PSPINC Official Company Blog

How Recommendation Systems Work on Social Media

3月

22日

Have you ever liked a post about your local baseball team on social media, come back a day later, and see another post about baseball on your feed? That’s the recommendation algorithm doing its job. Recommendation systems, in short, predict based on a ranking system and will use those rankings to recommend items that they think users will like. And it’s widely what social media platforms use to populate users’ timelines.

The first wide-scale use of the recommendation algorithm was when Amazon started recommending users products in the late 1990s. And Netflix followed suit a year later in 2000. At the time, they started with a simple collaborative filtering technique. The general concept of collaborative filtering is customers who bought this also bought that. Amazon and Netflix have since refined their algorithms, and social media finally decided to adopt recommendation algorithms for themselves in 2010.

Social Media and Recommendation Systems

person scrolling Instagram feed on their phone

Today, recommendations largely dominate users’ social media feeds. This is evident by the For You page on TikTok and Twitter. Instead of just only showing posts from the people you’re following, it shows posts that their algorithms think you’d like based on past activity (likes, comments, replies, shares, etc.). Additionally, Facebook and LinkedIn feeds are also engagement-based by default, and the video recommendations section is the first thing you’ll see on YouTube’s homepage.

While social media platforms are relatively secretive about the specifics of how each of their algorithms works, one thing is clear: they reward posts that garner more engagement by showing them first. Even though every social media platform is different in its own ways, they all have similar goals: generate ad revenue, keep users happy, and encourage users to come back. The problem, however, is there’s no direct way to accomplish those goals when thinking about how platforms arrange content on users’ timelines. By focusing on engagement, the algorithm can then populate users’ feeds with more relevant posts, making it more likely they’ll stay on as well as return to the platform.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

#amazon #blog #facebook #foryoupage #fyp #instagram #linkedin #marketing #marketingdigital #netflix #recommendations #socialmedia #socialmediaalgorithm #socialmediafeed #socialmediatimelines #tech #technology #tiktok #twitter #web #website #youtube

WebdeMail: New Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Feature

3月

17日

We are pleased to announce that we’ve added a two-factor authentication (2FA) feature to WebdeMail, which adds another layer of protection as it requires you to enter a code from an authenticator app in addition to entering your password when logging in. Using 2FA prevents unauthorized access from third parties, which enhance security.

How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication in WebdeMail

To enable the 2FA feature:
1. Log in to your WebdeMail account.
2. Select "Settings" from the menu in the lower left corner.
3. Select "2-Factor Authentication" in the settings.
4. Select "On".
5. Install an authenticator app on your smartphone.
General authenticator apps are supported, but we recommend:

・Google Authenticator
・Microsoft Authenticator

6. Scan the QR code with the authenticator app or enter the setting key into the authenticator app.
7. Enter the authentication code displayed on the authentication app in Step 3 of the 2-Factor Authentication setting page in WebdeMail and confirm the linkage.
8. Now when logging in to WebdeMail, you’ll need to enter the code displayed in the authenticator app after entering your password.

If you have any questions, please contact us at 1-800-232-3989 or email us at support@pspinc.com. We prefer to answer your questions by phone.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

What’s New Newsletter Vol. 159 “2 More Weeks to Get 50% Off Pass Wizard Pro”

3月

17日

In case you missed it, the Pro version of our password manager, Pass Wizard, is currently on sale for 50% off your first year. And it has been for a few months now. But that time is slowly coming to end on Thursday, March 30. That gives you two weeks to claim this offer!

With Pass Wizard Pro, in addition to a secure password storage and password generator, you gain access to multi-factor authentication (MFA) options via either SMS or an authenticator app, as well as group sharing features. To get 50% off, sign up for Pass Wizard for free (if you haven’t already) and upgrade to Pro. While checking out, enter the promo code, PRO50, to get 50% off. Then, you’re all set!

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

#blog #business #businesstips #businesstools #cybersecurity #newsletter #pacificsoftwarepublishing #passwizard #passwordmanager #passwords #pspinc #pspincwhatsnewnewsletter #security #smallbusiness #tech #technology #web #webdevelopment #webtools

Announcement: Web Server Security Update

3月

16日

Dear valued customer,

Thank you for choosing Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

We are always looking to improve the services we offer you.
As such, we will be conducting web server security update.

There will be a period of about a few minutes during which the website hosted by Dreamersi web server will not be able to access during the maintenance time below.

The schedule is as follows:

* USA Pacific Daylight Time
- March 22nd (Wed) 5:00 - 6:00am

* Japan Time
- March 22nd (Wed) 9:00 - 10:00pm

PSPINC provides services with uptimes of 99.9%

If you have any questions, please contact us at 1-800-232-3989 or email us at support@pspinc.com .

We would like to answer your questions by phone call.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

Announcement: Mail Server Security Update

3月

16日

Dear valued customer,

Thank you for choosing Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

To increase Mail Server’s overall security, we’ll be updating the Mail server next week. Unfortunately, we expect there will be a downtime of around 15 minutes while we make this update.

The schedule is as follows:

* USA Pacific Daylight Time
- March 20th (Mon) 5:00 - 6:00am

* Japan Time
- March 20th (Mon) 9:00 - 10:00pm

PSPINC provides services with uptimes of 99.9%

If you have any questions, please contact us at 1-800-232-3989 or email us at support@pspinc.com .

We would like to answer your questions by phone call.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

5 Marketing Misconceptions Debunked

3月

15日

For businesses today, there are so many resources designed to help marketers promote their business. And with where technology is now, most marketers focus on digital avenues, as they’re much easier to track and are tailored to fit smaller budgets. But there are plenty of misconceptions about marketing that many people don't realize. So, let’s break some down and uncover the truth behind them. Because if you want to obtain the results you’re looking for, it’s important to base your strategy on facts, not myths.

1. Target everyone

five people of varying ages and races sitting next to each other in front of a window looking at their phones

Even if your product is comparatively among the best on the market, it doesn’t mean everyone will want it, let alone buy it. Everyone has different needs and interests. Certain products will always have buyers. But even within that large audience, different segments buy from different brands for different reasons. For example, there are plenty of different toilet paper brands out there: some are stronger, and now, there are even ones made from recycled materials.

Toilet paper is something everyone buys. The kind and brand they buy, however, differs depending on how much weight they put on price, quality, and other factors. So, even though toilet paper is something everyone buys, it doesn’t mean those that sell it should target everyone in their marketing efforts. Because when you target everyone, you end up with generic, vague, and uninspiring messaging that doesn’t really appeal to anyone.

2. Marketing Only Attracts New Customers

woman in white long sleeves holding yellow floral dress

From the outside, it might look like marketing just applies to bringing in new customers. But marketing also includes retaining customers, encouraging them to come back time and time again, and creating brand evangelists. When done effectively, companies will have a steady flow of new business while still appealing to their past customers as they bring in additional sales. Your past customers helped get your company to where it is today, so don’t ignore them in favor of new potential customers. It’s important to maintain a healthy balance between the two for future success.

3. Quantity is Better than Quality

A big number of new sign-ups or new sales is nothing to scoff at. But the better question is how many of those customers will come back? And how many of those new sign-ups will still be there in a year? Or even next month? Big numbers are impressive, but it only means so much if those customers aren’t going to come back. If you only focus on attracting new customers, you may risk losing the ones you already have. Getting customers to purchase isn’t where the overall customer journey stops: you don’t just want a one-time customer; you want a repeat customer.

Instead, delegate time to focus on customers you already have by creating the best experiences for them. With so many products and companies out there, customers like feeling like they matter rather than just another sales number. To do this, brands can work to personalize the overall experience by addressing customers by their first names, remembering their preferences, and offering stellar customer support.

4. Digital Marketing Costs Too Much

With so many advertising options out there, it’s only natural to realize that costs add up. And they do. But the great part of digital marketing is that the cost of advertising on social media and Google is not only affordable but also flexible. To make sure your efforts are both effective and inexpensive, have a goal and strategy in place. Without one, you’ll end up spending money to advertise, hoping it’ll have the outcome you want it to.

5. Digital Marketing Produces Immediate Results

two woman looking at calculators with papers and notebooks around them

Digital marketing can be great for businesses, regardless of size. But many people expect results to appear immediately. The truth of the matter is that it’s not fast. On average, results take about six to 12 months before results start rolling in. And if you’re a B2B business (one that sells to other businesses), results take even longer. So, digital marketing can be a great help to your business. But it’s also important to recognize that it’ll take time before you start seeing the results you’re looking for.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

#b2b #blog #business #businesstips #customerjourney #customersuport #digitalmarketing #facebook #google #marketing #marketingdigital #marketingtips #personalization #sales #smallbusiness #socialmedia #web

Announcement: Mail Server Security Update

3月

10日

Dear valued customer,

Thank you for choosing Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

To increase Mail Server’s overall security, we’ll be updating the Mail server next week. Unfortunately, we expect there will be a downtime of around 15 minutes while we make this update.

The schedule is as follows:

* USA Pacific Standard Time
- March 13th (Mon) 5:00 - 6:00am

* Japan Time
- March 13th (Mon) 9:00 - 10:00pm

PSPINC provides services with uptimes of 99.9%

If you have any questions, please contact us at 1-800-232-3989 or email us at support@pspinc.com .

We would like to answer your questions by phone call.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

What’s New Newsletter Vol. 158 “Company Blogs”

3月

10日

It may be more work, but there’s a reason why many companies have a blog; they allow businesses to demonstrate their expertise and establish credibility. Customers aren’t just looking at the price and quality of products anymore; they want to know who they’re buying from and compare it to others before deciding who to purchase from.

For blog posts, businesses should look to create informational content about their company, industry, and customers. Businesses can feature their blog on their website, which will help increase the company site’s overall website traffic. Or they can use a separate blogging platform like Bloguru, which is what we use for PSPINC. If you need more help setting up a company blog or brainstorming content ideas, we have experts who would be more than happy to help.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

#blog #bloguru #business #businesstips #businesstools #digitalmarketing #marketing #marketingdigital #marketingtips #newsletter #pspinc #pspincwhatsnewnewsletter #searchengineoptimization #smallbusiness #tech #technology #web #webdesign #website

What is Web Development?

3月

8日

Web development refers to all actions required to build, maintain, and manage a website. There are three types of web development: front-end, back-end, and full-stack. Front-end development is the clint-facing side of the website, app, or digital product, and refers to everything users will see and interact with. This usually entails designing the site and developers use their knowledge of HTML, CSS, and sometimes JavaScript to do so.

Back-end development refers to everything that happens behind the scenes, ensuring a site works the way it’s supposed to. This usually includes creating a site’s basic framework, like database interactions, server, network, and hosting configuration, and business logic. To do so, back-end developers use their knowledge of server-side programming languages, which include PHP, Ruby, and Python. Lastly, full-stack development combines knowledge and tasks from front-end and back-end development, so full-stack developers usually take on more leadership roles on projects.

Steps in the Web Development Process

1. Acquire a domain name

Domain names are the unique URLs users will type into their browser windows to get to a website. Good domain names can be hard to come by, so doing this step first helps lower the chances someone else will snatch the one you want first. But the name of your domain will also heavily influence the overall design of the site.

2. Form a plan

If you’re building a website for a client, the planning steps include meeting with said client and figuring out what they need. Even if they’re not entirely sure what they’ll need, as the developer, you’ll need to determine the site’s overall purpose and goals. That will then help inform the kinds of content that will be on the site and how it’ll be arranged.

3. Create a mockup

To give you and your client a better representation of what the site will look like, create a mockup. This will generally start with a wireframe, which is a two-dimensional skeletal outline of a webpage or app. And it’ll also involve creating a sitemap, which lists files on your site to help search engines like Google crawl and index your site’s context. In addition, you may also need to create a prototype that takes the mockup a step further to show how the site will function.

4. Research your client’s target audience

Learning more about who the website’s meant for will give you a better idea of what content will be on the page. And that will then help inform how the site should look. Again, the site’s overall design should appeal to the client’s audience, encouraging them to take action like purchasing a product or staying on the site longer.

5. Build the back-end

Back-end developers will start by building the back-end of the homepage first and move on to the other pages by creating a “shell”, which front-end developers will later fill with content. During this step, developers will add functional elements like contact forms and shopping carts and make sure they work properly.

6. Build the front-end

Working on the front end of the website will focus more on the design aspect of the site and will include some basic coding using HTML and CSS, as well as JavaScript, if needed.

desktop and mobile view of pass wizard's website

desktop and mobile view of pass wizard's website

7. Test your site features

To ensure everything works the way it’s supposed to on your site, test your site features. This will prevent users from coming to your site and clicking on a broken link or encountering other issues. Another thing to look out for is seeing how different the site may look on different devices and different browsers.

8. Launch your site

After finishing the development phases, it’s time to launch your site!

9. Promote your site

While having a site is a great first step, no one will come to your site if no one knows it exists. That’s where promotion comes in, which you or the client could do in-house or outsource marketing work to an outside agency like PSPINC. Web development work doesn’t always involve a lot of marketing, but it’s important to remember that the site you’ve built and the marketing work it’ll take to promote that site directly correlate; the site needs to stand up on its own once the marketing team leads users to the site. A good marketing strategy will bring users to the site, but the site and its offering will determine if users stay and convert.

10. Monitor your site

Lastly, your web development duties may also involve monitoring the site, which includes checking website traffic, adjusting content to better optimize the site, and updating content as needed as time goes on.

If you’re looking for custom development, custom design, or even marketing services for your business, reach out for a free consultation on our website so we can work together to find the right solution for you and your business.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

#advertising #blog #business #businesstips #businesstools #digitalmarketing #marketing #marketingdigital #marketingtips #mobile #seo #smallbusiness #socialmedia #tech #technology #web #webdesign #webdeveloper #webdevelopment #website #websites

Pass Wizard Security Update

3月

4日

To increase Pass Wizard’s overall security, we’ll be updating the Pass Wizard server next week. Unfortunately, we expect there will be a downtime of around 15 minutes while we make this update. The schedule is as follows:

The schedule is as follows:

* USA Pacific Daylight Time
March 7th (Tuesday) 7:00 – 8:00am

* Japan Time
March 8th (Wednesday) 12:00 – 1:00am

PSPINC provides services with uptimes of 99.9%.

If you have any questions, please contact us at 1-800-232-3989 or email us at support@pspinc.com.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.