(This column originally appeared in Forbes)
Here are five things in tech that happened this week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 — CEOs are using LinkedIn to become their own brand ambassadors.
Brian Honigman reports on a new trend that’s unfolding among C-suite executives: using the networking platform LinkedIn as a tool to strengthen their connections. Honigman cites a 9 percent increase of posts year over year by the C-suite group. (Source: Fast Company)
Why this is important for your business:
If CEO’s at big companies are leaning into LinkedIn, I think that’s telling us something. An exchange of success stories and perspectives are increasing as executives make efforts to engage with both customers and employees. Blavity CEO Morgan DeBaun says she sometimes includes personal experiences in her posts to express relatability with her followers. She also shares lessons learned from her professional experiences. Vas Narasimhan — CEO of Novartis — comments on employee posts to show gratitude for their work. On a broader note, he says it’s “an opportunity to engage with employees across the world without constraints of travel.” Honigman — who teaches marketing courses on LinkedIn — views this type of engagement as a value-added practice for business leaders.
2 — Massive changes coming to Google Chrome threaten to reshape the modern internet.
Major changes are on the horizon on account of Google’s plan to restrict third party cookies on its web browser Chrome, which gets the highest amount of web traffic (compared to Safari and Firefox). (Source: Yahoo Finance)
Why this is important for your business:
One of the basic functions of cookies — small bits of data generated by web browsers — is to inform websites about the user. A third-party cookie is placed on a website by someone other than the owner — such as an advertiser — to track browsing habits of potential customers. The elimination of third-party cookies will upend digital advertising capabilities. Not only will advertisers lose the ability to locate new customers, but revenue will also be lost.
3 — SlideFill launches application to create personalized data-driven presentations from Google Sheets and CRM systems.
Software company SideFill has officially launched its platform designed to help companies maximize customer data. A “B2B solution for data-driven content (Source: MarTech Series)
Why this is important for your business:
SideFill helps users create content in “40 percent less time” as stated on the company website. Teams can create dynamic presentations by automatically implementing their customer data in three steps: Google Sheets, Google Slides, and Google Presentations. Pitch decks, product marketing collateral, and customer success stories are just a few examples of what users can customize.
4 — AI-fueled scams target tax refunds.
Tech correspondent Ryan Heath warns of the increase of AI-generated scams this tax season. Culprits are taking full advantage these advanced tools to reproduce taxpayers’ images, videos, and other sensitive information to steal their refunds. After gathering the required information, they file with the IRS impersonating the individual. (Source: Axios)
Why this is important for your business:
Given the known risks the IRS recommends people file as early as possible; ignore emails that contain any IRS language; and open an account with the IRS online portal.
5 — Manage your work efficiently with this $40 software.
Taskomat, a task management tool is offering a $40 lifetime to keep task management in check. The tool also helps with invoicing, budget and client management, among others. (Source: ZDNet)
Why this is important for your business:
According to the reviewer, this app is ideal for freelancers and entrepreneurs with fluid schedules or who need extra time to expand their customer base, and is worth the free trial.
