The cryptocurrency was not initially accepted as one of the best modes of virtual assets in the world. It was considered a potential disaster that could strike the financial system. This was the scenario in 2007. In 2018, the hottest topic of discussion is Bitcoin, a type of cryptocurrency. The potential with which it can change the world has changed from what it was in 2007. Most investors have found that it is one of the best places in which they can get their money into. The acceptance of cryptocurrencies in the market has been a major milestone in the financial market. For more information about bitcoin and trading, visit https://bitcoinsystem.app.
The economy of the United States took a hit in 2020 after the pandemic. The investors panicked during this phase and sold most of their assets. The price of Bitcoins fell to about 50% of its actual value. The entire crypto market was affected by this fall in price in Bitcoins. The fallen market did not take much time to get from its depths. 2021 became the redeeming year for Bitcoins. The all-time high of Bitcoins reached about $60,000 this year. The value of the entire market was estimated at 1.5 trillion USD. This gave hope to several investors in the market.
Many of the investors of reputed companies have realized the actual potential of Bitcoins or any kind of cryptocurrency. The entire ecosystem is dynamic and it is growing at a very rapid rate. The crypto billionaires have been interested in the field for a very long time. New investors are using online trading tools like Immediate Connect to make their claim to the billionaire’s fortune. The time is now to make your mark in the crypto trade to earn greater profits in the future.
Billionaires in the Crypto World
The market of cryptocurrency is not something that has the monopoly of the traders or adults. If you are smart enough to get your investments in a profit, the crypto market is welcoming for all age groups and professions. The implementation of the ideas which are related to the crypto market can help to bring riches into one’s house. The names which have stood out among the others have been named here for the novice traders to learn and implement!
1. Sam Bankman-Fried
Bankman-Fired has been one of the top people who have the highest worth in terms of cryptocurrency in the market.
His assets have doubled up to $22.5 billion.
He is the wealthiest person in the world of cryptocurrency.
The young man is of just 29 years and he is a pass out from MIT.
Alameda Research was founded by him.
He already owns a quantitative trading firm.
There are other popular derivatives in the market and FTX under his company as well.
He had donated $5 million to the campaign of Joe Biden in 2020.
2. Brain Armstrong
Brain Armstrong is considered to be yet another person who is a giant in the world of cryptocurrency.
$11.5 billion is his net worth.
He is the co-founder of Coinbase.
He has the ownership of his company by almost 19% and almost $1 billion in his revenue.
He has several portfolios in Bitcoins and Altcoins.
His portfolios have numbered up to $10 million.
3. Chris Larsen
Chris Larsen has a net worth of $6 billion in the market.
He is also the co-founder and chairman of Ripple.
He has seen the rise in his fortunes by $800 million with the XRP soaring in his company.
He also owns about 3 billion tokens of XRP.
Ripple itself has several large customers.
The mortgage lender E-Loan in 1996 and Prosper has him as their founder.
Larsen is also known for his philanthropic nature.
He had donated about $25 million to San Francisco University in XRP.
4. Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss
These twins were former Olympic rowers who had sued Facebook for stealing their idea.
They each have 4.3 billion USD in their net worth.
They are also the founders of Gemini which is a famous crypto exchange platform.
Their investments in different portfolios have gathered attention from various places.
5. Michael Saylor
Saylor is not like these giants but they do have 2.3 billion USD in their pockets and are the CEO of Microstrategy.
He has risen to the heights in the year 2020 when the prices of Bitcoins fell to the depths.
Conclusion
The billionaires and millionaires who have made their name in the world of cryptocurrency are nothing less than geniuses. There are chances and strokes of luck but none of these areas are considered to be long-lasting contributions. If you are thinking of getting into the market, better not dally and jump right into it.
World’s top 5 Bitcoin Billionaires was last modified: January 14th, 2023 by Dean Miller
Cybercrime is on the rise because so many of us spend all of our time working and shopping and interacting online. Cybercrime is becoming more sophisticated than ever and simple malware protection is not enough anymore to keep your computer and your data safe when you are online. Many people are not truly aware of the many kinds of cybercrime techniques that can be used to get access to people’s accounts and identity and this is often the root of successful attacks that people say they never saw coming.
If you work or shop or spend a lot of time online, you need to be aware of the various kinds of cybercrime attacks that you could fall prey to. Being aware of the kinds of attacks that you might be exposed to can make all of the difference in protecting your personal information while you are online.
If you are looking for more information about cybercrime techniques and how to avoid them, you need to read on!
Common Cybercrime Techniques and How to Avoid Them
1. Social Engineering
Social engineering attacks are one of the most difficult to manage cybercrime attacks. These attacks are malicious activities that are done through personal interactions. This kind of attack usually uses psychological manipulation that makes people give out sensitive information that hackers are trying to gain access to. This is a common technique that is used against people who are older or who are not aware of these kinds of attacks.
You can protect yourself from these kinds of attacks by being aware that businesses and other official entities will not try to gain your password, social security information, or other sensitive information. These are the usual red flags that will indicate that this contact is not normal and should be ended immediately.
2. Phishing Scams
This is one of the most common cybercrime attack methods. This kind of attack works by causing fear or a sense of urgency in someone which leads them to click on an infected link or interact with a landing page that is not actually for the company that is supposedly reaching out to them. These are often emails and they can be quite cleverly crafted to look official and like they can be trusted.
This is an easy kind of scam to avoid because if you hover your mouse over the link in question it will not be the right link for the company that supposedly reached out to you. Phishing is easy to avoid if you always assume that any email that you receive could include content that you do not want to interact with. Look for signs that are obvious like glaring misspellings or grammar that does not make sense and hold your mouse over any links in the email without clicking. This will make sure that you identify a threatening email and delete it before a hacker gains access to your data.
3. Spoofing
This is a more involved cybercrime that involves making a website that looks like the real one and then deceiving people into interacting with it in an effort to resolve an account problem or pay a bill. Some of these fake sites are very convincing and can look a lot like the actual site in question. This site can be used to spread malware, get your credit card information, or your password.
You can avoid spoofing by paying attention to the link that is at the top of the page when you navigate to a site. If the link does not connect to the name of the company and is not the official website link, do not click anything that is on the spoofed page.
You will want to be wary of any kind of contact that sends you to a page that requires a lot of personal information as well. It might be legitimate, but you should know what the normal landing page for a company you do business with looks like. Inserting any kind of sensitive data into a new kind of landing page that you have not seen before is always a bad idea.
4. Ransomware
Ransomware is often successful when you have failed to keep your network security up to date or have not been using a VPN to access your work network. This kind of attack can also succeed if you have been allowing websites to store your personal login information and personal data. You can avoid this kind of attack by backing up your data and being sure that you do not allow websites to store your login credentials and other information. You can also make sure that you use a VPN for any kind of work that you are doing where you need to access another network.
While this is a threat that is more commonly directed at businesses, you can fall prey to it as an individual as well. This kind of attack involves a hacker gaining access to your network and then locking your personal or company data so that you cannot access it. You will then be asked to pay a ransom to get your data back. This can be very expensive for companies and individuals alike and it can cause data theft that can lead to major issues for other people as well as yourself.
Preventing Cybercrime is Easier Than you Think
If you have always thought that there was nothing that could be done to prevent your personal data or network from being hacked, this list of tips and tricks will help you to avoid common kinds of cybercrime and keep your personal data safe and secure.
You can easily avoid falling prey to common kinds of cyber-attack if you are familiar with the ways that these attacks are postured. Adding effective security to your home network and making sure to run updates on software can also make a big difference in the safety of your network.
Caring for your personal data when you are working or shopping and engaging with others online is easy if you use these best practices.
Protecting Yourself From Trending Cybercrime Techniques was last modified: January 11th, 2022 by Gabe Nelson
No master can do the job without proper instruments. The same is true for site optimization and promotion. If you still think that good articles are enough for putting your resource on the first page of results, you are still living in the Stone Age. Implement modern tools to achieve maximum results.
There are a lot of free options available, and they work well. But in most cases, the free version provides only limited functionality. For the most efficient and quality services, you’ll have to pay for the full scope of services. This article will describe the most interesting and useful ideas for resource optimization. We divided them according to the optimization direction.
Keywords
To implement the most effective keys, you need to know the most relevant words and the keys popular among the competitors. A good keyword rank tracker tool can provide valuable insights by helping you identify the keywords most relevant to your topic. Use Google Analytics or a similar service to determine the keys relevant to your topic. Place the most important words into the title and meta description; less popular variants can be spread evenly throughout the article. Don’t forget to check the rivals’ strategy regularly. It will allow you to correct your tactics in time and maintain your position.
Backlinks
Links leading to your site from other resources are an extremely effective method of raising your ranking. The rule of thumb: the resources where you place your links should be reputable and trustworthy. Otherwise, it can harm your site rankings or simply be useless.
You don’t have to surf the Internet and choose suitable sites manually; numerous instruments facilitate this task. You can read a detailed free backlink generators review. Select the tool that suits better for the skills and the goal.
Code and Internal Links
Do you know that the invisible part of your site has a major effect on the overall efficiency? Search robots analyze the information and the code of the resource, and you can use it for your benefit. Optimize the programming part to ensure successful indexation. You should revise and fix broken links, analyze the efficiency of meta titles and descriptions. To learn interesting details of code optimization, read this post. You can find a list of top SEO promotion tools for the best Google optimization.
Overall Site Performance
Check the traffic of all the pages you have. This way, you can determine the most effective parts of your resource and make necessary improvements for the sections with poorer performance. New platforms for SEO boost will show you the sources of the visitors’ flow. It’s extremely useful information; you need to find out the promotion methods you can get rid of and the effective tools worth additional investments. What is the best SEO ranking software that will show the most promising tactic? More interesting tips on improving your SEO methods you can find on lmspulse.com.
Your Current Position
To raise the site’s efficiency, you must determine its place among the rivals. The simplest evaluation method is to google your company using the most popular keywords. The results will present your ranks compared to other companies in this field. You’ll receive an approximate picture of the alignment of forces. To receive more exact information, utilize analytic tools designed for this job. For tracking the results of your rivals, such services as Ahrefs can be truly helpful. In a few clicks, you’ll receive a list of companies with detailed statistics data. You can utilize this platform for complex site audits and key research. ProRank Tracker is a useful tool for this part of site optimization. It has a great reporting option, remote access through a convenient web interface.
Content
The articles and posts you publish on your resource are vital for an SEO boost. The resource should contain only interesting, high-quality and proven information, and you’ll be surprised to know that modern tools can help with it. Screaming Frog makes data analysis easier and facilitates determining broken links and other reasons for poor content performance. It will easily spot duplications in your materials and build a site map for attraction to search robots. The platform has free and paid pricing plans, and best suits small and medium companies. The best SEO tools ensure a powerful marketing effect.
Serpstat can be extremely useful because of marketing suggestions and recommendations and a thorough audit of your materials. The service can quickly boost the performance and ranking of the site, but all the versions are paid-for. Four pricing plans are available, so it’s possible to fit them into your budget. This complex instrument is ideal for medium-sized enterprises.
Now you have a complete picture of tools you can utilize for your site enhancement. They differ in price, functionality, and included instruments, so pick the most suitable variant for your tactic, company size, and goals. Using the wrong program can still be helpful, but it means a waste of money and resources, so choose wisely.
The Best SEO Tools to Boost Your Google Rankings was last modified: October 8th, 2024 by Anna Shevchuk
Power electronics is a rapidly developing field that deals with the conversion and manipulation of electrical power. They are widely used in the automotive industry, but they’re also found in devices such as laptops and cell phones. There are six important things you should know about power electronics such as how it’s used, their emissions and usage as well as their limitations. We’ll also be talking about what the future holds for this field so sit tight!
1. Semiconductors and Converters
Semiconductors are the most important part of power electronics, and these are electronic devices that can control electrical current by utilizing the properties of semiconductor material. Several technologies now use semiconductor materials such as gallium arsenide (GaAs) which is used for high-power applications like cell phone boosters and solar inverters. The most used here are DC-DC converters that are devices that enable most kinds of electronics to function. Converters are used in most applications like power supplies, voltage controls, and lights. Static converters run at extremely high frequencies for converting alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC). These types of converters usually work by using an isolated metal plate called the stator which has windings around it. The rotor which houses the semiconductor material is fixed in place, and magnets are positioned on the case to produce a rotating magnetic field. As electrons flow through the magnetized rotor, they produce torque that rotates the rotor inside the stator to make DC!
2. E-Bikes
E-bikes are becoming increasingly popular, and they’re electric bicycles that get their power from batteries. Most e-bikes use brushless DC electric motors which get electricity from rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. These kinds of electric bikes usually have a very low voltage rating at about 24 volts to 48 volts. The usage of these kinds of e-bikes has increased in the last few years because it’s so much cheaper to operate than regular gasoline-powered bikes!
If you go through electric bike paradise you can shop for electric bikes of varying price ranges and brands, as well as accessories.
3. Safety Concerns
Power electronics devices tend to be more vulnerable when it comes to safety issues since there is high voltage involved. Proper insulation is required for semiconductors to be able to perform semiconductor testing first if they’re being used around water or in moist environments.
It can sometimes fail when there is too much heat and humidity, and this can lead to electric shocks and even fires says The Local Electrician. Usually, you should avoid e-bike motors when it’s raining, and opt for one that is water-resistant if possible!
Insulation of Power Electronics
Power electronics are used in many devices that we use every day like laptops and cell phones, but these electrical components need to be insulated to avoid short-circuiting or interference with other electric sources. Insulation is the process of preventing the flow of electricity by separating two conductors with an insulator such as rubber, glass fiber, or plastic film. These materials act as a barrier between the two conductors and block any current from passing through them. The most common form of insulation for power electronics is silicone rubber because it’s cheap and easy to install while still providing great protection against leakage currents. It can’t completely stop all current though so there needs to be some form of grounding or earthing to keep the insulation from becoming live.
Grounding
If enough energy is applied to the ground, it can be used as a source of power too. Grounding prevents electricity from accumulating in one place and causing major problems for anyone using the equipment containing the power electronics components. Both earthing and insulation must be present because they have opposite functions. Insulation stops current flow while grounding allows it to continue uninterrupted by diverting it into the ground. Short circuits are another common problem with semiconductors like diodes, thyristors, BJT transistors, IGBTs, etc., but they too can be prevented by good insulation between electrical sources and people or equipment especially when the device is turned on or being used.
4. Efficiency
Power electronics devices are extremely efficient since modern semiconductors have efficiencies almost close to 99%. These kinds of efficiency rates are pretty high compared with conventional power generation technologies like steam turbines which only have about 33% efficiency. There are three main reasons why power electronics are so efficient – the DC switching frequency of their converters at very high frequencies, the silicon carbide (SiC) chips used in them, and the elimination of heat losses due to cooling fans found on older models of semiconductor devices!
5. The Future
Frigetek Industries, a leading supplier of power semiconductor devices in North America, sees a bright future for power electronics. As the world’s energy demands continue to rise, more and more efficient technologies will be needed to meet these needs. Frigetek currently supplies semiconductors from manufacturers that produce their products with 300mm wafers or larger! This is one reason why efficiency rates are extremely high compared to older models since they use around 20 chips per converter instead of just 1 chipper converter! They also have smaller footprints which mean there is less material required during production. Frigetek also predicts renewable sources like solar and wind energy will become more widely used in the years ahead because of their decentralized nature and zero emissions.
6. Usability
Power electronics are used in almost all kinds of devices these days because of their ability to convert power. They are usually found in large-scale projects like the electric grid, but they’re also in smaller things like e-bikes! Their usage will continue to rise especially as green energy sources become more widely used in the years ahead. Many semiconductor manufacturers have begun using 300mm wafers or larger for their products which means there is a higher level of efficiency compared with older models that only use 200mm or 150mm wafers.
If you’re new to the world of power electronics, here are a few things you should keep in mind! These devices can be dangerous if they aren’t used properly and safely – make sure they’re electrically isolated or insulated from hazardous voltages and energy sources, that they undergo inspections regularly for any damage or degradation, and lastly that your workers get training which includes proper grounding techniques for safety purposes. If all these precautions are taken seriously then accidents related to power electronics will become a thing of the past!
6 Important Things You Should Know About Power Electronics was last modified: June 10th, 2024 by Francis Brown
Every waking minute, we are generating data. Every time we interact with another person, system, or network we generate enormous amounts of data that can be used in various business aspects. Truth is that data will soon if it hasn’t already, become the most crucial factor in any industry and it is time for every business owner to accept it. To remain successful you need to have the right data and know-how to use it. That can be the biggest problem in this time and age, as there is so much data available that it is hard to know which data can be used to improve your business operations. Using open-source intelligence tools can make all the difference between drowning in the ocean of unnecessary data or having the right data at the right moment.
Having the right data in the exact moment you need it without having to go through unbelievable amounts of unnecessary data can help you make smarter business decisions. Not only that you will be getting ahead of your competitors by either offering a new product, introducing a new marketing strategy, or even starting a sale at the right moment, but you can also improve your security protocols by identifying any vulnerabilities and preventing fraudulent activities. 83% of organizations consider data to be an integral part of their business strategy, and they are right.
Why Should You Introduce OSINT Into Your Business?
Data is not going anywhere and you need to find a way to use its benefits to improve your business, sooner rather than later. You don’t want to end up at the end of the line, trying to catch up with your competitors that have already implemented Osint tools into their business elements. It can make a difference in almost any department, from learning more about the customers and improving their satisfaction, or creating targeted marketing strategies to using it for identifying patterns that might indicate fraud or criminal behavior and preventing it. You just need to be ready to embrace it.
How to Utilize Actionable Intelligence?
While you might be able to collect additional data by yourself by using the search engines and social media platforms, you would gather a large amount of unusable data and you would have to waste your time going through all that data to find out what is usable and what is not. Open-source intelligence is programmed to find the sense in the ocean of data and provide you with actionable intelligence or in other words with intelligence that can be used to make decisions.
For example, knowing customers are looking for a new product related to reading will be useless information for you because it doesn’t give you any information you can use to create that product even if you are in that industry. But if you find out that customers are looking for a product that will allow them to remotely switch pages on their ebook reader, this will be an actionable intelligence as there is something you can do about it.
When it comes to fraudulent behavior the same principles apply. Having information that there has been a phishing attack on some industry will not make any difference for you as you don’t have enough information to do anything about it. You don’t know which industry was affected, how the attack was conducted, or what were the warning signs. But, if you collect data that indicates several businesses in your industry have fallen victim to a cyber-attack due to a vulnerability in their network, that will be considered actionable intelligence as you can do something about it. You can check your network to see if the same security vulnerability is present in your network, and patch it up before it can be used against it.
By utilizing data collected with the help of open-source intelligence tools you will be able to gather more information about your businesses and your customers. This data can be used to discover any weaknesses or vulnerabilities within your business, recognize any possibilities for growth or identify fraudulent behavior patterns and by doing so protect your business from fraud attempts.
Open Source Intelligence allows your business to gain actionable intelligence, but it is up to you to act upon it and protect your business.
Producing Actionable Intelligence With OSINT was last modified: January 7th, 2022 by Robert Kormoczi
In its best iteration, the hybrid workday undoubtedly has its benefits. From hyper-flexibility to greater employee autonomy and freedom, companies that can manage to master hybrid working may have a bright future ahead of them.
If a form of hybrid work is going to stick around in the new year, then striving to perfect it for your own business could be a necessity.
This is no small feat, however, and to get it right, everyone needs to be on the same page, which can be fairly difficult to achieve when communication is split across two worlds, the virtual and the real.
If you feel as though the hybrid work approach is the way to take your company, and you would like a little extra direction, here are some tips to help you get your employees prepared and your working environment secured in no time.
Getting Your Assets Organized
Making sure that your workforce is digitally organized should be among your very top priorities.
Failing to get organized before making the switch to hybrid work can leave your digital infrastructure at great risk.
You may end up losing valuable files such as customer information or product blueprints, or you might even suffer from a cyberattack. Organizing your digital assets and securing all of your data is one of the first steps toward establishing a dependable hybrid working environment in which employees feel comfortable navigating.
Digital asset management systems are fantastic software options that can help you do this. The benefits of a DAM system do not stop at the organization, however, they often provide a turnkey solution that improves communication, collaboration and generally covers the key points in any streamlined business.
Get the Right Hardware
If your employees are not physically prepared to navigate around a hybrid working environment, it should fall on your shoulders to supply them with the tools they need to flourish.
This could mean getting hold of the right hardware. Having the right hardware is winning half of the battle, yet still, many companies neglect to give their employees the right gear.
Be it the personal devices your employees use to access the company network or the components that make up the network itself (servers, software, ethernet, etc.), developing a dependable infrastructure is critical to success.
Create a Positive Company Culture
Positive company culture can take support from your employees to no end, and it should be in your best interests as a business owner to ensure that your staff feels comfortable at work, so it’s a win-win.
For anyone wishing to create the perfect hybrid working balance, the concept of great company culture is particularly important to note.
This is partly because hybrid working can cause a rift in the dynamic of your office, potentially giving way to an ‘us versus them’ scenario between your home workers and your onsite staff.
Avoiding this is crucial if you mean to avoid rifts and work on creating an environment of togetherness.
A company culture that is prepared for hybrid working will likely ensure that rifts and divides of this sort never happen. A few great ways to develop a positive work culture include:
Put employee wellbeing first.
Listen to everyone’s needs. Being an active listener can help you coach and lead others more efficiently.
Be inclusive, and allow your staff equal opportunities. Avoiding bias in hybrid working (and throughout life in general) can help you stay positive.
Train your staff.
Remember to check-in.
By getting to know your staff a little better, you can make dynamic assessments yourself and continue to decide the best course of action in the future.
Offer Training
Hybrid working can prove to be an issue when a digital skills gap separates your employees from one another.
In some cases, this could take away your employees’ ability to carry out their everyday responsibilities.
This obviously spells disaster for your productivity, your employee happiness rates, and, therefore, your business.
Offering training to all those who need it is possibly the perfect way around this issue, as it can help raise everyone up to the same level.
Training is often critical to both personal and professional development throughout one’s career, so do not hesitate to offer it to your own staff on a regular basis.
Remain Transparent
Switching to a regular hybrid business model without telling anyone is likely not going to make you too many friends in one go.
By giving your employees plenty of advanced warning before you make the switch, you can help them get prepared and not spring what is potentially a nasty surprise on them.
Transparency is crucial here, and you can remain transparent by making yourself available to your employees and any questions they might have.
Offer the Choice
Hybrid working thrives on staff autonomy and their ability to recognize and fulfill their personal responsibility.
On some level, this means putting a great deal of trust in your employees. This trust will be reciprocated, but it is imperative that you give your staff the choice of working in the office or working from home; otherwise, you may end up sending the wrong message and harming your operation rather than strengthening it.
Encourage Communication
Without being able to communicate with one another openly and freely, your team will likely begin to struggle with completing their everyday tasks.
Teams need to be able to collaborate every now and then, and this can be hard to do for a hybrid workforce without the right tools or support.
Great collaboration tools are ten a penny nowadays, so making sure that you find the right software to support you is not only vital but there is no excuse not to.
For your remote team to support your in-house team, communication platforms can be your strongest ally, especially if you can find one that allows your team to edit and share their work with each other in real-time.
Developing a hybrid work environment that strengthens your business efforts might seem tough initially, but getting a head start, devising a plan of action, and looking after your employees’ wellbeing can save you from ever going too far wrong.
Business Tips: Are Your Employees Prepared for Hybrid Work? was last modified: June 15th, 2023 by Alexander Welsh
Cloud storage is more common than at any time in the past. From social media sites to apps, this form of remote storage is what makes information portable. Since you plan on making better use of cloud storage in the future, it pays to hire a cloud computing consulting firm in Seattle and learn what this storage solution can do for your business. Here are some examples of what a consultant can do to ensure you get the most out of your usage.
An Expert Evaluation of Your Company’s Cloud Storage Needs
Before it will be possible to decide what to do with cloud storage, it’s necessary to evaluate how you use storage at present. What sort of data is kept in some kind of central repository? What are the reasons for storing data on something like a local server?
At the same time, there’s data that may be stored on individual machines rather than the company server. Was there a reason for that, other than possibly convenience?
Along with general storage on individual machines and on a company server, are there backups that are in use? This may be a secondary server or maybe even a tape backup. How are those solutions used, and what’s the criterion for deciding how data is stored in a secondary environment?
The answers to all these questions will form the basis of what approach to cloud storage would provide the benefits you enjoy now, add more benefits, and possibly simplify the storage process for your business.
Identifying the Most Secure Cloud Providers
With a good idea of what you’re doing now and what a cloud storage solution can do for you, the process moves on to finding a provider who offers an excellent level of security. That security isn’t just about protecting access from your place of business. It will also extend to offsite employees who need access to data while traveling.
As with any type of data and communication offering, the level of security provided by different cloud services will vary. With the aid of a consultant, it’s possible to compare the precautions taken by different services and determine who is a good fit for your business. That includes knowing which services routinely upgrade security measures to fend off the most recently released threats.
And the Ones Providing the Level of Support Needed
While data security is crucial, it’s not the only point to ponder with a cloud service. You also want to know what sort of support the service provides. Which ones have the best track records in terms of responding to customer queries? Is support available around the clock? Does the provider proactively notify customers if an issue is discovered, and it will take time to resolve the problem?
The goal is to ensure that the service you ultimately choose offers a degree of support that leaves you feeling comfortable and valued. Anything less is not worth the money you would spend on cloud storage.
Determining the Amount of Capacity Needed
Based on today’s needs, how much data storage is required? Projecting anticipated growth, how much storage will you need next year, five years from now, or even a decade into the future? Those are questions that a consultant can help you answer now.
Ideally, the cloud service that you choose can easily accommodate more than what you need at present. As time passes and you begin to exceed 80% of the capacity offered through the current plan, there should be the ability to upgrade and receive additional storage space. If this is not something a particular service can offer, it would be best to look for one that can take care of your business in the future as well as now.
Training for Your IT Team
Up to this point, the Information Technology team that you have in-house has overseen every aspect of data storage. That’s mainly been managing the on-site server and possibly a backup server. While the team is proficient in that capacity, it’s important to note that there will be a learning curve once cloud storage is introduced.
That’s another area where an expert with a cloud computing consulting firm in Seattle can help. The consultant can arrange the training for your IT team. This will ensure they can monitor the upload of data to the cloud, check for network issues on your end, and in general make sure the process is working as it should. Thanks to what they already do, the training will likely go smoothly.
Assessing the Ease of Use Versus the Skill Sets of Your Employees
It’s not just the IT team that will need some training. There’s a good chance that your employees will need some help in adjusting to the new way of accessing and storing data. For those who are used to keeping data on local hard drives, this may be a challenge initially.
All employees who need access to the stored data should be trained. That includes sales team members and others who may travel on behalf of the company. They will need to know how to securely access the cloud while on the road. See the training as one way to ensure there’s no waste of time or resources when it comes to making use of company data.
Determining How to Trim Expenses Using Cloud Storage
In the midst of coming up with solutions, the cost is sure to be on your mind. This is another area where the consultant can help. You’ll find out how this method of data storage can, directly and indirectly, save money over time.
For example, you may decide that the cloud will be the primary point of storage from now on. You can drop the secondary server and other backup methods since the main local server will now be your backup. That translates into lower equipment costs. It also means less time involved in making sure data is transferred between devices properly.
You may also find that cloud storage paired with access credentials means employees don’t have to spend time attaching documents to emails and sharing them through a network. Instead, all authorized personnel can go to the cloud, find what they need, and keep working. No one has to wait until an email with an attachment arrives.
Developing a Plan to Transition Data from Local to Cloud Storage
Now that you have an idea of what the cloud can do for the business, there’s still the need to transfer data from your local storage to that cloud account. This is another area where the consultant can help. Between the support offered by the cloud service and the expertise of the consultant, it will be easy to set up a schedule for data transfer.
This process may focus on transferring data from the primary local server as the first step. Once that’s complete, transferring data from local desktops and laptops can be next. Through it all, the arrangement of the data in the cloud can be monitored. The result is everyone knows where to look for the files and documents they need.
If the idea of transitioning to the cloud as either your primary storage site or as a backup for your local server is appealing, now is the time to schedule a meeting with a consultant. After a full evaluation, developing a plan that fits your company’s needs will be an easy task.
Why Should My Business Hire a Cloud Computing Consulting Firm Seattle? was last modified: January 7th, 2022 by Maryna Turchanova
The number of SaaS projects in the world is growing annually. As a rule, all of them have an interesting mission and a great technical background behind the founders. However, after releasing a product on the market, companies often face problems with creating a marketing strategy and SEO promotion.
From this article, you will learn what aspects should be taken into account to create and implement an effective marketing strategy for a SaaS project, bring your company to the top in Google SERP, and get links from niche resources.
Corporate Structure
Corporate structure needs to be set from the start for a form that is appropriate to your long-term goals. An LLC is more beneficial than a sole proprietorship in terms of taxation and liability. You can also take advantage of tax deductions for LLCs and better liability protection. Forming a C-Corp is both expensive and leads to double-taxation, but it may be appropriate if you need to issue stock certificates to your key managers and staff.
What Is Link Building?
One of the key tasks of an Internet business is to attract the maximum number of potential customers (leads). Effective SEO optimization and a link-building strategy will help bring your website on top of Google SERP. According to Rahul from Kasera, SEO jobs are high in demand, especially with the popularity of e-commerce.
Since COVID started more and more brands are looking for SEO professionals and we have first-hand experience of this working with many brands. Link building (getting backlinks) is a complex of actions focused on attracting referral traffic and website promotion.
Link Building is a difficult task these days as competition is stiff. It will require you to put together a strong, persistent, and ongoing strategy that will require you to put in a lot of time and effort. You know what they say though: anything worth doing is worth doing well! And link building is definitely worth doing these days. (Lindsey Allard CEO and Co-Founder of PlaybookUX)
Instead of buying backlink packages on stock exchanges, quality link building offers a selective and individual approach. Experts in various SaaS companies carefully study the field of activity of their clients and their target audiences, choosing only reliable and effective donors. This allows them to achieve great results in SEO promotion, although the process requires assiduity, patience, creativity, and consistency in action.
Link building can be more difficult for SaaS companies due to the niche nature of the industry and the competition that comes along with a crowded market. (Emma, Marketing Director at Routific.)
What Does Link Building for SaaS Include?
Link building is a whole strategy for getting backlinks exclusively from quality resources. The effective system of attracting traffic is almost impossible for competitors to duplicate by adopting.
For SaaS based companies or products/services link building tasks is a mid-level task that is not so easy or tough. Simply, you have to work with patience and reach different websites/blogs related to your Niche on a daily basis for more reach/engagement to get backlinks for your SaaS business. (Joe Smith, iCrowdNewswire)
Before we get into how to build links for SaaS, it’s important to note what kind of links will actually help your website. When you’re looking to build backlinks, avoid content farm websites. Instead, focus on finding genuine SaaS domain websites. This will help ensure that your site’s ranking is not adversely affected by links from low-quality sources. Alternatively, you can look for link building services for SaaS; the right agency would know how to do link building for SaaS.
Link-building for SaaS can be complicated if you don’t have the resources necessary to create useful content. For one, other websites are not going to link to articles or resources that aren’t helpful for their audience – being relevant, informative, and delivering multiple content pieces a month can be an expensive endeavor. And then there’s the other side: most other websites probably aren’t helpful to your domain relevance. Getting links from blogs about cooking or farming will not help your content rank and may end up being a spam signal to Google. So, essentially, you end up playing in a small sandbox with other SaaS websites competing for popularity. (Victor Antiu, the CMO of Custify)
One of the most efficient link-building strategies for SaaS is guest posting. There are plenty of websites that accept guest posts and give relevant backlinks in return. The main precondition is to have quality content and find relevant websites to contact. SaaS is a bit specific so not every website may link to it, unless it’s really relevant. (Nick, CEO of DataforSEO)
The link building process involves a combination of several strategies as follows:
Outreach involves collaborating with owners of other websites, media representatives, and popular bloggers (influencers). The main activity is focused on establishing contact with the information platforms where a link (to the customer’s website) can be posted in the future;
Crowd-marketing is one of the link-building branches, aimed at working with hidden product placement of a resource or a specific position in the catalog. Crowd-marketing is a form of feedback, social network posts, and comments on blogs/forums;
Submits represent promotion via posted data about the client’s company on external resources. The summary should contain a direct link to the website. There are several types of submits: sites with reviews and recommendations, online directories, and geotags. Submits are ideal for local businesses such as clinics, spas, specialty stores, bars, and restaurants.
The best way to get high-quality backlinks for a SaaS in 2021 and 2022 is to use the Help a Reporter Out (HARO) platform. Big names in the SaaS industry post daily queries there, which allows you to provide them with first-hand information and get your backlinks quickly. My SaaS has been using HARO for 3 years already and gained over 30 high-authority backlinks and good relations with reporters already. (Dmytro Serheeiv Tax Consultant & Co-Owner at https://pdfliner.com/)
You can use services like Majestic and Ahrefs for link mass analysis. The latter should be performed constantly since both temporary and permanent links are used to promote a website.
The best strategy is to develop your site’s presence with high-quality original content and build social media shares and followers overtime before trying any advertising methods (paid or organic). A notable exception would be if you can afford costly SEO packages, including professional-level PR through blogs and social media sharing on top of traditional advertising techniques like SEM/PPC ads. (Emir Bacic, Co-founder of Pricelisto)
Ideas for Content Creation
Before you read the following tips, we’d like to remind you that focusing on content and topics that generate emotion, engage, entertain, and inform your customers is the key to success.
Upload semantics on competitors from Ahrefs;
Divide your product into dozens of mini-products. You can put a mini-tool on the homepage and inside an article, combining it with a how-to guide. Otherwise, you can simply go with h1 and Description. The main value of such pages is that you don’t need a lot of content for ranking;
Build mini products based on other products’ APIs. You can use the same data in many ways. Once you get traffic to the web page, immediately start collecting statistics on conversions and revenue. Not all pages will increase your ROI;
Look for other non-standard ways to use your product. Generate the most impossible ideas of what else the product could be useful for. Look at your competitors in Ahrefs with overlaps in requests. By creating a successful experimental landing page, you can discover another great niche for your product;
Focus on comparisons with competitors (…alternative);
Translate the page into other popular languages (where your product is in demand);
Find the best keyword that Google “likes” the most to get to the top immediately.
Ideas for Content Improvement
Unless you have a solid content strategy template, your competitive advantage will remain low.
Google’s algorithms love good content. So, creating long-form expert content will push you up the SERP. Try your best to make it unique. That means you need a darn good writer who can engage the audience with a new angle on something. If the content is fresh and interesting, you’ll definitely build backlinks. You have to promote it heavily. (Jacques Buffet, digital PR tech lead at Zety)
Creating and advertising content for SaaS product promotion to create links is a challenging task. There are many practicalities to consider, and coordination may be difficult, but the premise is simple: provide material that people desire, and they will connect to it. (Aakhil Karthikkeyan, https://document360.com/)
Creating one is a great way to make your customers notice you on the SaaS market. Apart from that, there are a few other ways to improve your website content as follows:
Check every page on your website to see the whole picture. You can run the process in sections if your website is rather big and assign each page URL one of 3 actions: keep, improve, or remove;
Use quality infographics and strict editorial policy. Preciseprinciples of content creation, unified structure and page templates (home, blog post, ‘About us,’ news archive, contact), unified rules for punctuation, paragraphs and indents, headings, bullets, and numbered lists;
Proofread your articles. Find and correct typos, identify errors of lexical, syntactic, and orthographic nature. Check the correctness of hyphenation, headings, lists, bullets. Monitor compliance with the unified design concept;
Make sure your images, pages, categories, and individual posts are 100% unique. Your website images should not just look attractive but also meaningful. Your designer should be able to quickly grasp the main idea of this or that article and convey it in an image. If you find your own photos/images on the web, demand/request link placement;
Expanding content based on analyzing top results in SERPs;
Page load time acceleration;
Breadcrumb navigation for your blog;
Studying user behavior via Hotjar;
Comparison with competitors. The most targeted customers come by such requests (they’ve already used a similar tool but didn’t like something). Make it clear on the page that you are better than everyone (start with the title and h1). Look at the small but growing competitors. As they grow, traffic to your feeds grows too.
To develop an effective strategy and avoid mistakes, it’s important to analyze 5-10 competitors. You can find them in several ways as follows:
Search for the main key phrases, select the region of promotion, and ignore ads. Your competitors will be at the top. This method works for identifying SaaS competitors since services tend to have 1-2 main traffic pages. However, it’s irrelevant for other websites;
Check your competitors through Ahrefs. Type your website into the search bar and click “competitor domains.”
When optimizing your website, it’s important to pay attention to the following aspects:
Also, do not forget about adaptive design. These days, users spend most of their time on the Internet from their mobile devices. In this case, the time they are willing to use a website, in comparison with going online from a PC, is almost twice reduced.
Your website should be equally user-friendly and convenient to use both from a PC and smartphone.
Ideas for Generating Backlinks and Traffic
Here’s a list of ideas that work for us for generating traffic and backlinks:
Blog comments: Just go to all the articles in the top 50 for your search queries. You can leave comments on quality websites even without links – just mention the name of the domain. The perfect comment will be detailed, demonstrating that you read the article carefully in full and complementing it;
Business listings: Fill out your business profiles to the best of your ability, use your subscriber database for reviews, as well as feedback on your website;
Link exchanges: Put your team members’ contacts and photos on your website. As your traffic and authority grow, you may get requests for interviews and link exchanges. Since you’re linking to other sites in your content anyway, if you’re offered a backlink to a good product, the exchange will be useful;
Broken link building: We tried it, and it didn’t work for us. Alas, in the SEO niche, your found broken links might only get you free hugs;
Google Chrome plugin. Allocate a small but valuable feature in the product with good retention. Create a plugin, carefully verify its title, description, and icon. Translate it into other languages and start driving traffic to the plugin from the website and newsletters. This way, in addition to satisfied users, you will also get one more page of your own;
Interview bloggers and subject matter experts. Think of interesting questions, write down your conditions (how many links can be placed), provide an offer (why spend time on your interview), find experts on conference websites or Google “best … experts,” “best … blogs,” “… LinkedIn experts,” etc. Start with middle specialists and use social proof once you get to interviewing top specialists.
A great link-building strategy is to create an in-depth report that could be of interest to others. Use numbers you have access to via your platform, relate it back to a larger topic and publish the finished copy on your website. If you do a good job of it and publish a strong piece that covers a topic others will be related to, then you can use it as a way to get links. (Yazan Sehwail CEO and Co-Founder of Userpilot)
A quality interview with a blogger will get you into Google Discover, links from experts’ blogs, links to quotes from interviews, traffic from branded queries, traffic from social networks, and insight into the habits of your target audience.
Help center pages. Write unique and useful content and guide users to the guides from the website and newsletters. Monitor the pages that have made it to the top and improve them further;
Niche blogger reviews. It’s always best to have a few quality reviews. Evaluate websites not only by link profile but also the activity of blog readers (comments), design quality, navigation, etc. Ask for a thoughtful and objective review but talk about your strengths. There may be important features that the blogger won’t notice without your help. Review budget: from $100 to $600 per review;
Freelance exchanges. Create a tool whose data acts as a checkpoint for customers and contractors. Make it clear to customers that they can delegate work to freelancers (you can give a list of exchanges). Create jobs as customers with links to your website and services as performers with links to your website;
Quora. Not all topics are equally important. Use content from the blog but be sure to add your own thoughts. Show that you’re getting into the user’s question. Basic views and clicks will bring in 5-10%. In Google Analytics, you can see the effectiveness of each response (report source/medium, secondary dimension “referral path”);
Facebook. Join all of the related groups. Respond in detail to all your users’ questions (related to your product) on a regular basis. Do not be stingy with words and carefully study their issues;
YouTube. Do one video review of one product. Optimize it considering all aspects, namely: keyword search, title, description, tags, cards, end screen, special splash screen, public accessibility, playlist, email notifications to users who liked the vid, response to user comments, social media distribution, and newsletters. After publishing your video, it’s important to get as many views, comments, and likes as possible in 24 hours (you’ll need this video for business listings);
LTD sites. You can try AppSumo for better sales, increased branded queries (4x or more), and more video/text reviews. You will also get “tough” questions from your target audience who knows products similar to yours, understand what’s critical to fix, and what new features to add. Let alone market change options and positioning;
Live chat. Collect feedback on what users like/dislike about your website, as well as ideas for new products and website pages.
Reclaiming links is an excellent link-building strategy for SaaS companies. It is obtaining links from mentions of your product across different business websites and blogs. When you have an excellent SaaS product, it is highly probable that your app or tool is mentioned on various websites as recommendations from industry professionals and bloggers or cited with good reviews by businesses who use the app or tool. (Sam Dolbel, Co-founder & CEO of SINC Workforce – https://sinc.business/)
You can start reclaiming links by finding your product mentions online by manually searching for them, or you can also use tools that can alert you when you get mentions. Then, obtain the contact information of the blogger, writer, or publisher of the content where your product is mentioned so that you can reach out and request for them to turn the mention into a link leading to your website.”
How Do I Search for Topics?
Almost every landing page has the main keyword in front of it, which is used to “push” it in Google. The same keyword can be used to find topics. You can also use data from the neighboring tab (Search Console) or data from Ahrefs.
Before you search for topics, it’s important to look at the content on the landing page to understand what topics will be the most relevant.
How Do I Choose the Right Topics?
For every landing page theme, there are basically 1-3 of the most valuable topics that are worth the effort. In reality, topics, where you can get a large number of views, have already:
Generated more than 2,000 views in total;
Generated followers (10+ is already OK).
So what you can do? Type in a keyword -> open 10-20 topics in new tabs that seem relevant by their headlines -> choose 1-3 most valuable by the number of views, followers.
How Do I Create a Response Based on Landing Page Content?
A comprehensive response will provide your users with the following types of information:
Exclusive (this is probably the main reason for popularity);
Relevant (meaning information that best answers the question). In the first/last paragraph of your answer, it’s important to write text showing that you copied the content from the landing page since it answers the question well;
Structured (it’s not only about headings but also bolding key ideas).
In each topic, before you answer, look at the top responses in that topic and make an upvote for the most valuable one – so that there is a natural activity of the account.
Additional Link Building Tips
Check out the following tips and always keep them in mind when optimizing your website:
SEO is just one possible source of traffic;
The right SEO strategy derives from the right marketing strategy;
If you got traffic, but your SaaS product is not ready yet, try turning to your competitors or experiment with prices;
Not all web pages will be good for you, conduct regular assessment of the effectiveness of your website pages, and improve only the best ones;
There’s nothing wrong with copying your competitors – copy it but improve it. That’s how all development happens;
Remember that your niche competitors don’t cover all semantics.
SaaS Marketing Strategy: Mistakes & Solutions
Here’s a list of common SEO mistakes and solutions to them:
Lack of purpose. Understand what you want and why and then create specific results;
Lack of strategy. Write a detailed plan with a clear goal, list of activities, milestones, deadlines, costs, and responsibilities. Define reporting metrics;
Quantity of leads over their quality. Identify your TA, assess the real interest of users, and focus all your efforts on working with them;
Poor website optimization. Check duplicates, page loading time, 404 errors, unnecessary redirects 301 and 302, image weight, HTTPS protocol operation, server errors;
Incorrect (or incomplete) assessment of your competitors. Check what and how your competitors do, where their traffic comes from, what content attracts users, and where they promote it;
One promotion channel. Use social networks, publications on external sites, remarketing, email marketing, contextual advertising on low-end queries, link building;
Inadequate audience management. Consider user engagement when interacting with users;
Absence or vague strategy for creating content. Identify topics that are attractive and useful to your visitors, schedule a content plan at least a couple of months in advance;
Poor site/content structure. Work out requirements for each page, post, considering even the smallest details. Make sure your site map looks clear. Check your content types (people, products, reviews), content type data (first/last name, position, bio, email, phone number), hierarchical/non-hierarchical taxonomies (e.g. “categories” / “tags” for your blog), and so on;
Cancellation of previously posted articles. Update old publications by adding relevant keywords and information.
Conclusion
If you haven’t yet included link building as a core element in your SEO strategy, now is the right time to do so.
2021 is ended and the start of a new year provides an opportunity to make fresh changes to your strategies, the consequences of which you can watch throughout 2022. You need to carefully analyze your site’s link profile, check donor domains, create a link-building strategy, and select trusted donors for linking and optimizing your budget.
Increase traffic, reach top positions in the SERP, and attract the attention of new customers!
Link Building for SaaS Companies: The Ultimate Guide was last modified: September 24th, 2024 by Roy Emmerson
If you’re a truck driver, then you know the importance of staying connected and well-equipped while on the road. Even the most experienced truckers need to keep up with advances in technology to stay safe and productive on the road. Here are some essential pieces of tech for every trucker.
GPS System
Though many smartphones now offer GPS navigation apps, it’s important to have a stand-alone system in your truck. A dedicated system will provide you with superior routing information, stronger signal strength, and a larger screen for an easier viewing experience compared to a smartphone app.
Generator
A generator is a must-have piece of tech for every trucker. Not only will your appliances remain powered when the engine isn’t running, but they can also keep you safe from dangerous situations that arise during extreme weather conditions. If your power inverter fails or you get stuck without heat at night, having access to electricity from a generator could save your life – or keep your food from spoiling.
Air Conditioning
Air conditioning is another thing that every trucker should have. Though long-haul truckers often don’t have access to the same level of comfort as drivers who live in their trucks, it’s important to have a comfortable place to sleep. This goes double for those who work for mattress companies and spend much of their time sleeping in uncomfortable beds.
Smartphone
Although many truckers use traditional CB radios to communicate with other drivers, a smartphone is much more versatile. With features like text messaging and live location sharing, a smartphone can make the job of driving safer and easier. Many truckers also rely on apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat for entertainment purposes while they’re waiting in long lines at the port or sitting in a boring dock.
Weather App
As a long-haul driver, it’s important to be aware of weather conditions even when you’re not driving. This is particularly important if you do refrigerated or oversize load deliveries where bad weather could mean delivering your cargo late or getting stuck waiting for assistance from road crews.
Apps that provide information about severe weather along your route at any time are great for alerting you to the conditions ahead. Additionally, a weather app that provides notifications about how the weather is impacting the time it takes for other drivers in your area to reach their destinations can help give you an edge when making up lost hours.
CB Radio
A CB radio is an essential piece of trucker equipment. Though some new drivers shy away from using a traditional CB, neglecting this form of communication can be dangerous and limit your job opportunities. Many carriers require their drivers to be active on the CB – even if they use an electronic logging device (ELD) and rarely talk over the airwaves.
Having a dedicated CB radio for your truck is important for staying in touch with other drivers and receiving important information about road conditions and traffic up ahead.
Electric Logging Device
An ELD is required by many carriers who participate in the Hours of Service (HOS) program established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This technology helps ensure that all driver logs are accurate and up-to-date – reducing the risk of costly penalties.
An ELD can help you avoid being in violation of the HOS by automatically recording when your engine is running and when it’s off. This will be particularly useful if you’re aiming to get your trucking authority and you’re becoming your own boss. A lot of company trucks have these installed as standard. However, if you’re becoming an owner-operator, you’ll have to invest in your own. If you’re considering getting your trucking authority, follow these steps for a sure-fire route to success.
Laptop
Nowadays, many of us are using some form of computing device daily. As a trucker, you’ll need access to online resources related to your job.
As an independent contractor, you must always keep up-to-date with your online scheduling and stay in touch with your customers. For this reason alone, investing in a laptop computer, printer, and satellite connection is probably worth it – particularly if you plan on operating as an owner-operator. To ensure success as a small business owner – even as a trucker – you’ll need to have access to current technology.
Modern technology has made owning a truck much easier, and many companies offer free electronics to their drivers as an incentive for driving for their company. Some carriers even require their drivers to take home a tablet or laptop computer so the carrier can provide the driver with up-to-date schedules and other information from any location.
Dashcam
Though dash cams are becoming increasingly popular among everyday drivers, they’re a must-have piece of tech for every trucker. In addition to being helpful for those who want to prove their innocence after an accident, some insurance companies also offer discounts to drivers who have dash cams installed in their vehicles.
Emergency Equipment
A first aid kit, fire extinguisher, and flares are just a few examples of the many pieces of emergency equipment that every trucker should carry with them on the road. Seriously consider investing in a satellite phone as well – if your cell phone dies on you while you’re out on the road, having access to a fully functional phone could make all the difference.
Bluetooth Headset
Professional drivers use two hands when they drive, so keeping a phone up against your ear is out of the question.
A wireless Bluetooth earpiece allows you to keep up with calls without taking your attention off the road. Some truckers also like using tablets while driving. To make sure that you’re always on top of things, consider pairing your tablet with an extended battery.
Portable Chargers
Truckers spend a lot of time in their vehicles, so being able to charge your devices is extremely important. Portable chargers allow you to keep all of your electronics at full battery power without having to stop and recharge – no matter how long the road ahead might be.
Essential Tech for Every Trucker was last modified: January 4th, 2022 by Elliot Newbold
Data synchronization is the process of synchronizing data on different systems. For example, we all know that data generated by websites can be collected and screened for what we are looking for, but how does a business go about collecting it? Data synchronization will allow it to get its hands on the information before someone else does.
For this process to work, a company’s data must have been collected from different sources, and it must be entered into the system to be synchronized. This means that if someone is searching for data, they can do it all at once instead of reading through every bit of information individually.
Data synchronization can allow data collection from websites to be screened, so only relevant products or services are visible. This is particularly useful for large corporations with many different products and services available but doesn’t want the user to get overwhelmed when they visit their website.
Screen Company Information
Data synchronization can help screen company information from websites, so only relevant details are visible. In contrast, irrelevant information is hidden away to save time and effort when searching for particular data.
For example, if a user wanted to view a list of companies in a specific area, data synchronization would make sure they only see the companies with an online presence and hide any that don’t.
Screen Company Employees
Data synchronization can also highlight any employees of a company with relevant information. This is particularly useful for users looking to see if they have the same skills as an employee or want to find out what other companies that employee has worked for in the past.
Screen Reviews
One of the best ways to screen data collected from websites is to look at product or service reviews. It is an excellent way for users to get all the information they need on a product or service without going into too much detail, as this can save time and effort and leave no stone unturned.
Screen Business-Specific Data
When a business uses data synchronization, users can view business-specific data from websites with an online presence, ensuring they see information relevant to what they are looking for.
For example, if a user wanted to look at restaurants near them that have received four or five stars on their Google review page, their search can be made much easier by using data synchronization using web scraping tools.
Screen Public Data
Public data from websites can also be collected and screened, often using Java web scraping. This includes relevant news articles, social media posts, weather updates, and more.
For example, suppose a user wanted to view the latest news about a company they are interested in before visiting their website. In that case, they can use data synchronization and screen the information to their exact needs.
Screen Industry Data
Data synchronization can also screen industry data from different websites so only relevant information is shown, helping users see the bigger picture of a specific area. If a user wanted to view financial reports on various industries, data synchronization could get its hands on this data and display it in an easy-to-read format.
Conclusion
Data synchronization can help screen data collected from websites, helping a business save time and effort when searching for the information it needs to give its users. Data synchronization is beneficial for large corporations with many different products and services available and those looking to learn about an employee’s experience—all by using web scraping tools.
How Data Synchronization Can Help Screen Data Collected From Websites was last modified: January 5th, 2022 by Chloe Donian
Android devices make up a large percentage of the phone market. These days, as more students spend time learning away from the classroom, it can be helpful to use as many resources as you can find. In this article, we discuss 10 educational apps for android users.
10 of the Best Educational Apps for Android Devices
Here are 10 impressive educational apps you’ll find in the Google Play Store:
1. Khan Academy
This app is very popular and completely free of charge. You get the opportunity to study traditional subjects such as math, English, physics, and so much more. This educational app has more than 10,000 videos made by experts that you’re sure you’re getting the best.
2.. Amazon Kindle
This learning app has a ton of guides and books that can be used for reference while working on personal projects. The app itself is free, while the costs of the books vary. All you need to do when you find a book you like is buy it, download it, then read it.
They have a lot of educational books that students can use for class when studying for their lessons or researching for essays. Alternatively, they can order college essay papers for sale and skip all the work altogether. This option is great when the academic load gets unbearable.
3. SoloLearn
SoloLearn is a great app for learning programming. It can be used for free, or you can go for the monthly premium version for $4.99 or the annual premium version for $45.99. The app teaches Java, Python, C++, and much more programming languages.
4. Coursera
Coursera can be looked at as an online school. The app is free, while the cost of courses varies, with some being free and some costing a couple of dollars a month. While Coursera is a great app, there’s an abundance of online courses you can use if you need help in essay writing. Or you can hire service and get their second opinion on your essay. They can also write it for you entirely.
5. LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn learning can be considered new when compared to other apps on this list. It’s completely free and comes with enough videos and lessons aimed at teaching you some of the most in-demand skills needed in the workplace. This app also supports Chromecast and offline viewing.
6. Duolingo
While Duolingo can be used for free, there are some limitations that might push you to consider the premium version, with a monthly fee of $9.99 and an annual fee of $95.99. Duolingo, like most apps, teaches you the language in small amounts so you can easily understand it.
While talking about helpful apps, it would be a shame to not mention apps for college students who want to stay on top of their game. These essay writing apps that students love can help with paper writing. Try them out if it’s something you need for your studies.
7. Udemy
While the Udemy app is free, the courses it offers aren’t always free, with prices varying. Udemy offers a lot of courses that cover writing, programming, and even finance and engineering. Each course comes with videos and lessons you can use to your advantage
8. Photomath
As you might have guessed, this app focuses mainly on developing your math skills. It’s completely free with no hidden charges. It operates by using your camera and OCR technology to scan math equations you write down and gives you the answer in return. This app is great for those looking to work on their math skills as it gives you the answer and the procedure to solve it yourself.
9. WolframAlpha
This app costs $2.99 and is considered a serious app for only the most serious scholars. It comes with a calculator and tons of information on different topics. Topics covered include math, statistics, chemistry, and much more.
10. YouTube
The YouTube app can be used for free; however, depending on your region, you might need to pay a monthly fee of $12.99 to download videos for offline consumption. You’ll find videos on music, soccer, fashion, and, most importantly, education. Almost anyone on the internet can record a bunch of educational videos, which makes the options available truly immense.
Final Thoughts
Education is a vital part of everyone’s life. As technology continues to progress, you can learn from anywhere, even from the comfort of your phone. Hopefully, the apps shared today might prove useful as you begin your learning journey.
Author Bio
Eric Wyatt is a freelance writer and researcher. His goal is to promote self-learning and digital solutions for students. When he isn’t working on articles or trying out apps, he goes to the gym, enjoys camping, or plays soccer.
Top 10 Best Educational Apps For Android Devices was last modified: February 10th, 2022 by Lokesh Jaral
Personal finances can be a tricky and frustrating thing to manage. Keeping afloat in a big city can be difficult, even when there are no emergency expenses to worry about. It can be difficult when you find yourself in financial trouble, but it can be even harder trying to figure out what you should do about it. If you need money fast, there are several ways to get cash quickly.
1. Cash Advance Loan
If you’re in need of a quick loan before payday, a cash advance loan might be the one for you. A lot of companies offer these and a payday loan works like any other line of credit, except you can get it much faster, and it has a relatively lower cap. Basically, it’s a type of loan where you borrow a small amount of money for a short time period – usually, it’s to get you by until your income starts rolling in. This is one of the most popular choices because you can get your cash in 24 hours or less. When you take out a loan, it’s usually up to $1500 which should cover most emergencies and other unexpected expenses like car repairs.
2. Bad Credit Loan
Let’s say you’ve had some trouble with credit cards in the past, or maybe your credit history isn’t so great. When it comes to an emergency, this can put you in a real bind because when banks see that you have a bad credit score, they’ll be less likely to approve loans for you quickly – or at all. A bad credit loan is ideal if you don’t have any financial records, or if you’ve had a lot of trouble in the past. This works for people who have absolutely no credit rating – or simply not an ideal one, and can help them rebuild their credit. It’s also useful for those who have been rejected from traditional lenders because they don’t fit the “perfect candidate” mold.
3. Savings Account Loan
You can get a loan using your savings account without withdrawing the balance. If you have a poor credit score and cannot get a normal personal loan, a passbook loan might help you. This loan usually has smaller interest rates than loans for people with bad credit.
People sometimes call these passbook loans or savings-secured loans. You can get money by borrowing from your own savings. Like a secured personal loan, your savings account is the safety for the bank. If you do not pay back the loan, the bank might take your savings to cover what you owe.
4. Pawn Shop Loans
When you’re in dire straits and need cash fast, one thing that can help is pawning your items. Many people don’t realize this, but there are actually pawn shops everywhere, and if you’ve never been to one before, it’s time to learn about what they do. For those who don’t know, a pawnshop loan works by you bringing in one of your valuable possessions – like jewelry, for example. The shop owner will assess its value and give you a loan based on that – however much the item is worth at minimum. You can also sell these items outright, but if you choose to pay it back with interest, typically the longer you take to repay means more interest is tacked on. If you need money fast, this is one of the quickest ways to get it.
5. SBA Loan
An SBA loan is a type of loan offered by banks and lenders that is partially guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. If you have a small business, it is important to know what SBA loans are for.
It is designed to provide financial assistance to small businesses that may have difficulty obtaining traditional financing. SBA loans can be used for various purposes, such as starting a business, purchasing equipment or real estate, working capital, or expanding an existing business.
6. Co-Signed Emergency Loan
If you live with someone who has a decent credit rating, they may be willing to co-sign an emergency loan for you. All this entails is that they are your guarantor, or if anything goes wrong you are their responsibility. They will have to pay back the money if you do not, and it might be in their best interests to do so. If you can’t pay it back, they could be the ones held accountable by the lenders and incur penalties for not complying with their terms. This is a great way to get fast cash if you don’t have any other options, and your credit rating alone isn’t good enough – but it’s important that you pay back your loan in a timely manner so that the other person doesn’t get stuck paying it.
Every day, there are thousands of people who need money fast and can’t get a traditional loan. That’s why these alternatives exist – to make sure no one gets left behind when it comes to getting out of debt or saving up for an emergency expense. Even so, each option will come with its own set of terms and conditions, so it’s important to know what you’re getting into.
Top Ways to Get a Quick Loan was last modified: March 13th, 2024 by Allen Brown
Google is one of the leading techno giants of the 21st century. Among all the gadgets and digital tools offered by Google, Android is considered its revolutionary offering that has revolutionized our lives by making them smarter. You can start your own business by getting an LLC in Texas.
If you also want to start your career as an Android developer, you need to collect all the prerequisites and apply with a professional resume for android developer jobs.
To help you kickstart your android developer career journey, we are listing some practical guidelines. Though there are numerous skills for an Android developer (e.g Flutter development), these skills will kickstart your career as an Android developer. You can follow these steps to become an android developer in 2022:
Step 1- Get a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science
Many companies are required to Hire Android developers. The first step to start your career as an Android developer is getting a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Many individuals also start their professional careers by getting a diploma. However, recruiters prioritize a bachelor’s degree more than a diploma.
To get a computer science bachelor’s degree in the United States, you can enroll in any of these universities:
Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA
Stanford University | Stanford, CA
University of California- Berkeley | Berkeley, CA
University of Illinois- Urbana- Champaign | Urbana, IL
Cornell University | Ithaca, NY
University of Washington | Seattle, WA
Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, GA
Princeton University | Princeton, NJ
University of Texas- Austin | Austin. TX
Step 2- Upgrade Your Development Skills
While pursuing the degree course, you need to upgrade your development skills and learn modern development methodologies. Take a look at the technical skills you will require to get an Android development job in 2022:
Java
SDK Concepts
SQL
GiT
XML
Material Design
Android Studio
Backend Programming Skills
Though there are numerous skills for an Android developer, these skills will kickstart your career as an Android developer.
Step 3- Get a Specialized Certification of Android Development
After getting a bachelor’s degree or in the final year of your degree course, we recommend getting a specialized certification in Android development. A specialized certificate will make you stand apart from the crowd of traditional degree-holding applicants and will help you beat your competitors during the recruitment process.
Step 4- Build a Professional Android Developer Resume
A degree and certificate will make you eligible for an Android developer position, but you can not apply for a job without a professional Android developer resume. Hence, we recommend building a professional Android developer resume containing your skills and project details. You can follow these guidelines to build an impeccable Android developer resume:
Outline your resume
Make separate sections with clear heading names like Skills, Projects, Education, etc.
Mention your details in bullet points
Highlight essential information
Write an engaging resume summary
Proofread before applying
You can use a reverse chronological resume format to build your Android developer resume as an entry-level applicant.
Step 5- Apply For an Internship
After getting a degree, specialized certificate, and building a job-winning Android developer resume, you can apply for an internship. Of course, you can also apply for a full-time job, but an internship will make your base strong and prepare you to face all the hurdles of a full-time job. Due to this, we recommend joining an internship before applying for a full-time job. Usually, people get a full-time job in the company they join as interns.
Key Takeaways
Here are the key points of this article in a concise form for a quick look:
Get a bachelor’s degree in computer science
Upgrade your developer skills and learn modern development methodologies
Get a specialized certification in ANdroid development to beat your competitors
Build a highly professional job-winning Android developer resume
Apply for an internship before applying for a job to strengthen your professional base
You can follow these guidelines to kickstart your career as an Android developer in 2022 without any hurdle. However, you need to remember that upgrading your skills with time and new technologies is the only way to grow effectively as an Android developer in this highly competitive era.
How to Kickstart Your Android Developer Career? was last modified: March 10th, 2023 by Aditya Sharma
Wait! Don’t delete those pictures. Yes, it looks blurred and you probably don’t like the way it came out, but trust me, it can get a second lease of life. Maybe a decade ago, you would have been right not to keep such pictures on your device but it’s new dawn now! AI image enhancers are here.
AI image enhancers are webpage applications or software that help you to upscale your pictures automatically without going through the manual manipulation of brushes and masks. According to experts from Uploadcare – file handling platform, AI enhancers, ‘analyze an image and perform the needed contrast, brightness and sharpness enhancement to better the image visual quality.’
There’s no doubt that good images play a big role in audience engagement and conversion rate hence be it on your product page, newsletter, social media pages, I’ll bet you want to use high-quality images to get the best result. Who wouldn’t anyway?
But you won’t always get high-quality pictures. This is where AI images enhancers come in. AI images enhancers will automatically touch up the images. AI images enhancers perform smart image enhancement, tone and color adjustments, compressor removal. What you get is an image with a professional look. Guess what? You don’t need to have any knowledge about photoshop.
AI enhancers also deal with compression by reducing the numbers of usable pixels for analysis and work best with the highest resolution images they can get. Simply put, AI upscalers are learning machines that help you to enhance your images from low-resolution images to high-resolution images without information loss.
Functions Of AI Image Enhancers
Resizing
AI Images enhancers are lifesavers when you want to upscale your image. Do you want to increase the size of an image without losing quality, focus, or getting the pictures blurred? AI images enhancers got you covered.
AI images upscale would help you increase the number of pixels on a particular image.
Lighting
There is no doubt images help to capture users’ attention. With the right light exposure to an image, you’re just a few steps away from converting that prospect to a client.
There’s no difference in the amount of damage, not enough or too much light exposure can cause your image but with an AI image enhancer, you can get the right lighting with just a click.
Contrast
Experienced photographers know how rewarding getting an image contrast can be. But not everyone is a professional photographer or an experienced photographer, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you shoot an image without getting the contrast right.
Yes, contrast helps you to draw viewers’ attention and you sure need that for your business. Should you need help with contrast, AI enhances got you covered. It’ll enhance the key elements you want to focus on and ensure that it draws the attention that you desire.
Deblurring
Everyone has shot a blurred image at one time. While we believe that you can do better, however, the immediate goal is to ensure that you turn the current blurred image into a professional tool that can help you perform the needed task.
AI enhancers have deblurring features that will help you to give your image a second lease to life. Meanwhile, an AI art generator can completely transform your deblurred photos into artistic masterpieces, blending technology with creativity for eye-catching results.
Top 6 AI Images Enhancers For Businesses in 2022
VanceAl
This is one of the best AI image enhancers in 2021 giving you upscaling flexibility from 2X, 4X, 6X to 8X to upscale your low-resolution image to a high-resolution image. Also, anime images can be enhanced to 16X.
Icons8 Upscaler
Icons8 Upscaler is a free image quality enhancer that can help you scale up images by 4X resolution without losing quality.
FixthePhoto
Since 2003, Fixthephoto enhancement services has been the most trusted name in the photo retouching industry. Simply submit your images and specify your needs, and they will do the rest.
Let’s Enhance
This is one of the best AI image enhancers you can imagine. It helps you to improve colors, tones, balance, recover lost textures, and information. It also has compressor removal and gives you a 4X enhancement.
Deep Image
If you are in the real estate or e-commerce industry, then Deep Image should be on your priority list.
Deep Image can help you remove JPEG artifacts, remove noise, and have deblurring features. You also get 4X low-quality photos enhancement.
Upscaleics
Should you desire an AI enhancer to compress an image, think not too far, Upscaleics got you covered. Not only is it simple to use, but it also gives you some control over the resolution you’ll like to reach.
Applications for AI-Assisted Photography
AI systems will no doubt change the photography business as we know it today. Photographers will spend much more time taking photos rather than editing them. Currently, it is common practice for photographers to spend a lot more time digitally developing shots than actually taking them. Corporate portrait photographers, for example, often shoot hundreds or even thousands of headshots in a single day. AI software will help cull these images (selecting the best ones) and make adjustments such as brightness, contrast, color temperature and even image cropping. This means that the business of photography itself will either become more profitable in the future
How To Choose The Best AI Images Enhancer For Your Business was last modified: September 3rd, 2024 by Barbara Sawala
When you first launched your business, your major aim was to establish your product and presence to develop a formula for consistent sales. Since then, the world has changed dramatically. We have entered the era of Everlasting Covid. The importance of your online and physical company visibility has surpassed that of your shop hours and employees.
In your endeavors to grow your small business, don’t overlook the importance of a solid foundation for your company. Consulting the best LLC formation service could ensure your business structure is firmly set for future growth and success.
If you want to see business growth, you will need to be creative, optimistic and resourceful.
Business people in a meeting
Growth is a continuous process that involves hard effort, patience, and commitment. There is no particular step or secret formula for outperforming competitors or achieving rapid success in the sector. Be sure to make the best use of experts for Marketing Small Business in 2022.
There are tried-and-true methods for achieving growth milestones that may propel a company to success. Here are some ideas to get you started in the new year.
1. Keep Your Website Fast and Effective
Last year, Google Page Rank prioritized website speed, mobile efficacy, and bounce rate. The focus of your website’s SEO should be on original content that people want to read. This entails hiring a content developer from another country or using click-bait headlines. In addition, quality information provided fast is required for a long-term Search Position (SERP).
Hiring a full stack development company that can manage your website’s technical demands is one way to stay top of the game. A skilled web development company can correct faults on your present website and add turn-key features to increase traffic to your website. Most developers will provide you with a free consultation session, so take advantage of it to plan your budget.
Whether it brings in business or not, every dollar spent on advertising is lost once it is spent. Every dollar you spend on web page creation becomes a lasting component of your online visibility for your small business.
2. View Customer Experience as the Customer Sees It
Customers’ impressions of your company may make or ruin it. They’ll scream your praises on social media if you provide them good experiences and goods; if you don’t, they’ll tell the world even quicker. Therefore, making your present and future consumers satisfied with their experience is critical to rapid growth.
In comparison to giant corporations, small firms can be more agile and better able to recognize, predict, and respond to their customer’s needs. If you concentrate on how your customers see you compared to your competitors, you can outpace them.
You don’t have to be a clairvoyant to try to figure out what your consumers want, need, or have gone through. You just need to pay attention to them, and there are several steps you can take as a small company owner to better understand your clients.
Your firm may be great, but you will only be genuinely successful if you understand the drivers of that success as a business owner. You may improve your business and expand to become even more successful if you know this.
3. Grow your Reviews
Your clients are no different. We’re all human beings who enjoy being addressed and recognized. If your consumers take the time to submit a review, the very least you can do is respond, demonstrating that you appreciate their opinion and take it seriously. Regardless of whether they post a favorable or bad review, you should always respond positively.
Listening to your clients’ evaluations is one approach to show that you care about them. You need to read your reviews and act on them – analyzing, modifying, and using them as constructive feedback.
Remember to pay attention to both negative and positive client feedback. You must become aware of anything that is causing your clients to be dissatisfied so that you can address it.
Utilize review databases such as Trust Pilot and Gartner, and ensure that pleased consumers are directed to these sites. Invite consumers to post a review or comment on another platform after they leave one on one. Review websites frequently give incentives for reviews, and you may do the same with a discount from our product range.
Negative feedback should not be avoided. Your consumer would not leave a review if they believed you were hopeless. Instead, reach out to the reviewer, listen to what they have to say, and offer to help if you can. You can typically turn around a negative review while learning more about your consumer.
4. Target the Future
If your company continuously responds to what happened yesterday, you are starting the year off on the wrong foot. Instead, you must look forward and plan for the future to achieve quick growth.
Examine the current state of your markets’ industries. Next, take a look at how technology is developing and what that means. Finally, take a look at how people’s lifestyles are evolving.
Nothing in our life has altered as much as the Covid Era and the Era of Stay at Home Jobs, Restaurant Deliveries, and the Restaurant and Concert Collapse. Those that adjusted rapidly became the beneficiaries of the crisis. Focusing on future adaptations now will put you ahead of the competition.
So, rather than grumbling about the challenges you’ve encountered, use the time to look for fresh chances. Eateries with good ordering and delivery systems have done well, whereas sit-down restaurants have struggled. People are substituting home entertainment for holiday travel, which has gained popularity. As individuals attempt to improve their lives within their Covid restricted shells, education and learning create new opportunities to fulfill.
5. Take Time to Hire the Best People
The job economy in 2022 is a shambles. Because there are fewer candidates, it’s tempting to recruit a lower-level employee. However, meeting the requirements of customers necessitates greater thought and responsibility.
Adjust your hiring process such that it takes longer to identify people who have the initiative and commitment to succeed on the job. Re-calibrate your job outreach to take advantage of new platforms like Indeed and Upwork. Take time to fully consider how the people you hire will be helped in their career by working for you.
The best people will create opportunities for themselves, and it is your job to provide the fuel for them to do so. Likewise, your small business is their fuel to advance in their careers. To keep a remote employee happy while serving your demanding consumers, you will need a Win-Win situation. Make this equation a reality by motivating your employees to develop and learn and satisfying their demand for constructive feedback and motivation.
With hardworking employees dedicated to your company’s success, your business will be better equipped for continued growth. In addition, delegating tasks to focus on important work will free up your time and energy, allowing you to perform at your best and cultivate a collaborative work culture.
Summary
Small Business needs to adapt to the era of Forever-Covid. Take a clear look at the successes and failures of the past year. Cut ties with the failures; it’s ok, you tried hard, it did not work. Build on your successes. Your growth lies in new success.
With each successful project from last year, brainstorm new things to try in the current year. If you make up five new things to try today, and 2 of them are successful by the end of the year, your business will be growing and profitable.
Life comes not what you planned but from what you succeeded at. More tries mean more opportunities for success. These five ideas will give you a great start and make 2022 a successful year for your small business.
5 Quick Ways to Grow Your Small Business in 2022 was last modified: April 3rd, 2024 by Wayland Bruns
In today’s fast-paced world, customers expect fast, efficient service. If you’re not meeting their expectations, then they’re not returning, and sales will suffer. So what can you do to meet customer demand?
Use Forecasting Software
Forecasting software is a system that extends the capabilities of traditional forecasting methods with new features to enhance data analysis and decision making. This software is programmed with all the necessary algorithms, models, and tools for better analysis of data and data mining. They are also equipped with advanced search engines and databases to provide easy access to information. The right software can help you with your demand planning, enabling you to meet potential demand better while reducing waste. Planning is a complex process that requires time and resources to maintain. However, companies still need to plan their inventory to ensure enough stock for their target customer base.
Focus On Your Target Market
By focusing your efforts on the people most likely to buy your products or services, you will be in a position to understand their buying habits better. Once you have a grasp on this, it will become easier to find ways to meet demand. For example, suppose you know that your target market is a specific demographic known for making multiple purchases at once or are repeat buyers. In that case, you can look at ways to boost your stock of those particular items.
Improve Your Supply Chain
Often, businesses have to deal with an increase in customer demand, but their supply does not meet the demand. It can also be challenging to meet customer demand, especially when dealing with many suppliers. It is vital to have a good supply chain strategy in place that helps you improve your supply chain management and ultimately meet customer demand. This may involve speaking with your existing suppliers and seeing if they can boost the production of a particular product. In other cases, the bottleneck may derive from your logistics situation. Whatever the case may be, you should make an effort to improve your supply chain wherever possible to gain immediate results.
Make Sure Your Customer Service Is Top-Notch
Companies rely heavily on customer service to reach their target audience and meet customers’ demands. There are many ways that companies use customer service to help them meet those demands and keep their businesses alive. In order to deliver what their customers want, companies rely on customer service employees who can prioritize, communicate with customers and create solutions for their problems while also researching what they might need in the future.
Set Clear Expectations From The Start
The notion of setting expectations is not new, but it is still a challenging task. When you set an expectation, you want to ensure that the customer gets what they are looking for by clearly stating what they should expect. By communicating clearly what they can expect in terms of pricing, delivery speed, etc., you will receive fewer complaints and become more efficient at delivering on your promises.
The tips above should help your company stay ahead of the competition and create loyal customers. Knowing what customers are looking for, and being able to provide it to them well, is the foundation of business success.
Expert Tips For Meeting Customer Demand was last modified: January 2nd, 2022 by Allen Brown