Digital Marketing And Its Importance
Undoubtedly, the new and smart strategies for the businesses are the need of the hour. The market is now full with small and large scales business, thus the biggest challenge that both the consumers and producers both have to face is the presence of different brands selling the same product. For example, if you go to a store for buying dark chocolate, you can easily find 6-7 brands selling the dark chocolate even at the same price. This is the level of competition, which producers are facing these days. Therefore, to make your product recognized by everyone it is important to standout your business presence in the online world with smart digital marketing tactics.What is Digital Marketing?Digital Marketing is a broad term that includes advertising, promoting, and strengthening the online presence of businesses through digital platforms. Some of the digital tactics that fall under the umbrella of ‘Digital Marketing’ are digital advertising, email marketing, content marketing, pay-per-click, online brochures, and more. Unlike other offline marketing efforts, digital marketing allows getting accurate results in real time. For example, if you put an advertisement in the newspaper, it is nearly impossible to estimate how many people flipped to that page and paid attention to that ad. While with digital marketing, you can easily measure your ROI of any aspect of your marketing efforts. According to Crux Creative Solutions Private Limited, one of the best online marketing agencies in Delhi NCR is here to explain why digital marketing has become so important.Website Traffic: As discussed above, it is very difficult to understand how people are engaging with your brand through offline marketing. While online marketing helps you in identifying trends and patterns about how people are behaving with your brand. Hence, you can make better strategies in the future to attract more and more consumers to the website. Not only can this, with digital marketing you get the exact number of people who have viewed your website’s homepage in real time by using digital analytics software. These stats help you in deciding which digital strategies to continue and which to stop using.High Visibility on Search Engines: Search Engine Optimisation is another powerful digital marketing strategy that offers a variety of benefits to the business owners. As discussed, there is tough competition between the brands in the market. When we search any service on the search engine, we get 100s of results. Naturally, we believe in the top five searches because they are the most reliable website links according to Google. Thus, by optimizing your website content through digital marketing strategies, you can reach to more online buyers.Content Performance: Online marketing lets you estimate your content performance. Let us understand this with an example, imagine you have delivered pamphlets and posters to a different sector of societies. The problem is that you have no idea how many people opened those posters or threw it in the dustbins. Now imagine that you have that same poster on your website. You can exactly measure how many people clicked that poster, how many closed that poster and the details of those who clicked the poster. This not only informs how engaging is your content also generates leads for your website.Digital marketers at CRUX, the renowned digital marketing agency in Gurgaon offers the best campaign plans with excellent planning, adaptable strategies, and precise execution to cater to the needs of clients. After Fujifilm, Sony, Quantum Naturals, Park Hospital, and many more, we would love to have you in our client’s list. Our set of services includes creative designing, SEO development, web development, content marketing, and more.
SEO Services You Can’t Live Without
Some agencies specialise in only SEO or link building whereas other large consultancies can offer end-to-end packages from developing or redesigning your website to ongoing SEO maintenance. Here are five of the key SEO services that you should look for when evaluating online marketing agencies.Keyword researchCreating your keyword portfolio is one of the most important SEO services offered by agencies and the foundation of your online marketing campaign. This is best conducted by a professional trained in keyword research. A specialised SEO company or consultant will use different techniques to find the best keywords for your site. This may include client and customer feedback, keyword research tools, competitor analysis, social media and so on.SEO strategiesAn experienced SEO consultant will help you map out an SEO strategy (online and offline) that drives traffic to your site, increases the conversion rate and gives you the highest return on your investment. The keyword research (see above) and technical analysis of your site forms the basis for your campaigns so that a comprehensive marketing plan can be mapped out in order to start implementing the SEO activity.Link buildingWhen you are researching the SEO services that you require, ask the consultant or agency about link building campaigns. Search Engines see a back link to your site from other credible, trustworthy, authoritative and relative websites as a validation for your website. A professional SEO company should have developed a network of contacts, established relationships with webmasters and know how to find the best link building opportunities.SEO copywritingCopywriting is another of the SEO services that a larger agency may offer. Off page and on page optimisation is crucial to your SEO campaign but it’s not always the first click that you need to worry about, it’s the second one. The difference between a high or low bounce rates may come down to the quality of your SEO copywriting. An SEO company will help you find a balance between keyword-rich copy and engaging copy that encourages conversions.SEO web designThis can be one of the most vital elements of your campaign and yet one of the most neglected SEO services. With new websites, SEO consultants should ideally be consulted at the start of the process when you are deciding on a technical platform, a Content Management System (CMS), shopping cart software or other key design elements. Sadly choosing the wrong platform can have serious implications on your potential SEO success.When looking for an SEO company, it may be more cost-effective and more efficient to take a streamlined approach to your SEO activities and hire a full-service agency that can deliver a whole spectrum of SEO services. Some agencies may have web designers that can help create a beautiful website with all the SEO functionality you require, experienced link analysts developing link building campaigns and offer professional copywriting SEO services.
The Power of Online Business Directories and How to Get Started Fast
More and more small businesses today are using online business directories to their benefit. If you run a small business, you likely spend a great deal of your time thinking about your marketing plan. online business directories can be a great addition to your current small business marketing strategy. Those sites can help your small business expand its website traffic, increase the likelihood that your website will be found by interested visitors and increase your bottom line. If you haven’t taken a look at those directories and considered how your small business could use them to increase its market presence, then now is the time to start!What Are Online Business Directories?There are many different types of online business directories available on the Internet. Each of these sites serves a specific purpose and can be used by your small business in specific ways.An online business directory is a website submission service that allows your small business’ website to be added to a specific category where it can be searched for by interested visitors. Listing your small business on an online business directory increases your website’s visibility on the web and helps to create inbound links to your business’ website. This places make it easy for people to find what they are looking for. These directories can be accessed from just about anywhere that has an internet connection. This means that people could find your business’ website from their home, office or even while traveling.Every website that is submitted to an online business directory is placed in a specific category. These categories can range in how they are organized. Some are organized by business-related categories, some are organized according to personal preferences and others are organized by subject. Each category consists of several websites relating to a specific topic. Each website listing features the name of the website, a direct link to the website and a short description of the website. Interested Internet visitors will be able to browse through the various categories in the directory and locate websites like yours that they may be interested in visiting. Essentially, those places make it easier for any visitor to find your business’ website.How Do Online Business Directories Work?The concept of online business directories is actually a pretty simple one. These webistes are very similar to the Yellow Pages in the real world, only these listings are only online. (Actually Yellow Pages.com is now one of the largest online directories as well.) A directory is just a listing place for a number of websites. Any type of website could be listed in an online business directory. Some directories are huge and cover every topic that someone could create a website for, while others are very small and specific to a specific niche.Let’s use an example. Say you are a model airplane enthusiast and you want to find some websites that cater to your specific interest. You could look through a huge online business directory such as Google My Business and find several dozen websites that are related to model airplanes. Or you could look for an online business directory that is niche-specific, which means that the entire online business directory would be based on hobbies such as model airplanes. With a niche-specific directory you may find even more websites that are based on your specific interest than what you could find on the larger directories.Since online business directories are organized by categories, finding websites that relate to a specific interest such as model airplanes is very easy. You could find information and websites about model airplanes in your local region too, if you use a regional-specific online business directory. So if you live in Phoenix you could find websites that relate to both model airplanes and the Phoenix area. These places will direct you to websites that you want to find. All you have to do is perform a search in the online business directory for a specific topic or browse through the various categories until you find the type of websites you are looking for. When you perform a search you will be given a list of all of the websites that relate to your search term. You will be presented with a number of links to these websites and each link will have a short description of what you are likely to find on the website. You can read the descriptions and choose to click on the website that best suits you.There are many different types of websites that you could find under a specific topic as well. For example, if you search several of those sites for information relating to model airplanes you may find websites that are about building model airplanes, flying model airplanes, creating historically accurate model planes, tips and instructions about how to fly model planes, websites that sell model airplanes and charters and associations that you could join regarding model airplanes. These are just a few of the examples you could find using an online business directory. There are simply too many topics to list them all here.You can see how anyone can use an online business directory to find websites relating to things that interest them. As a small business owner you can see how potential customers of yours are using those web sites too. Now that you understand how online business directories work it is time to see how they can work for your business.How Do Online Business Directories Benefit Small Businesses?There are many benefits associated with listing your small business in an online business directory. The more directories you can use to list your business the more benefits you will reap. Here are some of the benefits of using online business directories:
Exposure
Exposure is important for all business marketing strategies. After all, the more people who are exposed to your business the more people are likely to utilize your business’ services. If online visitors aren’t able to see your website or even know that it exists, then they probably aren’t going to purchase your products or services. Listing your business’ website in those sites helps your website to gain exposure. Thousands of people use these websites every day to find things they are interested in. These are people who are actively searching for websites that are directly related to your products or services. They are already looking- all you have to do is make it easy for them to find you. These sites will expose your business to more online visitors, which could increase traffic to your website.
Increased Traffic
There are several ways that these directories can help you increase the amount of traffic your website receives. For starters, the more exposure your website has the more people are likely to visit it. But these websites offer more than just exposure from potential viewers. They also offer exposure to the various major search engine crawlers like Google and even YouTube. This increases the chances that your website will appear on major search engine results pages, or SERPs, which will allow more people to see the website when they perform a regular search. Both search engine optimization exposure and exposure to more people who are searching for your website could result in increased traffic to your small business’ website.
Cheap Advertising
As a small business owner you already understand the importance of advertising. You know that it helps customers to find your business and recognize your name and brand. You probably have little room in your budget for more advertising right this moment. That is one of the major benefits of listing your business’ website in an online business directory. Online business directories are inexpensive to join and they offer a lot of exposure for the price. Some of these sites will allow you to list your business for free, while others will charge a minimal fee. Either way, you are getting a lot of exposure for far less money than you would spend on a TV or radio advertisement spot.
Professional Appearance
You want everything about your business to look professional in the eyes of your customers. A professional appearance enhances your status and makes customers more likely to patronize your business. Online directories help you to look like a professional business. When an online consumer sees your business listing in an online business directory, they will consider your business to be an authority on the subject and a professional place to do business. Unlike a search that is performed on a major search engine like Google, where there is little difference between the legitimate websites relating to a topic and the less than useful websites, those places are mostly legitimate websites. Online consumers are more likely to trust what they see on such sites.
SEO Benefits
Online business directories offer several search engine optimization benefits as well. Firstly, these directories offer you more inbound links. When an online visitor sees your website link in an online business directory, they will be able to click on it and be instantly re-directed to your website. This is a great way to increase traffic. It is a great way to improve your status in the eyes of search engine crawlers too. The more backlinks that a search engine crawler can find, the more relevant they will rank your website. This is especially true of authoritative sites. Being linked to a major online business directory, such as Google My Business, will give your website more relevancy in the eyes of Google’s search engine crawlers. This will result in a higher page ranking on the SERP. As you know, a higher search engine result page rank you get, the more people are going to click on your website link.
Increased Revenue
When more people are able to find your website it increases the chances that they will visit your website. When people visit your website they are more likely to purchase your goods or services. This means that these sites can help you increase your revenue stream. Online business directories are good for your bottom line.
Increased Brand Recognition and Customer Interaction
When an online viewer locates your website though an online business directory, they are more likely to remember your business’s name and directly interact with it. Online business directories can help your business stand out to customers as well. Overall, listing your small business in an online business directory will help you to create a more comprehensive and effective online presence.Listing your small business’ website with several online business directories will help more people find your website, whether they are specifically searching for it or if they are just browsing. In addition to gaining exposure, appearing on those sites will provide major SEO benefits, which will help search engines find your site. Increased exposure and higher search engine rankings will result in more traffic to your website, which will result in higher revenue.There are many different types of online business directories, from large global directories to small, niche and location-specific ones. Some examples of other types of online directories can include reciprocal link directories, free directories, paid directories, Business 2 Business directories, theme-related directories, small business directories and many, many more.Why You Should Consider Listing Your Small Business in an Online DirectoryApart from the concept that online business directories will increase the amount of exposure your website gets and help with your SEO strategies, they are also a very effective way to directly target potential customers. Places like those make it easy for online users to find something they want. According to a study performed by Burke, 8 out of 10 people will use a print or online business directory to find companies or products they are looking for. The same study also suggested that 8 out of 10 people who use these directories to locate a business do so with the intent to purchase a product or service from them. This is a very effective form of targeted advertising. The customer already needs or wants your product or service and you can directly target them by listing your website in an online business directory.Another reason why you should consider listing your small business has to do with your return on investment, or ROI. Since the potential benefits of getting increased website traffic are great compared to how much you will have to spend to list your website in an online business directory, you can see a great return on your investment in the form of increased revenue. You also want to keep your brand and your company name in the minds of consumers at all times, which is something else that an online business directory can help with.What Online Business Directories Should You Use for Your Small Business?Even though listing your website in many online business directories will improve your website’s exposure and SEO ranking, it is not effective to just SPAM your website into every single online business directory you can find. You will want to take some time to consider which specific site will give you the best ROI. The best option is to find a great combination of directories to join. If you run a small business, the best place to start may be with a local directory. This is because most people will search for businesses in their area they can patronize. Local market and niche-specific online directories can offer extremely targeted advertisements to potential local customers.After your business is listed in these directories you can take a look at the larger and potentially more expensive general-interest directories. You will probably want to consider listing with the top 10-15 online business directories, as these will be used by a lot of people and will offer higher relevancy and authority in the eyes of search engines. Google My Business and LinkedIn are large general-interest directories that you will want to list your small business in. If your website sells tangible goods you may also want to consider listing it in comparison shopping websites and product listings directories. Studies show that 42% of consumers will look at a comparison shopping website before they decide to purchase a specific product.The best way to figure out which specific directories your small business should be listed in is to start with your competitors. Take a look at your local and niche-specific options and figure out if your competition is already listed. If they are you need to be listed too. If they are not listed you may want to list your website as a way to beat them to the punch. In some situations it may not make sense for you to have a listing in a specific online business directory, even if your competitors are listed in it. Your goal should be to be listed in every relevant and niche-specific directory you can find as well as many of the major directories, but no so many directories that you appear SPAMMY.In addition to listing your business in online business directories, you also need to maintain these listings. It is important for your online business directory listings to be up to date and accurate, or else you could just be wasting your time. If your directory information seems out of date your customers will probably look elsewhere.It will probably take some time to see the results of listing your small business’ website in so many online sites, but eventually you will see results. The best way to find the perfect combination of online business directory listings for your business is to use some sort of tracking or analytics system. You will want to be able to see how many people clicked on your website links from within the directory and if your website has shown increased traffic since then. You will want to stop wasting your time with online directories that are not producing results and increase the time and effort you spend on sites that are productive.Best Practices for Listing Your Small Business in Online Business DirectoriesNow that you understand why your small business should be listed in online business directories and have started locating the directories that you want to be listed in, you are ready to begin creating your business listings for submissions. Here are some tips and best practices for listing your small business in those directories.
Start by choosing local directories and directories that are niche-specific. So if you own a model airplane hobby shop in Phoenix, make sure you find a local Phoenix business directory and a directory that is related to model airplanes. If you can find a model airplane hobby directory for the Phoenix area, you are all set.
Once you’re in local directories, start searching for larger and more generalized directories. Pick directories that get a lot of traffic and that are listed highly on major search engines like Google. A higher search engine ranking means that the directory will be considered as both authoritative and relevant in the eyes of search engines, making any links you get through these directories more valuable to your SEO strategy.
Include all of the relevant information regarding your small business in your website’s directory description. This should include your business’ name, location, telephone number, contact information and possibly reviews, business hours and anything else that is relevant. Add in photos, maps or other interactive features if the directory lets you.
Try to keep your information consistent across all of your online business directory listings. This will help your website to retain its credibility in the eyes of search engines and will assist with your SERP rankings.
Try to make your business stand out by offering an explanation of your business or any specific message the customer should know in your description.
Keep all of your information up to date. This may mean frequently updating all of your listings several times per month.
Allow customers to leave positive reviews and use them in your listing if the directory allows it.
Always be professional and consistent with your business’ listings and message. This includes any information regarding your brand.
If you sell products or services to a local market, make sure your business is listed in a local business directory. Include geo-specific keywords and information. An example would be: “Dave’s Model Plane Shop” + “Phoenix”.
Optimize your website for SEO purposes and include the relevant keywords in your meta titles and listing descriptions. Keyword research is important.
Get Listed in the Top 10-15 Online Business DirectoriesNow is a great time to get your small business listed in the Top 10-15 sites. There are few other Internet marketing techniques that will offer so many benefits for such a small investment on your part. Listing your business in an online business directory will increase your website’s online presence and help more people find you, which can help you increase your business’s revenue.
5 Smart Ideas for Children’s Entertainment
With the final days of school just behind us, many of us are now faced with the prospect of being home along with are kids, all day long. In theory, this sounds great, however you know that if they are not kept entertained, they are going to start bugging you constantly! If this is your fear, here are five smart ideas for children’s entertainment that will keep your kids busy and entertained all summer long.1. Sidewalk MasterpieceOne of the cheapest and easiest ways to entertain kids involves a bucket of chalk, and a small stretch of sidewalk or driveway for them to create their masterpiece. Often purchased very cheaply, sidewalk chalk can provide hours of entertainment as they set about creating scenes and tableaus of their own. Consider looking up some of the amazing sidewalk chalk artists online or on YouTube for inspiration!2. The LibraryGet your kids out of the house and get them doing something educational that will help them start the next school year out on the right foot. Grab your library card and head to your local library this summer for days’ worth of kid’s entertainment. Most libraries offer summer reading programs, whereby your kids can earn prizes and recognition the more books they read. Not only does this spare your house from the mini-tornadoes that are your children, it also gets them doing something educational!3. Water DayYou do not have to have a pool to wear your kids out playing in the water. One of the easiest ways to entertain kids for literally hours involves hooking your garden hose up to a sprinkler and setting it out in the yard. Kids will leap back and forth over the sprinkler, slide in the grass, and maybe even make some mud pies, but most importantly they will be out of your hair and likely wearing themselves out. You are free to sit in the shade with a cold beverage as you supervise!4. FortsInherent in every child’s nature is the desire to build forts out of pretty much anything they can find. From pulling a sheet across a rope tied between two door knobs to stacking couch cushions and hiding inside them, kids love forts. Whether you use the aforementioned materials, cardboard, or go so far as to build a full-on tree house, your kids will want to spend hours playing and entertaining themselves in their own space.5. Historical Live EntertainmentYet another educational way you can entertain your kids is to find forms of historically-accurate live entertainment that they can participate in. Your kids will delight in getting their faces painted at the nearby Renaissance fair, eating historical dishes with their hands, and maybe even getting to see some knights in shining armor as they joust it out on the tournament grounds.
SEIS the Tax-Free Investment Opportunity for UK Investors
Enterprise Investment SchemesAn EIS is an investment vehicle that provides funds and capital to small businesses that, due to the tightening of the credit market, cannot otherwise get financing from traditional sources. An EIS is an unquoted company that is not on a stock exchange and is most likely managed by a venture capital firm. These firms manage the investment objectives to protect investors and maximize investment returns. A good firm will have been involved in venture capital investing for a number of years and be able to provide a solid track record of protecting principle and securing returns. Firms operate their EISes differently, some offering investments into single companies while others operate EIS funds in which you could invest into a fund of multiple companies, therefore diversifying your risk.The benefit of tax protection that EISes offer has resulted in an increased demand among wealthier investors, with EIS being utilized as a strategic tool within their portfolios. The UK government increased tax relief from 20% to 30% and the annual investment amount has been increased from £500,000 to £1,000,000. With the added benefit that the investment is exempt from capital gains tax and inheritance tax, EIS is increasingly the perfect vehicle for certain investors. More and more EISes have become essential within many investment portfolios as an integral tax relief tactic.Seed Enterprise Investment SchemesNot quite as large as the EIS, the SEIS provides a similar benefit and experience. The main difference being the investment amount allowed annually which currently stands at a maximum of £100,000, but offers an unprecedented 50% tax relief on the investment’s gains and value. However this 50% is only applicable if the SEIS continues to comply with the SEIS rules and providing the investment is left for a minimum of three years. After three years the investor can sell their stake, incurring no capital gains tax against profit realized. Furthermore, loss relief applies to any losses incurred.As of 2014, the upfront tax relief for the highest tax bracket investors equates to a 64% tax break and, when combined with a loss relief tax break of a further potential of 22.5%, equates to a total of 86.5% tax relief. The downside tax protection of almost 90% is unprecedented amongst all other investment vehicles and provides significant tactical value to certain investors.Careful ConsiderationAs with any investment decision, you need to be careful in your consideration when choosing to use EIS or SEIS for your portfolio. You should be considering these tax relief options in your portfolio after you have exhausted other forms of tax mitigation. The first two that should be utilized are your pension and annual Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowance. These primary tax savings vehicles provide secure investment vehicles; ISAs offer amazing investment flexibility not available through EIS or SEIS. Another option includes VCTs – Venture Capital Trusts – which have similar strategic benefits to EIS or SEIS but are limited to £200,000 per year.In deciding on further tax mitigation, you need to consider the portion of your portfolio that these tactical investments would make up. Conventional wisdom dictates that you should not put more than 20% of your holdings into risky opportunities, but that 20% could realistically be surpassed with correct use of the right investment vehicles. If you are hedging your portfolio against a known event that will increase your capital gains taxes or inheritance taxes, EIS and SEIS would be a viable way to mitigate those taxes in a given year. In this way you could max out your contributions to these two tactical strategies in order to mitigate the known tax implications from another portion of your investment portfolio. It is these considerations that you should be aware of before deciding on a specific EIS or SEIS company.Another concern that you should be aware of is the fact that EISes and SEISes are essentially “locked-in” products. You need to be able to leave the investments locked in for a period of at least three years (and in some cases longer) in order to access the tax relief benefits – managers will generally look for an exit in or around year 4, but an exit could realistically take longer and is subject to market conditions. In this way, many EIS and SEIS companies are illiquid and the secondary market for selling EIS/SEIS shares is therefore small. Taking the long view on these investments should be a natural consideration.Choosing the Right EIS/SEISWhen deciding on the right company to invest for the purpose of tax mitigation, not all EIS/SEIS companies are the same. Choosing a company should not be done on impulse and requires effective due diligence to ensure that their investment philosophy is in line with your own. At the time of consideration, ask all the same questions of the company as you would when investing in any stock. By ensuring the company has a solid and proven track record of investments, open reporting functions that promote transparency and an investment philosophy you agree with, you can feel comfortable with your investment.By considering an EIS/SEIS investment you are considering an investment option that has a real potential for investment loss. It can be the right option for those looking for a high risk option with an effective tax mitigation strategy as a small portion of their overall portfolio. EIS and SEIS investments can also be an excellent way for investors to dabble in venture capital investing without having to put up too much capital.For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-enterprise-investment-scheme-introductionhttps://www.gov.uk/seed-enterprise-investment-scheme-background
Health Care Coverage: The Importance Of Reading The Small Print
Health care coverage is essential for people in all walks of life, regardless of who you are and where you come from. You only live once and need to look after yourself when you are here. You should explore all options before settling on the best policy, and you should be satisfied that it is the best one for you. Make sure that you read all of the small print before you finally decide on a policy because it is often the terms and conditions that makes the policy effective for the individual.Health Care Coverage And CostThe golden rule of choosing health care coverage is not choosing the cheapest policy on cost alone. Cheap health care coverage is usually very poor and you generally tend to get what you pay for. The health care coverage company will happily take your money and give you absolutely no protection against illness and disease should you fall victim to either one of them. You will end up with bills to pay that can mount up to hundreds, with absolutely no way of claiming the money back.You must consider health care coverage in terms of your own needs and aim to purchase health care coverage from a company that has a solid reputation and is well known for its excellent health care. If the only reason that you go for a specific health care insurance s because of the price then you should seriously consider your options and shop around for good deals from trusted health care coverage companies.The health care coverage that you choose should be comprehensive and cover all eventualities instead of providing you with only basic health care or coverage that only covers the most unlikely of events. There are policies that are both of the previous and they are usually presented at the most attractive prices that you have ever seen. However, the terms and conditions of every policy will reveal the loopholes and the pitfalls that you will be faced with should anything happen.Health care coverage is extremely important to every individual and should be chosen to suit your individual circumstances. There are health care policies that can be tailored to individual, maternity, short-term, travel and self-employed coverage. When you look at the options, you will be stumped as to know where to begin. You health care coverage premium will all depend on which option you choose, but you can always alter your cover as and when necessary.Medical costs can be extremely high in certain circumstances, but you need to have health care coverage to ensure that you do not have to cover those costs on your own. You can get health care coverage to suit your needs, you are one step closer to a better quality of life.
Senior Assisted Living Vs. Home Health Care: Which One Is for Me?
Being unable to keep up with your home or having difficulty with everyday tasks such as taking a shower or getting dressed is frustrating. Realizing you cannot do it on your own anymore can be scary; however, you are not alone.There is no shame in needing and asking for help. That is why senior assisted living programs and home health assistance programs are available. Choosing a senior assisted living or home health care program doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It is important to be informed and aware of all senior health care options. When you have all the facts, it is much easier to make the decision that will best suit your needs.Home health care allows you to remain in your home while a nurse/aid visits to help you with any daily activities you would normally struggle with on your own. This can mean anything from bathing to administering medications to preparing meals. Normally, people who choose home health care are more enabled than people who choose a senior assisted living program. A senior living program combines housing with assistance for everyday life activities.If you find yourself unsure of which one to choose, it is wise to read the checklist below to help you decide what health care assistance program is right for you.Mobility – Do you find it difficult or painful to get out of bed in order to begin your daily activities? Do you find it difficult to move around your home? Are you unable to drive or with no reliable transportation to get groceries or go to appointments? It’s important to understand that a senior help living community provides reliable transportation for any needed trips. Assisted living also provides services such as housework, cleaning, and laundry, so you don’t have to worry about your limited mobility.Personal Care – Are simple tasks such as eating or dressing yourself too difficult due to pain or illness? Can you accomplish some life tasks, but not others? Home care is not 24/7, but it can be arranged to suit your needs at the times you need them. If you are totally unable to take care of yourself or your home, an assisted living program with its 24/7 available assistance might be a better choice.Medical Issues – Do you suffer from an illness or disease that limits what you can and cannot do? Is it hard for you to administer your medication on your own? A home health care nurse/aid can help you administer medication at your home. An assisted living program can help with any medical treatment required and are on call 24/7.By knowing the answer to these questions, you will better understand your wants and needs. Talk to your health care provider about these topics, especially if you answered “yes” to any of the questions above. Home health care and senior assisted living programs invest in your safety and satisfaction. There are over 31,000 senior assisted living programs nationwide. You are not alone.
S&P 500 Rallies As U.S. Dollar Pulls Back Towards Weekly Lows
Key Insights
The strong pullback in the U.S. dollar provided significant support to stocks.
Treasury yields have pulled back after touching new highs, which served as an additional positive catalyst for S&P 500.
A move above 3730 will push S&P 500 towards the resistance level at 3760.
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Pfizer Rallies After Announcing A Huge Price Hike For Its COVID-19 Vaccines
S&P 500 is currently trying to settle above 3730 as traders’ appetite for risk is growing. The U.S. dollar has recently gained strong downside momentum as the BoJ intervened to stop the rally in USD/JPY. Weaker U.S. dollar is bullish for stocks as it increases profits of multinational companies and makes U.S. equities cheaper for foreign investors.
The leading oil services company Schlumberger is up by 9% after beating analyst estimates on both earnings and revenue. Schlumberger’s peers Baker Hughes and Halliburton have also enjoyed strong support today.
Vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna gained strong upside momentum after Pfizer announced that it will raise the price of its coronavirus vaccine to $110 – $130 per shot.
Biggest losers today include Verizon and Twitter. Verizon is down by 5% despite beating analyst estimates on both earnings and revenue. Subscriber numbers missed estimates, and traders pushed the stock to multi-year lows.
Twitter stock moved towards the $50 level as the U.S. may conduct a security review of Musk’s purchase of the company.
From a big picture point of view, today’s rebound is broad, and most market segments are moving higher. Treasury yields have started to move lower after testing new highs, providing additional support to S&P 500. It looks that some traders are ready to bet that Fed will be less hawkish than previously expected.
S&P 500 Tests Resistance At 3730
S&P 500 has recently managed to get above the 20 EMA and is trying to settle above the resistance at 3730. RSI is in the moderate territory, and there is plenty of room to gain additional upside momentum in case the right catalysts emerge.
If S&P 500 manages to settle above 3730, it will head towards the next resistance level at 3760. A successful test of this level will push S&P 500 towards the next resistance at October highs at 3805. The 50 EMA is located in the nearby, so S&P 500 will likely face strong resistance above the 3800 level.
On the support side, the previous resistance at 3700 will likely serve as the first support level for S&P 500. In case S&P 500 declines below this level, it will move towards the next support level at 3675. A move below 3675 will push S&P 500 towards the support at 3640.
SPDN: An Inexpensive Way To Profit When The S&P 500 Falls
Summary
SPDN is not the largest or oldest way to short the S&P 500, but it’s a solid choice.
This ETF uses a variety of financial instruments to target a return opposite that of the S&P 500 Index.
SPDN’s 0.49% Expense Ratio is nearly half that of the larger, longer-tenured -1x Inverse S&P 500 ETF.
Details aside, the potential continuation of the equity bear market makes single-inverse ETFs an investment segment investor should be familiar with.
We rate SPDN a Strong Buy because we believe the risks of a continued bear market greatly outweigh the possibility of a quick return to a bull market.
Put a gear stick into R position, (Reverse).
Birdlkportfolio
By Rob Isbitts
Summary
The S&P 500 is in a bear market, and we don’t see a quick-fix. Many investors assume the only way to navigate a potentially long-term bear market is to hide in cash, day-trade or “just hang in there” while the bear takes their retirement nest egg.
The Direxion Daily S&P 500® Bear 1X ETF (NYSEARCA:SPDN) is one of a class of single-inverse ETFs that allow investors to profit from down moves in the stock market.
SPDN is an unleveraged, liquid, low-cost way to either try to hedge an equity portfolio, profit from a decline in the S&P 500, or both. We rate it a Strong Buy, given our concern about the intermediate-term outlook for the global equity market.
Strategy
SPDN keeps it simple. If the S&P 500 goes up by X%, it should go down by X%. The opposite is also expected.
Proprietary ETF Grades
Offense/Defense: Defense
Segment: Inverse Equity
Sub-Segment: Inverse S&P 500
Correlation (vs. S&P 500): Very High (inverse)
Expected Volatility (vs. S&P 500): Similar (but opposite)
Holding Analysis
SPDN does not rely on shorting individual stocks in the S&P 500. Instead, the managers typically use a combination of futures, swaps and other derivative instruments to create a portfolio that consistently aims to deliver the opposite of what the S&P 500 does.
Strengths
SPDN is a fairly “no-frills” way to do what many investors probably wished they could do during the first 9 months of 2022 and in past bear markets: find something that goes up when the “market” goes down. After all, bonds are not the answer they used to be, commodities like gold have, shall we say, lost their luster. And moving to cash creates the issue of making two correct timing decisions, when to get in and when to get out. SPDN and its single-inverse ETF brethren offer a liquid tool to use in a variety of ways, depending on what a particular investor wants to achieve.
Weaknesses
The weakness of any inverse ETF is that it does the opposite of what the market does, when the market goes up. So, even in bear markets when the broader market trend is down, sharp bear market rallies (or any rallies for that matter) in the S&P 500 will cause SPDN to drop as much as the market goes up.
Opportunities
While inverse ETFs have a reputation in some circles as nothing more than day-trading vehicles, our own experience with them is, pardon the pun, exactly the opposite! We encourage investors to try to better-understand single inverse ETFs like SPDN. While traders tend to gravitate to leveraged inverse ETFs (which actually are day-trading tools), we believe that in an extended bear market, SPDN and its ilk could be a game-saver for many portfolios.
Threats
SPDN and most other single inverse ETFs are vulnerable to a sustained rise in the price of the index it aims to deliver the inverse of. But that threat of loss in a rising market means that when an investor considers SPDN, they should also have a game plan for how and when they will deploy this unique portfolio weapon.
Proprietary Technical Ratings
Short-Term Rating (next 3 months): Strong Buy
Long-Term Rating (next 12 months): Buy
Conclusions
ETF Quality Opinion
SPDN does what it aims to do, and has done so for over 6 years now. For a while, it was largely-ignored, given the existence of a similar ETF that has been around much longer. But the more tenured SPDN has become, the more attractive it looks as an alternative.
ETF Investment Opinion
SPDN is rated Strong Buy because the S&P 500 continues to look as vulnerable to further decline. And, while the market bottomed in mid-June, rallied, then waffled since that time, our proprietary macro market indicators all point to much greater risk of a major decline from this level than a fast return to bull market glory. Thus, SPDN is at best a way to exploit and attack the bear, and at worst a hedge on an otherwise equity-laden portfolio.