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How to Enhance Educational Finances During a Gap Year

Reading Time: 4 mins

Taking a year off or two before going for higher studies is common, and it was even before the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. It allows college-bound students to determine what they want to do in their lives and how to make headway in the process. 

 

In addition to gaining real-world experience, a gap year can be opted to make money. Not every student is born with a silver spoon in their mouth — this goes without saying. While it may sound exaggerated, many must take their blood, sweat, and tears just to get a degree. 

 

It’s not necessary to save up all educational expenses before going to college. However, you must also consider that your time is running out. A year will do. And fret not! There are several lawful money-making schemes you can do during your gap year. Check them out here. 

Vlog your Travel

If you’re fed up with being cooped up due to social distancing, enjoy life, get a real-life education, and see what’s on the other side of the world. Rest assured, every country has been developing an extensive range of COVID-19 protocols to cover the new normal. 

 

Of course, traveling comes with a lot of costs. The good news is that there are many ways to make money out of it, such as selling great photos of the scenery online or teaching English to the local non-English speakers. 

 

Another way is through vlogging. For instance, the highest-paid female YouTuber last year, 2021, is just seven years old! She raised $28 million from making kid-related videos, such as learning to tell time and decorating Halloween cupcakes. With vlogging, you’re making money and preserving your precious memories. 

 

Use Your Talents

Although you’re not born wealthy, you might be one of the many gifted people with talents. You can monetize your skills. For example, if you’re good at playing musical instruments, you can market this and make money. 

 

The same goes for language abilities, dancing, and crafting arts. You’d probably see people teaching languages online, training people to dance (for health and entertainment), busking on the roads, and customizing paintings for passersby or foreign visitors. All of them enjoy what they’re doing while earning money. 

 

Be An Au Pair

Let’s say you don’t have specific skills (or you just don’t realize them yet). But you have a soft spot for kids or are into housekeeping. Then, take this chance to be an au pair. It’s referred to any young foreign person, typically unmarried and young (18-30 years old), who aids with child care or housework in exchange for a place to stay abroad. 

 

There are a lot of online platforms that market people who want to be au pairs. Travel enthusiasts especially do this. Imagine getting free lodging in a foreign country (maybe free food)! The best part is the house owner may also pay you. What’s more, you can also earn from vlogging your au pair experience! 

 

Many companies have the same setup for au pairs, as well. They offer programs in exchange for room and boarding, but some privately run programs may not offer you compensation. Still, your experience with them can be a strong point in your cover letters for another work application or college admissions essays.

 

Give Online Selling a Go

E-commerce has been dominating the market nowadays. It simplified the point of buying and selling. An online store runs 24/7 and doesn’t require a physical presence, which improves the span of selling time and eventually improves sales. 

 

Take advantage of online selling while it’s on-trend. You might encounter a lot of new and cool stuff during your gap year, so why not share it with everyone? You can cut a deal with a manufacturer or co-seller, buy in bulk, and run a business on Amazon, Alipay, eBay, JD, and other e-commerce websites. 

 

If you don’t have a budget yet, you may opt for a small installment loan as a financial source, such as CreditNinja easy installment loans. Personal loans don’t usually require collateral, but their interest can be a bit higher. That’s why it’s recommended to finish paying it off as soon as possible. It can be a financial risk if you don’t know how to manage well. Research first before committing. 

 

Learn, Know Yourself, then Get a Scholarship

If you think you’ll just squander your whole gap year on traveling, working, or running a business, consider indulging in formal programs that can aid you in determining your personal, academic, or career goals.

 

Some organizations offer service-oriented work for gap year students, and after they have completed their commitment, they can be eligible for a scholarship worth up to $6000. However, you must pledge 10-11 months for this volunteer work. 

 

Final Thoughts 

There are other ways to catch up with your college finances during a gap year, which aren’t mentioned here. You can always ask people online or talk to friends about how to deal with this. Whatever your socio-economic status is, there will always be a solution. Don’t lose hope, and keep chasing your dreams!

Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence 

The post How to Enhance Educational Finances During a Gap Year appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/how-to-enhance-educational-finances-during-a-gap-year

TikTok releases Photo Mode and 7 new editing tools

TikTok has just announced Photo Mode, as well as seven new editing tools for creators. Let’s take a look.

What’s new. The seven new editing features are now available in the US and most regions globally. These tools allow creators to adjust their clips right in the TikTok platform.

  • Edit clips: Stack, trim, and split video clips
  • Edit sounds: Cut, trim, and set the duration for sounds
  • Edit and position text: More easily edit, position, and set the duration for text
  • Add overlays: Add photo and video overlays for picture-in-picture (or video-in-video) stacking
  • Adjust video speed: Speed or slow the pace of video clips
  • Frame content: Rotate or zoom in and out of frame of individual clips
  • Add sound effects. Add musical soundtracks to videos and photo carousels
Application Software

Photo Mode. If you prefer to post a photo instead of a video, the carousel format will display your still images one right after another. You can also add a musical soundtrack. Viewers to your carousel posts can swipe at their own pace.

Bytedance

Expanded character descriptions. Last month we announced that TikTok was now allowing longer descriptions of up to 2,000 characters. These are now available for both video and Photo Mode content. This allows for both SEO optimization as well as allowing creators to expand their captions to include more information about their content.

Dig deeper. You can read the announcement from TikTok here.

Why we care. Instagram’s plans to double down on Reels had some creators and influencers pretty upset that the Meta platform was trying to be too much like TikTok. So it’s no surprise that TikTok is clapping back in its fight to woo the competition with longer descriptions and a new Photo Mode that looks, well, familiar.

Creators and users may soon be choosing which platform to keep and which one to ditch as the two are starting to look almost identical. Marketers and brands should take advantage of the new tools and features, utilizing both platforms to reach their target markets.

The post TikTok releases Photo Mode and 7 new editing tools appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/tiktok-releases-photo-mode-and-7-new-editing-tools-388576

2 new Google Display & Video 360 audience solutions

Google just announced two new updates regarding first-party data and machine learning with Display and Video 360. The two new updates are optimized targeting and Exchange Provided Identifier, also known as EPID.

Optimized targeting

Optimized targeting helps advertisers expand their reach across relevant audiences and increase ROI by finding new and relevant customers likely to convert within their campaign goals. Campaign settings, such as manually-selected audiences including first-party data and Google audiences, influence the machine learning algorithm. Optimized targeting then uses machine learning to expand reach across other relevant groups without relying on third-party cookies.

Optimized targeting reaches the people who are most likely to drive impressions, clicks, or conversions as they are defined and customized by the advertiser.

Early testing. Early tests found that advertisers who used optimized targeting saw a 25% improvement in their campaign objectives when using Google audiences and typically see a 55% improvement when using first-party data.

Launch and availability. Optimized targeting is currently available for YouTube Video Action campaigns and will expand to all display and video campaigns in the coming months. When they are launched, new eligible display and video campaigns will be opted in and will have an option to opt-out.

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EPIDs

EPIDs provide Display & Video 360 with new signals which will be used to automatically future-proof frequency management tools. In the future, EPIDs will be powering a variety of other marketing use cases in Display & Video 360 with no action required by advertisers.

Expanding on PPIDs. EPIDs expand on PPIDs, which are Publisher Provided Identifiers that became available to use last year. PPIDs allow publishers to send Google Ad Manager a first-party identifier for marketing use cases. The update makes EPIDs available to more exchanges, publishers, or vendors looking to share their first-party identifiers with Display & Video 360’s backend to improve the quality of programmatic ads served on their respective properties.

Launch and availability. EPIDs will be used to inform Display & Video 360 users’ frequency management solutions “in the coming months.”

This will ensure brands can continue avoiding ad repetition while maximizing reach efficiency even when third-party cookies go away. Advertisers won’t have to make any changes in their account since EPIDs will be organically embedded in Display & Video’s technology. Brands and agencies will automatically benefit from EPID when setting frequency goals.

In the near future, EPID will be used as a signal for building Google audience segments in Display & Video 360. This will give advertisers a chance to deliver more personalized ads on publishers’ sites for which EPIDs are received. Down the line, EPID will also help brands unlock other core advertising functionalities, like cross-device reach on a domain by domain basis, and invalid traffic prevention in a privacy-safe way.

Why we care. If you’re a publisher, these changes will allow you to reach more audiences, deliver relevant ads, and ensure that everyone’s information and privacy are kept intact. These programmatic options are steps in the direction of a cookieless future while still allowing you to serve successful programmatic ad campaigns.

The post 2 new Google Display & Video 360 audience solutions appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/2-new-google-display-video-360-audience-solutions-388582

How to make money from your house….room by room

Reading Time: 6 mins

There are so many ways to make money from your house, either to help with running costs, energy bills or even to make a profit. You might be prepared to use your whole house to make some extra money by renting it out as a location for tv or film. Or you might prefer to just use a single space, such as your  garage or spare room.

Whatever your preference, we’ve got lots of ideas here on Money Magpie on how to make your house pay for itself, room by room!

SPARE ROOM

spare room

Renting out a spare bedroom can make you up to £7,500 a year tax-free. According to the government’s Rent a Room Scheme you can let out as much of your home as you want. Depending on your space and preferences, you’ll need to decide what kind of housemate you’re after. Could you manage a permanent co-resident who freely uses common areas like the living room and kitchen? Or would you prefer short-term visitors who simply need a pillow to lay their heads on at the end of the day? 

Either way, you’ll be earning a passive income and can make money sitting on your butt doing nothing at the end of a long day. You can rest easy knowing you have money coming in without doing anything.

ADVERTISING YOUR ROOM 

Sites like:

cover the whole of the UK. They’re the perfect platforms for advertising your room for a lodger. 

Airbnb currently dominates the global market for vacation rentals. It’s a good place to list your spare room for occasional holidaymakers. 

GARAGE

Decluttered Garage

How much do you use your garage?  If you can clear some space you could rent it out on sites like  Stashbee or Storemates. You can charge a competitive rate for your space and they will add a small fee onto to cover their expenses. They also offer insurance to protect whatever you choose to give a home to. It’s a great and easy way to make a bit of cash, if you’ve got the space.

LIVING ROOM

increase value of home

Make money sitting down and watching TV! We know what you’re thinking – can you REALLY make money watching television?

Well yes, you can!

OK, you might have to do a bit more than just watch, but there are plenty of ways to turn your relaxing pastime into a money-making opportunity.

Find out how you can make money watching TV.

ATTIC

The most valuable toys you might have in your attic

Do you have items lying around that you think might be worth something? You’re probably right, and they may be worth a lot more than you think.

Children’s toys like Nintendo consoles or Star Wars figures could be worth hundreds of pounds, and costume jewellery is always popular, especially designs from the 1930s, which can also be worth hundreds. Objects and furniture from the 1980s are also set to rise in popularity and value as we get further away from that iconic decade. Get that ladder down and find out if there might be cash in the attic…

KITCHEN

host a dinner party

In the kitchen you could make money hosting dinner parties, pop-ups, special event, cooking classes and much more with www.eatwith.com.  Hosts need to be able to cook as you will be charging for what you produce but you can charge anything from £20-£60 pp. You will need to budget for the cost of buying and preparing the food, so you couldn’t make a living from this, but if you love to cook and have the space, it’s great way to meet new people and to earn a bit of money while you do.

BEDROOM

Woman with shopping bags using a tablet

You can make money in so many different ways these days, and yes, you heard us right – that includes empty boxes. With the rise in popularity of influencers and bloggers, we’re also seeing an increasing demand to sell old boxes for tech and designer goods online. This is our simple guide on how you can sell the empty boxes you have lying around at home and earn some cash!

BATHROOM

Toilet roll and empty tubes

You can make money selling old toilet rolls. Nope, we’re not even joking about this! In fact, there are truly loads of people out there just dying to get their hands on your old toilet rolls.

We did a little investigation into this rising money-making trend and gathered some important information to help you make an extra buck or two.

GARDEN

gardening

No matter how small your garden may be, you can earn a sweet mint with some of our clever outdoor money-making ideas. From using the soil for growing saleable produce to renting your garden for private functions, there are loads of ways to earn pretty pounds from those lovely petals. Click here are a few tops tips on how to make money from your garden.

SHED

garden shed

You may not have set foot in it for years, it may be full of tools and garden equipment. But did you know that wooden shack at the bottom of your garden could make you some extra money?

We delved into the intriguing world of shed-working and the results surprised us. There are many possibilities for transforming your dilapidated shed into a lucrative source of income. Click here to find out more…

OUTBUILDING or ANNEX

The Raffle House main bedroom

Homeowners are seeking ways to combat the currently all-too-notorious rises in energy bills and the cost of living crisis that’s all over the news right now. One such possibility is for homeowners who have an unused annex or outbuilding that could provide ‘passive income’ by renting it out as as an Airbnb… find out how here.

DRIVEWAY

Make cash renting out your driveway or garage

Do you live in a particularly prime transport location? Do you have a garage or driveway sitting unoccupied and begging to be used? Why not turn it into a money-spinner by renting it out?

Thousands of people in the UK rent out parking spaces and if you live in a big city or near an airport you could make as much as £17,000 a year! Who wouldn’t want that? We here to help you figure out if it’s the way to go for you

WHOLE HOUSE

Clapperboard in kitchen

It may not be the first thought that comes to mind, but you can make money by renting your home as a film set.

Location scouts are looking for all kinds of properties and pay up to £2,500 a day to use your home.

Click here for a quick guide to renting out your home as a film set.

 

Other great articles on making money from your house:

The post How to make money from your house….room by room appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/how-to-make-money-from-your-house-room-by-room

Could your 50p coin make you £50?

Reading Time: 7 mins

Coins are a huge collectors’ item, with the Royal Mint often producing limited edition coins for people to buy and keep. The rarer the coin, the higher the value is likely to be. Recently, the Royal Mint revealed the top ten rarest 50 pence pieces in circulation. 

That got us thinking – could some of our readers have a small fortune stashed away in an old bag or purse? Since the move to ‘new money’ over 51 years ago, there have been a whopping 70 variations of the 50p coin. There have also been plenty of rare and unique designs, with collectors desperate to get their hands on them. 

What is so special about the 50p coin? Well, it has become the most values and collected coin in the UK. Because it is the largest British coin in circulation, it has the most space for special designs and artwork, with many pieces being used to celebrate historical moments over the years. 

50p coins are commonly used to commemorate important events. These include designs for events such as the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings, the 50th anniversary of the National Health Service and the 2012 Olympic Games. 

 

What makes a coin valuable?

As mentioned, the rarer the coin, the higher the value is likely to be. This is the case with many collectibles. The mintage is the number of coins made in each design. The lower the mintage, the higher the value. A low mintage is hugely attractive to collectors and is often the greatest selling point. 

As with collectibles such as watches, gemstones and even handbags, the condition is fundamental when wanting to sell a coin. Misprints or errors in design can also make a coin more desirable to buyers. 

Of course, the design on the coin contributes greatly to how sought after a coin is.  

Interestingly, the value also depends on who you ask. If you get a valuation from a coin dealer and sell through them, you may get a more robust, fixed fee for your coin. However, selling at an auction house or on an online marketplace such as eBay could reduce the limits on the amount people will pay for a particular coin. Thus, you could get more money, as many coin collectors will bid highly during auctions. 

 

The rarest 50p coins in the UK

Kew Gardens (2009)

2012 Olympic Games

The Kew Gardens 50p was originally released in 2009, and is the most sought-after 50 pence piece. Just 210,000 were put into circulation, with most of them falling into private hands. Kew Gardens is the most famous royal botanical garden in the nation, with the design featuring the famous Chinese Pagoda at Kew. 

The chances of getting your hands on one of these is slim. This is due to the low mintage due to the lack of demand for the 50p denomination in the UK at time of its release. 

Another version of the Kew Gardens 50p was released in 2019 to celebrate 50 years of the 50 pence piece. Released 10 years after the original design, the 2019 bears a slightly different effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and of course, a different date. 

This is the 50p piece that often sparks the interest of novice coin collectors. In the past, this coin has sold for as much as £895 on eBay previously. There are currently listings on eBay such as this ‘2009 Royal Mint Kew Gardens 50p Coin Presentation Pack’ for £375.  

Football (2011)

Artificial objects

The Olympic Football coin was yet another coin designed in order to celebrate the prestigious 2012 Olympic Games. Just 1,125,500 of these coins were minted. This is the first of many Olympic Games 50 pence pieces to grace this list. 

Not only were the 2012 London games a huge event, with the country coming together for the historical occasion to celebrate sport. But football itself is an extremely popular sport in general, standing the test of time. Because of this, a coin collector, who is also a keen football fan, may be even more eager to get their hands on this piece. 

This coin was originally available to purchase from the Royal Mint in July 2010 for £2.99. According to Coin Hunter, over 12 years later, a circulated version of this coin could currently get you £13. A brand new, uncirculated coin in the original packaging could earn you a nice £26. This is nothing to be sniffed at – this is a price increase of 770%!  

Wrestling (2011)

50p coin

The Olympic Wrestling 50p was made to commemorate the London 2012 Olympic games. This often attracts a lot of interest from collectors due to its rarity and subsequent value. Although this is just one of the 29 designs minted for the games, it is one of the rarest in circulation.  

Created over a decade ago, this coin has had plenty of time to filter through various hands and wallets through the years. Just 1,129,500 were put into circulation, with many spenders not realising this significance and worth of this coin. To put this number in context, there are approximately 200 million regular 50p coins in circulation, making this design highly valuable. 

This coin previously sold for £52.88 online, meaning your 50p could be worth over 100 times more than the face value. 

Judo (2011)

Chinese Pagoda

Judo may be a sport involving holding down your opponent, but these 50p pieces aren’t so easy to get your hands on. The coin was designed by a David Cornell, who won a competition which saw his design printed on just over one million 50p coins. 

There were 1,161,500 of these coins put into general circulation. These coins are selling from £11 on average, a value increase of 2,100% in the 11 years since they were first minted. If you have one of these coins in packaging with a cover, you could get £37. A nice bit of pocket money! 

Triathlon (2011)

50p coin

In total, 1,163,500 of these coins were made in 2011. The triathlon is a popular part of the Olympic games. A coin seems the perfect way to celebrate the sport.  

Bids on online marketplace on eBay have reached £34 previously. However, Coin Hunter suggests uncirculated Triathlon 50p pieces in their original packaging could fetch approximately £79. 

 

Other valuable 50p coins

There are other 50p coins which could fetch you some cash. You may not even realise you have them lying around! Here are five more valuable and rare 50p pieces, including the year they were minted and their mintage – the number of them in circulation. 

  • Peter Rabbit (2018) – 1,400,000 
  • Flopsy Bunny (2018) – 1,400,000 
  • Tennis (2011) – 1,454,000 
  • Goalball (2011) – 1,615,000 
  • Shooting (2011) – 1,656,500 

 

Are new coins worth anything?

It isn’t just old coins which catch the eye of collectors. New coins can collect a nice sum of cash too. In fact, just a few years ago in 2019, the Royal Mint re-released some of the rarest 50p coins. Five of the most popular coins were released to celebrate half a decade of the 50p coin, all surrounding British Culture. 

These new coins were made with old designs. However some of them featured a slightly different effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth than the original releases. One of these re-releases was the Kew Gardens piece, as discussed earlier. The other four re-releases in the set include 100 years of Girl Guiding, 100 years of Scouting for boys, the first sub-four-minute mile and a newly minted version of the old ‘New Pence’, featuring Britannia. 

In 2021, a new 50p piece came out to celebrate the achievements of Team GB. Bought new, they ranged from £11 to £102.50, depending on whether they came in a set, their colour and the rarity of them. The gold proof version was extremely rare, with only 250 minted, sold by the Royal Mint for £1,095 a piece. 

 

How to value your coin

coin collector

Do you have a few coins lying around which you think could be worth a little something? If you are lucky enough to have picked up a rare coin or have had one in a penny pot for a few years, why not see if you could get more than face value for the piece?  

There are a few ways in which you can find out the value of your coin. Firstly, of course, you could check out online marketplaces such as eBay. Searching the full name of the coin and filtering the results to show ‘sold’ items will give you an idea of how much they have sold for previously. Similarly, you could refine your search to show the results from highest to lowest, so you can see the higher end of the price you could pocket. 

There are also useful online tools which can help you estimate the value of your 50p. Coin Hunter is a brilliant site which gives you estimations for your coin. This is based on the average of the most recent sales. It also gives you an estimate of the different prices circulated and uncirculated versions can sell for. Plus, how much the price has increased since it was first minted. 

Some websites, such as Change Checker have a scale which shows you just how rare a coin could be. The Scarcity Index gives you an idea of where your coin ranks. 

If you believe your coin is worth a decent sum of money, you could always visit an independent coin dealer. A pawn shop could also give a rough estimate. You may even wish to sell any very rare coins at auction.  

The post Could your 50p coin make you £50? appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/could-your-50p-coin-make-you-50

How to Handle Multiple Student Loans

Home Business Magazine Online

A college education is more expensive than ever. If you had to take out multiple loans to cover the cost of university, you are not alone. With over 45 million student borrowers in the country, many students have both federal and private student loan debt. Having multiple outstanding loan balances with different rates and payment amounts can get confusing. Moreover, it can make the stress of debt feel even more overwhelming. It is not all hopeless, though! Here are some steps you can take to get student loans from multiple lenders under control.

Assess Your Financial Standing

Keeping track of all your bills can feel daunting, but getting your debt under control starts with organization and assessment. A good first step is to organize the letters from all your lenders. Consider creating a spreadsheet to keep track of the lender name, interest rate, and the monthly payment amounts for each loan. Organizing this information about your loans empowers you to chart out the most efficient way to pay them off.

Prioritize Your Payments

Once you have organized your different loans, their rates, and terms in one place, you can prioritize. Divide your loans between private and federal. Many people find it better to prioritize paying off private lenders first, as they tend to have higher interest rates. Additionally, public loans often offer options like income-driven repayment plans and loan deferment, which could make them less urgent to pay down.

So, what is the most efficient order to pay off your loans? You can prioritize paying down the highest-interest loans, which can help minimize the total interest you wind up paying over the life of the loans. Another strategy is to prioritize paying off the loan with the smallest balance first. After you have paid off your smaller loans, you can divert those monthly payments toward a larger loan to pay it off faster. This is the “snowball” method, because of the small payments accumulating into a big one as you pay off loans. Whichever method you choose, being thoughtful in the order you pay off your debts can save you a lot of money in the long run.

Consider Refinancing

For some borrowers, refinancing may make financial sense. When you refinance, you pay off your old debt using a new loan with potentially better terms. For example, if your income and career circumstances have changed significantly, it could be a good time to refinance student loans. Earning a higher salary that lowers your debt-to-income ratio or improving your credit score may signal less risk to lenders, and there is a chance you could negotiate more favorable terms on a new loan.

If you secure a loan with better terms, you can potentially consolidate your old loans into a single, less expensive loan. By having just one monthly payment to one lender, rather than multiple payments to multiple lenders to keep track of, you may be able to save time, reduce stress, and save money in interest over the lifetime of the loan. Just remember that if you refinance federal student loans with a private lender, you lose access to federal programs like income-driven repayment, federal forbearance, and any other benefits offered to federal borrowers. Learn more at studentaid.gov.

Don’t Get Overwhelmed with Student Loans

Having many outstanding debts can be very stressful. The jumble of disparate payment terms and fine print that come with student loans can seem impossible to keep track of. However, if you organize your student loans using a tool like a spreadsheet, and pay them off systematically, you may find yourself getting close to being free of student loan debt before you know it.

The post How to Handle Multiple Student Loans appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/money/how-to-guides-money/how-to-handle-multiple-student-loans/

How to Maximize Your Digital Marketing Channel Mix

Home Business Magazine Online

Digital marketing is vital for your modern business. It allows you to reach out to your target customers without paid ads. Online channels like email, website, social media, search engine optimization (SEO), and podcasts help you introduce your brand to online users. With a digital marketing channel mix, you might generate more sales and nurture your relationships with your loyal clients.

Combined effectively, these digital platforms will help you gain a competitive edge and achieve a higher market share. In turn, your marketing campaigns will be able to reach a higher engagement rate, which might make you the leading brand in your industry.

When maximizing your digital marketing channel mix, you should follow these five practices:

1. Mapping the Customer Journey

A customer journey map provides valuable information about your target audience’s experiences and preferences. This visual storyline guides you when assessing which promotional campaigns are gaining the most traction so that they are reusable for future initiatives. Aside from that, you can use these insights when developing better product features. This ensures you stay ahead of the competition while satisfying the demands of your customers.

When creating a customer journey map, you have to work with digital marketing experts in Australia to ensure that you are tracking the right online users. These professionals will help you develop realistic buyer personas by outlining relevant touch-points through various online marketing channels.

2. Automating Repetitive Tasks

In digital marketing, you perform repetitive tasks like collecting insights from your audience, sending cart abandonment emails, or scheduling posts. When you continue manually processing these online activities, you will most likely miss sales opportunities from interested buyers. In turn, you may be unable to keep up with your competitors and respond to complaints from online consumers, which affects your reputation.

When it comes to automating repetitive tasks in your digital marketing mix, you must consider tools like content scheduling, live-chat bots, and inbox filtering. After that, you must ensure to turn on reminders so you can fully take advantage of these technologies and improve your online campaigns.

Digital Marketing
Depositphotos

3. Adding CTAs

Publishing online allows you to introduce your products or services to online users. Therefore, you need to add clear calls-to-action (CTAs) to guide your audiences as they interact with your content. As a result, you will encourage active engagement on digital platforms and boost brand visibility.

When adding CTAs, you must analyze your goals to direct your visitors to the ideal actions. Next, make sure to connect all your active digital platforms to inspire them to stay updated with your brand by inviting them to follow your accounts.

4. Leverage UGC

Your loyal customers are some of the most influential promoters of your offerings because they show your prospects that you are credible. Your leads will consider buying your products when they recommend your brand to their peers using user-generated content (UGC). In turn, you will generate more leads, gain more sales, and increase brand credibility.

To encourage UGC, you may organize an interactive contest on Facebook and promote this event through other digital media. Then, you must use email marketing to send the rules to interested participants and collect data about them. For instance, you may use unique UGCs as tools for them to join the contest so you can create a buzz about your brand throughout online channels.

Once you have successfully gathered UGC from your customers, you must ask their permission if you can publish them throughout your channels. If they agree, you may use their posts as positive client testimonials to gain your leads’ trust. For instance, you may highlight their reviews on your blog or share them on your social media stories to encourage others to do the same.

5. Improving SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) practices are cost-effective ways for you to reach out to online users without spending marketing funds on campaigns. You can direct more organic traffic to your website when you achieve the highest rank on search engine pages. As a result, you will be able to introduce your brand to them and encourage them to browse other relevant business information.

When improving SEO, you must promote your original blogs on other social media platforms. This directs your followers to your website. After that, you should send personalized emails to your customers to motivate them to open your message and click on your web link. However, remember that you must research keywords to use suitable blog topics and terms.

Key Takeaway

As a modern entrepreneur, you must utilize online channels to promote your business and nurture relationships with your customers. Therefore, you should consider following these five tips to maximize your digital marketing channel mix. Once you do so, you might improve content engagement rate, attract more qualified leads, and stay ahead of the competition.

The post How to Maximize Your Digital Marketing Channel Mix appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/marketing/how-to-guides-marketing/how-to-maximize-digital-marketing-channel-mix/

Households spending on credit cards to cope with living costs

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The amount spent on credit cards rose by a staggering £700 million in August. The worry of soaring living costs, energy bills and fuel pushed the annual growth rate in spending on credit cards to 12.9%. Bank of England data suggests this is the highest level since 2005, as households rely heavily on borrowing in order to live. 

Just this year, credit card balances have jumped to £5.9 billion. This is an annual growth rate for all consumer credit of 7.0% in August. Economists say this is due to households struggling to make ends meet, using credit to pay for essentials such as food. 

Not only are households facing the increasing need to use credit cards to pay for everyday expenses, but the cost of using credit cards is becoming more expensive, with the average interest rates increasing to 18.66% in August. For those who have no choice but to use a credit card to feed their family or keep the lights on, this adds further stress to an already difficult time. 

Similarly, households are continuing to deposit less money into their bank accounts than they did before 2020. This suggests people are using cash more frequently, perhaps in a bid to budget more carefully when it comes to shopping. 

Jasmine Birtles, our founder and CEO at MoneyMagpie.com, comments: 

“It’s a shock to hear that credit card borrowing this year is already equivalent to the last 5 and a half years combined…and that’s only nine months. I think it shows a mix of factors: it’s partly high because many families are not coping with their monthly bills and are putting it on credit but I think it also shows that many of us have continued the lifestyle we had before, not realising that prices have all gone up and it’s costing more to live even like we did last year.  

“Credit card borrowing is an expensive way to get quick cash if you’re not able to pay it off within the interest-free period, so I recommend that anyone who is finding themselves routinely putting payments on credit cards and then not being able to pay off the full amount, takes some time this weekend to get on top of their money, do a budget and work out what spending should be sacrificed in order to keep out of debt as prices rise. If this seems impossible then get help from the experienced debt advisors at one of the free debt charities like Community Money Advice, Christians Against Poverty or StepChange.” 

Laura Suter, head of personal finance at AJ Bell, comments: 

“Credit card borrowing remains at a 17-year high as more people turn to plastic to cover rising costs. The nation added another £700m to their credit card debt in August, taking total outstanding borrowing on credit cards to £5.9bn in the year to date. This is more than double the pre-pandemic total for the same period and is equal to the total net credit card borrowing for the previous five and a half years combined*. 

“Once personal loans and car finance are added into the total figure, the nation is sitting on an extra £10.5bn of borrowing this year. But this figure hides the true scale of the nation’s debts as it doesn’t include Buy Now Pay Later borrowing and more informal loans between family and friends. One saving grace is that despite the backdrop of a rapidly rising Base Rate, debt isn’t actually getting much more expensive yet. Rates on personal loans actually fell in August and are still in line with pre-pandemic levels, while credit card interest is only marginally above the pre-pandemic rate.” 

The post Households spending on credit cards to cope with living costs appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/households-spending-on-credit-cards-to-cope-with-living-costs

WMS Ecommerce: Five Reasons Businesses Rely on WMS Software

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Technology has always been a game-changer in the retail industry. The rise of ecommerce has changed the way consumers shop. In 2021 research, more than 2.14 billion people prefer to purchase products and services online. That number is nearly 30% of the global population. As the number of online shoppers increases, so does the competition. That is why entrepreneurs strive to find new ways to stay ahead of the curve. Adapting the warehouse management system (WMS) into their daily operation is one of their best moves.

What Is WMS?

WMS is software that helps businesses to manage and optimize their daily operations. It covers different aspects of the company, including inventory management, order fulfillment, and shipping. This is especially useful for the ecommerce industry as it has a large inventory to manage.

Study shows that the WMS market size is predicted to expand from USD$2.39 billion in 2021 to USD$2.74 billion in 2022 with a 14.77% compound annual growth rate (CAGR). This data will reach up to USD$4.83 billion during the forecast period at a CAGR of 15.55%. Moreover, this growing demand is not surprising as this software plays a vital role in any business.

Reasons Businesses Rely on WMS Software

To give you insights, here are five reasons why ecommerce businesses rely on WMS software:

1. Better Inventory Management

It is a common challenge for ecommerce businesses to keep track of their inventory. You need to ensure that you have enough stock to meet customer demand. However, at the same time, you do not want to overstock as it could lead to high storage costs. Poor vendor communication, failure to monitor inventory, and buying in bulk are some factors that can contribute to inventory problems.

The right WMS software can help solve these issues. It provides real-time data on inventory levels and stock movement. For example, the system can alert the purchasing team if you have a low stock level for a particular product. This way, you can take action immediately and avoid running out of stock. In other words, the WMS ecommerce solution assists you in making sound decisions about inventory management.

2. Fast-Order Processing

Fast and efficient order fulfillment is crucial to your ecommerce business success. In a report, 40% of online buyers are willing to wait two days for their orders to arrive. Meanwhile, 18% are amenable to paying an extra charge for one-day delivery. If you cannot process and ship orders on time, customers will likely go to your competitors.

Implementing WMS technology can speed up your ordering processing time by automating various tasks. For instance, the system can generate pick tickets and route them to the right team. Moreover, you can monitor product status and location in real time, whether in transit or delivered to the customer. With WMS, you can achieve your goal — to process and ship orders on time. As a result, you can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

3. Reduce Operating Costs

The cost of running a business can be high, especially for ecommerce businesses. Many factors must be considered, such as facility, staff, inventory, and shipping. All these aspects can have significant impacts on your bottom line.

Fortunately, the design of WMS software helps businesses cut down their operational costs. This innovative solution can optimize warehouse space and improve resource utilization. For example, the system can help you find the most efficient way to store products in your facility. You can then use the space more effectively and minimize storage costs. At the same time, you can reduce your reliance on manual labor, as this technology automates several tasks.

wms
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4. Boost Customer Satisfaction

The primary goal of every business is to provide the best possible shopping experience for its customers. A warehouse management system can greatly assist in achieving your objective by improving customer experience.

As mentioned, WMS software provides real-time data on product availability. You can use this information to avoid overcommitting and underdelivering to clients. You can also provide accurate delivery estimates and keep your customers in the loop. This approach can reduce the number of customer service calls and emails, resulting in satisfied customers. They may also leave positive reviews and recommend your business to other people. All these factors can generate more leads and sales for your ecommerce business.

5. Improve Business Scalability

Scalability is one of the most important aspects of a successful business. As your business grows, so do your customer base and inventory levels. If unprepared for this growth, it may lead to many problems, such as stockouts, longer lead times, and unhappy customers.

WMS solution is intended to grow with your business. This software can be customized and configured to meet your changing needs. You can add more features and functionalities to the system, such as return management, stock-keeping units (SKUs), new users, locations, and more. As a result, you ensure that your ecommerce business keeps up with the demand without any problems.

Conclusion

A warehouse management system (WMS) is a valuable asset for ecommerce businesses. Now it is your turn to take advantage of this technology. It is a long-term investment that helps your business reach new heights.

The post WMS Ecommerce: Five Reasons Businesses Rely on WMS Software appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/businesses/ecommerce/wms-ecommerce-five-reasons-businesses-rely-wms-software/

Mental Health Tips for Entrepreneurs

Home Business Magazine Online

Entrepreneurship is tough, especially when the responsibility of many falls on your shoulders. Whether it be that you are launching your business, or the state of the economy is pushing you to make some difficult decisions, keeping your mental health in a good place is very important. It often is not spoken much, how entrepreneurs face immense pressure and hardships, as the success story at the end of all the hardships is often the focus of most stories. However the truth is that, all success stories start from struggles and determination, and the recipe for success in all cases is first and foremost, to maintain your health. Without the mental power and continuity, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel is even harder.

Mental health is often improved when people actively do activities in which they enjoy. While online gaming and gambling is often one of the best ways people engage and spend some ‘me time’. Casual gaming without incentive however, can lack passion and consistency. Therefore, if you’re a gamer looking for the best source of entertainment and alone time, CSGOBook is one of the hotspot gaming outlets of the times today. All the games on the platform allow for gambling, meaning you will really be able to really relax and have a session away from all the business deals associated with being an entrepreneur. Head on over to https://csgobook.com/crash/ for an example of one of the best games from this platform. Down below are other ways in which you can improve your mental health.

Daily Self Care

Self care is a perfect way of putting back time and attention into your life, without it being something that cannot be maintained. Whether you like taking baths at the end of the day, baking some cookies, practising 10 minutes of yoga or meditation, no matter how small your dedicated routine is, you will come to realise it can really help relax your mind and body and help alleviate overwhelming thoughts that may come your way during the day. Whatever your self care routine may be, just dedicating a scheduled time in your day to complete it, will make you feel grounded and more whole by the end of it.

Morning Gratitude Routine

Another way to instil peace and calm in your daily routine is by practising daily gratitude. Sitting down every morning before your hustle and bustle will ground you, but also remind you how blessed you are to be taking this journey in your life, and in many ways, remind you for all the more reason to continue pursuing your dreams without fail. Sometimes it is the small things that bring peace, but channelling that awareness will in fact make your day so much calmer, as you realise that many things do not matter, and it is the reaction and time we give to ‘problems’ that can make life difficult. In the grand scheme of things, the basic necessities of warmth, food, shelter, put you in the top category of wealth and privilege in the world. You are doing better than you think!

Super Human is a great platform that provides small snippets of gratitude journaling that can help you channel into your best self, in case you are needing a guideline of where to start off.

Journaling

While journaling is very similar to gratitude routines, journaling opens the space to write down all the negativity that has been following you around all day. Once written on paper, you can see it as a metaphorical way of getting the negativity and stress out of your day, to where you can simply flip the page over, for a brand new day. Such habits of journaling encourage you to see the greater scheme of things, where you can actually focus on things you CAN control, rather than floating in limbo, amongst all the untamed thoughts.

While declining mental health can be a culmination of anxiety, depression and overall low self esteem, simple habits of reworking your trail of thought, as well as putting self love back into your everyday life, can make all the difference. Remember, you are capable of everything you can imagine. However first, taming your internal thoughts is the first step to seeing change in your external environment.

The post Mental Health Tips for Entrepreneurs appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/lifestyles/health-and-fitness/mental-health-tips-entrepreneurs/