New comment by lizardwalk5 in "Ask HN: Freelancer? Seeking freelancer? (August 2021)"

SEEKING WORK | Remote in United States PDT (GMT-7), open to earlier business hours (-2/3)

Front-end leaning web application development (I’m open to development projects, technical writing, software testing)

Technologies: JavaScript, React/Redux, PostgreSQL, Jest, React Testing Library, Super Test

http://www.carolchung.com

email: carolchung.dev at gmail

The Top 3 Secured Business Credit Cards

Got Bad Personal Credit or No Business Credit? Secured Business Credit Cards Could be the Answer You’re Looking For

But be aware of what secured business credit cards really are – and what’s a much better alternative to kickstarting a business credit profile.

What Are Secured Business Credit Cards?

Secured business credit cards are for businesses with no credit or a less than perfect credit history. An initial security deposit is necessary. This deposit establishes your card’s credit limit. Often a minimum deposit of $500 is necessary. Once you start making purchases you get invoices like a regular credit card. But this begs the question: what does it mean when a business credit card is unsecured?

Unsecured Business Credit Cards

An unsecured business credit card works like an unsecured consumer credit card. Credit limits are calculated from many factors, this depends on the card issuer. Factors in deciding credit limit can include personal credit and/or your company’s business credit scores. They can also include time in business, annual revenues, etc. These credit cards can give your business the opportunity to earn incentives and rewards.

What Aren’t Secured Business Credit Cards?

There are a number of types of business credit cards. Some aren’t too different from secured cards. Or they may have some of the same results, where you can get credit when you normally couldn’t, and you may even have the opportunity to build business credit with such cards.

Prepaid Business Credit Cards

A prepaid business card works as a convenient alternative to carrying cash. In this way, it works a lot like a secured credit card. You add funds to your account. And then whatever amount you add is available for purchases. Sounds like a debit card, right?

Business Debit Cards

But, a business debit card is a card that works a lot like a business checkbook. The limit is the amount of funds you currently have in your business checking account. Every time you use it to make a purchase, the amount you charge comes from your account as a deduction

The Difference Between Prepaid and Debit Cards

Prepaid cards and debit cards are both widely accepted at merchants worldwide, but one is preloaded and the other is not. Debit cards are linked to a checking account, while prepaid cards aren’t and instead require you to load money onto the card

Prepaid Cards Versus Secured Credit Cards for Business

Not exactly. The salient difference between secured credit cards and prepaid debit cards has to do with whose money you’re spending when you use the card. With secured credit cards, you spend money borrowed from the credit card company. You pay that money back after the purchase. With prepaid debit cards, you’re spending your (or your business’s) own money. You load money onto the card before the purchase.

Because it involves borrowing and repaying money, a secured credit card can help someone (or a business) build their credit. It can also harm their credit if they don’t use the card responsibly. Prepaid debit cards have no effect on a credit score.

Business Charge Cards

Another, similar-sounding card is a business charge card. A business charge card has all the convenience of a credit card. But it’s without the high price of interest. When using this card you must pay your balance in full each billing cycle.

Since you can’t carry a balance, a charge card doesn’t have a periodic or annual percentage rate. Hence there is no rate for a charge card issuer to disclose. Let’s look at some secured cards for business.

FNBO Business Edition® Secured Visa® Card

With this card, you can, “take control of your credit history and help rebuild your credit”. Request your own credit limit between $2,000 and $100,000, in multiples of $50, when you apply. Your credit limit is subject to credit approval and a security deposit.

Your security deposit is 110% of the amount of your credit limit. And you will earn interest on your security deposit. But there is a $39 annual fee. Pay a variable 20.24% APR on purchases and balance transfers based on the Prime Rate.

Get it here: https://www.fnbo.com/small-business/credit-cards/ 

Union Bank® Business Secured Visa® Credit Card

With this card, you can, “start building credit for your business”. Get up to a $25,000 secured credit limit. You will pay a 13.99% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. And pay a 5% balance transfer fee on each transfer, with a minimum of $10.

There is a 25.25% APR for cash advances. And there is a $30 annual fee. Also, Union Bank will demand immediate payment in full, if you use this business credit card for personal, family, or household purposes.

Get it here: https://www.unionbank.com/business/visa-credit-cards-all 

Score the best business credit cards for your business. Check out our professional research.

Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card

A Wells Fargo business checking or savings account must be open before applying. Upon approval, your funds will be transferred from the deposit account to fund the credit line

Get a $500 to $25,000 credit line, based on the amount of funds deposited by you as security in a collateral account. Pay no annual fee, and no foreign transaction fee.

You can get up to 10 employee cards. Pay prime + 11.90% APR on purchases. And pay prime + 20.74% APR on cash advances. Cash advance or balance transfer fees may apply.

Perks

Choose between Cash Back or Rewards Points. There is no annual rewards program fee. And there are no required spending categories or caps. Earn 1.5% cash back for every $1 spent on net purchases. You can receive cash back automatically as a credit to your account or to your eligible checking or savings account each quarter.

If you choose rewards points, you will earn 1 point for every $1 spent on net purchases. Get 1,000 bonus points when your company spends $1,000 or more in any monthly billing period. Redeem points for gift cards, merchandise, airline tickets and more. Get a 10% points credit when you redeem points online. And you can earn extra bonus points or discounts from Earn More Mall® retailers.

Business Credit Building with the Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card

Wells Fargo reports your payment and usage behavior to the Small Business Financial Exchange. Payment and usage activity of the Wells Fargo Business Secured card is not reported to the consumer credit bureaus, therefore it will not help build or rebuild personal credit history. 

Wells Fargo will periodically review your account and recent credit history for an opportunity to upgrade to an unsecured business credit card. You may become eligible with responsible use over time. Being able to upgrade to an unsecured business credit card also depends on your FICO score, payment history and ratio of credit card usage to credit limit.

Get it here: https://www.wellsfargo.com/biz/business-credit/credit-cards/secured-card/ 

Score the best business credit cards for your business. Check out our professional research.

Choosing the Best Secured Business Credit Cards for Your Circumstances

Wells Fargo is the best when it comes to annual fees (it’s hard to beat $0). For the highest possible credit limit, the FNBO Business Edition® Secured Visa® Card comes out on top,

 with a $100,000 maximum.

For the best balance transfer rate, it looks like Union Bank® Business Secured Visa® Credit Card is the best. But keep in mind, they do charge a 5% balance transfer fee on each transfer,

 with a minimum of $10.

Building Business Credit is a Viable Alternative to Getting Secured Credit Cards for Business

New businesses can get credit from starter vendors, and often there’s no need to pay money to secure a card. Consider CEO Creative and Grainger Industrial Supply. Neither of them require a deposit to secure a card.

Supply Works

Let’s focus on another starter vendor: Supply Works. They are a part of Home Depot, and offer integrated facility maintenance supplies. But they will not accept virtual addresses. They will report to Experian. Terms are Net 30. You can apply online or over the phone. 

Qualifying for Supply Works

You will need:

  • An entity in good standing with Secretary of State
  • EIN number with IRS
  • Business address (matching everywhere)
  • D-U-N-S number
  • Business License (if applicable)
  • Business Bank account
  • Trade/Bank references

But at least there is no minimal time in business requirement.

Score the best business credit cards for your business. Check out our professional research.

Secured Business Credit Cards: Takeaways

For entrepreneurs just starting out, getting secured business credit cards may seem to be one of the only ways they feel they can get credit. But you can build business credit with starter vendors. Even if you start with lower limits, you often don’t have to secure those cards with a deposit. As a result, starter vendor credit is nearly always a superior alternative to getting secured business credit cards.

The post The Top 3 Secured Business Credit Cards appeared first on Credit Suite.

Best HR Software

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

Human resources can be a tough department to manage. From hiring to onboarding, employee scheduling, and HR compliance, there are dozens of responsibilities being juggled.

What if an employee wants to view an old paystub? How does someone access information about their vacation days or benefits?

Without the right technology, it’s a hassle for everyone involved. 

That’s why HR software has become so popular over the years. Businesses of all sizes across every industry are leveraging these tools to reduce bottlenecks and improve workflows in their HR departments while simultaneously improving the employee experience. 

Interested in getting HR software, but don’t know where to start? You’ve come to the right place. 

The Top 5 Options For HR Software

  1. Namely
  2. APS
  3. BerniePortal
  4. Workday
  5. Kissflow

How to Choose the Best HR Software For You

There are hundreds of different HR software options on the market today. But these solutions are definitely not created equally, so you can’t just blindly pick one and assume it’s going to be the right fit for your business.

As you’re shopping around, these are the features and considerations that must be evaluated:

Employee Self-Service

HR software with an employee self-service portal is a must-have in today’s day and age. This portal will give your staff access to crucial information, without having to call, email, or physically visit the HR department.

Want to access the employee handbook? Log in and look it up. Have questions about your benefits? It’s available in the portal. Need to request a day off? Just a few clicks away.

All of this information, and more, is available 24/7. So if one of your employees is sitting home on a Saturday night and wants to look at an old paystub, they don’t have to wait until 9:00 AM Monday morning to call HR.

As a result, everyone on your team will be more productive, and your HR staff won’t be wasting time answering questions all day.

Mobile Access

The best HR software will have a free mobile app. 

This app can be used on the employee side for the self-service tools mentioned above, but it’s also helpful from an administrative perspective. HR managers and other admins can complete tasks and view important information in real-time from anywhere. HR responsibilities won’t be tied to a physical office.

In some cases, you can even use these apps to communicate with your employees. They can opt-in for notifications delivered straight to their devices, which can reach them faster than an email.

Payroll and Benefits Administration

The vast majority of HR solutions will allow you to run payroll directly through the platform. This isn’t necessarily a make or break feature; it depends on your personal needs.

But since HR and payroll typically go hand-in-hand, lots of businesses look for an all-in-one solution for the two.

If you’re happy with your current payroll solution and don’t want to switch, that’s fine too. See if you can find an HR software that integrates with whatever you’re using for payroll. Your HR team and employees will like having access to everything from a single place. 

Automation

Efficiency is the main concept behind using HR software. Nothing is more efficient than automating repetitive tasks. 

Look for software that eliminates manual labor. For example, some HR tools will automatically track and calculate time-off requests, taxes, government filings, and more. Think about how much money you’ll save in labor hours if you can eliminate even just 5-10 hours per week on these types of tasks. At scale, the savings are astronomical. 

Company Size

Another way to narrow down your choices is by looking for software that fits the needs of your business size. 

A small business with 15 employees won’t have the same HR needs as an SME with 150 employees or an enterprise with 1,500 employees. It sounds simple, but so many companies overlook this aspect. 

Larger organizations will have more complex HR needs that some software just won’t accommodate. On the flip side, small businesses usually won’t need all of the features offered by certain HR solutions. 

The Different Types of HR Software

HR software is actually a pretty broad term. As you know, there are so many different aspects and components of human resources. Here’s a brief overview of the main types of HR software available on the market today. 

HCM Software

HCM stands for “human capital management.” 

This type of HR software primarily focuses on how individuals are managed within a company in terms of systems and HR policies. Talent management is a large component of HCM software. It’s common for HCM tools to have features for onboarding, performance management, salary planning, training, succession planning, benefits administration, and more. 

Lots of HR professionals consider HCM software to be an advanced version of HR software.

HRMS Software

HRMS stands for “human resource management system.” 

In most cases, HRMS software will include lots of the HCM software features. But there are two characteristics that all true HRMS solutions have in common—payroll and TLM (time & labor management).

Not every HRMS software will have employee scheduling features, but many do. There are standalone software products for time & labor management that are commonly referred to as “workforce management” software. But these typically fall under the umbrella of HRMS.

HRIS Software

Human resource information system—or HRIS for short—is a tool built for managing people, policies, and procedures.   

HRIS software typically includes all core HR features. But this type of software will usually have solutions for absence management, benefits administration, recruiting, compensation management, workflows, self-service portals, training, employee development, and reporting. 

Lots of this can be open for interpretation from software to software, but these are the core components you’ll likely find in an HRIS solution. 

ATS Software

ATS software is an “applicant tracking system.” 

This is a very specific type of HR software. In many cases, ATS software gets branded as a standalone product without core HR features. But with that said, lots of all-in-one HR solutions have features for applicant tracking. 

ATS software is highly beneficial for companies who are recruiting and onboarding at scale. The software makes it easier for you to find top-level talent, qualify them, schedule interviews, and onboard new hires. 

Payroll Software

Larger businesses may have separate departments for HR and payroll. But in most cases, the two go hand-in-hand. Payroll is typically considered to be a component of HR. Some of you might already be using an online payroll provider. 

Not every HR software has payroll features (although many do). And not every payroll software has every core HR feature. This is another scenario where lots of payroll solutions are branded as standalone products from HR. But there are plenty of all-in-one HR solutions that include payroll processing capabilities. However, this is usually an add-on package. 

#1 – Namely Review — Best HR Software For Employee Self-Service

Namely is an all-in-one solution for HR, talent management, payroll, and benefits. The platform makes it easy for businesses to improve their HR processes while remaining compliant. It’s trusted by 1,400+ organizations worldwide.

The software is actually branded as a “people operations platform.” It includes features for employee management, onboarding, talent management, recruiting, time and attendance, analytics, and more.

I’d say that Namely definitely falls into the HRIS category.

I like Namely because the software is designed to improve employee engagement. It gives your staff access to all of the HR information they could possibly need from an easy-to-use employee portal.

The software can be accessed from anywhere from the Namely mobile app. You can even use Namely to share company news, improve communication, and set up a company directory. 

Namely’s core HR package comes with tools and features like:

  • Onboarding
  • Performance and goal tracking
  • Task lists
  • Time off management
  • Compliance database
  • E-signature
  • Employee self-service and workflows
  • Custom fields

Then there are add-ons and extensions for things like payroll, benefits administration, recruiting, time & attendance, and managed services. 

Overall, Namely is a good fit for midsize organizations. 

#2 – APS Review — The Best HR Software For Payroll

The acronym “APS” actually stands for “Automatic Payroll Systems.” As this name clearly implies, payroll is their specialty. 

But with that said, APS is not a standalone payroll software; it’s an all-in-one solution for HR and payroll alike. 

In addition to payroll, APS has HR features for benefits administration, performance management, employee scheduling, recruiting, onboarding, compliance, employee self-service, and more. They also have industry-specific solutions for healthcare, restaurants, wholesalers, nonprofits, manufacturing, hospitality, financial services, and other unique categories. 

Let’s take a closer look at some of the top benefits of using APS for payroll:

  • Streamline tax compliance with accuracy, timeliness, and wage garnishment
  • Automate your tax system to reduce your burden and risk
  • Reduce time spent processing payroll with paycheck reconciliation
  • Automate federal, state, and local tax filings
  • Improve your efficiencies and reduce costs with paperless payroll processing

The self-service tools provided by APS are outstanding; on the employee end and administrative sides alike. 

More than 2,000 businesses across different industries rely on APS. For those of you looking for an all-in-one solution for HR and payroll, APS should be at the top of your list. 

#3 – BerniePortal Review — The Best HRIS Software

BerniePortal isn’t as well-known as some of the other HR solutions available on the market today. But that shouldn’t be a reason for you to pass up on considering it. In terms of HRIS software, BerniePortal really has everything you could possibly need.

For those of you who want to use technology to improve the total lifecycle management of your employees, BerniePortal should be at the top of your list.

BerniePortal was founded back in 2008, so they have over a decade of experience in the HR software space. The software has been deployed in 5,000+ HR departments in all 50 states, and it has 210,000+ active users.

Why BerniePortal? Let’s take a closer look at what this HRIS software has to offer.

  • Attract and retain top-level talent with benefits administration
  • Compliance, custom enrollment, and payroll reporting
  • Improve productivity and engagement with seamless employee onboarding 
  • Collaborative hiring decisions with built-in applicant tracking features
  • PTO tracking, time-off management, and custom policies
  • Tools for time and attendance tracking with detailed reporting
  • Mobile access with employee self-service tools
  • Performance management and compliance features

You can even use BerniePortal for things like IRS filings. While the software doesn’t have built-in payroll features, it can seamlessly integrate with your existing payroll system. 

Most of the BerniePortal features start at $5 per employee per month, with a $15 base fee.

#4 – Workday Review — Best For Human Capital Management (HCM)

Workday is a popular HR software with a unique twist. Every component of the tool is focused on finance. It helps you manage your HR processes while always keeping your bottom line in mind—all from a single platform.

The software is used by industry leaders in a wide range of categories. Some of the well-known companies that rely on Workday include Visa, Toyota, Salesforce, CE, Target, Charles Schwab, and Adobe.

Overall, Workday is pretty versatile. The software has solutions for human capital management, talent management, enterprise planning, payroll and workforce management, spend management, and more. 

Workday is robust, but also really easy to use. You’ll benefit from features like:

  • Automation to eliminate manual work and improve productivity
  • Advanced analytics to guide decision making
  • Improve communication and engagement
  • Machine learning to identify employees’ skills
  • Time tracking tools
  • Compensation, payroll, and benefits administration
  • Employee directories and self-service tools

The software can also adapt as your HCM needs evolve over time. 

Another reason why Workday ranks so high on our list is because of its industry-specific HR solutions across a wide range of categories. Some of these include healthcare, government, hospitality, insurance, manufacturing, professional services, energy, and more. 

#5 – Kissflow Review — Best HR Software For Onboarding and Applicant Tracking

Kissflow is one of my favorite tools for managing HR processes. It’s a top choice for businesses that want to improve the talent management aspect of human resources.

The software comes with features for applicant tracking, employee onboarding, attendance management, absence management, leave management, and employee offboarding.

With Kissflow, you’ll benefit from features and functionality like:

  • Get open jobs in front of top-level talent at the perfect time
  • Improve employee engagement
  • Employee self-service tools
  • 360-degree feedback and evaluations
  • Customizable HR solutions

Kissflow is definitely designed for larger teams. Pricing starts at $690 per month, which includes 100 users. Enterprise rates with unlimited users start at $1,290 per month.

The downside of Kissflow is that it’s not a true all-in-one HR solution. It focuses on certain areas but lacks functionality for things like payroll. With that said, Kissflow does have a wide range of integrations, so you can sync it with your existing tools. 

Summary

Every business can benefit from HR software. This statement holds true regardless of your company size or industry.

But before you finalize a decision, make sure you go through the process explained in this guide. Figure out what type of HR software fits your needs the best, then follow the methodology that I explained earlier. 

The five solutions recommended in this guide will be the best place for you to start your search.

The post Best HR Software appeared first on Neil Patel.

The Secret Guide to VSEO: Video and SEO

vseo, video search engine optimization

Since the Google Penguin and Panda updates, a lot of SEOs finally have realized that ranking a website in the long term is not just about building a large number of links. It’s also about creating high-quality content that will attract links naturally over time.

However, one type of SEO that still is underutilized is VSEO: video search engine optimization. Although a lot of brands are incorporating video content into their overall online marketing strategies, most SEOs don’t place a high priority on it. Usually, they opt for creating various other types of content (e.g., infographics, images, written content, etc.).

If used correctly, video can be an extremely powerful form of content and make a significant contribution to your overall SEO strategy, in more ways than one.

Avoiding a Common Trap and Defining Your Goals

Although the idea of producing a video might seem like a “nice” idea, it’s important to remember that it must compliment your overall SEO strategy and generate a return on investment (ROI).

If you fail to define your goals in the early stages, not only will the video end up costing you (or your client) a hefty chunk of money, it will be money down the drain that could have been spent better elsewhere.

Failing to clearly define goals is a common SEO mistake and one that often is seen with content such as infographics.

Many SEOs will commission the creation of an expensive, cool-looking infographic without putting enough thought into the overall goal. They get blinded by the idea that “infographics build links” without stopping to think whether they want the infographic to increase conversions, increase high-quality traffic (i.e., visitors who are likely to convert to paying customers), or simply provide off-page SEO benefits (i.e., links).

It’s the same with video content. You need to know what you want to get out of it. Without knowing this, it will be difficult to conceptualize/commission a production that has any hope of successfully captivating the intended audience and leading to your desired goals.

What Are Your Goals?

From an SEO point of view, there really are only two main goals that you possibly could have – to build links and generate social shares or to increase conversions.

Let’s start by looking at the first benefit mentioned above…

1. Build Links/Generate Social Shares

If it’s done well, a video can generate a large number of links for a website; and often from some pretty reputable domains, too. I’m not just talking about a few links, either. I’m talking about hundreds or thousands of high-quality links in some cases.

The problem is there’s so much online video content that unless you create an exceptional video and have a great outreach/marketing plan, its success is going to be limited.

People don’t link to or share any old rubbish these days. So, to get the success you’re looking for, it’s important for you to really think about who you want to share the video and who you want to link to it.

Essentially, your video has to offer something to the viewer. It might make them laugh, educate them, amaze them, shock them, or annoy them (or even a combination of these). The point is it needs to evoke a strong enough emotional reaction that they’ll want to share it, either by clicking the Tweet/Share button or by writing a post about it on their blog/website (with a link back to your site, of course).

DollarShaveClub.com

Perhaps one of the best examples of a video that generated a massive amount of backlinks is the “viral” video from DollarShaveClub.com (above).

About a year ago, hardly anyone had heard of Dollar Shave Club, but shortly after they produced and marketed the video, that all changed.

Strangely enough, the Dollar Shave Club video wasn’t produced for link building purposes. It was produced with the aim of raising brand awareness. But in the modern world of SEO/marketing, brand awareness and link building are directly related, at least when it comes to online content.

Let me explain with a timeless viral example.

According to YouTube, the Dollar Shave Club video was uploaded on March 6, 2012. Following the upload, it didn’t take long for the video to start going viral. Partly due to a great PR/outreach strategy and, in large part, thanks to its very amusing concept, it started to gain a lot of attention for the company.

Within hours, it was featured on leading news sites across the web, including Mashable (pictured above), The Next Web, Techcrunch, and literally hundreds of others. Within a month or so, it also had been featured on many other leading sites that most SEOs would work extremely hard to obtain links from, such as Forbes and BusinessWeek.

Obviously, this is great for brand exposure, but what has this got to do with link building?

Every single one of those leading news websites mentioned above linked out to Dollar Shave Club in their articles, as did the hundreds of other sites that reported on the video.

In fact, this screenshot (taken from MajesticSEO back in the day), shows just how successful the video was for Dollar Shave Club in terms of SEO.

majestic seo

As you can see, around March 2012 (when the video was uploaded), Dollar Shave Club attracted approximately 18,000 backlinks and has continued to attract relatively large numbers of links every month since then.

If you take a look at the cumulative view of backlinks gained (pictured below) since the video was uploaded (approximately 12 months ago), you’ll see that it has attracted almost 90,000 links to date and the site still is attracting links naturally every month as people continue to write about it (like me).

majestic seo cumulative

The reason for this is the video struck a chord with its intended audience, and, as a result, went “viral” and attracted links. It was funny, original, and kept its target audience in mind.

There also was an excellent outreach/PR strategy in place, which was responsible for getting the video off the ground and starting the link building process.

These are all things to note if you’re looking to use video for SEO.

Moz Whiteboard Friday

As I mentioned earlier in this guide, videos don’t necessarily have to be funny to attract links. They just have to offer viewers something they want to see. One good way to do this is to create a video that’s educational.

Every Friday, Moz posts a “whiteboard” style video on their blog. Due to the regularity of these videos, they’ve become known as the “Whiteboard Friday” videos. These videos not only attract a lot of attention from SEOs around the world, but also attract a significant number of links, embeds, and social shares; therefore increasing traffic for SEOmoz.

According to Open Site Explorer, a particular Whiteboard Friday video received 402 links from 37 referring domains and well over 1,000 social shares. Once again, proof that people love video content.

What Should I Learn from All of This?

In both instances above (DollarShaveClub.com and Moz), video content has been responsible for successfully attracting a substantial number of inbound links and social shares for the website in question. This proves that, when used correctly, videos really can provide a huge boost to your SEO campaign.

However, both of these videos successfully attracted links for different reasons.

For Dollar Shave Club, it was all about the video seeding/outreach strategy. Mike Dubin, the founder of Dollar Shave Club, came from a video seeding background, which obviously played a big part in the success of the video. No one knew about Dollar Shave Club in the early days, so the outreach process definitely played an important role in getting things off the ground.

With Moz, it’s likely that there was no outreach conducted in order to attract links/social shares, as Moz already has an extremely large, loyal community of followers who are likely to share their content naturally. For them, simply producing a high-quality video targeted at their fan base is enough to attract links.

It’s important to consider this when using videos for SEO because all sites are different, and, therefore, will require a different approach. Ask yourself: Do I have enough high-quality traffic already to attract links automatically, or do I need to conduct outreach? And, if so, how much?

It’s also important to remember that it doesn’t matter how good your outreach plan is if your video isn’t of exceptional quality. If that is the case, it’s not going to attract a large number of links.

It’s tempting to cut corners and produce a sub-standard video in order to keep costs down. But, in the long-run, this won’t pay off. Ask yourself: Is my target audience going to be interested in this? Would I link to this if I came across it? Does it evoke an emotion? If you answer “no” to any of these questions, go back and rethink things before you produce your video.

One last thing: To get the full SEO potential of your videos, consider hosting videos on your own website (instead of Youtube or Vimeo). The reason for this is to get people to link back to your domain, which will help your overall SEO efforts as well. The possible downside would be reduced exposure or shares.

Also, on most video hosting sites you can link back to your content from the video webpage. Don’t forget to do this! It’s a free link 🙂

2. Increase Conversions

Although some SEOs might disagree with this, I believe that the job of an SEO isn’t necessarily to increase rankings, but rather to increase online sales/revenue for the client.

Obviously, this is a two-part process: attracting more visitors to a website and then optimizing the website so that more of those visitors convert into paying customers/clients.

Video content can be fantastic for increasing conversions on just about any website. In fact, more brands than ever are using videos on landing pages and on various other pages of their websites to keep visitors engaged and, eventually, convince them to make a purchase.

There are two main ways to increase conversions with video – by embedding a video on a landing page and by making use of rich snippets.

Video on a Landing Page

When a visitor lands on your site, you’ve literally got seconds to impress them and get them engaged with what you have to offer. This is the whole point of a landing page. But these days, people are so used to seeing rich media content on the internet that, quite frankly, text content often doesn’t keep them engaged.

Accordingly, I’m sure it comes as no surprise to you that embedding a video on your website not only will increase the length of time that visitors stick around, but, also, the number of conversions to paying customers, which, ultimately, is what SEO is all about.

Product Videos

Product videos are perhaps the most common way that retailers increase the conversion rate of their website using video content. Hundreds and thousands of retailers are making use of product videos these days, and it’s easy to see why.

According to Invodo, 52% of consumers say that watching product videos makes them feel more confident about going ahead and making a purchase.

zappos product video from The Secret Guide to VSEO: Video and SEO

Take a look at the screenshot above from the online retailer Zappos. It shows one of their product videos being used on the page for women’s Levi jeans. According to econsultancy, Zappos found that sales increased by between 6% and 30% on products with product videos.

Explainer/Introductory Videos

Obviously, not every business with a website has a product to sell, as some businesses are service-oriented.

For these, you can increase conversions with the use of explainer/introductory videos. There are varying styles for these videos, and, truthfully, there’s no exact science as to what style works best. It’s more about producing a video that explains/introduces a client’s business effectively and in an engaging way.

Dropbox found that they increased their conversion rate by over 10% by adding this video to their homepage. And considering that their homepage receives over 750,000 visitors a month, this means that it increased signups by several thousand every day and no doubt generated a huge ROI.

This video on the other hand introduces a local mobile bar company by explaining the service, introducing the guys behind the business, and showing their services in action. It’s a similar length to the Dropbox video, but it is presented in a different style. When embedded on the “about us” page of the client’s website, it increased his overall conversion rate by around 7%.

Rich Snippets

Increasing conversions with video aren’t only about what you show the visitor once they land on your website, but also what you show the visitor before they even get there.

If you’ve noticed Google’s search results recently, you have seen a significant increase in the use of something called rich snippets, and, in particular, video rich snippets.

If you’re new to rich snippets, you can watch Google’s official explanation in the video above. Essentially, though, this is what a site with video rich snippets looks like in the SERPs:

rich snippets by Google

As you can see, Google displays information about the video embedded on the page, letting the Googler know that, should they click through to your website, a video is awaiting them.

To put it simply, video-rich snippets help you stand out from the other nine search results on that particular page, and, therefore, searchers will be more inclined to click your result, which will increase traffic to your website.

You’ll be able to show searchers a thumbnail of your video and the length of your video. Make sure the thumbnail stands out and sums up what the video is about if you want to maximize conversions.

How Do You Use Rich Snippets for Video?

To show rich snippets for your video in the Google search results, you’re going to need to self-host your video. If you’re using WordPress, there is a workaround for hosting your videos with YouTube using the Yoast Plugin, but it’s definitely recommended that you self-host your content, if possible.

There are a number of other SEO benefits to self-hosting your videos as opposed to using a free video host such as YouTube, as documented here.

Once you’ve gotten your video hosted and embedded on your site, it’s simply a matter of informing Google about the video. To do this, you’ll have to add the required Schema.org code to your page and submit an XML sitemap within Google’s Webmaster Tools.

It’s a bit of a hassle, but once you know how to do it, it’s pretty easy to do time and time again. Plus, if you’re already ranking for any high-volume keywords, it is well worth the effort, as the increase in conversions should bring significantly more traffic to your site.

Conclusion

The popularity of online video presents a huge opportunity for SEOs willing to get creative to achieve results. Producing videos isn’t always cheap, but it usually isn’t as expensive as people believe it will be, either. If you’ve commissioned and marketed infographics before, you definitely can afford to produce a video and use VSEO that will generate a good ROI for you/your client.

Remember, quality is just as important when it comes to online video as it is when producing any other form of content.

About the Author: Josh Hardwick is the founder of ShortyMedia, a leading production company specializing in viral, corporate, and web videos. He also is a freelance SEO and loves producing great content and building links.

The post The Secret Guide to VSEO: Video and SEO appeared first on Neil Patel.

Domain Email Forwarding Secrets

Domain Email Forwarding Secrets

In the globe of domain name, points like domain name enrollment, domain name transfer, or domain name revival are simply so regular. The domain name sector additionally produce a significant bang in the globe today, as well as that is with the intro of domain name e-mail forwarding, which is the primary issue of this write-up.

Given that a number of you are still not conscious regarding the nature of the domain e-mail forwarding and also its features in the area of domain, below are a couple of realities concerning the domain e-mail forwarding for you to be mindful that such point exists on the planet of digital fact.

What is truly domain name e-mail forwarding?

Possibly you have actually listened to that the domain system contributes in e-mails. It is frequently kept in mind that the domain system not just connects to domain yet it yet along with to assist e-mails in discovering the best computer system that it is expected to get to. Because of such duty played by the domain system, the principle for domain e-mail forwarding for that reason arised.

Domain e-mail forwarding is really a sort of domain solution which will immediately reroute the e-mail for your domain name to your existing e-mail address. In many concrete words, the domain e-mail forwarding considerably gives you to ahead any type of e-mail that is entering into your domain name to any kind of e-mail address on the planet. It is usually specified by the majority of sources worrying domain e-mail forwarding that with the feature of the domain e-mail forwarding, also if you do not have a website yet you can use your domain name as your e-mail address.

Other than that, with the domain e-mail forwarding, all the e-mail that were sent out to your domain will certainly be instantly sent to your e-mail mail box that makes your solution or service far more specialized. With the domain name e-mail forwarding, you can most definitely onward mail to your ISP e-mail account, your Yahoo account, your Hotmail account, or any type of various other e-mail account that you have. It is likewise every intriguing to recognize that in addition to the domain e-mail forwarding, the majority of the firms today also accompany it with the DNS-Plus solution which permits you to establish for approximately 100 pen names and also ahead to as much as 100 e-mail address.

With the introduction of the domain e-mail forwarding, lots of people were really devoting themselves in such solution thinking that the domain e-mail forwarding will certainly provide a specific degree of satisfaction as well as exhilaration. Well, tolerable in any way for the domain e-mail forwarding will certainly enable you to have an e-mail address that had much more indicating to you, either directly or properly. One of the fantastic information regarding the domain name e-mail forwarding is that after you have actually established up your e-mail addresses, your e-mail will certainly after that start to be sent for within twenty 4 hrs, as well as some domain name e-mail forwarding solutions are currently provided definitely complimentary.

In the globe of domain name, points like domain name enrollment, domain name transfer, or domain name revival are simply so common. Domain name e-mail forwarding is in fact a kind of domain name solution which will instantly reroute the e-mail for your domain name to your existing e-mail address. It is frequently mentioned by the majority of sources worrying domain name e-mail forwarding that with the feature of the domain name e-mail forwarding, also if you do not have an internet website yet you can use your domain name as your e-mail address.

One of the excellent information concerning the domain name e-mail forwarding is that after you have actually established up your e-mail addresses, your e-mail will certainly after that start to be sent for within twenty 4 hrs, as well as some domain name e-mail forwarding solutions are currently provided definitely cost-free.

The post Domain Email Forwarding Secrets appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.

Home Loan Borrowing Tip – Length of Loan

Home Mortgage Borrowing Tip – Length of Loan

When obtaining cash for a home mortgage, buyers are mostly interested in just certifying. Still, taking note of the size of the lending is a loaning pointer that can conserve you a lots of cash.

House Loans

In the home loan market, the size of your lending made use of to be the only significant problem you had to deal with. Of training course, the substantial boost in financing choices has actually unavoidably led to substantial complication.

Loaning Tip

Despite the kind of financing you select, you need to constantly attempt to maintain your car loan term as brief as feasible. The much shorter the funding duration, the much less you will certainly pay in passion. Below an instance making use of 15 and also 30 year fundings.

Think our very first buyer obtains a $100,000 financing at 8 percent passion. He size of the finance is 30 years with a regular monthly settlement of $733.76. For this home loan, our property buyer is mosting likely to pay $164,155.25 in rate of interest over the life of the financing.

Currently, take the exact same situation, yet decrease the term of the lending to 15 years. Over the size of the funding, our buyer is going to pay $90,000 much less in passion settlements over the life of the lending.

When obtaining cash for a house acquisition, you need to thoroughly spending plan your funds. If you can manage enhanced month-to-month repayments, nonetheless, a much shorter lending size is mosting likely to conserve you a great deal of cash with time.

In the home mortgage market, the size of your financing made use of to be the only significant concern you had to deal with. No matter of the kind of finance you go with, you need to constantly attempt to maintain your funding term as brief as feasible. He size of the financing is 30 years with a month-to-month repayment of $733.76. Over the size of the car loan, our property buyer is going to pay $90,000 much less in rate of interest settlements over the life of the lending.

The post Home Loan Borrowing Tip – Length of Loan appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.

The post Home Loan Borrowing Tip – Length of Loan appeared first on Buy It At A Bargain – Deals And Reviews.

Selecting a Lender

Selecting a Lender

Recognizing the various re-financing choices as well as understanding exactly how each of these choices job is extremely crucial however none of this issues at all if the house owner is not able to discover a loan provider that is prepared to supply them the terms as well as prices they are looking for. Furthermore, house owners can do their very own research study to figure out which lending institutions are able to provide them the ideal price. The property owner needs to figure out whether or not the financial resources ought to be the regulating element in selecting a loan provider.

Request Advice from Friends as well as Family Members

If the viewpoint is adverse the homeowner can eliminate this loan provider from their listing of lending institutions to take into consideration. On the other hand if the lending institution comes extremely suggested, the house owner might consider this loan provider a lot more very carefully.

Contrast Shop

House owners that desire to understand which lending institution is supplying them the ideal passion price as well as monetary terms must do a terrific offer of contrast buying. The house owner might also take into consideration asking for quotes from each and also every loan provider. This ought to make it flawlessly clear which lending institutions are eager to supply the property owner much more beneficial prices.

Think about More than Finances

While rate of interest prices, finance terms and also various other economic issues are all absolutely essential none of these are much more essential than being dealt with rather by the lending institution. Therefore, the home owner needs to very carefully think about every one of their lending institutions as well as need to figure out whether they really feel as though the lending institution is receptive to his requirements. A lending institution that does not return telephone calls in a prompt style or solution concerns honestly as well as properly might not be the excellent loan provider for a home owner also if he is the loan provider that is using the most positive prices.

Furthermore, home owners ought to trust their impulses concerning their depend on in the lending institution. The home owner would likely select the 2nd loan provider as long as the prices used by each loan provider were equivalent.

If the viewpoint is adverse the home owner can eliminate this lending institution from their checklist of lending institutions to take into consideration. Alternatively if the lending institution comes extremely suggested, the house owner might consider this lending institution extra meticulously.

For this factor, the house owner needs to meticulously take into consideration all of their lending institutions and also ought to identify whether or not they really feel as though the loan provider is receptive to his requirements. A loan provider that does not return telephone calls in a prompt style or response inquiries honestly as well as precisely might not be the suitable lending institution for a house owner also if he is the lending institution that is supplying the most desirable prices.

The property owner would likely pick the 2nd lending institution as long as the prices used by each loan provider were similar.

The post Selecting a Lender appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.