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Drive More Traffic to Your Website – Here’s How https://ift.tt/2DoZEjJ When trying to get your business to gain popularity and grow, digital marketing strategies are the best methods to utilize that can help you increase your customer base. When you work on improving your online presence, it will impact your business positively. With the right marketing plans and search engine optimization (SEO) tactics, you can expect a significant increase in your traffic. If you want to learn more about how you can make your business succeed, then read on to learn more about how you can do so by attracting a lot of genuine traffic to your online platforms. Email MarketingA strong email marketing strategy can make a huge difference in the success of your business. This is one of the strongest methods available to generate traffic to your platform. You just need to personalize each email to your customers to get their attention. You need a healthy and strong subscriber list and you need to sync your landing pages with your email strategies. Then you need to properly segment different email lists depending on the interests of your visitors/subscribers. Just remember to target each recipient with a special and personalized email to make them feel appreciated. This will draw their attention and they won’t be discouraged or ignore your email because it isn’t filled with sales jargon. Guest PostingYou can help generate traffic by guest posting, which is an easy way to guarantee some organic traffic. Guest posting is an effective marketing method that involves you writing a blog post or an article on someone else’s platform online. The major benefits of guest blogging/posting are too good to pass up. It gives you a chance to reach more audiences and connect with different potential customers that might be interested in your platform. You need to make sure that the website you choose to guest post on is related to your business. Relevant guest posting will always generate genuine traffic. People will get interested and you can help your brand gain the exposure it needs. Utilizing Software ToolsYou need to start monitoring your competitors by utilizing software tools. You need to understand what they’re doing right when it comes to traffic generation. This involves reviewing your rival’s tactics and social ads. This can help you significantly in social media marketing too. It’s quite common for businesses to use Facebook ad spy tools to understand how their competitors are using social ads, creatives, targeting options, audience lists, and the ad copy itself. But it doesn’t work as a method of stealing a company’s ads and copying them verbatim. This will not work positively for you and you would tarnish your reputation in this way. Use it to gain insight into how your rivals are succeeding in the business world. The data you gather will help you strategize and come up with better ads that are much more effective in generating genuine traffic to your platforms Social MediaWe’ve mentioned social media before and how important it could be to increase traffic levels. You need to come up with a plan that will allow you to build relationships with your audience. You need to build a community that has loyal customers, but you can’t do that without posting regularly. Set up social media pages and show people interesting content, important news, and special offers. This will be a chance to communicate with your audience and get to know them better. You will understand their preferences and needs effectively to capitalize on it by getting your potential customers interested in your platform. Your genuine traffic will increase significantly, and you could land numerous sales orders. Building BacklinksYou should start building strong backlinks because SEO tactics can generate a ton of genuine traffic for you. Backlinks are placed on other platforms and blogs that are related to your business. It would be great if you find websites with strong authority levels because that can benefit your platform. Your site would gain more traffic and people will get more interested in your brand when you implement it right. Just don’t aggressively have thousands of backlinks on different websites because the quantity isn’t better than quality. Also, you don’t want Google to stop you from gaining a higher ranking in the search engine lists. Play it safe and do it correctly with relevant blogs and websites that make sense to the products or services you’re providing. Location-Based KeywordsA strong location-based keyword is another effective SEO tactic that can drive more traffic to your website. Each brand has numerous keywords in different articles that will redirect the user to the brand’s platform. But if you do this by adding a location, then the people who search for the nearest choice will always land on your platform. This is great because customers are always looking for stores, companies, or services that are close to where they live. You can increase your traffic, generate leads, boost your sales, and earn a lot of revenue every quarter. The location used in the keyword placement can be a town name, a postcode, or the area itself. This is an effective way to target local customers in your area. Word-Of-Mouth TacticsNumerous people underestimate the power of word-of-mouth tactics and how it can attract more people to your platform. This is possible through special offers that you provide to your current customers. The idea is to have them send their friends or family members a promo code that will give them discounts if they purchase products directly from your platform. This is a great method of retaining your customers and making them purchase more. Also, it’s effective in converting the new visitors you get into paying customers. This is a great way to spread your brand name around and it will increase your overall exposure in the market. People will know who you are and get a special offer too. Create Interesting ContentYou need to think about how creating interesting content can transform your platform to attract more leads. This will increase traffic levels for you if you have great content that is appealing enough for people. They will want to learn more about specific products and services. This can be anything from articles, pictures, videos, guides, and a lot more. You need your visitor to have all the information they need and come back for more because it was displayed pleasantly. Also, interesting content can change your platform into a strong central hub for information. Google will notice this change and see the number of visitors you get every day. This will improve your ranking online and that will generate even more traffic overtime for you. Keep UpdatingYou should always keep updating your outdated content and strategies. Some of your content might be too old to be useful and most marketing strategies need to be altered and changed to match today’s customers. You need to update your backlinks and keywords to make sure they’re working properly to effectively generate more traffic. Google changes the system gradually and you need to adapt to those changes to make sure that your website stays updated, relevant, and worthy of having a high ranking. Always adapt and evolve with the current times for better results. Check Your AnalyticsYou must check your analytics frequently to learn from your progress. This means that you should check the good days where you had great traffic levels and the bad days that had low traffic levels. You can learn from that data and convert it to clear reports that you can review. You will get the insight you need to repeat the same actions that attracted a lot of users to your platform. Also, you will avoid all the bad tactics that lead to a decrease in your traffic levels. There is always room for improvement, and you need to know which areas you have that need your attention and which areas need to be strengthened. Hire InfluencersHiring influencers can prove to be quite useful for businesses that need an extra helping hand. This will increase your exposure levels and you will gain a lot more visitors that check your website for your products and services. Influencers are famous people in the world that have a huge audience of their own. That audience can be yours too because the fans would listen to their favorite actors/actresses, music artists, critics, and social media figures. They will get interested enough after hearing the influencer talk about your brand. This will drive everyone to check your platform and that will give you a surge of positive traffic. Also, it’s a chance to convert most of them into paying customers and increase sales. Go MobileIMAGE SOURCE: https://ift.tt/39DFbny You should check your platform’s compatibility and make sure it’s accessible through mobile devices. This is extremely important, and most businesses tend to ignore the fact that the majority of online users come from mobile devices. More than half the traffic of online users and shoppers use their smartphones. You can gain more leads and convert them into paying customers if you have a website that is compatible with mobile devices. You need to appeal to what makes customers happy and comfortable. Smartphones and other smart devices are easier to use, and they can be used anywhere. You can’t miss out on all the mobile online users that can increase your sales and exposure levels. Have GiveawaysMost businesses think that giveaways are a waste of money, but they are sorely mistaken. Enticing your customers with giveaways will interest them enough to buy more and word will spread about your giveaway plans. If you advertise this well using the effective digital marketing strategies that you constantly use, then more people will visit your platform and get a chance to get your giveaway. Everyone loves free products and if your little event can allow some people to get something for free, then they will surely participate. Chances are that the new people that visit your platform might come back for more information or even purchase a product from you after the giveaway ended. Help Your CommunityHelping your local community through charitable events and special services can improve your reputation and increase exposure levels. People love it when companies care about their communities and help make it a better place for them. This can get a lot of traffic getting sent your way because customers will be interested in a brand that genuinely wants to help people. Customers and potential clients will trust you more and that trust can turn into loyalty. Why would they go to another brand if they already know you from your contributions to the community? Just as you supported them; they would support your brand as well. This support can come in the form of subscriptions and sales too. Collaborate with Other CompaniesIt would be wise to collaborate with other companies to help each other grow. This is great because you will both gain each other’s audience. It will drive sales margins tremendously and exposure levels will be extremely high. You can expect a surge of traffic this way because the other company’s audience would be interested in what you have to offer. The same effect will happen to them with your audience too. Tapping into each other’s audience through a special webinar can be very effective to gain more exposure. Every company involved will go home happy because they’ve gained more potential customers this way. You can promote and get people excited for the webinar through social media outlets for better results. With the right mindset, you will gain exposure, generate leads, and convert those leads into paying customers who love your products and services. It doesn’t matter what kind of business you own because any brand can gain popularity and success using most of these strategies for the betterment of their online presence. It will help you increase sales, satisfy customers, and compete effectively with any of your rivals in the market. Your success can ensure that your brand name will be part of the annals of business history. Not only will traffic be easily generated, but your profits will be through the roof! The post Drive More Traffic to Your Website – Here’s How appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog July 30, 2020 at 10:52AM
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5 Reasons PreVeil’s GCC High Alternative Is Better for DoD Contractors https://ift.tt/335IKS2 All Department of Defense contractors need to ensure that they fall within the security guidelines imposed by the government. One of the most important aspects to this that defense contractors need to comply with is the new CMMC model. Complying with the New CMMC RegulationsThe CMMC, or Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, is a unified standard for helping to implement cybersecurity in a fundamentally safe and secure way. While in the past, contractors were responsible for the implementation, monitoring, and certification of their IT’s security according to NIST SP 800-171 guidelines, contractors will now be required to undergo third-party assessments to ensure CMMC compliance. What does this mean for a DoD contractor? Simply, that you need to have the right help on your side. It’s wise to work alongside a CMMC compliance consultant for that purpose, to ensure that you are following along with the program properly. You also need to make use of a decent security service, and while GCC High has long been a favorite, PreVeil is a strong and much more cost-effective contender. Here’s why PreVeil’s solution is a beneficial alternative to GCC High for DoD contractors: 1. Low Implementation CostOne of the major problems with GCC High is that the cost of implementing and hosting is very high. With PreVeil, these processes are much more cost-effective, allowing your business to get many of the advanced compliance features of GCC High without high rollout costs. In fact, PreVeil is 70% cheaper than Microsoft’s GCC High, mostly because it can be deployed in a matter of hours rather than over a period of six months. This quicker rollout allows your business to save a lot of money right upfront. 2. Enhanced EncryptionWe all know just how important encryption is in data security. You need a way to keep sensitive data in check, and encryption is the first step. PreVeil offers a cloud-based encryption service with end-to-end encryption, allowing DoD contractors to take their IT off-site all while maintaining cybersecurity best practices. PreVeil also meets the NSA’s nine points of guidance for secure collaboration, giving you more peace of mind that your data is well-protected. 3. Great CompatibilityOne of the problems you can have with options like GCC High is that it can struggle to be compatible enough with many of the existing apps that you might need to use and employ day to day in your company. But PreVeil provides great compatibility with existing apps like Gmail, Apple Mail, Outlook, and more, making it simple and cheaper to integrate with your existing software and programs. Because the system stores data on secure servers, it also helps to bypass any on-prem risks. 4. Enhanced Cloud StorageThere are a number of benefits that you are going to get with PreVeil that enhance effeciency. You probably have a need to share data easily across as many places as possible, and having the right software to help you with that is essential. With PreVeil, you have an enhanced cloud storage ability to help you to do just that. Users can access and share documents securely using the PreVeil drive. What’s more, the security of this service beats many other competitors, notably Google Drive and DropBox, as it allows you to set your own encryption and decryption controls. 5. Seamless IntegrationWith protection that goes far beyond passwords, Prevail’s solution is simple to integrate with existing systems. Moreover, combined with compliance services for NIST 800-171/DFARS, FISMA, and GDPR, it offers comprehensive data security to ensure compliance is part of PreVeil’s integration. And it does all this at a much lower cost than the alternatives, especially GCC High. As you can see, there is plenty to love about PreVeil. If you are hoping to remain compliant with CMMC and DFARS regulations but you want to keep your costs down and time management strong, then PreVeil is the way to go. It keeps data safe without the disadvantages associated with GCC High. The post 5 Reasons PreVeil’s GCC High Alternative Is Better for DoD Contractors appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog July 29, 2020 at 05:37PM
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YouTube Verification: How to Get a Grey Checkmark for Your Channel https://ift.tt/336v0qh Getting a YouTube verification badge is massively important for anyone who wants to make money from this video sharing platform. But it’s not easy to get that little grey checkmark (and maintain it). Maybe you’ve already tried to get your YouTube channel verified, and you were rejected. Maybe you earned it, and not long after, you lost it without knowing why. Or maybe you just don’t know where to start. It might take some time, but it’s definitely possible. And it’s worth it. This post will show you exactly what you need to do to become verified on YouTube. First, let’s talk about some basics. Bonus: Download a free guide that reveals the exact steps one creator took to gain more than 23,000,000 views on YouTube with no budget and no expensive gear. What is YouTube verification?A YouTube verification badge is a grey checkmark or a grey music note shown next to the channel name of a YouTube creator or a YouTube artist, respectively. Now, check out your YouTube channel. If you don’t see either of these checkmarks, your channel isn’t verified. This verification badge indicates credibility. It tells the world that your YouTube channel is run by a real human being, an established creator, or an authenticated brand/organization. Two things to keep in mind:
Note: In September 2019, YouTube announced a new design for channel verification. It said a grey background would replace the existing grey checkmark. However, until now, the new badge hasn’t been rolled out. We’ll keep you updated when the change is made. A YouTube verification badge and YouTube account verification: Are they the same?The answer is a loud No! They’re two different things. YouTube account verificationLike other social media platforms, YouTube asks you to verify your account by adding a phone number the first time you create an account. This lets YouTube know you’re a real human, not a bot trying to spam the site. By verifying your account, you’ll be given a facility to upload videos over 15 minutes long, add custom thumbnails, live stream, and appeal content ID claims. That’s a vital step to create a valid channel. Anyone who wants to monetize their YouTube channel should verify their account. YouTube verification badgeWhen it comes to getting a YouTube verification badge, it’s a bit different. And this is what we’re referring to from the beginning to the end of this post. It’s a badge of authenticity, as YouTube said: If a channel is verified, it’s the official channel of a creator, artist, company, or public figure. Verified channels help distinguish official channels from other channels with similar names on YouTube. With a phone number, you can verify your YouTube account in a second. But it takes time and effort to get a verification badge because you need to achieve all the set benchmarks. Keep reading to find out what the benchmarks are. Why get verified on YouTube?On almost all social media platforms, verification gives a profile an additional advantage. It confirms two things; first, the person who owns that account is who they claim to be. Second, and two, the person is serious about sharing social content. You’re considerate towards what you’ll say and how you appear on the network. Any inauthentic tactics to grow views or subscribers will backfire sooner or later. It’s because YouTube no longer verifies a channel solely based on the number of followers. Besides, getting a verification badge helps protect your channel from being confused with other “fake” channels on YouTube. Their channels have the same as yours, but because your channel is verified by YouTube, your followers can find you, and potential audiences can identify you as a trusted brand. Understand YouTube verification requirementsPreviously, if your channel gained over 100,000 subscribers, you could quickly get a verification badge. However, many people think of a YouTube verification badge as a way of content endorsement, not identity. That’s why the platform updated their verification policy. Since October 2019, to get a YouTube verification badge, your channel must meet the following criteria: Source: Google
Is there any shortcut to getting YouTube verification?Spammers or quick-money-makers always try to tell you shortcuts—often “break-the-rules” tricks—that promise immediate wins. You may see these offers everywhere! Be careful with them. Like most easy things, they are too good to be true. After all, you need to comply with all the requirements YouTube has established to get your channel verified. The best way to quickly get a YouTube verification badge is following proven tactics to grow views for your channel and increase your subscribers. Think about these tips:
How to get verified on YouTubeIf you meet the criteria above, take these two simple steps to get a YouTube verification badge: Step 1: Go to Google’s support pageClick on this URL: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/3046484?hl=en, or copy and paste it into your browser. Then, hit Enter. After that, scroll down to the Apply for channel verification section, and you’ll see a text box like this. Notice the Apply now anchor text in the text box. You’ll need to click on it to access the application form. Bonus: Download a free guide that reveals the exact steps one creator took to gain more than 23,000,000 views on YouTube with no budget and no expensive gear. Get the free guide right now!Note: If your channel isn’t eligible, you can’t see the link. Instead, you’ll see a message as below: Step 2: Fill in the formClick Apply Now to access the application form. All you need to do is to fill in the information. To know your Channel ID, sign in your YouTube account > Settings > Advanced settings, and you’ll see it like this: Once you’re finished, just click the submit button, and you’ll see this notification: YouTube will also send you an email for confirmation: Note that you may have to wait some weeks for results. How to stay verified on YouTubeDon’t violate the Terms of ServiceIt’s one thing to get verified on YouTube; it’s another thing to stay verified. Even though you’ve met all the criteria and got a verification badge, YouTube can and will take it away if you then violate their Terms of Service or Community Guidelines. Don’t change your channel nameIf you change your channel name, you lose your badge as well. But you can apply for verification again using the new name. Gaining a Youtube verification badge isn’t as easy as it seems; lots of work is required before you can get it. But as long as you follow YouTube criteria, you should have no trouble achieving that grey checkmark soon. Good luck! Want to grow your YouTube audience so you can quickly reach the 100,000 subscriber milestone? Try Hootsuite for free in 30 days today. Easily schedule and share videos as well as manage and track your performance wherever you are. The post YouTube Verification: How to Get a Grey Checkmark for Your Channel appeared first on Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. Social Media via Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard https://ift.tt/1LdunxE July 29, 2020 at 04:48PM
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The Top Instagram Updates You Need to Know: July 2020 https://ift.tt/3faB4R8 Keep informed with this rundown of Instagram’s latest updates. From new ad formats to Instagram Shop upgrades, Instagram is constantly introducing new features for marketers. But if you don’t know about them, you can’t take advantage of them. Stay in the know so you get ahead of Instagram trends and give your marketing that extra edge. Here are the new Instagram updates for July 2020. Jump back to previous months: Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps a lifestyle photographer used to grow from 0 to 600,000 followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear. Top Instagram updates you need to know in 2020July 2020 Instagram updatesHere are Instagram’s latest updates as of July 2020. Instagram releases Reels in India, following TikTok banOn the heels of the Indian government’s decision to ban TikTok and several other Chinese apps, Instagram released Reels, a 15-second video and audio clip feature, to a broad user group in the country. India is the fourth country to test the TikTok-inspired feature, following Germany, France, and Brazil, where Reels was introduced last November. Source: Instagram TikTok’s departure from the Indian market leaves ripe opportunity for Instagram. India was TikTok’s largest user base outside China, with more than 120 million monthly active users. Part of the reason for the app’s success is that it allows creators to parlay popularity into viable income streams. For now, Reels does not support direct monetization.
Videos already account for one third of all Instagram posts in India. According to Instagram’s VP of Product, Vishal Shah, 45% of all videos posted on the platform are 15 seconds or shorter. The in-app tool lets users record, edit, add audio effects, and share the clips in the feed, stories, and explore tab. An Instagram story posted by fashion influencer Danielle Bernstein (@weworewhat) on July 20 suggests Reels may soon come to the American market, too. In the U.S., which has supplanted India as TikTok’s second largest market, officials have also publicly mulled a ban. Facebook, meanwhile, shuttered its TikTok clone, Lasso, on July 10. Instagram tests a central Shop tabSome users may see the heart icon in the app’s navigation bar swapped for a shopping bag in the near future. As TechCrunch reports, on July 7, Instagram started a small global test that replaces the Activity tab with an Instagram Shop tab. The shortcut makes shopping on Instagram one tap away, versus the two taps currently required to reach Shops from the Explore tab. Activity stays one tap away, too. It just moves up near the Instagram Direct paper airplane icon. Pin comments option now available to everyoneAll users on Instagram can now pin up to three comments to the top of their posts. The feature is intended to help users set and manage the tone of responses to their posts. Comments can be pinned by swiping left and tapping the pin icon. When an account pins someone else’s comment they receive a notification.
Looking for more Instagram hacks? Find our top tips and tricks here. Facebook considers ban on political adsAhead of the U.S. election, sources tell Bloomberg that Facebook is exploring a political ad blackout. The ban would mark a reversal from Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg’s previous stance on the matter. Facebook and Instagram currently allows political advertising on its platforms with limited checks against false claims and misinformation. In June, both platforms gave users the option to “turn off” political ads. A ban on political ads would partially address the recommendations put forward by the Stop Hate For Profit campaign. Close to 400 companies have boycotted advertising on Facebook and Instagram to protest the spread of online hate. Learn more about Instagram advertising. Wear a Mask reminder added to top of the feedIn response to the rise of COVID-19 cases in the United States, Instagram added an alert to the top of the feed that reminds people to wear masks. The reminder includes a link to the Centers for Disease Control website.
Here’s how to use social media for crisis communications. Facebook and Instagram launch a Voting Information CenterOn July 3, voting age residents of the United States received a message at the top of their Instagram and Facebook apps about voter registration. The message links to the state’s registration website, polling locations, early voting options, and more. Instagram now has election day countdown stickers that link to voting information as well. With additional pushes planned before November, Facebook expects to reach 160 million people in the U.S. Source: Facebook June 2020 Instagram updatesThese are the Instagram updates for June 2020 you should know about. Instagram vows to address racial inequalityWith momentum building behind Black Lives Matter, Instagram has pledged to reexamine how its policies, tools, and processes impact Black communities on Instagram. The reexamination will focus on harassment, account verification, distribution, and algorithmic bias. The company also committed to increase the amount of people of color employed in leadership positions to 30% over the next five years.
Instagram also added an “Act for Racial Justice” section to its Donation Sticker options in an effort to make it easier for people to support related organizations.
Read our guide on genuine social media activism. Access to Instagram Shopping expands to more businessesIn June, Instagram introduced Commerce Eligibility Requirements to expand access to Instagram Shopping to more businesses. Under the new requirements, which took effect July 9, any eligible business or creator account in supported markets with a minimum of one eligible product can use Instagram’s shopping tags. To be eligible, product listings need to be available for direct purchase from a verifiable website or Instagram Checkout. Instagram tests a “See All stories” gridMore than 500 million people use Instagram stories every day. The popularity of the format is likely the reason Instagram is exploring ways to bring more visibility to them. Most recently the platform tested a “see all stories” option that takes people to a full grid of stories. Previously the app tested showing two rows of stories at the top of the feed instead of one.
Shoppable product tags spotted in captionsSelect Instagram business accounts have been able to add product tags to the captions of their posts. When tapped, the tag opens onto a shoppable product page. The beta eCommerce feature was spotted by tech reporters Oriol Salvador and Matt Navara.
Instagram Direct and Messenger integration under developmentInstagram and Facebook developers are working to integrate the platforms’ private messaging channels across apps. Early prototypes have shown the option to “Get Messenger on Instagram.” The integration could allow Facebook contacts to connect through Messenger on Instagram. Features from Messenger, including chat colour customization and video chat, will likely carry over as well.
May 2020 Instagram updatesLearn about the new Instagram updates for May. Instagram opens up ShopsBrands and creators now have the ability to open Instagram storefronts showcasing collections and products that can be purchased in-app. People can visit shops from a tab in Instagram profiles, or find them through the feed, explore tab, and stories. The new native shopping experience aims to boost social commerce returns by eliminating the taps between discovery and checkout.
Learn how to set up an Instagram Shop for your business. Live ads and badges add direct revenue streams for creatorsIn late May Instagram announced plans to begin testing a new badges feature. Fans will be able to purchase badges during Instagram Live videos to stand out in the comments, nab a spot on a list of the creator’s badge holders, and earn “a special heart.” Costs for badges range between 99 cents and $4.99. During the test phase, influencers will receive 100% of the revenue they earn.
IGTV ads offer another revenue stream for creators. These ads appear when people click to see the full video after watching the preview. A small group of creators and advertisers will have access to the ad format as Instagram tests different experiences, including on with a skip option. Instagram also expanded access to the Brand Collabs Manager platform so more creators can connect with brands. Shopping comes to Instagram LiveBetween February and March, as stay at home orders were issued worldwide, Instagram Live viewership rose by 70%. To help brands and creators capitalize on larger audiences, Instagram has made it possible to tag and display products in Live videos. The test will begin with businesses and roll out more broadly over the next few months. Source: Facebook Live videos can now be saved to IGTVInstagram Live hosts now have the option to save their live videos to IGTV. Before this option was made available, the live streams expired 24 hours after the initial broadcast. Discover how to use Instagram Live to grow your followers. Instagram rolls out GuidesA new Guides tab has cropped up on the Instagram profiles of select accounts. The format features a collection of curated posts and videos along with headlines and tips that can be added. Each guide can be shared in stories or via direct message and they appear in a devoted section of the explore tab. For now guides are tailored around the theme of wellbeing, though Instagram also launched a guide on racial justice. According to Instagram’s head Adam Mosseri, travel guides were planned as the initial use case prior to the pandemic.
Anti-bullying comment and tag controls addedIn a bid to address bullying on the platform, Instagram has made it easier for people to remove negative comments and control who can tag them. Accounts now have the option to delete comments in bulk—a feature most useful for high engagement profiles or accounts targeted by trolls. To combat the malicious use of tags and mentions, account holders can limit tagging permissions to everyone, people they follow, or no one.
Giphy joins the Instagram familyIn a deal worth a reported $400 million, Facebook has acquired GIF website Giphy with plans to further integrate the site across its apps. The acquisition was motivated, in large part, by the popularity of GIFs on Instagram. According to Facebook, Instagram accounts for 25% of Giphy’s traffic. “By bringing Instagram and Giphy together, we can make it easier for people to find the perfect GIFs and stickers in Stories and Direct,” reads the press release. Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps a lifestyle photographer used to grow from 0 to 600,000 followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear. Get the free guide right now!
Creators can now build AR effects with musicThe effects gallery for Instagram stories is about to get more musical. The latest upgrade to Spark AR, Instagram’s augmented reality platform, streamlines the AR creation process and now includes the option to add audio effects. Beyond sound, another new capability makes it possible to create AR effects that alter photos and videos from the camera roll. Source: Instagram April 2020 Instagram updatesInstagram story updates and more from April 2020. Gift card, food order, and donation tools added for small businessesTo help small businesses shoulder the economic impact of the pandemic, Instagram released a series of features for business and creator accounts. After setting-up their accounts with select partners, businesses can add “Gift Card” and “Food Order” stickers to Instagram stories. Businesses can also add these options as buttons to their profiles, in addition to a “Donate” button.
Learn how to use Instagram Stories to build your audience. Live fundraisers launch with donation buttonInstagram Live hosts can now add a donate button to the bottom of their video to raise money for nonprofits. Hosts can keep track of donations and virtually “wave” at supporters to offer thanks. When someone donates, they receive special access to an “I Donated” sticker for a limited period. All of the proceeds earned by Live fundraisers go directly to the chosen nonprofit.
Steps taken to improve transparency of high-reach accountsFacebook and Instagram are now piloting a feature that shows the location of high-reach pages and accounts. For now, the pilot will focus on accounts located outside of the U.S. but reach a large U.S. audience. The company is also looking at bringing transparency to more places, including Instagram profiles.
IGTV app gets a redesignThe homepage of Instagram’s standalone IGTV app has been redesigned to put creators in the spotlight, the company told The Verge. Among the changes, the app will also have a new Discover tab that takes a page from TikTok’s playbook by serving content from a variety of creators (whether or not you follow them). On Instagram, IGTV videos shared to Instagram Stories now play a 15-second preview instead of displaying a static thumbnail.
Check out our complete guide for IGTV. Instagram Direct comes to desktopInstagram users can now read and reply to direct messages from desktop browsers. Source: Instagram March 2020 Instagram updatesMost of the new Instagram updates in March were released in response to the global pandemic. COVID-19 Information Centre launched to halt misinformationAs the coronavirus pandemic spreads worldwide, Instagram and Facebook have announced the steps they are taking to prevent the spread of misinformation. In addition to the information centre, which contains updates and tips from global and local health organizations, the company plans to remove “known harmful misinformation” related to COVID-19. Misleading content will be reviewed by partners, and exploitative ads will be banned.
When someone searches or taps related keywords or hashtags, they are connected to accounts and resources of global and local health authorities. Some hashtags and COVID-related AI effects will be blocked and restricted altogether.
Learn how to use hashtags on Instagram to get results. Stay Home and Thanks Health Heroes stickers addedTo show gratitude to healthcare workers and promote physical distancing, Instagram added a Stay Home and Thanks Health Hero sticker to the stories gallery. When the sticker is used, the story is added to a shared Instagram story as well.
Instagram pilots IGTV ads and monetization for creatorsInstagram has confirmed that it started testing in-stream ads on IGTV, its long-form video channel, with a small group of creators. As Bloomberg reports, creators will earn 55% of ad revenue, which matches YouTube’s rates. These ads introduce a direct monetization stream for Instagram creators as competition between platforms heats up. Instagram continues to actively encourage IGTV video creation on its @creators account. February 2020 Instagram updatesHere are the key updates on Instagram in February. New Following categories introducedFollowing and follower lists now organizing accounts into different categories. Under the Following list, people can now see the 50 accounts that are most shown in their feed and the 50 accounts they interact with least. The full list of followers can also be sorted by latest or earliest. Categories in the Follower tab now include “Accounts you don’t follow back” and the 50 “Least interacted with” accounts. Support and appeals tools added to stem harassmentOn Safer Internet Day, Instagram introduced new tools to make it easier for people to track and appeal issues. People who report content and accounts will have access to Support Requests, where they can monitor the status of reports and request additional reviews. Accounts that have been disabled will be now able to appeal the decision in the app, rather than through the Help Centre. Source: Instagram Instagram launches @InstagramComms on TwitterInstagram has launched a new Twitter account (@InstagramComms) for news, product updates, and more. The company’s primary Twitter account will remain focussed on community stories, content, partnerships, and events.
January 2020 Instagram updatesInstagram updates in January included several new business tools. Growth metrics added to Instagram InsightsBusiness and creator accounts can now better track follower growth from the Instagram Insights dashboard. The new section displays audience growth over seven days in a bar chart and tallies follows and unfollows over selected time frames. This update also lets accounts can also see which posts and stories are generating the most followers. Another feature added to the Activity tab aggregates the stories that have mentioned your account over the past 24 hours. Want more followers on Instagram? Here are a few tips that actually work. Age gating options now availableInstagram has introduced age-gating features to allow business and creator accounts to control who can see their profiles. Accounts can elect to set a default minimum age, or vary age limits by country. In December, Instagram started asking people to submit their birthday when creating accounts, and pledged to provide age-appropriate experiences on the app. Secondary inbox tab created for businessesDirect messages businesses receive on Instagram can now be organized with primary and general tabs. The two-tab system is designed to separate low and high priority messages. All messages initially appear in the primary tab, but less urgent messages can be moved to general. Message requests from accounts you do not follow will also appear in the inbox, and can be sorted by All Requests or Top Requests. Just getting started on Instagram? Learn how to use Instagram for business. Manage your Instagram presence alongside your other social channels and save time using Hootsuite. From a single dashboard, you can schedule and publish posts, engage the audience, and measure performance. Try it free today. The post The Top Instagram Updates You Need to Know: July 2020 appeared first on Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. Social Media via Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard https://ift.tt/1LdunxE July 29, 2020 at 04:27PM
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Best Time Clock Software https://ift.tt/3jN0EiF Traditional punch cards and paper timesheets have become a thing of the past. Like the vast majority of other business and HR functions, logging employee hours have gone digital. Time clock software makes it easier for employers to track and manage how long their staff works every day. Your employees will enjoy the benefits of a digital time clock as well. In addition to the standard clock-in and clock-out functions, time clock software provides features like employee scheduling and PTO management. Time clock software resolves issues related to time-tracking for remote employees, field service workers, and other industry-specific use cases. Plus, your bookkeeper or HR staff won’t have to manually add up hours on time cards anymore—which can lead to human error and pay discrepancies. Overall, time clock software improves HR inefficiencies and simplifies time tracking. The Top 8 Best Time Clock SoftwareThis guide contains in-depth reviews on the eight best time clock software solutions on the market today. We’ll cover the features, benefits, pricing, use cases, and potential drawbacks of each software on the list. #1 – OnTheClock — Best Overall Time Clock Software• Free for 2 employees OnTheClock is our top recommendation in this category. It’s a web-based time clock software, so you and your staff can access it from anywhere. More than 9,000 companies trust OnTheClock for tracking employee hours and managing compliance. Getting started is simple. Just open an account, and onboard your employees. Once your staff has received an invitation to join, they can start using the time clock right away from any approved device. OnTheClock seamlessly integrates with payroll software like Paychex, ADP, Gusto, Sage, QuickBooks, and more. This allows you to accurately run payroll without having to worry about human error entering numbers. You’ll also have the ability to leverage a GPS employee time clock. This allows you to hold remote employees accountable for their actual location. Use this feature to set up geo-fenced locations to be sure your staff is actually at work when they punch in or out. The software also lets you manage PTO hours, scheduling, alerts, employee reminders, and more. Pricing is based on the number of employees. It’s free for up to two employees. Paid plans start at $2.50 per employee for businesses with ten or fewer staff members. The more employees you have, the lower your per employee rate will be. OnTheClock offers discounts for government organizations, educational institutions, churches, and nonprofits. Try it free for 30 days. #2 – Homebase — Best Free Time Clock Software• Free for unlimited employees Homebase is one of the most feature-rich time clock solutions on the market today. It’s trusted by 100,000+ businesses large and small across industries like retail, food and beverage, health and beauty, professional services, and more. The best part about Homebase? The software is 100%. Some of the top features and benefits of Homebase’s time clock software include:
In addition to time clock software, Homebase offers tools for job postings, application tracking, and employee scheduling—all for free. Advanced features like health and safety screening, remote and field work management, time-off policies, employee onboarding, and e-signatures require a paid plan:
Try any paid plan free for 14 days; no credit card required. #3 – ClockInEasy — Best Simple Time Clock Software• $4 per employee ClockInEasy is a cloud-based employee time clock solution. The software can be accessed via mobile app, web browser, or tablet devices. I like ClockInEasy because it’s so simple. You’ll benefit from basic and advanced features without feeling overwhelmed. You can track employee hours to the very minute to streamline your digital timesheets. With TimeClockEasy, you’ll benefit from features like:
The software makes it easy for you to configure things like custom overtime rules, time-off, rounding, and more. Turn any tablet device into an on-site punch clock for in-person attendance with unique employee PINs. TimeClockEasy is free forever for managing one employee. It costs $4 per month for small to medium businesses with up to 99 employees. For 100+ users, contact TimeClockEasy for enterprise pricing. Try it free for 14 days. #4 – Time Clock Wizard — Best Unlimited Users Plan• Free for unlimited users Time Clock Wizard is trusted by 100,000+ businesses of all shapes and sizes. It’s used by more than one million employees and has tracked over 300 million hours. Well-known brands like Allstate, Hallmark, Mercedes Benz, T-Mobile, and Century 21 use Time Clock Wizard for tracking employee hours. The software has an outstanding dashboard with user permissions for every level, including employees and administrators. It’s an all-in-one solution for time tracking, employee scheduling, task management, and payroll reporting. Top features of Time Clock Wizard include:
Time Clock Wizard does offer a free plan for unlimited users. However, the plan is extremely basic and doesn’t even come with the ability to access the software via mobile apps. Here’s a quick look at paid plans from Time Clock Wizard:
The Value and Enterprise plans both support unlimited users, whereas the Pro plan accommodates up to 50 users. If you’re on a tight budget, the Value plan offers everything you need for basic time clock management. But you’ll need to choose a higher tier for features like GPS, time-off management, payroll reporting, and employee scheduling. Try Time Clock Wizard free for 14 days. #5 – TimeClockPlus — Best Time Clock Software For Large Employers• Starts at $2.50 TimeClockPlus is an all-in-one time and attendance system. In addition to time clocks and time clock software, the platform has features for workforce scheduling and absence management. It’s an excellent solution for larger organizations that need to manage employees at scale across multiple locations. If you’re in the market for physical time clock devices combined with time clock software, TimeClockPlus will be a top choice for you to consider. You’ll benefit from in-depth reports and at-a-glance visuals to help you gain a better understanding of your workforce. This time clock software is fully customizable to meet the unique needs of every organization. It supports end-to-end time and attendance workflows. Use TimeClockPlus for features like:
TimeClockPlus integrates with 300+ third-party tools for payroll, ERP, and HCM systems, including ADP, Oracle, Namely, Paychex, QuickBooks, and more. The software starts at $2.50 per employee per month, which comes with all of the time and attendance essentials. For workforce management, scheduling, and payroll export, plans start at $5 per employee per month. Get two months free with annual billing. #6 – ClockShark — Best Time Clock Software For Field Service Employees• $3 per employee ClockShark is unique compared to some of the other solutions on our list. This software is designed specifically for construction and field service industries that are making the switch from paper timesheets. With ClockShark, you’ll be able to automate time tracking on job sites with GPS technology and custom geofencing capabilities. Set up clock out questions for back-office purposes related to things like expense reimbursement, breaks, injuries, and more. Keep track of your mobile workforce and field service crews as they are constantly on the go to different sites. You’ll have a complete map view of where everyone is at all times to hold employees accountable while improving daily route operations. Other top features of ClockShark include:
ClockShark is great for franchises managing employees, multiple locations, and job sites in different areas. There are three different plans for you to choose from:
Get two months free when you sign up for an annual contract. Try any ClockShark plan free for 14 days to test it out. #7 – uAttend — Best Time Clock Software For Small Business• Starts at $20 If you’re looking for a simple cloud-based time clock software, uAttend should be at the top of your list. The solution is perfect for small businesses seeking an all-in-one solution for scheduling and time management. In addition to the cloud software, you can also get physical time clocks from uAttend for in-person time tracking. Top features and benefits of uAttend’s time clock software include:
You and your employees can access the software from anywhere via the web or from the iOS and Android mobile apps. It’s easy to set up and onboard your staff as well. Pricing is based on the number of employees you have. The rates are affordable for small businesses:
Request a free demo to get started. #8 – 7shifts — Best Time Clock Software For Restaurants• Free for 10 employees 7shifts is another industry-specific time clock solution. This software is made specifically for restaurants. Trusted by 300,000+ restaurants worldwide, 7shifts one of the most popular solutions for employee scheduling in the foodservice industry. While the shift-scheduling aspect of this software is its primary focus, 7shifts also has time clock functionalities. With 7shifts, your restaurant will benefit from features like:
You’ll also get to use all of the employee scheduling and team communication tools that 7shifts is known for. From managing team-wide announcements to shift feedback and KPI tracking, 7shifts has it all. Here’s a look at the 7shifts plans and pricing:
The Appetizer plan supports up to 20 employees. Unlimited employees begin at the Entrée level. You can try 7shifts free for 60 days. How to Find the Best Time Clock Software For YouFinding the best time clock software for your business can be challenging if you don’t know what to look for. I’ll explain the methodology that we used to pick the winners in this guide. Every time clock software will have basic features for onboarding employees, clock-ins, clock-outs, and admin controls. But you should also keep an eye on the following: Mobile AccessThe best time clock software will offer mobile app access for iOS and Android. Employees, managers, and owners alike can use the app for punching in, punching out, managing requests, and tracking hours, and more. Don’t assume that every time clock software comes with an app. There are some free solutions out there that don’t offer app access. So in some instances, you’ll need to upgrade to a certain plan to use the mobile app features. Apps make clock-ins and clock-outs much more convenient for everyone. GPS and GeofencingWithout GPS and geofencing technology, employees could theoretically clock-in from anywhere, even if they aren’t at work. These features are crucial for field-service industries and managing a mobile workforce. How will you know if a contractor or field-service worker is actually on a job site when they punch in? By drawing a custom geofence around that location, punch-ins and punch-outs will only work if an employee enters that area. So someone can’t be sitting on their couch claiming they’re at work. IntegrationsMake sure the software you choose integrates with other tools that you’re already using—specifically for payroll, HR, and point-of-sales. If the software doesn’t sync with your payroll solution, you’ll have to manually enter the data associated with the hours tracked. This process is tedious and susceptible to errors. Some businesses want their employees to clock in at the POS system. If you fall into that category, make sure the software is compatible with whatever you’re using. Employee SchedulingEmployee scheduling goes hand in hand with time tracking. Time clock software allows you and your staff to manage all of this from a single source of truth. Some solutions will alert employees about shifts. As the owner or manager, you can get notifications related to overtime. Scheduling features can help you remain compliant with labor laws and even prevent unauthorized clock-ins. So this is definitely a feature that you should be looking for. ConclusionWhat’s the best time clock software? We recommend OnTheClock. Its features, benefits, pricing, and use cases make it the most versatile solution on our list. But that’s not the only option to consider. For free time clock software, use Homebase. ClockInEasy and Time Clock Wizard are both ideal for those of you who prioritize simplicity. TimeClockPlus is the best option for large businesses, and uAttend is our top pick for small businesses. We recommend 7shifts for restaurants and ClockShark for field service industries. Regardless of your business size and industry, the best time clock software for you can be found on our list. Social Media via Quick Sprout https://ift.tt/UU7LJr July 29, 2020 at 11:05AM
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Understanding what customers value https://ift.tt/2EwCnx1 Value is the name of the game in any market, but how do you define it? You might say, “That’s simple! A customer that values a good smelling home places value in a candle.” While that’s true, it’s only a small fraction of the equation. Put yourself in the shoes of that customer for a moment. If 20 companies are trying to sell you candles, what makes one more valuable than the next? This concept is one that puzzles even the best businesses and marketers. Here’s how you can better understand customer value and build success in your market. Defining ValueIn the business world, value equals worth. Heading back to the candle example, how much worth does a potential buyer place in any given candle? Whatever product or service you’re selling, you have to decide why making a purchase is worthwhile to the consumer. While a candle will certainly make the buyer’s home smell better, there are other values at play that can derive a higher worth. Each of these values is what the customer gets in exchange for the price they pay. In this example, those would include:
All of these add value to the product, and that value does not change for the consumer. What does change is the price. Raising or lowering the cost only changes the buyer’s incentive to take you up on your market offering. So, the challenge is to ensure the cost to the consumer does not exceed the product’s value. Customer Value ModelsSince each potential customer places a different level of value on any given item, including candles, it can be difficult to tell where that value lies. The best approach is a field value assessment, but that’s rarely a possibility. Luckily, there are plenty of other tools at your disposal. You could utilize direct and indirect survey questions, gaining valuable insight into where customers place worth. There’s also conjoint analysis and focus groups to better understand the perception of your product’s functionality and performance. While all of the above can help you determine worth and adjust price accordingly, you also live in the modern age. The internet is ripe with customer value management tools that can help you make better use of your surveys and assessments while organizing the information you need in an easier-to-understand way. These tools can also provide better insights, allowing you to leverage that information throughout your organization as you empower everyone from product managers to your sales teams and value engineers. Several also offer case study builders, which are an excellent way to boost value and therefore increase shelf price. The Bottom LineValue is relative, but it exists in the minds of every consumer within your market. By understanding and building worth within your product, as well as creating customer value models, you can determine the best price-to-value ratio. While it is a complex science, there are tools to help you pave a clear path to victory. The post Understanding what customers value appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog July 29, 2020 at 09:30AM How the TikTok Algorithm Works in 2020 (And How to Work With It) https://ift.tt/3hHEiwQ Users spend an average of 46 minutes on TikTok daily. But the question is: how can you get your videos to catch your audience’s attention during that time? While there’s no magic recipe, coming to grips with the TikTok algorithm can help you work with it and improve your odds of success. So what are you waiting for? Let’s explore the various ranking factors at play and how you can leverage them to get your content to rank on the sixth largest global social network. Let’s get to it. Bonus: Want to know how a viral social video creator makes millions of dollars in sales? Download the free guide now. How the TikTok algorithm worksFor a long time, TikTok remained mum about how it ranked content. Influencers and others who succeeded in getting their content onto the For You page offered some guesswork that gave a rough framework to follow. Ultimately, those were all darts thrown in the dark. Fortunately, TikTok has recently lifted the veil, highlighting the major ranking factors that run the show. Each of these are explained below in order of their importance: 1. User interactionMuch like Instagram’s algorithm, the TikTok algorithm serves users posts they engage with. If there’s a specific account they interact with a lot, they’re more likely to see content from it. It’s the same with the videos they tend to like and share most often. The strongest ranking indicator in this category, however, is the video completion rate. This means if users watch a video in full, it’s more likely to be pushed for further distribution to other feeds than the one that viewers scrolled past or watched for a second or two. For creators and businesses, this means making videos that hold viewers’ attention till the end is the key to making it to the For You page, TikTok’s version of Instagram’s Explore page. 2. Video informationAgain, the algorithm is more likely to push content that a user explores. So, for instance, if users often search for a particular hashtag or enjoy content with a specific sound bite, they’re more likely to see videos with the same hashtag and sound. This explains why you see more of #ohnanachallenge videos in your For You page if you’ve watched some videos with the hashtag recently and are obsessed with it like I am (anyone?). 3. Account or device settingLastly, users’ location, language preference, and device type also play a role as these optimize the watching experience. However, they don’t have as much weight as other ranking signals. In other words, TikTok allows you to reach a global audience—but it’s also going to show users videos created by people in their area. But the question remains: how do new TikTok accounts go viral? You see, TikTok shows all videos, irrespective of who posts them, to its interested users. So when a video is posted:
All this explains why the For You pages feature a combination of highly engaged videos and videos that barely have any views. The TikTok algorithm doesn’t explicitly give preference to follower count as a ranking signal. Sure, people with high follower counts get more video views and engagement due to their large followings, but this doesn’t mean new accounts don’t stand a chance. 11 tips for working with the TikTok algorithm1. Create short, 15-second long videosTikTok lets you create 15- and 60-second long videos. However, you’re more likely to get your audience to watch bite-sized, engaging videos for longer (or, fingers crossed, in full) than minute long ones. Naturally, this boosts your video completion rate, the strongest TikTok algorithm ranking factor.. 2. Create video content that engages viewers from the startWork on your video’s opening. Unnecessarily long intros are a buzzkill. So, introduce a hook into your video within three seconds so viewers don’t yawn and scroll past it. One good way to trim the fluff in your opening is to cut out the beginning section of every intro you shoot until you get the hook right.
3. Add an engaging captionTikTok beats tweets to writing short captions. One thing is for sure though – you need to be compelling despite having a 150-character limit (including any hashtags you add). An engaging caption can go a long way in encouraging your audience to watch your video, even till the end. How? Stir curiosity by saying something along the lines of ‘you’ve got to watch this till the end’ or ‘it took me X attempts to get the end right.’ Question-based captions help as well. These encourage viewers to leave comments on your content – another “engagement” ranking factor to play along with.
4. Pay attention to each video you createTikTok shows all videos, irrespective of the creator’s follower count, to a set of potentially interested users. So, you don’t have to build an audience first (as is the norm these days) and get video views second. Put another way, so long as your content is good, it’ll pick up steam in the algorithm. So, don’t lose heart if a couple of your initial videos haven’t done well on TikTok. Chances are, you’ll end up creating a video that the audience loves. 5. Create high-quality videos that are well-editedIf you already haven’t given up on grainy, poor quality videos, you should now. Remember video completion is the name of the game on TikTok. And good video quality ensures more video views. TikTok is also the network that rewards good editing skills. So, make the most of TikTok’s video editing features including available filters, stickers, effects, templates, and other editing options. Check out Jason Derulo smartly using stickers in his video for some inspiration:
6. Post when your audience is active and most engagedWhile this is obvious for most social platforms, it’s particularly important for TikTok. Active users’ engagement with your content tells the recommendation system to push your video. Bonus: Want to know how a viral social video creator makes millions of dollars in sales? Download the free guide now. Get the free social video guide now!Get a TikTok Pro Account (it’s free) to fetch data on your followers’ most active times under Follower activity in the Follower Tab section. Then, post when your analytics shows your followers are most likely to be online. 7. Engage with other TikTokersLeaving comments and engaging with others’ content encourages them to return your comments and shares. There’s a science to this as well, summed up under the law of reciprocity, which states that when person A does something nice for person B (in this case, leaving comments), person B feels an urge to return the favor (i.e. comment back and perhaps more). Getting comments and shares on your videos means the TikTok algorithm will be more likely to pick them up. 8. Use the correct hashtagsTwo types of hashtags can help you grow on TikTok: For You page hashtagsThis includes #fyp, #foryou, and #foryoupage just as Chipotle does:
While there’s no guarantee these hashtags will get you ranking (since the tag is very crowded), it doesn’t hurt to add one. Trending hashtagsWhen something starts trending, more and more people flock toward it. And if you create truly awesome videos for trending hashtags, you’re likely to attract a sizeable part of the crowd to your content Go on to look up trending hashtags in the Discover Tab of your account to add your creative twist to the hashtags. Here’s Jade Darmawangsa doing the same for the #voguechallenge:
9. Join hashtag challengesOver at TikTok, hashtag challenges are all the rage. In fact, they’re a good way to come up with new ideas for content. People enjoy consuming videos made for hashtag challenges, keeping an eye out for those who add a unique creative spin to the challenge. Others, who plan to create a video for the challenge, view videos under the tag for inspiration. Either way, participating in a hashtag challenge is an excellent way to grow your video views and gain favor with the algorithm. Find the prevailing hashtag challenges from the Discover tab. 10. Use trending sounds and music in your videosJust as hashtags trend, sounds also ride the popularity wave on TikTok. This means creating videos to these trending sounds can help you tap into the algorithm further. Take a look at Falafel Kimchi using the trending Banana sound:
The question now is, how can you tell which sound or song is trending today? The answer isn’t as straightforward as finding trending hashtags. You’ll need to open your video editor and click Sounds on the top. Scroll down to find trending sounds. You can also gather trending sounds from your TikTok Pro Account. Spot what your followers have been listening to in the last seven days under the Follower tabs. 11. Make sure people can interact with your contentIf you already didn’t know, here’s something really smart about TikTok: it makes downloading videos and cross promoting them on other platforms a piece of cake. Enabling your download option lets people share your content on other social channels. You’d be surprised by the number of TikTokers I’ve followed that I discovered on Twitter. What’s more, keep your duet option open. Duets are videos a TikTok user creates alongside another creator’s original video. Like here:
If your video is exceptional and people play along by creating duet videos, you can bump your chances of getting noticed on TikTok. Want more people to duet with you? Consider adding the #duetwithme hashtag to your caption. Ultimately, there is no way to “hack” the TikTok algorithm. But by using the tips above, and by creating quality content that resonates with your audience, you’ll give your videos a greater chance to be seen by more people. The post How the TikTok Algorithm Works in 2020 (And How to Work With It) appeared first on Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. Social Media via Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard https://ift.tt/1LdunxE July 29, 2020 at 08:31AM
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4 Ways to Get in Front of More People on Instagram https://ift.tt/3061DCC Want more people to learn about you on Instagram? Looking for ideas to expand your Instagram reach? In this article, you’ll find four ways to reach a wider audience on Instagram. #1: Bring a Guest on Your Instagram Live Video to Reach Their Audience Instagram Live video gives you an opportunity to show your followers […] The post 4 Ways to Get in Front of More People on Instagram appeared first on Social Media Examiner | Social Media Marketing. Social Media via Social Media Examiner | Social Media Marketing https://ift.tt/1LtH18p July 29, 2020 at 05:03AM eLearning Is the New Reality for Social Media Training in 2020 https://ift.tt/3jQuzWY Social media companies rely on individuals with unique skill sets that didn’t exist over a decade ago. Even experienced offline marketers struggle to navigate the challenges of social media marketing. Marketing agencies need to make sure that their employees are properly trained. In the past, agencies often trained their employees in a traditional office setting, despite the availability of technology that enabled remote working. The COVID-19 virus has forced them to transition towards remote learning and working. There are signs that this is going to be a permanent shift for social media companies all over the world. Social Media Companies Will Train their Workers Remotely for the Foreseeable FutureFor many people, two of the most obvious signs of COVID has been the shutting kindergartens and schools, colleges and universities and the halting of face-to-face training for businesses and companies. This closing of places of learning and training facilities has led to a paradigm mass-shift in the methodologies used for education and professional development. This hasn’t affected social media agencies as much as other companies, but they have been impacted to some degree. Some of them still relied heavily on an in-person workplace, which created a new dynamic when the illness hit. They have adjusted well and are seeing the potential of a workplace that relies more on eLearning. This can change the future for social media training, but there are still some kinks to work out. After all, even though much of the world has implemented social distancing, the need for education has not stopped and staff still need to build their skills and abilities. This includes workplaces that need to train their employees to handle complex tasks such as social media marketing. To fill this need, e-learning has been rolling out on a scale as never before seen. What is e-Learning? For the average person, e-Learning can mean ‘leaning done by studying at home by using computers and courses provided on the internet’ or for any learning where the content is delivered through electronic means. But while both these are true, they do not give the whole picture. E-Learning, as a separate definition describes it, is: ‘a learning system based on formalized teaching but with the help of electronic resources… While teaching can be based in or out of the classrooms, the use of computers and the Internet forms the major component of E-learning. E-learning can also be termed as a network enabled transfer of skills and knowledge [where] the delivery of education is made to a large number of recipients at the same or different times’. E-learning is a structured learning process and can be made up of many different types of content – online lectures, audio recordings, simulations, videos, quizzes, activities, even games. It can be delivered via web browser interface or through e-learning solutions, such as apps. The Association for Talent Development states that e-Learning falls into two categories, asynchronous and synchronous:
The ATD states that there are multiple benefits that can be gained from e-Learning when compared to more traditional methods. It breaks these down as follows:
The growth in e-Learning E-Learning is not new – it has been growing in popularity since the early 2000s, notably with the development of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). But because of the requirements for physical distancing since the start of COVID, the extent of e-Learning provision has increased substantially. Educational establishments have had to shift their entire teaching curriculums online, requiring the rapid development and deployment of e-learning solutions. This has not just taken place in Europe and North America: globally, more and more courses are now offering using e-Learning or, at the least, incorporating e-Learning elements, with universities from Namibia to Jordan all using e-learning. But how does the development of e-Learning take place? E-Learning Development Services One of the results of the expansion of e-Learning – not just in the last few months but over the past decade – has been an increase in the professionalism of both the platforms used and the content offered. As with many aspects of online content and delivery, the creation of e-Learning solutions – whether this is related to the need to put together specific content or create an e-learning app – is often best done by firms that are specialists in e-Learning application development and the provision of e-Learning development services. These firms work closely with the subject matter specialists (normally the customer who wants a particular project created) to produce a software package that can offer the content to the desired audience in the required manner. There are many aspects that need to be considered when doing this, for example: what is the content that needs to be conveyed? Are there pre-existing platforms that need to be incorporated? What is the likely user hardware and software profile? What is the state of the telecoms network that the target user will have to make use of? What is the praxeology of the course? Which languages does the content need to be offered in? A specialist e-Learning solutions firm is able to take the answers to these and other questions and create an e-Learning app that precisely meets the needs of the client and user. With the expansion and growth of e-Learning solutions around the world, ensuring the delivery of high-quality content is essential for educational and professional development providers. Social Media Companies Will Continue to Train their Employees Remotely in 2020The government lockdown has led many companies to train their employees remotely. Social media companies are no exception. In fact, they are among the companies leading this trend. This trend is proving to be successful, so it will likely continue long after the COVID-19 crisis comes to an end. The post eLearning Is the New Reality for Social Media Training in 2020 appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog July 28, 2020 at 06:40PM
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Best Standing Desks https://ift.tt/334r9tQ Any doctor or chiropractor can tell you dozens of reasons why sitting for prolonged periods of time is terrible for your health. From general muscle and joint pain to chronic diseases, the short-term and long-term effects of sitting at a desk all day are alarming, to say the least. That’s why so many people are switching to standing desks. Corporations are buying adjustable height desks for their employees at work, and people are even using standing desks while working from home. Anyone who works from a desk can benefit from the option to stand while working. Even if you’re only at a desk part-time for sending emails or joining a conference call, a standing desk can still be worth the investment. Do you suffer from back pain? Neck pain? Joint pain? A standing desk can help elevate some of those conditions. The Top 8 Best Standing Desks
There are thousands of standing desks on the market. But after completing a vigorous research process, I’ve narrowed down eight that I can confidently recommend for various use cases. #1 – UPLIFT V2 — Best Overall Standing Desk• Starts at $589 In terms of quality, features, price, and functionality, the UPLIFT V2 standing desk ranks first on our list. It has a 4.9/5-star rating, with more than 5,200 verified customer reviews. With the help of a certified professional ergonomist and furniture design experts, UPLIFT was able to build the perfect standing desk for home or office use. The UPLIFT V2 standing desk is available in a wide range of styles, colors, materials, and finishes. The 18 different options range from bamboo to solid wood and laminate. Some of the top features of the desk include: Free under-desk wire management kit
The desk comes in a wide range of sizes as small as 42” x 30” and as large as 80” x 30”. Choose your frame type, grommets, and keypad based on your preferences. Then add accessories like lighting, standing mats, drawers, keyboard trays, storage, and dozens of other options. There are actually two different versions of the desk—UPLIFT V2 and UPLIFT V2 Commercial. The standard version starts at $589, and the commercial desk starts at $649. The UPLIFT V2 standing desk comes with a 7-year warranty and a 30-day free trial. It ships for free in 3-5 business days, and it’s easy to assemble. #2 – Fully Jarvis Bamboo — Best Customizable Standing Desk• Starts at $519 If you’re looking for complete design control, the Jarvis Bamboo standing desk from Fully will be a top choice for you to consider. The desk has a 4.8/5-star rating with 2,100+ customer reviews. The bamboo is UV-cured and finished with a water-based polyurethane coating to preserve its natural look. Fully made the Jarvis standing desk model with a 350-pound load capacity. This adjustable-height standing desk tops out at 50” and goes low enough to sit on the floor. As previously mentioned, the custom design capabilities make the Fully Jarvis stand out from the crowd. Here’s a quick overview of the different components you can customize.
There are five different sizes for you to choose from, ranging from 42” x 24” to 78” x 30”. For those of you who don’t want a standard rectangle desk, select the contour shape option. Fully has a wide range of accessories and extras like anti-fatigue mats, balance boards, space savers, monitor arms, chairs, hooks, side tables, desk bottle openers, and more. The Fully Jarvis Bamboo standing desk starts at $519. Fully offers free shipping and 30-day free returns. #3 – Evodesk Gaming Desk — Best Standing Desk For Gamers• Starts at $699 As the name implies, the Evodesk Gaming Desk is made for gamers. Everything about this standing desk is designed to provide the ultimate gaming experience. The Evodesk Gaming Desk is highly customizable. There are 8,000+ unique combinations, so you can personalize the standing desk to fit your unique gaming style and needs. With 250 different height positions, the standing desk is fully adjustable. The powered adjustment moves up and down at 1.5 inches per second. This gives you the ability to quickly switch between standing and sitting with ease. Choose between a 48-inch desktop, 60-inch desktop, or studio-style L-shape desktop. You can get the desk pre-configured with single monitor arms, dual monitor arms, or even a quad monitor arm system. Other top features and highlights of the standing gaming desk from Evodesk include:
The Evodesk Gaming Desk starts at $699 and comes with a five-year warranty. Add-ons and accessories can quickly drive up the price. So just keep that in mind as you’re personalizing the desk. For example, you can add-on a full treadmill system that costs more than the initial starting price. #4 – Readydesk — Best For Standing Desk Converters• Starts at $149.99 Readydesk gives you the ability to turn any desk into a standing desk. If you don’t want to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a fully built standing desk, the standing desk converters from Readydesk will be a cost-effective alternative to consider. Readydesk has converters for laptops and desktops. They even have models that are large enough to support dual monitors. Whether you’re working from home or at the office, you can turn your existing work station into a standing desk with one of Readydesk’s converters. The Readydesk 2 Standing Desk converter costs $149.99. It weighs just 14.9 pounds, so it’s easy to transport and assemble; no tools required. You’ll also benefit from free shipping and 100-day free returns. If you’re really on a tight budget, consider the Readydesk Allstand—a laptop standing desk riser shelf for $54.99. This small, 4-pound laptop accessory makes it easy to turn countertops or kitchen tables into a standing work environment. #5 – ApexDesk Elite — Best Standing Desk For Multiple Monitors• Starts at $599.99 The ApexDesk Elite series is an electric adjustable height standing desk. It has an ergonomically curved top that’s large enough to fit multiple monitors. There are two different sizes for you to choose from—71” x 33” or 60” x 28”. The 71-inch model is one of the largest desks that we’ve seen during our research. The desk is made with an industrial-grade steel frame that can support up to 225 pounds. You’ll also benefit from a six-button programmable controller with four different customizable presets for varying desk heights. This feature makes it easy to switch between sitting and standing throughout the day. Expect to spend about an hour assembling the ApexDesk elite. You won’t have as many customizable feature options compared to some of the other standing desks on our list. But it’s an affordable price for such a big desk. Starting at $599.99, the ApexDesk Elite is perfect for anyone who wants a large standing desk. ApexDesk offers free shipping as well. #6 – Vari — Best Variety of Standing Desks• Standing desks from $550 Formerly Varidesk, Vari is an industry leader in the standing desk space. They have a wide selection of standing desks for both home and office use. In addition to desks, Vari has office furniture and accessories for office storage, seating, privacy walls, and more. They sell tables, classroom desks, and desktop converters as well. Overall, Vari has everything you could possibly need for an active work station. It’s a popular choice for modern office environments. Choose electric adjustable standing desks or manual adjustable standing desks. Vari offers different sizes, price points, colors, styles, and more. Here’s a quick overview of some of your options:
All standing desks and accessories from Vari ship for free. If you’re not satisfied, you can return your order within the first 30 days. Vari covers all the costs associated with the return as well. If you want a standing desk from Vari but you’re on a tight budget, converters start at $175. #7 – Devaise — Best Crank Handle Adjustable Standing Desk• Starts at $239.99 For those of you who want an adjustable standing desk, but don’t want to spend the extra cash on an electric-powered desk, Devaise has some excellent alternatives for you to consider. With Devaise desks, you can adjust the height of your standing desk with a crank handle—no power source required. Due to the simplicity of the design, the starting price point for Devaise desks is significantly lower than other adjustable standing desks on the market.
In terms of quality and price, the Devaise standing desks deliver outstanding value. These desks are extremely popular for home office spaces. They’re not quite as customizable and feature-rich as some of the other desks we’ve seen—what you see is what you get. But it’s stable, easy to assemble, and gets the job done. Strangely enough, Devaise doesn’t advertise free shipping. It says, “shipping calculated at checkout.” However, as you go through the purchase process, you’ll see that free shipping is applied once you enter an address (at least that’s what happened for me). #8 – Stir Kinetic — Best Standing Desk with Advanced Features• Adjustable height The Stir Kinetic desk was called “the Tesla of desks” by the Wall Street Journal. In short, it’s not your average standing desk. It’s super-sleek, extremely durable, and highly functional. The Stir Kinetic standing desk series has a curvy design that doubles as contemporary and functional. It’s ergonomically designed with rounded, waterfall edges to ensure comfort as your arms and rest against the edge of the desk. This design choice also improves circulation. Stir really separates itself from the crowd with its technology. The Stir Kinetic Desk M1 model has a built-in touchscreen plus wifi and Bluetooth connectivity. That’s right—a desk that’s Bluetooth compatible and connects to wifi. This makes it possible to sync your desk with third-party devices, such as Fitbit. It even has cloud storage capabilities. Another unique standout of this desk is the firmware. Using proprietary algorithms and custom interfaces, the Stir Kinetic standing desk can learn and adapt to the needs of each individual user. It tracks usage and remembers your preferences. The desk is electronically adjustable from 25 inches to 50.5 inches and has a static load capacity of 300 pounds. Let’s take a closer look at the pricing:
Obviously, the price points here aren’t practical for everyone. You could buy a used car for the price of the F1 model. These desks are typically used in offices and shared spaces, as opposed to home use. But for those of you who are always on the hunt for top of the line innovation, check out the Stir Kinetic standing desk series. How to Find the Best Standing Desks For YouThere are certain factors that must be taken into consideration as you’re shopping around for a standing desk. The best option for me might not be the best choice for you. This is the methodology that we used to narrow down the top picks in our guide. Use this information to help find a desk that accommodates your personal needs. Adjustable HeightThe first thing to look for in a standing desk is the ability to adjust the height. This feature gives you the option to switch between sitting and standing throughout the day. It also helps accommodate multiple users, which is crucial for office use and shared spaces. Someone who is 5’6” won’t be standing at the same height as 6’2” user. You should also consider how the desk height gets adjusted. Electric-powered standing desks will be the easiest and fastest, but these usually come with a higher price tag. Manual adjusting and hand cranks will be cheaper, but not as convenient. Desktop SizeSize is another crucial factor to consider when you’re shopping around for a standing desk. The desk needs to fit well in the space you’re going to put it while also accommodating your equipment and accessories. For example, some standing desk converters are only viable for a small laptop. But other large standing desks can fit dual monitors or even quad monitors, depending on your setup. Generally speaking, standing desks designed for home offices are typically smaller than commercial-grade desks for workplace environments. But that’s something you’ll have to determine on your own. CustomizationSome of you just want the ability to stand while you’re working. You don’t care what the desk looks like—and that’s fine. But for those of you who want something unique, look for a desk that you can customize to accommodate your unique needs. Some desks give you the ability to choose the material, color, frame, grommets, and more. You can find desks that let you add-on monitor arms, hooks, storage components, power sources, castors, lighting, and dozens of other accessories. Lots of these components will add to the cost of the desk, but it’s worth it if you want something unique and functional. ConclusionWhat’s the best standing desk on the market today? The UPLIFT V2 is our top recommendation. But there are lots of other excellent choices to consider, depending on your needs and specific use cases. For complete customization, check out the Fully Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk. Gamers should lean towards the Evodesk Gaming Desk. If you just need a standing desk converter, browse the options from Readydesk. Vari has a wide selection of standing desks, converters, and accessories as well. Visit Devaise for adjustable height desks with a crank handle. If you want the most technologically-advanced desks on the market, check out the Stir Kinetic series. Regardless of your budget, use this guide to find the best standing desk for you. Social Media via Quick Sprout https://ift.tt/UU7LJr July 28, 2020 at 11:05AM |
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