Tag Archives: social-media

The Ultimate Guide to Building a Successful Website

Posted on October 18, 2018 by Hosting

The post The Ultimate Guide to Building a Successful Website appeared first on HostGator Blog . You’ve got an idea for a web property – whether it’s for a business, to share your thoughts and ideas with the world, or to simply find and connect with other people who share your passions. The challenge now is to build your website . If you don’t know anything about web design or HTML, then building a website can seem like a daunting prospect. But getting all the elements of a successful website into place is just a matter of knowing the right steps to take and tools to use.   This guide will cover all the main things you need to know to get started. Step 1: Determine Your Website Goals. You’re starting a website for a reason. What is it you want the site to accomplish? Before you actually start working on the website itself, sit down and really work out what you want your website to achieve. If it’s a business website, your main goal will be increasing your business profits, but you’ll want to break that down into more specific and transitional goals as well, such as raising brand awareness or driving traffic into your store. If you’re hoping to write blog posts about what you love and eventually monetize your blog , then your goals will be based on driving traffic and building a community.   Even if you just want to use your website to put your thoughts out into the world or share your creative projects, you probably want other people to find and connect with them. Successful website design depends on what you want to get out of the website. Whether you want visitors, sales, subscribers, fame, community, or something entirely different, you have to start by clearly defining and writing out your website goals.   Step 2: Pick a Domain and Hosting Provider. While you can take each of these steps separately, they’re lumped together here for a reason. Most hosting providers include a domain name (or multiple) in the cost of hosting, so you can save yourself some money by registering a domain through the hosting provider you go with.   Picking Your Domain Name Choosing the right domain name can be challenging. You need to pick something that makes sense for your websites, is easy for your visitors to remember, but that’s still available. With millions of websites already out there, a lot of your options are already taken – especially if you want to use a .com option, which is recommended since it’s what your visitors will automatically type in when looking for you. If you have a business name already, you’ll ideally want to come up with a domain that matches it or is at least similar. If you’re still figuring out what to call your brand or blog, then you have some more room to get creative here.   Brainstorm different keywords and concepts that you like and that are relevant to what you’ll be offering on the site. Put together different combinations of terms that you like the sound of and check the availability with HostGator’s domain name search until you find an option you like that’s available. Some domain registrars, including HostGator, allow you to bundle your domain purchase with your hosting plan. Let’s review how to choose a hosting plan next.   Choosing Your Web Hosting Plan When you start looking at , you may find it all overwhelming at first. The main things you need to cross off your web hosting checklist are: Does the provider have a reliable server? Research a web hosting provider’s uptime to make sure you pick one you can be confident will keep your website consistently active. Can the plan handle your traffic? Unless you have an established brand, your website probably won’t get that much traffic to start. But you want to make sure you choose a plan that can handle the amount you plan on getting. Is the plan compatible with your web design needs? If your website will be on the simpler side, then you don’t have much to worry about here, but if you have a developer that insists on using a specific type of programming language or software, you may need to choose your web hosting plan based on compatibility. A good web hosting provider will have salespeople that can help you navigate the differences between the various plans they offer and customer support that will help you learn the ropes when getting your website set up. If you’re considering HostGator for your provider, our staff can help with any questions you have and most of our plans come with at least one domain name included.   Step 3: Plan Out Your Site Organization. A successful website design requires proper organization. You need the website to be intuitive to users. And if you care about being easy to find, you also need it to be organized well for SEO . Before you work on the website design itself, sit down to figure out the main pages and categories your website will have. The most important pages should go in your main menu, which should be included on every page so it’s easy for visitors to navigate to the most important parts of the site. If your website will just have a few main pages and be pretty basic, figuring out your site organization won’t be too difficult. But if you’ll have a bigger site with a lot of different pages, categories, and subcategories, then it’s even more important to get a plan into place for how it will all be organized now. Think first and foremost when planning out your site’s organization about your future visitors. What are the categories that will make the most sense to them? What site structure will make it easiest for them to find what they’re looking for? You’ll be doing some guesswork at this point (and your analytics after you launch will show you if you got it right or need to make changes later), but do your best to put yourself in their shoes now.   Step 4: Develop a Successful Website Design. Once you know the main pages you’ll be creating and the way you’ll be organizing the site, it’s time to design your website. If you’re not adept at web design yourself, you have two main options here:     Using a website builder     Hiring a professional web designer   Option 1: Using a Website Builder You don’t have to learn coding to build a success website anymore. Now you can turn to website builders that make creating a website on your own much easier. Website builders usually offer a number of templates you can choose from to start with and let you make tweaks to personalize the site from there. You can load your own images and copy, easily change out colors, and drag and drop images and other page elements to where you want them on the page. For someone without coding skills that has a limited budget, sticking with a website builder is worth it to keep things easy, while still producing a website that looks good. And if you chose HostGator to be your web hosting provider in step two, we offer a free website builder with many of our web hosting plans, so you won’t have to spend any additional money to get started. Here are just a few of the websites designed using our free templates: Option 2: Using a Professional Designer For more complicated websites, a website builder may not cut it. If your website will have a lot of pages, include a difficult-to-build feature like creating a forum , or if you have a really specific vision in mind – then you’ll be better off hiring a professional to design your website for you. Research the design firms and freelance web designers in your area and set up interviews with anyone whose style you like. In each interview, make sure you discuss your main goals for the website and clearly describe what you’re looking for. Pay attention to the questions they ask you and the tips or suggestions they provide – that’s how you’ll get a feel for their level of knowledge and whether they’re a good fit. Developing a successful website design with the right professional will ultimately be a collaborative effort, and finding the right person to hire is the most important step of that process.   Step 5: Write Your Website Copy. The design’s important, but one of the other crucial elements of a successful website is good copy. Website copywriting is a skill set in and of itself and, especially for business websites, the words you choose will make a big difference in how successful your website is at achieving your goals. For many websites, your best bet at this step is to hire a professional copywriter who knows what kind of writing works well on the web and can help you clarify your business positioning and messaging so that it resonates with your target audience. If your website is more of a passion project than a business website with a profit goal, then it might not make as much sense to spend money on a professional copywriter. If you’ll be writing your website copy yourself though, take some time to read up on web copywriting best practices .   Step 6: Optimize for SEO. If you want people to find your website, then you need to be thinking about how to design your website for search engines as well as people (although people should always take priority!). That means learning the basics of SEO and optimizing each of the pages on your website before you publish it. Search engine optimization is a big topic, but to give you the short version, it includes: Performing keyword research to learn the terms your audience is using (and how competitive they are) Including relevant keywords in your URL structure , title tags , headings, image meta tags , and copy. Adding meta descriptions for every page on your website. Including natural internal links on your web pages using relevant keywords in the anchor text.   Start doing this before your website goes up on the web and keep doing it for every new page you add over time.   Step 7: Plan for Marketing. A successful website doesn’t start and stop with a good design. You also have to plan on taking steps to promote your website. SEO is one part of that, but you may also want to consider using tactics like paid advertising, social media marketing, and content marketing to get users to your website. New websites often need an extra push to get those first visitors. If gaining an audience is important for you to meet your website goals, then you’ll benefit from creating a marketing plan even before your website launches.   Step 8: Review All Pages for Any Errors. With your web design and website copy in place, you’re so close! Now you just need to make sure everything looks good before you actually put your website out on the wide web. Take time to read over every page and look for any errors. Make sure all your links point to the right place and all the information is accurate. Check how it looks on mobile devices and in different web browsers. This is a good phase to bring in some outside eyes. Have a friend go through the website as well to see if they find it intuitive and everything looks good to them too. You’re so close to it that someone else will have an easier time spotting usability issues than you will.   Step 9: Launch! Once you’re pretty confident that everything looks good and you have exactly the website you want, publish it to the web. Make sure to set up a Google Analytics account and add the tracking code to your website at this point (or before) to help with our last step.   Step 10: Monitor Your Site. No matter how hard you try, you won’t come up with the perfect website design on the first try. To fully understand what works on your website with your audience, you’ll have to wait and see what they do once your website is out in the world. Pay attention to your analytics and use the data to find opportunities to improve your website’s design, your copy, and the marketing tactics you use over time. A successful website is only a little bit about what you do when you’re building it (although all that matters!). It’s much more about what you do after it has launched. Make sure you build the best website you can, but also have a plan for what to do beyond launch day to achieve success. 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Use Social Live Streams to Drive Site Traffic: 5 Examples from Brands

Posted on October 10, 2018 by Hosting

The post Use Social Live Streams to Drive Site Traffic: 5 Examples from Brands appeared first on HostGator Blog . Businesses can embrace social live stream while driving traffic to their sites. Live streaming brings reality to your consumers’ screens, and your brand can use it as a tool to spark awareness and interest in your products. “It’s the prime time for live streaming, and if you miss the boat, you could be missing out on huge traffic numbers and the ability to create a viral buzz. It’s one of the most genuine ways to connect with an audience and allows for levels of personalization that the marketing industry has never seen,” writes serial entrepreneur Neil Patel . Grab your cameras and start mapping out a strategy. Here are five ways to capture your audience’s attention. 1. Create Anticipation Marketing involves spreading your brand’s message. Whether it’s posting a blog post or sending a press release, the goal is to share information with your consumers. Over the years, we’ve come accustomed to certain marketing messages, like a furniture store’s television commercial announcing a holiday sale. Customers also can expect emails about an online company’s Cyber Monday special. These strategies heighten consumers’ anticipation for something they desire. They’ll mark the date and wait anxiously for your latest product. Social live streaming also can bolster anticipation amongst your consumers. The live aspect makes your audience an integral part of a product release, celebrity endorsement, or even an IPO announcement. Check out Chevrolet’s Facebook live stream on news about its all-electric 2017 Bolt EV. It’s a chance for avid fans to witness the new technology. Work with your team to harness the anticipation by leading followers to your site. Whatever you’re announcing, it’s crucial to represent it on your page. If not, you may risk losing people’s interest quickly. Tap into consumers’ curiosity by dropping clues about the news throughout the live stream. Then, lead them to the big reveal on your website. You’ll increase their enthusiasm and boost traffic.   2. Build a Community Social live streaming gathers people together for a common purpose. From a preview of a new product or an inside look at the work culture, live streaming affords your brand an opportunity to build a viable community. Interaction is one of the critical ingredients of live streaming . People want to be part of the conversation. Your brand can satisfy that sense of belonging and build a real connection. “Being live is all about LIVE! Interact with your audience in-the-moment, whether it’s handing out promos on the street, running a quick Q&A session, or just chatting. There’s always the possibility that something unplanned or spontaneous will happen, that’s part of the fun of live social,” states Christian Brink , contributor at the AddThis Academy. After garnering people’s attention, then your brand can guide folks to your website. Be deliberate in your call to action, and state it multiple times throughout the broadcast. You can entice consumers with a free digital gift, or you can encourage them to sign up for your newsletter to receive updates about upcoming live streams. A well-organized community demands trustworthiness. Therefore, stay away from deceiving or manipulating your audience. If you make a promise, it’s up to your team to deliver it.   3. Celebrate Your Fans Gratitude speaks volumes. It shows people you value their time and support. So it makes sense to devote some effort into expressing your admiration. For most brands, appreciation comes as a thank you email or a limited-time coupon. These ideas work, but you can do better. A social live stream is an opportunity to publicly acknowledge your followers . You can give them shoutouts and spend time answering their burning questions. You also can do something tailored to your brand. For instance, if you sell T-shirts, you can  explain to your fanatics how the design came to life, and you can get followers to submit their own designs for a future brand collection. Maybelline hosted a makeup tutorial on Facebook. The live stream also included a giveaway to its fans. The live session was both exciting and educational. Your team can keep the celebration going by directing fans to a particular site. Get them to sign up for your rewards program or encourage them to refer a friend for 15% off their next purchase. Showing a little appreciation goes a long way. You’ll never go wrong celebrating your fans online.   4. Spotlight Trends Today’s news cycle runs 24/7. People get swamped with celebrity sightings, local gatherings, and everything they don’t care about. With so much noise, it’s easy for your consumers to tune out. Who wouldn’t? Your brand can break the mold. You can be the news hub for consumers to learn about trends that actually matter to them. There’s an opportunity gap to turn disinterested viewers into active listeners with your social live stream. Start by doing your homework. That process involves researching what matters to your core audience. Learn about their desires, goals, and pain points. You want to know what trends will help them live better lives. When it’s time to hit play, talk about topics that directly concern your audience. Don’t give fluff or consumers will immediately leave. “[R]emember that people have busy lives and are impatient. Capture their attention quickly by delving straight into the action. Unless you generate interest in the first few seconds, people will be inclined to click away for something more interesting,” says Sherry Gray , a freelance content writer. Once you’ve satisfied viewers with what they want, then you can pitch your site or a specific landing page . An easy transition from the trend to the relevant page will intrigue your consumers and earn you more traffic.   5. Promote Events Social media has opened the doors to the world. Back in the day, you only experienced what happened in your town, and you only learned about the latest events through the six o’clock news. Thankfully, things have changed. You now can witness the recent happenings with the help of your smart device and social media channels. Therefore, you’re never left out of the fun! As a brand, it’s your responsibility to bring that excitement to your consumers. Not everyone will be able to attend your product launch party. But you can make people feel a part of the action. The answer is to live stream your next event. Engage consumers with exclusive content that is worth sharing with their friends. Here’s an example from Red Bull. The brand crashed the Ice Marseille and live streamed the event via Periscope. The footage contained the making of the ice track and a first-hand view from the athletes’ perspective, along with commentary.   Watch @CrashedIce LIVE from Marseille! https://t.co/jG64LlJLJE — Red Bull (@redbull) February 17, 2018 Sending your viewers directly to your site isn’t always the best option. You can still keep them engaged by asking them to follow you on Twitter or your fan page. That way, your audience doesn’t feel pressured to buy from your brand.   Go Live. Drive Traffic. Social live stream is here to stay. Open your business to new opportunities by taking advantage of it. You can create anticipation before a product launch. Develop a community of brand ambassadors with lots of fan interaction. Or promote events that showcase your brand’s uniqueness. Be social. Go live. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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What Are Google Ads and How Do They Work?

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Hosting

The post What Are Google Ads and How Do They Work? appeared first on HostGator Blog . Getting noticed on the web is an uphill battle. The entire complicated industry of online marketing has grown around the difficulty of getting people to visit your website, stick around once they’re there, and take the actions you want them to. A good portion of online marketing revolves around a site almost all of us use, that regularly sees over 3.5 billion searches a day: Google. Because of how ubiquitous Google is, it plays a significant role in how people experience the web and find the websites they visit. For most websites, it has the potential to be the biggest referrer of new visitors to your website by a long shot. But showing up on page one of Google in the natural results is extremely competitive and out of reach for a lot of websites that are either fairly new or in an especially competitive space. A faster and easier way to get traffic from Google (and traffic in general) is with Google Ads . What Are Google Ads? Google’s advertising platform, Google Ads (previously called Google AdWords ) powers all the ads that show up on the search engine results page (SERP), as well as on many of the other sites around the web. For many types of search terms, ads increasingly dominate the SERP. You’ll see ads that look a lot like the natural results at the top of the page, along with ads that include images either above the other search results or on the side of the page. In addition to the valuable real estate these ads provide on the Google results page itself, Google Ads also show up on other popular Google properties like YouTube and Gmail, as well as over 2 million other websites and apps included in Google’s massive display network. In other words, the reach of Google Ads is about as broad as you can get. They’re all over the web – you’ve probably already seen a few today without realizing it.   Should You Use Google Ads? Google Ads are a powerful way to get your website in front of a targeted audience. While it’s only one of many online marketing tactics you can use, many of the other best tactics require playing a long game. Seeing results from SEO, social media, and content marketing often takes months or even years of ongoing work, while investing in paid advertising with Google Ads can start earning you traffic faster. Most businesses will be better off using a mix of online marketing tactics than just sticking with one, and if you want quicker results and have the budget for Google Ads, then it’s a solid choice to include in your marketing mix .   How Buying Google Ads Works The first step for anyone interested in Google Ads is to set up a PPC account, which is a pretty simple and quick process. Once you’re able to access the Google Ads platform, you can start setting up ad campaigns. Check out this guide to getting started with Google Ads .   The Bidding Model Google Ads uses a bidding model for ads, meaning that you’re competing with everyone else on the platform who’s interested in the keywords and ad placements that you choose to target. When you’re creating a campaign, you’ll be prompted to provide a maximum daily budget, along with a maximum bid amount. The higher you’re willing to spend, the more often your ad will show up. You can set your bids manually, but Google Ads also offers an automatic bidding option wherein you trust the platform to decide the best amount to bid within the budget you’ve provided. Their program aims to make bids that will bring you the highest number of clicks possible for your budget.   Pay-per-click Pricing One of the biggest benefits of Google Ads is that most campaigns on the platform use a pay-per-click pricing model. You only pay when someone clicks on one of your ads. Unlike many advertising options where you pay for general exposure, here you only pay when someone takes the main action you want them to: visiting your website. While it’s not used as commonly, Google Ads does also offer the option of setting up campaigns that use a cost-per-impression pricing model. If your main goal for a campaign is building brand recognition rather than getting clicks, you can choose this option and pay for every 1,000 times your ad shows up.   Targeting Options One of the other main benefits Google Ads offers is relevance. When you put up a billboard, you’re paying to show your ad to loads of people in order to reach the few who are actually in your target audience. By comparison, Google Ads makes it easier to more effectively reach those people. The main type of targeting they provide for ads that show up on the SERP is keyword targeting . You can choose which keywords you want to bid on to ensure your ad shows up when people are searching for precisely what’s on the page you’re promoting. By choosing highly relevant keywords to target, you increase the chances of getting clicks from people likely to be interested in your page. In addition, Google Ads allows targeting by geographic area and demographics . If you sell products that primarily appeal to a specific age range or gender or if you want to reach an audience in a specific city or region, then you can tell the platform to just show your ads to them. Google can use its extensive user data to help you reach the precise audience you want visiting your site. Being seen on the web is hard and your website can’t do its job until people find it. Google Ads is a relatively affordable tool for increasing your online visibility and driving more traffic to your website. Get started with Google Ads now. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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Why Everyone Needs a Website, Including You

Posted on October 2, 2018 by Hosting

The post Why Everyone Needs a Website, Including You appeared first on HostGator Blog . Back in the day, a business card was an indicator of being in business. It told the world what you were about and where you were heading. Today, the same can be said for your website. If you run a business , do freelance work, or even work as an employee, a website has become indispensable. With endless social media profiles and other forms of digital representation the question arises, “Do I even need a website?” The answer is a resounding yes . Having your own website gives you a medium that you control 100%. Beyond that, we offer even more reasons below. Keep reading to learn why everyone needs a website. 1. Set Yourself Up for Future Success Your website gives you a vehicle to showcase your expertise, build a personal brand , and offer a way to showcase your creativity. Your site will continually evolve with you as you progress throughout your personal and working life. By having a personal website you extend your opportunities for growth and success. For example, by creating a blog that’s filled with captivating and compelling content around your area of expertise you’ll not only be able to network with other’s in your niche but also establish your authority in time.   2. Stand Out From The Field You can even think of your website as a digital resume. Instead of just listing places you’ve worked and skills you’ve acquired, you can actually show off those skills in real time. If you’re looking to give yourself a leg up on your competition, then your website can be the perfect way to showcase your skills. For example, a standard resume is kind of boring. You can use your website to the same effect, but you can also make your past work experience more engaging by including photos, testimonials, additional text, and even video.   3. Control Over Your Image Having complete control over how you present yourself is important. Today, whether you’re applying for a new job, pitching a potential project, or simply introducing yourself to someone, the chances are high that they’ll Google you first. Even though your social media profiles may come up, this won’t give people a curated version of yourself, but instead, an aggregation of the pictures and words you thought were worth sharing with the world at that moment in time. Your website gives you a chance to showcase yourself in digital form. It’s near impossible to have this same level of control by relying on other platforms, or not having a website at all.   How to Get Started Building Your Site So, you’re convinced you need to build your own site. That’s good, creating your very first website is a closer reality than you think. With the new GATOR builder , you can have a site online in as little a couple of clicks. Of course, you’ll want to spend time thinking about the overall goals of your website, what you want it to look like, and it’s purpose for existing. But, by using a website builder you can create your site without having any existing development experience. Just select your theme, drag and drop certain elements until you’re satisfied, then publish your site online. Hopefully, you have a better understanding of the importance of having your own website, even if you aren’t planning on monetizing it directly. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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HostGator Announces 2019 Technology Scholarship Winners

Posted on September 26, 2018 by Hosting

The post HostGator Announces 2019 Technology Scholarship Winners appeared first on HostGator Blog . HostGator is pleased to announce the winners of our 2019 Technology Scholarship competition . Supporting education has always been a foundation of HostGator, particularly since HostGator was founded in a college dorm room back in 2002 . More than 300 applicants answered the essay question – “In what industry or area do you see technology making the largest impact in the next 10 years?” Our business relies on technology and the creative minds of tech-savvy individuals who have ideas for websites. That’s why we’re so proud of these three winners and their innovative ideas for the future of technology. HostGator staff selected the top candidates based on the originality, quality, and innovation of the ideas in their essays. Three winners were selected to receive a $1,500 scholarship. HostGator is pleased to announce the following winners: Sara Guerry, Radford University, studying social work Nathan Schams, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, studying finance Anita Whittner, Nassau Community College, studying psychology Enjoy reading their essays, and drop us a comment at the bottom of the page to let us know what you think about the impact of technology over the next 10 years. Sara Guerry, Radford University In the next 10 years, technology is going to make the biggest impact in the field of mental health. It already is. And we will see the results of that impact in the coming years; both in positive and challenging ways. I’ve been really curious about the development and success of app-based app based therapy such as TalkSpace. In this time of Millennials and Generation Z, people are not connecting as much face-to-face as we used to, but our fears and anxieties are still present. TalkSpace allows clients to reach a therapist any time in a way that works for them – text, video, or phone. Life is always on the go and not many people have time to dedicate to sitting in an office talking about their problems for an hour. Additionally, services like TalkSpace are affordable. With the rising costs of medicine and the uncertainty of insurance and policies governing our health, mental health is the first thing to be cut out of most budgets. These types of applications allow anyone to afford mental care and seek help in an ongoing manner. We also live our lives more externally now. There is still a stigma around mental health and seeking help. But now there’s also a stigma around wearing the same thing twice or tripping on the sidewalk or any other number of things that can be photographed, videoed, snapped, and put on the internet for time immemorial. The perceived shame of being ‘caught’ going to a therapist or talking to one in person can be a major barrier to seeking help. When siloed into our own heads and seeing the posts of our friends on social media, it’s easy to get perceptions misconstrued. Social media is media of choice and permanency on a very minute level. Everything we post is archived. And, for that reason, there’s a lot of stress involved with marketing oneself just-so 24/7. One thing that excites me, however, is technology’s opportunity to shift the paradigm. Just as many people see technology as driving a wedge between us as people, it also stands to be the magnet that brings us all back together. Right now, at this moment, I can talk to someone on the other side of the world via a free app. High-speed trains are connecting cities at greater and greater distances, bringing cultures together. What’s on the horizon next? How can technology reprogram us to being more social in person? How can it help us gain greater appreciation for those around us? What is the potential for finding our way back to each other? Where technology started this challenge, it can also rise to the occasion and redefine the results. In bringing ourselves back to the physical world through technology, we can center our minds on our environment, on each other, on ourselves. Our mental health can be more focused on our well being. This is why technology is going to have the greatest impact on us in the next 10 years.   Nathan Schams, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse In the short time that I have been alive, I have seen the dramatic effects technology has on the world. It is easy to see how technology has inserted itself into our modern culture. From our phones to our cars, technology leads the way. However, there is one industry that technology has left almost untouched, and I believe that is the construction industry. We have seen how things like self-driving cars and iPhones have changed everything from how we take notes to the way we farm, yet we have not seen near enough of this technology implemented into the methods of building our infrastructure. I believe that in the next ten years especially, the construction industry will evolve into something even more phenomenal than it currently is. Of course, some may say “well Nathan, construction companies have already adopted technologies like Global Positioning Systems and have even gotten complex systems of sensors to control the Los Angeles stoplights to decrease emissions.” However, this is only the tip of the iceberg for construction companies. Could you imagine a world where road construction lasted only weeks not months, and cost less than a quarter of what it currently does? This does not have to be just some crazy dream; in the next ten years, self-driving construction equipment could be working day and night to set up and take down construction barrels, reroute traffic, tear up old road, and pave the new. Just the self-driving capability of construction equipment alone would save $50,000 per year in labor and would also be able to more than double the speed of the actual road work meaning less traffic jams and delays, less injured construction workers, and much less road work.   Along with self-driving capabilities, there have been many advancements in the realm of artificial intelligence in the last decade, all of which could be applied to the construction industry. Take for example the surveying of a road and the ground on which it lays. For an actual person to survey a road, it could take days and be inaccurate whereas by using AI with the help of certain sensors, we would be able to design an exact model of the current road and use the terrain and topographical maps to plan out what the most efficient way to level the road will be and how to prevent cracks and crevasses from forming. Having roads lasting longer, and people riding smoother, the price of doing road work would decrease significantly making it just as profitable as today: it would just be much more cost effective for our great states. With AI helping build, our highways, interstates, county, and residential streets would be much more straight, flat, and more durable than they had ever been before. This is just a small sampling of technologies that could make an immense, lasting impact on the construction industry, and it is obvious that construction will be greatly impacted by technology in the next ten years.   Anita Whittner, Nassau Community College I believe technological advancements will have an impact on every aspect of our lives, and I expect the greatest impact will be in the food service/concessions/hospitality industry. In the next ten years, the hospitality industry will begin to modernize. There will no longer be keys at hotel rooms, and they will begin to use touch ID. At check-in, each member of the room will register a fingerprint, and to get into their room, they put that finger onto the scanner. This will eliminate the risk of stolen, lost, and missing keys, and the hassle of trying to fix them. Of course, a key will still be able to open the door, maids will need to enter and exit, and will be offered to anyone who is uncomfortable with the policy. Another way the hospitality industry will be able to accommodate its guests is through apps on mobile devices that will allow you to check in, check out, and even order room service without having to wait on lines or call anyone. Just like hotels will use apps on smartphones for check-in, out, and room service, the concessions industry will use similar technology to promote online ordering. McDonald’s, Starbucks, and many other chain foods currently have their own apps to order from. With growing technology, McDonald’s has decided to utilize self-order kiosks. These kiosks will take over most cashiers. According to businessinsider.com, McDonald’s has decided to put 1000 in their stores every quarter until 2020. In the next 10 years, I see this growing substantially, spreading outside of fast food to stadiums and arenas. In stadiums and arenas, they have even more ways to deliver meals. At certain venues, you can order food through an app, and the food is run to you, called “in-seat” ordering. This allows guests to order while in their seats and the food be brought to them, making their experience more enjoyable. Another way that the concessions industry will change in 10 years from now is due to facial recognition technology. Large companies are trying to take advantage of this technology, especially stadiums and concert arenas. The facial recognition technology work as so: when you give the venue your credit card information once, you will never have to use it in the venue again. You will simply look at the back of the register where there will be a scanner and it will link your face to your card, making purchases faster and simpler. This would eliminate time spent giving change, and waiting for the chip to process on credit and debit cards.   I see the concessions/hospitality industry changing the most in the next 10 years, as it has the most room for improvement. At my job, I see the company constantly changing. As we reduce the need for cashiers, we have implemented a stand called the “grab-n-go”, where concertgoers can just walk into a small area filled with refrigerators, take whatever they like out, pay, and leave, eliminating the need for cooks, food runners, and cashiers. This type of innovation is what leads me to believe in the next 10 years, this industry will modernize, and begin to take advantage of many future technological advances.      What Are Your Thoughts? Do you agree that technology will have a huge impact in the areas of mental health, construction, and food service & hospitality? If you were answering the essay, what industry do you see technology making the largest impact in the next 10 years? Drop your answer in the comments below!   Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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