Once upon a time, when the internet was still just a twinkle in the eye of Tim Berners-Lee, the advertising industry was simple. A client paid an ad agency to put together some creative work. The agency then paid the relevant media to run the press ad, air the commercial or put up the poster on a billboard, just like we all saw in Mad Men. 

But now, with traditional advertising going the same way as print journalism, it’s a very different story. Digital advertising is the only show in town and it’s one that was estimated to be worth a staggering $125 billion a year in 2019 and rising. But the fact that ads have to be incorporated into websites means that there are a number of different intermediaries who play a part between the creation of the ad and its appearance on screens. 

This has given a number of entry points for ad fraudsters to intervene. They hijack the media spots for their own ads, often posting inappropriate content and trying to commit illegal activity. This could be anything from introducing spyware onto an unsuspecting person’s computer or mobile device to running a ransomware campaign.

Others try more oblique forms of deception such as the scam which used bots linked to smart TVs to fool advertisers into thinking that far more people were watching their ads than was the reality, and charging them for the privilege.

Generally, it’s been noted that the ad fraudsters out there are becoming far more sophisticated in the way that they operate. Recently Facebook revealed that there had been an attack on thousands of its users called Silentfade which created damage valued at over $4 million. It worked by misappropriating session cookies and then using them to log into their account from a bot operating near to each victim. In the process, it disabled multiple security warnings and also blocked users from reversing the changes.

Two years earlier, cybercriminals believed to based in Russia ran a campaign tagged as Methbot which was believed to be stealing up to $5 million a day by creating false sites including the Huffington Post and Fox News, and generating fraudulent ad views using a complex network of bots.

While the FBI and the US Ministry of Justice have now become involved in tracking down fraudsters like the team behind Methbot, more and more advertisers are now taking the approach that prevention is better than detection. So, many are now working with third parties who can provide them with ad verification services. These work in a number of ways, for example by making sure that the ads that appear on the intended site are fully compliant and are displayed as intended. By using sophisticated scanning methods and identifying warning signs they can block the offending and fraudulent ads long before they get the chance to go live.

Just like computer hackers, ad fraudsters continue to become more sophisticated and harder to stop. So it’s a battle that’s set to intensify before it is finally won.

There are many top business communications tools for modern workplaces. These tools enable remote teams to be more productive, reduce turnover, and provide excellent customer service. Additionally, more efficient communication methods remove confusion and keep team members performing their roles autonomously. 

As a business owner working remotely, you should always be looking to facilitate better communication and knowledge sharing to boost productivity in your workplace. If you are interested in purchasing the best remote communications for your company, there are several key options to consider. To help you get started, read on to discover the top remote business communications tools for modern workplaces.

File Management Systems

File management systems are secure platforms that enable your business to find, use, and transfer various files. Software such as FileCenter contains permission and authentication options, so unauthorized or unnecessary access is prevented. Additionally, you can add comments and track files’ change histories. This way, all your business files are recorded in one central database. This database allows for simple sharing, organization and downloads. Plus, you are able to see who accesses files, documents and reports. Naturally, productivity is significantly increased when team members can quickly find the files they need and are restricted from files they don’t need. Surely, file management software platforms enable employees to work from anywhere and significantly increase remote work productivity and efficiency.

Instant Messengers

Next, many multipurpose instant messaging platforms are also on the market. Several of these chatting apps enable different channels for different teams, allowing you to increase efficiency by separating workloads. It’s also easy to add new members to these channels and switch them around. This way, you quickly and efficiently place employees where they are needed most. Team members can instant message and share files using these platforms, enabling more efficient collaboration, as well. Within many teams, instant messages have replaced the majority of short emails. Absolutely, instant messaging platforms provide significant productivity increases by segregating workloads and allowing file sharing.

Video Conferencing Software

Video conferencing software provides several efficiency and collaboration benefits for remote teams. Choose the best conference call service for online meetings to make communication a breeze. The best video conferencing software for business owners provides call sizes of up to twenty-five or fifty participants, so your entire team can collaborate at once. Many solutions also provide collaboration features such as screen sharing, presentation modes, and integrated live chats. Using these features, entire departments can work on the same projects at once, significantly increasing productivity and reducing turnaround times. Additionally, several video conferencing platforms can integrate with other remote tools such as CRM software and productivity suites. Certainly, video conferencing software provides high-volume video conferencing rooms and massive productivity increases via collaboration features.

Collaborative Project Managers

Collaborative project managers provide a central location for file sharing, feedback, and annotations. Project leads can create tasks and assign team members as well as deadlines to them. Additionally, Kanban boards are used to streamline project management processes. This way, remote efficiency is maintained by attentive project leads ensuring their teams always have something to work on. Many of these platforms also include built-in chats and real-time collaboration spaces to ensure your remote teams can communicate quickly. Several platforms integrate with some of the most popular file sharing and collaboration apps as well. Definitely, collaborative project management software is a prime example of how technology can modernize employee management.

Asynchronous Hubs

Remote work often requires asynchronous hubs to structure projects, policies, processes, and HR. These hubs house vital company files and keep all current projects visible. In fact, many of the best asynchronous hubs enable posts, to-do lists, comment threads, and notifications. Use these notifications to stay up-to-date on relevant project changes and updates. By keeping all work transparent and everyone on the same page, asynchronous hubs maintain productivity and efficiency of remote work. Of course, these hubs are a great way to improve asynchronous communications when you work from home.

There is a myriad of remote business communication tools out there for modern workplaces. With so many advanced communications tools, there are several options to familiarize yourself with before purchasing a new system. For example, file management systems allow employees to access company files from anywhere and increase the efficiency of remote work. Instant messengers streamline productivity processes by segregating projects and allowing file sharing. Video conferencing platforms offer high-volume conference calls and more productivity increases via file and screen sharing capabilities. 

Collaborative project managers ensure team members always have something to work on, massively increasing remote efficiency. Finally, asynchronous hubs keep your entire business in one central online location to provide remote productivity increases. When searching for the top remote business communications tools, consider the tools described above.

Within just a couple of months of the coronavirus first emerging, more than 70 percent of employees worldwide were working from home. Even as restrictions begin to ease and offices are allowed to reopen, many businesses are making the decision to keep their employees home, either permanently or for the foreseeable future.

Even if your workforce is already operating mostly online, making the transition to remote work can be a challenge. Whether you’ve already made the move and are facing challenges or are thinking about making the remote work transition permanent, keep reading to learn how to optimize a mobile workforce.

Consider Your Current IT Capabilities

One thing that hasn’t changed as businesses make the transition to remote work is the heavy reliance on technology. But unlike being in an office space, employees are now responsible for managing new software, connecting to online meetings and managing their technology on their own. When something goes wrong, it isn’t as easy as simply stopping by your IT manager’s office or shooting them an e-mail asking them to stop by your desk. Instead, your IT department will now need to service desktops, laptops, software, and any other tools from afar.

Unless you have a small team that doesn’t rely on a lot of different tech, odds are that you’re going to need to expand your IT department to keep up with the increased demand. Streamlining the software that your team utilizes and ensuring that each employee is properly trained or has access to resources can also help to alleviate some of the issues that will pop up on a day-to-day basis. Choosing software that’s designed for a mobile workforce and its specific operation demands will streamline the transition and allow your employees to adapt with fewer issues and questions.

Find New Ways to Inspire Employee Loyalty and Commitment

Prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, employee engagement was at an all-time high. Yet, the number of employees who reported being enthusiastic about their work, committed to their employer, and involved in the workplace was still just 35 percent at its highest. Now, with more employees working from home and splitting their focus between work and family life even more than before, that number has likely dropped even lower.

Finding ways to encourage employee commitment and boost loyalty while your staff is working remotely can be a challenge. At this time, it’s impossible to offer many of the popular perks that employers have previously offered, like work happy hours, catered lunches, or corporate retreats. Instead, look for ways to offer moral support to your staff during these difficult times. 

If you are able to, allowing flexible work hours for parents who may now have kids learning at home rather than going to school can be a great display of support. Other perks businesses can offer remote employees to boost loyalty include providing a stipend for creating a home office, hosting virtual events, or continuing to offer virtual professional development options.

Keep Communication Flowing

Television and movies focused on cutthroat offices often paint a picture of employees being afraid to speak to their bosses about even the smallest issues, but real-life studies suggest that the opposite may actually be true. In one poll, 70 percent of managers reported being uncomfortable or even scared to communicate with employees about matters big and small.

With the everyday encounters that come with working in an office now removed, keeping an open-flow of communication at all levels is more important than before. Besides communicating on projects, encourage your management staff to reach out to their teams on a daily basis about how they are adjusting to the remote work environment or challenges they may be facing. And make sure that those concerns are welcomed, passed along, and taken into account moving forward. 

Plan for a New Future

While a vaccine may be on the horizon, there’s no denying that for many businesses and employees, the remote work trend is here to stay. By thinking about your IT capabilities, finding ways to encourage loyalty and keeping communication open and flowing, you can ease the transition and continue to support your employees, no matter where they are working from.