Some businesses are booted from Facebook after being hacked…and other small business tech news this week

Here are five things in technology that happened in the past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?

1 – Meta continues to start up small business owners because they have been hacked into Facebook.

Sophisticated hacks are putting small business owners in a difficult position ahead of the holiday shopping season. According to recent reports, hackers accessed Meta accounts, linked their account to the original business account, then took over the account and posted content against Meta’s policies, resulting in the business accounts being disabled. (Source: ARS technique)

Why this is important for your business:

The best defense for this is to change your passwords regularly and set more security options for accessing your Facebook page. Otherwise, your page may go down at a very critical time of the year. A Meta spokesperson told Ars that the best way to notify Meta of hacked account issues is via facebook.com/hacked and instagram.com/hacked.

2 – Shopify is testing a new universal search feature.

Shopify is testing a “Search for All” feature that allows users to find merchants that match the searched word, items sold by Shopify merchants, or items previously purchased. The test will initially be rolled out to a handful of users, though there’s no indication of how long the test will last, who will be chosen, or whether it’s something that will eventually be widely released. (Source: Search engine country)

Why this is important for your business:

If you sell on Shopify, this is one test you should keep an eye on. Universal search, when implemented properly, can significantly change the way visitors find your products and can lead you to revisit your keywords and analytics. If set up properly, it can give a big boost to your sales.

3 – Microsoft Teams introduces a new sign language feature and is about to solve one of your biggest business problems.

Microsoft Teams introduces several new features to improve the user experience. First, the addition of Sign Language Display will make it easier for users to use sign language during meetings. The new feature lets you choose up to two participant videos to prioritize so they stay in view consistently throughout a meeting. Teams users will also see improvements when it comes to scheduling and managing meetings, calls, and more with new scheduling features expected to roll out in February. (Source: technical radar)

Why this is important for your business:

Microsoft Teams has come a long way since its inception a few years ago and Microsoft – aware of its usefulness and popularity among employees – is expanding its offerings. I’m sure there are plenty of features in Teams – and Office 365 – that you don’t use, but that you pay for. So consider hiring a consultant this year to get some training.

4 – This is how TikTok saves some small businesses thousands on marketing.

Erika Wheless does a great job explaining this week how TikTok is saving many small businesses thousands of dollars on marketing this holiday season, with owners even pulling Instagram and Facebook spending in favor of the video app. (Source: Ad Age)

Why this is important for your business:

Wheless says TikTok’s benefits for small businesses are due to the platform’s ability to increase organic reach and boost sales during the holiday season. And through the new “Small Wins” initiative, the platform also teaches business owners how to use the platform to grow their business.

5 – Cobee has raised $41 million for a ‘super app’ for employee benefits.

Madrid-based startup and employee benefits platform Cobee recently raised $41 million in funding. The funding will be used to support the startup’s expansion into other Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries. (Source: Tech Crunch)

Why this is important for your business:

The employee benefits platform makes accessing and organizing benefits much easier for both employers and employees through its payroll integration and streamlined app where employees can browse and select plans.