Infographic created by cyberpolicy.com

Even though we now live in the world of digital media and almost each one of us spends a lot of time per day on the Internet, still many of us spend plenty of time outdoors in the centres of big cities such as London or Birmingham for example. There are millions of people living in the Greater London area and many of them walk on the streets of this giant city every single day.

What do you do when you are out there in the streets? I don’t know about you, but I like to look around to get an idea what is happening around me at any given moment. I like to stay up to the date with the latest trends in popular culture and I always want to be well informed when it comes to everything that takes place especially since I like in a big city myself and look at various posters and billboards every single day.

If you are into street advertising and are planning to launch a campaign with places such as Signkick I would like to tell you that you are definitely in luck here because there are millions of people around like me who spend a lot of time on the streets looking at things, analysing and absorbing tons of info each single day. It is no wonder then that outdoor advertising is very effective in our case. I also know that I am not the only one who likes to talk about what they have seen because if I am out and then come to my workplace or even home I am more than willing to talk about all those things I have seen. Sometimes I just cannot stop sharing all those things I have seen and there is nobody or nothing that can stop me from it.

If you have the need to advertise your products or services, try to go out there on the streets and see what billboards as well as posters can do for you. there is a lot of power and potential in this form of advertising and up-to-date it is arguably one of the best ways to advertise ever invented.

Have you been living in your home for a very long time? Have you made very few changes to your home during this time? If this is the case, your home might be in need of an extensive remodeling. You might never have considered remodeling your home before. However, this is a project that you will definitely be glad you did after it is completed. It might seem like remodeling your home will be a bit overwhelming. It is true that there are a lot of moving parts to a project of this magnitude. However, doing the proper planning will make the project go much more smoothly. Here are a few of the biggest reasons why you should seriously think about remodeling your home.

1. The value of your home will increase significantly.

Any type of improvement will raise the value of your home. Obviously, making larger improvements will mean that the value of your home will go up accordingly. Therefore, you can think about remodeling your home as an investment in your future. You might decide to sell your home at some point. If this happens, you will be able to get more money for your home because you decided to have it remodeled.

2. Your home will look much better than it did before.

There are a variety of reasons why people choose to remodel their home. Many people are simply tired of looking at the same old walls and floors every day. They need a change. A remodeling project will certainly accomplish this. Having some kitchen countertop resurfacing done can really improve the overall appearance of the busiest room in your house. You will be quite surprised how different your home will look after you have it remodeled. You will also wonder why you didn’t have it done years ago.

3. You can change your home to meet your needs.

It is normal for a person’s needs to change over the years. You might have raised children who are on their own now. Their old rooms are not being used right now. So why not have those rooms remodeled and turned into something that you can actually use? For example, you might want to install a hot tub in one of the empty rooms. You might want to make a room larger so it will be able to accommodate gym equipment. The choice is yours.

If you’re looking to become a CEO one day, sometimes the best place to begin is at a startup company. However, even though these companies are ideal for showcasing your skills, they also require special traits that not every CEO possesses. If you’re looking to become a CEO for a startup, the following are qualities you need to have.

Thirst for Knowledge

Image via Flickr by Brittany Stevens

One quality of successful startup CEOs is the desire to never stop learning. At the speed that technology and business changes today, you should always be looking to learn more. One of the most famous CEOs of our times, Bill Gates, reads around 50 books a year, and his selections aren’t related to just business practices. He also reads about history, architecture, health, and any other topic he wants to learn more about.

Can Find the Right People

Chances are you won’t be the CEO of a startup with no employees. While larger companies have a full-time division specifically created to find the right employees for a job, at a startup, it falls on you to hire those amazing people. You have to start by figuring out exactly what your needs are, how much you can pay them, and what benefits you can offer. From there, you might have to conduct countless interviews before you find the candidate who ideally meets your requirements.

Ability to Understand the Market

While you might think your startup has the perfect product, if the market doesn’t agree, you won’t see the type of success you want. In fact, 42 percent of failed startups admit the reason for their downfall was because they had created a product the market didn’t need. As a successful CEO, it helps to have your finger on the pulse of the market, and even have the ability to predict what the next big thing might be.

Know How to Cut Costs

As a CEO, part of your responsibility lies in watching the bottom line. Whether you’re spending money on research and development or employees, you need to make sure you spend every dollar wisely. Oracle CEO Mark Hurd is known for his cost cutting measures and knowledge of how to get the most return for money spent. During his first days at Oracle, he asked his direct employees for their three-year plan, then told them to turn that into a one-year plan so they had a better idea of what their most pressing concerns for growth were.

Know What to Do With Criticism

At the University of Texas, students in Joshua Baer’s entrepreneurship class need to create their own startup. One class came up with a food delivery app, but Baer pointed out that the market had no more room for an app like this. Instead of refusing to accept the criticism, the students took the feedback and created Harvest Delivery, an app that aggregates food delivery services into one place.

While CEOs need to possess many of the same traits, these qualities are ones that are crucial for CEOs heading a startup business.

Blogging can be an exciting and rewarding adventure to embark on.

When just starting out, there are probably hundreds of different things you think you should be focusing on. However, one thing is more important than the rest…and that’s traffic.

Traffic is usually what differentiates the successful blogs from the wannabes.

There are lots of other posts out there that talk about 20, 30 or even 50 different tips for increasing traffic. In this one, you’ll only find 4.

These 4 tips below are the must-do’s for acquiring and growing traffic as a beginner blogger.

1. Post Often and Consistently

The first thing you must do is post new content often, and do it regularly.

This provides some benefit to search engine optimization (SEO), which we’ll get into down below, and it also provides visitor to your website a reason for coming back.

The more you can stick to a regular content creation schedule, the faster you’ll see your traffic numbers climb.

2. Write Really Good and Useful Content

Great content is the heart and soul of any successful blog.

As a beginner blogger, you’ll quickly learn that no matter how often you post, your blog won’t grow unless your content is something people will want to read.

In order to create really good content, you want to make sure it’s both interesting and useful. Try to write about topics that will solve your intended audience’s burning problems. Then make sure to weave your own experiences and expertise into the mix.

That’s a combination that will keep readers begging for more, which means guaranteed traffic growth.

3. Implement an SEO Strategy

SEO isn’t something many people immediately think about when starting a blog, but it’s paramount to any long-term traffic strategy.

As a beginner, the best place to learn is from people who already have it figured out. Whatever niche you’re in, there are likely hundreds, if not thousands, of other successful bloggers out there.

Your job is review their SEO strategy, and then use that information to implement your own.

Use an SEO web analyzer on some of those other websites in your niche. Study their best performing content and pages. Which keywords do they rank for? Which content gets viewed the most?

Learn as much as you can from them, then apply that to your own website.

Use a beginner’s SEO guide to quickly pick up the essentials for how to choose keywords and how to insert them strategically into your content.

Before long, your traffic numbers will steadily increase and stay that way for a long time.

4. Write Guest Posts

Last but not least, writing guest posts is an extremely useful traffic generating strategy for all beginner bloggers.

When just starting out, you won’t have a large audience or anything to leverage, so why not take advantage of someone else’s?

By writing guest posts for other bloggers, you help them by creating content for their audience, and you provide yourself exposure and links back to your own site.

It really is a win-win for both parties.

Some bloggers have generated massive amounts of traffic through guest blogging alone, so it’s definitely something you won’t want to skip.

Conclusion

Acquiring traffic as a beginner blogger shouldn’t need to be as frustrating and confusing as it is. Follow just these 4 tips above and try to ignore the rest. You’ll be leaps and bounds ahead of your peers, and you won’t be nearly as overwhelmed.

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Online shopping has exploded in popularity in the last decade. Consumers use the power of online shopping to get great prices and avoid large crowds. As most entrepreneurs know, there will be bumps along the way when trying to grow and expand an online-based business. Having positive reviews is a great way for an e-commerce site to boost consumer confidence. Using fake reviews to boost the visibility for an e-commerce site is a bad idea for a variety of different reasons. Also, having fake bad reviews written about a company can lead to a variety of problems and a decline in consumer confidence.

Spotting a Fake Review

When consumers are in need of a reputable e-commerce store, they will seek out reviews about the companies they are considering. For consumers who take the time to read these reviews, learning how to spot a fake one is essential. Spotting a fake review is easy when considering the following factors:

• Focus on the Language Being Used – The first thing a consumer needs to take note of when reading an online review is the language used. If the review is excessively negative or positive, it may be fake. Generally, reviews will be rather moderate in their tone and devoid of industry jargon.
• The Emotion Being Conveyed – The overwhelming majority of real reviews will focus more on the value the product adds rather than the laundry list of features it possesses. When a review only lists features of a product and not how the person used it in their daily life, it will usually be a fake.
• Check Out the Reviewer – If a consumer suspects a review is fake, they may want to take the time to dig a bit deeper. Taking the time to look at the online profile of the reviewer can provide a consumer with all of the information needed. If the reviewer has consistently posted the same type of text on a variety of reviews, they are probably being paid to do so.

How to Combat Fake Reviews

One of the best ways to get rid of fake reviews is by holding businesses who use them accountable. If these companies were outed for this horrible business practice, chances are their reputation would take a hit. Powerful search engines like Google use IP tracking to spot fake reviews. If a particular IP address is flagged for fake review violations, then any website using them will be penalized.

Getting Real Reviews and Testimonials

The main reason why some businesses buy fake reviews is due to their inability to get actual testimonials from customers. When learning how to build an e-commerce website, you will need to focus on finding tools that make it easy for customers to leave testimonials. There are a number of things an e-commerce website owner can do to increase the amount of actual reviews and testimonials they get.

The first thing to consider when trying to increase the amount of actual reviews a site gets is how easy it is for customers to leave feedback. If users of an e-commerce site have to hunt too hard for a review form, then they will usually give up in a fairly short amount of time. Making it easier for customers to leave this type of feedback will help to increase the amount of actual reviews a business gets.

Fighting the negative effects of fake reviews is important for both consumers and e-commerce-based businesses. The last thing any business wants is to deceive their customers due to the mistrust this will create.

In a new business society, there are more than enough opportunities to be able to make your life as flexible as possible. Aside from being good for the employees, it is actually good for the organization as well. The only thing you need to do is be sure you get everything figured out ahead of time with respect to logistics. But, if you can actually make mobile working fit into your schedule, then you should be ready to enjoy all of the perks.

Hold onto your Employees

One of the biggest reasons employees will leave an organization is because they need to move on to something else. If that something else happens to be a different geographical location, then you could avoid losing your top talent because they could work from home in their new location. Or, if your employees wanted to have significant flexibility, then you could actually get ahead by giving the best and brightest just one more perk to appreciate that doesn’t cost you any money.

According to London Loves Business, there have been a ton of companies that are tremendously profitable simply because they tap into the power of flexibility for their employees and can actually get ahead by giving perks that cost nothing. If you can give your employees flexibility, all you are doing is letting them choose which hours they want to work. And, because they are choosing, they will be working when they are most motivated and ready instead of first thing in the morning when they aren’t even awake.

Diversify Your Workforce

The hardest thing about getting employees on the same page with your company is that good help truly is hard to come by. That is why you want to figure out how you can cast as wide of a net as possible. This means you should look into the major functionality of new technology such as large townhall events by Bluejeans if you want to hire employees from all across the country then you will be able to bring in some of the brightest talent possible. Plus, if remote and mobile employees are trying to work for you then they are not only resourceful enough to tap into technology to get things done, but they will also be more likely to have a real interest in your job and your organization. Finding employees that truly care and actually want to be there for your causes can make all of the difference.

Minimized Stress Means Greater Output

According to Eremedia, higher costs are absolutely associated with employees who are stressed. Not only can they make more mistakes, they take longer to get marginal work done. That is why if you are trying to maximize your employees’ output, you should definitely figure out how to get them as relaxed as possible. This isn’t to say you can’t still push them to be their best, but you should absolutely be aware of how your employees operate best and how they can work the most efficient.

When you think about individuals who work from home, they not only have the ability to minimize their own stress with things like less commuting time and not as much effort getting dressed up for the day, but they can also save money on lunches and gasoline as well. Simple things might not seem like a significant part of the day, but organizations can absolutely give their employees minor benefits that add up over time. Throw in the fact that major commutes and getting ready for work could all add up to a few hours per day, and employees will be able to see the savings plus use some of that time to continue getting more accomplished. If you are flexible with and help your employees, they will be more likely to help you back.

Flextime is All of the Time

While it might not seem like the norm for a business, it should absolutely be a perk for anyone who can work remotely. And, while there are also going to be times when you need to get your employees working in a certain time frame for meetings and being on call, you should also be able to give your employees flexible time that they need. If you can imagine the talent pool who would jump at that, you can imagine the number of parents with children, individuals who have spouses in other cities, or even people who want to be involved in other causes who would then jump at the chance to work for your company and give back as much effort as possible.

The important thing about remote work and employees on the move is nothing more than knowing times are changing. If you can get on the same page as your employees by giving them some pretty good perks and decreasing your stress, then you will have loyalty, camaraderie, and efficiency all at the same time.

The rapid pace of technology means there are ever-changing trends and features every day. When it comes to outfitting your communication platform, though, you want to make sure you integrate systems that have the potential to change the way we communicate forever. You want tools that reshuffle the deck. So if you’re shopping around for a communication tool to add to your infrastructure, then here are 3 of the most revolutionary and game-changing features to ever exist today, features you should be on the lookout for:

Cloud-based solutions

Search Unified Communications says that about 90 percent of companies now use cloud-based applications and solutions. This has marked a shift away from hardware upgrades and systems that tend to come with hefty costs and expenses, making it possible for more and more companies to set up communication infrastructure with less funds. No need to worry about taking a chunk out of their capital and dedicating it to IT resources like this. With cloud-based apps, teams only need to download the app, install it and they’re good to go. They can basically connect to anywhere from anywhere. That means tremendous cost-savings in terms of operational costs and fees.

Mobile connectivity

Ten years ago, few people thought mobile internet was worth anything. Talk and text features were the big players in mobile-land. That changed fast, though. With bigger screens, more and more users flocked to mobile, tossing their laptops and desktop units for the freedom of untethered connection. Today, people go online to check on books, read up reviews on restaurants or gadgets before they shop or go out to dinner. With the way mobile internet has made connection from anywhere possible, people are spending less time at their desktops and more time at home. It’s made for a change in the way the global workforce operates. With mobile connectivity, more and more employees are finding it easy to achieve work-life balance. As more and more people start join the freelance industry to work flexible hours and dictate their schedules, it coincides with the revolution happening in cubicles and work stations across the American landscape right now, one that says the workforce is ready for greater flexibility. With companies around the globe adjusting their HR policies to retain and keep employees happy, it’s clear that a lot of organizations are already learning the importance of playing catch-up.

Video conferencing

Video communications solutions from companies like BlueJeans are unique. Compared to emails and chats or phone calls, these video meetings have one distinct edge: face to face communication. It can be easy to misunderstand someone on nonverbal communication platforms. It also takes more time. You have to plan what you say, think it over, check it over for anything that might be offensive to the other party. By the time you click on that “send reply” button, more than a few minutes have passed. In the case of overlooked emails, it could take weeks before a proper response is sent back. That kind of delay could be risky for a team, even more if you’re running a startup, where decisions are often made in an instant. With the help of a reliable communication tool like this, a startup can find the necessary assistance and support to stay afloat for months, at least until an angel investor comes on board. Still, that brings home the point of how important a video conferencing system can be. In a video chat, you can see what your coworker is telling you. You can pick up visual and context cues to help you understand where your colleague is coming from. Is he snappy or just tired? Is he dissatisfied or not? That means less misunderstandings, resulting to better employee relationships.

With vide conferencing’s face to face interaction, offsite staff can say hi to their team mates from across the world, catch up on some company news and feel a deeper sense of connection to the company, their team and the work they do. The result? Higher productivity. Better team engagement, says the Cisco Blogs. And greater employee retention.

Bonus: In addition, video conferencing has also made it possible to work through the isolation that often surrounds remote workers. Humans are social beings. We need interaction to grow, to keep improving. That’s how the best teams on the planet continue to produce ground-breaking work. That’s where video conferencing solutions come in. They make it possible for remote employees to not only communicate more often and better. It’s also given them the tools to improve collaboration efforts, to break down geographical and even cultural barriers to establish solid ties of communication.

The Changing Landscape

Given all three, users can expect a whole lot of changes in the coming years. From reduced operational costs that now allow a bevy of startups to run their business on nothing more than the strength of a good idea to tools that make it possible for employees to achieve greater flexibility and connection, the future is definitely something to look forward to.

It’s exciting to get swept up in the journey of traveling or moving somewhere new, whether it involves trying new foods, learning more about a city, studying a beautiful language, or seeing some of the famous landmarks that you’d only previously heard about through books and TV. One major difference you may notice in a new locale is how people spend their money, as well as the financial customs that dictate what is normal or even legal.

People who are new to the United States may come across a number of expenses that surprise them, while people who are used to life in America would consider them the daily norm. What are some of the financial requirements in the U.S. that may seem brand new to foreigners?

Tipping Servers and Drivers

You’re finishing up a delicious meal with your friends or family when the server brings over the check. Wait a minute, what’s that blank line doing there after the total? It’s time to leave a tip, of course!

Generally speaking, you should tip at least 15 percent, though up to 20 percent, and even 25 for exceptional service, is not unusual. American bars and restaurants usually pay their staff well below minimum wage, so tips are a crucial component of how servers make ends meet. Without the help of your server, you never would have experienced that delicious basket of fries, learned more about the specials of the week, or quenched your thirst with three glasses of ice-cold water. Anything below 15 percent for a dining experience that included tableside service is considered rude, so diners should mentally factor in the tip as a normal part of the overall bill so it doesn’t come as a shock at the end.

The same principle applies when you reach your destination by cab, or pick up the phone to order pizza. It’s considered polite and fair to tip your driver, delivery person, or server every time, whether you include it on your card or set aside cash to cover tips.

Health Insurance

It’s important to take care of your mind and body, and it’s equally important to note that your healthcare rates are probably going to be higher in the U.S. than in many countries around the world. In fact, according to Consumer Reports, healthcare costs approximately twice as much in the U.S. than in other developed countries, person per person. Researching and finding the best insurance plan for your lifestyle and needs is a good place to start. According to a 2016 Forbes interview, it’s critical to consider deductibles, which hospitals and specialists are included in a potential plan, and shop around even after you’ve gotten the first round of answers. Your body will surely thank you when it’s time to visit the doctor.

Car Insurance

There are many locations in the U.S. where having a reliable vehicle is absolutely crucial, whether you face a daily commute to work, want to visit friends, or intend to embark on a good old-fashioned road trip. Buying a car, truck, SUV, or van is the first step, but drivers also need to make sure that they’re covered in case of an unforeseen event. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 6.3 million police-reported crashes in 2015, a 3.8 percent annual increase over the previous year.

How does the United States compare to other countries in terms of auto insurance? Some countries, like South Africa, where up 65 percent of South African drivers are uninsured, simply don’t require auto insurance. This puts a lot of risk on everyone who uses the roads, and drives up transportation costs for everyone. In the United Kingdom, car insurance is mandatory but drivers generally pay less. In 2013, drivers in the U.K. paid the equivalent of $546 annually, whereas some drivers in the United States paid over $2,000 that year.

Auto insurance requirements vary around the globe, but one thing is clear: having a solid insurance policy behind you can absolutely be a life—or bank account—saver when you’re on the road in the U.S. There is a spectrum of coverage types, ranging from comprehensive collision to minimum liability, and rules vary by state. Drivers who diligently compare car insurance quotes can make sure they incorporate insurance into their budget without sacrificing in other areas.

Now you know more about some of the quirky monetary customs that U.S. citizens are used to that may cause some foreigners to freak out at first. In case anyone is starting to imagine their bank statements inching up thanks to insurance and tipping, just remember that at the very least, it’s very uncommon to encounter a pay toilet in the United States.

These days the attention span of most people is very short. We are used to ignoring most of the information we come across simply because we are bombarded by the influx of so much data. This means that advertising a business is harder than ever as well. In the past, all you needed to do is to distribute some leaflets in your neighbourhood and you were done with the task, but while some people still choose to do it the strategy won’t work on the Internet.

One way to attract attention to your business is with the help of an explainer video. Every business needs this sort of video because it can and will:

-Clarify the objective of your business and explain to your potential customers what it is all about.
-Rank you better is various search engines. It is proven that websites that have videos on them rank better.
-Increase the chances of selling your product. It is proven that people are more likely to buy something after seeing an accompanying explainer video first.
-Catch the attention of your potential customers. As I explained before, people have rather short attention spans and we need to be able to do everything we can in order to make them interested.

If I were given a chance to advertise a business, I would straight to this particular person who creates some great explainer videos. The videos are eye catching and absolutely stunning. They are all hand drawn with no Google images being inserted anywhere. You can check how genuine they are by checking the hourlie yourself. I am sure you are going to get hooked in no time and hopefully you will get your business to benefit from an amazing hand-drawn video that is very entertaining to watch. I strongly recommend that you view them to get a sample what explainer videos have in store for you.