Does paid traffic help in SEO and increase website ranking?

Harpreet Singh
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Does paid traffic help in SEO and increase website ranking?

Are you confused between a paid search and an organic search? What if we help you understand that these are interrelated? Don’t worry; we would not confuse you more on the terms and differences between the two. Rather, we shall help you to understand how you can make use of your paid search and bring more organic traffic through the search. As per the Google explanation, simply buying or spending on Google Ads will not help you change the current position of your SEO rankings on the search engines of Google.

You cannot blindly rely only on Google Ads to boost your audience numbers and business opportunities. It is true, that Google advertisements do help you to improve your organic search rankings. It is because there are tools that structure your ads’ display in a manner that it reaches the right audience and changes the behavior of the audience.

It is always an interlink game. If your search ranking goes up, you are likely to get more clicks on your ads and site. There are hundreds of other factors that affect the placing and position of your website on search engines. For instance, the content, quality, presentation, type of business, and speed of your page may also affect your search engine ranks.

How do Ads/paid searches change the behavior of people?

By using ads management, you are changing the behavior of the audience. Even if they don’t click the ad, you are generating a brand recall value and they remember the brand the next time the ad is seen. It is quite possible that they will click this time and watch your ad. In simple terms, by seeing an ad you are making your audience or visitors get familiar with your brand.

The click and view behaviour of people changes after seeing the ad floating on their social platforms for a couple of days. This can help you come up in your organic listings. Indirectly, yes Google Ads can change the behaviour of people and help your site get organic traffic.

How to make use of paid search to increase organic traffic?

It is the click-behavior that does it all. Click behaviour can be utilized in the most effective way to generate more organic traffic to your website. Instead of hiring an expensive tech-savvy guy who only focuses on re-indexing your pages and constantly changing the SEO strategy, click strategy can work sooner with the help of good content.

All you need to focus is at title tags and Meta descriptions. Once you make these two as you do for your ad your page listings will automatically rise and gain good traffic through the search results too.

As per the sources and researches, your CTR can increase by 36% just by putting the correct and longer Meta description. As a result, you will be able to face your competitors with much ease and comfort. Most marketing agencies and SEO companies will forget to do this task for you. In fact, 63% of the companies if you see lack of Meta descriptions, which is good news for you!

We suggest you to start testing your web pages with the title tags and Meta descriptions. Split your ads and run those ads just to test until you get the results you expect.

How effective is organic traffic in search engine optimization?

Organic traffic is widely considered to the most critical for any site’s search engine rankings. It has various reasons to prove you and some are mentioned hereunder for your reference;

  1. Google being the most reliable source of people helps divert the organic traffic to the site and carries the highest level of traffic on its search engine.
  2. Google considers high-quality content and correct keyword-based content in the top five results of rankings. Their rankings being highly trusted help the businesses to be seen top online.
  3. Moving to the top in the Google ranking pages may seem difficult in the initial stages, but is certainly not impossible to accomplish. Once you reach the top, you will enjoy the benefits for a long time.
  4. The first page of Google can help you receive 92% of traffic from the Google search engine itself. The traffic usually drops on the second page drastically as people rely majorly on the first page while searching for any data or information.

Initially, reaching on Google’s search engine wasn’t really that difficult until SEO became a critical thing in the online world. The competition was so low that writing a few articles helped you to reach on the top. There was no need of any keyword search, SEO tool, Meta tags, or anything similar. However, with the current situation, things have changed to a great extent.

It is due to the increase in demand of online business; the competition became stricter and smarter. Thus, Google has to change the strategies too in order to bring the deserving and more ethical pages on top. Today, every business or service has a website. The digital visiting card (most known as a website) explains the reliability of a company and helps win the trust of customers. With the help of SEO and organic reach, Google has cut down most Black Hat sites that were killing the pages with good content and preventing them from reaching the Search rankings.

Now since, organic search becomes more common and competition, Paid search is also going hand in hand for those who wish to save time and effort. Rather than SEO helping you to test your patience, people mostly rely on a paid search today so that you are ranked immediately on Google. It all depends on how much budget and patience level you have. You may choose either of these depending on the urgency of your business.

Whatever you choose, you have to be tactful and smarter. You will get tons of targeted traffic on your landing page if you make the right moves. So understand each and every tool before you begin.

Major Do’s and Don’ts for Buying a Franchise

Isaac Brunt
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Major Do’s and Don’ts for Buying a Franchise

Buying a franchise is believed to be far superior to starting your own business in terms of actually making it past the first several years. A franchise already has an established business model and some franchisors offer a serious level of support to potential franchisees.

This goes from providing equipment and training, all the way to advisory roles in the newly founded franchise. However, some franchises still manage to fail. This is due to ignoring some sound tips and caveats that come with this industry.

To avoid the same fate, here are some major do’s and don’ts that a new franchise should abide by.

Do: Pick something to your liking

The first thing you need to understand is that running a business is hard. It requires you to invest extra hours, neglect your personal life and even sacrifice your own health and sanity. As an entrepreneur, you will be under a lot of stress on a daily basis and the only way to make it is to pick something you love doing. Returning to school is never a pleasant thought, yet, you’ll be asked to self-improve over and over again. These things come easier when it’s a topic that’s close to your heart.

Don’t: Guide yourself by profitability as the main factor

Just because something is profitable on paper, this doesn’t mean that it’s something that you should or can do. Knowing your limitations is incredibly important. It’s called being realistic, not doubting yourself. Being able to run a successful enterprise is not something impossible but your own skills, experience, knowledge and dedication will determine whether this is viable. You’re not likely to be as well-suited for every single industry. So, never pick a field-based solely on someone else’s positive experience. These things won’t necessarily translate.

Do: Perform market research

About 42% of all startups fail because there’s no market need for the product/service in question. The same thing goes for a franchise and the only way to avoid this eventuality is to do your market research beforehand. One advantage that the franchises have over original businesses is the fact that they already have a market presence in other areas. So, look for a suburb that is demographically similar to yours. This will give you a crude yet somewhat accurate assessment of the situation at hand.

Don’t: Expect to fight through this alone

The next thing worth keeping in mind is the fact that you’ll definitely need some help. You can’t run a franchise on your own, which is why it might be a good idea to have a partner, a team or a family willing to help out your business. Sure, you will still have to recruit new people and there’s no telling who your hiring strategy will attract. The key thing is that you shouldn’t enter this race on your own. Instead, focus on gathering the right kind of support from day one. This will drastically increase your survivability rate in the field.

Do: Research the franchise beforehand

Franchising is generally a proven method of doing business but it’s also an umbrella term. Just because one franchise has an unparalleled success rate and a ton of help in an offer for the newcomers, this doesn’t necessarily translate to the others, as well. Therefore, your research needs to be specific to the franchise in question. Namely, it needs to be a specific franchise from that specific industry. Interviewing other franchisees and looking at their performance records is also a decent strategy in this scenario.

Don’t: Ignore the location

Keep in mind that with the majority of businesses, the very location of the enterprise plays a major role in its subsequent success. Just think about the way guests talk about businesses in the hospitality industry. It’s usually the phrase “That X place on the Y”, where X is the type of food/beverage they serve and Y is the location. Now, with the franchise, the type of meals/products/services will probably be set and you won’t have much maneuvering space to alter it. On the other hand, you can still pick the location.

Do: Write everything down

It will take a while for your application, bid and the entire process to come down. This will give you plenty of time to consider the general direction that you want to take with your business. Some of these ideas will be pure gold but you would be surprised of just how much relevant information a human brain is able to suppress and… well, forget. So, write everything down. Generally speaking, if something is written down, you have the privilege of forgetting about it until later. Then, when you revisit the idea in a matter of days or weeks, you will have a much more objective outlook on it.

Don’t: Ignore the unforeseen factor

There are a lot of unforeseen things that could happen to a new business and to you personally. So, no matter how solid your game-plan is and regardless of the fact that everything seems to be aligning in your favour, there’s still room for things to go wrong. While this should never be your starting point, you need to leave some room for the unforeseen. Having the contingency plan and emergency means of funding can make a massive difference between success and failure. While you can’t predict absolutely everything, there are several business risk factors worth keeping in mind.

Do: Prepare your loved ones for the change

The start of any business is a stressful event. There’s so much to do and the majority of things require your direct attention. Even if you’re not the type of employer to micro-manage everything, the first several weeks and months will require a hands-on type of management. This means that you might grow distant from your family and friends, due to the fact that you’ll work insane hours and your mind will always be elsewhere. The best thing you can do is prepare everyone for what lies ahead. Their support might decide whether you make it or not.

Don’t: Ignore your work-life balance

Another important thing worth bearing in mind is the fact that you need an exhaust vent. Overworking yourself is possible only if you have proper intrinsic motivation. Now, unless you’re extremely competitive and simply enjoy pushing yourself at all times, you are probably doing all of this to support your friends and family. Provided that you start neglecting them because of work, you might start losing perspective on why you’re enduring all of this. Also, finding some time for your hobby or passion is mandatory in order to make it in the stressful environment of the modern business world.

Do: Make decisions based on data

The thing worth keeping in mind is that in the age of big data and sophisticated analytical tools, there’s no excuse for not making data-based decisions. In this day and age, anyone with an online presence and Google Analytics can learn quite a bit about their target audience. Also, there are many records, studies and stats pages online worth exploring. This is definitely an advantage that you shouldn’t ignore. Just by organizing your decision-making process in this manner, you’ll already place yourself head and shoulders above the competition.

Don’t: Put too much trust in intuition

While decisions based on intuition may be accurate or even life-saving, they’re simply not reliable. You see, your intuition is your subconscious warning you of a suspicious pattern based on your previous knowledge and experiences. Even if you can’t draw parallels consciously, your subconsciousness is recognizing these subtle similarities. The problem lies in the fact that you’re probably a newcomer to the industry. This means that your database is not broad enough for this to be reliable. Still, this doesn’t mean that you should ignore your intuition altogether, either.

Do: Shop around

When you start looking for a franchise, the key thing lies in the fact that you shouldn’t be complacent with your first find. Shop around a bit and look up different options and alternatives. You would be surprised to learn that even for the same amount of money, you might get a better deal elsewhere. Keep in mind that you’re also buying exclusive regional rights to the use of a certain brand and brand markings. This is where you’re allowed to be subjective, seeing as how objective metrics simply won’t make any sense.

Don’t: Forget to negotiate

Just because that’s a major corporation and you’re a potentially small entrepreneur, this doesn’t mean that you don’t have any negotiating power. The fact that they don’t have representation in your area shouldn’t be neglected. In other words, your potential success is in their best interest. Make sure to explain this. Also, when bargaining, remember that there’s more than just money. Ask about potential training, tools and development process. You should also ask about the additional support that you can expect from the franchisor in the future. This is a huge issue that can make or break the business.

In conclusion

In the end, whether or not you face success in the franchising industry directly depends on your ability to follow the right course of action. Having a strategy is one thing but there are some mistakes that will actively ruin your efforts or set you on a path of no return. By simply knowing what to avoid and which threads to follow, you will have a more reliable road to victory. The above-listed do’s and don’ts are there to provide you with this advantage. Keep in mind, nonetheless, that there are a lot more factors to keep in mind and that there’s no such thing as a recipe for success.

 

Personal finance lessons from Confessions of a Shopoholic

Alex Bill
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Personal finance lessons from Confessions of a Shopoholic

I have always been a sucker for romcoms. It doesn’t matter if a movie gets panned by critics or bombs at the box office. I just love the protagonist mad dashing through the airport, two lovers making out in the rain, and all the wonderful and cringeworthy rom-com cliches. If this wasn’t the case, I wouldn’t be writing about personal finance lessons from Confessions of a Shopaholic. 

So yes, I am extremely hyped for whatever garbage Netflix throws at us this Christmas. But since my love for predictable plotlines holds no bounds, I like to go back and watch some of the oldies before my new fix arrives. 

And this brings me to the movie I just finished last night. Confession of a Shopaholic doesn’t rank among the best rom-com. It’s no Love Actually or Bridget Jones Diary. But to its credit, the movie attempts to be much more than a romance story stitched together by a bunch of silly gags. 

Instead, the movie has a message about consumerism, careless spending, and how financial decisions impact relationships. 

Five important personal finance lessons from Confessions of a Shopaholic

As someone who writes on personal finance, I believe the movie has a bunch of money-spending inspiration viewers can take away from this 2009 rom-com.

Below, I have shortlisted five personal finance lessons from Confessions of a Shopaholic.

1. Money spending habits affect relationships 

At one point in the movie, Rebecca has the option of either buying back the dress she wore at an interview or the bridesmaid dress for her BFF’s wedding. She chooses the latter which understandably upsets her friend. 

This is just one example of how the protagonist ruins her relationships due to her shopping addiction. The movie makes it clear that the way we spend money doesn’t just have financial repercussions. 

It’s not just about the zeros in your bank account in the end. People have certain expectations from you and an addiction to material goods can come in the way. If you are to learn the lessons from Confession of a Shopaholic, let this be the first one.

2. Impulse buying can be devastating

We have all had those weak moments of impulse buying. Some of us have even followed through on it. While this activity does give you a surge of dopamine, that is only temporary. What’s permanent is the money that you’re unlikely to ever get back. 

That’s why, before buying anything, you need to ask yourself these questions: 

  • Do I really need this? 
  • Does my current savings allow for this?
  • Am I imitating a certain Isla Fisher character from a 2009 rom-com? 

If the answer to any of these is yes then consider leaving the shop or clicking away from the website. When you have to buy, seek coupon codes and deals on the items from websites like RetailMeNot, Groupon, and ClothingRIC. Coupons help you save a small amount on your purchases but over time, this adds up to something significant. 

But do keep in mind that coupons aren’t your license to go on an endless shopping spree. 

3. Selling old items is never a bad thing

When all is said and done, Rebecca sells most of her clothes to pay off her debt. This is one of the easiest ways to make a quick buck but people don’t go for this option. It’s a sin that I am guilty of too. Halter tops and distressed jeans are rotting away in my closet as we speak.

But that shouldn’t be the case especially in the age where the internet gives us options like the Facebook Marketplace, Gazelle, eBay, and Poshmark. Marketing used items is just a matter of a few clicks now. 

Selling used items has multiple advantages. Not only does it get you a few extra $ but also clears up the clutter at home which is never a bad thing. And let’s not forget, it’s good for the environment too.

4. It’s important to be your own woman

One of my favorite moments from the movie is when Rebecca’s father Graham offers to sell his RV to help pay her debt but she refuses. 

For me, this is one of the significant lessons from Confessions of a Shopaholic as Rebecca’s refusal signifies her taking responsibility. And responsibility is everything when it comes to personal finance. 

You can create a hundred budget plans, follow a strict spending routine, and utilize every trick in the book. But without actually taking ownership of your financial decisions  —all that effort will go in vain. 

Reaching out to family members shouldn’t be your go-to option whenever you find yourself in a financial pickle. For one thing, it’s an easy way out, and for another, involving money in relationships is never a good thing (as the first lesson explains).

Look for ways to fulfill your financial obligations on your own. Otherwise, you would never really understand the value of money. 

5. Ignoring your problems only makes them worse

I know, I might as well be directly quoting Captain Obvious here. But this is something that needs to be reiterated. One of the classic mistakes people make is they start to ignore their credit card and bank statements. 

To quote Captain Obvious again, burying your head in the sand isn’t a good strategy. To keep my finances on track, I use the cash more often. Physical money leaving the hand feels much more real than some numbers decreasing from your bank. It makes it harder to ignore your bad money spending habits. 

If that doesn’t help and your money wasting ways continue to get out of hand, don’t be afraid to reach out to someone. Have an open discussion on the issue and see what comes of it. 

All of us have a Rebbecca Bloomwood inside of us. Anyone can be lured into the world of Birkin bags and designer heels that lead us down the path of heavy debt and bankruptcy. But it’s never too late to bring about necessary changes in your behavior. The world may not be rom-com but it does offer chances of redemption even for the most careless spenders. 

Guidelines for tree pruning with a purpose

John Nichols
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Guidelines for tree pruning with a purpose

Maintaining the trees surrounding your home is necessary for promoting your trees’ growth, checking for the over-all health of the trees, and removing hazardous branches from your yard. Sick or damaged branches also steal water from the rest of your tree, which prevents the tree from sending all those nutrients to its healthy branches.

To protect your loved ones and keep your trees looking pristine and vibrant, you’ll need to prune your trees with a purpose.

Here are 3 steps for pruning trees:

Step 1: Evaluating your trees

Before you take out your pruning shears and have at it, you will need to evaluate your trees, taking in a number of factors:

Consider the seasons

The ideal time to prune trees for an increased growth is right before spring, when your trees have yet to grow new leaves. This is especially true for fruit trees and deciduous trees, as allowing the fruit or new leaves to grow on a tree by waiting too long into the spring causes them to bear unnecessary fruit or leaves.

If you want to slow the growth of your trees, however, the best time to do the pruning is towards the end of summer or early fall, as this will decrease the tree’s overall growth. Pruning in late spring or early summer increases your tree’s chances of developing fungus or becoming infested, as the open wounds made by the pruning shears cause it to be exposed during the time when insects and rain are most prominent.

Note that if your tree has been damaged by inclement weather or other factors, then you don’t need to wait to prune the damaged section. Immediately remove the damaged section to allow your tree to heal efficiently.

Inspect the branches

Now that you’ve taken into account the appropriate time of year for pruning your trees, it’s time to inspect the branches. Look for sick, broken, or obstructive branches while you do your inspection. Be sure to evaluate the entire area to make sure no unhealthy branches are missed during the inspection, and take note of the branches or trees that will need pruning.

Additionally, if you like visuals or have a large number of trees, consider mapping out the areas you plan on pruning to better keep track of the work that needs to be done, ticking off each finished tree as you go.

Part 2: Planning to prune

After establishing which trees need pruning, it’s time to prepare for the pruning itself. Though it may seem straightforward, planning out what tools you need and how to effectively prune your trees will do wonders for the pruning process.

Here’s what you’ll need to do:

Make sure you have the right tools

Depending on the types of trees and size of the branches, you will need to make sure you have exactly the tools you need to do the job. As a rule of thumb, here are the necessary pruning tools for trees:

  • Hand shears- for small branches
  • Lopping shears- for medium branches
  • Pruning saw- for larger branches
  • Pole pruners- for thick, hard-to-reach branches
  • Protective gear such as gloves and safety glasses

Know the right pruning techniques

Different sizes call for different techniques. While small branches require only hand shears and simple, 45% angle cuts slightly above the bud to get it right, larger branches require more involved techniques, as you don’t want to tear the bark:

  1. First, make a cut underneath the branch, about 18 inches away from where the branch meets the trunk.
  2. Second, cut the top of the branch, just past the initial cut. This will allow the branch to break off.
  3. Then, make a cut a few inches away from where the branch meets the trunk of the tree (also known as the branch collar). This will allow the tree to heal more quickly. Try to avoid leaving a stub by cutting as close to the branch collar as possible. You might need to make multiple cuts to break off the stub.

Part 2: Pruning your trees

You’ve got a good layout of the trees in your yard, you have the necessary equipment, and now you have the pruning methods you want to use under belt, so get ready to start the actual pruning process.

  1. Start by removing the branches that are clearly sick, damaged, or broken. Clearing up the obvious branches first makes it easier to see the less obvious ones.
  2. Then, move onto dense areas of the tree, where branch crisscross, as these branches are more likely to wear one another down and break later down the road. This also enables light to better reach the branches within the denser sections and reduces your tree’s chances of developing fungus and harmful insects.
  3. After that, prune branches that are potential obstruction hazards. Branches that are growing towards power cables, fences, windows, and roofs are all likely to cause problems if they continue to grow or fall on these objects.

Additional tips for pruning trees

To make sure you do the job right, keep in mind these additional tips to help you successfully prune your trees:

  • Avoid Pruning Major Branches

If it can be avoided, try not to cut off major branches unless they pose a safety risk.

  • Don’t over-prune

Prune as few branches as you can, as each branch you cut affects your tree’s over-all health. While removing unhealthy branches benefits your tree, removing obstructive branches, pruning densely packed branches, and shaping your branches for aesthetic purposes can pay a toll on your tree.

  • Pruning tree suckers

For attractive-looking trees, prune the tree suckers (branches emerging at the base of the trunk), and waterspouts (suckers that are growing further up the trunk).

In conclusion

Removing branches from your trees promotes the growth of healthy branches, removes obstruction potentials, and prevents broken or sick branches from falling on you or your loved ones. By taking the right steps and pruning your trees, you will improve the appearance of your lawn and keep your home and trees looking pristine.

Speed vs Quality of service – Which one do companies focus on?

Giorgi Mikhelidze
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Speed vs Quality of service – Which one do companies focus on?

The dilemma of speed vs quality has always been at the center of attention of different companies. Nobody can certainly say which one is more important for the customers as they want to have both high quality and immediate service. Without quality, it will be hard to attract customers for the first time because if the quality is not good enough, they usually quickly realize that the service delivered is not as it was promised. But for some people speed of the service is more important because waiting for the deserved product or service for so long can be irritating. But the problem is that having an excellent quality sometimes slows down the service and vice versa – if something is delivered quickly enough, the quality may not be satisfactory.

However, the impact each of them has on the customers can be different according to the service provided by the company. Companies that focus on speed sometimes experience the suffering of the product provided and losing customers, while providing low-quality service often results in problems of attracting customers. This is why many people believe that both the speed and the quality of the service are essential parts of the great customer experience. But unfortunately, most of the time having one is only possible at the cost of the other, leaving companies facing a dilemma to choose between them and decide on which is more important.

What is a priority for e-commerce companies?

Not surprisingly, different companies have a different emphasis on the quality and the speed of their service. As the research suggests usually, e-commerce firms are more interested in providing consistent quality of their applications to help the customers have a better experience on their website compared to other e-commerce firms because today most of them already have the satisfying speed which is why offering high quality is the key factor that attracts customers for them. Nobody doubts that quality is essential for them but can you imagine Amazon, eBay, or Walmart functioning at a slow speed? Despite the study result, we can’t certainly say that e-commerce firms should prefer speed because as the world gets more and more digitized, site performance and its speed is vital for running a successful business.

This is particularly the case with online shopping websites. The only thing customers care about once they purchase something online is the speed because they want to get the product as quickly as possible and waiting for long is the main factor why there are so many complaints towards these companies and why they lose many clients frequently. According to this report, just a 100-millisecond delay in the performance of Amazon’s platform may cause a loss of more than 290 million USD which means that speed actually matters for the success of e-commerce firms.

But while Amazon, eBay, and many other e-commerce companies usually take great care of both the speed and the quality, there are plenty of websites online that praise speed over quality. This is the case on many occasions when it comes to forex trading. While some of them try to provide the best online experience and provide high-quality services, most of them aim to complete their tasks as quickly as possible without paying attention to quality. For example, ECN brokers and their features pretty much guarantee that a trader’s order is completed immediately, but with a slightly higher cost. However, this doesn’t really guarantee the quality of service. Therefore, customers may be satisfied in the beginning because they received the desired order without any delay but soon they find out that the quality is not as favorable as they would like it to be and this may be the reason why they stop keeping in touch with a certain broker.

In any case, everybody who provides service using the internet needs to take care of increasing the speed of their service because having a high-performing site across devices is more important today than ever before. Therefore, speed remains a top concern among those companies even though people usually mention quality as a more important factor in surveys.

Medical companies

Now let’s take an example of companies that provide medical service. Can you imagine if ambulances started to focus more on quality instead of speed? Usually, when people call an ambulance they have urgent health problems, and in this case speed of the service may be vital. Also, if doctors don’t find out quickly enough that the patient suffers from a serious illness, the treatment will be delayed and the patient will encounter even more health problems. But on the other hand, while speed is a priority for ambulances in order to save people immediately, the quality of medical service is no less important as it plays an important role in the recovery process of the patients. Therefore still, it’s hard to conclude which one is more important in this case.

Restaurants and food companies

What are customers’ perceptions of service quality in restaurants? When people go out for a meal they usually want to get exactly what they ordered but also, they want to get their meal as quickly as possible to overcome hunger. No one wants to wait for their food but still, when the customers know that the quality of service is outstanding, sometimes they wait hours in the rows to receive what they want which means that even when they are impatient, quality can be even more important than food service. However, if waiting for so long can result in losing the customer, low-quality service may lower your companies’ reputation on social media as people often complain about the low quality and prove it with pictures on social networks. Therefore, food companies also struggle to decide which is the priority for them, quality or speed.

And these are just a few examples. There are many different types of companies that find it hard to decide between taking the time to provide a high-quality service or service their customers instantly.

Bottom Line

The one thing we can certainly say is that choosing between quality and speed is a difficult task for every single type of company in the world. But also, it depends on the given situation and on who you ask. The moral of this article is that speed versus quality debate will highly likely continue over decades but maybe we ask the wrong question. The question should not be which do we prefer, but how are we going to do both at the same time. Indeed, combining the quality and the speed of your service will definitely help your company succeed and operate more effectively.

Guide to choosing your wall cladding

ZacWalker
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Guide to choosing your wall cladding

Building a home and investing in renovations and improvements are vital aspects of every homeowner’s life. Changing the elements and choosing a new design for your home is fun, but also time-consuming, especially in wall cladding where there are so many options available to you at any moment.

It’s vital to choose the best materials and hire reliable builders if you want to live in a safe environment. One of the most important aspects of building a new home is choosing your wall cladding. It’s a process of creating a protective layer around your walls that will serve as a barrier form moisture and other irritants that could harm your construction. There are various types of wall cladding to choose from, which is why it’s vital to inform yourself and pick the best available option.

Determine your wall cladding budget

House renovation projects are often costly, and if you don’t manage to determine your budget on time, you might end up spending more than you can afford to and harm your financial health. Every homeowner wants to avoid these situations, which is why it’s vital to create a  budget and inform yourself before you make a final decision. If you don’t have enough finances to support your decision to improve and protect your home, it’s better to postpone all your renovation projects and give your self more time to save enough money on the side. However, if you’re determined to finish your projects as soon as possible, opt for the wall cladding that fits your budget.

Protection and insulation

Investing in the best wall cladding option is an excellent way to protect your home from adverse weather elements. Exterior wall cladding should serve as a protective shield that will keep your construction safe from moisture and other elements that can cause a lot of damage. However, wall cladding should also insulate your house and ensure that your home stays warm during winter. Opt for a wall cladding that will protect and insulate your house. The last thing you want is to spend extra money on insulation or higher utility bills.

Interior vs. exterior walls

Whether you want to spruce up your interior accent wall or protect your exterior with natural materials, it’s vital to determine whether you’re making the right choice before you decide to invest. You can use the same wall cladding both for exterior and interior walls, but that’s not a good practice. Exterior walls need to be exposed to sun, rain, and similar weather conditions that tend to damage the building materials. Interior walls, on the other hand, don’t have to be coated with the same type of cladding. You can use a different type of cladding that will have more organic chemical releases. They’re less harmful, and most of them are low maintenance as well.

Texture and installation

Some people care a lot about the final finish, and if you’re one of them, you should choose your wall cladding carefully. There are various textures to choose from, but most people manage to find the one that matches their taste. If you decide to use a light wall cladding, you will be able to attach cladding to your walls alone. However, it’s advisable to hire a contractor, because it will save you a lot of time.

Types of wall cladding

Among all the cladding types, it’s hard to find the one that’s best for your house. Various factors will determine what type of wall cladding is the most suitable option. For example, if you live in a cold climate, you might want to choose stronger and more durable material for your exterior wall cladding. But, if you live in an area where fires often scare the residents, opt for a non-combustible cladding that will protect your house form unexpected fires. Fire-resistant wall cladding is always a good option because it will ensure a higher level of safety in case of an emergency.

Maintenance

All types of wall cladding require maintenance. Use appropriate cleaning products to maintain the interior wall cladding. It’s advisable to avoid using water to clean this area. Some exterior wall claddings require less maintenance than others, but that doesn’t mean that you should neglect the outdoor area. It’s hard to notice any damage on your walls, especially if the cracks are still small.

Hire a professional to inspect the walls and other areas of your property. If you want to try to do it by yourself, focus on the area around doors and windows, because these areas are more prone to cracking. Remove dirt and stains if you notice any, and replace broken cladding as fast as you can.

  • Here’s some extra advice on wall cladding maintenance:

    • Remove dirt and stains. Before you paint or apply any other forms of treatment, make sure you wash away stains and traces of dirt and pollution from your cladding. In order to help your cladding look fresh, you can apply a new coat of paint every year.
    • Replace broken cladding. Once you notice a damaged piece, replacing it immediately would be a good choice.
    • Treat cladding with weather protection products. Sealers and glues can be good sometimes. The cladding will remain intact during extremely cold and hot weather conditions.

Conclusion

Wall cladding will drastically change the appearance of your home. If you choose carefully, it should also protect you from extremely hot or cold temperatures. Choose protection over aesthetics, but keep in mind that you can combine those elements and invest in a beautiful finish that will also prolong the life of your construction and keep you safe.

Mark Vanzo talks about the benefits of using a Broker for Public Liability Insurance

Samantha Rigby
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Mark Vanzo talks about the benefits of using a Broker for Public Liability Insurance

Public liability insurance is a necessity for small business owners and sole traders. It is a minimum requirement for many trade professionals to enter a building site or for a small business to apply for a commercial lease agreement.

Public Liability Australia is a Smart Business Insurance website that specialises in brokering public liability insurance for small business owners and self-employed sole traders. Founder and Managing Director of Smart Business Insurance Mark Vanzo answered some questions below about the importance of public liability insurance and the benefits of engaging a broker during the application process.

What’s your background in the insurance industry, and how did it lead to Public Liability Insurance Australia?

We set up a different style insurance firm back in 2013 with the idea to make it as easy as possible for small business owners to find suitable affordable insurance. We set it up as a hybrid between an online platform and a traditional insurance brokerage;  where while clients often find us and initially engage with us online, we actively encourage small business owners to ring in and talk to us, talk to our brokers about the nuances of their business, to ensure that they’re covered properly. While we capture some information online, we do encourage our clients to talk to us because it’s essential to capture all the business activities, not just the main activity.

And that’s where we found the need for Public Liability Insurance Australia as well. We found that a lot of small business owners, in particular, startup businesses, really, they wanted to protect themselves with public liability insurance. Hence, we created a separate website that is 100% focused on public liability insurance for small business owners.

Why is public liability insurance so important for sole traders and small businesses?

Public liability insurance in Australia, really, it’s the core insurance. It’s the key insurance for businesses. So, it’s necessary for sole traders & small business owners. It covers customer injuries, what we call “slip and trip”, customer property damage, and other third-party damages.

So, a relatively small cost protects a very big risk, that businesses would go out of business without. Also, public liabilities insurance is also required for the trade subcontractors to get onto building sites, and for retail tenants for commercial premises. It really is the key insurance protection for all Australian small business owners to protect the company and personal assets against third party injury and subsequent legal action that otherwise could bankrupt them.

Why should someone use an insurance broker for public liability insurance?

The major benefit is that when a small business owner uses a broker, we become their representative and our first responsibility is to the small business owner. This is very different to  a comparison website, or an insurance agent, who typically represents the insurance company – not the client. So, in the event of a claim, we fight for the client, which may mean a faster and more successful claim. That’s the key reason why you would use a broker.

What is your process when working with a new client?

Whether they make an inquiry over the phone or even via a web form, we actually prefer to talk to the client, to find out their full business activities, discuss their insurable risks and their coverage options. From that point we source multiple quotes if it’s a common occupation, or if it’s a bit more of a niche occupation, utilise our experience and knowledge in the market, and approach the underwriter or underwriters that play in that space.

And for niche occupations, there might be only one or two go-to markets. Common occupations, there may be up to eight quotes that we get for them so they can compare and get a suitable solution for their occupations and risks.

Who are the most common types of businesses you help with public liability insurance?

There’s hundreds of different occupations and some crazy occupations that you’ve probably never heard of, that we didn’t even know existed. I think we had a horse massager come through the other day and we’ve done snake charmers et cetera. But the common ones we do a lot of are sole traders, small businesses, tradies such as carpenters, electricians, welders, also occupations like cleaners and gardeners, we cover a lot of those. And now that they’re back in business thankfully, with the worst of COVID over, we source suitable cover for a heap of restaurants and related businesses in the hospitality industry.

What do you think makes your company stand out from other providers?

We put a huge emphasis on the client, and we make it easy for the small business owner. We aim to make it affordable for the small business owner, and we care for them. We care for the small business owner and have their back when there’s a claim. That’s what we’re about.

Thank you Mark for your time!

You can follow up with Mark Vanzo at www.publicliabilityaustralia.com.au

13 facts you don’t know about Alexander James Rodriguez

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13 facts you don’t know about Alexander James Rodriguez

Alexander James Rodriguez: 13 facts you (most likely) didn’t know about the 13-year-old actor and singer-songwriter.

From his birth place to his growing list of voice over roles, and song releases here’s everything you need to know about Alexander James Rodriguez.

13 facts you most likely didn’t know about Alexander James Rodriguez:

1. Who is Alexander James Rodriguez?

Everything you need to know about the actor and singer-songwriter.

You probably know Alexander James Rodriguez (aka AJ Rodriguez) from his debut single My Crew, which has been a fan favorite since its release on July 7, 2020, but did you know that this teen heart throb has since released three other songs, Your Smile, Up To You and more recently his song for UNICEF, Holiday in LA? Did you know that his first ever acting role was for Little Tikes? And that his first voice over gig was at age 6? Here are 13 facts you need to know about tween actor singer-songwriter Alexander James Rodriguez.

Who is Alexander James Rodriguez
Photo: Courtesy of EMR Media Music

2. How old is Alexander James Rodriguez?

Alexander is 13 years old. He was born on June 12, 2020 making him a Gemini. He is an only child and lives with his mother Liz Rodriguez in Los Angeles.

3. Is Alexander American, British or Spanish? Where was he born?

Alexander is British-American but was born in Marbella in Spain where he lived for the first four years of his life.

Is Alexander American
Alexander James Rodriguez at the film premiere of – Film premiere of “Ernesto’s Manifesto” – TCL Chinese 6 Theatres – January 9, 2020. Photo: EMR LIZ, Wikimedia Commons

4. When did Alexander move to America? Did he move for acting?

Alexander moved to Hollywood in 2011 with his mom. They did not move to start his acting career but at age 4, when a friend of his mother suggested Alexander start acting in commercials and films, he had his first photoshoot. After many agency offers, he signed across the board with CESD Youth Talent at age 6.

5. What was Alexander’s first acting role?

Before his music career kicked off, Alexander appeared in several films and TV commercials. His first movie appearance was in the horror film Mansion of Blood with Gary Busey and his first commercial was for Little Tikes, Giddy Up ‘n’ Go which has had millions of views on YouTube. He auditions in both an American and British accent to give casting directors a choice.

6. What is Alexander most famous for?

Aside from his music streaming on Spotify at a phenomenal rate, Alexander is best known for his British voice over work in the Golden Globe winning film Missing Link and Disney’s Alice Through the Looking Glass. His first voice over was at age 6 on the animated show Bee and Puppycat where he is the voice of Cardamon, Bee’s purple headed landlord. He has been the voice of Cardamon since 2013. It was recently reported that Season 2 of Bee and Puppycat will soon be available on Netflix.

know about Alexander James Rodriguez
Photo @iamajrodriguez via Instagram

7. Is Alexander James Rodriguez on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok or Snap Chat?

Yes, Alexander is on Instagram @iamajrodriguez. He is not active on Twitter, Snap Chat or TikTok. His IG grid is filled with behind the scenes footage from the recording studio, friends and his charity work.

TikTok Alexander James Rodriguez

8. When did Alexander start making music and singing?

Alexander turned to music during the Los Angeles lockdown in May when all filming productions had shut down. He recorded his debut single My Crew in May and released it on July 7, 2020. He has since released three other songs, Your Smile, Up To You and more recently Holiday in LA. The songs have had several hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify with My Crew edging close to 1 million.

Blake Mares Alexander Alex Jacke
Left: Blake Mares, Center: Alexander, Right: Alex Jacke

9. What was first ever Hollywood event Alexander attended?

Alexander has been photographed on many red carpets in Hollywood. His first event was for The Muppets movie premiere in 2011 at El Capitan in Hollywood where he did his first ever interview for Sky Living HD Television in the UK at age 4.

10. Why did he record a cover song for his Christmas single? Why did he choose UNICEF?

Alexander was first introduced to the song Holiday in LA during his 5th grade Holiday Show. When he released My Crew, he told friends on a bike ride he wanted to sing a Christmas song for his chosen charity UNICEF, and that he wanted them to do it with him. They decided on Holiday in LA so they could sing backing vocals. He recorded Holiday in LA in October with his best friends from 1st grade. All proceeds from the song are being donated to Alexander’s dedicated UNICEF GoFundMe fundraiser where he is hoping to help kids around the world one stream at a time.

Holiday in LA - Alexander James Rodriguez

 

11. What grade in school is Alexander in?

Like many kids, Alexander is at school online. Aside from having a grueling school schedule he plays guitar, has vocal lessons, auditions for film and TV roles, donates his time to children’s charities, writes his own music, reads whatever he can get his hands on and is part of a professional swim team with practices 4 times a week. Phew!

Alexander James Rodriguez

 

12. Does Alexander James Rodriguez have a girlfriend?

No guys calm down – this dream boat is only 13!

Alexander James Rodriguez

13. What is Alexander James Rodriguez scheduled to work on next?

The 13y old actor has written three new songs releasing early 2021 and is set to start filming a lead role in the new Latinx thriller film Where Sweet Dreams Die. He was recently interviewed for the new documentary Content is King set to release in 2021.

What is Alexander James Rodriguez scheduled to work on next
(L-R) Zachary Laoutides, Jaime Zevallos and Alexander James Rodriguez. Photo: Ave Fenix Pictures via deadline.com

Follow Alexander James (AJ) Rodriguez on: www.instagram.com/iamajrodriguez and listen to his music at Shopify here.

Window decoration ideas for upcoming Xmas season

Ariana Mortenson
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Window decoration ideas for upcoming Xmas season

Windows are not just an incredible method to give finish within and outside of our homes. Adding unique festive window decoration treatment is the best way to express the love for season and joy to welcoming the guests. Windows that are commonly covered with curtains, blinds etc. and might only thought about different colors of curtains, vertical vs. venetian blinds whole year. But in the festival season everyone wants to give special treatment to windows expect these curtains.

As the Halloween over, the next coming festival is Christmas. The most waited holidays of the year. Christmas is the festival of joy and harmony. The red and green theme covered in snow add glimpse to your holiday season. And, is season to convert your windows into the beautiful art piece.

Here are some ideas for window decoration in this Christmas season:

Ideas for window decoration:

  • The moon and stars

Bring the cold and brilliant skies into your room. Lit up stars over the window will bring you near the night sky as the delicate snow falls and you enjoy the company of your dearest loved ones.

  • Winter wonderland

A glittery and metallic ornament is great way to decorate your snow filled windows.  This ornament also reflects the light around your room. It is simple yet beautiful to hang on your windows.

  • Let it snow indoors

If you live in tropical climate area, it may be difficult to feel fully festive and bright, particularly when the temperature is high in afternoon. To light the occasion soul, bring the exceptional snowflakes inside and make hanging indoor home stylistic theme. Decorate windows with artificial snow and around doors to genuinely feel the magnificent first snow of the period. This idea of decoration will never go out of style. For heavier paper, use fishing line instead of string, this is denser and looks magical.

  • Snow white inspired windows

This is the most attractive window style layout of all. The Snow White-motivated Christmas window decoration is brilliant and incredible for getting kids engaged with the enriching. Lighting the occasion soul in others is the best for this occasion. Getting others engaged with the children motivated window stylistic layout fills your heart too. Adding some old white books, apples, and golden ornaments fills the soul in this decoration.

  • The star above the highest bough

An exemplary Christmas window beautification thought is written in the stars. Your vacation beautification can be twilight, basic, and staggering with a touch of star power. Enlivened by the stars, the theme is encompassed by snow-covered tree figures and the main expression of love. The best style is what mirrors own qualities, own recollections, and cravings for the coming new year. Having hanged stars high gives a true feel of beautiful sky.

  • Poinsettia and plaid window decor

The best window Christmas theme is made with the courses of action that have the most regular tone. Despite the fact that it might appear to be simpler to go with an all-white, the tone can give necessary differentiation. An oversimplified window with arrangements of poinsettias and plaid strip, particularly with white-painted windows, can bring a fly of shading and draw the eye. Green and red tone in the windows can is cool Christmas idea.

  • Lighting the way for the polar express

The Polar Express- a classic read for children in this holiday season is great decision to inspire home stylistic layout. Making a Christmas window beautification in most loved story would absolutely be an incredible method to touch the occasion soul. For better look, you can add some high pendant lights to be hung. Consolidating pine leaves and pine cones and a candle to light in the center of window glass, and the notorious Santa Clause sleigh chime is the most ideal approach to start those old sentiments of delight and creative mind.

  • A star-studded view

A solitary star isn’t only the best way to celebrate and carry light to your home’s stylistic theme but to carry a whole night sky. Change the various sizes of lights and make designed patterns. The delicate radiant lighting in a more extensive window offers warm and spark to enjoy the festive nights.

  • Reindeer, snowflakes and dancers

Combining various components and effects for a beautiful window decoration will surely dazzle your entire house. Despite the fact that it is little time consuming than other window Christmas style choices, blending and coordinating your abilities can create amazing design. A touch of sparkle here, an ornament there, a flying reindeer or two, some delicate backdrop illuminations gleaming somewhere far off, and a twig of green pine will really an excellent and joyful presentation. Use window space or void area, to feature every component.

  • Using the entire window for decoration

Because you don’t have a window ledge doesn’t mean you can’t have cool style. Outline Christmas style in the window summons the pictures of a sleepy midnight town simply looking out for Christmas eve for Santa’s arrival. A couple of string lights creatively placed or flickering candles sparkle moving shadows on sheer curtains. Here you might think which is better – curtains or blinds? Both have own qualities but for shadowing theme curtains work best. Outline plans, particularly for Christmas, are an amazing plan to connect the entire space in your home and utilize each square inch to inspire holiday magic.

  • A pop of color to spark holiday joy

Sometimes, even small decorations can be the ideal method for these special seasons. A little effect can go far with the soul of Christmas. For in the middle of windows, add a sprinkle of shading utilizing a green wreath hung with customary red lace attached with a bow. If your dividers and your home are both painted white, this will absolutely be a decent eye-catcher for your outside style.

Conclusion

Christmas eve is long waited evening in the whole joy. It brings joy and happiness in both young and adults. So, people start planning ahead to decorate their homes. One whole week is not enough to enjoy the festival. Hopefully, now you have some cool ideas for upcoming Christmas season to decorate your windows.

Top 6 myths related to a Shopify eCommerce store

Shaun Smith
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Top 6 myths related to a Shopify eCommerce store

Digital is the new normal, we all are living by, and there are enough magnificent ingredients included in this journey, enabling different businesses to allure their targeted audiences with the right punch of trends and technologies.

No wonder, in this run, the incredible value of e-commerce has reaped massive attention from users and brands alike. And amid this journey, Shopify is one of the best eCommerce platforms to trust further. Today, Shopify is the proven e-commerce platform that is used by Millions of store owners across the globe to increase their customer base and get a hold of the merchant products. Despite having plenty of benefits associated with this very platform, there are many speculations that rise in the market and are regarded as misconceptions.

If you too have some confusion in your mind, then this post is here for you, that will sail you through several myths that are there, but have no logic behind them. So let’s get on the journey to find more about the myths related to Shopify and debunk them with the proven logic.

Why Shopify has gained attention?

Before we move further, I just wanted to give a succinct introduction to you that why choosing Shopify would be proven beneficial. So you must know that there is a lot much available in the market that shouts aloud for the e-commerce purpose, yet Shopify holds the worth and catches the attention of merchants. This is all due to the fact because this very platform has got to offer free banners in abundance, that is mesmerizing enough to capture the attention of your targeted user base and trigger them further to avail of the incredible offers and discounts.

Due to its incredible functionality, it has been a chosen platform by millions of brands out there, who promote and market their offerings through this and grab the attention of the customers effortlessly. Now the million-dollar question comes, that why still some merchants are double-minded while using its services. And the credit goes to the misconceptions.

Just like any other platform or technology, there is some misconception that needs to be killed before they destroy your dream concept of having a spectacular e-commerce platform with Shopify.

Are you willing to know what they are? Curious to know more????

Keep reading!

Myth #1

Security is compromised in Shopify

The concern of security around your Shopify app or platform is very logical, as there can be hacking attempts that may steal your data and break your image in the public. Here, you need to understand that unlike other e-commerce platforms Shopify is not at all vulnerable to security threats. It lets you work on the required servers that further ensure security hassles to be managed effortlessly during the peak shopping hours even. It has got a valid set of compliances and certificates that lead to improved customer security at par with excellence.

Myth #2

Limited options with Shopify

With Shopify, you get multiple options to make easy and comforting shopping stores, that give them a lot much to perform. You get a plethora of plug-ins (free & paid options) enabling you to create a standard quality e-commerce platform. Further, you get the option of creating banners to attract users’ attention, which is free of cost, that can further be used in your website to showcase discount, Sale and Free shipping, letting users shop from your store.

Myth #3

Shopify isn’t economical

Shopify is expensive???

Nope, it is a cold-blooded myth, that made me burst into laughter as well. There are affordable plans that charge you as low as $13 per month, with a social media shop to regulate the shopping through social media. Then there are other plans also which have all the bells to grant your requirements.

Myth #4

Shopify is not competitive at all

Let’s digest the fact that businesses today are facing the brunt of competition, as there is not just one but multiple options serving the same industry and business concepts. Hence calling Shopify sans competent vibes, is a wrong thing to say. There are obstacles and challenges while building an app like Shopify, as you need to offer something different and unique to your users, and trust me it is not as easy as your brisk walk in the morning. 

Myth #5

Manually it is hard to set-up a Shopify store 

Shopify is an e-commerce platform, hence gaining the knowledge of technical stuff that helps you build the platform, is much required. But it doesn’t mean that it will need rocket science information to accomplish your tasks. You don’t need to be a tech-geek to bring your e-commerce platform into existence. There are multiple tutorials and documents that are available for your convenience to bring you a closer look at the development journey.

And no prize for guessing but it eases down the road for you to build a scalable e-commerce app solution.

Myth #6

SEO suffers hugely with Shopify in practice

Gimme a break, how can this even be considered as a myth, as there is no logic behind it. SEO plays a crucial role in making your eCommerce store successful, and Shopify very much gets involved with the SEO practices as it consists of user-friendly site architecture, sitemap, tags, and much more, that enables requirements to be addressed through the website ranking.

Final thoughts

The era of technology has brought us to a digital curve where accessing any services through the means of technology is no more a challenge. The misconceptions mentioned herewith must have given you a clear vision of picking the right services. 

With this hope that you would no more be troubled by the bubble of the myth, I sign- off for today, but till my next blog keep watching this space to kick-start your digital journey with mesmerizing ecommerce apps.

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