How A Content Upgrade Will Build Your List On Autopilot

Every online entrepreneur understands the importance of building their list of prospects and customers. Whether offering a free opt-in incentive, or selling a product or service, your customers should feel like they receive many times more value than they are expecting. This is true with list building content upgrades, just as it is with everything else you do.

What Is A Content Upgrade?

The name implies, a content upgrade is extra information that upgrades the content that someone has just read. For example, let's say your reader has just read your blog post about 'Cooking The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie'. If that web surfer has read your entire post, that means they are very inclined to receiving more information on that same topic.

Offering a checklist or report with '10 Quick and Tasty Cookie Recipes' would make sense as a content upgrade in this scenario. Improve on the information you offered in your blog post, 'upgrading' the knowledge, information and/or resources on that topic in exchange for that reader joining your email list.

More Value, Quickly Delivered

Checklists and other lists make great content upgrades. Your reader can digest the information quickly. Web surfers these days are highly distracted, and have short attention spans. They don't want to commit a lot of time towards consuming content, even if that content provides value. So make your content upgrade short and sweet.

You should also make your content actionable. Describe a 'simple win' scenario where your reader can notice some real improvement in his or her life because of the information contained in your upgrade. In the above example, a short checklist that offers 10 quick recipes is a high value resource by anyone who was reading your cookie blog post.

Build Your Email List

The quicker someone can experience and benefit from your content the better. That is why content upgrades for building email lists seem to work the best when they are short pieces of easily digested content. On your side of the equation, this means you can make multiple content upgrades quickly and easily.

Your reader gets a quick win. They don't have to spend all day reading a lengthy piece of content. They can realize value very quickly. You don't have to spend as much time in the production process as creating traditional opt-in bribes, your conversion rates soar, and you add one more happy follower to your email list.

Writing a content upgrade for an online audience is very different from writing for an offline audience. It's hard for some people to master because it means giving up old ways of thinking and embracing a new style. Throw out your traditional old-school writing rules and discover the easier and faster way to connect with your audience with this free download: 

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5 Common Mistakes Online Entrepreneurs Make

Every single year, thousands of people try their hand at online marketing. The unfortunate truth is that most of them fail miserably and leave the scene with their tail between their legs. Just like the fox and the sour grapes, they tell themselves that the whole internet marketing industry is a scam, and all those who succeed at it are scammers.

In reality, most of these beginners make cardinal errors in judgment and sabotage their own chances of success. To become a successful online entrepreneur requires knowledge, perseverance, a dash of luck, patience and a truckload of "massive action taking."

There is no other way to succeed online. The illusion of a laptop lifestyle by some sun-kissed beach in the Caribbean is exactly that - an illusion. It only becomes a reality when you've put in the work and have automated systems in place that generate passive income day after day, month after month.

To reach this stage, there are 5 common mistakes that you absolutely must avoid. Failing to do so will almost always guarantee failure and leave you stuck in the muck and mire of mediocrity. Maybe that's a bit harsh, but it sure drives home the point.

1. Waiting To Feel Ready

This is the biggest mistake of all. Most beginners are stuck in a hamster wheel of learning but not doing. They get their little paws on every eBook that they find, they watch every YouTube video out there on making money, they attend every pitch fest disguised as a "Webinar", but they don't do the one thing that matters.

They don't TAKE ACTION. This is the most important step. You learn by doing. You can't learn to swim if you won't jump in the pool. Start doing, and you'll overcome your inertia and get the ball rolling. You'll start seeing results and know what else needs to be done to succeed.

2. Your Business Model Is Not Passive

Initially, you may need to do everything yourself because you're just starting out and learning the ropes. You might be bootstrapping your business and funds may be tight. This is perfectly understandable.

However, your business should be able to run without your presence when it is successful. You should be able to scale your online business by automating tasks and outsourcing where necessary.

To truly succeed online, you'll need help from others. It's impossible to do everything yourself. Hire people to handle your support, or do your graphics or create your content.

Focus on only doing the most important income generating activities. The other extraneous stuff can be handled by your virtual assistants.

3. Expecting Success Online Because You Have a Degree

It may come as a huge blow to the ego, but your paper qualifications do not hold much water in internet marketing. Many newbies fresh out of school with impressive qualifications, expect it to be a cake walk online.

When reality hits them that their degree has no bearing on their success, it can be a bitter pill to swallow. Being an online marketer is about profits, and not wages. If you're looking to be hired at a company, your university degree will matter.

When you're selling online, your customers can't give two hoots if you have a degree or a Dalmatian. They just want products that are of value, and which help them. If you can deliver these two, you'll make the money. The focus is always on the customer, and not the fancy credentials after your name.

4. Failing To Adopt a Profitable Online Business Model

When starting out online, there are many paths to follow. Some can be scaled up and become wildly profitable, while others have invisible ceilings. If you become an info-product creator, you're only limited by your imagination and skills.

However, if you become an article writer at a content mill online, your earnings will be dictated by what they pay you. You'll also only be able to take on so many jobs in one day because your time is limited.

Always choose a business model that will allow you to scale up, and where you can set your own prices.

5. Focus On Your Strengths

This is a big one too. You absolutely MUST follow your strengths. If you have a good personality and can make interesting videos that get a lot of views, that's your strength. Go with video marketing and make a killing there.

Do not try to become a writer and struggle to write and sell content because you heard that's where the money's at. Or try to jump into graphic design and spend five hours creating an eyesore.

Focus on your strengths and exploit them to their fullest. You'll shine at what you do, and make enough money online to be considered a success. You'll probably end up influencing other beginners to do what you do, when that's not their strength to begin with. The vicious cycle never ends.

All online entrepreneurs should do their best to avoid these 5 most common mistakes and they should find success online.

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Internet Marketing Is Simple - But Not Easy

There are many misconceptions about Internet Marketing circulating today. Some see it as a "Get-Rich-Quick" scheme - which it most certainly isn't. Others preach a message of doom and gloom: "It doesn't work; it's a rip-off; it's a waste of time and money" - which, again, it most certainly isn't. The more informed and open-minded see it as a great business opportunity which, like almost everything else in life, can produce great results for those prepared to put in the work - which it certainly is!

Whether you succeed at internet marketing is far more up to you than any other factors. For most people beginning an online business there is a lot of new information to take on board, a lot of new skills to learn. The actual process of internet marketing is well-known and easily understood. Almost any informational sources will tell you, it is just about following a pathway which has been trodden by many successful entrepreneurs over the last few years. By following in the footsteps of those who have walked the path before and doing exactly what they did you will succeed. This is good advice! You must be prepared to do what needs to be done with a single-mindedness of purpose. You can only reap what you sow. However, as I said in my headline, internet marketing is simple - but not easy.

The secret to success is through consistency and persistency. You will have tough days and exasperating failures at times but, if you are able to accept these and be prepared to learn from your mistakes, success will eventually come. Promise yourself that you will never give up however difficult it becomes at times. Many people are making very significant amounts of money from internet marketing so keep in your mind just what your success will mean to both you and your family.

"Anything worth doing is worth doing well", says the proverb. This is so true. Set out to do everything to the very best of your ability, follow your plan to the letter and don't be distracted. You are likely to be bombarded with all sorts of information offering a new way or a better way of running an online business. Keep your head down, keep your focus to follow the plan you have set out for yourself. Once you have begun to make money you can start to explore other options - and not before! Remember you are running a business which could ultimately change your life so treat it as such. Once it turns into little more than a 'hobby' your chances of success will be zero.

To draw on my musical background, all instrumentalists will tell you that practising scales is an essential part of learning to play well. However, not many would admit to enjoying practising scales. It is work that has to be done but takes willpower and commitment to do it. It takes a certain mindset to do this essential work. The enjoyment and satisfaction ultimately comes from using your improved technique to play the music you really want to play and to be able to play it better. I'm sure you can see the parallel.

My headline was "Internet Marketing Is Simple - But Not Easy" which really is true. The process is straight-forward but applying that process is not. Your eventual success, however, depends on you and your ability to see it through; to learn what needs to be learnt and to do what needs to be done. I wish you every success in your business.

Robert Hinchliffe is an experienced writer on the subject of internet marketing and related topics. If you have found this article of help and would like to learn more about how to earn money with a profitable online business, please visit http://www.internetmarketingmanual.com for further information on the subject. Internet marketing is the business of today. Discover how you can become a part of it.

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Creating Effective Social Media - 5 Easy Steps to Creating Social Media That Reaches Your Target

Effectively creating a social media presence is not as hard as it seems. Use five easy steps to improve your online presence now.

1. Know your target audience: You know your customer (or you should) - that's your audience. All audiences have diversity: age, economic background, style, and interest areas. Now, when you create content, do it as if you are directly speaking to them. Start a conversation. Spark your target's imagination. Use humor and remember that being too formal can seem inauthentic. Don't forget to be online with your audience. Explore what they talk about, what they like, what they share, what they hashtag. Interact to get to know them. Tip: use hashtags to research the climate around a topic and see what's trending.

2. Intentionally set boundaries: After you have visualized your target audience you will need to set up "Go" and "No-Go" areas for your content. These parameters are simplistic yet, paramount. Setting social media boundaries will help you keep your target group happy. Your goal is to create content that is professional and pleasing to your audience. Remember, what is appropriate for one audience, may not be relevant for another. Areas to carefully consider: politics, profanity, slang verbiage, etc.

3. Find a graphics tools that work for you: Creating graphics will serve you well, as visuals are an integral part of all social media platforms. Even Twitter is now more visually based; they have made it easier than ever to share graphics and animated gifts, right at the point of creation. You can put your best visual foot forward by utilizing any purchased, or free, graphic software like Adobe Suite (purchased) or Pixler (free). You will want to research which programs work best with your skill level; there are many online to explore.

4. Consider your platform: Create visual content with limited text, to show/say something significant and inspirational. Know what rules apply to the platform you are using. For example, Twitter limits you to 140 characters or less. These rules will shape your content. Research platform parameters online to familiarize yourself with each structure.

5. Use color: Don't forget to utilize color; it draws the eye! You can also create a theme of colors that you will use to represent your brand. Using colors enhances what someone feels, for example, Greens and Blues are said to create trust and a fresh feeling, while yellows, reds, and oranges are said to excite, or even make the viewer hungry (think fast food chains). Create content that welcomes your audience to take a closer look. Tip: add your logo to most of the content you create.

By using the five steps above: knowing your audience, setting boundaries, optimizing graphics, mastering platforms, and through utilizing color, you are well on your way to creating social media that effectively reaches your target.

Stephanie Newby is the owner of Newgreenie, an Entrepreneur, Writer, Current Graduate Student and Social Media Enthusiast. Webmasters and other article publishers are hereby granted article reproduction permission if this article is shared in its entirety, author's information, and any links remain intact. Copyright 2017 by Stephanie Newby, Newgreenie. http://www.newgreenie.com

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Insight

Insight

The post below is a trifle long but it is so full of useful info that I decided to keep it in. There are many tips that I resonate with that are straight out of the bible of many a top level marketer, on mindset, time management and personal 'bad' habits. Well worth persisting with right to the end.
Ray

How To Start and Run a Successful Lifestyle Business Online

A Personal Insight

Congratulations! You have chosen a really rewarding option into how your business and life will coexist happily ever after." That was a little note to myself when I chose the lifestyle business option, quite a far cry from a traditional start-up that I was running in the entertainment and events industry after quitting my 9-5 job. The latter required me to be in a specific physical location of course so as to reach and serve my clients.

Today, I run a digital business model and all I need is a laptop handy and an Internet connection. I then choose when I want to do some work and where I want to get that work done. And that my friend is what I call a perfect match! My life meets my business everywhere I go, anywhere I am. The general business rules remain pretty similar and herein I will share my own golden rules that new entrepreneurs will particularly find informative... But first... if you are about to quit your job, you are probably wondering

Can Starting A Lifestyle Business Change Your Life?

No more dreadful Monday morning train commutes to work and staring into a stranger's face seated across from me wearing sunnies on a cold morning, perhaps a subtle attempt to numb the pain of the lifeless surrounding. They are having the same thoughts as me. "Friday cannot come quick enough". Then I start thinking about my email box and that Monday morning meeting that I have not prepared for. I have to fill in my boss on the current project status before he can go into another meeting with more important people than me to tell them what I just told him!

I remember having those thoughts and it just makes me queasy as I write this. I know you get the drift. I remember suffering temporary amnesia as I walked out of the house, holding car keys and looking for them all over the kitchen and lounge. I had spent a whole hour pre-occupied in thought on how I will handle the stress that was about to unfold for the next 5 days of my life.

The Road Ahead

As exciting as this new journey is about to be you want to get a few things in order straight away in your new 'house' to make this transition process as smooth as you possibly can. That business idea is looking great, you have done lots of research, consulted a few souls preferably smarter than you. You have also been making some new friends. I really hope none of them is still working where you just quit! I soon found out that these friendships only flourished over the years because of shared interests such as office politics that tended to specially thrive on Friday night at the bar when we didn't have to whisper about overwhelming love for senior management.

The reality now is, you are in an elevated consciousness phase of your life, one that these friendships cannot exist. Your mindset needs to be fed with new insights and nurtured with refreshing thoughts about living a fulfilled life. You have some money saved up in the bank and probably have an actionable step-by-step business plan. There is something of value that you have to share and a strategy to get customers lined up ready to give your 'something' a warm welcome into this new world order.

But that is the easy part. I shall be completely honest here; apart from some money that I had saved up at the point of quitting, I really didn't have much more than a rough idea of what I was going to do. I was risking it all. When I left my day job some years ago, I was at a point where it was either that or I lose my mind.

7 Golden Rules

A New MIND-set:

As with all things new, your mind is the first guy you want to put in check. Let him know there is a new sheriff in town. If you are like me, you have been spending the better part of the last 6 - 12 months buried deep in business books and ripping them apart in your spare time. At some point, you found personal development material captivating. Eventually, you started finding out why that constant nagging feeling of life and lack of fulfilment was. As an example, I had read books like Richdad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and listened to the audio version of the same in case something was lost in translation! I had also read Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and Dale Carnegie's How To Win Friends and Influence People among others.

This is an activity that you will not want to let slip into the overflowing 'good habits to continue when I get time bucket'. I had one like that and needed no motivation adding more stock completely in autopilot. Mind food is paramount in this journey. You want to stay inspired a good chunk of the time because this is where the sowing is happening. The thing is as abstract as some of the ideas in this material may seem at this point; I found that with time, it all starts to fall into place as the journey progresses. So do not sweat any concepts that are not clear yet. Keeping the reading habit going is all you need. These books are not really designed for reading cover to cover. Think of them like the SAT NAV system your car or as you own version of a personal SIRI.

It is a known fact that our minds don't like disruption. Whether that disruption is good for us or not, it is not very welcome without some whip cracking. The mind has got everything figured out. It is a very well trained machine with thoughts and habits that shape your life and works even when you are sleeping, doing the 'regular chores around the house'.

The 9-5 routine mindset is still at this point deeply wired into your system. It's advisable to start setting up ground rules so that YOU and the MIND are both on the same page. This takes a while and certainly took me the better part of 2 years. Don't stress just know there are changes you will need to work on consistently in this area. Oh, remember when I mentioned who your new friends cannot be a little earlier?

Breaking The Bad:

I made the mistake of trying to keep a regular 9-5-like routine when I first started my entrepreneurial journey. Big mistake. What tends to happen as a result is, the mind in these early days of business life, is still largely unaware of the 'new life in construction progress'. It actively runs the old familiar version of 'code' from its 9-5 days in the background in stealth mode. You might know what happens when you try to run a new version of Microsoft Windows on old PC hardware? Yes, exactly right!

All sorts of weird compatibility issues are not unheard of.

I did not understand this myself. The mindset driving my routine was still stuck in the old version. The correct term for this is the subconscious mind. So your poor conscious mind, which is pretty much what we operate on until new ways are 'learned' runs into a constant battle. It really wants to change the world for you, it's ready to work hard, promising to cut the Friday night binge that serves no purpose other than a regular headache which eats away the Saturday morning and pinky swears to cut down on addictive TV shows.

Someone, please explain why my favourite big screen stars are also hanging out in these TV shows... like really?

The Deal With Time Management:

As a new entrepreneur what quickly comes into awareness I would say is the time management beast and what seems to be like an endless stream of unmanageable distractions. In a lifestyle business that is run from home, the park, at the beach, the airport lounge or while on safari at The Mara, this can be a constant battle. Don't get too hung up on being perfect day one with this one. The more I tried to fight it the more I stressed about it. Stress did not improve my time management skills and only added to unfinished tasks that needed more worrying about... I thought! The time drama continued until I put measures to progressively learn how to improve time management.

Keep educating yourself on what works for your schedule and what sorts of distractions are overpowering you. I can tell you now it's going to be technology related!

It didn't matter that I was an early riser who wouldn't go to bed until my eyeballs were literally unlocking themselves from my sockets in protest. Occasionally I got the odd finger in this scuffle! And sometimes I still wouldn't give up. Now, this does not necessarily equate to being productive. The actual real result was a constant feeling of exhaustion, elevated stress levels, and anxiety.

Why You Need To Design A Routine That Works Around Your Lifestyle Business

I hadn't changed my routine so my mind would expect the usual treatment, 9 am we are active at work and then at 5 pm it expects that we are on the 'winding up for the day phase'. I, on the other hand, had with all good intent, added extra hours in front of the 9 and after the 5. Now you can see where the problem was once I kept this up for a while. Insane!!! Create a new routine and optimise around what works for you.

Decide When You Want To Work... Create A Routine... Then Follow It With Military Discipline

Perfecting this phase when you start a lifestyle business, which means your physical surroundings change constantly, it can feel daunting. However, with a well mapped out daily, and weekly routine that you have the discipline to stick with, you will start to see results. In no time, this will end up running on autopilot.

There's going to be a lot of 10 to 12 hour days, maybe longer but they don't and shouldn't be in your constant daily routine. After all, it's business around your lifestyle. I have 3-hour blocks and generally leave my 'heavy lifting work' for when I get into a state of flow, usually after midnight.

Understanding Your Personal Power and Peak Performance State:

This state starts becoming more regular with practice and awareness. Understand your highs (i.e. peak energy state), lows (this is no time to do the books and usually a good time to choose pizza toppings and make big decisions like thin or thick crust?) and my personal favourite flow state (this is creation mode and a good time to change the World). Pick a block of hours that works for you. Once new habits in your routine become solid you will have an easier time telling these states apart.

It's not unusual for me to get into flow while at the shops looking at apples and kiwi fruit fresh deals of the day. This state for me comes through an insightful thought or sometimes as a series of thoughts back to back, so please keep a hardcover notebook at all times for these moments. You might just stumble on your best business idea yet!

Time management and productivity is a continuous optimisation process. All you have to do is decide how many hours you want to work. Pay attention to your body clock and maximise for times when you are at peak energy states. Then learn to induce these states through rewarding practices like meditation.

Schedule Fun Times on Tuesdays:

Although it's not how I started off, I am lucky thus far to be working on businesses that allow me lots of flexibility as to when and where I actually work. If this tickles your fancy you are on the right track here. In my case, all I need is my mac book pro and decent wifi. Tip: When I am in a location where the menu has an under $10 dollar price tag frenzy going on, I move on swiftly.

About Tuesdays

Move all the things you used to do for fun on Saturday to this day. The Keyword here is FUN guys so if mowing the lawn is fun! Okay, you get my point. It doesn't matter what the activity is but I recommend you do it in the early days of your journey. The feeling is absolutely incredible. For me, it was reading the paper and a coffee down the road.

Do you guys wonder why we still print newspapers today?

So, usually, one or two local Moms will swing by the coffee shop and that is all the action there is. The rest of the 'real' world folks are at work. This is my opinion but what I found with being Mr Tuesday is that it gives me a boost of confidence and that sense of freedom where I feel, "yeah that's right, I can do what I want when I want".

I will point out here that this has nothing to do with money. I have done this even when the reality at that time was 'cash-flow challenges!'. I am not advocating that you should smile and be happy when you are broke, no no no. When you think about it, this is when you need your mind at a 100% and if all it takes is a series of 3-dollar coffees down the road, so be it. While on this topic, my ideal Tuesday day is on a yacht surrounded by endless views of blue seas at exactly 11 am and a safety vest in close proximity! Unwanted swimming lessons are not part of this plan.

What does your ideal Tuesday day look like?

Your Inner Circle... Your Players CLUB:

This is an interesting one because if you think about your ideal Tuesday above, how many people do you know today can do that? Initially, you will probably be alone or maybe with someone close to you like a partner, wife, girlfriend or somebody else who probably does what you do, or benefits directly from what you do. I found out that the friends I used to hang out with on Saturdays and Sundays in my previous life no longer fitted in the new life I was creating. It's a delicate balance but I had to make some changes. For the same reason, of course, the folks at your old job will probably not take Tuesday off to hang out at your newly found happy place to share happy coffee with you.

I could go on and on about this inner circle area of the new life but what I realised and accepted was, I needed to decide as part of the journey, to be alone for a little while as more new quality friendships developed. This is still an ongoing process. As an example, a couple of months ago I was in HongKong for a week just by myself. I had a blast but would it have been nicer to share that escapade with someone familiar?

I met new people on that trip and did things I had never done before. I love travelling and it is one of the reasons why starting a lifestyle business was a brilliant model. The thing is, if I can make friends who also have time to be lazy on Tuesdays for happy coffee and random sun baking escapades, that is probably a good 'new friend barometer' check right there! Oh and hopefully of course what they do for money is generally not frowned upon by law!

On the real, though, I personally don't have many of these friends but I found that this is a good time for me to reflect inwards and to focus on my personal growth. If you are new into this game, this could be a good time to spend with a business mentor, perhaps meet other like-minded people in your local community, go deep into nature or maybe just hang out on social media platforms and engage and find out the latest buzz like who got a cat! Seriously the point here is, have a lot of choices in your back pocket that you can go crazy with and if you have bucket list ideas all figured out, check them off weekly without fail.

Family:

Family is very dear to me and I would imagine it's the same for you too. Perhaps, much so that you are making this decision to escape the 9-5 and really start learning new ways to make money outside the voluntary solitary confinement space (also known as office cubicle). One of my reasons for choosing this journey was my family. To be more available to them and to enhance my own life experiences. To fill those experiences with what I really want anytime I wanted it. The one thing I encountered and you probably might as well, those we love and care for dearly may not understand the new you. These moments may not be as dramatic such as waving placards in protest but you will see it vividly.

Remember how our minds don't like change?

It's not their fault and they are probably coming from a place of love for you. Embrace the response you get with love and remember your bigger mission. I had lots of strange conversations with people I love and would have like to be speaking a foreign language at the time. That way being misunderstood would have been spot on. Then one day I realised, they weren't really saying they disliked my new outlook on life and crazy ideas like giving up a six-figure income.

They were just saying, "We don't understand how to process this new information". Please show us how. You might also take consolation in the fact that how well you manage this close relationship is a reflection of how you will do 'out there' where the World is short of people like you and me, people who are lost in self-indulgence and totally unconscious of their daily actions will not understand you either!

Remember, training takes time. That's what it took for me until they somewhat understood. If you are lucky enough to get the all in response from them, great, if not, give them time and if need be, add the space element to it as well. Be kind to yourself.

At the time, I was on a roller coaster going through a myriad of changes both personal and business that required me to be very present. My first business was in an industry I did not know at all, the physical surroundings were not very familiar (I will discuss this in a later post) and a pending divorce as a result of a strained long-distance relationship. Now, this was a lot of action in one headspace!

In Summary

Your circumstances may be a little different from mine for wanting to come this way and choosing this journey. As you go along, it's reasonable to expect moments where you will be tried and tested by fate. Things will happen that will be out of your comfort zone or out of your control and sometimes both.

In the end, I find that clarity on my why I do what I do sails me through choppy waters. I embrace whatever comes my way with love. Answers to what I don't know come in the right time. I keep the bigger mission clear in my mind. Creating a life where I can live on my own terms is not free, there's a price to be paid.

Another really important thing to have a solid business system. I found my answer with the six-figure mentors. They have a step-by-step business system that shows you how to leverage the Internet and start your very own online business. What's, even more, is that if your goal is to start your own business say around your passion, the business skills you will learn are second to none. From experience with my first 2 ventures as a newbie without a mentor, I would recommend every new entrepreneur make getting a mentor, their number one priority. Looking at how I started my entrepreneurial journey, this was my single most expensive mistake up until today as I write this.

Final Thought

Along the way somewhere, I realised that I needed to give up the idea of perfection and get cosy with uncertainty about what will be tomorrow and experience some discomfort today because of the things that I don't know yet. I experience more growth as I continue to operate in that mental space. All I have to do TODAY is take to take the next best action. This post is unusually long so if you are still reading, I sincerely thank you. I hope you found some value in there. Feel free to share this post with someone else who will enjoy reading through the ideas and insights I have shared.

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Working from home

At first glance the prospect of working from home, Social Media, emailing, tweeting, facebooking etc is daunting. The general impression is that it is a young persons world and 'out of bounds' for us 'oldies' but as I have found out for myself, there is plenty of opportunity for real engagement whether it be soley for fun or educational or even earning 'a bit on the side'. 

A recent survey shows that - 56 percent of the online adults use more than one of the five social platforms- Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest.

There is lots of advice available, on the one hand extremely helpful and creative but on the other potentially debilitating in terms of the amount of confusing material that can be thrown at you. How do you choose the best route to take and how can you avoid the complex issues that can take up an inordinate amount of time (and potentially, financial resource)? 

It is possible to enjoy many of the positive aspects of the Internet for no financial commitment whatever but equally there are sharks out there who will happily try to part you from your money with 'get rich quick schemes' which go from one level to another expanding the quantity of time and money required. The answer is that due diligence must be undertaken to ensure the validity of the proposed programme before parting with any cash. 

Our children take to the internet like 'ducks to water' and the risk is none existent (in their eyes) however the speed at which they work their mobile phones with apparently double jointed flexible thumbs is not within my level of capability and frankly it has made little or no difference, I have all the time in the world to develop my interests and, just like them, I become more efficient with practice. There are plenty of help programmes to enable you to do just that.

Put simply, Social Media is a term for sites that provide a range of different 'Social' activities, For example Twitter allows people to publish short 'tweets' about newsworthy items; personal events etc. with a wide audience of 'followers'. Facebook, by contrast is a much more comprehensive facility that allows users to post photos and videos as well as sharing status updates and events. Courses and advice for all of these features abound and it is usually best to approach the provider themselves for information on how best to proceed. Entry levels are low and you can be taken step by step through the pro's and con's until you reach the stage thats suits you best. There are other platforms such as Linkedin and Pinterest which are more specifically focused at Business / making contacts but IMO Facebook & Twitter are the easiest to access and use to begin with. 

In the course of my involvement I have found that ideas and opportunities arise in the process of learning and implementing the material freely on offer. As I said earlier it helps if you have an aim or specific interest and if so maybe joining a forum / group of some sort would be be a good start. If you want to earn money Affiliate Marketing is a good 'low risk' system in which to set up an Online business, however be aware of 'carrots' offering get rich quick schemes, an online business requires commitment and a lot of hard work. My personal experience, as I have mentioned earlier in this blog, has been that of gaining enjoyment from the challenge of doing something which stretches me intellectually and offers me a business opportunity as well as providing an interesting source of material for my blog. 

When starting up facilities such as aweber, Clickbank, Leadpages etc all have extensive 'Help' support and some even have accreditation for achievement on the programme. These are all bona fide 'worldwide' operations which have 

All in all, I guess it is pretty much the same as any venture you might embark on in that 'you get out what you put in'. The Internet is here to stay and its advantages are endless from online shopping to research to business. If approached sensibly it can considerably enhance the quality of life by increasing the amount of time you have available to do all the things you enjoy BUT if it is rushed into the consequences can be dire. There is plenty of advice about make sure you use it.
Happy surfing
Ray

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The "Sexiest" Thing About Free Traffic & the Best Times to Post

Introduction

As a blogger or Internet entrepreneur, you need traffic. If you are unfamiliar with the term, it simply means people going to your website or blog. Just like all of the people you encounter in their vehicles when you are driving to work constitute real world vehicular traffic, everyone surfing the web at any given time is a part of Internet traffic.

There are two ways to get traffic to your site.

• 1) You pay for traffic.
• 2) You get traffic for free.

Paid traffic is a smart part of a serious online entrepreneur's marketing plan. You control every aspect of traffic when you pay for it. Ad campaigns with Google, YouTube, Amazon and Facebook make it possible to laser-target your advertising to the exact demographics you want to reach.

However, paid traffic can cost you a lot of money, delivering little to no results, if you don't know what you are doing.  Even if you do eventually develop a successful paid traffic marketing plan, it doesn't happen overnight. You have to pump a lot of revenue into buying traffic each and every day, spend your time and testing and retesting, and there are no guarantees that you will get the results you're looking for.

The "Sexiest" Thing About Free Traffic  -  If you think the reference to free traffic as being "sexy" is a little overboard, you are incorrect. Free traffic is beautiful, sexy, attractive and desirable. Why is this so? The answer is simple... because it's FREE!

In many cases this doesn't just mean being free financially. A lot of methods you are about to learn require a little bit of your time on the front end, but then they just continue to deliver free, targeted traffic to your site or blog with little to no upkeep on your part.

Other methods will require regular input by you, but since your financial outlay is zero, and the Internet never sleeps, you can employ these free traffic methods anytime of the night or day, whenever you have a few minutes or hours of spare time.

Some of the free traffic sources are:

Start Building a List  -  You absolutely, positively must be building a list. This is true if your business is off-line or on, and technology makes it easy to do so when you have a blog or website. To build your list you need a freebie - Lists of resources work well here. A short PDF that answers one big problem your audience has is another winner.

Social Media  -  Social media can provide a lot of free traffic. However, there are so many worthwhile social media websites out there, you have to be careful not to spend the bulk of your time chasing this low-converting traffic. Regardless what social media "gurus" will tell you, the return on your time investment trying to get people from Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn back to your website to join your list is not very high.

People go to social media sites to hang out. They are socializing. Make sure you approach them in a social manner. Don't ever attempt to sell on Facebook or the other social media sites. The Best Times to Post on Social Media  -  HubSpot studied tens of thousands of posts and updates on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other social media sites. They discovered the best possible times for you to engage your audience. Those times are listed below (as of June 2016).

Facebook:

• 3 o'clock to 4:00 PM on Wednesdays
• 1 o'clock to 4:00 PM on Thursdays and Fridays
• Noon to 1 o'clock PM on Saturdays and Sundays

Twitter:

• Noon to 3:00 PM on Mondays through Fridays
• 5 o'clock to 6:00 PM on Wednesdays

LinkedIn:

• 7:30 o'clock to 8:30 o'clock a.m., noon, and 5 o'clock to 6:00 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
• 10 o'clock to 11:00 o'clock AM on Tuesdays

Pinterest:

• Evening hours every day
• 2 o'clock to 4:00 o'clock AM every day
• 5:00 PM on Fridays
• 8 o'clock to 11:00 o'clock PM on Saturdays

Instagram:  Anytime between Monday and Thursday, avoiding 3:00 o'clock to 4:00 o'clock PM

* Understand that multiple factors will influence whether your content is shared, liked, commented on and develops engagement. However, if you stick to the times just mentioned, you give yourself the best possible chance of driving a lot of free traffic to your blog or website.

Mobile  -  In late 2015 mobile searches passed desktop searches on the Internet. Experts say that now (in 2017) more than 60% of all web searches are on mobile devices. This means several things. First off, most people are searching from their smart phones. This display is tiny compared to your laptop, your desktop and even your tablet

Build A Mobile Application: Don't worry; you don't need to be a web designer or app developer. You can head over to Fiverr.com or UpWork and have a freelancer create a mobile application for your business inexpensively. This can be as simple as a checklist or list of resources, or some other helpful piece of information.

On-Page SEO  -  You are probably groaning at the 3 letter acronym SEO. In case you don't know, that stands for search engine optimization. This means making your website, content and webpages attractive to Google and the other search engines. If you have fallen prey to so-called experts that promised to deliver search engine rankings by offering their SEO services, it is understood that search engine optimization is a topic you would like to avoid.

Blogging  -  Guest blogging doesn't provide the big traffic boost that it used to. However, it is still a great way to reach a large audience. Contact the owners of the biggest blogs relevant to your niche or market. Offer to write an original, high-value blog post for their site. In return you ask for a link back to your website.

Answer Questions on Q and A Websites  -  There are sites which allow web surfers to post questions about anything and everything. Online marketers like yourself answer those questions, and the question that gets the most positive feedback is chosen as the top answer.

Start a Podcast  -  This may seem daunting at first. However, all you really need to start a podcast is a decent microphone and a computer. Odds are you have a blog. There is a pretty good chance that your competitor has a website or blog as well. On the other hand, podcasts are few and far between, which makes them the perfect free traffic source that sets you apart from your competition.

SOURCE

Digital Marketing to Promote Businesses to Greater Heights of Success

Conventional or off-line marketing has existed since the beginning of history. But, these days, if a business is to achieve success then, there is just no better alternative to on-line marketing. To put it in short, on-line or digital marketing is all about promoting a business across the virtual domain of the Internet. Some of the core strategies for this line of marketing include web designing, email marketing, social media promotion, search engine optimisation, content marketing including videos and others. This modern marketing concept is potential enough to make or break major international brands and small-scale startup businesses, along with everything that range in between.

Overlapping domains of conventional and digital marketing

Any marketing approach through digital media channels is digital or on-line marketing. The domain of digital media is fast expanding. Presently, social media channels, websites, TV, radio, mobile handsets and even non digital media like billboards and transit displays are considered as digital marketing components. In other words, at present, conventional marketing include aspects like P2P (person to person) marketing, elements of direct marketing that on-line marketing does not cover and print advertising. Actually, the domains of off-line and on-line marketing are fast overlapping each other. Elements of traditional marketing like on-line directories, URL landing pages, web banner advertising, QR codes and others have a strong connection with on-line marketing.

Reasons to assign greater importance to digital media

It is not just marketers and business owners who are driving the shift to digital media. Even consumers are contributing to this phase change. The majority of digital media channels, including various social media platforms and websites, can be more easily tracked. Whereas, print media and other traditional marketing approaches are hardly easy in that aspect.

In contrast to traditional advertising, its on-line counterpart is much cost-effective. Unlike running conventional advertising, one does not need to invest a fortune in running on-line advertising campaigns. The modern advertising approach is equally ideal for small, medium and large-scale businesses, as well as for startup brands.

These days, consumers do not flip through yellow-pages or directories anymore, to find any business to avail its products or services. They Google the required information, either using their hand-held mobiles, laptops or desktops. Thus, businesses hardly have any better alternative other than depending on on-line marketing using the platform of digital media.

Dependable web solutions companies

In this vastly changed landscape, businesses need to hire reliable web solutions-providers. Actually, modern marketing efforts for businesses revolve around building smart and business-friendly websites. A corporate website should ideally represent both the business and the brand. It is also important to ensure that it is easily navigable and user-friendly. Last but never the least, businesses need to invest on optimising their websites, so that the sites rank higher in SERP (Search Engine Result Page).

There are many freelancers, providing web design, development and SEO services at reasonable rates. It is better to pay a higher price and hire a professional brand that provides comprehensive web solutions than working with freelancers. There are many brands that provide a wide and impressive range of services including web design, search engine optimisation (SEO), content marketing, PPC advertising, social media marketing and many more. Hiring such companies will give better mileage in course of time.

SOURCE