Category: Lifestyle

As the world’s most populous country with over 1.3 billion people, China has the largest number of internet users – 731 million as of December 2016. According to a report by We Are Social and Hootsuite, around 96% are active social media users. With such a large population online, it’s no surprise that social media platforms in China have evolved to become very different from their Western counterparts. If you’re planning on marketing or doing business in China, it’s crucial to understand how social media works there. Here are eight things you need to know about social media in China.

1. China Uses Their Social Media Platforms In unique Ways

In China, the government’s Great Firewall blocked social media platforms from the western world, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Instead, China has developed versions of these popular platforms, WeChat, Weibo, and Youku.

WeChat is a messaging app that combines WhatsApp, Facebook, and Skype features. It has over 700 million monthly active users and is particularly popular with younger generations. Weibo is a microblogging platform similar to Twitter, while Youku is China’s answer to YouTube. Using Chinese Social Media platforms allows you to connect with Chinese consumers and tap into local influencers to promote your brand. Hence, if you want to succeed in China, you must understand how these platforms work and use them accordingly.

2. Social Media In China Is Highly Regulated

The Chinese government exercises a high degree of control over all internet activity in the country, including social media. All content must comply with strict censorship laws, which means that specific topics are off-limits entirely. For example, discussions about human rights, democracy, or freedom of speech are censored on social media.

Additionally, users must register for accounts using their real name and identity card number, making it easier for the government to track and monitor online activity. As a result of these censorship laws, social media in China is a more closed and insular environment than in the rest of the world.

3. Users Are More Active Than Their Western Counterparts

Social media users in China are some of the most active globally, with Weibo users posting 35 times per month and WeChat users sending 38 messages per day. This contrasts with the average Facebook user, who only posts 1.4 times per month.

The high level of activity on social media can be attributed to several factors, such as the fact that many platforms are used for more than just social networking. For example, WeChat is also used to make payments, order food, and book taxis.

This high activity level presents a great opportunity for businesses looking to market their products or services to Chinese consumers. However, it also means that companies need to be prepared to invest more time and resources in their social media presence in China.

4. Visual Content Is Key On Social Media in China

While text-based content is still prevalent on social media platforms in the West, visual content such as images and videos is king in China. Over 80% of Weibo users say they are more likely to pay attention to image-based posts than any other type of content.

This preference for visual content is likely because social media in China users are more active and consume more content than their Western counterparts. As a result, they prefer quick and easy-to-digest content that can be consumed quickly.

5. Timing Is Everything When Posting On Social Media In China

The social media landscape is incredibly active, with users posting an average of 3 times per day on Weibo. This high activity level means that timing is crucial for getting your content seen. The best times to post are during commuting hours (7-9 am and 5-7 pm) or during lunchtime (12-2 pm).

It’s also worth considering the time difference when scheduling posts, as China is 9 hours ahead of GMT. If you’re targeting Chinese consumers, you’ll need to schedule your posts for early morning or evening to catch them when they’re online.

6. User-Generated Content Is Increasingly Important

User-generated content (UGC) is content created by users rather than brands or businesses. This could be anything from product reviews to social media posts. In China, UGC plays an increasingly important role in purchasing decisions, with 70% of social media users saying they trust UGC more than traditional advertising.

This trend is being driven by the increasing skepticism of Chinese consumers towards advertising and the popularity of UGC platforms such as Xiaohongshu (a social shopping platform) and Douban (a movie review site). If you’re targeting Chinese consumers, it’s worth considering how you can incorporate UGC into your marketing strategy.

7. Live-Streaming Is Popular

Live streaming is a relatively new phenomenon in China, but it’s already become trendy on social media platforms such as Weibo and WeChat. Live streaming is now the most popular form of online entertainment in China, with around half of internet users (47%) watching live streams regularly.

This trend is driven by the increasing number of people using social media on their mobile phones. Live-streaming allows users to watch and interact with content in real-time, perfect for when you’re going. Live streaming could be a great option to engage with Chinese social media users.

8. There Are Several Tools To Help You Manage Your Social Media In China

If you’re looking to manage your social media in China, several tools can help. WeChat offers a range of features that allow businesses to create and manage their accounts and interact with customers. Weibo also has several business-friendly features, such as the ability to run ads and track analytics.

In addition, several third-party social media management tools can be used to help with everything from scheduling posts to analyzing data. Hootsuite Insights is one such tool that offers a free 14-day trial, so it’s worth considering if you’re looking to get started with social media in China.

Social media is a vital part of marketing your business in China. However, it’s essential to be aware of the unique landscape and how to reach and engage with Chinese consumers effectively. You can ensure that your social media strategy is tailored to the Chinese market and stands out from the competition by following the tips above.

Working from home first became a trend in 2020. Now, it’s 2022, and remote working is still an industry norm – despite the recent global pandemic coming to a halt.

The reasons for this are:

• 97% of remote workers don’t want to return to the office full-time
• It enables companies to cut down on costs and operate more efficiently

However, despite the fact that working from home has been popular for a couple of years, many people are still adapting to it. Naturally, one of the biggest complaints that employees have is that they find it boring.

Luckily, there are many different ways that you can make working from home fun and exciting when you’re taking breaks. Here are some top tips and suggestions to try:

Play online games

While on a break, it’s a good idea to grab your smartphone and play some online games. All you’ll need is an internet connection to do this.

A great place to start is by playing online pokies Australia. In addition to this, if you have a little extra time, you should try popular console games such as Fortnite and Apex Legends, which are perfect for casual players.

Catch-up with co-workers

During a break, it’s a good idea to catch up with any co-workers you have that are also working from home. Generally, the best way to do this is either by video call (such as Microsoft Teams) or a messenger app (like WhatsApp).

By staying in touch with your co-workers, it will ensure your relationship stays strong and that you experience higher job satisfaction.

Get fresh air

Getting fresh air is incredibly important for the people that work from home. Here’s why:

• It boosts your health, as fresh air leads to increased oxygen in your body which supports white blood cells
• You’ll feel better and more alert

If you don’t have a backyard or garden where you can do this, it’s recommended that you go for a quick walk around your neighborhood or a nearby park. This way, you’re getting double the benefit due to the added element of exercise.

Do some short exercising

Speaking of exercise, you need to keep exercising when you’re working from home.

This is because you’re likely to sit at your desk for long periods of time, which can lead to muscle cramps and other problems.

However, through regular exercise, you can drastically reduce the chances of these problems occurring.

Providing you have a spacious area in your home, you should do some exercising while taking a break. For the best possible experience, it’s a good idea to invest in home exercise equipment, such as resistance bands and pull-up bars.

As mentioned above, you can also exercise outside. In fact, if you want to, going for a quick run is an excellent idea, as this will get your body in full flow.

Tidy your office space

If you want to be ultra-productive during your break time, you should tidy your office space at home.

For example, there might be clutter on the floor – such as wires and paper documents – that should be tidied up. After decluttering, you’ll feel a lot better – plus, it shouldn’t take you too long!

What else can be worse than getting involved in a pedestrian accident? It’s not getting justice or compensation, and the wrongdoer goes scot-free. The pains and scars don’t disappear overnight, and getting justice and closure over the incident might just be good.

You need to get the best pedestrian accident attorney to help you for that to happen. However, finding one is not as simple as you think, but a guide can help you choose the most suitable attorney.

●    Research online

Another thing you can do when looking to hire a pedestrian accident lawyer is to research online. Search for well-known injury attorneys in your state, hometown, or nearest proximity.

Then, you can check rating sites online to see reviews about them, their reputations, and their skills. That’ll help you with a list of lawyers you can trust before deciding who to go with.

●    Identify the qualities you’re looking for

Before choosing a lawyer, you need to identify what qualities and criteria you’re looking for. Choose the qualities you feel are the most important to you.

For example, the criteria may include their experiences with such cases, fee, personality, expertise, and others. Your list will make it easier for you to shortlist the best lawyers.

●    Ask for referrals

One of the ways to find and hire a pedestrian accident lawyer is by asking for referrals. You can start by asking your friends and family if they have ever hired an attorney before for similar reasons or others.

If they have, ask about their experience with the lawyers and the case’s outcome to help you gauge what your experience with them will be like.

●    Shortlist your top picks

Use your selected criteria to compile a list of attorneys with those qualities. Instead of having a long list of lawyers and too many options, you can limit your list to four or five.

This will save you time and stress of consulting with too many lawyers because this will require long talks either on the phone or physically.

●    Review their credentials and track records

Before calling or setting a meeting with any lawyer, you need to review and confirm their credentials and track records. Check their licensing, certification, and success rate to know if you have a high chance of winning if you hire them.

●    Consider availability, experience, and firm size

Another thing you should check is the attorneys’ availability, experience, and firm size. Of course, you need someone who has access to adequate resources to work with and doesn’t have too many workloads that they won’t have enough time to dedicate to your case.

If they work in a large firm, it is good for you because it means they will have more resources to work with, and they would have had a lot of experience working on different cases.

●    Set up meetings and meet with different attorneys

After cross-checking all the necessary details and confirming that your list of lawyers is the best choice you can make, you need to call and set up meetings with them.

Some personal pedestrian accident lawyers offer a free initial consultation. When you meet up with them, ensure you give every detail of the case without leaving out important details so the lawyer can review and give you an estimate of expected compensation.

You also need to ask important questions like their fees, how long it will take to resolve the case, if you’ll be involved, what happens if you don’t win, etc.

●    Works on contingency

You should check if the attorney works on contingency; you pay them from the award proceeds instead of paying hourly. The average contingency rate is 33% but could be higher depending on the case’s complexity.

●    Choose someone you feel comfortable with

It is important that you choose someone you get along with and are comfortable with. They’ll have access to much of your information, and you’ll probably be in close contact for weeks or months, depending on how long the case drags on.

It’s also good if you have someone empathetic, especially if you get frustrated with the case, so they can make you feel better.

●    Choose the best lawyer

After examining and interviewing multiple lawyers, you need to choose the best lawyer you think would do the best job based on their qualifications and your experience talking to them.

Conclusion

Finding lawyers isn’t hard, but choosing the best for your case to help you feel heard is more tasking. You need to ensure that the lawyer you choose is highly qualified, empathetic, and ticks other important criteria you’re looking for.

When you are running a business, it inevitably means that you are going to be under all sorts of pressure. Therefore, you need to be doing even more to ensure that your mental health is protected and you are in the very best shape to continue steering the ship in the right direction. As well as unwinding properly at the end of the day, it can also be useful to take some microbreaks during the course of the day whenever you have some minutes that you can use them. The major advantage is that you then feel like you are properly refreshed and ready to tackle whatever challenges are in front of you. So, here is some useful advice that can help you to spend these precious minutes in the wisest way possible.

Try Some Meditation or Yoga

There is no doubt that mindfulness has exploded in a big way over the past years, so you could join the growing trend by trying out some meditation. There are all sorts of apps and videos that can certainly help you out when it comes to giving you the basics that you need to complete in order to do this successfully. The other major option that you have in front of you is yoga, which also has the natural advantage of allowing you to stretch your body at the same time.

Play a Game

Sometimes, you need a bit of escapism in its purest form, and the best way that you are going to be able to achieve this state is by playing a game. Of course, the internet has presented us with all sorts of different options, so you simply have to take the time to pick your favourite one. It could be that you enjoy a simply game of solitaire or you prefer the joka room that are out there. Ultimately, it is going to be worth taking the time to experiment and work out which one is right for you.

Take a Short Walk

There is no doubt that being cooped up in the same environment for days on end can be highly damaging to our mental wellbeing. Simply getting out into nature can prove to be a highly effective tonic to this feeling. Therefore, you should certainly take the opportunity to go out for a short walk if you are able to. You are likely to find that you are going to come back in feeling refreshed and able to assess problems in an entirely different way.

Write Down Your Thoughts

While we live in a highly technical world at the moment, there is no doubt that writing down your thoughts can prove to be a great way of blurting out your feelings. You do not necessarily have to put down any sort of structure to it whatsoever. All it takes is a piece of paper and a pencil for you to really get your thoughts out of you and start processing.

Being someone who works from home can definitely lead to a major change in your life. After all, no office feels homely. So that means when you start working from home, it probably won’t feel right at the start. However, the truth is it is a very positive thing. There are plenty of upsides to working from home. Although you might be struggling with the transition at the start, after time, you will settle in and begin to enjoy it.

One of the biggest upsides of working from home is the breaks that you get to take. After all, you are no longer confined to a staff canteen or the likes. Thanks to this, you can actually have a lot of fun on your lunch break. So how can you do this? Here are some things you might want to try on your next lunch.

Video Call a Friend

If your times match up, why not video call a friend? After all, there is no rule that says Zoom is exclusively for business meetings. Video calling can actually be a really fun way to pass the time. It is a nice way to catch up with someone when you can actually see their face. As an adult, it can often be hard to find a time that suits you to meet up. However, a video call is likely your next best option. 

Online Games

Gaming is something that everyone should try out at least once. After all, it has qualities that can appeal to everyone. It could be the perfect way for you to spend your lunch break, and you don’t even know it yet. No matter how long your lunch break is, there is going to be a game that suits you. For example, even if you only have a short period of time to take your break, you could check out a USA online casino. These games are traditionally fast-paced and not time-consuming. Making it perfect for anyone who is taking their lunch break.

Workout

If you want some time away from the screen, then it could be a good idea to get active. Getting a quick workout can help clear up your mind and add some energy to your day. You don’t have to drive all the way to the gym to have a good workout, either. After all, there are some great 10-minute home workouts that you could reek the benefits of. Head out into the garden and get moving for a really enjoyable lunchtime.

Cooking

The main purpose of a lunch break is to eat, right? With this considered, you might want to look at making a great meal. Cooking can be a really fun way to pass the time. Not to mention that the more you do it, the better you will get at it. This could also offer you the chance to clean up your diet if needs be.

In turbulent times, many working adults seek to create an additional stream of income. Whether it’s as a way of paying bills or to enhance retirement savings accounts, a second paycheck eliminates undue worry about money matters. But individuals who want to bring in extra income don’t have an easy time of it. For starters, it takes time to get a small business to the point where it shows a profit. Likewise, most budding entrepreneurs need startup funds just to open the doors of the organization. How should prospective owners proceed once they have a general idea of the kind of company they’d like to start? Step one is to make an honest list of all personal skills you bring to the table.

After that, move directly to the loan application phase, which is actually the simplest of all the six steps. Be sure to work with a reputable lender who caters to independent owners. Once you secure financing, write a detailed one-year plan that includes estimates of expenses, profits, inventory purchases, and the number of new customers you expect at six-month and 12-month cutoffs. Name the company and register it with state and local authorities. If you need a tax ID number to operate, apply for one as soon as you can.

It’s essential to have a professional looking website that includes all the features your customers need, like a seamless shopping cart, multiple payment methods, an interesting blog, a clean and informative landing page, and user-friendly navigation. Finally, craft a daily work schedule that you can follow without much variation. Base hours on openings in your current daily routine, making good use of weekend free time. Here’s how to begin.

Inventory Your Personal Skills

You should understand the difference between hard and soft skills and also be honest when listing your skills. This essential step is first for a reason. Knowing what you can and can’t do is at the very core of what it means to become an entrepreneur. Focus on writing detailed descriptions of your most prominent talents. If you can’t do something, just don’t list it. Later on, this skill list will come in handy when deciding which tasks, you need to outsource and which ones you can do yourself. The primary reason for a skills inventory, however, is to discover what kind of business will be most profitable for someone with your background and experience. If you know how to repair computers or do advanced programming, then a tech-related startup would make a lot of sense. Let your current skills guide your selection of a particular field of endeavor.

Apply for a Small Business Loan

Few individuals have the savings or ready cash resources to open their own companies. That’s one of the more practical reasons behind obtaining a loan for startup purposes. It takes money to make money, as the old saying advises. Fortunately for today’s independent-minded working people, there are several excellent ways to get seed money to finance an idea. Not only is it easy to apply for small business loans, but the top lenders offer flexible terms, repayment schedules, and loan sizes. For many borrowers, the most attractive features are more quality than quantity related. That means getting access to interactive support networks and business coaching resources. If you’re a founder who feels locked out of traditional financing streams, consider working with a lender who supports small companies and startups.

Write a One Year Plan and Choose a Name

Be as accurate as possible when developing a one-year plan. Try to anticipate all expense categories as well as revenue streams. There’s no need for 100 percent precision. The goal is to come up with a daily operations routine based on work flow, marketing efforts, and approximate income levels. Choose an appropriate name and register it with tax and legal authorities. That usually includes state, city, and federal government agencies.

Build a Killer Website and Make a Work Schedule

Unless tech skills are your thing, hire a pro to build your company’s website. Test shopping carts, navigation ease, billing functions, payment choices, and all other key features before going live. Then, make a simple work schedule you can stick to for at least six months. Creating a second income stream takes hard work and dedication, but anyone with an idea can do it.