In the grand scheme of things, social media as we know it is a new concept – especially in the context of business marketing strategies. What started as a personal platform to connect with friends has turned into one of the most powerful marketing tools for businesses all over the world. Some businesses cling to social media, while others are more hesitant to toss their hat into the social media arena. This sector of marketing takes time, effort, and dedication, but before you dive into a full strategy, you should identify what social media channels would be most beneficial for your company. You want to make sure you're putting your valuable time and resources into the right platforms, and this is your first step in choosing what's best for you. 

You likely interact with Google every day, but your personal experience is just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of guidelines in place for web developers and SEOs to follow – all there to get in Google's good graces. However, it's like playing a game where the rules change every so often. Now, it's not without reason – Google's ultimate goal is to improve the user's experience. While great for the user, it can create some challenges and a list of to-dos for you or your web developer. Starting mid-June 2021, Google released a new update that focuses on Page Experience… 

At Technical Resource Solutions, it's our goal to provide quality, timely service to our clients. To do that, we utilize a ticketing system that allows our whole team to see all of the tickets created for a company, who is addressing the issue, the progress that has been made, and so much more. Whether you're a new client or just wanting to brush up on how the system works, we have compiled the basics of our ticketing system to assist you. 

Whether in a personal or professional setting, you have probably had first-hand experience with the consequences of sacrificing quality for a lower price. Though some businesses opt for consumer-grade emails to save money, this is a mistake that could compromise business, employee, and client security in more ways than one. What is a consumer-grade email exactly? If your email looks like This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. instead of This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., you're probably utilizing a consumer-grade email account. Though it may be free, it doesn't come without cost. 

Many moving parts go into designing and developing your website, and a big part of the project is having everything your website team needs from the get-go. While the process may appear to be pretty simple, there are many moving parts and one of the common characteristics of a smooth project is a client who comes prepared with ideas, content, and a willingness to collaborate. No one knows your business like you do, and that perspective is extremely valuable when building out your website. Here are ways you can adequately prepare for the design and development of your website. 

What if you could have all of the benefits of an in-house technology specialist without having to pay for all that comes with onboarding a new employee? As with any business decision, many things such as efficacy, efficiency, and cost come into play. When choosing between ad hoc (paired with monitoring) and managed IT services, it's important to take into consideration the level of demand your company has for technology, how many employees you have, and how often you expect to need assistance. Below, we will break down the difference between the two services to help you better decide which one is for you. 

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a gray area is defined as "an area or situation in which it is difficult to judge what is right and what is wrong." This definition proves to be accurate in the case of graymail as it's a problem in the marketing industry that even the best marketers struggle with. Though it's a widespread problem, it's not often talked about so we will dive into what graymail is, why you want to avoid it, and steps you can take to try to remedy its effects. 

No matter the industry or location, the vast majority of businesses rely heavily on computers for day-to-day tasks. With almost all operations requiring technology, many companies have a plethora of employee and customer data stored on their hard drives. What happens when it's time to replace that equipment? The data doesn't all just magically disappear – even if you think you've deleted everything. If you don't take the necessary precautions, you may just find yourself in a legally compromising situation, and that's the last thing you want to happen. If you're still on the fence about the importance of data destruction and security, check out why you want to ensure all information is destroyed. 

Your website is a powerful tool. It's now 2021 and websites aren't just online business cards, but a direct source for information on your products or services, and one of the first things possible consumers view before they decide if they want to venture further down the sales funnel. It's your first impression, your voice, your brand, and probably a major contributor to the success of your business – even if you don't realize it. Many moving parts go into a website including design, development, SEO, responsive, and last but certainly not least, content. Since it's a new year, it may be time for new content. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you review your website copy.

My typical day looks like meandering around the office greeting my TRS family and eavesdropping on their conversations. They're always busy at work providing marketing plans and solutions for clients, a major part of that being email marketing. As I make my rounds, I've more than once overheard them explaining to clients why they shouldn't send bulk mail through their personal or business email accounts. Because I think this topic is a real tail wagger, I thought I would do them a favor and write a blog about all the reasons you just can't send bulk mail through your email account. 

The holidays are full of joy…but panic tends to seep in as you realize time is running out to find the perfect Christmas present for the ones you love most. It's a lot of pressure, but if you know someone that can't get enough of technology and has a knack for putting things together…we have a gift that will keep on giving. Purchase all of the parts needed to build a computer and give it to a loved one so they can build it themselves. If you're not a techy person, this might not sound so appealing, but to someone that enjoys the ins and outs of technology, it would be a dream come true! Keep in mind – it comes with a hefty price tag. Stick around for price points and what parts you'll need to make this dream become a reality. 

Believe it or not, Christmas is right around the corner and you'll want to jump on the Christmas shopping early this year. While many families have the long-standing tradition of going Black Friday shopping the day after Thanksgiving, many stores are shutting their doors on Thanksgiving and promoting sales for months instead of for 24 hours. Though it's all in efforts to keep people safe, this could potentially change the way we shop for Christmas gifts moving forward. According to Clark Howard, we're more likely to see sales in October and November, with a drastic increase in prices after December 11th. To help you get your shopping done early, we decided to release our 2020 Technology Gift Guide early this year. Check out these gifts selected by the whole Technical Resource Solutions team! 

It's safe to say that most everyone knows about or at least has heard of Google. It's also safe to say that you probably use it every day! However, if you're not a Technical Resource Solutions website customer, you may not have heard about Joomla, an open source content management system (CMS). We chose this platform over 10 years ago and have spent a great many hours explaining to current and potential customers the many benefits of Joomla, with many of them having never heard of the platform at all. Thanks to Google's recently announced sponsorship of Joomla, we're expecting this platform to become more familiar among business owners. Our team is excited about this new development and we are looking forward to all of the benefits that come with this sponsorship. 

When making judgment calls for your business, it's sometimes hard to know when the cheaper option is a viable one, and when you truly will get what you pay for. If you search on Google®, you may find articles that support the use of desktops as servers. The phrase that comes to mind is: "Just because you can doesn't mean you should." We want our customers to be set up for success but using a desktop computer as a server will cause more harm than good and here's why.

Blogs fit under the Content Marketing umbrella and are beneficial for so many reasons - and it's not just me being biased because I'm a writer. Blogs have the ability to reach a wider audience than your website might have done sitting idle, but they also give you the opportunity to gain authority, a following, and hopefully move up in Google's rankings! Now we know how important blogs are, but do you know how to come up with blog topics? It can be tough, so we outlined some different tools and techniques you can use to brainstorm engaging blog topics for your audience.