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.
Hey there, if you’re one of those people thinking about starting their own website or a personal blog, you must have come across terms like domains, the world wide web (WWW), URLs, webpage, web hosting, and many similar terms. These terms are something that every aspiring blogger, the amateur person in business, or online store owner should know. Setting up a website or blog requires domain registration, and it’s better to have your own and cheap domain name rather than using a web hosting service that charges hefty rent from your end.
If you are serious about starting a blog or an online business, you need to know everything about domain names and web hosting. This technical jargon might scare you, but trust me, it’s easy once you get the basics. In this article, we’ll be talking about domain names, how it works, what’s web hosting and the different types of domain extensions available. In the end, we’ll be listing out some tips on how you can easily design your first website and choose a cheap domain that will help you in creating that online presence you dream of.
First of all, we need to understand what a Domain name is, as beginners tend to confuse domain names with different terms like URLs and websites.
A domain name is basically a term given to a specific website that is fairly easy to remember. It acts as an address for your website. In the vast universe, also known as the Internet, a domain name works as an address to your home or website where people can find or visit you.
Every webpage has a unique address, and that is called its IP address which is just a unique string of numbers. Now, these IP addresses are difficult to remember, and those who want to find you can’t do that if they forget your IP address. To solve that problem, domain names are used.
Domain names make it much easier for people to look up your website that would otherwise be very difficult if people had to remember the IP address of your website. You can imagine people looking up Apple.com by typing a random string of numbers, which is really hard to remember. Thanks to technology, we are spared from the hard work.
How Do Domain Names Work?
When you search for a website by typing its domain name, the computer sends the search request to a giant network of servers known as DNS or Domain Name System. This DNS is the mega-hub of domain names where millions of domain names are registered.
The DNS, after getting your search request, searches for a nameserver; these are names managed by hosting companies that provide you hosting services. After getting the search request, the nameserver associates your computer with the IP address of the website that you’re looking for. It might seem like a lot of complicated steps, but all of it happens within milliseconds.
Here’s a video that will provide a better insight into what domain names are and how they work:
Are Domain Names And Web Hosting Services The Same Thing?
Simply put, domain names and web hosting are two different things that people confuse a lot. Domain names act as the address for your website, whereas web hosting is the area where your website is actually set up. Hosting packages provide you with an area to set up your website.
A domain name and a web host are mostly purchased separately, but you can get yourself a web hosting provider who lets you purchase a domain name from them. Domain names are generally purchased from a set of registrars called Domain Registrars.
A domain registrar is where you can find all the domain extensions. There are a lot of domain registration services that can help you in purchasing your first domain.
Purchasing a domain name and web hosting service from the same provider is a great deal for you as it becomes a lot easier to organize and manage both at the same place.
Some hosts even provide free domain names or cheap domains when you subscribe to their hosting plan. Their plan consists of free domain registration with free SSL certificates, also known as Secure Sockets Layer certification. A free SSL certificate is necessary for keeping your data secure from attackers. A free SSL certificate is the symbol of trust for your users and clients.
What Type Of Domain Registration Do You Need?
While registering for a domain name, you need to be clear with what domain name suits you the best and how many options are available to you while you go for a domain name registration.
Here Are The Different Types of Domain Names That You Should Be Familiar With
TLD and gTLD: TLD is also known as Top Level Domains, and gTLD represents generic Top-Level Domain. You are well aware that most reputed websites have .com extensions at the end of their primary domain names. This extension is known as the Top-Level Domain. There are different types of TLD, namely, .net or .biz. On the other hand, gTLD or generic Top-Level Domains is used for any general-purpose; the most common gTLDs are .com, .info, .org.
ccTLD (Country Code Top Level Domain): It is a domain name generated especially for specific countries. For example, you have heard of .uk for United Kingdoms and .in for India. There are domain extensions available for many countries worldwide.
Second Level Domain: an SLD is the primary name of the business or company setting up the domain extension. SLD is often named keeping in mind the company’s brand, or it is often named something related to the company’s niche.
Premium Domain: A premium domain is a domain name that has been bought by people already. These domain names are not accessible to you unless the owner is willing to sell you the domain extension for a good deal.
Now that you’re well aware of the basics of Domain name, hosting, and the different options available while finding the right domain extension for you, the next step is to find a cheap domain for building a great website that too with low registration costs.
Steps To Get Yourself A Cheap Or Free Domain
There are a plethora of options available to you when it comes to buying a cheap domain. A cheap domain is the demand of people as the prices offered as per the hosting plans of companies are very high and unaffordable.
That is why a few points need to be kept in mind while deciding your domain provider. Since domain and web hosting are two different things, it is unnecessary to host your website from the same place where you bought your domain.
People make some key mistakes while buying their domain names or finding cheap domain names. Everyone wants to get their hands on a .com TLD, but the availability of such domain extension is highly unlikely, so people settle for bad and low-priced domain extensions instead. It would be best if you tried to avoid these mistakes:
Adding Hyphens To Your Domain Name: Adding hyphens to your domain names is a bad idea as people won’t remember the multiple hyphens and their position on the URL. Hyphens make your website or profile look very amateur, making a bad impression on clients and users. Since people easily forget domains with hyphens. If your competitor gets the same domain name as yours just without the hyphen, they will generate more traffic on their website as your clients will get directed to their website by mistake. It is definitely better to invest some time into brainstorming and finding a better domain name to help you in the long run.
Settling For Domain Extensions Like .biz and.org: Most of us are unfamiliar with domains other than .com, .net, and .org. While the internet is filled with many other domains, it is rare and hard to find a good .com extension. Out of desperation, people choose to settle for domain extensions like .biz and .org. Taking a hasty decision might cost you a lot in these scenarios. Since most people are unaware of the plethora of domains other than the very old .com extension, those who settle for extensions like .biz and .org are prone to indirectly advertising their competitors if they have the same domain name with a .com extension. Your competitors will easily generate traffic on their websites as people don’t always remember the extension other than .com.
2. Buying Cheap Domain From A Recognised Registrar
There’s an ocean of domain registrars out there, small and large. But what is best for you? When buying a domain name or a cheap domain, you should always opt for a reputed domain name registrar. Registering from a small company is an unnecessary risk you should avoid as there are low chances of good customer support after providing the services. Many small hosting services run out of business in the long run, so going for a prominent domain registrar is the best choice. Some of the best registrars out there are:
GoDaddy.com
BlueHost.com
HostGator.com
Namecheap.com
3. Consider Registering Your Domain Name For More Than 2 Years
Most people commit the mistake of registering the domain name for only one year; we’ll be listing out 3 reasons why it is a bad idea to buy domains for less than 2 years.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): If you have managed to register a domain name for at least 2 years or more, google sees your commitment towards your website and provides you with a high rank in search results.
Hassle-Free Process: Renewing your domain name regularly within short spans of time can be quite daunting. Getting yourself a domain name for more than 2 years can save you all the trouble of domain renewals now and then.
Low Cost: In the era of inflation, registrars offer discounts if you get the plan for a longer duration; that way, you can save up the costs and save yourself from the current inflation.
4. Brainstorm Before You Search
Before you begin searching for memorable domain names, it is very important to keep in mind that investing more time in coming up with a good and unique domain name is better for your business as building an online presence or brand is something you are going to invest a lot of your time in. So feel free to use programs and services like domainwheel.com or domain checker.
Programs like domain checker will provide you with ideas that you have to mix and match, and eventually, you will be able to come up with a good domain name. Domain checker also helps to identify similar names along with their extensions. There are alternate websites to a domain checker which can be found online. Tools like the thesaurus can also help you get the right word for your domain name.
To get a better understanding of How To Buy a Cheap Domain, watch this video:
The Best And Cheap Domain Registrars You Should Know About
Now you need to have a look at the options available for buying a cheap domain. Everybody wants to get their hands on a cheap domain; the cheaper, the better. But going for the cheapest product isn’t always the right thing to do, as cheap service is not sustainable in the long run. The same thing applies in the case of a hosting provider when going for cheap domain registration. Most prominent brands and the best domain registrars offer low prices with discounted rates if you choose their services.
BlueHost is a cost-effective host that is the main attraction of people starting with their businesses. It has a special perk for new bloggers and businesses.
If you are a new user here and get yourself a hosting account with BlueHost, you’ll be eligible to avail of their services free of cost for the first year! Which means that you get a free domain name.
Those familiar with the WordPress site will be glad to know that BlueHost also provides WordPress hosting as a service. Bloggers who seek a WordPress hosting solution can opt for BlueHost without a doubt.
All you need to do to avail the free service is get yourself an entry-level package provided by them for $6.65 every month.
It provides both the services of a registrar and a host.
There’s always room for upgrades as your business keeps growing.
2. GoDaddy
GoDaddy is considered one of the most popular companies that do the job of hosting domains out there. It also comes around to be a bit more expensive than you’d expect.
It has numerous add-ons which you need to skip to get your hand on the real and cheap deal. Just buying a regular domain and skipping all the other essentials which only make the purchase costlier.
GoDaddy offers an annual fee of approximately $9 for the first year, and with every passing year, it charges around $14.99.
The website provides services of a registrar, and people can also buy hosting if they wish. It also includes many promotions, additional services, and discounts.
3.NameCheap.com
If you are one of those people who want to register domains at one place and host elsewhere, Namecheap.com is the right place for you. Most people register a domain name from here and host their website somewhere else. This helps make a better online presence as you can get the most out of the two different services.
With NameCheap, you’ve to deal with an annual fee of almost $10.7, excluding the discounts. This website also provides a hosting service and cheap domain names.
This website covers an exclusive deal for new users; it provides free private registration for new users, which otherwise costs $2.88 every year.
4.HostGator
HostGator comes in the list of popular host services among the new users who enter the world of online marketing. HostGator has cost-effective prices for users, which is comparatively higher than some of the other services. Still, their prices make them a one-stop destination for buying cheap domain names and making your hosting accounts.
Most people who choose HostGator as their web hosting partner decide to get their domain purchase done from somewhere else.
It covers the annual fees of $15, which is higher than that of NameCheap and GoDaddy
HostGator offers private registration for $10
5. Domain.com
Domain.com is a website that sells domains, and that is the main service offered by them.
Domain.com also provides a hosting service from their side, but most people don’t opt for these services like hosting and a website builder from their end. A website builder is not necessary for everyone, and people like to get their website hosted from somewhere else even if they choose Domain.com for their primary services.
The customer support from their side is quite good to register cheap domain names, but as the reviews say, they are a bit slow on the side of web hosting.
6. Network Solutions
Network Solutions don’t have a lot of brand value, to be fair, but being one of the oldest companies that provided the service of Domain registering, it has its fair share of goodwill. So if you plan on registering your domain from this company, be calm as it is probably the right choice made by your side. Some of these companies also provide SSL certificates for better security.
The Annual fee charged by Network Solutions is $34.99
The company also acts as a host for the users. Many deals can be availed of with purchasing the yearly package for the hosting service they provide.
7. Hover.com
Hover.com is a name that most of you are not familiar with. This is because it is comparatively new in the market. They claim themselves to be full of new and fresh ideas for naming your domain. They are very good at selling domains and offer many other services like providing a professional email address with their domains. They have managed to create a name for themselves in this niche of the market. They have managed to create a name for themselves in this niche of the market.
The customer support or the additional services provided by Hover.com are really customer-friendly, where the support can be reached via phone or email.
Hover’s pricing range comes in a lot of variety if you register a domain name from Hover.
The price differs with opting for a different domain extension. The .com extension is charged $12.99 and the .org extension is priced at $13.99. The .net extension is even higher at $15.49.
This article covered all the basics about domains, their types, and how you can find a cheap domain for creating your dream website. This article has also covered how you can get a cheap domain extension for your website. The websites and domain service providers are listed above. Make sure you check it out and get a better insight on what to go for and what to avoid while choosing a domain name or a registrar. I hope you learned something new from this article, and it helped you choose the best and cheap domain for your website.
Marketing is the procedure of planning and executing activities of promotion, pricing, and distribution of goods and services or ideas to create an exchange that satisfies organizational and personal goals. In today’s world, Marketing has a huge role in every organization, and it is considered a substantial career option by people.
In simple words, Integrated Marketing Communications means integrating various promotional elements and marketing activities to promote a particular product/service effectively among end-users. Other levels of integration are vertical, horizontal, external, internal, and data integration.
In all the business functions and marketing mixes, there is Horizontal integration. Encouraging the staff and keeping them informed over any new progress is Internal integration. The assistance of communication and marketing objectives to the high-level corporate objectives and missions is Vertical integration.
Collecting important data that is shared across various divisions is Data integration. External integration brings partners from outside the company, such as a Marketing and Public relations agency, to work together to form an integrated message.
What is Integrated Marketing Communications?
Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) refers to carefully integrating and coordinating all the methods of brand promotion of a company to deliver a clear and consistent message to its customers.
In IMC, there is an added value of a comprehensive plan that analyzes the strategic roles of– Sales Promotion, Public Relations, Advertising, Social Media, Direct response and combines these principles to provide consistency, clarity, and maximum communications impact.
Its main objective is to ensure that all aspects of marketing communication collaborate for higher sales and maximum cost-effectiveness. Also, it enables a company to convey the correct message to customers at the correct place and correct time.
What is Integrated Marketing?
Integrated marketing is a marketing approach that joins all marketing channels to make them a unified force. This approach creates a more unified and seamless experience for customers.
This means that all marketing efforts, be it on the internet, T.V or billboards, should have a similar style that will connect them to that company. Companies ensure that via this method, all communication with customers is consistent across different platforms.
IMC Tools
IMC tools are various marketing tools such as online marketing, advertising, public relation activities, sales campaigns, direct marketing to promote brands so that the same message gets to a wider audience. Promotional tools are more productive when they work together rather than in isolation.
Let me take you through the Integrated Marketing Communications tools:
1 . Advertising
Advertising is paid and one of the most effective communication tools because it reaches a wider audience immediately. Billboards, radio, television, print media are various ways of advertising to increase sales and create brand awareness among customers.
2 . Sales Promotion
Sales promotions are short-term incentives like free samples, discount coupons, special schemes, membership cards given to consumers to increase sales. It gives customers a reason to buy the product/service.
3 . Direct Marketing
Direct Marketing is the oldest form of communication that allows organizations to communicate directly with their customers. Various tools are telephone, fax, text messages, emails, catalog, and brochures.
4 . Personal Selling
Personal selling is face-to-face communication with customers to publicize the product/service and convince the customer to purchase the product.
It is an important and effective IMC tool as the biggest advantages are that the message can be customized as per the buyer’s needs, issues can be resolved on the spot, and it helps build a long-term relationship with the buyer.
5 . Public Relations
Public relations is the policy of maintaining a relationship between an organization and the public. PR activities help in brand promotion through press releases, event sponsorships, news, and public appearances.
People share their feedback with the organization, and hence it is two-way communication.
6 . Mobile Marketing
Mobile Marketing means sending text messages to customers on their mobile phones. It is a cheap and traditional marketing strategy for promoting a particular brand.
7 . Social Media Marketing
It is a cost-effective and powerful way of brand promotion through various social media channels. Companies manage to get loads of attention on social media platforms and interact with customers when browsing the internet.
8 . Event Sponsorships
Sponsorships improve the visibility of a company and create brand loyalty, also helps in differentiating the product from competitors.
Top 10 Examples of IMC:
Let us now have a look at the top ten Integrated Marketing Communications examples.
Domino’s is a pizza restaurant chain that established the AnyWare campaign. This campaign allows people to order pizzas in more suitable ways by ordering with a text, tweet, smart televisions, and smartwatches.
Domino’s established Pizza Profiles which save customers’ payment information, Easy order, and address just two years before the AnyWare campaign. In Easy Order, a customer’s dearest food order is saved along with the preferred payment method, chosen store, and order type (delivery or carryout).
To attract customers to AnyWare.Dominos.com, where they can order pizzas in unique ways, Domino’s arranged a national television campaign, press releases, and online marketing.
The result of all the marketing efforts put by Domino’s was that the site got 5,00,000 more visits and generated 10.5% annual sales growth.
One of the most impactful examples in top integrated marketing communication campaigns is GoPro: Be a Hero campaign. GoPro, the video camera brand, has mastered the use of online content to grab its target audiences’ attention.
GoPro has a YouTube channel where it has uploaded videos of high-quality, mini action cam including unique, thrilling, and beautiful shots taken by users and by the company itself to reach its target audience.
They have plenty of follows and likes on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and have used the platforms to catch people’s attention by posting visually stimulating videos taken with the cameras.
GoPro looked to create content to expand its target market by capturing a larger audience like professional athletes, tourists, photographers, hikers, and many others. The Be a Hero campaign appealed to the audience’s emotions, and that’s the reason it succeeded.
3 . Always #LikeAGirl
Always is a feminine care brand that wanted to target the next generation of customers. The company saw a chance to support girls as they transition from Puberty to young women.
This idea was very successful because of the problem it tackled and was interesting for their primary target audience, i.e., teenage girls, and their whole target market of women. Always found out that close to half of the world identified their campaign and their brand.
They thought of Social media as the right path to make the campaign go viral and introduced #LikeAGirl to co-create the message that the company is trying to spread. This campaign went viral like nothing else and resulted in the company’s growth and considerable global awareness.
4 . Volkswagen: Think Small
Volkswagen’s integrated marketing campaign in the 1960s changed people’s perception of the brand and drove sales through honesty. The Company was against a challenge to increase car sales in the United States of America even after 15 years of World War 2.
It was difficult to sell German products in the USA market at those times, and on top of it, the car was much smaller in size than the other cars or what the buyers used to purchase.
The company embraced the fact and used the small size of the cars to its advantage by starting a campaign that conveys a message to the audience to Think Small.
Its longevity marks the success of this campaign as it ran in popular magazines and newspapers across the country for years. After being triumphant in print, the integrated approach was used with the campaign in TV ads, posters, and radio to great success.
The series of 66 television ads featured comedy actors representing the two computer brands, PC and Mac (by Apple). This ad aimed to convince people to switch from a famous and reliable brand, PC, to Mac’s lesser-known competitor.
The Ad was funny and competitive, which described Apple as a good guy who always used to tell PC not to be so harsh on himself. The campaign penetrated popular culture almost straight away because it was superbly executed.
By being a part of cultural discussion, Apple secured its fate with the younger generation who were already well-informed of the brand due to iTunes and iPod. There was a growth of 12% in Mac sales right after the first few commercials were aired.
6 . Old Spice – The Man, Your Man, Could Smell Like
Old Spice aimed to build a campaign that would fascinate both men and women. In 2010, two of their ads were aired, but the real victory was found on social media.
It was noticed by the company’s creative unit that the ad was becoming famous online, and they followed the TV ads with an interactive video campaign. The customers’ reactions were stunning as the videos received more than 11 million views, 30000+ Facebook fans, and 55,000+ new Twitter followers.
7 . Southwest Airlines Transfarency
An Airlines company named Southwest Airlines had launched an integrated marketing strategy called Transfarency. The company uses T.V, print media, radio, and digital assets to inform customers about paying for things like flight changes, checked bags, snacks and drinks.
For this campaign, the company has made a microsite that displays the importance customers will receive by choosing Southwest airlines over other airlines. The site has fun and informational content like-
A Fee or Fake game checks customers’ understanding of unforeseen fees they will encounter when travelling with other airlines.
A #FeesDontFly compares Southwest and others like United Airlines, American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, etc.
It’s great to watch a big company like Southwest Airlines use a sense of humour to differentiate itself from its competitors.
8 . The Martian Movie Prologue
Films about Mars had suffered negative box office results before the release of The Martian. Some failed movies about Mars are Disney’s John Carter, and the animated Mars needs Moms.
The prologue campaign for The Martian decided to reverse the box office misery through integrated marketing strategies, and its goal was to bring the movie to life.
The marketing managers had to partner with various organizations like GoPro, National Geographic, Under Armour, NASA, Microsoft on a multi-platform narrative to achieve this goal. The marketing efforts included social media channels and celebrity endorsements to maintain enthusiasm.
The Martian opened at the No. 1 position at the box office in the USA, and the videos, apart from the trailers, received more than 20 million views, and the campaign was honoured with several awards. The movie was loved by people and earned more than $600 million worldwide.
9 . Dove: Campaign for Real Beauty
An Integrated Marketing campaign is successful when it sparks conversations and draws attention, and in 2004, Dove’s campaign for Real beauty did just that exactly. The company used a series of billboards across Canada and London that featured pictures of different women to start the campaign.
The advertisement asked the passers-by questions about the ladies, like whether these ladies were Fat or Fit or Wrinkled or Wonderful. Dove prompted people to talk about female beauty with these bold questions.
The Ad was featured on billboards, but through smart marketing, Dove successfully made people discuss the brand message on social media platforms. This helped the campaign to go viral and to trend.
Annual sales of Dove products increased from $2.5 billion to $4 billion due to this superb campaign. Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty was a financial success, and it was also unorthodox, which celebrated women of all shapes and sizes.
In 2018, New York Times, a popular newspaper company, was struggling. They had a decrease in total subscriptions, and people were losing trust in their news, so the company had to figure out ways to regain the public’s trust.
They came up with the campaign Truth is Hard, a prominent example of an integrated marketing communications plan. The campaign’s goal was to offer transparency to the citizens, and it had a clear story to prompt people to learn more about the issues at hand.
In the same year, they released a short film that displays the clarity of the newsprint. This film was appealing to viewers who felt challenged and realized what truth meant to them. The campaign also showed what journalists endure to deliver accurate coverage to the public.
The New York Times then launched paid campaigns on social media, and due to this, the message reached the whole world. All this resulted in The Times’ skyrocketing subscriptions, and its subscriber base went up by 100%.
I hope this article was helpful and fun-reading to you. Thank you for your time. If you want to read more of our articles, click here.
If you have ever worked at a construction site or disaster scenes, you probably have heard of mobile offices. A mobile office is a portable office built in a trailer, motor vehicle, or small storage. Portable offices can be conveniently packed up and moved. These modular offices have electric service from a nearby source of power, and it is utilized for wifi services, air conditioning, and electronics. They are a great catch at a low cost. You can buy, rent or lease modular offices for the needed period.
Why Are Mobile Offices Useful?
Mobile office trailers provide a professional atmosphere when you are working on temporary projects or construction sites. Unique office mobile functions include storing electronics, paperwork, holding meetings, and even allow employees to take a break from all that hard work.
In the current times, startups seem to be the most common up-and-coming businesses. Portable office trailers will also gain hype. To start your own business is not easy, then add the burden of needing an office to house your few employees. Makes for a very stressful and poor financial situation. An easy solution is to lease out a mobile office trailer until you can move to more permanent places.
Well, you might be wondering if it is comfortable working in such tight spaces. It can be straining. However, you can design a functional and productive workspace for your mobile office trailer with the correct adjustments.
To have a mobile office trailer, let’s first answer a few questions that will determine your exact needs.
Where do you work?
How much do you work?
How many people will be working with you?
What are you working on?
For how long will you be working?
Once you have answers to all the questions, you can buy your portable office trailer and begin renovating to fulfill your temporary office needs. Here, we will discuss 11 basic ways you can design a productive workspace in the mobile office.
1. Environment
Working in an unpleasant environment can be distorting. It can cause eyestrain, headache, fatigue, stress and can also lead to accidents. One way to create a comfortable workspace is good lighting. Dull lighting, as well as way too bright lights, can be damaging. Invest in some good quality lights for your space, especially white lights and not yellow ones. Moreover, make sure you get plenty of natural light into your office.
To make your office refreshing add some greens. And by that, I mean, bring some plants into your space. It will provide a fresh feeling. The next thing to keep in mind, nobody wants to work in a hot and humid environment. So, have good portable air conditioning for your ground-level offices. Additionally, make sure the walls of your mobile office are of a light color.
The organization is key to working in small ground-level offices. If you have a clutter of things lying around, it will make your workday very difficult. Situations like misplacing important papers, not being able to find your pen drive will become common. Always organize your things in boxes and label the boxes. You can use a label maker or just use sticky notes. There are a variety of foldable boxes available in different sizes, shapes, and colors. You can fold them up went not in use and save some space. You can also buy small storage cupboards for storing things that remain more permanent in your temporary office.
3. Paperless Filing
Storing and organizing all that paperwork is not easy in a mobile office. It becomes even more difficult once you have to move from the mobile office. Important files can be lost during moving, and that will be a disaster. Opt for paperless filing and shift to a digital filing system for your office.
If you are worried about storing such large files, you can use USB drives, hard drives, intelligent cloud services. Cloud-based storage can quickly share information between devices or even share it with people in offices in other countries. You can store all your scan pdf files in cloud services.
This method of storing will have save space and save time and produce less waste. We save time because you won’t have to spend time searching through hundreds of papers; all you have to do is log in to your system and conduct a search. Buy Laptops, Tablets, Bluetooth keyboards to save space and time rather than installing computers. You should also invest in portable speakers, usb drives, hard drives, etc., for your temporary space.
4. Apps For Office
Microsoft Office is probably the go-to app that people think of when it comes to apps for offices. You can excess it remotely anytime by accessing integrated office features. Microsoft corporation is the leading provider of office apps. Widely used tools are Ms word documents, excel files, PowerPoint files, etc., to note down things. You can use Microsoft tools like PowerPoint presentations, create spreadsheets for a seamless experience. Access it using a personal Microsoft account or school account.
You can unlock premium features in-app with Adobe scanner to open and sign pdfs and gives you editing capabilities for all those online meetings in your office trailer.
You can use a third-party app publisher for storing and organizing documents anytime. You can use one app and its features from your mobile device apps to scan QR codes, pdf scanning, using digital images from camera roll to create pdf files. Many templates available make it easier to access word docs, files, usable excel spreadsheets and share with your contact, and so on.
To boost better work ethics in the office, we need to have positive reinforcements in place. A good snack bar for employees is necessary. It will allow them to take a break when work gets hectic, refresh and come back with a more positive mindset to work. It will also allow you to not mess on your desk if you think of eating on it. As there is not much space in mobile office trailers, a small snack trolley can do wonders.
6. Different Space For Modular Offices
Now we understand it’s a small space and giving everything its own space in your temporary office is impossible. However, you can decide on certain things being in certain places. Have all desks at one side, place a few bean bags or a small cushion chair on the other. You can have printers and scanners in one corner and the snack bar near the bean bags. This will create a layout and will give you a feeling of being in a traditional office. It will give a more professional look to your office and look good to your customers.
7. Desk For Mobile Office Trailer
A desk can be a tricky thing. They take up a lot of space and are usually the place where there is a lot of clutter. On the other hand, working without a desk is impossible. A simple solution is investing in a desk that utilizes minimum space and is super functional.
The edge: It’s a two in one chair and desk system. It does not have a single application but two. It takes 10 seconds and can be folded up and stored when not in use. It’s the best thing for mobile offices.
Office in a case: It is literally an office in a case. In this case are desk and chair. The case itself is part of the desk. When you fold the desk and put the chair in it, and fold it up, it becomes a case for you to carry and store it.
Stork stand: This is a standing desk that attaches to the back of your office chair. You can work sitting, and when you get tired you can stand and work, it’s amazing and good for your health.
8. Comfortable Chairs For Office
Working for long hours in an office can be tiring. But working for long hours in an uncomfortable chair in a small office is just painful. Invest in some comfortable chairs that help your posture. Another simple solution is to buy chair pillows to make them more comfortable. You can also opt to work standing or use bean bags for your office.
9. Functional But Fun Knick-Knack For Mobile Office Trailers
ChatBox is a throwable microphone. This will help make your meeting fun, engaging and encourage more participation. Another fun thing to add to your office is The Everlast notebook. It was created for the people who still crave that pen and paper experience in the digital age. Write in it with any Pilot Frixion line pens, then use the Rocketbook app to scan your notes, transfer them to any cloud service, and share it with your contact. Why is it considered everlasting? Because you can just wipe pages clean with a wet piece of cloth. And then reuse it.
10. Portable Scanner
Invest in portable scanners for your office. A good portable scanner is Doxi Go. This device helps you scan your paper documents and send them to your laptop, phone, or cloud storage in a couple of seconds with a good network connection. You can then store them as scan pdf files.
11. Portable Printers
Portable printers are small and don’t take up much space in your office. You don’t want to bring a traditional printer to your small temporary office and make it congested. A portable printer you can invest in is the Canon Pixma TR150 Wireless Portable Printer; it will give you a seamless experience for your small office. It is a color printer and prints legal-sized papers. You can connect it to your laptop or phone.
With a few changes to your mobile office trailers, you can create an effective, comfortable and functional portable office for yourself. In these changing times, this might be just the thing you need. Don’t be stressed about it being a small work office. You can do wonders with it once you set your mind to it.
First impressions do not always leave a lasting effect on our minds. But sadly, that is not the case with designing websites. If you build a website with a dull and dreary appearance, chances are you won’t attract many visitors. So, it would be best if you made it really attractive. Squarespace site will let you create your own site seamlessly. Besides, you can choose from myriads of visually appealing Squarespace templates to make people flock to your site.
Why Choose Squarespace?
Designing a website isn’t always an effortless job. It entails careful planning. But Squarespace does away with a lot of hassles. Following are some reasons why you should choose Squarespace:
Squarespace is very simple to use.
It has a reputation of being friendly towards its users. Squarespace is the savior of every beginner.
Do you know what’s more interesting? You don’t have to know anything about coding if you use Squarespace to create and design your website.
If Squarespace is your choice, you need not get all worked up over things like web hosting, coming up with domain names, and so on.
Do you want to make your online presence felt within a short span of time? You may consider choosing Squarespace if that is the case.
You will not have to think too much about figuring out the security needs of your site.
I hope you have understood now why Squarespace has so many admirers, haven’t you?
Well, Squarespace Isn’t All That Perfect!
Squarespace has some flaws too. In the following section, you will find what the limitations are:
What Squarespace lacks is flexibility.
Those who have an idea about coding may not be happy with Squarespace. They might feel somewhat restricted. After all, Squarespace is meant especially for people with zero knowledge about coding.
Squarespace 7.0 And 7.1: The Two Versions Of Squarespace
For those who are unaware, there are two different versions of Squarespace. They are Squarespace 7.0 and Squarespace 7.1. Squarespace 7.1 is the enhanced version, while the Squarespace 7.0 version is the old one. Squarespace 7.0 is still actively used by many people.
Now, the templates found in the 7.1 version function like those found in the 7.0 version. However, their features are somewhat different. The difference in features is, however, not that great.
You may watch this video to know more about the templates available on Squarespace 7.0.
Firstly, in some templates found in Squarespace 7.1, features like parallax scrolling and single-page landing pages are absent.
Secondly, you won’t be able to change your website template if you’re using Squarespace 7.1. However, users of Squarespace 7.0 will be able to change their templates.
But, Squarespace 7.1 beats Squarespace 7.0 in terms of one aspect. If you design your website using a Squarespace 7.1 template, your website will have a better loading speed than a website designed using a Squarespace 7.0 template.
To know more about Squarespace 7.1 templates, do watch this video!
Why You Should Be Careful While Choosing A Template On The Squarespace Site
I have mentioned before why templates are so important when it comes to designing websites. There are a few things that you must know before you quickly set out to choose a template. You have to put in some thought before you select a template of your choice. That’s because the template you choose will affect the entire look and performance of your website.
Here’s a quick bit of wisdom for you. While looking for a template on the Squarespace website, try to answer all the questions they pose before you. Skipping them would be unwise. That’s because these questions will help you choose the right template based on your goals, tastes, and preferences.
Things To Remember Before Choosing A Squarespace Template
It would help if you also were meticulous about choosing a design for your website. Make a choice based on what your website aims to do or achieve. Be very careful about the responsiveness of your chosen design. Also, always take a look at the preview before making a choice.
Free Squarespace Templates vs. Premium Squarespace Templates
Now, you can choose either a free template or a paid template for your website. Both varieties have merits and demerits of their own. Let me give you some idea about free templates and paid templates in the following sections.
Free Templates
As the name suggests, the free templates are free of cost. Squarespace completely supports these templates. The best thing about these templates is that they load seamlessly and swiftly. This is the reason why these templates have the edge over premium Squarespace templates.
Premium Templates
Premium Squarespace templates, on the other hand, lend a touch of uniqueness to your website. I’m trying to imply that, since many people tend to use free templates, their websites may end up looking somewhat similar to one another. That’s because the templates that come for free aren’t significantly different from each other in terms of looks.
But, the Help and Support Team of Squarespace will not assist you if you choose to use them. These premium templates, especially if they are coded badly, may tamper with the security of your website. Besides, the premium Squarespace templates may affect the loading speed of your website. That is, your website would take a lot of time to load. This would affect your website’s performance. Few people would be drawn to your website because who likes a slow website?
So, be clever with your choice!
Buy Blogging Templates, Social Media Templates, And More From These Popular Premium Squarespace Template Shops
You can buy templates from an external template shop. Most premium Squarespace templates are accompanied by tutorials, step-by-step guides, design kits, video tutorials, and so on. These allow users to build their own websites effortlessly.
If you go for premium Squarespace templates to build your website, you may purchase them from the premium Squarespace template shops that I have listed below:
Squaremuse
If you choose to buy templates from Squaremuse, you will gain access to step-by-step instructions that will help you set up and customize your site. You will get a design kit as well, and it will help you build your site.
Kate Scott
Kate Scott is another premium Squarespace template shop. The templates found in this shop come with layouts consisting of 12 pages.
23 & 9 Creative
Templates sold by 23 & 9 Creative come with video tutorials, a host of images, a launch plan, and so on. The templates found here can be used by creative entrepreneurs.
GoLive
GoLive is another shop where templates come with a step-by-step guide meant to help you build your own website smoothly. It is not a new shop selling Squarespace templates. Bloggers, E-Commerce service providers, influencers, and a host of other professionals can flock to this shop searching for well-designed templates.
Big Cat Creative
If you want no-code template kits and easily understandable tutorials, consider buying Big Cat Creative templates. Social media templates can be found in this shop. Plus, the support that they offer is phenomenal. To avail of this support, you will have to submit one support ticket.
PixelHaze
PixelHaze should be your choice if you want to buy templates that are cost-effective and budget-friendly. Business owners may buy templates from here and build their websites with them.
Choose A Template Based On The Purpose Of Your Website
The number of Squarespace templates is only a little above 100. But you may be baffled by each one of them. Well, how can you not when each of them is designed so exquisitely?
Let me remind you of something that I’ve already talked about in this article. It would be best to have a very clear and crisp idea of what you wish to achieve with your website. Are you a blogger willing to start your own blog? Or, do you wish to build a fine portfolio? Or, do you aim to start a quaint, little online store? That is, you need to figure out the purpose of your website.
Now, templates like Skye and Haute Culture are ideal for would-be bloggers. In contrast, those who wish to build their portfolios should go for Wexley or Carson. Apart from these, there are many other templates that you can use to design your site.
So, it’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed while choosing one template from 100+ Squarespace templates. But fear not! I will help you choose a template that’s suitable for your beautiful website.
15 Squarespace Templates To Make Your Website Look Stunning
Here’s a list of some of the most popular Squarespace templates that you can use to create your website.
Templates For E-Commerce Sites
A lot of us know how E-Commerce has received a boost in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. A study claims that the rates of E-Commerce penetration are likely to increase. They might rise as high as 25% in 2025! So, you may consider building your own E-Commerce website to earn your living. It looks like it would be a viable career option, right?
Galapagos
You may opt for the Galapagos template if you wish to have your own E-Commerce platform. It’s a simple template. It comes with a clean interface. If you choose this Squarespace template, you won’t have to devote much time to design your website.
It supports several other features, including picture galleries in slideshows, calendars, list-style blog formats, and so on. It comes with a single sidebar. With a template like this, you can effortlessly attract potential customers to your site.
Hester
Hester is another Squarespace template that is ideal for E-Commerce sites. It will let you showcase all your products in a very minimalistic way. Using it to build your site, your visitors will be greeted with a Shop Now button.
Templates To Build A Portfolio
Searching for the perfect template to build your portfolio? Squarespace offers a lot of them. Let us take a look at these templates and their features.
Wexley
Wexley is perhaps the most popular among those looking for a Squarespace template to flaunt their portfolios. This simple template has a beauty of its own. For those who don’t know, it’s one of the older Squarespace templates. If Wexley is your choice, your visitors will get a glimpse of the best of your artworks or photos on the landing page itself. It comes with a grid layout.
Carson
Carson is another template that you can use to create a good-looking portfolio page. It comes with so many cool features like overlay effects, full-bleed imagery, and so on. Your visitors will find your website quite adventurous if Carson is your choice.
York
If you want to showcase more than one portfolio in just one place, you should choose York. It is equipped with a grid index page. However, you cannot add sidebars if you choose this one.
Templates For Blogging
Squarespace has quite a few templates in store for bloggers as well. Some of these templates are:
Five
Five is a template that bloggers will love. Did you know it’s the only Squarespace template that will let you add two sidebars on your website? This versatile template is one among the old templates. It’s quite flexible. If you design your website with the help of Five, you’ll be able to incorporate elements like videos, full-width banner images, and so on. What it lacks is an index page.
Skye
If you want to provide your readers with a seamless and smooth experience while reading your blog posts, then you should consider using Skye. Its full-screen design that users can customize lets you arrange all your posts in grid-based blocks. Choose it if you want your site to look neat and organized.
Farro
For those who love simplicity as well as elegance, Farro is the ideal Squarespace template. It offers a remarkable blog layout. Your site will look great on mobile browsers if you choose this one. It offers plenty of layout options that you can customize. However, it doesn’t let you add sidebars. Nor does it come with an index page.
Haute Culture
Haute Culture is another Squarespace template meant for bloggers. This template lets you organize your posts in a mosaic-style layout. This template doesn’t use thumbnails. Rather, it uses full-size pictures.
Tudor
Another template that bloggers may use is Tudor. It offers a three-column layout like those found in magazines. The social media icons that come with it are somewhat minimal.
Templates For Business Purposes
Business owners can choose from the many templates that Squarespace has to offer. They can successfully build their new websites to promote their products and/or services with those templates.
Brine
If you are a business owner looking for a Squarespace template to build your dream website, Brine should be your choice. This versatile template offers many customization packages. This one is probably the most popular template available on the Squarespace website.
It’s extremely flexible and is one of those templates that offer customization packages. With this template comes a host of features. These are- attractive blog layouts, full-width banner images, numerous navigation areas, and so on. It has one major drawback. You can’t add sidebars if you use this template.
Templates For Miscellaneous Purposes
Squarespace users can also use the other templates available on the Squarespace platform for miscellaneous purposes. There are so many freely available and premium Squarespace templates that people can put to use for various purposes. I will give you a brief idea about some of these templates in the following section.
Charlotte: To Showcase Memories Of Your Wedding
There’s a template known as Charlotte. You can use it to organize all your wedding photos and memories by yourself. Wedding planners will look dull in front of your website with its beautiful design! So why not build your own wedding site?
Wav: For Music And Podcasts
Looking forward to publishing your own music or starting a podcast? Do consider using this fresh and new Squarespace template known as Wav. It comes with a grid layout, and it also allows Soundcloud integration.
Horizon: To Publish Your Videos
If you want to build a website where you can publish your videos, Horizon is the Squarespace template that you can use. Equipped with a carefully designed index page, this template lets you build stacks of full-bleed banner photos and videos.
Pursuit: To Create Your Customized CV
Did you know that you can use templates offered by Squarespace to create your resume? Pursuit is one such template that lets you make an eye-catching CV. This template has a professional look, and its colorful call-to-action buttons add to its charm.
So, I guess I have given you a fair idea about the variety of Squarespace templates that you can use to build an exquisite website of your own. Squarespace gives you a lot of options to choose from. Moreover, you can use templates that are free of cost or those for which you have to pay. Now, try and figure out your purpose and embark on your website designing journey!
Amazon Web Services is a premium cloud service from one of the largest online retailers. It allows you to reutilize its building blocks to create cloud apps for different purposes. If you’re looking for AWS training & certification, you’re already on the right track.
AWS courses let you leverage one of the most powerful cloud platforms in the market right now. It’s an investment with huge potential for returns, so let’s look at how you can get started.
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Types of certifications
You have several certification categories to choose from. Right now, there are a dozen certifications available. Each one has different focuses and depth. Picking the right one is a fundamental first step.
When taking AWS online training, you need to take an entry-level certification. From there, you can take associate, professional, and specialization courses. Some certifications have different levels, so we’ll point that out for each one.
1. Cloud practitioner
The cloud practitioner certification is entry-level. It’s also the newest addition to the program. Its goal is to validate how much you understand about Amazon’s cloud.
The certification lasts 90 minutes, and you need six months’ minimum’s worth of experience. It covers the fundamentals of AWS architecture. It also goes through the common applications and security. It evaluates your core understanding.
2. Solutions Architect (associate)
At this level, you’re evaluated as a designer. Candidates for this certificate must provide evidence of their ability in designing and implementing AWS apps.
It covers network technology and how applications and their interfaces connect to the main platform. You must be able to build reliable apps and deploy hybrid services between AWS and on-premise components.
3. Developer (associate)
This 80-minute certification covers app development and maintenance. You need to understand how to work with code within AWS for custom applications.
The covered areas include understanding the architecture of AWS. You need hands-on experience developing and maintaining apps. You also need to work with AWS notifications, databases, and storage.
4. SysOps administrator (associate)
Certified SysOps administrators must have technical and conceptual expertise. It’s exclusively for administrators, and experience with Windows or Linux is a good advantage.
It covers AWS app deployment, as well as data communication between AWS and data centers. You also need to select the right services for specific organizations. Finally, management and provisioning in the environment are other relevant areas.
5. Solutions architect (professional)
Professional architects are able to evaluate the requirements of an organization. It focuses on architectural recommendations towards implementation and deployment. This certification requires extensive technical and design experience.
It covers the ideal practices for designing app architecture. You must select the correct services for your app’s requirements, as well as migrate systems to the AWS cloud. It also goes through cost optimization.
By LanKS/ Shutterstock
6. DevOps engineer (professional)
DevOps engineers focus on the provision, operation, and management of AWS platform applications. The exam prioritizes constant delivery and process automation. These processes are core for DevOps.
You’ll have to go through CD methodologies and systems as well as their implementation. You need to set up and monitor systems through AWS. The same is true for implementing scalable and available systems, as well as design/manage relevant tools for automating them.
7. Data analytics (specialty)
This specialty focuses on analyzing and developing big data solutions. Candidates have to be able to extract value available through AWS data.
The areas covered include architecting the ideal practices for AWS big data implementation. You also need to design and maintain big data, as well as implement AWS software for analysis automation. The same holds for security practices and several AWS services.
8. Advanced networking (specialty)
This specialty aims to verify the candidate’s experience and ability, connected with performance related to network operations. That includes applying said skills on both AWS as well as hybrid IT networks.
Therefore, backgrounds in network solutions and AWS networking are mandatory. It also covers cloud solutions’ design, development, and deployment. It evaluates core service implementation and task automation for deploying networks. Security, compliance, and optimization are also important.
9. Security (specialty)
This certification covers security in detail. Both professionals and teams must prove their mastery of security concepts, practices, and services. You’ll have to demonstrate your security knowledge, including encryption, infrastructure, response, and access management.
It covers AWS services for selecting the best security levels, based on data deployment and sensitivity. AWS courses for this certification must teach you how to pick the best protection techniques. Your monitoring solutions must spot and assess structure vulnerabilities.
10. Alexa skill builder (specialty)
This AWS certification is self-explanatory. Candidates must have the ability to create, test, and implement skills for Amazon Alexa. You’ll need a six-month minimum experience using Alexa’s Skills Kit and programming expertise.
It covers the value of voice implementation and user experience. You’ll need advanced knowledge on Alexa and AWS’ security practices. From skill creation and validation to use the developer console are relevant areas.
11. Machine learning (specialty)
Here, you’ll have to validate your skills in creating and implementing related solutions for several business situations. It’s for developers and data science-related professions. You’ll need at least a year of experience working with machine learning.
The covered areas go through implementing the best machine learning strategy for different business issues. You’ll have to prove you can identify the best AWS solutions for your methods. Lastly, optimized and scalable solutions must be part of your skillset.
12. Database (specialty)
Finally, this certification verifies your comprehension of all database-related services in AWS. You’ll have to provide value via database optimization, integration, and architecting. You’ll need at least a couple of years of experience using AWS and on-premise databases.
It covers database design as well as deployment and migration. You’ll have to show you can manage and operate these databases, along with monitoring and troubleshooting them. Naturally, security is another vital area.
How to start AWS training
Starting your AWS certification training doesn’t have to include spending too much time or even resources. Ideally, you want to get a general introduction to the career before going for a specific course.
Naturally, you want to take the entry-level certificate soon, but even that could be a considerable first step. Therefore, let’s go through a few things you can do before enrolling in a course and taking practice exams.
Learn the fundamentals
The best way you can prepare yourself to take a course—and your certification later—is to take matters into your own hand. There are many free resources available, covering the basics of AWS services and how it works.
Even Amazon’s main page provides plenty of documentation for you to prepare. Of course, taking AWS courses enables you to learn more efficiently. However, this information is completely free, and you can gain a decent understanding of the platform.
Assess your goals
As you could see, there’s a certification for every AWS aspect. You should evaluate your skills, knowledge, and expectations first. That way, you’ll know what certificate you want to take.
Keep in mind that AWS certification training can take a while. You can—technically—take all certifications, and completing the tests takes a couple of hours for the longest one. However, training is a significant time investment, so set clear goals before taking the first exam.
Socialize with like-minded people
Finally, the best way to learn more is to surround yourself with knowledgeable people. You can easily find community groups and forums around the internet. They’re filled with people constantly providing useful information via discussions and even casual conversation.
Learning AWS also goes beyond taking courses. You can find valuable lessons even after you’ve completed your certificate. These communities offer excellent insight for beginners and specialists alike.
Course durations
There’s no specific duration for the course you want to take. You can find dozens of people asking about the length of AWS certification, but all responses vary for every individual. That’s primarily because every certification category has its own requirements and subjects.
That means you need to think about the career you’re taking. In the end, that will be the main factor behind its length,
It’s mainly about your rhythm
The answers vary for everyone because you’re largely responsible for how quickly you want to complete it. Virtually all courses give you access to structured content, and some have you unlock new modules as you complete training.
However, learning AWS doesn’t have a set schedule. You have to balance your daily responsibilities and make time for your training. Naturally, people with full-time jobs will take longer. Luckily, the only reward for completing the training quickly is being able to start earlier.
What is the right AWS certification for you?
Picking a certification type can be intimidating at first. You might feel like you’re making a life-changing decision. In many ways, that’s true, but there’s no reason to make an obstacle out of it.
The best approach is to make your initial preparation and introduction shed light on which career you want to take. However, let’s go through every certification type to help you figure out where you want to focus your online AWS training.
1. Cloud practitioner
There’s not much thought behind this one. You should take it before going for an advanced certificate. It’ll help you validate your knowledge, which is vital for the following tiers.
2. Solutions Architect (associate)
Associate certifications aren’t mandatory to take a professional certification. However, it’s still recommended. This certification is for professionals with experience creating AWS apps.
3. Developer (associate)
Again, this degree isn’t a requirement for the DevOps profession. However, it’s intended for professional AWS developers with experience creating and deploying apps on AWS.
4. SysOps administrator (associate)
This is the entry-level for AWS administrators. It aims towards professional AWS admins, which includes operating, managing, and deploying AWS apps.
5. Solutions architect (professional)
This level is for people who have advanced experience designing apps and systems in the AWS cloud. If you can evaluate the needs of a business and focus on the right architectural solution, this is your certification.
6. DevOps engineer (professional)
The DevOps movement is for professionals with hands-on experience implementing and running different methodologies on AWS, as well as delivery systems. This certification also covers the DevOps role in the administration.
7. Data analytics (specialty)
This specialty is the ideal option for cloud experts with the skills to generate valuable observations from huge data volumes. It’ll also validate your skills in designing the best systems for different cloud architectures.
8. Advanced networking (specialty)
Networking deals with analyzing complex operations related to networking AWS applications and platforms. You’ll also need advanced technical knowledge in implementing hybrid structures between IT and AWS architecture.
9. Security (specialty)
This is the only security-related certification for AWS, but it’s also one of the most demanded in the industry. If you prefer to deal with security protocols and practices, this is the right certification.
10. Alexa skill builder (specialty)
Understandably, this certification is the best choice for people with designing and publishing expertise related to skills for Amazon’s Alexa. It also goes through skill certification for the platform.
11. Machine learning (specialty)
People working with both data science and development experience should go for this certification. It’ll also evaluate your skills in designing, deploying, and running related solutions tailored towards specific issues.
Database (specialty)
Finally, this certification is for database administrators. There aren’t any prerequisites, either. It focuses on your expertise using different database services from AWS. It also covers proper database implementation for business growth.
The AWS Training & Certification Journey
Let’s say you already know what certificate (or certificates) you want to take for your AWS training & certification. The next step is to take action. Again, you might feel lost when figuring out the right approach to your certification.
Thankfully, it’s simpler than you think. You can follow a few simple guidelines to drive your general and specific objectives. Laying the right foundation for your training will make the rest of your journey a lot easier.
Plan your studies
The best way to boost your online AWS training is to take it seriously and build discipline. Being able to take the classes whenever you want can be a double-edged blade. It’s easy to fall for laziness and start procrastinating.
Therefore, you want to create a daily schedule for your education. Even a couple of hours every other day go a long way if you stick to them. Make sure to set aside time for your studies without neglecting other responsibilities, however.
Find the right course
Not all courses work for everyone. From content to structure, many factors determine the best AWS online training for everyone. However, you can follow a few guidelines to find the ideal program. Essentially, you want a deep course with plenty of content.
However, you also want to consider the course’s relevance. Not every syllabus is up-to-date, and going for an outdated course can result in wasted time and money. Finally, go for the right course format for you.
Take training exams
Like the fundamental documentation we already mentioned, you can find free practice tests on the internet. Even the AWS site has practice exams for your certification. However, those aren’t the only options.
Many courses offer practice exams as well. They don’t simply provide exam templates, but you can get courses with answer explanations. Other features you should look for include testing modes and difficulty options.
Sign up for the exam
Booking your exam is quite straightforward. You only need to visit the website and set aside the right day. Nevertheless, do keep in mind that you’ll have to pay a fee for different certifications.
Obviously, advanced certification exams are more expensive. That’s why you want to make sure that you’re ready for the exam. Of course, you won’t be 100% certain until you take it, but don’t think it’s something you should take lightly.
Apply everything you learned
Once you’ve paid and scheduled your exam, just put your gained knowledge to the test—no pun intended. Your AWS certification won’t be a walk in the park, but it doesn’t have to be an uphill battle with the right training.
Just remember that you’ll have limited time to answer a noticeable number of questions. Our last tip is to time your performance during practice exams. Assign a time amount per question—with a few minutes to spare. Don’t spend too long on one question. It’s better to go back to them after finishing the rest than losing the entire certification over a hard question.
What is brand marketing? How to market your brand effectively in 2022?
What is a Brand?
What do you understand by brand marketing? We often get to listen to the term ‘brand’ everywhere nowadays. What do we exactly mean by brand? It is a certain feature or set of features that distinguishes an organization or company from another. Every brand has its unique characteristic or quality for which it is known.
A brand generally comprises a name, logo, tag line, design, symbol and brand voice, etc. It can also be understood as an overall experience that the audience goes through while getting in touch with a business or company.
Every company tries to create a brand that can beat others in the market. After a company has its own brand, it’s its responsibility to market or advertises its brand so that people get to know about it and choose it over other brands.
Once you create your brand, it’s time for its marketing. Brand marketing refers to the process of promoting your product in a way that highlights your brand. It is a way of communicating with your target audience to let them know about your brand.
Brand marketing is all about creating brand awareness and establishing trustworthiness, recognition, product visibility, reach, and a good reputation in the market. It is only after brand marketing that you will be able to get clients, projects, and audiences for your brand.
No matter which industry do you belong to, Brand marketing isn’t an option. It’s rather a need for every business. Its main goal is to build a strong customer base for the business and brand. If you have an effective brand marketing strategy, it helps you stand out from the others.
When you communicate with your audience for brand marketing, it helps you establish healthy relationships with your customers. If you are using the correct strategies, the audience will surely choose you over others.
Brand marketing is all about presenting your brand’s vision, ideas, and strategies in your mind. When you create a brand, the first thing you should do is to make a list of characteristics that you want your brand to be known for.
Never forget to develop a vision for your brand. Plan everything and decide the strategies that you are going to use for brand marketing. You can achieve a goal only when you actually have a goal. Similarly, you can present your brand in a powerful way only when you have everything pre-decided in your mind.
When you have a vision for your company and brand, it makes things easier for you. As a business owner, you can only present ideas and thoughts and advertise your brand when you yourself are clear about your brand.
When you own a business and start a brand, one of the most important things you should determine is your target audience. You can’t keep the ‘serve to everyone’ approach all the time. It’s necessary to choose the group or type of audience that you and your brand will serve or target.
Identifying your target audience is not only necessary before you start your brand, but it is also important when it comes to brand marketing. Before you start making your strategies to market your brand, you must be well aware of your brand’s audience.
It has a great impact on your brand when you do brand marketing to attract the consumers’ attention. Always try to get to know your audience by their underlying demographic. Not just this, you should also analyze your target audience by digging deeper and doing some market research.
Once you get to know your target audience successfully, you can frame plans and strategies based on your knowledge. After you get to know your audience and what they want, you can plan your brand’s characteristics that you are going to use for brand marketing.
In a world where everything and everyone is dependent upon the internet for almost every kind of work, social media marketing is a significant part of brand marketing. Social media has evolved as a powerful medium as it helps you reach your target audience easily.
Who doesn’t use social media platforms nowadays? Almost everyone has an account on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. If you own a business, it’s a good idea to create a business account on social media platforms when you can do brand marketing.
You can post pictures related to your brand with effective captions. It can prove helpful if you mention the unique features and characteristics of your brand in the caption. You can even use hashtags to make your post reach more people.
Social media has a great impact on people’s lives nowadays. We see a new trend every day on social media platforms, and the next thing we see is that everyone is trying to copy that trend. Similarly, when people get to know about your brand on social media, they’ll try to get to know more about it if it attracts them, and this way, you will get more customers for your brand.
4. Personalizing the marketing messages
When you communicate with your target audience, make sure that everything in your marketing messages is personalized. When you personalize all the things you want to present in front of the audience for brand marketing, customers feel connected.
Before you personalize your messages, make sure that you analyze everything, understand the demographics and psychographic, and get to know the market well. There are only a few businessmen who personalize all the messages, but once you get into the customers’ minds, it helps a lot in your brand’s success.
When you personalize all your messages for brand marketing, it allows you to add all the necessary points according to your own will and customers’ needs and expectations. When you do brand marketing so that customers can relate to it, it makes them think that you understand their pain points.
In today’s era, people give as much importance to data and graphs as their personal preferences and choices. It won’t be wrong to say that data even has the power to change the consumers’ choices.
Reflecting data and graphs to show the success of your brand is an important component of brand marketing. You can present the data related to your company and brand on your company’s website to attract more audiences. Not just this, you can even share the data and graphs of the social media platforms to reach more people.
When your data showcases your brand’s success, it makes the target audience assured that they could choose your brand. The data about your brand reflects whether your company is trustworthy or not. Just like reviews, data and graphs also help the audience decide whether to choose a brand or not.
This is one of the most used techniques for brand marketing. Writing a blog is really easy, so why not start blogging for your brand? Remember that writing blogs gives you a great opportunity to let your target audience know more about your brand.
When you start blogging for your brand, you become able to reach even more customers. When your audience reads your blogs and finds your brand interesting, they choose your brand above others in the market.
You can publish your blogs on your website so that they get to read a lot about your brand when people visit your website. Not just this, you can even share your blogs on various social networking sites to reach more of your target audience.
Just like blogging, promotion through YouTube is another good way to do brand marketing. Creating a YouTube channel is very easy. So, you can create a channel for your business and then promote your brand through visual or video content.
YouTube is a compelling platform in today’s era as it has millions of users. When you post content about your brand on YouTube, it will reach many people. The viewers can even share your video if they like your brand and content, which will get your brand new customers.
You can even connect your blogs and videos for better results. To do this, you have to embed your video in your blog so that your target audience will get to know about your brand in a more nuanced way.
When you are a businessman looking forward to promoting your brand, you must use both online and offline ways of brand marketing. One of the most effective ways of online brand marketing is joining podcasts. You can appear on well-established podcasts to promote your brand.
When you join podcasts, it gives you a great opportunity to build a strong audience base. You can even repurpose the content that you have in your blog.
Reports say that appearing on podcasts is one of the most effective ways to do brand marketing. When you appear on podcasts, it makes people want to learn more about your brand and drive traffic to your website. Once the audience gets aware of your brand, they might choose your brand over others if they like it.
Before joining podcasts, you always remember one thing that you have to promote your brand in front of your target audience and not everyone. When you join a podcast, make sure that it has an audience devoted to your niche or industry and can be your potential customers.
When you have an audience from your own niche, it helps you a lot as you and your audience have similar interests. When there are similar interests shared, there will be a greater chance for them to be your customer by choosing your brand.
No matter which industry or niche you belong to, your company’s official website always plays a significant role in the success of your brand and business. Your target audience and clients visit your website to get to know your brand better.
Basic Search Engine Optimization is one of the important factors that affect the process of brand marketing. When you optimize your website, it becomes easy to navigate for people. Optimization improves the loading time of your website as well. If your website takes a lot of time to get loaded, many people may leave it even before it opens.
Search Engine Optimization helps in improving the search rankings of your website. It means that your website will be on top of Google search results, which will drive more audience to your website.
There are various tools available online such as Google My Business that help you manage your business online. It even facilitates maps, using which your audience might locate your company. The more people interact with your brand online, the higher will be the chances for you to get more customers.
One of the best ways for brand marketing is to set up an automated email campaign. Reports suggest that automated email marketing campaigns can help you a lot in brand marketing.
When you choose to send automated emails, it enables better customization with A/B testing, time zones, infographics, sequences, and CTA buttons. Not just this, it also allows data-backed optimization.
Sending emails is a good way of online brand marketing. You can reflect or present your brand’s features in the emails and send them to potential clients and customers.
11. Be real
When it comes to brand marketing, always be truthful and real. Stating wrong facts about your brand would lead to distrust among your audience for your brand. Always reflect the qualities and features that your brand actually possesses.
Always remember that being real with your target audience is an important factor that affects your brand’s success. It’s imperative to create an emotional connection or bond with your target audience. It can be done by providing the best services to your customers.
When you treat your customers well, only then they will stay loyal to your brand. If you are a businessman, it must be your priority to satisfy your audience in the best way possible. Never state the features that your brand can’t offer, as it will cause distrust among the audience.
So, are you a businessman looking forward to promoting your brand? Is it that you need help to make strategies for brand marketing? Well, this guide will surely help you. Now you know that brand marketing might take a bit of effort, but it’s not that difficult. Just follow the given steps, and you will drive more audience towards your brand and business.
Want to become a successful freelance designer? Here’s everything you need to know!
In today’s world, a lot of people are taking to be a freelancer. Be it any field, and freelancing is available everywhere. It is quite good to work as a freelancer in the industry or niche of your choice. Being a freelancer is not an easy job, but it can be exciting and fruitful if you are passionate about what you are doing.
What is freelancing?
When you work as a freelancer, it has its own perks over a full-time job in some company. Though having a full-time job gives you a kind of security and means a fixed income source, working as a freelancer also has its advantages. One of the best things about freelancing is that you are your own boss.
As a freelancer, you can select projects according to your choices and preferences. You can work as per your own will. Not just this, you also have the freedom to decide your work schedule.
One of the most popular fields to be a freelancer in is graphic designing. A lot of people take to graphic designing nowadays. Especially there’s a big craze for graphic designing among youngsters in the present time.
A graphic designer or freelance designer is one who assembles images or motion graphics to create a piece of design. It can be said that they are visual communicators who create visual concepts by hands or computer software.
There are a lot of people nowadays who choose to become freelance designers. If you are a freelance designer, you can create graphics for printed, published, or electronic media such as brochures and advertisements. Being a freelance designer gives you a lot of freedom.
If you are also an aspiring freelance designer, you need to take the right measures to be a successful freelance designer. If you haven’t gone to school or college to learn graphic design, you can enroll in graphic design courses. There are many institutes offering courses in graphic designing for those interested in the field.
No matter whether it’s a full-time business or freelancing, all of them need a name. When you plan to be a freelance designer, one of the most significant steps you must take is thinking about how you will be deciding a brand name for yourself.
As a freelance designer, you have to decide everything for yourself as no one else is there to help in your work. Making yourself a brand or deciding a brand name is supposed to be done at the beginning of your career as a freelance designer.
In every business, especially in freelancing, word of mouth is one of the important factors that determine your success as it is one of the primary ways you get clients and projects. But, there should be a brand name for you as a freelancer to make people or clients suggest you or refer more clients towards you.
An important question that all freelancers have to consider is whether to use their own name as their brand name or decide on a separate name for their brand or company. Well, it all depends upon what you are planning for the future.
If you plan to be a freelance designer and have a one-person business, then it’s a good idea to use your own name as the brand name. But, if you are planning to grow your freelance business into a business of many people, then decide on a separate brand name.
2. Look for clients
Image by Fauxels/ Pexels
If you really want to be successful as a freelance designer, you need projects and clients. It is only when you have clients and work to do that you will stay in the industry. When you are just starting your career as a freelance designer, the most important thing that you need to do is to find your first clients.
Are you thinking about why it is necessary to find clients? Well, you can’t call it a business until you have clients. And, not having clients means you are not a freelance designer. Just giving your freelance business a name and building a portfolio won’t make you a freelance designer. You need clients to be a successful freelance designer.
When you get your first clients as a freelance designer, it boosts your confidence. It gives you momentum and encouragement to do your work as a freelance designer with all your heart.
There are various ways for a freelancer designer to find clients:
A) Freelance job sites
There are a lot of websites online from where you can find clients for your freelance business. You have to look for clients in your niche. Some of the websites where you can find clients are Upwork, FreeUp, and TopTal.
B) Through personal network:
Whether you are already working as a freelance designer or you are just a student, you must have a personal network related to your niche. You can look for clients among the people in your personal network. Those people can even introduce you to your potential clients.
Whether it’s a full-time job or freelancing, the portfolio is an important factor that affects the possibilities of you getting the job or clients. A portfolio is like a mirror of your personality, as it tells about all your experiences and skills.
Many freelance designers in the market are yet to find clients and work just because they haven’t finished their portfolios. If you don’t want to suffer like them, build a portfolio that highlights all your best works to prompt the clients to hire you.
Whenever you plan to buy something, the first thing you consider is the qualities of that product. If the product is of good quality, only then it prompts you to buy it. The same is the case with clients. They will hire you only when they find you appropriate and able to handle the project.
4. Treat your clients well
When working as a freelance designer, your work doesn’t get over after you get clients. In fact, that’s where your actual work begins, as those clients will stay loyal to you only when you will treat and serve them well.
Whether you have found your clients through websites or personal networks, you must complete the projects assigned to you efficiently. If you serve your clients well, only then will they be happy with you, and the client’s happiness is the key to become a successful freelance designer.
Treating and serving your clients well has many pros:
Getting more work– When you work well on your projects, there’ a great chance that the client will hire you again for other projects. More project means more work and more money, and hence your success as a freelance designer.
Referrals– When a client gets impressed by your work, he would not only give you more projects himself, he would also refer you to other clients. When other people in their circle need a freelance designer, they’d suggest your name to them, which is a great way to find new clients and success.
5. Market Yourself
When you start working as a freelance designer, one of the most important steps to find work and be successful is to market yourself. To find work and clients, you first need to reach them, and advertising and marketing is the primary way to do that.
There are a lot many ways to market yourself as a freelance designer:
Creating a website– In this internet-friendly world, having an online presence is significant, as it helps a lot. All the businesses and freelancers have their websites where the clients and customers can better know their work.
Blogging– If you want to attract more clients as a freelance designer, start blogging. It’s a good way to market your brand as you can describe it in your own words. When your clients will read your blogs about your brand or work and find it fascinating, they’ll surely hire you.
Social media marketing– Social media is a powerful medium in the present world. Almost everyone has a profile on various social media platforms nowadays.
Not just for entertainment, social media can prove to be quite useful when it comes to working. If you have a presence on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, you will reach more people and find more clients.
Asking for referrals- Don’t just wait for your existing clients to refer more clients to you. When you are a freelance designer, don’t feel shy and ask for referrals yourself. This way, you will increase the chances of you getting more work.
A few tips to get you started
1. Learn to manage invoices. paperwork, and proposals
When you become a freelance designer, your work is not just to complete the clients’ projects assigned to you. When you are a freelancer, it means you don’t have anyone else in your team, and you have to manage all your business on your own.
In a business where the company has various employees, the work is divided among people. But, when you are a freelancer, you have to do everything yourself. It would be best to learn how to write invoices, send proposals, and manage contracts.
It’s completely okay if you are not a pro at making invoices as there are many software available online that can help you with that. Some of the best software to create invoices are Freshbooks, QuickBooks, and Honeybook.
If you are starting as a freelance designer, your primary goal must be to find as many clients as possible to get more work. While looking for clients, you should keep in mind that it is not too choosy in the beginning.
When you become too choosy about the kind of clients you want to work for, it decreases your chances of getting more work. When you become picky, you sometimes let good opportunities go and then regret eventually.
Remember that to be a successful freelance designer, and you need clients to boost your confidence and earn money. Your first clients are like your stepping stones, and if you keep turning them down because they don’t pay enough or for some other reason, your career will see a dip even before it starts.
When you are a newbie, you don’t have much experience to show to your clients, and no one will pay a first-year student as much as an experienced freelance designer. So, it’s obvious that people would pay you less at the beginning of your career as a freelance designer. When you don’t have testimonials to show, it’d be difficult for clients to hire you as it can prove to be risky for them.
3. Build a network
When you go to school or college, you make friends or network with your classmates. Similarly, when you start as a freelance designer, it’s necessary to get in touch with others in your industry or niche. Building a network with people is important for various reasons, and some of them are:
Meeting potential clients– As we discussed earlier, your personal network is a good place to look for clients. You never know who can be your potential client in your network or even introduce you to new clients.
Information about conferences– Attending conferences and workshops related to your niche is an excellent way to improve your industry knowledge. When you are in touch with people from the same niche, you get information regarding such conferences near you.
4. Collect payments on time
When working as a freelancer, you don’t have a finance team or accountant working for you who would inform you and keep records of your income. It’s all upon you to handle. As we already discussed, you are the one who’s going to manage the invoices and proposals, and payments.
One thing to keep in mind when working as a freelance designer is that business is business, and asking for your payment is only a part of the profession. Never feel shy or awkward when asking for payment as you have earned it through hard work.
Softwares like Freshbooks doesn’t just help you to create invoices. It also collects payments and reminds people when their payments are due. It’s a part of your work to collect payments on time, and as a freelancer, you must do it.
So, are you working as a freelance designer? Are you a student aspiring to be a freelance designer, not knowing how to succeed in that field? Well, this guide will help you do all the things right. Make sure to follow all the above-mentioned steps to be a successful freelance designer.
Are you looking for legit online jobs? Also, the one that will be a full-time income job, working from home rather than something that’s only going to help you make money for a short period?
It is necessary while considering today’s Coronavirus situation because businesses all across the globe have shut down their offices and adapted the remote mode of work. As per Time Magazine, COVID led the “world’s largest work from the home experiment.
Earlier, most people didn’t encourage the work-from-home concept because it wasn’t profitable at all. According to the time, there are many opportunities for people to earn money from home as various legit online jobs are available.
In 2020, the improvement in technology and the emergence of large-scale social media usage ushered in a new wave of legitimate online jobs.
11 best legit online jobs you can find on the internet
The top 11 legit online jobs have the ideal mix of large-scale demand, a low supply of talented individuals,s and the potential to start earning fast.
A virtual assistant is a person who offers support services to a business from a remote mode or location. Administrative tasks are generally common for virtual assistants, but they can also be related to any other elements required by the business.
Virtual assistants are in demand by Traders and Online businesses that need help but don’t want to spend money on office space for staff.
This is a good option if you are looking for legit online jobs. However, many small businesses use virtual support, especially for specific tasks such as social media management. These people work as remote executive assistants doing some particular tasks.
Following are the common tasks carried out by Virtual assistants, including answering emails, scheduling appointments, or booking travel.
Some assistants take on multiple agents simultaneously, allowing them to earn over five figures a year from home. Average pay: $15 to $40 per hour approx
Benefit: The more systematic and efficient you become, the more clients or customers you can add.
Disadvantage: Mostly business people would want you to work only for certain hours of the day.
If you are looking for legit online jobs and your photography skills are amazing, you have plenty of online jobs for photographers and image buffs. You can take awesome photos of anything, and there are good chances that you can sell them to online image sellers and create a niche side income online.
It is an easy task with smartphones and digital photography technology today, and anyone can take and sell photos. Many websites, blogs, and even social media need images and photographs to engage and attract their audience, so they are willing to pay for great shots.
It doesn’t matter whether you are taking pictures of natural attractions in your area or focusing on staged shots. There is supposed to be a buyer out there who wants to use your photograph and is willing to pay for it. Therefore, it can prove to be one of the best legit online jobs.
Average pay: 10 to 40 cents per image approx
Benefit: Many of us have it as a hobby, which can be turned into a profession.
Disadvantage: It takes time to build up your stock of photos for sale.
3) Freelance Writing
If you are good at writing and looking for a legit online job, you can earn a high income as a freelance writer. You can work in a niche that you enjoy and understand while making (from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars per article.)
A freelancer can be described as a self-employed person who provides services, usually to multiple clients at a time.
As a freelance writer, if you want to increase your earning capacity, you should try working directly with businesses and finding online clients. Regarding freelance writing, you write online content for blogs, magazines, and online businesses, etc.
There are a variety of legit online jobs available in the field of freelance writing. To search for customers, try engaging with online businesses to inquire if they need any content.
Talk and engage with their social media contacts online, and reach out to site editors to look if they have any vacancies.
Apart from that, you can try having your website post your written content in the niche because this is a great way to find new customers. They can see your writing’s standard or quality, which leads you to the top paying online jobs.
Average pay: $10 to $35 per hour approx
Benefit: In the contemporary world, the growth of online publishing is increasing, and because of this, there is a huge demand for freelance writers.
Are you looking for legit online jobs to work from home? If you have a head for figures and especially if you know accounts or have financial planning experience, you can earn money by helping individuals or other businesses with bookkeeping. Bookkeeping is a major task for ensuring that a company runs smoothly and will survive in the future.
Market your services to entrepreneurs to help them manage their finances. Find customers by searching local works in your locality or joining social media such as Facebook groups to promote your services.
One can make a lot of money if they are interested in numbers and do legit online jobs. There are a lot of opportunities available in this field. It doesn’t require any certification.
Average pay: $20 to $50 per hour approx
Benefits: You will work with customers on an attendant or retainer basis, which offers you a steady income base.
Disadvantage: Atleast need basic training for the first customer.
If you are looking for suitable legit online jobs, then becoming a translator is the best option. A translator converts the written word from one language to another without losing the literal meaning.
It doesn’t matter which country you are in. Being a translator is always fruitful. So, one can use translation online earning sites to make more money from home.
The best thing is that one doesn’t require a degree (although having a bachelor’s degree helps), but the most important requirement is fluency in at least 2 languages.
One can easily look for hundreds of projects related to transcriptions to make money online. Not only that, the approx national wage in this field was around $46,000 in 2016, although the top 10% of workers earned an average of $83,000.
There are sites available like LinkedIn and Freelancer, which can help you find legit online jobs. Everything depends on the languages you are an expert in and how effectively you can translate from one language to another.
Average pay:$5 to$50 per page approx
Benefits: It is very convenient and easy if you are fluent in any two languages.
Disadvantage: It can be very time-consuming, and at the same time, is a slow process to make money.
In India, during this pandemic, the high-growth business industry right now is online education. Apart from that, one of the fastest-growing niches within online education is online tutoring jobs.
There are a lot of legit online jobs available in the field of education. If you enjoy helping others learn, your knowledge can be put to good use through online tutoring.
You don’t require any qualifications if you are good at that particular subject. Platforms such as Udemy are a great place to sell your course.
Average pay: $20 per hour approx
Benefits: There is a chance to start earning in as little as a few weeks.
Disadvantage: Limited upside.
7) Medical Transcription
If you are looking for legit online jobs, being a Medical transcription is one of the best options. Even though many medical transcriptionists work at hospitals or physician’s offices, most can work from home or at a time or place according to their wish.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report: Medical transcriptionists earned a national median wage of $34,770 in May of 2018 or $16.72 an hour even after being self-employed.
They usually edit medical transcriptions for local healthcare providers. The most important thing regarding this is that medical transcription requires a certification. With the medical transcription certification approved by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity, you can prepare yourself to land an online job as a transcriptionist in an industry that’s hungry for qualified talent.
Average pay:$10 to $25 per hour approx
Benefits: It is a steady source of income
Disadvantages: One needs a high startup cost to earn a credential.
8) Travel agent
One should believe that travel agents are still in demand, and there are many opportunities present in this field if you are looking for legit online jobs. It just depends on finding the right niche. This is a good business for you if you have personal or professional travel experience because you can offer your clients insights they can’t get from a website.
Travel agents are in charge of helping individuals, groups, and business travelers plan and organize their travel schedules, purchase tour packages, and book flights and hotels. A travel agent also plans trips and offers advice on destinations.
We all know that job prospects can be best for travel agents who offer expertise in certain areas of the world, have experience in planning tours, or focus on group travel. So, if you have experience in traveling, there are various legit online jobs available in that field.
Average pay: It depends on the cost
Benefits: It is a way to earn more money for those who love to travel.
Disadvantage: Income can vary, as travel tends to rise at certain times of the year.
Use social media platforms to connect with your audience to build your brand or increase sales and drive website traffic. This involves publishing great content on your social media profiles, engaging your followers, evaluating results, and running social media advertisements. This is an excellent option when you are finding legit online jobs.
The prime social media platforms are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, and Snapchat.
Generally, what happens is that many company owners don’t have the time to make consistent updates to their social media platforms or to respond to customer requests and answers made through social media.
That is why companies nowadays hire social media managers for media marketing.
As long as you can post accurately and manage content on social media channels, you can take on customers and begin your job. So, what are you waiting for? Search for legit online jobs in the field of social media marketing.
Average pay: $20 to $100 per hour approx
Benefits: They work on a retainer basis.
Disadvantages: Limited upside
10) Data entry
Data entry may not be one of the exciting legit online jobs, but it can offer you to earn $15 to $20 per hour. Data entry is a legit online job that does pay less than some of the others we’ve listed, but it can provide you to make a decent side income.
These jobs tend to be highly flexible, which provides you to work in your spare time. You can opt to work as much as you can or as little as you need according to your schedule.
There are various platforms like Capital typing, which allow you to find online data entry jobs. Most of these generally require setting up a basic profile and confirming a few details before you start earning. This is one of the best legit online jobs.
Benefits: It is a very convenient task to do.
Disadvantage: Less earning.
11) Graphic Design
If you are an artist, graphic design is a great way to monetize your hobby to turn your passion into money. This is one of the most creative legit online jobs available. The web is becoming more and more visual, especially as mobile devices have become the supreme browsing method.
The highest-paid graphic designers compile multiple skills into their designs. Knowledge in branding or sales can help – graphic designers to charge over $150 per hour. Choose this among all the legit online jobs if you want something creative.
Average pay: $150 per hour approx
Benefits: One can work in flexible hours
Disadvantage: It needs certain kinds of certifications.
Overall, we can say that the internet has made it much easier to make money from home nowadays. Many people are just looking for legit online jobs and opportunities to make a little money here and there by taking online surveys. Whether your goal is to work full-time, part-time, or run your own business, there’s no shortage of work-at-home jobs. So, it is time to get ready and get started today. Take at least one action and give a fresh start to your career.
Website development is the work that it takes to build or create a website. It includes creating a single plain-text web page to developing a complex web application or even social network.
Learning website development takes a lot of effort and understanding, but you can be a good website developer once you get familiar with it.
Website development precisely refers to coding and web markup. It consists of all related development tasks like server-side scripting, client-side scripting, e-commerce development, server and network security, and content management system (CMS) development.
With the world becoming technology-driven, website development has evolved as a significant profession. Be it any business or industry; it always needs a website developer to make a grip over their audience online.
The internet isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and more than half the world’s population is using the internet to fulfill their various needs.
To fulfill all the needs of people searching online, websites are required, and creating a good website takes a skilled website developer.
Not only this, but a lot of social media platforms are also getting introduced nowadays and such platforms are also designed and created by website developers. These are the main reasons why the website development industry is rapidly growing, and a lot of people are taking to website development as a profession.
Anyone can choose to be a website developer as you don’t need a fancy degree in computer science to master the skills of website development. It just takes your interest and passion in the field.
You must have enough knowledge of the basics of website development, such as basics of how the internet and websites work, HTML, CSS, and Javascript, knowledge about libraries and frameworks, and other programming languages.
Basics One Should Know About Before Becoming a Website Developer
What is a Website?
Websites are the files stored on servers. It is described as a collection of web pages and related content that share a single domain name. These servers are connected to a vast network called the internet. Those websites are loaded through a network by various browsers (for instance, Google Chrome).
IP Address
IP means Internet Protocol. It alludes to the set of standards that regulates interaction on the internet. You must know the IP address to access a particular site.
An IP address is a unique thread of numbers, and each device and site has its own IP address that distinguishes it from the other websites and devices connected via the internet.
Though one can access a site using its IP address, most internet users do it through domain names or search engines.
Concept of HTTP
HTTP refers to HyperText Transfer Protocol. It connects you and your website request to the remote server that stores all website data. It is a set of rules that defines how messages should be sent over the internet.
Whenever you search for something through a search engine, HTTP provides a framework to ensure that the client (computer) and the server can speak the same language when making requests and respond to each other over the internet.
It is the translator between you and the internet that reads your request and translates it for you in terms of a website.
Coding means writing code for various servers and applications using programming languages. We call them ‘languages’ because they consist of vocabulary and grammatical rules for communicating with computers.
They also comprise special commands, abbreviations and punctuation that can be read only by devices and programs.
Every software is written in at least one coding language, though the languages vary based on platform, operating system, and style. There are a lot of coding languages, and they fall into two categories i.e., front-end and back-end.
Front-end
The Front end is the client-side. It is that side of a software or website that you get to see and interact with as an internet user. When the website information is transferred to a browser from a server, front-end coding languages allow the website to function without continuously communicating with the internet.
Website developers who work on front-end coding have to work on client-side development.
Back-end
The Back-end is server-side. It is the side that you don’t get to see when using the internet. It is looked at as the digital infrastructure, and to non-developers, it appears to be a bunch of numbers, letters, and symbols.
Back-end coding languages are more in numbers than front-end languages because browsers at the front-end understand only Java Script, but the server at the back-end understands almost every language.
What do you Understand by CMS?
CMS refers to the Content Management System. It is a web application or series of programs that are used to create and manage web content. It is not necessary, but it makes things easier while building a website as it provides the building blocks, such as plugins and add-ons, and lets you create the structure with your code.
Generally, CMSs are used for blogging and e-commerce, but they are useful for other kinds of sites as well.
With the existence of the internet, many users are looking to find flaws in the websites to steal data and expose private information and crash servers.
All this makes cybersecurity important as it is a practice to save and secure data, computers, and networks from various threats.
With the constant increase in methods used by the hackers, the measures taken to secure the sites and computers are also increasing with time.
Process of Website development
The road to create a website is not that easy. It consists of many steps that are different from each other and each development path is different based on types of websites, programming languages and resources.
1) Formation of a Plan
The first thing before getting started is to form a powerful plan for your website. It’s really important to connect and communicate with your team and personnel to strategize a good plan.
Some of the questions that one should consider before beginning the website development process :
a) Goal of your website
b) Who’s your target audience?
c) Decide the type of website (basic informational, membership or online store, etc.)
d) What kind of content are you aiming to publish and what’s the purpose of this content?
e) How will you structure your website to make it easy for people to navigate?
f) What’s your budget?
Get in contact with all your team members and find answers to those questions. It is only after you have your answers that you should begin the process of website development.
2) Create a Blueprint
All the good websites start with a blueprint. It is called a wireframe or sitemap in the language of the developers. It need not be an official document as it’s just a vision for your site that will help and give directions to both you and your team. You can either draw it on a whiteboard/blackboard or use some tool like Slickplan and Invision etc.
The sitemap gives you a clear picture of your idea to let you take a look at your own vision. Here are some important questions to ask yourself while planning your site:
a) What individual pages do you want? What content will be there on those pages?
b) Ways to organize those pages into categories.
c) Hierarchy of the pages on your site.
d) How will you link the pages together?
e) What pages and categories are important for your site and which ones should be removed?
While answering these questions, you should consult with your team members as their inputs can add to the structure of your site.
3) Writing Down your Website Code
Writing the website code is the next step in the process of website development. As a developer, you must use different coding languages for the front-end and Back-end of the website, as well as for different functionalities of the site, such as design etc. These languages work together to build your site.
The most commonly used languages are:
HTML
HyperText Markup Language is the base of all websites and is significantly needed when creating a site. It has been used since 1990s. You can even create a website with only HTML but it wouldn’t look that good though.
CSS
Cascading Style Sheets enhances and modifies the basic structure built by HTML codes. It was developed in the late 1990s. It helps you add design elements like colors, typography and layouts to websites.
CSS permits you to transform your website into a better version and makes it match the level you envisioned for your site.
Image by Claudio Schwarz/ Unsplash
JavaScript
JavaScript acts like a cherry on top of coding languages. It is used to add functionalities to your website. Developers use it to add animations and interactive features that make the site better and enhance user experience.
JavaScript is continuously evolving. In today’s world, it is the most widely used coding language.
4) Building the Back-end of Your Website
The back-end controls the data that enables the functionalities on the front-end. Like Facebook’s Back-end stores the pictures so that the front-end can allow others to look at them.
The back-end comprises of two components that are that databases and servers. Database is meant to store, organize and process data so that it can be retrievable by server requests. Servers are the hardware and software that make up your computer. They are meant to send, process and receive data requests.
These components are significant to build the foundation of your website. To build a website, Back-end developers must establish these things:
Logic code: It refers to a set of rules that defines how your website will respond to certain requests and how the objects of your website will interact.
Database management: It is about how your website will organize, manage and retrieve its data.
Infrastructure: It is the way your site will be hosted.
5) Building the Front-end of Your Website
The front-end of a website is very important as it is what your visitors, users and customers will get to see and how they’ll use and navigate the website.
Development of front-end includes a combination of JavaScript, CSS and HTML.
It also handles the components such as fonts, positioning, navigation, browser compatibility and responsiveness. With the constant change in technology and consumer preferences, client-side coding tends to get outdated faster than Back-end development.
6) Work with a CMS
This is an optional step. You must be curious why would someone choose to work with a CMS instead of coding by hand. It is because a CMS is easier to use and it even has tools for hosting a site.
At the same time, it’s less flexible and hence gives you less control over the front-end of your website. CMS options include plugins as well, that removes the need to write a Back-end for your site.
At this point of time, your website will have an IP address. It needs a domain name as well. Decide a good name for your website that your audience and visitors would use to find your site.
Get your domain name registered as well. You must have heard of sites like GoDaddy. These services help you purchase a domain name for your site and register it with ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers).
Most of the domain registration are good for an year, as after that you are required to renew.
8) Launch Your Website
After you are done setting up a domain name and linked it to your host, you are almost ready to present your work on web. Though there are still a few things that you need to check before officially launching your website.
These include distribution of responsibilities among the team members, testing your site to make sure that there are no glitches, optimizing for SEO and a final complete check before finally launching your site and making it available to the users.
So, are you ready to create your own site after getting well versed with the basics and process of websitedevelopment? This guide offers you a comprehensive knowledge about all the significant steps for website development. You just need a passion within yourself to learn the methods and you are not far enough to launch your own website. Best wishes.
