A Personal Note From Lorraine (and Advertising Opportunities!)

Image that says: A Personal Note from Lorraine

We all have problems, don’t we?

Let me tell you, I’ve had a rough few months. First, my computer got hacked. (Give this a read and learn how to protect yourself from falling victim to a scam! I’m sure Carolyn from The Wonder of Tech would appreciate a few new readers!)

Then my parents decided to sell my childhood home.

Then I moved back to my apartment (I had been staying with them because my mom broke her arm).

However, I managed to take a breather and go on an actual, honest-to-goodness vacation. (More on this later!)

For now, just let me say, I lived my dream. 🙂

And took the following picture with my phone. It’s a palm tree on the beach in Punta Cana.

 

A palm tree on the beach in Punta Cana.

What’s New on Wording Well

Now let’s talk design and accessibility for a minute.

Some of you may have noticed that Wording Well has a new look. (Do you like it?)

To go with this new look is a new newsletter, with a new design. (I’d appreciate feedback on it, too!)

If you are NOT on my mailing list yet, then join it now! (You get a free e-book, too.) 😉

As far as the blog goes, it’s a good thing that I am a person who knows how to plan ahead!

It’s also good that I know a lot of people (remember, always be networking!!!) and that I have had some of these people write for my blog.

But… you probably still want to hear from me, too, right?

I can assure you, then, that a lot of the information coming up on Wording Well has been written and assembled by yours truly.

I’m not superwoman, despite what many people think, but I am organized!

This past week, in fact, I published not one, but two, posts (although they’ve been written by others):

I also re-vamped my site. A bit.
I created a Resource Kit (it’s on its own page).
I re-did my home page (it’s now called All About Wording Well).
I optimized my SEO for my Freelancing Services page, which links to the four different services Wording Well offers.
And I have attempted to make it easier for readers to comment on my site. (Turns out, people were having problems AND DIDN’T TELL ME!)

So I enabled the free version of CommentLuv. I hope it’s easier for you to speak your mind now! (IF IT ISN’T, PLEASE TELL ME! Email me, talk to me on Facebook, use Twitter, but TELL ME!)

Resources for You (and an Advertising Opportunity!)

I also updated the post Resources for #Writers (#Authors and #Freelancers) with a few new links.

Some people have paid me to “advertise” on this page via a link, too. Because their content is awesome, I allowed this.

I will extend the same courtesy to YOU. If you have a post that contains a plethora of information and is helpful, and want me to add a link to your site from one of my pages or posts, please contact me with your query.

Tell me which post you want to advertise on, and send me the link of the post you want me to link to. If it’s Wording Well-worthy, I’ll send you an invoice via PayPal, which is safe, secure, and free to use. It does not require an account and accepts credit cards.

For more information, see my Write/Advertise page.

Freelancing Resources for You

I’ve come across a few SUPERB resources that other freelancers I know have created… such as Gina Horkey’s courses, Elna Cain’s courses, and a post by Brent Jones (which you surely MUST”VE seen by now…)

In case you haven’t, give it a read.

It’s called 70 Freelancers Reveal Their Best Source of New Business.

Brent also has a special offer for you, and I’m excited to tell you that IF YOU CLICK THIS LINK AND BUY HIS $9 PRODUCT, I make a small commission for helping you out.

That’s the kinda guy Brent is. 😉

Find out everything at:
http://lreguly.bhxm290.hop.clickbank.net

(Brent Jones’ post for freelancers)

Apparently, the freelancers who contributed to this article earned an average of OVER $40K in 2015, and are earning even more this year!

I highly suggest that you check this out if you are a freelancer (either new or established) who is looking for new ideas on how and where to earn money!

Brent has also created a premium product, 62 Strategies to Establish or Increase Your Prices.

It’s only $9 and features many of the same freelancers who contributed to his post.

Check it out OR just READ THE POST FOR FREE!

Did You Know…?

You can use your life experiences to move yourself and your business forward.
I did! (And I’m still doing it!)

You can also start earning money with your blog using AdSense.

You can also earn affiliate income by promoting others’ products… such as Gina Horkey’s 30 Days or Less to Freelancing Writing Success.

I do this from time to time. It probably won’t pay the bills, but it’ll give you some extra spending money (and who doesn’t want that, right!).

Wording Well CAN Solve Your Problems

Now, just to remind you on who I am and what I do…

Wording Well is the solution to your stress, especially if you are a blogger or business owner who is…

  • stuck for time
  • in need of a writer/ghostwriter, editor, or blogger
  • in need of a helping hand OR some guidance
  • too busy to “do it all” on your own
  • wants to write a book or an e-book but doesn’t know where to start or how to publish it

I offer 4 distinct services that will help relieve you of your work stress.

I can also help you increase your monthly income and grow your business!

I do all of the following:

Contact me. Let’s talk!

Or drop me a line in the comments. If you can. 😉

I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,
Lorraine Reguly, owner of Wording Well

This is an image of Lorraine Reguly, owner of Wording Well.

6 Ways to Use Visuals to Boost Traffic to Your Blog

6 Ways to Use Visuals to Boost Traffic on Your Blog

People love visuals. No doubt.

A blog without any images in the fast-paced, technological world of today is like a movie without any color.

Visuals set the tone for your blog and they greatly affect the way your reader views your content.

In a snap, with a good photo editor, such as Colorcinch (aff link), you can make your text sound, funny, yummy, scary, beautiful, inspirational, or anything you like!

That’s why Rochelle and I co-created this post… to help you share your information with your audience in creative ways using visuals!

Just make sure you use visuals that are SEO-friendly… whatever you do!

Read More

#HowTo Capture Audience Attention through Proper Blog Content Formatting

How To Capture Audience Attention through Proper Blog Content Formatting

Are you formatting your blog posts correctly? I bet you’re forgetting one small thing…

Good news: I have a special guest today who can help you!

His name is Nick Churick and today he’s going to share some important information with the Wording Well audience. (Thanks, Nick!)

So please welcome Nick to center stage with open arms (and don’t you dare be afraid of the snake that’s wrapped around his neck in the picture below)!

Take it away, Nick!

Impact Your Audience With Proper Post Formatting

Did you know… the way you format your blog posts has a DIRECT IMPACT on your readers?

Did you know… you need to format your blog content BETTER so that your audience spends more time on your blog?

I never thought about it as of a separate serious item before. It was my subconscious, telling me that good formatting is as important as general copywriting techniques. And it is probably even more important than the quality of the content itself.

How come?

The answer is easy: your content formatting is like a wrapper for a sweet.

It’s much easier to sell a bad sweet in a good wrapper than a good sweet in a bad one.

That’s the RULE of the market: what looks nice gets more attention!

Plus, when you keep readers on your blog for a longer time, you will lower your bounce rate.

 Bounce rate definition

Optimize Your Posts for Skimmers

I’m sure you already know that on a typical blog only about 2% of visitors spend more than two minutes actually reading a post. The remaining 98% are just scrolling your post or skimming. Read More

Blogging Resources + How To Start a Blog (if you don’t already have one)

Woman blogging on a laptop

It’s easy to become lost and confused when it comes to blogging.

Even with all of the resources out there, things can get REALLY overwhelming.

(And if you’re a perfectionist like me, it’s even harder to meet those high expectations!)

However, I have some good news for you if you are:

  • a new blogger
  • a semi-experienced blogger who wants to get better at blogging, or
  • someone who simply wants to start a website but doesn’t know where to begin.

This post will help you… despite which of these categories you fall into!

Where to Begin (Especially if You Have NO Money)???

First of all, if you have NO website BUT WANT ONE, you need to learn about a million things. (LOL)

(For instance, here are 40 Things to Know Before You Start a Blog: A Day-by-Day Guide.)

Seriously. I won’t lie to you. There’s A LOT to know!

Don’t be scared, though.

Just take things one step at a time.

It’s MUCH EASIER that way!

Sure, you can Google “how to start a blog,” but that’s not going to be much help, as you don’t know who to trust or who is going to try to scam you out of your precious, hard-earned dollars by telling you that you NEED certain things that you don’t.

Take me, for example. I started out with ZERO dollars, and I created a free website on WordPress.com. I called it Lorraine Reguly’s Life, because, after all, I was writing about things that happened to me.

I also wasn’t sure if  which version of WordPress was right for me. After all I was a newbie blogger! (Hint: Read WordPress.Com Versus WordPress.Org: Which WordPress Version Is Best For Me?)

After about a year, I weighed the pros and cons of having my own site. Because there were more pros, I moved my site to this one (using WordPress.org), gave it a new name, and built my business around it.

Before I made the move, however, I had to decide upon a hosting provider.

(Related: 9 Best Options For Managed WordPress Hosting Compared)

(Also related: Best WordPress Hosting • TOP 8 Options Compared • 2017)

(Also related: Best WordPress Hosting by Performance: 10 Options Compared… with Results!)

(Also related: The 7 Best WordPress Hosts For 2018 Compared)

I ultimately decided to use Abivia to host my site, but switched to CanSpace (aff link) because they offered me a deal that I couldn’t refuse!

There are many other companies you can use, such as GreenGeeks (aff link) or any of the ones listed in Wording Well’s Hosting Guide as well as The Ultimate Guide to WordPress Hosting for more information.

(My original intention was to make a name for myself online, to attract readers for my autobiography – which I’m STILL writing! – but then I discovered I could earn money by offering my expertise to others, which I do via the four different freelancing services I offer.)

So don’t fret if you don’t have a ton of money to invest! You don’t need it!

What You Need to Know

First of all, there are going to be a ton of people who will tell you which blogging platform to use. Your options include:

  • WordPress.com
  • WordPress.org
  • Blogger (Blogspot)
  • Weebly
  • Wix
  • TypePad
  • Tumblr
  • SBI
  • and many more!

There are also a ton of good articles out there that compare different sites, which should aid you in your decision.

First Things First: What do you want to do with your blog?

Figure out what you want to accomplish with your blog.

Read articles that will help you decide which you should choose. Then, if you decide to get your own host (which you really should, as the pros outweigh the cons!), I’d strongly urge you to read this web-hosting guide. It’s chock-full of great info!

(And yes, I wrote that darn thing. Took me forever, too! But my research was worth it, as I love my hosting provider! If you’re wondering why… here’s why!)

I’d also highly recommend checking out these many Easy to Follow Video Tutorials. They not only compare the different platforms, but they show you how to use WordPress, which, in my opinion, is one of the best if not THE best platform to use!

If You Decide to Blog On WordPress… (my personal fave)

Take a look at these guides so you can learn how to install and use WordPress.

They’re all GREAT! 

That’s because there are more than 440 million active users using WordPress!

In no particular order of greatness, they are:

If You Choose Blogger (AKA Blogspot)

Read this guide. It’s the best I’ve found.

It’s a bit biased, as it’s geared toward authors. But, really, most of what’s in it applies to everyone!

It’s called How to Start a Blog in 20 Easy Steps: A Guide for New Author-Bloggers.

What to Learn Next?

Another million-and-one things! (LOL) Learn how to maximize your social media skills.

Learn the gazillion tips and tricks used by pro bloggers everywhere.

Learn who to follow, and who to befriend. Influencers have power! Leverage that!

And keep dropping by Wording Well to learn more blogging tips!

Additional Blogging Resources

My Plea

Show everyone some love and share this post!!! (And not just on Twitter, but on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc.!!!)

Need a Blog Post Writer?

I’m available. I can do it all, too! Images, text, uploading posts directly to your site… whatever you need, I’m your gal!

Feel free to check out the different services I offer! (There are FOUR.) Then contact me and let me know what you need! Me at Starbucks 367x275

Full disclosure notice: In a way, this was a bit of a sponsored post, as Wording Well was paid by a few different people/companies/website owners to include links in this post to their sites and/or articles. However, I would not have recommended them if they were not GOOD! 

First year blogging image

How to Survive Your First Year Blogging

First year blogging image

There are millions who have started blogging, and there are still many reasons to continue to blog.  The sad reality is that only a small percentage of bloggers succeed.

Why do they succeed? Because they don’t quit. No joke. Too many bloggers quit too soon, and they quit during the first year.

Bloggers quit because they don’t:

  • Believe anyone cares and they give up too soon.
  • Understand what it really takes to become a successful blogger.
  • Make money right off the bat and get discouraged.
  • Want to write and create quality content on a regular basis.
  • Have a support group.
  • Strategically network within their niche.
  • Guest post on more established blogs.

Can you see yourself as a professional blogger?

The first 12-months of your blogging career is the most important. What you do in the first year can set you apart from those who fail. In essence, you are building the foundation that will either help your succeed or fail.

Read More