Category: Technology

SEOh-No: Mistakes That Could See Your Business Lose Ground To Competitors

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a critical component of business these days as it impacts how easily your business can be found on the internet. As such it’s important to have a concrete strategy for your website’s SEO. The following contributed post is entitled, SEOh-No: Mistakes That Could See Your Business Lose Ground To Competitors.

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Starting your own business is the ultimate form of self-expression and self-assertion in a consumer driven capitalist economy. Think of it! An opportunity to untether yourself from a rat race that seems to sap all of your time and energy yet affords you just a few crumbs from the corporate table as remuneration. If you feel underappreciated, undervalued understimulated and quite simply underwhelmed by your day job, you’re not alone. This Gallup Poll a couple of years ago revealed that as many as 85% of Americans hated their jobs. When you’ve worked hard to gain the education, skills and experience that make you such a valuable commodity to any business, it can be enormously frustration when that business only utilizes a fraction of your potential.

Image by Geralt via Pixabay

If you’ve chosen to eschew the 9 to 5 and start your own business, you are one of the few who got off the starting block. The rest are still trying to overcome their fear and trepidation. They cling to their job because it offers them the illusion of security. Of course, that’s not to say that the path of the entrepreneur is risk free. Far from it. New startups have the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads from day one. They know that they have a 50% chance of going under within 5 years. But they also know that they can succeed or fail on their own terms.

SEO and the competitive edge

Competition is understandably intimidating to nascent entrepreneurs. Nonetheless, competition should be embraced and relished. Competition provides a framework for operational excellence. It allows you to be the best that you can be. It lights a fire under you to be better and try harder than your nearest competitor. Competitor analysis allows you to take a detailed look at your competitor’s operations and identify opportunities to do better. It also allows you to see what they’re doing well and how you can up your game to match them in those areas and bring greater value to your clientele.

Yet, the sad truth is that it doesn’t matter how much better you are than your nearest competitor if the target market you share have no idea who you are. Operational quality is certainly not an area in which businesses should cut corners, but it needs to be supplemented with savvy digital marketing which positions you ahead of your competitors in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS). The process of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a rich and multifaceted discipline and needs to be applied to every aspect of your online presence. SEO is arguably the key to success in business, whether that business takes place in the online realm or in a physical space. The more you do to bolster your SEO, the greater your potential competitive edge.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions surrounding SEO which can lead well-meaning businesses to make poor decisions. And too many of these decisions could see you lose ground to your competitors.

Here we’ll take a look at common SEO and digital marketing mistakes which could damage your visibility and the online reputation of your brand…

You don’t know your needs

When it comes to your SEO and all other aspects of your digital marketing, small business owners are faced with a fundamental choice. Do they build their own in-house team to handle all of their marketing and SEO or do they use an external agency? As you’ll see if you check out this article, one option is not inherently better than the other. However, it behoves you to know your needs before you choose one or the other.

Do you need quick access to the best digital marketing talent or can you afford to wait? Do you have the budget to assemble your own team or would it work out cheaper to go through an agency? Do you know what to look for when recruiting your own team? Is there an agency out there that would fit in for the unique culture with which you want your brand to be associated? Or can you only get this by building your own team from scratch?

This is an important decision which should not be made arbitrarily. It could see you lose your edge to competitors or bury you in overhead costs without due consideration.

You’re doing content marketing… But your focus is all wrong

Many entrepreneurs are aware of the inherent value in content marketing. They know that it can be a great way of both building their brand and climbing up the rankings in SERPs. It can showcase your skills, knowledge and expertise and build value in your brand. Search engine crawlers love big websites which are regularly updated and filled with high quality content. However, to assume that more content = success in SEO can be a gross oversimplification.

Many a well-meaning entrepreneur has unwittingly sacrificed quality for quantity to the detriment of their SEO and their business’ image.

Don’t fall into the trap of writing for algorithms rather than actual readers. Yes, keywords are important but they are by no means the only metric by which your pages are judged by search engines. Crawlers value measures of quality engagement like hit counts, time on page, scroll depth and navigation to other internal links within your site. And this only happens when you create content that users actually want to click on.

Always approach content creation (whether you outsource it or do it yourself) with a customer-first perspective. Create content that is of value to them. If it helps them to overcome a problem they regularly encounter or makes their lives easier they are much more likely to engage with it, leave a comment or share it on social platforms. And those are all big ticks for your SEO.

In a world of text, don’t neglect your images

The quality and uniqueness of your text is vitally important for SEO but that doesn’t mean that you should neglect your images. Images are another useful way to drive traffic towards your pages. However, if you neglect to add alt-text to your image it will be invisible to Google and therefore won’t show up on any image search pages.

Don’t underestimate just how much traffic images can drive to your website.

Image by PxHere

You’re not ready for Mobile-First

We now live in an era where the majority of users will access your website and its constituent pages through a mobile advice rather than a desktop computer. And if you have yet to make your website responsive (optimized for mobile consumption) this could cause your online presence to be overlooked by Google. As of July 1st 2019, the search engine giant will use Mobile First Indexing. This means that competitors with more responsive websites could gain a leading edge over you if you let them.

If you aren’t sure how mobile-friendly your website is, these checks can give you a pretty reliable overview;

• Does it change shape when you resize your browser window?
• Does the source code contain the word “responsive” or “@media”?
• What does Google say? Using Chrome’s developer tools can help you to identify whether or not your site is mobile-ready.

Your web design is slowing your site down

In the mobile age, your target audience has less time and attention to spare you than ever before. They’ll be accessing your site from a mobile device and consuming your content on the go in small, bite-sized chunks. Speed is of the essence and if you can’t offer them a website that is readily accessible and responds promptly to commands on a mobile device, they won’t stick around to wait for it.

Page load times has always been a factor in bounce rates, but today’s consumers are less forgiving than ever. In fact, a page load time of just 5 seconds can increase your bounce rate by almost 40%. Since search engines value time on page and scroll depth, a slow website could prove a real impediment for your SEO.

Fortunately, a few changes at the back and the front end can help to make your page faster and less sluggish to navigate on a mobile device;

• Optimize your code. Minify scripts and get rid of unnecessary characters.
• Optimize your images. Make sure they’re not too big or unwieldy. Use an efficient format like PNG for graphics and keep them at 16 colors or less. It’s also a good idea to use CSS sprites rather than PNG graphics for icons, buttons etc.
• Make sure that your server isn’t bottlenecking your time to first byte.
• Reduce redirects and use a link reclamation service to ensure that your links are healthy and working.

There’s a lack of housekeeping

Finally, simple poor housekeeping can result in issues which are anathema to SEO. Broken links are the most obvious which spring to mind. These imply to search engines that the website is poorly maintained and they will penalize you accordingly. Duplicate content is also a no-no and could land your business with a serious black eye if you are caught plagiarizing content. Keep your content up-to-date and ensure that your links are working and free of redirects.

And don’t be antisocial! Sharing your content on social channels whenever you’ve updated it or posted something new and fresh is a great way to drive traffic.

Avoid these mistakes and you can ensure that your SEO is on top form and that you remain one step ahead of your competo=itors.

Why Simply Having A Website No Longer Cuts It

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. In today’s digital age, it’s not enough simply to have a website for your business. You have to make sure that it’s a smooth-running website and that compliments your overall strategy and is friendly for your customers. The following contributed post is entitled, Why Simply Having A Website No Longer Cuts It.

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Years ago, the race was on for businesses to get online and creating a website was a big achievement for your brand or company. Flash forward to today and it’s not only a given that your business would have a website, but that it should be able to offer an amazing experience to the visitor.

Elements like design, accessibility, and features are important, and you’ll need to make sure that you stand out from your competition. Not only that, but being able to find your website easily needs to be a big consideration, given simply how much stuff there is out there online.

If you want to impress with your website, you need to get things right from the beginning. Take a look at some of the following tips for making sure your website makes the cut and impresses and visitors who come your way.

Image Credit: Unsplash under Creative Commons

Make an honest assessment

Sometimes it’s difficult to see flaws in something until you take a step back and give things an honest review. When was the last time you analyzed your website? Believe it or not, not all businesses do this. It’s easy to see why – small businesses don’t always have the capacity for analysis, while others can take for granted that their website is performing well.

Analyzing your website traffic is important to tell you how many people are visiting and give you further insights into who they are, how long they’re staying for, etc. This will help you to understand more about your website’s performance, and help you identify some areas for improvement.

Give simplicity a try

Your website doesn’t have to have bells and whistles to make an impression on visitors. Some of the world’s most successful websites like Google and Apple thrive on a minimal design that helps give the visitor what they need. The benefit of having a simpler website layout is that it loads quickly, which is great for keeping people on your website. Check out some minimalist web designs to give you some inspiration for stripping back and enjoying making the most of the basics.

Focus on the UX

People have a short online attention span, that’s something that many people have come to learn over the years. So in order to hold someone’s attention on your website, you need to make it worth their while, and that’s where the User Experience (UX) comes in. Using a UX testing platform can help you make more informed decisions about your content and how your website is used to help you offer the best experience for your visitors. It’s worth checking out what similar businesses offer on their web pages to help give you an idea of what visitors want and to make some key changes.

Is your website mobile-friendly?

Using a computer is no longer the only option for browsing the internet. In fact, more than half of website visits last year came from mobile phones. People can now browse the internet on the move and carry out most of the functions that used to only be possible from a computer. Therefore, your business needs to be able to provide the same offering by phone that is does through a desktop or laptop.

The good news is that it can be easy to make your website more mobile-friendly. A responsive layout that uses a variety of image sizes, loads quickly and integrates with applications like Google Maps, etc. can all help make your business’ website shine on a phone, tablet or other types of device.

Be clever with your use of media

Images are a powerful website tool. They help to draw the eye, which makes them good for holding a web user’s attention, but they can also help break up your layout to make it appear cleaner and less wordy. Using a single hero image on your front page is a popular trend at the moment, as well as using ‘real’ imagery, shot of real people and places in natural situations (no stock footage!) to sell your business well. Video also does well on websites because it grabs people’s attention. Audit your website’s current media library and work out what types of media you can use to boost your website.

Stay up to date with your SEO strategy

If you want people to find your website, then you’re going to need to work on your SEO. SEO helps to get your page to the top of the search engine rankings – it doesn’t just happen on its own. Whether your business has a lot of competition or you’ve got a niche brand, it’s still important that you use SEO to help people find you. SEO is largely about keywords, so if you can work out the keywords that people would associate with your business and use to search for you, you can start working them through your content. You should review your SEO strategy regularly to help make sure you’re staying up to date with the latest search terms.

Protect your visitors

Security has become one of the most important elements of business websites. Data protection is not only important for protecting your users’ data, but also your own. Keeping your website secure involves adding secure protocols and features, as well as making sure that you stay up to date on the latest online security issues. Many security and data breaches can happen as a result of human error, so it’s also important that all of your employees receive training in protecting data online to prevent mistakes that could cost your business money.

With the right website, your company can attract new business and help you on the path to success. When used to your advantage, the internet can give your business a competitive edge and ensure your business’ longevity. The sooner you get started with making website upgrades and changing your online strategy, the sooner you’ll be able to experience the benefits. Think about your websites and how you can make those much-needed improvements in 2019.

How Technology Is Both Good And Bad For Business

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. While it’s an integral part of everything today, technology can be both good and bad for your business. It’s important to think about which effect it’s having. The following contributed post is entitled, How Technology Is Both Good And Bad For Business.

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Modern technology; it’s good for business, right?

Well, the answer isn’t a simple one. While we are in no way saying we should go back to the paper and pen age, or rely on calculators for our accounts and fax machines for communication, there are pros and cons to technology that business owners need to understand.

On the plus side…

Technology can reduce risk. Across a range of industries, today’s technologies are a lifesaver for many businesses. Engineers and designers have 3D mapping and forming software at their disposal to evaluate the viability of their products before the production process is started in full. IT systems can be secured with anti-virus software that blocks out potential hacking attempts. And businesses can use data automation software that eliminates the capacity for human error. In such instances, the technology used provides a safety net for the business owner, and the chances of a disaster can be averted.

Technology increases efficiency. In a time not too far away, business owners were stuck with time-consuming processes that had a negative effect on productivity. But times have changed for the better, so thanks to the latest advances in technology, the business owner actually has the opportunity to achieve a work-life balance that doesn’t necessitate overtime. Chatbots can manage customer queries, collaboration tools can speed up interactions between teams, and teleconferencing software negates the need to travel to business meetings.

Technology is good for marketing. Thanks to the advantages afforded by the internet, the business owner can extend his marketing reach. Through a well-designed website, and social media and email marketing, word can get out quickly and cheaply. To make life even easier, the business owner can also use marketing automation software to improve efficiency and generate more leads.

In such instances, technology is clearly good for business. For any business owner looking to alleviate risk, increase efficiency, and grow their operations, investing in technology is a no-brainer.

However, as we alluded to earlier, there is a downside to using technology, and while we aren’t suggesting the business owner rules out the use of technology altogether, it is important to consider the negatives.

On the minus side…

Businesses can become too dependant on technology. The continued use of software for everyday business processes can make life almost too easy for the business owner. Everything is fine when these things are working as they should, but when the computer goes on the blink, the business owner can become stuck. If he has become reliant on accounting software, for example, he might then struggle to manage his invoicing and budgeting. Those in business need to be mindful then, investing in training for management and employees, so they have the necessary skills to handle the tasks that software usually manages.

Businesses can put customer relations at risk. Chatbots are great, but they a little impersonal. Live chat software is useful for speeding up customer communications, but again, the use of text can come across as a little cold. While we advocate both technologies, it is important to understand that some customers would prefer the opportunity to speak over the phone with a representative when trying to get help for their queries. It’s about offering the personal touch, as this can encourage friendly human conversation and improve customer relationships.

Finally

Technology is good for business, and to stay within consumer and industry trends, the business owner shouldn’t neglect the tools that are available to him. However, there are downsides, and these shouldn’t be overlooked either. We haven’t listed every pro and con here, but should you be in business, commit to further research to give you the right perspective on how to use technology responsibly.

Be A Great IT Guy With These Helpdesk Tips

Two of the key focuses of my blog are Career Discussions and Technology. As our world is becoming more digital, there will be a greater need for individuals trained in Information Technology (IT). It’s a important role to run any organizations IT operations. The following contributed post is entitled, Be A Great IT Guy With These Helpdesk Tips.

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Becoming the IT guy for your business or for someone else’s business can be a mammoth task. For some reason IT guys get a bad wrap. when ever people think of an IT guy they think of a boring geeky guy sitting at his desk in the corner of a room but this really isn’t the case in real life. When it comes to becoming an IT professional, it is a good idea think of ways which you can be the best in the business, and today we are going to give you some top tips on how to manage a great helpdesk for your business.

Be Easy to Reach

The important thing which you need to do as an IT professional is be easy for people to reach. A well Managed Helpdesk is a great asset to a business and it is important for you as the helper to be able to be on call when people need you. Always make sure that you are available whether it be by phone, text, email or instant messaging on your computer. This will make sure that people can always get the advice that they need to work efficiently.

Be Consistent

We all have bad days. It is important as a person who will be dealing with people that you never let your own feelings get in the way of your manners. Working with people all the time is something which any IT professional will have to do and it is important for you to always be open, honest and positive. Providing consistent customer service to your internal and external clients will make all the difference to you.

Get comfy

If you are going to be working at a desk all day every day staring at computers for one reason or another, it is important for you to get comfy and make sure that you are able to work in a comfortable way hour after hour. It is a good idea to choose a spot in the office with a source of natural light, grab a cozy chair and enjoy your office space.

Keep people updated

A lot of the time an issue which someone is facing on the computer might be as simple as turning it off and on again, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes what will happen is more complex than this and a job might take several days for you to complete. To be a great IT guy it is a good idea to keep your client updated once a day just so that they know where their machine is and so that they have an idea of when it will be back. People will appreciate this and it will bring up your reputation.

Write great notes

When you are working on a case which might be a little more complex, the chances are that you haven’t even worked on this case before. This means that it is as new to you as it is to the client. In these instances it is important for you to make notes on your computer or a notebook and they will allow you to refer back to this in the future if you ever face the same issue again.

How Technology Has Changed Our Lives

Two of the focuses of my blog are Current Events and Technology. Our world is much, much different than it was just ten years ago and much of it has to do with the technology available to us. Our lives have been altered and even the way business is conducted has shifted it was well. The following contributed post is entitled, How Technology Has Changed Our Lives.

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It’s fair to say that technology is now more prominent than ever in our lives, and it’s hard to believe a world without it. So how has technology changed our lives?

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Our Education

The way we are educated has certainly been affected positively by technology. First and foremost, courses and training are available online. It now allows individuals to do all the work via the internet, rather than having to physically attend a class or training session. Not only that but technology is now dominating the classroom, where we now have a lot of electronic devices that can help with studying, like laptops and tablets.

How We Socialise

Social media is now a powerhouse for many businesses to communicate effectively with their customers and proves useful for advertising and reaching out to new clients. Most individuals now have a social media profile of some description, and it’s changed the way we communicate. A lot of us will talk over platforms like Facetime and Skype, whenever we’re away from home. It’s such a great piece of technology that has helped friends and family see each other’s faces, even though it’s not quite the same as seeing them in the flesh. For all the negatives to do with social media, there are plenty of positives.

Traditional Media Is Ceasing To Exist

It’s also changed how we read newspapers and magazines. Traditional media has certainly taken a knock to its popularity since digital media came into play. A lot of us use our mobile devices or tablets/laptops a lot more, and for use on a commute to work, digital news sites are reigning supreme. We can find out news from Israel and other countries at the touch of a button. Although it’s unlikely that traditional media will cease to exist entirely, it does look like we prefer digital media as opposed to traditional formats. Another reason why traditional media is dying off is that a lot of businesses are using the digital world to advertise and a lot of newspapers or magazines would often rely on advertising space to make more profit.

It’s Helped Make Our Lifestyles Easier

Our lifestyles have been made much simpler with technology, and it’s helped in a variety of ways. From remote controls to close and open blinds to apps on your phone that can alter the lighting in your home or put on the heating, even if you’re not in the property itself. All these apps and software that now exist, certainly make living a lot less stressful and complicated. It won’t be long before we have the technology to help with every single element of our day to day lifestyle. We are busier than ever before and therefore, we expect now for technology to give us a helping hand where possible.

Technology has certainly changed dramatically over such a short period of time and who knows where it will go in the next five or ten years. It’s certainly possible though it could advance at even a faster rate than ever before as more money is pumped into upgrading technology.

Amahl Dunbar discusses his new Helmet Tubing Impact System (HTIS) invention

While one of the purposes for the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields is the pursuit of new knowledge, a second purpose is to use that knowledge to create new innovations and products to improve our lives. Likewise, while one of the goals of my blog is advocacy of STEM awareness, a second goal is to use my platform to give exposure to others and their own projects. The following interview – the first of its kind on my blog accomplishes both goals, and it aligns with one of the principles of my blog which I haven’t discussed much up to this point; Creative Thought. Creative Thought is a key component of all the innovations that have emerged from the STEM fields that have changed the world.

Over the past couple of years, inventor Amahl Dunbar has worked on an invention to increase the safety of football helmets; the “Helmet Tubing Impact System” (HTIS). He recently agreed to the following interview to give the world a glimpse of the HTIS, to introduce his new idea, and his goals for it going forward. The pictures used in this post of the HTIS attached to football helmets were graciously shared by Amahl Dunbar himself.

Anwar Dunbar: Hello, Amahl. Thank you for agreeing to talk about your new system for making football helmets more protective. As my brother, I know who you are and what you’ve been doing. For the readers though, talk a little bit about your background. Haven’t you always been a ‘design and build’ type of guy?

Amahl Dunbar: Yes. Around the time I was in the third or fourth grade, I enjoyed using hand-held tools to disassemble and re-assemble my toys. My “Transformers” toys were very complex in terms of design. They were an endless puzzle of hinge, sliding, and ball joints. Usually I’d have everything reassembled before our mother got home from work. In parallel with those experiences, I began to do the same process with my bikes, though when it came to bikes, the stakes were higher because a bike could fall apart while in motion. Over all, I have more years of experience learning the visual arts versus engineering or product development.

Anwar: At Hutch-Tech High School, didn’t you major in Architecture?

Amahl: Yes, I had dreams of an office-oriented career. Architecture is more of a ‘design studio’ career. During high school my understanding of Architecture was limited. I thought it was just good to design. Years later, I learned the best forms of Architecture involved designing and customizing around the lifestyle of the occupants.

Anwar: How did you come up with the idea for the HTIS?

Amahl: The idea for this invention came to me while watching an NFL game during the 2014 or 2015 season. A highly valued player for the Buffalo Bills took a bad helmet-to-helmet collision. As I watched this player writhing in pain, it occurred to me that the standard helmet is as much a weapon as it is a system of protection. Also, I thought the sound of a helmet to helmet hit may be damaging to players as well. Imagine being inside of a large speaker when it receives sudden microphone feedback or static. The sound would be jarring, disorienting, and unpleasant.

Anwar: What makes your system unique from what’s currently on the market?

Amahl: The Helmet Tubing Impact System (HTIS) is lighter than similar exterior helmet products. It distributes forces ‘longitudinally’ versus absorbing or muffling direct strikes. The tubes are transparent, so team colors and logos stay visible.

Anwar: Are you referring to something like the “Gazoo” helmet shell that the Buffalo Bills’ Mark Kelso used the wear?

Amahl: The Gazoo was never brought to the mainstream market, which speaks to its effectiveness. Most products that attach to the exterior of helmets are modeled after boxing head gear. From that perspective, players are still receiving a muffled version of helmet strikes. Those products are made of foam and absorb impacts without dispersing the forces. The HTIS distributes forces cylindrically and longitudinally.

Anwar: We see a lot of head and brain-related injuries in American football. Is your new system designed to prevent paralysis? Concussions? Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)?

Amahl: Those conditioned athletes won’t escape the wear & tear of American Football. The HTIS will lower the amount force in head impacts over years of practice and play for players. Specialists in those fields have found that the repetitive and cumulative number of impacts is what hurts players over the long-term.

Anwar: Now I imagine at this point, you’ve legally protected your system, you’re being very prudent in terms of whom you’re sharing your data with. In terms of your initial findings for the HTIS, what have you found thus far in terms of its ability to mitigate the force of collisions? Which test have you used to generate your data?

Amahl: As of now I do have a patent on the HTIS. I used the “Weighted Swing Test”. This test shows that the HTIS lowers impacts forces by an average of 70 – 73%. Again, the force of helmet strikes is distributed over the soft, cylindrical, hollow, plastic surface area of the tubes. The HTIS is designed to divide the linear and rotational transfer of impact forces.

Anwar: What are your plans for this going forward?

Amahl: In the near future, I’m looking to form an LLC for production and sales of the product to individual customers, teams, and leagues. I’m open to licensing or selling the patent, if a fair offer is presented.

Anwar: If anyone wants to directly reach out to you regarding the HTIS, what’s the best way for them to contact you?

Amahl: If anyone would like to contact me for sales or to purchase the patent, contact me at amahldunbar@gmail.com

Anwar: Well thank you, Amahl, for sharing your exciting project. Do you have any other comment?

Amahl: Yes. The HTIS has the best chance for success of them all.

To find out more about how to draft and file your own patent application, Patent Hacks has its own free online resources. Find out key information about patent and intellectual property, and gain the knowledge you need to patent your own inventions.

Thank you for taking the time to read this interview. If you’ve found value here and think it will benefit others, please share it and/or leave a comment. Please visit my new YouTube channel entitled, Big Discussions76. To receive all the most up to date content from the Big Words Blog Site, subscribe using the subscription box in the right-hand column in this post and throughout the site, or add the link to my RSS feed to your feedreader. Lastly, follow me on the Big Words Blog Site Facebook page, on Twitter at @BWArePowerful, and on Instagram at @anwaryusef76. While my main areas of focus are Education, STEM and Financial Literacy, there are other blogs/sites I endorse which can be found on that particular page of my site.

Using The Internet To Give Your Business A Competitive Edge

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. A key to doing business today is understanding the best types of technology for your business operations. Properly leveraging technologies like the internet can be the difference between your business succeeding or failing. The following contributed post is entitled, Using The Internet To Give Your Business A Competitive Edge.

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Take a second to look around you in a cafe or see what people are doing on the bus or metro to work every morning. What do you see? In the vast majority of cases, you’ll see coffee shops, carriages, and seats filled with people staring at screens or frantically scrolling through feeds. The Internet has changed the way we communicate with others and access information, but it’s also revolutionised the world of business. If you’re looking to drive sales and entice new customers in the digital age, here’s a useful guide to help you capitalise on the popularity of the Internet to give your company a competitive edge.

Learning about digital marketing
Traditional marketing techniques, such as print adverts and flyers, can still be hugely effective, but more and more companies are investing money in digital marketing. Consumers spend more time online than ever before, and online shopping has become the primary means of acquiring products for many customers. Even if you don’t sell anything online, it pays to have presence on the Internet. Think about yourself as a consumer, rather than a company owner for a moment. How often you use a search engine, for example, if you’re trying to locate local services or find a product quickly and easily? You might find that you use Google to find a plumber, a restaurant or the best price on a pair of trainers you want to buy. As a business owner, it’s crucial to recognise the influence of the web and to move to ensure you can use it to boost your profits and market your brand.

If you don’t already spend money on digital marketing, it’s worth learning more about techniques like SEO (search engine optimization) and social media marketing, and getting up to speed with the latest trends and the benefits an effective, targeted digital marketing campaign can offer. If you’re not a marketing expert, and you don’t have an in-house marketing team, explore the option of outsourcing, do some research and install the Internet Marketing News skill for Alexa to give you instant access to relevant headlines. Digital marketing can help you compete with rivals, reach out to a huge online audience and create more leads in your local area. Internet marketing trends evolve continuously, so staying ahead of the game will pay off.

Image from https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1444327

Designing a website that works on every level
It’s impossible to overstate the importance of a website that works in the 21st century. Regardless of whether you sell products online or not, having a great website that is visible and accessible to interested parties could make all the difference. Focus on designing a site that looks the business, but also delivers on a practical level. Moving from one page to the next, finding information and making a purchase should be effortless. If your site is old, it’s slow to load, or it looks dull and drab, now is the time to revamp your pages, improve user experience, and use the site to lure customers in and encourage them to take that all-important next step. That could be adding an item to the basket and completing the checkout, it could be signing up to email newsletters or it could be making a call to find out more or get a quote, for example. Think about the sites that you enjoy using as a consumer, and always bear your target market in mind. The design and the content should be relevant to the brand and the ideal buyer persona.

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Improving your search ranking
Your website is up and running, and it looks brilliant. The trouble is that you’ll still not getting many visitors. If this scenario sounds familiar, you’ll need to take steps to ensure your pages and links are visible. To do this, you can utilize SEO to improve your search ranking. When you conduct a search on sites like Google, you’ll be presented with a list of links. As a customer, your attention will almost certainly be drawn to the links at the top of page 1. As a business owner, your goal is to climb as high as possible. If you’re struggling to get past page 5, traffic will be slow. Use SEO-friendly content to ensure that your links appear when customers enter words or terms that are related to the products or services you sell, use social media to promote your business, and keep content fresh, exciting, and interesting. Everything you share should serve a purpose. If you’ve got a blog on your website, for example, and you offer home maintenance and renovation services, useful guides, how-to video tutorials and informative articles are a great idea. SEO is an art, and if you don’t have expertise in this specific area of marketing, it’s worth seeking advice from professionals with industry experience.

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Attracting rave reviews
Did you know that more than 90% of people now look for reviews before buying a product or choosing which local business to contact or hire? Feedback has never been more important for modern businesses looking to boost sales and client numbers. As social media and consumer review sites are so popular, it only takes a couple of negative reviews to make an impact. In extreme cases, a story can go viral putting a company out of business in a matter of minutes. To maximize the opportunities offered by the Internet and harness its power and influence, it’s beneficial to strive for positive reviews. Focus on customer service, make use of feedback, and go the extra mile to turn 4-star reviews into 5-star ratings. Take both the positive and the negative comments on board, and interact and engage with your customers. Consumers today don’t just want to buy a product. Often, they want an experience.

Picture source: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/feedback-opinion-customer-1977986/

The Internet has changed the way we behave as consumers and provided businesses with a host of new opportunities to reach new customers, establish relationships with clients and upsell products. If you think your company could be achieving more, consider how you’re using the web, and how you could change your strategy to hit targets. Learn more about digital marketing, sign up for updates on marketing news, and think about what your ideal customer wants. Make sure your website is fit for purpose, and invest in SEO to elevate your ranking and increase traffic. Prioritize customer service, use feedback to improve review scores and ratings, and utilize social media to engage with clients and strike up relationships.

Your Company’s Pipework Systems

A key focus of my blog is Technology. Pipes are important parts of the infrastructure needed to sustain our everyday lives. Understanding how these systems work is critical in multiple areas. The following contributed post is entitled, Your Company’s Pipework Systems.

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Plastic pipework has become extremely popular because of the wealth of benefits it offers. Not only is it extremely cost-effective, but it does the job well too! Plastic pipes are durable, long lasting, easy to install, and they do not corrode or rust. This is why they are used in so many different types of applications today. So, let’s dig a little bit deeper. What are the major applications for plastic pipework systems?

https://pixaby.com/photos/alaska-alaska-pipeline-oil-67304/

Drinking Water Systems

First and foremost we have drinking water systems. Plastic pipework has proved to be the ideal choice in these instances because it can provide individuals with safe and clean water. This is because plastic does not rust and it is resistant to chemicals and corrosion. However, if you need water pump repairs, you should get them done as soon as possible to avoid any contamination and further issues.

Agriculture Systems

Plastic has also proved to be the number one choice for agriculture systems. It is used for everything from pesticide spraying systems, to water supplies, to flow line irrigation. The long life span and resistance to corrosion makes it the perfect option.

Chemical Transport Systems

Again, because plastic is resistant to corrosion and chemicals, it has become the ideal choice for transporting chemicals. This includes everything from alkalis, to acids, to edible oils, to milk, to corrosive chemicals. If these were to be transported via a metal pipe they would damage the material.

Gas / Compressed Air Systems

When it comes to gas / compressed air systems, plastic is another popular choice. Why is this so? There are several different reasons. This includes better crack propagation, better impact, and leak-proof joints.

Effluent & Waste Water Systems

Last but not least, when it comes to effluent & wastewater systems you again have the resistance to corrosion and chemicals to thank. This allows the pipework system to effectively transport anything from radioactive waste, to both treated and untreated chemicals, to corrosive chemicals effluents.

So there you have it, the top five major applications for plastic pipework systems. When you consider the diversity of the five different applications mentioned, you observe how plastic pipework systems are extremely flexible and well-suited to an array of different situations.

Many people would agree that when it comes to choosing pipework systems no decision is more crucial than the one you make in relation to drinking water systems, so we are going to zone in on this further. When you consider the fact that individuals are going to consume the water that travels through the system you see why it is imperative that you choose with extreme care at your business. There are many different options you have at your disposal. However, most experts will advise that you opt for HDPE pipes. HDPE stands for high-density polyethylene and it is one of the most commonly used plastics in the country. This article will delve deeper into the qualities that make it such a good option in relation to drinking water systems.

There are many benefits associated with HDPE systems. They are cost-effective, strong, boast a long life cycle, easy to install and offer energy savings. However, when it comes to providing clean and safe water, it is the non-toxicity, corrosion resistance and chemical resistance of the material that really prove to be beneficial. If you want to be one hundred percent certain that the water you provide is safe, this is the option to go for. If you were to choose a metal pipework system, for example, there are many possibilities you need to take into consideration. Firstly, there is every chance that the water will have a metallic taste to it. In addition to this, metal is susceptible to rust and corrosion. This can get into the water and have a negative effect.

Usually, when you opt for a system offering such high levels of quality, you expect to pay high prices. However, this is not the case when it comes to HDPE pipes. You will be surprised to learn about the substantial cost savings you can make if you go down this route. Firstly, plastic doesn’t cost as much to produce as other materials. Moreover, you also need to consider the total life cycle of the pipes to see how much money you are really going to save. Because HDPE is a material that is strong, resilient, resistant to corrosion and rust, it boasts an extremely long life span. This means that you do not have to spend the money on replacements and repairs as you would with other materials. If that wasn’t enough, plastic is lightweight and easy to install, thus costs are minimized in this area as well.

In fact, the ease of installation with HDPE pipes is something that is worthy of further elaboration. There are many characteristics associated with this type of pipework that makes it one of the best for installation. Firstly, you have the flexible and lightweight qualities of HDPE pipes, this makes them easy to handle. The fantastic fusion welding possibilities allow for a leak-tight installation. In addition to this, you also have the possibility for alternative installations, on-site extrusion and the capability to reline the existing pipelines. With such flexibility and ease, it is not hard to see why so many people prefer HDPE pipes. There are barely any limitations.

To summarise, there is certainly no better type of pipework for drinking water systems than HDPE. This material is corrosion resistant, chemical resistant and non-toxic and therefore the result is clean and safe drinking water. Couple that with all of the other added benefits, such as cost efficiency and ease of installation, and it is not hard to see why this type of plastic is a clear winner.

How Advanced Are Online Threats Becoming

A key of my blog is Technology. With our world becoming increasingly more digital, there are also an increasing number of online threats. With so much business being conducted online, having solid cybersecurity is a must. The following contributed post is entitled, How Advanced Are Online Threats Becoming.

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Being hacked when you’re online is something we all worry about, in the back of our minds. We don’t like leaving our credit details on retail websites, if we can help it, and we all regularly check to make sure our firewalls are turned on. It’s a habit we become accustomed to, the more and more we use our computers to connect to the world wide web, and it’s something we should all clue ourselves up on.

And that’s because cyber threats are becoming more and more common, and there’s a lot of scammers out there who know just how to disguise themselves to earn your trust. They can even use the numbers in your phone to pose as someone you know nowadays.

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There’s Gaps in the Connection

A lot of websites use third party companies these days, to make sure they keep costs down in their own businesses by not running their own IT support desks or their own retail portal. They use another company’s previously established support network or paywall, and that can lead to a hink in your secure browsing. After all, the more people involved in any searches you tap in, or any purchases you make, the more chances there are of your information getting out.

Websites who have to redirect you to reach certain pages, or websites who don’t allow you to use secure payment methods such as Paypal or Worldpay, are very likely data sink targets. Hackers will keep an eye out for websites that need further connections to enable their profits, and exploit these connections to get to you. They can change them out to make sure you connect to them instead, or it might just be a flimsy line that could allow a few worms in. You never know who’s on the other side of the screen, after all.

AI Could Be a Way In

The Siris and Alexas of the world have a lot to answer for. They can be one of the most helpful appliances you own, but they can also be targets for people looking to access your secrets. And it’s not just malicious outside threats that can access you and your family’s most private data: it could be the companies themselves as well.

So if you do have an artificial intelligence system in your home, they need to be connected to the wifi to work. And there’s a good chance you have quite a few recordings on them you would never want anyone outside of your own four walls to hear. And it’s these stored recordings, which have to be removed manually, that both hackers and shady executives alike could be after. It’s a misuse of the trust the consumer places in the company – you bring this kind of tech into your home to make life more convenient, and these are the results we’re seeing.

That was a quick look into the world of online threats, so make sure you’re always up to date on what could be out there.

Website Words: 3 Tips For Perfect Copy

Three of my blog’s key focuses are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Important aspects of your business are your branding and technology. You have to be sure that your website and all of the messages you communicate on it are clear. The following contributed post is entitled, Website Words: 3 Tips For Perfect Copy.

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Pixabay / CC0 Licence

When considering your business’ website, your focus will primarily be on the design and functional elements. You’ll want to ensure that your site looks good and works exactly as you expect – which is undoubtedly important, but there is a final part of the puzzle that can often be overlooked: the text.

The text on your website – which is more conventionally referred to as the “copy” – is just as important as the look and performance of any business website. The text is how you convince customers to buy from your company and how you affirm your brand’s voice, so getting it right is critical. In an effort to help you achieve this goal, below, we’ve assembled five tips that will help you to make sure that your website copy is at its absolute best.

#1 – Be cautious of tone

When writing website copy, there’s a line you have to walk: the text should ideally have an element of personality to it, but it should also remain professional. To achieve the right balance, it’s usually best to try and use the same writing style and word choice you would use if you were writing an email to an acquaintance – someone you know well, but not well enough to consider them a ‘friend’. Viewing your text through this lens should help you to keep things light, but without crossing the line into over-familiarity.

#2 – Consider translation

To work well, website copy has to be understood. As a result, businesses whose target audiences are likely to be bilingual may want to consider opting to translate their website copy to benefit some customers. While translating your entire website’s copy sounds like a dramatic, time-consuming undertaking, professional companies such as Para Plus Translations can help to simplify the entire process and allow you to display perfectly-translated text with ease.

#3 – Watch out for typos

No matter how well written your copy is, if it’s riddled with typos, your customers will notice – and may even judge your company as a result. Unfortunately, finding typos in text you have written yourself is inherently challenging, so you’ll need some form of assistance when seeking to overcome this issue. The best option is to hire the services of a professional proofreader, but a combination of using a service such as Grammarly and then asking a friend to proofread can also work well.

#4 – Too much information is preferable to not enough information

With website copy, convention suggests that you should provide information succinctly. However, while the quality of the words you choose is more important than quantity, the amount of quality copy needed is more up for debate. While some customers may be more than happy with a few sentences about your products or services, others will want to know more before they commit to a purchase; we all have different opinions about how much is enough when it comes to information. To account for this, it’s best to opt for a higher word count; it’s easier for customers who prefer short text to pick out the most pertinent details for themselves – perhaps aided by short summaries – than it is for those who would like more information to convince themselves to settle for less than they would like.

In conclusion

With the tips above, your copy can join your great design and flawless functionality to create a business website that your customers are sure to love.