Employee engagement and customer experience (CX) are critical for business success in today’s market. As customer loyalty shifts away from price and product to service quality and brand experience, businesses must evolve.
Understanding and improving CX is more crucial than ever, as customers favor brands that meet their growing expectations without sacrificing service quality.
Quite interestingly, research has found that businesses earning $1 billion every year can expect to earn an additional $700 million, on average, within three years of investing in CX.
No wonder improving the end-to-end buying journey for customers is imperative to deliver a positive experience and drive higher revenues — regardless of how many times they have availed your products or services. Let us explain this in detail.
Enhancing CX helps improve retention and earn their loyalty by engaging them throughout their journey with your brand. The cost of acquiring a new customer is reportedly higher than retaining existing ones. Therefore it directly impacts your bottom line.
Strategies for Improving Employee Engagement
Understanding the benefits of enhancing Customer Experience (CX) is crucial for businesses. Here’s a quick overview:
Improves customer retention and loyalty
Directly impacts the bottom line by reducing customer acquisition costs
Leads to increased revenue through repeat business
Enhances brand reputation and customer satisfaction
CX leaders must emphasize developing a customer-centric approach across your company. When building a customer-first business, you must embrace digital transformation and empower your employees with omnichannel tools to help achieve success.
Engaging employees accelerate the growth of your brand. But most of the time, brands are unable to do enough to keep them interested.
A Gallup report states that the average employee engagement worldwide is merely 22%, a significant cause of the surge in employee turnover. Therefore, you must make strategic changes in your operations to improve business outcomes.
You cannot plan to deliver excellent customer service if your attrition rate is high. You must take specific steps that make them a loyal part of your business. The following section explains that in detail.
The “people-first” growth strategy
Your employees are the first point of humanized contact customers have with your brand. Therefore, you must take care of them to transform the relationship with your customers.
Particularly in the last 18 months, businesses have deployed varied change management models to cope with the changes happening in their sector while also ensuring employees continued to deliver as they retreated into isolation and meet the new customer demands with care, concern, and empathy.
In today’s conscious consumer culture, buying decisions are impacted by how well brands treat their employees. Every business leader must realize the need to treat employees as they want their customers to be treated.
Meeting employee needs on time ensures they offer a delightful experience for your customers in return. Putting employees first is not only the right thing to do; it is simply good business.
The service-profit chain concept by the Harvard Business Review links employee satisfaction and customer loyalty to product profitability for businesses at both ends of this chain.
image: hbr.orgIt demonstrates how employee satisfaction leads to customer loyalty for the profitability of a brand and its financial success. Simple as it may sound, the process needs to align the processes to strategically achieve customer and employee success.
At the end of the day, employee satisfaction results mainly from high-quality support policies and services enabling employees to deliver rightfully to the customers. The alignment must be done by providing clear guidelines and best support to employees.
Strategies for Improving Employee Engagement
Employee engagement is pivotal for customer satisfaction. Here are effective strategies to boost engagement:
Offer enriching and streamlined employee experiences
Address and fix operational inefficiencies
Cultivate a culture of empathy and respect
Align employee goals with customer needs for mutual success
Six tips to improve employee success to achieve customer success
A strong company will already have great customer relationships. But that cannot be achieved until their employees are also equally satisfied and happy.
If you are not constantly looking for opportunities to improve your relationship with employees, they will think you do not care about them and hence, leave your company. Here is how you can ensure employee success effectively:
Offer a simple but richer experience
Fix processes wherever possible
Treat your employees with respect and empathy
Tailor success to customer needs
Foster long-term relationships with your staff
Promote and encourage having work-life balance
1. Offer a simple but richer experience
Creating a streamlined and enriched experience for employees is key to achieving customer success. Employees, much like customers, expect a consistent and cohesive journey within the company. This includes smooth transitions of roles and information across different departments.
By simplifying internal processes, not only is the workload on employees reduced, but customer interactions also become more efficient, leading to quicker resolution of issues. Efficient handoffs between departments minimize service gaps, accelerating the delivery process and reducing customer frustration.
Studies have shown that simpler processes can make employees 12% more productive and happier. This increase in employee satisfaction and efficiency can significantly enhance your brand’s competitiveness, with some companies outperforming their rivals by 20%.
2. Fix processes wherever possible
Operational inefficiencies can lead to repetitive complaints from customers, which in turn can demoralize and frustrate your staff. This negative impact on employee morale can be detrimental to both their productivity and the company’s long-term success.
To combat this, it is vital to address and rectify common issues within your systems. By doing so, you not only reduce resource wastage and control inefficiency but also instill a sense of pride in your workforce regarding their company and its services.
A focus on excellence in employee experience can significantly influence the overall customer experience. Companies ranking in the top 25% for positive employee experiences have reported a triple return on assets and double return on sales.
3. Treat your employees with respect and empathy
Fostering a culture of empathy and respect throughout the organization is crucial. If employees feel unengaged or undervalued, it’s unlikely they will have a positive experience with your organization.
A significant 92% of employees believe empathy is undervalued in companies, yet 95% are more likely to stay with an empathetic employer.
Moreover, customers often prefer to engage with brands that align with their personal values and beliefs, with 63% stating a preference for brands driven by such principles.
Creating an empathetic workplace not only improves employee retention but also aligns with customer expectations, thereby enhancing both employee and customer satisfaction.
image: ccl.org
4. Tailor success to customer needs
To ensure sustainable success, it’s vital for a company to align its employees’ efforts with customer goals. This alignment may not always be immediately obvious, but business leaders must work to redefine objectives to prioritize customer satisfaction.
It’s essential to go beyond merely sustaining operations; brands must actively ensure that customers are content with their products or services. By adapting to the customer’s perception of value, companies can simplify processes and clearly define the parameters of success for their employees.
This approach not only enhances the customer experience but also instills a sense of pride and accomplishment in employees, knowing they are directly catering to and fulfilling client needs.
5. Foster long-term relationships with your staff
Retaining employees is a challenge for many businesses. The modern workplace has transformed, and employee expectations are also evolving as customer expectations continue to grow. You need to do more than just pay them for their work.
Keeping them interested and invested in your brand is imperative. Rewards, recognition, appreciation, and empathy help foster healthier relationships.
Designing training strategies to encourage employees to embrace their strengths and weaknesses helps them build their lifetime value.
6. Promote and encourage having work-life balance
A work-life balance can be the difference between a thriving workforce and one that is burnt out. As the boundaries of the workplace and home blur, separating personal life from professional responsibilities provides employees with untethered freedom.
A study by Stanford University supports the need for work-life balance by revealing that productivity declines sharply when people work for more than 50 hours a week.
It reiterates how important it is to take time off as it helps combat stress levels, thereby improving productivity instantly. Moreover, since the pandemic began and working from home became a norm, working hours have definitely increased.
image: ibm.comIn today’s era of remote working, you have to ensure your employees get ample opportunity for self-care even though they are at home.
Find small ways to promote healthier habits at your company. Implementing policies such as flexible hours ensures people do not feel their job permeates aspects of their life outside work. Allow them to dedicate time and explore other hobbies besides just career advancement.
Five steps to putting employees in the driver’s seat
A highly engaged workforce will impact the bottom line of your company positively. You can consider the following steps to help your employees improve their productivity and drive higher satisfaction in their roles.
Gather employee feedback
Minimize technological barriers
Focus on their career advancement
Reward and recognize their efforts
Check-in with your employees periodically
1. Gather employee feedback
Collecting feedback from employees is a crucial step in empowering them. While it might seem counterintuitive, employee insights are often highly relevant and valuable. They possess an intimate understanding of their roles and the challenges they face, making their input critical for organizational improvements.
Encouraging feedback not only identifies areas for process improvement but also helps uncover necessary tools and resources for employees to succeed.
Moreover, this practice cultivates a culture of inclusivity and collaboration, where employees feel valued and integral to the company’s transformation.
2. Minimize technological barriers
Ensuring that your employees have the necessary tools and technology is fundamental to their success and, by extension, the success of your brand. A productive infrastructure encompasses both advanced software solutions and organizational resources to enable effective work completion.
In the context of remote working, this means enhanced technological setups and streamlined security protocols to facilitate seamless collaboration across distributed teams.
Investing in sophisticated yet user-friendly technological infrastructure is crucial. It not only bolsters productivity but also simplifies processes, ensuring employees are well-equipped and confident in their ability to achieve success.
3. Focus on their career advancement
Creating a nurturing and productive work environment is key to reducing turnover and boosting productivity. By focusing on career advancement, you communicate your company’s commitment to your employees’ growth and success.
Training and development opportunities not only benefit the company by creating a more skilled workforce but also keep morale high among team members. This atmosphere of continuous learning and advancement fosters motivation at all levels and shows employees that their growth is valued.
When employees see clear paths for advancement and feel supported in their career goals, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to the company’s success.
4. Reward and recognize their efforts
Rewards and recognition must be utilized effectively to increase employee engagement. Businesses must lay down their expectations clearly to help employees understand how they can fit into them.
For instance, Disney strives to offer a magical customer experience, and employees are rewarded for delivering the most engaging experience. The slightest of recognition helps motivate individuals and teams to perform their best.
Deploy an employee engagement solution such as Xoxoday Empuls, where you can delight high-performing employees with an extensive choice of rewards and make their efforts visible in front of the entire company.
Research shows that 63% of those always or usually recognized at work are “very unlikely” to hunt for a new job in the next three to six months. Therefore, instilling a sense of purpose in your workforce with regular employee recognition.
Conducting regular check-ins with employees is essential for understanding their work and addressing any professional or personal challenges they may face. These check-ins, both formal and informal, should be scheduled periodically, with managers encouraged to interact with their team members to better comprehend their needs.
This approach helps in developing action plans that align both organizational objectives and individual goals. The frequency of these meetings can vary based on business needs, but they should always focus on employee development and upskilling.
Additionally, providing frequent feedback allows for continuous performance improvement, eliminating the need to wait for annual reviews. This practice not only keeps managers attuned to employee behaviors but also gives employees continuous motivation to perform well.
Employee Engagement Strategies and Their Impact on Customer Experience
Understanding the link between employee engagement and customer experience is crucial for any business aiming to enhance its service quality and customer satisfaction. The following table provides a clear comparison of various employee engagement strategies and how they positively impact both the workforce and the customer experience.
This overview will help you identify key areas of focus to foster a more productive and satisfying work environment, ultimately leading to happier customers and improved business outcomes.
Strategy
Impact on Employees
Impact on Customer Experience
Empathetic Leadership
Increased morale and job satisfaction
Enhanced customer service quality
Professional Development
Skill enhancement and career growth
Up-to-date service offerings
Open Communication
Sense of belonging and validation
More responsive and personalized service
Work-Life Balance
Reduced burnout, increased productivity
Consistent and reliable customer interactions
Recognition and Rewards
Heightened motivation and commitment
Improved service delivery and innovation
Over to you
The approach of aligning employee success with customer success can lead to unparalleled levels of customer satisfaction. It is essential to identify your customers’ pain points, but you must also commit to understanding the needs of your workforce.
Your employees are putting plenty at stake each day, and you must reward their efforts by supporting them wholeheartedly. Shift their description of success from monetary to a drive for excellence. Remember, building employee loyalty is a challenging task.
It takes commitment from your business to promote their self-care, job fulfillment, upskilling, and ongoing development. Showing consistency in your efforts is critical in maintaining the most valuable asset for your company.
When your employees bring their A-game to the table, it is easy to function like well-oiled machinery and deliver customers the best possible service.
Without the support of your employees, this would not be possible. Therefore, prioritize your employees. Customer success is inevitable.
Search for “Unboxing” on YouTube and you will get around 90 million results. Unboxing is a thing, and this, in turn, has made packaging your second product. So, consumers now see a memorable unboxing experience as valuable.
Are you looking to provide a great unboxing experience for your products? A new infographic by 2Flow titled, ‘How to Create a Memorable Unboxing Experience’ looks to answer how you can do that.
For small businesses with online commerce, this is a great way to really differentiate your brand from the drab brown boxes of some giant online retailers. This is because the box you send to your customers is the first touchpoint. And if you do it properly, it can be a strong selling point for repeat customers. To that point, don’t forget to be creative with your packaging.
What is an Unboxing Experience?
On social media, unboxing is the act of capturing the process of opening a new product. This activity has garnered immense popularity, with tens of millions of viewers flocking to YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. These platforms are not just entertainment venues but also hubs for product information.
When influencers encounter exceptional packaging during their unboxing videos, they often highlight it, playing a significant role in popularizing this trend. Beyond social media, the infographic emphasizes the role of branded packaging in enhancing customer and business value.
It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about crafting a memorable, shareable experience. For online retailers, the unboxing moment is crucial – it’s the first physical touchpoint with customers, and making it unforgettable can significantly impact customer perception and loyalty.
Ecommerce and Unboxing
In the world of eCommerce, consumer expectations are at an all-time high. The widespread visibility of unboxing videos has led to an increased appreciation for quality packaging among consumers.
However, this doesn’t diminish the relevance of the standard brown box, a hallmark of giants like Amazon. These boxes represent a baseline expectation in consumer experience.
For brands aiming to stand out, the unboxing experience is a critical differentiator. Its impact extends beyond the initial opening, yielding a lasting return on investment.
These packages often become a part of the customer’s environment, subtly continuing to promote the brand. For instance, aesthetically pleasing or unique packaging might be repurposed or displayed, serving as a constant visual endorsement of the brand.
Quality Brand Packaging
The quality of a product’s packaging can speak volumes about the brand behind it. It’s the first thing a customer interacts with, setting the stage for their perception of the enclosed product. Ideally, the product inside should meet or exceed the expectations set by its packaging.
Moreover, high-quality packaging functions as a potent marketing tool. It adds unexpected value for customers, enhancing their overall experience. According to the referenced infographic, 52% of consumers are more likely to repeat purchase from an online retailer that offers premium packaging.
This positive experience often translates into word-of-mouth referrals, especially through social media. Considering that 4 in 10 consumers share images of their deliveries online, the impact on brand visibility and recognition can be substantial.
To create a remarkable experience, it begins with branded boxes and unique packaging materials, complemented by a thoughtful presentation of the product.
Additionally, including free samples of other products, or if not feasible, a discount on a future purchase or a complementary item can further elevate the experience. A personal note to the customer adds a touch of warmth and personalization, enhancing the overall unboxing experience.
Key Elements for a Memorable Unboxing Experience
To create an unforgettable unboxing experience for your customers, consider incorporating these key elements:
Branded Boxes: Use customized packaging that reflects your brand identity.
Unique Packaging Material: Choose materials that stand out and protect the product.
Thoughtful Product Presentation: Arrange the items in an appealing and organized manner.
Free Samples or Discounts: Include samples of other products or coupons for future purchases.
Personalized Touches: Add customized notes or messages to enhance the personal connection.
All of this will combine to create a story your customers will remember. And creating a story or telling your story through your packaging is a sure-fire way to make it more memorable.
Understanding the differences between standard and branded packaging can help online retailers enhance their customer’s unboxing experience. Here’s a quick comparison:
Aspect
Standard Packaging
Branded Packaging
First Impression
Functional
Memorable
Brand Identity
Minimal
Strong
Customer Engagement
Low
High
Repeat Purchases
Less Likely
More Likely
Marketing Potential
Limited
Extensive
Personalization
Rare
Common
Cost
Lower
Higher
Creating a Story
What exactly are you doing by providing an experience your customer will remember when the unbox their deliver? You are creating a story. The quote from Jonathan Ive, Chief Desing Officer of Apple, in the infographic says it all.
Ive goes on to say, “Steve (Jobs) and I spend a lot of time on the packaging… I love the process of unpacking something. You design a ritual of unpacking to make the product feels special. Packaging can be theater; it can create a story.”
Embracing ways to show clients your appreciation is essential in recognizing them as more than just business accounts. They are individuals with real thoughts and emotions. This year, commit to demonstrating a deeper appreciation for your loyal clients, enhancing both your connections and their experiences with your brand.
The Significance of Customer Appreciation
In the world of business, where a great deal of effort is devoted to product development and other critical tasks, the role of customer appreciation cannot be overstated. This aspect, often overshadowed by other business activities, is crucial for sustaining and growing a customer base.
Data from the U.S. Small Business Administration reveals a startling reality: 68 percent of clients part ways with a business due to a perceived lack of care.
This figure dramatically overshadows the 14 percent who leave due to dissatisfaction with the product. These statistics underscore the paramount importance of customer appreciation in maintaining the health and vitality of a business.
It’s a clear indicator that customers place high value on emotional connections and feeling valued, often more so than on the products or services themselves. The benefits of high customer appreciation include:
Higher retention rates. As the previous data point shows, customers who feel appreciated are much more likely to become repeat customers. They have a positive association with your brand and will come to you with their future needs.
Increase profits. It’s not just that these customers come back and do business with you again — they also spend more. Research shows loyal customers purchase products and services 90 percent more frequently, while spending 60 percent more with each transaction.
Positive word of mouth. As you know from experience, customer acquisition can be expensive. There are multiple stages involved in moving people from awareness to purchase and the dollars quickly add up. But do you know what doesn’t cost a thing? Positive word of mouth. When your customers are satisfied with the value you offer and feel appreciated, they’re apt to tell their friends and generate organic referrals and leads for you.
Benefit of the doubt. Finally, customers who feel appreciated are much more likely to give you the benefit of the doubt in situations where you fail to meet expectations. Whether it’s a late delivery, order screw-up or an interaction that’s uncharacteristic of your company, they’ll give you a second chance (as opposed to immediately going to your closest competitor).
The desire for appreciation is in our DNA. “As human beings, we long for connection. During that precious moment when someone sees us, praises us, or validates us, there’s a spontaneous connection that can arise — if we’re open to it,” psychologist John Amodeo explains. “Feeling appreciated strengthens the bond between people. It helps satisfy our longing for healthy attachment.”
While customers certainly seek and find more meaningful benefits in the relationships they have with family, friends and romantic interests, the appreciation that your business exudes goes a long way towards establishing a profitable and sustainable business connection.
4 Ways to Show Clients Your Appreciation
Every customer is different. Some people find meaning in tangible expressions of appreciation, while others simply want to hear you say a kind word.
There are plenty of subtle things you can do — and we’ll discuss those in further detail in the following points — but sometimes the best strategy is to do it big. In B2B companies, or small businesses that have a very specific and localized customer base, hosting a customer appreciation event is an awesome way to leave a lasting impression.
The key is to look at customer appreciation events in the same way that you would a dinner party you’re hosting in your own home. Guests are to be viewed as special friends, not customers you’re trying to close.
When asked about her New Year’s resolutions to be a better party host in 2023, For Your Party’s Rachel Anderson says, “Be better at following up with guests after the party and thank them for coming.” Anderson’s coworker Emily believes you should, “Put effort into the details, such as handwritten place cards or thank you notes to make guests feel special.”
Execution is the most important aspect of hosting a customer appreciation event — and success is found in the details. Be intentional about every little aspect and leave nothing to chance.
2. Personalize Your Services
Personalization of products and services is another way you can show your customers that you appreciate them. Not only do personalized features play to a customer’s likes, interests and needs — but the mere fact that you went through extra effort says a lot about your brand.
Personalization can happen in a number of ways. It could be something as simple as creating a custom color scheme that coincides with a client’s logo, or something as complex as tweaking software code to integrate a custom feature that doesn’t exist in the standard product offering.
3. Send Hand-Written Notes
“In today’s world, instant communication through emails, social media and text messages is commonplace, while receiving a handwritten card or letter in the mail is rare,” one customer engagement expert believes. “Even though technology has changed the way we communicate, receiving a handwritten, personalized note still touches our emotions in a way instant communication tools can only dream about.”
This year, make it a habit within your organization to send handwritten notes to customers. While a long, detailed note is sometimes useful, you don’t have to spend a ton of time on them. A simple note like this works well:
“Hey, Dave! I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your business. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work alongside you this year and I hope we’ll continue to do so for years to come. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you.”
The process of writing this note, sticking it in an envelope, and dropping it off in the mailbox takes less than five minutes, but imagine how much more appreciation your customers would feel this year if you wrote one handwritten note per day.
4. Launch a Loyalty Program
While loyalty programs ultimately end up benefiting your business more than anything else, they also have the added advantage of making customers feel appreciated. As you look for unique ways to engage your top customers this year, consider launching some sort of loyalty program that rewards them for their repeat business.
What you don’t want to do is blindly launch a loyalty program. You’ll waste a ton of resources and do very little to move the needle on customer appreciation. Take your time and study what successful brands like Starbucks and Amazon do and you’ll learn a lot.
Ways to Show Clients Your Appreciation Strategies Checklist
Enhancing customer trust and loyalty is pivotal for business growth. Use this checklist to ensure your customer appreciation strategies are comprehensive and effective:
Strategy
Key Actions
Host Appreciation Events
Personalize, focus on details.
Personalize Services
Tailor offerings to customer needs.
Send Hand-Written Notes
Express gratitude personally.
Launch a Loyalty Program
Reward repeat business.
Engage in Regular Communication
Seek feedback, maintain dialogue.
Recognize Customer Milestones
Celebrate key moments with personalized acknowledgments.
Offer Exclusive Promotions
Provide special deals for loyal customers.
Prioritize Exceptional Service
Ensure positive customer interactions.
Make Next Year the Year of the Customer
Reflecting on the history of your business, there are likely years that stand out as being more about the business’s needs than those of your customers. Conversely, there are probably times when customer needs were prioritized, leading to greater success and profitability.
This pattern underscores an important lesson: years focused on customers tend to be more fruitful. As you gear up for the upcoming year, commit to making it the ‘Year of the Customer’.
This involves more than just a change in mindset; it requires a tangible strategy for customer appreciation. Develop a plan that enables your team to engage with customers in a deeply personal way. This strategy should go beyond standard customer service practices, aiming to create meaningful, lasting connections.
t’s about recognizing and valuing the individual behind each transaction, transforming customers into loyal advocates for your brand. Such a strategy might involve personalized communications, tailored experiences, or special rewards that demonstrate genuine appreciation and understanding of your customers.
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Having a website is no longer optional for most small businesses — it’s a must. And to have a great website, you need a good web host. Using free platforms like WordPress.com or even social media sites like Facebook as your company’s main website can make your business seem unprofessional to potential customers. And a good host can provide useful features like ecommerce platforms, blogging software, email addresses, security and more.
Benefits of Finding a Great Web Hosting Company
Finding a great web hosting company is crucial for small businesses as it lays the foundation for their online presence and operations. A reliable web host ensures that a website is always accessible to customers, offering a stable and seamless user experience. This is especially important for small businesses that rely on their website to attract and engage customers, process transactions, and provide information about their products or services. A good hosting provider offers a combination of performance, support, and security, helping businesses to build trust with their customers while minimizing the risk of downtime or data breaches. This in turn can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty, which are essential for the growth and sustainability of any small business.
Benefits of choosing a great web hosting company for small businesses include:
Enhanced Website Performance: Fast loading times and minimal downtime, essential for maintaining customer engagement and satisfaction.
Improved Security: Robust security measures to protect sensitive data and reduce the risk of cyber threats.
Scalability: Options to easily upgrade resources as the business grows, ensuring the website can handle increased traffic.
Reliable Customer Support: Access to timely and helpful support to resolve any issues quickly, minimizing potential disruptions.
Cost-Effectiveness: Affordable plans that provide value for money, crucial for small businesses with limited budgets.
SEO Advantages: Good hosting can improve website speed and uptime, which are factors in search engine rankings.
User-Friendly Management Tools: Easy-to-use control panels and tools for website management, suitable for users with varying levels of technical expertise.
Evaluating the Top Web Hosting Companies for Small Businesses: Our Key Criteria
Choosing the right web hosting company is a pivotal decision for small business owners and entrepreneurs. A reliable web host not only ensures your website’s accessibility but also impacts its performance and security. We’ve identified key criteria to consider when selecting the best web hosting companies:
Uptime and Reliability (Very High Importance)
High uptime guarantee (99.9% or higher)
Robust infrastructure with redundancy
Proven track record of reliability
Performance and Speed (High Importance)
Fast server response and loading times
Adequate bandwidth and processing power
Advanced caching and performance optimization features
Customer Support and Service (High Importance)
24/7 customer support availability
Knowledgeable and responsive support team
Multiple support channels (phone, email, chat, ticket system)
Fair and clear terms of service without hidden fees
Ease of Use and Management (High Importance)
User-friendly control panel and dashboard
One-click installations for popular applications
Comprehensive website management tools
Domain Management and Email Services (Moderate Importance)
Easy domain registration and management
Reliable email hosting with spam protection
Integration with domain-related services
Hosting Types and Customization (Moderate Importance)
Variety of hosting options (shared, VPS, dedicated, cloud)
Customizable hosting plans to suit specific needs
Availability of specialized hosting (e.g., WordPress)
Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Practices (Low Importance)
Commitment to reducing environmental impact
Use of renewable energy or carbon offsetting
Sustainability initiatives and practices
These criteria are designed to guide you in finding a web hosting company that not only meets your technical requirements but also aligns with your business values and growth plans. The right web host will provide a strong foundation for your online presence.
Best Web Hosting Companies for Small Businesses
If you’re in the market for a new web host, here are some of the best web hosting companies for small businesses to consider.
GoDaddy
Perhaps the biggest name in hosting, GoDaddy is perfect for businesses that want an all-inclusive solution. You can get hosting, domain names, email addresses and online marketing tools all from the same place. So even if it’s not the most competitive price-wise, with business plans starting at around $20 per month and other options as low as $3 per month, it can be a good option for businesses looking to keep things simple.
BlueHost
BlueHost is another hosting company that offers simple hosting solutions perfect for businesses that don’t want to spend tons of time getting set up. It includes 24/7 support along with easy integrations with WordPress, WooCommerce and Google’s advertising tools so you can easily get those assets up and running. The company’s basic plans range from about $4 per month to $30 per month.
HostGator
HostGator offers a variety of hosting plans including dedicated web hosting, WordPress, VPS, cloud and shared hosting, all with different tiered plans available. So you can basically create the plan that works best for your specific needs, as long as you’re knowledgeable enough to actually determine which option works best for your business. Because of all the different options, pricing varies widely. But some plans start at around $5 per month.
Amazon AWS
Amazon’s AWS platform offers a variety of tools to help businesses and individuals build their websites. For example, the company has tutorials, templates, website software and more all at a varying range of prices. You do need some tech savvy in order to put it all together. But if you want something that’s truly customized to your business and relatively affordable overall, this can be a decent option.
Wix.com
Wix is another web hosting company and drag-and-drop editor in one, which is especially relevant for extremely small businesses. The free plan comes with a Wix domain, so it’s not necessarily a great fit for businesses that want to appear professional and make their website easy for customers to access. But the company also offers premium plans ranging from $5 to $25 per month.
DreamHost
DreamHost offers web hosting options for WordPress, VPS, and more. It also has shared, cloud and dedicated hosted offerings available. All of these offerings include simple installation of web apps, dedicated support and a design tool to help you put a unique looking website out into the world. Prices start at about $8 per month and go up to about $35 per month.
Liquid Web
Liquid Web is a provider for managed dedicated server hosting. The company offers a variety of apps and other add-ons so that you can build the site you really want. But it takes a bit more technical knowledge than some of the other options on the list. And since it’s more robust than a lot of the others, it also tends to be a bit more of an investment, with solutions starting at about $59 per month.
SiteGround
SiteGround offers hosting solutions using the latest technology to keep speeds high and keep sites secure. The company’s shared web hosting solutions start at about $4 per month. And it also offers some cloud hosting and enterprise solutions as well.
Feature/Company
GoDaddy
BlueHost
HostGator
Amazon AWS
Wix.com
DreamHost
Liquid Web
SiteGround
Overview
All-inclusive solution with hosting, domains, email, etc.
Simple hosting solutions with easy integrations
Variety of hosting plans for different needs
Variety of tools for website building
Hosting and drag-and-drop editor
Options for WordPress, VPS, shared, cloud, and dedicated hosting
Managed dedicated server hosting
Hosting solutions with latest technology for speed and security
Starting Price
~$20/month (Business); $3/month (Other options)
~$4 – $30/month
Starts at ~$5/month
Varies widely
Free plan; $5 – $25/month (Premium plans)
~$8 – $35/month
Starts at ~$59/month
Starts at ~$4/month
Key Features
One-stop-shop for online business needs
24/7 support, WordPress & WooCommerce integration
Dedicated, WordPress, VPS, cloud, shared hosting
Tutorials, templates, website software
Easy for small businesses, free plan available
Web apps installation, dedicated support, design tool
Variety of apps and add-ons, requires technical knowledge
High-speed, secure shared and cloud hosting
Best Suited For
Businesses wanting simplicity and all-in-one solution
Businesses seeking simple setup and integration
Businesses needing customized plans
Tech-savvy users wanting customization
Very small businesses, beginners
Businesses needing diverse hosting options with support
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Instagram’s one billion users offer a huge opportunity for brands. Yet, even with smart ads and influencer partnerships, many struggle with the “what” and “when” of posting. That’s where Instagram tools come into play.
We’ve put together a list of the best Instagram tools and apps for businesses. These are designed to simplify content creation, optimize posting schedules, and maximize user engagement.
Instagram caps Stories at 15 seconds. Uploading anything over a minute? Instagram cuts it off. Enter CutStory. This app lets you record videos, then slices them into 15-second segments, ready for Instagram. No need to limit yourself to one-minute recordings. Plus, with CutStory, you can add stickers, craft collages, and tweak backgrounds, right within the app.
Wave.video is a web-based video tool that allows you to craft Instagram Stories with a professional touch. While it offers foundational features for free, a $39 monthly subscription unlocks a plethora of advanced editing capabilities. You also get access to built-in Instagram Story templates, removing the hassle of sizing and format guesswork.
Unfold is one of the best tools for creating enticing Instagram Stories. With this app, you can easily craft collages by merging photos and videos. Tired of using the same fonts on Instagram? Unfold also offers a wide variety of unique fonts to make your Stories pop. Moreover, the app provides a feature that combines static images with videos in a single frame, giving your Stories a fresh and engaging twist.
Video editing not your strongest suit? Enter InVideo. It offers a plethora of templates for swift Story creation. Drop in your footage, adjust the wording, and you’re set. It’s more than just templates, though. You can also use the app to add crisp effects, incorporate diverse music tracks, and even create Stories from scratch in a vertical aspect ratio.
Canva is a tool designed specifically for crafting standout Instagram content. Whether you’re updating your feed or sharing a new Story, this app streamlines the process. Adding text to images? A breeze. Need a compelling layout? Canva has a multitude of options to choose from. Beyond that, the tool offers a vast range of pre-made templates to amplify your posts and grow your Instagram account.
VSCO is a handy tool for optimizing social media images. With it, you can fine-tune the brightness, contrast, and color balance of your Instagram photos. The app also offers a wide range of filters to further enhance and personalize your shots. Moreover, users get the option to link VSCO to Instagram for sharing edited content seamlessly.
Snappa simplifies the creation of captivating Instagram posts. This design tool already sets the perfect dimensions for each social media platform, so you don’t have to. Pick one of its versatile templates, then explore their extensive library of more than five million stock photos. Adding text, effects, and graphics is a breeze with the drag-and-drop editor. Need a cleaner image? Snappa offers a one-click background removal, making your visuals even more engaging.
This is another photo-editing tool that provides different options for tweaking your Instagram images. You can choose from a default set of pre-made textures and filters, or create and save your own filters for use. Afterlight lets you work with various image formats, plus offers typography tools to help enhance your photos.
Display Purposes is one of the best free Instagram tools for generating hashtag ideas. Enter a keyword or an existing hashtag and it suggests more relevant hashtags for your Instagram post. You can easily adjust how many hashtags you’d like to use. And if you enjoy having more control, you can manually select from a list that highlights the importance and popularity of each hashtag.
Brand Content is Meta’s tool for connecting brands with creators. Offered by Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, it acts as a marketplace for direct collaborations. Brands can search for influencers using specific criteria like audience size and engagement. Conversely, creators showcase their profiles and partnerships to entice brands.
Want to create professional social videos effortlessly? Try Pictory. This AI-driven Instagram marketing tool lets you convert text into high-quality videos in a snap. Just enter your text, and Pictory crafts the perfect video. You can also use it to extract the best bits from your existing videos—perfect for making shareable clips for Instagram and beyond.
Kicksta is one of the best Instagram marketing tools for achieving organic Instagram growth. Its AI technology zeroes in on genuine users matching your target criteria. Though it doesn’t promise followers will always like your content, it guarantees up to 2,000 followers monthly on its top plan. Users typically witness growth within days, especially with quality content. Kicksta’s method? Engage and interact with accounts aligned with your audience.
Later is a robust tool for organizing and scheduling Instagram posts. It comes with a handy content calendar that lets you plan out your campaigns. You also get a live preview of your Instagram feed, making it easy to visualize exactly how your strategy will unfold. As one of the best Instagram scheduling tools, Later offers a diverse range of features that shave time off content planning.
Wondering how to keep your Instagram content fresh and engaging? Tailwind has you covered. The platform offers a stream of post ideas tailored to your brand. You also get suggestions on the best post times, and friendly reminders from Tailwind keep your content strategy on track.
If you’re looking for a convenient way to schedule Instagram posts, Sked is the perfect fit for you. This tool lets you schedule content from both mobile and the web. Plus, it offers powerful image-editing features that take your visuals to the next level. You can also upload and schedule posts in batches to streamline your social media management.
Instagram doesn’t provide any way to schedule Stories, so you need to rely on other tools to manage your content effectively. Hootsuite steps in to fill this gap, allowing you to queue up your Stories alongside regular posts. This not only streamlines your workflow but also ensures you never miss a beat in engaging your audience. The tool’s analytics also guide your strategy, highlighting what resonates with your followers to help you optimize future content.
Iconosquare delivers precise Instagram analytics for serious content performance analysis. This platform allows you to track engagement data—such as followers and likes—and reveals detailed stats on your audience’s demographics and influence. Recognizing your most influential followers opens up opportunities for targeted influencer marketing.
Keyhole is another Instagram analytics tool with a focus on reporting. You can use it to gain insight into critical metrics such as engagement rates and follower growth. Competitive benchmarking gives the ability to compare your progress with that of your rivals. You can also use Keyhole to view data from other social media platforms.
Ever wondered how effective your influencer partnerships are or how your Instagram competitors perform? Phlanx makes it simple. With its engagement calculator, you can uncover critical insights such as follower engagement rates and average interactions on posts. It’s the go-to tool for a quick, transparent view of any Instagram account’s influence.
Cyfe offers a seamless dashboard experience for business intelligence, bringing all your Instagram data into one real-time view. You start with a versatile dashboard that grows with your needs, integrating more than 100 services like Google and Salesforce. Pre-built widgets make configuration a breeze, letting you focus on insights, not setup.
Hootsuite Social Advertising is the ideal tool for kickstarting your Instagram ad campaigns. It works by transforming your top posts into paid ads and leveraging advanced algorithms for precise audience targeting. You can also set custom triggers to automatically boost best-performing posts, plus tap into analytics to analyze and refine your strategies.
Adroll is another effective Instagram tool for managing your ad campaigns. With AdRoll, you can effortlessly integrate your Instagram ads with your wider web campaigns for seamless execution and unified analysis. Create and edit campaigns, allocate budgets, and analyze performance—all from a single dashboard.
Looking to streamline your Instagram ad campaigns? AdEspresso offers a powerful, integrated platform that simplifies campaign management and optimization. With features like Automatic Optimization, it adjusts your ads’ performance while you rest. You also get the ability to make quick edits and employ rule-based budget adjustments to enhance returns.
Revealbot streamlines Instagram ad management by automating the tedious aspects—ad creation, optimization, and scheduling. Its sophisticated targeting hones in on your ideal audience, while performance monitoring tools ensure you’re always informed about how your ads are doing. With Revealbot, you’re empowered to focus on strategy, leaving the routine tasks to automation.
Need a genuine buzz around your brand? Turn to Covet. This tool helps you build a shoppable Instagram feed full of real customer photos and reviews. Use it to manage your Instagram hashtags and motivate customers to post their own experiences. Covet makes it easy to gather user-generated content, all while fostering a community through fun photo contests and interactive campaigns.
Video Ad Machine streamlines video ad creation for Instagram. You can use its animations and editing tools to quickly produce content that engages and grows your audience. The platform connects directly with your Instagram account, making it easy to upload and distribute your videos.
Conclusion
This concludes our list of the best Instagram tools for businesses. While many options exist, it’s critical to select those that simplify tasks and optimize your spending. Plus, consider your needs when picking a tool—if you’re editing videos often, choose a user-friendly editor to streamline your process. Remember: The right tools should enhance your Instagram presence, not diminish it.
Effective presentations are vital in securing new business and helping a firm grow. Thanks to advancements in technology, small businesses now have a wealth of tools available to them for delivering powerful presentations, quickly and efficiently.
Benefits of Presentation Apps for Small Businesses
Presentation apps offer a range of benefits for small businesses, enhancing their ability to communicate effectively both internally and with clients. These apps enable the creation of visually appealing presentations that can simplify complex data, making it easier to understand and more engaging for the audience. This is particularly beneficial for small businesses, where clear and effective communication is key to success.
Here are some specific benefits of presentation apps for small businesses:
Enhanced Communication: Helps in conveying ideas and information more clearly and effectively.
Professionalism: Creates a professional appearance, enhancing the credibility of the business.
Time-Saving: Templates and easy-to-use interfaces save time in creating presentations.
Data Visualization: Simplifies complex data through charts and infographics.
Engagement: Increases audience engagement with interactive and visually appealing content.
Accessibility: Allows presentations to be accessed from different devices and locations.
Cost-Effective: Reduces the need for expensive marketing materials.
Customization: Offers customization options to align with brand identity.
Collaboration: Facilitates collaboration among team members, improving efficiency.
Feedback and Analytics: Some apps provide feedback and analytics on audience engagement.
Selecting the Top Presentation Apps for Small Businesses: Our Thought Process
In the dynamic world of business, presentation apps are indispensable tools for conveying ideas and information effectively. For small business owners and entrepreneurs, choosing the right app can enhance the impact of their presentations. Here are the key criteria we considered when selecting the best presentation apps:
User Interface and Ease of Use (High Importance)
Intuitive and user-friendly interface
Easy to navigate and create presentations
Availability of tutorials or guides for new users
Design and Customization Options (High Importance)
Wide range of templates and design themes
Customization options for branding and unique styles
Flexibility in adding multimedia elements (images, videos, audio)
Collaboration Features (Moderate Importance)
Real-time collaboration capabilities
Easy sharing and feedback options
Integration with team communication tools
Compatibility and Integration (High Importance)
Compatibility with multiple devices and platforms
Integration with other business tools (CRM, data analysis software)
Export options in various formats (PDF, PPT, video)
Interactivity and Engagement Tools (Moderate Importance)
Features like interactive polls, Q&A, and animations
Engagement tools for audience participation
Analytics to gauge audience engagement
Performance and Reliability (High Importance)
Smooth performance without glitches
Reliability in saving and accessing presentations
Adequate storage and backup options
Cost and Pricing Structure (Moderate Importance)
Transparent pricing with no hidden costs
Free version or trial period availability
Value for money considering the features offered
Support and Resources (Moderate Importance)
Access to customer support for troubleshooting
Availability of resources like templates, icons, and graphics
Regular updates and feature enhancements
Security and Privacy (High Importance)
Data security measures and privacy policies
Control over sharing and access rights
Compliance with data protection regulations
These criteria aim to assist you in finding a presentation app that is not only powerful in features but also user-friendly and aligned with your business’s needs. The ideal app should empower you to create engaging and impactful presentations with ease.
Best Presentation Apps
Here are seven of the best business presentation apps for your smartphone designed to help you win over your audience.
Haiku Deck
You can create a presentation in just a few minutes with the help of the Haiku Deck app. This intuitive app enables you to import images from social media sites. The app also allows you to sync your presentations between your iPhone, iPad or the internet.
The Haiku Deck app is free to download onto iPhone and iPad.
Keynote
Keynote is a powerful presentation app, which comes complete with cinematic transitions to help professionals make world-class presentations.
With iCloud built in, businesses can keep presentations fully secured and accessible across different devices with Keynote.
Keynote is available on the App Store for IOS devices. It can be downloaded for $9.99.
Google Slides
With the Google Slides app you can create and edit presentations and share them with others from your Android smartphone or tablet. This intuitive app enables you to not only create new presentations but edit existing files as well.
You can share and collaborate presentations at the same time from remote destinations. Slides can be added and rearranged in presentations. As all presentations are saved in the cloud, you don’t have to worry about losing your work with the Google Slides app.
Google Slides is free to download and can be used on both Android smartphones and iPhones.
WPS Office
The WPS Office is a simple yet effective presentation app. The app has a range of features designed to make presentations easy to create and effective, including the ability to insert, resize or crop images. Office documents can be exported to PDF with ease with the WPS Office app.
The WPS Office app is available to downloaded for free on the App Store for iOS devices. It is also available on Android mobile devices.
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint can be downloaded onto an iPad, iPhone or Android smartphones. The PowerPoint app enables businesses to create and edit impactful presentations whilst on the go. The presentations created on the PowerPoint app can be accessed in the cloud.
Microsoft PowerPoint app is free to download onto iOS and Android mobile devices.
FlowVella
With the FlowVella app you can combine words, images, links, videos and PDFs to create an effective presentation whilst on the go. Another great feature of FlowVella is the fact you can record videos of your presentations and share them anywhere.
The FlowVella app is compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices and can be downloaded for free.
ShowPad
ShowPad is specifically designed to help salespeople present and share content that matters to help them shine above competition, sell more products and ultimately grow their business. The ShowPad app is an easy-to-use sales presentation platform whereby sales teams can present dynamic content in presentation format.
Presentations can be custimized and used again for different sales situations with the ShowPad app. All meetings, presentations and activities can be easily logged and shared with ShowPad.
The ShowPad app can be downloaded for free onto both Android and iOS smartphones.
App
Platform Availability
Price
Key Features
Best For
Haiku Deck
iPhone, iPad
Free
Quick creation, import images from social media, sync across devices
Quick and intuitive presentation creation
Keynote
iOS (iPhone, iPad)
$9.99
Cinematic transitions, iCloud integration, secure and accessible
Professional presentations with cinematic quality
Google Slides
Android, iOS
Free
Create/edit presentations, share and collaborate, cloud-based
Collaborative and accessible presentations
WPS Office
iOS, Android
Free
Insert/resize/crop images, export to PDF, simple interface
Simplicity and effectiveness in presentation creation
