Need to Make a Powerpoint Presentation? Here Are Some Useful Tips

Posted on February 21, 2022 by Charlene Brown

Powerpoint presentations are one of the most effective tools you can use when in need of presenting a new project to your colleagues, or maybe you’re a student and have an exam or seminar.

Whatever the case, with this useful tool you can easily present your ideas, categorize them slide by slide, and make the whole experience visually pleasing to your audience. So, therefore, if you want to further upgrade your “game”, here are some useful tips on how to make it even more appealing, or if you never did one, here is how to.

Make Sure the Font Is Right

When making a presentation, you want to make sure the letters you use are in the appropriate font. Depending on the type of presentation, and the type of statement you want to make, the choice of the proper letter font. For more serious meetings, you’ll use maybe Ariel or Calibri, or when you have to highlight a newspaper article, Times New Roman is maybe more convenient. This also applies to school work and student projects. Another piece of advice we can give you when it comes to presentations is choosing the right background, meaning using the template which will emphasize the content the most. People often make the mistake of putting a dark template and not changing the color of the letters, often resulting in zero visibility of what they wrote. Avoid these amateur mistakes, and make sure the template is not distracting. Also, make sure to write less and say more, meaning make the sentences short. They are essentially there to summarize the most significant aspects, providing concise definitions rather than entire textbook passages.

Slide Master

The slide master feature is one of the most useful tools you can have on a presentation, as PowerPoint actually allows for several different options, like two separate columns, or maybe even a bulleted list. It allows for a better background, depending on the need. Sometimes you can use the two separate column features when you have to highlight the contrasting parallels between two things, or you can easily make it text/image as the feature also allows you to put one. This choice is more than beneficial for a presentation and a better visual presentation of your message. It will appear more professional and demonstrate you have put more work into it.

Make the Transition between Slides Smooth

In an attempt to make the PowerPoint presentation more appealing and more interesting, people often use different features like the jump or fly-in feature between slides. The transition might be useful when you are presenting in front of little children, who’ll find it amazing, but when it comes to serious projects in front of colleagues or students at college, avoid these as it seems unprofessional. Make sure it is smooth, meaning less flashy and more serious. This also applies to the use of sounds, animations, and other similar comic book-like features available. Although there is a place and time for them, overusing them will distract your audience from the content and make them focus on the animation instead. Therefore, be careful with these items and make sure to incorporate them into the presentation when necessary.

Make It Coherent

One thing to have in mind when making the presentation is being coherent. Meaning- the fewer slides the better, and make sure the content appears on the slide in a consistent fashion. PowerPoint allows for the appearance of lines slowly or gradually with every click of the mouse. This amazing feature is perfect for building audience anticipation and hiding parts of the text you are not going to refer to right away. This also means that every line has to be coherently linked to the previous, so if you are thinking of making a little digression, do not use this feature. Referring back to the previous phrase, if you have a lot of slides, your audience is likely to lose patience and focus, so try to condense all you want to convey into a few concise and effective slides.

Use this guide to help you orient yourself and navigate through your information in a non-distracting manner for those who are listening. PowerPoint has the feature of jumping from the front to the back and back again to the front, so there is no need for every single one of them when searching for that piece of text.

The text on your slides is there to remind you of the most important bits, therefore do not be the kind of guy who reads from the slides, especially as everyone else can do that in their head. The points you make are there to be like a little note to yourself, you are the one with the “actual” content, not the slides. We hope your presentation will be a true success.

Important Reasons Your Company Needs Managed IT Service

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Milos Radakovic

It’s vital that you look for the best solutions and that you have an IT staff on hand to help you solve problems. It is critical to have IT service help not just to fix your laptop, but also to provide you with the finest possible assistance with other internal IT issues.

Organizing the Data

Improving data management is one of the most compelling reasons to use IT support services. Humans are unable to manage enormous volumes of data through manual processing. The IT support team is in charge of maintaining the information, categorizing it, and ensuring that it is supplied to the proper domains and procedures.

Supporting Your Customers

Customer service will be considerably better if you have an IT staff to assist you with problems.

Partnering with managed IT services Raleigh can provide your North Carolina based business with expert support to address technical issues promptly and efficiently. This ensures smoother operations and enhances the overall customer experience by minimizing downtime and improving service reliability.

It will improve service while also facilitating communication. Emails and social networking sites, for example, are two channels that might be problematic. You do, however, have an IT support team to help you manage your company’s communication channels. It would help if you also took advantage of the IT support team for customer service.

Maintenance

System maintenance may be assisted by the IT support staff. When a system isn’t working properly, it slows down over time, resulting in a plethora of issues. When your system fails and you seek a solution for both internal and external demands, the IT support department will be able to provide you with the technical resources you require to speed up the system while also supporting you with the system’s essential requirements. Because they do not use IT services, the vast majority of businesses are left behind. IT services will not only save you money but will also provide you with a wealth of technical resources and other benefits. To keep your business going forward and ensure that it expands, you may need to hire more support employees or hire a third-party managed IT services firm in Toronto to give you the best possible help.

Since so many businesses do not have in-house IT assistance, they must rely on third-party services. Third-party organizations can easily aid you if you have a small company and don’t want to hire a lot of people just for the IT department. But, in the first place, what is the point of having an IT department? Most firms neglect the most critical question. The advantage of having an IT service, whether in-house or outsourced, is that it helps with problem-solving. You can’t always take your laptop to the store to get it fixed.

Having Trouble Accessing Your Netflix From Abroad?

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Matt Outreach

Have you ever wanted to magically unblock Netflix? Of course, this will ring a bell with avid Netflix users around the world, particularly those that travel. Some of you may already have Netflix unblocked with the setup we have laid out for you below. Unblocking Netflix may read like a typo for some, as it will not make sense to Netflix users who do not travel or find themselves physically outside the borders of their native country from time to time. For explanatory reasons, we’ll first look at Netflix at a glance, define what a VPN is, and finally lay out a roadmap to the step-by-step process on how to unblock Netflix from anywhere.

Later, you will see how to do this in a completely legal, legitimate, leisurely, and surprisingly simple way with the use of a commercially available cybersecurity tool known as the VPN.

About Netflix

The media streaming giant has completely captivated the eyes, ears, brains, and attention spans of hundreds of millions of people over a surprisingly short period of time. Those of us that are into the early stages of adulthood say Millennials, will be familiar with the beginnings of Netflix. Younger generations may be quite surprised to hear that Netflix had ridiculously humble beginnings, hanging on to a thread and trying to compete with now long gone Blockbuster in the mid to late 2000s. What would save Netflix from disappearing would be a revolutionary idea called digital streaming, which was no man’s land in the 2000s. At the time, just like Blockbuster, Netflix’s mode of business was renting DVDs via postal service, mostly, as this was very much the zeitgeist of the 2000s and a precursor of what was to come.

Today, Netflix is unrecognizable. The once unassuming company is a legitimate success story. A long time has passed since physical media like CDs and DVDs were the way to consume media. Although, mail-in DVD services do still exist on a much smaller scale and Netflix still offers this old-school option.

Now, with the advancement of technology that has brought high-speed internet, cloud storage, and smart TVs, it is possible to digitally stream an endless amount of material from a Netflix-operated server at your fingertips without having to move a muscle.

Netflix today has amassed over 200 million paying subscribers of various ages across the board, most of which will be accessing Netflix through a friend’s or family member’s subscription. The company has a multi-billion dollar revenue, employs almost 10,000 people, and owns half of the total playback time on streaming services. Imagine if Blockbuster had taken up that offer to buy Netflix for $50 million in 2000? Alas, Blockbuster is no more and Netflix’s digital streaming gamble paid off at the right place, at the right time.

As far as original production goes, Netflix is second only to big boss Disney’s Disney+, averaging 1 original title per day with 371 original titles in 2019. However, Netflix’s large swath of awards and cult status means that competition is going to find it difficult to compete, so it may be better to “Netflix and chill.”

What is a VPN And Why Use One for Netflix?

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a tunneling network security software that also encrypts and anonymizes a user’s connection. VPNs also allow users to connect to several servers around the world, which then physically changes the IP address of the user’s internet connection to match it to the country being connected to. This is a trick that premium VPNs do particularly well.

The case for VPN usage during Netflix streaming is related to how digital streaming services license and broadcast their material. For instance, you cannot access your U.S. Netflix collection from the UK which has completely different laws for broadcasting and licensing streaming services. For this, we need to trick Netflix servers into thinking that you are still in the U.S. That’s it, fairly simple! Keep in mind that you should not use a free VPN in general, save for a few ones like Proton, because not only will your speed and server selection be limited, you may fall victim to malware and cybercrime.

Also, users wishing to access different regional Netflix libraries can use the magic of a VPN to do so in a completely legal, and smooth way. You can do the same thing no matter which digital streaming service you are subscribed to. For the cherry on top, a premium VPN will encrypt your connection, allow you to browse the internet more anonymously, and block your ISP and the government from looking at your internet traffic. Finally, you can also unblock apps that may be censored in certain countries (but watch out if this is banned, or if VPN usage is banned.)

How to Setup a VPN For Netflix

This is a simple process, only in that first of all, you have to know how to download a premium VPN such as NordVPN or ExpressVPN (among others) for your specific device. You can also do Surfshark or Cyberghost, the quality will be the same as these are top-tier VPNs with more than enough headroom to unblock and stream Netflix in high quality.

Once you have downloaded and subscribed to a premium VPN service, you will have downloaded the app to your device. Now, install and run the app, clicking on “allow” to any permissions your device requests you to adjust. Then, you must activate the service and select a server to connect to depending on which Netflix collection you want to access (or which subscription.) Remember, do not launch Netflix before you do this, have it closed. If for some reason a particular server, say in the U.S., doesn’t work then just try another one.

Now, you will have your internet connection routed through your country of choice, putting you within the region as far as Netflix is concerned. Now, finally, launch Netflix and enjoy VPN magic with your friends and family!

How to Access Region-Blocked Websites from Abroad

Posted on February 17, 2022 by Dave Outreach

How do you feel when you want to visit some site to view a movie or read an article, and suddenly it turns out that only visitors from India can see it? There are ways to get around it: for example, you can use an India proxy server to access Indian-only content. Let’s see how it works and what you need to use this method.

Why Do Sites Get Region-Blocked?

When we speak about site blockades, we often mean government censorship. But often the owners of websites lay restrictions upon access, allowing only visitors from their country or several ones to access the entire site or select content on it. Why do they do it?

To comply with state politics. For example, some movies and series can be found amoral in Oriental and Middle-Eastern countries while allowed in the West or Japan.
To avoid copyright issues. It’s based on the fact that distribution rights are often sold separately for different countries and regions. It often happens with Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming services.
To save bandwidth and performance by blocking visitors from other countries. It makes sense, for example, if your shop doesn’t sell goods abroad.

Regardless of the reason, you need to visit a region-blocked website, and there are just two ways to do it. Either you physically move to that country and reach it from there, or you pretend you’re from there with a little help from a proxy server.

Proxy to the Rescue

To disguise yourself as a resident of a certain country, you may use a proxy that shows the server its own data instead of yours. This includes the IP address and derivatives of it, like, for example, location data. With this, the server will see you as a visitor from an approved area – and let you in. This is how proxies work.

Today proxies are in abundance. You can enjoy lots of free proxy servers that take you to virtually any corner of the world, from Portugal to Fiji. It’s not a problem to find one; it’s rather a problem to choose the right proxy. Here is what you need to consider.

Which Proxy Do You Need?

If you only need access to reading the sites and don’t care much about streaming quality and privacy, your demands can be satisfied by a free proxy. But situations vary. Sometimes, the very fact that you are visiting sites meant for another region can compromise you. Or your data might leak and appear in a hacker database. Or your videos or audios just won’t load. Or…

To protect yourself from all these or’s, you may use a well-paid proxy. Not only will you get a stable fast connection and a rich data plan for your money. What is even more important is granted personal data security and connection privacy. With a paid proxy provided by a serious company, you can be sure they hold their responsibility and fulfill their obligations.

Among various paid propositions, you don’t only choose by price. There are extras and perks that you might need or not, so choose by usability as well. Anyway, there is always a proxy that can help you (though not in person) get anywhere you want.

Wherever You Are, You’re Here

Do you often need to visit region-blocked sites? How do you get around the restrictions? Are you good with a free proxy, or prefer to subscribe? And which option is the best? Your opinion matters; why not share it in the comments? We don’t insist on having your real location 🙂

How to Profit from the Coming Web 3.0 Revolution

Posted on February 16, 2022 by Hamza Razzaq

None of us are new when it comes to the internet. We know it as a gigantic bank of information that seems to keep on giving. Billions of people around the world have moved with the web as it was invented and then reinvented. Internet users have gone from absorbing readily available information (Web 1.0) to creating and contributing information (Web 2.0) and are now in the upcoming throes of a decentralized system (Web 3.0).

There is no doubt that Web 3.0 is almost, if not already, here. Bill Gates hinted at this possibility in 1996, and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey confirmed it last year. With the race increasing to see who can make the most bank out of the Web 3.0 revolution, companies are toppling over each other to invest and catch up. Microsoft went so far as to lay their beloved Internet Explorer to rest so they could create a new browser that will help them profit from Web 3.0.

The real question then arises: how do you stand to profit from this decentralized future? There are a lot of ways you can get your foot in the door as Web 3.0 is ushered in. Before we dive into profit-making methods, let’s go through a quick recap of what Web 3.0 is.

Recapping Web 3.0

The internet we use today is the second iteration of the web, namely Web 2.0. This is the internet of endless content and data. However, it works through a centralized monopoly of companies that dictate how users access and use any and all platforms. Think tech conglomerates, like Apple, Amazon, Google, Twitter, and more. Users are able to create and post their own content, interact with each other, and use e-commerce services, but none of this is really in their control because Web 2.0 works on consumer shared data. Users see what they “want” to see, or better put, what companies want them to see.

Web 3.0 is the “Internet of Things” and it works on a decentralized model using new techs, like blockchain, NFTs, and DAOs. What’s more, it puts the control in users’ hands, meaning users can use the web how they want to, by sharing only information that they want to. The idea is that users will be rewarded for any information they decide to share and will be able to access whatever it is they want rather than what companies want them to.

How to Profit from Web 3.0?

Keeping this distinction in mind, let’s take a look at how you can profit off of the coming revolution.

Invest in Web 3.0 Stocks

There’s a new gold rush as far as investing in Web 3.0 goes. Several big-name companies, including Meta, Nike, Apple, Microsoft, and more have already started investing in Web 3.0 in various ways. Some are creating metaverses, others like Coinbase are doing it through DAOs (i.e., allowing users to lend cryptocurrency), while others still are exploring blockchain-based solutions for individuals and businesses. Here are 3 companies to keep a lookout for if you want to invest in Web 3.0.

Meta: Facebook changed its name to Meta and is actively working to become a pioneer in the metaverse, a virtual world that allows users to buy property, create avatars, interact, display leased or owned NFTs, and do a lot more. Meta also bought out Oculus (VR gaming startup) in the past for $2 billion, indicating that they’re diving into Web 3.0 headfirst and are planning on monetizing the virtual space.
Intel Corporation: Intel is working hard to create and provide reliable tech that allows users easy access to the blockchain. They have their own blockchain platform called Sawtooth which boasts an airtight ledger, ensuring that businesses can operate in a safe online environment.
Coinbase: Coinbase, a crypto trading platform, is investing in an NFT marketplace and aims to become the only centralized platform for crypto and NFT trading. They’ve amassed over $3 billion in net income over the past year alone, showing they would be a good bet to invest in.

Other than the above three companies’ stocks, there are many other potential companies’ stocks where you can invest to profit from Web 3.0, such as Nvidia, IBM, AMD, and the list goes on. In short, purchasing web3 stocks is one way to profit from Web 3.0, but it will be a long-term investment.

Mint or Flip NFTs

One of the best ways to get into Web 3.0 is by making full use of NFTs. There are a lot of possibilities here, from creating your own rare NFTs to buying and selling, i.e., flipping them for record profit. A lot of independent creators and companies have made money selling unique art pieces, gaming videos, sports highlights, and more. In short, the NFT revolution will only continue to grow with time.

Join a DAO Startup

Web 3.0 will allow startups to follow a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) model, meaning the whole entity will be managed entirely by its members. The absence of a centralized system means that every member feels they have a key role in the startup, thereby increasing trust. Anyone who works in a DAO is rewarded for their contribution and can reap dividends from their investment. The whole thing is regulated by machines, ensuring members won’t be robbed of their payments and can keep a track of them.

Easily Download Images

Platforms for video sharing, for example, Dailymotion and YouTube are incredibly popular sites because they allow free streaming of videos, films, songs and whatnot for the sole convenience of their viewers. Given that these platforms are free to use. Assuming that these platforms run free of cost, you must be thinking for what reason you need a Pinterest video downloader.

It increases the speed of the downloading procedure. Another advantage is that consumers may choose the resolution they want to download. Don’t worry if you believe the download is failing because the video’s size is too huge; simply choose a lower resolution. Video enthusiasts like me and you may easily download and store videos by just hitting a button, and then play them whenever and as many times as you like.

Is Web 3.0 Too Good to be True?

Web 3.0 represents a glorious future for internet users or at least that’s the idea behind it. Several criticisms of the upcoming decentralized web may deter people from wanting to invest. One of them is that since all of this tech is new and rapidly changing, it’s difficult to keep up with it. Another is that blockchain networks and tech are currently handled by a few people and companies, namely early adopters and risk-loving venture capitalists. There is no widespread access for the public and Web 3.0 is therefore not beneficial for absolutely everyone.

However, despite its problems, Web 3.0 has a ton of potential. A decentralized internet that puts the power back in users’ hands is something most of us have only dreamt of. And while it’s true that not everyone will be able to profit off of it, it’s also true that those who get a jump start will find themselves many dollars richer. Because whichever way you slice it, Web 3.0 is the future and it’s best to get ahead of the profit game as soon as possible.

Are NFTs the Future of the Online Game Industry?

Posted on February 16, 2022 by Hamza Razzaq

Have you ever been curious like me, who always wanted to have a specific skin that nobody else has in the whole game? If yes, then hold tight, as it is happening right now. We are finally in the era where we can have our unique costumes and skins, which actually belong to us only. It’s possible now with NFTs. But wait a minute, what are NFTs?

An NFT is a Non-Fungible Token, which is a digital representation of a unique object. A token is an item that can be traded or used as a virtual currency. It can represent a physical object (such as a car) or a digital object (such as an in-game weapon).

In short, Non-Fungible Tokens are digitized assets that are usually associated with a specific company, brand, or product. These tokens are unique and cannot be replicated.

Are NFTs the Future of Online Games?

The answer is very controversial, as some people are opposing this thing, while on the other hand, there are multiple new game companies that just started on the basis of NFT projects.

Reasons Why NFTs could be the Future of Online Games

There are a bunch of reasons that could potentially agree with you and me on thinking that NFTs are surely the future of online games. Here we will discuss this point from the perspective of growing avatar use in the game industry.

1. Sense of Ownership

These days people purchase the skin, and anyone else can purchase the same skin with the same amount of money. So, there is no sense of ownership.

While on the other hand, if we take NFTs in games, there is only one specific skin or outfit that anyone in the world can have. It gives you a real sense of ownership and lead.

2. Tradeable

You can easily sell your skins and costumes to any other player in the game on a secondary marketplace like OpenSea. All you have to do is just sell the token, not the item itself. It will allow you to find a person who wants to purchase your exclusive item at a price that suits your needs.

It doesn’t just stop there, the ownership can be transferred to the new owner on the blockchain, but at any time, you can check the history of that specific skin or costume to show others who was the 1st owner of that specific skin.

3. Diverse Themes

Human love diversification and NFTs are one step towards diversification in games. It will allow companies to create an infinite number of costumes with different themes, not just the same old skins that everyone already has.

As a person who loves playing games, having something unique is always better than having the same item as others do.

4. More Profits

It’s proven that most people who purchase access pass only purchase it for one character skin that they can grind in-game, so they don’t mind paying for it. But with NFTs, a new concept arises where a person will have to pay a premium price to get a single skin or outfit, this will increase profits by adding more revenue channels.

On top of that, it’s not about skins and outfits, and there is a bunch of other stuff that companies are selling to increase revenue. For example, cars, weapons, powers, wings, etc. The more the options are available to players, the more they are likely to spend on their gameplay.

This encourages the circulation of money, which is the basic principle of economics. If you can circulate money, you can generate money.

5. More Freedom

The most amazing thing that we can get with NFTs is the freedom on how we want to spend our money on games. Right now, if you want to purchase a skin or an outfit for your character, you have to purchase it from one single company, but NFT-based games are not going to be the same.

Players can buy skins on an open marketplace, so they don’t have to wait for a specific game company to launch new skins. They can always choose from alternatives that will satisfy their needs with less money.

The same is the case when you are selling your NFTs because you are the one who decides when, where, and for how much you want to sell your specific game piece.

You can always decide the price on the basis of rare traits of your skin/character. You can use Rarity.Tools to check the rank of your specific NFT with respect to other NFTs in a specific category.

6. Removing the Risk of Monopolization

Monopolization is when a single firm takes over the market by relentlessly pushing out its competitors). It has been a big problem in the online game industry since its existence. But with NFTs, monopolization can come to an end.

With the use of ERC-20, there are an infinite number of unique items that are created by everyone, which makes it impossible to have a single company controlling them all. The only way to have complete dominance over the market would be the purchase of every single rare item available in the marketplace.

That is a major shift from how the online game industry was run before by a few big companies. Having a free and decentralized economy will bring a lot of new people into this space.

7. Crisp Gameplay

Keeping the uniqueness of NFTs aside, it also brings crispness to the gameplay, which is amazing. For example, if you want to purchase a skin for your character but it cost $100, the game will limit your gameplay to just grinding and leveling up so that you can afford that specific skin.

But now, with NFTs, there is no more need for grinding or spending time just to level up so that you can get access to the items you want.

With a cryptocurrency wallet, you can purchase a skin instantly without any hassle of any specific level requirement. More money is always good for the industry, and it will make everyone happy in this space who is interested in online games.

Wrapping Up

Now that we know the cool aspects associated with NFTs, we can depict its active involvement in the online game industry in the near future. EA (maker of FIFA football series) also says that NFTs are a part of the gaming industry’s future. In fact, it is anticipated that the NFT games industry will even surpass the Hollywood industry in just a few years. In a nutshell, it’s a big “YES” that NFTs are a part of the future of the online game industry.

Four Productivity Enhancing Tools Many Businesses Are Still Not Utilizing

Posted on February 16, 2022 by Georgia

In an increasingly competitive environment where the number of businesses operating in most sectors is growing, and everyone is chasing a shrinking pot of consumer cash, good productivity is essential. Often, it is what makes the difference between a business being competitive and profitable, or failing.

Enhancing your productivity gives you an edge, which is usually enough to enable you to out-compete even large competitors on price. While at the same time improving the quality of what you offer your customers. A winning combination, which results in higher growth and profit. As well as creating a more robust business. One that is agile enough to adapt to even the most challenging changes in market conditions. You can start your own business by getting an LLC in Georgia.

The tools and software we talk about here are all designed to help you to improve productivity. None of them are particularly expensive and we have chosen tools for which there is plenty of support, including user-generated how-to videos.

Process Mapping Software

Let´s start with what is possibly the most productive tool – process mapping. It takes time to map and tweak your processes. But it pays dividends. Once you have mastered the skill you will find it easy to do it for anything new you do in your business.

Using a process mapping tool like Gliffy or Visual Paradigm enables you to see the workflow involved in everything you do. The steps that need to be taken to achieve important tasks, which are what makes a business tick. When you start mapping those processes out, you quickly see where valuable time is being wasted. Often, you will be able to drastically simplify your processes, which will make everyone much more productive.

There are paid tools out there, but the free ones like these do a good job. Use this guide to gain a better understanding of what process mapping is, its benefits, and how to do it. The guide is designed for any type or size of business to use.

It takes time to map and tweak your processes. But it pays dividends. Once you have mastered the skill you will find it easy to do it for anything new you do in your business. Leveraging the right technology can streamline operations and improve client engagement, making it an indispensable tool for productivity and growth.

Project Management Software

Project management tools like Monday, Trello, and Asana are invaluable. Even if you are running a small company, using one has benefits. It keeps everybody accountable as well as organized. A lot of businesses start using project management tools when they are making big changes. For example, for a refit or to develop a new product or service. Usually, they also end up using it to control day-to-day processes. If you want to know how it works and read some case studies, click here.

Data Syncing Tools

For any business data analysis is vital. Any firm that is not gathering, collating, and analyzing its data is leaving a lot of money on the table. For example, it is now possible to display in-store adverts using digital display screens. Which ad is displayed when is automatically tracked and the data is saved in a format that enables it to be combined with the sales data for the item that is being advertised. It is a really easy way to identify which ad formats convert and which don´t. It´s one of the reasons that the use of retail digital signage has taken off so quickly. Especially given the fact that ads that convert well in-store typically also do so when used online. For those retailers that run e-commerce stores as well as physical ones, this is a quick way to measure the effectiveness of ads, which saves them a lot of time and money.

The more automated the data syncing and report production is the more likely it is that a business will be able to use that information. Nobody wants to employ a data entry clerk to pull data together into one place.

Data syncing can also play a role in keeping everyone organized and working efficiently. For example, the software enables people to synchronize their schedules across multiple calendars, devices, and operating systems. This means they do not have to enter meetings into Outlook, then get their phone out and do the same for Android. This takes time and, of course, there is a high risk that they will forget to put it on their phone and maybe even miss the meeting.

CRM Software

If you sell services or use a sales team or leads for attracting buyers, not using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is a big mistake. It is all too easy to lose track of where a potential client is in your sales funnel. You do not want your sales team to end up calling them too soon, which could make them feel that they are being pestered. Equally, you do not want a lead to be wasted because someone left it too long to follow up. Using CRM software makes sure this does not happen. In the process, this greatly increases the effectiveness and productivity of your sales team.

The above are just a few examples. There are many more tools that can help improve productivity, including those specifically designed for your sector. So, if you have not explored what is available for a while, it really is worth your while to do so.

Influencer Marketing – a New Word in Advertising

Posted on February 15, 2022 by Maxim Grigoryev

Among digital promotion channels, influencer marketing stands apart. It is one of the few channels that has not lost but only increased its relevance in recent years. And attract more and more advertisers. We have collected everything you need to know about this way of promoting both goods and services and the brand.

How to Find B2B Influencers?

Today, the influencer marketing sphere consists of advertisers, bloggers, and audiences. In addition, a layer of intermediaries and services has formed that make it easier for advertisers to find and interact with opinion leaders. Among such intermediaries, can be distinguished:

Email finders. You can simply find someone’s email in Google Sheets with special exchanges and apps.
Agencies. Many top bloggers work through agencies. Agencies enter into exclusive contracts with bloggers, so you can hardly negotiate placement directly. Agencies are suitable for brands that benefit from completely outsourcing the development and implementation of the campaign to the contractor.
Blogger exchange. These are online platforms for working with bloggers. As a rule, there is a catalog with search and filters, analytics on the accounts of each blogger together with influencer categories, the ability to conduct secure transactions, and other functionality to facilitate search and cooperation. This type of cooperation is helpful for small and medium-sized companies that plan to work with several bloggers at once and other customers who want to make working with bloggers as easy as possible without overpaying the agency.
Blogger directories. Just lists of bloggers, sometimes with filters, but no other functionality to work with. As a rule, they are free and suitable for cases when you need to find just a couple of bloggers for one-time posting without comparing and analyzing them.

If the question of how to find B2B influencers is still unsolved for you, it is a wise decision to try https://getprospect.com/b2b-contact-database or other similar databases and save your time.

B2B Influencer Content

We propose a straightforward definition. Influencer marketing is a way to promote products and services through b2b influencers. Any person trusted by the target audience can be an opinion leader. Famous bloggers or media personalities are most often considered opinion leaders in influencer marketing, but it can be any authoritative person whose opinion is listened to. For example, a frequenter of a thematic forum is respected for his competence and helpful advice.

In addition to opinion leaders, there are also “agents of influence.” An influencer is not necessarily an opinion leader. It is the name of people who can influence other people’s opinions through their actions and authoritative comments. Agents of influence form the attitude towards a particular brand. Their task is to direct the discussion in the direction necessary for the customer and set the “correct” tone from this point of view. It can even be small discussions, and correspondence within various forums, thematic platforms, commentary feeds on social networks, and other resources where the target audience can hang out. Such posts attract the attention of regular users and even companies who get involved in the threads – for this reason, their posts are called the B2B influencer content.

Another person often takes part in the process of forming loyalty – the brand ambassador (the “face” of the brand or the “ambassador” of the brand). It is a well-known, famous person who is invited to represent the values and ideals of the company. Most often, with b2b influencer marketing, the target audience associates with the company’s visual image.

Who is Influencer Marketing For?

Best of all, such marketing works in projects with vast geography – online stores, financial services, cinema, and cellular communications. Also, good results are shown by projects aimed at sales in metropolitan cities. Emotional or situational goods that can be ordered immediately or are easy to subscribe to are not wrong – food delivery, games, mobile applications, and so on. If you target a specific region, pay attention to how many subscribers the blogger has from your city or region.

Helpful Tips for Working With Bloggers

To work with an influencer, you should prepare in advance. Speak out your requirements and the desired result. If you work directly, then agree on the provision of advertising services. Here are some tips for working with influencers that always work:

Respond to comments, even negative ones. Ignoring negative comments under the post nullified all efforts. There is no need to ask the blogger to delete them – show professionalism and write worthy and adequate answers on the merits. And if the commentators are right, admit it publicly and promise to get better. Often this works better than the most positive review.
Ask the Youtube blogger not to remove the promotional video or link you. Such videos continue to be indexed in Google and video hosting itself. And this means that by placing a link under a popular video, you provide yourself with traffic and leads for months and even years in advance.
Come up with promo codes related to the blogger’s name. Unique promotional codes are used to receive a discount, additional service, or other bonuses. On the one hand, this will increase the audience’s interest in your product. On the other hand, it will demonstrate the blogger’s concern for his subscribers. And you will get another tool for marking and evaluating the effectiveness of the channel.

Influencer Marketing Examples

It’s time to look at examples of b2b and understand what type of influencer marketing is right for you. There are lots of influence marketing examples on the Internet, let’s review one of them.

Business Case. Natural cosmetic

The company produces and distributes a youth brand of facial care cosmetics, mainly through a network of offline distributors. The competition is high. You have to fight for the client’s attention to your brand and the best places on the shelves of pharmacies and stores.

Goals: Create an association with the brand, expand the audience by increasing the reach, and show the product’s benefits.

Audience: girls from 17 to 26 years old. The most relevant audience is the so-called “beauty bloggers,” girls who keep video blogs about self-care and beauty.

Criteria for choosing a blogger: From 100,000 subscribers, the channel’s topic is personal care and beauty, the age of the bulk of the audience is 17 years old.

The blogger is tasked with making a detailed review of several brand cosmetics to achieve these goals. In one of his videos, the blogger talks about the existence of the brand and demonstrates some cosmetics. This approach increases subscribers’ interest in the brand and builds trust in its products.

4 Businesses That Experience Major Benefits From Technology

Posted on February 15, 2022 by Scott Fluent

Technological advancement can affect every aspect of the business ranging from employee efficiency to faster delivery and better customer service.

Technology has become an integral part of our society and economy. Almost any professional can benefit from software and gadgets, regardless of their industry. Digital tools can be used by someone like a dental marketing consultant or shipyard worker.

So much so that the companies are creating a competitive advantage not by improving their internal processes but instead by introducing new technology.

Having said that, certain industries benefit more from technology than the other fields. By not improving your systems and keeping up with the competition, you can quickly go out of the business. Here is a list of 4 businesses that experience major improvements from continuous technological advancement.

1. Manufacturing

When we talk about automation and digitalization, the first thing that pops into mind is manufacturing. This field has always benefited from doing things faster and more efficiently. Often, this is the main differentiation between two companies and products.

Although the emphasis is usually on efficiency, technology can improve every part of the process. For example, you can utilize advanced software to create a better product design. Or, it can serve the production and logistics team as they try to quickly deliver an order to end-users.

What people don’t realize is that technology affects other things as well. For example, it can significantly improve workplace safety. As written by Protex AI in a guide on how technology helps improve workplace safety, employees working in high-risk industries such as construction, manufacturing, or pharmaceuticals need to take proper precautions to mitigate the risks posed by hazards in the workplace.

Equipment is made to serve employees and ensure their job is much easier. Furthermore, with advanced technology, you can create perfect units, with each one being the same as the previous.

2. Healthcare

As one of the most daunting and stressful industries, any small improvement in medical equipment can increase the longevity of the patient but also make lives easier for doctors and nurses. Technology has also allowed like minded individuals to form communities to help each other out, for example dental partnerships organizations help people in the dental field relieve some of the stresses of the day to day and focus on what matters.

Due to its noble purpose, we always perceive technological advancements within medicine as a necessity. One of the reasons why tech and equipment are so important within healthcare is because HIPAA controls the standards regarding machines and IT. So, while healthcare benefits from almost any minor improvement, that doesn’t mean you can use any application or device.

Among others, tech can have a major impact on the satisfaction rates of medical professionals and patients. It can significantly reduce the amount of paperwork while simplifying menial tasks. As a result, doctors are able to treat much more patients during a working day.

Keep in mind that this industry can benefit from various solutions. For example, you can utilize mobile apps to control several devices through one access point. Or you can monitor the patient’s state from a distance. Whatever the case, each one of these solutions has a very practical purpose.

3. Construction

Using technology within the construction industry is somewhat similar to how manufacturing companies are using it. Simply put, you’re trying to hasten everything and make it as safe as possible. Software and devices make it easier for businesses to deliver timely results.

The software allows companies to communicate between the office and job site and relay instructions. It is also very important for improving planning and bidding. Nowadays, the majority of administrative processes within the construction industry are done via the cloud.

Lastly, technological advancement can also play a role when it comes to logistics. You can use various apps to find the optimal travel route, or in other words, it makes it much easier to deliver construction material to the yard.

4. Hotels and Restaurants

No matter which hospitality business we’re talking about, technology can have a major impact on customer experience.

Simply put, when people go on a vacation, they would like everything to be simplified. Efficiency and quickness are imperative, as you’re trying to provide the best experience possible. Small delays in orders can cause major dissatisfaction and, given that it’s so easy to leave online reviews, mistakes such as this can shut down your establishment.

So, how does technology affect restaurants and hotels? First off, it allows you to connect everything in one centralized system. Mobile ordering has become a big thing as it allows people to order on the fly. Similar goes for check-ins. In both cases, you want to be as quick as possible and to avoid making errors. Instead of taking orders the traditional way, you can monitor everything from a phone app.

Lastly, we also have to mention payment processing and reservation status. In other words, technology can have a major impact on customer experience even before they arrive at your establishment.

The Power of Perseverance: Key Takeaways From Eyal Edry, Moshe Edree, and Refael Edry’s Social Endeavors

Posted on February 15, 2022 by Nikki Gabriel

The life of a typical 17-year-old is filled with dreams of building a successful life. Standing at the cusp of adulthood, their eyes are set on the horizon of new possibilities awaiting them. They can’t wait to explore what the next chapter of their life has in store.

Unfortunately, that isn’t the case for thousands of youngsters in the Israeli periphery. Living in extreme poverty, these children have to struggle for basic necessities, such as food and shelter. Going to college and earning a respectable degree isn’t among their top priorities.

Even if they want to pursue higher education, the lack of proper resources, such as internet connectivity, smartphones, and computers, forces them to curb their dreams.

But the Israeli youth continue to suffer because of unfair social disparities that have existed for ages?

Should children be denied the hope for a better future simply because they weren’t born in the country’s bustling socioeconomic center?

If an entire generation of youngsters grows up in extreme deprivation, what does that mean for the country’s future?

These are the questions that drive Eyal Edry and his brothers, Moshe Edree and Refael aka Rafi Edry to work for the upliftment of the youth in Israel’s periphery.

Reclaiming a Lost Childhood

Born and raised in Safed, Eyal Edry, Moshe Edree, and Refael Edry are the founders of the Ahinoam Association for the Promotion of Equal Opportunities.

Their father was a building contractor who worked day and night to sustain the family. But with so many mouths to feed, the family faced intense financial struggles in the 1970s.

Eyal Edry decided to put his dreams of a college degree and a prestigious job on hold. Instead, he started working to support his family. He was only 17-years-old at the time.

Having experienced the pain of deprivation first-hand, Eyal Edry, Moshe Edree, and Refael Edry know what it’s like to live on the fringes of Israeli society. Today, the three brothers run several successful businesses in Africa. Eyal Edry even served as a paratrooper and earned a degree in psychology.

But all these achievements seem futile to the Edry brothers when they realize that thousands of children are still facing those same struggles five decades later.

That’s what prompted them to establish the Ahinoam Association. Their goal is to provide children and adolescents with a robust support system they never had in their childhood.

Mentoring the Youth

The Ahinoam Association supports at-risk youth in the Israeli periphery to help them find their footing in society. The organization identifies and locates these youngsters, and works with them to create a customized career plan. They also assist the youth in acquiring suitable skills for their integration into the job market.

Providing Financial Support

With more than 1.8 million Israelis living in poverty, a lack of funds often forces children to drop out of school. Instead, they work under hazardous conditions in factories to support their families.

That’s why the Ahinoam Association has launched various scholarship programs to provide financial support to children from low-income households.

Developing the Periphery

Eyal Edry, Moshe Edree, and Refael Edry understand the importance of peripheral development in Israel. They’ve invested various resources to improve the infrastructure of welfare organizations across the country’s periphery. The idea is to provide students with access to educational resources wherever they are.

Fundraising During the Pandemic

When Israeli schools closed their gates due to the pandemic, nearly 400,000 students didn’t have the resources to join online classes. The digital divide between Israel’s periphery and the center became even more apparent when these students struggled to continue their education.

Eyal Edry and his brothers stepped in with a fundraising campaign that urged businesses and ordinary citizens to donate. The initiative helped provide computers to more than 30,000 students in Israel.

Important Lessons from the Ahinoam Association’s Initiatives

Eyal Edry, Moshe Edree, and Refael Edry’s efforts are a testament to the power of ordinary people. Instead of waiting for government authorities to take action, the Edry brothers have been working at the grassroots level to uplift the youth.

It goes to show that even ordinary citizens can make a difference in society with their resilience and perseverance.

And above all, it highlights the importance of focusing on a country’s youth. Otherwise, as Eyal Edry believes, a lack of equal opportunities could threaten to disintegrate Israel’s social fabric.

How to Earn Passive Income with NFTs

Posted on February 14, 2022 by Hamza Razzaq

It’s 2022 and digital apes have taken over the internet. Who knew that 2D monkeys smoking cigars would carry the kind of thumb-stopping power that content creators and brands dream of? Or that pixelated punks in cool kid’s hats would break Twitter because their creator turned down a multi-million-dollar sale offer?

Unique art pieces and their equally unique creators are getting their moment and we couldn’t be more excited. You’ve probably guessed what we’re talking about: Non-Fungible Tokens, otherwise known as NFTs. These blockchain-based tokens are attached to tangible or intangible works and are non-fungible, meaning unique. They cannot be copied, replaced, or reproduced and are therefore used to price digital assets.

NFTs do sound interesting, but most of us have no clue how to use NFTs to start earning a passive income. Don’t let the thoughts deter you. NFTs sound a lot more complicated than they really are, and once you sink your hooks into the ecosystem, you can set up a passive cash flow pretty quickly. Before we get into the various methods of how to earn your passive income, let’s take a deeper look at NFTs and the current state of the market.

NFTs – A Brief Overview

We’ve already defined NFTs as unique tokens that are used to buy and sell digital assets, but what exactly are these assets? Essentially, anything can be made into an NFT. We’re talking digital art, 2D and 3D animations, sports highlights, Tweets, Instagram Reels, and a lot more. One of the rarest and best-selling NFTs last year was Pantone colors. Imagine paying over $100,000 to purchase a solid color block. And yet, people do.

Can NFTs Be Copied?

One of the major questions people have when talking about NFTs is about duplication. If you think about it, a digital art piece that’s online can easily be copied and downloaded for free. For example, when Nyan Cat was sold as an NFT for about $590,000, a lot of eyebrows were raised because the asset had already been saved and passed around for years. How did a viral video go from being available everywhere for free to become one of the highest valued NFTs in history?

The answer isn’t simple but it is intuitive. Consider this: if you went to the Louvre and took a picture of the Mona Lisa, would the picture be as valuable as the real thing? You already know the answer to that question. Owning the Mona Lisa and owning a picture of it are vastly different because, in the former, you’d be recognized as the legal owner versus the latter, where you’d be known for having a cheap imitation.

It’s pretty similar with NFTs. Owning a copy of Nyan Cat isn’t the same as owning the real thing simply because the owner has the NFT. And since the token is encrypted into the blockchain for the NFT, there can only be one owner. NFTs don’t currently have concrete laws that back them up, but this is also in the works.

How Can You Earn Passive Income with NFTs?

Here are a few passive income ideas through NFTs:

Royalty Fees

This is one of the best ways to keep earning through NFTs. Since NFTs are unique codes, they allow creators to set their own terms depending on their earning requirements. This means that once a creator sells his NFT, he can continue to receive royalties from it. For example, if a creator sets his royalty percentage to 15, he will receive 15% of the sale price whenever the NFT is sold onwards.

The best part about this process is that it’s regulated by machines. This means creators don’t need to worry about getting their royalty payments because the whole system is governed by smart contracts. So, all you have to do is get to work on creating and minting your first NFT!

Staking

Think of NFTs as ownable entities and the people who own them as stakeholders. Staking is the process that allows you to lock or seal your NFT into a DeFi (Decentralized Finance) smart contract to ensure it keeps generating money.

Staking allows buyers to keep interests in their NFTs and generate a substantial yield every so often. Owning a staking token means you also get to reinvest in different protocols, much like in a corporation. You can earn staking tokens through different platforms, although some of them may require you to purchase NFTs from them first.

Put Your NFTs on Rent

Another great way to earn passive income from your NFTs is to rent them out. This is another process that’s regulated through smart contracts and is therefore safe to participate in. All you have to do is lease your NFT on terms that suit you. You have full freedom to set the duration and rate of the agreement.

This is particularly lucrative for assets like digital trading cards or NFTs that allow you to attend high-profile and exclusive events. As a renter, you can get access to privileges you wouldn’t normally have without shelling out millions of dollars.

Are NFTs Worth It?

Collins Dictionary called ‘NFT’ the word of the year for 2021. All in all, it’s a good time to invest in or create NFTs for passive and active income. The market is open for early adopters because, despite their virality, NFTs hold endless untapped potential. They are currently minted using Ethereum and gas fees are relatively low. These may go up once more people start investing. In a nutshell, considering the popularity of NFTs, it seems a wise choice to mint or invest in NFTs as soon as possible so you can set up a reliable stream of passive income right away!

Is Metaverse Going to Replace the Internet?

Posted on February 14, 2022 by Hamza Razzaq

Ever since Mark Zuckerberg announced the Facebook rebranding to “Meta” and the company’s plan to enter into the metaverse era, the internet is going crazy around metaverse. We see debates around how metaverse is going to change the internet, the competition among tech giants around metaverse, and similar other elements.

But is it just a misconception that metaverse will replace the internet or is it a reality? Many things we do are getting replaced by automation or bots, such as automated cryptocurrency trading. Let’s clear it out in this blog.

Metaverse – A Quick Overview

You can call metaverse a life within a virtual world driven by ultrafast internet and multiple digital technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), live streaming, cryptocurrency, and many more. It is being assumed that metaverse technology will let users use digital personalized avatars to remotely interact with family and friends in real-time, do virtual meetings, go to concerts, do shopping, play games, and be part of similar other activities.

The Hollywood movie “Ready Player One” is one excellent example to imagine what metaverse might look like, but don’t consider it the ultimate target of the metaverse. It is true that metaverse can completely change our gaming experience, but one of the main objectives of the metaverse is to shift people’s interaction via 2D video calls to virtual real-time 3D meetups.

Where Metaverse Technology Stands Currently?

Metaverse is just a fancy concept currently and it will take years if not decades to develop a realistic version of it. As per Mark Zuckerberg, there are still 5-10 years for metaverse to become a mainstream technology. However, no one can project the release date currently. It is because metaverse depends on an interconnected network of services/technologies, so it is challenging for any single company to achieve all that in a short timeframe.

Currently, we can see some early adopters of the metaverse in games like Fortnite and Roblox or other VR products, but gradually we will see more enhancements or early versions of the metaverse. In short, with every passing year, we are going close to witnessing a new era of the internet-driven by immersive technologies in particular, build a metaverse app and their distribution in business and in the market as a whole, – says Slava Vaniukov, expert and CEO of Softermii.

Metaverse Enhances the Internet not Replaces It

Now that we know what metaverse is and where it stands today, let’s clear out our confusion around metaverse and the internet. If you think metaverse as shown in Ready Player One movie, then you might assume that it is a replacement of the internet. However, the metaverse is meant to “enhance/expand” the internet capabilities not replace the internet. In fact, the metaverse is only achievable with the ultrafast internet. Metaverse development services can help build and establish social media, games, and even real estate on metaverse.

The below table will further clarify how metaverse enhances the internet:

Internet	Metaverse
Computers / Tablets / Smartphones	Virtual Reality (VR) / Extended Reality (XR)
2D Screens using Touch or Mouse	Natural UI/UX
Profile Pic / User ID	Personalized Digital Avatar / Universal ID
Software Applications / Websites	Virtual Experiences
Text, Audios, Videos, or Images	Everything oriented in 3D
Live Streaming	Life Streaming
In-App Purchases	Crypto / NFT

In simple words, you will still be able to do normal things on the internet the way you can do today. However, when you will use VR headsets or glasses, you will be able to elevate your internet usage experience.

Technologies Needed to Access the Metaverse

Metaverse will be an interconnected system of immersive technologies and services that will make a virtual world feature-rich. Think of it with the smartphone example. You are able to do a lot of things via your smartphone because different technologies and services are interconnected with that single device. The same is applied to the metaverse and that’s also the main reason why metaverse is not achieved till now.

The main technologies or devices required to access the metaverse are as follow:

Immersive devices that support virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), extended reality (XR), and similar other environments.
Ultrafast internet to stream and access content and other services in real-time.
Digital wallets (cryptocurrency wallets) to perform transactions across digital services in the metaverse.

There might be some other technologies required, but the above ones will be the crucial ones.

Current Competition in the Metaverse

There is massive competition going on among the tech giants to be the first ones to offer metaverse services. Its market size as of 2020 was $47.69 billion, and it is projected to expand up to $814.2 billion by 2028. Meta alone is spending $10 billion in metaverse research and development in 2021.

Metaverse is believed to be the next big thing after “smartphones”, which is justifiable too considering the growing interest of people in avatar-based gaming apps, such as Fortnite and Roblox. In fact, Fortnite managed to generate a revenue of $9 billion just in the first two years. Owing to that, every tech giant, such as Meta, Microsoft, Sony, Google, Apple, and others, wants to succeed in this race and grab the early attention of consumers and investors.

Some consider that Meta will lead this race, but nothing can be said currently. Meta is good at marketing metaverse, but Apple is also silently working on its AR wearable which is believed to be available in the market by the end of next year. Similarly, Nvidia is leading the race in AI chips crucial for immersive technologies, while Microsoft is also investing aggressively in research around metaverse. So, the global heat around metaverse is warming up gradually, and it’s worth watching who will win the race.

Wrapping Up

Metaverse is indeed a game-changer, offering a virtual world experience we could just imagine currently. Although it is not going to replace the internet, just the way we use and interact with the internet will change or enhance. So, hold tight for the next few more years till we start seeing some realistic versions of the metaverse.

The Importance of Data and Analytics During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Posted on February 14, 2022 by Ivan Serrano

It’s difficult to determine the toll caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The scope is alarming. There are millions of individuals affected in the United States alone. The government spent $3.5 million for relief, and several segments of the economy took a drastic hit.

The pandemic impacted all businesses across different sectors. Even with the vaccines in place, many countries are still reeling. New variants like Omicron are on the rise. No one knows when this battle against COVID-19 will end. But data and analytics are effective tools helping to accelerate the response against this pandemic.

Analytics can provide new and significant insights. These can help raise awareness, assess the impact of the virus, and assist in preventive efforts. In this post, we look at the significance of data and analytics during these times and how they can make a difference.

Analytics Can Help Improve Medical Resource Plans

The surge in COVID-19 cases has stressed hospitals and affected health care. Given the rise of cases, how can hospitals expand their capabilities? Since there are medical device shortages, what crucial supplies are needed?

Health officials can reduce mortality rates through dispensing available bed space and resources with analytical methods. Here are some specific examples of analytical procedures:

Refining and applying epidemiological measures to oversee COVID-19 affected individuals within a specific area
Predicting the probable numbers of infected people that need medical intervention
The level of care that infected patients need. Additionally, indicating the number of required caregivers based on these results

With these insights based on analytics, healthcare systems can take the following actions:

Using outpatient and day surgery centers as new bed space
Probing the possibility of reopening closed facilities
Reallocating doctors, equipment, and supplies to areas that need it the most

Data Helps Contact Tracing Investigations

Contact lists grow fast. We have all seen how quickly viruses spread in close-contact environments. The more social interactions occur, the more work is needed to identify everyone.

One disadvantage of contact tracing is that it relies on memory. Interviewees must remember where they have been and the people they were in contact with. However, not all individuals can accurately retrace their whereabouts, especially during a two to three-day period.

With analytics, contract tracing for public health becomes more manageable. With the correct data, epidemiologists can build networks of contacts. The more data within reach, the easier it will be to identify the points of vulnerability.

Health officials can identify common points of contact using data visualization methods. It will build a better picture of people’s social interactions. Data also offers a better understanding of the flow of individuals.

Leveraging Data Insights to Assist in Decisions About Returning to the Workplace

Aside from the medical and health industry, data and analytics are also useful among businesses who want to review their work-from-home setup. Are your employees comfortable going back to the office at full capacity? Are all employees vaccinated? Using data can help you make decisions about transitioning your company to the new normal.

For example, you can set up employee feedback systems that help your employees stagger hours. Having access to employee data can also help you decide if you should test employees for COVID-19.

Thus, it can help you figure out how often you should conduct testing.

With an employee feedback system in place, your employees can just key in their symptoms. This will help once your establishment returns to an office setup.

We all know that we should avoid working when we’re sick. However, there’s a significant difference between simply feeling the symptoms and recording the said symptoms. This will make the decision process of staying at home or going to work more precise.

Businesses have stepped up during the pandemic. According to Mckinsey and Company, organizational responses affect employees. Those that experience excellent corporate responses are more likely to be engaged at work.

The COVID-19 crisis reminds businesses that they cannot ignore emerging issues. They must meet them head-on. With this approach, they will increase their chances of improving employee experience during uncertainty.

Providing Demand Planning Resilience

Before the pandemic, most companies relied on internal historical data for their forecasts. However, COVID-19 changed the business landscape. Demands are fluctuating for products and services. Knowing this, many industries are looking for better ways to indicate demand.

You can adapt your strategies for a more resilient business with specific data on hand. Connect and combine your feedback from online reviews, surveys, ads, and more. Look for anomalies that positively and negatively affect your company. You can create an adaptive and proactive strategy with this information. Furthermore, tracking the data of the progress of your operations will help you benchmark recovery.

The Bottom Line

Our future with COVID-19 is uncertain. But data can help mitigate a lot of its aspects. Having insights can help the government and enterprises reduce apprehension and complexity. It can drive answers and create workable and tangible solutions.

What is the Metaverse – Is It for Business or Just Gaming?

Posted on February 11, 2022 by Hamza Razzaq

The idea of metaverse has been circulating around for many decades, but thanks to the tech giants that it has become a topic of discussion and a massive field of research. Meta (formerly Facebook), Microsoft, Sony, Google, and other tech giants are spending billions in achieving the so-called virtual world. So, what is the metaverse, and is it just for enhancing the gaming experience? Let’s look into all of that in this blog.

What is Metaverse?

Metaverse is an amalgam of “meta” and “verse”. Meta is a prefix that implies “beyond”, while verse implies “universe”. So, metaverse means a combination of multiple 3D worlds where a digital version (avatar) of a person can move and interact with others. Metaverse is also dubbed as the future of the internet, as it acts as a gateway to a virtual world where people can have virtual meetings, watch concerts, work on projects, play games, etc.

The easiest way to understand how metaverse intends to work is by watching some related movies, such as The Matrix, Ready Player One, or Minority Report. The virtual world that metaverse has to offer will be accessible by high-tech gadgets, such as VR headsets or glasses. So, the key to achieving metaverse technology is to succeed in developing interconnected immersive technologies, which we will see happening in the next few years.

Is Metaverse For Business or Gaming?

This is the misconception that is circulating around ever since Meta started marketing metaverse. Gamers are promoting metaverse as the new era of gaming experience, while businesses or tech people are promoting metaverse as a way for people to interact with each other more conveniently.

Horizon Workrooms concept by Oculus (a Meta-owned VR headsets manufacturer) shows a virtual meeting experience where participants located at different locations are able to join the same virtual room for a meeting using VR headsets. Not just that, they could even use virtual whiteboards or their own keyboard or computer to have a better team discussion. In fact, its beta version is even available for free for Oculus Quest users.

So, one thing we can clear from Horizon Workrooms is that metaverse is not just confined to gaming. It acts as a gateway for people to experience real-world activities in a virtual way. Some of the capabilities of Metaverse are as follow:

1. Virtual Interaction

One of the main goals of the metaverse is to turn our 2D video or live streaming into 3D virtual lifestreaming. It will let us communicate and interact with our family, friends, and colleagues in a way that we feel being physically present there (using personalized avatars). We could attend or host events, celebrate birthdays or other parties, all while being thousands of miles away.

2. Business

Another revolutionary change metaverse intends to bring is in the business sector. Currently, Zoom, Teams, or similar other apps empowers teams to collaborate effectively. But metaverse will make them have those meetings in a virtual room, just like we discussed above in Horizon Workrooms. Moreover, metaverse will elevate other business processes, such as project design stimulations, etc. Other than smoothening business operations, metaverse will also give more business opportunities to software firms to develop products for the digital world and reach out to millions of users.

3. Shopping

Metaverse will give a whole new shopping experience to the users. From one place, they will be able to do shopping both for the virtual world (like avatar costumes) and the physical world. They will even be able to try out clothes or test out accessories before placing the order.

4. Entertainment

Metaverse will be full of entertainment madness. It will provide a more immersive gaming experience where gamers can feel like they are in the game. Moreover, movie premieres, music festivals, sporting events, and many other similar entertainment activities can have the presence of an unlimited number of users. Similarly, people who cannot afford to travel or have busy work life will be able to go to the places they want virtually.

To sum up, the metaverse is like an all-in-one package that is meant both for business and gaming.

Features of Metaverse

Some of the main features of metaverse we will experience include:

Seamless Movement: Metaverse will make it seamless to move between different components virtually, such as concerts, games, shops. In short, you can move around the whole virtual world and do all kinds of activities virtually in your personalized digital avatar.
Always Live: Metaverse itself and the objects in it will always remain live and accessible in real-time. Just like the real world, nothing will stop or pause even when the user logs out.
Globe Presence: Metaverse will connect the whole world together. Millions of users no matter from where they are logged in will be able to join events, concerts, etc.
Customization: A user identity will be its personalized costume, which could be customized. For example, you can change your outfit to a formal dress code like a double-breasted formal suit for attending a business meeting, or change it into a cool dude for a concert or party.

In short, metaverse combines the physical and the virtual world. So, we can just imagine how feature-rich it is going to be.

How to Try Metaverse Today?

Unfortunately, the metaverse we are imagining or what the internet is making us imagine still requires years of research and development. However, there are some early adaptors of metaverse (mostly in the gaming industry) that can give you a glimpse of it. For example, you can try out a digital avatar-based gaming experience in Fortnite, Roblox, Minecraft, Trove, and similar others.

If you want to experience it from the corporate angle, then the free beta version of Horizon Workrooms with Oculus Quest is one possible choice. Overall, whatever experience you can have with metaverse today is just a small portion of what you will experience once the tech giants manage to build the actual metaverse they have made us imagine.

Final Thoughts

Tech enthusiasts cannot wait to see metaverse in real action. It is a life within the internet that is going to change the way we interact with the digital world. Massive developments are underway and it is expected that soon we will be able to experience some early versions of the metaverse.

Are Cryptos a Good Alternative to Penny Stocks?

Posted on February 11, 2022 by Hamza Razzaq

The global interest in cryptocurrencies, the whooping profits, and the expected rewarding future have made crypto a trending topic everywhere. Today, investors are investing millions of dollars into the crypto market and the investment scale is just getting bigger and bigger.

However, there are investors too that are concerned with the future of crypto considering the China crackdown, unpredictable prices, regulations, and similar other factors. As a new investor, if you are confused about whether to invest in the crypto market or penny stocks, then follow up this blog to have a detailed comparison of both.

The comparison will try to assess which asset class can provide a better return on investment, keeping in mind the risk-to-reward ratio involved in both. Bitiq app is the perfect platform for anyone looking to trade bitcoins in a safe and secure environment. With its user-friendly interface and variety of features, Bitiq app makes it easy for traders of all experience levels to get started.

A Starter’s Guide to the Crypto-Market

Investing in the crypto market comes with its fair share of technicalities that must be understood before making an investment. Often while researching any cryptocurrency, the fundamentals that you will be looking at won’t probably be easily comprehensible at the start. Words like “second-layer solution”, “side-chain”, “Proof-of-stake”, and similar others will be the selling point for most coins, confusing the average retail investor. However, it is important to develop a solid understanding of the underlying technology, as it is easy to lose money on a cryptocurrency that might have a good marketing team that promotes how they will “revolutionize finance”, but the underlying fundamentals are weak.

Taking Note of Market Capitalization

For a new retail investor coming into the cryptocurrency market, it is also important to stay in projects that have a relatively high market cap. This is because while a newcomer might gain a high reward by investing in a low market cap coin at the start, he/she can also lose all of the principal investment on a low market cap project. This is why it’s better to earn a decent amount of profit on your principal investment on a high market-cap cryptocurrency and then use those profits to diversify into low cap coins. This approach might take some time to reward you, but it is also a safer way to make money in the cryptocurrency market. Using platforms like the Eralmonum App and other trading sites can give you an advantage when venturing into the crypto market.

Pros and Cons of Investing in the Crypto Market

Below, we have listed the pros and cons of the cryptocurrency market and how your investment can be affected positively and negatively as a result.

Pros of the Crypto Market

High Reward: The primary factor that draws investors towards the crypto market are the high rewards involved. To compare, Bitcoin has remained the best performing asset of the last decade when compared with other asset classes, such as stocks, gold, silver, etc. Investors have enjoyed gains ten times more than the NASDAQ 100 over the long term.
Security: Another core philosophy upon which the crypto market was built is security. If your funds are invested in crypto, it is very next to impossible for the technology to get hacked or for any government to seize your funds due to the encryption involved with blockchain technology.
Utility: Many major cryptocurrencies hold a promise of utility that can create major value for the world once it’s fully achieved. Compared that with penny stocks, the likelihood of long-term value creation is higher in crypto. Thus utility is another major factor why investors can achieve lucrative profits in the crypto market.

Cons of the Crypto Market

Volatility: For some, the volatility might present an opportunity. But for most who wish to invest in the cryptocurrency market, volatility has always remained a major issue. This is because it is not uncommon to make an investment in crypto and lose 50% of its value within a month, thus causing the investment to get stuck until it reaches breakeven again.
Altcoins follow BTC: Almost all altcoins gain or lose their value according to Bitcoin. This makes it an issue for investors putting money in altcoins, as Bitcoin has a major influence on them. Thus, all investments in crypto have to be made while considering how Bitcoin might perform in the future.
No Government Oversight: While zero government intervention was a core philosophy upon which the cryptocurrency market was established, it does have major drawbacks as well. Major rug pulls, pump and dumps, and other forms of market manipulation are very common in crypto. Due to the lack of government oversight, the investor has no one to turn to in case of becoming the victim of any such events.

A Starter’s Guide to Penny Stocks

Commonly in the larger stock market, any stock that has a price less than $1 is typically referred to as a “penny stock”. While some even consider $3 or $4 stocks to be penny stocks. A good way to categorize any share as a penny stock is by classifying any company with a market cap of less than $250 million.

For a new investor looking towards penny stocks, it is important to know that this is a market of its own where investors with a very specific mindset come to trade. The market is typically known to be volatile, as many companies fail that are listed in the “pink sheets”. This is why any investor looking to invest here needs to perform thorough due diligence into the company’s financials.

Pros and Cons of Investing in Penny Stocks

More can be understood by considering the pros and cons attached to penny stocks as listed below.

Pros of Penny Stocks

High Reward: The primary reason anyone invests in penny stocks is due to the high rewards involved. Typically, getting a 50-100% return on investment in a very short period of time is possible with penny stocks. It is very common for share prices to move to $2 from $1.
Low Capital Required: As the share price is small, the investor requires less capital to pick up more stocks of the company. Since with less capital, investors can get a high return on investment, penny stocks have historically attracted a lot of retail investors.

Cons of Penny Stocks

Risk of Default: Since the companies listed as penny stocks are usually very small, it is fairly common for many to default and shut down completely. In such a case, investors have to bear the significant financial loss.
Low Volume/Lack of liquidity: Because most individual penny stocks do not have a lot of buyers and sellers, the investor can possibly get trapped with shares that no one else wants to purchase in the future.
Market Manipulation/Frauds: Many market movers are aware of major retail activity happening in the penny stock market. This is why investors can become victims of fraud or market manipulation, as the share price can be more easily manipulated to low volume/small market cap.

Final Verdict: Crypto or Penny Stocks?

Both the crypto market and penny stocks promise a common outcome: high rewards for the right investments. However, both come with their own forms of risks/worst-case scenarios. According to our opinion, cryptos hold a fundamental advantage over penny stocks, i.e., cryptocurrencies are still building towards a final product that has not been widely adopted. In comparison, most businesses that are penny stocks are unlikely to rate highly in the value-creation department.

Investors who invest in the crypto market have a higher likelihood of getting high rewards if the project adds major value to the world. This is why large institutions are more likely to invest in cryptocurrencies in the future than penny stocks. Thus, given the risk profile for both options, the crypto market holds a more promising long-term future for investors, despite the volatile price action.

7 Mistakes Every Web Designer Should Avoid to Create a High-Quality Website

Posted on February 10, 2022 by Evelina Brown

[1] When pursuing the goal of creating a high-quality web resource or smartphone application, one cannot do without web design in the first place. Sometimes, due to inexperience, design specialists can make some mistakes. Such errors can prove to be critical and can affect the first impression users will have when visiting a website.

In this article, we will talk about the mistakes that most affect the positive perception of users.

Hard to read text

By placing various information on the pages of a website, designers forget that any text should be readable. They may pay more attention to putting all the necessary information on the page and forget about how the text looks to other users.

The problem lies in the unsuccessful selection of the background or font. In an attempt to achieve uniqueness, experts can choose a background that does not contrast with the color of the text, as well as a font that looks beautiful, but it is impossible to see the letters.

A huge number of elements

Many experts think that if you add as many elements as possible, you can increase the expertise of a web resource. However, in most cases, many elements can cause users to defocus their attention. If you use a lot of elements that do not make any sense and are only used to create a general picture, then you risk preventing visitors from absorbing information and content.

To prevent this, you can experiment with text separators, reduce the number of blocks, and if you use images or illustrations that have a lot of elements, then you have the opportunity to remove unnecessary objects using the background remover by Retoucher.

Also, to solve this problem, specialists can add more white spaces and elements to visually free up space. It is also worth remembering that the free space around the main elements can focus users’ attention on them [2]

Placement of accents

Inexperienced designers may not portray the essence of the content that should be placed on the website when drafting the design. In this regard, they may not understand where the main accents should be. With the help of the correct arrangement, you can effectively and quickly convey the necessary information to the reader. However, if you highlight the wrong places, then the headings will not fulfill their function.

As a result, we see that the site looks beautiful, but the information that was supposed to perform an attractive function does not work at all.

Lots of words

Words have great power, but too much text can only spoil the overall impression. To attract the attention of the visitor, it is enough to choose the most powerful and effective words. However, sometimes specialists try to fit as much text as possible.

At the same time, information blocks look like pages in books. If books do not need to attract the attention of readers with accents, images, and videos, then on Internet pages it is important to try to get rid of monotonous text.

As a result, users lose vigilance and ceases to understand the essence of the text. All they start thinking about is how to quickly close this web page. If you need to put a lot of information, then use the semantic block division method.

Rejection of the general style

Designers are very creative and out-of-the-box thinkers. However, sometimes this can work not in their favor. When receiving an order to create a website for a company, designers can abandon the overall style and create a new color scheme for the website. This can cause dissatisfaction among the company’s customers who are used to standard colors. Also, in this way, you can cause negative emotions in the customer. In this regard, in order not to encounter such a problem, it is necessary to coordinate all aspects with the customer so that the final design of the site looks the way the customer wants.