(This post originally appeared on Forbes)
Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 — Google will start verifying business calls to eliminate robocalls.
Google will be rolling out a feature for Android phones that is going to assist real businesses in reaching out to make phone calls to their customers easier. With “Verified Calls” — the name of the feature — when a business makes a phone call, their logo, name, and purpose behind the call will appear on the screen of those receiving the call, as well as a symbol indicating the call was Google verified. (Source: Tech Crunch)
Why this is important for your business:
With the number of spam calls climbing 28% in 2019 as compared to the previous year, the feature will provide businesses that operate legitimately an avenue to provide their information with customers. I see a time when all businesses – yours and mine – will need to register with Google and other services so that our calls can be “verified” in advance. Sure, it’s an additional annoyance. But it’s nowhere as annoying as the dozens of robocalls I sometimes get in a day.
2 — Microsoft is ending support for Adobe Flash.
Microsoft has confirmed that they will end Adobe Flash Player support on their Internet Explorer 11 and Microsoft Edge browsers by the end of the year. However — in order to better support customers who utilize the browsers for business apps — Microsoft will permit Adobe Flash Player to operate as a plug-in on Microsoft Edge as well as Explorer 11. After a user changes over — however — Microsoft made it clear that the plug-in will be categorized as third-party and will not be eligible to get tech support. (Source: ZDNet)
Why this is important for your business:
The Adobe Flash Player has long been on the hit list for many tech companies and now Microsoft is formally saying that it’s not going to play nice with applications and services that still use the plug-in. You should be taking steps to eliminate Flash from the applications you’re using for your business.
3 —Amazon foiled a plot using phones in trees to get more deliveries.
Amazon revealed this past week that they have put a stop to an odd, ongoing plan that involved phones being hidden in trees in order to skew assigned delivery routes. It was believed that the plot was done to interrupt and take advantage of the Amazon Flex dispatch process, allowing unaffiliated drivers to sync their phones to the ones in the trees, effectively intercepting deliveries that were meant to go to contracted flex drivers. Since the discovery, removal of the phones, and adding extra security, contracted drivers are getting more delivery routes. (Source: Engadget)
Why this is important for your business:
You have to have respect for all those entrepreneurial delivery drivers who hung phones near Amazon warehouses to fool the company into thinking that they were close by and receive priority for new deliveries. But that little trick was soon discovered and now Amazon has taken steps to end that practice. If you’re an independent, entrepreneurial delivery driver and you’ve been using this ploy well…I’m impressed. But now, it’s back to the drawing board.
4 — According to a new study, shorter content earns the most backlinks.
The findings of a recent study have revealed that content that contains approximately 700 words get more backlinks as compared to lengthier content. While the study did not analyze content from major news sources, researchers did study more than 5,000 articles being analyzed as part of the study, which included only articles that contained at least 25 backlinks. Findings also showed that how-to articles, lists/videos, and newsletters topped the list of the most shared content. (Source: Search Engine Journal)
Why this is important for your business:
A backlink is when a well-known website links to something on your website and by doing so that gives you more credibility…and more attention from Google. Search engine optimization experts have debated over the years the perfect length of a typical blog, but now you’ve got some guidance. Shoot for 700 words.
5— Melio raised $144M to keep small businesses in business by simplifying their B2B payments.
B2B payments firm – Melio – which assists small businesses navigate and manage payments due to suppliers, recently pulled in $144M in order to help connect with a greater number of small businesses throughout the country. With a greater number of businesses moving to manage their finances digitally due to the coronavirus pandemic, the recent fundraising by Melio will allow expedited expansion in order to help more businesses. (Source: Business Wire)
Why this is important for your business:
According to a statement from the company, small businesses typically use a variety of different tools to manage supplier payments, with almost half of B2B payments carried out with paper checks. Melio’s digital accounts payable and receivable dashboard “provides a single, integrated tool that allows small businesses to transfer and receive payments in a faster, easier way, giving oversight and control over cash flow, reducing or eliminating late payment costs, and giving businesses back valuable time.”
