Mobile technology is getting more and more advanced. And thanks to those advances, businesses are continually able to do more with less. This week, mobile inclined businesses got some welcome news in the form of Skype announcing a group calling feature for mobile devices.
In addition, Samsung announced a new virtual reality camera called the Samsung Gear 360. These headlines and more are included below in the Small Business Trends news and information roundup.
Technology Trends
Skype Announces Group Video Calling for Mobile
The technology used by today’s workforce is evolving at a fast rate as companies integrate a range of information and communications technologies (ICT) into their operations. The integration and processes that are being implemented are a work in progress, but one trend that is seeing wide adoption across the board is collaborative solutions.
Samsung Gear 360 – A “Virtual Reality” Camera in the Palm of Your Hand
The 360-degree video capture market is relatively new, but many see the technology as a stepping stone for virtual reality (VR) content. A truly immersive VR experience requires cameras that are capable of capturing everything a person sees in front of them. And that is what the new Samsung Gear 360 is designed to do, the company says.
Economy
Small Business Employment Continues to Rise, Says ADP Jobs Report
Job growth among small businesses continued to rise in February, sparking optimism that the trend will persist for the remainder of the year. Small businesses with 1 to 49 employees created a total of 76,000 jobs in February, according to the monthly jobs report from human resources management company ADP, in partnership with Moody’s Analytics.
40 Percent of Small Business Owners Say Presidential Candidates Don’t Get Them
It seems like a horse race, the Presidential candidates with first one, then another in the lead. Most election years, that would be true of all the candidates, but this year, Donald Trump took the lead early on and kept it when most of the other Republicans have been chasing him or have since faded away.
Women Owned Business Sees 12 Percent Rise in Revenue, Says Biz2Credit
Woman power rocked business in 2015. That’s according to a new 2016 women-owned business study by Biz2Credit, a leading online marketplace which has found that average revenues of women-owned businesses increased 12 percent in a year-to-year comparison. Average earnings also rose to $72,529 in 2015, up from $67,950 in 2014.
Employment
SurePayroll Survey: Word of Mouth Top Way Employers Find Job Candidates
Recently Small Business Trends asked Stefan Schumacher of SurePayroll Inc. to include a couple of questions in its February 2016 small business survey. These were: What resources/tools do you use when searching for a new job candidate (recruiting sites, background checks, skills assessments, etc.
New Service from Upwork Allows Companies to Tap into Pool of Quality Freelancers
There is a growing pool of premium freelancers and freelance market place Upwork (formerly Elance, oDesk) wants to help you tap into this global talent pool. On Feb. 18, the giant freelance marketplace, which enables businesses and independent professionals to connect and collaborate remotely, announced two new paid services.
Marketing Tips
Infusionsoft Celebrates Growth with ICON16 Event
Infusionsoft has grown a lot over the last few years — both in its offerings and in its dedication to the small business community. The ICON Conference March 2-4, 2016 is under way and even the company’s own tweets from the event show its focus on the ecosystem it serves.
Payments
Need to Hire an Accountant Specializing in Small Business? Check Out Countup
Whether you are starting a business or already in the process of operating one, you’ll need to hire an accountant. If you can’t really afford a full-time accounting firm on retainer there are alternatives. Enter CountUp.io. Founded in May 2015 by Nodar Janashia, Countup is a service that links small businesses with accountants, as needed, both for full time or on a piecemeal basis.
Small Biz Spotlight
Spotlight: StoneCoat Transforms Building Surfaces into Limestone
There are plenty of home and building improvement products available in the market. But there aren’t many that can actually transform a home or building’s surface into a different substance. But that’s just what StoneCoat is meant to do. Read more about the company and its offering in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.
Social Media
Will the New Facebook Emoticons be Helpful to Marketers?
The use of emoticons or emoji quickly lets you express yourself without having to type what you are feeling about a particular conversation, image or other content; and until now that was the end of it. But the type of emoticons people use can now be used to generate another data point that lets businesses know what users are feeling about the products and services they offer.
Pay to Place Twitter Video Ads at the Top of Every Timeline with First View
The impact of video in advertising is undeniable, and whether it is GIFs that are seconds long or longer formats, everyone is using video ads to connect with their audience. Twitter’s First View takes the popularity of video and lets brands share their message in a highly visible way with premium placement.
Startup
Why University Spin Offs Need Engineers on the Founding Team
Recently a team of graduate students came to me to talk about a company they were planning to start. They had an option to license a university invention that used would detect heavy metal ions in water. They had clearly researched the idea and had identified a market. They would sell sensors to companies required to comply with Environment Protection Agency standards.
Image: Small Business Trends via Skype
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