#small business marketing vancouver

[anbuselvi1]

Video Content Marketing: 4 Reasons to Use it (+ How-to Guide)

Video Content Marketing: 4 Reasons to Use it (+ How-to Guide)

With 61% of businesses using video as a major part of their marketing plan, it’s too late to become an early adopter of video content marketing.  However, with the right strategy and consistent execution, any business can leverage the powerful benefits of video content as a marketing tool. Whether or not you’re familiar with video marketing, this ultimate guide will tell you everything you need…

[mostlysignssomeportents]

No, “convenience” isn’t the problem

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me in CHICAGO (Apr 17), Torino (Apr 21) Marin County (Apr 27), Winnipeg (May 2), Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), and beyond!

Using Amazon, or Twitter, or Facebook, or Google, or Doordash, or Uber doesn't make you lazy. Platform capitalism isn't enshittifying because you made the wrong shopping choices.

Remember, the reason these corporations were able to capture such substantial market-share is that the capital markets saw them as a bet that they could lose money for years, drive out competition, capture their markets, and then raise prices and abuse their workers and suppliers without fear of reprisal. Investors were chasing monopoly power, that is, companies that are too big to fail, too big to jail, and too big to care:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/04/teach-me-how-to-shruggie/#kagi

The tactics that let a few startups into Big Tech are illegal under existing antitrust laws. It's illegal for large corporations to buy up smaller ones before they can grow to challenge their dominance. It's illegal for dominant companies to merge with each other. "Predatory pricing" (selling goods or services below cost to prevent competitors from entering the market, or to drive out existing competitors) is also illegal. It's illegal for a big business to use its power to bargain for preferential discounts from its suppliers. Large companies aren't allowed to collude to fix prices or payments.

But under successive administrations, from Jimmy Carter through to Donald Trump, corporations routinely broke these laws. They explicitly and implicitly colluded to keep those laws from being enforced, driving smaller businesses into the ground. Now, sociopaths are just as capable of starting small companies as they are of running monopolies, but that one store that's run by a colossal asshole isn't the threat to your wellbeing that, say, Walmart or Amazon is.

All of this took place against a backdrop of stagnating wages and skyrocketing housing, health, and education costs. In other words, even as the cost of operating a small business was going up (when Amazon gets a preferential discount from a key supplier, that supplier needs to make up the difference by gouging smaller, weaker retailers), Americans' disposable income was falling.

So long as the capital markets were willing to continue funding loss-making future monopolists, your neighbors were going to make the choice to shop "the wrong way." As small, local businesses lost those customers, the costs they had to charge to make up the difference would go up, making it harder and harder for you to afford to shop "the right way."

In other words: by allowing corporations to flout antimonopoly laws, we set the stage for monopolies. The fault lay with regulators and the corporate leaders and finance barons who captured them – not with "consumers" who made the wrong choices. What's more, as the biggest businesses' monopoly power grew, your ability to choose grew ever narrower: once every mom-and-pop restaurant in your area fires their delivery drivers and switches to Doordash, your choice to order delivery from a place that payrolls its drivers goes away.

Monopolists don't just have the advantage of nearly unlimited access to the capital markets – they also enjoy the easy coordination that comes from participating in a cartel. It's easy for five giant corporations to form conspiracies because five CEOs can fit around a single table, which means that some day, they will:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/18/cursed-are-the-sausagemakers/#how-the-parties-get-to-yes

By contrast, "consumers" are atomized – there are millions of us, we don't know each other, and we struggle to agree on a course of action and stick to it. For "consumers" to make a difference, we have to form institutions, like co-ops or buying clubs, or embark on coordinated campaigns, like boycotts. Both of these tactics have their place, but they are weak when compared to monopoly power.

Luckily, we're not just "consumers." We're also citizens who can exercise political power. That's hard work – but so is organizing a co-op or a boycott. The difference is, when we dog enforcers who wield the power of the state, and line up behind them when they start to do their jobs, we can make deep structural differences that go far beyond anything we can make happen as consumers:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/18/administrative-competence/#i-know-stuff

We're not just "consumers" or "citizens" – we're also workers, and when workers come together in unions, they, too, can concentrate the diffuse, atomized power of the individual into a single, powerful entity that can hold the forces of capital in check:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/10/an-injury-to-one/#is-an-injury-to-all

And all of these things work together; when regulators do their jobs, they protect workers who are unionizing:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/06/goons-ginks-and-company-finks/#if-blood-be-the-price-of-your-cursed-wealth

And strong labor power can force cartels to abandon their plans to rig the market so that every consumer choice makes them more powerful:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/01/how-the-writers-guild-sunk-ais-ship/

And when consumers can choose better, local, more ethical businesses at competitive rates, those choices can make a difference:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/07/10/view-a-sku/

Antimonopoly policy is the foundation for all forms of people-power. The very instant corporations become too big to fail, jail or care is the instant that "voting with your wallet" becomes a waste of time.

Sure, choose that small local grocery, but everything on their shelves is going to come from the consumer packaged-goods duopoly of Procter and Gamble and Unilever. Sure, hunt down that local brand of potato chips that you love instead of P&G or Unilever's brand, but if they become successful, either P&G or Unilever will buy them out, and issue a press release trumpeting the purchase, saying "We bought out this beloved independent brand and added it to our portfolio because we know that consumers value choice."

If you're going to devote yourself to solving the collective action problem to make people-power work against corporations, spend your precious time wisely. As Zephyr Teachout writes in Break 'Em Up, don't miss the protest march outside the Amazon warehouse because you spent two hours driving around looking for an independent stationery so you could buy the markers and cardboard to make your anti-Amazon sign without shopping on Amazon:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/29/break-em-up/#break-em-up

When blame corporate power on "laziness," we buy into the corporations' own story about how they came to dominate our lives: we just prefer them. This is how Google explains away its 90% market-share in search: we just chose Google. But we didn't, not really – Google spends tens of billions of dollars every single year buying up the search-box on every website, phone, and operating system:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/21/im-feeling-unlucky/#not-up-to-the-task

Blaming "laziness" for corporate dominance also buys into the monopolists' claim that the only way to have convenient, easy-to-use services is to cede power to them. Facebook claims it's literally impossible for you to carry on social relations with the people that matter to you without also letting them spy on you. When we criticize people for wanting to hang out online with the people they love, we send the message that they need to choose loneliness and isolation, or they will be complicit in monopoly.

The problem with Google isn't that it lets you find things. The problem with Facebook isn't that it lets you talk to your friends. The problem with Uber isn't that it gets you from one place to another without having to stand on a corner waving your arm in the air. The problem with Amazon isn't that it makes it easy to locate a wide variety of products. We should stop telling people that they're wrong to want these things, because a) these things are good; and b) these things can be separated from the monopoly power of these corporate bullies:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/08/divisibility/#technognosticism

Remember the Napster Wars? The music labels had screwed over musicians and fans. 80 percent of all recorded music wasn't offered for sale, and the labels cooked the books to make it effectively impossible for musicians to earn out their advances. Napster didn't solve all of that (though they did offer $15/user/month to the labels for a license to their catalogs), but there were many ways in which it was vastly superior to the system it replaced.

The record labels responded by suing tens of thousands of people, mostly kids, but also dead people and babies and lots of other people. They demanded an end to online anonymity and a system of universal surveillance. They wanted every online space to algorithmically monitor everything a user posted and delete anything that might be a copyright infringement.

These were the problems with the music cartel: they suppressed the availability of music, screwed over musicians, carried on a campaign of indiscriminate legal terror, and lobbied effectively for a system of ubiquitous, far-reaching digital surveillance and control:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/02/nonbinary-families/#red-envelopes

You know what wasn't a problem with the record labels? The music. The music was fine. Great, even.

But some of the people who were outraged with the labels' outrageous actions decided the problem was the music. Their answer wasn't to merely demand better copyright laws or fairer treatment for musicians, but to demand that music fans stop listening to music from the labels. Somehow, they thought they could build a popular movement that you could only join by swearing off popular music.

That didn't work. It can't work. A popular movement that you can only join by boycotting popular music will always be unpopular. It's bad tactics.

When we blame "laziness" for tech monopolies, we send the message that our friends have to choose between life's joys and comforts, and a fair economic system that doesn't corrupt our politics, screw over workers, and destroy small, local businesses. This isn't true. It's a lie that monopolists tell to justify their abuse. When we repeat it, we do monopolists' work for them – and we chase away the people we need to recruit for the meaningful struggles to build worker power and political power.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/12/give-me-convenience/#or-give-me-death

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[silovsmenot]

This or That | Artūrs Šilovs

Request by anon...

silovs is a media darling. how about something with him and social media admin, like they're trying to get him to do a tiktok or something for the fans and he's just nervous around them

WARNINGS: None at all, as usual, it's 1000% complete fluff. PAIRING: Artūrs Šilovs x reader. NOTES: I absolutely adored this request, and I will never get tired of writing for Arty. WORD COUNT: 1306

As far as jobs go, you were pretty sure that you’d hit the jackpot. The social media admin for the Vancouver Canucks, with pretty much free reign on what you wanted to do. Your job was to get the team trending, to keep the community talking and to make the boys seem ‘real’.

These players were, for intensive purposes, celebrities in Vancouver. If they were spotted on the street, management wanted people to see them as approachable and friendly. It was a good marketing tactic, and you were rolling with it.

The team had so many young guys that it was easy for the most part — they were all ready and willing to get in front of the camera, and do stupid things for the trends. You were having a great time with it. Even some of the older guys were getting into it.

But there was one who was a little more reserved and had, until now, evaded you. You’d exchanged words in passing, you knew the other existed, but he finished training and left without word most days. He kept to himself, and while that was fine for a while, management wanted him to be included.

Artūrs Šilovs couldn’t escape the camera forever.

And today was the day that you were going to get him — you weren’t unfair, you’d find something together that he’d be willing to do. It was never your intention to make any of the guys uncomfortable.

Completely on queue, you saw his head ducking out of the changing rooms with eyes on the nearest door. But there would be no escape from the social media admin today.

“Artūrs!” You shouted, jogging up behind him with a growing smile at your lips. He turned quickly; the Vancouver cap backwards as messy strands of brown hair escaped through the hole. And, as he normally did post training, his glasses rested upon the bridge of his nose.

You’d told yourself when you got this job, no dating players, but he was cute and you could be tempted to break your own rule.

“Sorry, if you’re not busy, would you mind helping me with something?”

You phrased it carefully, knowing he was more likely to turn around and say yes if you said it was to help. And it was to help both of you. As expected, he did nod — he turned on his heels and was ready to follow you.

You both found yourselves smiling at the other, he was full of nerves as you began to walk back into the corridor and he didn’t quite know what to say to you. There were things he was thinking about saying, like how he was thankful that you had been a friendly face to him since he was called up to the Canucks, or how he would’ve liked to spend some time with you, but far from a camera.

Whatever he was thinking as you led him toward the little media room, he didn’t say any of it. Arty just followed with hands buried in his pockets, fiddling with threads with nerves and a small smile upon his lips.

He opened the door before you could reach, holding it wide open for you to enter as you’d say a quiet thank you. With the door closed, it was impossible to not focus on how nervous he so clearly was.

You simply found yourself staring at him for a brief moment, trying to find the words to say that would put his mind at ease.

“Art, I’m not going to ask you to do something that you’re not comfortable with…” You quietly said with a few short steps toward him. “I have an idea and if you’re not happy with it, we don’t do it.”

His brown eyes had been fixated with since you called him that corridor and they made no signs of wavering from you. He was uncomfortable in front of that camera, but it was just nerves with you, and he couldn’t figure out why. He’d grown used to so many people over the last few weeks in Vancouver, but you stood out. You made him smile without a word and while he knew you’d only talk to him to get him in front of that camera, he wanted you to talk to him. It was all quite confusing in his head, but pushing through it all, he’d simply nod in response to you.

A quiet, sheepish ‘okay’ coming from his lips.

And so, you began to explain your idea, and it was simple. An easy ‘this or that’, with things from Canada vs back in home of Latvia. It would take a little work to find a comparison, or as near as you could both get, but it was a way for him to reveal a little bit of home to the Canuck fanbase.

“I like the idea… Let’s do it.” Artūrs finally said as you finished your explanation, taking a moment to dramatically gasp for air after you’d talked non-stop for a couple of minutes. You couldn’t help the triumphant nod that you gave at his answer, the smile spread across your features from ear to ear. A smile that quickly caught upon his own lips.

All it took was a piece of paper, five minutes to sort the ‘this or that’ options and you were both ready. His steps were hesitant as they bought in before the green screen, the little camera now upon him.

“First one is nice and simple, your left is Rīga and your right is Vancouver — your favourite city is …?” And you paused. He’d told you that his answer was Vancouver, but he stepped to his left which caused a quiet laugh to part your lips.

He stared at you, pinkening in the cheeks, for a moment as he tried to figure out what he’d done. Once he did, he took two quick steps to his right with hands waving in apology.

“Arty, you can calm down. We’re no rush with this, just think about it and take your time.” Your voice was soft; reassuring and genuine, and it worked. He stopped staring awkwardly at the camera, and simply found your gaze yet again. And there? He felt more comfortable.

Now you had to stand directly behind the camera to make it work, but it did work from there. He kept your gaze, and with clammy hands from nerves, he made the right steps each time. Another five minutes later and you were done. It all needed throwing together for a video to post, but you had what you needed … and there was a hidden, but shared, disappointment in that. He thought about making a few more mistakes to stay longer, and you thought about asking just a few more unnecessary questions to keep him there.

Neither of you made your excuse to stay as you were both nervous. You walked him to the door of the media suite with a melancholy weight upon your shoulders, leaning against the door frame as he’d linger just beyond.

“This wasn’t too bad, was it?” You asked with a slightly teasing tone, just enough to make him smile again. And he did smile, he smiled wide and nodded his head as he removed the cap and messed at his hair with his free hand.

“It was almost fun.” He quickly said, and you felt the slight fluttering in your stomach. “Just let me know if you need me again, at any point.”

That only serve to make the fluttering more unruly. Your mouth dry in surprise as you were simply forced to nod your head. You didn’t take your eyes off him until he was nearly out of sight, and you just missed the sight of him turning back to catch a final glimpse of you.

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

The only way Vancouver 2025 could reverse things for them is if they stayed out of the spotlight and exclusively forced coverage on the athletes. But that’s never going to happen - They began their PR campaign by saying they might bring the kids to Whistler right after they left Canada, making it a family affair rather than an event that highlights the veterans. I suspect this is also to pull in more big sponsors or get more money as the major contributors have left and wasn't there a rumor that 2000 vets walked out of IG as well? And IG also was asking for public donations. What a mess!

Exactly. Instead of getting out of the way, Harry and Meghan are just going to draw more attention to them by bringing the invisikids along.

Yeah, it’s a PR tactic and a marketing gamble, but it’s still all about them and what they can do for these poor military veterans who have no purpose in life now that they aren’t serving anymore. It’s toxic energy that more and more people are recognizing.

The rumor about 2,000 vets walking away from IG is a little bit of misnomer. It wasn’t a sudden walkout, like all of a sudden these 2,000 people just walked away en masse. It’s more like attrition over the course of time from 2018; 2,000 veterans had at least one interaction with Invictus Games - maybe they were athletes/competitors, maybe they were subscribers on some kind of newsletter or mailing list, maybe they donated - but are no longer connected to the charity (they don’t compete anymore, they unsubscribed, they don’t donate, etc.)

Some of them were probably polled about it, a few said it was because of The Harry and Meghan Show, and that’s how it turned into “all these people left because of Harry” but there’s no way they polled all 2,000 people to find out precisely why they haven’t had any return engagement.

The other issue with the 2,000-vet-walkout is that IG doesn’t have that many participants year to year. On average, they have 500 athletes at each games, so they don’t even have 2,000 veterans to stage a mass walkout with. So there’s a little bit of fudging of the details to make it more provocative and dangerous to Invictus Games’s image. Because they do have an image problem: it’s the Harry and Meghan Show. And for people as self-absorbed as the Sussexes are “2,000 people walked out on our last event because of you” is more powerful than “2,000 people stopped engaging with the charity in the last 6 years, which works out to about 330 people every year, because of you.”

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a huge problem. They’re losing ~330 contacts a year that they can’t replace - that’s incredibly dire straits for a small charity who can barely keep the lights on year to year to be in business.

What they’re trying to do with the rumor/fudging is trying to get IG’s attention to do something about their image problem. But they took the chicken’s way out by getting rid of the CEO, rather than the actual culprit.

[alicenpai]

Hey Alice! Really random question but what cons happen in Toronto besides fan expo? (Specifically looking for June augest ones) I swear there’s more. I’m not sure who else to ask this or where to find con information haha. Alternatively do you know of con information in Vancouver canada? Thank you

hi! fellow torontonian spotted 🫡🫵

for large scale anime/gaming/geek cons in toronto, there's: - toronto comic con (march)* - toronto game expo (march) - anime north (may) - anime fiesta (july) - beware as i heard this one is not great for events but maybe they'll improve, smaller event - fan expo (aug)* - furnal equinox (march) - toronto game expo (nov) * good luck applying to these bc the rebooking rate is INSANE and you will also be out a $800 deposit for a whole year

yeah............. toronto has a huge population but as you can see there's really not much in the summer LMAO which is why these few cons are really important to us. and canadians opt to travel for cons during the mid summer season. americans have it good haha. here are some other popular ones: - g anime (jan, gatineau QC) - yeti con (june, blue mountain ON) - ai kon (july, winnipeg MB) - animethon (aug, edmonton AB) - otakuthon (aug, montreal QC) usually same weekend - the only out of province event i attend currently, i really like otakuthon and personally i did really well, but i have heard from others that the profits this year were not as good as last year. (keep in mind the small business culture is huge and competitive right now) - london comic con (sept, london ON) during off-peak season there are also a few markets (bamtori studio has been hosting them every few months and they're so goated!!!), there've been more buzz on markets in recent years as the small business scene boomed. personally i don't think my art suits markets demographic so i don't apply for them/ this post will not cover markets. vancouver events: - anime revolution (aug) usually same weekend as animethon and otakuthon. i have heard conflicting opinions on anirevo so please do your own research on this con. rebooking rate is crazy. - fan expo vancouver (feb) for any informa canada run events, be aware the rebooking rate is extremely high. - emerald city comic con (march) - forgive me for putting an american con here

if i had to travel to the west coast id pick emerald city comic con, i heard it's pretty good to travel out to (and the other ones id have no chance of getting in anyways) if anything i know about these events through hearsay and by googling ahaha. if a con is good then more artists will recommend them generally. you can also join artist alley network international (AANI, you can google them for the application to their discord). personally im not sure how long ill be doing cons as i've been putting off working on my animation portfolio for so long (animation is kind of grim rn so a lot of us have been relying on cons)... and im not sure if ill travel beyond montreal next year... but yeah... hope this helps!

[fans4wga]

"Are Influencers On Strike Too?" from the New York Times

By Madison Malone Kircher

"Hollywood’s actors are on strike. Many social media influencers have joined them. So what happens now?

SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union, has allowed select content creators to join since 2021 under its influencer program. And many influencers work directly with movie studios and other Hollywood entities, who pay them to promote shows and movies, whether it’s on TikTok, YouTube or the red carpet.

Well, not anymore.

This week, SAG-AFTRA announced specific guidelines for influencers during the strike. The rules are broad. Influencers are advised to “not accept any new work for promotion of struck companies or their content.” That means no TikToks about Barbenheimer or red carpet walks for “Meg 2: The Trench.”

And SAG doesn’t care if influencers are being paid for those posts or not. Any posts about struck work are considered to be crossing the picket line. An influencer who films a “Get Ready With Me” video by putting on a pink dress and heading out to the theater to see “Barbie” could be in violation — and anyone deemed to have crossed the picket line will be barred from joining SAG in the future.

A number of creators I talked to this week see joining the union as a goal, one they don’t want to jeopardize.

Creators are divided. Some have gone full Norma Rae, vocally turning down lucrative deals and encouraging their viewers to support the strike. Others have no interest in joining SAG and will probably be continuing business as usual, or they are dubious that the consequences will ever arrive.

“I just think that’s an empty threat,” Jessy Grossman, founder of the networking group Women in Influencer Marketing, told me. “Enforcement of that is going to be impossible.”

Erin Orsi, a self-described “tiny content creator,” went a little bit viral on TikTok after announcing she had turned down a potential $5,000 sponsored partnership from a company working with a major superhero franchise. For Orsi, who has just under 20,000 followers, that’s a lot more money than she usually gets paid to post. Still, she took a pass.

“I’m trying to push this to be my full-time thing,” Orsi said. “I don’t know what the future holds. I would not want to close the door on an opportunity like joining the guild.”

Darcy Michael, one half of the comedy duo Darcy and Jer, told me a network offered him a $25,000 sponsored deal in the days leading up to the strike. He was initially interested, particularly given that the rate was higher than usual for such work, but he ultimately declined to pursue it further after realizing the impending strike was probably what was driving up the rate. (Michael lives in Vancouver and is in ACTRA, the Canadian equivalent of SAG-AFTRA.)

“I told my team, I was like, ‘in no uncertain terms until the strike is over. We’re not crossing picket lines,’��� Michael said.

“I also just feel like this strike in particular is monumental for all industries,” he added. “I think we’re leading the pack in making sure that workers are protected, especially from A.I. intervention. If it means that we’re going to pinch our pennies for a few months, we’re going to pinch our pennies.”

Influencers who indicated in videos that they planned to ignore the guidelines have found the online reaction to be swift and sharp. At least two entertainment creators, including @collinnurrmom and @straw_hat_goofy, have already deleted such videos. The latter now has a “SAG-AFTRA Strong” image as his TikTok profile picture.

“I spoke way too soon on my page and upset a lot of people,” Collin Everett, a.k.a. @collinnurrmom, wrote in an email when I asked about the now-deleted videos. “I do not believe that I am scabbing,” he added.

Some small creators are just plain confused. Rosa Romero runs a TikTok page of memes about TV shows including “The Bear” and “Succession.” “It’s really hard for me to categorize myself as an influencer in this sphere,” Romero said. “It’s really just my personal page that accidentally ended up having 11,000 followers.”

Romero sent SAG-AFTRA an email asking whether it was still OK to post about movies produced before the strike went into effect (specifically, “Barbie”). Still, Romero worries that doing so might generate backlash online. “Any questions or clarification is treated like someone’s trying to cross the picket line,” Romero said. “It’s just unfortunate.”

John Monterubio, a senior counsel at Loeb & Loeb LLP who advises influencers and advertisers, said the firm had fielded questions from influencers and brands about how the strike would affect them.

People who are not in the union and don’t have their hearts set on joining have a decision to make, Monterubio said. “They’re not legally bound one way or another,” he said, “but they have to think about how their decision will impact them in the future.”

Influencers are not the only ones confused, he added: "The different agreements are quite complicated, even for attorneys to figure out.'"

[how-to-get-unparalleled-views]

How To Get Unparalleled Views Of Vancouver City

Vancouver is renowned for its striking natural beauty, with breathtaking coastal scenery nestled against a backdrop of towering mountains and glittering waters. Whether taking in panoramic city vistas or escaping into nature, magnificent views await around every corner. This blog provides a guide to some of the best locations for soaking in Vancouver's visual splendors, from lofty observation decks to shoreline promenades and forested peaks high above the treeline. Visitors staying at the centrally located Grand Park downtown hotel will find easy access to many of these scenic spots, helping them maximize their time experiencing one of the most picturesque urban landscapes in North America.

The Lookout at Harbour Centre

Located on the top floor of the Harbour Centre complex downtown, The Lookout offers a spectacular panoramic vista spanning from English Bay to Stanley Park and across the entire downtown Vancouver skyline. With floor-to-ceiling windows surrounding the space on three sides, visitors feel suspended high above the city as they take in sweeping views of Burrard Inlet, Coal Harbour, and the North Shore Mountains. A great spot for photos, The Lookout is especially impressive at sunset when colors bounce off the surrounding glass towers. As one of the tallest structures in the downtown core, it provides a bird's eye perspective of the city from over 200 meters above street level. The Grand Park downtown hotel is within easy walking distance of the Harbour Centre, allowing guests to easily visit The Lookout following check-in to get their first taste of Vancouver's natural beauty from on high and help orient themselves to the city below.

English Bay Beach

Nestled along the southern shoreline of English Bay, Vancouver's largest sandy beach is a popular urban oasis year-round. On sunny summer days especially, locals and visitors flock to the three-kilometer stretch of golden sand to relax, swim or play beach volleyball. With panoramic views of the Coast Mountains to the north and the downtown Vancouver skyline just east, English Bay Beach also offers beautiful sunsets and scenic seawall strolling. Come evening, the beach bustles with activity as volleyball players, joggers and picnickers enjoy extending their time outdoors. As it is situated only a few kilometers from the downtown core, guests staying at the Grand Park downtown hotel can easily access English Bay Beach by foot, bike or public transit to experience the lively beach scene and enjoy unobstructed vistas of the city from the shoreline.

Granville Island

Located just south of downtown in False Creek, Granville Island has become one of Vancouver's most popular tourist destinations. As partly a residential and commercial area and partly a public market, it offers a vibrant blend of shops, artisan studios, cafes, and a thriving community of small businesses. Visitors can browse for local goods, artisanal chocolates, fresh bakery items and more while soaking up the laidback atmosphere. Adding to Granville Island's charm is its proximity to the waterfront trails and docks, where ferries come and go and float planes take off. On sunny weekends, the island bustles with activity. Guests staying at the Grand Park downtown hotel can easily reach Granville Island by car or via the Aquabus water taxi, making it a simple and scenic half-day excursion between exploring the downtown core and experiencing this colorful and eclectic neighborhood.

Queen Elizabeth Park

Nestled high upon Little Mountain, Queen Elizabeth Park offers visitors spectacular panoramic views of Vancouver and beyond. At over 70 hectares, it is one of the largest urban parks in North America. From its elevated position over 500 feet above sea level, the park provides a bird's eye perspective across the skylines of Vancouver, Burnaby and beyond. Within the park, visitors can follow a network of trails between beautifully manicured gardens and open meadows. In spring, flowering cherry blossom groves paint the hillside pink, while summer and fall months see gardens exploding with color. A particular highlight is The Blodel Conservatory, a triodetic dome greenhouse home to various tropical plant species from around the world. With scenic lookouts and benches scattered throughout for taking in the vista, Queen Elizabeth Park is the perfect spot for those seeking an escape into nature with unbeatable city views.

Grouse Mountain

Nestled in the forests of North Vancouver, Grouse Mountain offers visitors awe-inspiring panoramic vistas stretching from the Coast Mountains to downtown Vancouver across Burrard Inlet. An exhilarating six-minute gondola ride takes visitors from the mountain base to the peak, where several viewing platforms and a revolving restaurant provide 360-degree views of the city, islands and ocean. On clear days, scenic vistas extend all the way to Whistler and the Cascade Mountains in Washington State. Grouse Mountain also features hiking trails, a lynx habitat, and a lumberjack show with axe throwing and log-rolling exhibitions. With activities for nature lovers and thrill-seekers alike, it's an ideal full-day outing for those looking to escape the city while also taking in remarkable views of Vancouver from above the treeline.

Conclusion

From English Bay Beach to Grouse Mountain, Queen Elizabeth Park to Granville Island, Vancouver never fails to impress with its stunning panoramas. Whether enjoying the ever-changing plays of light across the downtown skyline or gazing out over verdant forests and coastal waters, taking in the city's sights from elevated vantage points offers memorable perspectives to cherish for years to come. Located in the heart of it all, the Grand Park downtown hotel provides an ideal home base for exploring everything Vancouver has to offer both visually and adventure-wise. By following the tips highlighted here, travelers are sure to return home with fond memories and incredible photo stories from their trip to one of the world's most stunningly scenic cities.

[bestprintbuy]

Re Max Real Estate Business Cards Vertical With Photo Glossy

Marketing has become a huge part of real estate these days, particularly with everyone searching up each real estate and realtors on-line first more usually than not. If you imagine that advertising assists in you reaching a high dollar sale (we hope you do!), then it’s further essential that you do you due diligence and think about the above when selecting your subsequent real estate agent. Under designated agency, the company obligation of shopper confidentiality is owed on the level of the business member performing as the designated agent. The brokerage continues to be responsible for preserving client information confidential when dealing with third events. This duty also pertains to any unlicensed worker of the brokerage or designated agent. Printing materials is the key factor of the marketing for Real Estate Agents.

Your paydays depend on commissions and when gross sales close. As a real estate agent, it’s a good suggestion to set your individual goals, act as your personal boss, and reap all the rewards from your exhausting work. When you’re a real estate agent, there’s no limit to what you'll find a way to earn, but there aren't any guarantees either. Realty Products prints business cards of superior high quality and of varied types of horizontal, vertical, and extra. Select template, order, and we are going to print your corporation card in higher quality inventory paper, or select Magnetic Business Cards, that are the ultimate promotional software.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to becoming a real estate agent. Becoming a real estate agent is something you'll find a way to pursue and not utilizing a university or faculty degree, but you do need to be 18 or older and a highschool graduate. If the picture goes to show up small on a telephone display screen or business card then the viewer will need to be able to see your eyes. A full physique will make you look distant and standoffish. For small screens and cards it works properly to crop the picture just above the waist.

Enter the well-known “Shangri-la” by Westbank, amongst Vancouver’s most fascinating fashionable high-rises. This up to date 2 bed & 2 bathtub house features luxurious design particulars and a lot extra. Get free resources on tips on realtor business cards how to construct and grow your business from Ownr — straight to your inbox. The best e mail advertising strategies see you in your contacts’ inboxes frequently enough to be remembered, but not so much as to be annoying.

Most individuals who stop into open houses aren't already working with an agent. This is a superb time to supply them with details about how you can improve the home-buying process for them and cut back the period of time they spend searching. To acquire your license, you must first take and cross the programs to pass the examination. Many new agents don’t anticipate the expense of the actual start-up prices.

Each monetary situation is different, the advice offered is meant to be basic. Please contact your monetary or authorized advisors for data specific to your state of real estate agent business cards affairs. Once you realize your province’s requirements, enroll in a course. Many provinces provide both in-person and on-line choices for finishing the course. The number of course hours you should complete varies by province.

One second, they’re hosting an open house, and the next, they’re updating social media accounts and doing lead era. Most agents have to pay a charge to the brokerage they work underneath. Make sure any managing dealer you converse with clearly outlines the charges you pay. Once you pass the examination, you should take persevering with education programs to keep up your license. Many brokers additionally select to get specialty designations that permit them to market and target their companies to totally different segments of people.

We will care for everything off your arms ranging from design to printing the collaterals for you by your desired time. They have appointments, showings, open houses, conferences, listings to handle, and shopper databases to update real estate business cards daily. With only so many hours, time management expertise are a should. Time administration will allow an agent to maneuver ahead successfully without being overwhelmed.

The following listing offers examples of acceptable government-issued picture identification documents from federal, provincial or territorial authorities. You can use any of the 3 strategies described below to verify the id of an entity. While an entity could be a company, a belief, a partnership, a fund, or an unincorporated affiliation or group, corporations are topic to different necessities than different entities . All of the data the agent or mandatary referred to in order to verify the identification of the person, and the knowledge that the agent or mandatary confirmed as being that of the person . The data that the other RE or affiliated foreign entity referred to so as to confirm the identity the particular person.

[websitedevelopmentexpert]

Google Ads vs. Organic SEO: Which is Better for Small Businesses in Vancouver?

Introduction

In the realm of digital marketing, two strategies often stand out: Google Ads and Organic SEO. Both have their unique strengths and can significantly enhance a business’s online visibility. However, for small businesses in Vancouver, choosing between the two can be a challenging task.  Learn more.

[creativemorningsvancouver]

We are quite excited to host chef, restauranteur, 
author, and activist, Meeru Dhalwala, who will share her compelling story of creativity through the lens of June’s global theme ‘reverie’.

Register

Meeru moved from Washington, D.C. to Vancouver in February 1995 and has since been cooking and running the kitchens and menus at Vij’s and Rangoli restaurants. Vij’s has been hailed by the New York Times as “easily among the finest Indian restaurants in the world.” (Rangoli closed after 17 years in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Meeru also wrote all three award-winning Vij’s cookbooks.

In 2021, Meeru created a small community business built from her learned ethics in the food industry: My Bambiri (baby) Foods. My Bambiri sources from BC organic farmers and sells on income-based pricing: three price options based on a family’s specific finances. She has also partnered with Food Stash Foundation to sell My Bambiri at their markets for low-income families who face many economic and social barriers. In October 2022, Meeru relaunched her annual international food fair called “Joy of Feeding” that is held at the UBC Farm Centre for Sustainable Food Systems.

Meeru holds a MSc in development studies from Bath University, UK, and brings her passion for humanity into her business and cooking practices. She is one of Vancouver’s most prominent promoters of women in business, climate change and sustainability, and healthy-elegant cooking. She proudly sits on the Board of Directors for the Green Party of Vancouver. For her professional and community work, Meeru has received honorary doctorates from both University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University.

Every month we like to ask our speakers a handful of probing questions to give us a deeper glimpse into their life and relationship with creativity:

How do you define creativity and apply it in your life and career? I imagine and then come up with ideas. Lots of ideas, of which most aren’t realistic, but contribute to the final ideas that I/we can execute. I love the process of ideas popping or slowly coming to form in my head. I love the crazy ideas that are impractical and the ideas that could make stories if I were a novelist. I say the word “IDEA!” in the Vij’s kitchen and staff stops whatever we’re doing, get excited and hear the “IDEA!” Half of them result in all of us just laughing b/c while even saying it, I realize it’s not practical or just sounds silly coming out. My kitchen staff doesn’t rely on me to run the daily kitchen—cooking, ordering, loading, prep, etc.—but they rely on me for my “IDEA!” And if I love my idea, I don’t let it go.

Where do you find your best creative inspiration or energy? From running in my neighborhood—not any neighborhood or trail. Running is combination of my familiar surroundings and my body igniting me—my brain is dancing while my body is doing all the physical work. Whatever is on my mind—whether my family, trying to save some aspect of the environment, imagining being dead, imagining my comfort place on this earth, a work issue, coming up with recipes, etc.—it’s done with abandon while I’m running. Within 10 minutes, I lose myself in imagining, pondering…and daydreaming about my past in relation to today.

What’s one piece of creative advice or a tip you wish you’d known as a young person? Find a solo activity during which you feel abandon and…yes, lose yourself in reverie! I run. All those times when I was crying or stressed about my home life or school life, if I had gone out running and released that stress energy, the weight would have lightened and so many windows would have opened. Doesn’t have to be a physical activity—it can be knitting or drawing.

Who (living or dead) would you most enjoy hearing speak at CreativeMornings? George Eliot or Graca Machel. Intellectually attuned and gracefully passionate, brave women. Middlemarch is still relevant as a compelling storyline and observation on humanity’s social concoctions. Women and children’s rights activist Graca Machel was the First Lady of Mozambique at an important and crucial time. Her husband (the President) was assassinated via a plane crash. Later, she became the First Lady of South Africa, as wife of Nelson Mandela.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done? Fly to Vancouver from Washington D.C. to meet a guy I was talking on the phone with for a month (back in 1994) and, after spending 5 days with him, deciding to marry him asap. I left my hometown, friends and career in human rights and economic development to move to Vancouver. It resulted in a new and completed unexpected career, two beautiful children and 17 years of marriage. I don’t know how, but I grabbed the confidence in love before it escaped in the form of common sense.

If you could open a door and go anywhere, where would that be? My partner is a dry suit (meaning he dives in cold waters) scuba diver and travels to all waters of the world to dive, take photos. His “comfort place” in this world is the silence and being solo under water—complete opposite from mine. He lies there with his camera, watches and waits for creatures to swim, fully in zen mode. This level of silence and alone-ness intimidates and fascinates me. I would LOVE to turn myself into an invisible and weightless being, and be on his shoulder while he does this. I would not want to disturb his zen. For me, this would be like magically living in a dream.

What are you proudest of in your life? Giving motherhood my all, by which I don’t mean just love. The most important moment of my life so far is when I first looked down at my newborn and felt/saw the look in her wide eyes, settling on her mom’s face. I call this “Newborn Eyes”. Newborn Eyes are the energy of my personal life. I’m proud of fully and honestly engaging with my two daughters as humans and not as my extensions. I’m proud of calling them out on their shit and not worrying if they like me or not, or if they’ll rebel. I’m proud that I never stopped being me for the sake of being a mother.

If you could do anything now, what would you do? Have each human above the age of, say 6, in this world watch the animated documentary film “Flee” for its subject matter and b/c its engrossing storytelling. I want all of us watching at the exact same time so we are aware of sharing this experience together, as one. So, a bit of magic or super sci-fi high tech required here. Some of the bravest and most loving people in this world are “refugees” and “migrants”. These are labels for some, but for me they are my mom and dad.

What books made a difference in your life and why? The Employees by Olga Ravn. This book is potentially our real future with real humans co-existing with AI types of humans. It’s beautifully written. It’s a very short book and I read it twice in a row.

Register

[latest-trends-2024]

Read some of VConekt's most trending and insightful SEO blogs of the year!

https://vconekt.com/local-seo-tactics-to-grow-your-business

https://vconekt.com/structured-data-and-schema-markup-for-local-seo

https://vconekt.com/tools-for-tracking-local-seo-performance-a-comprehensive-guide

https://vconekt.com/local-search-engine-optimization-vancouver

https://vconekt.com/seo-services-for-small-businesses-in-north-carolina

https://vconekt.com/social-media-marketing-north-carolina

https://vconekt.com/marin-local-search-engine-optimization-vconekt-seo-services

https://vconekt.com/local-search-engine-optimization-services-sugar-land-vconekt-seo-company

https://vconekt.com/local-search-engine-optimization-philadelphia-vconekt-seo-services

https://vconekt.com/local-search-engine-optimization-services-bucks-county

https://vconekt.com/ai-cold-callers-and-agents

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Cigna’s nopeinator

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me THURSDAY (May 2) in WINNIPEG, then Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), Tartu, Estonia, and beyond!

Cigna – like all private health insurers – has two contradictory imperatives:

To keep its customers healthy; and

To make as much money for its shareholders as is possible.

Now, there's a hypothetical way to resolve these contradictions, a story much beloved by advocates of America's wasteful, cruel, inefficient private health industry: "If health is a "market," then a health insurer that fails to keep its customers healthy will lose those customers and thus make less for its shareholders." In this thought-experiment, Cigna will "find an equilibrium" between spending money to keep its customers healthy, thus retaining their business, and also "seeking efficiencies" to create a standard of care that's cost-effective.

But health care isn't a market. Most of us get our health-care through our employers, who offer small handful of options that nevertheless manage to be so complex in their particulars that they're impossible to directly compare, and somehow all end up not covering the things we need them for. Oh, and you can only change insurers once or twice per year, and doing so incurs savage switching costs, like losing access to your family doctor and specialists providers.

Cigna – like other health insurers – is "too big to care." It doesn't have to worry about losing your business, so it grows progressively less interested in even pretending to keep you healthy.

The most important way for an insurer to protect its profits at the expense of your health is to deny care that your doctor believes you need. Cigna has transformed itself into a care-denying assembly line.

Dr Debby Day is a Cigna whistleblower. Dr Day was a Cigna medical director, charged with reviewing denied cases, a job she held for 20 years. In 2022, she was forced out by Cigna. Writing for Propublica and The Capitol Forum, Patrick Rucker and David Armstrong tell her story, revealing the true "equilibrium" that Cigna has found:

https://www.propublica.org/article/cigna-medical-director-doctor-patient-preapproval-denials-insurance

Dr Day took her job seriously. Early in her career, she discovered a pattern of claims from doctors for an expensive therapy called intravenous immunoglobulin in cases where this made no medical sense. Dr Day reviewed the scientific literature on IVIG and developed a Cigna-wide policy for its use that saved the company millions of dollars.

This is how it's supposed to work: insurers (whether private or public) should permit all the medically necessary interventions and deny interventions that aren't supported by evidence, and they should determine the difference through internal reviewers who are treated as independent experts.

But as the competitive landscape for US healthcare dwindled – and as Cigna bought out more parts of its supply chain and merged with more of its major rivals – the company became uniquely focused on denying claims, irrespective of their medical merit.

In Dr Day's story, the turning point came when Cinga outsourced pre-approvals to registered nurses in the Philippines. Legally, a nurse can approve a claim, but only an MD can deny a claim. So Dr Day and her colleagues would have to sign off when a nurse deemed a procedure, therapy or drug to be medically unnecessary.

This is a complex determination to make, even under ideal circumstances, but Cigna's Filipino outsource partners were far from ideal. Dr Day found that nurses were "sloppy" – they'd confuse a mother with her newborn baby and deny care on that grounds, or confuse an injured hip with an injured neck and deny permission for an ultrasound. Dr Day reviewed a claim for a test that was denied because STI tests weren't "medically necessary" – but the patient's doctor had applied for a test to diagnose a toenail fungus, not an STI.

Even if the nurses' evaluations had been careful, Dr Day wanted to conduct her own, thorough investigation before overriding another doctor's judgment about the care that doctor's patient warranted. When a nurse recommended denying care "for a cancer patient or a sick baby," Dr Day would research medical guidelines, read studies and review the patient's record before signing off on the recommendation.

This was how the claims denial process is said to work, but it's not how it was supposed to work. Dr Day was markedly slower than her peers, who would "click and close" claims by pasting the nurses' own rationale for denying the claim into the relevant form, acting as a rubber-stamp rather than a skilled reviewer.

Dr Day knew she was slower than her peers. Cigna made sure of that, producing a "productivity dashboard" that scored doctors based on "handle time," which Cigna describes as the average time its doctors spend on different kinds of claims. But Dr Day and other Cigna sources say that this was a maximum, not an average – a way of disciplining doctors.

These were not long times. If a doctor asked Cigna not to discharge their patient from hospital care and a nurse denied that claim, the doctor reviewing that claim was supposed to spend not more than 4.5 minutes on their review. Other timelines were even more aggressive: many denials of prescription drugs were meant to be resolved in fewer than two minutes.

Cigna told Propublica and The Capitol Forum that its productivity scores weren't based on a simple calculation about whether its MD reviewers were hitting these brutal processing time targets, describing the scores as a proprietary mix of factors that reflected a nuanced view of care. But when Propublica and The Capitol Forum created a crude algorithm to generate scores by comparing a doctor's performance relative to the company's targets, they found the results fit very neatly into the actual scores that Cigna assigned to its docs:

The newsrooms’ formula accurately reproduced the scores of 87% of the Cigna doctors listed; the scores of all but one of the rest fell within 1 to 2 percentage points of the number generated by this formula. When asked about this formula, Cigna said it may be inaccurate but didn’t elaborate.

As Dr Day slipped lower on the productivity chart, her bosses pressured her bring her score up (Day recorded her phone calls and saved her emails, and the reporters verified them). Among other things, Dr Day's boss made it clear that her annual bonus and stock options were contingent on her making quota.

Cigna denies all of this. They smeared Dr Day as a "disgruntled former employee" (as though that has any bearing on the truthfulness of her account), and declined to explain the discrepancies between Dr Day's accusations and Cigna's bland denials.

This isn't new for Cigna. Last year, Propublica and Capitol Forum revealed the existence of an algorithmic claims denial system that allowed its doctors to bulk-deny claims in as little as 1.2 seconds:

https://www.propublica.org/article/cigna-pxdx-medical-health-insurance-rejection-claims

Cigna insisted that this was a mischaracterization, saying the system existed to speed up the approval of claims, despite the first-hand accounts of Cigna's own doctors and the doctors whose care recommendations were blocked by the system. One Cigna doctor used this system to "review" and deny 60,000 claims in one month.

Beyond serving as an indictment of the US for-profit health industry, and of Cigna's business practices, this is also a cautionary tale about the idea that critical AI applications can be resolved with "humans in the loop."

AI pitchmen claim that even unreliable AI can be fixed by adding a "human in the loop" that reviews the AI's judgments:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/23/maximal-plausibility/#reverse-centaurs

In this world, the AI is an assistant to the human. For example, a radiologist might have an AI double-check their assessments of chest X-rays, and revisit those X-rays where the AI's assessment didn't match their own. This robot-assisted-human configuration is called a "centaur."

In reality, "human in the loop" is almost always a reverse-centaur. If the hospital buys an AI, fires half its radiologists and orders the remainder to review the AI's superhuman assessments of chest X-rays, that's not an AI assisted radiologist, that's a radiologist-assisted AI. Accuracy goes down, but so do costs. That's the bet that AI investors are making.

Many AI applications turn out not to even be "AI" – they're just low-waged workers in an overseas call-center pretending to be an algorithm (some Indian techies joke that AI stands for "absent Indians"). That was the case with Amazon's Grab and Go stores where, supposedly, AI-enabled cameras counted up all the things you put in your shopping basket and automatically billed you for them. In reality, the cameras were connected to Indian call-centers where low-waged workers made those assessments:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/29/pay-no-attention/#to-the-little-man-behind-the-curtain

This Potemkin AI represents an intermediate step between outsourcing and AI. Over the past three decades, the growth of cheap telecommunications and logistics systems let corporations outsource customer service to low-waged offshore workers. The corporations used the excuse that these subcontractors were far from the firm and its customers to deny them any agency, giving them rigid scripts and procedures to follow.

This was a very usefully dysfunctional system. As a customer with a complaint, you would call the customer service line, wait for a long time on hold, spend an interminable time working through a proscribed claims-handling process with a rep who was prohibited from diverging from that process. That process nearly always ended with you being told that nothing could be done.

At that point, a large number of customers would have given up on getting a refund, exchange or credit. The money paid out to the few customers who were stubborn or angry enough to karen their way to a supervisor and get something out of the company amounted to pennies, relative to the sums the company reaped by ripping off the rest.

The Amazon Grab and Go workers were humans in robot suits, but these customer service reps were robots in human suits. The software told them what to say, and they said it, and all they were allowed to say was what appeared on their screens. They were reverse centaurs, serving as the human faces of the intransigent robots programmed by monopolists that were too big to care.

AI is the final stage of this progression: robots without the human suits. The AI turns its "human in the loop" into a "moral crumple zone," which Madeleine Clare Elish describes as "a component that bears the brunt of the moral and legal responsibilities when the overall system malfunctions":

https://estsjournal.org/index.php/ests/article/view/260

The Filipino nurses in the Cigna system are an avoidable expense. As Cigna's own dabbling in algorithmic claim-denial shows, they can be jettisoned in favor of a system that uses productivity dashboards and other bossware to push doctors to robosign hundreds or thousands of denials per day, on the pretense that these denials were "reviewed" by a licensed physician.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/29/what-part-of-no/#dont-you-understand

[blueskyplumbing23]

Boiler Services in Denver: Ensuring Your Comfort and Safety

Boiler systems are essential in keeping homes and businesses warm, especially during Denver's colder months. Efficient boiler services ensure that your system runs smoothly, providing warmth and comfort while minimizing the risk of breakdowns. When searching for top-notch boiler services in Denver, it's essential to choose a reliable and experienced provider. From installation to maintenance and repair, trusted experts ensure optimal performance. In this blog, we'll explore the importance of professional boiler services in Denver and how to find the best boiler services in Denver available.

At the same time, whether you're in Surrey or Abbotsford, heating and plumbing expertise is vital for maintaining comfort in your home. Companies like Heating & Plumbing Experts in Surrey and the best plumbers in Abbotsford have set benchmarks for quality plumbing services, similar to what you should expect from Boiler Services in Denver.

Understanding Boiler Services: Why They Matter

Boilers are an integral part of any heating system, and neglecting their regular maintenance can lead to severe issues. If you're a resident of Denver, the freezing winters make it crucial to have your boiler in top condition year-round. Reliable boiler services ensure that your system operates efficiently and safely, preventing potential breakdowns when you need heat the most.

Types of Boiler Services in Denver

Boiler services in Denver typically fall into three categories:

Boiler Installation: Whether you're building a new home or replacing an old system, professional boiler installation is crucial. Experts ensure that the right system is installed according to your home’s heating needs.

Boiler Maintenance: Denver’s harsh winters make it necessary to have your system checked and tuned up before the cold season hits. Annual boiler maintenance checks include cleaning, testing, and adjusting all components to ensure peak performance.

Boiler Repair: Even the most well-maintained boilers can experience issues. When your boiler isn’t functioning correctly, calling for professional repair services is the best course of action.

If you're located in Vancouver, you can count on the Best Plumbing Service in Vancouver to offer similar, high-quality solutions for your heating and plumbing needs.

Denver has a competitive market for boiler service providers. Choosing the Right Boiler Service Provider in Denver based on the following factors:

Experience: Look for companies with a proven track record in Denver.

Certifications and Licensing: Always verify that your service provider is certified and licensed to work in your area. This ensures that they follow the latest safety and efficiency standards.

Reputation: A company that consistently receives positive feedback is more likely to meet your expectations.

Emergency Services: Boilers can malfunction at any time, especially during the cold season. A service provider offering 24/7 emergency repair can be a lifesaver when you need urgent assistance.

Just like the Heating & Plumbing Experts in Surrey, you want to make sure you’re hiring specialists who understand your system and can offer quick, effective solutions.

Benefits of Professional Boiler Services

Hiring professionals for boiler services brings several advantages, such as:

Safety: A malfunctioning boiler can pose significant safety risks, including gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Extended Lifespan: Regular maintenance and timely repairs can extend the life of your boiler, saving you from premature replacement costs.

Reduced Downtime: Professional repairs minimize the time your boiler is out of commission, ensuring consistent heating during Denver's colder months.

DIY vs. Professional Boiler Services

While some homeowners may be tempted to handle boiler maintenance or repairs on their own, it’s essential to understand the risks. Boilers are complex systems, and even a small mistake can lead to severe problems, including inefficiency or even dangerous malfunctions. It’s always best to leave these tasks to professionals who have the knowledge and tools to get the job done correctly.

If you live in Abbotsford, trusting the best plumbers in Abbotsford for plumbing services ensures peace of mind, just as you should trust Boiler Services in Denver for your heating system.

Some common boiler problems you might encounter include:

No Heat or Hot Water: This could be due to a broken airlock or diaphragm, issues with the thermostat, or low water pressure.

Leaking or Dripping: Leaks can be caused by a variety of reasons, including corrosion or a damaged pressure valve.

Strange Noises: Banging, gurgling, or whistling noises can indicate air in the system, low water pressure, or a problem with the pump.

Regular maintenance and prompt repairs are the best ways to avoid these issues and keep your boiler running efficiently.

Conclusion

Boiler services in Denver are crucial for maintaining a warm, comfortable, and safe environment during the city’s cold winters. Whether it’s installation, maintenance, or repair, trusting experienced professionals will ensure your system is functioning at its best. Just like how the Best Plumbing Service in Vancouver or the best plumbers in Abbotsford are recognized for their excellence, you should seek out top-rated boiler services in Denver.

[davidwhitelove]

Unlocking Online Success - The Importance of SEO for Vancouver Businesses

In today’s fast-paced digital world, businesses in Vancouver, Canada, are increasingly recognizing the need for a robust online presence. As consumers become more reliant on the internet for discovering services and products, search engine optimization (SEO) has emerged as a critical tool for companies aiming to gain visibility and attract customers. Whether you're a small business in Vancouver or a large corporation, implementing effective SEO strategies can make all the difference in your online success.

The Importance of SEO in Vancouver

SEO in Canada, particularly in cities like Vancouver, is essential for businesses of all sizes. Vancouver is a bustling, tech-savvy city with a thriving business ecosystem. It’s home to a diverse range of industries, from tourism and retail to real estate and tech startups. With such a competitive landscape, businesses must find ways to stand out online. SEO is the key to achieving that, as it helps websites rank higher on search engines like Google. When done correctly, SEO not only drives traffic to your website but also improves the quality of that traffic, leading to higher conversion rates and increased revenue.

In Vancouver, the demand for SEO services has grown significantly, and this demand reflects a broader trend across Canada. Consumers in Vancouver are using the internet to search for products, services, and local businesses more than ever before. This shift highlights the importance of appearing in search engine results, especially for locally focused businesses. SEO enables companies to tap into this trend by optimizing their website content, structure, and technical aspects to meet the standards set by search engine algorithms.

Why Hire an SEO Agency in Vancouver?

Many Vancouver businesses recognize the need for SEO but struggle with the technicalities of implementation. This is where hiring an SEO agency in Vancouver becomes a valuable investment. An SEO agency has the expertise, tools, and resources necessary to develop and execute an effective SEO strategy tailored to your specific business goals.

For Vancouver-based businesses, working with a local SEO agency offers several advantages. First, local SEO agencies have an in-depth understanding of the Vancouver market and the unique challenges and opportunities it presents. They are familiar with local consumer behavior, competition, and industry trends, enabling them to craft SEO strategies that resonate with the target audience. A Vancouver SEO agency will also have knowledge of local search trends, which can be particularly beneficial for businesses aiming to capture a local customer base.

Moreover, SEO agencies can save businesses time and effort. SEO is an ongoing process that requires constant monitoring and adjustments. By working with a dedicated SEO firm in Vancouver, businesses can focus on their core operations while the agency handles the complexities of optimizing the website, creating high-quality content, managing backlinks, and analyzing data. This comprehensive approach ensures that the SEO campaign remains effective over time and adapts to changes in search engine algorithms.

Choosing the Right SEO Firm in Vancouver

Selecting the right SEO firm in Vancouver is a crucial step toward achieving online success. With the growing number of SEO agencies in the city, businesses should consider several factors when making their choice. Experience is one of the most important aspects to evaluate. An experienced SEO firm will have a proven track record of helping businesses improve their rankings and increase organic traffic.

In addition to experience, transparency and communication are key. A reliable SEO firm in Vancouver will provide clear insights into their SEO process, explaining each step and keeping you informed of progress along the way. It’s important to work with an agency that values transparency and offers regular reports detailing the success of your SEO campaigns.

Customization is another critical factor. No two businesses are the same, and a one-size-fits-all approach to SEO rarely yields optimal results. The best SEO firms in Vancouver take the time to understand your business, industry, and target audience before crafting a tailored strategy that aligns with your goals. Whether your business needs to boost local SEO in Vancouver or focus on broader, national strategies across Canada, a customized approach will ensure the highest return on investment.

Local SEO for Vancouver Businesses

For businesses in Vancouver, focusing on local SEO is essential to capturing nearby customers. Local SEO involves optimizing a website to appear in search engine results for location-based queries. This is especially important for businesses like restaurants, retail stores, service providers, and other establishments that serve a local market. By targeting keywords such as “SEO agency Vancouver” or “best coffee shop in Vancouver,” businesses can attract customers who are searching for services or products in their area.

A strong local SEO strategy involves optimizing Google My Business profiles, ensuring accurate NAP (name, address, phone number) details across online directories, and encouraging customer reviews. Vancouver SEO agencies that specialize in local SEO can help businesses rank higher in local search results, increasing visibility among potential customers in the area.

The Future of SEO in Vancouver

As technology continues to evolve, SEO in Vancouver will become even more crucial for businesses looking to thrive in the digital landscape. Voice search, mobile optimization, and artificial intelligence are shaping the future of search engine algorithms, making it essential for businesses to stay ahead of the curve. Partnering with a forward-thinking SEO agency in Vancouver can help ensure that your business adapts to these changes and maintains a competitive edge.

In conclusion, SEO is an indispensable tool for businesses in Vancouver and across Canada. Whether you're looking to enhance your local presence or expand your reach nationally, investing in a reputable SEO firm in Vancouver will help your business achieve long-term success in an increasingly digital world.

If you are looking for the SEO services in Vancouver, visit Mandreel.com (SEO Canada (Vancouver)

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Fulfilment Services in Canada: In this way, there is one key that is important for the success

With growing competition in the retail industry in Canada, many firms are now seeking the services of fulfillment companies to meet the needs of customers while at the same time optimizing their operations. Canadian fulfillment centers are critical in processing and coordinating the chain from receiving inventory, processing and packing to shipment. Through outsourcing with fulfillment services Canada, there is an assurance of product delivery in cheaper and faster ways thus allowing the businesses to concentrate on their key operations.

Retail Fulfillment Services for the Canadian Market

Retail fulfillment service in Canada target to address the challenge of the retail industry, especially with the advancement of technology in e-commerce. These services help provide complete solutions for organisations that require assistance in stock management, dealing with the rush hours of sales or to cover a wider market audience. There are different types of Picking Up Centres established in Canada where they stock virtually almost everything including clothing and accessories, electronics, home furnishings and decoration, and beauty products among others.

This means that the use of retail fulfilment services is ideal when it comes to scaling operations. Whether the company is a small enterprise that aims at expansion or a large retailing company that experiences fluctuations in demand, Canadian fulfilment providers provide client-suitable solutions.

TOP 5 FOR Canadian Fulfillment Centers

Strategic Locations: A large number of fulfillment centers are in the proximity of Canada’s urban cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal so that the items can be shipped to every part of the country and other countries in a cheap and faster manner.

Cost Efficiency: Fulfillment center Canada assists companies to cut on warehousing and freight costs by availing bulk-shipping deals and efficient space usage.

Customer Satisfaction: This means that in procuring and fulfilling customer orders, quick order processing and fast shipment result in improved customer satisfaction which is crucial in meeting retail competition.

Therefore, the would-be-advisable targeting of Canadian retail fulfillment services would facilitate supply chain efficiency, cost reduction and customer satisfaction hence the longevity and sustainable success of the focusing businesses. For original post visit: https://factofit.com/fulfillment-services-canada-in-this-way-there-is-one-key-that-is-important-for-the-success/