When the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020, it put many professionals out of work. Others faced cutbacks on hours or began working remotely, which allowed more time for pursuing multiple income streams. These factors led to a major uptick in startup and small business launches, many of which are still thriving as we enter 2022. With this fact in mind, a panel of 11 Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) experts answered the following question: “The pandemic saw a major uptick in startup and small business launches. What’s one trend you’re excited about seeing in this sector in 2022, and why?” Here’s what they think will impact small businesses this year. 1. People-First Attitudes and Values “The pandemic has helped people reassess what they value the most. People are now opting to spend more time with their family and friends, so they don’t want to choose jobs that offer no work-life balance. The 2022 trend for business owners will be to create stronger workplace values with a people-first attitude. Not doing that might mean losing your best employees.” ~ Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster 2. Avid Online Community Support “Small businesses are agile and connect with their audiences better than big businesses can. I’m excited to see the formation of avid online communities around small businesses. Such businesses and communities can collaborate better to create more personalized offerings. This phenomenon also makes way for small business-driven social change.” ~ Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner 3. The Balance of Voice Search and SEO “I’m curious to see how small businesses will balance voice search and traditional SEO. More people are using voice-activated devices than ever before. At the same time, this technology has advanced considerably in recent years. I can’t wait to see how new business owners use these advancements in voice search to grow their brands in 2022.” ~ John Brackett, Smash Balloon LLC 4. Increased Hiring of Freelancers “One exciting trend that I want to see grow is the increased hiring of freelancers and greater flexibility for workers. We’re seeing power go back to the workforce, which means a better work-life balance for all, as well as a better quality of life.” ~ Blair Williams, MemberPress 5. Skyrocketing Use of Marketing Automation “In 2022, we’ll continue to see marketing automation skyrocket with startups and small businesses. Automation is a crucial part of a growing business’s success, so it’s important to learn how to use these tools for the best results.” ~ Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms 6. Easier Access to Virtual Promotional Tools “The use of virtual tools to promote products and services will continue to innovate the way consumers shop and conduct business on a daily basis. More free or inexpensive augmented reality selling tools will be available to startups and small businesses that in the past would have required custom development.” ~ Jordan Edelson, Appetizer Mobile LLC 7. Hybrid Online-Offline Business Models “One trend that looks like it’s going to continue well into the future is the hybrid online-offline business model. In 2020, even retail businesses were forced to sell more online. I think consumers like being able to move freely between online and offline shopping. For example, many customers like to do thorough online research before going to a store, auto dealership or other business.” ~ Kalin Kassabov, ProTexting 8. Cryptocurrency and NFTs Going Mainstream “I am excited about the mainstreaming of cryptocurrency and NFTs. This revolutionary monetary system is fascinating, and so many people are engaging in the creation of NFTs. At Art Basel in Miami where we are headquartered, AI and NFTs were celebrated, and it really got me excited for the possibilities for small businesses and businesses launched utilizing these technologies and currencies.” ~ Matthew Capala, Alphametic 9. The Democratization of E-Commerce Tech “One trend in the startup and small business sector that I’m most excited about for 2022 is e-commerce growth. With e-commerce website creation platforms like Shopify becoming ever more robust, it’s never been easier for entrepreneurs to get started on their next big product launch. This democratization of e-commerce tech is helping fuel more product innovation than we’ve ever seen before.” ~ Richard Fong, PageKits.com 10. Remote-First Job Opportunities “I am excited to see more remote-first businesses and more democratized access to jobs enabled by technology. The remote trend has a chance to shake up the workforce by providing flexibility and access to a diverse but largely untapped pool of candidates.” ~ Daria Gonzalez, Wunderdogs 11. Unique Perspectives on Long-Standing Issues “I’m worried that many of the new businesses and startups created during the lockdowns will be short-lived as people return to their normal lives. However, I’m excited for the possibility that some of these new startups will be able to provide unique perspectives on long-standing issues, not the least of which being the creation of a new work culture that emphasizes equity and inclusion.” ~ Bryce Welker, Real Estate Schooler Source: https://smallbiztrends.com/ Images: Depositphotos
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Customers Know How To Solve Data, Privacy And AI Trust Issues. Brands Should Listen To Them1/19/2022 In early December, Cogito published some new research designed to capture consumers’ understanding of artificial intelligence (AI), their overall perception and utilization of it, and any apprehensions they had with their utilization of it related to data privacy and regulation. While the study found that most consumers don’t think that AI is a threat to jobs and can help make the lives of employees easier, they expressed a lingering mistrust surrounding brands’ use of their data, privacy and the overall use of AI. In fact, of the consumers surveyed, 72% said that they had concerns about data privacy and what AI-enabled tools are tracking. That number represents a significant trust gap. But, what should companies be doing in the face of that level of concern? Well, additional findings from Cogito’s research offers up some clues. Their research found that:
On the first data point, I think there is little doubt that regulation of the use of AI will happen at some point. But that will take time. By way of comparison, the EU’s GDPR legislation came about after more than four years of discussions and negotiations. But, customers concerns about data, privacy and the use of artificial intelligence are real, present and should not be ignored. Brands would do well to leverage the insight offered by the second and third data points: produce and live by a clear customer code of practice and be more explicit about how they use AI, what data they collect and how it is used. The value of adopting a customer code is something I highlighted in Punk XL, where I told the story of Hubspot who following a period of explosive growth where they went from zero to nearly $700 million in sales per year, and over 3,000 employees and 114,000 customers in over 120 different countries in 15 years, they realized that their growth rate had gotten in the way of them delivering the experience their customers deserve. To remedy that situation in 2018, they created what they call their Customer Code. It is made up of 10 tenets that act as both a set of guidelines for their conduct and a bunch of promises to their customers:
In 2018, they gave themselves a score of 7.1 out of 10 across all of the tenets, with numbers 2, 3 and 8 being the areas that they identified as those that require the most improvement. They also said they were committed to living by these tenets and promised to repeat the exercise and publish the results every year. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to have followed through on that promise. That’s a shame because, amid rising demand for personalization and empathy from customers and concerns about data, privacy and security, as well as ethical and bias concerns with the use of AI technology, a customer code looks increasingly helpful and powerful. Josh Feast, cofounder and CEO at Cogito, agrees and says “A customer code of practice effectively communicates an organization's values, as well as the standards they hold themselves to and the expectations consumers can have as a result. This also poses a good opportunity for these organizations to better educate consumers around AI to minimize any fear or concerns they may have around its use. However, as concerns for data privacy and the use of AI continue to be top of mind for consumers, it’s pertinent that establishing a customer code of practice is a top priority for business leaders in the space.” Some brands will say that they already have such a thing in place. They’d be wrong. The number of examples of brands that are being explicit, in a customer-friendly way, about how they approach customer data, privacy and the use of artificial intelligence is low. However, these concerns are not going away, and it’s becoming increasingly likely that transparency and accountability could become a competitive differentiator for many brands in the coming years. Source: https://www.forbes.com/ Image: Getty
Custom Website Design vs Template: Pros and Cons + How to Decide Which One Fits Your Business1/12/2022 Your website is an integral part of your business. Not only does it provide information about what you do, why you’re great at it, and your pricing, it also serves as an opportunity to establish yourself as an industry expert any time someone does an online search about what you have to offer. Business sites also enable efficiency, as your prospects get a sense of your brand and can browse at their leisure instead of having to call you several times any time they have a question. It also enables you to better promote your business, particularly if you’ve discovered the wonders of inbound marketing. Therefore, it behooves you to design a website that provides a good user experience (UX). But when you look at your options, you realize that there’s a wide range of options and prices. Specifically, it all hinges on whether you create a custom website or build it using templates. Let’s take a closer look at both options. What Is Custom Website Design? Whether it is a b2b website design or b2c, custom websites are built from scratch. This involves using code to create the customizable elements you want to include on your site. As a result, you have full control over how the site will look and function. Because of its complexity, you’ll need to either hire an in-house developer or hire a web design agency to design it for you. Pros of Building a Custom Website Building a custom website allows you to create exactly what you’re envisioning. You also won’t have any limitations regarding integrations with applications, functionalities, or scalability. Cons of Building a Custom Website Building a custom website is expensive and takes a long time to complete. While the timeframe may vary, you should expect it to take close to four to six months. You also need to look for a highly skilled team of web developers to do this for you, since it’s unlikely that the tech savvy go-to person on your team knows everything there is to know about coding (if they do, kudos to them — and give them a raise!) What Is a Website Template? Website templates are predesigned elements that you piece together to bring your website to life. You can browse through a platform’s template library to look for any that match what you’re looking for. You can then make slight modifications regarding layout and colors to align them with your brand identity. You can also add more personality by including visual elements, such as images, videos, and modules. Pros of Building a Website Using a Template Website templates are helpful if you are looking to design a simple website. There are hundreds of thousands of templates to choose from, so you don’t necessarily have to feel too limited by going with this option. Templates are also easy to use; and depending on the website builder you choose (such as HubSpot), they may come with drag-and-drop capabilities that require no coding knowledge. Cons of Building a Website Using a Template Although you don’t have to feel too limited by using a template, there are limits to what you can do with this type of website. Some templates may not be designed to enable some of the features you’d like to include; or implement a layout that makes sense for your business; or make it easy to modify as your business grows. When to Use a Website Template Design Just because custom websites can give you exactly what you want, it doesn’t mean that templates can’t provide you what you need. In fact, templates are an ideal solution if any of these circumstances apply to your business: Low Budget Maybe you’re a startup or there are bigger priorities for which you need to allocate your resources. Using templates can still allow you to design a beautiful website with all of the main functionalities you need, such as background banners, desired typography, and a responsive design. Simple Website Some websites don’t really need bells and whistles. This is especially the case for smaller businesses and solopreneurs. This doesn’t mean that your site has to look basic or cheap. You can purchase higher end templates or hire a web developer to make it look state-of-the-art. Tight Deadline Since templates don’t require complex coding (and many of the modules are already created), websites that are designed using them can be completed in a much shorter time frame. No Coding Knowledge Using premade modules, CTA builders, and drag-and-drop functionalities eliminates the need to have any coding knowledge. That being said, you still can implement code to achieve exactly what you want to achieve, but you can still create a functional website without it. When to Create a Custom Website Custom websites can be created around your specific needs and marketing strategies. This is the best solution for your business if any of the following considerations apply to you: Unique Requirements If the nature of your business requires that you incorporate a complicated website structure, a custom design will save you a lot of time going back and forth trying to get it right. In addition, since so many websites are created using templates, yours may end up looking similar to others. Complex Features Custom websites are also ideal for businesses who want to include a lot of graphics, interactive content, a modern storefront, quizzes, online scheduling, order status, or customer portals, for example. Scalability Concerns Custom websites can be modified whenever you want, and include whatever you want. This makes it much easier to include additional features and functionalities as you expand your products/service offerings. You Have Plenty of Time Building a website from scratch requires a lot of time and patience. You’ll be waiting several months before you can launch it, so even if you do have the money to pay for a big ticket website, make sure you aren’t constrained by a specific deadline. You Have a Larger Budget Custom websites cost tens of thousands of dollars. The bigger the website and the more features and functionalities you want to add, the more expensive it’ll become. You’re also paying for highly skilled professionals to do the job for you. More Control Over User Experience (UX) You want your website to be intuitive and easy to navigate. You want to create specific paths for website visitors, depending on where they are on their buyer’s journey. You may also want people who browse through their mobile phones to be able to do so by simply using their thumb to click around. While a lot of templates do allow for many of these functionalities, creating a custom website lets you incorporate every single requirement you have. Require Multiple Integrations A website’s ability to integrate with other software is crucial to provide a seamless customer experience. This is also necessary to make things easier for your team. For example, you may need your site to communicate with your CRM, email, customer service software, social media accounts, and any other critical tools your business relies on. The more add-ons you need, the more it makes sense to create a custom website that conforms to these requirements. Things to Consider If You Have a Lower Budget What happens if you would love to get a custom website, but it’s not possible to do so with your current budget? You can still create a visually appealing and effective website using templates. However, look for those that allow you to easily incorporate the following: Mobile Optimization Not all website templates are responsive to smaller screens. This is a problem, since most people conduct a significant amount of online searches from their phones; and if your site isn’t loading fast enough or they have to keep scrolling sideways to get your info, they’ll simply go look for a competitor that offers a better user experience. SEO Search engine optimization is what increases the likelihood of your website being found when your target audience does a Google search. There are many factors to consider to make this possible — such as page loading times, HTML tags, including appropriate headings, meta descriptions, alt text for images, URL format, etc… Some templates include HTML that makes it a lot easier for search engines to make sense of the content. Others don’t load fast enough, or (as mentioned in the point above) aren’t responsive to mobile devices. If you’re using templates, make sure they don’t interfere with any SEO elements. Whether Third-Party Applications Will Slow Down Page Speed Sometimes you need features that aren’t included with certain templates. This is solved by integrating third-party applications, which can enable things such as eCommerce, creating pop up forms, or getting SEO recommendations. While they are great ways to implement functionalities that the template alone doesn’t provide, some of them may cause your site to load slower. So if you choose to go the template route, make sure to work with developers who know how to address this issue. As you can see, there are many considerations that come into play when deciding whether you should build a custom site or use templates. But with the right web developers, the process can become as simple as possible. Source: business2community.com Image Credit: Photo by Monoar Rahman from Pexels
When I’m training marketing content writers in the tech space, one thing that comes up a lot is concision. Clarity, accessibility and understanding all suffer when technology content isn’t concise. Concision is making content clearer — not necessarily shorter — right down to each individual sentence. Let’s take a look at this passage from an enterprise technology blog post: As many other companies worldwide, HPE also faced the challenge to do more with less and sought to quickly and efficiently remove costly and ineffective work processes. Combining powerful technologies with SAP’s Business Technology Platform portfolio provided prepackaged and pre-integrated solutions including analytics and machine learning capabilities, which simplified IT processes and elevated customer experience. Additionally, allowing the integration of Conversational AI technology and SAP governance, risk, and compliance solutions, where chatbots took over simple interactions with users, such as authorizations request and password reset, making these actions more convenient. That’s a lot of information to process, and the complex way it’s worded makes it that much harder to pull meaning from it. Where so many writers go wrong is in believing that it’s their job to sound smart. It’s not. It’s a writer’s job to help the reader understand. So how could this writer do that job better? How could we make this paragraph more concise, and ultimately clearer? Here are seven specific things that can help:
Let’s look at that paragraph again with these guidelines applied: HPE, like many other companies worldwide, also faced the challenge of doing more with less. To overcome this, the company focused on removing costly and ineffective work processes. HPE combined powerful technologies with SAP’s Business Technology Platform portfolio to simplify IT processes and elevate the customer experience. This solution also allowed HPE to integrate SAP Conversational AI technology and governance, risk and compliance solutions. With this approach, chatbots could take over simple user requests like authorizations and password resets. We only lost 11 words, and we didn’t lose any key industry terms — but we made it much easier to read and understand. It’s a writer’s job to help the reader understand the subject or story. Clear unnecessary clutter and complexity, and use punctuation and formatting to ease the reader through the content. Making your writing more concise can go a long way toward helping technology customers get the information they need from your company’s content. Source: https://www.business2community.com/ Image Credit: Pixabay.com | StockSnap
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