The "Experts" Are Getting Crypto All Wrong

Bitcoin peaked about a month ago, on December 17, at a high of nearly $20,000. As I write, the cryptocurrency is under $11,000... a loss of about 45%. That's more than $150 billion in lost market cap.

Cue much hand-wringing and gnashing of teeth in the crypto-commentariat. It's neck-and-neck, but I think the "I-told-you-so" crowd has the edge over the "excuse-makers."

Here's the thing: Unless you just lost your shirt on bitcoin, this doesn't matter at all. And chances are, the "experts" you may see in the press aren't telling you why.

In fact, bitcoin's crash is wonderful... because it means we can all just stop thinking about cryptocurrencies altogether.

The Death of Bitcoin...

In a year or so, people won't be talking about bitcoin in the line at the grocery store or on the bus, as they are now. Here's why.

Bitcoin is the product of justified frustration. Its designer explicitly said the cryptocurrency was a reaction to government abuse of fiat currencies like the dollar or euro. It was supposed to provide an independent, peer-to-peer payment system based on a virtual currency that couldn't be debased, since there was a finite number of them.

That dream has long since been jettisoned in favor of raw speculation. Ironically, most people care about bitcoin because it seems like an easy way to get more fiat currency! They don't own it because they want to buy pizzas or gas with it.

Besides being a terrible way to transact electronically - it's agonizingly slow - bitcoin's success as a speculative play has made it useless as a currency. Why would anyone spend it if it's appreciating so fast? Who would accept one when it's depreciating rapidly?

Bitcoin is also a major source of pollution. It takes 351 kilowatt-hours of electricity just to process one transaction - which also releases 172 kilograms of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. That's enough to power one U.S. household for a year. The energy consumed by all bitcoin mining to date could power almost 4 million U.S. households for a year.

Paradoxically, bitcoin's success as an old-fashioned speculative play - not its envisaged libertarian uses - has attracted government crackdown.

China, South Korea, Germany, Switzerland and France have implemented, or are considering, bans or limitations on bitcoin trading. Several intergovernmental organizations have called for concerted action to rein in the obvious bubble. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which once seemed likely to approve bitcoin-based financial derivatives, now seems hesitant.

And according to Investing.com: "The European Union is implementing stricter rules to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing on virtual currency platforms. It's also looking into limits on cryptocurrency trading."

We may see a functional, widely accepted cryptocurrency someday, but it won't be bitcoin.

... But a Boost for Crypto Assets

Good. Getting over bitcoin allows us to see where the real value of crypto assets lies. Here's how.

To use the New York subway system, you need tokens. You can't use them to buy anything else... although you could sell them to someone who wanted to use the subway more than you.

In fact, if subway tokens were in limited supply, a lively market for them might spring up. They might even trade for a lot more than they originally cost. It all depends on how much people want to use the subway.

That, in a nutshell, is the scenario for the most promising "cryptocurrencies" other than bitcoin. They're not money, they're tokens - "crypto-tokens," if you will. They aren't used as general currency. They are only good within the platform for which they were designed.

If those platforms deliver valuable services, people will want those crypto-tokens, and that will determine their price. In other words, crypto-tokens will have value to the extent that people value the things you can get for them from their associated platform.

That will make them real assets, with intrinsic value - because they can be used to obtain something that people value. That means you can reliably expect a stream of revenue or services from owning such crypto-tokens. Critically, you can measure that stream of future returns against the price of the crypto-token, just as we do when we calculate the price/earnings ratio (P/E) of a stock.

Bitcoin, by contrast, has no intrinsic value. It only has a price - the price set by supply and demand. It can't produce future streams of revenue, and you can't measure anything like a P/E ratio for it.

One day it will be worthless because it doesn't get you anything real.

Ether and Other Crypto Assets Are the Future

The crypto-token ether sure seems like a currency. It's traded on cryptocurrency exchanges under the code ETH. Its symbol is the Greek uppercase Xi character. It's mined in a similar (but less energy-intensive) process to bitcoin.

But ether isn't a currency. Its designers describe it as "a fuel for operating the distributed application platform Ethereum. It is a form of payment made by the clients of the platform to the machines executing the requested operations."

Ether tokens get you access to one of the world's most sophisticated distributed computational networks. It's so promising that big companies are falling all over each other to develop practical, real-world uses for it.

Because most people who trade it don't really understand or care about its true purpose, the price of ether has bubbled and frothed like bitcoin in recent weeks.

But eventually, ether will revert to a stable price based on the demand for the computational services it can "buy" for people. That price will represent real value that can be priced into the future. There'll be a futures market for it, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), because everyone will have a way to assess its underlying value over time. Just as we do with stocks.

What will that value be? I have no idea. But I know it will be a lot more than bitcoin.

My advice: Get rid of your bitcoin, and buy ether at the next dip.

Ted Bauman joined The Sovereign Investor Daily in 2013. As an expat who lived in South Africa for 25 years, Ted specializes in asset protection and international migration. Read more of what he has to say about offshore living here.

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Ambiton - A Passion That Motivates

Life is a competition - a daring adventure, and success usually comes to those who are ambitious. Ambition is a deep desire for achievement, and is propelled by an internal drive to fulfill one's dreams.

"Nothing can stop a man with the right mental attitude for achieving his goals; nothing on earth can help a man with the wrong attitude," says Thomas Jefferson.

Without ambition life is as insipid as a dish without salt and spices. No matter how intelligent and talented a person is, he will not be able to achieve much without ambition. Ambition gives us a purpose in life and helps to escape mediocrity. It envisages no short cuts. Sacrifices will have to be made and oppositions overcome. But nothing can compare with the joy of achieving one's goal.

There are people who are famous today because they did not abandon their ambitions. Nobody believed that a blind boy like David Hartman would become a doctor one day. He was discouraged by family and friends. His applications for admission to various medical colleges were ignored until Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia decided to give him a chance. The obstacles that seemed insurmountable were conquered through sheer determination and David completed his course successfully. Those who doubted a blind man's ability to complete such a rigorous course had to admit that David Hartman was 'supernormal.'

Bettina Bechgaard a 19 year old Ballet dancer who was to perform at the Sadler Wells Theatre in London, was knocked down by a car that left her with multiple fractures of her limbs and in a semi-comatose condition. But her fierce determination through grinding weeks of pain set her back on her dancing feet after a long period of recuperation. Through physiotherapy, psychotherapy and counseling, Bettina was back to dancing. Her strong ambition took control of her body and enabled her to perform pirouettes and other intricate steps. Nobody even noticed the hint of a wobble at times.

Poverty did not dampen the ambitions of many famous writers, who early in life had to struggle to survive, yet never succumbed to defeat. In his autobiography "Tell the Tale," Gabriel Garcia Marquez tells how he was desperate to write and be read. He kept scraps of paper in his pocket and kept writing through his penury and hardships. He even had to borrow a typewriter to type out his manuscripts. The world cheers at his rise to fame.

Stephen King the famous author was so poor that he had to borrow clothes for his wedding. He lived in a caravan with his wife on a hand-to-mouth existence. But poverty did not turn him away from his ambition of writing. Today he is one of the best known and richest of writers.

The story of J. K. Rowling's rise to fame is unbelievable. She had to type out the manuscript of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' which was 90,0000 words long, on an old type writer. Each time she was rejected, she had to type the manuscript all over again, and the rejections were many. To her good luck the daughter of the CEO of Bloomsbury read the story and loved it. Since then Rowling has never looked back.

It is said that "The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight. But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upwards through the night."

Qualities of an ambitious person:
- He is the architect and builder of his life.
- He is organized, focused and self-motivated.
- He is persistent. "If at first you don't succeed, try and try again."
- He keeps his ears and eyes open for new ideas.
- He makes the best of the opportunities that come his way to enhance his personal development and growth.

How to stay true to one's ambition.
- Believe in the tremendous potential in every human being.
- Believe in yourself and be spurred on by your desire to excel.
- Define your values and goals.
- Chalk out workable plans to achieve your dreams.
- Never quit.

Some people have bad ambitions. They have a one-track mind to achieve wealth and power no matter on whose feet they trample and how many lives they destroy. This is not ambition but greed.

Joseph Conrad says "All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upwards on the miseries and credulities of mankind."

Oprah Winfrey who is now a famous superstar with her own TV Network is an example of somebody with ambition and drive. She fought her way through racism, sexual abuse, and obesity to educate herself and work her way to the top.

"Never envisage defeat," says Norman Vincent Peale, "Giving up is defeat of a personality." He encourages people to live by the principle "I can if I think I can."

Eva Bell is a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists,
She is a freelance writer, and her articles, short stories and children's stories have been published in magazines, newspapers, on the Net, and in several anthologies.
She is the author of:
Novels - "Silver Amulet," "When Shadows Flee," "Halo of Deceit," "Runaway Widow" "Power Surge in Eden." "Knee Jerks and Gallop Rhythms."
Non-Fiction- "Grace Abounding," "Womanism- The Adventure of being a Woman."
Children's Books: "Lost on the beach," "Sniffer Dog and other stories." "Wandering into Wonderland."
E-books: Cactus Hill, Survival Strategies in an Angry World, Storm in the Desert, Womanism and Runaway Widow, Back From Beyond (Amazon Kindle.) The Singing Gondolier(Amazon Kindle)
Website: http://www.evabell.net
Blog: http://muddyloafers.blogspot.com

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Is Everyone Capable Of Successfully Doing Work From Home?

Work from home or freelancing looks to be a great idea. Isn't it? Many people think that working from home for any business, online job, or freelancing gives them more space and freedom. Definitely, it does. It has many advantages I'm going to discuss later, however, one must not disregard the demands and disadvantages of it also.

Advantages:

Let's talk about both the positives and negatives of work from home:

Work according to your own schedule: This is perhaps the greatest advantage you have in home-based work. You can make a flexible schedule according to your comfort level. You start or stop work whenever you like. If you feel a bit need to have rest, you just shut down and take a break. Some people like to work in the late evening or night hours. They will be more than happy if they get a work at home opportunity. You can have lunch, dinner, tea, and coffee whenever you feel like to. Just relax, make your own timetable and work anytime or any length of hours round the clock. Manage time as you feel comfortable.

Be your own BOSS: Unlike office-based jobs, you don't have a BOSS. No one will come to your desk to check whether you are working or not. No reporting to and scolding by BOSS at all. 'No sword is hanging over the head' is one of the most relaxing thoughts for many people. Therefore, no or less stress than office work.

Can be managed on weekends or part-time: Flexibility is one of the biggest advantages of work from home. If your work is not too much stretched out, you can manage it on weekends and as part-time along with a regular job. If you are working with a company that allows working as much as easily manageable, you must take the advantage of work from home. It would be a great source of making money, though may not be very highly paid. However, with a few hours of weekly working, you can make some extra bucks.

Decorate your office place as you like: Not only time, space is also yours in work from home. You can fix a corner for your table and computer system wherever you like. Decorate it with flowers, photos, colors and things of your choice. If and when need, you can change the place also. If your work is mostly computer-based, you can sit with your laptop on the lawn, roof-top, balcony etc. Not bound to a single space.

A lot of saving: When you join an office, you need to go to the job 5 days a week. You have to maintain a proper wardrobe as well as taking out a chunk of money for monthly transportation and food expenses. Sometimes, your office is located far away and reaching there is no less than a hassle. Or you have to rely on outside food which you don't like. Some of the companies offer to give pick and drop and food for the employees for a reasonable cutting from their salary. But that way, they get a great facility. Wardrobe, transportation, and food expenses eat up a great portion of your paycheck. Work from home totally minuses the expenses of wardrobe and transportation. Then remains the food only which you enjoy in the form of home-made healthy and low-priced meals.

No frustrating co-workers or workplace issues: One of the biggest and stressful problems of office and a regular job is the presence of unpleasant and non-cooperative co-workers. Harassment is also a great workplace issue for females especially. Work from home saves you from these frustrating things which can have a negative effect on your health and career growth also.

Disadvantages:

Above were a few positives of work from home. Now, let's have a look at negatives also:

Laziness: Work from home gives you the advantage of time flexibility but it also demands a great self-discipline. If you are lazy, you can't meet the deadlines. You must have to make a timetable and set daily working hours to run it smoothly. Postponing the work for the next day will hurt your progress.

Working alone offers no competition: Presence of co-workers offers a competitive environment and motivates you to work better and better. Work at home has nothing like that. You are your own competitor there so performance comparison is also not involving. Competing with, and defeating your own self is not easy for everyone.

Providing a space at home: If you have plenty of space at home, well and good. But if you are living in a tight space, taking out a room for home-based work may be difficult. Additionally, you may have to tolerate the noise and disturbance by kids and family.

Lack of communication in-between the team: If you are working for a remote or out-of-country employer, you feel a lack of communication with other teammates and employers. Online meetings and chat can't produce the results as the face-to-face and office-based jobs offer. Time difference between the countries also matters. You may need to wait for the meeting or chat for long hours.

Work ethics and culture: Ethics and culture matter a lot if you are working for an out-of-country employer. If an African is working for an American company, he/she may have to face cultural and behavioral issues. Some cultures don't like to hear NO from the employees; some encourage to express their opinion. So work from home may also be stressful due to cultural differences.

So these are the positives as well as negatives involved in work from home. If you like it, you must keep all these aspects in mind. Take into account all the facets before plunging into home-based work. It is not suitable for everyone. If you are ready to take on and fulfill the demands of work from home, go ahead. If not, prefer an office based job instead.

Rizwanaa Shaikh is fond of reading and writing on general topics and issues. She believes in bringing awareness and positive changes to the public through writing. She can be found on Twitter: @Rashwriter.

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How To Manage Your Own Amazon Business From Home

The internet has given new businessmen the facility to launch their business with more ease, but it can still be difficult to get a strong foothold. Although, there are a huge number of retail websites online, a few major brands carry on dominating, much like the conventional high street retail. At the moment, Amazon is the biggest online retailer of all. The reality is that very few companies will ever be able to fight with Amazon. In this situation, the most excellent thing that you can do if you want to establish an online retail business from home is to get involved with Amazon, and turn it to your maximum benefit. Read on to find out the basics of getting up and managing your own Amazon business. You'll realize that by treating Amazon as a partner, you too can set up earning a great living from home.

Understanding how you should sell products in the retail setting means understanding what customers look for when they purchase them. Of course, every customer glances at the highest quality products at the lowest possible prices. If you can put forward something truly ground-breaking, or enter an existing sector with lesser prices, you can definitely attract a large amount of interest in your business. However, this interest is only useful if it turns into revenue.

Amazon is the biggest online retailer, in view of the fact that it is a brand that customers trust. If you begin selling on Amazon, they'll trust you too. To start with, you need to sign up for a seller account with Amazon. The standard Basic Seller Account is free, and offered to those vendors that sell less than 35 products a month. Products can be listed in up to 20 special categories, and you will basically pay a fee for each product sold.

As your business develops, you would like to upgrade to a Pro Seller Account. This type of account is charged at a minimal fess, and incorporates the ability to create new products, and sell them across up to 25 special categories. Even otherwise, an Amazon SEO Company can guide you more on how to manage your Amazon business in an efficient way. For checking the status of an Amazon SEO Company, always read the customer reviews that may have been publicized on their website. If they've made success for a particular product on Amazon, in all likelihood they have the resources to do it yet again.

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Own Your Own Online Affiliate Marketing Business

To own their own affiliate marketing business is the dream of many people, from all walks of life, both young and old. People who dream about owning their own business, often dream that seductive, wonderful and tantalising dream, the dream of being their own boss: the dream of becoming financially independent is so very real to them. The luxurious dream of not having to live from pay check to pay check, any longer. The, almost real, dream of not having to get up each morning, at some unearthly hour: for five or six days every week. Unfortunately, in reality, it will always remain a dream unless people take action.

Many people just dream about not having to go into work and face their boss, whom they just plain don't like: and, their normal routine. Their routine is usually that same old familiar, soul destroying, spirit crushing, routine; which, depending on where in the world you live, is at its worst during the winter months. It's the dreaded routine of having to get up in the morning, while it's still dark: then, when you get home at night again, finding it's still dark again. That's the routine that steadily wears you down; and, slowly but surely, kills people over the years.

Unfortunately for lots of people, who don't have any other options, this is the reality of their everyday working life, and it always will be unless they take action, and change that routine. That spirit draining, life sucking, mind numbing, everyday routine that destroys their happiness; and, sometimes, their very soul. Their routine of waking up, getting out of bed and taking a shower, of eating a hurried breakfast, gulping down a quick cup of coffee; then dashing out, maybe, in the rain or snow, to the dreaded daily commute, of maybe an hour or more in heavy traffic.

Ask yourself if your own routine of arriving at your 'j.o.b'; and, for the next eight hours, being at the beck and call of your boss, is really what you want to settle for? This, for five or six days, each and every week; and for, maybe, the next forty or fifty years: for the rest of your life, until you die? I ask this because there is a much more attractive, and much, much, more lucrative alternative: but, unless you do something about it, and take action, nothing will change!

Given the above harsh truths, it's no wonder that so many peoples' minds yearn for the freedom that owning their own online business can give them. Well, guess what, for those people who don't have a 'slave mentality'; for those who dream of living life on their own terms, and not having to answer to their boss, you can do just that. Because, with the advent of the new online digital economy, freedom is yours for the taking. Freedom now awaits people just like you.

For those who are possessed of an entrepreneurial spirit, and are willing to invest in themselves, and learn, there are now online business opportunities, such as buying and selling: or affiliate marketing, which allows people who fit the above description, to work from the comfort of their own homes. Affiliate marketing can enable you to travel; and, to be able to work from your own kitchen table, or anywhere else in the world. You can even work from the beach if you wish, (and if the weather permits.J)

Yes, there are some people who will hesitate, and start thinking about the responsibilities of owning their own business. About how they would be able to manage to do all of the different jobs that owning their own business will bring with it? I know that scares the living daylights out of a lot of timid people! There are some people who lack the courage, and tend to shy away from, even the very thought of, owning their own businesses: mostly because of all the different skills that are needed!

Those fears are ungrounded, kick them out, they should not be allowed to stop you owning your own business. The chief culprit responsible for those fears is the past mind conditioning that all of us have experienced, for most of our past lives. To give you an example of this, let's say that, if I asked you this question, 'Can you could finish this well known old saying?', "If you want something doing right, 'di dah de dah di dah'." I'll bet that you would very likely be able to give me the correct answer; because, as most of us know, we've been taught that the final words of this sentence are "do it yourself".

This saying was credited to one Charles-Guillaume Etienne, who was a 19th Century French writer. Since then, it's been passed on, over and over again; ad nauseum, by well-meaning parents, coaches, gurus and anyone else in the world who teaches self-reliance. For over two hundred years it has been gobbled up, without a second thought, and passed on by their disciples: also by their children, their followers and their minions. We've all been mind-conditioned into accepting as being the truth, the old saying that, "If you want something doing right you must do it yourself."

At best, this is suspect advice because, when you think about that saying, it's probably one of the worst pieces of advice to ever have become a universal cliché. Not least because, unless you're an absolutely superb expert at that particular, "something", that you need doing, how can you be sure that you are going to have the necessary skills that will enable you to "do it right", when you try to do it yourself?

Most human beings are highly proficient at only a handful of skills. So, for 99.999% of those "somethings", that you want doing right, isn't it better to find someone else to do it for you? Someone who really is highly qualified, and very talented, at whatever it is that you want doing: and, definitely, not to keep on slaving away, trying to doing it yourself.

In the new global digital economy there are people who earn their full time living working online, people whom you can hire to do anything you need doing. For example, let's say that you need someone to write great copy for you; or, to design and build you a highly converting web site and make sure that your site is optimized, so it will rank highly on the search engine results.

There are many hundreds of other 'somethings' that you might need doing; but, on the plus side, there are literally thousands of highly qualified experts online who are competing for our business, and who will do those 'somethings' for us: starting from as little as $5.00. So, when 'hired help' is available very cheaply, it's not very smart to try and do these things yourself. You should stick to doing the things that you really are good at.

There are some really great online, work from home businesses; which, if you are willing to work at, will enable you to make you a very good income and will give you the freedom to live life on your own terms. A life that can bring you very rich financial rewards, and will enable you to have the time to travel the world and meet new people. People who are of the same, entrepreneurial, go-ahead, mind set as you are. You don't have to do everything yourself, in fact it's not very smart to even try.

One of the misconceptions that people have about owning their own business, is that you need to have a huge amount of start-up capital in order to do it: well, a a misconception is exactly what that is, a wrong idea, a misunderstanding. Because you definitely do NOT need a huge pile of cash to get started on the pathway to owning your own business, your freedom giving, liberating and very profitable, own business: in fact, you can get started for less than $50. Nor, do you have to try doing everything yourself; there are very successful people who are willing to mentor you, to train you and, virtually, 'hold your hand, along the road to financial freedom.

It will pay handsome dividends for you to think about all the "somethings", that you may be currently struggling to do by yourself, which you should really be delegating to someone else. Just imagine, if you owned your own online business today, ask yourself, would you follow that dodgy piece of 19th century advice, "If you want something done right, do it yourself?" Just take a look at the list below.

• Creating products to sell
• Sourcing products to sell
• Generating traffic
• Converting traffic
• Phone sales
• Customer service
• Website design
• Business accounting
• Tax returns
• Staff payroll

WOW! I don't know about you, but I get the mental picture of somebody in a circus, rushing to and fro, desperately trying to keep those plates spinning around, on the tops of bamboo canes? How many people would even have the necessary skills, or the time, to efficiently handle all of the ten tasks above: very few I would imagine.
However, you can have someone do all of those things for you; and, that's what you should look for, when you think about owning your online business. That, and for the smallest possible start-up cash outlay and the ability to automate your own business, in order to free up your time, so that you can enjoy the money you're making. That's what you should be looking for, when you begin to think about owning your own online business. You should only try to learn from people who are more successful than you are; and, then you really can actually start living your dream.

Would you like, a 'Done-For-You' sales system WITHOUT ever having to pick up the phone to talk to anyone. Would you like to have personal 1-on-1 coaching with a Top Tier, very experienced, coach; (you'll have the phone number and email address of your coach.) Would you like to have access to the most effective sales funnels and best-selling products in the industry; and, a 'Done For You' fulfilment, payment processing and customer service for all of our products, You will have 'Done For You' phone sales, by a team of expert phone sales rock stars, who'll make and close all sales for you.

Would you like a 'Done For You' marketing system: so that all you have to do is place ads (which we'll give you); and, when this marketing system automatically turns them into buyers, you get paid BIG commissions. It really is that simple, all you have to do is advertise and send us leads; then, when we convert those leads into sales, you get paid!

You're at a fork in the road now; and, if you take the wrong path, on the left, and do nothing; then, tomorrow, you'll be stuck in just the same place where you're now at. You'll be living life by someone else's rules, and making money for someone else, with no hope of ever enjoying financial freedom. Here's the honest truth; you can resent the wealthy or you can join them, but only if you take the right path.

If you have the courage, you CAN take that path on the right. Here it is, below:

• The path to change...

• To a better life...

• A life full of Big Paydays...

• A life with no "money worries."

To Make the right choice. Click here => http://www.OwningYourOnlineBusiness.com

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The Wild West Crypto Show Continues

Here is a question that comes up often: How do I choose which crypto currency to invest in - aren't they all the same?

There is no doubt that Bitcoin has captured the lion's share of the crypto currency (CC) market, and that is largely due to its FAME. This phenomenon is much like what is happening in national politics around the world, where a candidate captures the majority of votes based on FAME, rather than any proven abilities or qualifications to govern a nation. Bitcoin is the pioneer in this market space and continues to garner almost all of the market headlines. This FAME does not mean that it is perfect for the job, and it is fairly well known that Bitcoin has limitations and problems that need to be resolved, however, there is disagreement in the Bitcoin world on how best to resolve the problems. As the problems fester, there is ongoing opportunity for developers to initiate new coins that address particular situations, and thus distinguish themselves from the approximately 1300 other coins in this market space. Let's look at two Bitcoin rivals and explore how they differ from Bitcoin, and from each other:

Ethereum (ETH) - The Ethereum coin is known as ETHER. The main difference from Bitcoin is that Ethereum uses "smart contracts" which are account holding objects on the Ethereum blockchain. Smart Contracts are defined by their creators and they can interact with other contracts, make decisions, store data, and send ETHER to others. The execution and services they offer are provided by the Ethereum network, all of which is beyond what the Bitcoin or any other blockchain network can do. Smart Contracts can act as your autonomous agent, obeying your instructions and rules for spending currency and initiating other transactions on the Ethereum network.

Ripple (XRP) - This coin and the Ripple network also have unique features that make it much more than just a digital currency like Bitcoin. Ripple has developed the Ripple Transaction Protocol (RTXP), a powerful financial tool that allows exchanges on the Ripple network to transfer funds quickly and efficiently. The basic idea is to place money in "gateways" where only those who know the password can unlock the funds. For financial institutions this opens up huge possibilities, as it simplifies cross-border payments, reduces costs, and provides transparency and security. This is all done with creative and intelligent use of blockchain technology.

The mainstream media is covering this market with breaking news stories almost every day, however, there is little depth to their stories... they are mostly just dramatic headlines.

The Wild West show continues...

The 5 stocks crypto/blockchain picks are up an average of 109% since December 11/17. The wild swings continue with daily gyrations. Yesterday we had South Korea and China the latest to try to shoot down the boom in cryptocurrencies.

On Thursday, South Korea's justice minister, Park Sang-ki, sent global bitcoin prices temporarily plummeting and virtual coin markets into turmoil when he reportedly said regulators were preparing legislation to ban cryptocurrency trading. Later that same day, the South Korea Ministry of Strategy and Finance, one of the main member agencies of the South Korean government's cryptocurrency regulation task force, came out and said that their department does not agree with the premature statement of the Ministry of Justice about a potential cryptocurrency trading ban.

While the South Korean government says cryptocurrency trading is nothing more than gambling, and they are worried that the industry will leave many citizens in the poor house, their real concern is a loss of tax revenue. This is the same concern every government has.

China has grown into one of the world's biggest sources of cryptocurrency mining, but now the government is rumoured to be looking into regulating the electric power used by the mining computers. Over 80% of the electrical power to mine Bitcoin today comes from China. By shutting down miners, the government would make it harder for Bitcoin users to verify transactions. Mining operations will move to other places, but China is particularly attractive due to very low electricity and land costs. If China follows through with this threat, there will be a temporary loss of mining capacity, which would result in Bitcoin users seeing longer timers and higher costs for transaction verification.

This wild ride will continue, and much like the internet boom, we will see some big winners, and eventually, some big losers. Also, similar to the internet boom, or the uranium boom, it is those who get in early who will prosper, while the mass investors always show up at the end, buying in at the top.

Stay Tuned!

Martin Straith - http://www.thetrendletter.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Martin_Straith/60665

A 3-Part Process to Simplify Your Content Marketing (and You'll Know Exactly What to Write)

Content Marketing is not just a weekly writing exercise. You actually need to produce something that drives traffic and conversion.

Sure, you gotta write about a topic that makes you tick. Otherwise, the lack of enthusiasm will come through loud and clear.

Yet, you also need to make sure that the topic is relevant to your ideal audience.

Coming up with content ideas every... single... week could feel like pulling teeth.

Not anymore if you have my favorite content strategy document by your side...

This 3-part process also solves the mystery as to why those "buyer personas" (aka ideal client profile, avatar) aren't quite working for you, yet...

There's nothing wrong with constructing a buyer persona. And you aren't doing anything wrong.

You're missing the next two pieces of the puzzle... because, somehow, many marketing training and programs make you do the persona exercise and leave you hanging.

As a coach, consultant, solopreneur or small business owner, you need a strategy document you can act on, not an elaborate PowerPoint to present to the boss who'd take it to the boss of the boss.

Parsing through pages of documentation is counter-productive.

In this article, my goal is not to show you how to create the most comprehensive content strategy document that's ever existed, or one used to market a Fortune 500 company.

I'll show you how to capture the most pertinent information and streamline the research and best practices into something digestible and actionable. Your Content Mapping document will be succinct and useful - it'll be something you can pass onto any freelancer or contractor to ensure consistent content creation and promotion.

The Content Mapping document is made up of three components and it'll show you exactly what content to create for your business:

1. Buyer Persona

Yep, you need that.

However, many cookie-cutter buyer persona questions are BORING and less than helpful.

If you aren't getting any inspiration from the run-of-the-mill templates that ask you to fill in age, race, income and marital status, try this:

Tell a story about the persona to describe her situation in relation to how your product or service is relevant (if you have different offerings, tell a story for each) -

What's she thinking, how's she feeling and what's she doing? What's her desired outcome, and how would it make her think, feel and act?

What has she done to try to solve her challenges? What worked, what didn't, and how is your approach different from everything she has tried?

Congratulation, you just figured out why you're relevant to your ideal client, how you can uniquely position yourself and how to get through to her from an audience-centric angle.

2. Customer Journey

Your customers or clients will go through a "lifecycle" with stages from first encountering you to making the decision to purchase from you.

Together, they make up the customer journey. To make it more organic, consider it from a storytelling perspective: explore your ideal client's hero's journey and how you can deliver transformation at each stage for them.

Typically, the three stages are Awareness, Consideration, and Decision.

At each stage, your potential clients are looking for different content, tools, and resources to help them. For example:

In the Awareness stage, they're searching for solutions to a problem, but they don't know that you exist. You could attract these people to your website by creating content that presents a solution to that challenge.

(For practitioners with a unique approach or esoteric modality, I often recommend adding some extra educational or "initiation" content to introduce a set of vocabulary to help your audience articulate their challenges and desired outcome, while positioning your expertise's ability to deliver the results.)

In the Consideration stage, your potential clients are weighing different options to solve their problems. Let's say they're trying to lose weight - they could work with a health coach or they could go for diet pills. They're searching for content to help them understand the pros and cons of their options.

In the Decision stage, they've selected a solution and looking for someone to provide that solution. They're looking for content to show them why they need to choose one provider over the other one.

Content targeted to customers in each stage speaks to what they need answers for - telling them what they need to know about themselves, you and your products or services - in order to move to the next step.

3. Content Mapping

After you've gotten clear on your buyer persona and the customer journey, you can create a grid and fill in the blanks.

You're mapping out the different stages progressed through by each persona and you have the structure to come up with content ideas that address any particular stage for a specific persona.

But why stop here? You have to promote your content for it to be effective. You can make a note on where you want to distribute the content for it to be most effective.

For awareness stage, you're more likely to be driving cold-ish traffic via social media posts, ads or PPC. For the later stages, you may put email marketing and retargeting ads into the mix because you'd be addressing an audience who already knows something about you.

This may take a little research on the audience or a bit of digging into your existing data. Don't get to hung up on getting it perfect... you gotta start somewhere and when you start implementing you can always come back to fine-tune your strategy.

The channel of content distribution can, in turn, inform how you deliver the content. E.g. if your persona hangs out on Instagram or Pinterest, you'd probably want to put some focus on visual content.

4. Additional Ideas

While you're putting this document together, you'll probably come up with ideas that you'd want to elaborate on yet don't fit into the content mapping framework.

You can capture theses ideas or information as an appendix to your document - e.g. promotional channels, content formats, title brainstorming, brand voice, graphic elements etc.

Last but not least, make this a living, breathing document so your persona and content idea evolve as you and your business grow.

Ling Wong:: Intuitive Brainiac | Creativity Mentor | Copywriting Alchemist. Author of "Copywriting Alchemy: Secrets to Turning a Powerful Personal Brand Into Content that Sells" available on Amazon Kindle.
Through her unique blend of marketing coaching, content experience design and copywriting process, she helps the maverick-preneurs uncover, articulate & transform their WHY into content that connects, resonates and converts - by way of an intuitive yet rigorous iterative process born out of her Harvard Design School training and 15 years experience in the online marketing industry.
Ling is Inbound Marketing, Content Marketing, and Email Marketing certified. Through her writing engagements with various SaaS and marketing companies with the goals of driving organic traffic, building readership and increasing conversion, she's well-versed in topics including online marketing, content marketing, eCommerce, conversion, UX, social media marketing, and more.
She helps coaches, consultants, service professionals, solopreneurs and small businesses apply these best practices to their specific business models and circumstances.
More tips and resources on content marketing and copywriting at http://business-soulwork.com/blog/
Join Ling's Content Marketing in Plain English webinar series at http://business-soulwork.com/content-marketing-webinar/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Ling_B_Wong/1390413



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9671151

How to Create Engaging Content for Content Marketing

Content marketing is about creating engaging, useful and value-adding content to the readers, often forming the foundation for a strong digital marketing project.

Content is increasingly important as Google and other search engines are placing heavy greater emphasis on value-adding their users, as well as on-site user experience. These are easily traceable and measurable from Google's range of software, from Google Analytics to Google webmaster tool.

We have talked about how having a good Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) can help you in your digital marketing campaign, as well as go through the step-by-step process on how to improve SEO. We have also talked about local SEO, where a new local website can have advantage over matured sites with thousands of ads dollars to rank well on Google.

How does Content Marketing fit in Digital Marketing?

Content marketing is used to sustain the readers' attention through many different ways.

One easy use could be to improve the number of page views per visitor in Google. Another could be to increase the average time your visitors stay on site. Another one could be to decrease the bounce rates.

Content marketing is not only done on your website - it could be used with email marketing, social media marketing, advertising, press releases and many more other channels.

Content marketing Agencies is future foundation of all of your online marketing strategies.

What do you need to create a good content?

Through many projects and experimentations, we found that a good content should aim to achieve the following pointers:

The content needs to be engaging
The article has to be credible
The content should be authoritative
The content should be educational and teaches something to the readers
Engaging
First of all a genuine successful content marketing is one that disarms readers of their first encounter and engaged the readers on a one-to-one basis.

Good content should directly be relevant to your targeted consumers.

One way is to write in a conversional form as readers prefer to read an article that address directly to them.

Credible

Content must be credible as it directly addresses the company's image.

Effectively using this strategy helps a company become a trusted and reliable source for the readers and potential clients.

Authoritative

Showing more authoritative as compared to other competitors in the same field or specialisation will give your business an edge over them. There will be more trust build between you and your potential consumers naturally.

Educational

The main focus of marketing content is to build the company's branding, not to advertise your products.

Ultimately, a good content is to provide values and educational purposes - a new perspective, insightful information.

When we talk about educational content, it should be content that will value-add the readers' lives, be it helping them know more about how your products can ease the problems they face in their lives or just purely information that can benefit them.

Don't forget to make your content share-worthy to their family and friends.

How to create engaging content for my content marketing strategy?

How do we start? Here is an easy template which you can immediately use for your own content marketing strategy:

First we can identify keywords with potential to let us reach out to our potential clients and readers
We can also write content about solving a problem that your potential customers and readers face
Lastly, we can talk about current event and news
What are the various resources we can tap on to create engaging content?
Google Trends

One of the way is Google trends, which we can start as a research tool. You can find out what keywords are in your niche right now and what keywords are on the rise.

(Pictures on usage)

Trends.Google.com

Competitors' Sites

Look at articles and content with the most:

Views
Comments
Social shares
Niche Forums
This is about researching on forums in your niche and finding out what are the most popular topics within your niche. Question and answer sites are a good start, but generally you want to target forums where your potential clients are using.

Our Content Marketing Companies can easily explain to create content based on these topics and share them on forums, make them as valuable and informational as possible so it can benefit readers the most.

Xhin Wang working as a content writer and content marketing expert in The Leading Solution; Leading Solution was created to remove your pain from marketing. They integrate powerful, proven marketing strategies specifically tailored to your company. The main reason why many businesses falter and fail is due to the lack of marketing, branding, and differentiation - and Leading Solution solves these problems. We work tirelessly to provide the highest quality marketing strategies for your company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Xhin_Wang/2450679



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9769392

10 Content Marketing Trends Everyone Is Talking About

Every year seems to bring a new set of marketing trends, those "can't miss" opportunities that scream out for attention. If we were to hop on every trends, we'd certainly grow dizzy from exhaustion. Nevertheless, there are some trends that we'd be foolish not to recognize.

As we begin the last chapter of 2017, many companies are still working through the creation of a bona fide content marketing strategy. If that's you, here are some hints: Native advertising continues to be the gateway drug to success, and mobile continues to be the flavor of every month.

That said, Smart Insights reports that content marketing is THE single most important technique for driving incremental sales in 2017. In an industry that's all about experimentation, some key trends stand out.

Here are 10 content marketing trends that everyone is talking about.

1. Brands Will Continue to Invest in Original Content

Recently, it became public knowledge that tech giant Apple is planning to invest of $1 billion in original content. Though some gossip states that Apple is making this move to take on Netflix, we believe there's more on Apple's mind than video streaming. As competition in this space heats up, brands need to stay relevant. Valuable, original programming can help companies grow an audience and keep current customers satisfied.

Google is also purchasing original content from media companies and brands to fill in content gaps, while Facebook is investing huge amounts of capital on original video. Not to be outline, online shopping giant Amazon will perhaps be the largest investor of all. Though the consequences remain to be seen, one thing is for sure: content marketing is taking the spotlight.

2. Transparency Will Reign King (or Queen)

Consumers are becoming increasingly desensitized. We want -- and often expect -- companies to be transparent, authentic, and dedicated to giving back. After all is said and done, however, many consumers are reporting frustration with brand advertising, environmental claims, charitable contributions, and corporate support for various causes. Though such efforts have been successful for some brands, this type of promotion is increasingly being perceived as desperate or dishonest.

Moving forward, brands need to focus on transparency and disclosure to close this gap as much as possible. Enter: Influencer Marketing.

Yet, working with influencers can be sticky. The Federal Trade Commission continues to take measures to protect consumers from companies who aren't transparent enough, including work with influencers. Take what happened with Machinima. In 2015, the FTC slapped Machinima, a YouTube gaming network, with a warning for not disclosing paid endorsements to YouTube influencers.

And this is far from the only instance. A quick Google search shows that a lack of disclosure and transparency have caused trouble for many brands. To build (and maintain) the trust of your audience, the next phase of influencer marketing and branded content needs to ensure that every piece of content created is transparent.

3. Content Marketing Budgets Will Continue to Increase

Across the globe, companies are spending huge amounts of money on content marketing. What serves as great news for content marketers also presents challenges for businesses with a limited staff. This is propelling the likelihood that companies turn to freelance writers and others who can produce content for a price.

4. Content Marketing Duties Continue to Overlap

Often, it's difficult to determine exactly who is in charge of content within a company. Roles and duties shift within marketing departments and even in other areas of the business. PR and communications may have separate content creators, social media managers, and other writers that are not integrated with the official content team, leaving no one really in charge. Such disarray can lead to a very disjointed content strategy.

5. Internet of Things Will Take Content Off-Screen

Customers are no longer limited to the screen in the way that they view content. Although different content formats have long been available, the IoT has made it so content is interwoven into our lives in brand new ways. Consider how we current interact with technology, such as Apple's Siri. When users speak, Siri responds with call-and-response content wherever and whenever they need it. Alexa, Amazon's voice service, is becoming a digital doorway to content as well.

Many organizations already use Alexa to share content with their audience beyond a laptop, tablet, or cell phone screen. For example, the American Heart Association uses Alexa to provide details about performing CPR, including step-by-step information on how to perform the process in an emergency situation. This content is further embellished with information about warning signs of a stroke and heart attack.

With IoT, most content is becoming digital. Beacon-based proximity marketing, sensors, device pairing, and other features usher in the opportunity for marketers to invest in endless types of content interaction. This type of highly targeted content can help you reach your audience at the right place and at the right time.

6. Pre-Recorded Video is So... Yesterday

It isn't exactly time to write the obituary for pre-recorded video, yet it is being overshadowed by live video. According to Buffer, 80 percent of marketing respondents to a 2016 survey want to create more video content, with 42 percent specifying live video as their preference.

While live video really exploded in 2017, we predict that it'll become even more mainstream in 2018. According to Facebook, users spend three times more time watching live videos than videos that are pre-recorded. More, they comment 10 times as often during live videos. A Livestream survey confirmed this, with 80 percent of respondents indicating a preference for live video over reading a blog post. This presents modern-day marketing specialists with a unique chance to hop on the live video bandwagon before competitors do.

7. Blurred Lines

If you look at how content has changed over the past decade, you'll notice that it has evolved outside of its original "container" of owned media. As social media expands, as well as the ways we interact with and engage audiences, the lines between owned, earned, and paid begin to blur so that they're almost indiscernible from one another. Content can no longer be confined to these silos.

With the entire buyer's journey in mind, the content shifts to take on the form of all three approaches. This underscores the importance of each form working seamlessly together to support a company's growth strategy. That means you must adjust your internal and external teams to handle content development, deployment, and promotion.

8. Strategic Documentation

Ask a marketing specialist about the effectiveness of content marketing, and chances are he or she will be able to pinpoint what makes the cogs turn effectively. That's because companies are becoming laser-focused on developing thoughtful content marketing strategies.

In 2015, only 32 percent of marketers had a documented content marketing strategy. The following year, this grew to 37 percent. This year, however, the number has ballooned to well over 40 percent. Our prediction for 2018, then, is that developing an effective, efficient strategy will be a job expectation.

To remain competitive in the upcoming year, what strategies will you include? You may want to consider more targeted content, expanded content, more efficient content creation, or other elements that will help you foster greater growth.

9. Interactive Visual Content

We all know that live video is engaging and responsive, yet there's another type of visual content that allows you to craft an entirely different experience for your audience.

Virtual reality.

VR offers new opportunities for content marketing, as well as customer engagement. Shopify, for instance, has taken this to heart and developed a VR app that allows online shoppers to customize clothing from the comfort of home.

International Data Corporation reports that, based on sales and forecast models, revenue for augmented reality will grow from just over $5 billion in 2016 to more than $160 billion by 2020. Revenue forecasts from Digi-Capital are equally optimistic, reporting an estimated growth to $108 billion by 2021.

While the prospect of virtual reality may seem daunting, it will likely be worthwhile for anyone willing to give it a go. Forbes Global shows that up to 30 percent of consumer-facing brands will experiment with virtual reality marketing by the end of this year.

Keep in mind that it isn't solely for consumer advertising and marketing, however. Consider what the Golden State Warriors did when they wanted to recruit Kevin Durant to the team roster. Using content marketing in VR, they immersed him in the "Warrior's Experience," thereby placing him courtside at Oracle Arena as well as in the thick of talks with coach Steve Kerr in the locker room.

10. Distribution, Distribution, Distribution

While most marketers recognize how instrumental content is for companies now, what still remains uncertain is the means of which content is distributed. And though there are countless other blogs, newsletters, and email campaigns out there, the sure way you'll have your message heard above the rest is through optimum content distribution.

If you want the attention of the 2.789 billion active social media users, you need to adopt a strategic distribution plan. Smart brands are going to make investments in not only acquiring content, but in distributing it strategically through multi-channel approaches as 2018 unrolls.

Think out of the box for profitable rewards.

Now is the time to form a content marketing strategy that ushers in a productive 2018. Explore ways to do this effectively by emailing On the Verge Writing at Sylvia@onthevergewriting.com, or by calling (971) 238.6256. We craft content that converts.

On the Verge Writing: https://onthevergewriting.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sylvia_LeRahl/2476092



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9816966

How to Make Money Selling On Amazon

You might be interested in learning how to make money selling on Amazon and earn commissions for your sincere efforts. There are many internet marketers who are earning good revenue due to the rising popularity of the internet and online shopping. Identifying how to make money selling on Amazon can lead to a flourishing internet business. Here, I will mention some supportive tips that can help you achieve this all together.

Identifying how to make money selling on Amazon is not as difficult as you think it. How to make money selling on Amazon involves some information, and understanding of what to carry out and when? Furthermore, it does need a certain skill set to effectively get a campaign up and running. For the beginners, you are required to decide on which platform you have to build a website. Keep in mind that Amazon will need to endorse your website at the time you submit an application for the affiliate program. In this situation, the best way is getting a functional website about the products you would like, together with some unique content. You will get approved at once, and then you will be able to sell your products utilizing Amazon links.

As I said earlier that making money selling on Amazon is not certainly that difficult, but it does necessitate you to apply some fundamental internet marketing principles and techniques. Some of these would incorporate keyword research, building basic websites, learning SEO techniques, website promotion, and many others. Fortunately, these things are something everyone can carry out.

Paid advertising may deliver results for you; however, they are expensive because they are removed as soon as your subscription ends. On the other hand, Amazon SEO provides you with the everlasting publicity. An Amazon SEO expert creates an outline on how you can perk up the visibility of your listing to boost the traffic flow to it and connect efficiently with your target market.

The booming internet marketers, the ones who distinguish how to make money selling on Amazon and with other affiliate networks have one thing in common i.e. Proper knowledge and Excellent training. As a part of well-planned strategy, keywords set your SEO drive and with the inclusion user-friendly, high-quality content specifically designed to increase your product visibility to targeted customers. Efficient search engine optimization steps are utilized by the Amazon SEO companies to provide your listing maximum exposure followed by better conversion rate, increased sales, and higher rankings.

Furthermore, an Amazon SEO Company can also help you more on how to make money selling on Amazon, along with efficient SEO techniques, Listing optimization, Website development, and many more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sumeet_Khanna_PhD/1904297



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9859816

How to Live Like a Millionaire Even If You Are Broke

Are you in a huge debt owing a lot of people lots of money? Fear not, despite everything, dare to live like a millionaire. Think it's impossible? Say to yourself instead: It is possible! And magic occurs. Read on to find out more.

You have recently become broke but your refrigerator has a stock of food fortunately and there is canned food as well. You have cornflakes and oatmeal in the kitchen and you can depend on them for days.

You have a luxury of clothes which you bought last month and you can still wear smart clothes.

Your house is full of junk material. You need to de-clutter your home to make space for more. Sell off the de-cluttered materials for instance, old books, old clothes and old kitchen utensils which you no longer need. Once you have done that, there is space for more and energy flows freely everywhere in your home.

The new aura of energy fills your mind and body and you are able to think clearly. Make a plan how to earn a little income based on which you can make more.

You can have great breakfast, wear matching smart outfits, write your resume and start dropping them off at various places you think yourself eligible.

Meanwhile try to work online. Ask a knowledgeable expert or friend for help. You just don't want to work online from new experience. You want to acquaint yourself with a working system that helps you to make money online. With the money you earn online, you are able to pay your bills and gradually all your debts.

You know you can make more money online but you prefer to work outside and give interviews. You contact the HR offices of the different companies you applied. Some reject while some show promise.

All this was possible because you were living like a millionaire up until now with very little worry and an abundant mindset. If you have made it this far successfully, chances are you will make it in an interview if you are called in and you will be hired.

Keep your fingers crossed while you wait to hear from them. You still have a stock of food and you still have the working system over the web to give you extra income. So far so good in spite of being a broke.

Well, that would be too harsh to address you now. In fact you are not a broke now - on the contrary you are living like a millionaire with an open mind.

The HR office of one company that you applied does call you for an interview. And you find yourself over the moon!

Your hard work of hunting out a work company is over and it paid off. Now you should face the interview boldly. Do not do everything alone. Ask a friend or mentor who is able to answer for you about how to prepare for the questions that you will be asked at the interview. Once you have started taking this preparation, there is 85% chance for you to get that job.

And it turns out that you do land on that job. Your broke days are over. Thanks to you that you played out like a millionaire all along until today with very little worry.

While you get handsomely paid, you need to update yourself with the fast pace of the web and start reading books in your niche. And only then you will stick to your job. Of course you have the side option of making money online as well. So it's all set. Update your skill set and learn foreign languages.

They will probably augment your position at work and you may even ask for a raise or promotion. Stick to your job and stick to making extra income online and everything falls into place.

After all, it did pay off playing like a millionaire for the time being. Remember you are no longer a broke and you need to shoulder responsibility to stick to your making incomes with a successful and abundant mindset.

Rosina S Khan has authored this article. For a wealth of free resources based on stunning fiction stories, amazing self-help eBooks, commendable articles, quality scholar papers and valuable blogs, all authored by her, and much more, visit: http://rosinaskhan.weebly.com. You will be glad that you did.

If you would rather like to access her terrific collection of eBooks based only on fiction and self-help and download them for free, visit: http://www.facebook.com/RosinaSKhan.hub. You won't be disappointed and remember to like her Facebook page.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Rosina_S_Khan/2054435



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9866080

You Can Become A Pro At Making Money Online With The Help Of This Article

Many people today are looking for different ways to supplement their income to help them earn a living, and one of those ways is through making money online. If this has been something that is drawing you to take a closer look at, then the following article is just for you! Keep reading for solid tips on how you can go about making money online.

Sign up for a site that will pay you to read emails during the course of the day. You will simply get links to scan over different websites and read through miscellaneous text. This will not take you a lot of time and can pay great benefits in the long run.

Organize your days to include specific work hours. You have to be disciplined if you're going to make income online. There are no fast routes to loads of money. You have to work hard daily. This will help you to get better at what you do. An hour each day could be a big difference!

Start out small when you want to make money online, to minimize potential losses. For example, something that looks promising could turn out to be a bust and you don't want to lose a lot of time or money. Do a single task, write just one article or order only one item until the site you choose proves to be safe and worthy.

If you are knowledgeable about a particular subject, put your knowledge to work for you. There are many companies, such as about.com, that will pay you for your knowledge. Most of these sites do require you to write a certain number of articles each month; however, this is a fantastic way to bump up your earnings.

Figure out how much you are looking to make before you begin. For example, I don't want to work for less than $15 per hour, otherwise spending time with my family or completing chores would be more worthwhile to me. What is your worth? Once you determine it, stick to your guns!

To make real money online, it'll take some time to get it all down. Find other people that do what you want to do and talk to them. Ask them about website you are thinking about trying to make sure they are legit. Keep your mind fresh and open with a willingness to learn and try new things, and you'll find your money making chances soon.

Never pay money to obtain work online. Legitimate work online should pay you, not the other way around. If a service is charging you to provide you with work opportunities, chances are they are just playing middleman and providing links that are available for free if you know where to look.

As you can see from the above article, anyone can make money in the online world when they have a good idea and solid tips to follow. If you have been reluctant in the past to use the internet as a way to make money, you shouldn't have to worry any longer now that you read this article. Keep studying this topic, and soon you will see how it is possible to make money online.

Kurt Tasche is an Internet entrepreneur, martial artist and motivational speaker. He writes articles on the topics of Internet marketing, personal development, business, motivation, martial arts and more. His passion is teaching how the disciplines and strategies of the martial arts can be applied to self development and business. You can learn more about Kurt by reading his blog at: http://www.kurttasche.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kurt_A_Tasche/254929



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9588339

Reviews of ICO (Initial Coin Offerings)

What is the Definition of ICO?

Initial Coin Offering (ICO) is a crowdfunding method used by new cryptocurrency companies to raise capitals. In ICO, some percentages of the newly issued cryptocurrencies are sold to people who are interested in supporting the project. They are sold to exchange for other established cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Fiat and Ether.

Backers purchase the new cryptocurrency with an intention to make a profit when it increases in value. It is similar to the principle of people making a profit when the share they bought at the stock market increases in value. ICO is different than purchasing shares at a stock market because you don't get a share of the ownership right when you invest in the new tokens.

Brief History on ICOs

In the beginning stage, ICO was conducted by companies such as Mastercoin, Ethereum and Karmacoin. Ethereum conducted one of the biggest ICO in 2014 by raising a total of $18 millions in the early stage of 2014. They break the record by raising 3,700 Bitcoins which is equivalent to $2.3 million dollars within the first 12 hours of the campaign. Kik conducted the first mainstream ICO in September 2017 but the project was interrupted by a phishing scam via the circulation of a false URL in the social media. Ripple sold $1 billion worth of XRP tokens to investors in exchange for bitcoins and fiats in 2013.

Today, ICO sales have become increasingly popular with around 50 token sales being conducted every month. Starting from 2017, ICO has been growing at a fast pace with at least $2 billion worth of token sales successfully conducted. This proves that it is not going to be a temporary method used by new cryptocurrency company to raise funds but it is here to stay for long term.

Nowadays, ICO token sale is so popular that at least a few ICO begins every day. It has been predicted that over $4 billion worth of token sales will be conducted this year. Genesis Vision, a Russian based company, conducted an ICO campaign that runs from the 15th October 2017 to the 15th November 2017. They manage to raise a total of $2.3 million in the token presale.

How Does ICOs Fundraising Work?

A cryptocurrency company that wants to raise capitals through ICO must provide a few details including project description, project purpose, amount need to be raised, percentage of tokens the company will keep, types of virtual currencies accepted, and the timeframe of the ICO campaign. Backers who are interested can email the seller and ask for more details of the project before performing a transaction. If they successfully raise the amount for the campaign, they will carry out the scheme to complete the project. If not, they will return the money back to the backers.

How Scammers Use ICO to Carry Out Fraud?

ICO can be conducted to help raise funds for various types of businesses and charity organization. It has also been used as a tool by scammers to conduct frauds. Scammers would use means to increase the ICO value temporarily and abandon the project afterwards to make a quick profit. Scams happen because of the lack of regulation by the government. Just like any investment, there is a risk when coming to invest in the initial coin offering.

No statistic on the company that runs the ICO is given so it is hard to make a prediction. Backers usually would only check out data such as who will receive the collected money, and the social media profile. To make a successful investment in ICO, one needs to be patient and willing to spend time to conduct research on the company.

Conclusion

In conclusion, ICO has helped many startups to raise the funds they need for their projects. With ICO, startups can easily raise a large amount of money within a short timeframe of just a few seconds or minutes. Entrepreneurs will continue to take advantage of ICO to raise capitals until it comes under government regulation.

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What Is Bitcoin and the Blockchain and Why It Is Important to Invest Now

There is increasingly growing interest and buzz around bitcoin these days. You may have heard of it before or not. Either way, it is a multi-trillion-dollar financial industry that is practically flying under the radar of most people (only about 2% of the population is even aware of its existence), which makes it a prime time to get positioned before it hits the mainstream. And the time is now because cryptocurrency awareness is going viral. Even some universities are teaching classes on bitcoin, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology!

What is Bitcoin Exactly?

Bitcoin is a digital currency (or digital money), that is electronically held, which means it is not tangible like fiat currency (dollars, euros, yen, etc.). It was created cryptographically, and thus it is a cryptocurrency. It runs on open-source software and it is not controlled by entities. It is decentralized and not governed by banks or government.

What is the Blockchain?

Blockchain technology is where bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies exist. The blockchain is also used for other applications other than cryptocurrencies, such as running smart contracts, for example. In a nutshell, the blockchain is a digital ledger that is decentralized. It stores records of all transactions that occur within it and is run by a peer-to-peer network. This means that individuals and businesses use it to transfer digital assets to each other via the Internet with no third party (i.e., banks, governments) needed.

The Importance Blockchain Technology and Investing in It

From a business perspective, blockchain technology can improve business processes and significantly lower costs. It will also allow businesses to offer more benefits of service to customers. For instance, financial institutions could use blockchain technology to improve processes for things such as settlements and insurance.

From an individual perspective, blockchain technology offers opportunities for significantly high returns on cryptocurrency investment as compared to traditional investments.

Blochchain technology and cryptocurrencies are quickly proving to be an inevitable part of the future of money and finances in the global economy. It is something that will soon become mainstream in the world financial market, and those who invest early as early adopters of this amazing innovative technology will be among the newest millionaires in the coming years and beyond.

We are in the third big wave of the Internet. The first being websites and domain names (dotcom boom), the second being social media (dating sites, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.), and the third blockchain technology, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. It's a great time to get positioned.

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How to Set Your Social Media Goals For 2018

Social media experts are everywhere and there are many varying opinions on what's ahead in the constantly changing landscape.

In this post we're going to look at setting your goals based on what you've done so far and how you should adjust it so you're getting the most out of your content marketing.

If you've never taken stock of your social media or set goals, then this is the article for you.

It's important to measure the successes and failures honestly and to set your ego aside and admit that some of what you did may have been wasted effort.

For tips on how to improve your social media try our article: How to Incorporate Content Marketing into Twitter

1. Check Your Reports

Do you keep reports? You definitely should so you can assess the efficacy of what you spent time putting online. A report can look any way you want but if you need direction Smartsheet has a free social media report template to get you started.

Look for metrics like engagement instead of impressions. With impressions and low clicks, you're doing more harm than good. Look at how your content performed and create categories for it all.

This information is like your potential leads all telling you what they liked or didn't. Take that into account when planning out 2018's content.

Each social media platform offers free analytics on the profile's performance, so you can see what you've shared that resonated and what fell flat. Look for patterns and topics that show users had consistent interest in something you can then repeat.

You can even take the step of starting paid promotion for your business if you're up for a challenge!

2. Study Your Website Analytics

Google Analytics is a great free tool provided by Google that is essential to planning your social media in 2018. Why? This is where you find out how much of what you did actually drove traffic to your business.

If you do have it set up, then check your Acquisition section for Social and then Network Referrals. You'll be able to see the past year by selecting the previous year as the date range.

This will show you just how many people have clicked on your social media posts and landed on your website.

This won't matter when it comes to what you shared but it does matter if you've done posting that points people toward your website.

You should always incorporate some sales-oriented messaging that shows your client's your business so while you don't want to be a serial self promoter you don't want to be absent any self promotion entirely.

3. Set Your Goals

The first two steps should give you an understanding of where you are and now it's time to take that information and plan where you're going.

What drew clicks? What got shared? What worked and what didn't?

If something looks off and is clearly not working then assess whether your time would be better spent elsewhere. Another issue might be the audience of a platform dwindling. Genuinely look out for platforms that have lost their audience because, while rare, it has happened in the past.

Are you spending a lot of time posting to Facebook? Try putting some of that effort into Instagram if your target market is also on that platform. On average the approximate Instagram brand follower growth is 6 - 8% per month. You may not be able to recreate that, but you should see some solid numbers if you're posting good images regularly.

When were your posts most effective? Pinterest trends show increased usage in the summer and around Christmas with spring and fall seeing big dips. Look at your reports and if you used Pinterest see if your stats align with this. Plan a posting schedule so you know when what you post will have the most effect.

When you set your goals keep in mind you may not attain them and that's fine. As long as what you're doing is honest then you're in better shape than most.

Post genuine content about your business and share content you see as having sincere value to people interested in what you do. You'll not only grow your followers and friends, but you'll grow them with people who have value to more than the possible optics of high numbers on a profile.

The most important stat is your bottom line. You are spending your time marketing yourself on social media for a reason and if you have professional social media experts helping you then you're spending your money too.

Your main goal out of all of it is: did this help my business? If the answer is no, then take into account that your previous goals (or a lack of them) were incorrect.

Don't fret doing any of this by the way. The biggest mistake you can make is to allow this to become a chore rather than a positive part of your business. When you're enjoying yourself, you'll find you share better content and you convey that emotion through to potential clients, which is much better than putting out a perception that you're agitated.

Susan Friesen, founder of the award-winning web development and digital marketing firm eVision Media, is a Web Specialist, Business & Marketing Consultant, and Social Media Advisor. She works with entrepreneurs who struggle with having the lack of knowledge, skill and support needed to create their online business presence.

Visit http://www.ultimatewebsiteguide.ca and grab your FREE "Ultimate Guide to Improving Your Website's Profitability - 10 Critical Questions You Must Ask to Get Maximum Results"

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Top Explosive Content Marketing Trends for 2018

Over the past few years, we've seen a sound rise in the results that brands are getting serious for content marketing. This is largely factual across industries that day by day it is becoming clearer that whether you sell business software, clothes or any other item you've to take the help of the content marketing thing or be left far behind in the marketing race.

In 2018 just a few days away, brands or companies have begun plotting their marketing plans. At this point in time, it's not about the highest volume of the content one can produce, but It is all about who can cover most of the platforms and engage more and more audience.

The struggle for audience attention has led to the advent of content marketing fortes like intrinsic advertising and tailored content marketing. Technology has also grown to qualify these developments, offering businessmen the ability to be present on multiple platforms and target their specific audience.

With that in mind, if you still haven't put "invest in content marketing" on your list of business goals for the coming year, you should. Here is a list of the top content marketing trends for 2018 give below.

Interactive content will trend more

Customers are overwhelmed by the common and persuasive content being created by companies or brands. Today's audience is smart enough to guess the promotional writing. This is why the marketers and leading brands looking for more innovative ways to connect with their audience. Market leaders started making their strategies and they are looking forward to the interactive content. It is obvious that one has to push his or her boundaries to get the attention of the target audiences.

Social platforms are way more advanced

Due to the advancement of technology, there is an immense change in the social behavior of the consumers. This can be very helpful for the marketers as the social media platforms are considered to be the best way to influence the target audience. Facebook and YouTube have this advanced feature of 360° videos and brands and marketers have already begun to use it. The modest way to ride this particular trend is by using the Facebook Live or Twitter strategy. One can have the tutorials for their audience, or precise entertaining videos about topics that are in trend or they are interested in, using any of the social network's live streaming feature.

Other than Facebook and YouTube there are several social platforms that can help to cater a large number of audience. Social platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp can also be the part of this campaign.

Email marketing again in trend

Emails were never dead and only asserted to be so. Many large brands and companies still run vital campaigns on emails and get excellent results. Usually, big firms still use the newsletter things and check their emails time to time, so using email as a marketing tool is not at all a bad option.

Videos & visual marketing will be helpful

The significance of visual marketing is superficial, as viewers are overwhelming and interacting with more and more visual/video content. Injudiciously, some brands and companies rely on only in the "viral" video strategy and do not consider the value in a constant visual marketing effort. Visuals, generally, are more popular to receive more engagement and empower better retaining in a memory, so this strategy can help you stay in the minds of your target audience for a longer period of time.

It's better to invest in influencer content marketing

Those days are gone when brands used to build their own communities to run their marketing campaigns and cultivate the potential consumers. In today's busy time, brands are sticking to forte communities that already have their own prospects as members. Influencers can do this job in a better way because they have their own say in this market and they are more close to the audiences.

Live content will trend

The digital media space has seen an extreme foray of live-video streaming, supported by advance social media platforms. More folks and brands are now building and engaging with live streaming video content. Facebook Live, Blab, Snapchat Periscope, and other such platforms are making it very easy for brands to host launch events, tours, tutorials, product manuals and several other contents.

These are some very helpful ways that will help you to cope with the latest content marketing trends and leading your brand to the top of the market.

Three Networks is a digital marketing company in Mumbai  that will help you to cope with the latest content marketing trends and leading your brand to the top of the market.

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Tips When Advertising on Facebook

Facebook has come a long way from being a website for expanding your social network to being a progressive platform for businesses and content creators. In fact, it has changed the game of social media advertising and made it possible for all kinds of businesses to advertise their products even on a small budget.

If you're anything like us, you've probably come across at least one Facebook advertisement. But if you're an entrepreneur planning to advertise your business, coming up with a creative campaign that will actually stand out can be a bit of a challenge.

So how can you stand out despite the stream of Facebook ads on your potential clients' news feeds?

Here are some tips:

Be Really Pretty or Really Shocking

You can either go down the aesthetic route or be extremely attention-grabbing that your audience can't help but look at what you have to offer. Aesthetically pleasing ads can be really effective depending on the commodity you're planning to sell and the customers you're trying to attract.

Using shocking visuals can, on the other hand, get anyone's attention provided that you provide effectively written content to go along with it. Whichever route you take, remember that grabbing your audience's attention is one thing and getting them hooked on what you have to offer is another.

Use Offers and Discounts

This is a marketing classic. Discounts, price cuts, and offers are sweet words that can attract customers to your business. Remember to highlight the right keywords on your ad and reassure your customer that there will be no hidden charges to surprise them later on.

Round Up

While it has been widely used by businesses as a way to attract customers and give them the idea that they're actually paying less, not rounding up your price can come off as indirect and misleading form of marketing to your customers.

Tell your customers how much exactly they're about to pay for your product. Write "$20" instead of "$19.99" on your advertisement. It's direct, honest and overall a fresh approach on selling as it does not sugar coat anything for your customers.

Not Selling Might Sell

Yes, call to actions are commonly used and generally deemed as one of the essentials in marketing, but it's not always what you need. Especially if you're still starting out in the business world, raising brand awareness through advertisements can be beneficial for you.

Remember that trust is something you need to earn from your customers. In order to get loyal patrons, you need people to know about what you have to offer and earn their trust. If your goal is to increase brand awareness, hard selling might not be the best way to go for you... yet.

Instead, focus on advertising content that will represent what your business is about. Focus on leading more people to your page before persuading them to purchase your products. This improves your business's chances of proving what it stands for and your product's/service's saleability later on.

Videos

One of the most unique ways to advertise on Facebook is through videos. This can be very effective since video is one of the most widely used types of content on the internet nowadays. It allows you to better capture your audience's attention and effectively get your message across.

There are many ways to make the most of your Facebook ad campaign. You can follow the tips above, or you can do it your own way. No matter how you plan to execute your Facebook ad campaign, remember that creativity and being relatable are two things that can help you springboard your campaign to success.

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