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This is a guest contribution from Joe Elliott.
How hard can it be when you start a new blog, you create crazy amounts of content and then you need to start generating traffic?
You bust your butt off to get 20 posts so that you can say you are good to go.
You reach out to influencers only to meet their trashcan. You even submit a ton of pitches for a guest post… again only to get an instant delete!
It sucks!
The truth is this is the old school way of doing this blogging game. Content is still king but your job nowadays is to create content that can generate traffic easily on its own.
Today I am going to share with you the exact strategy I use to create a traffic generating expert roundup post. I will show you the best outreach tips I have to ensure your contributors say yes.
Once this post is live and doing its job you have the social proof I mentioned before and you will get your first few visitors with ease!
Are you ready?
Every topic in your niche that your audience would be interested in has been covered. Having said that, you can still create a better resource that has your very own unique take on the topic.
When you first start a blog you want to create content that has been a success on other blogs. If it has done well before then there is no reason why it can’t take off again.
That is if you do the topic justice!
An expert roundup post that is based on a killer topic will blow your readers mind easily. This post type is stuffed with legendary tips, it’s bursting with value.
So how can you find these topics that have proven their worth?
First head over to Google and search for a broad topic in your niche. This will show you the content that has managed to make the first page of Google. It’s the best content on Google.
Now take each post on the front page of the search results and enter them into Buzzsumo. This will show you the most shared content from this website.
As you go through each you should see similar topics on multiple blogs. When you see the same topic a few times you are onto a good thing.
That’s your PROVEN topic!
Now all that’s left to do is to turn this into a question.
Head over to Quora and type in your hot topic, now pick a question that your audience is looking for and that get’s some traction (how many upvotes does it have). This rocks because the influencers will want to be featured because it’s a popular topic and your audience are happy because it’s a popular question.
Now you have that killer question it is time to create a spreadsheet to input all your influencer buddies into.
The spreadsheet should have a column for their name, blog name, their URL, email and social media accounts. I also add a column for me to write accepted or leave blank. It pays to be organized!
I always start by entering the details for people I know first because you have a track record with them they will be more likely to get involved. Just make sure that they are relevant to the topic. Nobody wants to know what Sports player thinks about SEO, really.
Big celebrity bloggers, these are the ones that every marketer knows, like Darren Rowse, Neil Patel, Amy Porterfield, Pat Flynn etc…
They will be the hardest people to get a hold of because of the sheer amount of email they get daily. Some even have a VA which makes it even harder to get to their inboxes. The best way to get straight to these people is to find someone who knows them and ask them for a connection.
If they fit the bill for your roundup then you should start trying to get on their radar about 6 months out.
Big Audience Bloggers are the bloggers who could still transform your blog because of their big audience. They may still not be at Neil Patel level but they have some decent influence.
You now have a better chance of getting your email read but if you have not taken the time to get on their radar they won’t reply. If you form a relationship with these people most will help you with your expert roundup post.
Credibility Building Bloggers, these are the bloggers that know their stuff but are still building their audience. They have some influence and have connections with the big dogs! You will find these bloggers by looking at other roundups. If they have featured one of the big guys you should definitely consider them because that shows there is a connection there!
The little guys, we all gotta start somewhere. These dudes will promote your post like mad because they want to show that they have been featured amongst the big dogs.
Always consider these dudes – if they make it before you, well it’s another connection!
So get started by filling out your spreadsheet with all the bloggers you want to feature in your post.
I would always aim for at least a hundred. Not all will get back but it should get you at least 20 if you crack the next bit…
Now that you have got a big list of bloggers to reach out to it is time to craft a killer outreach email to get their answer. Check out this article by Jason Quey where he shares his best strategy to get in touch with any kind of influencer.
Most newbies screw this bit up because they feel the need to make their email request all about them or they do not get on the radar well enough!
Hard fact, nobody is going to help you if your number one topic is yourself. If you met someone on the street for the first time and asked for $10, what would their response be?
If you do a good deed for someone, however, you are more than likely to get more in return. Work on forming a relationship!
Start by reaching out to the big dogs these bloggers will take a bit more time to get them on your side. The best way to get on their radar is to start commenting on their blogs, or reaching out to them on social media…
This is how I got in contact with Jaime Masters at the Eventual Millionaire. I followed up by sending her a personal email thanking her for all her hard work and started connecting from there!
The first tip for a successful outreach email is to put the name of the influencer in the subject. You would be surprised how many people use templates and don’t address the influencers by their name at any point in their outreach.
Epic Fail!
This is just rude! When people see their name in the subject they will be more drawn to the email.
Your number on way to get an expert to contribute is to keep the question super easy…
What is your number one tip for new bloggers to start getting traffic?
This is good because it tells the expert who the audience is and the topic getting traffic. It is an easy to answer the question. One tip is plenty because won’t have to write an essay!
Bad Example…
What are the strategies you use to build a blog, list and make money?
This could be a book and you have not stated who the target audience for the post is!
Now the other reason I told you to get the big bloggers first is so that you can drop some social proof into the email. This will help your outreach efforts immensely.
I have got Darren Rowse, Neil Patel, and Yaro Starak’s answers, can I add yours to my list?
When other bloggers see these names they will see that you are working hard to make it a success. This is perfect and will help your efforts to get others involved.
You should be chuffed with your progress, now it is time to put it all together. No matter what keyword you are targeting this post is for the experts to showcase their skills and experience. You have to let them shine.
Create a killer headline that encourages people to click through to your post. I do three things to make sure my headline stands out.
Lastly, I will ask people what they think. You could ask the experts or create a survey in Facebook groups. Your goal is to make sure it kicks butts but you’re not on your own unless you choose to be.
Now to create an intro that captures and hooks your readers in, if you can get them here surely you can keep them through the post. My intros tend to follow a structure but the main thing is to tell the reader what they can expect from your post…
List your experts with their Name, website, short bio and their answer. Now again we want to let them shine so do not be afraid to head over to their website and grab screenshot examples, you can even create your own examples so you have unique pictures.
You could have a link to their most popular post (you can find this using Buzzsumo). Go the extra mile and your experts will see that you care and that it’s not just about you!
Lastly end the post by thanking all your experts for their time. Give a quick summary and ask your readers the question.
This will keep the communication going in the comments, more engagement for your blog!
I see a lot of people using these posts to get some exposure for themselves but they leave it all up to the experts. Yes you will get a lot of free promotion, but you have also got a lot of free content, you should thank the experts by getting them maximum exposure.
The first thing that is so simple to implement is Click to Tweet buttons. These make it easy for your readers to share the content. You can download this free plugin for WordPress which makes the job a breeze.
If you want though you can head to ClickToTweet.com and set up a basic link, this gives you a link to add to your roundup where it makes sense.
The next thing to do is to create some social media graphics using Canva or any tool of your choice. Showcase one or two experts in these images. Now schedule tweets, Facebook posts, Google+ posts and even Pinterest Pins with these pictures and tag your experts in them.
The next thing I do is schedule an email out to my list, doing the social media stuff first helps to create some shares and sometimes even comments. This is social proof for your own subscribers to see when they get there.
Now there should be a bit of traction, so I will reach out to the experts and let them know it’s live. Make it easy for them to share by including a click to tweet link in the email. You still don’t need to ask them for anything.
Let them decide, most will share anyway because they are featured in the post.
Now before I go I want you to go to your favorite industry publication and find the editor and the most common contributors. Start connecting with these people and make sure the link to your site is easy to find.
If you are using Wisestamp the journalists will see your link in your signature if you email them. If on Twitter they will see your link on your profile. Just be helpful don’t ask them for anything, just mingle. If you play your cards right you could get some major exposure from them!
This kind of post can be the most powerful, if you’re not lazy and deliver value to your experts as well as your readers. If you are struggling to get traction or you have a new blog then this type of post is perfect for you.
It might seem like a lot of work but really if you’re not spending time, how can you expect results. Noah Kagen said this in a webinar of his I attended…
This is so true and I think it is something you should keep in mind, not just for roundups but for any post you create!
Have you created an expert roundup post? What were your results like? Let me know in the comments!
Joe Elliott is the founder of One Man Wiki, his blog that shares tips to help you kickstart your blog. If you are a new or struggling blogger his tips will show you how to get traction in no time at all. Take his exclusive free course that will show you how to leverage the power of influencers so you can skyrocket your traffic and subscribers.
The post The One Type Of Blog Post The Will Transform Your Blog Immediately appeared first on ProBlogger.
This is a guest contribution from Kevin Balcker.
You should already know that earning money with a blog does not happen overnight. It takes time, consistent publishing of great content, and unique smart ideas to make a blog take off. Depending on the niche you want to get in, ranking in search engines might be tough, and often requires strong SEO skills.
But what happens if you need money for your daily expenses? Or what if you need money to pay the hosting fees and tools required to run a blog? This is where most people turn to freelancing to help pay the bills.
Freelancing is an excellent way of earning some bucks while you build a blog at the same time. With the money earned, you can then speed up the process of content creation, link building, hiring a pro designer, or whatever you think would be a wise investment of your hard-earned dollars.
I was one of those people who turned to freelancing while I built my blog, and this is how I earned my first $600o
I started my first blog back in 2015. I had no money and no knowledge of how to start a blog, but I had two very important things: Patience and determination. I knew, just from the beginning, that starting a blog was going to be a long journey and that I needed some money to pay tools and hosting fees, so I decided to offer services on Fiverr.com and Upwork (formerly Odesk).
I started as a writer. At that time I had a lot of work, writing for other blogs and for mine but it was very helpful because I learned how to write for search engines (on-page SEO) and a ton about keyword research.
In the first two months, I earned +$600, and that was the jump start of my business. I invested literally ALL the money I earned into my website. I paid premium keyword tools, WordPress plugins, themes, hired writers, etc. That investment produced higher rankings for my website, UX increased significantly, and most important, revenue also increased allowing me to earn money in “almost-passive mode”.
So, you get the point – even if you don’t have two cents to rub together, you can figure out how to earn extra money and then invest it in your own business. That’s my suggestion if you are starting with a low budget.
There are many other ways to get quick cash, but I found freelancing the easiest one and the most legit.
It might be a great way to earn extra on the side to fund your blogging passion – but it doesn’t come without a little work on your part.
The most important factor in my opinion. Becoming a freelancer means you are going to need a tremendous amount of self-discipline because you’re going to be logging your own hours.
If you’re someone who doesn’t have a lot of self-discipline, does not pay attention to details and can’t keep a consistent schedule, it’s going to be really hard on you and going to be even harder for your clients.
This is where I tell you to reconsider your position, especially if you don’t meet those qualifications. Someone who is easily distracted could make freelancing a very challenging career. Even if freelancing is something that you will do just for a few months, you need to take it seriously. Remember that your name is your personal brand, and people will remember you in the future.
Freelancing also requires a significant investment on your part regarding resources. Being able to buy the tools of the trade, being able to replace them at the drop of the hat, all of these things are super important, so you have to be in a position to where financially this makes sense.
Having the best tools will give you a competitive advantage upon other freelancers.
But consider this: just buying these tools, will not be sufficient. You will have to learn how to use them and if you develop a personal strategy with them, there will be a high probability that your success will come true.
Some tools I recommend:
Here at ProBlogger there are some useful guides that will help you out to learn about SEO and writing:
If you’re someone who is very introverted, it’s not that you can’t do it, but the challenge for you will be new client acquisition.
If you’re introverted but you are a master of SEO or social media, then this could be less difficult for you regarding client acquisition. Or if you are willing to outsource or partner with someone who is very sales and marketing oriented, that could be a great proposition for you. You will have to leave money on the table, but having 70% of somethings is better than 100% of nothing.
If this person can get you deals and close at a higher rate than you could, it is probably for the best. If not, you might have to reconsider doing this full-time because the reality is that the marketplace is very saturated and very noisy. It is going to be tough for someone who can’t come outside himself to be competitive there.
Quality work matters, but it’s not going to speak for itself, it’s not going to sell itself, and if you can’t get in front of it, you need someone who can. Otherwise, you are going to lose to your loudest competitor. Remember this: Showing up matters.
People are not hunting you down for this work so you can’t be naïve and you can’t be romantic about it.
As I said, there are lots of freelancers out there providing excellent services. For example, I have hired my own writers and designers from Upwork and Fiverr with outstanding results.
Just take a look at what other freelancers are selling, and see if you can add any extra to that service.
Always be honest with your clients, set expectations and deliver what you offer. It’s very hard to gain the trust of your clients and very easy to lose it all of a sudden.
Salespersonship matters, oh my god it really does. Your talent is not the variable of your success there, it’s that actually salespersonship matters because the marketplace decides and showing up is how you get things done.
It doesn’t matter if you are the nicest person in the room. If you don’t go out to the dance floor and ask a girl to dance, being the nicest guy in the room isn’t going to do a lot for you.
Getting money really matters as a freelancer and so instead of waxing poetic about how good you are, it’s about how good you are at selling.
If It doesn’t make you any money, it doesn’t make sense.
I will encourage you to figure out if you are the best person to sell your brand and to get new clients (you can start with browsing the ProBlogger Jobs board), whether you need a partner with somebody, or whether you need to use an agency of some kind.
There are ones like Aquent and Vitamin Talent, that help freelancers find clients or even find full-paid positions if they want that, or even remote telecommuting project based jobs. All these things are an avenue to overcome that particular obstacle or weakness. Then, you can get better at selling if it’s in your personality, but if it’s not, I would say just outsource that weakness.
If freelancing is right for you, it can be very lucrative. It can be very practical, and it could be the beginning of financial freedom.
If you have a question about freelancing or working with difficult clients, leave that in the comment section. I would love to hear your doubts and help you out.
Kevin Balcker is a digital marketer, entrepreneur and owner of Residual Income Secrets. He writes about starting, growing and managing a blog, SEO, social media and ways of generating passive income. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter or Google +
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Today tickets go on sale for ProBlogger Evolve – two events in Australia for bloggers.
Yes you read that correctly – after 7 previous years of one event per year – we’re trying something new by running two events in two cities over two weekends.
We’re calling it ProBlogger Evolve because we think the way blogs are monetised really does need to evolve. The time we spend together will really focus in on some of the emerging models people are using to monetise blogs.
Brisbane – at Brisbane Rydges Southbank Hotel on 29-30 July
Melbourne – at Melbourne Rydges CBD Hotel on 5-6 August
This year we’re trying a new format.
Day 1 Conference – in both cities the first day will be a single day conference to examine monetisation strategies through the lens of 4 key pillars of blogging – those of Content, Engagement, Traffic and Conversion. These days will be everyone in a single track for a full day.
Day 2 Mastermind – the second day is mastermind day and will be more intimate (we’re limiting it to 32 attendees) and a chance to dive deep into the business model(s) best suited to you and to spend time brainstorming, planning, asking questions about your blog and business.
Day 1 will be pitched at a level that is accessible for everyone but day 2 will be at a higher level for those who want to not only learn some of the great topics we’ll cover on day 1 but who want to talk through how to apply it to their business.
So there will be two ticket types:
Update: the Melbourne Conference + Mastermind ticket is now sold out and the Brisbane Mastermind ticket has only a few spots left. We will set up a waitlist in case more tickets become available for these masterminds but suggest you pick up the Day 1 ticket in the mean time.
Last week in San Diego I did a little Facebook live to announce to our Facebook community who is keynoting the event this year.
So this year Pat Flynn is returning to our event for the second time. Pat came out in 2014 an has been one of our most highly rated speakers ever.
Pat will be our closing keynote at the Day 1 Conference in both cities (as well as involved on that day with Q&A) but will be heavily involved in the mastermind days too – so those taking that opportunity will all have an opportunity to sit around a table with him in a small group to ask questions, brainstorm on your blog together and learn from his years of experience.
We’re still putting the rest of our lineup for this year’s events together but wanted to let you know what we’re planning and also today are making Earlybird Tickets available.
These earlybird tickets give you $100 off both ticket types. This will be available for two days only (10pm AEDT on 30 March).
The Earlybird Ticket Prices are:
There are limited numbers of tickets available in both cities and extremely limited numbers of tickets (and a high interest from what we can tell) in the mastermind tickets – so to avoid disappointment we suggest securing your tickets as soon as possible.
Get full details of what’s included in tickets and what we’re planning in terms of the agenda on our events page which is where you can also now pick up your tickets.
If you’re in the USA an want to get to a ProBlogger event you’re in luck.
This year I’m cohosting an event called the Success Incubator in Dallas Texas on 24-25 October and you can also pick up an Earlybird ticket to that event until 31 March.
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This is a guest contribution from Chelsea Lee Smith of MomentsADay.com.
As a part-time blogger and homeschooling mother of three, I often get asked: “How do you do it all?!”
In the past, I usually ran through a few different answers: I have had a regular cleaner at times; I usually do my shopping online to save time; I rarely watch TV; I have occasional childcare.
But these answers are only a small part of the bigger picture. Yes, making certain lifestyle choices has contributed to my ability to get things done. However that in itself would not provide me with the professional environment required to continue my work as a blogger.
The underlying reason I have been able to keep up my blog alongside a very busy personal life is that I aim to maintain healthy work practices. This keeps my blogging at a level where it doesn’t overtake my life and ensures I keep enjoying it.
I did not map all this out until recently when I nearly hit rock bottom as a professional blogger. It wasn’t because my statistics had dropped or anything else catastrophic had happened (knock on wood). I was simply emotionally exhausted and drained.
I basically got to a point that I felt so overwhelmed with blogging that I was seriously considering giving it up. We had moved to a new town and setting up house was taking much more time and energy than I had envisioned. Article deadlines were constantly creeping up on me, leading to late nights and a lot of anxiety. Nothing was being checked off on my project to-do list. My inbox was going bonkers.
After e-chatting with a few blogging buddies, I recognised the need to sit back and really take stock. I had been through many busy periods during my blogging career. Study, pregnancy, new baby, a year of travel around Australia. What was the issue now? Why was it so challenging?
I asked myself:
The answer to both questions was no. I was not enjoying my work because I felt constantly behind, leading to a little voice in the back of my head saying that it would never be enough no matter what I did. I was sticking to my post schedule instead of writing what I was passionate about. I was checking my email on my phone throughout the day, trying to get one or two jobs done here and there, and not staying present with my family or myself.
Were these patterns contributing to a better blog? Not really.
Did I want to continue blogging? No way. At least not like this…
So I outlined the practices I had followed in the past that would help me enjoy my work and maintain my boundaries again. What a difference it has made to reintroduce these habits in my life. I now feel that I have a better blog and am able to be a better me.
I am sharing my list of healthy Pro-Blogger practices with you in case these points help you create better choices around your work as a blogger.
Emails sent in the checkout line are rarely typo-free or complete. Don’t skip meals or stay up all night tweaking something that can wait until tomorrow. Do work when it’s working time, in your own designated working space.
Treat yourself like an important employee – give yourself a desk, all the tools you need, and time to regroup when you need it. If you take care of yourself and maintain your head space, your work will be better and you will be in a better place personally to handle pressure when it comes your way.
As a work-at-home blogger, it can be tricky to overcome distractions. I have found that when my work interferes with family time, even 10 minutes here and there, I head down a slippery slope towards resentment by myself as well as my family.
Therefore when I am able to schedule time to work on my blog, I fully dedicate that time to working on my blog. No cleaning, no cooking, no laundry, but work, as if I were in an office away from my house. If I find I am getting distracted by Facebook or start procrastinating by doing the household chores, it is time to take a break. I like to be productive in bursts instead of feeling like I’m spending hours getting “nothing” done.
Who doesn’t like to chat at tea break about what’s going on in the office? It’s necessary to have colleagues not only for professional development but for a sense of teamwork and mutual support.
My blogging buddies are absolutely irreplaceable because – it’s just a fact – no one gets blogging like a blogger. I was lucky towards the beginning of my blogging career to be hooked up with some pretty fantastic bloggers who are not only a great sources of information but some of my most reliable cheerleaders. We share our struggles and our milestones, ask each other questions, let each other know about embarrassing typos and all the other good stuff that happens in blogger Facebook communities.
If you don’t have a blogging group that fits you, find one or create your own. It can be a game changer to be supported by like-minded bloggers, especially those in your own niche.
No one can do it all.
All the bloggers I have ever met have expressed that there are so many things they would like to do – ebooks, ecourses, better SEO, more printables – but simply don’t have the time. Being a blogger in itself takes serious commitment, a good amount of planning, a whole lot of time, and often a few tears.
I often have two dozen projects on my list and have to narrow it down to one or two that I want to actually complete. I do allow myself a bit of time to dream and explore different options, but choosing a couple things to actually finish helps me meet a deadline. I also constantly remind myself that I don’t have to be everywhere on social media as long as I’m consistently in one or two places where my readers know they can find me.
There is a delicate balance between writing what you want to say and writing what readers want to read. No matter what topic you are writing about, you have a voice and a skill set that is uniquely yours. Your blog is your platform to share a message with the world. What will your legacy be? Be true to yourself and write from the heart. Not only is it more satisfying, but following your passions will keep you motivated to continue progressing in your blogging career.
Remembering these healthy work practices has helped me get my blogging groove back on, and I hope they might help you consider what will lift your blogging work higher as well.
Have you considered healthy blogging practices before? What are your must-dos?
Chelsea Lee Smith is an author and parent educator who shares personal growth activities and resources for the whole family at MomentsADay.com.
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