4 Apps That Will Help You To Stay Mentally and Physically Healthy During Quarantine

Making sure that you don’t skip any workouts can be a difficult task when you hear stories about coronavirus 24/7. Although it seems that we will have to deal with this situation for quite some time, it doesn’t mean that we can put our lives on hold. Even though you might feel less motivated than usual, physical activity, yoga, and meditation can help you feel better in those challenging times. In a second, you’ll learn about apps that will help you maintain your physical and mental health. Let’s go!

Headspace

If you feel overwhelmed by the amount of bad news that seems to be coming from every direction, it is possible that your anxiety and stress levels are skyrocketing. With Headspace, you can try practicing mindfulness skills, which can help you anchor yourself in the present, without overly worrying about the things that could happen in the future.

The studies have shown that meditation can decrease the levels of the stress hormone, cortisol while boosting dopamine levels. There is also weaker evidence that it could boost your serotonin levels as well. You don’t need any equipment to start meditating. All that you need to do is to find a calm place to meditate and focus on breathing techniques.

If your country hasn’t introduced any restrictions barring people from entering parks and forests, you could try meditating outside. Just remember to check the weather forecast on the internet or at your home weather station. Otherwise, your meditation practice could be unpleasantly interrupted.

Down Dog

If you enjoy the relaxation that comes with meditation but would like to work on your body at the same time, then yoga might be more to your liking. If that’s the case, then you should check out Down Dog. This app allows you to select the muscles that you want to target, but also the time and music that will accompany you as you are trying to remain motionless in weird poses.

That’s not all – the app also offers HIIT workouts that don’t require any equipment but will leave you sweaty and panting. During the current coronavirus crisis, the app is free for all until May 1st, whereas students, teachers, and health professionals can access this app without paying anything until July 1st.

Zwift

If you have either a treadmill or a stationary bike, you can transform your workouts with Zwift. You don’t need to leave your room to experience the streets of New York or London. Even if the freedom of movement will be restricted for quite some time, you can feel like a cyclist taking part in the Tour de France! You can also compete with your friends, even if in the real world it would be better to keep the distance from each other. Sure, you might prefer to actually run in the Alps, rather than do it only virtually, but you can train now to be prepared for a real-life challenge later on!

Aaptiv

If you are looking for an app that will enhance your home workouts, then Aaptiv might be a perfect choice. It contains thousands of home workouts – some of them require equipment, though in the case of others, you will only need some flat surface. Okay, but aren’t there hundreds of different home workout apps? It is true, but the main advantage of Aaptiv over its competitors is that you won’t have to look at the screen between the poses or exercises. Instead, it makes use of audio.

You will hear all the instructions about the exercises, which means that you won’t have to interrupt your training every few minutes. You can create weekly or monthly programs to achieve your long-term goals. If burning as many calories as humanly possible is your priority, then you can try high-intensity interval training. If you prefer to work out outdoors, without being able to access the wi-fi, then no worries! You can download all the workouts to access them later offline.

If you have been experiencing low motivation levels lately, then believe me – you are not the only one. Everything seems a bit surreal and convincing yourself that you would feel better after a particularly intense workout can be difficult. Still, no matter how hard it is, in times like this, you should make extra effort to not forget about the routine activities – like meditation and exercise, that will improve your mood.

If you are experiencing high levels of anxiety, then you might be better off contacting a specialist – although both meditation and physical activity will have a positive effect on the neurotransmitters in your brain, it might not be enough. Still, if you think that your condition is not as severe, you could check out those apps to make yourself at least a bit less stressed.

5 Ways to Ensure Your Data Security

Not many people think about the security of their data. It’s just not something that’s drilled into our heads like the lesson of not talking to strangers on the Internet (thanks, social media). Data security is very important because, if compromised, it can affect your reputation and possibly your future opportunities.  Fortunately, there are several ways to ensure the security of your data. In this article, I want to share with you 5 ways in which you can ensure the security of your data.

Use Tor

Tor, short for “The Onion Router”, possesses several layers of encryption (like an onion) to ensure the user’s security. Created by the United States Navy, the primary use of Tor revolves around keeping the user anonymous and erasing any “fingerprints” they may leave on the Internet. 

Downloading and using Tor is as easy as using a regular browser. However, keep in mind that Tor will not replace your other browsers. See, the one disadvantage holding Tor back is its speed—it’s really slow. The speed (or lack of) is because of Tor using only a handful of loaned servers located around the world, meaning loads of traffic can bring the service to its knees. You can’t even stream video on Tor, to give you a picture of how slow it is.

So why use Tor? Whatever you do in the Tor browser will be private and secure because Tor bundles your data into encrypted packets before they enter the network. Plus, any information that could be used to identify you and/or your location is deleted. Tor then encrypts the rest of the information before finally sending encrypted data to various random servers or relays so that it cannot be traced.  But Tor is not perfect for privacy. One issue holds back Tor in the security realm: nodes. Despite the long, arduous process the browser goes through to encrypt your data, entry and exit nodes are still able to see certain aspects of your browsing data.

Use A VPN Service

Virtual private networks (VPNs) encrypt all data coming to-and-from your device. And while the VPN industry has experienced a surge in popularity throughout the last decade, there are still many people who don’t know what a VPN is or why you’d use one. 

I’ll give you a couple of reasons why you would use one. With a VPN, you can access geo-blocked content. With one, you can also protect your online data from hackers and government surveillance since VPNs encrypt your traffic and hide your IP address from others. 

 For maximum security, it is recommended to use, a combination of Tor and VPN because, believe it or not, they are not the same thing. A Tor VPN, however, works wonders for your security and would ensure the entry and exit nodes would be unable to see any of your data.

Ensure Offline Security


I’ve met many cybersecurity-conscious people throughout my life, and one mistake I see many of them make is never taking proper care of their physical media. Many people, including those cyber-security conscious people I mentioned, don’t realize how important physical security is.

You need to make sure all your physical documents are safe. This can be done by locking your wallet in a safe and keeping any personal information away from anyone that’s not you or a close relative (still be careful about them, however).  And when you leave the house, only bring things you really need. Debit card, credit card, money, proof of information (license, ID): Bring the essentials.

Always be Suspicious

If you’re suspicious of the heading, good. Don’t always be suspicious, of course, but don’t trust everyone as easily as you do a family member. If a random person on the Internet asks you a personal question, don’t share the answer. And of course, never tell your email password, your social security number, or any personally identifiable information to anyone except when absolutely needed (an emergency).

Data sheet management can be accessed by anyone, which means that you need to be very careful to whom you give your personal information. The less people know about it, the better. With a reliable online msds management tool, you can easily manage and protect your data sheets. Plus, you can also grant access to only authorized personnel, ensuring the security of your data.

Be Aware of the Pitfalls of Public Wi-Fi

I’m willing to bet your home wi-fi is secured with a password and uses—at minimum—WPA security. That’s great and all, but many people use public networks, and the security of the public is…abysmal most of the time
If you need to connect to a public wi-fi network, make sure you don’t log in anything important, else someone else on the network may be able to intercept your information. However, a VPN does wonders on a public wi-fi network due to the encryption.

Conclusion

Each method I mentioned throughout this article are effective, useful ways to protect your data. In a world where data is the new gold, you’ll want to be careful at all times. A sad reality, yes, but it’s the one we currently live in. Fortunately, most of these methods take no more than an hour to set up.

5 Steps to Make a Small Business Website: Stay Connected with Your Small Business

Over the years, the demand for small business websites has increased significantly. People are finding them a convenient way to stay in touch with their coworkers.

Although social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram are there to help you stay connected with your friends and small business. It is challenging for small business members of all ages to set up user accounts and navigate ever-changing privacy policies.

This post helps you learn how to make a small business website in 5 easy steps. So, walk through this post, and create a convenient connecting point for your small business and friends.

Step: 1 Get A Domain Name & Web Hosting Service

The very first thing you have to do to create a small business website is to get yourself a domain name. This is the name you want to give to your website. Choose a name that better defines your small business. However, at the same time, it should be easy to type and memorable.

Try to keep it short and avoid using number and hyphens so that it is easy to type. There are plenty of domain registrars in the marketplace from where you can buy a domain name. GoDaddy, Namecheap, Gandi are a few popular ones. A top level domain name should cost you between $10 to $15/ per annum.

Note: You can buy a domain name and web hosting together. Some hosting providers offer a free domain name for the 1st year.

Once you have finalized your domain, your next step should be choosing the right hosting plan. In a small business website, you will be posting your personal images and information, you should look for a hosting service offering safe and secure hosting environment. However,  finding a reliable web host can be a time-taking process.

Because from pricing to features, to uptime to customer support, there are a lot of things that you have to consider. To save your time, you should look for a review guide that compares the services of top hosting providers like one is. It is advisable to choose a hosting provider that is capable of fulfilling the growing needs of your website.

Step 2: Pick Your Platform

After finalizing your domain name and web host, you will need to select a website building platform. There are numerous website building platforms out there that you can choose from.

However, if you don’t want to get too technical, WordPress should be an ideal option for you.

Using WordPress, you can create almost any kind of website as it comes with a lot of versatility and flexibility. According to WordPress, they are powering more than 32% of the web. Moreover, in comparison to most platforms, WordPress better supports multimedia. Adding content like text, images, videos, and audios are easier in it.

As in a small business website, you will be sharing the latest news, pictures and video clips, WordPress should be a good option for you. Another option that you may consider is website builders like Wix, Weebly, Squarespace.

Step 3: Choose a Theme and Plugins

If you are choosing a WordPress platform, you will find plenty of free and premium themes that you can use to customize the look and structure of your small business site. Moreover, you can also find plugins to expand the functionality.

To make a feature-rich small business website, you may consider adding features like photo galleries, comment section, automatic backup, etc. You can use the following plugins to add these features.

Disqus (for comments)

Envira Gallery (For photo gallery)

BackupBuddy (For backup)

If you choose a platform other than WordPress that doesn’t support plugins, you will have features available to you within the structure.

Step 4: Important Privacy Measures

To create a secure small business website, it is important that you prioritize security and privacy. There are some platforms that let you adjust your settings and manage authors. Using privacy setting, you can specify who can read content available on your website.

In the WordPress platform, privacy and security features can be brought using plugins. For example, two popular plugins are My Private site and Password Protection.

In addition to this, you can also discourage search engines from indexing your personal website. It will prevent your small business website from showing up in search engine results. You can do this if you don’t want any non-relative to stumble upon your website.

To do it in WordPress, you will have to access your admin area, go to “Settings” and then choose “Reading.” Here you will see an option .ie. Search Engine Visibility. You have to check the box saying “Discourage search engines from indexing this site.”

Step 5: Share Your Site with Members and Start Posting

Once you’re done with choosing themes, important plugins and establishing privacy, send your site’s URL to your small business members and friends.

If you want to allow posting to your small business members, add users to your website. In WordPress, you can do so by adding a new user from your dashboard.

Final Words

Needless to say, a small business is one of the most important aspects of our lives. Probably, this is why, over the years, the demand for small business related web projects has increased. Hopefully, this guide will help you make a good small business website to stay connected to your friends and small business no matter where they live.

Free Fax to Email – Free Fax Number

There are many communication options; IM, WhatsApp, and Email, but fax is still the best way to share sensitive data. Many companies rely on sending and receiving fax to their employees for confidential information that needs high security.

Many other information-sharing media are available but no one can beat the security provided by fax. Moreover, managing papers, refilling toners and investing in fax machines are unfeasible nowadays. Everyone wants a compact and feasible source of communicating data.  

Since old technology lovers wouldn’t want to adopt other communication modes so there was a need for an uncomplicated fax solution. Therefore, modern ways of sending and receiving fax through Gmail were introduced. Read this article to find out how to adopt convenient ways of faxing.

This is facilitated by online fax services that provide easy faxing solutions via any online medium.

Is Fax possible with Gmail?

The short answer to this question is Yes! Modern technology has made sending and receiving fax easier by just using an email address. Many firms are utilizing their email accounts for fax instead of using fax machines. 

Are you thinking about why you did not use this earlier? Well, it’s because Gmail does not offer to send and to receive fax by default. Fax and email work on different mediums so there is a need for third-party services to integrate them. 

Emails work on a digital medium that travels through the internet whereas the working mechanism of the fax is based on analog signals which are transmitted over telephone lines. The third-party services act as a translator between fax and email so that documents are broadcasted without any halt. 

CocoFax, Send Fax from Gmail

CocoFax offers to send fax online without managing bulky hardware tools.All you need is a third-party fax service which makes sending and receiving feasible as it works as a mediator between different communication mediums.  Fax has become much easier and simpler with Gmail. 

CocoFax is a well-reputed fax service provider that has been trusted by millions of users.  Many international media channels have recognized CocoFax as a reliable fax service provider including Forbes, PCMag, CNET, and Life wire.CocoFax has made online fax possible without buying a fax machine, papers and refilling toners for this purpose. 

With CocoFax, you don’t have to worry about `security of your data. The reliability promised by CocoFax has made sending and receiving online fax as trustworthy as it used to be with fax machines. You can trust CocoFax for sharing confidential information as no one can access your data without your consent. 

CocoFax, A Dependable Online fax solution

Cocofax is widely used all over the world to send and receive faxes online. You don’t have to invest in fax machines to use a fax. It is a smart faxing solution which combines the latest technology with traditional fax. You can send and receive fax anywhere, anytime using any device. 

The details about how to use CocoFax services for Gmail free fax will be illustrated in this post. You can use Gmail to Fax and Fax to the Gmail facilities of CocoFax using computers and mobile phones. CocoFax is capable of turning smart devices into fax devices. It is a well-reputed brand for online fax. 

Send Fax with Gmail using CocoFax

Sending a fax using an email account is a matter of minutes. But, you need a valid Gmail account, active internet connection, CocoFax account and a fax number to get started with online fax. Follow these guidelines to send online fax without a fax machine.

Step 1: Register CocoFax account

Sign Up to your CocoFax account from the official website and get a 30 days free trial for assessing the services. You can avail free fax numbers after logging in to your CocoFax account as it will be used to send and receive fax online. 

Step 2: Compose Email to Send fax

Open your Gmail account from any web browser or official application. Click on the New email option and a new email popup appears. Fill in all the mandatory fields to send this email as a fax document. 

Enter the receiver fax number by suffixing it with cocofax.com to make it as a receiving address. For example, if the receiver fax number is 12345 then you should enter 12345@cocofax.com. You can also provide a fax title and cover page by typing in the Subject and email body respectively.  

Step 3: Attach documents

You can attach multimedia files to send as a fax document. Attach the files with the composed email just like sending casual ones. Click on the Attachment option and select any file from your computer or handheld device.

File formats supported by CocoFax to send as a fax via Email include doc, docx, xls, xlsx, png, jpg. Uploading many files in one email is also available as these files appear as single documents at the receiver fax machine. This saves your time from sending many documents one by one. 

CocoFax sends automatic alerts for successfully sent documents. Even if an email is unsent, you will receive alerts to resend it by correcting any mistakes. You can manage these messages from your Email inbox

Receive Fax with Gmail using CocoFax

Once you get registered with CocoFax, receiving fax documents is an effortless procedure. You don’t have to follow long steps or set up the fax machine to get important information. CocoFax manages all the received faxes and sends them to your email address by converting it into a pdf file.

You can open your email account using any web browser and email client as CocoFax provides services for all kinds of devices irrespective of their specifications. Keeping your handheld devices and laptops turned on 24/7 is not required. CocoFax transfers the faxes to your email address even if you don’t have an internet connection.

Therefore, you can get relief from sitting with a fax machine round the clock to make sure that you don’ miss any important documents. CocoFax has made sending and receiving fax as convenient as managing casual emails. 

Endnotes

CocoFax is an easy to use fax service provider. You can send and receive faxes by just using an email address and a free fax number. Fax machines are not required to do so. This guide provides complete details of managing fax online rather than buying papers and ink to do so.

The smart fax solution by CocoFax is similar to email so that you don’t have to learn any special skills.  Once you get started with CocoFax for faxing, your struggle for fax machines will vanish as it is a reliable trustable fax service. 

Three Online Resources to Apply for Payroll Protection Program Today

I am very frustrated by my local bank that they have not even invited me to apply for PPP.  However, a friend shared some online resources where I was able apply. So far I have two of these in “underwriting” but not signed yet.

As far as I understand, you can apply as much as you want.  Just be sure to only sign one.  I am still very confident that CompanionLink will get accepted and get funding for two months of our payroll. 

Today (April 16) funding is out until Congress and the Treasury make a deal. I am confident a deal will be made for this very important program.

Here are some other tips I have learned in my application process:

  1. The loan amount is 2.5 times 2019 Monthly payroll. The best number to use is from your W-3 form, line 5, plus State and Local Taxes line 17 and 19.  Although this is less than “Payroll” this is easy to prove because this is already on your W-3 Form.
  2. Document staff who earned over 100K in 2019, and subtract the Salary over 100k from your total.
  3. Make a PDF of everything, and store them on your Personal computer so you can reply to an email any time of day or night.  So far I have sent out the following documents; Canceled check, Drivers License picture front and back, Register from checking account, 2019 taxes as filed, 2019 Payroll statement, Payroll Statement from Feb 16 2020, W-3 from 2019, All W-2 and 1099 Misc from 2019, Corporate Founding Documents, 2019 941 Reports (4-quarters).

Kabbage

https://www.kabbage.com/ – Apply online

Fundera

https://www.fundera.com/ – Apply online

Ready Capital

https://readycapital.com/ – Apply online

BlueVine

https://app.bluevine.com/signup/ppp – Apply Online

Cross River Bank

https://www.crossriversba.com/ – Apply Online

And More…

If you have any more sites I will add them here, email me – wayland@companionlink.com

Other articles in this series:

3 New Revenue Sources for Small Business in the CARES Act

Small Business in the time of Virus – Turn Anxiety into Survival

Lessons in Business Promotion from Online Bingo

In times when business is less than booming, it’s more important than ever to have a great marketing strategy in place. The problem is, stressful times often don’t lead to our most creative moments. How can you come up with fun new ideas to attract customers when you’re focused on just paying the bills? Plus, when cash is tight, how do you get the most bang for your marketing buck? The answer can be found in the most unlikely of places. You’d be surprised to know that online bingo is full of great business promotion ideas.

New Sign-up Deals

If you run a subscription-based service or a business that requires your customers to keep coming back again and again, then sign-up deals and bonuses are the way to go. Many businesses gain new customers by offering great deals to new sign-ups. Some of the best online bingo promotions can be found on websites like Paddy Power Bingo, where new sign-ups can receive favorable deals such as free and bonus spins. Other businesses might give subscribers a lower rate for the first three months, during which time they can demonstrate to these new customers that the full price is worth it.

Loyalty Rewards

As well as new customers, your regulars deserve some love too! Many online bingo sites offer incentives to keep customers coming back such as a free spin every day that they play. Demonstrate to your customers that you’re committed to the relationship that you’ve built with them, and they’ll reward you by continuing to spend their hard-earned cash with you. Whether you’re a coffee subscription service offering a free bag for every fifth order, or a forex trading website offering a bonus for every deposit, this method so popular in the online bingo world works anywhere, because customers love being made to feel like they’re important and that their custom is appreciated. Adapting loyalty rewards for your business couldn’t be simpler: choose a target that you want your customers to reach, such as hitting five orders, then give them a little extra to say thank you!

Flash Sales and Limited Time Offers

Want to generate a lot of buzz and excitement while simultaneously increasing website traffic or physical footfall? Many bingo sites run high-stakes games for limited times to draw in new customers and renew interest from existing customers alike.

Whilst most businesses can’t do exactly that, a great idea is to run a flash sale. They require a little advance planning but are still fairly easy to implement. Give your customers some warning. 24 hours notice is ideal to build up excitement and get the message out to a decent number of people before they forget again. Then all that’s left to do is drop your prices accordingly and watch the sales roll in. Companies like Hype even went as far as offering higher discounts to people who turned up first.

Whatever method you go for, even if it isn’t giving anything away for free, the key is to communicate with your customers and make sure that they know that they are valued. We’ve seen how bingo does this and there’s plenty to draw on there, whatever your sector. In tough economic times, it’s important to be transparent, thank your customers, and be prepared to shake up the way you do business.

Resources to Compare Financial Products

At a certain stage of their life, everyone has the need for some type of financial product whether it be life insurance or a home loan. However, deciding to get a financial product is far easier than actually getting one with so many options available out there. 

Not only is doing financial research on your own boring and overwhelming for most it can also be extremely confusing and can easily put one in further doubt. 

With so many financial institutions offering varying terms and prices on different financial products; choosing the best deal can seem like an almost impossible task.

Some of the most common financial products available include life insurance, car insurance, business insurance, home insurance, travel insurance, cellphone insurance, motorcycle insurance, funeral insurance, legal assistance, commercial insurance company, medical aid, personal loans, home loans, credit reports, and debt counseling.

Compare Financial Products Through Money Expert!

If you are in the market for a financial product and are confused with all the choices and deals available don’t worry! Money Expert – the web’s leading financial product comparison website has made this seemingly impossible task possible! And that too within just minutes.

Gone are the days where one has to spend hours trying to figure out the details of different offers. Money Expert takes care of it all with a lightning-quick process that can help you save big bucks in premiums down the road.

With money expert choosing the best financial product deal suited for your particular needs is easier than ever. Simply choose from the comprehensive list of financial products available – type in some basic data – and hit compare.

Just like that, you can have a whole list of providers offering different rates and conditions populated on your screen with easy to read comparison charts and pricing that you wouldn’t believe! What’s more, Money Expert is 100% FREE to use and the price that you see is the price that you pay for all financial products listed.

If you are searching the market for a new life insurance policy, or want to see what kind of upgrades or renewals are available on your existing financial product – make sure you first do a quick search on Money Expert. You will be amazed at what you can find and learn within minutes of using the site.

Conclusion

Financial products are important instruments that allow you to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances and plan for a better brighter future. Gone are days when finding the best deals seemed like an altogether impossible task. 

With Money Expert, finding the best deals on financial products that you want and are within a budget that you can afford has never been easier. Don’t take our word for it try it for yourself and see just how much you can save! 

Learn from these Mobile Website Leaders when Adapting Your Site

It should be a given in the modern age of web browsing, but while most businesses have their own website, many are still lacking on the mobile front. In fairness, the necessity of having a website for any business was only realized relatively recently, with mobile moving in as the latest necessity.

If you’ve not fully embraced the mobile side for your website yet, don’t worry as you’re not alone. In a test of the top one million most popular websites in the world, in mid-2018 by Canonicalized, 23.83 percent of them proved not to be mobile-friendly. Just as some were slow to adopt a website as it seemed unnecessary or counterproductive to driving land-based footfall, people have seen making their website optimized for mobile users a step that isn’t particularly urgent.

However, using mobiles for web browsing is not a mere trend, with more and more people turning to their mobile devices rather than turning on a laptop or desktop. As such, you should make your plans without panicking about any new fad or trend that the media pumps up the hype for, as mobile is very much here to stay.

In 2016, mobile internet usage surpassed computer internet usage for the first time, with its adoption continuing to grow around the world. So, here are some of the best aspects of big-name mobile websites that you should draw from for your mobile site.

The online music magazine

Launched in 1995, Pitchfork is an online music magazine that boasts one of the best aspects of a mobile website for modern mobile users. Not too long ago, the fad was to get the smallest possible mobile phone, but the ability to watch movies and stream shows has increased the demand for big-screen phones, which can make one-handed web surfing tricky.

Pitchfork’s mobile site designers recognized this, using a thumb design to make navigation on the larger devices much easier. By deploying the main navigation bar at the foot of the screen, one’s thumb can quickly – and without adjustment – flick between pages and functions. Convenience and ease-of-use are why the mobile platform has taken off, so navigation must be made as convenient and easy as possible, a fact which is exemplified by the thumb-friendly approach of Pitchfork.

The online picture design platform

Shutterfly acts as an all-in-one image platform from which users can create their own website to host images, store their images, and print their pictures on various household items – such as mugs and cushion covers. Knowing that the vast majority of picture-taking and picture storage is done via mobile phones these days, Shutterfly optimized their website for mobile users.

Newcomers are welcomed by their latest offer as well as large, easy to see-and-select buttons alongside their products for quick access to the sections that people want to use. These two combine to make the mobile experience as convenient and quick as people have come to expect. The often short experience of going to a mobile website can be much more enticing if the first thing that a user sees is a way for them to save money – such as via a special offer.

The video gaming, television, and media company

As one of the largest entertainment companies in the world, you would expect them to be ahead of the curve on mobile matters. However, as shown in this article about leading mobile websites, Sony wasn’t always as mobile-savvy as it is now. They have always had a superb mobile landing page, though, which features a simple list menu, from which you can easily navigate across their many sections.

As Sony produces electronic products, games, movies, music, and the PlayStation gaming console, they have a lot for people to explore, which isn’t easy on the more restrictive mobile screen. When it comes to creating a mobile site, it needs to be responsive, convenient, quick, and easy on mobile for a website to be mobile-friendly and effective, which is why something as simple as a homepage drop-down list menu can be such a powerful ally. It’s straightforward and clean-cut, with its utility outweighing its somewhat basic aesthetic.

The online games platform

Gaming websites are very demanding on devices, particularly mobile devices, as they can have so many games. However, even these websites need to be optimized for mobile users. One of the most important aspects is that everything is in-sync. Just as you need to sync your PC/Mac to your iPhone, Gaming websites need to sync their web-based offering to their mobile-based offering to achieve pinnacle customer satisfaction.

However, recognizing the rise of mobile usage and the need for quick and convenient access to entertainment, the developers behind Betway’s game selection went all-in on mobile gaming. Not only did they start to create games like Narcos, Game of Thrones, and Mobile 21 with a mobile-first mentality, but they also remastered popular classics, like Mega Moolah and Thunderstruck, to ensure that they too can be enjoyed by mobile players. Now, the Betway offering via mobiles is near-identical to that of their website, with the platform being mobile-optimized to make for easy gaming on the go.

The clothing store

With the internet, and now mobile devices, giving people quick and easy access to any brand that they choose, businesses in the fashion industry have been able to go out on their own without the need of selling via an intermediary company. So now, not only do fashion brands need presentable clothes on offer, but they also need a presentable mobile website.

Western Rise is one of the finest examples of a top-class fashion website. Not getting carried away with the aesthetics and being too modern – as many fashion brands do – Western Rise presents its most attractive products at the top and has optimized its images for the mobile user. These combine to make their products even more appealing, especially as the website is so smooth on the scroll.

Making the mobile experience as easy and convenient as possible is key, but you also need to make sure that users can find everything that they normally would through their computer.

Making Remote Services Personal Again: the Necessity of the Chatbox

For most companies and businesses these days, having an online presence is a no-brainer. Those who don’t have an online offering ultimately lose out to competitors who are accessible via the internet. However, with so many businesses from each sector set-up online, competition is fierce.

The products, services, prices, and overall usability of a website are core factors for many shoppers. Still, in a landscape where everything is not just presented but also interacted with on a screen, some customers struggle if they need help. Websites will invariably offer some form of customer service, be it an email address or phone number, but when it comes to online communications, live chat is far, far better than email.

Presenting a chatbox on your website can make a world of difference for your customers, with many companies using the innovative feature to give them a competitive edge in the crowded online space.

Why online businesses are utilizing the chatbox

A chatbox is a very simple feature: it’s a small box, which can often be minimized to the base of the viewing window, through which users can type a question and then get connected to a customer service representative. Some websites like to go as far as to incorporate some artificial intelligence to attempt to answer questions quickly, but for the most part, people who use a chatbox are looking for a human to help with their query.

Chatboxes have become fairly common online, but not quite common enough that having one doesn’t make your website stand out as being particularly customer-friendly. They are used in many different ways, from the Snap Engage live chatbox that pops up whenever a user lands on a 404 page, to Maids in Black, which offers a simple pre-chat form in its chatbox to help speed up the process. You’ll have undoubtedly encountered a live chatbox when online and looking for customer service with a leading bank, when on a travel agent website, or on several leading eCommerce platforms.

For the customer, the presence of a chatbox means quick, easy, and convenient access to information about a product or service whenever they need it. For the business owner, the chatbox presents an opportunity for the website to allow customers to engage on a personal level, enhancing the image of the brand. According to Super Office, 79 percent of customers prefer live chat to other communication channels primarily due to its speed. On average, customers wait 12 hours for a response to an email, 10 hours for a response on social media, and just two minutes to get a conclusive answer via live chat. Becoming the best brand in your sector for customer service can make a huge difference. People have become accustomed to faceless online platforms making it difficult to get answers to questions or to get refunds, so if you offer a quick, tentative, and responsive chatbox, you’ll become the preferred option. The social interactions side of remote services should be core to your offering as they promote engagement and show that your platform boasts both the ease and convenience of online use with the customer service that many people crave from land-based stores and services

When shopping and services first transitioned to the online space, the hands-on experience and the friendly customer service was lost. Convenience is king, but the vast majority of people now appreciate the online offerings which try to mimic the human aspects of the land-based experience. This is why the chatbox has become a core feature of online bingo.

Bingo moving online was huge for the traditional lottery game of numbered balls for a multitude of reasons, many of which pertained to the hardships the land-based game faced over decades of decline. There are plenty of reasons Wink Bingo maintains popularity as an online bingo platform: the range of live bingo rooms, varied prize values and ticket prices, welcome bonuses, and the inclusion of slot games, all contribute to this. But it’s arguably the in-room chatboxes that have rekindled peoples’ love of the game.

The game became tremendously popular in the decades leading up to the millennium because it was seen as a social occasion. Groups of players would meet-up, go down to the local bingo hall, and chat and game until last orders. Transitioning to online made bingo more accessible, but it only started to grow towards its golden age of popularity once the chatbox feature was integrated into the live bingo rooms.

Now, online bingo is a social experience, just as it once was in the halls, with the increased interactions between players immersing users in the platform and the experience, encouraging them to keep returning for more gaming and chat.

Social chatboxes won’t work for all businesses, but customer service ones will

Perhaps the most necessary online platforms in the world, government websites have notoriously been (and still are, for the most part) the most awkward, convoluted, and unhelpful of all sites. With taxes and fees being among the chief reasons why people venture onto government websites, people aren’t too happy going in, let alone when they can’t quickly or conveniently find what they’re looking for.

While customer services haven’t necessarily been lacking, they have been difficult to engage with in the past. It hasn’t been uncommon to face hours and hours of waiting on the phone to speak to a rep for what is often a quick answer. Luckily, that’s beginning to change with live chatboxes being integrated into many government websites.

In 2017, per EC3, the average monthly chat volume of government and non-profit websites shot up by 155.66 percent, with agents handling 43.24 percent more chats per month than in the year prior. It proves that not only it necessary to have a quick and convenient avenue for getting much-needed answers in the modern world, but that people respond well when they are put in place – that can only benefit website owners at the time and in the long run.

Chatboxes have become one of the most important features of remote services. They make the experience much easier and more personal to customers, which further increases the likelihood of them making a purchase and returning in the future.

Will Mobiles Ever Eclipse Desktops?

Reports indicate that by 2025, 75% of people will use their smartphones as their sole means of accessing the internet, seeing a huge move away from desktops. The remaining 25% will no doubt consist of many who are using the two mediums collaboratively. Indeed, what we can do on our mobile devices has increased as our reliance on desktop has decreased. What does the future hold for the symbiotic relationship between desktop and mobile?

Increase in Industries Moving to Mobile

We can see the move away from our desktops and iPads and towards our mobiles through other industries. The gaming industry is beginning to utilize new 5G technologies in order to allow gamers to play games that require a lot of processing power, such as Minecraft and Fortnite multiplayer modes, on their mobiles. The online entertainment industry has seen sites be further optimized for mobile, with the William Hill offering being available as an app so players can engage with entertainment just as they would be able to on the desktop.

Most people searching for websites, no matter what the topic of the site, use their mobile devices. Google recently announced that it would incorporate a mobile-first indexing for the entire web from September 2020 onward. This means mobile-friendly and mobile-optimized sites will be given priority. This move is important for businesses who utilize search engine optimization and use Google to feed into their sales. Google is already instrumental in the latest technological implications, such as ensuring data can be synced across mobile and desktop. Their indexing change will mean that mobile sites and desktop sites will need to interact in a more mutually beneficial way.

Desktops Will Adapt Their Uses

The main challenge for the desktop is to emphasize the benefits it provides that mobile simply doesn’t. 90% of those 50 or over own a PC, while only 70% own a phone. So, desktops will still appeal to older people who aren’t as tech-savvy and prefer to surf the web the traditional way. Moreover, there are many applications that just don’t work on mobile – from video editing to publishing, graphic design or even anything that involves a lot of typing. Businesses are unlikely to move totally away from desktops towards mobiles. But, the industries will need to work together. Desktop and mobile can be used for different things in a complementary way. Each medium needs to focus on its independent offering so they can be used holistically.

PC gaming shows how popular desktops still are, too. Projections estimate that while mobile gaming will increase, PC gaming’s revenue won’t take the hit. The types of games on PC and the style of gaming are wildly different to what mobile offers. Minecraft, for instance, can be played on both, but many favor the PC for the range of controls and the processing power of the machine. Those who develop PC games understand their audience and what they want from a game, while mobile gaming is more hit and miss, appealing more to fair-weather, casual gamers.

Mobile’s surge in popularity was a surprise even to those who have played the largest roles in developing its delineations. We knew it would be useful to have a portable phone, but didn’t envisage that so much of our lives would end up being in the palm of our hands. The future won’t see mobiles slow down, but it won’t necessarily see things like desktops eclipsed. What we will see is them working in harmony. We might make casual searches on mobile, but there will always be some things that work better on desktop.

How To Save Youtube Video on Android?

A lot of people think that downloading a YouTube video on android is almost impossible, but that’s not true. It is simple to download a YouTube video on android and save it for watching offline later. You need a Wi-Fi or data connection to browse YouTube but that isn’t always possible, especially when you’re on a plane or at the university. However, if you have the official YouTube app on your phone, it is one way to download YouTube movies, films, music videos, and a lot more.Try youtube downloader apk to avail of their amazing services online and see how things work when you need to download a YouTube video.

 While this might work for you, there are several other ways to download YouTube videos in your phone for free:

1. SaveFrom Downloader For YouTube

If you have trouble downloading a YouTube video through the official app, you can browse Savefrom to download videos on your laptop. The interesting thing to note about this website is, it allows you to download all kinds of videos even if there is a privacy setting that prohibits download by the uploader.

Once you are done with downloading videos, the next step is to simply attach a data cable with your laptop and transfer files. Savefrom is an amazing platform that is easily understandable and provides a vast array of features such as pause/resume downloads, sharing online, file conversion in different formats and a lot more. The best part about this website is, it is a free online downloader that enables you to save hundreds of videos on your phone.

2. YouTube Premium

This is the easiest way to download YouTube videos on your phone. If you have subscribed to the YouTube premium, you can download videos through the official YouTube app without any hassle. However, it is a paid subscription, but you can get the free trial version with other features that provide multiple facilities. If you want to save YouTube video on your android phone, simply select the “download” button below the video and then select the quality you want, such as 720p or 360p.

3. Y2mate guru YouTube Downloader

This app doesn’t just help in downloading videos from YouTube but also other websites like Vimeo, Dailymotion, etc. The best part about this app is, you can easily operate it after installation. Just open the app and add the link to the video you want to download. Once you click on the “download” button, you can select the quality according to your requirements. Don’t get confused when going through the search engine bar. Click on the white-colored download button on the app.

4. Video Downloader Pro

If you are short of enough memory space in your phone, download this app now. YouTube Go is one of the easiest apps that help in downloading YouTube videos on an android phone. Users can easily download and browse videos legally without having to worry about any issue with the website. Unlike a regular YouTube app, YouTube Go allows you to download every kind of video regardless of its privacy settings done by the uploader.

5. TubeMate

This is another perfect app that can help in downloading YouTube videos. It has an easy to use interface and allows you to download multiple videos at the same time. Unlike most video downloading platforms, TubeMate also allows you to choose video format before downloading. However, it requires an additional mp3 converter when you install it. Although it is regarded as the best video downloader for Android, you have to deal with a lot of advertisements. Just download it on your phone and enjoy as many YouTube videos as you want.

WordPress Content Writing: 5 Important Skills for Promoting Your Business

WordPress content writers frequently engage in article writing, blog writing, and written material that is used on websites. Some WordPress content writers live a luxurious life filled with travel and relaxation while others struggle to make ends meet. 

The main difference between these two groups is that the first group possesses the necessary skills to make the content successful. If you aim to use WordPress to promote your business, here are five important skills you need to know.

Do your research

When you are producing content for a business, always research first. Your research should include understanding your target market, gathering information on your topic, and researching ideas. To ensure you research well enough, there are a number of steps you could take.

Once you know what your target audience wants and you have chosen a topic, research what others are saying about it. After this, start plotting your own ideas and write them down as they occur. 

It might be helpful to link other sources in your writing if readers want to find more information. This can also promote readers’ trust in the business.

Be careful with your topics

The topics that interest you might not interest your audience. Besides, some topics may not align with the business model. When choosing topics, ensure that your topic is something that will interest the reader. Engaging the reader can help improve visitor turnover, and can gain and keep customers.

Furthermore, make sure that the chosen topic aligns with the business’s ideology. If your content doesn’t align with the business image, you may run into trouble when promoting the business. Contradicting the business image can damage the public’s perception of the brand. This may result in losing customers or low visitor turnover.

Diversify

Diversification might be one of the most difficult aspects when you aim to improve business writing skills. Since content writers usually work alone, your unique writing style might be fixed and habitual. While diversifying your writing style might seem like a mountain of a task, it is essential when aiming to keep readers engaged.

An easy way to look at this is to consider certain authors. Some authors have a loyal following regardless of the books they produce. 

However, many followers might lose interest in the author when their writing becomes too formulaic and predictable. Diversifying your writing style is not to inconvenience you, but rather to maintain a loyal following.

Be accurate

When you are writing content, accuracy is essential. The content you produce under the business’s name has a direct effect on the public’s perception of the business. Writing inaccurate or deliberately false content could result in customers or potential customers losing trust in the business or brand.

When choosing topics and sources, content writers need to ensure that they are reliable. Choosing biased sources that push a particular agenda might feel like a great way to promote a particular idea, but can lead to inaccuracies and misleading information. 

While some readers might find no problems with being misled, others may find it offensive and you could lose customers this way. 

The best way out is to rely on professional essay makers, writers and article writers from study clerk. The platform provides you with great writers at very affordable rates who can provide you high-quality work in a quick time.

Proofread

The final step, before publishing the content you have written, is proofreading. While this may seem obvious, it is possible you are doing it the wrong way. When you proofread, you are likely doing so under the impression that your writing contains little to no flaws.

If you can’t get someone else to proofread your work, it might be essential to step away for a bit before checking your own work. Giving your mind a break and focusing on another task for a while can help you see your writing with new eyes. While you don’t want to be overly self-critical, it is important to remember mistakes creep in when you least expect them.

Conclusion

Promoting the business goes beyond publishing adverts. Improving your business content writing is a good way to promote your business. Making sure the content aligns with the interests of the target audience while also promoting a positive business image are important for maintaining loyal customers.

When producing content, make sure it is accurate and correct. While the business may take an alternative stance on a topic, it is important to provide customers with accurate information.

6 B2B Lead Generation Ideas to Use in 2020

Lead generation is a necessary evil for every B2B company. To sell your products or services, you have to have customers who are both willing and able to buy from you. In 2020, your company faces new challenges in finding and generating leads. The biggest issue in the way is attention scarcity. 

The Problem of Lead Attention 

People have a limited attention span. Once you introduce technology into the equation, that attention span goes down even more. Paralleling the growth of the internet is the growth of distraction. Even before the internet popped up and made it more difficult for us to focus on a single message, getting lead attention was difficult. Today, that challenge is even harder as you compete with those in your own industry and outside attention grabbers. 

For B2B companies, generating leads isn’t always the hard part anymore. Attracting and holding their attention is the difficult job you face right now. 

1. Be Easy to Find 

Many customers in B2B sectors are actively seeking out and finding the companies they want to work with. Meaning, they’re reaching out to you. Make it extremely simple for them to find you. If you want to be easy to find, you have to have an active, visible presence in the places they’ll be searching. 

The most obvious place to start is search engine optimization (SEO). If you’re not already doing this, you should begin in earnest as soon as possible. When SEO is done well, it can help you appear closer to the top on the front page of Google search results pages. Being anywhere but the first page means you’re basically invisible to people searching, since most people never click past page one. 

Once you’ve gotten an SEO plan underway, work on building up your presence elsewhere in places that may be relevant for your industry. This means select social media networks, local business directories, and other places. Depending on your industry, the places you need to be present will vary. 

2. Create Circular Pathways 

This applies more to customers or leads who are already within your field of view, but it’s useful all the same. From every interaction, there should be a clear path forward as to where they can or should go next. A simple way to do this is to put soft calls to actions (CTAs) everywhere, with a quick pathway to get there. 

What this looks like in practice is a blog post that offers further related reading, a “thank you” page that shows suggestions of other purchases or registrations they could make, or webpages that link to each other to help viewers get around to the information they need more easily. All of these are examples of making it easy for people to stay in your system and consumer more of your content or take more actions on your platforms, which helps you make the sale. 

3. Content Breakdowns 

Often, research companies and government organizations release largescale data reports and dump huge quantities of information at once. These reports are usually non-contextual and are just releasing the facts from their studies. Provide value to your market by summarizing the impact of the information in your specific industry. Add context to the information and show how it affects your industry, what it means for the industry, and what people should do about it.

This is a wonderful way to add value to your customers without you having to go and do the research on your own. It’s likely to bring in new leads through search engine marketing, or as a lead magnet for an email list subscription or other opt-in request. A piece of content like this can be long and in-depth or short and to-the-point, depending on what your strategy is and how you plan to use the content. 

4. Collaborative Content 

Working together with related, non-competing brands or other companies in the same industry is a great way to expand your reach without boosting your competition. Partnering with complementary companies is a great way to create a win-win scenario for both parties, since you can do something to help them interact with your audience while they introduce you to theirs. 

This can come in the form of collaborative content that’s written or produced together, co-sponsored events, affiliate programs, or similar alternatives. Your options are only as limited as your imagination! Find what works best to tap into a complementary company’s audience to grow your own reach and collect more leads. 

5. Live Webinars

Webinars give you the unique opportunity to provide value in a way that still feels limited and exclusive. Unless a person participates at the right time, they can’t access the content from the webinar, making it a good tool for building a personal connection with individuals. Even if you host the same webinar at different times, it still feels individual to the participants, since they have to register for a time slot and show up at the right moment. 

The two main things to get right with hosting webinars is you have to offer significant value to participants, and you have to tell people ahead of time what they can expect to gain from the session. If you get these two things right and put in the work to market it, webinars are a great way to introduce people to your brand and start the relationship off on the right foot. 

6. Provide Hands-On Service 

In the increasing hands-off, automated world of business today, a bit of direct conversation goes a long way in providing a superior customer experience. Whenever possible, escalate customers to a direct communication channel like a phone call through various office phone systems, an in-person meeting, etc. Certain email marketing tools and CRM software can be helpful here. When you can escalate the conversation, you’re getting one step closer to the person each time, building rapport and allowing for more in-depth conversations about your products, services, and other concerns. 

Today, most customers already know a little bit about you when they contact you. It’s likely that if they’re reaching out, they’re looking for more than just the written statements online. Make sure you’re giving them an avenue to have a closer connection with you without them having to struggle to get in touch. Here’s a guide on how to find anyone’s phone number. By you offering to talk or meet in person, you’re making yourself easily accessible and increasing the chances of creating connections that result in a great impression of your brand. 

Lead generation is an ever-evolving art form. Trying new things can help you stay ahead of your competitors to reach and attract leads before they do. Find which of these and other strategies work best for your company as you move forward into 2020. 

7 Tips on Keeping Your Mailing List OptimizedF

Maintaining a mailing list is a great way to maintain a loyal audience base. Your subscribers are most likely your customers and those who are genuinely interested in your content, which means you can expect a higher engagement rate with the content you deliver to them.

Keeping your content optimized, however, is not enough. You still need to make sure that the mailing list itself is highly optimized. This means doing some cleaning, regularly maintaining the list, and performing other routine tasks. These top 10 tips will help you cover the essentials with ease.

1. Start Small

There is no way to build a mailing list overnight. When you try to do that, you will end up with a list of recipients that aren’t really interested or engaged. Why send your content to hundreds of people that aren’t really interested?

Always start with a small list and pay attention to how it grows. When you see a spike, find the source of traffic and make sure that the list stays relevant. You don’t have to remove people from the list, but you have to be mindful of sudden spikes that are the result of blackhat tactics.

2. Regular Cleaning

When you do spot anomalies in your list, be prepared to do some cleaning. The best newsletter software can actually automate this for you. What it will do is scan the list for bad email addresses – usually the ones that return error messages when you try to reach them.

At the same time, the newsletter software will also help you identify recipients that don’t really open your emails. When you see passive recipients, you can actually remove them from the list – or separate them into their own group – to keep the main list optimized.

3. Group Better

Speaking of grouping, grouping your recipients based on their interests, the content that they responded to the most, and other common metrics is a good idea. You can refine your newsletter content to be more relevant and targeted this way.

Of course, grouping is also a lengthy process. You can run a series of A/B tests to identify users with certain preferences. Since you can now test before delivery, you can optimize the content of the A/B testing itself and save a lot of time in the process.

4. Mind the Design

The best newsletter software comes equipped with tools to help you design your next newsletter. These tools, including a WYSIWYG editor, are invaluable. However, over-designing your newsletter will have a negative impact on your recipients.

Once again, grouping is the best way to keep the list optimized. You can use lighter designs for certain audience segments, and more visually appealing ones for users who prefer them. If you are not sure, play with the design of your newsletter and gather some insights.

5. Synchronize

Another thing to do with your mailing list is data synchronization. This is particularly handy when you also use other business solutions such as a CRM or an e-commerce platform. Rather than manually move user emails between platforms, two-way sync is much simpler.

Two-way sync allows you to keep your mailing list up to date. However, you still need to have the permission of users before sending them emails, so make sure you also integrate an opt-in checkbox to the business solutions you use to filter potential subscribers.

6. Use a Reliable SMTP

A reliable SMTP server is everything; the success of your mailing list depends highly on whether your emails are received or if they go straight to the spam folder. The same is true for transactional emails. You want an SMTP server with enough credibility and one that is highly reliable.

Bulk email servers are specifically designed and configured to handle the delivery of mass emails. This is why working with a reliable email marketing service provider is always the best way to go; they already have their server preconfigured for success.

7. Watch Out for Cost

Here’s why keeping an unhealthy mailing list is not recommended: you will end up paying more for dormant recipients. Most email marketing tools charge you based on the number of recipients and how many emails you send every month. Not properly cleaning your list is a costly mistake.

You want your mailing list to have a healthy return on investment (ROI). You can use cost as one of the indicators when doing regular reviews of your list. If you think the cost is too high for the return it produces, you know you need to take a closer look at the list itself.

These are seven tips that you can apply immediately. Most email marketing tools provide features that make completing the necessary maintenance tasks and keeping your list optimised easy. With these tips in mind, maintaining a healthy mailing list will not be a problem.

Ten Tips for Adapting your Business Website to Mobile Devices

It might be hard sometimes to get the right vision on all these online features, especially when it comes to adapting your website to modern trends. That is when eWeb comes in handy. In spite of you being a beginner or an advanced user, you have to keep an eye on new things to be competitive on the market. eWeb provides you with the TOP solutions on how to create your own website and optimize it for your mobile users.

Mobile Internet

Mobile internet usage for the first time went over the computer internet in 2016. People now are shifting more towards mobile screens for internet purposes. With the rise in the use of the mobile web, it is also essential for the webmasters to have a shift in their priorities. The following ten elements are necessary for you to make sure that the mobile version of your website is performing optimally.

1. Make your website more responsive

The site must be responsive and contain all the necessary informati

2. Make your information easily available

The information present on the website must be easy to find on the web screen. If the data is not easy to find, this brutally affects the response rat

3. Throw out Flash

It is essential to know that Flash is now out of equations. Android and iOS do not support flash now.

4. Turn Autocorrect on for Forms

It must be made sure that there are no spelling mistakes in the content of the website, and every link is alive.

5. Large Buttons

The press button must be large enough so that it is easily pressed on the mobile screens. Otherwise, this creates a sense of irritation when the press buttons are not large enough. 

6. Compress images

The resolution of mobile phones is smaller than that of PCs. Hence, you need to compress your images. 

7. Larger font size

The content of the website must be easily readable for the users. For this, you need to go for larger font sizes.

8. Allowance for Desktop view

There may be some users who prefer a desktop view even on mobile phones. For such users, you must incorporate the option of desktop view as well in the website you are creating.

9. Making Viewport Meta Tag a part of the website

The Viewport Meta Tag can be used to significantly enhance the outlook of your website. Including this aspect can prove to be helpful for the interactivity level of your website.

10. Mobile testing

Mobile testing is an easy way to ensure that the visitors of your website are getting the experience you want them to have. 

The mobile phone version of any website is essential to increase the number of visitors one may get. However, several complications may come as a part of it. By using the services of platforms like eWeb, you can significantly enhance the overall quality level of mobile phone websites.

5 Brilliant Ways to Use Technology to Boost Workplace Productivity

According to the recent survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workplace productivity is constantly declining since 2007. As modern-day smartphones become increasingly popular, entrepreneurs are wondering if today’s technology can actually help or hinder employees to become more productive. From applying for quick business loans to organizing team building activities, employers are doing everything they can to improve productivity.

Many employers believe that banning technology can improve focus and boost productivity. However, they fail to realize that the right technology can simplify and streamline tasks. Here are five different ways you can use technology to boost workplace productivity.

1. Cloud-Based Management Software

Cloud-Based management software enables you to access all your projects, assets, and milestones anytime, anywhere. Since all the important documents are easily accessible, the convenience can significantly improve team performance and boost your company’s competitive advantage. In fact, most (if not all) companies run 79% of their workloads in cloud-based software.

With that said, regardless of the size of your business or the industry you belong to, great cloud-based management software can greatly enhance your team’s productivity.

2. Online Meetings

Providing an avenue for online meetings is one of the best tools created for small businesses. While teleconferencing isn’t new, today’s virtual meeting tools have advanced capabilities that can result in improved productivity. While it’s beneficial to physically meet occasionally, virtual meetings are more flexible, especially if some of your employees live in different states or countries.

By holding your meetings online, you won’t have to deal with traffic, you can record the meetings, and you can host a meeting anytime, anywhere. There are different tools you can choose from, such as Zoom. This app allows you to share documents while the meeting is going on.

You can Screen Record Facetime. There are two ways for you to do so. One with in-app audio and the other without in-app audio. Note: some states require all participants to accept the recording.

Other virtual meeting applications are Skype, and Zoho. The best type of software depends on your business’ needs and preferences. Make sure to find one that works well for your business.

3. Communication Software

Aside from your regular meetings, constant and effective communication is critical for team productivity. However, some companies are hesitant to invest time and money into communication software. Studies show that companies with approximately 100 employees waste an average of $420,000 annually just because of miscommunication.

Thanks to technological advancement, there are many advance communication solutions for businesses in all shapes and sizes. There are team messaging apps, video calling apps, and other communication-centric software that can significantly improve internal communication and in turn, increase team productivity. Some of the messaging apps most companies use are Slack, Workplace by Facebook, Zinc, and Crew. Most of the communication apps in the market offer more than just messaging, so make sure to look for one that’s suitable for you.

4. Time-Tracking Software

One of the best ways to measure improvements in productivity is through using a time-tracking device. Before you can increase your productivity, you need to analyze your work clock. What distracts you the most during work hours? What time of day are you most productive? How much time do you waste on said distractions? How can you contribute to your company’s progress? By using time-tracking tools like Toggl, Hubstaff, Tick, and Time Doctor, you can make the most out of your working hours and become more productive.

5. Total Automation

Change is uncomfortable; but if you’re still using pen and paper while everybody else is going online, you might want to reconsider. Going online or automating your workplace not only improves company performance, but it also helps your employees with their daily repetitive tasks. You can automate different types of business operations, such as task management, email management, and more. This frees up time for your employees, allowing them to focus on more important tasks.

For example, you can automate time tracking so you’d know how your employees spend their time while working. Additionally, you can streamline certain tasks like social media posting, email replies, and other manual tasks.

Boost Productivity in the Workplace with the Help of Quick Business Loans

With the right technology, you’ll be able to maximize workplace productivity and set your business up for success. Think of these tools as an investment for your company. Most of these applications don’t require a huge investment, but if you’re in need of additional working capital to try out different apps, you can apply for a quick business loan.

Aside from improving productivity, the funds from small business loans can be used for almost any other business purpose.