Archives for October 2019

How Long Does It Take to Rank in Google?

October 21, 2019 by Guest Post Leave a Comment

The standard response to this important question is “It depends”. This is because the algorithm behind Google Rankings is a complex system with at least 200 known factors. Trying to take into account all of these factors and come up with a universal formula for all websites is pretty much impossible.

The good news is that there is a study conducted by SEO tool provider Ahrefs that may be able to offer website owners a more concrete answer after all.

The first thing that the team at Ahrefs did was to calculate the average age of top-ranked pages. They took 2 million randomly selected keywords and pulled data on the Top 10 ranking pages for each of them. As it turned out, only 22% of pages that currently rank in the Top 10 on Google were created within one year.

The study also showed that no more than 5.7% of all studied pages ranked in the Top 10 search results within 1 year for at least 1 keyword. In other words, the Ahrefs study demonstrated that “old” pages clearly dominate the search engine results pages (SERP).What does this mean for the rest of the pages that aren’t as lucky as that 5.7 %? Take a look at the infographic below by The Website Group to find out!

The Modern Business World: 5 Challenges You’ll Face as an Executive

October 16, 2019 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

It takes a lot of hard work and persistence to become an executive in today’s modern business world, not to mention industry knowledge and networking skills. But, as any executive knows, the success ladder is forever adding rungs. There’s always one more challenge to be accomplished and variations on current problems to keep any executive ever alert.

It’s the smart executive, however, who is always on the lookout for the problems that MAY arise, the difficulties that COULD pop up and who keeps his business, not to mention his career running on a track. There is any number of issues that could pop up at any time, but following, you’ll find the top five challenges a business executive could face in today’s world.

INCREASING COMPANY REVENUE

According to most executives, the task of raising revenues for the company or non-profit is never-ending. It could be seeking out start-up capital or keeping up month to month on a consistent basis. Let’s face it, money is on everyone’s minds from the top of the ladder on down. Sole proprietors and those with very few employees increasingly view revenue growth as their primary concern. In fact, some find it helpful to seek an ActionCOACH to help them conquer the many tasks that face today’s owners and executives. Business coaches help executives and even sole business owners develop a strategy to generate income, pitch their businesses to other executives, find leads and add new clients. The bottom line is that many executives find coaches an excellent source to help them bring in the business they need.

TIME

While the Rolling Stones sang, “Time is on my side”, that’s just not the case when it comes to executives. In fact, time is increasingly one of the most important assets a person can have. Finding time to complete all the tasks on a to-do list, managing more than one commitment at a time and balancing a corporate leadership position along with building your own business are all problematic for a number of people.

BEING THE LEADER

Whether you own a private company or are building teams to work along side you, leadership is vital to success. There’s the company culture to think of, gaining approval of the shareholders and leading the firm into the new decade. Finding the right person to work on teams with you and in positions for the company is a major challenge facing executives. Whether you have a small business or are managing a global group, balancing a team of employees, or recruiting talented new faces, human resources can be a thorn in your side or a place where your firm excels.

STRATIGIZING GROWTH

No one plans to fail, but failing to plan growth can definitely lead to the failure of a business. Typically, it’s not the small, mom and pop business that is so worrisome, but rather scaling up and expanding existing companies. The problem our business experts find is preparing a company to go to the next level and expanding where needed through organic growth.

MARKETING

Money is the key to growth, but to bring in that golden dollar, executives must get the word out and make their company visible. Attracting this attention in a positive manner, creating the right exposure for the company is brand can be tough. They face the roll of being heard above the Internet’s noise and facing down the competition in a busy market. Marketing in both print and online can be expensive, and there is a great deal of stress to be told of coming in under budget.

5 Cost-Effective Tips for Breaking into New Markets

October 16, 2019 by Keith Coppersmith Leave a Comment

Not every business leader dreams of expanding their brand into new markets, but that doesn’t mean that national and international expansion isn’t one of the most sought-after goals in the modern business world. After all, the global marketplace is becoming more accessible with each passing year, making it quite feasible for growth-oriented companies to expand overseas, and establish a foothold in an exciting new market with plenty of potential for long-term success.

But this doesn’t mean that expanding your business is an easy task, nor is it a guarantee that you’ll actually be able to generate a positive ROI in the months and years to follow. In reality, you need to execute a strong expansion strategy in order to prevent common pitfalls and financial hurdles, and solidify your position in a new market before the established competitors start pushing back. With all of that in mind, here are the best tips you need to implement into your strategy.

It all starts with meticulous research

As a go-getter business leader, you might want nothing more than to simply venture into a new marketplace and take the local demographic by storm, and that’s great, but you can’t hope to be successful without first tending to some diligent research. Knowledge is power in business, and obtaining valuable industry insights is especially important when you’re trying to maximize your new investment, reduce risk as much as possible, and get your foot into the proverbial door.

For these and many other important reasons, you need to research the new market, the new customer demographic, and your new competitors. The best way to do this in a way that’s manageable, clear, and concise, is to conduct a detailed SWOT analysis for each. This will allow you to discover the unique strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats regarding your company, the markets you plan to enter, the local demographic, and your top competitors so that you can develop your own competitive edge, drive innovation, and tailor the message to appeal to your new audience from the start.

Tailor the branding and messaging to the audience

You might have an amazing brand that your current local audience knows and loves, but out there, you’re starting from scratch, and people might not be as receptive. Not that there’s anything wrong with your current brand identity, messaging, visuals, or narrative, it’s just that different communities and cultures respond differently to these stimuli, especially if you’re an outsider they’ve never seen before. People love the brands they’re familiar with, so the moment you enter a new market, you’re at a disadvantage.

So, you need to make a big impact, and you need to make one fast. Leverage the insights you’ve gathered to refine your brand and optimize it for the new customer base, making sure that the narrative speaks to their hearts and minds, that your visuals stand out and evoke positive emotions, and that your messages carry weight while embodying values that truly matter. It’s not an easy task, but it’s nonetheless imperative if you are to capture their attention, inspire them to visit your site or your store, and develop a meaningful relationship with your brand.

Make sure the law is on your side

One of the most important elements of successful international business expansion is making sure that the law is on your side. Sometimes, the local legislature will prevent you from expanding into the local market on your own, and you might have to acquire a strategic partner. For example, real estate agencies and independent agents that want to obtain properties in other countries are often finding that the local laws prohibit them from owning land as foreigners, but that doesn’t mean that expansion is impossible.

In Indonesia, as a prime example, there are dedicated investment firms the likes of Invest Islands that specialize in giving foreign investors that are expanding overseas access to property procurement in the country, but they also simplify the process with experience and professional guidance. Following the same mindset, be sure to consider acquiring such strategic partners yourself when you’re expanding your company, in order to always stay on the right side of the law.

Strive to maintain and improve your level of service

When companies expand, the first thing that tends to go down is the quality of their service. Yes, the workload has quadrupled, and yes, you have to spread your resources across multiple fronts now, but unfortunately that is no excuse to lower your standards – because everyone will notice, especially the clients back home. Be sure to allocate enough resources to expand without jeopardizing your relationship with your existing clientele, and make sure that you have enough money and a sizable workforce to deliver and overdeliver in the new marketplace.

Build long-term relationships

And finally, always remember that long-term success in a new market depends on your ability to build long-lasting relationships. Regardless of your industry or niche, you need to build relationships with all strategic partners and relevant parties in order to elevate your brand’s reputation, get better deals and discounts with suppliers, and get the local customer demographic to trust you. Trust is the keyword you’re looking for here, and you can only achieve it by nurturing existing contacts, and networking to obtain new ones.

Final thoughts

Venturing into a new market can be exciting and exhilarating, but it can also feel quite daunting at times, simply because of the sheer number of obstacles standing between you and long-term success. Using these tips, though, you should have no problem executing a strong expansion strategy and generating a positive ROI in the first couple of years.

How to Get Experience When You Have No Experience (Infographic)

October 10, 2019 by Guest Post Leave a Comment

Read this infographic to discover some valuable tips and tricks to help get your career off to a flying start.

Research shows that candidates typically spend between three and six months searching for their first job. In today’s competitive job market, entry-level candidates lack the experience that many employers are looking for. However, the good news is that there are still many ways you can gain experience in 2019.

How Can You Build Professional Experience in 2019?

The best way to overcome the experience issue is by taking on projects that will build your professional skills. The right project will not only allow you to gain invaluable experience, but it will also provide a way for you to demonstrate your initiative, drive and work ethic to potential employers. Some of the most effective ways of building experience include:
1) Internships: Securing a placement in a business provides a wonderful way to develop skills while also gaining experience in a workplace setting.

2) Apprenticeships: Those seeking a career in a trade, should pursue an apprenticeship which will allow you to learn under an experienced mentor.

3) Volunteering: Working at a charitable organisation will enable you to build skills and knowledge that may prove useful down the line.

4) Start Your Own Project: This pathway is ideal for creative or entrepreneurial types. The internet makes it possible to launch creative or business projects such as an e-commerce store, video series or blog. You could also build skills by doing freelance work through websites such as TopTal or Upwork.

More Tips On How to Land Your First Job

If you are struggling to secure an entry-level position, then you should browse through the below infographic which comes courtesy of the team at Trainwest. This informative guide outlines many helpful tips on how to build professional experience and also offers up some advice on how to address the “experience” question during your job application.

Good luck with your job hunt!

Ways In Which Technology Improves Every Business

October 8, 2019 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

We often hear about technology and all the different ways in which it helps us in our day-to-day lives. It’s incredible to think that within a few decades, we’ve gone from no mobile phones at all, to mobile phones that can do everything. From managing our lives to taking photos and communicating with people all around the world. There is no doubt that this causes problems and sometimes dilemmas we may not have thought of before. However, there are four many benefits to using technology than downfalls. Most certainly, when it comes to business, you cannot avoid using technology to your advantage.

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

Communication

Having a team of people that can communicate not only with your customers and clients but with each other, is a huge benefit to everybody. Now we have instant communication via apps, as well as the usual telephone lines. We can use Skype to speak to people on the other side of the country or even the other side of the world if your business is international. You can’t get through a day without using the Internet at least once in business. And having the ability to use a mobile workforce as well Only goes to serve in improving your productivity. Business success is always achieved through effective communication and great ideas. Been able to share great ideas with each other at high speed keeps you ahead of the game.

Workflow

When it comes to your workflow, it’s desirable to have a team that can produce exceptional work quickly. Using technology to your advantage, in this case, is going to be a significant benefit. No matter if your business is Internet-based or not, creative or data-based, or even education, whatever field you work in your workflow can be improved. Along with the rest of your team. To be able to work out the fastest method, that gets results for you. Finding project management systems, and ways to work through your processes is much easier than it used to be. The only problem here is that there is sometimes too much to look through when making decisions.

Marketing

Marketing in 2019 is a subject that everybody seems to know about. We used to just simply have radio and TV ads, plus some print adverts to look at, but marketing in 2019 is much more advanced. There are AI systems currently being rolled out all over the world, collecting data about human patterns, so that teams can target the correct people for their business. It’s also not as simple as avoiding a TV ad now; every website, YouTube video, and Instagram feed seems to have an advert, and even if not, people are sharing products and services through the form of entertainment. The sophistication of data coupled with creativity, and the delivery methods available to businesses now, means that it’s a whole different landscape to navigate, but with massive opportunities for businesses everywhere.

Ultimately if you own a business and you have mobile communication, a team that is able to work with technology, and also the tools you need to reach your ideal clients, then you should be well on your way to great successes.