Amy C. Fitzjohn's Blog, page 4

Can Small Businesses Really Benefit from SEO Practises?

Many small business owners start blogging to boost their Google ranking, then keep blogging for a host of other reasons. But there are lots of small things you can do to maximise the impact of everything on your website.

How can your business benefit? These top tips from a contributor are a great place to start.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a method of improving the visibility of a website or web page in search engines. It is essential for small businesses to use SEO strategies to increase their brand awareness, drive traffic to their websites, and generate more leads and sales. The question is: can small businesses really benefit from SEO practices? 

Via Pixabay

The answer to this question is yes — absolutely! Small businesses can indeed benefit from SEO practices, as these techniques can help them reach their target audience more efficiently and effectively. Here’s how… 

First and foremost, SEO helps small businesses rank higher in search engine result pages (SERPs), which increases visibility and brings more potential customers to their sites. Optimising your website with relevant keywords and phrases can improve your chances of being seen by customers searching for your products or services. 

Additionally, as more people visit your website due to improved SERP rankings, your website traffic will increase. With higher web traffic comes the potential for increased sales and leads — which is one of the main goals of SEO. 

SEO also helps small businesses establish a solid online presence and build trust among their target audience. By providing valuable content that’s tailored to meet their customers’ needs, small businesses can build credibility and trust, thus increasing customer loyalty in the long run. 

Moreover, optimising pages with targeted keywords demonstrate that businesses understand their customers’ needs and speak their language — both factors play a crucial role in building a strong customer relationship. 

Finally, optimising your website for search engines can help small businesses save money on marketing costs, as SEO is generally more cost-effective than traditional marketing strategies. SEO tactics such as content creation and link building are relatively low-cost activities, while they can yield excellent results in the long run. 

To sum up, SEO practices can be hugely beneficial for small businesses. By improving SERP rankings, increasing web traffic, and establishing an online presence, small companies can gain an edge over their competitors and reap the benefits of increased sales and leads. Therefore, if you’re a new business owner or an established one looking to grow your business further – investing in SEO is certainly something. 

But How can Small Businesses Start Implementing SEO?

With the right knowledge, any small business owner can start implementing effective SEO strategies on their own. 

1) Start by conducting keyword research to identify which terms and phrases your target audience is likely to use when searching for products or services.

2) Optimise your website by including these keywords in the page titles, meta descriptions and content of each page on your site. 

3) Build high-quality backlinks from reliable sources to increase your website’s authority. 

4) Create relevant and valuable content for your target audience – this will help establish trust and credibility. 

5) Utilise social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook to amplify your SEO efforts. 

6) Hire seo companies if you need professional help.

By following the steps mentioned above, small businesses can boost their SEO efforts and potentially reap the rewards. 

The post Can Small Businesses Really Benefit from SEO Practises? appeared first on Amy Morse.

Make Your Own Make Up

I’ve never been one of those women that slathers on layers of make up. I go into Boots, and I’m baffled by the array of products.

What the hell is ‘Buffet Serum’, anyway? It sounds like the condiments section in a posh food hall…

Or ‘Silicone Primer’ – Don’t you use that to fill holes on walls before you paint over them?

The % and symbols next to unpronounceable words. Are we applying spreadsheets to our faces in the name of beauty, now?

Baffling.

Anyway…

More harm than good?

On the positive side, it’s about feeling confident, empowered, enhancing your best features, and expressing your individuality.

However, the beauty industry has a lot to answer for.

Aside from the unrealistic expectations and judgements it places on women – at worst, misogyny, at best profiteering from vulnerability – it’s impact on the environment is shocking.

120 billion plastic cosmetic packagings are produced annually. Almost all of these packagings are intended for single-use. If the industry were to use refillable containers, it would eliminate 70% of carbon emissions.

A test of over 230 cosmetic products at the University of Notre Dame revealed that 48% of lip products, 56% of foundations and eye products, and 47% of mascaras contain fluorine, a severe skin irritant.

The increased use of single-use plastics in the beauty industry contributes to the increasing sea pollution.

(Source: 22 Beauty & Cosmetic Industry Statistics That You Must Know (ecofriendlyhabits.com))

Doing Some Research

I’ve just read this book – Go Toxic Free

It’s an easy to read, well referenced and researched guide with plenty of tips to reduce the chemical load in your life.

I would have liked more recipes and tips from it, but there was enough to get started, with ideas to take forward and research further.

In my steady progress to lead a more sustainable and ethical life, reducing the chemicals I use at home and on my own body is another worthwhile step.

It inspired me to have a go at making my own make-up.

My Make Up Drawer

I’m not ‘into’ makeup and all the fancy cosmetics, and never have been.

That said, I do wear some makeup. At my age I need a little help to make myself presentable to be seen in public!

But over the years you can’t help but accumulate random trays of eyeshadow, pencils, powders, creams etc. Most of which I never use, and they clutter the top drawer. So many broken powder compacts, eyeliner pencils stubs, unused colours in multipacks…

When I’m at home I don’t even bother with make up.

My daily routine is:

A light application of foundation to even skin tone and minimise redness.

Concealer for problem areas like redness around my nose and dark bags under my eyes.

Eyebrow pencil – I have thin, blonde eyebrows.

I stopped using mascara years ago as it always made my eyes water. For definition I use a black pencil or sometimes a strategic dusting of dark eyeshadow.

For an evening look I’ll go heavier on the smoky eyeshadow, eyeliner, and lipstick.

These are the items I use regularly:

Foundation, with sponge to applyFace powderEyebrow pencilLip balm/glossOne pallet of natural eyeshadows, with a built in brush. Ranging from light to dark for multiple options, from a light shadow to brighten up, to a smoky shade for a night out.

This the most I can ever be bothered with.

All of the regular items I use can be replaced with homemade alternatives. So, I took to Pinterest for inspiration.

I love these recipes on Treehugger and have started to experiment with them:

Why make your own make up?

Here are a few reasons to have a go at making your own make up:

Make up is really expensive – save money.Make up is heavily plastic dependent. Be that as an ingredient in the form of liquid polymers (plastics) used for the ‘glossy’ look, and the packaging. Avoid plastic by making your own.Reduce your chemical load, by substituting for food grade, natural ingredients. Our skin is absorbent. If you wouldn’t put it in your mouth why would you put it on your skin? Customise your make up bag. Play with colours, intensities, experiment with home grown ingredients. The reassurance of knowing exactly where it came from and what’s in it.Another small act of rebellion against neoliberalism, by taking steps to being self reliant, not having to buy everything!Reduce the likelihood of allergic reactions. Or if you have sensitive skin. Knowing the ingredients minimises the risks of a flare up.Something aesthetically pleasing, unique and lovingly made. Package up your makes in trinket boxes, jars, vintage bottles, tins, (rummage around in charity shops for unusual and low cost items), add labels, ribbons and crafty touches. Have some fun experimenting with your craft kit.Satisfaction of making something that really works

My Make Up Bag MakesFace powderFoundationEye shadowEyebrow filler

Lip balm – I’ll leave this for another blog but there are lots of simple recipes out there to make your own lip balm. I like to use peppermint essential oil in the lip balm for a minty fresh zing.A base to build from – Recipes

I’ve started with the recipe for the face powder because this is a good base for the subsequent recipes.

As you have all the ingredients out anyway, it makes sense to have a go at a few recipes at the same time.

Equipment

small microwave safe dishspoonsvariety of containers, for mixing and packaging

I like this selection of tins. Enough to make gifts as well, with a variety of sizes for different purposes:

Before you start, get a selection of containers for your makes. Larger for the powder, smaller for eyeshadows, pastes and balm.

Face powder can be made from everyday items in your pantry. The great thing about this recipe is you can tailor the shade to your own colour, rather than shop bought standard blend. Plus, it smells great, too.

Face Powder

Ingredients

Cornflour or arrowroot powder – (both plant based; no mining for minerals!)Cinnamon Cocoa powderBeetroot powderTurmericActivated charcoal powder A container: Jar, tin, trinket box, old powder pot etc.

Method

Start with a small batch to experiment and test it on your skin.

When you find a ratio of ingredients that match your skin tone, scale up the volume to fit the container you are using.

Start with 2 tablespoons of cornflour/arrowroot. This is the powder base, then start adding the colours – go easy on the turmeric and beetroot, they are intense colours.

Cinnamon creates a brownish-orange hue.

Turmeric, yellow.

Beetroot, red

Cocoa, brown.

Charcoal, black

Sprinkle in small amounts of each colour, with a teaspoon. Stir to mix the colours evenly, and keep testing on patches on the back of your hand until you’re happy with the blend.

If you have darker skin add more cocoa, cinnamon and a little charcoal if you have very dark skin.

For fairer skin tone, a touch of beetroot and turmeric for the peachy colour. If you add too much colour, add more white base powder until you get a shade you are happy with.

Use the powder as you would any loose powder. I apply it with a large, soft bush.

Foundation

Now you have your powder base, you can turn some into foundation by stirring a little into a natural, unfragranced face moisturiser.

You can even make your own moisturising base by melting cocoa, mango or shea butter and coconut oil in the microwave (2 parts butter to 1 part oil) Mix in your colours and leave it to set.

Tip: make a small batch as it will only keep for a few days, unless refrigerated.

Concealer

If you have a stubborn blemish to cover up, mix some powder base with coconut oil. Melt a teaspoonful of oil in the microwave for a few seconds, then stir in your coloured powder to the desired colour intensity. Pour it into a small tin/jar and let it set in the fridge. Apply with a stiff brush, foam sponge or even your finger.

Eyeshadow

Use the same ingredients from the face powder but adjust the quantity. Start with a teaspoon of the cornflour/arrowroot then add your desired colours. For smoky colours, go heavier on the charcoal, cocoa and cinnamon. For peachy and pink tones use the beetroot and turmeric.

Other colours:Spirulina or maccha powders, for green huesBlueberry powder, for blue / purple hues

With the primary colours (Yellow: turmeric. Blue: blueberry powder. Red: beet powder) the possibilities are endless.

Eyebrow filler / eyeliner

I usually use an eyebrow pencil for accuracy, but you can make a simple paste and apply it to define eyebrows with a fine brush.

Ingredients

Activated charcoal powderCocoa PowderCinnamonCoconut oil

Method

Mix a combination of the powders together to reach the desired shade. Use more charcoal for dark hair, cocoa for brown hair and more cinnamon for blond/red hair.

You can brush the powder on directly, but it’s less accurate and can get messy. To make it into an easy to apply paste, melt a teaspoonful of coconut oil in the microwave for few seconds. Mix in your powders then pour into a small tin.

You can use this method for eyeliner, too, by going heavier on the pigments.

Enjoy experimenting, and I’d love to know how you get on!

The post Make Your Own Make Up appeared first on Amy Morse.

4 Things That Help You Develop Entrepreneurial Confidence (Inside and Out)

So much relies on having confidence in yourself and your business to make a success of it.

This contributor post shares 4 things you can do to make a big difference.

Having the confidence to run a business

Pixabay – CC0 Licence

There are many things about running your own business or offering services that can prove to be incredibly intimidating. You need to have that right impression that makes it look like you deliver what you promise, whether it’s a professional-looking blog or offering the right services, but there’s one key component that underpins everything: your confidence. 

Having the confidence to run a business is the one thing that invariably throws people off the scent. Many individuals believe they just don’t have what it takes. But developing any form of entrepreneurial confidence is not necessarily about knowing everything, but about ensuring that you understand the level of risk and also recognise what you don’t know. What does it really take to develop this type of confidence? 

Recognising What You Can and Cannot Do

There are two sides to this coin. When you recognise what you can bring to the table, you can steer the ship in the right direction, but you also need to understand what it is that you cannot do. One of the common misconceptions entrepreneurs have is thinking that they should have an innate understanding of everything. However, this is where extra support is invaluable. 

For example, something like marketing can be best left to the professionals, rather than you thinking you need to cover all the bases. Marketing agencies like the Aperitif Agency will always deliver when it comes to the aspects of SEO and the ongoing updates to the Google algorithm. 

You do not have time to learn about these things, and when you recognise what you cannot do, you have enough courage to pass this on to others who you trust will make a significant difference. 

Taking Risks

Risk-taking is actively discouraged in many sectors, but you are in charge of your own business and therefore your own destiny. If you want to build confidence in any part of your life you’ve got to go beyond your comfort zone. Take note, there is a big difference between taking risks and being reckless. 

Rather than actively avoiding failure we’ve got to understand that if failure comes, and it will, we should understand how we can bounce back. Failure is not about knocking you down a peg or two, but about realising that every time you experience some external stressors, you are the only person that has control over your reactions to them. A crisis is always an opportunity. 

Keeping Your Stress In Check

To be confident in yourself you’ve got to ensure that during tough times you have the resilience to press on. Stress is one of those things that can wear away at us. But the reality is that being an entrepreneur means you can either feel this ongoing pressure that can erode every aspect of your being, or you can learn how to keep stress under control. When we feel stressed and we notice our heart is beating louder than the thoughts in our heads and everything around us, this is when we’ve got to understand how we can control our stress. 

There are many different tools; while many resources online talk about deep breathing and relaxation techniques, one of the most effective for any entrepreneur or someone working for themselves is to visualise. Visualisation, where you are picturing yourself solving specific problems in great detail means that you are rehearsing. It’s not about replaying negative situations in your mind, it’s about understanding that problem-solving can easily be undertaken when you prepare effectively. Visualising yourself being calm, in control, and categorically solving problems in great detail will help you dampen down the negative effects of stress. 

Find a Mentor

A mentor is one of the most effective tools any entrepreneur can have. When you have a mentor that you can reach out to if it all feels a bit too much, they can give you that support but they can also be a sounding board. 

We can all feel a lack of motivation if we are experiencing problem after problem and a mentor that’s been where you are can give you that reassurance that you are never alone. A mentor can give you business support, but they can also help you to find your own sense of resilience. 

We think about confidence as something that we either have or we don’t, but the reality is that confidence is something that can be learnt. When we believe we can do something, this is when the relevant hormones start to flood our brains with the right messages. Confidence is not who you were and not necessarily who you are, but it’s what you can be.

The post 4 Things That Help You Develop Entrepreneurial Confidence (Inside and Out) appeared first on Amy Morse.

Tips For Managers To Improve Business Efficiency

Now more than ever the pressure is on to get more done for less. There is rarely one thing that will fix entrenched challenges, it’s multiple, small, incremental differences that make a big change.

These tips from a contributor will set you on the right path to manage your business efficiently.

5 Efficiency Tips

For a business to be successful, managers need to be efficient. This means they must know how to get the most out of their employees and resources. Here are a few tips to help managers improve their business efficiency.

Photo by fauxels

1) Set Clear Goals And Objectives

The first step to improving efficiency is to set clear goals and objectives. Without a clear goal, measuring success and identifying areas that need improvement will be challenging. Setting goals is essential to make sure they are realistic and achievable. Otherwise, employees will become discouraged, and productivity will suffer.

In addition to setting goals, managers should also create a plan of action for how these goals will be achieved. This plan should detail what tasks need to be completed and who is responsible for each task. Managers can ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goal by having a detailed plan. Creating clear goals and objectives is essential to improving business efficiency.

2) Delegate Tasks And Responsibility

One of the most important things a manager can do to improve efficiency is to delegate tasks and responsibilities. By delegating, you can take some of the burdens off your shoulders and distribute them among your team. This allows you to focus on more critical tasks, empowers your team members, and gives them a sense of ownership in the company.

When delegating tasks, be sure to give clear instructions and deadlines. Also, be available for questions or clarification if needed. And finally, don’t forget to follow up once the task is completed to ensure it was done correctly and efficiently. Delegating may seem simple, but it’s often overlooked or not done properly. You can greatly improve your company’s efficiency by taking the time to delegate tasks.

3) Use Online Time Card Calculators

If you manage hourly employees, you know that tracking time can be a nightmare. Time cards can be lost, misplaced, or never turned in at all. This leads to inaccurate payroll and ultimately affects your bottom line. Online time card calculators can help alleviate these issues. You can ensure that all time is tracked accurately by requiring employees to clock in and out online. This will lead to more accurate payroll and improved efficiency overall.

Another benefit of online time card calculators is that they allow employees to view their time sheets. This transparency allows for better self-management and eliminates the need for managers to monitor hours worked constantly. Employees can see when they need to take a break or work too many hours a week. This information is then used to improve efficiency going forward.

Overall, online time card calculators are an excellent tool for managers who want to improve efficiency in their business. Not only do they track time more accurately, but they also empower employees to self-manage their hours. This leads to a more efficient workplace overall.

4) Invest In Technology

Technology can be a great way to improve efficiency in your business. Investing in the latest tools and software can automate tasks, keep better track of your inventory, and streamline your operations. Technology can also help you improve communication and collaboration within your team.

When choosing the right technology for your business, it’s essential to research and invest in products that will fit your specific needs. There are many great options, so take the time to find the ones that will work best for you.

Technology can be a great way to improve business efficiency, but only if it’s used correctly. So be sure to train your employees to use new tools and software properly to get the most out of them. And always make sure you stay up-to-date on the latest trends and advancements in technology, so you can make sure your business is using the best possible tools.

5) Encourage Employee Feedback

Another great way to improve efficiency in your business is to encourage employee feedback. Employees are the ones who are on the front lines and deal with customers or clients daily. They have a lot of insight into what works well and could be improved.

Encouraging employees to provide feedback can be as simple as setting up an anonymous suggestion box or conducting regular surveys. You can also encourage employees to speak up during team meetings. Make it clear that you value their input and want to hear their ideas for improving the business.

There are a lot of great ways to improve efficiency in your business. You can make your business run more smoothly and efficiently by taking the time to delegate tasks, invest in technology, and encourage employee feedback. Implement these tips today and start seeing results tomorrow.

The post Tips For Managers To Improve Business Efficiency appeared first on Amy Morse.

How To Ensure Your Blog Feels Professional

There is still an important role for blogs in your marketing mix. Thought leadership content and Googleable insights remain a staple of online content. But to be taken seriously as a business and lend authority to your written content, it needs to be professionally executed.

A contributor shares four key factors to ensure your professionalism.

If you are aiming to ensure that your blog is successful, then it’s important to make sure that it does feel professional. By creating a blog that looks and feels professional, you can guarantee that your audience is going to want to spend time there and they will engage with the content that you create. So, let’s explore the key factors that determine whether your blog feels like a professional space online. 

Pexels CCO License

Fast Speeds

It is absolutely vital that your blog is fast. If it’s not quick to load, then this is always going to lead to a high bounce rate overall. That’s the last thing that you want because this will trickle down and impact your ranking. The best way to boost speed is to use the right hosting service. The best hosting service will guarantee that your site loads in seconds. It will also mean that you can add as much content as you like. 

Easy Navigation 

Next, you should think about elements like navigation. Issues with navigation are going to hurt your blog because people will get lost searching for what they want or need. It will also feel poorly designed and impact the overall user experience. 

To avoid this problem, we recommend that you follow the three click rule. This means that users should never be more than three clicks away from what they are searching for on your blog. The best way to achieve this is through the use of links in a way that makes sense. Remember, this can’t impact the readability of your blog. 

Beautiful Design 

If you want to keep people engaged and reading your blog, then you should ensure it is nice to look at. It should also match your branding, for instance if you are promoting eco-friendly living then it should match this. If you are unsure of how to go about this, then you can hire someone to create your website for you. If you go to someone reputable then they can create an amazing website for you and your readers. 

High Quality Content 

The final thing that you are going to need is high quality content. There is no blog out there that is going to be successful, or come across as professional if the content is shabby. You need to make sure that you are really thinking about every single thing that you are adding to your site, ensuring that it has some kind of value to your readers. Ideally, we advise that you look into premium stock photography to enhance your content, as it gives your blog that little something extra.

Hopefully, you have found this article helpful and now see what you can do to ensure that your blog feels professional. A lot of blog owners struggle with making their blog give that professional vibe, but it’s actually a lot easier than you might have first thought as you can see. We wish you the very best of luck, and hope that you manage to create a professional feeling blog in no time.

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Boutique Co-Working in Bath

It can be lonely when you work for yourself.

I have a perfectly nice office at home, having commandeered the box room at the start of the Pandemic. With all my face-to-face work going online I needed a quiet space for Zoom workshops and 1 to 1 mentoring calls. Our shared attic office room was no longer fit for purpose with both of us under COVID house arrest and still trying to work.

Finally getting out running face to face workshops for Knowle West Media Centre and Cool Ventures this year. I’ve stepped out, bleary eyed and blinking, into the wide world of working in real life alongside other small businesses.

I’ve missed this.

I’m used to shutting myself in my little room. Watching the world through my window. While writing or having calls with clients and associates.

Co-Working Opportunity

Despite having space at home, when Hollie at House of St John invited me through Linked In to spend the day working at The House of St John co-working space in Bath, I appreciated the excuse to get on a train for a day trip to Bath and take a retreat day with my business.

The House of St John is in a beautiful Georgian listed building on Queen’s Square.

Lavishly and sympathetically refurbished in 2019 and completed in 2021, as a co-working space with a difference.

The Charity

All profits are gifted to St John’s to help fund community change through the Foundation Fund. The Fund is focused on lessening the educational attainment gap, supporting 0 – 12 year old children. Providing food; a safe place outside of school; behavioural and emotional support and help in reading and writing, oracy, and mathematics.

The History

No. 1 Queen Square was gifted to St John’s Foundation in 1953 by the Whittington’s.  It has been a Barclays Bank and a serviced office block in recent times. Its current overhaul was completed in 2021.

The building itself cuts a handsome figure, with commanding views over this iconic Georgian square – Queen Square, Bath.

The Space

Being a listed building means that there was little they could to structurally to the building. It is a mix of small, cosy, intimate spaces and grand salons, arranged over 4 floors.

The nooks and crannies have been well designed to create kitchen and washroom facilities on each floor. With large communal kitchen and co-working facilities on the hall floor.

There are a range of characterful and quirky spaces where members can pitch camp for the day and work.

A good mix of large and small spaces.

If you want some quiet space to sit and write, there are dedicated areas, bookable rooms and a library.

If you want somewhere livelier, there is the salon at the entrance, which also has a licensed bar, and the parlour at the back.

There are larger conference style rooms on the first floor. These are open for co-working or can be hired. The top floor is private offices rented by individual businesses.

The rabbit warren of rooms and surprising spaces make for a range of options. The space feels exclusive, boutique and luxurious. But has the quiet buzz of activity, with freelancers coming and going.

At the back is a suntrap courtyard garden, but also an intriguing outdoor cellar space. As they can’t attach anything to the original stonework, they are having bespoke booths built to slot into the recesses under the building to create a quirky outdoor / indoor space.

For anyone cycling into work, there are bike racks in on the basement floor, with a back door directly into changing facilities and a spa style shower room.

Who Works There

While spending the day at the space, I wanted to meet a couple of the members.

To get a sense of the types of businesses working there, I met Lyrica Zhang, who runs Why Not QI Marketing.

Lyrica started the boutique marketing agency in Hong Kong, before moving to Singapore.

She moved to the UK and settled in Bath a couple of weeks ago. She is getting to know her new home and enjoying the city. Such a contrast from the neon and skyscrapers of Singapore.

We chatted about the history of Bath. I recommended some places she should visit; I had to include Bristol, too, of course!

She has grown her freelance business to employ a couple of staff and can officially call herself an international business. With work in the UK and also in Southeast Asia. Lyrica works with a range of business, in particular, tech start-ups.

When she arrived in Bath her first priority was to find a place to work. Then to find a place to live. She Google searched, found House of St John, came for a visit and hasn’t looked back. She has made the most of the opportunities to get to know the other members by attending regular networking events and member breakfasts, keen to make new connections and friends in the city.

Being a member, gives her an exclusive and gorgeous place to work, that fits with her high-end boutique brand.

It was quiet the day I worked from the space. It would benefit from more members to grow the community of businesses. 

I’ll be keeping a lookout on the website for future events. I’d like to see them partnering with networking groups and small business support organisations, who could host events and showcase the space to businesses in the Bath area.

Co-Working Membership

There are a range of options for people looking for a stylish place to work or meet clients.

Membership to use the co working space starts at £152 per month, with private office rental prices on request.

The space is ideal for small business owners looking for a little luxury in their business life.

Meet others small business owners, make friends and contribute to a worthwhile cause.

Thanks to the team for hosting me. I had an enjoyable and productive retreat day.

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Leave Your Tributes, but Take Your Plastic Home

I’m not a Royalist. I also don’t especially hold any strong opinions about whether the UK should be a republic. We’ve already had our Bristish Trump, thanks. Please, never again!

I would describe my feelings about Royalty in general as apathetic.

When people argue on Social Media about which member of the Royal family deserves their scorn this week, I roll my eyes and scroll past. (Spoiler, it’s usually the mixed-race American woman who bears the brunt of the vitriol).

When people get all excited and emotional because a member of the Royal family got married or had a baby – as if they were their own family – I just don’t get it.

However, it’s hard not to be at least a bit sad about the passing of a grand old lady who has shaped the world’s view of our little island. She’s been the one constant, shaping our national identity. Few of us remember a time when we weren’t Elizabethans.

It sounds weird hearing, ‘God Save the King’ and ‘King Charles III’. It’ll be really weird when we start getting coins and notes without the Queen’s Head on!

What I Do Have Strong Opinions About… Plastic

I may not have a strong opinion on the Monarchy, but what I do have a strong opinion on is plastic waste.

At the scene of any tragedy, when people lay flowers and wreathes of condolence, grief and respect, I find myself feeling disgusted by the sea of plastic nestled among the blooms.

When laying a floral tribute, few people consider they are leaving a toxic piece of trash in the environment.

That plastic wrapping from your bouquet will stay there for years.

It will flake off into micro plastics that pollute everything, down to a cellular level. As the flowers rot away, it will be picked up by wind and rain and carried off to pollute the natural environment, end up in water courses or killing wildlife.

Retailers Must Do More to Reduce Plastic Waste

Most of the cut flowers we buy in this country are imported from The Netherlands, wrapped in plastic for transportation.

A bunch of flowers lasts a week to 10 days, yet it’s delivered in packaging that takes hundreds of years to decompose, if at all.

It’s grossly disproportionate and unacceptable.

Most of us then buy those plastic wrapped flowers from a supermarket.

Yet more ways supermarkets can do better and how they bare so much responsibility for creating our throwaway society, then take zero responsibility for it. Instead passing the waste onto consumers and fobbing us off with ‘recyclable’ greenwashing nonsense.

Except, when it comes to cut flowers, they don’t even try, the cellophane that flowers come in is not recyclable. Even if it was, most of us deliver those flowers in the packaging. Which is helpfully designed to be attractive enough to give as a gift.

The Solution?

There are better alternatives to single use plastic packaging for flowers.

The simple solution would be to package them in compostable starch-based plastics. That way, as the flowers degrade, so too would the packaging.

It’s excruciatingly simple, but an impossible consideration for retailers who simple don’t care about the environmental impact they have. Take the money and damn the consequences – AKA Every Little Helps.

In fact, the whole floristry and horticultural industry has far to go when it comes to reducing plastic waste.

What Can You Do?

We can vote with our wallets and make better choices – where possible, choose plastic free. However, it’s often not possible as retailers give us no other choice.

When you leave floral tributes, take the plastic off and take it home with you! The flowers look better. If everyone did that it would remove tonnes of litter from the street (yes, you are littering!).

This Twitter post inspired me:

These amazing, selfless, thoughtful people who took the time to pay their respects to both the Queen and the environment by clearing up the plastic waste left behind by well-wishers.

These people are awesome.

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4 Reasons Why Instagram Ads Are Effective

I have to confess; I’ve never been a big fan of Instagram… it’s just one too many Social Media platforms and yet more ways for Meta to access more of my data! However, as a business tool, it certainly has value.

But much like Facebook, getting organic reach is more and more difficult without paying Meta money so I’m please to host a guest on the blog sharing top tips to make the most out of an Instagram ad campaign. If you’re spending money as a business, you want to be sure you will get a good return on that investment.

When it comes to Social Media, increasingly, you have to spend money to make money.

4 Reasons Why Instagram Ads Are Effective

As a business, you might be interested in investing in Instagram ads as part of your marketing strategy, and you’d be smart to do so.

As a brand with 1 billion monthly active users, investing in Instagram ads is a no brainer for many different businesses of all sizes across the globe. But, what makes them so effective?

There are various reasons why Instagram ads are effective. These reasons include:

They maximise your reach as a business They help to build brand awarenessThey provide a convenient shopping experience for the customerThey allow you to capitalise off engagement 1. They Maximise Your Reach As A Business 

One of the biggest reasons why Instagram ads are effective is because they maximise your reach as a business. 

To put the reach of Instagram ads into perspective, they have the potential to reach 849.3 million users. 

When you consider that this number of users could translate to millions of leads, you can see why Instagram ads are so effective when executed properly.

By investing in your Instagram ads as a business, then, you are able to promote your services and products to a significant number of potential customers.

Regardless of whether you have a small business that’s still in its infancy or a multi-million pound venture, provided that your Instagram ads are of high quality and are in line with your brand, you will generate interest and traffic to your website through ads.

The more tailored and relevant the ads are, the more likely the customer will be to convert, emphasising just how effective ads can be when they reach the right audience.

2. They Help To Build Brand Awareness

A significant reason why Instagram ads are effective is that they also help to build brand awareness.

Brand awareness is essential for a business in terms of recognition on a long term basis, and it has a direct impact on current and future sales.

This comes down to the fact that 46% of customers buy from familiar brands, as if they’ve already heard of and recognise the name of your business, there is already an established level of trust.

As more people become aware of your business and what it stands for, the more potential you have to increase your sales and keep people coming back through your high quality service or products.

In short, brand awareness ensures people remember your brand and what makes it different to your competitors, all of which can be achieved through Instagram ads.

3. They Provide A Convenient Shopping Experience For The Customer

Another reason why Instagram ads are so effective is that they provide a convenient shopping experience for the customer. 

Not everyone has the time to aimlessly scroll through potential products, and difficult website navigation can often put people off making a purchase, thus resulting in you losing customers. This is where Instagram ads can come in handy for the consumer.

Instagram ads allow the consumer to shop directly by clicking on the ‘Shop now’ banner that takes you straight to the product in question. 

Providing the customer with a highly convenient shopping experience increases sales, emphasised by a study that found ‘⅓ of Instagram users have bought directly from an ad’.

This allows the customer to buy the product with minimal effort, saving on hours of precious time that they might have otherwise wasted scrolling. 

Image carousels also educate and inform users on more than one product and allow users to scroll through several products from your brand at once, emphasising just how convenient Instagram ads make it to purchase a product and how effective they can be for driving sales.

4. They Allow You To Capitalise Off Engagement 

Lastly, the reason why Instagram ads are effective is that they allow you to capitalise off engagement as a business. 

The best examples of Instagram ads are the ones you don’t even recognise as ads, as they fit seamlessly into a brand’s marketing campaign to inform and engage the target audience.

Video ads in particular have a higher potential to grab people’s attention. In fact, 38% of video ads receive more engagement than images.

Incorporating Instagram ads into your business’ marketing strategy therefore gives you the opportunity to capitalise off engagement.

The more authentic your ads feel, the more likely people will be to engage with them. Through sharing and saving relevant ads, as well as tagging others and commenting on them, your target audience will drive up engagement, allowing your business to reach wider audiences.

Written by Jemima Thomas for Amy Morse, on behalf of Aura Ads, a video production service in Cardiff.

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How Sustainable is Plant Based Milk?

 

I talk a lot about sustainability. I get quite ranty on the topic of single use plastic in particular.

There are so many things wrong with the way we live our lives when it comes to caring for the environment, it’s overwhelming. We can easily feel powerless against the weight of big corporations and the fossil fuel industry.

A handful of big businesses cause the majority of the destruction of natural habitats. Loss of bio diversity. Threats to human and animal health. Unnecessary waste. Pollution. Poverty. Poisoning the air and water around us – the leading causes of climate change and generally shitty behaviour – propped up, enabled and subsidised by weak or corrupt governments.

There is only so much we as individuals can do. But if we all do something we can make a difference, even if it’s just to vote with our pounds, dollars and euros with the choices we make as consumers.

From a cold economic perspective – and let’s face it, fossil fuel corporations, supermarkets, big industry and food producers only care about their bottom line – if we don’t buy it they’ll stop producing it.

 

Making ethical and sustainable choices is not about doing it all perfectly.

You can’t change everything in your life overnight, you have to pick your battles.

 

If everyone does something, however small, to live more ethically and sustainably, together it will make a difference.

 

Incremental Changes

Once you make one small change, it’s a compulsion to want to do more. Incrementally, small changes start to make a big difference to your individual impact, which has a knock on effect across the community.

 Which battle will you pick?

The biggest hitting changes you can make are:

 

Reducing waste and avoiding plastic

This is one of the biggest things you can do to make a difference. At every stage in the chain, plastic is destructive. Extracting oil to make it. Transportation. The toxic production process. Further transportation and then waste that stays in the environment for thousands of years and pollutes everything, right down to a cellular level.

This is my big battle. I choose to dedicate time and effort into reducing the use of plastic in my life. Partly why I’m going for a year without shopping in supermarkets.

 

Avoid flying

Around 2.4% of global CO2 emissions come from aviation. Which doesn’t sound much, until you consider that a very small percentage of the world flies frequently, and most of them are in developed world. Which makes us here in the UK disproportionately heavy contributors to that 2.4%. If there is an alternative to flying, choose it.

 

Use your car less

Better yet, get rid of it. We gave up our car earlier this year, and honestly, it’s liberating and saves us a noticeable amount of money each month.

We’ve not missed it, but we have had a to hire a car when visiting relatives in rural Somerset. We have joined a car club, as there will be occasions where I have to travel for work to places with no public transport alternative.

We are also starting a new business which potentially will involve delivering and picking up bulky items, so we will have to get a car/van in the next year.

We’re holding off for as long as we can. When we do have to get a vehicle, we’ll be going electric – it’s not ideal but better than a fossil fuelled vehicle. When we are in a position to be able to afford solar panels, it will cost us hardly anything to run.

 

Going Vegan

Our food accounts for a substantial proportion of our carbon footprint. It is well documented that cereal and vegetable crops have less impact on the environment than livestock. Livestock need more land to produce food, and when farmed on an industrial scale they need supplementary feed, which is often produced by destroying rainforests to make way for soya crops. Ruminants also produce a lot of methane, although I doubt that cow burps and farts make anything like the amount of emissions than vehicles do!

Going fully vegan is a big lifestyle change and can be a health risk if you’re not mindful of replacing the protein and nutrients your body is used to getting from animal products.

 

Don’t be a Cop Out

Becoming a vegan is not a get out of jail free card.

Being vegan doesn’t mean you can simply substitute the highly processed packaged food with meat in, for the highly processed packaged food without meat.

If your vegan diet is high in soya and palm oil (both used extensively in processed products) grown in deforested regions, you may be inadvertently causing more harm than good, than choosing locally reared, grass fed meat. 

Being vegan doesn’t give you carte blanche to regularly take international flights, drive a gas guzzling SUV,  create mountains of single use plastic waste, and choose to wear cheap polyester (plastic) clothes that you bin after a couple of wears!

 

Reducing Milk Consumption

Expecting everyone in the world to become vegan is at best, unrealistic and at worst imperialistic, culturally destructive, and disempowering for communities with little other choice.

However, if we all ate less meat and dairy it would make a difference to our carbon footprint. As our food demands change, so industry would react, potentially creating a more sustainable food system.

 

My latest small change is to choose plant based milk instead of dairy.

 

I don’t think I would ever go full vegan. I don’t believe it is wrong to eat animals, but I do object to the way they are treated and the harm the industrial meat and dairy industry does. 

So, if I’m reducing the amount of dairy milk I consume for ethical and environmental reasons, what is the best alternative?

I’ve been researching a few sources and drawn a conclusion.

 

Read this comprehensive guide by Ethical Consumer: Shopping Guide to Vegan and Non-Dairy Milk| Ethical Consumer Almond Milk

In short, mass produced Almond milk is often nutritionally poor, and highly diluted. Almonds take a massive amount of water to grow, to the extent that they are causing serious water shortages in California where most of them are grown.

Also, California is a long way from the UK!

More on why Almond milk is bad: Almond milk isn’t the silver bullet you think it is. Even worse, it’s ravaging the planet. (mic.com)

 Soya Milk

Soya is often grown in deforested rainforest regions. Giving up meat and eating more soya products does little to halt the destruction of rainforests.

Also, rainforests are a long way from the UK!

 Oat Milk

Oats have less protein than dairy, but as a native grain, are the most sustainable choice of these three options. But beware, Tetra Pak cartons have limited recyclability, plastic is – well, plastic – so choose a glass bottle (infinitely recyclable) and/or refill options. 

 

More on milk alternatives: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/foodanddrin...

 The Best Option

On balance, if you are in the UK and want to choose the most ethical milk, choose Oat milk in reusable glass bottles.

Many zero waste shops, farm, shops and greengrocers have an Oat milk refill station. Or use a doorstep delivery service like Milk and More.

You can also make your milks at home from whatever grains, seeds or nuts are readily and sustainably available to you.

There are plenty of recipes to make your own grain and nut milk. The basic recipe is:

Soak your nuts, seeds or grains overnight in waterUse 1/2 to 1 part soaked grains to 4 parts waterBlendStrainKeep refrigerated and drink within 4 days 

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3 Ways To Make Your Personal Website Stand Out From The Rest

How do you stand out with thousands of new websites launching every day? Stop your website from disappearing into the digital noise.

Follow these three tips from a contributor to improve your digital shop.

Stand Out

Image courtesy of Unsplash

When you visit a photographer’s website, do you ever think to yourself, “How can I duplicate this artistic site? What web design services do I need to invest in?” Finding ways to make your website stand out in a highly competitive environment might be difficult, but we’re here to help you get the attention it deserves. Since first impressions are lasting, we want to build a website that attracts visitors and outperforms your competitors. 

Find out how to differentiate your website from others and make it reflect the character and identity of your business. Learn how to employ themes that complement the appearance and feel of your brand, look professional, contain excellent content, and provide a wonderful user experience.

1) Choose the starting point for your aesthetic

To build the ideal website, you don’t need to hire a pricey marketing firm. You may begin right now. Selecting the ideal template is the first step in creating the ideal website. Your website can be viewed the way you want it to using one of the many distinct portfolio website themes that Format offers. Choosing a web design that fits the image you want to project to customers is essential since your site should embody everything that makes you, you. When it comes to website design, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all strategy, hence Format provides a selection of design themes. The best aspect is that using the templates and creating your ideal website doesn’t require you to be a web designer – this is another myth that shouldn’t stunt your creative expression.

2) Find elegant, professional templates

The truth is that your website will be the source of all the information clients need to know about you. What will you tell them, then? And perhaps more importantly, what will you show them? It’s crucial to consider the most appropriate template because your website may be one of your customers’ first points of contact. It’s crucial to pick one that looks both polished and professional, but that doesn’t mean it has to be dull or uninteresting. Your website will stand out if you keep this in mind. But how do professional websites look? There are many different methods to accomplish it; your website can have striking color schemes, adopt a nostalgic vibe, or simply look professional. As your blank canvas, ensure that it reflects your distinct identity and looks fantastic.

3) The perfect fonts and typography

Choosing the appropriate type of font is a crucial component of creating the ideal website. In the end, you need to consider what type of font will best represent the aesthetics of your company, whether it’s huge and bold, harsh and bright, or narrow and elegant. Examine a few of your favorite websites to see if they might work with the layout you are aiming for. Consider what you want your typography to convey about your personality and aesthetic or tonal approach because it is more than just a typeface. It’s crucial to consider the functionality of your choices at this time as well.

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