NFT is a topic making rounds in the digital world. With millions of dollars being used to purchase arts daily, the question, “what is NFT?”, is raised. How does NFT work? Is it a cryptocurrency? Where can you get one? How much can you buy one? In this article, I will be providing answers to these questions and other questions NFT-related questions. You will get to know everything about NFTs.

So, let’s dive right into it.

What Is NFT?

An NFT (Non-fungible token) is a digital asset that is built with blockchain technology to make each of them unique, secure, original, and unable to be replicated.

Its unique and non-fungible nature makes it unreplaceable, and non-interchangeable.

These tokens have unique data saved on them, which makes the validation and verification of ownership easy. This data also helps ease the process of transferring NFT ownership.

One of the renowned examples of NFT is the digital artwork that was sold by Beeple for a whopping $69 million.

But contrary to what most people believe, NFT is not only used for digital artwork. It could be music, a domain name, real estate, a photograph, an essay, or a game.

It could even be a good tweet. Funny, right? The CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey recently sold one of his tweets for close to $3 million.

It could also be a video reel, like the cosmic dunk by Lebron James is currently being sold at $208,000.

Features Of NFT

• They are unique.
• They cannot be duplicated.
• They are secure.
• They are scarce.
• They are transparent.

Is NFT A Cryptocurrency?

No, it isn’t. However, it is built with the same blockchain technology that was used to build cryptocurrencies.

A major feature that differentiates them is the Non-Fungible nature of NFTs which makes it impossible to trade them, unlike cryptocurrency.

However, NFTs can also be built under a blockchain network of a particular cryptocurrency such as Ethereum, and traded using that particular cryptocurrency as a native token.

Where Can I Buy and Sell NFT?

The safest and most common place to buy and sell your NFT is an NFT marketplace. There are several marketplaces you can make use of, they include:

• OpenSea
• Decentraland
• Rarible
• Foundation
• SuperRare
• Mintable

 

OpenSea

The OpenSea marketplace is without a doubt the largest NFT marketplace in existence.

Apart from being the world’s first NFT marketplace, it also has a mining tool that aids creators to make their own items and collections.

This platform gives you access to countless digital assets of all kinds and more than 100 payment options.

It also includes ERC-721 and ERC – 1155 tokens and makes the development of smart contracts stress-free for creators.

OpenSea Marketplace is also currently rated as the most secure NFT marketplace in the world.

This marketplace charges a commission of 2.5% on all transactions carried out and gives you a royalty of up to 10%.

There is a gas fee that also has to be paid but it is based on the demand and supply of the token.

Signing up on this platform is free.

Decentraland

It is a fun-filled marketplace that allows the transactions of digital estate and has a lineup of virtual parties, casino nights, etc. Decentraland is very secure and allows the use of Ethereum for transactions.

This marketplace charges a commission of 2.5% on all transactions.

Rarible

Rarible is another great marketplace that you can use to sell or buy your NFT.

The interface of the Rarible marketplace is user-friendly and can be easily navigated even by people who know nothing about NFT and those visiting the site for the first time.

It is a marketplace that makes all kind of assets available for trading and allows sellers to make more than one artwork NFT and sell it multiple times.

Rarible charges the same commission of 2.5% on each transaction just like OpenSea and gives you a royalty of up to 5 – 10%.

Its gas fee is also based on the demand and supply of the token.

Foundation

The Foundation Marketplace is renowned for the sale of the infamous Aplex Twin and Nyan Cat NFT on its platform.

This invite-only marketplace also uses Ethereum and charges a 5% commission on every transaction.

SuperRare

SuperRare is another marketplace with a user-friendly easy-to-navigate interface.

It also allows the use of Ethereum for transacting NFTs and also recently created its own token called “SuperRare” on the Ethereum blockchain. SuperRare charges a 2.5% commission on every transaction and gives you a royalty of 10% with a 15% commission charged on your first sale.

Mintable

Mintable is another great marketplace that makes diverse NFTs including music and photographs available for purchase and sale.

The Mintable marketplace which is supported by Billionaire Shark Mark Cuban uses Ethereum for its transactions.

Different commissions are charged on this platform based on what is being traded:

Everyday Items — 2.5%

Gasless Items — 5%

Printable Series — 10%

 

Note that before trading on an NFT marketplace, you need to:

• First of all find out which particular cryptocurrencies are allowed on the marketplace.
• Get a cryptocurrency wallet that supports the transactions of that particular cryptocurrency that the NFT you want to buy or sell is based on.
• Open a user account with the marketplace of your choice before buying or selling NFTs.

 

How Much Can I Buy an NFT?

There is no specific amount that you can use to purchase an NFT. The cost of an NFT is determined by the price tag placed on it by the artist or the reseller, and the gas fees involved — as the transactions are oftentimes done using Ethereum.

How Much Can I Sell My NFT?

There are no specific price at which you can see your NFT. You can sell your NFT for tens or even millions of dollars.

However, the price at which you can sell your NFT depends on different factors.

Here are some of them:

Security:

Buyers always want to be sure that the cryptocurrency with which the token is underlaid is secured.

Now, NFTs underlaid with Ethereum are most priced as it is presently considered the safest blockchain platform.

Scarcity:

The saying that “the increased scarcity of an item equals its increase in value” is one that perfectly applies to the price of NFTs. Making your NFTs rare and uncommon in the marketplaces will increase their value.

Making your NFTs rare will lead to their high demand, and their high demand means that they will likely increase in value over time.

However, this doesn’t mean that all NFTs will increase in value over time — only those that prove themselves to be authentic and those that also have strong demand among buyers and resellers alike.

Identity:

The identity and track record of the person who is selling an NFT can play a huge role in the value placed on it. More value is placed on tokens owned by renowned creators, as compared to others.

Age:

NFTs created before 2020 are considered new and tend to have a higher value than the ones created before then.

Fluctuations:

The unstable movement in the value of a cryptocurrency which is primary to an NFT token could also influence its price.

For now, Ethereum is the top blockchain used in the NFT market. So, if for example, Ethereum’s price goes up, the price for all Ethereum-based NFTs will probably also go up.

Features and Recognition:

Features and recognition are other factors that play a key role in the price of tokens.

NFTs that feature or recognize celebrities tend to have more value than ones that have less-popular individuals featured on them or ones that don’t have any Features or recognition.

Is It Hard To Sell An NFT Art?

Yes, it is hard to sell an NFT art. But not to worry, there are certain things that can make it easier for you. Let’s take a look at them:

Building An Audience or A Community:

Building and maintaining a community or an audience isn’t a walk in the park but it is a great way of showcasing and hopefully selling your NFT.

However, while building your audience or community, make sure it contains your target audience as it will also further increase your tendency of making sales.

Furthermore, while building a community or an audience, make sure your art is not plagiarized, as this could lead to loss of trust and lower patronage.

Giving them proper utilities and discounts can also play a big role in gaining their trust.

If you can’t build your audience or community, attending physical NFT events and joining already-built communities on social media platforms such as Twitter can also play a key role in helping you make sales.

Using A Marketplace Or Website You Can Use To Sell Your Nft:

An NFT Marketplace is a great way of connecting with potential buyers, as they frequently browse through the marketplace searching for arts or tokens to purchase. This gives your token a good chance of being selected by one of the buyers.

Using your website to sell your NFT is another great way as it also allows you to get a wide reach and also keep a higher percentage for each sale as opposed to using an NFT marketplace.

Though selling NFT on your website guarantees you a larger percentage of the sales, experts have warned that sticking to using a traditional NFT marketplace for business is better and more secure.

Can You Lose Money In NFT?

Yes, you can lose money in NFT.

However, if you must avoid losing money in NFT, here are a few things you must know:

• You must first of all gain adequate knowledge of what NFT is and how it works before purchasing one. You must also gain knowledge of how its market works.
• You must endeavour to do enough research on an NFT before purchasing it. This because buying an NFT that won’t appreciate in value but rather depreciate can make you lose money in the long run.
• You could also lose money in NFT if its underlying cryptocurrency drops in value or its underlying creator or company lose its popularity.
• In addition, you could lose money if the general NFT market experiences a dip in financial flow.
• Another way of losing money in NFT is to purchase an NFT that does not have a digital asset attached to it.
• Buying NFTs without utility is one of the ways in which you could lose money because it could later become difficult to sell or would later be sold at a lesser rate.
• You should also be wary of the artists or creators you purchase NFTs from, as some of them are scammers who will dupe you of your money.
• Also, if you want to invest in NFT, you should invest the amount of money you do not mind losing.

The Microsoft HoloLens is a wireless, holographic computer that runs entirely on its own. Users can view what is referred to as “mixed reality” thanks to it. As a result, users of Microsoft HoloLens are able to interact with digital content, in the actual world using speech and movements. What is Microsoft Hololens? What is it used for? You can get an easy definition and fascinating uses of Microsoft Hololens in this article!

What Oculus is to Meta, once known as Facebook, Hololens is to Microsoft. However, Oculus is more focused on entertainment and the social metaverse, the Microsoft Hololens is aimed at corporations and organizations.

The Microsoft HoloLens has practically limitless potential and has potential applications in every industry. This variety makes the Microsoft HoloLens particularly intriguing for businesses and persuades programmers and business clients to use its cutting-edge technology.

Models for Microsoft Hololens

The world’s first wireless, standalone holographic computer based on the mixed reality platform, Microsoft HoloLens, was introduced in January 2015. High-resolution 3D holograms can be seen in the real world without the need for additional hardware thanks to the robust hardware. Through the use of speech, sight, and gesture control, HoloLens enables interaction with holographic objects. Holograms, for instance, can be entirely freely moved, positioned, or changed in size in real space using particular hand motions.

At MWC Barcelona in February 2019, the second generation made its debut. Microsoft HoloLens 2 provides a field of view that is more than twice as large as the previous model. It has noticeably enhanced wearing comfort due to an optimized center of gravity, and more natural interaction with holograms. For instance, finger tracking allows for much more accurate input regarding each individual finger’s movement.

How Do Holograms Work?

Holograms are simply light-based images that provide the impression of floating three-dimensionally in space. The use of laser beams to project images into empty space is certainly known to anyone who has attended an event involving light projections. Similar technology is used by Microsoft HoloLens, but with the pictures initially visible only to the wearer due to the projection glass on the device.

How Does Microsoft Hololens Operate?

Microsoft HoloLens uses artificial intelligence. Microsoft HoloLens 2 combines several sensors and specialized tracking systems, as well as the AI capabilities of Azure, to enable intuitive interactions in mixed reality. For instance, a specialized hand tracking device can operate precisely by measuring the unique shape of the hands.

The individual distance between each wearer’s pupil centers, which affects how they see close-up and far-away objects, can be measured using eye tracking. Personalized 3D models are then adjusted to the user’s hands and eyes using an AI algorithm, allowing for exact interaction with holograms.

Because they mimic the natural perception and activity of the human brain, the corresponding AI technologies, known as Perception AI, run on HoloLens 2. The HPU 2.0, a holographic processing unit created specifically for the HoloLens 2, is the foundation of Perception AI, which operates locally on each device to reduce latency (reaction times).

What constitutes a “smart edge” device?

The HoloLens 2 is regarded as a leading product in the intelligent edge space. This is a reference to technology that can analyze data where it is created and gather it even when there is no stable internet connection. However, when it is connected, you can share some or all of the data with the intelligent cloud. The holographic technology, which is based on artificial intelligence and cloud computing, enables spontaneous communication and information sharing over time and space.

What HoloLens apps are available?

• Remote assistance for Dynamics 365.
• 365 Dynamics Guides
• Remote Rendering in Azure
• Spatial Anchors in Azure

Dynamics 365 Remote Assist is one of the most well-liked programs. Holograms can now be used to transmit exact instructions across multiple sites thanks to the solution. For instance, technicians can now more simply perform maintenance and explain repairs remotely.

When and where they need them, users of Dynamics 365 Guides for HoloLens can engage in practice-oriented learning based on holographic instructions. The location of the task is physically connected to the instruction cards. They might include 3D holographic models, films, and photographs. Users can do tasks more quickly and with fewer mistakes by seeing what has to be done where.

High-quality 3D content and interactive surfaces are now available for mixed reality devices like the HoloLens thanks to Azure Remote Rendering. Even the most complex models may be rendered in the cloud and transmitted in real time to devices using Azure’s computing capacity.

Designers or engineers, for instance, can carefully interface with 3D content.

Azure Spatial Anchors is a different tool that customers use to develop mixed reality apps with spatial reference. Holographic maintenance instructions, for instance, might be placed next to machines on a production line by industrial customers in a factory and made visible to particular workers.

There are currently more apps being created.

The Azure Kinect Developer Kit

The Azure Kinect Developer Kit (DK) is a tool and development kit that includes cutting-edge AI sensors for a range of models in the areas of speech recognition and machine vision. It includes a position sensor, a video camera, a depth sensor, and a spatial microphone arrangement all in one compact device. Modern image processing and speech solutions based on Microsoft Azure can be constructed using the time-of-flight depth sensor, a high-resolution RGB camera, with seven microphones positioned in a circle. This makes it possible for programs to comprehend the world as well as recognize it. For instance, local people, places, and things.

Some Uses of Microsoft Hololens

In essence, businesses are the target market for Microsoft HoloLens. The cutting-edge technology enables new digital business operations in every sector, from employee education and training to the appealing product presentation used in sales to providing visual aids to surgeons. Here are four thrilling instances:

Transfer of knowledge:

Based on REFLEKT ONE, Bosch’s Collaborative Training 4.0 is an end-to-end solution that uses mixed reality technology. Holographic step-by-step instructions are provided in the interactive training to help workshop trainees grasp new goods and technology and to aid service workers work more quickly and accurately when doing repairs and maintenance.

Health:

Using apoQlar GmbH’s Virtual Surgery Intelligence (VSI) software, two-dimensional, black-and-white X-ray images are transformed into lifelike, three-dimensional objects. apoQlar GmbH is a mixed reality partner of Microsoft. This enables doctors to better prepare for a surgery and better communicate with patients about the procedure prior to an operation.

Remote maintenance:

Mercedes-Benz USA provides the Microsoft HoloLens 2 to its affiliated service technicians and approved American dealers to increase the effectiveness of inspections.You may also remotely manage Mercedes automobiles and provide exact real-time repair instructions with the help of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Remote Assist tool.

Designing a space:

This can be done holographically with the help of Island Labs’ rooms application, a Berlin-based startup. For instance, the planning and sales of kitchens are conducted using this system by the German business küchenquelle GmbH.

How to place a Microsoft Hololens order

The Microsoft HoloLens 2 is available for corporate clients and MR developers to buy directly from Microsoft Stores or via accredited partners and solution providers.

There it is! Know any more uses of Microsoft Hololens?  Comment them below!

So, there’s this competition going on around the web, web developers, webmasters, and even SEOs, which begs the question; WordPress or Webflow? Who wins? SEO wise, design wise, code wise, functionality, and cost effectiveness, who wins? Well, in this article, we are going to point some things out – not crown a winner, or declare some position. This is so that you make the choice for yourself; who your winner is. Shall we?

 

Webflow

Let us begin by acknowledging that Webflow is a lot newer to the game than WordPress. I mean, we all know that, right? Webflow was launched in August 5th of 2013, by Vlad Magdalin, Sergie Magdalin, and Bryant Chou.

Webflow is a visual content management system (CMS) that appeals to web designers who want to create and customize websites and have hosting, security, and website performance all taken care of. Unlike WordPress whose software you need to install on your own hosting server, Webflow is a SaaS application that can handle everything for you. From hosting to security, all will be handled in one packaged platform by Webflow. This is why its popularity is attributed to its convenience.

Like its competitors, Webflow offers pre-built website templates that can be purchased for some token. But if one does not want to use a template, they can start from scratch. Its built-in drag and drop builder is simple enough to learn and is targeted towards web designers who want little to no code tool. However, anybody can use Webflow to create a website.

The main difference between Webflow and other SaaS website builders, is that Webflow gives you access to all of your site’s underlying code.

For dynamic sites, Webflow also includes its own content management system that you can use to create a blog, e-commerce store, and more.

After creating a website with Webflow, you can either export the code of your finished site and host it on any hosting provider (if it is a static site). Or, pay Webflow to host the site for you, which is a requirement if you want to use Webflow’s CMS for dynamic content.

Visit webflow.com to build a website with them.

WordPress

WordPress is a free popular open-source content management system. It is the most popular way to build a website, powering about 42.8% of all the websites on the internet, as at October 2021. And like you read earlier, WordPress was in the game, 10 years before Webflow (launched May 27, 2003). So, you can understand this domination.

About anybody can download the free WordPress software from wordpress.org and install it on their own web hosting to create a website.

WordPress originally began as a blogging system, but has grown into a full-service CMS that can handle any type of site, from business websites to portfolios, ecommerce stores, and more.

WordPress’ features include a plugin architecture and a template system, referred to by WordPress, as Themes.

The plugins can be used to add new features to a site, while the themes control the design of a site. WordPress is reliant on these features. Almost all WordPress websites have plugins, and use the WordPress themes. WordPress can be particularly tricky to get your head around at first, due to these external features.

This brings about a significant difference between WordPress and Webflow. The core WordPress software is a foundation that you can customize by adding plugins, whereas Webflow is an already finished SaaS application where everything is built into the tool.

Most modern WordPress themes come with a default drag-and-drop page builder as part of the package, though they are not built in.

 

WordPress or Webflow: The Comparisons

Design and code

We can see from the above subheadings, how design of a website is carried out on each platform. Whilst one needs plugins and themes for WordPress, Webflow already has everything in stock.

One has to familiarize himself with WordPress’ features, to be able to efficiently design, while for Webflow he just designs on the platform. Although for both, one has to be familiar with the least codes, and some CMS features.

WordPress actually beats Webflow in terms of the amount of pre-built themes one can download, both free and paid. With thousands of WordPress themes available to choose from, a person is likely to find one that won’t need much customizing – no matter the skill-level or industry.

Overall, no much knowledge of coding are required to build a website on either platforms.

 

 Functionality and SEO

At a high level, both WordPress and Webflow can do everything that most site owners need. However, Webflow does not have much room for integration of third-party software, as WordPress does.

Some integrations are easy enough to execute, but one may need to do some coding for most, which, if you’re unfamiliar with code, can be quite tricky.

Webflow also lacks in functionality in the absence of blog posts. There are limited options to boost your content’s SEO, which is not good for a site expecting traffic from content. There also is no post comment function, which takes away chance for engagement. This is quite the opposite for WordPress, as there is the Gutenberg editor for content on WordPress, and presence of a comment section. The Yoast SEO plugin also helps a content’s SEO.

 

 Cost

For someone who is looking to build his own website, cost is always considered.

In this case, WordPress has an upper hand, as it is free to use. The only thing to be paid for, is your hosting and domain name, which, depending on your provider, can be as little as £2.43 a month.

Anything more than just a basic website on Webflow costs about £13 or beyond, per month.This covers the website hosting and gives you the ability to add your own custom domain. There are a few pricing plans one can choose from. The more expensive plan one chooses, the more features they get.

However, you may also need to purchase a theme, if you are not a web designer, despite the platform you choose. This is why it is recommended for non web designers to hire web development agencies when they want a decent, truly bespoke website.

Apart from the purchase of themes or templates, you now know which has the cheaper offer.

 

Conclusion

WordPress or Webflow, who do you choose? Yes, you can create great websites on either platform. What really matters is what you prefer in a platform.

Webflow is easier to use, compared to WordPress. The platform is neatly packaged, so one gets to design there, and be sure of hosting and security too.

WordPress has its own benefits; we cannot deny that they mostly out beat Webflow. The third-party integrations, features, cost effectiveness, and functionality!

There is a reason why WordPress remains the most popular website builder to date. I think that owes to functionality. For individuals and businesses looking to make a website, WordPress is probably the better choice, given its flexibility and integration with more tools. It is also quite cheaper. It does not require much learning if you’re not already familiar with the basics of HTML and CSS.

Web designers may prefer Webflow, because many of its features are targeted towards helping them build websites faster. Nevertheless, whichever platform it is that you choose, we will be glad to assist. It is, after all, expertise that simplifies complexity.

Finally, you should know that you don’t always have to choose between WordPress or Webflow. The official Webflow Pages plugin for WordPress makes it possible for you to build pages for your WordPress site using Webflow.

That is all there is to it! Know more about this growing competition? Tell us in the comments! Questions? I’d be happy to answer! And if you are not satisfied with this article, you can go on to make more research.

Thanks for reading.

I’m going to review five books today that have been beneficial to me as a brand strategist, web designer, and developer. So let’s go!

1) Book of Branding | Radim Malinic

I’m going to start with this book called The Book of Branding first, before anything else. It was created by Radim Malinic and does a fantastic job at demonstrating the foundations of branding and design. As you can see, every page is entirely visual, and I’ve included a ton of tabs for information that has particularly resonated.

It discusses what should be included in your final deliverables for your branding, such as color scheme, branding costs, and how much to charge. It’s just a really well-written book that you can finish in, say, an afternoon.

2) Show Your Work! | Austin Kleon

The next thing, which is certainly among the top 5 or 10 of all time, dramatically altered the way I view branding and design in general. Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon is the title of this. Once more, a coffee table book that you can read in about an hour.

He stresses that everything you do in terms of the procedures and activities you are engaging in with regard to branding, design, and development should be documented and made public. I am a tremendous fan of Austin’s work and cannot say enough wonderful things about this book, which is undoubtedly second on my list.

3) Chris Do’s Pocket Full of Do

Chris Do, also known as Pocket Full of Do, is up next. I recently had the chance to meet this man, and when it comes to digital, he is pretty much my spirit animal. On the West Coast, he founded the highly successful agency Blind, where they collaborated with some very outstanding businesses, including Xbox.

Another fantastic creative is Matthew Encina, who is also his creative director and whom I recently met. But in the end, this individual compiled all of the most important lessons he had learned about entrepreneurship, teaching, and creative during the previous ten years. Chris is quite strong.

Check out his content under the name The Futur if you get a chance; he has an agency. Additionally, he discusses the commercial and branding aspects of design. I can’t rave about this book enough; it’s yet another easy read that you can get through in an afternoon.

Visually, it’s stunning, and he basically condensed everything he had learnt over the previous 10 to 20 years into a nice-sized book called Pocket Full of Do. Pick up that book as well, I say.

4) Don’t Make Me Think, Revisited | Steve Krug

The following appears to be a little dated, but use caution. You will gain a thorough understanding of UI/UX. Don’t Make Me Think is the title of the song, and this is the Revisited version.

In short, this is likely one of the best sources for information on a practical approach to web usability. Therefore, it discusses what you should do to maximize the amount of time people spend on your website, great ways to frame content, and the function of navigation.

Even if some of the information in this article is a little out of date, it will still offer you the building blocks you need to create a fantastic website that works well. Check it out once again; it’s a fantastic read with lots of illustrations; as you can see, I’ve underlined this thing like crazy. I frequently go back to it while developing new builds, site maps, and websites.

5) Value Proposition Design

The last but not least edition is called Value Proposition Design, and I completed it a year or so ago. It’s about how to construct a value proposition that the end user would like to have or include in their overall experience and how to frame material accordingly.

Just a really beautifully done graphic book. It discusses business structure, how to develop workable technology, data, how to use data in website design, and how to shape your ideas. As you can see from these two covers, the book is also very visually appealing.

Really well done, but at the end, it will teach you how to establish a website and produce goods that customers actually want, using the web.

Conclusion

You all have my list of five books. They are listed below. As you are all aware, I read a lot, so if you have any recommendations, please list them below.

All five of these works can be read fairly rapidly, to reiterate. You could definitely complete these in a few of weeks, after all. But again, have a look at these: Designing a value proposition, Make sure you purchase the Revisited edition of Don’t Make Me Think. Book of Branding is another classic, followed by Show Your Work and Pocket Full of Do.

Every sector of life has gone digital and the educational sector is not left out. With the use of the internet, individuals can get to know about your school, make updates, give reports of any sort. It is vital that your school’s online and offline presence are active. In this article, I will be telling you of five ways a website will help your school.

1) Give prospective students or parents a good impression of your school:

Any ward or parent in search of an educational institute to enroll to if they are to stumble on your school website will give a top quality impression of how serious you are about impacting knowledge. A frequently updated website is importance as it helps them make enquiry directly from the comfort of their home.

2) Keep students and parents updated on activities:

When the students or parents are in need of information concerning your school, they can easily reach you through the website and get any update concerning anything.

3) Give your school a wider reach:

Having a website helps market your school to a larger community on the internet.

4) Improve the school’s image:

A website will give your school some sort of credibility and positive impression to the public. It will give the public a first-hand trust towards your school and its credibility.

5) It strengthens your advertising:

Having a website is a great tool for advertising your school. You can run a search engine optimization(SEO) which is quite cost effective.

In conclusion

Having a school website increases market considerably as it will be more visible. If you need help or guidance on how to set up a website, you can contact us on 09013245258, or make use of our contact page form.

Having a website is one thing, but getting people to visit it is another crucial aspect that all businesses should take into account.

To strengthen your brand, you may use website traffic to gauge how effectively your marketing is performing and to learn more about your audience. Additionally, it helps you raise conversion rate, lead generation, and search engine reputation.

Here are some efficient techniques to promote your website and increase visitors;

1) Examine your baseline

You must verify your baseline, or understand your present traffic numbers, to start increasing the amount of traffic to your website. You can use this to determine whether the other steps you take to drive more traffic to your website are working.

I’m sure you can find a way to accomplish this. You must configure Google Analytics. Two excellent alternatives to Google Analytics include:

• Some people favor Clicky Analytics because of its “real-time” functionality.
• Mixpanel 

Some of the most significant metrics to take note of are listed below:

1. distinct visitors (Users)
2. Bouncing rate
3. average duration of stay (Avg. Session Duration)
4. Page views
5. (Pages/Session) Pages per visit
6. (Direct, search, and referral) Traffic sources, etc.

2) Optimization for search engines

 

Making your website visible to users and potential users requires on-page search engine optimization (SEO). The technique of attracting visitors from “free,” “organic,” “editorial,” or “natural” search results on search engines is known as SEO. People typically choose the first through tenth results when searching because the first has a distinct benefit. SEO assists business owners in getting their website in front of top internet searchers. Reaching mobile consumers as well as a sizable customer base is made possible by this. It’s crucial to make sure that your website and content are as pertinent to people looking for your goods or services as feasible. To help your future consumers find you, you would need to research the terms they will use.

Your firm can gain a great deal from optimizing its local search presence. Sales will increase, you’ll be more visible online and off, you’ll be able to contact customers more easily, your KPIs will be easier to manage, and your conversion rates will go up. According to the most recent Google statistics, location is a factor in around 20% of search inquiries.

To get (and stay) ahead of the competition, it is no longer sufficient to post frequently. You now need to nail your SEO, conduct an ongoing campaign, check for meta tags, etc.

The Hummingbird algorithm utilized by Google has modified the SEO approach over time, according to recent research.

This indicates that Google now understands topics in addition to only looking at keywords, which has an impact on 90% of user queries.

Therefore, you must use LSI Keywords for Google to comprehend the topic of your content. by use of your LSI graphs. These terms and expressions are associated with your chosen keyword. If you recently produced a piece on event planning, for instance, your LSI keywords might be the following:

Therefore, you must use LSI Keywords for Google to comprehend the topic of your content. by use of your LSI graphs. These terms and expressions are associated with your chosen keyword. If you recently produced a piece on event planning, for instance, your LSI keywords might be the following:

• present-day happenings
• activities taking place nearby
• To-do list for event planning
• how to launch a business in event planning
• events this weekend close to me
• leading news stories of 2018
• business news today
• printable event planning checklist
• articles on events that are interesting 

By doing this, you make it simple for Google to understand what exactly your content is based on—in this case, “Events”—and how to rank it accordingly.

3) Social Media Websites

Social media may be a helpful tool for businesses because it allows you to interact with your customers and increase website traffic. Additionally, it improves consumer interaction, brand reputation, and cost efficiency. Although managing your social media is challenging, the payoff is enormous when done regularly. However, it also has drawbacks, such as the need for resources and unfavorable reviews. You may choose the ideal strategy for using social media for your business by taking into account these benefits and drawbacks. One of the best ways to show people what you are made of is through social media. Utilizing your existing fans’ networks gives you an additional advantage.

Utilizing powerful hashtags is the cherry on top of using social media. This has just lately been found to be the most effective method for getting many people to notice your message. Using hashtags wisely allows you to accurately target your ideal client and reach out to new audiences. Use the “click-to-tweet” button as another strategy to increase the number of shares on your article.

Adding videos to your LinkedIn profile is another technique to boost traffic. Recent studies have demonstrated LinkedIn’s rapid growth. Recently, there has been a huge growth in the number of people using LinkedIn to share content. Having stated that, how exactly is this accomplished? Posting videos, particularly those with personal narratives that motivate your audience, is a significant effective strategy. Additionally, your topic must be interesting, and your content must be relevant across all of your social media channels. Use shorter paragraphs and bucket brigades, such as Wait, Here’s the deal, For instance, That said, etc., and make sure your words are ordered and engaging.

Make sure the images you use to support your argument are pleasing to the eye. Stunning images can significantly increase your visitors. They make your posts more appealing, which encourages users to browse your website for longer. Compared to all other status updates, photographs on Facebook made up 93% of the most engaging posts, according to researchers. You offer your title the best chance to drive traffic and clicks when you pair it with a compelling image.

It’s also important to remember to publish during busy times. It’s important to realize that there are specific times to upload material to social media; simply posting whenever you feel like it won’t cut it, according to Hubspot. Some moments are superior to others. With the aid of the aforementioned link, you can learn more advice on how to approach this even if you might not be able to get the appropriate timing.

4) Email Promotion

A very powerful method for increasing visitors to your website is email marketing. You should create your email lists using your website or an existing client database, it is advised. This is because organic emails have consistently been shown to operate well and deliver positive results. Today, a crucial component of email marketing is developing a sequence that nurtures new sign-ups and fosters relationships.

Once set up, email marketing is a powerful tool for building brand loyalty, thought leadership, and serving as a free form of lead generation. Regular newsletter distribution and email offer promotion are wonderful ways to stay in touch with your clients and can drive traffic to your website. Top-of-mind awareness, internet traffic, and sales strategy are a few of its goals.

This is accomplished by:

1. Created-to-order customer email newsletters
2. Highlighting particular items and categories in each newsletter
3. Including blog posts in newsletters to increase click-through and open rates.

Just be sure to be extremely smart about how frequently you send emails; otherwise, your consumers may choose to ignore, delete, or unsubscribe from them.

Also, give great consideration to the subject lines of your emails. These have a significant impact on whether a user opens your email or not. Your emails won’t be able to drive visitors to your website if they are never opened.

5) Submit a Guest Post

Many people have come to the idea that guest posts are unproductive, but if used wisely, they may be one of the most successful ways to drive traffic to your website. This is due to the likelihood that they will spread the post among their sizable readership. Additionally, it might help to diversify your material and demonstrate to your audience that you are engaged in your industry. The most important thing is to blog on websites that are relevant to your audience to attract high-quality visitors. Determine nearby complementary companies whose clients are a good fit for your enterprise. Check to see if you can write a post for their blog that includes a link to your website. Ensure that your material is pertinent and helpful to them.

The use of guest posts draws new users to your website. It would be preferable if you permitted additional writers to blog on your website. But you should also employ different formats, such as Instagram takeovers and YouTube guest appearances, instead of just writing blogs. A helpful resource section should be scattered throughout your guest article. It’s also advantageous to include your material among the useful resources.

Conclusion

You’ll agree with me after reading these 5 steps that they are crucial for helping your company expand and establish your brand. Be sure to create material that appeals to influencers as well. The truth is that compelling content is necessary if you want powerful people to share it. You can establish yourself as a respected authority in your field by consistently engaging in these activities.

I know you must have read in many different articles, what content creation is. You must have also come across learning how to begin your own content creation career. But I promise you, this will be quite interesting a read. Come along with me!

 

What Is Content?

Content, as you may or not know, is any form of information given to an, or any audience, be it in form of videos, written form, or audio. Content varies by the industries from which they were created, bringing about the different types of content we have today.

 

Types Of Content

People say that content are mostly only in written, audial, or visual(video) forms. While this is true to a very high extent, we should know also, that there are more types of content. We shall look at those, below:

1. Corporate content: these are information sent out by companies to audiences, in order to persuade, or update. They are:

• Advertisements, which could come in form of copies, or in visual forms.
• White papers
• Sponsored research
• Public relations content

 

2. Legal or governmental content: these by the name should imply contents we find, which are authored by legal bodies, such as the government, or other government authorized bodies. Some of these types of content are:

• Public history data
• Online public databases
• Exhibits
• National historical data
• Public records

 

3. User generated content: yes, users can create content, too. This came with the advent of Web-2, where users could also be involved in content creation. While these can be annoying, if they stand to trigger penalties on some sites, they can be useful to other users. Some of them are:

• Fan fiction
• Remixes of original content
• Social media posts, amongst a plenty others

 

4. Academic content: these are contents created by academic institutions, for either their students, aspiring students, or the general public. Some of which are:

• Books
• Journal articles
• Academic blogs
• Lecture videos

 

5. Cultural content: these contents are works of art, made in different art industries, for their respective audiences. Some of them are:

• Works of literature ; may be prose, poetry, or drama
• Movies
• Music
• Works of art, such as paintings, sculptures, mosaic, etc.
• Digital art, could be an NFT

These are a few types of content. Are there some others that you know? Feel free to drop them in the comment section!

 

What is Content Creation?

Here, we have come to heart of our discussion: content creation. Let us now define this term.

Content Creation is the offering of information through a medium to an audience, in a particular context. Simply put, it is giving what you know, or feel others should know; that is, expressing yourself to your audience, through a medium. Medium here, could be written, audial, or visual(pictorial, face to face, or video form.)

Now, a person new to this term may ask, how can I create content? Or, how can I get people to love what I create? Which brings us to the next subheading.

 

Creating Your Own Content

• You can create your own content, by first finding out how you want to express yourself. Do you want to write? Do you want to speak? Do you like standing behind the camera? Do you want to draw? Or paint? Or sing? What do you want to do, to express yourself?
• Now, you know what you want to do. What to do next? Ask yourself what you want to tell the people listening to you, now that you have found a medium with which you can express yourself.
• You know what you want to tell your audience. You have a medium with which you can share your information. But you cannot drop your opinion randomly, without plan. So you plan. Come up with a content creation calendar. This is so that you do not go out of line, and also so that you do not run out of ideas.
• You now have a plan, your information, and your medium. You want to create. You have an ideal audience persona, but not the audience itself. So you want to build your audience. How do you do this? I would say begin giving out your content, but if you give out content to people who have no interest in them, you will yield no positive results. So, you look for your audience; find their interests, where they mostly hang out(could be Twitter or Facebook). Then make them your audience; add them up if you must, follow for follow does not sound ideal, but it is not bad either.
• Now, you have your medium, your content, your plan, and your audience. What’s left to do, if not create? Yes, nothing. Create your content; write, make a video, sing, speak. Make edits where necessary. Make sure everything is accurate. And share.

That’s how content creation goes. Not satisfied? More research would help.

 

Who Is A Content Creator?

A content creator is simply a person who creates content. But to put it in a more comprehensive form, it is someone who expresses himself to his audience, in a particular niche.

A content creator could be a vlogger, a blogger, an artist, an artiste, a speaker, a copywriter.

When you log on your socials, there are lots of posts from people. Some people make consistent posts, relating to a particular context, while some just randomly drop pictures, with no intent of winning any attention. The former, is what we call content creators. They make consistent posts relating to a particular niche, to a particular audience, interested in that niche. Notice that they do not drop random opinions. This is because they are trying to maintain the reputation of the context they have dedicated their posts to, and do not want to lose their audience.

They sometimes stray from their contextual posts, but only seldomly, and it is maybe only to entertain their audience.

In essence, a content creator knows his niche; the niche that interests his audience, and does not stray to irrelevant topics.

I am sure now, that you have an idea of different types of content creators. But if not, for sake of emphasis, we shall look at some:

• Content Writers
• Vloggers
• Speakers( podcasts, motivations)
• Artists
• Artistes
• Actors
• Teachers (tutorial blogs and vlogs)
• Health care personnels (health care articles and vlogs), and a lot more.

We have covered what content creation is, who a content creator is, and what a piece of content is. Now, let us look at the reasons people create content.

 

Why Content Creation?

People create content for so many reasons. And those reasons, are we about to find out. Let’s get started.

• Mainly, it is because of the monetary advantage. In our article on vlogging, we were made to know what an average YouTuber makes monthly. About $2000 -$4000 monthly! That’s a lot, if you ask me.
• Before the monetary advantage, people created content, to attract attention. Yes, in order to attract attention from the audience they wanted, they create content that interests their potential audience. How does this happen? The already existing audience shares their content, and a potential consumer sees that content, and traces the author, and that author is followed!
• Some people create content just to entertain others. It may seem like too much work to do, just to entertain people, but that is how opportunities meet those content creators.
• Some create content as their occupation. Just because many people create content for the monetary advantage, does not mean it is their occupation. But for some people, creating content is their job; some vloggers, for example. And some content writers who write for companies.
• Some people also create content for their own sake. Some people create content just to express themselves. Some people that may do this are, artists, users such as Twitter, Facebook or Instagram users.

These are some reasons to why people create content. Why do you create your content? Why do you want to create that content?

PS: Knowing why you are creating a piece of content can help you create quality content, so you should have a reason, or better still, a purpose in mind.

I hope that you know now, what content creation is, what creating a piece of content entails, what a piece of content is, who a content creator is, why you want to create content, and what you stand to gain from content creation.

I hope also, that you now know how to start a content creation career. If you don’t, I suggest you read the article again. And if after that, you still do not know how to, then you should make more research.

I hope finally, that you found this article helpful.

Firstly, I’ll like you to know, or if you know already, to be reminded, that vlogging is both an art, and a technology. Where does the art lie? In the ability to CREATE. And the technology lies in the capture of the movement, electronically. However, you do not have to know everything about videography, to begin a vlog. So, do not be scared when you hear ‘technology’.

With electronic media, such as cameras, or videotapes, it is possible to bring vlogging  to life.

In this article, we want to talk about how one can start a vlogging career. It’ll be an interesting read, stick with me.

Having defined vlogging in a rather fundamental way; saying it is an art of creating a video, and a technology of using electronic media, we now want to get to know the history of this art.

 

What Is A Vlog?

A vlog (shortened form of video blog) is a blog in the medium of a video, otherwise called a video log. It can either be a whole video, or made in parts.

 

History Of Vlogging

The advent of vlogging is said to be dated to the early 2000s, where the first vlogger in the name of Adam Kontras, sent a video and a blog to his family, upon his cross-country movement to Los Angeles. This was followed by another Adrian Miles, who posted a video of changing text, on a still image.

In 2002, Luuk Bouwman started a site as video diary for his post college travels. That his now defunct site, happens to be one of the first sites where the term, ‘vlog’ originated.

As at 2005, vlogging saw an increase in popularity, due to the emergence of YouTube.

With the presence of YouTube and other video blogging sites today, the relevance and popularity of vlogging remains almost unbeatable.

 

Some Vlog Post Ideas Today

As it is when an activity becomes a norm, many people have taken the vlog activity to a whole new level. It is even safe to say now, that some people live their lives for the internet. How do they do this? Yes, by vlogging. Here are some vlog ideas, if you’re looking to start a vlogging career:

• Cooking shows
• Educational tutorials
• Marketing and economic shows
• Vocational training shows
• Lifestyle reels
• Documentaries (can also be called vlogumentaries)
• Entertainment (music, movies, comedy)
• Physical fitness, and a lot more others.

 

How To Start A Vlog?

Nowadays, it’s almost as easy as a reflex, to start a vlog. However, there are some steps to take in order for a vlogging career to be a success. Eager to know, I see. Let us get to it:

• Firstly, like every other business anyone ventures into, one has to plan. What type of content do you intend to serve the public? Do you have a certain audience in mind, that you want to reach out to? If yes, how can they discover your vlog?
• Research. If you want to launch a vlogumentary, or maybe an informational or even a health talk show, you might want to make in-depth research, so that you do not share misleading information.
• Think. Ask yourself if you’re doing it right. The internet is full of very different people from yourself. What might interest you, might not interest others. Ask yourself if people like your vlog, and understand the information in the videos that you want to put out.
• Be creative. Nobody wants to watch a melancholic show, when it is not supposed to be a burial. Nobody wants comedy for a financial analysis tutorial. Make sure that you are creative, and your videos entice the right audience.
• Create. Now, it is time to take your planning, thinking, and creativity into action. Make alluring videos of whatever it is that you want to share with the world. How do you create? Easy! Brings us to our next step.
• With just a phone that has a good camera, one can begin his vlog. Some people who want to go the extra mile, get cameras, videotapes, and other electronic media, for creation of their videos.
• Now, you share your information in form of videos, with the world, by creating an account on any vlogging site you deem fit, and begin posting!
• Indulge. When you begin a vlog, it is possible that you may not have the much  engagements that you want, at first. However with time, people will begin to engage, and you would want to indulge them. Read their comments, and provide useful and helpful replies, where need be.

Easy peasy, right? You can do it.

 

Some Advantages Of Owning A Vlog

Now, you have started vlogging. It feels good, that you can share what you know, without having to write much. I know that feeling. Let us now look at some advantages of starting a vlog:

• You get to share it, exactly as you want to say it. Could be emotions, could be legit information.
• It is possible that your viewers may get to know you, through certain impressions they get from your vlogs. Those impressions gotten by your viewers, may also glue them to their screens
• You get to relate with a crowd that relates with what you’re giving to them in your videos.
• You get to educate people. When you have an informational vlog, you teach people, and most of the times, people learn things from vlogs!
• Your confidence increases! Let me tell you how: supposed you were too shy to stand in front of a camera, and one day you decided to start a vlog, wouldn’t you need some confidence to start? You would, definitely. And as time goes by, you become more confident than you were, in the beginning.
• Your vlog may be the reason someone smiles. Your comedy, can make someone laugh. Your educational tutorials can teach someone, and relieve the person the stress of a hectic research. Your emo-vlog can encourage someone!
• There is the monetary advantage that comes with vlogging. Apart from your love to share your activities with viewers, you may also be interested in monetizing your vlog.
• Did you know? An average YouTuber with at least 100,000 subscribers, makes up to $2,000 to $4,000 monthly? You should look that up, and begin considering getting your cameras ready!
• Vlogs are a great media for advertising one’s business. You know what a great copy can do? Yes, a vlog with expert advertisment, can do that too. Do not snooze, friend.

Why haven’t you started a vlog?

Few Vlogging Sites You Can Start Your Vlog Career On

Today, although YouTube is effortlessly the most used vlogging site, there are other sites where one can begin his vlog. Want to know? Let’s dive right in!

1. Firstly, for sake of hierarchy, we have to acknowledge YouTube. I believe you know that YouTube is a school on its own? Do yourself some good with that information.
2. Tik-tok. This platform has a tremendous variation of audiences, and therefore, accommodates so much vlog ideas.
3. Facebook. Yes, with Facebook, you can begin a vlog. With the presence of Reels on Facebook now, this has been made even easier, and more lucrative.
4. Instagram. Did you know that just like Facebook, you can also start a vlog on Instagram? I knew you knew. I mean, people live their lives for the gram, now. What is stopping you?
5. Likee. This platform is fast rising, and in no time, would be as large as Tik-tok.

Are there other vlog platforms, or sites that you know? I would be more than glad, if you knew more!

The Downsides Of Vlogging

 

We have spent so much time talking about the advantages of starting a vlog. While the advantages are really enticing, we should not forget that there are downsides to this, as there are to almost everything with an advantage. Let us now look into them:

• Starting a vlog might is expensive. One has to have high quality cameras, in order for their vlogs to come out crispy.
• Unlike blogs and articles, it is impossible to edit a video after it has been posted on a vlogging site. One either has to delete the video and begin from scratch again, or leave the video as it is. That’s a little inconvenient.
• Creating a vlog can be really time consuming. It is during the creation of the videos that one edits and tweaks whatever is needed to be changed. It would definitely take a lot of time.
• Another downside is that unlike blogs where search engines can index the written articles, vlogs cannot be indexed by search engines. But learning SEO for YouTube, can be of advantage.

These will be all for now. Are there any other disadvantages you have faced as a vlogger?, Or any other disadvantages you think might stand to impede starting your vlogging career?, You should check which outweighs the other; the advantages or disadvantages, and do the math by yourself.

We have come to the end of this article. I hope you learnt something, and I hope also that you are considering starting your own vlog, if you have the means.

In its virtual event held on the 18th March 2022, renowned payment platform, Flutterwave, unveiled a new brand identity which was accompanied by a new logo and also introduced fresh products and services such as Flutterwave capital, Flutterwave card issuing, a well-rebuilt dashboard, improved Application Program Interface (API) pages, the second edition of Flutterwave Job Fair, a new and improved checkout experience, and the Flutterwave Fintech-as-a-service (FaaS) product service. 

The introduction of these tools is aimed at making it not just a platform that makes it stress-free to make or receive payments but also as a platform that will help startup businesses grow in revenue, and also have access to opportunities that big companies enjoy.

In the event which was streamed on YouTube and themed “Fintech 3.0”, the African fintech brand which is used by over 600,000 businesses for payments and currently has a valuation of $3 billion stressed that their goal is to build a platform that will provide unlimited possibilities for startups and their products and services. 

So, let’s take a look at some of these new products and services.  

Flutterwave’s New Brand Identity

In its bid to reflect the vibrant spirit of Africa through its brand, Flutterwave which recently raised a whopping sum of $250 million through Series D Funding, has unveiled a new brand identity that depicts Africa’s entrepreneurship spirit in collaboration with Verve. 

This new brand identity is inspired by ‘LabaLaba’- which means ‘Butterfly’ in Yoruba – a renowned language in Western Africa, precisely in Nigeria. 

The visual rebranding of Flutterwave’s identity also led to the introduction of a new logo. 

Flutterwave’s Rebuilt Dashboard

Rebuilt from scratch, this dashboard was built to provide every business with endless possibilities. This dashboard helps provide you with the right information to manage and grow your business.

It has the transactions, payments, customers, balance, invoices, store, and settings sections which helps you maintain your business’ record, giving you a sense of direction, and also helps you store valuable business data. 

This new dashboard also helps you customize reports and also has a Q & A section that provides answers and solutions to the difficulties you might encounter while using the dashboard. 

Flutterwave’s New Checkout Experience

This new checkout experience offers intelligence, simplicity – to prevent your customers from getting confused, and speed – which has been greatly increased, making it five times faster than the previous edition and hence reducing the possibility of drop-offs by as much as 60 percent. 

It also provides you with different payment methods that allow your customers to make payments using Cards such as Mastercard and Discover Network Global Cards, PayPal, Bank Transfer, Barter, USSD, Mobile Money, Visa QR, Voucher, Migo, and Paga. 

Furthermore, Apple Pay and Google Pay have also been added to flutterwave’s payment methods to help provide startups and small businesses with endless possibilities and make away with any payment limitation which might limit its growth. 

Flutterwave Fintech-as-a-Service (FaaS)

Flutterwave Fintech-as-a-Service (FaaS) is a service product that is built to help you input financial services into your product and also helps you input financial services into your app. 

This service will help your customers create virtual cards and even store money in their wallets which you can create through this platform to also help them pay bills and lots more.

Interestingly, you can input these financial services into your business app, products, or services in a few minutes, without having to deal with the acquisition of licenses, or building of its infrastructure cause it has already been built for you. 

Flutterwave Fintech-as-a-Service (FaaS) also makes services such as account opening, debit card issuance, KYC, payments, compliance, a high level of security, account servicing available, to help ease the stress of small businesses providing customers with financial services.

For now, it is only available in Nigeria, but will be made accessible to startups and small businesses in other nations as time goes on.

 Flutterwave Capital 

The Flutterwave capital is a service that is introduced to help startups and small businesses reach the international level they dream of, by providing them with the most blockage to a startup’s emergence – CAPITAL. 

The Flutterwave Capital platform allows businesses to get loans without collateral, strict terms and conditions, or bulky documentation. This platform helps eligible businesses get funding without stress and for as fast as two business days. 

However, being based in Nigeria is one of the criteria for being eligible for this funding. The Flutterwave capital platform is starting in Nigeria but will enlarge to other African nations as time goes on. 

Other eligibility criteria for the consideration of your loan application include:

•  Having high overall processing volume on Flutterwave.

• Not defaulting on previous loans.
•  Having a low rate of unsettled charge-backs. 
•  Using Flutterwave to process payments for at least three months. 
• Not having a declined loan application on the Flutterwave platform for the past 30 days. 

To learn more about the eligibility criteria for Flutter Capital, check out this article. 

In addition, Flutterwave also announced that it will be hosting the second edition of its Job fair. This event which saw its sold-out first edition held on the 19th February 2022, is a platform where job seekers are opportune to speak to prospective employers and hopefully get hired in industries such as Engineering, Marketing, Products, Growth, and lots more.

Meanwhile, Flutterwave card issuing which allows startup businesses to issue physical and virtual cards to their customers was made available with immediate effect, with virtual cards being attainable worldwide, and physical cards available only in Nigeria for the time being.