 Image credit: Suzy Hazelwood from Pexels The start of a new year can signal a time for big changes in your life. If you own a blog, it's a good time to begin thinking about ways you can improve it. One idea that springs to mind is the concept of broadening your content.
What does this mean? In essence, you seek ways of offering your readers more content in different ways. Instead of posting similar blogs every week, perhaps you look for ways to branch out and offer other forms of content. Here are a few ideas to whet your appetite: Video content Start adding videos to your blog as a way of giving people fresh content. Human beings respond well to videos, and it's a great way of reeling in a new audience. People may start visiting your blog that never would've gone on there before. It also opens a new revenue stream as you can upload the videos to a YouTube channel and potentially earn ad revenue. You still talk about similar things, but the video format lets you try new ideas. You can have other people in the videos, serving as a great way of interviewing others. It can be a podcast format, or you may want to make 'how-to' videos that are easier to follow than a blog. Or, you could even repurpose old content in the video format, getting more out of it! Ebooks For the most part, blog posts are short-form content. Even a 2,000-word blog post is relatively short-form, particularly when compared to things like ebooks. An ebook gives you a chance to cover topics in more detail and really dive deep into things. So, perhaps you should start publishing some? If you have topics that demand a lot of work and attention, an ebook can be a fantastic way of covering them. Plus, it serves as a marketing tactic to drive people to your blog and get them on a mailing list. You can work with a CGI company to draw up a product 'photo' of your ebook, then use it in adverts. Basically, people will see the book, and be inclined to click it. From here, you promise them a free download of the book if they just provide an email address. Instantly, you will gain lots of emails, which helps you market your blog and grow your audience. Alternatively, you could sell the ebooks for a small price, as a way of making more money. It depends on how much work went into the book and if you think it's worth selling it for money. Either way, ebooks are another way of broadening your content. Guest posts Last but not least, you can diversify your content through guest posts. Invite other bloggers to post on your site, offering your readers fresh insights and ideas. While they're still reading blog articles, the content itself can be very different from yours. The topics may be similar, but the style and angle of the writing give them something new to enjoy. Broadening your content is a smart way of keeping your audience engaged and entertained. It stops them from getting bored with the same old stuff, while also helping you draw new readers to your blog!
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 Image credit: Wallpaper Cave 2020 will always be known as a tough year and for some people, the toughest. Whether is was work, relationships, mental health, or physical fitness––we all learned a lot about ourselves and how we react to massive disruptions to our daily lives. The Rock Dwayne Johnson recently took to Instagram to share his thoughts on 2020. You can find the link via the feature in Men's Journal...
 Image credit: Pixabay on Pexels Whether you’re publishing a blog as a commercial endeavour or as a hobby, you’ll want to do everything you can to optimise your content and increase your readership. However, it isn’t always easy to know what changes to make or how to implement them. To make things easier, take a look at these simple ways to better your blog in 2021: Increase Page Loading Speeds Before you begin thinking about content for your website, you’ll want to ensure your blog is operating optimally. Page loading speeds have a considerable impact on your search engine rankings, so it’s important to make sure you’re not losing readers because your blog loads too slowly. By optimising your site structure or switching to a different hosting provider, you can increase page loading speeds and potentially boost your rankings. Create a Content Calendar If you create content when you have a great idea for a post or you publish new content based on breaking news, you run the risk of issuing repetitive content or only posting sporadically. Publishing new posts regularly gives users a reason to return to your blog frequently, so having a reliable posting schedule is beneficial. However, regular posting should never compromise the quality of your content. By creating a content calendar, you can ensure that you cover a range of topics, rather than inadvertently posting similar content on a frequent basis. Similarly, you can brainstorm ideas for original content in advance and ensure you’ve always got something fresh and new to write about. Incorporate Social Media Social media is an excellent tool for bloggers, so be sure to make the most of it. When you share the link to your posts on social media, you can increase brand awareness, generate more website traffic and build your audience. Additionally, social media allows you to communicate with other users about topics that are relevant to the theme of your blog. Of course, you aren’t the only person who can share links to your posts via social media. Adding social media buttons to every post allows readers to share your content quickly and easily, which helps you to reach a wider audience. Develop an SEO strategy If you want to attract new readers, you need to have an effective SEO strategy in place. With effective search engine optimisation, you can ensure that your blog posts appear at the top of search engine ranking pages (SERPs) when users search for relevant keywords and terms. Search engine optimisation can be labour intensive, so don’t panic if you don’t have the time or resources to plan and execute a strategy yourself. Professional SEO services are an easy and cost-effective way to access the expertise you need. With assistance from experienced SEO experts, you can ensure your blog becomes a go-to resource for users within your target audience.  Image credit: Picography on Pexels Use Different Content Formats
Most bloggers rely on the written word to share information, put forth their opinions and engage with readers. However, this shouldn’t prevent you from using other forms of media on your blog. After all, a wall of text isn’t very enticing for users. By using images or infographics to break up your text and add visual content, you can make each post more appealing. Similarly, incorporating video content into your blog could be an effective way of appealing to a different demographic. How To, Step-by-Step and Q&A posts work well in video format and could give you an edge over other bloggers. Secure Backlinks Backlinks are a form of off-site SEO, so check that they’re included if you plan to outsource your search engine optimisation to a third-party specialist. Securing backlinks from websites with high domain authorities can increase your own rankings and lead to a subsequent increase in traffic. Additionally, backlinks help to direct readers straight to your blog, as well as increasing the authority and trustworthiness of your content. When your links are featured on reputable and popular sites, for example, your brand is elevated in the minds of both search engines and users. Take Your Blog to the Next Level When you’re creating, managing or maintaining a blog, it’s useful to have an overall strategy in mind. Whether you’re planning to monetise your posts, creating content for a company website or see blogging is a fun hobby, setting yourself a goal will help you to stay motivated. With the right planning and preparation, you can hone your content, increase your core readership and take your blog to the next level.  Image credit: Burst on Pexels Your blog is a place where people come to read interesting content and regardless of genre, a lot of blog sites can end up turning into full-time businesses. It’s important to think about the ways that you can improve your blogging, whether you’re still in the early days of your blog or if you’ve managed to finally go full-time with your blog. Here are four ways to improve your blogging business.
Define Your Audience When you’re blogging as a hobby, paying attention to your audience’s demographic might not necessarily be on your radar. Perhaps you’ve been writing for a while and write for the enjoyment of the topics you cover. It might be that you write for a specific industry, and you know somewhat about what your audience likes and doesn’t like. When you’re blogging professionally, it’s important to define your audience because the more content you create that your audience likes, the more views it’s going to get. When you look at your analytics, it’s worth implementing Google Analytics if you haven’t already implemented it on your site. Whatever host platform you use, it’s likely to give you at least some degree of knowledge on who your audience is and what they like and don’t like. Look specifically at things like bounce rates, which tell you how long they stay engaged on your website and specific pages. Get Promoting Every Aspect Of Your Business When you’re a business, you need to be promoting yourself from every angle. Whether it’s promoting the content via your personal social media pages or through paid advertisements on other high-ranking websites. Try to promote in every way you can, even during those occasions where you might be invited to conferences or events. These custom printed banners can be a great way to showcase your work and who you are as a business and individual. Never be ashamed or afraid of promoting yourself! Network With Other Bloggers Networking with other bloggers is important because there’s a lot that you can learn from other people within the industry. For example, if you’re just starting off in the industry, then you may find that networking with bloggers who have been established for a while, have plenty of advice to give you. You also never know who might be able to help you on your way up the career ladder of blogging. Always be grateful and appreciative of others you meet and collaborate with. You don’t know someone until you meet them properly. Focus On Quality Not Quantity Quality is a lot more important than quantity when it comes to blogging. Your audience wants to read high-quality content and not something that’s been thrown together without much thought. If you do that, then you’re likely to lose your following and your loyal followers are the ones that are the most important. Improving your blogging business is important and so it’s good to use these tips to help get the most out of it where it’s possible.  Image credit: Thabang Madnsela on Unsplash In an age where the average attention span is thought to be worse than that of a goldfish, doing nothing could be the secret to happiness (and success). Never have those two little words “I’m bored” been uttered so much by all ages than in 2020. The Sun has more on why boredom could be the key to success...
 Image credit: Jason Yuen on Unsplash Every Christmas, Ryohei Ando gathers his family together for a holiday tradition. Just like their father did as a child, his two children will reach deep into a red-and-white bucket and pick out the best piece of fried chicken they can find.
Yes, it’s a Merry KFC Christmas for the Ando family. It may seem odd anywhere outside Japan, but Ando’s family and millions of others would never let a Christmas go by without Kentucky Fried Chicken. Every Christmas season an estimated 3.6 million Japanese families treat themselves to fried chicken from the American fast-food chain, in what has become a nationwide tradition. You can read about this KFC Christmas event over at BBC.com!  Image credit: Marleen Kuiper on Pixabay Dear Santa,
I've been a good dad all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my two children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of chocolate bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground and figured out how to attach nine patches onto my daughter's girl scout sash with staples and a glue gun. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years. Here are my Christmas wishes: I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache after a day of chasing kids (in any color, except blue, which I already have) and arms that don't flap in the breeze but are strong enough to carry a screaming toddler out of the candy aisle in the grocery store. I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere amongst the countless cans of pepsi I've drunk. If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like a car with fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to watch the football live on my phone for just 5 minutes. On the practical side, I could use a talking daughter doll that says, "Yes, Daddy" to boost my parental confidence, along with one potty-trained toddler, two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools. I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, "Stop turning the taps on" and 'Leave the cat alone,' because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog. And please don't forget the Playdoh Travel Pack, the hottest stocking stuffer this year for mothers of preschoolers. It comes in three fluorescent colors and is guaranteed to crumble on any carpet making the in-laws' house seem just like mine. If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair (if I had any) in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container. If you don't mind I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could make my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family; or if my toddler didn't look so cute sneaking downstairs to eat contraband ice cream in his pajamas at midnight. Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the chimney and come in and dry off by the fire so you don't catch a cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet, I've only just managed to finishing the hoovering. Yours Always.. Dad. P.S. - One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa.  Image credit: Dayne Topkin on Unsplash A survey has found that Brits feel most content when spending time with loved ones, having a cup of tea and sleeping! After a lonely and separated 2020, almost four in 10 feel at their most relaxed and happy when in the company of friends and family, and 27 per cent when having a hug. The Sun has more on this...
 Image credit: Gundula Vogel on Pixabay We all have to live in this world that runs on money and, for as long as that is true, that means that we do need to take our money management seriously. However, there are a lot of people to whom any potential financial issues, even small ones, can become a heavy weight that can drag them down, paralyse them, and prevent them from chasing what they want, whether it’s to invest in a business, buy assets, or otherwise. If your financial anxiety is dragging you down, it’s time to think about why that is and see what you can do to let that weight go. Get to know where you’re really at If you feel like you’re constantly on the back foot when it comes to your finances, it can help to gain a little perspective. Indeed, you might be right that, for instance, you owe more than you own. But you won’t know and thus you won’t be able to accurately implement any solutions until you get an actual idea of the situation. Put a list of all of your assets together, all accounts owed to you, and any debt you owe. Subtract the debt from the assets and money owed to you in order to get your net worth at the current time. Make some plans for the future Anxiety is mostly a sense of fearing the worst possible outcome when it comes to the future. These outcomes in your head are rarely based on real logic but more a kind of fear. However, that doesn’t mean that common sense solutions can’t help you dispel them. If you’re worried about being destitute in the far future, then make it a priority to put together some retirement savings as soon as you can. Put together annual savings goals after figuring out how much you need to put aside each year for a healthy retirement, and stick to those financial goals as well as you can. Don’t forget to budget By far one of the most useful pieces of financial advice that anyone can ever offer you, and one that can transform how you look at your money situation, is to put together a budget. A budget effectively looks at how much money you have to spend in any given period of time and helps you find out where you should be spending it. For instance, the 50/30/20 budget involves putting aside 50% of your money ahead of time to pay for the essentials, such as your home, groceries, bills, and so on. 30% of that is for discretionary purchases, such as new clothes, nights out, entertainment and so on, and 20% is for financial planning, such as saving towards emergency funds or investing. You don’t have to follow that specific example, but having a set plan for where your money is going and then ensuring your money does just that can offer a sense of security.  Image credit: Chris Pastrick on Pixabay Start building from scratch again You might be feeling a little low because a recent cost, such as a car repair, home repair, or major bill has knocked your finances for six. Your savings might have had to have been recently emptied, setting you back more than a few steps in your future plans. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s all pointless. There’s a good chance your situation would have been worse had you not had those savings to rely on. It’s time to pick yourself back up again after life knocks you down and get started with your savings once more. So long as you are a step in the right direction next week compared to where you are now, you are doing your financial health a world of good. Don’t get paralysed by debt A lot of us owe some sort of debt or have done in the past. When your debt is at its highest point, then it can feel almost pointless to think about what life would be like without it. However, the only bad decision to make when facing more debt than you can currently pay is to ignore it. You could get in touch with your creditors to talk about repayment plans and let them know about your situation. You can also look to other solutions, like debt consolidation that can make it easier to pay off the sum of what you know. However, the longer you wait, the more your debt will build. Take the time to research your options, but don’t put off the situation. Put some protections in place In future, you want to prevent yourself for having to raid your savings or to fall in debt. There’s no way to prepare for absolutely everything the future might through your way, but investing in a few protections can do you a world of good. Informally, having an emergency savings fund could help, but in a more formal sense, you should take a look at what kind of insurance you might need to protect your current lifestyle and assets.  Image credit: Jan Vašek on Pixabay Address your habits
Do you have some bad financial habits that either fuel or are caused by your financial anxiety? If so, they can keep you from building the financial protections that can serve as a long-term cure. There are a host of habits that can be destructive to your sense of money security. Overspending is an obvious one, but cost-tracking apps can help you identify cases of overspending so that you’re less likely to do it again. Excessive frugality and hoarding can be just as financially unhealthy since they often involve sitting on money that could do more good if you’re saving it for a specific goal or using it to pay for some manner of security. Take a close look at your financial habits are and learn which ones you should curb. Being conscious of your finances is all well and good, but if it’s getting to the point that it’s stopping you from taking action, it’s time to rethink your money situation. Hopefully, the tips above help with that.  Image credit: Geralt on Pixabay If you imagine being a teacher, you’ll probably think about teaching children. After all, this is the usual way of things, and it’s how things are most often done. Children need to learn, and they attend school where a teacher gives them the information they have to know.
Yet this is not the only form of teaching; there are many more. One of these forms of teaching is adult education. Adults who feel they want to gain more information about a specific subject, or who want to enhance their education in general, can sign up to classes and be taught by another adult, sometimes on a one to one basis, so that their knowledge base is shored up. For the teachers in this situation, it is very rewarding. Of course, teaching children is terrific, but there is something special about teaching adults and seeing the direct impact your teaching has on their lives and careers. Why is it so rewarding to teach adults? Read on to find out. You Will Learn When you teach adults, whether you’re teaching art classes, science, or helping them learn to speak English online, among many other options, you will be using your vast wealth of knowledge and passing that onto your students. However, in return, you will also learn a lot. Adults who have gone back to school or signed up for additional classes will have much life experience behind them, no matter what age they are. As you get to know them better, you will discover things that you never knew before. This is not something you can usually get when teaching children, but when teaching adults, not only will you teach but you will learn. Action Is Taken Children have to attend school even if they would prefer not to. It’s not their choice; it’s the law. Adult learners do have a choice, and if they have chosen to attend your class it’s because they want to, not because they are being forced to. This means they will be more interested in what you have to say and will engage in your lessons much more fully. When this happens, you can see progress being made as it happens. You will start the work in class, but a fully engaged and interested adult will seek out more information or practice what you have said in between lessons, so by the time you see them next, you can see that action has been taken, and the lessons you are teaching are making sense. This is incredibly rewarding. Changing Lives The biggest reason why teaching adults is rewarding is that you are changing lives. Someone who wants to learn, someone who has chosen to learn, will have done so for a reason. It might be because they never finished high school. Perhaps it’s because they want to make someone proud of them or be proud of themselves. Maybe they want to do more in their career, and they know they need a better education to do it. Whatever the reason, once they have learned what they need to learn, their lives will change, and you will have made that happen. It’s not everyone who can say they can do this regularly, but as a teacher of adults, you definitely can.  Image credit: Jonathan Petersson on Pexels Life will always find a way to knock you down at various times, but it’s how you respond to these things that matter the most. You need to always be willing to get back up again, no matter how many times you get knocked down or what life throws your way. We’re not saying that it’s going to be easy, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the things that you may need to do when life has knocked you down, so keep reading if you want to find out more. Sort Out Insurance The first thing that we’re going to look at is getting insurance. Now, you may need home insurance, car insurance, contents insurance and a number of other policies. The best thing that you can do is look around online until you find a company who can offer you the insurance cover you need at a price you can afford. Now, keep in mind that if you are a higher risk, the premium is going to cost you a lot more than it normally would, and you need to be prepared for this. It’s for this reason that you might need to think about only getting the insurance that you 100% need right now. For example, if you need car insurance but you are struggling to get cover, you might want to consider one sure insurance or another company like this.  Image credit: Pixabay on Pexels Another thing that you may need to do is save some money. It’s often the case that life comes along when you least expect it and then takes everything that you’ve got. All your savings have to go on something, and you’re back to square one. It’s super disheartening when this happens, we know, but we’ve all been there, and if you haven’t, you probably will get there at some point. The only thing that you can do is pick yourself back up and start building up your savings once again. Make sure that you’re employing all of those money-saving tips and tricks you’ve got, and live within your means rather than wracking up a debt.
Find A New Job Or, it might be the case that you have recently lost your job. This is never a pleasant experience for anyone, but there’s nothing that you can do about it now. The only thing that’s left is to move on and find something else. It’s not always easy, and it might be the case that you have to take something temporary while you look for something permanent, but you’ve got to be willing to do this. Employers are more likely to hire you if they see that you are hard-working, and if you’re working a job you don’t particularly like to ensure that you’ve got a means of income, this is going to speak volumes to your potential employer.  Image credit: Pixabay on Pexels A blog is a great way to generate revenue from advertising and product placements, as well as an effective way for companies to increase engagement and secure high SEO rankings. However, if users aren’t returning to your blog more than once, you won’t reap these rewards. To increase your online success, take a look at the top reasons that stop users from coming back to your blog:
There’s no new content If you don’t update your blog with fresh, new content regularly, there’s simply no reason for users to return. A high bounce rate may signify that users are checking your blog and immediately going elsewhere when they realize nothing new has been posted. If you want to ensure users keep coming back to your blog, you need to give them a reason to return, so be sure to upload new content on a regular basis. It takes too long to load Page loading speeds have a major impact on user experience and SEO rankings, so it’s vital to optimize them. From switching your web hosting provider to using a different content management system, there are various ways to keep page loading times to a minimum. Remember – page loading speeds should be low on all devices, so be sure your site performs optimally on a range of devices and operating systems. It doesn’t work on mobile devices If your blog doesn’t load properly or doesn’t look visually appealing on mobile devices, then you’re going to miss out on website traffic. The majority of web users now rely on mobile devices, which is why Google introduced mobile-first indexing. While it’s important to ensure that your blog is functional on desktops and laptops, mobile functionality should be your top priority. The content is repetitive If you’re churning out the same content week after week, users don’t have a reason to keep returning. Being innovative and creating original content that excites, informs, or entertains is vital. Creating a content schedule is one of the most effective ways to ensure your posts are varied, particularly if you tend to cover similar topics. Posts take too long to read If your blog only features long-form content, then it might be time to change things up a little bit. While longer posts do have their advantages, users don’t always have time to read an in-depth article. By combining shorter posts with alternative formats, like video, images, and infographics, you can ensure that users are able to enjoy a variety of posts every time they visit your site. Increase the Popularity of Your Blog If you want to boost your business or generate income via a blog, it’s vital to cultivate a loyal following. By producing unique and original content, you’ve got the basis of a great blog. However, it’s vital to promote your content via social media, PPC ads, and SEO if you want to increase your reach. By doing so, you can engage your target audience, monetize your content, and give people a reason to keep people coming back for more.  Image credit: S O C I A L. C U T on Unsplash Social Media Marketing can be a real headache for plenty of people just starting out and while one guide you read will tell to do something one way, you can guarantee another guide will tell you the complete opposite! But the good people over at The Guerrilla Agency have 'the' guide for you!
 Image credit: Hive Boxx on Unsplash How do you know you've reached a turning point in your life? How can you recognise that maybe you need a change? Entrepreneur Europe has 5 signs for you...
 Image credit: Magda Ehlers on Pexels Getting older shouldn’t be something to be frightened of. With older age comes the possibility of having more time for yourself, a greater appreciation for your family, and opportunities to explore new challenges and adventures! To make sure you’re as prepared as you can be, check out these tips:
1. Prioritize your health Getting old can be a seriously joyous thing, but enjoying your life to the max is easier if you’re healthy. So, taking regular exercise (you can even do it from home thanks to online courses and programs) and eating well is all part of the package. After all, you want to make sure you’re in tip-top condition while you’re off exploring, don’t you? 2. Be organized Ensuring all your documents and plans are in a safe place is one of the kindest things you can do. This means that no matter the scenario, a trusted person or loved one will have all the paperwork they need. This will take a load off your mind, and you can move on to enjoying more exciting things! 3. Pick up new hobbies Your latter years are a great time to spend time on new hobbies and skills. Exercise your brain and indulge passion projects that you’ve always considered. Have you always wanted to try fishing? Is salsa your thing? Do you think you might want to speak French? There are so many online and offline courses out there to choose from. And if that’s not your thing, then it’s time to get out there and try it on your own. 4. Upgrade your home Making a couple of sensible changes to your home can make all the difference to your comfort in the years to come. That doesn’t mean moving straight into a bungalow or installing a stairlift, but it does mean making a few adjustments. Consider including a few pieces of handcrafted pieces, like Crown Furniture, to create an environment that’s safe, chic, and easy to use. 5. Mindfulness matters Keeping your brain supple is key, but so is keeping your mental health strong. Practicing mindfulness can be a great way to live in the moment and help relieve any stress. It also has the benefits of lowering blood pressure, improving sleep, and generally improving all-round health. To get started, you can choose from a number of apps and courses. Hopefully, you will enjoy the benefits of decreased stress and anxiety and improved focus. 6. Try yoga It’s true that falls pose a danger to older adults, so to mitigate the risk, try picking up yoga. It helps strengthen core muscles and works on balance and flexibility. Not to mention, it’s a very calming and healthy activity. Adding yoga into your routine is a great way to keep yourself fit and healthy, well into older adulthood. Hopefully, this article has given you some tips and tricks that will help you ‘age well’ and enjoy your later years.  Image credit: pixelcreature on Pixabay When you’re running a blog for your brand, the number one priority should be producing good quality content that has value to the readers, and also helps to contribute to your goals, whether it’s growing recognition or generating sales. But what about when you’ve successfully done that and notice a post taking off, outperforming both your expectations and your other posts? Should you simply let it enjoy the spotlight or is there some way you can capitalize on it? Make sure it leads to something good
If you haven’t already connected your successful post to something that translates to value for your business, now is the time. You can use it to increase blog traffic by following up on it if that’s your aim. However, for many businesses, their mind is going to be on conversion first and foremost. An edit after it has taken off, just slipping in a call to action towards the end might be all that it takes. Grow from it First of all, find out whether or not your content is evergreen. This means it’s not likely to lose value or purpose over time, rather than being particularly pertinent in a moment in time. It doesn’t always work, but you can work with content writers who can find new ways to iterate on that content over time, adjusting it to suit different business periods or topics, for instance. Convert it into even more engaging content Aside from making your content evergreen, you can also look into translating it into forms of media that tend to be even more successful. If a text post version does well, just imagine how well it might work as an infographic or, better yet, a video. Turning a good post into a video isn’t simply as easy as reading it out over imagery, but working with a professional video production agency can help. The better you translate it from one form to the other, the more likely it is to keep the momentum going. Build a personal brand off of it Not only does the brand of the blog, website, or business benefit from a really great and insightful post. It can help position you, the writer, as a person of authority, as well. If your post goes viral due to the insight it offers, then you can seek out other media opportunities, such as guest posting on respectable publications or attending talks. Adopt elements of that post in others If a post does well, it’s often not only because the topic hit the nail on the head for the audience. There’s a good chance it was written and formatted in a particularly engaging manner, as well. To that end, try to find what was great about your post and take elements to incorporate in other posts. You can even try different combinations of stylistic, language, and formatting choices, keeping an eye on your analytics to see if it results in a bump in engagements. A post that gets a lot of reads, generates conversations, or even goes viral is an opportunity just waiting to be taken.  Image credit: Miguel A. Padrinan on Pexels Are you thinking of becoming a blogger? If you are, then there are a few things that you need to know to be able to do this. Some people have no idea how they should go about starting a blog or what they can do, but we’re here to give you the information that you need. So, if you want to know more about this topic, then keep reading down below. Something You’re Passionate About
If you’re deciding to go with something that is based on passion, you’ve got to think about what you’re passionate about. What do you love enough to dedicate an entire blog to it? When you’ve answered this question, you can start writing content. Some blogs have a number of topics on them, and there’s nothing wrong with this as it provides that little bit of everything. However, some people are searching for a more specific type of blog that caters to a certain audience. If you can manage to insert yourself in one of these places, then this is going to be great for you. You will be able to build up a following of people who are interested in what you have to say, and you’re filling a gap. Never know how it might end up, you could end up getting paid for your blog depending on how successful it is. Something You Have Extensive Knowledge Of Or, you might want to write about something that you have extensive knowledge of. The good thing about this is that you are providing something useful to those who are searching for a specific type of content. We bet that some industries or even certain areas of industries don’t have a lot written about them, but you could be the exception. For example, if someone needed to know about pneumatic systems, then you could recommend Tameson pneumatic cylinders or whatever you think is best for the individual problem. You will give them a specialized account of why you’re saying what you’re saying while giving them the advice that they are looking for. You never know when your area of expertise can come in handy, and you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to share your knowledge if you want to. How To Set Up Your Blog You’re also going to need to know how to set up your blog. This is going to include ensuring that you find a domain to host your site, then setting up the background theme, how you want the layout to be and so on. It’s not just going to be a case of bang, and then you’re done, it’s going to take some time. You are going to want people to be drawn to your blog, and if it looks generic, then that’s not going to happen. We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now understand some of the things that you need to know if you want to be a blogger. Good luck, and have a lot of fun!  Image credit: Mohamed Hassan on Pixabay Increasing traffic on your blog is one of those eternal aims that never goes away. But how can you make it happen? Well, luckily for you, it’s not rocket science. And with a little hard work and time, you’ll be able to get your blog traffic numbers to where you want them to be. Find out about how to do that and which steps you can take by reading on now and finding out what you need to know. Write More
The first thing you can do is start writing a little more. When you’re blogging, consistency really matters a lot. If you aren’t keeping your blog consistent and regularly updated, you’re going to face problems, so try to write more and keep that content flowing. It’s something that you’ll need to plan out and it often helps bloggers to create a schedule as well. Publicize Your Content More Effectively on Social Media It’s important that you publicize your content and get it out there via social media. This is essential because if you already have a base of interested people following your social media accounts, this could be your number 1 source of blog traffic if you use those platforms effectively. Just make sure you’re using the right social media platforms for the audience you want to reach. Nail Down Your Niche If you have a niche approach, you’ll be able to foster a more loyal community of readers, which is the way it should be. If you haven’t yet managed to nail down a niche, that’s something you should definitely work on. A scattershot approach is never going to work out the way you want it to, so it really does pay off to focus on one niche and then stick to it. Understand SEO Better SEO is one of the things that matters most when it comes to reaching people. Understanding all of the key SEO metrics and knowing how search engines work will make a big difference when it comes to reaching target customers. If it’s something that you’ve struggled with and failed to get to grips with, put in the effort now because it really will provide you with long-term gains. Allow and Encourage Social Sharing As well as sharing your own content on your social media profiles, you also need to encourage other people to share your content as well. Social sharing is made possible by adding sharing buttons to the pages of your website, making it possible for people to share content with the click of a button is really helpful. It could make a big difference to the reach of your content. When it comes to the health and success of your blog, there are few more important factors or more relevant indicators than blog traffic. The ideas above will help you to get more people heading to your blog and taking an interest in what you have to say. And your blog will grow in success from there.  Image credit: Brooke Cagle on Unsplash The advantages of starting a freelance enterprise are appealing - you can set your own hours, find your own clients, work as much or a little as you like, well, sometimes! But with 54 million Americans now self-employed in the freelance industry, it’s safe to say there’s never been a better time to get involved. Indeed there is an abundance of opportunity out there today: something for everyone. If you're a photographer you could get into content photography - selling you photos to stock photo websites. Writers have the obvious route into blogging and content creation but loads of other opportunities also exist. And if you’re handy with digital tools like the Adobe suite then you’ll be just right for a brand looking to update its logo or website. Read on to find out how to launch your freelance enterprise.
Define Your Goal Every successful entrepreneur will agree that one of the best routes to success is to define your goal. You need to know what you are doing and why you are doing it. This will not only give you clarity of purpose it will also be your measure of success. Be honest with yourself in this respect, do you want to freelance to earn some extra money on the side? To give up your day job and work entirely for yourself? Or do you have bigger ambitions: such as earning a million dollars? These big picture goals will be your guild through the lifetime of your enterprise. That is unless you fully achieve your big idea and then need to redefine your goals. After you have your big idea you can start thinking about the smaller first steps required to getting there. Find A Profitable Niche The digital world today offers a vast array of possibilities when it comes to finding a profitable niche. Even if your market is saturated such as writing, photography, or graphic design, there are still ways to market yourself in innovative ways to stand out and compete on more than just price. The low and no alcohol industry has done just that taking a huge slice of the market in the top countries for Beer Consumption. But the reality is there will always be someone in your industry with lower overheads than you who is able to be more competitive. Actually, consumers today look more at what a freelancer can offer than how much they’re going to cost. The best advice is to analyse what specifically you can offer - are you content writer for digital trends, an environmental photographer, or an indie graphic designer. Identify the qualities that make you stand out in your field and concentrate on both developing those and marketing yourself in the narrowest possible way. Pitch Yourself Finally pitching yourself is all important! Whether it is to a client or an agency, you need to sell your skills as something a client needs to solve a pressing issue in their industry. By the time you reach this stage of your project you should have skills you can offer and a portfolio to direct clients to. Make a strong pitch through email on the website of your target client. Sell your strengths and anticipate any answers that might come up. Use a visually appealing layout for your pitch, be engaging, and don’t give up.  Image credit: Kaboompics .com from Pexels If you can think about it, there's probably a blog about it out there. That's how popular blogging has become over the years. But like every other thing, it had quite humble beginnings. Blogging, as a whole, was first introduced in the 90s and gained popularity in the 2000s with many people using it as a way to journal online. Today, blogging has gone from being a mere hobby to a solid line of business, with new blogs springing up every minute.
Nevertheless, the common mistake new bloggers make is to focus on the design, themes, and obsessing over visitor views. While all these are important, they are distractions from what matters, and what truly makes a blog grow. Here are four things every blogger who is aspiring to succeed should know. 1. Have a Purpose A blog can be anything you want it to be, and the options are endless. However, not having a clear purpose will leave you less motivated when things get tough. To get the gears running, questions like, “Why are you starting a blog?” “What do you want your blog to be associated with?” and, “Who are your target audience?” will help you find a purpose and niche. The good thing about having a clear purpose is that it serves as a source of motivation and helps you stay on track. 2. Patience and Consistency are Key It is said that Rome was not built in one day, so best believe that the success of your blog won't materialize overnight. You will have to be patient through the process and focus on providing quality content consistently. Consistency here means creating a schedule for your posts and committing to it, no matter what. More so, impatience will have you obsessing over your blog’s views, which will eventually make you give up or fall into the trap of creating trendy content that lacks substance. You see, it's not all about putting out clickbait pieces and trashy stories. You need to find ways to add value to your readers' lives, so if you keep putting out low quality work, your readers will migrate. 3. Do Not Be Tight Fisted The notion that blogging is free is what leads many new bloggers to their doom. While there are blogging platforms out there that offer you the option of blogging for free, it's not the right fit if you actually want to run a successful blog one day. The same way a pharmacist needs to invest in a pharmacy freezer, you must be ready to invest in your blog. If you want to make money blogging, you will need a customized domain and unique website design, because it points to professionalism. 4. Engage With Your Readers Just because you have gained some popularity blogging, that does not mean you should ignore your readers. Ignoring readers is a common mistake many bloggers make once they hit their peak. You have to try to stay grounded and remember that your readers made you. So, respond to their comments, it doesn't have to be all of them, a handful here and there shows that you care. In addition to this, engaging readers through your social media platforms is a great idea, especially if you do not post frequently. For instance, if you post once a week, you can use the other days of the week to engage with your readers on social media through quotes, pictures, or even memes. This keeps your blog and brand fresh on their minds.  Image credit: Carl Heyerdahl on Unsplash Lockdown has affected many businesses, completely changing forward work programmes and many of the things you had planned over the coming months. Businesses have had to adapt, with many now operating remotely to survive during this tough time.
While face to face engagement and sales might be off the cards for now, there is a lot you can do to promote your business online and generate some interest now and in the future. Don’t sit there idle waiting for something to happen, work on building better content to connect with more people. Here are four ways to improve your digital content in lockdown: 1. Finally start planning ahead There are always good intentions when it comes to social media scheduling. But for small businesses especially, it can be difficult to keep up. With lockdown restricting some business activities, however, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to create a social media schedule and get ahead with your content. From evergreen content that can take you to the end of the year to planning a variety of campaigns, use the time to get your social media schedule in order. 2. Use animated videos if you can’t film Filming videos is difficult right now, especially if your content typically features other people, locations, etc. While you can film pieces to camera at home, it’s worth experimenting with other types of video content to help you engage with your followers. There are animated explainer video production companies that can help you create some amazing content that can boost your brand and generate interest in your business. Animated explainers are a good investment as they have longevity, making some excellent cornerstone content for your business. 3. Host virtual events Events are great for connecting with clients and customers. When you’re launching a new product or service, or you want to thank them, an event can be an effective way of boosting your engagement. But just because you can’t host a physical event right now, doesn’t mean you can’t host a virtual one. From panel talks to demonstrations and performances, you’ve got a great opportunity to do something interesting online. Virtual events need a lot of promotion, but it’ll be worth it to help you get the most from this new way of connecting. 4. Promote uplifting content It’s a difficult time right now, with people everywhere struggling to adjust to this way of living, and feeling uncertain about the future too. While businesses are trying new ways of reaching out, you could also use your platforms to do some good too. From raising money to sharing content designed to inspire, motivate and entertain, there’s a lot you could be doing to help improve the mood of the nation. Consider using your social media in a positive way now, using your position to help others. While the coronavirus pandemic has proved problematic for many elements of businesses, there are opportunities for growth and change too. They say innovation is the seed of success, and this is something that can be true for your business. Begin with your digital content to help boost your business during this difficult time.  Image credit: Bich Tran on Pexels If you’re feeling overwhelmed by Covid-19 you’re certainly not alone. Most people are feeling a little anxious, and concerned over what it may bring. Restrictions have been put into place right across the globe and many people face a period of isolation at some point. This comes with a lot of concerns including lack of essentials, no access to medication, the feeling a=of being trapped, and getting bored. Many people are talking out about their concerns, but not many are thinking of ways they can fill their time with useful and productive tasks. Once you’ve completed any working from requirements, you are likely to have a little more free time than usual, but what can you do with it?
Some of the thing you could do include: Updating Your Resume This is a task that often gets left behind until you are searching for a new job. It’s understandable though, as most will not think they need to update until such as time. However, updating your resume as you learn a new skill is a great practice to be in. Whether you suddenly lose your job from something like Covid-19 or see an opportunity that’s too good to miss, you’re going to want your resume to be as up to date as possible so you can act fast. Learn A New Skill If you ave found that you now have more time on your hands, learning a new skill is a great reason to use some of it. Whether you fancy learning a new hobby like sewing, painting, or baking or you want to learn a professional qualification, this could be a great time to start. It will not only improve your skill set but it will also help you keep focused and motivated. Long-Term Projects There is usually at least one long-term project that you haven’t got around to. Maybe you’ve been thinking of starting a blog, decorating the bedroom or landscaping the garden. If you find yourself with some free time during a lockdown (where you are still able to leave the house for limited reasons) then it could give you the opportunity to be productive and get one of these ticked off. For example, if you’ve been meaning to move some stuff from your home or garden think about using Sydney Ute Van Hire to finally get it taken to the dump yard, charity shop or recycling centre. Reassess Or Create A Budget Most people will live the wing it mode when it comes to money. However, if Covid-19 has taught us anything, it’s that a budget can help us through a tough time. You may be more concerned about money now more than ever, meaning a budget could really help to minimise this stress. If you know exactly where you stand you will be able to start planning for the future and make it through Covid-19 in a possibly better financial situation. Staying at home for long periods of time can be challenging. Remember to wipe everything down regularly, wash your hands, and try to use the time to complete something productive.  Image credit: Tracy Le Blanc on Pixabay Blogs have become hugely popular over the last few years, and there’s been a steady increase of those who’ve actually made a full-time career off the back of it. Regardless of whether you consider it a business or not, there are ways to help improve your blog through the use of social media. Make Use Of Hashtags & Trends
Consider the social media platforms and how they perform on a day to day basis. You have Twitter that tends to have a trending element, and that might be a way of getting your blog promoted. And there are platforms like Instagram, that might use hashtags in order to promote content. It’s good to know first what each social media platform does, how to be popular on said platform, and what you might find useful to use for your blog. Once you’ve done that, you then want to work on using the elements that can make you popular on the platform. Whether they be hashtags or trending topics that you could piggyback off of, it’s good to learn the ropes where you can, and you’ll eventually get better at it. Promote Other Bloggers There are lots of other bloggers out there, and a good way to help promote your own blog is by helping to promote other bloggers. Look for those bloggers who have similar audiences to you and find ways to help build your blogger audience by advertising other bloggers. It could simply be featuring them on your Instagram story or mentioning them in a tweet. All bloggers have to start from the bottom and working their way up the chain of popularity can often be a case of them working with other bloggers and getting a leg up where needed. Interact With Your Followers Your followers are definitely important when it comes to growing your blog, and you, therefore, want to try and interact with them as often as possible. The more you engage with them, the more they’re likely going to engage with your content and your blog content too. Social media again can be a very good example of how to get more personal with your followers and by connecting your social media handles to your website and vice versa, you’re helping to boost your following across all channels. Feature On Other People’s Blogs As mentioned above, being friendly with other bloggers can be helpful. There are other ways to collaborate with bloggers in order to boost your following and improve your blog’s reputation, and that’s through guest posts. Guest posts can be a way of you providing content to another blogger, and in return, there’s a link in that post to your website. Not only does that look good for the search engines when it comes to your site, but it also sends their traffic over to yours. Improving your blog on social media is definitely something you want to take advantage of when you have the chance. Use social media as a tool for helping bring more traffic and attention to your blog.  Image credit: geralt on Pixabay Developing a new product is the cornerstone of any successful business, especially startups. You need to create something that meets the needs of consumers while also turning over a healthy profit for you. Getting to that point, however, can be a challenge. Building a product isn’t just a matter of getting out there and doing the work - it requires time and patience to get right. The failure rate for new products and services is notoriously high. In some quarters, it is north of 90 percent, meaning that that majority of new products on the market fail. So what’s the key here? How can you nail your product development cycle and deliver something that will generate substantial profits? Start By Satisfying A Need New products don’t just emerge out of the ether - they come from the fact that they solve problems that consumers have. We already have a highly sophisticated economy, churning out millions of different goods each year for these needs. So there is a lot of knowledge already about what customers want. The market is already excellent at determining their needs and satisfying them. Any new product, therefore, needs to fit into this context. It must understand how the market is currently failing consumers and how the new product can compete. And it needs to improve on whatever is already out there in some way. The most successful products, therefore, aren’t always something entirely novel. Instead, they find a way to improve on an existing formula while preserving their competitive advantage. Find Out How Much The Opportunity Is Worth You might have an excellent idea for a niche product, but if the market for it is small, you might not make a return on your original investment. Ideally, you want to figure out which market segments are most likely to consume whatever you build. Then you need to determine whether you will generate sufficient revenue for it to be worth your time.  Image credit: Mohamed _hassan on Pixabay User research platform, Userzoom, says that companies should try to understand the needs of users before building a new product or service and then validate prototypes. This approach helps to reduce risks and ensure that there is a feasible market out, therefore, for the products when you finally decide to scale.
Working out the size of the opportunity is, therefore, vital. You might have a product that a particular niche wants, but if there are too few people, you’ll ultimately wind up out of pocket. Figure Out How You Will Develop The Product The best way to work out how to develop a product is to look at how the market operates already. Look at the methods that companies already use to ship new goods and services to their customers and actually make it happen. Ask yourself the following questions:
Test Your Prototype In As Many Ways As You Can Prototypes are an essential stage in producing a successful product. They are the point where you find out whether you will be able to deliver something the market will accept or not. Companies tend, however, to look at their products through rose-tinted glasses. They see them as to how they want to see them, rather than how actual customers will. Regular people are the harshest critics of what you sell. If there’s a slight weakness or flaw, they’ll find it and let you know in online reviews. Prototyping, therefore, is your opportunity to wipe out as many of these concerns as possible. Be brutal with your product. Test it to its limits. If you find a flaw, plot a course of action to fix it. Ask yourself whether the product is robust enough, fast enough, or sufficiently flexible. Be honest with yourself about whether it offers customers enough features, or if there are too many. Also, question whether you can deliver it to the market on time. Many companies work to strict time constraints. There is a window of opportunity that they must exploit if they want their enterprise to thrive. If they miss it, then the profit opportunity will vanish. A prototype, therefore, could have all the bells and whistles imaginable. Still, if it is going to take years to bring to scale, then it is not fulfilling the needs of the business. Long development cycles are often what kills new companies. The chance for the product to shine passes. Figure Out How To Position The Product Once you’ve designed the product and studied your market thoroughly, the next step is to position it ready for launch. Companies need to have a good sense of where their product fits alongside the other options available in the marketplace. Positioning the product is essential and usually requires some pretty savvy marketing. For instance, is your product designed for a premium audience? Or are you looking to target people on a budget? Does your product offer superior technology than its competitors? Or does it do the same thing, but at a lower price? Finally, how will you use your brand image to sell the product? Will you use a value-driven approach where you talk about the broader benefits of your product? Or will you tap into different customer philosophies? Remember, your advertising doesn’t have to focus on product features. Instead, you can simply focus on how your company makes people feel. Coca-Cola, for instance, doesn’t talk about the high sugar content of its drinks. Instead, it just associates its brand with having a good time.  Image credit: StockSnap on Pixaby.com For years, sports companies have marketed their products to the choir - the skinny people most likely to wear them to the gym. Their advertising was flush with slim, toned people, jogging for miles, water bottle in hand, looking like they could conquer mountains. But, of course, that’s a long way from the real world. While Nike and the others sell to fit people, they also sell to a whole raft of other individuals who would like to get active but have a long way to go. Yet, until recently, they ignored that sizable constituency.  Image credit: sbl0323 on Pixaby.com That, however, is changing. Sports clothes companies can no longer ignore the fact that the vast bulk of their customers are on the heavier side. And they can’t resist the cultural shift in the direction of being more inclusive and making everyone feel as if they can enjoy exercise. The marketing would have you believe that we were still in the 1950s when practically everyone was slim and toned. That world no longer exists.
So what’s changed? Well, recently, Nike opened a store in London called NikeTown. As well as all the usual marketing material, the store featured large female mannequins, deliberately designed to show what the company’s products look like on bigger women. And we’re not just talking about slightly bigger either. These mannequins are at least triple the size of the regular variety and depict realistic excess fat distribution. Part of the push in this direction comes from the fact that Nike wants to be seen as supporting the current increase in female sports popularity. Women’s football has taken off in recent years, as has the idea that women should be at the gym with men, toning their bodies and increasing their strength. Nike, of course, isn’t the first company to take this tack. We’ve seen other brands, such as Old Navy and Debenhams, take a similar approach, placing plus-size mannequins alongside the regular variety. But this is a big turnaround for a brand that has traditionally associated itself with the body beautiful. How this change will impact health and female participation in sport remains to be seen. Currently, its popularity is on the rise, but whether Nike is upstream or downstream from that isn’t clear. What is obvious, though, is that the clothing industry is going to have to change. Customers no longer want to feel as if they have to fit into a particular mold. They want brands to represent them and provide them with just as many opportunities to buy clothes as their slim counterparts. Retail can’t afford to miss this opportunity. The high street is shrinking, and we’re seeing more clothing companies shift online. COVID-19 will probably accelerate that process even faster. Stores, therefore, need to take whatever steps they can to appeal to their entire customer base. They might have aesthetic preferences for slimmer people, but the reality is that most buyers are either overweight or obese. Only a small fraction of the population can identify with super-toned models wearing skin-tight clothing. |
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Author, Editor, Creator of Learn Develop Live Archives
January 2021
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