Top 10 Best Practices for SEO Success

 

You can do plenty of things to get higher search engine rankings, from page optimization on your website to keyword research, building backlinks, and more. Even though the search engine algorithms that determine rankings change often, there are still tried and true SEO methods proven to help you rise higher in the rankings throughout these changes. Here are the Top 10 best practices for SEO success:

1. Ensure that your website is secure.

Most people today are concerned with the privacy and security of the websites that they visit. Consequently, this is also a crucial ranking factor in search engines. A secure website will consistently rank higher than one that isn’t secure.

Talk with your web host or web manager about the type of security that is most appropriate for your website. A security certificate will ensure that your content is delivered by SSL (secure socket layer). With SSL, your website will start with an “https://” instead of “http://,” and the little lock icon will show up next to the web address in many browsers.

2. Add your primary keyword early into the content.

Including your keyword early on lets the search engines know what your content is about.

Additionally, sprinkle the main keyword throughout the rest of your content too. This will tell the search engines that this term is essential, which will help you rank well for this term.

3. Use unique titles, descriptions, and content.

This lets the search engines know that your content is original material and can add further knowledge to the other information that can already be found on the internet about your topic.

4. Optimize your title tag for SEO.

Always include your main keyword in the title tag for your website, and if possible, put it at the start of the title. This will give priority to your keyword.

5. Ensure that your website loads quickly.

It would be best if you made your website load as quickly as possible. Especially with the advent of smartphones, loading time is an essential ranking factor in search engines.

Compress the size of images, remove any unneeded code, and consider using a content delivery network (CDN). If you use a CDN, your website will serve images and other media from servers that are close to your audience, thus cutting down on the loading time. Many web hosts now use CDNs to deliver content for their clients’ websites.

Talk with your web host or your web manager about this priority. If you have a WordPress site, many plugins help you speed up the loading time for your website.

6. Optimize any images.

You can do this by giving the filenames descriptive names. Using image alt text is also recommended so that the search engines can understand what images are present on your website. Properly optimized images can boost your website rank.

7. Use internal linking.

The key here is to link to your main pages. So, any smaller pages can link to a larger, authoritative piece. This will help to increase the rank of the more important page.

Try to use the main keyword, or a variation of it, in your internal links to ensure that the search engines know what the page is about.

8.Create amazing content.

Write high-quality content that answers questions that your readers might have about your topic. If you can answer a question in less than 1,000 words, that is fine. However, it’s worth noting that it’s essential to be thorough with any answer, so you may want to write considerably more than this amount. Many of the highest-ranking pages include longer, authoritative content.

9.Build backlinks to your website.

Despite what you may have read online that backlinks are no longer necessary, please note that backlinks, when done correctly, are still vital. They show the search engines that your content is valuable enough for other web admins to link to. When you first start your website, you may want to go slow when building backlinks.

After a few months, you’ll be able to ramp up your efforts. With this strategy, you want to obtain links from other important websites in this field. Links from low-quality websites that accept advertising from anyone to any website are likely to hurt your search engine rankings.

10. Look at the user experience.

If you find that visitors are struggling to navigate your website or have a high bounce rate, when people leave your website after just a short time, take a close look at your user experience. Perhaps your visitors aren’t finding the answers they’re looking for, or maybe your website is broken somehow. See what you can do to improve the overall experience of your visitors.

Following these Top 10 SEO best practices will enable you to achieve higher rankings in the search engines. The higher you rank, the more traffic you should be able to achieve, and ultimately the more sales you will make.

Truth, Lies, and Video of Online Income

Truth, Lies, and Video of Online Income

work online

Work from anywhere!

 

What are the Truth, Lies, and Video of online income? Can I make money? I say… Yes, you can!!

Truth Defined: verified facts of an event or acceptance

Lie Defined: Recline, relax, and lie back

Or

To falsify the truth

Video Defined: the recording, reproducing, or broadcasting of moving visual images

 

Truth

You can make money online. People are doing it everywhere!

The truth… it takes time. How long? That depends on you, your content, and your niche.

Look at it this way:

I built a ‘physical’, or ‘brick and mortar’ business, from the ground up. This took years to establish! (It also took years to tear down).

 

Year One to Year Three

Pounding the pavement, with business cards in hand, I networked. Giving, and leaving my business card to anyone who would take it.

Meeting with Chiropractors, Doctors, Physical Therapists, and many other medical Professionals, telling them what I did, what my mission was, how I could aid their patients, and what my treatment goals were for each individual.

Marketing the cheapest was possible. Way, way, back in the day that was the Phone Book. (These were books that held phone numbers and addresses of people and businesses that were in certain areas). Relics of the past, and yet the best tool of the time!

Marketing today is as simple as a Website, it can be a ‘local’ site, or as broad as the World for reach.

Growth was a slow process. Building daily. One Client here, one there. Always building…. The two clients, and three…. Until I reached five clients per day, 5-6 days a week!

It took 3 years to get to 30 clients a week. By year four I was booking 3 to 6 weeks in advance, depending on time of day (evenings & Saturdays were 6 weeks in advance, weekdays were 3-4 weeks).

Building Brick and Mortar

Building Brick and Mortar

Years Four to Ten

This is when I decided to open my own Health Spa. At the start I had three Therapists, by year 6, I had to expand. Now I had 8 Therapists, and everyone had the potential to succeed. And yet, not all did. Why? The ‘business’ was going strong, we had clients, and more than enough to ‘go around’ as it were.

 

The Lie

Everyone will succeed because of your work. Not so.

I had Therapists that were hardly ever at the Spa. They just didn’t want to work. They wanted to be paid, but not to work… I think that’s what is now being called New Math. (Correct me if I’m wrong on that).

Relying on my advertising, my networking, and my overflow, there were some that didn’t put in their own ‘blood, sweat, and tears’ to build themselves a loyal clientele.

How does this apply to Online Income?

Great question!!! Glad you asked!

 

The Truth and Lies of Online Income

It takes time, commitment, blood, sweat, and a few tears. If there’s a promise of immediate success with NO commitment, chances are, the truth has been falsified.

Online Income is possible if you have the drive to work at it. You have to make the time, to research, write, create, and build… from there, anything is possible.

 

How Long Will it Take?

Another great question!

My first answer is… nothing happens overnight. If you’re expecting immediate success, walk away now. Online Entrepreneurship is not going to work for you.

As with anything, it depends. There are some who can make a good income within 6 months, at 4-10 hours a week, because they hit the right niche, at the right time.

As I mentioned in You, Me, and Affiliate Marketing post, while these niches are hot, they are very competitive. If you have a ‘Health Site’, though, you can niche it down. In other words a niche within a niche. (In truth, every niche, has so many ‘sub niches’ that you can have content forever)!

You just have to STAND OUT a bit further than the ‘competition’. What do you offer that the others don’t?

 

The Next Big Thing?

Video Marketing

Video Marketing

You guessed it…. VIDEO!!

Video is becoming the fastest growing form of Online Income. (I’m working on it…).

The youngest YouTube Sensation is 6 years old… he made $11 Million in 2018! That’s NOT a typo… $11 Million!

How? He does toy reviews for kids, and gets paid to do it! (I’m thinking of ‘employing’ my Grandchild)!

I’m not telling you that you will make $11 Million this year, I’m telling you that anything is possible.

Video Marketing is now, statistically, 80% of the online marketplace. Most people remember video’s that they’ve seen, as opposed to what they read. (Hello YouTube)!!

 

Online Income Simplified

There is money to be made online, just don’t expect it to happen overnight. It could take a few months, or over a year to build your brand, your niche, and your site. So I encourage patience when you take this on.

Don’t get caught up in the big promises that some Marketing Sites make. I don’t want to be a ‘naysayer’ here, but, remember, “If it sounds too good to be true… it probably is.”

Investigate what Internet Companies are offering. Investing large sums of money, doesn’t always mean big payouts, and if there is little to no effort required from you… chances are it’s a ‘scam’.

If there’s an offer of Free Training… check it out! Free Training is just an investment of your time, nothing else.

A free download? Sure, why not, but be aware of phishing, hackers, and viruses. Not all downloads are bad, not all are good. (Advice here… check them out on YouTube first).

In order to succeed at anything, you need to invest time and effort, there are no shortcuts. But we can make it easier!

 

Check out our  Free Training, and see just how well we stand out!

Please, feel free to ask any questions, or leave any comments you have in the box below!

Have an AWESOME day!

LapTop Rebel

Shaunna

You, Me, and Affiliate Marketing A Review of Wealthy Affiliate

You, Me, and Affiliate Marketing A Review of Wealthy Affiliate

A Review of Wealthy Affiliate

In my search for making money online, or through blogging. I ran into a few walls. I was a beginner, and I couldn’t find anything that fell into the ‘how to learn affiliate marketing for beginners’ category… until I found Wealthy Affiliate.

What Makes Wealthy Affiliate Different?

Kyle and Carson are the Founders of WA. I have found them to be the ‘open book’ type guys. They’re upfront and honest.

You can remain a Starter Member for as long as you want, but you will lose one or two features after the first 7 days. (Chat, and community forum participation, etc.).

You can still access the Free Training, which packs tons of information in that you will need to be successful, and you get 1 free Website.

To Go Premium or Not?

You decide. With Premium, you have access to 10 Websites (Free)! All in! I’ve paid upwards of $500 elsewhere for the same features… True Story! (And yep, I’m a tad choked about it)!

Added Training

It never stops at WA!! There’s Training for just about everything Web-related!! From how to Build a Website, E-Commerce, Social Media, maximize your site, and beyond!!

Wealthy Affiliate will show you how, where, and what you need. You just have to bring your willingness to learn!

You will not:

1. Make huge money overnight

You will:

1. Need to want to learn

2. Need to Invest your time

The WA Promise? To give you the Training, tools, and support needed to become an Online Presence.

 

journey

 

Other Affiliate Sites

In my reviews here, I will not mention the ‘other’ names or websites. I will tell you the tactics I saw, the small print, and what I didn’t like, but not their names and sites. You may be asking why.

The answer… that’s just not who I am. It’s not my style. You will find negative reviews on every Affiliate or Online Marketing promotion you can find. Remember, they are trying to promote their own training program, just as Wealthy Affiliate does as well.

Site 1

Here’s training that ‘claims’ to be worth OVER $10,000.00, but you can get in for $97.00 today, and today only! But Wait, don’t go… We are offering this to only a few people today for $27.00!! Congratulations!!

I download the free w book of Top 12 Niches for 2019… these are, have been, and will be the Top Niches forever! Nothing new here.

What the heck, I’ll save you the download time (no particular order):

1. Health

2. Fitness

3. Self-help

4. Illness and Cure

5. Enhancement Products (generally a dangerous category)

6. Internet Marketing

7. Grow a Business

8. Adult Content or Dating Sites

9. Money

10. Protection of Assets

11. Make Money

12. Investing

13. Cryptocurrency….. (That’s a bonus one for you).

It’s no Secret that many of these are on the top, and will stay there. OK, so there you have it… let’s go back to the ‘offer’.

If you act on the $27 offer you get in. Otherwise, it’s $97. Sounds good so far. Then, as you read the excited reviews, and success, you find that people are PAYING $5000.00 a month (investment on potential Profit)!!

So I ask, what if it doesn’t work? What if I pay my Investment money of $X thousand, and no return?

And what are they paying for? You have to join to find out. That means, pay, proceed, and maybe earn.

Site 2

Open an Online Store. This has potential. The problem? Very little support and training provided in your monthly fee. You have to pay extra for that.

The product can take forever to be shipped, and often runs out quickly.

While they can be successful, you do need to know how before committing to it.

How do I know this? I had 2 Online Stores. Both were hot niches, I had traffic, I was making sales… then it happened. No product delivered. I was forced to refund the money and lost money in this venture. I did gain a learning experience!!

Site 3

Pay $X and receive $5000 in your first month!! There’s no explanation of how you make the income, just invest your money, and you will make HUGE returns. You have to pay the amount they ask for before finding out how to make the return. I ‘fell’ for it, and scheduled a call. The mere ‘investment’? $12K… yep $12,000 for them to teach me how to do Online Marketing. You can potentially make your ‘investment’ back in 3 to 6 months, was the closing argument.

These are generally Ponzi style or Pyramid. The only people making money are at the top.

Site 4 

I really want to tell you who these guys are, but darn it! It would ruin my ‘personal rules’ for this post!

This site is full of negative reviews about other programs, especially Wealthy Affiliate. The hook? He was a member!! That’s his pitch!

I watched his video, and I will quote some of his drivel:

“My clients have to pay me month after month, or I will sell their leads to a competitor”.

“My clients cannot fire me, because if they do, I will sell their information.”

“Create false locations for clients.”

“After everything is set, I can ignore the client, and move to a new client.”

There is no information on what his training costs. You have to schedule a recruiting call to even get in the door. That sends up red flags for me now.

I am now done my RANT…back to my original thoughts on:

LapTop Rebel

LapTop Rebel

Wealthy Affiliate

I signed up to the free training with little hope, but I had the time, so I figured… why not? What’s the absolute worst that can happen? I waste my time… again!

 Amazed! Oh my, yes indeed! And we’re not talking 10 minute sound bites… it’s full of training! More than enough to get started!!

I had a better understanding of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), Keywords, and Google Ranking than I ever had hoped I could get!

I was SOLD. I paid for a ‘Special Month’ offer of $19 to access everything the platform offered, and I will be honest… MIND BLOWN!!

Here’s what the Banner ad doesn’t tell you:

The Community & Coaching

From younger to older, we are a community. The help that we give, and receive, throughout, is nothing short of phenomenal! You have a question, there will be an answer!!

You will have me as your coach, as well as everyone else on the platform! And this includes Kyle, Carson, and Jay!! That’s over, at last count…100,000+ Coaches! I’m not kidding… we help each other out on a daily basis!

Weekly Webinars

Every Friday Night at 6 PM Mountain Standard Time, there is a Live Event known as WAbinars. These are recorded, and in the ‘Library of Knowledge’ (That’s my personal term for it). This is where Jay, our Live Trainer, teaches us the ways of the internet, Google, Bing, online marketing, and building websites… plus so much more!!

And So Much More (But No Free Steak Knives)!

There is so much more! I feel as if I’m doing a disservice, to you dear reader, in that I cannot make a full list. (That is NOT meant as ‘Click-Bait’… it’s just the truth of it).

Time Investment

Earlier I mentioned a Time Investment. This is a flexible idea. Some people spend 3-4 hours a week on WA, for others, it’s a full-time gig.

In my case, I am self-employed, and when I’m not working on clients, I’m usually in Wealthy Affiliate creating, researching, building, and working.

Making Money with WA

Your next question is pretty obvious now. Am I making money? I joined WA in July 2018, so 9 months ago by this post date. The answer to your question… NO, I’m not. (Keep Reading)…

This was a personal choice on my end. I wanted to learn as much as I could BEFORE I started to promote niche products, Affiliate Marketing, and I have been working tirelessly on a project on my original niche site.

That was my choice to not dive into the money aspect and earnings. People are making part-time/ extra income, full-time income, and beyond.

I could go into great detail on who has made what within the Community here, but seriously, until you try it, see it, and meet these people, why would you believe something you read here?

That would be me being ‘that person’ in the mentioned Site Scenarios that I listed. I would be promising you the Sun, Moon, and Stars, just because I can type it… or video it.

Thank You for your time in reading this! Feel free to ask questions, in the comments section below, or check out the WA Free Training and decide from there!

Shaunna

 

 

 

 

Supercharge Your Blog

Supercharge Your Blog

 

Blogging was supposed to be easy, right? Just sit down, crack your knuckles, and bang out a blog post. Write about whatever is on your heart and mind. And do it again and again. “It’ll be easy,” they said. “You’ll have no problems,” they said. Except that it turns out that blogging isn’t easy.

The writing part itself is undoubtedly challenging. Stringing together sentences in a compelling, coherent manner requires thought and effort. But that’s not the only tricky part. One of the hardest parts of blogging is knowing what to blog about. This is especially the case if you’re trying to use your blog to build your brand and your business.

When you’re using your blog as a brand-building tool, you can’t just write about what happened on a particular day. Your blog does not serve as a personal journal.

Instead, you want to write about things that will matter and add value to your readers. This is where things get tricky. Constantly coming up with new topics and angles to blog about that will add value to your readers is no small feat. It requires creativity, insight into your audience, and the ability to create fresh content day after day. It’s enough to cause even the most competent blogger to burn out.

We’re here to help make your job easier. In this post, we will give you 17 different types of blog posts that you can write. You can think of these as blog post formulas. They provide an easy-to-follow framework for you to use when writing blog posts.

Ready? Let’s dive in.

 

BLOG POST TYPE #1: HOW-TO GUIDES AND TUTORIALS

These are some of the simplest yet most effective blog posts that you can create, and they serve a real need that your readers have. You can guide your readers, step-by-step, through a particular process, showing them exactly how to do something.

Your readers are looking to you as the expert, and it’s your responsibility to show them exactly how to achieve their goal. Examples of this type of blog post include:

How To Create A Blog

● How To Install The Facebook Pixel On A Website

● How To Get More Email Subscribers

● How To Do More Pushups

● How To Set Up A Roth IRA

Your goal is to give your readers a simple-to-follow guide that will make it as easy as possible to achieve their desired outcome.

When writing how-to and tutorial blog posts, it’s critical to break things down into the smallest, simplest steps possible. Avoid assuming that your readers know what they’re doing. Remember, they’re looking to you for help.

Also, ensure that your tutorial is as complete as possible. Don’t leave your readers hanging with one or two steps left in the process. Guide them the entire way, from start to finish.

Your goal is to make things as easy and straightforward as possible for readers. If possible, include things like screenshots and videos to make your tutorials even simpler to follow.

If you need inspiration when writing a how-to or tutorial blog post, consider watching some related videos on YouTube. YouTube is known for having millions of tutorial videos, and you can indeed find one about your subject.

What is a Blog and How is it Different from a Website? (Explained)

 

 

BLOG POST TYPE #2: NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS

Do you skim the news each morning to identify industry trends and get up to date on current events?

Why not turn your morning routine into blog posts?

As you skim through the news, identify the most pressing industry trends and current events, and then blog about them. Highlight important details quote relevant sources, and link to the most important articles. Help your readers get a sense of what’s going on in the world and why it matters.

What’s vital in these blog posts is that you add your unique spin and flavor. Don’t simply regurgitate the news. Don’t be a headline aggregator. There are already plenty of websites that do that.

Rather, thoughtfully interact with what is happening in the world. Include your comments, opinions, and views. Dissect what is happening in the world and help your readers to see the bigger picture. Always remember to relate the news back to your readers.

● Why does it matter to them?

● What effect will it have on their day-to-day lives?

● Why should they care about this or that particular news item?

It’s critical to keep your readers in mind. You’re not simply talking about the things that interest you. When you blog about news and current events, it should be of critical relevance to your readers.

If you need help staying on top of current events, you may want to consider using a news aggregator like Feedly or Pocket. These services allow you to import all your favorite news sites into one location, as well as save relevant articles for later reading. Once you’ve aggregated your news sources, you can read them all in one area rather than having to flip back and forth between numerous websites.

The Morning Paper Issue 4 - Computer Science Applied

BLOG POST TYPE #3: CONTROVERSY

It’s no secret that controversy sells. There’s a reason that people love to read the tabloids and that reporters are always chasing controversial subjects. If you’re smart, you can use controversy to your advantage when it comes to blogging.

Consider writing about different controversial topics within your industry. These types of posts are guaranteed to interest readers and generate a response from them. Notice that we said to write about controversial subjects within your industry. In other words, primarily focus on issues in which you have expertise. Avoid simply writing about any and all controversial topics.

Your goal isn’t to become a tabloid. Your goal is still to be informational, educational, and entertaining. You’re simply using a controversial subject to achieve that. When blogging about controversial topics, be smart. You don’t want to alienate your readers or drive them away with your opinions.

Instead, you want to carefully, thoughtfully analyze a controversial subject. Your goal is to provide a thoughtful analysis of the issue without offending people unnecessarily. Granted, you can’t please everyone with your writing. But aim to write so that people will come away informed, educated, and minimally offended. One simple formula that allows you to write about controversial subjects is the “This vs. That” formula:

● Mac vs. PC

● The Health Benefits of Coffee vs. Tea

● Keto vs. Intermittent Fasting

● Using MailChimp vs. ConvertKit

You’re simply comparing two different, popular things and then giving your opinion about which is best.

Controversy and the Death of the Executive

BLOG POST TYPE #4: CHECKLISTS

We are forgetful, which is why we use checklists. Checklists help us remember everything we need to about a particular subject.

We use checklists to help us remember what to take on vacation, get specific projects done, and even in the operating room to ensure that everything goes smoothly. Checklist blog posts can be hugely valuable to your readers. You can help them remember everything they need to around a given subject.

For example, let’s say you’re in the photo industry. You could create a checklist blog post of everything that needs to be taken to a photoshoot.

Or maybe you’re a real estate agent. You could create a checklist of things a person needs to do to get their house ready to sell.

Or maybe you’re a fitness coach. You could create a checklist of all the exercises in a particular workout.

To create the perfect checklist, take a common task (such as selling a house) and break it down into much smaller sub-tasks. Just make sure that your checklist is thorough and complete.

Checklists also present you with a unique opportunity to build your email list. You can offer a downloadable, nicely formatted checklist that people can access in exchange for giving you their email address. This method of email list building is often called offering a “content upgrade.” Your readers can “upgrade” the content they get from you (the downloadable checklist instead of just the blog post) in exchange for their email address.

Higher Education 'Return to Campus' Checklist | Resource | Barnes &  Thornburg 

BLOG POST TYPE #5: LISTICLES

We all love lists. That’s why magazines are constantly publishing articles like “10 Ways To Lose That Stubborn Belly Fat” and “5 Ways To Be Happier Now.”

Lists are easy to skim, allowing us to take in an entire subject in just a few moments quickly. Additionally, they make us feel like we’re taking in a lot of information in a short period of time.

Nothing is quite so satisfying as skimming a list of 73 different items.

Finally, listicles make it easy to break down a more extensive subject into smaller, more digestible pieces. It’s easy to read part of a listicle, stop, and then pick up where you left off. You can take advantage of our love of lists in your blogging efforts. Write “listicles” in which you list a large number of items related to a particular subject. For example:

● 27 Ways To Quickly Build Your Email List

● 9 Easy Ways To Generate Leads

● 7 Ways To Burn Fat and Get Shredded

● 19 Ways To Overcome The Fear of Speaking

Generally speaking, the more items you can include in your listicle, the more appealing it will be to readers. Bigger listicles can more thoroughly cover a subject, thus making it seem more valuable to the readers. So, for example, “101 Ways To Build Your Email List” will appeal more to readers than “27 Ways To Build Your Email List”.

Listicles: Love Them or Leave Them

BLOG POST TYPE #6: CASE STUDIES

Case studies are incredibly valuable to readers for several reasons.

First, they let the reader see what’s going on behind the scenes of your business. Readers love being taken behind the scenes, and by writing a case study, you give them a look at how things work in your industry. You show them the inner workings of your business, which can provide valuable insights to your readers.

Second, they provide valuable lessons regarding how you achieved success in a particular area. For example, let’s say that you tripled your sales in six months. You get to walk your readers through exactly what you did, why you did it, how you did it, and what the results were. Your readers can then implement similar steps in their own businesses.

If you don’t have a personal case study to write about, you can write about how you’ve helped one of your customers. In other words, write about how you enabled one of your customers to achieve massive success.

Look through your customer list and determine which one(s) has successfully used your products or services. Then email them and talk through how they used your product or service to grow their business.

When writing your case study, try to provide as much concrete, actionable material as possible. You want your readers to be able to take your case study and apply the lessons in their businesses.

Don't Waste More Time Writing Bad Case Studies. Use These Tips Instead. |  TechnologyAdvice

BLOG POST TYPE #7: PROFILES AND INTERVIEWS

Profiles and interviews allow your readers to become familiar with essential people in your industry. They also enable the readers to learn valuable insights and expert secrets. What’s the difference between a profile and an interview? In a profile, you simply highlight a person without actually interviewing them. This could be an important, established person in your industry, an up-and-comer, or a relatively unknown person. There should always be a reason why you’re profiling the person:

● Why do you want your readers to know about this person?

● Are they going to disrupt your industry?

● Have they written a series of books that your audience should read?

● Are they pioneering a new way of doing things?

Ensure that it’s clear to your audience why you’re profiling a particular person. In an interview, you ask questions directly to the person. This allows you to get much more up close and personal with them. It enables you to tap into their expertise and extract the secrets of their success.

You can find out what makes them tick, what drives them, and how they’ve achieved what they have. Before you interview someone, ask yourself, “What would my readers want to know?” Then try to get that information for the interview.

 

BLOG POST #8: THE EXPERT ROUNDUP

An expert roundup is like an interview on steroids. It involves asking a common question, or set of questions, to a group of experts and then compiling all their answers into a single, coherent, compelling blog post.

The goal is to gather as much expert advice on a single topic as possible and bring it all together into one location. For example:

● You could ask email marketing experts about their favorite hack for growing their email list.

● You could ask weight-loss experts what exercises they recommend for losing weight quickly.

● You could ask tax experts what the number one overlooked tax deduction is.

Expert roundups tend to be easier to create than interviewing a single person. Because you’re only asking one (or a few questions), it makes it much easier for the experts to get back to you. They don’t have to answer a massive list of questions and still feel like they’re contributing their expert advice.

Expert roundups have a much greater chance of going viral than formal interviews.

Why? Two reasons:

● First, because it’s in listicle format. Listicles, in general, tend to go viral more often than other types of posts.

● Second, because you’re combining so much value into a single post.

You’re tapping into numerous individuals’ expertise, making the most incredibly rich in value for the reader.

 

BLOG POST TYPE #9: REVIEWS AND COMPARISONS

What’s the first thing you do when looking at a product on Amazon? If you’re like most people, you probably look at the reviews. We want to see what others thought about the product before we purchase it. We also have questions that we want to have answered regarding the product.

Reviews are a significant part of the purchase process. By reviewing and comparing products, you can provide a hugely valuable service to your readers. You can help them make educated decisions regarding products and services. You can enable them to purchase a product or service that’s best for them and help them avoid making non-beneficial purchases. In a review, you discuss the pros and cons of a single product or service. Your goal is to provide your readers with a thorough understanding of:

● How the product works

● Its advantages and disadvantages

● The specs of the product or service

● Whether or not you recommend it

In comparison, you’re comparing two (or more) related products or services against each other, intending to recommend one. You’re essentially reviewing multiple items and then deciding which one you recommend to your readers.

The more reviews you do, the more of a trusted resource you become for your audience. They’ll look to you to help them decide which products and services are right for them.

Product review websites like Wirecutter get millions of visitors each month because they provide reliable, unbiased, extremely in-depth product reviews which can’t be found anywhere else.

BLOG POST TYPE #10: RESOURCE ROUNDUP

There are so many resources available on the internet that it can be overwhelming trying to find what you’re looking for.

With millions of new resources being published each day, finding the best can seem almost impossible. This is why resource roundup posts can be so helpful.

A resource roundup post gathers all the best online resources related to a specific topic into a single blog post. For example, you could:

● Create a blog post in which you link to the best blog posts, videos, and podcasts related to Search Engine Optimization

● Create a post in which you link to the best Keto recipes

● Link to best blog posts, podcasts, and videos related to Facebook marketing

Resource roundup posts aren’t necessarily easy to create. You have to do a fair amount of research to find the best resources related to a specific topic. You have to spend a lot of time reading posts, listening to podcasts, and watching videos to determine which ones are the highest quality. But these types of posts add huge amounts of value to your readers. By gathering all the best resources into a single location, you spare your readers from having to search high and low throughout the internet.

These kinds of blog posts tend to get shared a lot because they’re so high in value. They also tend to bring readers back again and again because they contain so many valuable links.

Again, this is where using a tool like Feedly or Pocket can be very valuable. These tools let you save links, and then you can put them into your resource roundup post when you’re ready.

 

BLOG POST #11: QUOTE ROUNDUP

This is a hybrid between an expert roundup and a resource roundup.

In a quote roundup, you gather together a large number of quotes on a particular subject and put them all into a single post. This gives your readers a sense of what many people have said about a given topic. For example, you might create an extensive blog post that has numerous quotes about:

● Overcoming limiting beliefs

● Following your dreams

● The power of intention

● Achieving success

● Rising early

● The power of faith

These posts tend to be more inspirational than other types of posts since they feature poignant quotes. And because they feature so many poignant quotes, they also tend to get shared quite a bit on social media. If you’re having trouble finding quotes on a particular subject, simply Google “Quotes About [SUBJECT].” You’ll probably find dozens, if not hundreds of quotes on the topic at hand.

Alternatively, you can search quote websites like Brainy Quote or A to Z Quotes to find quotes about just about any subject.

BLOG POST TYPE #12: BEHIND THE SCENES / A DAY IN THE LIFE

If you have a sizable audience, there’s a good chance that they want to know what a day in your life is like. They want to go behind the scenes of your business and see how you do things. They want to learn from you and see what things are like from your vantage point. Doing behind the scenes / a day in the life blog posts is a great way to let your audience get to know you. Start from the moment you wake up until the time you go to bed. Chronicle what each element of your day looks like:

● What is your morning routine?

● What sorts of meetings do you have?

● What strategies do you use to be productive?

● What do interactions with your team look like?

● What is your nightly routine like?

● What do you do to unwind?

Your goal is to give others a sense of what your day looks like.

If possible, you also want your readers to learn valuable lessons from how you go about your day. For example, maybe you work out early each morning because it helps you feel energized throughout the day. Communicate that to your readers.

Or perhaps you eat a specific type of superfood because of the numerous health benefits. Clue your audience into that. Or maybe you do yoga every evening because it helps you to relax. That’s a great tidbit to share with your audience and something they can learn from. If you don’t want to write a behind-the-scenes blog post, you could always video yourself throughout the day and then post that on your blog. Sometimes that can be even more effective than a written post.

BLOG POST #13: DATA-BACKED POSTS

Blog posts that are heavily data-driven and backed by research are a unique way to position yourself as an expert. They show that your ideas and thoughts aren’t just your own but are backed by hard data.Additionally, data-backed posts generate a significant amount of traffic since they are often quoted in other posts and heavily shared.

If you’re seeking to establish yourself as a thought leader and industry expert, you should dedicate a significant amount of time to writing data-backed blog posts.

But data-backed posts aren’t necessarily easy to write. After all, they require data, which must be acquired somewhere. This means you must do one of two things:

1. Do original research yourself. This takes a lot of time and effort and is usually beyond what most bloggers can do. However, if you can conduct in-depth research, you can generate a considerable amount of traffic for yourself. People will link back to your post and quote it to support their own posts.

2. Rely on research others have done to back up your primary points. This isn’t quite as powerful as doing original research, but it’s still a very effective way to write a blog post. If you can find data to back up each of your main points, it goes a long way to establish you as an expert in your field.

Writing data-backed posts takes a significant amount of time and effort, but it’s well worth it. The more you do it, the more people will rely on you for proven industry insights backed up by hard data.

 

 

BLOG POST TYPE #14: INSPIRATIONAL STORIES

People love inspirational stories. It’s why millions of people visit websites like Upworthy every month. We love to feel inspired to do more, be better, or pay it forward. We love stories of people who have overcome long odds and tales of those who have accomplished great things despite facing innumerable obstacles.

If you have an inspirational story, consider turning it into a blog post. There’s a good chance it will go viral, generating thousands of social shares and an avalanche of web traffic. But there’s one thing you must consider before writing an inspirational blog post:

what is the point of the post?

In other words, what exactly are you trying to accomplish with it?

Yes, you’re trying to inspire others. That’s a given. But how will the inspirational blog post help you achieve your business objectives? Your goal is not just to inspire people with your blog post. You also must seek to further your business in some way. This means that generally speaking, the inspirational story should be in some way related to your business.

For example, if you’re a fitness trainer, it makes sense to share inspirational stories about people losing hundreds of pounds. It doesn’t make sense to share inspirational stories of people saving money. The first type of story will motivate others to want to get fit, directly related to your business. So, as you consider writing inspirational blog posts, always remember to tie them back to your overall business objectives.

Inspirational Story - Believe in yourself - YouTube

 

BLOG POST TYPE #15: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

There are probably specific questions that come up again and again in your business. These are the questions that people email you or that consistently come up when you host live events. Inevitably, you end up repeating yourself as you answer these questions again and again. Instead of answering the same questions over and over, why not create a Frequently Asked Questions blog post in which you give in-depth, definitive answers to the questions?

When creating your FAQ blog post, try to be thorough and answer as many questions as possible. Your goal is to create a resource to which you can send people again and again. When they email you with a question, you want to be able to say, “Here’s a document I created in which I answer that question.” If you don’t feel like creating one long FAQ document, you could write a series of blog posts to answer one commonly asked question in each post. That way, when someone asks a specific question, you can point them to one particular post.

However you do it, be sure to answer the questions in as much detail as possible. You don’t want people sending you follow-up emails with more questions after they read your post. You want to try to answer each question in as much depth as possible.

Over time, you can add to your FAQ post as people ask more questions. It can be a “living document” of sorts, which continues to grow, change, and evolve.

BLOG POST TYPE #16: TOP TAKEAWAYS

Top takeaways posts are blog posts where you write about your top takeaways from something, such as a book, podcast, conference, movie, or other items.

These posts allow you to both recommend resources to your readers and show them why you recommend them. For example, let’s say you read a great biography about Steve Jobs:

● You could write a blog post entitled “9 Things I Learned From The Life Of Steve Jobs”. In this post, you would not only recommend the biography itself, but you would also highlight poignant lessons you learned while reading the book.

● You could talk about all the different ways that Steve Jobs inspired you to be a better person. You’re providing a valuable resource to your readers by creating this sort of blog post.

First, you’re introducing them to outstanding resources that can truly benefit their lives. This, in and of itself, is a great service. With so many resources to choose from, it can be hard to know where to get started. But that’s not all. You’re also helping them learn important lessons from those resources that they might not learn otherwise.

BLOG POST TYPE #17: BEGINNER’S GUIDES

These posts are “how-to” posts but explicitly geared toward beginners. They teach newbies in your industry valuable insights and skills that they need to learn anyway. Examples of this type of post include:

● A Beginner’s Guide To Lead Generation

● A Newbie’s Guide To Running A Marathon

● A Beginner’s Guide To Email Marketing

● A Beginner’s Guide To Social Media

Consider these essential items when writing these guides:

1. Make your guide in-depth but not overly technical. You want to cover the subject thoroughly without overwhelming the beginner with a lot of technical terms or industry jargon. Try to keep the posts straightforward, to the point, and relatively easy to understand.

2. Use a variety of media, like screenshots and videos, to clarify your points. Remember, you’re writing to beginners, and people learn in a variety of ways. Some are more visual learners, while others learn better from the text. Try to cater to all types of learners in your posts. Beginner’s guides, when done well, can be a precious resource to those who are just getting started in your industry. They can also establish you as an expert in your industry, which beginners can look for advice.

In some ways, these beginner’s guides allow you to mentor newbies from a distance, which can be incredibly rewarding.

WHAT’S KEEPING YOU FROM BLOGGING?

We’ve covered a lot of ground in this post! We’ve covered 17 different blog post formulas that will help you write posts more quickly and with greater depth. By following these formulas, you’re sure to delight your readers and quickly build an audience of raving fans.

The formulas we discussed are:

● How-to guides

● News and current events

● Controversy

● Checklists

● Listicles

● Case studies

● Profiles and interviews

● The expert roundup

● Reviews and comparisons

● Resource roundups

● Quote roundups

● Behind the scenes / a day in the life

● Data-backed posts

● Inspirational stories

● Frequently asked questions

● Top takeaways

● Beginner’s guides

Now there’s nothing to hold you back from blogging! You have the formulas you need to write killer, compelling, clickable blog posts. Don’t wait any longer to begin blogging. Start today!