When it comes to SEO, there isn't a magic formula to instantly send your site off to the #1 search result on Google. But there are some basic principles you should follow for a wonderful starting point. Here are the top 5 SEO practices to start with: #1 Write for people, not for search engines Always write original, interesting, high quality site content that's error free and relevant to your site. Search engines like Google can easily detect content that is duplicated from elsewhere online, that contains grammatical errors, or that is stuffed with keywords. #2 Add a blog to your site and use rich media To engage your site visitors and blog readers, create posts that include non-textual media like photos, videos, or original visualizations (infographics). Having that extra content (especially if it's captivating) will increase the time users spend on your site as well as the likelihood they will share your site with their own community. #3 Offer a positive user experience throughout your site Google will know if you're using your site to aggressively advertise your service, or if you're being too pushy. Always aim to offer site visitors a pleasant experience on your site. That means clear content, support when needed, and always an option to go back. #4 Create a network of internal links (but don't overdo it) Add links between different pages of your site and your blog, but try to follow a process that feels organic rather than heavy linking meant just for search engine crawlers. Link between pages that make sense, for example, on your services page, link a certain industry specific term, and link it to a blog post you wrote about it, that gives more information on that term. #5 Always check your site's Core Web Vitals Core Web Vitals are a standard site performance standard initially created by Google. The report shows site owners how their site pages perform 'for real,' how long it takes for site visitors to load site pages, and it offers ways to fix issues, if there are any.
How Are Death Benefits Paid from a Life Insurance Policy When you insure yourself under a life insurance policy, you will name a beneficiary who will receive the policy’s payout in the event of your death. This settlement is called a death benefit, and it can ease your survivors’ financial burdens in numerous practical ways. You might decide that leaving life insurance to family beneficiaries is the best way to enable them to settle your estate. However, a death benefit is different from other types of inheritance. Here’s what you should consider when you are choosing the death benefit for your life insurance policy. How Do Death Benefits Work? You buy life insurance while you are still alive, but it is only designed to pay out in the event of your death. You can choose the sum of the death benefit included within the plan, and you can also choose for how long you want the policy to cover you. Some plans only cover you for a certain term of years (term life insurance) and others last for the rest of your life (permanent life insurance). At the time of choosing the plan, you will also name the beneficiary to who you want to receive the policy funds. You cannot be both the insured and the beneficiary on the policy since you must die for the policy to pay out benefits. Should you die while the policy is in place, your beneficiary will receive the death benefit. Some life insurance plans allow you to name primary and contingent beneficiaries, and you can also instruct that each beneficiary receive a certain percentage of the death benefit. One positive aspect of life insurance death benefits is that they are not considered part of your estate. As a result, they will not go through the probate process. Therefore, your beneficiaries won’t automatically be obligated to repay creditors or others using this money. Still, if you want to put stipulations on how the death benefit money is to be used, then you have the option of placing the money into a trust. The trust will be the technical beneficiary on the policy, and you can set rules within the trust on how the named trustee is to distribute the money within. You should let your beneficiaries know that you are naming them on your life insurance policy. That way, they will know that, upon your death, they need to notify the life insurer and start the claims process. At that time, they should receive the money within a few weeks. However, they will have to provide proof of your death, and the insurer might take longer to pay out benefits (or even deny a claim) if there are suspicious circumstances surrounding your passing. If you are unsure your loved one will know what to do with your life insurance death benefit, you can let your will or attorney provide instruction to your beneficiary after your death. Additionally, your life insurance agent can help your loved one through this process.
How Does Sleep Impact Your Health? Are you getting enough hours of sleep at night? Do you wake up each morning feeling refreshed and ready to go? For many people, that’s not the case. It’s more common for individuals to struggle through those first hours of the day, longing to be back in bed for a few more hours. The problem is that a lack of sleep—especially a chronic lack—can lead to a number of health risks. If your health insurance claims are increasing because your health is suffering, it could be due to a lack of quality sleep. How can you reduce these risks? Why Is Sleep So Important? Sleep impacts many of your day-to-day functions. As a result, your brain health, physical health and emotional health can all be severely impacted if you aren’t getting enough quality hours of sleep at night. How can you reduce the health risks associated with a lack of sleep? Schedule sleep. Sleep can impact your ability to learn, pay attention and make decisions. For this reason, schedule sleep like you do any other component of your day. Plan to sleep six to eight hours a night. Sleep in a quiet environment. Sleep deprivation can impact your emotional well-being and can worsen depression, risk-taking behaviors and suicidal thoughts. For this reason, ensure you get enough quality sleep in a quiet environment. The silence will ensure that your mind has time to calm down and reset itself. It helps to keep distractions out of your bedroom—avoid putting a TV or computer in that space. Set up your room as a place for relaxation. Realize that a lack of sleep increases your risk of high blood pressure, kidney disease, heart disease and stroke. To help avoid these risks, set up your room for sleep. Be sure it is dark and keep the area a relaxing space. Additionally, consider having a sleep study done. Sleep studies measure your sleep habits and help determine if you have any health conditions that might be impacting your ability to sleep. Many health insurance policies can cover this service if your doctor approves of it. You can prevent complications to your health by making changes to the way you sleep. Paying attention to your sleep patterns (or the lack of them) can be lifesaving. Your health is our priority. Contact our agency for more information on health insurance.
