Business Topics

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15 Growing Online Careers

Posted on by Julian Gooden
Career growth

The digital landscape is constantly evolving, and with it comes a range of emerging online careers. These careers often stem from advancements in technology, changes in consumer behavior, and the growing importance of online platforms. Here are some emerging online careers that have gained prominence in recent years:

  1. Social Media Manager: With the increasing importance of social media for businesses and individuals, the role of a social media manager has become crucial. They are responsible for creating and implementing social media strategies, managing online presence, and engaging with the audience.
  2. Influencer: Influencers are individuals who have built a substantial online following on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or Twitch. They collaborate with brands for sponsored content, affiliate marketing, and product endorsements.
  3. Content Creator: Content creators produce various forms of digital content, such as videos, blog posts, podcasts, and more. They often monetise their content through ads, sponsorships, memberships, and crowdfunding.
  4. E-commerce Entrepreneur: With the rise of online shopping, e-commerce entrepreneurs create and manage online stores, often using platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, or Etsy, to sell products globally.
  5. Digital Marketing Specialist: Digital marketers focus on promoting products, services, or brands through online channels such as search engines, social media, email marketing, and paid advertising.
  6. Remote Freelancer: The gig economy has expanded significantly, offering opportunities for freelancers in various fields like graphic design, web development, writing, translation, and more to work remotely for clients around the world.
  7. Online Tutor/Instructor: Online education has surged, leading to a demand for online tutors and instructors. This includes teaching academic subjects, offering skill-based courses, and providing specialised training.
  8. Virtual Reality (VR) Developer: As VR technology becomes more accessible, developers skilled in creating virtual reality experiences for entertainment, education, training, and other industries are in demand.
  9. Augmented Reality (AR) Developer: Similar to VR, AR developers create interactive digital experiences that overlay computer-generated content onto the real world, often through mobile apps or wearable devices.
  10. Data Analyst/Data Scientist: As data becomes increasingly vital for decision-making, professionals who can analyse and interpret data to derive insights are in high demand across various industries.
  11. Cybersecurity Specialist: With the growth of online activities, the need for cybersecurity professionals to protect sensitive information, systems, and networks from cyber threats has also increased.
  12. Remote Healthcare Professional: Telemedicine and online health services have gained traction, leading to the emergence of remote healthcare professionals such as telehealth doctors, therapists, and counselors.
  13. Blockchain Developer: Blockchain technology has applications beyond cryptocurrencies. Developers skilled in blockchain can work on projects related to digital identity, supply chain management, decentralised applications (DApps), and more.
  14. Podcaster: Podcasting has grown as a popular form of content consumption. Podcasters create and host shows on various topics, often monetizing through sponsorships, ads, and listener support.
  15. AI/Machine Learning Engineer: As artificial intelligence and machine learning continue to advance, professionals who can develop AI-driven solutions and applications are in demand.

These emerging online careers reflect the ongoing shifts in technology and society, providing opportunities for individuals to leverage their skills and interests in the digital realm. Keep in mind that the online landscape is dynamic, so staying adaptable and continuously updating your skills is crucial in pursuing these careers effectively.

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Mastering Your Finances: The Importance of Budgeting and How to Get Started

Posted on by Julian Gooden
Budget

Introduction:

Managing personal finances is a crucial skill that can have a significant impact on our lives. Budgeting is a fundamental aspect of financial management, enabling individuals and households to make informed decisions about their income and expenses. In this article, we will delve into the concept of budgeting, explore its importance, and provide practical tips on how to create and maintain an effective budget.

What is Budgeting?

Budgeting is the process of creating a detailed plan that outlines your income sources and allocates funds to various categories of expenses, savings, and investments. It involves evaluating your financial situation, setting financial goals, and tracking your spending patterns to ensure that you stay within your means and work towards achieving your objectives.

A budget serves as a financial roadmap, providing a clear picture of your financial health and enabling you to make informed decisions about how you allocate and manage your money. It acts as a tool for controlling expenses, saving for the future, and ensuring financial stability.

Why is it Important to Budget?

2.1. Financial Awareness and Control:

Budgeting helps you gain a deeper understanding of your financial situation. By tracking your income and expenses, you become more aware of where your money goes, allowing you to identify areas where you can cut back on unnecessary spending and make better financial choices. With a budget in place, you gain control over your money rather than letting it control you.

2.2. Goal Setting and Financial Prioritization:

Budgeting enables you to set realistic financial goals and prioritise them effectively. Whether it’s saving for a down payment on a house, paying off debt, or planning for retirement, a budget provides a structured approach to achieve these objectives. By allocating funds towards specific goals, you can ensure that you make consistent progress and stay on track.

2.3. Eliminating Debt and Building Wealth:

A budget helps you tackle debt by allocating funds for debt repayment strategies. By prioritising debt reduction, you can make extra payments towards outstanding loans or credit card balances, ultimately leading to financial freedom. Additionally, a well-planned budget allows you to save and invest money, enabling you to build wealth over time and secure a strong financial future.

2.4. Emergency Preparedness:

Life is unpredictable, and unexpected expenses can arise at any time. A budget helps you establish an emergency fund by setting aside a portion of your income for unforeseen circumstances. Having an emergency fund provides a financial safety net, reducing the need to rely on credit or disrupt your long-term financial plans when faced with unexpected expenses.

How to Budget:

3.1. Assess Your Finances:

Start by evaluating your income, including your regular salary, bonuses, or other sources of revenue. Calculate your average monthly income after taxes. Next, analyse your expenses by tracking your spending for a few months. Categorise your expenses into fixed (e.g., rent, utilities) and variable (e.g., groceries, entertainment) categories. Be thorough and include all recurring and occasional expenses.

3.2. Set Financial Goals:

Determine your short-term and long-term financial goals. Short-term goals could include paying off credit card debt or saving for a vacation, while long-term goals may involve retirement planning or purchasing a home. Make your goals specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

3.3. Create a Budget:

Based on your income and expenses, allocate funds to different categories, ensuring that your expenses do not exceed your income. Prioritize essential expenses such as housing, utilities, transportation, and debt payments. Allocate a portion of your income towards savings and investments. Review your budget regularly and make adjustments as necessary.

3.4. Track and Monitor:

Consistently track and monitor your expenses against your budget. Keep a record of all your transactions, whether it’s through a spreadsheet, budgeting software, or a mobile app. This will help you stay accountable and provide valuable insights into your spending habits.

3.5. Make Adjustments:

As you track your expenses, you may identify areas where you can reduce costs or find opportunities to save more. Adjust your budget accordingly, reallocating funds from non-essential categories to prioritise your financial goals. Be flexible and willing to adapt your budget as your circumstances change.

3.6. Involve the Whole Family:

If you’re managing a household budget, involve all family members in the process. Discuss financial goals, encourage open communication about spending decisions, and work together as a team to stay within the budget. Teaching children about budgeting from an early age instills responsible financial habits that will benefit them in the long run.

3.7. Seek Professional Help if Needed:

If you find it challenging to create or stick to a budget, consider seeking guidance from a financial advisor or counselor. They can provide expert advice tailored to your specific circumstances, offer strategies to manage debt effectively, and help you develop a sustainable budgeting plan.

Conclusion:

Budgeting is a powerful tool that empowers individuals and households to take control of their finances, achieve financial goals, and build a secure future. By understanding the importance of budgeting and implementing effective strategies, you can make informed decisions about your money, eliminate debt, save for emergencies, and create a path towards long-term financial success. Remember, budgeting is not a one-time task but a continuous process that requires discipline and regular review to ensure financial well-being.

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9 Amazing AI Tools That Can Make You Money Online

Posted on by Julian Gooden
Amazing AI tools

Introduction:

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionised various industries, including online business and entrepreneurship. AI tools are now widely used to enhance productivity, optimise marketing strategies, improve customer experience, and ultimately, generate revenue. In this article, we will explore nine incredible AI tools that can help you make money online. Whether you are an e-commerce store owner, content creator, or digital marketer, these tools can provide invaluable assistance in maximising your online profitability.

  1. Chatbots for Customer Support:

    Implementing AI-powered chatbots on your website can streamline customer support and significantly enhance user experience. These virtual assistants can handle common inquiries, provide personalised recommendations, and even process transactions, thereby saving time and resources. By automating customer support, you can focus on other revenue-generating aspects of your business.

  2. Predictive Analytics:

    Predictive analytics tools utilise AI algorithms to analyse large datasets and predict future outcomes. These tools can help you make data-driven decisions, such as forecasting demand, optimising pricing strategies, and identifying trends in customer behaviour. By leveraging predictive analytics, you can effectively allocate resources and improve your online profitability.

  3. Content Creation:

    AI-powered content creation tools can assist in generating high-quality content for your website or social media platforms. These tools utilise natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to create engaging articles, blog posts, and social media captions. By automating content creation, you can save time and focus on other aspects of your business, such as marketing and customer acquisition.

  4. Email Marketing Automation:

    Email marketing remains a powerful tool for online businesses. AI-driven email marketing automation tools can analyse customer behaviour, segment audiences, and personalise email campaigns. By sending targeted and personalised emails, you can improve open rates, click-through rates, and ultimately drive more conversions and revenue.

  5. Voice Search Optimisation:

    With the rise of voice assistants like Siri and Alexa, optimising your online presence for voice search is crucial. AI tools can analyse voice search patterns and help you optimise your website and content accordingly. By incorporating voice search optimisation techniques, you can improve your online visibility and attract more organic traffic, leading to increased revenue potential.

  6. Social Media Management:

    AI-powered social media management tools can simplify the process of scheduling, publishing, and analysing social media content. These tools can automatically suggest the best times to post, identify relevant hashtags, and analyse engagement metrics. By streamlining social media management, you can enhance your brand’s online presence and engage with your audience more effectively, ultimately boosting conversions and sales.

  7. Sales and Revenue Forecasting:

    AI tools can analyse historical sales data, market trends, and external factors to generate accurate sales and revenue forecasts. By leveraging these forecasts, you can optimise inventory management, plan marketing campaigns, and make informed business decisions. Improved forecasting accuracy can help you minimise costs, maximise profits, and ensure sustainable growth.

  8. Personalized Product Recommendations:

    AI-driven recommendation engines can analyse customer preferences, purchase history, and browsing behaviour to provide personalised product recommendations. By offering tailored suggestions, you can enhance the customer experience, increase average order value, and boost customer loyalty. Personalised product recommendations can significantly impact your online sales and revenue.

  9. Ad Campaign Optimization:

    AI-powered ad campaign optimization tools can analyze vast amounts of data in real-time to optimise your online advertising efforts. These tools can automatically adjust bidding strategies, target specific audience segments, and optimise ad creatives for maximum conversions. By leveraging AI in ad campaign optimisation, you can increase the effectiveness of your online advertising, reduce costs, and drive higher ROI.

Conclusion:

The integration of AI tools into online businesses has unlocked new opportunities for revenue generation and growth. From customer support to content creation and advertising optimisation, these nine amazing AI tools can significantly improve your online

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[Update] Still Waiting For YouTube Monetisation – Is it end of April or June 2018?

Posted on by Julian Gooden
youtube logo

Recent changes to YouTube Partnership programme has resulted in many content creators waiting in what is seeming a very long line to be approved for monetisation.

Usually one would be able to monetise their channel right off the bat, however in April 2017, Google announced new changes where creators would have to achieve 10,000 life time views to be eligible for YouTube Partnership Programme. The requirements changed again in January 2018 – where one would have to achieve at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 minutes watched. These new rules, YouTube noted, is in an effort to weed out ‘bad actors’. Existing players were given a mere 30 days to reach eligibility criteria. Many small channels who were not able to meet these requirements and lost monetisation. It also meant that new creators had greater challenges to getting in.

The waiting period to be assessed was supposed to be a week, however, many creators who have reached the threshold will see the following message in their YouTube account:

Applications for the YouTube Partner Programme are still in a backlog. We hope to be able to review all open applications by the end of April. Thank you for your patience in the meantime.

Now, April is almost at an end and still many creators are wondering why they are still not approved. Unfortunately the wait for them might be even longer given recent updates in YouTube Help Forum. On the 19th April, 2018, a member of Google’s team posted an update in the forum where a new end date was stated:

We’re hoping to get caught up by the end of June and will let you know if anything changes.’ Of course this has not been officially announced through YouTube’s messaging system.

I do have a channel that has met the criteria and I hope monetisation will be reinstated soon for that channel. As far as I can see there isn’t much that one could do but wait.

Things to do while you wait:

  1. Review the monetisation guideline/policies and whether your videos adhere to these guidelines.
  2. Continue to upload quality content regularly and promote your videos.
  3. Examine other ways you can use your channel to earn beside Google’s monetisation.
  4. Check out alternatives such as D-tube.
  5. In general look at other ways of earning money online.

 

Pros and Cons of Making Your Own YouTube Videos

Posted on by Julian Gooden
youtube logo

Are you one of the millions of internet users who enjoy watching free videos on YouTube? If you are, the thought of creating your own YouTube video may have crossed your mind; has it? If so, you may be wondering whether or not you should make your own YouTube video and then upload it to the YouTube website. When making your decision, it is advised that you can examine the pros and cons of doing so.

When it comes to making your own YouTube video, there are a number of cons or downsides to doing so. Perhaps, the biggest downside to making your own video and then uploading it to YouTube is that you are essentially sharing the video with the whole world. Many individuals mistakenly believe that their videos will only be seen by YouTube members, but that isn’t the truth. Any internet user, even those without a YouTube account, can view videos on YouTube. In fact, it is not uncommon for YouTube video viewers to email a YouTube video link to those that they know. Therefore, the views that your YouTube videos may get may be more than you ever expected or wanted.

Since any video that you upload to the YouTube website can be viewed by just about anyone with an internet connection, you may want to be careful with the amount of information that you disclose. For instance, if you are doing a video blog, you might not want to give your real name or at least not your full name. It is also important that you don’t mention where you live. If you want, you may want to outline the state that you reside in, but never give the city or town, especially if you disclose your name. You will want to try and refrain from giving any personal information to any YouTube member, even those who send you personal messages asking for information. As with most online website, YouTube can be a dangerous place, but you should be able to stay safe as long as you stay aware.
youtube
Although there are a few downsides or cons to uploading your videos to the YouTube website, there are also a number of pros or plus sides to doing so. One of those pros is ease of use. Even if you consider yourself to be unskilled with computers, you should still be able to make, upload, and share your video or videos on YouTube. In all honesty, all you need is a video recording device, like a camcorder or a webcam, and a movie editing software program, which now comes standard with most computers. Once you have your video on your computer and edited, if you wish to do so, you will just need to follow YouTube’s step-by-step uploading instructions and then your video should be ready for sharing, in as little as a few minutes.

Another pro to using YouTube to share your own videos with other internet users is uses. Although a large number of internet users use YouTube videos for fun or for personal reasons, there are many others who use them for business or at least to up their exposure. You need to remember that millions of internet users watch videos on YouTube. While your YouTube video will be unlikely to get one million views, you could get quite a bit. Whether you are advertising your services, like as a website designer or an online actress, you can do so through YouTube. The only thing that you will want to do is try to not take the spam approach. If you are advertising yourself as a website designer, try taking a few videos of you making a website or use your video to explore websites that you have made. Simply adding your business information at the end of the video is a great way to get your point across, but without making your YouTube video seem as it is an advertisement.

As you can see, there are a number of advantages and disadvantages, or pros and cons, to making your own YouTube videos. As stated above, it is advised that you use your best judgment. Of course, you can post a video on YouTube if you want to do so, but just make sure that you are doing so safely.

3 Ways For Driving Traffic To Your Website

Posted on by Julian Gooden
3 Ways For Driving Traffic To Your Website

This article looks at three ways you can increase traffic and boost sales.

Your website is ready. It sits there while you wait for anyone to come to along, view your products, and yes, hopefully, buy something! However, it has been several months and very little or nothing is happening.

You need targeted internet traffic and sales for your online business to grow and thrive.

Your ultimate goal is to generate targeted traffic. You want to gain the interest of your target consumers and drive them to your website. You can achieve this by working on the advertising and marketing aspect of your e-business. There are a number of ways to generate this traffic, including using the below methods:

1: Search Engine Optimization

If people search through major search engines, type in their search keywords and your website comes up, chances are you could expect more website traffic than you could handle. Therefore you could aim to rank heavily on the main search engines such as Google and Bing.

This however does not usually happen overnight. It will likely take a lot of time and effort to achieve this. To aim to make your presence felt and known on the internet could begin by becoming one of the top sites in the results page when a keyword query is made. As such, you could try filling your website with articles reflecting the relevant keywords about your product and service. These could be articles or pages that offer potential customers valuable advice and other crucial information.

SEO takes time so this may not be the quickest approach. It is advisable, therefore, to employ multiple methods to generate more web traffic.

  • You could try buying traffic from vendors to generate website hits.
  • You could buy traffic with Google’s and Yahoo’s pay-per-click programme.
  • You could use Facebook advertising.

How this works is that you determine and identify your target market’s possible keywords and bid for these words or phrases. This may be costly, but it would generate hits.

Of course, it doesn’t end there. You will then have to focus on converting those hits into sales. You have to keep your customer’s interest with an interesting website to begin with.

2: Syndicate your site

There are many websites that would allow feed burning. You would have to create Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds that would link your content and blog to other websites.

Make sure that you are providing informative and interesting information on your blog, to appeal to potential customers. RSS feeds may increase website hits but they may not generate profit or sales leads, if your website is boring or doesn’t inspire trust.

3: Create useful, informative and interesting article content

Again, it doesn’t matter if your website is generating thousands of hits. It also doesn’t matter if suddenly, your website is generating more traffic than you could handle. What is really important is that you are earning profit from this traffic.

You need to provide your prospective customers with quality web content. The content should be responsive to their need. Write as many articles as you can or hire someone to write them for you. You must provide your customers information on how to solve their problems. Keep your articles fresh, updated and relevant to your customer’s needs or problems.

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Google Adsense Plugin Deprecated

Posted on by Julian Gooden
Google Adsense Plugin

Google created the Google Adsense plugin to offer an easy way for publishers to integrate Google advertisement into their websites. It automatically suggested places to insert ads and all one had to do was select their preferred positions for showing the ads.

For me, this was convenient and I’m sure for many of you also. However, it seemed many people did not like this plugin, due to what they considered its lack of flexibility, inconsistency and limitations. In addition, there were reports that it just did not work or that it broke, which is undoubtedly why the Google Adsense plugin is now deprecated. As such, it begs the question whether Google had put enough effort into creating, updating or maintaining this plugin.

Google Adsense plugin deprecated

Google Adsense plugin rating

The plugin has now been deprecated, so if you have ads on your website that was created using this plugin, as of April 5, 2017 you are no longer able to modify ads using the plugin and as of May 3, 2017 you will not have access to the plugin front end.

Key dates

  • Early March, 2017: New publishers will not be able to sign up for AdSense by using the plugin.
  • Early April, 2017: Existing publishers will not be able to change their ad settings or ad units through the plugin.
  • Early May, 2017: Google will no longer provide support for the plugin.

What should you do?

Even though your ads will still work for a while, choose  an alternative now, then deactivate and remove the plugin. Always make sure that your website is updated with the latest plugin versions and themes. When a website is not updated it creates the possibility that the website could be hacked. Therefore, it is never recommended to keep deprecated or outdated plugin on your website.

Google has noted some guidance for affected publishers. However, it might be easier to find other suitable plugins on WordPress to get the job done.

Popular WordPress Plugins for Google Adsense

There are a number of popular WordPress alternatives for Google Adsense including those listed below:

  • Adsense Plugin WP QUADS – 40,000+ active installs and a 5 star rating from over 350 users.
  • Advanced Ads – 30,000+ active installs and a 5 star rating from over 270 users. It can also be used with other ad platforms and affiliate marketing programmes.
  • Ad Inserter – 50,000+ active installs and a 5 star rating from 164 users. It can also be used with other ad platforms and affiliate programmes such as Amazon Affiliates.
  • WP-insert – 30,000+ active installs and a 4.5 star rating from 125 users. It can also be used with other ads platforms and affiliate programmes.
  • AdRotate – 50,000+ active installs and a 4 star rating from 438 users. It can also be used for other ads platforms and affiliate programmes.

There are of course a number of others worth considering but these are some good ones to start with.

Will Google offer another Adsense plugin?

From all indications, no. Google has no replacement plugin for the Google Adsense Plugin. They have noted that they have ‘new innovative features’ such as,  ‘automatic ad formats and other upcoming initiatives’. Hopefully we will soon see what that’s all about!

Conclusion

Google Adsense plugin worked for some people, however, it didn’t work for many others, as shown by the ratings. If you have it on your WordPress website; backup your website, install a new ad plugin and remove the Google Adsense plugin. There are some really nice alternatives to choose from.

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How To Start Your Handmade Jewellery Business Online

Posted on by Julian Gooden
necklace

Step 1: Decide where to sell

(i) Decide where you want to sell your items. There are several options including Etsy, eBay and Amazon.

(ii) Create your account and corresponding social media accounts, which you will also use to promote your items.

Step 2: Decide what type of jewellery to sell

Once you have decided on the platform you would like to sell on, then you need to decide what items or types of jewellery you want to offer. Craftcount is a good place to check Etsy top shops; and see what is selling; also Amazon bestsellers for Amazon, and Pulse eBay gives indication of what items are more popularly searched on eBay. You can then decide whether you want to run with the masses or cater to a particular niche; the extent to which you will be able to do this, will of course be dependent on your skills set.

You could create a set a jewellery items or variety of products such as earrings, necklace, bracelets and PDF tutorials on how to make particular pieces of jewellery.

Step 3: Create your products

Buy your raw material and create some items, start with at least 25 to 50 items.

It might be better to start with one item at first, such as, earrings or bracelets.

Step 4: Get good pictures

Take pictures of your items. The quality of the pictures is important; you don’t need a high quality camera to get good pictures, most smart phones have reasonably good quality camera. Lighting is important, so make sure you take the pictures at the time of the day when you can capture them in ‘good’ light. If you can get them professionally photographed it might be worth doing especially if your item prices will be $50 and over per piece.

Step 5: Writing description

Write item descriptions including:
(i) general item description
(a) catchy headings, keyword rich phrases (should be relevant to item)
(b) avoid writing a one-liner
(ii) statement advising to visitors to view your other items
(iii) refund policy
(iv) shipping policy
(v) any other important information you want to tell your customer.

Step 6: Promote your items

It is highly competitive, especially when you are selling jewellery items, therefore, you must be willing to invest some time promoting. Social media is a great way to start, especially Facebook. Promote in groups and use Facebook advertising where possible.

Create business pages on  Facebook, a Google Plus, Pinterest and other platforms. Include the following in your profile or description:

  • Sample items
  • Direct link to your store
  • Your contact information
  • Link to other social platform

Conclusion

Promote! Promote! Promote!

Put passion into what you do and make sure you enjoy doing it, as this could affect your level of success.

I will be posting additional information that will further help – bookmark this blog so you won’t miss anything.

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How To Use WP Simple PayPal Shopping Cart

Posted on by Julian Gooden
WordPress PayPal Shopping Cart

You may have installed the WP Simple PayPal Shopping Cart plugin and need help in setting up your product or services with it. The below information will help you get this done.

Item plus price
To add item name and price, use the below shortcode within the brackets [ ].

wp_cart_button name="Cotton dress" price="9.99"

Item plus price and variation
To add item name, price and product variations use the below shortcode within the brackets [ ].

wp_cart_button name="Cotton dress" price="9.99" var1="Size|Small|Medium|Large|X-Large"

Multiple variations
To add item name, price and multiple product variations use the below shortcode within the brackets [ ].

wp_cart_button name="Cotton dress" price="9.99" var1="Size|X-Small|X-Large" var2="Color|Black|Green|Blue|Pink"

Adding shipping
To add shipping amount to your item listing use the below shortcode within the brackets [ ].

wp_cart_button name="Cotton dress" price="9.99" shipping="3.00"

Product, price, shipping, variations
To add item name, price shipping and product variations use the below shortcode within the brackets [ ].

wp_cart_button name="Cool shirt" price="9.99" shipping="3.00" var1="Size|Small|Medium|Large|X-Large" var2="Color|Black|Green|Blue|Pink"

To show shopping cart on any page or post
To show a shopping cart on any page or post use the below shortcode within the brackets [ ].

show_wp_shopping_cart

In template files, use:
To add shopping cart in your template files add the below code within the brackets < >.

?php echo do_shortcode('');?

To add social media links
To add social media option to your listing use the below short code within the brackets [ ].

wp_cart_button name="Social media" price="25" var1="Social media account|Facebook|Twitter|Google+|Pinterest"