Month: August 2022

Skills Shortage Threatens Cybersecurity of Companies

With increasing digitization, the threat of cyber attacks is also rising and so is the demand for IT security experts. According to the latest Risk & Cybersecurity Study by IT business Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), companies see the biggest challenge in cybersecurity not in the budget, but in the lack of professionals with relevant expertise. According to the study, half of European companies (49 percent) plan to hire professionals with cybersecurity skills in the future, with that figure rising to two-thirds (65 percent) in the US.

Skills shortage among top challenges for cybersecurity

Chief risk officers (CROs) and chief information security officers (CISOs) report in the survey that they have already had difficulty attracting (44 percent) and retaining (42 percent) talent with cyber risk and security skills in the past year.

The second biggest challenge according to the CROs and CISOs is a changing work environment with increased possibilities for remote work and the associated risks. For example, innumerable employees had to be given remote access to their employer’s systems and databases at short notice due to the pandemic and the resulting move to remote work. This opens up new points of attack for cybercriminals. Assessing security risks and quantifying their costs is the third biggest obstacle for the respondents.

Cybersecurity not a budget issue

Only tenth place in the ranking are budget constraints. The fact that the latter are affecting fewer and fewer companies is shown by the high level of willingness to invest: 52 percent of European companies and 62 percent of North American companies stated that they had increased their budgets for IT security since last year.

Commenting on the study’s findings, Gerard Grant, Director, Strategic Initiatives at TCS Ireland said “Keeping abreast of the most advanced tactics of cyber criminals is not a question of cost. Rather, the challenge lies in finding and retaining the right professionals with the required know-how.”

TCS employs over 1,100 people in Ireland across a range of high-skilled tech related roles. TCS operates a state-of-the-art Global Delivery Centre based in Letterkenny which includes an innovation lab and plans are now in place for building further business units, together with centres of excellence in cyber security and cloud services.

How companies ensure they have a recruiting edge

One measure alone can’t solve the skills shortage. “However, companies can help fill the skills gap by using external service providers for harder-to-staff work, such as 24/7 network monitoring, while growing talent internally by giving them exposure to not only the technical but the business aspects of cybersecurity,” says Gerard Grant. In addition, the study shows that the more frequently the board of directors engages in cybersecurity, the more successful the company is in finding and holding onto their top talent with cyber risk and security skills.

TCS’ study also finds that talent retention directly correlates with how a company stores its information. Cloud-positive organizations were found to have a slight advantage in retaining and recruiting talent with notoriously hard-to-find cyber skills, compared to those companies who think that on-premises or traditional data centre security is preferable to what is available via the cloud. In fact, embracing cloud platforms gives companies a five-point advantage in recruiting and retaining talent with cyber risk and security skills.

“As businesses look to keep up with rapidly evolving complexities in cybersecurity, the talent gap is widening,” said Bob Scalise, Managing Partner, Risk and Cyber Strategy, TCS. “Demonstrating a serious commitment to cybersecurity by sustained attention from senior leadership, funding, and process changes will be vital to recruiting and retaining top talent.”

The TCS Risk & Cybersecurity Study, published by the TCS Thought Leadership Institute, highlights the most pressing cybersecurity issues facing senior business leaders across Europe and North America. The study is based on the results of a survey of more than 600 CISOs and CROs, from companies with at least $1 billion in annual revenue, across banking & financial services, utilities, media & information services, and manufacturing. Topics include global risk, cybersecurity, resilience, and ecosystem/cloud security.  The survey took place in February and March 2022.

To view the full report and receive more information, visit on.tcs.com/risk-cybersecurity.

Eleven ways to reduce your laptop’s impact on the environment

The climate crisis impacts all of us, and we know that to hold a global temperature rise to less than 1.5°C, we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions dramatically. Addressing the climate crisis requires breaking it down into small actions that add up to a big impact. We can all make simple choices to shrink our carbon footprint, including that all-important laptop purchase. Check out these eleven ways to live your best laptop life and reduce your carbon footprint.Tara Gale, Client Solutions Country Lead, Dell Technologies Ireland gives us 11 tips.

1. Know your numbers

Do you know your carbon footprint? It’s the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) – including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and others – that you produce as you live your life. There are several great calculators out there that can help you calculate your carbon footprint, like Carbonfootprint.com. You may be surprised by your own footprint, so knowing it will be the first step in figuring out where you can make savings. Many brands will help you compare the carbon footprint of various models to further inform your sustainability-minded buying decisions.

2. Circularity at the centre

We normally think of recycling as a waste issue, but it’s also a climate issue. For example, a recycled aluminium can has a 95% smaller carbon footprint than making that same can from virgin aluminium.

So, before you buy a new laptop, consider how you might responsibly return, refurbish or recycle your old one. Depending on the brand of your laptop, you may be able to send it back to have it recycled. Some, like Dell, will collect your old electronic goods of any brand, in any condition, and recycle them for free.

3. Before you replace it, can you repair it?

Repair is essential to keep products in use longer and out of landfills, so it’s worth checking whether a laptop is designed with repair and recycling in mind. If a component is covered in adhesive and takes hours to disassemble, it isn’t as easy to repair and may not be able to be recycled at all.

Some brands provide customers with easy access to the resources, spare parts and support they need should they wish to repair their products themselves. For example, some brands, like Dell, make it easy to access information online, including manuals and downloads that keep products performing. Publishing their parts list online means customers can order parts to conduct their own repairs. Dell has even created an augmented reality app that provides step-by-step part replacement instructions for almost 100 products for many customer-addressable issues.

4. Level up

Many people think about changing their computer to support the latest applications or games. Before buying new, check whether you can upgrade components like memory, storage, graphics cards, or the CPU to instantly extend your device’s usual lifespan.

5. Old is the new, new

If you have decided on a new laptop, why not consider refurbished? Going through an official refurb programme removes the uncertainty of buying through peer-to-peer websites. You can have peace of mind with a warranty that protects your device and your studies.

6. Lean, mean (sustainably built) machine

If buying new, what is it made of? There are lots of materials that can be recycled to create a new laptop. Recyclable and renewable materials, including tree-based bioplastic upcycled from the papermaking industry, reclaimed carbon fibre, post-consumer recycled plastic, and new bio-based rubber feet made from castor bean oil can all be used to create sustainable laptops now.

The team at Dell uses recycled plastic in nearly every hardware product they make, and we’re expanding our use into more components throughout our devices. Up to 85% of the materials used in our monitors are made from recycled materials We have also reclaimed carbon fiber for several years now and it’s just a fantastic material to work with. This carbon fiber is left over scrap material from the aerospace industry and we blend it with post consumer recycled plastic and bioplastic to make the lids and bottom base of some of our notebooks.

7. Energise your coursework with energy efficiency

You’ve got energy-efficient LED light bulbs in your house – but how energy efficient is your laptop? Energy-efficient devices help cut your electricity bills and reduce the amount needed. Thankfully, there are some helpful standards to tell you how efficient any device is, like the EPEAT rating (the Green Electronics Council’s Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool). It’s the most comprehensive tool for evaluating overall environmental criteria and makes it easy to evaluate the life cycle implications of a product.

8. Don’t feed the vampires

Reducing energy use is a simple solution with environmental and economic benefits. According to recent studies, household appliances use 20% electricity when they are left on standby. PCs are some of Ireland’s top energy vampires, so switch off your laptop at the mains when you’re not using it – even the standby light uses energy.

Try not to over-charge your laptop unnecessarily, too. Unplugging it as soon as it’s charged will save energy and help your battery last longer. You can also adjust your PC’s Power settings to reduce the energy impact and save battery life by optimizing things like backlit-keyboard, screen brightness and adjusting your settings for “Best Battery Life.”

9. What’s on the outside counts too

What about packaging? In Ireland, 1.1 million tonnes of packaging waste were produced in 2019 alone,  but only 28% of this amount is recycled. Therefore making sustainable choices based on packaging will also help you select a more sustainable laptop. Check whether a company uses styrofoam or other packaging materials that are difficult or impossible to recycle. Many companies now use reclaimed plastics and natural products like bamboo to make more sustainable packaging, so you can go ahead and responsibly recycle or compost the packaging or use it to send your old tech for recycling. Dell’s packaging for example is made from 100% recycled or renewable materials – and is 100% recyclable.

10. Future-proof

If you want to play your part in preserving the environment, one of the easiest things you can do to help is preserve your laptop – that means protecting it and extending its lifespan. So, update your software regularly to optimise your PC’s efficiency and avoid viruses, treat the battery well, and keep your laptop clean!

While software can’t help get rid of fingerprints on a screen, it can help you keep your energy-efficient laptop running like new. Dell’s SupportAssist, for example, is an intelligent technology that runs on your PC and removes viruses, detects issues, optimises settings and tells you when you need to make updates. All of which keep your laptop healthier, reducing the need to replace or refurbish/recycle.

To protect your choice of sustainable laptop when on the move, consider purchasing a laptop case. For a double-whammy sustainability choice, there are cases on the market that are eco-conscious in their own right, like the Ecoloop Pro Backpack, which is made with recycled ocean-bound plastics.

11. Variety is the spice of your device

How multifunctional can you make your device? For example, can you make your laptop work for school, work, and entertainment? If you’re big on gaming, look for a PC that can take a marathon session without breaking a sweat and can also keep you focused when you have those tight deadlines. You could even consider repurposing old tablets or phones as home management devices for alarm systems or other uses.

The bottom line is that, as consumers, we have the power to influence how seriously companies take the issue of our collective carbon footprint. Through our choices to reward companies with strong sustainability programmes, we can take a concrete first step towards our push for effective climate change solutions.

Tech Review – Creative Stage Air V2 soundbar

The soundbar is now a popular piece of tech buy for their homes to enhance their audio experince no matter what it may be connected to, you can buy for your TV PC and more and small size on like what we have here today is just as ideal if you are on a budget and do not want an oversized one which some folk are fussy about.

We tested this one with a laptop and phone and of course as expected it blows your default speakers out of the water and a nice thump of bass thrown in for good measure, now you are limited with i/o ports and no HDMI so keep that in mind before buying as often it can be the case people think a HDMI port comes in all soundbars when it does not and this is targeted at a different audience but can be used anywhere still and is portable.

This soundbar has a comprehensive connectivity profile for compatible devices (which include PC, Mac, PS5, Nintendo Switch, mobile devices) – users can conveniently connect a single USB cable for audio and power, or revert to the trusty 3.5mm port for analogue connectivity. It also delights as a wireless speaker, featuring the latest Bluetooth 5.3 technology with six hours of playback on a single charge.

There is no app or anything here to control the EQ but most products like this are the same apart from some gaming options from the brand which are super cool. This is a simple plug and play and it does the job with a nice glossy finish and metal finished grill up from, it is a fingerprint magnet but once settled in place you have no real need to touch the front or sides as the controls are on the side of the unit.

This could be also used a general speaker in the house be it your bedroom living room or kitchen too and easily fills a room, check out the video for samples below and if you are on a bit of a budget and tied up for space and want a better audio experience at home this should be on your list.

Creative Stage Air V2, visit creative.com/StageAirV2.

Video Review

 

New research reveals which dating apps collect the most data from their users

Whilst dating apps are a great way to meet new people, they present significant privacy risks which are often overlooked when we are busy looking for our future significant other.

One of the biggest issues with dating apps is that, unlike most other apps, they request a lot of sensitive information from their users to build a profile. Often this includes basic information such as your name, age, gender, and date of birth, however, the research revealed that this can also include a lot more personal information such as religious beliefs, sexual orientation, drugs and alcohol use, whether you have/want kids, height and weight.

Although this is important information to the experience on the app, leakage or disclosure of this information could expose users to all kinds of threats, including hackers and scammers who have been gaining access to people’s most sensitive information to trick them into sending payments.

With this in mind, experts at MoneyTransfers.com have analysed 15 different dating apps to identify which apps share the most of your sensitive information with third parties, collect for their own marketing and which have the longest privacy policies to find the most invasive dating app overall.

The dating apps that share the most data with third parties

The research revealed that overall 67% of dating apps collect your personal data to share with third parties. Badoo and HER were discovered to be the dating apps which share most of their users’ personal data with third parties (35%), including everything from location, contact information, identifiers (IP address and cookie identifies) and usage data.

In joint second place were eharmony and Grindr who shared 21% of their users’ data with third parties and in third place came Tinder and Plenty of Fish who both collect 14% of users personal data to share with third parties.

Out of the 15 dating apps investigated, there were 5 apps which did not collect any of their users’ personal data to share with third parties. These apps were Hinge, Thursday, Flava, Once and, the exclusive celebrity and influencer dating app, Raya, meaning that as far as their users are concerned, none of their personal data is being shared with third parties and is being used solely for the purpose of their own marketing or analytics.

The dating apps that use your personal data to track you

The data collected to track you include contact information like name, address, mobile number and also location data, meaning apps can share device location data or email lists with third parties. In order to show nearby potential matches, the majority of the 15 dating apps we investigated track user location through the device GPS and Wifi. This does raise concerns that several apps at a time can track down users, with only minimal location data available.

The research revealed Badoo and HER were the worst two apps for using their users’ personal data to track them, collecting 36% of users’ data. This included data such as purchases made, contact information, location, usage data, “other data” and identifiers.

In joint second place were eharmony and Bumble who collect 29% of their users’ data for tracking purposes. In third place came OKCupid which used 21% of users’ data to track them. This is a scary amount of data that dating apps are selling to other parties, including data brokers or advertising networks.

The dating apps that use your personal data for their own marketing

Apps also collect your data for their own benefit which involves their own marketing. Developer’s advertising and marketing on an app involve their own ads popping up on other apps, sending marketing communications, and in-app promotions.

OKCupid collect the most of their users’ personal data for their own benefits with 42% of users’ personal data collected to sell more of their own products and serve relevant ads on behalf of others. This information included purchases made by users, users’ location, contact information, users’ content, identifiers and usage data.

There were several apps which collect 35% (which was the second highest amount) of users’ data for their own marketing and advertising purposes. These apps included Hinge, Tinder, Bumble, Plenty of Fish, Badoo, HER and Happn.

In third came Grindr, eharmony, Once and Raya who all collect 28% of users’ data for their own personal benefit.

The overall worst dating apps

Overall, based on how much data the apps collected in total, for selling on, keeping for their own benefit and for tracking you, the least private dating apps included Badoo and HER in joint first followed by OKCupid and eharmony in second and third.

Dating app Thursday, which only launched in 2021, was revealed to be the safest dating app to use when it came to the safety and privacy of personal data. According to the research, Thursday collects absolutely no data on their users for either their own personal benefit or shared with third parties.

In second place came Flava which collects no user data for third party marketing or their own marketing and just 7% to track users. Surprisingly, in third place came one of the most popular dating apps, Tinder which only collected a total of 28% of users’ personal data with none of their users’ data collected for tracking purposes.

How Random Number Generation is Used in Research, Blockchain and More

True randomness can be observed in common actions and natural phenomena, such as the roll of a dice or the radioactive decay of atoms. During these events, the outcome or pattern cannot be predicted, although probability theory can help to give a guideline on what may happen. For many years, mathematicians and computer scientists have sought to replicate natural randomness in a digital system. 

There are two types of random number generator (RNG) in wide use today. The first is pseudo-random, an ongoing string of numbers created by an algorithm that passes certain statistical tests for randomness but could in theory be predicted with a powerful enough computer program. For many purposes, this is good enough. True RNGs use the types of natural phenomena mentioned above to generate the basis or ‘seed’ for the program to go on producing the numbers. These are much more secure and cannot be predicted even theoretically. 

But why do we need to use RNGs? There are actually a lot of practical applications for a system that continually produces a sequence of unpredictable numbers. From security to simulations, RNGs are everywhere.

Security and cryptography

The most obvious use of the RNG is in online data security. True RNGs are utilised to encrypt data when it is transferred from one party to another. Any time you make a transaction online, the encryption that protects your financial data relies on RNG. The same can be said for password generators, which have become more widely used in recent years. Instead of creating your own password, which is known to often be less than secure, the computer will suggest one for you. This has also been randomly generated. 

Research

Humans are not by nature very good at randomness. We are fallible, and we like to see patterns. This is not ideal when designing scientific studies, as it is likely that the human designers will include an element of bias into the system, even without realising it. In order to create a study that is objective, randomisation is key. 

One example is in double-blind drug trials. These trials use a test drug and a placebo as a control group, in order to accurately see the effectiveness of the medication. It is vital that neither the test subjects nor the researchers know which patients belong in which group. Assigning the various subjects to each group is done using randomisation. 

Without the RNG, researchers could unconsciously favour certain subjects over others, for example making sure that a patient who seems more unwell gets to use the real trial drug and not the placebo. This would skew the results and make the trial unreplicable.

Blockchain RNGs

Since the inception of blockchain tech in 2009, there has been interest in utilising the new system to make a decentralised RNG. Decentralisation is desirable because it is not under the control of a single entity, but rather spread publicly and therefore impossible to manipulate. Although some progress has been made by several different groups, so far there has yet to be a single blockchain RNG that satisfies all necessary criteria. In some cases the security is still lacking, while in others the rate at which the numbers are generated is not sufficient to be widely applicable. 

RNG Simulation in online gambling

One of the biggest areas where RNG technology comes into play is in online gambling. At virtual casinos and slot sites, there are digital versions of all the games that you might find at a land-based casino site. This includes games like roulette and blackjack, as well as the ever-popular online slots. Real life casino gaming is probably the most obvious place where we witness true randomness, with every spin of the roulette wheel and every shuffle and deal of the cards. 

So, it is obviously of extreme importance that online casino sites can simulate the conditions of a physical casino game as closely as possible. Players visit these sites in good faith, and it must be true and provable that the games are as fair and random as they would be if you were playing them at a gaming table. This is where the RNG comes in. 

The same is true for players at slot sites like the ones tested and ranked here, where each time the reels spin it must be entirely unpredictable what symbols will land. This ensures that the casino isn’t rigging the game, but also that it is impossible for the player to cheat. Most of the best slot sites and casinos use pseudo-random RNG tech. Although this does not create true randomness in the most scientific definition of the term, for the purposes of a casino it is close enough to reality as to make no difference. 

 

6 Best Magento 2 Extensions That Integrate with REST API

Every business owner knows that Magento 2 extensions are the bulletproof way to make your store customized and tailored for your customers’ needs. Now Magento 2 extensions support REST API, which provides even more room for customization and flexibility. Access top-notch custom Magento extension development services to transform and upgrade your online store. 

Meanwhile, in this article, we’ll talk about Magento 2 extensions that offer significant functionality for eCommerce business owners. With this extension and the ability to involve third parties because of REST API, you will turn your business around. 

Magento 2 Advanced Report

No more worries about how to deal with all the data, such as sales, profit, or cost numbers. If you have an online store, you know that dealing with and analyzing this data takes significant time. With Magento 2 Advanced Report feature, it gets much easier for you. 

Its main goal is to provide business owners with simple and easy-to-use tools to get insights into the business details. You get to utilize over 25 different report types, choosing the one that fits your business in the best way. Additionally, you can export data for further working with it and use profit-calculating tools to measure your profit automatically. 

Magento 2 Product Tags

The main goal of this extension is to help customers navigate through your website. For example, when a customer searches for specific products, having tags narrows down the search results and makes the process faster. Needless to say, convenient navigation and superior customer experience are two factors that lead to increased sales. 

With the REST API, you can connect countless product tags to your website, no matter what kind of goods or services you provide. Other key features also include the ability to review product tags, whether on the sidebar or separate pages with the characteristics of the products. 

You can also create customized tags, such as free shipping or discount tags, to attract new customers and make the experience more personalized. Having unique tags will help to gain customers’ attention and increase sales. 

You can also easily manage all the product tags, add new ones, and edit and delete old ones, depending on the current needs of your online store.

Magento 2 Marketplace 

With the help of this extension, you can turn your online store into a marketplace. Since the REST API has been integrated with Magento 2 Marketplace extension, it means that you can now connect your store with loads of other goods and services. With this extension, you have a chance to turn your online store into a powerful marketplace like Amazon or eBay. 

When it comes to the features of this extension, you get to enjoy in-depth reports, a convenient system of daily transactions, and custom commissions. You will have full control over the activity at your platform, such as details of the deals, different commissions for different vendors, etc. 

Magento 2 Out of Stock Notification

Spare your customers, and don’t make them browse your site daily, looking for specific products or items. With this extension, your customers will be kept up to date with the information about available products all the time. 

Having REST API allows third-party software to access information about your stock data. Among the main features is a convenient notification system allowing customers to set the notifications they want. For example, notifications about sales and discounts, price adjustments, and products about to be sold out. 

The customers can also choose how they want to receive notifications: via email or other acceptable communication channels. You also can alert each customer manually, but with dozens of notifications waiting to be sent, it’s much easier to set it automatically. 

Magento 2 Store Credit

Refunds are a complicated but inevitable part of leading an online business. Many managers have trouble dealing with refunds and handling costs, especially when those issues arise unexpectedly. This extension allows you to turn the returning costs into a store credit that customers can use for further purchases. Instead of handling the complex process of returning money, you can keep them in business and also ensure that your customers return to your store once again. 

The features of this extension also include the ability to pass the store credit to users’ friends or family members. In this way, even if the customers didn’t plan on returning to your store, you still get to keep the money in the store and even gain new customers. Customers can also buy credit in the credit value section and use it for future purchases.

Magento 2 FAQ 

With an informative and precise FAQ section, your customer support team will have fewer problems and issues to handle. Try answering the most common questions regarding products, catalogs, payment options, shipping methods, etc. With REST API, you get to use third parties to create FAQ content and get questions as well as answers in the responses. 

This extension allows you to show the FAQ section on the product pages, and every customer will be able to leave questions and receive answers from you as well as other users. A search feature also allows you to search for specific information within the questions. You can also organize questions in different categories and create separate spaces for different topics for discussion. 

Final thoughts

And that’s it. There are plenty of extensions to choose from to make your website tailored to the needs of your online business. And with the REST API, you get even more opportunities to customize your store. 

Finding the right development team to work with is key for successfully implementing the numerous Magento 2 extensions. They will not only help you with proper installation and management of the extensions but also advise on which one will benefit you the most and which will only slow your store down. 

Tech Review – Skullcandy Inequality Crusher Evo headphones

Ok so the Skullcandy Inequality Crusher have been here a few weeks now and to cut to the chase there is no difference between old and new, the only thing here is the colour. For me I liked the colour as I like things that stand out and again quite a few people asked why companies are getting involved in gender / politics  so to speak, my answer was as is in the about us section is we do not use our site to share or promote any religion or politics and it stands given there is a reason behind these we are reviewing them on how they sound and I happen to like the looks which you could say is being a bit of a hypocrite but if you want to know my political views or anything else you can find that on my personal facebook page or on Twitter where I have my say and not controlled or afraid to say anything either but less of that and more on the product then. You can read the press release here about the new coloured headphones and check out the unboxing HERE with a side by side view of the OG version.

Ok so we have the same as before but now different colours here that stand out, now for those who are not aware of what these headphones have that separates them from others is the sensory bass that is adjustable and this still has not been seen elsewhere yet at least to the best of my knowledge. It is something you need to try and feel, one example of an idea what it is about is the woojer strap which is another cool product for those who want more and to feel immersed.

Moving on then about how they sound, they are excellent to cut to the chase you can see more in our Skullcandy Crusher EVO OG review HERE and nothing has change but for those who have been thinking about them should look at the review and the app which is also excellent and again we do the same in the video review below so do check it out and get a feel for what to expect if you decide to pick a pair up..

Overall the audio experience is great the headphones are comfortable they are easy to use they have super bass and also an app to enhance the experience  and forget about the outside world when the volume is raised to the max.

Features

40 hours total battery + Rapid Charge
• Crusher adjustable Sensory Bass
• Personal Sound via Skullcandy App
• Call, track and volume control via touch controls
• Built-in Tile Finding Technology
• Flat-folding and collapsible

To Write Love on Her Arms exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment
and recovery. For more information, please visit twloha.com.

Video Review

 

Ways to Increase the Visibility of Your Ecommerce Store

With more than 20 million active eCommerce stores across the globe, it can be intimidating to start your own eCommerce business in today’s market. Not only are you competing with grand worldwide Amazon sellers, but you’re also competing with other smaller sellers who are chasing the same category of audience like you. However, most of these stores and sellers in the market are not making the most of the marketing and advertising tools and possibilities available nowadays. This can set you apart from the competition and help you attain your target audience in no time. It’s all about bringing the right marketing strategies into play and putting the needed effort to increase the visibility of your online store. Keep reading to find out how you can make your eCommerce stand out and boost its visibility.

Create Valuable Blog Posts 

People don’t realise how important blog posts are for spreading the news about eCommerce businesses. Engaging blog posts help increase the visibility of your content as well as generate increased revenue. Studies prove that about two-thirds of internet users living in the United States made online purchases as a result of blog posts they read in a single year. This is because blogging is one of the best forms of content marketing and it sure does bring a lot of benefits compared to traditional marketing. You can solve your customer’s problems and provide them with relevant answers to their questions through the content you share in your blogs. When incorporated with topics relating to your products, you can successfully increase the visibility of your store and attract new prospects.

Use Advanced Technology 

Professional 3D product visualization and modeling services can significantly enhance the visibility of your eCommerce store by providing high-quality, photorealistic images that attract and engage customers. Unlike traditional photography, 3D rendering allows for customizable, interactive visuals that showcase products from every angle, improving user experience and boosting conversions. These visually appealing assets also perform well on search engines and social media, increasing organic traffic and brand awareness. By investing in professional 3D visualization, your eCommerce store can stand out in a competitive market, build trust with potential buyers, and drive more sales.

Offer Value in Your Content 

A successful business always aims to create content that its audience would find helpful. Not every piece of content you post through your online outlets or social media platforms should be a sales pitch. You should focus more on providing your followers with valuable news and content that actually resonates with their needs. Everything relating to sales should follow. For example, if you sell yoga mats and yoga-related equipment, you should focus your content around fitness and health, dieting and nutrition, and other topics relating to the lifestyle of this category’s buyers. Offering valuable content goes a long way in retaining your existing customers and increasing the visibility of your products to prospective buyers.

Use Google Ads

One of the most important things you need to start with to guarantee a good exposure for your eCommerce store is registering your internet domain with the service provided by Google. This is crucial so that you would allow Google to rank your website when it discovers it. As you may already know, Google shopping ads get the premium spot, which means it’s a great opportunity for your store to appear in the search results of your prospective customers. Google uses different algorithms to track relevant demographics that can help you reach your buyers in a more direct way. It’s also free to register and won’t take you more than five minutes. You can then choose from several nifty Google Ads services that are all designed to enhance eCommerce visibility. Another popular alternative is an ecommerce facebook ads strategy.

Identify Your Target Audience 

Knowing who your customers are will provide you with relevant insights into how they think, what their interests are, and how you can satisfy these interests with your products and services. It’s also the first step in starting a profitable eCommerce business and a defining decision for your entire career. After identifying your target audience, you have to tailor your content accordingly to provide your prospective customers with relevant answers to what they may be searching for. Knowing your target customers will also allow you to adjust your product selection so that you can actually offer content that your buyers are looking for. This will unlock unlimited possibilities for your eCommerce business while letting you increase your reach.

Exploit Social Media Platforms  

Social media is one of the most powerful weapons you can use to benefit your business. Almost everyone uses the internet nowadays to look up products and make purchase decisions. You need to find the social media platform that your target audience uses the most to reach them and engage with their interests. This way, you can tailor your content and promote your business through optimized marketing posts. Social media is, hands down, the best marketing strategy you can take advantage of to gain more visibility for your eCommerce store.

Social Media

Starting your own eCommerce businesses or trying to grow your online store is a process that depends on your marketing tactics and level of business exposure. You need to make sure to put your business out there and make it stand out to increase its visibility. These tips will help you gain the most visibility for your eCommerce store as well as increase your revenue

Could an Algorithm Hold the Secret to Lottery Success?

It’s an event that many of us dream about. Seeing our numbers come up in the lottery and earning us a life-changing sum.

It’s something that this article in the Irish Mirror shows has come true for some very lucky individuals and their family. But it’s also important to acknowledge that the chances of it really being you are very small indeed.

Many of us also use systems that we hope will unlock the big prize whether it’s using a series of our own so-called lucky numbers or working our way through complex frequency charts that may possibly indicate which numbers are due to be drawn.

Others believe that the secret of success is to choose numbers that are evenly spaced across the range as this might just maximise the chances of a big win or, failing that, a very respectable one instead.

Ensuring the fair draw

Lottery operators go to enormous lengths to ensure that the drawing of the numbers is truly random. Among the measures they take are using different machines to select the winning numbers, operating the draws in very secure conditions and even weighing the balls to ensure all are exactly the same weight to ensure that there has been no tampering involved.

But, despite all the steps taken to create genuinely random draws, there are some that believe that the properly programmed algorithm will be able to crack the code.

What’s more, this will be applicable to any lottery for which the right input data is available. So anyone wanting to take part in online lottery betting at Lottoland Ireland or any other similar site could be able to use this. That’s because the site in question gives players the chance to take part in lotteries all over the world. And, although you’re not playing for the really big prizes, the winning numbers could still spell a cash payout.

How the algorithms work

“Binary code” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Christiaan Colen

Naturally, it is the science of probability that underpins the algorithms that aim to come up with these winning predictions. And, just as a coin tossed again and again will eventually fall as heads or tails an equal number of times, over an even longer period all of the numbers in a lottery will appear with the same frequency.

But there are certain factors that any algorithm can take as being highly likely to occur. For example, it’s highly unlikely that all the numbers drawn will just be odd or even. A straight sequence is also a very slim possibility.

Plus, by crunching the sorts of numbers that can be handled by machines with the computing power of the Hewlett Packard Enterprise in Tennessee’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory it’s just possible that some semi-accurate predictions could be made.

But the emphasis is always going to be on the word “semi” as the element of randomness will always also play a part.

So, when everything’s considered, maybe using your wedding anniversary date and Auntie Pat’s birthday will always be just as good a technique for picking those elusive lucky numbers.

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