Making your website accessible and easy to navigate can be the difference between retaining visitors and losing them to other sites. Strong, well-designed cornerstone content is a major factor in keeping traffic on your site and improving your customer experience. This content can also help you improve your SEO, which will boost your place in search results and bring more viewers to your site. If you don’t already have well-written and designed cornerstone content, start today so you don’t miss out on the benefits it can bring to your business. [Read more…] about What is Cornerstone Content And Why It’s Important
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4 Methods To Revitalise Your Content Marketing Today
If you have found recently that your content has taken a nose dive and isn’t converting your audience into members & customers or that you are generally stuck for ideas then here are four methods to help revitalise your content marketing and breathe some life back into it. [Read more…] about 4 Methods To Revitalise Your Content Marketing Today
Four Online Tools to Help You Be More Productive Online
When you are a social media marketer or just spend a lot of time on the internet, there are several tools you can use to make the work you do much more productive. In some cases, if the tool is saving you a lot of time and energy, it is worth paying for. Peace of mind and higher output levels are usually worth the cost, especially if they are going to be used every day.
Buffer
Buffer is a social sharing app that is so easy to use. They have a basic account that is free, but then an “awesome plan” that allows you to add up to 12 social media accounts to post on for $10 per month. This includes Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Buffer picks times that most users are on social media (the morning, lunch time, afternoon, and after dinner) and then sends your message out then. You build up a buffer queue that only sends out the messages at these chosen times (which you can change). It makes sharing painless, quick, and easy, especially since they have browser plugins and a mobile app.
SoundGecko
SoundGecko is a FREE content transcribing service. Simply enter in the URL of the blog post, article, or other piece of content that you want to transcribe, and SoundGeck then emails you a link to the MP3 of the content. You can either stream it from the website (they only host it temporarily, however) or you can download the MP3 to listen to it in your car, iPod, or turn into a CD. This is a great way to consume content when you don’t have the time to read it on a screen.
Brosix
Brosix is a simple instant messenger that has both a free public version and a paid enterprise version, which allows companies to have their own private instant messaging network. Both versions have most of the same great features, including a collaborative whiteboard that lets you draw out ideas with other users in real-time and a co-browsing feature, which lets one user browse the internet with another. Other features like secure file transfer and screen sharing make this a great secure instant messenger. It is available for Mac, PC, Linux, and iPhone.
Evernote
Evernote has been recommended by hundreds of people online, and with good reason. It is a great way to write blog posts, take notes, or save other content and then access it via another computer, tablet, or phone. Having a central account that stores your documents on the cloud makes it easy to collaborate with other users or get your documents from almost anywhere. They have a premium version that is $5/month or $45/year.
Whatever your favorite online tools are, the internet is constantly providing great ways to be more productive without breaking the bank.
What are your favorite online tools?
How to Curate Content without Regurgitation
As a webmaster, coming up with creative, interesting and original content on a daily basis is no easy task. Sometimes it feels like it doesn’t matter how hard you try to beat other bloggers or webmasters to post great content first, because you somehow always manage to fell behind in Google rankings or page views. This can be a huge frustration, especially when you are all reporting (or regurgitating) the same content, and only some sites can take it further than others. There are, however, several ways to re-think the way you curate content to come out with, not only better posts than the rest, higher web traffic in the long run. You simply have to focus on the best ways to source what’s available. [Read more…] about How to Curate Content without Regurgitation
How to Write a Good Blogging Bio
As an introduction to someone who may know nothing about you, it just happens to be the most important aspect of any guest post you’ll write. Without a good bio, you risk losing credibility and significant traffic. Consider this your elevator pitch. As such, it should be short and to the point. There are three details you don’t want to miss.
- Spell Out The Specifics
First and foremost you want to introduce yourself, and briefly explain what you do. “Your most important details should go in the first sentence,” according to Brand Yourself.
You want put it forward with intention and a strong sense of purpose. Your goal should be to move readers, and engage them so they’ll be compelled to click through to your site. Consider using phrases such as [Read more…] about How to Write a Good Blogging Bio
Tapping industry players for relevant, timely content
Improving blog traffic means hooking visitors to your blog and giving them something that will make them go back again and again. One way to do this is to providing relevant, up to date information on topics related to the general theme of your blog.
Blogs are about information; it is one of its key elements. Providing good, relevant information takes work and dedication on your part. For example, providing relevant and up to date information means knowing where to go online to get the latest news and information. To do this, a good idea will be to identify the major players in the field you are writing about and follow their own feeds. [Read more…] about Tapping industry players for relevant, timely content
Is Your Blog’s About Page About the Right Stuff?
When was the last time you read your blog’s About page? It’s easy to forget that page when you’re busy writing fresh blog posts, but your About page is one of the most important destinations on your blog. When visitors land on a post in your blog, they’re likely to read the content, possibly click through to read some more posts if they like what they found, and then what do you think they do? They check out your About page to see who is behind all of this great content!
Therefore, you need to make sure your About page is always current and tells your story in the best way possible. The About page is not the place where you should be modest. Instead, use this page to truly promote yourself, your experience, your skills, and your expertise. Sell yourself so anyone who reads your About page understands why you are the person to be writing about your blog topic and the vast value and knowledge you bring to the online conversation.
With those tips in mind, following are few elements your About page must have if you want people to believe you’re an authoritative source for information:
- Your background and experience: Try to stay focused on experience related to your blog’s topic. Lead with your strengths and your biggest accomplishments that prove why you’re capable of writing about your blog’s topic. You can always include personal details at the end of your About page if you want.
- Links to your online content other than your blog: Demonstrate the reach of your online presence and let people get to know you better by providing links to other websites and blogs that you own or write for.
- Links to your social networking and twitter profiles: Invite people to get to know you better and communicate with you further by providing links to your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networking profiles. Make it clear that you welcome new followers and connections.
- A contact form and/or your contact information: Make it easy for people to get in touch with you by providing a way for them to communicate with you in a manner other than leaving a comment on one of your blog posts.
- Your picture: Don’t be shy. Including a picture of yourself on your blog’s About page makes you seem more ‘real’ and allows people to feel like they know you as a person not just as a bunch of words on their computer screens.
What do you have in your blog’s About page? Are there any other elements that you think are essential to creating a great About page? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.
How to Find Expert Sources or Be an Expert Source for Blog Stories and Publicity
Did you know there are free resources that bloggers can use to find experts and professionals as sources for blog posts? Did you know that these same free resources also allow you to offer your own services as an expert source, which gives you a great way to promote your blog both online and offline?
Consider this scenario — you’re writing a great blog post, but you need an expert to help you get the facts straight or provide a quote to take the post to the next level of authority. Where do you find an expert?
Consider another scenario — you want to increase exposure for your blog, build your authority and your blog’s authority, and boost awareness and traffic to your blog by providing quotes and interviews to journalists, bloggers and publishers. How do you do it?
The free online resources below can help you find experts and become an expert source for other publishers:
1. Help a Reporter Out (HARO)
HARO is a free tool that journalists, authors, publicists, businesses, and more use to find sources and offer services as topic or industry experts. You can submit your requests for sources using the form on the HARO website. Each day, members are sent emails listing requests for experts and sources. You can respond to any request that you’re qualified for. Just follow the individual response instructions published with each opportunity. Follow the link to learn 5 tips to help bloggers maximize HARO.
2. ProfNet
ProfNet is a service offered by PRNewswire. You can register for a free ProfNet account and then browse through submitted requests for experts and sources or publish your own requests. You can follow the link to learn how to create a ProfNet opportunity.
I have used both of the free tools listed above and recommend both to bloggers who want to find expert sources and promote themselves as expert sources. For example, many of the real-world stories and case studies included in my book about social media marketing come from ProfNet and HARO calls for sources. Through those requests, I met people and heard stories that I wouldn’t have found on my own, and I broadened my own online network in the process!
Have you used HARO or ProfNet? Leave a comment and share your story.