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Top Reasons Every Business Absolutely Needs SEO

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Unless you have been living under the rock, you will know that SEO is important for visibility and greater searchability. Especially if you have plans to take your brand to the next level, it is important to invest in SEO right now. Unfortunately, many businesses are not known for getting the right SEO for their brands. This is why they often lag behind the contemporaries in the search engine and do reach out to the audience. For your information, SEO is a valuable marketing tool and has much more to offer than you think. Here are a few reasons, why every business needs SEO:

1.               Organic Search is the Need of the Hour

In simple words, organic search is a huge part of a business websites’ success. It is acknowledged as the critical component of any website as it can convert visitors into customers. As most marketers will tell you, Google has a large say in the search market as compared to its competitors such as Yahoo, Yandex, Baidu, and others. This doesn’t take away from the fact that the other search engines don’t contribute to your brand’s visibility. The truth is, Google owns around 755 of the search market, which is staggering. Therefore, when you settle for SEO practices, following the SEO guidelines will become a must. This is why you need to look for an seo agency that understands your requirements and comes up with the best solutions.

2.               A Better User Experience

Gone are the days when customers were only concerned with the core product and service. Today, a modern customer will see how you value them because they have a large number of options to choose from. Today, Google has learned how to interpret a website in the favor of the customer. This is crucial for the success of any business because no company owner wants to lose a prospective client. Customers are very clear about what they want. So if your website does cater to them, they will get repulsed and look for other options available.

3.               SEO Builds Trust

Long story cut short, the goal of a well-put SEO tool is to build a strong foundation for any website that gives a top-notch user experience. Bear in mind, a customer will always swoon over a website that appears in the earliest searches of Google. So if you manage to pull up your platform at a higher position, customers will eventually put their faith in what you have to offer. However, there are plenty of elements that are checked when a website is ranked such as the quality of backlinks, on-page content, positive user behavior, and a lot more. Only an experienced SEO professional can help you achieve the best results in a short time.

4.               Better Conversion

With the rise in the global domination of mobile traffic, local search has become the need of the hour. Keep in mind, local SEO is aimed at improving your website’s ranking in the local search. This means, people can quickly find you on the web, which will put them one step closer to making the final transaction. Local optimization is focused on specific towns, states, cities, and regions. It is aimed at establishing the message of the brand at a local level for maximum coverage.

World’s Best Boss – 5 Tips For Keeping Employee Morale Up During The Coronavirus Pandemic

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Photo: Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the world’s economy, many people are worried about their current and future state of employment. While workers deemed “essential” are still fortifying the work front, many laid-off workers wonder if and when they will return to their jobs.

Although times are uncertain right now, employers can do a lot to boost morale and ease the minds of their employees. If you’re an employer, take a look at the suggestions below to keep your workers’ spirits up as this worldwide crisis continues.

1. Give the Gift of Appreciation

COVID-19 has separated and isolated the public at large. As such, workers may feel disconnected at home and taken for granted in the workplace. As an employer, you can help your workers, both at home and in-office, feel connected and valued by giving corporate gifts of appreciation.

You’d be surprised at how much small gifts can help during this trying time. It will remind your employees that they are part of a larger group and that they are still valued as a member of the team.

2. Keep the Lines of Communication Open

Because times are uncertain right now, it’s important to keep the lines of communication open. Whether your employees are working from home, working in-person, or laid off during this time, you must keep them apprised of any and all changes taking place. By adopting an “open-door” policy, your employees still feel connected and able to discuss their concerns about work, family, and health with you.

3. Embrace Virtual Technology

As the coronavirus spreads, many people are forced to work from home. Aside from the traditional phone call or email, employers should adopt other forms of virtual tech to help employees feel less disconnected. Facetime, Skype, Zoom, and other online technologies make it possible to conduct one-on-one video calls as well as group video conferences over a wi-fi signal. As an employer, you should use as many virtual enhancements as possible to help your workers feel as if it’s business as usual, even if they’re quarantined at home.

4. Give Working Parents a Break

The rapid spread of the coronavirus has led to the mandatory closing of schools as well as some childcare centers. This leaves working parents struggling to balance their jobs with childcare. As the boss, it’s up to you to recognize this struggle and give your working parents a break when you can.

If their job isn’t one that needs to be done during normal business hours, you can allow them to work when it’s convenient for them. Alternately, you could relax project deadlines to give them more time to complete their work.

5. Make Sure Your Network Can Handle Remote Work

Despite the many reasons to be feeling down about COVID-19, many people are still motivated to do their jobs well. As such, your company’s network must be able to handle the influx of remote work that’s taking place. If it can’t, your workers may begin to feel dejected with an attitude of “why bother?”

If you notice that your IT infrastructure isn’t keeping up with the demand, you should get the expert help it takes to get things running smoothly for your employees. If you don’t have the funds for in-house IT workers, small business IT support services can save you in these difficult times.

No one knows just how long the coronavirus is going to continue to wreak havoc on the world. Until it’s all over, though, employers can help boost the morale of their employees by adopting some or all the suggestions listed above.

Things to consider while choosing multichannel ecommerce software

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 ecommerce in italy

Many online business stores limit themselves by selling products only on one website such as Amazon, which can result in loss of revenues. There are several marketing channels which provide opportunities for increasing sales in online business which ultimately help to generate more revenues. However, it requires the right platform to reach more customers with a quick turnaround time. Businesses willing to employ a multichannel strategy should focus more on selecting the right platform for meeting essential needs. Moreover, it will help a lot to grow business significantly to obtain optimal results.

Multichannel ecommerce software for online business

Listing products on many ecommerce channels will consume more time if done manually. A multichannel ecommerce software allows online business stores to sell their products through various networks easily with the latest features, all while automating the process. In fact, it allows businesses to get more leads after listing their products. On the other hand, overselling may lead to penalties and other problems while utilizing the software. Not all software products are the same and a business store should consider certain important things before investing money.

Here are some key aspects to look out while selecting a multichannel ecommerce software solution.

1. Customizable features

It is important to select a platform that comes with customizable features for gaining more advantages. This, in turn, helps to run a business successfully with automation and human-tech support.

2. Ease of use

Business owners who want to control their sales should make sure that the ecommerce software comes with an editing tool. They should find a software support team that can correct things like typos. The multichannel platform should also provide the option to edit product details that can then sync with the listing channels so that they don’t need to be manually updated.

3. Data management in listing

Data management is the most important factor to consider while choosing a multichannel platform. It is necessary to select the best software that will copy current product listings into other channels. A multichannel platform should include images, descriptions, specifications, and pricing when uploading the data.

4. Inventory syncing

Inventory syncing is another thing to consider while buying a new multichannel platform for ensuring optimal results. It is a crucial feature that is needed for an effective listing management system to sell one-of-a-kind products.

5. Multiple sales channels

Large online business stores should choose a platform which supports multiple sales channels that will benefit them significantly. Some software can support many different channels or a large amount of product listings.

6. Shipping

Shipping is the next important thing to consider when buying a new multichannel platform for an online business. This is because a store should make sure that a product reaches a customer on time through established logistics provider after placing an order.

7. Customer service

Anyone who wants to sell products through multiple channels should select a platform that offers personal and individualized customer support. As such, there are many options available on the market to do so, and ultimately good research will ensure that you are able to get the best multichannel ecommerce software solution for your business.

5 Tips for Successful Retail Fitout in Australia

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retail design

If you are just venturing into the retail sector, fitting out the shop might be one of the unexpected hurdles that you face. After you have found the right location, repaint it, and buy the display cabinets and racks, you will still need to make it visually appealing. Most building owners will encourage you to improve the building at your expense.

1. Improve the interior Design to Attract Customers

You will need a strategic approach and the right expertise to get the retail interior design right. Great signage, product placement, and visual merchandising can complement this. When you are planning your interior design, always have the customer experience in mind. For a customer, the persuasion to enter the store is the ambience and not the products. Most customers do not notice the merchandise on display. When they come into the store, the first impression is what matters.

One way to grab their attention is to install floor to ceiling wall fixtures. It will allow for the optimal placement of products while encouraging customers to linger. In the trading area, place low-line shelves to allow customers to see products, which will help increasing spending. It also increases customer visibility, which helps to lower shoplifting.

With the right layout, it will also promote signage. This can assist the flow of traffic while helping to build your brand. By analysing and understanding the customer behaviour, you will be able to design a space to guide customers through the store to where they need to be.

2. Make Use of LED Lighting

If you run a retail store, it is important to make full use of shop windows to attract customers. The windows have to be well lit and this will attract customers. The LED lighting is the best option since it helps you to save money on the energy bill. Besides that, it is quite durable and efficient. It also gives you a lot of flexibility when it comes to highlighting certain products that are in high demand. To get it right, consider speaking to a retail fitout service in Melbourne like Unita.

3. Invest in Good-Quality Air Condition

In Melbourne, summer can be quite hot. It is important that you have a good air conditioning unit to maintain a relaxing environment inside the store. Besides that, it preserves the shelf life of your products. The last thing you want is for customers to run off to a more comfortable retail store. If your store is a haven for all weather conditions, you will have more customers who want to come back to your store.

4. Provide Seating for Customers

A great addition to the store that you should consider during the retail refurbishment is seating for the customers. Giving them a place where they can rest their weary feet gives them time to look around and find the products they need. The seating will ensure that shopper take time to discover products they did not know they needed.

5. Do Not Overlook the Security

You have invested a lot of money into your retail business and it is important to protect that investment. Get a professional to install a CCTV system at the store. In case an issue arises, the authorities will have an easier time apprehending and prosecuting the culprits. It can also help to identify serial shoplifters thus helping the entire business community.

Summary

Starting a retail business is exciting but if you want to succeed, you have to do it right. These few tips should prove quite useful in getting things right. If you need expert assistance on how to get the retail fit-out right, consider talking to the experts at Unita.

Energy efficient heating and cooling solutions

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Image: https://pixabay.com/en/air-conditioner-ac-cool-cooling-1614698/

Keeping things cool in Summer and toasty in Winter is as easy as buying home air conditioners that can both heat and cool a room. But there is more to it than just buying a product to do the job for you. To keep costs down and your conscience in check, you need to think about energy efficient heating and cooling. This goes beyond buying a quality air conditioning unit and turning it on. You need to make sure you are using it properly while preparing your home to maximise results in an energy efficient manner.

You may think you need to start from scratch to take advantage of energy efficient heating and cooling but even for existing homes there are many ways to reduce your power bills and improve overall comfort without being a burden on the environment. The following tips will help you become energy efficient in both Summer and Winter.

Energy Efficient Heating

Reduce your power bill and save some cash with energy efficient heating. Keep you and your family warm all winter without breaking the bank with these energy efficient solutions.

No matter what home air conditioners you use, if you use and maintain it wisely, you can reduce those costs while keeping comfortable. You may even use quality air conditioning less.

● Keep your home air conditioners at a steady temperature. Ideally between 18°C and 20°C for you living room or lounge.

● You’ll want to avoid leaving your home air conditioning on overnight. Also, don’t leave it running when you’re not home. It doesn’t take long for a quality air conditioning unit to be effective so is a waste if you aren’t home.

● If your home air conditioners have turn off timers, use them. Set them to turn off at night or turn on in the morning.

● Control the area you want heated. Close doors to areas you aren’t using. Heating the one area you are using is a lot more energy efficient than heating your entire home.

● Keep the air flowing in your home. Make sure furniture isn’t blocking any ducts or optimal airways.

● Make sure you clean the filters of your home air conditioners regularly to keep them working at maximum efficiency.

● A bonus tip for those with a reversible ceiling fan. Use it to redistribute heat that has built up in high ceilings.

Energy Efficient Cooling

Being energy efficient with your cooling involves stopping the heat getting into your home during the day and making sure the cool air gets in at night. This can effectively reduce the need for turning on your home air conditioners. Most of our efficient heating tips work the same for energy efficient cooling but we have a few extras that you can try and employ.

● To stop the heat getting in try and shade north, west and east windows.

● Insulation is super effective for both cooling and heating. You’ll want to insulate your ceiling, walls and floors.

● Go around your home and check the seals around windows, doors and other gaps to stop that heat from getting into your house

● If you can, landscape your property to provide natural shade for your property.

With these tips in hand you, your home and your family will be cosy and comfortable all year-round while keeping costs down and energy efficiency at a maximum. If you need a quality air conditioning unit to help put these tips into practice head over to https://www.carrierair.com.au/ and they’ll help you choose a unit to complement these energy efficient solutions. You’ll be ready to beat the heat and grab hold of the cold.

Woolworths and Wesfarmers in GLOBAL top 250 Retailers list

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Article updated:

Australian  favourite retail giants, Woolworths and Wesfarmers ( Coles Supermarkets), are now listed in the world’s top 25 retail companies list.

Top Australian Retailer in Global Rankings

 

coles against woolworths

The report brought out by research agency Deloitte , identifies the “250 largest retailers by revenue globally” for the fiscal year 2010, lists Woolworths in 20th (26th last year) and Wesfarmers in 23rd position (28th last year).

While the global downturn and economic slowdowns have seen many  top retailers companies going down the list , The Australian retail companies both Woolworths and Wesfarmers both  have jumped up by the list by six and five places  respectively.

The global Retailers list

 

The top Global retailers rankings also included other top global retail companies like WALMART ( No .1 From USA ) , CAREFOUR S.A. ( No.2 – From France ), TESCO PLC ( No. 3 – From UK)

wesfarmers top retailer list

Among the top 30 were also other companies like Costo , Best Buy Co,  Safeway , Ikea and Amazon. Brazil another rapidly growing economy has topped the “top 10 Latin Americas retailer  list”  with its “Grupo Pao De Acucar” taking the top honours.

So what is the big giants Woolworths and Wesfarmers made up of ?

Below is a listing of  the different divisions and businesses that make up the two Goliath’s of  australia

Wesfarmers

§ Retail – Coles, Bi-Lo, Liqourland, Coles express, Coles.com.au, First Choice Liquor, Vintage Cellars, Target, Target Country, K Mart, Kmart Tyre and Auto Services

§ Home Improvement – Bunnings, Bunnings Warehouse, Bunnings Trade

§ Office Supplies – Officeworks

§ Insurance – Lumley, WFi, Oamps, Crombie Lockwood

§ Resources – Urragh, Bengalla

§ Chemicals and Fertilisers – CSBP, QNP (Queensland Nitrates) and AGR (Australian Gold Reagents)

§ Gas/Energy – Kleenheat Gas, Evol LNG, Premier Power (electricity)

§ Industrial and Safety – Blackwoods, Protector Alsafe, Bullivants, Total fasteners, Coregas, Blackwoods Protector, Packaging House, Gotstock.com.au, Safety Source

§ Others, and stakes in – ModWood wood-plastic products, 50% stake each in Gresham Partners (Barminco, Silk Logistics Group and Tasmanian Walking Company) and Westpine Industries and a 24% stake in BWP warehouse retailing properties.

Woolworths

§ Retail – Woolworths Supermarkets, Woolworths Petrol, Big W, BWS, Dan Murphy’s, Wine market, Cellarmasters, Ezibuy, Countdown, Thomas Dux.

§ Home Improvement – Masters

§ Hospitality – ALH (Australia Leisure and Hospitality) group and its brands including Great Food Great Value, Live At Your Local, 28s, Function Venue Finder and Graziers beef.

§ Finance – Woolworths Money credit cards, Reloadable MasterCards and Gift cards.

§ Others – Woolworths Mobile, Langton’s

More details  about the top global retailers can be got from the Deloitte website

Download Global Powers of Retail 2011 Read and download the full report ‘Global Powers of Retailing 2011’ in PDF format.

Top 10 Ways to Earn Extra Money Online

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Today there are several exciting ways to earn money online without having to make a large investment. Everything from self-publishing e-books to entering online tournaments has the potential to bring in an extra wage. The following are ten top ways to earn an income online.

One – Self-Publish an eBook:

Self-publishing books is a good way to earn an income online. Sites like Create Space provide services designed to walk writers through the necessary steps: uploading manuscripts, creating covers, and publishing books through Amazon, either in paperback or on Kindle platform.

Two – Online Poker Tournaments:

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If you enjoy online poker, there are several online tournaments that provide winning opportunities. For example ipops, with a guaranteed prize-pool over a million dollars, it’s a way of getting your pockets packed without very small buy-ins investments. You will have to start from the beginning winning satellites and getting yourself up will the finals where is where the big money is.

Three – Forex Trading:

While Forex trading requires an investment in time, the potential for earning is considerable. Practice on a free demo account until you feel confident. With leverages ranging from 1:1 to 1:888, the only loss you are exposed to is what you actually have in your account, unlike other markets where a margin call can leave you owing the broker money.

Four – Online Freelancing:

Online freelancing sites such as Fiverr.com, Gigbucks.com, and Elance.com provide wonderful opportunities for marketing your talents. While Fiverr.com provides a flat rate, sites like Elance allow freelancers to create unique profiles and bid on a variety of jobs, anything from translation to website SEO.

Five – Selling Artwork and Crafts

For talented individuals selling online can provide a solid income. Sites like Etsy.com provide a ready-made platform for artists and craftspeople to sell items through virtual stores. It is now easier than ever to sell merchandise on Amazon and EBay.

Six – Blogs on Squidoo

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Another exciting way to make money, Squidoo offers potential. While it may take a little while to start earning, adding gadgets to a personalized page can help draw the attention of internet users. Add modules to generated income from affiliate sales.

Seven – Google AdSense

Google’s AdSense is an additional way to earn money. Sign up for a free AdSense account and receive an extra income from ads attached to your website or blog. As traffic to the site increases, the greater the earning potential becomes.

Eight – Write for Online Article Bases

Writing for article bases like Yahoo Contributor Network can provide a nice secondary income. Contributors may write articles covering a broad range of topics and receive payments upfront or via performance pay-outs. Contributors are able to promote their own articles and receive ongoing payments.

Nine – Selling T-shirts on Zazzle and CafePress

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Designing unique t-shirts with colourful designs and slogans can provide the perfect opportunity for creative individuals to make a little extra money. Websites like Zazzle and CafePress allow designers to set up free accounts. Payments are based on established pricing, and the companies produce and ship the merchandise to the customers.

Ten – Set up a Consultant-Site

Perfect for retirees, a consultation site allows experts to take advantage of their knowledge and experience by selling advice to others. Set up your own site or use an existing site to serve as a platform for your expertise.

While it’s important to be aware of scams, there are many authentic opportunities. The best way to earn money online is to promote yourself, sponsor your work, love what you do, and do what you love!

Big retailers gear up to take the online sales war head on

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Harvey Norman has just  released its online  website  focusing on selling online  with a  group buying strategy called “big buys”. Dicksmith , JB HI-Fi, and Coles have also spruced up their  act  and Online websites.

Research demonstrates that one of the main reasons Australians buy online from overseas-based sellers is due to many popular products not being offered online locally.Turnover for the top 2,000 Australian businesses on eBay.com.au grew by 38 per cent in 2010, clearly demonstrating that consumers have a robust appetite for domestic goods and for purchasing online.

Coles recently has also started  a service  making groceries available at a click of a button.  You can buy Groceries online and you can just drive in to the Coles  stores and staff will drop your online grocery shopping  goods into your car  ready for you to just drive home. You can register to do Online shopping with coles  over here – https://www.colesonline.com.au/r

Harvey Norman BiG BUYSTM offers you a fantastic new deal online every day. Harvey Norman BiG BUYS offers are available for a limited time only. It works on a countdown timer and stock is usually limited; a low stock message will appear when stock is almost gone. Once stock is gone, or the countdown has finished, you cannot purchase that day’s special anymore.

 

Visit the website here – http://www.harveynormanbigbuys.com.au/

Dicksmith  electronics which can be browsed at  www.dse.com.au has got a convenient click and collect new buying method for customers , the customers can reserve a product online without payment and then pay and collect the product in store.

More details on how this buying method for Dicksmith online works  is here on their website

David Jones launched its online retailing website in November 2010 as a record high Australian dollar was enticing local consumers onto overseas websites.

The four-year-old study has found that while 82% of global retailers have some form of online catalogue , Australia has only 75% of  its retailers having a online catalogue. The countries with the highest proportion of retailers that can deliver goods bought online were the UK (at 44%), the US (39%) and France (38%).