If there’s one thing to describe cryptocurrency, it’s that it’s volatile. As the newest kid in the currency block, there is literally no history to determine what is normal or not in its price plunges and market behavior. But what exactly is cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency is without its infamy. It’s highly volatile and unpredictable. With all the unpredictability going around, why exactly should you invest in cryptocurrency? Why trust a market where there’s no way to figure out what the risks is and when the next price dip would happen? Here are the top five reasons by Bitcoin Circuit why now is the time to invest in cryptocurrency.

Cryptocurrency is a digital asset designed to function just like real money but with no physical form–it’s completely online. It was first implemented in 2009 with the creation of Bitcoin. It is maintained and managed by cryptography, acting as its security measure.

Cryptocurrency gained an increasingly huge following over the years but it was not until April 2013 that it captured significant investor and media attention when it peaked at over $266/coin. Today, there are numerous crypto products such as Bitcoin credit cards, wallets, or the KuCoin trading bot. Using digital money daily is not a big deal.

Security

Every day, we hear of data breach and theft on the news. Cybersecurity is one of the major flaws that we are facing in a world full of online transactions and cashless systems. However, cryptocurrency might be the answer to that. There are two reasons why the cryptocurrency economy is as secure as it is now.

The first reason is that the whole system is based upon cryptographic security. Rather than rely on banks and their I.T. departments to secure your money and banking details, cryptocurrency relies on the math. By doing so, your account is unlike to ever be compromised. This is made possible by blockchain – a continuously growing list of records, called blocks, which are linked and secured using cryptography. By relying on a proof of work system, where a transaction is set and cannot be changed as soon as it is confirmed in the blockchain. Upon confirmation, the transaction becomes a part of the blockchain’s record of transactions and cannot be changed and can most definitely not be forged. On top of that, completing a transaction lets almost everyone across the network know about it and hence adds another layer of emphasis to its security. With the blockchain, investors can be safe in the knowledge that no one outside of the miners can get involved in your transactions.

This transaction process is completed by miners as they are the only who ones who can confirm a transaction. Miners spread the transactions across the network after stamping them as legitimate and legal, during which every node adds it to the blockchain. Both blockchain and proof of work systems are unique to cryptocurrency.

The second thing that makes the system secure is the fact that the individual coin funds are locked in a public key cryptography system. With this, only the owner of the private key can send cryptocurrency. Once again, using cryptography, it is nearly impossible to break this scheme.

Anonymity and Privacy

On top of being a highly secure form of currency, cryptocurrency also comes with the bonus of having a pseudonymous nature. This was once an attractive advantage to those dealing in the dark web, but the anonymity and privacy are also a huge plus to everyday investors and traders. Anonymity and privacy, on top of security, are both founding features of cryptocurrencies. On the most basic level, it prevents external parties, organizations, and governments from knowing what you’re buying or investing on. It also masks how much you spent and with whom you transact with.

This pseudonymous feature means that neither a transaction nor an account to which they are sent are ever connected to real-world identities. There are crypto addresses that are made up of seemingly random chains of around 30 characters which-once given to a person – makes it almost impossible to track to them. However, it is certainly possible to analyze the transaction flow but this does not make it any easier to connect the real-world identity of the user with the address.

Obsolescence of Paper Currency

With the advent of money being mostly digital, it is not much longer before paper currency becomes the minority. With currency transaction systems such as credit cards and PayPal, it’s only logical that the next step would be to get rid of the physical form altogether and transition into a 100% digital currency.

Cryptocurrency is the first iteration of that.

Controlled Supply

One of the key reasons that cryptocurrency trumps traditional currency is quantitative easing – the introduction of new money into the money supply by a central bank. By operating under a controlled supply, there would be no need to print money. Most networks even limit the supply of their crypto even when the demand is high. For instance, Bitcoin production decreases over time and is set to reach its final number sometime in 2140. The monetary supply of a cryptocurrency in the future can be roughly calculated today thanks to a schedule written in the code. Despite being likened to gold and silver in that the supply is highly limited, cryptocurrency is as legitimate a currency as traditional and FIAT currency.

Lower Inflation Risk

Traditional world currencies are controlled by their governments. As such, when a particular government messes up with their policies or faces an economic crisis, the currency suffers heavily. This could lead to a heavy fluctuation of value and the need to print more money. Cryptocurrency is not faced with this problem.
Cryptocurrency is a global currency. Many of its investors believe that it has a lower falling risk compared to traditional currencies. On top of that, it does not depend on government policy so it is prone to hyperinflation as well as complete collapse of currency.

Small business owners have so many things on their agenda, but a crucial issue that all of them have to consider is how they intend to grow their customer or client base.

Promotions have become a vital part of this process for many, with discounts, deals, and coupons often proving highly effective as a way to engage customers. For example, in 2018 Inc.com reported on a study by RetailMeNot, which found that two-thirds of people have made an unexpected purchase solely based on having access to a coupon.

An Important Role

Now, a new study has hinted that promotions could be particularly important to small businesses across the US in the coming months.

As MarTechSeries explains, research by Viamedia has found that many local businesses in the country have been reassessing marketing strategies in recent times, with 83 percent choosing to switch tactics. In addition, the poll found that 46 percent specifically stated they are using incentives and promotions to drive sales at the moment.

However, if you’re looking to take a similar step in the coming months, you might not be sure about the best way to proceed on the issue. After all, crafting the perfect promotion could have a major impact on a business, while failing to find the right angle may lead to disappointment. Fortunately, there are many places you can look to for inspiration on promotions, with the online world offering plenty of pointers on the issue.

Lessons To Be Learned

Depending on the sector you operate in, the online ndustry might seem like a strange one to look at for inspiration. However, the sector has enjoyed plenty of success in recent years and it could be argued that promotions have played a key role. Many brands have used them as they look to compete with their rivals and attract new players to their services.

But what lessons are there to be learned from the industry? The online bonuses and promotions on offer at Betfair may well provide a few ideas. For example, at the time of writing the site features several introductory deals designed to entice people to sign up. Each of them covers a different part of the brand’s offering. While this means players can access a deal on the specific niche they are interested in, it also might encourage them to check out other areas.

What that in mind, is there a possibility that you could consider similar approaches to your own promotions? For example, could you offer deals across different product and service lines? Alternatively, could a well-targeted introductory offer be a good way to bring more people into your business?

Take Time To Get It Right

There are countless sectors that you can analyze for ideas and inspiration on promotions, but the online industry’s track record with deals means it should certainly be one of your first ports of call.

Promotions appear to be particularly important to many businesses at the moment, so taking some time to consider how to get yours right could be massive.

Mac is a high-quality computer that suits a variety of purposes, whether for personal use or corporate use. It proves to be durable and efficient but like with any other technological gadget, there will come a time wherein it needs to be replaced. However, this is not necessarily the case if your mac is merely running slow. There are several reasons why you may be experiencing this issue such as those stated below, as well as how you can address the root cause eventually.

1. Unnecessary Files

There is a great chance for your mac to slow down if your hard drive is already full or reaching its peak capacity. Aside from this, system logs and cache files may affect its performance too. In both cases, your computer needs more time to respond to your command inputs. To be able to address this problem, you can store your files in cloud storage to free up some space in your hard drive. Otherwise, you can also use a cleaning software to keep your hard drive clutter-free automatically. The best mac cleaner software can free up space in your hard drive, eliminating the need for you to transfer unnecessary files into your cloud storage. Rest assured that a mac cleaner software is safe, effective, and easy to use.

2. Browser Extensions

Browser extensions help you make the most out of your surfing experience. The only downside is that these extensions can also cause your mac to slow down. Thereby, make sure that you are using official extensions only because these browser plugins are generally secure and take up less space. In case you find your browser extensions using up space in your random access memory (RAM), you have the option of manually deleting them or using a special cleaning app too.

3. Cluttered Desktop

People often save files or folders in their desktop for easy retrieval, particularly those that they frequently use. However, a cluttered desktop can also cause your mac to run slow because of the number of files that it needs to hold. Hence, make sure to manage your files by dutifully organizing them into their corresponding folders. A nice tip is to use a spectacular desktop background that you will find hard to cover up with thumbnails of your files.

4. Simultaneous Programs Running

Another reason why your mac may be running slow is because of too many simultaneous programs running brought about by a number of tabs open, or those that are being run during startup. In the case of the former, you can try to disable background tabs or frequently check your system updates and close unused tabs while you are working in browsers. In the case of the latter, you may need to remove unnecessary login items by checking on your activity monitor. Quit the processes that are taking too much of your central processing unit (CPU) percentage or force quit, but this may result in lost files, particularly those that are unsaved.

5. Slow Internet Connection

A slow internet connection may also be the root cause of the slow down of your computer. Thus, it is a good habit to check your internet speed in the network utility. Through the link speed under the info tab, you will know the maximum transmission speed of the wireless adapter you are using. You can also send an unlimited number of pings for a program to start scanning your computer and show you the time it takes for your computer to process a single ping.

6. Pending OS Updates

Operating system (OS) updates are necessary to improve the security, performance, and stability of your computer. In case there is a pending OS update for your computer, you need to run it promptly. Otherwise, this can be a reason why your mac is running slow. You can get updates for your Mac OS under the system preferences. Just click on the update now in case there is any update available. To do this automatically in the future, just select so under the same menu and you will be notified in case you need to restart after an update.

7. Battery Replacement Needed

When your battery is already nearing its lifespan, it may need more resources to process commands and continuously maintain operations. This can in turn affect system performance, causing your computer to slow down. The lifespan of an average mac battery depends on its cycle count limit which is about a thousand full charges. You can check the battery cycle count of your computer under the hardware section of the system information.

8. Virus or Malware

Finally, a virus or malware may also affect the speed and performance of your mac. It may actually have more programs than what you have initially installed and these programs may prove to be detrimental. More often than not, these unwanted programs are downloaded by accidentally clicking on a banner ad. Since these programs also use up your system resources, they can also cause your computer to slow down.

Thereby, make sure to avoid visiting unsecured sites or downloading files or programs from unofficial websites. In parallel to this, update your security and privacy settings under the system preferences to disable any applications from being downloaded from unsecured sources. As much as possible, delete caches and extensions which you don’t use and of course, leverage powerful antivirus software.

Final Word

Your mac may be running slow because of unnecessary files in your computer, as well as because of the browser extensions that you use. It can also be attributed to a cluttered desktop or simultaneous programs running in the background. The speed of your internet connection is also a factor that can slow down the operation and response of your mac, as well as pending OS updates that haven’t been installed.

Finally, check whether you already need a battery replacement, or worse, your computer is infiltrated with a virus or malware. Should you find any of these reasons as the cause of the slowdown of your computer, make sure to address it promptly to prevent your problem from getting worse.

When it comes to hosting, you may be tempted to go with the cheapest option. After all, you only need a space to host your website so pending a huge amount of money to be in the same space as others doesn’t sound like a good idea.

Well, it might look like you have made the right decision, but if you are someone who values a functional website and hosting, you should aim high and not settle for a cheap host. A better idea is to try to get a good bargain from reputed hosting companies via deal websites or hosting forums. To help you understand the implication of going with a cheap host, here are five possible consequences to bear in mind:

1. Fewer Resources and Hidden Costs

Cheap hosting many times is packed with many other websites so that the owners can make good money while offering cheap hosting plans. Therefore, you will most likely experience less reliable and slower hosting service. This means your website pages will take longer to respond and load. This has a high chance of resulting in negative visitor experiences leading to poor sales. Your website ranking may also be affected.   

You are also more likely to experience artificial limits and will be asked to pay more if you want to continue to enjoy more space. Most people end up paying for hidden costs they never knew about when initially signing up for cheap hosting.

2. Poor Support

People that offer cheap hosting usually have staff with lower skills and not much experience. If you encounter any challenge with your website and need some support on troubleshooting, you may not be able to get the right support as soon as you’d like. This will definitely affect your website performance. There will be no on-time security audit which is recommended to be performed on your plugins.

3. Security

One thing that users of cheap hosting usually complain about is poor security. When the servers are down (which occurs more often with cheap hosting) this results in no technology firewalls, an absence of ring-fence for the website, and certainly no suitable Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS). That means your website extensions and plugins are vulnerable to attacks.

4. No Website Monitoring

With cheap hosting, you will most likely not benefit from website monitoring. You might not even be notified that your website is down unless a visitor notifies you. For a business owner, you certainly don’t want to experience this as it might cost you in sales. You could end up losing money simply because you were trying to save money by choosing cheap hosting.

5. No Backups

Every website needs to have some sort of backup plan in place. Not everyone knows how to manually backup their website and most cheap hosting plans do not offer automatic backup or an easy recovery process. That means that should anything go wrong with your website or it gets hijacked, you may not be able to recover it. If recovery is possible, you may be asked to pay more money for this service.

Now that you know some of the reasons why a cheap hosting plan is a bad idea, here is how to pick the right hosting plan for you. Look out for the following features in any hosting plan you choose to go with:

• Unlimited hosting
• Free domain
• Secure site certification
• Enhanced spam and malware protection
• Easy site builder
• Good technical support
• Scalability for easy customization
• Important Google tools
• Multiple servers for more protection
• Dependability
• Money-back guarantee

Getting all these features mentioned above may save you more money than you would have saved by going with cheap hosting. It is better to have the real deal from the beginning than getting stuck along the way and end up paying too much. The worst part is that you will have to pay for these packages individually when you could have gotten it at a cheaper price had you not put so much emphasis on getting a cheap hosting plan.

Also, getting these features does not necessarily mean that you will have to pay through the nose. There is a lot of competition and, therefore, each hosting company usually has attractive plans that offer users more options at a discounted rate. However, it is important that before you go with any hosting company, take some time and check out reviews about them. You might also want to do a Google Blog search on them as well as on social media.

Finally, your website is like your online shop, you don’t want to rush into a deal and regret it later. Take enough time to check out the hosting plan you are interested in before committing to one.

The number of websites on the internet has doubled in the past five years and now exceeds 1.7 billion. Making your site stand out in this extremely crowded field can be difficult, but spending a little time doing so is worthwhile and can yield great results. Here we will explore some of the ways that you can increase traffic to your site.

Advertising

Advertising is perhaps the most obvious method of getting traffic to your site. If you have money to spare, paid ads (which can be purchased through Google, Facebook, and other sites) can be very effective, as long as you take some time to target them to your chosen demographic (tools such as Google Analytics can really help you with this).

Make sure that these ads are appearing on sites that are relevant to your target audience, otherwise, they are not likely to be effective. An effectively targeted ad can hugely increase traffic to your site.

Use Social Media

If you do not have the budget for a paid advertising strategy, all is not lost – many social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram enable you to create profiles for free. However, you will still need to put in the hours to get the most out of social media. You should post regular content and engage directly with other social media users.

If you are looking for inspiration on how to use social media effectively to promote your site, check out these 5 epic social media campaigns that businesses used to increase traffic.

Another useful thing that social media can do is enable you to check out what your competitors are doing. Take some time to learn what is working for them and what isn’t. You can also use social media to comment on current events and use hashtags that can bring you your profile to the attention of users who would otherwise not have come across it.

Get SEO-Savvy

SEO, or search engine optimization, is essentially the practice of learning how best to use the algorithms of search engines such as Google to put your site higher up the search rankings for specific terms. SEO is an entire science that we can barely scratch the surface of here, but thankfully, there are many tips, guides, and tutorials online that can help you make the most of it!

Write Engaging Headlines

When it comes down to it, you can use all these clever tips and tricks, but it won’t help you a great deal if users just aren’t interested in reading your content. Hooking in potential site visitors often comes down to one thing: a headline.

While SEO is often an important factor in your headlines, it is also very important to make sure that the headline itself sparks the reader’s interest. Checking out websites such as Buzzfeed can provide plenty of inspiration – its headlines are concise, descriptive enough to let you know what the topic is, yet almost always feature something that makes you want to find out more.

There you have it: four easy ways to increase traffic to your site.