Blog - Mazlan Abbas

How Many Blogs Can You Sustain?

What topics do you like to discuss?

Started with a single Blog that shares the electronic gadgets that I bought, now it has turned into too many blogs that cover topics on IoT, travel, technology and many others.

Some people blog just for the sake of blogging and don’t care if there are any followers or not.

But most of us will feel some satisfaction if there are people visited our blog everyday and leave comments.

Since my idea of blogging is to share my experience with others, of course, I wanted to see more visitors to my blog. Otherwise, what’s the use of blogging (for me).

But now, I feel very tired to maintain and sustain so many blogs.

Maybe I just need to categorise my Blog into two – Personal and Business.

What do you think?

Dilemma to Maintain More Than Two Personal Blogs

I must admit that I have many personal Blogs excluding the Professional Blogs such as IoT World.

But now, only two which seems to be more active than others.

Travelog Mazlan is one of the earlier ones which I have created but using WordPress domain (free).

And the one here (Mazlan Abbas Blog) which I have created using a domain which I subscribed.

The reason I build this Mazlan Abbas Blog is for my professional portfolio and to write about other topics than IoT – for example thought leadership, social media and entrepreneurship.

But then, I realised that Mazlan Abbas Blog lacked content because I frequently write on Travelog Mazlan Blog.

However, I also saw an increase of visitors traffic that constantly visit Mazlan Abbas Blog.

I am now in a dilemma which Blog should I focus? Should I answer the daily WordPress Prompt on Travelog Mazlan or Mazlan Abbas Blog?

What do you think?

Personal Branding and Reputation Building: The Role of Conference Speaking

Speaking at a technical conference is often daunting for many speakers as they invest their time and resources without any monetary compensation. However, the benefits of presenting at such an event are numerous and go beyond financial gain. Here are some of the benefits:

Establishing Personal Brand: One of the most significant benefits of speaking at a conference is the opportunity to showcase one’s skills and expertise, which can help to build and solidify a personal brand.
Public Relations: Speaking at a tech conference is a great public relations opportunity that can help promote your brand and bring new business opportunities.
Networking: These events provide an excellent opportunity to network with peers, establish new connections, and build lasting relationships that can be valuable in the long run.
Promotion and Recognition: Speaking at a conference can help you gain exposure and recognition within your industry and provide a platform to promote your services or products.
Engaging with a Diverse Group of People: Engaging with a diverse group is one of the most valuable aspects of speaking at conferences. It allows you to meet and learn from individuals from different backgrounds and cultures, expanding your perspective and knowledge.
Giving Back to the Community: Finally, speaking at a conference is a chance to share your knowledge and expertise with others, contributing to the community and leaving a lasting impact.

Speaking at a technical conference provides many benefits beyond financial gain. It can help establish a personal brand, provide public relations opportunities, network with peers, gain recognition and exposure, engage with a diverse group, and give back to the community.

One Positive Change

Describe one positive change you have made in your life.
WordPress Prompt

I began to like the daily prompt in the Jetpack app that manages my Blogs. I answered these prompts (questions), such as above, on different kinds of blogs I managed. And this time is this Blog’s turn.

There are many positive changes in my life, but there’s one that changes my life.

In 2013, my proposal to attend the first IoT Asia in Singapore was rejected by my superior, although 2 of my staff’s applications were approved. I was pretty disappointed because our department was very active in IoT R&D and hoping that the conference could help us some light.

I was also quite active on Social Media, especially Twitter – sharing information about IoT and my opinions about the industry.

In early 2014, I was approached by one of the staff that mentioned my name was listed in the 2014 Onalytica Report – “The Internet of Things – Top 100 Thought Leaders,” and was ranked 20th! What a surprise!

I mentioned this to my HR Director, and she congratulated me and said, “Dr. Mazlan – You are a Thought Leader.” At that time, I was unsure what’s exactly a “Thought Leader.”

After a quick research about the term “Thought Leader” and why the contribution to the IoT industry significantly impacts others, I began to realize how important for me to keep going on this path.

And with that comes several other recognitions from various media, such as:

Onalytica Report “Who’s Who in IoT” (May 2022).
Ranked among Top 50 Global Thought Leaders on the Internet of Things (February 2019)
Digital Disruption (October 2019) by Thinkers360
Top 50 Most Impactful Smart Cities Leaders by World CSR Congress 2017
Top 10 in IoT Top 100 Influencers by Postscapes 2017 & 2018

I have also appeared in many publications listed here.

And guess what?

IoT Asia 2016

I was invited as the first Malaysian speaker to discuss “Issues and Challenges of Deploying a Smart Citizen Engagement Solution” at IoT Asia 2016, Singapore Expo, 30-31 March 2016.

The day I realized how becoming an IoT Thought Leader can inspire and change the lives of others, I have never turned back, and I am happy to continue sharing my talks with the public. The list of Talks can be found here.

Audience Personas for Favoriot IoT Platform

Unlock the potential of Audience Personas for Favoriot IoT Platform, designed to understand the unique needs, preferences, and pain points of each target segment. From IoT developers to businesses seeking solutions, our personas enable tailored content creation that resonates with your audience, driving higher engagement and increased sales for your Favoriot IoT platform.

Objective: To understand each target audience segment’s needs, preferences, and pain points to create more relevant and engaging content.

Persona 1: IoT Developer

Name: John
Age: 28
Occupation: IoT Software Developer
Needs: Comprehensive development tools, reliable platform, detailed documentation, and strong community support.
Preferences: Interested in the latest IoT trends, follows industry influencers, active on LinkedIn, and frequently attends tech conferences.
Pain Points: Inadequate technical support, lack of clear documentation, and difficulties in integrating IoT solutions with other platforms.

As an IoT software developer, this persona has specific needs essential for the successful development of IoT solutions. These needs include access to comprehensive development tools, a reliable platform, detailed documentation, and strong community support. However, despite these needs, pain points may hinder the developer’s ability to create effective IoT solutions.

One of the primary pain points for this persona is inadequate technical support. Technical support is essential for resolving technical issues that may arise during development. Without reliable technical support, the developer may experience delays in the development process, leading to missed deadlines and increased project costs.

Another pain point for this persona is a lack of clear documentation. Clear and detailed documentation is crucial for understanding how different components of the IoT platform work and how to integrate them effectively. The lack of clear documentation can slow down the development process and make it difficult for the developer to understand and implement the necessary features of the platform.

Lastly, integrating IoT solutions with other platforms is another significant pain point. Seamless integration is essential as IoT solutions become increasingly complex and interdependent with other technologies. Without seamless integration, developers may experience difficulties connecting their solutions to other platforms, leading to delays and potential compatibility issues.

To address these pain points, IoT software developers may seek IoT platform providers that provide comprehensive technical support, clear documentation, and seamless integration capabilities. Additionally, being active on LinkedIn and following industry influencers can help developers stay informed about the latest IoT trends and advancements. Attending tech conferences can provide opportunities to learn from industry experts and peers. Addressing these pain points can help IoT software developers create effective, high-quality solutions efficiently.

Persona 2: Tech Companies

Name: SmartTech Solutions
Industry: Technology & IoT
Size: 50 employees
Needs: Scalable IoT platform, strong partner ecosystem, competitive pricing, and reliable customer support.
Preferences: B2B content, case studies, and industry-specific insights. Active on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
Pain Points: Vendor lock-in, limited customization options, and hidden costs.

Tech companies in the technology and IoT industry have certain needs, such as a scalable IoT platform, a strong partner ecosystem, competitive pricing, and reliable customer support. However, there are still pain points that can hinder their ability to succeed in this competitive market.

One significant pain point for tech companies is vendor lock-in. This occurs when a company becomes heavily dependent on a single vendor for their IoT solutions, which may limit their options for customization and flexibility. Vendor lock-in can also result in high costs and limited innovation, ultimately hindering the company’s ability to remain competitive.

Another pain point for tech companies is limited customization options. While many IoT platforms offer pre-built solutions, the lack of customization options may prevent companies from tailoring their solutions to meet specific business needs. This can limit the effectiveness of IoT solutions and may prevent companies from achieving their desired outcomes.

Lastly, hidden costs are another significant pain point for tech companies. Hidden costs occur when additional expenses, such as licensing fees or hardware costs, are not explicitly stated upfront. These costs can add up quickly and may lead to unexpected financial burdens for companies.

To address these pain points, tech companies may seek out IoT platforms that offer more flexibility, customization options, and transparent pricing models. Additionally, partnering with vendors that have a strong ecosystem of partners and reliable customer support can help to mitigate the risks associated with vendor lock-in. Lastly, having access to industry-specific insights, case studies, and B2B content can help companies make informed decisions and stay up to date with the latest trends and advancements in the IoT industry.

Persona 3: Business Looking for IoT Solutions

Name: Green Logistics
Industry: Supply Chain & Logistics
Size: 200 employees
Needs: IoT solutions to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance customer service.
Preferences: Case studies, webinars, and content showcasing the practical applications of IoT in their industry. Active on LinkedIn and Facebook.
Pain Points: Difficulty identifying the right IoT solution, concerns about data security, and uncertain ROI.

Supply chain and logistics businesses have particular needs regarding IoT solutions. They need solutions to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance customer service. However, pain points can hinder their ability to find and implement the right IoT solution.

One significant pain point for businesses in this industry is difficulty identifying the right IoT solution. With so many options available, it can be challenging to determine which solution will provide the most significant benefits for their specific needs. This can lead to wasted time and resources and frustration among decision-makers.

Another pain point for businesses in this industry is concerns about data security. With IoT solutions collecting and analyzing vast amounts of data, there are potential risks associated with data breaches and cyber-attacks. This can lead to concerns about the security of sensitive data and the potential impact on their operations and reputation.

Lastly, uncertain ROI is another significant pain point for businesses in this industry. While IoT solutions can provide substantial benefits, the potential return on investment (ROI) may be unclear. This can make it challenging for decision-makers to justify the investment in IoT solutions, leading to delayed or missed opportunities for improvement.

To address these pain points, businesses in the supply chain and logistics industry may need to thoroughly analyze their operations and identify specific areas where IoT solutions can provide the most significant benefits. Additionally, working with reliable and trustworthy vendors can help mitigate data security concerns. Finally, case studies, webinars, and content showcasing practical applications of IoT in their industry can help businesses better understand the potential benefits and ROI of IoT solutions.

Persona 4: Lecturer/Teacher Interested in Favoriot IoT Platform

Name: Dr. Susan
Age: 42
Occupation: Computer Science Lecturer
Needs: Easy-to-understand IoT platform, hands-on learning resources, and classroom-ready projects for teaching IoT concepts to students.
Preferences: Educational content, tutorials, and lesson plans. Interested in collaborations and networking with other educators. Active on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
Pain Points: Limited access to affordable IoT resources, difficulty engaging students, and lack of time to create custom teaching materials.

As a computer science lecturer interested in the Favoriot IoT platform, this persona has specific needs for effectively teaching students IoT concepts. These needs include access to an easy-to-understand IoT platform, hands-on learning resources, and classroom-ready projects. However, despite these needs, pain points may hinder the lecturer’s ability to engage students and deliver effective teaching.

One of the primary pain points for this persona is limited access to affordable IoT resources. While many IoT platforms and resources are available, they may not be affordable or accessible for educators. This can make it challenging to provide hands-on learning experiences and real-world applications of IoT concepts to students.

Another pain point for this persona is difficulty engaging students. IoT concepts can be complex and technical, making keeping students interested and motivated challenging. This can result in a lack of student engagement and a lower quality of learning outcomes.

Lastly, a lack of time to create custom teaching materials is another significant pain point. With limited time and resources, it can be challenging for educators to create custom lesson plans and teaching materials tailored to their student’s needs and learning styles. This can limit the effectiveness of IoT education and lead to lower-quality learning outcomes.

To address these pain points, educators may need to seek out IoT specialists like Favoriot and resources that are affordable, accessible, and easy to understand. Collaborating and networking with other educators can also provide opportunities to share resources and best practices. Providing educational content, tutorials, and lesson plans can also help educators to engage students and create effective learning outcomes. Lastly, classroom-ready projects and hands-on learning experiences can provide real-world applications of IoT concepts and keep students interested and motivated.

Conclusion

By understanding the unique characteristics of each audience persona, Favoriot can create tailored content and campaigns that resonate with their target audience, resulting in higher engagement and increased sales.

Navigating the IoT Wave: Secrets to Capturing the IoT Platform Market

Discover the secrets to IoT platform success! Learn the top strategies employed by thriving IoT companies: targeting niche markets, building robust ecosystems, prioritizing user experience, ensuring scalability, emphasizing security, providing analytics, promoting interoperability, and more.

I wondered how other IoT payers could capture the IoT platform markets. There are some common strategies that they have taken to become the big player in this area.

Here are the strategies that successful IoT platform companies have employed to capture the market:

Identifying a niche: Focus on a specific industry or vertical where your IoT platform can deliver unique value. By targeting a niche, you can tailor your platform to meet the specific needs of that industry, making it more appealing to potential customers.
Developing a robust ecosystem: Partner with other technology and service providers to create a comprehensive IoT ecosystem that includes hardware, software, connectivity, and services. By offering a complete solution, you can make it easier for customers to adopt and deploy your IoT platform.
Focusing on user experience: Design your IoT platform with ease of use and simplicity so that developers and end-users can quickly understand and adopt it. Offer intuitive interfaces, clear documentation, and responsive support.
Ensuring scalability and flexibility: Build your platform to scale and adapt to various use cases, device types, and network conditions. This will allow you to address the diverse needs of different customers and industries.
Emphasizing security and data privacy: Invest in robust security features and follow best practices to protect user data and maintain privacy. Demonstrating your commitment to security can help build trust with customers and partners.
Providing analytics and insights: Offer advanced analytics and data visualization tools that enable customers to derive actionable insights from the data generated by their IoT devices. This can help them optimize operations, save costs, and create new revenue streams.
Supporting open standards and interoperability: Embrace open standards and protocols to ensure your IoT platform can easily integrate with other systems and devices. This will make it more attractive to customers and partners, who can leverage your platform without worrying about vendor lock-in.
Engaging in thought leadership: Share your expertise and knowledge by publishing articles, participating in industry events, and contributing to open-source projects. This can help establish your company as a thought leader in the IoT space and attract potential customers.
Building a solid sales and marketing strategy: Develop a targeted sales and marketing plan to reach your ideal customers, showcase your platform’s benefits, and demonstrate your expertise in the IoT market.
Fostering customer success: Offer exceptional customer support and work closely with your clients to ensure they use your IoT platform successfully. This can lead to long-term relationships, positive word-of-mouth, and customer referrals.

And with that strategies, we slowly use them for Favoriot‘s 2023 activities and beyond.

Innovate or Die: Embracing Steve Jobs’ Principles to Catapult Favoriot to IoT Stardom

I asked ChatGPT to think like “Steve Jobs” and suggest how Favoriot can become a leader in IoT.

Here’s the answer – To think like Steve Jobs and improve Favoriot to become a leader in IoT, consider the following strategies:

Focus on simplicity and elegance: Steve Jobs believed simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Favoriot should focus on creating IoT solutions that are simple, intuitive, and user-friendly, with clean and minimalistic designs.
Build an ecosystem: Just as Apple built a successful ecosystem with its products and services, Favoriot should aim to create a seamless IoT ecosystem. This can be achieved by offering compatibility and integration with various devices, platforms, and applications and fostering partnerships and collaborations with other industry leaders.
Foster innovation: Steve Jobs was a strong advocate for innovation. Encourage your team to think outside the box, explore new ideas, and push the boundaries of what’s possible in IoT. Allocate resources for research and development, and create an environment where creativity and experimentation are valued.
Emphasize customer experience: Favoriot should strive to deliver exceptional customer experiences to become a leader in IoT. Pay close attention to customer feedback and make improvements based on their needs and preferences. Maintain high-quality customer support and engage with your users to build a strong community.
Create a strong brand identity: Develop a brand identity that resonates with your target audience and distinguishes you from the competition. Craft a compelling story that communicates the value and benefits of your IoT solutions and promotes it through various marketing channels.
Prioritize security and privacy: IoT devices can be vulnerable to security breaches, making security and privacy a top concern for users. Invest in developing robust security protocols and ensure that your products are secure by design. Educate your customers about security best practices and your privacy policies transparently.
Continuously iterate and refine: Just like Apple, Favoriot should be committed to constantly improving its products and services. Regularly update your offerings to incorporate new technologies, features, and enhancements that provide value to your customers.
Embrace vertical integration: Control as much of the production process as possible, from hardware design to software development, to ensure quality and consistency across your IoT solutions. This will also give you greater control over costs and the ability to innovate more rapidly.
Attract and retain top talent: Assemble a team of passionate and talented individuals who share your vision and are dedicated to helping Favoriot become a leader in IoT. Foster a culture of collaboration, learning, and growth to keep your team engaged and motivated.
Be prepared to take risks: Steve Jobs was known for taking calculated risks to achieve success. Be bold in your decision-making and be prepared to challenge conventional wisdom when pursuing new opportunities. Stay agile and adaptable in the face of change, and maintain a long-term vision for Favoriot’s growth and success in the IoT industry.

How We Define the “Why” of FAVORIOT

Favoriot provides an IoT platform to help businesses and individuals connect and manage their devices. Our focus is on providing a user-friendly, scalable, and cost-effective platform to automate processes, improve efficiency, and reduce costs. We’ve designed our platform with scalability in mind, allowing businesses to easily add or remove devices as needed. Our goal is to simplify the adoption of IoT technology for businesses of all sizes, making it accessible to those without extensive technical expertise. We’re passionate about helping businesses leverage the benefits of IoT technology, and we’re proud to offer a platform that makes it accessible to everyone.

The direction and focus of the business have been pivoted several times over six years. We are defining and refining as we seek to understand our customers.

Finally (we think), we managed to understand how our products and services helped solve our customers’ problems.

As a company, the “why” of Favoriot can be described as follows:

To Enable IoT Adoption: Favoriot aims to make it easier for businesses and organizations to adopt IoT technologies and solutions. By providing a simple and easy-to-use platform for managing IoT devices and data, the company helps businesses to overcome the complexity and challenges of IoT adoption.
To Drive Innovation: Favoriot is committed to driving innovation in the IoT space. The company is constantly developing new technologies and solutions that enable businesses to leverage the full potential of IoT. By working closely with customers and partners, Favoriot can identify emerging trends and opportunities in the IoT market and develop innovative solutions to meet those needs.
To Provide Value-Driven Solutions: Favoriot is focused on providing value-driven solutions to its customers. The platform delivers real business value by enabling businesses to optimize their operations, improve efficiency, and drive growth. By providing cost-effective and scalable solutions, Favoriot helps businesses to achieve their IoT goals while minimizing risk and maximizing ROI.
To Build Sustainable Partnerships: Favoriot values long-term customer and partner relationships. The company is committed to building sustainable partnerships based on trust, collaboration, and mutual benefit. By working closely with customers and partners, Favoriot can deliver tailored solutions that meet specific business needs and drive success.

Overall, the “why” of Favoriot as a company is to help businesses and organizations succeed in the IoT space by providing innovative, value-driven, and sustainable solutions that enable them to leverage the full potential of IoT technologies and solutions.

The Elevator Pitch

However, we felt we should have a more concise description of the company’s “Why” when we pitch to investors or anyone who asks what we do. Here’s one way to describe the “why”:

Favoriot is a technology company that provides an Internet of Things (IoT) platform to help businesses and individuals connect and manage their IoT devices. The company’s business direction is offering its customers an easy-to-use, scalable, and cost-effective IoT platform that can help them automate their processes, improve operational efficiency, and reduce costs.

Favoriot has chosen this business direction because the demand for IoT technology has been steadily increasing over the past few years, driven by the need for businesses to optimize their operations, reduce costs, and improve their customer experience. By providing a platform that simplifies the deployment and management of IoT devices, Favoriot aims to help businesses of all sizes leverage IoT technology’s benefits without the need for extensive technical expertise.

Additionally, Favoriot’s platform is designed to be highly scalable, allowing customers to add or remove IoT devices as their needs change easily. This scalability makes the platform ideal for businesses looking to grow and expand their operations, enabling them to easily manage their IoT infrastructure without incurring high costs or technical overhead.

Overall, the business direction of Favoriot is driven by the growing demand for IoT technology and the company’s desire to help businesses leverage the benefits of this technology in a cost-effective and scalable way.

Contents of IoT Adventure Book

IoT Adventure Book will delve deeper into the business of IoT. It will also share the experience of being an IoT entrepreneur. Some of the topics have been written in the IoT World Blog. Check out the contents below:

IoT Applications

IoT Tips

Smart Cities

IoT Infographics

FAVORIOT Products and Services

IoT and IR 4.0 in Malaysia

IoT Challenges

Generation-IoT

Things About IoT

Sign-up – Please inform me of your new IoT Adventure eBook!

Domain Authority of My Blogs

Domain Authority is a good measure of whether your Blog attracts visitors or followers and becomes a reference site for many people.

Below is the Domain Authority of two of my main websites which I maintained (updated) regularly – (1) mazlanabbas.com and (2) iotworld.co

It was measured using the Semrush website. Of course, the IoT World blog (ranked 23) which has been in existence for many years can be ranked better than my less than a year-old personal Mazlan Abbas Blog (ranked 9).

However, after listening to the Blog Millionaire podcast, I have some ideas of how to increase the Domain Authority and get some of the posts into the first page of Google search.

To rank website domain authority.
(Source: “What is a Good Domain Authority? Find Out How it Benefits your SEO Strategies“):

Scores between 40 and 50 are considered average.
Domain Authority between 50 and 60 must be rated as good.
Scores above 60 rate the Domain Authority as excellent.

After checking through semrush, it was discovered that my IoT World blog traffic dropped tremendously since Oct. 2020. I am not really sure what happened – something which is worth to be investigated.

The IoT Blog is mainly information in nature, topics that covered the various aspects of the Internet of Things, IR 4.0, and Digital Transformation.

My Company website, FAVORIOT, has a higher domain even though it was launched in 2017. Probably it was because the backlinks that it received from various websites.

Category: Blog