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How I Achieved a Tenfold Increase in Organic Traffic with Text Optimizer

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I have been in the blogging / marketing / freelancing business long enough to lose trust in any “get rich quick” or “triple your traffic in a week” headlines. I would never even click those unless I see them on a trusted resource.

Therefore when I came across this article, I was skeptical but being an avid reader of the blog, I decided to give it a read. I admit it all sounded a bit overwhelming: “semantic search”, “related concepts”, etc. But I still went ahead and gave the featured tool a try.

Text Optimizer does what it says: Helps you optimize your text. In essence, it shows all kinds of words and phrases that somehow relate to your main keyword, i.e. the one that you’d want rank for in Google search.

The idea is, if you cover more concepts that constitute your topic, you have more chances to meet your readers’ expectations, and thus will achieve both better engagement and higher rankings. You can get a better idea of this by playing with the tools’ demo here.

The tool is based on semantic analysis which is what I decided to start researching.

What is Semantic Search?

According to Wikipedia:

Semantic search seeks to improve search accuracy by understanding the searcher’s intent and the contextual meaning of terms as they appear in the searchable dataspace, whether on the Web or within a closed system, to generate more relevant results. Semantic search systems consider various points including context of search, location, intent, variation of words, synonyms, generalized and specialized queries, concept matching and natural language queries to provide relevant search results

What I could understand from this definition is the following:

  • Semantic search tries to understand the context (versus an isolated query)
  • Semantic search tries to understand intent (i.e. what searchers expect to find when performing a search)

Both sounded very good to me, so I decided to give the tool a try.

How to Use Text Optimizer

The first step is registering for free trial. Once you are there, simply provide your target query, choose Google, and then copy-paste your URL you want to rank for that query. The tool will grab Google’s search snippets for that query, applies semantic analysis to them to better understand context and then identify which terms are missing from your text:

Your job is to pick 15-20 of listed concepts and naturally include into your content to optimize it better. Don’t overdo: You don’t your article to sound weird or artificial. If you need to write more content to cover those concepts, go ahead and do that. After all, this makes your content better, which is a beauty of using this tool.

Text Optimizer also helps you build sentences:

As well as target your audience to certain territory:

Text Optimizer and My Process

I started going through my old content, article by article and optimizing them to achieve minimum score of 70

Luckily, I ddidn’t have to much client work, so I was able to delve into the tool almost full time. I actually enjoyed using it because I liked what it did to my content: I felt like my blog was becoming much better.

This took me about two works of work.

Now, looking back at my organic traffic, I was excited to see my time wasn’t wasted. I went from ~100 users a day to ~1000 users a day and growing! Whether it’s semantic SEO or simply making my content better (longer, more in-depth, etc.) but Text Optimizer definitely worked:

Now, it’s not a magic button! Optimizing content using Text Optimizer takes lots of time: You need to run the tool, write content and then re-run the tool, then rinse and repeat. But if you can dedicate at least an hour a day to this, you may have great results over time!

Good luck!

How to Turn Your Passion into Cash with Blogging

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Are you passionate in one topic and want to spread your passion to others? Do you want to make money from your passion?

You can do it simply by starting a blog. Yes, blogging can help you to turn your passion into cash. Furthermore, blogging is one of the best ways to stay productive even when you are bored!

Follow these tips carefully:

1. Share what you know

Sharing information is what blogging is all about. If you have something to share with the world, blogging is one of the best platforms for you to simply share what you know.

Remember that everyone is an expert at something. Some people may not know about what you’re sharing, and they may need that information. When you are blogging, simply tell people about your passion. You will be able to naturally attract readers with similar passion as you.

Example: If you need inspiration, check out blogs by any of these prolific lawyers

2. Write only what you’re deeply interested in

You should write about what you know, not about what you don’t know. Writing about something that you enjoy will add more power to your writing. If you write about something that you know, what you write will naturally become persuasive.

When you’re able to persuade people with your writing, you can easily make some cash from your writing. Remember that the key to cash in with your blog is persuasive writing. It can be obtained only if you write about what you’re deeply interested in.

Example: If you are a blogger who want to get hired, start a blog on how bloggers can get hired!

3. Help your readers wholeheartedly

Aside from sharing information about your passion, blogging can become your channel to solve their problem. You can only make money with blogging if you’re able to help your readers to solve their problem.

After all, most products that are sold on the market are products that can help their buyers in some way. Help your readers wholeheartedly with your blog writing. Recommend products that you think can help your readers to solve their problem.

Example: There are no boring niches as long as your content is helpful and creative

4. Install advertisements only if you’ve made your blog popular

Although you can change your passion into cash with blogging, most people are quickly switching their gears once they start to make some money with their blog. They will start cluttering their blogs with advertisements and lots of pop-ups. You should avoid doing this.

You can monetize your blog through advertisements, but you can’t install those ads right away. The best timing to start monetizing your blog through advertisements is when you’ve made your blog popular. What’s the measurement of popular blog? You can assume that your blog is popular enough when you see regular daily traffic of 1000 visitors or more.

5. Make yourself an expert

The last thing to make sure that you can cash in your passion with your blog is to make people notice that you’re an expert in your field. Through your passionate writing, you can make it.

People will regard you as an expert in blogging if you can solve their problem and share valuable information to them. Once you’ve build good reputation as an expert, it will become easier for you to make money with your blog. People will just start to call you and offer some gigs to you.

If you have a passion in any field, don’t suppress it. Start by creating a blog about the topic that you’re passionate about and follow the tips above. Within short amount of time, you will be able to turn your passion into cash with blogging.

Featured image by LUM3N

How to Build Income with Your Blog

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passion into bloggingAre you passionate in one topic and want to spread your passion to others? Do you want to make money from your passion? You can do it simply by starting a blog.

Yes, blogging can help you to turn your passion into cash. Follow these tips carefully:

1. Share what you know

Sharing information is what blogging is all about. If you have something to share with the world, blogging is one of the best platforms for you to simply share what you know.

Remember that everyone is an expert at something. Some people may not know about what you’re sharing, and they may need that information. When you are blogging, simply tell people about your passion. You will be able to naturally attract readers with similar passion as you.

Content marketing only works as long as you love what you are writing about.

2. Write only what you’re deeply interested in

You should write about what you know, not about what you don’t know. Writing about something that you enjoy will add more power to your writing. If you write about something that you know, what you write will naturally become persuasive.

When you’re able to persuade people with your writing, you can easily make some cash from your writing. Remember that the key to cash in with your blog is persuasive writing. It can be obtained only if you write about what you’re deeply interested in.

3. Help your readers wholeheartedly

Aside from sharing information about your passion, blogging can become your channel to solve their problem. You can only make money with blogging if you’re able to help your readers to solve their problem.

After all, most products that are sold on the market are products that can help their buyers in some way. Help your readers wholeheartedly with your blog writing. Recommend products that you think can help your readers to solve their problem.

4. Install advertisements only if you’ve made your blog popular

Although you can change your passion into cash with blogging, most people are quickly switching their gears once they start to make some money with their blog. They will start cluttering their blogs with advertisements and lots of pop-ups. You should avoid doing this. You can monetize your blog through advertisements, but you can’t install those ads right away.

The best timing to start monetizing your blog through advertisements is when you’ve made your blog popular. What’s the measurement of popular blog? You can assume that your blog is popular enough when you see regular daily traffic of 1000 visitors or more.

5. Make yourself an expert

The last thing to make sure that you can cash in your passion with your blog is to make people notice that you’re an expert in your field. Through your passionate writing, you can make it.

People will regard you as an expert in blogging if you can solve their problem and share valuable information to them. Once you’ve build good reputation as an expert, it will become easier for you to make money with your blog. People will just start to call you and offer some gigs to you.

6. And finally, Get Consistent!

Consistency is key in making your blog a success. When preparing for a trip, or planning a vacation, always include your blog editorial as your high-priority. What’s going to happen with your blog while you are away? Think this through!

Also be sure to grab yourself a copy of Social Media Promotion Guide to find some tools and scheduling tips to keep your channels active while you are away.

If you have a passion in any field, don’t suppress it. Start by creating a blog about the topic that you’re passionate about and follow the tips above. Within short amount of time, you will be able to turn your passion into cash with blogging.

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How to Improve Your Freelancing Productivity

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I do a lot of my work from home. While this is great in many ways, there is one where I have a lot of trouble: productivity. It is just so easy to lose track of time, or to begin procrastinating. There are some days where you just can’t get started, and before you know it you realize it is one in the afternoon and you are still in your bathrobe, without a single bit of work done.

One of the reasons it is so hard to be productive at home is that it isn’t easy to feel stressed or like there is a time constraint when you aren’t in an office. Some days it is absolutely impossible – which is why making your home a place for relaxed productivity is a great way to fix the problem.

Here are some tips:

Get Quirky With Your Seating Arrangements

Sitting in an office chair all day can be such a pain, whether you are at home or elsewhere. But they are also a necessity, so if you want to mix it up it is better to add another couple of options around you so you can move around, get comfortable, and even improve the look of your work space.

Have a sofa in your office against one wall for breaks. Or get really quirky and throw in a couple of bean bag chairs.

Have a Dedicated Work Space

Have you ever heard people say that if you want to sleep better you should make the bedroom a place only for night activities? That same principle can be applied to your office. Treat your freelancing business as a real business.

Have a place where you always work, whether it is a full room or just a small segment of the house. Only use it for productive things (no playing games or browsing Facebook), and let that association boost your work output. It is a nifty little trick of the mind.

Surround Yourself With Serenity

A burbling waterfall art piece, a stereo playing gentle music, a couple of house plants, relaxing lighting….all of these can give your workspace a feeling of serenity that improves mood and keeps you loose and happy through the day.

You can even section off a portion of your office for stretching, yoga or workouts to help you de-stress and free your mind of unwanted thoughts.

Decorate With Bright Colors

Bright colors will trigger a reaction in the brain that makes you feel more energized and focused. Red, oranges, yellows and golds are great. So are brighter versions of usually cooler colors, like an electric blue or green.

You don’t necessarily want it to be so busy that it is distracting, but a splash of color can do wonders.

Have Everything You Need Within Reach

A coffee pot, some healthy snacks, your work phone, hand wipes or lotions, chapstick, a sweater or blanket; fantastic items to have on hand just in case you find yourself needing something and don’t want to leave the room.

Having the little things that improve your mood will keep you from getting too tense, of having to go out for something. Try a weekly checklist to make sure before the workweek starts that everything is fully stocked and ready for you.

Create a Schedule

A schedule is your best friend for keeping calm and on track through the day. Set a times for work in blocks through the day, working in any meetings, conference calls or emails you have to do. Add in plenty of breaks, a decent lunch time, and maybe a time for something active like a quick walk or workout. Here are a few cool calendar plugins for WordPress to always keep your schedule handy.

This will keep you at your best. Make sure you also have an end time for the day, and don’t work beyond it. Working from home, it can be really tempting to push things to the end of the day and overshoot our schedule, or just get a few more emails in.

Do you have a tip for making your home a place of relaxed productivity? Let’s discuss!

Six Examples of Solid Facebook Marketing

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Facebook is a very powerful, extremely viral social networking and micro-blogging platform that has catapulted many businesses to new levels. It has enjoyed a famously popular online exposure and an ever-increasing appeal to corporations, social networkers, and online entrepreneurs.

Some companies who recognize the Facebook effect experience enormous brand recognition and success that accompanies their marketing efforts. These six companies are currently enjoying successful social networking, high traffic to their sites, and a branding experience that they credit to Facebook.

1. Pringles

The famous potato chip snack company is quite popular on Facebook – something to the tune of over 3 million fans! The site’s attraction is more than the snack lover’s interest in their wares, but for their comedic and crafty use of their product videos.

The videos are a mixture of professional, commercial-style shoots and others that were taped possibly using personal video recorders. All of the videos are entertaining and funny, but without fail in each video, Pringles brands themselves very effectively through visual marketing.

2. Dell

If Facebook fans ever needed a reason to love a computer manufacturer, Dell has given them one – if not several. With over 100,000 fans and several niche Facebook pages, Dell is the company who proudly embraces a green campaign and makes a conservation commitment to their Facebook followers.

Each time one of Dell’s fan’s picks a friend, Dell plants a tree on their behalf. This effort is a part of their commitment to creating a healthier planet, additionally making a donation to The Conservation Fund to plant up to 150,000 trees. How’s that for social interaction?

3. LawListings

LawListings Facebook

LawListings has a very engaging Facebook page that is a good example of visual quoting: They put together well-branded visual quotes and engage their Facebook audience with that content.

This Facebook Page is a great example of effective Facebook marketing even in tough niches.

4. Pizza Hut

The pizza chain giant has over one million fans on their page. What makes their site so viral? Their generous interaction with the pizza community. They tag other users on Facebook, make it fun and very sociable by allowing fans to upload various pictures, images, photos and artistry depicting their brand in various ways.

Some of the fan photos are with family, creating a visual imagery of unity, while other photos that are incorporated onto their page are snapshots of different Pizza Hut restaurants or paraphernalia.

5. Harley-Davidson

The motorcycle giant has over 700,000 fans on their Facebook page and use several marketing methods to attract and retain those fans. Much of the information on their site consists of photos and videos, but there is a heavier focus on information and updates about their product and the motor bike industry at large.

Fans flock to their pages to sneak a hopeful peek at what the upcoming bikes will look like and to read about any changes in their current bike line. Harely-Davidson is definitely an industry leader with a proven track record. Facebook has helped their online marketing efforts by reaching a technical aspect of their customer pool.

6. Starbuck’s

With one of the highest number of fans on Facebook, Starbuck’s remains at the top because of their frequent and engaging interaction with coffee lovers everywhere!

They are very involved in the local communities and abroad, and use videos, blog posts, surveys, and coffee giveaways to appeal to their customer base. Starbuck’s takes the time to carefully groom their social networking page to be sure that they effectively reach their customers, making them an outstanding industry leader.

Further reading and resources:

Any other great Facebook marketing case studies? Please let us know!

How to Evaluate Your Content Performance

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It isn’t always easy to evaluate ourselves and our work. Anyone who has created content in any professional capacity has had the experience many times of people responding strongly to a piece you didn’t think was any good, and then all but ignoring the one you poured your heart and soul into. It is an exasperating experience that reminds us that it isn’t always so easy to determine quality based on perspective alone.

The bad news is that evaluating content performance is a very necessary job. We have to be able to see what is working, and what isn’t, in order to continue to grow. Luckily, there is hard data to assist in the process, as well as a few things to keep in mind.

What Makes Content Successful?

Before looking at how to analyze the success of your content, you need to define something very important: what constitutes success. You might get a lot of views on a blog posts, but be disappointed by its lack of comments. Something could generate a ton of comments, but never get shared once on social media. It could be republished (with permission) on another site, but hardly generate any traffic for your own.

There are several ways that you could define success:

  • The content receives a lot of engagement on social media, and brings people to your profile.
  • The content drives clickthroughs to your actual site.
  • The content generates a lot of traffic via SEO and search engine results.
  • The content improves your visibility, and attracts an audience you were trying to target.
  • The content enriches the authority of yourself and your brand.
  • The content assists the steady growth of your site, even if only in part.

Here are only some examples. Really, success is defined entirely by what it is you choose it to be.

Once you have established this criteria, you will know what to look at moving forward.

Further reading: The Comprehensive Guide to Content Marketing Analytics & Metrics

The Need For Analytics

The simplest way to go about evaluating your content is to find patterns within data. That is where analytics come in. Google Analytics is your most basic tool (it is free for most people), and easiest to use. But you can find any number of tools online, including plugins that can be integrated into WordPress to provide the details right in your dashboard, or on individual posts.

Don’t make any decisions based on a couple of months of information. While three to five months can give you a small glance at how certain content is doing, it is a very small sampling. Six months should be your minimum, but a year or more is much better. The more posts you have to analyze, the better the picture as you see what has happened over time.

Analytics will tell you how much organic traffic has been generated, how long people have on average remained on the page (did they immediately click out, skim, or read in detail), and what posts are top performing.

Once you have that data comes the tricky part is deciding what to do with it. It isn’t enough to know what content is doing well. You have to figure out why. Ask yourself:

  • What patterns are emerging based on the topic?
  • How was the SEO handled on those posts?
  • Was there a specific tone within those posts?
  • Did it include any kind of visual content that enhanced it?
  • Was the style done in a particular way?
  • Who created the content?
  • Did anything special happen on social media, such as the use of particular hashtags when sharing?
  • Were the topics related to something trending at the time?

You want to find the common links with this content, in order to figure out what it is about them that has been working.

Further resources: Here’s a good collection of analytics and search engine optimization resources and tools to go through

When The Same Thing That Always Works Stops Working

One thing you may notice is a surge of popularity based on these patterns, and then a decline. If what you thought was always working isn’t anymore, analytic data will show you that with brutal clarity. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing; times change, and you have to adapt with better content for new eras. Otherwise, you will be left behind.

If you find yourself noticing that what used to work is no longer bringing you the results you need, it is time to try something new. That might also be hidden in the data, as you can see the second most popular content that is still rising beyond the decline you’ve noted. It could inspire you to create something new. Take it as an opportunity to grow!

Further reading: talkingAds, a company that “translates data into actionable results”, puts it very well:

Interpreting and acting on the basis of marketing analysis is the key… Aligning marketing analytics with company requirements makes a difference.

Being Honest About Your Content

You are going to be shocked by what you find, from time to time. You are going to want to deny it. No, there is no way your readers have started to avoid your Freaky Fridays theme week, or lost interest in meandering stories about your time working that job only you find interesting!

Further reading: To help you out, here’s a great article on creating great content from startablog123.com: How To Write A Good Blog Post

Well, that is just the way the cookie crumbles. People get bored, they move on, and you have to bring them back. Don’t get so bogged down with what you’re used to. Enjoy this chance to start fresh, and pay attention to what the data tells you. Even if what it tells you makes you a little bit sad.