New Features From Facebook, Yelp, WhatsApp and More Announced


New Features From Facebook, Yelp, WhatsApp and More Announced

Social media platforms are constantly updating their features. And some of the newest features on popular sites and apps might just have an impact on business users.

For example, Facebook just unveiled a new job board so that businesses can post openings right on the popular social media site. And Yelp launched a question and answer section so that you can respond to some of your customers specific inquiries.

You can read about these latest updates and more in this week’s Small Business Trends news and information roundup.

Social Media

Facebook Now Allows You to Post Job Openings

Social networking site Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) has a history of challenging, if not buying out, its competitors, and now it looks like it’s going after LinkedIn. Starting yesterday, businesses in both the U.S. and Canada could post job listings natively to their Facebook pages or in the new jobs bookmark.

Yelp Q-and-A Solicits More Community Feedback for Your Brand

Whether you have a restaurant or pottery shop, customers will have questions regarding your business. And those answers are not going to be available on your site no matter how thorough you are. That is just a fact. The new Questions & Answers feature from Yelp (NYSE:YELP) gives your customers the answers they need about your business from actual customers or yourself.

Yet Another Platform — Whatsapp — Launches Snapchat Clone

The announcement of Snapchat’s IPO late in 2016 revealed some impressive numbers and growth. Over 2.5 billion Snaps are created by 158 million users each day, and the company’s revenue has increased six fold since 2015.

Fall of PewDiePie Shows Dangers of Controversial Content

When it comes to social media, it’s best to steer clear of controversial content. Or you may run into problems like YouTube star PewDiePie, real name Felix Kjellberg. The popular YouTuber courted controversy after posting a string of videos containing allegedly anti-Semitic jokes and Nazi references.

Economy

Self-Employed Creative Pros Outearn Those with Salaries, FreshBooks Says

If you’ve been toying with the idea of pursuing a freelance career, now is a good time to get started. That’s because self-employed professionals are now earning more than their salaried peers. The insight comes from a new report by FreshBooks, a cloud accounting software company for small businesses.

Reports Send Mixed Messages About Staffing Needs of the Future

To hire or not to hire. That’s the big question for cash-strapped small businesses. Recent data sends out two very differing messages about the staffing needs of the future — one short term, the other more long term. So businesses may have mixed feelings about their plans for that next hire.

Green Business

Think Big Vehicles Can’t Be Eco-Friendly? Think Again

When you think of electric vehicles, you probably think of a compact car or small sedan. But if you really want to see carbon emissions and fuel consumption lowered significantly, you need to think bigger. More specifically, think of bigger vehicles like semi-trucks, buses and even garbage collection vehicles.

What Your Business Can Learn From Leggings Made of Plastic Bottles

Think about how many plastic water bottles get thrown out each day. Now think about all the possibilities that could come from innovative minds finding new ways to use all that plastic. A company called Girlfriend Collective has found one way to do that. The company uses plastic bottles from Taiwan and turns them into leggings.

Marketing

What Should Your Business Do When Google Retires Converted Clicks?

What’s Happening? An update will soon come to the conversion tracking tool in AdWords. Since 2001, AdWords has used “Converted Clicks” to track whether or not users complete desired outcomes on ads and websites. Historically, converted clicks have shown whether or not an ad click led to the desired action on your website, and will be retired in its simplicity.

3 Ways Sales Is Changing With Artificial Intelligence

Technology is the great equalizer. In every industry and in nearly every department, technology is and should be central to performance and achievement capacity. Of course, the frontiers of technology constantly change.

Retail Trends

Olive Oil Shortage Could Force Businesses to Develop Creative Solutions

Olive oil prices are rising around the world. The three countries that produce the bulk of the world’s olive oil, Spain, Greece and Italy, have recently been hit with droughts, floods, bugs and bacteria. That means that the olives used to create the product are in short supply, while the demand for olive oil continues to rise.

Delta Thinks the Key to Customer Loyalty is Through Free Stuff

What’s the key to customer loyalty? Well, if you ask Delta, that key involves lots of free stuff. The airline just announced that it will start giving out free meals to all passengers on some of its longest domestic flights starting in March. That’s in addition to the snacks, entertainment options and blankets that are already offered for free on Delta flights.

Small Biz Spotlight

Spotlight: Student Loan Club Tries to Ease the Pain for New Grads

If you’ve taken any college classes, chances are you’ve had to deal with student loans. These loans can be especially burdensome for young professionals just getting started in their chosen fields. But there are some options and resources for dealing with them. That’s where Student Loan Club comes in.

Small Business Operations

Highlights From the #WinInBiz National Entrepreneurship Week Twitter Chat

It’s a special week for entrepreneurs around the U.S. National Entrepreneurship Week is a weeklong celebration for entrepreneurs and business owners. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and other partners have used the week as an opportunity to put out various resources, events and other offers to help business owners continue growing their ventures.

UPS Upgrades Flex Global View Tool to Help You Better Track Shipments

UPS (NYSE: UPS) recently announced improvements to Flex Global View, its event management and visibility tool for air, ocean and surface freight shipments, to help you better track shipments.

Give Your Business a Boost with the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest

Inspiring small businesses are being recognized and rewarded every year. Share what inspired you and your core mission and you could be the next winner. Entering its fifth year, the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest awards tens of thousands of dollars to passionate small business owners across the country.

Taxes

9 Ways to Get Free Help With Taxes from a Real Live Person

Tax help can cost a lot of money. Pros charge $150 an hour on average to do a federal and state return, according to the National Society of Accountants. Help with planning, back taxes or audits can cost even more. But there are a few ways to get human tax help for free.

Ohio Congressman Says Tax Code Stunting Small Business Growth

House Committee on Small Business Chairman Steve Chabot voiced his concerns the complexities of the tax code are stunting small businesses and start-ups from growing during a hearing Wednesday. There are provisions in place that penalize entrepreneurs for taking risks with their businesses, according to Chabot.

Technology Trends

The Motherbox Wants to Cut the Wires that Bind Your Phone When Charging

The love/hate relationship people have with their smartphones gets very intense at one particular moment: when the battery dies. Even the most prepared person can be caught off guard because of a hectic day, and it is for those and all the other times you feel unconnected that Motherbox was created.

eBay Deploys Artificial Intelligence to Benefit Sellers

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of our everyday language as more organizations integrate the technology into the products and services they offer. The latest to do so is eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY), which according to the company will help its sellers become more competitive.

Why is Everyone Talking About Data Backup? Blame Ransomware

The number of ransomware attacks on businesses and individuals has risen exponentially in recent years. Increasingly, small and midsized businesses are vulnerable to these malware attacks. Their data is essentially locked up, or held hostage, and cybercriminals demand a ransom in exchange for releasing computer files and business documents. The numbers are staggering.

Wix Passes 100 Million Users with Focus on Small Business

The web development company that spent nearly $5 million on a commercial during the Super Bowl just surpassed the 100 million registered users’ milestone. The Israel-based company Wix.com (NASDAQ:WIX) boasts how easy it has made things for entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, artists and businesses around the world to create a website using its drag and drop capabilities.

Xero Updates Fixed Asset Depreciation Features

Online accounting software Xero (NZE:XRO), popular with small business users, has updated the Fixed Asset depreciation feature on the platform. Xero Fixed Asset Depreciation The Fixed Assets depreciation feature gives small businesses the ability to track fixed asset and value depreciation for tax and book keeping purposes. In the U.S.

Qualcomm’s New WiFi Technology Should Boost Capacity for Small Business

One of the biggest differentiator’s between a home or small business and a larger enterprise is capacity. And in a world where speed is tantamount to efficiency, enterprises enjoy a commanding lead.

Image: Facebook

3 Comments ▼
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  1. Social media is constantly changing. It is hard to keep abreast of all the changes. Each change will have an impact on life as well as it is now so deeply integrated with these websites.

  2. Changes are happening all around. Even on Google. Updates are constant. It is now becoming harder and harder to keep up with everything.

  3. Facebook is at it again. It is completely indistinguishible from the old Facebook. I guess that’s what makes it stand out from the rest – the constant updates.