Increasingly, you can hear about projects (and sometimes even about readiness for ICO) of tokens, which will be provided by some tangible assets. We explain why this is necessary and how it will be possible to use them.
libertarian dream
The economic direction created by the Austrian school led by Friedrich von Hayek and Ludwig von Mises and known today as libertarianism relies on the freedom of the market and its unregulation. One of the branches of libertarian thought emphasizes the insecurity of national (fiat) currencies and says that only gold and similar assets have real value.
It is to this libertarian ideal that the creators of cryptocurrencies turn when they talk about the possibility of providing them with precious metals. The problem here is that for the time being this requires that the person who issues the currency, the issuer, has a real asset - that is, a conditional "gold reserve". It is clear that only large financial organizations or states can afford such a start. And so it happens: the British RMG is connected with the Royal Mint, and the Iranian e-Dinar project is connected with the resource capabilities of Tehran.
Conservative libertarians are ready, despite their aversion to statehood, to support such projects, because they do not trust independent cryptocurrencies, believing them to be a new financial bubble.
The rate of precious metals is quite stable - therefore, unlike “unsecured” ones, that is, those that do not have the usual assets of crypto-currencies, such versions of them will also have a stable rate. Fluctuations are possible here, but they are relatively long, and in the long term, gold is a good asset. Thus, it makes no sense to consider cryptocurrencies backed by precious metals as a short-term investment, but can be used as an anonymous (if such tokens appear) tool for storing “gold” assets and a long-term part of your investment portfolio. Perhaps this is an opportunity to work with precious metals assets in the usual infrastructure without entering the “traditional” exchanges.
There are 30% fluctuations in the history of gold, but they last for several years
Innovative materials
If we talk about “resources of chemical origin”, it is worth watching the emergence of cryptocurrencies, which will be provided by innovative materials or those rare earth metals and chemical compounds that are used in technologies that expect a sharp increase.
So, for example, the mineral coltan (columbite-tantalite) found its way into the production of tactilely sensitive screens for smartphones, thanks to which its price skyrocketed in 2010. Today, technological futurologists predict the gradual departure of smartphones and touch screens in general under the onslaught of augmented and virtual reality(AR and VR), so you should pay attention to the applications of cryptocurrencies, which will be tied to the materials used in the production of tools for working with these environments.
Coltan price spike as smartphone demand rises
It is also worth keeping an eye on whether there will be ICO projects related to the development of the potential of artificial, synthesized materials, the introduction of which is now at an early stage, such as graphene.
Currency support
Perhaps the history of Tether with their USDT is doubtful, but it is an example of the fact that the cryptocurrency rate can be tied to a well-known fiat asset. The volatility here is very mild when compared to independent cryptocurrencies. However, such security raises the question of whether such an instrument is precisely a “crypto”.
Apparently, in this way projects of “state title crypto-tokens” will be tied to national (or supranational, such as the euro or the planned common digital money for BRICS) currencies. They will almost certainly not be anonymous, so they will become rather “digital twins” of the main monetary units, allowing you to trade on the crypto market without burdening yourself with the difficulties of conversion.
It is worth remembering that collapses and sharp rises in the market are inherent not only in crypto (although in fiat they are usually not so great), so “national cryptocurrencies” can sometimes also turn out to be high-risk assets that are interesting for high-speed investments.
An example of the volatility of fiat currencies is the exchange rate of the US dollar against the ruble in the second half of 1998
Nature and alternative energy
Another promising direction for securing cryptocurrencies is contacts for the development of natural resources or their binding to the extraction of energy from sources such as sunlight or wind. This is also a long-term investment path (although some unexpected events of a catastrophic nature can cause a sharp jump in interest in them), but it is definitely promising.
Today, Verdium is in development with its VRD tokens attached to environmental certificates for planting "Kyoto" forest quotas. As part of the ICO, they plan to issue 15 million TGR tokens, which can be exchanged for VRD in a ratio of 1:100.
There are also projects based on the provision of contracts for the supply of food, for example, Tatar ITcoins or Swiss Ambrosus.
Another example of food-related tokens is BioCoin LavkaLavka, used as a tool for a loyalty program and farm support. Today, such currencies seem more ideological, but in the future they can expect good growth.
Quite slow but steady growth of BioCoin
The main question is why at all “secure” cryptocurrencies that operate on completely different ideological grounds, in the ways that earlier financial instruments are provided. The further development of the crypto market is difficult to predict, but perhaps soon the very question of the need to back up the currency with some “assets” will be removed by itself.
text: Oleg Uppit, photo: Shutterstock
Alginate masks became popular a few years ago, but some girls still do not know what they are for. Confuses not only the purpose, but also the method of use, reminiscent of the complicated procedure for applying a conventional film mask. If you calculate the dosage incorrectly, then the mask will turn out to be too liquid and will not dry out on the skin or will harden so much that it will not have to be “removed with a stocking”, as the instructions say, but chipped away from the face in small pieces. We asked Daviani beauty experts to reveal the secrets of the use and purpose of alginate masks for our readers.
What is an alginate mask?
Alginate masks are powders made from very finely ground algae called alginates. Alginates can absorb great amount moisture, which can significantly exceed their own volume. This is how a gel-like alginate mask saturated with liquid is obtained.
Alginate masks: what's inside?
Alginate masks contain many trace elements, vitamins and active ingredients. The mask has a gel texture, and this gel penetrates deep into the smallest wrinkles. Alginate masks fill the entire microrelief of the skin and, when cured, form a film on the face. Under this film, all layers of the skin are saturated with moisture and metabolic processes in the cells are actively launched.
How are alginate masks prepared?
To prepare a mask for the face and décolleté, you will need about 30 gr. alginate. The mask can be enriched, for example, with inulin, a polysaccharide with an active moisturizing effect, or with another active substance, selected according to the type and condition of the skin. The binding abilities of an alginate mask are able to accept an additional one active substance in dry form and one in liquid form, for example, glycerin. The composition of the alginate mask may also include essential oil and, of course, water or another liquid that allows you to achieve a gel consistency.
How do alginate masks work?
Alginate mask hardens very quickly. It is usually applied in a thick layer so that it can be removed in one layer. It is best to do this lying down in the beautician's office so that the lifting result appears. Alginate masks cleanse the pores of the skin and help them breathe, remove toxins and harmful substances from the tissues. Small wrinkles are smoothed out, vascular networks go away.
Additional benefits of such masks
Among other things, alginate masks can multiply the effectiveness of active substances that are applied to the face under the mask many times over. The skin actively absorbs everything that was applied under the alginate mask. That is why it is especially effective to use a moisturizer or, for example, a vitamin serum based on hyaluronic acid under an alginate mask.
Alginate masks: how often can I use?
The alginate mask is kept on the face for about 10 minutes before it hardens, otherwise it will be difficult to remove it later. We recommend doing this treatment 2-3 times a week in a course of 6-10 treatments. By consolidating the success after each procedure and creating a cumulative effect, you can get a long-term pronounced result - moisturized, even and radiant skin!
Alginate masks: what are they for and how to use them? was last modified: October 21st, 2017 by Nastasya Garina
In theory, this article should have started like this: “The hashtag came to us from the microblogging world of Twitter, where it was first used in 2007…”. Then it would be logical to tell how he appeared in other social networks, forums and captured the Internet, then tell about the features of hashtags in each network, and so on.
But it doesn't make any sense.
For example, #this is an example of a hashtag, #A_ya_too_a_hashtag, #hashtag_in_english are all hashtags. Spaces cannot be used, because it is not clear then where the hashtag actually ends. If you put a space, then the hashtag will be everything that goes from the hash to the space:
#thishashtagwithout spaces - one big hashtag
#this is a hashtag with spaces - but here only the word #this will be a hashtag, everything that comes after a space is not considered.
If you don't like writing without spaces, use the underscore character instead: _
#for example_like_here or #can_write_whole_sentences_in_hashtags
You can write them in any language, not necessarily in the same language as the main text. It is quite normal to put hashtags in English if everything was in Russian before, and vice versa.
Why are hashtags needed?
When they first appeared, they were used to find all related posts on this topic. Now this scenario has also remained, and two more have been added to it. Here they are:
Finding and cataloging materials
Branding
Hype and popularity
That's it, hashtags are not used for anything else in real life, no matter what social media experts tell you. In the end, it all comes down to these three points. Let's take a look at each of them.
Article search and rubricator
This is the original and most obvious way to use hashtags. If you're looking for an easy way to group your content by topic, this is it. You just put the same hashtag (or several) on similar materials and that's it, the catalog is ready.
If someone is interested in what you have posted, they will click on the hashtag and get everything there is at all on this topic. For example, the hashtag #work can denote all work materials, #happiness - personal, and #Moscow - everything that you write about this city.
Use your hashtags to organize what you post, don't target anyone. If the way everyone puts tags doesn't suit you, use your own approach. If it's easier for you to tag topics about marketing as #tricopecks, and topics about consulting - as #sofa, then do so. By the way, this is closer to branding, but about it separately. In general, do not become a hostage to trends if you yourself will not be comfortable using such a system.
#ideas - a good option hashtag for the title of the topic or category
Branding
The easiest way to stand out is to come up with your own hashtags and use them in every post. You can use the name of the company, product or process - the main thing is that it is associated with you.
#webcenter is resting, #polyanin_at_work, #VC_marketing - these are all examples of clearly branded hashtags.
The peculiarity of them is that in the long run they work for you. The more often a hashtag is used, the more posts with it are published, the more popular it is. And some social networks themselves offer popular hashtags to users, thereby working for your brand.
Hype and popularity
To quickly promote the material to the top, those hashtags that are now super popular are pointed to it. As a result, a person is looking for one thing, but gets something completely different. This is used by those who want to show their material to readers on the wave of hype.
Those who do this are looked down upon and disliked, but the technique still works. Therefore, if it is very urgent for you to get large coverage and views at any cost, you can do this. But if the material has nothing to do with hashtags at all, the brand’s reputation will begin to fall like a stone.
Facebook in the search for the first character of the hashtag gives a list of popular, in its opinion, hashtags. The sample is wild and not always adequate, you should not always rely on itconclusions
Hashtags are powerful when you know how and why to use them. If you need quick navigation through materials or want to promote your brand, use hashtags everywhere you can reach.
In order not to look stupid, do not try to ride the wave of someone else's fame and ride on their hashtags. The hype passes and ridiculous look stays online forever.
Online surveys are an effective content format, as well as a tool that allows you to establish a strong brand connection with the audience and find out their opinion about the product. In addition, about polls increase audience reach and user engagement, with the help of polls you show customers that you are interested in their opinion. Agency specialistsTexterra published some useful tips on how to conduct online surveys on their corporate blog.
What tasks can be solved with the help of surveys
Surveys allow you to solve the following tasks:
1. Get real product reviews. Many companies face difficulties when trying to get the opinion of consumers about their product. Clients either do not respond, or are limited to a standard unsubscribe. There are two ways out of this situation: to conduct expensive volumetric marketing research or to experiment with surveys, getting a real response from the audience for free on the site or in social networks.
2. Understand the needs and motives of the audience's behavior. Surveys allow you to identify the expectations and needs of the audience. This can help in planning and developing new products, improving business processes. Knowing about the needs of customers, you can avoid serious blunders.
3. Create and develop communities. Polls increase engagement and stimulate discussion. By participating in them, the consumer understands that communication with the company is two-way. Thus, the group of subscribers turns into a living community, whose members interact with the brand and with each other.
To grow your community with polls, show that you are interested in the opinions of users. Share with participants the results of voting and decisions taken
5. Increase traffic. High-quality surveys increase page traffic on the social network and on the website. For this rule to work, encourage users to share voting information. You can also use tools that automatically report that a user has taken a survey.
Types of surveys
Consider the types of surveys depending on the place of their distribution.
Surveys on the site. Posting on a website is a convenient option for posting a survey, but it won't be enough. If only because only those who visited the site and became interested in the poll will vote.
Polls sent by e-mail . This distribution method is good because the survey is sent to the client individually.
Polls in messengers. With the growing popularity of instant messengers, the popularity of using them to solve marketing problems is also growing. You can conduct a survey by creating a mailing list of messages in Viber, WhatsApp, Telegram and other instant messengers.
SMS surveys. This type of survey, on the one hand, can expand the reach of the audience - at the expense of people who do not have an Internet connection. But, on the other hand, if the response to the survey is paid, this may scare away potential respondents. Yes, in general this way surveys are ineffective.
Really good poll able to captivate many users. To achieve this, it is important to take into account some nuances.
1. Choose a good location for the survey on the site. It is very important to post the survey in a visible place. home page so that users can immediately find it. Many sites place polls in the sidebar with spaces so that the poll is visible but not intrusive.
2. Select hot topic which will arouse sincere interest among the respondents. A well-designed survey should consist of questions that are interesting to respondents and can generate various discussions. Therefore, it is important to choose a relevant topic for the survey that would hook your target audience. If this happens, you will be able to receive not only feedback, but also new observations and knowledge that can be applied in the work.
3. Give respondents a chance to be heard. So you chose interesting topic for your survey. Now is the time to make sure you give respondents the opportunity to answer exactly the way they want. Review your answer options and make sure you provide a wide choice - people prefer to choose answers that can clearly identify their thoughts.
5. Don't ask questions about the future. As a rule, questions about what a person will do next do not lead to reliable answers - after all, everyone can talk, but not everyone can take and do it. It is much more reasonable to ask about what people have already done, what decision they have made. And you will know whether to expect any action from the respondent.
6. Don't ask too many open-ended questions. To ensure that surveys provide you with structured data, use closed questions. Use, for example, question types such as multiple choice or comparison questions that have multiple answers. So, instead of asking "What do you think of our products?" a better question is "Which statement most closely matches your impression of our products?". And provide answers.
Another advantage of closed questions is that they allow you to quickly analyze (by obtaining structured data). Such a quick analysis will allow you to conduct regular surveys without making a Herculean effort. This is especially necessary for big brands or multi-brand companies.
Completely excluded from surveys open questions not worth it - although they are complex, they give more detailed answers
8. Indicate that the survey is conducted by your company. Be sure to indicate that the survey is conducted by your company if you do not want to be mistaken for spam.
9. Avoid Leading Questions. It is highly likely that the respondent will answer leading questions not the way he thinks, but the way you want. So questions like “How did you like our last article?” better not to use.
10. Offer a Reward for Completing a Survey. To encourage customers to complete the survey, offer them some kind of reward. It can be a discount code or 200-300 rubles in Personal Area- and it doesn't cost that much. Moreover, your gift can stimulate the client to make a purchase later.
Survey tools
To conduct a survey, you can use one of the following tools:
Simpoll- Russian-language service for conducting surveys. Basic functionality is available for free.
Anketolog- another Russian-language service for conducting surveys. The survey code can be embedded on the pages of the most popular social networks, including Vkontakte, Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Odnoklassniki, My World.
Survey Monkey- a service for conducting surveys with a Russian-language interface. Basic functionality is available for free. The user can embed surveys on website pages or in communities on social networks.
