#linkedin search hacks

[cubicalone]

How I Use LinkedIn XRay Search Effectively

LinkedIn X-Ray search is a powerful tool that allows me to find potential candidates with specific skills and qualifications on the LinkedIn platform. Here’s how I effectively utilize LinkedIn X-Ray search to enhance my recruitment efforts. Defining Search Criteria: Before starting the search for the best candidates, I carefully and thoroughly outline the important requirements. This includes…

[mentorshelly]

How to Create an Impactful LinkedIn Profile for Networking and Job Searching

Let’s get real for a second—if your LinkedIn profile looks like a forgotten college project or a digital ghost town, you’re missing out on major career opportunities. Whether you’re job hunting, career shifting, or just trying to get noticed by the right people, your LinkedIn profile needs to work just as hard as your resume—if not harder. Think of it as your professional billboard in the digital…

[mathysphere]

Hey, so, this post here-- by @hadeelfamily, a woman trying to evacuate her family from Palestine-- is real. She is who she says she is. I'm certain of it.

I've donated myself, and will donate more; for the rest of the year-- or until their need is met-- one half of everything I get selling cross-stitch patterns will go to Hadeel Mikki and her family.

If you would like to see my research and reasons to be certain, it's after the cut.

The fundraiser is for a woman named Hadeel Mikki and her family-- her husband, two daughters, her mother, and her two brothers-- and includes two photos of her:

A search for her name brings up a long internet trail: as a programmer and former computer science major, Hadeel Mikki's been active online, and when she's posting about work stuff-- mostly web and app development-- Hadeel uses her real name and photo.

I found six different accounts, all using the same name, and all featuring photos of the same woman-- not all identical photos, but separate photos of the same person-- and all with activity dating back at least a year or more.

I've looked over the activity for each, and I do not believe there's any chance that they aren't legitimate.

Two of them are static freelancer websites, and another is an abandoned Pinterest account: the info there matches the others, but there's nothing current. On the other three (LinkedIn, Threads, and TikTok) the most recent posts are all variations on the same theme: "Please help my family. My young daughters are suffering. Please donate to help get us out of Gaza."

They're certifiably real accounts, and they link to the same GoFundMe. Is it possible that either her LinkedIn or Threads or TikTok account could have been hacked and hijacked into posting a scam fundraiser? I guess. But not all three, and not with the ability to post new photos and videos of her kids-- how would a hacker even get footage of a hackee's daughters in war-torn Gaza? You can't just hire some child actors. They need to match the kids from the family portrait.

This is not a scammer using someone else's name and photos, and this isn't an opportunistic hacker who managed to break in and hijack an account: this is a real woman trying to save her family.

I've looked through everything, and am myself convinced. I'll include summaries and screenshots of each account, along with the links if you'd like to check them out yourself.

On LinkedIn: profile from 2015, photo updated a year ago, liked and commented on various tech posts. Shared her GoFundMe four months ago.

On Threads: icon is her and her husband, shares programming content, "#ProgrammersCoffee" etc, and four months ago she shares a link to her GoFundMe. She has the same laptop as me.

On TikTok: early videos are about programming and app development, and the current ones are asking for help for her daughters, including photos and videos of the girls both before the war and now.

On Pinterest: nothing really there. Looks like she tried it out a long time ago and then dropped it. Still links to her long-defunct Google Plus account, even.

Five years ago she did have a board called 'Boyfriend gifts'. Must've gone well for her; they're married now.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Patrick Beuth, Jörg Diehl, Roman Höfner, Roman Lehberger, Friederike Röhreke, and Fidelius Schmid at Der Spiegel:

Private contact details of the most important security advisers to U.S. President Donald Trump can be found on the internet. DER SPIEGEL reporters were able to find mobile phone numbers, email addresses and even some passwords belonging to the top officials. To do so, the reporters used commercial people search engines along with hacked customer data that has been published on the web. Those affected by the leaks include National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Most of these numbers and email addresses are apparently still in use, with some of them linked to profiles on social media platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn. They were used to create Dropbox accounts and profiles in apps that track running data. There are also WhatsApp profiles for the respective phone numbers and even Signal accounts in some cases. As such, the reporting has revealed an additional grave, previously unknown security breach at the highest levels in Washington. Hostile intelligence services could use this publicly available data to hack the communications of those affected by installing spyware on their devices. It is thus conceivable that foreign agents were privy to the Signal chat group in which Gabbard, Waltz and Hegseth discussed a military strike.

Numbers Linked to Signal Accounts

It remains unclear, however, whether this extremely problematic chat was conducted using Signal accounts linked to the private telephone numbers of the officials involved. Tulsi Gabbard has declined to comment. DER SPIEGEL reporting has demonstrated, though, that privately used and publicly accessible telephone numbers belonging to her and Waltz are, in fact, linked to Signal accounts. [...] The White House confirmed the scandal after the fact. Trump insisted that it did not include classified content, a question that is of particular relevance since members of the U.S. government are not permitted to share such information over Signal. The U.S. special envoy for Ukraine and the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, was even in Russia while participating in the chat group.

DER SPIEGEL was able to find some of the contact information for Gabbard, Hegseth and Waltz in commercial databases, while other information was in so-called password leaks, which are hardly a rarity on the internet. One example is the 2019 discovery by Troy Hunt, who found 773 million email addresses and more than 21 million passwords in a hacker forum. Since then, there have been numerous additional leaks. Criminals are constantly compiling new collections from hacks, usually to sell them on forums. [...] The mobile number provided, meanwhile, led to a WhatsApp account that Hegseth apparently only recently deleted. The profile photo showed a shirtless Hegseth in a baseball cap and necklace. Comparisons with other photos of the U.S. secretary of defense using facial recognition software were able to confirm that the photo on the WhatsApp profile was indeed Hegseth.

Several Passwords in Leaked Database

Waltz’s mobile number and email address could be found using the same service provider. The mobile phone number could even be found using a people search engine popular in the U.S. DER SPIEGEL reporters were also able to find several passwords for Waltz’s email address in leaked databases. The information also led to Waltz’s profiles for Microsoft Teams, LinkedIn, WhatsApp and Signal. National Intelligence Director Gabbard was seemingly more careful with her data than her two male colleagues. She apparently had her own data blocked in the commercial contact search engines that contained the data of Hegseth and Waltz. But her email address was to be found on WikiLeaks and Reddit. Gabbard’s email address is available in more than 10 leaks. One of those also contains a partial telephone number, which, when completed, leads to an active WhatsApp account and a Signal profile.

German publication Der Spiegel writes that several of the National Security Advisers for the Trump Administration, including Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and Michael Waltz, had their private data breached and the passwords found online.

[the-sleepy-archivist]

Online Privacy and Security Tips

I am a firm believer that people should be able to be anonymous and secure online. Over a lifetime of trial and error, I've slowly learned the best ways to protect myself, and I'd like to pass on that knowledge to anyone who wants to hear it.

Last updated May 2024 (added links to news articles about PimEyes being used to identify someone in real life)

Switch to Firefox for your main browser on Windows and Android

Avoid any browser based on the Chromium project (like Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome), as Google has a major conflict of interest that prevents it from truly having users' privacy interests at heart. It makes ~70-80% of its revenue from its highly targeted advertising business, for which it must collect as much information about you as possible. That means that no matter how badly certain parts of Google want to build privacy into the browser, business interests and pressure will always supersede them, or at least force a compromise that still enables some tracking. Firefox is owned and maintained by a non-profit, so it does not have that same conflict, and it shows in the features it builds (and does not build) and the way it treats its users.

I made a list of my favorite Firefox extensions if you want to make your internet experience more pleasant and/or more secure!

Note: on iOS (i.e. iPhones), Firefox' functionality is limited by Apple restrictions and I do not recommend it - using Safari with Extensions like Adguard or 1Blocker is more secure and will give you a better experience. I made a list of my favorite iOS Safari extensions too!

Use a reputable password manager

I suggest 1Password (avoid LastPass and all of the password managers built into browsers, they're not safe). A good password manager increases your online safety by:

Helping you avoid password reuse (a common cause of account hacking)

Generating complex passwords that are difficult to guess or brute-force, and

Allowing you to keep records of all the different sites you have accounts on (so you can quickly change passwords in the event of a breach or delete your accounts on them when they outlive their usefulness)

Delete old accounts you no longer need

If your data has been deleted, no one can steal and leak it if they manage to hack the company.

Sign up for alerts from HaveIBeenPwned (HIBP) to be notified when your data is leaked in a site hacking.

This allows you to quickly change your password, hopefully before anyone is able to decrypt it (if it wasn't stored properly) or use it (if it was easy to guess). If you have reused that password on other sites, be sure to change your password on those sites either.

Note that some leaks don’t actually have any info about what website they were stolen from; if criminals just dump a huge text file onto a hacking forum that has your username and an accompanying password in it, HIBP doesn’t necessarily know what site they hacked to get that info. This is where a password manager like 1Password will come in handy, because 1P can actually use HIBP’s API to check each of your passwords and see if any of them have been leaked before. It will alert you if you need to change a specific password, even if you weren’t aware that site had been hacked.

Note: 1P only sends the first 5 characters of the password hashes to HIBP, not the passwords themselves. You can read more about the feature and how it preserves your privacy here.

Assume all profile pictures on any site are public, and avoid using your face for them if possible

New AI-powered sites like PimEyes can take an image of you, identify your face, and search for it in other, unrelated images around the internet. I searched for myself using a recent image that had never been posted to the internet before, and it immediately identified me in completely separate images I was using as my profile pictures on Facebook and LinkedIn and provided links to my accounts there. In this new AI era, assume anyone who snaps a picture of you can link you to your identity on any website where you have publicly posted your face before. This is not hyperbole; fans used PimEyes to identify a cameraman at a Taylor Swift concert using nothing more than a screenshot of a video taken of him by a concertgoer. Note: for what it's worth, you can submit an opt-out request to PimEyes if you are worried about someone using it to find your accounts online, but it requires you to submit images of your face and your government ID to the company...

Never post the same (original) image on two accounts that you do want to keep separate

Even a simple reverse image search can allow someone to link your different sites together (i.e. don't post the same vacation sunset photo on both Facebook and Tumblr because anyone can use that to link those sites together. Even if your Facebook or Instagram images are private, a follower of yours on one of those sites could still find the Tumblr you are not comfortable sharing with anyone. Marking your Tumblr as hidden only discourages search engines from indexing it; shady companies can and will ignore that and index it anyway.

[rockislandadultreads]

New Year, New Job!

Linked by Omar Garriott & Jeremy Schifeling

LinkedIn is synonymous with today's job market, where hirers meet job seekers en masse. Written by two former LinkedIn employees, Linked is the definitive guide to building a career in a digital world. It demystifies LinkedIn step-by-step and empowers every professional - from the newly minted college graduate to the midlife career-changer - with the most important strategies to win the job search game.

Coming Back! by Fawn Germer

Millions of mid- to late-career professionals are wondering why our careers are dying. We've been fired, downsized, job-eliminated, or we've left work voluntarily to raise children, care for loved ones, or go to school. It takes twice as long to get hired, and usually for far less money than we were making. Is it age discrimination? Maybe. But it’s not that simple.

Coming Back shows how you can save a career if still employed or get one back if cast out. Fawn Germer, one of the nation’s most popular leadership experts and global motivational speakers, has personally interviewed more than three hundred CEOs, senior executives, professors, lawyers, organizational experts, industry leaders, and professionals. The result is a tactical, tough-love call to action: to learn, re-tool, connect, grow, and get ready to work again.

The Big Book of Job-Hunting Hacks by Brenda Bernstein

In The Big Book of Job-Hunting Hacks, experienced job-hunting professionals offer detailed advice on every step of the job-hunting process. From how to navigate the interview process, to how to create the perfect resume, this book will help you stand out from your competitors. With a new introduction by John Henry Weiss, president of a recruitment firm, that contextualizes the current economic state as a result of COVID-19, this book offers hundreds of practical tips for those laid-off, fired, or new to enter the workplace.

Modernize Your Resume by Wendy Enelow

Based on today’s real-world job search trends, Modernize Your Resume shows you how to craft a winning resume to meet the complexities of today’s highly competitive and technologically driven employment market. The 2nd edition has been updated with new resume samples, new designs, and new ATS and e-resume guidelines, along with new chapters for jobseekers with special circumstances – career change, military transition, and return to work.

Clear guidelines and easy-to-follow examples give you practical know-how for building your own powerful resume that will serve all of your job search needs. You’ll learn what works, why it works, and how you can make it work for you.

[diontraining]

Can I still get a job in cybersecurity with little to no experience?

Dion Training - Weekly Digest

In today’s job market, it’s not uncommon for people to graduate from college or even obtain a master’s degree and still have no experience in their field of study. This can lead to a lot of frustration and anxiety when it comes to finding a good job. The question remains, “is it still possible to score a good job with no experience?”" In this blog post, we’ll explore different strategies to help you get hired even if you lack experience.

First and foremost, it’s important to be aware that having a master’s degree may not necessarily work in your favor when it comes to landing an entry-level job. Frequently, employers may see a master’s degree and assume that the candidate is overqualified for the position, or that they will demand a higher salary. This can sometimes work against you when you’re just starting out in your career.

One strategy to counter this is to focus on obtaining certifications rather than advanced degrees. In some fields, certifications are becoming more valuable than traditional degrees. For example, in the field of cybersecurity, having a Security+ certification can be a great way to get your foot in the door, even if you don’t have any prior experience. This is because certifications demonstrate that you have the knowledge and skills to perform a specific job, without requiring years of experience. To find out which certifications are most valuable in your field, it’s important to do your research. Check job postings and see what qualifications are listed. Look at the required and recommended certifications and try to obtain them.

Another way to gain experience is through internships. While internships may not pay as well as full-time jobs, they can provide valuable hands-on experience that can help you land a job later on. Many internships also offer networking opportunities, which can help you make valuable connections in your industry. Networking is another important aspect of job hunting. Attend industry events, join professional organizations, and connect with people in your field on LinkedIn. These connections can provide insight into the job market, as well as potential job leads.

In addition to networking, it’s important to tailor your job search to the specific job you’re applying for. Customize your resume and cover letter to the job posting, highlighting the skills and qualifications that the employer is looking for. This will increase your chances of getting noticed by the hiring manager. Don’t be afraid to start at the bottom. Even if you don’t get the job you were hoping for, take an entry-level position in your field and work your way up. Gain as much experience as you can and be open to learning new skills. Showing initiative and a willingness to learn can impress employers and lead to more opportunities down the road.

You can also gain plenty of “experience” through the use of resources like Try Hack Me, a website with various walkthroughs and scenarios for you to try out. You can practice firewall and map scanning skills and even participate in capture-the-flag challenges. It’s a great way to showcase your abilities while learning more about the field. You can refer to this experience in interviews because while it may not be traditional “experience” it still shows that you are resourceful and that you are willing to learn.

Another thing to keep in mind is that getting hired isn’t just about technical skills. Hiring managers also look for a cultural fit, which means they want to hire people who share the company’s values and work well with others. So when you’re interviewing, be sure to present yourself in the best possible light. Remember, even if you have all the technical skills in the world, you need to know how to market yourself effectively in order to land that job.

Finally, be patient and persistent. Finding a job can take time, especially if you’re just starting out. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get the first job you apply for. Keep applying, keep networking, and keep improving your skills. With persistence, hard work, and a little luck, you can land the job of your dreams, even if you have little to no experience.

by Dion Training February 28th, 2023

[riewiggles]

HAAHAAHAA.

I Just went through the effort to get my LinkedIn back from a hack war because I need my connections to begin my job search. Why? Because I was told that I'm being treated harshly for working hard.

Just to make it even worse- the company itself was not all too bad but I am seeing a lot of flagging business moves after some higher up changes. To top it all off I was literally on a call with my mother about this:

I told her that it USED to be "You work hard, you'll work up," and that's what the mindset was when I started my career. I have been through a few companies now. I was told that changing jobs would have been flagging. But I told her what my boss said. She said "then just revert to your job description responsibilities!"

I told her "well that's just quiet quitting, right? They've already set all these expectations for me and they'll see that I'll stop overextended myself and suddenly I'm quiet quitting." It doesn't help that I live by myself and I'm paying for everything by myself so I NEED my job to survive. But "no one wants to work anymore" no, everyone is sick of being exploited for their work and corporations are crying boo hoo because they know if they lose they have to dish out so much money to pay fairly decent wages and actually invest in individuality and not by numbers. Remember outsourcing? They're still doing that too with loopholes and because we put that crap down now it's again... OUR fault.

So it dawned on her just how important this movement really is. Because she's seeing how truly exploited first hand I am being for my work. And honestly my pay is REALLY good to begin with but I'm not being treated well for my pay at all.

I told them I want a manager position and that is literally how this all started. I told them I wanted to move up and that was literally how all of it started. That was how the tone changed. Because they are never going to promote me, because they know that I'm doing a damn great job in my position already and they don't need to pay me more.

Instead, I'm just going to look for something else, gain my references and use my connections because that's how I've survived. This time I'm going to look for an actual management position. Screw this.

people are like "no one wants to work anymore" when every job application is like upload your resume and cover letter. okay now manually type out your resume and cover letter in our text boxes. okay now answer these 10 riddles. okay now take a rorschach test. okay now upload a photo of your childhood bedroom and explain the relationship between its layout and the adult you are today. okay now show us your youtube watch history. okay now define the color "red." okay now walk into a patch of poison ivy and take a selfie of you holding up a paper saying "i <3 ivy." okay now wave your hands in the air if you just don't care. that one was a trick to cull the applicants who don't care. okay now choose a loved one to sacrifice. great! thank you for submitting your application we will not be calling you

[harshnirmal]

How to Amplify Your Brand with Podcast Marketing in 2025

Podcasts are booming, and in 2025, they’re a secret weapon for building brand loyalty and reaching niche audiences. Whether you start your own or sponsor others, podcast marketing can amplify your reach. At Pradeep Digital Marketing, we’re tuning brands into podcast success. Here’s how to make waves this year.

1. Launch a Niche Podcast

Pick a topic your audience loves—like “Tech Tips for Startups”—and keep episodes short, 15-20 minutes. Share insights, not sales pitches. Need help getting started? Pradeep Digital Marketing guides you from mic to market.

Pro Tip: Invite guest experts—their fans become your listeners.

2. Sponsor Relevant Shows

Don’t want to host? Sponsor podcasts your target market already trusts. A 30-second ad read or branded segment can drive traffic. For sponsorships that click, Pradeep Digital Marketing matches you with the right shows.

Stat Alert: 68% of podcast listeners trust sponsor ads.

3. Promote on Social Platforms

Tease episodes with audiograms—short clips with captions—on X, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Link to your site for full episodes or offers. Want clips that convert? Pradeep Digital Marketing creates shareable podcast promos.

Quick Hack: Post a poll—“What’s your top biz challenge?”—to tie into your next episode.

4. Optimize for Discoverability

Use keyword-rich titles and descriptions—like “How to Boost Sales in 2025”—to rank on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Add show notes with links to your site. For podcasts that get found, Pradeep Digital Marketing handles the SEO side.

Why It Works: 55% of listeners discover podcasts via search.

5. Measure Listener Impact

Track downloads, website visits, or offer redemptions tied to your podcast. Survey listeners for feedback—what do they want next? At Pradeep Digital Marketing, we analyze data to sharpen your audio edge.

Key Insight: Podcast fans spend 20% more time engaging with brands they hear.

Your Podcast Power

In 2025, podcast marketing—niche shows, smart sponsorships, social promos, SEO tweaks, and data tracking—builds a loyal audience. Strike the right chord, and your brand will soar. Ready to amplify? Partner with Pradeep Digital Marketing for a podcast plan that resonates.

[motalebs]

LinkedIn Sales Navigator Search Hack To Find Better Leads

[nelsonesmeraldaj]

LinkedIn Sales Navigator Search Hack To Find Better Leads

[stevamags]

7 Personal Branding Hacks to Get Hired Faster 🚀 (70% of Job Seekers Miss These!)

This is a quick insight from the article Personal branding for job seekers Originally published on March 21, 2025

Let’s be real, job hunting can feel like yelling into the void. You send out a hundred resumes, get ghosted, and wonder if hiring managers even see your application. But here’s the game-changer: 70% of job seekers with a strong personal brand get hired faster. Want in? Here are seven powerful personal branding hacks to help you stand out and land that dream job!

1. Own Your Superpower

Forget generic skills like “team player” or “hard worker.” What’s that one thing Do you do ridiculously well? Maybe you’re a spreadsheet ninja, a storytelling genius, or a person who always finds creative solutions. Pinpoint your superpower and make it the core of your brand.

Ask three friends or colleagues, “What’s one thing I do better than anyone else?” Their answers might surprise you.

2. Craft a Killer Elevator Pitch

Imagine you meet a hiring manager in an elevator, and you have 30 seconds to impress them. What do you say? Your personal brand should fit into a short, compelling pitch.

🔥 Formula:

👉 “I help [who you serve] do [how you add value] by [your special skill].”

“I help small businesses grow by creating data-driven marketing strategies that double engagement.”

3. Revamp Your LinkedIn Like a Pro

Your LinkedIn isn’t just a resume, it’s your personal brand billboard. Recruiters will check it, so make sure it’s on point.

✔ Headline: Not just “Marketing Manager” → Try “Growth-Focused Marketer | 3X Engagement | Content & Ads Specialist”

✔ About section: Tell your story, highlight wins, and add personality.

✔ Posts & comments: Engage in industry discussions to stay visible.

💡 Bonus tip: Post a short LinkedIn article sharing industry insight, it boosts credibility!

4. Show, Don’t Tell

Recruiters don’t just want to hear what you say you can do, they want proof. Show your skills in action.

🎯 Ways to showcase:

✅ Writers → Publish blog posts or LinkedIn articles.

✅ Designers → Share portfolio pieces on Instagram or Behance.

✅ Developers → Contribute to open-source projects or showcase code on GitHub.

Your work speaks louder than words. Let it do the talking!

5. Become “Google-able”

When someone Googles your name, what pops up? If it’s just an old Facebook profile, that’s a problem.

How to boost your online presence:

✔ Buy your own domain (e.g., State-by-Step Business | Forms & Formations | Nationwide Service + IP | NW Registered Agent LLC) for a simple portfolio.

✔ Start a Twitter or Medium account to share industry insights.

✔ Engage in relevant LinkedIn groups or Reddit threads.

When recruiters search for you, make sure they find something impressive.

6. Leverage the Power of Storytelling

People connect with stories, not bullet points. Instead of saying, “I’m great at sales,” share a real moment:

❌ “I increased sales by 30%.”

✅ “Six months ago, our sales were struggling. I tested a new strategy, and within three months, our numbers shot up 30%. That’s when I knew I had a talent for sales optimization.”

See the difference? Stories stick. Use them in interviews, LinkedIn posts, and your website.

7. Keep It Real, Authenticity Wins

No one likes a try-hard. The best personal brands feel genuine. Don’t copy influencers or force a personality that isn’t you.

Instead:

✔ Share insights from your journey.

✔ Own your quirks, whether it’s your love for dad jokes or your obsession with spreadsheets.

✔ Show up consistently but naturally.

People don’t connect with perfection. They connect with realness.

Final Thought

Your personal brand isn’t just about getting hired, it’s about becoming unforgettable. Start today, refine as you go, and watch opportunities come knocking.

👉 Which of these tips will you try first? Drop a comment!

[techsavvy-agcy]

How to Use Short-Form Video in Digital Marketing: A Comprehensive Guide

How to Use Short-Form Video in Digital Marketing: A Comprehensive Guide

In today's rapidly moving digital world, people's attention spans are getting shorter, and visual content is king. Short videos have become a powerful tool for digital marketers, providing a lively and captivating way to reach audiences, boost brand recognition, and increase conversions. This article explores the ins and outs of short-form video marketing, offering a complete guide to using it effectively for your brand.

What is a Short-Form Video?

Short-form video content is typically less than 60 seconds long, though some platforms expand this to 3 minutes. Its distinctive features include:

Conciseness: Designed to communicate vital messages quickly and effectively.

Vertical Format: Optimized for mobile viewing, reflecting how most people hold their smartphones.

High Engagement: Uses dynamic images, music, and text overlays to attract and hold viewers' attention.

Shareability: Promotes social sharing and virality.

Short-form video thrives on immediacy and authenticity, creating a sense of connection and relatability among viewers.

What Platforms Use Short-Form Video Content?

The increasing popularity of short-form video can be attributed to several influential platforms:

TikTok: As the leader in short-form video, TikTok is famous for its trends, challenges, and creative content, particularly attracting younger viewers.

Instagram Reels: This feature is Instagram's take on TikTok, seamlessly fitting into its existing platform. It provides a variety of creative tools and reaches a diverse audience.

YouTube Shorts: This feature from YouTube focuses on short videos, taking advantage of its extensive user community and powerful search functions. It's perfect for both educational and entertaining content.

Facebook Reels: Facebook has entered the short-form video arena, seamlessly blending with its extensive social network. This allows for sharing across platforms and connects with a diverse audience.

LinkedIn Video: Although not solely dedicated to short videos, LinkedIn is progressively encouraging shorter, impactful clips aimed at professional viewers.

Each platform possesses distinct algorithms, audience characteristics, and content preferences. Understanding these differences is essential for effectively customizing your content strategy.

Short-Form Video Formats

Short-form videos can take numerous forms, each tailored to achieve distinct goals:

Behind-the-scenes: These provide viewers insight into your company's culture, inner workings, or manufacturing process.

Product demonstrations: Here, you can showcase the qualities and benefits of the product or service you're offering.

Educational Content: Provide relevant information, suggestions, or step-by-step guides about your field.

User-generated content (UGC): This includes content created by your customers, which helps establish credibility and trust.

Prevalent challenges and trends: Joining popular challenges or creating your own can increase your visibility.

Storytelling: Using storytelling approaches can help attract viewers' attention and effectively express your brand's message.

Quick Tips/Hacks: These provide concise, practical guidance on a specific topic.

Reaction Videos: Discuss popular subjects, products, or current events.

Listicles: These provide information in the form of a numbered list that is clear and easy to understand.

How Do You Get Started with Short-Form Videos for Each Niche, with Examples?

It's super important to customize your short video plan to fit your unique niche if you want to get the most out of it. Let's look at some examples:

For online stores:

Example: Give a peek at new items with fast fashion tips or show how a product works.

Focus: Emphasize what makes the product unique, what it does for customers, and how it feels to use it.

Fitness:

Example: Post some fast and effective workouts, share nutritious and delicious recipes, or offer encouragement to keep people going.

Focus: The goal is to give your audience helpful tips and information that they can use, along with content that gets them fired up and motivated.

Food and Beverage:

Example: Create some mouthwatering recipe videos, give a behind-the-scenes look into your kitchen, or share your honest thoughts on various foods and beverages.   

Focus: You want to attract people's attention with amazing graphics and appeal to their senses, making them hungry and willing to experience your presentation.

Technology:

Example: Technology content can include how-to manuals, gadget reviews, and industry updates.

Focus: The fundamental objective is to provide relevant knowledge and insights to people who are seriously into technology.

Education:

Example: Consider providing fast, easy-to-digest lectures, study tips, or simplified explanations of complex educational subjects.

Focus: The goal here is to provide educational information that is both concise and interesting.

Real estate:

Instead of simply listing attributes, consider bringing your properties to life!  

Example: you may provide virtual tours so customers can explore from the comfort of their couches, highlight what makes the neighborhood unique, or share some insider insights on purchasing or selling a home.  

Focus: The idea is to employ eye-catching pictures and valuable information to capture the attention of potential buyers and sellers.

B2B:

Consider it a way to share useful knowledge while also creating trust. For example, you could share market insights, conduct expert interviews, or provide an inside look at what makes your organization tick.  

Focus: The key goal is to deliver truly relevant information while establishing oneself as a recognized leader in your profession.

How Should You Schedule Your Video Content?

Short-form video success relies heavily on consistency. Here's how to create a successful scheduling approach.

Analyze Platform Analytics: Identify when your target audience is most active on each platform.

Experiment with Posting Times: Try different posting times to determine when people are most engaged.

Maintain Consistent Posting Schedule:  Maintain a consistent cadence (e.g., daily, weekly) to keep your audience interested.

Utilize Trending Sounds and Hashtags:  Use trending features to boost visibility and reach.

Preparing Content in Advance:  Create a content calendar to maintain a consistent stream of new and relevant videos.

Cross-promote Content: To increase reach, share your short-form videos on many channels.

Engage With Your Audience:  Respond to comments and messages to help develop a community.

How Can You Use AI in Your Short-Form Videos?

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is shaking up how we make and fine-tune short videos:

Intelligent Video Editing:  Apps like CapCut and Runway ML are utilizing AI to give us cool features, such as auto-generated captions, easy background removal, and awesome visual effects.

AI Helping Create Content: AI writing tools can help us generate video scripts, captions, and descriptions.

Data Smarts with AI: AI-powered analytics platforms can now show us how our audience behaves, how well our content is doing, and even spot new trends.

AI-Making Music and Sounds: AI music generators can whip up royalty-free tunes and sound effects that perfectly match the vibe and look of your video.

Personalization Powered by AI: AI algorithms can tailor video recommendations and how information is presented according to each user's preferences.

AI Avatars on the Scene: We can now make AI-generated avatars that can read out our scripts and present our information.

What are the Best Practices and Challenges for Short-Form Video?

Best Practices:

Hook Viewers in the First Few Seconds: Begin with a captivating start.

Keep Videos Concise and Engaging: Get your message across fast and effectively.

Use High-Quality Visuals and Audio: Make your films visually appealing and simple to comprehend.

Add Captions and Text Overlays: Enhance the accessibility and entertainment value of your movies for viewers who cannot hear sound. Including trending aspects, such as sounds and hashtags, can increase visibility and reach.

Tell a Story: Use narrative approaches to engage your audience emotionally.

Include a clear call to action: Ask viewers to do something specific, like visit your website or follow your account.

Engage with your audience:  Respond to comments and messages to foster community.

Analyze Your Performance: Monitor your video data to see what works and what does not.

Maintain Authenticity: Demonstrate your brand's individuality and connect with your consumers personally.

Challenges:

Staying on Top of Trends: The world of short-form video is changing super fast, so we need to keep up!

Keeping it Consistent:  It's tough to keep cranking out great videos all the time.

Making Yourself Stand Out: With so many videos out there, you need to be creative to get noticed.

Figuring Out Your ROI: It's not always easy to tell if your sales are because of your short-form videos.

Dealing with Algorithm Tweaks: The platform's algorithm constantly changes, affecting the visibility of your videos.

Avoiding Copyright Trouble: Using someone else's music or videos without asking can get you in legal hot water.

Handling Mean Comments: It's no fun dealing with haters and negative comments.

Conclusion

Short-form video is an effective tool for digital marketers looking to contact consumers, improve brand visibility, and increase conversion rates. Understanding the specific elements of each platform, utilizing various video styles, and incorporating AI-driven tools allow for the development of captivating and efficient short-form video content. To attain the best results, focus on authenticity, consistency, and constantly engaging your audience.  As the digital landscape evolves, short-form video will undoubtedly remain a critical component of any successful digital marketing strategy.

[grankdigitalmarketingagency2010]

Top Performance Marketing Agencies in Bangalore: Driving Measurable Growth

Top Performance Marketing Agencies in Bangalore: Driving Measurable Growth

Bangalore, India’s Silicon Valley, is a hub for digital innovation and marketing excellence. Businesses, from startups to enterprises, are increasingly relying on performance marketing agencies to drive targeted traffic, optimize conversions, and maximize ROI. If you’re looking for a reliable performance marketing partner in Bangalore, this guide will help you explore some of the best agencies in the city.

What is Performance Marketing?

Performance marketing is a digital marketing strategy where advertisers only pay for measurable results such as clicks, leads, or sales. Unlike traditional marketing, which relies on impressions and brand awareness, performance marketing ensures businesses get quantifiable returns on their advertising spend.

Benefits of Hiring a Performance Marketing Agency

Data-Driven Strategies: These agencies use analytics and insights to create campaigns that deliver high ROI.

Cost-Effective Advertising: Pay only for actual performance, ensuring efficient budget utilization.

Multi-Channel Expertise: Performance marketing agencies leverage various platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn, and programmatic advertising.

Continuous Optimization: Campaigns are constantly analyzed and adjusted to improve performance over time.

Top Performance Marketing Agencies in Bangalore

1. iProspect India

A leading digital marketing agency specializing in performance-driven campaigns.

Expertise in paid search, social media marketing, and data-driven solutions.

Clients: Leading brands across e-commerce, finance, and technology sectors.

2. Performics India

Focuses on data analytics and AI-driven performance marketing.

Offers search engine marketing (SEM), social media advertising, and conversion rate optimization (CRO).

Works with top brands in India and globally.

3. Kinnect

A full-service digital marketing agency known for its creative and performance marketing solutions.

Specializes in influencer marketing, PPC, and ROI-driven campaigns.

Clients include top-tier brands in BFSI, FMCG, and retail industries.

4. Webenza

Offers end-to-end performance marketing services, including Google Ads, social media campaigns, and remarketing.

Focuses on generating high-quality leads and increasing conversion rates.

Serves clients in healthcare, real estate, and e-commerce sectors.

5. Growth Hackers Digital

Specialized in B2B and SaaS performance marketing.

Uses growth hacking techniques to maximize conversions and customer acquisition.

Works with startups and enterprises to scale their digital presence.

Choosing the Right Performance Marketing Agency

When selecting a performance marketing agency in Bangalore, consider the following:

Industry Experience: Choose an agency with expertise in your sector.

Case Studies & Success Stories: Check past work to understand their capabilities.

Technology & Tools: Ensure they use advanced analytics and automation tools.

Customization & Strategy: Look for agencies that tailor strategies to your specific goals.

Budget & Pricing Model: Make sure their pricing aligns with your marketing budget and expected ROI.

Conclusion

Investing in a performance marketing agency can be a game-changer for businesses looking to scale efficiently. Bangalore, with its tech-driven ecosystem, offers some of the best agencies that can help brands achieve measurable success. Whether you’re a startup, an SME, or a large corporation, the right performance marketing partner can help you optimize your digital advertising efforts and maximize returns.

[birkcreative]

How To Get The Courage To Leave (For Solo Entrepreneurs That Want To Travel)

I continue to be inspired by my spontaneous trip to London (and Paris too.) I even wrote a short essay about my trip and posted it on LinkedIn.

It garnered so much positive feedback from it from my friends, family and connections, that I wrote and designed a custom blank travel journal to memorialize my experience.

It’s now available on Amazon for anyone that is looking for a reason to just leave. So many of us are stuck, afraid to make a move, to change. Whether that is our relationships, our jobs, our entrepreneurial journey that seems to be failing. Something you need to drop what you are doing, and get a new look, go to a new place, anything to get a reset.

Let me know what you think of my new journal, and I hope it helps you like it did me.

Excerpt from my recent essay Travel Hacks For Creative Entrepreneurs “Believe you can leave. Just believe it. First, your thoughts have to say yes, I can. And then visualize yourself getting up, packing a bag, taking the train, or Uber, sitting at the airport with a bourbon on ice, stepping into the plane, sleeping, and then stepping off the plane to grab your luggage and then riding the tube to your hotel or hostel. Do a Google search of images to help you visualize every step. Visualizing is required in order to create and before anything else is possible or doable.”

[moontyger]

Private contact details of the most important security advisers to U.S. President Donald Trump can be found on the internet. DER SPIEGEL reporters were able to find mobile phone numbers, email addresses and even some passwords belonging to the top officials.

To do so, the reporters used commercial people search engines along with hacked customer data that has been published on the web. Those affected by the leaks include National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

Most of these numbers and email addresses are apparently still in use, with some of them linked to profiles on social media platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn. They were used to create Dropbox accounts and profiles in apps that track running data. There are also WhatsApp profiles for the respective phone numbers and even Signal accounts in some cases.

As such, the reporting has revealed an additional grave, previously unknown security breach at the highest levels in Washington. Hostile intelligence services could use this publicly available data to hack the communications of those affected by installing spyware on their devices. It is thus conceivable that foreign agents were privy to the Signal chat group in which Gabbard, Waltz and Hegseth discussed a military strike.

Numbers Linked to Signal Accounts

It remains unclear, however, whether this extremely problematic chat was conducted using Signal accounts linked to the private telephone numbers of the officials involved. Tulsi Gabbard has declined to comment. DER SPIEGEL reporting has demonstrated, though, that privately used and publicly accessible telephone numbers belonging to her and Waltz are, in fact, linked to Signal accounts.

The U.S. newsmagazine The Atlantic revealed on Monday that Gabbard, Waltz and Hegseth, along with CIA Director John Ratcliffe and additional officials, discussed an imminent military strike against the Houthi militia in Yemen in a Signal chat. The information shared among the participants included intelligence information and precise attack plans. According to the Atlantic, Waltz added the editor-in-chief of the magazine, Jeffrey Goldberg, to the chat group. Precisely why he did so remains unclear.

The White House confirmed the scandal after the fact. Trump insisted that it did not include classified content, a question that is of particular relevance since members of the U.S. government are not permitted to share such information over Signal. The U.S. special envoy for Ukraine and the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, was even in Russia while participating in the chat group.

DER SPIEGEL was able to find some of the contact information for Gabbard, Hegseth and Waltz in commercial databases, while other information was in so-called password leaks, which are hardly a rarity on the internet. One example is the 2019 discovery by Troy Hunt, who found 773 million email addresses and more than 21 million passwords in a hacker forum.

Since then, there have been numerous additional leaks. Criminals are constantly compiling new collections from hacks, usually to sell them on forums.