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3 Ways Blogging Experience Can Help You Get Your Next Job

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For many bloggers, their love of blogging won’t necessarily be enough to pay the bills. If you find yourself in this situation, you’ll likely soon find yourself looking for a traditional job that can help you make ends meets. Luckily, all the time and effort you put into your blog doesn’t have to be wasted if you know how to use that blog to your advantage in the job market. So to help you do just that, here are three ways that your blogging experience can actually help you get a job outside of blogging. [Read more…] about 3 Ways Blogging Experience Can Help You Get Your Next Job

3 Ways A Blog Can Help Your Real Estate Career

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If somebody thinks being a realtor is just about selling houses and property, they’re wrong. Realtors might as well be celebrities. Well, at least the most successful ones practically are. In all honesty, actually selling the house is the easy part of the job. What comes as a challenge is often developing the people skills, having a knack for bringing out the positive in everything, knowing the market and trends, and building up your celebrity status in your general area so that people come to you whenever they seek to buy something.

If you’re unsure what you can be doing to build up your visibility in the real estate market so that people will actually come to you when they want to buy real estate, consider starting up a blog. Sounds random, right? Well, here are 3 ways a blog can help your real estate career:

It Draws Traffic To Your Site

No matter what business you’re in, marketing is a huge factor in how well you do. The world has gone mostly online in business, so even if you’re selling real estate, you have to be working your angles online. A blog gives you a huge advantage. What you can be doing is writing about everything you’re doing.

Give advice, talk about different houses you’ve seen and things you’ve experienced…talk about anything and everything to build up your name. Always link your blog back to your site, it’s even more helpful if your blog is directly on your website. The more traffic you draw in, the more likely you’ll be in to land a new client.

You Can Profile Your Properties

When people look for houses, their realtor is responsible for coming up with properties. If you’re working with other clients and you just happen to be selling their house as well, if you use your blog to write about the property and what’s great about it, and you post pictures to the blog, you’re going to have a great tool to show your properties to potential buyers. A blog isn’t just about writing about how you feel about things, it’s an underutilized tool for business growth.

You Build A Name For Yourself

As was stated before, a realtor needs to be a celebrity of sorts in their hometown. When you build up a name for yourself and people know who you are, you’ll start to get more properties and selling properties will be easier for you. The more local properties you get, the bigger your name grows and people out of state might hear about you and seek to use you as their realtor. You might find you get into international territory, and that’s cool because there’s good money in land.

Four Tips For Marketing Your Health & Wellness Blog

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If you’re blogging about health and wellness then you need to make sure your words are getting out there for the masses to read. Marketing your health and wellness blog doesn’t need to be a difficult task, especially if you are using all of the opportunities the internet has to offer bloggers.

Marketing your health and wellness blog is as easy as reaching out to people that care about their health and wellness. People that are young care, parents care about the health of their children, and even older people care because they want to stay healthy and active as they age. Here are some ways to better market for health and wellness, and have a blog that helps people!

Talk About The Issues

Before you even start sharing your blog with people you want to make sure that the content is up to snuff. You should have content on there that helps people, and stuff that people want to read. That begins with covering the issues that affect people in the world of health and wellness, like diabetes and other illnesses, or even on weight loss and making healthier diet choices.

Use Social Media

Once you have the content up you need to share it with people, and one of the best ways to do that is to get on social media. There are tons of options for sharing on social media, some of them based on text and links and others based on the photos that you included on your blog post.

Share on a regular basis so that people can find your blog posts and use them for the help they offer. You may even want to set up a business page for your blog so that it has its own entity on social media, instead of just sharing on your personal page.

Reach Out To Other Professionals

If you want to give your blog some extra credibility, even if you yourself are a professional, reach out for some quotes from other professionals to include in your posts. You could even ask them to contribute a guest post to your blog in exchange for them sharing a link to their own blog or website.

You should also be doing some linking to any other sources that you use. Not only do this save you from accidentally plagiarizing, but it also gives your readers a place to go to get even more information on what you’re telling them about.

Use SEO Properly

Link building is actually a part of your SEO cocktail, but when it comes to blogging one of the most important things is to make sure that you are using keywords and keyword phrases that are going to attract people to your blog. Look up keywords and how popular or well searched they are so that you use the best ones to boost your blog on search engines.

Tips For What To Blog About

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When starting a blog it’s important to have a clear vision of what your target audience and goals are.  If you’d like to build a large audience, then consistency is key.  Posting anywhere from once a day to once a week is acceptable given that you are consistent.

People like to know that they can expect fresh content on a regular basis otherwise, they will stop coming back for more.  Some writers may experience writer’s block and aren’t sure what kind of content they’ll post on a regular basis.

The best way to blog is to be as authentic as possible.  If you write from a place of authenticity, your content will leave your fingers effortlessly.  Before getting started, consider educating yourself on the blogging basics of driving traffic to your site, then dive in.

Consider these ideas for blogging content, and remember to be consistent and your readers will always come back for more!

Current Events

Is your blog a commentary on society? Culture? Even if your blog is an account of personal expression you can still link to current events and comment on how it affects you personally.

Current events are relevant and relatable to anyone and make a great post.  If your goal is to post daily, current events are an easy way to have fresh content every day.

Humor

Linking to funny content from memes to YouTube videos is always a crowd pleaser.  Some of the most popular blogs and social media accounts are humor pages dedicated to being an anecdote for the seriousness of life.

Satirical news website The Onion reaches over 8.5 million unique users, and has a reported value of $200 million, being more than The Washington Post which reports actual headlines.  

Sometimes people would simply rather laugh than be faced with reality.  Humorous posts are a great way to bring joy.

Personal Experiences

Many people use their blog as a form of journal writing.  By introducing your readers to the real you, your thoughts, opinions, and an inside look at your life, you can draw a different sort of audience and create a bond with your audience.

This sort of content is easy to be consistent with since every moment of every day you are constantly creating new experiences and outlooks.

Third Party Content

Inviting various writers as guest contributors to your blog is a great way to get consistent content that varies in subjects and opinions.  Each of these contributors brings a new audience with them and can be a great way to grow your blog’s popularity fast.

Alternatively, you could simply link to other blogs, as a content aggregator.  This format works great for a neighborhood blog.

Pros and Cons of a Free Website Platform

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It used to be that websites can only be created by people with technical background and who have knowledge on coding. Hence, web development then was just delegated to professional developers and designers.

With technology continuously evolving, though, people with no technical knowhow can now create their own websites without having to hire a professional. Many online tools and services are available these days offering a free platform that allows internet-savvy yet non-techie folks to build their own websites just the way they want it.

There’s no harm in building a website in the do-it-yourself route but if you’re doing it for a major project, you may have to weigh carefully the pros and cons. Do consider that a professionally made website cannot be matched by one created using a free platform.  

Here are several reliable and well known website builders that you can choose from. These offer user-friendly features to help you in your pursuit to establish a web presence. Generally, they have visual page editors that lets you edit elements of the website without much difficulty although flexibility may be an issue to some.  

Do take note that website builders normally include hosting and sometimes, registration of your domain name. But normally, these are available for the paid options.

WordPress

WordPress may be the most powerful content management system (CMS) used by professional web developers but contrary to what some people might think, it also offers a free option if you want to make your own website or blog. In fact, it is used in most websites and not just blogs as what others believe.

Among the major advantages of WordPress are its open source structure, user-friendly interface, simplicity in installing, fast construction, convenience and it’s also SEO-friendly. Being an open source structure lets users to save time and costs associated with developing code and its simplicity allows the fast installation of the system without having to high a top programmer to set it up. Additionally, the existence of numerous plugins allows WordPress users to achieve better SEO results.

Wix

Wix is a drag and drop website builder that’s fairly easy to use and has stunning HTML5 templates in the hundreds. It allows you to add and edit your own HTML and integrate social media in your pages. It also has a mobile website builder that lets you easily create a mobile version of your website. Support is readily available even for those using the free version.

Apart from its free version, Wix has six other plans that can be optimized for various uses. Each plan provides more than enough storage and bandwidth and even advertising vouchers.

For its free version, Wix gives you 500 MB of storage, 500 MB bandwidth, various templates and images to choose from and unlimited pages.

The paid plan starts at a minimal $4.08 monthly rate (Connect Domain) although there’s little difference from the free version. The higher plans are the Combo, Unlimited, eCommerce and VIP.  

Squarespace

Squarespace offers many website design options. It features a drag and drop site builder that’s very to use.

Unfortunately, this platform does not have any long-term free plan although it offers a free two-week trial period. The cheapest plan is called Personal and costs $8 per month. The others are Professional and Business.

Weebly

Weebly is most ideal for ecommerce websites. It also has a drag and drop feature and allows users to edit their site wile on the go using the app. What makes it unique compared to its close competitors is the fact that it allows one to use his own domain to create a free website and integrate a blog into his website. Adding a blog to your website means that you can engage on a more personal level with your target audience. Also, using the domain you already own will no longer force you to include the website building tool’s sub domain into the addresses of your website.  

Weebly’s free plan offers free hosting and unlimited pages. It also lets you sell five products and a bonus is the $100 Google ad credit. The paid plans include the Starter which costs $4 month, Pro at $8 per month and Business at $25 per month.

SITE123

SITE123 is a very convenient website builder that lets one create an online presence most suited to his or her personality or business. This free service provides numerous templates and setting up your site does not need any coding or designing skills.

The platform’s websites are also SEO friendly which means that your site has a great potential of being included at the top of Google’s search results. All templates and websites are mobile friendly and the best part is you don’t have to update them as SITE123 already does that for you from time to time. Hence, once you choose your template, you can already take it easy as your site is being set up online.  

Mozello

Mozello boasts of having an interactive interface and responsive design making it ideal for businesses. Known as one of the easiest and most efficient tools to use available, setting up a website using the service does not require technical expertise whether in coding or web designing.

Those targeting an international audience will also benefit from Mozello as it can create multilingual websites easily. Simply choose a template and professional design and watch your website being setup right away.

The service supports all platform supports and devices which means you can actually design your website using your own smartphone. Your websites are guaranteed to be appealing with no pop-up ads and promotional offers distracting your readers.

Mozello has various tools available as well. The SEO improvement tools can help improve the visibility of your web pages while the marketing and advertising tools are meant to increase your sales.

How to Use Your Blog to Get Free Products

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People often wonder how bloggers get their hands on all of the products they review, and whether or not they’re paid to use and review those products. Some bloggers may very well spend their own money on buying the products, but successful bloggers are able to get products sent to them for free by companies wanting the publicity. If you’re a blogger wanting to know how to get your hands on free products or product samples, here are a few easy steps.

 

Make it worth their time

No one will give you anything for free if it’s not worth their time. You can make giving you free products worth it by making sure the companies see you’re dedicated, have great content, and have likeminded followers.

Many bloggers use sites to gain followers that are fellow bloggers – and will follow you if you follow them – but these aren’t what the companies will be interested in. Make sure that your followers are readers who are genuinely interested in your niche and are consistent in visiting your blog.

 

Know your worth

Companies will want to know why they should send you free items, and what the return on investment will be for them. Make sure that you understand what they’re asking, and have the information on hand when you speak with the companies that will give you products to review.

You should be familiar with your click through rate, your number of followers, and how you’ve grown since you started the blog. Also, know your number of pageviews and the time you’re willing to invest in your blog. Without knowing this information, the companies won’t be able to determine if it’s worth it to send you the products for free.

 

Make sure the products fit your blog

Ensure that the products you’re asking to have sent for review are things that fit into your blog, and fit with your previous blog content. If you’re currently a food blogger and are wanting the latest eye shadow palette sent to you for review, the companies won’t feel that your accumulated audience would be interested in makeup, and will be less likely to send you products.

Establishing a blog that writes about certain products may mean that you pay for some products yourself to gain a following and loyal audience. This tactic may be spendy but it’s a great way to show companies that you’re serious about wanting to review products for your blog and share them with the world.

 

While it may seem appealing to receive free loot, the work that goes into blogging prior to being sent items to review may make you reconsider. Getting sent products isn’t for the beginning blogger or the blogger who isn’t willing to put in quite a bit of time and effort.

Tips For Getting Across The Most Information To Your Blog Readers

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How much work are you putting into your blog posts? If you’re just throwing together random information with nothing to back up your statements it’s pretty likely you are quickly going to lose readers, and it’s also likely that people just aren’t going to trust what you have to say after a while. Knowledgeable posts with some research, or at least written by an expert on the subject, will draw more attention.

Make sure that you are getting the big picture across to the people reading your blog, from clients to potential clients. You don’t just want your business blog posts to be about random things that have nothing to do with what your business does, but you also don’t want it to simply be an advertisement for your business either. Don’t just rehash info people can find anywhere else on your blog, instead share with them what they can do with your products and services and how they can better their business or lives with what you offer.

Consider A Bigger Word Count

Some people will tell you that shorter blog posts are better, and if you can get all of the information across you want to in a shorter amount of words go for it. However, you’ll also find some posts that claim that the perfect length for a blog post is about 1,600 words. For some people that may seem like a lot to write and a lot to read, but it allows you space for good research and information.

If you are going to do the longer-form blog posts you really want to make sure they are full of useful information. If you are continually repeating the same info, or just keyword stuff your articles, you’ll not only lose readers but you could also get penalized by Google. Instead, put some thought into your writing, so readers get all of the info they need from your posts.

Include A Call-To-Action

This little finishing touch to relevant blog posts offers you up one more place to get across the information you want to your readers, giving them something that they can use. A call-to-action can simply be a button for people to click at the bottom of your post that leads them to the next step, or it can be the addition of an in-text link, a phone number, or even an email address.

You want your call-to-action to be something that makes sense, so that people understand why they should click on it. Tell them what they should do with that link, such as that it is the place to purchase the product you spoke of in the blog post, or that it is an email to reach out with any follow-up questions the reader may have.

 

Two Tips For Starting A Blog On Health & Wellness

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While there are plenty of blogs and websites already in existence for certain health & wellness topics, there are still plenty of you out there that have a degree or certification in the field and want to share your knowledge with others. Many people have a need to help other people, and one way to do that is through blogging.

Whether it’s attached to a business or something that you simply do to pass the time, blogging can actually be a pretty rewarding experience. You get to write about the things you want to while helping out your readers by sharing tips and anecdotes. If you intend to start a blog on health & wellness topics, here are a couple tips for making yours stand out among the others.

 

Help People Understand What Wellness Can Do For Them

Most people know that they should be doing more for their health and wellness, and they may even know that it can help them live a longer life and have more energy. However, they may not realize that something as simple as the foods they eat on a daily basis can be having a direct effect on their overall health and wellness. They may not even realize that things like salt and sugar are destroying their health.

Take some time, and space, to tell them about individual things being healthy can do for them. Point out how nutrition and wellness are being used in recovery from addiction and the fight against cancer. Use statistics and share well-researched information that shows them just how wellness can help heal, from the inside out.

 

Get Specific, Try Not To Generalize

When it comes to wellness topics, articles about the many natural treatments for what ails you are a dime a dozen. Instead, try to get specific with well-researched articles that really delve into the treatments someone needs for what ails them. Why are caraway seeds so good for stomach ailments, like cramps? How does peppermint oil both soothe and give energy at the same time?

You can also delve deeper into some wider topics, such as why salt is bad for you or why sugar is an addictive substance and how to cut it out of your diet. However, the more single-minded you are in an article, when it comes to wellness and health topics, the more chances you have of it going viral and getting plenty of readers.

You can have a more successful health and wellness blog if you use these tips. Be sure to link to credible sources, and allow for a call-to-action at the end of your posts letting people know how to get more help with their wellness needs, or letting them know they can reach out to you with other questions they may have about living a healthier life.

 

Tips For Making A Living As A Blogger

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Having a creative career of any kind isn’t always easy. There is a reason that people call those with creative jobs “starving artists.” While you can make a living as a landscape painter or an article writer, it usually takes some time to get to that point. You have many trials and errors you’ll need to go through, and probably a lot or Ramen noodles.

 

As a blogger, there are ways to make money, it just depends on how much money and effort you want to put into your blog, as well as who you plan to write for. You may find yourself needing alternate work or even applying for a payday loan to get by in the beginning, but once your blog is monetized, you might get lucky and have a good income to live off.

 

You don’t even have to have your own blog to make a living as a blogger. As a freelancer, you can get paid to write for other blogs – as a steady writer or just someone who writes guest posts.

 

Use Ads

 

Most people who write on their own blogs, that they started from scratch, will use things like AdSense as their way to make money off their blog. Pay per clicks ads can bring in money, but unless your blog is bringing in thousands of unique visitors a month who are all clicking the click bait, you probably won’t make enough to live off.

 

You could sell traditional ads on your blog as well. You might simply have a company or advertiser submit a design, or if you are design savvy you may do it for them. It’s kind of like ad space in a newspaper or magazine.

 

Do Reviews

 

Some businesses will pay reviewers to write reviews of their products. At the least, you can often get free products to review that you get to keep. With the rules of the internet, and to always be transparent, you want to make sure you are honest that you were compensated for an unbiased review of said product.

 

Write Guest Posts

 

Even if you do have your own blog, whether it’s making you money or not, you should consider looking into other blogs that pay writers to do guest posts for them. They are out there. You will run into some that will want you to pay them to post your stuff in your search, but simply keep looking.

 

Become A Freelancer
If you don’t have your own blog, but you love to write, you may want to do some researching on blogging positions. You may find a gig that gives you steady work and allows you to write for many blogs on many topics. It’s a great way to do what you love, but not have to come up with ideas all on your own all the time, or need to stick with a specific subject matter.