WebProNews

Author: Brian Wallace

  • Why Tech Businesses Need Content Writers

    Why Tech Businesses Need Content Writers

    More or less every modern business has a blog. A good blog does not only help attract more visitors to the website, but it also significantly helps improve traffic and revenue. An added advantage of blogs is that they also help further educate current and potential customers.

    Therefore, a high-quality blog needs to contain important information regarding not just your company and product or services it offers, but also anything that may bring additional value to your visitors. That’s why it is of the utmost importance that companies pay special attention to creating their blogs.

    Obviously, the first place to start off on this journey is hiring content writers. Since content is king in the current marketing scene, any business that wishes to achieve success needs to ensure that the content they create and put out is stellar.

    Luckily, with the help of professionals, such as those at Top Content, tech businesses can ensure that the tech content they put out matches the necessary level of quality. This not only helps them establish themselves as experts in their fields, but it also significantly aids all of their SEO efforts as well.

    Reasons Why Tech Content Writers Are in High Demand

    • They Provide High-Quality Content

    The first and arguably the most important reason tech content writers are in such high demand is the fact that they create high-quality content. The fact of the matter is that not all content creators are able to create high-quality tech content that will actually bring real value to readers.

    Therefore, in order to be able to create such a piece of content, the writer must first get familiar with the matter and understand all of the ins and outs of the subject before they can start creating. 

    Needless to say, specializing in tech content creation is not an easy task and it is definitely not the one suited for everybody. So, instead of simply looking for “Jack-of-all-trades” content creators, it’s always better to focus on the ones that specialize in a certain field – in this case tech.

    • They Know How to Engage the Audience

    Another invaluable perk of tech content writers is the fact that they know exactly how they can reach out to and engage with the readers. Since they’re so knowledgeable and well-versed about the industry and the niche they’re working in, coming up with interesting and engaging blog topics is quite easy for them.

    Needless to say, the more engaged your readers are, the more they will feel inclined to interact with your brand. And the more they do it, the greater the website traffic, exposure and – in the end – revenue you can expect to receive. 

    Additionally, the more organic traffic your website manages to attract – and needless to say, this is easily achievable with high-quality blog posts – the better the results your marketing efforts will yield. Meaning that the incoming organic traffic will signal search engines, such as Google, that your website actually provides value to your audience. 

    • They are quick to learn

    While we’ve mentioned previously that tech content writers know much about the industry and the niche they’re working in, the fact of the matter is that none of them know everything. 

    However, this is not a bad thing actually. By hiring a tech content writer for your tech business, you will get the opportunity to first teach them about the specific products or solutions your business is offering.

    That way they will get a unique perspective into your business and your offer, which will only help them further improve the quality of the content they end up creating. Even better than that, they can use the knowledge they’ve acquired and present it to your audience in a more concise way that is easier to understand even for someone who’s not extremely skillful or familiar with the industry-specific jargon.

    • They Understand How Marketing Works

    Aside from everything mentioned previously, high-quality content creators also have a deep understanding of how modern-day marketing works. This is great news for any business, as digital marketing plays a huge role in business success.

    Knowing how to say things is not the only important part of content creation. Knowing when and where to say them also has quite a bit of significance.

    What we mean to say is that not all digital marketing channels require or even favor the same type of content. That’s why it’s important to hire an expert that will create the right type of content for the specific channel you intend to use it in. 

    Final Thoughts

    Every modern business needs high-quality content to help them attract more visitors, establish themselves as the authority in the industry and generally boost their marketing efforts. That is why every business that has a goal of reaching success should look for skilled and high-quality tech content writers to help them out.

  • How Information Technology Can Streamline Your Business

    How Information Technology Can Streamline Your Business

    The modern business landscape is more knotted than ever before with the use of advanced IT solutions and tools. Business owners use the latest technologies to streamline several business operations from basic changes in day-to-day processes to long-term improvements to sales and customer support teams. Every industry has been transformed and improved by IT solutions from email to AI and IoT. Technology helps businesses and companies to leverage limited resources in a smarter and in a productive manner. Employing technologies to your different business operations provides greater efficiency and productivity.

    In this article, we will discuss proven ways information technology can help you streamline your business and improve the bottom line.

    Better Communication and Project Management

    With help of intuitive IT solutions and tools, you can efficiently improve communication and project management within your workplace. A variety of communication and project management tools are out there that you can buy as per the individual needs and requirements of your business. As a result, you can effectively streamline both internal and external communications to adjust the way you manage projects. Cloud-based project management tools allow your employees and teams to collaborate proficiently. It helps them set milestones, share documents and useful information to reach business goals without getting out of track. Customer relationship management system solution is a perfect example of such tools to manage business operations in a smooth and more effective way.

    Integrated Software Solutions

     Every business or company comprises different departments that work together to run operations in a seamless manner. Software solutions and business tools are accessible that can be integrated with each other to keep them all connected. For example, a business can integrate its asset tracking software into helpdesk management to rationalize its maintenance operations and processes. Businesses also invest in custom software development to get a customized solution that can easily be integrated into their existing systems and tools for increased operational efficiency. The utilization of integrated software solutions in conjunction with smart tools and devices can completely transform the way you run your operations.

    Online Sales

    In this modern era of life, consumers tend to make purchases online by using their smartphones. The use of the latest IT tools and solutions has totally changed the way businesses sell and consumers buy. Online sales are common these days and it is very much important for businesses to employ the latest tools and technologies to promote and sell their products/services online. Thanks to modern tech like mobile-friendly websites, social media profiles, mobile apps, chatbots, and online POS systems businesses are better able to provide their customers with a better online experience.

    Increased Operational Efficiency and Bottom Line

    Better communication, easier collaboration, and business process automation mean increased overall operational efficiency, productivity, and improved bottom line. IT solutions allow business settings to improve their processes by streamlining how things are executed. Several repetitive, manual, and paper-based tasks like inventory management, asset tracking, and payroll processing can be simplified through technologies. Cloud-based CRMs, inventory management solutions, and asset tracking software can put all the mundane tasks on autopilot. Other technologies like AI, the IoT, and VR can help you get more done in less time even without using a lot of business resources.

    Better Marketing Opportunities

    We are living in a digital world where consumers want the required details and information right on their mobile devices. This is where digital marketing comes into play and allows you to reach your target audience effectively. Marketing techniques like search engine optimization, social media marketing, paid advertising, and content marketing can help you build a robust online presence for your brand. You can also run email marketing campaigns to reach directly into the inboxes of your target customers. Not only this, but you can also monitor your marketing efforts using tools like Google analytics. You can generate a huge amount of customer data with your website that later can be used to create personalized marketing campaigns to provide an excellent experience.

    Final Thoughts

    Information Technology has totally transformed the way businesses operate. It’s opened up new opportunities to grow their operations, and tied teams together for better collaborations. Businesses should keep an eye on the latest IT solutions and tools to all the available growth opportunities and improve customer experience. Stay ahead of the game now that you know how information technology can streamline your business.

  • Why Service Consolidation is the Future of Managed IT

    Why Service Consolidation is the Future of Managed IT

    In today’s marketplace, technology is the backbone of growth and innovation. Corporations need more than an IT management partner; they need a provider that can offer consolidated, best-of-breed Enterprise Solutions (SP), Managed Services & Security Services (MSP/MSSP), and Cybersecurity services. Identifying this need in the marketplace and the opportunities therein guide Calian ITC Solutions’ unique combination of best-of-breed manufactures managed by one partner that frees CIOs and CISOs from compromise. You know the old saying: “Nobody gets fired for buying IBM.” 

    The Case for Managed IT

    Most managed security service providers tend to focus on one thing or the other. It’s either threat hunting or NOC/SOC—and hardly ever a comprehensive suite of network and security services. This is where ITC Solutions is different. It has a cohesive managed security portfolio that combines a comprehensive platform, network, cloud, and data services. With digital transformation, distributed workforces, geopolitical threats, natural disasters, and sophisticated cyber threats, enterprises need IT providers who can build and protect their servers and data. 

    Calian ITC Solutions uses tested, Gartner-informed solutions in their stack, and has strong relationships with Crowdstrike, Palo Alto, XSoar, Cisco, Okta, AT&T Cybersecurity, Microsoft, VMWARE, Dell and Nutanix.

    “Environments are only getting more complex, and the threat landscape more sophisticated. Networks need constant detection, monitoring, testing, and response,” says Faisal Bhutto, SVP of Cloud and Cybersecurity at Calian. “So customers are gravitating towards providers who can be partners and provide the attention, expertise, and level of detail that only MSP/MSSP consolidation can provide.” 

    Some of the industry-leading features of Calian’s ITC Solutions offering include: 

    • XaaS—Everything as a Service—comprehensive 24/7/365 coverage of cybersecurity, communications, connectivity, workstation, systems, and productivity for clients
    • Complete NIST framework guided coverage of all cybersecurity managed services
    • Hybrid, cloud, on-and-off premises enterprise data and networking solutions 
    • A list of assessments, including ransomware, vulnerability, technical, and many others to test your environments on a regular basis

    In Conclusion

    Modern threats need modern solutions, and compromising quality for simplicity is no longer viable. Customers are looking for providers who can offer a strong mix of both—one who can provide the framework to drive the business forward while protecting the gains that they have made. The more managed IT providers understand this trend, the better equipped they’ll be to give customers what they want and need.

  • Why Your Content Isn’t Ranking

    Why Your Content Isn’t Ranking

    It happens all the time—you spend hours creating what you think is an amazing piece of content. You post it, and then weeks or months later, it’s still not ranking. If your content doesn’t rank, your audience doesn’t see it, and you can feel like your efforts were wasted. 

    Search engine optimization (SEO) is the main goal of content creation. You want your content to rank organically and ideally as high as possible on the first page. 

    Even well-written content doesn’t always rank, though, so why is that?

    Below we explore some of the potential reasons a piece of content may not perform well organically after you post it. 

    Understanding Content’s Ranking Potential 

    In general, the more content you publish that’s high-quality on your site, the more likely you are to rank for keywords across the entire site. Google likes to see a lot of content because then the algorithms that fuel the search engine have more context, and they’re better able to understand what your site is about. 

    Each time you publish a new piece of content, Google is getting more keywords, and that means more understanding of your brand. 

    That’s why optimizing all of your content with semantically relevant keywords in your headers, descriptions, and titles is essential. 

    That doesn’t mean you go for quantity over quality, however. Google can actually end up not only ignoring your content if it’s not high-quality—you could also be penalized. 

    Along with the words you use in your content creating ranking opportunities, you’re also able to optimize your images. The way you optimize images is going to be a major ranking factor that drives traffic. 

    So what if you’re in a situation where you know you’re creating great content that you feel is properly optimized, and you still aren’t ranking?

    We’ll cover these situations below. 

    Your Keywords Are Too Competitive

    Probably one of the biggest reasons your content isn’t ranking is that you’re targeting keywords that are too competitive. Yes, they have a lot of volumes, and that can make them a shiny target, but to rank for keywords that are extremely competitive is going to be almost impossible for a new piece of content. 

    First of all, stop with the one and two-word targeted keywords. Instead, look for long-tail, less competitive keywords. 

    You should do a keyword search on everything you’re thinking about using for your content. Under a search box, if you type your targeted keyword in, you’ll see gray text that lets you know how many results it brings up. You can also use keyword tools to figure out the competitiveness of any given word or phrase. 

    Irrelevant Content

    You might create content that you think your ideal audience wants to see, but you might be wrong here. 

    You have to think carefully about why you’re creating every piece of content before you spend time and effort on it. You also want to consider if you’re going to be able to truly add value to the lives of your readers with what you’re producing. 

    If you’re not thinking carefully about creating value, you’re going to have weak, shallow content that doesn’t get much engagement.

    The Content Is Outdated

    If you have a lot of content on your site already and you don’t think it’s ranking as well as it should be, you need to consider whether it’s outdated. You need to update your old content on a regular basis, and that can help you boost its ranking. 

    If you’re overwhelmed and have a lot of content, start with an audit. Go over your current content by performance, and then from there, look at your oldest and underperforming pieces of content to figure out if you could make changes that would help them be more relevant or updated. 

    Your Site Has Technical Problems

    If your site as a whole has technical issues, it’s going to prevent individual pieces of content from ranking. 

    Common technical SEO problems include not having an XML sitemap, broken links, coding errors, privacy concerns, or Google not indexing your site. 

    You may need to work with a developer if you think your problem stems from your technical SEO. 

    Similar to some of the technical issues already mentioned, you also need to ensure your site is fast and mobile-friendly. Google has outright said that its priority in indexing content and sites is mobile-first. You can check using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test, and if your site isn’t responsive, you need to work on redesigning it. 

    Similarly, site speed is also a critical ranking factor. If your site is too slow, you may need to invest in updates such as getting better hosting service or compressing your media files. 

    Short, Thin Content

    Just like Google wants to see updated and highly relevant content that’s tailored to the needs of your audience, you also want to make sure that your content is long enough. There’s a reason this matters.

    First, when you have longer content, it gives Google more content to crawl. 

    Also, long-form content tends to provide a very in-depth view of a topic, and that’s more likely to be high in value for a reader compared to short or thin content. 

    This doesn’t mean you fill your content with meaningless fluff to try and up the word count, though. Don’t go overboard trying to have a longer article to the point that you’re no longer adding value. 

    When you have in-depth content that’s relevant and valuable, this can help reduce your bounce rate because people are going to spend additional time browsing your site. That can in and of itself be a ranking factor for Google. 

    You Don’t Have Enough Links

    Finally, Google’s algorithm analyzes your site’s relevancy and domain authority when determining how to rank your site for particular keywords and phrases. The term domain authority was initially created by Moz, and it’s a prediction of how well your site will rank on search engines, with a score that ranges from 1-to 100. 

    The number of links pointing to your site is part of this. If you don’t have a lot of backlinks to your site as a whole and also to individual pieces of content, it’s going to be tougher for you to rank. 

    You need to use link-building strategies through relationship building and creating quality content. You should also send guest blog and content pitches to sites and publications or outsource the work to a professional link-building company.

  • Mobile App Development Team Structure Guide

    Mobile App Development Team Structure Guide

    Startups and businesses of all sizes increasingly rely on mobile apps to reach customers and engage them in meaningful ways. With the right team structure, you can save time and money while ensuring your mobile app development process is efficient and successful. A team is an essential component of any successful mobile development project and aid in delivering the desired product promptly. 

    Mobile app development is one of the most in-demand skills today. Android development team is essential to building apps that can reach billions of users. Yet, understanding the ins and outs of how an effective Android development team should be structured can seem daunting. However, a comprehensive Android Development Team Structure guide is here to help simplify this process. Let’s dive in. 

    Product Owner for Android Development

    Whether you’re looking to develop a new wellness app or an educational game, your android development team needs someone who can act as the product owner. An apparent product owner ensures that each team member is on the same page, from development sprints to client meetings. 

    Additionally, this leader should ensure that the vision and results meet customer expectations, providing frequent updates to key stakeholders as needed. A great product owner can be a driving force behind successful mobile application launches, ready to provide their unique abilities ensuring the best final product possible. For Android development, finding the right person for the job is essential for project success.

    Project Manager to Lead The Team

    The project manager on a mobile app development team is a crucial role that can’t be underestimated. With their keen business acumen, forward-thinking mindset, and natural leadership abilities, the project manager is responsible for driving the project’s success. It’s their job to coordinate the various efforts of team members, ensure that deadlines are met, and ensure everyone understands the overall mission. 

    The project manager is also a great resource to turn to with questions or clarification on tasks and requirements; they keep track of all the moving parts, so you don’t have to. An experienced and knowledgeable project manager helps keep things running smoothly while keeping productivity high.

    Business Analyst for Client Requirements

    The business analyst on a mobile app development team is often the unsung hero. They are tasked with identifying and understanding the customer’s requirements, a critical step in the development process for successful app and team performance. 

    The business analyst works to understand customer needs through interviews, focus groups, surveys, competitive analysis, industry research, and other techniques that require skillful research and evaluation. This position requires superior communication skills and the ability to interpret data into business objectives that developers, testers, and other support personnel can implement. 

    If your mobile app development team lacks a Business Analyst, consider adding one; they could be the difference between an ordinary product and an awesome one.

    UX/UI Designers to Improve User Experience

    For any mobile app development team, UX/UI designers are a must-have to ensure the success of their product. Not only do they produce visually stunning designs, but they are also incredibly knowledgeable regarding the user experience. 

    They strive to ensure the end-user has an enjoyable and intuitive experience when using the product by understanding various design elements such as layout, typography, images, and consistent color palettes. 

    With excellent knowledge of information architecture and navigation experience, UX/UI designers can create a cohesive pathway for users with both web and mobile platforms in mind. Investing in a great UX/UI design team will lead to greater customer satisfaction.

    Android Developers For Core App Development

    Without an experienced Android development team, you won’t be able to create a rock-solid mobile application. That’s why you must hire experts to make an app a success. Android developers make up the heart of any good mobile app development team. These professionals can deliver stunning results and create powerful user applications with a good structure. 

    A successful Android dev team must be comprised of experienced personnel well-versed in the different available SDKs and coders who know how to maximize their App’s abilities and battery life. 

    Additionally, they will know how to adjust an App’s operations between different screen sizes, orientations, and resolutions. It’s hard work creating premium apps, but without a doubt, Android Development teams are essential for producing exceptional user experiences.

    Backend Developers to Build The App’s Backend

    No team is complete without experienced and knowledgeable developers. These professionals are responsible for developing server-side components that support the mobile app, including databases, security measures, API integrations, and more. They understand how to write code quickly and efficiently with an eye toward scalability so that users can always access the application without issue. 

    Because of their pivotal role in mobile app development, they must be a part of the overall team and collaborate on projects with developers, designers, Project Managers, and other stakeholders. Without backend developers, mobile apps wouldn’t function properly, making them an invaluable asset to any mobile app development team. 

    QA Engineer to Ensure Quality of The Product

    Quality Assurance (QA) engineers are essential to any successful mobile app development team. Their expertise helps to ensure that the product, or mobile app, in this case, is functioning correctly and meets the expectations laid out by stakeholders. With their deep technical understanding, they can spot potential problems before release and prevent embarrassing bugs from making it into production versions. 

    On top of all this, having a QA engineer on your team who values quality and takes pride in their work gives your project a real feeling of assurance that no shortcuts will be taken so that you can trust the final product will be up to par with user demands.

  • LinkedIn Automation Security: Learn How Can It Assist In Enhancing Your Business

    LinkedIn Automation Security: Learn How Can It Assist In Enhancing Your Business

    What Is LinkedIn Automation Security?

    Using LinkedIn automation can be a great way to improve the efficiency of your outreach efforts and get the most out of your account. However, it’s important to use automation with care. Some automated tools can be dangerous. These include spam and scraped data, which could be a legal issue.

    The best way to protect your account is to follow LinkedIn’s guidelines. The company will monitor your usage and may limit your activities. If you fail to comply, your account could be permanently blocked. In addition, LinkedIn’s algorithms are strong and will look for suspicious activity.

    Using an analytics dashboard will help you determine the effectiveness of your outreach methods. You can see how many replies you’ve received, how many campaigns you’ve launched, and how many of your campaigns have been accepted.

    The Importance of LinkedIn Automation Security

    Using automation on LinkedIn is a great way to increase your outreach efforts and convert prospects to leads. It is important to use the right tools though, to make sure you’re doing everything legally and safely. Below are some do’s and don’ts to help you avoid getting banned from the platform.

    ●  LinkedIn has a strict policy against spam. This means that automated tools that scrape or collect data from your contacts can be a legal issue. Also, if you’re sending out all connection requests at the same time, this raises red flags. This can result in your account being blocked or suspended.

    ●  You should use a tool that allows you to set parameters. This will make sure that your account is not spamming. You can also choose a tool that uses a dedicated IP, which makes it harder to be blocked. You can also try to use a cloud-based tool to minimize risks. Some of the more advanced tools allow you to integrate your automation with your LinkedIn account. You can also find tools that offer smart search options.

    ●  LinkedIn uses an algorithm to detect suspicious activities. If you’re found to be spamming, your account can be suspended or blocked. This can damage your online presence and can even lead to jail. If you get banned, you will not be able to use your account again. It’s important to keep in mind that the algorithms are constantly changing, so make sure you use the best tools to ensure you’re keeping up.

    ●  You should always read the terms of service before you use any tool on LinkedIn. There are a lot of different dos and don’ts to follow. You want to be careful when automating your account, but if you’re doing it properly, you should be able to avoid any problems.

    ●  You should only use LinkedIn automation if you’re doing it for professional reasons. For example, if you’re a salesperson, it’s a good idea to use a tool that is specifically designed for salespeople. This will help you to generate leads and build a reputation, without wasting any of your time. It’s also an easy way to increase your presence on the platform.

    The Functions of A LinkedIn Automation Security System

    Having a LinkedIn automation security system in place can be a great way to keep your data safe. There are several ways to do this, including monitoring and controlling your accounts and limiting your use of them.

    Monitor

    To get the most out of your LinkedIn automation best practices you will need to devote some time to planning, implementing, and tracking your efforts. The best way to ensure you achieve your LinkedIn goals is to set up a workflow and tracking system that will allow you to monitor and manage your efforts in real-time.

    Stay Within Usage Limits

    Using automation on LinkedIn can be a good way to maximize your reach, but you need to make sure you stay within usage limits. If you go beyond your limit, you may be blocked from the site. There are some things you can do to help prevent this from happening.

    First, you need to look for a tool that allows you to set your usage limits. This will help you avoid flagging your account, and allow you to measure your success. The next step is to decide whether you want to be public or private when you use the tool.

    You should also keep in mind that your messages should be personalized. This will make them appear more like real conversations. It will help you build rapport with your prospect, and it will also improve the safety of your messages on LinkedIn.

    Avoid Human Behavior

    Using LinkedIn automation security measures can be the difference between being able to get the most out of your LinkedIn account or being relegated to a dark corner. You’ll have to choose the right tools for your account, stay within usage limits, and follow the proper safety guidelines. Otherwise, you could face a ban from the platform.

    The first thing you should do is research various LinkedIn automation tools. Look for ones with a good reputation. They are often able to stay in the system without getting flagged. You can also find a tool that has a limit on the number of connections you can make in a day. These tools help you build a profile with maximum efficiency.

    You can also consider cloud-based LinkedIn automation solutions. These systems don’t inject code into the platform, but they simulate human behavior. They offer multiple-account management systems and inboxes. These vendors are considered safer than those who sell Chrome extensions.

    Lastly

    Using an automated tool to execute a security playbook in a timely occurrence is an admirable feat in and of itself. The best part is that these eds have the right people at the right time and the right technology to boot. Using the aforementioned technologies in tandem with the aforementioned sysadmins will put you on the fast track to digital security success.

  • How AI is Influencing Digital Marketing

    How AI is Influencing Digital Marketing

    The world of digital marketing is gradually changing thanks to chatbots, virtual assistants, and other AI technologies. While some marketers continue to insist that robots cannot replace people, others stay up with the latest developments in AI and understand what changes will soon be made to digital marketing. In fact, more than 50% of marketers feel that using artificial intelligence in their data strategy is crucial.

    Platforms like Get Cash, for example, employ AI to match borrowers with approved lenders within a 24-hour period. Even if your credit is less-than-perfect, you can apply on the internet for the finest short-term loan offer ranging from $100 to $5,000. AI is to blame for the loan requests being processed more quickly than in most banks and lending institutions.

    However, let’s get back to the topic of how AI is influencing marketing. AI enables businesses to make choices that result in more creative and specialized advertising. That’s not all, though. Here are a few more ways that AI is having an impact on marketing. These are ways that businesses cannot afford to ignore. 

    Voice Search Is Growing

    It’s no surprise that many people are switching to hands-free data entry while traveling. As the world becomes more mobile, all kinds of changes to our lifestyle can be expected. According to recent research, technology has improved to the point where many algorithms can now accurately distinguish human speech about 95% of the time.

    According to the most recent research, the voice search functionality of their smart speakers will be used by up to 33.2 million US consumers this year. 

    In 2018, Nielsen found that one in every four Wi-Fi-enabled homes in America had a smart speaker. Therefore, companies will need to modify their SEO and marketing tactics in response to the growing popularity of voice search.

    Additional Applications for Augmented and Virtual Reality

    Although VR and AR have been around for quite a while, they are still seen as new. Although AR is currently more often used for video games these technologies are increasingly being employed for marketing. More and more businesses are realizing the potential of AR and VR as effective marketing tools.

    Consider the augmented reality furniture app that allows you to test furniture, acoustic panels, or other amenities in your home before purchasing it. This is a great illustration of how AR can be both practical and entertaining. Additionally, some clothing companies have joined the virtual reality revolution. They design apps that let consumers try various outfit combinations without leaving their houses.

    In order to avoid missing out on this fantastic opportunity, it is necessary to start investigating how to incorporate VR and AR into your marketing strategies immediately.

    The Use of Chatbots for Marketing Is Growing

    Chatbots facilitate marketing, which is why their acceptance is expected to increase. These AI innovations are perfect for handling the early stages of the marketing process. For instance, they are great at gathering contact information and information for a sales call, responding to typical customer service inquiries, or providing guidance on common technical issues. Up to a certain point, these chatbots assist in automating client communication before directing them to a person for assistance.

    Chatbots may significantly improve the marketing process. Because most of this process is automated, you and your team will be able to perform more marketing duties and close more business as a result.

    Chatbots on Facebook Messenger have also made great strides. Businesses can now offer an in-app shopping experience thanks to them. Customers can browse and even make purchases inside the chatbot with the right configuration. Therefore, it makes sense that more businesses are attempting to incorporate chatbots into their marketing plan.

    More Individualized Advertising

    The Facebook team started a project named Rosetta a few years ago. The initiative intends to improve the caliber of material that Facebook users see in their news feeds. Rosetta employs AI to improve user experience by determining users’ wants and maximizing their Facebook interactions.

    Fundamental changes are occurring in traditional marketing procedures. These changes range from improved engagement to greater client loyalty and strong conversions. The quantity and variety of user data available today, including usage of social networks, purchase history, and personal preferences, pave the way for effective personalization.

    However, businesses ought to do more than merely gather data; they ought to combine and analyze it in order to develop campaigns that directly cater to the needs of the people. This may be difficult, but the payoff is substantial.

    The benefits of AI in digital marketing are hard to dispute. Marketing organizations can now employ emerging technology to enhance their tactics as they become more widely accessible. 

  • An Introduction to Marketing Software

    An Introduction to Marketing Software

    Marketing is crucial for businesses. Regardless of your product’s or service’s excellence, you won’t get customers without getting the word out. Your business’s success depends on its marketing strategy, and effective marketing campaigns can even help average products sell more. Marketing is a soft skill not everyone has, but online educational platforms can help you become a better marketer.

    Technology has facilitated many business operations, such as marketing. Digital marketing campaigns are essential to getting your business a broader reach on the internet. Several software and tools allow you to market your business more efficiently and gauge the success of your marketing campaigns. Here’s all you need to know about some critical marketing tools:

    Social Media Management Software

    Social media marketing is a promising digital marketing avenue. Over 4.7 billion people use social media platforms, so businesses must use social media to reach out to wider audiences. However, social media marketing can get complicated. You must post regularly on several platforms. To reach the maximum number of individuals, you must publish the same posts on all your social platforms. Social media management software automates this mundane task for you, saving you time and effort. These tools also show you how successful a particular post is so you can adjust your digital marketing campaign accordingly. 

    Business Intelligence Tools

    A successful business requires collecting, analyzing, and responding to data by changing your business strategy when needed. Business intelligence tools help a company efficiently perform these tasks. They deliver customer behavior data and allow the marketing department to profile their target audience. Knowing the characteristics of your demographic enables you to personalize the marketing campaign according to their preferences. Marketing departments gain insight into the audience through business intelligence tools and use them to launch more effective marketing campaigns.

    Customer Relationship Management Tools

    Marketing mainly focuses on generating new leads and expanding your customer base, but retaining your old customers and ensuring they purchase from you again is also integral to your business. A customer relationship management (CRM) tool allows you to gain insights into your existing customers and effectively market to them. They capture customer information and data about purchasing history. The software also allows automated and seamless communication with current customers, improving customer experience.

    Email Marketing Tools

    Email marketing is one of the most common and straightforward types of digital marketing. You send emails advertising your services or products to new and old customers. You incentivize them to buy your products by offering vouchers and discounts. However, manually sending so many emails is an arduous task. Email marketing tools help you automate this process, and you can effectively reach out to more people through email. The software also shows you the email engagement rate. Integrate the content style of high-performing emails into future emails to increase website traffic.

    Endnote

    Efficient businesses always consider how to effectively market their products or services to potential customers. As the world goes digital, so do businesses. Your company must use software and tools to automate its workflow and analyze data. Your marketing departments can use these tools to get insights into the target audience and automate their work. Typical marketing software includes social media management software, business intelligence tools, customer relationship management tools, and email marketing tools. These tools allow you to effectively improve their marketing campaigns by generating more leads and increasing customer lifetime value.

  • How Enterprise Performance Management Solutions Help Unlock Growth

    How Enterprise Performance Management Solutions Help Unlock Growth

    As markets become more competitive and customers demand more value, businesses must find ways to increase their productivity and performance.

    Enterprise performance management (EPM) solutions help businesses unlock growth by providing visibility into goals and objectives, optimizing the key performance indicators (KPIs), and revamping the strategic planning processes.

    With such crucial information, businesses can make informed data-driven decisions that will improve overall productivity and efficiency.

    EPM software can also help identify opportunities and threats to the organization so that necessary changes can be made in a timely manner.

    In this article, I will discuss how EPM software can help to improve your business performance to take your company to the next level.

    Let’s begin with the basics first.

    What is Enterprise Performance Management?

    Enterprise performance management is a process that helps organizations manage and improve their performance. It involves setting goals, measuring progress, and making adjustments to achieve desired results. EPM solutions are tools that businesses can use to support their EPM process.

    Components of an Enterprise Performance Management System

    EPM software is typically composed of three components:

    ● Planning – The planning component helps organizations create realistic plans and forecasts by incorporating data from past performance.

    ● Execution – The execution component helps companies track progress and identify areas for improvement.

    ● Reporting – The reporting component provides visibility into performance data, allowing businesses to make informed decisions about where to allocate resources.

    This modular approach allows businesses to customize their EPM solution to fit their specific needs.

    Advantages of EPM Software for Businesses

    EPM software offers a number of benefits that can help businesses unlock growth.

    Here are five ways in which EPM software can help businesses grow:

    1. Operational Efficiency

    In order to grow over time, businesses must be able to produce more with the same or fewer resources. By identifying areas of inefficiency, businesses can make changes to their operations to improve productivity.

    EPM tools can help businesses optimize their operations by providing insights into performance data. This data can help organizations identify inefficiencies in their processes and make changes that improve productivity.

    Also, by automating repetitive tasks, they can free up time for employees to focus on more productive activities. In this way, EPM solutions can help businesses save time and money, which can be reinvested in growth initiatives.

    2. Strategic Decision-Making

    Growth requires business leaders to make tough decisions about where to allocate their resources.

    EPM software can help businesses make better strategic decisions by providing clarity into past performance and current productivity levels. This information can help businesses identify trends and patterns, which can then be used to develop strategies that focus on areas with the greatest potential for growth and allocate resources more effectively.

    Improved decision-making can lead to improved operational efficiency and increased growth. Also, businesses can understand their current position, which areas are performing well and which areas need improvements.

    With this data-driven approach, businesses can make informed decisions about where to invest their resources for the greatest impact and improve their chances of success.

    3. Goal Achievement

    In order to achieve goals, businesses must focus on their core competencies. Core competencies are the activities that a business does better than its competitors.

    EPM solutions can help businesses focus on their core competencies by providing them with insights into where they are excelling and where they need to improve. This information can then be used to develop plans to improve performance and achieve desired results.

    EPM software can also help businesses track their progress towards specific goals and make changes as needed to stay on track. Dealing with factual data can help businesses improve their chances of achieving their goals and unlocking growth. In addition, EPM tools can help businesses identify new revenue streams and growth opportunities.

    With the right EPM software in place, businesses can unlock their growth potential and increase their revenue thus attaining and exceeding their financial goals.

    4. Improved Customer Satisfaction

    In today’s competitive environment, businesses must provide excellent customer service to grow. EPM software can help businesses grow by making it easier to retain and attract customers through providing insights into customer behavior.

    Businesses can use performance data to identify areas where their operations need to be improved as it is available. This data can also help businesses understand what customers want and need – and make changes to their operations to improve the customer satisfaction and loyalty.

    Companies can also customize their products and services to better meet customer needs and grow their customer base.

    In turn, increased customer satisfaction can lead to increased growth as customers are more likely to continue doing business with companies that they are satisfied with.

    5. Transparency Increase

    The most apparent benefit of EPM tools is the increased transparency that they provide in an organization’s performance.

    By consolidating data from different parts of the organization into a single location, EPM solutions allow businesses to see how every department is performing relative to their goals. This increased transparency can help businesses improve communication between different departments and levels of management.

    In turn, this improved communication can lead to better decision-making and a more cohesive strategy. By allowing businesses to see their performance in real-time, EPM programs can also help businesses identify problems early and prevent them from becoming bigger issues.

    Ultimately, this increased transparency can lead to increased growth as businesses are able to better utilize their resources.

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, enterprise performance management solutions offer a number of benefits that can help businesses unlock growth.

    By providing insights into performance data, EPM solutions can help businesses identify areas where they need improvement and develop plans to improve their operations.

    In addition, EPM tools can help businesses track their progress towards specific goals and make changes as needed to stay on track. Finally, EPM can help businesses grow by making it easier to retain and attract customers through providing insights into customer behavior.

  • Revolutionizing Auto Insurance: How Technology Has Changed the Game for Consumers

    Revolutionizing Auto Insurance: How Technology Has Changed the Game for Consumers

    In the past few decades, technology has had a profound impact on the insurance industry. One of the biggest changes has been the proliferation of online insurance comparison engines, which allow consumers to easily compare quotes from multiple companies in a matter of minutes. This has been most widely used in the auto insurance industry.

    Before the internet, shopping for auto insurance was a time-consuming and often frustrating process. Consumers had to call multiple insurance companies or visit their offices in person to get quotes, and it was difficult to compare the different offers side by side. However, with the advent of online comparison engines, consumers can now enter their information once and get quotes from multiple companies almost instantly. This not only saves time, but it also makes it much easier to compare the different options and find the best deal.

    Auto insurance comparison algorithms work by allowing consumers to enter their personal and vehicle information into an online form, which is then used to generate quotes from multiple insurance companies. These algorithms are increasingly smarter and starting to us AI to grow in efficiency. They take into account various factors that insurance companies use to determine premiums, such as the make and model of the vehicle, the age and driving history of the driver, the location where the vehicle is parked, and the desired level of coverage.

    When comparing quotes, the algorithm looks at the specific coverage and price offered by each insurance company and presents them to the consumer in an easy-to-understand format. This allows consumers to quickly and easily compare the different options and choose the one that best meets their needs and budget.

    Comparing auto insurance companies can be helpful for someone who is trying to manage their personal budget in a number of ways. First and most obviously, comparing quotes from multiple companies can help a person find the best deal on their auto insurance, which can potentially save them a significant amount of money on their premiums.

    When you’re comparing auto insurance quotes, it’s important to consider not just the price, but also the coverage and level of service offered by each company. By taking the time to do this, a person can ensure that they are getting the best value for their money, rather than just choosing the cheapest option available.

    In addition to potentially saving money on premiums, comparing insurance companies can also help a person make more informed decisions about their coverage. For example, a person might find that one company offers a policy with a higher deductible, but a lower premium, while another company offers a policy with a lower deductible, but a higher premium. By comparing the different options and considering their budget and risk tolerance, a person can choose the policy that best meets their needs.

    This all has generally been a positive development for consumers. Here are a few specific ways in which technology has changed the insurance industry and how it has benefited consumers:

    • Online comparison tools: One of the biggest ways that technology has impacted the insurance industry is through the proliferation of online comparison tools. These tools allow consumers to easily compare quotes from multiple insurance companies, which can save them time and money. In the past, shopping for insurance was a time-consuming and often frustrating process, but with the advent of online comparison tools, consumers can now get quotes from multiple companies almost instantly and choose the one that best meets their needs and budget.
    • Telematics: Another way that technology has impacted the insurance industry is through the use of telematics, which are devices that track driving habits and provide data to insurers. This data can be used to offer discounts to safe drivers, which can help consumers save money on their premiums. Telematics can also help insurers better understand risk and offer more customized coverage, which can be beneficial for consumers.
    • Digital claims processes: Technology has also made it easier for consumers to file and track insurance claims. Many insurance companies now offer digital claims processes that allow consumers to file a claim and track its progress online, which can be more convenient and efficient than traditional methods.

    In addition to providing quotes, many comparison algorithms also offer additional resources and tools to help consumers make informed decisions. This can include information on different types of coverage, tips for saving money on premiums, and customer reviews of different insurance companies.

    The technology that runs these engines has also helped insurance companies to better understand and predict risk. For example, some companies are using telematics devices to track driving habits and offer discounts to safe drivers. These devices collect data on things like speed, braking patterns, and time of day to help insurers better understand how risky a particular driver is. This can allow insurers to offer lower rates to safer drivers, which can help consumers save money on their premiums.

    Overall, technology has made it easier for consumers to shop for and compare auto insurance, and it has also given insurance companies more tools to accurately assess risk and offer more customized coverage. As a result, consumers can now save more money on their auto insurance than ever before. Whether you’re looking for the lowest possible price or the best coverage for your needs, there are many resources available to help you find the right auto insurance policy at a price that fits your budget. So, it is always a good idea to compare quotes from multiple companies to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible.

  • The 4 Best Stock Research Websites in 2023

    The 4 Best Stock Research Websites in 2023

    Are you looking for the best stock research websites? With so many options, it can take time to figure out where to start. 

    But not to worry! We’ve put together the best four stock research websites to help you make informed decisions in the stock market. This blog post will cover the features, pros and cons, and other important factors that make these sites stand out from the rest. 

    So if you’re ready to start investing in the stock market, read on to learn more about the four best stock research websites in 2023.

    1. Morningstar

    Morningstar is a powerful online stock research tool, providing investors with reliable data and analysis on stocks and bonds worldwide. It offers a wide range of features, including portfolio tracking, stock quotes, price alerts, financial news, analyst reports, and portfolio analysis. 

    Investors can also use Morningstar’s ETF screener, allowing users to search for stocks and ETFs based on pre-defined criteria quickly. In addition, Morningstar’s research center provides in-depth research reports, including technical analysis and investment ratings, and a library of educational resources.

    Pricing: 

    The premium plan costs $35/monthly

    Pros

    • Comprehensive research coverage, with analyst ratings and reports
    • In-depth stock screening tools
    • Portfolio tracking and analysis tools 
    • Wide range of features and resources
    • Easy-to-use interface

    CONs

    • Subscription fees can be expensive
    • User experience can be improved in certain areas

    2. Yahoo Finance

    Yahoo Finance is one of the most popular stock research websites that offer a wide range of features to help investors make informed decisions about their investments. Yahoo Finance allows users to access real-time market data, charts, and analysis. It also provides investors with an interactive portfolio tracker and helpful research tools. 

    Yahoo Finance is an ideal platform for those new to investing, as it offers a great overview of the stock market and helps to understand how it works. Additionally, the website provides a variety of articles that contain up-to-date news and advice on stocks, funds, and other investment strategies. 

    Pricing:

    The Lite plan costs $250/yearly, while the essential plan costs $350/yearly.

    PROs

    • Offers real-time market data, charts, and analysis
    • Variety of articles with up-to-date news and advice
    • Interactive portfolio tracker 
    • Analyst forecasts

    CONs

    • Ads can be intrusive
    • The user interface is sometimes clunky

    3. Seeking Alpha Premium 

    Investment information and research from a variety of sources is crowdsourced on Seeking Alpha. Those who pay for a Premium subscription can instantly access distinct perspectives about their preferred stocks from well-informed investors. Most of the material on the website is free. 

    However, after viewing several articles, users will see a paywall. To have unlimited access to all content, stock screening tools and assessment systems, you must subscribe to either Seeking Alpha Premium or Seeking Alpha PRO.

    As a premium subscriber to Seeking Alpha Premium, you will not only gain access to content that is not accessible by the public, but these articles will also offer data and understanding regarding potential investments, giving you an advantage in stock trading. 

    Besides the restricted content, premium members can take advantage of other useful components like Author Ratings, Author Performance, Stock Quant Ratings and Dividend Grades.

    Pricing: 

    For an annual fee of $239, Seeking Alpha allows users to save time and potentially increase their returns.

    PROs

    • Portfolio Alerts & Monitoring
    • Proprietary Stock Screener
    • Factor Grading
    • Articles and Article Sidebar

    CONs

    • Charts could be more modern and immediately produce a PDF upon request.

    4. The Motley Fool

    The Motley Fool is a stock research website that provides financial news, analysis and advice to individual investors. It was founded in 1993 by brothers David and Tom Gardner. The website offers various services, including stock market research, analysis, portfolio management, education, and investment advice.

    The Motley Fool’s services are tailored to provide comprehensive insights into the stock market. Its premium subscription includes exclusive stock picks, in-depth market analysis, daily stock watchlists, educational materials, and other resources. The website also offers investment newsletters with weekly or monthly updates on market conditions and trends.

    Pricing:

    Its Epic Bundle cost $499/yearly, while the Stock Advisor goes for $199/yearly.

    PROs

    • Comprehensive coverage of the stock market 
    • Access to exclusive stock picks 
    • In-depth market analysis 
    • Weekly or monthly updates on market conditions and trends 
    • Educational materials 
    • Portfolio management tools

    CONs

    • Premium membership is expensive 
    • Some of the stock picks can be too aggressive for some investors 

    The Key Takeaway 

    When researching stocks for your portfolio, it’s essential to use reliable and trustworthy sources of information. Many stock research websites are available, but the ones we’ve reviewed come highly vetted.

    Morningstar is a trusted source for stock analysis and provides up-to-date market data and reports. Yahoo Finance is also an excellent source for real-time market data, including stock news and detailed financial metrics. 

    Seeking Alpha Premium offers deep dives into individual stocks and portfolios, giving investors access to professional research. Lastly, The Motley Fool provides a wide variety of services, from personal advice to analysis from leading financial experts. 

    With the right tools and guidance, you’ll be able to make sound investments for your portfolio.

  • Top Security Tools To Help Businesses With Project Management

    Top Security Tools To Help Businesses With Project Management

    Any workforce can benefit from implementing technologies that improve and streamline project management.

    One of the best ways to gain more insight into productivity, and provide employees with more convenience is to invest in security tools for project management.

    If you want to learn about the top security tools to improve project management, keep reading. In this guide, we will discuss the best security tools that enhance the convenience of punching in and provide more insight into project management.

    One Single Platform For Security Management

    One of the best ways to streamline project management is to make security information more accessible for you and your team members.

    A cloud-based security system creates a single platform of truth for security data, from store camera systems to computer access logs at an on-site office. By establishing an integrated security system, you can eliminate data silos, allowing all security information to be hosted in one place, and improve oversight.

    Another benefit of a cloud-based security system is that it allows your team to view security information from anywhere, whether on-site or off-site.

    Smoother data retrieval lets your team view security data from different sources on a single interface without correlating timestamps. For instance, you would need to view surveillance video data alongside access control data to verify an employee’s identity.

    Using a single platform for security management also enables easier onboarding and offboarding of your hires. If you need to onboard an employee to your security system, you can do so in one place, unlike several disparate platforms.

    Respond Quickly To Events And Changes

    Cloud-based security tools have another significant benefit: they allow employees to receive alerts and notifications when working.

    Employees often perform tasks that leave them unavailable to deal with customers entering the building. The alerts provided by a cloud-based security system notify staff when a customer enters the building, allowing them to stop their task and deal with the customer.

    Additionally, integrating occupancy management software with a cloud-based door access system can help inform staffing decisions.

    Occupancy management software identifies occupancy levels based on access control events, identifies trends, and forecasts future occupancy levels. If you’re looking to make better staffing decisions, you can use data gathered from your occupancy management software to determine your busiest hours and which are your most active days.

    For busy days, you can ensure you have plenty of staff on-hand, ensuring your team isn’t overwhelmed by customers—which could lead to poor-quality service that harms your business’ reputation. You can add extra shifts to your working days to cover a lunch shift or the time of day when your establishment is busiest and avoid unplanned overtime hours.

    The software also allows you to plan your staff’s workday more effectively, ensuring they’re free to tend to customers during your busy hours while managing other tasks during your less activehours.

    Deeper Data Analysis For Improved Decision Making

    Applying time-tracking software to your cloud-based access control system allows for improved data analysis and decision-making regarding your payroll procedures.

    Buddy-punching and employees recording hours improperly affect your business, as you’re being charged for hours your employees haven’t worked. As part of your project management strategy, you can ensure your employees know that the tool will track their time based on when they enter and leave the premises.

    Time-tracking software provides you with more reliable data to analyze employee productivity and ensures proper payroll procedures. Time tracking software is beneficial for businesses that frequently use contractors.

    You can identify productivity trends through data analysis, using the information to improve project management and optimize productivity.

    Automated Security Workflows

    When it comes to security incident response, you need to maximize efficiency. Effective incident response will protect your business from a security breach or theft and ensure your employees know their responsibilities.

    You can create automated security workflows for your security team using AI. If your security system detects a potential security threat, your team will receive automated workflows to respond to the event. Manual workflow creation leaves a margin for error and is time-consuming.

    Instead, you can establish automated workflows for each potential security threat in line with your incident response procedures. These workflows will automatically be assigned to your on-site employees, who will receive a mobile notification alerting them of the incident and their responsibilities.

    Implementing automated security workflows reduces time-consuming and repetitive manual data entry tasks and ensures the task doesn’t inhibit your productivity. Instead, you can establish your workflows to ensure that your employees understand their responsibilities.

    Summary

    Security tools can be highly effective in improving project management for employees. Your employees can handle tasks and responsibilities while staying in touch with their customer management responsibilities, and you can plan your employees’ time in line with business’s busiest hours. Keep cloud-based security and integrations in mind when planning a security strategy that facilitates project management.

  • Protecting Data Is Nonnegotiable Today – Do You Have The Skills To Do It?

    Protecting Data Is Nonnegotiable Today – Do You Have The Skills To Do It?

    As we share an ever-increasing amount of personal and professional data online, hacking and cyber attacks seeking to steal that data for the benefit of cybercriminals are increasing as well. Far from being of little importance, the information we share online can be very valuable to digital fraudsters, even causing severe loss or damage to the victims of any leak.

    Therefore, to maintain good digital hygiene and protect our data online, these are some of the habits that we should keep:

    Opt for safe browsers

    We can use a wide variety of web browsers to access all kinds of web pages, but not all of them are the same, so it is convenient to choose the ones that are the most secure.

    Browsers such as Chrome, Safari, or Edge are developed by Google, Apple, and Microsoft, respectively, which tend to favor the installation of cookies and the collection of data for advertising purposes. That is why it is usually more advisable to use robust and independent browsers such as Firefox or Brave.

    Browse encrypted

    Using a VPN for gaming and browsing is one of the best ways to protect our data online, especially when browsing from insecure Wi-Fi networks. The possibility of a cyber attacker intercepting your passwords or credit card details while you are connecting to Wi-Fi in a coffee shop is very real. Still, this data will be indecipherable if you use a premium VPN.

    In most cases, you will also be able to use a free VPN for at least the first month of trial, which will help you assess its services.

    Use strong passwords

    In the absence of a better method – which will presumably be biometric verification systems – passwords continue to be the main way we can authenticate our identity on the internet. However, reports are continually being published denouncing the weakness of most of the keys we use online, making them very easy for hackers to break.

    The use of random, long, and unique passwords is essential to ensure the security of our digital accounts.

    Activate two-step verification

    As an extra layer of security, two-factor authentication should be enabled on all platforms where it is possible to do so. Generally, this type of verification uses the cell phone to confirm transactions or attempts to access our digital accounts, thus preventing hacking.

    For example, if your online banking password is leaked and a cyber attacker tries to use it to access your bank account, Two-Step Verification will ask for confirmation on your phone, allowing you to deny access and keep your funds safe. 

    Minimize the use of social media

    In recent years, security recommendations on social networks have multiplied, and the notion that we should limit the personal content we share is more widespread. However, millions of people still share their private lives openly and almost without any type of filter.

    Social networks can be addictive and even become a fast track to gaining popularity. Still, the information we publish on them can lead to serious cases of harassment, and, in addition, it is often used by hackers to try to violate other online accounts. 

    Monitor the apps that we install on the cell phone

    There are millions of apps on the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, but not all apps are equally reliable. When we install apps on the phone, they request a series of permissions that can be very dangerous, including the possibility of accessing the photos in our gallery, reading our SMS, or making calls without our knowledge.

    Furthermore, these are not isolated cases. Apps as popular as Facebook are among the most requested permissions from their users, and often millions of people accept them without considering their risks. That is why it is important to review them carefully and, if in doubt, avoid installing suspicious apps.

  • Digital Agency Growth: Navigating Growth for the Future

    Digital Agency Growth: Navigating Growth for the Future

    The pandemic hit small businesses very hard, as studies show that over 95% of small businesses were affected. Nearly 60% had to lay off a substantial number of their employees, and almost 30% of small businesses had to close their doors entirely. In addition, there is a gender disparity. On a global scale, 20% of women-led small businesses reported closing in comparison to 16% for men-led businesses. Digital agency growth can help us get there.

    Planning for Small Business Growth

    Fortunately, the future’s looking brighter for small businesses everywhere. In 2021, the global closure rate for small businesses fell from 24% to 18%. Also, Americans created 2.8 million more online microbusinesses in 2020 than in 2019. Nearly 70% of those plan to grow their microbusinesses full-time, while a much smaller percentage state that they are still working to get on their feet. The future is digital for many of these small businesses. 45% are planning for a future online, and almost 30% are already working on it. 

    Despite these hopeful developments, it is still important to prepare for the unexpected. Many small business owners are fully responsible for all aspects of their business, such as sales, client management, or hiring. As a result of this, many are too terrified to leave their businesses for even a short vacation. In addition, 3 in 4 report not feeling prepare for their #2 to take temporary leave. The bottom line is that most small businesses are not prepared for unexpected success. More specifically, over 96% cannot handle a sudden influx of leads, and over 80% cannot handle a new client.

    Impact of Digital Agency Growth

    Now is the time to plan for digtal agency growth. Reports show that by 2024, small businesses could add 2.3 trillion to the global GDP growth. Therefore, it is vital to create a complete and optimized business system. This allows for easy delegation and performance tracking, making it simple to identify strengths and needs for improvement. What has been dubbed a “Scale Map” can be used to track workflow, tech stack, documents, training, and metrics. Workflows refer to steps to track progress, and tech stacking helps to streamline processes to run more efficiently. Documentation is the foundation of organizing assets, and training enables all employees to reach their full potential. Metrics measure the efficacy of the entire process overall. 

    Closing Thoughts

    While there are many factors that may be holding small businesses back, there are so many methods to ensure that one’s business is left working like a well-oiled machine. Making the switch to a digitally focused platform has been shown to be the most successful way to grow and conduct business in a post-pandemic world. In fact, over 60% of businesses that have shifted to a digital platform report planning to maintain and expand those options moving forward. 

    In addition, 20% of small businesses report having dramatically changed their models since the start of the pandemic. Overall, preparing one’s business for the unexpected can be the key to future success especially in a time that is so uncertain for entrepreneurs across the globe. 

  • Consider These Five Things for Your Company’s Marketing Strategy

    Consider These Five Things for Your Company’s Marketing Strategy

    One question remains top of mind for every business owner: How do I reach my target audience? They try to find the answer in the next-best marketing trends and ever-evolving advice for boosting social media engagement and Google search rankings. While staying on top of customer behavior and needs is essential, some marketing strategies consistently expand your brand awareness and generate leads.

    Incorporate User-Generated Content

    All companies have to face it: customers are no longer simply consumers. They are active participants and content creators and are impossible to ignore in your marketing strategy. UGC content serves as social proof for your brand reputation and product quality. New customers are more likely to purchase your product or service when they discover positive reviews.

    You can capitalize on formal or informal UGC. You might (with the creator’s permission) repost pictures or videos demonstrating customers using or raving about your products, or you can solicit active participation through company-sponsored contests and giveaways. You also have the option to access UGC regularly through partnerships with influencers.

    Brand partners and influencers allow you to set the terms for the content that will best serve your brand, and they allow you to reach a large audience through influencers’ trusted advice. Whatever direction you take, incorporating UGC into your marketing strategy is essential.

    Create Quality Content

    The content you release should reflect your specific audience’s needs and preferences, but one thing remains true for every brand. Your content must be of high quality.

    Your long-form content, such as blog posts and research articles, should be grammatically correct, engaging, and contain optimized keywords to boost their SEO performance. Using tools like Ahrefs and Semrush, you can edit your work to increase your readership and add value to your customers.

    Video content should also hold an esteemed position within your marketing plan. Videos quickly capture viewer attention and increase accessibility by utilizing audio, visuals, alternate text, and subtitles. While every company battles for customer attention, you can set yourselves apart through quality videos that present them with information quickly.

    When you make or solicit videos, you should ensure they have high-quality visuals and audio, show multiple angles, and keep the product, creator, or customer within the frame. You must engage viewers through authentic and relatable stories.

    Conduct Market Research

    You might have the most impressive, trusted marketing practices in your toolkit, but they are only effective if you know your target audience. While many consumers share similar needs and preferences, you find business success in identifying their unique qualities and niche groups.

    You must center your marketing strategy around your niche audience. Whether you’re launching your business or updating your previous marketing strategy, you must identify and narrow down your target audience to provide more personalized content and outreach. Build consumer personas and perform SWOT analysis tests to determine what calls to action, color schemes, and information your customers respond to.

    When you conduct market research, stay on the lookout for trends that work for your industry and specific audience. Though trends come and go, incorporating some of them into your marketing techniques will help you stay relevant and generate excitement. Additionally, you’ll want to study your competition’s marketing strategies to take stock of their strengths and weaknesses. You can adapt what they do well to meet your business needs and avoid their pitfalls. Comparative market analysis will help you stay on budget and stand out from the crowd.

    Outline Your Objectives

    Developing a marketing strategy requires goal-setting. You need to know what specific results you’re working towards and implement measurable KPIs to reach them. When creating or updating your marketing approach, select a few long-term goals and outline short-term objectives.

    Setting goals will help get your team on the same page and allow you to track your progress and adapt to unforeseen challenges. Actionable market plans increase brand awareness, generate leads, and boost revenue.

    Take SEO Strategies into Account

    You can’t overlook search engine optimization when creating and sharing content with your target audience. Including optimized keywords and generating backlinks to your website in other off-site articles boost your search engine rankings and allows you to share your credentials and expertise with a larger audience.

    SEO also helps you improve the customer experience. By adapting your content to reflect what your customers are looking for, you make it easier for them to find solutions to their problems.

    Conclusion

    You can improve the results generated from your company’s marketing strategy by incorporating user-generated content, conducting market research, and outlining your objectives. While it might seem like the marketing world is an ever-changing landscape, if you base your marketing techniques on your target audience’s needs and preferences, you’ll find success.

  • 4 Ways Businesses Are Leveraging Gamification

    4 Ways Businesses Are Leveraging Gamification

    Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the global economic landscape has changed. To succeed in the post-pandemic corporate world, we need to transform our concept of the traditional workplace.  

    One method leading businesses are employing to thrive in 2022 is gamification, a trend entrepreneur Kris Dugan spearheaded with the early business gamification platform Badgeville in 2010. Gamification refers to the utilization of game-playing elements in fields that generally wouldn’t use them, such as the workplace. 

    Here are four ways businesses are leveraging gamification in the workplace. 

    1. Improving User Engagement 

    A key usage of gamification is increasing user engagement with your product or service. Customer-facing gamification builds consumer loyalty by providing additional incentives to both choose and stick with your product over time.

    Fitness brand Fitbit offers a perfect example of gamification in action. The brand harnesses this idea using a robust social interface that allows users to compete with their friends to reach fitness targets. The app also rewards exercise milestones with attainment badges that can be displayed for clout.

    Research has shown that competition is one of the biggest motivators when it comes to meeting exercise goals. Thus, gamifying Fitbit through friendly competition increases both user enjoyment and goal attainment. Satisfied customers are more likely to recommend the product to friends.

    2. Increasing Brand Visibility 

    Effective gamification of your product/service will also typically lead to sharing (digitally or through word of mouth). To use the example above, Fitbit’s social sharing feature allows users to post their achievement badges and workout stats on social media. This generates broader brand awareness and encourages others to purchase a Fitbit to join in. 

    Also consider the McDonald’s Monopoly promotion. The popular, Hasbro-sanctioned competition lets customers collect “properties” with food purchases for the chance to win a prize. This clever Monopoly adaptation generates considerable consumer interest and increased sales.

    McDonald’s Monopoly was discontinued in the U.S after reports of fraud, but this gamification attempt is still generating brand recognition for Mc Donald’s and is thriving in other countries. As recently as 2020, the McMillions docu-series was released, detailing the scandal, and getting tongues wagging all over again. 

     3. Motivating Business & Staff Performance 

    Just as gamification can encourage your customers to engage at a higher level, it can also be a powerful motivator for your staff. Even the best-run organizations can run into worker burnout or task fatigue. Inject a sense of fun and urgency back into your workplace with gamification.  

    A simple example would be to create Bingo cards for each staff member. Boxes can be filled with tasks that need to be achieved, such as “receive positive feedback from two customers” or “complete safety awareness module.” When the goal is reached, the winning staff member or team receives a reward. 

    The most effective rewards pair praise with a tangible prize. For example, a coffee voucher and recognition at the next staff meeting. Why does it work? Rewards release a rush of dopamine, the “happy” hormone, in the brain. Our brains are hardwired to pursue this chemical, which can translate to increased motivation to reach targets and a higher level of satisfaction when they are achieved.

    4. Hiring Incentives

    Despite high unemployment rates, many businesses are feeling the pinch of a suitable labor shortage. Savvy businesses are now using gamification to find high-quality candidates to fill essential roles. How? By offering cash incentives, prizes and kudos to employees who successfully refer suitable friends and acquaintances to vacancies. 

    The four examples above barely scrape the surface of business gamification. Consider implementing gamification in your business now to watch your company’s success soar in 2023.

  • 5 Benefits of Google Ads That No One Else Can Match

    5 Benefits of Google Ads That No One Else Can Match

    The competition in digital marketing is intense. A new advertising solution appears every day as businesses understand that dipping their toes in the PPC waters is one of the most reliable methods to stay competitive. The alternatives are endless for someone new to digital marketing, whether it be a social media platform or a brand-new advertising network.

    Why Google Ads?

    Google was one of the first businesses to provide “Adwords,” a digital advertising solution. With the use of its search engine and affiliate websites, this platform was established in 2000 to assist companies in reaching online markets.

    This network, now known as “Google Ads,” has grown over time to become one of the best digital advertising platforms. For this reason, more than 1.2 million companies use Google Ads to sell their goods and services.

    By the way, did you know that every dollar spent on Google Ads generates $8 in revenue?

    Google Ads visitors are 50% more likely to make a purchase than other website visitors. Furthermore, Google is the network where people are four times more likely to click ads than any other network.

    Here are Google Ads’ most important benefits.

    1. The Largest Reach

    Although numerous platforms have a wide audience, none have as much as Google Ads. This platform processes around 40,000 search requests every second, or about 3.5 billion searches every day. Given these details, don’t you believe your company may benefit from part of this potential exposure to raise brand recognition and improve ROI?

    Understanding two of Google Ads’ networks can also help you better understand their scope. Using this platform, you may advertise on the Search and Display networks, two of the most potent networks in the world. Both have a ton of promise; the distinction lies in what you can do with each.

    Your advertising may be displayed in text format via the Search Network after being triggered by the keywords of your choice. On the other hand, Google also provides the Display Network, where you may display your advertising in aesthetically appealing formats by utilizing resources like images and videos. This way, you can completely cover all of your bases.

    2. Numerous Targeting Alternatives

    One of the most crucial considerations when using digital advertising is targeting. In contrast to other platforms, Google puts a high priority on targeting. As a result, it offers a wide variety of targeting choices for creating unique campaigns.

    Keyword targeting is one of these choices. It relates to the capability of using various keyword types and match types that enable you to target every stage of the marketing funnel. Additionally, there are numerous demographic parameters to take into account, such as age, language, region, and more.

    Ad scheduling is a further helpful choice that enables you to choose the most effective time for your adverts to appear. Not to be overlooked is the “devices option,” which is perfect for adjusting which devices and at what times you want your adverts to show.

    3. Much Quicker Than SEO

    Through a method called search engine optimization, or SEO, you can make your website’s setup more relevant to search queries and raise its SERP rating. However, even if SEO is crucial to the success of your digital efforts, it won’t be enough to help you achieve your objectives because of one critical variable: time. In contrast to search engine optimization, Google Ads PPC is the best way to instantly start showing up in searches relating to what you have to offer.

    4. Granular Measurement 

    Understanding the results of your advertising efforts requires measurement. Because of this, dashboards must be precise and understandable.

    Google has changed from providing measurement dashboards that merely display common conversions like impressions or clicks to providing granular analytics that enable you to see how users engage with your advertisements and website since it recognizes the significance of this element.

    5. Easy to Handle

    Managing one or more accounts on other sites could be difficult and time-consuming. One of the key benefits of Google Ads is the free resources you will have access to for managing your campaigns in all areas, including performance management, bidding, optimization, and more.

    Furthermore, most of these solutions are automated, saving you a lot of time. 

    Get the Help You Deserve

    Conveniently, you can either learn to use Google Ads PPC or hire someone to do it for you. The tricky issue is that you’d also need to take care of things like SEO, in-depth account analysis, reporting, conversion tracking, and more; therefore, it may be a good idea to hire an agency to assist you with this.

  • How to Start an Online Business Selling Digital Products

    How to Start an Online Business Selling Digital Products

    A digital product is a type of product that you can create, market, distribute, and sell digitally. This product only exists digitally, and you cannot touch it.

    Our lives are affected today by digital platforms and content taking over today. The demand for digital content keeps rising. For instance, the global digital content creation market size is expected to touch over $16 billion by 2025. This means a business that invests in digital products has a chance to thrive.

    There is a lot involved in making a hustle out of a digital product like eBooks, tickets, podcasts, manuals, or tutorials. It all begins by having the basic knowledge to run a successful online business. Here is a guide on starting an online business selling digital products.

    Register your Business

    The first step to starting an online business is registering it with the relevant authorities. You want to ensure your business is legitimate and recognized. You can register your business as an LLC and get the proper certification and copyright for your digital products.

    The cost of registering an LLC may vary depending on your state. For instance, in Delaware, it costs about $415. This cost includes a state filing fee, name reservation, and adding a registered agent. When you register your business as an LLC, you can reap the benefits of a partnership and a sole proprietorship.

    An LLC allows you to reduce personal liability to your business while gaining flexibility in operation and taxation. The process of registering an LLC is not that long compared to other types of business. You should also learn more about the benefits of an LLC for different types of business before deciding the best type of business to register.

    Define Your Image and Brand

    If you are selling digital products online, you will need a brand image that can sell your products and battle the stiff competition in the online market. Your brand is like an overall vibe of the business. It will need to be iconic enough in case you do expand enough to have more products or even a business delivery fleet.

    You want to ensure everything in your business, right from the business name to the design, conveys a consistent idea and visual image of your business.

    When working on your brand, you should focus on the logo, color scheme, page layout, typography, photos and graphics. These elements should work together in portraying your brand image out there.

    Build a Responsive Website

    A website is a must-have if you want to sell digital products. As soon as you’ve validated your business idea, you should proceed to build your website. A website is like your storefront for selling digital products.

    It is not that difficult to build a website nowadays. You can create your website in just hours without coding skills using any of the best website builders. You can also hire a website designer to design your website who will also help you choose the best host server that will keep you online round the clock.

    When designing a website to sell digital products like courses, written content, and podcasts, you should ensure it has all the required functionalities. Here is what you should do:

    • Incorporate forms so visitors can subscribe and join your list.
    • Build customized landing pages that can educate your audience to learn more about your products and services.
    • Design your website to accept payments so it is easy to sell online.
    • Optimize your website for mobile and make it responsive to most visitors who access your services using their smartphones and tablets.

    Build an Audience to Sell to

    For a physical store, this will sound like building a customer base. If you are selling digital products like a coding course, you want to first build an audience that needs your product. At this point, you want to make use of your greatest asset, the email list.

    Everyone on your email list is interested in your brand, which means they trust you. There is a high probability that they will buy from you if only you market your products and services. Add people to your email list and begin marketing your brand to them. Send emails with information on your products and services. This is called list building.

    You can give people freebies in exchange for their contact information. For instance, if you are selling a course, you can give a short coaching session to everyone that subscribes to your email list. Freebies can act as your lead magnet. It can attract leads to your business and help you grow your business.

    Optimize Your Website for Conversions

    You are already selling your digital products to your customers at this stage of the business. What remains is finding ways to increase your sales. If you want to increase your sales, you should optimize your site leveraging SEO to convert most visitors to customers.

    To optimize your website, you should look at the data on your site. What do the numbers say about your most trafficked pages? You should also identify the pages on your website that most people rarely visit, and once they do, they leave the page fast.

    You want to ensure you can hold your visitors for long so you can get the chance to convince them into buying your products and services. Focus on removing the things that don’t work on your site and improve those that work to optimize your website sales funnel.

    You should focus more on how you can sell your digital products on the website. Therefore, make it clear that your website aims to attract people willing and able to buy your products and services.

    Make sure you can send every visitor to your landing page, and you persuade them to buy. To achieve this, ensure you have a call to action on one very single page of your website. Go straight to the point and tell your visitors what you want them to do.

    You can then reward them accordingly for taking action you asked for.

    Final Thoughts                                     

    Suppose you are out to start a business selling digital products, now is the right time to start. Register your business and get a copyright for your products. Build a website, brand, and audience for your products and services.

    Start your business today by following the five steps listed here and turning your fantastic idea into an income-generating business.

  • Upskilling the Workplace With Microlearning

    Upskilling the Workplace With Microlearning

    Traditional ways of teaching employees in the workplace aren’t cutting it anymore. Jobs today don’t give employees the resources they need to learn how to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. On average, only 24 minutes are alloted for learning and many employees in the end are taught nothing. Nearly 60% of workers are entirely self-taught and receive little to no training from their jobs. The majority of workers feel that they could be doing more and aren’t achieving their full potential because of this lack of learning opportunities. 70% would consider leaving for a job that invests more time and effort into teaching their employees. 40% of those who don’t receive necessary training end up leaving that job within the first year. Most employees report that they don’t have the skills they need to do their jobs and only 12% are able to apply training to their actual jobs.

    Training Doesn’t Always Work

    Making sure employees know how to do what they need to do is vital for a business to function. Our current traditional training models are ineffective, costly, and slow. On average, it takes 7 clicks to reach information in a learning management system. Only after 3 clicks, learners see a massive jump in complexity and difficulty they aren’t prepared for. Organizers waste resources creating courses and classes that aren’t able to hold employee’s attention and aren’t able to actually teach them anything.

    To create a 1 hour course, an advanced course with customization and gamification can take 466 minutes to produce. Even a small, one-time, in-person training event can cost over $40,000. With the average adult having a maximum of a 20 minute attention span, training sessions quickly become boring and monotonous as they aren’t able to hold the learner’s attention. These standalone training events don’t create lasting learning with up to 80% of learned information lost within just a week.

    Introducing Microlearning

    Learning bits at a time and going over previous information with microlearning instead of dumping a huge amount of information all at once has been generating real results. Employees are able to learn more and retain information much longer with microlearning as compared to traditional learning systems. Microlearning only takes a few minutes per day and costs hugely less time and money than setting up an entire event. It uses brief reading or written responses to foster more engagement with a topic. It asks questions about what’s being learned to test learning recall and to help employees retain information longer by going over previous knowledge. Microlearning can fit training into the workday without location and time restraints and boost collaboration, social learning, and employee engagement. This approach is much more engaging with employees and reinforces the learned information. It helps employees apply their new knowledge to their actual work. 

    In Conclusion

    67% of Gen Z want to work for companies that invest in their learning. This helps them build skills for their careers. Learn more about how microlearning actually teaches what employees need to know while not wasting time below:

    Microlearning - the future of workplace training
    Source: Arist

  • How Crypto Has Changed How We View Money

    How Crypto Has Changed How We View Money

    The rise of cryptocurrencies has begun to change how people view money and how it works for their needs. As the internet develops into the metaverse, people need new ways to spend and engage with money and digital currencies. As this form of currency becomes more popular, the uses and value of crypto have been changing and developing to suit the possible items that you can buy with this form of money. This article looks at how crypto has begun to change the way that people view and understand money.

    Solving issues of trust

    Traditional banking systems and means of financial transfer require you to know and trust those you interact with. Crypto requires that you trust the systems and security that blockchain provides instead. As long as you understand cryptography and the blockchain that underpins cryptocurrencies, you are a great deal safer making and accepting payments than you would be using any other systems of payment and don’t have to trust anyone.

     The un-bankable now have access

    There are so many people around the globe, especially in underdeveloped areas of the globe where large numbers of unbanked and un-bankable people remain. No longer do you need to have a bank account or jump through the hoops required to open one to have access to either buy things online or invest in international finance. Crypto has made access a reality for millions, and as long as they have the tech and the know-how, they, too, can enter the international financial playing field.

    Massive saved transaction costs

    The peer-to-peer system of crypto allows for fewer fees. There is no central bank nor a go-between credit card provider that is able to charge additional service or handling fees. As soon as the handling fees are reduced and removed, the entire transaction is cheaper. Many more transactions can also be completed for a fraction of the costs associated with payments via credit cards and debit cards.

    Highlighted the real costs of digital assets

    The ability to use crypto to buy digital assets and those aspects of online and virtual gameplay that are required in the games we play has become a major aspect of the time people spend on the internet. It is important to have access to the information and updates that are provided by a business like OKX which provides a market watch for a crypto platform like Ethereum and the Ether currency, which is widely used in games and online entertainment. The use of cryptos that have real-life value and that can be used to buy digital and virtual assets has shown that the time people spend online and the games they play have a lot more value to people than ever before. The rise of cryptocurrencies has changed how people view money and what money means to them in a digital world. As discussed above, the aspects of cryptocurrency and digital money have changed the most in the digital world. In general, it is all about the value assigned to the various types and forms of money that we use and need to make positive additions to our lives on the internet and in the metaverse.

  • Choosing the Right Small Business Printer

    Choosing the Right Small Business Printer

    Business owners both large and small know how important the right printer is for day-to-day business operations. With so many brands, models, and sizes on the market today, how do business owners know the best small business printer to choose that is the correct fit for their business? 

    Print is Not Dead

    To start, an owner can look at the facts: 8 in 10 small businesses on the global storefront say they rely on a printer for their daily services. However, most small business owners buy consumer-grade printers to do heavy business work, thus overworking those printers and having to make reactive purchases to fill in those gaps. 52% of small business owners across the globe say they wish printer companies better understood the challenges they face, with 69% of small business owners worldwide find it hard to source reliable office supplies, printers being one of those supplies. 

    Over half of people own printers that break once a month or more. Why is this? Most ink printers are not made with a durable body and are also not made for the large work of a business. Laser printers are made with a highly durable steel-frame, making them ready to take on whatever job they are tasked with. Laser printers are also compact, easy for moving from location to location, while still keeping the ability to perform any big business features. 

    For small business owners, high costs of any device or program can be overwhelming. With laser printers, small business owners will only spend $0.05 for laser toner and $0.075 for laser printer ink that never smudges, dries out, or expires. With regular ink printers, small business owners can spend over $12,000 per gallon of ink. Laser printer cartridges leave more room for small business owners to spend funds on other improvements. 

    Security Considerations

    Laser printers can also be password protected and require a password to use the services to help prevent online security threats. These printers will also reboot when a security threat is detected and have a secure fax option for things such as financial information, saving you and your businesses’ personal information. There is a capability with laser printers to add multiple employees on a single network, creating your own “smart business” and a printer network specific for your business. Laser printers have built-in access to a cloud service, meaning everyone on your businesses’ network can access much-needed documents or even print from a distance. 

    In Conclusion

    For small businesses in the technology age, a laser printer seems to be the best choice for day-to-day operations. There are many benefits to using a laser printer for a small business, along with the added services laser printer companies offer such as cartridge recycling programs and the option to shop directly from the manufacturer’s website for refills to add an ease of mind to businesses operating with these printers. Small business owners, don’t let a bad printer slow down your business in this digital age. Make an informed decision on what kind of printer is best for you and your small business.

    Stop Making Your Business Printer an Afterthought
    Source: Lexmark.com