Babies who are exposed to two languages (not including baby talk)
instead of one during the first year of their life may develop a
cognitive advantage over their monolingual counterparts, attaining
better problem-solving skills. And while most babies don’t actually have
many problems to solve, this early boost to their mental progress could
stand them in good stead for their adult lives.
Previous research has shown that people who speak multiple languages tend to have enhanced connectivity in areas of the brain involved in executive function,
which refers to a range of cognitive capabilities related to planning,
reasoning and problem solving. However, researchers from the University
of Washington were keen to learn if this neurological side-effect of
multilingualism could be detected in babies who had not yet begun to
talk.
To test this, they recruited 16 11-month-old babies (via their
parents, obviously), half of which came from families that only speak
English while the other half came from English-Spanish bilingual
families. The researchers used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to measure
the brain activity of the babies as they listened to a stream of
meaningless speech sounds that are common to either English, Spanish or
both, as outlined in the video below.
Reporting their findings in the journal Developmental Science,
the team discovered that the babies from bilingual families exhibited
strong brain responses to both the Spanish and English sounds,
indicating that they were able to recognize and process both types as
“phonetic sounds” rather than general noises, or “acoustic
sounds.” Babies from English-speaking families, however, only responded
to English sounds, suggesting that the Spanish sounds were not
phonetically processed.
This outcome indicates that, even before babies start talking, they
are able to recognize linguistic sounds. However, a much more important
finding was that the neurological responses of bilingual babies occurred
in certain brain regions responsible for executive function, such as
the prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortex. In contrast, the brain responses of monolingual babies did not extend into these regions.
As such, the researchers conclude that the need to distinguish
between two languages presents a cognitive challenge to bilingual babies
that requires them to engage these brain areas, thereby strengthening
their executive function capacities. According to study co-author Naja Ferjan Ramírez, this finding “suggests that bilingualism shapes not only language development, but also cognitive development more generally.”
In other words, babies who are exposed to multiple languages are
likely to get a head start at strengthening the connections in the parts
of the brain that are necessary for flexible thought and problem
solving.
Sunday 24 April 2016
Catatonia
Catatonia is a state of neurogenic motor immobility and behavioral abnormality manifested by stupor. It was first described in 1874 by Karl Ludwig Kahlbaum, in Die Katatonie oder das Spannungsirresein[1] (Catatonia or Tension Insanity).
In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition catatonia is not recognized as a separate disorder, but is associated with psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia (catatonic type), bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other mental disorders, narcolepsy, as well as drug abuse or overdose (or both). It may also be seen in many medical disorders including infections (such as encephalitis), autoimmune disorders, focal neurologic lesions (including strokes), metabolic disturbances, alcohol withdrawal[2] and abrupt or overly rapid benzodiazepine withdrawal.[3][4][5]
It can be an adverse reaction to prescribed medication. It bears similarity to conditions such as encephalitis lethargica and neuroleptic malignant syndrome. There are a variety of treatments available; benzodiazepines are a first-line treatment strategy. Electro-convulsive therapy is also sometimes used. There is growing evidence for the effectiveness of NMDA antagonists for benzodiazepine resistant catatonia.[6] Antipsychotics are sometimes employed but require caution as they can worsen symptoms and have serious adverse effects.[7]
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for catatonia. Antipsychotics should be used with care as they can worsen catatonia and are the cause of neuroleptic malignant syndrome, a dangerous condition that can mimic catatonia and requires immediate discontinuation of the antipsychotic.[7]
Excessive glutamate activity is believed to be involved in catatonia; when first-line treatment options fail, NMDA antagonists such as amantadine or memantine are used. Amantadine may have an increased incidence of tolerance with prolonged use and can cause psychosis, due to its additional effects on the dopamine system. Memantine has a more targeted pharmacological profile for the glutamate system, reduced incidence of psychosis and may therefore be preferred for individuals who cannot tolerate amantadine. Topiramate is another treatment option for resistant catatonia; it produces its therapeutic effects by producing glutamate antagonism via modulation of AMPA receptors.[13]
In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition catatonia is not recognized as a separate disorder, but is associated with psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia (catatonic type), bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other mental disorders, narcolepsy, as well as drug abuse or overdose (or both). It may also be seen in many medical disorders including infections (such as encephalitis), autoimmune disorders, focal neurologic lesions (including strokes), metabolic disturbances, alcohol withdrawal[2] and abrupt or overly rapid benzodiazepine withdrawal.[3][4][5]
It can be an adverse reaction to prescribed medication. It bears similarity to conditions such as encephalitis lethargica and neuroleptic malignant syndrome. There are a variety of treatments available; benzodiazepines are a first-line treatment strategy. Electro-convulsive therapy is also sometimes used. There is growing evidence for the effectiveness of NMDA antagonists for benzodiazepine resistant catatonia.[6] Antipsychotics are sometimes employed but require caution as they can worsen symptoms and have serious adverse effects.[7]
Treatment
Initial treatment is aimed at providing symptomatic relief. Benzodiazepines are the first line of treatment, and high doses are often required. A test dose of 1–2 mg of intramuscular lorazepam will often result in marked improvement within half an hour. In France, zolpidem has also been used in diagnosis, and response may occur within the same time period. Ultimately the underlying cause needs to be treated.[7]Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for catatonia. Antipsychotics should be used with care as they can worsen catatonia and are the cause of neuroleptic malignant syndrome, a dangerous condition that can mimic catatonia and requires immediate discontinuation of the antipsychotic.[7]
Excessive glutamate activity is believed to be involved in catatonia; when first-line treatment options fail, NMDA antagonists such as amantadine or memantine are used. Amantadine may have an increased incidence of tolerance with prolonged use and can cause psychosis, due to its additional effects on the dopamine system. Memantine has a more targeted pharmacological profile for the glutamate system, reduced incidence of psychosis and may therefore be preferred for individuals who cannot tolerate amantadine. Topiramate is another treatment option for resistant catatonia; it produces its therapeutic effects by producing glutamate antagonism via modulation of AMPA receptors.[13]
Binge eating disorder
Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterized by binge eating without subsequent purging episodes. The disorder was first described in 1959 by psychiatrist and researcher Albert Stunkard as "night eating syndrome" (NES). The term "binge eating " was coined to describe the same binging-type eating behavior but without the exclusive nocturnal component.[1] Binge eating is one of the most prevalent eating disorders among adults,[2] though there tends to be less media coverage and research about the disorder in comparison to anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
Previously considered a topic for further research exploration, binge
eating disorder was included in the eating disorders section of the DSM-5 in 2013.[3]
BED is present in 0.8% of male U.S. adults and 1.6% of female U.S. adults in a given year.[3]
"A. Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following:
D. The binge eating occurs, on average, at least once a week for 3 months.
E. The binge eating is not associated with the recurrent use of inappropriate compensatory behavior as in bulimia nervosa and does not occur exclusively during the course of bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa."[5]
Binge eating is a core symptom of binge eating disorder; however, not everyone who binge eats has binge eating disorder.[6] An individual may occasionally binge eat without experiencing many of the negative physical, psychological, or social effects of binge eating disorder. This example may be considered an eating problem (or not), rather than a disorder.
However, other research suggests that binge eating disorder can also be caused by environmental factors and the impact of traumatic events. One study showed that women with binge eating disorder experienced more adverse life events in the year prior to the onset of the development of the disorder, and that binge eating disorder was positively associated with how frequently negative events occur.[9] Additionally, the research found that individuals who had binge eating disorder were more likely to have experienced physical abuse, perceived risk of physical abuse, stress, and body criticism.[9][9] Other risk factors may include childhood obesity, critical comments about weight, low self-esteem, depression, and physical or sexual abuse in childhood.[10] A few studies have suggested that there could be a genetic component to binge eating disorder,[2] though other studies have shown more ambiguous results. Studies have shown that binge eating tends to run in families and a twin study by Bulik, Sullivan, and Kendler has shown a, "moderate heritability for binge eating" at 41 percent.[11] More research must be done before any firm conclusions can be drawn regarding the heritability of binge eating disorder. Studies have also shown that eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia reduce coping abilities, which makes it more likely for those suffering to turn to binge eating as a coping strategy.[12]
A correlation between dietary restraint and the occurrence of binge eating has been shown in some research.[6] While binge eaters are often believed to be lacking in self-control, the root of such behavior might instead be linked to rigid dieting practices. The relationship between strict dieting and binge eating is characterized by a vicious circle. Binge eating is more likely to occur after dieting, and vice versa. Several forms of dieting include delay in eating (e.g., not eating during the day), restriction of overall calorie intake (e.g., setting calorie limit to 1,000 calories per day), and avoidance of certain types of food (e.g., "forbidden" food, such as sugar, carbohydrates, etc.) [13][14] Strict and extreme dieting differs from ordinary dieting. Some evidence suggests the effectiveness of moderate calorie restriction in decreasing binge eating episodes among overweight individuals with binge eating disorder, at least in the short-term.[15][16]
BED is present in 0.8% of male U.S. adults and 1.6% of female U.S. adults in a given year.[3]
Signs and symptoms
The following are DSM-5 criteria that must be present to make a diagnosis of binge eating disorder. Studies have confirmed the high predictive value of these criteria for diagnosing BED.[4]"A. Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following:
- Eating, in a discrete period of time (e.g., within any 2-hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than what most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances.
- A sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g., a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating).
- Eating much more rapidly than normal.
- Eating until feeling uncomfortably full.
- Eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry.
- Eating alone because of feeling embarrassed by how much one is eating.
- Feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty afterward.
D. The binge eating occurs, on average, at least once a week for 3 months.
E. The binge eating is not associated with the recurrent use of inappropriate compensatory behavior as in bulimia nervosa and does not occur exclusively during the course of bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa."[5]
Binge eating is a core symptom of binge eating disorder; however, not everyone who binge eats has binge eating disorder.[6] An individual may occasionally binge eat without experiencing many of the negative physical, psychological, or social effects of binge eating disorder. This example may be considered an eating problem (or not), rather than a disorder.
Causes
Before binge eating disorder received its own category in the DSM-5 in 2013, there was resistance to give binge eating disorder the status of a full-fledged eating disorder because many perceived binge eating disorder to be the cause of individual choices.[7] More research is needed to uncover the causes of binge eating disorder. Previous research has focused on the relationship between body image and eating disorders, and concludes that disordered eating might be linked to rigid dieting practices.[citation needed][8] In the majority of cases of anorexia, extreme and inflexible restriction of dietary intake leads at some point to the development of binge eating, weight regain, bulimia nervosa, or a mixed form of eating disorder not otherwise specified. Binge eating may begin when individuals recover from an adoption of rigid eating habits. When under a strict diet that mimics the effects of starvation, the body may be preparing for a new type of behavior pattern, one that consumes a large amount of food in a relatively short period of time.However, other research suggests that binge eating disorder can also be caused by environmental factors and the impact of traumatic events. One study showed that women with binge eating disorder experienced more adverse life events in the year prior to the onset of the development of the disorder, and that binge eating disorder was positively associated with how frequently negative events occur.[9] Additionally, the research found that individuals who had binge eating disorder were more likely to have experienced physical abuse, perceived risk of physical abuse, stress, and body criticism.[9][9] Other risk factors may include childhood obesity, critical comments about weight, low self-esteem, depression, and physical or sexual abuse in childhood.[10] A few studies have suggested that there could be a genetic component to binge eating disorder,[2] though other studies have shown more ambiguous results. Studies have shown that binge eating tends to run in families and a twin study by Bulik, Sullivan, and Kendler has shown a, "moderate heritability for binge eating" at 41 percent.[11] More research must be done before any firm conclusions can be drawn regarding the heritability of binge eating disorder. Studies have also shown that eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia reduce coping abilities, which makes it more likely for those suffering to turn to binge eating as a coping strategy.[12]
A correlation between dietary restraint and the occurrence of binge eating has been shown in some research.[6] While binge eaters are often believed to be lacking in self-control, the root of such behavior might instead be linked to rigid dieting practices. The relationship between strict dieting and binge eating is characterized by a vicious circle. Binge eating is more likely to occur after dieting, and vice versa. Several forms of dieting include delay in eating (e.g., not eating during the day), restriction of overall calorie intake (e.g., setting calorie limit to 1,000 calories per day), and avoidance of certain types of food (e.g., "forbidden" food, such as sugar, carbohydrates, etc.) [13][14] Strict and extreme dieting differs from ordinary dieting. Some evidence suggests the effectiveness of moderate calorie restriction in decreasing binge eating episodes among overweight individuals with binge eating disorder, at least in the short-term.[15][16]
Asperger syndrome
Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Aspergers, is a developmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests.[1] It is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and differs from other disorders by relatively normal language and intelligence.[2] Although not required for diagnosis, physical clumsiness and unusual use of language are common.[3][4] Symptoms usually begin before two years old and can last for a person's entire life.[1]
The exact cause of Asperger's is unknown.[1] While there is likely a genetic basis, it has not been determined conclusively.[3][5] Environmental factors are also believed to play a role.[1] Brain imaging has not identified a common underlying problem.[3] The diagnosis of Asperger's was removed in the 2013 fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and people with these symptoms are now included within the autism spectrum disorder along with autism and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.[1][6] It remains within the tenth edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) as of 2015.[2]
There is no single treatment, and the effectiveness of particular interventions is supported by only limited data.[3] Treatment is aimed at improving poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness.[7] Efforts may include social skills training, cognitive behavioral therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, parenting training, and medications for associated problems such as depression or anxiety.[7] Most children improve as they grow up, but social and communication difficulties may persist.[8] Some researchers and people on the autism spectrum have advocated a shift in attitudes toward the view that autism spectrum disorder is a difference, rather than a disease that must be treated or cured.[9][10]
In 2013, Asperger's was estimated to affect 31 million people globally.[11] The syndrome is named after the Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger who, in 1944, described children in his practice who lacked nonverbal communication, had limited understanding of others' feelings, and were physically clumsy.[12] The modern conception of Asperger syndrome came into existence in 1981 and went through a period of popularization.[13][14][15] It became a standardized diagnosis in the early 1990s.[16] Many questions and controversies remain about aspects of the disorder.[8] There is doubt about whether it is distinct from high-functioning autism (HFA).[17] Partly because of this, the percentage of people affected is not firmly established.[3]
The exact cause of Asperger's is unknown.[1] While there is likely a genetic basis, it has not been determined conclusively.[3][5] Environmental factors are also believed to play a role.[1] Brain imaging has not identified a common underlying problem.[3] The diagnosis of Asperger's was removed in the 2013 fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and people with these symptoms are now included within the autism spectrum disorder along with autism and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.[1][6] It remains within the tenth edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) as of 2015.[2]
There is no single treatment, and the effectiveness of particular interventions is supported by only limited data.[3] Treatment is aimed at improving poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness.[7] Efforts may include social skills training, cognitive behavioral therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, parenting training, and medications for associated problems such as depression or anxiety.[7] Most children improve as they grow up, but social and communication difficulties may persist.[8] Some researchers and people on the autism spectrum have advocated a shift in attitudes toward the view that autism spectrum disorder is a difference, rather than a disease that must be treated or cured.[9][10]
In 2013, Asperger's was estimated to affect 31 million people globally.[11] The syndrome is named after the Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger who, in 1944, described children in his practice who lacked nonverbal communication, had limited understanding of others' feelings, and were physically clumsy.[12] The modern conception of Asperger syndrome came into existence in 1981 and went through a period of popularization.[13][14][15] It became a standardized diagnosis in the early 1990s.[16] Many questions and controversies remain about aspects of the disorder.[8] There is doubt about whether it is distinct from high-functioning autism (HFA).[17] Partly because of this, the percentage of people affected is not firmly established.[3]
Saturday 23 April 2016
What Do You See In This Image? Your Answer Could Help Crack Your "Brain Code"
Same-Sex Parenting Has No Negative Impact On Children's Health
Same-sex parenting has been a contentious issue since the 1980s,
but the struggle for marriage equality has brought the issue back to the
forefront of public debate. Scientifically speaking, though, there’s
not much of a debate. No peer-reviewed study has ever found that gay
parents in stable relationships are a disadvantage to their kids.
The latest study, by an international team of researchers from the U.S. and the Netherlands, looked at 190 intact families (95 different-sex, 95 female same-sex parents) with at least one child between the age of 6 and 17. They looked at the children’s general health, emotional difficulties, coping behavior, and learning behavior, and discovered no differences between children raised by same-sex or different-sex parents.
This finding, published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, is obviously not a surprising discovery. Including this latest one, there are 74 scientifically peer-reviewed and published studies showing that gay and bisexual parents in stable same-sex relationships don’t disadvantage their children. The four claiming the opposite have been either debunked or have never been peer-reviewed.
This study was based on the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children’s Health, and the families were selected from the 95,677 households who completed interviews. Initial analysis revealed 139 female and 17 male same-sex couples, but these were reduced to 106 families (95 female, 11 men). This was because the researchers wanted families that had their children since infancy, as divorce and parental separation could affect the development of a child.
Having such a small sample for male same-sex couples, the researchers focused solely on female same-sex couples and constructed a control sample of different sex parents from the general population based on the age, education, U.S. birth status, and current geographic location of the parents, as well as the age, sex, race/ethnicity, and U.S. birth status of the children. This methodology guarantees the crucial variable in the study to be just the sexual orientation of the parent.
While the study didn’t show any differences in the health and development of children, it did show an increased level of parental stress. The National Survey did not have specific enough questions to pinpoint the cause of the stress, but based on previous studies, the researchers suggest that same-sex parents “have concerns about rearing their children in a homophobic society and feel more pressure to justify the quality of their parenting than their heterosexual counterparts.”
The latest study, by an international team of researchers from the U.S. and the Netherlands, looked at 190 intact families (95 different-sex, 95 female same-sex parents) with at least one child between the age of 6 and 17. They looked at the children’s general health, emotional difficulties, coping behavior, and learning behavior, and discovered no differences between children raised by same-sex or different-sex parents.
This finding, published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, is obviously not a surprising discovery. Including this latest one, there are 74 scientifically peer-reviewed and published studies showing that gay and bisexual parents in stable same-sex relationships don’t disadvantage their children. The four claiming the opposite have been either debunked or have never been peer-reviewed.
This study was based on the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children’s Health, and the families were selected from the 95,677 households who completed interviews. Initial analysis revealed 139 female and 17 male same-sex couples, but these were reduced to 106 families (95 female, 11 men). This was because the researchers wanted families that had their children since infancy, as divorce and parental separation could affect the development of a child.
Having such a small sample for male same-sex couples, the researchers focused solely on female same-sex couples and constructed a control sample of different sex parents from the general population based on the age, education, U.S. birth status, and current geographic location of the parents, as well as the age, sex, race/ethnicity, and U.S. birth status of the children. This methodology guarantees the crucial variable in the study to be just the sexual orientation of the parent.
While the study didn’t show any differences in the health and development of children, it did show an increased level of parental stress. The National Survey did not have specific enough questions to pinpoint the cause of the stress, but based on previous studies, the researchers suggest that same-sex parents “have concerns about rearing their children in a homophobic society and feel more pressure to justify the quality of their parenting than their heterosexual counterparts.”
Friday 22 April 2016
8 Tools to Amplify Traffic and Boost Sales
hese tools can truly help catapult your productivity and accuracy.
TLDR takes a different approach to lead generation. This tool, which was created by HubSpot’s Global Head of Growth and SEO, Matthew Barby, generates custom summaries for your website’s content and implements relevant CTAs. Employing a content summary will help to keep visitors engaged; most individuals will only skim an article as opposed to reading the entire post. Providing this is convenient for users and greatly enhances UX. By embedding a unique CTA you can capture a visitor’s attention almost immediately by offering content upgrades, eBooks on related topics, and similar offerings. The only catch is that the visitor must input their email address and other data to obtain additional content. Since the user has already clicked on a related article, you stand a much greater chance of getting their contact information.
This customer content marketing platform helps businesses build user generated content and trust among consumers through engendering online reviews. The company’s algorithm determines the optimal time to send out emails requesting user product assessments. Yotpo says their technology leads to a 40-50% email open rate with a 6-11% response rate. For each review that is left, Yotpo implements a “trust badge” so consumers know if the review came from a buyer, reviewer, or merchant; a great feature for brand transparency. Reviews also include author demographic, which creates an even deeper sense of trust and credibility. The user generated content cultivated with Yotpo can also help amplify marketing efforts, SEO, and much more.
Reviews are only one channel of UGC that Yotpo helps cultivate. Community Q&A forums, enabled commenting, and gamification modalities all help to manifest high levels of engagement and discussion, which assist in your retention and acquisition efforts.
Leadfeeder connects to your Google Analytics account and fetches data about your visitors so that you don’t have to. With the ability to view the details about the folks that visit your page, their LinkedIn contacts, B2B connections, and more, you can construct an ample list of leads to help you gain scads of sales. Leadfeeder also integrates with several CRMs, provides customizable notifications, and allows an unrestricted amount of users to participate so that you can turn your company into a lead generation powerhouse.
Improvely is a critical tool that can help put an end to this mischievous practice.
This software monitors every click that takes place on your business’s ads to verify that no fraud is committed. If Improvely does detect any suspicious activity, you will be notified immediately. Additionally, this tool generates fraud reports which include IP addresses, locations, exact times and dates, and other pertinent information for you to submit in order to recoup losses.
Improvely isn’t just a prevention tool as the system also supplies conversion tracking features to uncover the source of each signup or sale to help you understand which ads are working, and which are floundering.
HotJar is a powerful tool when it comes to understanding user behavior. The service tracks each user’s visit to a site and displays the information through heat maps, which depict sections of websites that are most popular. Everything from scrolling to tapping, clicks, and other actions are all documented so that your site can be optimized to its fullest.
HotJar also provides recordings to capture a visitor’s exact session, polling and survey features, sales funnel optimization tools, and a plethora of other resources to help you maximize conversion rates.
The software touts that it was “designed with conversions in mind” and helps marketers achieve exactly that through A/B testing features, a robust drag-and-drop design interface, a myriad of page templates, and integration with more than 60 commonly used applications like Google Analytics and Salesforce.
Related: When You're Hungry for Sales, Consider These Lead-Gen Tools
The virtual space is bursting with great tools to help businesses reach their goals. No matter if it’s engagement, conversions, or a new trick or trend, there is a tool to help elevate your business’s performance and reach peak levels of optimization; you just have to know where to look.
1. TLDR
Businesses these days still attempt to gather leads through implementing outdated pop-ups or information collecting banners. These usually only serve to annoy visitors and diminish the user experience; especially if they are implemented on more than one page. This is a great way to boost your bounce rate, which is obviously a metric you don’t want to see increase.TLDR takes a different approach to lead generation. This tool, which was created by HubSpot’s Global Head of Growth and SEO, Matthew Barby, generates custom summaries for your website’s content and implements relevant CTAs. Employing a content summary will help to keep visitors engaged; most individuals will only skim an article as opposed to reading the entire post. Providing this is convenient for users and greatly enhances UX. By embedding a unique CTA you can capture a visitor’s attention almost immediately by offering content upgrades, eBooks on related topics, and similar offerings. The only catch is that the visitor must input their email address and other data to obtain additional content. Since the user has already clicked on a related article, you stand a much greater chance of getting their contact information.
2. Yotpo
When it comes to making a sale, possessing an ample amount of user reviews is an absolute must. 90% of individuals read reviews before making a purchase. 88 percent of these people regard a review as highly as a personal recommendation. If you don’t have a sizable number of positive reviews, you aren’t making enough sales. Enter: Yotpo.This customer content marketing platform helps businesses build user generated content and trust among consumers through engendering online reviews. The company’s algorithm determines the optimal time to send out emails requesting user product assessments. Yotpo says their technology leads to a 40-50% email open rate with a 6-11% response rate. For each review that is left, Yotpo implements a “trust badge” so consumers know if the review came from a buyer, reviewer, or merchant; a great feature for brand transparency. Reviews also include author demographic, which creates an even deeper sense of trust and credibility. The user generated content cultivated with Yotpo can also help amplify marketing efforts, SEO, and much more.
Reviews are only one channel of UGC that Yotpo helps cultivate. Community Q&A forums, enabled commenting, and gamification modalities all help to manifest high levels of engagement and discussion, which assist in your retention and acquisition efforts.
3. Leadfeeder
Promising leads can be extremely challenging to accrue; especially when you consider that 98 percent of site visitors leave without supplying their contact info. Now there’s a way to circumvent the process of begging visitors for their email addresses -- Leadfeeder to the rescue.Leadfeeder connects to your Google Analytics account and fetches data about your visitors so that you don’t have to. With the ability to view the details about the folks that visit your page, their LinkedIn contacts, B2B connections, and more, you can construct an ample list of leads to help you gain scads of sales. Leadfeeder also integrates with several CRMs, provides customizable notifications, and allows an unrestricted amount of users to participate so that you can turn your company into a lead generation powerhouse.
4. Improvely
Advertising your business on sites like Facebook and Google can cost a pretty penny; and it can completely drain your ad budget if click fraud is occurring. Click fraud is when a person or computer program continuously clicks on an ad in order to send advertising costs sky high. This malicious activity could cost marketers as much as $7.2 billion this year alone.Improvely is a critical tool that can help put an end to this mischievous practice.
This software monitors every click that takes place on your business’s ads to verify that no fraud is committed. If Improvely does detect any suspicious activity, you will be notified immediately. Additionally, this tool generates fraud reports which include IP addresses, locations, exact times and dates, and other pertinent information for you to submit in order to recoup losses.
Improvely isn’t just a prevention tool as the system also supplies conversion tracking features to uncover the source of each signup or sale to help you understand which ads are working, and which are floundering.
5. HotJar
Looking for an analytics platform that will supply you with metrics that you can’t get from Google Analytics? HotJar is where your search ends.HotJar is a powerful tool when it comes to understanding user behavior. The service tracks each user’s visit to a site and displays the information through heat maps, which depict sections of websites that are most popular. Everything from scrolling to tapping, clicks, and other actions are all documented so that your site can be optimized to its fullest.
HotJar also provides recordings to capture a visitor’s exact session, polling and survey features, sales funnel optimization tools, and a plethora of other resources to help you maximize conversion rates.
6. InfusionSoft
InfusionSoft is one of the industry’s leading CRM, sales, and marketing platforms for small business owners. The software features everything from marketing automation and lead generation tools, a stellar customer relationship management (CRM) interface, social media engagement features, and everything else you need to engage audiences and score conversions. Additionally, InfusionSoft houses a plethora of ecommerce elements to help generate sales, meet fulfillment expectations, and keep customers coming back again and again.7. Unbounce
A landing page is often the first impression a prospect has of your business; and first impressions are crucial. Unbounce is an incredible tool designing landing pages to ensure that first-time encounter is a lasting one.The software touts that it was “designed with conversions in mind” and helps marketers achieve exactly that through A/B testing features, a robust drag-and-drop design interface, a myriad of page templates, and integration with more than 60 commonly used applications like Google Analytics and Salesforce.
Related: When You're Hungry for Sales, Consider These Lead-Gen Tools
8. SpyFu
A vital element to gaining traffic is ranking for the right keywords. SpyFu is the ultimate tool for identifying the keywords competitors rank for as well as the ones they purchase through AdWords. Simply by entering a competitor’s website domain, users are presented with an abundance of data including total paid and organic keywords, estimated value of organic traffic, organic competitors, and virtually any other data points you need to formulate a strategy. SpyFu provides comprehensive keyword data on all fronts so that you can drive the masses to your site and not waste money fighting battles you will never win.The virtual space is bursting with great tools to help businesses reach their goals. No matter if it’s engagement, conversions, or a new trick or trend, there is a tool to help elevate your business’s performance and reach peak levels of optimization; you just have to know where to look.
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