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10 Powerful Website Analysis Tools for Your Website

In the present time, website analysis is something significant. Whether you own a business or work as a freelancer, having your website is essential for the success of your brand and business. You want it to top the search results when you create a website. This makes Search engine optimization and website analysis a vital component.

Importance of Website Analysis

Learning a new skill is never easy and, the same is the case with SEO. It can be challenging to master SEO, but it can be enough if you understand the basics. Moreover, there are many SEO tools available online that can help you do website analysis on your own.

You don’t have to use various tools when optimizing your website to improve search engine rankings. Remember that you must go through a few and figure out the one that works the best for your website and business.

Advantages of using SEO tools

Optimization and website analysis is not that easy. You have to do a lot, but when you use the SEO tools, it saves you from the hard work you have to do doing keyword research, data analysis, etc.

These tools help you understand things that can work for your website and the strategies that benefit you.

Some of the many SEO tools available online are excellent for website analysis. The best SEO tools even provide you with reports that can help you reach the level of your competitors.

There are a lot of business owners and freelancers who spend days preparing reports and spreadsheets manually and then analyzing them.

It can be quite overwhelming after a particular point in time. When you use SEO tools, you can save your time, as those tools help you generate reports with one click.

Top 10 website analysis tools

1) Google search console

If you start with Search engine optimization and website analysis, then Google search console is an excellent option. What can be a better tool to help you improve your website’s search ranking other than the search master Google itself?

Even if you are not well versed in SEO, this Google search console will help you in website analysis. It has tons of tools that can help you improve your search ranking.

These tools can analyze your website and tell you about its performance and obtain potential problems for troubleshooting.

Google search console is always up to date with new features coming out now and then. Recently, a URL inspection tool and sitemaps report has been added to its features or tools list.

One of the best things about this tool is that it is straightforward. You have to verify your website by adding a code to your website or going through Google Analytics. After this, you can submit your sitemap for indexing.

As an SEO tool, Google search console can help you understand the way Google and its users see your website. It further allows you to do optimization to improve your search ranking. It is primarily a perfect option for new websites.

This tool offers the help option as well via Webmasters Help Community. It is a place where web admins can connect and share performance and troubleshooting tips.

Pros:

1) Google search console provides easy access to key metrics.

2) It doesn’t charge any cost.

3) This tool is handy for beginners.

2) Moz Pro

This magnificent platform can help you with SEO and website analysis. It has many tools that help you improve your search ranking, increase website traffic, and make your website visible in the search results.

Moz Pro allows you to do website analysis using the Moz Pro Spider. After this, you can see the potential issues on your website.

The tool also suggests actions that can be taken to solve all the problems. You can track the rankings of your website in the search results over hundreds of keywords per website.

This website analysis platform also has a keyword research tool that helps you decide the keywords or keyword combinations that can be good for your website.

Experts have said that Moz Pro is one of the best tools for website analysis and SEO. They say that deep oz Pro has continually updated Google’s constantly changing algorithms. Moz Pro also offers a chat portal where you can get all your doubts cleared. No matter what kind of question do you have in mind regarding website analysis, this chat portal always has exceptional responses and answers.

You can subscribe to the standard plan of Moz Pro that costs $99 per month and offers the essential tools. A medium program provides a broader range of tools and costs $149 per month.

You can also get a discount of 20% if you pay annually. Moz Pro also offers a free toolbar, Mozbar, that can be downloaded to track your website’s metrics while browsing any page.

Pros:

1) Moz Pro offers a supportive community.

2) It has myriads of tools.

3) It has a massive amount of data.

3) SEMRush

SEMRush is another powerful tool for website analysis initially developed in 2008. It has various tools that can help you with Search engine optimization.

You can assess the keywords research tool from SEMRush’s magnificent dashboard. It gives you an elaborated keyword analysis report and summary of the domains you manage.

One of the best features of SEMRush is that it enables you to compare the performance of your page with that of your competitors so that you can get to know where your website ranks against them.

SEMRush also offers a Traffic analysis tool to identify the significant sources of web traffic on your competitor’s website. After this, you can analyze and get to know the details about where your and your competitor’s website stands in terms of bounce rates and average session duration.

This tool is excellent for website analysis as it provides a domain overview from which you can understand the SEO strategies of your rivals, including the specific keywords they have targeted.

With time, SEMRush is adding new tools. It has recently included a traffic boosting tool and a writer marketplace

Pros:

1) SEMRush has an informative and powerful dashboard.

2) It helps you analyze your rival’s strategies.

Cons:

1) Its terminology can seem to be a bit complicated.

4) Majestic

Majestic was introduced in 2011, and it had received a lot of appreciation from the experts. It is undoubtedly one of the best tools for website analysis and SEO. This is one of the oldest SEO tools that are being used today.

This tool, in particular, focuses on backlinks. Backlinks are the links between two websites. Backlinks are one of the most significant factors affecting search ranking, and Majestic offers a considerable amount of backlink data.

If you are using this tool, you can search for a fresh index (which is updated throughout the day) as well as the historical index (which has been praised in the past). Another essential feature of Majestic is the ‘Majestic Million.’ It displays the rankings of the top one million websites.

Though you need to subscribe for Majestic to use all of its tools and features, it also offers a lite version. You can have the lite version of Majestic, which costs $50 per month and provides valuable features to use.

Some of the lite version features are a record of referring domains, IPs and subnets, bulk backlink checker, and the ‘Site explorer,’ which gives you an overview of your online store.

Pros:

1) Majestic offers myriads of features.

2) It offers excellent website analysis.

5) SEO Spider

SEO spider is a powerful website analysis tool initially developed in 2010. This is an excellent option if you look forward to improving your search ranking through SEO. This tool has many famous brands as its client, such as Dell, Disney, and Shazam.

SEO spider offers various tools, and one of the most popular features is that it enables you to perform a quick search of URLs. You can even crawl your site to look for broken pages. After doing this, you don’t have to do the hard work of clicking on each link to rule out ‘404 errors’.

Using this tool, you can even check for pages with missing title tags, tags of the wrong length, and duplicate meta tags. Not just this, you can check the number of links added on each page.

SEO spider offers both free as well as a paid version for use. Using the free version, you will get to use the basic features such as crawling redirects (limited to 500 URLs). This lite version is good for the smaller domains. The paid version costs $180 per year, including all the features.

Pros:

1) SEO spider offers excellent crawling features.

2) This is used by various famous brands.

Cons:

1) The free version has limited features.

6) Ubersuggest

Ubersuggest is a free SEO tool that specializes in originating new keyword ideas. It was initially founded as a tool that drags Google Suggest terms. In other words, it is an all-in-one SEO tool planned to help you gain victory in the game of SEO.

One should mind regarding SEO knowing what you’re doing, what the other participants are doing, and how to modify your strategy to take advantage of holes in the market.

It starts with, as simple as typing a keyword into the search bar. From here, you acquire immediate access to a report for your chosen domain or keyword.

After looking for a search for your primary keyword, that’s how you can use Ubersuggest to find related keywords to include in your content:

1)Tap on the term “Keyword ideas” located in the left sidebar

2)The website will offer you a list of keywords.

3) Four columns will have corresponding data for each keyword like Volume, CPC, PD, and SD.

4)After that, click on the keyword(the one which is related to your content)

5)You can also filter your search.

Therefore, Ubersuggest is one of the top website analysis tools you can look for.

7) Ahrefs

If you are looking for tools that can help you in website analysis and SEO, then Ahrefs is an excellent option. It is one of the most popular and most recommended tools online. It comes after Google if we rank the most extensive website crawlers.

Almost all the SEO experts are fond of Ahrefs’ Site audit feature, making it the best website analysis and SEO tool available online. This tool helps you get to know about the improvements needed in your website for better search rankings.

Ahrefs helps you analyze your competitor’s backlinks. Not just this, you can also find the most linked to content within your industry or niche. Moreover, this tool also gives you an overview of the best-performing pages you can analyze to use some of their tricks in your website for better ranks.

8) Spyfu

SpyFu uncovers the search marketing hidden formula of your most successful competitors. Search for any spon and see every place they’ve shown up on Google. SpyFu has a stunning premium version, and so many of our experts ramble about its free features.

You can do some research on your competitors or other participants to decide which keywords they use, for example- how many organic keywords they have, how many monthly clicks they get, who their paid and organic competitors are, the campaigns they’re running with Google Ads, and more.

It’s one of the most detailed SEO website analysis tools available in the market.

Pros

1)You can quickly look for the number of times a keyword gets searched each month.

2)One can quickly determine the ranking difficulty for that keyword.

Cons

1)As it is the premium version, all the tools or features aren’t free.

9) SEO Quake

SEO Quake is one of the most popular free SEO tools for website analysis. This tool is a Chrome extension that helps in Search engine optimization. You can do on-page site audits with this. It also has assessed your internal and external links.

Suppose you are looking from the perspective of a competitor. In that case, SEO Quake can make website comparisons so that you can perform website analysis and get to know where you stand against your competitor.

SEO Quake has other features as well. Another good feature is the keyword analysis tool, which can also check the keyword density. SEO Quake has a powerful yet simple dashboard. Not just this, it also has an export feature through which you can easily download and send data to others in your team.

Pros:

1) It’s free of cost website analysis tool.

2) It has a powerful dashboard.

10) Siteliner

Siteliner is another good tool for SEO and website analysis. You can learn about the duplicate content on your website through this tool. If you are wondering what we mean by the same content, it simply means content identical to that of other sites.

This tool can help you find the broken links, average page size, and website speed. Not just this, you can even get to know about the number of internal links per page.

Moreover, you can compare your website with others that have been checked with this tool earlier which can help you understand your position in front of your competitors.

So, if you are looking for the best SEO tools, then the above-listed ones are gold. They give you insights that would otherwise take ages to generate. Therefore, if you are using these tools while working, then it means you’re going to get the results you want.

11 Ways To Increase Website Traffic For Your Blog

Is your blog getting low website traffic? It is simple to start your blog these days. But, getting website traffic for your blog website is a challenge.

If you’re a newbie or have been blogging for a while, you’ve already encountered the issue of low website traffic.
It is common for business owners to become discouraged and stop blogging. But, once you realize how profitable it can be for your company, you will value it more.

It is because it can drive traffic to your website. It is not difficult to increase website traffic to your blog because you need to do a few items correctly. This article will guide you in solving the problem of low website traffic. We have suggested measures to drive the audience to your blog website.

11 Ways to Increase Website Traffic

1. Improve your Site and Optimize Loading Speed

When the website’s design is clear and appealing, it will attract users and encourage them to spend more time on it. Bad design discourages viewers or users from spending more time on your blog, resulting in low website traffic.

Users can find more content and navigate various sections more efficiently if you build your blog website effectively. You must now be considering which theme or design will be best for your blog website.

So, pick a basic theme that will make your website look clean and uncomplicated.

Always note to delete unnecessary and distracting elements from your blog. For example, if you have any ads that aren’t useful or aren’t working properly, it’s best to delete them.

Another explanation for low website traffic is slow loading times. In this era, when consumers expect something to happen immediately, no one can wait for your website to load before leaving it.

The time it takes for a website to load is a significant factor in search engine rankings. As a result, optimizing the loading speed of your blog website is critical if you want to increase website traffic. You can also need the assistance of a developer to complete the task.

2. Email Marketing and Creating Email Lists

It is one of the most dependable and straightforward methods for increasing blog traffic. When it comes to website traffic, it’s not only about attracting new visitors or users; you need to keep your current ones.

You must ensure that your website users return, but you must also create an email list. The best part about building an email list is that you have complete control over it. It also means you can send messages directly to your subscribers’ inboxes.

Make it simple for your guests to sign up for your email list if you want to grow your email list. You must also provide them with a compelling reason to enter your mailing list.

Email marketing is a cost-effective and reliable method of can traffic to your blog. After you’ve successfully created your email list, you can send out emails regularly. This way, you can alert and remind your subscribers about new material.

Now, this will assist you in increasing the number of visitors to your website.

3. Keyword Research

Both content authors and SEO experts use a keyword analysis. It helps you learn about specific terms, phrases, and sentences that can help boost search rankings.

You need to identify the words and phrases that users type into search engines to locate the information they seek. You can’t hope to boost your search engine ranking and increase website traffic simply by using random keywords in your post. To achieve better results, you must conduct proper keyword research.

It will improve your content and allow you to outperform your competitors.

You’re probably considering how to do keyword research for your blog. SEMRush, for example, is one of the many resources available today to assist you.

Type in a keyword, and you’ll be presented with a slew of keyword suggestions for your content or article. You can see an increase in website traffic if you identify and use relevant keywords.

4. Create Appropriate Content

Appropriate content is the most important factor in being a popular blogger and increasing website traffic. Users and search engines are on the lookout for relevant material.

When writing a blog, you must choose a good subject and include all of the required information. That’s because only this way can you make it seem useful to the readers.

Pillar articles are the most powerful and informative articles on your blog website. These are your most critical posts, and they must include keywords that are both promising and appropriate.

Often make an effort to write as many pillar posts as possible, including all relevant keywords.

Whatever type of article you’re writing must include all pertinent and necessary details about the topic. You will get a lot of traffic to your blog website if you have full posts on your blog website.

5. Writing Powerful Headlines or Titles

The first thing users see when they find your content in search results is the headline. It is perhaps more critical than the content. When your blog’s title is appealing and imaginative enough to pique users’ interest, it generates more clicks. And, as a result, you get more website traffic.

Users tend to avoid bland, common, or dull titles, so you must know how to write catchy headlines for your blogs. A successful headline can elicit emotional responses from users. It can also support the content in question by using the target keyword.

The trick is to use the headline to tell users that they can open and read your post. If you need assistance, there are many tools available to evaluate headlines.

These include EMV Headline Analyzer and OptinMonster Headline Analyzer. If your post has a strong title, it will attract more visitors to your blog website.

6. Add Images and Charts to Make your Content Appealing

In the human mind, images have a greater influence than words. It causes our brains to have an emotional reaction. As a result, using photographs, maps, and other visual elements in your article is always a good idea. It increases website traffic.

Users find it easier to understand details when graphs and charts are used in documents. That way, they become more involved with the material as a result. Images also help users concentrate on the written material by drawing their attention to it.

One thing to keep in mind when using photos in your content is to select them carefully. You can’t just use any picture because copyright protects them, and using them could result in serious consequences.

So, you can use your photos or go to one of the many places that sell royalty-free images and take what you want from there.

7. Sharing on Social Media

Social Media Sites — *By: Jessica Jane/Flickr @All Rights Reserved*

Social media has developed into a dominant medium in today’s generation. To increase website traffic to your blog, it’s always a good idea to post your blogs or posts on social media.

When publishing posts on social media, remember that you must do so daily to generate traffic. People will not only follow you on social media but will also visit your blog page.

Once they read your posts on social media sites and find them appealing and useful, it’ll help you.

Users enthralled with your material are more likely to share it with their mates. As a result, the blog will attract a larger audience, resulting in increased website traffic.

It is a good thing to post your articles on social media as per your field. For example, if you are writing a business article, you will get more traffic on sites like LinkedIn.

8. Find Influencers to Engage with Them

Every field has its own set of influencers who are experts in their area. The same goes for blogging. You must seek out influencers who will assist you in website traffic to your blog.

This method is challenging since all influencers receive a large number of messages. But, at the same time, you must persevere because it is not impossible.

You must be considering gaining the attention of an influencer and convincing them to support your website. To begin with, you’ll need to strike up a conversation with them. You can comment on their content and post it on your blog and social media sites.

You can also mention them, answer their questions, and leave comments on their blogs to get their attention.

Who doesn’t like receiving compliments? Influencers love it when you acknowledge their efforts, and they will pay attention to you.

You can ask them to promote your blogs once you’ve established a relationship with them. You can also seek guidance on how to improve your pages. You will be able to push more website traffic to your blog in this manner.

9. Using Social Proof

People in today’s world are curious about other people’s thoughts and experiences. They use it as social evidence and base their decisions and choices on it.

If you want to maximize the number of visitors to your blog, you can use social evidence on your website and social media sites.

You’re probably thinking about how to improve social evidence on your blog right now. There is a slew of options for doing so. You should provide a feedback form and request that your audience complete it. You can ask them to rate and review your posts.

You will use the feedback and thoughts of your users in future posts. Users often suggest different topics, and writing blogs on those topics attract users.

You can share your social media, and email list subscriber counts with your users, which will drive more traffic to your blog.

10. Learn and Use SEO Basics and Online Marketing

SEO — *By: Kwame Baldwin/Flickr @All Rights Reserved*

Search engine optimization is one of the most effective methods for increasing website traffic by boosting the search engine ranking. You don’t need to be an SEO expert to accomplish this. It is sufficient to assist you if you are familiar with the fundamentals.

Without the assistance of a professional, you can do SEO for your blog website on your own. Several applications can assist you, including Google Search Console and Google Keyword Planner.

These tools will provide you with helpful tips and even videos to help you understand. If your blog increases in popularity, you’ll need to learn new strategies for making it even more profitable.

So, you must learn the basics of search engine optimization and online marketing to get more website traffic for your blog website.

11. Internal Linking and Backlinks

Once you’ve started writing and publishing quality content, you can begin connecting your new blog posts to your older ones. It is known as internal linking, and it is another excellent way to increase website traffic to your blog.

Internal links are critical for SEO. They help Google understand the relationship between your website’s various articles or blogs. It is also used as a rating signal.

Internal links, when used correctly, will help you increase website traffic and page views. Make it a habit to connect your blogs to previous articles if you want your blog website to be effective.

Another significant aspect that influences search engine rankings is this. In addition to internal linking, Backlinks are a good way to increase website traffic to your blog. A backlink is a link from another blog or website to your own.

Backlinks from well-known websites and blogs are difficult to come by. It will drive website traffic to your website if a famous webpage includes a link to your website or blog in one of its posts.

You must contact influencers and inform them that you have blogs connected to their blogs to communicate to their posts.

Once you use both internal links and backlinks in your blogs, it’ll help improve your search engine ranking. Hence, you will get more website traffic on your blog website.

Is it true that you’re having trouble with the website traffic to your blog? Are you still curious as to when users can begin to visit your website?

Is it possible that you’re producing excellent content, but your website traffic isn’t increasing? This guide will assist you in overcoming this problem.

Just follow the ways mentioned above, and you will be able to drive more website traffic for your blog website.

Non Profit Jobs Near Me: 10 Ways To Land A Non Profit Job

For non profit jobs near me, the search will lead you to several results on the internet. We are going to list everything you need to know about non-profit jobs here.

What Are Non-Profit Jobs?

Non-profit job refers to those jobs that are related to non-profit organizations. These jobs can be employees, CEO, managers, volunteers, and so on.

You may be wondering what a non-profit organization is. Their main aim is not to earn a profit but to work for the betterment of society. You may have seen animal shelters, research centers, religious institutions, and so on. Their purpose is not to make money but to ensure the welfare of society. In other words, they may provide care for animals, education for children, and so on. The difference between a profit-making organization and a non-profit organization is that the former generates income through its activities, while the latter does not. The former can be called a business, while the latter is a non-business.

A common thought process is that non-profit jobs do not pay well, which is not correct. They are successful organizations with good revenue. In addition to that, they also raise funds by various means like campaigns, donors, grants, and other fundraiser activities. Non-profit organizations ensure that after covering essential costs like employee wages, the rest of the money goes to furthering whatever cause they are working towards bettering.

They are being given an exemption from tax by Internal Revenue Service (IRS). An organization needs to request 501(C) before starting their work with a tax exemption.

A picure to represent non profit jobs near me — Photo by Katt Yukawa on Unsplash

A Few Non-Profit Job Title

Most jobs remain common between both non-profit and for-profit organizations. This means both have similar positions like human resources, accounting, directors, managers, and so on. Although, there are jobs that are unique to non-profit organizations and job seekers can apply to like:

1. Grant Writer Jobs

The job of filling out applications for funding falls under a grant writer. Grant writer aims to make sure they achieve their financial goal for the year. You have to be one of the qualified candidates. Meaning you have to be a good writer and have a good hold over the preferred language.

2. Outreach Coordinator

The Outreach Coordinator’s job is to reach out to society to raise awareness among them. Awareness can be raised by organizing different types of events. They also work to hire volunteers.

3. Development Jobs

People working under this position aim to make sure the annual goals of the organization are met. They plan fundraisers, manage finances and run other projects. It is one of the great professional development opportunities you can access working at a non profit organization.

Most Common Non-Profit Job Title In An Organization

1. Administrative Or Accounting

To run a successful organization, we need people who are good at planning, organizing, and also manage money. They should be able to interact with clients and do their everyday work effectively. Some job titles under this category are aides supervisors, financial aid representatives, community service project coordinators, and so on.

2. Human And Health

Many non-profit organizations help people who have dealt with abuse, traumatic events, addiction, and so on. An organization like this requires employees skilled in dealing with emotional, physical, and mental health issues. They should be able to help guide these individuals, be empathic towards them, and provide counseling. Job seekers can apply for various positions under this category like a case manager, child care worker, counselor, human service worker, medical social worker, and so much more.

3. Human Resource

You will notice both nonprofit organizations and for-profit organizations have one department in common that is human resources. The job function includes managing everything from building teams, manage community projects. They also hire and manage volunteers. Job seekers can apply for team leader, event team recruiter, volunteer coordinator, program coordinator, and so on.

4. Management

Management in nonprofit organizations can take many forms. The primary responsibility can include foreseeing a project from start to finish. Guiding the project in the correct direction and making sure all goals are achieved. They also oversee national or regional efforts to guide the projects. Job seekers can apply to various roles under this category like social service director, critical care director, administrator for nonprofit organizations, compliance director, development manager, special event manager, and so on.

5. Marketing

Marketing is a very important department in nonprofit organizations. They require people who can organize and manage the funds. The primary point in the marketing department is to make sure to manage the organization’s goals are sustainable and viewed positively. Job seekers can apply for fundraising coordinator, grant writer, grant administrator, marketing associate, online activist, social media coordinator, and much more.

10 Ways To Look For Non Profit Jobs Near Me

Now you may have an understanding of what non-profit jobs are. You can start your search for non-profit jobs near you. Job seekers will need to know a few things before they apply for these jobs. You need to decide where to look, what will be ideal for you, and who to connect to in the field.

1. Know Yourself

The most important thing you need to know is yourself. Let’s go point by point. First, let’s start with things you find interesting. You need to note down somewhere all things you like. When you look for jobs, crosscheck them with your list. The job you apply for should hold your interest or else, you will grow uninterested and will not work.

For instance, you are interested in gardening or like to read about plants. You can join a foundation that works towards saving trees and planting them.

2. Evaluate Your Skills

Next, you need to know the skills you possess. You need to be sure if they are sufficient for the role you want. If not, you can maybe learn them on online courses. Once you know your skills and interest, you will look for a job fit for you. And with the right motivation, you will be able to work at your best capability if you want to apply for a writer position at an organization such as a grant writer. You will need to be fluent in the preferred language. You can take a course to learn all the basic skills you will require for the position.

3. Make connections

Research who holds key positions in the company you want to work for. Try and get in touch with them. Make appearances in front of them. These could be people who are in charge of hiring or key players in the organization. Your mission is to be able to get them to endorse or recommend you. Or put in a good word for you at the company. For example, if the organization is putting up a public event and needs volunteers. You can join in as a volunteer.

4. Do An Internship

If you are sure, this is the field you want to work in for a long time, going the lengthier path might not be a bad idea. You can start by doing an internship, which will help you prepare for the actual job. You don’t have to wait for your studies to be completed to find an internship. You can do internships along with your studies.

This will help you build the skills and ethics required for the work. You will also gain experience while working. The key players at your internship will also be able to endorse your skills for future jobs. If you show great potential, you can also be offered a job in your interning organization. You can also volunteer at certain places or do small assignments to gain experience. Experience is a very important requirement to get your dream position.

For instance, you want to work for an animal shelter. You can volunteer at various places. Or you can join as an intern and learn how to take proper care of the animal. But also how to achieve a financial goal, host events, and community outreach.

Animal shelter as a part of non profit organization — Photo by Joe Duty/ Flickr

5. Personal Network

I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a personal network. Connect with people who work in the company. You may think your personal network is not sufficient. However, it probably is. Personal connections can be anybody you have met, studied, worked with previously. Friends and family can also be useful connections. They can help you connect with people who work at the organization you want to apply to.

With the evolution of social media, networking has become so much easier. The internet will play an important role in helping you grow your connection. One key site to help grow network along with Instagram and Facebook is LinkedIn. Search for the organization you want to work for. Look to see if you have connections in common it could be somebody you went to school with. Or you can simply connect with someone working there directly.

6. Be Well Prepared To Ask Questions

This is in continuation with the personal network topic. You need to be well prepared to ask the questions. People usually don’t have time to answer questions. You need to research well, write down questions, organize your thoughts. In general, you need to be clear about the topics you want to know more about. The person you are contacting should feel that you are well prepared. This will inspire them to help you connect with the organization or people immediately.

7. CV Or Resume

Build up your CV or resume. Volunteer whenever, wherever you can. Help organize events at your school or college. Participate in events, competitions and gain experience. This basic experience will help build skills like leadership, dedicated team player, ethics, time management, communication, and so on. The section your organization is most likely to look at is the interest section. You should do activities related to the cause the organization works. Again, most important is the volunteering experience. Volunteer towards the cause you want to work for or any other cause that interests you.

8. Be Motivated

Don’t let small hiccups derail you from your goal. Landing a job in the non-profit sector is not going to be easy. It is going to take a lot of motivation and focus on achieving your goal. Put in the time and effort to prove that you will be a valuable addition to the organization.

9. Be Thoroughly Prepared For Your Interview

You have achieved a major step in your process of getting the job. Don’t be too happy that you have scored an interview just yet. The interview is the most important and maybe a difficult step of your process. At this stage, you have to be sure of everything you want. You also need to be armed with all the knowledge about the organization, your role, and all related skills. You have to be confident in communicating. Ask well-thought-out questions this will make a lasting impact. Ask questions related to what your role will entitle. If you have done your homework properly, you will ask proper questions and not absurd ones.

10. Don’t Forget To Be Thankful.

Be thankful for all the people that helped you. Thank them personally for their support if possible. Stay connected with them and help them out too. You will likely need each other in future endeavors. Also, don’t forget to drop a thank you note at the place of your interview. Don’t stop growing your personal network. Connect with more people. Help those who need guidance.

Benefits Of Working Non Profit Jobs

1. What You Contribute To Society Will Really Matter

Being a part of the current young adult generation, you are brave enough to follow your passion. You are most likely to follow through with what you start. Working at a non-profit organization will positively impact students even when it is way different from other people’s paths. So, you are most likely to put your heart and soul into your work. All for the cause you are working for and make a difference. And the efforts that you put in will help the community a lot. You will work in diverse environments and work for well-known organizations.

2. Opportunities

A common cause of stress and anxiety after graduation is getting a job. It feels impossible to land a job in the for-profit sector with all the expectations they set. The for-profit organization will look to hire some with experience, the best skills, and much more. However, non-profit organizations, on the other hand, will look for your passion, drive, and motivation. Non-profit organizations are more likely to hire freshers.

3. Experience

Non-profit organizations will help you gain a lot of experience in different ways. You will meet a lot of new professionals with different backgrounds, goals and explore different situations. Every new project will help you learn new skills. Every day is not the same as the previous one. You experience newer things every day. Also, in addition to this, you will be working for a good cause. What you do will help people in numerous ways and will leave you feeling good about the work you do.

4. Networking

When compared to for-profit organizations, non-profit organizations make it easier to network with people above your role. In for-profit organizations, it is difficult to connect with managers and bosses. On the other hand, in non-profit organizations, you can connect with the higher-ups and learns valuable skills.

5. Responsibilities

Working for a non-profit organization will give you ample opportunities to have different responsibilities. Non-profit may have smaller groups of people. This allows you to work in different roles. On the other hand, for-profit organizations are usually very specific when they give you a set of tasks for your job. And there is usually no room for growth in other sections of work.

When you are taking on different major or minor responsibilities this early on in your career, you will reap its benefits in the long run. You will be way ahead in your professional growth as compared to someone working in a for-profit organization. You will be learning what is right and wrong for you. You will learn from your mistakes too. And taking on all these responsibilities will certainly elevate your resume and cv.

6. Make A Difference

You will be able to help make a difference in the lives of people. Working for a non-profit organization will help you take a stand for whatever cause you are passionate about. You will experience and learn new things along the way. However, you will also help spread awareness for a cause and, in turn, help a lot of people or animals. You feel content and happy when you achieve your goals.

Misconceptions About Non-Profit Jobs

1. Non-Profit Organizations Don’t Make A Profit

I think this is a common misconception people have. After all, the name non-profit/ not-for-profit can be majorly misleading. Non-profit organizations should make a profit. Compared to for-profit organizations, the profit made by non-profit foundations goes back to the cause or purpose they are pursuing. The profit made by them will not go to a particular individual, only towards the cause. The difference between the two is the distribution of the profit. Non-profit organizations are formed for the benefit of the public and not private gain.

2. Donations Are The Only Way They Get Money

Another misconception is that non-profit foundations only get money through donations or fundraising events. While this might be true for some, it is ideally impossible to run an organization like that. Some organizations have their own products or service they sell. They use the revenue earned from selling these services at an affordable price to grow their cause.

Donations are only way non-profit foundation works — Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

3. Services Provided By Non-Profit Are Free

Services provided by non-profit organizations are not free—local fundraisers or grants fund services. The end customer might not be the one paying but, somebody is.

4. Non-profit Organizations Don’t Have The Most Qualified Leaders

The leaders of the non-profit organization have extraordinary skills. It takes good leadership to navigate a whole organization, maintain a budget, work for their cause. They have to do this on a small budget. The most important thing is that they help people hurt, have developmental disabilities, solve problems, and work through complex situations. It can also affect their mental health. Their main aim is to make the world a better place and put their hundred percent towards it.

5. Non-profits Are Not Number driven

The difference between for-profit and non-profit is that the success of for-profit is calculated based on the revenue they make. On the other hand, the success of a non-profit organization is calculated based on its mission and goals. And this varies from time to time and organization to organization.

6. Running a Non-Profit Organization is easy

Nonprofit organizations take the same amount of planning and managing as for-profit organizations. Running a non-profit is definitely challenging. You have to start from scratch, most probably. Meaning raising funds will also be difficult. Managing with little funds and trying to further the cause is very challenging. Eventually, you gain recognition; however, still maintaining sustainable goals is tough.

7. Only Volunteers Work For Non-Profit Organisation

It might seem like the only people working at the non-profit organization are volunteers. However, that’s not true. Volunteers only make a small part of the organization. The majority of the people at non-profit organizations are paid, employees. Some non-profit organizations solely rely on their paid staff, and other non-profit organizations choose to hire volunteers for their help.

Misconception about non profit organization — Photo by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash

Is Working For Non-Profit Sector Worth It?

Based on everything we have seen so far, I would say if working at a nonprofit organization is a dream of yours, go for it. You need to have the drive and motivation to work for it. You also need to be empathic, dedicated and love making a difference in society. Working at a non-profit organization is probably one of the best decisions for your professional growth.

Is Blogging The Best Way To Make Money Online?

The best way to make money online just might be blogging. Of course, there are ample options out there to make money online. You have choices like creating your own youtube channel, test websites or do online surveys. You can also sell your own clothing line, food delivery service, and online tutoring.

However, blogging might be the best option for you. Creating your own blog is quite simple. Blogging is a full-time job for some people. However, if you are a college student, this is also the right place to start and earn money fast in your free time. All you need is a little creativity, consistency, and a lot of determination to keep going.

Why Choose Blogging And How Will It Prove To Be Useful?

Blogging at the start was used to pen down diary-style entries by users. Now blogs are used to upload not just write-ups but also photography, lifestyle, health, or any other topic that can be self-published. The blog also now helps grow businesses and make a reach to customers. Having your blog can be beneficial in a few ways like:

You get to connect with people with similar interests as you
You can get exposure for your existing business.
You can sell your own products
Make extra cash as a side income
Share with the world what you are passionate about
Improve your writing skills
Build your own identity and gain trust
You get to work your own hours
You might get invited to speak or write on other major platforms.
Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

A Few Simple Steps To Start Your Blog

Now that we might have convinced you to start blogging, you might have the question, how to create a blog. Don’t stress creating a blog is easily manageable.

1. First, choose what you are passionate about and what you want to share with the world?

2. Let’s pick a name for your blog. Make it creative.

3. Next, get your blog up and registered.

4. Choose a creative layout for your blog.

5. Now, you are ready to publish your first post.

6. Be consistent in posting, have a schedule. Promote your blog post on social media.

7. And finally, you are ready to start making money with your blogs.

How Is Blogging The Best Way To Make Money Online?

Once you have a blog up and running with steady traffic, you can start making money. There are not one but many ways you can earn money by blogging, making it the best way to earn money online. Some methods to make money online include affiliate marketing, selling your products, teaching an online course, sponsored posts,s and much more.

Well, you might wonder how much money you can make and let me tell you, you can earn a lot using these methods. We describe in detail in the below-mentioned paragraphs these methods and many more. Let us see how you can make money by doing what you love.

1. Affiliate Marketing

In simple words, affiliate marketing is a type of digital marketing wherein when people buy online products referred by you, you earn a good commission.

To get started, first join an affiliate program. Next, pick a product you want to promote. Add the link to your blog post, and every time someone makes a purchase using your link, you get a commission.

For instance, you are writing a review post on your own website about a skincare product you used and loved. And if you have an affiliate link for the item, add it to your post. Now, you can earn some money.

If you didn’t know, even big companies like Apple, Google, and Amazon also have an affiliate program. These affiliate programs are free to join by anybody in the world.

2. Doing Freelance Jobs

Freelance services, as you might know, you get paid per task. It gives you the freedom to work on your own terms and especially your own hours. You get to have a flexible schedule, work from home, and have a better work-life balance.

You can sell your skills as a freelance service on your blog. Skills like writing, designing, photography, and so on. It is the easiest way to make money using your skills. Post about your skills on your own website, and you are available to freelance and have a form where clients can contact you. It is a way to make money almost instantly. Whereas other ways to earn money online can take a long time.

3. Ad Networks

An online advertising network is a company that will help advertisers connect to you if you want to put up advertisements on your blog posts. You might need a particular amount of views for some companies to hire

you out. They will display ads based on your content or ads based on users’ interests. Some ad network companies are Media.net and Google AdSense, offered by Google.

4. Direct Advertisements

Direct advertisement allows you to connect to the brand or its distributing agents. You will be able to display more ads relevant to your blog. Direct advertising does not necessarily add value to its add recommendation. It is mostly targeted to an audience who might be looking for that product or service. It is also a better option than ad networks.

We all use google for almost anything and everything in our daily lives. You can also use google for direct advertising. Use google to search for direct advertisements for your blog. You can search by using keywords that would be relevant to your blog. You can then approach these companies to ask for further details.

5. Writing Sponsored posts Or Review Post

You might not want to display ads on your blog post. There is also the fact that more and more people are using ad blocks, which will affect your earnings. You are doing all this writing. So, why not also get paid for it. You can write a paid review post for a product or service. You can also allow companies to sponsor you to write about their service or product on your blog.

If it is a product you are interested in, don’t wait for the company to approach you. Go to the market, buy it, and review it. Suppose a brand is offering you to do a review of a free version of the product. You can search if they have a paid premium version. If you review the premium version, don’t be afraid to ask to be paid for it as you will be providing your service for them.

6. Native Advertising Is The Best Way To Make Money Online?

Another method of generating revenue from your blog is native advertising. These ads don’t stand out from the other content on the page. So, as an advantage, they won’t put off your readers by the sudden appearance of an ad. Native advertising is a paid ad that does not disrupt your content and matches the look and feel of your content. They can be of three types:

1. Ads that are promoted in feed on social networking sites or apps like Facebook, Instagram.

2. Ads that are promoted first in your Google search results.

3. Another type is content recommendations. In these recommendations for related articles, appear below the articles you have written or just read.

You can incorporate these ads into your content for the blog and earn ad revenue. They won’t be off-putting, match the flow of your writing, and are still one of the best ways to make money.

7. Write And Sell Your eBooks

Combine all your articles in one place. And sell these as an ebook online. If you are good at writing poems, you can compile and sell that as an ebook. You can also choose a trending topic to write on and sell as an ebook. Another way is to combine all the photographs taken by you and sell them online. This is one of the best ways to earn passive income.

Passive income is earnings other than your actual income. You get paid from a business you don’t have to participate in regularly actively. An example of this is stocks, rental properties, or book royalties. These are good money-making ideas.

Combine your photographs in an ebook. — Photo by 91 Magazine on Unsplash

8. Teach An Online Course

You can teach your skills in an online course. You can create online courses regarding your skills, experience, do’s and don’ts, tips, and advice on everything you have learned so far regarding your profession. You can charge and earn a good amount for your courses. You can make extra money by selling online courses.

One to two-hour-long video courses is exceptional. They help learn a new skill, and many people will be joining them to build up their skills. You can use different sites to create and sell your online courses. These sites are Teachable, LearnDash, New Kajabi, and many more.

Selling online course to make money online — Photo by Vika Strawberrika on Unsplash

9. Conduct Webinars

If pre-recording an online course seems hectic, another alternative is to conduct webinars. These webinars can be conducted for small groups or one on one sessions. You can charge anywhere from a small amount to a large about based on your knowledge and experience.

To successfully conduct paid webinars, you need to know your content and professional field extremely well. Webinars are also extremely important to bring exposure to your content. One site to host your paid webinar is WordPress. WordPress can also promote your webinar and create forms for your users to sign up for the webinar.

10. Online Consultation Sessions

Along with above mentioned online webinars, you can also offer paid online consulting sessions. Unlike freelancing or online courses, here you can teach your clients strategies. Help them make a plan for their careers. You can guide and advise them through each step of their career path.

You can put a page on your blog where you promote your counseling session. Make a form on WordPress or Google form where clients can inquire more about this service or register for the consultation service.

11. Sell Merch Related To Your Content

We all love a personalized t-shirt or a t-shirt that contains a phrase we use often. If you have a talent for designing, you can sell t-shirts, customize mugs and sell accessories on your online store as well. If your blog is related to painting or drawing, you can make commission pieces or sell your own. We have definitely seen influencers sell merch, so can you on your own online store blog page.

There are companies out there that allow you to upload your design. They then print them for you. Some even ship it to the customers for you. This is a great way to express your creativity in your free time while earning some good money.

You can also do seasonal merch items. You can create a page on your blog for your online store and sell clothes online.

12. Charge For Sponsored Social Media Posts

When you start your blog, you tend to promote it on social media as well. Now, as your blog gains traffic, people will also visit your social media from the blog. Leading to an increase in your social media presence. Once you have a good following count on your social media, you are all set.

You can now post sponsored posts on your social media by brands. You can make a sponsored post related to your content or even different from your content. You earn a huge amount from these sponsored posts. It’s one of the best ways of making money online. You can earn per-post or re-post.

This is also one of the best ways to earn money. Combine this method with a sponsored post on your blog or native ads, and you are ready to be Richy rich.

13. Speaking Gigs

Speaking gigs make you a good amount of money. Now, you might be wondering how you can get invited to speak. Two reasons you can be invited to talk are if your blog takes off or if your blog has a big enough reach. Another reason you might be called to speak is due to your knowledge of a topic. It can be a trending topic as well. You will most probably be invited to speak at conferences and webinars.

So, it is necessary to keep yourself updated with current happenings. When you are invited, you will be asked to talk about your story. And about your experience in your field. This is a great way to build confidence. This is also an amazing way to reach out to people who don’t know much about your work.

14. Write Content For Other Online Business Or Blog

If you are particularly knowledgeable on a certain topic, a magazine or another major blog might ask you to write as a guest for them. Not only will this be good exposure for your blog it will also earn you extra cash.

For instance, you are good knowledge about interior decorating. For example, decorating on a budget or on how to decorate a small space. An interior design magazine can ask you to write a piece for them.

Or maybe you run a health and fitness blog. You could be asked by a magazine or other major blog or brand to write for them. On topics like five ways to remain fit this quarantine, Fruits that you should include in your healthy diet, and so on. This will help increase the traffic of your blog.

15. Paid Newsletter

Another way to earn cash on your blog is by having subscription-based newsletters. You get to build trust with a small closed group of people. You will mostly send out newsletters as emails every week or month, and you can charge accordingly. It will help you make more money.

These newsletters can contain extra content; you can answer questions asked by your readers. You can also give personal updates. Readers who buy the newsletter subscription can, along with the newsletter, view snippets of upcoming posts or merch.

16. Sell Websites

I know this might sound weird, but you can create and sell websites with a WordPress expert. And also an expert at designing websites this might be for you. Some companies prefer to buy already established websites. So, if you create a website that already has good traffic, you can sell it to a company. Now, you can make money off your hard work.

17. Build Your Blog With The Help Of An Agency

Some agencies will help promote you to big brands. Yes, blogging has become that popular. However, working with agencies can be tricky. Firstly, you will need to have a good online presence on your blog. So, this is definitely not for someone who has just started blogging.

Since agencies usually only work with big brands and companies, you might not promote smaller businesses that you love. On the other hand, working with an agency provides you with good security. You will also be earning more than you usually do due to working with big brands.

How To Create A Better Outreach For Your Blog

We have seen many different ways you can use blogging as a way to make money online. However, before you start making money off your online platforms, you need to have an audience. You will have to have a certain amount of reads, views, and traffic in general on your blog. When you start your blog, it might seem impossible. You might stress a lot about how you can be in the top search results. Well, it is not as hard as it seems. All you need to be is focused and consistent with your work. Let us see some steps we can take to increase the outreach of our blog.

1. Topic

The topic you choose for your blog is very important. It definitely needs to be a topic people are interested in. However, don’t choose the topic just people are talking about it. You need to be passionate about it, too, as you will be writing about it regularly. Don’t be afraid to venture out and find new and interesting topics. Find what’s right for you.

2. Layout/Design

Don’t make your blog post overly crowded. Your audience should not be put off by it. Choose a good layout for your blog. Minimal layouts are really everybody’s favorite right now. An aesthetically pleasing layout will not only attract more readers but will also motivate you to write more.

3. Keep Your Readers Coming Back For More

Make sure your posts are engaging. They should not be monotonous. It should be a two-way exchange of thoughts. Ask them to comment on their thoughts, interact with them in the comments. You also use your newsletters to interact with them.

Another thing is you can ask them what they want to see you write or work on more. Suggestions are always appreciated. Also, always remember and never be afraid to ask your post with friends and family.

4. Promote Your Blog On Social Media

You need to promote your blog on all social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on. This is necessary to bring exposure and increase traffic to your blog. It might seem like a big task to promote it on all social media platforms, but I can not stress enough that this is how most of your future readers will find your blog.

5. Venture Out

Don’t be afraid to go off-road once in a while. By this, I mean try out different topics. It may be something related to your topic or something completely different. Yes, it is a huge risk as your readers might like it or won’t. But, if they do, then it’s gonna be the best decision you have taken. You can get a new audience by doing this. Also, your constant readers might love reading something new and supporting you in this new venture.

6. Be Concentrated, Confident And Consistent

You can not start a blog and expect it to work out. You have to put in hard work. Make sure you are focused on your task. Concentrate on writing amazing articles and bringing exposure to your blog. Be confident in your work. Don’t let anybody put you down.

Be consistent in your blogging — Photo by Prateek Katyal from Pexels

Being consistent is extremely necessary. You need to post regularly to create a community of constant readers for yourself. It will also help you increase traffic on your blog. Don’t let anything stop you. Put in the effort and watch the amazing results it displays.

As we have seen in this article, Blogging is definitely one of the best ways to make money online. Once you start blogging, there is no stopping you from creating a good income for yourself. Choose a topic you are passionate about and start blogging. And if you already blog, then what are you waiting for? Use the methods to earn yourself some cash. It might seem difficult at first, but with time you will be a pro at it.

Wix vs Squarespace: Which Of The 2 Should Be A Freelance Blogger’s Best Friend?

Wix vs Squarespace: The Dilemma Of A Freelance Blogger

As a writer, I can vouch for the fact that writers have independent spirits. All writers are creators, and all creators like being independent. We do not really like being bound. So, the idea of being the sailor of one’s own ship may sound tempting to most of us. This, incidentally, is the very idea that lies at the heart of freelancing. These days many people are slowly moving towards becoming freelance bloggers. Now, newbies in the field of freelance blogging are probably aware of something called the “Wix vs Squarespace” tussle.

Before you start on your blogging journey, you’ll find yourself in a dilemma. The question of choosing a website builder will be difficult to deal with. How can it not? Choosing just one website builder from so many! That’s far from being easy. There is nothing called THE best website builder, after all.

We can delve deeper into this issue involving two of the arguably most user-friendly website builders- Wix and Squarespace. So, if you’re a blogger struggling with this inner battle about whether to choose Wix or Squarespace site, read on!

The Drift Towards Freelancing As A Career

In case you didn’t know, a lot of people are slowly gravitating towards freelancing nowadays. In 2020, when the pandemic had wreaked havoc worldwide, about 12% of the freelancers in the US made their foray into the freelance or the gig economy. Despite the uncertainties associated with freelancing, many people have begun to drift towards being their own employers in their respective fields.

Freelance Blogging As A Profession

Blogs and blogging — Illustration by Tumisu/ From: Pixabay

Blogging is a highly creative profession. It has become a much sought-after profession these days. Since you’re here, you’re probably willing to dive into the world of freelance blogging, aren’t you? So, you probably know how blogging can turn out to be an immensely rewarding profession in the long run. Yes, there was a time when many people would be skeptical about what I said just now. But times have changed!

Wix vs Squarespace: Which Website Builder To Choose As A Freelance Blogger?

Understanding the tussle: Wix vs Squarespace — Illustration by 200degrees/ From: Pixabay

But how to go about it? Firstly, as a beginner, you need to build your own website. Website builders can help you with it!

Now, there are a lot of website builders to choose from. You may find yourself wondering- Which website builder should I choose?

Most people prefer WordPress and would recommend using it. However, as a beginner, you can choose either Wix or Squarespace.

Here begins the clash between two of the best website builders- Wix vs Squarespace. Who will be your partner in freelance blogging?

Choosing between Squarespace and Wix is nothing less than Herculean labor. I mean, both of them are currently the most popular and user-friendly website builders. So, if you are torn between the two, I cannot blame you.

If you wish to know more, you may watch this video.

Features That Both Wix And Squarespace Have In Common: What Are The Similarities Between Them?

There are some features that both Wix and Squarespace have in common. In fact, both are equally good if certain characteristics are taken into consideration. That is why the “Wix vs Squarespace” tussle arises, in the first place!

The following section discusses how these two site builders are similar to one another:

To Use Wix Or Squarespace, You Do NOT Have To Know Coding Or Possess Other Technical Knowledge.

You do not have to know anything about coding to use either of these. Yes! You do not necessarily have to be tech junkies to build your website or your freelancer portfolio if you choose either of them.

Both the Wix site and Squarespace site make use of SaaS. Also known as “software as a service,” tools like these allow beginners with little or zero knowledge about coding to build their own websites as if the task were a piece of cake!

Many users would admit that Wix is easier to use than Squarespace, especially when it comes to speedy website building.

Both Squarespace And Wix Will Give You Access To Ample Eye-Catching Templates!

Both Wix and Squarespace will offer you visually-appealing templates and exquisite designs. The templates Wix offers are no less appealing than those offered by Squarespace.

You Can Increase Your Website Traffic And Improve Your Rank On Search Engines.

You can follow SEO best practices with relative ease on Wix as well as on Squarespace. Both of them come with suggestions regarding the optimization of websites. If you are meticulous enough to follow them, your site will obtain a better rank.

Both Offer Attractive E-Commerce Features.

Neither Wix nor Squarespace is E-commerce oriented, but the E-commerce features that they provide are pretty impressive. Neither of them leaves any room for disappointment in this case. Wix’s features about E-commerce can be afforded by many compared to those that Squarespace offers.

Squarespace And Wix Have Amazing Customer Support.

Customer support and services are pretty much important for any beginner. Squarespace and Wix are excellent when it comes to their customer support system.

You can contact Wix’s Help Centre and read up their blogs if you meet with any difficulty. If you choose Squarespace, you can participate in the discussions on their forum or share your opinions, queries, and insights. Their blogs and FAQs would help you too.

So, it’s understandable if you are preoccupied with the “Wix vs Squarespace” tussle in your mind.

However, Squarespace and Wix differ along certain lines. Each of them has something to offer which the other cannot. Simply put, Wix offers certain perks which Squarespace doesn’t and vice versa.

Wix Site, Its Merits, And Demerits

With about 100 million users and more, Wix is probably one of the most widely known website builders. Apparently, it has a lot of attractive features and a lot of people are drawn to it.

Why Wix: The Benefits Of Using Wix

Let us find out why so many users all over the world find it so alluring. I have talked about its numerous merits in the following section:

Wix will win you over with its user-friendliness. You won’t have to think twice before saying- Website building with Wix isn’t a big deal!
You can easily use the Wix editor. It is equipped with a drag-and-drop feature which most people can use effortlessly.
Worried about losing your data? Wix’s Site History system is here to help!
Create your website without too much effort with the help of Wix ADI. What makes it even more agreeable to users is a feature called Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence). Wix Artificial Design Intelligence or Wix ADI is quite a marvel. Wix ADI makes website building a seamless experience.
There are myriads of Wix templates. You will find an array of beautiful designs and plenty of themes. I must also mention that Wix templates belong to diverse categories such as travel, beauty, and others. It also comes with more than 50 templates for blogging.
Wix has several great SEO tools too! As far as SEO (Search Engine Optimization) features are concerned, Wix offers several of them for all kinds of pages. These features include meta-description, page title, SSL encryption, and so on. Wix will, therefore, help you achieve a better rank on Google.
Wix has so many cool add-ons! There are many add-ons or extensions available on Wix. You can get all these add-ons from Wix’s app market. It’s a really cool feature. Don’t you think so too?
Oh, wait! Wix users can opt for a free plan! It’s Wix’s free plan that I’m talking about! Wix’s free plan is irresistible to many! After all, who can resist something free?

Why Not Wix: The Downsides Of Using Wix

Nothing is perfect, after all. But, Wix has several downsides too. So, let us take a look at why it may lose some ground in the “Wix vs Squarespace” battle:

Be very careful before choosing a template because you won’t ever be able to change it later! If you wish to change it, you might have to create your website all over again. That would be tedious.
Many of the templates on Wix aren’t responsive.
If you go for Wix, you have to create different versions of your website. This might not be good as far as search engine optimization is concerned. This is one of the chief areas where Wix may lose the “Wix vs Squarespace” battle.

Squarespace, Its Merits, And Demerits

Now that you know about the advantages and disadvantages of using Wix, you must be curious to know what Squarespace offers.

Why Squarespace: The Benefits Of Using Squarespace

So, let us find out why Squarespace may turn out to be the winner in the “Wix vs Squarespace” game. I have talked very briefly about the advantages of using Squarespace in the section that follows:

Squarespace is quite friendly towards its users. Squarespace is another website builder which many users prefer.
Squarespace brings a drag-and-drop page editor with it. The drag-and-drop editor for Squarespace is a section-based and structured page editor.
Squarespace offers about 100+ templates for website creation. It is equipped with many color schemes, fonts, audio, podcasts, and so on. All Squarespace templates are undoubtedly exquisite.
While choosing from the finely curated array of Squarespace templates, users will have to specify the category of their sites. Then they will be directed to specify the purpose of their respective websites, and based on these responses, templates will be suggested.
The SEO tools of Squarespace are quite good too. Squarespace comes with a host of excellent SEO tools. Concerning SEO, it is as good as Wix, if not better.
If you use Squarespace, you will be able to edit all source files. These include all CSS and HTML files.

Why Not Squarespace: The Disadvantages Of Using Squarespace

But there are a few aspects of Squarespace which may make Wix the winner in the “Wix vs Squarespace” fight. But what are they? The following section will give you a fair idea about the many failings of Squarespace:

Don’t expect to get your data back if you lose them by mistake. It does not have any backup and restore options.
If you choose Squarespace, you will get no free plan but just a 14-day free trial. Squarespace does not have any free plan to offer to its users.
Squarespace’s drag-and-drop editor is a little difficult to use.

Wix And Squarespace: So, Where Lies The Difference?

While it’s true that both Wix and Squarespace have some features in common, there are many differences between Wix and Squarespace too! I mean, you must’ve noticed that a Wix website looks different from a Squarespace website, haven’t you?

The section below ventures to explain the differences that both users of Wix and Squarespace are likely to notice:

Templates

Even though Wix has more templates than Squarespace, there is hardly one Squarespace template that you can turn a blind eye to. No wonder why Squarespace sites look so delightful!

You’ll indeed have a lot of options for your website template if you use Wix. Wix’s templates are available in abundance. But not all of these are responsive, especially on devices like mobile phones. You will have to create separate versions of your website like the desktop version, mobile version, and so on. It doesn’t sound convenient, does it?

But Squarespace templates win brownie points because they’re responsive, unlike Wix’s templates!

The Page Editor Of Wix And Squarespace

Wix editor is equipped with a drag-and-drop feature. I have already talked about that before. On the other hand, Squarespace offers a structured drag-and-drop editor.

Simply put, if you’re using Squarespace, you’ll drag elements across the page that will fit into particular rows and columns. You cannot alter the positioning of these columns and rows. This affects creative freedom to a certain extent which is not the case with Wix editor. Therefore, Wix offers more creative freedom than Squarespace.

Ecommerce Sites And Wix And Squarespace

The Ecommerce features and eCommerce tools that Wix offers differ from what Squarespace has in store. You can build a small or medium-sized online shop with the help of features that Wix offers. In comparison to Wix, Squarespace lacks a store of its own. So, if the online store feature isn’t a built-in feature, it cannot be put to use.

Squarespace Pricing And Wix Plan

Squarespace plans are four in number whereas, with Wix, there are eight. The cheapest among the four plans is the Personal plan. If you choose this Squarespace plan, you get a custom domain. Plus, you’ll get unlimited bandwidth and storage. You won’t be annoyed by ads, and you’ll have to pay $12 every month.

Unlike Squarespace, Wix offers no custom domain to users who opt for Wix Connect. Wix Connect is Wix’s most basic plan. This plan comes with 500 MB storage and 1 GB bandwidth. You have to pay a recurring charge of $4.50 and that too every month, and you’ll have to tolerate annoying Wix ads.

But, we must remember that Wix offers a free plan in addition to paid plans. Wix’s free plan is one of its striking features. The paid plans offered by Wix are of two types. If you are looking for a website builder to build a website for professional purposes, you can go for this Wix plan. For business purposes, you can go for Ecommerce plans.

Both Wix and Squarespace offer plans that are costlier than the basic ones. Apart from Squarespace’s Personal plan, the pricing plan includes options like business, basic commerce, and advanced commerce options. Also, all Squarespace plans offer unlimited bandwidth.

Extensions, Add-Ons, Third-Party Apps, And Integrations: Wix vs Squarespace

If you remember clearly, I’ve already talked a bit about Wix App Market, which is a feature that makes Wix a cool website builder.

The apps you can find in Wix App Market are not just third-party apps. There are Wix’s own apps too! These apps come with a lot of cool features as well! With the help of these features, you can enrich and enhance the quality of your website. You can find apps like Wix’s email marketing tools, Wix events app, notification tools, calendars, and so on in Wix App Market.

On the other hand, the add-on features and extensions that come with Squarespace are mostly Ecommerce oriented. Hopefully, they may diversify them. But, in contrast to Wix, Squarespace doesn’t offer apps. You can enable certain features via third-party integration. There’s no app market like Wix’s App Market. These tools and extensions include Squarespace’s marketing tools, extensions related to sales, products, inventory, and other Squarespace integrations.

At present, Wix seems to be the winner of the “Wix vs Squarespace” battle regarding the number of extensions and add-ons that both Squarespace and Wix offer. But quality-wise, Squarespace remains unbeaten.

Wix vs Squarespace: Let’s See Which Website Builder Has The Best Blogging Feature

Blogging on WordPress — Photo by StockSnap/ From: Pixabay

Many users favor Wix, mainly because it’s easy to use and offers a free plan. But when it comes to blogging, the scenario might turn out to be different. Are you curious as to why I said so? Then keep reading!

In several cases, Wix would become the winner in the “Wix vs Squarespace” scuffle. But all the tables turn when the blogging tools of both website builders are taken into account. That’s because Wix’s blogging feature is not as good as that of Squarespace.

And The Winner Is… Squarespace!

As a freelance blogger, you are likely to favor Squarespace over Wix. The blogging feature of Squarespace is very flexible if we compare it to Wix’s blogging feature. Wix comes with very basic in-built blogging tools, but Squarespace comes with some advanced features.

What Makes Squarespace One Of The Best Website Builders When It Comes To Blogging?

With Squarespace, you can add tags, URLs, audio, and visuals, maps, and whatnot.
Its WYSIWYG blog editor is something that many bloggers would prefer to use.
It is also geared with Google AMP functionality.
Furthermore, it supports multiple author management and has a great workflow feature.
Most importantly, you will connect with your readers or audience and get to know their opinions. That is what a blogger aims for, right?

Squarespace’s Members Area Feature Is A Plus

Let me tell you why you want to use Squarespace and not Wix at the beginning of your career as a freelance blogger. Squarespace has added a Members Area feature. This feature is a new one. What makes it interesting is that its chief goal is to monetize the content on your website. That includes your blog posts as well.

Why Wix May Lose The Game In The Case Of The Blogging Feature?

Wix will probably not become a favorite with bloggers. Its blogging features are somewhat inferior to Squarespace’s blogging features. So, let’s find out why Wix may lose the “Wix vs Squarespace” game to Squarespace.

Wix comes with a feature known as the Wix Blog app. With this free Wix Blog app, you’ll be able to schedule your blog posts and do other things. You need to integrate it on your website, though.

There will also be ads on your blogging site if you choose Wix. You cannot do away with the ads, no matter how annoying they might seem.

Besides, getting a blog on Wix with a domain of your own will cost you money.

Thus, when freelance bloggers appear on the scene, Squarespace will win the “Wix vs Squarespace” battle. About blogging, Squarespace can beat Wix.

You may check out this video to know more about Squarespace’s blogging feature. Hopefully, it will give you a fair idea.

Tired Of All The Talk On The “Wix vs Squarespace” Battle? Let’s Talk About Their Alternatives Then

Enough on the “Wix vs Squarespace” battle! Let us take a look at some other website builders other than Wix and Squarespace.

So, here’s a list of some website building tools other than Wix and Squarespace:

If you are fond of simplicity, you may consider choosing Weebly. It offers a lot of good blogging features.
Medium will be a good option for you if you want your voice to be heard by many people.
These days LinkedIn is gaining popularity among many professionals even though it’s not exactly a site builder per se.

Apart from all these, there are other lesser-known platforms or site builders. They include Jimdo, Ghost, SITE123, and so on.

Now, if you wish to choose either Wix or Squarespace to put an end to the “Wix vs Squarespace” tussle, you may. Or, you may choose any of the other alternatives. It’s totally up to you.

I hope I could offer some useful insight to you on this entire “Wix vs Squarespace” issue. When blogging is considered, before Squarespace, Wix seems not so bright, even though it offers a free plan!

Online Transcription Jobs: 10 Best Websites Where You Can Kick-Start Your Career

Writing is by no means an easy profession. But for lovers of words, it’s hard not to take up the pen (or the keyboard in today’s world) to make a living. Since you’re reading this, I presume you are a freelance writer or wish to become one. I have great news for you! You can take up online transcription jobs to earn well while doing what you love to do the most, that is, writing.

The Growing Popularity Of Freelancing

Research suggests that one-third of these freelancers are involved with jobs that require creativity. Plus, about 17% of these freelancers are writers or content creators. Yes! Freelancing is gradually gaining steady ground on a global scale.

Why Freelance Writers Should Consider Taking Up Online Transcription Jobs

Freelance writers can do transcription as well. — Photo by StartupStockPhotos on Pixabay

I have already told you that you might consider taking up transcription work if you are a freelance writer. Choosing to be a transcriptionist comes with a host of benefits. So, what are they?

Firstly, online transcription jobs will help you make money from the comfort of your home. Apparently, 25% of freelancers prefer working from home. With social distancing slowly becoming a norm, working from home naturally seems viable to many.

Secondly, you will have the opportunity to choose your own work hours. There are certain companies, however, that have stipulated work hours. But, otherwise, you are free to choose when you can complete your assignments and projects. What is more attractive than flexible work hours?

Thirdly, freelance transcriptionists can choose who they want to work with. Needless to say, that is the central idea behind freelancing. You are not bound to a particular company or client. You have the freedom to work with a client or multiple clients of your choice.

Finally, if you wish to take up transcription as a profession, you need not possess any special skills. Yes, you read that right! Plus, you need no prior work experience. To take up online transcription jobs, you don’t require excellent educational qualifications either.

But, to excel as a transcriptionist, you need to put in the best of your efforts.

https://youtu.be/MR4v8m9lU7A

What Is Transcription Work?

Online transcription jobs can be taken up by freelance writers — Photo by kaboompics on Pixabay

So, aren’t you eager to know what transcribing is all about? I have explained to you the various benefits of working as a transcriptionist. But what exactly do you need to do in transcription jobs?

To put it simply, you will have to translate audio and/or video into words as a part of this job. First of all, you need to listen carefully to what is said in the audio or visual document. Then, you just have to write, or rather type, what you heard.

In these kinds of jobs, you are allowed to work from home. You will get paid based on transcription done per audio hour or a minute or on similar parameters.

If you are involved in freelance transcription, you will have to edit and proofread your works very carefully before sending them to your client.

For your information, a professional transcriptionist may earn up to about $45,000 per annum.

Sounds easy? Sorry, but it isn’t as easy as it sounds. That is exactly why you need a lot of practice. Only then can you succeed in a transcription job.

Some Basic Requirements Before You Begin Working As A Transcriptionist

Equipments required for freelance transcription work — Picture by Darkmoon_Art on Pixabay

Although you need no special skill to take up online transcription jobs, you need to possess certain things or equipment. These are your basic requirements. Wondering what they are? You may want to take a look at the list below, in that case:

A Computer

First of all, you must have a computer if you wish to get started as a transcriptionist. It can be either a laptop or a desktop, as per your preference.

High-Speed Internet Connection

Having a computer isn’t enough. It’s also extremely important to have access to a high-speed internet connection for online transcription jobs. A stable internet connection is an absolute imperative.

Headphones

The most important part of being a transcriptionist is to listen carefully and attentively to the audio or video files sent to you.

Sometimes, you might be given audio files that are of dismal quality.

There might be occasions when you face difficulty in understanding what is being said. That may happen if the speakers use strong accents. It may also happen if there are unwanted sounds or noise in the background.

There might be some kind of disturbance in your immediate surroundings as well.

So, if you invest in good-quality headphones, you will be able to do away with all these troubles.

Foot Pedal

Do you know that if you use a foot pedal while transcribing, you will be able to complete your assignments really fast? Investing in a foot pedal will definitely benefit you in your transcription work.

An Ergonomic Keyboard

It is needless to say that you will have to type for several hours at a stretch if you choose to take up online transcription jobs. Your fingers might hurt in that process.

So, if you choose to get an ergonomic keyboard for yourself, it will certainly not be a bad investment.

An Ergonomic Mouse

It is also very important to invest in an ergonomic mouse to make transcribing easy for you.

Points To Remember Before You Begin Transcribing

The above appliances are very basic requirements. Apart from all these devices and gadgets, you must keep the following things in mind:

Transcription Requires Plenty Of Patience

To be successful in transcription, you must have a lot of patience. Without patience, this job might become very difficult for you.

As I have already said, sometimes you may be given audio files of bad quality. So, you need to be a very patient listener. If you’re too impatient, online transcription jobs are not for you.

Transcription Is Not An Easy Job

I have already talked about it before. If you believe that online transcription jobs are easy, then you must not make a foray into this field. You need to practice hard to improve your transcription skills.

You Need To Be An Excellent Listener

To become a transcriptionist, you must be an excellent listener. You need to notice every detail while listening to what the speaker is talking about.

Sometimes, your employer might instruct you to note down expressions like “hmm,” “ugh,” “umm,” and so on.

So, if you are a good listener, you can excel in this job.

You Must Be Very Accurate While Typing

Accuracy in typing is a skill that gets better with practice. If you take transcription seriously, you will be able to transcribe with great accuracy in a short period of time.

Be Wary Of Fraudsters

There is no dearth of fraudsters in this world. They are there everywhere. So, even before you apply for online transcription jobs, make sure that you don’t get duped in the process.

Firstly, a business venture or any other enterprise or individual will never ask you to pay them something before you begin working for them.

Yes, some companies deal with very sensitive information. Only some of these companies may ask you to pay a nominal amount. So, be careful if you haven’t applied for a job in any such company.

Secondly, it’s normal to expect clear guidelines from your recruiter or recruiting agency regarding your work. If they fail to provide you with this basic information, they are not worth your time.

Lastly, be very particular about the payment packages. It will be good to talk to your employer very clearly before you begin working on their projects.

Some recruiters will pay you only after you have successfully finished the projects assigned to you. Just talk about your payment very openly to avoid being deceived later.

Fields In Which Transcriptionists Are Much Sought After

Transcribing is of considerable importance in a lot of fields. I have mentioned some of these fields in the list that follows:

Some educational institutions often avail of transcription services. Transcription of certain research projects is carried out in these institutions.
In several business enterprises, transcriptionists are hired to transcribe recordings of virtual conferences, webinars, conference calls, etc.
Market researchers may often hire people offering transcription services to transcribe research lectures.
Journalists may work closely with those involved in transcription too.

Apart from those that I mentioned above, a transcriptionist is needed in a host of other fields.

The Various Kinds Of Transcription Jobs

Transcription can be of different types. In case you are not aware of them, you may read the list given below:

1. General Transcription

For wannabe freelance transcriptionists, general transcription seems to be the most suitable option. That’s because general transcription is the most basic variety of transcription and you need not possess any specialized knowledge for this. Most importantly, it’s easier than other varieties of transcription.

2. Technical Transcription

Technical transcription will be ideal for you if you hail from an engineering background. You will be given audio and/or video files where the speakers might be using many technical terms. So, it’s meant for those with a degree in engineering or those pursuing engineering.

3. Medical Transcription

You can make more money than others involved with transcription jobs if you take up medical transcription. But the catch is that it’s quite a difficult task. In addition, this form of transcription demands a very high level of accuracy.

4. Legal Transcription

As the name suggests, legal transcription entails transcribing recordings of court proceedings, hearings, verdicts, and so on. Long story short, it involves everything that is associated with the law and judiciary. Also, your work has to be very accurate in this case.

5. Financial Transcription

People hailing from the Commerce stream can choose to apply for financial transcription jobs. You will have to transcribe audio consisting of data like a company’s finances, sales, yearly reports, and other such documents.

6. Verbatim Transcription

To transcribe something verbatim means transcribing each word and non-verbal expression in a particular speech, podcast, or audio recording. This implies that you’ll have to include expressions like “umm,” “ahem,” and so on. This form of transcription requires a lot of patience, and it’s quite time-consuming as well.

10 Websites Offering Online Transcription Jobs For Beginners And Transcription Jobs From Home

So, you are now aware of the fundamentals of online transcription jobs. But where can you find such jobs? Is there any particular platform that offers transcription jobs for beginners?

Well, there is not just one online platform. In fact, many websites offer transcription jobs to beginners.

I have prepared a list of some of the sites that provide transcription jobs for beginners. The list is given in the following section:

1. GoTranscript

GoTranscript is probably one of the best websites offering transcription jobs to beginners.

Even if you are inexperienced, you can easily secure a job from this website. You can live in any corner of the globe and yet get a job on GoTranscript. You are free to choose your working hours as well.

Want to know what’s more interesting? The payout options they provide are quite secure. You will be paid close to $0.60 per video minute. The payments are made through PayPal or Payoneer and are processed every week.

Just sign up, answer a couple of questions, and translate the test audio files given to you into words. You will be notified regarding your selection within a week.

2. Verbal Ink

For US citizens looking for online transcription jobs, Verbal Ink is an excellent platform. It is one of the best sites for wannabe transcriptionists. Here you can choose your working hours. Plus, Verbal Ink offers a good sum as compared to other platforms.

Beginners can earn around $8 to $10. All payments are made through PayPal.

But, there is a catch. You have to sit for a test which is quite difficult. Only if you clear the test can you get a job on Verbal Ink. If you get selected, you can start working immediately.

3. CastingWords

You may be a beginner or an experienced transcriptionist. On CastingWords, it hardly matters. This website provides equal opportunities to all. That’s why it’s unique in comparison to other websites.

CastingWords is quite user-friendly and has a clean interface. You will have to provide some personal information when you open an account on this website. This information might be your email ID or something similar. If you manage to secure a job on CastingWords, you’ll be notified. After that, you can take a look at the jobs that are available on the site.

Besides, there is one feature that makes CastingWords all the more unique. The site ranks its users based on their performance in every task they finish. Those who score really high get the chance to bag well-paid jobs!

4. SpeechPad

SpeechPad, which was known as Speechlink before, is a platform that recruits people from all over the globe. This site presents a whole range of transcription jobs for beginners as well as for experienced transcriptionists.

But before you go and quickly open an account on SpeechPad, just listen to me. Unless you can type 40 words per minute (wpm), there is no point in signing up.

Now, if you can type 40 words per minute, you can sign up, after which your listening and typing skills will be put to the test.

On this site, beginners can earn as much as $0.25 per minute. On the other hand, the experienced ones can earn $1 per minute. They process the payments via PayPal.

5. Rev

Among all the websites offering transcription job opportunities, Rev enjoys a lot of popularity. Here both wannabe transcriptionists and professional ones can look for work opportunities.

Before you open an account and sign up on Rev, you’ll have to appear for a test. If you can clear it, you will be notified about the same within two days.

6. GMR Transcription

Freelance transcriptionists must flock to GMR Transcription if they wish to make a lot of money. Undoubtedly, the amount of money you earn on this site depends upon your qualifications, skills, and the difficulty level of the tasks assigned to you. Every month, you can earn as much as $1000 to $3000.

People from all countries can bag job opportunities on GMR Transcription. The company provides legal transcription, transcription for educational purposes, and similar services.

Here you will have to submit your CV at the very beginning of the process of signing up. Then, you’ll be notified about the test that you have to take. This is done via email.

If you end up being selected, you will receive an intimation regarding the same. It will, however, take nearly two weeks for you to receive the intimation.

There’s one more thing that I need to tell you about GMR Transcription. Here you will be on probation. It will last until you learn to transcribe for a minimum of two audio or video hours.

Those experienced in transcription will enjoy a lot of perks here.

7. Scribie

For beginners in the field of transcription, Scribie is an excellent choice. The audio files that they provide are not very hard to work with, and these mainly consist of interviews, speeches, and so on.

The jobs available on Scribie are known for their flexibility. Besides, you get to decide how long you’re going to work. Plus, Scribie lets you work from home.

Even on Scribie, you’ll have to pass an eligibility test. Only then can you get a job.

But, Scribie has a few downsides. First and foremost, you cannot earn much money on Scribie. In fact, the payments they make are quite low as compared to those made by other platforms. Also, Scribie has a turnaround time of two hours for every audio and/or video file.

You will be paid an amount ranging from $5 to $50 per audio hour. The payment will, however, depend on how fast you can complete and hand in your assignments. It also depends on the difficulty level of the files provided to you. Here, you get paid via PayPal only.

8. SpeakWrite

This company has been there since 1997, and it attracts clients from a variety of sectors like law, for instance. You’ll have to pass a test here as well to prove your eligibility.

Beginners in search of transcription jobs on SpeakWrite must satisfy a couple of requirements. The applicants must be able to type out 60 words per minute. They must be proficient in English and must be very accurate in terms of grammar. In addition to these requirements, they must possess some knowledge about MS Word.

SpeakWrite pays its transcriptionists via cheque only. No payment is made via PayPal or by other means.

9. TranscribeMe

Do you know what makes TranscribeMe stand out? Well, it offers a hefty sum of money as payments to professionals hailing from a medical or legal background.

There’s more! The payment you get over here is higher than what is offered by many other platforms. On TranscribeMe, for an audio hour, you’ll be paid a sum ranging from $15 to $25. They will pay you for your work via PayPal.

10. QuickTate

QuickTate is associated with behemoths like Ford, CocaCola, and the likes of them. On this website, you will be asked to work with voice memos, phone call recordings, speeches, and so on. If you manage to get a transcription job here, you’ll receive between $5 to $10 per audio hour.

Apart from the websites that I have discussed in the list above, there are many other websites where beginners can easily find remote transcription jobs. I must mention names among these sites like Happyscribe, Daily Transcription, Appen, Tigerfish, and more. On these platforms, you will find jobs that will involve transcription of YouTube videos, webinars, documentaries, and whatnot.

Now that you have a fair idea about online transcription jobs, you may want to get started in this field. Think about all the perks that online transcription jobs offer.

You can work from home with clients of your choice. You’ll be able to offer your services to global enterprises or companies while you work from home and make money.

You can work as much as you want and take a week or more to complete your work. Nobody will say anything to you.

You don’t have to worry about which field you are from. You may hail from a medical or legal background and still be a transcriptionist. You won’t require a lot to get started. You’ll just need a computer, stable internet, and a couple of other things to make money to your heart’s content. Also, you’ll get paid by most companies every week or per month.

Who Is A Brand Ambassador? Everything You Need To Know

A company’s reputation shapes its position in the market and governs its accomplishments to a great extent. And it’s certainly not enough (or viable) for a company alone to put itself forth in the best possible way. It needs reliable and credible brand ‘advocates’ since personal referrals from real people resonate far better with an audience than words from the brand itself ever will. This is why they need a brand ambassador (also known as the corporate ambassador), who is a person that represents the company, advertises it, and stands in front of the brand as the embodiment of the company’s corporate identity — through words and actions.

Before diving headfirst into what a brand ambassador is, let’s first get the basics out of the way: What is branding?

Running a business means you probably have a ‘brand’ for it.

Branding, in loose words, refers to the process of putting your product forth in a positive light so that people not only see it but also choose it time and time again. According to the American Marketing Association,

A brand is a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.

Let’s say, for example; you have a clothing company. But isn’t there a myriad of companies already selling clothes? Then how are you supposed to convince people to purchase the clothes that your company sells?

By creating a brand.

A product can be copied. But a brand stays unique.

But here’s the thing, branding is not an easy topic to define, but Seth Godin, author, and entrepreneur, does it best:

A brand is a set of expectations, memories, stories, and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.

Why Is Branding Necessary?

In a study done by Princeton, psychologists found that it takes only a tenth of a second to form an impression of somebody. But branding still goes far beyond just a well-designed logo. When a company’s customer service, reputation, and advertising work well together, a brand deem itself overall healthy.

Since competition is always brutal, no matter what industry you’re part of,

Branding Assists You In:

Building trust and recognition (including reputation on social media).
Highlighting what you have to offer.
Elevating the way your business is perceived (in the market and consumers’ minds).
Providing an identity to your business.
Validating your financial value.
Supporting your advertisement (online and offline).
Generating new customers.

Branding is essential for the business because it’s what the potential customer is going to see first. But when do brand ambassadors come into play?

Who Is A Brand Ambassador?

In its simplest form, the brand ambassador definition would be ‘people with a flexible schedule who promote a product or company, both publicly and among their friends, as well as on social media on their own hours.’ A company sometimes gives a brand ambassador free products to use its products and encourages others to do the same.

product promotion — Photo by Product School on Unsplash

Usually, types of brand ambassadors are divided into these categories:

The enthusiast; who already loves your product and effectively raises an excitement in other people about your brand by airing it in their community and on their social media accounts,
The expert; who is in a position that allows people to trust their recommendations,
The peer; who is the most reliable to reach your target audience, and,
The celebrity; which is a famous, easily recognizable person.
The employee; who is obviously already part of the company’s own employees.

What Does A Brand Ambassador Do?

Being a brand ambassador means that you have certain responsibilities. Some of them are:

Positive Representation Of The Brand

Introducing people to the brand and the experience they are about to have as its customers is one of the biggest responsibilities of a successful brand ambassador. Brand ambassadors are well aware of what they want people to think about the brand they represent and then make sure that they deliver that very perception. They get across what makes the said brand unique and unforgettable while ensuring that the company’s image stays consistent. Presenting a brand positively is the sun that a brand ambassador’s planets revolve around.

Increasing Brand Awareness

While being a brand advocate, most brand ambassadors also assist in content creation — writing blogs, newsletters, and product reviews, creating shareable infographics, delivering word-of-mouth marketing as well as traditional marketing, improving SEO with user-intent related keywords — and maximizing their organic social media presence so they can develop a voice for their brand is the key to keep testing new strategies to make sure what makes the biggest impact. Additionally, brand ambassadors also stay aware of what is going around them to discuss brands online and increase brand awareness the right way with the right people.

Being A Leader

People like to be led and are always in search of new information. Hence, promoting content and brand online can be the easiest way to become an opinion leader. And social networks are the quickest ways to tell the world about yourself and tell your opinion on a matter. That also makes a brand ambassador a social media influencer. By gaining trust and building their reputation with the help of famous influencers, many brand ambassadors try to gain as much experience as possible, analyze them, and then tell the world about them by staying active on social media platforms.

Providing Feedback And Insight

Brand ambassadors are constantly listening to and engaging with their target audience on online platforms. They gather feedback on experiences with the products that their brand advertises and provide intelligence to optimize its marketing efforts. Hence, answering all questions about the brand and its products to maintain brand identity is part of a brand ambassador’s job.

Participating In Event Marketing

Brand ambassadors participate in face-to-face interactions since the people they speak to could be the company’s future clients. In fact, it’s a major part of their job to build relationships. Event marketing gives one the power to engage with buyers directly. Aside from helping brand ambassadors build brand presence (before, during, and after) at the event, it can generate leads, pipeline value, new opportunities, and more sales.

Other responsibilities of a brand ambassador could also include –

discussing strategy with management to best increase sales in the market,
visiting retail locations to spread knowledge,
recording concerns and feedback from customers and staff,
learning the lineup of the season’s products,
scheduling time with store management to discuss the impact of their product on the business,
posting about a new product on their social media networks,
distributing marketing materials,
wearing branded uniforms/other clothing items,
providing samples in stores,
being trustworthy,
not focusing too much on sales but authenticity.

networking — Image by ar130405 from Pixabay

How To Become a Brand Ambassador?

From the company’s own employees to popular celebrities, anyone with the required skill can be a brand ambassador. The standard level of education needed to be a brand ambassador is a high school diploma. Still, there are various job listings where companies try to find brand ambassadors that are in the middle of finishing their degree. Other general qualifications needed to fill the position of a brand ambassador require one to be friendly, charismatic, energetic and holding the potential to connect with their peers. Since they are close-knit with their campus communities, College students are very fitting candidates for most brand ambassador programs.

When written step-by-step, the process to become a brand ambassador would look something like this:

Researching the companies you are considering is always a good start. Look for brands that represent your interests well, or try to go for a brand that creates content you already produce. Going through a company’s social media posts is always the easiest place to start with. Also, research events happening in your area.
Having high interaction on your social media can make you more attractive to brands as a potential ambassador. Building engagement is a great way to advertise yourself, so consider commenting on well-known pages or blogs, as well as responding to the messages and comments you receive.
Create social media content that reflects a cohesive tone and set of interests. Most companies look for potential ambassadors who reflect a certain vibe to represent them.
Build a good online following to allow people to keep up with your in-person activities.
Make connections with other influencers to increase your own social media site following.
Start reaching out to companies you are interested in promoting, and make sure they hire brand ambassadors.

The basic demand for being a brand ambassador usually includes previous retail or training experience, willingness to travel to multiple locations, an outgoing personality with love for helping people, and excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Brand Ambassador Program

To keep the relationships with your brand ambassadors running smoothly, it’s best to create brand ambassador programs. Companies that set up a brand ambassador program are usually confident in their services, have a happy customer base, have the resources required to create strong marketing campaigns, and are active on social media. Plus, starting a brand ambassador program is cost-effective since the payments are based on results, which means that you only incur costs after you meet a certain goal.

Being in a highly competitive industry or targeting a niche audience can often benefit from an ambassador program.

Whether you want to keep your circle of brand ambassadors relatively small with only a few members or form an entire army that can promote your brand far more intensely is something you need to decide on before you work on the rest. Either way, it’s going to require a lot of your time and energy, as well as a lot of dedication. Therefore you need a clear map of what you’ll be getting out of the brand ambassador program before getting it started.

So that’s your first step: Don’t start a brand ambassador program ‘just because.’ Define the goals of your brand ambassador program, and know your end-game beforehand. Knowing these demographics can make it easier to identify brand ambassadors who can help you reach your goals.

The next step would include establishing your criteria. Different brands have different requirements for their brand ambassadors. Before reaching out, consider taking note of the following:

How much has this person engaged with your brand in the past?
How passionate about it are they?
How long have they been a customer?
What does the follower count on their social media look like?
How would you rate their social media interaction?

After settling all of that comes the policies and guidelines you want to set for the brand ambassador program. Since ambassadors reflect your brand, you’re supposed to review their presence on social media to ensure that their ideas go hand in hand with your own. Additionally, making sure that they maintain their own personal voice, don’t needlessly trash competitors, and promote the right products/hashtags also gets covered under this part of starting a brand ambassador program.

It goes without saying that working with a brand ambassador will be a long-term relationship after getting through the brand ambassador program. Don’t forget to give out freebies, financial compensations, as well as shout-outs to these brand ambassadors on your own account, so they remember what’s in it for them as long as they work for you.

Lastly, but most importantly, track your progress. You need to assess what’s going on as your brand ambassador programs grow.

Why Do You Need Brand Ambassadors?

In today’s digital and online marketing work, brand ambassadors can be seen as an essential element to your team. They fulfill the human aspect of your business and provide the genial voice that your company needs.

Brands hire ambassadors to help raise product awareness for the company and greatly assist the brand in question in boosting sales. Their job description promotes your brand and helps defend it — calming situations surrounding any negative attention your company and talking in a positive light.

It doesn’t always have to be a celebrity. They should only market your company and help consumers decide to know more about your product.

To understand more about business, check out another article by us: Understanding Operating Capital: How Do You Safeguard Your Business?

Importance of Backlinks

You must have come upon the term ‘Backlink’ if you have ever read about SEO, Search Engine Optimization. It greatly helps by boosting up worth traffic towards your website. For those who do not know anything about SEO or those who are new to this term, understanding what is a Backlink and why is it important to include them in your website.

What are Backlinks?

Backlinks are the inward links which directs right to your blog or a website. They are most commonly known as in-links or inbound links. They are very essential when it comes to Search Engine Optimization as higher the number of backlinks, the more credible your blog or website becomes in the eyes of every search engines.

Why are Backlinks important?

Backlinks basically let you to have track of every single page available on the web that links to your posts. Today, they have become an important part of Search Engine Optimization. Each time you build up a new backlink, the chances of getting your website indexed by various search spiders increases. It is said that a greater number of backlinks leads to better popularity of websites and blogs.

A number of search engines consider the backlinks to be a major factor for deciding a rank amongst various web pages in their ranking algorithm. Even Google have said that each backlink means one vote from another website, which means that the number of backlinks used in a website is a clear indication of how popular, credible and relevant that website is.

Having quality backlinks

There is a simple rule ‘higher the relevance of backlinks, greater will be their quality, and vice versa.’

Backlinks are the basic building block of a good Search Engine Optimization. While calculating a site’s relevance to a particular keyword, the search engines always consider the number of good quality backlinks to a website. It is not that only the number matters in the case of backlinks, the quality and content that it relates to a given keyword is equally important.

The quality of an inbound link is determined solely by its content. When inbound links comes to your site, somewhere from the other sites, these links are known to be very relevant to your website. If the inbound link on your website has any kind of content that do not relate to the given keyword, they will not be considered relevant and hence, the credibility of your website will be lost.

It is to be noted that relevant and valuable backlinks are two important scrutinizers. Sometimes it happens that Search Engine Optimizers try to manipulate or operate a search engine, if that is the case, the only legitimate way is to have high-quality backlinks which will increase the position of the website in a search engine index.

For example: If you are a webmaster and your website has a keyword that relates to travelling France and you receive a backlink from some other website that relates to the travel cost of Italy, then this link will be considered as an irrelevant link.

Webmasters often use more than 2 websites and for them, linking those websites helps your SEO efforts, however, it is not always true. This can hold good only when both website do not have the same IP, which means that if all websites are hosted on a single server, Google will take no time to penalize you.

A large number of bloggers usually exchange links through blogroll, where one blogger can easily link to another blogger and vice versa. This helps in spreading word about a new bog or website. But before you do that, it is important to be very careful about the one you are linking your blog with, as linking to bad corners may end up harming you in long run.

Building Backlinks

It is obvious by now that good quality backlinks are an inexplicable part of Search Engine Optimization success. Now the question remains, how to build these backlinks. Before starting building up your backlinks, you need to consider few things. It helps greatly if you keep a track of all your inbound links, knowing what sites are linking to your websites and how exactly inbound link’s anchor text incorporates those keywords which relate to your website. A tool that will help you do this is the Domain starts Tool. Google regards the inbound links coming from this tool highly important and relevant.

With the option of on-page optimization, it becomes easier because everything is in your hands, you can decide and do as you like, but with backlinks, it seems that you are relying on others instead of working for your own success. However, this is not the complete truth because though inbound links start from some other sites and directs towards yours, you can still discuss the details like anchor text, with other site’s web master. This may not be same as administrating your own site as you cannot have complete control over all the backlinks, yet there are a number of aspects for negotiation.

Importance of Quality links

It is ok to exchange inlinks until you are doing it with a trustful website, otherwise it would be dangerous for your site or blog. To get clearer with, let us understand the two types of incoming links to your website:

One Way Backlinks: If you have one-way backlinks, you are sure to get more value and better results. One Way incoming links are those kinds of links that top to your site from other sites. It guarantees better search positions, provides you more valuable and better audience, mainly from search robots.

Reciprocal Links: They might not be popular these days but in its latest update, Google said that reciprocal links were found to be the target among the latest filters of search engines. Many webmasters prefer these to boost the rankings of their website but according to Google, many of such links were not relevant and hence, were discounted, and large numbers of websites were removed from Google Maps.

Conclusion

Backlinks are extremely essential to SEO, and their importance, quality content and uniqueness makes them a priority in SEO efforts. This helps other trustful websites recognize you as a credible one and hence, link them to yours.

Social Media Marketing – The Top Mistakes You Need to Avoid

Yes, Social media marketing is the thing of the day! Who doesn’t want to sell and marketing online through social media is the ideal way to do it online!

For businessmen and entrepreneurs, the sky is the limit with this type of Marketing. However, there are certain mistakes that most entrepreneurs, businessmen and those looking to go into the world of Social Media Marketing make.

Here is a look at 5 of them!

Mistake 1 – Trying to make everyone follow you!

Yes, why do you want to make people follow you when they are not interested? This marketing technique could prove deadly in the long run with you having tons of followers but no response. Instead, try to make people interested in the products you sell and focus on what you are trying to achieve.

Mistake 2 – Simply Publishing Your Blog Posts!

Yes, we all know your blog might have the best content. Interesting and amazing, you might be baffled at why your blog is receiving such a low number of visitors. Truth is, just publishing does not help. You need to promote the posts too. Of course, SEO is one way, but good Social Media Marketing is a necessity. Also, your posts should have pictures. It is really a necessity because readers do not only want to read texts but also view pictures. You can promote your blog posts with interesting pictures to grow the reader base.

Mistake 3 – Not Doing Enough To Get noticed!

Yes, with the plethora of updates and statuses on social media sites, you are sure to find it difficult to get noticed. Your status or update will soon be lost in the ocean of other statuses. So, what do you do to make it stand out? Well, firstly, why not make it interesting? You could italicize your text, put in capital letters the parts of the text which you want to focus on and write updates which are sure to get the reader’s attention.

Mistake 4 – Making False Promises

Yes, this is one of the foremost things to keep in mind. It is pretty easy to give false promises and make new followers. But it is not worth it. In the long run, it will never fall off. Instead, try advertising on Facebook and other sites if you want to make more people follow you. The main priority is to extend the reach without spending much and Facebook Ads, for instance, could be the perfect alternative.

Mistake 5 – Not Interacting Enough!

Yes, you want to promote your products. But why will people buy your products? It goes without saying that you need to interact with your fans and followers. Make your customers and visitors feel that you care for them. Address their questions and concerns. Make people develop a bonding. Bonding with your website or business can be a wonderful way to promote your website and company. More, it helps develop trust between you and the visitors and is a great tool for Social Media Marketing.

My site is not penalized/warned by Google; do I still need to remove links?

According to Google, low-quality links include links that are sponsored, links that refer back to unrelated websites and links referring back to websites that repeat the similar keyword as the anchor text. Such activities along with irrelevant incoming links and spammy ones violate the quality guidelines of Google and if this kind of content is not removed by website, it is thus, penalized by Google.

Ever since Google introduced its Penguin update, search engine optimizers are working hard to remove all bad backlinks from their websites before Google comes up with some other update. However, those websites that have not yet been warned by Google can celebrate themselves for not being put under Google’s scanner. If your website too, have not been penalized or warned by Google, you have got reasons to be happy.

Since your site has not yet been warned, this implies that according to Google, it is not an over-optimized website in the first place.

Secondly, Google did not possibly find excessive backlinking or say, unnatural back linking on your website which otherwise, could have got your site penalized. If you have successfully escaped the hit, good for you but that does not necessarily mean that you are spared for future as well. In my experience, removing all those bad backlinks which could possibly set off Google’s alarm, will be the best option for you. Whether or not you have been penalized or warned yet, it is in your best interest that you get rid of such incoming links present on your link profile.

As I said it before, I would like to mention it again, even if your website has not yet been penalized by Google, there are good possibilities that your website too, is a victim of the Penguin update.

This is because before Google introduced the Penguin update, the message it sent out to webmasters regarding removing unwanted backlinks was unclear and the explanation appeared totally vague to many webmasters. It was later that Google came up with Penguin update which focused clearly on spammy and unnatural incoming links in an attempt to prevent those spammy websites from getting to the top of SERPs which were either having excessive number of incoming links, irrelevant links, keyword stuffing or paid links.

Many webmasters were perplexed watching Google’s warning messages before the update came out as they could not make out whether Google meant to take action against the website in order to penalize it because of unwanted links present on it. Then came in the Penguin update but that did not solve the problem completely. Some of the webmasters who received warnings regarding unnatural and spammy back links, questioned Google about those links which they were not able to take down. This was when negative SEO came into question to which even Google did not have any answer. The only temporary solution it came up with was a reconsideration request. So if your website has not been penalized yet, you can ignore the warning messages sent in past, as Google said.

If you are still not sure of what to make out of above statements, watch out for your search engine ranking and your website’s traffic numbers. A drop in the traffic numbers or your website ranking or both will help you determine whether or not you need to take some action regarding removing unwanted links. If you see your website traffic or search engine ranking drop, there are clear chances that your website is a victim of Google’s penguin update and you must start removing bad back links right now, else if you do not figure out any change and things are going fine even after you have received warning messages from Google, you can simply ignore them and move on.

Since you have escaped the misery of being punished under the latest update by Google, it does not mean that you are secured forever. If your website has not been affected this time, even then you should be very careful about the backlinks which point towards your website. Now that you know what a pain they are, be aware of any link which is coming from some spammy site and get it removed immediately.