Thanks to my relationship with Tampa Bay Bloggers and Envy Apples this blog was compensated for this post, and some social media love. This has not impacted my post, and all opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links that provides this blog with a small commission if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
I LOVE apples. Like a lot! And so when I got the chance to make a recipe with Envy Apples, I knew just what to make. I had to call my Granny Betty and get permission to share the recipe though. Lucky for y’all she was happy to help.
Now, don’t let the name fool you. Just because they recipe calls for Mountain Dew doesn’t mean it’s going to taste like the soda. And, it won’t be all green and alien looking either.
Instead, the soda comes together with the other ingredients to create a delicious concoction that almost has the consistency and texture of a softer apple pie.
Trust me!
These apple dumplings are fantastic! Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have a tasty dessert that will be polished off faster than you can ask for a second helping!
Have a drink you want me to try or a product you want me to review? Contact me HERE! I’m PR friendly
The amounts in the recipe listed below make 16 dumplings, but because it’s just me and my husband, I cut this recipe in half. You can also add a little more cinnamon to your apples if you prefer, but I liked them just lightly dusted personally.
Be sure to use Envy Apples when you make your dumplings too, by the way. They are perfect for this recipe, and come out just as soft as you could possibly want in a dessert like this. Sooooo good! Alright, enough talk…let’s get to the yummy recipe, shall we?
5. Wrap each apple slice with one crescent roll, enclosing it completely, then place in the pan
6. In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the sugar and bring to a slight boil, stirring constantly
7. Pour the sugar and butter mixture over the top of the dumplings
8. Finally, pour the can of Mountain Dew over the dumplings
9. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes
10. Pull out of the oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream
I opted for ice cream with my dumplings. Soooooooooooooooo tasty. I think this recipe is perfect for any time of year, but I know for sure I’ll be making it again for Christmas dinner!
What do you think? Are you willing to give this recipe a try? Or, if you did try it, leave me a comment below and tell me what you thought of it!
Also be sure to try my Apple Cider Martini! Click the image below to get the recipe:
While this Cran-Apple Chicken Salad Appetizer post was sponsored by Envy Apples in partnership with Publix Apron's Schools, all opinions are my own. This post may also contain affiliate links.
I LOVE apples. More specifically, I LOVE Envy Apples. That’s why when they reached out and asked me if I had any interest in creating another recipe for a sampling night at Publix Apron’s Schools, I jumped at the chance to do so. Last year in 2018, I shared my Granny Betty’s Mountain Dew Apple Dumplings. This year, instead of a dessert, I wanted to do an appetizer that could easily double as a quick lunch or after workout snack.
I chose to make a Cran-Apple Chicken Salad Appetizer on apple slices. While I often eat chicken salad on a croissant, or hamburger bun, I wanted to make this version low carb and gluten-free so that even if I’m trying to watch my diet, I can indulge in this delicious snack. Here’s how I made it:
Cran-Apple Chicken Salad Appetizer
Ingredients
– Approximately 1 1/2 cups of rotisserie chicken chopped (I pulled it right off of a Publix rotisserie chicken!)
– 1/4 cup celery chopped into small pieces (I used Dandy pre-washed celery because it has such a great crunch and I don’t have to cut or wash anything. It’s ready right out of the bag!)
– 1/3 cup of mayo*
– 1/3 cup of sour cream*
– 1/4 cup of dried cranberries chopped (I used Craisins)
– 1/4 cup of grapes sliced
– 2 or 3 medium sized apples (I used Envy Apples – highly recommend these because they don’t brown as fast as other brands)
-A handful of crushed walnuts (optional!)
Instructions
1. Mix all ingredients except for the apples in a bowl
2. Salt and pepper to taste, mix again, and then chill your chicken salad mix in the fridge for about an hour
3. Wash and dry your apples
4. Cut thin slices of your apples. You want them just thick enough to hold something on them.
5. Lay the slices onto a serving platter
6. Scoop about 2 tbsp of chicken salad mix onto each one of the apple slices
7. Serve and enjoy!
*Recipe note: If you like your chicken salad a little drier, cut the mayo and sour cream back to 1/4 cup each.
This Cran-Apple Chicken Salad Appetizer is perfect for barbecues, baby showers, and all kinds of parties!
The weekend I made these we went to a Memorial Day weekend party and they were a hit! The cold chicken salad on a crisp apple slice was the perfect kickoff to a delicious barbecue. You can make a huge batch of these before any party.
If you won’t be serving them for a while you can soak your apples in a bath of Sprite before hand. Envy Apples already keep their color a long time, but the Sprite adds even more time before browning occurs.
About the Envy Apples I Used in my Cran-Apple Chicken Salad Appetizer
Envy TM apples are premium apples with extraordinary crunch and texture and refreshingly sweet
Envy TM have naturally higher citric acid content which prevents the ‘browning’ enzyme from activating. This means they are VERY slow to brown, which makes them ideal for kid’s lunches, picnics, salads, charcuterie boards and party platters – they will look great for hours!
Envy TM is cross between Braeburn and Royal Gala. They are non-GMO and are grown naturally in Washington State and New Zealand.
Envy TM apples can be found nationwide at grocery stores including: Publix, Whole Foods, Walmart, Market 5 one 5, Central Market, Raley’s, King Soopers, IGA, Wegmans and more. For the store nearest you, visit envyapple.com and click on the
Feeling unmotivated and burnt out? This roundup of advice for getting work done on difficult days might help!
Let’s face it, some days, work sucks. I don’t care if you work for yourself, or someone else. There will come days where you just simply don’t want to work. That’s why I decided to reach out for advice. I asked a bunch on people a simple question:
How do you get work done when you don’t want to? Here’s what they had to say:
Set clear and achievable goals
Set clear and achievable goals – setting clear and achievable goals helps me stay focused and motivated. I make sure to define what I want to accomplish and make a plan to reach those goals in a realistic time frame.
Second, break tasks into smaller, manageable parts – Breaking tasks into smaller, manageable parts makes the workload less overwhelming. I prioritize and schedule my tasks in a way that allows me to take on one task at a time and make steady progress towards my goals.
My name is Tanisha Coffey. I’ve been a self-employed entrepreneur for 18 years. Currently, I’m a homeschooling mompreneur of three, running two businesses–The Lofty Entrepreneur and Rock Solid Financial. It’s not easy and there are definitely times when I feel so burnout or frustrated that I do lose motivation to keep going. So, for me, when the going gets tough for me and I don’t feel motivated, one or both of these things work for me:
(1) If I am coming up with excuses left and right as to why I can’t do something or don’t feel motivated to do something, I turn my I don’t want to because… or I can’t because… into I have to because… or I can’t NOT do it because… For me, that statement tends to end with …because my family is depending on me.
(2) The other thing that motivates me is to think of the alternative. Whatever I am doing for business, I am doing so, in most cases, because it’s necessary to continue generating income my family depends on. So, if I don’t do those things, I will still have to generate income in some
way…and the way that typically comes to mind is going to work for someone else. The thought of that–having to clock in, losing power / control, having someone I must answer to and giving up a majority of the freedoms I (and my family) currently enjoy…well, all of that jolts me back pretty quickly into action and motivates me to keep going.
As a personal trainer, entrepreneur, and blogger, I have firsthand experience with the challenges of staying motivated, especially on days when it seems like nothing is going right. Here are some tips that have helped me power through and maintain my momentum:
Get active: Exercise can be a powerful motivator, especially when you’re feeling down. A workout can boost endorphins, help you clear your mind, and provide a sense of accomplishment.
Prioritize self-care: Taking care of yourself, whether through relaxation, meditation, or simply taking a break, is essential for maintaining motivation and energy levels.
I work with business owners from many countries — overload and searching for motivation is our global problem. I switch through active rest. If you work with your head and rest inactively (just being at home), your brains will not switch. I am learning to play golf, I ride a motorcycle a lot, I go for walks. You need a physical hobby that requires attention and effort.
Another hobby that energizes me is vocal. I practice 2 times per week. I like it both from an aesthetic point of view and in terms of the fact that it helps me control my voice. After all, I record a lot of content, I talk a lot. I can use it in business and projects. Singing does not take much time and brings great pleasure — so why not?
I’m John Willis, the founder of convertfree. I’m a senior software developer on a mission to pursue knowledge and skills to better aid my colleagues and the products we develop. As an entrepreneur in the tech field and going through the situation, I would like to share my thoughts
on this topic.
To reframe your mindset and focus on the benefits of completing a task, Identify the negative thoughts that are hindering your motivation. Challenge those thoughts by asking yourself if they are based on facts or just assumptions and Focus on the positive aspects of the task, such as the benefits it will bring to you and others.
Also, set realistic, achievable goals and break the task into smaller, manageable parts, use positive self-talk to boost your confidence and motivation. Visualize yourself successfully completing the task and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment.
My name is Donald Williams Jr., adulting coach and founder of Adulting Starts Here, an adulting blog aimed at helping young people transition into adulthood.
Creating systems that help me think less and do more has been extremely helpful in building Adulting Starts Here. I have a certain system that helps me more efficiently and effectively do topic and SEO research. I have another system that helps me streamline my outlining process which directly feeds into my ability to draft my blog posts more quickly.
As I’ve spent more time over the years working on Adulting Starts Here, this system has become less about thinking and more about reaching the markers I have set for myself.
With that said, regardless of my motivation, these systems I have put in place have allowed me to 5x my audience and find a better balance between other passions and my family.
Working in the fitness industry, there is a requirement to always project an image full of energy and enthusiasm, even when you are feeling exhausted or unmotivated. When I find myself starting to feel like this, I recognise it as a warning sign that I have been neglecting my own health regime and focussing too much on work.
I go right back to basics and schedule in my workouts for the week ahead, making completing them non-negotiable. I’ll also look at my diet, and if I think I’m falling back too much on unhealthy convenience foods, I will prep meals for the next few days, so I know I am eating well. It’s basically a case of taking the advice I would give to a client and applying it to myself, then being as strict about sticking to it as I would with a personal trainer checking up on me!
By recognising the signs and taking action, I’m usually back to myself within a few days, proving that diet and exercise really do make all the difference, and even health professionals have to remind themselves of that sometimes.
I am both a freelancer and self-employed, as I operate my blog and work on the side as a freelance social media manager for an independent publisher.
Being someone who works remotely and has no boss looking over my shoulder, it’s important for me to power through even on the days I have no motivation.
Here are the things that have helped me…
1. Schedule my day the night before. I time-block my day out so that I can stay on task. That means setting a time table for waking up, beginning my work, specific tasks, and a strict end time. This makes it way easier for me to stay on track with my priorities for the day.
2. Have a to-do list for each week. Having small goals to complete helps me feel purposeful in my work and helps when I lack motivation. Working towards something always makes me feel like my work is meaningful.
3. Create a work area for myself. Since I work at home, it’s tempting to work on my bed, couch, or patio. However, when I set up my desk, it helps me successfully get my tasks done quicker. The right environment = more productivity.
4. Put my phone on “do not disturb” or in the other room when I am working on my main priorities. It’s easy to get distracted by social media, so this has been a huge help for me.
Consider what you were doing before becoming an Entrepreneur – Were you answering 24/7 to a boss who was less than sympathetic? Less than encouraging? Less than cordial even? Take that fear of returning to a world of answering to someone else and fortify your thoughts on maintaining your top level position as answering only to yourself (and then do so)!
Remember that when you do the fulfilling life’s work you are meant to do – you are helping others fulfill their dreams as well. You may be sharing expertise, coaching or simply living by example as a business owner that inspires others.
Do you have a personal theme song? We all have our motivational songs that lift us up out of our mental space. Think of the songs that get you on your feet, get you singing or fist pumping and blast those speakers or earbuds! Music and weather affect our moods more than anything else.
Bundle “have to do” tasks with “want to do” rewards. For example, If you procrastinate invoicing, consider giving yourself a lovely treat once that task is complete – like a special coffee or special spa service.
When I have no motivation, I am able to power through by reminding myself of two things. The first reminder is when my family was homeless and I don’t ever want to feel that feeling of destitute again. It’s not cute and no one cares. The second reminder is, I know my work supports mothers and caregivers experiencing burnout. And when I am able to power through my lack of motivation moments and share my experiences with my audience, it will encourage them to power through too.
Elk Cove Inn, a rare jewel located on the Mendocino coast of northern California offering ocean view accommodations, spa services and fabulous feasts.
Elk Cove Inn – a Rare Jewel of a Property Located on the Mendocino Coast of Northern California
ELK, CA– Elk Cove Inn & Spa is a unique bed and breakfast located on the dramatic Mendocino Coast featuring breathtaking views, farm-to-table cuisine, impeccable yet friendly service, and an elegant Day Spa. Located in Elk, off California’s scenic Highway 1 (and seventeen miles south of the storied Mendocino Village), the property is a refuge for anyone seeking to connect with nature and themselves (furry friends are welcome to join as well). Centered around a beautiful Craftsman-style mansion from the late 1800s, there are also a variety of suites and cliffside cottages to choose from. Exquisite dinners can be booked at their onsite restaurant, Sibo, and sumptuous daily breakfasts are included with the room. Lavish gardens that supply an ever-changing array of beautiful blooms, produce, and herbs for the restaurant, and the onsite chickens, rabbits, goats, and honeybees complete the charming experience.
Nestled in peaceful seclusion atop a bluff overlooking a mile of dramatic beachfront, the Elk Cove Inn’s Craftsman-style Mansion was built in 1893 by the L.E. White Lumber Company as the Mill Superintendent’s home. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the area was a hotspot for logging, and the wood from this area wood helped to build San Francisco, and then rebuild the city after the Great Earthquake of 1906. In 1968, the house was converted into one of the first bed and breakfasts on the Mendocino Coast, and it has been welcoming visitors ever since.
With some of the most spectacular views on the coast, the Inn is surrounded by native trees, a creek, and the Pacific ocean, with private stairs leading from the property to the secluded driftwood-strewn beach below. Local shops and restaurants are within easy walking distance and guests can watch migrating whales and otters at play just steps from their room or from the Inn’s signature gazebo. Afterwards, they can relax in the hands of some of the North Coast’s finest professional therapists at the Inn’s European-style Day Spa.
One of the highlights of staying at Elk Cove Inn is discovering the French eclectic cuisine prepared by proprietor and Executive Chef Victor Passalacqua at the inn’s onsite restaurant, Sibo. Chef Victor has cooked alongside renowned chefs like Paul Bocuse, Edward Merard, and Ferran Adrià, and has worked in many countries and owned numerous restaurants, including Miami’s beloved Barrel Wine Cantine. His approachable European-style haute cuisine – and the inn’s justly famous sumptuous complimentary breakfasts – are an integral part of the magic that guests rave about, and return again and again to experience. Sibo is open Thursday through Monday from 6pm to 7:30pm and a Grab & Go menu is available Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The bounteous, complimentary breakfast, served daily in-room from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., includes a dizzying array of choices, incorporating eggs from their own hens and produce from their gardens. Dinners can be enjoyed in the restaurant, on the ocean view terrace (weather permitting), or in-room. Reservations are required.
Chef Victor, who is also Co-Owner and Co-Proprietor of the property (along with wife Melissa), is taking farm-to-table to a new level by planting and harvesting his own vegetables, fruits, and herbs in the onsite gardens, as well as foraging for sea creatures, sea vegetables, and mushrooms. Melissa is a certified sommelier and is always happy to suggest the perfect wine from Elk Cove Inn’s curated wine list (featuring mostly local labels) to accompany Chef Victor’s stellar cuisine.
Rounding out the management team is Rakesh Taneja, Co-owner of the inn, who handles all offsite guest relations. “80% of our bookings are repeat visitors and we love them,” states Rakesh. “They always tell us it’s like visiting a good friend’s house, and we strive to create that experience with every guest.”
Elk Cove Inn & Spa is also the perfect getaway spot for those who love to travel with their dogs. “We have four dogs of our own and we know how hard it is to find an elegant escape that allows you to bring your pups,” says Melissa. “We don’t just allow dogs – we welcome them as part of our family.”
Twelve of the inn’s sixteen bespoke suites and rooms are dog-friendly, and guests can choose from an array of ocean view luxury suites, cliffside oceanfront cottages, affordable garden view rooms, carriage house rooms, or elegant rooms in the historic mansion. All accommodations are individual in décor. All rooms boast high-end European Sleep Works mattresses, robes, and buttery soft sheets and duvets by Comphy.
In addition, the inn is LGBTQ-friendly, and is also the perfect venue to host a wedding or private event. It’s available for full buy-outs as well, to host such gatherings as corporate retreats or family reunions.
ChatGPT, the cutting-edge language model developed by OpenAI, has achieved a significant milestone in just two months since its launch, reaching over 100 million users worldwide. Furthermore, just the first five days after its launch, ChatGPT gained one million users, a clear indication of the revolutionary potential of this tool.
The model’s ability to quickly generate high-quality text in various languages is already being leveraged by businesses and individuals alike to streamline workflows, automate tasks, and improve productivity.
According to Anatolii Ulitovskyi, a Founder at UNmiss, “As ChatGPT continues to evolve and improve, its impact will be felt across various industries, transforming old job roles such as writers, accounts, and web developers to controllers, operators, and editors.
As more businesses and individuals begin to explore the possibilities of ChatGPT, we can expect to see a shift towards more creative, higher-value work that requires a human touch.”
Some of the critical benefits of ChatGPT include the following:
Increased productivity and efficiency through the automation of routine tasks
Improved customer engagement and satisfaction through personalized messaging
Enhanced accuracy and precision in language translation and summarization
Creating new job roles in language processing, content creation, and automation.
As ChatGPT continues to gain popularity, it’s clear that this tool will play a significant role in the future of work. With its ability to automate tasks and generate high-quality text in a range of languages, ChatGPT is poised to revolutionize the way we work and help us adapt to a changing job market.
This post contains an affiliate link that if used for making a purchase provides this website with a commission at no additional cost to you. For more information, please read my disclosure policy.
Striking the balance between saving for your future without depriving yourself too much in the present can be difficult.
Start small to build the practice – e.g. save $50 a month to get into the habit and then build on it. Scoring those quick wins positively reinforces you to build on them. Consistency is more important than the actual dollar amount.
Set meaningful savings goals – when we set savings goals that deeply matter to us (e.g. saving for college or retirement), it becomes easier to make the kinds of tradeoffs it takes to accomplish those goals because we know we’re basing decisions on the type of life we want to create for ourselves.
Identify your valued spending – determine the spends that truly brings you joy in the present so you can sustain your motivation and enjoy your life. Depriving yourself too much today to fund your future can send you off the rails and lead to impulse buys that don’t make you happier and leave you with less money. By prioritizing both what matters now and later, intentionally choosing to spend on what brings you joy, you eradicate the impulse-spending that occurs when motivation is at its lowest.
Scarlett Cochran started off as a single teen mom living below the poverty line and went on to become an attorney, financial expert, and entrepreneur. In her career as a lawyer, she worked on behalf of everyday Americans at government agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (where she worked on fair lending and equity issues). Since launching One Big Happy Life, Cochran and her partner, Joseph, have touched the lives of millions. Good Morning America, Forbes, CNBC, Oprah and more have featured her.
Pet adoption was at a record high during the pandemic, and now animal shelters are bracing for pet surrenders as many Americans can no longer afford their pets. However, if you plan on adopting a new furry loved one, how will the pet adjust as you are at work or the kids are at school? Those pets that were at the shelter experience higher levels of separation anxiety, and in turn, can cause your pet to get sick or even worse, cause destructive behavior.
Mobile Technology that is the Future of Pet Care!
The new trend in pet technology are mobile apps such as Vetster Inc.’s app, a leading veterinary telemedicine and pet-care marketplace, that was selected as “Pet App of the Year”. Mobile apps make it easy to find a veterinarian at a time that works for the pet owner. With secure video, audio and chat options pet owners can speak to a trusted, verified veterinarian who can help to assess the pet, diagnose and even prescribe medication. One can manage payment and invoicing, provide a summary of the appointment, and keep the appointment records on file for future appointments.
Create an account: Enter a few details about yourself, like email and where you live. Enter your pet descriptions. Each pet needs their own profile and medical history to store records or set up appointments.
Describe your pet: Enter your pet’s name, species, color, gender, weight, date of birth and if your pet is spay or neutered. Each pet you enter has a profile you are able to edit and add pictures of.
Book an appointment: Select the pet profile, for the pet who needs an appointment, and choose the “Book a Vet” button. Choose the vet and it will let you know the cost.
Start your appointment: Click on the appointment during the scheduled time. Connect with video, voice, and/or chat-enabled options during your session. The session is recorded, which may be helpful for your pets medical records. Prices start at $55 USD / $65 CAD and are established by the veterinarian.
This post contains an affiliate link that if used for making a purchase provides this website with a commission at no additional cost to you. For more information, please read my disclosure policy.
Companies down to the Fortune 10 fail to train employees how to operate efficiently as a team, the confusion has led to individuals frenetically doing everything themselves in a desperate attempt to be productive, and this in turn leads to inefficiencies and redundancies resulting in countless dollars and hours lost as well as individual burnout and company-wide layoffs.
Companies must train their workers to use the right tools (like email – one of the biggest drainers of efficiency) in the right way at the right time as a team as opposed to being individually productive, argues Fortune 10 consultant and Leverage CEO Nick Sonnenberg.
Quickly identifying where you are out of alignment, plus how to experience greater team productivity and fulfillment at work
Formulaically calculating the complexity of your team and how much value you’re getting from your current tool stack
Automating internal communication
Achieving Inbox Zero
Eliminating inefficient meetings for good
Reducing stress by creating a more stable work environment
Eliminate the 58% of employee time per day spent on “work about work” instead of being productive
Improving company culture by empowering your team to to spend their time on work that matters
Saving an average of 2 hours per week just by optimizing email using the R.A.D. system
Reducing time spent on the “scavenger hunt” of trying to find where something is stored
Increasing employee happiness, satisfaction, trust, and retention by making work easier
Nick Sonnenberg is an entrepreneur, Inc. columnist, guest lecturer at Columbia University, and the author of Come Up for Air: How Teams Can Leverage Systems and Tools to Stop Drowning in Work. He is the Founder and CEO of Leverage, a leading operational efficiency consultancy that helps companies implement his CPR® Business Efficiency Framework. This is the culmination of Nick’s unique perspective on the value of time, efficiency, and automation which stems in part from the eight years he spent working as a high-frequency trader on Wall Street. The CPR (Communication, Planning, and Resources) Framework consistently results in greater output, less stress, happier employees, and the potential to gain an extra full day per week in productivity per person—just by using the right tools in the right way, at the right time. Nick and his team have worked with organizations of all sizes and across all industries, from high-growth startups to the Fortune 10.
In this post we’ll explore how to make your brand go viral with AI tools. Around these parts we’re all about working smarter, not harder!
Rather than doing a bunch of research and guessing about how to make a brand famous, I decided to ask marketers what they were doing to get their brand out there to the masses. Whether you hope to have a viral clothing brand, a viral brand shampoo, or just want more people to know about your business, keep reading.
From Sentiment Analysis to ManyChat to ChatGPT, below are 14 answers to the question, “What is one AI tool that you are using to market your business that is actually working? “
14 AI Tools to Help You Become Famous Online
Sentiment Analysis Helps You Understand Customer Behavior
Textio Helps Us Market to the Right Job Candidates.
Trymaverick.com For Personalized Videos
Semrush Streamlines My Marketing Process
Uizard.io Creates Stylish Landing Pages
Fullstory Records The User Journey
Copy.ai Helps You Generate Content Quickly
ManyChat Helps You Manage Complex Customer Journeys
Neauraltext Takes Content From Ideation to Execution
Marketo Engage Automates Marketing Tasks
Adcreative.ai Generates Unique Versions of Ads
Netbase Quid Analyzes Large Amounts of Unstructured Data
Smartwriter.ai Specialized in Personal Emails
ChatGPT Cab be Used for Ai-powered Content Inspiration
Sentiment Analysis Helps You Understand Customer Behavior
One surprisingly effective AI tool I’m using to market my business is sentiment analysis. In a nutshell, sentiment analysis measures user sentiment from natural language to quantify a customer’s emotional response. This helps me better understand consumer behavior and their wants and needs so that I can tailor my campaigns for better engagement on social media, email campaigns, or even in person. By analyzing consumer sentiment, I have been able to develop more targeted strategies and adjust existing marketing techniques to encourage increased engagement with my business.
Textio Helps Us Market to the Right Job Candidates
We use Textio to help market ourselves to prospective employees. Initially, we were impressed with the fact that huge corporations like Twitter and Microsoft use it. Since we incorporated Textio, we’ve seen a quantifiable uptick in promising talent leads. The tool uses AI to score job descriptions so we know what the likelihood is that our listing will attract the right applicants. The AI functionality also helps eliminate gender bias, which is important for our diversity and inclusion efforts.
Made for e-commerce, but the use cases are endless. Has anyone ever wanted to get some video content done only to get sticker shocked at the price for a couple of one-minute short videos that you can send links for? I went through that until I found trymaverick.com. You record two or three scripted videos that you script. Then you can email out personalized videos to customers or whoever your target is, where you say their name. Deepfake AI learns your voice and can substitute a different name in your voice.
In an e-commerce context, imagine a thank you video from the CEO of whatever company you just bought from; he looks you right in the eye and says, “Hey Matt” (or Steve or Tom, or whatever), “I wanted to personally thank you for purchasing our product,” then your recorded video message. So much more personal than generic emails. Much higher engagement and far fewer abandoned carts. I use it in recruiting to tell candidates about myself and what to expect working with me. One hundred dollars a month for one thousand videos.
I’m a big fan of SEMrush because it has a suite of AI features for SEO, PPC, content marketing, social media marketing, analytics, and more! It’s almost like a Swiss Army knife for marketers. For example, one of my favorite features is its position tracker, which allows me to see how my competition ranks for certain keywords. The Content Marketing Toolkit is also handy since it lets you perform topic searches, and the AI will find out what’s trending so you can create content around it. So if you’re looking to boost Google rankings and optimize your marketing campaigns, consider SEMrush.
Uizard assists in creating eye-catching and stylish landing pages that improve marketing by drawing users to the website and giving them a better user experience. Users can quickly adapt the landing page to meet their needs with the help of its drag-and-drop components.
Additionally, the wireframe mode in Uizard offers a fantastic user flow. In my opinion, it doesn’t just develop landing pages; it also creates desktop software, web apps, and mobile apps in a matter of minutes. It also features a sizable selection of themes that can be manually modified according to your marketing plan using various styles and patterns.
When discussing the digital experience, Fullstory refers to a user’s steps, from landing on a page to making a purchase (or dismissal). They emphasize that unexpected user behavior can teach you something you otherwise wouldn’t have known.
Fullstory uses artificial intelligence to record a user’s every mouse click, scroll, and page view throughout their entire session, allowing unprecedented levels of insight into their behavior. To gain further understanding, this can be compared to the experiences of thousands of other site visitors. Fullstory takes advantage of the speed and scalability of AI automation to spot flaws and gains in a far shorter amount of time than a human observer could.
Customers will be retained at a higher rate, costs will be reduced, and the site’s user experience will be vastly enhanced, according to the makers of Fullstory. The Gap, Zipcar, Icelandair, and Forbes are just a few of their current clients.
We have tried Chat GBT, and it is good, but we feel Copy.AI is better. You can generate high-quality written content quickly and easily. You enter a prompt or keyword, and the tool generates relevant content that can be edited and customized to meet your needs.
Copy.ai offers a range of features, including content templates and pre-written content snippets, as well as analytics and reporting capabilities. It’s designed to be user-friendly and can help save time and effort in content creation. It also has a large library of pre-written content snippets that can be used as inspiration or incorporated into your own content, and I found this saves an immense amount of time if you’re stuck for inspiration.
ManyChat Helps You Manage Complex Customer Journeys
As a business owner, I have found ManyChat to be an invaluable tool for marketing my business. ManyChat is artificial intelligence (AI) software that helps build relationships with customers through conversational marketing and can assist in automated customer service. It has enabled me to use text messages, image content, and more to reach out to both prospective and existing customers.
One thing I especially love about ManyChat is its ability to manage very complex customer journeys depending on the profile of each individual customer. This tool has really helped me nurture my clients’ interactions and made it easier for them to find the information they need, leading to increased engagement and a positive sentiment toward our brand.
Neauraltext Takes Content From Ideation to Execution
The AI tool we are currently using to market our business is Neuraltext. It is an automated copywriting and SEO content tool. This software has made producing content much easier for us, as it can handle the entire process, from ideation to execution. All you have to do is produce one copy of your content, and this tool will create multiple compositions with slight variations. We can use any of its 50 templates, which can be implemented any time we want. It can also be used for keyword research, which helps us generate well-researched content.
We’re using Marketo Engage by Adobe to automate our marketing tasks. With the help of predictive AI, it can segment customers and prospects, which brings great results for our UX/UI design agency. The ability to get leads and prospect them with minimal effort has certainly helped us gain more creative freedom, which is the main currency for creative niches like us. The rich behavioral data analytics helps to engage with potential customers to get the most value. Plus, they are also used by some of the top brands to save time and get results.
Netbase Quid Analyzes Large Amounts of Unstructured Data
Our health and wellness start-up has had a lot of marketing success on social media. One of our key strategies is to do extensive content research to know what potential customers are reading and the content they regularly interact with. However, we couldn’t have done all this without Netbase Quid.
This is basically an AI-powered market intelligence platform that provides insights and analysis to help companies make data-driven marketing decisions. The tool uses advanced natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms to analyze large amounts of unstructured data from social media, news, and other online sources.
Netbase Quid can help companies understand consumer sentiment, brand perception, and market trends in their specific areas of operation. This gives you a considerable head start when you are trying to optimize your social media campaign for better results.
I consider this AI software to be the most effective one for business-to-business marketing. AdCreative.ai is an AI-automated advertising platform that can produce high-quality ad creatives quickly and in large quantities. It uses millions of successful ad campaigns to train a robust Machine Learning (ML) model that gets better with each iteration. The trained model is familiar with the process that leads to effective advertising. It determines where in the advertisement each individual advertising component will appear.
The AI-generated ad creative intelligently positions the product image, company logo, and ad copy content to boost conversion rates. In a matter of seconds, the AdCreative.ai advertising platform can generate hundreds of unique versions of an ad. This expedites the process of creating and executing effective advertising campaigns, which in turn boosts the return on investment for the company.
We’ve been using Smartwriter.ai as a marketing tool for three months now, and have seen some impressive results. The tool specializes in personalized emails, which we use for outreach marketing. It creates personalized headers that the target audience is more likely to click on, and integrates backlinks into the copy it writes for you. This means my small marketing team has more time to focus on strategy, and a great tool to implement their strategies.
ChatGPT Can be Used for AI-powered Content Inspiration
I don’t rely much on AI tools for content creation. The end result usually requires a lot of heavy edits, and the output is just not very good. That said, I often use ChatGPT for content inspiration. When I’m not feeling particularly creative, and I’m trying to write a section of an article that has a simple answer, I consult ChatGPT for some ideas. More often than not, the tool can actually give great answers when the prompt is something basic like “What is X? Explain in Y Words” or “What are the top X benefits of Y? Explain in Z words.” Of course, I still always end up editing the AI output, but this way, I manage to get more writing done faster. Nick Zviadadze, Founder, MintSEO
Thinking of starting a podcast? You’re going to need a hosting company to publish it with. Get details on the leading hosting companies right here!
The 11 Best Podcast Hosting Companies to Start a Podcast
Podcasting is an excellent method to engage with your audience, express your thoughts, generate amusing material, and promote your brand. One of the issues that novice podcasters struggle with is deciding on a host for their podcast.
The problem is that there are so many alternatives available that even glancing through them may be overwhelming. Even for the savviest customers, the brands might begin to blur together. That is why we have done all of the research for you. In this post, I’ll go through some of the top podcast hosting businesses as well as their essential features.
We’ll look at RSS.com, as well as Transistor, Simplecast, Blubrry, Podbean, and many others. Finally, you’ll be able to make an educated conclusion about which platform is best for you and your new podcast. Let’s get started.
What is a podcast hosting company?
For those who aren’t already familiar with the definition, let’s cover what a podcast hosting company does. The short answer is that a podcast hosting company allows you, the creator, to focus on creating and publishing content while they handle all of the technical aspects of hosting and making the podcast available to your audience.
Podcast hosting companies also offer a variety of features and tools to help podcasters manage their podcasts, such as analytics, monetization options, and integrations with other platforms. Some platforms even provide support, tutorials, and other resources to help podcasters produce and promote their podcasts more effectively.
While you technically can create a podcast without working with a hosting platform, it comes with a long list of things the creator will need to address. You will need to arrange for storage space and server bandwidth so people can listen, and without a host, you may also need to create your RSS feed to distribute your podcast, which can be complicated. You’ll also face challenges getting similar analytics and monetization options that big hosts can provide.
What should you look for in a podcast hosting company?
There are potentially dozens of criteria by which you can evaluate or compare hosting companies, but we’ve limited our list to the top 3 things to consider when looking for a podcast hosting company.
Uptime
If you want to reach your audience, your podcast needs to be available when they are, which means you need a reliable host above all else. Uptime is a strong indicator of overall reliability. If you are going to be putting out episodes relatively frequently, you’ll want to ensure your platform has the highest uptime possible.
Analytics & Insights
Another thing to look for in a potential podcast hosting platform is that they provide a detailed set of insights and analytics tools to understand the behavior of your audience. This will include things like download stats, listener distribution, and more. Having detailed analytics means you can make much more informed decisions about your content and marketing strategies.
Monetization
Finally, if you plan to monetize your podcast to create income or revenue from it, finding a platform with a variety of robust monetization options is going to be crucial. This isn’t just limited to advertising either, this can apply to premium or additional content and more. This also means finding the most favorable revenue-sharing models so that you keep more of what you make.
RSS.com has been in the podcast game since 2005, which has given them a long time to get things fine-tuned. You can get started completely free on RSS.com, and you only need to choose a plan once you publish your first episode. They are the perfect platform for beginners and expert podcasters alike.
Features
No episode limit
Cross-platform analytics and insights
Embedded episode player
Customizable RSS feed
Social share buttons for your episodes
Free podcasting website
Automatic distribution on the most popular podcast directories including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google and Samsung Podcasts
Podcasting 2.0 tags to add chapters, transcripts and soundbites to your episodes
Free/Paid?
All plans are paid.
The all-in-one podcasting plan will cost $14.99 per month, or $11.99/month if you choose annual billing.
Student and NGO plans available at just $4.99/month!
There is also a podcast networks plan starting at $14.99/month that allows you to host multiple podcasts on a single account.
Free trial?
New users can set up their accounts for free, which will allow them to create and publish a single episode. To load a second episode you will have to choose a paid plan.
Transistor is a relatively new podcasting hosting platform and has a very skilled and dedicated team behind it. They are very highly focused on podcasts that have a brand, rather than serving those who are unsure of their commitment to production.
Features
Publish multiple different podcasts
The ability to add team members
They offer great stat visibility
Free/Paid?
There is no option for a free plan, but the plans start at $19 per month, for up to 20,000 downloads, and go up from there.
Free trial?
Transistor does offer a two-week free trial of their premium offerings.
Pros
Host unlimited different shows
Multiple team members
Great analytics
Cons
Comparatively expensive for higher plans
Not geared toward hobbyists
Simplecast
Simplecast offers some of the coolest embedded players, as well as great insights.
Features
Unlimited uploads
Stats
Website
Team members
Free/Paid?
Plans start at $15 per month, which comes with unlimited uploads. Plans of $35 per month or more come with vastly expanded features.
Free trial?
14-day free trials are available with certain promo codes
Pros
Unlimited storage
Unlimited uploads
Custom website and domain
Cons
Only one additional team member allowed
Blubrry
Blubrry is a well-loved podcasting platform that many creators choose over bigger names. They have WordPress integration and a forgiving upload plan, making them great for beginners.
Features
PowerPress plugin integration
Highly-advanced stats
No-fault upload overage lets you exceed upload caps without charges
Free/Paid?
No free plan, but the plans start at $10 per month, with 125MB per month of content storage. This means about one episode per month without an overage.
Free trial?
No free trial option is available
Pros
A good option for beginners & experienced podcasters
Good customer support
Podcast directory integration
Cons
Analytics cost extra
Podbean
Podbean is a great option with progressive plans for podcasts to grow into. They also feature their app, as well as Alexa integration for finding and listening to other podcasts.
Features
Cheap plans
Analytics included
App integration
Free/Paid?
The free plan allows 5 hours of uploads with basic stats. Upgraded tiers start at $9 per month when you buy a year, and include custom domains, a website, and more detailed analytics.
Free trial?
Some promo codes can be used to get a free month.
Pros
Easy to use
Good features with the free plan
Cons
Free plan doesn’t include publishing to Spotify
Castos
Castos is a great option for those who have a WordPress site that they want to integrate with their podcast. They are the brand behind the Seriously Simply Podcasting plugin for WordPress as well.
Features
No bandwidth cap
Excellent WordPress integration
The plugin enables ultra-simple podcasting
Free/Paid?
No free plan. Plans start at $19 per month for unlimited bandwidth and uploads.
Free trial?
14-day free trials are available, which can also be extended to a month with a coupon code.
Pros
Free, unlimited hosting
Listener support
Solid analytics
Cons
The audio editor needs to be improved
Customer support is lacking
Limited marketing & distribution options
Spreaker
Spreaker is another platform that’s been around for more than a decade, and they’ve created some unique features over the years. They make it a point to simplify the podcasting process for their users, and have numerous integrations.
Features
Live Podcasting option built-in
Chatbox
Apps for PC, Mac, Android, and iOS
Free/Paid?
To explore the platform and its features, they do offer a free plan. The most popular option, however, is the $20/month plan called Broadcaster.
Free trial?
Promo codes can earn an extra month on personal annual plans.
Pros
Multiple pricing plans for versatility
Super user-friendly
Cons
No video podcasting ability
Minimal integrated functionalities
Anchor – Spotify for Podcasters
Anchor Spotify for Podcasters is a well-known free podcasting platform, with a heavy focus on mobile podcasting. For a free platform, they are pretty versatile and feature-rich.
Features
Built-in ad platform
Focused on mobile podcasting
Built-in audio editor
Free/Paid?
The platform is free.
Pros
User-friendly
Free to use
Makes distribution simple for beginners
Cons
Extra hoops to jump through to change the email address in your RSS feed to have more creative control
Limited sound quality options
Remote recording options limited
Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout was created to make podcasting simple, without hampering future expansion or publishing. They have one of the best at-a-glance dashboards, which give you crucial details without digging around. They also update their platform with new features regularly.
Features
Built-in transcription
“Magic Mastering”
Affiliate marketing programs
Text editor for show notes
Free/Paid?
They have a free plan that hosts your episodes for 90 days and plans that start at $12/month for permanent hosting.
Free trial?
No free trial, just the forever free plan
Pros
Easy to use
Simple interface
Constantly improving
Cons
With the free plan, your episodes disappear after 90 days
Libsyn
Libsyn is a podcasting platform that has been around for many years, since the advent of podcasting. They are often recommended by word of mouth by existing users that have been with them for a long time, but they need an update.
Features
Devoted user base
Cheap plans
Free/Paid?
There are no free plans. The cost starts at $5 per month for a 162MB upload cap.
Free trial?
No free trial offers, unless you can find a code somewhere online
Pros
Been in the game a while so they are an experienced platform
Cons
Outdated
Low upload limits
Expensive plans for the limited storage and hours per month
Acast
Acast is a platform used globally and has a wide range of monetization options. It’s built to be useful to seasoned podcasters as well as beginners.
Features
Multiple monetization options
Advanced analytics
Built-in recording and editing abilities
Free/Paid?
Free plans are available with paid plans starting at $14.99 and $29.99/month that unlock additional features
Free trial?
N/A
Pros
Easy onboarding
Good insights
Membership integration
Cons
Difficult social integrations
Logging in can be challenging for some
Which podcast hosting company is best?
When It comes down to it, I feel RSS.com is the best podcast hosting company for a variety of reasons. Before we get into those reasons, I do need to disclose that I’m actually such a fan of theirs I’ve even become a brand ambassador for the company. I currently host RSS.com’s show Podcasting 101 with RSS.com as well as my own podcast The Bloggy Friends Show on their platform.
That said, here’s why RSS.com is the leading podcast platform in my opinion:
RSS.com is incredibly user-friendly and has an intuitive interface. These make it seriously easy for even the newest creators to start their podcasts.
RSS.com maintains a robust hosting framework that can accommodate massive traffic and provides all the storage you’ll ever need.
The tools you get with RSS.com help you scrape valuable data about the performance of your podcast as well as who’s listening to it.
If you’re looking to make money, the monetization options offered by RSS.com are ideal, offering both advertising via Podcorn, tipping with bitcoin, as well as the ability to add your own sponsored content within your episodes. You can even add your Paypal or Patreon link to your public podcast website to give your listeners even more ways to support your content!
Keep in mind that while I prefer RSS.com and use it exclusively for my podcasting needs, I do fully understand that some podcasters need streaming and private podcasting RSS feed options. While some hosts offer slightly similar benefits and features, RSS.com is my overall top pick for the best podcasting platform. That said, make sure you know what you want from your platform, and do your homework before committing to anyone.
Conclusion and next steps
Now that you have a full rundown of the most popular podcast hosting companies out there right now, as well as a personal recommendation on which I think is the best overall, it’s time to pick your host of choice and start a podcast. Remember – Make sure you consider your wants and needs when shopping for a hosting company. And, you can start your podcast for free with code RSSFREEMONTH with RSS.com. Or you can click this link to switch from your current host and get SIX months free!
