1.  Show customer reviews on your website

Good customer reviews are a big part of building trust. Trust, in turn, ensures customers buy with little resistance. Think of reviews like recommendations – the more you get, the better your reputation is. Review management software is an easy way to manage your reviews, helping you build a good reputation and showing your prospective customers that you’re to be trusted. Take the time to learn more about review management software if you want to make collecting reviews easier.

2.  Keep it simple

The most important thing to keep in mind when improving website conversions is to keep it simple. Don’t use large blocks of text when a few sentences will do. Label buttons clearly so that people know where they take them, make sure all important pages are accessible from the main navigation, and make sure everything is where the user expects it to be. Web designers can get very creative when designing a website, but creativity doesn’t always result in the best usability. If people have to search to find what they’re looking for, there’s a good chance they’ll leave or go to a competitor’s website to buy.

3.  Make sure everything important is above the fold

When you first open a webpage, everything you see without scrolling is ‘above the fold’ while everything you have to scroll down for is ‘below the fold’. Your contact information and a call-to-action should always be above the fold, to ensure people can see it straight away. The easier it is for visitors to take the action you want them to take – whether that’s ordering a product or giving you a call – the better a page will convert.

4.  Use a call-to-action

A call-to-action clearly shows visitors what they should do next. It makes sure they never spend a second longer than necessary without knowing what to do to complete the action you want them to take. This action can be something as simple as sending you an email or registering for a competition, but could also be to call you, or to buy a product on your website.

5.   Keep an eye on the size of your buttons

People don’t read as well on screens as they do on paper. Website visitors scan pages instead of reading, according to research by NN Group, which means white space, images and large headings are preferred. Buttons should also be made a little bigger than usual, since this helps them to stand out. If you look at the websites of a few large companies, you’ll soon find that most of them have text and buttons which are surprisingly large. This is because this has shown to improve various website metrics time and time again.

6.  Make everything 10% easier

If you can cut a page out in the ordering process or simplify an answer to a question on your blog, it’s usually worth doing. The less effort your visitor has to put into getting the information they need, the better your website will convert. Take some time to look through each page and think about how you can make it easier for your visitors. If you make all actions on your website 10% simpler, this will lead to large returns!

7.   Optimise your website for mobile

Optimising for mobile should be a top priority for every website. The majority of people use their mobile phone to surf the web, so having a website that doesn’t work well on mobile is almost certainly harming your conversion rates. Also, it’s well-known that search engines – Google, in particular – now rank websites on the quality of their mobile version, rather than their desktop website.

Make sure your website is not only fast enough to be viewed on mobile, but also that buttons and fonts are large enough to be read easily. Always double check on a variety of different screens, because what works on one device won’t necessarily work on another.

Improving website conversions can have a significant impact on your bottom line. By improving conversions, you ensure that your marketing spend isn’t being wasted when potential customers are taken to your site. However, you must test all the changes you make to see if they’ve had an effect. Be sure to make changes one-by-one and measure what the results are. If you go ahead and make changes without measuring, some of the changes may be detrimental without you being aware. You can use free software like Google Analytics to track the impact of your changes on your key user metrics such as conversion rate, bounce rate and pages per session.

The post 7 tips for improving website conversions appeared first on Mozbot.co.uk.

During lockdown, we have experienced what scientists are now calling an “anthropause”, meaning the temporary slowdown in human activity across the globe — to the overwhelming benefit of other species. Let’s take a close look at what impact this pause has had and how we can maintain environmental efforts after lockdown has been lifted.

The impact of the anthropause

Every day we are edging closer and closer to a ‘new normal’. We’re seeing lockdown restrictions in the UK gradually lift, and many other countries such as Spain and Italy are reopening their borders and allowing businesses to get back up and running. We may still feel a long way from full normality, but we’re certainly seeing some big changes that will propel us towards our new day-to-day.

However, before we spring right back to ‘normal’, we should consider the changes we’ve gone through under lockdown, how these changes have altered our attitudes, and which of these new ways of thinking we’d like to hold on to. One thing is for sure — we’ve embraced ‘slow living’, a calmer way of life that benefits both the individual and the environment. The changes we’ve made during lockdown have had a transformative effect on the world around us, proving that striving for real environmental change is truly possible.

As countries from around the globe shut down their industries and began to restrict travel, we saw incredible environmental results. In Europe, we witnessed a clean-up in air pollution that has resulted in 11,000 fewer deaths; carbon dioxide emissions have fallen by 25 per cent in China, as well as around 10 per cent in New York; satellite images have documented the gradually fading away of air pollution, including a drastic decrease of nitrogen dioxide over Northern Italy. On top of this, we’ve seen inspiring pictures of the newly crystal-clear canals of Venice, and many instances of native wildlife returning to cities.

Of course, these huge environmental changes haven’t been down to conscious eco-friendly efforts as much as they’ve been a happy side effect to lockdown life. However, these miraculous occurrences have proven beyond doubt that we can change our ways to the benefit of the planet.

How can we keep up our effort for the environment?

With visible changes to our planet, come major changes to our attitudes. Consider the ways in which you could maintain this momentum and lead a more eco-friendly life. 

Cut out the commute

Although we will likely see many cars back on the roads after lockdown is fully lifted, cutting down on transport wherever possible is one of the best ways to stick to a greener lifestyle. After all, transport makes up a quarter of carbon emissions, which is one reason why we’ve seen such a massive dip since we’ve been largely confined to our houses.

With many offices now open to remote working as a permanent option, more people than ever will have the option to cut out the commute and reduce their daily carbon emissions.

Shop sustainably

Shopping sustainably is yet another way to minimise your carbon footprint and make a real change. Throughout lockdown, we’ve seen an increase in community spirit, with many people making the change to shop locally and support small businesses. As well as boosting local economies, shopping nearby will have a long-lasting positive impact on the environment, reducing air miles, and cutting costs.

As well as shopping within the community, consider shopping second-hand. To you, this might mean scouring charity shops or investing in antique jewellery. Either way, your newfound love for second-hand treasures will benefit the environment while also allowing you to find some unique and charming investment pieces.

Take a staycation

Finally, consider your holiday habits post-lockdown and give stepping onto your next long-haul flight some extra thought. Long-distance flights are one of the main culprits of air pollution and global warming, and we’ve seen the miraculous effect of cutting down on air traffic over the past few months. But just because you’re not jetting off abroad doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a holiday! Once it is safe to do so, plan a staycation and visit a corner of the country you’ve never had the opportunity to explore before. Even when lockdown is lifted, there will be plenty of ways that you can make a difference and ensure that carbon emissions stay as low as possible. We’ve seen that big changes are possible, so why not make some lockdown habits more long-term and strive for a happier and healthier planet.

The post Keeping Green After Lockdown: How Can We Help Our Planet? appeared first on Mozbot.co.uk.

Online Poker Not On GamStop: An Overview

While there are poker sites that you will come across that are a part of GamStop, there are many that are not. This means that there will not be as many restrictions on these non-GamStop sites. Like anything, will be pros and cons attached to using these types of poker sites.

Pros of Non-GamStop Poker Websites

There are several advantages associated with using a non-GamStop poker site. You will often have fewer restrictions in place as a whole. This goes for fewer verification checks and the ability to play games as you please and withdraw funds in a fast manner without having to jump through too many hoops.

The bonus offers and loyalty programs can also be a lot better as there are not as many restrictions on these offers. This makes it likelier that you are going to be able to cash out some of your bonus funds. 

Cons of Non-GamStop Poker Websites

The main con is that these sites are not a part of GamStop. Therefore, if someone has a problem with their gambling and is a part of the GamStop self-exclusion program, they will still be able to gamble by using non-GamStop sites. 

There may also be some non-GamStop poker sites that are not safe to use so you need to do some research to make sure you are going with a secure option.

Top Poker Game Variations

With online poker, you have plenty of choices when it comes to different types of games that you can play. While some will be more popular than others, you can always try something different from time to time. 

Naturally, Texas Hold’em is going to be the most popular online poker variant. This game will be familiar to people all across the world, with it being the standout game that the pros and casual players alike play.

Pot-Limit Omaha is probably next on the list in terms of popularity, especially in Europe. There is plenty of action as part of this game type. You will get four hole cards as part of this game and you can bet up to what is a part of the pot already.

Seven-Card Stud is a traditional type of poker that was previously the go-to option in the United States. While it has been bypassed since then, many people still enjoy playing it. There are no community cards and you need to make the best five-card hand out of the seven cards you have been left with.

Alternatives to Poker Games Without GamStop Self-Exclusion

If you are looking at non-GamStop poker sites, there will be plenty of options out there. You want to make sure that the site you are using is properly licensed by the likes of the Malta Gaming Authority.

You should also read expert reviews to make sure that withdrawals are quickly paid out and there is no issue with gameplay. Finally, you want to be sure that there is a sufficient player pool so you can always play your favorite games no matter what time of day it may be.

Non-GamStop Online Poker FAQs

When it comes to the topic of non-GamStop poker sites, there are some questions that tend to pop up again and again. Here are answers to some of these popular questions:

Does GamStop include poker?

Yes, there are certain poker sites that are a part of GamStop. This includes any poker site that holds a license from the UK Gambling Commission.

Is non-GamStop poker safe?

Once you do your research and make sure that you are using a safe and secure non-GamStop poker site, then everything will be fine. This means checking to see the track record of the site, their licenses, selection of payouts, and security protocols and technology.

Can I legally play there?

Yes, people in the UK are legally able to play at non-GamStop poker sites, they just won’t be licensed by the UK Gambling Commission and you will not have the same level of consumer protection.

What is the best poker site not on GamStop?

Many great poker sites are not a part of GamStop. The best platform will depend on your specific needs, such as favorite game types, bonus offers, payment options, and design.

The post Poker Sites not on Gamstop – A Complete Guide appeared first on Mozbot.co.uk.

This means customer service includes everything from the performance of your website or mobile application to effective communication, advertising and marketing, and customer engagement. Keeping these evolving needs into consideration, custom software development seems to be the most plausible option to improve enterprise customer service.

Here’s how:

Custom Software Adds to Productivity

Custom software built by your business goals and objectives increases productivity. From design to manufacturing and launch, the software takes care of all the processes. This way, you can deliver credible updates to customers.

Also, it helps streamline different processes, allowing you to manage the work schedule and meet deadlines. This builds the client’s trust and confidence, adding to your customer service.

Custom Software Ensures Scaling and Smooth Growth 

Custom software provides enough room for scaling. As your business evolves, so do your customer’s expectations. With custom software, you are in a good position to meet your business needs and client demands. 

Whether you include more services, products, or locations, your customers know well where to find you! 

Custom Software Allows Employee Satisfaction

It is an old saying that happy customers mean a successful business. Today, a large part of business success depends on how well your employees perform and if they are satisfied with the systematic procedures of the company they are working in.

Custom software is a great way to ease business processes, adding to employee satisfaction. In turn, they focus on better customer service. 

Custom Software Acts as an Effective Channel of Communication and Marketing 

Custom software has become the modern channel of communication between business and clients. It has eliminated the physical constraints, allowing businesses to reach customers no matter where they are. Using different tools, businesses are now well equipped with the right measures and strategies to establish all-round communication with their audience. 

Also, custom software solutions come with amazing features that offer better visibility into your business. This way, businesses end up making beneficial decisions related to sales and marketing, contributing to better customer service as well as business success. 

Custom Software Increases Reach and Customer Engagement 

With custom software such as a website or mobile application, you are in direct contact with your customers. It’s you on one end and they on the other end. While your outlet may not be open 24/7 or is accessible from all parts of the world, your website or mobile application surely is.

A website or mobile app with high discoverability increases your business reach and customer engagement, ensuring more conversions and higher revenue. 

Verdict – Finding the Right Custom Software Development Services 

Now that you have decided to get custom software built make sure you find the right custom software development services. FortySeven Software Professionals knows best how to design and create software that aims at improved customer service.

The post How Custom Software Development Improves Enterprise Customer Service appeared first on Mozbot.co.uk.

Day Trading Risk Management Method

The very first step of this method is to realise the importance of risk management. The second step is getting to know about all the instruments and elements the loss management conforms to. Let’s indulge in learning about them,

1.      Support

Support is the level where the price struggles to fall further below. It’s the line where buyers get strong and prevent the price from further going down. Instead, it bounces back, and most of the time spawns a breakout. View page of Saxo and know more about breakout trading method. Soon you will feel confident like the UK traders in real life trading.

If a movement digs even deeper than the support line, it indicates a major weakness. The market is more likely to see even a longer downward trend.

2.      Resistance

Resistance is, in most ways, the opposite of support. It is the level or zone where a price movement struggles to surpass. In that zone, traders will observe strong selling’s purview of the market. The buyers are likely to lose their control over the market movement.

When the price strikes the resistance line, a breakout chance emerges. If the buyers lose all the controls and sellers get enough strength, they push the price beyond resistance and create a breakout.

A perfect breakout creates a new resistance line turning the previous one into a support.

3.      Breakouts

This article has decided to converse over the breakouts holding it as a property of risk management. It is because the breakouts intervene in a traders’ decision-making process often. The market will sometimes sprout false breakouts below the support line and above the resistance line.

Being careless will just ensure more destruction. If anyone set their risk managing instruments depending on a false breakout signal, it will be unfortunate for him. False breakout will take no time to turn your high expectation into odious misfortune.

4.      Profit Target

Many will know the term as take-profit. It is one of two positions that everyone is bound to define before entering a trade. With take profit option, one just locks an amount of money as his profit target. When the target amount is achieved, he can take either of two options: he can exit the trend or sell only half of his investments and continue making more profit.

Experts determine a potential take profit position by estimating the current resistance line. He respects the line and set a profit target point below it.

5.      Loss Level

The other mandatory position that all traders determine while entering a trade is the stop-loss. This position represents a trader’s highest loss tolerance for a particular transaction. With this option, an investor sets a determiner inputting the amount of money he is ready to lose for that specific session. Once the defined amount is reached, the trade stops.

A concerned trader set estimates a movement’s lowest level to make a comeback. He sets his stop-loss position there and quickly makes an exit as soon as the price goes down that level.

The ratio of loss and reward is also needed to be handled with regards. Traders should always go for the trades, which project more reward possibilities. By dealing with all these concepts and instruments carefully, anyone can lower his probable loss amount to the minimum.

The post How to Minimise Day Trading Risk Management appeared first on Mozbot.co.uk.

Many companies recognised the need for intelligent wireless technologies and the importance of the likes of the Cloud Space back in late March following the announcement of nationwide lockdown. A report by Ofcom showed that 94 per cent of businesses believe digital technologies are crucial to increasing their productivity too. With this in mind, businesses who’d failed to prepare with said technologies were left ruing, finding difficulty to mobilise their business and staff while those who had found the transition effortless.

The question is, how much of an impact have wireless technologies and connectivity had on each industry? Here, we take a look at the industries revolutionised by smart technologies and the impact that 5G will have on their future.

Energy

Connectivity in the energy industry “helps augment the critical role that the industry has in the economy, increasing asset efficiency and reducing costs.”.

Thanks to the power of wireless technologies and connectivity, the energy industry as a whole has been able to transition from a predictive system to a real-time reporting alternative. Now, as opposed to depending on unreliable predictions and basing conclusions on previous events, the construction industry is able to balance both supply and demand in harmony, maintain critical infrastructure, and harness technology to educate and inform consumers.

The result is one of positivity for both the business and the consumer, directly translating into greater reliability and lower costs for both.

5G communications, meanwhile, are expected to further transform the energy industry, vastly increasing download and upload speeds — times can 96 per cent faster than that offered by 4G.

While fuelling the Smart Grid to improve forecasting is certainly one way in which technologies have impacted the energy industry, it has been noted that 5G can work to rapidly develop technologies such as automatic traffic lights — preventing significant energy waste.

Construction

Back in early 2020, a Chinese construction company (CSCEC) was the first construction site to implement 5G into their processes.

The site had already introduced smart technologies such as AI, big data, and building information modelling (BIM) however 5G connectivity has promised to provide site chiefs with the part of the puzzle they’ve been looking for.

5G is being used on-site to better enable data collection, ultimately improving a variety of aspects, including health and safety and process efficiency. For example, a member of staff could log on from the portacabin and check the status of a piece of machinery to see if it is in use before traipsing halfway across the construction site.

Caterpillar’s Customer Enterprise Digital Manager, notes: “When a site can become connected, there are multiple benefits, including improved safety, reduced costs of materials, and increasing the availability of the workforce by making jobs easier to do.”

Healthcare  

The Internet of Things has already been working to transform the healthcare industry, collecting, recording, and analysing data. It has also been allowing for the improvement of access to care, the improvement of the quality of care, and a reduction in the cost of care.

Remote monitoring of patients means that treatment comes to them rather than vice versa and information regarding their welfare is shared through wireless connectivity to the relevant professional. Similarly, others can benefit from early intervention of preventative care, where a monitoring device is capable of tracking them and reporting on them — ideal for someone elderly who is more likely to suffer a fall at home.

In the wake of Covid-19 we can expect to see a number of further transformations in regard to digital technologies and the role they play in the healthcare industry.

Analysts have suggested that the use of telehealth will triple by 2025 and it will be powered by the capabilities of 5G. Meanwhile, the superfast internet will also offer healthcare professionals the ability to send the likes of MRI scans online, with ease. This has been a particular problem thanks to the fact these documents are usually around 1GB in document size, making them rather complex to share.

Transportation

Wireless technologies have, for a considerable amount of time, played a significant role in the developments which have occurred within the transport industry.

The creation of autonomous vehicles such as Google’s Waymo and the establishment of Smart Roads that we’re starting to see pop up in the Scandinavian countries have all been fuelled by the likes of AI, automation, and a plethora of smart technologies.

However, the introduction of 5G to the transport industry looks set to take things even further. 5G rail connectivity is being tested in a bid to develop a fully automated rail service, while car manufacturers across the globe are investing in similar concepts to allow their vehicle to vehicle communication to take off.

Here we’ve detailed just some examples of the industries that have been revolutionised thanks to the smart technologies but following recent events, we shouldn’t be surprised to see a plethora of alternatives facing complete overhauls introducing similar processes and concepts. The UK governments instruction to remove Huawei equipment could delay things significantly, however, with the entire 5G infrastructure impactable — we will simply have to wait and see!

The post Industries revolutionized by Smart Technologies appeared first on Mozbot.co.uk.

As of June 2020, just around the time when lockdown measures were beginning to be slowly eased in many countries, average advertising spend across Europe was down by 9%. However, digital marketing consultant James Hopkins, creator of the Lifestyle Marketeer programme, is one of many working in the digital advertising space that is able to see the possibilities ahead.

Digital media consumption has grown rather than fallen during the pandemic, as more people have been forced to rely on the internet for communication, shopping, entertainment and other aspects of daily life. On top of this, advertising costs have been slashed. While the amount of time people spend on social media has increased, the cost of placing adverts on social media networks has fallen. Not only have price points been lowered, but indirect costs such as engagement have also dropped. With more people using social media regularly, there is more potential than ever before for brands to engage with customers without increasing costs.

With the recent Google announcement that third-party cookies will be phased out on Chrome browsers by 2022, advertisers are now switching focus to contextual advertising. Issues around information gathering due to the loss of the cookie and increased regulatory compliance have led many marketing teams to concentrate more on the context in which an advertisement is seen, rather than targeting a specific audience. Those companies that were already working on contextual strategies have been well placed to avoid advertising their brands next stories about deaths and other pandemic-related disasters.

The necessary changes in consumer habits caused by lockdown have also altered the consumer landscape, with many businesses making short-term adaptations to marketing strategies to appeal to people with more time on their hands, less opportunity to socialise outside the home, and seeking innovative products and services that will relieve their boredom and make life at home more palatable. With no-one yet knowing how long it will take before we can get the virus under control, these short-term adaptations could become longer-term strategies in some sectors.

Marketing costs have generally been reduced, but so have marketing budgets. Cost-efficiency is therefore key when considering marketing any product or service in 2020. However, there is also something to be said for maintaining a strong marketing budget at a time when media price points for advertising are at historic lows. There is a window of opportunity for those companies that can develop cost-efficient marketing strategies that take advantage of certain aspects of the pandemic, such as increased social media use.

The post The Lifestyle Marketeer: Exploring the Effects of COVID-19 on the Global Advertising Industry appeared first on Mozbot.co.uk.

Pixel 4a

The Pixel 4a is a Google phone known for its friendly and slim design, powerful camera and affordability.

Pros:

• For its affordable price, the phone has an immaculate camera quality. Whether you often use video conferencing or if your work requires you to take high quality pictures, this feature will come in extra useful.
• Another key feature is a long battery life. Travelling around or video conferencing can drain the battery very quickly. However, this phone can last you a long time in comparison to other android devices.
• This phone is known for its ease of use. The aesthetic, slim design makes this one-handed design easy to use.
• Pixel 4a comes with a 128GB of storage, useful for storing substantial amounts of data all in one device.

Cons:    

• Pixel 4a however, does not currently have a 5g upgrade and therefore this is one of the drawbacks in this device.
• There is also no option for wireless charging yet, which other phones have already got, such as Samsung S8.
• It can be classed as a cheaper-feeling design as opposed to an iPhone, lacking a premium finish.

iPhone SE

iPhone SE is an IOS device, known for its all-round compact design and features.

 Pros:

• Its design is thin and lightweight, making it easy to carry in your pocket or efficiently store it in your bag.
• It is one of the cheapest phones amongst iPhones, making it budget friendly if that is one of your key criteria.
• It has a bright and high-contrast screen allowing you to see the display clearly in bright environments.
• Wireless charging is a feature that this device holds as opposed to the Pixel 4a.

Cons:

• Its battery capacity is known to be less inspiring than other alternatives, therefore something to consider before choosing.
• Unlike other iPhones, it does not have a night mode camera which can come in very useful depending on the nature of your work.
• This phone does not have a headphone jack, which is now common for most new iPhones. Therefore, it’s something to note when deciding between the two devices.

In summary, it depends what specific requirements you personally require for your work. As well as having the correct device to use for different types of communications, it’s important to feel like you can use it to easily collaborate with fellow colleagues and customers.

In the world of business, we think that this is great for enhancing your communications. Whichever device you choose, a unified communications solution allows you to instantly collaborate with your team and switch between different platforms in a seamless manner.

So, which is the better phone for your business? Well, that depends on matters we’ve expressed above. Whatever phone you decide to choose, please remember that it’s how you use it that truly matters.

The post Pixel 4a vs iPhone SE: which is the better budget phone for business? appeared first on Mozbot.co.uk.

As consumers, the choice of buying fair trade is in our hands. We have the freedom to choose brands that can reflect our personal values and needs, but with a specific attention for the ones that offer a transparent relationship between brand and consumer. Now more than ever, people value ethically sourced products, the way workers are treated, and a good balance between quality and price.

As stated by the Guardian : “Increasing awareness around these issues has led to a rise in what is known as conscious consumption, a movement of people who seek out ways to make positive decisions about what to buy and look for a solution to the negative impact consumerism is having on our world”.

The rising interest in fair trading involves many sectors, from food and fashion to furniture, medical and pharmaceutical companies. In the past, the fruit displayed in supermarkets was just fruit.  Few consumers questioned the origin of their food, and fewer cared about how well workers were paid.

Trade had been unfair for many years, but a radical change began in the late 1970s with the rise of the fair trade movement. This increased consumer awareness for the environment and the issue of the way workers are treated. Then, later in 1992 came the Fairtrade International Movement which aimed to improve the moral aspect of the marketplace.  

In this article, we look at what transparency really means for brands and consumers.

Why is brand transparency important?

Fair trade is when there is an overall transparency between brands and consumers, when workers are offered safe working conditions and consumers can see good value for the prices of goods they purchase. 

The Global Fairtrade International Organisation believes that many are the benefits of fair trading, such as helping farmers and workers from developing countries around the world to build a better life, paying them fairly to enable them access to education, health, and decent life conditions.

According to the Global Fair Trade Foundation, over 1.66 million farmers and workers participate in fair trade across 73 different countries in the world. Over the past few years, the total number of Fairtrade certified producer organizations has grown to 1,707 producer organizations in 2018, compared to the 1,139 that formed part just six years prior in 2012.

What does it mean to consumers?

As mentioned initially, consumers value transparency when choosing to do business with specific brands. They wish to be made aware of various aspects of their food, such as whether it was grown pesticide-free, what the difference between non-organic and organic coffee beans is, or the benefits of non-GMO livestock.

There is an increasing desire to know more about the products they are purchasing and the brands offering them. Consumers are no longer passively buying from shelves.

Recent studies revealed that 66% of UK consumers value transparency in how companies source their products. Customers want to see that brands care about sustainability, and that they are concerned about fair employment practices. According to the analysis, this part of the population complains about brands when they sense a lack of transparency.

Furthermore, a 37% of consumers in the UK are likely to interrupt their relationship with brands when they perceive a lack of clarity. This is because consumers value fairness and expect the same from brands.

Lastly, 55% of UK consumers like to speak out about how companies behave, through social media or with individual protest actions.

What does transparency mean for brands?

Brand transparency means that a brand not only acquires new customers regularly, but it can retain existing customers for longer time. Consumers are likely to stay loyal to brands who are transparent.

It is therefore the responsibility of small businesses and bigger companies to provide the basics for a solid relationship of trust. Transparency is one such basic element that can help towards building that all-important customer connection.

Brands can achieve transparency with their consumers by disclosing details regarding the trading practices and supply chain of a product. For example, a product such as transparency coffee openly offers details about the wages paid to coffee farmers, allowing brands to demonstrate their commitment to a fairer process.

By expecting fairness and transparency from companies, we as consumers have the power to influence their marketing decisions and change the world one step at a time.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your branding and brand consistency, you could always get in touch with your local digital marketing agency. A professional agency will be able to give you bespoke, practical advice about your branding that can nurture business growth and build brand consistency.

The post The Importance of Brand Transparency appeared first on Mozbot.co.uk.

The best way to stay healthy and keep others safe is to stay at home. However, after months of quarantining, many people are naturally itching for a change of scenery and to take a break for their relaxation and mental health. If you are in a region where COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, you may be planning to get out and take a road trip holiday.

It’s important to consider not just your health, but the health of those around you. While you may not be in the at-risk category, you may carry the virus and expose those who are. Even if you are young and healthy, the novel coronavirus can still seriously impact your health or even kill you, and you should take the risk very seriously. If you encounter vulnerable people in your family, professional, or social life, you may want to consider staying home instead to prevent undue exposure.

The more you have direct contact with other people, the higher your risk is. Be a responsible traveler and take great precautions so you don’t contribute to rising infection rates. But if done responsibly, it is possible to take a road trip that does not cause undue risk to others.

Here are 5 road trip safety tips amidst the COVID-19 pandemic:

1.     Do your research

Traveling during these times requires much more research than you may typically do for road trips. Carefully check the regulations of all areas you intend to visit, and see which restrictions are in place. Check and follow CDC guidelines and avoid regions restricted against non-essential travel. Also check if any of your intended destinations are closed, as many tourist spots are temporarily closed for the duration of the pandemic. Research infection rates in your destination and in scheduled stops along the way; if they are on the rise or not under control, choose a safer spot.

If you are from a city, take care with deciding which areas you will stop; you don’t want to risk exposing rural communities to the virus. With their reduced healthcare infrastructure, an outbreak in small communities would be devastating. Pre-plan your intended stops and limit them to the bare minimum.

Research whether or not your destination requires visitors to quarantine themselves for 14 days prior to or upon arrival, as you may choose to visit a non-restricted place instead. Also learn whether your city requires you to quarantine for 14 days upon return from your trip, and factor that into your vacation time, especially if you are unable to work from home.

If you haven’t had your car serviced recently, take it to the mechanic for a tune-up prior to your trip so you avoid car troubles enroute. This reduces the possibility of needing emergency services or unexpected stops along the way. Car troubles could demand that you book a last-minute hotel option that you aren’t able to thoroughly research and prepare for.

2.     Choose accommodations carefully

When deciding on accommodations, choose options with the fewest traffic of people, and ask hotels about their cleaning procedures. Many hotels are opting for contact-free check in, or implementing “Booking Buffer”, allowing 72 hours between guests of each room, which allows the virus time to neutralize between guests. If you do choose a hotel, wipe down surfaces with disinfectant wipes when you enter, and say no to housekeeping surfaces to reduce the amount of people entering your room.

A home-stay option such as Airbnb can be a great option, as it has fewer guests, and also gives you access to a kitchen. This eliminates your need to visit restaurants, reducing the number of people you come into contact with. Many Airbnb hosts are also following Cleaning Protocol guidelines which requires 24 hours before the host enters to clean the room, reducing infection risk.

Choosing to stay outdoors and camping is a great alternative that allows you to avoid human contact. A universal roof rack is a fun, compact, easy to assemble way to enjoy car camping.  Because it doesn’t sit on the ground, you can camp in more rugged areas, and the height of the tent allows you to enjoy sunrise views from your tent window. Camping has the added benefit of avoiding restaurants and being more socially distant. Renting a motorhome can also be a good option during COVID-19; just ensure that you disinfect it thoroughly before hitting the road.

3.     Avoid tourist spots and get outside

Plan to skip the busy tourist spots, and focus on outdoor activities that allow you to effectively socially distance.

Hiking is a healthy way to enjoy nature, see the country, and get exercise. Ensure you research the trails beforehand and pack your bag with food, water, a first-aid kit, and navigational tools; the last thing you want to do is get lost and require emergency services! Take care with outdoor activities so you are not risking injury and thus requiring essential services that should be allocated towards fighting the pandemic. Beach getaways, mountain climbing, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, cycling, canoeing, and fishing can also be great COVID-19 friendly outdoor activities; just take care to be in non-touristy areas and keep a 6 feet distance between everyone you encounter.

4.     Pack appropriately

Road trips during the COVID-19 pandemic require careful supply packing in order to keep you and others safe. Take a generous supply of masks, gloves, hand disinfectants, and sanitizing wipes. If you can, take a thermometer so you can watch for fever during your trip. Take a cooler in your car, and pack snacks and meals that you can eat on the go so you avoid roadside stops. Pack portable cutlery, plates, bowls, and ice packs; if you are traveling with a pet, carry extra food and water for them. If you are camping, take a portable stove for cooking and extra stove fuel and lighters. Take clothes for inclement weather, extra toiletries and any other essential items so you can avoid unexpected runs to the store, reducing the amount of people you come into contact with.

Consider whether your destination has cell phone service, as your GPS may not work. Bring maps and detailed directions to prevent having to stop and ask for directions. Also pack a car emergency kit to keep you safe in the case of unforeseen events.

5.     Limit surfaces you touch

The COVID-19 virus spreads mainly through contact, so ensure you avoid touching your face and all external surfaces as much as possible.

It’s always a good idea to disinfect your hands before eating, and when filling gas, use disposable gloves to pump. If you don’t have gloves on hand, use a disinfectant wipe prior to contact. Disinfecting wipes are effective and prevent infections when used properly.  Use contactless payment instead of cash whenever possible. Wash your hands as frequently as possible for at least 20 seconds, and use a paper towel on door handles to avoid picking up germs. And whenever you make any roadside stop, wear your mask, and ensure it effectively covers both your nose and mouth.

Before you enter your vehicle, use hand sanitizer, and regularly disinfect your car’s high-touch surfaces such as your steering wheel, indicator, cup holder, door handles, seatbelt, radio, and gear shift. Don’t forget your dashboard, because even if you don’t often touch it, it’s a hot spot for airborne particles. Crack your windows when you drive to air out the car and allow any airborne particles to escape, and if you can, avoid ride-share services.

COVID-19 has changed the world economy and almost every aspect of our lives. With over 14.5 million confirmed cases, 216 countries reporting infections, and 612,000 confirmed deaths, the last thing you want to do is cause undue exposure and risk contributing to infection rates.  It’s not just about safety: rising infection rates have devastated the economy which indirectly leads to poor health outcomes and social problems.

Experts estimate that travel will not return to pre-COVID-19 levels for at least a year. Road trips are the chosen holiday of many this summer, and can be done responsibly when done right. Drive particularly carefully to reduce the risk of car accidents. Before your trip, take an honest assessment of your health and how you are feeling, and if you demonstrate any symptoms of the COVID-19 virus, stay home instead and get tested. Because COVID-19 is so new and new research is constantly taking place, check frequently for updated news and recommendations before starting your trip; the Centre for Disease Control and World Health Organization are the best sources for accurate and up to date data. Quarantine can take a toll on mental health, and while the virus is very dangerous, depression can also negatively impact your health. Vacations taken in a responsible way can be beneficial in lifting your mental status and preventing mental decline. By taking the utmost precautions, you are able to minimize risk to yourself and others, and enjoy a fun summer getaway in the great outdoors.

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