More and more technical solutions are being delivered in the cloud. This includes Ezymigrate. When I speak to immigration advisors I still find there is hesitancy about using cloud based solutions though. Sometimes this is due to legitimate concerns, while other times it is down to a lack of knowledge.

 One of the biggest concerns surrounds security and control. After all, an immigration business is all about data. Your client list, your leads, the details of your clients, your client’s documents, details of application deadlines – this is all data. Moving that data out of a manual or computer-based system in your office to the cloud – which you can’t physically see or touch – feels like relinquishing control.

 When I hear these concerns I usually respond by saying that you are probably already using cloud services, and don’t even know it. Popular business services like Gmail, PayPal and Dropbox all use cloud technology in a similar way to Ezymigrate. Two of the key features of these systems, including Ezymigrate, are control and security.

 Enterprise Level Security

Security is taken so seriously by cloud solution providers that you actually get enterprise levels. This high standard of security is usually too expensive for individual SMEs to purchase and manage alone, but when scaled over a cloud solution it becomes feasible.

 The reality is, therefore, that your data is more secure with a cloud based solution, and you have more control over it. The one proviso to that statement is that you have to use a solution with enterprise security features.

Increasing Profits

 Security is not the only benefit the cloud can bring to your business, however. It can, in fact, make your business more profitable. Here is how: 

1. Increases collaboration – you and members of your team can work on the same files and client accounts at the same time. This encourages and improves collaboration. It also gives you greater control over documents and improves document security. For example, everyone will always have access to the latest version of a document or file, and there is no chance of any documents accidentally getting lost in the pile for recycling.
2. Work from anywhere – you can access cloud solutions from anywhere that you have an internet connection. Nothing needs installed, and you can use any device. That opens up endless possibilities. For example, it makes it easier for you to offer your employees flexible working. Another example is being able to access a document or piece of information, even when you are not in your office. You could be on the golf course, the beach, or the hairdressers – so long as you have access to the internet, you are connected.
3. Lowers costs – cloud based solutions like Ezymigrate also lower your costs, which helps you become more profitable. For a start, capital costs are lower as you do not have to purchase new or replacement equipment or servers. It is also easier to setup and maintain. This is because there is nothing to install, software updates are applied automatically, and all security settings are managed centrally. It is also easier to scale up or down a cloud based solution than the alternatives. Finally, the benefits of improved collaboration and work from anywhere capabilities will make your business more efficient, which also lowers your costs.

The cloud brings many benefits to your business but the most important is that it will improve your bottom line. It enables you to offer a better service to your clients, improve the administration of your business, and lower your costs. Your team will work more efficiently, and you will have more time and resources to grow the business, find new clients, and develop your services.

The effect of Google’s paid advertising policy on businesses 

“What is up with the ads on Google at the moment” – that is a question I am getting asked a lot since the recent change in the way that Google displays its ads. Two things are important to say at the outset. Firstly, this change has been carefully considered and was a long time coming, so it is probably here to stay. Secondly, it will affect businesses – both in terms of organic search and PPC advertising.

What Has Google Done?

Let’s look first at what exactly Google has done. In the past a search result’s page would have 10 organic results. In addition there would be up to 11 AdWords results – ads – on the page. They were displayed above the search results, below them, and in a column on the right hand side.

Google has now reduced the total number of ads on the page to seven. It has dropped the right column completely and increased the number of ads appearing above the organic search results to four. Three more ads appear below the search results.

 Why Has Google Done This?

 The simple answer to why Google has done this is to make money. Now for the more detailed explanation:

Google’s most important priority is not actually selling ads to PPC advertisers. Instead it is giving people who use its search engine results that answer their query. There are lots of factors involved in delivering that, but they include delivering the results in a format that matches the device that the searcher is using, and giving them the best links at the top of the page.

 For many years Google has been orientating its strategy towards mobile users as more and more people use mobile devices to access the internet. The right column of ads was not visible on mobile devices, so there is logic in removing it, as it harmonises the user experience across devices.

 That brings us to delivering the best possible result for the searcher. This is the part that Google says it has done a lot of research on. It has applied this change of policy primarily to search terms that have high commercial value, i.e. on terms where there is buying intent. From Google’s perspective, a PPC ad is likely to as good, if not better, at meeting the needs of the searcher as an organic result, so it should be displayed first.

What Does It Mean For Businesses?

1. Paid results now have even more precedence over organic results

 The most obvious impact of this change is that on many search terms, the organic results do not appear on the page until you scroll. All you see when you first search are the ads. Secondly, position one in organic search in reality means position five on the page. This may affect traffic to sites that rely solely on SEO and search engine rankings.

1. Advertisers who bid high enough to appear in the top positions on the first page might see improved results from their campaign

Google believes that users are better served by showing them four ads at the top of the page. That means click through rates must be good. More data will be needed before this can be definitively stated, but it might mean that advertisers who get into one of the top four positions may see increased levels of traffic from their PPC campaigns. 

1. The CPC (cost per click) for ads on the first page might increase

This is another area where more data is needed, but it seems logical that the CPC for ads could go up. After all, there are now only seven ads on a search results page when they’re used to be 11.

So, there are potential benefits and potential negatives to Google’s change. The only thing that is for certain is that businesses will have to get used to it, monitor it, and adapt.