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The term “digital literacy” has changed drastically over the years as the digital world evolved. However, the core meaning of the term can be agreed upon, which is the overall ability to effectively and creatively use technology in all its forms to successfully find, evaluate, and communicate data. It’s the use of technology to meet today’s challenges posed by the constantly changing digital society.

Digital literacy once meant that employees should be able to type and use Microsoft word, today digital literacy means much more than that. It has become an integral part of society starting from the way children learn all the way to how employees perform their jobs.

Reading and writing online is not enough to count for digital literacy in this day and age. One must be able to quickly and effectively find information and use it in the right time and place. Use of things like social platforms and smart phones also falls within what digital literacy means today.

Why is Digital Literacy Important?

To establish a presence in the modern world, digital literacy is a must.  Not having the necessary information and skills to technology will not allow you access to most of what the world has to offer. For children, specifically, it has become essential for their education, especially after the effects of the COVID-19. Here are some of the reasons why digital literacy is important:

More Learning Opportunities

Online learning or e-learning has become more popular than ever and it’s not just for children or teens. There are now learning opportunities for all age groups in all kinds of fields and specialties. Not only that but you can also teach others and share your knowledge and experience online. All this cannot happen without proper digital literacy and the use of websites, apps, and devices.

Other than e-learning, the internet is the biggest source of information out there, anything you want to know is a click away. It would be a waste for someone not to be able to have access to this because they did not receive the needed digital skills.

Saves Time

Technology has helped move the most mundane tasks and responsibilities that are also time-consuming to the digital world. Banking, shopping, and even healthcare has all been digitized and you don’t have to spend hours running errands to get things done, it’s all on your phone!

Stay Connected

The whole world is like a small village now thanks to technology, and if you do not possess the necessary digital literacy, you won’t be able to take advantage of that fact. You don’t have to travel the world to see it and you don’t have to wait for the newspaper each morning to know what is happening in other countries. All you have to do is be able to go online and use social media platforms. This also helps you stay connected to your loved ones and other acquaintances.

More Job Opportunities

The job market today requires digital literacy as an essential qualification for any position. It can even be considered as important as a university degree! The more proficient you are in the digital world, the more doors you’ll find opening for you in the market. With complete industries emerging simply from technology like digital marketing and software development, there are entire job positions that rely on technology.

You can now see why digital literacy is significant in the modern world and how it affects most aspects of life. That’s why it has become an integral part of children’s education from an early age. We never know where the technology is taking us, so we need to be fully aware and well-informed to prepare for the quick changes that it experiences.…

Creating your own company and running it is one of the best accomplishments one can make. Being your own boss is both personally and financially freeing and allows for more growth. However, many reports over the past years have shown that most small businesses close their doors within 18 months of operation. This is because many entrepreneurs do not realize the amount of work and knowledge needed to run a small business. Here are some of the things every small business owner should know in order to succeed:

1. Hire The Right People

One of the main things a small business owner should have is a well-crafted recruiting strategy for their employees. The people you hire are a key factor in your business success. Develop a hiring process that tracks top-quality talent in your region or remotely as well as thorough character and skills testing to make sure you get the highest performing employees.

2. Learn to Delegate Your Way to Success

What’s the point of hiring a great team if you don’t make use of their skillset to get some responsibilities off your back? When you’re running a small business, there’s a lot to keep track of, and it could get overwhelming. That’s why a successful business owner must learn and know how to delegate tasks to employees they trust to get the job done. It might be hard to give up control of some aspects of the business but that’s where good hiring plays its role.

3. Communication is Key

Once you hire the right people, and for delegation to go smoothly, good communication skills are needed. Miscommunications in the workplace, especially as your business is just starting, could lead to disasters. That’s why every small business owner must have basic communication skills that allow clear understanding and therefore a smoother workflow.

4. Customer Service Comes First

As a small business still trying to establish its name in the market, your first and foremost concern should be your customer’s experience. This means going above and beyond to enhance customer services and support in your company. As a company, you should have customer service as an integral part of its vision and mission and woven into the overall culture for each employee to consider a priority. As a new business, gaining new customers will be the most challenging task and you can’t afford even one unsatisfied customer. Implementing employee training in customer support will be a good investment that will go a long way in your long-term brand reputation.

5. Finance Literacy Matters

Many business owners make the mistake of believing that they do not need to worry about financial matters and completely hand them over to a specialist. However, while you do not have to be necessarily a financial expert, you should have basic financial literacy in matters regarding your business. You should know how much things cost such as labor and sales and you should also have regular budgets for all business aspects. It’s important to be aware of what’s coming in and out of your business financially to implement future plans accordingly.

6. Marketing is Everything

You won’t be able any of your business goals without efficient and comprehensive marketing and sales strategy. Taking all measures from analyzing competition to networking is crucial for successful marketing. It goes without saying that digital marketing should also be a top priority. Engaging in marketing that gives you a return on investment will go a long way in increasing sales. It might take some time to find out what marketing efforts are most suitable for your business, so be patient and make use of a good marketing team to reach the best results.

7. Company Culture Counts

Last but not least, many businesses neglect to establish good company culture and wonder why employees are underperforming or leaving their positions altogether. The overall atmosphere of your business regarding its values, mission, and general persona is a key factor of success. You want to create an environment where employees feel comfortable and appreciated and therefore can give you their best and witness the company’s success feeling they had a part in it.

Now that you know these important tips for your small business to take off with grace, you can start making plans to implement them. Remember that for your small business to grow, there is a lot of hard work that will be out in and you’ll also need to be patient and dedicated.…

The insurance industry is a competitive one, if you’re looking to get more recognition, so are hundreds of other companies and agents. That is why you should always find ways to stand out from the crowd, and that can only be done through comprehensive marketing strategies. Here are some of the best ideas for insurance marketing.

1. Go For Consistent Branding

All marketing efforts are futile if you do not make sure your brand is consistent throughout all platforms. This goes for your brand image, colors, logo, and even the content you post on all platforms. You must have the same messaging and tone across your social media so that with time, you become easily recognizable. It also helps when you differentiate your brand from others by incorporating a personal side or a unique story.

2. Consider Podcasting

Now you might think that we are about to advise you to start your own insurance podcast, but that’s not quite the case. An even better idea for marketing using the podcasting platforms is partnering with already-established podcasters! Find people who already built their podcast audience and have gained their trust and suggest a collaboration. If you specialize in car or home insurance, find podcasters talking about the same niche and work from there.

3. Utilize Referral Marketing

To take the idea of collaboration to another level is to use referral marketing as a strategy. The idea of it is simple yet its results are huge. All you have to do is find another business, a blogger, or even a loyal client, and give them some content regarding your insurance agency to use in referring people in exchange for an incentive such as a discount. You can also use your automated e-mails to clients to encourage referrals by sending out emails that detail getting a gift or discount when they refer to you.

4. Use Google Reviews

Almost everyone now checks reviews before purchasing a product or dealing with a certain service provider. That’s why it should be included in your marketing efforts to encourage reviews, especially Google reviews. You can add it to your emails and on social media platforms for easier access. It’s also important that you know how to deal with negative reviews and respond to them with grace and ensure customer satisfaction.

5. Create a PPC Campaign

While organic reach is always great, you don’t have to solely rely on it to gain customers. Pay-per-click ads (PPC) are one of the most effective marketing tools, especially in the insurance industry. Even though it can be expensive, when done right, it can take your agency to a whole new level. They allow you to target a very specific audience with a certain budget for certain keywords. They enable you to appear in search engines above organic listing and you only pay when a client clicks your ad. This way you get only customers who are serious and ready to choose an insurance company or agent.

6. Optimize for Search Engines

Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the best insurance internet marketing strategies you can implement for your company. When done right, a successful SEO strategy will have you ranking high in search results for keywords regarding your insurance company. Make sure you implement both on-page and off-page SEO techniques for maximum results. Choose the main keyword to rank for and optimize your content to include it.  Things like having a mobile-friendly site and optimizing title tags and meta descriptions also go a long way.

7. Enhance E-mail Marketing

Email marketing is one of the oldest and still effective marketing strategies. In the insurance industry, it’s one of the best ways to stay connected to possible clients. That’s why it’s important to improve your email marketing strategy to better tailor your business purposes. You can send out personalized thank-you emails after they are finished with their business with you. You can also use emails to share your newsletters or to answer FAQs regarding insurance.

8. Establish Social Media Presence

No business nowadays can make it without a social media presence, and the same goes for insurance companies and agents. Establishing an online presence develops a bond of trust and familiarity between your business and your potential and current clients. Make sure you are creating and sharing quality content on your social media profiles to encourage engagement and reach more potential clients. It’s worth it to invest in paid ads to promote certain posts that would expand your reach. This would be a point of strength if you do it right since most insurance agents either don’t pay attention to social media or use it poorly.

9. Prioritize Content

The best insurance marketing you can do is offer your clients quality content that is both informational and engaging. Most …