Author: Leslie Daniels

How to Use Reverse Image Search For Competitor Research

What do backlinks, reverse image search, and your business have in common?

Your bottom line.

Sure, you can blog until you have hundreds of posts on your site, but it takes time.

Can your business afford to wait? Probably not.

This is where a backlinks strategy comes in. Not only can it help with boosting your domain authority (DA), but it could expose your business to a new audience who may want to buy from you if you target the right sites.

How do you find these sites? Reverse image search. When done correctly, you can use it to snoop on your competitors and find the backlinks boosting their DA and profits.

Here’s how to turn their backlink success into yours.

What Is Reverse Image Search?

A reverse image search uses an image in place of a text-based query.

All you need to do is upload an image onto a search engine, and you’ll get a list of information. These details usually include:

  • file type
  • source of the original image
  • image size
  • other sizes of the same image
  • websites using the image
  • related images

While many people use reverse image search to check if someone is stealing their content, it’s a powerful tool in the hands of a savvy digital marketer.

I’ve used reverse image search to grow my backlinks by 26 percent, but it can do so much more than find unclaimed backlinks. When done right, it can give you the upper hand over your competitors while growing your authority.

Why Would You Use a Reverse Image Search for Competitor Research?

Backlinks.

Using reverse image search on your competitors is one of the best link-building strategies most people skip.

Not having any backlinks is a reason more than 90 percent of websites don’t get traffic from Google.

By uploading a photo of a competitor’s headshot or company logo, you can see at a glance where their inbound links are coming from and start building a list of backlink opportunities.

Why is this important?

Backlinks are a valuable Google ranking factor. The search engine uses links from other sites as a vote of confidence.

According to a study by Backlinko, the site holding the #1 spot on Google has, on average, 3.8x more backlinks than those in positions two through 10.

By analyzing where your competitors are getting links, you can determine what sites are helping grow their authority and get a slice of the pie for yourself. Getting those backlinks could help grow your traffic, build your authority, and potentially one-up your competitor.

For example, let’s say you’re competing with me. If you reverse image search my headshot, you’ll see results like these before the fold:

reverse image search - Neil Patel headshot, before fold

When you scroll down past this, you’ll see a few more pages:

reverse image search - Neil Patel headshot results, below the fold

If you continue to scroll through the results, you’ll see I’ve been featured on sites like:

  • Searchengineland.com (DA 91)
  • Meltwater (DA 77)
  • Forbes (DA 95)
  • Getresponse.com (DA 81)

These are all powerful backlinks helping me grow my domain authority, website traffic, and sales.

How to Do a Reverse Image Search to Track Your Competitors

Ready to uncover those hidden link-building opportunities that lurk behind your competitor’s images? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it.

Step 1: Find a Photo

What photo should you use for your reverse image search to track your competitors? I’d recommend using a headshot of the person who would be credited as the author.

Use their LinkedIn profile picture. They’ll likely use the same headshot for their guest blogging bylines, just like I do.

neil patel linkedin profile reverse image search

In addition to searching for a competitor’s headshot—or if your competitor doesn’t have a “face” attached to it—search for the brand’s logo.

Step 2: Use Reverse Image Search

You can’t upload a photo on the standard Google homepage.

Click on “Images” in the top right-hand corner to load the reverse image search feature or go to images.google.com.

Where to find reverse image search on Google homepage

Next, click on the camera icon.

google reverse image search camera icon

Choose the headshot or logo you downloaded in step 1 and click on the blue “Upload an Image” tab. Google will then return a results page that looks like this:

neil patel reverse image search results

Step 3: Start Looking for Opportunities

If we use the example of my headshot, you’ll see the first result points back to this blog.

Scroll down further, and you’ll see my author profile for CoSchedule. The blog has a DA of 57 and is a popular tool for content marketers. As a competitor, this is the kind of site you want backlinks from or to write guest posts for.

Having a guest post on a high authority site like CoSchedule could add to your credibility. You can use it to establish yourself as the go-to expert in your niche and get your message in front of your target audience.

Don’t forget to reverse image search your competitor’s logo! It can help you find opportunities to get listed on resource pages or niche directories.

reverse image search - neil patel logo

How to Find Guest Post Ideas Once You’ve Completed the Reverse Image Search and Competitor Research

Now that you’ve completed your reverse image search, you should have a master list of websites your competitor uses for backlinks. Now what?

It’s time to come up with guest post ideas, start pitching, and, when a site agrees to your guest post, deliver compelling content to drive traffic back to your business.

You’ll have a much stronger pitch if you have a few blog post ideas. Here’s how to make sure you come with content the website will love.

Read Their Blog

You don’t want to make the mistake of pitching a blog post that’s already on your target’s website or won’t add value to their audience.

Editors receive an average of 10 pitches per day, and 20 percent of them don’t thoroughly read 90 percent of those pitches because they can tell at a glance they’re not worth the time. Make sure yours is in the 10 percent that the editors read.

How? By thoroughly reviewing the website you’re targeting. After reading the site’s content, you should be able to answer the following questions:

  1. Who is the audience? B2B, CEOs, moms working from home, etc.
  2. What is the level of the audience? beginner, intermediate, advanced, etc.
  3. What type of content do they post? 3,000+ word tutorials, quick tips and tricks, narrative essays, etc.
  4. What are the content gaps? Are they missing a comparison between two popular tools? Can you offer a different perspective on a hot topic?
  5. What topics do best? Use Buzzsumo to see what posts get the most shares on social media.

Keyword Research

Once you have a few topic ideas in mind, tie everything together with keyword research.

Presenting a unique guest post idea backed with a strong long-tail keyword shows you know how visitors reach the site and, therefore, can write for their audience.

Plus, you want people to read your post. Choosing a keyword with a decent amount of traffic ensures you’re writing a blog your target audience will find and consume.

Use Ubersuggest to find high traffic, low competition keywords. Remember to check your chosen site’s DA so you can target the right keywords.

using ubersuggest for keyword research after completing reverse image search competitor research

How to Pitch Your Guest Post After Doing a Reverse Image Search on Your Competitors to Find Potential Backlink Opportunities

I have an in-depth guide on becoming a successful guest blogger, but here are the pitching basics to follow every time:

  1. Read the Guidelines

    Always check to see if the site has guest posting guidelines. If they do, follow them to make sure your post doesn’t get rejected. According to research by PointVisable, 22 percent of guest posts are rejected for not following the guidelines.

  2. Personalize the Email

    Hop onto LinkedIn or read the “About” page and find the exact person you need to email. If you can address the blog owner by name, you’ll have a higher chance of success than starting an email with “Dear Sir.”

  3. Introduce Yourself

    Include your industry expertise, accolades, and link to other places you’ve been published. You want the person to understand you’re not a generalist. You’re an expert with something valuable to add.

Reverse Image Search FAQ

How do I reverse Google Image Search?

Go to images.google.com and click on the camera icon. Upload the image and click on search.

How do you do a Google reverse image search on my phone?

Download or take a screenshot of your chosen image, then open the Google (not the Chrome) app on your phone. Tap the rainbow camera icon, allow any permissions it asks for, then tap the gallery icon. Select an image from your phone, and Google will display the results. You can also use Google Lens to take a photo and search for it.

How do you reverse image search with Chrome?

If you’re using the Chrome browser (again, not the app), you can reverse image search by right-clicking on any picture and selecting “Search Google for an image.”

Is reverse image search free?

Yes. It’s a free tool you can access via Chrome.

Reverse Image Search Summary

As you can see, reverse image search is a powerful backlink tool. It can help you identify the best sites to target for backlinks and go after the sites giving your competitors results in their business.

However, searching for an image is only the start. Once you have a list of sites, do your due diligence and pitch blog post ideas to establish your business as the go-to expert.

Only compelling blog posts will get you the backlinks you need to rank higher on search, attract the right people onto your website, and into your sales funnel.

Do you think reverse image search is a good way to gain an advantage over your competitors?

How to Find Paid Social Media Keyword Ideas From Top Hashtags

In the world of digital marketing, content is king. And keywords hold the keys to that kingdom.

They unlock connections to your target market—people who are looking for what you’re trying to sell.

When you’re setting up paid social media campaigns, keywords can help you make those critical connections and ensure your campaign’s success.

Knowing which keywords to use throughout the copy of your campaign can be a pain. If you’re not sure which ones are right, you might miss the mark and, by extension, your audience.

Popular hashtags can be the source of inspiration that gets your paid social media campaigns off the ground.

The Importance of Hashtags in Paid Social Media Campaigns

Why are the top hashtags important for inspiration and keyword ideas? Because they can provide a lot of information if you know how to look for it.

Here are the questions you should ask when looking for hashtags:

  • What are people talking about?
  • What’s the demand for a particular product or service?
  • Is there a rise in interest? Or is the trend on the decline?
  • Who is using those hashtags?
  • What’s the context of those conversations?

Researching popular hashtags can provide relevant insights into the conversations happening around a topic. Their power is in the data you can mine from real-life, real-time sources.

Top hashtags can also lead to other hashtags and keywords you may not have considered. As you continue to dig deeper, you may start to see some patterns to add to your campaigns.

Be on the lookout for:

  • New or up-and-coming hashtags
  • Hashtags used by other relevant target markets
  • Questions or concerns people are expressing
  • Phrases in the associated content that come up often

How to Use Trending Hashtags for Your Paid Social Media Campaigns

First, you have to find the top hashtags. Begin with what’s trending in your industry and go from there. We’ll go into more specifics on different social media platforms later.

As you dive in, explore the content surrounding the hashtags.

How do you use the information you found? It’s all about inspiration. The hashtags, phrases, and keywords you find can inform your paid social media campaigns in the following ways:

  • For text: What you’ve learned can be a launching point for your ad’s language. Look at the posts’ content in addition to the hashtags, and incorporate the language people in your target market use. Knowing how people talk about things can teach you how to best speak to the pain points they face and the solutions they love.
  • For images: What kinds of images are those hashtags often associated with? Whether you plan to use a stock image in your ad or create your own, let what you find attached to hashtags help determine the type of images you use. You may even find a meme that you can join in on, making your social media ad more engaging.
  • For target audiences: Use the hashtag research to inform the parameters of your social ad reach. Who is using these hashtags? Where do they live? How old are they? What else are they interested in? These stats can help you narrow the ad reach to your target audience.
  • For sponsored post research: In addition to helping your paid social ad content be more relevant, hashtags may also help pinpoint a recent post to put cash behind. Experiment with different top hashtags in your posts on each social platform you use. Those hashtags may help your posts perform well organically, and then you can choose to boost them with sponsorship.

Using Facebook Top Hashtags for Paid Ads

Let’s start with Facebook, one of the most popular platforms for online marketing.

With over two billion users per month, there’s got to be some great data out there for your hashtag research.

You are probably only connected with a tiny number of those people, but don’t let that stop you. In fact, you can choose who sees your Facebook ads:

Using Facebook Top Hashtags Screenshot of Facebook ad target market options

But, before you create the ad, you need to find the right words to use that are getting the most visibility. This is where hashtags come into play.

A quick search for #tacos on Facebook shows some drool-worthy meals from strangers around the world who made their posts public as well as from brand pages. You do this from your search bar.

Top Hasthags Facebook providing alternatives to the popular hashtag Tacos

That list shows you what words most commonly follow that hashtag. Additionally, when you submit the hashtag you’re searching for, Facebook shows you on the top of the next page how many people are talking about that topic:

Top Hashtags Facebook view of the popular hashtag Tacos

When you type in the hashtag that interests you, Facebook also auto-fills other hashtag options to explore.

You can also explore the bookmarks that Facebook makes available, including local events, crisis response, or other timely topics. These can provide insights into why people are using this hashtag.

Using Instagram Top Hashtags for Paid Ads

Instagram is a hashtag-heavy environment, making it ideal for top hashtag research.

Much like on Facebook, you can start by typing your hashtag ideas into the search bar. Instagram not only auto-fills suggestions but also shows you how popular those hashtags are based on how many posts include them.

Using Instagram Top Hashtags Instagram providing recommendations for hashtags about puppies

Instagram Explore

Are you still looking for more hashtags to dig into? Head to Instagram’s “Explore” section, with the compass icon, to see top posts related to content you have interacted with in the past. You may discover new or emerging hashtags that you didn’t know about.

Using Instagram Top Hashtags

Now is an excellent time to stop and talk about how hashtags don’t always translate directly into keywords and phrases for paid social media campaigns. You may have to convert from a succinct hashtag to a robust, natural way of talking. Here are a few tips for doing that:

  • Listen to What Influencers are Saying With Those Hashtags: Take some time to watch the video posts and Instagram stories associated with the hashtags you’re researching. Hear how they talk about the subject. What are some key phrases that come up often?
  • Read and Take Some Notes About What the Hashtags are Saying: Now it’s time to turn off the videos and read the actual content. What are they using those character counts to say? This is where you can learn about key phrases that everyone is using and the meat behind the hashtag topics you are researching. For instance, a top hashtag may be “#cleanbeauty,” but it’s not about skin cleanliness—it’s about toxicity in beauty products, congressional oversight, regulations in the industry, and how to know what’s safe for your family’s skin. Learning about the issues and conversations behind the topics can help you frame paid social media content in a usable way.
  • Talk Out Loud Using the Instagram Hashtags: Hopefully, you’re working by yourself because this could get a little awkward: It’s time to start talking to yourself. Go ahead. As you’re writing down ideas that we talked about earlier and starting to craft your social media ad content, actually saying it out loud may help disconnect you from “internet speak” and get you into using a more natural tone.

Using Twitter Top Hashtags for Paid Ads

If you’re using Twitter on your mobile device, you can hit the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of your screen to see what’s trending. If you’re on your desktop, hit “#Explore” on the left side of the screen, then click “Trending” to see currently popular hashtags.

Using Twitter Top Hashtags

You can see what topics Twitter thinks are important now based on their editorial board and algorithms, as well as how many tweets are using those hashtags. Keep in mind some of these are promoted hashtags, not organic ones, though—they are labeled, as you can see with “#Godfall” at the top of this screenshot.

To learn more, click on “Show More” or the “Explore” section on the desktop layout to see more about these topics and find more currently in use.

You may need to dig deep to find hashtags that are relevant to your niche. When you see a conversation or post around topics pertinent to your industry, check out those hashtags.

Don’t be afraid to see a spark of inspiration, such as a new hashtag that’s just starting to catch fire, and get onboard that topic before it becomes a wildfire.

Using LinkedIn Top Hashtags for Paid Ads

Where do you go to find the top hashtags on LinkedIn? There are a couple of different ways to start your research.

You can look up hashtags in the search bar at the top, just as you do on other social media platforms:

Linkedin Top Hasthags LinkedIn recommendations for hashtags about fitness

And like other platforms, LinkedIn will auto-recommend other options.

When you choose a hashtag, LinkedIn shows how many people are currently following that hashtag. This data can help you understand how many people may see your posts that incorporate that hashtag. You will also see top posts with that hashtag.

LinkedIn Top Hasthags LinkedIn option for following the fitness hashtag

When you follow a hashtag you’re interested in, you can click on the three dots on the right of your followed hashtags and choose “Discover new hashtags.”

Using LinkedIn Top Hashtags

Now you’ll see all kinds of popular hashtags to inspire you.

LinkedIn Top Hasthags screen of other hashtags LinkedIn recommends

If you want to skip those steps and just start exploring, you can go straight to LinkedIn’s Follow Fresh Perspectives tab to see the top hashtags, accounts, and companies LinkedIn recommends to you.

Context Is Key When it Comes to Using LinkedIn

Here’s the critical thing to remember about LinkedIn: It’s a popular platform for content, but it’s also very specific in its contextual use. LinkedIn is generally about professional or career conversations.

Using Pinterest Top Hashtags for Paid Ads

Are you trying to reach a creative, DIY crowd with your paid social media ads? Pinterest can show you what’s hot right now.

With Pinterest, hashtags aren’t as critical and promoted as they are on other platforms. Keywords in a post seem to be just as crucial for searching.

Here is a search for the popular term “Hygge:”

Pinterest Top Hasthags Top posts on Pinterest for the search Hygge

And a search for “#Hygge:”

Pinterest Top Hashtags Top results for the hashtag Hygge on Pinterest

You’ll notice similar results. So, just searching around for popular topics on Pinterest and exploring the top posts may prove just as useful.

However, if you are looking for top hashtags, there is a workaround. You can log in to the mobile app, click to create a new pin, and type a hashtag into the description section. This will give you a listing of top alternatives and stats for how popular they are.

Pinterest Top Hasthtags

More Tools For Finding Hashtags

If you’re still looking for the right hashtag, you may want to try one of the many hashtag search tools. These online and app tools allow you to plug in hashtags you’re using, and find related and popular hashtags. A few options include:

Conclusion

The key to using hashtags for paid social media is to use them as a launching point. They should inspire relevant content for your very specific target market. Hashtags can help you understand who they are, what they care about, and how they talk online.

Popular hashtags can also open the door to new opportunities for your social media strategy as you join fresh, ongoing conversations happening online and reach out to new markets.

Which popular hashtags will you be analyzing to inform your next social media ad campaign?

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The post How to Find Paid Social Media Keyword Ideas From Top Hashtags appeared first on Neil Patel.

Best Business Insurance

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

Every business needs insurance. Depending on your business type and industry, some of you will need more protection than others. 

Without insurance, you could be liable for potentially hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.

What happens if one of your vehicles is involved in an accident? How will you pay for the damages of a fire or flood in your office? What if an employee or customer slips and falls on your property? 

You need to have insurance, or you’ll be paying these costs out of pocket.

But finding the best business insurance package for your organization can be tricky. On the one hand, you want to make sure that you’re covered, but on the other, you don’t want to overpay on premiums. 

The best way to start your search is by choosing a reputable business insurance provider—I’ve narrowed down the top business insurance companies in this guide. 

The Top 6 Options For Business Insurance

  1. Chubb
  2. CNA
  3. Hiscox
  4. Insureon
  5. Progressive
  6. The Hartford

How to Choose the Best Business Insurance For You

There is no “one-size-fits-all” plan for business insurance. Every organization is unique, so you’ll need custom protection based on your needs. Certain insurance providers are definitely better for specific types of insurance, as well as other factors. 

As you’re browsing and getting quotes from different providers, make sure you keep the following considerations in mind:

Industry

Some insurance providers have more experience covering businesses within certain industries. 

For example, a restaurant would have very different insurance needs from a construction company. A dental practice won’t have the same needs as an ecommerce website. You get the idea. 

So as you’re evaluating a potential provider, take a look at their existing clients and industries served. Do they have experience covering businesses in your industry? If not, look elsewhere.

Customer Service

If you have to submit a claim, you want to make sure that your insurance provider has your back. When you pick up the phone, will someone answer?

Any delay in the claims process will cost your business money. Let’s say there is a flood at your retail storefront. If your insurance company drags their feet, you might not be able to re-open. How soon will someone come to evaluate the property? How quickly can they approve a contractor to repair the damages?

Choose an insurance company that will go the extra mile to serve your business in times when you need their help the most—that’s what you’re paying them for.

Reputation of Provider

There are literally thousands of insurance companies in the United States. Some are brand new, some have been around since the inception of insurance, and many fall somewhere in between.

In most cases, I prefer to go with an older insurance company with a long-standing reputation. These providers have seen it all, and they’ve survived the test of time. You run some risk if you go with a newer company. Let’s say you have some obscure or rare situation with a claim. It could be a first for a new company, and they might not know how to handle it. 

Coverage Options

We’ll talk about the different types of business insurance in greater detail shortly. But in a perfect world, you’d like to get all of your business insurance coverage under one roof. 

Getting property insurance from one provider, vehicle insurance from another, and general liability from a third company is just too confusing. So look for an insurance company that has a wide array of coverage options that accommodate your needs. 

Premiums

Getting proper coverage is obviously important, but how much is this going to cost you?

If you choose the cheapest plan you can find, you’ll probably be exposed to some more out of pocket costs. But if you choose the most expensive plan on the market, do you actually need all of that coverage?

Look for a balance between these two extremes. When it comes to insurance, I typically like to be a bit more conservative. I’d rather overpay a little bit than risk not being fully covered. But this all depends on your individual risk tolerance. 

The Different Types of Business Insurance

There are dozens of different business insurance types. But for the purposes of this guide, I’m going to focus on the ones that are the most common and applicable to the masses. 

General Liability Insurance

General liability coverage protects you from risks like bodily injuries and property damage. This typically includes medical payments if someone is hurt on your company’s property. General liability can also protect you from lawsuits related to things like libel, slander, privacy violations, copyright infringement, wrongful evictions, and more. 

Most businesses will need some type of general liability coverage.

Professional Liability Insurance

Professional liability and general liability are often confused with each other, although the two are not one in the same.

Professional liability insurance is also referred to as errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. This protects businesses sued by clients claiming damages for professional services that you provide. Things like an accountant making a mistake on a tax return or a web developer making mistakes on a site that they manage would be examples where professional liability insurance is necessary. 

BOP Insurance

Business owners insurance (better known as BOP) is a policy that combines liability and property into one package. It’s very common for small and mid-sized business owners across a wide range of industries. Most contractors will carry some form of BOP insurance as well.

BOP packages do not cover your employees—it’s specific to business owners.  

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Once you hire your first employee, workers’ compensation should be immediately added to your business insurance policy. Most states require workers’ comp insurance by law. 

The coverage pays for things like medical expenses and disability for employees who were injured on the job. This could include minor slip and fall injuries to long-term conditions (like carpal tunnel) or even death.

Business Interruption Insurance

This type of insurance will protect your company if your operations are interrupted during some type of disaster or catastrophic event. Organizations with physical locations that could lose income due to these types of interruptions can benefit from a business interruption policy.

Your business can be compensated for lost income in these types of scenarios. 

Vehicle Insurance

This type of business insurance policy is pretty-self explanatory. Just like you need insurance for your personal vehicle, you’ll need to cover any vehicles used for business purposes. If an accident occurs with one of your vehicles (whether you’re driving or not), you’ll need this type of coverage. 

Property Insurance

Whether you own or lease physical space, you need to have property insurance. Again, it’s similar to the type of insurance you’d have to protect your home or apartment. 

This type of insurance will protect your business from events like fires or theft. Your equipment, inventory, furniture, etc. should all be covered in this policy. However, it’s worth noting that some types of natural disasters, like earthquakes, aren’t always covered in a standard property insurance policy. You might have to pay extra for this type of coverage, depending on your area and the insurance provider. 

Product Liability Insurance

If your company manufactures products that are sold to the general public, you must have product liability insurance. This coverage will protect your company from lawsuits related to damages caused by your products. 

For example, if someone is injured using one of your products, they could sue your company directly for their medical expenses. That’s when product liability insurance would kick in. 

#1 – Chubb Review — Most Versatile Business Insurance Packages

Chubb is one of the most reputable business insurance providers on the market today. They are known for exceptional customer service.

This provider has a wide range of plans for small businesses, commercial insurance, industry-specific policies, and more. 

Compared to other insurance providers on the market, Chubb has one of the most extensive coverage portfolios that you can find. Some examples of these policy categories include:

  • Accident and health
  • General liability
  • Cyber insurance
  • Environmental packages (premises pollution liability and contractor pollution liability)
  • International insurance packages
  • Management liability
  • Inland and ocean marine 
  • Product recall liability
  • Professional liability
  • Workers’ compensation

Chubb has over 200 years of experience in the business insurance space. Just be aware that their premiums tend to be a bit higher than other options—but you’re paying for the best.  

#2 – CNA Review — The Best Custom Business Insurance Plans

CNA is another reputable provider in the business insurance world. They have 120+ years of expertise in this field. 

With CNA, you’ll benefit from a custom insurance package to help manage your risks and liabilities.

There are certain industries that CNA has the most experience working with; these include construction, education, manufacturing, healthcare, real estate, wholesale, technology, professional services, finance, and more.

Here’s a quick glance at some of the types of business insurance offered by CNA:

  • Workers’ compensation insurance
  • Professional liability insurance (errors and omissions)
  • Property insurance
  • Commercial auto insurance
  • Business interruption insurance
  • General liability insurance
  • Equipment breakdown insurance

I like CNA because you can pick and choose which types of coverage you need, and get them bundled into a single policy that’s custom fit to your needs. 

#3 – Hiscox Review — Best For Small Business Insurance

Hiscox is my top recommendation for small business owners. Their policies are affordable, while still providing you with enough coverage to protect your organization from a wide range of potential scenarios.

When I say that Hiscox is great for small businesses, I mean ALL small businesses. They’re currently providing protection to organizations in 180+ different industries. 

The list of coverage types offered by Hiscox isn’t quite as extensive as some of the other options on the market today. But they still have more than enough options to accommodate the needs of most businesses.

  • General liability insurance for small business
  • Professional liability (E&O) insurance for small business
  • Business owners policy (BOP) for small business
  • Short-term liability insurance for small business
  • Cyber insurance for small business
  • Workers’ comp for small business
  • Commercial auto insurance for small business
  • Umbrella insurance for small business
  • Employment practices liability insurance for small business

Hiscox is an established name in the business insurance world. They’ve been around since 1901 and insure 300,000+ small businesses across the US.

#4 – Insureon Review — Best Business Insurance Marketplace

Technically speaking, Insureon isn’t actually an insurance provider; it’s an online marketplace for business insurance.

But this robust platform definitely deserves a spot on my list. Insureon is super easy to use, and it’s the best way to compare coverage options from different providers in a single place.

If you’re looking to get the best possible rate, I strongly recommend Insureon. Otherwise, you’d have to get quotes from different providers individually, which is much more of a hassle.

Insureon allows you to compare free quotes from some of the top-rated and well-known business insurance providers on the market today (including some of the options on our list).

  • Travelers
  • Chubb
  • Hiscox
  • Hannover
  • The Hartford
  • Liberty Mutual
  • AmTrust Financial

The list goes on and on. You can browse policies for professional liability insurance, cyber liability insurance, BOP policies, general liability insurance, commercial property insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, and more.

Insureon is typically geared toward smaller businesses. But it’s used across a wide range of different industries. 

#5 – Progressive Review — The Best For Commercial Auto Insurance

Progressive is an industry leader in the commercial auto coverage space. 

With 45+ years of experience, they aren’t quite as old as some other players in the industry. However, Progressive is definitely a well-established and trustworthy provider for commercial auto policies.

Here’s a list of some common types of business vehicles insured by Progressive:

  • Buses
  • Limousines
  • Trucks
  • Vans
  • Landscaping vehicles
  • Tow trucks
  • Box trucks
  • Snow plows
  • Sports utility vehicles (for hauling cargo and transporting products)
  • Pickup trucks
  • Trailers

It’s worth noting that there are certain types of vehicles that Progressive will NOT insure. This includes emergency vehicles (like fire trucks and ambulances), golf carts, double-decker buses, monster trucks, race cars, wheelchair buses, and a few others. 

In addition to the commercial policies, Progressive also has coverage for general liability, BOP, professional liability, workers’ comp, and more. 

#6 – The Hartford Review — The Best For Workers’ Comp

For those of you who don’t know, Hartford, Connecticut is known as the “insurance capital of the world.” So it’s no surprise to see The Hartford (named for its headquarters’ namesake) on our list.

This company was founded more than two centuries ago, back in 1810. To say they are a well-established name in the business insurance industry would be a drastic understatement. 

The Hartford has an extensive list of product offerings for business insurance. Some of their most popular policies include:

  • Business owners’ policy (BOP) insurance
  • General liability insurance
  • Workers’ compensation insurance
  • Business income insurance
  • Commercial auto insurance
  • Commercial property insurance
  • Commercial flood insurance
  • Home-based business insurance
  • Professional liability insurance
  • Multinational business insurance

Overall, the workers’ comp coverages provided by The Hartford are second to none. If you want to give your employees the very best protection, look no further than The Hartford. 

Summary

In a market saturated with business insurance options, there are really only six choices that I’d consider. 

If you choose one of the names reviewed above, you can rest easy knowing that your business is being protected from a well-established and reputable provider. 

Be sure to use the methodology I described earlier as you’re shopping around and evaluating different options. That’s the only way to get the best possible business insurance policy for your company. 

The post Best Business Insurance appeared first on Neil Patel.

New comment by craigtp in "Ask HN: Freelancer? Seeking freelancer? (September 2020)"

SEEKING WORK Location: Liverpool, England Remote: Yes (Remote only) Willing to relocate: No Technologies: C#, .NET Core, ASP.NET, SQL Server/MongoDB/EventStore, CQRS/Event Sourcing, Azure/AWS. Résumé/CV: http://cv.craigtp.co.uk Email: craig [at] craigtp.co.uk Hi. I’m Craig. I’m a senior analyst developer with over two decades of experience of a wide range of full life-cycle software projects. I’m a full-stack …

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Sunsama is hiring a full stack (RN) engineer (Remote)

Article URL: https://angel.co/company/sunsama/jobs/712765-sr-full-stack-engineer-react-react-native

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22231972

Points: 1

# Comments: 0

The post Sunsama is hiring a full stack (RN) engineer (Remote) appeared first on WE TEACH MONEY LIFE SELF DEFENSE WITH FINANCIAL GOALS IN MIND.

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Starting Business Credit – Why Your Business Address Matters

Did you know that your business address matters when it comes to starting business credit?  Your address matters. And there are other things that can make a difference. Here’s how you can start off on the right foot when it comes to business credit.

Your Business Address, and  5 Other Things You Didn’t Know Make a Difference When Starting Business Credit

When you first start a business, you may not be thinking about anything other than how to pay for it  and how to get customers. Many businesses start small from home. They operate in either an extremely intimate area, or they work mostly online.  Social media-based businesses have exploded in recent years. 

That being the case, new business owners often simply use their home address as their business address.  It’s the easiest thing to do, and makes sense after all. I mean, if you are running your business out of your house, why wouldn’t you use your home address? 

What frustrates you the most about funding your business? Check out how our free guide can help. 

Looking into the future however, you are going to need to build business credit.  For that, your business needs its own address, separate from your personal address. 

Why Is Starting Business Credit Important? 

If you have great personal credit, business credit probably never even crossed your mind.  You just figure you can get all the funding you need based on the merits of your personal credit score. If your personal score isn’t the best, you may have explored other options and realize that business credit is a thing. 

Here is what you may not know, either way.  You cannot just apply for credit in your business name and assume that any credit you get is business credit.  Unless you set up your business in a very specific way and follow a very intentional process, those accounts are going to report to your personal credit.  This is true even if you apply with your business name. 

Why does this matter?  There are a few reasons actually.  First, personal credit simply cannot handle the spending necessary to run a business.  You will either exceed your limits continually or consistently hover near them. Even if you pay off your cards each month, staying near limits can affect your score negatively.  It results in a high debt-to-credit ratio, and that will cause your personal score to drop.

Conversely, cards obtained on the merits of your business credit will usually have higher limits.  That means more spending power. Not only that, but if there is and issue with your business debt, your personal credit will be protected because those accounts will not be on your personal credit report.

How to Get a Business Address

Now that you know why you need business credit, you need to know how to get it.  Like I said, there is more to it than just applying for credit using your business name.  Your business has to be set up a certain way. You also have to be intentional about getting accounts that report to business credit rather than personal credit.

For your business to be set up in a way that is conducive to building business credit, it needs to be easily recognizable as a fundable entity separate from the owner.  One of the first steps toward accomplishing that is for the business to have an address different than the owner’s personal address.

The question that most business owners ask about this is, how do you get a business address that isn’t your home address if your business is in your house?  Well, the obvious first option is to get a P.O. Box. That works for some things, but some lenders want to see a physical address. 

Of course, if you are running a business online or from your home, you are wondering how you can do that.  The answer is a virtual office.

What frustrates you the most about funding your business? Check out how our free guide can help. 

What is a Virtual Office and How Does it Work?

According to Investopedia, “A virtual office gives businesses a physical address and office-related services without the overhead of a long lease and administrative staff. With a virtual office, employees can work from anywhere but still have things like a mailing address, phone answering services, meeting rooms, and videoconferencing.”  

Basically, virtual offices operate as a single unit.  Sometimes there is a physical location that has meeting rooms and such available as needed. However, more often it is operated solely online with a physical mailing address and other services you can use, as mentioned above. These services are ideal for those that need a physical address but do not need an actual office. 

3 Stellar Options for Virtual Offices

If You think a virtual office space is best for your business, here are three top options to help get you started. 

Davinci

Davinci offers a prime business address with options to hire a receptionist, book meeting space, and live chat.  Prices are variable. Call for a quote or go here to learn more. 

Alliance Virtual Offices

Alliance offers a physical address, office space, mail services, and phone answering services starting at $125.  Go here to learn more. 

Regus

In addition to virtual office services, Regus has options for meeting rooms and more.  Find out more here. 

What Else Matters: 5 Other Things You Didn’t Know Make a different When Starting Business Credit

Separating your business from yourself for the purpose of starting business credit takes more than having a separate business address. Here are some other steps that you must take to make your business appear fundable on its own to lenders. 

Startup Biz Credit Suite

You Need a Business Phone Number Before Starting Business Credit

This is for pretty much the same reason that you need a business address that is different from your own.  Your address and phone number are both identifying factors that point back to your personal credit report. If you associate them with your business, you run the risk of business accounts reporting on personal credit. 

Your business phone number should be toll-free, and it needs to be listed in the business directories.  You can handle this at: http://www.listyourself.net/ListYourself/

You Need a Professional Business Website Before Starting Business Credit

Think about it.  In today’s world, if you aren’t online do you really even exist?  The first place anyone looks for anything is online. Having a business website is a must.  You can’t just throw something together though. It is essential that the website be user friendly and well put together.  It is almost always worth it to pay a professional to handle this. Oh, and don’t use a free hosting service. That does not look professional.  Pay for hosting through a service like GoDaddy.

You Need a Dedicated Business Email Address Before Starting Business Credit 

This goes along with the other separate business contact information.  Don’t use your personal email address as your business email. Also, make sure your business email has the same URL as your website.  A free email service such as Yahoo or Gmail will not serve you as well. 

Your Business Needs to Formally Incorporate Before Building Business Credit

If you operate as a sole proprietor or a partnership, there will never be enough separation between you and your business to build separate business credit.  You need to formally incorporate as either a corporation, an S-corp, or an LLC. Here is a little more information about each of these options.

Corporation

 This is the most expensive option, but it also offers the most protection from liability. There is a double taxation caveat with this option that is a turn off for most. Owners pay tax at both the business level and the shareholder level. In some cases, this is the best option anyway. 

 S-Corp

 S-Corps are very similar to corporations, but double taxation isn’t an issue. There are also limits on the number of shareholders allowed among other restrictions set forth by the IRS. 

 LLC

 An LLC, or a limited liability corporation, is the least expensive option. It still offers some liability protection, and has fewer restrictions than an S-corp. 

Each of these options serves the purpose of further separating the business from the owner when you are looking to start a business credit profile. The option you choose should be the one that best suits your needs for tax purposes. 

You Need a Business Bank Account to Start Business Credit Building

Another common practice of small business owners is to use their personal bank account for business funds.  While in the beginning this seems like the best option simply because it is easy, it further mingles your personal information with your business information.  Not only that, but it makes separating business expenses from personal expenses at tax time very hard. 

You need a separate business account.  When it comes to starting business credit, this helps in two ways.  First, it helps to separate the business from the owner. Also, so lenders want to see a certain balance in a business bank account before approving credit.  

Other Things You Need to Know Before Starting Business Credit

In addition to the things mentioned above, there are a few other steps you need to take to set up your business for starting business credit. 

The EIN Wins in the Battle of EIN vs. SSN When Starting Business Credit

And EIN is the business equivalent of a social security number. If you use your SSN to apply for credit for your business, your personal credit will get involved. By using a unique identification number specifically for the business, you ensure that your business is separate from your SSN. You can get an EIN for free here. 

You Have to Have a D-U-N-S Number to Have Business Credit

Here’s why.  Dun & Bradstreet is the largest and most commonly used business credit reporting agency.  If you do no have a D-U-N-S number, you cannot have a business credit file with them. You definitely need a business credit profile with D & B.

Choose Creditors that Work with the SBFE

The SBFE is a not-for-profit entity that gathers data on small businesses from its members. The data is then used to compile comprehensive credit information. Lenders that are SBFE members have access to this information.  They use this information to make credit decisions.

The Small Business Finance Exchange does not lend money. It also does not create or distribute credit reports. What is does do is collect information from lender members on their borrowers.  That information is then passed to D&B and Equifax. This means if you are doing business with SBFE members, you know your credit information is being reported, at least to those lenders that are members of the SBFE. Find out more about the SBFE here. 

What frustrates you the most about funding your business? Check out how our free guide can help. 

Other Ways to Get Accounts Reporting To Your Business Credit Report

Once you have your business set up properly, you can start to build business credit.  If you do not already have strong business credit, you will have to start at the bottom credit tier, known as the vendor credit tier.  These are starter vendors that will offer net terms on invoices without checking your credit. Then they will report your payments to the credit reporting agencies.   However, they will often want to see an EIN, business bank account, or a listing in the business directories along with a certain amount of time in business or annual revenue.  This is just one reason why setting up your business properly is so important. 

After you get a few of these accounts reporting, you can apply for credit in the next tier, which is the retail credit tier.  These are cards that you can only use in the stores that issue them, like a Best Buy card or an Office Depot card.  

Once you have several of these accounts reporting positive payment history, you can apply for cards in the fleet credit tier.  Those are cards from companies like Shell or Fuelman that can only be used for fuel and auto repair and maintenance.  

Get enough cards from the fleet credit tier, and you can move on up to the cash credit tier.  These are the cards that do not have limits on where you can use them or what types of expenses you can use them to pay.  This is the top tier, and once you hit it you will see your business credit score start to grow like a snowball rolling downhill.  That is, of course, if you handle your credit responsibly.

Not Having a Business Address can Kill Your Chances of Starting Business Credit 

There is so much more to getting business credit than having a separate business address.  However, if you have everything you need and you do not have a business address, that lack could definitely throw a kink in the process. Remember, you don’t have to have a separate location, just a separate address. Then make sure everything else is set up to separate your business from yourself.  After that, you can start building strong business credit. The funding you need to run and grow your business will be right there when you need it.  

 

The post Starting Business Credit – Why Your Business Address Matters appeared first on Credit Suite.

New comment by MelContentful in "Ask HN: Who is hiring? (September 2019)"

Contentful| Reliability Engineer Infrastructure | Berlin | Fulltime ABOUT THE TEAM The goal of the Infrastructure Reliability team is to provide a highly available platform so that we can meet our SLAs for performance and uptime with a high volume traffic and sustained growth. Contentful’s customers run a wide range of deployments that consume our …