The FreelancePost

Blogs can’t exist without content, and it is often one of the most stressful parts of blogging. Coming up with fresh, interesting, new content repeatedly for weeks, months, and years on end can take its toll if you don’t put strategies in place to help you before you get to burnout point.

Today’s challenge in our 31 day challenge is about alleviating some of that constant pressure (that you often don’t think about until it’s time to write) to allow you to just get on with creating content. Brainstorming ahead of time removes at least one of the obstacles to a full editorial schedule.

Brainstorming also allows you to step outside your blog for a moment and think long-term about things – you might have a great idea for a series, or even post ideas that aren’t just plain writing. It allows you to indulge your creative side for a moment and can result in topics you never even thought of but would be perfect for your blog.

In this episode, I share a process for coming up with ideas to write about that has worked really well for me. You’ll need a pen and paper, or even a whiteboard if you’ve got it. I’ll give you some steps to go through to define where your blog is headed, and help you create the ideas for content that will get it there. We also go through seven other ideas to help spark your creativity, which results in today’s challenge, which you’ll find on the podcast page (you’ll need them for tomorrow’s activity!).

See you tomorrow for the next episode.

Click here to listen to day 11 of the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog series on the ProBlogger Podcast.

Further Reading:

• How to Consistently Come up With Great Content Ideas for Your Blog
• How to Build a Blog that Has Lasting Impact Upon Its Readers
• 5 Sources of Ideas for My Blog Posts
• Discover Hundreds of Post Ideas for Your Blog with Mind Mapping
• 27 Killer Strategies for Brainstorming Blog Post Ideas – JeffBullas.com
• Brainstorming: Generating Many Radical, Creative Ideas – MindTools.com
• Video: 6 Creative Ways to Brainstorm Ideas
• Vicky from Random Little Faves shows us 7 Quick Ways to Brainstorm for Blog Post Topics
• And Sarah Schultz even has a free printable and great post at Why Brainstorming is Essential to Blogging.

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

How to Harness Brainstorming to Build Great Content for Your Blog

The post How to Harness Brainstorming to Build Great Content for Your Blog appeared first on @ProBlogger.

As ubiquitous as the internet is, you can’t be across all things at all times in your niche.

It’s important to have a general idea of what the trends are not only for your sake so you can stay current, but also so you can share that information with your readers (perhaps in your next link post? Or social media update?)

The easiest way you can stay abreast of what’s been going on is to set up alerts and subsriptions.

Today’s episode of the ProBlogger Podcast will take you through how you can create a steady flow of great input to fill your inspiration cup and to stay on top of current issues. We expand on the initial “set up an alert” challenge in the original 31DBBB workbook and I’ll outline the reasons I think you need to set up alerts, and how it will help you create better content for your readers.

We’ll go through both Google and Twitter alerts and some other things to consider setting up for blog posts relevant to you.

Head on over to the podcast for the links I mention to help you set up the alerts, which will be in the show notes.

Good luck!

Click here to listen to day 10 of the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog series on the ProBlogger Podcast.

Further Reading:

• Google: Google Alerts – Monitor the Web for Interesting Content
• This Little Service Absolutely Crushes Google Alerts – Forbes.com
• Tap into Trending Content Before Your Competitors – Buzzsumo
• How to Use RSS feeds – Digital Trends
• How to Set Up Content Alerts – Buzzsumo

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

ProBlogger Podcast Day 10: How to Use Alerts

The post ProBlogger Podcast Day 10: How to Use Alerts appeared first on @ProBlogger.

The last two weeks have been crazy. I’m sure you know the type of weeks I’m talking about. Onn top of my normally full weeks…

• I impulsively decided to launch a month of daily podcasts (and I crazily decided to do all of the show notes, editing and production myself)
• We launched our mid year sale on dPS
• Our two day ProBlogger event is just 5 weeks away and preparations are getting to that ‘frenzy’ point
• I accepted 9 invitations to be interviewed on other people’s podcasts
• 3 out of 5 of our core team are away overseas so I had a few jobs that I’d normally have them do on my list
• Two of my sons had birthday parties – shenanigans!!!
• It’s school holidays so I’ve had to take a couple of afternoons off to do family stuff
• I had a full day photoshoot to get some new headshot scheduled

In hindsight I probably bit off a little more than I could chew – although I do find that when I’m busy I am more productive – but I’m also feeling pretty much in control this week for two other reasons.

Firstly, I really believe that my recent changes in healthy living have played a massive part in helping me stay in control, not feel overwhelmed and being super productive. Diet and exercise are paying off in many ways!

Secondly, for the first time in a while, I feel like I’ve got my act together with a task management workflow that is working for me.

Someone asked me on Periscope earlier in the week (yes I’ve started using it this last week too – find me at @ProBlogger) what tools and app I use so I thought today I’d jot talk about 3 that I’ve found helpful in this crazy period. I hope that they help others who might be looking for some help in this area and would love to hear what you’re using below in comments!

1. Task Management – Wunderlist

Wunderlist is the latest tool that I’ve added to my system.

I was previously trying to use Evernote for task management but found it came up short for me on that front. While you can set reminders in Evernote I needed to be able to see a days tasks in a list and to be able to move them around easily, set recurring reminders, create sub lists etc.

Wunderlist has enabled me to do this and more (and I’m still discovering its features).

• I love that it sits on my iPhone, Macbook and iMac (and my new Apple Watch)
• I love that I can set up folders for different types of tasks
• I love that I can set myself due dates and reminders
• I love that it gives me a ‘smart list’ for todays tasks, this weeks tasks etc
• I love that it allows me to set up recurring tasks (daily, weekly, monthly etc)
• I love that it allows me to share lists (although I’m a bit scared to let my team or wife add to them yet!)
• I love that I can email myself tasks
• I love that I can add to my lists from browsers to take note of what I want to read later
• I love that I can add notes/comments to my tasks
• I love that I can put my tasks into my calendar

I’m also excited to see some Wunderlist integrations with Zapier (which I’m yet to explore) which allow it to be connected with other apps including Evernote.

2. Calendar – Fantastical 2 from Flexbits

I’ve always been a big user of Apple’s Calendar but in recent months I’ve found myself increasingly frustrated by it. This has been because I’m finding my days are fuller and fuller of appointments, reminders and tasks and I just wasn’t satisfied with the way they were being displayed.

I wanted a daily view that arranged my tasks better both on my computers, phone and watch. I had tried a few of the alternatives including the original Fantastical app but it wasn’t until I found the updated Fantastical 2 that I found something that suited my needs.

I will say I’m still on the trial and have not committed to buy it (I’m not a fan of having to buy it for my computer AND my phone) but I’m very tempted.

In many ways it has the same features as the normal Apple Calendar but it just displays what I have on each day/week better and I find that if I’m seeing what I have on arranged better then I spend less time messing around in my calendar and most importantly I miss less appointments!

I particularly love the ‘mini window’ which is in my menu bar on my computer which is a quick glance of my day that is easy to scroll through into future days.

Adding appointments is really easy too – you can do it in a very natural language (although Apple’s calendar isn’t too bad at this either).

The iPhone app is fantastic too – so easy to use, clearly laid out and very intuitive. The ‘daily ticker’ is really cool.

It looks good on the watch too!

I’ve also set up a Wunderlist calendar so my daily tasks are imported into my Fantastical calendar!

Last of all it syncs really well with other calendar apps so if it doesn’t work out I can always go back to another option.

3. Project Management – Evernote

While I’m not using Evernote any longer for task management I’m still a big user for many other things. I only really adopted it a few months ago now after seeing one of my team members use it for a day while we were travelling but it has literally changed my life in so many ways!

I have notebooks set up for many aspects of my business.

For example the ProBlogger podcast has a notebook which has notes for:

• outline/plan for future episodes
• each episode’s outline which contains bullet points I want to hit and notes that later become show notes
• templates for sponsor mentions
• brainstorming of ideas for future episodes/guest
• marketing ideas

I am also finding that I’m writing more and more of my blog posts in Evernote. I just wish there was a way to export them directly into WordPress (I’m sure it can be done with IFTTT but I need a dummies version.

• I love that I can share notes or notebooks with team members.
• I love that I can use it to scan documents on my iPhone and then keep them there.
• I love that I can record audio notes to myself (or my team) on my phone and store them there.
• Most of all I love that it is always with me in my phone or computers. Having such a powerful tool there all day means I’m capturing (and being able to find again) a lot more of my ideas whereas previously I had ‘notes’ everywhere (in my pocket on paper, on different apps, in different documents etc).

What Productivity Tools and Apps are you Using Right Now?

I’m using a heap more than these 3 tools but these 3 are more recently adopted ones for me that I’ve not written about previously.

Note: I should also mention that another ‘newish’ tool we’ve been using as a team lately is Slack. It’s more of a communications tool that we’ve particularly been using among our events team but it is certainly something I see us using more and more going forward in other aspects of the business too.

I’d love to hear what tools you’re using and how you’re using them in comments below?

Originally at:

3 Project Management and Organisational Apps that I Use in My Blogging

The post 3 Project Management and Organisational Apps that I Use in My Blogging appeared first on @ProBlogger.

One of the most common questions I’m asked by bloggers is “how do I find readers?“.

I do have a pretty standard reply, although it really does depend on several factors: mainly who is their target audience, where are they mostly online, and how can you participate in those places?

One of those places could possibly be a forum or social media group (like a Facebook or LinkedIn Group), and you’re missing out on a wealth of untapped readers if you’re not in there being part of the community too.

Today’s episode of the ProBlogger Podcast and 31 Days to Build a Better Blog focuses on forums but also how they may have morphed into social network groups, and why it’s in your best interest to participate in these places where your future audience is congregating. It also features the challenge of the day to find a forum or group and get started. I’ll show you how.

Don’t forget to let me know how you’re faring on Twitter (tag @ProBlogger), or if you have any questions. Stay tuned for a brand new topic tomorrow!

Click here to listen to day nine of the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog series on the ProBlogger Podcast.

Further Reading:

• Finding Readers Week: Corinne Talks Commenting, Engagement, and Are Forums Right for Your Blog?
• How to Use Online Forums to Promote Your Website – Shout Me Loud
• Donna tells us all about 7 Ways to Benefit from Facebook Groups over at Socially Sorted
• LinkedIn Groups: Getting Started
• Make the Most of LinkedIn Groups – Sydney Morning Herald

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

31DBBB Challenge: Join a Forum or a Social Media Group and Start Participating

The post 31DBBB Challenge: Join a Forum or a Social Media Group and Start Participating appeared first on @ProBlogger.

A brand new week and day 8 of our 31 Days to Build a Better Blog challenge! Let’s get started.

Today it’s all about social media, and the role it plays in your blogging. If you’re not careful, it can suck up all of your time and you’ll be left struggling to find hours in the day to create content for your blog.

Also it is easy to just drift along doing whatever whenever and really just not using it effectively – it can go so far as to even harm your blog and brand if you don’t pay attention.

In this episode (listen to it here or find it on iTunes or Stitcher), I talk about the moment I had recently when I realised I’d let things slip, and what I did to overcome it and make the ProBlogger social media accounts once again a thriving hub of blogging community.

I share the plan I came up with to revive my online presence, and issue you a challenge to help boost you out of any ruts you may find yourself in.

The first thing to do is to figure out which social network is best for your site, and I offer some suggestions to help you figure that out. If you’re already happy with the platforms you’ve chosen, you can also use the second few questions to help you accurately gauge whether you’re using them effectively, and what you can do to make them better.

I’ll also give you tips on how to navigate an editorial calendar for the platform you end up choosing, and I share what my calendar looks like for the ProBlogger social media accounts to help you along.

I hope you’ve been enjoying the podcast so far – I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments.

This is it! Day Seven of the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog podcast series – you made it through the first week!

If you missed an episode here they are:

• Welcome to the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge
• Day 1: Create An Elevator Pitch For Your Blog
• Day 2: Write a List Post
• Day 3: Promote Your Blog
• Day 4: Analyse another Blog
• Day 5: Email one of Your Readers
• Day 6: Get Your Blog Mobile Friendly

But back to today which is another writing challenge, which by the end of the month, should help you define what kinds of posts you like to write and what appeals to your readers.

Today’s challenge is very simple – a link post. But in this episode, I go into more detail about the types of link posts that do well (I talk about the six ways to write a link post), how to expand upon them, and of course – why I think these types of posts are important.

Things have changed since the early days when I favoured link posts, so there’s also tips to ensure your posts will be successful in today’s new online environment.

Don’t forget to share on social media how you’ve enjoyed your first week. What have been the hits and misses for you? What have you learned?

Click here to listen to day seven of the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog series on the ProBlogger Podcast.

Further Reading:

• The Step-by-Step Guide to Creating an Effective Expert Roundup Blog Post – Digital Current
• Boost Blog Traffic gives us The Ultimate Guide to Creating an Expert Roundup Post, if you’re thinking of interviewing experts for your link post.
• Then you can read this article that was posted on ProBlogger earlier this year: 7 Commonsense Tips to Improve your Next Expert Roundup
• The Definitive Guide to Writing a Roundup Post (7-step process) – WPcurve

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

31DBBB Podcast Challenge: Write a Link Post (And Why You Should!)

The post 31DBBB Podcast Challenge: Write a Link Post (And Why You Should!) appeared first on @ProBlogger.

Today is Day 6 in our 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge

There’s no denying it – the time has come where you’re going to lose traffic if your blog is not optimised for mobile viewing.

Whether that dip in traffic is due to Google penalising non-mobile-friendly sites by not featuring their content in mobile search results thanks to their “Mobile Friendly Update” (otherwise known as Mobilegeddon), or because your reader isn’t having a pleasant reading experience and will click away to another blog where they do, you may never know. But the time is now to get your site mobile-friendly and capitalise on the fact that mobile traffic is outnumbering desktop traffic at breakneck speed.

Now this is one of the challenges in the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog series on the ProBlogger Podcast that might not be able to be completed in a day, but it’s something you can make a start with today, at least.

In this episode, I ask you to look at your blog on a mobile device from your readers’ perspective, and I give you some questions to ask yourself as you look. I also go through a few options to help you transition if you blog on WordPress, with links in the show notes to a few of my favourite sites and plugins.

If your blog is already mobile-friendly, we go through a checklist of things to do to make sure your reader is getting the best mobile experience possible. You won’t want to miss it.

Click here to listen to day six of the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog series on the ProBlogger Podcast.

Further Reading:

• How Design impacts Blog Readership
• Google’s Mobilegeddon: The Best Excuse to Repurpose Old Content
• Design Trends of 2015: How Your Blog Can Adapt
• Five Lessons we Learned from Mobilegeddon – Forbes.com
• Five Benefits of a Mobile Website – E Reach Consulting

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

ProBlogger Podcast: The Benefits of Your Blog Being Mobile-Friendly

The post ProBlogger Podcast: The Benefits of Your Blog Being Mobile-Friendly appeared first on @ProBlogger.

Welcome to day 5 in the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge. You can find today’s challenge here.

There’s nothing like a personal touch in any kind of business, and that includes blogging. When service goes above and beyond, or when a blogger takes the time to notice and acknowledge their readers, it can result in ongoing loyalty and goodwill.

In the early days of my blog I would always email readers who left a comment to thank them and let them know I’d responded. It was always met with surprise and gratitude, and I know to this day some of those commenters still read ProBlogger today.

It’s the kind of gesture that people are pleasantly surprised by and it is one of the absolute most simple things you can do (and that’s why many people don’t!). It may be too slow for some – converting readers one at a time – but that one connection can have a lasting impact and it’s often in ways you can’t even see yet.

So reach out to your readers. Follow them where they are on social media. Chat. Create a community. Today’s episode will show you how (and in ways you might not even have thought to consider).

Click here to listen to day five of the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog series on the ProBlogger Podcast.

Don’t forget to let us know how you’re going with the challenges – you can do so by leaving a comment on todays show notes page here.

If you missed yesterday’s post about analysing other blogs and finding gaps you can fill, go here. For all other podcast episodes, go here.

Further Reading:

Further reading is further watching today, as Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income tells us how to turn casual readers into raving fans. He gave this presentation as the keynote speech for the ProBlogger Training Event in 2014 and it turned the whole room into raving Pat fans:

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

31DBBB Day Five Challenge: Email a Blog Reader

The post 31DBBB Day Five Challenge: Email a Blog Reader appeared first on @ProBlogger.

It’s day 4 of 31 Days to Build a Better Blog where today’s challenge is to take a little time to do something that I wrote about last year that has the potential to transform your blogging!

And what is it, you ask?

Today you’re going to be analysing another blog

It’s as simple as that, and it really only takes 10-15 minutes, if that’s all you have to spare.

It really does help you see what’s happening in your niche, where your blog fits, and maybe where you can fill a gap or do something better based on what others are doing or not doing.

In today’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Podcast, we give hints and tips on how to do this successfully – how to fully give analysis to blogs, and the questions to ask yourself as you do so.

I recommend 15 minutes today if is your first time, and to have a look at everything from their content, tone, post style, post frequency, etc to wider things like design, incentives, mailing lists, audience, and calls to action.

It’s a huge list, so remember to bring a notebook and a pen!

Spending this time daily can help you differentiate what you’re doing and who knows – even stumble upon a winning idea that helps your blog stand out from others in your niche.

As I say in the show – don’t be so caught up in what others are doing that you forget to be unique. Maintain the focus and be yourself.

Click here to listen to day four of the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog series on the ProBlogger Podcast.

If you’ve missed the podcast yesterday, it was all about thinking outside the square to create great blog promotion strategies. Tune in tomorrow for a brand new topic!

Further Reading:

• The post this episode is based upon – Spend 10 minutes a day doing this, it will transform your blogging
• Jeff Bullas gives us The 6 Simple Step Checklist for Analyzing your Competition on the Web
• 7 Sneaky Ways to Use Twitter to Spy on Your Competition on Kissmetrics (it’s not as bad as it sounds!)
• Create “pages to watch” on Facebook so you can keep track of how they work their social media

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

Be a Better Blogger by Reading other Blogs like This

The post Be a Better Blogger by Reading other Blogs like This appeared first on @ProBlogger.

It’s day three of our thirty one day challenge!

How are you feeling? Pumped? Motivated? Ready to shake up your blog and your routine during these 31 days?

We’ve already covered nailing your elevator pitch and how to create a super-shareable list post, and today it’s all about getting yourself off your blog to promote it and find some readers.

“Build it and they will come“, you think? That is really not the case with blogging.

You need to put your blog where people will read it. In today’s podcast we discuss doing just that – how, where, and why to promote your blog with the maximum chances of it being seen. You have to get off your blog to get your blog read!

In todays episode there are tips on where to go to share your posts, how to build reader profiles (and why you need them), and how to figure out where those ideal readers are. Then we go through what to give those readers when you finally catch their attention – are you worthy of being found? How are you being useful? What kind of content are you creating?

Where are those potential readers?

The internet is vast, and while we immediately think of social media as the first place to share content, it isn’t always the only place.

In this episode we talk about developing editorial schedules for social media, but we also go beyond that, into the realm of guest posts, forums and other forgotten places to be seen.

We’re going to encourage you today to get off your blog and put yourself out there. Take today’s challenge and choose a certain post to share. All it takes is a little of your time and some creative thinking.

Click here to listen to day three of the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog series on the ProBlogger Podcast.

Let us know how you go with today’s challenge on twitter – just tag @ProBlogger and head to todays show notes to leave a comment.

Further Reading:

• How to Promote Your Blog Without Letting the Rest of Your Blogging Slide
• How to Promote Your Blog with Content that Will Grow your Traffic, Links, and Shares (especially helpful for business bloggers)
• Topsy.com helps you find influencers in your niche that you might be able to pitch to
• How to Promote Your Blog on Social Media – Hootsuite give some out-of-the-box ideas on leveraging the different streams of all the popular platforms
• Hubspot have an infographic on 36 Tried-and-True Ways to Promote Your Blog Posts

Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and Stitcher to get updates of new episodes.

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

Blog Promotion Strategies: How to Think Outside the Square

The post Blog Promotion Strategies: How to Think Outside the Square appeared first on @ProBlogger.