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    Top 7 Online Services for Testing Vulnerabilities of WordPress Sites

    Introduction

    WordPress has many admirers and many opponents, the main argument of which – the platform is too vulnerable to hacking, it is constantly attacked by hackers and bots.

    The share of justice in their opinion is – the WordPress engine really has many shortcomings, which are used by attackers. The company Sucuri said that in the third quarter of 2016, 74% of all cases of vulnerability and infection of sites occurred on sites with CMS WordPress.

    After reading such news, many people start to ask questions in their heads: “Is this platform safe? Should I use it on my website? “Although in fact you need to think about something else – what can you do to make your site more secure?

    You can only approach this task in a complex way: you need to think about the firewall that protects, including antivirus plug-ins, and so on. However, you should think about the possibilities of protection and outside of WordPress – online scanners can find those gaps in your site that you did not even know about.

    Top WordPress Vulnerability Testing Tools

    Below I will tell you about 7 useful online services – scanners, which will help to determine if on your site:

    • unauthorized redirects, advertising materials or backlinks (external links);
    • malicious programs;
    • hotlinks;
    • infected plugins or themes;
    • and much more.

    1. Hacker Target WordPress Security Scan

    Link: https://hackertarget.com/wordpress-security-scan/

    This scanner is sharpened specially for search of problem elements on the WP site. It analyzes themes and plug-ins, as well as other site elements that can contain malicious code.

    Free analysis includes checks:

    • need to upgrade the version of WordPress;
    • need to update the version of plug-ins;
    • problems with the user ID and so on.

    2. Scanurl

    Link https://scanurl.net/

    This is a fairly simple scanner that will tell you about such things:

    • Has anyone noticed your site as unsafe;
    • if the site passes the Google Safe Browsing test ;
    • Is there a PhishTank file on your site?
    • is there any negative assessment of your site in the Web of Trust.

    Additionally, the scanner provides links to resources with other security scanners.

    3. Sucuri Website Malware and Security Scanner

    Link: https://sitecheck.sucuri.net/

    This online scanner will not give you detailed information, but on the whole it will analyze the following:

    • whether the old version of WordPress is worth;
    • problems (or nonexistent) firewall;
    • The domain is blacklisted in some security systems (Google, Norton, etc.);
    • list of links located on your site (suddenly there are those that you did not add);
    • The list of scripts (again, in case you see any of them for the first time).

    Sucuri is a quality scanner that will find and display information about possible problems.

    4. SiteGuarding.com

    Link https://www.siteguarding.com/en/sitecheck

    SiteGuarding.com works in much the same way as the rest of the scanners on this list. But it’s worthwhile to note a convenient and cute display of scan results.

    Even a novice WordPress user will be able to figure out how to use this tool, and where the problem sites of the site are.

    What exactly will SiteGuarding.com show:

    • obsolete version of WordPress;
    • finding a site in blacklists;
    • firewall detection;
    • analysis of internal links;
    • list of plug-ins, themes and scripts (in order to check that there are no unknown elements to you).

    5. UpGuard

    Link: https://app.upguard.com/webscan

    Online scanner from UpGuard is worth highlighting, if only because it shows a security analysis in the format of gaming. After scanning, you will receive a certain number of points, depending on the following factors:

    • Do you have an SSL certificate installed?
    • Is there a domain name protection?
    • whether malware is seen on the site;
    • open information about the server;
    • whether SPF (Sender Policy Framework, sender’s infrastructure infrastructure) is enabled;
    • and much more.

    6. WP Neuron WordPress Vulnerability Scanner

    Link: https://wpneuron.com/wordpress-vulnerability-scanner/

    This scanner is designed specifically for sites that work on WordPress. The plugins and themes of your site are scanned, so if it makes sense to use it, if it seems to you that there may be some problems in these elements. Traditionally, the scanner will also tell you whether your version of WordPress is up-to-date, whether everything is good with robots.txt, and about all the oddities that will notice on your site (but the basic information will still be about plug-ins and themes).

    7. WPRecon WordPress Uptime & Security Monitoring

    Link: https://wprecon.com/

    In general, this scanner is similar to Hacker Target WordPress Security Scan (which went under number one), but there are three key differences. In addition to basic information, the scanner also provides data on:

    • internal links;
    • JavaScript links;
    • iFrame links.

    This information will help to notice and fix any problems much quicker, which you would not even have guessed otherwise.

    How often to use scanners?

    Checking the vulnerabilities and possible problems on the site is a regular procedure that should be performed at least once a month, but more often, as hacking can bring you a lot of problems.

    At the end of the article, I want to give some general advice on how to protect my site (they may seem trite to experienced users, but beginners will be useful).

    How to protect your site

    • Promptly update the CMS version.
    • Use plugins to protect the site (for WordPress you can advise Wordfence or Sucuri) and be sure to update their versions.
    • Use a complex password and change it regularly.
    • Be sure to change the password after you told it to an outside person (developer, SEO specialist, etc.).
    • Do not install themes or plugins from dubious sources.
    • Connect the site to Yandex.Webmaster in order to get all the information on time, if there are any problems.
    • Be sure to regularly make backups, including on a local computer.
    • Install the antivirus on your computer and check it regularly for viruses.

    How to Install and Secure Memcached on Ubuntu 16.04

    Introduction

    Different utilities that are used for caching (for example, Memcached) can improve database performance by temporarily storing information in memory. Usually this applies to those records that you either recently requested or frequently ask for. In this case, when using caching, the number of direct queries to the database is reduced.

    When using systems like Memcached, it is extremely important to properly protect the servers where they are installed, otherwise attacks on the server can have very sad consequences.

    Therefore, this guide will not only tell you how to install, but also how to protect the server from Memcached.

    Requirements

    Before proceeding with the instructions, you must have Ubuntu 16.04 installed on your server with a user who can execute sudo commands and a firewall.

    Step 1: Install Memcached from the official repositories

    If your server does not already have Memcached, then you can install this utility from the official Ubuntu repositories. First, you need to update the package index:

    $ sudo apt-get update

    Then install the package:

    $ sudo apt-get install memcached

    For the convenience of working with Memcached, you can also install libmemcached-tools, a library with several useful tools:

    $ sudo apt-get install libmemcached-tools

    Now on your server Memcached is installed as one of the services, and it’s time to go to the protection settings.

     

    Step 2: Protect Memcached settings

    First you need to check that Memcached listens on localhost 127.0.0.1. To do this, you need to look at the settings in the configuration file located in /etc/memcached.conf.

    Open /etc/memcached.conf using nano:

    $ sudo nano /etc/memcached.conf

    Then find the next line:

    . . .
    
    -l 127.0.0.1

    If there is a -l 127.0.0.1, then you do not need to change anything. However, just in case, you can disable UDP so that attackers can not use it during attacks. The TCP configuration will remain untouched. At the end of the file, write:

    . . .
    
    -U 0

    Then save and close the file.

    Restart Memcached for the changes to take effect.

    $ sudo systemctl restart memcached

    Make sure that Memcached is bound to the local interface and only listens to TCP:

    $ sudo netstat -plunt

    The output will be something like this:

    Active Internet connections (only servers)
    
    Proto Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address Foreign Address  State     PID / Program name
    
    . . .
    
    tcp 0   0 127.0.0.1 : 11211 0.0.0.0:*      LISTEN   2383 / memcached        
    
    . . .

    Step 3: Add Authorized Users

    In order to add authorized users to Memcached, you can use SASL (Simple Authentication and Security Layer). This is a framework that separates authentication mechanisms from application protocols.

    First, you need to enable SASL support in the Memcached configuration file, and then proceed to add the user.

    Configuring SASL support

    Check the current Memcached state using the memcstat command. This is necessary in order to be able to track the changes made in the future.

    To verify that the Memcached service is up and running, type:

    $ memcstat --servers = "127.0.0.1"

    You should see something like this:

    Server: 127.0.0.1 (11211)
    
    pid: 3831
    
    uptime: 9
    
    time: 1520028517
    
    version: 1.4.25
    
    . . .

    Now you need to enable SASL. Add the -S option in the /etc/memcached.conf configuration file. To do this, open the file again:

    $ sudo nano /etc/memcached.conf

    At the end of the file, add:

    . . .
    
    -S

    Next, find and uncomment the -vv option, which will give you a detailed report in / var / log / memcached. The uncommented line will look like this:

    . . .
    
    -vv

    Save and close the file.

    Restart the Memcached service:

    $ sudo systemctl restart memcached

    Now you can look at the logs to make sure that SASL support is enabled:

    $ sudo journalctl -u memcached

    You should see the following line:

    . . .
    
    Mar 31 20:15:39 memcached systemd-memcached-wrapper [2760]: Initialized SASL.
    
    . . .

    You can check the status of Memcached again. Now SASL is active, without authentication this command will not be executed:

    $ memcstat --servers = "127.0.0.1"

    You will not see any conclusion. To check the status of the command, you can enter the command below:

    $ echo $?

    It will show the completion code: any numbers other than 0 indicate that the command failed. In this case, you should see 1, which means the command was not executed.

    Adding an Authorized User

    Now you can download the sasl2-bin package, which contains the administration programs for the SASL user database. This will create an authorized user:

    $ sudo apt-get install sasl2-bin

    Next, you need to create a directory and a file that Memcached will use to verify the SASL settings:

    $ sudo mkdir -p / etc / sasl2
    
    $ sudo nano /etc/sasl2/memcached.conf

    Add the following lines to the SASL configuration file:

    mech_list: plain
    
    log_level: 5
    
    sasldb_path: / etc / sasl2 / memcached-sasldb2

    Mech_list is installed on plain, this means that Memcached will use its own file with passwords and verify the text password. You will also need to specify the path to the user database file (this will be done later). Save and close the file after the changes.

    Now you need to create a SASL database with user data. To do this, use the saslpasswd2 command with the -c option . Using the -f switch will allow you to specify the path to the database (which is also needed for the memcached.conf file):

    $ sudo saslpasswd2 -a memcached -c -f / etc / sasl2 / memcached-sasldb2 user

    Next, you need to change the rights: the user user must get the rights to the SASL database.

    $ sudo chown memcache: memcache / etc / sasl2 / memcached-sasldb2

    After that, restart Memcached:

    $ sudo systemctl restart memcached

    The memcstat command will show whether or not authentication works now (enter it with your data):

    $ memcstat --servers = "127.0.0.1" --username = user --password = your_password

    The output should look something like this:

    Server: 127.0.0.1 (11211)
    
    pid: 3831
    
    uptime: 9
    
    time: 1520028517
    
    version: 1.4.25
    
    . . .

    So, Memcached works successfully with SASL support and user authorization.

    How to Use Chatbots for Your Big Data: A Comprehensive Guide

    Chatbots are the latest technology to drive big data. They have the potentials to transform businesses and make interactions with customers a breeze. But the benefit this new conversational assistant offers is bigger than most of us think. It does not only make communication easy for businesses and their customers. Chatbots can provide mouth-watering benefits in big data project. Let’s see how this happens.

    How chatbots can benefit your big data

    Big data the gigantic, and constant flow of information that businesses gather from their customers, is increasingly becoming relevant. Such information can help to improve customer services and marketing strategies to boost ROI.

    In the past, businesses relied solely on email marketing and various social media platforms to gather such information. But the invention of chatbots means total transformation and ease of data gathering. In fact, experts believe that we could have as much as 35 zettabytes (One zettabyte is about one billion terabytes) worth of data on our hands hopefully by the year 2020.

    Ease in Data Gathering

    Most businesses have a large customer base that their customer service agents cannot handle. And they cannot work round the clock to respond to customers. Big data gathering is rooted on three pillars; volume, velocity, and variety. They are known as the three Vs. They differentiate big data information gathering from the traditional research method most people are familiar with.

    The more information (volume) your business can gather in a short space of time (velocity) and across different areas (variety) the better. You will be able to leverage the information gathered to compete favorably with other businesses and improve interaction between you and your customers.

    Chatbots can boost and ease up your big data gathering in more ways than one. They can interact with thousands of customers due to their ability to work round the clock. Think of a company that records over 40,000 chats on monthly basis. Many customer service agents would be needed to interact with the customers, right? In fact, most customers are made to wait in such situations, and they end up unattended to most of the time.

    Most users find communicating with a chatbot better, believes Ron Kirby, the Thesis Rush digital consultant. It can proffer solution to their problems or transfer them to a human customer service agent if it cannot recognize the words used by the client or problems generated. Chatbot records interaction with customers, creating a resource of data which experts can use to improve it for a better conversation with customers.

    Chatbot through its natural learning processing technology (NLP) gives businesses insight into how people communicate and words they use. Businesses can, therefore, use such information to draft their email marketing campaigns and commercials to suit their customers.

    Wide Acceptance

    As earlier mentioned, many people are getting more comfortable interacting with this AI-powered technology. Its response speed is impressive and is available 24/7. In addition, you can link chatbots with social platforms a lot of people are already using such as Facebook, Skype, WhatsApp, and email. You do not need to go through the rigors of creating a new UI or platform.

    One of the reasons people are accepting chatbot technology is the personalization opportunities it offers. Unlike interacting with a prospect on Facebook and other platforms where there might be a security bridge, chatbots are different.

    The privacy and security concerns raised by customers are laid to rest with chatbots. That is why people interact freely with this AI-powered technology. A third party cannot access conversation between you and a chatbot unless present at the time.

    Challenges, Pitfalls, and Concerns

    Chatbots are still very much in their infancy and developmental stages. So there would be challenges and concerns. Let’s look at some of the limitations.

    Lack of flow During Interaction

    Chatbots are designed to work on a programmed script. So they find it challenging to deviate from it. They are developed to follow a particular path, and their conversations are robotic. It is easier to identify a bot because they lack the flow of communications that humans have. A bot that can identify and resolve issues faster is a great option. Chatbots are still developing and soon will get to that stage.

    Cannot Solve Everything

    Chatbots, as earlier said is still at infancy stage. A lot needs to be done to improve on this technology. They cannot solve everything. So when they encounter a difficult task, they transfer it to a human customer agent.


    Conclusion

    Chatbots can benefit your business and help you save money. They can also help to ease the workload on humans. Chatbots can also benefit your big data project. Through interaction, you can gather the information you need to help personalize your email and other marketing strategies to increase client base and revenue.

    How to Prevent Other People From Stealing Your Blog Content

    The person who said ‘imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’ obviously didn’t live in the internet age. Because I sure as hell don’t feel flattered when I see my content on other people’s websites without even a suggestion that they didn’t write it.

    And yet, it’s ridiculously common. It seems like there is an entire segment of the population who build their reputation off of stolen content. That’s hugely frustrating to those of us who spend our time putting together high-quality, original and well-researched content. So, what can we do about it?

    Fortunately, it is possible to do some.

    Put a Copyright Sign on Your Page

    Okay, the truth is that everything that you create, whether you put it online or not, is copyrighted. That’s the good news. The bad news is that a lot of people don’t seem to know that. They assume that if it doesn’t say your content is copyrighted or watermarked, well then it must not be copyrighted.

    So, step one is to make it clear that your content is, indeed, copyrighted. The standard way to do so is to put a copyright sign in the footer of each page. Normally, that’s written like so:

    ©2001 – 2018 All rights reserved. Enter your name here dot com.

    You’ll also want to put up terms & conditions of use somewhere on your website which specify what people can and can’t do with your content. Your best bet is to ask a lawyer who understands website and online communications. Do note, not all of them do – so make sure you check!

    Alternatively, if that’s too expensive, then check out how other people have written up their terms and conditions. Of course, don’t simply copy and paste as that would be the height of irony.

    Register Your Website

    Hopefully, you never have to bring a lawsuit to get people to take your content down. All the same, better safe than sorry. Register your content with the appropriate authorities to be on the right footing to bring a case against somebody if it’s necessary.

    In the US, you can register your page through the U.S. Copyright registration portal. Do note, you’ll have to pay to pay a small fee to register your content. You can do so in bulk.

    Register with Plagiarism Checker Websites

    Next, you’ll want to put your page up with one of the many plagiarism checkers out there and then put their banner on your website. The advantage of these services is that they will check to see if there are people out there who have already copied your content and will continue to do so.

    That’s important, as legally the impetus to find people who have ‘borrowed’ your content falls on you and not the copyright office. The reason is obvious. So much content gets created each second that it’s simply impossible for any single office to check it all! And so, we – or somebody else on our behalf – has to do it.

    There are a lot of them out there. Some are better than others. Some are more expensive than others. So, shop around. Make sure you check if they’ve got that banner for you to put up. In that way, any potential thieves will immediately see that if they do copy and paste your content, they’re going to be discovered quickly.

     

    If You Find Your Content Elsewhere Start With an Email

    To legally require somebody to take your content down is a long process that can put you back considerably financially. So that’s better kept as a last resort. A better idea is to first email the site and let them know the content they’ve put up is, in fact, yours.

    As a lot of content websites put up get created by third parties, there is a good chance they won’t know. For that reason, don’t start off by yelling and swearing to bring down hellfire. Besides, a nicely-worded and well-written email generally tends to work better anyway.

    If you don’t know who to send an email to you can use the tool whois.net. There you can get the official owner of the website, which you can then generally use to track them down.

    If that person does not comply with your request, then contact whoever is hosting the website. Often, these companies aren’t looking for any legal trouble and will take down websites which infringe on other people’s copyrights.

    If even that doesn’t work, then contact Google. They can’t take down the website itself, but they can stop listing it in their search results. And that’s almost the same thing.

    Finally, Get a Lawyer

    If all that doesn’t work, then it’s time to bring in a lawyer. That does mean paying their fees and in other ways committing yourself to a lengthy process. So, make sure you’re ready for all that. At the same time, if none of us ever get in touch with lawyers, then content thieves can act with impunity. And none of us want that!

    So, if you do go down this road, think of yourself as a torchbearer for the rest of the blogging community. After all, if you enforce these needs then hopefully other copyright infringers will be scared off. And that’s good for all of us!

    Maintaining Healthy Guts with Probiotics – The Best Health Tips

    0

    When we talk about improving our bodily health, most of us don’t spend much time in considering the de facto statuses of our winding alimentary canals (and, in particular, the issue of the healthy gut bacteria that happen to line them – and which play a crucial role in curbing the spread of a great number of inflammatory-disease conditions). With a Charter Spectrum bundles subscription, you can access many online resources that illustrate the human digestive tract in astonishing graphical detail.

    The many microorganisms – including a wide array of bacteria and viruses – that permanently inhabit our digestive systems throughout the regular lifespan first make their appearance during the fetal stage; when the developing human baby achieves first-contact with his/her mother’s load of the same intensely-multiplying and largely health-benefitting species.

    Maintaining the right proportion of beneficial gut bacteria (a health digestive-state which probiotic foods greatly aid their consumers in sustaining) to the more harmful strains of the said single-celled organisms is essential – since a greater preponderance/infestation of the latter category can promote the growth of many other kinds of pathogens, and leads to an aggressive immune response that can make the host chronically sick.

    Our modern diets (a large chunk of which owe their production to the industrial and profit-oriented manufacturing workhouses):

    • Come laced with an overwhelming number of food preservatives and flavor additives; all of which prove to be highly corrosive to the epithelial lining of the gut, and contribute to its growing porousness.
    • They also inflict a damaging influence on our taste buds, which thereafter begin to lose their sensitivity in recognizing the subtle tastes of natural foods (and hence our innate yearning for them).
    • These chemical substances – some of which are completely inorganic – are necessary industrial accompaniments because they increase the shelf-life and tastes of the manufactured food products.

     

    Using Probiotics as a Fail-safe against diminishing Gut Flora

    As with most things in life, the negativity (in terms of the large-scale environmental degradation brought about through the exploits of the global manufacturing industrial machinery) engendered as a result of our indomitable human agency also comes hand-in-hand with the tools needed to check it.

    In our context, the solution to alleviating some of the ravaging influences of the modern dietary regimen comes in the form of probiotics. As their name suggests, probiotic foods and supplements attempt to gradually increase the number of the healthy gut flora by providing them with a powerful combination of the right nutrients and pH environments necessary for thriving and multiplying in.

    The most popular varieties of natural probiotic foods include:

    • Yogurt (and all its derivatives),
    • kefir,
    • tempeh
    • and sauerkraut – among others.

    Humans have been using these fermented consumables ever since dairy-harvesting first came into practice during the Paleolithic age. For people nowadays, who don’t have convenient access to these natural products (or may be allergic to them), synthetic probiotic preparations in over-the-counter capsule, liquid and powder forms come as great purchasable alternatives that happen to be commonly available in many health stores.

    These probiotic food substitutes are considered generally safe and report very few safety concerns, but like all biologically active materials should be taken only under the supervision of a registered medical practitioner.

     

    Alleviating Inflammation with Probiotics

    The digestive systems of all animal species (and most particularly humans) are designed in a manner which enables them to minutely break down all ingested food particles into their simplest subunits; with glucose sugar being the most-common decomposed form of carbohydrates, and individual fatty and amino acid monomers that of fats and proteins, respectively.

    These digested food materials, through the compound and eroding function of stomach acids and the gut bacteria, as well as the mechanical action of the greater alimentary canal, are thereafter made small enough to allow for their easy passage through the intestinal wall (specifically through the finger-like villi lining the intestinal surface) and into the adjacent capillaries-system (bloodstream). This is the normal mechanism through which all food nutrients make their way to the full spectrum of the body’s rapidly respiring cells and tissues.

    Side Effects of Common Pharmaceutical Compounds

    The regular intake of many preserved foods and pharmaceutical products (like acetaminophen and other NSAIDs used for pain and fever relief), however, makes this system go haywire – because these digestible substances damage the cells lining the inner surfaces of the gut, and cause their pores to widen substantially.

    When this happens, regular food substances that have not yet been properly digested are able to come into contact with the subject’s blood system – provoking an instantaneous immune response. This is because the body’s cellular defense system recognizes these large food particles as foreign bodies, and attempts to prevent them from causing damage to the entire sentient system at large.

    As a result, the host organism afflicted with this condition may suffer from:

    • Periodic fevers,
    • a range of debilitating allergic reactions (resulting in overweight gain and stomach bloating problems),
    • generalized lethargy,
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS),
    • joint pains,
    • a ‘Leaky Gut’ and psoriasis,
    • along with many other disconcerting health issues that impair an individual’s day-to-day functionality.

    The use of probiotic agents helps both in preventing the onset and reversing some of the damage accrued by, of all of these physiologically impairing inflammatory conditions. To order some of these vital health compounds, consider placing an order online through the reliable Charter Spectrum TV and Internet service.

    The Top 7 Restaurant Equipment Items to Help You Succeed

    Working in the restaurant industry requires you to have the equipment that is necessary to prepare quality dishes that are fresh and delicious.

    To do this, you will need to have the best restaurants equipment and professional cooking products that are currently available.

    The Top Restaurant Equipment Items to Help You Succeed

    Whether you are opening your new establishment or want to improve your current restaurant, these items will help you keep your customers happy.

    Restaurant Gas Range

    Gas ranges are ideal for professional chefs because they help you control the amount of heat produced, which results in precise cooking. Gas ranges are often preferred over electric because they heat up faster and they’re more reliable.

    Heavy-Duty Electric Range

    While gas ranges have their benefits, some cooks prefer the convenience of an electric range. The Garland/US Heavy Duty Range features 2 boiling plates, a storage base, heat switches and a stainless-steel front. When it comes to restaurant equipment, this range is an exceptional deal.

    Floor Model Electric Fryers

    If you own a burger joint or the popular community dinner, then you will need to have a floor model electric fryer. These units allow you to fry up all types of food from chicken tenders to fries and onion rings in a matter of minutes. They are a must-have item for your growing restaurant.

    Convection Ovens

    Convection ovens help to cook food faster by using rapid air circulation. This provides you with fast and consistent results that you wouldn’t be able to get from a traditional oven. A Convection oven can improve food quality and taste whether you are baking, broiling, or roasting.

     

    Heated Shelves

    If you own a buffet restaurant, or simply need an easy way to keep your food hot as you wait for customers to order, a commercial heated shelf can be a great benefit. It is the ideal product for baked goods, sandwiches, plate warming and more. These shelves are constructed from aluminum alloy material to provide even and consistent heat.

     

    Walk-In Coolers

    A commercial walk-in cooler can provide you with ample storage for all your frozen food items. These high-capacity coolers are perfect for large-scale restaurants and foodservice operators such as bars, catering companies, and concessions. Plus, using walk-in coolers can help you save on your monthly energy costs while you reduce the costs that are associated with upkeep and maintenance.

     

    Mega Top Tables

    Mega Top Tables are the perfect countertops for restaurants because most models also feature a refrigerated area underneath for storage. These tables have ample space on top for preparing food or slicing up vegetables. You can also use them to store ingredients such as deli meats and veggies for sandwiches.

     

    Have You Got Everything Covered?

    When you first open a restaurant, it takes some time to get to the level of success that you had hoped for. But when you have the right crew, and the right type of equipment, you will be able to achieve your goals and create an establishment that the people of your community will enjoy eating it.

    How to Accelerate Your Business Growth with Android App Development?

    The world is witnessing a phenomenal transformation in terms of technology and the credit for the same goes to Mobile app development. App development companies are actually paving way for unprecedented business growth reason being, they offer people an easier and more convenient way to lead their lives. From getting your air ticket booked, to book a cab to even ordering groceries all can be done via an app from the comfort of your home. The mobile app development agency play a pivotal role if you are eyeing continued customer engagement.

    The rising attractiveness of social platforms has propelled companies to tread towards the mobile domains namely iOS and Android. Till now, there are a whopping 75% of users who use Android-powered devices. This is a huge market for any platform. Thus, if you wish for growth, there is an urgent need to be in touch with a good Android App Development company so as to get the best developed mobile app.

    Android has become the most sought-after mobile operating system in current times. Surveys have proved that there has been a steep incline of users towards Android mobile devices and smartphones.

    Regardless of the fact whether you run a well-established business or yours is a newly formed startup, an Android app has become the order of the day. This has led to a rise in demand for Android application development companies.

     

    Why is it important to have an Android Mobile App?

    As everyone owns an Android device, this makes it important to have an android mobile app to promote your business. The world is fast moving towards mobile and so if you want to reach out to a wider audience, you need to have an Android mobile app. People were initially little skeptical about this technology revolution but the Android mobile app has become the need of an hour.

     

    Isn’t having a responsive website enough or dismissing the idea of owning an Android app can cost you heavily?

    A responsive website caters to just those users who have not downloaded your mobile app. So if you wish to expand your reach it is important to have an Android app. The experience offered by an Android app cannot be compared with that offered by a responsive website. The mobile app presents to the user a seamless, sensitive and easy experience in comparison to a responsive website.

     

    Advantages of hiring services of Android App Development Company

    The Android app development companies enhance the growth rate of your business by infusing the much-required mobile app development skill to your business which places it on par with the global competition. Android App Development companies enable you to devise as well as deploy a strategic plan which leads to desired outcomes. There are several others reasons why hiring services of Android App Development provider benefit your business.

    1. 24×7 visibility

    As per research, an average person devotes two hours daily on his or her Smartphone. So, if you have an Android app your company will clearly receive more visibility than your competitors. Visibility can directly be converted into chances for earning money.

     

    2. Value Addition to Your Clients

    Every business concern has some or the other loyalty program for their customers, be it by way of referral schemes or membership cards. This is done to please their loyal customers. Mobile apps enable you to digitalize rewarding as well as a referral system. Customers are able to redeem the advantages faster and in an easier way. People are more attracted to download your app so as to avail personalized offers as well as schemes.

     

    3. Enhanced Customer Engagement

    Android apps lead to a widening of your audience. All thanks to an intuitive interface and all vital features being put on to it, a mobile app turns out to be an extremely competent tool to connect with your users. You can have a quick competition, present rewards in return and consequently tempt the audience to download your app.

     

    4. Augmented Customer Support

    Regardless of what kind of business you are in, customers will always want to reach to you with their doubts as well as queries. With help of an app, you can jack up the level of support you offer them. Apps offer assistance anytime and from anywhere. Customers can have their issues resolved even while on a go. And this will make them opt for your services even in face of competition.

     

    5. Direct Marketing System

    With app features such as push notification, you can go ahead with direct and personalized marketing. This is far better than text and email marketing. The promotional campaigns which are made for push notifications perform better owing to the very reason that they are direct, and offer have a personal rapport with the client.  They are basically optimized based on past behavior, interests, and taste of the user.

     


    Conclusion

    The users of today spend a huge amount of time on their smartphones and smart gadgets such as tablets etc. Most of these devices are Android based. Therefore building an Android app will just help you serve your customers in a better way and will also expand your avenues of revenue generation. You can work on building your brand in an efficient way while addressing the queries of clients in an advanced and quick fashion. Thus, an Android App Development company will prove quite instrumental in helping you achieve the desired business goals.

    How to Build a Remote Development Team of Software Developers and Its Benefits

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    Remote work is the trend of modern management. And it’s no wonder, because it’s an obvious saving on office rent, the possibility of hiring the best employees and attracting customers from all corners of the country and the world. However, there are still more questions than the answers in the matter of how to hire remote developers to the high-tech project. Let’s find out why it is more profitable to hire remote programmers in order to derive maximum benefit from remoteness.

     

    Remote Development Team Benefits

    Looking for an answer to the question of how to hire good software developers, every initiator of a startup or an entrepreneur consider different opportunities to choose from. Let’s consider the benefits of creating a remote development team from the perspective of cost-savings and effectiveness of its members.

    • International teams of highly qualified employees. Such a model makes it possible to gather people from different countries and regions in one team, which is not always possible within one or several offices.

     

    • The saving of the payroll, which implies flexible forms of registration of labor relations. It becomes even more relevant to the question of how to hire developers since their salaries are relatively high if to hire them on a full-time basis.

     

    • Multiculturalism (although sometimes this point is treated as a disadvantage). It is about interethnic, intercultural, interreligious exchange, as well as the ability to maintain gender balance within teams.

     

    • Flexible work schedule. The remote model gives the ability to attract staff in the 24/7 mode, flexible and more individual approach to the working conditions. Making a decision on how to hire software developers, it is quite important to consider this point since a majority of specialists have already accustomed to being free from standard office schedule.

     

    Practical Tips to Build a Dedicated Team on a Remote Basis

    The development of IT project always begins with a great idea. The second step is the formation of a budget, which will cover the existence of the team in the first months. The third step is to decide how many developers should I hire and to find the team. So in general, the main task of a person who builds a team on their own is organizing such a corporate culture so that the competent specialist makes a choice in favor of a particular idea. In order to do this, you need to make the following steps.

    • Development of common rules. The first step to creating the right corporate culture for remote employees is to create a list of rules that all must adhere to without exception.
    • Preliminary analysis of demand. In the case of technological start-ups, the reason for failure is the lack of demand for a product. This question should be studied in advance so that later you do not have to justify yourself before the team. The analysis of demand will also help you to find out how many backend developers should I hire for the first time.
    • Financing. To do this, you need a start-up capital. This reduces team risks and increases the attractiveness of all parties.
    • Search for people. First of all, be guided by your own circle of acquaintances. Friends, colleagues, colleagues of friends is already a big circle of search if you spent at least a few years in IT.
    • People management. All the previous items were aimed at creating the right atmosphere in the team. But when everyone is united by one goal and started to work, it is the right leadership that comes to the fore.

    Reasons to Outsource IT Services to Ukraine

    Deciding on a question where to hire developers, an average customer begins to think about India, China and only then refers to Ukraine. Let’s see why Ukrainian developers are the more profitable solution to involve them in a dedicated team.

    The first reason is in the high level of the education. By 22-23 years, a graduate of the Ukrainian technical university receives good knowledge in the field of basic sciences. Having started working on the last courses of the university, by the age of 25-26 young programmers already have 3-4 years of experience. The European customer, deciding on how to hire best app developers in Ukraine, receives a higher level of the team, preparedness for solving complex technical problems, and lower staff turnover, as well as smaller cultural differences than in India.

    The second reason is in the cost of services. The cost of one programmer in Ukraine is 2-2.5 times less than in Europe or North America. But in India, China and other countries it is possible to hire a developer even cheaper. Ukrainian programmers are distinguished by the quality of services, the ability to solve complex technological problems, as well as a convenient location and time zone, even in relation to America.

    The Right Way to Promote Your E-Commerce Business on Social Media

    In today’s world, the importance of the internet and social media is undeniable. In fact, social media is a significant part of a business venture’s marketing budget. The digital marketers and e-commerce platforms have acknowledged the power of the internet for establishing a connection with potential and existing customers.

    All e-commerce businesses promote their products on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. In order to promote your e-commerce venture on social media, you need the right kind of content. This is your chance to grab the opportunity to engage with potential customers.

     

    Why Promote Your Business on Social Media

    If you are an entrepreneur and if you want to start an online business venture, you can make use of trusted platforms such as Shopify Gold for Enterprise companies and then, promote your business on social media.

    Effective strategies for social marketing on social media will get you real monetary substance. Through social media, you can easily reach out to potential and new customers, as well as engage with your existing users.

    Social media enables you to display some of your best abilities to brand your product. The social presence of your brand also gives your competitors in the market a run for their money. Social networks have been turning into important commercial portals. No wonder that businesses which pay more attention to social media marketing are making better profits.

    Here is how you can effectively promote your e-commerce business and its products on social media platforms.

     

    Make Meaningful Engagements

    As someone who owns an e-commerce business, you definitely know that your customers are precious. Therefore, you need to know what the potential customers are looking for and design your social media marketing plan. E-commerce platforms such as Shopify Gold for Enterprise companies enable you to establish your large scale online business, following which you can market your products on social media.

    You should design catchy content, taking into consideration the latest trends in the market and customers’ needs. Research and create unique social media content for your online business. Engage with customers on a regular basis and be responsive to their queries. Doing so is necessary in order to increase your reach and make the presence of your brand felt across the user base. Social media is a dynamic platform, and there are multiple ways in which it can help you in your interactions with your customers, both existing and first-time buyers.

     

    Know Your Customers

    E-commerce platforms like Shopify Gold help you know your customers well to market your brand on social media. You should take a look at the real-time responses of your users. This way, you can understand what they care about, their interests, and what excites them the best about your online store.

    In relevance to the key factors, you should create content for social media marketing. Use the platforms efficiently to understand the segmentation of your customers as well as the demographic market. You can thus optimize your advertisements and campaigns and convey a better-targeted message.

     

    Create an Impression

    Your brand and its social media presence pretty much make or breaks its identity. These days, customers are wise enough to know the proper use of social media platforms. These platforms are used to research other companies and the market and acquire customers.

    For customer acquisition, such research is of utmost importance. Only when you research well, will you get to understand the market pulse and create convincing content. This way, you can establish a good impression on your customers as well, which will significantly help in boosting your business. You should make the most of social media platforms and optimize your presence through attractive content.

     

    Customer Service and Engagement

    Social media gives you the opportunity to provide quick customer service; make the most of it. Keep track of your customers’ responses, needs, and grievances, and be responsive. Engage with your customers on a regular basis and promote your products. This immediacy is an imperative of social media. Responsive businesses reap the best advantages of social media marketing.

    When customers use the social media for choosing or buying products, they want quick information. Hence, you should promptly respond to customers’ queries and offer them available solutions. Take into consideration their feedback and grievances, and optimize your brand and products accordingly. You can also take help of professionals in developing great content for the social media marketing of your brand. Engage with customers on social media and optimize your business to the fullest.

    Top 4 Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Tips for Better Marketing

    Nowadays, all commercial organizations intrinsically depend upon their digital marketing initiatives to remain viable in both the short & long terms, and to attain the highest levels of value on their ad-spend endeavors. Through the use of reliable web subscription services like the Wow Internet and Cable offer, companies are becoming increasingly more efficient at conducting targeted and results-oriented promotional campaigns – and registering an unprecedented number of successful customer conversions into their sales portfolio.

     

    SEM & SEO – Joined at the Hip

    The most commonly deployed variants of digital marketing techniques on the internet include the multi-faceted promotional stratagems that can be categorized under the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SEM (Search Engine Marketing) umbrellas.

    It is important to understand however, on a technical footing, that the ‘SEM’ acronym alludes to the complete range of both paid and organic online marketing processes deployed to advertise a particular brand’s products & services through the inter-related mediums of search engines, social media accounts, primary/secondary websites and unaffiliated (3rd party) platform postings. But in the going marketing field/industry jargon, SEM normally only refers to the paid (currency-requiring) domain of digital promotions.

     

    My Top 4 SEM Tips

    In this post, I’ll list 4 of the Best Search Marketing Tips which (in my lengthy experience of working as a digital strategist for a number of Fortune 500 companies) can really help you to gain some serious advertising & consumer outreach mileage in all your online marketing projects. Although adhering strictly to even one of these pointers can cause you to achieve noticeable increments in the traffic volumes being diverted to your important site landing pages, applying all of them at once (as part of a holistic digital marketing strategy) will certainly fare even better.

     

    Strategic & Well-Planned Keywords Execution

    In many ways, keywords can easily be reckoned to be the very ‘core’ of the entire online marketing operation, as it were. In plain textual form, they equip users with precise informational snippets about what your company has to offer – and so they normally need to be attained through a lot of competitive bidding on platforms like Google AdWords and SEMrush to be legally utilized thereafter. These tools also allow search marketers to create enticing ads to be used as part of a paid (PPC) campaign, in which keywords-promotion can be ‘controlled’ through the use of ‘Matching Keywords’ & ‘Negative Keywords’ optional utilities (integrated into program interfaces).

    Good examples of converting keywords include targeted long-tail phrases that are fully indicative of the user’s search intent – and stand a very good chance of ultimately leading to a sale.

     

    Proper Ad Timing and Geographical Specificity

    Determining the right times of the day to launch your paid ads, in addition to specifying the exact geographical locus where the brand’s products & services are actually being served for purchase, constitutes a very significant step towards ensuring that you only receive the right kind of search traffic every time.

    For most companies, ads that run after the midnight hour, and during the early morning time, promise a much smaller share of diverted (aggregate) online traffic than the ones that run during key rush hours (when internet surfers are most likely to be engaged in browsing the many pathways of the internet).

    Ad running utilities like Google AdWords come equipped with default time-specification options, which allow you to put your ads live when they’re most likely to reign in some suitable customer-conversion opportunities.

     

    Being More Publicly Visible through Ad Extensions

    If you’re a small and recently launched company on the lookout for gaining some online audience-centric traction, utilizing the various ad extension options available on Google (and any other search engine you may be interested in working on) can prove to be a great way to make your potential consumers more knowledgeable about everything that you have to offer. These extensions include such information publicizing add-ons as reviews, site links and C-T-C (Click to Call) links, among others.

    Through the use of these neat and complementary side-along service utilities, it can become incredibly easy for you to lure in new leads through an all-out and discursive promotional mechanism.

     

    Check Out Additional Search Engine Platforms

    As you may already be aware, Google is not the only search engine platform popularly available on the Internet to run your ads. Bing, Yahoo and Ask.com are some of the other options available in the digital consumer marketplace for this very purpose, and despite being significantly less popular than Google in the search-querying game (from the internet users’ standpoint), they can still pack a potent punch in terms of connecting your brand with willing-to-pay customers on practically every day of the week!

    If you wish to learn more tips to keep your SEM campaigns moving forward in a productive manner, consider subscribing to a high-speed Wow Internet plan today – which is attainable after paying the affordable Wow Internet prices tariff.