blogging Archives - Wording Well

April 15, 2019

5 Blogging Tips for Busy College Students

Busy college students have multiple assignments to submit, essays to write, and exams to prepare for. Does this make you wonder why you even bothered to begin blogging in the first place?

Firstly, starting a blog in college is a great decision. Apart from improving your writing skills, it helps you form a strong network, build your personal brand, and push your creative boundaries while making money on the side.

It sure is difficult to manage a busy college schedule and run a blog… but it is not impossible! All you need to learn is how to manage your time effectively. If you do that, there is no stopping you from being productive in every aspect of your life!

Here are 5 tips to succeed as a blogger if you are an extremely busy college student.

Tip #1: Allocate Time to Blog

Sometimes, in spite of having the intentions to blog, it’s easy to get busy with college and ignore your blog in the process. In order to take blogging seriously, you need to set aside time specifically for doing tasks related to your blog.

From brainstorming ideas and curating content to scheduling and promoting it, blogging is a time-consuming process. However, if you give yourself 2 hours every day or devote a few hours every weekend to it, you are likely to make better progress.

Ultimately, having a schedule and organizing your tasks lets you be more disciplined and productive. That way, you don’t even feel guilty choosing one thing over the other.

Tip #2: Prioritize Wisely

While you have allocated blogging time, it’s important to prioritize wisely as well. After all, there is no denying that focusing on academics is of utmost importance and nothing should take precedence over that.

For instance, if you need an essay written now, you need to focus on your submissions rather than spending time on your blog.

So, be prepared for unexpected delays and tasks added to your to-do list. Plan your days accordingly and don’t lose focus of the bigger picture.

Tip #3: Maintain an Editorial Calendar

You might think you can hurriedly jot notes on your phone and schedule posts when you feel like it. This way of working is not only haphazard but can also affect the quality of your work.

Instead, why not maintain an editorial calendar? Doing this will let you streamline your thoughts and consistently post in a timely manner. Don’t be too hard on yourself by posting every day or every second day. Studies have shown that posting daily on your blog won’t work.

Determine the time you can allocate to blogging, decide on a posting schedule, and stick to it. Give yourself deadlines so you know you have to publish a post in the given time period. Read More

March 9, 2019

How to Use Content Upgrades to Build Your Email List (+ a Tutorial!)

How to Use Content Upgrades to Build Your Email List

Content upgrades. Lead magnets.

You’ve heard the terminology, but what do these things mean?

Today, I am going to share with you everything you need to know about content upgrades… including what they are (with samples), who uses them, where to put them, how to create them, and which plugins you can use for them.

I’m also going to give you a step-by-step tutorial on how to use Content Upgrades Pro on your website!

I’m an affiliate for this product and so all links to this plugin in this post are affiliate links. This means I will receive a small commission if you decide to buy this product. I USE THIS PRODUCT on Wording Well, and I LOVE IT!

Article Contents

The contents of this blog post include:

What is a CONTENT UPGRADE?
Samples of Content Upgrades
Who Uses Content Upgrades?
Where Should You Put Them?
How to Create a Content Upgrade (+ Some Tools to Use)
Which Plugins are the Best to Use for Content Upgrades?
How to Use Content Upgrades Pro on Your Site

What is a CONTENT UPGRADE?

Content upgrades are used in blog posts to help grow your email list. A content upgrade is also called a lead magnet (in the marketing world) and is simply some type of bonus content that you give to your readers (or site visitors) in exchange for their email address.

“What is an evergreen lead magnet?”

An evergreen lead magnet is a content upgrade is highly effective because it offers immediate value, can be used again and again, and will always be useful because it can be updated to ensure it’s the best and most up-to-date resource it can be.

Evergreen content upgrades are really good to create because they allow you to use them in multiple posts. This solves the problem of not having to always create a new upgrade for each post!

Instead, all you have to do is copy and paste your “offer” into your new blog post! Easy!

Samples of Content Upgrades

A checklist

A printable (which can be ANYTHING ranging from a checklist to a blog planner to a goals planner to a calendar, etc.)

Access to a recorded webinar or private video

Access to a private file or resource vault

An infographic (Read: The Ultimate Guide to Infographics (Includes 10 Tools + 5 Tutorials!))

A list of tools or resources related to your blog post topic

A recording of written content

A fill-in-the-blank sheet

A PDF of your article

A worksheet

Bonus content not included in the original article

Plus… other things I’ve not listed here! (I’m sure you can think of SOME KIND OF BONUS to give away!) Read More

November 21, 2018

3 Essential Articles Every Website Needs to Make Money Online

To make money online, there are 3 articles you should have on your website.

Are you making the most of your writer website or your blog? Do you even have your own site?

For many writers and bloggers, setting up a website is crucial. It allows you to brand your business, display your portfolio, and gives you a place to write that is all your own.

However, unlike social media pages (which help with the above), websites incur costs. The natural thing to do is attempt to generate revenue through your website. After all, if you can break even or (preferably) turn a profit, your website truly becomes an asset rather than a liability.

However, to many, this can cause a conflict. After all, you want to offer genuine value to your audience, but you need revenue. So, how do you not only provide great content for your readers but also turn some revenue without losing credibility?

Today, I’ve invited Dave Chesson to share with you three types of posts which have been proven to generate revenue for writer websites while also providing genuine value to audiences. He will even include examples so you can put these to work on your own site.

Although I actually have multiple income streams, Dave says the three types of posts you should have on your site to make money online are:

1: Product Review Posts

2: Product Comparison Posts

3: Resource Master Lists

Take it away, Dave!

1: Product Reviews

One of the keys to successful revenue-generating blog posts is getting the right mixture of enthusiasm and likeability. One of the best ways to achieve this mix is by taking the time to review and share the products you truly use and care about.

When you review a product you genuinely use and love, your enthusiasm will be tangible. It will be clear from the level of knowledge you provide that you are a genuine fan of the product.

Product Review Posts – Best Practices

Some of the best practice tips to keep in mind when putting together a product review post include:

– Be sure to take pictures and even videos of you using the product. This not only shows that you genuinely own and use the product, but it also conveys your personality more than simply writing about it.

– Make sure that the products and services you review have an affiliate program available. Be sure to register for this in advance of putting your review together.

– Check out the other reviews that are ranking on Google for the same product you are looking at. Make sure your own review offers something extra.

– Be honest about the product. Highlight its flaws as well as its advantages. This adds credibility to your review and shows it’s a genuine analysis rather than a fluff piece.

Now that you know some of the best practice tips for putting together a review for your website, let’s consider some of the types of products you might wish to review.

– Software relevant to your audience. As a writer, this could include writing software, editing software, or anything else you think your audience might enjoy and find useful. Examples could include notebooks, pens, or anything else writers need to get by.

– Off-topic products. These might not relate directly to writing, but might be useful for writers, such as a special brand of coffee.

Basically, anything that you love, and that you think your audience might as well, is the perfect choice for a review post.

Product Review Posts – Examples & Lessons

Now that you know how to go about creating a review post, and the type of products you might review, let’s check out some examples from real websites for the final piece of the inspiration puzzle.

1: Wording Well’s Review of Meaning, Self, and the Human Potential

Wording Well posted a review of Meaning, Self, and the Human Potential. Some of the tips to take away from this review include:

– Provide context. The relationship between the reviewer and the product being reviewed is clearly discussed and talked about.

– Explain the implications of the product. Rather than just talking about what the book is, this review also explains why it matters.

– Clear suggestion of who the book is for. Rather than just saying what’s good or bad in your review, suggest the right type of person for it.

Grammarly feature comparison table

2: Kindlepreneur’s Review of Grammarly

In the above link, you can see my review of Grammarly. Some of the actionable tips you can take away from this when putting together your own review post include:

– Include video content. This will capture your readers’ attention, cause them to spend more time on your page, and boost your Google rankings as a result.

– Include graphic content. A large wall of text is unappealing and is likely to bore your audience. Mix things up with lists, bullet points, graphics, and tables.

– Give a ‘good fit’ recommendation. Rather than include an overall verdict, suggest who the product is and isn’t right for. This makes it more likely that you will convert suitable traffic.

September 1, 2018

The Art of “Learning on the Go” (to Master Your Online Craft)

The Art of Learning on the Go featured image

“Learning on the go” is something we can all do more of.

Whether you’re a professional at writing and blogging, or just beginning, we all need to hone our craft and grow in our capabilities.

But (like most writers) who actually has time for that?

If you’re like me, the first thing to go when I’m busy is the extra training and studying. We’ve got lives to live, mouths to feed – three, in my case – and work that needs to be done.

So, how do we inject lessons, learning, and practice into our already busy lives?

The stress can feel daunting and we may sometimes feel like giving up.

However, in the age of mobile devices and streaming, we no longer have to sacrifice our precious time in order to fit in our studies and growth. Instead, we can use some key tactics and methods to help us improve and hone our craft so we can make “learning on the go” much easier.

Today, I want to show you four methods to learning your craft that helped this father of three still be with his family and do his job while also gaining the skills and knowledge that helped me to build a 7-figure online business.

It’s no secret how I did it – it was just a determination with a focus on effectiveness and efficiency.

By integrating these “learning on the go” methods into your life, you, too, can be as productive as I am and learn to grow your business as well!

1: Free Series and Lessons — Podcasts

Podcasts are an incredible way to learn on the go. While there are many podcasts created for the sole purpose to entertain, many have been created to teach you or discuss certain trades of the craft.

But what makes podcasts so unique for our path to “grow while on the go” is their benefits:

– The ability to listen anywhere, including during your commute or during your gym workout

– Regular episodes, which allows you to stay on top of the latest trends in your industry or niche

– The personality and voice of the content creator is stronger than in a blog post

The best part of podcasts is that finding them is simple. You can either go to iTunes and use their Search feature and type in what kind of things you want to learn, or you can turn to Google and look for lists presented online with best recommendations based on what it is you’re looking for.

For writers, here’s a list of the best podcasts to help you not only improve your writing skills, but also for how to use your writing for creating a book, writing better blogs, or just turning to freelance work. Read More

June 21, 2018

How to Make Money as a Writer (Infographic)

How to Make Money as a Writer in 2018

People wonder if freelancing is a lucrative career or if they can make money from writing.

I know many freelancers who support themselves simply by writing, so the answer is YES!

YOU CAN EARN A LIVING FROM WRITING!

There are the tons of people who contributed to my “Freelancer in the Spotlight” series. They ALL make a living from freelance writing!

And I’m sure you’ve heard the stories about all the bloggers who make a million dollars a minute or the copywriters who are able to write from their second home in Mexico? You see their friendly faces in advertisements that pop up in your Facebook feed, promising to give you instant riches if you just sign up to a program for a gazillion dollars a month.

But you don’t need to take their programs. You can take ones that have been PROVEN to work.

Take Elna Cain, for example. She teaches others how to make a living from freelance writing. (Look at her course, How to Write Your Way to Your First 1K.)

Then there’s Gina Horkey. She teaches people how to achieve freelancing success in 30 DAYS OR LESS! She also teaches people how to make a living from being a virtual assistant… also in 30 days or less!

Can you do both? Sure, you can!

There are many opportunities to make money as a writer in 2018. You just need to know where to look!

Opportunities for Writers in 2018 and Beyond

From blogging and copywriting to editing and freelancing, there are jobs to suit all different types of writing skill and interest.

The infographic by Global English Editing (below) shows you all the opportunities you have as a writer in 2018 and beyond. It provides you with a detailed summary of your options, as well as examples of just how those successful writers make their money consistently.

You will notice that blogging is mentioned too. That’s because blogging is a means to an end (the end being MAKING MONEY, of course)!