Alexa has made Amazon proud by going beyond basic functions like providing weather updates, streaming music, and setting alarms. As her developers continue to improve on her capabilities, business users can look forward to a revolutionary, one-of-a-kind office assistant.

Thanks to social media, businesses can stay in close contact with their customers and while also attracting new ones. But what happens when one of these platforms doesn't guard the information you've given it? How does this affect its users?

Last month, news broke that a firm known as Cambridge Analytica collected private data from over 50 million Facebook users.

With 4.75 billion pieces of content shared on Facebook and 500 million tweets shared every day, harnessing crucial social media data is becoming an increasingly monumental task. Businesses need to leverage social media in order to deliver relevant and personalized content to customers.

Facebook has numerous built-in features to help small- and medium-sized businesses thrive. But chances are that most business owners are taking advantage of only just a few. With Facebook’s audience reaching 1.8 billion users monthly, it’s vital for your business to leverage the right tools to enhance growth.

Last October, Pinterest launched its first paid advertising service, “Promoted Pins,” which is geared toward large enterprises. Recently, a similar product named “DIY Promoted Pins” was released for small- and medium-sized businesses. This shows how popular social media has become in helping to establish an online presence for your business, and here are some tips to get you started.

To truly make an impression on consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses are pulling out all the stops. Standing out from your competitors could increase your chances of earning revenue. Many SMBs are now turning to social media and content marketing strategies to gain a competitive edge.

Does your business have a social media policy? If so, when was the last time you updated it? If you're taking too long to answer these questions, that isn’t a good sign. Because you should be conducting regular reviews, at least annually. You'd enjoy innumerable benefits, and deter your employees from obsessing over Snapchat filters in the process.

A growing number of small- and medium-sized businesses are turning to social media to help facilitate growth. The reasons are obvious, social media is easy-to-use and capable of reaching an enormous amount of users. That being said, you might be missing out on one of the fastest growing platforms available: Snapchat.

Social media marketing is tricky, to say the least. It’s difficult to allocate the resources that create the desired effect, especially when so many platforms are available. Facebook might be the biggest name in the industry, but that doesn’t mean it will suit your organization.

Since it’s inception in 2010, Instagram has come a long way from just double-tapping. The photo-sharing application recently announced its plan to experiment with video ads via Instagram Stories. Give your small- or medium-sized business a competitive edge by understanding and utilizing Instagram Stories.