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The Reason Behind Why Your Recruitment Strategy Needs a Revamp

Home Business Magazine Online

Generally, when you search up the definition of recruitment you usually read something along the lines of a process where you actively seek out candidates to hire them. This task requires businesses to find and hire candidates. However, with recent unfortunate developments regarding the workforce, are they taking things too far?

The way the recruitment and hiring process has changed is drastically different from what it used to be. What companies are doing now is searching for “passive candidates” that can fill in gaps when they are created and using phantom job opportunities to do so.

Thanks to this age of information, businesses have also found ways to sift and do background checks on applicants and potential candidates in ways that may even be ethically controversial. If they are doing so much with recruitment and hiring more than ever before, then why are employers unsatisfied?

The Root of the Problem

There is one big reason why employers have started complaining and it is only slightly related to the importance of onboarding. The real reason is that they are hiring externally rather than promoting internally, something that has come to be through a shift in history.

In the past, businesses would use HR experts to do the whole process. This included putting possible hires through tests and extensive interviews. It created an environment where they could fill vacancies in their workforce with individuals who were already working for the company, which meant a promotion.

This also means that the companies were training their employees to fill in the gaps at work, suggesting that those promoted were typically not as qualified as they should have been.

These promotions meant the company had to spend time and money on training. In contrast to the past, businesses now hire externally. The reason is that the candidates will already be qualified for the vacant position. Therefore, the company won’t need to spend on training.

This lack of scaling means that most job advertisements aren’t looking for fresh graduates but rather people with experience. It leads to low retention rates thanks to companies hiring from the competition and essentially trading employees.

Why is voluntary turnover so prominent you may ask? The answer is simple: Employees want to advance in their own careers, and the lack of internal promotions is hindering that.

Business Person
Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

How to Increase Retention

Start keeping a tally

Start by monitoring your new hires. This is something companies have stopped doing which leads to them being in the dark on whether their positions are filled mostly internally or not and whether new hires are worth the expenses.

Being aware of the talents of employees means you as an employer become able to assess whether you can post new openings within the company or not, rather than simply promoting someone likely unqualified for the job. However, that isn’t usually the case.

New hires have been found to take longer to perform equally to an internal employee, even though they are paid more sooner. This is the underlying problem smaller-scale companies seem to be constantly committing presently.

Maintaining good hires will also depend on diversity, since there is large-scale discrimination against anyone who isn’t a white male in many industries. Diversity will allow your company to find actual talent in every crevice, rather than relying on empty prejudices and creating a toxic workplace environment.

Stop relying on technology in the hopes of fewer costs

Many companies primarily use software that tracks applications for keywords managers are searching for. This method has been shown as not being effective in finding adequate candidates since most if not all won’t hit the target keywords fully.

List your expectations clearly

When sifting through potential hires, the main things you look at are their skills and their experience. For fresh graduates, this would mean they lack experience, so how should you decide whether to hire them over candidates with experience?

You should only be mentioning non-negotiable skills on your job listings, so you can find candidates that fit the necessary expectations you have for the position in question. This will also give you a larger number of viable candidates.

Make sure your leadership is solid

As mentioned throughout the article, companies need to stop searching excessively, which leaves them another option: to start attracting. If you have leadership that is competent and in touch with their employees whilst also keeping the team running efficiently and striving for success, then you are able to attract proper candidates more easily.

Remove filled position listings

Many companies leave filled job listings up online in hopes of fishing for potential candidates for the future or for candidates they may want to add to the team. The implication of all these listings being kept up online is that it creates the illusion there are more jobs than there are in reality that is frustrating for job seekers.

Make notice of the difference in job seekers

There are two types of candidates: active and passive. Companies nowadays focus mostly on passive job seekers, ergo people who already have jobs and are likely to switch if they receive higher income.

This proves to be ineffective regarding cost and efficiency, since there are no studies backing up the fact they truly make the job switch as active job seekers would. Active candidates are actively seeking work due to ambitions within their careers and wanting to improve, making them better candidates to seek by companies.

Conclusion

The main takeaway is to become a company focused on revamping its recruitment strategy. It should make job opportunities as well as maintain a good environment for employees to grow and have ambitions hopefully within the company rather than leaving.

Adapting a work culture where promotions are available to those who are capable of filling in higher positions will desaturate the over-saturated domain that is recruitment and hiring. Moreover, it allows employees to experience growth. This will open new positions for capable candidates, both active and passive.

The post The Reason Behind Why Your Recruitment Strategy Needs a Revamp appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/management/employees/reason-behind-why-recruitment-strategy-needs-revamp/

5 best practices for tracking offline conversions in Google Ads

Risk-taking is part of any marketer’s job. No strategy is guaranteed to work.

I like to think of myself as a calculated risk-taker. Because I have TSA PreCheck and monitor my flight status from home, I arrive at the airport just an hour before my flight. I try new restaurants in town, but don’t get in the car until I’ve scoured review sites and scanned the menu. 

My approach to taking risks at work is similar. Testing the latest bidding strategies excites me, but my moves are deliberate to avoid disturbing performance.

Major changes to a Google Ads account send the algorithms into a learning phase and create volatility as it re-learns.

Like many marketers who want results yesterday, my patience can be short. But to keep clients happy, balancing future-forward strategies with the risk of upsetting KPIs is imperative.

By now, we know that offline conversion tracking (OCT) is a must-have in any account. 

When setting it up for the first time, swapping out web-based campaign optimization goals for CRM-based goals can be tricky. Here are five best practices to mitigate the risk. 

1. Add values to your conversions

Maximizing the potential of OCT requires assigning each action a value.

If you can’t use actual and dynamic values from your CRM, Google has a calculator that can help with estimations.

The values don’t have to be precise for the algorithms to benefit from this provided direction.

The assigned values tell machine learning how much each conversion is worth. Therefore, the system can bid accordingly with value-based bidding strategies. 

Even if you’re not ready for target return on ad spend (tROAS) or Maximize conversion value, setting these values from the get-go allows for an easy launch when you’re ready.

2. Optimize for all funnel stages

Once all stages of your marketing funnel feed into Google Ads with their respective values, begin optimizing campaigns for all funnel stages. 

This tactic will generate more conversion data for your campaigns and speed up the learning phase.

A risk-taker might change the optimization across the account all at once. Go ahead and rip the bandage off: 

  • If you can stomach performance fluctuations.
  • If the account is brand new.
  • Or if conversion volume is already dismal.

I prefer to set up an experiment for any major bidding changes to cut down the volatility in the account. 

Experiments should run for at least two weeks before determining a winner, but this can take longer if your budgets are small or the conversion lag is long. 

A lift in backend conversions should be measured as the key success metric of this experiment.

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3. Optimize for the lowest conversion point possible

Once the full-funnel approach is successful, you can begin optimizing for one conversion event at a time. Treat each campaign uniquely and adjust the campaigns ready to move down the funnel. 

To ease performance fluctuations, set up an experiment that optimizes to the lowest point in the funnel possible, given Google’s need to have at least 15 conversions in the past 30 days.

Creating custom columns in the Google Ads interface allows you to sort and visualize your data easily. Analyze each campaign independently. 

In this example, the top two campaigns have enough MQL volume to optimize for MQLs exclusively rather than the entire funnel.

Optimize for the lowest conversion point possible

Consider that not all keywords are created equal. Top-of-funnel keywords will generate pipeline slower than your high-intent non-brand or brand terms. 

Individual campaigns’ optimization goals and bidding strategies should align with the funnel stage, and what’s working best.

The UI doesn’t allow OCT goals to be set as single conversion events but rather as the conversion category as a whole. Therefore, custom goals should be created when optimizing toward a single point in the funnel. 

For example, if your OCT conversion is “sales,” you should create a custom goal for “sales.”

Google says “[…] using custom goals in campaigns might make your bid strategy work less efficiently,” but if your account is well-established with sufficient data, custom goals should work to your benefit.

Use campaign-specific goal settings

4. Continue to drive lower-funnel results

As time goes on and data collects, you can continue to push the limits and optimize for lower points in the funnel. 

Any bidding strategy can be tested alongside this tactic, but it’s critical that the experiment you create only changes one variable at a time. 

For example, the control campaign is on target cost-per-action (tCPA) and optimized for MQLs. The test campaign should remain on tCPA but optimize for the next stage in the funnel (Meeting Scheduled). After a winner is determined, test another variable by conducting a separate experiment.

Depending on the size of the account, nailing down the perfect combination of optimization goals and bidding strategies can take several months. Seeing little to no performance improvement after the initial two weeks can be worrisome, but running experiments for three full cycles is recommended to determine a winner. 

This means if it takes an average of two weeks for an MQL to become a “Meeting Scheduled,” you should run the experiment for at least six weeks before calling it quits. Check out Google’s path metrics report to view how many days each conversion takes. 

Google Ads Path metrics report

5. Test value-based bidding

Once you are comfortable optimizing for lower-funnel conversion points, step up your game with Maximize conversion value or tROAS bidding strategies. 

These smart bidding strategies adjust bids automatically to predict the value of a potential conversion when a user searches for keywords you’re bidding on. 

These bidding strategies can and should be tested in an experiment, especially if you’re terrified of breaking the algorithm.

Despite the risks associated with performance fluctuations, the benefits should outweigh the volatility. 

With some patience and breathing exercises, one of my clients saw a 74% improvement in cost per MQL since optimizing for backend conversions with OCT. 

When their brand campaign had more than 15 MQLs in a month, we switched to optimizing for MQLs only, resulting in a 4x boost in conversion value on that campaign.

So, get out there and take calculated risks. Be smart, bold and eager to set up experiments when you’re feeling apprehensive.

The post 5 best practices for tracking offline conversions in Google Ads appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-tracking-offline-conversions-best-practices-389544

YouTube just announced its 2023 class of #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund creators

Earlier this year, YouTube announced a new fund aimed at helping black creators find dedicated partner support, seed funding invested into the development of their channels, and the opportunity to participate in bespoke training, workshops and networking programs. This week they named the first 30 creators for the 2023 class.

Meet the class. One of the creators from the 2023 class is Jasmine Taylor from Baddies & Budgets. Taylor shares the highs and lows of becoming financially free as someone who grew up in poverty and wasn’t taught financial literacy.

Taylor teaches other women how to take control of their personal finances through tools and coaching. About being part of the new class or creators, Taylor said:

“This fund is going to open my business up to many opportunities. Exposure is everything and YouTube is amazing for enabling black creators to grow their platform. This experience will enable to further monetize and grow my business and brand. I’m so excited to get started. A major part of my brand is education and outreach, more channel exposure means that I can reach more women and in turn help more women to take control of their personal finances.” 

Other creators included in the new class are:

  • Studio Jibby. Jibby is a plant-based fitness trainer and lifestyle content creator who loves sharing health tips with her audience. 
  • Smokin’ & Grillin with AB (Aaron Brown). Aaron Brown took to YouTube to share humble cooking videos from his kitchen. The positive and inspirational nature of his videos helped him gain a huge following.
  • BeautifulBrwnBabyDol (Dr. Nina Ellis-Hervey). Dr. Nina’s YouTube channel is centered around providing real-world lifestyle solutions that reflect living a mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally balanced life through transparent talks, storytelling, and tutorials dedicated to beauty, fitness, and psychological wellness. 
  • iBelongOutdoors (Emmanuel Williams). Williams’ love of being outdoors on the water influenced him to create an energetic, adventurous YouTube channel that produces fun, inspirational content on the water.

Dig deeper. Meet the rest of the 2023 class on the YouTube Blog. Check out videos from the class here.

Why we care. The new fund will help black creators gain more visibility on the platform, increasing the subscribers to their channels, expanding their communities, and making more money through donations, and sponsorships.

If you’re interested in participating in an upcoming class, stay tuned for more information on how to apply. In the meantime, congrats to all of the creators in the class of 2023. If you want to support the creators, subscribe to their YouTube channels and show support by donating using the Super Thanks button.

The post YouTube just announced its 2023 class of #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund creators appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/youtube-just-announced-its-2023-class-of-youtubeblack-voices-fund-creators-389673

Ten Organization Tips to Help You Make the Most of Your Space

Home Business Magazine Online

The cost of living is going up dramatically, which means any space you rent or own is a real investment and you can’t afford to go wasting so much as a square foot of it. There is certainly no room for clutter, mess, and dysfunctional spaces that become unusable because they are so untidy, which is why we’re going to give you a helping hand to reclaim every bit of your space with these 10 organization tips:

1. Go High

It is so important you go high and not across when it comes to storage. There is infinitely more space for storage going upwards than if you are trying to store everything on the floor. This is especially true with affordable self storage units where you need to use the whole space as well as possible so you’re getting the most out of your money.

2. Never Have Useless Furniture

Some furniture looks nice, but it creates a large use of space that could otherwise be used for both furniture and storage purposes. For example: You have a large bed that is just enough off the floor for a gap of space that looks nice. However, that bed and the space underneath could otherwise be used as both a bed and quite a substantial amount of storage if you switched it to a more efficient bed frame. There are also sofas that contain lots of storage inside, as well as other larger pieces of furniture designed to be more multi-functional.

3. Don’t Just Do *a* Declutter

One major trap some people fall into is thinking decluttering is a one time event that results in a more decluttered house. Whilst that is true, the fact is that there has to be regular decluttering in order for a house to remain clean and tidy. Additionally, the spaces that become cluttered need to be more functional so that they don’t continue to cause clutter. Marie Kondo is a master at nailing this style of house tidying. She not only deals with the house clutter but helps to transform spaces so that they are more functional, and therefore less likely to be “clutter traps.”

4. Go Seasonal with Storage

A helpful thing to do to make the most of storage space that you do have is to go seasonal with it. So, don’t just have everything you own stored at any one time. Instead, for example, why not have your winter clothes in affordable self storage in London, and your summer wardrobe at home. Then swap them over when the time is right. You can also use affordable London self storage for items like garden furniture to protect them in winter, and items like camping gear that you only need once or twice a year in the warmer seasons. You can find out about self storage prices here.

5. Don’t Get Hung Up on Hidden Storage

Hidden storage is fantastic, but all too often we can become a little obsessed with trying to hide everything, rather than embracing open storage, which can look really cool. For example, open wardrobes can be really great at giving a room a more open and modern look, as can rolling towels and storing them on an open shelf.

6. Be Mindful of Items You Use for Storage

It can be all too easy to buy lots of organization systems and by-accident clutter up your space with those items. Too many tubs, shelves, baskets take up space and actively work against the very reason you’ve purchased the item. The best thing to do is declutter, tidy, and organize. Then assess what organization tools/ furniture you need, as it will be more apparent at that stage and you won’t just be using new furniture or accessories for the sake of it.

7. Do It Now

One of the most useful tips you can ever have when it comes to organization in any space, is to do it now. If you’re in the space and you know you have five minutes to get the job done, don’t hesitate. Procrastination is the biggest preventer of organization and decluttering tasks getting done. Therefore, if you always stick with the commitment to just “doing it now,” you will find that you do little and often, rather than have to commit a whole weekend to a job that’s built up over time.

8. Never Be Afraid to Rework a Room

Never be afraid to rework a room so that it works better in regards to functionality and organization. We often end up working with the furniture as we have it, and forget that we can totally rearrange things if we need to. Don’t be afraid to get creative so you’re better able to enjoy the space.

9. Label Everything

Labelling is not just for moving house and placing your boxes right in the new home, or in affordable self storage. Labelling is for literally everywhere, and it is so helpful with organization. Use chalkboards, sticky labels, whiteboards, and stuck on paper labels — whatever looks good and helps you easily identify your things.

10. Change Your Spending Habits

When it comes to staying organized, try to think more minimalist in your approach. Often, organization has a lot to do with what you bring into your house, and how you use your house, rather than what you do with unwanted or unneeded items. In such a consumerist society we are all buying, buying, buying, without thinking about the impact that has on our bank balance, our lives, and on the planet. too.

The less you buy, the less there is to organize. This leads to a much simpler, easier life at home — not dictated by adding unnecessary “things” to your life all the time.

Final Thoughts

Now you are ready to organize and tidy any space, whilst also improving the quality of your house, local self storage, garage, shed, and more by adjusting your tidying and spending habits. With the right approach, you can organize any space, any time, for exceptional results.

The post Ten Organization Tips to Help You Make the Most of Your Space appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/lifestyles/home-improvement/ten-organization-tips-help-make-most-space/

13 Top Qualities to Look for When Choosing a Cleaning Service for Your Office

Home Business Magazine Online

By using an office cleaning service, you can keep your workplace tidy, clean, and hygienic. This will enhance the working environment’s health and boost staff productivity. However, not every cleaning service can give you that positive after-effect.

You must pick the right provider if you want to get the most from your investment when hiring an office cleaning service. Here are some of the most important qualities to look for when choosing a cleaning service for your office.

Experience Cleaning in a Commercial Setting

There are many cleaning service providers out there. Be sure to choose the right one, which has a specialty in cleaning office areas. Usually providers each have their own specialty or niche. Some might be exceptionally skilled in cleaning residential properties. However, that does not imply that they have the knowledge, experience, or tools to give the same results when cleaning business settings.

Flexibility in Scheduling

The office cleaning service must accommodate the timetable which your company has. They must not interfere with your business processes or obstruct customers. So, before hiring you need to make sure that they have flexibility in scheduling. You need a team that can arrive at the time you designate, not the other way around.

Consistency

To maintain a spotless office, it will likely require a thorough cleaning at least once a week. Ensure that the cleaning team you employ will consistently deliver high-quality services.

Affordable

When acquiring any kind of service for your company, financial considerations are crucial. Pick a business that is within your company’s budget and that will deliver high-quality work. You do not want your expenditure to get out of hand.

Extensive Services

Perhaps you will want to have your office floor polished, windows washed, or even thoroughly disinfected. Make a list of the services you may require in the future before you employ a company. Check to see if they offer them.

Experience in Your Industry

For certain businesses, a more specific kind of cleaning might be necessary. For example, if your company is in the medical industry, you might want to hire a provider who has the required specialized tools or equipment.

Proper Communication Standards

Pick a cleaning service that is easy to contact and makes you feel at ease when communicating with them. This will help when exchanging queries or concerns. It will make it easier for you to establish a great working relationship.

Safety Training for Their Employees

Every sector needs to value safety above all. Make sure the cleaning provider you employ has trained their employees well regarding safety.

High Employee Standards

Inquire about the company’s hiring procedures. Do they work with in-house staff or outside contractors? Do they carry out thorough background checks? Their cleaning teams will frequently be in your building. Therefore, they must be dependable and trustworthy when handling your assets and confidential information.

Insurance and Licenses

The cleaning service provider you select must have a license to operate in your state or city. On top of that, they also need to have insurance to cover any potential problems that might occur while cleaning your office. Though they may be the utmost professionals, unfortunate things can happen out of the blue.

Access to High-Quality Supplies

The materials and tools can have a significant impact on the quality of work. Make sure they use top products. Ask about the tools they use and how frequently they are replaced.

Green Cleaning Alternatives

Select a business that makes use of eco-friendly cleaning supplies. This lessens the presence of potentially hazardous chemicals in your office, and also helps to reduce the total carbon footprint of your business.

Positive Customer Reviews

Last but not least, this is the most important factor to look for. Find a cleaning service company that has lots of positive customer reviews. You can read the customer testimonials to get a sense of how other clients felt about their experience after employing the cleaning service.

If you are currently on the lookout for a professional and trusted cleaning service provider, take the time to find a suitable company and make inquiries regarding their service.

The post 13 Top Qualities to Look for When Choosing a Cleaning Service for Your Office appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/management/operations/13-top-qualities-look-choosing-cleaning-service-office/

Budget Restaurant Furniture

Home Business Magazine Online

Every new restaurant or established restaurant that is refurnishing its space needs to work according to a budget. Ask yourself what furniture you need in the restaurant, and then ask what is the best quality furniture you could get with the budget you have. Careful planning is essential if you want to fill your restaurant with good restaurant chairs and tables but still not find yourself spending money you don’t have. There is a wide variety of tables and chairs across many price points. Remember when we talk about “cheap” chairs we’re talking about the cost, not the quality.

Must-Have Restaurant Furniture

There is certain furniture that a restaurant cannot operate without. The minimum furniture for a restaurant is tables and seating. Seating could be chairs, stools, benches, booths, or banquettes. Tables could be communal, individual, or countertops.

Budget Restaurant Chairs

Choosing your restaurant chairs can be a challenge. You want them to be practical, attractive, comfortable, and fit into your budget. Here are a few examples of low-cost quality restaurant chairs.

  • Metal: The double-braced metal folding chair can be customized to fit your restaurant’s aesthetic. It comes in black, beige, gray, and red, and costs less than $30. These chairs are great for casual restaurants and when you need chairs that can be folded away.
  • Wood: The wood folding chair with a padded seat has roughly the same design as the double-braced metal folding chair except it is made from wood, and has a padded seat. It can be customized to suit the rest of the furniture in your restaurant, and the wood can be stained mahogany, natural, walnut, or white. These folding chairs are affordable at $44 apiece.
  • Chiavari: The lowest-priced Chiavari chair is a metal ballroom chair with a padded seat. The seat comes in a wide range of colored vinyl or fabric. This chair costs under $80.
  • Stack Chairs: Commercial stack chairs with a 1.5” cushion cost less than $55 and are extremely comfortable as well as practical. The vinyl seat covering is available in about six colors.
  • Industrial-Style Chairs: If you’re looking for an industrial-style chair then the metal ladder back chair with three slates is your most economical option at under $100.
  • Bolt-Down Chairs: This is not the cheapest option for those on a budget. Bolt-down chairs tend to be more pricey than regular chairs. The most budget-friendly bolt-down chair for restaurants is the X-back bolt-down swivel metal chair at under $155.
  • Arm Chairs: Restaurant armchairs are not as expensive as you may think. You can get the window back metal chair with arms for under $100. The metal frame comes in a range of colors. And the seat can be wood, padded vinyl, or padded fabric.
  • Patio Chairs: The most economical patio chairs for outdoor seating are the rattan patio chairs made from aluminum. Not only are they durable, and attractive but they cost less than $60 each.

Budget Restaurant Tables

Your restaurant tables must match your chairs, and be the appropriate height. Generally, you can choose your table tops and table bases separately. Here are some of the most budget-friendly tabletops for restaurants.

  • Wood Table Tops: Get stunning teak wood table tops and choose the size and shape you want. You can have all your tables in the same material but with different shapes and sizes. These table tops cost $100-$120 depending on the shape and size.
  • Laminated Table Tops: Laminated table tops are the easiest to clean, and will probably last you longer than other types of tables. Consider getting reversible table tops with a mahogany finish on one side and a black finish on the other for under $50 (24”x24”). For under $100 you can get the larger size (36”x36”).
  • Resin Table Tops: Another durable tough tabletop is the resin table. For under $55 you can get a resin table top that resembles wood grain.

Budget Restaurant Furniture Doesn’t Mean Bad Quality

Even if you are on a tight budget it is vital that you furnish your establishment with the best quality tables and chairs that you can afford. How do you get good quality on a budget? You look for a reliable supplier of commercial furniture. You also look for sales and discounts. Perhaps choose a mix of seating options including more expensive chairs and less expensive booths, or counter stools. You could also buy the minimum amount of furniture necessary, and at a later date, when your budget has grown, you can add to your restaurant furniture. Buying low-quality restaurant chairs and tables is cheap in the short run but expensive in the long run when they have to be replaced frequently.

The post Budget Restaurant Furniture appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/businesses/equipment/budget-restaurant-furniture/

The Freelancer’s Quick Guide to Keeping Track of Financial Data

Home Business Magazine Online

What freelancer has time for bookkeeping? There are 70.4 million freelancers like you out there whose days are almost exactly like yours: frenzied, barely structured battles to get the work done. Every deadline seems impossible. Your clients are all over town, so you have pretty much memorized every pothole between them. When you can work, your office may be your car, a coffee shop, a library, or your dining room table. You have probably even Zoomed from a place or two you are not proud of.

To freelance successfully — and then grow that business — requires managing a full range of things that are not often your top priority. This includes your billing, your expenses, and your incoming payments. Strong bookkeeping makes loan applications easier and approvals more likely when you need to grow. It makes paying taxes simpler, too — whether you do them or your accountant does.

Most importantly, if you are not paying attention to the financial details of your freelance operation, you might wind up out of business. Avoid this by tracking not only if you are making money but how you are making money. Which of your services are most profitable? What clients are not paying on time? Will the work you have agreed to do cover your expenses? You need to know these answers sooner rather than later.

Keeping Books: Obscure and Elaborate

In the old days of accounting, physical books were used. Every business transaction was recorded, as it happened, in a journal. Using double-entry bookkeeping — a practice defined in mid-15th century Italy by Benedetto Cotrugli — every transaction was entered as a debit and a corresponding credit. Cotrugli and his successors then created additional books called ledgers for each of those types of accounts. Using those ledgers, they produced reports that provided a complete picture of a business’s financial health.

Every transaction must be recorded. For a freelancer already exhausted from a full day, it is easy to fall behind. Put off your entries, and you might misplace receipts or forget about invoices. Even spreadsheets make things worse if a cell is defined for the wrong kind of data or contains incorrect formulas or links.

The Best Way to Keep Books as a Freelancer

Bookkeeping is just one of those tasks that has to be done. However, it can be mind-numbing to enter every receipt and invoice into your paper journal or spreadsheet. Even if you are not using a financial management platform, you can still apply a digital solution to reduce time and effort spent organizing essential business data. Once captured with a scanner, mobile phone, or software app, the data from each paper or digital document can be automatically assigned to accounts. This lets you spend less time keying the data and more time working with and understanding it.

Capture your invoices, purchase orders, and receipts digitally, and your accountant will find your taxes easier to prepare, too, saving you money at tax time. Whether you are freelancing to put extra money aside for your child’s college fund or want to grow your freelance gig into a multinational conglomerate, you can spend more time making money and less time tracking it.

Final Words

You control your freelance business (probably why 58% of non-freelancers want to freelance). In addition, you are more in control when your bookkeeping takes less of your time.

The post The Freelancer’s Quick Guide to Keeping Track of Financial Data appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/money/accounting-and-bookkeeping/freelancer-quick-guide-keeping-track-financial-data/

Don’t fall for fake ownership requests for your Google Business Profile

Google Business Profiles can be claimed by the owner or business manager in Google Maps or in Google Search. When someone makes a claim for ownership of a Google Business Profile listing and if that business was already claimed by someone, the current owners will get an email asking if they approve or deny the new ownership request.

Increase in fake claims. According to some in the local SEO community, there has been an increase in the number of fraudulent requests to claim and take ownership of business listings. “I am seeing a ton of owner requests come in from hijackers, are you all seeing the same?” asked Ben Fisher.

Indeed, other local SEOs confirmed seeing similar in the forums. Here are just a couple of the responses:

  • “I saw quite a few maybe 3 weeks ago (for a couple of weeks), but the requests have dramatically declined for me.”
  • “Last week I got 5 scam requests from the same person! I am used to getting maybe 3 a month, but I too have noticed an increase recently.”

Be careful. So beware of such fake claims of ownership and make sure to validate that the person making the claim is a real owner or manager of the business. If you are unsure, it is better to decline the request than to accept it. If the wrong person gains access to your business listing, they can potentially remove your listing or change the website, phone number – or worse.

Why we care. There is a lot of fraud online, especially with Google Search and Google Maps. So being on top of these scams are important so that you are less likely to become a victim of these scams. Stay on top of your business listings and make sure the information is up-to-date and accurate. And never give access to your Google Business Profile to anyone you do not know and trust.

The post Don’t fall for fake ownership requests for your Google Business Profile appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/dont-fall-for-fake-ownership-requests-for-your-google-business-profile-389691

Are we officially saying goodbye to Twitter? It depends on who you ask

The last few weeks have been nothing short of dramatic over at Twitter headquarters. But before we get into that, I just want to thank dark-paul gosselaar for our cover image inspiration. 

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that I sympathize with all of the employees who have been let go, by choice or not. Thousands of people losing their jobs isn’t a laughing matter and in no way am I making light of it. 

How we got here

Elon Musk posted eight tweets today, which is surprising for someone who should be busy running a company (into the ground).

But his latest round of changes is an undoing of one of his earliest acts as new CEO, which was to ban Kathy Griffin and others for poking fun at his leadership.

But the week started with Musk sending out an (encrypted?) email to all staffers informing them that they will be fired unless they work at an “extremely hardcore” rate to build “Twitter 2.0”. 

The result?

Shortly after the email went out, Twitter announced that they were locking their doors (some say they’ll reopen on November 21). All remaining employees were informed that their badge access had been revoked.

This was the scene at Twitter HQ last night:

And Musk tweeted:

He does know people love watching a train wreck, right? 

Either way it seems like conversations are flowing, opinions are flying, and engagement is through the roof. 

It’s no wonder that so many people think this is the end for Twitter. Even Musk is joining in on the …er, fun?

Let this sink in. Musk started his first day on the job by firing top executives, including the CEO, Parag Agrawal. Soon after, several others followed suit. Let’s look at who’s gone:

  • CEO Parag Agrawal
  • Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal
  • Head of legal policy, trust and safety, Vijaya Gadde
  • General Counsel Sean Edgett
  • Chief Information Security Officer Rinki Sethi
  • Head of Security Peiter Zatko
  • Chief customer officer, Sarah Personette
  • Chief people and diversity officer, Dalana Brand
  • Chief marketing officer, Leslie Berland
  • General manager of consumer and revenue product, Jay Sullivan
  • General manager for core technologies, Nick Caldwell
  • Chief accounting officer, Robert Kaiden
  • VP of global client solutions, Jean-Philippe Maheu
  • Head of International Communications, Julie Steele
  • Head of Trust and Safety, Yoel Roth
  • The global head of social and editorial
  • The director of ML ethics, transparency, and accountability
  • Chief information security officer
  • Managing director of Twitter Studio
  • Head of location strategy

Those who haven’t been fired are choosing to quit on their own terms. The reasons? Peter Clowes helps explain why some are choosing not to follow Musk:

So is Twitter done?

Maybe? One of its remaining employees has told Newsweek reporter Travis Akers the website “has about a week left before it’s dead.”

Some people aren’t convinced.

It is difficult to believe that Musk would spend $44 billion on the platform just to watch it all burn in a matter of weeks. But I also think he underestimated how much the staff would endure. With all of the conflicting information out there, it’s hard to know what to believe. We’ll try to keep this page updated with the latest information as it’s coming out. Stay tuned!

The post Are we officially saying goodbye to Twitter? It depends on who you ask appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/are-we-officially-saying-goodbye-to-twitter-it-depends-on-who-you-ask-389702

Walmart’s ad revenue increased 30% in Q3

Walmart released its Q3 earnings this week and things were looking up for the retail giant. Their advertising revenue grew about 30% since Q2.

On the earnings call, President and CEO Doug McMillon attributed the growth to “More items and sellers driving GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) and improving customer satisfaction.” He continued that success with advertising is “mutually reinforcing. If we double-click on advertising with Walmart Connect in the U.S., we see it’s benefiting from growth in e-commerce and from improvements made within the business itself. And we’ve seen strong growth in return on ad spend over last year.”

Walmart Connect. Connect is Walmart’s self-service ad platform that was recently announced. The platform allows retailers to create an account and upload their product SKUs to the Walmart platform, without the need to go through an approved vendor and wait three days for approval.

As with advertising, growing our marketplace business also unlocks fulfillment services opportunities through both fulfillment centers and last-mile delivery. We’re scaling these businesses in the U.S., and we’re starting to ramp up in Mexico and Canada. The team in Mexico increased the number of sellers on our marketplace by 20% during the quarter. In the U.S., the marketplace on Walmart.com now offers about 370 million SKUs.

That’s an increase of more than 50% from Q2. Many of these sellers want to leverage our fulfillment network. They also want to use our advertising capabilities to drive demand, and we’re making that easier for them. We recently shared that all new marketplace sellers in the U.S.

will be automatically onboarded onto our self-service ad platform. We believe this seamless integration will help both businesses scale even faster. What you see in our results is that we can run compelling stores and clubs, scale of first- and third-party e-commerce business, and connect them together in an omnichannel fashion that saves customers and members money and time. Our strategy unlocks growth opportunities for us and a thread that runs from digital retail to fulfillment and advertising, and opens up even more opportunities with health and wellness and financial services.

Doug McMillon

Roku, TikTok, and Snap partnerships. Walmart also expanded its own ecommerce platform by powering ads on TikTok, Roku, and Snap. Walmart will also have the capability to measure any sales that come from those ads.

Dig deeper. You can review the earnings announcement here.

Why we care. If you’re an ecommerce retailer or brand, Walmart might be a great platform to test if you’re looking to expand your reach and connect with new buyers.

The post Walmart’s ad revenue increased 30% in Q3 appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/walmarts-ad-revenue-increased-30-in-q3-389670