Best Ways to Get More Traffic from Guest Posting

Content is doubtless the core point to emphasize when it comes to SEO. Still, you should keep in mind that only fresh and unique content isn’t enough for lasting and fruitful optimization and indexing. You won’t make the most of it without guest blogging opportunities. Guest blogs on other sites or blogs stand as the perfect way to attract more audiences and raise brand awareness and credibility.

It may take some time to publish guest posts, but it will totally pay off, provided the well-defined purpose. With no clear goal, you might waste time and money and can’t use guest posting potential efficiently. So our key task is to figure out how to drive increasing blog traffic via guest blogging. Let’s consider this in detail.

1.  High-Quality Content

Living in a bloggers’ era, crafting unique content that brings value to people is more than essential. Plus, if your content is of high quality, people will doubtless appreciate it, and you may earn a good name in your niche. Of course, writing articles on topics people strive to read is no less critical. But how to determine the right direction?

One of the easiest ways is to explore questions users ask. And if there are a few similar queries, it means a larger public would also love to see a related post in your blog. Another efficient tactic implies thinking about what would be valuable to you if you were in your prospects’ shoes. Then generate content offering solutions to their problems. Adding a link in text requires craftsmanship here. So subject to putting them in the right places, the site traffic can considerably skyrocket.

2.  Top-Notch Sites to Guest Post on

Before sending your articles, ensure you explore the chosen blog to submit in-depth. It would be best if you read the blog’s previous articles to get a clear vision of the content type they post and understand whether your texts are suitable. This marketing guest blog strategy is a must since backlinks from poor-quality sites may considerably hurt your traffic and SEO indexes.

Remember always to consider the below-mentioned things while evaluating the quality of sites, including DIY blogs for guest posting:

  • Audience. The site’s public speaks volumes about its quality level. Typically, blogs with little niche public are more qualitative than those with broad audiences.
  • Domain Reputacy. This metric is responsible for measuring the site’s potential to rank in various search engines. So high-authority domain blogs will likely be more advanced than low-authority domain ones.
  • Overall Quality Performance. Besides the preceding points, it’s worth reviewing factors such as site design, content quality, and user engagement level.

After a detailed assessment, you will want to be aware of whether the site fits your industry. There are multiple ways to clarify it. For example, seek your niche + guest blog on Google. That way, you can reach all the sites ranking for the ‘guest blog’ key phrase.

3.  Eye-Catchy Headlines

The headline forms the first thing that grabs people’s attention while reading the article. So if you take the time to come up with appealing headlines, you may obtain substantial guest blog posting from your target site.

However, what does it involve to make eye-catchy headlines for guest blogging for links? Read the following tips:

  • The Shorter, the Better. Users adore concise headlines and to the point.
  • Strong Word Usage. Strong words draw people’s attention and make them crave to consume the article.
  • Specify in full. If the headline is specific, it will turn into highly exciting and informative.
  • Be Witty. Clever headlines have higher chances of standing out and being memorable.
  • Resort to Emotions. When the headline evokes emotions, people will be more likely to stop and immerse in the text.
  • Apply a Question. With questions, headlines might be more arresting and convincing.
  • Try Taglines. The tagline is a perfect method to summarize the article in an extremely compelling way.

4.  Stick to the Blog’s Guidelines

Numerous blogs provide certain guidelines, so getting acquainted with them is vital before guest posting. During submitting, attach a short bio and link to your site. Pitching stories or asking for links may negatively affect the process.

So familiarizing yourself with the blog’s guidelines is the key to success. Moreover, the blog’s owner may deny submissions that have small compliance with the instructions. And the webmasters accepting guest articles have specific guidelines according to external links and backlinks across the blog post body. Luckily, most of them allow backlinking to your site, which will surely promote increasing blog traffic.

It’s not surprising that it might take a while for your work has posted, so be patient. It’s the wrong strategy to email the blog team daily, asking about the publishing date. Instead, let things go with the flow after the submission, relax and wait for the reply.

5.  Thank the Blog Owner and Promote

Once you have your article published, don’t forget to thank the blog owner and tell them how grateful you are for such guest blogging opportunities. Commenting on the post, sharing via social platforms, and linking to it from your site will show your appreciation at best.

The next step involves promoting. Be sure to advertise the article on social media and other channels. Thus you can drive impressive exposure and reach more leads to come across it. Learn more about how you can benefit from the blog and guest posting power.

Career Planning vs. Succession Planning: What’s the Difference?

It’s no secret that the corporate world is changing so quickly. And with all these changes, we can’t help but encounter questions and doubts about where we’re really headed to. But perhaps, the ultimate question that many people face in the modern-day workforce is whether or not they’re going to adapt to these changes—or if they even have the opportunity to do so at all. 

If you are part of an organization that offers job security, there’s likely little concern about how you will keep your job in the years to come. But what about everyone else? If you aren’t sure what your career future holds, it might be time to start thinking about succession planning and how it relates to career planning at your company.

Career planning is the process of setting goals and making decisions that will help you achieve your desired career, and there are two major types of career planning: short-term and long-term. 

A succession plan involves the process of identifying and developing individuals who have the potential to fill key roles in your company. It’s important to have a succession plan in place so that a business can continue to run smoothly if someone in a key position leaves or retire.

Career planning and succession planning are both ways to help an employee grow within their organization, but they have some key differences. While both involve developing long-term strategies, they differ in several key areas that you’ll want to keep in mind as you decide which company is best for you. 

In this blog post, you’ll learn about these differences, so you can start making effective plans that will make sure you stay happy and engaged.

Career Planning

Most people already have an idea of what they want to do with their lives and what they want to achieve in the future. They may not know the specific details, but they have a general sense of the path they want to take. This is where career planning enters the picture.

Short-term planning looks at the next 3-5 years, while long-term focuses on what can be accomplished in 10+ years. If you have no idea what type of work would be best for you, short-term planning might be for you. 

Short-Term Planning Vs. Long-Term Career Planning

Short-term career planning is about finding out where your interests lie and then identifying which careers or jobs these interests fit into. For instance, if you’re unsure about the specifics of how to find a job after college or what profession is right for you, you can consider skillsets interest you most as well as whether there are any opportunities available locally that match these skillsets.

Long-term career planning, on the other hand, is more suited for people who already know what they want to do with their lives, either because it’s something they’ve wanted since childhood or because it came from an epiphany later in life. 

A resource like the Berry College website may be essential to looking at doors you can open by getting a higher degree. Berry College emphasizes hands-on learning and internships, giving students real-world experience in their fields. The website showcases programs designed to build critical thinking, leadership, and communication skills, which are essential in corporate settings.

6 Steps for Career Planning (For Anyone Who Wants an Exciting and Fulfilling Career)

If you’re feeling frustrated or stuck with your career, it’s time to take action and start planning your next steps. You don’t have to accept whatever career path life throws at you; you can choose the direction you want to take, while always keeping an eye on the future, and on your own wants and needs. 

Career planning doesn’t have to be complicated, either; these six steps will get you started on the right track with ease.

1. Explore Your Career Options

There are a lot of great career assessment tools out there that can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Once you know what you’re good at, you can start exploring different career options that might be a good fit for you.

2. Perform Field Research

What are your interests? What are your skills? What are your values? Once you know the answers to these questions, you can begin to narrow down your options and find a career path that’s right for you.

3. Know What Job You Want

The next step is knowing what job you want. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to have a clear idea of the role you want to play in the workforce. 

There are a few ways to help you figure it out. Talk with friends about their jobs or passions and see if any spark something inside of you. Keep a list of everything you like doing or things that interest you so that when it comes time to narrow down the options, they’ll be easy to pick from. You can also try taking an online quiz or survey to get started like this one

4. Build Your Credentials and Make a Resume

You can then build your credentials in the field you want to enter. If you don’t have any experience, look for internships or volunteer opportunities. Once you have some experience under your belt, start putting together a professional online resume that highlights your skills and accomplishments.

For this, you can use an online resume maker. An online resume maker usually has many professional templates available so you don’t have to write anything from scratch. It also comes with other handy features for your job application, such as a cover letter maker. 

5. Prepare for the Job Search

The job search can be a daunting task, but preparation is key. Here are a few things you can do to get ready:

  • If possible, work on updating your resume before your leave your current job. Don’t worry about making it perfect the first time around. Just make sure it includes the most relevant information about what you’ve done so far in your career and what skills you have that could be transferable to other careers or industries. 
  • Make connections with friends of friends or family members who may know people at companies where they would like to work. If you’re going to an alumni event or networking event, bring copies of your resume with you. You never know how many contacts one person might lead to.
  • Start practicing interview questions with someone close to you. Ask them what types of questions employers ask and come up with good answers.
  • Create a list of questions that are important for the type of job one is interested in. Then, prepare answers for them.

6. Begin Your Job Search

As long as you have a good understanding of what you want, you can easily look for jobs that align with your goals. When searching for jobs, the internet is your friend. A quick search on Google will give you a list of possible opportunities you can apply for.

A lot of times, people don’t feel like they’re skilled enough to pursue certain careers even though these same occupations require less education than others. To avoid being in this situation, do research on different industries to see if your skill set matches up with them; if it does, go ahead and apply! Don’t ever underestimate yourself just because you don’t have formal training; show off what you can offer instead.

Succession Planning

Succession planning is an important part of running a business, whether you own it or work there. If you’re currently working in the business and have no plans to leave anytime soon, succession planning might not seem like that much of an issue for you. However, you still need to make sure that if something were to happen to you today, the business would be able to continue successfully.

A good succession plan will help keep your organization running efficiently even after an unexpected departure. Then again, for a succession plan to be successful, it needs to be well-developed and carefully executed. 

You’ll need to outline what steps you want future employees to take before they are ready for promotion. You’ll also need to decide on what criteria they must meet in order for them to become qualified candidates for these positions as well as how long they should work at each level before being considered for promotion. 

Let’s say you have an executive assistant who has been with your company for 20 years and is nearing retirement age. For this individual, there may not be any single replacement candidate because of their vast knowledge and experience with the company. But for sure, several people could assume their responsibilities while gradually stepping up into their shoes over time.

How to Correctly Do Succession Planning for Your Business

Succession planning is important for any business, but it’s especially crucial if you want to keep your company afloat once you move on from it. It’s one thing to leave the day-to-day operations to someone else, but it’s another matter entirely to let go of the reins completely and let your business start trending downward. 

With the right succession plan in place, you can gradually transfer power over to your successor while keeping things on track as much as possible. The most important thing here will be to determine who will be your successor (or successors) before any plans are made at all.

1. Identify the Key Positions

In any business, there are key positions that are essential to the company’s success. These positions may be filled by one person or by a team of people, but they all play a vital role in keeping the business running smoothly. When succession planning, it’s important to identify these key positions and have a plan in place for who will fill them if the current occupants can no longer do so.

2. Determine the Position’s Needs

The next step in succession planning is to determine the needs of the position that you are looking to fill. This includes taking into account the skills, experience, and knowledge that will be required for the role. 

3. Work on the Job Profiles

In this step, you need to identify the skills and experience needed for each position. You can use this information as a reference when recruiting or promoting employees for the new role.

4. Begin the Recruitment Process

One of the most important aspects of succession planning is recruiting the right people to take over your business. This can undoubtedly be a daunting task, but there are a few things you can do to somehow make it easier. 

First, decide what kind of person you want to work with – someone who shares your same values or someone who has the skills and experience that would fit well with what you have established in your company. 

Second, find out if they are looking for a new job or if they don’t want anything more than their current employment. Third, discuss what compensation package they’re expecting. If they’re not willing to meet your requirements, then it’s time to move on and find another candidate.

5. Choose a Successor

This person will be responsible for taking over your business when you retire or are no longer able to run it. When choosing a successor, consider the following: 

  • You may want to choose someone from within your organization, but this may not always be possible. So, look closely and make sure the candidate is capable of meeting the job’s needs and demands.
  • If you plan on hiring an outside successor, make sure they have the same values and ethics as you do, so that they can maintain the same level of quality within your company. 

6. Handover the Tasks

This can be challenging, but it’s important to remember that you’re doing this so that you can focus on the things that you’re good at. Once you’ve handed over the tasks, you need to start training the successor. This includes teaching them how to do the job and how to handle any challenges that may come up.

7. Document the Entire Transition

You should not only make a list of who will take over when you retire or die, but also document how they will take over your responsibilities and tasks. By documenting the transition, it allows you to think about what is going on with the company today as well as what could happen tomorrow. That way, there are no surprises that would negatively affect business operations if someone was suddenly thrust into the role without preparation.

The Need for Career Planning and Succession Planning

The workforce is changing. The traditional career path is no longer the norm, and the concept of a lifelong job has been replaced by short-term contracts and freelance work. This change in the workforce has led to an increased focus on succession planning, as employers are now realizing that they need to prepare for the day when their employees retire or leave.

This only means that succession planning should be in place not just for the sake of the organization but also for the sake of employees who may be passed up for succession planning.

Organizations should take care to ensure that employees are aware of their succession plan and have a chance to prepare themselves for it. They should also make sure that they are providing opportunities for employees to grow in their current roles and keep them engaged with their work.

Organizations should also have to be more transparent about what they are looking for in a candidate and what the job entails. They should provide training for their employees so that they can learn new skills and stay relevant.

Lastly, organizations should also provide opportunities for employees to take on new roles, responsibilities, or projects. This will help them find their strengths and get recognized for things or work they excel in.

The Key Differences between Career Planning and Succession Planning

You may be wondering, what is the key difference between career planning and succession planning? As you can see, career planning is an individualized process that helps employees assess their skills and interests, set goals, and create a plan to achieve those goals. Succession planning, on the one hand, is a process that organizations use to identify and develop individuals who are potential candidates for key leadership positions. It involves assessing talent, identifying gaps in succession plans, and creating a strategy to address these gaps. 

Organizations usually establish succession plans at all levels of the organization, not just top-level positions. The when and how of implementing or going about both as part of an employee’s growth prospects within the organization depend largely on whether you’re an employer or employee.

Wrapping Up

When it comes to planning for the future of your business, the two main approaches you can take are succession planning and career planning. Both involve setting goals and taking steps to achieve them, but there are some key differences between the two. 

For instance, succession planning is typically aimed at employees with long-term prospects within an organization, while career planning may not be as detailed or as wide-ranging in scope. It may also be necessary to map out specific objectives in order to have a successful outcome from either process.

As a business owner, you have to remember that your people plays a critical role in your organization. So, value the work they do and give credit and recognition to whoever is deserving. Guide your team members as they plan for their personal career growth, and prepare a succession plan to keep them motivated as both of you hit both your business and personal goals.

Nucoin by Nubank – Introducing the New Cryptocurrency Backed By Warren Buffet Himself

The Brazilian bank Nubank will shortly launch a cryptocurrency rewards program. The latest foray into digital assets by a major financial institution will occur next year when the Brazilian startup for digital banking Nubank introduces its own coin.

Nubank said Wednesday it will launch the token, called Nucoin, in the first half of 2023. Holders of the token will receive discounts and other benefits, according to Nubank.

The digital bank, which is supported by investors such as Softbank Group Corp. (9984.T) and Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N), led by Warren Buffett, reported having 66.4 million customers in Brazil, its primary market, up from 62.3 million at the end of June. A holding company, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., owns subsidiaries involved in a range of commercial endeavors, including manufacturing, retailing, freight rail transportation, utilities and energy, insurance and reinsurance, and utilities.

What is Nucoin?

In 2013, Nubank made its debut in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with a purple no-fee credit card. Brazil is infamous for its high-fee, antiquated banking system. The company has accumulated 70 million users across Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia since its start nine years ago.

The coin was created using the “Layer 2” Polygon network, which aims to reduce congestion on the Ethereum blockchain, where transactions can sometimes be expensive and time-consuming to complete. According to Polygon, its platform can handle hundreds of transactions every second. Companies like PayPal and Robinhood also provide cryptocurrency trading. While this is going on, the Wall Street bank Goldman Sachs has its own internal cryptocurrency trading department.

About 2,000 customers will be invited to take part in a debate on the project’s specifics, including its Web3 features and decentralized method of product creation, starting this month.

In May, the bank announced a partnership with Paxos to enable its customers to buy, sell, and store cryptocurrencies through its app. This move aimed to improve access to crypto assets, reduce complexity and friction for users to buy, hold, and sell digital currencies through the bank’s app, and eliminate the need to open or transfer money using a new account.

Immediate Edge offers traders of all skill levels a comprehensive trading experience on a flexible but user-friendly interface.

What Makes Nucoin Different?

Earlier this year, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway sold off a portion of its interests in Visa and Mastercard and increased its exposure to Nubank by investing $1 billion in equities after selling $3.1 billion in shares of each of the two companies.

The new token launch coincides with a depressing period for cryptocurrencies. Many digital coins, including the biggest currency in the world, bitcoin, have lost more than half of their value since the beginning of 2022, and the market is currently experiencing a severe downturn that speculators are dubbing “crypto winter.” Its objective is to provide clients with advantages like discounts and rewards as they acquire Nucoins. The tokens can be exchanged for benefits and special prices on particular goods.

Conclusion

Governments in the United States, the European Union, and other countries have introduced frameworks for regulating the business, and regulators have since grown more cautious about digital currencies and the potential damages they pose to consumers.

According to Nubank, there is a chance that Nucoins might one day be tradable. Currently, the lender’s banking software lets its Brazilian customers conduct Bitcoin and Ethereum transactions.

5 Techniques to Optimize Any Remote Workspace for Better Productivity

As anyone working remotely knows, you have to think about your workspace and make sure it is comfortable and well-equipped. The quality of your remote workspace definitely has an influence on your productivity. A calm, well-organized space with all the tools and equipment you need allows you to produce your best work. Here are five techniques to help you optimize your remote workspace.

1. Have the Right Tools and Equipment in Place

It’s vital to have the right tools and equipment in place for you to be comfortable and productive when working remotely. Consider what you lack that could prevent you from working your best and find solutions. 

Ergonomic Office Furniture

Think about buying an ergonomic office chair. Your employer may be willing to subsidize its purchase. Try to replicate the type of equipment you used while working in an office. If we’re used to using two monitors, consider using two at home. 

The Right Software

When it comes to software, there is probably a wide range of cloud-based software your employer will expect you to use for communication, productivity, sharing information, and managing tasks. You need to make sure it’s all properly installed and up to date. 

A Smoothly Operating Computer

No matter where you work, your computer has to work optimally. If you are using a Mac and it begins to work slowly, try to clean up the hard drive to get more storage and ensure faster operations. This improves worker productivity and saves a lot of time for the organization. 

2. Minimize Distractions

One of the main reasons for a lack of productivity when working remotely is that you have too many distractions. Not having a dedicated workspace makes it very hard to minimize distractions, such as interruptions from kids, knocks at the door, etc. According to Lensa, employee experience and motivation go together with engagement to boost productivity.

A Dedicated Workspace

Having a dedicated workspace allows you to establish better boundaries. When you enter your workspace, your brain knows it’s time to concentrate. When you leave the space at the end of the time, it knows you are done for the day.

A Schedule

Sticking to a schedule will help you to avoid distractions. When you allocate time for certain tasks, breaks, etc., you will be more productive. For example, email notifications can distract your focus. Turn them off and allocate a specific time every day to attend to them. 

3. Optimize Natural Light in Your Workspace

If you regularly experience headaches, eye strain, and blurred vision, your workspace may not have enough natural light. Think about repositioning your desk to take advantage of natural light. Natural lighting in your workspace has many proven benefits. Studies show that when you’re exposed to natural light, you will sleep better and enjoy better health. You tend to be more engaged and productive when you work in natural light.

4. Invest in Good Storage

There’s nothing worse than a chaotic, disorganized mess that affects your productivity. Think about investing in some wall shelving for storage. This will allow you to optimize your floor space. Good storage solutions make it easier to find what you need when you need it. Tidying your desk at the end of the day helps you to approach work the next morning with a clean slate. 

5. Keep Junk Food Away From Your Desk

If you want to feel energized and focused, you need to watch what you eat. Maintaining a nutritious, balanced diet will give you the fuel you need to increase your productivity. 

  • Pay attention to what you eat for your main meals and take a break to eat lunch. 
  • Avoid eating junk food while at your desk. Junk food will give you a temporary lift from the extra sugar and refined carbs, but this is followed by a crash that makes you feel more like sleeping than working. 
  • If you want to snack, try snacking on fruit or nuts instead. They will keep you feeling full for longer and enhance your productivity. 

Conclusion

Discomfort, a lack of boundaries, an unhealthy diet, and disorganization are just some of the factors that can make your motivation and productivity drop significantly when working remotely. By using the above techniques, including developing a dedicated workspace with the right tools, equipment, and storage, you will find working remotely a happier, more fulfilling, and more productive experience. 

Website Lightbox Examples That Show Off Their Benefits

The little window overlay known as a “lightbox pop-up” covers a webpage and hides its content. It darkens the remainder of the page while highlighting the advertisement, message, or promotion. Even while these website lightbox popups may appear obtrusive and obnoxious, their click-through rate is still higher than that of other forms of advertising at about 2%.

How Can a Lightbox Pop-up Increase Sales?

Studies have shown that unexpected Lightbox pop-ups displaying a discount or promotion cause users to stay on the website a little bit longer. When a discount or coupon code message flashes with email pop-ups, more and more visitors subscribe. Following the upkeep of your subscribers, you can expand the pool of possible clients.

The lightbox pop-up is efficient, unobtrusive, and practical. As it appears as the visitor is ready to leave the website, users feel it to be less invasive. When the Lightbox pop-up with the coupon code announcement displays, it significantly improves lead generation, conversion, and sales stimulation.

Promoting their popular products is a great way for online retailers to boost sales. These Lightbox pop-ups can be used to collect emails and keep the conversation going. You can include direct links to the storefronts in addition to discounts and coupons so that users can visit the businesses and browse the merchandise.

Users can also be informed of the limited-time offer for the majority of popular items. Users are encouraged to take advantage of the greatest deal at the lowest price by the discount offer’s deadline.

Here are the other top benefits that a lightbox popup will provide for you:

Optimizes Check Out Process

Exit-intent technology is frequently employed with lightbox pop-ups to increase purchases. When users are going to depart a website without finishing the checkout process, exit-intent pop-ups appear. Although it doesn’t interfere with work, it can be utilized to encourage customers to linger in the business. The study estimates that 99% of visitors don’t purchase their first visit. To complete the transaction, they would rather return it. In order to continue engaging in tailored communication with your subscribers, a lightbox pop-up collects email signups and expands your subscriber list.

Generates Extra Leads

A modified technique for the Lightbox pop-up can significantly increase client attraction and email list expansion.

A Facebook ad template, a social media swipe file, five retargeting ad campaigns, and 212 blog post ideas were all produced by the online blog publisher known as Digital Marketer. Its bounce rate was lowered to 53% after adopting Lightbox pop-up suggestions, and the average time spent on the site improved by 54%. In addition, they have added 2,700 leads from website visitors who were about to leave.

Increases email subscribers

Exit intent technology in the Lightbox pop-up monitors mouse movements and displays the subscription advertisement precisely when the mouse touches the page’s exit symbol.

Increase email subscribers and obtain feedback quickly with survey Lightbox pop-ups. Another effective strategy to boost subscribers is through community forum registration. One excellent illustration is Tommy Hilfiger, who offered a 20% discount as a reward to customers who joined the club.

Lightbox Website Examples

Lightbox popups can be used for several things, such as increasing the number of email subscribers, increasing sales, encouraging visitors to an event, deterring them from leaving your website, etc. Let’s look at a few instances that were created to accomplish these various objectives below.

Newsletter Signup Lightbox

The most typical lightbox popups are for a newsletter or email signups. One from The New Yorker is seen below. Once you’ve read an article on their website, you’ll see this plain, minimalist design. The CTA button is the only colorful element, which helps it stand out more than the dismissal button.

Login/Signup Lightbox

Pinterest is a master at this. Visitors can view a pin by clicking on it from a search engine results page and then scrolling down to see other pins. When that happens, Pinterest displays a lightbox window requesting users to log in or create an account in order to access additional content. While users who are not yet signed in can easily sign in and quit to continue scrolling.

Content Offer Lightbox

Blogging can assist drive traffic to your website, but providing additional free content can help those visitors become leads. Let’s say you have publicly accessible blog articles. Then there are documents that visitors often cannot access, such as reports, spreadsheets, infographics, films, and other types of information. For these content upgrades, you can make a lightbox popup that requests visitors’ email addresses.

Use Marketing 112 as an illustration. After a visitor has read a couple of their blog posts, this Hungarian marketing firm displays the lightbox below and offers their 2019–20 Marketing Trends Study for free.

Discount Lightbox

The discount lightbox is one of the most often seen popups on eCommerce websites. In exchange for their email address, these popups provide internet buyers with a discount or voucher to use on their purchases.

The nicest thing about these popups is that they can still be successful in obtaining a visitor’s contact information even if they fail to persuade them to purchase despite common objections they may have, such as “I don’t have the budget right now.” Take a look at this illustration from the Girlfriend Collective:

Upsell Lightbox

Whether you run a non-profit organization or an eCommerce site, the upsell lightbox is another excellent technique to boost your earnings. You might be attempting to complete the checkout process when a popup offering related items for your cart appears. Or you can notice a popup asking whether you’d like to make it a monthly gift while making a one-time donation on a nonprofit website, as illustrated below.

Conclusion

One of the most helpful tools for marketers is a lightbox popup, but they only function when used sensibly and intelligently. However, if not chosen wisely and thoughtfully, it will disrupt the user experience and have an impact on your ability to make money.

The Future of eCommerce Websites: eCommerce Trends Now

In the wake of the pandemic, eCommerce has become an indispensable part of the global economy. With worldwide sales totaling more than $5.7 trillion in 2022, it’s a field that is growing exponentially, both in sales and in a number of retailers. In the face of this strong and growing competition, savvy top eCommerce website developers are looking for ways to help retailers improve their online presence and attract new customers.

If you are shopping for an effective B2B eCommerce platform for your online store, you may be dismayed by the number of options. Businesses have various requirements. An electronics store may not need a platform that is ideal for a beauty salon. Finding an effective eCommerce platform can be very challenging.

With this in mind, we have assembled a list of seven key eCommerce trends for 2023.

eCommerce Development Trends Overview

In August 1994, a man named Dan Kohn sold a CD to a friend and was paid $12.48 plus shipping via credit card, thus completing the very first eCommerce sale. In the nearly 30 years since the nature of purchasing online has changed dramatically. What was once a novelty is now standard operating procedure.

What does the future hold for eCommerce software development? Using market research and customer analytics, we’ve identified the following:

1. Omnichannel

The integration of technology into our personal lives has led to an expectation of seamless, high-quality customer experiences. People expect to be able to browse for items online, make purchases and pick up items in person without friction. In other words, they expect an omnichannel experience.

During the pandemic-induced lockdown, this fully integrated approach became the norm for many retailers and food service companies. Customers could browse a website, research products, make purchases, and schedule pickup all from the convenience of their home.

Even following the removal of in-person restrictions in many places, this trend has remained hot. A successful omnichannel makes cross-channel transactions convenient, which can sometimes be challenging for retailers. To make the most of it for your company, enlist the help of an eCommerce development agency that can integrate your sales experience, inventory, and customer service into a unified experience.

2. Mobile Shopping

In 2022, mobile shopping accounted for 72.9% of all eCommerce sales. In other words, nearly three out of every four online purchases were made from a smartphone or tablet. This means that it is crucial that you employ a responsive design in eCommerce web development.

Consumers expect an easy online shopping experience that can be initiated and finalized from their internet-connected device. If your site doesn’t have a user-friendly mobile shopping experience, you’re missing out on sales, so you should contact an eCommerce development company immediately. 

Here are a few things to consider when developing your eCommerce store:

  • UX/UI – User experience and interface are vital parts of any online shopping personalized experiences. A website that’s difficult to use will drive customers away before you can make a sale.
  • SEO Optimization – Google has been using mobile indexing as a ranking factor since 2019. Your site should be optimized to ensure users on mobile devices can find you easily.
  • Payment Options – Checking out from your online store should be quick and easy, with multiple options for customers to choose from.

3. Marketplaces Boom

Though sites like Amazon and eBay have been around for years, the online marketplace model has exploded in popularity recently. This is not to say single-brand stores are obsolete, but there has been an increased demand for one-stop shops, particularly for niche products

One reason for this, as any reputable software development company will tell you, is the spike in digitally driven consumerism. 61% of shoppers start product research on Amazon. Google and Walmart.com are not far behind. Customers want a place to compare options and read reviews prior to making a purchase. Reviews on Walmart provide valuable information to customers who are looking to make a purchase. They help customers evaluate products, compare options, provide feedback for improvement, and receive customer support.

Another factor in the increase in marketplace sales is internationalism. The internet allows people to compare products from down the street and across the globe simultaneously. While this can be good news for marketplaces, it can also present unique challenges in eCommerce software development, as different currencies, shipping methods and security concerns must be considered.

This trend is especially important for retailers seeking entry to the growing Chinese digital market, as single-entry point marketplaces dominate the online sales ecosystem.

4. On-Site Search Personalization

Big data allows for unprecedented personalization when it comes to advertising and marketing. As a result, many digital shoppers have come to expect individualized experiences, with 88% of online shoppers acknowledging that personalized experiences factored into their likelihood of making another purchase with an online retailer.

Smart eCommerce businesses will include on-site personalization that tailors search results based on each user’s past behavior on their site, demographic information, and other collected data. While this is a boon for digital marketers, personalized product recommendations often require special software development services in both the USA and abroad to implement.

eCommerce Link Building is another effective way to gain traffic and grow your business. Building links back to your site will increase your SEO and give your brand higher authority.

5. Deliver on Delivery

Getting a customer to add your product to their cart and initiate the checkout process is only half the battle for eCommerce companies. Delivery options play a huge part in many purchase decisions, with 68% of U.S. respondents to a 2019 survey stating they did not complete a purchase because of them.

When implementing your custom eCommerce web development solution, here are some delivery options to consider:

  • Free Delivery – Shipping can be expensive, but many consumers expect it to be included in the sale price, particularly on more expensive purchases.
  • Multiple Options – If a person needs a particular item quickly, they’re far more likely to make that purchase with a digital retailer who offers them one- or three-day delivery options than one that only offers standard five to seven business days.
  • The Delivery Experience – 85% of online shoppers said a bad delivery experience would keep them from buying from a retailer again, according to a 2022 study. Don’t lose customers because of a poor fulfillment system.

6. Flexible Payments Continue

In the second quarter of 2022 alone, there were approximately 52 million data breaches worldwide. As such an unfortunate reality, many people are justifiably leery of buying things online. One way your eCommerce site can overcome this is to offer a variety of ways for them to pay.

Whether they want to use a credit card, PayPal or Bitcoin, different customers have different payment preferences. Allowing them to pay in the method of their choice has been proven to improve conversion rates and decrease cart abandonment. Allowing customers to create a user profile on your site that securely stores payment information also encourages repeat business.

7. User-Generated Content

Every brand claims it’s the perfect solution to a customer’s need. It’s therefore no surprise these claims are taken with a grain of salt. Luckily, there’s an easy solution: user-generated content or UGC.

UGC is the reviews, videos, photos, and other content created by the people who are actually using your product. Due to its authenticity, data has indicated almost 80% of shoppers take it into account when making a purchase decision.

A handful of great reviews or an appearance in a viral TikTok could be the very thing that propels your site to the next level. But unfortunately, even the most skilled eCommerce website developers cannot create this for you. The only way to get great UGC is by consistently delivering exceptional experiences.

Customer Experience is an Always-On 2023 eCommerce Trend

As an online retailer, creating a positive experience with your brand should always be your top priority. Consumers want a hassle-free purchasing journey and you should give them what they want. Make it easy for them to discover their options, make purchases and have items delivered.

Take a holistic approach and consider every step of the sales funnel, from awareness through retention. Everything should work together to provide optimal customer experiences. If they don’t, you’re costing yourself sales.

Get Trending

The march of technology is endless. As it progresses, the way people interact with it changes – particularly in the world of eCommerce. While the landscape has grown more competitive, by taking a proactive approach to changes in market conditions and trends, you can ensure your brand is well-positioned.

Flexibility is key, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Not every trend will work for every business. But one thing is certain: with some hard work, top rated software development services USA, and custom eCommerce web development, you can set your company on the road to success.

How to Protect Yourself from Cyberattacks? How Does a VPN Help?

It’s a reality that technology is developing more quickly with each passing day. Your data is now more likely to be exposed to individuals who shouldn’t have had access to it, which is one of its side effects. The studies also demonstrate that individuals are currently more concerned than ever about their cybersecurity.

Sadly, there are constantly new dangers. Computer virus-related issues are no longer the sole ones. Maintaining the most recent information regarding online threads appears to have become the standard as the situation worsened.

People began installing a free VPN online to avoid or reduce the risk of having their data stolen while accessing the internet.

How does A VPN Protect You Against Cyberattacks?

A VPN is a technological solution that increases your online security and privacy. Your online traffic is hidden behind an encrypted tunnel to make it operate. Data is encrypted so that no one, not even your ISP, can see which websites you visit. You can conceal your IP address using a VPN. Your ISP and location can both be revealed by an IP. A VPN alters that, though. Your connection is redirected through a secure server, and your IP is changed to conceal your location.

Your actual IP address is changed by the VPN app, which then gives you a brand-new one from its database. That is how you may disappear online.

IP address exchange is necessary for internet communication. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP), city, region, and nation are all identifiable by your IP address. However, knowing your precise location and actual address is insufficient. No one can figure out your address, but observers would know that you are in a particular place. By hiding your IP address, you can avoid being tracked online. In this manner, your IP address will never be used to link any of your online activities to you.

Since you connect to a server in another country when using a VPN, it also hides your actual physical location. Anyone snooping on you will believe you are in the UK if you connect to a UK VPN server, even though your actual location is in Asia.

Your identity is not private when sharing or downloading files. Since you’re consuming excessive bandwidth, your IP address is the first thing that appears in your ISP’s data detectors. In addition to your ISP, the government and marketers can keep tabs on your download activities. You can receive letters of warning, fines, or legal repercussions depending on your download. Connecting to a VPN eliminates all these dangers! To prevent anyone from ever monitoring your download history, hide your IP address and encrypt your files.

Your information is exposed to virus attacks, data breaches, and other online dangers. They threaten your private information, including your credit card information, email conversations, and login credentials. The best tool for protecting all of this personal information is a VPN. For further protection, it employs a safe tunneling procedure and uncrackable 256-AES-bit encryption. It would be difficult for even the fastest and most intelligent computers to break this encryption.

Types of Cyberattacks A VPN Can Protect Your From

Man In The Middle Attack

A MITM attack occurs when a hacker inserts themselves in the middle of your internet communication with a user or web server. In the same way that an eavesdropper interrupts a conversation or data transfer to steal information, hackers do the same. A hacker can intercept your data transfers if they are aware of the network you are using and can take advantage of its lax encryption standards. You won’t even notice it, which is the scariest part. Hackers can quickly obtain sensitive data using this technique.

With a VPN, everything about your internet activity is encrypted. The encryption used by VPNs is complicated to break. Your IP address will be moved around when you use a VPN. Even your IP address, which is connected to the network, won’t be known to the hacker. Since they won’t know which websites you’re visiting, they can’t intercept your traffic or reroute it to bogus websites.

DDoS Attack

In a DDoS attack, the attacker overloads the target server with traffic to sabotage and possibly even bring the target down. But unlike conventional denial-of-service attacks, which even the most advanced firewalls can recognize and address, a DDoS attack may make use of numerous compromised devices to flood the target with traffic.

There are several techniques to avoid a network breach in the first place, even though DDoS attacks are difficult to track using traditional methods. Using a virtual private network (VPN), which establishes a safe, secure, and anonymous connection to the internet, is one of the most efficient ways to fend off a DDoS attack.

After you’ve established a connection to a VPN, all of your traffic is routed through the network’s server to cloak the websites you browse and provide an extra degree of security that prevents hackers from discovering your actual IP address. Only the servers of a VPN service, which often either don’t track activity or maintain the anonymity of online activities, will be accessible to anyone attempting to hack into your machine.

Hacking Threats

The use of a VPN will make it extremely difficult for threat actors trying to steal information during transfer (through your connection). Some VPNs, such as those that use military-grade encryption technology to encrypt data, can provide a considerable obstacle for hackers looking to steal information in motion.

Therefore, a person using a VPN need not be concerned about malicious individuals intercepting their data when they connect to a public wifi hotspot in their area. Their data is sent to a remote server via a protected, encrypted connection.

Conclusion

Utilizing a VPN has several benefits beyond security. They help prevent information from being accessed by nosy governments and private companies, they shield sensitive data from prying eyes, they can help get around firewalls and other barriers, and, to top it all off, they can increase speed, lessen privacy hassles, and they can enable users to access content that is restricted to specific regions around the world.

Tips for Maximizing the Potential of Your Email Campaigns With Email Activity

How often have you sent an email, waited, and wondered whether it ever got through? All of us have been there.

In the past, it was customary to have no clue what occurred when we sent an email. Did our receiver get it? What happened to it in their inbox? Is it in their spam folder? When I sent them emails, did they access the links or attachments? It wasn’t known until today. It is now possible to monitor who opens your emails, clicks on the links, and examines the attachments using special software.

Email activity tracking allows us to create and keep connections in an excessively packed, competitive mailbox environment. This article will discuss maximizing your inbox’s potential via email monitoring software.

How exactly does email tracking function?

Using a tracking system, you may see whether and when any emails you send are seen. By inserting a tiny invisible picture pixel into your emails, email monitoring software can determine when someone opened them. First, we’ll go over the advantages of email monitoring before diving into how to set it up.

The Value of Monitoring Emails

Email tracking saves time.

No one wants to receive many follow-up emails when they haven’t read the first one. When you use an email monitoring service, you can observe whether your subject line piqued the recipient’s focus enough for them to click through and open the email. If they haven’t opened the first email, they won’t open anymore; therefore, sending more is no use. Email monitoring saves time for the sales professional and the receiver by reducing the number of follow-up emails that aren’t essential.

Similarly, if you see that a contact is checking out the content you sent them, such as a cover letter or a proposal, you know that you are currently fresh in their mind. 

As a result, it is essential to keep track of emails.

Email monitoring gives you vital information about your email exchanges with contacts, networks, clients, or prospects. You may utilize this data to boost your outreach by catering to their particular connection with you.

  • If a contact opens your email many times in one day, you should get in touch with them again while you’re still fresh in their mind.
  • Before a meeting, check whether your contact has read any links or files you sent through email.
  • By sending a follow-up email, you can tell whether the receiver is reading your message.

As a result of email monitoring, you may get valuable information.

It’s no secret that composing email messages can be a stressful and challenging task. It’s easy to struggle with how to start or what to say to fill that space.

With Email Oversight’s Email Activity Tracking, you’re presented with more than vital information on your contact’s engagement with your emails. Additionally, you will have access to their resume, corporate information, social media accounts (including Twitter), email correspondence, and whatever else they have chosen to make public.

You enable read receipts in your emails. After this, what should be done?

Occasionally, someone asks us, “What should I put in the opening sentence of my email?” How can I best get in touch with them? Second, what do I say? Ought I should shoot off an email? What do you think?

As with the answer to everything: It depends. Everyone has a unique purpose for these alerts. We propose the following applications.

Create a discussion about something that matters.

You may use email intelligence tools to make your messages more timely and relevant to your audience. Emails sent using a template are not only impersonal but also ineffective. Use what you know about the recipients’ business and history of contact with your organization to focus your material. If that initial email isn’t opened, stop there. If the recipient of an email hasn’t opened it after the first attempt, there’s no use in sending any more.

Keep the conversation going by providing background information.

Use alerts to learn when to provide more information to complete a task. Assume a contact has shown interest in your company’s culture by clicking a link; you may want to follow up with them by providing further resources. Adding a personal touch is always welcome, and a potential client could be impressed if you can already predict their wants and requirements.

Remove dead email addresses.

If a contact hasn’t opened your emails in a while, you can either delete them from your list or send them one final email with an easy unsubscribe link.

Audio Transcription Software: Pros and Cons

Audio transcription software has been gaining popularity in recent years as a way to convert recorded speech into text. This is probably due to the increasing availability of digital recordings and the need to transcribe them for various purposes such as academic research, legal proceedings, or business meetings.

This article will discuss the pros and cons of using audio transcription software.

What is Audio Transcription?

Audio transcription is the process of converting recorded speech into text that can be done manually by transcribers who listen to the recording and type out what they hear, or it can be done automatically using transcription software. Audio transcription is used for a variety of purposes, such as converting recorded speech to text for academic research, legal proceedings, or business meetings.

How Does Audio Transcription Software Work?

Audio transcription software works by converting recorded speech into text. The software typically has a built-in speech recognition engine that converts the audio into text. Once the audio is converted into text, the software can then output the text in a variety of formats, such as Word documents, PDFs, or even Excel spreadsheets. There are a variety of different audio transcription software programs on the market, and they vary in terms of features, accuracy, and price.

What Are the Pros of Using Audio Transcription Software?

There are several pros to using audio transcription software:

It Could be More Accurate Than Manual Transcription

This is because the software can listen to the recording and convert it to text without the need for a human transcriber. This means that there is less chance for errors in the transcription. On the other hand, if the recording is of poor quality or has a lot of background noise, then the transcription might not be as accurate.

It is Faster Than Manual Transcription

This is because the software can transcribe the recording much faster than a human transcriber can. It can transcribe an hour of audio in a matter of minutes, whereas a human transcriber would take hours to transcribe the same amount of audio. The entertainment industry uses transcription software to transcribe movies and TV shows so that they can be subtitled or captioned.

It is Cheaper Than Manual Transcription

This is because you do not need to pay a human transcriber to do the work for you. A human transcriber can charge by the hour, so if you have a lot of audios to transcribe, it can be quite expensive. The pricing for audio transcription software is usually a one-time fee or a monthly subscription, so it is much cheaper in the long run.

It is More Convenient Than Manual Transcription

This is because you can transcribe the recording yourself, in your own time, and from the comfort of your own home. It is very suitable for the current era where time management has become very important. You can also transcribe the recording on the go if you have a portable transcription device.

Flexibility

Audio transcription software is typically very flexible and can be used for a variety of different purposes. For example, some software programs allow you to transcribe multiple speakers, add time stamps, and even edit the transcriptions.

It Can Be Synced with Your CRM

If you’re in the business world, you know that customer relationship management, or CRM, is vital to success. Audio transcription of a meeting with a client can be synced directly to your CRM software for easy access and follow-up.

What Are the Cons of Using Audio Transcription Software?

There are also several cons to using audio transcription software:

The Accuracy of the Transcription Can Vary

This is because the software is not perfect and can make mistakes when transcribing the recording.

You Need a Good-quality Recording

This is because the software relies on the recording being of good quality in order to be able to understand it and transcribe it accurately.

You Need to Be Familiar with the Software

This is because you will need to know how to use the software in order to transcribe the recording properly. Using any kind of software requires a digital orientation, which many people do not have.

Conclusion

Audio transcription software can be a useful tool for transcribing recordings, which is required in many fields, such as business, law, entertainment, and medicine. It has many pros, such as being more accurate than manual transcription, being faster, and being more convenient. However, it also has some cons, such as the fact that it can make mistakes and that you need to be familiar with the software in order to use it properly.

Google Authorization Error 400 invalid_request – Compliance with OAuth 2.0 Policy for Keeping Apps Secure

Although they are frequently confused with one another, authentication and authorization are simpler to comprehend when viewed from the perspective of an application. An app that authenticates users confirms the user’s identity. An app that authorizes users is attempting to access or change user-owned property.

Since OAuth was created as an authorization protocol, every OAuth flow ends with the app obtaining an access token to access or edit a user’s account. The access token itself doesn’t identify the user in any way.

An app can learn a user’s identity in several ways through various services. One straightforward method is for the API to provide a “user info” endpoint that, when called with an access token, returns the authenticated user’s name and other profile information. Although this is not a requirement of the OAuth protocol, it is a typical strategy many services have adopted.

Google Changes to Google OAuth in 2022

Google has made its OAuth changes and launched its official error message:

“Authorization Error – Error 400: Invalid Request.”

Starting in October 2022, Google has changed the OAuth Process. CompanionLink’s most recent versions are compliant.

If you encounter this issue, you only need to update to the most recent version.

Why Apps Need to Comply with Google OAuth 2.0 Policy

For PC and Mac Apps, Google sign-in and authorization flows are powered by the Google OAuth platform and, over the years, have developed to keep users safer online. The current message comes because Google is ending support for legacy flows and now requires developers to use methods that offer greater protections. For example, the “This App want to access” screen, which displays tools for Contacts and Calendar for Outlook Sync, generates an OAuth token.

When Google OAuth Login is Required

CompanionLink customers with a new Google account, who have recently changed their Google password, or user who have recently reinstalled CompanionLink, may see the Error 400: invalid_request  pop-up if your software is out-of-date. The quickest workaround is to select the link for Manual OAuth Process. This will allow you to get an OAuth Token without updating your software.

Updating CompanionLink for OAuth 2.0 Requirements

You need to upgrade CompanionLink for a long-lasting fix. CompanionLink v9 (build 9070) or CompanionLink v10 (build 10014 or higher.) is the needed version. After updating, you might need to sign into your Google Account one more using CompanionLink. There won’t be a change required if you and Google are currently in sync until the OAuth token is updated.

Any owner of CompanionLink v9 or a later version is qualified for a free update.

You Can’t Sign In with Old Apps

At this time, Google is now blocking apps that do not comply with Google’s security policies that were announced several months ago.

According to Google’s Documentation: “OAuth out-of-band” (OOB) is a legacy flow developed to support native clients who do not have a redirect URI-like web apps to accept the credentials after a user approves an OAuth consent request. The OOB flow poses a remote phishing risk. PC Apps must migrate to an alternative method to protect against this vulnerability.”

Other Apps that Sync Google Contacts and Calendar with Outlook

While CompanionLink has been ready for the OAuth change, other sync vendors may have old products that require a new purchase. CompanionLink offers a competitive update for a $30 savings on our Google and Outlook sync solution. Anyone who has utilized the following sync tools is qualified for this discount:

  • Sync2
  • gSyncit
  • OggSync
  • Go Contact Sync Mod
  • Outlook Google Calendar Sync

To claim your $30 savings:

  1. Use this link to Buy CompanionLink for Google.
  2. In the “What Motivated You to Purchase” box, enter your past Sync product.
  3. In the Affinity Code Box, type “AUTH22.”.

Where YouTube will Stand After 10 Years – The Highest Paid Social Media Platform or The Declining Platform?

The first video uploaded on YouTube was called “Me at the Zoo” and it currently has over 240 million views. A 19-second clip circa 2005 opened the door to a social media revolution as YouTube took the online world by storm. As of 2022, YouTube reported advertising revenues of around $7.34 billion, showing a 5% increase year-over-year. This makes YouTube one of the largest social media platforms globally.

What’s more, YouTube reported 2.5 billion active users in 2021, making it one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. The platform also offers a premium service, where users can download videos and enjoy content with no ads. In 2021, YouTube reported around 50 million premium users too.

Now the question is will YouTube continue to dominate the social media game as it does now or will the short videos trend will change the online landscape and make YouTube irrelevant with time?

The Current YouTube Landscape

YouTube is currently enjoying great numbers. A Pew Research report showed that 81% of Americans prefer watching content on YouTube as compared to Facebook (69%). YouTube was also one of two digital platforms that saw serious growth during the last two years when the world was on lockdown. The other platform was Reddit.

Experts believe that YouTube’s growth can be attributed to ease of access and users having a lot of time on their hands. There’s a certain satisfaction in being able to find a video about whichever topic you want to learn more about or catching up with your favorite vloggers and celebrities. YouTube’s layout and format make it easy for users to keep scrolling and watching, even when it impacts their productivity.

The platform is owned by Google, which means that analysts are constantly crunching numbers and monitoring performance. YouTube gets praise for being the kind of platform that listens to its users by screening videos and shutting out dangerous or harmful videos. The expansion into providing a premium service with no ads and creating YouTube TV has also helped attract new users.

The Trouble with YouTube

Even though YouTube appears to be enjoying massive success at the moment, there are three main challenges that the social media giant has to contend with, as follows:

Business Challenges

When you compare YouTube to Netflix, the problem becomes obvious. Both are video streaming platforms but where Netflix can license original content or generate new shows that appeal to its audience, YouTube has to rely on its users to keep the platform going. Netflix would still have content even if independent creators decided to boycott it while YouTube would be dismantled. Having user-generated content as a business model is tricky and leaves YouTube open to vulnerabilities, considering the rise of hundreds of other social media networks.

YouTube is trying to avert disaster by hosting meetups, holding conferences, and employing whom they call “partner managers” who invite celebrities, gamers, and musicians to create more video content. They also give them early access to new features and invite them to workshops where they can polish their skills to become more successful on YouTube.

Content Monitoring and Free Speech

The second challenge has to do with content monitoring and free speech. The YouTube algorithm keeps users hooked on the platform by actively learning what they’re watching and suggesting similar content. This leads users down a rabbit hole where they end up spending hours on the platform just consuming content. However, YouTube has faced some backlash with people complaining that the algorithm encouraged conspiracy theories and hate speech.

YouTube tries to counter this by relying on external ratings for its video content. If users downvote a certain video, YouTube moderators say that it’s flagged and reviewed for problematic content. However, this isn’t a foolproof solution because people who use hate speech wouldn’t downvote a video that had hate speech in it.

Treatment towards Content Creators

The third and most important challenge perhaps is YouTube’s treatment of its content creators. The platform has proven to be discriminatory to smaller content creators or those vloggers that live in countries other than the United States.

YouTube has somehow improved it in recent years, but there is always a chance that smaller content creators can get disheartened and switch over to another social media platform.

Will YouTube Be Relevant in the Future?

There are mixed reports all around. While many pessimistic users believe that YouTube is going downhill, the numbers don’t support it. In fact, as mentioned earlier, YouTube has been gaining subscribers and revenue over the last five years. So even though the data shows continual growth, why do people feel like YouTube is fading away?

One of the reasons that there might be a shift away from YouTube is due to different content formats. Instagram’s Reels are one such example. Content creators and viewers now prefer short, bite-sized content that they can consume. Alternatively, some videos like gameplay and episodes are preferred in longer segments. The problem could be in longer videos, where users spend more time watching content but watch fewer videos because they’re long. This results in a lower number of overall videos consumed.

Another reason is that there’s a lot of content to watch and stream. Platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and others offer exclusive content that users can binge in one sitting. This can be more attractive when compared to user-generated content. However, one of YouTube’s strengths is that it’s still free to access and users can find a plethora of content on it. Creators who have kept up with changing times are likely to be successful versus those who haven’t.

YouTube is likely to be successful ten years down the road because it offers something for everyone and there isn’t a social media platform that can replace it. You can watch anything from gaming videos to recipes all in one place. Plus, the platform offers something that streaming services don’t, i.e., socialization. YouTube will always be a place where users can interact with their favorite content creators, and for those reasons, it will continue to flourish.

Ethereum 2.0 Merge is just Around the Corner with the Success of the Last Testnet Goerli

The second largest cryptocurrency by market value, Ethereum has successfully completed its final dress rehearsal before the much-awaited major upgrade of the platform to Ethereum 2.0. The last dress rehearsal of Testnet Goerli has moved the platform much closer to deploying the proof-of-stake model for its network, which will consume significantly less energy. The Ethereum 2.0 Merge event is expected to occur by this month, which is considered the most important event in the history of the crypto industry.

Since the creation of Ethereum almost a decade ago, the cryptocurrency is being mined by a proof-of-work model. This model requires solving complex math equations, where thousands of miners compete to solve the equation first. This results in massive consumption of energy. The same mining approach is followed by Bitcoin.

For the past many years, Ethereum has been working to upgrade the network from a proof-of-work model to a proof-of-stake model. With this new model, the company believes that it will reduce over 99% of energy consumption. So, rather than using energy-intensive mining, the proof-of-stake model will require users to stake their current Ether collections to verify transactions and get rewards with new ethers. This approach eradicates the competition and might also result in faster transaction speed. So, when can we expect Ethereum 2.0 Merge? Let’s explore the testnet Goerli and see what it means for the upcoming Merge event.

Testnet Goerli – Everything You Need to Know

Goerli was one of the main test networks or testnets of Ethereum that was meant to simulate a process same as what the main network or mainnet will execute in September during the Merge event.

Goerli (named after a train station in Berlin) was the last of the three public testnets that the company planned to execute during the dress rehearsal of the Merge event. Testnets help developers to test new things and take necessary steps before the final update is rolled out all over the blockchain. The successful execution of the Goerli testnet presented that the proof-of-stake validation process reduced the energy demand significantly and also validated that the merger process works rightly. The success of Goerli testnet has made the mainnet Merge one step closer, and it is highly likely that the Merge will occur by this month.

The mainnet Merge is a very complex task that requires extensive efforts, trials, bugs fix, and a lot more. The developing team behind the merge event has performed multiple testnets prior to Goerli. The testnets are identical to their mainnet variants and help developers to test upgrades, look for bugs, pinpoint security loopholes, etc. Sepolia and Ropsten were the previous two testnet merges before Goerli that were also very successful. The success of all three testnets has indicated that the Merge will likely occur this month or at least by this year.

ETH Reaction to the Goerli Testnet

When the news of the success of Goerli testnet emerged, the Ethereum price showed a positive response and rose by around 12%. This showed how the community welcomed the much-awaited Merge event. However, the Ether price has declined from the upward trend, mainly due to the uncertainty in the crypto market for the past few months and the focus of investors to book profits before the upcoming merge, as per the research of CryptoSlate.

Ethereum Merge Countdown by Google

To your surprise, search engine giant Google is also on-board with the Ethereum Merge hype. Google has launched the countdown timer for the merge that will appear in the search if you search for the term “Ethereum Merge” or similar other terms.

For the past one month, the search data of the Ethereum upcoming merge is trending. The countdown ticker displays a close estimate of how much time is left till the merge will occur along with data on the current hashrate, algorithm difficulty, and merge difficulty. The timer also displays two cartoon pandas that are holding an object identical to Ethereum’s logo. As per developers, the pandas will come closer as the merge approaches.

The countdown by Google shows clear support for the Ethereum Merge. It is also beneficial for the crypto market because of the volatility of the crypto prices and the eagerness among investors for the next big news in the crypto space. The Ethereum Merge is already receiving positive responses across the crypto community, so it’s great to see that Google is also supporting the hype.

Wrapping Up – The Wait is Ending Soon

Since December 2020, the Ethereum developers have been testing the proof-of-stake model on a separate chain called beacon, which is running along with the current main proof-of-work chain. Beacon did help developers to solve many main problems.

The testnet Goerli also bought some other key development news. One of the main ones was the testnet Ropsten (the longest-running Ethereum testnet), which successfully merged its PoW execution layer with the PoS beacon chain. This news also gave clear signs that mainnet Merge will occur as per the plan.

Although Merge is a big event, but don’t think of the merge to cause a significant change in the network throughput or capacity. As per Ethereum Foundation, the gas fees will remain unchanged. The gas fee charges will depend on the demand and supply, i.e., more people using the blockchain will increase the gas fee charges and vice versa.

To sum up our discussion, the Ethereum Merge is undoubtedly one of the biggest events in the crypto market. Not just it is going to eradicate the energy-hungry mining model, it will also post numerous benefits for the developers and users. For example, developers will be able to build dapps much easier and more compatible. Moreover, the network will be able to process roughly 100,000 transactions per second. So, Ethereum Merge has a lot to offer and it’s just a matter of days that the much-awaited Merge will finally occur.

Insurance Agent vs. Broker: What’s The Difference

When someone talks about insurance policies, an insurance agent and broker is something that can commonly be heard. Have you ever thought about an Insurance agent vs Broker? Well, both of these terms are often used interchangeably, however, there is some difference between the two. If you are up for an insurance transaction, you must know the difference between these two terms.

There are many more terms when it comes to insurance. For example, the answer to the common question, “What are insurance points?” Is something you should know with confidence. These are the points that are added to your driving record by the department of motor vehicles of your state. 

The DMV adds any violations or at-fault accidents to your driving record behavior and when you apply for any insurance, the company checks out your DMV record to know the number of insurance points you are having and this impacts your premium rates for insurance.

For those looking for an Insurance agent Vs Broker, an insurance agent works as a salesperson for any insurance company. While a broker offers the consumers more generalized insurance services concerning any insurance agents or underwriters. This is the most common difference between the two. 

Let us move ahead and find out the difference between an insurance agent and an insurance broker.

Insurance Agent vs Broker: Comparison Table

It is necessary to check out the comparison table of the difference between an insurance agent and an insurance broker. So, let us have a look at the comparison table of the insurance agents and the brokers to better understand insurance agent vs broker. 

Basic ComparisonInsurance Agent Insurance Broker
AppointmentThey are appointed by the insurance companies themselves.They are selected by the buyers after choosing carefully from a pool of available brokers.
RepresentationThey only represent a single insurance company or a specific company and work for that.They represent multiple insurance companies for prospective insurance buyers.
RecommendationRecommendations are biased towards the company they are representing.Recommendations are in the buyer’s favor as they are working for the consumers only.
Support Quality As they are having an entity to back upon, hence the back office support is better in this case.Better quality support as highly personalized service is offered by them.
MotiveTheir main motive is to make a profit. They usually work on selling those products of the company that can help them to earn the highest profit from an individual customer.The broker doesn’t get any additional thing for any specific range of products offered by him.
TypesIt has two types: Captive and independent agents.It has two types: Wholesale and retail brokers.

As we have done a comparison between the insurance agents and insurance brokers and understood the basics of the difference between an Insurance agent vs broker, let us further check out the types of insurance brokers and types of insurance agents. 

Types of Insurance Brokers

There are two types of insurance brokers. Retail brokers and wholesale brokers are the two types of insurance brokers. Let us have a look at what they both mean.

1. Retail Broker

The retail brokers are the ones who work closely with the clients. They work to find the right and apt insurance for their clients and purchase that directly either from wholesale brokers or from an insurance company. They usually work with general and less complex policies of insurance covering common risks.

2. Wholesale Broker

Wholesale brokers are known to sell more specialized insurance products. They sell such products to retail brokers as well as insurance agents. They don’t have to work with the clients to understand their requirements and needs. 

Let us now check out the types of insurance agents for a better understanding of Insurance agent vs broker.

Types of Insurance Agents

There are more than one type of insurance agent. The primary two types of insurance agents are captive agents and independent agents. So, let us have a look at their meanings.

1. Captive Agents

The captive agents are the ones who work only for a single company that can either be full-time or work as an independent contractors. They receive administrative staff and office support from the company that hires them. They are highly knowledgeable about the products they represent and are offered by the insurer as they only sell these products.

2. Independent Agents

The independent agents work with several insurers and they are not just tied to a single company. They often offer a huge range of insurance products. They are pretty similar to insurance brokers. 

As we have got to know the types of insurance agents and insurance brokers, let us move ahead and find out more related to the insurance agent vs broker.

Insurance Agent vs Broker: The Difference Between the Two

Let us have a look at the difference between an insurance agent and an insurance broker to better understand the insurance agent vs broker. 

1. Representation

Insurance agents only represent a single company and sell the products in the lineup of the company. Brokers sell products that belong to different companies in the market. They don’t have any allegiance to a specific company and sell products as per the requirements of the customers.

2. Products Offered

The insurance agents offer you the products and services that are available in their employer companies and also for the flawless processing of various documents such as premium payments, paperwork, and forms. On the other hand, insurance brokers provide you with information regarding the suitable options as per your requirements. 

3. Scope

There is a narrow scope in the case of insurance agents as compared to the insurance brokers as the insurance agents only work with specific companies or just a single company. However, a wider scope might be considered in the case of insurance brokers as they have broader access to the full insurance marketplace because they are not just limited to a single company.

4. Accountability

The insurance company is accountable for the actions of the agent while it is not so in the case of insurance brokers. Brokers have higher accountability because they aren’t backed by any insurance company. The insurance company is penalized for the insurance agent’s wrongdoings while it is not the same in the case of insurance brokers. 

5. Clients

The insurance agents sell policies directly to the consumers on the behalf of their insurance companies while it is not the same in the case of insurance brokers. An insurance broker acts as a liaison between the consumers and insurers, underwriters, or agents with loyalty towards everyone.

This is the common difference between insurance agents and brokers. This is all about the insurance agent vs broker.

This is all about an insurance agent vs broker. The most common difference between the two is that an insurance agent works for a specific company while this is not so in the case of a broker. An insurance broker works by considering an individual consumer’s needs. If you have to choose between an insurance agent vs broker, you can choose one as per your requirement. Take the above points into consideration and then decide the best one that you require!

The Future of Smart Homes: Trends and Predictions

Needless to say, the world as we know it is going through some significant changes. Of course, we won’t focus on the negative. There’s no reason to do so since today’s topic is somewhat more optimistic than anything else one could think of once the “the world is going through some changes” phrase comes up in a conversation. Anyway, when it comes to technological advancements, one can’t help but mention the current & future state of so-called smart homes. We’re witnessing a massive influx of consumers looking for ways to reduce energy consumption, improve safety, and automate every necessary yet irritating household task they can. That being said, today we’ll talk a bit about the future of smart homes and the trends & predictions related to the subject in question. Stay tuned!

What Is a Smart Home?

Before we continue, let’s consider the main term for today. Therefore, let’s pose the following question: what is a smart home?

The definition of a smart home is quite simple: we’re talking about a home that’s equipped with lighting, heating, and electronic devices that a person is able to control remotely by using a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Of course, there are certain examples of smart home innovations & trends that will most probably dominate the market in the following years. Let’s take a look at some of them!

Smart home devices make our lives easier.

The Future of Smart Homes: Trends and Predictions

Without further ado, let’s see smart home trends & predictions for the following couple of years!

1. Who Else but Robots

That’s right, the first thing we’ll mention are robots, even though they’re a bit of an obvious answer here since they’ve already found their way into our homes. However, the model for the future will be further away from just a digital voice assistant. Here’s an example: have you heard about Amazon’s home robot called Astro? Astro is just another point in the line of Alexa-powered devices (Alexa is Amazon’s Siri). The device in question will include a home security drone and a video-chat service aimed at helping young people communicate with their relatives or friends from far away. Also, Astro acts like an ordinary home robot we’ve seen in the movies. It can, for instance, deliver drinks or assist the oldest members of your family in various activities.

All in all: one should expect that this technology will gain more & more popularity in the upcoming period. Who knows? Robots might even help you make a super-productive weekly schedule.

Needless to say, robots are the future of smart homes.

2. Smart Kitchen Gadgets, Anyone?

One can expect a ton of innovations in the smart-kitchen-gadgets field in the following years. Currently, there are many of these on the market. For instance, we’re talking about smart rice cookers being connected to Alexa, smart crackpots, and integrated apps. What was once a dream (an app telling you in a human voice how much time’s left to cook rice or you being able to control the cooker with your smartphone) is clearly a reality now. All in all: experts note that there’s still enough room for innovation. Therefore, we shouldn’t worry about the smart-kitchen-appliances market in the years to come.

3. Smart Thermostats

Remember the whole energy-saving part we mentioned earlier? Yup, now it’s time to talk a little about that. We’re witness to smart thermostats being one of the most widely accepted smart home devices. Who or what can we thank for their popularity? Well, they’re pretty easy to install. Also, you can customize your desired temperature and your routines. In other words, you’re able to modify the atmosphere & environment inside your home from, well, just about anywhere.

So, where’s the eco-friendly, energy-saving part? Here’s the thing: since you can control the temperature inside your place while you’re away from home, you turn the heating or cooling off or on from whatever location. Therefore, you can cut a good percentage off your energy bills. Some sources, like Consumer Opinion, claim that US citizens save about 10-12% on average on their heating bills and around 15% on their cooling bills in annual usage. All in all: this will most probably encourage many folks to welcome smart thermostats into their homes.

4. What About a Smart Home Office?

There’s no need to underline that the recent pandemic (we won’t mention its ugly name) somewhat revolutionized how we imagine the workspace. Currently, we’re in something folks like to call the post-pandemic period. However, we haven’t seen the expected back-to-the-old-office wave as more & more companies adopted the remote-work concept, regardless of whether there’s a pandemic. So, one can assume that smart home office gadgets will go through a boom in the following years due to the remote vs. in-office battle. Smart devices such as noise-canceling windows or air-filtration systems have become a necessity.

A smart home office hasn’t got an alternative.

5. The Future of Home Security

Nothing is more pleasant than knowing your home’s safe from intruders. Therefore, many folks are investing in smart home security systems. Even folks that aren’t so afraid of the good old jeez-someone-just-broke-into-my-crib scenario appreciate advancements in home security technology. For instance, security cameras let you see what your pets are up to once you’re not home, away during the day. Also, you can see once a package has been delivered to your porch. Anyway, it’s not just the security cameras; there are many security devices one can choose from. You’ll have to pick out an option that suits you best. For instance, you might want to opt for a smart video doorbell such as the Ring, which is something of a virtual butler, all thanks to Amazon’s Alexa Smart Responses.

Final Words

Okay, folks, so much for the future of smart homes. We’ve gone through some of the trends & predictions for years to come. There’s a good chance you’ve heard about some of these additions and introduced them to your home. One can conclude that the future seems bright for smart home devices. Also, one can hope that none of these will compromise our privacy, as we’re all concerned about our personal data. But, as we’ve said at the beginning, let’s avoid discussing the negative.

How to Make Money on Affiliate Programs: Step by Step Guide

Working with CPA affiliate programs is a great way to make money on the Internet in a convenient format and with a minimum initial investment. This type of cooperation consists in the fact that the advertiser pays the affiliate marketer for the targeted action performed by the user.

Different actions can be considered targeted: buying a product or service, registering on a website, filling out a form, downloading an application. That is why the CPA model is most often used in the B2C industry. But in order to get a stable income in the CPA network, you need to start somewhere. We will tell you about what should be the first steps on the path to success in affiliate marketing.

Search for an Affiliate Program

The affiliate program brings together advertisers and affiliate marketers, and each of them benefits from cooperation. Typically, affiliate networks sign contracts with various Internet resources on the one hand and with advertisers on the other.

However, it is important to be cautious of affiliate marketing scams and thoroughly research the reputation and transparency of statistics before partnering with a CPA program.

However, if you have never worked with a CPA network before, you should start with direct programs. This is a special type of CPA affiliate program where the network acts as an advertiser. That is, you will work without intermediaries or complex schemes. Benefits of working with direct programs include:

  • A huge selection of offers
  • Your own support service
  • Reliable and regular payments
  • High rates.

When choosing an affiliate network, also find out how open the company is, how much traffic it has, whether the statistics are transparent, whether there is a possibility of direct interaction with affiliate marketers to discuss individual conditions. The transparency of statistics will help you partner with the best affiliate programs.

Selection of Offers for Promotion

The next step in working with an affiliate program is choosing the offers that you will promote. An offer is a commercial offer that should interest the buyer. Offers are combined into verticals, and each of them has its own characteristics. Some of the most profitable and popular verticals are nutra, e-commerce, household, lifestyle and online gaming.

It is worth choosing offers you are well versed in, because in the future it will be difficult for you to advertise products that are unfamiliar and uninteresting to you. When choosing offers in a CPA network commodity, examine them for three criteria:

1) How relevant are the offers to the consumer?

2) What payouts does the CPA network offer for these products?

3) What is the expected cost of traffic?

Product Study

You have decided on the offers. Now you need to pay attention to the target audience of the product. Different factors are important: gender, age, level of education, target audience areas of employment. Geo plays a particularly important role – having studied it, you can take into account the peculiarities of the culture, language and mentality of buyers.

In addition, it is worth learning about what desires, needs, problems that need to be solved, interests and hobbies users have, as well as where they most often spend time (in the future, this will help you choose the right traffic channels).

This analysis of the target audience is necessary in order to understand how much the consumer may be interested in your offer, and to choose the most effective tools for its promotion.

Find the Audience Source

After choosing an offer, you will need to select a traffic source. The main task is to find the most effective channels that will help attract an audience to an offer from an affiliate network. If you are a beginner, it would be optimal to start with 2-3 channels, if necessary, changing the traffic sources or their number.

Please note that most offers have lists of allowed and prohibited sources. Popular traffic channels include social networks, native ads, push notifications, pops, banners and other types of advertising.

One of the most powerful tools it to use SubID tracking for affiliates. This is a way to track additional data on your affiliate link that gives you granular detail on the customer. Tools like this are invaluable to get the focus no need to succeed.

Audience sources that increase the effectiveness of the offer, combine well with each other and bring traffic, form the so-called “working bundle”.

Run Ads and Earn

We advise you to start working with a CPA network commodity with one product – this way the cost of a mistake will be insignificant, and you will be able to gain experience in promoting the offer. Run ads on offer and start earning.

When the first successes appear, connect other products to the promotion. It is desirable that the offers are from the same affiliate program, so you will have a better chance of getting good traffic and profit from all offers.

Do not be afraid to practice and test different offers – you can profit from any of them. With minimal experience and a willingness to develop, working with a CPA network can be an excellent source of income. Your task is simply to take the first step.

Bitcoin Vs. Dollar: Which is a Better Investment?

Bitcoin and the U.S. dollar are two of the most popular currencies in use around the world today. However, if you are confused upon which financial asset to rely on between Bitcoin and Dollar, then you can be assured that it is quite obvious. Thus, to give some limelight to your confusions, you can go through the thebitcoincode.

This article will help you understand how Bitcoin works, why it’s useful, and how it is compares to other currencies like Dollar.

1. Bitcoin Vs. Dollar: Price Action

  • The Bitcoin price is volatile. This means that it can go up and down significantly in a short time, making it an attractive investment for traders who want to make money from buying and selling assets quickly.
  • The dollar price is stable, making it an attractive investment for people looking to hold onto their currency for extended periods without worrying about losing out on potentially significant gains or losses from trading.

2. Bitcoin Vs. Dollar: Reliability

Reliability is a significant factor for any investment. If you are not sure about the reliability of your investment, then it will be hard for you to stick with it for a long time. Bitcoin is more reliable than the Dollar because:

  • It is decentralized and not controlled by any government – The Dollar is controlled by the U.S. government, while bitcoin isn’t affected by inflation or monetary policies of any country.
  • The supply isn’t fixed – Bitcoin’s supply increases slowly over time, but it can never exceed 21 million coins. On the other hand, there is no limit on how many dollars can be printed by U.S. Treasury.

3. Bitcoin Vs Dollar: Volatility

One of the main differences between bitcoin and the Dollar is their volatility. If you look at bitcoin’s price over some time, it will be easier to see that it’s more volatile than the Dollar. This means that there are extreme highs and typical lows when compared to the USD – its value can change very quickly in either direction.

The volatility of bitcoin has created a lot of talk amongst experts who believe that its value will increase as time goes by and more people adopt it as their preferred payment method. However, others think otherwise because they feel this digital currency has no backing whatsoever.

4. Bitcoin Vs. Dollar: Convenience and Accessibility

Bitcoin and the Dollar are convenient and accessible. Global acceptance makes Bitcoin easier to access than the Dollar.

Cryptocurrency can be used worldwide, unlike most fiat currencies (e.g., USD). Since bitcoin can be used anywhere, you don’t need to discover retailers who accept it or calculate how much cash you’ll need.

Bitcoin is available worldwide and has lower transaction fees than many other forms of payment. Many credit cards incur processing fees when travelling internationally or shopping on foreign websites or stores.

5. Bitcoin Vs. Dollar: Transaction Speed

If you consider comparing Bitcoins and Dollars in terms pf transaction speed, then you have to keep in mind that Bitcoin takes at least 10 minutes to come to existence. But on the other hand, Dollars take only a few minutes to attain the desirable results. Thus, you should consider these points before deciding your choice of currency.

In summary, Bitcoin is a better investment than the Dollar because of its price action, reliability and volatility.

The cryptocurrency market is still young and volatile, and you can’t miss out on this opportunity to get rich quickly. You will not only make money from buying cryptocurrencies at their early stage but also from their appreciation over time.

With BitQL you can us an AI algorithm in order to speed up your trading accuracy and efficiency.

Conclusion

Well, that concludes the discussion on the comparison between the two currencies. As you can see, Bitcoin has a lot more to offer than dollars, but there are some things it needs to improve before becoming a truly better investment. With its price currently at $2,900 per BTC and growing by the day, there’s no doubt that this cryptocurrency will be around for years to come. So if you want to invest in something good like a good trading app such as Crypto Trader App and start trading today, you might gain profits in the coming years.