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26/10/201703/11/2017

8 reasons why you should care about having a mobile friendly website

A mobile friendly website will benefit you in many ways. You’ve heard it before. However, when you run a startup you and your developing team might be very focused on launching the product, engaging new customers and building up a brand, that you forget about it. Also, when you have a small business that has been running for years, your daily activities are so overwhelming that you don’t think about it.

This is why I wanted to share the 8 reasons why you should optimise your website for mobile.

1. More people access the internet on mobile

In 2016 mobile became the primary internet access device, overtaking the desktop. Google Webmasters say that 94% of people in the USA use their smartphones to search for local information. And the statistics are not much different in the rest of the world. In many developing countries people have a mobile phone before they have a computer.

This means, it’s very likely that your existing customers will go on your website from their smartphones. Also, if you want to attract more visitors, you better offer them a mobile friendly website.

2. People behave differently on mobile

The same people have different behaviours when accessing the internet from their phones than from desktop.

First of all, the reduced size of their screens make them feel more attracted to short videos and images as opposed to text. Think at Instagram, which has based its success on people accessing and sharing images on mobile.

This means that if you care about mobile optimization, you should design a website that prioritizes this type of content.

3. Your sales will increase

Research shows that people tend to spend more money on mobile. Especially on smaller and more frequent purchases. So, if you sell small goodies on your website, it’s really worthy for you to give your users a smooth experience.

Check your website’s speed because people get frustrated and are 5 times more likely to leave a page if it loads in more than 3 seconds. They would also abandon the purchase when the shopping cart is not optimized for mobile.

But even if you don’t sell anything on your website, by giving your users a better experience, they will know you better and be more likely to buy your product or service. For instance, if you are a beauty salon and want people to book their appointments online, make sure you make it easy for them.

4. Your SEO ranking will improve

Google has started rewarding mobile optimized websites already a couple of years ago. Its algorithm is able to check mobile responsiveness and penalize the websites that perform poorly.

There is also a very simple reason why a mobile friendly website will help you in your ranking: if you give all those people accessing on mobile a smooth and pleasant experience, they might spend more time on your website. This means that your bouncing rate will decrease. Google will see it as if people were more engaged on your site and, therefore, reward you.

5. People often switch devices

Nowadays, 90% of the customer journeys happen on multiple screens. People might find out about something on their phones, maybe when they are bored on their way to work. They would then go back to complete the purchase or action on another device later. So, it is very likely that your customers will access your website from their phones at a certain point.

Make sure you give them the best possible experience regardless from where they navigate your content.

6. Mobile landing pages work differently

A landing page is the first content people access when visiting your website. It’s your one shot to providing a good experience that will make people convert and return to you.

As we said, people behave differently when on mobile and this applies also to your landing page. First of all, phone screens are smaller and require a different design, where users don’t need to zoom or pinch the page. They want to be able to read the entire content smoothly.

Remember to design all the call to action buttons and links with the right size and margins to avoid errors. Also, make sure that your phone numbers are text and not image to allow people making calls directly.

7. Social media traffic happens mostly on mobile

Nowadays, people use their social media mostly on their phones. Certain very popular networks such as Instagram and Snapchat are almost for mobile use only.

So, if you are active on social media, your content will very likely refer to your website. This means that most of your site visitors coming from social media are on their phones.

If your website is not responsive for mobile, you are wasting your money and time on social media. But if you make the effort, you will take full advantage of this incredible tool.

8. A good and optimised mobile website will differentiate your brand

If you didn’t focus all your efforts on creating a mobile website don’t worry, you are not alone. According to a recent survey by Yodle, 52% of small businesses websites are mobile-friendly. In addition, only half of them are actually efficient and good.

This means that statistically some of your competitors might not have thought about it yet. If this is the case, you might have found a new incredible competitive advantage. You can be the one giving a better experience.

I think this is especially true for startups. You are creating a new product that you are introducing to the market, so you have to show the value and create your customer base. With a poor mobile website, you might miss some great opportunities. The effort it took you until now is probably very big, so why wasting it in such small details?

So, what can you do now to get a mobile friendly website?

Now that you know why you should care about a mobile responsive website, what can you do?

First of all, run a test to see how your website is performing. Google offers the Mobile Friendly test for free here. They would also give you some tips on how to improve.

After that, if the performance is poor, go and talk to your developer. Do whatever it takes and optimise your website. It’s worth the investment and the effort!

20/10/201722/10/2017

8 networking tips for digital nomads

A large international network is vital for a digital nomad or freelancer, like I said in my video. Especially when you are new in a place, one of the first things you should do is meet new people. I personally find it very natural and easy, but I know for others it’s hard to approach strangers. It’s a matter of personality, confidence and experience. However, we all have to overcome our fears and do what will help us progress in life, as well as in our career.

So, this is why I am sharing my 8 networking tips that will work in any situation.

Be yourself

I think the ABC of networking tips is to be yourself. Don’t try to play a role that you think others will like because you will sound fake, weird and unpleasant. I am 100% me when I meet new people, even in business situations because I think at the end of the day what they will remember is the energy I was able to vehicle. And I can tell you, it pays off: people always say that what they like about me is that I sound very genuine, which makes it easy to be around me. If you say something just to impress, you’ll sound artificial and you won’t get to your goal. On the other hand, if you share your true passion, people will feel it and what you say will be way more memorable. A dance teacher once taught me “it’s never what you do, it’s how you do it” and this is something I apply to any situation in life. Also when meeting new people.

Don’t have an agenda

When you are in a situation that might be good for network building, it’s good to set some goals such as approach 5 people. However, don’t have an agenda when you talk. There is nothing worse than sounding desperately in need of someone’s attention and help. People around you will feel uncomfortable and will want to talk someone else. They might even avoid you during the entire event. I also don’t recommend to handle your business card right away or ask to exchange them. Especially if it you are talking to an influential person. It would look like if you had an agenda and nobody likes to be taken advantage of. Wait until you had a stimulating conversation and it will become natural. Always remember that if the aim of your conversation is to know the people without asking anything in return, you will have a more pleasant chat that will more likely lead to something useful. And this brings us to the next point

Try to help people rather than asking something from them

When you talk to people, listen carefully to what they say. Ask questions, show interest in what they say and try to find how you can help them. Maybe you can connect them with someone who might be useful for them or you can suggest a book. They will appreciate your empathy and effort regardless and automatically like you. They will also be keener to help you and connect with you. To me business relationships are like any personal relationship: you get what you give. This is why I always treat them as such.

Be open to people and never assume anything

Great networking situations can come out of the blue anywhere, if you are open to them. For instance, I made a great contact on my way to Bali, and it was not the first time that I expanded my network on the plane. How do I do that? I try to be friendly and talk to people, starting with a small talk, which sometimes turns into an amazing conversation. I also tend not to assume anything based on people’s appearance or role. You can never know who the person sitting next to you is, what they are doing, what they are looking for and who they know. Trying doesn’t hurt. But, of course, it only works if they are keen to having a conversation. Don’t be the annoying person forcing a conversation.

Smile

Sometimes we are very concerned about our appearance, what people might think about us etc. that we forget the basics: look genuinely nice. In a networking event, there is nothing more inviting than an authentic smile. Smiling also releases tensions from our nerves, making us look calmer and more at ease. So, smile before you enter the room and, especially, when you start a conversation. With a positive attitude people will be more comfortable around you and therefore, keener to chat with you. We all feel more attracted to a happy and calm person than to someone in a negative mood. So, if you had a bad day, leave it at the entrance and walk to the event with confidence. You have the power to turn it into a success.

Always remember a personal detail from the ones you talked to

When you are having a conversation, the person you are talking to will naturally mention something personal. For instance, that they can’t make it to the next networking event because their mother has a surgery on that day. When the conversation goes to a more personal level, you will become a little closer. This is a great opportunity you should take advantage of. Try to remember or write down that personal detail, because it can make the difference when you mention it in your follow up. Of course, don’t be pushy or intrusive. The person will appreciate your genuine interest and be keener to talk to you again or maybe help you.

Show up early and go to the buffet or bar

Especially when you are new in a place or you are planning to become a freelancer, you need more contacts and, therefore, you have to go to any possible event that will help you expand your network. Even for the most extroverted person it is not always easy to approach strangers, especially if they are already talking in groups. This is why I would recommend to show up early. It is very likely that you will spot somebody who is looking around hoping for someone to talk to them. I always tell myself to be the bigger person and break the ice. If you find it really hard, go to the buffet or bar and stand around them. I think it’s the best place to position yourself because it’s where everybody will eventually go. On the other hand, food or drinks are the perfect excuse to start a good conversation.

Follow up

If you had pleasant and interesting conversations with the people at the event, you will have naturally exchanged some business cards or contacts. I personally like to follow up with all the people I talked to. If we discussed something in particular, I would mention it in my message, to make it easier for the person to remember me. I also try to include the little personal detail they shared with me. But, most of all, if I said I would have connected the person to someone, I do it. I give myself 24 hours, but tend to do it right after the event. Sending an email only takes a couple of minutes, but it can make the difference. I think that especially if you are young and at the beginning of your career, you should be the one taking the first step. Never assume others would do it. Especially if you talked to a very influential person, have the courage to respectfully get in touch with them, they will always appreciate it. You might even impress them.

Now to you, what do you do in networking events? How do you expand your network? Leave a comment, would love to hear from you!

19/10/201719/10/2017

How to create a successful social media strategy focusing on content

In the previous articles of the content is king series we talked about writing a good about us page and blogging. Now it’s time to focus on your social media strategy. After all, if you don’t spread the word, how are your customers finding your great content?

So, let’s see the why and what content to share on social media. I think one of the most important thing that you have to keep in mind is to experiment and see what is best for you and your audience. And then just repeat what works. You can also share content that had great engagement multiple times, as you already know your audience likes it.

Why content matters in your social media strategy

What brands usually want to achieve from their social media strategy is more awareness, more website visits and, ultimately, more conversions in general and sales. But sharing something regularly is not enough: it has to be compelling, in order to have people engage with it.

The social media algorithms tend to reward posts that have already some interactions by showing them to more people. So, the more interesting your content is, the more followers will give some sort of feedback on it. The more engagement the post has, the broader the audience who sees it. And, ultimately, the broader the audience, the greater the chance of conversions.

This is why it’s also important to have conversations with fans on social media. So, involve them in your business life, tell stories, ask questions, ask for comments and to answer to surveys. Try to have a dialogue with them and encourage their interaction with you and within the community of followers. This is good not only for your analytics, but also for your image, as it shows the human side of your brand and that you care about you customers’ opinion. It also helps growing your content.

Having a good, informative and useful content is also a sign that you value your fans’ time. They will appreciate your posts and be more likely to share them with their friends. This will make them ultimately respect your business and brand more.

Social media content: some ideas on what you can share

When it comes to what social media content to share you might think that your options are very limited. Well, they are not. There’s a lot you can post to create a page people will interact with. Here are some ideas:

Visuals are more eye-catching and less intimidating than full text posts. Try to capture your followers’ attention when scrolling down the feed with some images, GIFs or videos. Remember, people check their social media when they are bored and are looking for something interesting. This an amazing opportunity for you to provide them with something that entertains them.

To engage your customers and show the human side of your brand, share images or videos related to your routines as well as special occasions. They might be from team building activities, your Christmas party, to introduce new hires, as well as new products. But don’t focus on selling: as we have already discussed for blogging, you are trying to provide value.

Your fans won’t spend too much time reading very long articles. However, if a catchy visual gives them a quick understanding of what the text is about, they might be keener to read or at least skim through it. Their time is limited and they will appreciate you taking it into consideration. An image or video is also a great way to break long paragraphs, making them easier to digest for online readers.

Announce your new blog posts or any other content. But try to be creative, with visuals and compelling descriptions. I also recommend to add a call to action, maybe a question for your fans on how they deal with the subject of your article or ask to comment on it. This helps keeping them engaged and drives traffic to your blog.

Re-sharing your users’ content is a great thing you can do for many reasons. First of all, it shows that you care about them and that you are grateful for their engagement. Secondly, it’s content that is already there without you needing to create it. It’s also free advertising you get and it’s of the most genuine kind, since you didn’t even look for it. Always remember to thank and credit the follower.

Ask your fans to answer a survey on your services/products or a poll on something related to them. As we previously said, it’s a great way to show how much you care about them and your opinion and how much you want them to be part of your decisions. A nice and funny poll is also something your followers might share themselves with their friends, giving you more visibility.

Create a contest. For instance, you can ask people to share a picture of them using your product and to tag you. Whoever gets more likes will win a prize. People can become competitive and you’ll be surprised to see how much engagement it can get. However, this works best if you already have an audience.

Share compelling third party content related to your field. It gives credibility to your business, as you show that you know the big players in your industry. You also want your page to be interesting, informative and useful for your audience. Content that comes from somebody else is great to add value. You are welcome to use it but always credit your source.

You can also post inspirational quotes to make people think and too improve your image. Think about it, when you’re having a bad day, this kind of content can help you feeling better. And if you helped a customer feeling a little better, there are more likely to remember you and visit you page again. For some people, your quote can become a daily or weekly boost.

And now to you, what is your social media strategy? What do you like to share? I’m sure I missed some type of social media content… Please leave a comment below to let me know if you know something I didn’t include! Thanks.

15/10/201715/10/2017

How to become a freelancer and find your first clients

In this video I share my experience on how to become a freelancer. For the ones who are tired of their office life and wonder whether they should take the risk and travel the world.

And what about you? How did you fins your first clients? Or if you’re still in the decision process, what is your strategy? Would love to hear from you!

12/10/2017

Why starting a blog will be the key to your success

In the previous article of the content is king series, we discussed about good about us page. Now that you have reformulated your website, you should focus on creating something new. Starting a blog is actually the most cost-effective way to promote yourself online. It will help you building an online audience of followers while avoiding the costs of paid channels.

This time, we will focus on why doing it, what to do and how you should do it.

Why do you need to start a blog?

If you are a startup or small business, a good marketing strategy is key to your success. However, many people wonder why would you even take the effort of writing. Starting a blog is very time consuming but does not generate direct revenue. This is true, thus there is so much more:

A blog is a place where you find your customers, provide them with valuable information while promoting your brand. Don’t sell your products, but tell something related to them. This really helps building more awareness: your customers and readers will have your company in their minds. It also adds value to their perception of your brand making them want to visit your website more often.

Blog articles are also great original content to share on your social media pages. You know you have to keep your followers engaged posting every day but sometimes you don’t know how to make it more variegated, so use your articles.

Your website will rank higher in the search results if you have a blog. This means that there will be more organic traffic to your website. Why? If you think about it, when you google something, it is very likely that you check the first 3-4 results of the first page, like 95% of people. The higher you are, the better chances you get to be seen. The search engines like fresh content, so they will reward you. However, your content needs to be CICO, as we discuss in the following point.

How to write a small business blog

When it comes to how to write, always remind to be CICO: Compelling, Informative, Correct and Organized.

It is important that you use the right keywords your customers might be looking for. The more you have on your website, the better search engines will rank you. So, when planning to write your posts, think at what your target might search for. There are some tools that will show you if the keyword you chose actually drives traffic. One of them is Key Word Planner. To use it you just need a Google AdWords account, which you probably already have. Key Word Planner will give you insights on how often the key words you choose appear in searches in your target location. The best part is that it’s free.

Remember not to write a text that is a sequence of keywords, but something interesting and factual. Also, don’t forget proper grammar and double checking typos. Write something you would also read through: the more time your visitors spend on your website, the better.

For what concerns timing, of course, the more often the better. In general, you should post at least once a month. Do it regularly and plan it in advance. If you know you don’t have much time for blogging, hire a content writer that will do the job for you. If that’s the case, it’s important that you have ongoing conversations and maybe interviews with this person, in order to make sure the posts are consistent with your style.

It’s always better that your blog is a section of your main website, as you don’t want to create confusion in your audience, but want people to relate to your brand. If you kept it on a different site, you would drive the organic traffic coming from your fresh content there. This would be highly counterproductive for your business goals.

What to write in your small business blog

First of all, remember that you are writing your small business blog for your customers, exactly like your website. You should already know your target, so design the posts for them and what appeals to them. The focus should always be on creating compelling and informative content. If you are in that specific business, you are an expert. Even if your experience doesn’t go back to the 90’s, you know the industry you are working in. You can do this!

A very easy way to start is by telling what, how and, most of all, why you do what you do. People will relate to it and this will keep them more engaged. If you share your knowledge and experience regularly, you will create a sort of expectation that will make people come and visit your blog for education purposes.

If you have been in business for a certain amount of time, you might always get the same questions. So why don’t you write about them? People are obviously interested in that specific topic. You might also decide to address a certain need you feel like your clientele has. In this case, your product is the solution, so make them realize it, but in a subtle way. Don’t just try to sell it at any cost.

Try to do more in-depth articles to position your blog as an educational, reliable and knowledgeable tool. You will also build trust and relationships with prospect clients, as well as fostering them with the current ones.

Involve your team in the posts. Even if there will always be one person coordinating the blog, having your entire family taking part to it will make your business more human as well as give fresh ideas on the content. Blogging will become a more fun team effort.

It is also good to check your competitors, to find inspiration but also to differentiate yourself. Like in your business strategy, find your unique selling proposition and use it for your posts. Looking at what the competition does is also great for tips about the design and the user experience you want for your blog.

Once you posted your article, share it on social media to tell the world. Also, always promote your posts among your newsletter subscribers. Email marketing is still the marketing tool with the highest ROI, more than SEO and display ads.

How do you write your blog posts? Leave a comment, would love to hear from you!

08/10/201709/10/2017

5 reasons why millennials decide to become a digital nomad

Are you a millennial wanting to become a digital nomad but you’re afraid of taking that risk? I talk to many people who want to take that step but don’t know how. For me it was something that I just did, for life circumstances and because I felt it, as you can see in my post on my story. I can’t really give you a way, but I know that first of all you need a very strong motivation. Leaving your comfort zone and having this life style is not easy nor for everyone. You will do it only if you are ready to do it.

What I also recommend is to have a plan. Whatever motivation you have, you can’t just give up everything without having an idea of what you will do in your new life.

I found 5 reasons why people make this choice, based on my experience. Every story is different, though, you might find yourself in more than one category. So, have fun placing yourself!

The Indiana Jones type: travel the world while working

I think one of the best thigs in life is being able to see places and discover the world. I know I’m not the only one thinking this way: research actually shows that millennial prefer experience over stuff. But here’s the problem. If you have a traditional job you have to wait for your annual leave to be able to travel where and how you want. If you work remotely, on the other hand, you can explore while being productive and, most of all, you can stay longer in the different locations to know and enjoy the local vibe. So, this need for adventure is what motivates the Indiana Jones type to become a digital nomad.

Some people choose just one location to stay there several months or years. I am in this category because I like being stable for a while and being able to really settle in the local culture. Of course, I travel to places nearby for a short time, but I then like to come back to my temporary home. Some fellow nomads, on the other hand, are on the move all the time. They stay just a couple of weeks in every place before moving on to the next one. Of course, they get to see more.

The Jerry Maguire personality: quit your job and find the courage to be freer

I don’t know about you, but I have many friends who are bored of their office life and want something more adventurous. I actually started reading about a phenomenon that is becoming increasingly popular among millennials: give up a traditional job, maybe even a pay rise, to be able to better manage their time and life. Millennials want to be free from schedules and from those working hours they perceive as limiting for their creativity and potential. Some people see it as an arrogant laziness, but research shows that it is just a different way to pursue career goals.

So if you are the Jerry Maguire type, you’ll find the courage to be free from those restrictions. However, society does not always accept this craving for flexibility and you’ll have to go against what people you admire and care about say. This happened to me with one of my biggest mentors when I decide to quit my job in London and go to Chile. It was really hard to disappoint him, but I also know I will proof him I am right. I am choosing the lifestyle I want and suits me.

Love story type: Cutting long distance in love relationships

The Love Story type is the one who is willing to go against all odds for love. In a world where distances become shorter, it is likely that you find your significant other in a different country or even continent. It can be an amazing experience on one hand, but on the other a long-distance relationship is hard. So, leaving everything to be with the person you love, is a very strong motivation.

Certain couples end up working remotely and travelling the world together. They definitely become a stronger team, even if they both have their own jobs. It will also be much easier for them to overcome the difficulties of starting in a new place. Of course, not everybody is willing to give up their lives to follow their hearts. I also know some situations where a digital nomad moved and settled in the partner’s country. This was possible thanks to the flexible schedule, but this was also the reason to end a nomad life.

Change life in order to accomplish something: The pursuit of happiness

I met many people who, at a certain point, need to change life in order to accomplish something. They don’t want to keep working for someone else’s dream but build something that belongs to them. I found 2 main reasons why they would not create their project in their home country: cutting costs and educate themselves. Certain countries have quite high costs of living, but if you are creating a new business, you need to cut wherever possible. Moving to a cheaper location becomes a necessity, as well as a nice experience. Some people also want to learn and get inspirations from the working culture of a certain place. For instance, every person in tech dreams to end up in the Silicon Valley for at least a couple of months and absorb as much as possible.

Startup founders sometimes move to different locations because they are taking part to acceleration programs, where they get funding and mentorship. I was able to observe this phenomenon in Chile. For them, the company is their priority. So, it’s not them taking the business to the new place, it’s them chasing what’s best for their project. They are the Pursuit of Happiness type, and they’ll do anything to succeed.

Eat Pray Love: reflect on the past to change your future

When you live around the world, sometimes you meet people looking to find themselves, like in the movie Eat, Pray Love. They are typically from Western countries and just left or are still in a complicated situation, be it at work or in their personal sphere. So, they decide to take a break and move to a place where they can connect to their inner self and give meaning to what they do. As Bali is one of their favourite spots, I got the opportunity to talk to some of them.

Those people are looking back and reflecting on past decisions in order to make better choices. Society has given them a role that does not resonate with who they really are; so, they venture on this journey in order not to follow conventional norms. They usually have an online business to sustain themselves, but work has nothing to do with what they are really pursuing. I personally find their stories very inspiring, something you can learn from.

What do you think is your strongest motivation to become a digital nomad? If you already are one, what made you take this step?

05/10/201705/10/2017

Content is king: how to write an about us page that people will remember

If you want to improve your online presence, one of the easiest things you can look at is your content. Is it interesting? Does it appeal to your target? Would you spend time on it if you were a visitor of your website?

In this series of three articles, you will find my best tips on how to improve your content for a better online presence.

I don’t’ know about you, but the first thing I do when visiting a new website is checking the About Us page. It has all the information on the brand and it is the first impression visitors get about a company. This is why the first post of the series is on how to write an about us page.

Starting from it will make you rethink at the message you want your brand to vehicle. It will also help you reconsidering the way you communicate to your audience. Once you’re done with that, you can go to the rest of your website.

Remember that the about us page doesn’t need to be very long nor too detailed. The following are just a few tips for inspiration, you don’t need to use all of them!

Think at what makes you special

Sometimes when running a small business or a startup we forget our purpose. Our to do list is so long and we focus on the day to day activities, neglecting the basics.

If you have to write or rewrite your about us page, start with thinking at what makes your business unique and why should customers buy your product and not your competition’s. What is the problem you are solving? What is your vision?

Spend some time on it and when you figured it out write it down.

An absolute no go when it comes to expressing your ideas is a boring list. Who wants to read that? You have to be creative to engage your customers. A good way to do this is by telling a story:

Tell a story

If possible, tell a story. Narratives are very effective when it comes to marketing because our brains remember them much better. We relate much more to stories than some abstract ideas. This is why even our ancestors would tell stories to keep record of important historical facts before they could write and read.

Keep the focus on your customers making the content relevant to them and the problem you are solving. Be entertaining and maybe a little unusual with a different angle. However, you should always be authentic. Don’t make up something crazy to seem more interesting. It will come back to you and you will lose credibility as well as people’s trust.

Always include visuals

What do you think at when you see a full text website without visuals? It’s so 90’s, right? You don’t want to be like that!

So, add visuals to make your design more appealing. Ideally you should have your own pictures, and videos. If you don’t have the material nor the budget for professional services, there are some great tools that will help you. Don’t use a random image that you find on Google, as it might be subject to copyright and affect your SEO score.

You can buy images or icons from various online stocks for very reasonable prices. I like canva for images: you can choose from over 1,000,000 and create your own designs. They are also valuable for social media posts. Some pictures are free and for others you need to pay 1$.

iconsolid is great for icons: they have over 1,075 vector icons in several file formats and sizes. You have to buy your licence, starting from 39$ to have access to their entire stock.

I think it is a good compromise when you are on a tight budget. You will use professional services when the time will be right.

Add a timeline

Facebook made a timeline a very popular tool for people to present themselves. So, why not taking that idea from them and using it in the About Us page?

Visitors will see your company’s history, from where you started to your greatest achievements and future goals. If you have been in business for a couple of years, include some relevant milestones. If, on the other hand, you just started, you can put your next steps. This is especially useful if you run a startup, as you will need this timeline in your pitch desk.

Again, don’t write just a list, try to be engaging and creative with visuals. A timeline is actually a great tool to show facts and detail in various formats, not just in text. Your customers will appreciate the simplicity of the information you display. Maybe you can add some fun images of your company history to make it even more compelling.

If you are not sure about how to create a timeline infographic, follow these steps.

Don’t forget your team

Adding your team will make your business more accessible and human. Your clients will be able to give a face to a name!

So, add each team member with their pictures and a brief biography, but highlight the real person outside the office. We all like to think behind the products and services we consume there are human beings, like us. Tell what are their values, what they like and what makes them special.

It doesn’t need to be formal, actually it’s better if you use a simple and relaxed language. People need to be able to relate to it. If applicable, add their contacts. We want to get to the right person when we need them.

Once you’re happy with your about us page, you can move to the rest of the website to match your new communication style.

Still not sure on how to write an about us page? Check the Best About Us Pages for some inspiration or contact me.

01/10/201701/10/2017

Why starting a new life where you don’t know anyone will make you a better person

I just arrived in Bali and, for the fifth time in the past five years, I’m starting a new life. You would say that I have some experience, but I can tell you, it’s hard and scary every single time. On top of that, I’m completely alone.

It was the same when I moved to Miami and New York, and they turned out to be among the greatest experiences of my life… So, I’m ready for this new challenge.

Starting over in a place where you don’t know anyone has actually a lot of advantages. It is a priceless experience that will make you become a better person!

You can be yourself 100%

I think the greatest advantage of starting a new life where you don’t know anyone is that you can be yourself. You don’t need to wear your social mask because people around you don’t’ expect anything from you. As much as you don’t do it from them either.

You can sort of reset your past and move on. No-one knows about your mistakes nor embarrassing moments. You are a blank page you need to write. And the main character is going to be your true self.

You are forced to go out and meet people.

Unless you want to be lonely all the time, you have to make the effort. Being lazy on the couch is not an option plus you are excited to see the new place and all its cool offerings.

Honestly, it’s easier to start with other foreigners. As you might share the same feelings and experiences, you understand each other better. If you are both new, you’ll have found a great buddy to explore and do as much as you can. So, try and find out where the expats hang out. If you are a digital nomad it’s really easy, just go to a co-working space and talk to the people.

I tend not to stick with Italians too much because I like having friends from around the world. After all, if I wanted to be among Italians, I could have stayed in Milan, which would also have been much easier. So, I suggest to try to be with different people from different backgrounds.

Once you feel comfortable and settled, go to the locals. You won’t have the full experience of a place if you don’t’ mingle with the locals. How do you meet them? Usually the best place is work. When I was in London, I was one of the few foreigners of the office, so I mingled with my colleagues. Here in Bali I started with the driver that picked me up at the airport. I asked questions to understand the culture and also learnt a few expressions in Bahasa Indonesia. I also talked with staff from my hotel and the manager became my first friend.

Wherever you are, be creative and just talk to as many people as possible.

You will learn a lot about yourself

I used to be very shy and barely talk to strangers. And I thought this was an aspect of my personality that would never change. But guess what? Living around the world made me realize I was wrong.

New York was definitely a great place for that: people would approach me on the street for whatever reason, I made friends on the train or with the person sitting at the restaurant table next to me. I loved it and became like this.

When you are new in a place you’ll spend some time by yourself. I recommend to express all your thoughts and feelings in a diary. Even therapists say it’s beneficial!

I do it every time and read those pages months or even years later. It’s so interesting! I look back and see how much I’ve changed. And I often realize that what seemed a huge deal at that time turned out to be the best opportunity ever.

You become more tolerant.

Let’s face it, being alone in a new environment is damn hard! You have to make all the efforts and most of the times you don’t understand some behaviours. What looks normal to you is considered weird or maybe even rude in this new country and vice versa.

You get upset when people don’t understand you, are arrogant and impatient. After all, no matter how good you speak the local language, you are still a foreigner. You will also meet some great people that will guide you in this new culture, teach you some slang and give you some tips to survive. That’s just life, some people are open and some are not.

When you have been in these situations, you realize that in the past you might have been the arrogant one with people in need. I can tell you, next time you’ll become a lot more tolerant and nice. You’ll actually become the helpful person. Being alone in a new country has the power to make you better!

You can make new amazing friends

I think this is probably the best part of being alone in a new country. As you are forced to meet people, be nice to them and make the extra effort, there’s a big chance that you’ll make new amazing friends.

As a result of living around the world, I can say I know people almost everywhere and from anywhere. I have some very special ones from home, but I also have good friends from all my adventures.

What I observed is that sharing an experience will make relationships stronger faster. Even if you move on to a new place, the friends you previously met will usually stay, along with the amazing memories. It’s sort of an unbreakable bond and when you meet again, it will look like you haven’t seen each other for 10 minutes.

Sometimes you’ll realize that you get along better with fellow nomads than people from home. They understand you better and their personality is more similar to yours. This is normal. But this doesn’t mean you’ll lose your childhood friends. You just have to make the effort to involve them in your new life, keep in touch, tell them how you feel and how happy you are to be with them when you’re back. It’s not too hard nowadays, technology is on your side!

Starting in a new place where you don’t know anybody is hard, no doubt. Sometimes you are sad, lonely and wish you were in your comfort zone. But you just need to give yourself time to adapt and you’ll have the time of your life.

I listed a few reasons why I think that starting a new life alone is better. This is my personal opinion that I formed through my experience. But I wanna know about you. How do you prefer to travel/move to a new place?

22/09/201722/09/2017

Your life in a suitcase: 4 ideas on how to pack when moving to a new country

Packing is a big part of a digital nomad’s life, the most annoying one for me. I’m about to move to Bali and here I go again: I have everything in my head but just hate putting it into the suitcase and will wait to do it last minute.

Talking to some fellows digital nomads I found out that everyone has their own ideas on how to pack when moving to a new country.

I could divide them into 4 categories. Have fun placing yourself.

You never know

I used to be in this category but had to find a more efficient way. I need to be able to carry everything myself in case there is no trolley or I don’t have the right currency to pay for it.

People in this category have a lot of stuff and want to take as much as they can in more than 2 checked bags. They also leave a lot behind, usually at their parents’ place. Don’t assume it’s just girls, I know a couple of guys who take more than I do…

When they pack they’d typically say: “you never know” to sort of feel better for how much they’re taking. At the airport they need someone to help them carrying all their luggage.

The good thing is: they have the perfectly matching shoes for every outfit. The downside: they might end up paying a lot for extra luggage or overweight.

The delegators

Similar to the “you never know”, people in this category are actually very smart. They travel with a small bag, but ship the rest from home.

They have all the advantages of bringing everything, but don’t need a sherpa at the airport. Plus, cargo shipping is cheaper than getting extra luggage or paying for overweight.

The downside: they need to have an address in the new country where to ship everything.

They also have to pack some days in advance in order to get their stuff as soon as they are there.

Less is more

At the other opposite you have the minimal and super efficient ones. I honestly admire those people for how organized and simple they live.

They say that everything important they have can fit in a suitcase. They would typically buy the rest and sell it when they have to move.

Another aspect I find very interesting is that they don’t leave anything at their parents’ or someone else’s place. They have already sold or given away what they had before becoming digital nomads and just don’t have more stuff.

Besides being able to travel lighter, the other big advantage is that they take only the many things which are most meaningful. When you accumulate a lot of stuff, it’s much harder to care about the few wonderful things you want to keep around. That’s not a problem for the minimalist traveller.

The downside: what if the ambassador of their country invites them for a gala at the embassy and they don’t have proper cloths? They’d actually answer: “I don’t get those type of invitations that often, in case I’ll improvise”.

The golden mean

It took me years but I finally found my ultimate packing style: take the most you can but optimize it for a solo traveller. I would say this is somewhere in between the 2 extremes.

Even though I live around the world, I love my stuff and especially my clothes and shoes. I don’t wanna be in the situation where I am wearing an outfit that would match that specific shoes and realize I don’t have them with me. I know, you can buy everything everywhere but you still wanna use what you want when you want.

So, I take the most I can and put it in one huge suitcase. This is super efficient for a person travelling solo. After all I only have 2 hands…

The downside? The big suitcase is always overweight. And the same scene repeats over and over again: I put the bag on the check-in scale and the employee at the counter usually looks at me and feeling very sorry says: “Miss, I’m afraid it’s too heavy”. And I smile and answer: “ I know, but I had no other option” and pay, actually happy that they would still accept it on the plane.

Could you find yourself? Tag your nomad friends and let me know what is your secret on how to pack when moving to a new country!

14/09/201722/09/2017

I don't want realism, I want magic: how I became a digital nomad

It all started in August 2013, I was on the plane flying to the States for my semester abroad at the University of Miami. I just wanted to leave for a few months, come back to Italy, graduate, get a job and have a calm adult life in Milan. Like everybody else. But there was this feeling. Watching out of the window I told myself it was the last time I was seeing Italy with the same eyes. I somehow knew the same Anna would never come back because this experience would make me a completely new person.

“I don’t want realism, I want magic”

And this is exactly what happened. A few days at an American university, and I opened my eyes. I started meeting people from all over the world, with completely different backgrounds from mine. And I felt so at home with them in such an environment.

On my way to school I passed by a construction site every day. On its fence there was written “I don’t want realism, I want magic”. It might sound very naive but I thought that sentence promoted a positive attitude I really liked and reflected what I was living at the time.

It didn’t take me too long to decide that after the semester abroad I would do an internship in New York. So, counting on my own strengths and little network, I got what I wanted and extended my stay.

Big city girl

New York is the capital of the world to me and my favorite city of all. It plays a very important role in my story because it is where I really felt I belonged. Its energy, vibes and the friendly people who would approach me on the street, on the train, in a restaurant just to chat for a while caught me immediately. I loved it! When I first arrived there I knew very few people and started to go out alone, even at night. I met people and made many amazing friends. Again, they were coming from everywhere and I absolutely adored it.

Being in New York and walking in New York are among my favorite feelings in the world. When I was there for the internship I thought I found my home. So, after I got back to Italy for a few months to graduate, I left for the Big Apple again. This time I was on a mission: get a visa sponsorship to fulfill my dream to live there. I got it after a few weeks and I was really happy to start a training in a leading art pr agency in January 2015.

Life does not always happen as we expect and, after 9 months in this position, I realized it would have been very hard for me to find a sponsorship for a work visa. I had to take the hardest decision of my life: find a job elsewhere. The day I accepted a position in another top art pr agency in London I had to buy a one way ticket from New York to Europe. It took me 1 hour and many many tears. I just couldn’t leave.

I left a part of me in the Big Apple and I still love it beyond anything else. But I went on and started a new life in London. Any city after New York would have been hard and incomparable to me. I wasn’t satisfied with my life, my job and the place I was living in.

But life surprised me again and, this time, for the best. After almost a year in London, a friend of mine asked if I wanted to join her in Chile, where her startup got into an acceleration program called StartUp Chile. I didn’t hesitate for a minute, quit my job and embarked on this life-changing experience.

My time in Chile or the world is my home

Working in a startup in Santiago de Chile was something new, and so exciting. I absolutely loved it. I was in a community of creative, smart and international people and felt so welcome. For once, everybody was living around the world, fulfilling their intrepreneurial dream. I wasn’t the crazy one, I was like the majority.

The startup mentality and environment were also really appealing. I was mainly doing digital marketing, putting into practice what I learnt in a very interesting online course I started during my time in London. I also felt a sort of entrepreneurial need myself.

It’s in my time in Santiago that I became acquainted with the “digital nomads” and everything made sense. I found myself there, with those like–minded people. It was a sort of epiphany: I realized I was becoming a digital nomad but didn’t know it before.

A digital nomad

Life circumstances made me come back to Italy after almost 6 months in Santiago. I felt a little lost in my hometown after almost 4 years around the world. What I missed the most was my international community. If you live far away, you’ll naturally lose some of your friends at home and the ones who stay do obviously have their busy lives.

After the first hard weeks, I got my life back together and started working on my goal to live as a digital nomad. I got my first digital marketing clients and begun to work for them. I knew my time in Italy was limited and decided that at the end of summer I would go to Bali. What attracts me are the digital nomad community and the yoga scene, because spirituality is also a very important component of how I live my life.

And here I am, about to embark on this new adventure…

Wish me luck!

Music is one of the global languages we all understand and relate to. We all have songs that remind us of certain times and situations. So I decided to add a song that makes sense to me to every post. For this first post I choose Wake Me Up by Avicii, first of all because it was popular during my semester abroad, and because the lyrics somehow reflect my life.

Listen to it! Doesn’t it talk about the digital nomads?