Successful Blog

Online Surfing and Depression. Is There a Connection Between Them?

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Jack Samuelson

Depression is hard to diagnose, but the earlier symptoms are discovered, the better.

That is why a new study of Dr. Sriram Chellappan of Missouri University of Science and Technology could be a turning point in fighting depression. Dr. Chellappan and his associates found that students showing signs of depression use the Internet differently than other students.

Online Surfing and Depression. Is There a Connection Between Those Two?

According to Dr. Chellappan, his research could be a real breakthrough. That is because this is could be the first study based on actual Internet data, not surveys. Using surveys to retrieve the information about Internet usage was the main problem of previous studies. People usually forget the course of their online activity (especially if it was random), and even if they remember what they did — errors are common. Another problem is the so-called “social desirability bias” (i.e., the tendency to answer survey questions so they would be viewed positively by others). Using “real” Internet data gave researchers the advantage of analyzing empirical, undeniable, totally accurate facts.

The study itself should be considered as the first step showing new, possible ways in recognizing signs of depression (or other mental/social disorders). It was conducted on 216 Missouri students, collecting their Internet data for a month.

Students received pseudonyms so they would remain anonymous to the researchers. But first, all participants were tested for symptoms of depression. Having gathered and analyzed all the data, researchers found that the online activity of students with no signs of depression differed from that of participants with signs of mood disorders.

The differences in the two groups were significant.

Researchers managed to identify nine fine-grained patterns of online surfing that may indicate surfer’s depression. Identifying nine patterns on such a relatively small group is a remarkable finding, showing how much our mental health can influence every part of our life and change the way we perform even the most mundane activities. A longer research could help better recognize symptoms of depression.

What are these differences?

Depressed students tend to surf online much more randomly, frequently changing sites and applications. They also are more likely to use file-sharing sites and services, chat online, send messages and emails, watch online videos and play online games. Which pattern really stood out? The randomness. Dr. Chellappan connected this finding with the fact, that people suffering from depression have trouble concentrating, which would help understand reasons behind such activity patterns.

How Would Knowing This Connection Help?

According to the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) between 10 and 40% of all American students suffer from depression. It could almost be called an “epidemic”. Findings of Dr. Chellappan’s group could help deal with the pressing problem of depression among students.

This kind of study could help develop a new, effective tool to identify symptoms of depression. Software monitoring online activity could send an alert when Internet behavior patterns indicate signs of depression. It could also be installed in campus computer networks to help trained counselors detect students with mood disorders, and help them deal with their problems as soon as possible. I doubt that such software could be created before new studies are conducted on much bigger student groups. But the right idea is there, and it could only encourage further research.

If future studies confirm Chellappan’s findings, it would open the doors to analyzing Internet usage patterns of people suffering from other forms of mental disorders — for example anorexia or schizophrenia. It might also give a strong push for studies on other groups with high risk of depression such as war veterans or single elderly people.

Why Not?

The only disturbing thing about this research is concern about online privacy. If it were possible to diagnose depression through Internet usage patterns, then eventually it would be possible to create a “psychological profile” based only on an individual’s online activities.

Such profiles would be valuable for commercial companies and for public institutions. Employers could predetermine psychological profiles of future employees, and hire only those matching their expectations (or fire employees who showed undesirable psychological traits). Companies could tailor their advertisements for specific target groups (and those advertisements would work every time). To be honest – just the idea of an outside entity having my full psychological profile makes me a bit anxious. It seems Orwellian. But maybe I’m just paranoid – what do you think?

Author’s Bio:
Jack Samuelson is a contributing author who writes articles on numerous subjects. He has a wide range of interests, and a soft spot for weird news and funny stories. He has been an insightful observer of the world but always tries to balance his commitment to serious issues concentrating on some less serious, funny news. You can find him on Facebook

Thanks to Week 357 SOBs

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Successful and Outstanding Bloggers

Let me introduce the bloggers
who have earned this official badge of achievement,

and the right to call themselves
Successful Blog SOBs.

I invite them to take a badge home to display on their blogs.

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They take the conversation to their readers,
contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better, and make our businesses stronger.

I thank all of our SOBs for thinking what we say is worth passing on.
Good conversation shared can only improve the blogging community.

Should anyone question this SOB button’s validity, send him or her to me. Thie award carries a “Liz said so” guarantee, is endorsed by Kings of the Hemispheres, Martin and Michael, and is backed by my brothers, Angelo and Pasquale.

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Want to become an SOB?

If you’re an SO-Wanna-B, you can see the whole list of SOBs and learn how to be one by visiting the SOB Hall of Fame– A-Z Directory . Click the link or visit the What IS an SOB?! page in the sidebar.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

How Storage and Removal Helps a Business Be More Efficient

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Rony Mikal

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Every business strives to achieve competitive advantage, customer satisfaction and excellence to become more successful. Competitive advantage is required by every business in order to strengthen its position and stay ahead in competition. Satisfying customers with products and services is the primary objective of business organizations. It helps businesses advertise their products well and improves the overall image of a company.

The rapidly advancing technology has made businesses more advanced with most utilizing IT skills for increased growth. With numerous businesses looking for better growth prospects, moving to another cheaper location is the best option. By shifting company to another place, businesses can save money and come nearer to customers or vendors. Moving a house or a business is made easier with the help of household removals and storage.

At the time of shifting business, most firms could use the help of moving and storage companies, who make the task simpler. Storage is the best option for businesses and proves beneficial to them in the long run.

How Storage and Removal Helps a Business Grow and Be More Efficient

Most businesses these days utilize computers and have equipments like furniture, important files, documents and books. Each of these equipments must be stored in safe and secure locations to avoid incidents of theft. Storage and removal prove advantageous for every business, as it helps in its growth. Here are a few ideas on how storage and removal makes a business more efficient.

  • All important information is stored in files and computers. Storing computers in climate controlled units minimize loss of data and keeps them safe. The saved data can be utilized for future needs. This helps business grow further.
  • Storing goods in climate controlled units minimizes their damage and keeps them secure for longer duration. Stored goods can be used in future, particularly at a time when you fall short of inventory.
  • Removal firms offer cost-effective storage solutions to most businesses in storing items during relocation. All goods stored are insured and this helps business avoid additional costs.
  • Moving to a new location having a strong customer base proves beneficial, as it improves business, thereby increasing profits for the business.
  • Relocating to a place that has enough space and in a prominent area visited by people often, improves the overall image of the organization, as more and more people are able to access your business easily.

Storage and removal are important processes that every organization requires at some point of time. Business can emerge successful if they plan well prior to the big move and opt for cost-effective removal and storage services.

Author’s Bio:

Rony Mikal is a blogger and freelance writer. He writes extensively on topics related to environmental issues, business, moving, household removals and storage and removal services London. Apart from writing, Rony takes keen interest in traveling and photography. He is an avid traveler and spends quality time with family and friends.

Jump start your social media planning with Tony Robbins

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Rosemary O’Neill

Success in Life, Business, and Golf

Social media planning with help from Tony Robbins

Time to jump up on your chair and say “AYE!” No more messing around with a wimpy Facebook post here and a lame Youtube video there. Your social media plan should be vibrant, purposeful, and radiating crackling energy, just like live wire Tony Robbins.

How does he do it? He uses something called the “Rapid Planning Method” (or RPM). With RPM, you chunk your to do list into a few desired outcomes, and then take immediate, massive action to achieve them.

Tony Robbins is the reason I’ve been blogging here every week for almost a year. “Submit guest post to Liz Strauss” was an item in my massive action plan. At the time, I thought it was crazy on the level of “train to be an astronaut,” but guess what? When you achieve one crazy goal, it gives you the confidence to reach out for the next one. I’m thinking coffee in NYC with Seth Godin would be cool.

Jump start your social media planning with help from Tony Robbins

I thought it would be interesting to apply RPM to social media planning specifically.

Here’s your worksheet:

What specific result do I want to achieve? (For example, increase traffic to my corporate website.)

Why do I want it? (Could be to increase opportunity to convert customers.)

What is my massive action plan? (Write down two actions you can take today, right now, and then a list of action items for this week, the next 30 days, and the next 90 days.)

“Never leave the site of a decision without doing something towards its achievement.” (Tony Robbins).

Let’s go knock off a couple things from our list right now.

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for social strata — a top ten company to work for on the Internet . Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

Thank you, Rosemary!

You’re irresistible!

ME “Liz” Strauss

6 Ways to Take Advantage of QR Codes in Your Marketing

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Celina Conner

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QR Code Sample
Put yourself in this scenario:

While shopping in your favorite store, a flyer of a newly launched product was handed over to you by a sales agent. The flyer did not say much, but the product has quite captured your interest. You wanted to know more but somehow the agent could not answer more of your questions. Instead, he advised you to look into the quicker response (QR) code printed at the bottom of the flyer. The instruction is just to scan the code in a place with Internet access using a mobile device (e.g. smart phone, tablet, etc.) app. You did as told and you get access to exclusive content, the history of the product, price quotes, and special promotions.

In this article we will tackle 8 steps on how we can use QR codes properly in marketing our products.

1. Identify your target market.

Knowing your target market is the first step in propagating the use of QR codes in marketing. Studies state that most technology-aware people and mobile device users are those in ages between 25 and 40. So if your business’ target demographic is not in range, this marketing tactic might be more difficult for you to implement as it would be hard to encourage them to make good use of the codes.

If your target is in this age range, look into the ideal public places and the right media to post and distribute your QR codes. Majority of people in this age group are readers of newspapers and members of famous social networking sites like Facebook. So it’s suggested to put your QR codes in portable magazines, newspapers and websites (as side panel ads) for your audience to comfortably scan the codes right in their homes, offices, etc.

2. Post on the right spots.

Aside from newspapers, magazines and social media for targeted customers, you may also post your QR codes in other places for potential others. However, you have to make sure that they are the right spots. Good examples are on business cards, giveaway coupons, storefront displays, restaurant menu, product label, e-mails, newsletters where the codes can be scanned conveniently.

Bad examples, in contrast, are in moving vehicles like trucks and public billboards because getting the image from there is not that easy. When you’re moving, you most probably won’t take close attention to anything than the road itself. Another bad suggestion is in airplane magazines and in risky zones because passengers are not allowed to turn on or connect to the Internet for safety. These are places where people will just ignore the codes, no matter how striking they are.

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3. Give useful campaign information that will enrich their lives.

In using the QR codes, you have the liberty to post it just about anywhere as effective without changing the code every time you have an updated content. The good thing about the QR code is that it serves as a bookmark icon or shortcut image that links your website and content to your customers instantly. So you can just alter the content behind it for them to get a different experience and depth of knowledge every time they scan the code. This form of advertising is a living and evolving one. Hence you should take good advantage of it by providing rich information that will make them come back next time.

4. Link the QR code to a specific and exciting message.

A common flaw is to just link this two-dimensional tag to a generic company website or home page. You have to remember that these are mobile people that are scanning the codes. So instead of a lengthy text, you must incorporate a creative short video or direct them to the page relevant to their interest (e.g. freebies, contests, discounts, etc.) to keep them around.

For example, if they are scanning the code from the back of a multivitamin bottle, the recommended linked items would be the nutrition contents about the multivitamin, the benefits it brings and instruction to post their own testimonies of the product online to win prizes.

In most cases, when both the product and company are still not known, customers would want to see info on the product, its uses and promotions rather than take an overview of the profile of the company, manufacturer or distributor. If you’re linking to a specific article in your web page, make sure that you have optimized pages for mobile devices.

5. Use them to get more “likes” and “follows.”
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You can link the codes to land into your Facebook fan page or Twitter account for a quick hit on the Like and Follow buttons. Attach an on-going contest or promo with it so people can be more engaged and you can establish a long-term marketing strategy after using the QR code as “bait.”

6. Integrate the codes to extend your marketing ad.

A great example is that of the Victoria’s Secret poster for its “Sexier than Skin” campaign. Victoria Secret had clutched into ingenuity when it placed the QR code right on the revealing area of the nearly nude models in the picture, to make users want to know more about the “secret” in their line of lingerie. People will always want to be surprised so position the code well in your print, instead of placing it in the most bottom part or the side lines.

Using QR codes is now a growing fad that will stay for years to come. It is an easy way to get customer information and track their interests by the content they access. If you use QR codes for marketing your offerings and brand, you are interacting with both potential and existing customers in real-time and entice them even more to interact with you. Posting QR codes is a fun way of advertising that is low-cost but effective when used properly.

Author’s Bio:
Celina Conner is a Yoga Instructor, an alumna of Marketing Management at Martin College Australia and a mother of a beautiful daughter, Krizia. She has a passion in cooking and formulating vegan recipes.Follow her adventures on her Twitter.