Tag archive for blogging

With the new year comes a new set of goals you promise yourself you’re going to reach this year – you’re going to simplify, organize your life, grow your business and make time for what matters most. 

But when you’re trying to expand your small business, you can get stuck in the everyday muck of catching up on emails, putting together proposals, planning your blogging calendar and putting the finishing touches on that blog post you wanted to have up yesterday. It’s hard to keep up with the everyday stuff and make time for the big things you want to accomplish too. 

While blogging is an important aspect of growing your small business, blogging without passion just to have a post up on your site is the wrong way to go about growing. Lucky for us, there’s a trending idea in the blogging world: blogging with intention. 

It’s writing posts that contain all original content, it’s researching the topic and coming to your own conclusion and it’s blogging only when you devote the time and passion it takes to write a great post, even if it’s only once a week or once a month. 

Here are some ways to craft a quality, well thought out, intentional blog post: 

1. Do Your Research

When planning out your posts, draw up an outline and schedule in time to do some research behind the topic you’re writing about. The more you can share with your readers, the more they’ll feel like they got something out of your post.

For example, if you’re featuring a certain artist on your blog, do some research on their story – share how they got started, the idea behind their brand and what their design process is. If they use a particular technique with their work, research the technique and share that with your readers as well. Reach out to them to get the answers to those questions, or do your own research to find those answers.

Anyone can share an image of the artist’s work, but if you can get the story behind that particular piece, you’ll add more value to your post. Make sure you cite where you found your information and give credit wherever you can. 

When you add research to your process, the quality of your posts will increase and you’ll be providing your readers with real information they’ll want to bookmark and share. 

2. Only Write About Topics That Inspire You

If you’re not inspired by the posts you’re writing, it’s time to take a look at the type of content you’re blogging about. One way to fix this is to go back to the beginning of your business and ask yourself some questions. Why did you want to get started? What inspired you back then? Has that inspiration grown or changed at all?

If you go back to the root of why you started and what inspired you most back then, you might be able to come up with some great blog post ideas that won’t leave you procrastinating to get the post written. Focus on just writing about topics you like to talk about or are interested in exploring more, and go from there.  

3. Use Your Own Photos

One way to really slow down and take your time with blogging is to create an entirely original post – sharing both your own ideas and your own photographs. While throwing together recap posts or inspiration boards with other people’s images or post content (while properly crediting them, of course) is still very popular, when you create an original post you’re putting something out on the web that hasn’t been seen before.

I’ve noticed that the posts I’ve provided original content for have been pinned and re-pinned more times than any of my themed inspiration boards or style posts – pinned DIY projects and design projects I’m working on bring more people to my website than just about any other source. 

THE WORKSHEET

Download the blogging with intention worksheet here to help you get started!

 Coming up with all original content for your posts definitely takes more time, but your readers will be able to tell that you spent more time on the post and it will hopefully bring some additional traffic back to your website after it gets shared around the web.

When you’re blogging with purpose about topics you really want to talk about, you’ll add value to your brand, contribute some amazing new things to the internet and save yourself the stress from trying to throw together 5 posts a week.

The first few months of the new year are a great time for starting new habits, slowing down and focusing on what you really want to accomplish this year. If you’re blogging with intention you’ll have better chance of accomplishing your goals, and you’ll enjoy blogging even more.

What are your blogging goals for this year? How will you slow down and blog with more passion and intention? Share your ideas in the comments! 

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I’ve been asked a few times what WordPress plugins I use to do certain things on this site, so rather than respond to individual emails, I thought I’d share with all of you guys!

First, a few notes on plugins in general: they are super easy to install and great for adding features to your blog even if you don’t know how to code BUT they can slow down your site. To prevent this, only add the ones that are necessary and delete plugins if you decide not to use them. Sometimes a plugin can cause conflicts within your site so always install one at a time and backup your site regularly.

Comments

I try to reply to every comment left on my blog to keep the conversation going so using Comment Reply Notification is a great way to make sure that the commenter sees my reply. It automatically sends an email to anyone who has received a reply to their comment. 

Pin It Button

You’ve probably seen this in action a lot by now, a pin it button that hovers over images making it convenient for readers to pin images. I use jQuery Pin It Button For Images for my pin it hover image. The reason I chose this plugin is because of the customization options and that you can use a custom image to match your branding.

Post Footers 

You may have noticed that at the bottom of each of my blog posts, I have the same call to action that points my readers to Facebook, Bloglovin etc. Instead of pasting this content separately into every post I write, I use WP Post Footer which allows you to create a library of code snippets and easily include them at the bottom of posts.

Editorial Calendar

I am a visual person so this plugin is one of my favorites to keep my posts organized. The WordPress Editorial Calendar makes it possible to see all your posts on a calendar and drag and drop them to manage your posting schedule.

Backup

This one is huge because you MUST backup your site! For backup, I use the WP Backup to Dropbox plugin, because it drops my files from scheduled backups right into a folder in Dropbox!

SEO

I’m pretty lazy when it comes to my SEO but the All in One SEO Pack makes it a little easier on me. It has fields at the end of each post for you to fill in to help optimize your WordPress site for Search Engine Optimization.

 

These are just suggestions and what works best for me. There are usually several plugins that do the same thing, so do your research and some testing to see which works bests for your needs!

I hope this was helpful! Do you have any favorites that weren’t mentioned here? Please share!

plug icon designed by Ben Johnson from the Noun Project

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We’re all looking for better ways to connect with our readers in hopes that they come back and read your blog on a regular basis or buy something from you at some point, right? Lucky for us, there’s a trick to giving them exactly what they’re looking for. Here’s the two-step process:

1. What Problems Do Your Readers Have?

Knowing what your readers are struggling with is the key in figuring out exactly what they want. You have to figure out the types of problems they are having in your field of expertise so you can help solve those problems.

If you’re a web designer and blog about your work and inspiration, it’s possible that your readers are other designers or business owners who are starting their own website or are inspired by your work. They may be dealing with a variety of problems – from where their email sign-up forms should be on their website to what fonts are easiest to read on the web. Some may not know the questions to ask web designers when they start working with one, and others may not know all of the important information they’ll need to give their designer to get started. These are all things you can help them with (and problems you can solve) on your blog.

On the worksheet provided, make a list of all the different problems your readers might have that you could solve with your knowledge in your field. Think back to the basics – maybe some of the topics in classes you learned back in school or some lessons you’ve learned in the past. Remember – no problem is too big or small to write down.

 

2. How Can You Solve Their Problems?

Now comes the getting more followers/better customers part! Once you know the problems your readers have, you can instantly turn those problems around into solutions.

Starting on page 2 of the worksheet, write down each problem, and underneath it list out all the different ways you could solve this problem for your reader. You may be able to think of multiple ways to fix each problem – write every idea you have down.

Some of the problems you’ve written down may be perfect for new blog posts or series, and some of them would be great new offerings you can add to your list of services. Next to each solution, check mark which you think it’d be better for and start brainstorming ways to put each into action!

When you’re able to solve a problem for someone, they feel like you’ve given them insider tips & tricks and in turn form a stronger bond with you and your brand which makes them more likely to come back for more and buy from you.

 

The Worksheet

Download the What Readers Want Worksheet to help you organize your lists and goals!

 

What are some ways you solve problems for your readers? Share in the comments!

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What could be better than having a list of email addresses for people who love your blog or readers that could be potential customers – a list of people who actually want to hear from you? Not much, right?

That’s why you should be gathering emails from people who visit your website.

Why It Works

Building your email list is important for your business because the more people who are truly interested in your services that you can reach with just one email, the more site visits, downloads and money you can potentially make.

Collecting email addresses and sending out an email newsletter has some wonderful benefits. For instance, each time you send an email to your list that contains links to your website, you’re boosting the potential for more site visits. If something in your newsletter looks interesting to the reader, they’ll click over to your site and there’s a good chance they’ll click through to other posts or pages, which boosts the chances that they’ll buy from you.

Email lists and newsletters also help your business because if you’re consistently showing up in someone’s inbox (in a good way, not a spammy way), you’ll stay top of mind to them. Then when they need a service or product you provide, they’ll instantly remember your helpful or fun emails.

How to Do It

Growing your list organically can take time but there are so many ways to gather email address from your readers. The most important thing to remember is to make is as easy as possible for them to sign up.

A few common places to add an email sign up form is in the sidebar or footer on every page of your site or directly underneath your header. These places work because they’re out of the way enough to not be irritating, but they’re prominent enough that people will notice them.

The best way to get people to sign up for your list is to offer an incentive, or opt-in offer, for sharing their email. Things like mini ebooks, discounts on services or access to an exclusive list work really well because the person signing up is getting something in return. Plus, people love free stuff!

Giveaways are also a great way to capture email addresses. Hosting a simple contest on your blog where all the reader has to do is enter their email address is a great way to grow your list quickly. Or if you’re hosting a live event, you can capture email addresses from attendees by having them sign up to win a prize.

Want some ideas on creating an opt in offer that people want? Here are three simple tactics:

 

Do you collect emails for your website? Do you have a fun opt in offer? Share in the comments section!

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You started a blog and have great content, but no one knows that it exists! How are you making sure your content is found by potential readers? The answer: social media.

 

Why Social Media

Bloggers are discovering that investing time for online networking can be very beneficial for brand awareness and increasing traffic to their blog. As a blogger, it’s very important to stay connected, since readers want to feel like they know you. Social media is a great opportunity to let readers into your life in a more casual environment than on your blog. It’s also great for engaging your readers in real-time conversations. Your blog will always be a home base, but building up social media channels helps drive people back to your blog.

 

Give Potential Readers Options

There are many social networks out there, but you don’t need to join them all. You should, however, figure out which ones work best for you and have options available for your readers; not everyone follows blogs the same way. Facebook may not be your favorite social network, but it might be a favorite of a potential reader. Another reader may only follow blogs on Twitter. You want people to be able to follow you where they are comfortable.

 

Be Creative & Conversational

Being a little creative, when it comes to sharing your blog socially, can go a long way. Tailoring your introductions for each social network really makes a difference. While Twitter is used mostly for posting links, Pinterest is a very visual site, and Facebook works well for both text and images. It’s important not to forget the “social” in social media! Social media is so powerful because it allows you to interact – take advantage of that! In addition to posting your own content, share other relevant issues and ideas as well.

I recently put together a series on the Alt Summit blog all about growing your blog through social media. So if you’ve ever wanted to know how to use Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest to grow your readership, make sure you check them out. And leave a comment either here or on the actual posts themselves if you have any specific questions you want answered!

Growing Your Blog Through Facebook

Starting a Facebook page for your blog opens you up to one of the largest audiences on the internet. Sharing content on Facebook is so easy and convenient, especially since your readers most likely already use Facebook. Read the full post on the Alt blog.

 

Growing Your Blog Through Twitter

Twitter is a great way to promote your content, share your expertise, and connect with like-minded people. It is a fast and easy way to give quick updates to followers. Read the full post on the Alt blog.

 

Growing Your Blog Through Pinterest

Social media is getting more and more visual, and Pinterest is a great example of this. If you take a little time to make your blog Pinterest friendly, it can end up being your number one traffic source. Read the full post on the Alt blog.

 

Intro originally written for Alt.

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Starting a blog always sounds like so much fun, right? And in the beginning, you’re so excited about posting, sharing and getting comments. But after the first few posts, you start to get a little lax – you either forget to post or feel like you’ve got nothing to write about. A month later, you’re not posting at all and you give up hope.

Sound familiar? Never again, my friend!

The key to starting a successful blog and keeping up with it is to 1) LOVE what you’re writing about and 2) have a plan of action.

Last month I shared with you why having a blog for your business is so important, and today I’m sharing with you how to come up with a ton of blog topics and a plan for how to actually get them written and scheduled – complete with a worksheet to get you started!

 

Coming Up with Content

First thing’s first – to blog consistently without the burnout, it’s important to love what you’re talking about. If you’re blogging for your business (and you’ve got a business that you love), you’ve already got a head start because you’ve already got lots of things to talk about.

To come up with content, start making a list on the worksheet (Coming Up with Blog Content Worksheet) of things you could write about when it comes to your business. If you use Pinterest often, take a look at the types of things you’re pinning and use those for inspiration. For example, if you’ve got an entire board dedicated to fonts and type, write that down as a topic you could write about. If you’re in love with layouts and have a ton of gorgeous spreads pinned, write that down too.

Another way to come up with topics is to think about the questions you get asked about your business. What questions are your customers asking? What do they need to know about your business? Turning those into blog posts creates awesome and sharable content for your readers, and it helps them get to know your business better.

Try to come up with a list of 15 to 20 topics to start with. Some of the topics may even turn into weekly features, like a weekly post about fun new fonts or a series on layout design – things like that make your topics go much further.

 

Actually Getting Posts Scheduled and Written

Now that you’ve got a list of topics, it’s time to get them written down on the calendar. Having a plan for your posts is so important because if you open your calendar and see what you’re going to be writing about, it’s so much easier to sit down and write than if you were going into it blindly.

It also helps with the roller coaster we go through with blogging – some days we want to post 46 times and other times we could go weeks without having anything to post.

Take out a blank calendar or open up your Google calendar. Start off by deciding how frequently you’d like to post. If you want to take your time and come up with well researched posts or share DIYs that take some time, start with posting once every week or every few weeks. If you’re more interested in sharing shorter posts, you can choose to post a few times each week. You can always change how often you post, but this will serve as a basis for getting them scheduled on your calendar.

Start writing your post topics down on your calendar according to how often you’ve decided to post. Think about different series or columns you could do, like a Music Monday or Font Friday. You can start with just jotting down the idea or an idea for a title; don’t worry about writing the post until later.

Schedule out all of your ideas and depending on how often you’re going to post, you’ll have enough content for a few months. Repeat this process each time you’re editorial calendar is looking a little bare, and keep a small notebook in your bag to jot post ideas in when they come to you.

When you’re in the mood to do some writing, take out your calendar and write a few posts. If you use WordPress as your blogging platform, you can schedule them to go live on a certain day at a certain time – this comes in handy on the days you feel like blogging but don’t want to post so much in one day.  It’s also helpful when the holidays or vacation time rolls around – you can easily get your posts ready before your time off and schedule them to go live while you’re gone.

When you’re blogging about your passion, it’s much easier to stay consistent and grow your blog – you’ll beat the burnout and enjoy writing and sharing what you love.

 

THE WORKSHEET

Download the Coming Up with Blog Content Worksheet to help you come up with ideas for your posts!

 

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When you start your business, you may think a website and Facebook page are sufficient enough for your online presence. The truth is – while you need both of those – blogging consistently will help grow your business much quicker. Here are three reasons why:

 

1. Blogging Helps with Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) is important for a small businesses because the higher your site ranks when someone searches for you or your area of business, the more likely your site will be visited. Blogging helps with SEO because site links are a very important aspect of ranking. When you blog, you will most likely be sharing some links to other sites, and eventually people will be putting links to your blog on their site. The more links you have (without going overboard), the better chance you have of being ranked higher in search engines. 

Blogging also helps with search engine optimization because you are writing about things related to your niche. You are also tagging your posts and giving them categories, and the more keywords related to your niche you have on your site or blog, the higher your site will be ranked in search engines.

 

2. Blogging Helps Grow Connections with Customers

When you’re reading through a website, you might be able to catch a little bit about the business owner’s personality or style but you can’t form much of a connection by reading their list of services.

When you add a blog to your website, you are sharing your life, your thoughts and your ideas with anyone who comes across your site. They get to know who you are and what your interests are which helps them form a connection with you. People don’t connect with static websites, they connect with feelings, emotions and experiences. Sharing yours on a blog will help you form better connections with your current and potential customers, which will lead to more sales in the long run.

 

3. Blogging Makes You an Expert in Your Field (Or Look Like One)

If someone sees your business name and Googles you, the more stuff that shows up in the results, the more professional and well known you look to them (if that stuff is good stuff). As I mentioned earlier, having a blog will help you increase your search ranking and results. People will more likely choose your business over someone in your niche who has very little results in a search listing because you look like the expert in your field. 

Another way having a blog makes you look like an expert is the free content you’re providing to your potential customers. If you make jewelry and write blog posts about how to keep your jewelry organized, how to clean it and what the hottest jewelry trends for the season are, potential customers will most likely choose you over someone who just has a static website or Etsy shop. You’re giving them free advice, and people appreciate that.

 

So there you have it – three reasons why you should start a blog for your business. Next month I’ll show you how you can come up with a ton of ideas for blog posts and how to make sure they actually get scheduled and written. 

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