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To detract from the controversy businesses face around tracking their customers, some businesses are beginning to implement cookieless tracking systems.This protects consumers from unwanted online tracking, personal profiling, unsolicited marketing tactics, and nonconsensual data harvesting. These systems also increase the users autonomy and allows for them to be informed of when their data is being collected and what it is being used for.

Autonomy is important when it comes to digital data collecting because, as we all know, not everything you read online is true. This means that there is sometimes data that can be incorrect about a person that is being collected, or there is data that is very private that is being collected. Using data blocking services, customers can correct any inaccurate personal data that is collected and can choose which–if any– aspects of their personal information can be processed. 

It can be shocking when you look for recommendations on the best pizza in town and then all of a sudden get hundreds of ads about pizza on your social media. If you value your online privacy and want to protect yourself from these marketing tactics, make sure you are well informed about if the websites you’re visiting are using cookies or if they are making the switch to cookieless tracking data. Learn about data tracking and how to prevent it in the infographic below: 

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Section One: Why Did You Lose Data?

One of the main reasons why data is lost is file corruption. Valuable data may be lost when the files themselves get corrupted due to a technical error. Corruptions usually happen when an app glitches or has some kind of execution problem. Most of the time, an error prompt is given and you are given the chance to correct the error. However, this is not always the case. In a situation like this, you must know the best ways to recover files from hard drive in the case of data loss. There can be other issues as well.

• Issues with the Hard Disk: There can be a problem with the physical sectors of your hard disk drive. Hard drive recovery software can actually be used with remarkable success to reclaim lost data from the recesses of your drive. Physical drive problems can also cause loss in your data.
• App Error: Sometimes, there can be a problem with the program that you are using. You might be using a convertor or compressor that glitches. If the glitch occurs, then there is a chance that the original file will become corrupted and lost. Recovery is very important in this case.
• Accidental Deletion: Many times, accidental actions of carelessness can lead to files being deleted or removed from their right place. If you permanently delete some of your files by accident, you can use a recovery software to gain the files back. This is a vital safety net you can use.

Usually, deleted files move to the Trash Bin if they are deleted. In case you delete the files on a permanent basis, then you will have to think of a way to recover files from hard drive. Here is a rundown of the different options that are available to you.

Section Two: What Can You Do If You Lose Data?

If the worst does happen and you lose a lot of your data, what can you do? Well, the first thing you should do is remain calm. Do not panic! There are many ways for you to gain back all of the valuable data that you have lost by mistake. One of the most effective ways is to make use of the Recoverit software, which is a powerful hard drive recovery software. It will help you to get back all of the files and data that you lost by mistake.

There are actually dozens and dozens of recovery clients available in the market. These products differ a lot on the basis of their effectiveness and algorithms. If you would like to use the client that is powerful and versatile, then the best choice for you is the Recoverit software. Even if your data is severely corrupted, it has the power to bring it back from the dead. You can use this software to recover any important data that you’ve lost. This software also supports data recovery for all kinds of devices, such as computers, phones, digital cameras, SD cards, etc.

As stated earlier there are various scenarios in which data can get lost or corrupted. For example, a system crash might cause some of your files to get corrupted. Accidental deletion and formatting are also some of the cases in which you might lose all of your valuable files. There can also be physical damage to the hard disk or memory device itself. Malware attacks can also cause you to lose your data. The Wondershare Recoverit is an amazing hard drive recovery software that will help you recover your files, no matter what the reason is behind losing the files.

Section Three: How to recover data from the hard disk?

Here is a step-by-step guide that you can follow to recover any lost data or corrupted files by making use of the Recoverit software. First things first, you’ll need to purchase, download and install the Recoverit software on your device.

Step 1: Launch the Wondershare Recoverit Software: The first step involves the proper installation and launch of the software. After you finish the installation process, you can launch the software by clicking on the desktop icon. You can also launch it by locating the program on the computer’s Start bar

Step 2: Scan the Drive: The next step involves scanning the drive that used to store the files that you lost. Locate the drive that you would like to scan. Click the “Start” button in the software. Recoverit will conduct an in-depth scan of all the drives if you need to check

Step 3: Preview and Recover: After the scanning is complete, you will be able to preview the files that the software detected. The results of the scan can be filtered by date, file types, etc. This will help you locate the exact files you are looking for. Then click on the “Recover” button and save the lost files.

These are basically all the steps that you will need to complete if you want to recover the files that you have lost from your computer. No matter what the reason is for the files to have been lost, WonderShare Recoverit can be used to address all of these issues. The preview option that is offered by this program is very useful. It will allow you to double check all of the files that you are looking for. This is a useful software that will protect you from any unfortunate loss of data. It’s a very useful and versatile product.

Conclusion

If you would like to recover files from hard drive, then you have to install a powerful hard disk recovery client like WonderShare Recoverit. If you have a Windows 10 OS or a similar Windows OS, then you will be able to apply this program for your data recovery. It is a very powerful data recovery software that will be able to recover corrupted data files and repair them. It makes use of a proprietary algorithm to scan your drives and scour it for every last byte of data. To sum up, this software can be a lifesaver if you delete your files accidentally.

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The utility and novelty of smart home technology like Echo is undeniable. After all, who isn’t excited about the prospect of ordering pizza without having to lift a finger? However, it is important to recognize that this type of technology may undermine your privacy. With Echo’s aural interface, the device is always listening, just in case someone gives it a command. In other words, “Big Brother is watching you”.

Should You Be Worried?

It could very well be possible that Alexa is recording and storing every conversation in your home. However, Amazon claims otherwise. According to the company, Echo only streams/stores a fraction of a second of audio before it detects its “wake word”, along with the audio of the command itself. Since Alexa is powered by AI, “she” stores your command history to help make her “smarter”. That way, Alexa can better respond to your future commands. While Amazon’s reasoning behind storing your command data is sound, imagine what could go wrong if someone else gets access to that data?

Amazon does let you delete specific voice recordings in the Alexa App. You can also delete your entire Echo history on Amazon’s website. However, Amazon cautions against doing so, warning that deleting voice recordings “may degrade your Alexa experience”. On the flip side, Amazon is also seemingly dedicated to protecting its Echo customers’ privacy. The company is refusing to provide authorities with the Alexa data of a man accused of murder. Amazon defended its action, affirming that it will not allow data access to third parties “without a valid and binding legal demand”.

While this move sets precedent for future concerns about Echo data, user information is still vulnerable. Police claim that they eventually extracted information from the alleged murderer’s Echo device without Amazon’s help. Whose to say that others couldn’t easily do the same?

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Google recently stopped passing keyword data from searches to analytics platforms. This change means that reports within Google Analytics, Hubspot, and any other kind of analytics program will not provide keyword analytics for all of their Google search traffic.

As a Google stock owner, it filled my head with dollar signs.

The decision to withhold keyword data struck me on many levels. As a marketing analyst, it was a blow to how I carry out daily activities. As a business owner, it diminished my ability to monitor my site. As a Google stock owner, it filled my head with dollar signs.

Allow me to diagnose some of these effects of withholding the keyword data and try to explain why businesses need to pay attention to this kind of move by Google. There’s a lot of love for the search giant, but like any relationship, things can turn sour real fast.

The Real Price of Free

Google has traditionally offered free services that are subsidized by the information they collect. GMail, one of Google’s first forays outside of web searches, was a free email platform that offered superior services to competitors without any charges to the user.  The only real cost was forfeiting a portion of your privacy by allowing robots to scan the email. This data was mined and helped Google make smarter decisions about advertising and search results.

Users of Google products find a hard time criticizing these kinds of practices because they’re a) getting a free product or service, and b) getting improvements to other Google products and services that they also use.

Not too much to complain about with this, but the issue with Google Analytics was a bit of a different story.

Why Business Owners Feel Betrayed

Withholding keyword data from Google Analytics is a bit different than eliminating a free service or feature of a free service.

With Google Analytics, Google’s initial proposition was very fair for both sides of the bargaining table — you provide me a competent analytics platform and I’ll provide you mounds of minable data about my business.

Google’s unending appetite for information was now being directly fed by business owners, and those same business owners were now better equipped by Google to grow their internet presence. This bargain also indirectly helped increase the value of the internet as a whole, which Google, as the gatekeeper, loved.

Now, after years of happily co-existing, Google is making a power play. It’s withholding key data and justifying it in the name of privacy. This really hurts businesses that were relying on that data, yet leaves Google nicely situated. It’s pretty clear who’s now getting the most out of the “free” transaction.

Admittedly, there are two sides to the privacy debate, and Google is correct that withholding the keyword data does help the general population in securing their privacy.  At the same time, two parties still have access to this data: Google and its paying advertisers (those using Google Adwords). Hmm… pretty interesting…

Gotta Make That Money

Now, I don’t want it to seem like I see nothing other than evil intent behind Google’s decision. The privacy aspect does carry weight, but the one that has me sold is the revenue bumps that some anticipate Google experiencing.

There’s a strong belief that withholding that information will decrease the value of natural search to some businesses. Without that keyword data, optimization becomes more difficult and gains begin to drop off. This could then turn the businesses towards AdWords as source of additional leads.

Digital marketing agencies that manage Adwords on behalf of clients have long been using Adwords keyword data to augment & enhance their organic search campaigns. Now, I can only see those Adwords revenues increasing as agencies suggest to clients to spend more in order to get more traffic, leads, and keyword data.

AdWords has always been Google’s biggest moneymaker.  Specifically, over 90% of their $50 Billion in 2012 revenue came from Adwords. They use ad revenues to subsidize the bulk of their [free] offerings and now they’re trying to herd even more marketing directors in that direction.

Is it wrong that they’re doing that? Maybe.

But the winds have been blowing in the direction for more secure searches and privacy so it could just be that this is the best opportunity they could have asked for and they seized it.

What Happens Next?

This was a major decision by Google and we’ll have to see how it plays out. If nothing else, it reminds us that nothing is free and we should be wary of relying on the search engine so much.

I can tell you my firm has long been suggesting the use of Adwords (and other paid media channels) for clients – and we’re certainly leaning more heavily on PPC in light of the lost keyword data.

Luckily, authorities in the SEO space agree that SEO is NOT dead. SEO is still plenty alive and it’s taking on a couple new faces: Google Authorship & Content Marketing.

And there are plenty of other data sources that business owners and online marketers can use to augment their organic search efforts.

Sadly, we’ll miss the glory days of being able to see every keyword that drove traffic to our sites.

Do you believe the lack of keyword data from Google searches will impact your business?
Comment below.

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Big Love

Just what has made this technology woo us into a love affair that we can’t take our eyes off of? From our human need to connect and learn to the virtual and visual attributes this convenient piece of master machinery provides, there is more than one reason we all are compulsively touching and embracing it.

Big Impact

Where might the future for us and our “precious” take us, and how might it take data from us? Conveniences like mobile wallets are starting to be tested. Augmented reality is on the verge of adoption, although the level of speed and bandwidth is not quite able to provide real time data that is necessary to fully adopt this yet.

Big Data

Big data from mobile makes Google look like toddler play compared the brawny badness of big mobile intelligence. From locations, to search terms, device types, languages and time and dates, these are some of the personal data values that can be extracted very easily, making our love affair with mobile a gold mine of intelligence for marketers.

Big Innovation

The adoption rate of mobile is staggering as 38% of smartphone users purchased  their device less than 12 months ago. This new technology is exploding with innovation from developing mobile apps to creating digital media platforms and filetypes that can be consumed on-the-go wirelessly from tablets and smartphones as opposed to the stop, sit and lean back technology from screens that sit on your lap, desk or wall. Bursting innovation that leads to great news for the consumer, entertainment, media industry and the economy.

This glance and go graphic tells the story of our love affair with mobile while using some of the takeaways from The Tim Hayden’s presentation he shared at Explore Minneapolis in September.

These are just a few top takeaways from the Tim Hayden’s recent presentation on why we love mobile and how it is impacting our lives. What are your favorite things you love about mobile and how it is changed your life? Share your love story with mobile below. 

Want to learn more about our juicy love affair with mobile? Hear Tim along with other notable speakers present details on mobile and other technologies impacting today’s world of digital marketing at the upcoming Explore event. Join the Explore community and be part of the next conference taking place in Orange, Calif., on October 18 – 19. Register for Explore OC today. Perhaps you may prefer attending Portland, Ore., on November 15 – 16.

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Information makes data geeks drool.  And yet those thick, aggregated reports are largely ignored by Those Who Make Things Happen.

How can that be?  The reports are just what they asked for!  Tabbed, cross-tabbed, and on a rolling three-month basis, too. Line graphs … pie charts … it’s all there!

What people want and what they ask for may be two different things.

The big-wigs really want to make the right choices, so their intent is in the right place.  They think data will be the fuel they need to make changes, adjust budgets, rework channel distribution plans, advance launch timetables and the like.

What they find is that data alone – or worse, the standard mind-numbing meetings during which the reports purportedly are to be discussed but are instead filled with other distractions and agendas – is an insufficient means to evoke decisive action, particularly in larger organizations.  They hamstring themselves with so much information, and no effective way to draw meaningful conclusions.  Or no one brave enough to ask “When was the last time any of us actually used any of this?” Or “What does this stuff mean, really?”  They’re intelligent high-earners so they grasp the academic concepts represented by the reports, but the question remains “What do we do next?”

The data is essentially meaningless without sufficient surrounding content and underlying context.  Developing strategic insight is the hard part Seth Godin recently wrote about – insight comes from synthesizing information from a variety of sources, finding patterns and discrepancies, and looking in other directions, channels, and platforms.  Customers lead multi-channel lives, so analysis of the data pile had better look at those areas, too.

The real objective is not to collect the data.  The real objective is to find the “something” in a sea of potential options when the environment is not controlled.

More choices do not necessarily lead to better decisions or greater satisfaction.

For about 10 years now, the leading bodies in cultural trends, food service, and grocery retail have reported that Americans are increasingly seeking flavorful options, even in well-established categories.  See Malcolm Gladwell’s famous TED talk for details. These groups believe it’s because we want to exercise more control over our lives and fill our needs for self-expression and customization. Yet studies conducted by Columbia University professor Sheena Iyengar suggest that while people like some variety, we are easily overwhelmed when our selection of choices – be it jam, computers, or clothing – exceed six or seven.  There are neurological limits on humans’ ability to process information. It becomes too much for us to compare and contrast.  We’ll even abandon the situation without having made any choice at all.  We overestimate our own capacity for managing these choices.  (I’m talking about consumers now, but doesn’t it sound like the business scenario above?)

Help me help you.

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve configured my new Dell online, only to abandon the shopping cart.  The whole thing got to be too much.  It wasn’t any sort of sticker shock, but rather the fear of making the wrong selection which gripped me.  Was that the right processor for my 67-open-tabs-at-a-time habit?  Could I store all my raw video files without risk?  Better to stick with the dog I have for now, I guess.

Consider for a moment the veritable cornucopia of choices in women’s outwear at Land’s End.  Not only are there designations of parka, jacket, and coat but then there’s down of various fills, Polar This, Therma That. The list goes on.

That vast assortment could just lead to decision paralysis. All that data!  Instead, Land’s End designed a shopping experience which categorizes their large assortment of clothing options into something I can latch onto and digest.  I don’t really want to know the warming properties of one individual material over another, but with high-level categories like “Warm” “Warmer” and “Warmest” along with a temperature performance designation, I can now translate all the product info into something meaningful.  And take decisive action.

What we really want is a better choosing experience – the information-processing component of choosing.  We want to minimize our cognitive stress to make better selections which will satisfy us. “We frequently pay a mental and emotional tax for the freedom of choice.”

Iyengar and article coauthor Agrawal wrote:

If the market for your product is saturated with choice, you can’t gain a competitive edge by dumping more choices into the mix. Instead, you can outthink and outperform your competitors by turning the process of choosing into an experience that is more positive and less mind-numbing for your customers. You can design a more helpful form of choice.

The bottom line.

Business:  when they say they want more data, what they really want is better analysis of the data.

Consumers:  when they say they want more choice, what they really want is a better choosing experience.

How can the interests of business and the wants of consumers meet to drive revenues and satisfaction?

*Note:   Cold Stone Creamery boasts 11.5 million flavor combinations with their array of ice creams.  Baskin Robins differentiated itself in 1953 with 31 flavors, one for every day of the month, before growing to 1,000 flavors today.

Related articles

• From Web Analytics & SEM To Business Intelligence (searchengineland.com)
• Avinash Kaushik on Storytelling & Web Analytics (toprankblog.com)

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