A registration on Pinterest gives you free access to share and discover interests. It is a social media network focused on visuals of people’s lifestyles, tastes, interests, DIY’s, facts, graphics, exotic locations, and anything that can be visually represented on this planet. Users can share their interesting photographs or videos by pinning them on their boards or on other boards. Pinterest also has a Pinterest lens similar to Google Lens, which allows you to discover ideas related to the thing you point your camera to. With surpassing 400 million monthly live users in 2020, Pinterest is a serious online business platform. So it is valid to think about a Pinterest growth service to grow your business on the third-largest digital network of America. And, Pinterest claiming 459 million users makes it a guaranteed growth destination for creators to reap their online business by Pinterest marketing.
What originated as a visual experience for displaying interest in inspiring arts, cooking recipes, fashion styles in clothing, DIY’s, and other interests of females has gone to the imaginative numbers of interests Pinterest caters to mankind today. From scriptures and arts of the medieval period to the information on the conceptual flying cars, Pinterest offers every kind of interest one can have.
Pinterest marketing potential
The footfall of buyers from Pinterest to the marketer site is very exciting with more than 90% being first-timers. Pinterest claims the male users have reached nearly 50% recently. Pinterest’s fourth-quarter shareholder report of 2020 displayed tremendous growth outside the US. In 2020, global monthly active users showed an increase of 46% from the previous year. In the US alone the increase was 11%, representing 98 million users monthly active in 2020.
The coming generations like Millenials and Gen Z tend to see and understand things more with videos and images, ensuring the value of this platform automatically rises. With features like Pinterest Lens, users can discover over 2.5 billion objects. Such interesting figures, and 87% of pinners claiming to purchase through the platform, show the humongous marketing potential of Pinterest. So, let’s dive into Pinterest marketing and what you need to succeed.
1. Create a Business Profile
The very first step for marketing on Pinterest is to create a business profile. Pinterest provides one of the simplest interfaces to backlink your website for people to find more about your products. You can make a business profile by clicking on Join as a business while signing up. Fill in the remaining details and you’re ready for marketing from your Pinterest business account.
2. Understanding the search
Pinterest is less of a regular social media and more of an image search engine. Like, you can search for a red wallet and a series of multiple pins will appear from the influencers, big fashion brands, retailers, magazines, and other user’s boards. Unlike other search engines where you go to the next page, you can keep scrolling down until you find your preferred pin. Furthermore, writing accurate details in the description of your pins guides your customers better to your linked website.
3. Pinterest Boards
The boards hold your collection of pins. For your label, your collection of boards helps you organize your pins categorically, so your followers can access and follow their interests. Likewise for a motorbike modification company, creating a board on self-bike repair is a specialized zone for bike enthusiasts. As A Result, these enthusiasts will spend more time on your boards and therefore good marketing is done for your company.
4. The Pins
Pins are the most essential and founding bricks of Pinterest. Whenever you search for anything on Pinterest, basically all the images displayed are pins. These founding elements are the first thing attracting your targeted customers to this platform and guide them to your web page. Every pin can say a specific thing about an e-commerce online store, a person, or any company. For this reason, it becomes quintessential to make your pins unique and inviting with communicative details.
How to do Marketing on Pinterest
Since you have understood the need and fundamentals of marketing on Pinterest, let’s move ahead to understand how to do it. After setting up a business profile you need to optimize it to imitate your brand value and aesthetics.
1. Optimization
For this, you should understand that aesthetics is the key here. Having a distinctive and alluring display will hold the potential of maximum conversion through Pinterest. Setting an eye-catching cover image that displays similar pastel colors on your company’s website reflects a singular identity of two platforms. Further, optimizing by following a theme that sync’s all the boards with accurate descriptions on each pin.
2. Utilize pins
Your visitors should have the ease of saving an image onto their boards. You can install Pinterest’s save button and allow people to do so. For a blogger, pins are the gateways to drive traffic to their website. Similarly, a handmade online shop displaying information and the price of their products is a classic example. You can also use rich pins once you’ve validated your website on Pinterest. Rich pins are linked to your source site. If anything is changed on the source website, rich pins update information automatically.
3. Pin wisely
You can’t randomly post a quotation or an image with a link and think it is great marketing done for your brand. It’s important to plan out the content strategy to achieve a set goal. Like actively sharing educational content can be a driving force to your business. For example, a pickle company actively sharing guided methods to make homemade pickles with illustrations will educate people on the topic. Resulting in people regularly visiting the company boards and hence increasing the leads and chance of more sales.
Conclusion
Since its launch as a closed beta in 2010, Pinterest has come a long way in building a strong reputation in digital marketing by 2021. As stated by Pinterest, because of the pandemic, usage rose to 36% on their platform to juggle between new part-time jobs. With 95% of the top searches still unbranded on this network speaks a lot about the untapped potential of Pinterest marketing. On this positive note, I wish you to reap by exploring and establishing your digital presence.
Pinterest Marketing in 2021: What it is and How to Do It was last modified: June 8th, 2021 by Amy Fischer
A gaming laptop is precisely what it sounds like. It is a laptop that has been configured with the highest specs possible to handle the most popular games. It has become a lucrative market for many brands, so there are many options to choose from. Nevertheless, these high-quality complaints don’t come cheaply, and the price can increase massively as soon as you begin to boost the specification. Knowing what to look for will help you find cheaper options.
Why Buy A Gaming Laptop?
Desktop PCs have been around for decades, but they’re slowly being replaced by laptops that can do everything a modern desktop can, but in a portable form. Gaming laptops, in particular, are the best of both worlds: you can take your desktop gaming rig with you anywhere you go, but you can also take it with you when you want to work on some documents or spreadsheets. While desktops are far more flexible in terms of upgradability, this is something that many people don’t mind because games laptops are becoming increasingly popular. Moreover, while a hardcore gaming fan will still build a dedicated gaming rig, anyone who plays casually will prefer the laptop’s portability.
How To Find Affordable Models
Although the very top-of-the-line models are costly, there are some things you can look for when searching for more affordable items.
Refurbished
In addition to saving money, refurbished laptops provide you with a like-new device at a fraction of the cost of a second-hand machine. Because you can buy a refurbished laptop that’s as good as new, but at a fraction of the cost, you might save hundreds of dollars even on the most blazing fast models. Moreover, refurbished items are inherently more affordable than new items because you buy a used item that has already been tested, repaired, and put back onto the market. If you want as new as possible but have a limited budget, this is your best option.
Comparison Site
Most savvy shoppers have probably already used a comparison site before. You visit the site, type into the search bar what you want, and see what comes up. Although you will save some money, the variations won’t be as significant as when you shop for a refurbished option.
Black Friday Deals
Traditionally a U.S. marketing term for the Friday after Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday is one of the year’s biggest shopping days. Businesses traditionally opened at midnight on Thanksgiving to sell their items close to the start of the Christmas shopping season. You can often find deep discounts on all kinds of things, electronics included. The major downside is that it is an annual sale, so you will have to wait a year if you miss it.
Wait for New Models (and then Buy the Previous Option)
Laptops and gaming ones, in particular, have a high turnover rate as new processors and graphics cards come to market. There are a large number of brand-new models that the manufacturer must discontinue. Therefore, if you check sites like eBay or Amazon, you could find the previous models going for far less than before. Furthermore, this is one instance where heading to a physical store may lead to a cheaper option compared to online because they are linked to physical space and should clear their inventory.
Upgrade Yourself after Buying Low-Spec
If you enjoy upgrading yourself, you will save some money by upgrading a lower spec choice by yourself. Ensure that the brand you choose doesn’t have its internals soldered onto the motherboard, as this makes upgrades impossible.
What To Look For
Current gaming laptops are potent beasts, packing some serious hardware into a surprisingly compact design. You get plenty of power, graphics cards, hardware dedicated to memory and storage, and a decent chassis to keep it all safe. That all said, there are still a few things you should look for in a gaming laptop that will prove helpful when you’re looking for a new one.
Cost
Price is often the most significant factor that will influence your choice, will be how much you are willing or indeed able to spend. As previously mentioned, these machines can become extremely expensive once you start to configure them. Nevertheless, you can usually find the perfect gaming laptop under $2000 that exactly fits your needs with the tips mentioned above. Anything up to that amount will get you a great gaming laptop that can handle everything up to and including the latest AAA games. Whatever price you go for, you should still ensure that you can upgrade the device as trends change and new internals are brought to the consumer market.
Futureproofing
If you want to keep your laptop for several years and still play the latest game releases, you will need to ensure that you can upgrade the parts when possible. Unfortunately, most laptops make this problematic, and it is almost impossible to change the Central Processing Unit (CPU) or the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). Nonetheless, the things you can change include:
Random Access Memory (RAM): This has a profound effect on the loading times of games. Therefore, as games become more extensive, the amount of memory needed will increase.
Storage: There are two options, a Hard Disk Drive (HDD) or a Solid State Drive (SSD). Laptops will often come equipped with a fast M.2 SSD that is ultra-fast and stable. You will need to upgrade over time as the dive begins to degrade, or you fill it up with games.
CPU
The CPU is an electronic, digital, and electronic computer chip embedded into your computer’s motherboard and performs various operations, such as interpreting and executing instructions stored in programmable read-only memory in the computer’s RAM. You have two options these days between Intel and AMD, both offering up exciting solutions. The latest is their Core i9 processor, a staple in the gaming world for a couple of years with Intel. It can be overclocked (made to run more computations) quickly but consumes large amounts of power and heats up rapidly. On the other hand, AMD has brought to the market their Ryzen chipset, which has more cores and consumes less power than their Intel counterparts.
GPU
A graphics processing unit (GPU) is a chip designed to quickly and efficiently perform computations that simulate the visuals of a 3D world. GPUs are used in computers, video games, and other devices that display 3D images. This is arguably the most important thing you need to consider in a gaming laptop. The GPU is the part that will take your gaming from average to 4K resolution at 120 FPS. As mentioned earlier, you will not upgrade this, so make sure the laptop you purchase has the very best you can afford.
RAM
During digital information processing, RAM stores information temporarily. When a computer accesses a piece of information, RAM is where that information resides. Without access to the information stored in RAM, the laptop will not quickly access that piece of data and render it to the screen. So, in a way, RAM is the computer’s short-term memory as it is the place that the computer stores information for quick access to it.
Storage
There are two choices for storage:
HDD
Hard disk drives are the most popular storage devices today and have been since the dawn of the computer era. Today, you can find those drives in computers, external storage drives, and more. While hard disks haven’t changed much over the years, the data storage industry has developed through a constantly moving target, with many new technologies and storage options coming to market over the years.
Pros
A large amount of storage.
Cheaper.
Cons
Slower than SSD.
More prone to failure.
SSD
Solid State Drives (SSD) are non-volatile memory, meaning they can retain data even after power is cut from the device. These differ from hard drives, which lose data once the drive is powered down.
Pros
Fast
Stable
Handles bumps and knocks better
Cons
More expensive
Lower storage capacity than HDD
Cooling
An excellent cooling solution will help you get the most out of your laptop. Keeping it cool is not only for comfort, but lower temperatures mean a faster CPU and GPU.
Display Quality
You will need to decide what resolution and frame rate you want. The two top choices of resolution these days are 4K and 1080. When it comes to a laptop, it might sound like a good idea to get the highest amount of pixels possible, but this is not always the case. For example, the 4K screen will have to work harder and use up more battery in the process. Likely, you won’t even see the difference on such a small screen. Instead, the best thing to look for is the frame rate. It is this that will improve your gameplay experience. You should look for at least 120 FPS and go higher if you can.
A gaming laptop is an excellent tool for gaming, whether it be on the go or in the comfort of your home. It gives you the ability to play your games the way they are meant to be played: on a large screen with a keyboard and mouse. In addition, top models have the power to play any game at an almost maxed-out setting. You don’t have to break the bank to get one of these machines, and you can save some money if you know what to look for.
How to Find a Gaming Laptop That Won’t Cost You an Arm and a Leg was last modified: August 11th, 2023 by Allen Brown
With employees across the globe being sent home with laptops, the issue of cybersecurity has gained particular relevance for business owners. Not only do entrepreneurs have to accelerate the digitalization of their companies, but they also have to ensure their digital safety. And when the pandemic-related transformation of businesses comes to an end, a large percentage of employees might wish to continue working remotely. Therefore, it is essential to ensure business employees follow sound digital security practices while working from home.
Let’s take a look at the best security and privacy tips for remote work.
Enable two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is the access control mechanism that makes it more difficult for malicious agents to infiltrate your employees’ devices and your company’s network. With 2FA enabled, a randomly generated code, along with a password, is required to log in to an account. This code can be generated with the help of free apps such as Google Authenticator.
If a cybercriminal steals a password, which is not exceptionally difficult these days, they will not be able to immediately gain access to the system. Given the ease of use and the fact that 2FA is essentially free, this security tip is not to be ignored.
Establish a VPN connection
Virtual private network (VPN) apps allow remote employees to establish a secure connection to counter numerous digital risks. VPN apps can help to anonymize your employees and shield their privacy, for example. They can also make it harder for cybercriminals to illegally gain access to your office resources such as databases, productivity suites and project management software, among others.
When properly configured, a VPN connection allows employees to use the Internet to access work resources safely while hindering unauthorized access for everyone else. With regards to configuration, it does not require too much technical know-how and can be set-up by virtually anyone. Therefore, even if your company does not have a dedicated IT department, don’t feel discouraged to set up a secure VPN connection for your employees.
Use an Antivirus
Although malware is a constant, unremitting threat, it presents more danger for remote employees than for your office workforce. Whereas it is possible to protect the latter with network and endpoint security measures, the former are left exposed. For this reason, remote team members should be encouraged to install the best antiviruses for Mac or PC. With a security solution running in the background, your employees would gain a considerable degree of protection, not only against malware and viruses, but also against hacking attempts such as phishing.
You are advised to opt for professional rather than free antiviruses. Unlike their free counterparts, professional antiviruses are much more adept at detecting dangers before they spread through computer systems. Also, some commercial security software offers an at-a-glance view of protected assets and prevents individual users from disabling the protection.
Backup critical data
The recent spike of high-profile ransomware attacks proves one thing: no matter how seemingly impregnable your firewall is, someone will eventually bypass it. If the worst does happen, your employees should be able to restore their data without paying an exorbitant ransom. And the most reliable path to recovering your data? That age old practice of backup.
Make sure your employees regularly backup their data to public clouds such as Amazon S3, Azure or Wasabi. With the use of automated data protection solutions, both backup and recovery processes can be effortless and fast.
Run cybersecurity training
No matter how reliable your digital safeguards are, if the workforce is not familiar with safe browsing habits and other essentials of cybersecurity, a breach will inevitably occur. Therefore, it is of huge importance to ensure that every employee knows how to protect their own and their company’s digital assets.
It does not matter that much who conducts cybersecurity training in your company. Whether it is a member of the IT department or a third-party contractor, the important thing is to run the training regularly. After all, the cybersecurity landscape is constantly shifting and you need to ensure that all employees have up-to-date knowledge on how to deal with any potential threats.
To Wrapping Up
As the number of high-profile breaches continues to increase, you have to take actionable measures to tighten cybersecurity in your company. Even with a small amount of effort in the areas where it matters most, you can noticeably improve your cybersecurity preparedness, thereby saving your company’s digital assets and protecting your employees’ privacy.
Best Security and Privacy Tips for Remote Work was last modified: May 22nd, 2023 by Emily Doxon
You’ve got the top PC, you’ve got the best games but do you have the right gaming chair?
Gaming chairs are possibly the most overlooked feature of a gaming setup but are the key to lasting those gaming marathons we all love. So, with this in mind, here is your ultimate guide for choosing the right gaming chair.
Health is key
When setting up the ideal gaming room, it is important to understand that choosing to have a gaming chair is not just to make your setup look good but is also essential for your health. They are designed to help users endure long periods of sitting down while combating the effects of slouching and poor blood flow.
According to Mighty Gadget, gaming chairs are great at preventing fatigue by supporting vital parts like your neck and lower back. Both known to cause post-game exhaustion, associated with long gaming sessions and bad posture, Think about your old math teacher shouting at you to sit up straight and ‘do some work’. This is because posture and productivity come hand in hand. There is actually a medical diagnosis called sitting disease that leads to long-term issues such as increased blood sugars, diabetes and heart disease.
Doom and gloom aside, there are loads of cool features that come included so you can not only impress your friends; you can impress your doctor too.
Let’s have a look at the main features to consider.
Fabrics
When you’re looking for the right gaming chair, you will be mainly faced by two choices; PU leather or fabric. This entirely comes down to personal preference and what your priorities are during your gaming sessions.
Sweating
Any great gaming session is going to have you breaking a sweat so it is important that your gaming chair has breathability. Unfortunately, PU leather lacks breathability and becomes sticky if you are sweating on a hot summer’s day. This could become incredibly uncomfortable and in some cases, the thickness of the leather can make you feel more hot and bothered.
Fabric gaming chairs have tiny holes between the stitching which allows a little airflow and absorbs sweat so you aren’t going to stick to the chair after a long gaming session. This may require an occasional Febreze from any offensive odors but apart from that fabric gaming chairs are generally more sweatproof.
Stains
No gaming session is complete without snacks and drinks to fuel the session but that comes with the risk of spillages. A major perk of PU leather is they are practically immune to stains – just wipe them away! This is great for all your mishaps that come from eating or drinking while you play.
Unfortunately the same cannot be said for fabric. Any spillages may demand a good scrubbing and in worse cases, you may be left with some discoloring.
Durability
Both the fabric and PU leather are very long-lasting and, with the right treatment and care, will have a great lifespan. Over a period of time, they may start to wear that you may begin to notice but this is to be expected. PU leather does hold the advantage of being able to buy treatments to fix any discoloration and to keep its shine.
Overall, the gaming community seems to agree that PU leather is the better and cost-effective choice for a gaming chair.
To wheel or not to wheel
There are three basic designs of gaming chairs: rocker style, traditional and pedestal. The traditional is best for PC gaming as it gives you the height you need to but traditional chairs are flexible enough to give console plays the chance to kick back and relax.
That’s right, gaming chairs support you leaning backwards without getting the scary feeling you get with office chairs when you lean back. This stability allows you to sit comfortably and safely.
Speakers and connectivity
Here’s the cool bit: you can get a gaming chair with built-in speakers and wifi connectivity to your PC and console for an immersive experience. This means they may vibrate or move in coordination with the game to give you an exhilarating gaming experience. Most gaming chairs are compatible with these settings and, although they are a little bit more expensive, the experience it provides is priceless.
Gaming chair speakers usually come with surround sound and allow you to ditch the headphones that may be uncomfortable wearing for a long period of time.
Head, lumbar and armrests
The great thing about gaming chairs is they are customizable, meaning you can adjust the support cushions and armrests to suit you. The latter should be adjusted so that your arms are supported, meaning that you don’t have to stretch or strain to reach your keyboard. Your lumbar and neck rests should be positioned so they are fully supporting and comfortable.
Style
With all the health and comfort benefits that gaming chairs have, it is without a doubt a great addition to the aesthetic of your gaming setup. They come in every color and shape you can imagine. This means you can choose from the sleek and seductive shape of a Secretlab Titan gaming chair or the impressive build of an X Rocker Monsoon fitted with LED lights. The right gaming chair is the perfect piece for your setup to impress your friends and create the ultimate gaming space.
Key considerations
The best thing when choosing the right gaming chair for you is to think about CRU (yes, I made that up). That stands for ‘Cost, Reviews and Use’.
The best gaming chairs are upwards of a few hundred pounds so you need to think about whether the chair matches your needs and budget. It is wise to do some searching of the web to see what is the best value for money and look for any deals or promotions.
Reviews are a great way to grasp whether it is good value for money and help you make up for your mind before your buy. Trustedreviews.com and pcgamer.com are just a few to start with
Finally, it is important to think about what you are going to use the chair for. Are you just going to use it for gaming or is it going to double up as an office chair too? This should give you a hint toward whether it is worth spending more money for better quality and comfortable chair or whether you want to concentrate on built-in features like a headrest speaker for a more immersive experience.
Summary
Choosing the right gaming chair is important for any gaming experience, packed with cool features as headrest speakers and ergonomics to protect you against any health-related issue that comes with gaming. This means that you can concentrate on what really matters – the competition.
Happy gaming!
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Gaming Chair was last modified: March 26th, 2022 by Emily Johnson
In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world, many companies were forced to shift employees to remote work. There are some big advantages to working remote. Office expenses can be greatly reduced if you do not have to house everyone in one office. And you can find a higher level of expert, a CTO on demand, for instance, even if your main work location is in a rural area.
But not everyone was ready for such a sudden transition. Dealing with remote teams has caused enormous difficulties for managers. How do you motivate employees to work remotely? What tools and platforms to use? How to control employees and avoid mistakes?
Treat remote work with interest and remain calm. It is a great way to test the flexibility of your business processes and improve them. In this article, we’re talking about effective ways to manage your remote team to get great results from your work.
What Tools Your Remote Team May Need
For starters, divide all remote employees into several teams and assign supervisors. It is believed that one distributed team managed by a manager should not have more than 8-10 participants. Larger teams are more difficult to manage, especially remotely.
1. Choose a remote team and a project management system
To manage a remote team, you can’t do without a CRM system. You need to create a “virtual office” to concentrate the main work with projects there.
Microsoft Teams Direct Routing is a simple and uncomplicated way for businesses to make use of AVOXI’s worldwide voice inventory and superior call quality while using MS Teams. Through hosted SBC, AVOXI links voice effortlessly, allowing remote workers to simply route and accept calls from over 170 countries.
Trello is a colorful and user-friendly platform where you can create project boards, assign a person to be responsible for a certain task, etc.
Asana is a convenient tool for planning and working with projects, which is used by Uber, Airbnb, and Pinterest. Here, you can communicate with a remote team member, post-project tasks, and monitor employee productivity.
YouGile is another easy and convenient project management and team communication system. You can subscribe to any task, discuss it, and receive notifications.
Microsoft Teams is a corporate workspace platform. It has all the necessary tools for teamwork (chat, file exchange, video, and audio communication, notes).
Jira is a powerful CRM system, which is equipped with a variety of necessary tools for business and integrates with many cloud applications.
ClicData is a new dark horse in the cloud-based data analytics tools industry. Its platform proposes more than 200 connectors so you can easily import your data and create reports with centralized statistics. Since it is 100% online, your reports can be worked on and shared within your team effortlessly.
You’ll also want to subscribe to a virtual office service that will provide you with a physical mailing address you can use on any official documents. For example, in places like Japan, a Japanese business address is required on company incorporation documents. Services like MailMate provide business addresses so the company stays compliant with regulations while still going fully remote.
Try several platforms and choose the one you like best for the interface and features your team needs.
2. Select additional tools for employee interaction
It is important to find convenient programs for working remotely with projects and for communicating with each team member. We have selected the most popular and convenient tools that can be useful for you.
● Slack is a handy corporate messenger for communicating and transferring files. It easily integrates with Trello and many other applications. ● Zoom is a platform for video conferencing, which can involve several hundred people. It integrates with Dropbox and Microsoft Outlook. ● Google Docs is a resource for working with documents, which allows participants to simultaneously make edits, leave comments, and communicate. ● Zapier is a program to help sort out routine tasks. It can be integrated with Gmail and Trello so that emails automatically become new tasks. ● Miro is an interactive whiteboard for ideas and thinking. You can draw, write, glue stickers, etc. ● Creately is a platform for brainstorming and planning for remote teams.
3. Take care of corporate security
Employees store business information on laptops and smartphones, so it is important to protect that data. Use special programs for information security.
● Norton 360 is a multifunctional program that not only protects against viruses but also makes backup files in the cloud for PC, monitors connections between the protected device and other computers, and blocks unauthorized traffic. ● 1Password is a program for storing passwords.
4. Protect your employees from information overload
It is also useful to reduce all chats, emails, and conference calls to 1 or 2 programs, as it is extremely difficult to work with multiple tools, switching from one messenger to another, and so on. It takes so much time and effort.
Choose one CRM system, one messenger, one video-call program for your team, and that will be enough for a small business. Another helpful method is using small business phone service providers that will guarantee a seamless connection for your remote team.
5. Invest in the right equipment and software for convenient work
We recommend providing employees with a headset (headphones + microphone) for good communication. Think about what tools and accessories your remote team might need.
For example, Automattic, the creator of WordPress, not only provides its employees with the equipment they need but also gives $2,000 to set up a home office.
Listen to employees’ suggestions about the need for any software to work with. For example, SEO professionals may need Key Collector software, so buy a license just for specific employees.
The First Steps in Managing a Remote Team
The “virtual office” is ready, now we need to deal with the training of employees. Remotely explaining to a person what is required of him is not easy. The manager needs to set up the business processes correctly.
6. Formulate ground rules for the remote team
First, write out how you see your remote team’s workday and create a manual for the work.
Prepare online training documents for remote interaction. Then distribute them for the team members so that they understand what programs and platforms they will have to work in with the rest of the team.
7. Assign a mentor to a new employee
A supervisor will help understand the work process, answer the newcomer’s questions, and support him in a friendly way. Skyeng, where 90% of employees work remotely, recommends scheduling daily meetings in the first week. Discuss with the new employee what they did well, what challenges they had, and why.
8. Make the schedule flexible
Some employees are productive at 7 a.m.; others are more comfortable starting at noon. GitHub, the largest web service for hosting IT projects, advises allowing employees to manage their own time.
If members of a distributed team live in different time zones, agree on a convenient time slot for everyone to be in touch. Don’t forget about the national holidays! Therefore, you can keep a shared calendar, where it will be clear what days which employee has a holiday. You can use Calendly software to do this.
Work Process and Motivation of Distributed Team Members
A good manager should be an example to the entire team. Show your employees how to set goals, fulfill tasks, maintain discipline, and be independent in their work.
9. For remote work, choose those employees who can work in this mode
First of all, assemble a team of specialists who know and like to work remotely. Not everyone is ready for this. Someone is constantly distracted by household chores, can’t sit still, is often absent from his or her workplace, and is difficult to contact by video link.
Therefore, we recommend testing the candidates on the ability to work remotely for 2-3 days. If the person is not quite suitable for such work, it is better to offer him a vacancy in the office.
10. Establish a trusting relationship with your team
Start with yourself! The manager’s openness will make the other team members feel relaxed. Share pictures of your home office, family, pet, establish a buddy relationship with employees.
11. Motivate employees to achieve their goals
Many employees care not only about financial motivation, but also the possibility of career growth, extra days off, a comfortable workplace, bonuses, training courses. So be sure to introduce an internal system of rewards and motivation for your distributed team.
For example, you can make a bonus system. For their help in solving tasks, each employee will have the opportunity to give bonuses to his colleagues. At the end of the month, the accumulated bonuses can be spent on extra time off or corporate gifts.
12. Focus on the result, not the activity
Many managers make the big mistake of managing a remote team by starting to track every step of the employees. This leads to an unwillingness to work effectively and damaged team relationships.
Forbes recommends that managers focus on results instead of monitoring every hour employees work. Give up micromanagement!
Allow the employee to allocate their own time and prioritize tasks. After all, you’ve assembled a team of experts, not interns. You can monitor the work of your employees without excessive control through the CRM system or weekly reports.
13. Try the 360° method for evaluating work
The 360° method involves evaluating an employee “from all sides,” i.e. not only the manager, but also colleagues, subordinates, and the employee himself. This is a great way to identify the strengths and weaknesses of employees and to outline a way to improve their performance.
Communication in a Remote Team: 7 Effective Tips
The main problem with remote work is the communication and distance barriers that prevent project participants from feeling like a team. Employees feel like strangers who cannot meet in person, chat in the office, have coffee together at lunch, or participate in a “live” discussion of project tasks.
The manager should help their team get rid of barriers and create a friendly environment for working together and interacting creatively. Here are a few tips that have helped many companies bridge the virtual divide between employees.
14. Don’t limit communication to text chat, communicate via video
During communication, people use about 10,000 nonverbal signals per minute. Therefore, face-to-face contact is necessary to better understand each other. Contact your employees by a video call from time to time or hold a mini-conference.
15. Separate chat, video, and email
All of these tools are necessary for communication, but you need to agree with your team when and how to contact each other. There is no need to make a video call for any reason, just a chat.
But if you want to discuss some task, it is better to talk via video call so that you can see the true intentions and emotions of the employee. This is necessary to avoid misunderstandings.
Email communication is better left for business communication with clients because this tool is not suitable for quick communication.
16. Do not forget about the corporate culture of communication
The manager’s task is to create a comfortable virtual office life for each employee. To do this, all members of the team should follow a few rules of online communication.
17. Use emojis when communicating with colleagues
Some companies think emojis are beyond corporate etiquette, but they’re not. Sara Rosso, director of marketing at Automattic, says she uses emoticons with her colleagues all the time. It is necessary to understand each other’s emotions.
Video communication is good, but not everyone is ready for this way of interaction every day, so use emojis to convey your mood.
18. Make gifs or stickers of your company
An assignment for graphic designers is to make cool stickers for your remote team. For a lunch break, you can make a sticker with an employee who eats whenever you text him or her. For acknowledgment of receiving a new task, make a funny “accepted” gif for the person who says that most often. Stickers and gifs will lift your spirits and brighten your workday.
19. Chat for non-work communication of employees
In a regular office, employees can chat in the hallway or in the kitchen. In a virtual space, there is no such opportunity. So make an informal chat group. There, you can talk about everything: the graduation of the son, the wife’s birthday, trips out of town, etc. Let this chat open all the time in the background, it creates that feeling of presence.
20. Encourage employees to turn off chats and not check email after hours
Many employees answer work emails even in the middle of the night, this shouldn’t be the case. A person should rest and clearly distinguish between working and non-working hours. Otherwise, such an employee is prone to rapid burnout, and eventually, he will stop coping with his work duties because of chronic fatigue. Advise your team not to forget the principle of 8-8-8 (8 hours of work, 8 hours of sleep, and 8 hours of rest).
Fun Activities for the Team
The secret to the success of a remote team is a friendly atmosphere, fun communication, and trust. Friendly relationships can be maintained at a distance, even if you have never met in person. The manager’s job is to rally the team and set a positive mood.
21. Have a fun get-together once or twice a week
Get together in video chats as often as possible to get to know each other better. Talk about the weather, hobbies, share skills, suggest movies, discuss computer games, have “remote” lunches. You can also set up virtual team-building events like escape rooms from Escapely to promote team unity and have a little fun with it! All of this is necessary to avoid feeling lonely. Create a remote office that is fun and comfortable for everyone involved.
22. Hold field trips
It is important for the team members to have the opportunity to meet in person, socialize, and have a great time at least once a year. Large companies arrange employee meetings in Thailand, France, or Montenegro, choosing locations depending on the preferences of the remote team. Such meetings are an opportunity not only to relax but also to bond.
For example, Automattic organizes a 7-day Grand Meetup trip for its employees from all over the world every year. Colleagues get to know each other, discuss projects, share experiences, and just have fun at the parties. Make it a practice in your company, too!
The first month of managing a remote team can seem like a challenge until you set up distance business processes. As soon as there is communication between everyone involved in the project, and there is team spirit, your company’s business will take off!
Allow employees to be more independent, encourage them, motivate them to work for results, enjoy on-site meetings, all this will make your team members friends who trust and help each other go to success.
22 Remote Team Management Techniques That Will Save You From Stress was last modified: August 31st, 2024 by Roy Emmerson
This year, the IRS extended the federal tax deadline to May 17 for individuals to file and pay their federal income tax due to the ongoing pandemic. Paying taxes is mandatory, however, Individuals do have options on how they can pay their taxes. Optima Tax Relief informs taxpayers of the variety of ways they can pay their taxes to the IRS.
Some taxpayers make their quarterly estimated tax payments throughout the tax year in order to stay compliant with the IRS. This includes sole proprietors, partners, and S corporation shareholders who expect to owe $1,000 or more when they file. Individuals who participate in the gig economy may have to make estimated payments. The deadline to pay estimated tax payments was April 15, 2021. Check hundreds of unique Optima Tax Relief reviews before you make a decision.
Here are five ways for taxpayers can pay their taxes to the IRS:
Individuals who choose to electronically file their tax return can pay their tax bill by using their bank account information. The IRS does not charge an additional fee to individuals using the electronic funds withdrawal method.
The IRS provides a direct pay option that allows taxpayers to pay electronically directly from their checking or savings account for free. Taxpayers have the option to receive email notifications about their payments when they make their payment. It is important for taxpayers to watch out for email schemes from scammers attempting to steal their personal information. The IRS direct pay option sends emails only to users who request the service.
Taxpayers have the option to pay using a payment processor by credit card, debit card or digital wallet options. Taxpayers can make these payments online or by phone.
Individuals can make a cash payment at more than 60,000 participating IRS locations nationwide. Taxpayers can visit the IRS website to learn additional details regarding making cash payments.
Pay over time by applying for an online payment agreement. Once the IRS accepts an agreement, the taxpayers can make their payment in monthly installments.
Optima Tax Relief provides helpful tips on how Taxpayers can pay their Federal Taxes was last modified: March 8th, 2023 by Addison Yes
Small businesses drive economies around the world. In essence, small businesses are what defines the line between the community and corporation, and if you’re running one of them, you’ll probably need some top-tier tools to help you out.
We’ll list our top ten tools for running a small business will make your life and your job easier in 2021:
Monday is a management platform that makes managing your small business a walk in the park. It comes with all the features and services you need to manage and coordinate your projects.
It offers a top-shelf CRM, project, sales, and task management, software design and development, and a range of other things any small business can benefit from.
It’s a one-stop shop for all your management needs. What makes it stand out among the sea of other management tools is that it’s very easy to use, feature-rich, and very affordable.
Proofing is a very complex practice that is all but mandatory in modern business. Waiting for feedback from the rest of your business, your higher-ups, or your clients isn’t laborious – it’s an unnecessary waste of time.
With Filestage, the proofing process is streamlined to such a degree where teams can get instant replies and feedback that they require to go on with their work. Think of Filestage as the connective tissue between two departments that need to cooperate.
It streamlines communication and connects the two so that both get time-stamped approval as fast as possible, process and progress tracking, and a laid-out organization and framework of the workflow.
Outgrow is an interactive marketing platform that lets marketers and digital agencies create quizzes, calculators, chatbots, and assessments, polls, and giveaways to boost their marketing efforts. These interactive content types help companies generate nearly 30% more new leads and increase their social footprint. Moreover, interactive content like quizzes engages customers twice as compared to static content.
Outgrow stands out because it is easy to use and requires no coding knowledge. It offers 1000+ templates to choose from and robust analytics and automation powers to make your marketing campaigns a success.
Finally, Outgrow provides free COVID-19 offers and other affordable plans for freelancers, small businesses, and big corporates.
As the coronavirus descends into 2021, many businesses have moved out of the office into their home. It has led to a rise in time tracking tools such as Traqq.
Even when people are out of the office, you can still know what they’re up to, how much time that is taking, and how you can help them do it better and faster.
Time tracking for teams tools such as Traqq are necessary for managing remote teams, which most teams are nowadays.
Traqq allows you to monitor without even monitoring, as the automatic system will take screenshots, screen recording, monitor app, and web use without requiring constant input.
Web scraping is one of the most common business practices of 2021, as it allows small businesses to build big databases. In this data-driven world, staying on top of your competition is a priority, and web scraping is one of the best ways to do so.
Octoparse brings the process of web scraping to small businesses, allowing you to collect data on your competition, monitor trends, and improve your business from the inside.
The benefit of Octoparse is that it provides web scraping to every small business, requires little to no setup, and absolutely no complex coding.
Appypie is an interesting platform that allows you to develop custom solutions, apps, and tools without prior coding or development knowledge. While the power of this system is limited, it handles most of the needs small businesses have with relative ease.
Appypie stands out among the crowd of custom solution creation platforms because it’s very easy to use, fully customizable, and adaptable to any small business environment.
This no-code application development platform is affordable and scalable, so it perfectly fits the needs of small businesses without breaking the bank.
eCommerce is one of the most buzzing industries of 2021, and it’s gaining the attention of small businesses at an increasing rate. 2021 has seen more small businesses enter the world of eCommerce than ever.
Litextension is a service for eCommerce businesses looking to migrate from one eCommerce platform to another. Litextension makes quick work of the migration process and works well for small businesses or the agencies managing the eCommerce stores in question.
Marketing can make or break a business. If a business has good marketing, it will likely push out of the sea of failing small businesses and carve out a slice of the market share pie for themselves.
Now, small businesses usually have limited budgets and limited tools to market themselves, so what do they do?
Well, Moosend is a fantastic marketing platform for all small businesses. It comes with all of the tools that you or your marketing team need to make your business that much more appealing to the average consumer and spread the word about it.
Furthermore, Moosend is a very scalable solution, meaning you can adapt it to your business no matter how large or small it is. For small businesses considering Moosend but looking at options comparing it with TinyEmail can be helpful. Moosend vs TinyEmail dives into their features and scalability, helping decide the best fit.
Finding leads can get tricky, especially if you’re working on a smaller scale. You don’t want dozens of useless leads – you want some that will provide favorable results.
Well, if you’re in this position, you might want to take a look at Leadfuze, the premier prospecting tool for small businesses.
Leadfuze is a search engine for leads, which allows smaller businesses that don’t have huge in-house HR teams to find the correct leads, verify information across a huge database, and seamlessly integrate within your existing framework.
Fleep is a communication and file-sharing platform for small businesses. It allows you to connect teams within one simple, centralized application to communicate, trade files, and share progress. Fleep is a great way to streamline not just communication but coordination in the office space.
Another thing that makes Fleep a must-have tool in any small business arsenal is that it’s affordable, and integrating it within your existing framework is simple due to its easy-to-use GUI and adaptability.
Indy is a comprehensive project management software that includes everything you need to stay on top of your projects, from marketing to management to billing.
You can keep track of different tasks for multiple projects by assigning filters or moving tasks from one project to another. The tasks tool also allows you to assign tags, making it easy to see at a glance which project has the most tasks remaining.
The deadline and reminders feature ensures you also deliver your work on time. At the end of the week or month, you can link your hours to an invoice by adding your hourly rate before sending the document to a client.
With the rise of technological innovations in the 21st century, industries have begun adapting their traditional business models to incorporate digital routes to success. Between virtual communication apps like Zoom changing the way employees interact and automation software reducing error and overhead, technology has revolutionized the business sector. That said, corporations that opt out of tech-based solutions often miss out on significant business ventures and customer connections due to a lack of technological know-how.
Luckily, there are plenty of digital solutions available to business executives looking to up their game and remain competitive in the future. Read on for five technological innovations sure to streamline your business process and boost your annual earnings.
A digital mailbox
A significant and recent shift to the workplace has been the surge of remote employment. Although the transition to at-home work was jolting under pandemic-induced chaos, business owners leaned into the storm, with many companies opting to stay remote indefinitely.
As a result, many have turned to digital mailboxes like iPostal1 to help keep their business running smoothly despite a scattered workforce. Digital mailboxes allow business owners to run remote operations with the benefits of reduced costs, additional time savings, and unparalleled convenience. Overall, setting up a digital mailbox empowers business owners to reduce overhead costs, i.e., receptionist salaries, office furniture (formerly used to store mail), etc., and maximize limited office space occupied by unopened envelopes. Additionally, digital mailboxes ensure that airplane-terminal-bound executives can manage correspondence anywhere—whether from a 6×6’ cubicle or an airplane seat.
Cloud storage
One of the most significant technological advances in the past ten years has been cloud storage implementation. Remote databases enable business owners to store and access data, applications, and client documentation with the click of a button. For companies looking to scale upwards, streamline deployment ventures, and more effectively manage information, cloud storage is the perfect solution.
Social media marketing
As the online world continues to grow, bringing with it millions of scrolling consumers, companies have begun capitalizing on social media marketing techniques to draw in clientele and push out new products. Having a simple website no longer cuts it in competitive spaces, which means you need to build an approachable online presence in addition to keeping a clean, easy-to-use webpage. Social media allows corporations to connect with patrons on a more personal, casual level, allowing people to ask questions, browse products, and post feedback all in one place. That said, posting regularly and engaging with clients on a routine basis is critical for up-and-coming businesses.
Automation
Another way to bring your company into the 21st century is by utilizing automation software to cut down on data input and calculations. For accounting departments, in particular, software like Quickbooks can reduce the time it takes to enter information, organize files, and calculate totals by automatically performing specific tasks. Although the cost to install automation software may be an investment up-front, the time and money you’ll save on staff will be worth it in the end.
Security
Those running a business understand how critical cybersecurity is when it comes to sensitive information and company applications. Thankfully, digital solutions have streamlined safety efforts, with upgraded malware detectors, AI capabilities, and instant data breach alerts keeping business owners on top of online security. If you’re a growing company looking to keep hackers and breaches at bay, consider investing in upgraded prevention and detection technology.
The bottom line
For companies looking to stay ahead of the competition, implementing high-tech digital solutions that streamline business development processes is critical in saving time and money long-term. By building an online presence, upgrading your cybersecurity measures, and utilizing cloud-based services, you can climb the corporate ladder with ease.
Bringing Your Office Into the 21st Century: 5 Digital Solutions Your Company Needs was last modified: July 13th, 2021 by Amanda Greenberg
To carefully navigate into a new or an existing device for easy and flexible use, there are basic tricks and tips one must consider. Microsoft Word is technologically structured software programmed to aid human readability and word processing. It is equally a graphically programmed word processor that helps every user type and save words conveniently. Below are just ten unique tips and tricks to master Microsoft word.
Use of Ctrl + with other keys combination
The CTRL key combined with another key produces a special specific function. Some keys are: CTRL + B, is used to bold selected words or groups of words. CTRL + A, is used to highlight the word in totality. CTRL + I and CTRL + U, are used to italicize and underline the selected words respectively. CTRL + C is used to copy words while CTRL + V, is for pasting copied documents instead of right-clicking and then selecting copy or paste as the case may be. CTRL + H, is used to find and replace words while CTRL + F is used to find specific words in a document, etc.
Dictate
It is an office software available on Office 360. it allows for recording/transcribing of voice directly into a word document. It is located at the Home tab. Lookout for it and click. It gives room for different language selection. It is a great option to record your documents rather than typing it.
Read Aloud
It is a great trick in MS Word that helps to read the words on the document. Microsoft does not just allow you to record your voiced document but also read it back to you. To do this, kindly click on the review tab from the Home page there you will see Read Allow, highlight the words you want it to read, and click on the read aloud. This is simply a great way to review your document. It eases the stress of having to start reading by yourself rather than just listening.
Translators
Are great tools to work with. You can highlight the section of text and go to Review to use the tool; select Translate and choose the language you wish to change to. It is default to English. It can be translated to French for example and can still retain the original and the new one. You can choose to have more than one translated language on the same page. This is possible by just moving the cursor away from the selected words by clicking a new line.
Line Spacing
It is a form of trick performed on a word document that determines how spacious the word on the document would be, and it is also a way of harmonizing the words. Instead of dragging your mouse to locate the tab or icon for line spacing, you can simply highlight the word you wish to apply it to and press CTRL + 1 for single line spacing, CTRL + 2 for Double line spacing, and CTRL + 5 for 1.5 line spacing.
Researcher
It is a great tool that adds external content to your word documents. It is made available under References. You simply start by entering a topic you want to research in the search box, and this automatically brings up a list of relevant topics that you can select from. You can select and add any relevant word to your document and it will automatically provide you with the references.
Inserting Hyperlink in between Sentences
It is a tool that helps navigate online for verifiable information. It is a more detailed way to communicate ideas with just a click and you would be redirected to another page without having to leave the page rather than type the whole. Kindly highlight the word want and click CTRL + K, type in or paste in the url address. It can be used with pictures as well.
Add, Edit and Remove Watermark to Document
This is an amazing word document trick that helps protect one’s document. It allows for an individual’s identity representation – the sign that shows the document belongs to a particular person. Kindly click on the Design or Page Layout from the Home page and locate Watermark and click. Lookout for a customized watermark and replace it with what you want and click OK.
Microsoft Editors
It is a unique trick in MS word documents that help to strengthen one’s grammatical structure. This work is similar to Grammarly. It is available from the Home tab. You can click on Editor with your document automatically opened and it goes through and makes suggestions. These are suggestions that will help you make a grammatical change. It is a great tool that helps you increase your writing skill.
Open and Repair file
This is another kind of unique trick that helps individuals to repair and fix their corrupted documents. It is obvious sometimes that we might not be able to explain why the document(s) we have been working on suddenly got corrupted. The pain of losing an almost finished document is unimaginable. When you try to open a file and the response you get is; file is corrupted, there is a way to get it fixed. Go to click on the File tab, click on Open and choose Browse to find the file location. Kindly select the file but do not open it. Look out for the Open tab and click on the drop-down arrow, scroll down to find the word Open and repair. This will scan through your document and fix the file.
Microsoft Word was originally built for Windows and macOS, but fortunately for us, the phone version has been made available, which has made it possible for the human person to type words on phone directly without needing to go in search of a computer even if you can’t afford one. The tricks in Microsoft are unique and helpful tips.
10 Tips and Tricks to Master Microsoft Word was last modified: June 1st, 2021 by Michael Miller
A PC is arguably the most important gadget anyone can have in the 21st century as it makes computation easier and can serve as a combination of other devices. Its usefulness surpasses almost every other electronic gadget and its capacity to multitask makes it quite a compelling gadget to possess. While the computer system has gone through significant improvements and modifications such that it can be so small in size that it can easily fit into a sling bag; there may yet be situations where the individual may be forced to be away from his/her PC system.
The most important apps on a PC tend to be the ones that have to do with accessing the internet, preparing word documents, playing audiovisual documents and games. Interestingly some of the most popular PC apps have been modulated into mobile versions; either it is the most sophisticated task manager software or just merely a gaming app that can be accessed via Smartphones thereby ensuring you don’t miss out on the fun even while you are away from your PC. Here are some mobile Apps that Performs similar Functions to PC Apps
WPS Word
Is an office software that can handle most if not all the functions that are obtainable on the Microsoft word PC version. The app allows the user to create and edit documents. It can also be used to prepare PowerPoint slides so that you can get to meet up with preparing the slides for your official engagements even while on the move. The app can also be used to view PDF files so you do not need to separately download PDF viewer. There may be other apps that can offer similar functions to this app, you are not likely to find a more robust Office suite like this app. However, it may take a while to get used to this app, especially the android version as it offers little variation from the PC version.
Google Chrome
Is one of the most easily recognizable web browsers on a PC. This app is also available on mobile phones. This app helps to bridge the gap between the experience of browsing on a mobile phone and a PC. For instance, websites tend to display differently on a mobile phone than on a PC, but with this app, the browser can be set to desktop mode which then allows the phone to display the page as if it were viewed via a PC. So when out on an important trip like a hiking trip where you don’t want to pack a lot of stuff, you can simply access the web via your mobile Google Chrome.
VLC Media Player
This app is an open-source multimedia player which can play most multimedia file formats and it is available on android and iOS platforms and other platforms such as Windows, Linux, and Unix. In a generation with diverse multimedia technologies, the capacity to play different media formats is a major attribute of a PC and it is apps like VLC that make this possible. Essentially VLC satisfies the need for accessibility for different media formats and its android version functions in a similar way. Therefore if you are away from your PC, you can get to capture precious moments on your phone and send them to loved ones and they can get to play the video with their VLC player.
Mail Apps
Email is one of the most common ways of exchanging official correspondence in the 21st century. While away from your computer you can still send and receive emails from the convenience of your mobile phone. All you need is to download the android app of your email platform to your Smartphone and with internet access, you can continue to send and receive official correspondence on the go.
The gap between a PC and a mobile phone is so small. Apart from the development of mobile app versions of PC apps, there is another way of synthesizing mobile and PC apps. For instance, the use of an app like Bluestack which is an emulator software can allow the android apps to be operated on the system. It doesn’t matter whether you will be away from your PC for a few hours or even for a few days, weeks, or months, with the right apps on your mobile, you will be performing most of the tasks and functions you are hitherto used to doing on your PC. All you will need to do is ensure that your phone has enough RAM and ROM space to power these apps to prevent the phone from lagging.
Mobile apps that save you from missing your PC was last modified: June 1st, 2021 by Michael Miller
A successful small business can always benefit from the wonders of technology. Find out which business apps can help you make the best of your venture
Business and Finance Apps for Business Owners
These days there is an app for anything. The internet and smartphone technology have evolved to the point that if you can think it, you can make it. Even if you’re a layman, there are many online tools at your disposal to help see your ideas realized. Of the myriad of apps available, there are ones designed for business owners and startups. These apps can range from simple ones that let you submit your tax certificates to ones that allow you to conduct all kinds of applications applicable to your business model, streamlining an industrial process, make sure deliveries are coordinated – the list is endless. Up to date and trustworthy Forex sites have also released apps for tablets and smartphones – this could be your way to some start-up capital. And thanks to the kind of year that 2020 was, more people are turning to alternative means and solutions to generate an income. With all this in mind, let us now examine some of the leading apps designed to help you make the most of your business.
Square
Every business needs an excellent point-of-sale system that lets you ring up customers, and if you can get your hands on one, that’s customizable, even better. For instance, if you’re a restaurateur, you’ll need something that can manage and coordinate your tables, or if you’re in retail, you’ll need something that can manage your inventory effectively. Square is quite the ideal candidate to handle such matters and function on PCs, tablets and iPhones. Plus, it is free with an option to pay if your needs exceed the free offering. It is pretty user-friendly and is backed by efficient live support staff.
QuickBooks Online
With the right accounting software, you can be sure that your bookkeeping will be in order. Profit margins, revenue – the entire ecosystem of your monetary affairs can be kept in check. Plus, this type of software can also help you answer pertinent questions such as how much can you afford to spend on advertising for the month? QuickBooks will address these issues and, for a nominal cost of $25, is ideal for small businesses. Plus, many accountants are also versed in it, and thus, support or help won’t be hard to come by. QuickBooks Online is the cloud version of the software and, thanks to its multiple-tier system, can be adjusted to the growing needs of your business.
Jira
Effective project management is key to having a streamlined process that assigns all tasks to all the relevant parties while also keeping tabs on those projects and their progress. Campaigns, projects, progress reports, drafts, edits, approvals and completed products – these are the various hallmarks and features of Jira, a software development and management tool that charts the workflow from start to finish and sports excellent reporting capabilities. Manage your team and their projects for free, and should you need to scale things up, only then will there be a fee.
Zoom
Zoom was the big star of 2020, helping usher in a new era of remote working from multiple locations. These days it’s vital to have effective video-conference software with other amenities like instant messaging. Zoom will cater from simple one on one meetings to gatherings of up to a thousand. With the free version, you can host a group as big as 100 members with a 40-minute cap, while a paid subscription will allow up 1000 people to attend.
Good Business Apps for Small Businesses was last modified: June 2nd, 2021 by Predrag Milićević
In order for your business to remain competitive in today’s marketplace, you need a robust IT strategy that modernizes operations and keeps you lean. As part of this strategy, you need an IT support team by your side. But with so many different services to choose from, you’ll have to be selective in the companies you work with
The “Why” Behind IT Support
Small business owners often fall for the assumption that IT support services are just for big companies with massive budgets. But that’s simply not true. There are plenty of ways for small and medium-sized businesses to benefit from a partnership with the right IT support service, including:
● Better security. The right IT support staff keeps your entire system running smoothly. Not only that, but they ensure you have a reliable backup system in place to keep you protected in a worst-case scenario.
● Higher ROI. IT support saves you both time and money. The result is a beefier profit margin. While the upfront costs of hiring an IT support service are more expensive than a DIY approach, the long-term ROI is clear. With less downtime, greater reliability, and significant time savings, hiring an IT support service is a clear and obvious choice.
● Enhanced customer service. More uptime and reliability lead to happier and more satisfied customers. Subsequently, this produces better customer retention rates and stronger loyalty. This lowers your costs across the board and simultaneously gives your business a stronger foundation for future growth.
● Better use of time. When it’s all said and done, an IT support service allows you to spend less time worrying about what could go wrong and more time focusing on the other core tasks and responsibilities on your to-do list.
At the end of the day, having the right IT support service in place allows you to maximize your company’s efficiency and produce happy and satisfied clients that trust you to meet their needs. This rings especially true in industries like healthcare, where seamless operations and data security are paramount. Medical IT support ensures that your systems are not only running smoothly but also compliant with stringent regulations, ultimately fostering trust and confidence among both patients and staff.
4 Tips for Selecting the Right IT Support Service
With so many different IT support services to choose from, here are a few factors that are absolutely worth considering.
1. Location
Physical location may or may not matter very much – it just depends on the services you need. For example, if your company will provide services like VoIP or cloud hosting, the location of the servers can have an effect on the quality of your services. It’s also important to think about location if you plan to expand into a different country in the future. (Make sure they have the capacity to support you.)
2. Types of Support
Many IT support companies will offer varying levels of service. This may include:
● Pay-as-you-go support. Good for companies with smaller budgets that only need occasional support.
● Break-fix support. The managed services providers on an as-needed basis and bills you only for the work performed.
● Managed service support. The most comprehensive type of support. Ideal for businesses that want a totally hands-off, white-glove approach.
3. Response Times
When you have an IT issue, the last thing you want to do is spend hours or days waiting for your support provider to come out and troubleshoot the issue. Depending on the problem, you could be losing thousands of dollars every few minutes. Time is of the essence.
As you consider IT support services, consider if they make any guarantees around response times. For example, PalmTech Computer Solutions promises to have a qualified technician working on resolving the IT problems within one hour or less for all managed services contracts. That’s a huge benefit (both in terms of cost savings and peace of mind).
You may find different services can benefit your business. A live chat Outsourcing firm can ensure high quality responses for your operation.
4. Costs
Finally, consider the cost. Every IT support service operates on a unique payscale. Some companies require long-term contracts and monthly retainer fees, while other companies let you pay as you go with no long-term commitment. There are benefits to both types of agreements, so make sure you’re taking all relevant factors into account. Depending on what stage your business is in, it may make more sense to sign a long-term agreement and cut costs. Other businesses like the pay-as-you-go structure because of the flexibility and scalability. Use Revolution IT for flat rate IT services, this is the leading IT support provider in Auckland and offers comprehensive solutions to businesses seeking reliable and effective IT support services.
Putting it All Together
Your business doesn’t just need an IT support service – it needs the right IT support service. As you search for the perfect partner, take factors like location, support services, response time, and costs into account. If nothing else, your thorough due diligence will leave you with the confidence and peace of mind that you made the right choice.
4 Tips to Help You Choose the Right IT Support Service for Your Business was last modified: April 3rd, 2024 by Alex Sanders
If you’re like most people, you like to watch TV shows, listen to music, go to the theater to watch movies, and read books. But if you’re absorbing the same types of information and retreading the same ground on a regular basis, it might feel like you’re stuck in a rut.
How do you branch out to discover new sources of entertainment?
Branch Out to a New Medium
First, consider branching out to enjoy a new medium. There are dozens of ways to enjoy content in the modern world, and many people limit themselves to only a few options. For example, if you love TV shows and movies, but you’ve never tried listening to podcasts before, consider delving into the world of broadcast audio. If you love reading books, but you’ve never given comic books or graphic novels a fair shake, try reading some image-heavy written content.
You’ll likely find an entirely new set of tropes, expectations, and format peculiarities that give you a brand new experience. Plus, you might have an opportunity for an easy transition; for example, you might find there’s a comic book that one of your favorite movies is based on, or you might find a podcast hosted by one of your favorite authors.
Try Your Hand at Creating
If you want to see the world of entertainment in an entirely new light, consider creating a work of your own. If you’re feeling “bored” of the conventional forms of entertainment you’ve relied on in the past, it’s probably a sign that you’ve read or watched a lot of it – which means you know what it takes to tell a good story.
Consider picking up a musical instrument, writing a script, or even printing your own comic book. If you put a lot of work in (and get a bit lucky), it could turn into a source of income for you. Otherwise, it may help you come to appreciate the creative process – and see the entertainment world through a different lens.
Get Recommendations From Friends
What are your friends into? Chances are, you have at least some of your tastes in common. Talk to them about how you’ve been feeling and what types of things you want to try to avoid – as well as some of your favorites. They might have some strong recommendations to send your way. You might even get a chance to watch/read new things together – which can make the experience more interesting if you’re bored of doing things by yourself.
Join an Online Forum
Alternatively, you can join an online forum or other online community to learn about new pieces of media, new genres emerging, and other interesting bits about the entertainment world. For example, you can join a subreddit or community specifically designed for discussions about a certain genre or medium. You can also find groups on Facebook or other social media platforms where open discussions are encouraged. The caveat here is that you have to be active; respond to other people, ask questions, and get into the community. The more you engage, the better.
Learn a New Language and a New Culture
Consider learning a new language, or the basics of a new culture, so that you can experience materials that would otherwise be inaccessible to an English speaker. For example, after learning to speak Spanish, you could enjoy a host of movies, TV shows, books, and other materials from Spain, Mexico, and Latin America. Entertainment from other countries is often very different, originating from an entirely different set of cultural norms and values, so it’s worth exploring as something new.
Sign Up for Discovery Services
There are also a number of “discovery” services you can sign up for to learn about new sources of entertainment. For example, with Spotify, you can get access to personalized recommendations for new artists to listen to – and its algorithm is both complex and effective.
Try Things You’ve Written Off in the Past
If you’re interested in branching out, you might consider revisiting some of the pieces you’ve written off in the past. For example, are there any books you’ve refused to read because you disagree with the premise or because you don’t like that particular genre? Is there a director you avoid because you never liked their style? This is an opportunity to challenge yourself and try something new.
See Your Old Favorites in a New Light
Of course, if you have trouble finding new things to enjoy, you can also use this opportunity to see your old favorites in a new light. Consider watching some of your favorite movies with new friends and acquaintances or reading a favorite book with new commentary or analysis to guide you. No matter what, opportunities abound for new entertainment experiences.
Bored of the Same Old Entertainment? Here’s How to Branch Out was last modified: May 31st, 2021 by Alex Sanders
In most areas of the country, driving remains the most reliable and most efficient way to get from one place to another. But even if you’re experienced and careful, there’s a chance you could end up in a car accident; in fact, there are more than 35,000 motor vehicle deaths in the United States each year and tens of thousands of accidents that only result in minor injury.
The good news is that most car accidents are preventable – but you have to understand and respect the causes of those car accidents.
One of the most common causes of accidents is also one of the most preventable: distracted driving. When traveling at high speeds, taking your eyes off the road even for a second can render you incapable of responding to a sudden change in your surroundings. For example, if you look at your phone for a second while driving on the highway and a person in front of you slams on the brakes, you might be incapable of stopping in time. Avoid distractions at all costs, keeping your attention on the road and the drivers around you.
We trust the manufacturers of our vehicles to equip them with everything they need to drive reliably and safely – but even small manufacturer defects can lead to major accidents. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do about this to proactively prevent accidents. Choose reliable manufacturers with a strong reputation – and if there’s a recall for your vehicle, take care of it immediately.
3. Intoxicated driving
Despite widespread knowledge that drinking and driving is a major public health hazard, people still drink and drive. Alcohol and other drugs impair your ability to respond in a timely and appropriate manner. They may also impair your perceptions and judgment.
If you’ve consumed alcohol recently, or other drugs that affect your perceptions, you’re best off getting a designated driver to take you home. “A DUI lawyer can help prevent devastating car accidents caused by intoxicated driving – don’t let a moment of impairment lead to a lifetime of regret.” – Meltzer & Bell, DUI Lawyer
4. Fatigued driving
Most people know that alcohol can affect your driving, but those same people may underestimate the effects of fatigued driving. If you’re especially tired, your perceptions can be as distorted as they would be after a heavy round of drinking. Get a ride home or take some time to nap before attempting to drive when tired.
5. Inclement weather
Bad weather can limit visibility, reduce traction on the road, and affect your vehicle’s maneuverability, all of which lead to higher rates of car accidents. In cases of severe bad weather, such as thick fog or a major blizzard, it’s a good idea to stay home and not drive at all. Even in cases of mild bad weather, like a thunderstorm or moderate snowfall, you’ll want to exercise caution, giving yourself extra stopping distance and keeping your headlights on at all times.
6. Speeding
Speeding is a leading cause of car accidents for several reasons. First, it affects your maneuverability, making it difficult to handle sharp turns and making it more likely you’ll lose control of the vehicle. Second, it increases your stopping distance, giving you less time to react to sudden changes in front of you. It also increases the force of collision, so accidents involving speeding have higher fatality and injury rates. Remain at or under the speed limit and reduce your speed further when necessary.
7. Ignoring traffic signs/laws
Traffic signs and laws exist for a reason: to keep you and other drivers safe. Reckless driving, running a red light, merging without a turn signal, or failing to yield may seem inconsequential in the moment, but they can sharply increase your risk of an accident. Obey these signs and laws at all times.
8. Poor road conditions
Bad roads can also lead to accidents. Major potholes or bumps can cause you to lose control if you’re not careful. Avoid construction sites when possible and pay attention to your surroundings to minimize risk here.
9. Lack of maintenance
If you don’t keep your vehicle well-maintained, it can be harder to control – and may break down unexpectedly. At least annually, you should have your vehicle inspected (and repaired if/when necessary). If you have trouble getting compensation for an injury that happened at work, you may want to contact this Fort Worth Workers Compensation Lawyer.
Understanding Other Drivers
You may be a safe, attentive, and obedient driver on the road, but you’re still just one of many variables that interact (and could potentially lead to an accident). In addition to driving cautiously and obeying the law, it’s important to observe and proactively respond to the drivers around you. Don’t be afraid to pull off to the side of the road or take an alternative route if it means getting out of the way of a reckless driver.
The 9 Most Common Causes of Car Accidents (and How to Prevent Them) was last modified: June 26th, 2024 by Alex Sanders
If you’ve done the same thing every day for 10 years, it’s only natural that you would feel as if your momentum may have come to a screeching halt. Most of us like the idea of continuously advancing in our career, making more money, earning better and more important titles, and thereby feeling like we’re growing as individuals.
But sooner or later, we may hit a rut, and feel stagnating in our current role. Could this be a plateau where you’ll stay for the rest of your working life?
It doesn’t have to be. If you’re feeling stationary in your current position, you can take several steps to reinvigorate yourself and create new momentum.
Steps to Take to Achieve Forward Motion
Try some or all of these ten steps to breathe new life into your career:
1. Get a new certification
First, think about seeking a new certification. For example, if you work in accounting, you couldpass the CPA exam to become a CPA. Depending on your current role and your certification, this might enable you to earn more money, have a shot at a substantial promotion, and even open a door to entrepreneurial opportunities. No matter what, you’ll get the chance to learn new skills and engage in activities that enable you to break from the norm.
2. Learn a new skill
You could also make the effort to learn a new skill, even if it diverges from your current areas of expertise. For example, you could take up computer programming or learn how to work with a new piece of software. This will keep you engaged, make you a more well-rounded professional, and could open the door to some interesting opportunities down the road.
3. Branch out to other departments
How often do you talk to people from other departments in your organization? If your firm suffers from apersistent silo mentality, you may rarely, if ever, reach outside your own circle. Getting acquainted with colleagues in other departments can help you understand better how your organization works, and give you an opportunity to network and learn new things – all of which can be good for your career.
4. Take on a new responsibility
Don’t request a new responsibility; take one on. Step in to address something that no one else wants to touch, or expand some area of the business. It can keep you challenged and interested in your work – and looks impressive when it comes time for supervisors to evaluate you for a promotion or raise.
5. Look like your Boss
Make sure your colleagues are treating you as someone with upward potential. This means looking the part as if you’ve already been promoted. Dress the part, and make sure your hair and grooming are appropriate. A great model to use is to emulate managers in your organization. Take a hard look at your appearance, and if needed, get dental and orthodontal work done so people around you can see you as a manager.
6. Start a side hustle
If you’re not getting what you want or need from your main career, why not attempt a side hustle? Pick up a hobby and turn it into a business, or dabble in a new industry you’ve always wanted to investigate. It could turn into a full-time gig later, if you choose.
7. Look for a transfer opportunity
If you like this company and you’re just tired of the same environment, look into the potential for a transfer. Moving to a new department or a different location could be the fresh breath of air you need to feel good about your career again.
8. Work for a promotion
You may already be doing this, but consider aiming for a specific promotion. Depending on your industry and the nature of the business, this could be a new role that’s several years off, but if you start laboring toward it now, you may feel a surge of inspiration and motivation that will carry you to your end goal.
9. Apply to jobs with other businesses (or start your own)
If opportunities are rare at your current place of employment, think about applying for jobs with other businesses. You could even start a company of your own in your industry.
10. Change careers entirely
Of course, if nothing else is working, or you’re just finished with the industry you’ve been in, you might plan a complete career change. It’s never too late to jump into a totally different line of work.
Embrace Change
No matter what you do, if you want to break free of your feelings of stagnation,it’s important to embrace change. Thanks to status quo bias (and a bit of laziness), most of us prefer to keep things the same for as long as possible.
But if you allow yourself to remain complacent and simply accept the patterns you’ve fallen into over many years, you’ll never make any progress. You have to change something if you want different results; there’s no other way forward.
10 Steps to Take If You Feel Stagnant in Your Career was last modified: December 17th, 2024 by Alex Sanders
When a WooCommerce website is created, the business looks for more products to be sold, more customer traffic, and good revenue. This can be achieved only when the site has a high ranking in search engines and this, in turn, is only possible when the site has good feedback and ease of access. To attain all these, one needs to have a good WooCommerce SEO that gives a good insight into the website.
WooCommerce SEO is one of the key factors that are to be taken into consideration when you have to start a business. It is said that planning your move is considered as winning half the game. The same is when we think of an e-commerce business to start and decide to use a WooCommerce SEO for page creation. Depending on whether you want to sell your product, or get more traffic, or increase the SEO ranking in search results pages, the WooCommerce SEO helps you get all these along with gaining fame with minimum manual work.
Considering that nearly half of the population starts their shopping by Google search or any other search engine, your website needs to rank well in there. More than a quarter of traffic on any WooCommerce website comes from various search engines and the very 1st result gets a 1/3rd of total hits from different search links. WooCommerce SEO doesn’t need to pay anything for ads if a site is considered as attracting traffic automatically and has reliability. When a WooCommerce site is optimized well, it has the potential to attract customers and traffic automatically. It provides steadiness and well-structured web pages. It serves a good view and compatibility with desktops, tables, and mobiles as well.
When starting a business, the developers and designers have to consider many factors like themes, product, description of the product, images, etc for their web pages. All these help to boost their online store. Some of the ways to boost websites with WooCommerce SEO are:
SEO Friendly Themes
Choosing a good attractive theme with a proper layout and appearance defining the business with fewer burdens on the size of the page(and hence on the servers) is highly recommended. Themes with lesser size permit the fast loading of the pages. It helps to get access to the web page even on slower connections in remote areas. Many WooCommerce SEO plugins have preloaded themes to choose from or can be downloaded from external sources as well. These can be modified based on the business need. It should be responsive, compact, light-weight, and mobile-friendly.
SEO Friendly Plugin
Having a good plugin like Yoast, All in One SEO, MonsterInsights, etc are the most popular plugins that come with unique functionality which can boost up the WooCommerce site performance and WooCommerce SEO ratings. These also help our web pages and images to optimize and add metadata, keywords, taglines, etc. and thus have a good ranking on various search engines.
Optimize Product Page
Each page of the website has many different components like titles, tags, keywords images, description, tables, reviews, ratings etc. All these components should be well arranged to improve the readability. If only keywords and description are at top and images and other data at last, then it really becomes boring to read the info without actually seeing the product. Product titles should be attractive, short and well written. Short description that is shown on search engine results should be to the point with sufficient keywords. Detailed description should be able to give ample information of the product. Each product should be properly categorized and tagged for more enhanced search. URL should be simple to remember with focused keywords. All the pages that are part of the project have to be well optimized.
Image Alt Text
It is a good practice to provide alternate text for an image (like a description) so that if the image is unable to load on some page of your website, then an alt text helps the customers to understand what the image is about. WooCommerce SEO provides this feature to add description and alt text when uploading any images on the site. By default, image name is set as image title, so it’s always a good practice to name the image with the image keywords.
WWW and HTTPS
The domain name of your site can have a WWW attached to the URL or can exist without a WWW also. But mostly, a site URL with WWW is faster to find across the search engines. Along with this, the website should be always secured with Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. This makes your URL more reliable for the customers and they can develop faith in secure browsing and sharing of information.
Clear Site Navigation
Breadcrumbs should be enabled for easy navigation. Also, it is a good practice to keep your navigation of the website simple and meaningful so that the customers can easily navigate to parent pages. End-users don’t want clumsy and confusing navigation when retreating. Clearly designed categories, subcategories, and a site map is an extra add-on to the easy navigation methods. An effective WooCommerce SEO can be used for all these settings.
Permalinks Structure
The URL of different products that is available on the site is permanent. These can be used as permalink to be used to refer to each product. A WooCommerce link without SEO optimization has special characters that are really not easy to understand. WooCommerce SEO should assign a user-friendly permalinks structure so that it becomes easy to identify the product page. It also helps to rank better in search engine results.
XML Sitemap Plugin
One should always utilize a good XML site map. It acts as a proper display of a map of the web pages which directs Google to all the important pages. XML sitemaps join with Google so that it can get all the essential product pages. This is used to index the website. The site map specifies all the pages and links which help Google to find them. For example, when a customer searches for a specific page or product in the search bar, Google suggests some of the important pages also in the dropdown.
Schema
Schema or snippets are highly essential to provide information about the site or product during the initial search. When there is a good schema defined in WooCommerce SEO, it helps the search engine to know more about your site. Along with it, it also improves the ranking, and searching for your site becomes easier and frequent.
Even if a website is designed very well with a good template, colours and images, it’s of no use if the ranking on search engines are not good. A supportive WooCommerce SEO guidance is highly essential for standing in good rankings on the 1st page of Google and other search engine’s results. An optimized web page will obviously fetch more perks than non-optimized pages. One need not be a WooCommerce SEO expert to apply all these in the project and get high rank in search engine rankings. Apart from all these, one should choose a good web hosting platform that provides a good server.
Ways to Boost your Online Store with WooCommerce SEO was last modified: September 6th, 2021 by Manish Kushwah
