02.20.22
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How to Build Your Professional Brand Using Digital Strategies In The Construction Industry

Are you looking for ways to advance your professional brand in the environmental, engineering or construction industry? In a technology age where employers and industry leaders are using digital platforms to connect, engage and collaborate, establishing a solid presence online is vital to staying current in today’s strategies. Being active online will give you the slight edge, separating you from other colleagues in your niche.As you’re advancing your career, here are 3 unique ways to position yourself as an expert and leader in your respective industry.#1 Grow a Blogging PresenceBuilding a blog is one of the best ways to solidify your expertise in the environmental, engineering or construction industry. According to HubSpot, blogs have been rated as the 5th most trusted source for accurate information. Blogging allows you to share useful content to colleagues, influencers, and those seeking to expand their career in these industries. As a result, you’ll grow a loyal following while building an impressive professional presence online.Choose a blogging platform such as WordPress or Medium to create your own blog. Brainstorm topics, common questions, and problems that are known in your industry to craft blog content ideas. Establish a blogging schedule and be consistent. With a regular blogging cadence, you’ll create a vault of posts to share with your social media networks, forward to your colleagues, and present to future employers as you advance in your career.Finally, syndicate your blog articles on LinkedIn Pulse for greater exposure. This is an excellent way to cement your authority in the industry and get in front of an engaging audience.#2 Share Informative Social Media PostsA whopping 92% of marketers share that social media is important to their business. Brands leverage social media marketing as a way to increase awareness, connect with their audience, and attract customers to their websites. Since more consumers are using their social networks to engage with businesses, it’s important for brands to show up for their audience.Equally, social media can be a viable platform for you to grow your professional brand. You see, you never know who’s in your social network that can connect you with a new opportunity for career advancement. With your social media strategy, you can post valuable content to educate, inform and inspire.In fact, here are a few ideas to build your social media presence while progressing your career:

Post relevant content that your followers can use. Answer questions, share your advice or post facts that are deemed helpful to those in your niche

Share industry-related news to keep your audience abreast on current events. Offer your insight or opinion to make it authentic. Take it a step further by going live on Facebook Live to capture attention in newsfeeds

Inspire your audience by posting quote images. You can locate ones on Google Images or create your own using Canva

Curate and share authoritative content pertaining to the environmental, engineering or construction industry. You’ll be viewed as a reliable source, encouraging people to visit and engage on your page regularly

Keep it simple with your postings. The key on social media is consistency and quality. Depending on the network, you can post as few as once a day (LinkedIn) or twice (Facebook, Instagram, Google+) and be effective

#3 Post Useful Videos on YouTubeThere are a plethora of benefits to using video to build your professional brand. Video has a way of drawing viewers into your message and allowing them to experience your personality. People enjoy video because it’s transparent, original, and an easy way to digest your message. Although some may prefer reading your blog post or social media content, many will opt for video.Lastly, videos help boost your confidence and communication skills. The more videos you create sharing relevant content in your industry, the more you’ll enhance your speaking abilities.Use this to your advantage for your career. Create and upload videos on YouTube that relates to your industry. Use the same strategy in blogging for coming up with video topics. To increase exposure, be sure to share your videos on your social networks. Additionally, include popular keyword phrases that your audience would use when searching on YouTube for your subject matter.Developing a video strategy for your professional brand will greatly separate you from other industry colleagues who are simply relying on one platform to cement their credibility.ConclusionMany of your colleagues are not optimizing digital strategies to excel their careers. Whether you’re in the environmental, engineering or construction industry, you’ll find that these tactics will help you standout and be noticed. You’ll enhance your portfolio while positioning your professional brand for future success.Commit to adding each element in promoting your brand. Maintain a consistent blogging schedule to showcase your expertise. Leverage social media to connect and offer invaluable content your followers can use. Then, add videos to bring authenticity to your message while engaging a much wider audience.

02.16.22
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Which Online Business Opportunity Should You Choose?

Choosing the right online business opportunity can be very confusing. Today most internet users are bombarded with different offers to join an online business opportunity. What makes it harder to choose is some of the online businesses are just scams. Choosing which online business to go with is a task in itself. There are many different factors to consider before making your choice. First, you will need to look at your personal situation and analyze where you are at. Next, you will need to take a look at the different online businesses and analyze them. Lastly you will have to turn your online business into a profitable venture for yourself.The first item to look at is yourself. How much experience do you have with dealing or starting an online business? If you are a beginner you will want to look for a business that provides training and guidance. You will also want to look for a qualified mentor. How much time can you put aside to work your online business? Many people make the mistake of thinking they will not have to put in much time to grow their online business. Just because your business is online does not mean it will not require time. The final question is, how much money can you afford to invest in your business? There are many tools you will need to start your online business. Number 1 would be your website. Do you have the experience to build your own website or will you have to hire someone to build one for you. How will you advertise your online business? Through free methods or through paid advertising? These are all things to consider before joining any online business opportunity.The next item to look at, is the online business opportunity. One of the main things to remember is you cannot get something for nothing. You will have to build your business. No one is going to make you a six figure income. You should take a hard look at any company that promises to do all the work for you. Again you cannot get something for nothing. When choosing which business to start, I believe you have to learn from experience. There are many businesses out there, you should go with the one you feel most comfortable with. With of course a couple of guidelines to follow. First do not play with money you cannot afford to lose. You may not be successful in your first online business attempt and that is fine. But do not use your rent money or income you need to survive on your online business. The longer you can keep on working your online business, the greater chance you have of succeeding. Next if your online business fails do not quit, keep going and learning. Many people quit after there first attempt, if you quit you will never succeed. Have you ever been in a bad relationship? After you broke up with your boyfriend or girlfriend, did you stop dating completely? Most people would answer they continued to date after their first relationship went sour. The same goes with your online business just because one online business did not workout for you, does not mean that all online businesses are bad.Lastly you will have to learn how to market your online business. Which is a completely different subject but it can be done if you are willing to put in the work.The main thing to remember when choosing your online business opportunity is the online business will not make you rich. No matter what any online business offers you, they will not just give you 5 grand a month for signing up. The only thing that can make you rich is you. If you build your online marketing skills, you will be able to pretty much sell anything and make money online. Do not rely on the online business opportunity but rather rely on yourself and you will succeed.

02.14.22
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Get Started in Video Game Design

I’d be willing to bet that every successful videogame designer has one particular game that started it all, and influenced their decision to go into videogame making. The first one I remember playing was the original Super Mario Brothers game, and after 20 years, and hundreds of hours spent playing, it’s still a classic.Video gaming has only been around for about 40 years. For the majority of that time, it’s been restricted to expensive, proprietary hardware such as the personal computer or one of the larger gaming consoles (Sony PlayStation, Nintendo, Sega, Microsoft Xbox, etc.) In that environment, only a handful of the best designers had a shot at working for one of those top platforms. Interest in game design has always been high, but until recently, fierce competition prevented most designers from making a career out of it.It’s a great time to be a game designer. If you’re interested in designing for the big console gaming systems, they still exist and are going strong. But other opportunities have arisen that make it much easier to break into the game production field. Mobile and online gaming, although not new, have grown exponentially in the last few years. Apple recently made a claim that the iPod touch, a device that didn’t exist four years ago, is the #1 portable gaming device, outselling Nintendo and Sony combined. Game designers now have multiple platforms from which to choose, and it’s even possible to design and sell games independently – you can work for yourself, rather than for a game producing company. All you need to get started is the right training.A good game design program will allow you to try different game design styles and platforms, then specialize in the one that interests you most. Here are just a few of the skills you’ll learn in your game design courses:• Coding/Software Development: Learn to speak the language of video games. Computer game design school will teach you the various coding languages that you’ll use to create a unique gaming experience.• Simulation: Interested in developing a flight simulator? How about a game that isn’t used for entertainment, but rather for training purposes? A game degree can be used to create simulation programs that help people learn how to perform a task or operation.• Level Design: Since video games are primarily a visual medium, art and design play a large part in developing a gaming environment. Develop your creative talents in the various courses offered in a game art and design degree program.• 2D and 3D Animation: Being able to design a beautiful, realistic digital image is great, but your degree program will teach you how to make it move. Learn how different styles of gaming incorporate 2D and 3D animation into the game play to create a captivating gaming experience.• Marketing: If you choose to go the entrepreneurial route, designing and selling products independently, a few business and marketing courses taken within the context of the video game design program will help you on your way.