Technology Archives - Page 159 of 168

Supplying the best trained virtual assistants, How VirtuDesk is making lives easier; An Interview with the CEO

NY Weekly Staff on October 7, 2022

Nearly 71% of the US population continues to work remotely after the global pandemic of Covid-19 struck the world. According to several employers and HRs, it is more effective in terms of time, cost, and productivity to work from home. Many organizations went remote to eliminate the cost of renting or owning an office, allowing them to hire virtual assistants for their business.

Moreover, in the last few years, we have seen a promising trend among companies investing in their employees’ mental health. However, working from home allows employees to have more focus and flexibility, incorporating work into their lives rather than having it run them. In addition to that, employers and managers are continuously making efforts to reduce the workload on their teams by assigning them the tasks they are good at and are willing to do. To enhance the productivity of full-time employees, they are hiring virtual assistants for non-core tasks like sending emails, data entry, Handling customer queries, and internet research.

To handle the administrative tasks that keep businesses from pursuing opportunities, Pavel came up with a solution to provide services to help run the business so owners can work on the business. For example. To get to know more about his company and how trained virtual assistants at VirtuDesk are making lives easier, we interviewed Pavel Stepanov, Founder & CEO of VirtuDesk.

How and when did you come up with the idea of starting a Virtual Assistant company? Were you inspired by anything?

It’s a bit of a funny story to tell. I established my company [VirtuDesk] almost by accident. I used to run my real estate business as a broker having 12 or even 16-hour workdays. The monotonous administrative tasks made me realize that I needed a virtual assistant for myself. I hired my first-ever Virtual Assistant in 2015 to perform business operational tasks so I could stay clear and focus on my business’ core functions. I quickly found that my virtual assistant’s efficiency not only saved me time but scaled my business faster than I could imagine. I felt that there is a need for Virtual Assistants by many entrepreneurs, businesses, and agents. We are at a time of the fastest growth of new businesses in our nation’s history. Realizing the market need, I created Virtudesk and, along with it, strategically created systems within the organization that ensured Virtudesk’s VAs were well-vetted, properly trained, and efficient at their jobs.

How long does it usually take for VirtuDesk to bring new VAs on board? What are your requirements for a Virtual Assistant before hiring them?

It is a very timely and efficient process but does include high attention to detail sourcing the VA that specifically matches our clients’ needs. Most of our Virtual Assistants are working from the Philippines and are working virtually, which is why we have one of the top training programs for our Virtual Assistants to be armed with the tools and systems to do their job remotely. When bringing new Vas on board, we do discovery with our client to find out what tasks need to be delegated or for what purpose we need a VA. In addition to that, we make sure that our VAs know how to perform their tasks by providing them with 5-10 day training which they need to graduate before they’re assigned to a client. Coaches and Trainers at my company [VirtuDesk] make sure to provide up-training and support to our virtual assistants so they can succeed with clients. By providing work-from-home opportunities to Filipino families and single moms, we strive to give them the work-life balance they need to stay happy in their roles. To become a VA at VirtuDesk, you can send your application to our website.

What makes VirtuDesk stand out among its counterparts? What measures you as a CEO and your team have taken to make your clients’ lives easier?

VirtuDesk is an established VA company for a reason. We aim to provide efficient virtual assistance services to our clients by ensuring that our VAs are punctual and responsive. We’re able to do this by using Timedly—our own tracking tool that allows us to monitor the productivity and attendance of our VAs. Plus, VirtuDesk also has a workforce team that makes sure all our VAs stay on track. They monitor the attendance and activities of our VAs. We have gathered a team of highly detail-oriented people who monitor the activities of our virtual assistants through our tracking app, Timedly. Since it [Timedly] takes screenshots every 2 minutes, our workforce team members are able to ensure that our VAs are productive and are keeping our clients’ confidential information safe. Speaking of which, our cybersecurity insurance eases any privacy concerns that our clients may potentially have. This allows us to protect our client’s confidential information. Lastly, we have account managers who serve as liaisons between our clients and VirtuDesk. They make sure that each VA is equipped with the skills necessary to perform their tasks with our VirtuDesk clients. These Account Managers are able to do this through regular communication with our clients and by providing the necessary guidance to the VAs.

What have you accomplished so far with VirtuDesk being an emerging Virtual Assistant Providing Company?

The company has got a long way to go. The sky is the limit for us, and with my highly professional team, we aim to become the best VA-providing company in the world. Virtudesk has numerous awards. To name a few, we have gotten an A+ rating from BBB and made it to the Inc. 5000 for one of the fastest-growing companies in the US. For its achievement in growth, VirtuDesk won the Titan Business awards and was named Best Virtual Assistant Solutions in 2022 by the International Business Magazine.

Moreover, we were named as the fastest growing company by Growjo and Finacial Times. Apart from these awards, one of Virtudesk’s greatest achievements lies in the number of problems we have solved for our clients with our cost-effective virtual assistance services. Most importantly, we take the greatest pride in being able to help our Filipino virtual assistants attain a stable livelihood that allows them to support themselves and their families.

VirtuDesk is a growing home-based jobs provider to aspiring Virtual Assistants in the Philippines. They provide opportunities to millions of Filipino families, especially single mothers who desire to start their work-from-home careers. VirtuDesk is providing superior quality and excellent services to its clients with a mission to nurture talents based in the Philippines and leverage best practices to identify, train and employ the same. The company is providing its clients with options that go beyond the traditional brick-and-mortar office set-up so their clients can have their complete focus on the core business.

No Quiet Quitting for Chatbots

NY Weekly Staff on October 7, 2022

When Meta unveiled a new artificial intelligence (AI) conversational chatbot called BlenderBot 3 and let users pose questions to it, the results were not exactly as expected. Asked for an opinion about Meta Founder and Chairman Mark Zuckerberg, the chatbot called him “creepy and manipulative.” Naysayers had a field day, with some criticizing AI in general while others said the incident revealed AI to be wiser than expected.

Joking aside, what the episode did reveal is that effective conversational AI is difficult to build – requiring extensive research, engineering, training, data and oversight. But despite the challenges,the use of conversational AI is booming, thanks to ever-improving technology, growing acceptance by users and strong evidence that it helps businesses grow and become more profitable.

Companies across industries are taking advantage of conversational AI to engage with customers because chatbots do a great job answering questions, solving problems and, increasingly, selling. A slew of research has shown that automating such functions is cost-effective – reducing operating costs by 30%, for example, according to LivePerson, one of the leading conversational AI providers.

Other benefits include lower hold times, increased sales conversions and real-time analysis of customer interactions.

These benefits are even more important in the era of “Quiet Quitting.”

A recent Gallup survey found that 50% of U.S. workers are not engaged at work: they don’t want to leave their jobs, but they “do the minimum required and are psychologically detached from their job.” Such measures have risen over the past two years, as the Covid pandemic reshaped Americans’ attitudes toward work-life balance.

In fact, the lack of engagement is actually worse, because the 50% measure doesn’t include 18% of the workforce that’s “actively disengaged” from work – people even less enthusiastic about their jobs than the Quiet Quitters.

When most workers are unenthused about their jobs, a 24/7 chatbot with unflagging attention and continual improvement can certainly come in handy. Companies that use Conversational AI quickly realize improved customer satisfaction and sales during evening and weekend hours, when human representatives aren’t working. The benefits aren’t only to the company, but to its workers: LivePerson reports that customer service rep attrition is reduced by 70% when messaging and automation is used to improve the worker experience.

In general, automation has long been seen as a way to shift human workers from repetitive, less-rewarding to jobs to higher-paying jobs requiring more complexity or nuance than a machine can provide. That trend is already entrenched in industry and has grown rapidly in the service sector; the growing use of Conversational AI indicates that it’s well underway in customer service and sales as well.

The Quiet Quitting phenomenon may very well seal the deal.

Here’s How Far Electric Cars Have Come Over the Years

NY Weekly Staff on October 6, 2022

Here’s How Far Electric Cars Have Come Over the Years

Once a rarity, electric cars are becoming increasingly common on American roads. You’ve probably spotted a swanky Tesla equipped with a plethora of features the world couldn’t dream of a few decades ago. In fact, nearly 1.8 million EVs were registered in the US in the year 2020, and this number is projected to grow rapidly.

Tesla’s cult following is well deserved, but electric vehicles had a humble beginning, which was a far cry from the luxury electric cars on the road today.

In the 1830s, horseback and buggies were the primary modes of transportation. Around the same time, Robert Anderson invented the first crude electrical vehicle. This electric carriage had a strapped battery and motor, which promptly eliminated the need for horses to propel the vehicle. In addition to being a groundbreaking invention that inspired the future of electric vehicles, this electric carriage was also environmentally-friendly compared to gasoline-powered vehicles.

Nearly six decades later, William Morrison created a successful electric vehicle in the US. This self-powered wagon paved the way for the electric and hybrid vehicles of the 21st century.

Soon electric vehicles started gaining popularity. This can be credited to the fact that these vehicles created far less noise and pollution compared to gas and steam automobiles. Moreover, electric cars were also a lot easier to drive.

That being said, the popularity declined as electric vehicles were costly and offered low speed as well as short-range. With the turn of the century, the concern for the environment reignited the interest in electric vehicles.

The demand for electric cars flourished in the 20th century. In fact, nearly a third of vehicles on US roads were electric at the time. In 1901, Ferdinand Porsche combined the best of electric and gas to create the world’s first hybrid vehicle. The Lohner–Porsche Mixed Hybrid was powered by a gasoline-engine generator and batteries.

1920 again saw the decline of electric vehicles. With the easy availability of cheap crude oil, running a gas-powered vehicle was the economical option. This surged the popularity of gas-powered automobiles over electric vehicles. This continued for the next three decades.

However, gas prices started to inflate in the 1960s and 1970s significantly. And this again revived the demand for electric vehicles. The resurgence of interest in electric vehicles encouraged manufacturers around the globe to devise renewable fuel automobiles.

A few years later, Sebring-Vanguard launched CitiCar. The popularity of the wedge-shaped electric vehicle skyrocketed by 1975.

The cycle of the rise and fall of electric cars continued over the next few years. In 1997, Toyota released the first mass-produced hybrid car, the Prius. Since then, several major automakers have jumped on board and launched a wide range of electric and hybrid vehicles.

People new to the world of electric and hybrid cars may wonder if the driving laws are any different for such cars. The short answer is no. Whether you drive a Toyota Prius or Tesla Model S, you are expected to follow every traffic law applicable to other vehicles on the road. Moreover, you cannot blame reckless driving on your car’s autopilot mode. Even if your car is self-driving, you, as the driver, are solely responsible for the way the vehicle behaves. Instead of using this futile argument, use The Winit app to fight unfair traffic and parking tickets.

The repercussions of climate change are becoming more apparent every day. Now more than ever, it’s crucial to adopt environmentally-friendly lifestyle changes. And driving an electric or hybrid vehicle can be one such choice. Even if you have a tight budget, you can consider affordable EV models offered by Nissan, Mini Cooper and Chevrolet.

Digital Wellness – Necessity or a Luxury? An Insight by Nina Hersher

NY Weekly Staff on October 6, 2022

Digital wellness is a new concept that has come to the limelight during the pandemic. There was a time when mobile phones were considered harmless. Yes, we are talking about the era when Nokia 3310 was all the rage! Mobile phones were made for a particular purpose, and that was to help people stay connected. Send texts! Make calls! Play Snake! What more could you want from a cellphone? Back then, it was cutting-edge technology, but compared to today’s smartphones, the flip phone is considered a caveman invention.

Since the advancement of the digital world, various applications or apps have been introduced that have greatly influenced our lives. Around the world, such technologies are commonly used regardless of their effects and are considered a necessity of life. It is no secret that we are on our smartphones for over 13 hours a day, sometimes longer, from checking our messages to using social media platforms and the Internet for almost everything, including online shopping, watching informative and educational content like news, and binge watching shows, the list is endless. In recent times, sadly, we have been relying on the digital world way too much and have lost track of the physical and mental health consequences of technology overuse. Even though these technologies have made our lives relatively easy with on-demand communication and instant gratification, the fact is they have also adversely affected our social and personal communication skills.

With the world being connected more through different social media platforms, it has also resulted in people being isolated; hence, the majority of people are suffering from depression and anxiety. Before digitization, life was much simpler. But now, the digital world is focused on creating an illusion that everything has to be perfect. Whether it is our selfies or just uploading vacation pictures, we are constantly comparing our lives with others. For the sake of getting meaningless likes and reactions on their posts, some people have sacrificed many moments of presence with their loved ones. It is an ongoing rat race that never seems to end. However, Nina Hersher, the Chief Learning Officer of The Digital Wellness Institute, has declared digital wellness a necessity and shared how we must bring intention to our attention to support not only our mental health but also our human connections and relationships.

The Chief Learning Officer of the Digital Wellness Institute, Nina co-authored the bestselling book, ‘Your Playbook for Thriving in the Remote Work Era’ and is also a highly sought-after speaker. Known as the leading expert in the digital wellness industry, this dynamic entrepreneur holds a specialized Master of Social Work in Norms of Connectivity, Digital Culture and Program Development and is an Oasis on the Overwhelm Facilitator, Meditation Teacher, and all-around wellness guru for the digital era. Her efforts to spread awareness about digital wellness led her to create the annual Digital Wellness Day, which has run annually for the last three years on the first Friday in May, reaching over 7 million people in 36 countries across the globe. She has been featured on some of the biggest platforms, including Forbes, The Stanford Social Innovation Review, Al Jazeera, and Voice of America, for her remarkable work.

It was the lack of resources and education in the field of digital wellness that motivated Nina to take some initiative and help people struggling with such issues. After graduating from school, she co-founded The Digital Wellness Warriors in 2018 (which was rebranded as the Digital Wellness Collective later that year), creating the only global trade association for digital wellness professionals. This highly publicized group was known for connecting and serving digital wellness and tech-life balance professionals. In fact, Fast Company reported and recognized it as a place “where software developers and others working to make smartphones less harmful can collaborate.” As The Digital Wellness Collective sought to standardize Digital Wellness Education and create research-based educational programs, it evolved into the Digital Wellness Institute, which partnered with the two-time Emmy award-winning documentary The Social Dilemma as an impact partner to promote the first Certified Digital Wellness Educator program.

Nina Hersher’s leadership on this program and contribution to the digital wellness curriculum has been praised as it highlights how we can harness technology to fuel instead of fatigue us and use it to support mental health. While it seems the digital world has engulfed us and going offline seems almost impossible, we must acknowledge that tech-enabled work and fully remote jobs are a source of income for many. Nina has developed some techniques that help in minimizing their harmful effects and achieve screen-life balance, all the while improving self-care. One of her famous techniques is an exercise known as the Unplug Box. This box doubles as a charging station and can be placed anywhere in the household outside of the bedroom. The aim is to intentionally unplug and recharge yourself just as you would recharge your phone. Nina recommends creating an unplugged morning and evening routine for at least 30 minutes upon waking and prior to going to bed to support sleep, health and peace of mind. A recent study shows that many kids of the digital era suffer from low self-esteem and lack of confidence. In fact, these kids showed a lack of communication and emotional skills compared to their previous generation, which didn’t have much digital exposure. These are the challenges that the world is facing right now. Nina Hersher firmly believes that digital wellness is not a luxury but, in fact, a necessity. We must update our tools and practices for digital wellness: the optimum state of health and wellbeing each individual using technology is capable of achieving.

Taom: The Art of Meditation App is Ready to Repaint Your Mind

NY Weekly Staff on October 5, 2022

On the first of its kind Taom: The Art Of Meditation app, imaginative storytelling guides users through guided meditation experiences and also utilizes beautiful art as its visual focus for transformative mindful healing.

Taom is not your typical meditation or well-being app. Its original strategy uses the enlightening potential of storytelling as the cornerstone of its guided meditations in order to sharpen the mind, increase self-awareness, and focus the soul.

Select from one of Taom’s themed in-app story meditations that focuses on controlling daily stress and manifestation. The Taom sleep guided meditations make bedtimes more restful. The Taom Confidence Series, on the other hand, can help you increase your love for yourself and eliminate restricting thoughts.

Art Meditation

An interesting feature of the Taom app is that it also uses fine art as the visual centerpiece for meditation, giving users a fully immersive experience. Increased serotonin levels, bodily and spiritual healing, enhanced mindfulness, and an overall sensation of serenity are all benefits of regular use.

According to Taom’s founders, art makes the ideal meditation object because of its capacity to control emotion and impact the neurological system.

It can have a profoundly deep impact on us when we witness art that we adore. It is compared by scientists to the experience of falling in love. We can access this area of our subconscious mind and find our authentic inner selves by using art as a form of meditation.

The only app that combines a concentration on great art with two enchanted realms of mindfulness — narrative and guided meditations – is Taom.

It’s a novel method to increase serotonin levels and improve mental health by telling stories and using them as a guide during meditation sessions.

Sleep Stories

Taom sleep tales evoke a realm of serenity, tranquility, and inward meditation that extends beyond the realm of sleep and results in increased awareness and a decrease in tension and worry throughout the entire day.

Simply select a guided meditation from the Taom sleep page to help you fall asleep and have a pleasant night.

Taom Meditation Options

The Taom Starter Pack, designed for those new to meditation, introduces the fundamentals of meditation in straightforward, easy-to-understand terms before inviting the user to take advantage of the complete Taom experience. Those with more experience with meditation can download the app.

Choose a tale and piece of art from the meditation tab, and use the daily guided meditations. Users have a variety of story meditations to pick from, including topics like manifestation and stress management.

As an alternative, the Taom Signature Series enables the user to advance their level of mindfulness while also increasing their sense of vibrancy and abundance in all aspects of their everyday lives.

The Taom Confidence Series provides gentle methods to boost self-esteem and is available to anxiety sufferers. The goal of these story meditations is to teach self-love strategies and assist in overcoming limiting beliefs.

Users have the option of relaxing to a variety of calming background tunes, including a selection of well-known classical works, in addition to practicing meditation.

Taom: The Art Of Meditation is currently accessible on the App Store and Google Play for free.

About Taom: The Art Of Meditation

In order to assist users through a guided meditation trip, Taom, a brand-new, distinctive meditation app, employs imaginative storytelling. Taom: The Art Of Meditation, the first app of its type to integrate storytelling with meditation practices, employs beautiful art as its visual emphasis to improve self-awareness and mindfulness and produce healing states of mind.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taomexperience/

Founders of Boom Journal Matt West and Matt Cook share the best ways to avoid overthinking

NY Weekly Staff on October 4, 2022

It is no secret that life can be full of challenges. Whether it is about your family, health, relationships, or even work, at some point in life, we all find ourselves overthinking and worrying too much. This can lead to an unhealthy habit, causing stress and making you focus on the negative aspect or outcome of the situation. It can cause intense anxiety or panic attacks in an individual, which can result in a mental breakdown.

You must be wondering what could be done to prevent it. We decided to get in touch with the founders of one of the leading well-being and mental health apps, Boom Journal. Matt West and Matt Cook are the two masterminds behind this revolutionary application that aims to keep your mental wellness in check while focusing on staying positive and optimistic. Since its launch, it has proved how much digital well-being has advanced. In fact, it has become more relevant as far as the self-care and mental health sectors are concerned. Research shows that overthinking is a harmful cycle that keeps on building negative energy around an individual, making them focus on undesirable outcomes. However, this cannot be categorized as a mental illness. Instead, it can be connected to Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

This incredible duo behind Boom Journal has shared some of the best ways to avoid overthinking while preventing you from focusing on negativity.

Control your thoughts

The brain can continuously fill your head with different kinds of thoughts. While this process is natural, constantly thinking about them can be a voluntary act. While some thoughts can be positive, there is a good chance you might be focusing more on the bad ones. According to Matt West, not every alarming thought that pops into your mind can become a reality or be considered a truth. It is advised to think logically over situations and not create negative, hypothetical situations that can lead to stress and anxiety.

Meditation

It is one of the most effective techniques to stop your mind from overthinking and relax simultaneously. Meditation, known as training of the mind, can be a really effective method in retaining self-awareness as well as an optimistic mindset. The easiest way to practice meditation is to find a quiet spot in your house or any place where there is peace and spend some time alone to refocus your attention on something calming. Putting on some soothing music can also help you meditate and aid in bringing out your inner peace.

Indulging in nature

Getting in touch with nature and enjoying the things it has to offer can divert your mind from overthinking. Nothing can beat the feeling of a fresh breeze on your face and the wind blowing through your hair. Moreover, gazing at the stars at night while lying on lush green grass can do wonders in regaining positive thoughts. Taking a stroll in the park can bring you calmness and let you soak in the beauty of nature.

Reflect on your thoughts

Some people fear adverse outcomes, such as getting fired, failing a test, or even losing someone precious; such people must consider utilizing their thinking on ‘what they could do’ rather than drowning themselves in ‘what if’. Matt West and Matt Cook recommend finding out the root cause of why you overthink. Many people worry even when the chance of their desired outcomes is high. Reflecting on your thoughts is a process that overthinkers must incorporate into their daily lives. It can help them find a better solution for their worries, confine their overthinking habits, and help them progress towards healthier mental well-being.

Have faith and confidence in yourself

Most people overthink as they feel helpless and hopeless in order to seek a savior. One way to avoid overthinking is by reminding yourself of your successes. The Boom Journal duo stresses on focusing on the things you have accomplished in your career and personal lives. The key is to be inspired by yourself. This step is crucial for all those who are fighting against mental health. It can help you enhance your personality and charm. A few psychiatrists suggest writing some motivating notes for yourself and sticking them on the mirror or putting them up on your refrigerator to keep a constant reminder to believe in yourself.

The above-mentioned tips can be effective for some, but for those who need exclusive attention, it is strongly advised to seek professional help. If your thoughts are intrusive or highly distressing, or your tendency to ruminate is interfering with your ability to function, find an expert who can personally guide you towards better mental health. You can even use m-health apps like Boom Journal as they have always shown excellent results as far as a person’s mental well-being is concerned, guiding them towards a more optimistic lifestyle.

How CrowdShare is Giving Small Businesses the Opportunity to Compete with Larger Enterprises

NY Weekly Staff on October 3, 2022

Hailing from a music industry background, Lane Gregory knows the power of a crowd. As the founder and CEO of Crowdshare — a social media management company — Gregory is no stranger to leveraging the support of friends, family, coworkers, employees, and customers to build strong brands and heighten engagement.

Gregory brings over 20 years of experience in advocacy marketing to Crowdshare, having worked in the past with big names in the automotive, tech, hospitality, and government industries. His passion for helping businesses of all sizes grow their reach and make an impact is evident. The Crowdshare platform allows small businesses to compete with their larger peers.

A Social Media Maverick

Gregory honed his brand marketing skills while working in the music industry during the latter half of the 1990s. As the internet was just taking off and bands were beginning to realize the power of online exposure, Gregory began developing engaging websites for bands and electronic press kits for clubs. In a precursor to social media-based fan engagement, Gregory took to Yahoo! Chat to promote the up-and-coming bands he worked with.

“The best thing about Yahoo! Chat was you could find anything,” Gregory remembers. “We started finding groups like the ‘Manhattan Two-Steppers’ in Manhattan, Kansas, and started building digital street teams for the musicians we partnered with.”

This approach was wildly successful, allowing the country groups that Gregory supported to work their way North from Texas. “I had a lot of bands come to me, because according to them, I had found ‘The Way’.”

Through this work, Gregory realized he had a specific knack for knowing what sold — and what could tank a band’s image. After selling his company at the age of 25, artists and repertoire (A&R) reps began approaching him as an independent consultant to build packages that could be sold to record labels. Gregory would then spruce up their image, whether that be through a cleaned up logo or a tightened brand message. All of this work was done as social media was just beginning to blow up within the Zeitgeist, with MySpace securing its popular platform and Facebook beginning to take shape. Nevertheless, Gregory was well prepared to take on the changing branding landscape.

Crowdshare

Crowdshare was born on a duck boat, of all places, when Gregory was duck hunting one day with a friend in East Texas. The friend expressed interest in beginning his own hunting guide business and asked for Gregory’s help with branding and getting a foothold in social media marketing.

“He asked, ‘Should I buy ads,’ and I immediately said ‘No!’. He was a niche of a niche of a niche market,” said Gregory. Instead, he advised his friend to focus on growing word of mouth marketing. Like a game of telephone, his friends would tell their friends about the hunting guide business, and attention would grow organically. With this idea, the spark that would eventually become Crowdshare was lit.

“I genuinely looked at him and heard the words of Steve Jobs. I thought, ‘there’s an app for that, I’m sure.’ It turned out that there wasn’t,” says Gregory.

But there is now. The idea of Crowdshare leverages the power of one’s personal “crowd” — family, friends, employees, clients, and rabid fans — to extends the organic reach of a brand. The crowd gets a code unique to your profile, and when a post is created, the crowd receives a push notification. Posts can then be instantly reshared across Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram.

Almost nothing can elevate a brand into the stratosphere quite like viral content. Crowdshare nudges engaging content towards viral status and quickly helps brands gain authority and popularity, both online and in the real world.

Crowdshare is the perfect platform for small businesses that want to gain the traction and attention typically reserved for larger organizations with big marketing budgets. Featuring the capability of gaining 1,000+ shares of one’s content, analytics to track success, photo and video editing capabilities, and room for managing over 36 brands at once, Crowdshare puts all of the social media marketing needs of a small business in one place.

“We are the only company on the planet that has mastered word-of-mouth marketing,” says Gregory.

Gregory has taken his branding expertise and created a way for businesses of any size to greatly expand their content reach, post clicks, shares, and overall engagement. Through analytics, businesses can see what content works, what doesn’t, and how they may need to pivot their messaging to reach more people.

In addition to growing Crowdshare, Gregory is currently writing a book called “Beat to Sh*t” that aims to be the “Survivalist Guide to Running a Business.” He also continues to work as a consultant for businesses looking to expand their reach.

Through Crowdshare, Gregory is letting businesses big and small in on the secret of social media success that he discovered long ago: It’s all who you know and who you tell.

Top Disruptive Technologies that are Driving the Circular Economy

NY Weekly Staff on October 3, 2022

Since the beginning of the Third Millennium, many analysts (both economic and scientific) have detected in the most recent circular economy patterns the ultimate solution to switch from an environmentally “unhealthy” economic model to another based on the reduction of raw materials waste and a general eco-sustainability. All of them agreed that the primary essential prerequisite to achieving such an ambitious goal was developing a series of technologies able to recycle used materials, detect and analyze any primary resources’ waste, and reduce pollution.

The development of these technologies is taking its time. While the environment requests urgent measures of pollution containment and reduction of natural resource exploitation, some of them are still incomplete. Or at least, at their current stadium, they’re still unable to achieve all the goals that their developers are pursuing.

On the other hand, many other technologies are now effective and able to fulfill their creators’ requests, and they’re currently working in many different operative environments. Their main task is obviously to help companies and public institution to optimize their resources and find a way to reduce their consumption. The 2022 situation tells us that many Circular economy practices (declined in many ways) are active nowadays. Each contributes to fighting massive pollution, fossil energy production and raw materials waste.

Five technologies to improve the circular economy
But what are the most effective and impactful technology that we can use to achieve the primary goal of a more sustainable economic horizon (and therefore, as a primary consequence, a more sustainable way of life that doesn’t imply strict and severe self-denial actions)?

We have detected five of them: they are listed below.

Artificial Intelligence. It may sound banal and obvious, to the point that it’s not even worth remarking. But the truth is that every severe revolution in terms of environment preservation hinges on the use of AI in every sector involved in this process. The fields of application are countless. Just think about the world of agriculture and farming: the use of AI can revolutionize the practices inherent to this specific production sector. How? For example, managing the distribution of water on the fields, according to the actual states of the ground and the cultivations, as well as the most accurate weather forecast: a farmer can avoid the huge waste of water that typically characterizes traditional agriculture. Or, in a completely different sector, managing the cargo handling systems, both overland and maritime, or even the air transport ones: thanks to the AI, they can be organized in such a way that every vehicle and mean of transportation can always choose the shortest and fastest path, resulting in a drastic reduction of consumption and gas emission. Finally (but the list could go on ad libitum), AI can detect industrial machinery wear, a factor that, if not promptly fixed, can dramatically increase the pollution caused by the ordinary industries’ production routine.

Big data analytic systems. Environmental researchers generally work on a global scale, or at the very least, they consider a mass of data obtained over a large portion of territory for a reasonably long time. Moreover, they have to manage several parameters: dozens, sometimes hundreds, of criteria and variables to be put about each other. This means that the volume of data that they have to process is way more than huge: it’s something that an ordinary calculator could never elaborate on unless it’s given an unlimited period. That’s why the most evolved big data systems and models, with their best current technologies, are crucial to study, for instance, climate change, to obtain credible and reliable predictive models. The use of big data is spreading like wildfire in every sector, from the air quality measurements in the most polluted areas of the planet to the information about the number of recyclable materials available in every city/region/county/state/continent.

Bioengineering and biotechnologies. These words indicate a series of scientific areas that use technologies involving only biological elements. Among their main goals, they have a radical change in the shape and exteriority of our cities. According to the most renowned bioengineers, the future cities will be built only with biological materials: no more concrete or poorly biodegradable construction elements. But civil engineering is not the only application area of biotechnologies: from the medical sector to the food industry; there isn’t a single aspect of our life that the most significant bioengineering innovations won’t hit. An example stands out above all: a new bacteria family able to “eat” and destroy almost every plastic derivative.

Robotics. Useless to deny it: in some specific working fields, the use of robots has become more than necessary. The performance abilities of the most evolved ones are incomparable and just not reachable by mankind. Just think about the use of nanorobots in surgery and the precision and capillarity that they’re able to ensure. For what concerns the circular economy, the most promising field of application of robotics is the recycling of used materials, in particular electronic components. Some robots currently working are able to dismantle inoperative, obsolete or broken devices like smartphones or tablets, isolating every single component, even the tiniest one, and detecting the category of each one of them and their status (working or non-functioning), in order to recycle the still operative ones.

Web applications. Besides the recycle system, there is another protocol that, if adopted, can ensure a considerable saving of materials: the reuse of already existing products, which are in a good state and ready to be used or consumed, but for whatever reason, they just stay in their warehouses, waiting for their decay. The problem here is creating a network to connect with those interested in using or reusing these products. And this is precisely what many apps are already doing: some of them deal with food sharing (especially those foods that are close to their expiration dates), and some others allow their subscribers to trade the exceeding raw materials or products (for example, a supply of firewood for a shipment of pet food). The list is, also, in this case, much longer.

And in more general terms, these seem to be just the beginning of the unlimited innovations that the circular economy is about to introduce.

How Zenith Dental IT surpassed its competition in the span of 2 years

NY Weekly Staff on September 26, 2022

Zenith Dental IT has overcome its competitors to become the #1 provider of dental IT services in the United States in just two years.

Price Transparency

Zenith provides a dental IT support approach that does not charge extra, no matter how often a client requests assistance. Some firms conceal charges in their service contracts and add them to their customers’ monthly bills. They have explicit prices instead, so clients know precisely how much they need to pay.

A Full Range of Services

Some dental offices make the mistake of choosing a provider who does not provide all of the support resources, forcing them to undertake such tasks in-house or outsource them. Zenith offers a wide range of services, including anti-virus software installation, remote network monitoring, off-site cloud backup, remote IT assistance, and HIPAA compliance.

24/7 Support

In today’s fast-paced world, having a dependable partner that can provide around-the-clock support is critical. Zenith Dental IT has established itself as an industry leader by offering dental practices 24-hour IT assistance. This allows clients to concentrate on their patients rather than their IT infrastructure. Zenith has a team of highly qualified and experienced IT professionals on hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This guarantees that dental clinics receive the assistance they need when they need it.

Month-to-month reporting

Monthly reports from Zenith Dental IT have assisted hundreds of dental clinics in improving their financial performance. The reports reflect the dental practice’s financial data, including revenue, expenses, and profit margins. A dashboard displays crucial performance data such as new patient growth, treatment acceptance rates, and patient satisfaction scores.

Offsite backup services

Although the company has long been regarded as a reliable provider of dental IT support services in the dental industry, their remote backup services set them apart from competitors. Their cutting-edge backup solution ensures that customer data is consistently and securely stored, and their backup services are the most effective way to safeguard your data against hackers or natural disasters. They also provide daily audit reports to ensure that the files have been successfully migrated and are usable.

Vendor Relationship Management

Zenith has created software that automates many activities associated with maintaining vendor information. This involves keeping track of contacts, payments, and service requests. The software also acts as a conduit for communication between the dental office and the vendor. This allows the two parties to communicate quickly and handle any concerns that may emerge. In short, Zenith Dental IT will contact their clients’ vendors and software providers on their behalf so that their clients won’t have to.

Industry Reputation

A quick scan of online review sites and customers shows that Zenith Dental IT and its support team have an amazing name in the industry with hundreds of authentically provided five-star reviews.

Why You Should Migrate to GA4

NY Weekly Staff on September 26, 2022

Google Analytics (GA) has been one of the most popular website tracking tools since its release in 2005. Two significant updates later, the platform has become a staple for many website owners, from independent bloggers or small e-commerce stores to significant publishers and ecommerce giants.

There is no mistaking the value GA brings to the table; given its pedigree, it was always destined to become the benchmark for other tracking tools. Essentially, a website traffic tracker is probably the most loved tool of digital marketers since it allows them to measure performance, track experiments, and pull data for key performance indicators (KPIs). But if GA is your base for decision-making and budget allocation, having to look at different tracking methods might throw you off.

Enter Google Analytics 4 (GA4), which replaces the soon-to-be decommissioned GA3 and revamps its tracking system.

The stakes are high. Those who choose not to adapt to GA4 (or implement it correctly) may find themselves with dirty data or smaller samples, leading to poor interpretation and, thus, poor implementation. This will, in turn, lead to poor resource allocation, wasting of budgets and — in tight margin niches — could put some companies out of business.

That may sound histrionic, but such is the nature of business. If someone has a competitive advantage, they will erode your market share.

Why the move to GA4?

GA3 was launched assuming that page load would be the best way to track everything. For website owners, this used to be true. When a call is made to the server to load a page, GA3 will load alongside it, tracking the page view and any requested markups, such as form completes or button clicks.

But page load isn’t the norm anymore, and a brand’s digital assets now consist of different real estate types. In addition, websites no longer run only on page load models.

For example, today’s brands might have a website, iOS and Android apps, a progressive web app, iFrames and AMP websites; none work on a page load model. Furthermore, many modern websites have moved to front-end renderings via angular frameworks like React. Net-net: they need fewer page loads to activate specific tasks.

You can now see how that page load starts to leave gaps in the user tracking, experience, and flow. Under GA3, marketers like myself would have to review the site tracking shortcomings and add custom tracking such as virtual page views or create event markups to help keep track of each site. This can be an arduous process and can be broken and implemented incorrectly. If not centrally managed by one business owner, data becomes a mess, and year-over-year comparisons are essentially rendered meaningless.

How did GA4 deal with these issues?

Google’s engineers took notice of these shortcomings. So, instead of having page view as the base and event tracking above it as a second layer, GA4 refactors tracking from the ground up and move to a 100% event-based model. This means that page view is now treated as an event instead of a separate metric on which all other metrics are applied.

Now that page view is seen as an event, it can be easily compared to events such as screen changes in the app, iFrame renderings, impressions from search, ad campaigns, and website ads, as well as page loads on third-party domains. This allows you to build better funnels across all your digital assets — both those hosted by you and third-party platforms you might be using.

Should you migrate to GA4?

The short answer is: “yes.” Not because it’s a better tracking methodology but because Google is not giving you a choice. By mid-2023, GA3 support will disappear.

Therefore, your best option is to set up a GA4 profile and run it concurrently with your current GA3 implementation. I would recommend comparing data, moving over event tracking, and getting used to how data is presented and how data is manipulated within the new platform. By doing so, you can prepare yourself for the switch. For example, you can inform and train any stakeholders relying on Google Analytics data for their KPIs or reporting needs.

One caveat: in its current iteration, GA4 lacks some of the tools and reports in GA3, but there will be several updates to GA4 before switching over, so don’t panic. Be patient if you can’t find a particular report or cannot create annotations for specific events.

Easy peasy?

Thankfully, Google has made it pretty easy to migrate to GA4, and the entire marketing community continues to post helpful guides, discussions, tips, and tricks on migrating your data, preserving old data, and keeping your YoY comparisons running post-switch smoothly. Running a simple YouTube search should do the trick.

GA4 is also fully interoperable with other Google products, including ad manager, Firebase, Data Studios, Merchant Center, and Big Cloud. All of these will now feed into one place from which you can draw your data to create far more robust cross-functional, gross device reports and ensure that every piece of digital real estate you own is performing as desired.

Those who overlook GA4’s current shortcomings and embrace the new way of tracking will reap the benefits of this new data analytics method and build more granular and comprehensive strategies using a much cleaner data set. That being said, GA4 remains a tool, meaning that the operator is the better part of its utility. If you don’t set it up correctly and take the time to learn how to use it properly, you will misfire, so be sure to comb through it and take your time. No one wants to miss their goals, do they?

Category: Technology