Essential Skills That Are Going to Help You Boost Your Income This Year

In modern society, having skills is most important to earn money. If you don’t have some skills, survival in today’s world can become a big challenge. You can get as many degrees as you want but they won’t make you much money if you do not have a few skill sets. There are a lot of basic skills that an average person can learn without any difficulty. Some of them don’t even require a degree.

As earning money should be everyone’s priority in today’s world, there are some high paying skills that will be in demand the most in 2024 and beyond. We are going to talk about the top 8 of them in this article.

Top 8 Skills That Are High in Demand

Following are the top 8 skills that every other person is trying to learn. They help a lot in the long run and help people earn money even when the economy is in crisis.

1- Digital and Social Media Marketing

You all must have heard about digital and search engine optimization on social media platforms. The reason why everyone is hyping it up is because of its high demand and comfortable income. There are different courses available on the internet that you can do on your own. Some are free while some are paid. If you become a professional in digital and content marketing, you can earn more than $70k per year. If you are working under someone, the pay rate can be a little less but still higher than most skills.

2- Executive and Virtual Assistant

Being an assistant is more of a skill than a profession. If you are proficient in writing emails and doing scheduling and administrative work, you are nearly an assistant. Use of different software like Primavera is a must if you want to pursue this career. Being a CEO’s assistant can make you earn a lot of money depending on the company you are working for. If it’s a big company, an assistant can even earn between $50K to $90k per year. Virtual assistants also work in a similar way as assistants but they do all of the work online. You can work from home for different organizations and do simple tasks for them.

You can also work as a project manager once you are able to perform all your tasks expertly as an assistant. This skill can help you make more money than an executive assistant.

3- Driving

Driving is undoubtedly a wonderful skill that can also help you earn money. There are many jobs available for semi-truck drivers. You need to have a license to drive a semi truck. The learning process and arrival of the license can take one to two months but can help you a lot. If you don’t like driving for long hours, there are also driving jobs available that let you get home at the end of the day. Apart from driving, being a bus or train conductor and air traffic controller are also making a great sum of money nowadays. The best thing about these skills is that they just require a high school diploma and you are good to work. Driving can make you earn $50k-$70k per year.

4- Tradesperson

Being a tradesperson is highly required in the construction sector. There are different types of diplomas that help you learn manual work in a year. Being a tiler and or plasterer can make you earn more than an electrician or painter. A four year degree isn’t for everyone, so some people can choose a one year program to become a tradesperson of their liking. It can help you earn $40k-$70k per year.

5- Data Analyst

Data Analysis is a vast field and if you are a person with logical and analytical skills, you can become a good data analyst. If you have interest in mathematics and statistics, you can easily learn different programs online. All the basics of data analysis are available online for free. Once you learn the basics, you can immediately start earning $60k-$80k per year.

6- Creative Skills

Creative skills like writing, graphic designing, photography and videography are also required a lot in today’s world. You can apply to different content writing jobs if you are good at writing. There are also a lot of jobs for graphic designers online. With photography and videography skills, you can work part-time as a wedding photographer. If you become very skilled, there is a chance you can earn up to $90,000 per year.

7- E-commerce Skills

Selling products online is also a very in-demand skill. You should know how to engage your customers and ask them to buy your products. There are also a lot of courses on e-commerce too that you can do to seek guidance. There are a lot of jobs in e-commerce like product manager, customer service, marketing and ads-management. Your skills in e-commerce can help make you earn $100k per year, and sometimes even more, if you've gained some experience. It all depends on your skills and products you are trying to sell.

8- Online Tutor

If you have command on certain subjects, you can work as an online tutor. You need to know academic stuff so you can teach students. Many parents look for online tutors so their child can learn a subject he is weak in. You can also prepare students for their college entrance exams. On average, an online tutor can earn $50k-$100k a year depending on the subjects he is teaching. Online tutoring is perfect for people who have degrees but are not able to find relevant jobs in their fields.

Conclusion

Skills are the most important thing individuals can have. Having skills can help you earn money that a simple college degree with no experience cannot. We discussed some of the most prominent skills that are going to help you earn money in 2024.

Read next: Top 10 Best and Worst Cities to Live in if You Are an Expat
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

CAPTCHAs Need to Go, Here’s Why

CAPTCHAs have been an indispensable part of the internet for so long that it’s hard to think of them as something dispensable. In spite of the fact that this is the case, they might’ve ended up becoming obsolete in the modern age. Nowadays, there are bots that can easily bypass CAPTCHAs. That ends up making them far less useful than might have been the case otherwise, which begs the question: why are they still being used?

According to Elizabeth Lopatto at the Verge, there’s a lot to suggest that they need to become a thing of the past, pointing out numerous problems associated with them.

It is important to note that some CAPTCHAs can be downright frustrating. For example, the Google reCAPTCHA requires you to identify images over and over again. This can be a big headache because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up delaying simple tasks far more than necessary.

Image: DIW

What's more is that these CAPTCHAs can sometimes be impossible to solve. Some of them request you to select images containing bicycles, but the entire thing consists of a single image broken up into several pieces. Does a piece containing the bicycle’s handle count? Technically speaking, none of the pieces actually depict a bicycle in its entirety, yet users are forced to figure it out time and time again.

As if that weren't already enough, some CAPTCHAs feature blurry images that don’t look like much of anything at all. If you factor in people that have issues with focused vision, these problems will become several orders of magnitude worse than they are already.

In this modern day and age, CAPTCHAs seem more like a roadblock than a form of innovation. reCAPTCHAS in particular seem to create more problems than they solve. In the end, there has to be a way to make sure that bots aren’t able to overwhelm the internet, and the tech industry needs to figure it out.

It will be interesting to see if anyone is able to come up with a solution that won’t waste as much time as reCAPTCHAs, since they might make surfing the web a whole lot easier than it is right now.

Read next: Apple’s Share of Premium Smartphone Market Diminished in 2023
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Apple’s Share of Premium Smartphone Market Diminished in 2023

Apple has been the foremost manufacturer and seller of premium smartphone for quite some time now. The multi-trillion dollar tech juggernaut ended 2023 with yet another win, retaining 71% of the market share. In spite of the fact that this is the case, this was a four point decrease from the 75% it held last year with all things having been considered and taken into account.

This seems to suggest that Apple’s previously insurmountable dominance in this arena appears to be fading somewhat. The culprit? Foldable smartphones.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Samsung’s share increased to 17% from 16%, Huawei saw an increase from 3% to 5% and Mi doubled its market share to reach 2% in the same period. Galaxy’s flip phones have been giving Apple some stiff competition, but Huawei’s growth may be the result of its Mate 60 Series.

This new line of smartphones has breathed new life into the struggling company. This development is pertinent because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up decreasing Apple’s prominence and giving Huawei more firepower down the line.

Premium smartphones have proven to be uniquely resilient to market pressures. They’ve seen a 6% uptick year over year in 2023, all while other types of smartphones didn’t see all that much of an increase.

Analysts are theorizing that consumers are willing to spend the big bucks on smartphones due to how necessary they tend to be. High end devices last longer than midrange ones, thereby making them a more long term purchase than might have been the case otherwise. There’s also something to be said of the status symbol that smartphones represent. Consumers are looking to splurge in a display of conspicuous consumption, and this is raising the premium smartphone industry to unprecedented heights.

Interestingly, much of this growth is coming from Asia. Based on data provided by Counterpoint, India is the single fastest growing market for smartphones in the world. China is also an immense driver of growth, and Huawei’s win in the region may very well end up putting Apple’s dominance in jeopardy in the near to distant future if the current trends persist.

Image: CPR

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

X Re-Adds Headlines To Its Articles Featuring Links But It’s Not The Same As Before

It’s safe to mention that Elon Musk’s X platform loves making edits, but not all of them are appreciated.

A while back, the company chose to remove headlines from its posts featuring links. But now, the latest edit has brought them back. However, don’t get too excited because there are still a few changes, meaning it’s not the same as before.

The news was first confirmed by media outlet The Verge which saw the ordeal arise on the internet where both headlines and title pages of the websites pop up across pictures linking such pages.

Therefore, it made it so much simpler to realize what or where the user was clicking. So the change is great but only if it didn’t feature a list of quirks. For instance, headlines that are longer than others get reduced with ellipses. And in the end, it makes the text quite less.

Still, we’re not going to be ungrateful and open the change with open arms. After all, a useful change is a change that’s welcomed indeed, right?

In the past, the pictures would entail website domains that it sent links to. Moreover, X stopped displaying headlines in the previous year as Musk felt it just added that special touch to posts published on the app in terms of display.

Getting rid of the headlines did transform the posts in a manner where it seemed much smaller. But at the same time, it was so much more difficult to comprehend where linked pictures would take the user, if and when they clicked on it.

Therefore, people would need to make workarounds such as adding headlines through direct means to pictures or entailing headlines in a post’s text.

After hearing rounds of criticism across the bat, the tech billionaire mentioned two months back how he would bring back headlines on all URL cards soon. And by the looks of it, the world’s richest man has stayed true to his promise as the rollout arises as we speak.

The change is said to be deployed across iOS as that’s where the majority of edits were made. As far as Android is concerned, they continue to appear right below the picture. Therefore, it’s not clear if the change would affect it.

Photo: @DANNYonPC / X

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Google’s Search Advocate, John Mueller Discussed Stock Photos, AI Generated Images and Other Stuff with SEO Community

Google Search Advocate, John Mueller, shared some of his thoughts on AI generated and stock images. He talked about how AI generated can be differentiated with stock images. He said that there’s no denying that AI tools like Dall-E generate impressive images but there are also certain cases in which a professional photographer is needed. Even though the real photographs have to be edited and then shown, there is still a touch of reality to them that makes the consumers see the actual product they are investing in. But on the other hand, if a person is using images for decorative purposes, it doesn’t matter if he is AI generated or stock images. Both types of images are good enough for making a website or a document good enough to attract people. This means that the decision about what type of images should be used must be based on where in the content the images are needed.

John Mueller also said that there are some times, when the people want to see real images on a website content while in some cases, it doesn’t matter if the images are real or not. At the same time, Mueller is also worried about the use of AI generated images just to save time. If someone wants their content to be best, they should not use AI or stock images on their website. These kinds of images do not seem professional at all and it can disappoint some viewers. John Mueller was also receiving some other questions about SEO, AI and images. He answered some questions regarding image links, AR (Augmented Reality) for online marketing and 3D models for marketing. When asked about decorative images and real time photography, John Mueller answered that decorative images are a good way to attract people to websites. But as for real time photography, he said that if you have the product, take a real picture of it instead of using AI.

He said that to him, using AI images means that someone is trying to not make any effort to website. He mentioned an example of a recipe website, saying that if he sees AI generated images on a recipe website, he would automatically assume that the rest of the content on the website is spam and AI generated. This means that when a consumer sees an AI content, he automatically loses interest. Photos captured through smartphones are less professional, so people should use stock images instead of opting for AI generated ones.

Photo: DIW-AIgen

Read next: Top 10 Best and Worst Cities to Live in if You Are an Expat
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Top 10 Best and Worst Cities to Live in if You Are an Expat

If you are looking for countries to go to, Mercer has put out a ranking of the top countries that are best to live in. Everyone wants to leave their home country and experience life in some other country once in their life. So, the list will help you a lot in choosing a city to live and which city to avoid. So, without further delay, let's get to the list.

Best Cities to Live if You Are an Expat

10- Düsseldorf, Germany

People who have visited Düsseldorf say that they love this city in Germany because of its greenery and air quality. There is also a great infrastructure in the city and its train stations and airports are also great to travel in the city. Located in Western Germany, Düsseldorf is also known for its arts and culture.

9- Sydney, Australia

It is the largest city in Australia and the continent of Oceania, but only has a population of 5 million. People live in Sydney because of its beaches and that's the reason its seafood is also famous. It's a pretty calm city that welcomes all the expats warm-heartedly. As Australia’s national language, you can easily live there if you are fluent in English.

8- Vancouver, Canada

Located in British Columbia, Vancouver is a big city with beautiful parks, beaches, and artistic beauty. It also has nice restaurants and markets that make this city a great tourist attraction.

7- Munich, Germany

The next is the list is another city in Germany. It's also an economical city so if you plan your budget efficiently, you can easily survive there with 1500 euros a month. Munich also holds the biggest festival of beer called Oktoberfest. You need to learn some of the cultural norms of Munich if you want to act like a local.

6- Frankfurt, Germany

It looks like Germany has the most liveable cities for expats in the world. It has a great city life and its population of 750,000 also makes it a great city to live in.

5- Geneva, Switzerland

Home to Lake Geneva, Geneva lies in the part of Switzerland with the French. Geneva also has the headquarters of the United Nations and Red Cross and provides a beautiful sight of the city among the Alps Mountain Range.

4- Copenhagen, Denmark

According to Forbes, Copenhagen is the sixth-best city in the world if you want to raise a family. This is because it is affordable as compared to many cities and Denmark’s education system is also one of the best in the world.

3- Auckland, New Zealand

Aukland has remarkable landscapes and scenery. It also has many great restaurants and wine tastings. Even though it takes about 13 hours on a plane from LA to Auckland, it is all worth it if you are looking for a place to live.

2- Zurich, Switzerland

Another city from Switzerland on the list, Zurich is known for its colorful buildings and calm alleys. If you are looking for a city that is different from busy cities, try living in Zurich.

1- Vienna, Austria

Austria’s capital, Vienna, is the most liveable city in the world. The reason why this city came at the top in this ranking is because it is affordable, has great transport, and is clean as compared to other cities in the list.

Worst Cities to Live if You Are an Expat

10- Brazzaville, Republic of Congo

Many people in Brazaville are criminals including robbers and assaulters. Mercer says that if you are visiting this city, beware to walk or drive at night.

9- Tripoli, Libya

Tripoli is full of refugees who are trying to get into Europe. This city often falls victim to political uprisings in Libya. Terrorism and kidnapping for ransom are common crimes in Tripoli.

8- Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

The US Department says that they cannot assist their citizens if they are in Burkina Faso so they should avoid traveling to Ouagadougou. Many violent crimes happen in the city and foreigners aren't safe there.

7- Damascus, Syria

If you are an expat, avoid going to Damascus because according to the US State Department, no part of Syria is safe to live in. Many killings happen in the city all the time.

6- N'Djamena, Chad

In 2018, Chad was declared the world’s poorest country. The infrastructure in the country and N’Djamena is almost non-existent and there's civil unrest. Crimes like kidnapping and terrorism are common there.

5- Port-Au-Prince, Haiti

Recently, the president of Haiti was assassinated and Port-au-Prince is still recovering from an earthquake that occurred in 2010. There is so much poverty in the country which is one of the reasons for crime rates there.

4- Sanaa, Yemen Arab Republic

As Yemen is under civil war, it is not the best place to live for expats. There is no education, electricity, water, and other life necessities in Sanaa and the citizens are living from hand to mouth.

3- Bangui, Central African Republic

The city of Bangui is known for crimes that are common like kidnapping, assault, and armed robbery. There are no political policies in the country and that's why it is always in a state of civil unrest.

2- Baghdad, Iraq

After 9/11, Baghdad isn't a recommended city to live in because of conflicts between the US and Iraq. Terrorism is also common there.

1- Khartoum, Sudan

The worst city to live in is Khartoum, Sudan. Some conflicts are going on in the city and there is no infrastructure to support the citizens. Many US citizens who were already living there are hiring private security so they can leave the country easily.

Read next: Many Areas in USA and Canada Can Become Next Tech Hubs with Emerging Tech Talent
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

World’s Top YouTuber MrBeast Gives Savage Reply To Elon Musk In Response To His Request Of Using X To Publish Content Directly

The world’s biggest YouTuber is making heads turn after giving out a savage reply to tech billionaire Elon Musk in regards to a request the latter made.

Musk has been looking for more ways to get his X app out of turmoil. Therefore, he’s making the most of every opportunity that he can get to try and win back users who seem to have gone far astray. Did we mention how many advertisers have taken an indefinite pause after seeing their ads aligned next to controversial content?

Hence, Musk asked MrBeast to publish his content on X and the savage response he attained is worth a mention.

The whole fiasco began when MrBeast whose actual name is Jimmy Donaldson, was given a suggestion by one X fan to try and put out content here. This is where Elon Musk also opted to join in the on-chat and replied, ‘Yeah’- clearly approving the strategy.

But that was not the strategy that MrBeast hoped to adopt. He says that his videos actually do end up costing millions and they were certainly not easy to make. Therefore, even if the viewership existed, X would never fund a portion of that. And since money makes the world go round, he was not keen on the offer.

However, the popular YouTuber did not shut down Musk’s idea completely. He hoped to see better monetization opportunities soon and when that stuff is going big, he will be back.

Musk’s app first started the whole idea of revenue sharing in the past year. And that was when the Tesla CEO confirmed how the initial set of payments worth $5 billion to creators was going out. Some really did make it big but others were left red in the fact and didn’t get exactly what they felt they deserved.

But the drama began in August when one YouTuber having close to 24 million subscribers on the channel explained how he made just $1590 in one month as per reports from Mashable.

Today, MrBeast has a staggering number of followers - 225 million in total on YouTube. Meanwhile, the figure stands at 25 million on X which is certainly not as much as the former but it’s still worth a mention. Hence, we can see why Musk would be keen on inviting big stars like him to the app for better engagement.

One interview with the popular magazine Rolling Stone had the star talking more in-depth about his content seen online and how it costs a huge sum of money. One simple video might seem like it’s not long at all but in reality, we’re talking skyrocketing costs that go into bringing it together.

MrBeast did admit that he could start doing videos that are cheaper in cost but he just does not feel like going down that road. He wishes to push all the boundaries and get better and bigger with time.

But Elon Musk has yet to decide to take a backseat on this front. This is not the first time that we’ve seen the billionaire request the popular YouTuber for a favor.

We saw him defending the star in public after he was bashed online for producing content that served as inspiration for explicit content. The latter was linked to the video, ‘1000 deaf people hear for the first time which got a lot of publicity but not everyone was happy.

For now, MrBeast and the X app are not generating responses to media outlet Business Insider’s request for a comment on the subject.

Photo: MrBeast / YT

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World