Why Do SMM Agencies Need a Social Media Monitoring Tool?

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Social media marketing agencies rely on all sorts of software solutions in order to optimize their promotional efforts and impress their clients.

Today, social media monitoring tools are an increasingly essential asset for any SSM agency, but if you have never used one before, you might not be familiar with the capabilities that it affords modern marketers. To remedy this, here is a look at the main benefits of such services and why lots of agencies swear by them.

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Tracking brand mentions to protect client reputations

One of the primary perks of social media monitoring is that these tools are the simplest way to keep an eye out for any mentions of a brand or product on a number of platforms. This is significant because by being able to track when conversations about a brand are being had by customers, it is possible to intervene and nip issues in the bud and even actively improve the reputation of the brand as a whole.

For example, if a customer takes to Twitter to complain about their experience with a brand, but does not actually tag any official account into their post, then monitoring tools let SMM agency employees know the instant that this happens. They can then formulate a response and ideally bring the customer back on-side, rather than allowing a negative comment to remain ignored and unaddressed in a place where other prospective customers might find it.

Revealing hot topics without the legwork

In the age of social media, brands need to be in the loop when it comes to the topics that have got people talking. This is not just about discovering opportunities to piggyback on what’s trending with posts that reference it, but also about ensuring that scheduled posts do not strike the wrong note in the event of an unexpected tragedy, to name but one example.

While it’s entirely possible for agencies to manually stay abreast of trending topics, this is obviously a labor-intensive task and one which is made all the more complex by the fact that it can be difficult to predict which emerging trends are going to blow up, which have already passed their peak and which are destined to remain in obscurity.

With a good monitoring tool, analyzing trends and tracking relevant keywords associated with them that are also tied into the brand is automated to a greater extent. This leaves team members with more time to focus on other aspects of their roles, like customer engagement and content creation.

Studying the competition to stay ahead of the pack

Monitoring tools are clearly good for getting a broad strokes overview of the state of play in the wider social media ecosystem, but they can also be useful when deployed in a more targeted manner, specifically to keep tabs on what competitors are doing on the platforms that you occupy.

This is significant whether you want to study their tactics and potentially learn something from them, or even engage in a little friendly banter with rival brands, which is something which lots of organizations have done to great effect in the past.

Saving time

Ultimately all of these aforementioned advantages of monitoring tools for SMM agencies come down to the same core selling point, which is that they can save professionals in this sphere a lot of time and effort.

By offloading the more tedious administrative tasks needed to manage the social media presence of a brand to software that can automate them, experts can make their workloads more manageable without neglecting any of their duties.

4 Best Foods To Keep You Full Longer

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Managing a healthy weight isn’t always easy, especially when you find yourself feeling hungry soon after your last meal. Whether you’re at the office, at the gym, or simply working from home, the temptation to snack on unhealthy foods can be intense. 

But giving in to those cravings will only work to diminish your progress. Instead of mindlessly snacking, think about the quality of your diet and start making changes. To help you out, here are four of the best foods that will keep you feeling full.

Oatmeal

Not all breakfast foods are equal – in fact, many popular breakfast options will leave you feeling unsatisfied and unenergized. Instead of grabbing a bowl of sugary cereal, make yourself some oatmeal if you’re aiming for a filling, hearty breakfast. 

Plain oats are full of slow-digesting nutrients, such as fiber and complex carbohydrates. As these nutrients take longer to break down, they provide a steady stream of energy and keep you feeling full. Oatmeal is also very dense – when cooked with water or milk, the oats thicken and take longer to pass through your digestive system. 

Generally, oatmeal is hailed as one of the healthiest grains on the planet. While oats are perfect for preventing hunger-induced snacking, they may also improve blood sugar control, help lower blood pressure, and improve gut health.

To boost your morning nutrition, make oatmeal your breakfast of choice. Oats are also very versatile, meaning that you can flavor them however you wish. Add some berries and banana slices for a sweet treat or add a soft-boiled egg for a more savory dish.

Eggs

While eggs don’t contain fiber, their high protein content makes them a highly satiating food choice for Serenity Kids. Protein is the most filling macronutrient as it takes more energy and time to digest, which ultimately keeps you feeling satiated for longer.

Eggs are nutrient-dense, and one large egg offers 6 grams of protein – enough to keep you from feeling peckish until your next meal. Eggs are also extremely easy to incorporate into your daily diet – they’re simple to prepare and provide important nutrition.

As a bonus, eggs also offer other impressive health benefits. For example, certain studies have suggested that eggs help to raise HDL cholesterol (known as the “good” cholesterol) which may reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems.

For an energized morning, start your day off with scrambled eggs on wholegrain toast. Not only will you feel full until lunch, but you’re also kick-starting your protein intake for the day. Additionally, you can add a couple of boiled eggs to your salads for a filling, tastier meal.

Protein Shakes

Whether you have experience with protein supplements or not, there’s no denying that protein shakes are perfect for weight management. Though they’re associated with the fitness industry, protein shakes are ideal for anybody who wants to maintain a healthy weight using a hand blender Manual.  

With their high amount of protein per serving, protein shakes provide the necessary nutrition to maintain satiation and reduce snacking. While protein does take longer to digest, the macronutrient also reduces your levels of ghrelin – the hunger hormone.

Whatever your personal goals are, protein is vital for maintaining good health. Studies have shown that protein promotes lean muscle growth, aids weight loss, and may even lower blood pressure. 

On busy days, it’s hard to find the time to set up a blender and prepare ingredients for a tasty protein shake. 

To eliminate this hassle, choose a natural, flavored protein shake powder like the strawberry banana protein shakes from Naked Nutrition. By using flavored protein powder, you can simply mix it with water and enjoy a delicious protein shake while you’re on the go.

As with any supplement, make sure that you’re choosing a brand that prioritizes your health. Avoid products that contain artificial ingredients and always make sure you know exactly what you’re putting into your body.

Greek Yogurt

Over the years, Greek yogurt has soared in popularity thanks to its texture, taste, and its nutritional content. More importantly, Greek yogurt contains an impressive amount of protein, meaning that it’s also filling.

Due to its high amount of protein, Greek yogurt takes longer to digest, which is one of the reasons why it’s such a popular breakfast option. By adding Greek yogurt into your morning routine, you’ll be able to power through your day without feeling the need to snack between meals.

Compared to regular yogurt, Greek yogurt has a much thicker, creamier texture, which makes it ideal for breakfast bowls, smoothies, and even baking recipes. As it contains more protein and less sugar than alternative yogurts, it’s also much healthier for you.

During your next trip to the grocery store, pick up some plain Greek yogurt. For breakfast, try out a Greek yogurt parfait paired with fresh fruit or make a fruit smoothie using Greek yogurt for a mid-day snack.

5 Tips for Improving Your Workplace Safety Program

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Workplace safety issues can be present in any industry, but are especially prevalent in fields such as construction, manufacturing and transportation. However, it’s not just physical or manual work that can present a risk, with retail outlets, schools, and offices all coming with various hazards to be aware of. Promoting a workplace safety program, increasing safety awareness, and being committed to a safer workplace is essential no matter where you work. Here are some of the main things that you can do to improve your workplace safety program and reduce the risk of hazards. 

Clear Guidelines

When it comes to processes such as incident reporting or hazard reporting, it is important for all employees to be able to follow clear guidelines that tell them which steps they should follow when they discover an incident or hazard. Many workplace accidents and other situations are caused because employees were not sure what to do if they notice something that could be potentially dangerous to themselves or others, or they assumed that somebody else was responsible for doing something about it. You can significantly reduce the risk of workplace accidents by ensuring that all employees understand they are responsible for reporting incidents and hazards, and how to go about it. 

Safety Culture

A culture of safety in the workplace is the best approach when it comes to improving your safety program. By making safety everybody’s concern in the workplace, you can get the best from the effort that will be made by both individuals and groups to meet safety guidelines, change attitudes towards safety in the workplace, and ensure that all guidelines are adhered to effectively and proficiently. 

Make Changes to Measuring Safety

Creating an effective culture of safety in your workplace and improving your safety program will need to address the way in which safety incidents are measured. While incident rates are always going to be a metric that businesses need to learn more about how effective their safety measures are, they need to be just one of multiple factors. Focus on putting together a checklist of safety actions for the workplace to prevent injury and harm, and keep a record of what people are doing to make the workplace safer for all. By doing this, you can help ensure that safety is a top priority in the workplace at all times, rather than only being a topic that comes up when an accident occurs. 

Establish a Safety Hierarchy

While it’s important to make sure that your safety process for the workplace is designed to hold every person responsible for keeping the workplace safe, there should be an emphasis on leadership and management. For example, when reporting hazards, employees should be clear on the next step in the hierarchy and who to go to when they need to make sure that something is done about a situation that could turn dangerous. Make sure that all employees are clear on who is accountable for which issues or which departments. 

Prepare for More Reports

Always reporting is essential to measure how well your safety program is working. Ensure that all employees are made aware that reporting anything from near misses to first aid procedures, even for minor injuries, is significant in ensuring that the safety policy works well. If your workplace currently has an atmosphere where very few reports are made, it’s important to prepare for an increase in reported incidents at the start. Eventually, this should balance out as everybody is able to adjust to the changes to safety policies and the safety culture. 

Improving your safety program for the workplace is not only essential to keeping employees away from harm; it can also have many benefits for your business as a whole.

WinX Video Converter – the Best 4K8K/1080P Video Converter

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Before getting towards the best and 4K video converter, we need to understand precisely what 4K and videos are, 4K video is considered a much higher-quality video, and it’s a fact, not a claim. It has come into homes, offices, and other platforms of people at a rapid pace. 

Newly-released mobile phones are supporting it a lot by providing the facility of 4K video. But if you are unaware of what precisely 4K video is, what’s the best 4K video converter, and how to convert 4K video freely. This article is going to become a fantastic walkthrough of understanding and finding the best 4K video converter.  

4K Video Resolution 

4K is basically a standard of resolution mainly designed for computer graphics and digital cinema. It is more beneficial than other video formats due to immense projection surface visibility, better fast-action, more detailed picture, and higher image definition quality. 

It was named due to its quantity of pixels as 4000 pixels. There is nothing like a more generic difference between 4K and videos because both represent resolution and pixels. The only difference is the number of pixels as 4K contains 4000 pixels and usually has 1920. 4K and, both are more demanding video formats as compared to others.  

Why Use 4K Video Converter? 

Due to 4K popularization, users are enjoying movies and videos with staggering vivid details. 4K videos have different formats and codes, so we can’t edit them 4K to MP4, H.265/HEVC, XAVC, MOV, MXF, in Premiere Pro, Vegas Pro, FCP X, Windows, IOS, Movie Maker, or iMovie perfectly and smoothly. 

Here we will introduce you to the best 4K Video Converter to convert movies or 4K footage to other most demanding but familiar formats for editing, playing, sharing, downloading, converting, compressing, and cutting 4K videos without compromising quality. 

Best 4K Video Converter of 2021 

You will find numerous 4K conversion tools/programs by surfing and searching on google. We are not saying that they are not good at converting and transcoding 4K videos to 4K, 720P, and 1080P, but you will not find the original quality video after using them. The coin is always two-sided. 

Similarly, the 4K video converter tools have both sides, pros and cons. Our preferred software is “WinX Video Converter”, depending on different needs, criteria, and specifications. This is the best and the most rich-featured 4K file conversion program for Mac OS Big Sur, Windows 10, Windows 8/8.1, Vista, Windows 7, XP, 2000, and 2003 (32 and 64 bit) in the market.  

In addition to these features, for converting different encoding 4K videos from various sources, you can easily convert 1080P/4K video to so many other formats to make them compatible for those devices like Samsung, iPad, XS/S, Xbox, Huawei, Sony, and so many other unlimited devices for watching those converted videos at any time without any hurdle. 

What else do you think needs to be included in this tool? Oh, yes. Video editing feature. You can insert 4K videos from the provided 1000+ video sharing websites, insert from your device, and then perform formatting right over there like trimming, cropping, editing, splitting, and merging.  

Other parameters adjustment and subtitles are so easy, just like fun. You can edit the recorded and downloaded videos with few clicks via this top tool to convert videos of 4K/1080P ( like MKV to MP4) to 200+ video formats like MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, MP3, HEVC, H.264 etc., and also performs compression to large-size 4K video to compatible small sizes (of 1080P/720P) for easy storage. 

For making conversion easier, WinX Video Converter offers a handful of the preset tool. It can convert your videos in no time with level-3 GPU acceleration. This tool relies on productivity and flexibility, making this a fair solution overall to convert videos.  

How to Convert 4K Videos with WinX Video Converter

Step 1, First, download WinX Video Converter and then install it on your computer, then run it. Click “+Video” to load the source MKV files into the software. 

Step 2, Choose your output format for the inserted video(s). 

Step 3. Then click “RUN” to start converting your 4K videos. Simple!  

Hence, WinX Video Converter can not be ignored due to its ninja features and easy techniques.  

South Carolina Just Raised Their Gas Tax – Bringing Prices Closer To NC

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Charlotte drivers now have 1 less reason to cross the border.

Yesterday, the state of South Carolina officially raised their gasoline tax 8.3%, from 24 cents up to 26 cents.

While this may not sound like much, it effectively makes both Carolinas much more competitive in their pricing.

According to the gas pricing website GasBuddy.com, the cheapest gas near Carowinds (which straddles the border), is $2.69, both in North Carolina, and in South Carolina:

According to the South Carolina Department of Revenue, the higher tax will be used to fund road improvement projects across the state:

What do you think about the increased gas tax?

Arts Council of York County Announces 44th Annual Awards

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The Arts Council of York County held its 44th Annual Arts Celebration on Thursday, June 24, 2021, at the Center for the Arts, 121 E. Main St., Rock Hill, during which, some of our most dedicated members and supporters were recognized. Two exhibits were on display in the galleries at the Center for the Arts during the Annual Celebration: SUPERimpose, works by Katherine Kesey and Michael Sorrow in the Dalton Gallery; and The Perfect Pair, works by Rebecca Jacobs in the Perimeter Gallery.
During the Annual Celebration, the Arts Council presented the nominations for new Board members, and outgoing Board members were recognized for their service to the Arts Council. Visitors were able to view a presentation featuring highlights from the 2020-2021 programming year and were given a sneak preview of the Arts Council’s Art Box Fundraiser.
BEN ARDREY VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD | John NIpe
Through his involvement with the Rock Hill Theatre and local music, John Nipe is a vital member of the arts in York County. He is a selfless leader who always goes the extra mile to make sure things are done precisely. Serving as the Vice President of the Rock Hill Theatre, Musical Director, and Technical Producer for many productions, Nipe’s passion and expertise has allowed the RHT to achieve exponential growth over the past few years. John’s work with the RHT have not gone unnoticed. He earned two Metrolina Theatre Awards nominations for his contributions to the RHT’s production of “Annie” in 2018.
His contributions extend beyond the theatre. Nipe is also works with Concerts at the Courtroom to mix sound for the Sidebar Sessions live music series, and he runs audio for area churches and schools. Through his business, Noise by John, he works in audio engineering and music production, producing recordings for local bands like GASP and Motel Glory. In the midst of the pandemic, John also began working in video production, adding another skill to this already talented member of the York County arts community. It is because of his commitment to the success of local theatre and music that John Nipe was named the 2021 Ben Ardrey Volunteer of the Year.
BUSINESS & THE ARTS AWARD | Slow Play Brewing
A favorite local place to hang out with friends, Slow Play Brewing means so much more to the York County community. Serving as an incubator space for food trucks, an art gallery, and a spot where locals know they can always hear fantastic local music on the weekends, Slow Play Brewing is committed to the success of small businesses. They also give back to the community through their monthly featured charities, and through donations to area nonprofits for fundraisers and events. It is because of their dedication and commitment to our community through partnerships with area nonprofits, support of local artists, and dedication to creating a space for everyone to enjoy that Slow Play Brewing was named the 2021 Business and the Arts Award recipient.

UNC Charlotte Announces New Leadership

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The UNC Board of Governors appointed three new leaders to UNC Charlotte’s Board of Trustees, effective July 1. Alumna Wendy Grubbs ’83, consultant and former Citigroup managing director and former special assistant to President George W. Bush; Alexander J. (Sasha) Weintraub, Duke Energy’s senior vice president and chief commercial officer of natural gas; and alumnus Dontá Wilson ’98, Truist Financial’s chief digital and client experience officer, will serve four-year terms.

In addition, three current trustees were reappointed to serve a second term. Alumni J. Brett Keeter ’99 was confirmed by the Board of Governors and Dennis Bunker ’81 and Teross Young ’98 were approved by the North Carolina General Assembly.

“UNC Charlotte is fortunate to have a long history of a strong, talented Board of Trustees, including industry leaders committed to leading our state’s urban research University,” said Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber. “This class of trustees continues this tradition, and we welcome Wendy, Sasha and Dontá, and are pleased that Dennis, Brett and Teross will continue their service.”

The UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees is composed of 13 members, including eight elected by the UNC Board of Governors, four appointed by the General Assembly and the University’s Student Government Association president.

About Wendy Grubbs ’83
wrc_20210603-3010-MM-Edit.jpgWendy Grubbs currently serves as an independent consultant after a distinguished career in legal, governmental and corporate positions, including serving as special assistant to the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush, and as managing director of Citigroup.

After graduating from UNC Charlotte with a bachelor’s degree in political science, Grubbs completed a law degree at Wake Forest University. She spent time as a law clerk, adjunct professor and practiced law in the private sector before starting her longtime career in Washington, D.C. and New York.
She is a member of the Florida, North Carolina, District of Columbia and New York bar associations. Grubbs is the founder of the Wendy B Ranch Rescue Foundation, which promotes the adoption of senior dogs, and the spaying and neutering of all pets.

About Alexander (Sasha) Weintraub
Weintraub-Sasha-5x7.jpgAs senior vice president of Duke Energy’s natural gas business, one of America’s largest energy holding companies, Sasha Weintraub is responsible for the company’s regulated natural gas operations in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. In addition, he leads the gas commercial operations, which includes supply, wholesale marketing, transportation and pipeline services, field customer service, sales and delivery, and business development. Previously, Weintraub served as Duke Energy’s senior vice president of customer solutions. He joined Progress Energy in 1999 and held a variety of leadership positions before being named vice president of fuel & systems optimization following the merger of Progress/Duke Energy in 2012.

Weintraub earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a master’s degree in engineering from Columbia University and a doctoral degree in engineering from North Carolina State University.

Weintraub currently sits on the Dean’s Advisory Board for UNC Charlotte’s College of Computing and Informatics. Weintraub also serves on the boards of directors of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America and the American Gas Association. He is a board member of Envision Charlotte and Charlotte Hearing and Speech Center.

About Dontá Wilson ’98 
Donta_Wilson_0997_1400x1400.jpgDontá Wilson is chief digital and client experience officer and a member of the executive leadership team for Truist Financial Corporation. Wilson oversees digital banking, digital sales, digital transformation, digital strategy and innovation, intelligent automation, client experience strategy, client insights and analytics, omnichannel strategy, experience design and research, marketing, sales optimization, corporate communications, culture alignment and activation, the Truist Foundation, and fintech investments through Truist Ventures.

Wilson has served in various leadership roles during his more than 20-year career at Truist and BB&T. He was named chief digital and client experience officer at BB&T in 2018 and remained in that role after the merger of equals between BB&T Corporation and SunTrust Banks, Inc. that created Truist Financial Corporation in December 2019. He was appointed to the BB&T executive management team and named chief client experience officer in 2016. Prior to that, he was named group/state president of the Atlanta-based Georgia Region in 2014, group/state president of the Alabama region in 2009, and regional president for the Battlefield Northern Virginia Region in 2005. He began his career at BB&T in Bank Operations in October 1995 while in college.

Wilson serves on the board of directors of Signet Jewelers (NYSE:SIG). Passionate about being active in his community, Wilson also has served on many nonprofit, education, and community service boards. Currently, he is founder and board member of I Am My Brother’s Keeper inner city mentor program, serves on the board of advisors for the Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte and is on the board of Samaritan’s Feet. Wilson is a member of World 50/Executive 50, Executive Leadership Council, Sigma Pi Phi (Boule) and Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc.

Wilson earned his bachelor’s degree in management from UNC Charlotte and an MBA from the University of Maryland. He is also a graduate of the Tuck Executive Program at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and the BB&T Banking School at Wake Forest University.

About Dennis Bunker III ’81
Dennis_Bunker.jpegDennis Bunker III was first appointed to the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees in 2017 and was elected to serve as secretary in June 2019.

A Salisbury, North Carolina, native, Bunker began his commercial real estate career in 1981. His early work in the industry consisted of self-investing in real estate, general brokerage and construction. Since 1991, his company, Bunker Land Group, has actively engaged in the development and investment of commercial real estate and provided site selection services for development and investment partners and clients.

Bunker received a bachelor’s degree in economics from UNC Charlotte and a master’s in real estate development from Columbia University.

Bunker served on the executive committee for EXPONENTIAL: The Campaign for UNC Charlotte. He has served on the UNC Charlotte Foundation Board, was president of the Alumni Association Board, served as an advisor to the Chi Phi fraternity and is a member of the UNC Charlotte Alumni Hall of Fame.

About J. Brett Keeter ’99
Brett Keeter.jpegJ. Brett Keeter serves as district director for United States Congressman Patrick McHenry, the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Financial Services. In his official capacity, he serves as the chief district staff member, overseeing the Congressman’s offices and managing outreach, constituent casework, and community and constituent relations in the eight counties of North Carolina’s Tenth Congressional District. He also serves as primary liaison to city, county and state officials, agencies, chambers of commerce, community boards and task forces for the Congressman.

Keeter is a 1999 graduate of UNC Charlotte with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in history. He was the 2012–13 president of the UNC Charlotte Alumni Association and served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors for 10 years.

From 2013–17, Keeter served as a member of the Gaston College Board of Trustees. He is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Gaston County Public Library, a member of the Board of Advisors for the Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Governmental Relations Committees for the Gaston, Lincoln, and Cleveland County Chambers of Commerce.

He is a 2016 recipient of the William Gaston Award, the highest recognition given by the Gaston County Board of Commissioners for dedication and community service.
About Teross Young ’93
Teross_Young.jpegTeross Young was first appointed to the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees in 2017.

As vice president of government relations for Retail Business Services, a subsidiary of Ahold Delhaize U.S., Young is the chief government affairs officer for the Ahold Delhaize’s U.S. banners, including Food Lion, Hannaford, Giant, Giant/Martin’s, Stop & Shop and Peapod. Young monitors, analyzes, and communicates current and emerging public policy issues at the federal, state and local government levels that impact the operations, business performance, competitive position and business strategy of Ahold Delhaize U.S. brands. He also collaborates with administrative officials at all levels on regulatory matters that impact the business.

Young represents Ahold Delhaize U.S. banners on many national and state-level business, retail and food industry trade associations. He is a former chair of the Food Marketing Institute’s government relations committee, serves on the Retail Industry Leaders Association’s government relations committee, is the past chair of the Virginia Retail Merchants Association, is a founder and former chairman of the South Carolina Retail Association and serves as the board treasurer of the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association.

Young received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UNC Charlotte and previously served on the UNC Charlotte Foundation Board and on the Alumni Association Board.

Additionally, Young continues to serve on numerous other boards including the Public Affairs Council (Executive Committee), Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, the Children’s Hope Alliance, Iredell Health Systems and the Lion’s Share Credit Union. He is an active Rotarian and a Rotary Foundation, Paul Harris Fellow. Young also serves as the mayor of Troutman, North Carolina.

7 Reasons marketing on Instagram Reels is better than marketing on TikTok

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Short-length video content has increased in ubiquity, especially since the release of TikTok in 2016 with massive development in the number of dynamic users. It is an incredible method to advance your business and focus on your target audience. Stages like TikTok and Instagram Reels have made it simpler for independent companies and creators to shoot, alter and post videos directly from the cell phone. 

However, numerous brands do not see the distinction between TikTok videos and Instagram Reels. TikTok videos and IG Reels are two different things: they draw in a different kind of crowd and serve different purposes. While deciding the social media platforms that you should market on, you must know what works for you the best and what gains you more engagement. This article will help you narrow down your choice to Instagram reels from Reels and TikTok based on the following 7 reasons. 

  1. Number of Users 

Instagram has been downloaded 1.8 billion times just in the year 2019 whereas TikTok’s download rate is much lesser than Instagram. The number of users on any social media stage simply can affect marketing. Instagram is popularly considered superior to TikTok for marketing. 

After the rise of Instagram reels, it has gotten more helpful for users to utilize Instagram reels for marketing. While promoting through video content it is necessary to attract a crowd, which can be done by posting eye-catching content as well as by buying Instagram views. 

2. E-Commerce  

Instagram has a solid online business presence. By utilizing the menu shortcut on your profile, users can find shoppable items directly from Instagram. This component makes it simple for individuals to find items and shop from brands. 

Users can now shop through reels. Creators can label their items in Reels. The audience who is keen on an item can tap the “View Product” icon to find out about an included item, purchase, or put something aside for some other time. TikTok on the other hand simply allows you to create engaging videos, not include hyperlinks that direct customers to your page or website. 

3. Accessibility across the globe 

Instagram is a social media platform that is utilized all around the world at equivalent rates which implies that individuals everywhere on the globe are similarly disseminated as Instagram clients however it is not something similar for TikTok. 

Social media users on TikTok are less, making it more at risk for advertising when contrasted with Instagram. Buying TikTok views are also the choices that can be utilized to draw in more audience and increment your business engagement. 

4. Established Instagram presence 

TikTok was launched as an amusement platform for Gen Z, and it was disregarded by business accounts. However, Instagram is business-focused and is the quickest developing social media platform with 76% of organizations utilizing this stage for marketing. This implies that business promoting efforts are undeniably more natural and apparent on Instagram, eventually implying that organizations will get more business from their endeavours on Instagram than TikTok. 

Organizations are now utilizing Instagram because their audience is on Instagram. It is the reason utilizing Reels on Instagram is the best technique today for engaging an already existing customer base, inviting more, and improving the connection between your brand and your audience. 

5. Uncertain Future of TikTok 

At present, TikTok’s future is uncertain. In the US, a part of TikTok has been decided to be sold whereas in India it is altogether banned, and considering how India was one of the primary markets of TikTok, it indeed has taken a serious hit. With these frailties staying up front, Instagram Reels is the only option to supplant TikTok altogether, at the right second and in the right nations. TikTok users eventually will move to Reels due to its uncertain future. TikTok may have been a successful past but Instagram Reels are the future and that is where you should head to stay up to date with the trend and create an online market for yourself. 

6. The functionality of the Platforms 

When you share your video on TikTok it can show up in three spots; ‘for you’ tab, ‘following’ tab, and your ‘TikTok’ profile whereas an Instagram Reel will be displayed in the, ‘explore page,’ ‘reels tab,’ ‘your feed,’ and, ‘your story,’ if you choose to put it up there. Reels can be made much more visible than TikTok videos which invite more engagement to your business. 

While you can only write 150 characters in a TikTok video along with hashtags, characters, emoticons, or tags, Reels allows you to write as much as you want which allows you to invite more audience and connect a compelling story with your reel in the caption. Both the sites however, allow you to buy Instagram views and TikTok views which is an easy and simple way to gain audience engagement.

7. Video Editing and Sharing 

While Reels can be saved to your gallery without a watermark, TikTok videos leave behind a watermark which makes it harder for it to be posted on other social media handles. Reels can be made and posted on Instagram as well as various other social media handles that will give you more business. 

While TikTok videos can be saved as drafts, they cannot be reedited by adding or subtracting some part of it while Reels can be easily edited again by adding or removing any part wanted. Reels can gain popularity through likes, comments, direct messages to friends, and Instagram stories but TikTok videos cannot gain engagement via stories that on Instagram serves as an ideal place to share promotional marketing videos. 

Conclusion

With a more natural altering interface and nearness to your brand image, Instagram Reels can be an extraordinary spot to post content that compliments your current feed and could help you gain a better market. 

Mentioned above are only 7 ways that tell you Instagram Reels are better than TikTok but remember to try and test your content on both sites. You can also buy your Instagram views and TikTok views to increment your market. Whatever stage you pick, recall the best camera is the one you have on you. So do not be reluctant to get out there and shoot some content to get your way into online marketing. 

Chlorophyll and Cancer – Is this Finally the Break that We Have Been Waiting For?

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The nexus between chlorophyll and cancer is, without a doubt, quite an intriguing one. One on hand, we have oncologists who would swear any day by the potency of this plant-based nutriment. And, on the other, we have captains of industry who have not shied away from expressing their doubt and strong sentiments over the efficacy of chlorophyll in keeping certain cancers at bay. This, of course, can be very rather confusing and perplexing for the common person who is looking for an easy and uncomplicated answer to this quagmire. So, let’s delve right into it.

 To understand the association between cancer and chlorophyll, it’s important to shed to first-of-all shed some light on the progression of this disease and how this plant pigment comes into play. Cancer, as you may already know, refers to the abnormal proliferation and growth of faulty cells which eventually crowd out the normally functioning ones leading to a catastrophic organ failure. The genetic changes which influence the onset of cancer tend to revolve around three major types of genes; tumor suppressor genes, proto-oncogenes and DNA repair genes. These changes are at times what your doctor/physician will refer to as ‘drivers’ of cancer.

Further, there are several types of cancer and each  of them has a different relationship to chlorophyll which actually ranks as one of the most popular ‘natural cancer remedies’ under study. For starters, there are solid tumour cancers. Under this bracket, experts have isolated many common ailments such as bowel, breast, pancreatic, liver, lung cancer et cetera. The common theme here is usually a swelling or a lump that divides aggressively before spreading to the nearby organ system(s).

Secondly, the other type of cancers is blood or haematological carcinomas. This includes the likes of complications which affect the healthy make up of  red blood cells, platelets. white blood cells and the constituents of the lymphatic system. The common problem that features as a characteristic in these types of cancers, referred to as differentiation,  acts as the route of all haematological cancers.

So, how do you get cancer?  You see, modern human beings have a lifetime of approximately 80 years – give or take a few. However, the cells that constitute the human body rarely live longer than 400 days. Some like skin cells have as short as 2 weeks lifespans. As expected, all old and infirm cells have to be replaced by new cells but the process of replacement is not always perfect. Cancer cells, in this regard, are cells which ( in the process of replication ) accidentally acquired  a few peculiar mutations that made them virtually immortal. This means that they will be growing and dividing uncontrollably at the expense of healthy cells.

One of the major reasons most cancers go undetected for long is because these specific mutations don’t occur abruptly but rather over a long cell lineage. In short, the replication errors pile up surreptitiously until they are complex enough to bypass the various internal control systems in place that are programmed to kill off any cell exhibiting potential signs of defects that could lead to cancer down the road. After successfully bypassing  the body’s immune response, the cells will divide rapidly further overwhelming any checks or balances such as anti-growth signals and programmed cell death. 

How Chlorophyll is Believed to Reduce Cancer Risk

The truth is that the exact or specific causes of cancer are rarely known. What we do have, instead, is a collection of risks that increase or decrease the overall probability of developing cell-based anomalies which then morph into cancer.  You probably don’t know this but almost everyone alive has a few hundred cancer cells in their body. The cells, as expected, will not show up in a standard test not until they have multiplied several times to at least a few billion. With a functional immune system, however, the cancer cells are effectively destroyed and prevented from forming tumors before they reach a critical stage.

Going with this argument, cancer is nothing more than an indication of nutritional deficiencies stemming from either dietary, environmental, genetic or lifestyle factors. To overcome these complex nutritional deficiencies, cancer specialists recommended a holistic diet whose aim is to strengthen one’s immunity response – here’s where foods rich in chlorophyll come into the limelight.  Some of the most readily available of them are:

  • Broccoli
  • Matcha green tea
  • Paisley
  • Collard greens
  • Mustard greens
  • Spinach
  • Green cabbage
  • Spirulina

As far as boosting one’s immunity response goes, this research indicates that this plant pigment ranks among the most potent immune-boosting agents that can be found in nature. This, as a matter of fact, it does by;

i. Stimulating the Production of White Blood Cells

In-depth studies have revealed that chlorophyll is quite instrumental in triggering the part of the bone marrow responsible for the production of healthy white blood cells. One of the numerous roles of these leukocytes is to single out anomalies and defects in replicating cells and initiate cell apoptosis – aka cell death. By killing off these abnormal cells regularly, it lessens the chances of them multiplying then overwhelming other mechanisms that are in place to restrict the onset of malignant tumors. The better the health and shape of your leukocytes, the more effective your anti-cancer cells early warning system is going to work.

Ii. It Improves the Oxygen-Carrying Capacity of Red Blood Cells

Extensive research shows that chlorophyll plays an almost similar role in us as it does in plants. Since its physiological and biochemical structure is similar to that of haemoglobin, then it goes without saying that high levels of it in the bloodstream naturally helps in boosting the oxygen-carrying ability and overall condition of the erythrocytes. This improved circulation plays a huge role in bolstering the body’s internal defense  mechanism in the grand scheme of things. The stronger immune system, which is actually a positive knock on effect following the better red blood cells, also implies that your body can detect, isolate and eliminate cancerous cells early enough or long before they multiply to a mass.

Additionally, by participating in the building of a strong haemoglobin and playing a role in the swift purification of one’s bloodstream, chlorophyll remains at the heart of a potent detox process whose mechanism revolves around improving the blood’s oxygen carrying capacity. Thanks to this, you can enjoy a better cleansing rate of the bloodstream, bowel, liver, kidney and other critical organs.

iii. It Inhibits the Mutagenicity of a Range of Potential Carcinogenic Compounds

It is no secret that chlorophyllin inhibits the overall mutagenicity of a variety of certain compounds. Researchers have for long studied the mechanism behind this inhibition using purified samples of this plant pigment and its closely related compounds. Now, considering that mutagens ( especially those with polycyclic planar structures ) are especially more inhibited, it is safe to assume to that the origin behind this inhibition stems from how chlorophyll traps the mutagens through a series of complex biophysical formations whose genesis is the unique planar surface of these types of molecules.

In other words, you can say that chlorophyll allows the body’s system the luxury of not having to combat mutagens by filtering them first from the bloodstream before they become something of a concern. These are the same agents of genetic mutation that are often responsible for the changes in the cell structure that eventually leads to the unregulated and uncontrolled growth also known as cancer.  The mutagens are more or less like disease-causing organisms only that this time round the mode of destruction is more biophysical than it is organic. 

Unlike disease-causing agents such as viruses and bacterias, mutagens make your cells ‘forget’ that they are supposed to be part of a larger multicellular being, and start acting like a single-celled organism instead. So rather than overseeing a particular role that benefits the person as a whole, the cell starts to act selfishly and belligerently. It now develops the inclination to mass produce as many ‘offsprings’ as possible at the expense of the other surrounding cells,  and eventually, the person’s health. And, thanks to the mutagens, it undergoes enough mutation, natural selection and evolution to successfully evade any of the body’s futile attempts to locate and destroy it.

By filtering these mutagens, chlorophyll ensures that your body cells cannot pick up a mutation that alters their cell division rules and regulations. Because if that were to happen, the cell will pass this newly-acquired mutation to all its individual progeny. This will effectively mean that more mutations will accumulate as these cells divide faster and exponentially. The resulting group of cancerous tumor cells will then evolve and behave like a colony of fungi or bacteria thereby making them harder to stop at this stage.

iv. It Promotes Detox and Cleansing

One of major causes of cancer that have been isolated, vetted and proven by medical research over the last couple of decades is exposure to environmental pollutants. And, this includes the likes of toxic metals, aflatoxins, radiation and other carcinogenic agents that are known to instigate the birth of cancer cells.

You see, for cancer to occur, there has to be at least two independent cell mutations. One of them should be in the fueled by the alteration of the proto-oncogenes discussed above while the other one ought to emanate from the change in tumor suppressor genes. The action targeting the proto-oncogenes are solely responsible for the dreaded transition from a normal healthy cell to a ruthlessly cancerous one.  One of the ways that these aberrant genes come about is through ‘catalyzed’ mutations that are caused by the  environmental factors listed earlier.  These external risk factors – such as toxic metals and tobacco – enhance the cell mutation rates sustained in the thick of cell replication.

By binding to the toxic metals, for instance, chlorophyll hampers their absorption rate and nullifies the probability of them catalysing the activation of the aberrant genes to almost zero. A crossover study, as a matter of fact, revealed that chlorophyll’s ability to remove and neutralize ingested carcinogens such as aflatoxin has a efficacy of over 95%. This rapid elimination of potentially carcinogenic and cancer-causing agents is what you need if you are looking to stay healthy for as long as possible.

That being said, the Genetic Toxicological Journal lists chlorophyll as one of the primary aids for thorough organ detoxification, especially the liver. It helps scrape away drug deposits, counteracts toxins/ acids and purifies the blood while at it. It may not seem as much from the surface but this detoxification and modification of the overall metabolism of carcinogens plays a paramount role in hampering the development of cancer. Remember that some of the chemicals that we encounter in our day-to-day lives have to be metabolized to active cancer-causing agents before they are capable of altering the cell DNA or other critical organelles in susceptible tissues. And, that implies that if we can find a way of stopping the metabolism of these procarcinogens to active carcinogens we can successfully prevent the onset of most cancers.

This is exactly what chlorophyll, with a little assistance from the cytochrome P450 enzymes, aims at doing. Wondering how? Well, the action of cytochrome p450 enzymes are a requirement for the activation of most ( if not all ) chemically induced cancers. By inhibiting the action of these enzymes, chlorophyll indirectly prevents the biotransformation of these harmful toxins into carcinogens that are likely to trigger the proto-oncogenes and kickstart the onset of cancer.

v. Fights Oxidative Stress

Believe it or not, the onset of the life of a cancer cell is quite rough. Picture this: In an ocean of natural body defenders and other normal cells, a lone cancer cell has to first hang on to dear life if it has to stand any chance of one day replicating, metastasizing and colonising the whole body. Although the genetic mutations that it has accumulated give it an upper hand in terms of proliferation and lifespan, they are significant obstacles in its path of dominance. One of these obstacles is the old-school competition for resources with normal healthy cells. The cancer cell has to fight for its right for nutrients, in an environment that it is not quite adapted to, against other better equipped normal cells and still evade the ever-vigilant immune system. Hence, a good chunk of newborn cancer cells don’t even get the chance to reproduce.

So, you may ask, why then are cancer cases common and not just a rarity? The answer to that is oxidative stress. Oxidative stress  is one of the many external and internal factors that kick in at the infancy stage of a cancer cell and give it a helping hand to evade the body’s natural defense system and help it handle competition for nutrients better. It is a product of the free radicals that are found in many processed foods, household chemicals, cigarette smoke, and a slew of other common  pollutants we are regularly exposed to. It undermines the integrity of the harmonious co-integration of the body’s systems making it relatively easy for a cancer cell to cling on to life and start replicating and proliferating aggressively.

By boosting the body’s integrity and metabolism, chlorophyll intentionally lowers the chances of a cancer cell surviving by shifting the balance of power to an unfavorable environment that is likely to kill them off. This way, you may never know that you once had a budding malignant cell in you.

How Can You Make the Digital Transition for Your Brick-and-mortar Store?

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If you have been running a brick-and-mortar-based business for years, it can be challenging to take the step of transitioning your store to online. But as surely every business owner knows, there are many advantages of expanding your business to the online marketplace. Firstly, unlike expanding by opening another physical store, launching an online store is incredibly cheaper. There is no rent to pay and only minimal overheads. Having an online store also increases your brand awareness and your customer reach. When your business is online, you break down time and border boundaries too. Anyone from anywhere in the world can buy your products round the clock. So, why would you not want to open a digital store?

Even though taking your first steps can be daunting, it makes sense for any brick-and-mortar store to transition to the international online marketplace. Here is some useful advice to help you get started.

Move Your Data to the Cloud

One of the first steps is to transition your data. If you are using an in-house server or even good old-fashioned filing cabinets for storing your accounts, customer details, wholesaler details, and so on, you need to use an online cloud storage system. It will then be much easier to integrate information with your digital store. It also means you have access to all data anytime you need it, wherever you are. All sorts of businesses, from bookkeepers to artisans, can take advantage of cloud storage’s benefits. Furthermore, when you use a file server on the cloud, file server mobility is enhanced and security is increased.

Create a Business Plan

Just like you did when you set up your brick-and-mortar store, you need to create a solid business plan and structure for your online store. Regardless of how good your physical store’s business is, you need to approach your digital store from a fresh perspective. First off, you need to revisit your business fundamentals and understand what elements of your business will change and which will not change once you are online. That will result in discovering the things you need to most focus on with your digital store. They could include learning how to create content for SEO purposes and developing your online presence. You then need to define your business goals and target audience, revisit your brand identity, and come up with an effective marketing strategy.

Create an SEO-optimized Website

You will know just how much effort goes into making a brick-and-mortar store attractive to entice customers in. Well, the same applies to your digital store. You will need to utilize UX and UI design approaches to ensure your online store attracts customers, makes the site easy to use, makes it easy for visitors to complete calls-to-action, and makes it simple and secure to enable the purchasing and shipping of products. If you have no experience in building websites, you will want to hire a professional to ensure your site starts ranking highly on search engines like Google and attracts and maintains customers. There are all sorts of things to consider when building a website, including selecting your domain name, the website’s structure, and the payment and shipping options you provide.

Put Your Marketing Strategy into Action

Finally, the other major step is to focus on marketing. You will already have come up with an effective online marketing strategy during the business planning stage, but now is the time to implement it. You should research your target audience so you can post ads on relevant social media platforms. It is also a good idea to post regular informative blog posts or other content to further expand your customer reach.