Struggle with the fear of public speaking?

Public speaking has always been a top fear among people, and with the rise of online presence, individuals are now finding themselves summoned to panels, keynotes, podcasts, and workshops. The fear of public speaking may have only grown dramatically with reduced in-person interactions in the last several years, but virtual reality (VR) is stepping in to offer a realistic way to practice.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa has opened a new virtual reality lab to help students, faculty, and staff improve their speaking skills. Equipped with VR headsets, eye-tracking technology and software that provides feedback on users' performance, this VR lab offers a safe environment to practice your public speaking. I have spent a few hundred hours in virtual reality over the past few years and the level of immersion is unbelievable. There's always this moment when you catch yourself in a moment where you could tell you were fully present in the virtual experience, detaching from the physical. Think about this in terms of getting true psychological practice and truly providing practice without the fear of judgment.

You can truly hone your public speaking skills in a wide range of environments, from small groups to large conferences, and receive instant feedback on your progress. Virtual reality is proving to be a powerful training tool for dozens of markets and industries. If you happen to have a VR headset of some kind, try using this technique as practice!

It is our pleasure to announce this week’s Digital Hustlers of the Week, Angel Reese and Flau'jae Johnson! These National Champions from LSU have been creating tidal waves in the digital world with their unique skills and talents, making a name for themselves as well as inspiring millions around the world.

Angel Reese, the elite basketball player for LSU, is much more than just a talented athlete. With a TikTok following of over 1.3 million, Angel has been using her platform to inspire young girls to pursue their dreams both on and off the court. Through her engaging videos, she effortlessly shares her journey, providing an inside look into her life as a student-athlete, while simultaneously empowering her followers with her strong work ethic and dedication to the sport. Her NIL evaluation just days after winning the championship is now said to be around $876,000! Angel sat down with Brandon Marshall and Ashley Moss on the I Am Athlete network to give her perspective on some of the aftermaths following the big game!

Flau'jae Johnson, a rapper, and entrepreneur, has been making waves since her debut on "America's Got Talent." At just 17 years old, Flau'jae has turned her passion for music into a full-blown business. With over 1,00,000 Instagram followers, she's not only creating powerful music but also inspiring young entrepreneurs to chase their dreams, all of them! Her mother has been right by her side the entire journey, going back to their days as guest on the hit show "The Rap Game".

Together, Angel and Flau'jae are a force to be reckoned with, as it is still very early in their careers. Their unwavering commitment to their passions and relentless pursuit of success has set them apart as role models for their communities. With their combined following of over 2 million, these ladies are showing the world that nothing is impossible when you put your mind to it. Congratulations, Angel Reese and Flau'jae Johnson for being the Digital Hustlers of the Week! Keep shining and inspiring the next generation with your incredible talents and determination!

Black Ambition is waiting for you to apply!

Digitally Hustlin community we've got an incredible opportunity we should all take advantage of involving Pharrell Williams' non-profit initiative, Black Ambition. This inspiring program, now in its third year, is aimed at uplifting and supporting aspiring Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs. Let's dive into what this could mean for our community.

Since 2020, Black Ambition has awarded a remarkable $6 million to 65 innovative entrepreneurs. With high-profile backers like Adidas and Chanel, this initiative offers not just monetary rewards, but also mentorship, resources, connections and exposure to industry leaders. Applications for the 2023 Black Ambition Prize are open until May 8, 2023, and the grand prize winner will receive $1 million, while 15 additional teams will be awarded prizes ranging from $15,000 to $250,000.

Black Ambition Prize is a fantastic opportunity for our Digitally Hustlin community members to showcase their innovative ideas and get the support they need to thrive. Don't miss out on this chance to elevate your entrepreneurial journey—apply now and make the most of this exceptional program. Good luck to everyone!

Optimize your time on Twitter based on the algorithm

Twitter recently released the code that controls which tweets show up on your timeline, taking a significant step towards increased transparency. As creators and users of the platform, it's essential to understand the inner workings of Twitter's algorithm and the key factors that influence tweet visibility. In this article, we'll discuss the details of the algorithm and the amazing insights derived from a tweetstorm by Aakash Gupta, which are valuable for creators looking to optimize their content for better reach.

First, let's understand the three main stages of Twitter's recommendation pipeline. The algorithm begins by gathering the best tweets from different sources, ranks them using a machine-learning model and then filters out unwanted content. This process results in the creation of our base timeline, which aims to balance tweets from people we follow (in-network) and those we don't (out-of-network).

Now, let's dive into the insights which can help creators optimize their tweets for maximum engagement:

1. Likes, retweets, and replies play a crucial role in the ranking parameters. Each like gets a 30x boost, each retweet receives a 20x boost, and each reply gets a 1x boost. Prioritizing content that encourages likes and retweets over replies will result in better visibility.

2. Including images and videos in your tweets leads to a 2x boost, making visual content more impactful.

3. External links can hurt your tweet visibility, potentially marking your content as spam, unless you already have high engagement.

4. Negative engagement factors, such as mutes, blocks, unfollows, spam reports, and abuse reports, can adversely impact your tweet reach.

5. Subscribing to Twitter's premium features like Twitter Blue can provide a healthy boost to your content.

6. Misinformation and controversial topics, such as posts about Ukraine, are highly down-ranked, affecting their reach.

7. Twitter's algorithm groups you with similar profiles, extending your tweet reach beyond your followers to people with comparable interests.

8. Sticking to your niche and posting content relevant to your cluster is more beneficial than posting "out of network" content.

9. Avoid using made-up words or misspellings, as they incur a massive penalty and can significantly hurt your tweet's visibility.

10. The three main data points the algorithm considers are engagement data (likes, retweets, replies), user data (mutes, unfollows, spam reports), and the follower graph (who follows you).

In conclusion, understanding the inner workings of Twitter's recommendation algorithm can be highly beneficial for creators looking to optimize their content for better reach and engagement. By being aware of these factors and tailoring your content accordingly, you can make the most of Twitter's platform and increase the visibility of your tweets.

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