Vileda vs Hoover

This is the cheapest machine ( as IROBOT BRAAVA 380T )we tested by some way, which naturally means it isn’t as jam-packed with features as its pricier counterparts. But that simplicity does sometimes often work in its favour. Three buttons on the top of the machine – S, M and L – correspond to whether you want it to clean a small, medium or large room, so you don’t have to worry about too much programming. It will do well on hard floors and short-pile carpet, but we found it struggled to manoeuvre over a large rug, left behind some embedded dust and was among the noisiest. For the price, however, this is a good entry-level machine. 
Hoover knows a thing or two about vacuum cleaners, and it has transferred that knowledge into the robotic world. This machine is small and quiet, but still manages to provide a great clean thanks to its effective sweeper brushes and powerful suction, picking up embedded dust as well as larger items. The cleaning pattern is comprehensive, but you can steer the machine to a particular area using arrow buttons on the accompanying remote. The app, available for iOS on Android, also allows you to control the machine, as well as set up cleaning schedules. An effective, well-priced option.

Which Brand Of Garage Door Opener Should I Buy?

Finding the right garage door opener can be difficult. Not only are there so many different options, but there is also a lot to consider when purchasing one. Below we will discuss some of the best brands to consider, best options on the market, and what types are recommended.

When it comes to garage door openers, there are preferred brands. Below we will discuss some of the most preferred brands by consumers.

1. Chamberlain.

Chamberlain happens to be one of the most popular brands when it comes to door openers. The reason why they are so popular can be attributed to the fact that they come with a lifetime warranty on both; the belt and the motor. Obviously, this is a huge deal to just about anyone that is looking for a door opener (like MIGHTY MULE 502 )because they know that they will never need to purchase another one again – no matter what. This is usually one of the first things that consumers look for in this kind of high priced product.

2. Direct Drive.

This is another very popular brand that is currently very high in the minds of the consumer. Direct Drive actually has a product on Amazon right now with a 4.7 out of 5 star rating amongst consumers – model 1042V00. Clearly, this brand and product live up to most customers high expectations because of the high rating.

This product and brand also include a lifetime warranty on the entire garage door opener. This exudes confidence in their product and brand. As noted previously, consumers look for this in a preferred brand and product and it is one of the first things that people look at when choosing between different products and brands.

3. Genie.

This is another high quality and highly rated brand. This particular brand gives consumers a lifetime warranty on the motor, but only gives customers a 15 year warranty on the actual belt. This is obviously not as good as lifetime and they get knocked down a few pegs as a result. Nevertheless, it is a popular brand and they create excellent door openers.

How Other Couples Deal With Sex Addiction?

· I really don't see the way our relationship can endure the emotional pain and chaos of his trauma therapists NYC addiction. Have other couples had been able to work through these difficulties? How have they done?

When at least one member of a couple is trauma therapy NYC, restoring trust and building familiarity can be very difficult. These couples must work as hard on their recovery jointly as a couple since they do on their individual recoveries.

One of the huge challenges to recovery from trauma psychologist is building or restoring an intimate relationship with a committed partner. Many existing relationships are seriously impaired and often don't survive due to trauma therapy. The spouse of the trauma therapist NYC capacity to trust is obviously damaged. The psychodynamic and behavioral problems underlying sex addiction treatment NY contribute to obstacles to beating and developing intimate and committed relationships.

The fantastic thing is that we've seen from our experience which not only is it feasible to repair, reconstruct, or newly construct a committed relationship, but the level of psychological and physical intimacy that comes from working on these issues collectively is sustaining, gratifying and growth-producing for each member of the bunch.

· How can couples counseling help us?

Most couples that come for couples sex addiction therapy after discovery is at a high state of reactivity, with communication being restricted to blame/defense. There is a high degree of projection (seeing the things you like least about yourself in your partner) and a small level of self-focus. The trend is to react emotionally and immediately, with no time provided for reflective thinking. One task of the therapist is to create a secure, non-volatile space by gently guiding each person to commit to self-focus which reduces defense and disposal.

5 Questions To Ask Before You Choose A Roof

1. What's this building's vision statement?

Before calls are made to Bronx roofing company or producers, the initial piece to handle is the company's vision statement as it pertains to the building.

Whether you are constructing new features or managing existing qualities, you want to be confident that the roofing contractors Bronx NY you decide on deliver the performance you anticipate. More frequently than not, the building itself decides the correct roofing Bronx system specification.

You should recognize as much about the building and its own future as possible. Does the business want to retain this building as part of its property resources for that next 10 to two decades? Any kind of strategies to grow it within the foreseeable future, or even to transform its use? What're its recent and potential occupancy, efficiency requirements, visual goals and even the maintenance times for concrete sidewalk repair gear?

These along with other objective statement problems can help shape solutions to kinds of Bronx roofing contractors to contemplate and how a lot of the capital budget is really needed for the job.

Start your issues using what will be the building going to be utilized for. Whether or not it's a spec building, perhaps you just need standard roofers Bronx. But, when the center features a special use, such as an airline reservation center with computers in it, your concerns for roofing Bronx NY alternatives are very different.

For instance, as more firms go toward managing 24 hours daily, seven days weekly to meet global buyers, the info center must never spring sidewalk violation. Water on computer systems generally spells disaster.

A special group of worries arises for cooling-dominated areas. Does the sidewalk repair Queens subscribe to air conditioning savings and address other essential problems? Is it a part of a complete power system? There is a rising problem about urban heat countries. Reflective, white homes have grown to be of curiosity to those regions for a couple factors. They maintain the building cooler, lessen AC costs as well as minimize the heat-loading of the nearby environment.

2. What physical and also other factors influence the NYC sidewalk violations process collection?

After determining the objectives and mission of the facility, it really is time to assess the building itself. You must begin by considering the building's place as well as the capabilities of its surrounding region. You have to examine building codes, weather styles, topography - possibly the path the building faces.

The physical traits of the building will also be essential: size, condition, layout, elevation, and age.
In addition, you must go through the construction supplies used to develop the ability and also the place of HVAC and fire protection equipment, especially if both or both these are partly or totally housed to the roof repair Bronx NY.

As it pertains to concrete sidewalk, you need to record the attributes of the roof repair Bronx area itself. Exciting to detail the cement sidewalk, design, mountain, patio design, border detail, protrusions, rooftop entry and existing roofing system. Additionally standard info, you have to figure out why the first roof is no longer sufficient.

3. What are flexible membrane cement sidewalk repair possibilities available?

SPRI, the relationship that shows sheet membrane and part providers for the professional brick pointing contractors market, identifies three major kinds of filters: thermosets, thermoplastics, and modified bitumens.

Thermoset membranes are made from rubber polymers. The most common are EPDM, typically called "rubber brick pointing Bronx." These filters are suitable to resist the potentially harmful effects of daylight along with the typical chemicals found on homes. They are simply identified to the brickwork pointing contractors. Just look at the seams. Thermoset membranes require fluid or recording adhesives to make a watertight seal at the overlaps.
Thermoplastic membranes derive from plastic polymers. The most common are PVC, which is made flexible by adding plasticizers. Polycarbonate filters have seams which might be most often created using temperature welding. Most polycarbonate membranes are produced with a support coating, usually polyester or fiberglass to offer increased strength and dimensional stability.

Hypalon thermoplastic starts being a polycarbonate, but remedies with time to be a thermoset. Like other thermoplastics, Hypalon supplies are heat sealed at the seams.

Another thermoplastic cross is a thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), which combines the characteristics of EPDM and PVC. TPO membranes don't heal after the experience of the elements and remain hot-air weldable throughout their assistance life. Many TPO walls are reinforced with polyester, fiberglass or possibly a combination of the 2, but unreinforced TPO membranes are available.

Modified bitumen membranes add the formula and prefabrication benefits of flexible membrane roofing with some of the standard installment methods found in built-up brick pointing NYC. Modified bitumen sheets are factory-created, composed of a road which can be changed with a silicone or plastic for increased versatility, and along with a reinforcement for additional energy and balance.

4. Which kind of membrane and attachment process are greatest for your building?

Many elements establish the top process to get a particular building. For most complexes, there is always a quantity of selections and advantages that need to be weighed against the ability's vision statement. Your decision shouldn't be manufactured merely to the base of cost. Other significant concerns for filters are making a top, wind exposure, predicted brick masonry contractor traffic and beauty.

The attachment system also depends on the particular building's qualities. If the roof terrace is able to resist the fat, a ballasted roof may be the best option. But, in the event the pitch of the roof is greater than 2 inches every foot, this method might not be suitable. There are other restrictions to ballasted systems, including brick pointing NYC peak, distance to shorelines and other high-wind areas, along with the accessibility to a ballast.
An or timber patio that simply welcomes nails makes a good substrate for a mechanically mounted membrane. These devices might be designed to give you the necessary weight to recognized wind causes and therefore are not susceptible to pitch constraints.

Another option could be the completely adhered program, where the membrane is attached to the prepared substrate using a chosen glue. With respect to the membrane, the glue could be solvent- or water-based or concrete. The completed area of an followed roofing Bronx is easy.

For those focused on building aesthetics, colored walls will make an attractive share for the building's look.

5. Does all roofing product brought to the work site bear the UL label?

Or even, identify that it must. This is actually the only means it is possible to guarantee that the roofing supplies mounted on your own roof repair NYC will be the same components analyzed by Underwriter's Labs. Also, make sure that the cement sidewalk repair assembly you get or identify, including the insulation, is UL-categorized and -described. Having an insulation apart from the thing that was tried with the waterproofing Bronx membrane might void the UL classification. If the UL Building Materials Service does not record the roofing process you are offered, persist on confirmation of the class while in the form of a photocopy of the UL's letter of acceptance.

Make certain that the product you are finding will be the precise merchandise that has been examined. You do not wish something which is similar but not similar. Seek out the brand in the job-site and make certain all the different parts of the system were tried together. You would like the membrane tested with the efficiency that you're employing in your building.

Pay Stub explained

An company has got the inclination to problem income regarding his workers straight in the accounts of his company ensemble. Nevertheless, today the situation is significantly diffent as current day workers may request company to produce realpay stubs of any sort. There are lots of factors to request the company to create a pay-slip. Among the major causes is the fact that workers wish to maintain an archive of the total amount they gained regular or on regular foundation and also to ensure that their company is spending the right quantity they deserve according to the providers they provide. The 2nd most significant cause to truly have the create pay stubs at hand would be to determine the quantity of taxes subtracted from their payment per month. Issues have to be outlined on real pay stubs: This depends a great deal about the regulations which exist in a particular physical area however it is essential that several necessary information must certainly be contained in check stubs. These details contains the sum total quantity of hours worked from the workers at work after which the amount is split between your normal function hours and also the additional time hrs create a pay stub.

An area is allocated towards the pay-slip where in actuality the company places the major quantity for every worker to get a specific pay interval. Additional useful info to incorporate in the pay-slip may be the complete quantity of breaks produced from the workeris cost. These breaks include tax breaks or every other breaks created before real check stubs or after-tax. Areas will also be allocated for completing taxes at condition, government and neighborhood amounts. Areas will also be made for cultural protection and health care breaks. Methods for getting a theme regarding create pay stub: Regarding producing an ideal pay-slip for that workers pay stub generator, you will find types of technique accessible. Technologies and development has managed to get feasible via a easy research on web.

You will find sufficient sites accessible that provide themes for producing pay-slips regarding workers. The themes will vary from one another to be able to appeal through the different requirements of the company. An easy action will be obtained from the company to obtain use of the paystub generator by that one site. He or she must sign-up via a free accounts to that particular site. It’ll be motivated to enter annually that the company desires to determine the cost and enter their state wherever hisORher company is situated. Following this, company will have the ability to determine the quantity of breaks by entering worker is major check stub, allocation along with other quantity must be subtracted.

GOAL ZERO YETI 150

Goal Zero sells products that capture and store portable power. Their primary products include solar panels, rechargeable batteries, and accessories including lights, lanterns, flashlights, and speakers. Goal Zero products range from small solutions for recharging devices like cell phones and notebooks using solar panels and battery packs to mediums sized solutions for laptop-size devices, to larger generator substitutes that can power devices as large as refrigerators or TVs using stored power. All of these power solutions can recharge with a solar, wall plug, or USB. The company offers products online and it serves customers worldwide. It was founded in 2009 and based in Bluffdale, Utah. Goal Zero products will fulfill your need for portable and cost effective power solutions. Their products are used all over the world, especially in central Africa where they represent the only energy solution. This one of the trustworthy companies with high quality products and their mission is simple: Power anything anywhere.

Goal Zero 22004 Yeti 150 Solar Generator

If you are going camping and you can’t do without you electronic devices, the Goal Zero Yeti 150 Solar Generator is the solution for you. This fuel –free solar generator is powerful enough to provide the needed energy for camping or emergency situations. Also this plug-and-play, gas-free mini powerhouse, the Goal Zero Yeti 150 solar generator gives you the portable power to keep your lights, phones and laptops juiced up when the power is down. There are three ways of charging the first one being of course from the Sun, which takes roughly 11-22 hours with the recommended Boulder 30 Solar panel. The second way of charging is from the wall (AC Inverter included), which takes about 6 hours and the third one is from your car using 12V port, which takes about 8 hours. Common devices that Yeti 150 powers include Smartphones, MP3 Players, Digital Cameras, E-readers, tablets, Goal Zero Lights, Car Adapters, Laptops, DSLR Cameras, CPAP, Display Monitors, etc. It is important to know that it takes the same amount of time to charge your device from a Goal Zero power pack as it does from the wall.

What’s in the box?

When you open your package, inside you will find a brand new Goal Zero Yeti 150 power pack with a wall charger and a 4.7mm to 8.0mm Legacy Nomad Panel Adapter. If there are these three things, you are good to go.

Dimensions and specific features

When we are talking about design, Yeti 150 Solar Generator is a great winner. It looks very attractive with a beautiful mix of green, silver and black. You could easily match it with Nike LeBron sneakers and be a modern camper. It weighs only 5.4kg or 12 pounds and you have a handle for carrying your new travel friend. The dimensions are 7.8 x 6.8 x 5.8 inches.

Under the hood, Yeti 150 Generator packs a 150Wh, 14,000mAh sealed lead-acid battery unit (AGM). An AGM battery is the same stuff you can find in your car, which is a kind of battery that should be kept full all times, and if you don’t drain the battery, it will last longer. Lead acid battery features 168 watt-hours (12V, 14Ah) capacity, hundreds of cycles, three-month shelf life, no fuses and built-in charging/low-battery protection. It is also crucial to know that the generator operates in temperatures ranging from 32° to 104° F (0° to 40° C). When it comes to charging, Goal Zero offers a variety of solar panels, depending on the capacity of the modules, and you have the option of picking the one best for your needs. Well, in my case, this depended on the amount of money I had in my pocket.

Let’s talk about it

I personally love the product! It does exactly what it says it will do, can’t ask for more than that! The Yeti 150 has been the one product that has at one point probably powered everything I take on a trip, and that is not a small number of devices! Of course when I bought it I tested it, will it charge my devices like advertised. The answer is YES! I can’t comment on if it will do an iPad 6 times like they claim, but it has charged my iPad twice along with running a 12v fan for 4 hours (.75Ah draw) and still had some in the bank.

Pros and cons

There are many positive things about this solar generator. When we look at the surface it has a stylish look and design, it is very friendly for outdoor activities and most importantly cheap! Another great thing is that there are multiple options for charging, and the AC inverter is included, not need to buy it separately. It is also compatible to different solar panels. A negative thing could be that if you decide to charge it by Sun, you will need extra cash for the solar panel. From my personal experience I need to warn you to be aware the product is heavier than it looks.

Guest Post: Designing a New Baby Quilt Pattern

Ready, set, go... It is not a race when I set out to design a new baby quilt.

Before I decide how I want my next baby quilt patterns to look, I pull out the quilt books on my shelves, the magazines that I have sitting just waiting for me to leaf through their pages, and check out some of my patterns that I have saved either in boxes or on the computer files.

Through the years, I have learned to carry my camera or a sketch pad to quilt shows, or even in a quilt shop if I see a design that intrigues me. Filing that information away and waiting for a time when I just may use pieces or bits of those designs to get an inspiration for a quilt of my own.

Here are some of the starting points that I deem necessary to consider when designing a new quilt:


Decide on the style of baby quilt you would like to make. Is the baby quilt patterns going to be a traditional patchwork, or more contemporary? Do you want to piece the quilt top or appliqué? Maybe a combination of the two?

Ask yourself what is going be the purpose of the new baby quilt pattern. How much wear and tear will it receive and will the quilt be subject to repeated laundering? A baby's quilt more often soiled, dragged on the floor may need to have a quick and easy design, as compared to a wall hanging or a bed quilt, that is well cared for.

Decide how much time you have available to denote to the baby quilt project. If you need to complete the quilt in a short period of time, select a pattern or design for your quilt that requires limited hours of your time to quilt. Yet, if you have the time to put into hand sewing or appliquéing a special baby quilt pattern, choose an intricate design and put more effort into the quilting.

Fabric is always an important decision. If you choose a busy print this will hide the quilting design, use a cross-hatch grid or quilt in the ditch method. Place intricate and detailed quilting motifs on solid-color fabrics or tone-on-tone prints.

Remember that you also need to consider you own level of expertise. If you are just a beginning quilter, choose patterns and designs that are simple and require straight lines or grids. If you have the expertise to handle more advanced techniques, challenge yourself with the more intricate patterns, such as feather designs or if you machine quilt, meander or stipple quilting.

Once you are ready to bind your baby quilt, consider again your skill level, time constraints, how much use the baby quilt pattern will receive, or whether the baby quilt has edges that are straight, irregular or curved.

I have one more important and vital part to the process that many quilters tend to skip. Photograph your quilt both from far away and close up shots. Keep these either in an album of all your treasured works of art that your print out at your local photo shop or store digitally, both on your computer and also on a back-up copy (CD or jump drive), just in case the technology fails.

A baby quilt is an heirloom and records should be kept.

Why Your Content Marketing Is Failing and How to Fix It

Content marketing can be extremely effective for extending your reach, driving traffic and helping you reach your business goals. However, some business owners report that content marketing just isn't effective for them - or at least isn't as effective as they'd like.

This post will outline some of the most common reasons your content marketing may be failing and what you can do to get back on track.
Your content is too short

There is no optimal word count for content. The perfect length will depend on a variety of factors, including the topic, your audience and how and where you promote it. For example, with my company Due, our readers LOVE our longer 5000+ word guides. The average person spends 10+ minutes reading them.


That said, many marketers have tested content length to find out, on average, what tends to rank best. The findings span a whole range of lengths but have generally revealed that longer is better.

Research from serpIQ found that 1,500 words is a great target for most blog posts. Searchmetrics, on the other hand, suggests somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,100-1,300 words. If your content is consistently shorter than that, you may find it doesn't get the rankings, shares or engagement you were hoping for.

How to fix it: Content quality is always more important than content length. That said, longer content tends to do a better job of comprehensively covering a topic. For most blog posts, aim for at least 1,100 words. For "evergreen" posts, aim for 1,500-2,000 words minimum.

Your content isn't distinctive.

The vast majority of business owners now engage in some form of content marketing. This means that each piece of content you create faces a tremendous amount of competition.

This is probably one reason why most content that gets published online gets few to no links or shares. The stiff competition means content needs to be unique, valuable and must fill a gap in your industry or niche.

How to fix it: Perhaps the biggest challenge in creating successful content is coming up with original content ideas that haven't been covered a hundred times before. Here's the strategy I use to find topic ideas for blog posts that consistently get read, shared and linked to.
You don't have a content plan.

Many business owners think they can post sporadically to their blog and social media and still see results. Unfortunately, this strategy - or lack of a strategy - usually ends up causing more harm than good.

Consistency is key to building trust when it comes to content marketing. If your fans and followers only hear from you when you have something to sell or promote, you may find your audience starts to dwindle, your traffic dries up and your engagement tanks.

How to fix it: Devise a simple content marketing plan or strategy, and then stick to it. Keep in mind it's better to be consistent, even if that means posting less often. Your plan should document the type and frequency of the content you're going to create and promote. It should also specify the goals for your content marketing, the metrics you'll track and a plan for measuring ROI.
Your content isn't optimized for search.
In recent years, there have been reports that social media has overtaken search in terms of website traffic referrals. However, according to SimilarWeb's 2016 Global Search Marketing report, search drives 10x more traffic to shopping sites than social media.

Even if you have a large social media following, your business will need to be ranking for popular industry keywords in order to succeed. A vital part of achieving these rankings is optimizing your content for search.

How to fix it: Each piece of content you create should be optimized for search. On-page strategies include using your chosen keywords in your title tag, headings, URL, alt image tags (where appropriate) and throughout your content. In addition, make sure your site is optimized for mobile users, that you're using internal linking to spread link equity throughout your site and that you're linking out to authoritative sources to show that your content is trustworthy.

Your content is over-optimized for Search

While it's important to ensure your on-page SEO is in place, over-optimizing can also be a big problem. Not only can it result in a manual action (i.e., a Google penalty for keyword stuffing), it can result in poorly-constructed, completely non-user friendly content.

Examples of over-optimization include: creating "thin" content simply to target a particular keyword, using irrelevant keywords within your content in order to rank, using unrelated anchor text to link to other pages on your site, etc.

How to fix it: Use your keyword research to find general topics and themes for your content. Instead of writing content for the sole purpose of targeting particular keywords or phrases, use your keywords to flesh out your topic and cover sub-topics people actually want to read about.

You don't have goals for your content marketing.

You've probably heard the saying, "A goal without a plan is just a wish". If your goal is to succeed at content marketing, you absolutely must have specific goals in place for what you hope to accomplish.

According to the CMI's 2016 B2B Content Marketing report, businesses spend an average of 28 percent of their marketing budget on content marketing. If you don't know which benchmarks you hope to reach along the way and how you're going to get there, a significant part of your budget could be going out the window.

How to fix it: Setting specific goals will ensure you can monitor both your progress and your effectiveness along the way. Some goals you might set for your content marketing can include:

Traffic generation
Increased leads or sales
Increased fans and followers
Social shares and engagement
Increased links to your website
Read my "Content Marketing Guide"

For a great overview of the different goals you should be setting, check out Search Engine Journal's post, The 5 Goals Every Content Marketer Should Have.

Final thoughts

Content marketing is one of the best things you can do for your business. It's been proven to be effective at driving traffic, reach and sales, and produces higher-than-average ROI's. However, if you're not experiencing these benefits for yourself, it may be time to take a hard look at your strategies to see what might be holding you back.

How to Use Psychology to Create High-Performing Content

When email marketing first started becoming popular in the late 1990s, it was possible to get open rates over 80 percent. When AdWords started getting traction, you could buy clicks for high-volume keywords at very low cost. In the early days of content marketing, it was easy to rank in search.

As time goes on, you have to deal with more and more competition, which makes it harder to stand out. It’s not as easy to rank or drive leads as it used to be.

But, there’s a deeper, more pernicious aspect of aging marketing channels that people rarely talk about: As more and more content gets created, it gets harder to make your company sound different from its competitors.

One of the reasons for this is that we tend to look to our competition, rather than our audience, for guidance. If you’re running a Software as a Service (SaaS) company, it’s tempting to try and copy KISSmetrics or HubSpot when crafting your content marketing style. To see what writing styles work for other companies and just replicate them.

The best way to create content that stands out, though, is by considering the psychology of your audience. If you align your writing style with psychological principles, you can make your voice stand out in the sea of internet content.

Here are a few psychological principles that can help you cut through the noise:

Rule of reciprocity

If someone goes out of their way to help you, you’re more likely to help them in return. If you create genuinely useful content that helps your audience take an action, they’re more likely to return to your blog or sign up for your email list.

Us vs. them

Exactly what it sounds like, this principle uses both in-group and out-group bias. In-group bias refers to the idea that you’re more likely to give preferential treatment to people who you see as part of your group. For example, you’d likely prefer talking to an alum from your school than a random stranger. Out-group bias is the opposite, referring to the idea that you’re more likely to push away people that are not part of your group.

Use this to your advantage by creating an “us vs. them” paradigm with you and your audience against your competitors.

In-group bias

You can also use in-group bias by itself (without out-group bias) in your content marketing by understanding the words and phrases your audience uses to describe their problems. So, if you’re talking to SaaS entrepreneurs, you might talk about increasing monthly recurring revenue (MRR) by “converting free trial signups into paying customers.”

Social proof

We look to other people for guidance when it comes to making purchase decisions.

Leverage social proof in your content strategy through influencer marketing. Even if you haven’t been in business for very long, you can gain instant credibility by having someone well-known in your industry vouch for your product or business.

Availability cascade

The more times a piece of information is repeated to us, the more likely we are to believe it.

It’s a major reason why companies invest so much money in recurring television ads, billboards and other advertisements.

Use this to improve your email marketing campaigns. If you have a specific competitive advantage over everybody else in your market, talk about it as often as needed in your emails. Eventually, you’ll become known for it.

The bottom line is this: The more you allow the psychology of your audience to influence your writing style, the more you’ll connect with readers and the more you’ll stand out from the pack on virtually any marketing channel -- no matter how competitive they get.

3 Ways to Optimize Your Video Advertising Strategy on Facebook

Finally! You can now make real money using Facebook videos. This mega-platform is clearly taking video seriously as an advertising resource -- as it should.

Historically, Facebook videos have been free of advertisements; but then came last year’s announcement that pre-roll ads would play before videos within Facebook’s Audience Network. And that started brands exploring new ways to leverage video on the platform.


What's become popular over the last year, for example, is in-article ads appearing between paragraphs of text on mobile; they begin playing silently once half of the ad pixels had been revealed (until viewers click to opt-in for sound).

The newest thing? Now, Facebook videos will contain mid-roll ads, too. After a few seconds, YouTube allows users to skip ads that play before its videos, but Facebook’s mid-roll ads can be inserted into any video that’s 90 seconds long or more. These ads start to play after 20 seconds. So, if viewers want to finish the video, they need to sit through the mid-roll ad.

With this exciting development, both platform and content creators can fully capitalize on the boom in streaming video.

Projections indicate that video consumption will only continue to rise. By 2020, Cisco’s Visual Networking Index suggests, video streaming and downloads will comprise more than 80 percent of all consumer internet traffic. For entrepreneurs and small business owners, this is mostly good news.
A blessing and a curse

Merchants have been exploiting the most effective marketing strategies since the advent of commerce. Think about the very first hawker, out on the street, shouting at the top of his or her lungs, trying to capture the awareness -- and business -- of everyone who passed by. This in turn attracted other hawkers. One can only imagine how that street must have looked and sounded the next day, with a cacophony of voices rising up to compete for attention.

As with other novel advertising methods, these hawkers' effective strategy was adopted and exploited until consumers saw it so often that they were no longer impressed, but were instead repulsed by the disruption to their experience.

Sound familiar? The same phenomenon is recurring today: That's why, given the ever-increasing number of advertisers posting videos, telling a story in your video that resonates with your audience is vital if you hope to stand out from the crowd.

While understanding your audience will help you maximize the relevance of your ads and make every view count, here are some simple elements to boost the power and reach of your Facebook video ad:

1. What a big font you have . . .

The better to see your video with, my dear! Using larger graphics and fonts is critical. This is especially true on mobile devices (where Facebook has a strong hold), where tiny graphics and text are almost illegible. For great examples of videos with large, easy-to-read captions, check out pretty much any BuzzFeed video -- with the sound off.

To maximize the effectiveness of a video ad and reach as many devices as possible, create mobile versions of each video and run these ads independently of the desktop version. Smaller mobile screens will affect the viewer’s experience. According to research by the Interactive Advertising Bureau, in partnership with Millward Brown Digital and Tremor Video, videos on smartphones are less likely to aid brand awareness than those viewed on desktops, because of the former kind of videos' decreased visibility.

In addition, because filming is usually the most expensive part, while you’ve got the camera out, film several variations of the video’s key elements, and get feedback to optimize the ad’s performance. A little planning ahead goes a long way.

2. Short is the new black.

Keep video ads to no more than 15 seconds, if possible. Although that brevity may not feel possible, it is, and the struggle is worth the reward. Try creating a 15-second video and a 30-second video, and then A/B test them against each other to see which performs best. Examine the viewing stats for each targeted audience, and use that information to settle on the most effective length.

Mobile videos should be shorter than those running on desktop platforms, but shorter videos also just perform better in general. Peloton Cycle, for example, produced a highly effective 15-second Facebook video that identified whom it was addressing (women), what Peloton was offering (in-home spinning with others, in a virtual class) and why (the product satisfies the need to workout from home while still being social).

Just because a video is short doesn’t mean it’s devoid of valuable information. Highlight your target market, your product and where to buy it. If it’s still in the pipeline, let people know when it will be available, and briefly touch on why they should want it or what need it will satisfy. Piquing interest is great -- requiring a lot of follow-up research is not.

3. Indirect pitches hit more targets.

Focus on how you can solve people’s problems instead of installing “click me” buttons. Make a list of five real-life benefits your product or service will give customers. Then, bring them to life in the video to connect viewers with the feeling they’ll get from using it. If you sell sunglasses, for example, show a woman on the beach wearing them, rather than a still life of a pair of shades.

Steven Sashen, CEO of Xero Shoes, made a video that taught viewers how to make their own minimalist sandals without having to buy anything, essentially demonstrating his company’s offering to them. Sure, the video resulted in some sales, but the upward-of-1-million views it received also meant more prospects and vast exposure.

At this point, the video-advertising arena on Facebook is getting crowded, and that’s an excellent barometer of the success companies are seeing on the platform. So, now, the challenge of any Facebook video campaign has become to quickly grab attention with a compelling narrative and stirring visuals, all in a matter of seconds.

Sometimes, that requires abandoning traditional methods of direct selling in favor of building an engaged online following and the momentum that that provides. To make your video a memorable experience for users, keep it short and sweet, and -- please -- make sure your witty captions are legible.