Technology today has empowered the rise of the remote workforce, with more and more businesses now offering their employees the option to work from home.

And this trend certainly shows no signs of slowing down. A recent survey by Owl Labs found that 16 percent of global companies are now fully-remote, and 52 percent of employees around the world work from home at least one day a week.

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With the research-backed benefits that can come from a remote workforce, it is no wonder that many business owners are welcoming this trend with open arms.

If you’re running a business and are pondering the idea of this growing work structure and whether it would work for you, consider the following benefits:

Higher productivity

Did you know that remote workers get more work done in less time? This consequently allows them to get on with new projects, spend more time on the important tasks, and thus ultimately improve your bottom line.

But why is this? The reason behind the higher productivity of remote workers can be attributed to the following:

• They do not have to commute to work.
• They can finish work in their own time.
• Less distraction from co-workers.
• They are self-motivated.
• They have a more flexible schedule.

According to a study conducted by the University of Illinois, remote working employees also show the tendency to go above and beyond for the company they are working for. It is argued that remote working employees strive to make their work presence more visible to management, in fear that this arrangement could be taken away from them.

A more talented workforce

A business which is oriented around locality will ultimately hinder the quality of talent you can hire. While you may be able to convince some potential hires to migrate to your office, this simply won’t suit everyone.

By harnessing a remote workforce, you open your business up to global hires and a much larger talent pool. One survey found that 68 percent of millennials would be more likely to favor a business if remote work was an option for them.

And with remote working also improving retention rates by 10 percent, this talent will also stick around longer.

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Reduced costs

Hiring remote working employees can result in significant business savings, mainly as a result of reduced office costs.

Real estate needs can be significantly reduced when only a handful of employees are required to be on site. Remote employees reduce costs surrounding computers, phones, electricity, heating and air conditioning and many other necessities which keep an office operating.

Studies suggest that on average, real estate savings with full-time teleworkers is US$10,000 per employee per year. Now that’s a factor worth considering!

Despite the advantages of allowing your employees to work remotely, this “flexible” way of running the workforce is not suited to every business.

Even in today’s hyperconnected world where phones, laptops, tablets, wristwatches and even fridges are tethered to the internet 24/7, some employers are yet to be convinced of the benefits of a remote workforce.

Worries such as a decline in employee performance and loss of control due to decreased employee visibility deter many business leaders from adopting the remote workforce trend.

Many believe that collaboration and work culture will be hindered due to employees being scattered across locations.

Also, while technology can make communicating with people easier, remote working still poses many communication barriers. Such obstacles include many platforms being used at different times, frustrating connection issues, and information that would normally be shared seamlessly and naturally in the office may not be shared… leaving teams at a disadvantage. Despite these downfalls of remote working, those business leaders who are dismissing this trend may be putting their organizations at a strong disadvantage.

But with remote working set to become even more widespread, those businesses who fail to adapt will struggle to find and retain talent in this increasingly competitive world.

The post Is remote working right for my business? appeared first on TechHQ.

Earlier this month, UK cosmetics firm Lush announced it would be getting rid of its social media channels. To the customers, fans of the brand, and digital marketers of the world, the news was met by bafflement.

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Why would a brand with an impressive 570k follower count on Instagram alone, even think about hitting the delete button?

According to Lush’s social media statement, the reasoning behind their decision is due to frustrations over “fighting with algorithms”.

“We are tired of fighting with algorithms, and we do not want to pay to appear in your newsfeed. So we’ve decided it’s time to bid farewell to some of our social channels and open up the conversation between you and us instead,” a statement read.

Moving forward, if you wish to contact Lush, you can do so in a slightly less modern way – through email, live chat, or – (millennials cover your eyes) – a good old-fashioned phone call.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

We’re switching up social.⁣ ⁣ Increasingly, social media is making it harder and harder for us to talk to each other directly. We are tired of fighting with algorithms, and we do not want to pay to appear in your newsfeed. So we’ve decided it’s time to bid farewell to some of our social channels and open up the conversation between you and us instead.⁣ ⁣ Lush has always been made up of many voices, and it’s time for all of them to be heard. We don’t want to limit ourselves to holding conversations in one place, we want social to be placed back in the hands of our communities – from our founders to our friends.⁣ ⁣ We’re a community and we always have been. We believe we can make more noise using all of our voices across the globe because when we do we drive change, challenge norms and create a cosmetic revolution. We want social to be more about passions and less about likes.⁣ ⁣ Over the next week, our customer care team will be actively responding to your messages and comments, after this point you can speak us via live chat on the website, on email at wecare@lush.co.uk and by telephone: 01202 930051.⁣ ⁣ This isn’t the end, it’s just the start of something new.⁣ ⁣ #LushCommunity – see you there.

A post shared by LUSH UK (@lush) on Apr 8, 2019 at 12:17am PDT

While the announcement had people scratching their heads, the frustrations felt by the global company regarding social media algorithms is sure to be reciprocated by other companies.

Zuckerberg’s January announcement of an algorithm update that will favor content from friends and family over posts from brands and publications sparked mass debate in the marketing world.

Brands big and small are now left with the challenge of trying to capture the attention of audiences and are having to work extremely hard to elevate their content above the noise of others. But it’s not only the unpredictability of algorithms that are leading brands and marketers to quake in their boots— there have been many changes to various social media that have added to this confusion.

For instance, influencers now must explicitly tell their following if they’ve been paid to post an ad, which arguably robs the post of the sense of authenticity which consumers seem to love so much.

Adding to this is the recent rumor that Instagram is trialling the removal of its likes count— the currency of social media marketing. Similarly sentiments were voiced by Twitter’s founder in a recent TED interview, if for a different set of underlying reasons.

So it seems that the world of social is becoming somewhat uncertain for marketers. Despite the strain that social media changes have put on many businesses, however, there is no doubt that the move to rid of social platforms altogether is still a gamble for Lush.

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With almost 3.5 billion social media users in the world today, representing roughly 45 percent of the world’s total population, social media platforms have long proven to be an asset for many businesses in terms of building brand awareness, marketing, and customer loyalty.

At the same time, consumers still rely heavily on social to engage with brands. In fact, Sherpa Marketing found that more people follow brands on social media than celebrities, while 60 percent of Instagram users say they discover new products on the platform, according to Facebook.

While part of its motive for disconnecting from social media was to create a more direct relationship with consumers, by parting with social media, Lush will arguably lose that important connection.

Social platforms (especially Twitter) are key platforms for customers to ask questions, get in touch with the brand, and give feedback. It provides consumers with a faster and more direct alternative to engage with brands, as opposed to waiting in long call queues or waiting on an email reply.

While other channels are available, according to an eMarketer survey, 32 percent of US internet users say phone is the most frustrating customer service channel, while only 6 percent say the same for Twitter and 5 percent for Facebook.

Meanwhile, with more than half of US internet users choosing to cease doing business with a brand due to poor customer service, this could really prove to be detrimental for the company.

So, will Lush’s bold move set the precedent for other businesses? Should we expect a trend in “social media strikes”? From my own perspective, it’s difficult to understand how deleting your social presence could really benefit any brand.

That said, it’s hard not to admire businesses for trying a new approach and daring to be different- and I’m excited to see how Lush may leverage technology such as artificial intelligence to build its customer engagement strategies in alternative ways. For now, we will just have to wait and see.

The post Is a break from social media a good idea? appeared first on TechHQ.

The buzz surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) has grown loud enough to catch the attention of c-suites near and far… and for very good reason.

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It’s becoming commonplace to read yet another success story of how AI is lifting organizations to higher levels. From Amazon and its AI-powered warehouse robots driving operational efficiencies to retailers creating more personalized experiences for consumers; the examples are plentiful and diverse.

Yet, while it is fast becoming clear that organizations need to consider the business opportunities of the new technology, the nascence of AI in the business world makes it less clear how to profitably leverage it.

In addition to this is the worry of AI and its impact being overhyped. Many argue that while investment in AI is on the rise, businesses should not just jump on the AI-bandwagon. Instead, businesses need an understanding of how AI could provide value- and this understanding ensures a clear link between AI and business priorities and outcomes.

Without an effective strategic plan for AI, businesses risk wasting money, falling short in performance and falling behind their competitors.

So, how does your business go about creating an AI strategy? Here are three tips to get you started.

# 1 | Define your business outcomes

A good place to begin is by asking the simple question of “what business processes could, or should we accelerate, enhance, or replace with AI that would have favorable outcomes?”

According to a 2018 McKinsey report, only around 16 percent of AI use cases are completely new innovations. This means the highest potential for AI in your business lies in improving the way your organization already operates.

Typically, AI is being used to replace repetitive, low-skilled tasks that involve straightforward decision-making. A great example of this is how AI is being used in law firms for tasks such as document assembly, review and drafting.

These operations are often time-consuming but light on value-add. Automating such responsibilities can reduce human error while simultaneously freeing highly-skilled lawyers from repetitive tasks

As you start to identify similar repetitive tasks or workflows, you can begin to map how AI could play a valuable role in your business.

# 2 | Collect and organize your data

If AI is the engine, data is the oil. If your businesses doesn’t have the data, there is nothing an AI system can do to help.

Harnessing a data and analytics culture within the business is vital. If there is no active collection of results and outcomes, then a predictive or explanatory AI model cannot be created.

Additionally, many of the AI solutions available today are designed to handle ‘clean data’, meaning that the data must be available in a format that is readable by the algorithm.

It’s difficult for a business to know exactly what data may be important to AI analysis. So, it’s wise to gather the rawest data in order to ensure you have what you need- should you need it!

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# 3 | Choosing the right technology

Once you have defined the business outcome you wish AI to help with and ensured you have the data ready, the next step is to determine what type of AI to implement.

There are many algorithms to choose from, each with different functions of performance, quality and specificity. You can choose to use the AI service of the cloud goliaths such as IBM, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, or to more niche and specialized providers.

With so many options available in today’s digital era, you’ll want to shop around to see which AI technology will meet the requirements for your use case. While we tend to use the term AI consistently, it consists of many different techniques, approaches, and tools.

While it’s early days, AI promises to be the next digital frontier.  According to Gartner’s “Annual Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies” report, AI-based emerging technology is going to play a critical role in business longevity.

To ensure your business is ready for this accelerating trend, it’s vital to have an AI strategy in place which aligns machine learning techniques with business problems. Are you ready?

The post Does your business have an AI strategy? appeared first on TechHQ.

As cybersecurity risk management has emerged as a top priority for companies across many industries, the role of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) has become an integral part of the enterprise.

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Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that 100 percent of large corporations (Fortune 500, Global 2000) globally will have a CISO or equivalent position by 2021.

Why? Businesses everywhere are facing daunting cybersecurity challenges, with stories of big-named brands hit with colossal data breaches becoming regular features in mainstream news outlets. The CISO’s addition to the boardroom has come as a response to these common headlines, with the role now critical to ensuring high security and risk management across the business.

Yet despite the growing importance of the role, the corporate politics surrounding it is ongoing. To whom the CISO should report to and what influence they should have, remains a continued point of contest.

Research has shown that CISOs are lacking the decision-making and purchasing power they really need to make a difference, with many being confronted with internal obstacles, struggling to get their voices heard.

Only half (52 percent) of CISOs feel the executive teams value the security team from a revenue and brand protection standpoint. Worryingly, almost one-in-five (18 percent) believe their board members are indifferent to the security team or even see them as an inconvenience.

Since the position was first created, the majority of CISOs tend to report to the chief information officer (CIO). And according to a recent report, 62 percent of surveyed financial institution CISOs still follow this reporting structure.

According to some, however, the CISO – CIO reporting structure represents a potential governance crisis, with the defensive mindset of the CISO often conflicting with the uptime, availability, and content-driven goals of CIOs. Another concern relating to this structure is that cybersecurity measures may come second to revenue-generating activities.

As such, many organizations are beginning to migrate away from the traditional CIO-CISO reporting structure in order to eliminate the tensions between security and operations that the traditional structure creates. By doing this, it also removes information security from the IT silo, allowing other c-suite executives across the organization to see and influence information security decisions.

In many organizations, the reporting of the CISO is being elevated to CEO level in order to give a business the check and balance, and integrity it truly needs. Unfortunately, it typically takes a data breach or serious security occurrence before the CISO presents to the CEO and board of directors.

In one study, 60 percent of respondents reported having a direct channel to the CEO in the event of a serious security incident. Yet, only 19 percent of respondents said they regularly report all data breaches to the CEO and board of directions.

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Reporting to the CEO rather than the CISO comes with many business benefits. It allows for a frank, candid, and engaged discussion without the conflicts regarding risks, resources, prioritizations that often arises with other stakeholders such as the CIO.

This direct reporting would also allow CISO’s to better address the education gap between CEOs and the dangers of cybercrime.

According to a report by the UK Government’s Cyber Governance Health Check, just 16 percent of boards in UK’s FTSE 350 companies have a “comprehensive understanding of the impact of loss or disruption associated with cyber threats.” This is even more concerning given that 96 percent of these boards have a cybersecurity strategy in place.

By having more direct conversations with the CEO, security officers can offer a better understanding of the cruciality of cybersecurity for the business.

So, should CISOs report directly to the CEO?

Ultimately in this hypercompetitive marketplace, businesses simply cannot afford to undervalue their CISO. Whoever the CISO reports to – be it the CIO, CEO, or CTO – what really matters is having engaged, influential conversations around cyber risks that lead to action taken.

The post Why the CISO should report direct to the CEO appeared first on TechHQ.

The aging population is putting an increasing demand on healthcare systems around the globe.

In the US alone, the number of Americans over the age of 65 is expected to double from around 50 million today to almost 100 million by 2060. And the question is, do we have the resources to care for the health conditions that will undoubtedly come with this?

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Fortunately, it looks as though technology could be the answer to addressing the growing concerns of the healthcare industry.

Digital technologies are shaping up the future of healthcare in front of our very eyes. It’s transforming the detection and diagnosis of illnesses, the way we treat and provide cures to patients, and driving life-changing medical research.

Much like how the advent of mobile technology transformed everything from the way we navigate from one location to another to the way we shop, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and blockchain is revolutionizing healthcare forever.

Let’s look at a few examples of exactly how it’s doing this.

Artificial intelligence

Like many industries, AI has the potential to redesign healthcare completely. The detection of disease, the management of chronic conditions, the delivery of health services, and its application in drug discovery are just a few examples of how AI is being used or trialed for a range of healthcare and research applications.

At last month’s CES show in Vegas, MedTech company, Electronic Caregiver, showcased its virtual ‘nurse’ named Addison that may soon help support thousands of the aging American population through a 15-inch monitor.

The promise of this AI-powered nurse is to facilitate healthcare professionals in monitoring people in their own homes, ensuring they are taking their medicine, and issuing warnings if it foresees any problems developing.

AR and VR

Augmented and virtual reality are commonly associated with the world of gaming, with the likes of Pokémon Go and VR experiences taking the world by storm. But these technologies go much further than providing hours of entertainment.

In Healthcare, AR and VR have some truly wonderful – and perhaps life-changing -applications for both health professionals and patients.

AR is enabling doctors to learn how to perform dangerous procedures, such as heart surgery, without having to first learn on human beings.

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Through VR technology, medical students are given the opportunity to immerse themselves in a safe, controlled virtual experience ahead of their real surgical residency. By being able to observe surgeries, virtually practice procedures, and explore human anatomy, they can get a step ahead in their training.

And for patients, VR is helping in a range of scenarios, from helping to combat fears by confronting them ‘virtually’, to helping dementia patients retrieve memories by returning them to a time that was important to them in the past.

Blockchain

The disruptive technology behind Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are also set to play an important role in healthcare.

For instance, blockchain has the potential to transform the outdated way health records are stored today. It will allow doctors and other health professionals to access a patient’s medical history with ease, while also addressing some important data protection and security issues.

IoT and wearables

The number of connected devices is increasingly on the rise, with Gartner predicting that there will be up to 25 billion connected things by 2021.

The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) is resulting in some exciting advancements in today’s digital age— including in that of the healthcare industry. In fact, the worldwide IoT healthcare market is predicted to reach US$136.8 billion by 2021, with wearables forming a large chunk of this.

Connected wearable technology is being leveraged for a range of applications in healthcare. This includes activity tracking devices, pacemakers, hearing aids, and devices that measure things such as blood pressure and heart rate.

These health-tracking devices are incredibly valued in collecting more and more data about the current and future health of an individual. This gathered data can be used in many amazing ways, including research into developing preventative medicine.

It’s an exciting time for healthcare, with digital technologies promising to transform many outdated and inadequate ways of caring for our aging population. And given the speed of these advancements, it’s not hard to imagine just how much more is possible.

The post How digital technology is driving better healthcare appeared first on TechHQ.

Long gone are the days where data security for many enterprises consisted of installing a firewall with the odd virus scan. In today’s highly-connected digital world, data security is a whole new ball game.

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The evolution of the internet has been the catalyst for increased connectivity and innovations that drive economic growth. Yet worryingly, these new digital innovations are rapidly outpacing the ability to keep the digital sphere secure.

Add the increased sophistication of cyber-criminals and the increasingly connected and online workplace presenting new vulnerabilities, and we can understand why it’s estimated that cyber attacks could account for a loss of US$5.2 trillion from global business in the next five years.

Concern around cybercrime is at an all-time high for businesses, with major breaches such as WannaCry and NotPetya keeping the topic front of mind for many in the c-suite.

As a result, many organizations are investing heavily in cybersecurity efforts. According to Gartner, worldwide spending on information security products and services is set to exceed US$124 billion this year.

Yet, investments in technology solutions alone are not enough to put a stop to pervasive threats. Those organizations who believe that security starts and ends with a set of purchased technology tools are still leaving themselves vulnerable to threats and attacks.

Many cybersecurity experts have long signaled that a more holistic view to cybersecurity is needed. This includes people and processes in addition to these purchases of multi-layered security products and solutions. And as cyber threats continue to grow, a promising service is being offered to businesses wanting to add an additional layer of security.

Is cybersecurity insurance worth it?

Designed to put many minds at rest, ‘cybersecurity insurance’ promises to offer protection and recovery help to companies in the wake of data disasters. But what exactly does it offer?

Cybersecurity insurance is a risk mitigation strategy that enables a business to offset the costs involved in recovering from a cybersecurity risk. It typically covers expenses related to first parties in addition to claims by third parties.

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The purchase of cybersecurity insurance has become increasingly popular in recent years, with PWC forecasting that the total value of premiums that will be paid for cyber insurance will reach $7.5 billion by 2020.

Should your business choose to purchase this sort of cover, you should expect reimbursement for the following expenses:

1. Investigation: This covers the cost of a forensic investigation which is typically needed to determine what occurred, what has been breached, how best to repair the damage, and how to prevent the same type of breach from occurring in the future.
2. Business damage: This may include monetary losses as a result of network downtime, business interruption, the recovery of lost data, and also repairing reputational damage.
3. Privacy and notification issues: This includes required data breach notifications to customers and other affected parties, as well as credit monitoring for customers whose information has been compromised.
4. Lawsuits and extortion: The legal expenses associated with the loss of confidential information and intellectual property, legal settlements and regulatory fines.

So, you may now be asking yourself “Should I purchase this insurance for my business?”

Cybersecurity insurance is certainly no cure-all solution that will throw up a magical protective barrier around your data. But what this insurance can do is keep your business from flailing in the face of a damaging cybersecurity event.

Businesses must start thinking seriously about their cybersecurity protocols and all the options out there. Those who fail to be proactive may find themselves at a significant loss in today’s heightened cyber threat environment.

The post Should my business take out cybersecurity insurance? appeared first on TechHQ.

Finding the right candidate to join your business is rarely an easy job. It’s labor intensive, costly, and is usually fraught with fierce competition from others wanting to nab the same talent.

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Because of this, an increasing number of companies are looking to innovative technologies to help make the recruitment process more efficient. And a technology that is really picking up speed in the recruitment space recently is artificial intelligence (AI).

According to Gartner, the business value of AI is projected to reach US$1.2 trillion this year and in the US alone, major investments in the future of AI are happening left, right and center.

When it comes to AI’s role in recruiting, 63 percent of global HR professionals said that the technology has already changed their headhunting approach, and according to Jobvite, almost 50 percent of recruiters are feeling positive about the technology.

Let’s look at a few examples of AI trends which have fuelled interest in the recruitment space:

# 1 | Creating the perfect job ad

It’s fair to say the internet is saturated with job advertisements.

Over 20,000 companies in the US alone are using LinkedIn in their recruitment process. And with over 15 million active job listings on the platform in 2018, it’s clear that standing out from the sea of competition is paramount.

Though this step is often overlooked, a job advertisement is where the applicant’s journey begins.

Fortunately, AI is now allowing companies to create and post more powerful job ads than ever.

A variety of AI-powered tools are available today that help recruiters perfect the writing of job ads. Textio, for instance, is an augmented writing tool that uses an algorithm that ingests 10 million job openings per month.

The software searches and analyzes language patterns and rates against criteria such as the number of applicants a job gets and the percentage who qualified to get an interview.

Using natural language processing (NLP), the algorithms can suggest alternative phrases based on most successful job descriptions. For instance, replacing ‘focused on’ with ‘passionate about’.

# 2 | Sourcing new staff

Sourcing candidates for a role can be made a whole lot easier with AI. Automated sourcing locates candidates online that fit the requirements of your role, reducing the friction associated with the recruitment process.

This works by AI-powered software such as Fetcher which can scan job descriptions for the role. From this, algorithms will gather and suggest potential hires based on matching skills.

While referrals prove to be the number one recruitment source, AI will be capable of collecting data from thousands of candidates to identify the ideal fit. Not only will this vastly improve the quality of candidates in your pipeline, but it will save you bucket-loads of time.

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# 3 | Finding passive candidates

When sourcing the best available talent in your industry, top candidates are rarely the ones who are actively looking for new employment options. In fact, recent research suggests that 95 percent of the people employers are wanting to hire are not even looking for new jobs.

Reaching these passive candidates can often be a challenge that involves a lot of time, money, and manpower. Fortunately, AI is proving to be the secret ingredient to engaging with this group.

For instance, programmatic recruitment can take human error and guesswork out of sourcing potential hires who might be receptive to your job ads.

Using AI, ads can be placed where they are likely to best perform based on algorithms and data science. This will ensure it will reach the right eyes of potential candidates who may want to explore the ad further.

Social media platforms should be the main target for attracting passive candidates since this is where 90 percent of millennials are active daily. On sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook, you can leverage AI to place ads that target an audience based on their profile data, location, and interests.

AI can also monitor data such as how long the passive candidate has been in their current position and whether they have been promoted in this time. Armed with valuable data like this, companies can create a list of candidates who are likely to engage with a new job opportunity and would fit well in their organization.

With the ever-rising competition for talent, forward-thinking recruitment professionals must understand that resistance to leveraging the power of AI-powered tools will only put them at a disadvantage.

By educating themselves on how AI can improve workflow and keep them current within the recruiting field, they will be sure to be ahead of the race for the very best hires.

The post Three ways AI can help find your next best hire appeared first on TechHQ.

As we head on into 2019 it seems the murky waters of search engine optimization (SEO) are still no clearer for many marketers. While SEO is a crucial and important component of online success, the way in which to tackle it has been more mystery than anything else.

But tackle it businesses must. Some 94 percent of B2B buyers claim to search online before making a purchase, according to Accenture. On the consumer side, meanwhile, GE Capital Bank estimates that 81 percent of shoppers research online before making a decision to buy.

For any business seeking to grow its presence, and customer-base, online, achieving high-visibility in the relevant SERPs (search engine results pages) can be a crucial path for success. But with Google and other search engines keeping their algorithms close to their chest, marketing professionals are often left guessing which SEO tactics will drive the best results.

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Factors such as declining organic traffic, high bounce rates, and decreasing off-page SEO are red flags signaling that it’s probably time for your business to revisit its SEO tactics.

One essential component for optimization is the number of inbound links to your website. However, there’s no question that building great inbound links is by no means an easy task. But when done successfully, you can expect it to significantly boost your SEO success.

Why? Not only do inbound links provide validation that your content is good (give yourself a nice little pat on the back), but they also signal to Google that your site is authoritative. And this is what makes your SEO rankings soar.

So without further ado, let’s get you started with some ways you can work on your inbound link strategy.

Maintain a regular blog

One of the best things you can do to improve your chances of ranking high in Google is to start creating regular, high-quality blog content.

While blogging is often viewed as a laborious, time-consuming task for marketers, good content can really make a huge difference to your sites SEO performance. This is due to a number of reasons, including keeping your website fresh and current, increasing the chance of keeping visitors on your website for longer, and also gives you the chance to target those all-important long-tail keywords.

Regular website blogs also provide an excellent opportunity to strengthen your internal-link strategy. If you’re regularly writing great topical content, other websites are likely to link to your page.

The proof is in the numbers. HubSpot discovered companies that have a blog on their website earn up to 97 percent more inbound links.

Another great way to increase internal-links via blogging is to write up weekly or monthly “round-up” content linking trusted sites. For example, you could write a blog on “10 content marketing blogs that will help you increase your visibility”, linking popular blogs and websites.

From this, you can then send a simple email to all those you have included, telling them how much of a great resource their blog was and that you have included it in your weekly round-up.

At the end of the email, mention how you would be very appreciative if they could cite, share or mention your blog. The likelihood is that they will, since you’ve mentioned their source as a leader in the market.

The power of guest blogging

We’ve discussed how maintaining a regular blog on your own website is great for building internal links- but now let’s talk about guest blogging.

Many businesses have seen excellent SEO results by writing good-quality blog content for other authority sites that backlink in exchange for the content. This is also a great way to promote your brand name and establish yourself as a thought-leader in the industry.

To do this, you first need to research where there are reputable guest post opportunities for your relevant niche or industry. You want to ensure that the blog’s audience is one that is interested in your industry, the content is focused on your niche/market, and gains a good amount of engagement from readers.

Make a pitch to the owner of the blog, ensuring the content you present them is of high-quality and relevant to the market. Try and get your content in as many blogs as possible- but the quality really counts here! It’s not just a numbers game.

Up your social media activity

Social media platforms have truly revolutionized marketing for businesses of all sizes and across varying industries. Put simply, if you aren’t active on social media, then you are doing your brand a big disservice.

The world of social media is a hotbed for engagement and building relationships with both customers and other businesses.

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By actively posting content across all your channels, you can expose your brand name and site URL to more pairs of eyes! Thus, you are more likely to have your great content shared and internal-links boosted.

But while social activity has been shown to help SEO, simply spamming your follower’s feeds is no good. According to Hootsuite, while regular posting is important, if you aren’t offering your audience value then there’s no point.

So here we have it. While these are just three examples of how you can up those internal-link numbers, it’s a good place to start!

The post Improve your search visibility with inbound links appeared first on TechHQ.

This year has been a big year for influencer marketing. The number of brands allocating bigger budgets to the channel is continuing to grow rapidly with many now viewing it as a crucial and valuable addition to their marketing toolbox.

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The idea of influencer marketing is by no means new- celebrity endorsement has long been used by brands as a way to advertise new products to their fans. But today, influencer marketing can be described as a hybrid of old and new marketing strategies.

In today’s digital age, social media has truly reconfigured the influencer marketing game. Along with celebrities, there is now a whole ocean of social media stars who come from a variety of backgrounds and industries. These individuals have the ability to influence others, allowing them to give a human voice for brands wanting to partner with them in order to advertise to their large online followings.

Influencer marketing is much less direct than traditional forms of marketing, creating a more authentic relationship between brands, influencers, and customers. The success of the industry so far sees it poised to reach between US$5 billion and $10 billion by 2022.

As this booming form of social media marketing comes to the fore, the parameters around how best to plan, implement and track a successful influencer marketing plan is something that is much talked about among brands and professionals.

With more businesses getting ready to leverage the power of influencer marketing, let’s take a look at some key trends to keep an eye on in the coming year.

Micro-influencers make mega impact

While celebrities and A-listers have in the past predominantly been used to promote brands and products, those with smaller followings can also really pack a punch when it comes to influencing their audiences.

These ‘micro-influencers’ (those with 10,000 followers or less on social media) are perceived as ‘normal’ everyday people who are much more relatable to their audiences. They tend to engage and interact with their followers more frequently and have much more of an authentic approach.

Moreover, unlike celebs and mega-influencers, they tend to specialize in a particular niche such as food, fitness and heath, fashion, and beauty. Because of their passion, followers are much more likely to trust their recommendations on products in this industry. For brands, micro-influencers also tend to be much more affordable.

Video content and live-streaming will continue to rise in popularity

In recent years, video marketing has really blossomed on social media due to our incrasingly short attention spans and the need to be entertained quickly. In fact, video currently represents over three quarters of all internet traffic.

And this isn’t a trend that is being missed in the influencer world. Many have begun leveraging video as an effective platform in which to engage their followers. Whether it’s a Q&A session, a product demonstration, an influencer taking over a brands’ live-feed, or behind-the-scenes footage at events- video is all of the rage and audiences everywhere are craving it!

Greater transparency in advertising

As more brands get involved with creating partnerships with influencers, it is forcing platforms and policy makers to address how advertising is managed on social media. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK recently released a set of guidelines regarding transparency in influencer marketing.

The primary goal of this is to ensure that influencers are disclosing to their audiences any commercial relationships they have with brands. Ads should be clearly labelled as such through the use of hashtags, such as #sponsored or #paid in order to avoid sanctions.

Influencer fraud and fake followings become a cause for concern

While authenticity seems to be the winning ticket for success in influencer marketing, the dark side of this marketing technique has begun to emerge.

The industry is being inundated with fake followers and likes, with many influencers using automation and bot-backed systems to increase their engagement on posts. In fact, according to one study, up to 20 percent of mid-level influencers’ followers are likely to be fraudulent.

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Five examples of experiential retail in 2018

This is risky business for brands who are spending a large chunk of their budget on empty likes and engagements. Therefore, they must ensure they are being extra careful when setting out to work with influencers. They must delve into the followings of individuals to distinguish the fakesters from the real deal.

Virtual influencers: The next big thing for brands?

While micro-influencers and celebs are proving to be a massive marketing advantage for brands, there is a new kind of influencer emerging… the virtual kind.

A growing online trend emerging in the wonderful world of social media is the introduction of computer-generated influencers. While this may have you rolling your eyes and shaking your head, these influencers are proving to have some serious money-making potential.

Fashion photographer, Cameron-James Wilson, created a CGI ‘supermodel’ named Shudu who now has over 150K followers. Shudu’s account went viral after beauty brand Fenty reposted a photo of the virtual influencer ‘wearing’ a shade of the brand’s lipstick.

When asked why he thinks brands may want to work with digital models such as Shudu, Wilson told TechHQ:

“I see a future where brands employ digital models as another tool for brand development alongside real models, having a digital spokesperson means you can invest a lot into them without the concerns of a competitor brand booking them next season.”

With 2019 just around the corner, it is certain that a rising number of brands will be thinking about if and how they should be incorporating influencer marketing into their new year plan. As the industry evolves, so must we. So be sure to take note of the aforementioned trends in order to really open new doors for brand-influencer collaborations.

The post What does 2019 have in store for influencer marketing? appeared first on TechHQ.

The past year has been a rough ride for the high-street.

Many retailers have been forced to shut their doors for the final time due to the fierce competition of today’s online shopping options.

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Even the spirit of Christmas seems to have been dampened ever so slightly with the eerie emptiness of Toys R Us stores across the UK- not to mention the absence of the brand’s classic festive advert.

It’s just dawned on me that I’m never going to see the Toys ‘R’ Us Christmas advert again & now I feel sad

— Amelia (@AmeliaJT) October 21, 2018

Breaks my heart to know the next generation will never hear a TOYS R US advert & get excited because its nearly Christmas todays kids will never know how boss it was growing up in the 90s with actual toys and not games on there phone

— rachel ward (@rachellward) February 28, 2018

Yet while 2018 may be remembered for yet another year of retail woes, a more positive development has also defined this year.

Many retailers are standing strong against the current, developing new and innovative ways to ensure consumers flock to their storefronts.

Enter: experiential retail. With today’s consumers craving ‘experiences’, retailers are realizing the need to innovate or get left behind. Customer’s no longer want to simply walk into a shop, buy your product and leave. Why would they, when they could do this in the comfort of their own home?

By creating immersive retail experiences, brands can drive consumers back to their stores, ensuring they not only leave with your products, but also with memories and a connection.

With the year coming to an end, let’s reflect back on a few examples of retailers who have gone above and beyond to create experiences worth stepping inside a store for.

Tiffany & Co

Even a brand that is 181 years old is realizing the modern need to innovate. The American luxury jewellery store opened a contemporary space in Covent Garden this year that encourages interaction, personalization and performance.

Named The Style Studio, this luxurious space encouraged shoppers to create their own look with the #MakeItTiffany personalization bar. Visitors were also welcomed to enjoy performances, art installations and talks from creators.

L’Occitane

This French beauty brand really went above and beyond this year with features in its Manhattan flagship store.

The shop included an area dedicated to social media with a video live feed of the company’s US Instagram account; the opportunity for shoppers to “cycle through Provence” on stationary bikes against a breath-taking French background; virtual reality (VR) experiences including a 360-degree view in a hot air balloon, and a treat of a personal hand-massage using L’Occitane products.

Charlotte Tilbury

Another beauty brand leveraging emerging technologies in order to transform customer experience is Charlotte Tilbury.

The retailer has integrated augmented reality (AR) technology into many of its stores. This is a smart move considering 61 percent of consumers have reported a preference for stores that offer AR experiences, with 40 percent of these saying they would pay more for products if they had the opportunity to experience it through AR.

AR-powered mirrors were installed in the brand’s London store, enabling visitors to have their faces scanned by the “magic mirror”, which then allowed them to ‘try on’ many of the brand’s iconic looks.

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Lululemon

This health and fitness brand has transformed its Manhattan store into a totally immersive environment for shoppers.

The store epitomises art, culture and connection, offering visitors weekly yoga and dance classes, movie screenings, a fitness studio, free Wi-Fi, and even communal tables for meetings.

Lindsay Claydon, director of brand and community Europe at Lululemon told Campaign Live: “Experiential leaves the guest with a deep understanding and sense of what Lululemon is about.

“Our thinking is that it’s not enough for us to tell people to live an active and healthy life– we want to show them how to do it too.”

Adidas

This popular sportswear retailer has truly captured the meaning of experiential retail with its Fifth Avenue store.

Features include a set of bleachers for customers to watch real-life games on; a juice press to quench the thirst of busy shoppers; a print shop where guests can create personalized Adidas clothing, and a miniature running track where customers can have their running technique analyzed by experts.

This year has been a rough ride for many struggling retailers. But those brands willing to think outside the box and implement new and exciting technologies will be sure to provide today’s tech-savvy customers with an unforgettable experience that keeps them coming back…

The post Five examples of experiential retail in 2018 appeared first on TechHQ.