About Me
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Here is a content production work flow acronym that I use for blog posts and other content I publish, maybe it will help someone to get their content out there. So,
get ready to D.R.O.P. Everything!
D is for “Develop”
This is a pretty big chunk of what we do, really,
development. It includes ideation, curation, and referencing our material. This
is where the creative work comes in.
Things to remember in developmet: work to develop content
that is unique, but not TOO unique. If you can find a twist, or new perspective
on something people are already talking about, you will have a built in
audience. How?
•
Take ideas from your social media news feeds
•
Rip them straight from the headlines
•
For content that is slightly more evergreen, go
to the bestseller list for topics
Much like a quality paint job, the quality of your content
lies in good prep, so don't skimp. If you're smart, you'll do your research and
sourcing for more than one piece at a time, here's another hint, look for
potential spinoffs into other related topics to develop later.
Use an outlining plan, like this one: (link) to give yourself a template to build
posts on. It makes it really fast and simple, gives your work a uniform look
and makes it possible to work on multiple ideas at a time. If you are good with
a word processor, you can set up an actual template to use.
R is for “Rewrite”
Once you know what you
want to say, it is time to figure out how to say it! This is the fun part. But
why do I say re-write, instead of just “write”. Well, first of all, it does not start with R, duh,
but seriously, writing is rewriting. If you start into a piece with at least a
second draft in mind, you will be more likely to take the time to produce
serious, high quality work.
Plan on taking at least two passes at every piece, three is
preferable. Here are the steps I use to edit my posts, when I am not rushing
out the door and think, CRAP! No post yet today!
1.
Make a pass for obvious problems with spelling
and grammar.
2.
Make a pass to edit for readability
3.
Make a pass to edit your work down to the fewest
possible words that still convey your message
4.
Make a pass with this idea in mind, what links,
or other content can I add to reinforce this message?
With most blog pieces (300 to 1000 words) all of these passes
can be done in fifteen to twenty minutes, with practice, but here is the
payoff, they make you look like a great writer!
O is for “Optimize”
SEO, what a fun little word. Search engines can be bane of
your existence, or a golden ticket to the good life, depending on how you
handle your content creation. There are several things you can do to make it
easier on yourself.
Hopefully, you have already done good keyword research and
have a nice list, of often searched terms that fit into your niche. If you
don't, you should. Finding the right way to talk about the things you talk
about is a huge key in getting traffic, other than friends and family.
•
15 to 20% of your content, should, ideally, be
keywords
•
Integrating them into your text, so that they
make sense takes times, but will give great results
•
Using keywords in the right way is also
important, especially in your anchor text and descriptions
•
If you use Wordpress, get Yoast SEO plugin, it's
free and will help a lot
In addition to keywords, you will also want to use good
images, and other media to make your content sticky. The more value you give,
the more likely the search engines are to index you highly, which is what you
want.
P is for “Promote”
Location, locations, location! As the old adage goes, is the
best way to build a successful business. The internet correlation to that is
giving people great ways to find your location. There are too many great sites
with awesome content around today to expect that your catchy domain name alone,
will do this.
You need a plan, and I highly suggest you take a look at this
post here, (link) about tools you can
use, and pay special attention to the IFTTT section. This thing is a free
powerhouse filled with wonderful promotional tools.
•
Automate as much sharing of your content as
possible. (yea, automated sharing is marginally less effective, but come on,
were you seriously going to build those links manually?)
•
Work to build sharable content to enlist your audience
as “brand evangelists” who will share and link to your work for you!
•
Integrate social media, your other websites, any
listings you have for books for sale, etc, to include your blog address.
Every little bit helps and paid traffic from Google ads,
Facebook ads, and the like are good too. Work every angle you can, on a regular basis and you will see your
audience begin to grow over time. The harder and more consistently you work,
without giving up, the better it will be.
So, now you have permission to DROP everything, go do it!
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
I used to
think that the good writing jobs were just too hard to come by, that I would
probably never make more than about $20 an hour, a decent wage to be sure, but
not really good money for a real
grownup. That’s what I used to think, but in the past year I have begun to
unravel the code and what I found out surprised me!
First, I was not really prepared for
the good jobs!
I think I
believed I was ready, skill wise, and maybe I was. But the truth was, I had an
outdated resume that wasn’t getting me any bites, and no website other than an
outdated blog that really had nothing to do with my writing.
Hell, I
hadn’t even gathered up what good samples and links I had, and there was a lot
of my work out there to be found. But, when I was asked for portfolio samples,
I always had to scramble.
Second, I was following Einstein’s
definition of insanity!
Einstein is quoted as saying that insanity is continuing to do the same thing and expecting different results. So, how many time have you done this? You have convinced yourself that you are really, really trying to break into lucrative freelance work, but really, you are just doing the same stuff that didn’t work the last time.
That was me.
I was talking to the same few connections, going back to the same low paying
sources, expecting them to have magically upgraded, and then getting
discouraged when my Craigslist ad got nothing but trolls and cheapskates. But,
I really didn’t see it!
Last, but not least, I didn’t really
believe I could do it!
Oh, sure, I
could dream of the day that I was sitting in a café, on vacation, taking an
hour out of my day to accept some really choice assignments that I could finish
that night back at the beach house while my family slept, getting paid to
vacation. But, I thought that there was something magical that would get me
there, that my dreams were just a magic carpet ride away!
Then, I
started paying attention to the guys who were getting work! No offense writer
dudes, but you suck! I mean really! There were blatant typos in their work, and
it was so basic I could have written it in my sleep in the eighth grade, but
they were making bank! So, what was it going to take for me to believe I was
worth that?
So, here are three things I did and
you can do them too!
First, I got busy and made sure I was
ready.
I updated my
resume and put up this website as my calling card so I would have some place to
send interested parties where they could see I was serious. I worked hard at
making this my job and taking it seriously. Just because writing is a low
energy way to make a living doesn’t mean you should approach it lazily!
Then I got
out there and gathered up all of my samples and put together a list of just a
few of the thousands of pieces I had written over the past six years, yes,
literally, at one point I published over 3000 pieces for Demand Studios, mostly
in home improvement, over the course of two years, so there is a lot of stuff out there with my name on it. I
put it all in one easy to find place!
Second, I stopped doing what I was doing
And the first thing that meant was
running back to my fall back trade of carpentry. In the past, every time a
decent writing gig dried up, I would go back to it because I knew I could line
up a thousand bucks work in a day or two and get the bills paid, but I hated
doing it and dreaming of being a writer full time, consistently!
Then, I
pulled the Craigslist ad down and started talking it up on Facebook with some
new circles I was part of. I had made it a point to get some new Facebook
friends. No, I didn’t abandon the old ones, they are my real world friends, but
none of them hire writers, so I branched out!
Then, I
started thinking about the kinds of job sources I wanted and started searching
for them. I wrote down a list of what I wanted and one thing I put on this wish
list was a site that incorporated ALL of the Craigslist writing jobs in one
place, within hours I had found it!
I determined to apply for every
single position that I thought I was an even half decent fit for!
This was a big shift in my thinking,
since I had allowed my ill prepared portfolio and resume stop me from inquiring
about gigs. Now, I had a decent list that was added to daily and I started
plowing through it, applying for ten a day, at least, sometimes twenty.
After a few
days, some responses started to come back and most of it was crap. I got tons
of recruitment for the Empower network, NO DO NOT GO THERE, IT IS A SCAM! Lot’s
of links teaching me how to make money teaching people how to make money by
teaching people how to make money, and lots of legit but very low paying work.
We are talking less than a penny a word!
Before I
knew it though, there was a legit offer from a guy who had a group of blogs he
had monetized and needs regular content for. He was ready to pay a decent price
and he liked my stuff! (my resume and samples had paid off!) then I got another
call and another. Not all of them worked out, but enough did to call it a real
job, within about a week.
Now it’s mine to lose!
Now that I
have it, the key is not to grow complacent. A few good paying clients will pay
the bills, but even long term clients eventually make changes, meet new people,
sell the business, retire, anything can happen. So, I make it a point to check
my sources at least every two or three days and put in applications for
everything I like.
As I
progress, I am gaining more high profile samples, in a wide variety of
industries. Even the sites that reject my offers are quick to point out my
experience, but I am not a fit for everybody, and I don’t want to be. I am
working to diversify my client base. So, that when one quits me, I simply shift
my focus to others until I can replace it.
You can do it too!
You may be where I was when I started out and
making $10 an hour to write from home sounds like a dream job. Or, you might be
more like me, looking for that $40- $50 an hour paycheck and more. Wherever you
are, these steps can take you to the next level. Work your writing like you
would a job. Some of it is busy work, like checking the jobs lists daily, but
more and more you will be able to have enough billable hours to realize your
potential earnings. When you do, like me, you too will wonder what took you so
long!
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Sometimes writing your own blog is kind of like a
carpenter working on his own house! (two things I know a thing or two about!)
You forget what’s best practice when it comes to your own content. So, I
thought I would share a secret five step formula with you that creates winning
blog posts every time and is sure to get you noticed when you pitch for guest
blogs or articles.
Step
#1: Write a Headline That Can’t be Ignored!
Question:
You have exactly sixty minutes to
write a post and your job depends on this post! How much of your time should
you devote to the headline?
If you are like most writers, you
probably think it should be your last concern, right? After all it represents a
very small percentage of the post!
If this was your answer, you might
have just lost your job!
Experts say you should spend twice
as much time on your headline as the body of your post!
Shocking,
isn’t it?
Most people agree, but statistically
it has been proven that your headline will carry as much weight in driving
traffic as the entire rest of the post!
If you were submitting this post for
a guest blog position at an even halfway decent blog, the editors there will
know this and without a rock solid headline, you are not getting published!
Unless you really want to do your
post and your writing career a disservice, spend a lot of time brainstorming
ideas for your post. In fact, make this your number one priority!
Step
#2: Write an opener that shows the reader you are on their side!
Bill Clinton proved this…
Do you really think he could have
survived his scandal ridden presidency had he not convinced most Americans that
he “felt their pain”?
This is one of the most interesting
stories of a public figure seemingly being bullet proof when it came to anyone
placing the blame on him! It goes straight to the heart of the modern writer’s
job!
If you want people to follow you
through whatever journey your blog post is going to take them on, you first
have to make sure they understand you are meeting them right where they are!
They need to know you get it and you've felt their pain.
Open that post by showing them why
you’re on their side! Empathize. You can use any number of roads to get there, but
you must! Tell them a story of how you survived their worst fear, or someone
else suffered through it, voice their fears for them right there on the screen!
The punch line is this…
Any reader who does not believe you
understand and empathize with where they are coming from by the end of the
first paragraph, will not be around to read the last! They will leave you.
Step
#3: Teach the Reader Something They Didn’t Know!
The quickest way to end a
conversation with a new friend?
Be predictable and tell them exactly
what they expect to hear.
If you were writing a post about
becoming a stronger athlete, you would probably want to mention that they
needed to do traditional workouts, right? That is the surest way to lose your
audience!
Regardless of the truth of your
statement, athletes have had this drilled into their heads from childhood. And
just like when their coach says it, it goes in one ear and out the other! They
stop paying attention the second they assume they know what you are going to
say!
That doesn’t mean it isn’t true.
This is a funny thing about human psychology we tend to ignore what is
potentially lifesaving advice, just because we think we already know it!
The world isn’t perfect. In a
perfect world, you would gain an audience by telling them what they need to
hear, whether they had heard it before, or not! But, in the real world of
online content publishing, you must always be able to shock them with something
new! 100% of the time.
What are your options?
·
Be argumentative and share ideas
from someone who defends bad diet and says workouts just make athletes tired!
Fly in the face of conventional wisdom.
·
Try sharing some bit of information
they haven’t heard before such as sharing with them how some Olympic athletes
have proven that imagining a grueling workout can have the same results as
getting in the gym and breaking a sweat!
·
You could stir up conversation by
arguing that professional eaters are the strongest athletes and showing how
their training regimen leads to increased performance!
Whichever course you choose, you are
sure to keep their attention, but the one thing you must do under any
circumstances is tell them what they already know and expect to hear from you!
It chases away readers faster than any other method I know!
Step
#4: Show Them Examples of Your Insights!
This right here is freelance writing
gold! Pay attention!
You should absolutely, without fail,
tell at least one story, or give an illustration of at least one of your points
in every single blog post. Period.
A lot of freelance writers want to
rely on the research and the facts, but the truth is, that doesn’t relate your
information back to the real lives of your readers.
Sharing one single example can make
your ideas more real than pages of statistics.
Tell a good story and people will
line up to buy whatever your writing, choose not to and they will likely use
your writing to line their cat boxes, or avoid your blog like the plague!
Step
#5: Write a closing that pumps your reader up!
Here’s another solid gold tip!
No matter what subject a person is
reading about, most readers do not read to learn anything! Really, even if you
are writing DIY articles, they don’t come to you to teach them!
They want to feel good! They want to
believe they are awesome! Or sexier, or stronger, or smarter!
Make them feel good and they will
not only buy everything you write, but they’ll send their friends to buy it
too! An entire billion dollar industry is based on ideas that men like Norman Vincent Peale understood a half
century ago when he wrote, “The Power of Positive Thinking” people want to feel
good. They want they will share anything that creates positive feelings,
because they want to feel positive about themselves!
Now, what’s the best way to leave
your audience with a “warm fuzzy”?
Write an ending that inspires them!
When I was a kid, I played a lot of
baseball. I wasn’t much of an athlete, but there wasn’t much opportunity to act
in the small towns I grew up in. One thing that I got from that experience, was
the dugout speech! A good coach can step in and take a team that is down and
put them on top by making them believe they can do it!
Give your readers a good old
fashioned pep talk!
Not only will people want to read
it, but, you’ll be surprised at how many shares you’ll get! That’s not all, but
those editors at those blogs you’ve been pitching will eat it up with a spoon!
Why, because it’s not every day they find someone who cannot only write, but
will make readers fall in love with their site at the same time!
With this formula, you might as well
be pouring love potion on those blogs, it is that powerful!
So,
can you do this? Sure you can!
Reading this post, you might think
you’ve never heard a lot of this before, but it’s just playground 101!
Let me show you…
·
The kid who tells the best jokes
gets the most attention! (headline)
·
The kid who understands when you’re
down always has company! (opening)
·
The kid with the inside scoop will
always have an audience! (teach them something)
·
The kid with the best lunch extras
never sits alone! (give a good example)
·
The kid who gets everybody excited
is never picked last! (pep talk ending)
You learned all of this before you
left the second grade! You’ve been doing it so long you’re an expert. In fact,
I bet when you go to apply this to your next post, you’ll be surprised at how
natural it feels!
I think
you’ll be surprised at how well you can do this already, without even trying!
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