Step 1. Download DuckDuckGo on all your devices

With just one download you'll get tracker blocking, private searching, increased encrypting, and privacy grading on all of your browsing. Our mobile app for iOS/Android (DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser) and browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome, and Safari(DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials) has all of this in one seamless package. Privacy, simplified.

Step 2. Update your software

Your device operating systems get out-of-date over time, and old software can contain security bugs or settings that leak personal data. Set your devices (and the apps on them) them to update automatically. That way you'll always have the latest, safest versions.

Step 3. Update your privacy settings

Make sure your devices are using the best privacy settings. Here are step-by-step instructions for all the major device types.

Especially make sure you adjust per-app location settings, so that your location history isn’t leaking where it shouldn’t. For extra bonus points, review the apps you have installed. If there are any you haven't used for a while, remove them to reduce the chance of your personal data being shared in the background.

Step 4. Use a password manager

Privacy and security are not one and the same, but if your accounts are not secured, your privacy is at risk. Have you ever used the same password on more than one website? If the answer's yes, then your privacy may be compromised due to data leaks. The fix is easy: start creating unique passwords for every website you use. That may sound like a lot of work, but it’s not when you use a password manager. Password managers generate and store secure passwords for you automatically. Many browsers now have them built-in, or you can use a tool like LastPass, Dashlane, or 1Password that work across multiple browsers.

Step 5. Set up two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication (also known as multi-step login) is where you use a code to log in to websites in addition to your password. You should set up two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible, and certainly on your major accounts (email, financial, etc.). You can check whether major sites have it available at twofactorauth.org, which also links directly to the right documentation pages.

And that’s it! Doing the above five steps makes a huge impact on your privacy online, from stopping Big Tech from sucking up all your browsing data to adding extra protection to your passwords and email. And, once set up, it doesn’t take much effort to maintain. So, let’s make 2020 the year we all take back our online privacy!

Time for a digital marketing upgrade? Believe it or not, some businesses think because they are event based or a physical retail operation they don’t need digital marketing solutions. We can all benefit from working more efficiently, right?

In the digital landscape this can equate to Skype or Zoom video calls in place of physical meetings, either with clients, colleagues or prospects. Treat them like a weekly meeting you would normally have in person!

In the midst of our current health crisis, we are all adjusting the way we do business and manage our personal lives. Thankfully, I have been operating a virtual business for 16 years! Many of my clients are spread throughout the U.S. and often I conference with people in Europe.

Especially now, retail operations can benefit from a new digital strategy whether its for a take out menu for restaurants, an updated version of clothing, handbags, or shoes for boutiques and artisans offerings online or a blog for writers and authors, finally reigniting email marketing upgrades for marketers, lawyers, and physicians. If you need advice on any of these ideas, lets collaborate. I can help you and your company upgrade today. We can get through this, we just need to think creatively and efficiently.

Businesses need to start adapting their marketing efforts to keep up with the advances in technology. Mobile device adoption rates are increasing at an incredible rate, surpassing 80% in 2016 alone. EIn today's digital and interconnected world, the importance of tailoring marketing efforts so they are mobile-friendly cannot be overstated.

The following are five considerations on the importance of mobile marketing that marketers need to evaluate as part of their digital strategy:

1. Time Spent On Mobile Devices Is Increasing

In 2016, Americans spent an average of 10 hours per day on mobile devices. Nearly a third of this time was spent on smartphones or tablets, according to eMarketer. This means that the average American spends over 500 hours per year navigating websites or talking on their mobile device, providing ample opportunity to capture their attention and get them discussing your business on a device they use so frequently as part of their daily lives. Advertising trends are also responding to this development: It is estimated that by 2019, nearly 72% of marketing dollars will be spent developing apps and advertisements for mobile platforms.

2. Mobile Commerce And Mobile Marketing Go Hand-In-Hand

Consumers are using their mobile devices to purchase items from Amazon, eBay and other e-commerce platforms. Businesses as large as Walmart and as small as mom and pop shops are recognizing this, and developing user-friendly portals and websites to facilitate sales. In fact, it is projected that by the end of 2017, 60% of e-commerce visits will start on a mobile device. Businesses that develop integrated mobile campaigns that guide consumers from product introduction to sale will see a considerable boost in revenue.

3. Shoppers Purchase In Stores

Mobile technology gives consumers the opportunity to shop and compare while they walk down the store aisle. Businesses that have active mobile marketing campaigns can take advantage of this: Search engine optimization and an easily navigable website can give your business an edge when the consumer is ready to purchase. Moreover, search engines are altering their algorithms to give higher preference to mobile-friendly sites. This creates the need for businesses to improve their web presence and tie new forms of automated marketing into their operations.

4. Short Message Service (SMS) Open Rates Are Higher Than Email

SMS has an open rate of 98%, and up to 90% of people who open the message will read it within three seconds. This is far higher than email marketing or other digital channels. Tailoring your SMS messages so they appeal to prospective customers will give them a reason to further research your products or services, and they will likely start on the device in which they just received the message.

5. Mobile Marketing Reaches A Broader Market

Smartphones and tablets are becoming increasingly popular tools for communication across all demographics. They are smaller, lighter, cheaper and more portable than computers and laptops. Manufacturers are also responding to consumer demand and developing faster, more powerful and less expensive mobile devices. These developments mean that marketers have a golden opportunity to put their marketing messages into the hands of their consumers, and mobile allows marketers and advertisers to reach a much wider audience by doing so.

Digital marketing is continually evolving, and mobile marketing plays a key role in that strategy. The shift toward mobile devices is a trend that will continue to progress, and businesses need to ensure they have a cohesive mobile marketing plan to connect with those digital consumers.

In today's digital marketing landscape, you won’t last long without a website. Your website won’t work for you unless you have a solid plan for search engine optimization. To reach potential customers and clients, following SEO best practices in order to rank for search terms related to what you offer is the aim.

Now, there are possibly more than 200 ranking factors that Google takes into account when deciding where your site will show up in search. Additionally, these factors are always evolving as Google makes sense of user intent in order to appeal to the demands of those users.

Regarding optimizing, its easy to miss some SEO best practices. Consider whether you’re optimized for the following Google ranking factors. Some are new but all are important in today's digital strategy.

Mobile page speed

With mobile web traffic officially surpassing desktop web traffic, Google is looking closely at mobile page speed. In 2018, it announced mobile page speed as an official ranking factor, which means it should be taken seriously if you want to get more people to your site.

If you’re not sure  how this SEO factor affects you, start with Google’s mobile speed tool. Use this as a starting point to figure out where you need to improve and where you’re already optimized. You can share the final report with your development or SEO team, and freelance developers.

In general, it’s wise to follow mobile page speed best practices, including compressing images, reducing payload, leveraging browser caching and more. You can find a full list of best practices to use in addition to your Google speed report at Moz.com.

Website security

In 2014, Google announced that it would include HTTPS as a ranking signal. In 2018, Google announced that it would start issuing a warning on all-new Chrome browsers for sites that aren’t registered as HTTPS, which can easily drive potential customers away from your site.

If you haven’t migrated yet to HTTPS, now is the time. It’s required for all e-commerce sellers — or anyone accepting credit card payments. If you’re not technically inclined, check out this HTTP to HTTPS guide from Kinsta, with step-by-step directions for securing your site, and the SEO juice that comes along with it.

Voice search factors

In the current digital world, voice search is becoming more and more popular. Whether you’re asking your phone or asking Alexa, the words you use dictate what comes up in search. Content that’s optimized for these queries is likely to rank better.

Backlinko analyzed 10,000 Google Home results and uncovered a wide range of factors that determine whether you might rank for voice search. Many of these factors are considered standard SEO best practices, so if you’re already well-optimized, you’ll be on the right track.

• Speed: Backlinko found that the average voice search result page loads in 4.6 seconds.
• Length: The average voice search snippet is 29 words long, however, the page itself has more than 2,000 words, on average, showing that long-form content may be preferred.
• Social: Pages that tend to perform well in voice have high levels of social engagement.
• Content: Simple, easy-to-read content may be key; the average voice search result is written at the 9th-grade level.

Optimize for these factors to start earning the voice search traffic, that will likely only increase in years to come.

Site Architecture

When you think of SEO, you may not think of user experience. While much of user experience (UX) doesn’t directly impact SEO, there are many ways it indirectly affects potential rankings. For example: “Good website navigation makes it easy for your visitors to find what they want and for search engines to crawl. The result: more conversions and greater search visibility,” explains Search Engine Journal.

Your site architecture suggests Yoast is important so that Google doesn't show older or deleted article or blogs. Assess whether your site structure needs to be updated by assessing whether it follows Yoast’s simple formula:

1. Homepage

2. Categories (or sections)

3. Subcategories (only for larger sites)

4. Individual pages and posts

If you find that your site is not structured as such, it’s time to get technical. Depending on the size of your site, this could be an extensive project, so work with a technical SEO expert to determine the best methods for moving ahead.

Internal linking

If you’re well-versed in content SEO, you’re likely strategic with what external sites you link to, as to protect your SEO and web authority. However, have you considered whether or not you’re strategically linking to pages within your own site? SEMrush discovered that many sites are using poor internal linking tactics — most of which are easy to fix — and this, in turn, reduces their ranking opportunities.

Consider some of the internal linking mistakes SEMrush discovered and consider where you need to make link updates:

• Broken links: Linking to pages on your site that no longer exist.
• Too many links: Not only does this look spammy, but SEMrush makes an important point: “PageRank is split between the links, so the more links there are, the less SEO value each one passes on.”
• Redirect chains and loops
• No-follow tags: This is helpful for some internal linking, but not in most cases.

Get Your Site Where it Needs to Be

With more than 200 ranking factors for Google, it’s easy to forget one here or there, especially if you’re doing SEO yourself as a solo business owner. Get your site up-to-date and make sure you’re earning the most SEO value possible in a world where voice search is up-and-coming, mobile search is here to stay, and content continues to be king.

https://seeingbeyondtheordinary.com/2019/07/16/hello-is-anyone-there/

Hello, is anyone there?

Lately, I have heard from colleagues around the world, that a common theme missing in professional and personal interaction  is the lack of real, productive, authentic and genuine communication. Yes, you read that correctly.

Let’s back up to the introduction of email messaging. Remember when we thought it was such a novelty? When emailing came on the scene, during the 90’s at the Florida Lottery,  I was a press secretary for Rebecca Paul. I was then thrilled at this amazing technology.

We could now do e-blasts of press releases to the media and communicate via email to people on an international level in an efficient way. There were so many advantages to sending out messaging to a large group of people for which I did not to have call individually. Whew! But, on second thought, I did have to answer the phone when they called me with questions. That was fun though!

Next, we can recall when text messaging was developed and introduced to the public at large and then in professional communication. Now, it’s such a common form of communication to the masses, the President of the United States utilizes it frequently without having to engage with the general public.

Study upon study provides us the research that screen time is detrimental to our kids health, to our health and now they say blue light increases sugar consumption! What?! So, for example, if you are on your computer at night and the screen is lit with no other lighting in the room, the blue light from the screen is detrimental to your health. Yep!

A very interesting article that I read recently in “The Balance Blog,” is about the top ten communication skills to cultivate. I happen to agree with this list.

1. Listening

2. Non-Verbal Communication

3. Clarity and Concision

4. Friendliness

5. Confidence

6. Empathy

7. Open-Mindedness

8. Respect

9. Feedback

10. Choosing the Right Medium

(https://www.thebalancecareers.com/communication-skills-list-2063779)

Obviously, we understand why sending an email cannot possibly demonstrate the benefits of listening, and many other passive communication items listed here. Do you feel that something is missing now, maybe in our feeling of accomplishment and achieving a feeling of purpose in the workplace? Doesn’t talking to each other by giving compliments on a job well done help everyone feel good? I think we can agree on this aspect of a lack of communication. Not to mention, within families and interpersonal relationships. Some people don’t talk on the phone anymore. Period. That is sad and it emphasizes the distance we now cultivate within our relationships. We can say anything we want by texting or emailing without a certain accountability. Especially on social media. Without having to look at the face of the person we are railing against, we can say whatever we want, right?

Finally, how about the amount of time it takes to go back and forth via emails to answer questions and discuss complicated topics? Oh my gosh! Just call me please?! It takes a minute to leave a message. And it may take a few minutes to actually talk to someone on the phone in order to clear up a confusion around …. guess what—an email. Even interviews are done in writing now. Not that it’s horrible, but where is the energy there? The shared energy and synchronicities are non-existent in a written Q and A.

I often used to visit the same village in the Luberon in South of France. A portion of my day as well as that of the local residents, was spent on visiting. Simply discussing the weather, the best meat at le boucher, the cheese at the épicerie, and so on. Not a lot of time but enough of a friendly respite, in being present. Listening, caring, and exchanging ideas and so on. It is common in many European cities and villages, especially small ones.

The days of calling each other have dwindled and it’s clearly not contributing to feelings of positivity, friendliness, clarity and conciseness.

I’d love to see a show of hands for those who feel the same way. In fact, my new book will focus on communication and the fear of interaction we exhibit now. It will focus on other ideas as well, but lets face it. We need to get back to visiting each other and spending time in conversation. Even at work. Talk to your friends, to your colleagues, to the mailman or woman, and ask them what they think. Conduct an informal study and see what your results turn out to be. Then share —-please! Exciting things happen when people talk to each other.

Oh yes and give me call…

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/333067

Recently, mega companies have failed when trying to reach a younger audience, Here are examples of some (mostly) bootstrapped successes.

Social media

Social media channels aren’t going anywhere. The average U.S. resident spends about 142 minutes per day on social media. Therefore, there are lots of opportunities for you to promote your products/services. However, being too direct can often be counter-productive.

Take a look at the Lokai brand's campaign for its bracelets. The company heavily targeted millennials, encouraging them to send in content from around the world, and posting their pictures of Lokai bracelets in far-flung locations. Combined with a socially responsible message, this campaign caught the imaginations of young people, and they flooded social media with hash-tagged pictures.

If you’re on a tight budget, you may find it worthwhile to join appropriate groups and pages before launching a campaign. Get involved with conversations as they occur, by regularly checking your feeds. By having a primed group of friends, not followers, you will be better positioned to launch a campaign like Lokai's.

Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is an area where companies are less vulnerable to the millennial ridicule other channels sometimes inspire. Simply put, if people actually like the person who is promoting a certain product or service, they are unlikely to make fun of the promotion.

While influencer marketing is not something you're likely to wade into if you are a bootstrapped startup, assigning any budget you do have to this strategy will be a sensible first move for the right kind of product. For example, look at Daniel Willington. This Swedish watch company has been around only since 2011 (often, longevity is a good sign for watchmakers); but with help from influencer Kendall Jenner, the company offered discount codes for a limited period, providing a big spike in both its sales and brand awareness.

Another good example: Samsung's launch of its new Note 7 product, with the help of CyreneQ. That artist used her Snapchat account to document the launch event, and using its 10-second video format, showcased some of the new device's features.

Podcasting

Podcasting is a great way to reach niche audiences. A company that has successfully targeted millennials via podcasting is MeUndies. It targeted a multitude of smaller podcasts like My Favorite Murder and Bill Burr's Monday Morning Podcast and paid the presenters to actively pitch the "world's most comfortable underwear" at the start of their shows. 

Having a podcast host actively promote your product is one thing, but offering your services as a guest is another. As an entrepreneur, you likely have unique business insights that could be worth sharing with a wider audience. So, look out for podcasts that you could potentially be featured on, and make yourself the selling point. Not only is this cost-effective, but it can also provide great exposure to your business, as podcasts often turn up in Google search results and can help improve trust in your business. 

If you don’t have time to devote to outreach to podcasts, companies like Task Drive can do the outreach for you, building up lists of potential targets. You can also use sites like Fiverr to find part-time outreach specialists.

Native advertising

If you're determined to avoid the potential ire of millennials in the first place, you might wish to try native advertising. This is a form of paid ads, where your ads are designed to match the style of the host content. Native ads are common in social media and blog feeds or as recommended content on certain webpages. In contrast to other types of web advertisements, native ads are designed to look more natural and not be overly sales-y.

A good example is the native advertisement that Altran engineering did by producing a video on the Financial Times. The video told the story of university students competing in a competition run by Elon Musk’s company SpaceX. The students are helped by Altran staff, which is how the company gets to advertise itself. What is ingenious about this effort is the way the video is presented. It's more of a news story with a compelling narrative than a direct advertisement. The viewer might actually mistake who is being promoted: Altran or SpaceX?

Sponsoring YouTube videos

Video is some of the most heavily consumed content online, and in this context YouTube has become an advertising behemoth. Running a YouTube channel isn’t easy, however; and recently, YouTube has made it harder for content creators to earn a substantial income from their advertisements on the site.

Therefore, creators are looking toward corporate sponsorship to generate revenues. LootBox is perhaps one of the most ubiquitous YouTube video sponsors (although not without controversy).

YouTube video sponsorship is a one-off commitment and you can find willing partners on sites like Collabspace. By finding a video creator that suits your niche, you can grow awareness of your brand and target people who fall into a very specific age band.

Conclusion

Selling your products or services to millennials comes with a unique set of hazards. By being sincere with your message, and  experimenting with different channels, until you can dig into one that works, you just may find yourself growing your business without the need for vast marketing budgets.

And those millennials? They'll be more than happy to help promote your product if they think it’s worth their time. 

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/copywriting-tips-for-increasing-conversions

Most marketers can identify poor web copy when they see it. Why? Because poor web copy doesn’t read smoothly, stir emotions, influence behaviors, or make explicit calls to action—it feels purposeless—and that’s just bad marketing. And yet, web copywriting is a strategy that sometimes falls by the wayside, overlooked for other site priorities like gated content, video, design, and functionality.

Perhaps you’ve spent a good deal of time and money on all that other jazz, but don’t rest on your laurels. If it’s time to step up your web copy game, the ten following tips will help you increase conversions on your website and ultimately close more business.

1) Be clear

“Clearness is secured by using words that are current and ordinary.” – Aristotle. If you wouldn’t use a phrase in a personal conversation with a customer, then don’t use it in your web copy. Clarity is the key to mutual understanding between you and your customers.

2) Be concise

Every single word used in your web copy should add value for the reader and act as a critical part of your argument or purpose. Cut out excessive language whenever possible and aim for an average sentence length of about 16 words.

3) Make it about them

As straightforward as this seems, many companies fail to reflect this principle in their web copy. Instead of saying “We do inbound marketing” try something like “Increase your web traffic and leads with irresistible content.”

4) Break up the page with subheads and bullets

A study from the Nielsen Norman Group found that 79% of readers skim, while only 16% read every word on a page. Breaking up your page with subheads and bullets will make it easier for those 79% to digest the copy—and ultimately take a desired action—on your website.

5) Avoid overuse of buzzwords

It’s one thing to ensure the inclusion of certain keywords you want to drive traffic for, but don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. Overuse of buzzwords and industry jargon clouds clarity and damages concision.

6) Don’t overlook microcopy

Microcopy is the text that doesn’t seem to come up in conversation very often. It may be the label on a form field, a tiny piece of instructional text, or even the words on a button. But it’s little details like these that can make or break the user experience on your website.

7) Craft a compelling call to action

Don’t betray your web copy by leaving its reader without a clue for what to do next. The call to action (CTA) is one of the most important aspects of web copywriting and, as such, it can be one of the most difficult to master. I recommend subscribing to the email list on WhichTestWon.com to receive regular emails about A/B-tested marketing campaigns (yes, CTAs are included).

8) Gauge the competition

Be aware of the web copy your direct competitors are using. How do they present their products and services to consumers? What features and benefit claims do they make? What CTAs do they use (and on which pages) to drive traffic through to the bottom of the funnel?

9) Know your audience

More specifically, know their pain points and address them in your web copy. Figure out why people buy your product or service, how they buy it, what they use it for, and what really matters to them.

10) Revise and optimize

Experiment with changing fonts, colors, and graphic placements within your web copy to learn how to most effectively drive people to your desired action. Revision and optimization should be a regular practice for your copywriters.