Free WiFi Can Cost You a Lot More Than a Latte

With a growing dependence upon the Internet, Americans are increasingly in search of wireless connectivity. From sunrise to sunset, people in all walks of life spend their time using the Web for work, play, social interaction, and everything in between. As a result of this insatiable online appetite, people are taking advantage of free Wi-Fi signa
ls wherever possible.

A family may not want to pay for its own Wi-Fi service, so the next best bet could be resorting to “grabbing” a neighbor’s Wi-Fi connection. The same often goes for public places. If a businessman doesn’t have a strong signal and needs to send an email, he might connect to a stranger’s Wi-Fi hotspot if it isn’t password-protected. Is this good? Bad? Read on to find out the pros and cons of this steadily rising practice:

Be safe, not sorry

So what is the problem with using free Wi-Fi access through Internet providers when it’s available? Put simply, every time you enter any sort of data online, the security of the information is at stake. Traffic routed through the Web can be very easily be intercepted, and the uptick in mobile usage only amplifies this level of vulnerability. There are a host of different attack vectors used (honey pot, MiTM, phishing, and more), but all you need to know is that you and your information are not invincible.

Most free Wi-Fi signals are, by nature, not secure. Even those that may appear to be protected (i.e. through password-locked access) are often not encrypted, writes AOL's Digital Matters. If you’re handling your banking activity while connected to a borrowed Wi-Fi network, for example, all of that data becomes an easy target for hackers. With such highly sensitive information, the gamble on quick access is just not worth the possible risk.

Also, keep in mind that hackers are getting more and more creative. You may think you’re tapping into a secure hotel network, for instance, but it could be a dummy Wi-Fi setup. This sort of scam is becoming more common, according to NY Daily News, so it would serve you well to be on guard and verify any free networks you intend to use with someone who actually works at the hotel, coffee shop, etc.

Improve what you have

If you have an issue with your current home or office Wi-Fi capabilities and it’s driving you to borrow free access, there are some simple actions you can take to ramp up your signal and keep yourself protected. Routers work optimally when they are separate from any physical obstructions like bricks or cement, and they should be placed in a central area so that the signal can deliver maximum reach. There are also options like repeaters and range extenders that can give more power to your Wi-Fi, writes Mashable. Whatever route you end up choosing, at least try to improve what you have before letting your Wi-Fi eyes wander to the next free connection you stumble upon.

You may like it hot

A great option for someone who is constantly on the go, but understands the risks of hijacking free Wi-Fi connections, is to get a phone enabled with a Wi-Fi hotspot. By tethering your phone’s signal to your laptop or tablet, you can still get the accessibility you want, without sacrificing security. Remember to always keep your firewall running, notes tech site Technology Digital, and be vigilant about taking any precautions that are available to you.

The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) recommends that individuals go even a step further beyond hotspots, to using personal VPNs for the greatest level of reliability and security. A recent study by the ITRC showed that 79 percent of survey participants understand the dangers of using free Wi-Fi connections, but only a mere 27 percent of those in the study are actually using a virtual private network (VPN) . Whether you prefer to invest in your own ironclad Wi-Fi setup, rely upon a mobile hotspot, or utilize a personal VPN, what matters most is that you avoid free Wi-Fi connections at all costs.

If you do, however, find yourself in need of using a public, free Wi-Fi connection, here are a few tips to help you keep your information private and your virtual life secure:

• Turn off the file sharing setting in your control panel.
• Make sure your firewall is enabled.
• Double check that the websites you visit display the lock image next to their URLs, and use HTTPS or SSL.
• Unless it’s an absolute necessity and you knkow the network is completely secure, don’t buy anything online or access any of your financial sites.

As with most pieces of advice about tech security, the first step is awareness. Now that you know the dangers of logging into free public Wi-Fi, you can use your judgment on how to better equip yourself for a long future of online surfing and zero data compromise.

Tools That Will Make Your Mobile Marketing Profitable

Are you looking to do better at mobile marketing? Here are five awesome inexpensive tools that will help you get there faster.

MailChimp

To have a successful online business, it is essential to have a proper email marketing strategy in place since is one of the most popular ways to stay in touch with large  number of customers. There are many tools that can help you mobile-enable these programs and MailChimp fits the bill perfectly.

For example, the tool has added a number of mobile features that allow you to easily set up newsletters, see who is tweeting about you and manage your lists and subscribers from your mobile device. MailChimp also offers mobile-friendly and customized templates for your newsletters, so your campaign will look good when users read it on their mobile devices. It also offers Facebook integration that enables users to “like” and share your campaigns.

Customers can now also take advantage of services such as Chimpadeedoo, which allows customers to sign up for newsletter via an iPad. Customers visiting a store, restaurant or trade show can sign up on the spot. For instance, Monkey Joe’s Parties & Play in North Carolina, was able to grow its subscriber list from 250 to 10,000 users using this app.

The greatest benefit is that MailChimp offers a free plan covering 2,000 subscribers and up to 12,000 emails per month, offering all of the above mobile-friendly features and more.

• Red Stamp

Doing business with your customers and clients is not just about money but also about relationships in today’s time. To make an impression with your digital correspondence, you need to check out Red Stamp–- and its recently launched Create Your Own Collection in particular. The feature that enables small businesses to create and send custom, branded letterhead, business cards, notes, invitations and announcements from mobile and desktop devices. Whatever your creation, you can send it via email or text message, post it to Facebook or Twitter, and even mail a paper version to anywhere in the world. 

The users are attracting new clients by sending customized thank you notes after their business meetings, and building long term relationships by sharing visual, branded, real-time conversations with their social networks.

The cost of the product is a one-time fee of $29.99 for custom design and set-up and a $4.99 monthly fee for unlimited digital and social sharing. Paper postcards are just 99 cents — including $0.33 U.S. postage and International sends are an additional 30 cents— and Red Stamp prints and mails your cards for you.

• Swipely

The credit for bringing one of the best innovations to mobile marketing goes to Swipely. The payments company Swipely is helping local merchants to gain and retain customers by transforming traditional payment processing into valuable analytics, loyalty and marketing tools. Its simple “text to join” mobile loyalty program that works seamlessly with the credit or debit card consumers already have, and is free for existing customers.

A popular organic restaurant with multiple locations in the Bay Area is using Swipely and inviting customers to join the program with one simple text message. In a month, 60% of the customers submitted their credit card to join the rewards program which means that the restaurant can now market to those customers via email.

Many other merchants across the U.S. use Swipely to manage over one quarter billion dollars in sales and to deepen relationships with over 500,000 customers. 

The RI based company includes veterans of Tellme, Microsoft, Netscape, LivingSocial and SeamlessWeb, and is backed by leading Silicon Valley investors including Index Ventures, Greylock Partners, and First Round Capital, among others. Swipely was also named to Forbes Magazine's list of "America's Most Promising Companies" in 2013. 

• TextUs.Biz

32% of people would rather text than talk if given a choice according to a recent Time magazine mobility poll. With this in mind, TextUs.Biz created a feature to help businesses send and receive texts from customers via their computer or iPad. Small businesses can use the service to send reminders or promotional offers to customers, while customers can use it to request an appointment or reservation on company's main business phone number.

The service is ideally suited for restaurant reservations, changing appointments or answering questions about car repairs, which are often easier to manage via text messaging versus a phone call.

"TextUs.Biz has greatly reduced the amount of time our front desk staff is tied up on the phone and has allowed us to concentrate on even better customer service,” says a salon owner. “Our clients love the ease and simplicity of sending us text messages and our staff uses the service almost exclusively for communication with the front desk.”

The service is free for the first 100 messages, which includes web and iPad access. The "basic" cost is $24/month for 1,500 messages; the "premium" is $44/month for 5,000 messages and "pro" is $74/month for 10,000 messages.

•  Facebook

Besides offering a platform to marketers to advertise their products, Facebook offers extensive features to reach and engage target customers especially on mobile.

Smartphone users check Facebook an average of 14 times per day, according to recent Facebook usage research by IDC, so advertisers are trying to take advantage of this fact with the help of  Facebook Offers and Promoted Posts.

For instance, Sam's Chowder House, a local restaurant in Half Moon Bay, CA, used Promoted Posts to drive a 19% increase in both their monthly number of guests and monthly gross revenue.

Facebook's Pages Manager app also allows you to manage your Facebook Page, post photos, comments and ad campaigns all on your phone.Join Businessfriend today. Where social networking leads to productivity