Month: August 2018

Though it’s easy to look at the negatives of how the internet has impacted the world, from growing mental health concerns to massive personal information leaks, we should also look at the good. In particular, we’re going to look at how volunteering and activism efforts have changed drastically thanks to the internet and some of the causes worth taking a closer look at.

Everyone has a voice

One of the biggest differences is that the internet has made it all the easier for people to call out and expose the suffering they’re experiencing due to political, economic and environmental issues. One of the issues that highlighted the exposure that the internet could provide was during the 2013 Ukraine protests, where the production and release of viral videos became huge international news. A more recent example would be the Delhi protests earlier this month, where demonstrations against the state’s lax road safety measures were met with widespread violence and arrests. Most notably, the first international accounts of these protests began on Reddit.

Reaching out

The internet has proven an excellent resource for those reaching out to share more personal problems, too. There are online help communities and chat rooms set up around a whole host of issues. For instance, Very Well Mind lists a variety of different mental health chat rooms where users can talk to people struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. In the past, support for mental health was extremely limited, but these communities are making it easier for people to reach out to those who can offer real support and advice.

Donating is easier than ever

For those looking to offer direct financial aid where it’s needed most, it’s easy to donate to a whole host of worthy causes online. Between volunteer efforts and entrepreneurs like Kirk Chewning, the ongoing financial relief for places like the Virgin Islands recently hit by hurricanes Irma and Maria is helping to shelter displaced citizens, to provide generators, clean water, and rebuild heavily damaged communities. The potential reach and convenience of these donation-driven campaigns mean that anyone can successfully contribute to those in the most need.

Finding opportunities to help

If you’re looking to donate more than your time and you would like to donate, it’s never been easier to find those in need of your particular skills. Sites like Create The Good allow anyone to find registered non-profits and initiatives local to them. Though most of us are aware that there are efforts to help nearby, we might not know what exactly we can help with or where these organizations may be located. Nowadays, you can simply search for programs in the area and choose the one that best fits your own priorities or the skills that you have to offer alongside your time.

The internet exposes us to a lot more of the suffering and crises in the world. However, rather than simply filling our lives with bad news, it offers us a real opportunity to reach out and do good. Take the time to contribute what you can. It’s easier than ever.

As Apple reaches its 10th birthday they’ve provided us with many innovations over the years and the iPhone is probably its biggest success. It stemmed the release of the Apple store which allowed users to download apps on to their smartphone device that they could use on the go. Ever since the development of smartphones mobile apps have rocketed in revenue as more and more are being released that help with our day to day tasks, almost becoming essential assets for us to get by. Apple’s release of the app store urged competitors to release their own. In particular, Android released their own Google Play Store which can be used by users on Samsung, Google and other Android devices. Data released by Apadmi shows just exactly who is winning the battle of the mobile app stores.

According to the data, despite Apple releasing their app store 3 months before the Android, over time the Google Play Store has a far greater variety of apps to choose from, acquiring 3.6m apps compared to Apple with 2.1m at the end of 2017. The Google Play Store also has a larger popularity with almost double the amount of downloads in the year compared to downloads on the App Store. What is interesting though is that despite having fewer apps and downloads, App store users are far more lucrative compared to Google Play store users. In total, the revenue that Apple received from their app store was almost double of what Android received through their Google play store with a defining factor being that Apple users were willing to pay more for their in-app purchases. One similarity that both stores have though is that their most downloaded app is Facebook.

If there is one thing that all businesses have in common today, it is the need for a website that functions well, brands impeccably, and draws viewers in. However, in order to achieve this, you need to recognise that your website is a working progress. You cannot simply address it once and then forget about it. You need to continue to address your website so that you can be sure you reach and exceed your goals. With that being said, continue reading to find out more about the reasons why website updates are so important.

Mobile friendliness – There is only one place to begin, and this is with making your website mobile friendly. This is something that all businesses need to work on today. Statistics show that the vast majority of Internet users utilize their mobile phones to browse the web. Therefore, if you do not ensure your website works impeccably on this platform, you are going to miss out on lots of opportunities.

Marketing – In addition to ensuring your website reaches a mobile audience, you also need to continue to update your website to make sure you are reaching your marketing goals. In order to market effectively in today’s digital world, you must track and measure your efforts and then make improvements based on this. This is something that requires continual attention if you are to ensure the viewers and conversions keep coming.

Visual appeal – Another reason why you need to update your website regularly is because you need it to have a visual appeal. This is something that the Arizona secretary of state even realises, by addressing website updates as one of the main things on her agenda. It does not matter what industry you are in, the importance of having a visually appealing website that resonates with viewers cannot be overlooked. This is something you need to continue to address because trends come and go all of the time.

Security – Last but to least, if you do not update your website on a regular basis, you are never going to maintain high levels of security, making your website a prime target for hackers. Instead, you need to continue to work hard to secure your website. After all, cyber criminals are getting more and more sophisticated, and so you need to do so with your response in order to protect your business.

As you can see, website updates are of huge importance. If you are going to continue to dominate the web in your industry, you need to make sure that you continue to work on your website and improve it. Businesses are never successful through being stagnant. If you do this, you simply give other companies the opportunity to overtake you.

Parenting in the technologically-minded age of today can be scary and overwhelming at times. Every time you look at a newspaper or listen to the radio, you’re confronted by stories of identity theft, online predators, cyberbullying, and more, and all of this can leave even the most tech-savvy of parents scared of wifi and cell phones. With all of this potential danger, no one would blame you for wondering whether or not there are any advantages that could possibly outweigh the huge number of risks. Thankfully, despite all the worry, there are lots of ways technology and the internet can benefit your family and everyday life. Here are eight advantages to consider.

Coordinate Schedules And CalendarsWith work, school, homework, and any number of extra activities, finding time to sit down with your family each day can prove to be a challenge. However, with the use of digital and online calendars, you can now share appointments, events, and reminders with the rest of your family, allowing you to coordinate your schedules and spend some quality time with one another. These calendars can be accessed across almost any device, including computers, tablets, and phones, which means there’s no excuse for you to miss a football game or dentist appointment.

Manage And Save Money

Whether we like it or not, money makes the world go around, which means that, when you’re low on cash, life can get pretty difficult, causing enormous amounts of tension and stress for each member of your family. Thankfully, when using the internet, it’s easier than ever to manage your cash and save on the things you buy each day. There are lots of apps, websites, resources, and entire blogs dedicated to helping you cut your monthly expenses and gain financial freedom. Busy parents can also pay their bills online, which means you can avoid any late-payment fees.

Develop Skills And KnowledgeNot so long ago, if you wanted to develop your knowledge, you’d have to go searching through any number of books at the library until you found what you needed, but, these days, you can find out almost anything using your own phone. Whether you want to learn about Pythagoras theorem, Yishun facts, or different types of fence paint, a quick Google search will get you the information you need to know. Websites, apps, blogs, and social media platforms are all also incredibly useful, especially when it comes to your kids and their education.

Work From Your Home

Thanks to advances in technology, telecommunication has grown in popularity in recent years, allowing more and more employees to skip the long drives to the office and get work done from the comfort of their own home. This has a number of advantages for employers and managers, but it’s also incredibly beneficial in regards to you and your family. This is because it allows you to be more flexible and saves time, which means you have more opportunities to bond with your family and focus on your home life. You will also save money on fuel and public transport costs.

Communicate Quickly And Easily

Despite hectic schedules and the general chaos that comes with family, today’s technology has made it so that you can communicate with any member of your family quickly, easily, and cheaply. If you want to ask your teenager what they want for breakfast or speak to an aunt halfway across the world, all you need to do is send a text or instant message over social media. This can provide parents a lot of peace of mind, as it means that you can check in on your little ones throughout the day, stay updated on where they are and can reach them in an emergency.

A Sense Of Belonging

When you’re struggling to get your kid away from the television or their phone, you might think that technology causes a disconnect between people, and while this may be true in some cases, it certainly isn’t for all of them. In fact, most of the time, the internet, and social media particularly create a sense of belonging for young people, as they can find and talk to those that have similar interests as them. You can also use hashtags to get involved in much wider conversations and discuss topics with individuals from different countries and backgrounds.

Keep The Family Entertained

The internet and technology are tools that have a number of uses, but one of the best things they can do is help you and your family have fun. From music, to films, television shows, games, and more, there are a number of entertainment options you can choose from. This vast variety of selections can help to bridge the gap between family members and generations, allowing you to connect and spend some proper quality time with one another. With a games console or a Netflix subscription, you could easily spend hours laughing and having fun with your loved ones.

Teach Children Internet Safety

With the threat of predators, fraudsters, cyberbullies, and more, the internet can be a scary place, even for the most grounded parents. However, as dangerous as the online world can be at times, it can also be used to teach your children about internet safety and keep them safe. There are plenty of online resources that teach your children about passwords, social media privacy, who they should be adding and speaking to online, and much more. There are also apps and tools that allow you to monitor your child’s internet activity and block any inappropriate sites.

Whether we like it or not, technology is a necessary part of modern day life and one that few of us could ever live without. That being said, it also has the power to cause unimaginable amounts of damage, which is why responsible use is absolutely crucial. Before giving your child their first cell phone or tablet, be sure that they understand the dangers and set some rules and restrictions for them to follow. By doing this, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t benefit from all of the opportunities and advantages that the online world can bring.

It is estimated that global e-commerce sales will total more than $4 trillion by the year 2021. With the market rapidly expanding, it’s no wonder that a growing number of people are keen to reap the rewards of selling online. If you run a business, and you’re looking to diversify, or you’re toying with the idea of launching a new e-commerce venture, you may be wondering just what it takes to succeed. There is no universal blueprint, but this guide should ensure you get off on the right foot if you are interested in starting an ecommerce marketing agency.

Take time to get your launch just right

You wouldn’t invite guests, buyers and journalists to have a nosey at your new shop if it wasn’t completely ready, so don’t make the same mistake with your online store. You only get one chance to make that all-important first impression, so take your time and make sure everything is perfect before your store goes live. If you’re not an expert when it comes to design, it’s well worth seeking expert advice. Aesthetics are so influential, especially in the world of retail, and an experienced agency such as avexdesigns.com can help you design a beautiful site that will appeal to customers and ensure you make the right impression every time. You don’t want to pour blood, sweat, and tears into a venture and then receive negative feedback because you’ve rushed into getting your site online.

Put yourself in your buyer’s shoesUser experience is crucial in this day and age. If your site or store isn’t providing customers with a positive experience, there’s every chance that they’ll start looking elsewhere. Take a walk in your buyer’s shoes, test the site, and evaluate its performance. If there are issues, address them swiftly, and look for areas that you can improve. It’s wise to think about what you would look for as a customer, and also to try and come up with original concepts that will set you apart from competitors. What could you offer that your rivals don’t? If you’re selling clothes, for example, you could provide size or outfit recommendations based on that client’s previous purchases. For more tips on improving customer experience, take a look at this article https://www.forbes.com/sites/shephyken/2018/04/01/your-best-opportunity-for-growing-business-the-customer-experience/#48b93d213a3e.

Analyze your performance continually

Even if you’ve had products flying off the virtual shelves, it’s imperative to analyze your performance continually and endeavor to make improvements. The world of e-commerce is an unpredictable one, and you can never take success for granted. Use analytic tools to monitor your progress, identify potential issues, and determine which elements of your strategy are working and which are falling short.

Get to know your customers

To succeed in any business arena, you need customers. If you have an e-commerce store, it’s incredibly beneficial to interact and engage with your clients. You can do this via interactive features on your website and by connecting with your customers on social media. Get to know your clients, ask them to leave feedback and reviews, and respond to queries and comments swiftly.

Identify reasons for lost salesIf you find that you have a large number of customers adding items to their basket and then navigating away from the page, try and identify the reasons why. Customers obviously like your products enough to put them in their cart, so why are they failing to take that crucial step and complete the order? Almost 70% of online shoppers leave items in their cart, and the figure is even higher for consumers using mobile devices. Common reasons for leaving goods behind include a complex or time-consuming purchase process, concerns about site security, confusion about returns and refunds and high delivery charges. If you’re aiming to improve your conversion rate, streamline the process so that customers can find and buy products within seconds, and consider using a guest checkout feature. Some people don’t have the time or the inclination to set up an account. It’s also a good idea to include an FAQ or a live chat feature on your site and to clarify delivery charges before the final checkout stage. You should also ensure that your store is secure and provide assurances that any personal data that is provided will be shielded in accordance with data protection guidelines.

E-commerce is a growing market, which has the potential to dominate for many years to come. If you’re thinking of setting up an online store or you want to start selling products or services on your website, focus on creating a positive experience, take your time to get the design and layout of your store just right, and interact with customers. Analyze your performance and take a look at factors, which may be preventing you from closing deals and converting leads.

If you’re struggling as a trader and want to get better, there are plenty of great steps you can take. It’s easy enough to make changes because there are simply so many ways to approach trading, no matter what kind of trading you do. There are some basic steps that you should definitely know about, and we’re going to talk about them now. Don’t put off these changes for a second longer because they could really benefit you. Read on to learn more.

Look After Your Trading Capital

First of all, you need to get better at defending your trading capital. If you don’t have enough capital, what are you even going to use to invest? So many people take a high-risk approach and then lose their trading capital quickly. If you are going to take big risks, that’s up to you, but you should at least make sure that your trading capital is properly protected.

Learn From Successful Traders

There are many successful traders out there that you can learn from if you’re looking for ways to get better at what you do. They’ve been where they are and already achieved the success that you’re seeking. So learn from what they’ve done and see what they’ve got to say about achieving trading success. You might be surprised by how much they can teach you that you don’t already know.

Find the Right Trading Account
The trading account you use will have a big impact on how successful you can be as a trader. You should get a demo of the platform you’re interested in and see how it works for you. It could help you to avoid the problems that come with having a platform that doesn’t really work for the way in which you like to trade and invest. It all depends on what your needs are, so give this some thought.

Take Classes

Taking classes means dedicating time to the task of getting better, and that’s difficult to do for a lot of people. But when you learn from people who know what they’re talking about in a classroom context where you can ask questions and speak to other people in the class. If you can afford to pay for classes and you can find the time, you should go for it.

Follow the Market Closely

This is perhaps the easiest way of becoming a better trader. Paying more attention to what’s going on in the market and where things are heading can really make a difference. When you know what’s happening and you understand what’s going on, you will be able to make better trading decisions, and that’s never a bad thing for investors.

Even if you see yourself as a successful and talented trader, there is always more you can do to improve your successes. The tips here will help anyone, no matter their level of experience or success, to become better traders and make more money in the months and years ahead.