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Tag: COVID-19 pandemic

17-year-old High Schooler Built a Coronavirus-tracking Website

Did you know that one of the most visited corona virus-tracking websites was created by a teenager?

17-year old Avi Schiffmann, of Washington State, developed ncov2019, an informative website that updates COVID-19 statistics from all over the world.

Avi Schiffmann

Avi Schiffmann (Photo from: www.instagram.com/avischiffmann/)

The website collects and regularly updates coronavirus statistics per country, including a tally on deaths, recoveries, active cases, and tests made, from data scraped from WHO, CDC, and other government websites. It also features a map with a breakdown of cases, basic information about the virus, and a survival rate calculator.

rate calculator

Photo: https://ncov2019.live/map

With the website’s popularity, daily website traffic is now estimated at 30 million visitors from all around the world per day, so it is no surprise that Schiffmann has received offers from advertisers. However, Schiffmann decided to decline advertising offers for now, as he did not want ad pop-ups to ruin the website’s UI, which would probably happen once he monetizes the website. Additionally, he is also aware that most of his website visitors from different parts of the world do not have fast internet, so adding ads and trackers will make the website slower and probably unusable for them.

With this impressive development, the future is looking bright for Schiffmann. He has already received job offers, including one from Microsoft, but has yet to accept one, as he is focused into developing his own projects as of now.

With Schiffmann’s ncov2019 development, and the good it did to inform and educate people, we can’t wait to see his projects in the future.

To know more about Avi Schiffmann, visit ncov2019, or follow him on Instagram and Twitter @AviSchiffmann. You can also share your appreciation to his project and buy him a coffee here.

Do you need help putting up your own website? Visit us at www.imanila.ph to get the latest tech updates, trends, and insights from one of the Philippines’ leading full-service digital marketing agencies.

Why Businesses Need a Post-Pandemic Strategy

The coronavirus’ threat to global business hasn’t reached its full magnitude yet. For the next few weeks or months, organizations will begin to shift to a new virtual work reality. This is the birth of a new digital normal. The million-dollar question is, are you prepared to journey the new normal?

With today’s rapidly shifting business landscape, the strategies you use to run and man your business will need to reflect this shift. Here’s how to prepare your business plan for the “post-pandemic normal”.

Smart Financials

Businesses who have not embraced digital transformation yet will most likely not thrive for long. In these problematic times, change is imperative in order to survive. Take your time to re-assess your priorities especially on your digital initiatives. It is crucial that you think smart when it comes to your budget allocation. Remember, the most efficient and effective way to communicate today is through digital.

When this crisis eases, we will be welcomed by generally new digital expectations from consumers. Is there going to be a major surge? Or a gradual rise? Your cash reserves must be able to respond to these kinds of scenarios.

Right Tools

To mitigate the threat of the virus, many organizations have worked remotely. By the end of this, it is likely that some companies will continue to work virtually while some return to their offices. But how will you support them while they are at home? First, you must re-think your strategies and make them long-term.

You may choose to provide your employees with more consistent access to networks, portable equipment and other communication software. This way you can increase their productivity while at home and you may host more intimate and hassle-free online meetings or virtual collaborations without missing a single idea.

Efficient Staffing

This global pandemic has created a wall in everyone’s workforce. To address this gap, you must continually make efficient and smart staffing decisions quickly. In a workplace, there are three typical employees present:

  1. Employees who effectively run the business
  2. Passionate and experience-hungry employees
  3. Starters who need to be trained

Identify individuals who belong in these categories. Then, instill trust and a healthy virtual working environment. Only then will your team members move to constantly communicate, actively collaborate and align their actions to the company’s goals.

After this review, classify additional skills you will need for the future. These could be people who are experts on cloud deployments, operating microservices, etc. If you plan to add in people, you must ensure that you choose the one with experience and can quickly teach other teams with new tools.

Right Brand Permission

Try to assess, is your brand really a digital brand? According to the Yale School of Management, “Brand permission defines the limits of customers’ willingness to accept a familiar brand name in new marketplace situations.” You cannot just claim to be “digital” and expect people to easily accept it especially when you haven’t been digital-driven, historically. You must earn it right.

Brand permission is something to work on and must need time. It focuses on delivering impactful digital products and services—to attract the people you need.

Digital transformation has since been a thing for businesses. But the global pandemic has only pushed to make it rise to a whole new different level — and FAST. We are living in an entirely new digital-driven world. Businesses can no longer simply sit on their laurels or draw digital out of their lives. On your pool of choices, fishing the right ones will ensure you a good spot in this ever-changing and unpredictable world.

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Ready to transition your brand online? We will be happy to guide you through. Learn more about how we can help you here at https://imanila.ph/lets-talk/ or drop us an email at [email protected].

 

#iManila #DigitalAgency

Going Digital to Thrive in the “New Normal”

The coronavirus outbreak has made a huge impact in today’s economy. It has created a huge disturbance in different industries such as tourism, retail, transportation and on all other types of businesses big and small. For a business to keep going during this “New Normal” period is to consider going digital. If you have never had the chance to update your business online, now is the perfect time to brainstorm and to ramp up your digital operation in order to help your business thrive during the global pandemic. 

 

Here’s some reasons on why you should be going digital now!  

 Many consumers shop online 

 Many people have relied on online shopping not only to keep them safe but also SANE during this pandemic. The quarantine has not only kept people home but has forced them to purchase their needs through available applications and websites who have continued to keep their operations going despite not having a physical store open. Just look at the hundreds of businesses marketing their products on social media! Count the number of promotions you’ve seen on the latest delivery apps!  

Your competitors are probably online… since before the pandemic  

If your business doesn’t have a website yet, well guess what? Your competitor probably has one already and you’re missing out on potential customers who are looking for your product or service while at the safety of their own home. While you were sitting at home waiting for things to happen, your competitors were eagerly drafting up online strategies and working with digital agencies on how to move their operations online. So, if you haven’t considered coming up with a digital marketing strategy just yet – well, you should probably start now.  

Many people are working from home… and will likely continue to in the next few months 

Many businesses, just like ours, have implemented work from home setups for their employees since the beginning of March. In order to get tasks done, working remotely and online has been the only option in order to continue the workflow of employees. Going digital doesn’t only have to mean taking your business online, but also taking your work processes online. This means that you business also has to adapt to using efficient software and online tools that will help the productivity and collaboration among employees. Here’s some suggested business tools you can look into: https://imanila.ph/hosting/office-365/. 

 It’s the best way to conduct business during the pandemic 

 Like what we said, the coronavirus outbreak has made an enormous impact not just on businesses but also in the health, safety and welfare of all employees and consumers. At this time, employers cannot force their employees to go back to the office given the limited availability of public transportation and even to a certain extent, public healthcare. These past months, businesses have learned to survive by showing compassion not only to their employees, but to their customers as well.  

 

Going digital is one way to solve the many concerns of employers and employees throughout this global pandemic. As we continue to face these challenges, we can also see this as an opportunity to change and move forward in a different manner. Together, we can help you take your business online and keep your business going despite the circumstances. Here at iManila, we are equipped to keep your business moving forward no matter what the situation is. Reach us through https://imanila.ph/lets-talk/ or drop us an email at [email protected] for more information! Stay home and save a life!

iManila’s Favorite Online Collaboration Tools during ECQ

With most parts of the world on lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many companies have been forced to shut down their doors and establish a sudden shift to remote work to stay operational.  

This also includes us in iManila. With most of our services revolving around the digital landscape, we were lucky enough to have started using various online tools to keep up with the trends and requirements of our clients, even before the pandemic.  

However, since we have started fully working remotely for the past two months, we have also discovered new tools to ease out of our usual business processes and to enhance team collaboration.  

Here’s a couple of online tools that we have found helpful during the lockdown period. Maybe you can try them out too!  

As our company’s official central communications platform, we have used Microsoft Teams more than any other online tool in the past few months. Microsoft Teams’ various features enable us to chat, call, and collaborate whether individually or through its “teams” feature, which allows us to create separate channels within each department or team specifically dedicated to a particular concern, project or purpose. One feature of MS Teams that we really like is that it enables team members to edit MS Word, Excel or PowerPoint documents within the app – allowing for easier collaboration and real-time edits without having to jump from one application to another.  

 Another thing that makes MS Teams great is that it also allows us to set-up separate “team” channels that our external clients can also access, view and be a part of. This allows us to have a secure private channel with our clients, allowing everyone to have a unified communication thread that’s easy to access whether on mobile or on desktop.  

We’ve been using Trello for a few months now to monitor and track tasks for specific projects. So far, this has been an effective tool to manage deliverables and timelines, especially for our creative design and website development projects.  

 Trello’s user-friendly and fun interface allows all of its users to keep track of deadlines easier, and easily prioritize tasks on-the-go. It also allows multiple people involved in multiple projects to be notified when a deadline is coming up. To add, Trello also has a user-friendly mobile app which is also easy to view and update via mobile phone.   

While Microsoft Teams also has a video call feature, we prefer using Zoom for calls involving a bigger group. 

 Zoom has been extremely helpful for big team meetings of more than 10 attendees and for company-wide townhalls called by our CEO for monthly company announcements. What’s great is Zoom can also be accessed either through your browser, desktop, or mobile app, and on top of that allows screen-sharing – making it easier for us to present pitch decks or webinars to clients or to other members of the team.   

Google’s G Suite platform is another one of our clear favorites as it has greatly allowed us to collaborate across multiple solutions – Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Hangout, Meet, etc!  

 Our entire team has been using G Suite for a few years now, as it gives us better solutions to collaborate, store, and share files within one consolidated platform. It allows us to have real-time updates on Google Docs, Sheets and Slides while sharing this with everyone (including clients) for easier collaboration.  

 Google Drive, on the other hand, serves as a repository for many of our working files as it likewise allows us to share these files with our clients, while Google Meet is another platform often preferred by our foreign clients when it comes to kick-off and coordination meetings.  

 These are just some of our favorite and most used online tools during the enhanced community quarantine. Other systems we use include our self-made and highly customized iManila Sales Portal, our HR Payroll System and our Technical Support’s Online Ticketing System, as well as a subscriber-based type of software called Zoho for time keeping and invoicing.  

 As one of the leading full-service digital agencies in the Philippines, we offer various digital services – from web and apps development, hosting, digital marketing, and technical support. 

 Need help in setting up your business towards the shift to the digital space? Looking to learn more about G Suite or Office 365? Get in touch with us today and let us improve your life through technology. #iManila #WorkFromHome 

4-ways-digital-marketing iManila

4 Ways Digital Marketing Can Help During the COVID-19 Pandemic

With the ongoing lockdown measures due to COVID-19, more people are staying at home. But what does it mean for marketers?

Traditional marketing platforms like billboards and street signs are now left unseen, with people staying at home, and away from the roads. On the other hand, a vast majority of those staying at home are spending more time online whether working remotely or reaching out to friends and family.

While we are in the middle of transforming into the “new” normal, take the time to assess and explore options to bring your business back up.

On our latest blog, let us share some insights on how you can utilize digital marketing during this time:

Reach out to your customers through Email Marketing

As one of the most cost-effective options to communicate with your audience, creating email campaigns can help you reach out to your existing clients. A simple reminder to let them know that you are here to serve and help them online can go a long way.

Update your Website FAQs

People are regularly searching for information online, now more than ever. Do not miss out on customers looking for your product. Update your website content to ensure that common client queries are on your website. Answering these questions and content to your website can give you an opportunity to rank higher on Google search engine results pages for keywords related to your business.

Communicate through Social Media

Utilize your social media platforms to interact, inform and share positive thoughts to your audience. Whether it is updating your business hours, taking online orders, or simply ensuring everyone’s safety, make use of your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or other social media platforms, to keep your customers updated.

Additionally, you can also explore running ads on Facebook or Instagram to generate awareness and grow your audience.

Consider running a Google Search Campaign

Running a Google Search Campaign is the best way to reach customers who are interested to purchase your product or service. This can be especially helpful for businesses producing essential goods to let your customers know that you are taking orders online and delivering directly.

Digital marketing never stops and can help reach your target consumers despite the lockdown.

Need a hand in reaching out to your audience through digital marketing? Talk to us today! Drop us a message at https://imanila.ph/lets-talk/

How to be productive while working from home

In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of businesses have begun discontinuing working from the office and instead turning to other means such as working from home. Long gone are the days that you would only be able to get work done in your physical office desk in the presence of your co-workers. Work channels and other digital platforms make it possible to keep communication constant, whether it be through sending files or via video chat for important meetings.

 

For those who have yet to experience work from home, it may seem easier said than done. Offices are places conducive to ensure maximum productivity and this can be one of the challenges of navigating through working from home. We have compiled a short guide on how to maximize your time working from home so you can breeze through it and get things done.

 

Have a Dedicated Office Space

 

Your biggest enemy to working from home is getting in that work mindset and this can be difficult when you are sitting at your couch or at the kitchen table. Having a dedicated space where you can keep focus is important, whether it means just clearing a table or picking a room to stay in where you would be working full time.

 

Part and parcel of this is making your environment ideal for productivity which means decluttering the mess in your desk and nearby surroundings. It is important to keep this neat as you would be spending most of your time working at home in this area.

 

Make a schedule and set boundaries

 

Because you would be working from home, it would be really easy to slip out of work time and into your personal time. This makes it important to make a schedule for yourself to ensure that you do not cross that boundary and still get that work-life balance.

 

One of the big advantages of working from home is being able to control your own time. Nobody knows how to optimize your productivity more than you so make the most out of this and let it work to your advantage. Block out time in your calendar for your own priorities and set your notifications accordingly. This means to also allot times for breaks that can help you best get back to maximum productivity.

 

Set ground rules with people in your home

 

Just because you are working at the comfort of your own house doesn’t mean you’re already free to run an errand or do chores on the dot. Set clear rules about when you are free to help around in the house and with other matters outside of your work. This would help you keep your productivity and still be able to help around the house at the right time.

 

Start and end your work hours with a routine

 

This is important as it creates a habit that both signifies the start of your workday and the end. Whether this be to make a cup of coffee before sitting down at your work desk or doing a stretching routine after your work hours have ended – it’s always nice to keep a routine going.

 

What this means for business owners

 

If you are a business owner thinking of letting your employees do their work from home, there is nothing to fear for a lot of businesses have taken up the same position. With the right tools to equip them for easy communicating no matter where they may be working from, there’s nothing to worry about in terms of productivity. Just know that there are many businesses out there, just like you, that are still fighting to stay in operations despite the global pandemic.

 

Having your business online is a good way to ensure that your brand is still felt despite not having an operational physical store or office. There is no better time to expand your business online than now. Get a team of experts to help you get started in navigating through the digital landscape. iManila remains open and contactable despite the pandemic. Reach us through our website, and drop us a question to find out how to get started in Digital!