the signal strength, and then adjust the location if necessary.

Extending Your Home Network

In large homes/offices it may not be possible to connect all devices directly to the Wireless router and so you will need to purchase additional networking components.

You can extend your home network by:

extending your Wi-Fi coverage by installing additional Wireless Access Points or a more powerful access point.

or you can extend the Wired network by running cables into other rooms

or using your power cables by installing home plug adapters. See How to extend a Home Network

Home Router Setup

To administer the router you access it via a web browser, and login using a username and password.

Before you allow devices to connect to your home network you should make some basic changes to the default setup parameters of your router.

The two important one are the SSID used to access the Router and the router admin password as the default username/passwords are well known, and published on the Internet.

See How to Setup and Configure your Home Router and Setting up a secure wi-fi home network.

Connecting Wi-Fi Devices

The standard way of connecting a Wi-fi device to a Wi-fi network is the connect to the network and enter the password when prompted.

However most modern Wi-Fi routers/hubs support a feature called WPS ( Wi-fi protected setup). Which usually involves pressing a button on the wi_fi router and a corresponding WPS connection button on the Device.

The devices then connect without requiring you to enter a password. See Wiki on WPS

Home Network IP Addresses

All of your devices will need an IP address.

This is provided automatically by a service called DHCP which, by default, is provided by the home router.

IP address provided by the DHCP server are known as dynamic address as they can change. You can also assign addresses manually, and these are known as static addresses.

Static Addresses are not normally assigned but are often required when using Port forwarding.

Additionally the addresses used on your home network are known as internal addresses.

When you connect to the Internet your device will use an external IP address. This address is the IP address of the router/hub. See Internal vs external IP addresses for a more detailed explanation.

Finding Your DNS, IP and MAC Addresses

You may need to find out what DNS servers you are using or the IP or MAC address of:

Your Home Router.

Your own computer/tablet/phone

The main tool you use is the ipconfig (windows) or ifconfig (linux) tool.

The screen shot below shows the ipconfig command use with the /all switch. i.e. ipconfig/all

Your home router is your gateway to the Internet. When viewing your configuration some devices refer to it as the default router whereas other use the term default gateway.

In the screen shot above it is 192.168.1.254

Firewall Configuration on Home Networks

A Firewall functions like a router, and generally what you use on small networks is firewall/NAT router combination in which a single device acts as a NAT router and firewall.

A firewall protects your home or small business network computers and devices from intruders on the Internet.

It effectively acts like a one way digital gate blocking access to your network from devices on the Internet, but at the same time allowing devices on your network to connect to devices on the Internet. (schematic diagram below)

For small home/office networks the firewall is built into, and is part of, the router that connects to the Internet.

Generally there is no configuration required as the default behaviour is only to allow connections from the local network to the Internet, and not from the Internet to the home network.

However if you do require devices on the Internet to connect into your network (often required by gamers) then you can configure port forwarding.

You may also want or need to use dynamic DNS- see What is Dynamic DNS ? and Why Use Dynamic DNS Services?

Checking Network and Internet Speeds

On any network the speed is restricted by the slowest component.

A computer with a Gigabit network card talking to a computer with a 100Mbit/s network card is restricted to 100Mbit/s.

Shared devices like switches and Wireless access points are network choke points just like traffic lights and roundabouts on a road.

LAN Speed test is a very useful tool for testing your local network speeds.

For Internet speeds you can use online speed test sites. See Understanding Internet speeds and speed tests.

Home Network and Internet Connection Problems

You will invariably have connection problems from time to time.

In my experience most problems are easily diagnosed and fixed with a little patience and perseverance.

Having a good understanding of how your network fits together, and works is essential for successful troubleshooting.

Questions?

If you have a home networking related question then just use the ask-steve page.

Home Networking Setup Quiz
Related Tutorials and Resources:

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How to Set Up a Home Network- Beginners Guide

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Today almost every home and small office has a local network, and an Internet connection. The home network or small office network enables multiple devices e.g. PCs,tablets etc to connect to each other, and also to connect to the internet.

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After having talked about the hardware of a computer, you can find here an informative video about the definition of basic computer software. The video is the sequel of the one you can find in chapter 4.1.

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Computer Hardware & Software Lesson Part 2

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To enter the subject of search engines, you might want to use this  link as an interactive, optical support  to talk about the historical development of search engines.

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Modern search engines are pretty incredible - complex algorithms enable search engines to take your search query and return results that are usually quite accurate, presenting you with valuable information nuggets amidst a vast information data mine.

Search engines have come a long way since their early prototypes, as our Internet Search Engines History infographic illustrates. From improvements in web crawlers and categorizing and indexing the web, to introducing new protocols such as robots.txt so that webmasters have control over what web pages get crawled, to the introduction of voice search, the development of search engines has been the culmination of multiple search technologies that developed from different search engines. Alta Vista was the first search engine to process natural language queries; Lycos started strong with a system categorizing relevance signals, matching keywords with prefixes and word proximity; and Ask Jeeves introduced the use of human editors to match actual user search queries.

How Do Search Engines Work?

First of all, let's ask what is a search engine? A search engine is a program that searches the web for sites based on your keyword search terms. The search engine takes your keyword and returns search engine results pages ( SERP), with a list of sites it deems relevant or connected to your searched keyword.

The goal for many sites is to appear in the first SERP for the most popular keywords related to their business. A site's keyword ranking is very important because the higher a site ranks in the SERP, the more people will see it.

SEO, or search engine optimization, is the method used to increase the likelihood of obtaining a first page ranking through techniques such as link building, SEO title tags, content optimization, meta description, and keyword research.

Google search engines and other major search engines like Bing and Yahoo use large, numerous computers in order to search through the large quantities of data across the web.

Web search engines catalog the world wide web by using a spider, or web crawler. These web-crawling robots were created for indexing content; they scan and assess the content on site pages and information archives across the web.

Algorithms and Determining the Best Search Engines

Different internet search engines use different algorithms for determining which web pages are the most relevant for a particular search engine keyword, and which web pages should appear at the top of the search engine results page.

Relevancy is the key for online search engines - users naturally prefer a search engine that will give them the best and most relevant results.

Search engines are often quite guarded with their search algorithms, since their unique algorithm is trying to generate the most relevant results. The best search engines, and often the most popular search engines as a result, are the ones that are the most relevant.

Search Engine History

Search engine history all started in 1990 with Archie, an FTP site hosting an index of downloadable directory listings. Search engines continued to be primitive directory listings, until search engines developed to crawling and indexing websites, eventually creating algorithms to optimize relevancy.

Yahoo started off as just a list of favorite websites, eventually growing large enough to become a searchable index directory. They actually had their search services outsourced until 2002, when they started to really work on their search engine.

History of Google Search Engine

Google's unique and improving algorithm has made it one of the most popular search engines of all time. Other search engines continue to have a difficult time matching the relevancy algorithm Google has created by examining a number of factors such as social media, inbound links, fresh content, etc.

As evidenced by the above infographic, Google appeared on the search engine scene in 1996. Google was unique because it ranked pages according to citation notation, in which a mention of one site on a different website became a vote in that site's favor.

Google also began judging sites by authority. A website's authority, or trustworthiness, was determined by how many other websites were linking to it, and how reliable those outside linking sites were.

Google search history can be witnessed by taking a look at Google's homepage progressions over the years. It's remarkable to see how basic and primitive the now most popular search engine once was.

Google Search Engine History: Looking In To the Past

A picture of the original 1997 Google search engine homepage, back when Google was part of stanford.edu.

Google search engine homepage in 2005

Google's current look.

List of Alternative Search Engines

While Google is widely regarded as the most popular search engine, there are also a number of alternative search engines one can use.

Different search engines exist for unique needs. For example, you may want a search engine to help you search for blogs specifically, or perhaps you want search engines for kids that only return sites appropriate for children.

Here is a list of search engines that cater to particular interests:

These free search engines enable you to easily find information that caters to your unique needs.

Deep Web Search Engines

In addition to standard search engines, there are deep web search engines as well.

The deep web refers to areas of the internet that are not susceptible to normal indexing, and so can't easily be found and indexed by crawlers. These alternative search engines specialize in this not-easy-to-find data.

Yippy is a popular deep web search engine, especially useful for niches and obscure interests

Deep Dyve is a deep web search engine for scholarly articles and journals

Top 10 Search Engines

Below is our top 10 internet search engines list. While deciding which is the "best" search engine depends on your unique wants and needs, below is a list of popular search engines, some more unique than others.

Google - Offering everything from image searches, map searches, news searches, etc. With impressive keyword relevancy and a continuously improving search algorithm, it's easy to see why Google is still the reigning champ.

Bing - The Microsoft powered search engine prides itself on being a "decision engine" by offering search suggestions on the side column and providing extra search options.

Yahoo - While Yahoo has been suffering as of late, it's still a classic and a popular search engine.

Ask - Clean layout and handy results grouping.

AOL Search - AOL continues to be used, primarily by people who still use AOL. They're out there somewhere.

DogPile - the once alternative to Google is getting a comeback and is a great alternative to bigger search engines.

Duck Duck Go - Doesn't track your search history and is avoids spammy sites.

The Internet Archive - This search engine lets users travel back in time to see how web pages looked in years gone by. A very fun search engine to play around with.

WordStream is a provider of PPC management software and SEO tools for continuously optimizing and expanding Internet marketing efforts, involving large numbers of keywords, such as long tail keywords and search engine keywords. WordStream provides a scalable, private, online keyword workbench-which includes a keyword analyzer and a keyword suggestion tool-to conduct keyword analysis, and turn your research into action. WordStream also provides a FREE keyword tool, which is faster, more accurate and gives you thousands more keyword suggestions than the Google AdWords Keyword Tool for both SEO and PPC marketing.

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Modern search engines are pretty incredible - complex algorithms enable search engines to take your search query and return results that are usually quite accurate, presenting you with valuable information nuggets amidst a vast information data mine. Search engines have come a long way since their early prototypes, as our Internet Search Engines History infographic illustrates.

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Online Courses about Digital Competences #1

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Online Courses about Digital Competences #1

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The following link gives access to free online courses for digital skills and literacy, prvided by Microsoft. You might want to motivate your students to participate in one of the courses (or even participate yourself)

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Digital Literacy Standard Curriculum Version 4

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Digital Literacy Version 4 teaches generic ICT skills and concepts, using Windows 8 and Microsoft Office 2013 to illustrate and provide hands-on examples.

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Online Courses about digital Competences #2

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Online Courses about digital Competences #2

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This is another link that gives access to free online Courses from for digital skills and literacy, provided by futurelearn. You might want to motivate your students to participate in one of the courses (or even participate yourself)

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Free digital skills courses for all levels

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Want to get ahead with digital? Explore these free courses today!

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As an introduction, you might find this video interesting that explains in a rather simple way, how cloud storage systems work and what differences exist.

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For a more detailed explanation, this Video gives another overview of the topic

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Cloud Computing Tutorial for Beginners | Cloud Computing Explained | Cloud Computing | Simplilearn

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This article about different companies that have a successful social media presence might serve you as a starting point for some discussion about how your company's online presence can be developed.

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Social Media Marketing | Social Media Examiner

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Amy Porterfield / /

Is your business experiencing the social media success you had hoped for? Are you curious what successful companies are actually doing to gain social media success?

You've come to the right place. This article highlights nine companies (big and small) that have transformed their online presence by implementing innovative social media marketing.

You're sure to find inspiration for your social media efforts here.

Look at the tactics these companies employ and don't concentrate too much on the target audience. It doesn't matter whom you're targeting-these tactics will work for just about any business... so let's dive in!

#1: Martell Home Builders

Martell Home Builders is an Atlantic Canadian custom homebuilder. In the past, Martell relied heavily on realtors to keep their business moving forward. However, once they embraced social media, they were able to create a direct-to-consumer model where they were no longer reliant on a middleman to bring them business.

Martell started a content creation and blogging strategy to focus on their homebuyers' needs. With topics such as " 14 Must-Have Tools for New Homeowners" and " Home Staging Tips & Techniques," Martell was able to grab the attention of homebuyers. Today, about 86% of all their leads come directly from consumers.

Notice in the image below the placement of their email capture box as well as their social media channel buttons. Prime placement of both components (above the fold and in the right sidebar) is the key to grabbing attention and encouraging interaction.

Note: Studies show that more people subscribe to blogs by email than RSS feed readers. Martell's call to action-"Get the blog sent to your inbox. Enter your email"-is a smart move to capture leads while promising value in the form of new blog updates.

Martell also takes advantage of geolocation technology by mounting GPS tracking devices on their contractors' vehicles, making it easy for their customers to always know where their contractor is when on the job. This eases the customer's mind and allows Martell to extend even greater customer service.

With innovative strategies, Martell has made the homebuilding experience social. One great strategy is their use of photo galleries of the clients' homes being built. Not only can the homebuyer watch the progress in pictures, but also they can share their excitement with their family and friends on social networks. This is not only a great experience for their clients, but Martell is able to gain excellent social proof and even more visibility online via these photos as seen below.

Martell also uses the Facebook Like box, as seen below. This widget is dynamically updated; pulling content right from their Facebook page each time someone visits their site. The Like box is great social proof. It shows how many people have Liked your page and also shows faces of your Facebook fans.

The benefit of having this widget is that people can become your fan without leaving your company website. This encourages viewers to stay on your site longer and allows you to increase your fan base from your own website.

Tip: Think outside the box, like Martell did by allowing their clients to see where their contractors were at all times while on the job and by giving access to photos of their homes being built. By providing real-time, socially connected customer service, you're able to create even more trust with your clients.

#2: Zappos

Zappos is an online retailer that sells shoes, clothing and accessories. They're known for the enormous emphasis they put on creating real relationships with their fans and customers.

Notice their Facebook custom welcome tab below. Their catchy saying, "Let's be in a Like-Like relationship," shows they treat their potential fans as equals, solidifying their relationships even more.

One great strategy they've employed is to first ask for the Like and then ask their new fans to join their email list. Once you click their Like button, the custom tab changes and you then see the opportunity to sign up for their email list and interact with their products, as seen in the image below. By waiting until after the fan clicks the Like button, Zappos is proving they care about building relationships with their fans first.

In addition, Zappos uses a strategy often called "fans-only content" where they reveal content only after someone has become a fan, such as the fashion images in the illustration above. Once you click the Like button, you get instant access to exclusive content, videos and special promotions.

They've also included comment widgets, as seen below, on their custom welcome tab where you can post about their products and your comments will post to your profile or page, telling all your friends or fans what you like most about Zappos. Great social proof!

One of the best engagement strategies I've seen on Facebook is Zappos' "Fan of the Week" contest. They encourage fans to send in their photos with the Zappos box and other fans get to vote on the best photo of the week. What's great is that Zappos highlights the fan of the week by putting him or her in their wall image photo for all to see. As seen below, this is definitely about putting your customers first!

Tip: Brainstorm ways you can use social media to make your fans the stars. The more you spotlight your fans and followers on your social media channels, the more often they'll engage with you and come back for more. Remember, you don't have to be a billion-dollar company to model what Zappos is doing on their Facebook page. You can take their best strategies, tweak them to fit your unique needs and make them work for your business.

#3: Giantnerd

Giantnerd is a company that sells outdoor equipment for outdoor activities like hiking, biking and snowboarding. This company represents one of the best examples of social media integration seen online today. Their emphasis is on giving their customers the most value possible while becoming friends with them in the process.

As seen in the images below, Giantnerd has integrated social media into almost every aspect of their website. They've created a social network on their site that's completely different from other social networks like Facebook or Twitter. Their one-click process to join their network makes it easy and fast to join the group and they incentivize new membership by offering a discount to all new members with their "Nerds save 5%" promotion.

Also, Giantnerd has incorporated the Like button on their site and they promise their fans exclusive deals and promotions when they click Like and join their Facebook community. Since adding the Like button, their average order has increased by 50%! That's a pretty impressive social media ROI, to say the least!

Also, when potential customers are researching products on the site, Giantnerd provides multiple social methods to get feedback from other social buyers. One example is their WikiNerdia, as seen below. Similar to Wikipedia, viewers can check out all of the different products, including descriptions and photos, and their customers can edit the information as well, making the experience interactive.

With WikiNerdia, potential customers can also ask product questions and the nerd community comes on board to answer the questions. What's genius about this is that they let their customers sell for them by giving them the tools to answer questions that potential customers post on the site. People tend to trust their friends and other consumers more than they trust the brand. Giantnerd benefits from their fan engagement by allowing customers to answer product questions for them, thus increasing brand trust for potential customers. Brilliant!

Tip: Let your customers be your salesforce. Think of multiple opportunities for your customers to tell others about you. Social sharing buttons, exclusive social communities and real-time engagement opportunities are all great ways to turn your existing customers into word-of-mouth advocates.

#4: Ford Motor Company

Ford has brought the social experience to the forefront of their marketing efforts.

Each time they add a new blog post, they pull in the image, headline of the post and the comments from readers onto the front page of their website. Those new to the site or those browsing for a new car get to experience the company and its culture from a social viewpoint right from the start.

Their blog, The Ford Story, is also unique. In the image below you can see their innovative layout where viewers can start reading the comments before they read the article, putting their fans' and followers' viewpoints first. Introducing your blog and your readers' comments to new viewers sets a welcoming and friendly first impression for any company.

Notice the placement of the Stories button in the image below. Ford takes the social sharing component to the next level by not only asking their customers for their Ford stories, but also asking their community to share ideas that are in popular categories like Safety or Personalization.

Ford uses this as a way to get new ideas for their next generation of cars. These ideas are not taken lightly; Ford has used many of these innovations to advance the technology of their cars. They do a great job of involving their fans and customers into their company growth.

Also, photos are always a great way to attract new viewers and draw in existing audiences. In the image below Ford has added a Flickr widget to show off some of their latest photos, making their site more interactive and fun. (One little-known fact is that Flickr is a fantastic tool for search engine optimization. When you load your photos onto Flickr, you can tag them and optimize the descriptions.)

Tip: Encourage your customers to share their stories and ideas and make it easy to do so on your site. Also, make it easy for readers to interact with and share your content by adding more opportunities to comment on your blog and sharing buttons to encourage social sharing.

#5: Convince & Convert

Convince & Convert is a social media strategy firm with clients across North America. Its founder, Jay Baer, is a social media expert and co-author of the new book titled The Now Revolution.

To say the least, Jay knows a thing or two about making a website social. One smart strategy he uses is placing a link to all of his comments at the top of each blog post. This tactic is a smart social proof mechanism.

Most people only show their comments when you're on the abstract of the blog post. However, when you showcase your comment numbers near the top of all posts, others can see how many readers before them have interacted with your post, making it more appealing to them and more likely they too will follow suit and read the post.

Jay also includes social share buttons in strategic locations on his site. He includes them at the top of each post (as seen in the image above) and he includes them at the end of each post as seen below. To get more people to share your content, provide more opportunities via social share buttons in numerous places throughout your site.

Since Jay is targeting businesses, he knows his audience is likely connecting differently than the masses when it comes to networking. He found that by adding the LinkedIn Share button to his site, he was able to dramatically increase the amount of traffic to his site from LinkedIn. In the image above you can see that for Jay, this button outperforms the Facebook Share button because his community is actively engaged on LinkedIn. It's important to understand where your audience is spending time.

Tip: Give your readers every opportunity to share your content with their networks. Expert marketer Brian Solis calls this "an audience with an audience of audiences." If you want to expand your message, make it as simple as possible for your readers to share with their audiences.

#6: Cree

Cree is a business-to-business company that sells energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, industrial LED lighting. When you think of social media marketing, you wouldn't think that an industrial lighting company that sells LEDs to grocery stores would be shining; however, Cree is extremely social-savvy.

As you can see in the image below, Cree knows how to make their customers' experiences fun, social and interactive. In their "Cries for Help" section, they encourage companies to showcase their terrible lighting on their site. It's a fun way to make light (no pun intended!) of their bad lighting situations in their offices.

In addition, Cree provides valuable content to pique their audience's attention. With articles such as "What happens if a baby holds a Cree light bulb?", they're able to speak to their audience in a way that grabs their attention and gets them involved. Great content is the key to a happy audience.

Also, Cree knows the value of social proof. When you become part of their environmental movement, you get to display a badge on your site that says, "Take the pledge. I joined the LED lighting revolution." This is a great way to build community with your audience and get great viral exposure for your company.

In this image you can see they also do a great job of including their social media channel buttons on their site. When you see the Facebook Like box and their Twitter and YouTube buttons, it's easy to see that Cree is truly changing the way B2B does business today.

Tip: Remember that you're not selling to other businesses or to "consumers," but instead you're always selling to real people whose buying decisions are driven by emotion. Speak to that emotional side, as Cree has done by infusing the hot buttons of bad lighting in the workplace and people's passion for environmentally friendly products. Find your cause and use it in your messages and share it on your channels.

#7: Emmy's Closet

Emmy's Closet is an online store that sells accessories for children. They're a great example of infusing social media with ecommerce.

Emmy's Closet is an extension of the popular arts and crafts ecommerce site, Etsy.com. On the site they use an application created by Etsy that allows you to browse and purchase directly through Facebook (see the image below).

They've also included social share buttons so fans can share their favorite items on their Facebook profile with their friends and their friends can then click through and buy products via Etsy as well. The share buttons create a viral buying experience. In the image below, you can see how easy it is to share favorite items with your Facebook audience.

Emmy's Closet knows that Facebook commerce is on the rise. With over 500 million people on Facebook, it makes sense that many of them like to conduct their entire shopping experience on Facebook, including the actual purchase.

Emmy's Closet also does a great job of branding their company to their social experience. Notice in the images below, they've created social buttons to reflect their brand, thus personalizing the social experience.

Tip: Experiment with ecommerce and product sharing apps on Facebook. For a great article on Facebook apps, check out the Top 75 Apps for Enhancing Your Facebook Page.

#8: San Chez Bistro

San Chez Bistro is a tapas bistro and restaurant in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Just like Martell Home Builders, they've taken social media and infused it with the needs and preferences of their local audience. San Chez encourages their patrons to use Twitter to reserve a seat at their restaurant. They call it "Tweet-Ahead Seating" and it's a great use of social media local marketing. Once you tweet your interest in a reservation, the online hostess tweets you back with a message similar to this: "Great, you're on the list. See you in a little while."

With the number of smartphones on the rise, San Chez knows they can reach even more potential customers if they make access to their restaurant easy and quick. By combining smartphone capabilities, social media and local marketing, they were able to create an extremely successful marketing campaign online.

In addition, San Chez Bistro utilizes Foursquare to gain even greater viral visibility. Foursquare, one of the top location-based services out there today, allows people to check in with their mobile devices and let all their friends know where they're currently spending time. It's fun for the fan and powerful exposure for the physical business.

Notice below how San Chez Bistro has customized their Foursquare page, making it easy for patrons to see the incentive for checking in.

Tip: If you're a local business, consider customizing your Foursquare page and adding an incentive for social media check-ins. It's great exposure for you and makes your patrons' experience in your establishment more fun and interactive.

#9: Cranium

Cranium, a game by Hasbro, takes board games to the next level by including fun activities like drawing, singing, acting and trivia questions.

To make their experience more social, Cranium does a great job of using content from the game to engage with their fans. They often post factoids that can be found in their game, such as the one about Einstein's theory below. They know their audience well and therefore know that these fun factoids will attract them.

Also, Cranium has brought the experience of playing their game to their social networks. They've developed an app that encourages fun via fan engagement. For example, as seen in the image below, the app asks fans "Which one of these characters are you? Take our little quiz" and fans interact with the app and then are told which character best fits their personality.

Cranium is also clever with their use of video. Again, in the spirit of bringing the experience of playing their game to their social channels, they use video to get their fans to play along. For example, in the video they have someone humming a song, and you have to guess what song she's humming. It's put together in a way to make the experience interactive and fun.

In the image above you can see that the use of video on your Facebook page is smart because when you upload your video, you get an embed code. You can take that embed code and place the video on your website, your blog or anywhere outside of Facebook. When you do this, the Facebook video automatically brings the Like button with it. Therefore, if somebody's surfing the web, they find your video and they're not yet a fan, they can become a fan of your Facebook page right from the video just by clicking that Like button.

Also, if somebody shares your video on their Facebook page and a bunch of their friends see it, they too can become a fan of your page while they're watching the video, without actually leaving the video. This is a great way to virally grow your Facebook fan base.

Tip: Create experiences on your social channels. How can you tailor your programs or product experiences to get your fans engaged and interested? Think of ways to spread your message by getting people to interact with you in fun and interesting ways via great content, apps, videos and quizzes.

Want to Learn More About Social Media for Business?

If you're not fully leveraging the power of social media, don't worry. You're not alone.

There's one easy way to take your social media efforts to the next level. By attending the web's largest online blogging conference, Social Media Success Summit 2011 you'll become empowered to use social media to gain more exposure, better engage customers and grow your business.

The great part is you'll be learning from 22 blogging experts. Join Jeremiah Owyang (Altimeter Group), Guy Kawasaki (author, Brian Solis (author, Engage), Frank Eliason (Citigroup), Mari Smith (co-author, Facebook Marketing), Erik Qualman (author, Socialnomics), Michael Stelzner (founder, Social Media Examiner), Dan Zarrella (author, The Social Media Marketing Book), Andy Sernovitz (author, Word of Mouth Marketing), David Meerman Scott (author, Real-Time Marketing & PR) and experts from Enchantment), Verizon, Boeing, Timex, Intel, and Cisco as they reveal proven social media tactics at Social Media Success Summit 2011.

Check out this video from Michael Stelzner

It's the web's largest online social media conference. Click here SAVE 50% (expires Thur. April 14th) or for a free sample and to learn more.

Now it's your turn. Did you see some great ideas and tactics that might change your social media strategy? Leave your comments in the box below.

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9 Companies Doing Social Media Right and Why

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Is your business experiencing the social media success you had hoped for? Are you curious what successful companies are actually doing to gain social media success? You've come to the right place. This article highlights nine companies (big and small) that have transformed their online presence by implementing innovative social media marketing.

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After having entered the subject of storage devices, the information given on this website about cloud storage systems could be used as a base for some discussion about the pros and cons of different systems

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Storing your files in the cloud has many advantages. You can view your files from any phone, tablet or computer that's connected to the Internet, and the cloud can also provide backup for files so they'll never disappear if your phone gets lost or your computer crashes. Using the cloud is a no-brainer, but picking which service to use is a bit more difficult.

For that reason, I've compiled a guide to the most popular cloud storage services, covering how they work and their strengths and weaknesses. I've also highlighted some lesser-known options if you want to get away from the mainstream.

Editors' note, March 25, 2016: This guide originally include cloud storage service Copy, but we've removed it because it is shutting down on May 1, 2016.

Cloud storage comparison

*There is no file size limit with desktop apps.

**In early 2016, Microsoft will change its free storage from 15GB to 5GB and offer a $2 per month for 50GB paid plan instead of its earlier offerings. It will also no longer let you earn free storage.

***Amazon Cloud Drive offers limited free storage with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Before we get started, just a note about Apple's iCloud Drive. I didn't include it here because the service is not available for Android and it's really meant to be used within the Apple ecosystem, meaning if you use Mac computers and iOS devices together. If you do use mostly Apple products, it's a solid choice for cloud storage. For a full run-down of its features, pricing and availability, check out CNET's guide to Apple iCloud Drive.

OneDrive

First up is OneDrive, Microsoft's storage option. Those who use Windows 8 and 10 have OneDrive built into their operating system, where it shows up in the file explorer next to all of the files on your computer's hard drive. However, anyone can use it on the Web, by downloading a desktop app for Mac and earlier versions of Windows, or the OneDrive Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Xbox apps.

You can store any kind of file in the service, including photos, video and documents, and then access them from any of your Windows PCs or mobile devices. The service organizes your files by type for you, so it's easy to find what you need.

The Android, iOS and Windows Phone apps all have automatic photo uploads, meaning that when you shoot a photo with your phone, it's automatically saved to your account. OneDrive's biggest strength is that it works closely with Microsoft Office apps, such as Word or PowerPoint, so when you launch one of those applications you'll see a list of recent documents saved to OneDrive. If you have an Office 365 subscription and open a document saved in OneDrive, you can collaborate on it in real time with other people. You'll even be able to see the changes they make as they make them.

Microsoft is hoping that OneDrive will be the place where you store your photos, and the company is working on technology that will eventually sort all of the photos you take based on how important and meaningful they are. For instance, if you take a photo of your kids, a picture of a special meal and a shot of your parking space so you can find your car later, OneDrive would be able to understand the importance of each picture, save the ones it thinks are the most useful, and trash the rest. That's still big-picture stuff for OneDrive, but it gives you an idea of the direction Microsoft is moving in.

In late 2015, Microsoft made an announcement that it would no longer offer unlimited cloud storage to Office 365 subscribers. Instead, they are limited to 1TB. Additionally, beginning in early 2016, the 100GB and 200GB paid storage plans will be discontinued, replaced with a 50GB for $1.99 per month plan. You will no longer get extra space if you allow the OneDrive apps to automatically backup photos on your phone. Finally, anyone with a Microsoft account will only get 5GB of free storage, instead of 15GB. We will update this guide in 2016 when those changes are made.

Where it excels

Works seamlessly with Windows devices because it's built in to the Windows operating system.

It's easy to open and edit files from OneDrive in Microsoft's other applications, such as Word or Excel.

Signing up for OneDrive gets you a Microsoft account, which gives you access to Outlook, Xbox Live, and other Microsoft services.

Where it falls flat

OneDrive's automatic file organization doesn't always put files in the correct folders.

Best for: If you have a Windows PC, tablet and phone, and need to get to your files from any device with little effort.

Dropbox

Dropbox is a favorite in the cloud storage world because it's reliable, easy to use, and a breeze to set up. Your files live in the cloud and you can get to them at any time from Dropbox's website, desktop applications for Mac, Windows and Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora or compile your own), or the iOS, Android, BlackBerry and Kindle Fire mobile apps.

You can store any kind of file in Dropbox, by either uploading to the website or adding it with the desktop apps. Those apps live in your file system so that you can easily move files from your computer to the cloud and vice versa by dragging and dropping them into your Dropbox folder. The service automatically and quickly syncs your files across all of your devices, so you can access everything, everywhere. There is no size limit on files you upload to Dropbox with the desktop or mobile apps, but larger files can take several hours to upload, depending on your connection speed.

Dropbox gets a lot of praise for its clean design, and rightfully so. Though I am not a fan of Dropbox's website because the design is very basic and it doesn't give you many options to view and organize your files, its mobile apps and desktop apps are beautiful and easy to navigate.

Dropbox gives its users plenty of opportunities to get extra storage to beef up the paltry 2GB you get when you sign up. If you participate in the quick Getting Started tutorial, you get 250MB. Turn on the automatic photo upload feature on any of the mobile apps to get 3GB of extra space (you can get only 3GB total, not per device). You can earn 500MB for each friend you refer to Dropbox who actually signs up for the service, up to 16GB total, or 32 referrals.

Where it excels

Dropbox works equally well on PCs and Macs, Android and iOS.

The service is so simple and elegantly designed, that it's easy for anyone to master.

Its desktop applications seamlessly blend with your computer's file system.

Where it falls flat

Dropbox's website doesn't let you control how your files are displayed.

Best for: Simple sharing when you use tons of different kinds of devices.

Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff/CNET

Google Drive

Google combines a complete set of office tools with cloud storage in Drive. You get a little bit of everything with this service, including a word processor, spreadsheet application, and presentation builder, plus 15GB of free storage space.

If you already have a Google account, you can already access Google Drive. You just have to head to drive.google.com and enable the service. You get 15GB of storage for anything you upload to Drive, including photos, videos, documents, Photoshop files and more. However, you have to share that 15GB with your Gmail account, photos you upload to Google+, and any documents you create in Google Drive.

While you can access any of your files from the Drive Web site, you can also download the Drive desktop app for Mac and PC to manage your files from your computer. You can organize all of your files in the desktop app, and they'll sync with the cloud so you can get to them anywhere.

Drive is built into Google's Web-based operating system Chromium, so if you have a Chromebook, Google Drive is your best cloud storage option. Like other cloud storage services, Drive has apps for iOS and Android for viewing and managing your files from your phone.

Google Drive has the benefit of a built-in office suite, where you can edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, even if you created the document in another program. The service also a large collection of extras, such as third-party apps that can send faxes or sign documents.

Google also recently introduced Google Photos, an online photo locker, where you can organize photos into albums. Google Photos is built into Drive in a separate tab, but you're really better off going straight to googlephotos.com to see and organize photos. However, you don't need to download the Google Photos app on your phone or tablet to back pictures you take there. The Google Drive app can take care of that.

What I like most about Google Drive is that you can drag and drop files into the Drive Web site and they'll be uploaded automatically. You can also preview attachments from Gmail in Google Drive, and save those files to your cloud.

Where it excels

Google Drive requires very little setup if you already have a Google account.

If you use Gmail, it's easy to save attachments from your e-mail directly to Drive with just a few clicks.

The app can automatically back up your photos on its own, without the need for the separate Google Photos app.

Where it falls flat

If you use Google Drive's tools to create documents, spreadsheets or presentations, you must export those files to edit them in another program.

You have to share your storage space with Gmail, so if you're inbox is overflowing, you'll get less cloud storage space.

Best for: Google diehards, or anyone who wants a few office tools with their cloud storage.

Box

Anyone can sign up for a free individual account on Box, but the service's endless list of sharing and privacy features were built specifically for business and IT users. Beyond the basic cloud storage setup, where you can store just about any kind of file, Box lets you share files with colleagues, assign tasks, leave comments on someone's work, and get notifications when a file changes.

You can preview files from Box's website and even create basic text documents in Box. Like other cloud storage services, you can download a desktop app and sync your files between your hard drive and the cloud.

Box also gives you a lot of control over the privacy of your files. For example, you can decide who in your business can view and open specific folders and files, as well as who can edit and upload documents. You can even password-protect individual files and set expiration dates for shared folders.

Business users can also connect other apps, such as Salesforce and NetSuite, so that you can easily save documents to Box. There are also plug-ins for Microsoft Office and Adobe Lightroom that let you open and edit files saved to Box from those applications.

Where it excels

Box comes with tons of tools for businesses, including collaboration and file privacy control.

Where it falls flat

The service's endless list of sharing and privacy features can be lost on someone who's just using the service for personal storage.

Because of all those features, it can feel overwhelming to navigate the Box website if you're only trying to manage a few files and folders.

Best for: Teams of employees working together on projects, and large companies that need a place to securely share documents with everyone.

Amazon Cloud Drive

Amazon already sells you nearly anything under the sun, and it wants to be the place you store all of your music, photos, videos and other files too. Amazon Cloud Drive has been around for a few years, but the company introduced new storage plans in March 2015; one just for photos and one for all other kinds of files.

Neither plan is free, but both have three-month trials. Unlimited Photos is available for free for all Amazon Prime members or anyone with a Fire device. If you don't have a Prime subscription or a Fire phone or tablet, you'll need to pay $12 per month for the storage.

True to its name, Unlimited Photos gets you unlimited storage for your photos (GIF, JPEG, BMP, TIFF and so on) and 5GB of free storage for other file types, including videos, PDFs and documents.

Unlimited Everything gets you storage for an unlimited number of files of any type, for $60 per year. There is no limit for how many files you can upload, but each file needs to be under 2GB unless you use the Cloud Drive desktop apps.

The Cloud Drive desktop apps are available for PC and Mac, and let you upload or download files. However, unlike other cloud storage services, the Amazon Cloud Drive app doesn't let you view your files from a folder on your computer. You can upload individual files and download your entire library, but if you want to view them or make changes, you'll need to go to Amazon's website.

Amazon Cloud Drive has apps for iOS and with automatic upload so videos and photos you take with your phone get saved to the cloud right after you shoot them. The service is also baked into Amazon's Fire tablets and phone.

Where it excels

If you already have an Amazon account, you don't need to sign up for a new service, you can simply sign into Cloud Drive.

Where it falls flat

The desktop app doesn't work with your file system, you can only use it upload or download files.

You can only view and manage files from the Cloud Drive website, but you cannot upload files larger than 2GB there.

Best for: Anyone with an Amazon Fire tablet or Fire phone, because it's part of the operating system. Unlimited Photos is good for Amazon Prime members, because you get it for free as part of that subscription.

Extra cloud options

Of course, OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive and Box aren't your only options for cloud storage.

One is SugarSync, a Dropbox-like alternative with apps for every mobile platform. The catch is that after your 90-day free trial, where you can play around with 5GB of storage, you need to pay at $7.50 per month for 60GB to keep using the service (you can upgrade to more storage for extra money).

There's also Space Monkey , which has an entirely different take on cloud storage. For $200, you buy a 2-terabyte (TB) hard drive from the company. You get to use 1TB of the drive's space to store any and all of your files as a local backup. Your files also get encrypted and broken into bits that are sent to other Space Monkey users' hard drives, so that you can access your files from another computer or mobile device. That's where that extra 1TB of space on your drive comes in -- it's used to store bits of other people's files. The service is free for the first year, then costs $49 per year to keep storing your files in the cloud.

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OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive and Box: Which cloud storage service is right for you?

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If you're ready to take the plunge into storing your files, photos and more in the cloud but need help deciding which service is right for your needs and wallet, we've got you covered with our in-depth cloud storage comparison.

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With this Information about how to build up a favourable social media presence, you could even think about launching a project work to optimize your company's appearance in social media.

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If you're a brand today, there's a non-zero chance you're on social media in some way, shape or form.

But how many brands have an active, thriving social media presence?

And how much of them are just sort of there?

Reality check: you can't expect much from social when you post random links, @mention a few folks and call it a day.

You need some structure. You need a social media strategy.

After all, you don't reach the level of Wendy's on Twitter totally by accident.

Remember when you were like 7 and thought changing your name to Thunder BearSword would be super cool?
Like that, but our cheeseburgers are still better.

- Wendy's (@Wendys) June 11, 2018

And likewise, there's a reason why GoPro 's Instagram posts get hundreds of thousands of "likes."

And although some of these brands might have blockbuster budgets, the principles they use to create an awesome social presence can be replicated by businesses of all sizes.

Struggling for followers? Stuck on what to do with your social accounts? We've all been there.

That's why we've broken down the bite-sized tips any brand can follow to grow their social media presence right away.

Now, let's dive in!

1. Set SMART goals

Pop quiz: why are you on social media in the first place?

If your answer is a resounding "Uhh..." or "Because everyone else is on it, " you might have a problem.

The concept of SMART goals has been around for decades, but they are so important to your social media presence today.

In short, brands should set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

An example of a good SMART goal for social media marketing would be something like "We'll increase our Twitter response rate by 25% by the end of the first quarter."

Specific: "We've specifically identified the social channel (Twitter) and a metric (response rate)."

Measurable: "The response rate can be measured from the Sprout Social dashboard."

Achievable: "We didn't make an outlandish goal of say, a 100% increase in 10 days."

Relevant: "Our goal will have an impact on our overall social media presence, making it very relevant."

Time-bound: "The goal has to be met by the end of the first quarter."

Assigning your social media efforts a concrete purpose helps you avoid the trap of posting aimlessly.

Add Even More Context to Your Goals with Advanced Listening By Sprout

Your SMART goals likely have a content element, but do you have the right tools to stand out in the conversation?

With Sprout's Advanced Listening feature, connect your networks and set up topics to get a feel for what resonates most with social media audiences.

Learn more today by signing up for a free trial.

2. Identify your audience

After you've outlined your goals, you need to outline your target audience.

Pro-tip: "everyone" is not an audience.

Maybe it's prospective customers. Perhaps it's industry players and influencers. Either way, breaking down your audience will help you figure out the following:

Which social media sites you're active on

Your posting schedule

The type of content you publish

Your brand's voice

The information in your profiles

Many brands spin their wheels because they don't post content that speaks to a defined audience. Spend some time looking at your audience personas, understanding what their challenges are and what brands they already love via social. This sort of competitive analysis can help you understand how your own social media presence can stand out from the crowd.

3. Be human

This is a big one.

One of the worst mistakes to make on social media is coming off as the faceless corporation with zero personality. In the modern age of transparency, people want to get to know your company on a more personal level.

Many brands today crack jokes and aren't afraid to talk to their followers like they would their friends. Whereas brands were once lambasted for coming off like robots, a human social media presence has become an expectation among many followers.

Similarly, showing off the human side of your brand means showing off the faces behind your social feeds. Whether it's office photos or snapshots of your team "in the wild," getting personal with your followers can help you form a much-needed connection.

And hey, that leads us directly to our next point!

4. Seek relationships, not just followers

We can debate all day whether or not your follower count is a vanity metric.

That said, having 100 followers who regularly engage with you and your content are infinitely more valuable than 10,000 that ignore you.

It might be cliche to say, but don't leave the "social" out of your social media presence. The beauty of social is that you can form relationships in an instant with followers from just about anywhere.

For example, Sprout Social's own #SproutChat gives us the opportunity to regularly connect with our lovely followers who are likewise stoked to get in touch with us.

If you're not exactly sure where to start when it comes to relationship-building, here are some quick ideas:

Always @mention people you reference in your social media posts

Answer questions people ask

Reply when people @mention you or share your content

Don't just Retweet and Like other people's content; reply with a comment to start a conversation

5. Create an editorial calendar

Spoiler alert: sticking to a content schedule isn't just something "extra" that brands do.

If there's a common thread between the biggest brands on social, it's that they post on a consistent basis.

Chances are you're juggling multiple social channels and are trying to make sure you tick a lot of boxes in terms of descriptions and when to post, right? Consider how a content calendar can make the process much easier by...

Allowing you to fine-tune each of your posts for each platform without having to jump between sites.

Timing your posts to maximize engagement, keeping you from having to constantly post in real-time.

Avoid repeating the same content over and over again, ensuring each of your articles or pictures gets the most love possible.

In short, taking the time to make a schedule does double duty of keeping your social media presence organized while also maximizing your contents' reach.

6. Automate the right way

Automation is all the rage in marketing right now, and for good reason.

However, you can't expect to successfully put your social presence on autopilot and walk away.

For example, mass auto-replying has gone the way of the dinosaur as it typically comes across as insincere. This now-classic tweet from Bank of America is a good example of how to turn your social followers off via improper automation.

Fast-forward to present day and it's clear that customer care is a piece of social media that should be personalized, not automated.

That said, automation in the form of scheduling or curating content is totally fair game. Just avoid it when you're dealing with actual customers or followers' questions.

This is why brands rely on social tools to help curate pieces of content already approved by marketing leaders. Employee Advocacy by Sprout Social is, in fact, just that piece of software needed to turn your employees into brand advocates. Tap into your workforce to help build your presence!

7. Focus on helping over selling

Although social selling is indeed on the rise, rarely should your social media presence be about the "hard sell."

Sure, if you're in ecommerce it makes sense to push offers and deals to your followers. What's more important, though, is answering the questions of followers whether through replies or content marketing.

If your followers ask a question, you should respond in a timely manner.

And if your followers seem to be buzzing about a particular problem, you should craft content that speaks directly to it.

By offering solutions to problems instead of just pitching your products all the time, you're proving your company is an authority and potentially earning a lifelong customer.

8. Optimize your accounts for engagement

First thing's first: don't let the word "optimization" freak you out.

Unlike SEO, social media optimization isn't particularly technical. That said, profiles can be optimized through imagery, keywords and fully filling out your account information.

For example, brands can use their Instagram bio to link to promotions, advertise their hashtag and let their brand's voice be heard.

Similarly, a well-crafted Twitter profile with the right @mentions and HD imagery can signal your authority, helping you attract more followers.

And as noted in our guide for conducting a Facebook audit, a fully optimized page with complete business info can actually help your page rank better in Google.

Some quick ways to optimize your social media presence across your various accounts include:

Adding relevant keywords in your profile (hint: but not stuffing them)

Sharing content related to your industry-including keywords and hashtags in your posts

Connecting with popular accounts in your industry to additional exposure (hint: don't be afraid to follow others)

9. When in doubt, get visual

No matter where you're posting, photo and video content are totally killing it right now.

Instagram's image-based platform is exploding.

Facebook notes that Live videos get six times the engagement versus any other type of content.

And for those looking for more Twitter followers, graphics and videos get way more shares than text-based posts.

The good news is that getting visual doesn't mean you need any sort of insane equipment or a full-blown production budget. Instead, consider imagery such as:

Team photos or videos

Photos of customers

Photos of events

Behind-the-scenes photos and videos

Quote photos

Infographics

And with so many tools to create social images and videos already out there, it's easier than ever to get visual with your audience.

10. Make your presence known

If you've gone through the legwork of growing your social media presence, you need to let the world know.

From homepage feeds to icons on your site footer or email signature, anyone who comes in contact with your brand should only be a click away from becoming a long-term follower.

Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram feeds can all be easily integrated into your site with little more than a copy-paste code. Check out how Keds features customers to create a highly authentic lookbook on their site:

Cross-promotion on your website and through other social channels is a proactive way to grow your following over time.

11. Stay active

Inactive social feeds are a bad look for brands, plain and simple. Rather than let your Facebook or Instagram gather cobwebs, you need to "show up" day after day with fresh content.

Some quick tips to help you stay active include:

Incorporating social scheduling and automation to save time and energy.

Picking and prioritizing your social networks based on your audience location.

Finding ways to repurpose content so you'd not always trying to reinvent the wheel.

Staying active on social doesn't have to be a total time-suck. Through scheduling or simply blocking out 10-15 minute chunks throughout, you can post content and respond to customer concerns without wasting time. Also, you can try to base your activity around best times to post on social media to maximize engagement.

12. Piggyback on what's trending

Between breaking news, trending hashtags or whatever the latest meme might be, brands always have room to get topical with their content. This is a great opportunity not only to build off of buzz of an existing trend, but also show off your brand's personality.

For example, understanding the in's and out's of hashtags can help you brainstorm time-sensitive topics you can piggyback on. Of course, tread lightly with anything overtly controversial that could isolate your audience.

13. Don't be afraid to pay

Like it or not, social media at large isn't the totally "free" channel it once was. While there's still plenty that can be done organically, Facebook's updated algorithm and new business features being rolled out Instagram signal a clear need for businesses to experiment with ads.

It's not just ads that deserve your attention, though. Looking at the recent boom of influencer marketing, paid relationships among social movers and shakers is becoming more and more common.

The good news is that both social ads and influencer marketing can have an insane ROI. Between laser-targeting on Facebook or tapping into hyper-engaged influencer audiences, a paid strategy certainly has its time and place depending on your business' social goals.

14. Use tools to monitor your activity

When people complain about the lack of ROI they're seeing from social, there's a good chance they aren't taking social seriously.

Just like we're often knee-deep in Google Analytics data, marketers need to treat social with the same sort of scrutiny. There are tons of analytics tools out there to help you identify your top-performing content, performance trends and essential break down your social media presence by the numbers. These data points can help you treat social media less like a guessing game and more like a science.

15. Create content people actually want to see

If you want to stand out on social media, you can't just parrot the content everyone else is posting.

In short, you need to create.

Whether you're trying to build yourself up as a thought leader or want to stand apart from your competitors, original content is exactly how you're going to make it happen.

Perhaps it's your original blog posts, research or infographics.

Maybe it's an eye-popping snapshot you took during your last vacation.

Or hey, it might be an opinionated rant on the state of your industry.

Either way, you should strive to post content that forces your followers to stop in their tracks. There's a lot of noise out here on social media: make it a goal to break through it.

What does your business' social media presence look like?

Listen: there is no "secret" or turnkey solution for a better social media presence.

Instead, there are small tactics and strategies that can help you build toward social accounts that prime for engagement. The principles we've outlined are staples of brands killing it on social right now. If you can follow them yourself, you're already way ahead of the game.

If you're still trying to prioritize your next step to improving your social presence, try out our 30-day social media plan template.

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15 Tips to Building a Better Social Media Presence

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If you're a brand today, there's a non-zero chance you're on social media in some way, shape or form. But how many brands have an active, thriving social media presence? And how much of them are just sort of there?

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If you're thinking about doing a project or group work, you might find useful ideas in this to-do-list. It can be used for several topics in this module.

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Thing 1: Introduction Thing 2: Blogging Thing 3: Digital Footprint Thing 4: Digital Security Thing 5: Diversity Thing 6: Accessibility Thing 7: Twitter Thing 8: Facebook Thing 9: Google Hangouts/Collaborate Ultra Thing 10: Wikimedia Thing 11: Copyright Thing 12: Open Educational Resources Thing 13: Video (YouTube/Vimeo/MediaHopper) Thing 14: Audio (Podcasts/SoundCloud) Thing 15: Digital Curation Thing 16: OneNote/ClassNotebook Thing 17: Geolocation Tools Thing 18: Augmented & Virtual Reality Thing 19: Altmetrics Thing 20: LinkedIn / Academia.edu / ResearchGate Thing 21: Online Games & Learning Tools Thing 22: Fun and Play Thing 23: Reflection

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Start the subject with a short introductory comment about Content Management Systems and give an overview over exisiting Tools and possibilities.

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Content-Management-Systeme wie Joomla, Typo3 und Drupal, aber auch Blog-Software wie WordPress sind nicht nur für die Verwaltung großer Websites interessant, auch kleinere Webauftritte lassen sich damit zeitsparend verwalten und aktualisieren. Die PC-WELT stellt einige kostenlose Content-Management-Systeme für unterschiedliche Einsatzzwecke vor.

Die eigene Webseite ist für Unternehmen auch im Zeitalter von Facebook immer noch wichtig. Sei es zur Bewerbung der eigenen Produkte und Dienstleistungen oder um interessierten Kunden die Kontaktaufnahme zu ermöglichen. Privatpersonen wiederum können auf einer eigenen Webseite ihre Interessen, Hobbys oder ihre Familie präsentieren, ohne durch die Vorgaben von Facebook oder Instagram eingezwängt zu werden.

Vorteile eines CMS

Grundsätzlich können Sie eine Webseite mit HTML, CSS und gegebenenfalls noch mit Javascript, PHP und MySQL/SQLite von Hand coden. Und anschließend mit geeigneten Tools für die Google-Suche optimieren. Doch das geht nur bei sehr kleinen und einfach gehaltenen Webseiten mit vertretbarem Aufwand. Einfacher und schneller geht es dagegen mit einem Content-Management-System (CMS).

Vor der Installation eines CMS sollte sorgfältig abgewogen werden, ob das geplante CMS auch wirklich zu Ihrem Einsatzweck und zu Ihrer Unternehmenswebsite passt. Ein zu komplexes CMS, das nur mit erheblichem Einarbeitungsaufwand beherrschbar ist, macht für eine kleine Website ebenso wenig Sinn wie ein leicht erlernbares CMS, das aber angesichts der Feature-Erfordernisse und des Umfangs eines Webauftritts bald an seine Grenzen gerät und überfordert ist.

Der größte Vorteil eines Content-Management-Systems (CMS): Der Benutzer muss sich nicht mehr um Design, Layout und Technik kümmern, wenn das CMS einmal läuft. Sondern er gibt die Inhalte in einen WYSIWYG- oder einen Texteditor ein. Man kann sich stattdessen ganz auf die Inhalte konzentrieren: Konsequente Trennung von Layout und Inhalt ist also angesagt. Allerdings muss das CMS vor der ersten Benutzung erst einmal eingerichtet werden, was je nach Komplexität des gewählten CMS einiges an Know-How und Zeitaufwand erfordert. Content-Management-Systeme, die quelloffen und kostenlos sind, basieren in der Mehrzahl der Fälle auf einem PHP-MySQL-System (gegebenenfalls mit SQLite als Datenbank anstelle von MySQL), jedes größere CMS speichert nämlich seine Inhalte in einer Datenbank. Der Zugriff auf das CMS erfolgt dann in der Regel über den Webbrowser.

Die Zugriffsrechte lassen sich bei den meisten CMS für jeden Benutzer individuell einstellen. Damit ist gewährleistet, dass weniger erfahrene Nutzer oder Mitarbeiter, die nur gelegentlich Inhalte einpflegen müssen, weniger Rechte bekommen als erfahrene Mitarbeiter und Administratoren. Ein ebenfalls nicht unwichtiger Aspekt ist die Möglichkeit für Datenimporte - um einen fertigen Datenbestand aus einer anderen Quelle in die eigene Website schnell übernehmen zu können - und für Datenexporte zur Ausgabe in anderen Medien (zum Beispiel für die farbige Printbroschüre der Werbeabteilung).

Unterschiede bei der technischen Basis: PHP, Java, ASP.net

Eine umfangreiche Liste von quelloffenen und kostenlosen aber auch von proprietären und kostenpflichtigen Content-Management-Systemen finden Sie hier bei Wikipedia. Nehmen Sie sich ausreichend Zeit, um gründlich Ihr CMS auszuwählen. Berücksichtigen Sie dabei besonders Ihre bereits vorhandene IT-Infrastruktur und das Ihnen zur Verfügung stehende Administratoren- und Entwickler-Know-How. Falls Sie in Ihrem Unternehmen eine LAMP-Umgebung einsetzen, empfiehlt sich ein PHP/MySQL-basiertes CMS. Typische Vertreter hierfür sind Joomla, CMSimple, Drupal oder Typo3. Und die Blogging-Software Wordpress.

Haben Sie Zugriff auf Java-Entwickler, können Sie auch zu einem Java-basierten CMS greifen. Zum Beispiel zu OpenCms - es basiert nämlich auf Java und Java Server Pages. Die Explorer-Ansicht zeigt im Stil eines Datei-Managers die Bestandteile einer Website an. Dieses Content-Management-System empfiehlt sich für Umgebungen, die ohnehin schon auf Java setzen und wo Programmiererfahrung in Java vorhanden ist.

Und falls in Ihrer Firma Windows und das .net-Framework die Server beherrschen, empfiehlt sich vielleicht ein entsprechendes CMS auf ASP.net-Basis für Ihre Website.

Einem speziellen Einsatzzweck dient Wiki-Software wie Mediawiki oder Dokuwiki. Damit setzen Sie Webseiten auf, die Informationen in unterschiedlicher Form zur Verfügung stellen sollen und von mehreren Personen bearbeitet werden können. Das berühmteste Beispiel für ein auf Mediawiki basierendes Projekt ist die Wikipedia.

Professionellen Webdesignern, die Webseiten mit Dreamweaver entwerfen und danach die einzelnen HTML-, CSS-, PHP- und Mediendateien via FTP-Transfer händisch pflegen, mag beim Thema CMS grausen, doch unbestritten sparen Content-Management-Systeme Zeit und vermeiden Fehlerquellen beim täglichen Aktualisieren der Website. Allerdings muss beim Thema Kostenersparnis durchaus nachgehakt werden: Nur sehr einfach gestrickte Webauftritte lassen sich ohne größere Anpassungsarbeiten in eine CMS einpflegen, indem man beispielsweise bereits vorhandene fertige Templates übernimmt. Ist die Website jedoch komplexer und soll sie besondere Funktionen bereit stellen, so ist oft zusätzliche Programmierarbeit für die nötigen Anpassungen erforderlich, die natürlich Geld kostet - der Einsatz eines grundsätzlich kostenlos erhältlichen Open-Source-CMS kann also durchaus ein Loch in die Firmenkasse reißen. Zudem müssen die Mitarbeiter im Umgang mit dem CMS geschult werden. Nur im seltenen Extremfall macht es übrigens Sinn, ein CMS komplett neu zu programmieren. Obwohl viele Lehrbücher zu PHP & MySQL gerne als typische Programmierbeispiele die Entwicklung eines eigenen CMS durchexerzieren, sollte man sich davon nicht leichtfertig verführen lassen, in der Regel tut es ein erprobtes Produkt von der Stange, das gegebenenfalls angepasst und erweitert wird, besser. Zudem erscheinen für fertige CMS-Software-Produkte regelmäßig Updates und Sicherheits-Patches, die man nur noch aufspielen muss. Hat man dagegen selbst ein komplexes CMS programmiert, muss man auch selbst nach Sicherheitsproblemen Ausschau halten und diese im Quellcode selbst beseitigen.

Überlegungen vorab

Bevor Sie sich für ein CMS entscheiden, sollten Sie sich genau überlegen, worauf es Ihnen ankommt, welche Features Sie unbedingt benötigen, wie viel Zeit und eventuell auch Geld Sie für die Pflege Ihrer Website ausgeben wollen und wie groß deren Umfang werden dürfte. Außerdem sollten Sie selbstkritisch Ihre Programmierkenntnisse und Ihr Know-How einschätzen. Responsive Design und die korrekte Darstellung der Webseite auf unterschiedlichen Plattformen wie PC, Tablet oder Smartphone sind ein wichtiger Aspekt, den Sie ebenfalls berücksichtigen sollten. Heutzutage ist es nicht mehr damit getan eine Webseite online zu stellen, die nur auf Desktop-PCs gut aussieht.

Übrigens: Viele Provider bieten im Rahmen ihres Supportvertrags die Installation von CMS-Systemen auf ihren Servern an. Wenn Sie also Ihren Server nicht selbst administrieren, sondern Ihre Website bei einem Dienstleister gehostet haben, dann klären Sie zunächst einmal welche CMS Ihr Dienstleister für Sie ohnehin bereit hält. Vielleicht werden Sie da ja bereits fündig.

Unser Auswahl ist keinesfalls vollständig, ganz im Gegenteil, der Markt für CMS ist fast unüberschaubar geworden. Wir wollen Ihnen aber eine erste Orientierung geben, beginnende von sehr einfach gehaltenen Content-Management-Systemen über sehr umfangreiche Beinahe-Alleskönner-Boliden bis hin zu spezialisierten Nischen-Besetzern, damit Sie eine Vorstellung davon gewinnen, worauf man achten sollte und welche Features zur Auswahl stehen. Viele Funktionen stehen bei den meisten CMS zur Verfügung, so dass wir sie nicht immer wieder eigens hervorheben. Zum Beispiel kann man mit den meisten Systemen mehrere Websites auf einmal verwalten, die Nutzerrechte feinkörnig festlegen (der 4-Wochen-Praktikant sollte nicht die gleichen Möglichkeiten wie der Systemadministrator besitzen) oder auf Deutsch als Benutzersprache umschalten.

Wichtig: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram und Youtube werden durch eine Webseite nicht ersetzt. Sondern die verschiedenen Medien und Plattformen ergänzen sich. Unternehmen sollten also auf ihrer Webseite auch die Links/Icons zu ihren Auftritten bei den sozialen Netzwerken einbauen.

Mit diesem Kurs gelingt der PHP-Einstieg

Einführung in JavaScript: Programmierkurs

So funktioniert AJAX

So funktionieren Mashups

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Content-Management-Systeme wie Joomla, Typo3 und Drupal, aber auch Blog-Software wie WordPress sind nicht nur für die Verwaltung großer Websites interessant, auch kleinere Webauftritte lassen sich damit zeitsparend verwalten und aktualisieren. Die PC-WELT stellt einige kostenlose Content-Management-Systeme für unterschiedliche Einsatzzwecke vor. Die eigene Webseite ist für Unternehmen auch im Zeitalter von Facebook immer noch wichtig.

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This article compares different tools (there are easily more to be found). Before working on the creation of a website (see links below), you could introduce the basics by these comparisons.

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php cms comparison (content management system)

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PHP CMS comparison (Content Management System) | Comparison tables - SocialCompare

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Compare Rubedo vs Drupal vs e107 vs Exponent CMS vs eZ Publish vs Frog CMS vs Joomla! vs Habari vs Magento vs Midgard CMS vs PHP-Nuke vs Serendipity vs SPIP vs TYPO3 vs WolfCMS vs WordPress vs Xaraya vs XOOPS...

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Use the wix creator (or others-can be easily found in the Internet) as an example of a website creation tool and work with your students on the development of an own homepage. You can implement this in a project work or simply let them discover the different advantages and disadvantages of the CMS tools on their own or in groups.

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Kostenlose Website erstellen | Eigene Homepage erstellen | Wix.com

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Kostenlose Homepage erstellen mit Wix.com: Einfach, schnell & kostenlos! Vorlage wählen und in wenigen Minuten mit der eigenen Website online gehen.

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Cyber Security Austria is an organisation for digital awareness training within the population. Its subjects are the rising of awareness for threats coming from new media and finding solutions for security lacks.

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ist ein gemeinnütziger, unabhängiger und überparteilicher Verein mit dem Ziel, Sicherheits-Querschnittthemen im Bereich der IT-/Cyber-Sicherheit von Kritischen/Strategischen Infrastrukturen in Österreich zu adressieren. Durch Publikationen, Vorträge und Projektmitarbeiten wird vorhandenes Wissen vernetzt und das Bewusstsein über unsere Abhängigkeiten geschärft. Folder Cyber Security Austria zum Download

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In order to promote the topic and to rise awareness of the importance, the EC and Enisa promote a Cyber Security Challenge each year.

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The European Cyber Security Challenge is a competition where contestants are challenged to solve security related tasks from domains such as web security, mobile security, HW, RF and IoT security, crypto puzzles, reverse engineering and forensics. The points they gain depend on their ability to solve the tasks in a timely manner.

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The cyber security guidelines can be used as an informational base about official regulations and might result in a fruitful discussion about security aspects within the company.

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Cybersecurity Guidelines by the IBA's Presidential Task Force on Cybersecurity October 2018.

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If not stated otherwise this document is for free use under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike: distribute of derivative works only under a license identical ("not more restrictive") to the license that governs the original work (CC BY-SA 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/. Logos are excluded from free licensing.

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. The present presentation reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.