Since it was first launched, the general sentiment in the business community toward Google+ has been dismissive. The only social networks worth taking seriously were the powerhouses of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. In contrast, Google+ was a ghost town.So why would business – in particular, small business – waste time and other resources adding Google+ into the mix?As the advantages for business in using Google+ become clearer, all the signs are this pervading attitude toward Google+ is now changing.What are the actual stats?There are now more than a billion accounts on Google that are enabled for Google+. Out of these, 360 million users are active. Their +1 button is clicked five billion times every day.Admittedly, these are smaller stats than Facebook, with their 1.2 billion monthly active users. But Google+ is a young network, and these are hardly ‘ghost town’ figures.The important point for business owners is that they are growing at 30% per annum. That means, with increasing numbers jumping on board, the time is now to start growing a foothold in the network as it gains momentum.Leave it too long, and you’ll find competitors gaining a strong Google+ presence and leaving you behind. This will translate into a competitive disadvantage for your own business you may struggle to overcome.Put it the other way, and you have an opportunity right now to create such a competitive advantage for your own business.So what are the key reasons businesses are now taking Google+ seriously, and beginning to jump on board in droves?1. Google+ Business PageAlong with a personal page, you can also to create a page on Google+ related to your business, and attract followers to it.This has three key advantages:- SEO: the more followers you attract who are actively engaged with your business or brand, the more the page rank of your business page will grow, impacting the ranking of your main web site as well as increasing your online visibility as a whole. This is one of the key reasons that companies like The Economist and Starbucks use the platform.- Free Advertising: Creating a business page gives you in effect a highly visible ad on Google search, showing information relating to your business, recent posts from your page, and social proof data in terms of your number of followers. Search ‘Starbucks’, ‘Ford’, or ‘Economist’ on Google and you’ll see what I mean – these are all examples of top businesses who are now taking Google+ seriously, and have millions of followers each to show for it.- AdWords: Once your business page attracts over 100 followers, you’ll automatically get social proof endorsements on your AdWords ads, where they calculate such endorsements would benefit your campaign. This translates into higher click-throughs on your ads as well as potentially lower ad costs.2. SEOI mentioned SEO above, but the SEO advantages are not restricted to having a business page. Your activities on Google+ in general also impact your search engine visibility in other ways.For example, it’s now also one of the factors in the way personalized results are created for users. If someone is following you on Google+, they are more likely to see content you have authored (see Google Authorship below) or +1′ed.Therefore, there is a direct correlation between the number of followers you attract and your search engine visibility. And thus the amount of traffic Google sends your way.This is an important aspect of Google+ many business are simply not aware of. But that awareness will increase – so the earlier you start, the more advantage you will gain before your competitors even realize what they have been missing out on.3. Traffic ReferralsYour traffic can grow in two ways:- Direct traffic: Sharing your content on Google+ results in click-throughs to your site from your own followers, as well as people your followers then re-share your content with. The more followers you attract, the more your traffic from Google+ can grow.- Indirect traffic: As mentioned above, you also gain from increased search engine visibility. As your content shows up on Google more often, you attract more traffic to your web sites and web properties.4. Google AuthorshipYour Google+ Profile gives you an online identity that can then be associated with all your content. As a result, your profile picture can be displayed next to your content in the search engine results, increasing click-through.It also raises your online profile, helps attract more people to follow you on Google+, and reinforces your authority and influence for those who are following you. In many ways, it becomes a virtuous circle.5. Targeted CommunicationsEmail communication is becoming decreasingly effective. People are choosing to communicate increasingly through social media channels. It avoids inbox overload and often makes for easier and more personable communication. Your ability to communicate with your customers and prospects through multiple channels, including social media, is becoming vital.In increasing the personability of communications, social media can help to build stronger relationships with your prospects and customers. It also has great potential to create raving fans of your brand who will help spread your marketing message for you.Google+ provides the ability to communicate in a very targeted way, through their use of ‘circles’. So you might have prospects for a product in one circle, existing customers in another, joint venture partners in another and so on. You can make your posts available to each circle individually.You can also use Hangouts, which enable you to have live chat or even video chat sessions with other Google+ users. Many businesses are already using these to great effect, building powerful relationships and proponents of their brand, and even assisting communications between co-workers who may be geographically separate.—-To conclude, imagine this.You see two ads for something you were interested in, one showed social proof of more than 10,000 followers, and the other showed either no social proof or a far lower number, which one are you more likely to trust, give credibility to, and click through on?The more important question for you is this. Which position would you prefer to be in as a business?With all the above advantages in mind, it pays not to be left behind on this. The winners will make Google+ a central part of their marketing strategy, and enjoy all the advantages as the number of their followers grows in tandem with their online influence and visibility.
Comparing Traditional and Digital Marketing
Digital Marketing versus Traditional Marketing is one of the most heated new age debates that we often come across. While on one hand the tech heads give you the most obvious justification of fast paced digitization as to why digital marketing clearly surpasses traditional marketing. Corporate Executives, on the other hand, functioning in conventions, would more obviously than not justify traditional marketing. Before we ponder on this debate further,let us first understand what essentially distinguishes the two.What is Traditional Marketing?Traditional Marketing refers to the conventional methods of promoting a brand. This includes newspaper ads, magazine ads, billboards, brochures, hoardings etc. Traditional marketing also includes network marketing. In its most basic sense, Traditional marketing refers to a structured effort on endorsing one’s brand but without any reliance on online methodologies. Traditional offline media are often the channels that brands incorporate when it comes brand promotion.The tools for Traditional Marketing are:1.Print Marketing
2. Broadcast Marketing
3. Referral Marketing
4. Outdoor Marketing
5. Publication MarketingLet us Look at a few examples of Traditional Marketing:A. Vicks, a prominent brand in India came up with a campaign called Touch of Care. The ad film showcased a a daughter’s relationship with her transgender mother. This ad film that went viral because of how it truly the touched a chord with the sentimentality of the audience.B. Dove, around mid 2000s came up with the idea of giving away free samples with morning newspapers. This strategy truly helped the brand popularize itself. This brand strategy completely worked in the brand’s favour.What is Digital Marketing?Digital Marketing as the name suggests refers to the marketing efforts of a brand using online channels. It refers to how a brand handles it online reputation. Optimizing your brand forms the backbone in this case. The biggest channel definitely is the Internet. The sub channels include websites, blogs, Social media platforms etc. Digital Marketing includes a step of intricate procedures.The tools include:1. Facebook Marketing
2. Digital Campaigns
3. Search Engine Optimization
4. Content Marketing
5. Influencer MarketingLet us Look at a few examples of Digital Marketing:A. Kitkat hit it big with their influencer marketing strategy. Their challenge on Musical.ly which involved participants lip syncing to the new jingle was quite a rage. It brought great popularity to the brand image of Kitkat.B. Kellogg’s launched their digital campaign using Stranger Things on Netflix. We saw in the series how Eleven was obsessed with Kellogg’s Eggo waffles. This online promotion that incorporated storytelling elements really brought about a string of desirable effects for the brand.Which one Should you go for?The market conditions are reflective of the cut throat competition that prevails currently. In a situation like this both offline and online presence count. While it is extremely important to maintain effective optimization and an impressive online reputation, it is equally vital to maintain a strong offline presence.Despite having different channels,both traditional and digital marketing run on similar strategies. The Marketing Mix, the backbone of any marketing strategy, consisting of Price,Product, Place and Promotion,is essentially what goes into both traditional as well as digital marketing. Therefore a perfect marketing strategy should be the right blend of traditional and digital marketing.While SEO, SMM, etc are great ways of reaching people’s computer screens but there exists a world beyond that which can be reached through the facets of traditional marketing.As you saw, Marketing can be quite a fix. They are services that call for expert advice and professional help. If done right, Marketing can have a sweeping influence which will bring about a string of beneficial outcomes for your ambitious brand.
Buying Shoes For the Gym
Today more than ever people are turning to the local YMCA, workout clubs, fitness centers and gyms to get their daily dose of physical exercise. There is a wide array of activities available at these places depending on the size and type that you choose, from simple weight rooms all the way up to full service complete state of the art health centers equipped with all kinds of exercise equipment and offering aerobics and other classes besides.These places offer a variety of activities designed to help you find an enjoyable way to get your exercise time, and each is just as good as another depending on what it is you want to do. Certain equipment will be beneficial to you if you choose to use one of these facilities, and a small bag to keep everything in one place is a good idea. Items to consider keeping in your gym bag are things like a towel, weight belt, spare comfortable gym clothes, a comb and other vanity accessories, spare lock and key if needed for a locker, and other items associated with a day at the gym. The most important item to select for a healthy and safe time at the gym is quality footwear.Athletic footwear comes in all shapes and styles these days, but what would be the best for wearing to the gym? I would suggest a cross trainer would be ideal, and possibly a tennis shoe if not the cross trainer. Running shoes are meant for forward motion, and would not necessarily give the stability needed laterally for lifting heavy weights or doing aerobics. Tennis shoes offer this lateral motion for sure, but sometimes lack in the forefoot cushioning present in a cross trainer.Lifting weights requires a lot more lateral stability than one might think, and wearing proper quality mens shoes or womens shoes for these types of activities is very important. The importance of footwear in relation to weight training should not be underestimated. A shoe that offers a low center of gravity, but good cushioning is important as well as a shoe that holds the ankle in place and keeps the feet firmly planted where you put them.If activities like aerobics are going to be done, you may want to make sure the quality shoes you select for the gym has a fair amount of cushioning under the ball of the foot as well as the heel, since a lot of aerobic type exercise is done while putting the weight on the front portion of the foot.Fitting a shoe for the gym is like fitting any other shoe. Make sure your feet are not crushed into the toe box, but your heel does not slide when the shoe is laced all the way up in a proper manner. Make sure the shoe is snug side to side but does not pinch, or put pressure on the sides of your toes. Always try on the shoes with a pair of socks typical of the ones you would wear to the gym, and always check the return policies of the store you are dealing with before making a purchase. This is especially important when buying shoes online. You should always make sure you are dealing with a reputable establishment. If done right, shopping for shoes online from a discount online shoe store may be the best way to go.
Opt For Preventive Care To Reduce The Cost of Healthcare
People often do not prioritize their health and visit the hospital or their doctors while detecting some disease-causing symptoms in their bodies. However, preventive care is the best possible way everyone can undertake and cease the risk factors before the symptoms become dangerous and life-threatening. The following article will focus completely on preventive health care and how it helps reduce further costs involved with healthcare.
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What is Preventive Care?
Preventive health care or prophylaxis involves the measures that people consider for preventing any diseases. The form of healthcare includes utilizing medical services or precautions that fight against the potential health crisis. It is the most important step that people can adopt in better management of their health.
Several factors such as genetic predisposition, lifestyle, environmental factors, and disease agents affect people’s health. Hence, everyone must undergo periodic health check-ups and screening tests from the doctors.
People opt for preventive health care for maintaining better health, and eliminating the disease becomes serious. Preventive care in conjunction with medicines will save a patient from health breakdown and save money from future expenses, especially if the patient is suffering from a chronic disease.
What are the Preventative Care Services?
Here are some of the examples of preventive health care services, along with their frequencies. ·
Annual Check-up (1 per calendar year): During the annual check-up, the doctor or Primary Care Provider (PCP) checks all areas of a person’s health, including physical and psychological. Examining the patients in detail helps in detecting any health care concerns in the early stages.
· Flu Shot (1 per year): Most health plans include flu shots and protect the patients from all strains of flu viruses.
· Mammogram (1 calendar year, after the patient attains the age of 40 years): Patients over the age of 40 must undergo routine x-rays of breast tissues and check for signs of cancer and other abnormalities. Some health plans might cover the costs of 3D imaging. ·
Colonoscopy (usually once in every decade after the age of 50) for detecting colon cancer.
· Vaccinations, including boosters for such as measles, rubella, polio, etc. administered during childhood.
Preventive health care helps keep people productive and active, enabling them to earn well during their senior years. Studies show that approximately 35% of people have to consider early retirement, even before they are financially ready. Opting for affordable, preventive care helps in reducing the numbers.
Why Should Patients Opt for Preventive Care?
Access to preventive health care helped reduce healthcare costs among Americans, as the physicians can prevent or treat the disease before the patient needs emergency room (ER) care. Almost one-third of costs in America include hospital care, which is undoubtedly very expensive. In 2010, 21.4% of adults paid at least a visit to the emergency room, which reduced to 18.6% in 2017. Adults not having affordable access to preventive care are more likely to pay a couple of visits to the emergency room.
Statistics show that 7% of the adults in the age group of 18-64 paid visits to the ER in 2014, as they had no other option, regardless of their health insurance status. About 77% of Americans went to the emergency rooms due to complications in their health, including those whose doctors advised them for emergency room care. Approximately 15.4% of uninsured adults in 2014 are more likely to use the emergency room, as they lacked other providers.
Undoubtedly, the cost of ER care for uninsured patients was extremely high. Hospitals provide care, even if the patient fails to provide fees for their services. As hospitals must recover the cost, they shift to Medicaid and health insurance premiums, which increases the healthcare cost for everyone.
Impact of Preventive Care Cost on Health Care Costs
Chronic diseases are the major leading cause of death among people, either preventable or manageable with regular visits to health care. These include:
· Heart diseases
· Cancer
· Stroke and
· Chronic lower respiratory diseases
Poor nutrition and obesity are the leading cause of heart disease and stroke. Genetics and smoking lead to lung cancer, which is the most common type of cancer. Obesity also risks several other forms of cancer.
Treating these chronic diseases is expensive, even before they reach emergency room status. Approximately 90% of the 3.5 trillion USD includes health care expenditures for people suffering psychological problems and chronic diseases. Patients who never went for preventative care or did not have any prescription coverage failed to afford the treatments, screenings, regular check-ups, and medications that would manage the underlying conditions of the disease. Instead, they head up to the emergency rooms with cases of strokes, heart attacks, and other complications.
However, with regular access to affordable, preventive care, the patients were more likely to discover and manage their chronic conditions. Doing so lowers the chances of visiting the emergency rooms and investing more into expensive treatments for those diseases, which passed regular management. With the decrease in the expenditure for treatments, the overall healthcare cost also decreases for everyone, as the hospitals no longer try to cover the treatment cost of the uninsured patients.
When and What Preventive Health Care is the Most Suitable?
A patient’s primary health care provider will help him or her coordinate the most suitable shots and tests. While analyzing the beneficial shots, the health care provider will consider certain aspects such as family history, age, sex, current health status, and several other factors.
Conclusion
Preventive health care often covers 100% of health plans and offers the patients several benefits both in cost and health. However, if the patient experiences doubts or are in dilemmas about the things covered and tests conducted, he or she must communicate with the physician at the earliest.
Everyone knows, “health is wealth.” If a patient is healthy, he or she will perform the best. However, it is also important to adopt a healthy lifestyle, reducing the risk factors and saving the patients from spending money on medicines.