Articles from September 2018

3 Factors that Affect the Engagement of Marketing Videos

When you create and publish marketing videos, one of the most important metrics that will let you gauge their performance is engagement. As a measure of the impact that videos have on viewers, engagement is the perfect way to determine how your marketing videos are performing.

In order to improve your marketing videos and make them more engaging, it also helps to understand the factors that affect video engagement. At first that may not seem easy, but there are a few common factors that you should look at in particular:

  • Video duration

The duration of the video can directly affect its ability to retain viewers – and as such plays a big part in its engagement. As a general rule longer videos will lose viewers over time, while shorter videos are more likely to have a higher completion rate.

Several factors affect the optimal video duration for video engagement, such as the type of video, viewer demographic, platform it is published on, and more. Still if you want to increase engagement, a good start is to create shorter videos.

  • Emotional reaction

The most engaging videos share one factor in common: They provoke a strong emotional reaction when viewers watch them. The exact nature of the emotion is secondary to its intensity as far as engagement is concerned, but funny, inspirational, or surprising videos have a particular propensity for engaging viewers.

Using emotions in marketing videos can be tricky, but considering how important it is to video engagement – you should try to focus on it.

  • Visuals

Compared to other types of content, videos tend to have higher engagement rates – and that is mostly because they are able to leverage visuals in a manner that no other medium can. By delivering information visually, videos make it more likely to attract the attention of viewers while at the same time making it easier to absorb.

It is because of this factor that the most common tip for creating engaging marketing videos is to ‘show, not tell’. That holds true in most cases, and you should always try to find ways that you can deliver the message of your videos using its visuals instead of relying on a voiceover or text.

See how each of these factors can affect the engagement of your videos and how you can use them to create more engaging marketing videos? At very least you should now understand the areas that you need to focus on.

Make no mistake other factors can play a role in video engagement as well, including the video quality. That is why it helps to have an editor you can use to tweak your videos and improve them if necessary, and for example you could use Movavi Video Editor.

All said and done creating engaging marketing videos is a lot easier once you understand the factors that play a part in their impact. As you start to apply the tips listed above, you should be able to see how much of a difference they make for yourself.

Pagers – They Aren’t Yet a Lost Technology

Remember back to the days before cell phones were around and the digital age of communication was really just blossoming, chances are you may remember the device of choice at that time which was a pager. This digital device gave people a way to stay mobile and yet be reachable to co-workers, friends, and family. The pager was a fairly small device that a person could clip to their belt or carry in a pocket. It allowed you to ‘page someone’ with your phone number so they would know to call you back, and vice versa.

Obviously with today’s smartphones that provide instant access to one another, this technology seems a bit archaic, but the fact is that pagers are still in use today. So, for a little fun let’s take a walk back in time and examine the history of pagers and how they are still being used today.

Almost 100 Year Old Technology

In reality the pager system technology is almost 100 years old, as the first system dates back to 1921. This system was used by Detroit PD and gave the department the ability to use radio equipment in its police vehicles. This completely changed the police force and how it was able to respond to emergencies.

From there the technology evolved significantly with the first telephone pager being developed in 1949. Patented by Al Gross, the device was put into use in the Jewish Hospital in New York City.

Pagers continued to change, offering more features and a better range; they also scaled down in size. The healthcare sector continued to be one of the top customers for the devices thanks to the fact it allowed instant communication, and it was quiet.

The 1980s were huge for pagers as this is when the alphanumeric display was brought into play. This gave people the ability to send and receive text messages. After that came the QWERTY keyboards in the 1990s on two-way pagers. People didn’t have to go to a phone to respond back, the devices could respond directly to one another.

Where Do Pagers Stand Today?

While most people have evolved with the times and now carry smartphones instead of a pager, that doesn’t mean they have disappeared from the landscape all together. In fact, many groups and sectors are still using them today.

The two biggest industries using the devices are the healthcare industry and the public safety industry. These were the two industries that started the whole trend in the beginning, so it’s interesting to note that they have kept it up and can find merit in these devices, even today.

These devices work especially well for people that need to be on-call. Unlike cell phones, their battery power is nothing short of impressive so it will last and last. Then there is the fact that they aren’t affected by high data traffic.

No Need to Count Them Out

So, when it comes to pagers, even though the original technology is old, thanks to the many changes they have gone through it seems they still play a very important part in a variety of jobs and industries.

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Movies That Have Been Implemented in Slot Machines

Online slots are known for their diverse themes. These themes are inspired by many things such as ancient cultures, fantasy, magic, movies, books, and animals. The most awe-inspiring of all are movie themes. Besides offering a familiar feel to the slot game, movie themes reinvent a movie classic into a game that is both gleeful and thrilling. Ovo Casino has a wide selection of movie-based slot games. You can take a casual gander to try some of the slots inspired by famous films using the Ovo Casino bonus. 

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How To Break Into the Ghostwriting Business

These days, it seems like everyone is making money online–not just as a side hustle anymore, but as an actual career. All an ecommerce guru has to do is contact drop shipping wholesalers, and they’ve started a new business. Creative types become famous on Instagram and make money by endorsing products, and blog about subjects they’re knowledgeable about, making a passive income with on-site ads. And lately, as a writer and lover of literature, you’ve been thinking of becoming a ghostwriter. Maybe you’ve worked as a content writer before, and want to work on longer writing projects. Or maybe it’s a way for you to learn about writing so that one day you can write a novel of your own, or you think it’s a business you could run well.

Whatever your reasons for becoming a ghostwriter, it’s a challenging industry to break into–but once you have, you can make quite a lot of money. Here’s how to make it happen.

Get tons of writing experience

Like with any writing-heavy job, it’s extremely important to have lots of writing under your belt already. Remember, if you’re going to be working for a client who wants a huge bulk of text completed in a small amount of time, they need to know you’re capable of doing it. So on your website (which we’ll get to in a second), show off the stuff you’ve written in the past. Post blog posts often, about the subjects you’re interested in writing about. (Are you interested in writing YA literature, or memoirs “by” rock stars?) If you can, write for a couple of companies as a content writer, too–and get writing-related certifications to show that you know your stuff.

Additionally, get experience directly related to ghostwriting. Write your own book and publish it yourself, and make it available for free to interested clients. Think of this project not as your Great American Novel (otherwise you’ll never finish it!), and instead as a way to show off your skills. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it has to be structured and complete. Using a guide like this one will help you create an outline that’s easy to follow, with the additional benefit of being a lot like the work of a ghostwriter, who’s given some material to work with beforehand.

Considering that many ghostwriters start their pricing at $5,000 for a full-length book, getting the right preparation can be great for your writing career.

Market yourself online

Once you’ve got experience that will get you taken seriously by clients, it’s time to show that off somewhere. The best place to do that is your website. Take a look at other ghostwriters’ websites to see what aesthetic works best. Choose a writing niche that you think you’d be good at, too, and enjoy writing about. Memoirs, murder mysteries, bilingual children’s books–see what the leaders in your field are doing and create a similar website. Make sure it’s optimized for mobile, and if you aren’t a designer and can’t hire one, use a site like Wix or Weebly to get the job done.

Whatever you do, remember to include a blog post section. This will allow you to not only show off your writing skills (and that you can write a lot every day), but it will also get more people visiting your site. Anytime anyone Googles something related to what you write about, they’ll end up at your website. An aspiring writer might look up “how to structure your mystery novel, red herrings and all,” stumble upon your page, and decide that instead of writing their idea they’d like you to do it for them.

Last but not least, be active on social media. A blog isn’t going to cut it anymore; if you want people to notice you, you need to be posting regularly on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. In June 2018, Instagram hit 1 billion monthly users, up from 800 million in September of the same year–so you can see why social media can be so effective.

Make the right connections

Finally, it’s smart to make connections in the industry. If you’re lucky, you can get some work through a ghostwriting agency or find a new client. According to The Balance, “Freelance website FreelanceSuccess.com is a good start, as is the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), where experienced writers congregate, or the Association of Ghostwriters (AOG), which is specifically for the anonymous-minded help keep you in the know about developments in the marketplace.”

According to Tucker Max, clients looking for quality ghostwriting should be paying around $40,000 a book. That means that, once you’ve got the right experience and connections, you can start making a great living.

These are some of the best ways to break into the ghostwriting industry. What other strategies do you think would work?

Signs of Luck in the Casino

For an ordinary mathematician, calculating the probability of random events such as winning real money in any casino is boundless. It is also a common fact that gamblers are one of the most superstitious groups in the universe. Most of them hold to the fact that any win is attributed to fate and not sheer coincidence. However, it is their misbelief that causes their own downfall, making them the average Joe who never has any fighting chance at any game. 

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Legality of Online Gambling Around the World

Online gambling has become a growing trend for a few years. There are many methods for transactions on casino websites, including Bitcoins, e-wallets, and many such options. There is even a PayPal casinos list in UK that focuses explicitly on the websites accepting transaction through PayPal. These casinos also follow specific rules required by the legal authorities. There are different laws for different jurisdictions regarding online gambling.

North America

 Each country in North America has its own set of rules and requirements regarding gaming websites. Only the US does not have any particular set of rules regarding whether gambling should be banned from the country or not. Canada and Mexico have established the legislative base for this activity.

While different countries have different rules for casino websites, it is a bit confusing as to whether a person is allowed to take part in playing the casino online or not. While the legislative base in Canada is flexible regarding casino services, it is still used differently by different jurisdictions in this area. The United States is considered the top market for online gaming and casino services in the world because of its flexible laws and the vast number of operators.

Europe

With so many countries having different approaches towards online casinos, Europe also has different rules and laws regarding this trend. While some countries strictly ban casino playing, others are ready to accept it. The jurisdictions that have allowed web-based casinos have a set of strict regulations to ensure the safety of the customers so that they won’t get tricked. The betting and games done are all legal and are followed according to the rules stated out by the government. The United Kingdom has legislative acts stating that overseas companies are not allowed for providing casino services. On the other hand, France which also has licensed online casinos enable foreign companies for web-based operations in their area. 

Australia

Australia has some strict rules regarding gambling. While live game betting and casino games are not accepted, people can still bet on traditional sports and take part in lottery games. The laws do allow overseas companies for offering such services to the residents of Australia. In New Zealand, overseas companies are permitted, and casino operators are considered legal, although the advertisement of such companies is stated as illegal. The government has some strict rules that are to be followed by all the companies offering services regarding gambling. If not followed, the government can take some severe actions against the companies and may even ban their license. 

Asia

The biggest continent in the world consisting of several countries, Asia has no unified legislative base for the countries. Many countries in Asia have some strict rules regarding gambling while others don’t have such rules.

Some Asian countries believe that casino playing should be banned. One can find that there are no casinos or online gambling in some of the countries in Asia, while some countries are on top of the list to play casinos. China is strictly against this activity, and the residents if found engaged in it are severely punished. While in India, the laws for gambling are flexible and are used in several ways for the customers. In the Philippines, there are some strict laws regarding gambling which is followed by the residents there. 

Africa

Africa is home to several religions and people. While the Islamic laws in Sudan strictly avoid casinos in the region, people who are caught in betting and even card games are punished. Morocco, which was influenced by French colony, follows the French culture of lottery and gambling. Kenya also has a lot of casinos, and this activity is considered to be a light sport. In metropolitan cities, it is considered as a game for relaxing the mind. There are flexible laws for casinos and their customers.

Different jurisdictions in different continents have a variety of laws for online casino services. Though people might have a different perspective of casino playing as an activity, legal authorities are there to allow the residents for online gambling or prohibit this activity. Due to certain religious beliefs in some areas, casinos are banned while in other countries it is banned due to security reasons. There may be some specific flexible laws for online casinos to be operated by local companies and strict rules stating not to allow overseas companies for this market. Online casino playing, when practiced in a country, should be done following the laws of the country made for the online gambling.