Year: 2021

The Issues and Benefits of Construction and Living in a Green Building

green building

In 2011, Taipei 101, a skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, got the Platinum rating under the LEED certification system. It is the toughest and highest standard for a green building. Not many buildings in the world can get this certification very easily but Taipei 101 was just trying to get that right from the beginning. There are several aspects where it has scored and their strive for perfection is continued.

Let me describe the aspect of how and why buildings can be termed green.

A green building refers to its design, construction, and operation as it reduces or eliminates the negative impacts, as evident with all the resources used in making green buildings that positively impact the climate and natural environment. A green building uses natural resources and improves the quality of life with several facilities for the tenants and owners of the building.

Climate change and global warming are two of the most talked-about terms of the last two decades. And I am sure most of my readers are aware of these two terms but may not be fully aware of the impact it has on our daily lives. Change in climate extreme weather is one example as governments around the world try to cope with this situation. Some scientists think that it is already too late, and the consequences of global warming will be upon us.

Green buildings are structured to minimize the effect of greenhouse gases and other factors that make our planet vulnerable to adverse scenarios. Constructing a green building is not unheard of because the standards from the governments are changing. The emphasis is on a place where everyone can live without using minimum greenhouse gases. And using other resources in the construction of the building that doesn’t harm the environment.

The Future 

Just like Taipei 101 has reached LEED status, most of the tallest skyscrapers and high-rise buildings can get this certification. Some of my readers may argue that making a green building is not very cheap and can cost the Builder and the construction company dearly. But tell me which high-rise buildings can be constructed cheaply as the cost of raw materials and other construction equipment are rising steadily. It is just a matter of will whether you want to go for a green building or not.

There are some other reasons that I would like to discuss now so read on.

Everyone needs to look at the bright side of the picture. The awareness about the importance of green building has been increasing steadily since the 1970s but in the past few years, the construction boom has made sure that this topic must be taken seriously. It is not just a green building which looks cool and the people living there will brag about that they reside in such a building. It is for the benefit of everyone around that building, a particular city, country, and all over the world.

It is a common misconception that people ask everyone what will happen if only I will work towards a particular goal, as everyone else is not performing that task. Everyone should focus on his own goal rather than thinking about someone else. Everyone that focuses and achieves results, will be a Win-Win situation for everyone. That is why a green building, even a small condo complex, or a huge commercial project, can have an impact on not just the people involved all living in that building but also everyone around them.

Over to you 

You can also start making a difference in this regard by reading and knowing all the information about a green building. After that, you can start advocating for it and strive for a better future for humankind.  Just the start is needed to make everything worthwhile and you will be amazed to see the results in quick time.

What is your opinion about a green building, and do you want to live in such a place? Or do you have any apprehensions about it? Please offer your valuable feedback for this blog and ask any questions by using the comments section below.

Google Ads VS Search Engine Optimization? Where To Invest

Search Engine Optimization

Ø  Google Ads VS Search Engine Optimization

It’s best to invest in both Google ads and SEO to get the best results for your business. The best strategy would be investing in a good mix of PPC (pay per click) advertising on search engines like Google, AOL, Yahoo, etc., and SEO which is free but takes time to rank high in SERPs (search engine result pages).

Search engine optimization is best for long-term results. If you are not willing to invest much time and money, then PPC ads are best for you. It becomes easy to track your results with PPC advertising as it’s all about clicks or impressions. The analytics of Google Ad words helps in tracking your budget, MQLs (calls) generated, conversions, etc.

If you choose SEO, make sure your website is optimized for the best results. All your content should be accurate and fresh. The best practice would be to have a blog to engage with customers and readers. Posts that are relevant to the nature of your business will help in improving search engine rankings as well as bring in more business. The best way to improve rankings is to have links from relevant high authority websites which are mentioned in your posts, and not just have links on the main website itself.

Ø  Advantages and disadvantages of each

Many people have been wondering if they should invest in Google Ads or an SEO campaign. The best answer to this question is that it depends on your goals and what you want to achieve from the investment of money, time, and resources. Both of these advertising options can be used simultaneously or you can decide to use one best advertising method and completely ignore the other.

Google Ads is an advertisement platform for Google, where marketers pay to be displayed at the top of page results or on various locations throughout the page (sidebar, above search bar, etc.).

This means that if you are someone who wants their ad seen by a wide audience, then Google ads are best for you. With this advertising method, your ads will target the broadest range of people in terms of age, gender, locations, etc.

There are many benefits to using Google Ads over SEO campaigns.

Google Ads are not limited to time or budget limitations unlike most SEO campaigns

The best advantage is that with Google Ads you are showing your ads to people who are actively searching for the product or service mentioned in the ad, so therefore this makes it best suitable for businesses looking to gain new clients.

Search engine optimization campaigns are best suited for companies looking to increase their brand awareness with a specific target audience. SEO campaigns are best for established companies with a long history and good reputation.

In SEO campaigns you are best-avoiding keywords that have little to no search demand. For example, if you own a dog walking business, best to avoid the keywords “dog” or “walking”, as they have little to no demand. Instead, focus on other more specific words such as “dog walking in North Shore” or “best dog walking services in New Zealand”.

While the best advantage of SEO campaigns is that you are not charged each time someone visits your site, the biggest disadvantage is that it is a slow process and takes a long time to see results. Your website will need to be built up from scratch and best rankings with lots of SEO best practices such as keywords, best on-page optimization, etc.

The best thing about using both of these best advertising options together is that you will get the best of both worlds and target new clients best of all your old ones!

Ø  Which one should you invest in first

Many business owners and startups experience a big dilemma: should they focus on paid advertising or search engine optimization?

Both SEO and Google ads give businesses the possibility to increase their exposure, but they work in different ways. So which one should you invest in first?

Paid advertisements (Google Ads) are best suited for new companies that want to quickly increase their website traffic because ads are visible to everyone. SEO is best for the long term since it improves your company’s visibility in organic search results and increases your brand awareness.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is best suited for companies that need to establish themselves online before they can actively engage in paid advertising plans. It helps you get better rankings in search results, so when people search for relevant keywords, your website appears on top of the SERPs and gives you a chance to attract potential customers.

Ø  Calculating ROI for both methods

Search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising both offer a lot of benefits for businesses, but they’re different. Which method best rewards your investment and time?

To help you decide which avenue to take, here’s a detailed guide on how SEO works, the best practices that should be followed, what we can offer, and best of all, how to get it.

SEO is a technique that helps you rank higher on search engines like Google and Bing. This allows your website to receive more traffic than if it were sitting on page 20 or lower of the first page of results. Ranking higher also means it will be easier for potential customers to find your business, and it will be more likely they’ll stay at the top of the results longer.

If you do SEO for a client who sells products online, then clients can also take advantage of e-commerce search engine optimization (SEO), which means ranking higher than competition on product-related searches like best printer or best grill. This is a great way to get more online traffic and conversions from search engines.

Ø  How to get started with either method

Search engine optimization (SEO) and paid search marketing (PPC) are both best-suited for growing a website’s traffic, but they can’t be used in isolation. They represent fundamentally different approaches to generating traffic, requiring business owners to make hard choices about where best to invest their time and resources.

The best internet marketing companies would tell you that there’s no best answer to the SEO vs. PPC debate, and in fact, they need to work symbiotically with one another rather than in opposition. It’s most effective when a business takes a holistic approach and uses both tactics to produce search traffic and increase website visits.

A business that invests $100 into P PC every month may see much faster returns than a business that invests the same amount into SEO, but it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison.

PPC gives businesses instant gratification. PPC ads show up at the top of Google search results much more quickly than their organic counterparts. The best SEO services in USA will have a new website appearing on the first page of Google within a matter of weeks.

The best SEO companies, on the other hand, will be able to produce long-term results with a greater impact. When an organic result ranks for a highly competitive term that has a tremendous impact on traffic and conversions.

Ø  Tips on how to maximize the effectiveness of whichever type of marketing you choose to use

Many business owners are not sure whether they should be investing in organic Search Engine Optimization or pay-per-click advertisements like Ad Words.

It comes down to two factors: budget and goals. Both methods could work for any given company, but only one of them should be the priority considering all factors. This article will explore both options so that you can decide for yourself which makes more sense for your business.

When it comes to organic results, SEO is a free and sustainable way to provide your company with long-term benefits. This type of marketing is seen as a source of credible information from well-reputed websites that will help your users trust you more. When people search for a product or service, they are looking for information that is tailored to their specific needs. Because organic search engine results are determined by algorithms, it is smart to use SEO techniques that will help you rank higher and get free traffic from the major Search Engines.

Google’s algorithm considers various factors that determine your page’s relevance and quality score such as the amount and quality of incoming links, your PageRank, the words on your page, Meta tags, etc.

When a user searches for a certain topic or service in one of these major web hubs (Google, Yahoo!, Bing), they will be directed to a list of related websites that provide the best information available at the time

The Best Methods to Optimize Cost per Acquisition in the Startup Environment

 

Most entrepreneurs will agree that successful startups are built upon three pillars: team, product and market. They usually emphasize the product/market fit as one of the most important factors that can make or break any startup.

However, while these three factors are crucial, they are not solely responsible for a startup’s success.

Some of the savviest startup leaders understand that continuously optimizing the cost of acquiring new customers, also known as cost per acquisition (CPA), is key to sustainable growth. 

That being said, let’s explore some of the best ways you can optimize your CPA.

  1. What is CPA and how to calculate it?

Cost per acquisition is a marketing metric based on which a business can accurately measure the cost of acquiring new customers.

This metric also allows businesses to see just how successful their marketing campaigns are.

To calculate your CPA, you divide the total campaign cost by the number of new customers it has generated.

So, if your campaign managed to bring in three new customers, one costing $2, the next $3, and the third $4, your average CPA for those new customers will be (2+3+4)/3=$3.

It’s important to note that your average CPA will be based on your actual CPA, or the actual amount of money you spent on acquiring new customers. With that in mind, your average CPA may sometimes differ from your target CPA.

Target CPA is a predetermined amount of money you wish to spend on acquiring new customers. Needless to say, if your average CPA exceeds your target CPA, this may indicate that you need to redesign your campaigns.

Ideally, every business – and particularly startups – should aim to keep their average CPA equal to or lower than their target CPA.

  1. How to optimize your CPA?

Now that we know what CPA is and why it is so important for sustainable growth, let’s look at some CPA optimization methods.

  1. Stay on top of your customer acquisition costs

To be able to drive your customer acquisition cost down, you need to track your CPA regularly. The only way to know if you are making progress, what is working and what is not, is to test and observe.

Here, you will also need to calculate the average purchase value which will tell you how much your customers end up spending on your products. 

Aside from this, you will need to determine the average lifespan of your customers, or for how long the customer is interacting with your business. This also contributes to customer loyalty. 

And finally, you will also need to determine your customer lifetime value, which will help you determine how much money your customers will spend on your business during their lifetime.

  1. Make sure your content is targeted and relevant

Long gone are the days of one-size-fits-all marketing strategies. To be competitive on digital channels, focus on developing targeted and relevant content.

Let’s take website content as an example and let’s assume that your office management business has branches across the US, but you want to target audiences in Illinois.  

You hire a Chicago web development and design agency that understands and can create content that targets your audience’s unique pain points such as maintaining outdoors under Chicago’s infamous winds.

If your audience sees their needs reflected in your content, they are more likely to convert.

It’s important to note that the longer it takes to turn a lead into a customer, the greater your CPA will be. So, to capture the right audiences from the get-go, you will need to determine your buyer personas and tailor your content to them. For example:

Segment your newsletters –Personalize your campaigns and offers based on audience segments to increase click-through

Target relevant keywords – By targeting relevant keywords, you will make it significantly easier for your audience to find your business. Not only will you boost your startup’s exposure on Google and Bing, but you’ll also offer more value to your customers as your solution will pop up when they need it, i.e., search for it.

Create educational content – Customers prefer businesses that offer value, aside from the products or services they’re trying to sell. What this means is that an average consumer prefers branded content that educates to that which simply tries to sell them on something. Going back to our earlier example, let’s assume you also want to reach audiences in LA and Hollywood; You can easily consult with professional Los Angeles web developers to create landing pages and blog content that targets LA clients’ unique office management needs.

  1. Develop a conversion rate optimization strategy

A conversion rate optimization strategy is a subset of consumer acquisition that focuses on converting prospects into customers.  

For example, you can funnel a lead to your website, but if your website doesn’t provide them with the information and easy conversion path, this lead will bounce and your acquisition rate will go down.

Some of the most effective tactics include:

Show social proof –About 81% of consumers check reviews before purchasing and/or are more likely to purchase if they see positive reviews. So, investing in online reputation, including programs to incentivize reviews, can affect your brand’s credibility and increase your conversion rate as a result.

Make your website accessible and easy to navigate – Your website is your main marketing tool. If it’s inactive, takes too long to load or is difficult to use, your leads will bounce; in other words, you will lose them.

Tell your audience their data is safe with you –Educate your users on the measures you take to keep the data they leave on your website safe, as well as how you will use their data, especially if you expect them to leave any type of personal information on your website.

  1. Turn customers into brand advocates

A sort of an end goal for all businesses, regardless of their size, is to turn their customers into brand advocates.

According to research, it’s about 5 times cheaper to retain an already-existing customer than it is to attract a new one. It’s also worth noting that word-of-mouth customers are even cheaper to acquire.

To encourage brand advocacy, you can:

Create a customer loyalty plan –By offering incentives to your most loyal customers, not only will you encourage repeat sales, but you are likely to inspire them to share their love for your brand with the people they interact with. This is free and, arguably, the most valuable exposure for your startup.

Be environmentally and socially responsible –Today’s customers, especially Millennials and Gen Z, are looking to support businesses that echo their values. Today’s consumer is much more critical of brands’ behavior and has more access into the behind-the-scenes to hold brands accountable. On top of that, 73% more Millennials are willing to spend a bit more on sustainable goods, while 62% Gen Z prefer to buy from sustainable brands.

Practice social listening – In the end, just as it is important to encourage your customers to talk about your business, you also need to listen to what they are saying. Your customers’ honest conversations about your brand are an excellent source of new ideas for improvement, as well as content creation.

  1. Test your landing pages

Finally, another great way to improve your conversion rates is to test your landing pages.

Create a few variations of your landing page and test them out to see which of these will bring in the most users as well as convert them.

Run A/B test by checking your users’ average time on page and click-through rates to determine the best layouts and messaging.

In doing so, you can make data-based observations and optimize your website for conversions.

 

  1. Recap

Every business, and particularly startups, need to understand the importance of their CPA and find a way to optimize it for maximum efficiency. In order to do this properly, one will need to:

  • Understand what CPA is and how to calculate it

  • Learn how to optimize their CPA by

  1. Monitoring their acquisition costs

  2. Creating relevant and targeted content

  3. Developing the right optimization strategy

  4. Turning their consumers into brand advocates

  5. Testing their landing pages