Blogging Enthusiast

Tips for Tech-Challenged Bloggers

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The Best Solution for Bloggers Who Need Tech Help

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The Best Solution for Bloggers Who Need Tech Help

I have a bit of truth for you that most people don’t want to hear but are very aware of- blogging isn’t easy… especially if you struggle with the tech that comes along with blogging.

Every blog you look at has a ‘Start a Blog to Earn Extra Money’ post and talks about “how easy” starting a blog is. But, it can also be frustrating as hell with several stumbling blocks along the way.

A Familiar Blogging Journey

Does this blogging journey sound familiar to you?

  • You choose a domain only to find out later that “cutesy” domains are okay but domains with keywords tend to do better
  • You use a free theme available on WordPress and stumble through configuring it. Later you discover that you can’t make it look like all the other beautiful, professional-looking blogs. And, with every update you have to reset your font and colors. Bonus: your front page looks nothing like the demo-theme.
  • You finally build enough content to “launch” your blog but no one is reading it so….
  • You dive into Pinterest and start pinning every day but NOTHING IS HAPPENING.
  • You research Pinterest and realize you didn’t have rich pins enabled and your site isn’t verified. You also haven’t focused enough on keywords, your pins aren’t eye-catching, and your titles suck so you have to go back and rework all of that too.
  • Speaking of keywords- Google apparently doesn’t know you exist so you have to learn about SEO and how to do keyword research. You get a subscription to research keywords but have no idea how to read the results or what to do with them.
Limiting beliefs of writer

And on and on…. Does this blogging journey look similar to yours? It was mine and that was AFTER purchasing what is known as the “best” blogging course out there.

Good news is I did eventually get to the point that my blog was successful- I have good traffic, people subscribing daily, and I’m finally turning a small profit. 

But can you imagine how much easier it would’ve been if you had access to a video library to walk you through all of these things?

An Affordable Solution

My experience is exactly what made me want to help other bloggers without charging $400, $200, or even $49 because, let’s face it, most of us wouldn’t have even started a blog if we didn’t need the extra money, right?

My video workshops (aka groups of videos) sell for $12 to $20 a piece but I wanted to go one step further so for my launch month I’m offering access to all current and future videos for only $15/month.

That means you can watch all of my current tutorials on starting a blog, WordPress, blog design, and the best plugins for new bloggers for less than most eBooks. And as the videos and workshops are added you get to benefit from all of those as well.

Future workshops are going to include getting started with:

  • Google Analytics
  • The most popular social media platforms (Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter)
  • Email marketing (walking you through adding an opt-in box to your page to sending your first freebie in Mailchimp and Convertkit)
  • GDPR Walkthrough

… and much more!

You also get a say in what kind of videos get added. I have added a forum space (I know- so 2000s right?) where you can add problems you are having and I will create future video tutorials and workshops on them!

I’m not trying to toot my own home here but I sincerely wish there was something like this offered when I first started blogging.

So if you find yourself struggling with blogging tech- anything from creating your menus to using the best plugins, come on over and check out the videos. You can even get a coupon code for $7 to go towards a video or workshop so you can try them out first (checkout the sidebar or the bottom of this page to grab yours).

Feel free to contact me if you need any help or have any questions. 

Workshops
Membership

How to Make Your Blog Memorable with Amazing Branding

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When I first started blogging I used to love how professional, sleek, and consistent other blogs looked. I didn’t know it at the time but what I admired about those blogs was their branding.

I tried to recreate the looks of those blogs but failed… hard. Somehow my blog looked childish and screamed ‘AMATUER!’ but I couldn’t figure out the problem. Thankfully, I was able to research the problem and discovered the steps I needed to take to improve my branding with a few simple changes.

If you are struggling with branding your new blog (or need help rebranding) check out these simple tips to help you create the blog and look you’ve always desired.

What is Branding?

Before we go into how to brand your blog, let’s go through what branding is. Branding is the process of creating a unique name, message and image in a consumerís mind.

The goal of branding is to differentiate yourself from others in your niche to attract and retain customers.

There are actually many elements that go into a branding including:

  •  Your Logo
  • The Personality or voice you use in your content and marketing pieces
  • Website colors, header, and layout
  • Mission
  • Tagline and Message
  • Images used in content and marketing materials

Your brand is communicated through every piece of content your blog puts out. It’s communicated on your blog, in your content, in marketing materials, in social media posts and with any interaction you have with a reader. Your brand is an essential element of your marketing success.

How to Create Brand Consistency

The only way to ensure your readers will remember you is by repeated exposure through multiple channels used during your marketing efforts and social media.

Your brand should provide your readers with the same message and experience each time they see your content. If your brand is different on social media than it is in your email messages, the end result is confusion which can drive people away.

Tips for Creating Brand Consistency

  • PROJECT A CONSISTENT LOOK
    Make sure that your logo is used on social media, in your autoresponder messages, on your blog, and on your marketing materials. The colors you use, the style of your images and the look/feel of your marketing materials should all help your reader immediately identify you.
  • USE A CONSISTENT TONE AND VOICE
    You have a voice and a personality. Make sure to express it in every single marketing piece and communication you share. For example, if you’re witty on your blog then you want to make sure that your social media communications share the same style.
  •  USE A CONSISTENT MESSAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
    If your brand is about exceptional customer service then that message needs to be integrated into your content and marketing.

Consistency is about making sure your prospects and customers never doubt who you are. Each time they come across your blog or business your readers receive a branding experience that further solidifies you in their mind. It’s about creating expectations and then meeting them every time you make contact with your reader.

As you create your marketing strategy and plan, make sure that your branding is consistent across all of your tactics and channels. Branding is comprised of words, actions, and visuals.

How Your Reader Perceives Your Brand

A brand is more than colors, fonts, images, and a tagline. Your brand is a unique, voice and a consistent style which both play a role in how your readers perceive you.

Humans are visual beings. We create impressions in our minds of a blog or company based on their visuals. Before your prospect reads a single word, they’ve created a definition of who you are and what you’re about.

This means the visual elements of your brand not only need to be aligned with your brand definition, they also need to be strong enough to speak on their own. So what goes into a brand? What are the visual elements to consider?

    • Logo- A logo should be simple and memorable
    • Colors- Colors evoke emotions so make sure the colors you choose reflect how you want your audience to feel.
    • Font- The font you choose is important. If no one can read your font, then they can’t read your blog but it should also convey the right image. For example, a tax accountant shouldn’t use the font Comic Sans because it’s more whimsical than professional.
  • Photos/images- There are different photographic and image styles to consider. Some businesses use a cartoon or drawing style for their images, while others are more stylish or traditional. The images you use also need to support your brand definition and relate to the topic you are writing about in some way.

Words and visuals work together to create a consistent and cohesive brand message. As you create your blog and marketing materials, keep your brand definition in mind.

What Is a Tagline?

A tagline is a sentence or phrase that shares your brand message and identity. It’s designed to communicate who you are and what you do in just a few words and is sometimes referred to as a slogan.

Next to your business name, the most important element of your branding is your tagline. Unfortunately, many blogs and businesses fall short of creating a tagline that truly defines their brand.

Tips for Writing a Good Tagline

  • BE MEMORABLE
    Use power words that evoke emotion.
  • KEEP IT SHORT
    Try to keep your tagline shorter than eight words.
  • SPECIFY HOW YOU’RE UNIQUE
    Your tagline should explain what makes you different of how your readers will benefit from you.
  • BE APPEALING
    A good tagline grabs a reader’s attention.

The best way to start formulating a tagline is to write down a list of words, phrases, and sentiments that you want others to associate with your business. Then work with your list of words, phrases, and sentiments and start drafting potential taglines.

Draft as many taglines as you can think of- aim for about twenty.  Then set them aside for a couple of days.

The next time you read over your list, identify a few that resonate with you and feel powerful. Then start asking others for their input and advice on potential taglines. You can even poll your audience and see which tagline they feel best represents your blog or business. Your tagline is important, so take your time with this step.

IDENTIFYING GOALS FOR YOUR BRANDING

In your branding and marketing strategy, youíll want to both identify and prioritize your goals. Decide exactly what you want to achieve with your branding. There are many things branding can achieve including:

Tips for Writing a Good Tagline

  1. CREATING CREDIBILITY & TRUST
    Your brand can be used to create and sustain your reputation. Keeping your brand strong helps to set and maintain customer expectations. This is a challenging metric to track and measure but setting a goal of establishing your brand as a trusted resource can take your business far. It’s a good priority for coaching businesses and service-based organizations.
  2. CREATING AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION
    Brands can tell a story and connect with your audience on an emotional level. Again, this is a difficult metric to track and measure but you can look at engagement on social media as one way to evaluate branding and emotional connection. This is a good priority for blogs or businesses who have customers that buy based on how they feel about the products or services you sell.
  3. BUILDING BRAND AWARENESS
    Your brand is an opportunity to increase recognition and this goal requires that you invest heavily in marketing channels frequently. You want to reach your audience often wherever they hang out most.
  4. MOTIVATING PURCHASES
    People buy from people they know, like, and trust and your brand is your. You can set a goal to brand and market your blog or business in such a way that you measure and track sales based on branding.

BRAND RECOGNITION & AWARENESS

Once you have a defined brand, one of your goals may be to increase brand recognition. Brand recognition is when someone sees your logo, hears your tagline, or thinks about your products or services and immediately connects that concept with you.

Brand recognition is defined as ‘the extent to which a consumer can correctly identify a particular product or service just by viewing the product or service’s logo, tagline, packaging or advertising campaign.’

Brand recognition is a lofty goal because it actually takes several impressions for someone to begin associating your brand with your company. There are different marketing and advertising models that say it can take anywhere from seven to twenty impressions before a prospect develops brand recognition.

So how do you ensure you get your brand in front of your prospect often and consistently? How do you create brand recognition?

  1. CONSISTENCY
    The first step is to ensure your brand message is consistent across all of your marketing channels, from email to social media.
  2. BEING PRESENT ON MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS
    The more marketing channels you utilize, the better chance you have of reaching your prospect repeatedly. You might reach some of your readers on your blog, via social media, and as a guest blogger.
  3. FREQUENCY MATTERS
    Whatever marketing channels you use, use them often. For example, don’t send one email a month; send one a week.

Consider how you can engage your existing customers in the conversation. Encourage your readers to share their story and leverage their positive feedback. Word of mouth makes a strong and memorable impression on your audience. Let your readers market and build your brand for you.

BRANDING MISTAKES TO AVOID

  1. NOT STAYING TRUE TO BRAND
    Your brand should permeate everything that you do. It should be part of your email marketing, customer service, blog or business layout and design, social media interactions and all communication you have with your readers or prospective customers. Keep your brand in mind when creating marketing materials, content, and customer service feedback.
  2. NOT KEEPING YOUR BRANDING STREAMLINES
    It’s easy to get carried away with your brand. However, the simpler the message, the easier it will be for your audience to recognize it, trust it, and engage. If your branding is complicated, it may confuse your audience. Clean and simple elements tend to be the most memorable.
  3. NOT BEING
    Simple doesn’t mean vague and you want your branding to be specific and clear. Why? Because generic branding isn’t memorable. Strive to make your branding clear including your logo, tagline and imagery.

YOUR BRAND AND YOUR BLOG

Building a brand doesn’t have to be hard. Take things one step at a time and you will have your brand set in no time and, more than anything, consistency is key.

Need help getting started branding (or rebranding) your blog? Head over to my resource library and download my Brand Your Blog Checklist and start working through the steps to create your brand now!

15 Steps to a GDPR Compliant Blog

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15 Steps to a

GDPR Compliant Blog

The announcement of the GDPR in early 2018 was enough to make even the most experienced bloggers tremble in their boots. It sent a lot of bloggers into a whirlwind and very few people had a grasp of what it was- myself included.  

What we did know was that it would mean more rules to follow and more work or face hefty fines. Ugh…

Good news is it’s been awhile since the announcement of the GDPR and the deadline to be compliant has come and gone. Tons of bloggers and companies have done a lot of research to make sure they are GDPR compliant.

Why is this good for you? You get to benefit from a simplified list of “Things To Do” in order to become GDPR compliant.  

What is the GDPR?

Before we dive into compliance, let’s discover what the heck the GDPR is.

GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation and according to EWGDPR.org, the GDPR is meant to protect all EU (European Union) citizens from privacy and data breaches.

The biggest change of the GDPR is that it applies to all companies processing the personal data of data subjects residing in the Union, regardless of the company’s location.  In translation, if there is a chance someone from the EU will visit your page you have to comply.

How to be GDPR Compliant

Before we get started I have to say this is in no way legal advice for the GDPR.

There are steps I have taken on my blog to ensure my policies are up to date and compliant with the GDPR. Every business is different, and this list is a guide to using the best free resources to help you become GDPR compliant.

1. If you have more than one blog, ensure they’re all connected with your main WordPress.com account

If you’re just starting to blog you won’t have to worry about this but if you choose to start another site (or several) make sure they’re all connected to one primary WordPress.com account.

This way when you upload a required plugin,  it uploads “once” rather than uploading and activating for each site-huge time-saver!

2. Download the Following Plugins

Go to each of the pages below and download the plugins.

Cookie Notice – Displays a cookie notice when the page loads.

WP GDPR Compliance– This allows process data requests from WordPress that’s secure for the user. This means they can only process by clicking a link in their email, from the same device and IP. It also allows you to easily add a checkbox to forms on your website currently supporting Contact Form 7, Gravity Forms, WooCommerce, and WordPress Comments.

This fulfills the Data Request Requirement & the Extra Checkbox Recommended For Sensitive Forms.

Contact Form 7  – An easy to setup, free, and flexible WordPress Contact Form.

This makes it easy for readers to reach you if they have a Data Removal Request.

Flamingo – Stores all Contact Form 7 Entries in WordPress and serves as a backup in case email fails.

3. Upload plugins to WordPress.com for all sites or to the WordPress Dashboard for your blog

If you’re not using WordPress.com, go to your WordPress Dashboard of your blog and hover over ‘Plugins’.

Click ‘Add New’ and upload one plugin at a time then click activate to finish.

4. Integrate Google Recaptcha For Contact Form 7

Go to Google reCAPTCHA and select the gmail account you use for your website. 

You will then see a page like the one shown below. You want to add your domain name and then you want to choose reCATCHA V2.

A box will pop up and you will have to enter your full domain address.

Once you select ‘Register’ you will get a Site Key and a Secret Key.

Return to WordPress Dashboard and hover over ‘Contact’ then select ‘Integration’ and you will be able to enter your Site Key and Secret Key here. 

5. Create a Privacy Policy page (or update your current one)

The resource I used to create my Privacy Policy is SEQ Legal. Their Privacy Policy includes a lot of optional text plus parts you are REQUIRED to edit so go through the policy to ensure it meets your needs and to make sure your privacy policy set up the right way.

Fair warning, these policies were created in the EU so you may have to edit the text a bit but since they’re policy is currently the strictest I feel confident I am compliant with other laws as well. I encourage you to do your own research or talk to a lawyer if you have any questions.

To create your privacy page your WordPress has to be up-to-date because only versions 4.9.6 has a built in “Privacy” link located under ‘Settings’ on the WordPress Dashboard. 

A new page will be created and you will be able to copy and paste your new privacy policy here. 

6. Edit Your Privacy Policy Page With Links To 3rd Party Services You Use

Create a list of all the companies that handle data on behalf of your business. The list should include Google, Facebook, your hosting company, autoresponder, and tracking services.

Include this list in your privacy policy with a link to each services privacy policy.

7. Create a Form for the Specific Purpose of Users Contacting You About Their Data

Once you have your privacy policy created, GDPR also requires you to add the following:

  1. Data Rectification which allows users to adjust their information.
  2. Data Access which allows users to see what records you hold.
  3. The ‘Right To Be Forgotten’ which allows users to be removed from your records.
  4. A Data Breach Process which states what will happen in the case of a data breach or website hack.

In order to fulfill the requirements, take the following steps:

  • Go to ‘Contact’ on the WordPress Dashboard and select ‘Contact Forms’ from the dropdown. 
  •  When Contact Form 7 is uploaded, it automatically creates a standard form and shortcode. Copy the shortcode located in the box on the page. 
  • Create a new page titled ‘Data Access Request and include a short paragraph explaining users are allowed to access, modify, and request deletion of their data at any time. 
  • Create and link to a ‘Data Request Access’ Page allowing users to be automatically emailed their data or have their data removed (fulfilling requirement 2 and 3). 
  • Write a paragraph on what will happen if their data is breached such in the case of a website hacked or data stolen (fulfilling requirement 4). Example: If the event of any data breach from our servers or third party providers we will contact all concerned parties within 72 hours and follow up with any details if required.

8. Download Other Legal Files & Create Pages

Having the Privacy Policy page done is awesome and a step in the right direction but there are quite a few pages you need to be compliant with GDPR including:

If you’re anything like me I had most of these on my page before but they were all on one long page. Now GDPR requires they each have a separate page.

9. Edit Cookie Notice

Go to your WordPress Dashboard and hover over ‘Settings’ then select ‘Cookie Notice’.

Ensure “Enable Privacy Policy Link” is clicked and choose your Privacy Policy Page.

Click Synchronize with WordPress Privacy Policy page and click save.

10. Edit WP GDPR Compliance

Go to your WordPress Dashboard and hover over ‘Tools’ then select ‘WP GDPR Compliance’. 

Under Integration checkbox and activate all the forms that you use on your site. On the next tab “Checklist” turn on everything that applies. 

On the last tab “Settings” under Request User Data you’ll see Active Requests.

Checkbox “Active Page”, > click Save Changes. From here view and bookmark this page. Sometimes this page is set to private. Click Edit and change the Visibility to ‘Public’. 

11. Create a New Email Address

Inside your cPanel (hosting account) create a new email. Use something like report/abuse/data requests@yourdomain.com.

If you need help with setting up a custom domain email, check out my article on Setting Up a Domain Email in Siteground. 

12. Filter, Tag & Prioritize This Email

Once you set up your email, set it up to be forwarded to your primary gmail email so you never miss a message. 

13. Add a footer to your blog

Go to your WordPress Dashboard and hover on ‘Appearance’ and then select ‘Menu’.

Click ‘Create a New Menu’.

Name the menu ‘footer’ and then select all of the disclaimers you  previously made.

14. Update All Your Opt-In Headlines and Landing Pages

GDPR requires you to clearly describe what people will get after they sign up.

Here’s an example of a landing page headline which is NOT GDPR compliant.

FREE PLANNER: “Get Your FREE Planner!” Enter your name and email for instant access

To make it GPPR compliant you should write:

FREE PLANNER: “”Get Your FREE Planner and Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter”. This way you are clearly stating readers are subscribing to a newsletter.

15. Ensure your opt-in box has a clear link to the privacy policy

Add a clear privacy policy to all of your opt-ins and landing pages including popup boxes.

Before GDPR I used: ‘We value your privacy and never share your email address with anyone.’

Now I include a clear link to my Privacy Policy:

‘We value your privacy and never share your email address with anyone.’

GDPR Compliance

GDPR Compliance requires you to up your game when it comes to protecting your readers privacy. Admittedly, it requires more work but it’s ultimately a good thing to be able to provide our readers with the security that their information is safe. 

Hopefully this list has made it a little clearer about what the GDPR is and easier for you to meet the requirements. 

Want to keep this article for later? Click ‘Read Later’ below to have the post emailed to you below. Or sign up for access to my FREE Resource Library to download a Printable Checklist to help make your blog GDPR Compliant. 

Brown ZigZag Line Checklist List

How to Monetize Your Blog Before You Launch

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I’m sure you’ve come across lots of ‘How to Start a Blog’ posts and read how easy it is to start a blog.

But, if you’re anything like me, your next thought was “It’s easy to start a blog but what then? How do I grow a blog, get traffic, gain followers, and make money from one?”

When I decided to start a blog I did some research, got a vague idea on how to monetize then went ahead and started one… and I made no money whatsoever for the first year.

You read that right- a year.

I know- I probably shouldn’t tell you that. Why would you want to learn blogging from someone who didn’t jump in and immediately start making money like everyone else seems to? Don’t people start making money in the first, second, and third month? That’s what all the income reports say, right?

The problem is we only hear from those who succeed but that’s not the whole story.

There are  bloggers out there who were instantly successful but they’re in the minority. I’ve read that over 90% of people who start a blog give up before they even reach three months of blogging. Of those bloggers who stick with it, only about a quarter are able to ever make more than a couple hundred dollars a month. Ugh!

I tried following what all the experts said and build up my content before launching.  I wanted to have at least fifteen articles posted when I went live but with two small kids at home I was lucky to get one post a week which means launching my blog took about 3 1/2 months.

Then when I finally launched my blog and started promoting it nothing happened. Pageviews trickled in but I wasn’t making any money.

Finally, after months of earning pennies, I received an email that changed everything.

Ironically, it had nothing to do with blogging, but it’s the reason I was able to stick with blogging long enough to get a consistent income established. 

I want to share what I learned with other new bloggers like you because no one wants to twiddle their thumbs for months waiting to be paid for their efforts. You want to see real results.

It’s not the typical “blogging path” but it’s a path that can get you making money a lot quicker. It worked for me and I am confident it can work for you too.

Monetize your blog before you launch

Monetize Your Blog Before You Launch

Step 1: Choose a Niche and Audience

The first step to starting a blog is to know what you plan to blog about. This means choosing a topic and niche. A niche narrows down what you want to write about and who you want to write to.

Some bloggers will insist that you can monetize any niche. That’s technically true but some niches are a lot easier to monetize than others. If you’re blogging to share your passion with the world (which is awesome!) then blog to your heart’s content and you’ll be able to monetize… eventually.  

However, if your goal is to monetize as quickly as possible then you will want to choose your topic and niche carefully because they are going to directly affect how fast you’ll start making money.

The seven niches which tend to be the easiest to monetize include:

  • Beauty/Fashion
  • Food
  • Healthy & Fitness
  • Lifestyle
  • Making Money
  • Personal Finance
  • Personal Development

Narrowing down a Niche

Standard blogging logic is to narrow down your niche as much as possible because the better you know and can relate to your audience, the easier it is to talk directly to them and get to know them. You can even go as far as to have an avatar (one person you write to and get to know intimately).

The concept is great but can often be hard for new bloggers. A better idea is to cast a wide net at the beginning and see what your audience responds to.

For example, instead of niching down to natural parenting for crunchy moms, try a natural lifestyle blog with several topics- one which includes parenting. Instead of a blog for the Keto Diet for Diabetics, write about the Keto Diet and then get to know your audience and see what content they respond to and what struggles they are having.

It’s great to write to diabetics but if the majority of your readers have high blood pressure then start talking more to them and their struggles.

Blogging is about sharing your passion but it’s also about listening to your readers and helping them with their struggles. Choose a niche then keep an open mind and see where your blog takes you.  

Step 2: Brainstorm a Blog and Domain Name

Your domain name will be the name of your blog and the URL people type into the address bar. My domain is BloggingEnthusiast.com.

The primary goal of your domain name should be to represent what your blog is about. People should be able to look at your blog name (and tagline) and instantly figure out what you write about. The quicker people figure out what your topic is, the longer they’ll stay to see what you have to say.

There are a few things to think about when thinking of a blog name.

Keep in mind that these are just guidelines and you probably won’t be able to stick to every one of them. There are plenty of blogs out there who have gone against every one of these and are still successful.

  • Keep it short and sweet.
  • Use the correct spelling of words. If you plan to name your blog ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors,’ you don’t want to spell it ‘Rok, Paper, Sizzors’ because no one will ever find you.
  • Try and get a .com. People tend to search for them by default and naturally trust them more.
  • Never, ever use a hyphen. No one will remember that you’re at My-Best-Life.com but you will send a lot of traffic to MyBestLife.com
  • Try and put your main topic first in your blog name. DogWalker.com will rank higher than WalkingDogs.com when it comes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
  • SEO is important but you can consider using your own name. If you have a name that’s hard to say or spell you can use a nickname, middle name, last name, or make up a pseudonym (aka pen name) instead.
  • Avoid niche specific terms that only those familiar with your niche would know. For example, people who follow a keto diet know what Bullet Proof Coffee is but someone looking to learn about the keto diet would have no idea and probably skip right past your site.

You can buy your domain from a number of services but I try to keep my domain and hosting all in the same place because it’s easier. My favorite host is Siteground. To see if your domain name is available scroll to the bottom and under ‘Services’ you’ll find ‘Domain Names.’ Click on it and it will take you to a page where you can see if the domain you want is available.

If this isn’t the first ‘How to Start a Blog’ post that you have read then you may be thinking “This is exactly what everyone says.” Step 4 is where things get a little different though. Instead of jumping to setting up your website, we are going to switch gears and shift to…

Step 3: Setup Your Pinterest Business Account

I know you’re thinking “Why should I set up a Pinterest account when I have nothing to share yet?” Because a warmed up Pinterest account is worth its weight in gold.

When you setup your Pinterest account the right way (meaning you have a business account, a profile with good keywords, and well-keyworded boards) you can start driving traffic and sales within a few weeks before you even start your blog.

You read that right. You can start priming the pump to drive sales before you even start your blog.

I’m not saying you will get rich quick doing this but you can set yourself up to start seeing a few dollars come in in a few weeks instead of a few months (or years) which is what happens to many bloggers.

I want you you to succeed as quick as possible so I am in the process of putting together an eBook to help you out. In the meantime, check out Carly Campbell’s Pinteresting Strategies. It’s an amazing, in-depth e-Book for getting started on Pinterest the right way and it’s amazingly affordable. 

Step 4: Register as an Affiliate and Start Promoting Affiliate Pins Your Audience Will Want

There are a ton of affiliate sites out there but the two you should focus on right now are Society6 and Zazzle. Both of these affiliates allow affiliate links on Pinterest and you don’t have to have your own website to promote their products. 

Both have easy to use platforms that allow you to link directly to their products and then pin to your well-keyworded boards. If you need help, comment in my Private Facebook group and I’ll help you out (I plan to do a Facebook live on both soon). 

*Side note: Never use an Amazon link on Pinterest. It’s a big no-no and great way to get your Amazon affiliate account banned. 

Once you’re an affiliate you’ll be able to grab pictures of the products that fit your niche and pin them to your boards on Pinterest.

When you pin your pin, make sureit has the reason why you love it, what the product is, and that you include [aff link].  You can also include three to five hashtags so people can easily find the product on Pinterest once you pin it. 

Pinterest Business Account

Step 5: Pin Daily

I waffled on making this Step 5 but I decided to because I wanted to highlight the importance of it.

Pinterest loves (and rewards) active users. This doesn’t mean you have to spend all day pinning but pinning 5-10 pins a couple of times a day can make a huge difference in your traffic.  

At first you won’t have many pins of your owns but make sure to pin relevant, third-party (aka not your own) pins to your boards. Once you build your own collection you can focus more on pinning your own pins. 

You may be thinking “I don’t have time to pin that often!” Which is fine because Pinterest doesn’t care if you don’t pin manually.

You read that right.

Pinterest doesn’t care how you pin as long as you pin so take advantage of Pin schedulers.

Tailwind is a Pinterest approved, easy to use scheduler and their Tribes feature is a great way to start gaining traffic. Join my Private Facebook Group to view a Facebook live on how to get using Tailwind. 

Once you have Tailwind, Schedule the pins you want pinned, set it to run, and you won’t have to worry about constantly being on Pinterest (except to update your pinning schedule a few times a month).

Tailwind Visual Marketing Suite

Why Should You Blog When You Can Make Money from Pinterest?

At this point you may be thinking “why should I bother setting up a blog if I can just make money from Pinterest?”

Honestly, You don’t have to set up a blog to make money.

But, if you want to help people, increase your earning potential, and have a business you are in control of (instead of Pinterest controlling you) then you need a blog.

A blog is something that is yours. You make up the rules and you own it.

Deja Cronley, Blogging Enthusiast Tweet

A blog is something that is yours. You make up the rules and you own it. Pinterest can change their rules or algorithms at any moment ( and they do- quite often) and your income stream could vanish. It’s a crappy truth but the truth.

That won’t happen with your own site though.

It’s one thing to market through Pinterest and make sales but it’s a completely different ball game once you start to connect with your readers. Connecting with readers is what will keep you motivated.

Another plus of having a blog is that studies have shown building your own email list is the single most important thing an entrepreneur can do to earn more money and building a list is almost impossible without a blog. 

Readers are 40 times (that’s not a typo- 40 TIMES) more likely to buy from someone who emails them than any other form of communication. Imagine the difference between 1 in 300 buying a product you suggest versus 13 out of 100.

Yes- a blog is more work (a lot more work) but it’s worth it if you are planning to run a business and not just a side hustle.

Step 6: Start Writing and Build Up Content

At this point you are probably itching to setup your blog. That’s the fun stuff and I just went on and on about how a blog is all yours to do what you like with, right?

But the moment you setup your blog it will become the biggest distraction to writing that you have. You will get sucked into the vortex of branding, email series, learning new platforms, etc.

If there is nothing for your readers to read they won’t come back so focus on content first. At a minimum, you want to have ten articles on your blog when you launch. If you can, try and have another six blog posts set aside. I know six seems like a random number but there is logic to my madness.

Once you setup your blog, you can put up your ten blog posts then launch your blog and open it up to readers. Since you will still be new and trying to build up your trust with Google, you will want to try and post two times a week for the first month at least. 

If you can write one post a week and then post one of your previous posts a week there’s your two times. You will then have two spare posts for when life happens and you can’t write one week.  

Finding Content Your Readers Want to Read

The best way to find popular content is to check out other bloggers in your niche. See what content has done well for them and start writing about those subjects.

Try not to read the articles until after you write your own to avoid their view influencing yours though. I’m sure I don’t have to say this but I will anyway: research and inspiration is fine but copying someone else’s work is never okay.

Most bloggers have a “Popular Posts” section which is great because your work is done for you. However, another neat trick is to go to Buzzsumo. Type in the URL of a blogger and get other bloggers top four posts. Buzzsumo is a paid service but you can get five free searches a day so use them carefully.

Keep your writing on topic and don’t forget to put yourself in the shoes of your reader. Aim to solve one problem with one post and you will be on your way to blogging success.

Need more tips on writing great blog content? Check out my post on ‘How to Write Blog Posts Your Readers Will Love’.

Set Yourself Up for Success with Good SEO

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and what it boils down to is you want to focus each post around a few keywords that, once your blog is established, will give you the chance to show up on the first page of Google.

SEO and keyword research is a massive subject so I don’t want to try and cover it here but Moz has a great explanation of long tail keywords for Beginners page in their ‘Beginners Guide to Keyword Research’. It’s free to check out and will give you a great basic understanding of what long tail keywords are and the best way to find them.

Digital Nomad Wannabe also has a great free keyword research article and Stupid Easy SEO offers a free eBook for beginner bloggers as well.

Want help planning exactly how to monetize your blog content?

Get a copy of my 25 page Affiliate Marketing Guide for FREE!

Step 7: Setup Your Blog

Now that you have at least ten blog posts it’s time to actually start your blog.

If you need help with the technical portion of starting your blog, check out my post on ‘How to Start a Blog’. I put together a step by step picture tutorial on how to choose the best hosting plan and upload WordPress to get your blog up and running ASAP.

I love Siteground and they come highly recommended from the tech guy I trust most, Grayson Bell. He put together a free course, Blogging on WordPress, to help you understand why Siteground is the best host compared to other popular hosts like Bluehost. He also walks you through the technical aspects of starting a WordPress Blog and setting it up so it’s secure.   

Web Hosting

Choosing a Theme for Your Blog

A theme is  the layout of your blog and it determines where everything on your blog will be. Headers, footers, sidebars- all of these things are built by your theme.

Choosing a theme was one of the biggest headaches for me when I started a blog. There are literally thousands and I had no clue what I wanted. Thankfully, my two favorite theme providers, Studio Press and Elegant Themes, have a great way to narrow things down for you. You can browse by your criteria or choose and compare the themes you like.

When choosing a theme, try and ignore the colors and look at the foundational stuff like where everything is and how big headers, footers, and sidebars are. Colors can be changed but those items can’t.

StudioPress Theme of the Month

Free Themes vs Paid Themes

When you upload WordPress, it will come with a basic free theme and there are other free themes you can search through. Starting off you may decide to use one of these which is understandable when you’re still in the beginning stages of blogging and don’t want to invest a lot of money.

However, you get what you pay for.

Free themes are not updated often (if at all), can be glitchy, and when you do update you’ll have to reset all of your fonts, colors, and styles which can be a royal pain in the you-know-what.

Paid themes will generally come with a parent theme and a child theme. A parent theme is the framework for your website and it will hold all of the information you have set like colors, fonts, and styles so that when you update the child theme (which happens a few times a year) you will not have to reset everything.

My favorite parent/child theme duo come from Studiopress. Their parent theme is called Genesis and it is compatible with hundreds of child themes. They also have easy-to-follow tutorials and great customer service in case you ever have any questions.

The first time you purchase a theme from them, it will come with Genesis and the child theme. Down the line if you purchase a different them you will only have to purchase the child theme. For more info on Genesis and parent/child themes, check out their Q&A page.

A couple of blogger friends of mine use Elegant Themes and love them. They have a similar parent/child setup and great customer service.

Both Studiopress and Elegant Themes come with money-back guarantees so if you try a theme and don’t like it, return the theme and try another (I went through three when I started my first blog and never had a problem with returning it).

Step 8: Use Pinterest to Drive Traffic

Now that your blog is setup and you’ve started adding content, the next thing you want to work on is driving traffic to your blog. I wish someone would have told me this one tip when I first started blogging.

Spend the majority of your time PROMOTING your posts.

Content is important because it’s what your readers want but a post without anyone seeing it doesn’t do you any good. Once you have a lot of content you should spend about 20% of your time writing and 80% of your time promoting but at the beginning a 40/60 split is more realistic.

The good news is you’re in position to get great traffic thanks to the time you spent setting up your Pinterest account and pinning daily. Now, you get to start creating and pinning your own pins.

There are a ton of Pinterest resources out there to help you learn how to create your own pins in Canva but the best one I have found is Carly Campbell’s Pinteresting Strategies. It goes through how to create great pins but it also goes through how to create pins in a way that will increase the chances of them going viral and driving tons of traffic to your blog.

A few tips to get you started growing your Pinterest account even faster:

  • Pinterest is mostly for traffic so your primary focus is to get people to click through to your blog. However, don’t be afraid to go for the easy win. People love to repin infographics, quotes, memes, cute animals, and even things like color palettes if you’re in the Home Decor niche. Create a couple of simple pins and start circulating them for a little boost in Pinterest traffic.
  • Creating pins for blog posts will be different than creating pins for affiliate marketing only. Use Canva to add big, easy to read lettering to your pins.

Check out my article on 19 Pinterest Tips Directly from Pinterest for even more tips on how to grow your account.

Step 9: Make Google Happy

As mentioned before, you will want to get your first ten posts up and then publish a couple of posts a week so you start to show up on Google’s radar.

Why is Google so Important?

Because to make your blog a business you have to have great SEO to send you traffic. The search engine you need to send you traffic? Google.

Of course there are other search engines (Yahoo, Bing, Ask) but Google is the search engine giant. If you ever decide to do sponsored posts (posts in exchange for money, products, or services) or want to have ads on your page, your Google Analytics is what companies will ask to see.

SEO is a beast of a topic which is why I suggested the free resources above but there are a few basic things you can do to start to get on Google’s radar.

Upload the YOAST Plugin

There is a free and paid version of the Yoast plugin for WordPress but if you’re just getting started the free one is fine (they also have a great tutorial on SEO and how to use their plugins).

Yoast is a very user friendly plugin and it’s pretty self explanatory. When you upload it, it will analyze your post and let you know how good the SEO is. Following the plugin is a great way to start crafting your posts in a way that will help them rank high in Google.

It will also create a sitemap  of your page which you will want to submit to Google. A sitemap tells google about the organization of your site content and pages with sitemaps tend to rank higher.

Setup Google Search Console

You’ll also want to setup your Google Search Console. Your Google Search Console will tell you what words you rank for.

To ‘rank’ for words means you show up on page one of Google when someone enters a specific phrase. Ranking for any key phrase on Google is a great reason to do a happy dance. The more phrases you rank for on Google, the more traffic you will have.

Upload Your Posts to Google +

Google plus is Google’s version of Facebook. There are quite a few people on it but not near as many as Facebook (honestly, I didn’t know it existed before I started blogging).

You can check out this article by Twelve Skip on how to setup your Google + Business account and then you want to upload your posts to it. When you upload a post to Google +, don’t expect much to happen. However, Google + is owned by Google and rumor has it they give preference to posts on their own platform so take the moment to post it.

Blogging Success Is Mostly About the Right Mindset

This post contained a ton of information but don’t let it intimidate you. Half of blogging is mindset and you can (and have to believe) that you can do this. There’s no magic formula for success, you just have to do what needs to be done and do it consistently until you get to where you’re going but you don’t have to do it alone. Join my Private Facebook Group to ask questions, get Feedback, and share your blog to help you grow. I hope to see you there and best of luck on your blog!

5 Limiting Beliefs That Will Sabotage Your Blog

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5 Limiting Beliefs That Will

Sabotage Your Blog

Blogging is a tough business. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry (or Jane, Judy, and Lane) that has a blog also has a “How to Start a Blog Post” and there are tons of articles about how “easy” blogging is.

The truth of the matter is running a successful blog is a lot of work and there is a steep learning curve. There are a lot of moving parts that have to be in sync to have a successful  blog. It can be enough to make any new blogger want to pull their hair out.

But, no matter how frustrating it can be to learn how to blog, lack of knowledge is not why most blogs fail.

The real reason most blogs fail is that people give up. They give up because their belief they will succeed has dwindled down to nothing. Blogs fail because of limiting beliefs.

Limiting Beliefs

So what exactly is a limiting belief? According to Changing Minds a limiting belief is a belief which constrains you in some way.

In layman’s terms, it’s that annoying little voice in the back of your head that tells you you’re not special enough, good enough, smart enough, experienced enough, whatever enough to succeed. 

The truth of the matter is- you’re enough.

Keep reading to discover some of the most common limiting beliefs.

common limiting beliefs of bloggers

I Don’t Know Enough

Believe it or not you don’t have to be an expert in what you write about to succeed- you just have to be honest. In this over-filtered world we live in people love honesty because it’s like a breath of fresh air.

If you’re new at something, are passionate about it, and want to write about it then do so. You don’t have to know it all, you just have to know more than the average person on a topic.

You don’t have to know it all, you just have to know more than the average person on a topic.

Deja Cronley, Blogging Enthusiast

Tweet

Tell your readers you’re new and want them to join you on your journey. Share your wins and your failures with them along with what you learned.

You being you and being honest will always be “enough.” You have to believe that to succeed at blogging.

Want more tips on starting a blog on a topic you’re not an expert in? Check out this post and podcast by Problogger on the topic. 

I Don’t Have Enough Time

Time is limited for everyone and we all wish we had more of it.

But, if blogging is important to you, you will carve out time for it like anything else. I am writing this at 130 in the morning because it’s the only time I can write as a stay-at-home mom of a two and four year old.

Maybe the only time you can work on your blog is at lunch time, by getting up 30 minutes early, or after the kids go to sleep. If it’s important to you, you’ll carve out time for it.

And remember- blogging is not a race. Of course we would all love to succeed as fast as possible but maybe you’re more tortoise than hare and that’s okay too. 

I’m Not a Good Enough Writer

If you’re awful at writing then blogging may be like pulling teeth for you. But, if you have great ideas and still want to blog there are ways to work around to this.

Limiting beliefs of writer

Hire an editor, record your posts then transcribe them, or have a vlog (video blog) or podcast.

Again, if you want to blog (or vlog) bad enough then you can and will find a way to do so.

Need help learning how to write content for your blog? Check out my post ‘How to Write Content Your Readers Will Love’. 

You can also download your FREE Blog Post Checklist to ensure you never miss a step when publishing your posts. 

I Don’t Have Enough Money to Invest in My Blog

Yes- there are ridiculously priced courses out there. But, there are also very reasonably priced courses and investing in your business at some point will help you reach your goals faster.

There are tons of free courses out there to help steer you in the right direction so sign up and take advantage of them. I even have a list of the Top 25+ FREE Courses you can sign up for separated by subject and I add to it all the time. 

Pro-Tip: There are tons of free trials and services out there. Try them out and (while you have access) take their courses.  

You can also take advantage of another free resource: other bloggers. Join a few blogging facebook groups and post your questions.

It won’t take long for you to notice the people who respond over and over again to your posts. Those are the best people to get to know and bounce questions off of.

I’m Not Special Enough

This is the most pervasive and wide spread false belief I’ve heard in the blogging world.

You probably believe others have something special that you don’t  but it’s not true.

The people who succeed are the ones who consistently move forward with their blogs and just don’t give up.

Changing Your MIndset

Changing your mindset may be one of the hardest things you’ll ever do but is absolutely worth it because it can help you achieve your goals.

Truth bomb: It’s something I still work on daily. The good news is, there are steps you can take to start retraining your brain. 

Change your limiting beliefs

Read Motivational Quotes (A Lot)

Have you ever read a quote and something about it struck a chord with you?

I have a tattoo on my side with the quote “Happiness is where you find it but rarely where you seek it.” There was something about it that spoke to me.

Words can have an amazing affect on you so take advantage of them.

Head over to Google or Pinterest and type in ‘Motivational Quotes.’

Find a few you like, print them off, and hang them in high traffic areas of your home. Next to the bed, on the bathroom mirror, on your fridge- wherever you know you will see it often and say it out loud when you read it.

At first you will feel silly but use those quotes to motivate you, uplift you, and give you the push you need to stick with this crazy thing called blogging.

Practice Changing Your Inner Talk

Every time you think you “can’t” do something change it to “I choose not to ______.”

Change your limiting beliefs

According to Thoughts on Translation the “I can’t…” mindset is harmful because it ‘deflects responsibility away from the person who’s really in charge: you! And when you start to be more accepting of your own choices, you’re much less stressed and frustrated, because you realize that you’re making a deliberate choice, not being backed into a corner by forces you can’t control.’

Work on changing your inner voice and watch your life change with it. 

Create a Dream Board

If you’re like me you just rolled your eyes when you read the words “Dream Board” but studies have shown people who write down and visualize their goals are up to 10 times more likely to achieve them. Even Oprah Winfrey has a board so it can’t be too corny, right?

Need help starting on your own dream board? Check out this simple tutorial by Christie Inge.  

Achieving Your Goals

Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t- you’re right.

When it comes to succeeding at anything, including blogging, it’s not experience, education, or time that determines whether you’ll be successful. The major determinant is the belief you will  be successful.

Persevere, find blogging friends, work on changing your mindset, and do what you set out to do: rock your blog.

Need help with the next step you should take with your blog? Contact me and let’s talk! 

How to Quickly Setup Your Custom Domain Email in Siteground [Picture Tutorial]

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How to Quickly Setup Your

Custom Domain Email

in Siteground [Picture Tutorial]

Have you ever received an email from a business that didn’t use their name in the email address?  Let’s say you order something from “Mommy Blogs” but the emails you receive come from ‘MommyBlogsAdmin@gmail.com’ instead of Admin@MommyBlogs.com?  

See the difference? The second looks more professional and professionalism is becoming increasingly important since spammers are a dime a dozen nowadays. Setting up a custom domain email is an easy way to start building trust with your readers.

Setting up a custom domain may seem complicated but it’s pretty simple- especially if you’re using Siteground.

Keep reading to discover how you can set up your custom domain and start building trust with your readers from the very first email you send. 

How to Setup Your Custom Domain Email

Setting up your domain email is one of those things that seems like it would be ridiculously hard but I promise it’s not. As a matter of fact, when you’re done you’re going to think “That’s it?”

Step 1: Sign into Siteground

I didn’t include a screenshot here because if you’ve setup your account then you’re familiar with this step.

However, if you haven’t setup your hosting yet, check out my article on starting a blog which includes a picture tutorial for setting up hosting on Siteground. 

Step 2: Click on My Accounts

Siteground dashboard area. Select 'My accounts'

Step 3: Select cPanel

Step 4: Scroll Down Until You See the ‘Mail’ section then Select ‘EMAIL ACCOUNTS’

cPanel Accessing eMail on Siteground

Step 5: Create Your Email Name

To create your email type in the name you want into the blue highlighted box. You can create as many emails as you want so you can use your first name, first and last name, info, help, or admin. 

Then go to to section after the ‘@’ sign and select your domain (if you only have one, that will be the only drop down available). 

Create your password then type it in again. 

You can leave the email memory limit or make it larger. The memory amount that autofills should be plenty and you can always change it later. 

Once you’re done select ‘Create Account’ and you’re done!

Create Your Siteground Email

Accessing Your Domain Email

Now that you’ve setup your domain email you have to access it. Simply type your domain name into the address box followed by /webmail. 

So to get to my domain I type in ‘www.bloggingenthusiast.com/webmail’ and this page comes up. 

webmail login screen

The first time you login you will see the page below which allows you to decide which program (aka webmail application) you want to use.

If you’re not sure, you don’t have to set a default view. Just click a picture and the next time you login you will see this page again. If you are familiar with one of these then you can click the text ‘Set as Default’ below the one you want.

No worries if you do select one- all of the applications are easy to use and you can change it later if you change your mind. 

Default Webmail email platform

You're Set!

Congratulations on setting up your domain email. There is something exciting about seeing an email coming from your own domain.

Want to make things even easier? Discover how you can forward your email to your regular email account or setup Google for business for only $5/month which is perfect for you if there is more than one person managing your blog or business.

Is there something else you need help doing on your blog? Contact me and I’d be happy to help walk you through it. If we talk and it’s outside even my scope, I can at least point you in the right direction!