Cool Printing Trends You'll Want to Know About

When it comes to printing technologies, innovation never stops. The casual observer might not think much has changed in the printing industry in recent years, but many new print technologies have emerged that will soon revolutionize the way documents—and even objects—are produced. 

Being in the know about upcoming and transformative printing technologies gives you a competitive advantage and ensures you’ll have access to the latest advancements when the timing is right for your business.

Here are some of the emerging printing trends to look out for:

Diversity of Media Types 
Many industries and companies need to print specialized items, such as product packaging or on-demand banners. By expanding the various media types and paper weight (gsm) that printers can accommodate, businesses have more flexibility to produce the documents and printed materials they need. 

Ricoh Pro C7110X: Media Handling Video

 White & Clear Toner 

This is cool stuff! White and clear toner gives you the ability to really add value and flare to your printed documents. With clear ink, you can flood coat a document to enhance its appearance, or you can spot coat only the headline text, so the words seem to jump off the page. Using white or clear toner also allows businesses to produce eye-catching effects—such as creating metallic designs, applying custom clear-coat watermarks, or highlighting photos or objects on marketing collateral. More and more print manufacturers are offering white or clear toner options, expanding this new technology across many different industries and applications. 

Ricoh Pro C7110X: WHITE & CLEAR Toner Video

3D Printing 

You’ve probably heard about 3D printing already, but the technology itself is quickly becoming more advanced and more attainable at the same time. The latest 3D printers are now smaller, faster, and cheaper than previous versions, which means this technology will likely find its way into more industries and businesses sooner than many experts previously thought. 3D printers will likely be integrated into many healthcare and manufacturing settings in the very near future, but with nearly endless applications, the technology will soon expand to many other industries.

The print industry is constantly changing and evolving to meet consumer needs and demands. Contact us today to learn more about these emerging printing trends and check out the Production Print page on our website for more videos and information!

Top 7 Common SEO Mistakes That People Makes

Do You Make Any of These 7 Simple SEO Mistakes ?

There's a lot of buzz about SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and many businesses are looking at ways to increase their website visibility with the major search engines (Google, Yahoo, and Bing).
I am going to show you 7 “SEO mistakes" that holding back people from their success. Before you start doing SEO optimization for your site or for your client sites it is important for you to read about SEO mistakes in 2016.

 If you have made the investment in an SEO program for your business site, you'll want to make certain that you're not making any of these SEO optimization mistakes:

1. No SEO strategy. How will you know you're reaching your SEO marketing goals if there's no plan ? SEO can easily become a waste of time and money when there is no strategy or action plan. A clear solid strategy helps ensure that all your online efforts work together to rank your site in first page.

2. Social media marketing. You need to post a good helpful and relevant content to keep your fans and followers coming back to your page and sharing your posts.

3. keyword stuffing penalty. Google penalizes websites that load their pages and meta tags with keywords or numbers. According to Google experts, this includes cities, zip codes, and phone numbers. Not only will it not boost your SEO, it will hurt it.

4. Inadequate keyword research. you cannot predict how users search for the products or services in your site content. There are a lot of keyword research tools online; you should use them.

5. bad building links strategy Using poor quality or broken links (includes spammy links). Low quality links don't serve any useful purpose to search engine users, and this flies in the face of the user experience Google wants for them. It's viewed by Google as manipulation of search results and negatively impacts SEO. In addition, buying or selling links is a direct violation of Google's Webmaster Guidelines.

6. Publishing Too Often: Google has stopped favoring sites that update too often content. it means, publishing too often may penalize your Google site ranking. It is very strange that many seo experts or “SEO Gurus” still recommends writing content too often.

7. Focusing Too Much On On-Page SEO: Probably you already know what is On-page SEO optimization? I don’t want to waste your time in explaining On-page SEO optimization. For exemple There is many WordPress Plugins that can help you optimize your page but focusing too much on On-page SEO is one of the biggest mistakes that people are making in this 2016 world of SEO. On-Page is important but. If you want to rank your site the first page on Google you have to hard working on a good quality link building and relevant content.

Common IT Mistakes Small Businesses Should Avoid

In the modern business world everyone depends on technology in the office, no matter how small your business is. As such, the decisions you make regarding the technology you depend on to do business are more important than you may think. Not being smart when it comes to your company’s IT situation can create pitfalls that prevent you from being as successful as you could be.

Knowing which IT missteps are commonly made by small businesses can help you avoid making these same blunders. Here are some of the most frequently made IT mistakes to avoid:

• Failing to Protect Your Data – Your company’s data is invaluable, so there is no excuse for not keeping that information safe and sound. Is your confidential data safeguarded against potential security breaches? Are you prepared for an emergency, such as theft, fire, flood, or server failure? Are your files and records backed up for disaster recovery purposes? Adequately protecting your data includes physical security (a firewall), network security (anti-virus/spyware), and backing up your information. In addition, regularly educate and update your employees about Internet and mobile security and safety.

• Not Changing with the Times – Technology is always changing, and businesses must keep up on the latest innovations and products to stay ahead of the competition. Keeping current with the latest technologies can help prevent your company from ending up with outdated, inefficient equipment and software.

• Choosing the Wrong IT Provider – The right IT provider doesn’t just sell you equipment; they manage that equipment, as well. They have the goals of your company in mind and proactively provide solutions to help you achieve those goals.

• Employing Unreasonable Password Requirements – Passwords are essential, but your password policy must be reasonable to be effective. While weak or non-existent passwords are unacceptable, making your requirements so strict that employees must resort to writing passwords on sticky notes undermines your policy.

• Leaving Everything in One Employee’s Hands – You might be impressed that a single person in your office knows all of your passwords and how everything works, but you could be setting yourself up for an enormous problem. What would you do if that employee decided to leave, or became incapacitated due to illness or injury? As the saying goes, don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.

Don’t fall into the same traps that many small businesses do when it comes to managing their IT. Avoid these common mistakes to help keep your company up and running as efficiently as possible. For more information about MOM's IT Services, visit our website at www.momnet.com/Managed-Network-Services.

Building your website ? Learn the tools, that will help you

If you’re ready to launch a new website for your startup, personal blog, portfolio, or anything else, getting things up and running can often be a daunting and expensive process. The collection of these  tools will help you build and launch your next website—even if you have limited or no coding or design experience.

1. Carrd

Simple, responsive, one-page sites for pretty much anything.

A free service for building and hosting simple, responsive, one-page websites for anything and everything. There are a bunch of other sites that help you build out one-pagers, but the biggest differentiator here is the simplicity and easy of use, while not compromising on your ability to create a functional and beautifully designed website.

2. Template Stash

Curated collection of best free themes & website templates.

A curated collection of the best free website templates. Each one is evaluated based on: visual appeal, ease of customization, and functionality. You can search for what you’re looking for by category, keyword, and creator, which makes it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for. Bonus: There are also collections dedicated to specific design trends, like “material design” and “modern portfolio.”

3. Bubble

Build a fully functional web app without any code.

Without any code knowledge, this tool helps you build web and mobile applications. The intuitive drag and drop builder allows you to easily add page elements like: text, videos, maps, icons, images, buttons, and more. Everything is customizable, down to font colors, icons, and the visibility of various elements based on what’s going on in the app you design.

4. HTML to WordPress

Convert HTML website to WordPress theme in seconds.

This tool converts static HTML websites into WordPress. If you’re looking to switch your site over, this will help you automate a lot of the manual work. Just upload a website into the tool and after a few seconds, it’ll convert into a fully functional, premium quality WordPress theme—activated and installed. All of the designers and developers, rejoice!

5. Tilda Publishing

Build beautiful websites and tell stories without any code.

A website building platform geared toward content-oriented sites. There are over 170 pre-designed blocks that enable you to drag and drop your way toward a fully customizable website. All pages you create with this tool are built to look great across all devices, which is a nice thing to not have to worry about if you’re not a coder. This is a fantastic option for those looking to build blogs, lookbooks, event reports, and more.

6. XPRS

Free website builder — making web design like Lego™. No code.

If you’ve ever been frustrated with the process of building a website because it was too complicated, confusing, and/or expensive, this product will make it so much easier (and fun). Use a collection of premium web designs, reliable hosting, and a simple editing environment to get your next web project up in no time. What’s special about this tool is that you build your site with polydoms (smart content blocks), allowing for endless customization. It really is like playing with digital Legos™.

7. Grav

Modern open source flat-file CMS to build faster websites.

A more complex tool, built for developers with some experience. This open source flat-file CMS allows you to build faster websites. The idea: With static HTML pages, you can’t do anything dynamic like query data, edit content via an admin interface, process forms, etc. Grav is “processed at runtime,” allowing you to do the same things you could do with Drupal, Joomla, or WordPress. There are countless features, including: site-wide and per-page routing and redirection, a visual debug panel, multi-language support, flexible taxonomies, a built-in asset manager, and much more.

Avoiding Threats in the Cloud

The cloud’s potential for storage and service options has created countless opportunities for businesses to expand or improve their offerings, without requiring costly changes to local networks. But, the cloud is not perfect, and it poses some security challenges.

Cloud-based applications can be very convenient, especially for accessing or sharing information when working remotely. However, precautions must be taken to protect sensitive information.

Here are a few steps you can take to protect your cloud assets:

Educate the masses. Cloud services are often adopted at the top levels of a business or within specific workgroups, without consulting individual department managers or IT staff. But, it’s critical that end-users understand how to safely use cloud applications before they are adopted to avoid any potential threats. Proper employee training and frequent email reminders regarding secure use of cloud-based applications or files helps to ensure the safety and security of your network and your business.

Know your cloud use. Many companies are unaware of the cloud services their employees are using. According to cloud security firm Netskope, 90 percent of all cloud applications are not sanctioned by IT. This opens the door for data breaches, data loss, and account hijacking—which, are generally regarded as the top three threats to cloud computing. Organizations and employees should be aware that simple Internet registration systems, phishing, and fraud schemes can allow a hacker to take control of your account. Thankfully, keeping firewalls updated and teaching employees about best practices regarding cloud usage can easily prevent most of these threats.

Protect your files, wherever they are. You can lock down access on mobile devices, but this won’t protect your information if it’s synced to the cloud. Instead, focus on protecting the files themselves with consistent security encryption policies to ensure control. You decide who can view, modify, or print your files, whether they are on a laptop, mobile device, or desktop computer.

As hackers continue to experiment with new ways to attack, it's important for all businesses to mitigate the risks associated with cloud computing by educating stakeholders, investing in data protection, and using encryption safeguards when possible. Cloud security is serious business, so make sure you take the time to get it right.

Contact us today at info@momnet.com to learn about cloud-based applications that can help grow your business, and the security solutions that can keep them secure.

Are Your Passwords Strong Enough?

Modern technology has made many aspects of life more

convenient. However, as with anything else, along with the pros there are inevitably cons. With so much of our lives conducted online, hackers are waging a non-stop war in attempt to gain access to your personal information. Strong passwords are your first line of defense against troublemakers, so make sure yours are up to par.

Strong passwords include:

• At least eight characters
• Both uppercase and lowercase letters

• One or more special characters (such as $, *, !)

To create a strong password, be sure to leave out:
• Names of any kind (your name, your pet’s name, your child’s name)
• Accessible personal information like your date of birth, social security number, etc.
• Numerical sequences, such as 12345
• Words that exist in dictionaries
• The word ‘password’

Finally, protect yourself even further by changing your passwords periodically, and by creating strong login names, as well. For more information regarding IT Security visit MOM at www.momnet.com/Managed-Network-Services.

I Got a Boo Berry Up My Nose!

A couple of weeks ago, I was getting ready to leave the house early for SBA Awards in Nashville.  I was excited because I had nominated Angel Carrier, owner of the Tennessee Pour House, for SBA Woman Owned Business of the Year, and she won!

On my way out the door, my three-year-old Lane, kept telling me “Daddy, Daddy, I go a boo berry up my nose!”

He’s three.  He says crazy things like, “I’m Spiderman”, “I washed my hand, weally I did”, and “I like Mommy better than you.”   I just thought this was one of those things.  I finally said, what do you mean little buddy?  He says, “Come here.  I show you.”  He leads me over the board game, Operation, and said, “Dis one, see”, and he points to it.  I notice all of the game pieces are still in there…minus the grapes in his chest. 

Me - “Lane, did you put the grapes up your nose?”
Lane – “Yep.   And it huwts too.  See?”

He leans his head back to show where has stashed them.

So my wife and I are now in a real life version of Operation.  I’m holding his head and she has the tweezers.  She’s crying, he’s screaming, and I’m late.  Needless to say, we didn’t make much progress.

So an hour later, a couple of well-trained nurses pluck the grapes out within a matter of seconds. They were professionals.

Oh, and I missed the SBA Awards.  Sorry Angel.

It did make me think of small business owners and the problems they solve.  So many times, your customers have grapes up their nose and they don’t know how to extract them.  Heck, they don’t even know they are grapes.  They think they have blueberries up there.  They could try to fix the problem, however, they usually make the problem worse.  That’s where you come in with a unique skill set and a long set of tweezers.

Make sure your clients and potential clients know:

• There is a proven return on investment of using your services.  Show them the money than can save by using you to solve their problem.
•  You can take care of their problem immediately.  They won’t be burdened with their problem and have it hanging over their head.
• You are going to do a much better job than they could ever do.  Ever.  If they want it done right and not have to re-do it, they should hire you.  This is where good referrals come in handy.

 And if necessary, show them the tweezers.