Category: Guides

  • How To Use Reels By Instagram

    How To Use Reels By Instagram

    What is Instagram Reels?

    Reels is the latest feature Instagram added to their recent update, letting you make videos of 15 seconds with AR filters and other special effects just like Instagram stories. With Instagram’s Reels. you can show off your creativity in so many diverse ways.

    With Reels, you can film, edit and post 15 seconds video in the Instagram app which makes this new feature a major competitor for TikTok. Social media Influencers and creators now have a new way to make and share short-form content.

    Reels have some catching up to do if its competing TikTok. TikTok has over 2 billion downloads and is widely popular within a short pace after its launch, whereas, Instagram has over 1 million active users which are slightly behind TikTok.

    Instagram’s Reels will be an alternative to people who don’t want to download the TikTok app considering its ban in the USA due to TikTok’s ties with China.

    How To Make An Instagram Reel

    1. Download the latest version of Instagram on IOS or Android from the Apple store or Playstore.
    2. Swipe up to open the Instagram camera, or tap the icon in the top left corner.
    3. On top of the screen, tap Reels.
    4. Tap the record button to film your Reel ( clip must be within 3 – 15 seconds).
    5. On the left of the screen, you can navigate or explore the editing tools of Reels to add adjustments, and effects to your clip.
    6. You can immediately post or share your Reels clip or save to draft and add more edits later.

    Add Videos You Have Already Filmed To Reeve.

    An already recorded video can be added on Reels to add edits and adjustments. Below are the steps to follow.

    1. Open the Instagram app
    2. Swipe up to open the camera.
    3. Choose Reels at the button of the screen
    4. Swipe up to pool your camera poll
    5. Navigate to your video and trim the video to the recommended video time.
    6. You can edit the clip by adding audio, effects and adjustments.
    7. The video can be published in your Instagram story or feed.

    Businesses can use Reels to improve their brand awareness and increase sales. Below are some highlighted ways you can use Instagram Reels in your marketing strategy.

    • Create authentic content that resonates with your audience or fans.
    • Share educational content
    • Showcase products.

    These three strategies can be adopted to increase your brand identity.

    Spotted Brands Using The New Reel Feature For Their Business

    1. Sephora France. Sephora France has over 300k views on their reels video each.
    2. Louis Vuitton. Vuitton also has adapted the new Reeves to promote their brand. Every single post of their Reels goes viral.
    3. My Paris Portraits.
    4. FastandFood
    5. Junesixtyfive

    Conclusion

    With the increase in video content creation, a lot of industry players have seen the need to serve content creators, businesses, and account users more responsive tools to help them create content effectively. Instagram introduced Reel as a competitor to TikTok.

    In this article, we looked at the new Reel’s feature by Instagram and how you can make use of it.

  • Reasons Why Every Student Should Create A LinkedIn Account In Ghana

    Reasons Why Every Student Should Create A LinkedIn Account In Ghana

    It is the wish of every Ghanaian student to find employment after graduation. But we can all see that most of the graduates are currently unemployed. The ones who are lucky enough to get employment are either paid a below-average wage or are just a spoonful.

    The number of students in the various Universities makes it difficult for employers to find who to and who not to employ in their company.

    When it gets to this point, students with LinkedIn accounts have an advantage over others. The first thing you need to do is to create a LinkedIn account and to build a profile.

    Reasons Why Every Student Should Create A LinkedIn Account In Ghana

    As students, some added advantages comes with having a LinkedIn account and below are a number of the several reasons why every student in Ghana has to create a LinkedIn account:

    To establish a solid system of connections

    Excelling in any profession is the maximum amount about who you recognize, all things considered about what you recognize. Start by associating along with your companions and your University lecturers and professors, at that time alter into the business that you just must add.

    Nobody can tell when an association will be useful and therefore the greater your system, the more possibility you have got of being alluded to an occupation job.

    Connections can range from family members to even your church members. Companies usually look out for people with more and high – profiled connections and this could be someone in your locality or even at your University.

    To land job alerts

    While LinkedIn is about simply searching for occupations, it’s still unimaginably valuable with regards to finding your next position – which makes LinkedIn especially helpful for undergraduates.

    You’ll be able to program LinkedIn to send you employment alarms for specific organizations, ventures, or explicit employment titles, so you’ll never pass up an implausible open door again.

    These alerts are sent to your email address and this could also be a step ahead from your other mates who may not be having a LinkedIn account at that time.

    Get discovered by organizations/companies

    Nowadays, once you follow a grip, your forthcoming business will no uncertainty direct an online search into you. Undergraduates regularly get negative criticism over their web-based media nearness, so by having a LinkedIn account as an undergrad, you’ll show a more expert and professional side to yourself.

    Having a LinkedIn account permits organizations to find you easily and, particularly, to find the info that they need from you. Therefore, use professional phrases and list all your certifications and awards.

    Be prepared for interviews

    Interviews are consistently nerve-wracking yet by having a record on LinkedIn, you’ll direct your examination into the organization, and also the business, with the goal that you just can get in your interview feeling as founded as could reasonably be expected.

    Having a LinkedIn account gives the employer a clear picture of who you are and your preferences therefore, questions are mostly based on what they found on your profile since they already know you in brief.

    To demonstrate your devotion

    Having a LinkedIn account as an undergraduate demonstrates that you are just dedicated to seeking after a vocation.

    By being explicit in your outline and interfacing with individuals within the field that you’d value more highly to finally end up in, you demonstrate that you’re investing the energy and exertion needed to prevail in your picked vocation.

    This is also a plus when employers are selecting potential employees with similar qualifications.

    Getting International Jobs

    All things considered, LinkedIn is a worldwide system professional platform. If you’re keen on getting employments abroad, you’ll get many advantages by systems administration on this platform.

    You’ll interface with all the numerous worldwide bosses and secure positions in unfamiliar nations. This could in turn generate more revenues for you than what you would earn if you were still in Ghana.

    Getting Recommendations

    LinkedIn additionally offers a part through which you’ll get others to suggest to you. Individuals with the foremost extreme number of proposals have a rare possibility of drawing within the businesses’ consideration.

    Undergrads may try to get however many proposals as would be prudent to create their employability.

    Therefore, engage with high-ranking people in society, and in the end, you could be looking at a life full of happiness without the stress of looking for a job.

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, almost all the businesses in Ghana and abroad are consulting with LinkedIn instead of the traditional CV system.

    Therefore, creating a LinkedIn account makes it easier for the employer to just look through your profile and offer you the job.

    Please make sure to share this article with your mates so that we will all be alert and prevent any future possibilities of employment.

  • How To Go Live On TikTok

    How To Go Live On TikTok

    TikTok is a video-sharing social network service owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based internet technology company. The founder of TikTok is Zhang Yiming. TikTok is a cross-platform app available to IOS and Android.

    In this article, we are going to learn how to go live on TikTok but before we go on, let’s look at some of the features of TikTok.

    Features Of TikTok

    TikTok comes pack with a lot of exciting features. Below are some of the features.

    • Video Uploading – Users can upload their ready-made videos to their account and add edits and adjustments to it.
    • Video Editing Effects – Just like other social networking apps like Instagram and Snapchat, TikTok comes with a pack of impressive features like changing eye colour, hair and even adding makeups and many more.
    • Live Streaming – This is a premium feature. Users can interact with their fans in a live video.
    • Social Sharing – TikTok allows video creators to share their videos on all the major social networks to reach more audience.
    • Soundtracks – Favorite songs can be added to edited videos from the TikTok sound library.

    There are a lot more exciting features in Tiktok but few are listed above. TikTok stats will give you an idea of how beneficial the platform has been for many people. TikTok shook the world with the massive interest of people adopting the use of the app. Businesses uses the app to advertise their products and increase brand awareness using the app.

    Below are some statistics you should know about TikTok in 2020.

    TikTok Statistics You Should Know In 2020

    • As of late 2019, TikTok users climax 800 million users. It is estimated to reach over a billion users in 2020.
    • Nearly, 50% of TikTok’s global audience is under the age of 34 and 26% of TikTok users are aged between 18 and 24.
    • TikTok app as of 2020 has been downloaded over 1.5 billion times worldwide.
    • Averagely, a user spends at least 52 minutes per day on the app.
    • The company that owns TikTok, Bytdance is valued at $75 million, making it the world’s most valuable startup.
    • According to TikTok, it has over 60 million active users per month in the United States of which 60% are females and 40% being men.

    Now to our main topic, let me take you to the steps to follow in order to go live on TikTok.

    How To Go Live On TikTok

    • Open your TikTok app and Log in to your account.
    • Tap the plus sign, located at the button-center section of the screen.
    • Tap the “live” button, located to the next option to record.
    • Enter the title of your “livestream” and then select “Go Live” to start.

    Note that, not all accounts can access the Live feature. Before you can go Live,

    1. You need to check if your account is allowed or not. It’s not available to all account.
    2. You can only go live on TikTok if your account has at least 1,000 followers.
    3. Once you have the ability to go live, you can livestream.

    Conclusion

    Going Live let your audience have a feel of your presence and increase your brand awareness. With this feature, creators interact more with their fans. In this article, we looked at how to go live in your TikTok app.

  • How to Register for IELTS Online in Ghana

    How to Register for IELTS Online in Ghana

    Are you travelling to an English-speaking country? Do you need to show your English Language proficiency level? Keep reading this article to know how to register for IELTS online in Ghana and use it as a proof of your English Language proficiency.

    Because of the state of the local economy and the living standards of the average Ghanaian, most people seek to go work and live in foreign countries to seek greener pastures.

    But, travelling to most English-speaking countries to live and work or to study requires that you show your English Language proficiency before your visa application will be approved.

    In such cases, you cannot just go and speak English at the centre for your visa application to be approved. You need to submit a document showing that you are indeed capable of speaking the English language. The document is in the form of a test result or examination transcript.

    The most common examination that is widely accepted by many English-speaking countries including the United Kingdom, is the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

    What is IELTS?

    The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a standardized English Language test which is designed to test non-native English speakers their English Language proficiency. As stated earlier, the IELTS is for foreigners (non-native English speakers) who wish to study, work and live in an English-speaking environment.

    How to Register for IELTS Online in Ghana

    Before you can take the IELTS, you need to first of all register with the recognized institution, i.e. the British Council Ghana. The registration process is very simple, easy and transparent.

    • Find the closest IELTS test centre: Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and Abidjan (Ivory Coast).
    • Visit the British Council Ghana official website and scroll to the test page.
    • Check the availability and select your test date (different for the written test and the speaking test).
    • Create an account with British Council Ghana with your email and other required information.
    • Book your test and pay the required fees via card or bank transfer at any Standard Chartered Bank branch in Ghana.
    • Upon a successful transaction, you will receive a confirmation with your test date.
    • Receive an automated email with your access codes to free online courses.
    • An IELTS Reference Number will be sent to access the Test Taker Portal where you can find your results.
    Sample IELTS Certificate

    What Are The Requirement for Registering for IELTS Online in Ghana?

    For a Ghanaian citizen, you will need to have a valid National ID card or Passport before you can register. Other National IDs like Driver’s License and NHIS card is not permitted.

    For a non-Ghanaian citizen who would like to take the IELTS in Ghana, you will need to have a valid Passport of your home country.

    For persons under 18 years, your parents need to register online on your behalf. The reason for this is similar to that of visa application, where you need parental consent.

    What Are The Types of IELTS in Ghana?

    IELTS Academic

    This is for persons who are going to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level or joining a professional organization in an English-speaking environment.

    IELTS General

    This is also for people who are going to train or study at below degree level work. OR Undertake work-related training in an English-speaking country.

    IELTS for United Kingdom Visa Immigration (UKVI) and IELTS Life Skills

    This type is one of the United Kingdom approved Secure English Language Test. This type of test helps in acquiring different types of United Kingdom visas.

    How Much Does It Cost To Take an IELTS in Ghana?

    The cost of your IELTS depends on the selected type of IELTS. The several costs of IELTS in Ghana are:

    • Academic and General Training (Paper-based & Computer-based) – GHS 1418
    • UKVI (Academic and General Training) – GHS 1562
    • Life Skills (A1 and B1) – GHS 1080
    • Academic & General Training – Abidjan – GHS 1505

    When are the tests taken?

    The IELTS is a year-long test that is taken twice in each month. All the test dates are provided by the British Council Ghana and can be checked on their official website.

    Conclusion

    There are several English proficiency tests available in Ghana, for example, Test On English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), but the IELTS is one of the best options to go for.

    The fees stated in this article are for both your written test and the speaking test and are valid as of when this article was written, 27th August 2020.

    Take your time and read through this article carefully and then apply for your IELTS online. But if you encounter any challenges, feel free to ask in the comments section below and I will try my best to attend to you.

  • How To Add Photos To Google Reviews

    How To Add Photos To Google Reviews

    Aside from Google being a popular search engine, Google also allows you to list businesses near you and even leave reviews for the businesses. You can share your experience either good or bad and can even add photos to back your reviews on Google reviews.

    You can also share photos in and out of the business to give others a better feel of the interior and exterior of the business to help them locate it if they want the distinct business building.

    In this article, we are going to look at how to add photos to Google Reviews. Below are the steps to add photos to Google reviews.

    How To Add Photos To A Google Review On Computer

    • Open Google maps in your preferred browser on PC or Mac computer and search for the business you want to write a review on.
    • Once you find the business you are looking for, select it from the left sidebar.
    • In the left sidebar scroll and select Write a Review.
    • After writing your review, choose your rating, and click the camera icon underneath the text icon.
    • Navigate to your photo location and select all the photos you want to upload. Click on the blue highlighted ‘select’ button to upload.
    • Click on the post button at the bottom-right of the window to post your review.

    Finally, your photos will be submitted together with your reviews. Leaving a review helps other people to have a for-knowledge of a business and its services. Below are some advantages of Google reviews.

    Advantages Of Google Reviews

    Google reviews are important, and they help businesses maintain their credibility with consumers. Below are some highlighted advantages of Google reviews.

    • They increase brand trust.
    • They expand business online exposure and local SEO.
    • Reviews convert more customers

    As a business, having good reviews is very important for your brand. Sometimes fraudulent people who have had no experience with your business write fake disputes to drug your business in the mud. Below are steps to follow to flag or dispute fraudulent reviews on google.

    How To Flag or Dispute an Inappropraite or Fraudulent Review Of Your Business

    If someone wrote a review of your business that is false or fraudulent and violates Google’s review policy, you can flag that review as inappropriate. Follow the below steps to report or take down such reviews to save your business.

    Flagging Reviews On Desktop

    • Sign in to Google my Business
    • Select Reviews from the menu
    • Locate the review you want to flag or report and click the three vertical dots next to it. Select Flag as Inappropriate.

    Flagging Reviews On Mobile

    • Open Google Business App
    • Navigate to Customers and then to Reviews.
    • Find the inappropriate review and tap on the three dots next to it.
    • Select Flag Review.

    Conclusion

    Writing reviews has become a part of our culture. You go somewhere and have a strong reaction to it that it pushes you to write a review of the experience to promote information sharing. Not only writing a review, but you can also submit photos of the experience to share with others.

    In this article, we looked at how to add photos to Google Review.

  • How to Know If a Memory Card is Original or Fake Before Buying

    How to Know If a Memory Card is Original or Fake Before Buying

    Considering the storage capacity of most mobile phones, the only option available is to buy a secondary storage device – a memory card. But how will you know if a memory card is original or fake before you buy?

    Well, that is a very good question to ask and if you have that question in your mind then this article is aimed at helping you find answers to that. This article is going to show you how to know if a memory card is original or fake before buying.

    It’s weird right, buying a new memory card with the last money you have on you only to find out later that it fake. If you have already fallen victim to that I’m really sorry for that and if you’ve not experienced it before then you are safe now.

    Many top countries have devoted their time to manufacture good and genuine memory card to the market for users. But as the saying goes, “…there’s no light without darkness…,” there are also some companies who produce fake products and put on the market for users.

    Most of them come from China and other Asian countries as well as a few of them coming from Europe and the Americas.

    How to Know If a Memory Card is Original or Fake Before Buying

    The methods of detecting whether a memory card is original or fake before buying are numerous, but this article is going to focus on four (4) of the most effective methods. These are:

    • Inspect the packaging
    • Inspect the memory card
    • Test the memory card on your device
    • Test the memory card on your device
    • Try third-party apps like SD Insight

    The above are broad branches and I am going to break each category down for you to understand very well and know what to do in each category.

    How to Know If a Memory Card is Original or Fake Before Buying by Inspecting the Packaging

    The packaging of a memory card basically means how the memory card is presented in a package. Is the memory card enclosed in a package? Is it just sitting in a container full of other memory cards?

    This is what you consider when you’re checking the packaging of a memory card. The chances of a memory card properly packaged being fake are quite low when compared to unpackaged and poorly packaged memory cards.

    A memory card that is in a container full of other memory cards is a clear sign of buying a potentially fake memory card.

    How to Know If a Memory Card is Original or Fake Before Buying by Inspecting the Memory Card

    After checking packaging and you’re not convinced enough, you can try this method. This method is the most thorough method as it needs very critical observation and analysis of the memory card.

    Begin with the front label of the memory card and check to see whether it is positioned evenly or has been tilted or something is off. Check whether the label on the memory card is peeling off or not. A memory card with the label peeling off, highly qualifies to be fake.

    Check the brand name on the memory card. It is easier to look at the brand name of the memory card and buy it though it might be fake.

    Therefore you need to research whether the brand name manufactures memory cards in the first place and if yes, proceed to check whether they manufacture memory cards with that specific storage size inscribed on it.

    Don’t be fooled by the price of the memory card as we all like relatively cheaper items. As a result, we end up exchanging price for fake products.

    If possible consider asking around to know the average price of the memory card and anyone who sells way below that could be selling you a fake product.

    How to Know If a Memory Card is Original or Fake Before Buying by Testing the Memory Card on Your Device

    This method is very important and you can choose to skip the other methods and focus on this method only. The reason is that this method is very quick to tell you whether the memory card is fake or original.

    To test the memory card, insert it into your device and fill it with almost half of the storage capacity, and then try to retrieve the data you transferred in the later part. In most cases, if the memory card is fake, all the data that you transferred in the latter part will not be accessible.

    Testing the memory card also reveals whether the memory card can hold data of the size that was printed on it. For example, 16GB could be written on a memory card but the actual size could be around 8GB.

    Therefore putting files that is more than half the intended storage space could do the trick and expose the veracity of the memory card.

    How to Know If a Memory Card is Original or Fake Before Buying by Trying Third-Party apps like SD Insight

    After trying all the manual methods, the final step is to try third-party applications. The most popular among them is SD Insight which is available for free on the Google Play Store.

    SD Insight will display the name of the manufacturer, the manufacture date, and the storage capacity of the memory card.

    So, all you need to do is to check whether it corresponds with the data on the memory card and its package.

    Conclusion

    Detecting a fake memory card is very tricky and sometimes difficult but this article has tackled all the ways you can check the authenticity of a memory card before buying.

    Also, you need to take note of the fact that, buying from trusted sellers is one of the best ways to prevent buying a fake memory card because you can always return it if it’s fake.

    Also if you are buying online, buy from online shops and shops that allow the return of fake and damaged products.

    Hope this article was helpful?  Feel free and drop your comments and suggestions below.

  • How To Review Places On Google Maps

    How To Review Places On Google Maps

    Google maps is an internet mapping service designed by Google. It offers real-time satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, traffic conditions, and route planning for travelling by foot, car, bicycle and air or public transportation.

    You can review places you visited to give more details about the location and mark some significant features of the area if its lively, lovely or romantic.

    In the past, we spoke about how you can add places to Google Maps.

    In this article, we are going to look at how to review places on Google maps. Keep following.

    How To Review Places On Google Maps (Computer)

    You can submit or review places using your computer. Below are the steps to follow to review places using your computer.

    • Open Google Maps on your computer and make sure you are signed in with your Google account or Gmail.
    • Search for a place you have visited before
    • On the left panel, scroll down and click write a review
    • A window will appear, click the starts to rate it according to your preference and write a review of your experience when you visited the location.

    How To Review Places On Google Maps (Android)

    On your Android device, you can review places you visit on Google maps. Since your Android device is portable, it’s likely you always carry it around when moving to and fro. Below are the steps to follow to write a review on Google Maps in place you visit.

    • On your Android device, open your Google maps app.
    • Search for a place or navigate place you’ve been to on the map.
    • At the top, tap on the place’s name or address.
    • On top, click on Reviews.
    • Scroll down and stop at where the five empty stars show.
    • Tap on the number of stars you deem fit for the place, and submit a review of your experience when you visited the location.

    How To Review Places On Google Maps (iOS)

    Reviews can be submitted on your iPhone or iPad device. Below are the steps to follow.

    • On your iPhone or iPad, open google maps.
    • Search for a place or you can navigate to a place on the map.
    • At the button, tap the place’s name or address.
    • Scroll down until you see five empty stars.
    • Tap on the number of stars that suits your experience of the place and submit a review.

    Your reviews will help other people who have not visited the location have a fore-knowledge of the experience in the area and also your reviews can attract more visitors because of the unique thing you wrote in your review.

    Due to climate change and natural disasters, maybe something unique about a location you wrote about might not be there anymore or destroyed by natural factors, you can delete or edit your reviews. Below are the steps to follow if you want to delete or edit a review.

    How To Edit Or Delete A Review On Google Maps (Computer)

    • Open Google maps on your computer.
    • on the top left, click menu
    • Select Your Contributions, and choose Reviews.
    • Select the review you want to edit or delete and click more.
    • Choose whether you want to delete or edit.

    How To Edit Or Delete A Review On Google Maps (Android)

    • On your Android device, open Google maps.
    • Select Contribute
    • Scroll down and select See your Reviews
    • Locate the review you want to delete or edit and click More.
    • Select an option and follow the prompts.

    How To Edit Or Delete A Review On Google Maps (IOS)

    • On your iPhone or iPad, open Google maps.
    • Tap Contribute.
    • Scroll down and select see your Reviews.
    • Locate the review you want to edit or delete and select More.
    • Select an option and follow the instructions.

    Conclusion

    Many people use Google maps to find their way to important places or locations they have not been to. Submitting a review on places you have frequent always will help others choose their next trip locations or relaxation points.

    In this article, we have learnt how to live reviews on Google maps on places you visit or have visited.

  • How to Send Animated Stickers on WhatsApp

    How to Send Animated Stickers on WhatsApp

    Do you want to express yourself on WhatsApp but can’t find the right words? If your answer is YES! Then this article is meant for you.

    This article is going to show you every detail on how to send animated stickers on WhatsApp.

    As one of the top three (3) most used social media platforms in the world, WhatsApp recently introduced a feature that allows users to download and send animated stickers to their contacts.

    According to WhatsApp, stickers allow users to express their feelings in a better way than just typing the words and the introduction of this feature is going to address this issue.

    This feature is available on WhatsApp versions, v2.20194.16 and v2.20.70 and above for Android and iOS respectively.

    How to Send Animated Stickers on WhatsApp

    The steps involved in sending an animated sticker on WhatsApp are very simple and easy. But, for you to understand it very well, brief explanations are added to each point.

    Update Your WhatsApp

    The steps on how to send animated stickers on WhatsApp are:

    Before you begin the process, you need to first update your WhatsApp to the versions stated above. To update, visit the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store and check for updates on your WhatsApp and then install it on your device.

    You can also find the WhatsApp version on the download page of where you’re installing it from, i.e. Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, and then cross-check to see whether it is equivalent or above the version stated above depending on the type of your device.

    Open WhatsApp and start a new chat with the person you want to send the animated sticker

    After updating your WhatsApp to the supported version, the next step is to start a new chat with the person you are sending the animated sticker to.

    Starting a chat with someone doesn’t necessarily mean that you should send a message to the person. It just means that you should open the person’s page as if you are about to send a new message.

    Tap on the sticker selection window and tap the little plus button on the right

    Once you open the person’s page to start a new chat, you will find the sticker selection icon on the right side of where the text appears when you type.

    Then click on the little plus button that is also located on the right side of the sticker’s page. In case you have any sticker already installed then the plus sign will be just above the fourth sticker.

    Download your preferred sticker pack and go back to the chat window

    Right after tapping on the little plus button, you will be redirected to the sticker download page. This is where you download the sticker pack you would love to have on your phone. The sticker can only be downloaded as a pack of individual stickers.

    After a successful download of your intended sticker pack, you have to go back to the chat window where you are going to send the animated sticker.

    Select the sticker pack and tap on the desired sticker to send

    When you return to the chat window page, tap on the sticker selection icon, and then select the sticker pack you would like to send a sticker from.

    Once you select the sticker pack, all the individual stickers in the pack will show. You then need to select the one you desire to send to your contact.

    The sticker will keep on animating once you are in the chat window but will stop animating once you leave the chat window.

    Conclusion

    The main requirement to send an animated sticker on WhatsApp is to have versions: v2.20194.16 and v2.20.70 and above for Android and iOS respectively.

    After that, you then follow the detailed steps followed in this article to send your first animated sticker on WhatsApp.

    Though not included in this article, you can also check out for third-party websites and apps for other animated sticker packs as well.

    I hope that this article accomplishes the purpose for which it was written i.e. to show you how to send animated stickers on WhatsApp.

    Feel free to drop your comments and suggestions in the comments section below.

  • How to Use PhotoScan by Google To Transform Your Old Photos To Soft Copies

    How to Use PhotoScan by Google To Transform Your Old Photos To Soft Copies

    Do you have that old photo you want to transform to soft copy? If your answer is yes then you are at the right place.

    We all have a particular old photo in our album that we really want to transform to softcopy as a result of modern technological advancements and also social media trends.

    The normal way of doing this is by either scanning it or taking a picture of it using your smartphone. The latter is the most popular method used.

     But, there are many negative effects associated with this method; mainly having to crop the photo or capturing it together with the background it was captured.

    In order to eliminate all these negative effects of using the traditional method, Google introduced PhotoScan by Google.

    What is PhotoScan by Google?

    PhotoScan is a free scanner app from Google Photos that allows you to scan and save your favourite printed photos using your smartphone’s camera.

    The app automatically rotates your captured image, aligns it, and removes the background where it was captured.

    In addition, it also has a built-in editor that helps you edit your photos on your mobile phone.

    Another added advantage is the fact that though PhotoScan was created by Google Photos, your captured photos doesn’t automatically upload to Google Photos but you will need to install the Google Photos app on your phone before you can upload it.

    How to Use PhotoScan by Google To Transform Your Old Photos To Soft Copies

    The entire process works similar to how you take normal photos on your phone. The main steps involved in transforming your old photos to softcopy includes:

    • Download the free PhotoScan by Google app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
    • Place your phone directly on the photo and press on the capture button.
    • Move your phone around to get the circle over the 4 dots.
    • When the photo has finished processing, tap on the preview at the bottom right corner.
    • Rotate, adjust the corners, or delete the photo.
    • After editing, save the photo.

    Scanning Tips From The Google Team

    The following are some of the scanning tips for capturing a nice photo from the creators of the app, Google:

    • Do not tilt your phone while scanning.
    • To better frame your photo, place on a flat surface with a contrasting background (avoid scanning on a carpet).
    • To scan vertically, hold your phone vertically and to scan horizontally, hold it horizontally.
    • Turn on flash to help remove residual glare, shadows and get better images.
    • If there’s too much glare, move to a less lighting place.
    • Remove photos from shelves or albums; or turn on the flash if the photo is in a glass.

    How Many Pictures Can I Take At A Time?

    As with all cameras, the PhotoScan by Google app can also take one photo at a time. But, there’s no limitation on the number of photos you can take per day.

    Do I Need To Have Google Photos Before Using PhotoScan by Google?

    The answer is NO! Everyone can use PhotScan by Google i.e. whether you have a Google Photos account or not. Though the app was created by the Google Photos team and having it would be an advantage.

    Conclusion

    This free mobile app developed by Google is now going to help us in diverse ways; especially, the time and money you would have spent in case you sent it to your local photo studio.

    How to use this app is very simple and all the important guidelines on how to use the app have been included in this article.

    After reading this article, you can check your photo album and convert your old photo to a softcopy.

    Due to unforeseen circumstances, it’s advisable to always save your photos on the cloud (Google Photos in most android phones and iCloud on all Apple devices). This will keep your photos safe in case the unexpected happens.

    Now that you are done reading go ahead and capture that photo and tag us on all our social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

  • 5 Free Video Editors For Windows You Should Try Out

    5 Free Video Editors For Windows You Should Try Out

    Best video editing software’s are costly to get. Video editors like Adobe after effects, premier pro, final cut pro and others come at a cost. The adobe creative suite in itself comes at a monthly subscription.

    To have a professional video editing software, one has to invest a lot. Because of the high cost involved in getting a professional video software, finding the best free video editing software should be a core part of a business or any individual who wants to create winning content with videos.

    Alternatively, there are free video editors available that can serve your purpose for professional video content creation.

    In this article, I will talk about five of the best free video editors for windows you need to try your hands on. My compilation focuses on the most versatile editing software for videos that can serve your needs.

    While I take into consideration individual differences and needs, this article will provide the pro’s and cons of each video editor so you can choose your preference.

    Best Free Video Editors For Windows

    Below are the five best editing software for windows. All these editor software’s are free to use. There are free tutorials on all the editing software from the publisher’s website or you can source for tutorials on youtube on how to use each editing software if you are a beginner.

    Blender

    Blender is one of the best free editing software on the market. It is available on Windows, Mac and Linux. Blender is open-source and also free to use.

    The editing software was purposely designed for 3D animation, but it also comes with a very clean useful video editing. The video editor in blender is more than enough for your video editing needs.

    Blender allows you to perform basic actions like video cuts and splitting. It’s also used for video masking, thus making it one of the video editors due to the flexibility of its interface. Both beginner and pro-level users can be conversant with its interface.

    Features Of Blender Video Editor:

    • Live preview, Luma waveform, chroma vector-scope, and histogram displays.
    • Audio mixing, syncing, scrubbing, and waveform visualization.
    • Up to 32 slots of video layering, images, audio and effects.
    • Chroma keying or green screen effect
    • Speed control, adjustment layers, transitions, keyframes, filters and many more.

    Pros – Best for advanced users who are not scared of by all the features and interface.

    Cons – Most of the tutorials on blender focuses on 3D animation/Modeling. Tutorials on the video editing features are limited making it a little difficult for beginners to jump into the app.

    Davinci Resolve

    Davinci resolve is also one of the most advanced video editors on the market. It is available on Windows, Mac and Linux. Davinci has many professional features including its intuitive features.

    Davinci Resolve is known for its powerful colour correction feature. It can also be used for 2D and 3D titling for your videos. For all its powerful features, Davinci Resolve offers its full software at a cost, but if your video its a little more advanced, its free software is hard to beat.

    Features Of Davinci Resolve:

    • Advanced trimming
    • Multi-cam editing
    • Colour correction
    • Audio mastering
    • Chroma key

    Pros – User-friendly interface and incredible color correction

    Cons – Tutorials are very costly and its wide array of features makes it confusing.

    Openshot

    Openshot its entirely open-source video editor available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Openshot comes with a very easy drag and drop interface, with excellent features like unlimited layers and audio mixing.

    Openshot although advanced but has a very user-friendly interface for beginners to easily use the software without external help.

    Features of Openshot:

    • Unlimited layers
    • Clip resizing, scaling, trimming, snapping, rotation, cutting, and video transitions with real-time previews of the project.
    • Image overlays, Compositing, and watermarks for copyright
    • 3D animated titles and effects, title templates, title creation, and subtitles.
    • Drag and drop, scrolling, panning, zooming, snapping and advanced timeline.

    Pros – Open source and unlimited layers.

    Cons – Limited video tutorials,

    HitFilm Express

    HitFilm Express is one of the freest used professional video editing software on the market. It is available for Windows, Mac and Linux. It comes with professional features a free editor would not be considered to have.

    Features like splitting, trimming, and audio editing effects make the app one of the powerful free software. The software comes with over 180 special effects to include in your projects.

    They offer tutorials on their platform based on well-known Hollywood films like star wars and all tutorials are very interactive and engaging for both beginners and advanced users.

    Features of HitFilm express:

    • Advanced cutting tools
    • green screen keying
    • Video and audio filters
    • Compositing tools
    • Layers and masking
    • 3D video support

    Pros – Free professional video editor

    Cons – Takes time to be familiar with its interface.

    VSDC Video Editor

    VSDC is a Windows video editing software which offers powerful editing features for video editing. The software offers both pro and free version. The free version is enough for editing your projects except you want more advanced features, either than that, the free version should be enough.

    Pros – Straight forward to learn with powerful features

    Cons – High cost of technical support and the software is only available for windows only.

    Conclusion

    Video is said to generate leads and customers more than text, thus video content creation has been the norm of the internet in recent times.

    Businesses and individuals always search for free video editing software that can be used to create their contents easily and professionally because of the high cost of acquiring professional software’s.

    In this article, I have shared with you five of the very best free video editing software’s that can be used for video editing in a professional way. Knowledge is not in the head of one, comment your free video editor in the comment section to help others.