Category: Social Media

Social Media

Meta outage due to “technical issue” knocks out Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp
When a tech company as big as Meta has an outage, the effects are felt pretty far and wide. Such was the case Wednesday when an outage knocked out a range of Meta services.

Primarily affecting Facebook and Instagram, other Meta platforms such as Messenger, Threads and WhatsApp also had noticeable issues. The outage began around 9:30 AM PST and services didn’t begin loading again until 2:30 PM with some of the side effects such as messages disappearing or random error messages continuing throughout the day.

To their credit, Meta did respond quickly to the outage posting a statement on X that reads “We’re aware that a technical issue is impacting some users’ ability to access our apps. We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible and apologize for any inconvenience.”

As is usually the case though there were no transparent details behind the cause of the outage. This outage pales in comparison to the one we reported on in 2021 where the Facebook.com domain even appeared for sale briefly under Whois lookups.

When you’re a company as big as Meta you can somewhat get away with less than transparent responses and a “sorry for the inconvenience” but for most businesses, responding to service disruptions is an important part of doing business.

Here are four ways we recommend responding to service disruptions in a way that still puts customer satisfaction at the forefront (even when you’re dealing with a stressful situation):
1. Prompt and Transparent Communication
- What to do: Inform customers immediately about the outage through multiple channels, such as email, SMS, and social media. Clearly state what happened, what is being done to fix it, and provide an estimated timeline for resolution.
- Why it matters: Transparency builds trust and reassures customers that the company is taking the issue seriously.
1. Offer Apologies and Show Empathy
- What to do: Issue a sincere apology acknowledging the inconvenience caused. Use empathetic language to show you understand the impact on customers.
- Why it matters: Customers are more likely to forgive a company that demonstrates empathy and acknowledges their frustration.
1. Provide Regular Updates
- What to do: Keep customers updated throughout the resolution process, even if there are no significant changes. Communicate progress at consistent intervals.
- Why it matters: Regular updates show that the issue is being actively addressed and reduce customer anxiety and speculation.
1. Offer Compensation or Goodwill Gestures
- What to do: Depending on the severity of the outage, offer compensation such as credits, discounts, refunds, or a goodwill gesture like free services for a limited period.
- Why it matters: Compensation can turn a negative experience into a positive one, demonstrating that the company values its customers’ loyalty and time.
If technical outages in your business are causing service disruptions for your customer, Valley Techlogic is the solution. We prioritize maintaining our customers’ uptime so that outages don’t affect their bottom line. Reach out today to schedule a consultation and take advantage of our holiday offer going on now.

Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.
This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, leading provider of trouble free IT services for businesses in California including Merced, Fresno, Stockton & More. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/valley-techlogic-inc/.
December 13, 2024
My First Convention Experience: A Memorable Time at ScaleCon 2024
Today’s blog was written by our employee Ashton Fortuna who recently attended his first convention, Scalecon 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This year, I had the incredible opportunity to attend ScaleCon 2024, the very first of its kind, hosted in Las Vegas. As someone relatively new to the convention scene, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I can confidently say that ScaleCon exceeded every expectation and left me eager for next year’s event.

An Event Worth the Hype

Right from the moment I arrived, I knew I was going to benefit from this event. Everything was meticulously planned, from the opening keynote to the breakout sessions and networking events. The organizers of ScaleCon put in a tremendous amount of effort to ensure that every aspect of the event was seamless. The attention to detail was evident, making navigating the convention an absolute breeze.

Top-Notch Speakers and Content

One of the standout features of ScaleCon 2024 was the lineup of speakers. From industry veterans to my peers, every presentation I attended left me with new insights and practical takeaways. Whether you’re in tech, marketing, or ownership, the sessions were packed with content tailored to help businesses scale. I particularly appreciated how each session balanced high- level strategy with actionable tips I could take back to my work. And the best part is no pitching. Not a single speaker spot was purchased and no sales pitches from the stage.

My Favorite Moments

One of the event’s highlights for me was Paul Green’s, from MSP Marketing Edge, closing keynote on Friday. Paul reminded business owners to “pay their staff way above what they’re worth” (wink wink). It was a lighthearted yet powerful statement, emphasizing the importance of valuing your team. He also delivered an inspiring message on how it’s the small, consistent actions we take daily that will shape the future we want. That reminder stuck with me and is something I’ve been thinking about since.

Brian Gillette from Feel Good MSP also shared some simple yet profound advice during his session: before helping a prospective client, we must first ask three critical questions. What do they need? Why do they need it? Why don’t they have it yet? These questions resonated with me as a reminder that understanding our client’s motivations and obstacles is key to offering real value

Tech Tribe owner and resident chief motivational speaker Nigel Moore on stage at ScaleCon 2024.

One saying from the event that will stick with me not just in my position at work but with life came from Harrison Baron of Growth Generators: “Don’t smoke Hopium.” Harrison’s message was a powerful reminder that while being in sales is about helping others see the value of your product, hoping they will see it is not enough. Relying on hope alone holds us back. As Harrison put it, “Hoping it works out isn’t going to make it work out.” Action is what moves things forward.

And finally, Nigel Moore’s closing speech for the entire event struck a deeply personal chord. He reminded us to take care of ourselves, knowing that we can’t take care of other people’s tech unless we’re also taking care of the “grey squishy tech” between our ears. This was a perfect close to a week of intense learning and networking, reinforcing the importance of mental well-being for success.

Unmatched Networking Opportunities

Networking at ScaleCon was an experience in itself. With so many professionals gathered in one place, it was a prime opportunity to make new connections. The event organizers did an amazing job creating spaces for people to interact, whether it was through structured round tables or more informal happy hours. I walked away with a fresh perspective and valuable relationships I’m excited to nurture.

There was no shortage of speakers offering advice on sales, marketing and life in general.

A Special Thanks to Taher and Nigel Moore

I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to Taher Hamid and Nigel Moore (and their teams of course) for organizing such an amazing event. Their vision and leadership brought ScaleCon 2024 to life, and it was evident in every aspect of the convention. Their efforts created an environment where learning and connection could thrive, and I’m truly thankful for the experience they provided.

We were impressed with the variety of swag found at the event.

Looking Ahead to ScaleCon 2025

Attending ScaleCon 2024 wasn’t just about the sessions and networking; it was about being part of something new and exciting. It’s rare to attend the first of anything, but ScaleCon truly set a high bar. I’m already counting down the days to next year’s event, and if you haven’t attended yet, make sure to put ScaleCon 2025 on your calendar. You won’t want to miss it.

Our employee Ashton with ScaleCon co-creator Nigel Moore.

Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.
This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, leading provider of trouble free IT services for businesses in California including Merced, Fresno, Stockton & More. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/valley-techlogic-inc/.
October 11, 2024
Threads, Twitter, or neither? What are the differences and what are the benefits of engaging on social media for your business
News about the Twitter rival, Threads, exploded last week as 100 million people signed up so far just as Twitters traffic plummeted from recent changes.

Twitter announces that the number of tweets that users could view would go from infinite to a set amount depending on the type of account you have. Considering the main purpose of most social media platforms is to keep users engaged and scrolling – this has tanked their web traffic and further worsened the opinion users have them as a whole.

On the other end, Threads (a Meta product) which is directly integrated with Instagram, have smartly made the sign up as easy as possible. If you search for “Threads” in Instagram you will be prompted to download the application and it will be connected to your Instagram account, from there you can import all of your settings and even accounts you follow from Instagram. This includes business accounts as well.

As far as using Threads is concerned, it’s very similar to Twitter in format, with users being limited to an image and a small paragraph. There is cross platform integration in the form of Threads posts being advertised in Instagram and vice versa.

Now, whether it’s worthwhile to engage on Threads in your business really depends on the type of business you have. For those whose businesses thrive on exposure (like restaurants and other food venues, consumer driven products etc). It’s definitely worthwhile to maintain a presence on any booming social media app.

For Business to Business (B2B) types of commerce it may be less worthwhile to devote a lot of time to apps like Threads or Twitter, but it’s still a good idea to claim your business name on them and post occasionally as this activity can still contribute to your web traffic and online presence.

However, you don’t need to sign up for every social media app that comes along as there have been a number of Twitter rip offs for example that did not survive past launch or even if they still exist have abysmal traffic. Even for Twitter itself unless things turn around it the traffic you might get from there will probably not be worth the effort it takes to add original content to the platform.

For social media apps that are still thriving here are 5 content ideas you can start out with to grow your online presence:

We also wanted to list out the five main benefits to maintaining a social media presence for your business, since after all you want to see an ROI for the effort put into making that content. Benefits include:
1. Engaging with your customers 1-on-1. Social media can get your message through to your customers at a much higher rate than other avenues of advertising (such as email).
2. Promote your message. You can use it to promote your company message, how you do business, specific product launches and more.
3. You can maintain your reputation on your terms. Nowadays customers will look to your company pages to learn more about your business and how it aligns with their own values before making a purchase. They may also check these pages to see other customers’ reviews before buying.
4. It also acts as lead generation. Just like your website, your company social media pages are an online billboard for your business.
5. It helps humanize your brand. People want to buy from people, not faceless corporations. If you work on posting original content that includes behind the scenes elements of your business such as company social events or just you or your employee’s day to day, your business as a whole will feel more relatable.
Another good way to maintain your reputation online is to have clear and consistent communication with your customers, and to protect the data you collect from them in the course of doing business. On that front, Valley Techlogic can help.

We are a technology service provider that provides technical support and assistance to businesses in the Central Valley. If you would like to learn more, schedule a consultation with us today.

Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.
This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, an IT service provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.
July 14, 2023
Unsure if the person you’re interacting with may be a fake? This Chrome extension can detect fake profile pictures with 99.29% accuracy
As we discussed last week, financial scams may be on the rise in 2022. Social engineering is a pretty common tactic utilized by scammers when it comes to siphoning funds from unwitting victims, but there are some tools you can use to combat it.

Recently a company called V7 Labs has released an extension for Chrome that’s able to detect artificially generated profile pictures, such as those created by Thispersondoesnotexist.com (see below for an example).

The Fake Profile Detector extension can help you detect if a social media profile picture is a fake just by right clicking on it, it’s able to zero in on things you may miss at first glance – such as a pupil that’s not in the right place or clothing that appears to be bleeding into the skin. The extension does not work with video (yet). Also, just to note you should always verify an extension is from a trusted source before downloading it to your browser.

Social engineering scams aren’t limited to just financial scams, they’re also utilized to gain information or to spread misinformation. As AI tools have grown more sophisticated it’s not easy to rely on someone’s profile picture to give you a good indication of who you’re talking to online.

It’s also very easy to create fake profiles using real pictures, even pictures of people you may actually know. It’s typical for the scammer to start the conversation off with they got “locked out” of their main account and would like you to add their new one. You should also confirm with your friends and family before accepting a request from a new account.

Or maybe it was their actual social media account, but a scammer was able to gain access. Sometimes scammers may even leave the password alone. The victim then may not know they have an intrusion, and the scammer just monitors and deletes messages of the conversations they’re having without the victim’s knowledge.

We have created this chart of the top five things you should watch out for when it comes to social engineering scams.

Click to download the full size version.

Social engineering is not limited to just social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The most common type of social engineering are phishing attacks, and scammers setting their sites on businesses to take advantage of may have an easier time of convincing a user they are who they say they are when it comes to the more casual relationships we tend to have with colleagues.

We wrote a blog explaining what to look out for when it comes to phishing emails, but at Valley Techlogic we also think this issue can be tackled from a software and training perspective.

The tools we utilized will make sure that much of that suspicious spam never makes it to your end user, and the training we offer to our clients can help them make sure that if an employee does get a spoofed phishing email – they know exactly what to do about it.

To learn more, schedule a free consultation with our sales team today.

Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.
This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, IT service provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.
March 25, 2022
Yesterday, Facebook experienced their worst outage since 2008
Yesterday if you were trying to login to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp or even Oculus VR you wouldn’t have had much luck. Facebook experienced their worst outage since 2008 (when a bug caused the site to be down for an entire day). They were down for just over 6 hours as a world that suddenly found themselves with more time on their hands speculated why.

For a brief period, the domain Facebook.com was even for sale if you performed a search for the domain on a domain name search website.

While many thought it could be an attack on their networks, such as what’s been happening in the VoIP sector lately, others speculated the outage was related to the fire Facebook has been under lately for their business practices.

On Sunday, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen – a former Facebook project manager – went public on how Facebooks policies prioritize profits over their user’s wellbeing. She was the person responsible for the massive data dump that showed Facebook’s algorithms even optimize for hate speech. She noted these problems also exist at Google and Pinterest, other companies she’s performed similar duties for, but that the problem is much worst at Facebook.

There have been no shortage of memes taking shots at Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg following the outage.

Hearings begin this week analyzing the whistleblower findings, particularly as they relate to children on these sites. Amid the controversy Facebook has shelved plans for an Instagram Kids app, though Facebook claims the delay is so they can better analyze the needs of children and parents before moving forward with the app.

The main crux of the case has to do with both the deluge of data and how major players such as Facebook (and likely beyond) serve that data to their users. It’s a tricky situation because you don’t want to stifle free speech but promoting hate speech and negative imagery, especially to vulnerable audiences such as children, is also wrong.

There is so much more to the case then we can get to here but suffice to say hearings such as these play an important role in how we as a society consume and regulate data.

Back to the topic at hand though, after being down for 6 hours Facebook finally emerged although they did so with little in the way of answers as to why their domains were down to the first place. They’ve issued an apology for the outage but beyond that silence.

Experts who have weighed in speculate the issue had to do with Facebooks DNS (Domain Name System), and anonymous comments that have surfaced from employees said they don’t think the downtime was caused by an attack.

Some reports have even said during the outage functions inside Facebook offices ground to a halt, with some employees being unable to even use their keycards which could have also contributed to the lengthy delay in fixing the problem.

Outages such as these should cause even smaller businesses to take a hard look at their technology practices. If Facebook, with the resources they have available, can be brought to a standstill for hours over potentially a small issue such as DNS how would your business fare when faced with a similar issue?

Downtime adds up, but it doesn’t have to. Having a partner in technology like Valley Techlogic is the number one way your business can avoid the hassle, expense, and embarrassment of lengthy downtime. Find out more today.

Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.
This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, adns, n IT service provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.
October 5, 2021