Does a business website need a blog? What about an ecommerce site? Is a blog only for personal websites or is there a benefit to having a blog on your business website? Setting up a blog is simple and well worth the time. Here are five reasons why the answer to the question “Should I start a blog for my business?” is a definite yes!
Blog Content Attracts People in the Research Stage
Having a blog on your business website allows you to create content to attract people in the research stage. This allows you to bring people to your website higher up in the funnel. Content such as product descriptions and information about the services you provide will attract people with intent to buy. While, that is also helpful, that won’t help people find you who don’t know you exist.
Blog content allows you to write content to demonstrate to people how your product or service could be helpful even when they have never heard of you and didn’t realize a solution such as yours exists.
Blogs Can Build Trust and Authority
Creating consistent blog content helps build your brand. It adds a voice to your business. It allows you to build trust and become an authority in your niche. Blog content can help both people and search engines understand what you’re known for.
Blogs Help You Better Understand Your Audience
Reviewing blog data and understanding what content is the most popular can help you better understand your audience. By understanding what content people are reading on your website you can get a better idea about what pains they are trying to solve and what topics they are interested in.
Blogs Can Grow Your Email List
When you have a business blog, ideally you also want some kind of download or freebie that site visitors can opt into. If you do, a blog can grow your email list. When people visit your blog, they can provide an email to get your freebie. The trick with this is to align your freebie with your product. You want to make sure your offer attracts people who would be your ideal customer, then you want that item to help those people overcome a hurdle that would be stopping them from purchasing your product.
Blogs Make it Easier to Get Social Exposure
Lastly, blogs make it easier to get social shares and exposure on social networks. The type of content that naturally appears in blogs is more educational, conversational, and insightful. So, it naturally attracts much more social shares and attention than your standard website pages.
In Summary
Blogs are useful for all business websites. They allow you to connect with your community in a way you can’t with the rest of your site content.
Do you want to listen to this article? Here’s the podcast episode:
Building your blog, or your entire website, on WordPress is a great option. It offers flexibility, documentation, and a ton of community support. There are thousands of themes and plugins that you can use to create just about any functionality you can think of.
But, sometimes the vast number of options available can be overwhelming. To cut through some of the clutter we’ve put together five WordPress blogging tips you can follow to start strong.
Tip #1: Use a Responsive Theme
You want your website to be mobile friendly. You don’t want to get stuck duplicating content and wasting valuable time. When you’re looking for a WordPress theme, make sure it’s responsive. Start with a responsive theme from the very beginning.
When a theme is responsive, that means the width of the website can readjust to fit on mobile, tablet, or desktop. Depending on the device size, the elements on your website will be displayed differently.
On a desktop, you might have a four column layout. On mobile, those columns would be stacked on top of each other vertically instead. On a tablet, they might be displayed as a two column layout with two rows.
This allows for a great user experience regardless of what device people use to access the website.
Tip #2: Use Only the Plugins You Need
Plugins are great. They make it easy to add complex functionality to a WordPress site without knowing how to code. For the most part, they are plug and play. You download one, activate it, configure a few settings to specify your needs, and it’s good!
There’s nothing wrong with using plugins, but you only want to use the plugins you need. The more you use, the more potential issues you’ll run into. Normally, plugins are fine. But, sometimes, they can conflict with each other.
Since adding plugins is so easy, it’s also easy to have way more than you need. Sometimes when I’m looking for a new plugin I end up downloading about five plugins. I try them all and then decide one is the best and go with it.
There’s nothing wrong with that. But when you’re done, remove what you aren’t using. Don’t just deactivate it. Completely delete it so it doesn’t appear in your list of plugins anymore. If you don’t delete it you will still need to update it and you still have those files on your server.
So, if you need a plugin, use it. If you install it, don’t like it or don’t need it, get rid of it. Don’t let it be a possible vulnerability.
The same thing goes with themes. There’s no need to keep the default themes if you aren’t using them.
Tip #3: Be Cautious with Customizations
If you want to change the way a plugin or theme works, try to change it in the available settings first. Don’t play with the code unless you have to. If you don’t understand code, stay out of it.
If you make the customization directly in the plugin or theme code it will get overwritten when there’s a new update. That means your change will be gone and there’s a chance you will break something unexpected.
Always look through the available settings first. Most themes will have a dedicated area for you to add custom CSS and javascript.
Plugins normally offer quite a few customization settings as well. Chances are you’ll be able to find a settings interface to control the element you want to manipulate. And if you don’t, try a different plugin. Editing the plugin code should be a last resort.
Tip #4: Download Yoast SEO
You want to start off by adding SEO elements such as meta descriptions to your pages from the very beginning. It will be easiest to optimize your posts for search engines as you create them instead of going back and editing several existing pages when you decide to focus on it.
There are a few different SEO plugins worth using. I like to use Yoast SEO. They allow you to specify the target keyword for the page and then they have a checklist to quickly identify what remaining optimizations need to be added to the post.
Tip #5: Have a Plan for Backup and Security
Your blog will be a place you end up putting a lot of time and hard work into. You want to make sure you have a backup plan.
WordPress normally runs great. I can count on one hand the number of failed updates I’ve had in the last decade and none of them ended up needing to be restored from a backup. But still, things happen, and you want to be prepared.
I like to use UpdraftPlus for backups. It’s a plugin. You can run a backup before you run updates so you have a fresh copy in case there is an issue. You can also schedule it to run backups on a regular basis and save them somewhere else such as Dropbox or Amazon S3.
And just as important as a backup, you also want to make sure your site is secure. I like using Wordfence for this. It’s another plugin. It’s a great safeguard to have in place so you’re getting notified of any suspicious activity on your website.
Just follow these five tips and you’ll be off to a great start!
Do you want to listen to this article? Here’s the podcast episode:
Have you ever wondered, should I start a blog? Starting a blog is a commitment. Not only is there some technical setup involved, there’s also a time commitment. Creating content takes time. And, you have to consistently post content to see traction. It can take months or years, and to be successful, you’ll have to stick with it for the long haul.
So, how do you know if blogging is right for you? Should you start a blog? Here are the five signs to watch for that indicate you are ready to start your journey as a blogger.
Sign #1: You Want to Establish Authority
Are you trying to find a way to establish yourself as an expert in a particular field? You can do that with blogging.
Blogging gives you a voice. If you know what you’re talking about, that becomes clear in your blog. You will be able to build your authority by sharing your knowledge and letting your voice be heard.
Sign #2: You Want to Help People
Do you want to help people? Do you have a skill you want to share with others? Or, are you about to learn a new skill and want to share the journey for others to benefit?
A blog is a great way to help people by providing resources and knowledge to help them solve an issue. To really help people, make sure you have a focus. Understand the purpose of your blog and the pain you want your blog to solve.
A clear direction and strong focus will make it easier for everyone. It will be easier for you to plan content. And, it will be easier for readers to understand what the site is about and if it’s right for them.
Sign #3: You Want to Organize Your Thoughts
Blogging gives you a way to organize your thoughts. When you create a content calendar and plan out your blog articles, you’re building a roadmap to plan the future. You can organize your thoughts and brainstorm ideas by scheduling them out as blog articles.
Your entire blog also acts as great documentation. All of your past thoughts are documented thoroughly in a system you can refer back to at any time, your blog.
Sign #4: You Want to Easily Answer Frequently Asked Questions
Whether it’s from friends and family, or random people online, when you have mastered a skill people will ask for your opinion and advice.
Instead of answering each person individually, you can leverage your blog. Create blog articles with the most common questions you hear. Then, when someone asks it next you can just direct them to the article that answers the question.
That way, they’ll get an in-depth response with everything you have to say on the topic. It will be easier for you because you don’t have to explain it all over again. And, it’s better for them because the article will likely have more information than you would have remembered in a casual conversation.
Sign #5: You Want to Become a Better Writer
This is a big one for me. I can’t tell you how many years as a marketer I said the words “I’m not a writer”. I always tried to push writing projects to writers with the excuse that it wasn’t my strong suit. Have a pro write the copy, then I’ll build the landing page, create the email, make the ad, or anything else. Just don’t make me write!
Eventually, I learned that writing is part of marketing. And there’s no secret trick to get good at it. You just have to do it. So now I find myself taking every opportunity I can to write. The more I do it (instead of push it off onto other people) the better I get. It takes time but it’s worth it and a valuable skill to develop.
So, whether you enjoy writing or not, practicing the skill consistently will help you improve. If you’re looking for self-improvement in that area, starting a blog could be right for you.
Bonus Sign: Excitement
The biggest sign of all is excitement. If you’re excited to start a blog, you should do it. If you feel a drive to get your voice out there, feel you have something valuable to share, then do it. Just start now. Taking action and getting started will be the only way you’ll truly find out if blogging is right for you.
How many of these signs did you match? Share with us in the comments!
Do you want to listen to this article? Here’s the podcast episode:
Creating quality content takes a considerable amount of time. And the sad fact is, unless you have an enticing title, there’s a slim chance anyone will ever even give it a chance. So, let’s go over a repeatable process you can follow to write catchy titles for blogs.
Step 1: Choose a Topic People Care About
The first step is to write about a topic your audience wants to hear about. If people don’t care about the content, it doesn’t matter how interesting the title is.
There are a couple of methods you can use to find content ideas people care about.
The first, is keyword research. Instead of picking randomly, you can review data to determine common search queries that fit with your niche. To find out exactly how that works, you can follow our simple keyword research system.
The next, is to answer questions from your readers. If people are asking you questions, that means you’ve found content to write about that your audience cares to read about. Prioritize these questions based on the demand. If you receive several requests, write articles about the questions asked most often.
If you only have a handful, don’t let that deter you. There’s a good chance if someone has the question, others will too. Just use your judgement and answer the questions that are relevant to your audience and niche.
Step 2: Try and Stand Out
The next step is to try and be unique, stand out. You want your headline to grab attention. The internet has lots of content. Just about any industry, any niche, any topic, will have quite a bit of competition on the search results page. So, don’t blend in.
Perform Google searches with the topics you’re considering. Look at the top search results. What are the headlines? How can you stand out?
Step 3: Keep Your Content in Mind
When you write your title, make sure it’s a match for the content. The content needs to follow through on the promise given in the title.
It’s important to create a title that accurately describes the article for a couple of reasons.
First, you want your readers to trust you. You want to have a good reputation. This will help you get repeat visitors and will encourage sharing.
Next, if readers bounce it can impact rankings. If someone clicks the article from search results because it has a catchy title, then immediately leaves because the content doesn’t seem to match the title, then clicks the next search result, that is considered pogosticking. If a high percentage of people immediately leave the page and go back to look for another search result, your search ranking can be negatively impacted.
Step 4: Brainstorm Several Ideas
When you’re writing a blog title, don’t just write one and call it good. Brainstorm several ideas.
Write at least 3-5 different title ideas. If you have time, and the ideas, you can try writing even more. Some bloggers brainstorm about 30 titles for each blog article.
This might seem like a pointless activity. But, if you try it a few times you’ll find you very rarely decide on the first title idea.
Step 5: Try a Headline Formula
If you’re having problems brainstorming titles, you can always try some formulas that have proven to be effective.
Listicles
Arrange your content into an ordered list. Then, create a headline that begins with a number. These list articles, or listicles, are very popular and commonly shared on social networks.
Don’t go crazy with the number of items in your list. If your list has 57 or 96 items it’s going to be overwhelming. Keep it simple. Somewhere between 5 and 11 items tend to work well.
How To Articles
How to articles are another popular type of title for blogs. These titles just start with the phrase how to and provide guidance on completing a particular task.
Since blogs are often read by people in a research stage, the how to article is a perfect fit. If the content is a tutorial or step-by-step guide consider using a title that begins with how to.
More Catchy Formulas
A quick Google search will bring up hundreds of different headline formulas. There are several good ones out there. Going through all of the available options can get exhausting though.
My favorites are from CopyBlogger. Specially, the formulas in the following three articles:
Even if you don’t use one of the formulas as-is, it can help generate new ideas. If you’re feeling stuck going through those formulas can get you moving in the right direction.
Step 6: Analyze the Headline
There are tools you can use to actually analyze the quality of your headline. Once you have all of your brainstorm ideas together these analyzers can be a fun way to help determine which one is best.
Here are a few headline analyzer tools you can use to assess your titles:
Don’t let the analyzer be the determining factor. It’s good to look at them, but remember to think about what makes the most sense with the content of your article and your target audience.
Step 7: Test Different Titles
If you really want to know what works best, test it.
Test on Social Media
Schedule up your article to post on your social networks. Each time you post it, try out a different title from your brainstorm list. You already spent the time thinking of multiple ideas, you might as well get some use out of them.
Plus, it will help you determine if there is one that works better than others. Which title has the most engagement? Does one have more likes, shares, and comments than the others?
If one particular title performs best on social media, consider updating your article with that title as the main headline. Listen to your audience and adjust your website to reflect what you’ve learned.
You can set it up so half of the visitors see one title, then the other half see the other title. You can then see which group has a higher percentage of completing your desired goal.
This allows you to make an informed decision using data.
Warning: Be Careful of Click Bait
We’ve all seen articles that have a title like “All she did was give her dog a chew toy. What happened next blew my mind.” Then, you make the bad decision to click on it because you have a dog and feel like you might need to know! Then, the article doesn’t even answer the question and is clearly just a website with several ads you really don’t care about.
Don’t do this. If you use a click bait title, at least deliver on it. Provide the content your title promised.
It’s best to just avoid click bait titles entirely though. People are starting to recognize them as false promises. These titles and articles represent your brand. Make sure they portray the image you want.
Do you have any tactics you use to create catchy blog titles? Please share them with us in the comments!
Do you want to listen to this article? Here’s the podcast episode:
It is not too late to start a blog. Sure, the internet has tons of content. But, there is always a need for high-quality content. Especially when written for a specific person. If you have a desire to blog, then do it! Let’s walk through how to start a blog.
We’re going to break it into a 10 step process. That may sound daunting, but you can handle this. Each step will be simple to guide you from start to finish.
The first step is to decide what you’ll write about on your blog. You want to have a focus. You want to be specific.
This will help everyone. Your readers will know what to expect when they visit your blog. Search engines will better understand where your authority lies. And you’ll have a better idea of what content you should create.
If you’re not sure what topic would be best for your blog, choose one that fits into these categories:
A topic that you can educate others about. This doesn’t have to be something you’re an expert in, this can be a new interest that you can walk through together with your audience.
A topic you’re passionate about. If you have a hobby or interest you love doing that would be a great topic for your blog. If you’re passionate about the focus of your blog it will make it much easier to create content.
In addition to knowing what type of content your blog will focus on, you also want to understand who you’re talking to. Follow this guide to create a persona.
It is important to understand who your blog is talking to. Each article you write, you want to make sure you are talking to that person. If you try to talk to everyone, you end up talking to no one. Instead, focus on the one person you truly want to attract. Write directly and address that readers interests and concerns.
When your focus and audience are clear, you’ll attract more people than you’ll ever get trying to speak to everyone. And, they’ll become loyal fans.
Step 2: Choose a Platform
Now, you know what you want to write and who you’re writing to, but what tool will you use to write it? We need to choose a blogging platform (also known as a CMS or Content Management System).
Free (Hosted) vs Self-Hosted
When choosing a blogging platform you have two primary options. You can use a free blogging tool (such as blogger or tumblr) or you can go the self-hosted route which will cost money.
The free or hosted blogging options are restrictive. There is not as much freedom with content layout and formatting, you don’t get a custom domain name, and you won’t own your website. Plus, if you ever decide to move to a self-hosted option it will not be an easy process.
A self-hosted blogging platform is the way to go. Sure, there are some costs involved but they don’t have to be much. The flexibility and business value you receive far outweighs the small cost. There is also more setup required but don’t worry, the rest of this blog article will walk you through it.
Choose WordPress.org
There are several different self-hosted platforms you can choose. But, let’s just be clear. You should choose WordPress. WordPress is widely adopted, and because of that there are countless themes, plugins, and troubleshooting documentation that you can leverage. Plus, it is frequently updated for any security vulnerabilities.
Now, when I say to use WordPress, I mean wordpress.org. Not wordpress.com. The .com version is a free hosted platform with the same downsides we just discussed earlier. WordPress.org, however, is a self-hosted platform that will provide endless opportunities for your blog.
The platform itself is completely free. To implement it though you will need a domain and a host which is not free. We’ll discuss that next.
Step 3: Choose a Name and Domain
The next step is to choose a name for your blog. You want something obviously relevant to the focus of your blog. But, you also want your name to be memorable and simple, but not too generic so you can get a matching domain name.
The domain name is the URL that is entered into the browser to access your blog. For example, google.com is the domain for Google.
Your brand name and domain name don’t have to match. But, it’s nice when they do. If they don’t match if can sometimes cause confusion and make it harder for potential readers to remember how they can find you.
This is just one of several different places you can go to see if a domain name is available. Most places that sell domains also have a tool to search availability.
Right now you’re just coming up with ideas and checking availability. You’ll be able to purchase a domain as part of the next step.
Step 4: Choose a Host
Part of using a self-hosted platform, means you need a host. What that means, is you need somewhere your website can live on the internet for people to access. You need a place to store all of the files, images, and code that create your blog.
There are a ton of hosts to choose from. When looking for a host, make sure they have a one click install option for WordPress. This is going to make the installation process a breeze. It will take out any guesswork and the process is, well, done with one click. It makes the process brainless, no technical knowledge is required.
If you’re just starting out, I’d recommend using Bluehost.
(Disclosure: The Bluehost link is an affiliate link. By purchasing through that link you help support ClearPath Online at no additional cost to yourself.)
Bluehost let’s you start hosting your blog for as low as $3.95 per month. And, they include a free domain for the first year. They are one of the top rated WordPress hosts and they make the process simple for someone without a tech background to use.
If you go with Bluehost, all you need to do is select the plan and follow through their prompts. If you have a domain name in mind you’ll be able to set that up during this process. If not, they’ll assign you a temporary domain to get started and then you can update it once you’ve decided. After you create the account you just need to click the Install WordPress button.
If budget is not an issue, you may want to look into MediaTemple. I have been a MediaTemple customer for over a decade and have been happy with their service. The interface is simple and flexible. Their plans start at $20 a month so it is quite an investment for a new blogger.
They have a few different hosting options to choose from. I’d recommend the Grid hosting option. It has a one-click install option for WordPress but it doesn’t restrict you to WordPress only sites. If you plan to create multiple sites in the future and don’t want to commit to everything on WordPress this could be a good route.
They do also offer a WordPress specific hosting option. Though this would make the process even easier, you lose some flexibility for future websites.
Step 5: Choose a Theme
Now that you have a host and used the one click install to get things set up, you need to choose a theme for your new blog.
You can either use a free theme or a paid theme. There are tons of each.
Generally speaking, a paid theme is less likely to be hacked. But, there is no guarantee. A paid theme is typically updated more often, and therefore, less susceptible to security vulnerabilities.
However, you can find trustworthy free themes as well. We’ll guide you through the process.
Whether you choose a paid or free theme, you want to make sure it has good ratings and has been recently updated (within the last 6 months).
How to Choose a Free Theme
Let’s walk through how to choose a trustworthy free theme.
In the admin panel of your WordPress website, you can navigate to Appearance > Themes. Then click, Add New > Popular.
This will show you the most popular WordPress themes that you can download for free.
This can be a convenient place to browse themes but I normally want more details than this interface provides. You can access the same list by going to WordPress.org > Themes > Popular.
When you view the list on WordPress.org you can click more info on any theme and view the ratings, reviews, and when it was last updated.
Use that data to make an informed decision. Make sure the theme has been updated in the last few months. Make sure there are a decent amount of ratings and that they are good overall. Make sure the comments don’t highlight a glaring issue.
When you decide, go back to Appearance > Themes in your WordPress admin panel. Click Add New and navigate to the theme you choose. Then click Install.
How to Choose a Paid Theme
To shop around for premium WordPress themes I’d go to ThemeForest.
I like to run a search and then sort the themes by Best Sellers. From there I open each theme that looks like it could be a good match and check for the following items:
Last Update: Ideally I’d like the theme to have been updated within the last 3 months. Anytime in the last 6 months would be okay but older than that is a red flag. You want to make sure the theme creator hasn’t abandoned the project or you could have security issues in the future.
WordPress Software Version: Determine what the latest WordPress version is. Look at the version number and the release date. Then, look at the theme you’re interested in. Confirm that it supports the most current version. If the newest WordPress version is only a few weeks old the theme creator may still be working on the update. In that case, if it supports the previous version there should be no issue. You’ll likely receive a theme update soon to support the current version.
Responsive: Make sure the theme specifies that it is responsive, meaning it looks good on every device including mobile phones and tablets.
Ratings and Reviews: Check out the ratings and reviews. Look at the feedback. Make sure it doesn’t sound like there are any glaring issues that would be a problem for you. When looking at the overall rating also take a look at the actual number of ratings it has.
If you decide to buy a paid theme, go through the checkout and download prompts. The theme should come with documentation that you can follow to install it on your website.
Step 6: Configure WordPress
Okay, so you have a host and domain setup. You installed WordPress. You choose and installed a theme. Now, let’s start configuring our site.
Site Configurations
There are several settings and possible configurations in WordPress. But, these are the most important ones you need to go in and configure.
Go to Settings > General
Site Title: By default this is displayed as the primary title for your website that appears at the top of the browser window and in search results. The text that displays can be adjusted with the Yoast SEO plugin but you want this to be an accurate title regardless.
Tagline: Depending on your theme this may be displayed near your logo.
Email Address: This is the admin email for the website. You want to make sure this is accurate so you receive notifications.
Go to Settings > Reading
Your homepage displays: By default this is set to latest posts. For a blog site, chances are that is exactly how you want it and you don’t need to change anything. If instead, you want a static homepage this is where you would select it. If you use a static homepage, you’ll need to select a new page to use as your posts page to display your latest blogs.
Search Engine Visibility: By default the discourage search engines from indexing this site checkbox should be unchecked. That is how you want it. If for some reason, you don’t want search engines to index your website you can click the checkbox. If the website is a development website that will never go public then go ahead and check that. If you plan to have this site live and ranked sometime but just don’t want to yet, leave that box unchecked. There are other ways to handle hiding your site temporarily such as a coming soon page or scheduling posts to publish on a future date.
Go to Settings > Permalinks
Make sure Post name is selected as your permalink structure.
Theme Configurations
Now it’s time for the fun stuff. You get to start customizing your theme to fit the look and feel for your brand.
Go to Appearance > Customize. Start playing around with the options here until the theme fits your needs. Try uploading your logo, customizing the colors, and selecting a font.
Step 7: Install Plugins
The plugins you need will depend on your blog and your goals. Try not to install more plugins than necessary because they can start to conflict with each other and cause issues.
There are a few plugins that are a great addition to just about any blog. I’d recommend installing these ones:
UpdraftPlus: This plugin automates a backup process so you can rest easy.
Wordfence: This adds some security to your system and notifies you about suspicious or malicious activity.
Step 8: Create Pages
Even if all you want to do is blog, you should still create a couple of static pages. To do this, go to Pages > Add New.
About: The about page is normally the 2nd most viewed page after the homepage. People want to know who you are. Create an about page that shares your story.
Contact: If people want to contact you, make it easy. You can use the Contact Form 7 plugin to add a simple webform to a page.
Step 9: Configure Menu
Great, so now you have a couple of pages but how do we get to them? Go to Appearance > Menus.
Select the appropriate menu from the drop-down at the top, then just drag and drop the pages to the menu. You can drag the pages around to rearrange their order. You can click on them to edit the name that displays in the menu. When you’re finished just click Save Menu.
Step 10: Post a Blog Article
You did it! You’re ready to post your first blog article on your new website. Just go to Posts > Add New.
Tip: Focus on Building a Community, Not Monetizing
You’re just starting out your blog. Enjoy it. Focus on building your community and gaining a following. Spend your time and energy making sure you’re writing high-quality content that people care about.
Don’t go into this thinking about how you can monetize. That comes later. Build a community first and then determine what you can do to monetize that would benefit your community.
Did you setup your blog yet? Do you have any advice for others such as a favorite theme or plugin? Let us know in the comments!
Do you want to listen to this article? Here’s the podcast episode:
We all agree that content is important, and maintaining a blog to keep fresh content on your website is a must. But, over time the value of that content can dwindle if the article is outdated. We’ll show you how to do a content audit to ensure you get the maximum benefit from your existing articles.
In a perfect world, you would do a full content audit on an annual basis. If that doesn’t work for you though, then don’t. Auditing some content is better than nothing.
Choose a system that works for you. You can decide to only review content written in the past year or content written over a year ago. Instead, you can choose by category such as only blog articles or only product content.
Create a List of Your Content
Once you decide what content to include in your content audit, list it out in a spreadsheet. There are a few different methods you can use to create your list.
Manually Create List
If you don’t have much content, you can manually create a list. Copy and paste the URL of each page you want to review into a cell in your spreadsheet. This can become tedious so you may want to continue to the next ideas if you have more than a handful of articles.
Use Screaming Frog
Screaming Frog allows you to perform a scan on your website and lists every page (up to 500 for the free account). Once you perform the scan, filter the results to HTML. You can then export your results and use that as your list.
A benefit to this method is when you export the URLs you can also keep the metadata. Your export can include the page title, length in characters and pixels, the meta description and length, and the h1 tag. Exporting this data into your audit spreadsheet to easily review will be beneficial.
Use Your Sitemap
Another method to get a list of your website URLs is to use your sitemap. Your sitemap already contains your indexable URLs, which is likely the exact content you want to audit. If you don’t have one yet, this is a good time to make a sitemap.
Add Metrics
Now that you have your list of content URLs, it’s time to add some metrics.
Metrics will help you determine what content is working and what’s not. It gives you a better idea of what is worth your time to update and what might be worth consolidating with a different similar article.
The metrics you choose to include will depend on your goals for your content.
In most cases, you’ll want to look at traffic. Metrics such as pageviews, unique pageviews, time on page, and bounce rate could be useful. However, if your goals are related to social you may want to monitor engagement metrics such as likes and shares.
Determine the metrics you want to measure, and include them on your spreadsheet for each URL.
Identify Action for Each Page
Finally, review each page and determine the action you need to take.
Look at the page URL and look at the metrics. For each URL you will choose to keep it, update it, merge it, or remove it.
When to “keep it”
If the page looks good, the content is still accurate and up to date, and the metrics you are monitoring look good; then keep it! Don’t fix something that isn’t broken.
When to “update it”
Does the article need an image? What about a video? Is the metadata optimized? Take the time to clean up the article and add the bells and whistles that may have been missed the first time around.
Don’t only add the extra details. Also review the content to make sure the data is still current and accurate.
If the content receives a significant amount of traffic you may want to consider adding a content upgrade. Content upgrades are downloadable assets related to the content such as a spreadsheet or a one-page checklist. The reader receives the asset in exchange for providing their email address.
When to “merge it”
If you have multiple articles that cover a similar topic it may make sense to merge them into one. Merging articles can make sense when one is performing well and the other poor. Review the metrics. If one gets hundreds of pageviews a day and the other gets 10 a month, consider merging the articles.
It can also make sense to merge articles for annual events. Last year having a dedicated page for your event made sense. This year, it may make more sense to merge the content into a page that provides a recap of each year for the annual event.
When you merge articles keep the article that is performing best. The poor performing page should have it’s content relocated to the better performing page and then can be removed. Remember to include a 301 redirect for the old page so that it sends the traffic to the new merged page.
When to “remove it”
If a piece of content isn’t performing well and isn’t relevant for your target audience, you can remove it. If there’s no benefit to keeping the content, then don’t.
If there is a relevant page on the site you can remove the page and then redirect the URL to the relevant page. If there isn’t a relevant page, you can keep it as a 404 error page. So you don’t lose people completely, include suggested page links or a search field on your 404 error page.
Make Those Edits
Once you finish your spreadsheet you’re left with a nice task list of content edits. Go through and make those changes. This will keep your content current and fresh which will be better both for your users and search engines.
Do you have a tip or trick you like to use on content audits? Please share it in the comments!
Do you want to listen to this article? Here’s the podcast episode:
You’ve spent a lot of time creating high-quality blog articles on your website. You’ve heard there is somehow a way that you can repurpose those content ideas. Now you need to know how to repurpose content. Why should you do it, what can you repurpose, and how?
Why Repurpose Content?
Let’s start with the why. Why should you repurpose your content? It’s simple, time is a precious resource. Recycling existing content allows you to get more value out of the time and energy you already spent.
Another benefit is repurposing your content can help you reach a new audience. You may find certain content formats or platforms attract a different audience.
What Content to Repurpose?
So, it makes sense to do more with the content you’ve already created. But, what should you repurpose?
Start with the Most Popular
Start by repurposing the most popular articles. Look at your Google Analytics data to determine which pages have the highest traffic. Chances are, those articles will perform best on different platforms and formats too.
Only Repurpose Evergreen Content
Make sure the content you are repurposing is evergreen content. Evergreen content means it is always relevant. It is part of your core content and not something that will be obsolete in a year.
It won’t be worth your time to repurpose content that no one enjoyed to begin with or is time sensitive.
How to Repurpose Blog Articles
You can repurpose any kind of content. From webinars to videos. We’re going to focus on repurposing blog content. Many of these ideas can apply to different types of content as well.
The goal of repurposing content is to give old content new life by making minor modifications to attract a new audience.
Republish on Different Platforms
Take an article published on your site and republish it on Medium or LinkedIn. Don’t republish it word for word. Instead, change the title and tone to match the audience. At the bottom, include a link back to the original article.
If you choose to republish your article give it some time. Wait for Google to index your original article before you publish it on different platforms.
Turn Statistics Into a Graphic or Infographic
If you have a data heavy article use that to create images. You can create standalone graphics for single stats. Or, if the article is full of data you can create an infographic.
If you aren’t a designer, Canva can make it easy to create a graphic. Canva has charts that allow you to insert your data to form a beautiful graphic. They also provide several editable infographic templates. Even with no design knowledge you can create a great looking image in minutes.
Once you’ve created the images, consider creating a Pinterest board to share them.
Create an eBook or Whitepaper
If you have a popular article that you can expand on create an ebook or whitepaper with that content.
Once you’ve created it, you can use it as a tool to capture leads and grow your email list. You can use a platform such as MailChimp to create a list with an automated workflow. That way you can automatically send out the document to new subscribers.
Roundup Post of Top Articles
You can create a roundup post to highlight some of your best articles. You can choose a theme and then include the top articles that fit the theme criteria. This helps by raising interest in older articles as well as creating a new article piece.
Convert a List Article into Individual Articles
If you have a popular list article break each list item out into its own article. This both provides good content and creates several natural inbound link opportunities.
Send Old Articles in a Newsletter
If you’re collecting an email list and sending a monthly or weekly newsletter you can include blog articles. Don’t only include your newest blog articles in your newsletter. Hand pick some old but relevant articles.
If you have an article that makes sense for the upcoming season or related to a current event share it. You can also share old evergreen articles that are a good reminder.
Create a Presentation
You can repurpose an old article into a SlideShare presentation. Even if you don’t plan to give this content as a presentation, it allows you to repackage it in a format that may be preferable to a different audience.
Create a Podcast Episode
If you already have a podcast you can create episodes using content from your popular blog articles. If you don’t have a podcast yet this is probably not a tactic worth pursuing (yet). If you do, then it’s a no-brainer.
Create a YouTube Video
Add a video to your YouTube channel. Or, start a channel if you don’t have one yet. Creating video can be time consuming. This may be a tactic to wait on if you’re still struggling to keep up on blog content. But, if you have a channel already or the time to start this is a great channel to capture a new audience.
Also, if you already have a channel take a look at what videos are the most popular. Those videos you may want to repurpose into blog articles.
What is your favorite tactic to repurpose your blog articles? Share it in the comments!
Marketing personas can be a powerful tool. However, for them to be useful you don’t just make them and check them off the list. You need to keep them in mind any time you write copy.
Let’s discuss what a persona is, why you should use one, and go over how to create them.
What are Marketing Personas?
A marketing persona outlines the exact person you’re trying to reach. The persona is a profile that describes the demographics, goals, and frustrations of your target audience.
Why Use Personas?
Personas help you talk to the audience you want to target.
With a persona, you know exactly who you are talking to. So, in all of your copy, whether it’s a blog, product page, or an ad, you are talking to the exact person you want your message to resonate with.
This allows you to amaze and delight one person, instead of boring everybody.
If you write copy to try and appeal to everyone, it will be vague and uninteresting to all. Conversely, if you are talking to one individual person, you can be very specific and speak their language.
Talking to that one person you care about is how you will be able to write persuasive copy that actually converts.
And ultimately, if you talk specifically to that one person, you will attract a group of like-minded individuals. Talking to one individual person is the best way to attract a group of similar people.
How Do I Make a Persona?
You want your persona to tell a story.
Add enough detail to your persona that you get a clear image in your mind of the customer.
Download the marketing persona Google Sheets template below to get started fast!
Look at the Data
Start by looking at the data you have. Google Analytics, Facebook, and Twitter can all provide valuable insights.
Google Analytics
Go to your Google Analytics account and look at the demographics and interests.
To view the demographics, go to Reports > Audience > Demographics > Overview. This will show you the age and gender of your users.
To view interests, go to Reports > Audience > Interests > Overview. This will show you categories of various interests your users may have.
Facebook
Review Facebook Insights.
To view Insights, go to your Facebook company page and click the Insights tab at the top. Click on People to view demographic data such as age, gender, location, and language.
Twitter
Look at Twitter Analytics.
Sign in to Twitter Analytics. Click on Audiences at the top. This will show you gender, interests, and location data for your followers.
Interview Employees
If you happen to have employees, talk to them. Specifically the ones who interact with customers such as support reps. Find out who they are talking to and who they see as the ideal customer.
If you don’t have employees, put yourself in those shoes. When you speak to customers or prospects who are they? What are their pains or frustrations?
Survey Customers
Send out a survey to your existing customers.
Ask demographic information such as age and gender and also business information such as job title.
Document Findings in a Profile
Once you have your data it’s time to put it all together.
This is when you’ll actually create your personas. The fields you add to your persona will vary depending on your business goals and the data you uncovered.
The fields that I’d recommend adding are:
Name
Job Title
Decision Maker?
This field only requires a Yes or No response. If this persona is not a decision maker, you’ll want to create an additional persona for the person who will be responsible for making the decision. You’ll want to make sure you have copy in place to convince both parties.
Personal Background
Age
Gender
Location
Family
Business Background
Salary
Education
Goals
Frustrations
Information Sources
Where does this person look for information? Are there specific websites or locations they frequent?
How can [company] offer support?
What can your company do to help this person accomplish their goals and overcome their frustrations?
Ready to create your personas?
Simply download the Google Sheets marketing persona template and fill in the blanks.
These fields are a good place to start. Add or remove any items you’d like until you can clearly visualize your customer. Remember, you want your persona to tell a story. This will help you visualize and easily remember them so keep adding information until you have a solid picture in place.
Are there any additional fields you like adding to your personas? Let us know in the comments!
Do you want to listen to this article? Here’s the podcast episode:
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