How To Become A Successful Content Writer

Being a content writer has a lot of advantages. Depending on your position, you may be able to work from home or a favourite coffee shop, choose what themes to write about, have your work published, and earn actual value.

However, the work is not always simple, and there are a few areas of skill you must have in order to be successful other from being a great writer. So, here are nine important skill sets that each excellent content writer must possess and continue to improve throughout their career.

1. Use the Most Up-to-Date Content Writing Method

The headline affects whether or not the remainder of your work is read. You will not accomplish the desired effects with your content if the title does not pique the reader’s attention, elicit an emotional response, or make the reader want to learn more about the issue. To begin, select a topic that is currently popular, and the headline should be snappy and contain forceful phrases. The material should be simple to grasp, using headers, subheadings, bulleted lists, infographics, and related videos.

Before you begin creating your content, you should have at least one core point in mind. When writing, keep this in mind and try to connect your information to the primary argument as much as feasible.

You must also ensure that each sentence in the article is related to the preceding one. There should be sufficient logical flow and text cohesiveness to entice readers to finish the tale. Finally, if it’s a commercial article, your material should convey a multi-layered message about making the best purchasing decision.

2. Always strive to write content that is grammatically correct and unique.

Brief paragraphs, short phrases, and bulleted lists are common in the finest digital material. SEO best practices and the most recent SEO content techniques should also be used to improve digital content for search. The application of grammatical principles, meaningful sentence building, precise punctuation, exact spelling, and appropriate word choice will guarantee that you adhere to linguistic correctness.

You should also make sure that you adhere to the following ethical writing guidelines:

• Citing reliable sources of information.

• Crediting the writers whose work you reference.

• Always write material that is free of plagiarism.

Grammarly may be used to check for grammatical errors, and Small SEO Tools can be used to assure plagiarism-free work.

3. Make a hook to capture their interest.

After the headline, you have three seconds to keep people interested. The opening sentence also influences whether or not people read the rest of your material. As a consequence, it should grab the reader’s attention and bring them naturally to your first point.

4. Create content that is well-researched.

If you want Google to rank your material on the web, you must spend a significant amount of time researching before writing it. Furthermore, when you post well-researched material on your website, your consumers will believe that you are providing them with more information than your competition.

You’ll be able to produce reliable material after conducting extensive investigation. When your material incorporates statistics, case studies, or real-time industry data, customers share it with their friends, colleagues, and family. Particularly in the B2B sector, you must have comprehensive understanding of the issue you’re writing about. To create credibility and back up your assertions, use statistics, facts, and measurements.

5. Increase Demand by Practicing Adaptability and Flexibility

You’ll need to adapt your writing methods to stay current in the fast-paced digital marketing business. You’ll also have to interact with a wide range of clients as a freelancer or content writer for a marketing firm.

The material you post is your company’s voice, and it should reflect your brand’s personality. It’s critical to match your writing tone to your target audience, business objectives, and brand character.

The content marketing sector is evolving at a rapid pace. As a result, you’ll need to adjust your tone and writing style to meet the needs of the customer. You’ll also have to devote more time to producing a variety of material. Write business content, casual narrative material, sales-oriented content, social media content, and so on to get experience.

Write business content, casual narrative material, sales-oriented content, social media content, and so on to get experience.You’ll need to be adaptable not only in terms of content style and tone, but also in terms of industry-specific specialisations. Great content writer swap writing genres on a frequent basis to keep current on a variety of industry standards.

Writers who create great digital marketing material have a diverse set of talents, including writing, storytelling, connecting with an audience, and, most importantly, the art of selling items or services.

6. Gain SEO technical knowledge for Content Writer.

So far, if you follow the preceding advice, you should be able to write excellent content. Even the best content in the world won’t bring much traffic to your or your client’s website if the target audience can’t find it.

You may use technical SEO knowledge to help your content rank higher in Google’s search results. Create SEO-friendly content titles, meta titles, meta descriptions, subheadings, and alt text for pictures, among other things, to improve your chances of ranking in search engine results.

To keep current on SEO strategies, you’ll need to employ SEO tools on a frequent basis. Even if the customer gives you a topic and a title, you’ll still need to do extensive keyword research. You’ll also need to learn how to use high-volume keywords in the content title, introduction, headings, subheadings, body text, and conclusion. Then, using the Google Keyword Planner tool, begin looking for keywords.

7. Commit to deadlines and become laser-focused on them.

Writing well-researched material necessitates a high level of commitment to the job. Turn on Do Not Disturb on your phone and computer to avoid distractions. Begin by accomplishing little chores, and you’ll soon discover that you’re able to complete the entire article on time.

You’ll need to satisfy client requirements as an agency employee or freelance content writer. The delivery target date is a chance for freelancers to demonstrate their desire to help the customer. The customer should consider you for future projects if you produce high-quality material in a shorter amount of time.

8. Enhance your organisational and communication abilities.

Always place a greater focus on task organisation using mobile or computer apps. You can utilise complex project management or to-do list applications that are freely accessible. Additionally, connect your calendar app with the project tasks so that you are notified of any modifications or high-priority requests on a frequent basis. In the long term, developing business-oriented communication skills will always pay off in your content writing profession. You must be able to communicate effectively with your organisation or clients, both in writing and verbally.

Whenever you send an email to a client or customer, compose it in a formal manner and extensively review it to eliminate any mistakes. A professional email will have a long-term impact on the recipient.

9. Develop basic image and document editing skills

After you’ve finished your first draught, think about how you might improve the rough edges of your writing. Even when it has been prepared by skilled content providers, writing usually improves after a round or two of editing.

As a content writer, you’ll need to include infographics, pictures, multi-media, and tables in your articles on occasion. You may lose productive hours for the following project if you have to rely on a third party for the aforementioned responsibilities.

10. Stay in Demand

You could be a great writer, but if you don’t keep up with the newest trends, your career prospects will be restricted. Join writing and freelance forums, build on your online profiles, become comfortable cold emailing, use various social media channels, and sell examples of your work.

Maintaining an active presence on a few social media sites can not only increase your chances of landing specific writing gigs, but it will also allow you to meet new people. Clients are constantly wanting to expand their reach, so offering to share material with your network will give them an extra reason to employ you.

 

How to Find an Apartment in Jumeirah Village Circle?

Moving to new locations can be both exhilarating and nerve-racking at the same time. It is because you want everything to be perfect, from the location to the layout to the amenities and the overall cost.  

Before finding your ideal apartment and signing a lease agreement, there are a few important questions you should consider answering first. Is it really within your financial reach? Are there any extra fees for hot water? Is it convenient for you to commute to work or school? 

When there are so many factors to consider, it’s easy to get the stress of the situation. All that is required is that you put up the necessary effort to discover the home of your dreams. So, this article is your guide to staying on the right track! 

Top tips for finding your dream apartment in JVC Dubai  

Finding an apartment may seem like hunting for a needle in a haystack. It becomes an almost impossible effort to find a suitable residence. It is feasible to find a house in a new city if you do some serious planning ahead of time. 

Are you relocating for work, love, or just a change of scenery? Follow these tips to choose a place you’ll like living in before you embark on your relocation adventure. 

Decide the type of apartment first.  

The first thing you should consider is where you want to reside and how much money you have available to spend there. Take into consideration whether you want to live alone or with roommates, as well as the kind of apartment you’re interested in renting. The answer to all these questions will help you define a criterion for your living space.  

You may find a wide range of apartments in Jumeirah Village Circle. However, it is your choice to choose and relocate for the best living style. For this, you can get apartments for rent in JVC services to get a home specifically based on your needs. After all, the professional dealers value their clients’ preferences and search them home accordingly.  

Plan your budget wisely.  

After that, you should determine how much money you can realistically spend on a new apartment. All of your utilities, food, and relocation expenses are included in your monthly rent payment. Do not forget about any other expenses you may owe, such as gas, parking, phone, and internet service, as well as any credit card debt you may be carrying around with you.  

As a general rule of thumb, your rent expenditures should not be more than 30% of your monthly wage, including utilities. This will simplify you to save and budget for your other monthly expenses. 

Consider the amenities for a better living.  

It is important to remember that the price of an apartment may be affected by the facilities available. Individuals who live in the center of an apartment building will generally pay more than those who live on the top or bottom floors of the building.  

Before making any judgments regarding the number of bedrooms and bathrooms you desire, you should consider how much space you really need. Besides this, you must consider the availability of hospitals, schools, and markets nearby the apartments to avoid unnecessary stress.  

Before making a final selection, double-check that your selected options are still accessible. When looking for a new place to live in Jumeirah Village Circle, this is an absolute must-do phase in the process.  

Pay the visits for self-inspections   

If you’re looking at an apartment, be sure to take a close look around to see if there’s anything the owner could be attempting to hide. To begin, search for traces of insects inside cabinets and on the tops of shelves, among other places. Additionally, check to see sure the water is flowing smoothly in all of the sinks and showers around the house.  

If the apartment is available for viewing, make an appointment to see it. Do this for each possible house on the shortlist that you are considering. The layout and amenities of the apartment may be seen via virtual tours; however, viewing the apartment firsthand provides an enhanced understanding of the neighborhood, the building’s layout, and the actual size, finishes, and functionality of the flat. 

Finally, but certainly not least, make sure you take a phone charger with you so that you can test the outlets before you go. These concerns are often ignored, so be sure you thoroughly research them. Double-check that all of your furniture will fit in your new home before moving in. Don’t forget to take measurements at the building’s entrances, hallways, and inside the unit itself. 

Hire professional rental services providers  

When most people acquire a home, they enlist the assistance of a real estate agent to guide them. If you’re relocating to a new city and don’t know anybody in the area, you may not be aware that some real estate agents may help you locate a rental home to suit your needs. 

The best way to avoid such a thing, you should look for the experts dealing in the apartment for rent in JVC. The professional service providers can even hold a property for a few days to let you decide. In this way, you would be able to get the selected option without crying over the spilled milk.  

Once you have hired rental services, you will get many benefits besides time safety. So, feel free to contact the dealers operating in JVC to avoid time and money wastage.  

Follow the guide to get the best apartment near you! 

When you don’t know what you want or how much money you have to spend, it might be tough to find an apartment that meets your needs. Understandably, moving into your first apartment can be a nerve-wracking process for many people. 

If you just put one foot in front of the other as the old children’s song goes, you can go anyplace you want to go! But be wise to pick an apartment option as it will have a long-lasting impact on your living. Start your search today for getting a home for you and your loved ones! 

Author Introduction:  

Real Estate Jvc is a real estate company and also are content writer and blogger, we have developed a great interest in writing about Real Estate, Renting, and selling properties. On regular basis, we manage different kinds of blogs and write on them. Paper Shredders

The benefits of pre-booking an Oxford Street Cabs for an airport transfer

Pre-booking an airport Cabs is now considered as important a part of travel planning as booking hotels and airline tickets. It should be noted that hiring airport Cabs at the last minute can be a huge headache. For example, if you don’t find an airport Cabs that fits your budget and needs at the right time, you could miss your flight or meeting. There are many advantages to booking an Oxford Street Cabs in advance for an airport transfer. These advantages are discussed below.

Booking an airport Cabs helps you save money

Travelers prefer to hire airport Cabs which are inexpensive but offer good service. Travelers who do not book an airport Cabs in advance have to negotiate the fare with the various Cabs available at the airport. Many Cabs are available at the airport and charge higher fares to travelers.

Regarding booking a Cabs in advance, you can ask the service provider to send you a Cabs quote before you book your airport transfer, so you know how much you will have to pay. At the end of your journey, you will have to pay the same rate that the Cabs company quoted you when you booked your transfer.

You can also do an online search related to Oxford Street airport Cabs and compare the Cabs prices offered by them to go from Oxford Street to different UK airports or from different UK airports to Oxford Street. This search will help you choose an airport Cabs for Oxford Street that offers the cheapest rates and great airport transfer services. If an airport Cabs is booked in advance, you will not use Cabs that charge higher fares to travelers.

Booking an airport Cabs is peace of mind for travelers

Booking an airport Cabs in advance gives you peace of mind. How is this possible? When you book an airport Cabs in advance, you can rest easy because you know that when your flight lands at the airport, the Cabs of your choice will already be there to pick you up. You also enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that the Cabs of your choice will take you to your desired destination from the airport at a fixed price (price already negotiated).

Cabs booked in advance can easily meet your special needs

It is always a good idea to book a Cabs in advance if you have special travel needs. You might need a child seat or have a lot of luggage. It should be noted that the Cabs available at the airport or a local Cabs may not meet all your needs.

Booking an Oxford Street Cabs saves time

It should be noted that one of the biggest advantages of a Cabs service is that it saves time. This is why people prefer Oxford Street Cabs to buses and trains when travelling to or from the airport. It should be noted that an airport Cabs booked in advance will also save you time. How is this possible? Many travelers who do not book an airport Cabs in advance report that when they contact an Oxford Street Cabs service a few hours before their flight to take them from Oxford Street to the right airport in the UK, the Cabs driver often fails to pick them up in time because he does not know the customer’s location. On the other hand, travelers who book Cabs to the airport in advance notice that Cabs drivers usually arrive in time to pick them up because they have already researched the location of the customer.

It should be noted that travelers who book airport Cabs in advance do not have to waste time searching for a suitable airport Cabs.

Booking an airport Cabs in advance offers convenience

Booking an Oxford Street Cabs in advance to get to or from the airport is definitely a convenient option. It will save you from several headaches like finding the right car at the airport, negotiating the fare with the Cabs driver, lack of time, etc.

If you want to enjoy your journey to or from the airport, always book airport Cabs in advance.

For Booking:

Call- +442089253849

Visit Website: https://tiklacars.com

Tips for recovering lost property in private taxis in South East London

It is a common phenomenon all over the world for travellers to leave their personal belongings and valuables, such as phones, wallets, keys, etc. in hired taxis. There is no particular reason why some travellers leave their personal belongings in taxis at the end of their journey. More often than not, when travellers learn that they have left their belongings in a hired taxi to take them from one place to another, they panic instead of taking immediate action. It should be noted that once passengers report the incident to the taxi company, the chances of recovering the lost items increase.

There are cases where people are late in reporting their lost items and the taxi company cannot be of much help because the same taxi has taken other passengers to their desired destination after the owner of the lost item has already used the taxi. Therefore, passengers should immediately report the incident to the relevant taxi company.

Passengers who have mistakenly left or forgotten their belongings in a hired taxi in South East London can use the following tips to help them recover their belongings.

Call the taxi driver directly

Whether you book a taxi online or over the phone, private hire taxis in South East London will send passengers a text or email with the car number, driver’s name, driver’s phone number, car type etc. If you forgot your things in the last taxi you used, call the driver immediately and tell him what you left in the taxi and ask how to get it back.

Report the incident to the taxi company by email or phone.

If the taxi driver tells you that he did not find your items in his taxi and you are sure that you last used or saw your lost items in the hired taxi, report your lost items to the hired taxi company in South East London. You should explain to the taxi company what happened and what the driver says. Let the taxi company deal with this now.

Note: It is the passenger’s responsibility to take care of their personal belongings while travelling in a taxi. Taxi drivers are also responsible for checking their cars at the end of each journey to see if passengers have taken their personal belongings. If they find any items left in their vehicle, they are required to take the lost items to their company’s office so that the items can be returned to the passengers.

High Marketing and Promotion of Brand with Straight Tuck End Boxes

Boxes with folding end the distinctive straight boxes with folding ends are some of the most common boxes in stores. Although the security is not that great compared to the snap closure and automatic bottom, Straight tuck end boxes still have a number of uses in retail. Our manufacturers allow you to make a wide range of customizations on straight-end boxes for a high level of marketing and promotion. 

Straight folding end boxes 

Straight Tuck End features the intrinsic type of boxes. Providing easy-to-open pleats on both sides, this box can allow the right kind of support for lightweight items such as balloons, beads, and hamburgers. However, the box is less secure than snap-lock boxes. 

Structure 

The body of the box has 3 pleats at both ends. The customer can open either side as it suits him. Locking support is not provided. But you can still handle a lot of things individually. This box will prove to be a better option for your products as it lacks raw edges on the front. The Tuck End straight box also features four sides, two wide and two narrows, to display the respective product information or design. It will be surprising if you choose to place one or two plastic windows to provide a view of the product. The shape of the box allows it to fit in with other boxes. 

Wholesale Custom Straight End Boxes 
Where is it useful? 

As mentioned above, Straight Tuck End works best for some things that are not heavy. It can include food items like hamburgers, hamburger steaks, French fries, marshmallows, and chicken skewers, and much more. In addition, you can handle cosmetics and products that enhance beauty. This type is easy to set up and will sit fairly fixed on store shelves, with easy portability. It is also incredibly easy to pack. 

Why place the end boxes? 

There are many other box manufacturers, but none meet our standards. We offer the best of the best to our clients. And if you’re not satisfied, we also have a money-back guarantee. 

Design services 

We already have some of the exquisite designs in our portfolio. You can choose between them or you can give us your draft and have it ready.  

The rest is quality, rest assured! 

We offer quality packaging at affordable prices. Customer satisfaction is our top priority and you will not find that we leave a mark in achieving it. 

Modern technology 

Our packaging is made with the most advanced techniques available. This helps us with products on time that have a response time of up to 6 business days. 

Cheap products 

The material of our products is biodegradable. It allows greater durability and a longer shelf life of the packaging. The end result is a profitable product. 

Services on time 

Time is of the essence. As much as our team is concerned about quality, it is also on time. The delivery of the tuck end boxes order is variable for different orders but we intend to provide our clients with a maximum of 8 days or a minimum of 6 business days. 

Available globally 

Outside the US? No matter. Just call us and we will contact you. We will be happy to help you wherever you are. Our services are global

Around the clock 

There are no time limitations for our customer service. You can call us at any time you see fit. Our service is 24 hours. 

Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) the largest and most-comprehensive art museum in New York City

Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met)

The largest and most-comprehensive art museum in New York City and one of the foremost in the world. The museum was incorporated in 1870 and opened two years later. The complex of buildings at its present location in Central Park opened in 1880. The main building facing Fifth Avenue, designed by Richard Morris Hunt, was completed in 1902 and as of 2016 was called “The Met Fifth Avenue.” McKim, Mead, and White designed certain later additions. The American section, added in 1924, included the 1823 marble facade saved from the demolished U.S. Branch Bank on Wall Street. The remainder of the 20th-century additions were completed by the architectural firm of Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates. They included the Robert Lehman Wing (1975), with its Old Masters, Impressionist, and Post-Impressionist works; the Sackler Wing of the Temple of Dendur (1978), which houses a monument given by Egypt; the American Wing (1980), a four-acre addition that was wrapped around the old section and contains the largest collection of American arts in the world; the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing (1982), which houses the arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas; the Lila Acheson Wallace Wing (1987), which displays Modern art; and the Henry R. Kravis Wing (1990), which contains sculpture and decorative arts of Europe up to the early 20th century. A renovated and reconceived group of 15 galleries featuring the “art of the Arab lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and later South Asia”- one of the most-comprehensive collections of its type was opened in 2011. In March 2016 the Met expanded its Modern and contemporary art programs into a Marcel Breuer-designed building at East 75th Street and Madison Avenue (the former location of the Whitney Museum of American Art). “The Met Breuer” was designed to host exhibitions and performances related to 20th- and 21st-century art, artist commissions and residencies, and educational programming.

The Met has important collections of Egyptian, Babylonian, Assyrian, East Asian and Middle Eastern, Greek and Roman, European, pre-Columbian, New Guinean, Islamic, and American art, including architecture, sculpture, painting, drawings, calligraphy, prints, photographs, glass, bronzes, ceramics, textiles, metalwork, lacquerwork, furniture, period rooms, arms and armour, and musical instruments.

The Thomas J. Watson Library, built in 1964 primarily for the use of the museum staff and visiting scholars, has one of the most complete art and archaeology reference collections in the world. It is the largest of a network of dedicated libraries in the museum, but only the Nolen Library is open to the public. European art of the Middle Ages is found on display in both the Central Park complex and at “The Met Cloisters,” the Met museum of medieval art in Fort Tryon Park in the northern part of Manhattan.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Metropolitan-Museum-of-Art

Zoom.us: Ultimate solution for Video conferencing, Virtual Events, Chats, Webinars

Zoom is a cloud-based video conferencing service you can use to virtually meet with others – either by video or audio-only or both, all while conducting live chats – and it lets you record those sessions to view later. Over half of Fortune 500 companies reportedly used Zoom in 2019 and during 2020 it hit even greater heights, racking up 227 per cent growth over the year.

When people are talking about Zoom, you’ll usually hear the following phrases: Zoom Meeting and Zoom Room. A Zoom Meeting refers to a video conferencing meeting that’s hosted using Zoom. You can join these meetings via a webcam or phone. Meanwhile, a Zoom Room is the physical hardware setup that lets companies schedule and launch Zoom Meetings from their conference rooms.

Zoom Rooms require an additional subscription on top of a Zoom subscription and are an ideal solution for larger companies.

Here are Zoom’s core features:
  1. One-on-one meetings: Host unlimited one-on-one meetings even with the free plan.
  2. Group video conferences: Host up to 500 participants (if you purchase the “large meeting” add-on). The free plan, however, allows you to host video conferences of up to 40 minutes and up to 100 participants.
  3. Screen sharing: Meet one-on-one or with large groups and share your screen with them so they can see what you see. 
  4. Recording: You can record your meetings or events too.
How does Zoom work?

Zoom allows one-to-one chat sessions that can grow into group calls, training sessions and webinars for internal and external audiences, and global video meetings with up to 1,000 participants and as many as 49 on-screen videos. The free tier allows unlimited one-on-one meetings but limits group sessions to 40 minutes and 100 participants. Paid plans start at $15 per month per host.

Zoom offers four pricing tiers (not including a Zoom Room subscription):

Zoom Free: This tier is free. You can hold an unlimited number of meetings. Group meetings with multiple participants are capped at 40 minutes in length, and meetings can’t be recorded.

Zoom Pro: This tier costs $14.99/£11.99 per month and meeting host. It allows hosts to create personal meeting IDs for repetitive Zoom Meetings, and it allows meeting recording in the cloud or your device, but it caps group meeting durations at 24 hours.

Zoom Business: This tier costs $19.99/£15.99 per month and meeting host (10 minimum). It lets you brand Zoom meetings with vanity URLs and company branding, and it offers transcripts of Zoom meetings recorded in the cloud, as well as dedicated customer support.

Zoom Enterprise: This tier costs $19.99/£15.99 per month and per meeting host (100 minimum) and is meant for businesses with 1,000+ employees. It offers unlimited cloud storage for recordings, a customer success manager, and discounts on webinars and Zoom Rooms.

Optional – Zoom Rooms: If you want to set up Zoom Rooms, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial, after which Zoom Rooms require an additional $49/£39 per month and room subscription, while webinars using Zoom cost $40/£32 per month and host.

Zoom app downloads

The desktop app is available for Windows and macOS, while the mobile app is available for Android and iOS. The desktop app offers the best experience.

All the apps let you join a meeting without signing in, but also let you sign in using a Zoom account, Google, Facebook, or SSO. From there, you can start a meeting, join a meeting, share your screen in a Zoom Room by entering the meeting ID, start Zoom Meetings, mute/unmute your mic, start/stop the video, invite others to the meeting, change your screen name, do in-meeting chat, and start a cloud recording.

If you’re a desktop user, you can also start a local recording, create polls, broadcast your Facebook live on Facebook, and more. In other words, the desktop app is more fully featured, although, if you’re a free user, you can still get a lot of mileage from the mobile app.

Zoom Outlook plugin: As well as the various other Zoom app downloads, it is also possible to use Zoom in other ways. For example, there’s a Zoom Outlook plugin that’s designed to work directly in your Microsoft Outlook client or as an Add-in for Outlook on the web. This Outlook plug drops a Zoom button right into the standard Outlook toolbar and lets you start or schedule a Zoom meeting with a simple click.

Zoom browser extensions: Another tool for quickly starting or scheduling a Zoom meeting comes in the form of an extension for your favourite browser. There is a Zoom Chrome extension and Zoom Firefox add-on that let you schedule a Zoom meeting via Google Calendar. A simple click on the Zoom button and you can start a meeting or schedule one for later with all the information on the meeting being sent via Google Calendar to make it easy for participants to join. 

Using Zoom in your browser: If you don’t have access to any apps – or haven’t installed one – you can run Zoom in a browser. Even if you do have Zoom apps, you can run Zoom in a browser instead. When you click on a Zoom link on a desktop, it will open a quick browser tab that will then launch the app on your device.

You can bypass the app and run it directly in the browser instead if you prefer. You might try this if your app isn’t working, or if it’s out of date or if you’re having login problems.

Zoom on your TV: It is actually possible to get Zoom working on your TV so you can have a video call on the big screen. We’ve written a detailed guide on the various ways you can get Zoom on your TV that is worth checking out.

Difference between paid and free Zoom?

There are a few differences between the paid and free Zoom plans that are worth noting.

Free Users: You can download the Zoom app on your computer or phone and join any meeting with a supplied meeting ID. You can disable audio or video before joining. You can create a free Zoom account and from there you can create a new meeting, schedule one, join a meeting, share a screen, add contacts, and so on.

Paid Users: You can sign up and download Zoom onto your computer using your work email if your system administrator has a Pro, Business, or Enterprise account. You’ll then want to sync Zoom to your calendar so you can schedule Zoom meetings and invite remote participants to join.

If you’re setting up a Zoom Room, you’ll need a computer to sync and run Zoom Meetings and a tablet for attendees to launch the Zoom Meetings. You’ll also need a mic, camera, and speaker, at least one HDTV monitors to display remote meeting participants, and an HDMI cable to share computer screens on a display, as well as an internet cable for your connection

You’ll also need to download “Zoom Rooms for Conference Room” on the in-room computer and “Zoom Room Controller” for the tablet in the meeting room. You can then sync those rooms to your company’s shared calendar so employees can see which meeting rooms are available.

Zoom security issues and updates

Early in 2020, concerns were raised about Zoom both in terms of security and problems with unwanted guests known as Zoombombers.

The company made moves to counter these issues and reassure users about the importance of security and privacy. This includes simple things like removing the meeting ID from the title bar of the call so if users share screenshots online the meeting isn’t exposed to future abuse.

The company has released a number of updates to the app to boost the security credentials.

What are Zoombombers?

The rise in prominence of Zoom lead the service to being abused by internet trolls and people with too much time on their hands. Some individuals were hunting down public and insecure Zoom meetings and letting themselves in, then “bombing” other people on the call with graphic videos, pornography and other inappropriate content.

We wrote a guide on how to stop Zoombombing a while back and there are various ways you can prevent this from happening, including securing your calls, preventing screen sharing and even disabling video. The team behind Zoom made improvements to secure your calls and keep them safe, and as far as we know, Zoombombing is no longer an issue.

Default security updates

Zoom has been updated with security changes to reassure users. One of these has been the requirement for a password as default for Zoom meetings. This, combined with virtual waiting rooms, ensures that only those people who have been invited to the call are actually allowed in.

Tmall.com backed by Alibaba Group is the King of Chinese E-Commerce Market

Chinese e-commerce giant Tmall.com continues to dominate its market, generating rapid growth that serves as a good barometer for the fortunes of parent company Alibaba Holdings.

When Alibaba reported Thursday that overall revenue grew 61% year over year to $12.3 billion during its fiscal first quarter, e-commerce headlined by Tmall served as a primary driver with Tmall and sister Chinese commerce site Taobao accounting for 86% of total revenue for the parent company. Tmall currently boasts a 51.3% share of the Chinese e-commerce market, according to an Analysys China research report.

“We gained incremental market share and a larger share of the consumer e-commerce wallet,” BABA Executive Vice Chairman Joseph Tsai told analysts during the company’s earnings call. “We continue to grow at scale because we had foresight to invest in technology, supply chain and logistics.”

Tsai added that he believes Tmall will continue to capture Chinese market share and help accelerate Alibaba’s overall growth as the company integrates more of its so-called “New Retail” initiative into Tmall.com.

Tmall is already the largest business-to-consumer marketplace on the “Top 500 Sites on the Web” list tracked by Amazon’s Alexa. In fact, it’s the world’s ninth-largest Web site overall ironically, two spots above Amazon (AMZN)  itself.

Even more ironic is the acceptance by Tmall’s competitors as their gateway to the Chinese consumer. For example, Amazon has maintained a store on Tmall.com since 2015, while major U.S. grocers and retailers like Kroger (KR)  , Costco (COST) and Macy’s (M)  have all flocked to the platform to hock their products to the Chinese.

Alibaba also noted in Thursday’s earnings release that Tmall is expanding its “mindshare” to other major non-Chinese retailers. For example, European retailers MCM Worldwide, Moschino SpA and Giuseppe Zanotti all added flagship “stores” on Tmall.com in just the past quarter. That makes Tmall essentially the world’s most profitable doorman, as the largest companies in the world clamor to utilize its platform

Of course, that also means that Tmall faces significant challenges from upstart Chinese competitors like JD.com (JD) and Tencent Holdings Limited (TCEHY) . For example, JD.com controls more than 32.9% of the Chinese e-commerce market and has partnered with Walmart (WMT) in the Chinese market on delivery and e-commerce transactions.

Oppenheimer & Co.’s Jason Helfstein wrote in a report ahead of Alibaba’s earnings release that “fierce competition among various rivals” represented a significant risk factor that “may hurt growth trajectory.” But while Tmall faces some potential risks from competitors, results so far indicate that the unit’s upward trajectory hasn’t been slowed by challengers yet. Morningstar analyst R.J. Hottovy told Real Money he was impressed by such significant revenue growth for an already multi-billion-dollar company. “E-commerce wasreally the story of the quarter,” he said.

Does Ransomware Attacks are Beneficial Consumers?

In early 2017, a data breach at the credit reporting agency Equifax resulted in the exposure of the private records of more than 40% of the American public. The Ransomware Attacks occurred after Equifax neglected to patch a known vulnerability in their system, and it allowed hackers to access Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, addresses, dates of birth, financial records, and more. Equifax eventually reached a settlement with the United States Federal Trade Commission in 2019, but – as is so often the case with big data breaches – the settlement inflicted little real pain on the company. Individual consumers, meanwhile, paid a big price for the company’s inadequate security: their personal information was irreversibly exposed and disseminated.

In economics, this kind of situation is known as an externality, wherein an action by one party hurts another party, but that second party has no recourse. Regulators have often attempted to address this externality and lessen the burden it places on consumers, but they’ve had only limited success, largely because companies have seemed happy to settle cases after the fact if that means they don’t have to make significant up-front investments in improved security.

But meaningful changes are likely to come soon, and in ways that will benefit consumers in the long term. That’s because the leaders of companies that store valuable private information are being forced to defend their companies against the growing threat of ransomware attacks.

Ransomware attacks – launched by hackers who use malicious software to seize and block access to company computer systems until a lot of money is paid for their release – have been in the news a lot lately. In the past year alone, ransomware attackers collected nearly $350 million from such companies as Kaseysa, the Colonial Pipeline, Microsoft Exchange, and JBS USA, a figure that represents a threefold increase from 2019.

What explains the increase? Some important factors include the increased use of remote networks and systems during the Covid-19 lockdown, and recent growth in the cryptocurrency sphere, which has made it easier for hackers to extract ransoms.

That said, it’s worth noting that ransomware attacks are no different from the typical security attacks that we’ve been reading about for years. There’s nothing novel about the technology they rely on. What is novel, though, is that they’re attacking companies rather than consumers, and that’s changing the economics of data security.

In a traditional data breach, such as the one suffered by Equifax, companies only suffer indirectly from the harms caused by their inadequate attention to security. That surely explains why, according to data from Experian, 35% of companies have not updated their security plans since they were first put in place. IBM has estimated that the average cost of a data breach in the United States is $8.64 million, a cost that is often hard for companies to recognize or account for. A breach may lead to a tarnished reputation and cause a company to lose some business, but those problems tend to be temporary – and the overall cost of such a breach will almost surely be too diffuse for management to make it a key area of focus. Ultimately, it’s a company’s customers who suffer the most from a traditional breach, because they’re the ones whose information gets exposed.

Ransomware attacks have changed the nature of the game by attacking companies rather than consumers. This change, which forces companies to pay a steep and direct price for lax security, means that managers at all sorts of companies are going to have to focus in a newly serious way on improving cybersecurity and protecting their networks.

If you’re a senior leader at a company that collects and uses customer data, here are a few basic steps you should take to make sure your company is protected against both ransomware attacks and traditional data breaches. Some of these steps are simple and inexpensive, and others are more involved and expensive. But they’re all the right thing to do, and they’ll benefit not only you, but also your customers.

Provide continuous training and reminders to employees about the threat of phishing attacks. Phishing has been around for a long time, of course, but it’s no longer primarily just a nuisance. Attackers are getting serious, and lot of money is now at stake. Firms have to ensure that their employees understand the dangers and know how to recognize the warning signs. In-house phishing simulations – in which IT sends realistic-looking phishing emails to employees and then monitors their responses – can be very helpful, because they train employees to be vigilant, help IT understand system vulnerabilities, and allow firms to think in a targeted way about improving their cybersecurity.

Allow employees only to download apps and software, and to use programs, that are required for work. Employees often don’t like this, because it’s so convenient to be able to use work devices for personal purposes, but firms and IT departments need to tighten up their controls on this front. Most have been too lax about this for years. It’s also important for managers to take the time to explain the need for this policy to everybody. Many third-party tools are available that can be installed on company computers and allow administrators to control which applications employees can install.

Make it a priority to patch vulnerabilities and keep systems up to date. Hackers can only execute ransomware attacks if they can get in your network. So make that as hard as possible, by applying patches as quickly and as effectively as you can, and by updating systems as soon as new versions become available. Patch management has always been part of IT services, but in the face of new dangers, firms need to make it a higher priority.

Back up your firm’s data. If potential attackers know you have the ability to recover your information, then you become a much less promising target for a ransomware attack. Even if you can’t back up all of your data, you can reduce the chance of attack by signaling that you have much of your information backed up. This can be an expensive and time-consuming job. CIOs have to carefully evaluate what data to backup, how frequently, what type of media to use for back up, and the cost to restore it if and when a ransomware attack takes place.

None of these practices is new, but many firms – assuming that the costs outweigh the benefits – have yet to adopt them. But with the threat of costly ransomware attacks rising rapidly, the time to get serious has arrived.

What is Bulletproof Coffee and Is It Healthy? Everything you should know?

Stirring butter into your coffee sounds delicious, but the supposed health benefits are questionable. Here’s what the science says about this trendy keto beverage.

Bulletproof coffee started trending years ago among paleo devotees and hardcore CrossFitters, and it has since crept into the mainstream. But what is bulletproof coffee, exactly? Originally popularized by Dave Asprey, the creator of the Bulletproof diet (who has no medical credentials or health-related degrees), the original recipe calls for 1 cup brewed coffee, 1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons MCT oil, and 1 to 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter, all mixed in a blender until foamy. On that original recipe page, Asprey claims that starting the day with bulletproof coffee can help those who follow intermittent fasting or the keto diet “feel satiated, alert and focused,” and that both grass-fed butter and MCT have unique benefits. People following a ketogenic or low-carb, high-fat diet have also been in on the trend. But is any of that really true? Here’s what an expert has to say, based on the evidence.

Why does the bulletproof coffee recipe call specifically for MCT oil?

Some people think of bulletproof coffee as just coffee with butter mixed in, but it’s actually more granular than that. Specifically, you’re meant to use a mix of grass-fed butter and MCT oil. “MCT oil is a supplement that contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs),” says Kelli McGrane, R.D., of Lose It!. “The oil is most commonly extracted from coconut oil, but it can also be made by processing palm kernel oil.” One tablespoon of the MCT oil that Bulletproof sells contains 130 calories and 14 grams of saturated fat.

So, what’s special about this particular type of fat? “MCTs are saturated fats that are made up of 6 to 12 carbon atoms, compared to long-chain triglycerides, which have 13 to 21 carbon atoms,” McGrane says. No need to get too science-y here, but because of this shorter chain length, she says, “MCTs are broken down more efficiently in the body and may be more likely to be used for immediate energy rather than stored as body fat.” Some people claim that MCT oil can boost brain function, energy and blood sugar control, but there’s not enough evidence to say that this is actually the case (learn more about MCT oil and the science behind the health benefits).

What about grass-fed butter?

Compared to conventional grain-fed butter, grass-fed butter (made of milk from grass-fed cows) is typically higher in vitamins A and K, McGrane says. And, one study found that grass-fed butter contains more omega-3 fatty acids than conventional butter.

Despite its slight nutrient edge, grass-fed butter is still high in saturated fat: 1 tablespoon delivers 100 calories and 8 grams of saturated fat. The amount of omega-3s also doesn’t come close to that in, say, salmon (consider trying these top plant-based omega-3s to add more to your diet).

Is it OK to be eating that much saturated fat in coffee?

Suppose you make bulletproof coffee with 1 tablespoon each of MCT oil and grass-fed butter (the lower end of what Asprey’s recipe recommends). That cup of coffee would contain 22 grams of saturated fat; 14 grams from MCT oil, 8 grams from grass-fed butter. The American Heart Association recommends that someone eating 2,000 calories per day eat no more than 13 grams of saturated fat per day, and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend no more than 22 grams per day. Either way, a single cup of bulletproof coffee puts you at or well above the limit.

Is that a good idea? “The short answer is no,” McGrane says. “While the relationship between saturated fats, especially MCTs, and heart health isn’t as straightforward as we once thought, research still shows a relationship between saturated fat intake and increased levels of LDL (bad cholesterol).”

Plus, that’s not accounting for any other saturated fat you may get in your day by eating meat or having some cheese.

But wait, what about those claims that bulletproof coffee can improve your metabolism, your mood or your health?

aturated fat aside, bulletproof coffee’s purported benefits include improved metabolism, mood, brain function and overall health. But are any of these evidence-based? Not really. “Currently, there aren’t any studies that have studied the health benefits of bulletproof coffee specifically,” McGrane says. “Most of the claims surrounding bulletproof coffee are due to the MCTs in it. And while there’s some research to suggest that MCTs may have benefits for health, such as weight loss and mood, more research is needed to prove its effectiveness in most healthy adults.”

It seems silly to even ask at this point, but is bulletproof coffee a nutritious breakfast choice?

Because it’s so high-calorie, bulletproof coffee is meant to be a breakfast substitute, not something you eat alongside a traditional breakfast. Part of the reason it’s so popular among keto dieters is that all of its calories come from fat, with no carbohydrates or protein. That alone should raise alarm bells for anyone who understands basic nutrition. “While bulletproof coffee provides fat and possibly vitamins A and K (if using grass-fed butter), [it lacks] essential nutrients like protein, fiber, and most vitamins and minerals,” McGrane says. “Plus, bulletproof coffee is very high in calories and saturated fat, which can be problematic.”

While fat is important for satiety and fullness, protein and fiber play a role in this as well. It’s possible that the high-calorie breakfast drink wouldn’t fill you up the way a more balanced breakfast might (check out our healthy breakfast recipes for inspiration).

Bottom line: Bulletproof coffee isn’t a healthy breakfast choice.

Because of its high calorie and saturated fat content, and its low protein and fiber content, bulletproof coffee just isn’t a healthy breakfast choice. If you’re curious about trying bulletproof coffee, or if you’ve already tried it and love the taste, it’s probably fine to drink a cup every once in a while, McGrane says. But as with other high-calorie, nutrient-poor foods, it’s best to drink bulletproof coffee in moderation, and not as a substitute for nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and lean proteins.

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