How to Choose Competent IT Recruitment Services for Your Business

Posted on by Austin Dease
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The IT department for any company and industry is an important part of it. These services increase efficiency in business and help an enterprise go with the flow and keep up with technology trends. For this reason, it’s highly important to have a skilled team and professionals that are competent enough to provide your firm all that it needs to have a strong tech front in the competitive world. This why IT recruitment agencies exist.

The work of these agencies is to assess and provide a top-notch workforce to help out any company that needs talent fast. A lot of your time is saved with the help of such an agency, and you are able to focus on the implementation of the process with your swiftly put-together IT team to start getting tech authorized. 

However, you have to be careful in choosing an IT recruitment agency that can be up to par for your needs. Here are some things to implement in your search for the best recruits in your IT team by the following tips:

Get Recommendations

The best way to reach out to the most reliable and dependable IT recruitment services is through recommendations. You can ask your friends or business partners to recommend these to you before you start doing your own research. This way, you won’t have to be doubtful and understand the working of an agency from personal experience. If there aren’t any recommendations, you can check out online reviews on different agencies that are also dependable. 

Dig Deep

Once you select a few agencies to choose from, ensure to dig deeper into their work and history on completing recruitment assignments. Conduct a thorough background check on all the agencies that feel authentic to you and know from their past clients about their working style. This digging can give you valuable information you may not be able to achieve through reviews and ratings alone. 

Propose an Interview

Always ask the right questions you would ask an employee before hiring them to a recruitment hiring manager. It’s important that you understand the terms they provide and find out the hidden information. Understand the recruitment process thoroughly and ask about your involvement in the procedure, if any. Ask about the company’s standards for hiring and supplying a workforce in the IT field that can help lead your firm better. Like this, create a list of important questions to ask and make sure to get all your answers before agreeing to anything and signing up the contract. 

Know Your Needs

When choosing the right IT recruitment agency for your business, you need to understand and write down your needs. This list of needs can help the recruiting firm out tons in supplying you with an efficient workforce. For this reason, choose the IT expertise and positions you’re looking to hire in the company. Come up with the number of employees you need to hire and their employment terms. If you’re looking to hire long-term reliable staff members for your team, explain these requirements to the agency explicitly. Check out the specialty of the firm and its footing in the IT industry before hiring. 

Negotiate Costs

Recruitment agencies are reliable in the essence that they make the recruitment tasks easier for you. They save costs and time spent in interviewing, training, and testing employees. But are they affordable? Different IT recruiters offer varied charges for their services which can depend on the number of facilities you procure. 

However, even if you hire an employee or two, some agencies ought to rip you off for it when there can be found the same expertise of skills in another agency. For this reason, look at the talent before the price tag. Don’t worry about an IT recruiter offering low prices if the talent is worthwhile. It’s best to stick to your budget as well to keep the process as cost-efficient as possible. 

4 Reasons To Understand Your Software Supply Chain

Posted on by Nora Sbalckiero
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Back in the days, software was supplied to customers in CD-ROMs and floppy disks. One had to get hold of either of these storage devices from the manufacturer and then install the software on their personal computers. But times have changed! Today, all you need is a good internet connection, and you’re good to go. Even the commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) applications can now be downloaded from a server, installed, and activated using a unique key.

Because of this connection between the manufacturer and the user, the software can be updated continuously. This creates what the industry has dubbed as a software supply chain. Since the product being delivered is the program free to download, and the good is the code, which is used to activate the product, the supply process should be comparatively easy. The fact that there are no warehouses involved or even transportation headaches make many people think that the whole process is a walk in the park, but it’s not!

A software supply chain can be very complicated, especially for beginners. As such, you need to find ways to learn the ins and outs of your software supply security and every other-related aspect. Still not convinced? Continue reading to learn some more reasons why this knowledge is significant for developing both your business and as an individual.

1. There is More Than Meets the Eye

One reason why you’ll need to learn and understand your software supply chain is that it involves more than what you just see from the outside. Apart from its unique set of tools, procedures, and workforce, many activities still need to be managed. The fact is that most of these things are easily forgotten by business owners, perhaps because only experts can trace them.

However, it’s pretty essential to have an understanding of what’s going on beyond the obvious. Having insights into the details gives you an upper hand in your business’s management process. You’ll be able to make decisions knowing the consequences rather than just relying on what your employees suggest. Therefore, if you haven’t done it yet, make sure you sit down with one of the employed experts and let them take you through the whole of your software supply chain.

2. Individual Decisions Have a Wide Impact

What’s open-source software (OSS)? This is an application that a developer chooses to distribute with “read and write” codes. That means anyone who has access to this software can modify it to meet specific needs. Most applications usually have one or more open-source components.

Some of the rules set by the OSS community are that such applications must be freely available, include a modifiable source code, and have no restrictions for redistribution. How does the developer benefit? Most people opt to distribute their software in such a format to allow for quicker repairs and the development of high-quality applications.

Of course, it may seem straightforward, but the issue of OSS is sometimes complicated. Remember the source code you distribute may contain some crucial information. Therefore, a decision by a programmer or a group of developers can easily pose considerable risks to your business. The courts understand that a breach of the OSS license may lead to IP infringement, but it’s not clear whether it can be categorized as a breach of contract.

There are many cases where a company has faced software-related risks after distributing its source codes. Learning about your software supply chain will help you understand your specific scenario and handle any legal issues that may arise in the future. It’s worth noting that every OSS component should have a license attached to make things easier in case you find yourself in a legal fight.

3. Free but Chargeable

Free but chargeable; quite confusing, right? Well, that’s one more reason why you should get hold of an expert and learn the ins and outs of your software supply chain. A company may provide a set of source codes that you can edit and modify to fit your needs. However, the original developer may attach financial restrictions to go with their software applications.

For one, they may decide that the OSS is only free if not commercialized, and if one decides to sell, then they must adhere to the provided rules. For example, if you’re planning to redistribute such software, you might be compelled to send a percentage of your sales to the source code owner. This is a common occurrence among companies that have already rolled out another version of this software as a commercial product.

4. You’ll Have an Idea of Related Implications

As already seen, different developers have the opportunity to incorporate their ideas into your source code. But as the owner, you ought to understand all the implications of such actions. You can only have an idea in this area if you’ve studied and understood your software supply chain.

 Some of the things you need to focus on are the third-party tools used by the developers and how they’ll affect the customers. Will such actions affect the company in the future?

Once you’ve assessed the obligations and risks, it’s also recommended that you carefully go through the open-source licenses and their implications. Who will be responsible for the risks posed or any breach of license? For instance, take the KODI media player; it’s legal open-source software, but the addons you install on it can compromise its legality and safety.

Conclusion

The software supply chain is thought to be a simple and straightforward system, but it involves many economic and legal regulations. Whether you’re a developer of open-source or commercial software, you ought to adhere to the respective laws of the industry. Understanding your software supply chain will help you decide on the best actions to take at any given time. It gives you an idea of how the consumers should use your software, especially if it’s an OSS. Remember, the distribution of your source code can make or break your business; so, be sure to revise all the relevant open-source licenses before embarking on the distribution process.

Why Backing Up Windows Systems is Essential?

Posted on by Edward Roesch
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For many, their PC is the beginning and endpoint for important data storage. This creates a treasure trove of information that needs to be protected. Backing up data is an important way that the treasure trove of information can be protected in the event of a cyberattack or disaster. Newer versions of Windows include a backup utility which begs the question, do you need third-party software to facilitate backups?

Windows Backup

Depending on which version of Windows is installed on a particular machine, will determine what backup tools are available to the user. In Windows Vista and 7, the tool is called Backup and Restore. With Windows 8 Backup and Restore was replaced with what became known as File History. Due to a convoluted series of updates, those that upgraded to Windows 8.1 had both features. For a time, Windows 10 had both Backup and Restore and File History. Both are still available, however, in terms of help guides and official documentation Backup and Restore is the favored utility. This is still the case at the time of writing but using Backup and Restore is the preferable option, at least in this writers’ opinion.

Limitations

The utilities offered by Windows, while certainly better than nothing and can still save the day in the event of a data disaster, are limited in terms of functionality when compared to windows backup software options. Some of the limitations include a lack of customizing backups. When dealing with a lot of data this may prove difficult when needing to keep everything organized.

Lack of customization is not the only limitation. Backup and Restore does not allow for single files to be backed up, entire drives need to be selected. Then an image of that drive will be created. Both utilities also lack a native cloud backup option and require a separate service, like OneDrive, to carry out a backup to a cloud. Users are also limited in the types of storage that will be used during the backup process, typically cannot backup hard drives that are FAT formatted.

The Third-Party Software Option

Often the discussion surrounding third-party backup solutions tends to focus on enterprise-level protection and how to ensure the best possible data protection policy. For at-home users, these discussions fail to bring across the need to protect personal data. The modern reality is that home users need to treat their data similarly to the way enterprises should. Backing up data is a fundamental pillar of data protection and the Windows utilities mentioned above will help but as has been seen are limited.

Third-party software offerings help negate those limitations by allowing better scheduling and automation of file types. Further, software packages offer far more customization options while still offering an easy-to-use interface. Lastly, software packages will allow for the backing up of several file formats and media file types Windows utilities do not offer.

While Windows’ backup utilities are better than nothing, users will need to supplement these tools with third-party software packages to truly protect their data from a cyberattack or disaster such as hardware failure. The software option is the most logical choice for users as the next step in securing and protecting their important information and memories.

Increase your Productivity with These Pro Tips

Posted on by Charlie Short
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Maintaining productivity is something everyone struggles with. Even if you’re working on a project that you enjoy. You can still become unmotivated and unproductive. But, don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to get you out of that slump.

Productivity can mean different things for different people. And we all work in different ways. So we need different methods of remaining motivated and productive. Here are some of the best top tips for a productive day.

1. Make a Flexible Schedule

When first beginning a piece of work, it can be overwhelming to see all the tasks that you have ahead of you. This can result in some people procrastinating and not getting on with their work. Even if the tasks are small and easy.

One way to overcome this is to make a schedule. Break everything down into small steps. And work on the first one in front of you. Then move on to the next. Chopping and changing between tasks might make you feel productive. But it can cause you to become tired and unmotivated. Then, when you start to feel unproductive, you will have some tasks only half done.

But, this is where flexibility comes in. Even if your schedule is perfectly organized and you know exactly what you’re doing, things can always go wrong. It might seem impossible to plan for something to go wrong. But you always need to be ready for this. And be ready to adapt your schedule. This will stop you from stalling and having to throw everything away and start again.

2. Adapt to Your Own Rhythms

When creating this schedule, you need to acknowledge how you work. If you have flexible working hours, make sure to schedule your time for when you are most productive. If you find that you produce most of your work in the afternoon, then schedule your hours for 12pm to 8pm.

People who are night owls or prefer to sleep later are often considered to be lazy. But this definitely isn’t the case. People have different circadian rhythms. And this can have a huge impact on when you are productive.

This might not be possible if your work regularly involves meetings with people who work a more standard Monday to Friday 9 to 5. But you can still work around this. If you can, organize meetings for later in the day. Or even in the mornings. Then use the afternoon to complete the bulk of your work.

3. To-Do Lists Are Essential

Making a schedule for a big project can help. But planning ahead doesn’t have to mean making a plan for the whole week or month. Just making a to-do list at the start of your day or the night before will help.

To-do lists are one of the easiest ways to keep track of your work. And remind yourself of the tasks you have laid out ahead. Just make sure that your to-do lists are in-line with your schedule. The most organized option is to make an overarching schedule for the project. Then a to-do list every morning.

This will help you to organize your day. But make sure that you don’t overload your to-do list. Be realistic about the time you have. And factor in how long each task will likely take. Give yourself a break. And remember that it’s okay to fall off the schedule a little. As with a flexible schedule, you can easily get back on track.

Overloading your to-do list with unachievable tasks will only make you feel as though you’re failing and falling behind. Even if you’re not. This will be detrimental to your productivity. Especially if you’re an “all or nothing” kind of worker.

4. Try the Pomodoro Method

If you struggle to organize your own time, the pomodoro method is an easy way to help. The pomodoro method involves working for a period of 20 or 25 minutes, then taking a 5-minute break. This is repeated three or four times. Then you have a slightly longer break.

This breaks down your day. So you will only need to think about the next 20 minutes of work you have to do. This is especially useful if you need to focus on a big project. Or struggle to maintain focus for long periods of time. Some people can easily focus for hours. But this is impossible for others.

Be sensible and realistic about your attention span. Forcing yourself to work when your brain isn’t engaged is only going to result in you producing poor work.

This is also super useful if you struggle to ignore your phone while working. This can often be a problem for people who work alone or at home. You can use the 5-minute breaks to look at your phone. And then ignore it when you’re working. Timing your breaks will also stop that “quick 2-minute break” accidentally becoming half an hour.

5. Remember to Rest

This is a super important one. It’s a tired saying but it’s true. “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” Resting will help to revive you and allow you to produce better results. There is no point in powering through when you’re tired. As you will only be producing work that will need changing later on.

Working late or working long hours is often seen as an act of dedication. But it won’t help if you are burnt out and can’t produce anything of value. Rest doesn’t always have to mean sleep. It can simply mean taking a break to go for a walk around the block. Or preferably a park.

Giving your mind a break will allow you to come back refreshed and ready to carry on. It’s a bit like turning your computer off and on again when it’s becoming slow. Automating some tasks like Happy holidays messages and Birthday Emails can be a big help when trying to keep your mind clear and let you sleep easy.

Taking breaks can also mean spending time doing things outside of work. Even if your job is incredibly important, you need to take time away from it. Remember to always use your holidays and days off. They will help you to give your best to that important work when you return.

6. Learn How to Say No

This might seem counterproductive. But saying no to meetings that you don’t really need to go to is incredibly important. This is an act of prioritization. You need to prioritize your time as well as your tasks.

You will be spending time and energy on something that isn’t necessarily important. Then you will be too tired to work on the tasks that actually require your attention. This also means knowing when to say no to other projects.

This can involve telling your manager when you’re at capacity. Or, if you’re self-employed, acknowledging that other opportunities will come along. Focus on what you’re doing now and do it well. Then move on to the next project.

7. Perfectionism is Pointless

This is another tired but true phrase. “Perfectionism is the enemy of done”. If you continue to reread and redo your work, then it will never be good enough. Especially if you continuously change things. Sometimes you can over-edit a piece of work. And it will become worse than before.

When it comes to work, there is no such thing as perfect. Remember that you are human and can only do your best. You have been hired because your employer knows that you can do your job well. So write the report, send it to your manager, and move on to the next thing.

And if they come back with edits, then that is okay! Your manager isn’t going to be disappointed or want to fire you because you need to change a line in a piece of work. This is how collaborative work environments operate. It’s better to send over something that is good enough, than to spend hours working on something that will only result in a “Thanks” from the recipient.

8. Start Your Day With Exercise

A lot of people perceive exercise as always being exhausting and tiring. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Any kind of exercise, from running to yoga to a walk around the park, will help wake you up in the morning.

Exercising in the morning will almost make you feel as though you have already been productive. Then you can ride that wave of energy and productivity into your work day. You will feel fresher and more alive after even the smallest workout.

9. “Swallow the Frog”

This is a strange phrase, but it essentially means that you need to do the worst task first. If you’re putting off work because you have a task that you don’t want to do, then chances are you won’t do anything. Even if every other task on your to-do list is enjoyable.

Once you start your work day, do the piece of work that you have been putting off. Chances are, it will be much easier and take less time than you expected. Then, you can spend the rest of the day working on nicer tasks. And feel proud and productive that you managed to get the horrible task done straight away.

10. Delegate Properly

If you are in a position to delegate, then you need to learn how to do this properly. This can mean giving someone who is junior to you some of the workload. Or it can mean outsourcing some work if you’re self-employed.

Delegating doesn’t mean that you’re being lazy or not doing your own work. Remember, other people work at your organization for a reason. And other companies exist to provide work and support. If you are self-employed, you can outsource small aspects of your work to other small businesses. This will also help you to create a network. As well as support other small businesses.

If you work in a large organization, giving smaller tasks to junior staff members can help them to learn. You can take on the role of mentor and help them to develop their skills. You can still look over the work and change it if it isn’t completely up to scratch. Just make sure to allow them to do the work themselves first. Then you can help them with any corrections.

This will help you to carry on with other tasks that are a higher priority. And you won’t be overwhelmed with work. Or feel as though you’re ignoring something more important when working on smaller tasks. Remember that you don’t have to do everything yourself! (Even if you think that you could do it better…)

Why Branding Should be the Foundation of Your SEO Strategy

Posted on by John Guevara
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Getting people to visit your website is one of the best ways to secure potential customers while penetrating the market to determine your customers’ new trends and preferences. You can get people to visit your webpages if you use the Search Engine Optimization tools. These tools are designed to improve the quality and quantity of traffic to your web pages and websites. These optimization tools target mostly unpaid traffic with little focus on direct or paid traffic. Building your SEO strategy is something not restricted to the IT department. It is a general aspect of the business, especially the marketing department.

Putting in place the right marketing strategies can go a long way in optimizing your web search, especially when you major in branding. Branding is one of the best ways to increase your business popular among people. Once your brand becomes a household name, people will definitely browse through your webpages in search of information regarding your products and services. Search Engine Optimization can also work to increase your brand awareness—the more people who search about your business or organization, the more your brand spreads. When formulating your SEO strategy, you should focus your efforts on branding as the basis of your strategies. You can ask any digital marketing agency and they will certainly agree how critically important branding is.

This article is centered on some of the reasons why you should consider branding as the foundation for your SEO strategy.

Branding can Help with Getting Links

To calculate search engine rankings, Google relies mostly on natural, contextual, and editorially earned links. These links can be earned by increased visits to your website when people read the content and link to it. Despite visiting your page, some customers may find it difficult to identify you because your brand is not clear. This can, however, change if they previously heard about you from a different source. Having a reputation for being an influential presence in the given line of goods and services puts you at an advantage of gaining trust with users. People tend to respond differently to you when they know or heard about you. This being the case, they will find it easier to link with you willingly.

Helps Gain Social Shares

The impact of having social shares on your SEO is still a major debate among every SEO Agency on the market. As seen previously in securing links, being familiar helps people to identify with you. This principle can be applied with a huge social following. If you have more shares, it means you are more exposed. Branding helps with getting more social media exposure which means more people get to know more about you. If you have a huge social media following, people will likely visit your pages and link to you.

Branding can also Improve your Click-through Rates

Click-through rates are one of the factors used by Google while calculating search engine ranking. If your site is located at the bottom of the list and people keeping skipping those at the top of the list to click on your site, you are bound to increase your ranking. Branding helps with creating awareness of your presence, with that people are more inclined to click on your site.

With an established brand to help you, people find you easy to trust as an established presence in the niche. Despite low ranking by Google or other sites having more backlinks, the fact that people can identify with you will make them choose you over the other sites.

Helps to Build your Reputation

Your online reputation has a lot to do with your web traffic. Google has recently publicized its Search Quality Rating Guideline. Google raters use these guidelines to assess the quality of pages that are presented on search engine results. This document is designed to provide a deeper insight into what Google terms quality in the web pages and sites. Sites with a higher ranking are those that are ranked specifically by Google.

This document has sections that are focused on the reputation of a site or page. It concentrates on what external and independent sources say about the website. This document advises users to focus solely on external reputable sources going through sources such as news articles, blog posts, magazine article forum discussions, and independent organizations. Branding will help to build your reputation by increasing your recognition from reputable external sources.

Brand Mentions are Important

The updates on Google Panda have incorporated brand mention in the Google search algorithms. Google recently discovered that several people mention brands without linking to them. Google has since decided to take into account these brand mentions by rewarding brands that are trending. These rewards are in the form of higher Google search result rankings. The mention of your brand in news sites can work to your advantage towards boosting SEO.

On certain occasions, people mention brands and link to them. When a user uses your brand name to search for your site and web pages, a strong brand signal is sent to Google.

Everything You Should Know About AngularJS

Posted on by James Nagel
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There are tons of great frameworks available on the market. Some of them are used to build full-blown native solutions, while others are ideal for web apps. Today’s article is concerned with AngularJS, a well-known JavaScript framework.

AngularJS development is a great way to build interactive elements. That is why the AngularJS framework can be the best fit for custom website development. What’s more, AngularJS can go a long way in developing robust and responsive apps. So, if you are interested specifically in this solution, make sure to read this article to the end.  

Some History

AngularJS was created in 2010 by famous Google developers. They called the new framework Angular because it works in an HTML file, and HTML has angular brackets. Six years later, it was completely rewritten so much so that you couldn’t simply update to the new one. You had to rewrite your whole application. This created a reasonable divide between the users. Some couldn’t justify the long and costly migration, while others became fans of the improved version. The older one bears the classic naming, the new Angular removed the ending in the minimalistic fashion. Still, AngularJS is supported and used on some current Google platforms.

What is Special About AngularJS?

AngularJS appeared at the same time other classic JavaScript frameworks like Knockout and Backbone were born. How exactly was it special then?

Let’s talk about the three pillars of AngularJS. They are two-way data binding, dependency injection, and directives. Let’s tackle these complex phrases one by one.

Frameworks basically define what architecture the app will have. The original AngularJS implemented an architecture called Model View Controller or MVC. It means that the application is separated into three layers. The first model layer is responsible for the core logic of the app, its rules. The view layer is basically an interface, while the controller acts as a part accepting user inputs and sending responses back from the model.

The model and view layers are synchronized, meaning whatever is happening within the model layer is instantly displayed on view and vice versa. And this spares developers the bother of writing code for that exact purpose. 

Dependencies, as their name suggests, are responsible for maintaining relations between different pieces of code. As any experienced developer knows, each object in the code needs to construct a dependent object. Therefore, every time there is the need to incorporate any changes to the existing dependency, you have to change the object, as well. That’s where AngularDS comes in and saves the day. The point is AngularJS doesn’t attach dependencies to objects. Instead, it attaches injectors to objects and makes sure they link with dependencies. This enables developers to reuse code and quickly copy dependencies when creating unit tests.

Directives are the most used part of the framework in question, and for good reason. They act as extensions to HTML and take the role of markers on a DOM element. That way, they can dictate AngularJS what behavior to attach to a particular element. Thus, directives enable HTML to create dynamic content.

So, all of this established AngularJS is a perfect tool for crafting single-page applications with multiple elements to interact with. This has gone a long way towards helping engineers solve lots of problems that used to slow down the development process. But this is not the only reason why you should set your sight on AngularJS for your next project. Check out other benefits of using AngularJS.

More Benefits

We have already briefly mentioned some pros of AngularJS. As you already know, this framework comes in handy when there is a need for a robust single-page solution. What’s more, developing apps with AngularJS allows saving time and thus reducing development costs. No wonder, lots of people that cannot afford to spend a bundle on sophisticated full-blown solutions opt exactly for Angular JS. Hire Angular developers to build a secure, scalable, and reliable web app.

An angular development company will use the most recent Angular developer tools and skill sets and create front ends that are extremely scalable, interactive, and dynamic. Another reason why AngularJS can be your best fit is massive Google support. As you know, the Big ‘G’ currently takes care to pack its creation with the most advanced features that can be subsequently utilized by developers for creating clean, high-quality code for their apps. 

In contrast to other frameworks that require additional tools like plug-ins for launching the app building process, AngularJS comes as an out-of-the-box solution you can use from the get-go. 

AngularJS is one of the most popular frameworks among those who desire to create a visually appealing, easily navigable, and fast business application. With AngularJS your online store or business app will have the look and feel of a full-fledged native app but with less coding and for less money. So, don’t you think AngularJS can be the best fit for your project?

6 Ways To Perfectly Secure Yourself Online

Posted on by Charlene Brown
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Online security is no joke. More and more of our data is being stolen, bought, then sold by hackers and big corporations alike. In this day and age, data about us is even more valuable than the products we are purchasing, as it allows companies to learn about their target market. 

Online vulnerabilities also mean that your credit card information, address, family names, and more are sometimes leaked to hackers. This is dangerous, as identity theft becomes more common online, leading to loss of finance and other nasty things. With all that in mind, below we have six tips for helping you stay secure online. 

1. Use A VPN

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are handy little tools for keeping yourself secure online. In fact, it’s the first thing that Josh, an online security blogger over at All Things Secured recommends. He says that “After using a VPN for the last decade to access the internet, I can safely say it’s one of the key tools needed to protect your identity online.” VPNs create a secure connection – which could be anywhere else in the world – to mask your actual IP address, location, and web traffic. This means that many experienced hackers won’t even be able to tell where you are logging on to the net from, or what you are looking at. This is, therefore, such a great way of protecting your data.

2. Password Managers

One of the biggest issues with personal security online is the use of simple, repeated passwords. Using a maiden name, a row of numbers, or a simple word from your life is simply not secure enough. Instead, we are recommended to use combinations of letters, numbers, and special characters. 

Many secure passwords look something like “xpV9s-4jKwW-2azxp-9l2L5”. This is obviously super hard to remember. However, with a password manager app, you can store all these complicated passwords behind either a face ID, thumbprint, or another special password only you know. This means your passwords are secure and you can never forget them. The app can also track any data breaches your password may have been exposed to.

3. Double-Blind Password Storage

To take this to the next level, you could even use double-blind storage. By this, we mean that you don’t even store the full password in your password manager app. You always replace the last few characters with a special code only you know. In the example from above, the last few keys recorded would be “-9l” leaving the “2L5” in one place only: your brain. This works if you change all passwords to end with the same special key, so even your app doesn’t have full records of your passwords.

4. Use Two-Factor Authentication

A two-factor authentication is a clever tool where you will need to prove your identity on two devices before being allowed to log onto an app or into an account. This works by linking devices such as tablets, laptops, and phones to one account. Then, if you try to log in somewhere new, a message will pop up saying that you need to validate this login attempt on one of your other devices. The system will then either provide you with a code to enter, a call to verify, or simply a yes/no button to push on your other device, validating that it is you and you trust this login attempt.

5. Identity Monitoring

There are also apps that can help track your identity. Again, these apps themselves are hyper-secured, so there’s little-to-no risk of data breaches here. These apps will track the internet for traces of your personal data being used in any fraudulent or malicious way, alerting you if they find such activity. This means any breaches or sales of your personal data can be caught and hopefully stopped in their tracks.

6. Secure Email

Believe it or not, many of our favorite and most-used email providers have suffered security breaches. In 2019, for example, it was discovered that 770 million email addresses and passwords had been exposed –crazy numbers! So, how do you know if your email is secure? Well, you just have to find out! Different email companies have different encryption and security standards. These can differ quite wildly. But, for most users, any of the main email account companies, such as Gmail, will be secure enough if you take advantage of their advanced protection settings.

These are our top six tips for staying secure online, all of which can be worked on from today. There is no need to delay in getting started on these, as your personal data is very important and valuable. Get secure online ASAP.

Why is Finding a Job in Data Science so Hard?

Posted on by Carol Trehearn
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It’s common knowledge that data scientists are high in demand. The profession offers high-income potential and job flexibility and satisfaction – meaning not only are data scientists in high demand, but it’s also an appealing job prospect for many people.

Those who have decided to pursue a career in data science have probably found themselves in a state of disappointment.

While all job hunting is tedious and often difficult – what with constant cover letter writing and endless interviews only to never heard from the company again – it seems particularly difficult for data scientists.

So why is finding a job in data science so hard?

Even though you use a job search site to find opportunities, it seems had to get a response. There are several reasons why you might be struggling to find a job in this – what’s supposed to – high-demand profession. Below are just a few:

Companies don’t know what they need

When it comes to recruitment agencies, as data science is such a new role, most staff aren’t quite sure what they’re supposed to be looking for. Similarly, companies that think they need data analysis aren’t particularly sure what they need and what they should be advertising for.

It can be difficult to know what types of skills the best candidate will have with any new role. Most HR teams or hiring managers aren’t entirely sure what a data scientist is, and what their day-to-day role will look like.

With this in mind, it might be a case of searching for different terms on job sites. Data science jobs may be listed under other roles, so it’s always worth broadening your job search to look at each job in more depth to understand whether it’s right for you.

The interview process is missing the mark

Just like how the recruitment process isn’t clear, the interview process can also miss the mark. Without knowing the proper skill set a data scientist needs, the interviewer can neglect to ask the right questions to find out whether candidates have the right abilities needed for the job.

This can be unfair to the candidates who have more specialized qualifications.  So, if you’re struggling to nail the interview process for a job you know you could do well, it could be a case of ‘it’s not you, it’s them…’

The struggle to calculate ROI

When it comes to hiring new staff, it’s all about what the company can afford and how beneficial the new employee will be. As such, companies will be required to calculate the ROI (return on investment).

As with any job, the hiring and training process costs a lot. And the value of a data scientist isn’t immediately provided once they start the job. As such, it can be difficult for businesses to calculate ROI for hiring a data scientist, and as a lot of businesses are impatient, this can significantly impact whether they are open to hiring someone in the first place.

Practical vs. Academic knowledge

While the previous three reasons finding a job is so hard aren’t directly related to you as a candidate, that’s not to say you couldn’t also be the thing that’s stopping you.

Those that have dedicated their time to academics can often lack the practical knowledge required for the working environment.

While the basics will generally stay the same, the world of data science is constantly evolving. There’ll be new findings and different algorithms, meaning a career in data science will require you to update your skills and knowledge constantly.

To set yourself up for success, you might want to consider taking an online Masters in Applied Statistics so that you can understand more about how to apply your academic skills to the practical world. Being able to adapt to different events and showing the hiring team your practical skills for problem-solving could make the difference and gain you your dream job.

You’re struggling to sell yourself

As with any job search, it’s all about how you market yourself to prospective employers. Despite having all the right experience and qualifications, the perfect candidate often slips through the gaps – leaving them feeling like they’re missing something or did something wrong during the interview.

More often than not, highly qualified, and skilled applicants lack the confidence to sell themselves. And sadly, the interview process is all about marketing your talents.

Before heading to your next interview, consider working on your confidence or prepare answers that prove you know your stuff and you’re not afraid to flaunt it. Check out these interview tips for help, too!

Final Thoughts

So, as we all know, finding a job is never easy. It can be nerve-wracking, tiring, and long. Let’s also not forget about the emotional drain it can have: With every rejection letter or for every business that completely ignores your application, your confidence can take a hit. Are you really good enough for this job? Should you be applying for roles at a lower pay grade? All of this doubt can make the process even more upsetting and unenjoyable.

However, it’s worth remembering – especially when it comes to jobs in data science – that you’re not always the issue. You might have all the skills and experience you know you need, but the recruitment agencies don’t know what they’re looking for. Similarly, companies might not understand the need for data science and quickly become impatient when they don’t see a significant ROI quickly. This all makes finding a job more difficult.

So, if you’re struggling to find a job right now, don’t lose hope. Take this time to focus on building your own portfolio and finding opportunities to develop practical skills. You can also take time to work on selling yourself and refining your interviewing skills. 

Lastly, you can also try to market yourself and create your own dream job. While some companies don’t realize they need data science, this means there’s the chance to create the job from scratch. All you have to do is believe in yourself and find a way to prove how valuable you will be.

Good luck!

Download Facebook Content and Upgrade your Business

Posted on by Ann Anda
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With around 2.5 billion users, a third of the world’s population, Facebook is by far the most popular social network nowadays. It is a powerful place of opportunities for marketing company development that has made it a real mainstream platform. It’s hard not to find accounts of companies/business people/famous influencers on FB, as it is their hotspot for finding potential customers and the place where the sales funnel is at its peak.

A vast amount of constantly updated content is another reason for users’ active engagement of all ages. Media content, which is one of the most important business content types on FB, has a huge role to play. It is one of the best ways to demonstrate to a target audience what makes your business different, give them something new and valuable, and build a profitable relationship for both parties. FB is full of media content, which in most cases is a storehouse of new knowledge. 

Because of a huge amount of content, it is sometimes worth keeping it off Facebook to maximize the benefits of viewing it. This way, you can study it in detail and conclude in favor of developing your new marketing strategy. 

There are more reasons below that prove why it is advisable to download Facebook video or image content and how it can enhance your business strategy. 

The article includes examples of savers for you to search FB downloaders that will be most handy for you to benefit from social media content.

How to benefit from downloaded content

1. Examine the competitor’s content more profoundly

One of the keys to a prosperous marketing campaign is to analyze the content of a worthy competitor. Thus, you can improve your campaign and develop the right content strategy for your account. A competitor’s informative video can provide you with new business and marketing info, which is also essential for your professional growth.

2. Keep informative content in a safe place

The social network is very flexible, and it’s easy to lose good content. That’s why it’s sometimes a good idea to store helpful content in a trusted gadget folder so that it’s always available when you need to refresh your knowledge.

3. Save UGC to share it on other networks

A business can be considered the most successful if it is not only developed on the FB platform but also has its audience on Instagram, Twitter, etc. Sharing your UGC or other one helps you build trust with your customers, making your business more discoverable and visible.

4. Access stored info anytime and anywhere

The stored content allows you to use it offline — spend your time without the Internet to your advantage. 

How to download content with two advanced ways 

Web-based savers

Online downloaders are handy because they download content quickly and do not require installation. It can be a FB/Insta/Twitter video downloader, etc. To use online savers, you should only connect to the Internet, load a downloader page and insert a video address to download it on a device.

Concerning FB media content uploaders, you may explore some online savers and search FB downloaders you prefer more: FB down, Getfvid, Downvids, Savefrom, Keepvid, Keepoffline. All of them save videos online via video address insertion.

Mobile apps

Apps for video saving are more suitable for constant downloads to iPhone or Android. They need to be installed, and some of them require signing in — for example, the Fastvid app for Android or MyMedia for iPhone. 

The first one operates in much the same way as web-based savers; the second one is not a direct downloader, but it uses other services to save content to a gallery.

NB: a screen recording function is also available, but the video quality will be poor, and it is unlikely to be convenient for frequent viewing.

Conclusion

One important thing to remember when downloading content: if you share stored content on the Internet, always link or tag the content author, or you will be breaking copyright law. Also, using the downloaded video for profit is prohibited.

6 Ways to Download YouTube Videos

Posted on by Angie Tane
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As the world’s largest video site, YouTube has become the source of popular videos on various social platforms. It is a comprehensive video-sharing website with many professional and interesting videos on it, and many users upload original videos with very high quality.

For work or entertainment purposes, you may have a need to download videos from YouTube. Although it is not possible to use the Chrome extension to download YouTube videos, there are many other methods to make it. Here are 6 useful methods to download YouTube videos for free. Let’s read through this article now.

How to Download YouTube Videos on PC/Mac

To download YouTube videos on Windows or Mac in a safe and stable way, VideoProc is exactly what you need. It’s an impressive video editor that also supports downloading YouTube videos to computer, editing video clips, recording computer screen and webcam, and converting videos in all formats.  

To download YouTube videos on PC or Mac easily, you just need to copy the YouTube video link and paste it here and then it will download YouTube videos to your local disk within minutes. Let’s check some features of VideoProc below:

  • Free and Safe: It’s free to download YouTube videos and all your files will be safe and secure cause VideoProc will never keep your data.
  • Easy to Use: It offers safe encryption technology and intuitive interface to let you finish downloading YouTube videos within steps.
  • Undisturbed: No ads and it’s light-weight without bundle software.
  • GPU Accelerating: It makes it super fast to download YouTube Videos.
  • Editing Features: After downloading YouTube videos to computer, you can edit your YouTube videos like trimming, splitting, adding watermark, merging and more. If the downloaded video contains the watermark or channel logo you do not want to see, you may use SoftOrbits Watermark Remover software that can remove watermark from the video or photo easily. Watermark Remover has a batch mode that can process multiple downloaded videos in one go.

Step 1: Free download and install VideoProc to your computer and run it. Click Downloader icon in the main screen.

Step 2: Click + Add Video and paste the YouTube video link here. Click Analyze to continue. You can also add the address of a YouTube Channel or a playlist.

Step 3: Hit Download Now button to download YouTube videos now. You can also set the export format and resolution before downloading YouTube videos.

Download YouTube Videos Online

1. YT1S YouTube Downloader

YT1S YouTube Downloader is an online free YouTube downloader to help users download videos from YouTube for free. It’s 100% safe and clean, and you can download as YouTube videos as much as you can without limitation. Check some features below:

  • Full file format supported: You can easily convert YouTube videos to MP4, WMA, MP3, 3GP, M4A, FLV, WEBM and MO formats, etc.
  • Full platforms supported: You can download YouTube videos on Windows, Mac or Linux, Android, iPhone.
  • Cloud support: It supports uploading the downloaded YouTube videos to your Dropbox and Google Drive.

2. Y2mate YouTube Downloader

Y2mate is one of the most convenient YouTube downloaders that allows you to download YouTube videos online in high quality. No matter you want to watch a YouTube video offline on a train, on a airplane or outdoor sports. Here are some highlights of it:

  • Fast and simple: Without any registration, it can download YouTube videos to your device in a fast way.
  • All file formats: YouTube can be downloaded to MP3, 3GP, MP4, WMA, M4A, FLV, WEBM, and MO formats, etc.
  • No limitations: You can download videos using the service an unlimited number of times.

3. SaveFrom YouTube Downloader

SaveFrom is also an easy and fast downloader to save YouTube videos online for free, and it also supports downloading video from Facebook, SoundCloud, TikTok, Instagram, Vimeo and more sites. Check some features below:

  • Free and fast: It only takes a few clicks to download YouTube videos to your computer and it’s completely free.
  • All formats supported: You are allowed to download YouTube videos in MP3, MP4, WEBM, 3GP and more formats.
  • All browsers supported: It works well in Chrome, Firefox, or any other browser.

4. X2Convert YouTube Downloader

X2convert is another useful online YouTube video downloader that has helped many users download videos from YouTube and other websites. You can copy the link of the YouTube video you want to download to this tool and choose the resolution and video formats you want. Here are some main features of this tool:

  • High-speed: It only takes several seconds to analyze your YouTube video link and you can download your YouTube videos in a while.
  • Video and audio: You can download YouTube videos as well as audio to your computer for free with all formats like MP3, MP4, etc.
  • Free and simple: You can download YouTube videos for free without any software downloading or installing.

5. FreeYouTubeDownloader

FreeYouTubeDownloader is a free online YouTube downloading service that can help users download all types of YouTube videos for free. From 1080p, Full HD to 320*240, aac, amr, mp3, mp4, etc. all resolutions and formats YouTube contains we can extract them for you. It has some highlights as well:

  • Free, free, and free: It’s still a free online YouTube downloader and you don’t need to download or install any application to your computer.
  • No ads at all: Unlike other online video downloading tools, FreeYouTubeDownloader does not contain any ads.
  • All quality and formats: It allows users to download YouTube videos in all formats like MP4, WEBM and all resolutions like 1080P, 720P, 480P, and more.

Guide to Big Data and Privacy – How to Ensure You Are Protected

Posted on by Dean Chester
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Have you ever just thought of buying a new couch, for example, and suddenly started seeing furniture ads on Facebook, Instagram, everywhere you went online? 

Or perhaps you started a conversation with your friend about your new fitness regime and then suddenly got bombarded with health and fitness sponsored posts on every social media platform? 

While it’s easy to assume that that’s simply your devices listening in on you, that’s not (always) the case. Most commonly, advertisers use the data they have about you to present you with the most relevant products/services you’re most likely to get. 

Your personal data that’s readily available online and that can easily be gathered and analyzed through any data scraping API can be used to determine who you are and to predict your online behavior. 

But that’s not all. Let’s take a closer look at the world of Big Data and see what you can do to take your online privacy up a notch. 

Big Data and Privacy Concerns 

You’ve likely come across the term “Big Data” by now, but do you know what it means? Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about Big Data, and not everyone is aware of just how impactful it can be. So if you want to know more about big data, it’s big impact to the technology and the world of businesses, industries and health you can definitely get help from Mezmo.

First and foremost, it’s critical to understand that virtually everyone collects your data, which is just a tiny fragment of Big Data, and that’s not always a bad thing. 

The Impact of Big Data 

You wouldn’t have such a great, personalized experience on e-commerce sites like Shopify or Amazon without Big Data. 

If your favorite local business didn’t build an online community and collect your data, you wouldn’t receive such relevant discounts and offers as you likely do.  

Every single type of business needs data to perform even the simplest of daily tasks. Sales data, consumer data, and more are critical for optimizing processes and pricing, developing better marketing strategies, and delivering a more immersive experience to the customer – to you. 

And you often willingly allow businesses to collect, analyze, and process your data without a second thought. 

Willingness to Share Data 

Over 90% of consumers would share behavioral data to receive benefits like cheaper or simply easier shopping experience. You willingly share your data with “free” social media platforms; you accept tracking cookies and terms of use without even scanning them to learn what they’re about. 

Even if you don’t care about your online anonymity and think that you’ve got nothing to hide, it’s still crucial that you understand that your data is potentially putting you at risk. 

Data breaches, for example, have become larger in number and impact, and a single breach could expose your financial records, medical records, personal online accounts, physical location, and more. 

And it doesn’t even have to be a breach in a company that you interact with directly. 

More and more businesses rely on data scraping API to understand their target market or build their email list. 

They collect your information that’s freely available on the internet. If they have a breach, it’s your information that will be leaked, even if you’ve never heard of the company before, let alone done business with it. 

Steps to Ensure Your Privacy 

While everyone’s always trying to collect your private data, whether it’s a valid or invalid reason, it doesn’t mean that you have no way of protecting yourself. 

Ensuring your privacy is neither a complicated nor an expensive process. A few preemptive steps can help you keep your private data private. 

Forget About Incognito/Private Mode

Many people are under the wrong impression that their browsers’ incognito or private mode keeps them anonymous online and secures their data. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. 

Incognito mode provides only a false sense of security, and you should avoid it if you want to protect your data. 

Even in incognito mode, sites can still collect your data, monitor your online behavior, see your IP address, and identify you. Even your ISP still knows what you’re doing online. 

Incognito mode is only useful if you don’t want others who have access to your device to see your browsing history. After every session, incognito mode deletes your cookies and history and logs you out of your accounts. That’s it. 

So, only use it if you don’t want your household members to know what you do online. Don’t use it if you want to be anonymous online; it doesn’t work. 

Install Secure Browsers 

Believe it or not, your browser might be your biggest privacy concern. Google and Google Chrome are notorious for collecting every possible piece of information about you. 

And while that can be useful and bring unprecedented browsing convenience, it’s a nightmare if you’re concerned about your privacy. 

Firefox has much better privacy settings than Chrome, but if you want to stay anonymous, it might be in your best interest to use secure browsers like Tor. 

Always Use a VPN

If you want to take your privacy and security up a notch, you’ll need to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network). It allows you to browse the internet cloaked in anonymity, even hiding your activity from your Internet Service provider. 

A VPN works by creating a secure, private, almost impenetrable “tunnel” between your device and the network, so you can safely use even public Wi-Fi without privacy concerns. 

It scrambles your IP and provides you with a fake new one, allowing you to browse the internet without a worry. More importantly, it encrypts all your data, so even if your connection’s intercepted, your data will remain unreadable. 

However, not all VPNs are made the same, and some can be more harmful than beneficial. Take a look at Cooltechzone VPN reviews to find an effective VPN that meets your needs and ensures your privacy. 

Update Your Software 

A simple yet easily neglected step in ensuring your privacy is updating your software. It’s more important than you may think. 

Software updates are rarely about introducing new features or bringing more functionality. In most cases, they contain important bug fixes and security patches that can help keep you safe. 

If you’re using an outdated piece of software with known security flaws, you’re exposing yourself to immense risk and data breaches. 

So, stop ignoring software updates on both your PC and your phone. 

Additionally, you might want to revise program and app permissions across your devices. Some programs on your PC and apps on your smartphone collect more information than they need to operate normally, so you should try and tighten up your permissions. 

Final Thoughts 

Unfortunately, achieving complete anonymity online is virtually impossible, but there are many steps you can take to regain some privacy and keep your data safe. 

VPNs, software updates, and secure browsers are just some of the things you should rely on if you want to keep your private data private.

The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Statistics

Posted on by Team Invideo
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The popularity of YouTube has seen a steady rise in recent years. Today, it is the second most popular search engine after Google. Among the video search engines, it is undoubtedly the best and the most popular one. Any individual or brand that wants to establish an online video presence is aware of the importance of YouTube in the world of video.

A look at YouTube statistics would show that in 2020, more than 2 billion users watched YouTube videos every month. On an average day, more than 5 billion YouTube videos were consumed. These figures res-establish the importance of YouTube. If you are a brand looking to leverage the power of YouTube in your video marketing initiatives, you need to be aware of the scope of the medium. To do justice to that, you need to have a look at some relevant statistical figures.

Site Visits

YouTube is the most visited website in the world. In the United States, it is the second most visited website. 90% of the digital consumers of the US are regular users of the platform. On a global scale, the platform has 30 million active users who visit YouTube daily. The monthly active users’ figures stand at 2 billion.

Thus, as a brand selling any product or service, you need to understand that there are high chances for your users are active on YouTube. If you can establish your presence on this platform, it will be easier for you to grab their attention and convince them of the effectiveness of your business offering.

YouTube Channel

To reach out to your target group in a professional manner, you need to create a brand channel. As of today, there are more than 38 million active channels on YouTube. Out of those, 22,000 channels have more than a million subscribers each.

You need to be on your toes and develop high-quality content if you want to stand apart from the other 15 million content creators of YouTube. Luckily for you, only 9% of small, independent businesses have a dedicated YouTube channel. It means that by establishing a YouTube presence, you will be giving your brand a head start in the competitive business world.

The ‘Baby Shark Dance’ video by Pinkfong is the most viewed YouTube video and has more than 7.8 million views.  BTS, a major K-Pop Band, has an average of 16 million global searches every month. To break it down, this means six searches every second. Thus, if you can create content that engages and connects with your audience, the sky is the limit in the world of YouTube.

YouTube Usage

Over 9000 network broadcasters, recording studios, and others have a content-id in YouTube, and their presence makes YouTube the most popular video-sharing platform across the world. The diversity of YouTube is unquestionable, and today, the platform is available in more than 80 global languages.

Such is the popularity of YouTube that millennials across the globe consider YouTube as the second most preferred video content platform. For them, Netflix remains the most popular platform. The role of YouTube as an entertainment platform can be ascertained from the fact that 20% of the top 100 YouTube searches are related to entertainment and music.

 Thus, if you can create content that is enjoyable to watch, there are high chances of it being shared. With the US, India, and Japan being the top three countries that use the platform, you have a high chance of being viral in the platform if your content caters to people from these regions.

Other than ‘for entertainment’, people also watch YouTube ‘to relax’. Thus, if you can come up with light-hearted content and work on its SEO optimization, the video will become popular on the platform. Optimization involves the use of keywords in the video description and title and adding closed captioning to the video.

Viewing Trends

A look at the viewer demographics of YouTube would reveal that 55% of its viewers are male while the remaining 45% are women. Thus, if your brand sells products or services that are targeted at a male audience, YouTube may be the ideal video marketing platform for you. It is also interesting to note that 70% of YouTube watches come from the platform’s recommendations.  In 2020, when the world was fighting its deadly battle against a global pandemic, 70% of people relied on YouTube to keep up with the live coverage of live events.

YouTube is immensely popular on mobile devices and more than 70% of video views come from mobile apps. Studies have established that mobile users are two times more likely to pay attention to what they are viewing as compared to television users.

The best part about recent mobile trends is that 7 out of 10 people place their devices in horizontal mode while playing a video on their phone. This makes it easier for influencers and brands as they no longer have to create videos that are dedicated to mobile users. Thus, if you can optimize your video for mobile viewing, there is a significantly higher chance of it being popular.

Marketing Trends

While talking about the amazing YouTube statistics, you cannot ignore its role in the world of marketing. As of today, YouTube ranks as the second most preferred platform for marketing professionals to post their video content. While Facebook is the most preferred medium, the fact is 50% of content creators invest in creating exclusive YouTube content.

Even in situations where YouTube is not the only video marketing platform they resort to, 71% of B2B marketing professionals have video as a part of their assorted marketing strategy. The popularity of YouTube as a marketing medium can be ascertained from the fact that 40% of shoppers have purchased items based on their YouTube discoveries. Thus, if a brand can present its products well, there are high chances of convincing potential customers into a purchase. The fact that YouTube viewers are 50% less likely to skip advertisements further ascertains this fact. With the average YouTube watch time standing at 17 minutes 31 seconds, brands have ample opportunity to showcase their business offerings.

The above figures are a testimony of YouTube as a video-sharing platform. The more time that you spend on the platform, the clearer picture you will have on how to leverage that for your business growth.  Irrespective of the nature of your business or the type of video that you are creating, YouTube will give a high ROI for the efforts that you put in. It is worth the effort to channelize your video marketing efforts in the right direction and make the most of the potential of YouTube.