#times change and its important to take the context into consideration. does it make the action or plot point any less unsettling? no.

[hkpika07]

What moment in ttte made you shocked?

Idk man ttte isn't a very shocking show. It's incredibly down to earth, if a bit real with some of its stories. While yes some of the earlier episodes and especially the books can branch onto more serious and arguably darker content its nothing that would really shock me per se.

Nothing really shocks me, it just makes me think. Maybe be a bit sad or feel for the characters. But that's what any good story does.

[anneapocalypse]

On Cullen's Earnestness

In my current playthrough of Dragon Age: Inquisition, this one early war table quest caught my eye that I think offers a good bit of insight into Cullen’s character.

In “Truth or Dare: The Imperial Court,” Vivienne alerts Josephine to a letter she’s received from an acquaintance, purporting to “warn” Vivienne of the suspect company she has taken up in joining the Inquisition. The letter reads thus:

My dearest Vivienne,

You cannot have heard the shocking allegations against the Inquisition, or surely you would never have been seen with them. Allow me, as a friend, to open your eyes. People are saying that Divine Justinia is, indeed, alive, but that the Inquisition—her closest advisors and most trusted servants—have orchestrated all this chaos on her orders. That it was Seeker Pentaghast and Sister Nightingale who sabotaged the Conclave in order to eliminate the opposition within the Chantry, and cut off the heads of the mage rebellion and templars in a single stroke. To save your own reputation, you must escape this acquaintance immediately.

With deepest concern, Vicomtesse Elodie de Morreau

In the context of the Game, we may understand that this Vicomtesse, while she may call Vivienne a friend, likely has no great concern for her reputation.

The Inquisition is the horse on which Vivienne is betting in order to better her own position (which is considerably shakier than she lets on, but that’s another post); Vicomtesse Elodie is simply making a different bet. If Vivienne heeds her warnings, and the Inquisition never achieves public favor, then Elodie’s advice was correct and Vivienne is indebted to her. If Vivienne heeds her warnings and the Inquisition does gain public acclaim, then Elodie has disrupted Vivienne’s opportunity for advancement, and she also wins. And if Vivienne does not heed her advice and the Inquisition remains a pariah, Elodie gets to watch Vivienne go down with it, smugly saying “I told you so.” Only if the Inquisition thrives and Vivienne with it does Elodie lose this bet—and Vivienne is clearly interested in seeing that outcome, and helping it come about.

The important thing is that the specifics of the accusations against the Inquisition are absolutely irrelevant here. This conspiracy theory about Justinia being secretly alive and the Left and Right Hand doing a sabotage to secure Chantry power—it’s all nonsense, and I doubt the Vicomtesse truly believes it. More critically, she likely does not care whether it is true. Repeating this rumor is just a means to a desired outcome.

If you’ve ever argued with a conspiracy theorist who seemed to simply change their position every time you backed them into a rhetorical corner, you may have realized that facts are largely ineffective at combating this sort of thing.

And of the three advisors, Cullen is the only one to get hung up on the content of the rumor, rather than its source and its purpose. Josephine and Leliana, seasoned players of the Game, both recognize this stupid rumor for what it is. Both of them ignore the substance of it and instead focus on its purpose: turning public opinion against the Inquisition. Josephine proposes to combat it by seeking noble favor elsewhere and leaving it to those allies to do the work of actually arguing against the rumors. Leliana is more interested in finding out with whom the rumor originated.

Leliana also makes the particularly savvy observation that if they were to combat the rumor by attempting to prove Justinia’s death, they would simply be providing their opponents more ammunition to use against them later. Leliana recognizes that “The Divine is alive, and you’re hiding her!” isn’t an earnest accusation, it’s bait. And if you take the bait, if you say, “Actually the Divine did die; here’s her remains to prove it,” then your enemies can say, “Aha! And how do you know she’s dead? It’s because you people killed her!” Or, best case scenario is they just bait you into wasting a lot of your time proving the accusation false, which is exactly what happens if you let Cullen take the bait.

Again, you might have had a similar experience if you’ve ever tried to “debate” a person whose strategy is making outrageous claims, letting you waste a lot of time earnestly debunking them, and then ignoring all your arguments and simply making another, equally outrageous claim.

In Cullen’s case, what happens is poor Knight-Captain Rylen is tasked with leading a field trip of Orlesian nobles through the grisly ruins of the Temple of Sacred Ashes, while asking them to please not touch the red lyrium, and no, you cannot take a charred corpse home as a souvenir, please milord I must ask you not to touch the red lyrium. I’m sure that was an excellent use of everyone’s time and resources.

But it’s easy to understand why Cullen responds this way! It’s a very instinctual and human response! “Well, you’ve just said a thing that is very obviously untrue. I’ll prove to you that it’s untrue! And this will solve the problem of you being wrong, and then we can all move forward together. Right?”

It’s an eminently reasonable response, so long as you assume that the other party is being reasonable and engaging with you in good faith.

Cullen assumes they are. Josephine and Leliana know they’re not. (Vivienne also knew this; hence her handing the letter over to Josephine to deal with instead of bothering to reply herself.)

And you can probably see how Cullen’s earnestness, his desire to believe that other people are also operating earnestly and in good faith, could lead him down some dangerous paths.

Knight-Commander Meredith was also a conspiracy theorist. The difference is that her conspiracy theories were about people she had near-absolute power over, with terrible consequences. And working under the authority of someone he wanted to believe in, someone he absolutely would have taken as entirely earnest (because in many ways she was earnest, at least in her belief that magic was dangerous and must be controlled), it would have been easy for Cullen to assume she must be acting in good faith, even when his misgivings arose. “She needs a spine of iron to survive her position,” he says to Hawke. And like anyone arguing in bad faith, Meredith could move the goalposts when it suited her. No signs of blood magic discovered? That only proves how well they’re hiding it. The tower must be searched top to bottom. The First Enchanter objects? He must be one of them. Dissent among her own templar ranks? Must be the blood magic controlling their minds. As Dan Olson puts it in his video In Search of a Flat Earth, conspiracy theories make facts subservient to outcomes, which is why the "facts" can easily be rearranged and discarded at will—all that matters is the actions those facts justify.

Of course Meredith’s beliefs were, again, quite different—more dangerous, and far more earnestly held than this silly Orlesian rumor about the Inquisition. She was also under the influence of red lyrium at the height of her paranoia. But conspiracy theories often feed on paranoia, and Meredith’s beliefs were still ultimately beliefs that could be bent to justify the outcome she (and her superior, Grand Cleric Elthina) desired: mages must be controlled, whatever the cost.

Cullen has managed to extricate himself from Meredith’s mindset. But he hasn’t yet learned, I think, that conspiracy theories and irrational beliefs can’t be overcome simply by reason. That’s also very understandable for someone in his position. When you’re in the process of overcoming some very wrong beliefs yourself, things you earnestly believed, it’s very natural to want to believe that everyone else is just as earnest and can be persuaded; in fact, you have a personal stake in believing that, because if other people can be redeemed, that means there’s hope for you.

Do I think this justifies the things Cullen was complicit in during his time as a templar, or any misguided opinions he may voice during his time with the Inquisition? No, that’s not why I’m saying all this. But I think it’s an interesting aspect of his character and one worth exploring. Cullen is often characterized as the blunt instrument advisor, his answer to most war table questions being “send troops”; in Josie’s words “the hammer for whom every problem looks like a nail.” But I think some of his offered solutions do offer compelling insights into his character, and this one certainly does—as well as an interesting example of how this approach to the world and other people can go wrong.

[paragonrobits]

my setting ideas, a few broad points

I generally take a sandbox approach to setting design and character writing; rather than a defined self-contained story, I instead take a few general approaches to settings based on what I want to do with it, and tailor it to the requirements of a specific premise, including the sort of tone I would like to use, expected power levels, and the feel that is intended to a hypothetical audience. As such, the setting is assumed to have a wide degree of variance, but there are a few consistent details.

The Setting takes place within a multiverse; a cosmology inspired by fantasy tabletop RPGs and video game settings such as Dungeons And Dragons (Arguably the biggest influence, largely in part because I honestly don’t really know where to start in not abiding by DND’s examples). Exalted, the World of Darkness setting (in terms of its more bizarre and high-concept notions) and Nobilis (ESPECIALLY the really weird approach taken to different cosmic beings being inhuman but not necessarily malicious and making heavy use of conceptual and indirect powers).

The setting can be applied in a rich variety of ways by tweaking the degree it is similar to real life, the strangeness of the default assumptions to the places mortals live, the average degree of power people have, and most especially the tone. As such, the general averages common in my ideas will be stated, though keep in mind this can be adjusted to specific situations, dramatic in-universe changes as people break rules and create a new normal, or just me going ‘fuck it, everyone has DBZ levels of absurd narrative warping magic’.

One key moment to consider is that the setting overall has two firm rules that, whatever other setting considerations are had, always apply unless specifically stated otherwise.

The first rule is this: “Magical powers are the product of the soul.” All magic happens through the power of at least one sapient soul actively making it happen. Beyond trappings of style and mechanism, no matter the form, ALL magic is the result of magical energies moved through certain currents and patterns to create a specific magical effect, and flows from living minds one way or another. They might not want to do so, or unaware that they’re doing it, but only souls can create this kind of effect. Even random magical effects that seem to spawn from the environment are still the result of this, as the magical energy of the multiverse that creates these effects is comprised of countless threads of ideas, emotions and concepts that spawn from mortal hearts and minds.

The second rule is this: “Complexity does not make life, it IS life.” Anything that is a sufficient degree of complex, enough that it is able to do things in unexpected ways, is considered alive. Spells can take on a quasi-life of their own and behave in unexpected ways, any machine that becomes complex enough can start being a little bit alive, and the more complex something gets, the more alive it is. Souls can germinate from this complexity with relative ease; the setting has many sapient robots, and the majority of them are not deliberately created but appear over time from seemingly normal machines until one day they find themselves thinking “What AM I?” The wise give them civil rights and names. The unwise try to enforce the idea that a machine is nothing but a tool, and they usually wind up wiped out in robot revolutions.

Everything else is up for context, reinterpretation or just going ‘you know what would be cool, PLANET MADE OF BEAVERS’ and boom, you just run with it being wacky.

A few other possible rules, though not as important as those first two, include the following.

“Superpowers and magic for everyone!” All beings have the capability to learn magic of any kind (though actually being able to internalize their principles or getting access to the education required is its own story), and all beings tend to naturally learn at least one or two basic abilities. These basic abilities are intuitive, innate and usually manifest as a straightforward power, physical trait or transformation ability that can be turned off and again. These are referred to as powers, or superpowers. Just about everyone has at least one, and they’re often personality-based, but can also just be a form of wish fulfillment. Powers can be modified through various methods (cybernetics, bioenhancement, weird potions), while magic must be learned. Magical energy applies to both, though.

“Magic is narratively a system, mechanically techniques.” The general approach for magic as its actually learned by characters is that they are assumed to be a bunch of random techniques characters can learn from various sources. In narrative, these are usually assumed to be complex systems of magical secrets, teachings and physical conditioning or modifications amassed over time, and tend to be thought of as specific magical disciplines and schools of thought; the teachings generally act by impressing channels of power into a soul, and the spells work by pushing magic through those channels. Characters can learn just about any technique and often have a grab bag of a bunch of low-effort tricks, but more powerful spells take way more time and energy, and conflicting powers can cause personality instability, mutations and odd problems with your powers.

“Loopholes and clever thinking is how you win fights.” Magic is INCREDIBLY common in the setting, underlying most of its technologies and basic powers, and it is technically possible to win fights through sheer brute power. However in practice, magic operates according to their own unique rules, and these powers are often worded in specific forms of word play that describe how they work. This is important because all magical abilities have limitations and loopholes in how they work, which can always be exploited by enemies which bypass their defenses and attacks; this is by FAR the single most important aspect of combat and overcoming obstacles! Creative power, outhinking enemies and strategy are very important, and its much more easy for a weak but clever person to exploit the flaws in a more powerful character to beat them, and punch out of their weight class. Anyone can theoretically defeat anyone else, no matter how powerful, provided they think cleverly. A lot of magic combat focuses on misdirecting others about your weaknesses while trying to figure their own out.

“Rule of Cool first, efficiency last.” The setting runs on the rule of cool, and that’s not a metaphor or a comment about prioritizing fun and cool fight scenes over anything else. This is an actual rule of magic within the setting; things that are cool, run on creative interpretation and are employed during appropriately dramatic moments are inherently more likely to succeed. Efficiency, however, is less easy to do consistently and magic rebels against attempts to use it in simple and practical ways consistently in short amounts of time; boring and practical means might be reasonable, but magic finds it boring. As such, “why didn’t X just do this thing” is something magic fights against, and attempts to trivialize obstacles or conflicts through an exploit is instead likely to have your magic rebel and transform you or inhibit you in some way. The power of creativity, magic and whimsy hates the concept of Cinema Sins-type nitpicking.

“Magic lives and grows.” Similar to that earlier point about complexity = life, magic is inherently alive in some ways. All magical energy, whether derived internally or from the outside world (with many different disciplines to do it, ranging from communing with spirits, channeling ambient power, or doing creative stuff until you build up the power to blow stuff up with your thoughts), is made up of soul-energy that naturally arises from other forces. This magical energy is further made up of threads of magical power that relate to thoughts, feelings and conceptual themes that everyone has ever had. Those threads become patterns, and dictate the manifestations of power. This means that magic is always a bit weird and causes wild effects all the time! Spells usually have strange side effects and its always appropriate to have a random effect just for fun, but magic causes similar things even in other forms, and magical items (a very common thing in the setting, ranging from items that replicate a spell, mad science gadgets, or powerful artifacts) have a kind of life in their own right, and will naturally grow and change over time. They’re not EXACTLY alive in the same way a creature is alive, but they develop their own quirks, manifest strange traits and their power will shift over time depending on their history and actions.

This does mean that signature magical items and artifacts grow and change with their user, and do not usually remain static. This also means that even very powerful items, if not used for a long time, remain dormant and need a while to fully ‘wake up’, and often change how they operate based on their user and their general vibe.

[cboffshore]

Been glued to Trade Mistakes by panic! at the disco

thoughts on it in a skybound context

Sure! This one is really, really fun - I can see why you're glued to it.

I have this one on the playlist as a Jay song for that odd period where he's sort of glitching back and forth between his two main desires: the desire to make his vision in the ice real by solidifying his relationship with Nya, and his desire to let Nya be her own person for her own happiness. This phase kind of lasts the whole season (some people might even argue that it never actually ends!), but I feel it's strongest before Jay is captured and experiences that reality check.

Of the sections of the song that apply, I think the pre chorus and its transformation in the bridge are the most applicable. This is the pre chorus line I'm talking about:

Simple enough, and a nice parallel to the "take my hand" motif that's so prevalent this season. It's an offer, not quite an order (very much unlike Nadakhan's "give me your hand" line addressed to Nya, but that's a whole nother story), so initially it comes across as selfless... but it's still putting the speaker in place as the hero here. If accepted, this offer puts all the credit on the speaker... but it does save whoever accepts the offer.

The bridge is where this line expands and the meaning shifts considerably, and we see a lot more of what Jay's true motives and warring desire are:

Several things with this part that I'd like to point out:

Right out the gate, the line changes - we open with "don't let me save you". That makes things confusing until we hit the "And I'll pull you in" - because now we're really seeing Jay's desire to be the hero here. Jay's convinced that if he makes the right moves, everything will fall into line, so is it any wonder that this line assigns him more action? This is for those moments where Jay doesn't really take Nya into account - he's acting on his own whims and Nya is, unfortunately, in the blast zone.

The sheer length of the bridge compared to the line it riffs on is important - it's more open and pleading. This is Jay realizing that he has to do a lot more to actually make things right as time goes on. "Save her or feel it sinking in" - that sounds like he's trying to distract himself from his own flaws by chasing her, all while trying to convince himself he's doing the right thing even when he can tell he's not doing Nya any favors (again, nice Nadakhan parallel here).

The two mentions of the speaker being an anchor line up with Jay's few canon apologies and attempts to understand Nya when she does decide to open up. The two I'm thinking of here (lunch break scene and the lighthouse) both share elements of Jay thinking he's helping, when all he ends up doing is making Nya feel worse in the moment - not saving her, more like sinking her. Nya's not in a spot where she needs or wants Jay as an anchor, and yet, here he is insisting he is one for better or worse.

The greatest story line in the harmony breaks away from Jay for a moment - that's just a fun, bitter foreshadowing parallel to Nya's last words.

The lightning line in the harmony is one I forget about sometimes, which sucks - it's so good! This season is really where Jay's insecurities transform into something far more complex than just being shy or silly - he can actively shove them down if he has to, but it takes a lot to get there. But when he does, he becomes a powerhouse and very much brings that spark into the world. He so badly wants to show Nya by winning this that he's someone worth chasing in return. We as the audience see Jay bringing that lightning in his head to the world at large... but does Nya see it? He wants her to for sure.

That's about all I have for this one right now - hope this helps!!!

[culturalcompasswarwick]

Etiquette, Manners and What’s the Point?!

What is etiquette?

In your preparations for coming to study here at Warwick, you might (or might not!) have heard talk of British culture being totally different from what you’re used to, and that you should act a certain way when arriving to study here, but what does all of it actually mean? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! This post and the next is your short n’ sweet crash course on what that politeness is, why we have to be polite in the first place, and what Britons consider to be basic politeness.

So, what’s etiquette? As stated by the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries, etiquette means:

“The formal rules of correct or polite behaviour in society, among members of a particular profession or in a particular area of activity.”

There are many contexts where etiquette plays a crucial role in having smooth interactions with others, and maintaining an image of yourself you want to show to them. Since it can be seen in many contexts, etiquette can vary depending on cultural norms, social settings, and presupposed expectations of a workplace (or in your case, a classroom).

So, why should it be important to you? Learning the etiquette rules of a new cultural setting has been academically proven to help students form positive relationships with those also in that setting. For example, research (page 4) has shown that experiencing the “local norms and patterns of [...] communicative practices” in interaction with locals can help students studying abroad to better understand the cultural norms of the place they choose to study, in turn making it easier to bond over those same norms. 

Manners vs etiquette: what’s the difference?

You might’ve heard the phrase ‘mind your manners’ before. This expression is often used as a reminder or a request for someone to behave appropriately or politely in a given situation, that they need to demonstrate respect and consideration of others, which is really important when you’re looking to form and maintain positive relationships with people. 

But if manners are also all about being polite, you may be wondering: what’s the difference between manners and etiquette? Whilst the two words are closely related, they do have slightly different meanings. Manners (also stated by the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries) describes a broader view on socially acceptable behaviours that reflect the consideration and respect expected whilst interacting with others, either in a society or a particular culture. They act as general guidelines for how we’re supposed to treat others, such as making sure to say please and thank you at expected times (see in The British Basics), or not speaking over others when they’re already talking. The concept of ‘manners’ doesn’t change in the same way that etiquette might depending on the context it may be needed in. 

Etiquette, on the other hand, looks at appropriate behaviour in specific situations or contexts, such as (what to wear) and email etiquette (how to write to specific people, which we talk about here). You won’t need to think of etiquette as often as you might your manners in general life off-campus. But when learning about each etiquette relevant to you, depending on your course and modules, it may take time to pick it up as each etiquette is specific and ‘specialised’ to its context. This does apply on campus, and you can find out more about classroom etiquette specifically, here.

***

All this talk of etiquette and practically no application… don’t worry, the next posts will get into some nitty gritty about what British people (including Warwick students) get up to when it comes to being polite, and impolite, in some cases! Have fun!

[saymoretv]

I read something recently that suggested the idea of 'selling out' doesn't exist in culture today. My first thought was, 'I'm not sure about that'. You can still see people having some of the same debates that connect with this idea; whether that's in people 'gatekeeping' genres, artists watering down or changing their sound, or bands getting getting backlash for working with big corporate sponsors. However, from my vantage point at least, 'selling out' certainly does seems to be a much lesser point consideration or judgement when it comes to conversations around music, art, commerce, identity, etc. and that certainly is to do with the new ways we consume and access music, art, as well as the re-formation of the music industry in the streaming era.

It got me thinking also about a book I about Jawbreaker read recently. The format of the book and the series its published as part of, is notionally a long-form close read / deep listen on a culturally important album by a band, but in actual fact it's basically a biography that takes 24 Hour Revenge Therapy as its central focus by which to tell the story of the band. So even though I would have been happy with someone waxing very lyrical about why they love each element of each song on the record, in hindsight a wider story about who the band where, and their journey along the way probably did make for a better read overall.

Perhaps the most interesting theme within the book is the idea of 'selling out' and how this coloured so much of the bands' legacy and story. Internally it seemed to it seemed central to the decisions and the arc of the 'career' of the band, Such as their initial refuting of the possibility of ever 'selling out' to a major label, and then eventually doing so. And externally, it seemed to colour so much of how they were viewed by their fans and the punk / underground or DIY music communities the band had its roots in, such as the band going from the admiration and adoration they got for being underground heroes of the Gilman Scene, and then the backlash that followed for supporting Nirvana and then signing to Geffen. Boxcar, like no other song in the Jawbreaker discography best encapsulates the way this discourse around 'selling out' is attached to the band.

It's hard not to hear "I was passing out when you were you were passing out your rules" and not regard it as one of the punkest lyrics of all time, but the rules aren't societies rules that say UK82 punks were railing against but the scene politics of the day, and who or what does and doesn't get to be ascribed or as 'punk'. Jawbreaker and Blake are pretty unequivocal: "I never was one". So, maybe fans shouldn't have been so surprised when they signed to a major after all.

That said, for all the bands protestations about not being punks - the visuals tell a different story. Gritty Super 8 B+W footage, gear being loaded into tour vans, and candid band footage shot in and out of the tour bus. I mean all it's missing is some gnarly live footage and a stage dive and all the punk music video boxes are ticked!

Also, it's interesting to note that the band only have two music videos, to my knowledge. The raw, B+W Boxcar video and the glossy Fireman video where they appear in yellow suits (!). Both great songs, but again it definitely highlight this idea of the band Pre and Post 'selling out'.

For me, as much as I love their music, I get a certain 'cakeism' when it came to their relationship with the punk / DIY scene. They got so much affirmation and a sense of community from it, whilst also feeling held back by it's conformity and the policing of behaviours and practice. They both needed the scene and wanted to transcend above it. A song like Boxcar is emblematic of this in that: it takes being part of or close to the punk scene to have the context to reject or even reference what Blake is rejecting. It's the things that are closest to home that often wind us up the most after all.

But this is all to say that these considerations of selling out which were so central to the story of Jawbreaker feel somewhat anachronistic in today's world. Maybe this is because the importance or regard people in bands and fans give to 'selling out' has lessened over the years due to the fact that the stakes are a lot lower. There's less money to go around. Jawbreaker may not have been in line for millions when they released Dear You but they might have gotten rich, but now only a select few (and not many guitar bands I would imagine) will ever get 'rich' by virtue of their music. It's hard to sell out if no one's buying I suppose.

[penig]

The “Dickens Daily” and “Great Expectations” tags have been singularly useless to me, and I can’t tell whether no one is blogging on Great Expectations or the search engine is screwing up more than usual. So it seems to me that the best thing I can do is, to blog on it myself and hope that this changes something. We are up to Chapter VIII, but I seem to have weirdly little to say about the meeting in the graveyard and the Christmas convict hunt across the marshes - though what possessed anyone to take Pip on that is more than I can imagine.

To someone like me whose adult literary life was focused primarily on work for young people, and who is still not much impressed by most modern mainstream adult literature, the vividness with which Dickens recalls how the growing brain thinks is striking. Young Pip probably did not have the word “farinaceous” in his everyday vocabulary, but “it seemed to me that he must be a very happy man indeed, to have so many little drawers in his shop” is a pristinely childish sentiment, and the personification of the seeds and bulbs, the confusion of corduroy and seeds, and the observations about how all the tradesmen in the street except the watchmaker seemed to spend their time watching each other all march in the same clear-eyed but undeveloped train. This childish perspective is what makes the phatasmagoria of Satis House and its inhabitants simultaneously so dreamlike and so convincing. PIp has no context for anything and must rely on precise observation to orient himself and stay safe (not that he has ever felt safe, poor boy!) and build up some kind of coherent worldview out of the nonsensical world adults hustle  him through.

And it is adults hustling him; the entire adult world, so far, Joe only excepted. Estella is the first person his own age to enter the stage, which gives her considerable importance; and even she seems adult to him. He puts this down to her being pretty and female; but she also is in the position of being in her own familiar context, and knowing what is required of her, and of him. It is Pip’s (and her!) great misfortune that she is not allowed to enlighten him or make anything easier or pleasanter for him, even if she wants to - and we cannot tell if she wants to. Does she enjoy having someone to lord it over? Or is she adhering to what Miss Havisham has instructed her to do against her own inclination to seize upon an equal and make a friend, in the same confused amalgam of fears and conceptions under which Pip labors daily?

Pip at least has Joe. Estella has no one, except Miss Havisham, compared to whom PIp’s sister is - if not exactly benign - at least moderately comprehensible.

The notion of Miss Havisham’s daily routine boggles my mind. Has she never been out of that outfit since her wedding day, or does she take it all off in the evening and don it all again in the morning, tattered stocking and all? Both options are as ludicrous as they are horrible, and I cannot choose between them, except that if she never took them off at all, they would be grimy as well as yellowed and brittle, and I am sure Pip’s keen observing eye would have noticed that.

[ewyde--123]

Digital Marketing in Compliance with the Trends of the Moment

When it comes to running a successful business in this modern world that is more reliant on technology than ever, keeping a tab on the digital marketing trends is very important. This is because the scenario has been changing for the past few decades and organizations have to embrace the new developments in order to remain in the race. Being one of the top firms specializing in digital marketing and advertising services, we appreciate the need to take these trends into consideration in order to enhance the clients’ online presence, thereby promoting growth.

The ascension of Artificial Intelligence

One of the notable developments in digital advertising is the use of artificial intelligence. Marketing has become more effective and personalized owing to how artificial intelligence (AI) has changed our way of doing business. From customer care chatbots to complex systems that analyze the market and predict the preferences, values and behaviors of the target audience, an advertising agency, and a digital marketing company is able to provide the audience with focused experiences. With the help of AI, such companies are able to enhance their attribution models leading to better results in marketing.

The Significance Of Video Marketing

The increasing reliance on video content in the digital space today makes it hard for any marketing strategy to succeed without incorporating it. The rise of such platforms as YouTube, Tic Tok, and Instagram Reels has attracted an influx of businesses in the quest to reach their audience in new ways. A digital marketing and advertising agency devises and produces stunning videos that grab attention. It does not matter what the context of the video is: it can be a product overview, a shooting scene, or a quick recap about the customers. It is easy to understand why the videos come in handy whenever a company needs to talk about the products and services they offer.

Adoption of Social Commerce Concepts

Social media platforms are no longer exclusively used for communication; thanks to their advancement, they serve as efficient sales tools. Any social network such as Facebook that incorporates online shopping or electronic commerce is referred to as social commerce. This unprecedented advancement has created new ways for a digital marketing and advertising company to engage prospective clients whenever they are available, which is almost all the time. By enabling shopping options on Instagram and Facebook, for instance, companies make it easier for clients to make purchases and in return increase their sales.

Exploiting Influencer Partnerships

Influencer marketing turned out to be one of the digital marketing strategies. The band utilizes the existing trust and authority of their designated followers through the influence of the stars. A marketing agency, including the one I work for, understands the importance of these relationships by allowing the business to target its audience and increase brand awareness. The followers relate to the influencer's connection with their products and services and thus the influencer is able to create noise and mind share for the product.

Emerging Trends in Privacy and Data Protection

As the stakes around data privacy continue to increase, digital marketing practices are becoming more focused on fair and ethical strategies. Customers are becoming educated on how their information is handled and are channeling their demand towards controlling access to such information. Any reliable marketing and advertising firm in the digital space should embrace data safety as a core value as well as adhere to regulations such as General Data Protection Regulation laws or California Consumer Privacy Act. When processes are clear and honest, promoting trust among consumers, a business can hope for a healthy process of nurturing long lasting relationships with customers.

The significance of omnichannel marketing cannot be overemphasized.

In this contemporary world, where everything is connected, people use multiple channels to engage with a particular brand. As such, effective digital marketing strategies must incorporate an omnichannel approach where customers enjoy a smooth and uniform experience. Whether through social media or rather email marketing, search engines or mobile applications, a digital marketing and advertising agency must come up with consistent campaigns that bear the same message whilst reaching out to all mediums. This approach to marketing, apart from helping customer satisfaction, also promotes better engagement resulting in conversion rates optimization.

Conclusion

With the continuing advancement of the digital trend, organizations must keep track of the prevailing trends to be competitive. In this case, a digital marketing and advertising company can help a brand achieve its goals by integrating innovative tools and methods, including AI, video marketing, social commerce, influencer marketing, data protection, and omnichannel marketing strategies. Looking to the future of these trends not only improves your marketing but also facilitates your place in the market as a true businessman in this digital era.

[investspherewealth]

How does the IPO Book Building Process work?

A business that is planning to go public and earn capital needs to think about the Initial Public Offering (IPO). The Book Building Process is one of the most prevalent techniques to figuring out an IPO's price. It is an important step in a company's journey to the stock market when its dynamic valuation mechanism enables market forces to play an important part in setting the issue price of shares. We'll discuss the definition, operation, and historical development of the book building process in this piece on the blog, as well as how Investsphere can help you learn about and navigate this significant IPO environment.

Understanding the Book Building Process

Organization use the book building process in order to figure out the price at which their shares will be handed over in an initial public offering (IPO). Similar to the fixed price methodology, which sets the price in previously, book building allows investors to make proposals within a range that the business establishes. Offers that can be submitted by investors who indicate how many shares they intend to purchase and how much they are willing to pay. The most efficient price discovery can be accomplished by receiving offers and determining the final price based on demand at various price points. The company, investors, and underwriters' interests are all more closely linked because of this approach.

Key Steps in the Book Building Process

The business and its underwriters determine a price range for the initial public offering (IPO) before beginning the book building process. Typically, this range is established by taking into consideration a number of variables, that include the business's financial health, the state of the market, and investor mentality. Investors submit offers during the time frame for bidding, describing the quantity of shares and the price they are willing to pay. The data is examined after the bidding terminates to determine the ideal price that strikes a balance between supply and demand for the shares. In the last round, investors are allotted shares according to the prices and quantities of their offers, with higher bids within the band often being given preference.

 

Advantages of the Book Building Process

There is a lots of benefits that the book building process possesses over standard fixed-price solutions to them. It enables this by providing a clear and effective process for price discovery that reflects actual market demand and minimizes the possibility of under- or overpricing the shares. In addition, it enables businesses to determine investor interest and modify price as necessary to guarantee a successful IPO first appearance. Additionally, as institutional investors are more likely to keep shares for an extended period of time, incorporating them early in the process produces a more stable post-listing environment.

Historical Context of the Book Building Process

In the 1980s, the concept of book building first came up in the United States and soon became well-liked due to its transparency and efficiency. The book building process was first officially established by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in 1999, entirely changing the way of initial public offerings (IPOs) were carried out in that region. Fixed-price offers, which were typically used to price initial public offerings (IPOs), sometimes resulted in mispricing and volatility. Since then, the use of book building in IPOs has increased in success and stability; TCS, Infosys, and Reliance Industries are just a few of the organizations that have successfully fixed their share prices using this approach.

How Investsphere Can Help

The main aim of the Investsphere is to educate investors on complicated financial procedures, such as book building in initial public offerings (IPOs). We simplify the IPO trajectory with expert knowledge, guidance, and personalized advice so that investors may make well-informed decisions. Investsphere offers thorough assessments of future initial public offerings (IPOs), including details on the price range, bidding agendas, and market mood. Investors may obtain a competitive advantage and feel confidently ready to engage in the IPO market by keeping up to date with Investsphere.

Conclusion

An essential element in modern IPOs is the book building process, providing an efficient, market-driven technique for share valuation. It guarantees an equal and transparent process that helps both companies and investors by enabling investor bids to set the ultimate price. Knowing the particulars of book building could assist investors make more smarter choices as the IPO environment develops. By using tools such as Investsphere, you can remain on top of developments and effectively navigate the IPO landscape.

Disclaimer

This content is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Investing in IPOs carries risks, and individuals should conduct their own research or consult with a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Website: investspherewealth.com

[acornuniversal]

How to Stay Ahead of Google Algorithm Updates

Keeping up with Google’s algorithm updates is crucial for preserving and raising your website’s search engine rating in the quick-paced world of digital marketing. Google regularly modifies its algorithm to provide the most relevant and excellent content possible in an effort to improve user experience. Although the goal of these adjustments is to improve search results, they may have an effect on your SEO campaigns. Acorn Universal provides professional guidance on how to maintain the best possible performance for your website while keeping up with Google algorithm updates.

Understanding Google Algorithm Updates

Google uses complex algorithms to gather information from its enormous search database and present the most pertinent search results. Google has made major changes over the years with an emphasis on a number of areas, such as backlink quality, user experience, mobile friendliness, and content quality. It is essential to comprehend these adjustments in order to modify your SEO strategy.

Key Strategies to Stay Ahead

Stay Informed About Updates The first step is to stay updated about changes to Google’s algorithm. Keep an eye on trade blogs, discussion boards, and news sites like Moz, Search Engine Land, and Google’s Webmaster Central Blog on a regular basis. Being knowledgeable enables you to make proactive rather than reactive changes to your plan.

Focus on High-Quality Content SEO still relies heavily on content. Google wants to offer people relevant and useful material. Create a steady stream of interesting, educational, and high-quality content if you want to stay ahead. Consider the demands and interests of your target audience while incorporating a variety of content formats such as podcasts, infographics, videos, and articles.

Optimize for Mobile Google’s switch to mobile-first indexing means that the mobile version of your website is now heavily weighted in search results. Make your website mobile-friendly by using responsive design, making image optimizations, and accelerating page loads.

Improve User Experience (UX) An important consideration in Google’s ranking algorithms is user experience. A website is more likely to rank better if it loads quickly, has a pleasing design, and is simple to use. Make sure your users have a smooth and pleasurable experience.

Build a Strong Backlink Profile Quality backlinks remain a critical SEO component. Focus on acquiring high-quality backlinks from reputable and relevant websites. Avoid black-hat SEO tactics like link buying, which can lead to penalties.

Leverage Structured Data Rich snippets, also known as structured data or schema markup, increase the visibility of your material in search results by helping search engines comprehend the context of your content. Using structured data helps increase the number of click-throughs.

Monitor Analytics and Performance To keep up with algorithm updates, keep an eye on the analytics and performance indicators of your website. Insights on traffic, user activity, and search performance can be obtained through tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console.

Adapt to Core Web Vitals For the best user experience, Google’s Core Web Vitals — Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) — are essential. You can raise your website’s search engine ranks by optimizing it for these parameters.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How often does Google update its algorithms?

A: Google regularly modifies its algorithms; significant changes take place multiple times a year. You can stay up with these changes by reading industry news and other resources.

Q: What are Core Web Vitals?

A: Google uses a set of user experience metrics called Core Web Vitals to assess the visual stability, interaction, and speed at which pages load. Among them are Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), First Input Delay (FID), and Largest Contentful Paint (LCP).

Q: How can I check if my site is mobile-friendly?

A: Check if your website is mobile-friendly by using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool. It offers analysis of problems with mobile usability as well as recommendations for enhancements.

Q: What is structured data and why is it important?

A: Rich snippets, or structured data, in search results may increase your visibility by assisting search engines in comprehending the context and content of your pages.

Q: How can I monitor my website’s SEO performance?

A: Use search engine optimization tools like as Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor important metrics including backlink profiles, organic traffic, bounce rates, and keyword rankings.

Q: What are some best practices for creating high-quality content?

A: Make sure your material is current, conduct in-depth keyword research, write it in an interesting manner, and utilize keywords sparingly yet naturally.

Conclusion

It takes a proactive strategy and adherence to SEO best practices to stay ahead of Google algorithm adjustments. Your website can maintain its competitiveness in the ever-changing digital landscape by putting a significant emphasis on Core Web Vitals, high-quality content, user experience, mobile optimization, and structured data. Acorn Universal is here to assist you in navigating these modifications and making successful use of SEO. Remain vigilant, flexible, and knowledgeable!

[dogsliampaynedoesntinstagram]

I shared that link for you to have context in case you hadn't seen it, not to out him to the ones who read your blog.  But yes I will never share that video again. That podcast had zero traction outside of its regular viewers who took little or no notice of the statement made in passing. It wasn't until days later a popular larrie tweeted it to her thousands of followers that it spread out to the fandom.  If I had come across that podcast on my own I would never have shared it with the intention of being proven right or to create theories out of it.  And that's the part that truly made me feel shameful and sick to my stomach. Some people were upset with him he made the comment but others were ok with it because they unfortunately have an understanding of Harry's closet that's a decade old. They said harry needs our help to come out and that normally outing someone is wrong but not in this case because harry is closeted against his will.  it's the ones who justified it or took pleasure out of it that will absolutely change the way I interact with harry/larry online queer discussion. Because of the way others reacted to it and made this whole thing into a bigger deal than it needed to be, maybe that's the control you're referring to. I want to control how others are interacting in fandom and I can't.   What I do want is for Harry to have his own control over when and if he comes out and not for someone else to do it for him.  And while the guy saying it might have been joking, saying Ed Sheeran told him harry is gay is more than anyone else said before in all the years of harry sexuality discussion. This was a definitive statement. Harry is gay. And if even one person now thinks he is gay as a result of this video,  which I have seen,  then he's been outed. And that's what makes me so upset.

Oh anon - I'm sorry this is causing you so much distress. I wasn't as considerate of that as I could have been with my response yesterday - I'm sorry for that.

I do think part of the distress comes from catastrophising - and I'm sure that's deeply rooted in your own experience. So I want to send you some love.

Also a lot of this is about other fans - you're super aware that you can't control other people - which is good. But I don't think it helps that you're giving them so much attention. Fans are incredibly annoying, but they don't matter that much. If what fans say is causing you a lot of distress the best step to take is just to walk away.

To move onto the more substative question. I want to start with a subtle distinction that is quite important. The fact that someone thinks that a person is gay does not mean that person has been outted. Outting isn't just about saying someone is gay, but involves authority in quite complex ways.

I think it helps to use that framework of authority to understand this interaction. An ex-youtube comedian told a story on a podcast about getting incredibly drunk with Ed Sheeran and said that Ed Sheeran said that Harry Styles was gay and this conversation took place at a time when people routinely used 'gay' as an insult to have nothing to do with who you were fucking. I think for most people that's not something that has a lot of authority.

I think it would be really helpful to step back a bit from a worldview that says 'if even one person thinks someone is gay, then that person has been outted'. It's super scary, but we can't control what other people think of us - and people do wonder if closeted people are queer.

With Harry in particular, it's useful to understand that people are not receiving that story in a vacuum. This story comes into the picture that people have already built up about Harry. What people have seen will vary, but the picture may include him dressing up as Dorothy, performing Medicine, dancing with pride flags, singing 'I will survive' to the biggest audience he's ever had and given a range of ambiguous responses to questions that come near his sexuality.

If the story was slightly different and the comedian had gotten drunk with someone who was talking about Ed Sheeran - then the response might be different. Some people would think 'I wonder if Ed Sheeran fucks men' more would probably think 'fuck it was terrible when people routinely used 'gay' as an insult'.

Harry doesn't have control over whether or not people think he's queer. But if you look at what he does have control over and how he's decided to present himself, I don't think your anxiety reflects what's going on for him. I think Harry knows that some people think that he's gay and has made decisions about how to present himself in that context.

Harry doesn't get, none of us get, the ability to control how we're perceived. But it is a little absurd to treat one person thinking Harry is gay as a result of watching a video as something that is hugely distressing and catastrophic, when he's dressed up as Dorothy on stage.

[sultanaislammow]

In order to make up for the "deficiencies" of its own ecology, the value of "filling in" the mini program ecology is highlighted

As mentioned before, two factors, memory  HE Tuber anxiety and inconvenience of mobile phone operation, have caused the number of commonly used apps per mobile phone user to hover around 20 or 30. Moreover, since mobile phones need to clear storage space from time to time, and user preferences are constantly changing, it is normal to uninstall apps regularly regardless of iOS or Android systems.

Image source: "2023 Mobile App Uninstallation Status Report"

AppsFlyer released the "2023 Mobile App Uninstallation Status Report" which shows that 49% of apps on Android phones in 2022 will be uninstalled within 30 days after downloading, a decrease of 8% compared to 2021. Gaming apps were hit the hardest, with an uninstall rate of 66%. Followed by social and educational applications. Travel apps have the lowest uninstall rate, only 31%, indicating that users in this category are more loyal to the brand.

The richer the app service ecology, the more stable its "position" on the mobile phone, and the smaller the probability of users uninstalling it. However, whether it is the old Internet platform BAT or the newly emerged Douyin and Kuaishou, it is impossible for one company to invest in all service fields. How to connect users of your own APP to a richer service ecosystem? The “mini programs” born in 2017 have become an important “filler” for the ecosystem.

For all apps, there is no absolute "irreplaceability". Various potential "black swan" events may make an app go from popular to marginalized. In order to resist this crisis, each App continues to enhance its "entry" attribute. Only by becoming the most important "entry" for users to connect to the mobile Internet can their status be more stable and avoid the fate of being left out or even "uninstalled".

The surfing habits of mobile Internet users have led to the birth of super apps and islanding phenomena.

Taobao App proactively blocks WeChat in the hope that users will open Taobao App more and not just "shopping" within WeChat. WeChat proactively blocks Douyin because it does not want its own traffic to "nourish" external platforms. When establishing a video account, we also hope that this part of the traffic will accumulate on WeChat, rather than "making a wedding dress for others."

Therefore, compared with the major PC Internet giants who focus on vertical and professional services, the mobile Internet is based on the concept of super App. Even if they are not good at a certain field, the giants will take the initiative to attack out of a "defensive" mentality.

WeChat and Toutiao launched search, Taobao and JD.com launched short videos, Douyin and Kuaishou entered e-commerce, and Pinduoduo disrupted local life. They all seemed to be offensive postures, but more of a passive defense to strengthen their own "use value" .

2. Change: Starting from “mini programs” to tear down walls

In order to increase the "chips" in their hands, Internet giants in the past have adopted the idea that they would rather not do well themselves than "cheap" competitors' apps.

In the past two years, due to antitrust pressure and considerations of improving user experience, the mobile Internet's past isolated status has shown signs of loosening. As a small program that once "filled the gap" in the ecosystem, it is becoming an excellent channel for connecting with each other.

1. For entrants, the traffic ceiling has arrived, and mini programs can activate "new increments"

According to statistics, Meituan’s two core offline businesses, in-store ordering and power bank, have been used by the Alipay mini program since its launch, with usage exceeding 7 million. The search also revealed that Meituan’s food delivery service has not yet been launched on Alipay.

In the context of mobile Internet traffic growth hitting the ceiling, small programs of one of its own service lines launched on Super App can gain new traffic.

The characteristic of seeking new increments means that entrants will tend to launch segmented businesses or services that are in a state of development on the rival super App ecosystem through mature mini programs. In the past two years, two major enemies, Meituan and Alipay (Alibaba sold Meituan shares at a discount in 2016, and Meituan delisted Alipay many times in the following years) have reconciled through mini programs. Alibaba and Tencent are also easing their relationship through mini programs. .

In September 2021, affected by the anti-monopoly background, Alibaba's Ele.me, Youku, Damai, Kaola Haigou, Shuqi, etc. began to access WeChat payment. During this period, Alibaba’s mini programs also began to be launched on WeChat, which heralded the breaking of some aspects of the relationship between the two parties. In May 2021, Alibaba internally tested the "Money-saving shopping for relatives and friends" mini program on WeChat. In October last year, it launched the "Tmall Supermarket Xiaodangjia" mini program. In May this year, Tmall launched the "Tmall Supermarket" mini program on WeChat. "Excellent Products" mini program mall.

Image source: WeChat App

However, the mini program could no longer be opened before the deadline. Searching for "Tmall Premium" on WeChat showed only official accounts and no such mini program in the relevant search results. Currently, the editor-in-chief can only find the mini program in the "Recently Used Mini Programs" list in the WeChat drop-down menu. Click to enter the system prompt page.

The page prompts that "Tmall Premium has suspended services due to violations." The detailed introduction further explains that "services have been suspended due to the existence of induced sharing behavior."

According to the "White Paper on Mini Program Internet Development in the First Half of 2022" released by Aladdin Research Institute, the number of mini programs on WeChat, Alipay, Douyin, Kuaishou and other platforms exceeds 7.5 million, and the number of daily active users exceeds 780 million.

For entrants, the traffic of any super App outside the ecosystem is a new increase, and active entry must be based on the purpose of seeking growth. However, judging from the experience of "Tmall Premium", when the service rules of each mini program are not "transparent" enough, if you want to obtain traffic on the opponent's App, you still need to be familiar with the other party's relevant rules.

[existentialmagazine]

News: The Britpop force My Life Story share their newest single ‘I’m A God’, a reflection on modern day media with a highly addictive sound

Perhaps you’ve already heard of the pioneering Britpop force known as My Life Story, who have been combining playful but intelligently written lyricism with epic pop since the 80s. Growing into a flamboyant orchestral 11 piece with string and brass section throughout the 90s, lead singer Jake Shillingford had successfully cultivated a project that had evolved way beyond anyone’s expectations. Along with their well-received releases, the group’s often chaotic live shows lead to Giles Martin of The Beatles joining them to record tracks for their debut album ‘Mornington Crescent’ after discovering them at the Marquee.

Their renowned success didn’t end there though, finding themselves in the continued spotlight as they collaborated with other serious stars like Morrissey, The Pogues and Marc Almond. Their live shows also took them on the stage as supports for Blur & Pulp, as well as being one of the only bands ever to headline over Oasis.

It’s safe to say that My Life Story are a band with some immense history, and that alone makes their story one that’s utterly mesmerising to listen along with. Though they’ve since retired the orchestral ensemble for more regular tours, My Life Story have only lightly shifted from what they once were, looking to capture new audiences with a string of captivating new releases just as impactful as ever.

In the form of their newest offering ‘I’m a God’, Jake Shillingford looks thoughtfully into the state of the world and its devaluation the media can place upon many simply by continually contradicting its always changing truths. As he lists a mass of deities, Jake looks to leave you reflecting upon how many are more deserving of reverence than others, highlighting the media’s laziness to promote everyone to a status of divinity. By juxtaposing what some would consider real Gods next to false idols, ‘I’m a God’ creates a collage of lyrical contrasts that are just as confused and complex as the media’s string of opinionated, rushed-out articles. While seeking to directly speak of false Gods and those of importance, ‘I’m a God’ does a lot more than it really tries to, speaking out on not just the media’s infatuation with labelling many as Gods but the severity of their fake news and misleading headlines taking things out of context. As many battle to save face for portrayals completely falsified by the papers, ‘I’m a God’ shines a real light on the way we should digest our information online, a reminder that not everything we read is true but pushed to the extremes of the divine. Whether you believe in religion, a God or nothing at all, ‘I’m a God’ still portrays a message worth taking into consideration, and that is to make sure the opinions and thoughts you have are truly reflective of the truth and your character.

With upcoming tour dates in February and March of next year, it’s never been a better time to appreciate the staple legends that are My Life Story. Including two shows at the prestigious London venue the 100 Club on Oxford Street, the first which sold out in a day, you don’t want to miss out on their return to London after many years away. Don’t forget to also check out ‘I’m a God’ here for a slice of nostalgia in the modern day music scene.

Written by: Tatiana Whybrow

// This coverage was created and supported via Musosoup, #SustainableCurator.

[aspireideaslove]

Consider These Factors Before You Hire A Website Development Company In Odisha

Do you want to hire a website development company to help you expand your company's online presence? You require a web development company in odisha that can provide the necessary features for your business and match your clients' expectations. As a result, it is time to hire the best web development company in odisha that can accomplish the task on your behalf.

It may appear simple at first look, as there are countless web development companies offering such services when you search on Google. However, it is not as straightforward as it appears. Careful evaluation is essential before employing a company. Consider whether the web development firm you intend to hire has the appropriate skills. Can they meet the required standard of quality? How much money should you set aside for this project? What is the planned completion date? It is critical to have answers to all of these questions..

Determine Your Company's Requirements

Simply displaying your company's name, address, contact information, and product/service data on a website will not result in business growth.

A website should have an appealing design that attracts the attention of customers and provides an engaging user experience. This is critical because there are so many similar websites offering equivalent items and services online.

To determine the specific requirements for your business, it is important to analyze the structure of your business, its processes, customer behavior, and customer needs. Additionally, identifying the target audience, location, and preferred language is essential. By evaluating these aspects, you can effectively collaborate with a web design company in odisha. This approach helps the company in understanding your needs, enables you or your team to monitor progress, facilitates concise communication, and allows for valuable feedback.

How Much Should You Pay ?

With so many web development businesses and developers to choose from, pricing differences in estimates can be more significant than expected. It is critical not to choose the cheapest alternative merely because the lowest price does not always imply the highest quality.

Instead, put your desired features and requirements ahead of economic considerations. Companies that charge greater costs are typically capable of satisfying your needs on schedule, using legitimate equipment, and giving relevant expertise.

Prepare your mind to invest a reasonable amount for the quality of the things you desire. Compare quotes based on the features they provide and how well they correspond with your company's needs. Examine their work portfolio, support services, technical aid, and availability to make changes.

How Long Will It Take ?

In the context of web development, the adage "Time is Money" is true. When you are paying by the hour, it is critical that you comprehend the time estimates supplied by the company or developer. It is best to examine the available timeframes and choose the one that best matches with your desired features.

Web development is a time-consuming process that occurs in stages and may take several months to complete. As a result, companies that make lavish promises of producing excellent outcomes in an unreasonably short timeframe should be avoided.

What Is Your Area of Specialization?

It is critical to acknowledge that no company is perfect in every way. Understanding a company's area of specialty is therefore critical in making the proper employment decision. Examining client evaluations and reviewing their previous work might help you determine this. Furthermore, it is crucial to ascertain whether the development firm has specific knowledge in the area relevant to your requirements. This ensures a more efficient and successful website building approach that achieves your goals.

Prepare Yourself for Unrestricted Communication

Effective communication is essential for getting remarkable results. Open and continual communication between the web developer and the owner is critical to the web development process. It is critical that both parties be prepared for open and frequent communication.

Maintaining frequent communication with the developer during all stages of development gives both the owner and the developer happiness. It keeps the owner informed about development and guarantees that the final product includes all of the desired features and functionalities. As a result, promoting efficient communication is critical to avoiding setbacks and achieving the desired result.

At the end, obtain the source files.

When the project is finished, it is best to request the source code files. These files contain the code that the developer wrote during the development process. Obtaining the source code for your product allows you to modify functions and features to meet your future needs.

Summary

Determine your company's requirements.

Decide on the cost considerations.

Calculate the project timeline.

Examine your expertise.

Make open communication a priority.

Obtain the source files.

End Note

You will have a comprehensive knowledge of the inquiries, talks, and preparations required once you have thoroughly examined and considered all of the points. when hiring an ecommerce website development in odisha. Additionally, it can be beneficial to seek references from acquaintances who have prior experience working with web development companies or organizations. This can provide valuable insights and recommendations to aid in your decision-making process.

[marketingwithkiana]

3/30/23 - Louboutins? Healthy snacks? "Click here" is a no-no?

We started off class reviewing header tags - they provide structure to a page. H1 tags introduce the page; H2 are like book chapters and H3 and so forth are subheaders as you continue down the structure.

Social signals - they aren't a direct ranking factor, but the more an article is shared, the more likely it is to earn backlinks. These are ranking factors - like we talked about before, they contribute to 40% of where you rank in search results.

Introduce the context of your page via your H1 tag. Google uses header tags to gather text context. Be thoughtful about it and avoid being spammy with keywords in header tags. You want to achieve readability! Don't use multiple H1 tags - it isn't hurtful for SEO per se, but can contribute to a negative user experience.

Snippets are seen by search engines and displayed immediately as a result of a search; it's the heading that you see when googling. They can also be lists, not just sentences or phrases.

Keep your header tags consistent! In fact, be consistent about everything you do in digital marketing. Aim to impress!

A rule of thumb about headers - keep them to 70 characters or less. Make them interesting, make them stand out - remember, you want to get attention in a positive and meaningful way. Always review and revise headers prior to publishing so that things remain clean, correct, and digestible. H1 is pretty important - that's usually going to determine whether or not a consumer consumes your content.

Now we dive into REDIRECTS. Yay! They are pretty self-explanatory - they redirect users to a new URL if content has moved. 301 redirects are a permanent redirect from a page that no longer exists. It can happen for a variety of reasons but ultimately you want to give the user something to land on, URL-wise. 301 redirects also help boost SEO performance as well. Usually the development team handles the redirect stuff so breathe a sigh of relief if you are a marketer worried about having to deal with them on a constant basis.

A 302 redirect is a temporary redirect when a page has moved temporarily. You can usually place one of these on a page that is under construction. Once its live, you can remove the 302. 302 redirects no longer lose SEO after 2016. A 307 redirect is also a temporary redirect, but the difference is that with a 307, the http does not change.

Wildcard redirects are a bit of a wildcard (ha ha) that allow you to redirect all the URLs in a folder on your site to another with a single redirect rule.

301 redirect, or allow for a 404 Page Error to show up? There are certain things to take into consideration to answer this. Is there something else similar to your page that you can use instead? Then implement a 301. If there isn't, then it depends on why you are deleting that page at all. A 410 header tells the browser and SERPs that this page has been deleted. 410 status specifically states that a page has been deleted.

Now, we move on to SEM.

SEM, also known as Search Engine Marketing, is an important part of marketing as a whole. SEM is especially effective when it comes to complete a consumer transaction or purpose. It is paid search advertising that allows companies or brands to pay search engines to place ads higher on relevant search results pages. You aren't charged until someone actually clicks on your ad - which makes it an affordable method of advertisement.

Things that determine where your ad will land on Google SERPs:

Bidding

Ad extensions

Quality of ads and landing pages

Keywords

SEM works in conjunction with SEO so implement your best practices for both. Paid search campaigns help marketers target specific customers - bidding for relevant keywords are the best way to reach your targeted customer.

Pay-per-click is more cost effective and accurate than other traditional advertising methods so take it into consideration next time you choose between a billboard or a Google ad. Paid search marketing shows results quickly compared to the longer paced process of SEO building.

Now, emails. What kinds of emails are there?

Transactional emails

Promotional emails

Lifecycle emails

There are things that matter before even opening an email. Focusing on body content is a mistake; it is important, but you need to convince people to actually open the email. This can be boiled down into three things - the subject line and preheader text, when you send the email, and how you segment your subscriber list for target relevance. Many rules of SEO remain true to email marketing - consistency and appeal are everything to a successful email campaign.

Email best practice:

Body content needs to fulfill the expectations described by the email subject line. Make sure it is visually and verbally appealing and promotional of your brand. Calls to action matter here. Convince subscribers to act! Don't say "Click here" please, dear god. Use clear content hierarchy and don't be afraid to use formatting as long as it makes sense. Images should add value, and use alt text always. Mobile optimization is also key - since 2019 mobile format has dominated how users view emails. Always always always measure and track the performance of your emails - this is how you improve. Analytics you should track:

Open rate

Bounce rate

Click through rate

Opt-out rate

Emails to be continued next class. Til then, see you later! xo

-Kiana