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Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, just announced on his Instagram channel that the company’s paid verification program, Meta Verified, is now available in the United States.

How it works. The program is designed to provide users with a blue verification badge on both Facebook and Instagram, as well as “proactive impersonation protection” and direct access to customer support. Meta Verified costs $12 per month if accessed via the web, and $15 per month if accessed through iOS or Android to account for those platforms’ cuts of in-app payments. In addition, subscribers will receive stars that can be used to tip Facebook creators, as well as extra stickers for Stories and Reels.

Initial testing. Meta initially launched the program in Australia and New Zealand last month. Verified differs from Twitter Blue, a similar program that allows users to pay for a blue checkmark and other perks, as Meta Verified requires users to provide a piece of government ID that matches the name and photo on their account.

Once a user is verified, they cannot change their profile name or photo, username, or date of birth without going through the verification process again. Accounts that were previously verified on Instagram or Facebook will keep their blue checkmark.

What Meta says. The launch of Meta Verified is part of Meta’s effort to enhance security and transparency on its platforms. By providing users with a blue verification badge and proactive impersonation protection, Meta aims to reduce the number of fake accounts and impersonations that occur on Facebook and Instagram.

Sure, Meta could be rolling out this program to enhance security. Another reason could be to generate additional or diversify their revenue streams. They did, after all, blame weak ad demand for their recent decrease in revenue, an area that makes up 97% of their overall revenue.

For reference. Not sure if the $12-$15 a month is worth it? Here are other monthly subscription services you can get for $15 a month or less:

• YouTube: Free (with ads), or $11.99/month for YouTube Premium (ad-free, includes YouTube Music Premium)
• Spotify: Free (with ads), or $9.99/month for Spotify Premium (ad-free, unlimited skips, offline listening)
• Pandora: Free (with ads), or $4.99/month for Pandora Plus (ad-free, unlimited skips, offline listening)
• Apple Music: $9.99/month for an individual subscription (ad-free, unlimited skips, offline listening)
• Amazon Music: $7.99/month for Prime members (ad-free, unlimited skips, offline listening), or $9.99/month for non-Prime members
• Hulu: $5.99/month for the basic plan (with ads), or $11.99/month for the ad-free plan
• Disney+: $7.99/month or $79.99/year
• Netflix: $8.99/month for the basic plan (SD, one screen at a time), $13.99/month for the standard plan (HD, two screens at a time), or $17.99/month for the premium plan (Ultra HD, four screens at a time)
• HBO Max: $14.99/month

Why we care. The new verification could help to improve the quality and authenticity of the platform’s user base. By requiring government ID verification, Meta may be able to ensure that users are who they say they are and reduce the incidence of fake accounts and bots on its platforms. This could result in a more engaged and authentic user base, which could in turn lead to more effective advertising.

The post Meta rolls out paid verification appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/meta-rolls-out-paid-verification-394469

Home Business Magazine Online

Search engine optimization is a tried and tested way to gain more exposure for your brand and bring more traffic to your website. It’s also a process that requires real expertise to handle effectively.

Working with a dedicated agency can deliver a better SEO experience, but there are so many to choose between that you might not know which is right for the job. The best way to narrow down the field is to keep the following factors in mind when coming to a decision.

Reputation and Track Record

First and arguably most important of all, you want to look at the reputation of any prospective SEO agency, and check that they’ve got a solid history of serving their clients successfully.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and expect clear answers. For instance, have they worked with other businesses that share the same industry niche as yours in the past? If so, what kind of results have those businesses seen from their services?

Talking to previous clients will give you a better idea of how reliable the company is, and what they can bring to the table through the work they do.

It’s also worth doing some research into industry awards and accolades that the agency may have received, such as the US Search Awards. This will help ensure that you are hiring one of the top SEO experts, rather than an unproven or imperfect operator. Taking time to verify credentials like these will go a long way toward guaranteeing that your investment pays off.

Range of Services Available

Another linchpin aspect when considering an SEO agency is the question of whether they offer services tailored to your business needs, and what shape these services take.

Are they able to handle technical tasks such as website optimization and keyword research? Do their strategies include content marketing activities like blog post writing or social media management? Can they handle both SEO and CRO services simultaneously, so that you’re not only increasing site traffic but also boosting conversions?

A thorough understanding of what you need from an SEO perspective is essential. Investigate which offerings are included within each package, so you can be sure that all areas of potential growth are covered by your chosen partner.

Cost vs Quality

Finding the right balance between cost and quality when hiring an SEO agency makes a major difference. It’s important to remember that cheap, short-term solutions are not always the answer. You should instead look for a reliable partner who can provide lasting results at a reasonable price.

Consider what kind of budget your business has available, and then compare it to competing agencies in terms of features offered, services provided, and past successes.

Don’t be afraid to negotiate on pricing, as many companies are willing to work within certain budgets if they know there will be long-term benefits involved.

Accurate Reporting on Performance Metrics

Little matters more than transparency when it comes to SEO. You should always be aware of the progress your agency is making, and you need to know that they are providing accurate reporting on performance metrics like website visits, keyword rankings, and organic search traffic.

Ask potential agencies about their reporting process in detail. A good company will be able to provide comprehensive data for all campaigns so you can track what works best for your business and make informed decisions moving forward.

Make sure that the data presented by an SEO agency is consistent with industry standards. If not, this could hint at problems that might arise further down the line.

Openness to Collaboration

Lastly, when hiring an SEO agency, look for indications that they are happy to collaborate with you to reach the goals you set together.

An effective partnership requires communication between both parties, so you should feel confident that your ideas and feedback will be heard and taken into consideration as part of the strategy development process.

Finding an agency that is willing to take the time to understand your business objectives and goals can help ensure more successful outcomes from their services, so don’t hesitate when asking about how closely they work with clients during campaigns.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately this isn’t just about finding an agency to take on your SEO duties. Rather it’s also about finding a partner that will appreciate your aims and ambitions as an organization, and work with you to reach them. That’s why choosing carefully is crucial.

The post 5 Factors to Consider When Hiring an SEO Agency for Your Business appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/businesses/seo/5-factors-consider-hiring-seo-agency-business/

Home Business Magazine Online

While all new professionals want to achieve success and job stability as quickly as possible, few are willing to take the smartest path to achieve it. Choosing or changing your career path can be a turning point in many people’s lives. In this article, we’ll guide you towards the right steps so you can find the right job.

According to a FlexJobs study, more than 68 percent of American workers consider changing careers. On the other hand, 19 percent would analyze that option if they find an amazing job opportunity. If you have doubts about your current work status, read the tips below to make an informed decision.

Key Circumstances When Changing Careers

Before looking for a new job, the most important thing to think about is the set of factors that will benefit you with that new decision. Let’s review them below:

Interests

Make a list of interests that you identify with and assess whether your new career path offers these goals. Concentrate on how to connect your areas of knowledge or greatest interest with the goals that your potential career demands. If you find a job offer that helps you become better and learn more, you are on the right track.

Skills

Choose a job that requires the technical skills you have developed during your education process. However, keep your mind open to learning new skills. If you are good with numbers and complex calculations, consider a career path in data science. If you are interested in the science of understanding and healing the human body, you may lean towards a healthcare career.

Attitude

Professionals have different approaches to different work environments. If you have a leadership mindset, choose a career that involves managerial roles. But if you’re looking to stay constantly mentally active amid a dynamic learning process, work as a data analyst or software developer, for example. If you don’t have any technical background, you might want to sign up for a coding bootcamp.

Job Availability

Verify that your career has a potential job outlook in the market. The fields with the best economic growth and demand projections are the healthcare and tech industries. Focus on the statistics of wages, level of demand, and work conditions of the highest-rated majors in the global economy.

Salary

Evaluate the different salary offers for each career and the proposals of each company for the same job position. Take into account whether you want to choose a career that offers 6-figure-salary, whose income allows you to cover basic expenses, save, recoup your investment in financing studies, and pay your student loans.

Experiences

The profession you choose should bring out the best in you and exploit your skills. That ideal career should offer you appropriate work resources, knowledge, travel experiences, great colleagues, and high-performance projects for your professional level.

When Is It a Good Time to Change Your Career?

A key fact to take into account when considering changing careers is that, according to the State Higher Education Executive Office, advanced degree holders earn an average salary 35 percent higher than bachelor’s degree holders. In addition, consider the following reasons why professionals may migrate from their current industry:

• Job Dissatisfaction: If you feel that your job does not meet your expectations in terms of success, results, or performance, then it is time to seek a new career path.
• Toxic Work Environment: When there is no camaraderie, cooperation, or collaboration in the shared vision of the company, the personal and professional relationships of the employees will be affected. Therefore, your performance will also be affected.
• Low Salary: A professional who does not have a good income loses financial autonomy. If this is your situation, look for better salary offers to improve your quality of life and socioeconomic status. Stability is always essential.
• Negative Effects to Your Personal Life and Health: Work stress causes illness. If work overload has you chronically exhausted, losing sleep, suffering from headaches, or experiencing other physical symptoms, your body and mind may be telling you that this is not the right career for you.

Conclusion

Although there is no ideal formula when striving to choose a new career, these tips and parameters should lead to the most suitable decision for your goals. Economic, labor, and personal factors are the keys for you to build a track record of success and long-term stability.

The post The Smartest Ways to Choose a New Career That Will Lead You Towards Success in 2023 appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/businesses/success-tips/smartest-ways-choose-new-career-lead-towards-success-2023/

Reading Time: 4 mins

In his first Spring Budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has today set out the government’s plans for tax and spending. At the same time the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published their economic and fiscal forecasts for the next five years.

Mr Hunt opened his budget by announcing that the OBR has confirmed that the UK will not enter a technical recession this year. They forecast that the government will meet the Prime Minister’s five points for growth.

He continued by stating that the difficult decisions that he needed to make in the Autumn to deliver stability are now paying off and that the government are committed to growth and “prosperity with a purpose”.

Before going into the specifics of what his budget will do for the UK, he said that the government was “following a plan and that the plan is working”.

The OBR has forecast that inflation will fall from 10.7% to 2.9% by the end of year and that the UK economy will grow throughout the forecast period. The OBR also expect the unemployment rate to rise more slowly than previously predicted.

Mr Hunt finished his opening preamble by saying that this return to growth has direct consequences for our role on the world stage.

HERE ARE THE KEY POINTS FROM TODAY’S SPRING STATEMENT

Energy Price GUARANTEE

The Energy Price Guarantee will remain at £2,500 for the next three months. This will save the average family £160 on top of the support already announced.

Prepayment Meters

Over 4 million households on pre-payment meters will get help. Their charges will be reduced so that they align with households who pay their bills by direct debit.

Swimming Pools

Mr Hunt has responded to concerned about the effect of high energy costs on our leisure centres and swimming pools. He announced a fund of £63 million fund to keep our public leisure centres and pools afloat.

LOCAL CHARITIES

£100 million to support local charities and community organisations to support their fantastic work.

Suicide Prevention

£10 million over next 2 years to help the voluntary sector who work in the area of suicide.

Great British Pub

The Chancellor will significantly increase the generosity on draft relief, which will be 11p lower than the duty on supermarkets. He called this the ‘Brexit Pubs Guarantee’. (“British Ale is wam but the duty on a pint is frozen!,” he added). This will apply to every pub in NI too (thanks to the Windsor Protocol).

Fuel Duty

Will be frozen.

DEFENCE

A total of £11 billion will be added to the defence budget over next five years.

VETERANS

Mr Hunt announced support for veterans amounting to £30 million.

The Chancellor broke down his approach to economic growth into four sections: Enterprise, Education, Employment, Everywhere. He started with Everywhere:

12 new investment zones

Using Canary Wharf as a model for success, Mr Hunt announced 12 new investment zones across the country:

West Midlands, Greater Manchester, the north-east, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, East Midlands, Teesside, and Liverpool. There will also be at least one in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

REGENERATION

• £200 million in high quality regeneration projects
• £161 million for mayoral combined authorities and Greater London
• £400 million for new levelling up partnerships in places such as Oldham, Mansfield, South Tyneside, Rochdale
• £8.8 billion over 5 years for sustainable transport schemes
• £200 million for potholes

He also confirmed investments for Scotland, Wales and NI

ENTERPRISE

Measures include

• a new investment allowance that means that every £ a company invests in IT equipment, plant or machinery can be deducted in full from taxable profit. This will be worth £9 billion over 3 years
• a new tax credit for small and medium firms in the Life Sciences sector that spend 40% or more of their expenditure on R&D
• Tax relief for the creative industries

ENERGY and NUCLEAR POWER

Measure include

• Carbon Capture Usage and Storage – £20bn for early development of CCUS, Paving the way for CCUS across the whole of the UK
• To encourage investment, nuclear power will be classed as environmentally sustainable (subject to consultation)
• creation of “Great British Nuclear” which will bring down costs and provide opportunities to help provide 1/4 of our electricity by 2050

Employment

• Disabled People

A new programme to help disabled people get into or back into work was announced. This will mean up to £4k per person will be invested in the scheme and it has the potential to help up 50,000 people per year.

£400million will be allocated for mental health and muscular skeletal support and £3million for people with special needs.

Earning thresholds to be increased to 18 hours per week (from 15 hours)

• Older (Experienced) People

The annual pensions tax free allowance will be increased from £40,000 to £60,000 and the lifetime allowance for pensions savings will be abolished.

• Childcare

Funding paid to nurseries to be increased by £204 million, going up to £288 million next year. A 30% increase.

Parents on Universal Credit will get around 50% more support for childcare to encourage them to get back to work. This will be paid upfront rather than in arrears. In real terms this means families will be able to claim £951 for their first child and £1630 for 2 children.

People joining the childcare profession will get incentive payments of £600, and £1200 if they join via an agency

By 2026 Mr Hunt wants schools to be able to offer wraparound care from 8am to 6pm (either on their own or in partnership with other providers).

30 hours of free weekly childcare is being extended to cover children below age of 3. Eventually the aim is cover all children from the age of 9 months where both adults work.

The post Spring Statement 2023: The Key Points appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/spring-statement-2023-the-key-points

Reading Time: 2 mins

In his first budget, the Chancellor announced help for parents but nothing for low and middle earners.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt talked a lot about what the government has achieved while they’ve been in power. He also glossed over the decisions he had to make back in the Autumn when he was faced with the fallout out from Kwasi Kwarteng’s take on the economy. Rather he focused on the Prime Minister’s five point plan.

As usual, many of the key announcements had already been leaked but unusually he didn’t hold anything back to announce on the day. There were no nice surprises, nothing to sweeten the fact that as much as help with energy costs is much needed and very welcome, there was nothing for the hard workers who keep the economy going.

our CEO Jasmine says:

“I liked the way Jeremy Hunt described the scrapping of the lifetime pension allowance as helping get doctors back into the NHS. Well yes, it helps them but it’s also going to be great for City types and, frankly, anyone earning a good whack. It’s a move to help rich people, and there are no guarantees that retired surgeons will rush back to work because of it.

“Frankly, it would help more if the personal tax allowances were unfrozen and kept in line with pay increases. That would help the lower and middle earners as well who have not been particularly helped with this Budget. If you have children of school age then you will be feeling a bit happier about life, particularly if you drive to work, but those who are working all the hours and struggling to get by won’t have found any solace in Hunt’s announcements.”

So yes, the increase in support for parents in terms of massive increases in childcare allowances and the short term continued help with energy costs are both really good for families. But, living standards continue to fall and in real terms this budget is for the rich.

Let us know what you think in the comments below.

The post Chancellor announces help for parents but not enough for low and mid earners appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/chancellor-announces-help-for-parents