Category Archives: Main

As many other things around us, SEO such as #SEOUncovered has been changing over the last decade or more. What used to mean SEO and content marketing doesn’t necessarily mean exactly the same thing today. This way, we can talk about sort of evolution of SEO. This is how the concept of SEO had changed on our very own eyes:

1. In the past SEO was all about rankings. A SEO company would help a business to grow by simply tweaking the keywords in order to obtain the desired results. These days the SEO is more than just the right combination of words to yield the desired outcome. SEO companies help businesses grow by applying a more holistic approach.
2. These days, SEO is often combined with website development, although it does not always have to be the case. You can discover that many SEO companies are also willing to take care of the well-being of your website.

Why even be bothered by SEO if many if not almost all businesses compete in search engines. Is there any way to outsmart them? Here are only some reasons to be bothered by SEO and can help you make up your mind whether this sort of strategy is good for your business or not:
1. The strategy works even when you are sleeping or when you are not working. The amount of work you put in SEO yields the long-term results that stay on the Internet for an extended period of time.
2. If you are worried that there are many other brands with which you compete, SEO will be there for you to outsmart them and outmaneuver them.
3. SEO is currently still one of the most popular methods of online marketing for one simple reason: because it works. It is also one of the most cost efficient methods as returns on investment are rather high compared to other marketing strategies.
4. The increased exposure and visibility are also another plus. It might take time to build up this exposure as it takes time for the rankings to take effect, but once this is in place there is nothing else that much to do.

An MBA has always been a weighty qualification that is valued highly for high-level positions. However, in recent years, a lot of colleges, including well-respected schools like Washington State University, have made it possible for people to study for and take their masters in business administration online. In the early days of online qualifications, employers tended to mistrust them, as there was a lot of differences between schools and some degrees could simply be bought.

This is not the case now, however, and employers are beginning to recognize online degrees as being just as worthy as their traditional counterparts.

Here are three reasons why we in HR should take people who have an online MBA just as seriously as those who studied for their MBA at a conventional university on campus.

Online Degrees Show Self-Motivation

While completing a master�s level degree program in any way is a feat, doing it on your own time shows a lot of self-motivation and time management skills. Without deadlines and with lectures and assignments you can complete when you want to, fitting them around your other commitments, online MBA graduates have proven that they can knuckle down and avoid procrastination and that they really wanted their qualification enough to sacrifice their free time. These are qualities that can make someone very appealing as a potential hire.

Online Degree Holders Are Tech Savvy

Being good with IT is something that is expected in almost every profession now, but someone who has achieved a degree of the kind of stature of an MBA using the internet is going to have very strong skills in this area. Watching lectures in real time online, communicating with tutors and other students over the web, and using cloud technology will all be things this candidate is completely familiar with. Without even realizing it, an online master�s holder will have learned to use a lot of technology and will also very much appreciate its value. This makes for a technologically savvy potential employee who will be likely to look for ways of using tech innovation to further a business.

Online MBA Programs Make an MBA More Accessible to Diverse People

It has been proven in many studies that having different types of people in a company makes it more effective, and the availability of online MBA courses means that people who may not have been able to attend a university to do an MBA, such as those with family commitments or physical disabilities, or those who simply can’t afford it, can fulfil their potential. You can find people with a lot of talent and interesting experience to bring to the table among those who could only do an MBA online.

The business world is beginning to take online degrees seriously, and there are good reasons why. In HR and recruitment, we need to recognize the value of these qualifications and how they can even represent some extra skills not proven by a conventional degree!

 

 

 

Start-ups and smaller companies can benefit from following some of the strategies being utilised by large businesses, which includes lean practices, marketing seriously, and adopting a service mentality.

Both insights from the success strategies and failures of bigger companies can guide you towards achieving better results. Here are some valuable strategies that will put you right on track:

Leveraging on lean practices. While manufacturing is where we first learn about the philosophy of lean business, it�s now being applied and adopted by many industries and businesses who are looking for success in their fields. Health care companies, in particular, are adopting strategies to reduce costs, eliminate waste, and improve quality.

Adopting lean practices in your company will save money and resources as you grow. This is crucial to your quality growth and survival.

Market seriously. Companies like Coca-Cola, Dell, Microsoft, and Apple work so hard and spend a lot of capital to understand and market to their audiences. Sweat equity can purchase a lot for small businesses these days. Affordable technology and communication options like blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn can connect your business with customers and a multitude of prospects fast and efficiently. All the corporations above are utilising new media for this reason and you should follow suit.

Adopt a service mentality. Many entrepreneurs cringe when talking about �service economy,� believing that means working in the fast-food industry. However, big corporations provide advanced services around their products to create value and you should too. The right value-added services you provide for your customers can distinguish your business from your competition.

Always focus. General Motors for instance in the last decade began shedding brands to focus on rebuilding. Risk-taking is an important aspect of any business. However, avoid adding too many products, services, or brands. As GM found, the cost of this can be severe and the solutions difficult.

Of course, the differences between your small business and bigger ones can be significant. But using large companies as standards for some of your tactics and campaigns can give you valuable insight and a clear roadmap for your business� future.

Be careful about HR. Majority of big companies have entire HR departments that manage hiring, onboarding and other steps in the HR world. Big companies understand that they can�t take their chances when hiring people and making the most out of them.

The margin of error for start-ups is even smaller and this will be very noticeable in HR. You must hire the right person for any job and you will give your start up an early advantage that can turn it into a winner. Getting the wrong person will leave you with lost weeks or even months of inefficiency because he or she won�t be able to contribute and only wastes valuable resources. The worst mistake here is when you take hiring lightly. In a start-up or small business, it is all about the people who do the work.

Hiring outside help

Sometimes you will need the assistance of field experts and consultants to assist with business management challenges. You can use human capital solutions provider to address tough leadership team challenges such as getting the executive team to perform at its peak capability, planning for leadership succession, or motivating your staff to perform at a level your business needs to be successful.

That�s it. By adopting some of these strategies, you can increase your chances of making it in the very harsh and challenging startup/small business arena.

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Any professional at any of the many great PR firms in Tampa will tell you that social media is a huge component of their job these days. In the old days, it took a lot of effort for a public figure to market themselves. Today, a branding campaign can be launched easily and simply from one’s phone.

The biggest misconception about branding and marketing is that it’s reserved only for the rich and famous. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Just about anyone in any industry can benefit from wisely marketing themselves. To make yourself a competitive job seeker and potential dating partner, follow these tips on how to run your social media pages like a celebrity.

Find That Mix Of Confident and Humble

There are two types of social media “don’ts.” The first is the egomaniac who never stops bragging about his or her elegant life. Oftentimes, this person doesn’t even really live a fabulous life, but rather just fakes it online.

The other type of social media no-no is the person who’s always putting themselves down or venting about the negative aspects of their life. Perhaps they think they’re portraying themselves as someone who people can relate to, but the truth is that they just come off like losers.

Find that sweet spot between the “woe is me” complainer and the braggadocios egomaniac. When you’re cultivating your social media presence, you want to come off as confident, but never cocky. You want to seem real and humble, but you never want to seem like you’re putting yourself down or exposing your most negative traits.

Put Some Thought Into It

There’s no shame in taking ten selfies to get the perfect one. Celebrities put a lot of thought into their social media presence. You don’t have to treat it like a second job, but there’s nothing wrong with thinking before you post. In fact, most people could probably benefit from this advice.

Social media can be a huge asset to your image and reputation; that is, if you use it correctly. Follow these tips to own your social media presence like a Hollywood celebrity.

Do you remember how you complained about that one boss that you had when you first started a new job? Or, do you remember hearing others complain about their bosses after work? When you have your own business, you should strive to make a difference in someone�s life, but in positive ways. Air filter media suppliers, for example, make a difference by purifying the air. Bosses that continuously garner complaints and snide remarks are often doing something wrong. Sure, there might be the employee that simply loves to hate authority, but most of the time the success of your business will hinge on how well you treat others.

Be Kind and Genuine as a Boss

As a boss, it�s your job to ensure your workers are happy and fulfilled in their positions. Yes, business is tough and there are conditions that prove a challenge, but your employees need to feel that you will weather the storms with them. Be kind in your words, genuine in your actions, and strive to treat your employees like people�like they matter, because they do.

Offer Regular, Fair Promotions that Reflect an Employee�s Efforts

Most businesses offer a ladder of opportunities for their employees, but there are some that are dubbed dead-end jobs for a reason. Offer your employees a way to better themselves and their living situations through your company. Promotions and raises could change a life, so you should totally reward a hard-working employee. Helping someone to advance is the surefire way to keep them on your side for the duration of your business ventures.

Be the Kind of Boss That You Would Love to Have

In the beginning paragraph, you were taken back to a time when you complained about a boss you had. Don�t be that boss. Be someone better. Someone that you would have loved to have had when you were relying on a superior for a good schedule and good working conditions.

Be Helpful, Understanding, and Compassionate

Life is a series of ups and downs. And while it may be your business, the world certainly doesn�t revolve around you. Your employees are going to be affected by hundreds of happenings in their own lives, like births, deaths, celebrations, car wrecks�you name it. And as long as you are compassionate, helpful, and understanding, you will have the respect, gratitude, and excellent work ethic of good employees.

In essence, this article is telling you what you already know in your heart to be true about making a difference in someone�s life via business. You have to be the kind of boss that you would have wanted. Someone strong and compassionate, but fair and helpful too. Kindness makes the biggest impact.

In order to unlock the full potential of your business, it is vital that you concentrate on creating a strong online profile. In modern times, this has become one of the most effective ways that you can engage with your clients. Don�t get left behind! Whether or not you have fantastic products, or services, if you fail to make the move online, your competitors will always have the edge.

In a crowded marketplace, it is important that you are not just matching the efforts of your competitors, but beating them. Don�t just settle for the basics of having an online profile. You need to think outside of the box in order to come up with a strategy that effectively spreads the word about your company.

You will need to think about the various social media platforms that you can use. You will also need to make sure that your website is doing all it can to promote your brand. Below are three ways that you can improve the online profile of your business.

Invest in your web design

When it comes to web design, first impressions are everything. Take a good, hard look at your website. Imagine that you are a potential client, and that you have never seen the site before. Would you immediately understand what products, or services, you are being offered? Is it clear how you are expected to navigate between pages? Does the website look professional enough to tempt you to look a little longer? You should also consider the difference between your site and the sites of your competitors. If this exercise has caused you to doubt the effectiveness of your web design, you should consider investing in some expert help. At www.webfullcircle.com, you will find the perfect service for improving your online presence. Web Full Circle will improve the aesthetics and branding of your website to make sure that it is presenting the image that you want your customers to see. They will also work on the usability of your site, in order to prevent customers from getting frustrated and looking elsewhere. Finally, they will design your website so that it has the best chance of turning its visitors into buyers. These changes will help you to improve the image of your company, and increase your sales. Therefore, investing in your web design makes perfect business sense.

Work with social media influencers

Working with social media influencers is a fantastic way to raise the profile of your brand. It is also an indirect method of advertising. Instead of your business having to directly approach its potential clients, a social media influencer can act as the middle man. When you are selecting the influencer that you would like to work with, don�t just go for the person with the most followers.

Instead, try to find someone who has created a platform that fits with your brand. They should also be speaking to people who are your desired clientele. For instance, if your target audience are expectant mothers, you could approach a YouTuber who runs a channel on what to do when you�re expecting. Or, if your company sells beauty products to fashionable teens, you could work with an Instagram model who likes to tell their followers about the products they are using.

Remember that there aren�t many rules when it comes to social media, so you need to be aware of what else your influencer is posting. The last thing that you want is for your company to be featured next to a controversial post or an insensitive image.

You should also try to avoid doing multiple deals with multiple influencers. This can appear very contrived, and ideally you want their audience to believe that they really like your company. Instead of spreading yourself too thinly, concentrate on building strong working relationships. Perhaps, just focus on a couple of influencers, but return to them on a regular basis. This will help their followers to have trust in what they are being told.

Think outside the box

The internet is a fantastic place for you to be as creative as possible. Make sure that your marketing strategy stands out from the crowd. Some of the most effective examples of marketing stem from the most outrageous ideas. Make sure that you are regularly meeting with your team in order to come up with new, and exciting, concepts to boost the online profile of your business. You could also ask your staff about the technology that they enjoy using. This will give you an important insight into which digital platforms are rising in popularity. You can use this market research in your decision-making process. It is important to be a trend-setter, not a trend-follower. You can achieve this by staying on top of the latest digital trends.

For instance, there is the new trend of video advertising. This involves creating short clips to grab your audience�s attention. These videos can be featured on your website, and on all of your social media platforms. Due to the fast pace of modern life, it can be extremely difficult to maintain someone�s interest. Video has been shown to be one of the most effective ways of doing this. When you are creating your videos, it is vital that you take a dynamic approach. You need to view the video as a reflection of your brand. If you deal in luxury food items, you should create a video that features all of your best dishes. It should be staged beautifully, and set to relaxing music. If you are a creative company that is full of life, your videos should be bright, bold, and even a little bit bizarre. Ideally, you want to get your video trending, as this is the fastest way to raise the profile of your company. It may take a few tries, but if you manage to find something that people really engage with, it will be worth the effort.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you heard the saying �you have to spend money to make money�? Well, you might be happy to learn that doesn�t apply to online marketing. That is because there are many free and affordable ways to market your brand online. If you want to compete with larger, more established brands, we recommend reading our eight affordable online marketing tactics for small businesses.

1. SEO Analysis

The first thing you must do is analyze your SEO strategy on your website. You can do this by using one of the many free analyzer tools available online, which allows you to enter your URL before it discovers a page level SEO analysis.

Some tools will even allow you to compare your website against the competition to identify where your rivals are doing right or wrong. It will also help you to identify how many backlinks you have earned and the keywords your website is currently ranking for in the search engines. You can then alter your SEO strategy to improve your web traffic for free.

2. Keyword Research

Do not underestimate the importance of keyword research for an SEO strategy. Regularly review your keyword research performance each week to stay one step ahead of the competition in the search results.

If you haven�t done so already, you should perform keyword research using Google AdWords� Keyword Planner, which you can use to search for new keywords and phrases that are relevant to your website. Competing for keywords in your industry could help you reach the top of the search engine results pages (SERPs), as you can incorporate the keywords naturally throughout a blog, which you should update regularly. This will allow you to successfully rank higher in the SERPs against your direct and indirect competitors.

3. Start a Blog

Capture the attention of your target audience by starting a blog on your website. Not only does it allow you to incorporate keywords, but it will also provide your visitors with compelling, insightful content that can build trust in your brand. Try to spend one to three hours creating an engaging, well-written blog that is relevant to your website and provides value to your readers.

4. Hire an Expert

The goal of every small business website is to drive as much traffic as possible, which can boost your brand awareness and increase your conversion rate. Unfortunately, many small businesses owners have a good understanding of their business, but they lack the digital marketing knowledge to create a solid online presence.

Any entrepreneur that wants to take the hassle out of their digital marketing strategy should hire an expert, who can help them grow their business online. For example, you can hire an experienced marketer to increase your website traffic.

5. Grow an Email Marketing Subscriber List

It is common for budding entrepreneurs and small businesses to underestimate the importance of email marketing. However, this marketing tool could significantly improve your conversion rates, as email marketing is believed to be the leading channel for lead generation.

For example, you can experience an average ROI of $44 for every $1 spent on an email marketing campaign. It is therefore believed to be a more effective online marketing tactic than social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Turn to an affordable email marketing platform to create automated emails that are relevant to your brand. However, you must first grow your subscriber list, so you can connect with your target audience on a regular basis.

6. Publish Guest Posts on Industry Blogs

In addition to updating your website�s blog with fresh blog content, you must also strive to publish guest posts on other influential industry blogs. This is an effective tactic for building backlinks, which can improve your rank in the SERPs and can drive traffic to your website, as a result.

Try to secure a guest post placement on a high-authority website, which can increase your domain authority while boosting your brand awareness. While it might take time and a great deal of effort, hard work and determination, the right angle will ensure you are published on a prestigious website.

7. Marketing Automation

Marketing automation can simplify your online marketing tasks, which will allow you to focus on another aspect of your small business. You can automate almost every platform, from scheduling blog posts in WordPress, email marketing campaigns in the likes of MailChimp, or use a social media automation tool to buffer your posts to suit optimum engagement times on various platforms. So, don�t blow the budget on hiring employees to do the job that an automation tool can do at a faster, accurate and more affordable rate.

8. Social Media

With billions of active users using social media platforms every day, you must ensure you have a strong online presence to boost your brand awareness and increase lead generation. However, it is vital you do not overwhelm users with promotional or irrelevant content, which will appear both unhelpful and unprofessional.

Strive to provide your followers with social media posts that provide value, which can encourage confidence in your brand. Producing compelling social media posts on a regular basis will also encourage more followers to click on your links and engage with your promotional posts. What�s more, you will not have to pay to grow your online audience, you will simply need to invest your time and effort into an effective social media strategy.

Once you start to see a healthy return for your time and hard work, you can then consider boosting your marketing budget to create Facebook, Twitter and Instagram promotional posts, which can be customized to suit your budget and target audience.

Conclusion

Don�t waste your budget on an expensive marketing budget to grow your small business. You might not have the marketing budget of your larger competitors, but a creative strategy could help you compete with your industry rivals, regardless of their size. Look for opportunities to grow your business online, and take advantage of the many free tools available, which could help your company grow from strength to strength.

No business owner wants the company to become stagnant. Yet in many cases, this is exactly what happens. Fortunately, there are many steps an entrepreneur or corporate leader can take to push the organization past stagnation and back into the realm of success. Here are three of them:

1. Utilize Health And Safety Strategies.

One of the worst things that can happen to a business is finding that the company is somehow violating health and safety regulations. This reality can create scandals while also endangering the lives of employees and customers. As such, it’s important to implement health and safety strategies that can keep your company in compliance with established rules and regulations. One way to make this happen is by attaining nfpa training services from companies such as Facility Results. Obtaining these services can prevent the business owner from experiencing potential fines and safety hazards.

2. Market More Effectively.

Most business owners realize that marketing plays an integral role in helping the company attain more influence and authority. Yet not all corporate leaders recognize the importance of regularly analyzing and optimizing their current advertising strategies. Don’t forget to take this important step. Doing so will empower you to ensure that more people find out about your brand and share it with others. Note that the “one size fits all” modality is not applicable in the world of advertising. Rather, business owners should concentrate on identifying which marketing techniques will empower them to really connect with their audiences in a dynamic manner that metabolizes the relationship-building process.

3. Fight Stress.

Building a business is an incredibly stressful task, and this is why corporate leaders who are determined to really put their heart into it need to identify strategies that will help them combat anxiety. Note that there are hundreds and hundreds of anxiety reduction techniques available, and this means that every business owner should be able to locate at least two or three that are effective. An example would be yoga. Business owners who love physical activity may find that the yoking of mind and body that transpires with this form of exercise really helps them restore and maintain their mental and physical equilibrium.

Choose Success Now!

Three strategies you can implement to push your business into a deeper dimension of success include utilizing health and safety strategies, marketing more effectively, and fighting stress. Start using these success strategies now so you can begin attaining incredible results!

Your current job might leave you feeling a bit unfulfilled. If this is the case, you are certainly not alone. Millions of other people are in the same boat you are in. However, very few of them actually do anything about it. You deserve more out of life than getting out of bed and going to a job each day that you despise. One solution to this problem would be to start your own business. This might be something you have never given serious consideration to. However, there are quite a few advantages to doing it. Here are just a few of them.

1. You will finally be able to control your own destiny.

Running your own business will mean that you will not have other people determining your future. You will have the power to make our own dreams come true if you work hard enough. You will never again have to worry about being passed up for a promotion. You will not have to deal with your hard work not being appreciated. You will make the decisions that will shape your future without needing to get input from anyone else.

2. You will become your own boss.

This is one of the biggest reasons why people want to start their own business. Many people are sick and tired of having to deal with a ruthless boss on a daily basis. Running your own business will mean that you will never need to listen to the boss again. automotive franchises are a very popular choice for people who are looking to start their own business. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that there is a large demand for a place where people can go to get their car worked on. This means the people who run this type of business will never have a shortage of customers.

3. You will be able to make your own schedule.

Getting up very early in the morning might not appeal to you anymore. You will be able to decide when you start working each day if you start your own business. You will create the schedule for your business. You will also be able to determine how much vacation time you will be able to take. Basically, you will be able to live a more flexible life because you are in control of everything.

We all want to improve ourselves, but sometimes our motivation to actually get up and make a change doesn’t correspond perfectly with our goals. If you’re feeling frustrated with where you are in life and want to improve yourself, sometimes it can be difficult to pinpoint just where to start.

If you’re ready to improve yourself for the better, then follow these self-improvement tips that will help you not only in business, but in life.

Become An Early Riser

It can’t be a coincidence that some of the world’s most successful people have been early risers. After all, the discipline it takes to get yourself out of bed before dawn lends itself well to helping you to improve in other areas of your life. While it might feel impossible at first to get out of bed at the crack of dawn, you’ll be amazed at how much more productive you become throughout the day.

Put Yourself Back In School

Many of us view school as something finite; as in, we finish high school and college, get our degrees and then we’re done learning. Successful people understand that education is a lifelong endeavor, not something that one can “finish.” There’s always something new to learn, even if you’re a professional in your field. For example, if you’re an engineer, you could benefit from studying new developments in mql machining. If you take time to study and expand your mind, you’ll be amazed by the results.

Become Physically Fit

Most people only feel motivated to begin a fitness regimen when they’re feeling fat or want to shed the pounds. However, there are so many amazing reasons to become physically fit and one’s physical appearance doesn’t even make the top of that list. When you’re physically fit, you’ll be amazed at how much energy you have and how excited you feel about your life. Much of your depression and anxiety is likely to fade away, replaced by a feeling of enthusiasm for what life has to offer.

If you follow these tips, you can make big improvements in both your personal and your professional life. Remember, you should never stop growing and consistently strive to improve.