Category: Digital Branding

Properly Rebranding Your Website, Social Media Accounts, and More

Steven on April 21, 2021

Changes often take place not only outside, but also in the depths of the company’s internal business processes. Modern successful organisations are constantly improving and strive to keep up with the times. This creates new products and services.

Processes often require both internal and external renewal of companies. Most often this is noticeable by external changes since they immediately attract attention. However, a huge layer of work is hidden in the internal aspects.

What is rebranding

Rebranding is a set of actions taken to change part of the internal business processes and external perception of the brand by the target audience.

There is a common misconception that rebranding refers exclusively to the external visual components of the brand, such as the logo and corporate identity. But this is nothing more than a redesign.

Re-branding is also often confused with repositioning, assortment changes and planned brand evolution. In fact, rebranding can include all the above elements and most often implies not only external changes but also significant internal transformation. It may relate to the ideology, mission, values, structure and quality of the company’s business processes.

Rebranding can affect such areas as brand positioning and its philosophy, changing visual components and their presentation, creating new services.

Why is the rebranding necessary?

First of all, this process is necessary for solving new strategic tasks. For instance:

Radically change the range of goods or services;

Go to other product categories;

Change or significantly expand the target audience;

Use a fundamentally different approach to pricing;

Enter new markets;

Improve your reputation.

Also, virtually any brand must naturally evolve and develop, otherwise, it will be doomed. Starbucks is a good example – just look at the dynamics of their logo change.

In some cases, one can observe protracted rebranding races. Competing companies are actively competing for the audience’s attention in the media and advertising space, points of contact with the audience. When one of the competitors is noticeably updated, then the others also need to correspond to the changes in the market.

Mobile operators are a good example. They are constantly introducing new concepts. If earlier this happened more at the level of external visual solutions, such as logo, corporate identity and interior design of communication salons, now the range of changes affects the most unexpected elements of activity.

Reasons for rebranding

The market and competition are constantly changing, the target audience is maturing, its values and needs are being transformed, and the next generation is growing up. All these factors must be taken into account in strategic marketing planning, otherwise, the success of the brand will be temporary.

It is necessary to constantly monitor changes in audience preferences and respond to them in a timely manner.

When is rebranding needed and how to know when it’s time to do it

The vision of business development has changed significantly;

The reputation of the company has deteriorated significantly;

You need to switch and focus on working with other segments of the audience;

There has been a change of owners or management team who want to change the direction of their activities;

A merger or acquisition transaction has taken place;

The brand is morally outdated and does not correspond to modern market realities;

The company does not systematically fulfil the assigned tasks and does not achieve; necessary goals;

The target audience or its key consumer segments have changed;

Very serious competitors appeared on the market and the brand became non-competitive;

When starting a business, the wrong target audience was chosen, the main direction of the company’s activity was incorrectly determined, or the brand was initially built incorrectly;

Consumers have lost interest in a product or want a variety of choices;

From the very beginning, the company’s products were not in great demand in the market.

Types of rebranding

Depending on the tasks set, rebranding can be complex or partial.

Complex rebranding is a total change in a company or project. Often, rebranding goes so far that the new organisation is unrecognisable compared to the previous version. In this case, a ubiquitous transformation takes place: a new design, logo, style, rejection of low-margin products and services, an improvement in the assortment, and new corporate ethics. But usually, the main line of business of the company does not change, as its client audience.

For example, the management of a law firm changed the name, design, logo, redesigned the website and focused on civil matters, but did not give up legal activity. This is a complex rebranding.

Partial rebranding is a change in a separate part of the company. For example, updating the logo if it is associated with unpleasant emotions, incidents, images, or even resembles another large corporation. Or a redesign of a product’s packaging in order to increase its awareness and make it more noticeable, which means increase sales. In this case, a specific task or problem is solved.

Rebranding stages

Marketing audit

Includes an analysis of the current state of affairs in the company. Find and evaluate strengths and weaknesses against the background of competitors. Be sure to study the current customer base: loyalty and trust of consumers, the motives for choosing a company, their demographic characteristics.

They also assess the company’s slogans, logo, design – what associations they cause and how this affects the level of customer confidence.

In addition, the audit program includes an analysis of the company’s resources: industry size, industry trends and prospects, sales channels, department functioning, leadership style, market positioning and finance.

Only in this way, it will become clear what to work on. With the help of an audit, you can find out whether a comprehensive rebranding is necessary or it is enough to limit yourself to point changes.

Brand repositioning

At this stage, a “road map” for rebranding is being developed, namely its terms, budgets, stages of changes. The concept of rebranding is also being formed – the main message and renewal tools. And, of course, this is tested, and only then implemented.

Rebranding of the corporate style

Change of style and all kinds of attributes (logos, packaging design and trademark) based on the road map and developed layouts. The look of the company is changing – a new strategy of communication with customers comes into force.

Interaction of the new brand with the audience

Social media rebranding

Clients get acquainted with the updated brand, evaluate the first results of the rebranding.

Social media rebranding tasks:

Increasing product awareness.

Forming an active and loyal social media community around the brand.

Solution

Development of an SMM strategy for the development of brand communities in all necessary networks. In the new design concept, use images that grab the attention of users and generate brand interest and useful content for users.

Website rebranding

The redesign work goes through six stages.

1. Analysis of resource indicators

Study of typical users and their needs. To understand the atmosphere and general style of the company, visits to the client’s store or office are possible.

2. Drawing up a concept

Generation of ideas for the website redesign. What will it look like? How does it differ from competitors? How to achieve maximum usability?

3. Text optimisation

Creation of high-quality, selling text on the home page of the site, which is optimised for search engines.

4. Design layout (site drawing)

5. Layout of the resource

6. Programming

7. Transferring the design to the site and embedding it in the CMS.

When adjusting the appearance, web designers from Sydney advise you to take into account the “convenience” of the resource:

Readability of the text

Visual perception (does the site look good)

Usability or ease of use (simplicity of the site structure, loading speed, etc.).

Rebranding mistakes

For rebranding to be effective, you need to be aware of the typical mistakes of its implementation:

Incorrect change of the name of the company: if you treat the renaming superficially, then the organisation can either be forgotten, or it will be a step backward. You cannot cross out what the brand’s activity indicates. Imagine what it would be like if Burger King was renamed into the just King;

Lack of testing often leads to the fact that reality does not coincide with expectations, and returning everything back is expensive and time-consuming;

The unsystematic nature of rebranding: current and potential customers will be confused, and such uncertainty can only be scary;

Unconstructive management: violation of the term for the development of layouts, incorrect delegation of authority on the issue of rebranding, there are no clear goals and distribution of responsibility, to this we can add ignoring the opinion of employees;

Unreasonable changes in the company’s brand in the form of “wishes” of the management or people responsible for the rebranding.

Conclusion

To successfully change the idea of a brand on the market, you need to carry out a set of measures that affect changes in ideology, positioning, appearance and communication style – in this case, the audience will believe you. Follow these tips, and we wish you a successful rebranding!

Digital Branding

Outstanding Branding: How The Right Brand Can Set Your Business Apart

Steven on April 16, 2021

Strong branding is at the center of every successful business. When you see the Apple logo, you know exactly who they are and what they do. That’s because they’ve built an iconic brand of simple, safe, and minimal design.

The knowledge you instantly have about the company when you read their name or see the logo shows just how effective branding can be at setting a company apart from the competition. That kind of instant recognition is what you need to strive for in your business, whether you’re building computers or the next skyscraper.

Achieving outstanding branding comes to a few basic steps, so let’s talk about how you can build a brand that sets you apart from the competition.

Start With A Story: Explain Why You Do What You Do So Customers Can Connect With You

One of the first steps involved in building a successful brand is finding the right way to tell your story. You must explain why you thought your business was needed, and how you feel you can offer valuable solutions to customers. This has to be done in a way that makes the customer’s needs the focus.

Let’s say you run a construction company that regularly builds schools in rural areas. When explaining why you started your company, you could cite noticing that there was a need for critical infrastructure in underdeveloped areas and feeling the need to do something about it.

This shows that you pay attention to the needs of communities and customers, not just what makes you money. That being said, you’ll also make money from the approach. 83% of companies that believe it’s important to keep customers happy experience financial growth.

To support you and promote your brand, customers have to know what your message is. Explaining what it is you value gives them the tools they need to define your brand in a positive way in their mind.

Inspire Feelings: Build A Connection With Your Customers By Appealing To Their Emotions

Think about commercials for a minute. How often do you see one that tells an emotional story, where the product is barely mentioned? They get you invested in the short story they’re telling you, and then casually drop their product or logo at the end.

This approach works, according to the Institute of Practitioners, who found that ads with emotional content lead to twice as many sales as more logic-based ads. Basically, people are more likely to use how they feel about you to make a buying decision than they are to use facts. This reinforces how important emotions are when it comes to defining a brand.

Someone who remembers you as “the company with the commercial about hiring homeless veterans to do construction” is more likely to buy from you. Activating that kind of emotion also increases the chance of an ad going viral, as people are more likely to share advertising content if it triggers good emotions.

Find a version of that approach that works for what you do, and use it to build a brand connection.

Create Community: Give Your Customers A Place To Turn For Advice And Answers

Humans like to feel supported by other humans. That’s why customer service is a 350 billion dollar industry, and companies annually spend 1% to 2% of their earnings on customer retention programs.

Despite all the money spent on this section of business, it’s often the simplest solutions that make the biggest changes.

Let’s use the example of a construction business again and get some more ideas on branding a construction business. If you build a Q&A or general advice section on your construction website, people will land there for answers even if they don’t know about your company.

They come to learn more about flooring or installing a sink, and they find helpful information and stick around to learn more. That gives you a chance to build a connection with that person. You can allow other customers to weigh in with advice, and even take the next step and gain more knowledge in the field yourself.

Making yourself more professional reflects well on your brand, so set aside some time today to improve yourself. If you’re in construction, you can take practice exams to get your contractor’s license. This is not only a segment of the Lean Business Model but it’ll open up more business opportunities, and it’s a move that gives you more knowledge about your industry to pass on to your customers.

The strength of the community you build will depend on the commitment you make to it. The goal is to create a space where you, and others, can come together to share a positive experience that’s beneficial to potential customers. They’ll remember that, and that’s how a brand reputation that sets you apart gets built.

The key to outstanding branding is to make moves that set you apart from your competitors. Take these steps to build a more personal relationship with your customers, and a better future for your business.

Digital Branding

5 Startups Trends To Look Out In 2021

Steven on April 15, 2021

The pandemic-struck 2020 has put all of humanity on a rough patch but for the tech industry. Start-up firms embracing new technology innovations like AI and Robotics are gearing themselves from the setback. The transition from office to work from home format is making cybersecurity and cloud storage thrive like never. Some business sectors are finding it challenging to stay afloat. However, this year shows some potential sectors that will rule the future.

Innovation and inclusion are bringing up rapid changes in the start-up ecosystem. Technology is not the only disruptor; remote working is pushing new strides in personalizing interaction and communication. Let us look at five promising start-up trends that will change the business complexion.

1. Artificial Intelligence

Whether it is marketing tools, digital ads, and analytics, AI is powering a considerable chunk of business initiatives and service platforms. 63% of people are active users of Artificial Intelligence unknowingly. AI is not a robotic device, as it may sound. It creates human-like intelligence in machines and assists you in your decision-making, creative assignments, and pattern recognition. AI works as background support to help you make faster decisions and efficient system processes.

Ecommerce personalization, yield prediction, cannabis industry are some areas showing the exponential power of AI. That’s why you can buy weed in bulk online and predict stock markets of marijuana by leveraging AI.

2. Remote Working

According to a research study, 36.2 million Americans will work remotely by 2025. Remote working is not an experiment anymore but an alternative way to work across multiple domains long-term. Technology advancements like broadband and internet and office tasks’ digitization are doing away with daily commuting. Many start-ups worldwide are switching to remote working to bring down the fixed monthly office rents, equipment cost, and space wastage.

Remote working helps a firm build a larger talent pool and is a viable opportunity to save money and use funds in the best possible way. It also helps remote workers stay happy and more productive.

3. Industry 4.0

Hailed as the ‘Internet of Things (IoT),’ Industry 4.0 is the Next Industrial Revolution for start-ups. It is a well-coordinated system of machines, computers, objects, and people engaged in transferring data over a network. The Industrial IoT (IIoT) market predicted to reach $123B in 2021 will power Smart Cities, Connected Car IoT projects, and other limitless applications for the industrial world.

4. Hyper-Personalization

Seen as the next step to personalized marketing,Hyper-Personalization uses real-time data and AI to furnish user-relevant service and content. Marketers use personalization and push notifications in email marketing campaigns to gauge purchase behavior trends, transactional history, and other data. Companies in automotive and real estate use personalization in official mails to greet email recipients and start a dialogue. It helps a marketer know user engagement and get suitable conversions.

5. Voice Recognition

Also called speech recognition, voice recognition is a hardware device that helps decode the human voice. It performs commands without the help of a mouse, keyboard, or any other buttons. Automatic Speech Recognition software programs recognize the voice converting the speech to text. ASR programs are finding their way in several industries such as telecommunications, healthcare, and hands-free computing. To enable voice recognition, you must have a sound card and a headset or a microphone and voice recognition support software.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit most business sectors, but the tech industry is witnessing plenty of new start-up trends to enhance customer experience and delight. Now is the time to think of self-driven cars, virtual reality eye examinations, and much more. With such technological advancements on the near horizon, 2021 will be an exciting year for world citizens.

Digital Branding

IT Upgrades: What Small Businesses Should Consider

Steven on April 13, 2021

If you have been asking this question – when should I upgrade my IT infrastructure – it is probably the time for you. For most business owners, the typical timeline for rightly performing infrastructure is 3-5 years. Within these years, the technologies can pace up exponentially.

However, even if you’re considering an upgrade for your business, you cannot just go about with anything. Indeed, you need to be sure that the technology you’re choosing is the latest within your budget

In this article, we have outlined some of the important factors to consider for the same.

Safely Discarding The Old Devices

First things first, you need to get rid of the old technologies that your business currently uses. A lot many business owners do not consider the safe disposal practices for their IoT devices. It not only has an environmental impact but can also threaten your business safety. For example, if you do not delete all your business data from the devices, they can possibly end up in the wrong hands. And it needs no mention how this could be detrimental for your business.

Considering The Latest Security

Once you’re done with the safe removal of the technologies you used, the next thing to do is consider new equipment. It also includes upgrading to the latest safety features for your business. The power of the internet not only empowers business operations and productivity but also makes them vulnerable to online attacks. It could include anything from Trojan attacks to phishing, and even identity theft. Having top-shelf security systems in place can prevent any such calamity for your business.

Enquire About The Downtime

During the upgrading process, it is very likely that your online operations may have to face downtime. This could potentially affect productivity, and may even lead to surmounting losses in no time. To put this into perspective, think of how many hours of work would you be losing as a result of upgrade downtime. Not just that, think of how much downtime can you afford. Ultimately, the goal is to choose technologies that offer little or no downtime at all. This should keep your business floating, while the upgrades are being implemented.

Do Not Miss On The Longevity Factor

Last but not least, is to consider how long would the latest technology last for your business. Of course, you cannot be investing in technology upgrades year after year. You need a solution that should at least get you through the next 5 years, before needing any overhauling changes. Moreover, you should also consider whether you wish to purchase the new technology or lease it. The former should give you complete ownership and may also reduce your cost down the line. On the other hand, frequent upgrades to the technology won’t require further investments when you choose the latter.

In a nutshell, upgrading to newer technologies is not an option but a necessity. However, it is imperative to make the right choices when undertaking the upgrades. It’s not only the operations of your business but also its reputation that is at stake.

Digital Branding

How to Successfully Showcase Your Company’s Past Work on Your Website

Steven on April 5, 2021

In advertising, past work is one of your company’s most valuable assets. It shows that the copy on your site isn’t just fluff — you’re really committed to the values you claim to stand for, like top-notch customer service or high-quality products and services.

Showing off past work, however, can be tricky. Not only do you have to sort through all the work your business has done, you’ll also have to figure out how to present it. For B2C businesses, this challenge can be even more daunting.

There are a wide variety of techniques out there that you can use to show off your business’s past work. These are four of the best options available.

1. Case Studies

For B2B and B2M businesses, one of the most popular ways to show off past work are through case studies — in-depth descriptions of past projects that use visuals, numbers and writing to break down the product or service you provided a client, and how you overcame challenges while trying to provide that service.

For example, see this case study from The Anstadt Company, which specializes in print marketing materials.

The page breaks down a particular job that the company had worked on in the past, including info on how the design team approached a problem their client was having and how the client felt about the finished products.

These case studies both show off the benefits of working with your company — like the new design and improvement in attendance — as well as the thought process behind your work.

This can make customers more confident in work. Case studies like these show off how you can solve problems as they emerge and work closely with a client to create a product or service that really meets their needs.

2. User-Generated Feedback

When shopping online, consumers often start with research. One of the most popular research methods is to search for user-generated feedback, typically in the form of online reviews.

You’ve probably done this yourself. You may have quickly checked the reviews on a big platform like Amazon or Google before committing to a particular product or business.

Consumers put a lot of faith into these reviews — according to one recent survey, 84% of people trust online reviews just as much as recommendations from friends.

Hosting online reviews on your site or storefront is a great way to show off positive feedback from your customers.

For example, an online candle-and-candle-accessory business like Yankee Candle may provide customers with the option to review products they’ve purchased, giving them form fields to highlight both the value and the quality of a product.

Users can also rate reviews, marking them as helpful or unhelpful, providing another layer of user-generated feedback for visitors.

These online reviews will provide prospective customers with feedback from real customers who have experience with your products. Even if these reviews aren’t fully positive, they can make a significant difference in encouraging a customer to try one of your products.

This tactic may be less effective for B2B businesses who have fewer clients, or for businesses that primarily offer customized products or services. However, for most businesses, these reviews can be a valuable tool in presenting feedback on your past work.

3. Design Galleries

You can also let your work speak entirely for itself. Design galleries and similar online portfolios allow you to show off dozens of images of work that you’ve done in the past.

The homepage for RoAndCo, a New York-based design studio, shows off how effective design galleries can be.

The entire front page is basically one big design gallery. Clicking on the left and right side of the screen allows users to scroll back or forth between the studio’s previous design work.

This strategy is ambitious — there’s no context for any of the images, meaning that visitors will miss out on any explanation for images that could have helped to explain how the studio approaches to design.

It is, however, a very visually exciting approach. A similar design gallery could be a great strategy for businesses or professionals that produce lots of visual content — like graphic designers or animators.

4. Customer Testimonials

You can also directly ask your clients for feedback to put on your site. Soliciting customer and client testimonials can give you a valuable, real-world example of the work you’ve done and how you’ve lived up to your brand values in the past.

These testimonials can be an extremely valuable marketing tool that you can use to make your brand seem much more trustworthy. This is especially true if consumers know the clients providing the testimonials.

This page from Booker, the development of online booking software, shows how you can use unique presentations of customer testimonials to highlight past work.

Clicking on the “Watch Testimonial” button opens an embedded YouTube video with a brief, two-minute-long testimonial from one of Booker’s clients. In the testimonial, the client describes the troubles they’ve had with booking in the past and how Booker’s services were able to help them keep their business running.

These testimonials can give customers someone to relate to in your marketing and help you show off the real-world problems that your products have solved in the past.

Showing Off Past Work on a Company Website

If you have company work that you’re proud of, there is a wide range of methods you can use to show it off on your site.

Case studies, testimonials, design galleries and even user reviews can help you show potential customers how you’ve succeeded in the past.

Author:

Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. She was the creative director at a digital marketing agency before becoming a full-time freelance designer. Eleanor lives in Philly with her husband and pup, Bear.

Digital Branding

6 Crucial Security Features to Look for When Choosing a Web Host Provider

Steven on March 30, 2021

During the first half of 2020, 36 billion sensitive data were exposed due to data breaches.

Such online attacks can damage your business’ reputation. Plus, you can lose your customer’s trust, which can hurt your sales.

This explains why online security is crucial now more than ever. And one way to secure your website is finding the right web host.

Role of Web Host Services in Online Security

As mentioned earlier, it is evident that you should take your website’s security seriously. And this is where your web host can help.

A decent web host provider will have regular backups, ensure firewall protection, and other methods to protect the servers. Add to that the security plugins and SSL certifications you install to protect the online data you collect from your website visitors.

That said, here are six features you should look for when choosing a website host provider:

1. Operating System

Most web hosts offer Linux and Windows-based hosting. Each has its pros and cons, but whatever you choose will depend on your website’s technical needs.

But to give you an idea, Linux-based web hosts receive fewer cyber attacks as it is less commercialized. On the other hand, Windows-based web hosts provide limited access protocols to prevent unauthorized access.

2. Manual Reboots

Manual reboots work the same as rebooting a desktop computer. Only your web host is rebooting the servers.

This feature is ideal if you are running on a Virtual Private Server (VPS). It also works best with regular website data backups.

Nonetheless, being able to reboot your website manually allows you to get through a website issue.

3. DDoS Prevention

DDoS stands for Distributed Denial of Service. And a DDoS attack is an attempt to overwhelm your server with an influx of traffic.

What happens is that your server crashes, preventing you from driving traffic to your website.

No website traffic can impact your conversions and sales for the day. It can also hurt your search engine ranking, as it will render your site not usable.

A promising sign that a web host takes DDoS mitigation seriously is if they work with a Content Distribution Network (CDN). CDN enables you to load up your website fast and can absorb DDoS attacks.

4. Malware Scanning

The key to a safe browsing experience is keeping your files safe. No wonder web hosts these days provide automated antivirus and malware scanning.

But more than the scanning procedure, it would be ideal if you can access the malware. Another helpful feature is a support team that can help you take action if your website is infected.

5. Server Security Layer

In case you are wondering what the lock icon in your browser’s address bar means, think of it as added protection.

Whether you own an e-commerce website or not, your website must have an SSL certificate.

For one, it gives you a chance to rank well on search engines. That because search engines like Google prefer secured websites.

Second, SSL uses encryption to protect online data. That way, no cybercriminals can tamper on your customers’ banking details.

Some web hosts provide SSL for free, some add it to your web hosting cost, and some encourage you to acquire an SSL certificate from a third-party. Regardless, WPHost.nz recommends that you ensure the type of SSL certificates you can use and whether secure FTP (SFTP) is supported.

6. Regular Backups

Here’s the thing: A web host stores your files in a remote location. These “files” include the images and content you upload on your website.

As such, your web host must conduct regular backup. That way, you can retrieve your files when needed.

Another thing to keep in mind that not all backup systems are the same. Hence, you should check whether a web host provides the following:

Automated backup
Number of backup instances stored
Retrieval process
Data backup location
Additional cost

Keep in mind that your website files are essential. Hence, the backup system that your web host can provide is vital.

While there are plenty of things you should pay attention to when running a website, you can do something to secure it. The secret is learning whatever security features your web host can offer. There is no one perfect hosting provider. Hence, we recommend that you maximize whatever safety features you can get.

Digital Branding

Mandatory Strategies of an Employee Retention Plan

Steven on March 26, 2021

“This whole level of wholeness is a place where I am able to show up as a full human being with all of my gifts to the table to be a part of this organization. That leads to a great feeling of inclusiveness because what it allows me then to do is to bring this real, authentic self to the table and to really love the work that I do.”

Kimo Kippen

In the highly competitive talent market, retaining the best talents is one of the major challenges and concerns for any organization. The corporate world leaders see the employees as the most valuable asset of the business, which can be a medium to success and failure. It all depends on how seriously you take them and keep them intact with your venture for years.

No matter which industry or business type you are running, manpower is the basis of any organization’s success. Maybe that’s why most successful MNCs or global brands pay additional attention to employee retention the most. Most of us believe that it’s something that the human resource department should keep a check on; it is the management’s responsibility too.

Why is employee retention so important?

The actions required for employee retention come with a strategic approach to improving business operations and keeping the progress scale surging up in the skies. Companies with financial crunches often experience employee retention as a massive challenge, and thus it should be treated as a concern.

As per SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), the organizations that pay special attention to employee retention receive the complete worth of time and funds invested. It results in improved performance, higher employee morale, and productivity. All in all, it contributes to the overall success of the organization.

Employee retention – Leading strategies

Evaluate the candidates who are ready to stand you – When it comes to experiencing wiser employee retention, the chances are you need to evaluate the employees who can be available for a long race. Be it based on an employee’s performance or overall conduct, analyze the potential of the employees to invest your time and money in them. This can be seen as a significant step in the talent development process. There are many other indicators and factors to give you the most reasonable estimate.

Remember, retention begins with recruitment

It all starts with the correct recruitment procedure processed. Therefore, make sure you know how to process the application of a candidate adequately. The screening parameters to the machine test challenges make the process more refined and productive for the interviewing authority. If done correctly, the process is enough to let you recruit the best for your organization.

Ensure ongoing training

Keep up with the training sessions to avoid any problems in the onboarding process. For this, make sure you arrange hand-in-hand training sessions for the employees while offering them the opportunity to learn about new responsibilities handed over shortly. This can be treated as yet another tool or impactful strategy for employee retention.

When talking about the ongoing training processes, try not to limit your organization’s protocol to operational training only. This should encompass personality development and other fun training types too. This will keep the employees engaged and will leave a good impact on their overall performance.

Appreciation is a must

Employees love to get noticed and appreciated for what they do throughout the day. Be it a presentation or dealing with the client like a pro, make sure to appreciate your best talents for how they have been contributing towards the business development.

Quick wrap up –

Employee retention is one of the major concerns in the present times, especially when the competition is excessively high in all domains and industries. What has made it even more challenging is the increasing demands of the best talents and the never-stopping scope of industries in the world.

Digital Branding

The Impact of Social Media on Cryptocurrency in Modern Business

Steven on March 25, 2021

Over the years, social media has become an inextricable part of our everyday lives. For better or worse, social networks influence our lives in a very big way, from the decisions we make on a day-to-day basis, all the way to our business decisions and the professional choices we make to succeed. It should come as no surprise, then, that cryptocurrency has become a big part of the social media realm, and that nowadays social media is one of the main driving forces behind the success of cryptocurrency.

As companies and individuals continue to increasingly leverage the power of the blockchain, and as cryptocurrency mining and trading become increasingly popular, it’s important to understand how social media helps companies and consumers thrive. Today, we’re taking a look at how social media drives cryptocurrencies for customers and brands, and how it helps us succeed.

Consumers are leveraging social media

Educating yourself on the topic of cryptocurrency used to be a difficult challenge back in the days when cryptocurrency was a novelty in the digital world. Pretty quickly, though, people were able to quickly find all the information they were looking for as credible and relevant data began to surface on social networks.

Companies and cryptocurrency gurus, crypto websites, and groups, all of these nowadays have their social media accounts and are posting regularly about the latest crypto news, but also talking about the fundamental topics. This gives the consumers, traders, and miners a golden opportunity to educate themselves and make smarter decisions and investments.

What’s more, social media has become the best place for newcomers to the industry and those who are thinking about getting into cryptocurrency to find quick and actionable information to kick-start their journey.

Social media builds a thriving community

Credible data coming from reputable companies and individuals, paired with a growing consumer market, creates a thriving online community of passionate professionals and crypto hobbyists. The community is where the crypto industry really shines, because this opens up numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth, but also gives companies a chance to open a dialogue with the right people.

Even now, the blockchain is transforming the customer experience, and that’s why it’s important for companies to leverage social media to improve engagement and customer satisfaction. By posting relevant crypto updates and news, engaging with the community in meaningful conversation, and by positioning yourself as an authority in the field, you can help the crypto community grow.

What’s more, keep in mind that this is an opportunity to grow your brand in the process. News travels fast in the crypto community, so being active and giving the people what they want will go a long way.

Expanding into and capitalizing on crypto mining

Speaking of growing your company or your side business as a solopreneur, let’s not forget that cryptocurrency mining and trading is becoming more popular and accessible around the world. People want to get their hands on cryptocurrencies, but they also want to spend it.

This is one of the reasons why people are investing in bitcoin mining hardware but also why entire companies are branching out into mining, trading, and are accepting cryptocurrency as a legitimate payment method. So, how does this trend tie into social media?

Social media is the place for companies and individuals to get the mining tips and tricks to find the best equipment, get honest opinions and user reviews, and obtain data-driven information. With these insights, leaders and consumers can make better decisions and make the right investments.

Leaders are using social media to boost engagement

When it comes to growing your business in the crypto realm, you need to leverage social media to build anticipation and engagement, and most importantly, build some much-needed hype. You can build hype for anything on social media nowadays, whether you’re launching a new altcoin, promoting an existing cryptocurrency with the help of an ICO marketing agency, announcing a new digital product, or anything in between.

You can have a promising future with blockchain regardless of the industry you’re in, and as long as you’re investing in the crypto world in any way, you need to use your social media accounts to build that hype. You can use gamification to get people interested with quizzes and promotions, but also get the media to keep their eyes on you and help you keep your audience engaged until the launch.

Providing real-time support and guidance to customers

Finally, remember that the blockchain and cryptocurrency fields are still quite confusing for newcomers, and these people need professional support and guidance. If you establish yourself as a leader in the industry and focus on supporting the individual on social media, you can help build social proof and awareness, and drive customers to your company.

People want someone to hold their hands on this journey and help them succeed. Make it your mission to help your followers succeed and they will praise your brand and make it a staple of the crypto industry, especially on social media.

Over to you

Social media and cryptocurrency go hand in hand as a powerful duo that drives the business world forward, but also supports the growing crypto community. The blockchain and cryptocurrency sectors will continue to grow throughout 2021 and beyond, so be sure to leverage what you’ve learned to day to build a thriving future for yourself in the crypto world.

Provided By VAT reporting software company, Sovos

Digital Branding

What Happens If I Don’t Pay My Second Mortgage?

Steven on March 24, 2021

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there were no such thing as personal fiscal responsibility? We could all adopt the U.S. government’s approach to the national deficit. We could simply ignore our personal debt — with impunity. There would be no need to worry about our car payments, student loans, credit card debt — or even our mortgages. We could just keep on spending — with impunity.

Alas, that seems unlikely. So while the government continues to spend money it doesn’t have — with impunity — the rest of us must pay our bills, or face the consequences. We all know what will happen if we don’t pay our utility bills, or miss a few car payments. We also know what happens if we miss a few mortgage payments. But what happens if someone doesn’t pay their second mortgage? Keep reading to find out.

The consequences of second mortgage defaults

By definition, a second mortgage is a secured loan that a homeowner obtains by using their house as collateral. These typically include but are not limited to home equity loans or home equity lines of credit.

Second mortgage defaults occur when homeowners fail to make required payments on said loans. The consequences vary based on how much your home is worth and how much you still owe on your primary mortgage.

If your home is worth more than the remaining amount on your first mortgage, you have equity in your home. This means that your second mortgage is still somewhat secured. This also means the second-mortgage holder will probably pursue foreclosure to recoup some or all of its money.

On the other hand, if you owe more on your first mortgage than your home is worth, your second mortgage is no longer secured.If the second-mortgage holder pursued foreclosure in this case, it would be less likely to recoup its money. This is because the second mortgage is usually classified as the junior mortgage.

As the superior mortgage holder, the first-mortgage holder would have first dibs on the proceeds from the foreclosure sale. But this is not the only hurdle that second-mortgage holders face.

Barriers to second mortgage foreclosures

Fortunately for distressed homeowners, second mortgage foreclosures don’t happen all that often. That’s because there are additional barriers to second mortgage foreclosures. In general:

Secondary lien holders are barred from foreclosing on your property if your second mortgage is current.
Primary and secondary lien holders are barred from foreclosing on your property if superior mortgage and junior mortgage are current.
If your first mortgage is current but your second mortgage is not, the secondary lien holder is not barred from foreclosing on your property.

So as you can see, there are limited rights of second lien holders in foreclosure.

Clarifying liens and lien priority

To clarify, a lien is a legal claim against a property. In this context, the term lien priority is used to describe the order in which lien holders are paid after foreclosure.

More often than not, lien priority is date-based. Specifically, priority is usually assigned based on when the mortgage was officially recorded. So let’s say someone got a mortgage which was recorded on January 10, 2020. Now let’s assume the same person obtained another mortgage, which was recorded on October 28, 2020. The former would be designated as a first mortgage, and receive first-lien position. The latter would be designated as a second mortgage, and given second-lien priority.

Having said that, homeowners should be aware that some liens, such as property tax lines, are viewed as superior to any prior liens. In most, but not all cases, judgment liens are junior to a first mortgage. They may also be junior to a second mortgage, and to other judgment liens depending on the order in which they were filed.

How does refinancing your first mortgage affect the priority assigned to your second mortgage?

As if all of that isn’t confusing enough, things get even more complicated if you refinance your first mortgage — or get a cema loan if you live in New York. In this case, the first mortgage holder will mandate that the second-mortgage holder enters into a subordination agreement. In this type of agreement, the second-mortgage holder agrees to make its loan junior to the refinanced loan. In other words, the refinanced loan, which is technically the newest loan, gets first priority through the subordination agreement.

A second-mortgage holder can sue you to recover the amount owed

To reiterate, there are limited rights of a second lien holder in foreclosure. This is because foreclosure on the first mortgage triggers foreclosure on any junior loans including a second mortgage, home equity loan, or home equity line of credit. This domino effect also results in the loss of security interest in the property. The end result is that the secondary lien holder effectively becomes a “sold-out junior lienholder.”

However, this does not mean a second-mortgage holder cannot recoup its money. Laws vary from state to state, but in most cases, a secondary lien holder can sue you for the amount owed. You give the lender the right to pursue this option when you sign a document promising to repay the loan and then fail to do so.

Assuming the second-mortgage holder wins a judgment for the amount owed, there are several ways it can collect:

It can have a specified amount of money withheld from your paycheck each pay period until the debt is paid.
It can have a specified amount of money taken out of your bank account for a specified period until the debt is paid.
It can use any other “regular” collection methods as warranted.

If you are struggling to pay your first or second mortgage, consider speaking with a qualified legal or financial professional about your options. Depending on your situation, filing for bankruptcy may be one way to reduce or eliminate your financial liability.

If you don’t have a second mortgage yet, but you are considering getting one to finance other large purchases, it may be worth considering other options. Specifically, you may want to consider options with similar rates that don’t require you use your home as collateral. That way your home won’t necessarily be at risk in the long run.

Digital Branding

5 Must-Listen Digital Marketing Podcasts

Steven on March 22, 2021

Are you looking for strategies to boost your marketing and expand your business by listening to the best marketing podcasts? Podcasts have been a common source of enjoyment for many people. Digital marketing and leverage of marketing are now critical functions for the growth of a brand or a business, prompting marketers to evolve their marketing strategies to keep up with the pattern. According to Oberlo’s research, more than half of US users aged 12 listen to podcasts, and the growth of the podcast has been steady since 2013.

But, if current trends remain consistent, the number will only rise. Despite how simple and inexpensive it is to listen to them, the other half should keep up with some of the most well-known podcasts as well. A podcast is that channel, as it provides an enjoyable, simple, and easy way to stay up to date on the latest digital marketing trends without drawing attention away from your other activities. Podcasts on digital marketing are effective in teaching new skills and getting feedback about your marketing effort.

With whatever level of marketing experience you have, you will find something helpful in the podcasts mentioned here.

The #AskGaryVee Podcast Show

The Ask Gary Vee Show podcast is a magnetization of the same-named famous YouTube series. The Ask Gary Vee podcast, hosted by now-famous online personality Gary Vaynerchuk, addresses new trends and online marketing. Gary Vee, a successful entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling writer, and life coach, is recognized by youtube and digital media to grow.

He also addresses the mantra behind his podcast’s success, becoming an excellent digital marketer, and his path from the podcast to YouTube. His podcast episodes are power-packed with personality, wisdom, and valuable advice. It helps you stay on top of the latest trends and improve your digital marketing skills. Besides, if you have any questions, you are welcome to do so. If there are any questions, you can ask them or send them to GaryVee with the hashtag #AskGaryVee, and he could respond to them in a podcast series.

Gary Vee’s podcast is available on SoundCloud, iTunes, YouTube, and his website.

Duct Tape Marketing

The influential small business marketing guide has transformed into a consultant and an online destination for all things related to it. John Jantsch started Duct Tape Marketing. He has been interviewing opinion leaders, analysts, and writers for his Duct Tape Marketing podcast for over a decade. It gives exposure to the market’s most influential people.

In his podcast collection, called “One of the Best Podcasts for Business-Savvy Fans” by FastCompany, he has a lot to offer to those searching to grow their marketing business. Suppose you want to learn digital marketing fundamentals, mainly organic online marketing, word-of-mouth market research, and content strategy. In that case, you should start listening to this podcast right away. The topics addressed in each episode vary from marketing and advertising and copywriting to online community building, usability testing, and online marketing growth. Be sure you check in as soon as possible if you want to keep one step ahead of the competition and get a steady dose of digital marketing advice.

The Mad Marketing Podcast

Google has reduced the number of organic blue leads seen due to a quest from 10 to 8.5 on average. Mad Marketing, hosted by Marcus Sheridan, founder of River Pools and Spas and a HubSpot affiliate, provides a wealth of digital marketing guidance, specifically in SEO and content market research. The idea is that SEO is rapidly evolving. Search engines like Google are actively improving their algorithms to have a more consistent, efficient, and individual interface for users. Oh before we forget, If you want to remove your name in Google. It is possible.

Suppose you are not familiar with your panda penguin. In that case, however, The Mad Marketing podcast is a valuable series – and it’s even enjoyable.

Marcus also tells a few engaging personal experiences from his work and several stories about what not to do with online marketing in his podcast. Almost all of these podcasts are unique yet equally amazing in their way. So, put on your headphones and plan to be educated if you’re serious about a future of digital marketing.

Marcus’ podcast is available on SoundCloud and iTunes.

This Old Marketing

This Old Marketing podcast, featuring Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose, is designed to raise awareness of content marketing benefits. Every episode begins with a monologue followed by a series of informative parts, each performed with zeal and integrity. The premiere episode has 185,000 viewers and is growing. Expect clever humor, invaluable perspectives, exciting details, and a newfound appreciation for the power of good narrative in today’s fast-paced, digitally connected world.

Each episode of This Old Marketing includes discussing recent content marketing news and rants from Joe and Robert about current business events. This charismatic duo has excellent compatibility with their fans, treating them as partners rather than mere listeners.

Marketing School

Marketing School is a fantastic podcast to check out if you want to learn about marketing in a short amount of time. Many Digital marketing strategists host the program that provides quick tips to help you take your company to the next level. As most digital marketing podcasts last 20 to 60 minutes, Marketing School takes just three minutes to discuss a critical marketing problem.

The duo’s brief format also means that they can provide you with implementable lessons and valuable marketing insight every day. Duo’s awareness is extraordinary (with nearly 1500 episodes to date). Copywriting, SEO, metrics, conversion enhancement, paid search, content marketing, email marketing, and many more get discussed. It is a podcast you can tune to if you don’t have time to listen to long podcasts.

Conclusion

While there is an almost infinite number of digital marketing podcasts available today, these top five are a perfect way to start. These are among the best marketing podcasts to help you and your business. These podcasts are fun to listen to and jam-packed with information from industry professionals with years of experience. They also bring a unique approach to the table, discussing their strategies for achieving and improving business in the market growth. The best thing about podcasts is that they can be a great way to stay up with the latest because you can listen to them almost anywhere and anytime.