by Rahimah Sultan

Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. There is no expense to you.

In my last article we covered what to do before you start blogging.


Now, you need to actually set up your blog.


How do you go about setting up a blog?



1. The first step to setting up a blog is picking the right topic.

For a personal blog you’re only concerned about enjoying the topic and having fun.

But, if you want to create income you need a winning blog topic.

Don’t try to be unique or clever. Pick a topic that has an existing audience and popular blogs already competing for the audience attention.

Who will link to you if there is no competition? Where will you get your audience? How will anyone find you?



2. The correct blogging platform is vital. To test the water you can start with a free blog at Medium.com and check ideas for viability. (A suggestion only. No compensation for me.)

When you’re ready to build an audience and make money online, use self-hosted WordPress.

That’s WordPress.org NOT WordPress.com

You can check out the difference here.



3. Now, decide on a domain name. Make a list of topics that interest you. These could be topics you think might be profitable, hobbies, or something random you’ve read about.

When your list is complete, check out these questions:

Do blogs on this topic have a Facebook page with more than 10k fans?
Do any blogs on this topic more than 50k followers on Twitter?
Does Amazon have any books with more than 30 reviews on this topic?
Are there any Google ads when you search for words and phrases related to this topic?
Do any words or phrases related to this topic have more than 100k searches in Google’s Keyword Planner tool?

If the answer to these questions is yes, you’re good to go.


Your domain name needs to represent your audience, a specific topic, and a benefit. For example:

Name the Audience.   TheBlogStarter.com

Name the Specific Topic.   TechRadar.com

Name the Benefit.   MakeALivingWriting.com


Once you’ve made a decision on your domain name, you need to check its availability and purchase it through a domain registrar. Any one of the following would be a good choice, and the fee is about $8 to $10 per year for a .com extension.

http://www.godaddy.com
http://www.namecheap.com
http://www.networksolutions.com
http://www.onlydomains.com



4. Purchase a web hosting plan. You need a place for your website on the Internet. You can pay a small fee to keep your website on the Internet, handle all your visitors, back up your website, provide customer support, manage the security of your website, and so on.

There are loads of WordPress hosts, but I recommend HostThenProfit.com (affiliate link).


Do not purchase anything else when you buy a domain name. The registrars will try to get you to do so, but don’t take the bait, as you’ll be setting everything up under your web hosting plan.

You’re now ready to roll.


So, how do you set up a blog?

By following these steps you can create your blog, grow an audience, and start earning a real, tangible income.

Don’t wait days, weeks, or months to get started. Start a blog today — right now.

Get Your System With Autoresponder Here

by Rahimah Sultan

Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. There is no expense to you.

If you use SEO (search engine optimization) in the right way, it is one of the most effective ways to attract potential customers to your website. If you rank on page one of the SERP (Search Engine Results Pages) you will generate organic traffic.

This is where you need SEO.

In this article I will cover seven SEO trends to leverage in your online advertising.


1) CORE WEB VITALS

Google is rolling out a new algorithm update which integrates a new set of metrics known as Core Web Vitals into what Google has traditionally referred to as “page experience.” These metrics measure how long it takes a user to get to your page, how easy/difficult it is for the user to initially interact with your page, and how easy/difficult it is for the user to become disoriented due to inconsistencies/shifts in your page design.


2) GOOGLE’S BERT

Google’s BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) algorithm uses machine learning and natural processing to understand what users are actually looking for. With the BERT update Google search engine bots are much more “conversational.” Google’s algorithm can interpret the intent of a searcher. In other words, Google can understand things like the human brain.

To optimize for Google’s BERT be sure your content and the keyword intent match. If people are searching for “seo” as a keyword on Google, they want to know about SEO. On the other hand, they may search “seo services” or “seo expert.”

Always perform a keyword search on Google before writing your content to be sure the keyword you’re trying to rank for matches the searchers’ intent. You can do a search to find free and paid SEO tools.


3) KEYWORD RESEARCH

Keyword research is becoming more important. Use long-tail and targeted keywords, and understand the intent. While SEO tools are important to use you need to analyze the SERP for the keyword before selecting it.

If the intent is right, even a low-volume keyword with only 10-20 searches per month can still generate thousands of dollars.

That’s why you do your keyword research with patience and find keywords that can easily rank and generate income for you.


4) ORIGINAL CONTENT

Google still wants original content. That is, unique content that hasn’t been published elsewhere. It must be authentic, useful, and add value in your own brand voice and language.


5) VOICE SEARCH

A staggering number of the global population are using voice search on their mobile phones. These search queries are long-tail and extremely specific.


6) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Due to the personalization that AI provides, it is changing the SEO and marketing industry. Google uses AI to provide searchers with the results they’re looking for.


7) VIDEO MARKETING

YouTube, the second most popular search engine (Google being number one), has over a billion users. Now is the time to get started with videos if you aren’t already using them.

To optimize video content for search engines, start by optimizing your video channel name and description. Keywords are important, however, don’t overdo it. Just provide a user-friendly description about your channel.

As you start typing the topic of your video, related suggested keywords will pop up in the search field. You can use these for optimizing your video to reach the right audience.

Remember, to rank higher or just to maintain rankings with Google’s ever-evolving algorithm, you need to keep modifying your SEO strategy.

These are seven SEO trends to leverage in your online advertising. Keep these trends in mind and use them to continue driving relevant traffic to your website.


Hosting and More

by Rahimah Sultan

Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. There is no expense to you.

Internet marketing is more effective than traditional advertising. Online marketing is an economical way to get the word out about your products, services and your company. You don’t have to spend a large amount of money so a small budget works just as well as a large one.

Brand awareness is easy when you use the power of the internet. If you setup your marketing properly you’ll have a better online presence, get more traffic and be better able to compete against those who have already built good, strong businesses using effective Internet marketing.

If you don’t market your business you won’t be able to generate leads or make your products and services known. The Internet connects more people than could ever be directly connected in person.


Why is Internet Marketing Cost Effective?

Although it takes money to run any size successful business, it’s natural to be hesitant when it comes to spending without guarantee of success. There are numerous cost-effective Internet marketing strategies available.

Whether you decide to use a website, social media or some other method, Internet marketing can increase visibility of your business and make it marketable and more profitable. You’ll need to think of your marketing strategy in terms of something other than just traffic numbers. You need targeted traffic — those who are looking for what you have to offer.

You can use social media as part of your marketing plan. It cost very little to set up a Facebook page and discuss your product or service with billions of people, some who will be in your local community. There is also Instagram and Twitter, among others.


What are Some Effective Internet Marketing Techniques?

Besides social media there is:

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Use SEO for your site in order to rank at the top of search engine results, thereby increasing the amount of traffic to your website or blog.

EMAIL MARKETING

Email marketing is relatively simple, inexpensive, and can generate profit. You want to build a list of clients, prospects, customers and subscribers who want to hear from you. Then you can regularly market to them via email to keep them abreast of your projects and remain a priority and generate more sales.

AI CHATBOT

You can integrate a chatbot into your marketing strategy to qualify leads, interact with site visitors, and personalize the customer experience. Chatbot marketing may seem new to you, but it has quickly gained lots of popularity.

VIDEO MARKETING

Videos are educational and informative. You can use them to demonstrate your products to help customers understand them. They help you stay competitive and boost conversion rates.

Keep things simple when you are just starting out, and use only a couple of these techniques. As you get results add more.

Be sure to have a written plan with your goals and budget and incorporate these effective Internet marketing strategies.


Get Your System With Autoresponder Here

by Rahimah Sultan

Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. There is no expense to you.

Your moneymaker is content.



Why is this?

You must have a plan because your content is also your sales pitch, billboard, brochure, and portfolio all combined into one.


Successful Internet marketing requires planned content.


Therefore, you must lay out a plan for implementing your moneymaker – content.


Your content must be structured and organized to reach your audience.


Whether you’re a blogger, a professional marketer, or a social media strategist, you need good well-organized content.


When laying out your plan consider the following for content development:


How to reach a larger audience through organic promotion
How to design content for different readers
How to produce new quality content
How to create trust
How to convert visitors into repeat (paying) customers


It needs to be well-written, shareable, and educational, and it should confirm your reputation as an authority.



What is content development?


Content development has two sides.

1. Engineering

The engineering is strategic planning of how and when to distribute content.


2.  Architecture

The architecture is side two, content creation – the actual writing.


You have to master both. Put as much effort, or more, into planning as you do producing content.



Content development is very important.

It’s the plan you use to envision the structure of your goals and the strategies to achieve them.


Content development prevents you from missing deadlines and eliminates procrastination and other distractions. There are steps to take when developing content.



What are the steps or stages in content development?


1. Define Content Goals

The first thing you need to do is define your content goals.

Does your content add value such as education and problem solving?
Who is your audience?
Where will you post your content?
What is your schedule for getting out your content?
What is your strategy for having your audience find and interact with content?
What makes your content unique and innovative?



2. Learn About Your Audience

Research your customers’ buying habits and behaviors. Pay attention to their comments and suggestions. Use Google Analytics tools.



3. Create a Content Development Calendar

This calendar shown contain what to post, how often, and dates of postings. The calendar helps avoid duplication and gaps in content. They also help you plan for milestones, so you make the most of important events and holidays.



4. Use a System

Use a system for your writing process for efficiency and performance. Utilize templates for blogs, white papers, infographics, video scripts, charts, and graphs. Set up writing guidelines to ensure consistency in branding and quality.

Test out content variations and different tones for different audiences. Collect performance data and which content generates the best results?



5. Study Your Competition

Analyze your top competitors and stay relevant using their best practices. Find out what they’re lacking and fill that gap.

Don’t give visitors any reason to bounce to your competitors. Ask your audience what they want and start giving it to them.



6. Use Social Media

Use a variety of social media channels and post regularly but not too often, and make it easy to share your content.



7. SEO

You need search engine optimization for effective digital marketing.

Know and use the fundamentals of good SEO writing:

Make sure all your web content is indexed.
Be sure to use proper formatting tags (H1, H2, etc.)
Keep individual page URLs short and use dashes to separate words.

Learn to rank for Google.  Produce authoritative content and Google will prioritize your content.

Regularly perform keyword research.  That means using tools like SEMrush to find the best and most relevant keywords for your content.

Keep up with changing trends.  SEO marketing changes all the time. It pays to stay abreast with industry experts.



8. Free Content

Give away free content to your visitors. Educate them with free downloads filled with actionable tips and helpful tools they can use. Teach them a skill, so they feel empowered and grateful.

If visitors don’t stay on your page, they can revisit your portable download later.

The downloads establish you as an expert, expand your network, and are easy to share, spreading word-of-mouth interest.


Your free content can be:

Blog articles
Newsletters
Infographics and memes
Emails with coupons
Videos
Tutorials and courses
Templates
E-Books


Freebies are proven lead magnets that make visitors happy and draw them closer to buying your products or services.



9. Know What Constitutes Top-Performing Content

Capture the attention of visitors with a platform rich in quality content so they convert into paying customers.

The best content promotes interest, solves a problem, and leaves customers wanting more.

It establishes your reputation as an industry expert.

Generating consistently top-performing (and high-ranking) content is easier than you might imagine:

Stay focused and concise.
Be engaging.
Answer your readers’ questions.
Quote industry experts.
Be adaptable and agile.
Write for your audience.
Link to High Domain Authority (DA) Sources
Learn to Write for “Scanners,” those who only scan and glance.



10. Educate While Entertaining

The best content creators use compelling storytelling to captivate readers and sell their message; to explain problems and solutions through relatable narratives using analogies, humor, and emotion to make their stories memorable. So, tell some stories, and don’t get lost in the narrative. You’re not writing a novel. You still have to get to the point.


Now, develop your winning strategy that includes your calendar with short -and long-term goals for success. Remember that successful Internet marketing requires planned content. Write your content with this information in mind.


Hosting and More

by Rahimah Sultan

Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. There is no expense to you.

Many people who are trying to start a full-time or side business are looking for home business ideas. With new technology and software, opportunities to create a low-cost home-based business have never been easier.

Here are 7 home-based business ideas:

1. Web Development and Digital Marketing

Although websites have seemingly been around for ages, people still need high-quality sites. As a web developer you have many options for creating websites.

In order for you to create custom websites, you’ll need to learn code. If you are proficient at WordPress, you can set up sites for people or teach others how to use it. WordPress and others like it are semi-custom websites.

A semi-custom website can earn you about $2,500. However, if you build websites using code you can make up to $15,000 or more.

Digital marketing is a term that includes any online strategies used to get more customers to a business. This includes online Ads, social media marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and Google My Business.

The goal of digital marketing is to help businesses make money. If you can do that, you can create a business as a freelancer or marketing agency.

2. Affiliate Marketing

Although the term affiliate marketing has several meanings, it typically means selling someone else’s products for a fee.

Affiliate marketing can work for you if you recommend a product, service, or software on your website. You earn a commission for every person that clicks on your unique link and buys a product. The difficulty is finding people to sell affiliate products to? You have to build an audience of people who know, like and trust you. You can do this by way of a website, an email list, social media channels, or a video platform. Once you have an audience you can recommend your affiliate products and services to them.

3. Personal Trainer

As a personal trainer you can freelance in your own home, a client’s home or a public place such as a park, beach, or parking lot.

It’s helpful to have documented results from clients. If you’re just starting as a personal trainer, consider taking on a couple of committed clients at a cut-rate and document their outcomes. Then you can show their success on your website, on social media, and in your marketing materials. Rates can range from $11 to $52 an hour.

4. Yoga Instructor

Yoga instruction is similar to personal training in that you can host classes outside. You can also teach virtual classes with a software to assist you like namastream which provides the tools needed for a successful virtual yoga business. Use the software to create multiple membership options, set up autopay, and integrate email marketing.

5. Voice-Over Artist

The demand for voice over artists is high due to the rise of e-learning and e-books. Also, the diversity of voice quality has increased with people looking for unique accents and dialects.

Technological advances have proven advantageous to the voice over industry and have brought it to a new level with the arrival of podcasts, audiobooks, and even smart devices that enable self-command features.

You are not limited to jobs in your local area. With a voice coach you like and believe would properly train you, try remote coaching which makes use of video chat apps such as Skype and FaceTime, and podcasts and webinars.

Even as assistive apps such as Alexa and Siri have grown in popularity, people still prefer the emotional connection of a real human voice.

6. Sell Handmade products

You can sell handmade products through a third-party website like Etsy or AmazonHandmade. If you use a third-party site instead of your own ecommerce site, you gain access to the third-party site’s visitors.

On Etsy and AmazonHandmade you can sell jewelry, pet toys, candles, ornaments, bath bombs, face masks, knitted products, and personalized planners.

It will take time to build credibility. The potential trust customers have in your products and store will increase as you get more satisfied customers.

7. Pet Sitting

Consider becoming a pet sitter if you love pets and have experience taking care of them. While you can do your own local marketing to find customers, you can also use a website such as Rover.com to connect with those looking for dog boarding, walking, and day care.

As far as pricing, a walk in your local neighborhood can be $15 to $20. A trip to a dog park which requires more work and supervision may cost $20 to $30. Day sitting ranges from $25-$50, and overnight boarding costs between $50 and $75 per night.

To increase your fees you can offer additional services such as mobile grooming or dog training certification.

Freelancing using one of these seven home-based business ideas is a great way to start a home-based business. You can practice your service on, or sell the product to people you know in exchange for free or at a discount and get testimonials. When you have quality experiences and good results to share, use that in your overall business marketing.


Hosting and More

by Rahimah Sultan

Do you have a blog set up?


If you have a blog online you have established your online presence in business, and you most likely know the benefits of article marketing.


Use your blog as your marketing tool for articles that promote your products and services. Blog article marketing, can bring more visibility to your site and establish you as an authority in your area of expertise.


Use article marketing to add fresh content to your site and create visibility and authority. It’s a cost-effective way to drive visitors to your website and a way to obtain potential customers. When you write about your offers you can place a link in the article that redirects wherever you wish – to a squeeze page, another article, or a website.



What are some ways to gain publicity and credibility?


Write articles

Writing articles and marketing them via free article directories is one way to get more publicity for your site, products, and services.

There are millions of sources on the Internet with a non-stop appetite for content and articles written by people like you. There are plenty websites and newsletters that need articles daily. If someone uses your article, you get instant publicity and credibility.

The best articles are ones that contain great useful information. They may solve a problem or offer resourceful tips of some type. These are often the kinds of articles that get the most reads and are picked up by other webmasters. Just don’t give away all your secrets at once. You want readers to have a reason to revisit your site.


Do what you say you’ll do

Know the value of what you offer. Whatever your product or service, over-deliver.  Your customers might be pleasantly surprised with getting better service than they’re accustomed to.


Be honest

Honesty is self-explanatory.


Be genuine

Being genuine goes along with honesty.


Communicate clearly

Don’t use a lot of business jargon when writing. Be yourself. Use your own writing style. Write the way you talk.  You win trust by communicating clearly how what you offer will benefit your audience. Position yourself as someone who can help.

Don’t make everything about getting a sale. First, communicate with prospective customers so they get to know, like, and trust you. Then you can present your offers, maybe once in every three or four contacts with them.


Be consistent

When using social media channels like Facebook and others, be sure your message is consistent across all those channels. It should align with the values and mission you’ve established for your business.


Use a resource box

In about 50 words describe what you’re about and include a link back to your site.


When writing be sure you’re reaching your target audience by including a clear call to action. Start with a blogging schedule that you can maintain, maybe once a week.


In summary, you can use your blog as your basic marketing tool for advertising your products and services. As people visit and read the information on your blog, you gain publicity and credibility. Use your blog as your marketing tool for articles that inform people what your business is about.


Hosting and More

Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. There is no expense to you.

Blog article marketing for your business is a cost-effective way to drive traffic to your website or blog. It’s also a way of acquiring potential customers, a way to get your website indexed on search engines, and a way to promote your site and to get backlinks.

Using blog article marketing for your business makes good sense. Since blogging doesn’t cost anything on most websites, you can choose a popular blogging platform and connect your blog with your other marketing campaigns. This lets you connect and have conversations with the people that visit your site and it’s a great way to engage customers.

Starting your own blog doesn’t have to be complicated. Here is an article that was written some time ago, but the information it contains is still current.

Once your blog is set up and you consistently write informative articles, your reputation within your niche will improve and this offers you a good way to improve your income.

A blog is an indispensable tool for your business.


Build Your Following

To build your following offer your readers important information that is helpful. Share useful and interesting content on a regular basis.

Use a warm, friendly casual style even when writing on technical subjects. You don’t want to be boring and drive away readers.


Get Found by Search Engines

To help your article get found by search engines, use your main keyword or keyword phrase in the title, header, sub-headings, and in the URL, which leads to more traffic and sales.

The first paragraphs of your article should be the best and very powerful. Include the best information here to grab the attention of both readers and search engines.

You want your audience to read the entire article so don’t give away too much at the beginning, just enough to grab their attention. Lead them down the page using your sub-headings under which you feed them even more interesting information.


Do Not Duplicate Content

For the best quality content, write your own articles. They should be original and fresh. Put forth your own spin and offer a unique outlook or suggestion to impress your readers. If search engines detect duplicate content you will be flagged and penalized, and your marketing becomes ineffective as search engines will not “pick up” your article.

Even though it’s true that the more people you have viewing your writing the better your chance of success, you don’t have to target large audiences with your article. You want the people that do read your articles to be those who are truly interested in what you have to say.

Never ignore your dedicated readers.

Blog article marketing for your business can be extremely lucrative. One of the most exciting parts about it is you’re building interest in you and your company and offers through unique and interesting articles.

Nothing is more important than drawing in readers and giving valuable information that will keep them coming back time and time again. The key to building long-term business relationships with your visitors and potential customers and clients is in providing them with valuable, quality information.



Your Web Hosting Essentials

by Rahimah Sultan

Advertising Disclosure: Marketing Success Review may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. There is no expense to you.

When you start an online business you’re probably selling one of three things:

Your time (coaching or consulting)
Your products (e-commerce)
Someone else’s products (affiliate marketing)Advertising


With a blog, you can sell all these. Blogging is the ultimate low-risk, high-reward business idea. You can set your plan in motion by starting a blog. You can test the waters by using it as a hobby or you can set yourself up as a scalable full-time business with a business structure such as an LLC, which requires filing certain paperwork for a fee.

You can use your blog to advertise whichever of these Seven Business Ideas for Working from Home that you choose or others.

Now, what are these seven business ideas for working from home?


1. Start a Profitable Blog

You need to be clear on your reason for starting a blog. For example:

To increase retirement nest egg
For the ability to quit your 9-5 job
To be able to spend more time with your family
To take more vacations

When you’re clear about your goals move forward with setting up your blog.

Install WordPress as your blogging platform if your eventual goal is to make money. A WordPress blog can be monetized.


2. Web Development

Front-end web development is a valued skill to cater to the rising demand for starting new websites.

Although there are a lot of tools to help small businesses create their own websites, developers are needed for more custom jobs. New businesses are always looking for efficient coders at cost-effective prices.

You can start by building websites for relatives and friends to improve your skills and then slowly transform your career into a more lucrative business plan.

Developers must have basic coding skills in computer languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. There are several cheap or free online courses that can help you learn and get started with web development.


3. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate Marketing is a branch of Internet marketing where the advertisement publisher gets paid for every customer or sale provided by him, i.e. publishers and bloggers.

This is not a new concept. It’s essentially, getting a commission on a sale. Affiliate marketing is a quick way to offer products and services without having to create your own.

For more information read my in-depth article on affiliate marketing.


4. WordPress Web Consultant

Small businesses and bloggers use WordPress to start their own website.

If you are experienced at setting up WordPress websites, use your skill to build a business.

Along with your consulting, you can offer digital marketing services to your clients as an additional income stream.

Once you build a successful business as a WordPress website consultant, you can change your business into a digital marketing agency.


5. Freelance Content Writing

There is a huge demand for content writers. If you can create engaging stories and write articles, you can turn those skills into a profitable freelance writing business.

You can write content for a variety of purposes from website copy and sales pages to blog posts and email newsletters. You can also edit and proofread work.

Grammarly is the most popular grammar checker. It enables you to develop your writing by using proper grammar, punctuation, spelling, and better word choices.

As a freelance copywriter, you have the opportunity to work from any location. You need to build your portfolio, and then you can launch your own inbound lead-generating website. You can connect with potential clients on social media platforms like LinkedIn and offer everything from content writing to SEO writing.


6. Computer Repair

Due to the high cost of computer repair at authorized service locations, you have an excellent opportunity to earn money by offering cost-effective repair services. You can approach small businesses and neighborhood homes to get repair projects. Then you and your team can steadily expand and take bigger orders from medium to larger organizations.

The opportunities in this field are immense and include learning to fix networking issues and replacing crashed hard drives.


7. Pet Grooming

Pet grooming is a booming business idea where wealthy pet owners live. People are spoiling their pets with spa and foot massages, haircuts, and massage therapists.

It takes about $2,000 to set up a pet grooming business. You can find clients in your neighborhood or check on Facebook and WhatsApp groups.

For a better understanding of the job, you can take a dog grooming course. If grooming is not for you, you can set up a pet-sitting business which requires a small startup fee.

Of course, there are many more options including but not limited to:

Baking
Child Care
Computer Repair
Crafts
Dog Walking
Home Services
Self-Publishing

You can access many courses here(skillshare.com) to get started with your business idea. This is just a suggestion. I receive no compensation for this recommendation.

Working at home in your own business requires the same discipline as working in an office for someone else. If you treat your business like a hobby it will be difficult to make progress. You must have a plan, a proper setup, and keep good records.

Use these Seven Business Ideas for Working from Home to help you start brainstorming your next entrepreneurial venture.



Hosting and More

by Rahimah Sultan

In my last article I covered writing great blog post headlines. If you missed it Click here to read Part 2



You got your readers to click the headline, enticed them down the page with your introduction, and now it’s time to give them what you promised.



Now the rules for delivering valuable and easy-to-consume content.


CONTENT RULE #1. Add Stopping Points

Use subheadings as stopping points.

Readers are scanners, because there is so much content to be had.

Subheadings are a way to prove your content is valuable. To keep enticing them back into your post when they want to leave.



Four Tips for Writing Your Subheadings:


1. Add a Subheading Every few Paragraphs

Add a few subheadings throughout your post to lead readers down the path your post is heading, making their experience feel clear, easy and enjoyable.

Remember, your blog posts are all about the readers’ experience.

When readers are scanning and see too much text, they feel overwhelmed.

Example:

A short post with subheadings.


2. Avoid Subheading Mistakes That Make Readers Disappear

Subheadings serve the same purpose as headlines; to make readers curious so they keep reading.

Avoid the following mistakes:

The Plain Label Subheading
Again, don’t bore your readers. Treat your subheadings like mini-headlines and be sure they arouse curiosity.

The Spoiler Subheading
Hold back information in your subheading so readers feel compelled to continue reading.

The Cryptic Subheading
Readers don’t like to play guessing games, so don’t try to be witty. Adding curiosity shouldn’t come at the expense of clarity.

Example:

If you’re talking about the effects of diet for good health, your subheadings might be:

The Importance of a Good Diet
Eating the Right Food Will Improve Your Overall Health
Skip the Junk and Feel Better

The first subheading is rather generic, the second doesn’t encourage you to keep reading, and the third doesn’t say much of anything.

The following subheadings will do a better job of getting readers’ attention:

Diet is Important for Good Health
Eating Right for Your Overall Health
Foods to Avoid to Maintain Good Health


3. Compare Each Subheading to Your Main Headline

Each subheading must be related to the overall headline of your post.

Your subheadings must all lead to what you promised in your main headline.

If the subheadings get off track and don’t deliver on the overall headline, readers will feel lost and confused.

If that happens, you’ll have to change your subheadings or your main headline.

Example:

If you’re writing a post titled “Benefits of Meditation in Daily Life” and you include the following subheadings:

1. Using Meditation in Everyday Life
2. Reducing Stress and Anxiety with Meditation
3. Using Meditation to Maintain Focus in Spite of Distractions
4. How to Gain Mental Strength, Resilience and Emotional Intelligence Through Meditation

The fourth subheading is a little long and disrupts the flow. It’s also differently structured by beginning with “How.” The first three subheadings are fine and relatively short.

This inconsistency is distracting to readers.


4. Follow a Format

When you’re listing different “tips,” “steps,” “ways,” “methods,” “signs,” etc., to attain what the headline of the post promises, keep the format consistent.

Let’s say your post is “13 Ways to Invest in Yourself,” and you have a subheading for each of the ways.

If you take your subheadings from the post and list them, you can see if any stray from the pattern.

Example:

So, your first few subheadings are:

Try to Meditate
Make a Gratitude List
Eat a Well-Balanced Diet
Get Plenty Sleep
There is Nothing Like a Morning Walk to Clear Your Mind

Something in the last one seems a little off.

The first four are about the same in length and start with a verb.

The fifth subheading suddenly changes the format and interrupts the flow. It doesn’t start with a verb and it’s much longer than the others.

This may seem like a small detail, but it distracts readers.



CONTENT RULE #2. Add a Little Surprise

Your post needs to be unique, bold and eye-opening; not the same old boring advice.

You can list your main points and add a unique perspective or something unexpected to them.

Do you know something that most people don’t? Is there some system that you challenge? Do you use methods that others won’t know about?

Example:

Seth Godin puts a unique spin on serious topics.

Don’t overdo it just for the sake of shock value. Your information needs to be genuine and useful. You want to challenge yourself as a writer and educate your readers.



CONTENT RULE #3. Follow a Format

This post has a very consistent format.

Each section is quite similar in length. All the subheadings follow a pattern. Each section ends with an example.

Consistency in your posts makes for a better experience for readers.

So you write a list post about seven steps to accomplish something. If the first step is 300 words, the second and third steps are 500 words, the fourth step is 200 words, the fifth and sixth steps are 400 words, and the seventh step is 100 words, it doesn’t look very neat.

You want your readers to have a great experience. Be attentive to small details.

To look even more professional, you can look at the beginning, middle, and end of each section and create a guiding format. You can start each section with a story or a daring statement. Use the middle section for your advice. You might want to add a graphic. Then end each section with a call to action.

Adding formats to your posts makes for easier writing, and they look more polished.

Example:

Here’s a bare-bones example of a blog post format that can be used as a starting template.



CONTENT RULE #4. Be Outrageously Giving

Don’t worry about giving away too much in your posts. After all, your goal is to have people sign up for your paid products or services.

If you’re not giving with your readers in your posts, they’ll have a negative impression of your paid products.

Carefully go through the problem with your readers. Give them thorough solutions and compelling advice. Be outrageously giving and they will become loyal readers and customers.

Example:

This 3,000-word plus post by R. L. Adams is extremely generous. I’ve read longer ones, up to 10,000 words.

Never fear. You can wow your readers with your generosity and thoughtfulness, just the same, with a 1,000-word post.



CONTENT RULE #5. Begin and End Strong

Not only should your introduction and conclusion grab your readers, but you want the main body of your post to also begin and end strong.

Every section should have great content, but if you’re presenting seven ways to achieve something, save your very best tips for the first and seventh. The first will get your readers’ attention while the seventh will leave them totally pleased.

Example:

Nathan Thompson gives you 7 Proven Tips to Create Blog Posts That Convert Like Crazy.

Make an outline containing your main points before writing the main sections of your post.

Make it clear and simple so your post will have clarity and conviction.

Now, it’s conclusion time.


Rules for your inspiring conclusion:


CONCLUSION RULE #1. Motivate Your Readers

Give them a pep talk. Show them what they’re capable of, how far they’ve come, and how things will look once they’ve applied your instructions.

Motivate your readers by showing you expect more of them. Encourage them to immediately take action.

Make them see that no matter what they’ve struggled with in the past, they should believe in themselves. They can achieve the goal you promised in your headline.  They can do this.

Example:

Read the encouraging conclusion in this post.



CONCLUSION RULE #2. Include Nothing New

A common blogging mistake.

Don’t all of a sudden include new information or tips in your conclusions.

It really throws your readers off and leaves them befuddled as to why you didn’t just include it in the body of the post.

Example:

In this post Alex Nerney lists nine blog ideas and topics.

His conclusion begins with, “Okay, that’s it…”

It would be jarring if he added another idea or topic after that.

When writing the conclusion, imagine how your readers are feeling or what they are thinking. How will things change for them if they use your advice?

Put more thought into your closings.

Most readers just skim. Reward those who trust you enough to read to the end. Take the opportunity to tell them the next step to take.

Now that you’ve written your post, carefully edit it. One way to do this is to read it out loud to check the flow, unnecessary wording, and sentence structure.

There are so many things to learn. Blogging platforms. Social media. Content marketing techniques.

So, before you start down the blogging trail, you need to know how to write professional blog posts above all else. The rest doesn’t matter if you don’t.

Good news!

Writing good blog posts is a skill you can and must learn.

Inside you are compelling words and ideas waiting to be released. To transform readers’ lives.

When you’re ready, use this information as a guide.

Your audience is waiting.


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In my last article I covered writing great blog post headlines. If you missed it Click here to read Part 1



Now that you’ve intrigued your readers and drawn them in with a great headline, you have to keep their attention. As a blogger and copywriter you have to write in a way that keeps readers from taking a quick glance and moving on.



Following are rules for creating an introduction that draws in your readers.



1. Don’t try to sound overly academic

Up to 90% of people that lose weight end up gaining most or all of it back within…


Research is valuable, but not in this context unless you’re a healthcare professional. As a blogger you don’t want to bore your readers with statistics.


You want to put yourself in their shoes by showing empathy. Let them know you understand what they’re going through.


You’re sharing the tools you used to overcome a problem.



Example:

Do you hear that?

That little voice speaking to you?

That little voice whispering to you that there’s something else you really want to do. Telling you to go ahead and make the change.

But you’re afraid.

You’re afraid to quit your job and do what your heart is pulling you to do.

You’re afraid of not having what you need to survive; a place to live, food on the table, a car and on and on.

But, mostly you’re afraid of making a mistake. You doubt yourself. You’re afraid of being wrong.



You don’t need to start every post with the empathy aspect. You can choose something else, maybe a story.



2. Get Into the Role

Trigger your readers’ emotions. Think about the range of emotions you want them to feel then get into that role as you write. Is there fear, doubt, anger, sadness, happiness, love, hope, and so on.


As you feel the emotions yourself they will come through in your writing and will be authentic.


So, decide on the emotional journey you want your readers to experience and put that in your writing and your audience will feel that.


Although this rule applies throughout your post, it is of utmost importance for your introduction.
When we write our words reveal our feelings.



3. Entice Readers down the Page


A) Open with Question a Short Sentence

This is a proven technique to draw in your audience.

If you start your post with a long paragraph readers will feel overwhelmed just looking at it.


B) Use Fewer Words

Use as few words as possible.

Write efficiently to give your words power. Whatever the number of words you use in your first draft, cut that in half.

The more you apply this technique the more proficient your blog writing becomes.


C) Set the Tempo

All writing has a pace and rhythm.

The pace of your introduction should be a little fast. Later, you can slow things down by:

Using short sentences or even sentence fragments
Keeping paragraphs to a maximum of three sentences long
Using delayed transitions to weave sentences together
Making each sentence a paragraph that leads into the next one
Reading the post out loud to be sure it flows properly and is moving forward smoothly


You want your readers’ journey to be fast and slow. To ebb and flow. To keep their attention.


That gives your words pace and rhythm.


Example:

“You’re not stupid.

You know what writing is truly about.

It’s a never-ending battle for your readers’ attention.

Every sentence is a link in a taut chain that connects your headline to your conclusion.

And you are just one weak sentence away from losing your reader forever.” — Shane Arthur


He then slows things down in the section that follows with longer sentences.



4. Make Them Beg

Have readers begging for your solutions by adding some fear to your opening.

What are readers’ concerns? What will happen if they don’t solve the problem you’re addressing?

When you expose those fears readers feel your empathy and are more eager for your solution.

Let them know we all have fears and don’t need to hide them.


Example:

Maybe the skeptics are right. Maybe you’re foolish to think you could earn an income doing something you love, instead of tolerating what you’re doing. Who knows?


The fear of failure is painful. Giving a voice to that fear is validating and makes your audience excited for the solutions that will set that fear free.


The fear of failure is painful, yes. But giving voice to it is validating and makes readers eager for the solutions that will set that fear free.




5. Hint at the Solution to Come

As you wrap up your introduction, hint at the solution to come.

The promised purpose of your post. What readers will gain when they follow your methods.

Don’t give it all away. Just a hint to keep readers engaged, because they bore easily.

An introduction is for setting the stage for all the sincere advice your post will provide, not to give answers.

Example:

You’re thinking about setting up a blog to advertise your side gig. You know nothing about blogging. Where do you begin?

A post for beginning bloggers, 4 Blogging Tips

I didn’t know much about blogging, but started anyway.

I used it for an affiliate program I signed up for online.

The program owner offered…



Of course you’ll keep reading.


When devising an introduction, try writing two entirely different versions approached from different angles and sparking different emotions. Doing so will highlight the techniques and emotions that work best for both your audience and the content of your post.


Your introduction must satisfy search intent or readers will click the “back” button and you lose them forever.


Search Intent is the reason for the Google search.


It is a large part of SEO (search engine optimization) which would be another article by itself.


If someone searches for “5 Tips for Business Success,” and the post begins with an anecdote people will click away without ever reading the rest of the wisdom-filled post.


Figuring out a keyword’s intent is one of the first things to do. It forms your headline, meta description, introduction, word count, and more.


Take time to analyze results in Google so you know why people enter the particular query your blog post will be targeting.


Figure out the intent, and then make sure your introduction matches it.



Part Three will be covered in my next article.



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