Author

Mark Sharron

Advice

What You Should Do With Your Old Printed Photographs

by Mark Sharron
written by Mark Sharron

Printed photographs can seem like items from a lifetime ago. These days, everyone just relies on their phones to capture moments and then store them digitally. However, every now and then you may stumble across a box of old images.

It is only once you take a moment to peruse through them that you will truly understand their value. Printed photographs aren’t just souvenirs of the past. They are also gentle and wonderful reminders of times that you may have forgotten.

At the same time, such discoveries do mean that you are left with piles of printed images and no idea of what to do with them. Well, if you are stuck for ideas, here are some of the things that you can do:

Ditch the Bad Ones

Yes, the first thing you need to do is actually sort through your old images and ditch certain ones. This may seem rather heartbreaking at first, but you will quickly realize that there are many nonsensical pictures in your collection.

Considering that camera technology wasn’t all that great back then, you may find several blurry shots. Not to mention, you may also discover images of random backgrounds. Furthermore, it isn’t uncommon to come across pictures of complete strangers.

In short, if the images don’t have any sentimental value, aren’t telling a story, or are just plain bad, feel free to get rid of them. This will give you the opportunity to focus on the ones that are really important.

Digitize the Images

Printed photographs won’t last forever – no matter how well you store them. Thus, it is important to promptly digitize them. This way, you can have a copy of your favorite pictures to show future generations.

Now, there are several options available to you if you wish to digitize your images. The first involves using a high-quality scanner to scan the images. A scanner has the advantage of allowing you to upload and save several images at once, cutting down on the effort involved.

You also have the option of taking digital photographs and then uploading these to your computer. Naturally, this is a more time-consuming process. However, you do have more control over what the resulting images look like.

If you want to get high-tech, then you can simply download an app that allows you to capture the images on your phone more quickly. You should be warned that this method may not result in the highest resolution, however.

Clean the Images Up

One of the benefits of digitizing your images is that you can actually restore them to their original quality. After all, most printed pictures will end up with scratches, watermarks, and other signs of damage if they are not stored well.

Fortunately, there are services such as InstaRestoration – Photo Restoration & Repair that you can consult. These experts will help you restore different elements of your pictures. Thus, the images will be clearer and you will be able to see more details. Not to mention, any type of damage can be erased or fixed up for you.

What’s great about this option is that the restored and digitized images can be used for a number of purposes. You can place them in artwork, use them for clothing, and even make mugs out of them. The possibilities are endless!

Gather Information

It is possible that many of the photographs in your possession were actually taken years before you were born. Thus, you may not recognize or remember the people or the setting. However, if it is relevant to your family or life story, it is time to do some homework.

Your first point of contact should be older relatives. You can meet them in person or email the images to them. Even if they can’t identify the images, they should be able to point you in the right direction and show you where to look next.

If all else fails, do some online sleuthing. You can use various details in the images such as the style of dress or hair, or even landmarks to learn more about the photos.

Don’t just keep this information to yourself, however. Make sure to label each image properly, complete with any details that you have uncovered. This will be especially useful for future generations, especially since there may be no one around to explain the contents of the pictures.

Store the Photos Well

Now, naturally, you are going to want to display all these printed photographs. So, your next order of business will be to decide which ones will be going up around your home and which ones will be placed away.

Once you have decided which images are going into storage, you will need to make sure that they are being kept safely. Remember, if you want your pictures to last, you need to store them well. Otherwise, they will deteriorate with time.

These days, you can find specialized albums and photo boxes. They often contain acid-free paper to ensure that the images are kept under the right conditions. You will need to place these image-filled items in a cool, dry, and dark place as well.

Avoid randomly placing the images in the boxes or the albums. Instead, take time to sort them out according to date. In case the exact date isn’t available, sort the images by decade or a similar timeline. This allows you to be a little more cohesive with your organizing process.

Get Creative

So, what about the images that you do want to display around the house? Well, it is entirely up to you how you want to go about doing so. There are so many different ways that you can show off these pictures. From collages to ornaments, the options really are endless.

In the end, it is best to opt for a method that goes well with your interior décor. After all, while you are displaying older images, you still want them to look like they belong in their surroundings. Apart from this, you can be as creative as you want.

This is what you can do with old printed photographs. So, if you do come across images of a bygone era, don’t toss them out just yet. Instead, check out the above guidelines and determine what you can do with them.

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Brands

The battle of the Goliaths; Google upgrades Nest to compete with Amazon

by Mark Sharron
written by Mark Sharron

Google is amping up its game to compete with its biggest contender in the home security market: Amazon. As these behemoths battle it out, consumers can expect better functionality and more competitive pricing.

The home security market is huge. In 2018, it was estimated to be a $46 billion industry, with expected increases of more than 60% up to 2023. And this drive is pushed by the accessibility of the IoT (Internet of Things) and a desire to feel safer in their homes.

Are you safe in your home?

As long as you’re not living in a destabilised country, such as Myanmar, Afghanistan or Venezuela, you’re actually living in one of the most peaceful, safest times in history. Around the world, almost 70% of people trust their local police, and 68% of people feel safe walking alone at night in their neighbourhood. In fact, only 5% of people worldwide reported an assault or mugging. Statistics from many cities, districts and countries back this up; we are safer in our homes than ever before.

So why are so many people feeling unsafe?

In the 1970’s, Dr George Gerbner created an explanation for this called the ‘Mean world syndrome’. This is when people think the world in inherently more dangerous than it is. This is largely due to the media reporting more crimes (if it bleeds, it leads), more violent TV shows and people thinking there is more crime – even when there’s not. This over-reporting and saturation of violence can increase depression, anxiety, anger, and fear.

For many, this unsubstantiated fear can be offset by a home security system. And the big tech giant of Google entered with its DIY bolt-on system, Nest, while Amazon has a similar system called Ring. Combined with smart home systems, these pieces of tech provide peace of mind and extra functionality and ease for your life.

What is Nest?

Nest is Google’s systems of security cameras, smart displays, alarms, doorbells, and digital locks. They are all designed to seamlessly integrate with Alexa, your Google products such as WiFi, speakers, thermostats and your central control panel.

The system comes with a variety of subscriptions that give you a range of different functions, including 24/7 camera recordings stored for periods of time. For $5, $10 or $30 a month, the video recording is kept for 10, 30 or 60 days. But this subscription needed to be paid separately for each device, meaning front and back door cameras, for example, needed two subscriptions.

What changes have Nest made?

The new Nest Aware subscription model has changed. There are two plans to choose from. One costs $6 a month, giving you 30 days to access camera recordings of ‘events’, rather than continuous recordings. The $12 a month plan gives 60 days of ‘events’ and ten days of 24/7 recordings. If you pay annually, the amounts drop back to $5 and $10 per month.

However, the biggest change that will please many users, is that both subscriptions include unlimited devices, including cameras, displays and speakers.

It’s also adding audio monitoring to their speakers, so breaking glass or a smoke detector going off will update the user via the app. This app also allows users to dial 911 if they aren’t home, routing the call through the call centre nearest your home, not your current physical location. You can also set up the system to give you alerts on elderly family through their Nest Hub Max.

What does Ring from Amazon offer?

Amazon has a very similar system to Nest, but their plans were far more streamlined than Googles’. Their basic plan is $3 a month, and it offers 60 days of ‘event’ history for any single Ring device. Or, for $10 a month, the Plus plan allows users to add as many Ring devices as they wish, and access 24/7 monitoring.

As yet, it doesn’t give users the ability to access 24/7 recordings, although this appears to be underway.

What’s best for you? Amazon or Google?

With Google’s new plans and added functionality, they are trying to slowly ease Amazon out of the market. But for those wanting a more secure home with more devices and better features, Google is appealing. But a basic Amazon plan at a cheap-as-chips price of $3 is affordable for a home with a single device.

Currently, 70% of smart-speaker households have an Amazon Echo device, and only 32% have Google brands (some have both, accounting for 102%). Clearly, this is a trend that Google are trying to reverse, and consumers are the winners.

At this point, what you choose for your home really depends on how many devices you have. The more devices, the more appealing Google’s new plan is. But for a single device, Amazon is cheaper for now.

 

 

 

 

 

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Marketing

Why Customer Satisfaction Should Be Your Photography Business’s Key Marketing Strategy

by Mark Sharron
written by Mark Sharron

With so many tools and technologies at our disposal these days, it can sometimes be tough to figure out the best way to go about marketing a photography or videography business.

However, entrepreneurs who have just started out on their own may not realise that one of the most effective approaches to promoting their services and securing new projects may have actually been right under their noses the whole time.

New businesses can give themselves a real boost by forging strong relationships with their existing customers, as that very simple step can offer up big opportunities for new work.

Coming back for more

One fairly straightforward reason why keeping customers happy can create new business is that they may choose to come back to you for other projects in the future. This can be particularly useful for photographers and videographers, as it is well-known that retaining customers can prove a lot more cost-effective than going out to try and attract new ones.

In fact, according to this infographic from Invespcro, it can cost businesses up to five times more to bring new customers in, while the probability of selling to an existing customer is also far higher. With existing customers more likely to try new products and services, it is believed that they can spend around 31 per cent more than new customers.

However, there is more to having happy and satisfied customers than securing repeat business from them. By providing a great service, you might also just encourage them to become advocates for what you do.

Spreading the word

When it comes to providing photography services for events such as weddings, it seems that few tactics for drumming up new business can beat word-of-mouth. In fact, a study carried out by FormedFromLight.com found that referrals generated bookings for 70 per cent of the wedding photographers it polled. With this in mind, it is fair to say that happy customers may not be shy in telling others about your work and that in turn could lead to new opportunities.

Furthermore, such customers may also be happy to recommend you online, either via social media platforms or even online review services like Trustpilot. The latter platform has become particularly key to businesses across many sectors, with some even displaying testimonies or ratings from the service on their websites. For example, the mortgage broker and remortgaging specialist Trussle provides advice on home loans from around 90 lenders, displaying its five-star rating right at the top of the homepage. Slightly further down, they have also featured short quotes from customers who have written about them. Another company which has taken a similar step is the home set up service Just Move In, which focuses on helping people through the process of moving to a new property. Like Trussle, its site displays a five-star rating from Trustpilot on its homepage.

Such an approach could work for your business too, as it would not only highlight that you have satisfied customers but also act as a mark of quality and trust for potential new ones too.

Satisfaction guaranteed

So, while you could look to market and promote your business in a range of different ways across a number of publications, platforms and more, it could be argued that few approaches will be quite as effective as simply having satisfied customers.

Whether you’ve just launched your own venture or have been in the business for a few years, the importance of having happy clients is something that should never be downplayed.

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Uncategorized

Here are Some Key Video Marketing Strategies if you Own a Tech Company

by Mark Sharron
written by Mark Sharron

The way that enterprise and tech companies need to market themselves is forever changing. You need to leverage the right tactics if you want to produce the right results because if you don’t, then you may end up getting left behind.

Original Video Content

Video content is becoming a very valuable marketing tool. It’s now more essential than ever for you to implement solutions like this because if you don’t then you risk losing customers. After all, not everyone has time to go through pages of text, or even endless links in order to find the information that they are looking for. Video is able to deliver everything they need and in a very short space of time. Tech companies also need to make sure that they invest in AI as well. Entrepreneurs like Tej Kohli have put millions into the industry of artificial intelligence and this has really helped the industry to skyrocket. If you want to see real results with your tech marketing, then don’t be afraid to explore this as well.

Great Stories

Your technology is probably very complex, and impressive. If you are using video to try and market your solutions, then you need to try and tell a very compelling story. Talk your viewer through how you were able to help a specific customer, or even how your company started. You might also want to tell them how you were able to develop a specific feature. If you can hook your customers with a nice and easy to understand story to begin with then it will be much easier for you to dig into the specifics at a later date.

Fun

Just because you might be in the B2B business doesn’t mean that all of your videos have to be both dry and technical. In fact, it actually means the opposite. Creating videos that are funny or even humorous will really help you to stand apart from the crowd.

Useful Content

Your video strategy needs to make room for educational content as well. This could include tutorials which explain to your users how to use your solutions, or even product demonstrations. It’s also useful to have webinars about industry trends or even the best practices that they should be using as well. If you are able to do this then you will be able to really use this to your advantage in the future.

Testimonials

If you want to really make more sales, then you may want to try and use testimonials from your existing customers. Ask them to leave a review in the form of a video message and then use it to promote your company. When you do, you will soon find that you can make way more of an impact with your brand and that you are also able to push things to that next level. If you aren’t sure how to get your customers to do this then simply give them a free trial of a new product or give them access to a paid-software for free.

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Uncategorized

PROMOTING YOUR BRAND WITH PRINTED PAPER BAGS

by Mark Sharron
written by Mark Sharron

Marketing is a big deal with regard to the success of the 21st-century business. With the market filled with lots of competition, it is not surprising why the is a need to constantly remind your clients about your brand. Several reports indicate that large companies invest millions of dollars every year to promote their brand.

While a lot of successful companies pay a great deal for electronic media adverts, they also invest in using promotional items like printed paper bags to capture the attention of their customers.

In this post, we will take a quick look at how you can use printed paper bags to promote your brand.

Why Are Printed Paper Bags Important?

There is more to the success of any brand than having a gorgeous brand name and colour scheme. While those are important, people often tend to shop in places that they trust and are familiar with. In some cases, they prefer purchasing goods and services in order to save costs. In other cases, they don’t mind making expensive purchases just to make themselves or their loved ones feel special. In whichever case your customers find themselves, there is an importance to the bags that they take their purchases home in.

Whenever people make a purchase, every item bought is valuable to them. The perfect printed paper bag can help highlight how important their purchases are to you. This will help make your customers feel valued and appreciated and, as a result, improve their shopping experiences. Whenever a customer feels he had a great time at your company, it is most likely that he will be back for more. Click this link for your custom printed paper bags.

Hence, printed paper bags improve the shopping experience of your customers and build their trust in your brand.

Here are a few tips on how you can use printed paper bags to promote your business.

  • ALWAYS PICK A BAG DESIGN THAT SUITS YOUR BRAND: If your brand is into the sales of luxury items, you may want to consider the laminated printed paper bag. It often looks classy and luxurious. This complements the intention and experience of your customers. The truth is that luxury items like jewellery and classy clothes etc. deserve to be wrapped in a luxuriously designed paper bag. On the other hand, if you are into the sales of common day-to-day items, you should consider printed paper bags with flat handles. Although this type of bag is cheaper than the laminated paper bag, it exaggerates the value of even the cheapest products, making your customers feel special. It is important that the printed paper bag you intend using compliments your brand.
  • PRIORITIZE YOUR BRAND AND MESSAGE: Although it is true that you want to make your customers feel special whenever they shop with you; you also want to convert them to mobile billboards. Hence, the importance of printing your logo and brand message on the paper bags before giving them out. As a result, you will not only build brand trust with your customers; you will also be boosting the awareness of your brand every time they take your bag with them to other places like the grocery store.

In conclusion, always keep your brand message short and the design simple. Let the emphasis be on your logo and contact information.

 

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Trends

BETWEEN MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY INTERIOR DESIGN: THE BLURRY LINE

by Mark Sharron
written by Mark Sharron

Modern and contemporary interior design are often used interchangeably. Contrary to what a lot of people think, they do not mean the same thing. So, what is the difference?

Modern Design

Modern design refers to a historic design movement that was prominent within a certain period of time (between the 1920’s and 1950’s). It is a defined style that does not change. The elements that make up modern design are peculiar to the modern style, and are easily recognizable.

In terms of categorization of interior design development, modern really refers to a style that eventually develops into ‘Mid Century Modern’ design. Basically, this design style is characterized by clean and unadorned interiors. When you speak of a modern interior in its true sense, you are referring to an interior where the use of natural materials is such as hardwood flooring is prominent. Hardwood floors are not only a good investment but it also accentuates elegance and luxury design. It is a practical investment because they add value to your home. They are durable, easy to clean and repair. The aesthetic character of the interior is simple yet beautiful and functional. Furniture is open and raised off the floor to give an airy feel and there is an emphasis on vertical and horizontal lines showing off structural elements.

Contemporary Design

On the other hand, contemporary design is ever changing. Gaining popularity in the 1970’s, this style is reflective of the moment. When you speak of contemporary design, you are referring to cutting-edge, trending, ever-evolving designs and homestyles. It projects the elements in design that are prominent at the point in time. It is not uncommon for contemporary designs to use elements from different time periods, fusing them to form a unique style. As a result of this diversity and its ever-changing nature, up-to date contemporary design today, may look outdated years later.

Diversity in texture and colour are prominent with this design.

The Blurry Line

When you are able to tell one from the other, you find that the line between the two styles is not so blurry after all.  There are noticeable differences between them. The interior of a modern space follows a definitive and strict format. Colours are usually neutral and natural to give a spacious and airy effect.

On the other hand, a contemporary interior celebrates variety. With this style of interior design, there are no barriers to the colours that may be integrated.

The Similarities

There are also remarkable similarities between modern and contemporary interior design, in spite of the differences. Time and again, modern design elements can be found in contemporary design. They both display simple and uncluttered spaces. Some of the materials used in modern design are equally favoured in contemporary styles such as metal, wood and leather.

What Works For You

In a nutshell, while the idea of modern in interior design describes a distinct style which stemmed from a historic design movement, contemporary design is a constantly evolving style that features current trends. It is eclectic, trendy and diverse. Whatever suits you, works just fine. Both styles have their noticeable features. In making a preference, it is worth knowing that although a contemporary design can have modern features, a modern design can by no means be contemporary.

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Advice

Five Photography Myths

by Mark Sharron
written by Mark Sharron

I’ve been browsing the internet for “Myths About Photography” and it seems everyone is pretty much saying the same thing, over and over. It appears in many cases people make up myths in order to throw out a blog post and try to get some hits for their web site.

That’s not to say there aren’t any myths, or at least misconceptions, however. So, here’s…

“Myth” #1: Photoshop is difficult to learn

Photoshop is really not that hard if you break it down into basic functions. It’s virtually impossible for anyone to know everything you can do with Photoshop but instead of being intimidated by it, all you have to do is start at the beginning. When first using Photoshop, all you have to do is use the brightness and contrast, colour saturation, and tools for removing dust and specks. In other words, just go with the basics.

Expert Photoshop users do not know everything there is to know so it really is a lifelong journey in moving to the next plateau of learning the software. If you start with the simple functions, you will begin to become familiar with the Photoshop environment and build up your confidence. There are plenty of free tutorials on the internet to help you along.

Myth #2: The light is bad

You could probably make the cynical point that the light is always bad for a particular type of photography. And therefore, that means the light is always good for a different photography scenario. The point everyone is trying to make that there is no such thing as bad light, just bad excuses for not shooting.

But if you’re in Cairo and you’re there for just one day and it was your lifelong dream to photograph the sphynx and yet there is a raging dust storm, it’s going to be tough trying to make lemonade out of that lemon. Still, taking pictures of the sphynx in a dust storm is better than no pictures at all. So yeah, a bad day of shooting is better than a good day of sitting at home or your hotel room because the day didn’t bring what you wanted.

Myth #3: The Creative Rut

We’ve all been there. Just not inspired or don’t feel like shooting. Again, everyone out there says this as an excuse to not go shooting. But you know what? Sometimes taking a step back is the best thing to do. You can’t be going 110% all the time. Creativity and productivity are things that run-in cycles. Don’t let the downturns put you into a funk. Know it will turn around and keep your camera ready for when you’re ready to go shooting again.

Myth #4: I’d take better pictures if I had a better camera

We’ve all heard that argument before. Give an amateur a high-end camera and he’s still going to take bad pictures. But better tools mean better results. So, forget the myth here and the point being made that has become a cliché. If you want to be a better photographer, it helps to have a good camera, but you need to learn how to use it. You can still take good pictures with low-end cameras and cell phones. It still boils down to knowing how to use the tools currently in your hands.

Myth #5: You can make a living at photography

Well, yes, you CAN make a living as a photographer but what do you call “living?” There are many good jobs out there in photography and congratulations if you have one but dreaming to be a full-time photographer is not always living the dream.

I know people who are full-time photographers but are barely getting by with minimum wages. They are struggling to make ends meet and are unable to afford basic things, yet they stubbornly hold on to the notion that “I am a photographer!” Life is not always fair and perhaps the real myth is thinking you are a full-time photographer when you might have a happier life doing something else and letting photography be more of a hobby. The term “starving artist” comes to mind and I’m sure many of you know people like that. Their lives are ruled by their art, but the art world can be a cruel place to be at the same time.

You may be a very good photographer and artist and still not make it, at least not full time. Find your niche and if it leads to full-time employment, great, but calling yourself a “photographer” is not the end to a means, either. You can still cater to the creative part of you and keep it real while still making a few extra bucks on the side with something like selling stock images. Don’t let “not making a living” at photography ruin your dream of simply being a great photographer.

So that’s it, five simple “myths” of photography but with a little twist compared to general blogs you see out there. photography is a craft and no matter how good you are, you can always do better. So, don’t let excuses and so-called myths affect your photography, just stay on the journey and see where it takes you.

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Marketing

How to Boost SEO On a WordPress Site

by Mark Sharron
written by Mark Sharron

So, you’ve just launched your brand new business via a WordPress site. You’re confident in your product or service, now you just need to reach your target audience. How does that work exactly? By boosting your SEO.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that ranking in Google is purely down to the quality of your business and reputation. In fact, it’s more to do with the structure of your site and the level of fresh content available for users to soak up.

Boosting SEO will help you rise up the rankings in Google which, in turn, will make your site appear more relevant and trustworthy. If your site is difficult to navigate and uninspiring, then your chances of ranking are low.

In this guide, we’ll explore more about what SEO can do for your business and why it’s an important foundation for your WordPress site. Here are the steps:

  1. Picking a hosting provider
  2. Deciding on the best plugins
  3. Optimising your blog
  4. Change the permalink structure
  5. Internally linking in posts
  6. Create a sitemap of content
  7. Optimising the images
  8. Using Google Search Console

See below all the ways you can boost your SEO on your WordPress website:

Pick A Great Host

One of the most crucial steps in creating a successful site is picking a good wordpress host.

Give yourself a head start by picking a reputable host that specialises in speed. This is because Google takes into account the speed of your site when determining rankings.

Finding a reliable host is easy. Simply visit a community like ‘WebHostingTalk’ and browse reviews by other users. You’ll find out soon enough which hosts are worth your money.

Choosing an SEO plugin

Plugins are small pieces of software that can be installed on your WordPress site. They’re incredibly helpful, as they add new functions and features to your site which can improve the way you use it.

There are several plugins that can help with SEO. Plugins such as Yoast, WordPress SEO and SEOquake are among the most used. They help by analysing the content in your posts, suggesting improvements.

Start With Your Blog

A blog can attract lots of attention from new customers when they search online.

When you first set up your blog, click the ‘discourage search engines from indexing this site’ feature until you’re finished.

Thanks to the improvements with app developers work, more and more users are browsing on their mobile rather than desktop. So your blog needs to be mobile-friendly with a clear structure.

When you’re writing your blog posts, always ensure you have the correct heading structures, Heading 1, Paragraph etc.

Once you’re finished, unclick the search engine indexing option so Google can now find your blog.

Change Your Permalink

Permalinks are the permanent URLs that point to your site’s posts and other content. You’ll see many automatic permalink options on your WordPress site.

They’re easy to change if you wanted to include a specific keyword in the edit bar at the top.

Alternatively, you can create a custom permalink going to the backend of your site by visiting: Settings>Permalink.

Link Within The Content

As previously explained, content is still very much an important aspect of SEO.

Linking internally between pages on your site can help Google and other search engines see which information is connected to similar content.

These links should fall in the next naturally, with the reader in mind first and foremost.

Create A Sitemap

It sounds complicated, but a sitemap is essentially a contents page of all the content on your website. It makes your site easier to navigate.

This also makes it more attractive to search engines as information is clearly laid out. Meaning it can easily crawl the pages on your site to see how they relate to one another.

Your Yoast SEO plugin can generate a sitemap for you.

Optimise Images

Images are not only great for breaking up long blocks of text, they also allow you to further optimise your site.

However, they can sometimes contribute to your site running slow. There’s a WordPress plugin called ‘WP Smush’ that will compress your images to make them website ready.

To help boost SEO, always fill in the ‘alt text’ with a detailed description of what the image is. You can even include a keyword in here.

Add New Content To Google Search Console

Search Console is a tool powered by Google. It allows users to upload their pages and prompt Google to crawl new content.

Simply head to the Search Console page and add your site’s URL. It can also give you an insight into how your site is viewed, including how each page appears in the search results. You’ll also be able to gauge mobile usability.

Boost Traffic to Your Site With These Simple SEO Tips

You may think your WordPress website is ready to go once it’s been beautifully designed, but what’s the point in a great site if nobody sees it?

Correctly optimising your website and doing your technical due diligence is the best way to keep user interaction high and bounce rates low. At the end of the day, the aim is to make sure users engage with your site as much as possible.

Following these simple yet effective ways to boost your WordPress site’s SEO can help your website stay fresh and relevant.

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Trends

Advancements in Smart Phone Cameras Coming this Year

by Mark Sharron
written by Mark Sharron

In the last few years, the camera quality of phones has increased greatly. There have been major improvements not just in the image processing, but the number of lenses and their clarity. In 2019, this will only continue. Technology companies are racing to develop phones with better cameras and multiple lenses.

Where we’re at Now

While there were three major trends in the last year, the addition of multiple lenses, computational photography technologies, and the use of AI for photo shooting assistance and scene detection will all be improved upon. Huawei’s new phone, the P20 Pro, was released last year and uses three rear cameras. They improved upon the P20 with the Mate 20 Prom, which uses new image capabilities. There were also three, and later four, cameras in the new Samsung phones.

According to the experts at the site Money Pug, which is used to compare mobile phone deals, in addition to these smartphones, Google’s Pixel 3 outperformed the majority of them. It uses software and image processing that are carefully fine-tuned. It has also Super Resolution Zoom allowing you to shoot great pictures while zooming in through a single lens. It also has the ability to take bright photos in dark conditions by using its Night Sight function.

Upcoming Camera Phone Improvements

For this year, there are all kinds of announcements about phones with five and more phone cameras. With Nokia’s rumoured five camera lens phone, these lenses will have telephoto, monochrome, colour, and multi-lens synthesis, giving you increased flexibility. LG also has new patents that are quite enticing. The first of their new devices includes seven cameras on a curved phone, but there are noises about a 16-lens camera that can capture moving images together.

The number of lenses is just one aspect of camera phones that will expand this year. There is currently a megapixel race occurring to see who can release a phone with 48-megapixel cameras. These phones from Honor and Xiaomi will give users the ability to capture photos in billboard-sized resolution.

Advancements in Camera Phones

AI has been mostly limited to detecting what the camera is shooting and adjusting parameters like exposure, colour, and white balance. But now phone manufacturers have begun using AI to process multiple images and deliver better results than ever before. However, be careful when these advancements hit the market in full force. Some users complain that AI processing is too intense, making camera shots lower quality. Apple’s iPhone XS has also made customers unhappy with its smoothening effect.

Next will be a way to give users the ability to tone down and adjust post-processing. This is similar to how you can tweak the depth of field with dual cameras lenses. Computational photography techniques will be refined. For example, Apple’s first Smart HDR was flat by the standards of Google’s HDR+. High-resolution features will likely be improved upon, with less fuzziness in the photos and cleaner shots in low-light conditions.

3D sensors on the front of phones for facial unlocking features will be more widespread. Samsung’s Galaxy S10 will feature a Time-of-Flight sensor on the back of the phone to measure depth. Huawei is talking about launching a phone that can take 3D photos next year. As 3D imaging improves, so will AR apps. E-commerce sites may allow customers to visualize products in different spaces. With high fidelity, these advancements may find their way into the mainstream more quickly than expected.

Video quality is also set to advance. So far we haven’t seen many new video enhancements, but Google has introduced fused stabilization, which means that handheld videos will be smoother. This will keep the subject more in focus more consistently. Apple has offered stereo audio to capture videos. Processors in these phones will offer higher video resolution as well as portrait mode and moving images.

Best Phone Cameras to Date

There are plenty of state-of-the-art phone cameras. The Samsung Galaxy S10 is not to be understated. Its new camera includes phone face-off and improved resolution. Nokia’s 9 PureView has five rear cameras. Google has been ahead in this area, however, Pixel 3 ups the hardware improvements by leveraging their tech expertise in computational photography and AI. Their Night Sight features is a real favourite. The latest iPhones have led to complaints, but the deeper and larger pixels let in more than 50 percent light than the iPhone X. The XS and XS Max have Smart HDR, a new ISP, faster sensors, and more intelligent algorithms to bring out highlights and details. They also allow you to controlthe depth of field after a photo has been taken.

While there is plenty of competition in camera phones, and each phone will have its own benefits and flaws, depending on what you are using it for it is always good to do plenty of research to find the smart phone that is perfect for you.

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Reviews

How to protect your brand from malicious and false reviews

by Mark Sharron
written by Mark Sharron

Reviews and in particular online reviews are one of the key ways that consumers make decisions on purchases and services, making them critical for success. While it is inevitable that there will be some critical reviews, receiving a whole barrage can be damaging to your brand. When a brand is on the receiving end of a lot of malicious and false reviews, it can deter customers. In extreme cases, it can prove devastating to a business.

Spotting malicious and false reviews

Reviews can be found in many places online. There are Google reviews, dedicated review sites, reviews left on social media sites, and reviews left on your own website, to name but a few. When you find critical reviews, it is important to work out if they are genuine or malicious, as these need to be dealt with in different ways. To ensure that you spot negative information on your brand in a timely manner, set up a Google alert for your business. It takes mere minutes to do and will allow you to see what is being said on parts of the web that you do not routinely monitor.

If someone has had a genuinely bad experience with your brand, they are entitled to leave a review of this. In these circumstances, it may be appropriate for you to respond in a professional fashion, apologising for their experience and finding a way to rectify the matter. In doing this, you will turn a negative review into a positive as potential customers will see you as a company that is keen to ensure customer satisfaction.

There are a number of ways to tell a false review from a genuine one. A false review may include information that is probably wrong or it may be very vague on details, often claiming that the experience was bad without giving any examples. The review may also include a link to another site, which is likely to be the real purpose of the review.

The profiles of such reviewers are often dubious and will be unlikely to show up as a verified customer. If you reply to these reviewers, then they will likely ignore it or give a vague response.

How to deal with false reviews

There are a number of ways that you can tackle false reviews. On some review sites, you may be able to flag the review as spam, and if it is on your own Facebook page, you can remove such spam by reporting them to Facebook. If you are facing a continuous barrage on your Facebook page, you may choose to turn off reviews altogether.

You can try to have malicious reviews moved from your Google My Business page by flagging them to Google and filling in the required information. Results are not instant and you will likely need to wait a couple of days. If this is not successful, you can seek assistance from a support associate, who can be contacted by phone, email or Twitter. To successfully remove a review this way, you will need to explain why the review is false and how it violates their policies.

All of this can be time-consuming and it is well worth using a professional service to protect your brand from false reviews. ReputationDefender can help protect your online brand. Using the latest technology, this company can help reduce the rankings of negative search results, ensuring that a Google search will prominently display results that give a genuine and positive view of your brand. As most people do not look further than page one of an internet search, this can ensure that even if false reviews still exist, they will not adversely impact on your brand.

Boost positivity

To counter the effect of false reviews, ask your customers for genuine reviews and feedback. Maintain efficient and professional customer service and you stand a good chance of gaining plenty of positive reviews.

Learn how to create effective content for your website, and keep it regularly updated so that this boosts the image of your brand. Regular updates and good SEO practices can do a lot to ensure that the image you want to portray appears highly in Google searches.

It is important to keep negative reviews in perspective. No one expects a business to have all five-star reviews, and negative ones can help your review statistics appear real. Customers are also becoming increasingly savvy at noticing the more obviously fake reviews and will mostly prefer to read verified and reputable reviews before making their decisions.

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