Business Tech

The analysis and understanding of data have never been more important to business leaders and government organizations. We live in an increasingly networked world, with individual lives and interactions online creating vast swathes of extremely important information. The field of data analytics is constantly evolving in line with improvements in technology, new relationships between machines and people, and new social conditions. Here are a few of the most important recent developments in the field of data analytics.

Analytics At The Heart Of Business Strategy

Now is a perfect time for people signing up to data analytics courses online or at leading universities: the field of data analytics has never been more highly valued by business leaders as it is today. While data analytics specialists were once considered by many business leaders to be strategic assistants, they are now part of the core strategic team in many cases. There has been a shift towards data-driven strategic planning as a whole within business, and analytics experts are being brought into the fold. Analytics experts also serve to educate executives that may be slightly behind the times when it comes to drawing up long-term strategic business plans. This educational role is highly valued in modern businesses.

Automation

The rise of big data has led to a simultaneous explosion of automation within the field of data analytics. Automation is absolutely necessary to handle the constantly expanding and diversifying datasets that analysts are currently tasked with making sense of. The development of automation tools has recently become intertwined with the creation of machine learning algorithms that can code information without the need for human intervention.

Mid-size businesses with small analytics staff capacity and lots of messy data are especially keen to automate as much as they can. Without extensive automation plans, many companies would fail to deal with backlogs of messy data alongside exponentially growing big datasets that have been enabled by the rise of the internet.

Democratization

Data analytics experts now need to be willing to share their expertise and develop tools that allow for the democratization of their work. This puts some analytics staff in a bit of a bind: they may feel as if they are being coerced into educating away their specialism. This could not be further from the truth. The value of an expert is that they have the time and skills to dedicate themselves to keeping up with new developments and developing new tools. Their educational role is immensely valuable for any company, which should ensure that they are valued as core strategic members of a business for years to come.

The Cloud

Modern big data analytics would not be possible without cloud storage and computing. These innovations allow for scalable computing and storage solutions to be accessed remotely. This essentially takes the limit away from companies looking to exploit vast and exponentially increasing datasets. Cloud computing and storage is being adopted in a near wholesale fashion, and the adoption of cloud solutions is fundamental to modern data analysis.

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Across vastly different sectors in the economy, one of the key drivers behind success is optimization. This word essentially means maximizing your available resources in order to deliver the highest possible value – in terms of profits – for the least-possible overheads. And this rule applies to fleets as well as to banks, retailers, and tech startups. In this article, we’ll look at how fleet managers can work towards delivering the optimal service, reducing the prices you charge customers, and gaining an important competitive edge over your regional rivals.

Planning

First up, let’s take a look at the way you plan routes and dispatches at the moment. You’ll undoubtedly already have a system to manage this – usually using software that also tracks the positions of every truck in your database. But it may not be running smart, AI-enabled software that can cut corners for you to find the best possible routes for your trucks to drive.

Enter the new generation of route optimization software, which has been designed with smarter analytics and planning features that’ll help you to make better use of your available resources every month. Depending on the size of your fleet, these planning wizards can save you thousands of dollars each month, ensuring you can take more business without expanding your fleet.

Personnel

When you run a fleet, you’ll know that your drivers are more important than anything else. Hire the best drivers in the business, and you’ll be able to rely on steady, trustworthy personnel who will get the job done on time and to standard. Hire cheaper, less experienced drivers, and you may be less able to run complex optimization plans because they may simply be too unreliable to make just-in-time deliveries work for your firm.

If you’re planning on squeezing more value out of your available trucks and drivers, then the first port of call will have to be a review of your personnel. Be prepared to hire excellent drivers and pay your best drivers a little more, including in bonus payments, to retain the best talent for your optimization plans.

Partnerships

Some clients will be more profitable to work with than others. For instance, if you’re delivering haulage services for a firm that operates throughout the country, you’ll be sending drivers across different ports and states in zig-zags in order to deliver the products and loads they are asking for to different locations. Meanwhile, a firm with a single base requires much less planning and leads to fewer delays.

Depending on your pricing structure, it might be more efficient and optimal for you to seek partnerships where you can be sure that you’re going to deliver seamlessly time after time, rather than those that complicate your dispatch planning significantly. So, when you’re seeking new partnerships for your firm, do consider whether they will help to simplify your delivery matrix or whether this new work might throw your firm’s plans into disarray.

Optimizing your fleet is a case of thinking clearly about the planning, the personnel, and the partnerships you invest in. Better investments equal a more optimized set of resources – saving you cash and gaining you higher profits.

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Professionals working in Canada still want to have a lot of aspirations. This is understandable, as people are lifelong learners. But whether you want to further yourself in your current field or an entirely new industry, there are multiple ways to do this.

If you are someone working in another country and aspire to get more opportunities in a place like Canada, make sure you have the requirements. Talking to a Canadian immigration lawyer might help.

Nonetheless, here are some tips for career improvement.

Conduct research on the fields you are interested in

Building a solid career starts with passion. Passion is fueled by knowledge, which you can get through acquisition. To be clear, you do not have to go through expensive training or get a Ph.D. So what you need is to start by doing research.

Look up the most lucrative jobs available. Do they pay better? If they do, are they more fulfilling than your current position? Whatever the answer, cross-reference it with what you seek as a professional. Go for what is more sustainable based on the information available to you. Do not be afraid to use tools like LinkedIn or other career portfolio websites.

Find out what you need to work on

People are constant works in progress. We do not ever reach a state of perfection, which is a good thing. The things we experience provide us with great tools for learning and self-improvement. Working in Canada provides you with many leeways in terms of job experience. So you get to work with a diverse set of people, all while living in a country with great benefits.

However, it would help if you opened yourself to criticism. One way to do this is by regularly asking for an evaluation from your peers and colleagues. Ask for honest critiques about your output. Of course, there will always be subtle things you can improve on, whether it’s in the simple things like semantics or grammar.

You can also look for skills you want to learn, perhaps programming or another lucrative field like bookkeeping and others. Do not box yourself and continue to learn as you live in Canada.

Build a network

Your career network should not be limited to the people you work with. There are peers you can meet outside of the workplace that will provide you with a lot of wisdom. These can be people you find online or people you meet in more pedestrian settings. Who knows? That person behind you at the grocery store could give you the best career advice you had in a while.

LinkedIn can be a great place to start for online settings. Canadian professionals have begun to use the site frequently to build connections. Do not be afraid to send a connection request to people who work in the same field as you. Perhaps you can find people from the same university or country as you.

Of course, be picky as well when you send connection requests. For example, a person you went to kindergarten with might not be someone who can give you good career advice. Make sure to assess if they can also benefit your career. Although they mean well, friends do not always connect with you professionally.

Get counseling from other people, like mentors

Canada is a hotspot for professionals. There are loads of accomplished people who can give you career advice. Whether it is about something as simple as your chosen presentation template or something as momentous as moving to a new company, consulting someone who has had previous experience will give you nothing but good things.

When you arrive in Canada, there are government services you can avail of relating to career advice. For example, there are job fairs, interview courses, and even connection-building seminars. In addition, Canada provides many tools to their citizens, including expat workers who want to better themselves in the field.

After all, you will be contributing to the field as well. They want to treat their human capital well. For instance, the government has a tool specifically designed to list the services you might need for your career. The results will match you with potential job postings to improve your life.

Of course, the choice is always in your hands. If you’re happy with what you have at your current workplace, maybe diversifying your skills is the answer. Whatever the case, follow what your heart and mind tell you. Assess all the options and go for the sustainable option. A long-term career is what professionals need to thrive in Canada.

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Running a logistics company involves a lot of work to keep things, well, running. You have to attract clients, deal with fluctuating fuel prices, adhere to regulations, face the problem of more and more competitors, and so much more.

However, there’s one single solution that can help with many of these challenges: fleet efficiency. By enhancing this area of your business, you can reduce costs, complete more deliveries, and ultimately improve customer satisfaction.

If you’re wondering how to devise a greater fleet management strategy, read on. Below are five methods to improve fleet efficiency.

1. Incorporate specialist fleet management software

If you’re still dealing with spreadsheets and emails to manage things, it’s time to forget about the past and move into the present. That can be done by utilizing modern technology and specialist fleet management software.

This software boasts numerous features that can make fleet management a whole lot more streamlined. They can create automized routes. They provide communication tools. With the assistance of Geotab asset tracking, you can also receive real-time information about vehicles – ideal for knowing exactly where drivers are located, which can help with avoiding traffic and other issues that can cause delays.

2. Avoid empty miles

Empty miles are not only one of the most inefficient uses of time for a logistics company; they’re also one of the most expensive. To avoid having an empty truck returning after a delivery, search for ways to optimize the route.

Backhaul opportunities, for instance, might be possible if you partner with a provider. Once a delivery is done, you could also search for other jobs that are near the original delivery area.

3. Reduce idle time

Fuel is expensive. It’s a commodity no logistics company should waste. Yet it is done frequently due to idle time, where drivers pull up at a roadside rest stop and leave their engines running.

To reduce this idle time, it can be as simple as educating your drivers. While they may want to keep their engines on to power up their cooling or heating systems, it’s important they make behavioral changes. These may only be minor changes, but they can result in big savings for your company.

4. Regular maintenance

Keeping your fleet vehicles in tip-top shape is imperative. This helps in preventing unexpected breakdowns, the type that can cause significant delays in completing deliveries.

With this in mind, regular maintenance is a proactive and useful method for improving vehicle lifespan. With drivers inspecting vehicles before and after each job, they will be able to check for any wear and tear that needs fixing. The quicker these fixes are done, the less likely any breakdowns will happen.

5. The right fleet size

Are you sure your fleet is currently the right size? If you have even one vehicle which is sitting around and not running, this means your fleet is too big. While it can be difficult to let any employees go, it can be a necessary step to consolidate loads, operate smarter, and save money.

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There are so many businesses that could benefit from an employee having a Master of Business Administration degree, and indeed many employers look for candidates with that certification. It makes good sense to invest in yourself and your future prospects by moving your career on to the next level and beyond by taking up some additional study for extra qualifications.

Get the right qualifications

Regardless of what career path you are planning to follow, getting the right qualifications from the right college can make an awful lot of difference. You will never get the top jobs or the top salary from experience alone; however, by obtaining a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, you will stand a pretty good chance, and you will also get your resume noticed by future employers.

You may feel that you will have to give up your day job in order to study for an MBA, and this may not presently be an option that you can afford to do, but in thinking this, you are likely to be mistaken. There are excellent online MBA in NY programs available, so you can continue your day job and earn a wage while you study for your career improvement and get yourself to your desired goal.

This is fantastic news as you will be able to study from the comfort of your own home without having the effort of additional travel, relocating to be near your chosen college, or having to be at a certain location within a specified time slot, which can prove difficult when juggling a full-time job and a college course.

An MBA degree can open many doors in many different businesses. All you will have to decide is which sector you will want to leave your mark and make your future career in.

Having the right attitude

Once you have the qualifications from the right college, you will find that you will also have to have the right “can do” attitude, as well as a happy, outgoing personality and a strong desire to succeed in your chosen career.

Making sure that you study hard and get the right course for you at the correct college will undoubtedly give you the confidence and knowledge to impress your would-be employers and get your foot on the first rung of the career ladder, having a winning attitude and a good manner will propel you up toward the top to where you desire to be.

Stick to your goals

It is important that you make a list of your goals before you start on your career journey so that you can keep track of where you are heading. Nothing beneficial in life is easy, and this will help you when going gets tough, or should you feel like giving up at any point along the way.

The end goal is to have that perfect career with a brilliant wage and all the additional benefits that come with it. As well as the feeling that your dedication has got you there and it is all your own work.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Business Tech category

Across the world there are over 3.1 billion video viewers with videos averaging an online usage reach of 90%. These statistics aren’t anything new or exceptional because video usage is on the rise, and these figures are the reason you’re seeing video used in absolutely every marketing medium it’s possible to do so. 87% of businesses use video as a marketing tool – the 13% who don’t are only working to catchup with competitors as time goes on.

As it stands, video marketing for customer engagement isn’t a recommendation, it is essential if you want your content to be appealing to the masses.

Let’s take a closer look:

What is video content marketing?

Video content marketing is video content made by businesses to boost their online profile and presence. It can be an 8 second explainer, or a two hour webinar recording – it’s all useful. Businesses will often integrate the video onto a Youtube channel, share it on social media, post it on their website landing page and include it as part of a blog.

Reasons video marketing is essential to good customer engagement

When video is done right, it’s a powerful way to get your message across to your customers. It’s easily accessible, and encourages your target audience to engage with you. Even with minimal video viewing they may share your content, or feel they want to comment or reply.

Key benefits of video marketing:

• It’s becoming easier and easier to create good video content
• Virtually every business can create some kind of video content
• Videos are an easy way to explain a concept or product benefits
• Videos grab the attention of the viewer
• Videos can include subtitles or voiceover options so they reach a wider audience
• Videos can put a human touch to a marketing campaign
• Videos encourage the viewer to share and talk about the content

How to use video to boost customer engagement

Here are some helpful tips to inspire you as you use more video content to engage with your customers:

Make the best content you can with what you have

If all you can do is edit footage shot on a smartphone, then start with that. There are some great ways to edit smartphone footage so that it looks professional. Beyond that, you can look at hiring professional studios, or adding professional voice overs to your videos – the possibilities are endless. The important thing is to do the best with what you have rather than waiting until you can afford a full setup and professional video content.

Ensure your videos include storytelling

One of the most important aspects of any video, whether it’s a quick explainer, or a full product advertisement, is the story. The story is the part that engages the viewer and draws them in.

Choose video advertising over static ads

Static ads can work, but video content is much more engaging. People have a short attention span these days and videos can enable us to take in a lot of information in a very short space of time.

Make your video content accessible

One of the most powerful additions you can make to a video is professional subtitling. Add it in multiple languages (French and English are good options for European audiences) and you open up your content to multilingual viewers.

Use social proofing

Using video content including customer testimonials, review graphics and other reassuring content showcases just how trustworthy your brand is. This triggers your customers to copy the behaviour of those happy people, because they see that you have been trusted and used and they then feel able to do the same based on that content. This is a budget-friendly way to produce video content that makes a huge impact on your customer engagement.

Help out new customers

Video content is really useful to customers who are new to your brand and product with 94% of marketers agreeing that videos have helped boost customer understanding of services or products.

Fun, easy-to-understand explainer videos are so useful in helping users understand a new software or device. In fact, your current customers will probably enjoy these kinds of videos too, especially for any new updates.

Just make sure the videos are brief, effective and fun, rather than lengthy and boring as they won’t engage your customers and may result in more pressure on your customer service team who need to respond to product/ update enquiries.

Provide informative guides relevant to your audience

Informative video guides are essential to boosting your authority in your industry. In addition, they draw in new interest and retain your current customers.

The guides need to offer information that is relevant to your target audience. For example – if your target audience are foodie vegan millennials, you can provide guides on cooking vegan on a budget or how to cook the latest trendy ingredients like aqua faba or banana blossom. You can include handy links to your products too, so the videos can also encourage purchasing. The more handy the videos are, the more shareable they are, so if you’ve done a great job you could find one video has a lot of instant and long-term reach.

Video marketing is essential for effective customer engagement

Video content is one of the most affordable and effective forms of marketing currently available to engage current and prospective customers. Whether you use short, fun adverts or lengthier explainers, the very fact you use video marketing at all is a sign to customers and other businesses that you’re current.

Used correctly, you can boost your marketing with video content, retaining your customer base, boosting interest in your brand and creating new sales opportunities both locally and worldwide.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Business Tech category

Technology is constantly changing how modern business is conducted, and if any business is going to keep up in today’s ultra-competitive business climate, they will need to be using the most appropriate technologies at their disposal.

Digital workers

Remote work may be common, but the rise of the digital worker has arguably just begun. A digital worker is any automated electronic device or robotics that can perform a human worker’s tasks. This is generally through automation, augmented and virtual reality, and the main aim is to increase productivity and allow the human workforce to focus on high-value tasks. There are many ways into the sectors using such technology. A great example is the online programs at Point Park University, which will provide the basis to explore the numerous opportunities for your business using digital workers.

Remote workers

The right technology now allows for most knowledge and office work to be conducted from anywhere. Workers can now access the organizational tasks and perform their functions in the cloud, attached to the business network in real-time. With the rise of 5G, there is also an additional means to improve the speeds of data transfer and the number of users who can be on the system at the same time. Up to 100 times faster than 4G, this is the type of business tech that will revolutionize how your remote workers perform.

Include the growth of instant messaging platforms and video conferencing tools, and you have a technological environment that is precisely suited to sustaining the remote worker as a permanent feature of the modern business.

Heightened expertise through professionally managed services

Through cloud technology and internet-based real-time video, businesses are able to access the exact expertise that is required as long as they can afford it. From software and hardware as a service to managed HR, the only business function that seems to be remaining in-house are the core aspects of modern businesses; the focus is on what creates revenue and value.

Artificial intelligence for marketing and shopping

Robotics and automation have always been seen as part of the production and manufacturing processes, however, in recent times, artificial intelligence has come a long way and can now be used for advertising, marketing, and shopping. Marketing can now be personalized based on the availability of big data, and what is sent out to customers can be bespoke to them.

This has now been taken to a new level, and through the internet of things and the smart home, customers and consumers can have their shopping ordered and delivered without lifting a finger. The networked smart fridge with interior scanners is able to detect that the milk or fruit juice is almost finished. They can then order and pay for replenishment products, and these will be delivered. Yes, it’s on its way, as a subscription service and through the interconnected smart home.

For any business out there, the availability of such technology or the development and improvement of the said tech is a surefire way to a sustainable future.

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12 points to make your company’s video effective

“I made a video, but no customer came”, usually several businessmen say. “I did so much work, I wasted so much money, but I saw no change.” Many entrepreneurs see their efforts go to waste and feel desperate. They do not get what they expect and are unhappy with the result. After that, most of the time, they do not want to hear about the video again. But what could be wrong with that?

Not all videos are efficient. It is not as it should be, and that is why they do not sell. The whole process of making a video is complicated and time-consuming. It is not enough just to take a camera, shoot and then cut it in the editing, put some music on and wait for the result to be ideal. This way, you can not make a video that sells. On the other hand, anyone can create a profitable video for their business, as long as they know some basic steps to follow.

The first approach

When making a video, the first thing you need to look for is an informative video about your company. People want to know about its products, facilities, staff, customers, and its competitive advantage. People often ask about things that have nothing to do with the video being shown. They just want to know everything about the company. The last thing they ask is what is the purpose of this ad. There must always be a goal. If there is no specific goal to achieve, then the reason for the video has no effect.

The first thoughts

Then it would help if you thought about how you would like to see an ad for this company. Write down some ideas and let them “mature” inside you.

The research

The next step is an essential part of creating the video. An inquiry must be made into anything relevant. Most of the time, you need to control your competition. You should notice how they promote a similar product abroad. There you usually find very nice ideas, but new ones are created for you. After all, there is everything on the internet. Think like a customer. It would help if you found out why it is worthwhile to buy the product or service you offer from your potential customers.

Then you can go back to the second step and think of a more creative and memorable way than you thought from the beginning. Try to find something different that will pique interest. Gather information from what you thought from the start and incorporate it into what you found after your research.

Collecting data

The best suggestions fall on the table, and the presentations for each one begin. Then we discuss the best possible idea and its implementation. We decide on the final material and start. We are almost done. Now the implementation is just beginning. The creative part has nothing to do with what has happened so far.

Timetable

To be on time, we need to make a schedule. We need to know every day what phase the project is in. Depending on the style of the video, the program is done.

Storyboard

Within the next few days, the video’s storyboard is made, that is, the setting of all the shots on paper. At the same time, the text for the speech is made and the translation, if necessary.

Shooting

In the case of filming, according to the storyboard, we make the necessary shots. We find the right location; we put the right lighting and… action.

Animation

If it is animation, we choose colours, characters, background, and the design begins.

Voice-over

Then comes the time of speech. Depending on the target audience, we choose a male, female or child voice, or whatever else is needed. This step is significant for the final result, as the choice of voice will give real “character” to your content. So you can turn to professional voice actors, who, with their experience, will upgrade your already exciting content. You can see professional voices of various types at Voquent, a high-quality voice over agency with great offers.

Call to action

The last thing that should be in a video is a “Call to action”, a call to the one who is watching the video to do something. It is usually to enter the advertiser’s website, but other things can be done, such as, e.g. clicking on the link, sending email, filling in the form.

Music

For me, music plays a very important role. Due to music, a video can “take-off” or “tread”. Usually, you have to look carefully before I do the shooting for the piece you are going to use. You have to keep that in mind when I make your plans. Especially for videos that play with emotion, music takes many hours of searching.

Promotion

Finally, the next big chapter is video promotion. We do not make a video and just upload it to YouTube and social media and wait for customers to call us. We have to find them and show them. We need to do a marketing strategy and, with the results, do remarketing. This is a little more complicated. I will tell you in a future article.

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When you have worked for a long time on an idea or product, having it stolen from you will be incredibly distressing. Intellectual property is not always easy to define, but in the law, it is required to be fixed in a tangible medium, i.e., you cannot claim someone stole an idea that existed in your mind unless you have memorialized the idea in writing and protected it accordingly. This article outlines what steps you can take when you believe that a person or company has stolen your intellectual property and how you can prevent it from happening in the future.

Copyright

You can protect an idea with copyright when it has been fixed in a tangible medium, even if that just means that you have scribbled a poem or song lyrics on paper or produced art on the back of a food packet. The owner of that idea has certain rights to it, whether the US Copyright Office has legally protected it or not. The Copyright Office will protect “literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic,” such as “poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture”.

If you believe that a person has infringed on your copyright, your first course of action would be to send a cease-and-desist letter that states your ownership of said work, warning them that if they continue to infringe on your rights, you may take legal action. If they choose to ignore the letter, you may need to engage in intellectual property litigation with a legal firm like Hankin Patent Law. If you had copyright in place when the infringement took place (or registered within three months of the work being published), you might be entitled to financial compensation or damages.

Trademark

Words, phrases, marks, or icons that can be used to identify a product or service can be protected by a trademark. To protect your intellectual property in this way, you will need to register the word, phrase, marks, or icons you will need to register it with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Once the trademark is in place, you can enforce your rights in the state that you do your business. However, you will need to show the court that you were using the trademark in that state before the infringer used it.

Patent

If you have invented a product, you should protect it with a patent from the USPTO as soon as possible. When you have patented an invention, you can take patent infringement legal action to stop others from benefitting from it and possibly pursue damages. The reason why patents should be filed as soon as possible is that the America Invents Act includes a “first to file” clause. Should someone else see your idea and patent it before you can, they would have legal rights to it.

Trade Secrets

A trade secret is proprietary information that is key to a product’s success. For example, it might be a recipe, a chemical formula, or the composition of a product that cannot be protected by one of the other intellectual property laws. The best way to protect a trade secret is to ensure your business’ IT systems, communications, and physical premises are secure. If you can prove that someone has stolen a trade secret, you may be able to take legal action to stop them from publicizing or using it to their own benefit.

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With major brands like Facebook increasing their focus on recruiting influencers to utilize their platforms, it’s clear that social media is a strong career opportunity for many internet-savvy content creators. More recently, the return to travel in the wake of COVID-19 has made the niche even more popular—and you can benefit from that boost by becoming a successful travel influencer yourself. Like any career path, though, there are some steps you’ll need to take along the way, including building your platform, fine-tuning your image, and following legal requirements.

Choose a niche.

Yes, you know that you want to be a travel influencer. More specifically, though, what do you want to blog or post about? For instance, you might set out to explore as many United States nationals parks as possible. You might start hiking Great Sand Dunes National Park, then move on to camping at Montana’s Glacier.

The National Park Service manages 73 national parks across thirty states and two of the nation’s territories, so you’ll have a long list of trails, swamps, and other destinations for you to experience—and to then share with your followers. You might join forces with the National Park Foundation to raise funds for these destinations or see a spike in followers after the National Park Service shares a particularly beautiful image you posted.

Look the part.

Once you have your niche of choice, you’ll want to make sure your personal style aligns with the brand you want to create. Consider upgrading your look with new clothing that‘s comfortable enough to sit through a flight in, but stylish enough to impress your followers and any brands you may potentially collaborate with down the line.

Whether it’s a stylish blouse or some striking accessories, the right outfit can make or break a social media post—which, as an influencer, is the foundation of your career—especially on visual platforms like Instagram or TikTok.

Build a following.

To be an influencer, you have to have an engaged following on your chosen social media platforms. For content related to traveling, you’ll want to ensure you‘re focusing on both follower counts and engagement rates on platforms such as Instagram.

By creating and promoting content that offers value to your ideal audience, you’ll find that your social media following grows in both size and strength, whether you’re shooting selfies at the Grand Canyon or hiking through Yellowstone. From choosing the right platform to including the most engaging caption and hashtags, every post can contribute to—or take away from—your platform and, by extension, your marketability as an influencer.

Do your research.

To the unfamiliar, being an influencer can seem like an easy, frivolous career. However, it helps brands to grow and consumers to learn about countless opportunities, destinations, and products. You can earn a living, free or discounted amenities, and digital clout as an influencer, but this doesn’t mean there isn’t work involved. Not only will you need to understand the insights and intricacies of social media marketing, editing, photography, content creation, and more, you’ll also have to abide by federal regulations such as those outlined by the FTC.

To become an influencer, always traveling the world while getting compensated for your efforts, you’ll need to put in plenty of work behind the scenes. From the start of your career, you’ll have to have a strong sense of the brand you want to create and the requirements you must abide by to create a job from your social media presence. You’ll need to try some new tricks and tips to create the marketable personal brand you’re aiming for, but you might just find you gain an exciting, impactful career in the process.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Life Tips category