Workable Tips For Marketing A Website

A website is useless without traffic. Even if you created the best looking website with the most relevant and latest content, none of it will matter if people cannot find your website. This is why marketing a website is important.

Here are some of the easiest ways you can market a website so that people can find you online.

• Content Marketing

Content marketing is basically content like blog posts, infographics and video. They are used in order to capture traffic and leads.

Blogging for example is the practice of providing relevant and informative content. This is one of the best ways to market a website because it builds trust and has the potential to attract new clients. To get the best result with blogging you need to be consistent and provide informative content. In other words, your blogs should be able to improve the lives of readers in some way.

For example, if you’re a dentist you can blog about:

• How to choose the best dentist.
• Root canals explained.
• Do you need to prepare for a dentist appointment?

Guest blogging is also a good idea. Not only will it get attract more leads, it can also lead to backlinks for your website while boosting your authority in the field.

• Social Media Marketing

Marketing for social media is very important for exposure. More and more people spend their time on social media platforms and many of them hold multiple accounts.

You don’t need to market on all social media but accounts on the following is a really good idea.

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube
• TikTok

It can be difficult to manage all platforms at once but starting with 2 or 3 that works well with your client’s business. For example if you’re a furniture store then accounts in Instagram, Facebook and YouTube are good platforms to start with. If you are a dentist then they should be on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Don’t forget to add social sharing button on your blog so that readers can share your social pages to friends and followers easily.

• Paid Advertising

Paid advertising or pay-per-click (PPC) is one of the best ways to get traffic to a website quickly. Platforms like Facebook offer PPC advertising but Google is the best platform to attract leads and traffic.

It helps that you’re familiar with Google AdWords. Choosing the right keywords and spending money correctly can have a positive impact on your PPC campaign.

• Search Engine Marketing

Search engine marketing (SEM) targets high priority keywords so that your webpage is on the first page of search engines like Google.

For example, if you’re an organic makeup website then targeting keywords like “organic makeup online” is a good idea. But don’t just choose any random keyword. You need to have the right tools to identify the most effective keywords to make your website rank high in SERPs.

Good tools include Google Keyword Planner, SEM Rush, Keywordtool.io and Keyword Explorer.

Listing your website in Google My Business will also make it easier for local clients to find your brick and mortar store. Listing business on GMB will increase chance of clients finding the shop on Google Maps, Local Finder and Local Pack.

Bottom Line

Marketing a website takes a lot of time and effort. If you’re not able to market your website or don’t have the knowledge, Creativ Digital can help you get the success you deserve with our enticing marketing campaign strategies so you can effectively reach and build relationships with clients.

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Is Chatbot A Good Choice For Your Business?

First, what is a chatbot? Basically, a chatbot is an automated program that chats with your customers. It is usually used for resolving a complaint or answering questions or giving explanations. Most people see chatbots as a way to get help quickly.

Using a chatbot is like a tennis match. There is back and forth action and sometimes you hit, other times you miss. The good news is that chatbots are improving all the time.

There are 2 kinds of chatbots: simple and smart. Simple chatbots are programmed to work using pre-programmed text that they understand. This type of bot usually displays so users can respond in a linear fashion.

Smart chatbots are used to answer or to provide more detailed information. They rely on artificial intelligence (AI) to communicate with user. Unlike simple chatbots, the smart variety can understand trigger words and sentence structure. They will then provide answers based on the topic.

Sounds good on paper but the reality is, chatbots have high failure rates. Smart chatbots are prone to more mistakes because there is more room for error.

Best Use For Chatbots

Chatbots are most often used for customer service. According to 2018 State of Chatbots report, 35% of respondents said they would use a chatbot for resolving a complaints or problems or for getting detailed answers or explanations. In other words chatbots are used by people to get answers or help quickly.

For example, many of us have called customer service only to be put on hold for long periods of time. After waiting for hours, many of us are told to go to a specific page in their website which can resolve the issue. All of this can be resolved by using a chatbot.

A good starting point is to look at what your customers are looking for when they go to your website. For example, restaurant customers go to their website in order to book a table, find the menu, operating hours or delivery availability. For an online clothes shop, a chatbot can be used to check for stock availability or delivery options. Keeping chatbots simple and helpful will make customers thank you.

Online Shopping

Chatbots are also great at online shopping. Tell it your size, color preference and ocassion and it will quickly find something for you. Additionally, chatbots can be programmed to remember customer preferences so they will be able to suggest something helpful the next time customers visit.

Answer Common FAQs

FAQs and chatbots are a bit tricky. Customers usually go to the FAQ page in order to find questions to their answers. However, not all customers are willing to scroll through the FAQ page in order to find their answers. This is where your chatbot comes in. For example if you want to find out how much shipping costs for Melbourne, you can simply type in this question instead of scrolling.

Reasons To Use A Chatbot

Why use a chatbot and not a customer service representative (CSR)? According to IBM, businesses spend $1.3 trillion on 265 billion customer service calls each year. This means 504,185 per minute. Can you imagine the number of people needed to answer these calls or the backlog it would cause? Chatbots can be used to answer questions for many of these calls leaving your customer service representative to answer more complex calls.

Chatbot Magazine reports that businesses can save up to 30% on customer service costs by using chatbots. Aside from cost savings, chatbots can also operate 24/7 in order to provide instant answers and assistance. This means you’re saving money while keeping customers happy.

However, using chatbots does not mean that you won’t need your CSR anymore. Customers should have the choice between talking to a real person and a bot. Inroducing chatbot will give them a wider choice and time poor customers will be grateful.

Chatbots can also help you reduce expenses. In Australia, the average CSR can cost a business up to $50,000 annually in salary while a chatbot costs around $2,400 annually. Depending on the size of your business you can hire 1 or 2 CSR and then let the chatbot handle the rest.

Chatbots can also help drive sales. For example, you can create a series of ads targeting existing customers and then introduce them to your chatbot. This means that you can drive up engagement in channels where you use chatbots like Messenger and other social media platforms.

Wrap Up

So, do you need a chatbot? It depends on your business. If you and your CSR team find that you are spending a lot of time answering common questions then a chatbot can make your lives easier. Chatbots are also a good idea if you want to increase sales, raise brand awareness or make your customers happier.

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Best Payment Options For Businesses

Good old fashioned cash is nice but customers are always looking for new ways to pay for purchases. Credit cards and debit cards are normal but that’s not the only option for today’s online shoppers. From e-wallets to crypto, let’s take a look at some of the best payment gateway options to make your life easier.

Digital Wallets

Digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal give consumers a secure way to store their sensitive financial information like bank account numbers and credit card numbers on devices. ‘Aside from this, these payment systems can also store other information like their names and address which makes them a convenient option for buyers when paying.

There are 2 main benefits for digital wallets. First, it allows consumers to pay their bills using their credit card or bank using their smartphones or computers. Second, it makes the payment process seamless and easier because all it needs is just 1 click to complete.

Digital wallets reduce friction during the payment process for consumers. According to a Baymard Institute study, 26% of respondents said that a long checkout process was one of the main reasons they abandoned their cart.

So which digital wallet is best? Paypal still leads the way as the 60% conversion rate in the western world. However, in China, Alipay and WeChat are the leaders with over 1 billion users, more than other digital wallets combined.

Buy-now Pay-later (BNPL)

Buy products immediately with Buy-now Pay-later (BNPL) schemes. Afterpay and zipPay offer this kind of payment structure where consumers buy a product and then pay by installment plans. According to Inside Australian Online Shopping report by Australia Post, BNPL services accounted for up to 7.7% of online spend or $1.6 billion and have a big appeal on the 18—39-year-old demographic.

Buyers like BNPL because it provides instant gratification which lowers barriers to entry. It also has a big impact on buying rate and behavior which increases conversion. An ASIC study found that 55% of customers spend more when given the BNPL option.

Cryptocurrency

Bitcoin and Litecoin are a form of electronic currency verified using a technology called Blockchain. While many of us feel uncertain using crypto due to uncertainties it raises, the fact is that there is an increasing number of shoppers who prefer this form of payment. CNN reveals in one of their studies that crypto users use will grow to 200 million by 2024.

Ecommerce platforms like  Woocommerce, Shopify and Magento all offer crypto payment options. Just like other currencies, crypto can be received and withdrawn in real-time.

Payment Gateways

Payment gateways are ecommerce services that process payments. Here are some of the most popular options.

Stripe

Stripe offers payment processing software for ecommerce stores and applications. It works by transferring money from your customer’s bank to yours using a credit or debit card. As of 2019, Stripe accepts Alipay, Apple Pay, Credit cards, Google Pay, Microsoft Pay, Masterpass, Visa Checkout, and WeChat Pay.

eWay

Australia’s eWay process 25% of Australia’s online market. They are accessible to local Australian businesses with 24/7 support, over 250 integrations and over 20 years experience. They accept payment forms like AMEX Express Checkout, Apple Pay, Credit cards, MasterPass, Visa Checkout, and PayPal.

Braintree

Braintree started in Chicago but is now owned by Paypal. They offer a unique access to funding and data other payment gateways focusing on innovative payments technology and scalable solutions. They accept Credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, PayPal, Masterpass and Visa Checkout.

BitPay

BitPay brings Bitcoin payments to the mainstream. It can process cryptocurrency in real time and deposit funds into merchant’s accounts, without the need for a cryto wallet. They work with Bitcoin & Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum with more cryptocurrencies to be added.

Bottom Line

There are so many options available for ecommerce stores it can be hard to choose between all of them. However, your customer’s preferences should always come first. There are many ways to find this out. You can ask them to take a short survey or take a look at your Google’s analytics. For example, if you’re receiving a lot of traffic from iPhones then offering Apple Pay should be a priority.

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Cool Ways To Improve Buyer Experience

Online stores are seeing a boom as many people around the world are turning to online shops to fulfill their needs. This is why ecommerce stores are always looking for ways to improve their customer experience.

One of the best ways to improve customer experience is by improving the buying process. If you want to increase your conversion rate and sales, you’re in the right place because we have some innovative ideas on how you can improve buyer experience.

Digital Wallets

Digital wallet solutions such as PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay and Alipay store buyer’s information like address and payment information online and in a secure place. Offering these types of payments for your ecommerce store can reduce friction during the checkout process because customers can buy in 1 click.

Say goodbye to the days of manually inputting your address and other information every time you order from an online shop. Studies by Big Commerce show that ecommerce stores with digital wallets were able to increase their mobile conversion rates threefold.

Real-Time Credit Card Validation

28% of people who abandon shopping carts were because of the long checkout process with 4% stating that their credit card was declined. This is fairly understandable because it can be frustrating to fill up information only to see the whole process fail or reset due to 1 missing credit card number.

Luckily, online payment processors like Stripe have real-time credit card validation for users. It will check any credit card type, number, expiry date and CVC as they type and tell them if something has been incorrectly entered.

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL)

In the old days you can buy a product through lay-by. However, it does not give the purchaser instant gratification. In fact, they can’t take the item home until it has been fully paid off. This is where BNPL comes in. During the last few years providers like AfterPay, OpenPay and zipPay have been offering buy now pay later schemes to drive conversions up.

According to Australia Post BNPL accounted to 7.7% or $1.6 billion of total online goods sold in 2017. After offering BNPL, average order value increased by 53% and another saw a 10% increase in conversion rate.

Click and Collect

Click and collect has been available for a while now but many ecommerce stores failed to take advantage of this innovative idea. Nowadays, many retailers and physical shops are offering click and collect option due to social distancing rules observed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Click and collect is very convenient for buyers because not all of them will want items to be delivered. It allows them to shop online and then pick up the items at a more convenient time.

Click and collect is popular in major Australian supermarkets like Woolworth’s because customers can shop without walking the aisles. They also have a pick-up and drive-thru option so you can just head to the parking lot and an employee will deliver your groceries to you rather than walking into the store.

Convenient Delivery With Parcel Lockers

People live busy lives and are not always available for deliveries. Aside from pick-up and collect, Australia Post is offering parcel lockers for customers who want to access their deliveries on their own terms.

Australia Post is also offering online businesses more choices for delivery so that customers can decide when and where their online shopping gets delivered. Parcel Lockers are not just offered by Australia Post with other retailers offering their own versions.

Fast Delivery

We now live in a world obsessed with instant fulfillment. Delivery speed is now a growing factor for many buyers. This is why online stores are offering speedier delivery options with next day, same day and even 3-hour delivery within the a certain radius.

Still unsure? Studies show that 63% of shoppers reporting that they would definitely buy an item if it offered next-day delivery.

Social Registration And Checkout

Remembering all those usernames, emails and passwords for different online stores can be a pain. Providing users with easy social login is a good way to reduce registration friction. According to LoginRadius, there is a 52% increase in conversion rate when social login is available.

Aside from reducing friction, offering social login also helps ecommerce store to capture verified data from your customers.

Bottom Line

The ecommerce space is getting more crowded as many brick and mortar stores as well as aspiring entrepreneurs find it easier to set up online shops. Finding innovative ways to make you stand out against the competition can help improve conversion rates and sales.

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Best Dashboard Design Principles For Designers

Dashboards can make or break a digital product. The purpose of a dashboard is to provide a solution for organizing and presenting data in an efficient manner. Web developers should design a dashboard that can meet its purpose so that it can fulfill its mission of providing relevant data that users can analyze and interpret quickly.

Many dashboard designs clearly use data visualization to represent important data and track important indicators. Dashboards should also display information in a scannable format, with the most important data available immediately.

If dashboards cannot display data in a useful way, users will find it difficult to gain insights, which mean that it has poor design.

 But how do you design dashboards that can help users come to an informed decision? Here are dashboard design principles designers should be aware and follow.

Here are the components of a well-designed dashboard:

• Access to Relevant Data
• Simplifies Complex Data
• Can Express The Meaning of Data
• Provide a Clear User Interface

Include the following components in your dashboard design.

Consider The Needs of Your User

This is the most basic dashboard design principle. The design of a dashboard should revolve around the needs of end user. Before designing a dashboard, the designer should determine what kind of data or information the user wants to analyze.

Communicating and working with stakeholders, users and clients to select relevant key performance indicators (KPI) will enable you to begin selecting the right kind of dashboard tools.

KPIs come from a wide range of data sources. During the design process you will need to connect these sources with APIs. The more data sources, the more time it will take or you to finish the design.

Select The Right Type Of Dashboard

Selecting the right kind of dashboard is also important during the design process. If the dashboard is intended for high level executive-use or decision makers, you need a KPI dashboard. Supervisors who are monitoring employee performance on the other hand will need an operational type of dashboard.

These 2 types are different. KPI dashboard offers an overhead view of exiting business metrics. It allows executives to understand the data in terms of strategies and the health of the company. This kind of dashboard can be configured to receive data weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually.

Operational dashboards on the other hand give users a real-time view of business operations. This is a good choice for supervisors and managers because it allows them to act quickly on setbacks that impact daily operations while giving them insights about employee productivity.

Immediate Access To Relevant Information

Another important dashboard design principle is to give users immediate access to important information. This is called the “5 second rule”. This means that all important information should be available within 5 seconds after the dashboard loads.

It is important to work with shareholders in order to determine which data is most important to them. You can then display this data on a prominent spot on the dashboard. After this, you can display remaining data in a logical order.

Select The Right Kind Of Visualization

The right visualization tool has a big impact on how data is presented. Designers usually get carried away with charts, maps and graphs.

When selecting a method, avoid cluttering the screen with different visualization tools. Select one or two types to maintain simplicity and consistency.

Line charts are good choices for showcasing data patterns but pie charts are usually ineffective because many users struggle to decipher the size of each slice. Tables are good for displaying data. However, if there is too much users will find it harder to scan.

Some of the best dashboard do not include charts or visualization tools for KPI. The top KPI is usually displayed as plain text in a prominent position – usually on top of the screen – to make them stand out against other data.

Keep It Simple and Easy To Understand

Above all, designers should strive to keep dashboard design simple and easy to understand. This will make it easier for users to analyze the information on the screen.

Group data into categories and then separate each category with a box or line. Users will then be able to separate essential data from the less relevant. Use simple fonts and minimal colors. A minimalist design will showcase the most important aspect in a dashboard: the information.

Conclusion

These dashboard tips should be able to help designers deliver a winning UX. Always remember to set goals for your dashboard design based on the needs of the user or your client. This will make it easier for you to design metrics and keep track of KPIs on the dashboard. Every dashboard addresses a different need. However, the principles above will help you focus on the needs of your end user.

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Avoid These Common Software Development Project Pitfalls

Software development can be a challenging task. Seeing it through from start to finish can give even veteran developers a big headache. This is why many software projects fall through. Aside from complicated process and challenges, many software development projects also go over budget.

There are many pitfalls to watch out for when you’re developing software. Here are some of the most common reasons why software projects fail.

Unclear Goals

Ideas do not always translate into goals. When you have an idea you want to run with it and see what works, but it is not always measurable or doable. In some cases, ideas are just great as ideas. Software developers know that this is one of the biggest risks in the industry. If a project does not have clear goals, it will not have direction and project engineers and developers will not understand why they are doing the work.

While it is true that necessity is the mother of invention, every software developer should first understand what the goals are, what problems are going to be solved and what the mechanisms are in order to measure the success of the project.

Not Enough Documentation

Coders and programmers know how important documentation is. Proper documentation is needed in order to keep track of all the aspects of an application and it improves on the quality of the software product. Most importantly, documentation is needed for development, maintenance and knowledge transfer to other developers. Software documentation reduces support requirements while improving quality and productivity.

Writing software without a clear User Stories & Acceptance Criteria is like building a house without a blueprint. Are you building a house for a family of 3 or a family of 8? Is it for a young family or for your grandparents?

Poor Communication

A big factor in failed software development projects is poor communication. It is common for a single project to involve a lot of people. In the end it all boils down to how well people in a team communicate with each other. This is because communication is the glue that holds the whole project.

While documentation is important in software development, team dynamics plays a big part in how well information is communicated and understood. Managing expectations is also important in order to ensure that everybody is on the same page.

Communication should be easy to access. All team members should be able to access task management and reporting tools without having to ask other members.

Agile Project Management

Research shows that teams that follow agile project management are more likely to succeed. Agile framework promotes flexible and sustainable environment for software development. It is also responsive to change and allow for more complicated projects to be broken down into smaller tasks and achievable milestones.

This is very important for teams because hitches and changes can happen during the development process which can significantly impact the outcome.

Lack Of Shareholder Feedback

According to studies, lack of engagement from stakeholders is the reason why many projects fail. Keeping stakeholders informed and involved during the process minimizes ensures that the project continues because everybody is aligned with what’s important.

Actively seek feedback for improvement from stakeholders. Make sure that they know what’s going on during the development process and find out which areas they like, dislike or need improvement. Communicate these changes to the team clearly not only to boost morale but also to make sure that changes are acted upon.

Wrap Up

Software projects usually face delays, setbacks and cost blowouts. They also sometimes lose their initial purpose. Teams lose interest when their goals are unmet, communication breaks down and projects come to a halt.

Luckily, these projects can be rescued. Whether it’s fixing poor quality code or improving communication and facing other software development problems, developers can face these challenges if there is a clear and actionable path ahead. This is why clear goals should be set for every software development project.

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How To Keep Pets Quiet When Working From Home

According to PIAA statistics, more than 62% of Australian households have pets, with 38% owning dogs and 29% having cats. With coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases still rising in the country and worldwide, many people are being urged to work from home in a bid to slow down the spread of infection. Pets, especially dogs are probably happy with this news.

However, this can be a problem for employees who struggle with noisy pets when they are working. Unlike children, making pets understand that you need to work is tougher. Also your dog’s constant barking during video calls or your cat’s sleeping on your keyboard can make it more challenging to stay focused on the task at hand. Here are some ways you can keep pets quiet while you work at home.

Walk Before And After Work

Taking your dog for a walk before and after you start work has many health benefits for both you and your pooch. Walking is a good way to keep weight down and keep fit and healthy. Dogs are naturally outdoor creatures so staying indoors for long periods of time cause anxiety and depression which leads to destructive behavior. Take your dog for a walk before work to release pent up energy and to calm them down.

Aside from exercise, walks also stimulate them mentally. Seeing new stuff, smelling new smells and being able to socialize with other dogs will make them happier and teach them how to behave in public.

Walk them after work too. This will further release any pent up energy so both you and your dog can have a good night’s sleep.

Keep Them Engaged With Food Puzzles and Interactive Toys

Keep your pets engaged and quiet by giving them food puzzles and interactive toys. A good example is the Kong. Dogs and cats will have a great time figuring out how to get the food out of the Kong. It is literally hours of quiet and fun as they try to get every bit of food out.

Start by packing the Kong with a few bits of food. Pack tighter as they get the hang of it. Try to buy different pet food puzzle feeders and food balls to engage them mentally and to keep them quiet.

Cats are easier to entertain. Cat furniture, boxes and pieces of paper lying around are usually enough to keep them entertained for hours.

Frozen Food Treats During Video Calls

Now that you have a pet food puzzle feeder, pack them with a frozen homemade treat 5 minutes before a video call. If you have multiple pets, the trick here is to give each pet a frozen treat and to separate them so that they can lick and solve without squabbling and you can get to your conference in peace.

Get The Family Involved

Your housemates should also share in pet care. Create a schedule where somebody is in charge of a particular chore. For example, your spouse can be in charge of walking and feeding the dog. Kids can be in charge of feeding or playtime.

Just remember that chores should be age appropriate. Young children should never be left unsupervised when they are doing pet chores. Also, don’t forget to pencil in some personal time with your pet.

Be Patient And Consistent

Pets will find it harder to understand why you don’t play with them even if you’re home all the time. They will result to barking and other means to get your attention. In this case, try you very best to ignore them especially if you don’t have a home office. If you keep ignoring them despite the barking, whining and howling they will learn that such behavior is not tolerated and will get them nowhere. In time they will learn to keep quiet and to entertain themselves.

The key here is to be consistent. Don’t keep shushing them because it only works temporarily. We know how hard it is to ignore pets but you need to be patient and consistent so that you and your pet can work and live hand in hand at home in peace and harmony.

Bottom Line

It looks like Covid-19 is here to stay for the time being. While Australia is doing a good job in containing the virus, local spread can still sometimes shut down communities and cities. Many companies will ask employees to work at home in order to mitigate risks so finding ways to keep pets happy and entertained while you work is important.

Work from home can be challenging especially during the transition period. However, finding creative ways to stay focused while keeping pets entertained is important in order to keep up your work efficiency and productivity.

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6 Ways Covid-19 Is Changing The Workplace

It’s now more than 6 months and the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is still wreaking havoc around the world. Some countries like Australia and New Zealand are faring better than others at containing the virus but breakouts and surges are still happening in both countries.

It looks like finding ways to cope with Covid-19 will still be a daily struggle for many individuals, businesses and countries. It has had a huge impact on our daily lives and on the workforce. Although it is hard to imagine right now, but this pandemic will end and some things will go back to normal. For others, there will be a new normal.

Some of these changes will be temporary, others permanent. Here are a few ways Covid-19 is changing the workplace.

Corporate Flexibility

When Covid-19 hit Australia, many businesses were forced to shut down or to minimize the physical appearance of staff on the workplace. This is why many employees were quick to figure out how they could work from home efficiently.

Work from home was an alien concept before but many employees and companies are now embracing this practice because it provides flexibility. Now that many companies and employees realize that they can work at home and stay productive, it will be hard to let go of this practice even if the pandemic is over.

Headquarters 2.0

According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, temperature checks and social distancing guidelines will likely be followed even if infection rates go down and they will persist until such time that advances in medicine and health bring breakthroughs. However, once the pandemic is over offices will become more about community and interaction rather than individual productivity.

Conference rooms, video studios and meeting places will dominate offices of the future and offices will become a social environment rather than a “lock me in the office” scenario. Offices will be designed for better socialization and communication in an effort to take advantage of talent when they are in 1 location. Pandemic or not, humans are not robot and thrive on human interaction which leads to productivity and innovation.

Work Ready Homes  

Many remote workers did not find working from home difficult because they felt isolated; rather they were ill prepared for the sudden change in their working life. At the start, many of them did not have a work ready home or Zoom installed in their personal computers.

One of the biggest challenges remote workers had was internet performance. Many of them commented on how weak internet was at home which caused drops in productivity. Fortunately, internet for homes will improve quickly.

Home offices will also become a priority for people who are buying or renting homes. The ability to work from home will become an important factor for employees when moving.

Online Learning For All

Online learning will not just be for students anymore. Many companies are quickly learning that seminars can easily become webinars which makes it more convenient for everyone involved. It cuts down travelling accommodation expense and is more flexible for both parties.

Person-to-person learning, trainings and workshops won’t go away but they will be reserved for certain functions or personnel in the company.

Good-Bye To Business Attire

You likely dressed up for the office before Covid-19 but you don’t have to be dressed in business attire every day for remote working. Many work from home employees usually wear a smart blouse or shirt for their tops but wear comfortable bottoms with slippers. This way they are presentable enough for video calls but comfortable in their PJ bottoms, short or sweat pants.

Video Expert

Speaking of videos, many remote workers quickly became video virtuosos during the pandemic. Since video calls and meetings have become the norm; setting up video, looking good and sounding better have become important.

Remote workers had to learn to operate video apps like Zoom in order to interact and socialize with co-workers and in order to replace face-to-face meetings.

Bottom Line

According to a survey by Building20, Most Australians believed that working from home allowed them to be more productive or had minimal effect on their productivity. 45%of responders think that they were more productive while 32% thought their productivity remained the same. Overall, 51% said they prefer remote working compared to the 23% who preferred working at the office.

However, the survey also revealed a significant find: workers don’t want to go back to the inflexible working arrangements of before Covid-19. This means companies and businesses have to find ways to make a new office culture where remote work and traditional work can co-exist.

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How Covid-19 is Affecting Small Businesses and Marketers

It seems like despite the world’s best efforts, the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is still hanging in there. Millions of people have been infected worldwide and thousands have died since the virus was first detected late last year. As a result, many businesses have been forced to permanently or temporarily shut down.

The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting public health and economies around the world. According to Google, search interest for the virus has increased +260% globally. While spikes in search trends are common during large scale events, there has also been a surge in traffic for related products and topics as a direct response to the pandemic.

How Google And Facebook Are Responding

As a response to fake news and information circulating around the internet regarding Covid-19, both Google and Facebook are removing anyone running ads to exploit the situation. Google for example has removed content on YouTube that claims to prevent infection in place of medical treatment and is blocking all ads exploiting the coronavirus disease.

How does it affect small businessmen like you? It doesn’t.  Unless you copy this type of messaging in your ads that claims to cure or prevent Covid-19 then these changes implemented by Facebook and Google will have minimal effect on your marketing.

These platform policies will most likely not impact your account. However, the pandemic and the resulting market changes will. Here are some strategies to prepare and adjust your accounts.

Review Accounts

It is always important to stay on top of marketing changes because the trends can impact your strategies. For example, it might affect your paid search and paid social accounts, from changing click and impression volumes to changing costs.

Staying on top of changes and current trends can help you to get a more accurate picture of where you stand in terms of your metrics. Monitor comments within your post too to prevent the spread of disinformation and fear-based comments can detract potential customers.

Communicate Changes With Customers

Communicating effectively with customers is a key factor in maintaining relationships. For example, your office or store might need to postpone operations temporarily and customers and suppliers will need to know the changes in your schedule in terms of office hours, delivery etc.

You need to communicate changes as soon as possible especially online. Google recommends changing business hours and description on Google My Business profile. Your description can be updated to reflect any changes in terms of precautions and any changes to your services.

Adjust Strategy

A lot of changes have happened due to the coronavirus disease pandemic. For example, hand sanitizers have been in short supply and social distancing is now the new normal. Remote working is also becoming popular while non-essential travels are banned by some countries in a bid to help prevent infections. These changes are stressful which is why marketers need to have a concise and clear messaging strategy.

For example, if you have products advertised that are flying off the shelves make sure that you’re still not advertising them when they become out of stock. Exclude out of stock products from store campaigns to prevent advertising products you no longer have.

For Travel Agencies

The travel and tourism business is perhaps one of the hardest hits sector due to Covid-19. In Australia for example, you can’t leave the country unless you get an exemption from the Department of Home Affairs and other nations have instituted similar bans on non-essential travel.

Despite the ban, there is still interest on “cheap flights right now” and “cheap flights due to coronavirus”. This means that while many people can’t travel beyond their countries right now, there is still interest for travel in the future. For the travel industry, this means focusing on the future. Advertise trips or activities in low-risk areas, and provide additional content about what trips and activities are still safe.

Bottom Line

While coronavirus disease pandemic has affected the livelihood and economies of millions of people and countries worldwide, keeping ourselves and our communities should be our first priority. Many businesses are feeling the effects of the business and staying up to date with the correct information is a key.

Businessmen and marketers should continue to monitor the situation as more industry experts, data, analysis and resources will come to light in the coming weeks.

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Are You Ready For The New Normal At The Office?

It seems like the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic isn’t going away anytime soon. This means that people around the world will have to learn how to live with the disease as this will become the “new normal”. In some countries, citizens are asked to wear masks when in public by their governments. Social distancing is also becoming normal at work and public places.

In Australia, social distancing is now becoming second nature as outbreaks continue in some cities around the country. However, mandatory mask wearing depends on where you live. In Victoria for example, citizens are asked to wear face coverings when they are in public. With all of this confusion, many are asking whether businesses and offices are ready for the new normal.

Here are some tips on how you can safely manage opening your business in these pandemic times.

Implement Basic Health Protocols

Basic health protocols include: frequent hand washing or sanitizing, social distancing and mask wearing. Businesses have to realize that in order to protect customers and employees, everybody has to follow these basic guidelines.

In some countries, washing or hand sanitizing stations can be seen outside businesses and patrons are encouraged to wash their hands or sanitize before entering the premises. This is to make sure that there is minimal transmission of the virus once patrons are inside the stores. Additional protocols like mask wearing and social distancing can limit the transmission of airborne particles that could contain the virus and protect patrons and employees.

The Australian Government Department of Health has issued orders for everybody to practice physical distancing, good hygiene and to stay at home when sick even though states and territories are easing restrictions. Following these basic health guidelines at the office can protect everybody from the virus.

Risk Mitigation

Risk assessment should be followed at the office. This is an easy step that involves all employees in order to minimize everybody from contracting and spreading the virus. Risk mitigation includes:

• What can cause injury or infection at work?
• Evaluate the level of risk. How likely is this to happen?
• What are the steps needed to eliminate or reduce the risk?

Everybody should be involved in risk assessment. This will help you identify risk issues and reassure everybody that the company is being proactive regarding safety in the workplace.

Mental Health Support

Covid-19 has brought about uncertain times. Many of the world’s governments are in recession with economies contracting at alarming rates. Many employees and businesses also face uncertainties as shutdowns, unemployment and bankruptcies are being filed around the world. There is no doubt that the pandemic has affected everybody physically, emotionally, financially and mentally.

This is why it is also important to provide mental health support to employees who are having a hard time or those who want to reach out and talk. Like Covid-19, mental issues are invisible and sensitive. Providing employees the support they need in order to cope with these uncertain times can help them become happier and more productive.

Protect People At High Risk

Some employees are at higher risk of contracting Covid-19 than others and there are those who have a high risk of dying due to complications of the disease. For example, workers who are frequently on field and meet with different people are more at risk than contracting the virus. Providing them with proper PPE (personal protection equipment) can protect them from infection.

Senior citizens with comorbidities like heart disease and diabetes and those who suffer from autoimmune disease are also more likely to suffer from complications and have higher fatality rates. If you have senior citizens employed at your establishment, it is better to provide them with other alternatives like working from home or moving them to other departments that require minimal contact with people from the outside.

Contact Tracing

Keep a record of your guests too. You will want to inform them of possible infection should anybody from your business test positive for Covid-19. You can do this by physically recording their names and contact number or you can use a Covid-19 contact tracing app.

Australia uses COVIDSafe. As of August 1, 2020 the NSW Health announced that the app has helped in tracing an additional 544 people who tested positive for Covid-19. Remember, every case matters.

The other app being used in the country is Coronavirus Australia for information and isolation registration.

Clean & Disinfect Office

The office and the premises should be cleaned and disinfected regularly. If your office has a cleaning staff, they should be trained and provided with proper PPE as well as disinfectants that are effective against Covid-19.

High touch surfaces like desks, keyboards, mice, doorknobs, light switches, drawers and other similar surfaces should be disinfected and sanitized regularly by employees before and after office hours. The rest such as floors, bathrooms, lounge and other common areas can be disinfected by the cleaning staff.

Employees and cleaning staff should also practice proper hand hygiene. Bottles of sanitizers should also be made available for employee and customer use to minimize transmission on fomites.

Training And Awareness  

Everybody at the office should be trained in Covid-19 prevention and awareness. All employees should know and understand the basic health protocols and why they should be followed. Management should make it a priority to educate their employees about Covid-19 and what they can do to protect their fellow co-workers and family members.

Aside from this, staff should be aware or trained what to do should they test positive. In many parts of the world, once a positive diagnosis is received the individual is required to contact the local health workers for proper isolation and treatment. Employees should know who to contact and what to do should they face the worst case scenario.

Office workers should also be aware what to do if one of their colleagues test positive. For example, they should be made aware that self-isolation is important in order to prevent spreading the disease to their co-workers and family members.

Bottom Line

Many businesses are now open in Australia even though the government has imposed lockdowns in some areas due to surges in infection. This delicate walk between public health and the economy is nothing new as governments around the world also learning how to find a balance between them.

Businesses and offices have to learn how to co-exist with the pandemic in order to continue providing service, products and to exist.

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Covid-19 Coping Tips for SMEs

Keeping your business running and afloat is very challenging. Doing it while in the middle of a pandemic is not only laborious; it can also stretch you thin. Many businesses around Australia are affected by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. During the early days of lock down, sales petered out as many citizens were advised to stay indoors. Now that many states are open Australia-wide, businesses still have to cope with health measures such as frequent hand washing and sanitizing of premises.

If you’re an SME who find these times grueling, we have some tips to help you and your business cope better.

Analyze Your Current Financial Standing

During these pandemic times, cash flow is critical. For many businesses, existing income and trade is already disrupted by Covid-19 so your ability to pay outstanding debts, keep employees or meet existing leasing or loan repayments will be determined by your financial position.

If you still haven’t, contact your accountant to discuss various options so that you can make informed decisions about your business. This is a good way to come up with a plan on how you can minimize the impact of the pandemic on your business.

Contact Bank & Insurer

Many banks offered loan deferments to SMEs during the Covid-19 crisis and many still do. Contact your bank or financial lender to avail and discuss arrangements for relief for mortgages or loans. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) also authorized insurance companies and brokers to offer payment deferrals and refunds to businesses impacted by Covid-19. Suncorp, Allianz, QBE Insurance as well as any other insurers or insurance brokers who choose to take part, as long as they notify the ACCC.

Communicate with Stakeholders

The Covid-19 pandemic’s impact is worldwide. However, it is still important to communicate to stakeholders about what is happening with your business. For example, your employees will need to know how your decisions will impact them. Your debtors will also be contacting or has contacted you regarding payments or overdue accounts. Negotiating with them will let you see which payments you will be able to defer.

Customers should also be updated as to your new business hours, product/service availability or changes in delivery time and shipping. Your social media accounts are good platforms for reaching out. You can also communicate through your website or through email newsletters.

Seek Advice On Deferring Tax Payments

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) can grant you a deferral of certain tax obligations if your business is impacted by COVID-19. However, tax deferments can impact your eligibility for other government stimulus packages.

Talk To Your Landlord

Your landlord should also be briefed regarding your current financial status. You can talk to them to talk about deferring rent for the meantime or to reduce amount paid for a couple of months or to ask them not to increase rent while the pandemic is ranging. Communicating clearly can help you come to a negotiation. Landlords tend to be flexible especially to long-term tenants and those that pay their rent religiously. Most of them would also rather negotiate payment rather than have their space sit empty for months.

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Easy Ways To Look And Sound Better During Video Calls

Months after the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, many Australians are being asked to stay at home again. Just recently Melbourne has recorded 400 new cases despite lockdown measures to more than 5 million residents. Victoria, the state surrounding Melbourne has also recorded over 400 new cases, a daily increase higher than any part of the country.

Melbourne has been experiencing a spike in Covid-19 cases since mid-June, a different scenario from the rest of the country which has successfully contained the virus. This is why the city is undergoing a new 6-week lockdown in a bid to slow down the spread of infection. With many businesses and offices closed again, people are once again turning to the internet to continue working.

But it’s not just Melbourne. Many cities and countries are experiencing spikes due to reopening and easing of lockdown measures. With cases piling around the world, we may be making video calls for a lot longer which is why finding ways to look and sound better during Zoom and Skype calls is important.

Here are some tips.

Lighting

Let there be light! Natural if you can manage. Even if you’re just using your laptop camera, make sure that you have some lighting so that your face can be seen clearly by the other participants. You don’t need a thousand-dollar studio set up, you just need a couple of lights and make sure that they are positioned correctly.

Sitting with your back to the window or light source will leave you under exposed so you won’t look good. Sitting in front of a light isn’t also pleasant. Try to find a balance where you can sit in an angle for a Rembrandt-like effect. A directional lamp or an LED panel can make a big difference to your video quality.

Get A Better Webcam

Even the best lighting and lighting techniques can fail if your webcam sucks. Most webcams especially those embedded in laptops don’t have high quality cameras that can stream 720p. Low resolution cameras make videos look old and have poor autofocus.

Upgrading your camera to an external webcam is easy. Brands like Logitech Brio 4K support high-definition video calls and HDR. Another alternative is to buy or use your DSLR. Using a capture card, you can send the video signal from your DSLR to your computer and turn it into the most expensive webcam you own. Capture cards can cost around $100, so this setup isn’t cheap.

You can also use your smartphone. Most smartphone cameras have autofocus and can perform real-time white balance and color correction adjustments. Apps like EpocCam can turn your smartphone camera into a webcam easily and can work via WiFi or through direct USB connection.

Buy A Dedicated Mic

Since your upgrading your work-at-home setup you should also get a dedicated microphone in order to improve audio. A headphone with a mic or a separate microphone can do wonders in terms of audio fidelity and help get rid of background noise.

However, even the greatest microphone in the world can’t get rid of the sound of screaming kids in the background. This is where noise cancelling software comes in. Apps like Noise Blocker and NoiseGator can help you get rid of background noise, making it easier for viewers to understand you.

Better Is Better Than Perfect

Improving your home office set up does not mean to say that it has to be perfect. All you need to do is to make the quality better from the original one. You can make the improvements gradual or you can do it slowly. It all depends on the need and your budget.

We all have the urge to look better on camera, so make it a habit to dress up (at least on top) and to wear makeup or groom yourself to make sure that you’re always ready to answer a video call.

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Delivery Tips For Online Sellers

Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases are rising again in the Australia. Melbourne is currently under lockdown after reporting and upward trend mainly due to businesses being reopened despite the continued threat of the disease.

As an effort to stem the rise of infections, many Australian business owners are turning to deliveries to limit face-to-face interactions with customers. However, most store owners depend on Australia Post (AusPost) as the main courier for their goods. While this is a good option for country-wide deliveries, it can be a bit troublesome for local deliveries.

 Local deliveries give you more control over how and when packages are delivered. This provides a better shopping experience for your customers. Also, offering same-day deliveries can make you stand out against competitors.

If you’re thinking about delivering locally to customers, here are some useful tips to consider.

Look for The Best Delivery Option

Finding a low-cost delivery option is always the best way to proceed with local delivery. In Australia, there are many 3^rd party delivery services you can hire to reach customers county-wide and locally.

For local food delivery, you can reach out to services like Menulog, Deliveroo and Postmates. This kind of delivery service partners with local restaurants so that you can deliver to 90% of addresses in the whole of Australia. Their local services is very popular and are downloadable for Android and iPhone users.

Uber is also popular in Australia. You can partner with them to deliver groceries, parcels and other goods to customers. They are available in major Australian cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

CouriersPlease and Same Day Express are another popular 3^rd party delivery services in the country. They usually deliver parcels locally, nationally and internationally.

Before booking any of these services, take a look at how much they charge per delivery. Who shoulders the delivery cost? How will customers react to an additional $8-10 as delivery fee?

Timing is also important. For food, it should get there in less than 1 hour, parcels within the day. Make sure that you understand timing because it has a big impact on customer experience.

Deliver Orders Yourself

This is another option you can consider for local deliveries. If you have a vehicle then perhaps you can skip the 3^rd party service and do it yourself. This will not only allow you to control the pricing better but the timing too.

You can set up a cut off for orders so that you can deliver them the same day and then head off to deliver parcels after cut off. For food, you can deliver to nearby areas via bike. You also have the option of renting or buying a scooter for deliveries. This mode makes it easier to reach customers faster and farther away. DIY delivery gives you better control and also ensures that customers get their food and packages on time.

Curb Side Collection or Pickup

This is another good option that limits your customer’s exposure to other people. You can offer your products to be picked up either by the curb side or inside your store. This is a good choice for many kinds of businesses like food, groceries, hardware, pharmacies, meat shops and dry-goods.

Customers can order by phone, online or through your store’s app. Once you receive their order you prepare the order and they will pick it up. This is a good idea because customers don’t have to spend a lot of time inside your store or restaurant and you can schedule deliveries so that they are on their way out almost immediately.

Compare and Experiment

Whether you’re just starting out or have been in business a long time, every order is exciting. It might take some time before you find a delivery mode that works for you so make sure you asses your strategy from time to time. Don’t be afraid to explore and experiment different delivery modes because it will give you a chance to evolve and meet new customers.

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Connecting With Customers In The Time Of Covid-19

The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic has forced millions of people indoors and the closure of many businesses around the world. As humans are adjusting to the impact the disease has on the population and business, many are forced to look for ways to adapt to the “new normal” since the disease continues to infect people worldwide.

As a business owner, you might have been obligated to find new ways to stay in touch with customers during the pandemic. If you’re struggling to retain customers or maybe you want to find out how to make things work, we have some tips for you.

Sympathize with Customers  

Everybody is affected by this pandemic. It’s not just the senior citizens who are vulnerable to the disease or the health workers that put their lives at risk in order to take care of sick patients. It is everybody, from the factory worker to the CEO of a company. Even kids are affected by the pandemic since many are obligated to stay indoors or to stop physically go to school.

In times like this, it is important to show your humanity and sympathize with customers. In email newsletters or any communication you send to them, it is important that selling is interspersed with signs of compassion, sympathy and understanding.

So don’t just sell. Be there for customers. Despite lifting of many restrictions by governments around the world, many of them are choosing to self-isolate to protect their families.

You can ask them how they are managing with their work-from-home arrangements; how they’re handling the stress and what they’re doing in order to cope. Kindness doesn’t cost anything so don’t be afraid to show this to customers. 

Continue Engagement On Social Media

Since many people are still stuck at home, social media is one of the ways they get in touch with the outside world. So don’t neglect this platform in your business. Continue to post relevant content and engage customers on social medial. They might have questions regarding your store hours, whether you deliver or if shipments are still ongoing.

As stated above, some of them might be isolated and feel lonely. In some cases, your friendly “face” is better than having nobody to chat with. Don’t be afraid to get friendly with them. Make sure that you continue to engage customers and answer questions enter discussions with them or just say hello back. Just don’t forget to keep it professional and to only pass reliable information to them.

What Can You Do For Them?

You also need to ask yourself what you can do for them. During this pandemic, many people are active with social causes and perhaps you can join your customers in this kind of campaign. You can also ask them what they need since you engage them regularly.

For instance, perhaps they need more supply of a certain product, maybe the need support in terms of after sales or they need more instructions on how to use your product. You will know the answer to these if you engage with them and ask them what they need from your business.

Feedback is always good. You might not like what customers say, but knowing their thoughts, feelings and having access to their suggestions can help you improve. Remember that even though the whole world is in the midst of this pandemic, life and business still goes on.

Wrap-up

Customers are the life blood of a business. Without customers, there is no need to open shop even if it is online. Customers always remember businesses that treat them well and they will repay you for it (no pun intended!) Therefore, continuing to engage customers and communicating with them is an affordable investment businesses can do in this time of pandemic.

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How To Reopen & Stay Healthy During The Pandemic

Many businesses in Australia are now open for business. For many states, it is now back to normal. However, we all know that the virus is still out there. While Australia has managed to flatten the curve, the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is still present in the country so many minimum public health standards are still in place.

For example, social distancing rules are still in place in all states. Due to rising cases in cities like Melbourne, the Melbourne Rail, Tram and Bus Union are pushing to make mask wearing mandatory to protect their members. Since coronavirus is still present in the country, how do you reopen your business safely without compromising the health of your employees?

Here are some tips.

Safety First

Safety should always be the first priority for businesses. While businesses are now essentially back to normal, work at home policy should still be an option for employees. Remote working is nothing new and is a good way to combat spread of the virus. If you have employees who prefer to work at home during the pandemic, it is better to have this option not only to keep them happy but also to keep them safe.

In this day and age, an overabundance of caution is welcome. For example, businesses should require employees to stay home if they are feeling fatigued, have covid-19 symptoms like cough, cold, diarrhoea and flu, temperature checks should also be conducted before entering the work place. Most of all, employees should practice proper hygiene all the time. Hand washing, proper cough and sneezing etiquette as well as having hand sanitizers all over the office should be the norm.

This kind of basic safety procedures at work can reduce transmission, separate sick employees and increase Covid-19 awareness among them. Above all, always follow safety guidelines issued by government health agencies.

Maintain A Healthy Work Environment

It’s not just businessmen and employees that need to adapt to Covid-19. Your business also needs to adapt in order to stop the spread of disease. For example, businessmen should consider improving the ventilation system of their offices or work place. There should also be a plan for regular disinfection especially for high-touch areas such as door knobs, counters, tables and computer equipment.

Reduce face-to-face meetings as much as possible. Consider barring unnecessary work travel too. Not only will this limit the exposure of your employees, it will also limit the exposure of your whole team and their families.

Since Covid-19 cases are on the rise in some cities and states in the country, businesses should also consider a Plan B and address how it will operate should employee absenteeism due to employees falling sick because of it. This is very important especially for businesses like factories and other businesses that rely heavily on physical labor.

Wrap-Up

The opening of businesses is necessary in order to restart the economy. This is why businesses should find a way to balance employee health safety and profits.  Covid-19 is likely to stick around for a while, what with the rise in cases not just in Australia but also around the world. Finding ways to stop the spread and contain the disease should always be a priority with businesses locally and internationally.

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Best Blogging Platforms To Launch Your New Blog

The best thing about blogging is that you can write about anything that interests you. If you are passionate about something, blogging can be your outlet and you can even make money out of it. But before we get ahead of ourselves, you need to be able to publish a blog and reach your audience before you can even dream about what to do with your extra cash.

Since many of us are stuck at home due to the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19), blogging could be one of the best ways to reach out to other people. If you’re thinking about launching a blog, we have some suggestions for the platforms you can use to share your thoughts to the world.

WorPress (Self-Hosted)

Self-hosted WordPress is one of the best and most popular blogging platforms in the world. WordPress is a good option if you want full control of your blog and if you want to be able to customize all aspects of it.

Generally speaking, you can launch your blog on WordPress for free forever. If you want to use WordPress on the cheap side, expect to pay around $60 annually. You will also need to pay for certain themes and plugins.

More than 32% of all sites in the world (not just blogs!) run on WordPress, so this will be a good choice for many aspiring bloggers.

Blogger

Blogger is a blogging platform from Google and you can use your Google account to set it up so you can have a live blog in minutes. This is a good choice for bloggers who want to launch quickly with minimal hassle.  It’s a good option for those who want to start using a platform that has a short learning curve with the ability to customize later.

Like WordPress it is free to use and you can upload custom themes and widgets. You can also edit the source code of your blog if you have knowledge in HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

Wix

Primarily a website builder, Wix lets you create a page using their very handy drag-and-drop editor. You can choose from over 500+ templates and then fine tune the site to make it look the way you want.  

Wix lets you launch a blog in minutes and even takes care of the hosting for you. This platform is best suited for those who want to build a website rather than a traditional blog. Though there is a blogging module available, it is not the focus of Wix.

This is a good platform to choose if you want the ability to explore your creative freedom without knowledge of programming. However, blogging is not Wix’s forte.

Medium

Medium is intended for bloggers who want to launch quickly. It is a blogging platform that focuses on the reading experience. On this platform you can create blogs associated with your user or create a blog style with a customizable layout.

Medium is free but there is a subscription model for readers to get the best customized content.

Medium is a good choice if you want a blogging platform that focuses on readability. However, its blogging features are a bit limited with no option to hook up a custom domain or to monetize freely.

LinkedIn

Yes, LinkedIn. It’s not just a social networking site; it can also be a blogging platform for business. There are over 500 million LinkedIn users around the world and 44% active users. LinkedIn is basically a resume hosting platform but that has changed dramatically over the last few years.

Nowadays, LinkedIn is a social networking platform. The more posts you publish, the more requests and followers you will attract. Writing does not only expand your network, it also reinforces your depth of knowledge regarding certain areas.

LinkedIn is blogging about business or certain related areas like management, marketing and the like. This is because the audience of this blog are primarily composed of VP, directors, upper management and C-Level. This is a good choice if you’re building thought leadership, brand value, or community, rather than trying to make money.

The best tip for blogging on LinkedIn is to post consistently about a certain topic – don’t stray. You can check out LinkedIn’s course on how to be heard on the platform.

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How Web Developers Can Stay Resilient Amid The Pandemic

The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic has wreaked havoc on businesses globally. This has led to massive business shutdowns and a shift towards remote working and more dependence on technology. However, the tech industry has also been hit hard by the pandemic. According to resources, Apple has reportedly suffered a 10% fall in its shares. The cancellation of major tech conferences has resulted in an estimated $1 billion loss to the industry.

Luckily, it’s not just gloom and doom for the tech sector. The industry is expected to boom in the next 5 years as the world shifts from traditional forms of business to online platforms. This is expected to impact not just technology in general but also ecommerce, applications, programming, cashless payment solutions and other technology driven innovations.

This shift is a welcome boon to many web developers who were displaced by the pandemic. Web developers are the perfect professionals who can come up with solutions to the challenges brought about by the pandemic.

If you’re a web developer, you’re in the right place because we have some tips on how you can stay resilient despite the pandemic.

Review Portfolio

The pandemic has impacted industries very differently. For example, the tourism sector has seen a drastic reduction in terms of demand and their brick and mortar stores have experienced a decline in income. But other industries like ecommerce are seeing a rise in demand and profit.

As a web developer, you can position yourself to serve industries that are doing well. If you worked with the travel industry in the past then shifting to ecommerce and other essential businesses can help you do better not just financially.

Review your portfolio to see how your past projects and experience can be translated to these thriving sectors. If you’re running a web development agency, shifting your business to focus on responding to the Covid-19 pandemic can help you stay afloat.

Ensure That Your Website Or Your Client Is Ready For Increased Traffic

As the world shifts to online platforms such as Zoom for meetings or using delivery service for groceries, you should prepare your website or your client’s for increased traffic. This is because many countries in the world are still grappling with the pandemic and physical distancing rules are still in place. Online transactions limit person-to-person contact and can stop the spread of the virus.

Aside from your clients and your website, reach out to other online businesses as well and tell them how you can help to strengthen their online presence.

Clean Up Your Code

Now that many tech conferences are cancelled, you finally have time to clean up your code. Aside from this, take time to also work on fixing bugs on your mobile platform. These tasks can help you deliver smoother user experience which is very important nowadays since many users are relying on their smartphones and mobile devices to stay in touch.

Start Projects That Make Online Shopping Easier

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a lot of problems for people around the world. However, it has also presented opportunities to many. For example, there are websites that present people with available items in a store. This way shoppers will only leave their houses if they know that what they need is in stock. Instead of going from store to store (and risking more exposure) they will only go to a store that carries the product.

Find ways to make it easier for people to do business online. If you have clients that deliver food or groceries, help them find ways to expand their service or give buyers the option to substitute for other brands if their order is out of stock.

Bottom Line

The pandemic is forcing many web developers to shift priorities and to pick up new skills in order to stay resilient. Not only will this help you protect yourself for future crises, this will also make you highly employable.

Try to learn skills for robotics, artificial intelligence, big data and other niches in technology so that you can help ensure and safeguard businesses should a pandemic emerge again in the future.

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Email Marketing Tips For The Pandemic

Compared to many countries in the west, Australia has handled the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic really well. Thanks to political leaders heeding the advice of health experts, infection numbers in the country are down and many businesses are now open.

After weeks of lockdown, consumers are excited to stretch their legs while many businesses are eagerly restarting again. However, despite reopening the pandemic is still underway. Many people are still cautious about going out and prefer to stay at home and only leave for essential trips.

The continuing pandemic has put many companies in a dilemma. How can marketing be tweaked in order to deal with the crisis? Since many businesses are now open again, is it alright to send emails again? If you’re asking yourself these questions, here are some email marketing best practices for your strategy this pandemic.

Stay Visible

Many marketers have stopped their marketing activities in order to cut cost. Since business is slow many of them are holding advertising and marketing campaigns in order to relieve short-term pressure. However, this can have a long-term cost. Cutting off communication with customers can cost awareness, market share and loyalty – all of which are needed in order for businesses to succeed.

So stay visible. Let your customers know that you’re still here by sending them email marketing newsletters or by engaging them on social media.

Monitor Frequency

The pandemic has proved to be a very stressful time for many people. They have a lot of worries on their minds right now such as job security, health and their families who are far away. This is perfectly understandable since the pandemic has made the future even more uncertain. This is why you need to determine how often to send your prospects emails.

You can do this by monitoring their click-through rate. How often do they click open emails you send them? Then you can adjust accordingly. You can also determine this by monitoring their engagement on social media. If you feel that many customers are engaging more frequently then you can increase not only content posting but also marketing emails.

Tone

As we said, the pandemic is causing a lot of anxiety due to the uncertainty of the situation. Many people around the world are isolated and might be feeling lonely. This is why you need to change the tone of your email. Try to be comforting and to show sympathy. Remember, everybody is going through a tough time.

Personalize each email you send. Address customers by their first name and don’t be afraid to ask how they’re holding up.

Be Transparent

Because the pandemic is still ongoing, many countries around the world still face quarantine restrictions. As such, many of their workers are still asked to stay at home so many businesses are operating on skeletal forces. This type of arrangement could cause a delay in shipping which is why it is important to tell customers to expect delays in their shipments or orders.

Many logistics company are also asking clients to use alternative modes of payment to limit physical contact. Many of them prefer payment through credit card, automatic cash transfers, online payment and other methods. Make sure that you can accommodate different types of payments to make it easier for clients to pay. The more options they have, the more inclined the will be to order.

If there are changes in delivery, mode of payment you should always take time to communicate this with your clients and customers.

Make Use Of The Downtime

The business slow down can be a good opportunity for you to get to know your clients better. Make use of this downtime by:

• Surveying customers. Since they have a lot of time on their hands they will probably be more inclined to take surveys from you. You can ask them for their feedback, rate your service or ask them about their experience. This kind of information is valuable because it allows you to adjust and grow as a business.
• Conduct A/B tests. Testing takes a lot of time so this is a good opportunity to email tests to increase conversion and sales.
• Implement new email tools. Explore new tools that can streamline your email marketing efforts.
• Clean up and update your email list. Having accurate data is important for the success of your email marketing campaign so use the downtime to purge your list of inactive subscribers.

Bottom Line

The Covid-19 Pandemic might be slowing down in Australia and New Zealand but it is still raging in the west, particularly in the United States and South America. However, the pandemic will ease and businesses around the world will start racing to recoup lost revenue. Following our tips can help you get a head start so that you can hit the ground running and bounce back faster.

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