“The strategic threat to Facebook is that power users have gone to Twitter or to Google+,” Parker explained, during an address at the annual Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco.

According to Parker, a power user is “any user that regularly contributes [significant] content to Facebook which is being consumed by everyone else.”

In other words, a lot of influential companies and celebrities are migrating to sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and Google + that are set up to maximize the ROI on their status updates/tweets.

A quick look at Facebook on any given day reveals a snapshot of what Parker’s referring to. The overwhelming majority of Facebook users post and respond to info about their own personal lives, whereas Twitter is more geared toward a person or entity promoting a brand, product or image.

People don’t follow nearly as many friends on Twitter as they do on Facebook. As the social media landscape shifts, the question becomes: What will Facebook do to evolve beyond a site where people go to see what their friends are up to?

More importantly, what will attract the power users to Facebook, as opposed to Twitter and Google+? As the power users go, so does a social media site’s popularity, assuming Parker’s on the money.

Source: “Facebook power users have gone to Google + and Twitter,” by Emma Barnett, Telegraph, 10/18/11.

The IT consultants at Forrester predict that in the next year, global corporations will purchase $10 billion worth of Apple  and leading the buying frenzy will be company CEOs.

Because of the enthusiasm company leaders are showing for the device, the Forrester analysts predict that the trickle-down impact of their popularity will lead many companies to adopt the tablets for a wide range of business purposes.

According to Forrester, the increase in IT spending on Apple products is also a result of the growing trend of employees bringing their own devices into work. Many users already own iPads and are using them for work anyway. Therefore, Forrester says, many IT departments have started buying those products so users can at least be working on company-owned and IT-managed devices.

While Apple doesn’t break out consumer and business sales in its earnings report, the company claims 92% of Fortune 400 companies are deploying or testing iPads. Industries shown to be aggressive iPad adopters include healthcare, financial services, airlines, and even manufacturing.

The bottom line: IT has to support the Apple tablets organizational leaders are using, so it’s a short hop to supporting the devices for others in the company. This also opens the door for more Apple products — from iPhones to desktops.

Top technology people list 10 areas of concern that companies need to address.

These are from the latest survey of technology chiefs by the folks at Logicalis

1. IT Managed Services – IT leaders are looking at ways to offload some IT operations in order to better focus staff energies on core activities—those that will drive revenue.
2.  Cloud – No surprise that cloud computing was a top topic of conversation that will continue well into 2012 as IT leaders decide the best ways to use the cloud in their operations.
3. Social Networking – Once again, social media itself was a topic of conversation among technologists, often the early adopters of new communications tools.
4. SaaS – Software as a Service gained more momentum as applications from large and small software developers were offered à la carte via the web.
5. IT Workplace Issues – This was a hot topic in last year’s survey and was just as important again this past year. IT leaders are focusing on IT Jobs, CIO resumes, CIO salaries, workplace motivation and demotivation as well as the ethical workplace.
6. IT Governance – IT leaders acknowledged that IT governance ensures IT is aligned with business strategies and objectives in what will undoubtedly be a talked-about topic for years to come.
7. Compliance – Similarly, compliance with industry and government regulations and requirements was a topic that hit the top 10.
8. 8. ERP – Streamlining the organization often falls to the IT department making discussion about enterprise resource planning an obvious topic.
9. Outsourcing – IT leaders are embracing many options, including smart outsourcing, for maintaining costs and controls when it comes to the delivery of IT services within their organizations.
10. Virtual desktop – IT has not forgotten the desktop in its many forms, including tablet and mobile device. With the proliferation of mobile devices and bring your own device (BYOD) workplaces, delivering secure access to critical business applications has become a focus.

Consider this scenario: The employees of two companies have about equal access to social-media websites. One company gets flooded with viruses, and the other doesn’t. Why the difference between the two?

The answer comes down to one word: training.

Companies that offer no security guidelines to employees who access sites like Facebook and Twitter tend to get hammered by viruses. Companies that make sure employees understand the dangers, and how to prevent them, escape most virus attacks, even though employees have almost unfettered access to social media.

A survey by the Society for Human Resource Management shows that only 27% of companies offer social-media training to employees. As a result, in the majority of companies, less-savvy employees are likely to fall into the “click-trick” trap in which they click on something that unleashes a virus. Typical scenario: An employee who accesses Facebook gets enticed to click on a pop-up, which eventually leads to a download infested with viruses.

The fix: Cyber-security experts recommend setting up training — usually conducted by IT staff — to make employees aware of the problem and prevention measures.

For more on the SHRM study and social-media-usage statistics, go here.

In the case, Ardis Health, LLC v. Nankivell, not until after the employee left the company did someone realize that the departed worker was the only one with knowledge of passwords needed to access various types of electronic information, including company websites and social-media pages used for marketing.

The company quickly demanded that the ex-employee surrender the passwords. The ex-employee — who apparently left the company under less-than-ideal circumstances — refused. The two sides marched into court to settle the issue.

A judge ruled in favor of the employer; the ex-employed was ordered by the court to hand over the passwords.

That’s a relief to all types of companies, since nearly all have some sort of confidential electronic info that’s often protected by passwords. Still, it points out another problem that managers should be aware of: Make sure the passwords are in the possession of at least one backup employee, in case the primary holder leaves or is unavailable.

Doing so would have saved this company from having to fight an expensive court battle — and experiencing denied access to information while waging the legal fight.

All the recent stats show that the majority of your peers are considering shifting at least some of their IT to the cloud. But remember what your mother used to say: “Just because everybody’s doing it doesn’t make it right.”

Or at least right for your organization.

So how can you tell, especially if  IT is bucking for it – hard?

Microsoft’s Mark Rowe recently spoke with a group of finance execs at the Current Financial Reporting Issues in New York to address this issue. And we were there to get the scoop.

Now … or later?

Rowe offered a slew of benefits from a move to the cloud, including significant cost savings to the ability to have the most current software and updates. But Rowe also acknowledged it’s not the right move for everyone just yet.

Here’s how to tell whether your business should take a now or later attitude. You probably want to sit down with not only your top IT person, but your CFO and other top execs to consider the following:

Your company is probably ready to embrace the cloud now if:

• Your business is growing rapidly, so you require the latest-and-greatest software offerings.
• Your software tends to be out-of-the-box, with little to no customization required.
• You need upgrades, new software, etc., up and running fast.

You may be better off waiting if:

• Other members of upper management are still skeptical. Top-down buy-in is a must.
• You have complex customizations, which isn’t an option in the cloud. (IT can clue you in on this one.)
• You want to build lots of custom apps. It is possible with a non-public cloud, but it’ll cost you.

Note: Mr. Rowe spoke at the Current Financial Reporting Issues conference, put on by Financial Executives International, www.fei.org

And New York Times tech columnist David Pogue recently took a gaggle of them to task for what he labeled “idiotic blunders.”

But in the end, these floundering chiefs weren’t so different from the leaders of many companies that get driven into the ditch when the basics of customer focus and brand protection are ignored.

The cases in point: The disaster that became Hewlett-Packard when its dingbat CEO, Leo Apotheker, dumped much of the company’s emerging and innovative hardware products.

Then there was the case of communications-challenged Netflix exec Reed Hastings who hiked rates and split up his company into competing factions that baffled and infuriated customers.

And finally, there’s the sad story of Cisco CEO John Chambers who abandoned a nearly $600 million camcorder business that sold a wildly popular mini camera — effectively alienating his customer base and jettisoning more than 500 workers in the process.

Running a tech company isn’t rocket science, but it does take a basic understanding of who your customers are and what they want. Kind of like any business.

To read more of Pogue’s assessment of these dopey moves, click here.

The pros at tech analyst firm Gartner cite two big changes in the arena that will likely have a big impact on the way your IT department is structured, spends its money and hires staff.

The changes: The consumerization of IT and cloud computing.

The first will involve IT supporting and enabling consumer devices — tablets, smartphones, laptops — that workers choose to use to get their jobs done. Gone are the days when IT distributes equipment and software they’ve approved for business use. These days, workers are using devices of their choosing to access company networks and services.

And they expect IT to help them do it.

This practice can be a cost saver — most employees spend their own money for these devices and train themselves in their use. They also boost productivity and enable mobility for But they can pose serious security and compliance risks if not properly managed by your IT pros.

As for cloud computing, this trend will likely mean that functions like user support, network maintenance, storage and email services will soon be managed by vendors, freeing up your staff for more work on business intelligence and data mining work. This will mean a change in the skills needed by your CIO. It might actually mean fewer bodies, but you can expect their expertise to cost you more than the maintenance workers who’ve been the backbone of most IT groups in the past.

To read more about Gartner’s 2012 IT trends, visit here.

In a recent CustomerCollective article, sales blogger David Cancel offered “30 Brilliant Social Media Marketing Tips from 2011“. Here are the best ones for sales:

1. Write posts with your audience in mind, not your company.
2. Stop worrying about quantity of posts, and start providing your audience with quality content.
3. Show appreciation for the social media users who constantly retweet or repost your offers by providing some type of small incentive or discount.
4. Test the response rates when posting at different times of the day.
5. Think of your social media feeds as a fun place for customers to meet and discuss relevant issues. Do not use social media as a billboard.
6. Use social media analytics to find out who your key prospects are, and what their common interests are beyond business.
7. Create specific metrics to measure the success of every campaign.
8. Use social media to generate instant feedback about products/services.
9. Hold contests to ensure customers get in the habit of visiting your feed on a daily basis.
10. Offer something of value in return for “like”-ing your company.

According to a recent analysis of IT salary data released by tech research firm Foote Partners salaries for employees with certified IT skills have been declining since 2007, with Foote seeing decreases in 19 of the last 21 quarters for the 274 IT certifications the firm tracks.

Meanwhile, premium pay for employees with non-certified skills has increased in six of the past eight quarters.

Why are certified skills declining in value while others are increasing? Foote attributes the trend to a few possible factors: First, many companies are focused on new IT skills for which there aren’t yet certifications available.

Also, as there have been more IT professionals with certifications looking for jobs, businesses may be placing more emphasis on real-world experience rather than education. Companies are also valuing business acumen more in their IT hiring, especially as more pure technical jobs are being handled by external service providers due to the rise in cloud computing.

Of course, not all certifications are created equal, and experts point out that there are some that companies still prioritize when they’re looking for IT staff.

These are the certifications that were named the most valuable at this time last year:

1. Microsoft (MCSE, MCITP, MCTS)
2. CompTIA (A+, Network+, Security+, Linux+)
3. Cisco (CCNP, CCNA, CCiE)
4. Apple (ACSP, ACTC)
5. International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (CISSP)
6. Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA)
7. Project Management Professional (PMP)

Several months back, YouTube started giving viewers the option to skip video advertisements after the first five seconds. The results of that type of marketing provided a window into consumer preferences.

If an ad was considered relevant, or simply engaging, during the first 5-10 seconds, consumers were likely to watch the majority of the ad. If the ad failed to engage the viewer, he/she would click through.

Hulu.com, on the other hand, added a button at the top of ads, asking viewers to click based on whether or not the ad they were watching was relevant to them.

That type of intelligence has led a slew of online advertisers to start exploring a new realm of thought – specifically, why not let consumers choose the advertisement they’d prefer to watch based on which product or service seems the most intriguing to them?

Hulu recently gave visitors the option to “swap” one ad for another, based on personal tastes or interests. Example: If Coca-Cola has purchased that ad space, viewers can choose between an ad for Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Sprite.

Obviously, if this type of advertising catches on, it could lead to sharper marketing analytics, allowing companies to devote more focus to which products and ads produce the most bang for their online buck.

One obvious drawback: Viewers may see this type of advertising as one more obstacle to viewing the content they came to the site for in the first place. If that’s the case, it could affect traffic, ad buys, and the online marketing process altogether.

If the user doesn’t choose an ad in a specific amount of time, the site will choose an ad for him/her, in order to save the process from stalling users who may have minimized the screen, etc.

YouTube isn’t completely sold on the idea yet, and continues to roll out multiple-choice ads only in small, beta testing controls.

One final option that’s gaining traction: Engage the viewer by turning the ad into a trivia contest or quick game of skill. This way, the user feels entertained, while the advertiser maintains a captive audience.

Source: “Commercials, by Multiple Choice,” by Randall Stross, New York Times, 10/30/11.

Of course there was the short-lived and much reviled Vista in between these two versions of operating system of the computer platform most businesses depend on. But Vista never really caught on with Windows users or the IT teams that support them.

Now Windows 8 is on the horizon and Windows 7 is now running on more systems than Vista ever has, say reports of analytics firms that measure such things.

For organizations holding out on an upgrade and limping along with XP, which no longer gets significant support from its creators, the time for making a decision on which operating system to pick is at hand.

The tough hurdle: Either Windows 7 or 8 will demand more robust computer systems than good old XP. That means investing in new hardware for users — not an insignificant capital expense.

The good news is that Win8 won’t demand much more computing power than Win7, so which one you pick will likely depend on features and compatibility with legacy software in your organization.

The late Apple co-founder will be remembered for a number of things, including his ability to attract and captivate audiences and the media. An analysis shows he used the same formula — one that anyone else can employ.

What made Jobs’s presentations so intriguing? In many cases, it boiled down to a combination of these five traits:

1. His presentations were always based upon a central theme: Sometimes Jobs would repeat a slogan, other times he’d double back to a common idea. But Jobs was always sure to plant a seed in prospects’ minds early, and reinforce it often. The common theme was almost always associated with a vision of how Apple’s products could help customers achieve their goals.
2. He made a clear connection between each of his major selling points: Jobs once said, “The great thing about Apple products is that they’re innovative and they work … and when you buy more than one, they work even better.” Much like his products, Jobs was an expert at connecting each benefit to a need. He didn’t simply present features, he backed them up with everyday examples customers could relate to.
3. He sold the experience: Steve Jobs’s presentations were all about showing buyers the future of technology, and the simplicity of embracing it. He empowered people by showing them how much simpler or unique their lives would be by simply using the product he was promoting.
4. He used strong adjectives: Jobs used language to excite the people in his audience. His enthusiasm was a major driving force behind each product.
5. He knew how to create a “Wow” moment: Jobs always surprised his audience by offering stats or demos that drove home the extreme value and “wow” factor of Apple’s products. His presentations were billed as must-see events, with the media rushing to summarize (and advertise) all the major bullet points.

Based in part on “How to Deliver a Great Presentation Like Steve Jobs,” a BNET video presentation.

Don’t take our word, it’s the conclusion of PC World, not exactly Mac “fanboys.”

Reviewers cite three features that make the 4S better for business:
1. Carrier diversity: Adding Sprint
to the iPhone mix means organizations have more choices and there will be more plan pricing competition among carriers.
2. Siri Personal Assistant: Voice integration with software that can perform tasks like finding a telephone number or place to eat.
3. Texts and email dictation: Turns downtime – in traffic, airports or even the dentist’s office – into productive work time for users.
Add the iCloud and iOS5 to the mix, and iPhone has a nice edge.

Creating a well-balanced campaign that successfully promotes the brand, without snowing customers under.

Since you won’t be clad in red and flying in on a sleigh, you’ll need to resort to other ways to pack your gift sack with the information customers need to make buying decisions that favor you.

Two strategies have been especially successful:

1. You ever seen homes or store displays jam-packed with lights, garlands, endless carols, nodding reindeer and a waving Santa? Send out an email decorated like that and you’ll land in the spam filter for many businesses or the junk folder if it sneaks through. Don’t go all Scrooge, though. Tasteful, minimal motifs are much better. Also, don’t forget, steer clear of symbols and messages that could possibly offend your non-Christian audience.
2. Think like a customer. Imagine the disappointment when someone wants to purchase a product off your website – and it’s out of stock. Take the edge off that frustration by giving those customers the opportunity to sign up to be notified when that particular product has been restocked. It shows customers you care about their needs.

Restocking messages stir a lot of interest:

• 36% open rate
• 26% click-through rate
• 25% conversion rate.

And if your organization’s website isn’t set up to display properly (the techie phrase for this is “optimized for mobile devices”) on mobile devices, you’re overlooking a key component of your marketing strategy.

Most company websites are crafted for display on desktop or laptop computers. Their wide screens, scrolling and typing methods are standard fare. The kind of embedded coding that’s used to display audio and video clips is usually simple to display on these kinds of computers.

Tablets and smartphones present unique challenges. Their screens are smaller, their keyboards are sometimes more difficult to use and their ability to use Flash technology or accept cookies may be limited.

All this means that your side needs a mobile version that will display and behave correctly on mobile devices.

Check with your IT folks to see what’s being done to accommodate this new trend in tech use.

Nearly a third of prospects report they receive more than 20 email offers from sales organizations per week, a new Kanter Media study reveals.

More importantly, the study found 9 out of every 10 prospects will open and click through on an email link every now and again if the subject line/copy grabs them.

How do you break through the clutter? Here are three proven keys, according to blogger Stephanie Miller:

1. Segment your audience. Use SIC info and past buying history to send targeted copy/offers to specific segments of your audience.
2. Improve your call to action. Engage buyers by giving them an incentive to click through (e.g., register on our site to receive a 10% discount on your next purchase, etc.).
3. Test, track and adjust. The most important part of any email campaign is determining what went right, what went wrong and why. Have strict metrics in place so you can pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, and capitalize on new-found opportunities.

Source: “Seven Ways to Improve Email Click-Through Rate,” by Stephanie Miller, Customer Collective, 11/1/11.

What’s on the horizon is the age of the consumer device that’s used for both personal and business tasks, and the challenges of managing this new world orderwill fall squarely on IT and the finance folks who oversee its operations.

In both their professional and personal lives, most workers have come to increasingly depend on a Web connection to manage daily affairs. From email to spreadsheets, GPS and online banking, it takes a computer these days to get things done.

And that means mobility. Using one system at work and another on the run is far to burdensome for many workers and so they’re increasingly bringing their preferred technology to the workplace.

This “consumerization” of IT is often the genesis for a Bring Your Own Device program that lets workers select the tech of their choice — with limits set by the company. The cost is either assumed by the company or shared with the employee, depending on the company’s policy.

This worker-led transition has both advantages and challenges, but it’s unlikely that any organization will be able to avoid the trend.

If you have any doubts, consider that the investment bankers at Morgan Stanley believe that in 2011 combined shipments of smartphones and tablets will overtake those of personal computers (PCs).

Any organization that’s not planning its transition to technology other than the PC is playing a dangerous ostrich game with its future.

The clothing retailer is seeing a shopper migration from its bricks-and-mortar sales outlets to mobile commerce.

A driving force behind that is the fact mobile specialty retail connects buyers with content not available in stores.

Example: In-store shoppers might want to see if a retailer has a specific size, style or color. Instead of waiting in line to ask a clerk, mobile shoppers have that information at their fingertips.

Consumers can also connect with the Gap’s associated brands — including Old Navy and Banana Republic — through Gap’s mobile app.

Gap expects online sales revenue to hit about $1.5 billion this year, and climb to $2 billion by the end of 2014, according to recent research.

While sales in Gap’s online division are on the upswing, the retailer reportedly plans to close about 200 stores in North America.

It appears some online retailers haven’t yet tapped into this rich resource: 43% of online retailers haven’t devised a strategy to reach the mobile market.

The Gap hasn’t entirely turned its back on traditional sales sites: The mobile app has a GPS that finds nearby stores for customers.