All posts by Steven

Is Switching to Credit Card Transactions a Good Choice for Small Businesses?

Steven on June 26, 2019

This may sound surprising; however, even today, several businesses do not use a credit card. They are losing out on many customers because of this reason. Even you may have issued a check to a grocery store or paid for a nice dinner with cash at a good restaurant.

Most small business houses state they like to accept cash, and their reasons are understandable. In fact, recent research shows that the volume of cash operations for businesses is growing intensely. If you are a businessman and wish to switch from cash operations to credit card operations, you can easily increase sales and profits simultaneously. Contrary to the popular belief that credit card transactions are complex, there are credible credit card processing companies to help you. They will undertake the onus to conduct the credit and the debit card transaction for you. They will make it simple and secure. All you need to do is search for a credit card processing company that is reliable and tailor-made to meet and match the needs of your business. However, first things first, know why to switch to credit card transactions and how this change can impact the future of your business.

Reasons why you should switch to credit card transactions

Given below are the key reasons as to why you should switch to credit card transactions-

Improve cash flow- More and more consumers are banking on their credit and debit cards for payment. As a business, when you start to accept credit card payments against the purchase of goods and services, you are expanding your customer base to a very large extent. Moreover, this change will help merchants shorten the time they take for funding giving birth to more cash flow that is essential for the growth of the business. When you use a fully integrated credit card processing service for accepting credit cards, the deposits are made into your account within 24-48 hours reducing the costs and the time of transporting bank funds and accelerating payment cycles.
Accurate accounting- Note that cash payments do not leave behind a paper trail and so it becomes harder to reconcile the accounts. In the absence of a paper trail, it becomes harder to keep the accounts organized, and it helps you with IRS audits. If you only conduct cash transacti0ns, this sends a red flag to government officers that raise concerns about your omitting income. If you diversify payment options, you will leave behind paper trails that help you to improve your ability to reconcile business accounts and keep in sync with IRS reports.
Increased purchases- There have been reports that customers spend approximately 18% more when they pay with credit cards. Those that spend with cash generally are very cautious as they have limited money. However, with credit cards, people do not have limits, and this is why they are able to spend more on services and products.

Experts in the field of credit card processing Nadapayments says that if you conduct a cash-only business today, you are creating a lot of friction in the minds of the consumer when the transaction is being processed. When you are managing transactions with a credit card, this mental friction is reduced, and there are fewer thoughts that come in the mind of the consumer when it comes to buying the product or not. The difference between cash transaction and credit card transactions is that the statement is generated much later. Financial experts say it is due to this delay that consumers overspend. Customers might have poor habits when it comes to spending but come to think of it; this is good for the business at large. If you are a business that sells apparels, perfumes, lotions, and other daily items, this trend of spending without thought is good for your business.

Improve customer service

When customers buy more of your products and services, you get the chance to improve customer service for them. This helps you as a company to reach out to the consumer with a personal touch. Credit card transactions are not only convenient for a customer, but they provide them with additional choices, flexibility, and accelerates the speed of transactions.

Expand the customer base

In recent years, it has been seen that with credit card transactions, the customer base can be increased. In fact, most people in recent times like to make purchases with their credit cards only. They find it convenient to carry cards in their wallets over bundles of cash that can be cumbersome to handle. Moreover, with credit cards, e-commerce, and online shopping become convenient as customers can shop from any place at any time. If you are a small business, it makes sense to have an online presence so that customers who have credit cards can make purchases conveniently without hassles at all.

Use the right credit card processing service company

When it comes to credit card transactions and using them for your business, choose credit card processing companies for your business. Several companies help small businesses with credit card processing; however, never jump to the first company that comes your way. Check the credentials and the online ratings and reviews of the company to get an idea on their pros and cons. Find out their fees and most important check whether they have any hidden charges or not. Switching to credit card transactions is a boon for your business, and with them, you effectively are able to expand your business with success.

Last but not least, make sure that the credit card processing company that you choose for your business is in sync with your business needs and requirements. In this way, you effectively are able to develop your business and grab a competitive edge in the market. Moreover, you can also improve brand visibility when you work on customer service. When the switch to credit card transactions are made, you can improve lead conversions and increase returns on investment with success!

Local Branding Personal Branding

How to Design a Splendid Outdoor Setting for Your Restaurant

Steven on June 24, 2019

When designing your restaurant, what surely comes first on the list is a modern and functional kitchen, a great bar area, a comfortable and inviting dining room, but you mustn’t overlook another important part and that is the outdoor dining space.

With the alfresco entertaining season already upon us, most diners prefer enjoying their meal in the fresh air so it’s obvious this area deserves your full attention. Your guests will certainly have to pass first through the entry and the front part of your restaurant so naturally, you have to leave a great impression there, but leave something for the end and charm them once they step outside into your splendid outdoor space.

Here are several design aspects you need to consider when designing your restaurant.

Outdoor brand signage

First impressions count a great deal so right at your entrance, you need to have your business sign to catch people’s attention. Be sure to do your research into regulations of your area as many cities and business districts have strict rules about the type of outdoor signs restaurants and other business can have.

Once you know exactly what you can and cannot do, hire a professional sign designer to produce something that is unique and reflective of your restaurant. Whereas you could probably come up with your own design for the menus, it’s recommendable you leave the outdoor sign design to experts. The reason is simply – an amateur, hand-made sign on a piece of plywood with spray paint will definitely send the wrong message!

Outdoor lights and signs

In addition to your business sign, the outside will benefit from other signs, such as available parking, open/close times, no smoking and others that give your guests valuable information. These should also be professionally done and with adequate lighting, you’re not only ensuring the right ambiance but your customers’ safety as well.

Strategically placed outdoor lights will make your customers feel welcome whereas string lights placed overhead to give a magical touch to the outdoor dining space, especially in the summer. It can all be combined with torches along the pathways, stylish table lamps or candles for an intimate atmosphere and a vintage, glass chandelier in the center for a touch of old-time elegance.

Seating options

Providing plenty of seating options in the entire restaurant is a priority so you can accommodate for everyone, including those who wait. In front of your restaurant, you could set up a bench and maybe a couple of small tables and chairs like the French cafes do but make sure you pick both attractive and durable furniture.

The same rule applies for your outdoor dining area – all the furniture pieces need to be aesthetically pleasing and designed to withstand the weather and wearing. You need to find a reliable restaurant furniture supplier who offers great, sturdy patio furniture for commercial use in various styles, so you can easily find something that fits into your restaurant theme. Depending on what you’re going for, outdoor furniture trends in Sydney demonstrate the choices you can make, from a refined, classy aesthetics, a fresh coastal theme to an ultra-contemporary vibe.

Restaurant information

Outside menus next to the entrance of your restaurant in the form of an old-style chalkboard or a glass menu case are an excellent way to advertise your delicacies and attract guests. However, not just any menu will do. It needs to be well lit and clearly written so the customers can read it easily at any time of day or night.

In addition to a wall-mounted menu board, you can also put up a sandwich board on the pavement to advertise your menu specials and maybe even write an inspirational quote or an appropriate joke!

Alfresco area decor

Extending your restaurant ambiance to the alfresco area will create a full circle in your restaurant design. Take similar décor details you have inside and incorporate them in the outdoor setting. It can be the same light fixtures, table cloths, seating cushions, and music, just make sure it isn’t too loud so the guests can easily converse while they enjoy their meal.

Don’t forget the power or plants and flowers to dress up even the plainest setting. Place stylish planters and window boxes both at the front entrance and back patio entrance, but make sure there is at least one designated person to take care of the plants so they stay fresh and beautiful at all times.

Hopefully, the tips listed here give you enough incentive to start designing your dream restaurant space!

Digital Branding

How to Create a Successful E-Commerce Mobile App

Steven on June 24, 2019

The whole world is buying items online; it’s a trend that’s taken over all around the globe and it’s pretty easy to see why. When it comes to selling online, pretty much anybody can get started with selling almost anything in an e-commerce store. It’s easy enough to get started, with several platforms offering users the option to create a website without the need for any previous coding or design experience. But when it comes to making your e-commerce website stand out from the crowd, a mobile app is a wise idea. But not all apps are created equally – you’ll need to make sure that your app provides your customers with the seamless user experience and level of customer engagement that they expect. Here are some top tips to keep in mind when designing your e-commerce app.

1. Prioritize the User Experience

If you’re wondering why your e-commerce business needs a mobile app, then it’s all about the user experience. But you need to ensure that your app provides a great UI, too. When a user opens an e-commerce app, the first thing that they notice aside from the range of products and the branding behind the app is the user interface. This is the design behind the app that allows users to move into and around it, make searches, and look into the different categories. The ease with which users can do this makes a massive difference to how the user experiences the app and rates it. When designing the UI, it’s crucial to keep a focus on how smartphone and tablet devices are used. This is especially true for smartphones where there is often little screen space available, and everything has to be displayed neatly in it. Each menu, button, and every other type of content needs to be displayed in such a way that it looks organized and uncluttered.

2. Easy Navigation

Navigating your app needs to be another main priority when it comes to the user experience. The ease of navigation on your app will have a huge bearing on the overall customer experience, satisfaction, and engagement levels. Not only will this ensure that your customers can find what they need easily, but it also encourages repeat purchases from your app due to the convenience. A good way to ensure that all your products are visible to users is to include your menu in every part of your app, making sure that your menu includes the most important sections, categories, and sub-categories. Make the menu easy to navigate by naming each category with a single word.

3. Simplify the Checkout Process

One thing that users really want when shopping online using a mobile app is a simple and easy checkout process. The last thing that you want when you are shopping on the go is to go through a lengthy checkout process where they need to enter all their details and go through several steps. The best way to get around this is to allow users to create a personal account, which they will then be able to log into and access any saved personal and financial details. Once they have entered their details the first time around, being able to quickly checkout with everything that they need securely saved in their account will encourage repeat purchases. In addition, you should also make the in-app checkout process as convenient as possible for users by offering a range of payment options such as credit or debit card, PayPal, and Apple, and Google Pay.

4. Include Clear Calls to Action

Calls to action are important for selling online, whether on your website or your mobile app. One of the easiest but most effective ways to include a call to action on your mobile app is to position the cart in a prominent place. After all, it is what each and every customer will use when purchasing from your store and ‘add to cart’ buttons should show up clearly on each product page, along with a cart button visible everywhere in the app. When adding items to the cart, this should happen seamlessly without being taken to the cart page each time, so that users can continue shopping without interruption.

5. Prioritize App Speed

Finally, you probably already know that loading speed is crucial when it comes to selling online. If your website isn’t fully loaded and ready to go within seconds of opening, customers are going to look elsewhere. The same is true when it comes to your app. If your app is taking a long time to load and is slow to use, you’ll find that users simply won’t make use of it – they’ll use your website instead or worse, explore your competitors. To stay current in the world of e-commerce, your app needs to load as quickly as possible – typically 4-5 seconds at the most.

If you’re building an app for an e-commerce store, the user experience should be your main focus. Providing an app that’s modern, fast, and easy to navigate will help your brand stand out.

Digital Branding

How do Instagram Influencers Boost Brands’ Success?

Steven on June 23, 2019

https://unsplash.com/photos/Vbt1zTCsSNA

Everyone is talking about influencers, the new generation of Internet celebrities who can grow a brand from nothing. They intrigue the public because they have the power to drive ten times the ROI of a traditional marketing campaign. Brands have paid around $1 billion in 2018 for influencer campaigns because they understood that it’s the moment to take advantage of the latest marketing strategy. Using celebrities to promote products and brands is not a new marketing strategy, businesses are using it since 1940. But until a few years ago, companies collaborated with actors, singers and models to reach audiences.

Do you know what influencer marketing is?

Word-of-mouth has always been a powerful way to attract clients, and influencer marketing is taking advantage of this strategy better. Social media is more popular than ever, and anyone who has a strong following can influence opinions. You can use their established influence in your advantage to advertise your services and products.

Studies show that hiring an influencer to advertise your products is more effective than joining forces with a celebrity because people better relate to influencers. If you are running a business you will find easier to get in touch with a local influencer than with a national star, and it will prove more effective for your business because it will help you reach the right people.

A great number of online personalities use Instagram to share content. You send them some products, they test them, and create content to engage audiences.

Here is how to make the most of your collaboration with an Instagram influencer.

You can reach a broad public

Different people have different versions for the same story, and influencer marketing helps you offer the public different perspectives on your products. Influencers are successful on Instagram because they are focusing on a specific niche. When you are searching for an influencer, you should focus on the audience you would want to hear your story. It’s quite effective to use different angles to tell a single story, it will attract more listeners.

For example, in 2017 Mercedes Benz decided to collaborate with influencers to promote the GLS sport utility car. They collaborated with two very different online personalities, “Loki the Wolfdog” and chef Chris Coombs. Loki’s Instagram page addresses a public interested in travelling, outdoors passionate people, people who love outdoor sports. Chef Coombs is targeting a different public, people who love foods and are interested in finding more about cuisine.

Because the marketing efforts came from two very different sources, Mercedes managed to gather more than 170 million impressions for a single product.

Micro-influencers are more successful in reaching larger audiences

Sometimes working with a famous influencer is as expensive as working with a superstar. If you don’t have the budget to hire a famous online personality you can collaborate with micro-influencers because they will cost you less and will get the same result.

The success of your influencer marketing campaign is directly proportional to the engagement the influencers generate. Micro-influencers are more successful in engaging people than famous influencers are, even if they have a lower following. Small businesses have great advantages if they collaborate with them because they benefit from testimonial advertising, one of the most popular forms of advertising.

Promote your products in multiple mediums

You can improve your ROI through a successful influencer marketing campaign. A great number of influencers have accounts on more than one platforms, usually they have followers on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and even Pinterest. So one post on Twitter, let’s say, can act as a portal for promoting your company in multiple mediums.

You can inspire from the marketing campaign Gillette designed for Gillette Venus. They collaborated with Instagram personalities who also have a high following on YouTube to promote their razors. The posts had a single role, to drive traffic to a video of Gillette Venus. All the posts used the hashtag #choosetosmooth and the promotional video Gillette created reached around 47,000 Internet users.

When looking for someone to promote your products, you should conduct a background check to find out more about the persons who will advertise your company. People will associate their name with your brand so it’s vital their image to suit your company’s values.

Online content can go viral

The main goal all influencer marketing campaigns have is to boost engagement and to convince people to make a purchase. By encouraging influencers to create unique content about your products, you have greater chances to reach new audiences. In order for your campaign to be successful, you have to create a message that can be transformed into a captivating hashtag. For boosting your campaign engagement, you can ask users to review the products, share their experience, and include the # you designed in their content.

Frank Body, an Australian skin care products provider created this type of campaign. They have collaborated with numerous influencers that were asked to try their coffee scrub products and offer feedback on their social media accounts. All the posts included the hashtag #letsbefrank and it encouraged people to share their experience using the # to allow the company to track their feedback.

An effective strategy to boost your reach is to encourage people to try your products, tag you in the posts, post their review on social media and get a reward for the most creative piece of content. If you transform your marketing campaign in a competition, you have even greater chances to improve your ROI and grow your engagement.

How can you find an influencer?

Market research can help you find the right influencer for your business. Your clients will point you in the right direction. Their social media activity offers information about their preferences and people they follow. Once you know these details, you should look for an influencer who targets a public similar to yours.

Hire the person only if their values align with yours. Doing research will help you find someone who will create relevant content for your customers.

It’s no longer a secret that influencer marketing is beneficial for businesses.

Digital Branding

The Secret to Hire Leading Software Company Unveiled

Steven on June 23, 2019

The advancements and innovations in the technological field have turned instrumental when it comes to the success of various entrepreneurs across the globe. Here lies the reason why it crucial to be a part of the bandwagon of organizations which are embracing the technological power. It is extremely essential to step up the game in order to be head and shoulders above competitors with the right utilization of technology. A smart choice will be to employ the services of a good software company. Now the question is, how? Well, here you go.

Tips to Consider

These are some effective tips that will help you hire a leading software company,

Be Clear with Your Needs– First and foremost, before hiring a software company, be clear with your needs. Jot down a list of the requirements as this will make your selection process easy with regards to the professional who will develop the custom software. Knowing beforehand regarding what you need will be an excellent head start for the upcoming project, especially with the said professionals.
Conduct an In-depth Research- Today; most companies are engaged to offer software development solutions and application. Owing to this, getting an ideal company for your needs can be a challenge. Thus, it is highly recommended to conduct thorough research on the top software companies. This will be a part of the process of due diligence which you require to be a part of. Do not hire any software company randomly without enquiring about the team members’ credentials. Above all, also ensure to check the profile of the company.
Look for Referrals- To establish close and strong ties with various businessmen is crucial to surviving in this industry. Thus, you should network with a couple of business owners that can offer you proper assistance and guidance. Post this seeking recommendations and referrals will become easy from them. So, ensure to inquire from them if they actually can refer to the software company responsible for the development of their software. Never feel ashamed to ask.
Right Expectations- Do not sign any contract with any software company before discussing all your expectations. Ensure to inform them beforehand regarding your needs. Apart from this, ask clarifications or doubts if any. During this point, make it a point to emphasize that it is essential to develop clear lines of communication with the selected software company. Also, ensure to be very clear in offering instructions. Above all, do not ever hesitate to discuss your project’s timeline and set a reasonable deadline. Be smart to employ the services of a software company that can perfectly help you with custom software requirements that are budget-friendly and perfectly suits your needs.

So, next time you or your acquaintances need to hire a software company to ensure to follow the pointers mentioned above sincerely, and you can never go wrong. You will be investing a good amount of money here, so do not take chances. When you research beforehand, you can enjoy absolute value for money.

Digital Branding

Driving Sales for Ecommerce: Post-Sale Experience Is Your Secret Weapon

Steven on June 19, 2019

https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1570335

Online sellers are always on the lookout for fresh tactics and tools to help them outperform their competitors, and it’s easy to understand why: the ecommerce world may be vast and rich with resources, but it’s packed with juggernauts like Amazon (not to mention rife with generic products and similar stores), and anyone who wants a piece of the pie must fight for it.

That’s why businesses constantly look for new niches to fill, new social media channels to use for marketing, new products to source, and new automation tools to free up more time for networking. They aim to optimize every last part of the sales process, smoothly turning prospects into qualified leads and subsequently conversions — anything to get an edge.

What they often fail to miss, though, is the impact of the post-sale experience. Assuming that completing an order is the preferred end of the customer interaction is sheer folly. Post-sale support is extremely important and commonly overlooked, making it the perfect opportunity. So how do you take advantage to drive more sales? Let’s consider this in more depth.

Why customers come back for more

For the vast majority of product types, the average online shopper has a massive amount of choice (too much, sometimes) — almost every product is available from multiple stores, and there’s typically little to separate the offers. Any two sites might quote the same price, charge the same amount for shipping, and offer the same guarantees. Consequently, something minor like being the first site they someone sees (or having fractionally lower prices than rivals) might win you a sale.

But what if fortune favors one of your rivals? And even if it doesn’t, what happens if another site comes up first the next time that person searches? If there’s nothing memorable about your site, they won’t bother coming back. It’ll simply be a utility like any other, useful on occasion but not seen as important. We return to sites that feel special to us somehow.

So how do you make your site feel special if you can’t do anything exceptional with your prices or your shipping? You do something exceptional with your service. Where most sellers go quiet after their final shipping confirmations, you can do something more. You can stand out.

The value of staying connected

Brand connection is increasingly important in ecommerce. Instead of sticking with the companies with the best prices, consumers will keep buying from the companies that are convenient, personable, communicative, and generally likable.

The convenience part of this comes down to following the modern ecommerce playbook: using a social selling tool like Viralpep to prime leads through social networks, then taking full advantage of a flexible sales platform (such as Shopify’s multi-channel Plus service) to convert those leads. Whenever people are interested in buying, you need to be there.

As for the likability, well, that’s where the post-sale experience comes in. Brand interactions during the classic sales funnel always feel awkward, because the prospective customer knows that the seller is clearly angling towards an imminent sale. Once the sale is over, they’ll understand that continued contact is still loosely promotional, but they’ll also take it as a sign that the seller actually cares about providing a good service.

When you stay available to people around the clock (regardless of whether they’re currently interested in buying), keep them updated, and even seek their feedback to help you grow your company, they’ll remember you much more favorably. And when they need to place more orders, they’ll be more likely to consider your store worthy of their attention.

Building through referrals

Let’s suppose for a second that you master your post-sale experience, using all suitable channels to keep in touch with previous customers and check that they’re fully happy with their purchasing experiences. How does this benefit you? Well, firstly, they’ll spend larger amounts with you more frequently, be less likely to go elsewhere, and be more receptive to new offers.

But that’s not all. We’re leaving out one of the most significant consequences of exceptional post-sale support: the positive influence on the rate of customer referrals. The happier existing customers are, the more likely they’ll be to recommend your business to their friends and family members — and any referred customers are going to start out with positive impressions of you, making them more likely to spend heavily.

This is perhaps the biggest long-term benefit of masterful post-sale support. It shows that your company cares about people beyond taking their money (to some extent, at least), and that reverberates throughout the your customer base and beyond.

In summary, ecommerce stores are so similar today that it’s customer service that makes brands stand out — and the best customer service extends past the point of conversion to see how customers are getting on. Make it a core part of your store, and you’ll soon start to notice the positive effects generating fresh referrals.

Digital Branding

Data Analytics Are Advancing the Enterprise

Steven on June 19, 2019

https://unsplash.com/photos/hpjSkU2UYSU

Data has become much more than a byproduct of operating in today’s marketplace—more than the numbers businesses store and use to gauge performance. Data analytics are actually advancing the enterprise, changing altogether how organizations function and make decisions. As companies clamor to improve marketing, revolutionize customer service, optimize their lineups of products and services, reduce inefficiencies and streamline internal processes, they’re depending on data to show them the way.

Here are four ways in which data analytics and business intelligence (BI) are changing the very nature of doing business today.

Ad Hoc Analytics: Asking Questions Now

Businesses face decisions every day. But the latest BI tools have reduced the wait times on reports from days, weeks or months to seconds or minutes. With the ability to ask ad hoc questions on an as-needed basis, people can skip putting in a request to IT for a report, instead taking matters into their own hands.

As Forbes cites, the top four BI objectives organizations have today are:

Making better decisions.
Improving operational efficiency.
Growing revenue.
Increasing competitive advantage.

Achieving any and all of these objectives starts with empowering regular business users to ask questions as they arise, and get instant answers from data—no more waiting for reports to be generated long after the prime moment for the inquiry has passed. Data analytics tools are changing how people use data because what was once siloed into the territory of “data specialists only” is now speedily accessible to all kinds of users. More people getting information faster equals better outcomes—changing how organizations even approach innovation.

Data Analytics Without Hefty Training

Self-service analytics have also given rise to the “citizen analyst,” also known as people without extensive background training in data being able to use data analytics to benefit the company.

One Chief Analytics Officer notes that we’re now seeing “those who know the business” able to apply self-service analytics tools to answer the actual business questions, rather than depending on data experts to do it for them.

So, marketers are free to ask marketing questions. HR specialists can query company data to learn about employee turnover, hiring trends, etc. Administrators can get a big-picture view of operations. Customer service leads can ask questions about customer behavior, track churn and take a closer look at complaints. The people who need information pertaining to their job roles are now the ones querying data, which fuels a cycle of relevant questions and impactful answers.

Automation of Insights Thanks to AI

Why wait for employees to ask questions or for scheduled reports to generate, though? Realistically, we’re only able to ask a fraction of the questions that exist—meaning there are many untapped insights lurking within company data. It’s safe to assume there are plenty of patterns, outliers and relationships your company is currently missing, and that you want to change that.

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in advanced analytics means companies and machine-learning algorithms are working together to uncover these insights. Here’s one example of that partnership in action: A user clicks to launch ThoughtSpot’s SpotIQ AI Engine. Then its insight-detection algorithms dive deep into data, returning potentially valuable nuggets of information in natural language. The user then provides feedback about relevancy to fine-tune the system for next time.

The end result? In a couple seconds, this user learned something they’d been missing—Product Category X sales have increased by 30 percent in California this month. Aha! They embed this hot tip as a chart directly into the sales and marketing Slack channels so these teams can come up with a plan to capitalize on this upswing. The company boosts revenue and targets their marketing campaigns better.

Building Data into Company Culture

All these other advancements are changing the very fabric of company culture itself in data-driven organizations. Data is becoming more than a tangential tool for reporting; it’s becoming a way to communicate, to make decisions and to evaluate progress. It’s a mindset companies can only achieve by centering data—and by making analytics highly accessible to all.

Data analytics are advancing the enterprise. Is your company embracing the value of accessible, speedy search- and AI-driven analytics? Or are you still missing out?

Personal Branding

3 Ways You Can Use the Web To Find People

Steven on June 14, 2019

Trying to find people is quite common nowadays, as many people try to find a long-lost friend or relative they lost touch with years ago. It’s great how people make so much effort to get in touch with their old friends and now it’s not as difficult as it used to be. Especially with the internet, Google, and the social media platforms, etc, it’s comparatively easier now to find someone, get his contact information, address, and more.

If you are in search of your friend or your colleague but sadly all you can remember is just a face and a name, we can offer some tips for getting in touch with people with whatever little information you have.

Today we will put down a list of ways you can use to find people on the web. So, stay focused and stick with us a little longer to get your desired results as we examine three web tools to find people you want to contact,.

3 Web Tools To Find People

1- Use Google

Google is the best place to be on if you want to find someone or if you want some information against a name or a topic or whatsoever. Think about it? When you want some information on a particular topic, you just open up Google on your PC and then type the topic in the search engine and then Google just opens up a whole book of information in front of you. Similarly, when you are looking for someone, you have to follow the same process. Just plug in any information you have about that person on Google and if he/she has been active on the web, you will get their name, their profile and in some cases even their email address in the results. If they have a common name, you may have to sort through several pages, but you may find them.

2- Public Directories

At the end of the day, what are public directories for? These directories and public records are available on the internet, so you can use a find people search engine, such as TruthFinder to search through billions of records to find contact details so you can get in touch with them easily. To use these directories, you need to know the person’s contact number or at least his full name and the area code. If you have this information and if you struggle and search different directories, you will surely end up with the results you’ve been dying to get.

3- People Search Sites

Another popular way to find someone on the web is to opt for a people search website. There are plenty of people search websites operating at the moment and you can easily use them to get to your friend, colleague or relative. Just never pay even a single penny to these websites because the legit websites out there won’t demand any money from you. You see, it’s simple to understand that if some information about someone is available on the internet, you will be able to find it with a little struggle for free. So, don’t pay anything to these scam websites and just stick to those that show legit results. Also, once some website works for you and shows you the results against a name or a number, make sure to verify that information first before making any move.

Conclusion

These are some of the best ways to use the web to find people. Opt for any one of the above-mentioned methods and we assure you that you will find the results you seek.

Digital Branding Local Branding

How Technology Can Help You to Decorate Your Apartment?

Steven on June 14, 2019

Technology surprises us in so many ways. If you think that there’s no way an application or software could help you in things which are traditionally manual, for example, house decoration, then that’s where you are completely wrong. In fact, interior designing or house decoration is facilitated by different kinds of software and applications. When you’re decorating your apartment for the first time or just updating your style, it can be tough to figure out where to start. There are so many different styles and color palettes to choose from that it can be overwhelming to try and decide which direction to go in! For example, if you check out apartments for rent in Columbia and you want to decorate them to perfection, then you shouldn’t be worried anymore. In this blog, you’ll find out about some of the very beneficial applications which can help you to decorate your apartment just the way you want it to decorate. Above all, you can get unbiased and free consultancy from technology in the form of mobile applications. If you have a cool apartment of your own then go ahead and gear up to decorate it, however, if you haven’t bought an apartment of your own, in Palm, then buy an apartment in Palm Jumeirah and decorate it with the best.

Here are some of the applications which can help you to decorate your apartment:

1. Houzz Interior Design Ideas

If you are tired of stacking interior magazines, then this app is just the right thing for you. This application is very simple to use and it will definitely get you out of your confusions. If you are not sure that how that sofa you liked will look in your drawing room, then don’t worry because this app has got you covered. All you need to do is take the picture of that sofa and click the “view in my room” option. This way, you’ll be able to see either if it’s going to look good or not.

2. Hutch

This is another amazing app with very exciting features. If you want to upgrade your place and you are also on a budget, then Hutch is your solution. Just take the picture of your room, decide your budget and just like that Hutch will do the rest of the job. It will show you hand-picked options for furniture according to your budget. Isn’t it great? The best part about this app is that you can shop through this app too if you don’t want to go through the hustle of shopping.

3. Mosss

If you want someone to guide you according to your taste and you want them to magically know what you exactly need to do with your place, the Mosss is something you need to try right now. It is an artificial intelligence based program which uses machine learning to know exactly what you need and what your requirements. You can say goodbye to all those expensive consultancies with Mosss. Above all, Mosss uses a deep learning mechanism to learn designs and processes of all the best interior designers out there and then creates a design for you which is inspired by great designers.

4. ColorSnap

Interior designing is not all about furniture and accessories. If you want your room or house look great, then you need to make sure that you are following all the rules. Color of walls is more important than you think it is. Therefore, you have to make sure that you select the right color. Watching color cards can be extremely boring and most of the times you don’t know how it will look if after being painted on the wall. ColorSnap has a solution to your this problem. With this application, all you need is take a picture of the room, select the wall you want to paint and apply the color of your choice. It will give you a perfect realistic picture of the end results.

Digital Branding

How Your Business Can Adopt a Two-Pronged Marketing Strategy with Instagram and SEO

Steven on June 12, 2019

Since its introduction and subsequent acquirement by Facebook, Instagram has gone from strength to strength as a social network and seen incredible boosts in adoption and popularity. It has of late also tremendously grown in potential as a marketing platform, to the extent that companies and brands that were previously not particularly oriented towards visuals too have begun to change their ways to get onto the bandwagon.

We can understand Instagram’s phenomenal rise to popularity by browsing through https://www.socialpilot.co that provides interesting statistics. “More than 800 million people actively use Instagram every month. 80% of all users on Instagram follow at least one business account. Instagram now gets over 2 million advertisers every month. 59% of micro-influencers believe that they get the best engagement on Instagram. 60% of users on Instagram visit the platform daily.”

Creativity is only half the battle; you still need an astute strategy in place to help you achieve all your aims. Once you have set up a good Instagram creative process and posting schedule, you have to consider the marketing aspects of it, namely SEO.

Research Your Hashtags

Despite looking significantly different from the rest of the Internet, Instagram is very conducive to some traditional SEO techniques. On Instagram, most people choose to search not in direct queries but with hashtags, that can be considered keywords preceded by‘#’. Not unlike SEO, you are expected to find and utilize the relevant tags that attract the highest search traffic. Another good thing is there is no pressure on you to stuff your actual caption or content with hashtags because you can stick them at the end of your post with the same effect. Sadly, there are no tools akin to Keyword Planner for Instagram, so it is up to you to do some research and access filtered top hashtag lists on sites like Websta to figure out what works.

It is also worth keeping in mind that real influencers are able to create their own hashtags and attract tons of traffic and new followers for Instagram, but you are unlikely to find success with this if your profile is in its nascent stages. You should try this out from time to time with things like giveaways or contests, though.

Tie Up With a Cause

In 2019, companies are expected to be more than just good at what they do. People are interested in supporting companies that speak up and help out communities and causes that they believe in. You may not be serving that demographic directly through what you do, but if you pledge a portion of your profits to a non-profit organization working towards that cause, you would be able to do a number of things such as throw fundraisers for the cause, organize community service excursions for your employees and so much more. This, in turn, shows your target audience that you care, and also brings up amazing opportunities for taking awesome photos and videos to show them what you are really about. Keep an open mind; partnerships with complementary (and not competitive) companies who have some pull with an audience that doesn’t overlap with yours and is willing to cross-post your content if you share theirs will inevitably bring success.

Conclusion

The social media landscape is ever-evolving and it is hard to say how influential traditional SEO tactics will remain if they are not adapted to suit the playing field. Search engine ranking algorithms too are evolving and may soon account for social signals and influence as well, which would give you a huge advantage in the future over competitors who are not as forward-looking. If you tailor your social media strategy with these pillars in mind, you are likely to gain massive dividends and a loyal follower base that will be with you for years.

Author Bio

Walter Moore is a notable management consultant and digital marketing expert. He has helped e-commerce businesses in all niches gain with his effective marketing strategies and guidance.