Starting The Next IoT Ebook

Today, I began my journey of writing my next eBook. After completing my last two eBooks, I realized the need for a more comprehensive guide on IoT. I want to provide readers with an enhanced version of my previous book, “Your IoT Journey,” with even more valuable content.

However, as I pondered over the title, I started to have second thoughts about the original one. I believe a captivating title is crucial for attracting readers and conveying the objectives of the book effectively. So, I decided to brainstorm some alternative titles that would encompass the essence of the book while sparking curiosity. Here are a few options I came up with:

  1. Start Your IoT Business
  2. Your IoT Guide
  3. IoT Journey Guide
  4. Transform into IoT

I’m open to any suggestions or feedback on these titles. Feel free to share your thoughts and help me choose the perfect title for my upcoming eBook. Stay tuned for the next update!

New IoT eBook

37.5% Increase of Views in May 2023

This Blog started on Nov. 17, 2021.

However, beginning early this year (2023), I started to become more active. In 2022, I only posted 16 articles, but today (May 16, 2023), I have already posted 54 articles!

And the number of views have increased 37.5% and we have 6-7 more months in 2023. Most likely it will reached far higher than this by end of 2023.

This is what I did to make the difference:

  • Be more active in generating contents
  • Daily postings either through new articles or responding to WordPress Daily Prompts.
  • Post trending topics. Currently the topics are related to Generative AI such as ChatGPT, Bard, Midjourney and AIPRM
  • Post new tips and tutorials
  • Engage with other readers using WordPress Reader. Exchanging comments and give Likes.
  • Increased number of followers. Especially after I reach out and engage with other Bloggers
  • Using FB Page and WhatsApp Groups to share links. This help to attract new visitors.

I will keep this methods to increase more visitors and views.

What do think? What other methods did you use to increase traffic to your Blog?

10 AI Tools You Cannot Miss in 2023

Knowing about the top AI tools available is essential for several reasons, particularly if you’re involved in the tech industry, data analysis, or any field that could benefit from artificial intelligence. Here are some reasons why:

10 AI Tools
  • Stay Updated: The field of AI is constantly evolving, with new technologies, applications, and tools always emerging. You can stay at the forefront of technological advancements by keeping up-to-date with the latest tools.
  • Improve Efficiency: Many AI tools are designed to automate tasks, analyze large amounts of data, and make predictions that can help in decision-making. Utilizing these tools can significantly increase the efficiency and productivity of your operations.
  • Competitive Advantage: Understanding and implementing the right AI tools can give your business a competitive edge. It can enable you to provide better services, make more informed decisions, and operate more effectively.
  • Innovation: AI tools can open up new possibilities for innovation. They can provide insights from data that were not previously possible and enable the development of new products and services.
  • Cost Savings: By automating tasks and improving efficiency, AI tools can significantly save costs over time.
  • Skill Development: If you’re a professional or a technology or data science student, familiarity with the latest AI tools is an essential skill that can enhance your career prospects.
  • Problem-Solving: Each AI tool has its strengths, and understanding what’s available can help you choose the right tool for solving specific problems, whether they’re related to data analysis, natural language processing, predictive modeling, or other areas.
  • Better Decision Making: AI tools can analyze data and provide insights that aid in better decision-making. This can be particularly beneficial in business settings, where making informed decisions can significantly impact a company’s success.

Midjourney Tutorial and Tips

Thought Leadership 101: How to Become an Authority in Your Industry

In today’s fast-paced digital age, being recognized as a thought leader in your industry is more critical than ever. But how can you achieve this status? This article will discuss some critical tips for becoming a thought leader in any field.

Educate Others

The first step to becoming a thought leader is to educate others. Share your knowledge with your audience about your industry, product, service, or company mission. One way to do this is by starting a blog and regularly posting content about your industry and product. This can help you establish credibility and build a following of people who look to you for information and advice.

Create a Personal Brand

Once you have established yourself as an expert in your industry, it’s time to create a personal brand. This can be challenging, especially if you don’t have much experience in marketing or public speaking. However, by being yourself and building relationships with others who share your values and beliefs, you can create a personal brand that resonates with your target audience.

Establish Social Proof

Social proof is a measure of how much other people like your content. This can be gained by having a solid social media presence or by having many followers, likes, shares, and comments on your posts. When people see that others are talking about you on social media or that you are verified on Facebook or Twitter, they are likelier to believe what you say, give you money, or buy from you.

Publish Regularly

To establish yourself as an authority in your field, it’s important to publish content regularly. These include blog posts, social media updates, videos, podcasts, or webinars. By sharing your thoughts and ideas with the world, you can build trust with potential clients who may want to hire or do business with you.

Be Active on Social Media

Social media is one of the most essential tools for building your brand and establishing yourself as a thought leader. Share your content on social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Engage with other thought leaders in your industry by commenting on their posts and participating in online groups and forums.

Make Your Content Easy to Share

Make sure that your content is easy to share. Use a call to action, such as “Share on Facebook!” or “Tweet this!” Make sure the text is easy to read and doesn’t have unnecessary clutter in it. Use high-quality images and subheadings to make your content more readable.

Have a Point of View and Be an Authority

To become a thought leader, you need to have a point of view and be an authority in your industry. Be unique and controversial, but in a good way—not offensive or hurtful. Share your knowledge and experiences with others and create content that is easy to share.

In conclusion, becoming a thought leader takes time and effort. Still, by following these tips, you can establish yourself as an authority in your industry and build a following of people who look to you for information and advice. Remember to educate others, create a personal brand, establish social proof, publish regularly, be active on social media, make your content easy to share, and have a viewpoint and authority in your industry.

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?

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

  1. 6 Benefits That Can Transform Your Supply Chain Using IoT
  2. What Exactly is Smart Poultry
  3. What Exactly is Metaverse?
  4. Automatic Plant Monitoring System
  5. What Exactly is IoT Analytics?
  6. What Exactly is Smart Mobility?
  7. 10 Benefits of IoT That Transform Smart Agriculture
  8. Flood Forecasting and Warning System (FFWS) IR 4.0
  9. 8 Immediate Benefits of Smart Manufacturing
  10. How Smart Buildings Could Save Energy and Money
  11. How to Use Drones to Monitor Floods
  12. Why Smart Flood Monitoring System is Essential For Everyone
  13. Everything You Need To Know About The Benefits Of Fleet Management Using IoT
  14. How Digital Transform Agriculture
  15. What is Exactly Parking 4.0?
  16. What is Exactly Construction 4.0?
  17. IoT Detect Potholes
  18. Fleet Management Using IoT
  19. Developing Smart Garbage Collection Solution Using Internet of Things (IoT)
  20. Smart Construction in Era of Internet of Things (IoT)
  21. Which Era is Our Parking System?
  22. Why Do We Monitor Our Cats Using IoT?
  23. Can We Really Use Drones to Carry Parcels?
  24. Seven (7) Key Lessons for Smart Parking Deployment
  25. How IOT Transforms the Connected Car Industry

IoT Tips

  1. How to Select the Best IoT Platform
  2. How To Explain IoT in the Simplest Manner
  3. How-To Make Industry-University Collaboration A Successful Venture
  4. How-To Create Your First IoT Application Using Arduino and FAVORIOT
  5. How IoT Can Solve the Problems of Seven (7) M’s of a Business
  6. How To Create Highly Demand IoT Talents By Becoming a Producer Based Nation
  7. How To Develop Smart Agriculture Solutions
  8. How-To Develop Smart Flood Monitoring System
  9. How-To Develop Smart River Monitoring
  10. How-To Develop a Smart Garbage Collection
  11. How-To Build Smart Cities Using Minimum Viable City (MVC) Approach
  12. How to Embark on IoT Business

Smart Cities

  1. Smart Cities & IoT – The Opportunities and Challenges Ahead
  2. What Will You Discover in IOT and Smart Cities – “Gold Mines” or “Time Bombs”?
  3. Four (4) New Tips for Successful Smart Cities Implementation
  4. Guide How-To Build Your Smart City
  5. How-To Build Smart Cities Using Minimum Viable City Approach
  6. What Are Your Smart Cities Priorities?
  7. Using IOT to Determine the Health of Your City
  8. Build Smart Cities With These 3 Key Elements
  9. Guide to Monetize Your Smart City’s Data
  10. Who Owns the IoT and Smart City’s Data?
  11. Checking the Pulse of the City
  12. Better City Better World – You Act We React
  13. How to Get the Right Business Model for Smart Cities
  14. Better Citizen Engagement To Build Smarter Cities
  15. What Budget 2017 Meant for Malaysia’s IOT and Smart Cities
  16. Citizen Engagement Can Make a Difference for Your Cities
  17. Tips for City Authorities – How to Avoid Citizen Engagement Pitfalls

IoT Infographics

  1. Six (6) Tips to Build Successful Smart Cities [Infographics]
  2. How IoT Impact 7M of the Business [Infographics]
  3. 7 Best IoT Business Models [Infographics]
  4. 3 Steps to Implement IoT [Infographics]
  5. Starting Your IoT Business [Infographics]
  6. 5 Traits of Generation-IoT [Infographics]

FAVORIOT Products and Services

  1. IoT Specialist Training with IoT Analytics
  2. Advanced IoT Training With FAVORIOT IoT Platform
  3. FAVORIOT – Internet of Things (IoT) Hands-on Training
  4. Redeem Voucher Code for Free 1-Month Beginner Plan
  5. Favoriot IoT Platform Features
  6. Dscover: How-To Redeem a Voucher
  7. Hibiscus Sense – Micropython Source Code for BLYNK & FAVORIOT
  8. Malaysia IoT Board: Hibiscus Sense and FAVORIOT
  9. FAVORIOT IoT Platform – From FREE to PREMIUM Plans
  10. Travel With Dscover
  11. Dr. Mazlan Abbas – An Entrepreneur
  12. This Malaysian IoT Startup Starts from Zero
  13. Updates on IoT Platform Resources (FAVORIOT)
  14. Smart Travel – Split Up and Have Fun
  15. How a Smart Travel App Can Help to Ease the Headache of Managing a Tour Group
  16. The Best Travel Companion App for Hajj or Umrah
  17. COMPLETE TUTORIAL – How To Connect Cytron Uno (Arduino UNO) With FAVORIOT Platform

IoT and IR 4.0 in Malaysia

  1. Top 6 IoT Predictions in 2022 – Malaysia
  2. Malaysia IoT Predictions in 2021
  3. IoT in Malaysia (2019) – A Dream vs A Reality
  4. 2020 Predictions for IoT
  5. IoT in Malaysia – 2019 Predictions
  6. IoT in Malaysia – Things We Learned in 2018
  7. IoT Predictions – Malaysia’s IoT in 2018
  8. IoT – Wishlist for 2018
  9. IoT in Malaysia – 2017 In Review
  10. IoT in Malaysia – 2017 Wishlist
  11. 2017 IOT Predictions in Malaysia
  12. Malaysia’s National IoT Strategic Roadmap – 2016 In Review
  13. 10-10 Malaysia Science, Technology, Innovation and Economy (MYSTIE)
  14. My Top 5 Opinions – Malaysia National 4IR Policy
  15. MIFA – Malaysia Industry Forward Association
  16. 12MP – Twelfth Malaysia Plan (2021-2025)
  17. Malaysia National 4IR Policy
  18. Teroka Tech Musim 2 Episod 6 : Pakar IoT di Malaysia
  19. Digitalisation of Malaysia With MyDigital Economy Blueprint
  20. Growing the IoT Ecosystem in Malaysia
  21. Industry 4WRD Readiness Assessment and Incentives
  22. Why Are We Still at Industrial Revolution 2.7 (IR2.7)?
  23. Propelling IoT in Malaysia
  24. Malaysia Needs 100K IoT Professionals to Complement the Big Data Workforce
  25. IOT in Malaysia – Current & Future Trends
  26. List of Top 3 IoT Applications That “Should” Be in Malaysia​
  27. How Do You Begin Your IoT Journey in Malaysia?
  28. Can Malaysians Avoid Floods Using Internet of Things (IoT)?
  29. IOT Adoption Challenges in Malaysia

IoT Challenges

  1. A List of Skills Required For Internet Of Things (IoT) Talent
  2. Solving IoT Project Issues in the Universities
  3. Nine (9) IoT Challenges of IoT Adoption
  4. Which IoT Market Makes Money? B2B or B2C?
  5. Four (4) Reasons for Technology Trial
  6. IOT: Moving Beyond to the Digital Future
  7. Realizing Society 5.0 in Relation To Industry 4.0
  8. IoT & IR 4.0 – A Disruptive Era of Transformation
  9. IoT – The Building Block for IR 4.0
  10. IoT & IR 4 0 – Get Ready for Jobs That Don’t Exist Yet
  11. Harnessing the Power of IoT
  12. IR 4.0 – Embrace or Become Obsolete
  13. IoT in The New Norm
  14. To IoTise Every Business
  15. The Entrepreneurship Journey of Pre and Post Covid 19 – Lessons Learned
  16. IoT – The Core Technology for IR 4.0 and How It Benefits SMEs
  17. Use Case: Detecting Power Interruption Using IoT
  18. IR 4.0 and IoT – The New Frontier
  19. The Easiest Way to Understand IoT via 7 Layers of OSI
  20. The Best Way to Develop IoT Solutions in the Universities
  21. IoT Middleware – The Critical Missing Component in the IoT Value Chain
  22. IoT is the Core Technology for IR 4.0
  23. Will IoT and IR 4.0 Really Gonna Take Our Jobs?
  24. Overcoming the Challenges of Becoming IR 4.0
  25. Abusing the Word “Internet of Things” (IoT)
  26. Data Convergence – Digital Transformation, Industry 4.0 and Emerging Tech
  27. What’s the Big Deal About IoT?
  28. Can You Really Trust IoT?
  29. IoT in the Universities
  30. IoT Platform vs IoT Ecosystem
  31. Do You Really Need 5G for IoT?
  32. Why Developing an IoT Solution is Not That Straightforward
  33. IoT as a Business – Where Do We Start
  34. Avoid These 9 Common Pitfalls That Hinder IoT Value
  35. How an IoT Platform Can Ease Your IoT Project
  36. IoTise Your Business
  37. The Early Adopters of IoT
  38. 10 Reasons Why You Need An IoT Platform
  39. Four (4) Steps for Building an IoT Product
  40. We IoTised For You
  41. The Benefits of Deploying IoT Platform for Enterprise (On-Premise) or on Private Cloud.
  42. HOW-TO – Check Your Own IR 4.0 Readiness
  43. Tips – How to Successfully Deploy IoT Solutions or Services
  44. How-To Solve the Issues in University Campuses Efficiently
  45. Your IoT Journey Starts Here
  46. How-To Create IoT Ecosystem for Universities
  47. How-To Complete Your IoT Projects On Schedule
  48. What’s Disruption 4.0?
  49. Crowdsensing Platform to Build Better Cities and Communities
  50. Journey Towards Industry 4.0 With IoT
  51. Challenges of Making IoT a Ubiquitous Service
  52. Generation-IOT That Will Disrupt The World
  53. Monetizing Digital Services: Where’s the Profit?
  54. We Need CIO with IOT Skills for 2017
  55. IoT – Build Once, Use Many Times
  56. DO NOT Let “Transparency” Stop You From Implementing IOT
  57. The Not-So-Secret Formula to be a Successful IoT Player
  58. IOT – Four (4) Levels of Maturity
  59. Will IoT Create or Kill Jobs?
  60. Critical Success Factors for IOT
  61. ​IoT is Here: Where do Service Providers Stand in the Age of IoT?
  62. How IOT Detect Corruption
  63. Are You Embracing IoT The Right Way? The Top 10 DO’s and DON’Ts
  64. Four (4) Compelling Reasons Not To Be Left Behind In The IOT Race
  65. Will IOT Make You More Efficient or Lazy?
  66. Facebook of Things – IOT Meets Social Media
  67. Monetising IOT Data and Become Commercial Sensor Service Provider
  68. “Sensing-as-a-Service” – New IoT Cloud Service is in Town
  69. How to Convert Raw Data Into Knowledge With Internet of Things (IoT)
  70. 4 Reasons Why Internet of Things (IOT) Adoption Will Not Be As Slow as IPv6
  71. Sensing-As-A-Service – An IOT Cloud Service
  72. The 4 Main Challenges to Become An Internet of Things (IOT) Service Provider
  73. Internet of Things (IOT) Target Market – Consumer (B2C) or Enterprise (B2B)?

Generation-IoT

  1. Who Are the New Generation-IoT
  2. How To Build Your Own IoT Ecosystem
  3. Expert Advice for Generation-IoT
  4. Generation-IoT is Set to Become a Global Movement
  5. Who Are The Early Adopters of Internet of Things (IoT)?
  6. The Enablers, Engagers, and Enhancers of IoT
  7. The 10 Most Inspiring CEOs to Watch in 2021
  8. Top Seven IoT Influencers to Follow in 2021
  9. Ups and Downs of an IoT Entrepreneur

Things About IoT

  1. System Integration in the Era IR 4.0
  2. Who and What is FAVORIOT
  3. The DNA of Internet of Things (IoT)
  4. Seven (7) IoT Business Models That Can Create New Revenue Streams
  5. Three (3) Best YouTube Channels on Technology Tips
  6. FREE IoT eBooks for Download!
  7. Dscover – Family Organizer Mobile App for 2021
  8. Three (3) Things You Need to Know About Robots
  9. Benefits of Data Blending
  10. OTT – A Disruptive and Killer Service to SMS and MMS combined
  11. Why I Simply Love IoT
  12. Wearables – Your New IoT Teacher
  13. Five (5) Main Reasons Telcos Not Interested in Internet of Things (IoT) Business
  14. Building a “Waze”-Like Citizen Engagement Solution
  15. Internet of Things (IOT) – Will It Really Fly?

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

How to Become a Thought Leader – The Beginning

Here’s my personal story how I began my IoT Thought Leadership journey. From Zero to an Influencer.

From Zero to an IoT Thought Leader. When does it all start?

Here’s the story.

One of my staff bumped into me, and he mentioned, “Congratulations, Dr. Mazlan, I saw your name as one of the IoT Thought Leaders.

I was very shocked and asked. “Where did you get the news?” and he said, “I saw in one of the Internet reports.

He gave me the link, and I quickly viewed the report from Onalytica entitled “The Internet of Tings 2014 – Top 100 Thought Leaders.” Wow! It was a pleasant surprise.

A couple of weeks earlier, I was very depressed and frustrated when my boss did not approve my application to attend IoT Asia 2014. I applied for the trip with two of my staff to attend the first IoT event in the region, yet only two of my staff applications were approved but not mine.

Our organization started the work on IoT almost two years earlier, and I thought this would be my best opportunity to hear from the industry leaders.

But the news that my staff brought to me was very unexpected. I wondered – how do I get to be selected by a prestigious organization like Onalytica?

The news spread very fast in the organization, with many people congratulating me. And one of them is the HR Vice President; she congratulated, “Dr. Mazlan, you are now a Thought Leader. That’s an amazing achievement!

But since I have never bothered to know what a “Thought Leader is,” I began to wonder what I did to gain that recognition? And what exactly is a Thought Leader?

How Onalytica Picked the Top 100 IoT Thought Leaders

Onalytica took in all Twitter conversations using the hashtags #IoT and #InternetOfThings and created a network of the top stakeholders discussing the subject. The network diagram of the top 100 is shown below.

Onalytica – Top 100 Network Map

I was thrilled to be ranked No. 20th on the list with Kevin Ashton (Father of IoT ranked 11th). And, of course, very proud to be the only Malaysian (or probably Asian) on the list!

Onalytica – Top 100 List 1-25

But really, how do I reach that stage? Is it by accident? In a way, most probably the answer is yes, but I didn’t realize that the things I did were actually how a Thought Leader should do – by influencing others.

It started probably 1 or 2 years earlier when my team was working on a research area called Wireless Sensor Network, 6LoWPAN (IPv6 Low Powered Area Network), and Internet of Things (IoT).

And during 2012 to 2014, I was a frequent social media user on LinkedIn and Twitter. Whatever I read on IoT topics, I will share this on Twitter and LinkedIn and use that hashtag #IoT. This includes sharing my thoughts about the industry in IoT.

This was when my circle of influence widened with more Twitter users following my Tweets. That’s how these Tweets are captured and analyzed by Onalytica.

The Start of an IoT Thought Leadership

Two years later, in 2016, I was the first Malaysian IoT Speaker in IoT Asia 2016 (“Issues and Challenges of Deploying a Smart Citizen Engagement Solution,” IoT Asia 2016, Singapore Expo, 30-31 March 201). The same event was when my boss rejected my application to attend in 2014. This time, the host invited me to speak with all expenses paid.

That was the beginning of the Thought Leadership journey, whereby I was invited to many speaking engagements as Keynote Speaker, Invited Speaker, TEDx Speaker, and many others. I created an IoT Blog called “IoT World” which became my official channel to share my thoughts and knowledge.

Other than the recognition from Onalytica (Onalytica Report can be downloaded here), I was ranked among Top 50 Global Thought Leaders on the Internet of Things (February 2019) and Digital Disruption (October 2019) by Thinkers360, Top 50 Most Impactful Smart Cities Leaders by World CSR Congress 2017, ranked Top 10 in IoT Top 100 Influencers by Postscapes 2017 & 2018,

It all started with a rejection….. From Zero to an IoT Thought Leader

Dr. Mazlan Abbas

Real Books vs. E-Books – Why I Choose

But I have this terrible habit of not finishing the book I read or didn’t even start reading them. And the worst part, sometimes I buy the same book twice because I don’t remember whether I have purchased it before or not.

When books are converted into digital, it changes how we consume knowledge. It also changes the way the reading habit.

This is what happened to me. I used to buy many print books (real books) and am proud to have a “library” to place the texts on proper shelves.
Books on my shelves.

But I have this terrible habit of not finishing the book I read or didn’t even start reading them. And the worst part, sometimes I buy the same book twice because I don’t remember whether I have purchased it before or not.

And then, I began to start to download E-Books, and I began to read them finally. And the best part, I managed to read them till the last page!

IoT E-Book

Initially, I was convinced that Real Books are far better than E-Books because it doesn’t feel the same holding a book compared to something just digital.

Why E-Books are better than Real Books Click To Tweet

BBut due to the Covid-19 lockdown, I started to read more E-Books and have changed my habit of reading. Below are some of the reasons:

  1. Freedom – I can read the E-Book anywhere. I need to carry multiple of them with print books if I want to read more than one book. Of course, real books are heavy to carry. During travel, you don’t want to carry heavy luggage unnecessarily. What if you don’t like to read that book and that is the only book you have?
  2. Easy to Highlight – Since I bought an iPad with a Stylus called Pencil, it simplifies me to jot down or highlight specific points or facts in the E-Book. And it does not destroy or dirty the E-Book because you can still erase the highlights quickly.
  3. Only Digital – Some books are only published in digital form. Or you can convert a web article into PDF and read it like an E-Book. You don’t have to waste printing the papers.
  4. Cheap or Free – E-Books are far more affordable than real books. And you can find free or “free” E-Books on the web.

Furthermore, I will be writing my E-Book called IoT Adventure and hopefully complete it by 2022.

Source: Why Ebooks Are More Popular Than Printed Books?

How the Amount of Views Encourage Blogging

One of the main reasons people stopped to Blog is because they are easily discourage with the low numbers of views and visitors to their Blog.

I have to confess – I love to see the number of views and number of visitors to my Blog. It gives me some encouragement whenever I see activity on my Blog, although I am aware it is still very new.

I started to write my first two articles on November 17, 2021, i.e., when I officially published the Blog for the public. It is very new, and I am struggling to make the look and feel of the Blog easy to navigate with some content such as my backgroundbooksspeaking experienceBlogYouTubePodcastsProjects, and Press Info.

The first two articles are:

How the Amount of Views Encourage Me to Blog More Click To Tweet

The Blog Traffic Stats After Four (4) Weeks

One of the frustrating parts is when I Google the name “Mazlan Abbas Blog,” the website does not even appear in the Google Ranking! 

Here’s where many Bloggers would start to get very frustrated and abandon their Blogging activities. In reality (as described by many professional bloggers), it’s very typical, that we will only see the impact after several months!

Below is my traffic stats that showed the ups and downs. The “ups” is because I mainly promoted the posts on my Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter – and Facebook seems to be the highest referrals.

Mazlan Abbas Blog – Views and Visitors
Source of Referrals

Surprisingly my top 3 countries (other than my home country Malaysia) are the United States, India, and Ireland.

Mazlan Abbas Blog – Countries of Readers

Types of Blog Posts

The idea of my Blog is for Personal Blogging – sharing my journey into the world of Entrepreneurship, which mainly referred back to my business Blog called IoT World.

By monitoring the article’s number of views, I will understand what content attracted the readers.

Top be fair, the Blog is still at its infancy stage. It requires constant update with high-quality contents. I will be revisiting this statistics monthly and monitor the progress.

I am now using All-In-One SEO (AISEO) plug-in to help increase the SEO. And I have also followed many tips given by many other veteran Bloggers.

Kindly leave your comments and share your thoughts. I love to hear them.

How We Build Our Fourth IoT Product

Why did we build another IoT product? Why can’t we maintain the three IoT products developed earlier. Here’s the story.

When we launched the first IoT product called Raqib commercially in 2018, we received a lot of feedback from users and potential customers.

We have to decide to enhance the current product or spawn into a new product altogether.

Meanwhile, there are two more IoT products that we are still building and enhancing – the second product called Favorsense and the third product called Favoriot IoT platform.

Finally, we decided to follow our gut feeling and start building our fourth IoT product called Dscover (formerly named D’scover – we will reveal the reason for changing the spelling later).

How We Build Our Fourth IoT Product Click To Tweet

The Problem Statement

When we introduced Raqib as a single device solution for tracking (instead of using a Bluetooth smartwatch and a smartphone), we received much feedback that they don’t need the features of monitoring vital health signs.

But in which market is tracking the best suit for this product? Why the need for monitoring an individual in the first place?

In our early customer development process, tracking an individual is critical for safety – especially during travel.

If a person travels in a tour group, he wants to have some freedom on his own. But he also needs to be constantly connected with the group or his tour bus.

In the case of a tour guide responsible for the group, he must ensure the group’s safety, and the travel itinerary must be adhered to and to ensure no one is late or left behind.

If that person is lost, the easiest way is to locate through the mobile app. The app should also have a travel planner feature to organize and share among the tour members.

How Big is the Market

Initially, we targeted the Travel and Tourism market, which was vast and active before the Covid-19 strikes in early 2020.

Below are the statistics of the world’s and Malaysia’s No. of arrivals.

Travel and Tourism Market

However, when travel and tourism were severely affected in 2020 and 2021 by restricted movement orders and banned in traveling, we pivoted our market to a family and friends app.

The IoT Solution

We chose a mobile app as the solution because of the following reasons:

  • Cheaper because this “IoT” solution uses the individual’s device, i.e., smartphone. GPS is the only sensor needed. The user has paid their connectivity charges (mobile data). The user only needs to download the app and pay for premium features.
  • Easier to deploy and manage the users (only via the Google Store and App Store)
Dscover

Go-to-Market

The biggest challenge for such a product is that it has become a B2C model whereby the channel to market can be very challenging.

The most accessible marketing channel to reach the users is via Social Media – Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

To conduct targeted ads, we need to identify the users’ demographics – in this case, the family members and friends.

Earlier, we named the product D’scover, but it is complicated for a user to search the app in the App Store because of the unique spelling. Finally, we decided to change the name to Dscover.

In the travel and tourism market earlier, we have a B2B model approaching Travel Agencies and Government, but unfortunately, Covid-19 has a significant impact in this sector.

We have even expanded the market segment to solve the issues of monitoring quarantined patients. However, for some unforeseen reasons, this solution did not get the buy-in from the authorities.

Time to Stop Developing New IoT Products

We asked ourselves, have we done enough marketing and sales before moving into another product? Building a new product can be long and tiring.

All four IoT products have their strengths and weaknesses – which I will be able to share in other Blog articles. It is only the beginning of my IoT Adventure – you may subscribe to the newsletter or the RSS feed.

Dscover Resources

Articles worth reading:

  1. How We Build Our First IoT Product
  2. How We Build Our Second IoT Product
  3. How We Build Our Third IoT Product
  4. How We Build Our Fourth IoT Product